#teatables

[morimatea]

A slow and warm time, and in the process of brewing and drinking tea, regain a pleasant mood away from the world.

[petalsandbonbonsstudio]

[lunaviawebtech]

Woodworking 101: Essential Tips and Tricks for Beginners

Thinking about starting woodworking but don’t know where to begin? 🛠️ In this post, I’m breaking down the basics—from choosing materials and tools to building your first project. Whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to refine your skills, these tips will help you create with confidence. Ready to get started? Let’s dive in!"

[dekorwish]

How to Keep Metal Furniture Rust-Free: Tips for Longevity and Care

Armchairs, lighting, and wall furniture made of metal that are stylishly minimalist and extremely sturdy are among the most versatile items for indoor and outdoor use. Yet, corrosion inhibition, the top difficulty in restoring metal furniture, particularly outdoor metal furniture, is highly urgent. Rusting is the oxidation of metal (iron, steel) in the presence of moisture and oxygen (in a humid environment). Age rust eats away at the structure, wearing it down to the point at which there is nothing but flakes all around the edge of the structure, and in doing so, it obliterates its utility to that piece of furniture.

Fortunately, a lot of actions can be taken to prevent the corrosion of metal furniture and maintain it in its best condition over a long period of time. The following practical recommendations for the treatment of metallic furnishings are presented in the present article for indoor or outdoor exposure to the elements.

1. Choose Rust-Resistant Metals

The next step in rust inhibition is the choice of metal for the furniture item. Not all metals are equally susceptible to rust. Certain metals are inherently corrosion-resistant and, as such, are appropriate for enduring furniture.

Stainless Steel:

Stainless steel has the highest rust resistance from a repertoire of available metals that exists because of the addition of chromium, which creates a passive chromium corrosion-resistant layer whose oxidation cannot take place. It is an excellent option for outdoor furniture.

Aluminium:

Aluminium metal forms a protective oxide film, and the corrosion is prevented as the corrosion reaction is prevented from underneath the film. Relatively lightweight, it does not rust and is highly suitable for an outdoor environment.

Galvanized Steel:

Galvanized steel rusts much less than other types. The zinc film is an electric insulator, and the exposed metal surface is not immersed.

Powder-Coated Metals: A trend is the powder-coating of the final step of the metal furniture trimming, in all cases, a rust-resistant secondary layer. It is also a highly efficient process for the manufacture of iron or steel furniture.

The metal and the coating of metal furniture should be checked to ensure it is sufficient from the point of view of rust- and corrosion-proofing.

2. Keep Metal Furniture Dry

Moisture is the primary cause of rust. Iron furniture must not rust, and it must be kept away from water

Store Indoors:

Outdoor metal garden seat furniture is better kept indoors during rainy days or weather prone to humidity, especially outside of the season. This holds particularly true for iron or steel furniture, which rusts more easily.

Use furniture covers:

Outdoor furniture for which outdoor exposure necessitates unwrapping is to be covered by waterproof covers. This covering shields your furniture from humidity, snow, and rain. The cover should be permeable to prevent condensation buildup.

Avoid Standing Water:

Do not let it accumulate in rainwater or when watering plants on your metal furniture. Water, collected on site and released on the surface, accelerates the rusting. Clean the furniture surfaces as needed with a clean wet cloth

3. Regular Cleaning and Maintenance

Cleaning should be carried out continuously; otherwise, the rust can accumulate because the dust and abrasion particles hold the moisture on the metal surface. Please do the following to clean and recondition your metal furniture

Wipe Down After Use: 

With regards to interior furnishing, it would seem as sensible to occasionally wipe metallic surfaces with a grease-free soft cloth. This helps remove dust and prevents moisture from accumulating.

Deep Cleaning for Outdoor Furniture: Immersion cleaning of metal surfaces of outdoor metal furniture. Hard abrasive cleaning chemicals should be avoided as they can cause damage to the protective coating on the metal. Clean the furniture using a soft sponge/cloth and completely dry [remove water] after. In a way that no residual water remains on its surface.

Inspect for dirt and debris: 

Check periodically if there is any garbage, mud, or clutter in the furniture cavities, joints, or slots. Trapped debris can hold moisture and cause localized rusting.

4. Apply a Protective Coating

Due to the nature of the rust susceptibility of metal furniture, one of the most effective means to "clean" the rust is a coating as a preventive treatment. (rephrased).

Rust-Resistant Paint:

If the is dull after exposure to air or weather or you want to stop rusting, cover it with a rust preventive paint. Millions of products are available on the market, each of which is, in some sense, engineered to protect the metal coatings from water and rust.

