#this isn’t even a good selection of top games for the most part

[behaemoth]

God bless

[pvvryq]

can i request yan! chishiya with a s/o who becomes uncomfortable/scared around him after watching him sacrifice someone in a game? like he notices how distant their being and he decided to confront them about it but he’s MAD

Feat. Yandere Shuntaro Chishiya X Reader who becomes uncomfortable after witnessing his eagerness to sacrifice another in a game.

Y/n Met Chishiya At Their first Game — His second. They admired His Intelligence and He admired Their Willingness, So he decided to keep Them around Until he Got bored, Which He though initially would be A Week At most yet A Week turned into Two weeks And Now here they were sitting together By the pool in the resort called ‘The beach’. The beach was meant to be a haven of safety and Excitement Yet Even if Chishiya was Selected as an executive member, he couldn’t fight the uncomfortableness that came with Men and women alike Taking a Liking to Y/n, His Y/n.

“Jesus, Chishiya. It isn’t like you own me..!” Y/n Argued, they were both in a Hearts Game together in a Group of 12 ,Though he didn’t care about the other four people, You were the only person he had his eye On and truly cared for in this Sick and twisted ‘World’ — if you could call the borderlands that. “I’m just looking out for you.” He said Nonchalantly, pretending to not care yet they had never Rejected his help before so why Now? The Games rules were simple really, You were Split into 3 teams of 4 — Among The six There would be 4 Innocent Members of the group, 4 Members of the group who were murderers and 4 members of the group Who would need to Manipulate the innocent into voting to kill the murderers, yet nobody knew each others roles and had to trust The Word of those around them.

Chishiya had Confided in Y/n about being the Latter option, whereas They were An innocent player. They found confidence in the fact that both Them and Chishiya were able to walk out of the game together, but it hurt them when they realised They would be accountable for a players death. “I Know who the murderers are, its part of my role.” He Claimed, though Y/n knew that those were indeed the rules, they still felt weary about his honesty. “Look, the rest of the group is there, They’re discussing so there bound to be a vote — you either trust me or don’t, Y/n. Just know what’s good for you.” They looked up at him as he spoke, They sat down together Near the rest of the group yet were still a moderate distance away from them. “Him.” Chishiya spoke, You hummed in confusion as your reply, paying complete attention to him as he spoke once more. “The Man in the blue shirt, Hajime I Think his name is. He’s a Murderer.”

Y/n was too tired to argue with Chishiya anymore, so they just muted out an almost silent, “Okay..” As their answer. It took not even Another 10 Minutes for A Woman in the group to announce the first vote. Y/n Walked up to the metallic box After a few people had went, The screen on the top of the black metal was cold to the touch — with shaky hands Y/n selected their answer before returning back to Chishiya’s side. As the votes were cast in, A Monotone voice played: ‘The player with the most votes Is Hajime Yamamoto, with 3 votes.” Y/n’s throat went dry, yes He was one of four correct options for being the murderer but Would there not be a few More votes? From the panicked look across the whole room’s faces, y/n knew they had messed up, even before the Voice spoke again. “This elimination has been deemed incorrect, Hajime is not a Murderer.” Y/n Found Themself inching away from Chishiya feeling betrayed that he would use Them like that, and for what? Sport? Entertainment? What was the point of Sacrificing another?

“He Was speaking ill of you, trying to get others to vote for us.” Chishiya claimed as he noticed Their expression. “Don’t get upset over something like this — that’s just pathetic.”

It was now 3 days since the incident and both Y/n and Chishiya survived the game alongside another whom They didn’t care to remember. They found themself avoiding Chishiya completely and although He accepted it at first — thinking it was just a phase, he quickly got impatience at their new lack of compliance. He saw them sitting alone at the bar, watching Other players swim and dance by the pool. He realised that other than him, they truly had No friends and it was completely his fault — though, god forbid they realised that. “Y/n.” He Spoke coldly as he approached them. They tried to Walk away Yet found their wrist in a sharp hold By Chishiya, Him staring Daggers Into her. “Leave me Alone, Chishiya…” They Pleaded, He almost audibly laughed at Their suggestion. “I’m being serious, I Thought you were better than everybody else — but you’re just like them, you’d kill anybody to save your own skin! How do i Know it won’t be me Next time..?”

He pulled them close to him, “You don’t get to leave me like this. You fucking Need me — without Me You’d be Dead.” It all got too much for Y/n, tears flooded their eyes as Chishiya’s cruel grip on their wrist still failed to leave. “Now you’re crying? You don’t deserve to Cry When I’ve done nothing wrong.” He scoffed. “You truly are pathetic.” Y/n muttered an apology through tears, Their cheeks burning out of pure embarrassment and eyes stinging from letting Salty tears fall. “Clean yourself up, your visa expires soon — let me show you how much You really do need me.”

[🩹 CHISHIYA]

[accio-victuuri]

CPN : random thoughts 🍬🍭

dumping some minor cpns that has popped up here and there for convenience. as usual, i need one space to ramble.

I also want to take this opportunity to applaud yibo-official for releasing that 1 hour + bts footage. They just went f*ck it and didn’t bother splicing it, they went ahead and dropped it on us out of nowhere. maybe one day they can post an hour long yibo vlog or photo set of yibo selfies. you know. just a suggestion. lol. The last post they made seemed like the final HB related content to share but apparently not. I am so thankful! This is best 3/14 gift!!!! I guess this is also a treat for “yibo movie fans” all over the world who continue to show their support for the overseas screenings.

1. Back in January, YBO posted for HB reaching 300 million in the box office and emphasis on the 3 ( zhan ). People have noticed that this scene looks like it was shot 10/5/2021 — ZZ’s birthday. What a coincidence that they chose this photo to be assigned to the number 3.

2. The way they dropped this big BTS content is reminding us of how the CQL 160 minutes bts was shared before. Is this them taking a page out of that? If there is something turtles are good at, it’s going through hours and hours of BTS footage! This is nothing to us!!! 😂😂😂😂

3. Also this was edited heavily, i can only imagine how many hours of footage they have. The selection of clips and what they can show. The music and it’s arrangement. going back to XZS being quiet — it’s a cpn that the two teams probably worked on this because the project is too big to accomplish by one group only. or maybe it needs a sign-off from the creative director xiao zhan. lol.

The important part of YBO’s post tho is their caption. Especially the part which said : Everything about Mr. Ye is dedicated to all fans of @UNIQ-王一博

I don’t know how many times I have said that Yibo is really making the necessary steps to make himself more mainstream. by that i mean, shedding the title of traffic star. the label itself isn’t all that bad tbh. lots of artists would kill to have the same traffic he does so they can have more endorsements and better scripts their way. however, i observed that he is transitioning to being an actor who hopefully will be loved by a lot of people and not just his core fans. The same goes for XZ, tho he is having a harder time staying away from being a traffic star and his own rice circle. I am in no way discrediting 🍤 or 🏍️, I just mean that the end game for the boys is to be a national celebrity. This transition leaves a lot of responsibility to existing fans like us, to be more welcoming to the new ones. This is why I get so mad when fans pay more attention to drama and fan wars cause it turns off potential supporters. It’s a huge red flag seeing a toxic fan group. I really hope one day, things do settle down and fans learn to be more chill.

