#ooc: ehehehe

[squidsinashirt]

“Where does it look like I am, the moon?!”

This entire conversation was quickly sliding back into the sort of territory that made h, and Gordon didn’t even have the excuse of five-hours-sleep-in-forty-eight anymore.

“Penny, I did my job. What- I don’t get it, what are you expecting me to say here?”

The incredulous, dipping dangerously into the sardinic, tone of his reply was genuine, and Gordon was entirely caught off guard by how quickly Penelope’s concern had turned back to ferocity. A smaller part of his brain said he should’ve seen this hurtling toward him from at least a mile down the track. Surely he hadn’t honestly believed being truthful would smooth this over?

He should’ve seen his fought-for invite being shredded in front of his eyes, too, but that was another strike.

Convenient, the devil on his shoulder whispered. It was exactly the excuse she had needed to do exactly what he’d feared, and he had served it to her with a drink on the side and a garnish.

And Gordon silently cursed that terrible Tracy tendency to burn a bridge and torch whatever remained for good measure when that lick of temper was lit. Indignant insult mixed with betrayal in a dangerous, painful wave in his chest that was nothing to do with the bruises that had set all of this in motion, and Gordon wasn’t proud of the way the dam cracked.

“Right, because that’s all I’ll ever be, right? To you, I mean. Just a… a careless jerk, right? The irony being, y’know, that you told me you trusted me this morning and that… what, was that just a lie to make me feel better? Because I mean, you know what I do, Penny. Better than anyone. You know all of this, and you know me and… I mean, fuck, it wasn’t all that long ago you were thanking me for saving the day, in your way, and I… I thought that… I mean… when we spoke and you… you kissed me and that.. was that playing it safe with me? Or…”

His voice wavered, the anger breaking for a moment into something far more treacherous, as the truth of this entire mess bubbled dangerously close to the surface, and it was all Gordon could do to throw out a biting finale.

“Forget it. All of it. Have it your way, Penny, you always do. Scott might be a little less careless and a whole lot more reasonable to you.”

He wasn’t proud either of the ferocity at which he stabbed at the call to disconnect it, nor at the curse that left his mouth as he tossed his watch into the sand beyond. Lifting his thumbs to press at the searing burn behind his eyes.

Just like that, Gordon was back to her first knock back what seemed like forever ago now - standing under the shower, dejected and despondent. A full circle with the current, back to that same ebb and flow of the tide of them. The same endless undertow that dragged him back out and pulled him under in a cold wave.

He cared too much. That was always his problem, he cared too damn much about just about anything that his stupid, soft heart decided was worth his while - and it had decided Penelope Creighton-Ward would be comfortably at the top of that list a long time ago, than Gordon would ever have admitted to.

He wanted to hate the hold she had over him, but it was impossible when she was the one thing he wanted to hold more than anything.

What he wanted right now was to not be thinking about her. At least to try to pretend he could.

Feet hit warm sand, watch retrieved in a moment from where it had crash landed and slipped back on his wrist, and Gordon was stalking back toward the house. Irritation at the painful twinge in his side only growing as the pool was ruefully left behind, and he stepped inside, the faces of his brothers turning from around an old movie being played on the holoscreen.

“Hey bro, finally awake! There’s dinner left in the kitchen.”

“Not hungry, but thanks.”

“Gordon, you haven’t eaten all day, you need-“

“I said I wasn’t hungry Scott, Jesus. Leave it, will ya?”

He hated how quiet the entire lounge fell almost instantly, his snarl rebounding off the walls, and Gordon didn’t need to look at his eldest brother’s face to know the look of dismay that would be written across it. Across all of them.

That would be another apology later, and there would be little escape from Scott’s inevitable interrogation now, but that was be a firmly ‘later’ problem. His footsteps echoed amongst the voices onscreen as Gordon made a beeline for the stairs and the walkway to the ‘birds resting below, his own desolate shadow making for poor company.

:COMMS BEGIN:

Lady P,

Sorry for the early morning comms, hope this doesn’t wake you too early - I make it just after 5 your time.

We’re just finishing up a mission in the Persian Gulf - a luxury hotel collapsed overnight, on an island just offshore Doha. Only built two years ago, whole place is pretty new and shiny.

Been a rough night, Pen - fifteen we were too late to help, including two kids. Just families on vacation...

Anyway, victims are saying they felt tremors, it certainly looks like a quake from the debris now the sun is up and J is absolutely confident it came from beneath the sea bed (absolutely being a rather irritated direct quote, so I’m not asking again).

But… this isn’t a quake hot zone. It doesn’t make any sense, and there haven’t been any aftershocks either while we’ve been working. Five can’t get a good read because of the debris and mineral interference underground. The whole place is on top of the enormous old oil fields, and it sends the scanners haywire.