Powder Coating:

Powder coating is an excellent option for ferrous metal furniture, such as iron or steel. This effect is produced by coating the surface of the metal with a baked‐dry powder, which forms a hard and rust-resistant coating. Since your furniture does not include an end-user finish already powder-coated it is possible to apply an end-user finish such as this in the form of a do-it-yourself project or have done professionally to your furniture.

Clear Coating:

In case it is not possible to retain the native appearance of the metallic parts, the surface needs to be covered by another coating due to the "overlay" effect of the transparent layer for the extra sizing. This optomechanical meniscus is an antifouling device with the function of arresting the migration of electrolytes into metal and corrosion.

5. Use Anti-Rust Sprays

For optimal protection, spray anticorrosion agents on metal furniture. Through the application of these sprays, a thin protective layer film is produced that is impermeable to moisture in the metal, and rust formation is precluded. Describe coating formulations for topical use of rust inhibitors that can be used as a preventative or remedial treatment of resulting rust. Some popular options include:

This wearable is also very efficient as a rust and corrosion inhibitor for metals.

Rust-Oleum Anti-Rust Spray: More importantly, due to its efficiency, this kind of publication is designed to prevent rust and preserve iron furnishings.

Every so often, use these sprays, especially for patio furniture that has been in contact with the weather.

6. Protect Against Scratches and Dings

Scratches and gouges in the subsurface paint or coating and related degradation are known to cause loss of paint or coating, leaving the bare substrate susceptible to water penetration, initiating the rusting reaction sequence. To avoid this:

Be Gentle:

Do not reach the floor to pick up metal furniture when removing it. Avoid dragging heavy furniture across rough surfaces. Always lift rather than drag furniture to prevent damage.

Touch-Up Paint:

All painted layers that are scratched or chipped, which are found, should be promptly repaired with the appropriate rust-containing paint. This will clamp the free end and therefore stop rusting.

7. Address Rust Early

Any rust on metal furniture is a matter that must be taken care of as soon as it first appears before it can further spread.

Remove Rust:

Abrasive or wire brush scrub a rusty rust spot. In the case of heavily corroded rust, a rust remover or a solution of vinegar and baking soda paste is suitable for dissolving the corrosion. Wash the site thoroughly and dry it appropriately.

Repaint or Re-coat: Once a layer of rust has been removed from the metal, it is then painted or coated with a protective layer to stop the metal from continuing to rust.

8. Store Metal Furniture Properly in the Off-Season

Storage of outdoor metal patio chairs and tables during the off-season, especially during extreme cold and extreme hot weather, is absolutely vital. For the maintenance of your furniture, please do.

Store Indoors: Wherever possible, keep your metal items in a dry, suitable climate environment during the winter months. This will prevent the deposition of snow, rainfall, and moisture that will result in rust aggravation.

Elevate Furniture:

If the items set into the ground have to be stored "wild, then take them out of the ground so that if the ground floods or if the ground is wet, the item does not become completely soaked. You can put it on a furniture riser or lay it on top of an outdoor tarp.

Conclusion

Rust is not, by definition, yours, and thus the steel stands need not be feared. Furniture made of steel can be rust-free and elegant for a number of years, provided that it is regularly and adequately maintained. Rust-proof the metals, store the furniture correctly, keep the furniture in the open and have it cleaned as well, and use protective finishing to avoid humidity damage. If you just implement these easy steps, of course, you can always guarantee that your metal furniture is nice to look at and, of course, still strong and ages well—and doesn't rust.

[interioras]

I am interior designer. Here you can find latest home design photos.

Visit my website - interioras.com

[shoppinghubspot]

[pharosfurniture]

Multifunctional coffee table #coffee table #multifunctional coffee table...

[morimatea]

Magical boxes make tea life more interesting.

[onlineantiques]

As the sun went down I had a little helper #robins #robinredbreast #nature #birds #wildlife #littlehelper #❤️ #antiques #teatable #antiquefurniture #restoration https://www.instagram.com/p/CnzmfFXItSI/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[stochastique-blog]

Here we go

Tea…

. . . #drinktea #brewtea #havetea #chinesetea #ceramicart #zen #wabisabipottery #jingdezhen #ceramist #blackpottery #handbuiltclay #teatable #lightson #lightart #photoeveryday #bestceramics #ceramitique https://www.instagram.com/p/Cl9BCCku1dd/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[whump-card]

Forged Divinity Chapter 10: Leannan Meets Jeanette

2302 words

CW: institutionalized slavery, religious themes, dubcon (not explicitly described), abuse, choking, Google Translate

Previous, Masterlist, Next

~~~

Amos 6:4-5

You lie on beds adorned with ivory and lounge on your couches. You dine on choice lambs and fattened calves. You strum away on your harps like David and improvise on musical instruments.

