#pip of a raptor

[just-jessie0]

Pip of a Raptor - The Death of the American Dream (Chapter 5)

Heather Morrison jolted upright in her bed, her heart racing, as a sudden, deafening crash was followed by a dull thud. She held her breath for a moment, listening intently, and exhaled slowly as the cacophony of voices erupted from somewhere else within the house. With a tired sigh, she reached up to rub the sleep from her eyes. It wasn’t the most peaceful way to begin her day, but it had become a familiar routine. At least this time, the shouting wasn’t aimed in her direction. Although oftentimes it usually was.

She rolled off her mattress, careful not to scratch herself on the one spring that was poking through the fabric. She scanned the room briefly before locating her sweats. After a quick sniff test, she deemed them clean enough and pulled them on. She knew she’d have to use the washing machine soon, but she wanted to wait until Samuel’s friends left. Venturing beyond the living room when they were around seldom ended well for her.

Dressing quickly, she pulled on her favorite sweatshirt and gathered her hair into a messy bun before slipping her feet into her converse. Her toothbrush, perched on top of the plastic bin she used as a makeshift dresser, was her next target. After she brushed, she gargled with the stagnant water from her cup, then pried open the rusted window and spat into the yard.

Heather pressed her ear against her bedroom door, listening for a minute. The woman—Doris, or maybe her name was Donna—was shrieking like a banshee, clearly upset about something. Heather guessed that someone stole her share of whatever drugs they decided to use today. She had learned that addicts were very particular about stuff like that. Several male voices, including her father’s, began to drown out D’s frantic yelling. From years of practice, she could tell that they were all gathered in the same room.

Heather retrieved the lawn chair she had jammed under the doorknob, folded it up, and gently leaned it against the wall, making sure not to make any noise. She cracked the door open just a sliver, peering out cautiously and double-checking to confirm that the coast was clear before tiptoeing down the hallway.

Fortunately, the kitchen was on the opposite end of the house from the living room, and Heather stealthily made her way there in search of something to eat. Piles of trash, pizza boxes and dirty dishes littered the countertops and spilled onto the floor. With practiced precision, she maneuvered around anything prone to making noise and quietly opened one of the side cabinets. Inside, she found an array of half-consumed bags of stale chips, a large tub of pretzels, and her father’s storage of beer. She selected the bag of chips with the nearest expiration date and shifted the beer aside to uncover her hidden trove of pop tarts, which she had stolen from the store during her last visit into town. They were a guilty pleasure she rarely indulged in, reserving them for special occasions. Though today hardly qualified as special, she reasoned that with four packets still left in the box and weeks having elapsed since her last indulgence, she deserved to treat herself to one today.

Clutching the chip bag and pop tart in her hand, she froze, listening intently for another minute to ensure that no one had moved during her scavenging. Satisfied that she remained undetected, she stepped toward the refrigerator, trying to stifle the sound of the suction release as she opened it. A wave of spoiled food odors assailed her nostrils and she had to hold her breath to stop from gagging.

Carefully, she pushed aside takeout containers and yet more beer until she reached a Styrofoam tray cradling a solitary piece of raw chicken. She turned the tray in her hand, noting that the chicken had a slightly off-color appearance, but its scent hadn’t yet taken on a foul odor. She deemed it acceptable for her purposes. No one ever cooked in this house anyway and she was sure that it wouldn’t be missed.

She pocketed the pastry and held the chip bag in one hand and the small tray of chicken in the other as she made her swift exit through the back door, ensuring she remained unnoticed by anyone inside the house. As the door clicked shut behind her, the screaming from within became nothing more than a muffled garble, and she felt the tension in her shoulders gradually release.

She followed her familiar path through the woods without bothering to trace her steps; the way to her own personal hideaway had etched itself into the grass over time. Even if it hadn’t, she had been taking this same journey for as long as she could recall. The sun shone brightly through the trees, casting its golden rays as if personally guiding her forward. She took in a deep breath, savoring the earthy aroma and the sharp scent of the pines. Birds flitted from tree to tree, and to her left, she heard the sudden crash of a deer bursting forth from its hidden sanctuary in the tall grass, bolting in the opposite direction of Heather when it decided she had come too close.

Heather paused briefly, unfurling the bag of chips, then scooping up a handful and scattering them in the spot where the deer had rested before her arrival. These skittish creatures never ventured close to her, but she made it a habit to offer them a small snack as an apology for her intrusion. Typically, by the time she returned to check the area, whatever she had scattered would have disappeared.

She pressed forward along the hidden trail through the trees, gracefully navigating over logs and sidestepping the prickly raspberry bushes until she reached her destination. The teepee, her secret refuge, lay a considerable distance from the house, far enough to ensure her father would never stumble upon it – not that he ever paid attention to where she spent her days. Miles of dense woods sprawled in various directions, and the nearest neighbor had no reason to venture so deeply into the wilderness. In this tranquil haven, she found solace, a place that felt more like home than her own house ever did.

Pausing for a moment, she circled around the teepee, meticulously inspecting her improvised tarp for any signs of damage. Content that it remained just as she had left it, she crouched down and slipped through the opening she had left in the sheet. Inside, she unfolded some of the old blankets she kept stashed in the back and cocooned herself in them, creating a cozy human-sized nest. She left the tray of chicken outside the entrance to bask in the sun.

She let out a contented sigh as she reclined into the soft mound of blankets. With a satisfied smile, she unfurled the bag of chips and indulged in the stale, salty rounds, crunching away happily.

Since she could walk, Heather had been constructing miniature teepees out in the woods. In the beginning, they were nothing more than haphazard piles of twigs, resembling more of a miniature firewood stack than any semblance of a livable structure. Years went by before she could lift the long branches required to build one that could fit her inside. It took many additional months of trial and error to figure out how to make them structurally sound. The snowfall and frequent storms often toppled her creations, but with practice, she honed her skills, and she could rebuild the teepee in less than half a day if needed.

She smoothed out the chip bag, tilting it upward and emptying the remaining crumbs into her mouth before crumpling up the foil and tossing it into the waste bin. Among the folded blankets, she retrieved her notepad and then pulled her box of pencils closer. Most of them she had stolen from the art room at the start of the school year, and now, many were reduced to mere stubs. She knew she’d have to make a trip to the store to replenish her supply soon. Maybe she would try to grab some alongside a new batch of pop tarts.

Selecting one of the pencils from the container, she carefully sharpened it before settling down to sketch. An hour elapsed before Heather caught the familiar sound of flapping wings and the soft, dull thuds of something landing on one of the trees outside the teepee, the leaves rustling in response to the added weight. Heather smiled to herself before setting aside her sketchbook and crawling out of the shelter.

“Well, there you two are. Running a little late today, aren’t we?” Heather shielded her eyes from the sun with her hands, scanning the trees until she spotted the pair perched together on one of the larger branches of a nearby maple. She placed her hands on her hips and called up.

“Come on down, I have breakfast for ya.”

Perched high in the tree, two red-tailed hawks swiveled their obsidian eyes to focus on Heather, observing her movements. The larger of the pair, a tawny-brown beauty with a chest adorned in snowy feathers, gave its companion a gentle nip before unfurling its wings and gracefully leaping, landing on the ground just an arm’s length from the girl. The hawk glanced back at its companion, the slightly smaller one, still tawny brown but with a smattering of speckled plum. It lingered for a moment longer, scrutinizing Heather, before finally jumping down from the branch and joining its partner on the ground.

“Hi Goldie. Nice of you to join us today, Shadow,” Heather addressed the hawks by the names she had given them, and they continued to watch her silently. “You guys hungry? I know you are, you can smell it, can’t you?”

As if in response to the question, the hawks turned their heads toward the chicken, now warm and leaking juices on to the tray, before they returned their attention to Heather. The larger, braver one waddled closer to Heather.

“Looking pretty today, Goldie-girl! But I bet you already know that. I bet Shadow can’t keep his talons off you,” Heather cooed affectionately at the large female. Just as his name suggested, Shadow cautiously followed Goldie forward, remaining slightly behind the female.