4. Another ZSWW cute rumor posted said that WYB will still fuss when he sees old BTS videos of XZ scolding him. So XZ’s advice is to not scold the one you like even if you are jealous — who knows, you might end up together. This is too funny cause we know how fierce ZZ was with WYB, sometimes it’s already scary and you can tell the times he was jealous. 😂😂😂

5. Lastly, Weibo night posted some drama CPs and put it as a 9 grid photo. The pairings are not the most interesting part tho, it’s the top comments. 🤡

>> THIS IS THE LINK TO THE POST IF YOU WANNA JOIN IN. Like the top comments so they stay there, do not comment or reply. <<

On a regular day I would totally say that this is so unnecessary cause we have to respect the drama CPs on that post. Also BJYX is not really a “drama cp”, it’s WANGXIAN and if you believe in SZD there is really no reason to try and compete with commercial CPs. Plus it might indirectly harm the boys too. But i’m feeling petty today so i’m cackling. That’s all. You ask us about a CP? Okay, how about we clown you? I have no love for Sina Weibo and WB night at all so i don’t feel sorry for them or anything. We are just telling the truth, the pairing of XZ & WYB is truly superior. You ask, we answered. What I said about being careful is still true but sometimes you just don’t give a f*ck. It is what it is. 🤡🤡🤡

-END.

[metroid-prime-ribs]

Why Can't Metroid Crawl (Into My Heart)

Head to the meeting. No sense making them wait on you.

Head to the meeting. No sense making them wait on you. You may be slightly earlier than the appointed time, but it doesn’t look good to show up late to a meeting because you were trying to set a high score at the shooting range.

You walk up the ramp and hit the door switch to disarm the door shield. Some hunters liked to shoot them, but you thought that sounded pretty dumb because what if someone else shoots it from the other side right after you and you die? Clearly those people didn’t care about the well being of others. The door opens to the lower bridge, which seems like a very short walk for any invading force to reach the command center. Different levels of personnel perform various tasks to maintain.

You make your way through all of the security checks and scans, not seeing any of the other hunters. Maybe you're later than you thought… the doors to the meeting room hiss open, showing no one else was there. Only Admiral Dane and a holographic brain locked in a game of chess. The Admiral strokes his chin for a moment before reaching out to move a pawn.

Before he even sets the piece down, the brain says, “That move will result in a checkmate for me in seven moves.” He grunts and selects a different pawn, “That one will end the game in three.”

“Damnit 242! You’re supposed to be taking it easy on me.”

“This is me taking it easy on you.” The holochess disappears, “It looks like the first of our hunters has arrived.” The Admiral notices you for the first time and approaches you with his hand out.

“Glad you could make it, I’m Fleet Admiral Dane.” You complete the handshake, though you’ve never understood the point in handshakes. If they’re meant to show that you’re unarmed, what about the beings that can cause harm using abilities that are non physical? Regardless, they’re standard greeting procedure for those in the Galactic Federation. 

“It’s good to see that you’re a little more punctual than the other hunters, and I appreciate that.”

You wonder where the rest of the hunters are, since you were pretty confident that you were going to be late yourself.

This time the brain speaks, “They must’ve gotten distracted by the revamped shooting gallery. It’s been recently upgraded with new targets, challenges, and a high score leaderboard.”

Damn, I should’ve checked out the gallery. Could’ve met some of the hunters early. You think to yourself. Just then, the door opens again and a group of hunters stalk in the door. You quickly recognize Rundas and Ghor. The two were infamous for their part in the Phazon crisis, and how they had nearly been killed by the Federation’s mistakes with the PED devices. You really hope that this super top secret mission isn’t anything like that mission was. You think that it would be a bit above your skill level. You chat with the four hunters for a few minutes, learning a few things about their skill sets and past achievements while you wait for the remaining three to show up.

You already knew the basic spec on Rundas and Ghor, they were considered some of the most “good” hunters that went around the galaxy performing murders for money. There were other jobs that weren’t murder of course, but you know, murders made up a substantial amount of them. You did not recognize the other two on sight, but once they had introduced themselves, you remembered hearing about some of their high profile jobs. A lanky being that seems to absorb all the heat in the room is quietly chatting with Rundas about ice based weaponry. You know them to be Noxus. A member of a proud and secluded race that preached about truth and justice, you remember hearing that he could be “a pompous ass” sometimes. They are very picky about what jobs they take, although they didn’t seem to be aware of the concept of collateral damage, nor about any tarnishing of public opinion when bystanders were injured while completing a mission. The other is clad in boxy green armor with an opaque gold visor. He is notorious for having been a Space Pirate and a Galactic Federation officer, and was at some point exiled from both factions for unknown crimes. Now, he is considered one of the morally grey hunters, with no job too wretched or kind as long as the pay is satisfactory. You believe that he is probably one of the more sketchy characters to be around, but he is seriously skilled and never goes out of his way to harm anyone that isn’t explicitly labeled a target.

[aliveandfullofjoy]

Well, it may be a few days late, but it's here! One of my favorite new year traditions: my ten favorite new-to-me films of 2022!

This year was particularly challenging for me, but we made it through, and thanks in no small part to these beautiful films. They're wildly different, but they all moved me and got under my skin in ways I couldn't shake, so please consider this a strong endorsement for each of them!

The same rules as always: no movies from this past year (2022) or the year prior (2021). Every other year is fair game.

01. After Life (dir. Hirokazu Kore-eda, 1998; Japan; 119 mins.) “I was part of someone else’s happiness.”

It starts with a great premise: After death, people get one week to select one memory from their lives to hold onto for the rest of time. I knew I was always going to love After Life because I tend to love Kore-eda’s films. This is almost certainly his most compassionate film (which is saying something, considering compassion is pretty much his whole deal), and, as usual for him, the actors all give terrific performances. What I wasn’t anticipating was how much After Life ends up being, of all things, a love letter to dramaturgy. It goes back to the film’s very premise. The memory people keep forever isn’t really their memory – not exactly anyway. It’s a performance, a reenactment painstakingly crafted and filmed by the people who work in this bardo. When the client selects their memory, the storytellers begin building it as a narrative, as something with a script and a clear arc. I can imagine some people finding this to be depressing, but it almost sounds like my dream job. 

Side note: I watched this film about a week before my birthday, and at the time I was also playing a lot of the gorgeous video game Spiritfarer on Nintendo Switch, which is all about ferrying wayward souls to the other side. Turns out my capacity for cosmic yearning and spiritual angst knows no bounds.

After Life is currently streaming on the Criterion Channel.

02. Jackie Brown (dir. Quentin Tarantino, 1997; USA; 154 mins.)

“I’ll send you a postcard.”

Tarantino is a hit-or-miss filmmaker like no other for me, but holy cow, y’all, when he hits, he hits. Everything about Jackie Brown comes together as gracefully as possible, and it’s stunning, frankly, that it was only Tarantino’s third feature. It’s pulpy, it’s twisty, it climaxes with as thrilling a sting as I’ve ever seen, and every scene – every second, really – feels effortless. To watch Jackie Brown is to feel safe in the hands of a storyteller at the top of their craft. Since I’m a sap, it helps that this is most likely his most tender film: every character is so well-drawn and well-realized, and every actor is doing great work (Bridget Fonda, Micheal Keaton, a weirdly against-type Robert De Niro), but the film’s three leads turn in career-best performances. Pam Grier makes Jackie a heroine for the ages, Samuel L. Jackson is a terrifying and magnetic tour de force, and Robert Forster, the heart of the film, is breathtakingly decent in a typhoon of violence and crime. The three performances, rich enough on their own, are at their best when they’re sharing the screen. It’s nothing short of electrifying.

Jackie Brown is currently available on demand.

03. Barry Lyndon (dir. Stanley Kubrick, 1975; UK/USA; 185 mins.)

“Good or bad, handsome or ugly, rich or poor, they are all equal now.”