~~~

Leannan didn’t see Phineas much for the next two days. The Council – minus the elusive fourth member – dined together, and Leannan joined them, eating fine meals of fish and potatoes with tart berries and cream for dessert. But beyond that, Phineas was off doing God-knows-what.

James visited Leannan once more, but seemed to lose his nerve before he could do anything, escaping with a lame excuse about ‘business to attend to.’

Leannan explored the Council building a bit. It was full of rooms, all connected by hallways, floored with time-worn linoleum. Some of the lesser-used rooms had sagging ceiling tiles, or were filled with little desks and chairs, stacked on top of each other in three-dimensional mazes of metal and plastic.

He stopped exploring after receiving one too many leering remarks from the guards dotted around the building. They weren’t allowed to touch him, by the Council’s decree, but that didn’t stop them from cornering and ogling him when they got the chance.

The only guard who offered a shred of kindness was the Captain, DuPont. He broke up one such gathering, snapping at his subordinates to get back to their posts, before looking Leannan up and down appraisingly. Leannan returned the look; DuPont was a barrel-chested man with dark skin and hair and a shadow of a beard, authoritative and burly.

“You good?” DuPont asked.

Leannan nodded quickly. “Yes, sir, thank you.”

DuPont smiled at him oddly, then reached out and ruffled Leannan’s hair.

