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wives-natlho · 1 year ago

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Captain Styrnsyn

The burly Roegadyn folded up the newsrag he had been handed a few minutes ago. On page four was a spread honoring the Maelstrom’s recent retirees. He had just read about one particular Sea Wolf named Coco Natlho, who had ended her services with the Maelstrom after several years of faithful service. The caption below the image listed some of Coco’s accomplishments, which had included multiple frontline engagements with Garlemald forces. The Captain thought back to his own encounters with Garlean ships, and knew that this girl Coco was something special, but… was it her?

Captain Alyph Styrnsyn put his hands on his knees and stood up, stretched, put his hat on, and headed out the door. The sun shone into his eyes harshly, and it took a moment for his sight to adjust. The bright sky was clear, and the wind was favorable. It was their final day before making port in Limsa Lominsa, ready to unload and collect his payment. He wasn’t a pirate anymore, but merchant work was just as profitable, if not more. Also, the odd encounter with Sahagin or Garlean ships kept things just interesting enough for the old man.

This time, he was transporting a load of equipment from Sharlayan. Odd aetheric gadgets he didn’t really understand, along with two scientists who did. The trip was particularly boring, and there was no reason to draw his blade, which was simultaneously a relief and a disappointment.

“Captain, are you going to take shore leave this time?” His first mate was an Auri woman from Werlyt named Cassandra.

He gripped the paper in his hand. “Yes. Two days.”

“Aye, aye!” Cassandra adjusted her bicorne and handed Alyph a clipboard. “No changes in cargo. Both passengers and all crew accounted for overnight.”

The Captain nodded and walked around the deck of the ship, ensuring its safety.

—--------

Two years ago, he had embarrassed himself, asking the life story of a Sea Wolf woman in Ul’dah, who had reminded him of a beautiful enemy of his that he had one spent the night with.

Ten years ago, he stood silently in front of the orphanage where they left her, only to lose his nerve and walk away before anyone opened the door.

Eighteen years ago, he began to think he had made the biggest mistake of his life and began his search the world over.

This time, the name Coco showed up… It was the name he left her with. Surely she hadn’t kept it. It had to be wrong again, just like all the other times. It had to be wrong.

It wasn’t her.

—------

Cassandra escorted the Sharlayan scientists to the Arcanist Guild. After a few hours, the ship was unloaded and most of the crew began their shore leave. Once the Raen women returned to the ship, Captain Styrnsyn left the vessel in her care and stepped onto land for the first time in several months. He opted against using the Aethernet, and instead adjusted to solid ground on his walk across the city and up the stairs to The Drowning Wench. He had carried the paper with him, and re-read the small blurb about the Maelstrom retiree. He must have read it at least thirty times now. It couldn’t be her…

And if it was, should he say something?

He sighed, and ordered two shots and another mug.

—------

He hadn’t drank enough water that night, and woke up under the bright moon, needing something he couldn’t identify. The stomach ache from the alcohol was made worse by the anxiety from his complete inability to decide if he wanted to find this woman and speak to her, or not. He vomited. He cried.

The age of Sixty Seven wore heavy upon him. He felt much worse after a morning when he wasn’t sleeping on a mattress. The stone wall on the outside of the Aftcastle was not very supportive of his ailing lumbar, but it was the only place he could rest after the night he had. The solitary inn room was not accommodating to his current mental and psychological state. He decided to order a courtesan just to have some company for his much-needed bath. She didn’t end up being much of a comfort, though. Courtesans often make good psychologists, but unfortunately Alyph needed a more specific professional.

After he was clean, he still didn’t feel any better. He ate a fancy meal at the Bismarck. He soaked his feet in the ocean water, and watched the fisherman catch the night’s dinner. He ordered two courtesans at once, just to see if four hands would be enough to help him forget. But it wasn’t. He had to try again, just for his own sanity. He would have none left if he let this one go. He was determined.

The next morning, he let Cassandra know to extend all hands’ shore leave by three more days, and he would take three more as well. He started in the Mist, just to see if there was any sort of registry, and to ask around to the locals. He didn’t get anywhere with them, though, because he knew nothing of the woman he was seeking beyond what the article had listed. He showed it to everyone he met, to no avail.

He sought out the Maelstrom Command, who would not give any information on their retirees. The girls at the Missing Member wouldn’t even let the captain into the restaurant. A few people in the city seemed to recognize the woman in the paper, but knew her only in passing. The Arcanist Guild reported they did remember her, vaguely, but it was nearly 20 years ago, so there was no reliable record of her presence.

He spent the entire three days in search, and was no closer to finding her. He returned to the Drowning Wench, and took a mug outside, to let the sea wind attempt to blow away his failure and regret. He leaned over the railing, mug in hand, and watched the crowd in the Aetheryte Plaza below. He stayed like this until sunset, watching the people move below him. The buskers traded places, one starting up a new song just as another had finished their day. The constant line of shoppers going to and from Hawker’s Alley hid amongst them several folks showing off their bright garments and newly-forged and aether-infused weaponry. A stationary few were only in one place in order to provide a public display of affection enough to make some of the Captain’s own crew blush. This went on until he was ready to leave Vylbrand for good. Being home made him feel sick. Maybe his ship’s new home should be Radz-at-Han.

Alyph stood, wiped his mouth, and started to walk back to the bar to return his empty mug. He took a deep breath and looked once more at the giant spinning crystal in the middle of town. Just behind it, emerging from the shadow of Hawker’s Alley was her. He winced and wiped his eyes to make sure. It was definitely the woman from the paper… But was it her?

Looking on, he smiled wide, seeing the cheerful woman below. She was spinning and bouncing, seemingly showing off a new dress that had just been purchased. The display seemed to be intended for the eyes of a Miqo’te woman nearby, wearing a complementary-colored suit. The two were walking towards the ramp up to the Bismarck. He headed north to cut them off. This would be his only chance.

He could tell the two were friends. The Sea Wolf chatted away as the Miqo’te woman smiled widely at the goofy and gleeful display across from her. The two were comfortable around one another. Very comfortable… They were kissing now. He hadn’t expected that.

A wave of some foreign feeling washed over him. At this point he was hiding behind a big menu, watching this young couple enjoy their love, and he knew if he approached he would only make things worse. If this was his daughter from so many years ago, he could be proud that she had made a life for herself. That she had such an illustrious career with the Maelstrom, and was in a loving relationship, and that she had such good taste in dresses. If this wasn’t her, then whoever his daughter truly was had her own full life filled with joy and hope. Either way, he could know that his daughter, whether it was this particular Sea Wolf or not, had made a life for herself.

Without him.

The foreign feeling found several names, in order: regret, anger, sadness, joy, and then peace. He was done, and he could go back to his own life. He actually quite liked the idea of Radz-at-Han. He would talk to Cassandra about it, to see what she thought.

He got up from the table, leaving a handful of gil, and never returned to Limsa Lominsa.

—------

Across the Bismarck, Coco Natlho looked up at an old Roegadyn leaving the restaurant and stopped mid-conversation.

“You okay?” asked Athena.

“Uh… yeah. Sorry, I thought I saw someone I know.”

#ffxiv #ffxiv roleplay #ff14 #ffxiv oc #final fantasy 14 #ffxiv rp #fanfiction #ffxiv fanfic #ffxiv fanfiction #oc fic #Coco Natlho

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danzinora-switch · 5 years ago

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Typing the Turtles (ROTTMNT) Part 2 - Donatello

This started out as an investigation into the turtles’ insecurities, because one thing the show does so well is demonstrate that they are still teenagers. And being a teenager is a confusing experience - there’s angst, drama, exploring one’s identity, a lot of growth, and overall figuring out who you are. That’s a messy process, too! And we see this mess in our turtles: they mess up, they’re learning, they self-doubt, they have fears and insecurities, but they’re also discovering their strengths and how to overcome their inner obstacles.

So after thinking about all this way too long, here’s my psychological breakdown of each turtle (I’ll be referencing MBTI and the Enneagram, but will include links for more general information on those if you don’t know what I’m talking about).

Donnie: INTJ, 5w6

The Architect, the Investigator, the Problem-Solver, the Observer

Firstly, getting into this analysis means that we have to step away from the stereotype that all INTJs are cold, aloof, and unemotional. INTJs, especially Turbulent ones, do express emotion, and we’ve all seen Donnie’s dramatic ‘theatre kid’ side. I’m not going to ignore that. He manages to be both thanks to the INTJ’s tertiary function Introverted Feeling (Fi). Extroverted Feeling (Fe) really allows one to connect and empathize with others’ emotions. Fi, however, is a more internal experience of feelings, and has trouble connecting with others without having been in their shoes. I happen to think Donnie is in a strong Ni-Fi loop, as well, which would make sense because fighting bad guys every day while trying to save the world after discovering a Mystic City which upbends everything you ever knew is pretty stressful. https://www.psychologyjunkie.com/2017/06/21/intjs-loop-understanding-ni-fi-loop/

And it’s super interesting that he often expresses his emotions by literally saying them. “Evil laugh! Relishing chuckle! Gasp!” (Mind Meld) and, one of my favorites, he literally says “Sad face emoji” in Many Unhappy Returns.

So while we DO see Donnie experience and display his own emotions, we also DON’T see him all that affected by other people’s emotions. He’s still pretty stoic in Mystic Mayhem after the delivery guy gets mutated, cracking a joke about imitation crab. He’s unaffected by Todd’s puppies in Repo Mantis, and the only one immune to Warren Stone’s sob story in Warren & Hypno Sitting in a Tree. Pizza Pit shows it best when he’s unaffected when Mikey’s favorite pizza place collapses until the same thing happens to him. Fi at work vs Fe.