The company that owns the hotel has set my squid sense off though. Name’s Fulcra, I’ve sent you the profile on them. Ran by a guy named Randall Price. He’s a venture capitalist from Houston originally, but the company’s HQ is a London address. That’s as far as I’ve managed to get.

They own a couple of the small artificial islands around here that are being used as tourist hotspots. Think luxury waterfront villas on stilts kinda stuff, the hotel that’s collapsed was the biggest. Nice place, high end, lots of good dive spots.

This area’s all under a World Heritage protected marine environment permit for a biosphere reserve. They’ve spent decades trying to replenish the mangroves and coastal vegetation after what the oil fields and production did to the waters here, the aquatic populations are only just starting to rise comfortably. I didn’t understand how they even got permission for this sort of work but…

They’ve got a giant platform further out in the Gulf that’s supposedly ‘cleaning the sea’ and helping to replenish the sea bed. Seems to be some sort of agreement that they can build these resorts, in exchange for what appears to be green work. I tried to get a proper look at the platform in Four, out of interest, but they’ve got laser nets up. I got an autoturret my way for trying to go any further in the exosuit…

I’d like to think they’re just really protecting that biosphere, but I don’t get a nice eco-friend impression.

My gut says I’m getting Hydrexler vibes, and you were right about that oily CEO last time. I’m not sure I want to be right, but I do want to know what’s going on here… and I thought you might too, as our resident top agent with a passion for all things Earth-saving.

So, I thought I’d hand it over to you, and let you do what you do best - cosying up to the billionaires and getting them to spill the tea.

Lemme know if you know or find anything on them. We’re going to be here another couple of hours, finishing up stabilising the debris field and having another run through, and then heading back. S managed to get the Price guy on comms briefly, but he wasn’t much for talking. Maybe you’ll have more luck.

G 🦑

:COMMS END:

FIRST DATE?

The flickering light and the soft buzz from her compact device caught her off-guard. Penelope, who had positioned herself in an armchair beside her tall windows after giving up on sleep half an hour earlier, sat herself up a little straighter. The blanket which she’d wrapped around herself was pulled tighter to her frame as her eyes read the message.

The hour might have been earlier and, on any other day, Penelope might very well have still been sleeping, but today was different. She rubbed her tired eyes as they scanned Gordon’s words. At first, she’d hoped it had been something akin to a social call. She rather enjoyed those, especially when they came from Gordon, but the more she read, the more Penelope realised it was anything but that.

Her interest peaked as she reached Gordon’s conspiracy.

Her mouth grew dry when she reached Gordon’s information.

The blanket was thrown off her body and Penelope stood. With her comms device still in hand, her eyes still darting from left to right as she continued her reading, she crossed her bedroom and gently tugged on the bell. 

Minutes passed before a very sleepy Parker knocked on her bedroom door. Penelope, having only just finished Gordon’s message, opened it.

“Terribly sorry to wake you, Parker, but it seems we have a situation. I need you to cancel my schedule for today and then get me all we have on the company known as Fulcra. CEO is a man named Randall Price.”

“But, m’lady, that’s—”

“I’m perfectly aware of that, thank you, Parker. See if you can arrange a meeting of some kind, if that’s at all possible.”

Parker nodded, still more asleep than he was awake, before he trundled off down the hallway to make good of his ladyship’s requests.

Penelope returned to chair by the window and curled herself back up. The sun was just beginning to rise on the horizon as she typed out her reply.

COMMS BEGIN

@squidsinashirt, Thank you for your concern — I shall look into this and get back to you when I

Penelope ceased her typing and sighed. She knew it wasn’t fair to lie to him, not after her sent her looking. A moment or two passed before Penelope deleted her previous sentence and began to re-type it. 

COMMS BEGIN

Gordon,

This company?

I shall look into this as you requested but, I must warn you, you may not like what I find. Randall Price is… let us say a man I am already familiar with, or rather his business is. What I can tell you is that, for the most part, Fulcra is celebrated as a rather clean company, but that doesn’t always mean much — you were right to mention Hydrexler. The Persian Gulf was supposed to remain a protected marine environment, at least that was how I understood it. I’ll ask some of my World Heritage connections what they know too, see if I can get a bigger picture for you.

Give me a couple of days. I’ll try and, what was it you said? Cosy up to the billionaire? Get him to spill the tea? Parker is going to try and get me an appointment but, if that fails, I do have an alternative plan.

Do try and get some rest once you’ve finished up. The mission in Doha sounds like it’s been a terribly distressing situation for all involved. You know I am always here if you need to talk about it. Any of it.

I’ll be in touch once I hear something.

