#metropolis software

[hardcore-gaming-101]

Gorky 17

Metropolis Software was perhaps the first Polish video game studio, founded in 1992 by Adrian Chmielarz and Grzegorz Miechowski, two very important figures of the Polish video game industry; Chmielarz eventually designed and directed games such as Painkiller or The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, while Miechowski co-founded 11 bit studios, who released This War of Mine and Frostpunk. Metropolis’ fourth game, Gorky 17 (1999), is perhaps their last game with a good reception; the studio produced half a dozen more games that never got great reviews, then was eventually bought then closed by compatriots CD Projekt. This horror tactical RPG was warmly received in Europe, though sales never were chart-topping; it was also released in North America as Odium, but did not make much of a splash there. The game ambled on after its initial release, getting a Macintosh port in 2002, a Linux port in 2006, and an AmigaOS port in 2015; however the Linux version distributed on Steam is incompatible with more recent flavors of Linux due to a Wine incompatibility. It is overall a very good game, one worth revisiting and a great European obscurity.

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[vivekbsworld]

Driving Efficiency: Fleet Management Software Solutions in Dubai

In the heart of the bustling metropolis of Dubai, where every minute counts and precision is paramount, efficient fleet management is crucial for businesses to stay ahead of the curve. From logistics companies navigating the city's intricate road network to construction firms overseeing a fleet of heavy machinery, the ability to monitor, track, and optimize fleet operations can make all the difference. This is where fleet management software solutions in Dubai come into play, offering innovative tools to streamline processes, enhance productivity, and drive business growth. Let's explore some of the top fleet management software solutions making waves in Dubai's dynamic business landscape.

1. Trinetra

Trinetra is a leading provider of fleet management software solutions, offering a comprehensive suite of tools to help businesses optimize their fleet operations. With features such as real-time tracking, route optimization, and driver behavior monitoring, Trinetra empowers businesses to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance customer satisfaction. Whether it's managing a fleet of delivery vehicles or a construction fleet, Trinetra's customizable solutions cater to a wide range of industries and business needs.

2. Chekhra Business Solutions

Chekhra Business Solutions specializes in fleet management software tailored to the unique requirements of businesses in Dubai and the wider UAE. Their user-friendly platform offers advanced features such as GPS tracking, fuel management, and maintenance scheduling, allowing businesses to gain real-time insights into their fleet operations. With a focus on innovation and customer satisfaction, Chekhra Business Solutions is committed to helping businesses maximize their productivity and profitability.

3. Carmine

Carmine is a cloud-based fleet management software solution designed to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes in Dubai. With features such as vehicle tracking, driver management, and compliance monitoring, Carmine helps businesses streamline their operations and ensure regulatory compliance. Its intuitive interface and customizable reporting tools make it easy for businesses to track their fleet performance and make data-driven decisions to optimize efficiency and reduce costs.

4. Fleet Complete

Fleet Complete is a global leader in fleet management software solutions, with a strong presence in Dubai and the UAE. Their comprehensive platform offers a wide range of features, including GPS tracking, route optimization, and asset management, enabling businesses to maximize the efficiency of their fleet operations. With real-time visibility into vehicle location, status, and performance, Fleet Complete empowers businesses to improve productivity, reduce fuel consumption, and enhance customer service.

5. GPSit

GPSit is a trusted provider of fleet management software solutions, offering cutting-edge technology to businesses across Dubai and the UAE. Their platform provides real-time tracking, route optimization, and driver behavior monitoring, helping businesses optimize their fleet operations and improve overall efficiency. With a focus on reliability, scalability, and customer support, GPSit is committed to helping businesses achieve their fleet management goals and drive success in a competitive marketplace.

Conclusion

In the fast-paced business environment of Dubai, where efficiency and productivity are paramount, the adoption of fleet management software solutions is essential for businesses to stay competitive and thrive. Whether it's optimizing routes, improving fuel efficiency, or ensuring regulatory compliance, these software solutions offer a comprehensive suite of tools to help businesses streamline their operations and drive growth. By harnessing the power of technology and innovation, businesses in Dubai can unlock new opportunities for success and maintain their position as leaders in their respective industries.

[britishchick09]

i'm watching this movie for my film class and it's so cool!!! :D

[xxmrs-waynexx]

Gloss & Glasses: Chapter One (940 words)

Pairing: Clark Kent x reader

Warnings: none for this chapter

___

The people wanted to know. That’s what you told yourself as you walked through Arkham Asylum. You were being escorted by two armed guards and trying not to make eye contact with anyone in the cells. You had heard of Gotham’s crazies but you’d never come face to face with any. But the criminals around you weren’t who you were worried about. 

Last week, you paced your father’s office venting to him about how boring your magazine seemed. You were running out of shocking fashion trends and celebrity scandals to report on. So, as your heels clicked back and forth and you reapplied your lipgloss anxiously for the third time, your father sighed.

“Why don’t you try reporting on crime? And real important events?” He suggested, as he always did. Perry White was so proud when his daughter told him she was going to college for journalism. However, after she graduated, and showed no interest in newspapers, crime, or anything of the sort, he was very disappointed.

“What billionaires are up to is important. The people wanna know. And besides-” you were cut off by one of your dad’s reporters.

He poked his head in, “Harley Quinn’s been arrested again. Sent to Arkham.”

“Bill, if you have to say again in a tone like that, do you really think it’s news?” Perry looked at him, unamused.

Bill said nothing, simply nodded, and stepped out again. 

“What were you saying?” your dad brought his attention back to you.

“I just had an idea…”

—

So, here you were, sitting across the glass from the infamous Harley Quinn. She sat criss-cross on the ground on her side of the glass and smiled eerily at you.

“I love all the pink,” she told you, motioning to your outfit. You could most commonly be seen wearing pink and/or preppy clothes. Though your father worked for everything your family had, you very much dressed in the old money style mixed with a bit of Mean Girls. You’ve even been compared to Elle Woods. 

You smiled back at her, though yours was much less ‘I’m-going-to-kill-you’ and more genuine. “Thank you. Mind if I record?” You showed her your audio recorder. 

Harley tightened her pigtails one by one and grinned, “Go for it, kiddo. I gotta say… No one’s ever come here to ask me about my style before.”

As you hit record, you chuckled, “Yeah, and I think that is so unfair. I mean, come on, you even made your jumpsuit look cute. You’ve got to be one of the top three best-dressed criminals.”

—

After an hour of chatting, the interview turned into a casual conversation. You’d actually gotten to know Harley Quinn and the evolution of her costumes pretty well. And after another hour, you were ready to write up a whole two-pager all about her and her style. 

“Thank you so much for the interview. I promise I’ll get you a copy- I’m allowed to do that, right?” you stood, looking back at one of the guards who had escorted you. He gave a simple nod and that was enough.

“Ah! I’m so excited! Thank you for the girl talk. It’s been too long since anyone tried to talk to me like a person,” Harley also stood, walking backward to sit on her bed.

—

The day you returned to Metropolis was a Sunday. You silently cursed yourself for telling your dad you’d be in the office Monday. Though you didn’t work for him, he did let you take up office space at the Daily Planet and use his software (as well as your own, of course) all for free. 

Out of habit, before bed, you looked out your window to see if you could catch a glimpse of Superman. He was a new hero in Metropolis and you, along with most cityfolk, were very eager to see what he could do. 

