#oasis at death valley

[goingplacesfarandnear]

May The Fourth Be With You: Death Valley Doubles for a Galaxy Far, Far Away

In celebration of the epic tale and Hollywood franchise, “Star Wars,” The Oasis at Death Valley hyper-spaced an exclusive map for guests leading them to the filming locations that are easily accessible via car © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfaranadnear.com DEATH VALLEY, Calif. – May The Fourth – (April 2023, on Earth) –Lights, Camera, Vacation! While set-jetting may be one of the biggest trends this…

[coreglia]

We've Been Through The Desert

We’ve Been Through The Desert

“How could rocks and sand and silence make us afraid and yet be so wonderful?” Edna Brush Perkins Serene is a word you could use to describe Death Valley. She is isolated and desolate by anyone’s standards, a primeval destination, and maybe the perfect place to celebrate thirty-nine years of marriage.  This clearly reveals our desire to withdraw from the hustle and bustle of suburban life, to…

[bakedbakermom]

Good Morning

Rated X // 2300 words // Read on A03

tagging @today-in-fic @ao3feed-msr

Summary:

He loves her first thing in the morning.

Notes:

A little smutbiscuit for Kinktober 2023. Prompts: morning sex, frottage, (light) somno. I was 3 or 4 days into writing this fic when the painfully talented @msrafterdark posted this piece and it was like fate and the universe had come together.

He loves her first thing in the morning.

Well, he loves her all the time—volleying theories back and forth across the office over burnt coffee and crappy photocopies, singing along off-key to whatever radio station comes through the static three hours into a road trip from one corner of nowhere to another, lounging on a tiny motel bed with sharp springs and a pile of reports spread out like snow across scratchy blankets. He loves her on his couch sharing a beer after a long day, in her kitchen as they dole out boxes of takeaway (broccoli beef extra spicy for him, kung pao tofu for her, and she always nabs the carrots from his shrimp fried rice), nestled against him with her tiny feet propped up on the coffee table and a bad movie on TV. He loves her when she presses her sweet lips to his and breathes hot into his mouth, when she wraps her smooth white legs around his waist and whimpers “more,” when she clenches around him in the dark as she shatters on a gasp of his name. Oh yes, he definitely loves her then.

But he especially loves her first thing in the morning.

It’s something about how soft she is. Agent Scully is all crisp lines and barbed tongue, the creases of her suits pressed sharp enough to kill a man as she slices through the hallways of the Hoover Building like a red-headed sword of justice, eyes flashing blue steel. Agent Scully can unman the most cantankerous and blustering small-town sheriff with the twitch of one razored brow, can force Death itself at scalpel-point to surrender the most intimate secrets of the grave.

Agent Scully flashes through her days like a machete, too sharp to touch and so blindingly bright it hurts him to look at her sometimes. But Morning Scully. Oh Morning Scully…

Her edges blur in the evening, melting under his words and his mouth and his hands, but it takes until morning for her to grow butter-soft and creamy between the rumpled sheets of their bed—her bed or his, both are theirs, though this particular morning they’re secure behind door 42, the honeyed sunlight of a rare empty Sunday drizzling through the blinds and illuminating the intricate dance of the little dust motes that hang in the air. She sleeps on her side with her back to the window, the light catching her crimson hair in a nimbus that he thinks would inspire a better man to painting or poetry, but reduces him to gibbering wonderment.

He watches her sleep with something like awe. Her lips slack and slightly parted, still plump and red from kissing. Freckles sprinkled like cinnamon across her sleep-pinked cheeks, hair in a delightfully tousled disarray that makes him think of sunset clouds and cotton candy. There’s a little crease between her eyebrows as if she’s dreaming of something unpleasant, and he smoothes it oh so gently with his thumb. He doesn’t want to wake her; he’s not done looking yet. 

The sheets have shifted as they slept, revealing the hourglass curve of her side, the mole cradled just inside the firm crest of her hip. She had whimpered last night as he tongued it, a long detour on his slow journey to the oasis between her thighs. Her body is ripe with secrets to explore, his mental map of her slowly filling in as he traverses every hill and valley. He writes “here be monsters” beneath her ribs where she is too ticklish to touch, “here be angels” on the curve of her breast where the gentle scrape of his teeth makes her breath hitch. He finds heaven in the cradle of her hips, nirvana in the fragrant skin of her neck, paradise in the lush press of her lips.

Morning Scully may be soft, but Morning Mulder is getting decidedly less so by the minute.

She stirs slightly and rolls onto her back, the sheet slipping down the slope of her breast. One rosey nipple emerges into the cool morning air, pebbling quickly into a tantalizing peak, and he can’t resist anymore. He leans over her and circles it gently with his tongue, then pulls it into his mouth. He licks and sucks, feeling her flesh tighten even more, and when he scrapes his teeth against it, her chest jumps beneath him. She sucks in a breath, and her hands come up to card slowly through his hair. “Morning, Mulder,” she murmurs, her words still slurred with sleep.

“Good morning, Scully,” he answers as his mouth slides wetly to her other breast, on which he lavishes the same attention as the first, the slow and thorough consideration of his lips and teeth and tongue. Her breathing quickens, her pulse jumping visibly beneath the soft skin of her throat, and she moans low and long. He runs one hand up her leg, and her thighs part with a contented sigh; his fingers move higher until they brush against the curls of her sex, parting them to reach the hot, slick slit beneath. Morning Scully is always putty in his hands, her limbs loose and heavy, making love to him like something from a dream. “Sleep well?”

“Mmmhmm.” Her hips move in small circles as he plays between her legs, right on the line between soothing and arousing, and a blush blooms across her chest. “Wh-what time’s it?”

“Late.” He kisses his way up her neck, suckles on her earlobe until she whimpers softly. She still hasn’t opened her eyes. “I let you sleep in as long as I could stand it. Sorry.”

“S’okay.” His fingers skim her entrance and she twitches beneath him. “This is a nice way to wake up.”

“Do you want to go back to sleep?”

Her face scrunches adorably, and she makes a grumpy whining sound in her throat. “Maybe?”

He smiles into her skin, presses his fingers just barely inside her. “Do you want me to stop while you figure it out?”

