#man that was a real nothing game until those extra innings

[periodicavocation]

ahhhh they came back, it was worth watching till the end

[sierraraeck]

Return to Normalcy (Pt.1)

BAU x OC Aundreya

Masterlist | Series Masterlist

Summary: Returning to normal has never been so hard. Just as Aundreya is starting to make amends and fit back in with the group, something gets in the way. Story twenty-two.

Category: Angst, but there’s some fluff too

Warnings: Cussing. CM talk. Mentions of death and suicide as a COD. Break-ins.

Word Count: 5.5k

It was odd, how quickly things seemed to go back to ‘normal.’ It was a new sort of normal, like if you’d moved out of your house and years later the new owners invited you over for dinner, but it felt familiar nonetheless.

It seemed to me that we were all more focused on the cases coming in, and while the rest of the team still went out for drinks after a long case, I no longer took part. It didn’t feel right, and above that, I had to get home and prepare for whatever new guest decided to grace me with their presence.

The nice way of saying that people were breaking into my apartment.

It started the Monday I had returned to work with the BAU. Once we got home, my apartment was trashed with a lovely note carved into my bedside table letting me know that this was only going to get worse. I had no motive for them either, but I had three guesses: they were working for DeLeon, they were working for Archer, or they were working for me. If they were working for me, they were probably pissed that I went back to the BAU, or they were clients that held a grudge.

Either way, it didn’t really matter, because if I wasn’t already having trouble sleeping, I definitely was now. I never knew what day, what time, or how many people there’d be. I hate to call it a game, but that was honestly what it’d become. I tried to track their pattern, but they were good, keeping everything very random. I started making bets with myself about the day, time, and number of people, just to keep things interesting.

I walked into work with new bruises and cuts all the time. I tried my best to cover them up, but I wasn’t stupid, and I didn’t believe my teammates were blind. But none of them pushed, they only ever gave me weird looks, which I promptly ignored.

It wasn’t until I was so tired and in pain that I couldn’t do my job correctly.

I was chasing down and unsub, but I couldn’t keep up. He turned a corner and when I followed, ambushed me. We started fighting, but I couldn’t hold my own. Had it not been for Derek following me and shooting him off of me, that man would have strangled me with his bare hands. Only then did Hotch pull me aside.

“Chambers, what is going on with you?” he had those stern, yet caring eyes trained on me.

“Do you want the real version, or the boss version?” I sarcastically asked. He raised his eyebrows slightly. “I’m having trouble sleeping. I wake up every night from nightmares if I’m lucky enough to fall asleep in the first place.”

“Do you expect me to buy that, or do you also fight your furniture in your sleep?” he asked.

“I do expect you to buy that, because it’s true,” I shot back.

“But that’s not everything,” Hotch pointed out.

I shrugged, “It’s close enough.”

“Chambers,” he warned.

“I’m okay,” I assured.

“You almost died today in hand to hand combat. I’ve never seen you even come close to losing to someone in that area. You beat Morgan on a regular, and he’s one of the best fighters I know,” Hotch acknowledged, “What is going on?”

“Hotch, please-”

“I will ask you to take time off if this is not something that can be solved.”

“No!” I barely let him finish, “You cannot confine me to my apartment.”

He gave me a quick once over, and I tried my best to look composed. “I will order you to tell me if things get worse.” I nodded and gave a small ‘thank you’ before walking away.

# # # # # # # # # # # # #

I did everything I could to prepare for the intruders, but it was another long night. I was never sure if they were out to kill me or just scare me, but it usually ended up with me fighting two or three people at the same time. Usually they fled before things got too serious, but I ended up having to drag out a body every now and then.

Last night was no different, fighting two masked people until they decided to leave. The one upside of all the constant fighting after a while, was that it was allowing me to sleep better. I was so exhausted by the time I was done, that I could actually get three or four solid hours of sleep. Ironic how the same problem causing part of my lack of sleep, could also help me sleep.

The one thing different about last night, though, was that I finally got a look at one of their faces, unmasked and alive. It wasn’t much, but it was something to go off of.

I convinced Garcia to help me find someone who was hopefully in the system. I gave her a description; a man in his early thirties, red curly hair, about five foot eleven, scar behind his ear. She pulled up known felons and those in the prison system, but none of them were him. I didn’t want to have to raise suspicion by asking her to do it, but I had to know who was coming after me. So I went out on a limb and asked her to search for people in the Bureau, and those who worked closely with Agent Howard Archer.

And then I saw him. Some new assistant of Archer’s that also happened to work for the MI6 before moving to the US.

I played it off to Penelope, but I now knew who was coming after me. He must have been nearly as pissed as DeLeon was about Xena, and even more so about the fact that I weaseled my way out of charges, out of DeLeon’s grasp (if he knew about that), and all the way back to the BAU.

But I had a plan, one that would grant me more peace, and help keep the BAU team together.

Things just worked out even better than expected when Emily accidentally dropped information to one of the deputies that was helping his son get away with muder. Not like I wanted her to make a mistake, she was already feeling more guilty about it that she needed to, and I did want to be there for her, but it also just so happened to serve a bigger purpose as well.

We boarded the jet on our way home after using a couple extra days to catch the deputy and his son. Emily sat by herself in the back, clearly beating herself up. I saw JJ say something and squeeze her shoulder, but Emily was not having it. I gave her the first half of the trip to wallow, and then made my move.

I approached her seat and went to sit down when she waved me off, “Chambers, I really can’t go through another ‘it’s okay we still got him’ pep talk right now.”

I sat down right next to her and put my feet up on the other seat. I crossed my arms over my chest, mimicking her movement, and said, “Nah, man, I came over here to tell you that you majorly fucked up. Didn’t you hear? If you’re in the FBI and wrongfully trust your fellow law enforcement officers who are supposed to be helping you catch the bad guy, you’re immediately terminated?” She glared at me from the corner of her eye and I smirked, “I’m serious, Emily. If you ever make a mistake and then end up solving the whole case for us like that again, I think we might just have to fire you.”

“You’re hilarious,” she deadpanned.

“No, not really,” I smiled, “I only think I am when I’m massively sleep deprived and my badass coworker makes the coolest unsub takedown of the century.” She rolled her eyes. I looked across the aisle to where JJ was seated and asked, “Come on, JJ. Tell me I’m wrong.”

“You’re wrong,” JJ absentmindedly sang, not even bothering to look up from her magazine, “It’s not like she launched through the air, tackled him, and rolled on the ground a couple of times before handcuffing him from her position on top, then stood up like it was nothing.”

I shrugged, turning my attention back to Emily, “Ooh! So, does this mean, now that you’re obviously leaving, that I will be the best at the shooting range?”

“Okay, please stop,” Emily finally spoke back up. She still wouldn’t look at me, but I could see the beginning of a smile creeping up on her face.

I lightly poked her in the side, and she finally cracked a smile, looking over at me. “Look, historically I’m not the greatest at giving pep talks, but I’ve fucked up enough time to know the usual bullshit that they entail, and I know that not a single ounce of it is helpful. It’s gonna feel crappy for a while, that’s just how it goes, but trust me when I say that you have a lot more to be proud of than slipping up once in your seven years of being with the FBI. Not to mention that you personally got to kick his ass anyway.”

“Yeah, but,” she shook her head, “next time, things might not end as lucky.”

“God damn it, Emily,” I tsked playfully, “You’re starting to sound like me. And I can tell you with confidence, being me, that I do not recommend that path.”

“I appreciate what you’re saying but-”

“But you don’t want to come out with me and the girls tonight,” I sighed, posing it more like a statement than a question. “I get it.”

JJ perked up at this, and asked, “What is this you’re saying about girls night?”

“Oh, I guess it’s not that exciting. Emily doesn’t seem interested,” I feigned a grimace, reaching into my pocket to produce five ticket.

“What are those?” Emily asked.

I hummed, “I guess I’ll have to sell yours, or refund it or something, you know, since you don’t want to come out with us.”

“Aundreya, I swear to god,” Emily started, reaching for the tickets in my hand. I jerked them back, but Tara yanked one from my grasp.

“Alanis Morissette? Are you for real?” she asked.

“Dead serious,” I grinned.

I turned to Emily whose mouth was agape, “How’d you know? I’ve been trying to see her for years, but we always have a case!”

“Look, we have tonight and then the extended weekend off. I figured we could get some sleep this afternoon, get ready, go out to dinner, and then go to the concert,” I suggested.

“Absolutely!” Emily’s excitement was enough to make all of us smile, “This is amazing. Does Garcia know?”

“Does she ever,” I murmured. “She nearly wrecked the surprise about twelve times already!”

The girls laughed, and the prospect of getting away and doing something fun seemed to put everyone in a much better mood.

# # # # # # # # # # # # #

I woke up on Garcia’s floor completely exhausted. But for once, it was a happy exhaustion. No break ins, no nightmares, just the five of us girls having the night of our lives. I checked the time, and the brightness of my phone blinded my eyes. The time read 9:24, and my head hurt a little, but I knew how to drink. Emily and Tara would be fine by the end of the day, but I wouldn’t be surprised if JJ and Penelope were hungover until the weekend was over.

I started cleaning up the place, trying my best not to make any sound or knock into any bottles. When it felt sufficiently cleaned, and I did everything I thought I could that would be quiet, I went to the kitchen to make breakfast. Emily was the next up, and walked into the kitchen rubbing her eyes and holding an empty tequila bottle. She placed it in the trash, then walked over to where I was flipping pancakes.

“Damn, aren’t you tired?” she asked.

I gave her a look. “I’ve adjusted to the constant pounding in my head.”

“Right,” she rasped, “I forgot. You’ve got that super power that allows you not to be affected by drugs and alcohol and stuff.”

I just nodded. “How was it, though?”

She looked at me confused for a moment, before realizing I was talking about the concert. “Aundreya, it was amazing. I can’t believe you did that for us.”

I shrugged, “I just figured we all needed a break.”

“Amen,” Tara said, finishing the last of her beer before placing the empty bottle on the counter.

“Beer before pancakes?” Emily asked.

“My head already hurts, I don’t think another swig’ll change that,” she pointed out. When the other two woke up, we ate breakfast and finished cleaning Peleope’s apartment. It was the first time since I’d been back that I actually did something with the group, and it was actually really fun. We were all Alanis Morissette fans, so we practically screamed the lyrics all night. Not one of us could talk properly, our vocal chords probably wrecked for eternity.

When we finished up, we all decided to head back to our own places. I dreaded leaving, knowing that there was a 50 percent chance that mine was raided yet again.

I was the last one out, and right as I was about to leave, I felt Penelope’s eyes on me. She’d been acting a little strange around me the entire night, and I was wondering if she was ever going to talk to me about it. I turned around to face her and saw that she was looking at me with very nervous eyes. I offered her a small smile, hoping that she would come out with it on her own.

When she just kept looking at me, shifting her eyes between me and the door, I carefully asked, “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, yeah,” she quickly said, seeming to pull out of her thoughts. “Sorry to keep you. You can head home if you need to.” She rushed over to me and started to open the door but I slightly leaned back on the door so she couldn’t fully pull it open.

“If you want me to leave, I will,” I looked her straight in the eyes, “But if you have something to say, or ask, please do. I don’t want you to be nervous to talk to me.”

She struggled for the right words for a moment before she sighed. “Do you want to sit?” I nodded and followed her to the couch. She took another deep breath before starting, “It’s about your ring of people.”

“Okay…” I invited her to continue.

“Um, Deen, that’s his name right? Deen?” I nodded, “Well, he mentioned something to me about you wanting to recruit me before I got offered a job at the FBI.”

I pressed my lips together with understanding. Of course Deen would slip up when it came to ‘The Black Queen.’ I already knew he had a not so little crush on her, and now that he’d met her, he wouldn’t shut up. “Yeah, I did. You were just starting to get really big around the same time the Cloaks were going under, and I knew you’d be a big asset to our team. Once I had the ring up and running, I made a plan to reach out to you and ask you to join us. It was a bit of a long shot considering you were using your skills to do good and you’d probably think we were on the opposite end of that, but we really wanted you. Well, I really wanted you and Deen was really pushing for it. Honestly, we were only three days out from inviting you in when you got caught. We were hopeful, but when you accepted the job with the FBI we weren’t surprised. Still sad, though,” I admitted.

“So, had I not got caught, or you’d gotten to me a few days earlier, your life could’ve been my life?” she asked, a bit of wonder in her voice.

I joked, “Hopefully not. But you would’ve been in the room with me whenever I was planning something new or we were tracking a client or mole. You probably would’ve been our lead in operations considering you’d have access to all of their information and security cameras we’d need to hack into, not to mention some of our own.”

“That’s… wow,” Penelope stared out the window as if she could see her other life playing out.

“But I think you ended up where you belong,” I smiled at her.

She mirrored my expression and agreed, “Yes. I think you’re right. It would’ve been interesting though, to see how different my life would’ve been.”

“Maybe,” I reminded, “But you might not have even said yes to us to begin with.” She looked deep in thought, understandably. It was a lot to process, especially since she had some idea of my lifestyle and the amount of trouble I got into. But it was still a possibility that she’d never had the opportunity to ponder. “I’ll see you later?”

“Yes. Thank you for last night and, for answering my questions this morning,” she stood up with me as I went to grab my stuff and head out the door.

“If you want to know anything else, just ask,” I smiled.

She nodded and was about to close the door behind me she shyly questioned, “And Deen?”

I grinned from ear to ear. “Great guy, super loyal, funny, and a natural leader and protector. Oh, and super into you.”

She smiled to herself, looking down a little bit, then gave me a wave as she shut the door.

# # # # # # # # # # # # #

When I got back to my place, and saw that the door was already cracked, I sighed. I swung open the door to see that things only continued to get worse.

Sitting there on the couch was Spencer. There was broken glass and knocked over furniture strewn all around, and he was like a rare diamond sitting in the middle of the rubble.

“Aundreya, what is going on?” his voice was soft and concerned, eyes wide.

“Spencer, please-” I tried.

He shook his head and gestured for me to sit down next to him. I swiped off some of the stuffing coming out of a read and sat down. “Please. Please tell me what all of this is. I want to help.”

“You can’t help,” I said.

“Only because you won’t let me,” he pointed out. “You’re coming to work with new bruises all the time, you’re clearly more tired than usual, and your ability to think and physically perform are decreasing.”

I looked down at my hands, spinning the bracelets around my wrist. “People are breaking into my place. It’s completely random but I can fend them off.”

The shock and concern in his eyes grew, “How long has this been going on?”

I purses my lips, “Since I came back.”

“And how many times has this happened?”

I looked around my apartment and shook my head, “I stopped cleaning after four.”

“Aundreya-”

“Don’t say anything,” I pleaded. “If you do, then I’ll have to take time off and leave this place defenseless, or you’ll assign people to stand guard which will likely only get them killed. I’m handling this.”

“You call this,” Spencer gestured to the disaster I called an apartment, “handling it?”

“I’m trying to handle it,” I corrected, “And it’s actually been getting better.”

“I know that’s not true,” he accused.

“Well now I’m too tired for nightmares and can actually get some real, solid sleep, so I’d call that a win,” I snapped. He looked at me hurt, “I didn’t mean to sound like that.”

“My point exactly. You’re too tired to control your emotions. You’re irritable,” he stated.

“I’m okay,” I insisted. I could tell he was not buying it, but I didn’t care. I didn’t want him anywhere near my apartment. Anywhere near me. It would only put him in harms way.

“Is this why you always insisted on going out to meet me instead of going to one of our apartments?” he asked.

We’d been meeting up for food or just walks when neither of us could sleep. He was still dealing with prison, and drugs, and Cat Adams with his mom (which I didn’t know about until I came back), while I was dealing with Xena, and DeLeon, and Agent Archer. We quickly realized that there was no one else to call at 3am in the morning when we couldn’t sleep besides each other.

“That, and I didn’t want to intrude on you and Maeve,” I whispered.

“She actually hasn’t been staying over these past few days,” he murmured. It threw me off guard, so I just stared at him with my head tilted to one side. “Yeah. I don’t blame her though.”

“Wait, it was her decision?” I asked.

“No, well yes,” he stumbled. “I mean, I felt bad constantly being away, and the only time I was here I was waking up with nightmares. She deserves better than that.”

“And you deserve to be with who you want. Don’t push her away because you feel guilty, let her make that decision on her own,” I finished with a yawn.

“God, you need sleep,” he said, effectively dodging my previous statement.

“Yeah, but then who’s gonna protect you if they come back?” I attempted to joke.

He reached down and produced his gun, then flashed the other one around his ankle along with a small dagger. I raised my eyebrows at him. He shrugged, “I think I can hold down the fort for tonight. The team needs you to be rested to chase down our unsubs.”

I laughed, “Yeah, but they need you rested to actually find them in the first place. I can pass the whole chasing them down thing back to Morgan for a while.”

“You’re not going to be able to sleep with me here, are you?” he asked.

I shook my head, “In your defense, I wouldn’t be sleeping if you weren’t here. But now that I know there’s more than just vases in here to protect…”

“Fine. How about we take shifts?” he offered.

“No, you should go and get some real sleep on a bed, not a couch that’s falling apart,” I suggested. He gave me a pointed look, and I knew he wouldn’t be sleeping either now that he knew what was going on. “Fine. Shifts it is.”

He stood up to go shut and lock my door, then came back to sit next to me on the couch. I put my head on his shoulder, and before I knew it, I was out.