Stay safe, 

Penny x

COMMS END

-------------------------------------

Once upon a time, names held weight. Penelope had thought that Scott’s name had simply been too tied up with International Rescue for Randall Price to give him the time of day… until she too was ushered away once the more difficult questions were asked. From her other sources, Penelope had heard only rave reviews of the company. Yet something felt… off.

It was just after dinner when Penelope began her second message to Gordon.

COMMS BEGIN

It's too clean. Not sure what’s going on but I definitely sense something. Plan B is in operation. Randall Price might not have wanted to speak to me today, but he did invite me to his Charity Ball this weekend — I’ll see if I can find out more then.

I’m hoping you returned home safe and sound and that you managed to have a good rest. I suppose it’s my turn to apologise if this message wakes you. 

Penny x

COMMS END

[miifu666]

KICKS OPENS YOUR DOOR!!

YOU! Drink some water !! 🧊💦🌊💧

Ok! I gotta know ! What are suklha thoughts on the ivy lady /lady bone demon from black myth (she the lady with white hair in wukong flashback …she’s the one who licked him ) or it could be from lmk ? Since we know the bone demon played a big role in the show

Make sure to drink plenty of water and get plenty of rest !!

FIXES YOUR DOOR AND CLOSES IT!

JSHSJSJJ im drinking more water nowadays FIGHTING THE TEA ADDICTION!!

okay unfortunately, i kind of dropped LMK after the first half of the 4 season for college reasons. BUT im hoping LBD doesn't show up in later episodes 🥹 so i can make this accurate.

.𖥔 ݁ ˖๋ ࣭ ⭑LMK! Lady Bone Demon —

" 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐛𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭! 𝐈𝐟 𝐚 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐢𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝, 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐭?"

Considering how she played a massive role in LMK, a seeker to perfect any flaws that's reoccurring in the world. Taking a role as an advisor to try and see a change from the emperor of her choosing. Of course, all of this is not without her own consultant.

LBD used to be someone who was strategic yet still naive in her own way. To think if everything falls according to her plan, then the world will be better. She forgot the human nature to start disorder, the rotten fruits of corruption and ego. LBD started her journey with a good intention, yet as she progressed. Her own objectives change.

During the progress of her new plan, she thought if theres anyone much more predictive and particular. Then it would be Suklha, atleast someone she believes would see her rational side and help her once she makes "contracts." Unfortunately, despite the logical thinking on her part. She underestimated the need of Chaos in a world of order. To bring balance in the world, One must have both good and bad within, its something that Suklha believes in wholeheartedly. Just like how she lives her life off of "equivalent Exchange".

LBD would frequently try to appeal to Suklha. The Centipede kept on denying in providing a helping hand, once maybe she agreed. Yet it was more of a test. Suklha decided to give LBD a book of everything, a prideful creation of Suklha's. To never open it, less destiny says so. Even as the years go by, the trees grow thick, and the river flows. LBD itches to find the answers to her own goal within the book, forget about the consequences. She can try to avoid it anyways, she's not smart for nothing.

Yet as she opens, she was greeted by a plague. One that destroyed the village she painstakingly help cultivate, in a fit of rage. LBD blames Suklha for giving her a trap, a stupid object that destroyed her years of work into nothing but graveyard. She holds a deep seated hatred for her ever since then, practicing her own patience and believing in destiny more than anyone else.

" 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐢𝐟 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐥𝐥? 𝐀 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮"

.𖥔 ݁ ˖๋ ࣭ ⭑Black Myth! Lady Bone Demon —

Unfortunately, i can't find much info about Black Myth! LBD or Baigujing :( i know Black Myth added her as Wukong's dead lover too, bit diff from jttw so uhm i might be a lil bit creative for this-

Baigujing, A lover of Wukong, in his past youth. Someone who created the small cracks within the monkey's faith, to start living his own life and find his own identity.

Considering canon wise, Wukong killed her 3 times/ turned her into 3 fragments and hasn't moved on. I kind of see this as a Sense of helplessness, doomed by the narrative. Wukong's guilt of ending his past lover's life instead of properly courting her into the ways of the buddha. Its not that he's missing her, its the unbridled guilt of killing the one desire that made him feel free. Made him feel like he's just as any other living beings walking on the earth. She was his youthful lover, way before he became a patient and loyal monkey.

Someone who died before Suklha had a chance of meeting with.

Years passed from her death, Wukong caught wind of a traveling chaos that's been walking around town.

Suklha knows of Baigujing, She heard stories of her, her cunningness and beauty. Even as the old monkey said the monkey king hasn't moved on. Such words made Suklha more rational the moment she sees signs of Wukong showing any sort of attraction. An unfortunate feeling of becoming his rebound is the only thing that grounded her. She's a virus, sneaking into the original timeline and wreaking the path.

She tried to change it back, to matchmake Wukong with the rumored reincarnation of Baigujing. The 3rd sister. The persistent monkey only argued with her in the end, for her selfless and stupid behavior.