With no sign of him this time around, you decided to start up your skincare. The routine you had was incredible. You knew you had an addiction to buying creams, face masks, and new things to keep yourself looking good, but who cared? Your skin was clear, and your heart was happy.

As soon as you put on the same mask you usually wear to bed, you heard car alarms down below your apartment. Rushing to grab your camera, you raced to your back porch and looked down. You fumbled with the camera, trying your best to capture what you could see. Of course it would fall ten stories down.

“No!” You tried to grab it but it was just out of your reach.

Then, the exact thing you were trying to photograph flew your camera up to you. “Drop something, miss?” he had a kind and very handsome voice. It was deep and confident.

“Suh- Suh- Suh-” You slowly took your camera from his hand while he hovered just above the ground.

“Hi, I’m Superman.”

—

The next day, you rushed into work eager to tell your father who you met. But when you walked into (more barged into) his office, he had a young man with glasses sitting at the desk.

“Oh, Clark, this is (Y/N), my daughter. Her office is that obnoxiously decorated one next door. (Y/N), this is Clark, my newest reporter.”

As the two of you were introduced, you couldn’t help but feel he seemed familiar to you somehow.

He politely waved at you with an awkward and shy smile, “Hi, there. Good to meet you.” His voice had a sweetness to it, and a midwestern accent. However, he looked at you like he already knew you.

[delta-orionis]

I made a region map for Three Stars Above Clouds’ interior! It's loosely based on both Five Pebbles and Looks to the Moon's region maps. (Note: I’m not a level designer, I have no idea if this would actually play well as a region, but I tried to connect the rooms in ways that made logical sense.)

Explanations/Notes about the different Subregions under the cut.

Subregions:

Memory Conflux: Self explanatory. Equivalent to the Memory Conflux rooms in Five Pebbles and Looks to the Moon. I made a mockup of what TSAC’s Memory Conflux rooms look like here.

Cognitive Nexus: TSAC’s equivalent of the General Systems Bus/Neural Terminus. I posted TSAC’s Cognitive Nexus and puppet chamber in a video here. (The music that plays in this subregion would sound similar to Energy as Matter by Software.)

Sequential Processing Syzygy: TSAC’s equivalent to the Recursive Transform Array/Abstract Convergence Manifold. (Syzygy: the linear alignment of three or more celestial bodies.)

Data Archives: Technically part of TSAC’s Memory Conflux, but this is where they store their pearls. The rooms feature boxes that have inaccessible pearls floating inside. The rooms are also very dark, and bolts of green electricity arc across the walls. (My logic here is that, in order to keep the pearls from fading, they need to be kept out of the light and continuously electrically stimulated.) The player would have to pay attention to the rhythm of the bolts and time their jumps right.

The Data Archives are in roughly the same position as Unfortunate Development in Five Pebbles, and serves a similar gameplay purpose: a high-risk-high-reward shortcut that gets you to the Cognitive Nexus much faster than going through the Sequential Processing Syzygy. There's an accessible colored pearl in one of the rooms that can be brought to TSAC's chamber to be read.

Intake Ducts: A one-way entrance connected directly to the Pump Station located in one of TSAC’s reservoirs. This is one of the pipes running through TSAC’s legs that supplies TSAC with water- the player is pushed upward by a very strong current into TSAC’s can (similar to Facility Roots - Western Intake in Outer Expanse and the connecting pipe in Outskirts).

This is another shortcut that lets the player bypass TSAC’s equivalent of The Leg and Underhang entirely. The path to the preceding karma gate is treacherous and requires very precise swimming, similar to the way Submerged Superstructure functions for all slugcats except Rivulet.

Connecting Regions:

Pump Station: Connected to one of TSAC’s reservoirs. This is a network of partially submerged pipes and tunnels, similar to Drainage System and Pipeyard’s Sump Tunnel. The player can enter one of the pumps to be pushed directly into TSAC’s can, provided they don’t drown.

Zenith: TSAC’s city, equivalent to Metropolis or Luna. Home to several tall observatory spires. (Zenith: the highest point on the celestial sphere.)

The Roost: TSAC’s equivalent of The Wall. Features a high volume of vultures and vulture grubs. TSAC’s roof is a mess of sticks and shrapnel, which the vultures use to make their nests.

Nadir: TSAC’s equivalent of Underhang. Connects to one of TSAC’s legs, which is attached to the nearby cliffside by a series of bridges and supports. (Nadir: the lowest point on the celestial sphere.)

[composerinprogress]

Software I use:

Dorico Pro 5

Logic Pro

Berlin Series Libraries

Metropolis Ark Libraries

[sl-walker]

Preview--

--from the next (yet unposted) chapter of Stardust.

--

The fog was creeping when he left the party from the back service entrance; it was heavy enough and wet enough to feel it against his face, and if it had been much thicker, it would have been rain.  But the air had cooled some, and after the close heat of the crowd, Booster would still have been glad to get back outside even if it had been raining; he’d arrived in the rain, leaving in it wouldn’t have bothered him any.

It had been a stormy day, grumbling thunder and varying intensities of rain, and he’d spent a fair bit of that with his balcony doors open to let the breeze and sound through as he moved around cleaning and making food and running up and down the stairs to the basement to do laundry.  It had made him wish that he hadn’t booked a party; he would have happily stayed home surfing the ‘net or gaming with the crew or even napping.

But Booster hadn’t had to book all that many parties the past few months, as modeling work had picked up, so it wasn’t going to kill him to go out for this one.  The late spring and early summer had been an especially good time, work-wise; plenty of people wanted a tall, tanned blond guy with a good build, be it for sportswear or swimwear or the occasional summer suit.  A fair number of those shoots were body-focused, too, which he definitely preferred; Booster knew he had a good face for this kind of work, and he’d been courted hard recently by people who wanted someone with his kind of face, but he also didn’t want to put too much of himself out there sans costume.

Beyond the facial recognition software that was only going to get more accurate with time, he made it into the news regularly enough in his heroic persona these days that it wouldn’t take a genius to draw the lines there.  Even just the coverage of GoFest had spread pretty far, and he’d been very face-forward there.

Whereas at least when he was modeling clothes, the focus was more on the clothes than on him, and since he almost always had sunglasses on--

He’d been switching over to more fall-themed work lately, despite the heat, and therefore wasn’t quite as in demand -- apparently he looked more summer-y -- but he was still working decently steadily and trying to build up a buffer to help with winter, which would make everything harder.  He’d spent enough last month in Chicago that he couldn’t exactly afford to turn down any money-making opportunities at this point.

Even then, he hadn’t had to work a club in months; oddly, though, he sometimes felt at a loss without that routine.  Even if it had been hard on both body and mind, it was at least something he could time his days around; now, working out of an agency, he went wherever he was told.  And often enough it was in New York, despite the agency being based in Metropolis, but sometimes it meant traveling further, and in no case was it anything like routine.

It made a mess of his sense of time; without that six-day-a-week obligation, he had to regularly look at his phone when he needed to know the date for something, and he often mixed up which day of the week it was supposed to be.

Still, it really was nice to make a living doing something other than stripping.  Stripping was honest work -- painfully, brutally honest sometimes -- but it had also been genuinely exhausting.  He liked the freedom of being able to go out and fight crime, or spend a weekend with Ted, and having nowhere he had to be unless he was properly booked to be there.  And the travel benefits had been amazing; Gladys didn’t play around with comp, so he was able to live a higher lifestyle while out on a shoot than he’d ever be able to afford on his own.