Eyes still closed, lower lip between her teeth, she smiles and shakes her head. 

Her body is sleep-warm and limp as he drags her thigh over his hip, opening her to him. His erection presses into the firm flesh of her ass as he strokes her, coaxing her arousal slowly to life. He slides his fingers through the slick folds of her sex, coating them in her wetness; some of it must be from last night, when he had pressed her into the cushions of the creaking leather couch and come inside her with a cry that made the upstairs neighbor bang on the ceiling—and then again, in this bed, as she rode him like a prize pony until they both came apart at the seams. She clenched around him like a vise as they came together, and the way he spasmed inside her only set her off again, until their orgasms seemed to feed off each other in an ouroboros of pleasure that felt endless and left them both gasping, shaking, too exhausted to even roll off the wet spot, let alone clean up properly.

She’s slick halfway down her thighs.

“Fuck, Scully, you’re so wet. You feel so good.” He slides his tongue into her ear and one finger into her slippery, aching heat, and her neck arches off the bed. “You felt good last night, too, especially the second time”—and now he scrapes his teeth along the shell of her ear, slides a second finger alongside the first—“when your pussy was already full of my cum, when I could feel it leaking out of you as I fucked you.”

“Jesus, Mulder,” she gasps, and spreads herself open even more, hooking her leg behind him and shifting a little onto her side. He holds her across her stomach and gathers her partly on top of him; her head falls back on his shoulder so he can tongue the soft column of her throat, nibble the sweet ridge along her collarbone. He ruts against her as his fingers pump slowly in and out, her clit hardening beneath his thumb. One arm is still trapped against the mattress, and he wriggles it free as best he can to fondle her breast, rolling her nipple between his fingers.

She moans, squirming against him and pushing her ass deliciously against his hard length, begging for more. A quick shift of her hips, an awkward moment of fumbling, and then his cock is no longer trapped between their bodies but gliding between her slickened labia, and she brings a hand down to press him more tightly against her. He thrusts languidly, trapped between her hot little fingers and her even hotter cunt; he skims across her entrance with each stroke, rubs the head of his cock against her clit, her hips rolling in counterpoint to his sweet, unhurried rhythm. She reaches backward to grab his hair, whimpering, and his newly unoccupied hand busies itself at her other breast, groping and tweaking them in tandem.

“I love making you feel good, Scully.” His voice is velvet and gravel, his cock almost painfully hard against her molten core, and he talks to keep from embarrassing himself by coming before he’s even gotten inside her. “I love making you wet, feeling your clit pulse under my fingers, my tongue.” He licks her from shoulder to ear, leaving a glistening line of saliva along her skin, then sucks on the sensitive little spot where her jaw meets her throat. Soft little oh s spill from her lips as she grinds harder against his cock, and stars crowd his vision. “I love making you come, over and over. The sounds that you make, the way you smell, the way you squeeze me with your tight, wet cunt. ”

“Oh God.” Her whole body shudders and he feels a warm trickle of arousal coat his cock. Her face turns into the pillow, muffling the increasing volume of her moans. Greedy for the sound of her, he cups her jaw to pull her into a long, sloppy kiss, swallowing each whimper as she writhes against him with growing desperation.

“Are you awake yet, Scully?”

“Yes,” she pants helplessly against his mouth, his cock gliding between her soaked folds with almost no resistance. Soft, wet sounds fill the room, broken only by her breathy moans, his desperate panting. “More,” she manages to gasp. “God, more.”

His arm tightens around her stomach, and in one smooth move he drags her fully on top of him and scoots until his back is against the headboard. Her thighs fall to either side of his and he spreads her wide, his thick cock still thrusting along her slickened sex. She drops her head back against his shoulder and he growls, “Touch yourself,” into her ear.

A moment of hesitation, a deepening blush in her cheeks, and then she obeys. He watches her hand moving in quick tight circles over her clit, brushing the head of his cock as he slides it up and down the length of her. He slips just barely inside and she cries out, chasing him with her body when he withdraws, teasing her again and again. She gasps his name between casual blasphemies, notes in a symphony of moans and whimpers. “I want you inside me,” she finally begs. Her hand is slick with her own arousal as she wraps it around his cock, pumping him slowly, holding him against her entrance. She arches back to kiss him, plunges her tongue into his mouth, unable to stop the embarrassingly high-pitched whines coming from her throat. “Fuck, Mulder, I need you inside me when I come.”

“I live to serve,” he purrs against her mouth, and thrusts firmly upward, impaling her in one smooth motion. A loud cry pours from her throat—the neighbors are definitely going to complain again—and then she’s riding him for all she’s worth, her hips rolling and the muscles in her thighs clenching as she gallops toward release.

“Yes, oh God, Mulder, yes,” she gasps again and again, breathless and wanton, her tits bouncing in his hands as he pinches her nipples and her fingers making ever-more-frantic circles over her clit. “Close, so close, harder—”

Her words melt into a loud moan as he begins to plunge into her from below, his feet braced against the bed for leverage and his cock bumping against her cervix with every stroke. “Yes, Scully,” he hisses into her ear. “I want to feel it. Fuck me until you come.”

She’s tight and clenching around him, hotter than hell and slicker than sin, and his hand leaves her breast to join her fingers, stroking her clit together. He bites her nape, hard, and with a startled “ Oh! ” she shatters, her inner walls squeezing his cock in strong, rhythmic flutters as she gushes around him.

“Christ, Scully, did you just–?! Oh my god–!” Before she has a chance to answer or even catch her breath, he squeezes her tightly against his body and thrusts hard and fast, unable to hold back any longer. His ass lifts off the bed as he pistons in and out of her, desperate for release, and when she tightens around him again he comes with a roar—someone next door bangs on the wall—spurting hot inside her until his eyes roll back in his head and his vision goes red at the edges.

He comes down to find himself spooned against her, her ass cradled in the bowl of his hips as he softens inside her. They’ve made quite a mess, but his legs are burning like he’s been running for miles, and she’s gone completely limp against him; the last thing he can imagine is getting out of bed.

Still, he tries to be a gentleman.

“Want me to make some coffee? Then maybe a shower?”