As for Donnie being a 5w6, keep this core motivation in mind: “[Fives] Want to possess knowledge, to understand the environment, to have everything figured out as a way of defending the self from threats from the environment.” https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/type-5

Donnie at his Worst: Donnie vs. Witch Town gave us this gem of a line: “Because I’m the science guy! If mystic powers can do everything I can do, but better, then why would you guys even need me?” And while people have pointed out his need to be needed, I argue it’s a little more accurate to say he has a need to belong. His role in the group is the Brainiac, the Science Guy, the Smart One, and so his very identity is tied into fulfilling that role. A 5’s core fear is of being useless, helpless, or incapable. Mystic powers rendering his tech redundant, and thereby him useless, would be a pretty big threat to the security of his role in the group (that 6 wing kicking in). And remember a 5’s core motivation: to understand the environment as a defense. And he still doesn’t understand mystic energy. It’s pretty infuriating, so he’s pretty insufferable about it.

[Note: seeing mystic power as a threat probably didn’t kick in until their fight with Shredder in Many Unhappy Returns. Prior to that, his brothers were still learning how to use their magic weapons, but Donnie already understood his tech well enough to use it effectively (see their first fight against Baron Draxum in the pilot). But against the Shredder… all his tech was useless. Only the hanky, the hanky, was even marginally effective. His brothers’ weapons were now way more capable than anything he had to offer… core 5 fear. And to cope? Learn all you can about your fear/threat. Except he still hasn’t figured it out; we see even in Air Turtle that he calls Draxum for the mystic expertise instead of formulating his own hypothesis].

We’ve seen this insecurity about his place in the group before. In Mind Meld, as his brothers become more like him, his role is challenged. “Hey, you’re trying to get rid of me, that’s what I do to you!” “But, I thought purple was my... my thing.” When he first meets the Purple Dragon he immediately wants to join them because he sees them as tech peers. In Man vs Sewer even though he professes that it’s his day off, he doesn’t react well whenever Leo does ‘his thing’: analyzing the situation and drawing a conclusion. His self-worth seems to be tied to what he has to offer the group, and we hear that even in his song in The Mystic Library about proving himself.

Besides his insecurity, Donnie is practically allergic to blame. (Interestingly enough, he’s more okay with being wrong and others being right sometimes… sure he’ll deflect, but it doesn’t seem to get under his skin the way being at fault does). He will repeatedly deny fault and shift the blame to someone else when something goes wrong. He denies creating AlBearto in Al Be Back, says the incident with the Purple Dragons in The Purple Jacket is entirely April’s fault (she is not amused) and puts the blame for ditching Todd off on his brothers in Todd Scouts. The one time we see him own up his mistakes is in Mind Meld when no one (except Shelldon) is around to see it. “Yup. I beefed up.” This is definitely an area he needs to work on.

Average Donnie: Donnie cares for his brothers, but that doesn’t always get across in the best of ways. Take the episode Donnie’s Gifts, for example. Donnie never actually got a chance to explain how the gifts work, but we can see protective elements in each of them. Raph: please use your head and don’t just blindly rush in! Mikey: ohmygosh that is so dangerous, please be careful and don’t get hurt! Leo: stop poking the bear, Leo, it only makes him angrier! It makes sense that a 5 who has external fears of the world and has their own protective equipment (the Battle Shells) would extend that to his brothers. And Donnie was able to recognize that even though his brothers got the wrong message, he could move past that and call for a group hug. In the Purple Game he is super anxious to make sure his brothers are okay and not mostly hurt. Insane in the Mama Train also reveals the invention of the Panic Button… and who designed that?

Donnie also seeks a lot of validation. He takes pride in his work, and when his work is appreciated he gives that appreciation back tenfold [such as when he shows off the Turtle Tank to his brothers (Fast and Furriest), or when Splinter says he’s proud of him (Turtle-dega Nights: the Ballad of Rat Man)]. The flip side is that when he’s not getting the validation he needs from others he’ll create it himself, which comes off as arrogant and egocentric. See Smart Lair, when Sheldon 1.0 plays messages of Donnie’s self-worth all night, and is programmed to favor him. Or when he takes full credit for defeating a bad guy: the silverfish in Donnie’s Gifts, and scaring Draxum away with his disco ball in Shadow of Evil. When he gets the recognition for all his hard work from the right people, though, it inspires him to do great things. There is danger in getting validation from the wrong people, however, as we saw in Big Mama’s case in Bug Busters.

Donnie at his Best: Donnie’s at his best (and most relaxed) whenever he’s learning or building something. He gets super excited and happy attending April’s school (The Purple Jacket) or going to the library (The Mystic Library) and wants to attend college someday (The Mutant Menace). The INTJ/5 seeks to absorb information and he’s constantly energized by it.

He’s also energized when he can put that information to use, such as when building something. Did Albearto need a total tear-down in War and Pizza? No. But Donnie had fun making him ‘dazzle!’ How did Donnie cope being in the woods in Todd Scouts? By building an impressive tree fort. Donnie’s projects actually relax him, because he’s exercising his strength and capabilities.

This also works for his method of attacks and plans: Know Thine Enemy. He studies Warren Stone in Newsworthy when they meet him and is the only one who remembers he regenerates by Warren & Hypno Sitting in a Tree. Donnie and Mikey are able to successfully scam Repo Mantis in One Man’s Junk because they know how he thinks. Donnie thwarts everything the Purple Dragons do and can bring Shelldon home because he knows how they operate (The Purple Game, Breaking Purple). He can restore his brothers to their rightful minds in Mind Meld because he knows himself.

Also: music. The fact that one of his Battle Shells has a music mode (Mascot Melee), that he remembers things in song form (The Mystic Library, Donnie vs Witch Town), and that he likes to dance (Stuck on You) is so pure and adorable.

Donnie Relationships:

(while Donnie does see his brothers as dum-dums at times, he admits they’re fun and pretty great to have in Mind Meld)

Raph: We really need a Donnie and Raph episode, but even without one there’s some moments we can look at. I already discussed in Raph’s analysis their general similarities. Donnie doesn’t think Raph always has the brightest ideas, but still has soft moments with him such as giving him $20 at the end of Mind Meld, designing the ‘captain’s chair�� of the Turtle Tank to Raph’s lumbar settings, and appreciating Raph’s pirate accent in Snow Day. They are both protective of their brothers, Raph with his fists and Donnie with his tech. It’s interesting that (I believe) they’re the reverse of each other on the Enneagram: Raph is a 6w5, and Donnie a 5w6. So they both understand the risks involved in what they do (mostly: Donnie still ate poison and Raph still goes on ‘smashcapades’). I really want to see a team-up between them.

Leo: I’m all for the Disaster Twins trope, but to me an episode that epitomizes that isn’t one like Lair Games, where they’re at each other’s throats, but Operation Normal. They’ve apparently done the grandma-getup before. They wind up playing as good cop, bad cop in Fast and Furriest. Sure, one’s high-strung, and one’s laid-back, which can get on each others’ nerves, but there’s also a lot of making up. Brotherly betrayal passes back and forth between them, but never crosses a line. And the numerous times they unconsciously mirror each other can be found with a simple search of the Disaster Twins tag. I’m interested to see more episodes where they work together, even in the background, just because they can get up to wild shenanigans.

Mikey: Mikey’s probably the turtle Donnie most gets along with. They’ve had several episode team-ups: Repo Mantis, One Man’s Junk, Turtle-dega Nights: the Ballad of Rat Man, Breaking Purple, etc. Donnie may be the team academic, but Mikey has strong emotional intelligence. They get along pretty easily, making plans together (One Man’s Junk) and protecting each other (we see Donnie protect Mikey in Repo Mantis and Bug Busters, but we see Mikey protect Donnie by pulling him out of the way in Smart Lair). Donnie helps Mikey focus on the goal at hand, and Mikey helps Donnie communicate better with others. They’re a good team with a pretty solid foundation.

Ultimately, Donnie’s an inventive turtle who wants his brothers to be safe but is still wrestling with a lot of insecurities and unhealthy stress levels. I’m excited to see how he grows into real confidence and utilizes his strengths as an integral member of the team.

For more information on the INTJ and Enneagram 5 personality types, click here:

https://www.16personalities.com/intj-personality

https://www.crystalknows.com/enneagram/type-5-wing-6

https://thoughtcatalog.com/heidi-priebe/2016/01/mbti-and-the-enneagram-2/6/

#rottmnt #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #donatello #tmnt donatello #tmnt donnie #tmnt 2k18 #essay #personality #mbti #myers briggs #enneagram #teenage mutant ninja turtles #INTJ #enneagram 5 #5w6 #i spent way too much time on this #rottmnt donatello #rottmnt donnie

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sarifel-corrisafid-ilxhel · 5 years ago

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How to Identify a Controller

In post-invasion America, the threat of the Yeerks returning remains in the back of everybody’s mind. Rumors of Yeerk warlords with delusions of grandeur, Yeerk pirates raiding the far-flung traderoutes between Earth and other friendly planets, and the Skrit-Na always talking about the “New Yeerk Empire” has led to the pioneering of several new techniques which may be able to detect Yeerks in a quick and timely manner.

So today, let us go over the ways that Humanity in 2020 might be able to detect Yeerk invaders, and what drawbacks each method has.

Method 1: Gleet Biofilters

Invented by the Andalites and made popular by the Yeerk Empire itself, the Gleet Biofilter began as a disease control system to limit the spread of illness among the Andalite population. The Yeerks, clever as they are, quickly realized that the Biofilter could be used to screen out other types of DNA such as unwanted animals, which could easily be Andalites in morph.