“You let me know if they bother you again.”

~~~

What Leannan didn’t find while he was exploring was the fourth Councilman. He was close to cracking and asking someone who they were – but then he met her.

It was evening, and Leannan was walking back to his room after a long outing to Donda Island’s market. He was provided a small allowance of bartering chips, and today he had spent it on perfumes and rouge. It had taken him all afternoon, as he had stopped to talk to every vendor and passer-by who would humor him. He now knew more about Donda Island and its holdings, its imports of textiles and its exports of berry wine and leather; the ever-shrinking fishing business, the struggling dairy farms, and peoples’ anxieties about the coming second summer, when unimaginable heat would descend upon them.

He’d also learned that their view of Phineas was less than favorable.

He was sorting through this information in his head, trying to come up with the best way to present his findings to Phineas, when a sound made him stop outside his bedroom door. Drifting from further down the hall was an unearthly humming. He recognized it immediately, and it sent a flutter through his stomach: an organ.

He’d always thought that ‘organ’ was an appropriate title; the one back in Iowa City had loomed like a great living creature, breathing and singing through what seemed like hundreds of throats and mouths. Leannan had always stared up at it in awe, hardly able to keep singing along himself.

He stood frozen for moment before quickly entering his room and leaving his purchases on the vanity, then returning to the hallway to follow the noise. It lead him along the corridor, one silent step in front of the next, until he determined the door it was emanating from. He was loathe to interrupt the music, but he had to know. He knocked.

The drone stopped, and a woman’s voice called from beyond.

“Come in!”

Leannan opened the door, and stepped into a room far finer than his. The bed was larger, and had a grand canopy of fringed damask, and there were a pair of armchairs and a teatable, in addition to a wardrobe. There was no vanity, but instead two – two! – full length mirrors in one corner. There was a distinct smell; some sort of pine resin smoldered in a dish on the teatable, filling the room with pungent smoke. The main point of interest, however, was a very thin and wan woman sitting in the bed, propped up by countless pillows. In her lap was a long, flat, black box, with a row of black and white keys, just like an organ. It had blinking lights, and wires ran out of it to some sort of contraption sitting in a fading sunbeam on the floor. Electronics, Leannan identified, though he didn’t know much about the stuff.

The woman was staring at him, the bags under her eyes doing little to weaken her icy, piercing gaze.

“You must be the holy concubine,” she intoned.

“Yes, madam,” he replied, offering a little bow.

“I’m Jeanette Faverolle. The missing Council member.” A hint of bitterness tinged her voice. “But you’re not here to listen to me complain. You came for the music, yes?”

“Yes, madam,” he echoed.

“Please,” she waved a hand, “Call me Jeanette.”

“Yes, Jeanette.”

“Sit. I will play for you.”

Leannan perched in one of the armchairs, and Jeanette set her fingers to the keys. Leannan couldn’t help but be a little disappointed; what had sounded so unmistakably like his long-lost home through the muffler of doors and walls sounded tinny and small coming directly out of the electronic keyboard. But it was still the sound of an organ, and it was still music, of a sort; Jeanette moved across the keys at random, slowly drawing out one chord before moving seamlessly to the next, building an eerie soundscape. Leannan closed his eyes and leaned forward, as if he could submerge himself in the noise.

Leannan wasn’t sure for how long he sat and listened, only that he had relaxed fully into the chair, sprawled in it most unbecomingly and completely at peace, when Jeanette quite suddenly lifted her hands from the keys and plunged the room into silence.

Leannan sat up quickly, straightening his shirt. Jeanette was staring him down. The evening light from the windows had faded into darkness, and the room was lit only by a single lantern at Jeanette’s bedside, which cast eerie shadows over her gaunt face.

“You belong to the Council as a whole, yes?” she asked.

“Yes, Jeanette.”

“Therefore I am entitled to a quarter of your time, yes?”

“Yes, Jeanette.”

She nodded brusquely. “Return to me tomorrow, after lunch.”

“Yes, Jeanette.”

“You are dismissed.”

“Yes, Jeanette.” Leannan stood, hesitated, then inclined his head to her. “Thank you.”

Her lips pursed, and her eyebrows pinched.

“Thank you,” she said quietly.

Leannan nodded again, and quietly left.

He walked slowly back down the hallway, dying of curiosity. What ailed the Councilwoman? Why was she never at any of the meetings or dinners? Why had Brochard and James never mentioned her?

His thoughts were cut short by Phineas, fast approaching. Leannan stopped walking and lifted a hand to wave, but Phineas reached him in a rush, catching his waist and fisting a hand in his hair.

“Hej, stranger,” they purred, and kissed him.

Leannan wondered why Phineas was suddenly so touchy after two days of ignoring him, but Phineas explained.

“I shot a deer,” they murmured, nipping at Leannan’s ear.

“Congratulations,” Leannan giggled.

“Come with me.” Phineas practically dragged Leannan to their room, and Leannan spent the next twenty minutes with his head between Phineas’ legs. Afterwards, Leannan crawled up to lie next to Phineas and tried to tell them about what he had learned at the market, but Phineas shoved him off the bed.

“Shoo!” they said unambiguously.

Leannan tried not to be disappointed. Maybe Phineas had more important things to do – but Leannan still felt that the information he’d gathered was valuable. Regardless, he left, returning to his own room – and bumped right into James, who was leaving it.

“My apologies, Master James!” Leannan said immediately.

“Leannan – I was looking for you, I…” James grabbed Leannan’s upper arm and pulled him further into the room, closing the door. He had a wild look in his eye that set Leannan on edge. “I was looking for you, just – hold still…”

James’ hands closed around Leannan’s throat and squeezed.

Leannan had no warning, no time to prepare, and was hit with a jolt of genuine fear. James was supposed to be timid, he was supposed to be all bark and no bite… and yet. Leannan grabbed the Councilman’s wrists and tried to speak, but James was already crushing his throat closed, and it hurt. Horrible little squeaks and croaks were all that could escape Leannan’s mouth. James’ jaw clenched and his eyes were crazed and his arms shook as he clutched Leannan’s neck as tightly as he could. Leannan felt his head growing hot with trapped blood, and knew his face was turning red. Ordinarily when being hurt unexpectedly he would take in air, calm himself, and breath through it, but that wasn’t possible now. His vision started to go gray and fuzzy, and he found himself struggling instinctually. His feet dug into the floor, his shoulders twisted, and his hands yanked on James’ arms. It all only made James grip him tighter, growling something threatening in French. Finally, a coherent thought made its way through Leannan’s adrenaline-soaked and oxygen-deprived brain and he forced his body to fall slack, and rolled his eyes up into his head as if he were passing out. At this, James cursed and threw him to the floor, where Leannan spasmed and sucked in a painful breath through his battered throat. He wheezed helplessly as James stood over him, panting.

“Fucking peasants!” James shouted, “Think they’re above it all! Think they’re better than me?” He lifted his foot back to kick Leannan, tapped it to the ground as he hesitated, then shot it home into Leannan’s gut with a shout of rage. Leannan couldn’t stop the ragged cry that was forced out of him, and he curled up into a ball.

James began to pace, rambling in French.

“Ils demandent toujours ce qu'ils ne peuvent pas avoir!” He punctuated his last word with a second kick, this time to Leannan’s shin. Leannan flinched and whimpered, still disoriented. He didn’t have a plan. He couldn’t handle this.

“Taxes this, taxes that, maybe if you worked a little harder!” James circled around and kicked Leannan in the back, just below his ribs. Tears sprang to Leannan’s eyes, and he urged them on, sobbing.

“Master James!” he wheezed, “Please...”

“Oh, what, are you going to ask for something you don’t deserve too?” He loomed over Leannan, chest heaving; but then he seemed to deflate a bit as he took in Leannan’s pitiful figure on the floor.

“I suppose you do deserve some thanks. That was very… refreshing.” James rolled his shoulders, and his hand drifted to his belt. “Very… helpful.” He contemplated the thought a moment longer before stepping over Leannan and walking to the door.

“I’ll send someone to check on you,” he said, almost sounding regretful, and left.

Leannan rolled slowly onto his back, allowing himself to cry for real. He hadn’t liked that. Not at all. He kept misjudging James, and getting caught off-guard. He lifted a hand and pressed probing fingers to his throat. He didn’t need to look in the mirror to know he wore a necklace of handprints. He sat up, tears rolling down his cheeks. He wanted to go back to Phineas – but he knew Phineas wouldn’t be interested in his whining.

He had to do his duty. He had to endure.

He brushed the tears off his face and forced on a smile, but it only lasted a few seconds before he sobbed again. He didn’t want to have to endure anymore.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered to God, “I’ll be okay in a minute, I swear, I’m sorry. I can do it, just give me a minute!”

He pulled up his knees and hugged them to his chest, hyperventilating slightly as he looked around. His room – the room that was supposed to be all his – didn’t feel safe anymore. He hadn’t even realized that he’d felt safe there in the first place until it was taken away. It felt wrong, now. It felt… It felt a way he couldn’t name. It felt bad, that was all he knew.

So he sat, and cried, and slowly calmed down. He was just starting to struggle to his feet, wincing as muscles flexed under new bruises, when someone knocked on the door. He wiped his hands across his face and straightened his clothes before going to answer it.

It was the pale, frizzy-haired woman, bearing a tray with a steaming earthenware mug on it.

“Yes?” Leannan said, then balked; his own voice shouldn’t have surprised him, but it did, coming out painfully hoarse and low.

“Councilman Faverolle sent you some honeyed tea, monsiuer,” the woman explained, her eyes running up and down Leannan’s figure. Not in the way people usually looked at him, though. Instead of lustful, she looked concerned; her eyes flitted particularly around his neck. She had a sharp, nervous gaze, like a small bird.

“Oh!” Leannan spoke through the pain, “How thoughtful of him!” He lifted the mug from the tray. “Thank you, madam…?”

She tucked the tray under her arm, tilting her head a little funny at being addressed with madam. “Just Maeve.”

“Thank you, Maeve,” Leannan rasped, smiling as best he could, “You should call me Leannan, then.”

She looked at him a moment longer, then nodded.

“You’re very welcome, Leannan. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

Once she was gone, Leannan walked to his bed, nearly limping from the pain in his lower back. He set the tea down on his bedside table and stripped, dropping his clothes carelessly to the floor before crawling into bed. He took up the tea and hunched over it, enjoying the warmth despite the summer night.

He was being rewarded. He could endure.