She shakes her head against the pillow and pulls his arm tighter around her body. “I think I might be falling back asleep.”

He smiles into her hair. “Want me to wake you up a little later?”

“Absolutely.”

Hope you enjoyed! As always, comments will be printed and pasted into my little self-esteem scrapbook <3

[screamsofanoutlawbrain]

Hehehe, the brain juices are working..

Anyways, another AU has been marinating in my mind, I like to call this one "Reborn Ancients", it gets the point across.

Basically, before the ancient cookies could get corrupted, their souljams self destructed. Causing the ancients to die with their souljams,

They quickly grew as tall as the beasts and started to fall and fade into nothing, leaving behind silhouettes of their giant forms in the land they fell on (like Golden Cheese leaving behind an oasis in the shape of her in the dessert, for example), the souljams dying with them.

Anyways, death doesn't stay permanent for beings like them, lol. So, for various reasons, they get thrown back into new lives. Here's a summary of the reborn ancients + their new names.

Whipped Vanilla Cookie: A very many winged shepherd who knows everything that has been and will be. He doesn't let that stop him from venturing the world with his bestie (Witch's Lily) and being a rambunctious happy little guy. (He believes that every sight looks better in person, and that applies to what he sees in his mind too)

Holly Bush Cookie: One tough plant lady, literally. She's just visiting between the dragons valley and the Hollyberry Kingdom, happy with the environment and enjoying the people within. She's also hunting down Pitaya Dragon Cookie because she wants to fight them. So she's thriving over all.

Cacao Dust Cookie: A very surprisingly sweet guy who just so happens to have four arms and kinda a spirit despite not being dead. He lives as a guide to people lost in the storms in the Dark Cacao Kingdom and as a swordfighting teacher. A group of spirits saw him guiding someone through a snow storm, thought he was some spirit king, and were attached to the guy by the time he told them that he was infact, just some guy with an odd appearance (unknowing liar).

Solar Cheese Cookie: Phoenix girlie was born from a lake in an oasis next to the Golden Cheese Kingdom's pyramids, eventually meeting the cheese birds and the cookies of the Golden Cheese Kingdom, and quickly swearing to protect their Kingdom and mines from the outside with a very sudden undying loyalty. Solar Cheese thrives in the oasis outside, flying about and fighting any force that dares to attack what she protects, and staring up at the blazing sun with determination. (She's gonna fight it.)

Witch's Lily Cookie: The Faerie Kingdom decided to handle the world's latest new being of darkness and chaos with a little more nurturing kindness and care, resulting in Witch's Lily not wanting to destroy the entire world, infact, she just wants to explore with her many, many dogs! And so she does, meeting Whipped Vanilla along the way and sticking with the guy (her dogs help heard his sheep, and he heals her when in danger, alongside being each other's friends). In all truth, she's a chaotic girlie who hates DE with a burning passion, loves her friend, and wants to have fun and see the wonders of life instead of being told them.

I have SO much more to say about these guys, so if anyone wants to ask about them, please do, I beg of you.

[purity-town]

Ask responses below the cut! Digging into Andrew/Alalia's immortality, the doll, and the design of the town/region it's in.

Yeah!! (To both questions!)

Although the blog header image is a screenshot from one of my playthroughs, it’s just a random one that I thought would fit nice enough -- I haven’t actually built out any of the comic’s locations in-game. I can share a couple of rough thoughts I’ve had how it would look, though!

As far as Purity Town itself goes:

Purity Town is located in the forest/purity biome and has the background of the lake and snowy mountains.

The Tavernkeep, Merchant, Nurse, and Clothier have shops in the main part of town.

This center area is paved in stone (think Pelican Town from Stardew Valley) and has a slightly raised area (think like a fountain design) for the forest pylon.

Andrew lives out on the edge of town more in the woods, and a little ways past his home is a fenced overlook that looks down on everything.

The Zoologist also lives slightly outside of town with the Golfer, but in the opposite direction.

All of Purity Town is built in soft, rolling forested mountains/hills.

Most of the buildings are constructed from wood and brick, but with the exception of the tavern are painted different colors.

Since I’m on the subject -- as far as the general locations go, Purity Town itself is the largest settlement, but there are several other, smaller villages linked to it through the pylon network. NPCs generally live in their favored biome when applicable, with the exception of some of the hallow/cavern biome enjoyers living in Purity Town proper instead.

The snow biome village is located up in the snowy mountains visible from Purity Town, and an unnamed village is located by the sea.

The desert village is built around an oasis.

The jungle village is built around platforms elevated just above shallow pools of water. The area is surrounded by dense foliage from mahogany trees.

There’re currently no cavern or glowing mushroom villages/pylons.

Andrew is fully, 100% aware of the existence of the doll, and is roughly familiar with its limitations. He was present for its making, and though it’s since been lost to him, he has a general idea of what happened to it (being a powerful item that fell into the hands of a demon).

He’s not particularly happy about it, nor is he really in a position to try and get it back, but it’s been a number of years since the doll’s creation and he’s learned to live with it. At least the doll’s existence means Chris will be able to use it as a proxy, rather than Andrew having to be there in person; it provides a little mental separation for both of them.

For Alalia, she came into existence years before the Moon Lord first appeared, when the world was more wild and dangerous than the modern day. So I don’t think it’s out of the question that she died a couple times from assorted beasts and the likes, particularly while she was new and inexperienced. While a violent death is never fun, being a creation/aspect of Terraria likely made her resurrection experience itself less unpleasant than it otherwise would be, and upon being revived she was a bit shaken up but otherwise unharmed. She would have had other Dryads to comfort her, which helped -- they’re functionally immortal beings, and through their long lives most would have died and been revived at least a few times.

And then the Moon Lord appeared, and suddenly when they died, they didn’t come back. The world is different now, and no new Dryads have manifested since, though Terraria has recovered to a point where she can revive Alalia when necessary.

Andrew’s first death was accidental -- he didn’t know the ins and outs of how his whole “thing” worked, nor did he really understand how important he was that he’d be resurrected where few/no others were. I’m not totally sure when his first death would have been, but probably relatively early in his life -- his mother/mentor still being alive at that point, and him still living in his home village. Him still either assuming he’s entirely mortal, or slowly beginning to suspect unnatural longevity.