It all boiled down to essentially the same thing:  If he wanted to be in the spotlight while he was in costume, then he’d do better to minimize his time there when he was out of it.  And that did mean turning down some offers for modeling work, which meant he was still working parties here or there to supplement his on-the-books job and the relatively small royalty checks he was getting for those lunch boxes.

That was why he was in that alley, in the wee hours of morning, in the fog: he’d just spent a number of hours entertaining at a bachelorette party, right down to jumping out of an oversized cake like some kinda stereotype.  He had a nice payout for it, though, and all of it in cash, so he didn’t have any intention of claiming it to the government.

Now, he was going to see about getting a cab; with Ted coming over the following day, Booster wanted to be up reasonably early, which meant not dawdling on the way home.

But movement ahead of him had him pull up short, shadows through the orange and black haze; Booster frowned and squinted, instinctively rubbing the inner band of his flight ring with his thumb, checking that he was wearing it.

Even at these hours, he didn’t like flying in his civilian clothes; New York got drowsy, but she didn’t exactly sleep, and there were cameras everywhere.  But he knew there were definitely times when a tactical retreat was necessary regardless of wardrobe, and when those shadows resolved into the shapes of humans, he realized quickly that this was one of those times.

He just didn’t realize it quickly enough.

[satoshi-mochida]

Pixel art side-scrolling action game Nitro Express announced for PC - Gematsu

Publisher PLAYISM and Orangeblood developer Grayfax Software have announced pixel art side-scrolling action game Nitro Express for PC (Steam). It will launch in 2025.

Here is an overview of the game, via its Steam page:

■ Mysterious T.O.K.Y.O.

Welcome to Nitro City, Tokyo Special Administrative Region! The metropolis of Tokyo is a bit different from what we know, but the streets are just as nostalgic, or, depending on where you’re from, they’re just as good as the place you’ve always wanted to visit.

■ About the Game

Companions / Atypical Vehicles

Autonomous drones, affectionately called “Companions”, have been integrated into daily life, but in cop terms, they’re referred to as “Atypical Vehicles”. When they pose a significant threat to society, it’s time for the Atypical Vehicle Disposal Squad (AVDS)—a special unit of the Nitro City police force—to commence their mission to destroy all rogue vehicles!

Shoot ‘Em Up!

Good news: you can bring as much ammo as you want… and that includes grenades! After just a little bit of cooldown, the lightning bolt of destruction will return to your hands. Ah, how wonderful! Just like magic!

Gadgets and Gizmos

Tired of traditional grenades? Why not try out the EMP, damage-dealing radio-controlled drones, auto-firing turrets, flamethrowers, anti-tank missiles, and more? There’s sure to be at least one out of the 12 different cool gadgets that’ll catch your eye.

Understand Your Guns

By assuming a more stable shooting position, your bullets will hit targets more accurately and deal more damage. You can shoot some guns like SMGs while walking without caring about that, since they’re for close-range anyway, but the bigger the gun, the more it’s affected by your positioning. Stand still and aim carefully to use them properly.

Large Armored Targets

Oh no! We’re under attack by tanks and helicopters! Whatever can we do~?! Rifles and SMGs don’t do much to armored targets. You could totally stick with them and show them your perseverance, but you could hit them harder where it hurts with more powerful firearms and gadgets.

Radio Comms

Story dialogue in stages are all contained in the police radio comms, which can be accessed at any time and are completely optional. Which means you can ignore them completely if you want. Great for multiple playthroughs, or for people who think the story sections of video games are basically the same as the instruction manual of an electric toothbrush.

Watch the announcement trailer below. View the first screenshots at the gallery.

Announce Trailer

[ali-annals]

it was all by design ('cause i'm a mastermind)

Pairing: Jason Todd x Marinette Dupain-Cheng

Rating: G | Masterlist | Main Masterlist | Ao3 | WC: 2.3k | TW: -

A/N: This is part of a series called The Eras Tour (Jasonette’s Version), a collection of Jasonette-centric fics I wrote for the Maribat discord server Maribat? Get In!’s 2024 Civil War event. Not beta’d.

Marinette schemes her way into becoming Jason Todd's girlfriend. He loves her more for it.

The crisp October breeze caressed the curls around the girl’s head, softly brushing them across her face with a cool kiss. She tucked them behind her ear, pinning them out of her eyes so she could better appreciate the night sky sparkling with diamond-like stars. 

The fresh air of the balcony was a paradise to Marinette, who had been in the stifling ballroom of Wayne Manor far too long. It was full of people, socialites from Gotham and celebrities from New York all wanting to schmooze with the Waynes and other more-influential-than-they 1-percenters.

The noise of the live music and clinking of crystal and boisterous conversation eventually drove Marinette to the relative peace of the muted balcony.

She gave one last lingering look at the stars before patting her hair and dress down, drawing in a deep breath as she put her hand on the knob of the balcony door.

The noise that had been muffled on the balcony was a shock to her ears and she immediately began making her plans to escape ASAP. She’d talked to everyone she wanted and needed to, had thanked her host and his butler, and had eaten her fill in appetizers. All her evening’s boxes had been checked.

Sliding into the shadows of the edges of the room, she began making her way to the grand doors of the exit all the way across the room when her vigilant gaze caught on someone.

He was in conversation with a small group of young men around his age, at the side of the room, his face shadowed. She could only make out his profile, but what she saw made her pause in her escape, trailing her eyes down his body. He wore a red dress shirt under a tailored black suit, the first two buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up neatly to his elbows. She appreciated people who rolled their sleeves instead of just shoving the fabric up, especially on knits.

He laughed at something the redhead said, bringing his glass up to his mouth with a grin. Even from across the room, his laugh sent shivers through her; it was nice and warm, something she heard, focused as she was on his person.

His gaze turned slightly and met hers, then flicked back to his conversation partners.

A tiny bit piqued that he hadn’t even taken a second to appreciate how well her dress fit–which was her talking point for the night and something she was immensely proud of–she reminded herself that he may have a girlfriend or wife or boyfriend for all she knew.

With one last glance at him, memorizing his features in case she came across him at a future event, she continued on her path to the door. 

She had some research to do, and it was better done in the comfort of her fuzzy jammies and a glass of wine than on her phone in the shadows of a billionaire’s ballroom.

~~~

A night of research later, Marinette had filled a page of her notebook with what she knew about her new target, formatted as her usual client information sheet. The next three pages were filled with half-drawn-up plans and scribbled over strategies to get to know him better.

Name: Jason Todd

Age: 28

Birthday: 16/08/1996

Primary Residence: Gotham, NJ

Features: Black hair [white forelock]; light eyes [specifics?]; tan skin, warm undertone; 1.83 m/6’0”; trapezoidal body type; warm undertones & colours best suited to skin tone.

Contact Information: -

Social Circles: Martha Wayne Foundation 20th Annual Fundraising Gala…

Relation(s): Wayne Family of Gotham; Head Family of Metropolis.

Marinette loaded her photo software. She often sent her assistant to the events when possible if she was unable to attend, having her assistant photograph the event so she could later analyze the fashions. The camera focus was on the clothing, not the faces, but she still scanned through her files in case Jason had been caught in the background somewhere.

The results surprised her. He’d appeared more often than she expected, though always in the shadows or on the sideline, and only at events that were either Wayne-business related or were for fundraising or charity. Any simply-social events showed not a trace of him.

She opened her carefully colour-blocked and organized planner. How many events had she been invited to that she’d not yet RSVP’d?