A notable drawback of the device is that while it can certainly destroy unwanted animals attempting to pass through the filter, it will not destroy anything located inside a verified user. This is a safety feature intended to protect the symbiotic gut flora many verified users have,, but it also means that if a Controller steps through the filter, it will detect the Yeerk but completely fail to stop the Yeerk from going through. Additionally, improper installation often leaves gaps in security that morph-capable Controllers could exploit. And lastly, due to the fact Gleet Biofilters rely on a database of acceptable and unacceptable DNA signatures, it is possible that this database could be compromised to allow Yeerks through without raising any alarms at all if the significant firewalls protecting the Biofilter’s internal computers were breached.

Method 2: Continuous Observation

A tried and true method, an observation period of 3 Earth Days can generally confirm if a subject is free of any Yeerks. The American organization known as the Center for Disease Control recommends an observation period of no less than 84 Earth hours, or 3.5 Earth Days, as it is impossible to determine exactly how long it has been since a suspected Yeerk last fed. While most Yeerks typically enter the fugue at around 72 hours, some Yeerks were known to have lasted as long as 80 hours without feeding during the war, which makes extensions past the traditional “three days” prudent.

It should also be pointed out that observation of a Yeerk can quickly reveal the Yeerk’s presence by exposing personality shifts that would be typically associated with Yeerk infestation, and in many cases may cause the Yeerk to expose itself out of sheer frustration.

A potential drawback of this method is the sheer amount of time it takes, especially if your subject is combative. In 2004, the United States Supreme Court ruled in Chapman v. California that a three-day hold in a jail cell under suspicion of being a Controller is a legal detainment under probable cause, but that the suspect’s combativeness may not be assumed to be proof of a Yeerk’s presence, as even innocent people can quickly become agitated and combative when detained against their will.

Another potential drawback of this method is the possibility of the Yeerks modifying their host with implants which emit Kandrona, utilizing an injectable Kandrona-enriched solution, or otherwise finding ways around the three day time limit.

Method 3: Kandrona Imaging

Another method invented by the Andalites as a form of medical imaging, Kandrona Imaging functions similarly to an X-ray. A subject is asked to stand in front of a powerful Kandrona emitter for a brief period of time, and detectors measure the amount of Kandrona radiation that passes through their head. Any larger-than-predicted losses of Kandrona radiation, such as those caused by the presence of a Yeerk (which absorbs some of the radiation), immediately flags the subject as a potential Controller.

However, this method is not useful when dealing with Human-Controllers, as Human skulls are dense and thick enough to block most Kandrona radiation. This method is only useful in creatures with skulls that are transparent to Kandrona radiation, such as Taxxons.

Method 4: Kandrona Re-Emission Imaging

Similar to the above method is a method developed by the Yeerk Empire to counter Mak rebels. Members of the Free Mak Resistance were known to infiltrate Yeerk Pools by blending in with Controllers on their way in and out of the Yeerk Pool, and they were known to bypass Gleet Biofilters by smearing crushed Yeerks across their skin, fooling the DNA sensors.

The Yeerk solution to this problem was the Kandrona Re-Emission Imager. The imager worked by flashing incoming Controllers with a large burst of Kandrona and then measuring the results. When a Yeerk absorbs Kandrona, it re-emits the Kandrona at a longer “waste” wavelength, which can easily be detected by standard Kandrona measuring devices. The Mak Rebels, having smeared Yeerks across their skin, would then stand out from the Controllers because the Yeerk cells on their skin would re-emit waste Kandrona.

The drawbacks of this method are much the same as Method 3, with both Kandrona and waste Kandrona being unable to penetrate Human skulls.

Method 5: Lumbar Puncture- Cerebrospinal Fluid Analysis

This method, unknowingly discovered by Human doctors during the Yeerk War, is perhaps the most foolproof way to detect a well-prepared Yeerk. The methodology is simple and robust: a sample of cerebrospinal fluid is extracted via lumbar puncture and analyzed for Yeerk proteins. If processed immediately, results are available within the hour.

This method was first discovered in 1997 after a large number of people in the greater Los Angeles area came down with an unspecified neurological disorder, now known to be caused by exposure to Instant Maple and Ginger Oatmeal. Human doctors, unaware of the nature of the disorder, began administering spinal taps to try and determine what was causing these otherwise-healthy Humans to begin freaking out so suddenly. What the doctors discovered was a series of unknown and complex proteins completely unlike anything Humans produce.

CDC officials initially hypothesized that an outbreak of a previously unknown brain parasite might be responsible for the strange proteins before suddenly declaring that there was nothing wrong at all and that everybody should join The Sharing. The CDC’s investigation of the Yeerks is remembered by historians as the first attempt by the US government to uncover and counter the Yeerk invasion.

Later analysis of the unknown proteins in 2001 confirmed that they matched Yeerk proteins. The CDC, now free of Yeerks, quickly recommended the method to the World Health Organization as a vital component in Humanity’s defense against further Yeerk incursions.

The only notable drawback of this method is the extreme inconvenience (and possible pain) caused by a spinal tap, as the subject may not be able to function normally for several days after the extraction.

Method 5b: Lumbar Puncture- Yeerk Protein Antigen Injection

A proposed alternative to simply looking for Yeerks is to inject Yeerk Protein Antigens into a Human’s cerebrospinal fluids to induce an immune reaction. This allows the neuroimmune system to recognize the Yeerk as a hostile parasite, and the resulting immune response would theoretically be enough to disrupt a Yeerk’s control of the host and possibly drive the alien out of the host entirely, either by stimulating the release of chemicals that irritate a Yeerk’s sensitive exterior lining or by directly attacking the Yeerk’s cells with white blood cells.

If it is unknown whether or not a subject is a Controller, this method could quickly expose any Yeerk while simultaneously providing the Human with some resistance to future infestation. In addition, this method could be coupled with cerebrospinal fluid analysis for guaranteed detection of a Yeerk regardless of the Yeerk’s response.

This method shares the same drawback as the cerebrospinal fluid analysis method, as lumbar punctures can often leave Humans unable to move without pain for several days.

#Animorphs #Yeerks #How to find Yeerks #I mean aside from the obvious stuff #Joining The Sharing is a huge red flag and should be followed up with a spinal tap immediately

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i-am-scarlet-corsair · 4 years ago

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Mun Life Update

Because the storms continue to rage, I am soaked to the skin and sinking fast.

This isn’t your regularly scheduled programming so I apologize for breaking the shadowy glimmer of my muse to vent some very real problems I’m coping with - and really all I’m asking for is some friendly encouragement, some positive vibes sent out into the universe for me, or a simple hello. Aside from feeling disconnected from everything after the decision to leave the Discord server the seas of life has remained consistently rocky and I am just....tired. I have doggedly tried to keep my queue buffed with nautical, pirate, corsair and sea based things yet I worry my energy will bottom out and I might fall off for a while.

I have no intent to desert my post but for any (if there are any) of you concerned from radio silence on my part I thought I would throw out a quick update.

In March of 2020 I became ill with Covid-19. Which very nearly required a hospitalization. Fortune had not entirely deserted me in that aspect so for that I am lucky. Being an immune-compromised individual, several doctors felt it more appropriate for me to attempt to weather this illness outside of a hospital with all my best efforts; which was a task itself. I was sent home with more medication than I wanted to manage myself as well as the very real possibility of my own demise outside of the hospital should I not realize I was actively dying (because, you see, I wasn’t dying *enough* to be admitted to the hospital but I already felt like I was.). Anyway, the fight against the infection was long, and somehow I managed to fend it off by week 8 - but we aren’t counting the damage left in my lungs.

In April 2020 I was the only employee terminated from my company due to the downturn in business brought on by the pandemic. For a long while I thought we were *all* out of work until I later learned they were still working - it was just that the boss couldn’t cover my salary. Picking up the box of my things from the office, my entire near decade career relegated to one small box of things, was a very surreal experience. One that was far more emotional than I care to admit.

Fear not, the government approved a one time stimulus payment and unemployment benefits were increased! Note the sarcasm here because those are all well over and gone now....

I managed to find another job which amidst a pandemic was a struggle and it is barely over 50% of what I was making at my last job. The office culture is less than ideal and it’s been a really big struggle trying to find my footing while surviving on half my income.

Just when I think I might have gotten myself aligned to begin to manage the storm...a rogue wave clips my stern and enter a cataclysmic capsize experience....

Something popped in my back. Often time I tell myself pain is a thing I process I live with. Extreme pain is a thing I process and live with (chronic illness + immune-compromised; you know, if you’re familiar at all...I often live my life on a pain scale of 6 or 7). So I tell myself “Okay, Captain, sleep it off; you’ll be fine.” There was no sleeping, there is no ‘fine’ just pain. Constant and burning pain that made me incapable of any mobility from the spot I happened to end up on the couch. I spent two full days in the hospital and it was a very unpleasant experience (and believe me, I’m compiling malpractice complaints). There are several disks out of place in my lumbar spine - that are bad, but not ‘bad enough’ to require surgery. So here I am again, stuck in bed. With another very long road to recovery...or rather...adequacy again.

Some of you know that around this time of year, I am working as a stunt and stage combat performer for local renaissance festivals. Many of which have been shut down due to Covid-19. The insult to that injury is the very real and very constraining back injury. My frustration is as limitless as the depths of the sea and attempting to process the PR nightmare surrounding my home festival has been no treat either. It’s bizarre to have so many parts of yourself removed or taken from you....I’m not real sure who I am anymore. A strange feeling to process, even worse to swallow.

That and my lease for my current dwelling is expiring soon and my other options are being rejected.

So, folks. I don’t know....the last few months have been a trip. I just wanted to get all of that out I guess. There’s a lot more but at risk of making this post too depressing I’ll probably just end it here.