~~~

Previous, Masterlist, Next

Taglist: @angst-after-dark, @sunshiline-writes, @flowersarefreetherapy, @thecyrulik

Let me know if you want on or off the taglist!

[end-fall]

This session started off with Jax being teleported into Yuza's greenhouse by Araghast because she was the one who sent him.

Jax asked if Yuza had told Araghast to stab her. She didn't and was annoyed at him because apparently they had very different ideas of gathering information and shaking the tree, and he wasn't supposed to stab or kidnap Jax. Yuza told her to sit and they each took a seat at a teatable that was in the greenhouse. Jax took off her guantlets and said that Yuza could have just asked if she had questions. Yuza asked if she would have told the truth and Jax said that depended on the question then asked ehat the fuck was going on. Yuza said she was trying to find that out, and asked why Jax was legally dead. Jax said she didn't know and that people don't tell her shit, Yuza said that people rarely tell the deceased that they're dead and then asked her why Elton was in the city so long and how Illium was implicated in Sevrun's death. Jax said probably because they were involved and asked Yuza how much she knew about the penal legion, which turned out to be not that much, so Jax asked if she knew they were falsifying charges to get more people life sentences. She didn't. Jax then told her about the soul harvesting (Yuza was not happy) and asked if she knew about Shiver-deep, she didn't, but Araghast did and didn't tell her, which she is very annoyed by. He said legally Black iron could do what they wanted with Shiver-deep, so this wasn't that significant.

Jax then asked how she knew Yuza wasn't lying and so Yuza got Araghast to give her a set of bracelets despite him saying it wasn't a good idea. Jax promises not to bullshit Yuza if she promised not to bullshit her and Yuza agrees. Jax then asked how they knew about the soul gems and Yuza said they didn't, just that the party had an incredibly powerful magic gem.