“We’ve done this for years, Shad. You think you would be a little less shy around me,” Heather carried on her one-sided conversation, briefly turning her back to the hawks as she picked up the chicken. She sat down and crossed her legs, making made easy work of tearing the chicken breast into strips using her fingernails. “Don’t let the other hawks know that you hide behind your wife when you get scared, they’ll probably make fun of you.” 

Shadow didn’t appear to appreciate the insult. He bounced forward to join Goldie, who stood in front of Heather.

“Sorry guys, this is all I could find in the house. You’ll have to share nicely, okay? I’ll see if I can sneak some fish out of the store next week for you. I know that’s your favorite.”

She dangled a strip of chicken from her fingers, and Goldie extended her neck, deftly grabbing the end from Heather and tearing it into pieces before swallowing them down. Heather held out another piece for Shadow, who alternated his attention between the chicken and Heather before carefully retreating from her outstretched hand. Heather sighed and tossed the strip toward the male, who retrieved it from the ground and walked a few feet away to savor his snack, his rust-colored tail swaying with each step.

Heather repeated feeding the hawks until she ran out of the strips, having to reprimand Goldie a couple of times, who nipped at Shadow when he tried to take some of the strips of chicken that she deemed as rightfully hers. Both came within touching distance of Heather once they finished their last pieces, eagerly searching for more. 

“All finished for today,” Heather said, raising her empty hands to signal to the birds that she had no more chicken. Both Goldie and Shadow tilted their heads, seemingly pondering whether the girl was telling the truth. Heather nudged the foam tray closer to the birds, who began to shred it apart, checking to ensure no stray pieces of chicken remained hidden somewhere on it.

Heather watched the hawks as they tore apart the tray. Suddenly, both Shadow and Goldie raised their heads and turned, listening intently to a sound that Heather’s ears couldn’t pick up.

“What is it, guys?” Heather asked the birds. Almost instantly, Shadow leapt into the air, spreading his great wings, and took flight. Goldie cast one last look at Heather, as if bidding her farewell, before following her mate into the sky.

Not five minutes later, Heather heard voices nearby, accompanied by the telltale cracking of leaves and twigs beneath sneakers. She froze, her heart pounding, fearing that her father had finally decided to track her down. A brief, hopeful moment passed when she realized that the voices sounded nothing like her father’s slurred, grumbling tones. However, that hope dissipated almost instantly as she recognized the voices drawing closer, and her panic surged once more.

“I’m telling you it was over here.”

“No, it’s not.”

“Yes, it is.”

“We’re walking in circles. We’ve past that stump twice already.”

“They’re different stumps, Jon.”

“Oh yeah? Did the moss tell you that too?”

“No, you just weren’t paying enough attention.”

“We don’t get phone service out here; there’s nothing to do but pay attention.”

“Start paying better attention.”

Just as she stood and turned to flee, Jon and Alfie emerged from the thicket.

[salemontrial]

A list of things (in no order) they BETTER include in the movie

- Rule #1: Don't Get Caught

- "And they are not khakis they're chinos. Khakis are for white people."

- The magazine page

- Zahra stealing Alex's phone and shoving it in her bra after the emails get leaked

- "Numbers on me being into dudes?"

- Get Low at the new years gala (bonus points for "Fuck it up, vato!")

- Alex blowing a beer bottle

- If I don't hear Bea's emotional depth pie speech I'll riot

- "America: He is my choice."

- "Now, I'm standing here, and I'm thinking about it... A reliable, hardworking, honest, Southern Democrat versus corruption, and maliciousness, and hate. And one big state full of honest people, sick as hell of beinf lied to."

- "Say good morning to your strumpet, Henry" "Good morning strumpet"

- Honestly the entire facetime with Pez while him and Henry are in Wales--

- Idk man i wanna see dc dykes on bikes chase westboro baptish church goers down the street

- "I am the First Son of the United States, and I'm bisexual. History will remember us."

- "I've seen Jurassic Park. Did you know birds are directly descended from raptors? That's a scientific fact. Raptors in my bedroom, Henry. And you want me to go to sleep like they're not gonna bust out of their enclosures and take over the island the minute I close my eyes? Okay. Maybe your white ass."

- "i want to see a cage match between your grandmother and this fucking ghoul running against my mom"

- The "Sexual Experimentation With Foreign Monarchs: A Gray Area" powerpoint

- "Sería una mentira, porque no sería èl."

- "Dear Thisbe, I wish there weren't a wall. Love, Pyramus"

- "Oh I'm terribly sorry Pip! So awfully clumsy, I think all that cocaine I did must have done a number on my reflexes!"

- Them dancing to Your Song in the A&V

- Alex NEEDS to fall into that rosebush

- "Hey. We won." "Yeah. We won."

- "But that would be-" "Yes Alex, the day we met, nothing gets past you does it? 'What about you' he asks, as if he doesn't know-"

[streamdotpng]

me staring at the art where tara, vada and wednesday circled Pip (aka emma myers) like the raptors in jurrasic park: hmm...

[wpip-raham]

.:14 Associations for Azha Agniezska (Since I already did Pip):.

🐍Animal: Bearded dragon. They're just so docile and cool.

💙Colors: Blue, charcoal, white gold

🎼Songs: Mohanam - YouTube

#️⃣Number: I guess I don't have one for him. Maybe 10. 10 is a nice number.

🌙Day or Night: Night

🌿Plants: Queen Sago

🍯Scents: Musk, tobacco

💎Gemstones: Mica

❄️Season: Spring

🗻Places: Thavnair, La Noscea

🍲Foods: Jhinga Biryani, Tandoori Raptor

🌌Eorzean Deity: Oschon

🌨️Eorzean Elements: Earth, Wind

☕Drinks: Coffee, Tea, Juice

tagged by: @disciple-of-frost thank you!!!!

tagging: @arinaxiv, @call-me-mr-8, @idol-ffxiv, @aces-and-kings, @voidwife

[wolfgirlguts]

Do you have a collection of your characters/friends or something of that sort?

If not, do you want to give any of them some attention, like with Aspen?

If you're wanting to know if I've got some kind of list of all my characters, ehhhh. . . Not in one place, and there's just so many of them. But there's only a few that make sense to talk about here, so I guess I could make that list!

Here:

Aife, Prin's gf and a socialite with a secret

Alina, mad scientist fox

Cecily, pred streamer lynx

Evonne, evil (she is a deer)

Vanilla, acrobat/magician bunny

Sonja, programmer horse. Her job involves spreadsheets idk.

Etra, scary kobold, good at music

Astrid, scary unicorn, good at magic

Nima, cheetah sweetheart obsessed with gaining weight

Saffron, gutslut heiress mousegirl

Lexi, Saffron's owl roommate desperately trying to keep her alive so she can keep covering rent

Kinsey, geeky lioness

Tacita, antisocial owl witch

Dritha, cold blooded raptor who pretends not to actually be smitten with

Keoni, a mousegirl convinced that her girlfriend Dritha cares for her only as a backup supply of food and is fine with that

Pip (short for Epiphany), a tiger shark medical researcher who can totally control herself around that blood don't worry she definitely hasn't eaten her last 3 interns you'll be fine

. . . And there's definitely more but that's a sampler.

As far as ones I want to give attention, I was thinking about introducing Alina or Evonne next? But questions about anyone are welcome!

[cipher-gyps]

Fly free, Nox!

Man, words can’t express how shocked and heartbroken we were. It felt like it was just yesterday. Watching the live cams, waiting for that last egg to pip. Everyone was so happy! 4 chicks. It was a first (as far as we know) for Annie. Nox quickly stole our heart, with his curious and eager attitude, his admiration for his sister, and all his loads ofc. He was the last to fledge, and that weekend we drove out to go see him. We were thrilled to see all 4 of the juveniles and Archie that day. I wish I knew it would be Nox’s final moments on campus.

Hearing that he was found with an injured wing was shocking. But it sounded like he would be ok. Following his recovery for months, waiting for the day for him to be released, it was finally time. We were so happy for him, he had recovered so well. Not only that, but veterinary technology had improved so much over the years it made his recovery possible. But only a few days later, he was found again. On the ground, in poor condition. To say I was shocked would be an understatement. Working in rehab myself we knew this all too well - there was clearly something else wrong. We didn’t have much hope, but everyone was crossing their fingers he would be OK. I wish that was the case.