Maybe the sea will swallow me. Maybe the storms will ease. Who can tell....

#mun update #mun thoughts #struggle bus #weather the storm

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firewolf-pyro · 5 years ago

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Specie Name: KET

Home World(s):

-NA

[B]Basic Information

Average Size: 5ft

Average Complexion: back of the body- farro blue to black.

Front of the body- lighter than the back

Average Hair Style: NA

Average Life Span: 40-45 years

Average IQ: high

Average Build: light

Average Feature(s):

- bipedal

- semi-aquatic

- digigrade legs

Average Marking(s):

- freckles

Umliqe Sensitivity Rating: (Zero to 5,000)

[B]Description

[I]Anatomy:

-fetal development:

Conception- the Ket poses both male and female genitalia. They cannot self fertilize or asexually reproduce. Reproduction is sexual in nature requiring an egg and sperm to meet.

Development- After an egg cell is fertilized it takes little over a day (24 hours) for the embryo to form. After roughly two weeks the embryo is encased in an egg sack. The egg- a soft mailable sack- soft shell, will be laid after another week.

Childhood- After a year of growth the infant is considered a child. This is when they begin developing both mental and physical awareness.

Maturation- At around five years they reach adult size and are considered as young adults.

[I]-physical features:

Epidermal- The Ket’s skin has three layers. Their skin is smooth and thin, slime produced on the outset layers similarly to amphibians. This slime is a bitter tasting poison if ingested.

Skin tones: tho the skin tones vary from individual to individual they are always often a very deep blue nearly black coloration with lighter chests and faces along with the undersides of their arms and insides of their legs and palms. Like humans they can have darker melanin spots or blotches like freckles or birthmarks.

Skeletal muscle- These beings have thin limbs with very strong muscular tissue. They are not prone to cancers of the muscular structure as their skeletal muscles tend to be finer fibers than seen in the human body. Most if not all muscles are fast twitch muscles. This of course means they do not have a large stamina pool. They prefer ambush attacks.

Visceral muscle- Each individual’s internal structure may vary in some ways, though like humans Ket’s visceral muscles around organs are not mentally controlled. They are there only for homeostasis and digestion.

Skeletal structure- The Ket are a bipedal species. Their cranium is similar to the humans though the eye sockets are much larger. The maxilla of the Ket is much larger, the hard palate quite a bit longer as it needs room to grow and form the teeth that rotate out similarly to a shark’s. The cervical and thoracic, spine are very flexible while the lumbar section of the spine is stiff as it is the main support of their central balance. The Ket’s rib cage and shoulders are very similar to humans. Their arms are similar though the hands only have three fingers, four if you consider a spear

adaptation hidden in their wrists. They have a thumb and two for-fingers with claws tipping each, their fourth finger was adapted into a sort of hidden blade with the claw hidden within the wrist. The small finger bones connected to it are mostly vestigial. The legs of the Ket are digigrade. The upper leg working with the lumbar reaction as their center of gravity. The lower leg and foot are very long compared to the two. The foot is a long rigid structure splitting into four toes. The second medial tow is significantly longer with a large claw tipping it.

[I]Organ systems- Nervous system- Similar to a human’s, the Ket’s nervous system is responsible for regulating the body in every way. There is a very small organ in the central nervous system evolved to allow for species to species silent communication. This communication is believed to be similar to telepathy.

digestive system- The Ket are obligate carnivores. They cannot consume large amounts of vegetation without becoming ill. They are hot blooded though their metabolism is very slow. When they gorge they can last over a week without needing another meal. They do however require access to water every three days.

circulatory system- The Ket have two large lungs set into the back of their ribs. Along their back when submerged into water their body can switch from air filtering to oxygen filter action through the water. They are semi aquatic. Similarly to humans the oxygen is pumped into the bloodstream via the heart pressed neatly between their lungs.

venom delivery systems- The Ket are a venomous-poisonous species producing venomous spit similarly to a Komodo dragon. The spear in their wrist is coated with the poison on the skin allowing for direct delivery of this poison.

[I]-physical abilities:

Physical- They are thinly built but rather strong. They can lift about the same mass as their body weight. They are known to be rather elegant in their movements with slow and controlled movements.

Verbal- They Ket are a very social species. They are very vocal, communicating with whistles and chirps.

Mental- They are capable of a sort of telepathy between their own species. Depending on an individual’s training, they can be very quick inventors. The majority of the species are fast learners.

[I]-physical limitations:

Physical- They do not have a large stamina pool, they prefer to get things done quickly. When it comes to fighting or hunting the faster they can down you the happier they will be. If they cannot down you with the first hit they will retreat and wait for another opportunity to attack.

Verbal- They cannot vocalize to the range humans can. They don’t have a voice box, instead vocalizing primarily with clicks and whistles produced by their teeth, tongue and lips.

Mental- They can’t hear the thoughts of species outside of their own. They can’t really read the expressions on other species faces or body languages

[B]Advancements

They have a vast military with well trained guardsmen. Their ships are designed to fly through space from planetary system to planetary system a efficiently as they can. They are a very curious species with deep interest in technology and how other species have designed their technology and tend to steal and tweak said designs.

[B]History

The Ket species was driven from their home planet via their own greed. They as a whole had consumed the entirety of the planet’s resources leaving the planet a desolate wasteland devoid of precious metals, minerals and life. The Ket’s drive for exploration was only initiated when the species realized there were rewards from mining asteroids, pirating different species vessels and consuming resources found off world. They adapted quickly, inventing and refining their ships via comparing and tweaking mechanics stolen from other species.

#alien #extraterrestrial #digital drawing

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thexgrayxlady · 3 years ago

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Notes: So this is not a new fic. This is me more or less forgiving a piece that put me off writing for a long time as I get back into it. I don't think it's that bad anymore. It's just a little crack fic and I had fun writing it at the time.

Space Warlocks from the Planet Nyx

Joker didn’t believe in the concept of, “So bad it’s good.” Something was either good or it wasn’t. You either jumped the ship across the galaxy and hit your target, or you spliced it into an oncoming asteroid. No bizarre middle ground where you fucked up so bad the resulting crash and burn was entertainment.

He also liked to think that he had pretty good taste in media, which he passed on to his kid sister. Yet now, he was more than a little concerned with Hillary’s normally impeccable taste.

Space Warlocks from the Planet Nyx should never have seen the light of day, yet Hillary insisted that he’d love it and even went so far as to send him a copy. He completely believed her when she said the file wasn’t pirated too. Every time he called home, she asked if he’d watched it yet. He didn’t want her to resort to underhanded tactics like the sad eyes or getting dad involved, but he did not want to watch that movie. At this point, it was a matter of principle.

He liked to consider himself a good brother, but this was pushing things a little far.

But he was off shift and Shepard was looking for any excuse she could get to write him up. So rather than staying on the flight deck and backseat piloting, he traded a couple fancy travel shampoos to Kaidan for a pack of M&Ms and settled down in the mess to dutifully suffer.

The things he put up with for family.

It started out like any other mediocre fantasy movie. Kid on a farm. Wanted more from life. Had quest for fortune and glory handed to him when the Space Warlocks took over their planet. The local Space Hermit gave him a magic laser gun and told him the secret lies within. All told through a combination of painfully stiff and just plain weird dialogue.

Seriously, who would agree to say, “Forsooth?” The whole thing definitely needed a few more rewrites.

By the time the Designated Protagonist met the Designated Love Interest, he was considering packing it in. He’d seen enough to know exactly where this was going and he was nearly out of candy.

But Joker kept with it. Say what you will about him, once he committed to something, he stuck with it.

Besides, he was starting to see how the movie would appeal to a certain kind of person. If he ever wanted to bash his head against a wall for two hours without breaking anything, he might just consider rewatching it.

The Designated Protagonist and the Designated Love Interest – she was way too cool to be in this movie- were eventually captured by one of the Space Warlock’s henchmen.

He wasn’t surprised by that. He saw how the Designated Protagonist was flying that ship. Even though it was a repurposed garbage shuttle, in the hands of a half-way competent pilot, it should handle better than that.

“No,” he muttered. He didn’t think they consulted anybody in regards to three dimensional movement. “No. Don’t do that to the poor shuttle…”

The glowing purple beam drew the shuttle into the bigger ship’s hold. There was the ominous, and barely public domain, music, the Designated Protagonist and the Designated Love Interest were led off their shuttle to meet the Space Sorcerer.

Then he saw it. The reason his sister wanted him to watch this movie. Right there. Wearing a moon and stars robe. The Warlock’s henchman.

“Holy shi…”

“Is that the Commander?” He turned around just in time to see Ashley plant her hands on the back of the chair next to him.

“I don’t know,” he said. He sat back, stunned, and let this great and terrible knowledge wash over him in cold shock.

“I was passing by and caught a second and…what is this?” she asked. It was a couple moments before he could shake off the feeling that something was very, very wrong with the world and form an answer.

“Space Warlocks from the Planet Nyx,” he said. “My sister said I’d like it. I didn’t think she meant…”

“Commander Shepard in a wizard costume,” Ashley said.

“You on shift?” He definitely needed a second opinion. She shook her head. “I’ll patch you in.”

Ashley straddled the chair next to him and he tipped a few candies into her hand.

“Kaidan?”

“Best snacks. Also a sucker for fancy shampoo,” he answered as they settled in to watch the Shepard lookalike wave her arms dramatically while trying to figure out the Designated Protagonist’s plan.

“Did you look it up or…” He was already checking the extranet.

“Extranet says the Sorcerer is played by Rachel Wall,” he said. “Not sure if I believe it.”

They made it through the next scene and were into an extended blaster fight before they had more questions.