# # # # # # # # # # # # #

I woke to the sound of ringing. I looked up to find that somehow, we both ended up asleep on my couch, my head on his chest, curled up in his side. His arm was around me and I wanted to believe that the ringing was just a part of another nightmare, but when it went off again, I sprung up off the couch. I quickly scanned the windows and all the doors, waiting for someone to jump us.

“It’s okay,” Spencer rasped, sitting up, “It’s just our phones.”

I looked down at the coffee table near the couch to see that he was right. “Oh.” I answered mine and walked into the other room while Spencer answered his, cursing myself for being so jumpy in front of him.

It was Penelope, “You need to get here fast. There’s been a death.”

“Be right there,” I answered. I shuffled back into the main room where Spencer was already grabbing his stuff, running his hands through his hair.

“Do you want to ride with me?” I asked.

“Sure,” he replied.

When we arrived at the bullpen, Hotch ushered us up to the round table room, and locked the door behind us.

“Hotch, what is going on?” JJ asked first.

We all looked at him expectantly. “Early this morning, the body of Associate Deputy Director Howard Archer was found in his apartment.” He flashed a picture up on the screen. Archer was hanging from his ceiling fan by his bed sheets. “It has been deemed a suicide, but we’ve been asked to confirm that COD.”

“Why? Is there any evidence of foul play?” Derek asked. I stayed completely silent.

“No.”

“Then what do they need us to investigate for?” Emily prompted.

“His wife swears that he wasn’t suicidal. He had been happier these past couple years, and only recently seemed on edge, but she said he seemed scared, not depressed,” Hotch presented.

“Yeah, but can’t fear and sadness sometimes appear to be similar?” JJ asked.

“Sure, but she claimed he seemed jumpy. Like looking over your shoulder scared,” Rossi answered.

“Chambers, you’ve been awfully quiet,” Derek looked at me.

I shrugged. “It looks like a suicide to me.”

“No more?” Derek pushed.

“Look, Reid, don’t you have some fact about people who subconsciously make stuff up when a loved one dies to cope? It’s like transferring but-”

“There are all different types of memory bias and false memories. Sometimes as a coping mechanism, victims can convince themselves that something different happened, or there were warning signs when there weren’t. Inaccurate recall, especially one of a key eyewitness causes almost-”

“Exactly,” I veered back to the point, “And if there is no evidence of foul play, I’d say we give it a little time and close it.”

“I agree,” JJ backed me, which I found slightly surprising.

“Okay,” Hotch said, “Rossi, take Reid with you to the scene and assure them of our conclusion unless anything else turns up.”

They nodded and left for the scene, while the rest of us went to our respective desks to get a jump start on paperwork.

I was relieved that I had played it off, and so far, it seemed like no one suspected a thing. I mean, I was with the girls for the entire night, or most of it anyway, and would have a clean alibi.

But I did kill him.

When we went out to dinner, I told the girls that I’d left my jacket at home. They all knew how tired I was lately, and didn’t question my forgetfulness. JJ offered me ker keys, which I took, but dropped in Heidi’s pocket. Heidi was one of the girls that I used to dance with, and she and I looked remarkably similar. If she kept her head down and away from cameras, you’d think she was me. I had her drive back to my place to get my jacket while I pickpocketed our waiter for his keys. I drove to Archer’s place, sneaked in through the window of his bedroom, and grabbed the sheets off his bed. I had gloves and shoe covers on, and my hair pulled back, so I was in the clear. I came up from behind him, and strangled him to appear the same way a suicide would. Tying him up to the ceiling fan was the fun part. At least I got to use a ladder I made sure to push over at the end. I then headed back to the restaurant where I grabbed my jacket from Heidi, and took back JJ’s keys. Entering the restaurant, I ‘bumped into’ our waiter to replace his keys, then sat down for dinner and went to the concert.

I didn’t plan on getting questioned, but if it got that far, I knew the girls would vouch for me. I mean, I was with them for the entire night except for the 20 minutes I left to get my jacket.

I was lost in thought, reconfirming to myself that there was no way I would get caught, when Derek viciously called across the room, “Chambers, what the hell?”

I looked and noticed the team and I were the only people left in the room. Rossi and Reid had returned, but I couldn’t figure out what he was so mad about.

“What do you mean what the hell?” I fired back.

“What is this?” Derek demanded, walking over to me and shoving his phone in my face.

It was the recording of me, sitting in the nursing home chair, saying the shittiest things I could think of. And I looked stone cold serious, “I don’t really have to think that much when it comes to that pathetic, riddled with daddy-issues boy. All he really adds to the team is a pretty face and a body that can chase down unsubs. Now that I can do that, I don’t really see his value on the team. I think the team just keeps him around because he’s funny to watch at bars surrounded by women.”

“Shut that off,” I croaked. The rest of the team had circled around me, looking hurt and shocked and betrayed.

“How could you say those things!”

“Derek, I can-” explain. But he cut me off before I could speak.

“Do you have any idea-”

“Yes!” I interrupted, “Yes, I know what I said, I know what I did! But if you’d just-”

“Don’t turn this on me,” he shouted back. Unbelievable. He’s not even gonna let me explain. I’m back to ground zero, and they won’t even give me a chance. “Penelope is by herself crying right now because of what you said!”

That was the last straw. “She almost died because of what I didn’t say!” That shut him up long enough so that I could finish, “God, one thing goes wrong and every single one of you flips on me in an instant.”

“I don’t know how you expect us to constantly forgive you for all the things you’ve done.”

“I don’t. Okay, I don’t. Not anymore,” I hissed, “Don’t expect me to do the same for you.” I shoved the last bit of paperwork into my bag and picked it up to leave.

“Do the same?” Derek’s voice was littered with irritation and sarcasm, “What do you have to forgive us for?”

I was almost halfway to the door when I spun on my heels, “Leaving me to rot in prison.”

“Yes, that was a mistake,” Emily jumped in, “But we realized that and came to save you from DeLeon.”

My mouth was agape, “You think that makes up for it? If you wanna play that game, how about this: I saved Spencer’s life that day, and you repaid me by forgetting about me behind bars. I got myself out of that DeLeon situation alive, and not like you’d care, but I got the rest of you out alive too, so don’t try to use finding me and carrying me out of that place as a remedy, because if I wanted to, I could have saved myself the pain and the torture and just let you all die.”

The team was in shock, and I started taking backward steps toward the door again when Derek recovered and spoke up, sounding slightly confused “So that’s it? You’re just gonna leave?”

“You don’t seem interested in anything else I have to say,” I spat.

“Look, we just-” Derek tried, his voice softening a little.

“No! No, I’m done with you constantly turning on me without hearing my side and then expecting me to accept your half-ass apologies. But I’m supposed to be understanding, right? I’m supposed to cut you slack because I’m the problem, right? I’m always the problem, with you, with the team, with every single relationship I’ve ever been in.” I huffed, “With me. I’m always the problem, okay, I get that. I’ve received the message loud and clear.” I continued on my path to the door, and I felt all of their eyes on me. Against my initial intentions to just walk out, I spun around and continued, “Just so you know, those things that I said saved your lives. And I didn’t mean a single word of it.”

“What do you mean saved our lives?” Emily asked.

Then I laughed. For profilers and FBI agents, I was surprised they hadn’t picked up on it. “How do you think he knew where you were and what you were doing, huh? Who did you think shot Penelope?” They still looked at me with empty faces. “He had snipers on you, and it seems I just couldn’t lie well enough when it came to her.” I turned toward the door.

“Chambers-” Emily tried.

I didn’t even turn around when responding, “Have fun at your little outing tonight. I won’t wait up this time.” They always went out after paperwork days, and I finally thought that tonight would be the night I’d join them again. But I was wrong.

Part 2

Series Taglist

@justanothetfangirl @kris-stuff @blameitonthenight21 @wooya1224 @unded-bride @swiftingday @dezzxmx

[austennerdita2533]

A/N: My contribution to the KC New Year’s Day Exchange for the lovely Charlotte. (Modern P&Pish/The Hating Game AU + All Human + Romcom Tie-ins)

(AO3)(FF.net)

xx Ashlee Bree

(Spite) of Their Lives

For the past ten months, the routine has been this: Monday through Friday she avoids his eyes, claps back when he crosses a line at the office because it’s only a matter of time before he does something rash and destructive and she has to help fix it - again. Saturday she ignores his emails and text messages. A bevy of unreads she collects like bills, like love letters. However, not because she wants them or anything but so she has an excuse to ream him for his you can’t avoid the devil forever, sweetheart 😈 assholeness later. Like, come on, get a hobby. Or a girlfriend. Or a freaking life outside work already. Seriously. And Sunday…Sunday she reminds herself of all the reasons why he’s the biggest pain in the ass she’s ever met.

A right charming prick, really.

He’s the kind of man who, with a natural blend of arrogance, genteel good looks, cunning, money and rapier’s wit, knows just how to poke and pinch at every last nerve she harbors beneath her skin until she wants to scream. Until she does. Until she’s cursing the name Klaus Mikaelson before her first cup of coffee in the morning and after her last sip of wine before bed at night.

To call him a colleague is a stretch for Caroline. A big one. Let alone a friend, at least not in the conventional sense.

They clash more often than they collaborate on anything, after all: with him demanding speed and severity when it comes to finding ways to cut their competitors off at the neck; and her countering with options that preserve dignity, that allow for diplomacy as well as smooth transitions of power that begin and end with a cordial handshake. Theirs’ is a total conflict in tactic, in personality. A spark of opposition that means business—you know the type. It’s ugly courtesy mixed with innuendo that slides into begrudging respect twenty-four hours a day, fifty-two weeks of the year.

They’re opposites in every sense of the word, but it works.

Together they make for a surprisingly prosperous combination in the corporate world, and it’s one that just so happens to help them rake in diverse clients on top of big bucks revenue.

So where Klaus snarls at almost everyone, Caroline beams. Likewise, where she's poised and reliable in the midst of a crisis, he rages. Sometimes throws things. Expensive things. Once or twice at people’s heads, though that “rumor” lives in the Do Not Discuss Or Else vault with all of those shady concerns about certain members of his family.

Since she’s neither short on smiles nor sociability either, it follows that he tends to be gruff in comparison. Or as most other employees like to whisper, as grouchy as a wealthy Brit has any right to be.

Needless to say then, the muscular tick along his jaw is a measure of his mood. It’s a physical marker to watch for so one knows when it’s okay to broach a sensitive topic with him or when it’s smarter to bow out, zip it, lay low, waiting for a better time to tackle the issue at hand without any measure of solvency. Caroline’s become an expert at dissecting it. That little quirk. She knows precisely what to look for. Figured it out in matter of weeks. Not to boast or anything.

(Hint: the key is in the rapidity with which the tick comes, its root cause. Next comes deducing how long it’s likely to last. Minutes? Hours? Days? Weeks? Calculate the potential damages. Then follow up accordingly.)

So now she knows to attack in the evenings, negotiate in the afternoons, and relent in the mornings. She’s learned what strategies to unleash on him and when.

Call it an Unwind the Big Bad Prick science, if you will. A crash course on all Mikaelson whims and asshole-isms.

The truth is Caroline’s not afraid to provoke him. To rattle him. She never has been, never will be.

She’ll call bullshit directly. to. his. smug. face. when he deserves a good tongue lashing or needs a simple lesson in civility, which just so happens to be much more often than one would think.

Summa cum laude honors, and unmatched organizational skills aside, she knows that’s one of the reasons why the Mikaelson siblings had Klaus hire her in the first place. She’s the hip check he needs. The temperate balance to his foul, distrusting moods and impulsivity.

There’s an entire arsenal of cutting glares at her disposal for him now. A challenge that sits on the tilt of her nose when they arrive somewhere simultaneously, both intent on being the first in the room. It doesn’t matter where it is, with whom they’re meeting, or why. The point is to compete…to be the one who’s holding the ace in her palm.

She aims to outsmart, outthink, and out win him in as many schemes as possible. In as many days, too, if she can swing it.

It’s how Caroline has come to carry arguments in the strum of her fingers. Wear them in the slight curl of her upper lip when they disagree. Her hair flip’s perfected, a real asset. A true silencer when she needs it to be. Like when he tries to pull rank or won’t listen to logic at all. (Which, again, happens more frequently than it should. May even prompt an eye roll or two. Sometimes three - you know, if the chip on his shoulder starts to burnish gold and he downshifts into being ruthless and impossible again.)

Not to mention the fact that her verbal comebacks slap harder than Klaus’s do since she smiles as she delivers them, the effect as disarming for him as it is satisfying for her—and oh, boy, can she sure deliver a line! Then watch as it lands like a whap across his cheek.

None of that has anything on the swivel of her heels, though. Or the sashay of her retreat which she enacts only once she’s successfully shaved him down a peg or two, knocking his ego back down to planet earth where it belongs. At least for the rest of the day.

It’s safe to expect that it’ll be back in tact by tomorrow - it always is - but she still lives for the dimpled purse of his mouth, anyway. That rough swallow of his Adam’s apple. The sag in his seat which precedes the defensive crossing of his arms that lets her know she’s one-upped him, and he’s impressed. Intrigued. Put out in a way that makes him borderline congratulatory…almost flirtatious, really.

(Except they can’t stand each other so she brushes the latter thought into the back of her brain where it can asphyxiate and die. Like - as soon as possible.)

A backward wave of her hand is the only thing Caroline leaves behind as her red-soled heels click down the hallway afterwards. Headed back toward her own office. Sometimes she steers toward the elevators afterwards because it’s late, because she now has something to gloat about on her ride home.

She prefers to abandon him when he’s at her mercy like that: stunned, speechless, reeling, his head still turning over her last competitive taunt.

It makes him look boyish even though he’s pushing thirty. Pleasantly caught. Not to mention a smidge more attractive than she wants him to be with those rumpled blond curls and abandoned tie, his sleeves cuffed up to the elbows.

Klaus seems to derive some kind of twisted satisfaction from the leveling of odds between them regardless. And why the hell not? So does she.

It’s adrenalizing, plain and simple. A grin always seems to snake its way onto their faces at the same moment. Win or lose. Every time.

Wrapped up in their little game of professional chess, though, Caroline is too full of plans and spite to worry over what that zing she feels between them means.

                                                           _ 

Klaus is fond of endearments. And he uses them.

A lot.

They tend to be ridiculous at best, his pet names, downright inappropriate at worst. And he knows it. Designs it so, his grin stretching wider at the edges while he gauges her reaction to his latest assignations.

They slide off his tongue freely, suggestively, relentlessly, until they’re an avalanche of  “love,” “queenie,” “venomous cupcake,” “Care-ella de Ville” monikers that fly in her direction more often than not as they go toe-to-toe over some work issue or find themselves cloistered together in the Brainstorm Wing, alone, far too long to be considered tolerable.

He talks and teases. She mostly ignores it because she’s focused, determined - a freaking whiz at professionalism - though he does win a scoff every now and again over their electronics.

That’s simply the way it is between them. How it’s always been.

Occasionally Caroline will threaten to set his pants on fire or will offer to drown him in his most expensive bottle of bourbon for extra measure. Anything to shut him up. Anything to curb his persistent interruptions whenever they’re up to their elbows in files, arguing, warding off a loss before an important meeting or a deadline. But it never works. It never sticks.

Seriously, nothing phases him.

The man is either impervious to rebuff of any sort or his encouragement hinges on the one stupid traitorous blush (one!) that seems to accompany any glare Caroline fires in his direction. (A weakness she’s more than desperate to delete from her physiology.) His audacity is incredible to witness in person. Absolutely incredible.

Suspicion rankles in her gut because it’s as if Klaus has no other targets even when there are other associates present, which doesn’t make sense. It’s just her. Just this. Just endless time and opportunity to pun her to death.

Talk about sucks!

Can’t someone else be his designated prey instead? Why her? Why now? How’d she get to be so unlucky as to have to put up with him all the time?

Rifling through documents one evening in late November, forced to work in tandem per their boss and CEO, Elijah’s, request, the two of them nibble on Chinese takeout and work. Bicker. Pour over contracts. Plot strategy in the B-wing late into the morning hours.

“I know you’re loath to admit it, sunshine,” Klaus says with a yawn after they concoct a one-two punch right as the clock strikes three; it’s a killer solution on all fronts, “but you and I are good together. We make a formidable team.”

“Oh, stop with that.”

“Stop with what?”

“You know it annoys me,” she frowns. “Come on.”

“Annoys you? It was an observation, Caroline. I was under the impression those weren’t illegal.”

Tossing her iPad and color-coded notes aside, she runs a lazy hand through her hair before leveling him with a look, “I wasn’t talking about the team comment and you know it.”

“Weren’t you?”

“No.”

“Pity,” Klaus says with a sigh and a stretch, raking her over while amusement dances in his rimmed eyes. “I’d hoped we were on the same page for once.”

“Well, we’re not.”

“Clearly.”

“An apology would be welcome at this juncture, you know. I’m open to hearing one,” she suggests.

“An apology?” Caroline waits. Taps her monogrammed company pen on the table’s ledge. He smirks before unhooking another button at his collar and angles closer. “For what?”

With a huff, “We’ve talked about this and you can’t just—how dare you keep—I—”

“Yes?” Klaus doesn’t say it but another endearment hangs from his smirking lips. It waits to shoot her way any second. “Go on then. State your grievance with me.”

“There’s no point.”

“Why’s that?”

“You already know what it is,” she says.

“Do I now?”