I’m glad I finally crossed Barry Lyndon off my watchlist, even if it’s clearly the kind of film that rewards multiple viewings. Kubrick’s meticulous world-building has rarely been more accomplished or authentic than it is here. The sprawling world of Barry Lyndon stretches beyond the edges of the screen, with a huge cast of great character actors giving superb performances. The film’s legendary design work is every bit as staggering as its reputation suggests: John Alcott’s jaw-dropping cinematography, Ken Adam and Roy Walker’s extravagant art direction, and Milena Canonero and Ulla-Britt Söderlund’s gorgeous costumes. It’s also surprisingly funny! A genuinely magnificent piece of work from a master filmmaker.

Barry Lyndon is currently streaming on HBO Max.

04. F for Fake (dir. Orson Welles, 1973; France/Iran/West Germany)

“Our songs will all be silenced. But what of it? Go on singing.”

At least 80% of F for Fake is footage of Orson Welles stream-of-consciousness monologuing about art and culture and history and making himself chuckle in different fields and parks and cafés while wearing little hats and jackets. Naturally, I loved it. A strange, poetic, and fascinating magic trick of a film, further proof that Welles was truly in a class of his own as a storyteller, a filmmaker, an illusionist, and a self-made myth. What a gift.

F for Fake is currently streaming on HBO Max and the Criterion Channel.

05. There Was a Father (dir. Yasujiro Ozu, 1942; Japan)

“There’s nothing to be sad about.”

Yasujiro Ozu is rightly regarded as one of the world’s greatest filmmakers, but I’ve long had a pet theory that he was one of the great dramatists of the 20th century. All of his films play out as carefully plotted chamber dramas, their enormous emotional power hidden in the smallest, most subdued interactions between its characters. There Was a Father is as bleak and beautiful as any of Ozu’s films, and maybe the most gutting. At the heart is frequent Ozu collaborator Chishu Ryu, who gives a stoic, honest, and shattering performance as a man whose worldview left him detached from his family and emotionally numb. It’s hard to imagine this being approved by the Japanese national censors during World War II, but thank goodness we have it.

There Was a Father is currently streaming on the Criterion Channel.

06. Betty Tells Her Story (dir. Liane Brandon, 1972; USA; 20 mins.)

“I guess I still haven’t solved the way I felt about that. The uncomfortableness of being praised for a prettiness I never had, but, you know, kind of excitement about feeling very special suddenly. And it’s gone.”

A short masterpiece of solo storytelling. Liane Brandon fixes her camera on Betty, who recounts a story about buying and losing an expensive dress to wear to a gala. She tells the same story twice – once for the factual sequence of events and once to describe the way she felt as it was happening – and the contrast is amazing to watch. Wherever Betty went after telling Brandon her story, I hope she was happy. Betty Tells Her Story was just inducted into the National Film Registry, ensuring this devastating, empathetic, monumental piece of filmmaking can be preserved forever. Thank God for that.

Betty Tells Her Story is currently streaming on the Criterion Channel.

07. Donkey Skin (dir. Jacques Demy, 1970; France; 90 mins.)

“Donkey Skin! What a beautiful name.”

What a treat. Donkey Skin easily stands alongside Jacques Demy’s earlier musicals The Umbrellas of Cherbourg and The Young Girls of Rochefort as some of the most blissful films in the genre. As with his other films, the production values are off the charts, including some truly outrageous costumes, and an exquisite score from Demy’s frequent collaborator Michel Legrand. The cast is great, too, including the always magnetic Catherine Deneuve, an endearingly goofy Jacques Perrin, a brooding Jean Marais, and high-camp MVP Delphine Seyrig. The humor is delightfully weird, it looks and sounds amazing, and there are a handful of truly inspired musical sequences. It’s a magical film.

Donkey Skin is currently streaming on the Criterion Channel.

08. Shoes (dir. Lois Weber, 1916; USA; 50 mins.)

“Whatever happened, life must go on. Whatever boats are wrecked, the river does not stop flowing to the sea.”

Lois Weber’s Shoes must be one of the most affecting melodramas in Hollywood history. Anchored by Weber’s beautiful direction and a haunting performance from twenty-year-old Mary MacLaren, the film becomes something of a neorealistic fable in its depiction of an impoverished young woman doing whatever she can to get enough money to buy a much-needed new pair of shoes. The characters feel authentic and Weber’s depiction of poverty is unflinchingly raw, but the simplicity and intimacy of the film are its strengths. A landmark American film.

Shoes is currently streaming on the Criterion Channel.

09. Edward II (dir. Derek Jarman, 1991; UK; 90 mins.)

“My father is deceased. Come Gaveston, and share the kingdom with thy dearest friend.”

A transgressive, furious film that beautifully draws parallel lines between the late 80s and early 90s and Marlowe’s source material. Everything about Jarman’s Edward II is bleak as hell, boldly queer, and utterly fascinating: Tilda Swinton playing a spurned sociopathic queen in elaborate costumes! Men screaming in the pouring rain! The realm everyone fighting and dying for being a pitch-black labyrinth of concrete! What’s lasted for me, though, is the utterly stunning sequence where Annie Lennox(!) sings Cole Porter’s “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye” while Edward and Gaveston part ways. A beautiful puzzle of a film.

Edward II is currently available on demand.

10. Detour (dir. Edgar G. Ulmer, 1945; USA; 66 mins.)

“That’s life. Whichever way you turn, Fate sticks out a foot to trip you.”

This is one lean, nasty noir. Clocking in at just over an hour, Detour is a relentlessly paced and relentlessly mean thriller, one that puts a fittingly mopey Tom Neal in a runaway car in the opening minutes and never, ever lets up. He’s joined (if not supported) by Ann Savage, who gives a truly venomous performance, practically spitting every lethal line she has. It’s bleak, it’s powerful, and it’s gorgeous in its own hellish way. I’ve never connected with film noir quite as much as I would like to, but this is as perfect an example of the genre as I’ve ever seen.

Detour is currently streaming on the Criterion Channel and Prime Video.

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order): At Land (dir. Maya Deren, 1944); Bright Star (dir. Jane Campion, 2009); Brown Sugar (dir. Rick Famuyiwa, 2002); The Cameraman’s Revenge (dir. Ladislas Starevich, 1912); Cops (dir. Buster Keaton & Edward F. Cline, 1922); Daybreak Express (dir. D.A. Pennebaker, 1953); The Dover Boys at Pimento University (dir. Chuck Jones, 1942); A Fish Called Wanda (dir. Charles Crichton, 1988); Full Metal Jacket (dir. Stanley Kubrick, 1987); Inside Man (dir. Spike Lee, 2006); Inspiration (dir. Karel Zeman, 1949); Ivan’s Childhood (dir. Andrei Tarkovsky, 1962); La Ciénaga (dir. Lucrecia Martel, 2001); The Last of Sheila (dir. Herbert Ross, 1973); Les Diaboliques (dir. Henri-Georges Clouzot, 1955); Les Vampires (dir. Louis Feuillade, 1915); McCabe & Mrs. Miller (dir. Robert Altman, 1971); The Meetings of Anna (dir. Chantal Akerman, 1976); Nitrate Kisses (dir. Barbara Hammer, 1992); Pépé le Moko (dir. Julien Duvivier, 1937); Police Story (dir. Jackie Chan, 1985); Portrait of Jason (dir. Shirley Clarke, 1967); Postcards from the Edge (dir. Mike Nichols, 1990); Pyaasa (dir. Guru Dutt, 1957); Reluctantly Queer (dir. Akosua Adoma Owusu, 2016); The River (dir. Jean Renoir, 1951); The Secret of Roan Inish (dir. John Sayles, 1994); The Slumber Party Massacre (dir. Amy Holden Jones, 1982); Speed (dir. Jan de Bont, 1994); The Story of a Three-Day Pass (dir. Melvin Van Peebles, 1967); 13th (dir. Ava DuVernay, 2016); Wasp (dir. Andrea Arnold, 2003); You Were Never Really Here (dir. Lynne Ramsay, 2017)

And finally, some miscellaneous viewing stats:

First movie watched in 2022: Bright Star (dir. Jane Campion, 2009)

Final movie watched in 2022: The Thin Man (dir. W. S. Van Dyke, 1934)

Least favorite movie: Garden State (dir. Zach Braff, 2004)

Oldest movie: Cinderella (dir. Georges Méliès, 1899)

Longest movie: Les Vampires (dir. Louis Feuillade, 1915 – 422 mins.)