The pushing point for Wukong would be Suklha's death due to his carelessness. despite his effort to protect her from the celestials. Her death reminded him of his youth, the constant feeling of being punished for making his own choices, to be trapped in following "destiny". Such tragedy made him concoct his own suicidal plan. He already lost his first love, but to have the one person he decided to spend his life with die due to his own carelessness? It's enough to make the monkey threaten Buddha all over again.

[casinocandy]

*Zac Floats In,,*

"There's No Way This Place Is Legal...."

- Zac Anti-Fairy

*Sammy appears behind the Anti-fairy, floating just above the ground. he was hiding his own wand behind his back* Ohhh yeah you can bet its legal!!~ And not JUST legal, It's a magical place for all ages!!! (we have a children's only area with fake money so they can gamble...)

Wanna roll some dices, little guy???

[chosesun]

im getting my new tattoo as we speak. i'll share when it's done. im so excited.

[nico-sees-dead-people]

i was there for most things

Nico: One time i sneezed so hard i accidently shadow traveled into my dad's throne room.

Will: Was your dad in his throne room when you got there?

Nico: 0h yeah, I scared him so bad he screamed at the top of his lungs. I almost pissed myself laughing. He just sat back down told me to fuck off.

[coldjustness-archive]

it is done. find Neve on @coldjustness

[fanplastik]

i have been COOKING up a villain verse for polly and i am SO excited for it

[imaginarianisms]

on a much lighter note as i recover: happy holidays & merry xmas & happy hannukah if you celebrate<3333

[goldenheartz]

GUYS MUSICAL THEATRE >>>>>>>>>>>>

[thebetterliukang]

//you guys.

YOU GUYS.

[robin-5-technically]

((this is karma for posting the literal saddest thing ive ever read in my life. not joking. you get a wheelbarrow full of injured anons to pay for your crimes /silly))

-🎪

((Thank you 👉👈))

[triinitas]

I'm going to be playing through BG3 as each of my babes. Who should each one romance in-game? 🤔

[devouring-hive]

Uppable!~

[needyraincandy-u]

Diary: If you're too scared of dying, you'll want to die.

When I'm walking outside, I look up at buildings and apartments and think, 'If I really wanted to, I could go into that building and jump off the highest floor'.

Every time I do, I shudder to imagine myself doing it.

It's not that I always want to die. There are times like that, but I think I'm more afraid of death. I've been like that since I was a child. I was shocked when I read the last episode of Death Note and learned that people don't go to heaven or hell when they die. If I die, I'll just return to 'nothing'. Well, even saying 'return' gives me some hope. My brain will just stop working and I'll stop thinking forever. That's all. In a way, it's equal, though.

I was so scared that I cried when I was in my bed. Whether you're a good or a bad person, when you die, that's the end. Reincarnation and the afterlife can only be experienced by those who fully believe in a certain religion. But I can't be like that. When I talk to people around me about this, they just smile politely and say, 'stop thinking about stupid things and go to sleep early'.

Why are they laughing? Aren't adults afraid of death? There's no way they can be so philosophical. They're just turning a blind eye.

Certainly, there's no point in thinking about it, so it makes sense to live without being conscious of it. There's no point in continuing to be afraid of death. So, is life just a matter of filling up your schedule with events and work to forget that you will die someday?

Love, work, and rest are all just there to keep the fear of death away?

Takeshi Kitano once said in the movie Sonatine, 'if you're too afraid of death, you'll want to die'. I think that's right, It's easier to just die than to continue suffering from the fear of death. It's like preparing the cart before the horse, though. Even though I know that, I still want to die. Because I'm stupid.

Religion also has an aspect of diluting the fear of death and giving lost people a sense of security. People are encouraged to perform virtues in this life in order to ensure peace after death. If everyone does this, the peace in the country will be maintained.

So I will become an angel that guides the nerds.

If everyone can be saved and forget about death while they are looking at me, the Internet Angel, then maybe I can also bring peace to the Internet.

I cannot guarantee that I will live beyond death, but I hope that, at least when you are looking at me through a screen, you will feel alive. I am an Internet Angel, traveling around and healing the loneliness of otakus through the pale light of their monitors.

[pomniegranate]

re-poms your nie. FIXED IT

[elias-magnusnt]

i feel like you've metaphorically died a lot of times. ive literally died a lot (doubt youll be adding to that count though). we should make out

- @alex-garett-hobbs

I don't see what you're talking about. I am a normal human man who has died the average amount of times (zero) and there is NOTHING spooky going on with me. I certainly don't know what it feels like to have to abandon everything that you were and that you are and start anew as a new identity.

On that note, perhaps the amount of time we both died isn't the best thing to try to form a bond over. Try again.