Growing perturbed, she ignores the flutter in her belly under this intense scrutiny, his expression a mixture of steady, sarcastic, and softly admiring. “This whole conversation is ridiculous!”

“Fair point. Though, personally, I disagree.”

“You…” she says, fighting back a blush and a laugh then shaking her head, “you are the actual worst.”

“Funny. That almost sounds like a compliment.”

“It wasn’t meant as one.”

“Perhaps not, sunshine,” he dimples, slumping back casually before interlocking his fingers behind his head, and sighs, “but I’ll take it as such anyway. Just this once.”

Caroline scowls. Flattens her lips. Mumbles something about “endearment harassment.” Resists another blush as well as the urge to strangle him before the paperwork for this deal is done.

Instead she decides to re-send him the Merriam Webster definitions of impertinent and dickhead from her phone again—you know, for clarity’s sake. Then she asks demurely, all eyelashes, her hands folded flat, if Satan has happened to set the date for his coronation into hell yet.

“Why?” Leaning over the armrest with his chair wheels squeaking against the floor, Klaus is all cheek and attentiveness and spicy cologne. “Care to be my escort for the big event?” he says without missing a beat.

With a snort, “In your dreams, Mikaelson. But so help me, if you don’t knock it off and focus so we can finish preparing for this meeting tomorrow, then I promise I’ll find a way for the devil to come and collect you early himself. Got it?”

“Sure thing,” he nods. “Can’t have you wanting to push me off the roof later now, can I?”

“Who’s to say I’m not already tempted?” Caroline mumbles.

He swivels to face her, all levity, with one eyebrow raised. Meanwhile she focuses on organizing their files into separate stacks. “Are you?” he says.

Shrugging, “I wouldn’t push it any further if I were you. Better to be silent but productive than flippant and airborne, don’t you think?”

A chuckle. A soft press of his palm over her wrist.

“Well played, love. I don’t know if hearing that leaves me feeling more wounded or paranoid, but…well played.”

Warm, certain, Klaus’s touch lingers far too long after he draws away.

                                                            _ 

—Archived Twitter messages from FIERCE AND WE KNOW IT SQUAD group chat on December 5th, 10:42 P.M.

thiskatRAWRS : i said find his celebrity doppelgänger for us, caroline. wtf !!

crowned caroline: i did

thiskatRAWRS: no, you defected. like a coward

crowned caroline: did not!

thiskatRAWRS: did too

thiskatRAWRS: besides, i think we both know there’s a better selection to be had here

enzobites: oh - this outta be good, lusty (or is it katTHRUSTY now?)

thiskatRAWRS: *middle finger emoji*

crowned caroline: ugh. don’t provoke her, okay?

enzobites: bugger me for wondering at Elijah’s reaction to his ladylove’s ranking + assessment

enzobites: of

enzobites: his

enzobites: younger

enzobites: brother’s

enzobites: sex

enzobites: appeal

thiskatRAWRS: i still have eyes, don’t i? just gotta keep my hands to myself. not that it’s anyone’s business but mine and Elijah’s if i do or do not 😼

enzobites: …and you wonder why you were reassigned from HR, love

thiskatRAWRS: *double middle finger emoji*

bonnie-b-is-me: Kat told me Klaus has an up-to-no-good Jude Law look about him. is that semi-accurate, Care?

bonnie-b-is-me: (me = works elsewhere = totes out of loop) :(

crowned caroline: nope

crowned caroline: i stand by my original choice

bonnie-b-is-me: which was?

crowned caroline: *inserts internet meme*

bonnie-b-is-me: 😯

enzobites: wut…why Grumpy Cat?

thiskatRAWRS: i told you ^^^ doesn’t count, pick a human

crowned caroline: but the resemblance is astounding! it’s uncanny, really

crowned caroline: look here, i’ll prove it further: *inserts another three memes, one with a side-by-side photo comparison*

enzobites: wicked Santa hat there, Klausy

bonnie-b-is-me: lmao

crowned caroline: Klaus is literally Grumpy Cat in human form bc 1) he’s surly 2) he’s miserable and repressed af 3) he’s one explosive hiss away from taking another corporate life at all times

bonnie-b-is-me: so let him be known, 4eva more, as Grumpy Corporate Klaus

enzobites: i dig it

enzobites: GCK ftw then, yea? ;)

crowned caroline: 👍🏼

thiskatRAWRS: sorry, but all i’m getting from care’s explanation is “overlooked sex kitten” vibes. so if that’s how you view Klaus then idk how to break this to you, girl, but…

enzobites: BOW CHICKA WOW WOW

thiskatRAWRS: exactly !! one of them is gonna pounce on the other before long—ruffled feathers and all of that meowww

bonnie-b-is-me: bets, anyone?

enzobites: count me in, gorgeous ;)

thiskatRAWRS: ditto

crowned caroline: OMG SHUT UP ALL OF YOU

bonnie-b-is-me: did either of you hear something?

thiskatRAWRS: sounds like denial chirping to me

enzobites: or uh…hate could be their preferred foreplay

crowned caroline: THIS ISN’T FUNNY

bonnie-b-is-me: wouldn’t be the first time

thiskatRAWRS: and def not the last !!

bonnie-b-is-me: *inserts YouTube link to “Dangerous Woman” by Ariana Grande*

crowned caroline: WHERE IS THIS COMING FROM??? I THOUGHT WE WERE FRIENDS, WTF

thiskatRAWRS: *inserts “You Can’t Handle the Truth” gif*

enzobites: from the way Klaus verbally paws at Blondie here in the office, to the longing look in his eyes when she speaks (or flirts) with any good-looking bloke who isn’t him, i wager it’s only a matter of time before—

crowned caroline has left the chat

                                                           _ 

A natural curiosity is there, of course. Call it a fatal flaw. A susceptibility. Whatever.

She’s only human.

No use in haranguing her about it forever, you know?

                                                           _ 

It’s a passing thought or two when the workload is mounting, when Caroline’s eyes blur numbers into scratchy colors of highlighter and her days are spun into spools of navy blue suits and unsigned contracts and poorly worded emails and coffee cart lattes plus beignets which she needs to keep her standing upright for another few hours or else she’ll peter out mid-sentence, toppling into the nearest chair; only to then find what she craves deposited, like a gift from the gods, onto her desk the exact instant she feels herself deflating into putty. No evidence at all that someone had been there. Not an item out of place. No note attached anywhere.

There’s also that prickle against the base of her neck sometimes. A tingle of awareness that tells her Klaus is either close by or he’s peering at her through the glass walls again, idly. Watching her with some soft and introspective intensity Caroline doesn’t understand let alone question thoroughly.

It’s a collection of moments.

Looks.

Coincidences.

Things that happen by accident because their schedules align - because, for example, they’re seated side-by-side on their way to the New Orleans airport one afternoon to catch a flight back home after closing Gerard Enterprises when the car swerves. The driver’s caught in a blast of turbulent traffic, and without thinking, she crosses the invisible boundary between them to curl against his side, her fingers fisting in his unworn seatbelt. Her head tucks against his clavicle, her eyelashes flicking over the buttons on his shirt. Their breaths heavy but in time.

“Are you alright, love? Are you hurt?” Klaus asks, his mouth burring like an ember against her crown of golden hair.

“I’m okay,” she breathes. In then out. In then out. “Just a little toppled and caught unawares is all,” she adds as his pulse slows beneath her ear, his hand hot on her bicep. “You?”

“Heart in my stomach, woman in my arms, so otherwise fine.”

“Good.”

“Yes - quite.”

Then there are the private conversations Caroline overhears. Like the one where he informs a slimy potential de Martel client the two of them are “a package deal” and that she is “not one to be trifled with, disrespected, or undervalued.” Or another where he confesses to his sister, Rebekah, that they’d “be bloody lost without her here.”  

It’s how, any time they cross the street together, Klaus’s hand presses against the small of her back as if he wishes to offer another layer of protection. Almost like it belongs there.

It’s when, after a bout of flu descends like a hammer, leaving her phlegmy, feverish for days, and unable to work, a knock sounds at her door to reveal him standing on the other side. Looking sheepish, a shopping bag full of get well tea and medicinal items hangs from one of his arms while chicken noodle soup is Tupperwared in the other. To top it all off a fresh bouquet of sunflowers perches in the crook of his elbow, which he places in a vase with water before he leaves so she can rest. So she can recover her strength and faculties.

And even though everyone at the office whispers that Klaus only cares about himself, and about what comforts he can afford, Caroline knows he pays the secretaries’ bonuses directly out of his own pocket. He also offers use of his car service when the hour is late or the weather gets too dicey to walk to the subway, so he can’t possibly be that awful, can he? Can he?

                                                            _ 

These passing thoughts accrue over days, hours, weeks, to leave an imprint large enough to make her wonder. To have her questioning their so-called triviality.

Caroline hates to think it but - freaking hell - what if her friends are right? Is the in like vs. in spite line between her and Klaus really that thin, or is she only now realizing to admit so will change everything in ways she cannot begin to fathom?

Swipe left to descend into Emoville✔️

Swipe right for Distraction City✔️

(Both options suck equally for her, as it turns out.) (So she guilts Enzo into paying for drinks for the next three Saturdays and processes in true Forbes fashion: with lists a’plenty.)

[carnivigorous]

RULES: REPOST, DON’T REBLOG. JUST PICK A MUSE OF YOURS AND FILL IT OUT.

—

—

MUSE: Sedel Everette Angaelus

BASICS

▸ IS YOUR MUSE TALL/SHORT/AVERAGE?  

This man is very tall.

▸ ARE THEY OKAY WITH THEIR HEIGHT?  

He’s pretty insecure about it, feeling he towers over everyone and cannot be efficiently cute like people of a smaller stature. Most every day task is difficult where his legs don’t fit in places, he has to duck to get under most doorways, if there’s a low-hanging ceiling in a stair-case he has to be extra mindful. It’s a good thing he hates heights and will never go on a roller coaster, because he’d surpass the height safety limits.

▸ WHAT’S THEIR HAIR LIKE?  

It grows out straight reaching just above his rear with the left side straight cut and the other choppy; but strategically so. It’s very much on the softer end, almost silky. He trims the ends to keep it healthy, but will never cut off more than necessary.

▸ DO THEY SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THEIR HAIR/WITH THEIR GROOMING?  

With four feet of hair you kind of have to. His baths/showers can last up to an hour with just his hair, he lathers thoroughly with shampoo and conditioner, sometimes only conditioner to avoid damage. He has to bathe fairly often given his areas of expertise.

▸ DOES YOUR MUSE CARE ABOUT THEIR APPEARANCE?  

Yes. He feels his looks are one of the only good thing he has, not that he’s particularly confident. He loves to play around with makeup, fashion, and hair, so he’ll express that through his own appearance. He uses his looks as a mask to cover up his monstrous nature.

▸ DOES YOUR MUSE CARE ABOUT WHAT OTHERS THINK ABOUT THEM?  

Yes, hence he’ll try to blend in with whoever he’s around the best he can. He’ll adopt traits of people he’s around, until he’s comfortable. He wants to be liked, having only really known solitude. What’s more he wants to be accepted, fully aware that’s a stretch and would require another to condone the horrors he’s committed; which would only leave a terrible taste in his mouth.

PREFERENCES

▸ INDOORS OR OUTDOORS?  

Indoors, typically. Unless it’s silent outdoors and in pleasant company.

▸ RAIN OR SUNSHINE?  

Rain!

▸ FOREST OR BEACH?  

Beach! He loves the crashing waves washing up onto soft sand, and docks to sit on and watch the tide rise.

▸ PRECIOUS METALS OR GEMS?  

Both are nice, he likes subtle gems, but metal accessories are nicer.

▸ FLOWERS OR PERFUMES?  

Perfumes, but nothing too overpowering. He likes sweet scented things, like strawberry or vanilla lavender.

▸ PERSONALITY OR APPEARANCE?  

Personality, appearance is a bonus. They need to accept him for who he is, or work with him for betterment. Someone can be the most attractive person in existence and have the most shallow, untrustworthy, toxic personality and that just won’t fly.

▸ BEING ALONE OR BEING IN A CROWD?  

Being alone. He’d like to go to a market or mall, but wading through crowds of people would leave him exhausted and stressed very quickly.

▸ ORDER OR ANARCHY?  

A happy middle ground. He acknowledges that rules are necessary and finds total chaos to be destructive. Though he tends to lean more toward anarchy.

▸ PAINFUL TRUTHS OR WHITE LIES?  

Both. He’ll tell a hard truth if needed to someone he cares the deepest for, and white lies to protect others that may be more sensitive from his horrible nature.

▸ SCIENCE OR MAGIC?  

As a mortician, science. But as someone who has had run-ins with demons and the supernatural, he finds them to be one in the same; magic simply far more advanced science humans haven’t come to understand.

▸ PEACE OR CONFLICT?  

Conflict that ends in peace is ideal, as you can’t have one without the other.

▸ NIGHT OR DAY?  

Night.

▸ DUSK OR DAWN?  

Dusk. There’s a charm to watching the sun disappear painting clouds with rich pinks and oranges, with the promise of tomorrow.

▸ WARMTH OR COLD?  

Cold! Give him negative degree temperatures, let him justify wearing sweaters and adorable winter fashion. Give him sparkling white snow covering everything in sight, and cold silent nights where his breath is visible under lantern light. Alternatively, just being in colder rooms is more comfortable.

▸ MANY ACQUAINTANCES OR A FEW CLOSE FRIENDS?  

A few close friends. It’s difficult for him to get close to someone and simply call them an acquaintance. He gets attached.

▸ READING OR PLAYING A GAME?  

Reading!

QUESTIONNAIRE

▸ WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR MUSE’S BAD HABITS?  

I won’t even count eating people as that’s something that was forced onto him. He gets envious of people, his tendency to get aggressive real quickly and snap at any given moment if tension gets just a bit too much, he may or may not steal some of the cuter clothes on bodies he’s worked on for himself.

▸ HAS YOUR MUSE LOST ANYONE CLOSE TO THEM? HOW HAS IT AFFECTED THEM?

Losing his parents stunted him in emotional support, knowing only the hospital and horrors they put him through. After getting out he found someone he got close to ( even enough to call it love ) and after their decent into insanity Sedel opted to kill him through mercy. Since then he’s been terrified of closeness and hesitant to trust.

▸ WHAT ARE SOME FOND MEMORIES YOUR MUSE HAS?  

He doesn’t recall much about his childhood, but he remembers sitting in the living room watching people pass by outside the windows and the smell of baked goods filling the house. He hates how he didn’t appreciate those moments of pure contentment enough as a kid as they were taken away so abruptly. More recently, it’s any time he could come close to a feeling like that usually while baking, or sewing while some nice swing or jazz plays.

▸ IS IT EASY FOR YOUR MUSE TO KILL?  

Yes, and he hates it. Though he will not harm children or the innocent.

▸ WHAT’S IT LIKE WHEN YOUR MUSE BREAKS DOWN?  

Bad. His mind warps and overflows with thoughts convincing him he’s done something wrong, or blaming him for said thing. He sits and festers in powerlessness and the inability to be able to do anything as wrath has more power over him than sorrow he bares his teeth and plummets into a panic. Fingers dig into his hair and head, and depending on the cause for the breakdown a simple touch could have him lashing out at whoever came near him. If unmedicated for a long period of time, at its worse, he’ll rampage. He’ll lose sight of people he knows, and view everyone as a danger to him; enticing what ever force that moves him to attack and kill whoever comes near him. Extreme caution is to be taken as well as soothing words and his medicine in order to calm him down.

▸ IS YOUR MUSE CAPABLE OF TRUSTING SOMEONE WITH THEIR LIFE?

That’s a huge maybe. If he got to the point of believing so, deep down he’d hold onto his doubt. If someone proves time and time again that he can trust them this deeply, then eventually it might sink in that he can.

▸ WHAT’S YOUR MUSE LIKE WHEN THEY’RE IN LOVE?  

If it’s requited, he’s over the moon. The thought that someone could see past his mountain of negative traits and still like him for him and deal with his shenanigans is the warmest feeling. He tends to be physical in his affections, overwhelmed with appreciation. His eccentricities lessen a bit around them as he grows more comfortable, finding he can more more of his raw self. Whether it’s requited or unrequited he’ll make them things, support them in near everything they do, offer what ever comfort he can, and generally want to make them feel wanted and express his appreciation for them ( if that’s what they’re comfortable with ). He’ll do what he can to make them comfortable, be it time, space, or a hand to hold.

—

tagged by: @streetsteel​ ♥! 

tagging: TAKE IT.

[amplesalty]

Christmas 2019: Day 7 - A Christmas Carol: The Musical (2004)

On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...

Seven dancing bankers!

This has always stood out as something of a sore thumb amongst the prospective Christmas Carol choices I could watch and, given some of other films on this year’s list, this is as good a time as any to look at it.

Directly comparing it to those, it doesn’t get close to that same feeling of a total tonal shift. But, it’s perhaps not massively out of place anyway given that there are moments of song and dance in a traditional Christmas Carol, be it Fezziwigg’s Christmas Ball or the fun and games at Fred’s house.

For a story all about instilling the Christmas spirit in one person in particular, it’s not just Scrooge lacking in it as the film begins; street urchins are pickpocketing the wealthy, kids are stealing from the cart of the rag and bone man and blind beggars are wilfully ignored.

Well, the joys of Christmas might be lost on the filthy but at least the filthy rich at the exchange are celebrating and enjoying the season. That is until that miserly old Scrooge turns up.