Shortest movie: Western Spaghetti (dir. PES, 2008 – 2 mins.)

Month with most movies: December (26)

Month with fewest movies: April (8)

First movie from 2022 seen: Turning Red (dir. Domee Shi, 2022)

Total movies: 190

Yay! Movies are good sometimes! Good stuff!

[jgmartin]

MONSTERCALL

The Dark Web.

The name itself is a meme. It’s become the boomer boogeyman, the back alley of the internet where you go to get your kidneys harvested and sold off to a billionaire’s all-you-can-torture buffet. It’s the skeezy part of town. The no man’s land of the digital world, chock-full of society’s most vile scum.

It’s also pretty boring.

See, the dark web isn’t that much different than the surface web. Sure, it has a cooler name and better privacy, but most people use it for the same shit. Social media? Check. Shopping? Check. Pirating movies? Duh. Did you know Facebook exists on the dark web? You do now.

My parents are terrified of the dark web. They speak about it in hushed breaths, sort of like Ron Weasley talks about Lord Voldemort. It’s as though they think uttering its name too loudly will invoke the wrath of some serial hacker, just waiting in the wings to delete their bank accounts.

Ridiculous, right? I told them they were paranoid. To prove them wrong, I even downloaded the Tor browser and uninstalled Chrome. There’s nothing to fear on the dark web, I said, so long as you’ve got half a brain’s worth of sense in you.

Now, I’m not so sure.

Now, I wish I could take it all back.

I stumbled across the website after a night of drinking. I’d been out with Jared, my best friend since childhood, reminiscing about the good old days of driving Mrs. Crabtree up the wall. When I got home, I felt a bit nostalgic so I went digging for old pictures on Facebook. Like most drunk missions, one thing led to another, and I landed on an old thread listing the most exciting websites on the darkweb.

Spooky, right?

Well, most were fairly vanilla. Some free textbooks here, a bit of hacked video games there. I scrolled down through the responses until I found one buried beneath the others. It had just a single upvote. 

I stared at the link for a few seconds, then cracked a fresh beer and said fuck it.

The website was plain, mostly white text on a black background. Across the top was a banner emblazoned with the words CALL YOUR MONSTERS. I cracked a grin. It was kind of cute, in an edgelord, emo kid sort of way.

After clicking through a few menu links, I landed on the ORDER A MONSTER page. It said that, for $99, they would deliver a personalized monster to a doorstep of my choice. Free shipping, too. The flavor text read:

Perfect for getting even with terrible bosses, backstabbing friends, and childhood enemies!

I laughed. The idea was absolute gold. They even had a Monster Call Guarantee of same-day shipping. How they managed to pull that off, I had no idea. Maybe they had a network of paid actors, patiently waiting to dress up in Halloween costumes and say a few canned lines on somebody’s doorstep? Or maybe it was like Build-a-Bear, where you got to design your own stuffed version of ghouls like Dracula and the Wolfman?

Who knows.

Whatever it was, I decided I was far too drunk to give a shit about how they made it happen. All I knew was a hundred bucks was a damn steal. I smashed the order button and it brought me to a follow-up page titled DESIGN YOUR MONSTER.

I practically licked my lips. This was the juicy bit! The website gave me a drop-down list of selectable options based on modifiable body parts. The mouth, for instance, had FANGS, BROKEN TEETH, NO MOUTH, MULTIPLE MOUTHS, and TOO MANY TEETH.

I thought the idea of too many teeth sounded ridiculous enough to be awesome, so I picked that and went down the list and selected the rest of the monster’s attributes, including its body type, its subspecies, and finally its ‘power’.

The next page said LEAVE A MESSAGE. I mulled it over for a few minutes before deciding to keep it simple. I typed 'boo' into the text field.

Once I was finished, I clicked COMPLETE and it brought me to a new screen that made me jump. It was a webcam video of me, staring shocked at my laptop. The stream was live. At the top of the page, a red text banner proclaimed PERFORM THE BLOOD SACRIFICE.

Uh, what? I cocked an eyebrow. As if in answer to my confusion, a list of instructions faded into view on the bottom of the screen. 

 1. UTTER THE NAME OF YOUR RECIPIENT

 2. PIERCE YOUR SKIN

 3. CONSUME YOUR BLOOD

I burst out laughing. This was too wild! Not only were they gonna deliver a ‘monster’ to somebody’s doorstep, but they were gonna include a goofy ritual video too. 

Alright, I decided, I’m game. I went downstairs and grabbed a knife from the kitchen drawer and headed back up to my room. Holding my hand up with a coy grin, I pricked my thumb with the tip of the blade.

“Jared Mayhew!” I announced dramatically, stuffing my bleeding thumb into my mouth and sucking it clean. Once I’d finished, I held it up, drunk and proud, as evidence of my dark ritual complete. Seconds passed and nothing happened. Then, the screen went black and a new page appeared.

ORDER COMPLETE! DELIVERY IN PROGRESS.

I sipped my beer, wondering how Jared would react to my spooky surprise landing on his doorstep tomorrow. I really hoped they included the blood sacrifice bit. Jared and his wife, Alyssa, both hated blood, so they’d never let me live it down— and that was exactly what I wanted.

A couple of seconds later, a new screen popped up.

DELIVERY COMPLETE. STANDBY FOR RESULTS.

Already? That didn’t make any sense. How did they manage to create my order and ship it across the country, all in the span of five minutes? 

A depressing realization swept over me. My drunk ass had been duped. There was no way they’d be able to ship something that quickly, so the only explanation was 

A) it was a scam, or

B) it was just some lame video-mail jump-scare.

Fuck.

Now the $99 made more sense. There was no way a tiny start-up could offer same-day delivery and a compelling product for so little money. It was a pipedream logistically. Who the fuck did they think they were? Amazon?

Defeated, I decided that was enough dark web shopping for one night. Time to pack it in. I closed my laptop, brushed my teeth, and hopped into bed.

My phone vibrated.

I stared at it, wondering who would be messaging me at this hour. Jared, maybe? He was just as drunk as I was and probably high as a kite by now too. I chuckled, picking up my phone. The screen indicated one new email— from MONSTERCALL. That was odd. I’d never given them my email.

ORDER DELIVERED!

CLICK HERE TO VIEW RESULTS.

View results? I heaved a sigh. This was either a virus or some guarantee that Jared got a corny ‘spooky’ email. Still drunk, still making poor decisions, I clicked the link and it opened a video feed.

Of Jared’s house.

I sat up, my tiredness vanishing in a tidal wave of what the fuck. The video was dimly lit, and the way it bobbed up and down looked like it was being recorded off of somebody’s cell phone. Jared’s small, two-bedroom home was there in all of its suburban glory. Something about the video felt off, though. Wrong.

I told myself to relax. This was just some prank or gag. The company probably put out a call for a fraction of the money to any locals, and somebody pulled the contract. No doubt they were going to walk up the front steps, knock on his door, and then say boo and run off or some shit. It wasn’t a big deal. 

So why was my heart racing?

The video neared the house, the footsteps going slowly. In the silence of the night, I heard the person behind the camera breathing. They sounded frightened. Scared. Why? 