I remember opening the story to hear the news. It had to have been around 9am. I had just woken up, and got a notification that CRC posted a Nox update just a couple minutes ago. But I was shattered. He had passed away. I was beyond words.

The first year for young raptors is difficult, with such a low survival rate it’s hard to know what chicks from previous years are still out there. But there’s something different when you watch everything unfold right in front of you.

Rest in peace, Nox. We will always remember you.

[silverfirewolfsurtleaus]

Side stories: elements and status

The camera came on again to a very panicked looking Donnie. He quickly composed himself. In the background you could see Nohgaku over the lap of Donnie's brother and local legiana hybrid leo while said hybrid was reading a comic on a bean bag. A small orage and purple raptor looking thing was chewing on a ball next to them. "So in my last informative video I failed to explain two very important things! Nessisary things if one wishes to be a hunter rider or simply try and not get caught in the monsters crossfire."

"This is why we told you to write a script you know" Leo pipped up before the video suddenly cut. After the cut Nohgaku and the small creature were looking at Leo in consern as he held his head. Donnie pretending they were not in the background looked like nothing happned.

"Now as I was saying elements and status." Donnie hummed. "While not all monsters have these its important to note some do. Id rather explain what most of them do now as to save everyone a bit of time later on their are some soly uniqe to a monster species, until proven other wise, so they will be covered in due time but the common ones should be handled now."

"The five elements as by recognized by the giilds and who ever wrote thr monster echology books for most of mothers world are as follows: fire, water, ice, thunder, and dragon." Donnie leans back. "With a place or two recognising earth as an element also but thats not common and wind being a very unnofical one." He folded his hands together. "Now most the names are in yourface of ehat they do and anyone from my fathers world or whos just in the observant enough will know that Thunder actually means electricity despite the fact thunder is the noise made by lightning after it strikes!"

"Don yoyr about to start going off topic!" Leo seems to have stopped cradling his head at least.

"Ah yes right anyways Dragon is...a strange element that got its name from the fact its usually held by elder dragon class monsters. There are a few monsters that have it that arent elder dragons but they are typically few and far between." He paused for a moment. "And theres one of those that if you see it you make sure it dosent see you and you get away as quickly as possible-" he managed to stop himself. "Which I will go over when the time comes."

"Now we actually have three examples of monsters who have an element and one that doesnt in this room!" Donnie was grinning. "I myself as being a mizustune hybrid have the water elment. Yes yss big shock Im a levithan with water powers- not all levithan monsters have water powers! One of the most well know actually has thunder element powers!" Donnie then coughed. "Nohgaku actually has fire element and Leo has ice. Fido there, yes thats his name, who is a Jaggi, has no element...still wouldnt want a face a whole pack of them..." Fido was getting scritchea behind his ear frill wich seemed to make him kick his leg like a dog when you found the spot. "...it should be noted Fido is a bird wyvern class monster and I have no clue why he acts like a dog he is not a representation of the wider scope of his species..."

"Anyways!" Donnie once again rolled back ontrack. "Yes so back fully on track. Dragon element is as rare as it is mysterious sometimes it looks like black abd red lightning sometimes it looks like fire some times for the monster who weilds it it is a power booster that increases all its psyical atributes. Heck one elder dragon uses it to fly! Ill again get to that when the time comes." He spoke not noticing Fido getting closer to him from the background. Leo covering his mouth to not laugh.

"Now onto the status. This is a term that honestly could be used diffrently but it pretty much says all. Their things that monsters can inflict on hunters riders and even other monsters some of which a hunter and rider can use theirselves if they have the right tools. Now some of them are pretty easy to explain some are harder."

He pulled up a series of mini holograms. "To start with fireblight basically you are on fire and until the fires put out some how youll be hurting. Posion most monsters who can inflict this have a similar toxin to one another no one knows why but it makes making the antidotes for it very easy. However if your foolish enouvh to go without these antidotes your in for a world of hurt because it is not pleasant. Thunder blight is basically filling the body with just enough redidual statoc that one more electical hit will temporarly imoblize you, also known as peralysis which can happen without it but its easier with it. Ice and water blight do sort of simialr things though in Kamura where mamas from Ice blight more effects one of their hunting companions more than the active hunter themselves. Still in most cases water and iceblight cause your stamina to drain quicker even quicker than waterblight. Dragonblight affect any weapons your carrying see a smart hunter or rider will have weapons that can do elemental damages...dragonblight takes those away temporarly" he shudders. "Id hate to think what it could do to me or my brothers se simply do not know how it affects our biology."

His tail swished a bit unknowing that Fido was watching it. "Now ive already covered paralysis and poison. Theres also monsters that can cause you to fall asleep in the middle of the fight. Which yes is very dangorus! Theres also thr chance that the monster could knock you so hard your trying to get your bearings for a while, generally refered to as being stunned Id say its a trip to the doctor to see if you got a cuncussion!" He stopped to cough a bit. "An-anyways! Theres also blastblight despite the name it is not the same as the other blights. It is more a ticking time bomb of having soem form of substance on you you need to get off quickly before it explodes on you."

Leo could be heard grumbling in the background. Donnie tolled his eyes. "Most of us, by that I mean my brothers and I, can inflict some status condition, though some are situational." He continued. "I am able to inflict waterblight, leo can infict iceblight. I also have another blight I can inflict but I will dave that one for when I cover the mizustune species as a whole as theres is only one monster outside the mizustune that can use it and...its not a common species to see" shaking his head he claps his hands his tail moving more. "With that I think thats trulely everything we need to know before getting into the INdi-" he whipped around to Fido who had pounced on his tail.

There was a cut and Fido was back over by a chuckling Leo. The bird wyvern looking very dejected. His head was on Nohgaku's the levithan looking very amused somehow. "As I was Saying! Thats everything you need to-"

"Hey Donnie" the sound of metal tapping on metal popped up as a small figure covered in metalic scales popped up a pair of wings on his back. Donnie hummed irritsted that his ending got interupted again. "You did cover the stronger variations right?"

"No because those are very much are a place by place case and not all versions of the same monster have the same thing going on!" Donnie seemed exasperated.

"Well then just know in some places stronger versions of the status exsist and if you want to know if the place your in has them ask the locals!" Mikey chimed in.

"Anyeays thank you and you will see me next time I record one of these" Donnie spoke quickly before turning off the recording.

----

Donnie did not have luck this time around probably shouldnt have recorded when theri was other people and pets in the room

[nuclearforest]

I present to you one very American read of what the Hellsing cast would drive as a practical daily car, a fun car, and an old classic. Also feel free to chip in and let me know where you agree or disagree.

Hellsing:

Integra:

Practical: Rolls Royce Silver Phantom (pretty much already canon, altho Walter's the one driving it most of the time)

Fun: Aston Martin DB11 (she'd pick a fancy British car while striking a break from family expectations. Her Father Arthur probably would've been a McLaren fan)

Old Classic: A little Triumph convertible (she would've learned stick shift on it if Walter ever taught her in a very dadly moment)

Seras:

Practical: Mini Cooper (listen if I didn't pick it I'd feel like a letdown. I know some of the EU car brands but not enough to be useful here lol)

Fun: BMW 3M (something not too flashy but with a bit if kick. Still more or less practical, just not in the winter. Also modern and similar to Alucard's classic!)

Classic: 1960s Volkwagen Beetle (cute car for a cute lady. Also good vibes for a beach trip with Pip. Seras deserves good things)

Alucard:

Practical: Mercedes C-Class (nothing about this man is practical, but this is pretty close. Based on my own experience with the brand the car would probably be in the shop as much as on the road and he'd revel in being a pain in the ass borrowing Integra's car)

Fun: Arthur's old Maclaren (he may or may not have modded it in all the ways Arthur would've hated)

Classic: Early 70s BMW M1 (listen he'd probably look good in a racing outfit next to an iconic, sharp mid engine car. Especially in a nice bright red. It narrowly beat the idea of giving him a Reliant Robin, if only so he could make it everybody else's problem.)