“I don’t know,” Ashley said, leaning forwards and resting her forearms on the back of the chair. “Shepard’s record says she was on the other side of the galaxy when this was made.”

“Maybe,” he said.

“But…I don’t know,” Ashley said. “The actress the Alliance uses only kind of looks like Shepard. And she has a different voice. This sounds like Shepard. If Shepard was an evil wizard.”

“You say that like she’s not,” he said. He’d already had that particular discussion and it didn’t matter what Kaidan said on the matter. Shepard was Vader, not Revan.

“I don’t think she’s that b…” she added. “Oh come on! That’s not how you aim…”

“Don’t question it,” he said. “Not worth it.”

“Maybe if we had another opinion.” Ashley scanned the rest of the mess, which was somehow next to empty. She turned around and caught sight of Garrus and Tali heading out of the elevator. “You guys busy?”

“Just finishing up something with the Mako’s targeting algorithms,” Garrus said.

“The new gyroscopes should smooth things out on rough terrain,” Tali clarified. “Now we just have to wait for the calibration sequence to finish to check it.”

“Got a minute?” Joker asked.

“Sure,” Tali said. “What do you need?”

“Long story short,” he said. “My sister sent me a movie. The bad guy looks like Shepard. Want in?”

“What kind of movie?” Tali asked.

“A bad one,” he said.

“That can’t be Shepard,” Garrus said, sitting on the table and twisting his head in a way that couldn’t be comfortable to watch the vid rather than finding another chair.

“I don’t know,” Tali said. She took a rag out of her tool belt and wiped some sort of grease off of her hands. “How old is this movie?” She glanced at her Omni-tool. “This was made after she was in college. Maybe she did it for money?”

“Shepard went on scholarships,” Ashley added.

“Shepard likes money,” Joker said.

“More than her pride?” Garrus asked.

“Shepard really likes money,” he added. His multiple requests for a different chair had been turned down. He even used her ridiculous color coding. The fucking lumbar support might actually kill him.

“What kind of costume isthat?” Tali asked, cocking her head to the side.

“Wizard robes.”

“I mean, she’s a sorcerer, but…”

Garrus left during a boring bit for snacks. He didn’t miss much while he was gone. Worse than simply being bad, this movie was boring. For all the promises in the plot summary about space combat, it spent more time with the Designated Protagonist in various jail cells.

Around the start of the third act, the door to the medbay slid open and Liara came out holding her tea mug.

“Hey,” Ashley said. “Liara, you busy right now?” Joker paused the vid.

“Not at the moment,” she replied.

“We’re watching a movie,” Tali said. “Want to join?” Liara flipped the water heater on, then rolled a chair from the other side of the table.

“Before we start this,” Joker said. “What do you think of Commander Shepard?”

“I think she’s a very capable and intelligent woman,” she replied.

“Do you think she’d made a good wizard?” he said.

“Sorcerer,” Garrus corrected. Ashley shot him a look that plainly said, “nerd.”

“What do you mean by…”

Joker pressed play.

“I will fry your organs in the primordial fires of the storm!” the Maybe Shepard shouted, throwing CGI lightning at the Designated Protagonist. “You cannot escape…” The Designated Protagonist dodged and threw the magic laser gun.

“I do not think this is Shepard,” Liara said. “It says that Severina was played by Rachel Wall.”

“Yeah, but she doesn’t sound like she does on the adds,” Ashley said.

“We need another opinion,” he said, rubbing his temple. “I’m bringing in the big guns.”

“No,” Ash insisted. “We’re not doing that.”

“But I have to know,” he said.

“It’s not worth…”

“It’s not Shepard,” Liara insisted.

“How do you know?” Garrus asked. “The actress moves just like Shepard. Not all the time, just for a step, and only when the camera’s not really on her, but it’s there.”

“She wouldn’t degrade herself like…”

“She does like money…”

“I don’t think Shepard knows how to shout…It’s kind of freaky…”

“She was four systems away…”

“The butts match.” Everyone turned to look at Tali, who was picking her way through a baggie of dried fruit. “What? Everyone was thinking it!”

“Ten packs of omni-gel says this isn’t Shepard,” Ashley said.

“I’ll raise you fifteen,” Garrus said.

The shouting and debate were too much and they weren’t getting anywhere. Couldn’t tell if it was Shepard or the look-alike and this had to be settled.

“The Alliance uses this actress for…”

He patched himself into the coms. They were settling this damn it! “Kaidan, we need you in the mess.”

The group went silent in shock, but Kaidan got along with Shepard the best. Joker would dare say they were even friends for some incomprehensible reason. If anybody onboard could tell if this was Shepard or a very good impersonator, he was the best choice.

While they waited, the Designated Protagonist laid siege to the Space Warlock’s very poorly defended asteroid castle.

“You remember that movie I told you about?” Joker asked, waving Kaidan over to them when he finally decided to respond.

“The one your sister’s making you watch?” Kaidan asked.

“Check this out,” he said, gesturing to the empty chairs across the table. “Tell me what you think.”

Kaidan watched with a mixture of confusion and fascination while Maybe Shepard’s plans were thwarted by the Designated Protagonist. It took only a minute for him to reach a verdict.

“Not Shepard.” Most of the crew thought Kaidan looked and acted like a human sweater vest, but he’d played poker with the man. He had a good bluff when the situation called for it, but he faint set of his jaw was a dead giveaway.

“You sure?” Joker asked. He scrutinized Kaidan for any more evidence that he knew more than he was letting on.

“Pretty sure,” he said. “She was on the other side of the galaxy when they made this.”

Joker rolled his eyes. If Kaidan did know something, he wasn’t telling them.

“Maybe we should ask Shepard what she thinks about this,” Liara suggested.

“Shepard can never know about this,” Joker insisted.

“Shepard can never know about what?”

He and Kaidan nearly jumped out of their chairs. Garrus did jump off of the table, nearly crashing into Ashley’s lap. Tali gasped upon seeing the woman leaning back against the counter, pouring fresh coffee into her mug.

“Joker found an old movie Commander,” Liara said. He glared at her, “Traitor.” “One of the actresses looks remarkably like you.”

“Oh?” Shepard put back the coffee pot and strode over to the table. Steam rose from her mug and he could feel the heat on his left ear as she stood just a little too close to catch the last few moments of the scene.

Shepard rubbed her temple, shook her head once, and said in the most resigned tone even he’d heard from her, “Goddamn it Rachel.”

“So, just to confirm, this isn’t you,” Ashley said, helping Garrus back to his feet.

“Rachel Wall. Alliance uses her for adds sometimes,” Shepard said, shrugging and taking a sip of her coffee. “She’s an…” Shepard searched for an appropriately diplomatic descriptive word, “…actress.” That was far too generous an assessment. “Met her once on a shoot.”

“Was it weird?” If he didn’t know Kaidan better, he’d think he was teasing the Commander.

Shepard raised an eyebrow in mild irritation and droned, “Very.”

Shepard scanned assembly, searching her databanks for any potential rule violations. He could almost hear her brain going, “System processing request. Searching Alliance regulations.” For some reason, he always imagined her brain sounded a lot like the Normandy’s computer.

Upon coming to the conclusion that they were not out of order, she said, “As you were,” then stalked out of the room.

Fortunately, the crew had the common sense to wait until the Commander had left the mess to start exchanging money.

X~*~X~*~X~*~X~*~X

Joker didn’t get the cockpit to himself often. He really wasn’t supposed to be without any kind of support, but he could manage for the ten minutes his copilot was in the bathroom without the ship blowing up. Hopefully. You never knew with an experimental, prototype drivecore. For all he knew, it could have a thing against Tuesday.

They were currently en route to Xawin, at least an hour until they hit the relay, then an additional three to enter orbit. If his calculations were correct and the Normandy jumped to the right system, instead of splicing themselves with an asteroid. Which they were. This ship was amazing. Some of the pilots he was training had issues with the steering, but they just didn’t know the tricks yet. They didn’t know how to talk to it, but he knew that if you asked just the right way, the Normandy would dance.

He pulled up his flight plan again on the holomap, then adjusted a trajectory to account for relay traffic. He overlaid the relay’s projected output with the most current projection of the system’s debris field. Should be safe, but never hurt to double check. He had to make all this look easy after all.

Couldn’t let people think he worked. That rumor gets out and it’s all over for him.

Joker was just closing out of the projections when he realized that his co-pilot had been gone longer than she should have been. He glanced over to check, and saw Shepard standing with a hand on the armrest of the co-pilot seat, staring out at the starfield.

“So how’s the view?” he asked. Her whole reappearing act was beginning to lose its shock factor. It was never as impressive as she thought it was anyway.

“You will be lost in the dripping sands of time,” she said. “The Space Warlock will imprison you forever in a crushing prison of ruin and death until the great cold draws upon us, freezing all in its path. And though you may strike me down, my power shalt curse you meddling kids from beyond the grave! And with my last breath, and all the great and dark power bequeathed to me, I doth curse you with the entropy of the universe, bringing slow ruin and death upon you and your family.”

“What was…”

“They cut my death monologue,” she said. Her face and voice were nearly flat, but he caught a faint hint of disappointment.

“Why are you telling me this?” he said.

Shepard smiled like a wolf. “No one will ever believe you.”

He blinked and she was gone, but he didn’t care. He leaned back in his chair, mindful of the weird, not actually helpful lumbar support, folded his hands behind his head, and thanked Hillary. And Joker smiled because whatever Shepard thought that would achieve, it didn’t matter.

He knew. And there was nothing she could do about it.

#Gray Writes Stuff #Mira Shepard #joker moreau

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ghost-and-pup · 7 years ago

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Hey, I’m back! Also, Starter Call!