~~~

The gala was in full swing by the time Marinette arrived, having rushed to it after finishing her commission at the last minute. It was a fundraising gala in New York for the branch of the Martha Wayne Foundation’s Family Founders mission there, and she hoped that she’d calculated correctly that Jason would be there.

The little research she’d been able to dig up on him had made it clear that he was very much the black sheep and wild child of the Wayne family, with no one ever entirely sure if and when he’d show up in places.

She was dying from curiosity about what he could be doing in between public appearances.  Whatever it was, she knew it would be fascinating.

She skimmed a glass of champagne off a passing waiter’s tray and headed deeper into the crowd, approaching Chloe. If she was in the middle of the room with her old friend, she could scour all the corners at once to see if her prey had arrived.

“Marinette, you look gorgeous!”

“Thanks, so do you,” grinned Mari, taking in the shimmering green dress she’d made for her friend. “Have you been here long?”

“Only since the start of the party,” Chloe rolled her eyes. “Perks of being the head coordinator–you get to be there hours before and after the party happens.”

“Head coordinator?” Marinette looked at her friend in shock. “You didn’t tell me you got promoted!”

“I had to tell you in person, didn’t I?” asked Chloe, gesturing to her sparkling presence as if to say, “Look at me”. “Tina retired, so I was promoted last week. It’s a good thing I was already working so hard on this event, so I was prepared for everything.”

“Lucky you,” said Marinette, giggling a little at the inside joke. 

Chloe rolled her eyes fondly. “Are you ever going to get over making those stupid puns?”

“Not as long as you keep reacting so humorously to them,” she replied, turning a little to scan the room.

“Looking for someone?” asked Chloe, catching her wandering gaze.

“Just…can you see who RSVP’d?”

“Yes…”

“Do you know if Jason Todd said he’d be here tonight?”

Chloe looked at her admiringly, whistling lowly under her breath. “Dang, girl, you’ve got taste! I believe the Waynes simply RSVP’d for four. I don’t know who.”

Marinette wasn’t expecting it to be easy, but when had she ever liked easy? She’d been a magical superhero while she was still in lycee, for kwami’s sake! The thrill of the chase was something she relished, planning out her moves and organizing her target’s schedule and pickpocketing phones to delete texts-

-okay, when she puts it that way, she sounds a little unhinged and obsessive and stalkery, but she really wasn’t that bad! If they didn’t like it, she backed off and respected their ‘no’, and she (usually) only got her information from publicly available sources that didn’t even realize the help they’d given her. 

She just didn’t know how to initiate anything by any other way, having grown up scheming her way into friendships and relationships as easily as she breathed. A cleverly-worded plea here, a subtle cue she’d Pavlov’d into a friend there, and she was golden. Her lucky targets never even knew they’d just been played.

It had been so easy to out Lila, the little wannabe-manipulator. She couldn’t even research a believable untruth, or wait until her ‘friends’ had been lulled into trusting her fully before she overplayed her hand too fast, too much, too soon. It was always better to use little by little–it was more believable if they didn’t realise you’d been doing it for ages, like that frog-cooking analogy.

Marinette sighed faux-sadly into her champagne as she thought of her ex-classmate, whom she hadn’t seen or heard of in almost a decade. Knowing people was definitely the key to life.

Chloe nudged her arm. “The Waynes have arrived for their appearance. I think I see Todd among them.”

Marinette hummed an acknowledgement and drained her champagne, feeling like the bubbles were flowing through her blood as the thrill of the game began anew. Time to go on the hunt.

~~~

Jason Todd was indeed among the Wayne party of four, looking particularly edible in a well-fitted black suit layered over a black shirt. Marinette preferred to add colour and pattern to men’s suits when she could–why were they all so boring; that’s why she liked Jagged so much–but she had to admit the black-on-black really worked for Jason, upping the mysterious aura about him.

Making her way slowly through casual greeting, Marinette eventually arrived at a small circle of socialites chatting just beside Bruce Wayne, Jason Todd, Timothy Drake, and Cassandra Cain, who were mingling with donors.

Bruce glanced over just as Marinette brushed her long hair over her shoulder, leaning in to hear a socialite’s joke. Her laugh was interrupted by her name being called.

“Marinette! I thought that was you! Looking stunning tonight, although you always are, what with having a personal connection to designers, eh?” winked Brucie. 

“Bruce! Lovely to see you again. I see you’ve been cheating on me with Audrey,” she looked his suit up and down.

“When in Rome?” he laughed nervously. “Or I guess, New York. Oh! My children! You must meet them!” Collaring his three children attempting to make a stealthy escape, he introduced her to the man she wanted to meet. “Mari, these are my second- and third-oldest sons, Jason Todd-Wayne and Timothy Drake-Wayne, and my daughter, Cassandra Cain-Wayne. Kids, this is Marinette; she’s the designer that made me that suit I love–the one from that Times photoshoot the other year?”

“It’s nice to meet you all.” She shook their hands, letting her fingers rest a little longer on Jason’s than the others. “Your dad is one of my favourite customers.”

“Why’s that?” Timothy tilted his head like a bird.

“He lets me use the fun designs I’m dying to try–all the colourful or ‘different’ ideas. His suits aren’t just a suit off-the-rack or hand-tailored, they’re a challenge and a pleasure to work on.”

“So you don’t like a plain black suit then?” Jason raised his eyebrow, a small smile on the edges of his lips.

“I didn’t say that,” she assured him hastily over his siblings’ snickers. “You pull it off very well.” I’d like to pull it off you, she thought. “Not everyone can wear black-on-black without looking like they’ve still not left their emo stage.”

Several glances were exchanged among the family. 

“Did you have an emo stage?” wondered Bruce. “I wonder what a fashion designer’s emo phase would look like.”

Marinette shivered. “We don’t talk about Emonette in my atelier. Anyways, it’s lovely to meet you all. Please ask your dad for my information if you’d like to step out of your shadowy comfort zone,” she winked playfully at Jason. “Well, I see Audrey waving me over, and now I have a bone to pick with her, Bruce. Ciao!”

With a wave, she left them, taking great pleasure in the feeling of eyes on her as she went.

~~~

“Marinette, why are you still up?”

She looked up from the embroidery she’d occupied her hands with while she waited for Jason to get home. “I decided there’s something you need to know.”

“Okay…” He settled onto the sofa beside her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her into his side. “What’s up, Pixie?”

“It’s about the start of our relationship…”

“Okay?”

“The whole thing was a ruse. I saw you at a party and you intrigued me, so I stalked you and planned out everything, every time we met at parties after that, what we talked about, even when you approached me it was because I’d planned for you to. I don’t know how to actually express interest in a normal, non-stalkery way. It’s only because I’ve planned it out and prepared for it that I act like I do. I manipulated you into liking me and being my boyfriend, but I can’t live with this secret anymore.”

Jason was silent for a few minutes, breathing deeply. Marinette didn’t dare to look at him, too nervous to find out if it was because he was trying to keep his temper in check.