Walter:

Practical: Hyundai Sonata (when he's not driving Integra around, he probably uses old reliable.)

Fun: Camero SS (other than me trying to make a joke here, Walter would probably go for something slick and strong. Also a good target for old men in a midlife crisis, tied only by a Corvette)

Classic: C4 Corvette (another 80s car to compete with Alucard's M1! Also he'd lose and be salty over it, so it fits)

Pip:

Practical: Ford Raptor (he thinks the pickup makes him look cool, but it's one of the new ones that needs to play engine noises over the sound system to make it seem buffer than it actually is. He doesn't know this)

Fun: the Alpine (which is a little tiny French sports car; pretty niche and really only saw them at LeMans in France. How could I resist?)

Classic: 70s Pontiac Firebird (the aesthetic fits, I think. He'd like to take Seras cruising in it.)

Iscariot:

Maxwell:

Practical: Mercedes C-Class (surprisingly the same as Alucard. It's as practical as I can see him being, priest or not.)

Fun: Fiat Abarth (one of those sporty little fiats. He'd probably assume it was stronger than it is, and it isn't. Rest in Pieces.)

Classic: 60s Ferrari (yes, this is why I didn't make the Ferrari a fun car. Also related to my super old Hellsing at LeMans headcanons.)

Anderson:

Practical: Toyota Camry (cheap, efficient, and has a good safety record. A very priestly car, I guess.)

Fun: Mustang GT (something plentiful and relatively cheap. Also probably well known to and admired by the kids of the orphanage.)

Classic: Porsche 917 (a classic to compete with Alucard's M1. Head to head like true blue rivals. Or lovers. Really hard to say; that's up to you.)

Heinkel:

Practical: Subaru WRX (probably picked it because Yumiko would like it. It's also kinda sporty.)

Fun: Porsche 911 (It's spicy, fancy, and has enough power for you and your lover to flee the Catholic church if you ever really needed to. Looking at you, Yumiko.)

Classic: Tribute Mustang from the movie Bullitt (A mustang, like Anderson, and something she could have to do something with Yumiko.)

Yumiko/Yumie:

Practical: Toyota Camry (Similar to Anderson's car, she's got another one in what is sure to be a Vatican fleet.)

Fun: Toyota Supra (affordable and plentiful! Also probably got a deal in it and would be riding around with Heinkel anyway.)

Classic: Tribute Charger from the movie Bullitt (just to go with Heinkel lol.)

Millennium:

Major:

Practical: Porsche Cayenne (Hans would be stuck driving him around. Most importantly: himself, his chauffer, and Doc would fit without issue.)

Fun: Mercedes AMG GT (he might have difficulty fitting, but he'd probably find it a stunning piece of engineering.)

Classic: Ford GT 40 (something that would've competed with Alucard, Anderson, and Maxwell. Hans would have to squeeze his ass into it to drive, but Montana would be capable of throwing hands with anybody.)

Doc:

Practical: Tesla Model 3 (listen. This man is too anxious to drive, so give him a car with an autopilot. Also probably would be an Elon Bro.)

Fun: Cadillac CTS (the man doesn't really care for fun. It's luxurious, practical, and Montana would agree to ride in it.)

Classic: DeLorean (it would be a Back to the Future reference because he loves science and the idea of discovering time travel FAR more than he loves cars. Probably the person on the list who hates cars the most.)

The Captain:

Practical: Jeep Wrangler (cheap, heavy duty, a workhorse, and you can take the doors off. Kind of the low end version of a G-Wagon, which he'd look good with but that Montana would likely never pay for. Alternatively a Chevy Suburban might work, too)

Fun: Challenger Hellcat (listen it's the only fun car he'd probably even fit in, all things considered. It's also a car I hold near and dear to my heart so obviously I'll associate it with the character I simp most for. Would also give Alucard's and Anderson's picks a run for it's money long term, which i imagine would be the same situation in a battle of attrition)

Classic: A 1950s Ford F-100, beaten to hell (he's a simple man of simple joys. Belongs in the middle of the woods with good old reliable that somehow, much like him, isn't dead yet.)

Schrodinger:

Practical: one of those little battery powered car things--he's a child he can't drive.

Fun: Tesla model S insanity (ok so give the child a car and make it balls to the walls nuts and something Doc would sort of half trust him in. He never uses the autopilot.)

Classic: the nonexistant Ford Nucleon (or another Gord F-100 Hans helped him model to look like Ford's nuclear car concept in a very dadly montage of work.)

Zorin:

Practical: Subaru Forester (no I will not elaborate.)

Fun: Hummer H3 (it's been modded into a violent apocalypse survivalist's wet dream.)

Classic: Roadrunner Superbird (her scythe is ridiculous, and so is the spoiler on this beast. She's out to kick ass and take names and so is this car.)

Rip:

Practical: BMW 330i (it's practical and looks nice. Also rather high quality and likely suited to her finer tastes.)

Fun: Porsche 911 Convertible ("Get in loser, we're going to beat the defeatists." It may not be the best convertible but it's fun and she can feel the wind in her hair.)

Classic: 1979s Cadillac Convertible (listen, I associate her with convertibles. It also rides smooth as a dream and has a really sharp look. It fits somebody elegant!)

Finally, I'm sorry for leaving out Makube, Jan, Luke, and various other minor characters. This was long enough as it is. And the only real headcanon I have left in this group is that Jan drives a shitbox.

[theramseyloft]

1/4/22 Photo Updates... Part 1

Agatha 1/4/24 New Year Update Pakistani Highflier Grizzle Recessive Red cock Escaped with an ash red Mindian Fantail Raptor Struck Scalped Tendon above right ankle severed Comfortably mobile on wings and remaining leg Special Needs Rescue $20

Berry 1/4/22 6 Months Old Seraph-COF x RH-ODC-STRH Pied Sooty Blue Bar hen Sired by Cherub out of Tandy 7/4/21 Bred by The Ramsey Loft PMV and Paratyphoid boosters administered 8/15/21 Loft Bird $30 Reserved

Shinobi 1/4/22 6 Months Old Birmingham Roller x PT-RH-ODC-STRH Black Pied hen Sired by Leonard out of Elliot 7/4/21 Bred by The Ramsey Loft Initial PMV and Paratyphoid vaccines administered 8/15/21 Curious $40 Reserved

Mote 1/4/22 6 Months Old Chinese Owl x COF-RH-FB-GH Dirty Blue check hen Sired by Wukong out of Suki 7/4/21 Bred by The Ramsey Loft PMV and Paratyphoid Boosters administered 9/5/21 Curious $40

Pretzel 1/4/22 4 Months Old CO/COF/RH/FB/GH x Feral/ODC/STRH Pied Blue Check Sired by Wess out of Dolly 9/4/21 Bred by The Ramsey Loft Keeper PMV and Paratyphoid boosters administered 11/13/21

Hope 1/4/22 11 Weeks Old UK/FB/VSC/OGO/COF/RH/GH x DHF/RT Pied Grizzle Khaki T-Pattern hen Sired by Imp out of Brightheart 10/19/21 Bred by The Ramsey Loft Keeper PMV and Paratyphoid boosters administered 12/21/21

Tansey 1/4/22 6 Weeks Old RH/PT/ODC/STRH x COF/RH/FB/GH Pied Indigo Check Sired by Nettle out of Suki 11/23/21 Bred by The Ramsey Loft Keeper Initial PMV and Paratyphoid vaccines administered 1/4/22

Panties 1/4/22 5 Weeks Old Tippler x Birmingham Roller White (Pied Grizzle) Sired by Pants out of Soot 11/30/21 Bred by The Ramsey Loft Keeper

Varsity 1/4/22 1 Week Old RH/DHF/COF/FB/GH x DHF/RH/Figurita/Lucerne Blue Sired by John out of Velour 12/28/21 Bred by The Ramsey Loft Keeper

PL1-1 1/4/22 Pilea x LuLu Candling Day: 1/4/22 Fertile Pip Day: 1/13/22

Continued momentarily, due to Tumblr's BS image limit.