[ Hey there, ladies, germs, and non-binary space rocks! It’s been nearly a year, but I have returned (for real this time)! I mentioned the last time I attempted to revive @ghost-and-pup that I had taken a hiatus due to weakness and injuries in my back, and the possibility of a fibromyalgia diagnosis.

Unfortunately, I underestimated how much I actually needed time to heal. My depression kicked in hard due to my pain issues and limited mobility, so I was in a pretty bad place for awhile. I didn’t have much of a choice but to take a break.

I’m still in physical therapy, but my core strength is strong enough to let me walk better with less pain. I’m also working with my psychiatrist to change my medication, as well as finally going into proper counseling. I even have a nifty lumbar-support racing style gaming chair that helps out a ton!

I have missed my RP partners and friends on here so much. I’ve missed the creativity and fun and the lovely emotional mess of muses interacting. The fanart and drabbles. The dank memes, shitposting, and occasional OOC shenanigans.

So if anyone wants to help me get back into the swing of things, here is an official starter call! Please welcome back Pirate Doggo and Ghost Mom Muses! ; w ;

Also, I am working on shifting this over from a sideblog to it’s own main blog! It’ll take some setting up, but I’ll keep you guys posted.

~Mod Michan <3 ]

#mod post #starter call #[;;I'M BACK! ]#ghost-and-pup #one piece oc rp blog #sea dog stormy #Molly Banshee Malone #[Sea Dog Stormy]#[Molly Banshee Malone]

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imaginetonyandbucky · 8 years ago

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Once Upon A Time in a Shattered Mind Ch. 26

AO3 Link

Tony moaned as he arched his back, his hands on his lumbar to brace it. “I forgot how horrible riding is.” Tony trampled through the brush. He stretched his arms over his head and popped his spine.

“Imagine how much worse it would be if you were riding horseback and not in the luxury of a carriage.” Rhodey picked up a thick tree branch from the ground. After a quick examination, Rhodey added it to the pile of wood in his arms. “Now are you going to help me with the fire or what? I don’t see any wood in your arms.”

“I’m getting to it.” Tony snatched up the closest piece of wood at his feet and cradled it. “I was just stretching.”

“You’ve been stretching for a long time,” Rhodey commented.

Tony dramatically raised his hand to his forehead and sighed in a forlorn manner. “I know. I’m getting old.”

Rhodey held up one of his branches threateningly. “Don’t make me throw this at you! Really, I’m surprised you didn’t try to become an actor after you abdicated.”

“I considered it, but there was more money in pirating.”

A startled cry that sounded like it was from a child, ripped Rhodey and Tony out of their friendly banter. Their heads snapped in the direction of the sound then toward each other, a look of unease on both of their faces.

“I’m not sure which I find more disturbing,” Tony said. “The idea that there would be a child this far out in the forest or the fact that it sounds like that scream came from where we made camp.”

Rhodey grumbled and shifted all of his wood into one arm. He hurried off in the direction of their camp. Tony followed swiftly behind him.

They had left Bucky in charge of the camp, so if any danger had occurred while Rhodey and Tony were away then Bucky was alone and in the thick of it.

Rhodey lay his hand on his sword’s hilt as the camp came into view.

Rhodey came to a halt and straightened.

Tony just barely stopped himself from crashing into Rhodey.

A young boy with a mop of brown hair was tied up and lying face down on the ground.

“What the-” Before Tony could finish his sentence the sounds of a struggle caught his attention.

Bucky emerged from behind the carriage with another boy tied up like a turkey and slung over his shoulder. The second boy wiggled and cursed. “We didn’t do anything!”

“Also, it’s really disturbing how easily you tied us up,” the first boy interjected. “Do you tie up kids for a living? Are you a child snatcher?”

Bucky dropped the second kid next to the first. “You really should be careful who you steal from.”

“We weren’t stealing,” the two boys cried in unison.

Bucky rolled his eyes. “Whatever you say mini-pirates.”

“Pirates?” Boy two repeated.

“Mini!” The first one squawked.

Bucky looked up at Rhodey and Tony then. He nodded in acknowledgement. “There are the big pirates now.”

Rhodey turned to Tony then and shook his head. “In case I haven’t said it already, you have the strangest taste in partners.”

Tony gesticulated. “Did you not hear him? These kids were stealing.”

“We were not,” the first boy protested.

Bucky quirked an eyebrow. “He lies almost as much as you, Tony. The other one is more clever though.”

Rhodey crouched in front of the kids, scrutinizing them.

The kids were covered in torn and dirty clothes. Mud splotched their hands and faces. Traces of fat and muscles still lined their small frames though, so they must not have been out in the woods that long.

“Where are your parents?” Rhodey asked.

“That’s what we’d like to know,” Kid One said.

“We don’t have any parents,” Kid Two answered.

“How about any names?” Tony asked, mentally filing away their previous answers for a later. Maybe the kids were orphans or maybe they were playing the sympathy game in hopes of being spared any form of punishment.

The kids kept quiet.

Bucky pointed to Kid Two. “That one is Miles. The other is Peter.”

Miles and Peter whined like the children they were at having been unfairly outed.

Bucky shrugged. “Next time don’t shout each others name when you’ve been spotted stealing.”

Neither Miles nor Peter were pleased by Bucky’s advice.

“All right, so what are two kids doing out in the middle of the forest?” Rhodey asked.

“According your friend: stealing,” Peter answered.

Rhodey made a face of annoyance then turned to Miles. “That your answer too?”

“We were just on our way to get some food when we saw your horses and carriage. We just wanted to have a look. We didn’t mean any harm.”

“Food?” Tony reexamined the kids. “You don’t have any weapons for hunting, and by the looks of your pouches, you haven’t been doing a very good job collecting plants or mushrooms. Not that you’d want to eat any of the ones around here. They’re poisonous. So are you going to tell us the truth or-”

“It is the truth. We can show you.” Miles wiggled until he had his legs stretched out in front of Rhodey. “Just untie our legs and we can show you. You don’t even have to untie our hands.”

“Miles,” Peter hissed in warning.

“It’s not like they can take all the food themselves,” Miles hissed back. “We show them the house, and it proves we’re not lying.”

House? Tony was intrigued. No ordinary person would build a house this far in the woods. “All right, sounds like a deal to me. You show us this house, we’ll believe that you’ve been telling us the truth all along, and we’ll let you go.”

“That’s a terrible way to prove they aren’t lying,” Bucky argued.

Tony waved off Bucky’s protest. “I didn’t say it would prove anything, just that we’d believe them. How far away is this house?” Tony directed the question at Miles.

“Not far,” Miles said as Rhodey untied his bindings. “Not even an hour away.”

Tony nodded, taking in the information. Rhodey and he had agreed that they shouldn’t leave Bucky alone for any great length of time. The journey to find the house could take a while, and someone needed to stay and guard their belongings.

Tony knew without asking that Rhodey would prefer to follow the kids, but Tony also knew that while Bucky and Rhodey did get along, Bucky prefered Tony’s company. Bucky also would be more insistent about Tony and him remaining close since he’d been left alone for a while.

“Well, Rhodey,” Tony said, “you’re probably thinking what I’m thinking. Someone has to stay behind.”

Bucky took a step closer to Tony. “I’d like to stay with Tony.”

“I figured,” Rhodey grumbled. He finished untying Miles then helped the boy stand.

With Miles untied, Rhodey set about freeing Peter. Miles kneeled beside Rhodey, watching intently as Rhodey unbound Peter. If Tony had to guess, he would think Miles was studying Rhodey’s movements and memorizing them for later use.

Peter’s eyes widened with fright, but his fear wasn’t aimed at Rhodey. “You’re not seriously going to have the guy who tied us up follow us?”

Bucky smirked. “Seems like a smart idea to me. I’ll happily tie both of you up again if this turns out to be some trick or trap.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “This is your chance to confess that you’re trying to deceive us without much retaliation if you do.”

“How about no retaliation?” Tony offered, giving Bucky a warning look. “They’re kids.”

“I should tell you about the time I stole three chickens from a neighbor when I was their age some time,” Bucky said.

“Three? At once?” Tony asked.

Bucky nodded.

Tony whistled in appreciation. “Not bad.”

“So you’re a hypocrite,” Peter stated.

“Guilty,” Bucky admitted with no shame. “I was better at not getting caught though, so at least I earned what I stole.”

Peter gaped and Miles wrinkled his nose.

Rhodey shook his head. He grumbled something as he finished untying Peter. He slipped the rope free from the boy and just like he’d done with Mile, he helped the boy stand.

“Okay,” Tony drew out the vowels. “Let’s not insult each other and instead go on a nice walk through the woods to find this house?”

Miles and Peter looked at each other.

Peter frowned.

Miles shrugged.

Peter cocked his head at Bucky.

Miles rolled his eyes and huffed.

Peter nodded at Bucky again.

Miles exaggeratedly looked away from the group.

Peter threw his hands up in defeat. “Fine. We’ll show the creepy adults where all the food is. Maybe most of it has rotted by now.”

“That’s the spirit,” Bucky said.

Peter groaned and stomped off farther into the woods. Miles followed after him. Tony hurriedly trailed after them.

Tony cast a glance at Bucky as the hatter strolled up next to Tony. “You have a wonderful way with children.”

Bucky grinned. “They really are mini pirates.”

“I feel like Rhodey and I should be offended. Also, maybe worried since one of them reminds you of me.”

“It’s their bickering and their closeness with each other that reminds me of you and Rhodey. Personality-wise, Peter reminds me of a younger Steve.” Bucky’s grin widened. “He’s just as fun to mess with as Steve was.”

“You’re a cruel man.”

“Hey!” Peter hollered from on up ahead. “If you two don’t hurry up, you can forget our deal. I’ll take off running right now.”