Resurrection is unpleasant at minimum, a natural consequence of one’s entire self being pulled back into the living world -- depending on the circumstances, the experience of being revived can be worse than dying proper. Though from an outside perspective, the affected simply appears and reawakens in their home some time after death.

I imagine Andrew didn’t even register what had happened at first; I don’t have any specific ideas for what killed him the first time, but upon waking up he very well could have dismissed everything as fever dreams associated with a near death experience. Assuming that someone had saved his life, only to learn he had truly, actually died. And then having to process all of the implications of that, and his own trauma, and deal with his family, etc…

Andrew has never been outright blasé towards his own deaths, and tries to avoid it where possible; outside of the obvious inconvenience/discomfort, he’s still a human (more or less) and isn’t above basic instinct. But he knows now that he’ll be resurrected, and in the case where it does come up, he brushes it off publicly as a consequence of him being a Guide. And when push comes to shove, he'd rather he be killed and resurrected if that can prevent someone who is mortal from dying in his place.

[star-girl69]

Ultraviolence

Natalie Scatorccio x Fem!Reader

—-

a/n: i hope you all enjoy!!

warnings: mentions of death, swearing, mentions of a knife, mentions of starvation, tell me if i missed anything!!

Chapter Six - Prayers

Chapter Six - Prayers

—-

1996-

Late last night, Misty had heated up the blade of the axe she used to cut Coach Ben’s leg off, and pressed it to his wound. He screamed for only a moment, before it tapered off- stopping abruptly.

When you got up to check if he was still alive, Misty was wrapping the new burned wound on his leg, and his breathing was harsh and heavy, but he was breathing.

With the silent forest, save the crackling of the fire and the sounds of the wilderness, you eventually fell asleep- telling yourself that morning will come, and so will rescue.

When you woke up, there was no rescue, and all of the girls whispered that it would simply come later in the day.

In the meantime, the grave digging started.

They weren’t finished until noon, using scrap bits of metal from the plane as shovels. Everyone stands around the small plot of graves, marked by pieces of metal with names drawn in marker.

You wonder faintly if that’s what they would have wanted.

Now, the earth is freshly scared with the imprint of the bodies, raising up the soil, but soon- the scars will fade. The ground will level out again. And besides for the metal marking the graves- no one would know they’re there.

“Before we took off,” Van starts, staring at the grave right in front of her, “I heard Rachel say that she was going to see Oasis at the Meadowlands next month. She was really excited. And she’s never gonna hear “Wonderwall” again.”

You can’t help but dig your feet into the ground, the tip of your Converse making a small indent in the soft soil. You thought back to what Shauna said to Javi. Is it really like sleeping? Does the dirt feel like a blanket? Are they warm? Cold?

“Come on,” Laura Lee says after a moment. “Let’s join hands.”

Squished between two freshmen, you hold out your hands, and the two girls on either side of you tenderly intwine their hands with yours.

“We’ll pray for them,” she says, and you almost smile- because what else would you expect from Laura Lee?

Slowly, all of the girls follow suit, grabbing hands, closing their eyes.

“Rachel,” Laura Lee starts, “You just moved up from JV, so we didn’t really know you. But, in Trig, you never confuses your secants and your cosecants. You seemed really smart. Anyone else?”

“I saw her carry a flute case once,” Van rushes out.

“Oh, Lord, please accept Rachel Goldman into your arms so that she may fill your kingdom with music.” She licks her lips, and blinks harshly. “Please accept Coach Martinez into your glory, too, and flight attendant Janet, pilot Robert, pilot Fred. Even thought I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…”

The world seems to fade out, and you faintly remember the funeral your mother had taken you too, the open casket, the eerie stillness of the body of a woman you never knew. But she knew you.

Your mother had told you not to be scared of death. But she had never been to the wilderness before.

“The Lord is my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is my strength. Whom shall I fear?”

“I’m going for a walk,” Tai announces suddenly, letting go of the others hands, walking towards the forest, away from the graves.

And soon, everyone followed suit, their hands dropping.

—-

“This is all we have?” one of the girls asks, a group gathered around the small collection of food and drinks the flight attendant was giving out.

“Yeah. We gotta ration,” Van says. She studies the small collection, before glancing at Shauna. “Okay. Cut them,” she says, leaving the knife next to the food. “Split this water,” she says to another girl, giving her a plastic water bottle.

“Well,” Jackie starts, looking at a small chocolate covered treat Shauna had given to her, “Maybe we can find something in the forest. I saw some berries-”

You perk up. “What did they look like?”

Jackie frowns. “Uh… they looked like little oranges.”

“Oh, no, you can’t eat those.” Everyone looks at you, confused and curious. You feel your cheeks warm up, but a suddenly realization comes to you. You are useful. You know the plants. “They’re probably Buckthorn berries, which are native around here. If you eat them, they cause swelling of uh, the nervous system, I think.” Another moment of silence. “My mother is a botanist, so…”

“Shit, really?” Van asks, looking around the woods. “You know what we can eat from here?”

You nod, feeling a little proud. “Um, elderberries should be around here too. If we cook those, then they’re not poisonous, but uncooked one’s are.”

“Okay,” Shauna nods, “we’ll have a little more to go off of.”

Akilah starts rationing out the water using the little plastic from the cart, everyone reminding her not to spill any.

Suddenly, Travis stands up and marches over to the pile of food, grabbing a bag of CornNuts.

“Dude!” Can shouted after him.

“Travis, what are you doing?” Jackie asks, and all of you watch as he marches off, not even looking back.

You stare at the small bag he has clutched in his fist, your stomach twisting angrily at the sight.

“Uh… Maybe you didn’t notice, but we’re kind of in a situation here, Flex.” Lottie says.

“Don’t.” Nat says.

Travis turns around for just a moment, leveling a sharp glare at Lottie, before continuing into the trees.

“Who died and made him king of snacks?” Lottie spits.

“His dad, Lottie. Literally… his fucking dad.”

“Nat’s right,” Jackie sighs. “We should cut him some slack.”