“Mari, look at me.”

She glanced up, catching a smirk on his lips. She took a second, longer look. 

“Why are you smiling?”

“Mari, my innocent Pixie, I know.”

“What?”

“You know I do vigilante work, and I appreciate you waiting for me to tell you about it. Well, I’m the Red Hood. I was trained by Batman and the League of Assassins. My adoptive mother is the master manipulator of the League, and she taught me how to use it and recognize it. I’ve known from the first glance we shared at that party.

“You are absolutely a clever manipulator, Pix, and that’s honestly one of the things I like most about you, maybe because it’s familiar. You may have laid the groundwork for the beginning of our relationship, but you didn’t manipulate me into loving you. Know how I know? Because I love even the things you don’t, even your flaws, things you wouldn’t show me in case it ended your ruse. Well, that won’t work, because I’ve seen them and I love them and I love you, anyways. Good luck getting away from me, my Machiavellian mastermind.”

[supercupcakecollector-love]

one thing that I don't  understand about the Witcher fandom is their apparent dismissal or even hatred of the original author, Andrzej Sapkowski, painting him as a grumpy old miser who doesn't care about his work at all 

Usually, whenever there is a fandom that was originally book based the fanbase is very positive toward the author and what they have to say ( provided they are not bigots spreading a hateful message like  Orson Scott Card or  J. K. Rowling)  

im going over a couple of reasons why I think this has happened and debunking them, 

 this isn't really related to the controversy  but I think these two statements likely went against the rhetoric that some fans were spreading    

Creators of adaptations of literature works for other media have the right to be sovereign creators, with unrestricted right to creative freedom. However in the particular case of this adaptation, their ideas can be different than mine. And even when some of their ideas are different than mine, so what? My books are not the Bible.

That ‘slavicness’ is rather something akin to a myth, by which my works were overgrown – and I myself too. The label of the ‘Slav’ was given to me and it stayed like that. Why? That Geralt sounds more Slavic than Conan? That I worked something Slavic-alike into onomastics? My first stories strictly adhered to the canon of fantasy – I’m thinking about the world’s canon here. Well, then the translations came and the world’s fantasy industry had to accept a Pole in whose works every smarter readers could spot some ‘Polish’ or ‘Slavic’ [phrases].”

which likely rubbed the “we say accuracy and wanting it to stay “slavic”  but we really mean a  white supremacist dog whistle’  gamer bro crowd the wrong way 

He never criticized the games, he said that he had no opinion because he had not played them and would not because he just isn't a gamer  (so Idk how you expect him to praise something he won't play) but that he was sure that they were great. What he complained about was his editors, who used game art on his book covers against his wishes. People took it out of context and started to demonize him, probably due to the fact that the article was most likely poorly translated from Polish into English  

 But probably the thing that he gets the most criticism for is the “Lawsuit” against  CD Projekt Red, there's a lot of misinformation about that “lawsuit” as well. 

 First of all he never directly sold the rights to CDPR, he sold them to a small company with about 20 employees called  Metropolis Software all the way back in 1997, before the book series was even finished, which would later be bought by CDPR,  the pc gaming industry was not the multi-billion dollar industry it is now much less in Poland at the time.  it is absolutely absurd to think he could have predicted how successful the franchise became in the 2010s, its like criticizing someone for not buying Apple stock in the early 80s

  He also never sued anyone, his lawyers just sent a letter requiring more money based on a Polish law source explaining the law (presumably to treat his son's cancer, who died this year) that got blown out of proportion (Sapkowski himself said so), and they resolved it out of court.  CD Projekt Red' and him are on good terms now so there is no reason to bring up old conflict  

[masllp]

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[hyperscribbles]

OH WOW, WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT?? I DREW A CHARACTER THAT I MADE UP AGES AGO FOR ONCE! Nilla came to my Mind yet again ! (with her family name changed from Neon to Nimble : P )

For those out of the loop, Nilla is a young spunky and kindhearted girl of an undefined species living in Pantera City with her Grandpa , Helping him run his bakery, Delivering orders all throughout the bustling metropolis . Much like her name suggests, Nilla Is quite nimble, and often likes to try and best her own delivery time ! one such delivery would end up giving her a chance at an adventure alongside a group called "The Cyber Slippers" unexpectedly becoming part of the team, setting out to fix the city's ongoing software malfunction crisis , Action, exploration, and mysteries await!!! if i ever do anything with it lol

[definitelynotthedarklord]

My idea for a Batman Animated Series.

In the first season he's that stereotypical year one Batman, dark and gritty, a boogeyman to be whispered about by cops and crooks alike, fighting mostly his more reality grounded enemies like Falcone and Black Mask as he struggles to find balance between being batman and Bruce Wayne, and in the finale we see Batman thwart some mobsters trying to break into Ace Chemicals, led by, you guessed it, Red Hood.

Then, in season 2, things get a bit crazier when characters like Riddler, Mad Hatter, Two Face, Penguin and Catwoman make the scene, but none of them come close to the insanity that is The Joker in the finale.

Then season 3 comes around and we begin to expand on Batman's character and the universe around him, bringing in actual supervillains like Mr Freeze, Man Bat, Poison Ivy, Scarecrow and others, while also bringing in Dick Grayson, who Batman meets as Dick's looking for the man who killed his parents, Batman sees part of himself in Dick and takes him in, and offers to teach him how to be like Batman so he can bring his parent's killer to justice, but over the course of Dick's training it becomes clear Dick is not Batman, hes loud when he should be stealthy, makes jokes in serious situations and takes unnecessary risks because of his overconfidence in his abilities, but after a a fight with Mr. Freeze where he almost dies to protect his wife, Bruce starts to wonder if its better if Dick isn't like him, if he could be a better hero than Batman, and thus Robin is born. It would also be the season we start introducing other heroes, like after fighting Maxie Zeus, Batman has a brief and combative encounter with Wonder Woman, and in another episode stops his long lost friend, Oliver Queen, from killing the man who tried to kill him, and in stead brought him to justice, inspiring him to become a hero like Bruce (he'd get the idea of being green from getting green paint spilled on him and a news photographer getting a picture of "The Dark Knight and The Evergreen Archer.") And another episode where Lex Luthor approaches Bruce about buying some tech, but Bruce shoots him down, knowing all too well Lex would use the tech for evil, but the tech gets stolen so Batman travels to Metropolis and meets Superman, and despite neither trusting or even liking the other, they manage to stop Luthor's evil plot, and it would of course have a scene where Superman x rays Batman's mask and sees he's Bruce Wayne, but Bruce would hit him back by sending Clark Kent a pair of glasses with a note that says "These will help with facial recognition software." after he left.