“Do it and I’ll catch you,” Bucky shouted back.

“Yeah right.”

Bucky chuckled. “Test me. I dare you.”

Peter’s cheeks flushed. He snapped his head forward and marched onward.

“A true child expert,” Tony teased.

Bucky chuckled.

Peter and Miles led them through the woods, albeit Peter reluctantly. There were a number of times when Peter glanced over his shoulder at them, a calculating gleam to his gaze. It was obvious he was contemplating his odds of out running Tony and Bucky. Personally, Tony would have taken the risk if he were in Peter’s situation.

Then again he wasn’t seeing the looks Bucky was giving Peter each time Peter looked back.

Knowing Bucky, they were probably frightening to a kid.

A sweet aroma wafted through the forest. Tony frowned and sniffed the air. Sweet cakes, caramel, cookies, and the smell of other delicious baked goods permeated the forest.

Tony glimpsed at Bucky, who eyed their surroundings warily. He sniffed then scrunched his face in befuddlement.

So Tony wasn’t the only picking up on the out of place scent.

Peter and Miles picked up their pace and were soon sprinting through the woods.

Through the trees Tony could make out what looked like a house. He squinted at the strange and colorful design of the cottage. It was of a decent size--the size of a home he’d expected from a well off farmer, but it looked lavish like something belonging to a king.

As Tony got closer and the sweet aroma grew stronger he realized that the house was not made from wood or any material normally used for architect. The walls were made of gingerbread and held together by frosting. Candies, the kind he’d only had when he was a child and were considered a delicacy speckled the walls and framed the windows and doors, which appeared to be made from other sweets that Tony had never come across in his life even as a privileged prince.

“What the hell?” Bucky gawked at the house.

Peter and Miles shared mischievous and knowing looks.

“Told you we weren’t lying,” Peter said.

“So now you have to let us go,” Miles added.

Tony nodded. He did not need a mirror to know he looked far too dour for someone who had a house of sweets in front of him. Then again, perhaps a serious and ponderous expression was appropriate, because the house of sweets was the very reason for his negativity. He liked to think he hadn’t become a cynic, but the house churned his stomach with foreboding.

After all, even if he were to suspend his disbelief and believe that a baker or someone with a sweet tooth had built the house and not a magic user (unlikely since the house showed no signs of deterioration), then the question still remained: why go to all the trouble? Why make an edible house?

“Do you two know who owns this house?” Tony asked.

Miles and Peter looked at each other then back at Tony.

“Doesn’t matter,” Miles answered. “As long as we get food, we don’t care.”

“This reeks of a trap,” Bucky said, his voice a low growl.

Tony nodded.

Peter rolled his eyes. “Oh yeah, someone made a house of out of sweets because they want hungry people to come by and steal from them.”

Tony was tempted to point out that it would be an excellent way to poison a few thieves, but he kept quiet. No need to cause the children to panic or set them off on a tangent about how neither felt poisoned.

“Let’s see who’s inside.” Tony marched up to the house.

Peter scurried behind him. “There’s no one. Miles and I always look, but no one is ever around.”

Tony quirked a brow at that. “And you don’t find that the least bit suspicious?”

Peter stopped in his tracks. Suddenly he wasn’t so vocal or opinionated.

Tony headed toward one of the windows, mindful of keeping himself unseen just in case Peter was wrong and someone was inside the house.

Tony plastered himself to the side of window then peered into the home.

There was an entire table of cake. Strings of crystallized sugar hung from the ceiling like wind chimes. Every piece of furniture had something on it that promised to give one a sugar high if devoured. Caramel apples, cupcakes, mugs of chocolate, cookies as big as Tony’s head, marshmallows, and so much more covered every inch of the home. Treats aside though, the house had a few more luxurious items than the average home, but looked normal for the most part.

Except that the hearth was lit and no one was around to enjoy it, nor was there anything cooking or drying on the hearth.

Maybe the owner was just trying to keep the house warm? It wasn’t uncommon in other homes. However, this was an edible home. Perhaps it was just Tony, but it seemed especially odd to leave a fire going in a house made of food, even if magic was at play.

“You really have never seen anyone inside?” Tony asked the kids.

Peter and Miles shook their heads.

“The front door is always unlock too. See.” Miles opened the door for show.

Just as Miles said, the door swung open with no resistance.

Tony moved toward the door, but suddenly Bucky had a hold of his wrist and put himself between Tony and the entrance.

“Bucky-”

“I go in first,” Bucky cut Tony off. He brandished the dagger Tony had given him.

Tony snorted in amusement. He patted Bucky on the cheek. “Fine. I’ll indulge your protective behavior. Lead on.”

Bucky gave a grunt of approval and strutted into the house like he owned it (not exactly the maneuver Tony expected someone who claimed to have stolen three chickens at once to pull when entering someone’s home invited, but then again, nothing about this situation was normal). Once inside Bucky moved with a little more stealth, checking every corner before rounding it.

Tony ran his hand over a shelf in search of dust, but his fingers came up clean.

Either magic was once again afoot, or someone had cleaned the house recently.

Tony followed Bucky into the kitchen.

Without preamble, Tony opened the cupboards and drawers.

All but one cupboard was empty. The one cupboard that was full contained canisters of spices.

Tony plucked a few of canisters out, smelling and tasting the contents. “I wouldn’t use these for any sweets that I know of.” Tony offered a canister to Bucky, who took a whiff. He shook his head.

“I wouldn’t either.”

“So?” Peter asked, having followed them into the kitchen. He snagged a cupcake off one of the tables and nibbled on it. “What’s the big deal?”

“Nothing or-” A narrow door tucked away in the back of the kitchen caught Tony’s eye. A real door, not one made of lemon loaf or gingerbread. And on that door was a monster-sized iron lock.

“Now that may be just the most disconcerting thing about this house.” Tony went to the lock and examined it. “Bucky, love, I hate to assume things, but you wouldn’t happen to have a few needles on you, would you?”

Bucky fiddled with a cuff of his coat. After a minute of pushing and prodding something hidden in the folds of the fabric Bucky produced two needles.

“Thank you.” Tony plucked the needles out of Bucky’s hand and set about using the needles to pick the lock. The needles were one of the worst tools he’d ever used to pick a lock with. They forever tested his grip on them and slid out of place. It was only his years of experience picking locks that made it possible for him to open the lock with the inappropriate tool.

The tumblers clicked into place and Tony opened the door.

Human size cages hung from the ceiling of the closet. Blood stained the stone floor. And the flames of the oven embedded in the far wall cast shadows over the sealed away room.

Peter and Miles gasped.

Bucky seized Tony’s forearm and pulled Tony closer to him.

Tony was paralyzed in shock. He hadn't considered this possibility.

“Who dares enter my home?”

Tony whirled.

One moment he was standing, the next he was flying across the room. His back hit the wall. An invisible grip squeezed his neck and pinned him to the wall like a helpless butterfly.

A woman covered in piles of rich cloth clenched her hand in the air as if choking someone.

Peter and Miles scattered in fright, ducking behind the table and hiding from sight.

Bucky launched himself at the woman.

“Children?” The woman questioned with a smile as she threw up her other hand.

Bucky rammed into an invisible wall and hit the floor hard.

Tony winced.

Bucky really had some terrible luck with those invisible barriers. How many had he run into now since Tony and him had met?

“I absolutely love children. I should thank you.” The woman flicked her wrist and Bucky was flung against wall next to Tony. “I won’t though.”

“Get her!” Peter shouted, running out from his hiding spot. He tackled the woman around the waist.

The woman stumbled. The action broke whatever magic trick she was using on Tony, and Tony dropped to his feet.

The woman grabbed Peter’s arm, and Peter bit her.

She howled in pain and slapped Peter.

Meanwhile Miles ran up behind her and kicked her in the shin.

Tony raced to formulate a plan. With her powers they had a low chance of successfully running away. The odds of winning a fight were low too, but they might have a chance of overwhelming her. It all came down to how many spells she could cast at once and just how powerful she was.

The woman used her magic to hoist Peter in the air and create a force field around Miles legs that prevented him from moving.

She wasn’t looking at Tony.

Tony rushed her and elbowed her in the face.

Peter gasped as he hit the floor and Miles rolled away from the witch.

“You dried out and stringy piece of meat!” The woman moved to strike, but stopped halfway when a dagger embedded itself in her stomach. She lurched forward and gasped in pain.

Tony spun toward the direction the dagger had come from to see Bucky standing and poised in a way that revealed he’d hurled the blade.

“Good aim,” Tony said.

Bucky scowled and tackled Tony to floor.

A fireball just missed Tony.

“She’s not dead yet,” Bucky growled and climbed off Tony.

“Why do they never go down easy?” Tony grumbled then jumped back into the fray.

Chaos was the only word that could appropriately describe the brawl that followed. The witch was only able to use her spells on two of them at a time, giving the other two a chance to fight her and disrupt her spell. From an outside perspective it probably looked like one of the most ridiculous fights to have ever occurred, and not like the desperate battle for one’s life that it was.

At some point they had all fallen into the macabre room.

During one of his moments of freedom Bucky seized the handle of the oven and yanked it open.

He threw himself at the witch—his dagger long since fallen somewhere. He completely missed the woman, stumbling past her. The witch didn’t care about his inaccuracy though and turned her attention on Bucky, freeing up Miles to brawl with her again.

The fight continued and Bucky got free again, and when he did, he didn’t miss with his next attack.

Bucky seized the woman around the waist and ran toward the oven. He threw the witch inside.

She screamed.

Tony and the kids froze at the horrific sight of the woman scrambling to get out of the oven and Bucky slamming the door on her. With a grunt, Bucky locked the oven then braced himself against the door as the witch banged against it.