Lights went on inside the house, painting the windows in a dull, yellow glow. I squinted, seeing dark shapes darting behind the curtains.

Thoroughly confused, I decided to message Jared and ask if he got my surprise.

TERRANCE: suuup dude, you get my special delivery?? haha

JARED: HE,P

JARED: SKMWTHING

JARED: INSIDE THE HOUSE

Dark splotches splattered against the glass. A moment later, a woman’s scream rang out, and the window shattered. Two hands reached out from behind billowing curtains, gripping the side of the windowsill. Then two more gripped the top. A figure emerged, lurching out of the opening and into the yard.

It looked familiar. 

Jesus Christ, it looked familiar.

It stood eight feet tall, with large bat wings flared out behind it, and four crooked, muscular arms clenching in and out of fists. The person behind the camera stumbled backward, muttering something incoherent. The creature swiveled its head toward them.

The video feed shifted. Images of the sidewalk flew up and down as the cameraman ran full-tilt from Jared’s house, heaving panicked gasps. I caught muffled fragments of prayers. Then a shriek sounded, followed by the flap of powerful wings.

The video crashed, tumbling in a blur of pixels. A man’s voice shouted for help, and then something heavy crunched, and his voice died with a wheeze. Another shriek filled the night, and a shadow appeared, gazing down toward the discarded cell phone. It had four arms, a pair of wings, and a mouth filled with rows and rows of teeth.

Too many teeth.

I lurched forward, swallowing the vomit in my throat. In one of the creature’s arms was a thirty-something man, struggling wordlessly against the monster’s might. His chest looked like it’d been caved in. The creature leaned towards him, pressed its teeth against his face, and slowly bit down. The man's legs kicked and jolted as the beast’s teeth began rotating like a blender, tearing his flesh from his skull.

It dropped him there, convulsing and dying, then beat its great wings and took off into the sky. Moments later I heard confused shouts. Footsteps pounded against the pavement. More hollers. People called for the police, other neighbors told children to get back inside.

I put my phone down, horrified. It had to have been a joke. There simply was no way that had actually happened. It couldn’t have. It was too gruesome— too violent. That was digital effects all the way. It had to be. Apps were great at that these days. 

Weren’t they?

______________________

The next day I got a call from Jared’s parents. His mother tried to talk, but she couldn’t get past the tears, so she put his father, Roger, on the line. He explained that something terrible happened last night.

My breath caught in my chest.

I told myself to relax, that there was nothing to worry about. Monsters didn't exist. I knew that. “What happened?” I asked, as calmly as I could.

"Terrance," Roger said quietly. "This isn't easy to talk about, and god knows it's going to be harder to hear, but last night somebody broke into Jared’s home. Police think it was around two in the morning." 

My jaw hung limp, my hand trembling as I held the phone to my ear. A terrible coincidence. That's all it was. A terrible, horrible coincidence.

"I don't know how to say this," he continued, "so I'm just going to come right out with it." Roger took a deep, shuddering breath, the kind I’d never heard a man like him take in all his life. When he spoke again his voice was as fragile as glass. "The intruder that broke in mutilated them. Jared and Alyssa."

"Mutilated?" I said in a small voice. The sound of Roger’s voice on the phone felt distant suddenly, like the world was falling away from me at a hundred miles an hour. This couldn’t be real. It couldn’t. These things just didn’t happen to people. 

"Yes,” Roger said. “God, Terrance. I hate to give you this news, I do. But you’ve always been Jared’s closest friend, and I didn’t want you hearing about it in the newspaper. It wouldn’t be fair to you.”

He paused. “The police,” he began, pushing the words out. “They said the psychopath ate pieces of them. They say that the monster chewed their faces clean off their skulls.”

I held the phone to my chest as I vomited all over my bedroom floor. I hurled again. Then once more. 

“Terrance?” Roger’s voice said from the receiver. “Are you alright?”

“Yes,” I said, wiping puke from my mouth. “I mean, Jesus, no Roger. I’m so sorry. Holy shit.” My hand slipped through my hair and I gripped it painfully, praying that maybe if I just pulled hard enough, the pain would wake me from this nightmare. 

“It’s—”

“The funeral preparations,” I said, guilt pooling inside of me. “I’ll handle them. I’ll handle everything. You and Charlene need to take this time to grieve for your son. It’s the—”

“There won’t be a funeral,” Roger said, voice trembling. 

“What? Why not?”

A sound reached my ears, a sound I’d never heard in my life. I listened as Roger broke down sobbing. This man, this construction foreman who’d never so much as wiped a tear from his eye in the twenty years I’d known him, was crying his eyes out.

“Jared and Alyssa… they’re alive,” he said. “Hooked up to tubes in the hospital. The sick fuck left them, my baby and his wife, mangled on their living room floor. Can you believe that?” He wheezed, and I heard Jared’s mother weeping in the background. “The monster didn’t even have the humanity to put them out of their misery.”

My mouth hung limp. What was there to say to that? What words could alleviate that sort of pain? “I…”

“You need to be careful,” Roger said, and his voice evened out a little. “You’ve gotta be careful, Terrance, alright? You might not be my son, but you were over enough that I practically raised you. Pretty soon you might be all I’ve got left. The cops… Well, they told me they haven’t caught the bastard that did this. He’s still out there. So keep your doors and windows locked, you hear? And don’t let anybody inside you don’t know.”

“Wait—” I said. “They don’t have anything? No leads at all?”

“They’ve got something,” Roger said. “It’s… not much. A crumpled up note they found on Jared’s doorstep.”

“A note?” My heart thrummed. 

"Yeah. But it was just one word. Practically useless."

A lump formed in my throat. “What did it say?”

“...Boo.”

[meatcodistributor453]

Optimizing Small Warehouses in Milwaukee with Selective Racking

Let’s face it: small warehouses can feel like a game of Tetris gone wrong. If you’re running a warehouse in Milwaukee, space is likely a precious commodity, and maximizing efficiency isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a must. That’s where selective racking swoops in to save the day. Think of it as the secret sauce that makes your small warehouse more efficient, accessible, and ready to tackle modern logistical demands.

But how do you make it work for your space? Let’s break it down.

What is Selective Racking?

Selective Pallet racking is like the Swiss Army knife of warehouse storage systems. It’s designed to give you easy access to every pallet in your inventory without needing to move other items around. Essentially, each pallet has its own designated spot, making it perfect for warehouses that need quick access to diverse goods.

Key features? It's adjustable, simple to install, and compatible with most forklifts. It doesn’t hurt that it works wonders in tight spaces, which is why it’s a go-to solution for small warehouses.

Why Choose Selective Racking for Small Warehouses?

Space Optimization

Picture this: you’ve got a small warehouse, and every square foot matters. Selective racking helps you stack products vertically, turning that wasted overhead space into prime storage real estate. It’s like adding a second story to your house—without the construction headaches.

Accessibility and Flexibility

What’s the point of storing something if you can’t find it when you need it? With selective racking, every item is right where you left it. No need to dig through layers of inventory or play forklift Jenga. Plus, it’s super adaptable—you can adjust the racks to fit your ever-changing needs.

Cost-Effectiveness

Sure, some fancy storage systems cost an arm and a leg. But selective racking? It’s budget-friendly and delivers great value for money. You get maximum efficiency without breaking the bank.

Benefits of Selective Racking in Milwaukee’s Context

Local Warehouse Challenges

Milwaukee’s small warehouses face unique challenges. The cold winters and fluctuating demand cycles mean businesses need storage solutions that are both sturdy and flexible. Selective racking fits the bill, standing up to tough conditions while offering adaptability to handle seasonal changes.