“I guess it’s fine if we all starve to death, as long as Travis’s feelings are okay…” Mari says.

“No one is starving to death. When the rescue team gets here, it’ll be fine, but for now-” Jackie starts.

“You mean if it gets here.”

“Don’t say that, Van.” Jackie says, looking slightly shocked.

“It… has been three days, Jackie.”

She smiles a bit, whether to cover up her true feelings, or if she really believes that they’ll come, you don’t know.

“They’re coming.”

—-

“Guys!” Tai shouted, returning finally from her long walk, panting. “Guys! There’s a lake! There’s a lake. I saw it from over that hill,” she points, “It looks about 4 or 5 miles away.”

You couldn’t help a small smile from winding its way onto your face. Elderberries would grow well in the soil by a lake, and other plants too. Maybe if you could just get there and recognize a few of them, you would remember more, and be able to help more-

“Do you think we can hike it?” Shauna asks.

“It’s pretty rocky,” Taissa breathes, “but yeah.”

“Uh, we, uh, we can’t… we can’t just leave,” Jackie stutters, standing up and gesturing from the plane to the direction Taissa came from.

You can tell she has no support.

“We have two days of water, tops.”

Jackie shakes her head slightly, as if to say “so?”

“And then what?” Tai continues. “Just sit around and die?” Your stomach twists.

Before all of this, you had things you wanted to do, a life you wanted to live.

“What of the rescue team comes?”

“Do you think they’re taking their time on purpose?” Taissa looks around, and while some people haven’t accepted it- you’re not a fool. If they were coming, they would have come by now. “If they knew where we were then they would be here already.”

“You don’t know that,” Jackie sneers, not unkindly, but she gets the point across.

“What do you think, Coach?”

Everyone turns to the man who you once thought wouldn’t make it through the night, now barely alive, sitting on a plane seat the girls had dragged outside. He relied on Misty for everything.

“I don’t- I don’t know,” he says, clutching his amputated leg. “Uh, I mean, you’d have to leave me behind. But, whatever.”

“We could make you a stretcher,” Tai declares, looking around. But at the first inkling that going to the lake would keep you all alive for longer- most of the girls were swayed.

“Oh, okay,” Jackie laughs.

“Seriously. If we take turns carrying it-”

“N-no! This-this is bullshit. I say no. Okay? No way.”

After Jackie’s outburst, no one speaks for a second. You look around the group of girls gathered, and most of them can’t even look at Jackie. They’ve already made their decision. You look at Nat, but her eyes are fixed to the floor.

“Let’s put it to a vote,” Tai says, staring at Jackie. “All in favor of waiting here?” Jackie raises her hand. Only a few other girls follow suit. “All in favor of the lake?” Tai raises her hand, and after a moment, you do as well.

Natalie raises her hand too.

Even Shauna raises her hand, which earns her a scorching glare from Jackie, but before anything else can happen, Tai speaks.

“Then it’s settled.”

—-

You stuffed all your clothes into your bag, a hairbrush, other toiletries- and finally, after a moment, you grabbed the small glass cube. Your mom had gifted it to you a few years ago, back when she was around more, before your dad had left, and she hadn’t thrown herself into your work and slowly stared to forget about you.

The rest of these girls probably all had people who cared for them. Who wanted them to come home. You wondered if your mother had even noticed your absence.

Inside the small glass cube was a preserved sample of deadly nightshade. A small stem with a few berries, one leaf. You wondered often if the poison still worked.

Slowly, everyone filed into a rough line, and you all began your descent to the lake.

You wondered faintly if Laura Lee should have lead you all in prayer before you started the hike.

—-

taglist:

@sweetdayme4427 @dreaming-for-an-escape @peachydoki

[wandering-jana]

Hidden oasis in Death Valley National Park.

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[chaoticcutiewhirl]

Today is the first day since we discovered we were a system where it has been relatively quiet at the front, about 3, almost 4 months, of activity just for a day for it to not have someone cofronting for once... Its almost uneasy. I am the host of the system but even before realizing we never felt this way before atleast from what I know, giving us a full day where just one person is at the reigns and its not a constant cooperation, this feels just- wrong now that I have sat with others in myself to know who I am, what I am better. I miss the laughter and near constant giggling of Lucinda just bringing us joy near constantly because of how lively she thought of the world: I miss Dendro's quiet almost hums as we researched with her helping in keeping the door closed from others as our sort of gatekeeper: I miss Avarstia's dryness and genuine care for others, coming in with creative critique and helping us write as they are often her own memories that we are utilizing or brainstorming from: I miss Rowan's sort of fire and the passion she can bring as well as the general homebody aspects that she helps drives us to do like making meals instead of just snacking: I miss even Kade with his snarkiness when he wasn't being kinda hypersexual. As just myself, as Sylvia, it feels sort of lonely when I am all by myself even if I have a lot of creative drive.

With this I may as well also describe our headspace to show you that even while fronting, it doesn't feel like we can wholly communicate between front and back: The Front is sort of like a den, it is where the Snake goes to rest while it is too hot out, being a snakenest kind of hole that goes down into the earth, where it leads into a door that is staticy to think about but I know when in it, the main perspectvie is the body's sight, when others are up here we can look to eachother and whatever what someone who is co-concious is doing but we can't fully percieve it as it feels overridden by reality. When not fronting its rather big, being a large desert valley with tones of many oranges and browns with some greens, with this almost being like a large mixture of the Sonoran, Mojave, and Chihuahuan deserts, with it rising to mounatins around it. As a whole if I had to estimate, it is like 7-8 miles in diameter, around 5 miles purely in the valley and inclines and plateus leading into the peaks of the mountains. Things seem spaced out as well I will say, with everyone getting their own portion of the headspace: Avarstia has some sort of crack in reality for her portion which leads into the halls of the Citadel of Forgotten Life, basically the center of the Selathorn Underworld section by the name Anwyn where the gods of death would rule from, its not as big and most doors I believe are locked but there is still a weirdly large aspect with it: I have my own small house with an observatory for some reason closer to the southern ridges, wherein its very much a facet of writing and a lot of creative energy tied up to things within: Lucinda is closest within her own small home, while mine holds a Mission Revival architecture, her's holds a Pueblo revival architecture and inside is like art we have done in memory as well as like art we want to do, besides that what I do know is she has a lot of plushies in there: Dendro has her own entire oasis where she tends to plants at the center of the Valley and she lives there with Rowan, idk what Rowan does there but I do know Dendro mostly tends to plants and does some light reading, also maybe has some Fragments around the Oasis itself that haven't fully identified(?): Aaaaaand I have no clue where Kade is but I believe they are in the Eastern sections of the Valley. Either way its kinda weird how big it is but it makes sense when considering how long each of us normally fronts before not appearing again for a day or two but feeling their pressence, its like Arizona but less hostile to everything that isn't a car. or isn't a human within one of like 50 billion houses. I will say I refuse for this place to be like metropolitain lmao.