Whilst the casting of Kelsey Grammer as Scrooge is a good one, especially when it comes to the singing parts, it almost feels like his performance early on is bordering on parody. He just has this permanent sneer and eyes that seem to be welded nearly completely shut like this is Mr Magoo’s Christmas Carol. Yeah, that’s still on the list somewhere...

Still, that sneer lends an extra layer to his interaction with the charity collectors who catch up with him much earlier in this version. Rather than just talk to him normally, they sing their intentions to collect for the needy and it makes me interpret his contemptuous look less as him not wanting to be philanthropic and more that he’s confused as to why these weirdoes are singing to him. No one in musicals ever seems aware that all their conversations seem to take place melodically.

It does take a bit of the sting out of some of Scrooge’s wicked remarks to hear him speak in rhyme. “I abhor how they whine, how they want whatever’s mine. Why should I give a thing for free? Let them beg til they’re blue, it has nothing to do with me. I say, let them die and decrease the surplus population.”

On the reverse though, the Marley scene is really strange and takes what is usually dramatic and adds some humour, mostly from the casting of Jason Alexander who brings comedic tone to the whole thing through his delivery and physical performance. There’s a degree of comic mischief going on as he summons these other spirits to scare Scrooge and the odd lyric that seem to poke fun at his fettered situation:

Stacking up my silver and my bits of gold, filling up my vault when day was done! Well, vaults are made of lead and cash is very cold! And around your neck they weigh a bloody ton!

Still, there’s some sense of humanity to it I’ve not seen in other versions. For instance, I think it’s the first time I think I’ve seen Marley actually hug Scrooge even if Scrooge isn’t receptive to it. It speaks to the friendship they had before and the relief that Marley must feel now that he’s been able to finally appear to Scrooge after his many attempts before.

It’s a fun song and perhaps one of the few standouts throughout the whole film. Maybe that’s just my tastes or maybe it’s that most of the other songs feel really generic talking about your standard happiness and festive cheer type of stuff.

Or, in the case of the Cratchit’s, a number about how Bob doesn’t need a fortune, all he needs is his family. Looking at Tiny Tim makes him feel as rich as a king and he means more to him than anything. And he sings this in front of his whole family! It’s like Bob Cratchit is just destined to say well intentioned things but ultimately demean the rest of his family.

I didn’t think it was possible to make Tiny Tim any more sympathetic but adding a leg brace manages to do the job.

They show him and his father head out to buy the bird for Christmas dinner, not the prize turkey in the poulterer’s window and not the traditional goose. Just a chicken, a small one. There’s something amusing about the fact that they actually took the time to foreshadow the turkey as if it’s not surprising enough just that Scrooge buys it for the Cratchit family come the end of the movie. They have to be teased by it first, shown what they could have had if only things were different before having to settle.

Jane Krakowski shows up as the Ghost of Christmas Past, I didn’t touch on this but she played the teacher in the Christmas Story musical so that’s just another link.

She’s really good and looks very glamorous here but is it weird that I find her more attractive in the newsie look she has when she shows up earlier in the movie, filling in for her sick husband in his job lighting all the street lamps in town? Maybe it’s the sense of coyness with her slightly obscured behind the brim of the cap or that whole women in men’s shirts sorta thing.

The gimmick here is that Scrooge runs into the spirits at the start of the movie in the everyday world, Present is advertising a show and Yet to Come is a blind beggar woman. To me, this throws in this shade of grey element to proceedings. It’s a very fantastical idea for some other worldly power to send these three spirits to help Scrooge redeem himself but having the three spirits be entirely different actors locks them into being that. But, Scrooge has always talked about how his run in with Marley might just be a trick of the mind; a crumb of mouldy cheese or an underdone turnip. Maybe the negative run ins Scrooge had with these three earlier in the day triggered something in his mind and it’s projecting their images in order to help him process these feelings of wanting to better himself.

For all the sweetness and light on the exterior of Past, she really goes in on showing Scrooge the trauma of his earlier life. It’s like an origin story of his miserly ways as we go all the way back to his childhood and a day in court as his father is sentenced to prison for failing to pay his debts. As he’s ushered away, he urges Scrooge to learn from his mistakes, to earn his fortune and to keep it.

Plus we actually get to see the death of Marley who complains of feeling faint and needing to retire early for the day but not even managing to make it to the front door of their offices before collapsing. Again, even in this morbid way, it brings some tenderness to see Scrooge’s sadness at having to relive the passing of who he describes as his only friend. Plus we can’t forget the one constant of these flashbacks, his fiancé calls off their impeding nuptuals due to him becoming obsessed only with money, a fiancé played by Jennifer Love Hewitt no less. Combine all these together and maybe Scrooge isn’t the way he is because he thinks only of himself and his own wealth, maybe he’s just scared to let anyone is because everyone he ever loves seems to leave him. Father in prison, Mother dies shortly after, separated from his sister and she dies too, fiancé ditches him and his only friend dies as well.

I always saw Present as the more uncharacteristically mean spirited one but Past is pretty cold here to show him all these things. But, as she points out as Scrooge extinguishes her light, these are only the shadows of things that once were, they are what they are, don’t blame her. Aside from his usual rant at the end, Present is a little more mischevious here, his links with the Christmas show coming into play as she shoves a hapless Scrooge on stage amongst a bunch of dancing nutcrackers.

Casting a black actor in this role is a bit of a departure from the norm though. Part of me kept thought it was someone in blackface at first.

Yet to Come is a strange one as well, seemingly playing against the usual shadowy, cloaked figure you normally see. If anything, that’s what she looks like normally before she transforms into some sort of white, raggedy affair. It’s like if you were dressing someone as a snowflake or something.

We go into a graveyard scene where a number of grave diggers are singing a warning of Scrooge’s future; the sounds of hammers on his coffin, the voices of the people he never tried to save and the footsteps of them dancing on his grave. Quite chilling lyrics combined with an almost ritualistic scene of all these gravediggers working in rhythm and hooded figures leading the coffin procession. Along with Marley’s song, it’s a highlight of the soundtrack but they’re both well staged as well with lots of interesting imagery.

That whole shared misery thing at the start comes back with a vengeance when Old Joe shows up to buy Scrooge’s bed curtains. Scrooge’s house keeper promptly has her earnings wrenched from her hand, truly there is no honour amongst thieves.

Not quite as miserable as seeing the whole Cratchit family around Tiny Tim’s freshly made grave. The Muppets version with Piggy and Kermit mourning their dead son is pretty grim but this might potentially top it. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this portrayed in any of the other versions, you normally get Bob returning from visiting the grave himself.

Poor family can’t even afford the T on the cross marking his grave. Or is that just the name of the impeding Christmas Carol shared universe origin story of Bob Cratchit; I’m Cratchit.

And whilst it lacks the out of body experiences what Patrick Stewart and Alistair Sim went through upon awaking back in the real world, the lack of dancing can perhaps be forgiven in the face of what has been an hour and a half of singing and dancing. Instead, we reflect back on the start of the movie as Scrooge has now learned to keep Christmas in his heart and that ‘it all has to do with me!’. Having experienced similar in the Christmas Story musical, I guess this is traditional to reprise certain songs throughout the show but at times it gets a little tedious to me. That might just be some bad examples here though because in Christmas Story it was just adding to the feeling of it dragging and here it’s using songs that aren’t the best. This specific example I liked though, it wraps up the arc that Scrooge has gone through and underlines the change in his character.

With the musical aspect being it’s selling point and most of its musical numbers not being very entertaining, this probably ranks amongst the weaker of the Christmas Carol adaptations I’ve seen but as these things often do, it’s added its own little elements to the story that have made me look at Scrooge in a different way.

[little-bit-of-cinnamon]

Step Up to the Plate, Start Swingin’ -Sprace

Spot grows jealous of Race’s baseball teammates. Hardly any angst, Fluff

When Race started playing for NYU’s baseball team, Spot couldn’t have been more supportive. Second only to swimming, baseball did have the most flattering uniform of any sport. But, apart from getting to see Race in pants that are tight on the ass and a shirt that fits nicely around his shoulders, Spot was so proud that Race was able to get scholarship money from the team. And God knew Race needed it.

So Spot learned to cope with Race always being busy with practices and team events and he began to prepare himself for Race traveling to away games.

“You really don’t have to come. It’s not even a real game, just a scrimmage. We ain’t even playing at the stadium. You don’t have to spend your Friday watching me play,” Race said, as Spot began getting ready to leave, sliding Race’s purple NYU hoodie over his head.

“That’s where you’re wrong, though. I want to spend my Friday watching you play. Plus, the stadium is so out of the way I’d rather stay on campus. ‘Sides, who can resist those hot little pants.” Spot stepped across the dorm to where Race had been leaning over his bed, packing his baseball bag. Spot playfully slapped Race on the ass, earning an annoyed look from his boyfriend.

“Fine, fine. I’ll stop fighting. The scrimmage isnt for another 45 minutes but I have to head out now. I’ll see you down there?” Race slung his bag over his shoulder and turned to Spot.

“Nah, I’ll walk with you,” Spot unplugged his phone from it’s charger, pocketing it and grabbing a bag of sunflower seeds from his desk. “Let’s go.”

“I swear you only come to eat those damn seeds. You must love them more than you love me,” Race teased.

“Well if you won’t let me eat them in the dorm then I get desperate,” Spot complained.

“The shells get everywhere, I can’t stand it. Still, you value your relationship with the seeds then you do with me.” Race knocked his shoulder into Spot’s as they walked across the campus.

“Nah, I gotta keep you around. These things are terrible in bed.” Spot knocked Race back and grinned.

“Oh, is that all I’m good for? After all these years I’m just your fucktoy? Spotty, I’m hurt.” Race held his hand over his heart if he had been wounded.

“Nah, It’s not all you’re good for. It definitely is a plus, though.”

Anyone who’s watched High School Musical 2 knows that baseball is the gayest sport, and Spot’s watched High School Musical more than he’d like to admit. Race was playing really well, feilding every play perfectly. But the real issue came when he was batting. With two players on base, Race hit a triple, causing two runs to be scored for his team. This, in itself, isn’t an issue. Spot was very proud of Race (and planned to show him just how proud he was later that night. The problem was his teammates.

“Atta baby,”

“That’s my boy,”

“Way to go babe,”

Now the name calling he could get over, it must have been some kind of team dynamic he didn’t understand. But when Race eventually made his way back off the field and into the dugout he was swarmed with a group of muscular strangers who were slapping and squeezing his ass, calling him pet names that they had no right to be using, all while Race was leaning into them and smiling. Spot usually wasn’t the jealous type but this was making his blood boil. If this was how they acted in a serious setting then how were they when they were just hanging out? When Race was out to dinner for some kind of team bonding thing was he really just getting groped as they played pool at the resutarant? How did Race act with the bunch of them? Everyone on campus knew how big of a flirt he was. Spot just wished that flirting would be confined to him, Race’s boyfriend since junior year of high school.

Spot wouldn’t call himself the jealous type but he couldn’t help if he was possessive. His Race was gorgeous and smart and funny, he was a catch and Spot doesn’t know how he managed to be the one that caught him.  So yeah, even if it was friendly and platonic, it was pissing Spot off to see Race being flirted with so shamelessly, being touched as if it was perfectly natural. It’s not like Spot was worried Race would leave him or anything, he just would prefer to see people back the fuck away from his perfect man. He supposed it was just the effect of dating a literal god on earth.

Spot was upset but he loved baseball and more importantly he loved Race, so he stayed until the end of the game. Pride in his boyfriend (and eating his sunflower seeds) provided just enough reason to stay put even as guys he had never seen before were all up on his boyfriend. There was hardly anyone else watching (Race was right, it wasn’t even a game, there was really no reason to come) and Spot was left alone, sitting in the stands. The sun had started to set and it was beginning to get cold. Not unbearably cold but Spot wished he had another sweatshirt, or a boyfriend sitting with him to keep him warm. When the ninth inning came to an end there was no way he could wait around for Race to finish in the locker room for them to walk back together.   It would take too long and he’d be waiting in the cold. And he didn’t want to imagine what kind of things go on in the locker room while they congratulate each other and celebrate winning their first scrimmage of the season. And he really didn’t want to imagine what it’d look like when they win a real game.

Spot: headin back to the dorm. you played well

Tony: ok ill be there soon. love you

Spot could never help but smile then Race said he loved him so casually. Even after three years of dating whenever Race lazily cuddled up against him in the mornings with a soft “I love you” or when he drunkenly stumbled into the dorm after a night out with his friends and professed his love in a slurred mess of a speech Spot couldn’t suppress the butterflies. He would never get used to the fact that Race actually loved him and was so open about admitting it.

Spot: love you too tony. see you later

Soon Spot was back in his building, unlocking his dorm and stepping inside. He took a second to clean up the mess of laundry and other miscellaneous items left on Race’s bed because as much and he loved Race, he was messy as hell. Even though it was only nine, Spot suddenly felt exhausted and he collapsed into the bed nearest him, Race’s. After three years together Race and Spot would much rather spend their nights in the same bed, but the dorm beds were bolted to the ground so they couldn’t push them together and they were too small to comfortably share. So they kept their nights together limited, because while they enjoyed it for the time they both woke up with sore backs and had to listen to each other complain.

Spot was convinced Race’s bed was more comfortable, but really he just wanted an excuse to wrap himself in Race’s blankets and be engulfed by the smell if his boyfriend. For a moment Spot almost forgot that he had been mad but suddenly the wave of jealousy rushed back over him, as he remembered why Race wasn’t right there with him. He was with his teammates. And that was fine, really it was. Except Spot also hated it.

Spot heard the door unlocking and poked his head out of the blankets. “Oh, hey grandpa. All ready for bed? It’s not even 9:30.” Race put his bag down and walked to the bed. He leaned down placing a soft kiss on Spot’s forehead. Spot smiled despite himself.

“Just kinda tired, I guess,” Spot noted Race’s damp hair and new outfit. “You shower?” he asked

“At the locker room, yeah,” Race lifted the covers and slipped into his bed next to Spot. Spot hummed and moved closer to Race, he knew that they should talk about feelings but he didn’t want to ruin this. Besides, who actually likes feelings talks?

“You played really well tonight, babe. The team’s lucky to have you,” Spot said with his head resting on Race’s chest, his eyes looking up at Race.

“Thanks but it wasn’t all me. They could’ve won without me there I only look good because my team makes me look good,” As cocky as Race was, when it came to direct complements he could never accept them.

“I think you always look good,” Spot said matter-of-factly.

“Great, be sure to tell my coach that,” Race joked.

“So you like your teammates? You guys are close?” Spot prompted.

“Oh yeah, definitely. The guys are great. Obviously they have nothing on you and our friends but I certainly don’t mind spending time with them at all,” Race explained enthusiastically.

“Okay,” Spot said simply, burying his face into Race’s shoulder.

“Hey,” Race said softly, pushing Spots chin up so he could look at him. “Something wrong? I say something you didn’t want to hear?” Race looked concerned as he tried to figure you what was going through Spot’s mind. After a three year relationship and a two year friendship before that, Race knew Spot. He knew when he was hungry didn’t want to ask Race to cook, he knew to always bring an extra sweatshirt so Spot could wear it and he knew that even when he gets too cold Spot will never admit that he needs said sweatshirt, only putting it on so Race stops asking. He knew how to read Spot like he could read English or Italian. But now, he was stuck.

“It’s nothing,” Spot insisted

“No, it isn’t. Talk to me.”

“It’s really not a big deal, I love going to your games and all but seeing you be so, so flirty with the other guys. I guess I get kinda,” Spot trailed off.

“Jealous?” Race filled in.

“Jealous is such a harsh word,” Spot refused to admit he was jealous.

“But is it the correct word?” Race needed to know the source of Spot’s worry.

“Yeah, I guess. I’m sorry it’s nothing you did. It’s more the way your teammates were treating you. None of it’s your fault but the way you’ve been spending so much time with them. It’s just, I don’t know. I love watching you play and I’m so proud of you. And I’m happy you like your team, your happiness is the most important thing so I don’t even know why I brought it up,” Spot began rambling.

“No, Spot. That’s not how relationships work. I promise the guys on my team are all really nice and I like hanging out with them but you mean the most to me. I’m going out with a few of them tomorrow, you should tag along. See what it’s like. Then if you’re still jealous we can figure something out. But I can guarantee you will realize how perfect not my type they are.” Race ran a hand up and down Spot’s arm in a comforting motion, pulling him closer to himself.

“Okay, that sounds good. I’m sorry, I was probably overreacting. I really am proud of you. I missed watching you play.” Spot began to feel guilty that he made Race worry when he didn’t do anything wrong.

“I missed having you there. It’s all just so different now, not being in high school,” Race remembered how Spot used to sit and watch his practices, only leaving when the coach yelled at Race for getting too distracted and missing a catch.

“It is. But now I get to sleep in the same bed with you whenever I want and I don’t have to sneak in through your window,” Spot countered.

“You have a point,” They both grew quiet for a minute before Race’s phone chimed. “Hey, do you want to go to sleep or are you feeling better?”

“I’m okay. Why? Who was that?”

“Jack,” said Race, “He and the guys are watching a movie in the common room. Apparently he has someone he wants us to meet.”

“What kind of someone?” Spot asked, wondering what he was in for.

“A boyfriend someone, I think,” said Race.

“This’ll be fun”

[heroes-hq-blog1]

BOOKIE IS OFFICIALLY READY TO JOIN THE ACADEMY!