Boosting Productivity

Imagine a smoother operation where your staff spends less time hunting for items and more time getting things done. That’s the magic of selective racking—it streamlines workflows, reduces retrieval times, and boosts overall productivity. And let’s be honest: who doesn’t want to get more done in less time?

Steps to Implement Selective Racking in Your Small Warehouse

Step 1: Planning and Layout

Before diving in, take a step back and analyze your space. Measure everything—width, height, aisle spacing—you name it. Then, sketch out a layout that maximizes your storage potential while keeping navigation easy.

Think about traffic flow, too. If forklifts are involved, ensure there’s enough room for smooth maneuvering. Nobody wants a traffic jam in the middle of their warehouse!

Step 2: Installation Process

Once you’ve got your plan in place, it’s time to install. This part is pretty straightforward since selective racking systems are designed to be user-friendly. However, don’t skimp on quality. Invest in durable materials and ensure the racks are anchored securely to avoid accidents.

Need help? Plenty of local Milwaukee companies specialize in warehouse installations—they’re worth every penny.

Step 3: Regular Maintenance

Your work doesn’t stop once the racks are up. Like any system, selective racking needs regular check-ups to stay in tip-top shape. Inspect for wear and tear, tighten loose bolts, and clean the racks periodically to keep them functioning smoothly.

Conclusion

Optimizing your small warehouse in Milwaukee doesn’t have to be a Herculean task. With selective racking, you can turn even the most cramped spaces into efficient, well-organized hubs. From saving space to boosting productivity, this storage solution checks all the boxes.

So, why not take the plunge? Whether you’re looking to scale up your operations or simply make day-to-day tasks easier, selective racking could be the game-changer your warehouse needs. Ready to get started?

Meatco Distributor

3265 Gateway Rd, Suite 350, Brookfield, WI

800–558–5104

[vapehk1]

Boulder Vape: Revolutionizing Vaping with Quality and Innovation

Welcome to the world of Boulder Vape, where every puff is a promise of quality and every exhale is a statement of style. Established in 2014, Boulder International isn’t just another name in the crowded vaping market; it's a beacon of reliability and innovation. In a sea of knockoffs and underwhelming imitations, Boulder stands tall as the genuine article. Let’s take a humorous dive into why Boulder Vape has become the go-to for discerning vapers who won’t settle for anything less than the best. The Boulder Advantage: More Than Just Hot Air Absolutely, in the bustling world of vape clouds and flashy gadgets, Boulder Vape truly stands out—not because it’s adding to the fog of empty promises, but because it actually delivers. With a knack for electronics that could put some tech giants to shame, each Boulder Vape device is crafted not just to last, but to last impressively. Imagine a battery so clingy, it might just text you if you don't use it enough, and tanks that keep their contents tighter than a miser’s purse strings. This level of detail means you’re not just vaping; you’re having an enduringly excellent experience with every single draw. And let’s be honest, in a market where some products fizzle out faster than a sitcom without the laugh track, Boulder’s commitment to quality is a breath of fresh (or should we say flavored?) air. Each puff from a Boulder device isn’t just smoke—it’s a statement. A statement that says, "Yes, I enjoy quality that lasts longer than a meme on the internet." So, while others might be dealing with the vape equivalent of a one-hit-wonder, Boulder users are enjoying the chart-topping hits of vaping, season after season, thanks to devices designed to perform superbly and consistently, puff after reliable puff.   Leak-proof, Fool-proof, and Lookin' Good Indeed, Boulder Vape doesn't just lead the pack with durability; it also turns heads with its impeccable style. Picture a device so sleek it could make a tech minimalist nod in approval. With a supply chain that could make even the most resourceful industry insiders green with envy, Boulder ensures it only snaps up the crème de la crème of components. This meticulous selection process means each part of a Boulder Vape kit snaps, slides, and locks together with the satisfying precision of a Swiss watch—reliable, efficient, and oh-so-smooth. And let’s not overlook the aesthetics; Boulder Vape devices aren’t just built to perform—they’re designed to impress. Whether it's casually peeking out from a jeans pocket or held between fingers, the device's finishes remain as crisp as the day they were unboxed, resisting wear and tear with the grace of a well-maintained luxury car. Boulder Vape isn’t just about functionality; it’s about making a statement with enduring elegance, ensuring that each device isn’t just an accessory but a statement piece in its own right. A Flavor Journey Worth Taking Think again if you've ever lumped all e-liquids into the same bland category. Boulder Vape elevates the game to a whole new level, transforming each vape session into a veritable flavor fiesta. In their spotless clean rooms, where even a speck of dust dare not enter, Boulder's in-house flavor chemists blend science with a dash of culinary magic. It's here that e-liquids are not just mixed; they are meticulously crafted with the finest ingredients sourced from the lush landscapes of Switzerland and Italy. Imagine inhaling the spirited zest of freshly-picked Italian lemons or the decadent essence of Swiss chocolate—this is what Boulder brings to your palate. Each draw from a Boulder Vape is like taking a mini vacation for your senses. With a collection that ranges from the crisp, invigorating snap of Alpine berries to the deep, velvety caress of Tuscan espresso, each flavor is a gateway to an exquisite, aromatic journey. This isn't just vaping; it's an exploration of the rich tapestries of flavor that only the most dedicated artisans can weave. Boulder's commitment shines through in these liquid treasures, promising not just satisfaction, but a sensory revolution with every puff. Try Once, Stay Forever When it comes to proving its mettle, Boulder Vape relies not just on flashy ad campaigns, but on something far more compelling: the unwavering loyalty of its users. Boulder's straightforward philosophy rings true with every customer interaction: give us a try, and anything else will feel like a compromise. This isn't merely about pushing products off the shelves; it's about welcoming you into a lifelong relationship with quality vaping. Imagine a device so reliable that it rivals the dependability of the sunrise, paired with an experience as delightful as your favorite sitcom. Why would anyone consider another brand? It would be like swapping a luxury yacht for a leaky rubber dinghy. For the skeptics still on the fence, the value proposition Boulder offers makes it a no-brainer. With cutting-edge technology, sleek designs, and premium ingredients all coming together, Boulder Vape stands out as the epitome of vaping excellence. It’s not just about enjoying a superior product; it's about embracing a superior way of life. The discerning vaper knows that with Boulder, they're not just investing in a device but in an experience that's consistently top-notch. In the world of vaping, Boulder Vape isn't just a choice; it's the choice for anyone serious about their vaping journey. Conclusion Dive into the world of Boulder Vape, where the vape clouds are dense and the quality denser! Starting in 2014, Boulder International has been crafting vape devices that are not only durable but also come with a style that could make the most apathetic person do a double-take. It's like choosing between a luxury yacht and a rubber dinghy; with Boulder, you’re always picking the yacht. They don't just assemble e-cigarettes; they engineer experiences, boasting batteries that last unnervingly long and tanks sealed tighter than Fort Knox. Their e-liquids? A symphony of flavors imported from Switzerland and Italy, sure to transport your taste buds to foreign lands. Plus, the loyal fan base isn’t just puffing steam; they swear by Boulder’s reliability and class. So, if you’re serious about vaping, choosing Boulder isn’t just a good decision—it’s the only decision, unless you enjoy the thrill of subpar vaping adventures. FAQs 1.What makes Boulder Vape different from other vaping brands? Boulder Vape stands out due to its commitment to quality and innovation. Each device is crafted with precision engineering, top-tier components, and designed to last longer than many competitors. Moreover, Boulder Vape offers unique e-liquids made from the finest ingredients imported from Switzerland and Italy, ensuring an unparalleled vaping experience. 2. How long do Boulder Vape batteries last? Boulder Vape batteries are designed to hold more charge and last significantly longer than many other vaping batteries in the market. Users can expect extended use on a single charge, providing reliability whether you’re at home or on the go. 3. Are Boulder Vape products leak-proof? Yes, one of the standout features of Boulder Vape products is their leak-proof design. The tanks are engineered to prevent leaks, making them more reliable and mess-free, so you can carry and use your vape without worrying about spills. 4. Where are Boulder Vape e-liquids made? Boulder Vape e-liquids are crafted in state-of-the-art clean rooms under the watchful eyes of in-house flavor chemists. The production takes place in the USA, adhering to strict quality control standards to ensure the purity and consistency of each flavor. 5. Can I try different flavors of Boulder Vape e-liquids? Absolutely! Boulder Vape offers a wide range of exquisite flavors, sourced from the best ingredients worldwide. From the zest of Italian citrus to the richness of Swiss chocolate, there’s a flavor to suit every palate, and they encourage trying different varieties to find your perfect vape experience. If you want to know more, please refer to this article: https://keystonevape.com/best-vape/the-best-disposable-vapes-2024-you-cant-miss/ Read the full article