[simshousewindsor]

By Shon Gableton | Published by SNN

The Academy of Simmy Picture Arts and Sciences (ASPAS, also known as the Academy or the Simmy Picture Academy) is a professional honorary organization in Del Sol Valley, United States of Americreek, with the stated goal of advancing the arts and sciences of simmy pictures.

The Academy is known around the world for its annual Academy Awards, now officially and popularly known as "The Olivias". Princess Lara and her husband Prince Anthony, grandson of Leona Basse, attended the 84th annual Academy Awards.

It was no doubt a poignant moment for Anthony, remembering his grandmother nearly 30 years after her death. The occasion also marked the royal couples first oversees trip since announcing their pregnancy.

Since its inception in 1924, the likes of Oasis Springs' Princess Akima of Monaco and of course Anthony's grandmother have attended - the latter scooping the Best Actress award in 1965 for her role in The Country Lady - plus there have been several royal appearances at the glitziest Olivia parties.

Before marrying his maternal grandfather, the famed Windenburg illustrator Emmanuel Addie, Leona Basse accepted her Best Actress award at the 1965 ceremony, which was also held at the Garwin Theatre in Del Sol Valley.

Above, she is photographed with fellow actor Harry Belatiér, who won Best Actor for his performance in The Barefoot Bride the same year. Just a month later, she would move to Windenburg and marry Addie.

In 1966, the actress did not return to award that year's Best Actor award, as is customary, due to being pregnant and unable to fly overseas.

Walking the red carpet, the Countess of Boykins wore a stunning pale-blue gown by designer @rustys-cc, with short sleeves and pleated detailing. Here, the gorgeous silhouette can be seen, as well as Lara's elegant up-do.

A close-up of the royal's beautiful aquamarine diamond earrings (a gift from Prince Anthony), clutch, and her glowing beauty. Her Royal Highness was thought to have taken inspiration from her late grandmother-in-law's own red carpet style, since she often styled her hair in a similar shape.

At this year's ceremony, Silver Screen Icon, Dame Dorothy Dunbridge CWE received an Honorary Award. The 91 year old Windenburg actress attained international stardom and critical acclaim in both musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist, and on the concert stage with a career spanning seven decades.

Dunbridge was one of the most popular stars of classical Simmywood cinema in the 1950s. Best friend to Leona Basse, she is also godmother to both Prince Anthony and his mother.

The Academy's Honorary Award is given to honor extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of simmy picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy.

[taanoir]

Evie was the last child of Alex and Cerise Varda born in 1936. The pregnancy came as a surprise to her parents and she continued to surprise people for the rest of her life.

She dreamed of becoming an actress and moving to Del Sol Valley. The watcher had other plans. After her father's passing she moved to Oasis Springs with her big brother, Bernie.

Bernie was her protector, manager and confidant. She became a top booking act and touring the world as a performer.

She met her husband Julian through her job. Initially as a creative partner ...

Eventually he became a romantic partner.

Evie went on to have two boys, James....

and Eugene...

She retired from performing in her 30's and put her efforts into raising her boys.

They relocated to Strangerville after Bernie retired from the Casino. Evie was very proud of her boys, her oldest was the "Hero of Strangerville" and her youngest was very intelligent in a way that reminded her of her father. Her oldest son enlisted in the Wrightburg military. After the death of her brother Bernie, they decided to sell the house and relocate to San Sequoia where her oldest was stationed.

Things in San Sequoia were rough. Both of her boys struggled with different things. Eugene seemed to find his spot in the new city, where James continued to flail.

Eventually everything settled down. She had three granddaughters by her oldest James and his wife Rita. Eugene married his partner Milo and all of the kids continued living at home.

Evie and Julian enjoyed retired life with their kids and grand kids until Julian's passing.

Evie's granddaughters were her main focus after losing Julian. She spent her remaining time doting on them.

Farewell Elvira "Evie" Chavez

[kenandeliza]

I recently remembered a roleswap AU involving OOT link and Ganondorf

What if child ganondorf is the reluctant hero and a sociopathic kokiri link is the villain who wants to take over hyrule into a dark forest?:

I would turn this into a fanfic if i wasnt so unqualified to be an author and had more free time but i got the main points jotted.

Ganon:

Originally wanted to form the alliance with the king of hyrule to backstab him in the future and marry his daughter to become king of hyrule after what he did in the gerudo-hylian war.

Plan to gain the trust of princess zelda by following her delusion that hyrule "will be conquered by a forest child if he doesn't"

After 3 stones were gathered, he stood in front of the gate just to see impa and zelda being chased out from the castle by the soldiers. Impa being accused of murdering the king. While this is happening, ganon noticed something strange about the soldiers but couldn't be bothered but run to the temple of time

Events of OOT happens naturally up to the moment he wakes up from 7 years

Sheik tells ganon what the world outside is like: the overworld is filled with forest with similar magic of the lost woods, anyone who get lost in there is either turned into a stalfos or a skullkid, those that met the child himself will be implanted with a mind control parasite with the shape of an eyeball. Death mountain and kakariko village worked together to become a safe haven for the people of hyrule. The gerudo has sworn allegiance towards the kokiri child after thinking their prince has left them, in exchange, the kokiri child conjured an oasis in their desert.