Then season 4 starts with showing Bruce actually going to therapy, and who's his therapist? Why none other than his old friend from med school Harleen Quinzel. This is the season where we see a softer Batman, one who understand some criminals are as much victims as villains, and really steps up as Bruce Wayne, putting his money towards preventing crime rather than punching it, but not to worry there's still plenty of punching, namely against foes of Bruce and Batman alike, such as Hush, Ra's Al Ghul, and the court of owls. Also in season 4 and episode where Robin wants to hang out with other teen superheroes like Kid Flash, Speedy, Aqualad and Wonder Girl, though with Batman helicoptering to make sure they didn't get into too much trouble. This teenage outing inspires Batman to contact other heroes and form thr Justice League. We'd also introduce Batgirl in there somewhere, where after saw some goons break into a warehouse on Halloween, she put on a Batman costume to try and scare them, but the goons saw through the ruse and started shooting, and then the real Batman shows up and tell Barbara to leave it to him, but she couldn't, and using the skills she had learned from her Father, Jim Gordon, she tracked down the thieves, who had been working for Firefly, and helped the Batman take the villain down, but not before escaping a burning building. Commissioner Gordon approached the two of them, but because of the costume and soot that coated her, couldn't recognize Barbara, when asked Batman said she was part if his team. She and Dick would of course be rivals at first, but after time would become friends, and maybe something more..

Season 5, Dick leaves to become a full time Titan, though it's not because he and Bruce have a big fight, more like he feels like it's time to spread his wings and get out from Batman's shadow. Batman would also meet Jason Todd as he's stealing tires, and after taking him in would ask Dick for advise and eventually his blessing to make Jason the new Robin, Dick would agree saying he was working on a new identity anyway, because it's hard being Robin without Batman. Jason would prove more of a handful than Dick was, angrier, more rebellious.

Season 6, The Joker captures Robin and Batgirl, and after beating Robin to death with a crowbar, shoots Batgirl and leaves her to die next to Robin's body. Batman finds them and goes on a rampage, leaving criminals bloodied and more broken than he ever had in his early years, but none of it mattered in his hunt for The Joker, all the while he's questioning himself, if all the work he's done, both as Batman and Bruce, mattered if monsters like Joker existed, and when Batman finally finds The Joker, he beats him to an inch of his life, and almost finishes the job, but Gordon talks him down. And there's a beautiful funeral scene with other heroes there, but after, we see minions of Talia Al Ghul digging up the grave, and it's revealed that the whole thing was orchestrated by Ra's to try and push Bruce over the edge to get him to his way of thinking, something Ra's and Talia didn't see eye to eye on. And we also get to see Joker, in a full body cast, in Arkham, where doctors are discussing what to do with him, and they decide to call the best psychiatrist in Gotham, Harleen Quinzel.

Season 7, Bane breaks Batman's back and puts him in a coma, in Batman's absence crime goes rampant, and Nightwing comes back to Gotham to take up the mantle of Batman and with Barbara/Oracle's help, take down Bane, but they're not the only ones, Tim Drake and Stephanie Brown both try to be Robin but after a lengthy debate decide Tim can be Robin and Stephanie can be Batgirl, Kate Kane, Bruce's cousin becomes Batwoman, Luke Fox, son of Bruce Wayne's tech developer Lucius Fox, becomes Batwing, and even Azrael shows up. Dick, of course, tries to tell the others to leave Bane to him, but even dressed like Batman Dick isn't a convincing Batman, so he takes what he's learned, both from working alongside Batman and from leading the Titans, and leads newly assembled Bat Family to bring Bane down and restore order to Gotham. At which point Bruce wakes up and Dick leaves joking that "they're you're problem now." And at the end we get a little glimpse of the next Big Bad, Red Hood/Jason Todd.

Season 8, After the defeat of Bane by the Bat Family left a power vacuum in Gotham's criminal underworld, Red Hood and his gang of Outlaws take over the streets, leaving death in their wake, but the Bat Family is having trouble dealing with them because somehow the Outlaws know exactly what the Bat Family is going to do, and then it's revealed that Red Hood was Jason Todd and he's mad at Bruce, and it's very emotional, but when Jason puts a gun to Bruce's head, Bruce says he's sorry and accepts his fate, but when Jason can't pull the trigger Talia Al Ghul steps out from the shadows and reveals how she was the mastermind behind the whole thing, how she brought Jason back to life and brainwashed him into being the Red Hood, then uses a sleeper agent code phrase on Jason to make him kill Bruce, but Bruce manages to beat Jason. Talia escapes and Bruce takes Jason back to the cave to try and un brainwash him. Meanwhile Talia crawls back to her father and agrees to his plan, whatever it may be.

Season 9 Joker's back and has Harley Quinn with him, and in a moment alone woth Batman, Harley reveals how she knows Bruce is Batman, but she won't tell because "Mistah J ain't interested in the man under the bat," but it ends with Harley betraying the Joker because she realizes he doesn't love her. Afterwards we get to see Harley being put in a cell in Arkham next to Poison Ivy.

Season 10/Final Season. Ra's Al Ghul declares war on Gotham and exposes Bruce as Batman, but with the help of his family, including Jason who's no longer brainwashed and in his spare time built The Batmobile, and the help of various villains, including Catwoman who says if they survive this they should run away together, they manage to stop Ra's' plan to destroy Gotham, but not before Bruce gets stabbed in the side by a young boy who escapes with Talia as Ra's lays dying. And as the sun begins to rise, all of the Bat Family gathered wonder what happens next, now that they're secret identities have been revealed, but a voice from behind tells them not to worry, as the previously invisible figure presses a button on his wrist a wave of energy pulses over Gotham. The figure says he used some of the Mad Hatter's tech to erase the memories of the Bat Family's secret identities from everyone's mind who didn't know before. Then the figure briefly mentions he's Batman from the future and that they shouldn't worry about Damien, "after all, it's hard being evil when you're the son of Batman." which surprises everyone, "you did know he was your son, right? Uh...gotta go!" Then he disappears. Then we see them all returning to Wayne manor, Alfred sweeping up glass from a broken window, and says "Ah, I see we've survived another night, shall I get the celebratory champagne?" Jason nonchalantly replies "We met a Batman from the Future and Bruce has a son." Alfred processes the information and says "The good whiskey, then." Then as Bruce is getting his stab wound stitched he says he thinks it's time he retired as Batman, the others protest, but Bruce continues to say its just for now, how after everything that's happened he trusts his team, his family, to keep Gotham safe in his absence. Then we see later, at night as Commissioner Gordon stands next to the batsignal on the roof of the gcpd, about to light his pipe Dick, dressed as Batman says "those thing's'll kill ya, ya know." Then the two of them talk about how Batman had retired, for now, and left Gotham in Dick's hand, and Gordon contemplates retirement, and wonders what would happen to the city without him, what would happen to Barbara, to which Dick replies "I wouldn't worry about Barbara, she's made of some pretty tough stuff." Gordon agrees, but when he turns around to ask how Nightwing knows his daughter, Dick's gone and Gordon says to himself "I guess some things never change."

[darkx-the-dragon-kn1ght]

An Introduction to a New Project

Well, this is a change of pace, isn’t it?

Hello one and all! Whether you’re a previous follower of my blog, are not a follower but still actively sought out this post, or just came across it by sheer accident somehow, I welcome you to my very first screenshot Let’s Play!

What’s a screenshot Let’s Play? Well, it’s exactly what it sounds like: a Let’s Play, but done through text and (most importantly) screenshots instead of recording a video. I’ve watched Let’s Plays for as long as I can remember, even wanted to be a Let’s Player at one point- I’ve long since left behind that particular idea, since I have neither the time nor resources to record full-on YouTube videos of gameplay. Still, the idea of playing through and commentating on the experience at the same time- it’s continued to pique my interest, even to this day.