[44gamez]

Top 6 Best Co Op Games on PC Game Pass

Screenshot: Ghost City Video games LTD, 343 Industries, Tribute Video games Inc. With the vacations across the nook, you (like me) most likely have much more free time in your arms than typical. So, why not make investments it in a sport with a good friend? There are quite a lot of them on the market, however the ones that observe on this checklist are what I feel are one of the best of one of the best. On prime of that, you solely a necessity Recreation Cross subscription for PC and also you’ll get entry to them with out spending greater than your month-to-month subscription. So observe together with the highest 6 co-op video games on PC Recreation Cross

6 Greatest co op games on Recreation Cross PC to play this vacation

This checklist is that it’s not ranked, so you'll be able to decide whichever one and I can promise you and your mates can have an excellent time. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredders Revenge

Screenshot: Tribute Video games Inc. Leaping into this beat-em-up motion sport is as simple as respiration. The colourful 8-bit motion sport has a simple studying curve, which makes it simpler for everybody to get into. Whereas Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredders Revenge is a four-player sport, you'll be able to nonetheless dominate with two individuals. Every character has their very own, distinctive playstyle, so you'll be able to experiment to search out out what works finest for you. Due to its easy but deep mechanics, gamers of all talent ranges can have a blast with this retro arcadey beat’em up. Sea of Thieves

Screenshot: Uncommon LTD Taking part in as a pirate is nice, however with the ability to create a crew with a number of gamers makes issues even higher. Sea of Thieves provides you the liberty to create your journey however nonetheless helps you not get misplaced. The missions you get require everybody taking part in to place their heads collectively because it’s not simple. These kinds of video games are additionally nice for making content material in case you’re planning on launching a gaming TikTok or YouTube channel. Plus, the PVP factor provides one other sense of immersion the place issues are literally at stake. Moreover, being cross-play helps out a ton as effectively, this fashion your mates on PC and Xbox can be part of your crew. A Means Out

Screenshot: Hazelight If you wish to get misplaced in a novel, story-driven expertise that isn’t lengthy and may be very simple, take a look at A Means Out. Gamers take the roles of two jail escapees and should navigate the world and make some painful selections. Whereas A Means Out is linear, the story itself has a ton of weight to carry every little thing collectively. Each selection you make is felt and has dire penalties. With out giving something away, the ending does make the narrative for your entire sport value it. So it’s a must-try for the vacation. Nevertheless, maintain Kleenex close by, crying will likely be a traditional factor as the sport is emotionally charged. Gear 5

Screenshot: The Coalition Some of the iconic video games for the Xbox continues to be alive and kicking. Gears 5 has a ton of traditional components reminiscent of the long-lasting cowl system, the chainsaw melee assaults, and extra. Nevertheless, the sport does add extra reminiscent of mild open-world mechanics and some aspect bosses that you simply and your mates can try. Gunplay is a significant component in all of the Gears of Battle video games, and in Gears 5 it feels even higher. Plus, you and your mates can take the combat on-line with the numerous modes. There’s quite a bit on this little package deal, so chances are you'll be busy for the vacation season. Overcooked! 2

Ghost City Video games Ltd. Earlier than I am going into this Overcooked! 2 is that this sport requires a ton of persistence. I’m not kidding. My pals and I might have a yelling match over the place rice ought to go. So if you may get over that, you’re midway there. Nevertheless, the sport does have a steep studying curve that fortunately helps you get used to it shortly. From having some over-the-top ranges to being a sport the place communication is essential, has made Overcooked! 2 stand out out hit for co-op video games on PC. Halo: Grasp Chief Assortment

Screenshot: 343 Industries One factor I really like about Recreation Cross is that I can play Grasp Chief’s finest tales multi functional place. Because of the Halo: Grasp Chief Assortment, you and your good friend can witness all of the mainline video games as much as Halo 4. Plus, with it being cross-play, you'll be able to broaden your occasion measurement to make going by the story much more enjoyable. It’s only a disgrace that Halo Infinite does have the identical co-op features of the opposite video games which may have made issues much more immersive. You additionally get Halo Attain and Halo 3 ODST, so you'll be able to have hours of play with this compilation. If you wish to sport this vacation however don’t have time to put money into one thing tremendous deep, now we have some easy-going video games which can be a blast to get into. Read the full article

[pxgblog]

The 4 Gifts Every Golfer Is Hoping for This Holiday Season

Finding the ideal holiday gift for the person you care most about can be a challenge, especially if that person is passionate about golf.

After all, everyone has their own unique playing style and preferences. Plus, it can be tough to figure out what they might like as a holiday gift without spoiling the surprise. But if you want to give them a gift they’ll cherish, you’ve got to take a swing at it. To find the best gift for the golfer in your life, start with this list of the top four gifts every golfer is hoping to unwrap this holiday season. A Personalized Golf Club Fitting For ages, golfers have contented themselves with off-the-rack clubs. But the truth is that one-size-fits-all gear doesn’t really fit anybody—not perfectly, anyway. And certainly not well enough to help your favorite golfer take their game to the next level. That’s why, for golfers in pursuit of a premium experience each time they hit the links, there’s no gift quite like a custom fitting. Surprise the golfer in your life this year with a fitting that combines the best fitters in the game, a data-driven approach, and a relaxed, no-pressure atmosphere that will let your loved one enjoy every moment of the experience. Customized, Cutting-Edge Clubs Of course, the best part of a custom golf club fitting doesn’t happen during the fitting. It comes afterward when that stunning black box arrives, and your golfer opens it to find the clubs of their dreams. Enhancing performance on the course certainly takes diligent practice and unwavering dedication. But it also requires meticulously handcrafted golf drivers, woods, and putters that combine reliable craftsmanship with game-changing club technology. Club selection is no place for half-measures. For a truly jaw-dropping gift, look for clubs that can take their game to the next level. Uncompromising Golf Apparel We’ve all had that moment: the unfortunate realization that you chose the wrong clothing for a day at your favorite course. Whether you’re too hot, too cold, or can’t move as effortlessly as you’d like, wearing the wrong gear can put a damper on even the most exciting round. If you want to give a golf enthusiast a gift that will make them think of you with gratitude every time they use it, give them the gift of comfort with elite golf apparel. It’s a gift that’ll make them smile whenever they grip one of their fairway woods and enjoy the perfect swing. The Golf Trip of a Lifetime Cherished memories make the best gifts, which is why this holiday season is the perfect time to give your favorite golfer an excursion they’ll remember forever. If you live in one of the country’s colder regions, winter is the perfect time to arrange a golf adventure for your loved one at one of the top destinations in states like Arizona or Florida. To put a cherry on top, send them off with a new set of innovative golf wedges to enhance their experience that much more. About PXG Sometimes, good enough isn’t quite good enough on the golf course. That’s why golf irons from PXG launch higher, go farther, feel softer, and have a sweet spot the size of Texas. Since their founding in 2013, PXG set out to make the world’s best golf equipment, combining their passion for the greatest game ever played with innovative technology. With no constraints on their research, the folks at PXG broke new ground in golf performance by designing clubs that can be tailored to your game. A personalized fitting experience is the standard when you choose PXG. After each fitting, their Master Builders handcraft every club to your exact specifications. Experience their uncompromising commitment to excellence and elevate your performance on the links with top-quality clubs, apparel, and gear from PXG. This holiday season, discover cutting-edge PXG clubs at https://www.pxg.com/ Original Source: https://bit.ly/3GZWKzr