When her screaming ceased and the door no longer quaked under her fists, Bucky moved away from the oven and scowled at it. “I hate witches.”

“You just murdered her!” Peter shouted.

Miles cursed.

Bucky startled. He slowly looked back at the oven behind him. His eyes widened incrementally as realization dawned on him. His skin which was already far too pale became white enough to rival a corpse.

“I…” Bucky started.

Tony snapped out of his shock and marched over to Bucky. He hugged him fiercely. “It’s okay. Everyone is alive.”

The sour and bitter smell of rotten food assaulted Tony.

Tony cussed under his breath. He dropped his embrace but grabbed hold of Bucky’s hand. “Everyone out. Dead witch, means no more magic, which means no more house of sweets.”

Peter and Miles didn’t hesitate. The fled from the house with Bucky and Tony close behind.

Tony sighted Bucky’s dagger as they ran and snatched it from the ground.

Tony wanted to gag as they fled. Mold ate away at the house like a disease, turning everything inside into white, gray, and black mush that slowly collapsed in on itself.

Once outside Tony and the others continued to run to put distance not just between themselves and the house, but from house’s rancid odor. By the time they stopped running, all four of them were doubled over and gasping for breath.

“What the hell happened in there?” Miles said between breaths.

“My guess?” Tony started. “Witchy made a house of sweets to lure people to her then kill them, possibly eat them considering the oven. I picked the lock on her super secret door, which either alerted her to our presence or she was watching all along and didn’t like what I’d just done.”

“But she never tried to kill us before,” Peter said.

“If she’s killing for food, you and Miles aren’t fat enough yet to eat.”

Miles and Peter looked offended.

“It’s true.” Tony shrugged and straightened, finally having caught his breath.

“I messed up.” Bucky bowed his head in shame.

Crap. Tony took a deep breath for strength and to harden his resolve. He stomped over to Bucky; he’d complete what he had started to do before Witchy’s house had gone bad.

Tony hugged Bucky, tucking Bucky’s face into his shoulder so he could run his fingers through Bucky’s hair soothingly. “That wasn’t revenge, Bucky. You protected us and yourself back there.”

“But it was too easy. How can I go back to being the past me—the happy me if I can kill so easily?”

Tony huffed out a laugh. “Sorry, the melodrama is just a little much for me, love. I will say this though, you don’t have to be your past self to be happy. And yes, it can be a little scary to see how much you’ve changed and what lengths you’ll go to, but as someone who has been in a similar situation, I can say you’re doing fine. The world isn’t so black and white, and everyone makes mistakes. You know, all those platitudes that probably sound meaningless to you right now.”

Bucky snorted in amusement, but kept his head bowed.

“My feelings for you haven’t changed though, if that helps.”

“But he-” Peter started and Miles rammed his elbow in Peter’s gut.

“You’ll be okay,” Tony reiterated. He guided Bucky to raise his head then kissed Bucky on the forehead. “You may never go back to being who you were, but we’ll find you a happy ending.”

“Now who’s being sappy.” Bucky rolled his eyes. A second later though he glanced shyly at Tony. He hesitated then leaned forward. He kissed Tony.

Tony smiled.

“This is gross,” Peter mumbled.

Miles smacked Peter.

“Ow!

“What the hell happened to you four?” Rhodey stormed up to Tony and grabbed his face. He scowled at the bruise Tony could feel forming just under his eye. “Why does it look like the four of you decided to have a fist fight?”

“You’re not that far off,” Peter mumbled.

“Seriously,” Miles chimed in.

“Witches,” Bucky offered as an explanation.

Rhodey’s scowl deepened. “Okay, someone better start explaining or I swear you’ll regret it.”

Tony winced. Rhodey wasn’t making an idle threat. “Can we sit down first, and then I can explain?”

Rhodey nodded and gestured for Tony to take a seat.

Tony sighed in relief. He plopped himself on a log and stretched out his legs. “Before I begin, just so you know, we’re going to take a detour. I promised to take Peter and Miles to the closest village.”

Rhodey’s gaze narrowed. “Start talking.”

And Tony did.

#winteriron #tony x bucky #tony stark #bucky barnes #prompts #akira of the twilight #OUAT in a shattered mind #cw: violence #cw: death #cw: witch burning #bucky is bad with kids

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newestbalance · 7 years ago

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Major League Baseball notebook: Cano apologizes for failed drug test

Addressing the media Saturday for the first time since he received an 80-game suspension from Major League Baseball on May 15, Seattle Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano apologized to his team and its fans for his failed drug test.

Aug 23, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano (22) hits a single against the New York Yankees during the fourth inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports / Reuters Picture Supplied by Action Images

Cano, 35, stated that his positive test for Furosemide, a diuretic that can be used as a masking agent for performance-enhancing substances, was the result of prescription medication he received in his home nation, the Dominican Republic. He has maintained that the prescription was to aid with high blood pressure.

“I wanted to apologize genuinely to the city of Seattle and to all the fans, and the young baseball players in the (United) States and the DR (Dominican Republic) and most importantly to my teammates,” Cano said in a statement. “I wanted to show my face to you guys. I don’t think for me it’s fair to just come back and walk into the clubhouse.”

The eight-time All-Star said that he hadn’t spoken earlier because he didn’t want to be a distraction to the team. Cano is looking ahead to returning from his ban on Aug. 14, unless the Mariners have any postponements that aren’t made up before that date. However, if the Mariners make the postseason this year, Cano would be ineligible to play.

—Cleveland Indians outfielder Lonnie Chisenhall is seeking a second opinion on his most recent calf injury as he prepares for a lengthy absence, manager Terry Francona told reporters.

Chisenhall will meet with Dr. Wiemi Douoguih, who specializes in lower-body injuries, in Washington. Chisenhall was placed on the 10-day disabled list last week with a left calf strain. He missed nearly two months earlier this season with a Grade 2 strain of the same calf, and a seven-week stretch last season with a strain of the right calf.

Chisenhall, 29, has played in just 111 games since the start of 2017 due to the injuries.

—The Houston Astros called up slugging outfielder Kyle Tucker from Triple-A Fresno.

Tucker, 21, batted seventh and play left field in his major league debut, going 1-for-4 with an RBI against the Chicago White Sox. Tucker, the fifth overall pick by the Astros in 2015, followed a big spring training performance by tearing it up in the Pacific Coast League, batting .306 with 14 home runs and 66 RBIs in 80 games.

Outfielder Jake Marisnick, who has struggled at the plate all season, was sent down to Fresno in a corresponding move.

—Two minor league baseball players have been suspended following their violations of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program, Major League Baseball announced.

Cincinnati Reds minor league first baseman Montrell Marshall, who is on the roster of the Class-A Dayton Dragons, was suspended 50 games without pay. Minnesota Twins minor league third baseman Sean Miller, who is assigned to the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts, also was banned 50 games without pay.

For both players, the suspensions were triggered by a second positive test for use of a drug in violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

—The New York Yankees called up outfielder Clint Frazier for the fourth time this season prior to their game against the Toronto Blue Jays.

To make room for Frazier, the club designated right-handed pitcher David Hale for assignment. He came off the bench Saturday and went 0-for-2.

—The San Francisco Giants activated right-handed pitcher Jeff Samardzija from the 10-day disabled list in time for him to start the team’s afternoon game against St. Louis.

On the disabled list since May 30, Samardzija (1-5) returned to give up three runs in five innings and take the loss against the Cardinals.

Samardzija’s activation was one of just several moves announced by the Giants. They also transferred pitcher Hunter Strickland (broken hand) to the 60-day disabled list; placed infielder Joe Panik on the 10-day disabled list with a left groin strain; optioned pitcher Chris Stratton to Triple-A Sacramento; and purchased the contract of infielder Chase d’Arnaud from Triple-A.

—The Seattle Mariners recalled outfielder John Andreoli from Triple-A Tacoma and sent down pitcher Nick Rumbelow in a corresponding move.

This is the second stint with the Mariners this season for Andreoli, who also was with the team May 23-28, going 1-for-3 in his major league debut on May 23. At Tacoma, he was batting .283 with three home runs, 25 RBIs and 14 stolen bases.

— The Pittsburgh Pirates activated pitcher Michael Feliz from the 10-day disabled list and brought pitcher Alex McRae up from Triple-A Indianapolis. The team also optioned pitchers Dovydas Neverauskas and Josh Smoker to Indianapolis.

Feliz went on the disabled list June 24 with right shoulder inflammation. He is 0-2 with a 5.51 ERA in 33 games. He has 39 strikeouts in 32 2/3 innings.

McRae, 25, will be making his major league debut. He posted a 3-7 record with a 4.61 ERA for Indianapolis, appearing in 17 games, including 16 starts.

—The Oakland Athletics placed outfielder Matt Joyce on the 10-day disabled list, retroactive to Thursday, with a lumbar strain. This is the second time this season he’s been sidelined by the injury. Oakland recalled outfielder Nick Martini from Triple-A Nashville in a corresponding move.

Joyce, 33, is batting just .203 with seven homers and 13 RBIs in 63 games this season. Martini, 28, joined Oakland for the third time in 2018.

—The Colorado Rockies announced they have recalled infielder/outfielder Jordan Patterson and left-hander Jerry Vasto from Triple-A Albuquerque. In addition, they placed relief pitcher Mike Dunn on the 10-day disabled list with acromioclavicular joint inflammation, retroactive to Wednesday, and put catcher Tom Murphy on the paternity list.

Patterson has yet to appear in the majors this season. Vasto is making his second appearance with Colorado this season after a brief call-up in June, when he gave up three runs in two-thirds of an inning.

—Field Level Media

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cleopatrarps · 7 years ago