Yuza asks her why they're in the city so long and Jax says that they're looking for Sev's soul and then asks what's next for her and if she's just a pawn in all of this. Yuza says she wishes Jax was because it would make things easier, but she cares about Jax and that's frustrating.

Jax then asks Yuza what her deal is and Yuza talks about how she's trying to make the city better and fight off people trying to profiteer of of it. Jax says she's cute when she's passionate and Yuza fights back a smile.

Yuza says that one of the council members has to be involved and that she doesn't think it's Crafty. Jax says she didn't think he'd have the nerve, and that Bitzenbitch was probably involved since he was lying about not knowing about the black iron suits powered by magitech and soul gems. She says that the harpies are probably involved as well as the black iron knights, and the man in the yellow hat. Yuza says that he's probably Streig, the leader of the harpies, but he can't be working alone.

At this point Yuza notices thatJax is still bleeding and asks Araghast to go get the med kit. He doesn't want to, saying he doesn't want to leave her alone. Jax says she isn't going to hurt Yuza and holds up the bracelet to show she's telling the truth and Araghast begrudgingly leaves.

Jax slumps back in her chair and asks Yuza what she wants, like between them. Yuza looks down and very quietly says she doesn't know. That Jaz treats her like a person and not just Yuza St. Cloud head of the council and she doesn't really know. Jax says okay then let's just start with coffee and Yuza says that sounds nice. At this point Araghast comes back and Yuza tells him to patch Jax up. Jax says fuck no and puts her hand out for the med kit so she can do it herself. Yuza watches Jax as she works and Jax asks if she's enjoying the show as she rips her shirt shoulder open to get at her stab wound, exposing a large scar. Yuza flatly says no as she continues to look, her tail twitching.

After a bit she leans forward and puts a hand on Jax's knee and said she was sorry for how cruelly the universe had treated her. Jax was taken aback by this and then said thanks nudging her hand aside to work on the wound on her thigh.

After she'd finished Jax realized her hand wraps where covered in blood and then took then off. Once she was done Yuza asked if Jax knew she was one of her citizens, Jax said yeah technically. Yuza reached towards Jax's face with a look of concern, Jax froze. Yuza touched the neck tattoo and asked, "Jax, what is this?"

Jax said that the short version was that it was a shock rune, the long version was that during the battle where Sevrun was killed she got captured by Leon and was thrown in their prison for a week while Leon figured out what to do with her. Eventually they told her if she did what they wanted, they'd let her go and that the tattoo was their way of keeping her in line.

Yuza did not seem pleased by this.

Jax joked that hey out of the two, Leon had the better prison and that their food was good. Yuza said that after years of being in someone's personal hit squad a normal jail cell would seem nice. She then admitted that at first Jax had seemed like an appealing trap. Jax asked her what she meant and Yuza explained that Jax had seen her at a very vulnerable moment and had treated her like a person and she could count on one hand the number of people who talked to her like a person, not the leader of the city. Jax said that was fucked up and she would have done the same for anyone. Yuza said that was just part of being the city's aristocracy.

Eventually Jax asks if there's somewhere Jax could get her clothes cleaned up and Yuza leads her to a room with an all in one clothes cleaning machine. Jax starts taking her outer layers off and Yuza and Araghast leave to give her privacy. When Jax rejoins them, they're talking about getting more info on black iron industries. Araghast wanted to go nuclear on them and Jax said that she liked the sound of that, Yuza tells them both off for trying to destroy her city. Yuza then asks Jax is she's going to return to the embassy and Jax says that she's exhausted, but the paty will worry if she doesn't return and asks Araghast if he can sneak back in to deliver a message and if he had anything she could enchant? He gives her a pocket watch and she enchants a message into it and gives it back to him and he leaves in a puff of smoke. Yuza then helped Jax take off the bracelets and showed her to the room she stayed in last time. Jax tells her next time she wants to know something to just ask her and she'll do her best to answer. Yuza said okay and then the two said goodnight and Yuza left

Elton didn't notice the message until the next morning. First he noticed that Gizmo had been moved and carefully put it back then touched the watch which played the message Jax had recorded, saying that there had been an emergency and that she was safe at Yuza's. There had been a break in at the embassy and she had gotten stabbed, but she was okay, just make sure Sunshine didn't freak out and she'd be back in the morning. Elton immediately went to go find Cael and bring her to the room to listen to the message. Elton thought it might be a euphemism for a booty call, but Cael doesn't think so. At this point Lady Carestia and Cynn arrive just as Elton is complaining about being held hostage by Carestia all week. Cael tried to smooth things over and Elton grabed the watch out of Cael's pocket, causing the message to repeat. Elton explained that he thought it was a euphemism again since Jax had kinda broken into Yuza's room before. This is Cynn's first time hearing about this and she messaged lady Carestia to gossip. Elton suddenly remembered that it's Jax's birthday and everyone decides to go shopping for presents. Cynn hung back to ask Lady Carestia for help with a magic thing before joining the others.