› SONG HOSEOK › 25 YEARS OLD › PARACHRONAL COGNITION › 8 YEARS IN THE ACADEMY

POWER

Parachronal Cognition: the ability to perceive how time plays out in parallel timelines. Wielders of this ability can view parallel timelines that have differing past/present instances, or look into countless possible future paths. Proficient users may contact their parallel selves or other individuals while viewing the parallel timelines.

STRENGTHS

Future Visions: Bookie may predict possible outcomes of events and choices of others. Soulbound: Bookie is proficient enough to communicate with other versions of himself without any extra burden on his part. Etched in Stone: Bookie has full access to his own and any other timelines’s and parallel-selves’s past events and memories.  Number’s Game: Bookie gains complete probability computation of any future possibility through various means, such as seeing percentages, variables, and choices as if they were tangible.

WEAKNESSES

Cosmic Feedback: Bookie receives pain with varying intensity that is equivalent to the amount of parallel futures that he chooses to access and perceive at one given moment.

Own’s Destiny: Bookie cannot influence other people’s choices by simply sharing those people’s parallel futures in hopes of pushing them towards that parallel path as this shuffles and changes the possible parallel futures, therefore deeming the act of sharing to adjust another’s timeline path counterproductive.

One on One: Bookie is strictly limited to conversing with one individual or parallel self at any given time while he is in the act of viewing parallel timelines.

Mirror Reflection: Bookie may only contact or communicate with individuals of other timelines if there is a personal connection to Bookie’s personal memories.

Raw Data: Bookie computes probabilities in real-time and oftentimes me slightly overwhelmed when he considers all possible options or outcomes at hand.

Sleight of Hand: Bookie is unable to inflict any changes to probability through his powers and may only affect probability through normal human means, like cheating or rigging systems.

Scatterbrained: Bookie is prone to consciousness overload due to the amount of parallel selves viewing his timeline or attempting to contact him. (Think more than one person calling a landline, and “please leave a message!”)

Disillusioned: Bookie starts to suffer from Parallel Viewing, a phenomena where he views the present of other timelines melding with his own (though the timelines are still separate entities), as he becomes more fatigued or stressed, where the intensity and severity of this vision is proportional to his total tiredness.

ORIGINS

Hoseok, the eldest son of four in the Song family, enjoyed a semblance of life in relative normalcy. With a mother and father possessing precognitive abilities, it was of little surprise that he inherited the family’s Sight. Unlike his parents however, Hoseok perceived events and gained knowledge neither through slumbering dreams nor sensory touch, but instead through sheer concentration. Visions of different breakfasts next morning turned into visions of answers to next week’s exams, which turned into visions of him experiencing his first bicycle crash that scheduled to happen next month. The boy spoke out in fear and desire of avoiding certain accidents or fatalities, in which his father forewarned him to “allow Destiny to show the paths, then choose one to follow.” Involuntary trauma pushed Hoseok to numb out random calamities, while his mother pushed him to pursue ‘scenes of optimism’ to help tide over all the collected images he deemed useless. “Nothing you see is worthless, my son. Use this newfound knowledge and choose a path that that benefits you. Even if it seems futile sometimes, know that you are the writer of your own Destiny,” she said. Repeatedly, the boy grew with these words echoing within his drums, seemingly finding not a single vision that did not contain his parents’s vision.

At first, the powers turned him playful. Guessing games eventually grabbed a hold of him, making rock-paper-scissors and hide-and-seek no more than literal child’s play. Conversely, remembering every little detail became as simple as clapping his hands. Birthdays were never forgotten, nor were favorite colors. Curious questions asked were rarely entertained again for hearing the answer would be redundant to the tiny boy. Never had it occurred to his young self that accessing his memories was no longer a mental effort, but rather a retro-cognitive one. Having library after library of previous knowledge aided in his excellence at schooling, forming him a spectacular, yet lazy student throughout the years. Life only became more intense as he gradually realized that some of his memories were not of his own volition, and yet he could vividly play out each sequence as easy as breathing. Seeking advice from his loving mother yielded explanations that he could only accept at the time: “You’re just a smart boy. Do not fuss.” Fortunately, the voices in his head would come knocking to say otherwise.

Twelve years of age, it was then where he had his first interaction with the B. Hive, a collection of other Hoseoks who pursued to perfect the next iteration of Hoseok, or at least improve him in his current prime timelines. Altogether, they represent the ‘B.’ of their timeline. Face to face with a familiar, graying man, Hoseok was introduced to the life of a B. Keeper that goes by the name ‘Brain.’ It was here, somewhere in a time between his childhood and his expiration, that brought forth the true expansiveness of his powerful abilities. “They, other Bs alike you, call me Brain, though know that I am no more knowledgeable than you, fellow B. I only desire to unlock that potential within you.” Scenery changed before his eyes, as he revisits his childhood up to a scene unrecognizable by him. “Find this building. And, these people!” Brain exhibited people with amazing abilities different from his own Dazzled by such a display, Hoseok accepted his fate as a member of the B. Hive. Days ahead went by where an adolescent Hoseok continued to practice his ability in future vision, culminating possible likely outcomes and influencing the events surrounding said outcomes in order to attain one favorable to him. To him, trying to predict the next card to come out a deck or guessing someone’s private log-ins became his recent, normal routine.

Expanding the horizons of his powers ended up with him delving in scenarios an average teenager would not be around. Ultimately, Hoseok was struck with an addiction, constantly winning prizes either in cold cash or personal information. Visions of someone’s next personal information or where they hid lucrative belongings where accessible to him. The teen always remained small-scale, blackmailing fellow peers into giving him won to keep their secrets safe with him and recovering wallets that had been previously forgotten by their careless owners. A simple five-minute sit-in would open up a couple handfuls of past outcomes or possible futures of the setting he would be at, and though Hoseok might not always return with a haul, the few times he turned out to be successful made it all worth it to pursue. As his gains increased, so did his greed.

Dipping into this treasure trove charmed him. Hoseok started participating in local bets, especially on sports. Abusing his power to predict with better odds allowed him to push hard onto underdog teams or unlikely scenarios that were destined to likely happen. The list became endless: guessing what round a boxing match would end; determining whether a player would hit their triple-double; or even calling exactly when a goal would be scored. His focus enhanced the more he divulged, doubling his small allowance and strengthening his precognition in a single afternoon. People actively evaded his pools of choice as his infamy rose. Things worsened so quickly that rather than trying to play the House and others, Hoseok began hosting his own sessions with his peers and upperclassmen. Along with aligning to the path he wanted, the teen took on the local nickname ‘Bookie’ to better stand out among the B. Hive and his friends, seeing that his specialty suited such a reclassification.

Midway through his secondary education, Bookie experienced more and more disasters through his vision. Nearly all of the events were avoided by him, until one Friday evening. Heading to his usual hangout downtown proved to be a pain, as an image of a vehicle crashing through a large window kept reappearing. Unable to ignore these invasions of the mind, the man concentrated on the specific time and place. Locating the setting, his eyes flipped through the picture book, only to realize that although minor details change: shirt colors; the people sitting; or the paper posts, a woman in blue would always suffer the same fate of being the first to collide with the automobile. To him, this type of scenario was unexplainable and incomprehensible because some timelines always had some type of intervention that resulted in a different branch of significant time, then it had hit him. Abruptly, his feet started up a sprint to the next block over, with him spotting the lady. Like a madman, Hoseok screamed to get down and dove to yank the girl out of the way. His head shot back up before he braced his ears for the impact, yet nothing occurred. Angry, the woman got back to her feet to scoff and scold him. A finger flies in the air to point at him in scolding fury but alas, the vehicle finally hits its mark right on time. Shards flew everywhere, with Hoseok barely managing by with only a few scrapes. Now, a horrific scene lay before him.

Disdained as a couple of weeks pass by, Bookie laid low, unwilling to manipulate his parachronocognition due to the incident. His mind became distracted, replaying the scene over and over in the confines of his head, only broken by the greetings of a gleaming stranger. “You’re that kid, right? The one that ran in the shop. Ten days ago, was it?” Frustration built up within as he halfheartedly returned an answer before confusion had set in. “Yes, I was there, too. Oh, where are my manners?” Out extended a hand towards him, Hoseok accepting the shake before conversing. “A scout for the Avenger’s Academy. Yes, the very one! And, we would love to have more heroes like you.” Spreading the news of his invitation to his parents set even more confusion into his heart and soul, with both his mother and father saying that they foresaw him bringing home such news. Yet, to him, this future was blurry and unavailable.

Happily, the years went by at the academy without many stops. Bookie was a studious person not by choice, after all. Besides his regular, mandatory classes in mathematics and literature, he dedicated most of his extra time researching quantum physics and space, seeing that they might have applications to him. Other than a single day in a meditation class and brain exploration, the man would spend eternities in the recesses of his mind, communing with fellow Hoseoks of other universes. In turn, he socially suffered and spent more time literally with himselves, until finding an odd bunch of other fellow ‘outcasts’ with extraordinary powers of their own. Quickly, he adapted to provide the logistics and maneuvers to this group. Additionally, his habits have yet to dissipate as he still ‘collects’ information on others and recovers lost items here or there. Unsavory conduct such as gambling have been set mostly aside for him due to the many restrictions in place, but he has gotten away with a few harmless bets. Overall, Bookie finds that there is a future for him here in more than just learning and perhaps use his unique knowledge to help the Academy in the future.

[entergamingxp]

Memories of Celceta Review — Delve Into the Great Forest to Find a Solid JRPG

June 18, 2020 12:00 PM EST

Ys: Memories of Celceta features fun and challenging gameplay complemented by deeply satisfying exploration that keeps your interest.

Ys: Memories of Celceta is the PS4 port of the previously-released PS Vita version, and is also a reimagining of Ys: IV, which first released back in the 1990s for the Super Famicom. Memories of Celceta is now considered the fourth canonical game in the series, due to the previous installments being outsourced to other development companies in the 90s.

Despite the complex and confusing lineage, the game itself is rather straightforward in both its self-contained plot and how it fits in the overarching franchise.

You begin the game as a young man named Adol Christin, who has unfortunately fallen prey to the trapping of many a JRPG hero: amnesia. After stumbling around the town, he eventually meets a man named Duran who claims to know him and reveals that Adol had previously left to explore the dangerous Great Forest.

Soon after, monsters appear in the local mine shaft and trap several miners. Since Adol is in fact a JRPG protagonist and therefore has an intrinsic instinct to help others, despite having no memories, he runs off to help said miners. Duran joins him and they successfully evacuate the workers while defeating the monsters inside the shaft. After that, the General offers them a deal to explore the same forest Adol came back from, which officially opens up the game proper.

The main goal of Ys: Memories of Celceta is to fully explore the Great Forest and discover all of its secrets while completely filling the map. As you make progress in this goal, you receive awards based on the percentage value. There are ten tiers in total and you must report back to General Griselda to receive any rewards.

As you progress through the game, certain characters can interact with objects on the field. These objects allow for that corresponding character to perform a unique action that influences the story. For instance, when Adol touches a mysterious blue orb, he regains a part of his memory back. When Duren encounters a locked chest, he can pick it open.

Combat is simple and action-based rather than turned-based, similar to the recent Trials of Mana. You can attack, dodge, guard, or use a charged attack that regains SP. Enemies, however, are resistant to certain kinds of physical damage (slash, pierce, or strike) so players must learn to switch between teammates that deal the proper damage. Aiding you in this is the ability to scan to view an enemy’s weakness and level at any time.

When characters learn skills after leveling up, they can be equipped through the main menu then unleashed in combat by using the shortcut automatically assigned to them. The Extra gauge fills up when a skill hits a foe, with skills that use more SP filling the gauge faster in turn. Once the gauge is full, you can unleash an Extra Skill. Generally, the flow of battle has you using normal attacks and skills, charged attacks to replenish SP, and, unleash Extra Skills when the gauge is filled. It sounds easy enough but pulling off that pattern while dodging and blocking attacks takes some skill and plenty of practice.

“The Great Forest itself feels like the massive, dangerous, and foreboding labyrinth that the NPCs play it up to be.”

There are also more advanced techniques such as Flash Guard and Flash Move, which work essentially as a perfect version of the basic mechanics. If you time either a dodge or guard at just the right moment, you’ll gain some handy benefits such as invincibility, more rewards, critical hits, SP restoration, etc. Attack Bonuses are also used to reward a player for fighting strategically.

You encounter and fight foes on the same field as they appear in, with the environment playing a huge role in how well you can fight them. Your human characters naturally do best on flat plains with plenty of space to move around in, but there are plenty of other environments that they can end up battling in, such as tight, rocky slopes or in water. Ys: Memories of Celceta actually incorporates the lack of mobility the humans would experience if they’re ever outside their most suitable domain.

This pairs well with the enemy AI. Like in most JRPGs, enemies will normally attack in easily identifiable patterns. However, at times they will lure unsuspecting parties to engage in areas that give said enemies an advantage. For instance, water enemies will gang up on party members and attempt to lure or push them in the water which means you can’t use skills and regular combos are reduced to a single thrusting attack.

Another example is the tendency of enemies with opposing weaknesses to be in close proximity to each other. This means players need to be able to switch between party members on the fly in order to effectively take them down.

There’s also some excellent enemy variety from the start and it continues to impress on that front. What makes foes truly stand out is that they require constant strategy and managing in order to best them. Players simply can’t expect to button mash their way through the Forest. Instead, learning the ins and outs of the combat system and applying each mechanic is the key to surviving early encounters.

Bosses and strong enemies make for interesting, strategic battles as well. Even the first boss, though simplistic in its patterns, requires you to immediately apply what you’ve learned about attacks, SP regeneration, and skills effectively in order to defeat it without taking too much damage. Meanwhile, the sub-bosses that you encounter on the field require players to exercise cautious judgment, seeing as how you can literally run into one that can decimate your entire party in a few hits.

It’s interesting then, that unlike most other action JRPGs, Ys: Memories of Celceta promotes the art of running away and coming back reinforced. Not only are you encouraged to flee when you encounter an enemy too strong for your current level (without any penalty I may add) but you can heal up and then return to said powerful sub-boss and keep fighting while they retain any damage dealt to them.

The Great Forest itself feels like the massive, dangerous, and foreboding labyrinth that the NPCs play it up to be. Unlike in many other titles in which the beginning is far too easy and no real challenge is encountered until mid-game, the Forest from the start is filled with powerful enemies. Its level design is quite varied for being essentially the same location, as there are tons of different environments to uncover as you slowly fill your map out. This design choice really lends a sense of adventure to Ys: Memories of Celceta and motivates players to keep exploring and discovering more of the Forest.

When it comes to equipment, you can absolutely purchase them normally as new pieces become available. You can also choose to delve into the deep system of item refinement and equipment reinforcement to strengthen weapons and armor. Refinement involves taking ores and monster parts found on the field and in dungeons and upgrading them into better items. You then apply those upgraded items and reinforce your weapons and armor.

Reinforcing not only boosts attack and defense but also gives the equipment a unique effect such as SP regeneration, status attacks and protections, or stat increases. Reinforcement is a good way to increase your equipment’s overall potential, which extends their longevity.

Being that this is, in fact, a port of a PS Vita game remade from the original Super Famicom title released over 20 years ago, the graphics leave much to be desired. The environments and character models are slightly blocky, muddy, and low res. Even the walk and run cycles look awkward and stiff.

The plot itself, while decent enough, is far from engaging and interrupts the otherwise great gameplay. Thankfully, both the fun characters and the great voice work save cutscenes from being too boring and motivates you enough to still care about the characters. The game has a pretty great soundtrack as well, complementing the battle system by increasing its energy and intensity.

“If you’re looking for a fun, challenging, and strategic action JRPG, Ys: Memories of Celceta is a great title to pick up.”

Another area Ys: Memories of Celceta lacks in are the side quests. The NPCs that populate the various villages you come across as you explore more of the Forest are vibrant and full of life so you’d imagine that the side quests must be as equally unique to play through. And while the conversations before and after the quest is finished can be entertaining, quests themselves are painfully easy. Even worse, they’re scattered around sparingly so you never get your fill of them.

If you’re looking for a fun, challenging, and strategic action JRPG, Ys: Memories of Celceta is a great title to pick up. Though its graphics leave much to be desired, both the battle system and exploration are by far the biggest draws of the game and will easily pull you in for the entire 25-hour runtime. While the plot is a bit on the light and inconsequential side, it’s nothing particularly bad and the characters themselves are entertaining enough to keep your interest for the long haul.

June 18, 2020 12:00 PM EST

from EnterGamingXP https://entergamingxp.com/2020/06/memories-of-celceta-review-delve-into-the-great-forest-to-find-a-solid-jrpg/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=memories-of-celceta-review-delve-into-the-great-forest-to-find-a-solid-jrpg

[stompsite]

indie bundle cruft death match volume two: the revenge of the revenge

this is how it works: I install a bunch of bundle games on my computer, and then I play them until I decide whether they stay or whether they go. Hopefully you get some entertainment out of the process.

Let’s get started.

BRIDGE IT (Plus): This is a game where you make bridges. It follows the same mechanics as the last bridge building game I tested. Like... basically, just a different art style, otherwise apparently the same game. I couldn’t even finish the tutorial because every time I clicked the “simulate” button that you need to click to continue the game, the program switched to my desktop as if I had clicked my clock instead. No thanks. GOODBYE.