Ganon doesn't believe sheik that last part, and ventured to gerudo valley himself, he was then met with anger and feelings of betrayal from his people for supposedly peaving them. He was thrown in the dungeon and sheik breaks him out, ganon feels hopeless as he felt he was not worthy of being their leader after abandoning his people.

Sheik tells ganon that it wasn't his fault, [ i truly forgot how i imagine sheik convincing ganon to not lose hope ._.]

Sheik guided ganon to kakariko village and told him to get a hookshot

Events up until fighting link is relatively the same[ sheik axts as a guide for ganon in the forest overworld]

He will evolve from someone who only cares about his people into someone who cares about the people of Hyrule after seeing them suffer

Link:

A kokiri without fairy, His very presence drives fairies away from him. This unknown condition left him as an outcast

Fairies act as a kokiri conscience, telling right from wrong.

But his unknown condition also led him to be able to make monsters, boss monsters takes a lot of energy to make.

He wanted to go outside the kokiri forest but knows that he wont survive a couple days. There isn't any forest magic outside to sustain him long.

Link forcefully took the kokiri emerald (an item that could sustain him in the outside world)

Events of oot relatively stays the same

Wish i am a good writer so i can write these all coherently

[goingplacesfarandnear]

6 Historic Places Where You Can Vacation Like a President This President’s Day

A U.S. National Historic Landmark, the Old Faithful Inn has been a member of Historic Hotels of America since 2012. This iconic holiday destination is located in the heart of Yellowstone National Park, specifically next to its legendary Old Faithful geyser. Among the illustrious guests: U.S. Presidents like Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge; First Lady Laura Bush stayed in 2002. Two earlier…

[feistymassacre]

TW for self harm

◇°×._____________// It didn't work. All their hard work, their research, their sweat and more so their tears - it all went to waste.

First, the robots failed since there were no SOULs to put in them, and then a hybridization experiment they tried failed horribly.

Nothing worked.

Moray hid from Martlet and Clover in shame. Shame for failing. Shame for being nothing.

And shame for the dust leaking out of their arms, mixed with the tears that never stopped.

They couldn't take it. Why? Why couldn't they save them? Why did they have to die? Why couldn't they get them back?

Why, no matter how hard they try, do they fuck up everything?

Goddamnit, they were the Excellence in Feisty - why were they such a failure?

Nothing worked.

Nothing ever worked when it came to Moray. If it did, someone else did it for them.

They couldn't even take care of themself.

They felt like a baby.

A baby that had claws and fangs sharp enough to rip their skin apart and deal the damage they deserved to endure for being such a burden, so useless to this world.

This wasn't true. They were useful for compassion, for care, for the thought that is so much more powerful than they realize. For the love they held for Martlet and for Clover. The letter didn't matter, the deaths weren't their fault, and no Monster was able to bring another back from the dead anyway.

But in their mind, one crack in their fragile image was enough for a death sentence.

◇ * ◇ + ◇ . ◇ × ◇ ° ◇

They had passed out while crying and hiding earlier.

When they realized it, they were laying on a bed in the hospital.

They sat up and sprang out of the bed, their arms heavy with bandaging and still aching.

They groaned in pain and turned to the doctor.

`` Where are Martlet and Clover? ``

The doctor replied, `` They told me to tell you to meet with them at Oasis Valley. ``

Immediately they rushed as fast as they could there.

When they arrived Martlet slapped them.

`` WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!? `` She screamed, on the verge of tears. `` WHY WOULD YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT!? ``

Clover pushed Martlet away and stood in front of Moray, shielding them. Then they turned around and hugged them, also crying.

Moray then realized the impact of what they'd done.

Martlet knelt next to them, face flooded with hot tears. `` Please... please Moray, never do this again... no matter what happens to you or what you do... I don't think I can stand to clean all that dust again... ``

◇ * ◇ + ◇ . ◇ × ◇ ° ◇

That night Moray couldn't sleep. No matter how hard they tried.

Their arms were heavy. They itched and they burned beyond relief. They looked at the bandages and cream on the counter for when the bandages had to be replaced.

The doctors told Martlet that they barely made it in time. Any longer and they would've died.

Their SOUL felt heavy. It twisted and it burned.

What would their mom think? She was supposed to visit soon.

What would Ceroba think, had she been alive?

What would Ace, Ed, and Mooch think?

They were crying again. \\_________.+*◇

dividers by @ v6que

[battlevann]

Continuing the previous discussion, what is the Necrus climate like? I'm thinking probably fairly dry, like desert or tundra kind of thing (warm or cold?). Then would "ideal fertilisation conditions" be opposite to normal conditions (like in an oasis or by water, if here is any) or in extreme versions of regular climate (like a super death Death Valley kind of thing)? There would probably be some other conditions like position of astral bodies and air quality and stuff but that's kind of independent from the actual location conditions. I'm thinking about that cause now I've got the idea stuck in my head that Poshe spawned some kind of mini-Poshe and just chucked it so now it roams the Earth as a cryptid. 😅😅 (i.e. need to know where it would happen and how he would end up there. 😝)

I'd like to think that Necrus is actually very neutral temperature-wise, but yeah its really dry. Extreme conditions on either end would be ideal, but poshe being a ruler type and him being as cold as he is would be most affected by extreme heat and humidity.

i do think astral body positions affecting it would also be really interesting, but i dont have any specific ideas for that atm (⌒_⌒;)

[thee1slandsimmer]

Meet Gloria Rodriguez (and her fling of the week)

📍El Caramba Salsa Club | Parched Prospect, Oasis Springs

Aspiration: Soulmate

Personality: Hero, Romantic

Traits: Romantic, Active, Snob, Outgoing, Hot-Headed, Neat, Alluring (from aspiration)

Gloria is a paralegal from Del Sol Valley who doesn't have a passion for anything other than dancing and dating. She loves fun and she’s big on family. Gloria was using her legal knowledge to help her uncle with a property he owned in Oasis Springs until his sudden death. And of course, he left the property to her. But Gloria isn't sure she wants to deal with the headache of being a landlord.....she’s been doing it for a few weeks and it seems like hard work that she isn't up for. Why work hard when you can have fun? If she wanted to work hard, she would have taken the lawyer's exam by now.