Cynn asked the others on the way out "what the fuck"x3. Elton explained what happened the night of the party. Cael told him to keep quiet until they got into the cab and then once inside clarified that there had been a break in and that Jax was with Yuza. Cynn told the others that she had been working on being better and wanted to be useful. Cael told her she she didn't trust her and that she'd believe it when she saw the actions to back it up. After that awkward end to conversation, they arrived at the grand Bazaar and were able to pick up their gifts without too much trouble. Elton got Jax some gautan felt hand wraps, Cynn got her some intermediate magitech textbooks, and Cael got her some extra clothes and toiletries.

While they were out, Jax arrived back at the embassy wearing a stone pendant shaped like a crescent moon that Yuza had given her under her shirt. She ran into Caleb right inside the doors, he seemed relieved to see her and told her Lady Carestia wanted to talk to her. Jax told him to let the others know that they were going to Elysium tonight and then went to find Carestia.

She was in her office having tea when Jax entered. She asked Jax what had happened. Jax said some dude named Araghast had broken in. Lady Carestia dropped her teacup at the name, it shattered againstthe floor. Jax asked her why the reaction and she said that Araghast Uthall was a very dangerous man and that the Uthalls were only allowed to operate in a very small capacity, so if he'd been sent that was not a good sign. Jax said that he'd then taken her to Yuza's since she'd sent him because apparently that was easier than just asking questions. Carestia said that actually made sense and asked Jax if anything else had happened, Jax said that was pretty much it. Lady Carestia didn't seem satisfied with that and asked her if they were going to war. Jax said no, that was pretty much the opposite of the whole point of it. Lady Carestia sighed and said she needed to put a bell on Jax because everytime she disappeared Lady Carestia's job got more complicated. Jax just smiled and left to go to her and Elton's room and finally finish Gizmo.

The others arrive back at the embassy and Cynn went to talk to Lady Carestia about helping her get info on demon/devil pacts.

Back in the room. Jax said that all of them need to talk and runs off to find Cynn. Cael leaves to go grab the box of cupcakes from the Roses' quarters. Elton tried to find something club appropriate and ended up crying over a crop top.

Jax found Cynn just as she's asking Lady Carestia for Matthias' address because she wants to send him a thank you letter. Jax said she talked to him at the party and Lady Carestia says that she needs to put bells on both of them. Cynn then messages Jax about her and Yuza being a thing and the two of them head back to the room. They comfort Elton and Cynn finds him a new top to wear. Cael comes back shortly after Jax asks where she went. Jax then tells the party what happened. Elton is shocked and says thst Araghast is an assassin. Jax says that's probably why he was such a shitty spy. Cael was worried about Jax telling Yuza so much and Jax explained that Yuza basically knew everything already, she just clarified what was needed not to a political incident and gestured to her neck tattoo.

Cynn and Cael exchange a look. Jax reminds them that they're going to the club tonight and says that people don't have to come if they don't want to. There's a tense moment between Cael and Cynn before everyone agrees to come and Cael says her backup should be arriving soon

Jax and Elton went to go meet them. The two of three new roses were sitting on a bench near the entrance while the third, a blue teifling was standing next to them. Jax greeted them with a "Sup nerds!". They all bowed to Elton who told them they didn't have to do that. Cael and Cynn showed up and Cynn talked to the elf, Charmaine, in elvish saying they should spar sometime. Cael took the new roses to the Rose wing and Cynn took Jax and Elton to her room to get them ready to go out.

Cael debriefed Charmaine, Richard, and Lucky on the situation so far and gave each of them a task. Charmaine, the elf, was to talk to people and find some leads on Sevrun's soul, Richard, the human, was to keep eyes off them, and Lucky, the tiefling, was to be on Cynn duty and not let her leave his sight. Lucky was not happy about this. Cael also told them they were under no circumstances to fuck Cynn. She also told them that she had under good authority that Yuza St. Cloud was not under suspicion. Charmaine was very interested in this, thinking that Cael had flipped someone close to her and wanted to know who it was. Cael said that Jax was actually the one who had gotten close to Yuza which caused an explosion of noise as the three of them all started talking over each other demanding to know what happened. Cael got them to be quiet and then told them that if Jax had something to say they should listen and that if anything happened to her, Jax was in charge. She then dismissed them saying that the party was going out for Jax's birthday. Charmaine then had some dramatics and was carried out by Richard.