BRIDGE PROJECT: Virtually the same game, based on the tutorial, as this and the other bridge game. Same fundamental “make a bridge by snapping things on a grid and then running cars across it” gameplay. Not funny like those gifs I see of other, funnier bridge building games. Weird how this is the only game made by this dev, and the other game was the only game made by that dev. My working theory is that there is a small industry of devs who make a bridge game, die, and then try to remake the bridge game, thinking they’ll get it right this time.

They never do, because it’s a game about building bridges.

I didn’t take a screenshot of this one because it looked just like the other one. PASS.

AGENT AWESOME: This game’s sense of humor is “let’s be as referential as humanly possible.” Like, maybe it gets really good later, but the poor initial showing combined with a weird “sort of real time, sort of turn-based, there’s not a lot to it” gameplay isn’t really interesting to me. It’s got a 70% positive rating on Steam, though. If it’s your thing, it’s your thing. It’s not mine. ADIOS.

A FISTFUL OF GUN: I’m a sucker for Westerns, and I’m intrigued by twin-stick shooters, though I don’t like many of them. Turns out I like A Fistful of Gun. A lot. Super cool aesthetic, neat weapons. Biggest issue I had was that I didn’t really understand the controls; the game kinda explains them, but its super minimal UI doesn’t do a great job making things clear.

My Big Game Design Belief is that a game’s controls should be invisible. The barrier between thought and action should be as minimal as possible. I like this game, but I definitely wish I understood how things worked early on. There are a ton of little tweaks that, I think, would have made this game a lot better.

But you know what? I had so much fun I played it for like 30 minutes, and I’m gonna keep playing more. IT LIVES.

A GAME OF DWARVES: Alphabetically, this game was sorted under G, but it was installed in the folder, and I saw it, staring at me, brightly, against a sea of uninstalled titles. I couldn’t resist installing it. Then I ran the game, and I was told “fatal error! this application must exit immediately.” I couldn’t use a mouse to click “okay.” I had to jam “enter.”

I looked on the Steam community discussions for answers, and found this thread, which indicates that the developers went out of business and would not continue supporting the game.

I did eventually get the game to work. What I played was pretty interesting, as management sims go, but I mean... look at that screenshot. The colors don’t blend well, the repeated tiles are a bit too much, the dwarf faces look... not great. That and the fiddly controls made me question if I really wanted to play it. I almost said yes. We PARTED WAYS.

RELIC HUNTERS ZERO: It’s a fun little twin-stick. Free. Not sure why, they probably could’ve made money on this. There’s nothing making me go “wow, this is special,” but it does seem, from what I played, like an exemplary example of the form. BACKLOG.

TUMBLESTONE: Okay, I’m breaking from the norm. I jumped on my Xbox while I was cleaning the apartment in preparation for a move, and I played a couple games there to see if I’d keep them around, or download something else. Tumblestone is a puzzle game. You have to ‘shoot’ three cubes from the bottom of the puzzle space, but you can only eliminate the cubes if they are of the same color. It was fun, but I didn’t see myself sticking with it. I forgot to take a screenshot. BEGONE.

KILLER INSTINCT KOLLECTION: This Xbox title is a fighting game. I still don’t find myself enjoying fighting games. I MOVED ON.

NO TIME TO EXPLAIN: Another Xbox game, this is a platformer that did not feel particularly great to play, but that’s true of all platformers and me. I’m just not that into the genre. IT’S NOT YOU. IT’S ME.

SUPER MEGA BASEBALL: EXTRA INNINGS is an Xbox game about baseball, but it kept throwing menus like this at me, and I don’t swing that way. Get it? A baseball pun. I didn’t play very long because I just wasn’t having a lot of fun, and I get the impression this is best played with friends. None of my friends like baseball. We’re strictly curler fans where I come from. STEE-RIKE.

Right. Back to the PC.

AI: RAMPAGE might be a good game, but I’m a very picky person when it comes to controls. This is a top-down game where forward movement is wherever your cursor is aiming. Also, the main menu is literally just every option available--settings, levels, you name it. One single massive screen. I tried to take a screenshot, but it came out black. NOT MY THING.

AIRSTRIKE HD appears to be a phone game (imagine how big that pause button in the lower right of the screenshot is on a 27″ monitor) made in unity where you fly back and forth dropping bombs on a civilian populace. You might drop them on more deserving folks than civilians later in the game, but I was so busy not having fun that I didn’t stick around to try out. There aren’t enough steam reviews to give the game a proper score, but most of them are negative. CRASH AND BURN. 

ARMORED FIST 3 is presumably a sequel to Armored Fist 2 and its maximum resolution is 640x480. I picked this one up because it was cheaper to buy the Novalogic complete bundle on sale with the money I’d earned from selling trading cards than it was to buy all the Delta Force games that I wanted. The controls are strange; I’m suspicious of games that tell you to use the arrow keys, but when it asked me to switch to F9 to change my camera, then didn’t tell me how to switch back, I knew we wouldn’t be getting along. Why this tank simulator from 1999 doesn’t use more modern controls or resolutions, I’m not sure. The reviews are “mostly positive” right now on Steam, but I don’t think I can enjoy this. TANKS FOR THE MEMORIES.

AVENCAST, according to Wikipedia, was made by a developer that “had little or no formal education in game development field.” It took them four years to make, and they initially set out to create a Diablo clone. This game does not really control like Diablo at all. It also spends a great deal of time in menus like the above. Too many words, not enough “go do stuff.”

It’s not a bad game, though. Like, there’s nothing here that makes me go “ugh, wow, this is terrible.” It just doesn’t pique my curiosity. It doesn’t make me want more. The controls aren’t terrible, but they aren’t great either. The premise isn’t that interesting--it literally starts out by telling you that this is the story of the greatest mage ever, or something like that, effectively killing the stakes--it just kind of feels old and uninteresting to me.

This is coming from someone who likes the Gothic games. What I’m saying is, your mileage may vary, and I almost kept Avencast around, until I decided that, quite frankly, I probably won’t be spending much time with it. Besides, mages are so much less interesting than rogues.

AX:EL’s menus make no sense. No, really, look at this. What does it mean? What does any of it mean? There is a ship, but what kind of game is it? I have no idea. The tooltips aren’t that helpful. One button says something like “patrol,” and if you hover over it, the tooltip says “patrol mode.”

Anyways, turns out there’s a campaign in here, if you dig long enough. Briefly, I suspected this was some kind of multiplayer only game. It is not. There is a campaign. It involves dogfighting. Turns out this is basically an Ace Combat style game, which is neat, but it is easy, there’s no tutorial, and the assets look like something I could make, and I’m not an artist at all.

AX:EL wasn’t unfun from what I played, but it puts up so many barriers to the gameplay that it can be needlessly frustrating. SEE YOU, SPACE COWBOY.

BLOODSPORTS.TV sounded cool until it asked me if I had ever played in the “top down hero game” category or somethin like that. I tentatively clicked yes. IT’S A MOBA.

BLOOP RELOADED is just Bloop with nicer graphics. And writing like the above. You drag lines between things and make liquids go down those lines into the things. The end. Quoth the raven, NEVERMORE.

CALIFORNIUM: Imagine PKD’s walking simulator. Mysterious enough to keep me going. Has people to interact with, to a small degree. Would I like a game that actually has mechanical depth and complexity? Sure. But... I’m gonna finish Californium. THIS IS GOOD STUFF.

CHRONICLES OF MYSTERY: THE SCORPIO RITUAL has nothing to do with the Xbox One X. It is a point and click game. I’ve never seen the appeal of these games. You just click on stuff until people do what you want them to, or you do weird things to solve puzzles. Old Man Murray explained this at length so I don’t have to.

I love when Steam’s game description character limit gets overrun. INTO THE FLAMES.

DEFENDERS OF ARDANIA gave me a black screen and wouldn’t quit when I tried to alt tab or anything. I tried lookin for solutions, but found none. I CAST YOU OUT.

20 games. 3 survived. 17 were condemned to purgatory.

[claudecat17]

Orioles Game 52: The Perfect Baseball Night

This was a good one, friends. Even aside from the result, which was almost unbelievably nice, until the end anyway. There wasn't a single element of this night from my perspective that wasn't the best of the season so far, from quality of conversation, friendliness of everyone, deliciousness of food, loveliness of weather, etc. Everything fell into place to create a simply magical evening of baseball in the greatest place in the country to experience such a thing.

First of all, the weather. As perfect as can be imagined. Not too warm, not too cool, with low humidity and the perfect amount of breeze. The crowd. Not too big, not too small. Once more we could craft the environment to our liking, and had some delightful scenery and really nice folks all around us.

The glue that held everything together was perhaps caused by all of the above, which was the fact that everyone was feeling great, was at their most outgoing and friendly best. It really makes a difference when folks you may know only by sight take the time to say hello or smile at you as you pass 'em by. Even fans were extra-nice. Had a couple of fun conversations with people as I waited in line for my tacos at Ole' Mole', including a few women that work at Bowie's ballpark. A feel-good night all around.

Or maybe it was the food that had me absorbing all this friendliness with extra efficiency. Had the usual pre-game snack, this time some fries with hot sauce (a great combo - the hot sauce at the condiment stations is excellent), and decided to treat myself to the Ole' Mole' tacos earlier than usual in the game. Man were they delicious! Hadn't had those since early last year, mainly because it's so far from my area. Plus, it costs money, though this time it was a freebie due to various heroics (reward for doing so much gate duty basically).

So by the 5th inning or so I was feeling real good. Game's going well, belly's nicely full, taste buds tantalized delightfully, the sheer beauty of the weather. I walked by a few guys that were staring at the sunset in something approaching awe. It really is a sight to see from our side of the upper deck.

Anyway, yeah, there was a game too! And damned if Wade Miley didn't pitch one heckuva great game! Had a little hiccup in the second inning, not helped by an unfortunate throwing error, but just one run was allowed. Best of all, the O's didn't let up offensively, doing things the Oriole way of course (dongs and more dongs), but getting it done nonetheless. As it turned out, they'd need all seven runs, though I doubt Buck would have used the bullpen the same way had the game been closer.

It really was rather curious how Buck chose to negotiate the last two innings, after Miley had gone seven full and spectacularly efficient innings. I was fine with seeing what Mike Wright could do on a second consecutive day. This was the perfect situation to learn about that. As it turned out, maybe he's gonna need to be an inning at a time guy, at least if you expect the full velocity. He was fine for the one inning, then started getting doinked to death.

I was also fine with going with Donnie Hart after that to face the lefty Jackie Bradley, Jr. It was unfortunate that Hart put one in a grand-slammy place, but again, you wanna learn these lessons in a game with some leeway. His first MLB homer allowed, ever, by the way. I still have faith in Donnie, and in Wright's future as a bullpen arm. I continue to be afraid of Tyler Wilson though. He gave up 6 runs in 4.1 innings for Norfolk as this game was taking place, so at least we won't have to worry about his presence up here any time soon.

So yeah, it got a little too close for comfort at the end there, but I think some lessons were learned, both by Buck and by the pitchers involved. The worst side effect was that Brad Brach had to get warm for the second consecutive night without being used. Hopefully that doesn't come back to haunt us in the games to come.

What else... Oh yeah, they finally began identifying the pitches again on the little boards that have only been showing velocity of late. I think the guy inputting the data may be rusty though. I doubt Wright's 86 mph offerings were really fastballs.

And DJ Woody dredged up a new mix tape, after several nights/days of the exact same crap in the exact same order. "Twenty Flight Rock" was nice to hear in its original form, and I distinctly recall hearing a Little Richard Orioles tune, though that may have been part of the From the Vaults (1993) video package. Sadly, a YouTube search returns nothing.

The giveaway item for this game proved to pretty unpopular. A “beach mat“, something some people had trouble identifying. Not ugly or anything, just not especially useful for the typical working person probably. I collected several of ‘em that had been left behind and managed to find more supportive homes for most of ‘em. Only the 4th of July BBQ apron of a few years back was less loved. I recall being pelted by a few of those. Must have been a Red Sox game.

Chatting with Randy before the game, a bit later than usual but with such little crowd it didn't matter, was as nice as it always is. Fewer visitors seems to be a trend this year. Aside from him and some old co-workers and one or two other blog entities, it's been a washout for that. I suppose I've alienated more than one pretend cat's share of humanity though, so no great surprise.

That’s as many random details as I can recall right now. To sum up, this was probably the best night of the year so far for me. The only things that went wrong really were the 2nd inning error and the Wright/Hart meltdown in the 9th. Literally everything else was perfect. Even Manny Machado had a few hits! A seeing eye single and a swinging bunt, but you've gotta start somewhere!

Let us hope that this was a win the O's can build on, and that Manny will soon return to form or at least reduce the embarrassment level when he becomes the starting third baseman in the All-Star Game. It'd be bad if he was still hovering at the Mendoza line by mid-July...

-------------------------------- Link to past posts, faster than the top-right icon thingie: https://disqus.com/home/forum/claudecatsplace/recent/ --------------------------------

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New Post has been published on Webpostingpro

New Post has been published on https://webpostingpro.com/dan-evans-and-kyle-edmund-to-face-each-other-in-monte-carlo/

Dan Evans and Kyle Edmund to face each other in Monte Carlo

British pair Dan Evans and Kyle Edmund were drawn to stand in opposition to each different in the first round of the Monte Carlo Masters with the winner set to face Rafael Nadal in the subsequent round.

Evans and Edmund have each become fixtures of Wonderful Britain’s Davis Cup group but they may face off towards every other in Monte Carlo.

Nadal has a bye into the second spherical and he’s going to face the victory of the conflict between the 2 Brits.

The pair has handiest faced each different competitively on an additional event, within the 2016 Challenger final in Dallas.

Edmund won that match 6-three, 6-2 and on clay, he is already the favorite for a few to copy that victory.

Evans has visible his form drop off a bit after a stellar begin to the yr, defeating Bernard Tomic and Marin Cilic on his manner to the last sixteen of the Australian Open.

How to Play Guitar by Roger Evans

A guitar is an extra amicable device than any other string gadgets. Once a person masters few fundamentals he/ she will be able to create tunes and notes out of it. But it would take a year or two for a very passionate participant to grasp the basics itself. The learner may also have to make the most the tool to its fullest potential to learn the basics.

How to Play guitar by means of Roger Evans explains commands for all stage guitarists. This ebook has been evolved after a duration of studies and has a wealth of statistics and idea. No matter what the participant wants to expertise pop, folks, USA, rock, blues, jazz, classical or some other fashion of song.

This book includes simple techniques without tedious drills and workout.

This book introduces a new method of using real song and a grade by grade approach to A way to play guitar. It also allows purchasing a correct tuner, The way to study the guitar tabs, place the fingers on the frets, strum with the alternative hand and many others…

This book facilitates a player in choosing a Guitar, tuning the device effectively, reading sheet music, guitar song and tabulator, playing melodies and chords, Finger choosing, Gaining knowledge of left-hand strategies, which include sliding and bending notes, transposing melodies from one key to some other and plenty of extras.

This books additionally offers few guidelines and strategies for players, for example, For players who’ve issued in playing the chords and difficulty in forming chord shapes with hands, it is higher, to begin with, mastering songs which have single notes or energy chords. by following this method the arms gets bolstered and the player may even get familiarized with using the chords and the device as properly. This reduces pressure and frustration at the player and will allow him/ her to examine guitar efficiently.

Dog Dominance Behavior – Dog Humping and Dog Mounting Problems

Most of the many canine dominance behaviors, those surrounded with the aid of perhaps extra myths than any others are canine mounting problems and canine humping ladies. No, contrary to popular opinion, these obnoxious canine instinctive behaviors have definitely nothing to do with intercourse. How embarrassing, although, for folks who do not know this!

“Don’t worry,” I stated to a customer who was vivid red as he located his male domestic dog looking to mount mine. Visibly, the patron wanted to dig a hollow and hide. He turned into mortified! His dog aggressively endured in his attempts at dog mounting and dog humping on mine, especially going for the head. (My top-natured, huge dog without problems shook him off.)

I didn’t recognize my dog changed into queer

He stated very sheepishly and apologetically. I could not incorporate my laughter as I reassured the man that it changed into now not so. How not unusual is that misconception? Within the dog world, there may be no such element as a “homosexual dog!”

One dog mounting over another one’s head, or even unsheathing his penis, is reasonably not unusual. The mounting canine is severely looking to capture manipulate over all others. The unsheathing is to release his heady scent on the alternative dog, to proclaim to all of the others that he won the warfare over this one.

Reflect consideration on this truth: If a male dog mounts a woman formating functions, his gadget does no longer omit its target. He does no longer fail to position it Inside the proper region. If his intentions closer to another male dog were sexual, it’d be executed. Note that his purpose, whilst driving up from behind the alternative dog, is OVER the tail and back, no longer underneath the tail. That is not sexual! using up on some other dog’s returned increases the first canine above him. It is a reminder that, “Hey, you are no longer the boss here!”

Whilst the canine mounts another one’s head, he goes to one of the most extreme

shows of dominance Inside the dog international. the top is the best part of the dog. Bringing the top down brings the canine down from his maximum factor. It’s miles all approximately who is better than whom.

While a dog unsheathes his penis and releases liquid, that forces the canine who’s leaked on to put on the fragrance of the dominant one. It’s far a totally strong heady scent and stays for some time, making the low rank apparent for many miles — or even to different packs within fragrance range.

Puppies constantly try to dominate each other. That is canine instinctive behavior

,

Most of the rituals they go through on every occasion they meet each different. The Puppies will first length each different up through eye touch. If one surrenders with the aid of mendacity down, then leadership is settled. If not, the wrestle for dominance honestly begins.