[just-jessie0]

Pip of a Raptor - The Death of the American Dream (Chapter 8)

The trio established a routine that they maintained throughout the remaining weeks of the summer. Every Friday, they would gather at Alfie’s to play video games and watch movies before Linda made homemade pizza for dinner. After a couple of weeks, Heather found her way into the kitchen, joining Linda in making the dough and putting together the pies while the boys played Smash in the living room. Heather couldn’t fathom how the boys never tired of the game; it was the same thing over and over again, yet they could play for hours. Occasionally, she would assist Linda in making cookies or other treats.

Initially, Linda resisted Heather’s help, thinking the girl felt obligated due to the considerable time spent at Alfie’s house. Linda once mentioned this to Heather early on, urging her to return to the living room with the boys. However, upon seeing Heather’s distressed expression, Linda swiftly realized that Heather’s desire to contribute ran deeper than mere politeness, though Linda never questioned Heather about it, and Heather never bothered to share.

On days other than Friday—and Mondays, given Linda’s diligence in ensuring Alfie stuck to his promise regarding summer school studies—the three would gather in the woods by the teepee. After a couple of days, they dismantled Heather’s original construction, and together they built a larger and far more impressive one. It took days and many arguments between the three on the best approach, but eventually, a teepee with a 15-foot diameter and almost 20 feet in height replaced Heather’s.

The old dog beds that lined the ground were replaced with air mattresses and sleeping bags—courtesy of Andrew—and Linda sewed plastic linings onto the old bed sheets for them to use as a cover so that even in the rain, the three would remain comfortable and dry. After insistence on Alfie’s part, Heather pinned up her drawings in the newer teepee model, though they now covered only a small fraction of the massive interior rather than the entire space.

Sometimes, they would play in the woods by the teepee, creating games that resembled an amalgamation of hide-and-seek, tag, and dodgeball. On other occasions, Alfie and Andrew would bring their paintball gear, along with Andrew’s extra gun, to shoot around Mr. Brown’s pond. Approximately once every other week, Alfie and Jon would take their bikes to pick up Heather, who typically rode on Alfie’s handlebars, and they would head down the 10 miles of Old Beth to the lake where they would spend the day playing in the tiny waterfall or catching crayfish.

Many times over the summer, Alfie suggested to Jon and Heather that they go to Jon’s house and swim in the pool, but neither Jon nor Heather seemed too thrilled by that idea. No one asked to go over to Heather’s house. 

Every once in a while, Heather wouldn’t appear at the teepee. Jon and Alfie would wait for a couple of hours after their agreed-upon meeting time, but there would be no sign of Heather, and the two would return to Jon’s or Alfie’s house to decide on their plans for the rest of the day.

As the weeks passed, her initially guarded demeanor gave way, revealing an energetic, resourceful, and sometimes bossy personality. However, when Heather would reappear the following day after not showing up, her mood would undergo a complete transformation, reverting into her guarded shell. She stayed silent and kept mostly to herself, even when Alfie would try to coax her into joining whatever he and Jon had planned. No matter how many times Alfie or Jon asked what was wrong, she would only respond with a snide comment and a glare, telling them to mind their own business.

Her attitude towards Jon would also change after her return. Both Alfie and Jon still noticed her frequent glances in his direction, but her initial intensity appeared to shift to a more curious observation, much to Jon’s relief. However, upon her return, Heather’s early disdain and contempt became palpable once again, intensifying tenfold, catching both Alfie and Jon by surprise. Jon typically responded in kind with his own attitude, and it would take Alfie a couple of days acting as the mediator between the two until peace was reestablished within their little trio.

In early August, Heather didn’t show up for three days. The first day, they dismissed it as her usual disappearance. The second day, confusion set in. By the third day, concern took hold.

Alfie paced back and forth in the teepee between air mattresses, the drawings pinned on the fabric fluttering each time he disturbed the air around them. “We should go to her house and see if she’s alright,” he said. “She’s never been gone this long before.”

Jon sat, leaning up against the wall, his legs extended in front of him. “Alfie, she’s fine. Maybe she just forgot to tell us that she and her dad were going away or something.” Despite his cool tone, Jon’s brows scrunched in concern, as if he were trying to convince himself as much as Alfie that everything was okay.

Alfie sat down beside Jon, and they fell into a moment of silence, both lost in thought.

“It’s probably fine,” Jon whispered so low that Alfie almost didn’t catch it. Jon cleared his throat and continued, this time louder, “and I don’t think her dad will like us showing up uninvited.”

“Something doesn’t feel right, Jon,” Alfie said.

Jon didn’t respond. Another moment of silence passed before Jon turned to Alfie.

“If she doesn’t show tomorrow, we go and check the house,” he said, squaring his shoulders.

Alfie nodded in approval of the plan.

Both Alfie and Jon were tense on their walk to the teepee the following day, fearing that once again, Heather would be a no-show. To their surprise—and delight—a tiny figure in a maroon sweatshirt was sitting at the entrance of the teepee, head bowed, scratching at the dirt in front of her with a stick. Alfie stopped mid-stride and blew out an audible sigh of relief. Jon’s shoulders dropped, and the tension he didn’t even notice himself carrying eased.

“Heather!” Alfie bellowed. Heather’s head whipped up, seemingly startled out of a trance. Alfie trotted over to the teepee.

“Nice of you to show up,” Jon said sarcastically, swaggering up to the two. Alfie winced, and Jon bristled, both bracing for Heather’s usual snide remarks and biting attitude that typically surfaced after she spent some time away.

It took them both by surprise when Heather just stared blankly up at them, her eyes dull.

“Sorry,” she said softly. Her bony shoulders hunched as she continued to fiddle with the stick, drawing abstract shapes in the loose dirt in front of her.

Alfie readied a lighthearted response, but Jon wasn’t about to let it go.

“We meet here for you, you know,” Jon said, crossing his arms over his chest. “We don’t have to either. I get that you don’t have a phone, but I live across the street. You couldn’t bother to walk over and at least let me know that you don’t feel like hanging out.” Jon scrunched up his face and pitched his voice, mocking Heather’s, “‘Hi Jon, just came over to tell you that I’ve decided that I have better things to do today.’” Heather winced, but Jon continued. “Can’t go five minutes out of your way so we don’t spend hours waiting around just to see if you show up?”

“Jon,” Alfie warned, upset at Jon’s rude outburst.

“He’s right, Alfie,” Heather said, head bowed. “I’m sorry, I should have said something.”

Jon’s face blanked, her sudden acknowledgment and apology dissipating his frustration.

“Well, just don’t do it again,” he grumbled.

“What do you want to do today?” Alfie asked Heather, trying to lighten the mood. “We could go to the pond. Maybe we could ask Mr. Brown to borrow his fishing rod and try to catch something.”

Heather didn’t acknowledge Alfie, nor did she get up from where she was sitting. She remained silent for so long that Jon was ready to rear for another fight. Suddenly, she looked up at the two of them, her expression unintelligible.

“Actually, I was hoping to show you guys something,” she paused before adding, “If that’s okay.”

Both Alfie and Jon stilled. There was a heaviness in Heather’s voice that made Alfie’s chest tighten and Jon twitchy.

“Sure,” Alfie said, giving her a smile.

“Yeah,” Jon replied begrudgingly, but the venom from his outburst was gone.

“Sit,” Heather said, patting the ground next to her. The motion caused the boys’ eyes to move to her hand. The narrow tips of her fingers that normally stuck out of her sweatshirt were now covered in a thick wrapping of gauze, winding around the digits and disappearing under her sleeve, the normally loose fabric straining from the added bulk.

“What’s that?” Alfie asked, pointing to her hand as they sat down on either side of her.

Heather shrugged, “Fell and broke my wrist,” she responded, without meeting their eyes.

“What’s that?” Jon parroted, pointing to a smattering of green and yellow bruises dotting the small sliver of her neck that was visible from the zipped-up sweatshirt.

“It was a hard fall.” Though it was late August and sweltering, Heather lifted the hood of her sweatshirt over her head and tucked the fabric closer around her.

Alfie opened his mouth to ask another question, but Heather quickly shushed him.

“You need to stay quiet or they won’t come,” she said.

“Who won’t?” Alfie said, looking around nervously.