Then, just within the past week, I discovered screenshot Let’s Plays. Specifically, I found one such playthrough of the infamous Pokémon ROM hack Pokémon Snakewood (the less said the better, this isn’t about them), posted by Rainbow Chara X (which can be found here, if you’re curious about reading it yourself) on the PokéCommunity forums. The format of a Let’s Play using screenshots had me by the neck immediately- it was fascinating. I enjoyed reading it, and it was because I enjoyed reading it that I had an idea.

I may not have video recording/editing software, but I do have a Tumblr blog and enough time to take screenshots as I play a game and at least write about my experiences as if I was doing a Let’s Play. Besides- I enjoy writing, and I think I’m pretty good at it too (I mean, I did write an entire Danganronpa fan story, which anyone reading who’s interested should totally check out if given the chance, more info in this post)-

Shameless plugs aside, I have decided to do my own screenshot Let’s Play, needless to say. And what better game to start out with than with one from the same source material as the one featured in the playthrough that inspired me to do this? But this one’s no ROM hack, no- it’s a full-on fan game. None other than:

Pokémon Reborn! If you’ve never heard of this game, allow me to regale you with the game’s synopsis (as told by its very own website):

Black smog and acidic water garnish crumbling structures along the city skyline. Alleys fester with disaster and crime amidst the metropolis, a blemish over the once-vibrant region. Reborn City is ready for a hero.

Pokémon Reborn is an Emerald-styled downloadable game featuring all content through Generation 7. Experience a never-before-seen layer of strategy with the all-original Field Effects, using the terrain to outplay and overwhelm your opponent! Collect, train and battle with all 807 Pokemon available in-game and take on Gym Leaders of all 18 types as you fight to restore Reborn to prosperity!

I love Pokémon, played it ever since I was a little kid, and I’m certainly no stranger to its fan game scene- if I love something enough, I consume and/or make fan content of it (like Danganronpa). I even had plans to make a fan game of my own- which I might still do, if/when I get enough time and motivation. I’ve played Pokémon fan games before, mostly Pokémon Insurgence, and I’ve looked into Pokémon Reborn in the past, but only now have I finally decided to play it as well.

And you all, however many are perceiving this post now or in the future, get to come along for the ride! I can’t promise a regular schedule for updates, I am a college student with other responsibilities (and hyperfixations) to focus on, but I can assure anyone who’s listening that when I do update, they will be filled with some amount of comedic value.

So sit back, grab a snack and/or a drink, and follow me as we have some completely normal, totally professional, and non-scuffed adventures in Reborn City!

You don't have to wait long, either- the first part will be sent out at some point soon after this is posted, so be on the lookout for that!

FUTURE EDIT: it's over here actually

[bitter-sweet-coffee]

before my melatonin kicks in, here’s a notes app wip excerpt about my purple bisexuals below the cut! it’s not done, nor is it proofread, but i like them a lot so (: enjoy the scraps while i suffer over real world things

The swallow began fiddling with Omega's back panel, but found herself pausing every few moments due to the undesired attention she was getting. Her client didn't seem to be aware of how obnoxious his staring was, so Wave didn't feel justified to snap at him... but that didn't make things easier.

"Have you ever worked with robots before?" she asked, turning to look at the chameleon.

Espio shook his head, but approached the now exposed wiring; "I've only ever been inside the cyberworld," he explained, trying to make sense of the robot's innards.

Wave blinked a couple times in disbelief, growing more uneasy as the chameleon's statement seemed less and less like a joke.

"It's a long story; Shadow karate-chopped a computer that I couldn't seen to hack and I followed him in," he elaborated, holding back a laugh. Espio knew he sounded insane, but it was amusing to watch the rogue silently ruminate over this bizarre information: it was cruel, but her expressions were priceless.

Turning back to continue assessing the damage, Wave began mumbling nonsense under her breath about the panel being tampered with, which piqued Espio's interest. He didn't ask, as the swallow looked focused, but he was impressed with how familiar the mechanic was with robotics, considering extreme gear was her specialization.

"Do you want the good news or the bad news first?"

"The order doesn't matter to me."

Wave sighed, pinching her beak; "Don't be a smartass, just answer my questions. Anyways, I just need to resolder the connections on his panel, and hope there was nothing erased... especially software. I don't fuck with software," she groaned, glancing warily at the exposed wires.

The chameleon raised an eyebrow, "Where's the bad news?"

"I uh, don't really... okay, maybe I don't like soldering." Wave stated, crossing her arms.

Espio was far from amused; "You mean to tell me that your personal preferences are going to cost us the war?" he enquired, biting back as much aggression as he could.

The swallow scoffed, "Us? For the record, I hate it because I have to keep my hands steady, which is hard to do when someone is staring through my skull."

"Us as in the resistance, not you and I, as I'm well aware your team is not aligned and has chosen to ignore the fight entirely," Espio clarified, trying to mask his frustration. Sensing that his misstep was uncalled for, he backtracked with a softer tone, "But I do apologize for making your work environment hostile. I made a promise to Rouge, so I can't leave Omega unattended. If there's another way for me to be less obno—" he started, but was quickly cut off.

"No, it's fine," Wave said quickly, backpedaling. "I can fix the robot, you can stay here, it's all fine.”

Whether she was telling the truth or not was debatable, but they didn’t have the time to think about it in more depth. In fact, there was no time at all, as Espio was already receiving an incoming transmission from his communicator.

“I won’t be able to work with that beeping,” she scolded, but the smirk on her face indicated this was a joke. Nonetheless, the chameleon apologized anyways and answered the call.

“Listen up, we just got word that Eggman’s forces are undermanned at his headquarters in Metropolis!” a familiar voice cheered through speaker.

The swallow perked up and leaned back on her work table to commentate; “Huh, I guess Clifford is still hanging around that group after all… wait, is he a commander? Him, seriously?!”

Espio rolled his eyes and shushed her before unmuting; “They're probably staging somewhere else as part of Eggman's plan. This could be our only chance to take the city,” he replied.

Wave snorted and shook her head; “Yeah, sure he is: he’s fucking with you 100%, are you seriously gonna fall for that?” she jeered as the detective frantically re-muted and prayed her comments weren’t picked up by the crappy mic on his wrist.

Thankfully, Knuckles hadn’t heard the girl, and was too swept away in agreement to question Espio’s willing cooperation; “Exactly!” he cheered, “That's why we're focusing on a full frontal assault on Metropolis: I'm calling it ‘Operation Big Wave.’”

“I bet he’s still mad I’m taller than him,” she chimed back in, this time loudly crunching on some chips that were stale in her desk for who knows how long.

Espio raised an eyebrow, “You know Knuckles?” he asked, flinching at the loud crunching. “Also, this has nothing to do with your hei—“ he started, but eventually deadpanned while Wave snickered, successfully duping him again.

The swallow shrugged and nodded, still smirking from her joke, “Yeah, he’s not the brightest bulb, but then again neither is Storm so I guess we’re even. Who put him in charge?”

“Who cares what it's called? What's important is to have a well thought out strategy,” a different voice chimed in, and the swallow’s attention was quickly refocused once more.

She used this as an opportunity to brush her gloves on her pants, and walk over to Espio in an attempt to peer at the communicator’s visuals; “Oh, I like him! I dunno why he sounds familiar, but the dude has a point.”

Espio tried to move his arm away from her, but it was pointless: Wave wanted to snoop, so she’d get to. “I thought up this strategy in about a minute and a half,” Knuckles started, which earned a groan from both mobians.