As they struggle for the dominant dog position, the Puppies retain to mount every different until one rolls over submissively and turns his eyes away. until the eyes have absolutely turned away, give up has now not taken place, and the canine who’s dropping may additionally attempt a sneak attack against the alternative. Look out!

We homo sapiens normally select the challenge of a game together with “rock-

Paper-scissors,” a mind sport like chess or Scrabble, or a socially desirable ball sport. It’s miles less embarrassing to the general public eye.

You have got now and again visible canine fights get away because of the Dogs jockey for the role, via wrestling or stare-down dares. Typically, however, one canine raises his head higher than the other, and the only with the decreased head surrenders.

Virtually, this is an instinctive canine behavior, a ritual Dogs often go through. I advise to all who’re fascinated to impeach experts and to have a look at this canine dominance conduct for themselves. dog humping ladies and canine mounting issues don’t have anything to do with sex, and they Can be solved. Recollect, there is no such element as a “homosexual dog!”

Carlo Robelli Acoustic Guitar Review

In most online guitar built-inionsintegrated, Carlo Robelli and his musical builtintegrated are rarely any longer stated. In fact, whilst it relates to high built-ine strbuilt-ing contraptionsintegrated such as the violintegrated and guitar, that very name will generally be remembered. The unique call is a house logo name integrated Sam Ash, The us’s elite tune middle. Carlo Robelli Guitars were previously constructed built-in Japan built-inat some pobuiltintegrated the Nbuiltintegrated and built-ingintegrated became transferred to Korea.

The brand Carlo Robelli (C. R.), mounted on favored American models, targets to supply the appropriate built-in built-ine musical built-instruments. The give up fbuiltintegrated of the emblem is a high satisfactoryintegrated builtintegrated that is both beneficial, havintegratedg all of the properties of the model on which it is hooked upintegrated, and low-budget. As built-in by way of many musicians, the C. R. built-indevices even overtaken the models that they were set up on first-class-wise and sound-sensible.

What makes it so notable?

For starters, the frame of every device is grasp made from the right wooden and built-in to a lustrous sheen, makbuilt-ing them jazzy pieces. Another factor is the scale. A really perfect guitar for each built-in and expert musicians with little palms, maximum Carlo Robelli guitars have narrow neck and fbuilt-ingerboard layout and shorter agonize distance. It’s also very simple to tune this brand of guitar. And while one begbuiltintegrated to play the guitar, even for small sized fashions, the sound satisfactoryintegrated and projection is exquisite and exquisite. While it’s miles a chunk costlier than other brands, the costs are nevertheless built-inintegrated built-inancesintegrated of an average player.

Whilst Carlo Robelli creates everydayintegrated guitars like 6-strbuilt-ing classical and acoustic electric guitars and four strintegratedg acoustic electric bass guitars (An ideal built-in is the its precise version SBC200SB four Stbuilt-ing Acoustic electric Bass), the emblem has additionally released 12-strbuilt-ing acoustic and 12-strintegratedg acoustic basses. One such 12-strbuilt-ing acoustic guitar is the C. R. model J4118 12 Jumbo. Between the past due 2003 to 2005, the C. R. 12-strintegratedg basses had been advertised only built-ingintegrated Sam Ash. Lots of these bass guitars have turn out to be loved collectors’ gadgets for plenty guitar aficionados.

Currently, Lots of C. R.’s guitars are built-incorporated with excessive tech

Computers mak integrate dig these pieces of art quite stagger built integrated. A USB with a laptop software has been the  integrated built-in model of the Carlo Robelli Acoustic Guitar and the version USB-12B 12-strintegratedg bass which built-in for record built-ings and supplement of killer outcomes. With these models, an Immediate Drummer digital gadget might also-also be applied to create numerous rhythms

[junker-town]

Lessons from Opening Day of the 2017 MLB season

It’s just one game out of 162, but it can still mean something important, dang it.

Did you enjoy Opening Day*? I’ll bet you did. There’s nothing better than breaking the icy clutches of winter with the magic of Opening Day**, when the sunshine*** streams down on a living ballfield and reminds you that, yes, winter always gives way to spring, which gives way to summer, and summer is the cure for everything that ails you****.

* This was not Opening Day. Give me Cincinnati or give me death.

** Baseball doesn’t start on a Sunday, what is this fake Opening Day nonsense?

*** The first game of the year was in a DOME, with absolutely no sunshine, which is some reverse-groundhog witchery, and I’m very mad.

**** There is no cure, I’m so sorry, have some baseball.

And while it’s not like we can make any grand proclamations after one game — only five of the six division winners won their first game last year, after all — that doesn’t mean we can’t learn anything on Opening Day.

Here are some lessons about the first day of 2017 baseball, then. Some of the lessons are more important than other lessons, but the most important lesson is that just because one game out of 162 games doesn’t have to mean everything, that doesn’t mean it’s completely devoid of meaning.

The new turf at Tropicana Field looks great

Yes, the first pitch of the 2017 season was thrown in a dome, with catwalks and man-made abstractions blocking out our communal source of life, and that was an abomination.

Take a moment to remember what could have been, and what still could be:

Wikipedia

I’m not in favor of oligarchs and obscenely rich people funneling public money into a structure that benefits them disproportionately, but, well, I’m not not in favor of that stadium. As always, the true answer is “Erratic rich person who cares about sports way more than he or she should,” but those are hard to find.

Regardless, that ballpark isn’t coming, so the Rays have to make do. And they did fine. The new turf looks outstanding.

Well the field at the Trop looks better #rays http://pic.twitter.com/0LlcRsaxbM

— Roger Mooney (@RogerMooney50) March 31, 2017

It seemed like it had some life on it, so if you’re in a fantasy league that counts doubles and triples, consider this a hot stock tip. Aesthetically, though, it’s a huge improvement.

Carlos Martinez is not going to be baseball’s most underrated pitcher for long

Over the last two years, among starters with at least 350 innings pitched, here are the leaders in adjusted ERA:

Clayton Kershaw

Jake Arrieta

Zack Greinke

Max Scherzer

Madison Bumgarner

Corey Kluber

Jon Lester

Carlos Martinez

David Price

Johnny Cueto

That’s a collection of Cy Young winners and $25 million pitchers, and right there toward the bottom is Carlos Martinez, who is remarkable and doesn’t get nearly as much attention as he should.

I would show you a video, but this will do just fine.

What you’re looking at is a) the location, b) the chyron in the bottom-right that confirms it was 100 mph, c) the sudden shift of Addison Russell’s hands into bunt mode, which is the fetal position of baseball, and d) the I-just-threw-100-mph strut of Martinez as he walks around the mound. Not pictured: the nasty changeups that set this all up.

I don’t know if Las Vegas gives odds on All-Star Game starters, but I’ll bet you could get 12-to-1 on Martinez right now. After Sunday, that would look like a sweet bet.

The Giants’ bullpen is a, uh, work in progress

On the season finale of Giants Bullpen from last year:

“oh no,f

oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no”

“aieeeeeeeeeeeee”

“oh no no no no no no”

“they brought my childhood pet back to life just to set it on fire, why would they do that”

Then the next season starts, and they’re using the same storyline. Lazy, lazy writers! Let me walk you through this:

Derek Law struck out 50 batters last year and walked 9 in 55 innings. He finished the season with a 2.13 ERA and a 2.53 FIP. If the Giants’ bullpen was going to be better this season, Law was going to be a huge part of that.

Mark Melancon has been unimpeachably awesome for four seasons now, one of baseball’s absolute best closers. In his last 290 innings, he’s been good for a 1.80 ERA, 2.25 FIP, and 212 ERA+, with a superb 6-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

These are the two pitchers who blew saves for the Giants on Sunday.

Neither of them should blow a lot of saves.

They’re probably pretty good, just like they were last year. .

The only problem is that it HAPPENED IN THE FIRST GAME OF THE 2017 SEASON, WHEN GIANTS FANS ARE MORE SENSITIVE THAN USUAL. But it’s more than that. Last year, Russell Carleton wrote a brilliant piece about how it’s possible that toxic bullpens are something of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Once things start going bad, everyone else starts gripping the ball a little tighter, and those borderline pitches start going the other way. It’s a total mess, and it continues to be a total mess.

A new season should be a new start, then. Same pitchers, same arms, just without the stink of unfortunate expectations.

Instead, the Giants have the stink of unfortunate expectations again. Every team will blow a save this year. They’ll all have tough bullpen-induced losses. None of them will do it with the same kind of anti-grace that the Giants showed on Opening Day, though. This was the one team that couldn’t afford the pressure of a blown save on Day 1, and they got one. Bonus points for getting two in the same game. Extra bonus points for one coming from the new $62 million closer, the guy who represents the entire offseason.

Extra, extra bonus points for blowing the save because you couldn’t retire Jeff Mathis and Daniel Descalso with two outs.

They’re probably not the worst bullpen in baseball. Based on one game, though, they might be the same bullpen. That’s a problem.

Madison Bumgarner is a man-obelisk who should never be thrown a fastball again

Madison Bumgarner was the first pitcher to hit two home runs on Opening Day. Baseball keeps chugging away, but there are still unexpected milestones to make us feel like kids again.

Those were absolutely demolished. Bumgarner sent his respects to the baseballs’ families, but he offers no financial support in their troubling times.

However, at the risk of spoiling one of baseball’s best stories and Bunyanesque myths, allow me to show you Madison Bumgarner against a good breaking ball:

This is not an anomaly. Good pitches will make Bumgarner look like a pitcher, especially the breaking pitches. He’s looking for fastballs down the middle or hanging breaking balls down the middle, and he’s going to swing as hard as he possibly can, just in case someone throws one.

Diamondbacks pitchers threw him two fastballs in the Diamondbacks-uniform of locations. They should not have done that.

It is absolutely sensible to pitch Bumgarner up, in, or outside with fastballs he can’t hit, just like pitchers do with every other slugger in the game. He hit two homers because the Diamondbacks screwed that up, and because he’s better than most pitchers with a bat. Mostly, though, it’s because pitching is hard. Throwing a fastball where a hitter can’t get to it is ... sort of the point.

If it were easy to do, this would be one dull sport.

Pitcher wins are still the very worst statistic

Your winning pitchers on Sunday:

Chris Archer (7 IP, 2 ER, 7 H, 1 BB, 5 SO)

Fernando Rodney (1 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 0 SO)

Seung-hwan Oh (1⅔ IP, 3 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 2 SO)

I don’t want to be a zealot about it, but, c’mon. It’s an absolutely awful statistic that doesn’t tell us anything.

I can almost see it for starters. For relievers, though, it is the very worst. Sunday was a great argument why.

Sunday was a great argument for why baseball is good, though. Pitcher dingers. Aces look like aces. Walk-offs, walk-offs, walk-offs.

It wasn’t the real Opening Day, but it’ll do until the real Opening Day gets here. Don’t forget to learn something or ascribe too much meaning to anything you’ve seen. It’s your right as a baseball fan.

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Dan Evans and Kyle Edmund to face each other in Monte Carlo

British pair Dan Evans and Kyle Edmund were drawn to stand in opposition to each different in the first round of the Monte Carlo Masters with the winner set to face Rafael Nadal in the subsequent round.

Evans and Edmund have each become fixtures of Wonderful Britain’s Davis Cup group but they may face off towards every other in Monte Carlo.

Nadal has a bye into the second spherical and he’s going to face the victory of the conflict between the 2 Brits.

The pair has handiest faced each different competitively on an additional event, within the 2016 Challenger final in Dallas.

Edmund won that match 6-three, 6-2 and on clay, he is already the favorite for a few to copy that victory.

Evans has visible his form drop off a bit after a stellar begin to the yr, defeating Bernard Tomic and Marin Cilic on his manner to the last sixteen of the Australian Open.

How to Play Guitar by Roger Evans

A guitar is an extra amicable device than any other string gadgets. Once a person masters few fundamentals he/ she will be able to create tunes and notes out of it. But it would take a year or two for a very passionate participant to grasp the basics itself. The learner may also have to make the most the tool to its fullest potential to learn the basics.

How to Play guitar by means of Roger Evans explains commands for all stage guitarists. This ebook has been evolved after a duration of studies and has a wealth of statistics and idea. No matter what the participant wants to expertise pop, folks, USA, rock, blues, jazz, classical or some other fashion of song.

This book includes simple techniques without tedious drills and workout.

This book introduces a new method of using real song and a grade by grade approach to A way to play guitar. It also allows purchasing a correct tuner, The way to study the guitar tabs, place the fingers on the frets, strum with the alternative hand and many others…

This book facilitates a player in choosing a Guitar, tuning the device effectively, reading sheet music, guitar song and tabulator, playing melodies and chords, Finger choosing, Gaining knowledge of left-hand strategies, which include sliding and bending notes, transposing melodies from one key to some other and plenty of extras.

This books additionally offers few guidelines and strategies for players, for example, For players who’ve issued in playing the chords and difficulty in forming chord shapes with hands, it is higher, to begin with, mastering songs which have single notes or energy chords. by following this method the arms gets bolstered and the player may even get familiarized with using the chords and the device as properly. This reduces pressure and frustration at the player and will allow him/ her to examine guitar efficiently.

Dog Dominance Behavior – Dog Humping and Dog Mounting Problems

Most of the many canine dominance behaviors, those surrounded with the aid of perhaps extra myths than any others are canine mounting problems and canine humping ladies. No, contrary to popular opinion, these obnoxious canine instinctive behaviors have definitely nothing to do with intercourse. How embarrassing, although, for folks who do not know this!

“Don’t worry,” I stated to a customer who was vivid red as he located his male domestic dog looking to mount mine. Visibly, the patron wanted to dig a hollow and hide. He turned into mortified! His dog aggressively endured in his attempts at dog mounting and dog humping on mine, especially going for the head. (My top-natured, huge dog without problems shook him off.)

I didn’t recognize my dog changed into queer

He stated very sheepishly and apologetically. I could not incorporate my laughter as I reassured the man that it changed into now not so. How not unusual is that misconception? Within the dog world, there may be no such element as a “homosexual dog!”

One dog mounting over another one’s head, or even unsheathing his penis, is reasonably not unusual. The mounting canine is severely looking to capture manipulate over all others. The unsheathing is to release his heady scent on the alternative dog, to proclaim to all of the others that he won the warfare over this one.

Reflect consideration on this truth: If a male dog mounts a woman formating functions, his gadget does no longer omit its target. He does no longer fail to position it Inside the proper region. If his intentions closer to another male dog were sexual, it’d be executed. Note that his purpose, whilst driving up from behind the alternative dog, is OVER the tail and back, no longer underneath the tail. That is not sexual! using up on some other dog’s returned increases the first canine above him. It is a reminder that, “Hey, you are no longer the boss here!”

Whilst the canine mounts another one’s head, he goes to one of the most extreme

shows of dominance Inside the dog international. the top is the best part of the dog. Bringing the top down brings the canine down from his maximum factor. It’s miles all approximately who is better than whom.

While a dog unsheathes his penis and releases liquid, that forces the canine who’s leaked on to put on the fragrance of the dominant one. It’s far a totally strong heady scent and stays for some time, making the low rank apparent for many miles — or even to different packs within fragrance range.

Puppies constantly try to dominate each other. That is canine instinctive behavior

,

Most of the rituals they go through on every occasion they meet each different. The Puppies will first length each different up through eye touch. If one surrenders with the aid of mendacity down, then leadership is settled. If not, the wrestle for dominance honestly begins.

As they struggle for the dominant dog position, the Puppies retain to mount every different until one rolls over submissively and turns his eyes away. until the eyes have absolutely turned away, give up has now not taken place, and the canine who’s dropping may additionally attempt a sneak attack against the alternative. Look out!

We homo sapiens normally select the challenge of a game together with “rock-

Paper-scissors,” a mind sport like chess or Scrabble, or a socially desirable ball sport. It’s miles less embarrassing to the general public eye.

You have got now and again visible canine fights get away because of the Dogs jockey for the role, via wrestling or stare-down dares. Typically, however, one canine raises his head higher than the other, and the only with the decreased head surrenders.

Virtually, this is an instinctive canine behavior, a ritual Dogs often go through. I advise to all who’re fascinated to impeach experts and to have a look at this canine dominance conduct for themselves. dog humping ladies and canine mounting issues don’t have anything to do with sex, and they Can be solved. Recollect, there is no such element as a “homosexual dog!”

Carlo Robelli Acoustic Guitar Review

In most online guitar built-inionsintegrated, Carlo Robelli and his musical builtintegrated are rarely any longer stated. In fact, whilst it relates to high built-ine strbuilt-ing contraptionsintegrated such as the violintegrated and guitar, that very name will generally be remembered. The unique call is a house logo name integrated Sam Ash, The us’s elite tune middle. Carlo Robelli Guitars were previously constructed built-in Japan built-inat some pobuiltintegrated the Nbuiltintegrated and built-ingintegrated became transferred to Korea.

The brand Carlo Robelli (C. R.), mounted on favored American models, targets to supply the appropriate built-in built-ine musical built-instruments. The give up fbuiltintegrated of the emblem is a high satisfactoryintegrated builtintegrated that is both beneficial, havintegratedg all of the properties of the model on which it is hooked upintegrated, and low-budget. As built-in by way of many musicians, the C. R. built-indevices even overtaken the models that they were set up on first-class-wise and sound-sensible.