Meanwhile Cynn was getting Jax and Elton ready to go out and gossiping. The tqo of them saw Jax's new necklace. Jax didn't see what the big deal was, but the other two insisted that Jax and Yuza were a thing now. Jax said not officially and definitely not publicly. Cynn told her to just be careful not to break Yuza's heart and Jax objected saying that she was better than that. Cynn called her a bit of a fuckboy and said to trust her and Elton, then made Jax let her put some makeup on her.

The session ended with everyone meeting up in the entrance hall and heading out to go party and hopefully talk to Tulip.

[frankhightower]

Pokemon TF Drive Page 6: Arrival at the Daycare

No new TF-ing since there's been no new donations (give at Give to the TF drive at PayPal.me/FrankHghTwr ! The next page won't make sense if the transformation doesn't progress!)

It’s always been my personal headcanon that the experienced gained at the daycare comes from the new pokémon from other trainers that are introduced without a warning. It would be natural for the ones already there to freak out and attack the newcomers, and the daycare staff will not always be able to prepare all of them (e.g. the nocturnal pokémon were sleeping when whey explained). This is why they seem to gain levels at such a slow rate (the arrival of other trainers is, in effect, random) and why the daycare staff seems to need to calm your pokémon down before returning them to you. It also explains why pokémon at the daycare gain levels even if they “get along very well” with the other pokémon you left them with (why would they attack their fellow party member?) or if they’re “playing with other pokémon” (why would they attack their playmates?)

So, of course, I do not want Raichu going in there unannounced!

The room layout is lifted directly from Gold/Silver/Crystal. I always thought it was weird that, when you entered the Daycare, the building looked long on the outside, but perfectly square on the inside. In my mind, the other half of the house was where the pokémon slept, and we just couldn't see the door because it was on one of the side walls.

The Daycare Lady and the Daycare Man’s appearances are based on their anime counterparts.

The layout for The Johto Times is based on the layout The Japan Times used back then; the newspaper ad for a magnet train ticket uses the price for the Tokyo-Kyoto Shinkansen back then.

This is probably my first time using an inset panel to convey action, and it was harder than I thought it would be! I probably should have split this page in two, but I was really trying to limit the whole story to 8 pages 

The fact that Pikachu and Marill only laid one egg regardless of how long I left them is 100% true to my gameplay experience and I have no idea why.

Pokemon TF drive page 1: Arrival in Vermilion City

Yes, it's now canon! My Raichu girl officially has a nickname and it's Sparkey!

One of my big regrets when I played Pokémon Yellow was leaving this one door on the SS Anne for last. It led to the bow deck of the ship, which was undoubtedly the prettiest-looking area. When I finally went through it, I saw two sailors ready for battle... and I ran. The moment I stepped of the ship, it set sail. I'd wasted my last chance to explore the ship without knowing it ...hence the "almost".

But beating 15 trainers in a row without visiting the Pokémon Center or saving is still pretty impressive, especially to Sparkey who never saw me take on that kind of risk again.

The design for Vermillion City is largely based on the 19th-century-style etching by Hitoshi Ariga (and, of course, the in-game map).

The ship we're on has no right to tower this far over the SS Anne, but it would be a lot harder to recognize the SS Anne if it was at its proper height.

My outfit is Ash's hat and jacket over Brendan (from Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire)'s clothes, plus a Johto Pokégear.

No TF-ing on this page because there's no donations yet on this donation drive. If you want to donate, go to PayPal[dot]me/frankhghtwr

[leanstooneside]

Man is the head but woman turns it

◊ bygotter the thing

◊ wherethen the lag

◊ yours the soil

◊ overalls the fittest

◊ knowing the size

◊ amonkst the gatherings

◊ gazebocroticon the “Mamma

◊ chills the vitals

◊ thereon the skyfold

◊ whomamong the christener

◊ Jockey the Ropper

◊ rid the bowel

◊ accomodation the me

◊ pealer the sunt

◊ me the keys

◊ costume the his

◊ tear the parted

◊ Lorcan the bucket

◊ evers the Carlton

◊ effect the motto

◊ Ralph the Retriever

◊ you’re the king

◊ robost the Stag

◊ God the servant

◊ fact the sameold

◊ them’s the muchrooms

◊ sailder the man

◊ Lo the laud

◊ teatables the oldfirm’s

◊ furth the week

◊ Jake the Rape

◊ Peeter the Picker

◊ it’s the Iren

◊ it’s the power

◊ gers the thingaviking

◊ it’s the time

◊ involucrumines the perinanthean

◊ firethere the sun

◊ you the crime

◊ me the perts

◊ Shoon the Puzt

◊ douche the miracles