“I bet his brain only has 4MB of storage, and half of that is dedicated to remembering how to aim when punching: 90 seconds is probably a personal record for him!” Wave jeered, but this time the chameleon couldn’t resist laughing.

“You have a point, but your commentary isn’t funny enough to drown out the discussion, so save you insults until AFTER they’re done talking.”

“Rude, but fair. If you talked over my meetings I’d probably concuss you.”

“You’d die trying.”

Before the swallow could continue the banter, Vector’s tendency to eat the mic proved its comedic timing, cutting the two off with a boom; “Ha! Great speech! Let's give Eggman an old-fashioned beat down!”

Wave glared at the auditory assailant, “What an irritable teammate, I’d hate to put up with him.”

“That’s my boss,” Espio admitted, failing to keep a straight face, but managed to disguise his laugh by clearing his throat.

The mechanic raised an eyebrow, stepping back in disbelief.

“You… work for HIM? You’re fucking with me, no… seriously? In what universe would someone like you work for an airbag like him?”

Espio shrugged, opting to not take offence or enable the notion that Vector was an idiot; “He’s usually more insightful than this, a method to his madness if you will. It’s irritating and unconventional, but he could be worse.”

“They have more in sheer numbers, so the idea of a quick, focused attack isn't bad. We also have Sonic— I mean, the other Sonic— so I have no doubt we can do this! Also, if we can destroy the Phantom Ruby, we should be able to send the other Sonic home… at least I hope so, this is all new territory for me!” Tails rambled out.

The chameleon was surprised Wave had no insults for the kitsune, turning back to figure out why— but her expression was unreadable.

Espio inhaled, “I am aware that you have somewhat of a rivalry with Tails, but—

—he sounds okay,” the swallow affirmed, almost relieved.

“Did you… know otherwise?” the chameleon prompted, but he was hesitant to say anything at all.

Wave shook out of her contemplative state and made her way back to Omega’s exposed panel, removing herself from the shift in tone; “It doesn’t matter, anyways. He’s just a kid,” she muttered before pushing her glasses down onto her face.

Opting to change the subject, Espio joined her by the robot and pointed to her lenses; “Are those also protective eye gear? I figured it was a style choice, or something for debris when flying… but soldering, too?”

She scoffed, “What do you think this is, Vogue runway? 73 questions with Wave? Seriously, just because I’m the girl of the team it doesn’t make me the vain one.”

While the mechanic knew Espio hadn’t implied anything superficial, and was actually being more insightful and polite than anyone else who entered her workshop, she couldn’t resist berating him.

If he was any less observant, this would have been the end of their agreement. But Espio was far too good of a detective to fall for deflection, and far too stubborn to lose at his own game.

“I bet it’s Storm, then.”

“Huh?”

“You said you’re not the vain one, so that means it has to be Storm.”

Wave, perplexed, turned away from her work again to stare inquisitively at the chameleon. “Go on,” she promoted, “State your reasoning.”

He inhaled, “Well, you ruled yourself out which leaves Jet and Storm— presuming there are no secret rogues and you only intend to include members of this generation. It seems too easy for me to point the finger at Jet; he’s vain to an extent, but he’s also rich, 14, and in a position of power. Some of it is inevitable, but leadership requires a level of humility so that one does not assume their position: his virtues are not a result of leadership, as that would be affirming the consequent. Rather, he is a leader because of his inherent virtue,” Espio explained.

To his surprise, the swallow didn’t cut him off, instead nodding for the analysis to resume.

“Okay,” he began warily, not used to getting this far, “Storm gets to fulfill his role as second in command, which most likely means he completes more tasks. Whether it be manning the airship, completing chores, going out on missions, cooking, being a yes man, personal fitness training— which I’m guessing purely based on his stature— he’s doing a lot, especially for Jet. Am I right in presuming this?” he paused for approval.

“Yes, but go on, I’m invested in where this is heading.”

Espio had to resist smiling, continuing to explain his reasoning; “In Storm’s mind, he does a lot more than you, and way more than Jet. He’s the man keeping everything together in his eyes, so even though people look down on him for not being the brightest, Storm knows in his heart that he’s more important than anyone will ever know. But he’s okay with that, because he’s the bigger person— literally and figuratively— so their assumptions don’t matter anymore. Even if no one else knows it, he is the backbone of the Babylon Rogues, the cogs that run the machine, and his ability to do it without recognition makes him the most valuable member. He’s quiet about it, but that’s precisely what makes him more vain: Storm thinks he’s above the petty feud between you and Jet since he doesn’t fight for the recognition. That’s my thought process.”

Wave began slowly applauding as she approached the chameleon, who had unknowingly paced around her workshop and grown more passionate and outspoken with every word, spiralling into the rambles of a madman. Hell, he was still completely oblivious to how quickly he lost all composure, basking in the pride of completing his monologue.

However, as the swallow became a concerning level of close without uttering a word, Espio started returning to his senses, realizing how far he overstepped.

At this point, Wave was inches from his face, merely held back by the chameleon’s horn.

Cheshire grin overtaking her vaguely amused expression, she spoke lowly,

“I lied.”

Espio, uneasy, backed away ever so slightly in confusion, “What?”

“I lied,” the mechanic repeated. “I’m the vain one, wanna know what gives it away?” she asked, still speaking ever so slowly.

When he didn’t respond, Wave barely held back a giggle and jabbed the chameleon’s shoulder with her finger;

“I just got you to ramble out justifications to take the heat off me and put it on Storm. You didn’t even see it coming,” she admitted earnestly, yet her condescending and mocking tone remained intact.

Espio, although flustered, was too stubborn to let this reasoning slide; “Maybe, but that doesn’t make you vain. Vain people don’t need external validation because they already know their worth: just like I noted about Storm. If you want attention this badly, you’re not vain, you’re desperate.”

Almost immediately after opening his mouth, the chameleon was certain he had fucked things up completely this time. Perhaps this was a good reminder to why he stopped going on arrogant, thrill-seeking battles of wit, and became the stoic voice of reason for his team.

He expected a heated comeback of sorts, or perhaps a slap to the face, but the mechanic did neither.

Sneer melting into smile, Wave managed to surprise the chameleon again:

“Oh, I like you. You’re not leaving this workshop anytime soon, so get comfortable,” she commanded, gently bonking his horn before gliding back to Omega, solder in hand.

Still in shock, Espio shook his head and blinked repeatedly before reluctantly accepting that what just happened really did occur, “I’m sorry, what?” he rasped out, bewildered.

The mechanic, who was now resoldering the motherboard like it was nothing, couldn’t resist giggling this time; “You’re smart, stubborn, sarcastic, and socratic. Where else am I gonna find discussion like this!?”

Laughing nervously, the chameleon wondered how he could politely reply; “Well, I appreciate the um, compliments? But I should really be getting back to the restoration— Operation Big Wave and all, he explained.

“That’s going to fail and you know it,” she retorted, “Just stay here and pretend you showed up! They won’t know the difference.”

Espio could have argued against her logic, but he not only knew better, he knew that Wave knew he knew better. And that, in itself, was an inescapable position.

“Can you at least put some music on?”

“Only if you’re in the mood for Warped circa 2008.”

Yeah, this would definitely be a better use of his time.