“What the hell is this?” Jon said, his nose scrunched in disgust as he pointed to a plastic Tupperware container next to Heather, filled with tiny silver fish floating in a foggy liquid.

“Anchovies. Be quiet.”

“Can I at least close it? It reeks.”

“No, now shut it.”

Jon hmphed in response.

At Heather’s request, the three sat cross-legged in front of the teepee in silence, Jon picking at his fingernails, Alfie scanning their surroundings for intruders, and Heather looking up at the tops of the trees. Not long after, a noisy flapping overhead had the three looking up, and when Jon went to stand, Heather held her arm out in front of him to keep him sitting on the ground.

Alfie gasped, “Are those hawks?” he whispered, not taking his wide eyes off the birds in the trees.

Heather smiled, “Yeah.” She leaned over Jon and grabbed the container, lifting it in the air over her head to try and get the birds’ attention.

Goldie and Shadow seemed unsure of the new company, but after a couple of minutes decided that the promise of a snack was worth the risk and glided down to stand in front of the three kids.

Jon yelped and started feeling around on the ground before his hands connected with a rock, flinging it at the nearest bird, causing them both to hop back, flapping their large wings in aggravation.

“What the hell, Jon!” Heather screamed, upset.

“They might have rabies or something!” Jon yelled back, grasping again for something to throw.

“They’re the surprise, you idiot!” she hissed, brushing away all the rocks and sticks within his reach with her good hand.

Jon looked at Heather like she was insane but didn’t try to grab anything else.

“They’re the ones from the drawings,” Alfie said, making the connection between Heather’s pictures and the birds in front of them.

“Yeah, I’ve been feeding them for the past couple of years now,” Heather said, once again grabbing the container of fish.

“Here,” she said, handing both Alfie and Jon one of the slimy silver specimens. “Dangle it from your fingers like this.” Heather grabbed one of the fish and held it at arm’s length in front of her body.

Alfie eagerly followed her lead, but Jon slowly lowered his fish back into the Tupperware.

Gradually, the birds hopped over until they were a couple of feet in front of the three, their heads cocking to eye the proffered specimens. Like always, Goldie waddled to Heather.

Jon slid back until his back was pressed against the teepee, desperately trying to distance himself from the bird.

“Heather,” he said, sounding uncomfortable.

“Don’t worry, they won’t hurt you. They’re really friendly… well, Goldie is anyway. She’s the female; they’re always larger than the males. The skittish one is Shadow.”

Goldie eyed Jon warily before reaching her neck out and taking the fish dangling from Heather’s hand.

“They’re massive,” Alfie whispered, doing his best not to scare the birds away.

Heather threw a couple more fish to Goldie, who happily tore through the silver flesh and gulped down the pieces. Shadow’s eyes locked onto the one in Alfie’s hand. Much to Heather’s surprise, Shadow cautiously stepped forward.

His black eyes scrutinized Alfie and his fishy offering. Keeping space between Heather and a wide berth from Jon, Shadow hopped to the side of Alfie, pausing only a moment before reaching his neck forward and gently taking the fish from Alfie’s fingers.

Heather gasped, causing Alfie to startle.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I’ve never been able to get him to grab anything from my hand before.” She beamed at Alfie. “He likes you!”

Alfie gave her a wide smile in return. Both birds finished with their anchovies and hopped up to Alfie and Heather looking for another handout. As Heather fed Goldie and Alfie fed Shadow—and Jon looked at both of them like they had no sense of self-preservation—the three sat in companionable silence.

“They are beautiful,” Alfie breathed, hugging his legs close to his chest.

“They really are,” Heather agreed.

“You two would think vicious, flying dinosaurs would be pretty,” Jon muttered.

Upon hearing Jon’s voice, both Shadow and Goldie looked up before grabbing their final scraps of fish in their talons and bounding farther away from the triad to finish their meal in peace.

Alfie snickered, “I don’t think they like you, Jon.”

“The feeling is mutual,” he petulantly responded.

“Please be nice to them,” she said, quietly. “They’re special to me.” She curled her legs to her chest and wrapped her arms around her knees.

“I found them on my ninth birthday,” Heather said, watching the birds preen their feathers in the distance. “It was the day after my mom left.” 

“I thought your mom was de-” Jon started but quickly changed his wording when he saw Alfie’s look of horror. “divorced. I just assumed your mom was divorced from your dad.” 

“Dead?” Heather said, finishing his initial statement. “No, she’s not. At least I don’t think so. I guess she might as well be.” 

Neither Jon nor Alfie knew how to respond to that.

“And they were never married. She met my dad at the Ravens Nest, that sketchy bar off Old Hall. It’s where my dad spends most of his days when he’s not home. I guess that’s where he finds people that are just as messed up as him, since anytime he comes home, he’s always dragging along whoever is willing to go with him.

“Anyway, they met at the bar one day, and I guess she decided not to leave. Then I was born. I used to hear them arguing about me. I think my dad wanted her to get an abortion. He would blame her for waiting too long, and now he was stuck with the consequences of her laziness.” Heather scoffed. “Dad says that I’m the reason he’s still stuck in this town. But he was here long before I was and will probably be here long after I finally get out.”

“I’m sorry, Heather,” Alfie said, putting a chubby hand on her shoulder.

Heather shrugged, “I’m over it. People tend to say horrible things when they’re drunk or high. I’ve learned not to take anything to heart.” She covertly brushed under her eye with the sleeve of her sweatshirt.

“After she gave birth to me, she pretty much stopped paying attention to me.” Heather smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I guess you could say that both of my parents are the hands-off type.”

“The truth is, I didn’t know her that well. We were about as close to strangers as possible for two people living in the same house. I don’t think we ever had a real conversation. Not the sit-down, ask you about your day kind, anyway. I couldn’t tell you one thing about her except that she looked like me. I don’t think that dad knew much else about her either.”

Heather hesitated, lost in thought before continuing. “My dad… he’s not very nice. He gets angry when he drinks, and he drinks all the time. He was nicer to me when she was still around, but I think that was mostly because he took out his bad mood on her. I would lock myself in my room when the fighting started. But now that she’s gone…”

Heather absentmindedly stroked her cast. “Sometimes I wish that she were still here. Maybe that makes me a horrible person.” She shook her head and whispered, “It probably does,” before continuing.

“They would get in these arguments and just start screaming at each other. That’s when he would start hitting her. It got pretty bad at times. Then he would leave with whatever friends were there for the bar, and she would sit in the corner of the living room, crying and bleeding.”

Heather was staring at something very far away. “I would try to help her. I would bring her a blanket or towels, band-aids if I could find them; not that they would be of much help. I just wanted to try and comfort her, let her know that I was still there, but when I would get close or try to talk to her, she would just scream at me until I went away.”

“A couple of months before she left, they both got drunk and ended up having a pretty big fight. After he left to go party with his buddies, she had to drive to the hospital and get some stitches on her head. I tried talking to her when she got home, but she didn’t want anything to do with me. She just curled up on the couch and started to smoke.”

“She looked worse than normal. I waited until she fell asleep and walked into town to go to Target. I got her some bandages and some antibacterial soap for her stitches. I was going to leave when I found these pair of earrings.”

Heather’s expression softened. “They were beautiful. Little gold hoops with tiny green gemstones in them. She had this bracelet that she used to wear that was the same color, so I thought that she would like them. I wanted to cheer her up, to show that even though she didn’t want to talk to me, I was still thinking about her. So I bought her the pair of earrings.”

Heather eyed the boys bashfully, “Well, I stole them actually. They were twenty dollars, and I only had enough money for the bandages.”

“She was still sleeping when I got back home, so I just set them on the coffee table with the rest of the supplies. When I came out of the room later, the earrings were gone from the coffee table, and she was wrapping up her head with the fresh gauze.”

“She never said anything to me about the earrings. I thought that maybe she hid them away someplace special. If Dad saw them, he might try to take them to sell for extra money.”

Heather went silent for some time, watching the hawks search the ground for any scraps of fish they may have missed. She cleared her throat and continued, “I don’t know why she finally decided to leave. I tried to think back and pinpoint something that was different. Something that was worse than usual. But it was always that bad. I guess she just got tired of dealing with it all, or maybe she got tired of constantly having to share her space with strangers all the time. Or maybe she got tired of sharing her drugs. Either way, she left. Just packed up all her stuff and left when I was at school without saying anything to me or him.”