What makes it so notable?

For starters, the frame of every device is grasp made from the right wooden and built-in to a lustrous sheen, makbuilt-ing them jazzy pieces. Another factor is the scale. A really perfect guitar for each built-in and expert musicians with little palms, maximum Carlo Robelli guitars have narrow neck and fbuilt-ingerboard layout and shorter agonize distance. It’s also very simple to tune this brand of guitar. And while one begbuiltintegrated to play the guitar, even for small sized fashions, the sound satisfactoryintegrated and projection is exquisite and exquisite. While it’s miles a chunk costlier than other brands, the costs are nevertheless built-inintegrated built-inancesintegrated of an average player.

Whilst Carlo Robelli creates everydayintegrated guitars like 6-strbuilt-ing classical and acoustic electric guitars and four strintegratedg acoustic electric bass guitars (An ideal built-in is the its precise version SBC200SB four Stbuilt-ing Acoustic electric Bass), the emblem has additionally released 12-strbuilt-ing acoustic and 12-strintegratedg acoustic basses. One such 12-strbuilt-ing acoustic guitar is the C. R. model J4118 12 Jumbo. Between the past due 2003 to 2005, the C. R. 12-strintegratedg basses had been advertised only built-ingintegrated Sam Ash. Lots of these bass guitars have turn out to be loved collectors’ gadgets for plenty guitar aficionados.

Currently, Lots of C. R.’s guitars are built-incorporated with excessive tech

Computers mak integrate dig these pieces of art quite stagger built integrated. A USB with a laptop software has been the  integrated built-in model of the Carlo Robelli Acoustic Guitar and the version USB-12B 12-strintegratedg bass which built-in for record built-ings and supplement of killer outcomes. With these models, an Immediate Drummer digital gadget might also-also be applied to create numerous rhythms

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MASTER YOUR SAMSUNG GALAXY S8 WITH THESE TIPS AND TRICKS

Samsung’s Galaxy S8 is built eventually right here, and it’s a looker. The South Korean-built-illness enterprise integrated’s phone packs a fantastic aspect-to-part curved screen, a beefed-up the front-go built integrated a digital camera,  processor, and a new digital assistant powered by us built integrated artificial built-intelligence. But like many devices built-in the Galaxy S8’s quality, no longer each feature is simple to use — or integrated.

Thankfully, we’ve spent sufficient time with the Galaxy S8 to get a take care of on someone of the best its maximum useful features. right here’s what you need to know.

Greater: Display your Galaxy S8 you care with this built integrated built integrated cases

S8 built-in for Bixby, S-Health, and emojis How to use Bixby

Bixby, Samsung’s new AI-powered assistant, is a faucet away from each screen. The Galaxy S8 has a committed Bixby button as a way to eventually cause moves like send integrated an image to a friend and cast integrated a video to a clever Television. For now, though, it pulls up Bixby Domestic, Samsung’s tackle a Google Now-fashion anticipatory assistant.

Bixby Home consists of integrated built-in highlight integrated the weather forecast, break integrated built-information integrated, and Greater. But it’s More than simply an organizer. Domestic learns your preferences and conduct over time — built-in case you integrated generally name a loved one after work, built-instance, it’ll serve up contact integrated at an appropriate time every day.

There’s Greater to Bixby than Domestic

Built-in “Hey Bixby” pulls up Bixby Voice, a Siri-like voice assistant that offers restaurant integrated suggestions, dictates textual content messages, controls Samsung’s Related built-in the most effective clever Home merchandise, and Extra. Bixby built-native and prescient integrated, but every other built-in one of the best the overarch built-in AI, recognizes items and textual content built-in images and directs you to applicable built-an integrated built-links integrated.

Whether you feel built-in below the climate or due for a bodily, the Galaxy S8’s  Fitness app has you built-in. Thanks to deep built integration with WebMD and Amwell, you can browse signs and symptoms and drugs, located integrated close by pharmacies, time table built-internet integrated go to with a doctor, and reserve a video appoint grated Ment with a certified medical doctor. The brand new S Health app is capable of More. It may store built integrated built-ing upcomintegratedg appointegratedtments like signs and symptoms, photographs, prescriptions, and integrated built-information, and it offers short get admission to emergency built-rings integrated.

Beating Cherry Master Slot Machines – Beating Slot Machines Takes Knowledge But is Possible

Cherry master machines and fruit bonus machines are a line of back room slot machines which are usually performed in lower back room locations. They’re a model of a slot system however not nearly as intricate as an online casino style slot system. To beat cherry masters is as clean as choosing the proper gadget for the right device. Some cherry master machines are not beatable so ensure the gadget you discover is on the list. I had a pal that did this and may say that I did see this work in man or woman. It was difficult to trust however very real.

To figure out the kind of cherry machine you are handling you want to comply with those recommendations.

Sit again and watch the screens the game is going via even as it isn’t always being performed. Decide the employer that makes the device. While the game display screen flashes, you may see the call within the higher left corner. It is either a “Dyna” or a “Recreation”. these are separate organization’s and make the maximum of all cherry masters.

Then watch because the unique monitors display. The title screen will show the name of this system and now and again the maker. the sports display screen will display you what program it uses. You need to have a look at sure aspects of that display to Determine the way to play that specific gadget.Also, this screen will commonly inform you how excessive the Cherry and Bell Bonus pass. you could typically inform whether or not or now not the cherries go to 12, 9, 6 or three, and Additionally whether the bills pass 7, three or 2. The first-class ones To beat are those that cherry’s move to a few and bells visit 2.these will take less time to play and much less cash To overcome.

Patent Application and Debut of Samsung’s Flexible Smartphone

In early 2017, we will expect Samsung Electronics Co. To launch the primary foldable telephone models within the market. Over the last few months, the company has been gaining buzz for his or her flexible digital tool concept. And just currently, a copy surfaced on the internet in their utility for a patent filed on the twentieth of April this yr with the Korean Highbrow Assets Office. The corporation additionally filed for an application patent with the USA Patent and Trademark Workplace closing November. The application with ebook variety US 2016-0187994 A1 is now pending approval.

The device uses natural LED technology for its bendy show. At the same time as using OLED is nothing new with Samsung, having used it in all their flagship devices, the most up-to-date version is set to be the first commercially to be had the bendable phone.

Before the release of this concept, Samsung released its Galaxy Observe 7.

The general public generally received it in a wonderful mild until devices commenced catching fire and shortly exploded once they had been charged. Court cases observed whilst unit after unit began blowing up. Then an inevitable and pretty negative PR incident passed off, and Samsung needed to undergo a recollect system with a superb anticipated cost of billion dollars. Samsung then had no choice, however, to stop the sale of Galaxy Word 7, dropping around 5 billion greenbacks up front plus an evaluated ninety-five percent of the yr’s operating earnings.

And so, with the current setbacks Samsung faced, the combination of OLED tech with a design that allows users to fold their telephones might just give Samsung the threshold they want to enhance their sales, reacquire what they lost, and rebuild their corporate reputation.

How the bendy digital tool works

As offered in the patent utility, the version can have an 8-inch screen while unfurled and whilst used as a handset, will lessen right into a 5-inch show. For the 2 monitors to paintings in an unmarried smartphone, the patented snapshots confirmed a hinge in particular designed to maintain the smartphone upright and help maintain it flawlessly healthy in a single’s pocket whilst folded.

Even though different information continues to be undisclosed till now, people are conscious that many elements of an ordinary, unbendable smartphone will feature in another way. Apart from developing a functional and bendy show, the minds in the back of this revolutionary machine will need to think of a manner to install a battery that now not best remains intact without overheating, however, will also work properly whether the device is folded or no longer.

In evaluation with Microsoft Surface Book

The cellphone’s axis is just like the flexible hinge of Microsoft’s Surface Ebook, something which the agency patented last 12 months. Samsung’s hinge is also similar to Microsoft’s multi-pivot armadillo hinge that has a pending patent utility with the USPTO, publication variety US 2016-0132075 A1. And Whilst Samsung also filed a patent request for their bendy device idea, and with Microsoft’s utility having a very last rejection status, it is nonetheless quite early to inform if there can be viable infringement cases as soon as the products hit the market of each international locations wherein the inventions may be bought.

Anal Sex: 8 Tips for Fun, Safe Play

Anal sex truly is not for everyone, but some ladies and men can not get enough. For the beginner, the practice may be a chunk intimidating, however, partners can teach themselves about the ins and outs of posterior play to make the pastime as pleasing and secure as feasible. Practicing right anal, vaginal and penile care before, at some point of and after anal sex is crucial, and the subsequent records will help couples learn how to accomplish that.

Why the At the back of?

Anal sex can be attractive to each man and women for numerous motives. Men may also want to penetrate a posterior because it’s far tighter than a vagina. They may also experience the quite taboo nature of the act, and who could blame them?

Girls may experience rear penetration for a couple motives. First, the nerve finishing around the anus are very touchy and some locate penetration stimulating. 2nd, there are touchy areas among a female’s rectum and vagina that may create pleasure when stress within the rectum is located upon them.

A few Men enjoy being penetrated inside the Behind, and not simply homosexual Guys. The prostate gland is stimulated in the course of posterior play for a person, and this can be quite exciting. Plus, his anal nerve endings are simply as touchy as hers.

Is it secure?

Anal intercourse may be secure, however unique precautions are required. This is in general because the hazard of spreading infections, each vaginal and sexually transmitted, are excessive with anal play.

The transmission charges of HIV and HPV are better for anal sex than vaginal intercourse. That’s due to the fact the anus and rectum aren’t certainly lubricated, so, even when a product is used for added lubrication, tears in and across the anus are probably to occur. Broken pores and skin offer viruses clean get right of entry to the body.

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MASTER YOUR SAMSUNG GALAXY S8 WITH THESE TIPS AND TRICKS

Samsung’s Galaxy S8 is built eventually right here, and it’s a looker. The South Korean-built-illness enterprise integrated’s phone packs a fantastic aspect-to-part curved screen, a beefed-up the front-go built integrated a digital camera,  processor, and a new digital assistant powered by us built integrated artificial built-intelligence. But like many devices built-in the Galaxy S8’s quality, no longer each feature is simple to use — or integrated.

Thankfully, we’ve spent sufficient time with the Galaxy S8 to get a take care of on someone of the best its maximum useful features. right here’s what you need to know.

Greater: Display your Galaxy S8 you care with this built integrated built integrated cases

S8 built-in for Bixby, S-Health, and emojis How to use Bixby

Bixby, Samsung’s new AI-powered assistant, is a faucet away from each screen. The Galaxy S8 has a committed Bixby button as a way to eventually cause moves like send integrated an image to a friend and cast integrated a video to a clever Television. For now, though, it pulls up Bixby Domestic, Samsung’s tackle a Google Now-fashion anticipatory assistant.

Bixby Home consists of integrated built-in highlight integrated the weather forecast, break integrated built-information integrated, and Greater. But it’s More than simply an organizer. Domestic learns your preferences and conduct over time — built-in case you integrated generally name a loved one after work, built-instance, it’ll serve up contact integrated at an appropriate time every day.

There’s Greater to Bixby than Domestic

Built-in “Hey Bixby” pulls up Bixby Voice, a Siri-like voice assistant that offers restaurant integrated suggestions, dictates textual content messages, controls Samsung’s Related built-in the most effective clever Home merchandise, and Extra. Bixby built-native and prescient integrated, but every other built-in one of the best the overarch built-in AI, recognizes items and textual content built-in images and directs you to applicable built-an integrated built-links integrated.

Whether you feel built-in below the climate or due for a bodily, the Galaxy S8’s  Fitness app has you built-in. Thanks to deep built integration with WebMD and Amwell, you can browse signs and symptoms and drugs, located integrated close by pharmacies, time table built-internet integrated go to with a doctor, and reserve a video appoint grated Ment with a certified medical doctor. The brand new S Health app is capable of More. It may store built integrated built-ing upcomintegratedg appointegratedtments like signs and symptoms, photographs, prescriptions, and integrated built-information, and it offers short get admission to emergency built-rings integrated.

Beating Cherry Master Slot Machines – Beating Slot Machines Takes Knowledge But is Possible

Cherry master machines and fruit bonus machines are a line of back room slot machines which are usually performed in lower back room locations. They’re a model of a slot system however not nearly as intricate as an online casino style slot system. To beat cherry masters is as clean as choosing the proper gadget for the right device. Some cherry master machines are not beatable so ensure the gadget you discover is on the list. I had a pal that did this and may say that I did see this work in man or woman. It was difficult to trust however very real.

To figure out the kind of cherry machine you are handling you want to comply with those recommendations.

Sit again and watch the screens the game is going via even as it isn’t always being performed. Decide the employer that makes the device. While the game display screen flashes, you may see the call within the higher left corner. It is either a “Dyna” or a “Recreation”. these are separate organization’s and make the maximum of all cherry masters.

Then watch because the unique monitors display. The title screen will show the name of this system and now and again the maker. the sports display screen will display you what program it uses. You need to have a look at sure aspects of that display to Determine the way to play that specific gadget.Also, this screen will commonly inform you how excessive the Cherry and Bell Bonus pass. you could typically inform whether or not or now not the cherries go to 12, 9, 6 or three, and Additionally whether the bills pass 7, three or 2. The first-class ones To beat are those that cherry’s move to a few and bells visit 2.these will take less time to play and much less cash To overcome.

Patent Application and Debut of Samsung’s Flexible Smartphone

In early 2017, we will expect Samsung Electronics Co. To launch the primary foldable telephone models within the market. Over the last few months, the company has been gaining buzz for his or her flexible digital tool concept. And just currently, a copy surfaced on the internet in their utility for a patent filed on the twentieth of April this yr with the Korean Highbrow Assets Office. The corporation additionally filed for an application patent with the USA Patent and Trademark Workplace closing November. The application with ebook variety US 2016-0187994 A1 is now pending approval.

The device uses natural LED technology for its bendy show. At the same time as using OLED is nothing new with Samsung, having used it in all their flagship devices, the most up-to-date version is set to be the first commercially to be had the bendable phone.

Before the release of this concept, Samsung released its Galaxy Observe 7.

The general public generally received it in a wonderful mild until devices commenced catching fire and shortly exploded once they had been charged. Court cases observed whilst unit after unit began blowing up. Then an inevitable and pretty negative PR incident passed off, and Samsung needed to undergo a recollect system with a superb anticipated cost of billion dollars. Samsung then had no choice, however, to stop the sale of Galaxy Word 7, dropping around 5 billion greenbacks up front plus an evaluated ninety-five percent of the yr’s operating earnings.

And so, with the current setbacks Samsung faced, the combination of OLED tech with a design that allows users to fold their telephones might just give Samsung the threshold they want to enhance their sales, reacquire what they lost, and rebuild their corporate reputation.

How the bendy digital tool works

As offered in the patent utility, the version can have an 8-inch screen while unfurled and whilst used as a handset, will lessen right into a 5-inch show. For the 2 monitors to paintings in an unmarried smartphone, the patented snapshots confirmed a hinge in particular designed to maintain the smartphone upright and help maintain it flawlessly healthy in a single’s pocket whilst folded.

Even though different information continues to be undisclosed till now, people are conscious that many elements of an ordinary, unbendable smartphone will feature in another way. Apart from developing a functional and bendy show, the minds in the back of this revolutionary machine will need to think of a manner to install a battery that now not best remains intact without overheating, however, will also work properly whether the device is folded or no longer.

In evaluation with Microsoft Surface Book

The cellphone’s axis is just like the flexible hinge of Microsoft’s Surface Ebook, something which the agency patented last 12 months. Samsung’s hinge is also similar to Microsoft’s multi-pivot armadillo hinge that has a pending patent utility with the USPTO, publication variety US 2016-0132075 A1. And Whilst Samsung also filed a patent request for their bendy device idea, and with Microsoft’s utility having a very last rejection status, it is nonetheless quite early to inform if there can be viable infringement cases as soon as the products hit the market of each international locations wherein the inventions may be bought.

Anal Sex: 8 Tips for Fun, Safe Play

Anal sex truly is not for everyone, but some ladies and men can not get enough. For the beginner, the practice may be a chunk intimidating, however, partners can teach themselves about the ins and outs of posterior play to make the pastime as pleasing and secure as feasible. Practicing right anal, vaginal and penile care before, at some point of and after anal sex is crucial, and the subsequent records will help couples learn how to accomplish that.

Why the At the back of?

Anal sex can be attractive to each man and women for numerous motives. Men may also want to penetrate a posterior because it’s far tighter than a vagina. They may also experience the quite taboo nature of the act, and who could blame them?

Girls may experience rear penetration for a couple motives. First, the nerve finishing around the anus are very touchy and some locate penetration stimulating. 2nd, there are touchy areas among a female’s rectum and vagina that may create pleasure when stress within the rectum is located upon them.

A few Men enjoy being penetrated inside the Behind, and not simply homosexual Guys. The prostate gland is stimulated in the course of posterior play for a person, and this can be quite exciting. Plus, his anal nerve endings are simply as touchy as hers.

Is it secure?

Anal intercourse may be secure, however unique precautions are required. This is in general because the hazard of spreading infections, each vaginal and sexually transmitted, are excessive with anal play.

The transmission charges of HIV and HPV are better for anal sex than vaginal intercourse. That’s due to the fact the anus and rectum aren’t certainly lubricated, so, even when a product is used for added lubrication, tears in and across the anus are probably to occur. Broken pores and skin offer viruses clean get right of entry to the body.