She usually prefers non-exclusive romantic relations. Although, it seems like her non-committal flirty fun may not be as fulfilling anymore.....

Club build by Dafnaazz

[fantasyroyalfamily]

Information on the Sims Worlds for the Fantasy Royal Family Serie

Sims 4 Nation Names

Brucreek (Willow Creek)

Crystala(Glimmer Brook) ( Mago Magic-Magnolia Promenade, & Crystal Heights- San Myshuno are under the Kingdom of Crystalal)

Gastana (NOTE: Three Kingdoms under Gastana are ruled by their own royal family) (Draka Desert-Stranger Ville, Marivutu- Oasis Spring, & Maeria- San Sequoia). (Also note: The land was not ruled by a kingdom but under Gastana: Sorciere Jungle-Selvadorada).

Dracumoon (NOTE. There are three Kingdom under Dracumoon that are ruled by their own royal family) (Wolf Bay-Brindleton Bay, Dracu Hollow- Forgotten Hollow, and Lunara-Moonwood Mill)

Komomajo (Mt. Komorebi)

Heveluma (NOTE. three kingdoms under Heveluma are ruled by their own royal family) (Elvenburg-Windenburg, Ludan-Henford On Bagley, and Engkanto Karri-New Crest). (Also note: The land is not governed by a royal family but is under Heveluma: Hada Falls- Granite Falls).

Clarei (NOTE. There are two kingdoms under this land.) (Tartosa-I decided to keep the name and Mernali-Sulani)

Kingdom with Magical and Human Beings

Magical:

Elvenburg & Ludan (Elven Kingdom) (Mixed of all elves from dark to the elementals).

Engkanto Karri (Fairy Kingdom)

Wolf Bay and Lunara (Werewolf Kingdom)

Dracu Hollow (Vampire Kingdom)

Mernali (Mermaid Kingdom)

Crystals (Spell Caster/ other magical beings)

Tratosa (Was founded by Dragon King, mixed with humans and magical beings)

Human:

Gastana (With some magical beings)

Brucreek

Other Land:

Magic Valley (Del Sol Valley)—This does not have any royal family but is in the center of the Kingdom and has a magic barrier that only the King can enter. 

Phoenix Dragone (Chestnut Ridge) is a hidden kingdom ruled by a royal family with the magic of the phoenix. The family can shapeshift into human and phoenix forms. The land is also full of dragons with the same abilities.

Traditions/ Values (For all Kingdoms)

Funeral:

The family will be in mourning for seven days, and on the seventh day, which is the final day of mourning, everyone will wear white.

Marriage & Relationships:

Marivutu, Draka Desert & Dracumoon: Believe in a ploy-marriage/romance. 

Brucreek, Heveluma, Crystala, & Clarei: One partner allowed, not more than one. 

Maeria, Komomajo & Phoenix Dragone: One wife, but can have as many concubines. 

Woo Hoo Beliefs:

After marriage Woo Hoo Only (Brucreek & Heveluma)

No rules (Crystala, Dracumoon & Clarei)

Dependent on gender (Males are allowed before marriage to woo hoo, but females are not) (Gastana, Komomajo & Phoenix Dragone).

Wedding & Engagement  Ceremony:

All kingdoms conduct bachelor and bachelorette parties. However, wedding ceremonies has their own rituals.

Brucreek/Crystala:

Wedding Celebration—The bride will wear black for her wedding dress, which signifies her commitment and devotion to her groom "until death do us part."  The godparents, bride, and groom sit at their table, which equals 6. The god parents are usually their parents. For example, the mother of the bride will be the godmother, and the groom's father will be the godfather. Unless they have passed away, the bride and groom will select someone else as godparents. 

Komomajo:

Wedding Celebration: The wedding is held in the bride's home. The bride and groom will bow to each other and take their vows while sipping Steamy Ginseng Tea created by the bride's mother. The bride and groom will wear traditional wedding clothes in beige and black.

DracuMoon, Clarei, Gastana,  and Heveluma:

All the above kingdoms have no specific ritual. However, the bride would have to wear a white wedding dress and a color that represents the Kingdom's Royal Color. For Gastana, the one tradition they have is a belly dancing celebration at the wedding reception.

Royal Colors/Symbol

Brucreek- Red, & Yellow/ the red raven

Crystal- Purple & Black/Owl

Dracumoon- (Wolfbay and Lunara- Blue & Black) (Dracuhollow-Red & Black)/ Moon

Mernali- Light Blue, White & Gold/ Dolphin 

Phoenix Dragone- Red, Gold, Purple, & Blue/ Phoenix

Elvenburg- Green, yellow & gold/ White Orchid

Ludan-Light Cold Colors/ Black Blue Orchid

Engkanto Karri- Light, warm colors/ Pink Orchid

Kingdom that doesn't have Royal Colors:

Komomajo: The Kingdom Symbol is the sun.

Tratosa-Kingdom Symbol is the dragon. 

Gastana: The Kingdom Symbol is the lion.

Matriarchy Kingdom

Heveluma

Patriarchy Kingdom

Brucreek

Gastana (NOTE: Draka desert is ruled by the King and his mother. Heir is chosen by the council and shall be a male heir).

Komomajo

Phoenix Dragone

Mernali

Both Ma/Pa (Oldest Child)

Crystala

Dracumoon

Tratosa

Festivals

 Fight Fair (Dracumoon):

Both the vampire and werewolves come together to celebrate their strength with a great feast and battle. Usually held in the fall. 

 Magic Fun Festival (Crystala): 

All the spellcasters’ royal families gather together for a feast and great fun in the art, music and magic.  This usually occurs in the fall.

 Life Festival (Heveluma): 

The Elven and Fairies gather together, celebrating life by giving gifts to each other and having festive lighting to bring about a new day. This usually occurs in the fall.

Masquerades Balls (All Kingdom):

A masquerade ball is held for future royals and nobles so they can met their future spouses. Nobles and Royals of the age of 16 attend the ball to get to know each other, and at the end of the ball, they will reveal their identity.  Once their future spouse has been selected, they will date until the age of 18 and prepare for the wedding festivity or will chose if they would want to marry the person.