“I didn’t even know that she was really gone until later that night when Dad started to go on a rampage, tearing up the house, knocking things over, throwing stuff at the walls, and screaming at the top of his lungs.”

She laughed humorlessly, a sharp cruel sound that caused Shadow to move closer to Goldie. “He wasn’t mad that she ditched us, just pissed because she apparently took his favorite glass pipe with her. I stayed in my room until late that night when I knew he was far too drunk and high to come after me. I asked him about Mom, if she actually left, and you know what he said?”

Heather shook her head miserably. “‘Which one?’ He asked me which one was my mom. Said he gets all the bitches mixed up.”

“The truth is I can’t blame her for leaving. I would too if I could. She never loved me, but I’m glad that she was able to leave. I didn’t even blame her for not taking me with her.”

“I imagined that she would get out of town and get clean. Maybe she would live with her parents for a while until she was able to get back on her feet. I imagined that maybe she would get a job as a waitress or a hairstylist or something. And that she would save up enough money to get a little apartment; nothing too fancy, but something that she could call hers.”

“I imagined that she would buy a little jewelry box,” Heather said, almost a whisper, “and she would put the earrings in there, and maybe she would think about me in that moment. Maybe she would feel guilty for leaving right before my birthday. Maybe she wished she said goodbye.”

A tear fell down Heather’s cheek, and her face twisted into a sneer. “I found them the next day. The earrings. They were wedged in between the couch cushions. They were all bent and had this sticky black tar on the backs of them. Turns out she used them to clear one of her pipes, probably the one that she took from Dad.”

“Dad came home with his junkie friends and told me to get lost, so I went to my room. I sat on my bed and tried to wash the black stuff off the earrings, but it wouldn’t come off. They started partying like they always do, but I wanted to clean the earrings. I normally don’t interrupt them; I hate the people that he brings over, but I went into the living room and asked him for something to help get it off.”

“He gave me this cleaning stuff, said that at least he didn’t have to buy me a present now that I’ve already taken care of it. And that’s when I realized. I stood there next to my dad and his junkie friends all nodding off, and realized that Mom probably didn’t even know it was my birthday to begin with.”

“Being unwanted was a feeling that I had gotten used to a long time ago. Dad doesn’t want me, but at least there’s some sort of acknowledgment to that. But being irrelevant? Completely inconspicuous? That was something way worse.”

More tears fell down Heather’s face, and this time she didn’t try to stop them, but she offered a tiny smile, genuine this time.

“After I cleaned the earrings, I came out here to bury them. I don’t have my ears pierced, and I didn’t want to have to keep looking at them. That’s when I first saw Goldie and Shadow. They were in the trees just watching me dig. I’ve never seen a hawk up close before, and from the way they were looking at me, I don’t think they ever saw a person that close before either.”

Heather smiled wide. “It was magical. The best birthday present ever. I never expected to see them again, but the next day, there they were. Just looking down at me again. The third day is when I tried to feed them.”

She laughed at herself, “It didn’t work; they were way too scared of me. But they kept coming back.”

She looked longingly at the birds. “They took away the pain. Just a little every day. To them, I wasn’t irrelevant or unwanted; I just was, and it was the nicest feeling that I’ve ever felt.”

Alfie tucked her casted arm around his. Hesitantly, Jon grabbed her other hand in his. The three sat silently watching the hawks, who were now nipping at each other’s tails.

“I guess they’re not so bad,” Jon said nonchalantly.

“Dude, are you serious?” Alfie balked.

Heather’s face went slack before she burst out laughing. After a moment, both Jon and Alfie joined in, and soon the three were cackling so loudly that both Goldie and Shadow flicked their heads in annoyance before taking off and leaving the three in the woods.

[jurrasicworldcc]

JWCC OC Fanfic

Title: Childhood Memories

Setting: Namely in Season 2, a few days before “The Watering Hole” but after “The Art of Chill.”

Day ????: Well, we’ve officially finished making our little shelter. It’s…Judging by the Moon’s current position, it’s around 7:45 at night. Yaz finally learned to take it easy on her ankle or in Kenji’s words, “Give the macho-woman act a rest.” Meanwhile, Brooklynn says that she saw some frozen flowers but I don’t see any…she must’ve wandered off pretty far that time. I really hope someone got that beacon message. - Casey

Casey finally wrote his name in his journal entry and sighed in relief. He looked around to see that Brooklynn just changed out her swimsuit after taking a shower. Casey blushed a tiny bit but Brooklynn didn’t really seem to notice. He then heard Sammy’s laugh.

“Sammy!” Yasmina’s voice called out.

“Sorry, Yaz!” Sammy said to her friend.

“Well, it was a draft of my mom that I was practicing before the whole Indominus attack.” Yasmina smiled and brushed a loose part of her hair by her ear. “I miss her…”

“It’s alright. I bet she’s a pretty strict one.” Kenji chuckled.

Yasmina glared at him. “It may seem like that but…she’s actually really nice. We do everything together.”

Brooklynn sighed as she sat down and put her jacket back on. “I wish I had a mom to know what that’s like. I’m raised by two dads in London.”

Casey smirked. “Well, then…”

He then immediately did a English accent impression. “Ello, governor! What’s all this then? Top of the morning to ya! Double, double, toil and trouble! Mind the gap!! Beware Jack the Ripper! BLOODY HELL!!! Pip, pip. Cheerio!”

Brooklynn cringed. “Don’t ever do that again…Anyways, I grew up with two dads and pretty much learned how to fix things like the family radio and car. It was so fun when I became a vlogger at ten…”

She giggled a little. “…It did make me a jerk like what you guys saw in me back when we first got to Camp Cretaceous.”

Casey put a hand on her shoulder. “I didn’t see you as a jerk. It sounds like you had a fun childhood.”

“You’re just saying that ‘cause you’re three years old than me.” Then, an idea hit Brooklynn’s head. “How about we all tell childhood memories or secrets?”

“Seems a little personal but let’s do it.” Casey smiled. “You’re a genius, you know that?”

Brooklynn blushed and played with her hair a little. Kenji smirked and said, “Let’s get to the bottom of Kenji! I’m a rich boy with a rich dad. I pretty much grew up on Nublar similar to Casey here. It was just my dad and the staff…my mom died when I was two…”

“Oh, Kenj…I’m sorry.” Brooklynn hugged him.

“But it’s alright since my dad got me here and I met you guys.”

Darius chuckled and Casey said, “Seems you were living in the fast lane prior to getting stuck on Murder-Dino-Island.”

Yaz chuckled at the name she gave Nublar and Darius said, “Okay. Here’s my story, not like the one from weeks ago. I was born and raised in North Carolina, I have a brother. Brand…Man, he was a complete prankster. There was this time, I jump scared him and pretended to be a raptor. He got back at me for that. I did tell you about my dad back on the monorail back when Ben…”

The campers fell silent at the mention of Ben and Casey sighed while looking like he was about to cry. He did hear screams that sounded like Ben’s for a few days and Toro has been a bit agitated since the campers scarred him back at the tunnel.

Yasmina cleared her throat. “Maybe we should move on to me. I was born in Spokane, Washington. I did take eight years of diving lessons outside of my running thing. I never really knew my dad and it was just me and my mom. I do remember the day I won my first international meet. I got the gold and then a woman offered me and my mom a sponsorship for Jurassic World. I couldn’t say no! And that was when I decided to dedicate my life to sports.”

Casey smiled. “And if it weren’t for that woman, you wouldn’t be here.”

Yaz smirked and laughed. Sammy giggled and then said, “Alright, here’s my life as a youngin’. I’m obviously from Texas where I live with my mama, daddy, two sisters, Abuela, and favorite cow, Bessie. When I was around six, Mama taught me how to ride a horse and I kinda fell off and hurt my arm. I was really sad about that and Mama and Daddy healed me. They weren’t angry but they did tell me to be more careful.”

“Wow. That’s a really nice one.” Darius said.

“Thanks, Darius.” Sammy chuckled.

“Hey, Casey!” Yasmina said. “What about your childhood? OUTSIDE the genetics lab.”

“Come to think of it, you’ve been pretty silent about Sammy’s family. Also, you’ve never really told us anything about your past except that The Fifth Element is your favorite movie.” Brooklynn added.

Casey smiled kindly. “Well, that’s easy. It all started when…When…It all started…I…”

His expression turned into one with concern. “I…don’t remember…”

Sammy nearly choked and the other campers quickly turned to face Casey in shock.

“Bro, do you have amnesia or something?” Kenji asked.

“No! I remember something.” Casey answered. “When we fell off the zip lines when the Indominus Rex attacked, my life kinda flashed before my eyes. In the memory, I saw this woman, probably my mother, handing me over to what appeared to be Dr. Wu…but anything before that is a blur…”

“Oh, gosh! You don’t even remember your parents??” Sammy asked.

“N-No…” Casey stammered. He had lots of questions. “W-W-Where am I from? Who’s my mom? Who am I?! WHAT AM I?!?!?”

“You’re…adopted!” Kenji answered smugly.

With that, Casey released a loud scream that echoed through the island and probably reached the far end of the Galaxy.

[pantstomatch]

So tomorrow is hatch day, but Emmy and Oreo decided to come early. This is our second try and our second incubator bc our first one crapped out and all our eggs died :(. But! We have these two noisy raptors and 4 more pipped and possible!

[whentherewerebicycles]

i’ve started crating the dogs during the workday because otherwise it’s CHAOS and DESTRUCTION while i’m in zoom meetings. they sleep most of the day but periodically will wake up to make mournful bird noises (ruthie) or shrieking raptor cries (also ruthie) or just to bark their heads off in blind fury at their unjust imprisonment (pip)

[shootingxstardust]

Jurassic Park Hatching Scene rant for no reason.

Remember this scene when the Velociraptor  hatched  with its claws, and  Hammond helped it hatch? After watching Snake Discovery hatching videos for a while, I’ve realized that scene is not done right.

First of all: Dinosaurs likely would have had an egg tooth,and would use that to pip or make a hole. Not their claws. Now I know I said I’ve been watching videos on snakes, but both birds and reptiles have an egg tooth, and use that to make a hole to hatch. Once the hole is made, you can leave the animal alone. For animals that don’t have a well developed egg tooth, the egg can be cut, just so the animal doesn’t drown in its fluids.

Alright. and the biggest offense? They tear off the shell completely.  Again, I am arguing for an animal that isn’t alive, but this advice goes for if you have hatching reptiles or chicks too.  When an animal pips, it can take 24 hours or so to completely hatch. During that time, its umbilical cord is still attached to the shell, and it’s still absorbing nutrients. So to remove it from the shell so quickly.. That could harm, or even kill the  animal. Yeah, I am overthinking, but that poor baby raptor probably died :P

[philip-seville-archive]

Lauryl’s Ships as Poetry

Lauryl’s Ships as Poetry: Pip/BooBoo

BDRP Dogs (a selection) as Poetry : 

Ft. Turtle + Bowie, Gilly, Sparky, BooBoo, Anpanman (Pannie), Tucker, Victoire, Francis, Evelyn, Raptor

All BDRP dogs are here in spirit i just picked the ones i kind of knew best tbqh 

[kaneowldust]

Report 16: Quest for Avalon

And so after a month of ink drawings and another monthtime of writing stories, we’re finally back on our magical studies of Ice. And what world have we decided to explore this time around? The far off land of Avalon with knights, and kings, and goblins, and magic swords that won’t stay in one bloody place. Seriously, you needed a “Find my Sword” app for all the chasing you have to do. Off side, it would make sense that in the worlds revolving around magic that we would take to a world based off Autherian lore. This is also the home world of Ambrose and Gamma as well as the origin of Morganthe. 

           I will admit I have some mixed feelings about the design. On one hand, much like Zafaria-each segment has its own unique aesthetic telling the areas apart showing just how much KingsIsle has some since its early days of Krokotopia through Marleybone where at most the main difference was the color of the buildings and that was before the first major graphic update. Most of the area takes place in the outdoors from the bright and sunny fields of High Road and Abbey Road, to the lush coloring of the Wilds, to the darker drabber areas of the Wyrd and Dun Dara. The only real town segments are Caer Lyon and the Outer Yard to the castle. Your quests do not stay to one area in the course of the main story. One leg could be mingling about the High Road and then going to Caer Lyon before going to Abbey Road and then back to the Wyld. 

The teleporter arches do offer some help in reaching the main areas once activated, but there is still a bit of tracking to be done within each area. Also it is very easy to get caught by the enemies in this place-a thing that can be especially frustrating if it is the same class as you. Ice type enemies are super common much like Grizzlehiem which makes things that much harder. That being said, there is a spell you can use training points for after performing a side quest known as the AOE prism spell. While it costs 2 pips to use as opposed to the 0 pop cost of the standard prism, it pays off in the long run. 

           Speaking of enemies we get a mix of both old and new models from several knight designs from badgers, dogs, and foxes to various goblins from the fluff round skirkers to gangly sprigas. Sure you also have reused models like the ghosts and treeants but they mostly stay to the Wild/Wyrd areas. For the most part much of the overworld enemies don’t give you too much issue but the bosses can be quite aggravating. 

There are a lot of Storm and Balance enemies you deal with that can hit quite hard or have rules that make shields and traps ineffective. A lot of these bosses make soloing the game rather difficult though you shouldn’t have too much issue during the Days of the Spiral events where points are awarded to use the Team Kiosk for Zafaria and Avalon at the time of this post. To the final boss aka the Pendragon I will admit I was rather disappointed by the design. 

For something that was a terror that lead the goblins and deer people against Avalon I was expecting a bit more. Instead we got a green recoloring for the dragon design made for this level. Granted at least it was not a reuse from Dragonspyre but still a bit meh.

At least the narrative is fairly straight forward this time as opposed to Zafaria and Celestia. Your objective is to go to Avalon and retrieve the Sword of Kings to give you a fighting chance against Morganthe and the Deck of Shadows. Unfortunate the page that Merle entrusted the sword to has now grown old and retired from knightdom and had given it to someone else to guard. In turn they handed it to their minstrel to escape with during the raid only for them to lose it in the Wyrd and have it taken to a tomb. Get into the tomb and the Lady of the Lake spirits it away. Meanwhile you must assist the knights against the tides of monsters and restore the shrines of knighthood with the very long names that I honestly glossed over and could not tell you what they were in the first place. 

Which does make me question the length of time between the fall of King Arturious and present day. Because Mallory and Morgathe led the assault on the King and Mallory was killed while Morganthe fled still under the guise of ambitious student of Merle Ambrose. But sometime between then and now she brought about the fall of Celestia in an almost completely manner that the Marleybonians know nothing about them save for the ruins left before. And all that time Avalon has just been surviving against the Pendragon…honestly it is all a bit too confusing trying to put everything in order. At least with Malistaire it was relatively real time. On a side note the biggest gripe would be the Zeke quests and the tapestry quest. This time around they don’t say exactly where these items are. By that I mean, say you’ll find this crow somewhere in the Cave of the Lightening Lizard or this tapestry is in Bolga’s Tower. No instead you get the lovely vague indicator of High Road or Outer Yard. Honestly it is very aggravating for you to have to investigate every single instance in the off chance the crow or rug is there otherwise you’ll just have to do the instance all over again and at least half of those areas will not let you sneak around enemies. If it were not for the online guides, the trouble for extra two training points would have barely been worth it (not that it entirely matters since you only have 60 slots for attacks anyway). 

Most of your side quests revolve around helping the knights and recruiting others to the fight even though they don’t partake in the final battle. Half of them are errand jobs that means a lot of fighting the same sets of enemies that can be a bit repetitive. Thankfully most of these are easy to dispatch. If you’re really unlucky, you might get the “kill x amount of enemies” badge. Hasn’t quite happened to me, but it was very lucky.

That aside it was still a nice place to explore around and it looks like we’re going to head to the land of dinosaurs. Wonder if I should look into training raptors? Take to the Sky my Friends!