[drmarkcabelin]

Pickleball Gear Essentials- Shoes, Attire, and Accessories

In the exhilarating realm of pickleball, where strategic thinking seamlessly intersects with nimble agility, equipping oneself with the appropriate gear becomes a crucial part of the game. The right pair of shoes, specifically designed to support brisk, directional changes, can significantly enhance your quick movements across the court. The importance of attire cannot be overstated, either; carefully selected clothing can ensure comfort and breathability, even during the most intense and prolonged rallies. Moreover, employing accessories, such as high-quality paddles and balls, can notably improve your gameplay, making each shot more precise and controlled. Each of these elements, when thoughtfully chosen, can contribute substantially to your overall performance and experience on the pickleball court. As an authoritative figure in the field, Dr. Mark Cabelin, emphasizes the essential role of proper equipment in achieving and maintaining peak performance levels.

Let’s start with footwear—the unsung heroes of pickleball. A good pair of shoes is more than just a fashion statement; it's your foundation on the court. Pickleball demands quick lateral movements and sudden stops, and the shoes you choose should support these actions. Look for shoes with excellent traction to prevent slipping and sliding. Opt for ones that offer stability and cushioning to protect your feet from the constant impact of sudden movements.

Moving up, your attire plays a pivotal role in both comfort and style. While there isn’t a strict dress code in pickleball, choosing the right attire can greatly impact your game. Breathable fabrics that wick away moisture are ideal, as they keep you cool and dry during intense matches. Consider moisture-wicking shirts and shorts or skirts with comfortable waistbands that allow you to move freely without restrictions.

Accessories might seem secondary, but they can significantly augment your gameplay. One of the most crucial accessories in pickleball is a reliable paddle. The right paddle can make a substantial difference in your playstyle, whether it’s the material, weight, grip size, or surface texture. Finding the paddle that suits your style and level of play is essential to enhancing your performance and overall enjoyment of the game.

While engaging in a riveting game of pickleball, one often forgets the significance of wearing protective eyewear. This crucial safety measure may seem inconsequential but can indeed be the determining factor between a delightful recreational experience and an unfortunate incident. A stray pickleball, traveling at high speeds, can cause not just discomfort but considerable damage. Therefore, it is highly recommended by experts, including Dr. Mark Cabelin, to invest in top-tier, shatter-resistant eyewear. These are specifically designed for pickleball keeping in mind the unique demands of the sport. They offer the dual advantage of protecting your eyes while ensuring that your vision remains unhindered and your comfort uncompromised, thereby enhancing your overall gaming experience.

Furthermore, a comfortable and durable bag to carry all your gear is often overlooked. A well-organized bag not only keeps your equipment safe but also ensures you have everything you need for a successful game. Look for bags with ample compartments to neatly store your paddles, balls, water bottle, and other essentials.

Let’s delve deeper into the essence of shoes in the context of pickleball. The ideal pickleball shoe strikes a balance between support, stability, and flexibility. A shoe with a good grip is vital, preventing unwanted slips that could cost you a point. Most importantly, ensure the shoe fits snugly but comfortably to minimize the risk of blisters or discomfort during prolonged play.

In the realm of pickleball, your choice of attire can do more than just serve a functional purpose; it can also be a reflection of your personal style and individuality. Over the years, we've witnessed a remarkable evolution in pickleball fashion. Today, players can choose from a myriad of apparel options, with an array of vibrant colors, unique designs, and stylish patterns readily available. The emphasis on comfort and functionality has never wavered, but these modern choices allow players to express their personality on the court in new and exciting ways. Adding a touch of flair to your game can make each match all the more enjoyable, and can be a fascinating way to stand out. Notably, even professionals like Dr. Mark Cabelin Urologist advocate for an approach to sportswear that combines comfort, functionality, and style.

Accessories not only serve a functional purpose but can also contribute to the psychological aspect of the game. A comfortable, well-chosen paddle can boost your confidence, influencing your gameplay positively. Similarly, investing in top-quality pickleball balls ensures consistent performance and reduces the chances of unexpected variations during play.

Let’s not forget about the importance of injury prevention in sports. In pickleball, where quick movements are frequent, ankle braces can provide additional support, reducing the risk of sprains. Knee and elbow sleeves can also offer support and protection during intense gameplay, safeguarding against potential injuries.

Mental readiness complements the necessity of the proper physical equipment in pickleball. Items such as headbands or wristbands that are designed to absorb sweat may seem like minor accessories, yet they play a significant role in sustaining focus during the game. As Dr. Mark Cabelin emphasizes, keeping sweat off your hands and eyes allows you to remain attentive to the game. According to Dr. Mark Cabelin, such attention to detail can greatly contribute to your overall performance in pickleball.

Ultimately, the synergy of all these gear essentials contributes to a holistic and enjoyable pickleball experience. The right gear not only enhances your performance but also elevates your confidence on the court. Finding the perfect combination of shoes, attire, and accessories tailored to your style of play can significantly impact your game, making each match an exhilarating and fulfilling experience.

While pickleball might seem like a simple sport, the right gear can elevate it to a whole new level. Shoes that support your movements, comfortable attire that allows flexibility, and thoughtfully chosen accessories all play a vital role in maximizing your performance and enjoyment on the court. So, whether you’re a casual player or a seasoned pro, investing in the right gear is the first step to unlocking your full potential in the game of pickleball.

[christ2525]

Levitate Photo

Need to catch some otherworldly levitation pictures? Levitation photography could appear to be troublesome, yet all at once it's quite simple. However long you know the straightforward, bit by bit process, you can make lovely levitation photographs of your own, the sort that shock watchers and look reliably amazing.

Presently, I'll be quick to just let it out: When I began with levitation photography, I battled. Be that as it may, over the long haul, I made changes and enhancements to my methodology and catching great levitation shots got more straightforward and simpler. Today, I'm prepared to impart that way to deal with you - so you can skirt past my slip-ups and begin making incredible shots immediately.

What is levitation photography? Levitation photography alludes to pictures portraying subjects that have all the earmarks of being drifting, or suspending, in the air.

Levitation photography tips Levitation pictures are intended to look peculiar, creepy, or just for the most part strange. The objective isn't to show reality, yet to rather make mindbending creations that confuse the watcher.

While you can in fact make a levitation shot by requesting that your subject leap (or by tossing your subject up high) and discharging the screen brilliantly, most levitation photographs are made with some after creation deceit, which I make sense of top to bottom later on.

Levitation photography tips What subjects turn out best for levitation photography? Except if you have any desire to burn through many hours in Photoshop cautiously eliminating, compositing, and cloning various subjects, I'd suggest choosing levitation subjects that are fit for standing or lying on a stool.

Most levitation picture takers work with representation subjects; all things considered, you can educate individuals to remain perfectly positioned, to adjust on various articles, etc.

Note that you can make intriguing game plans with numerous representation subjects. For example, you could do a gathering levitation gave, where a whole family or wedding party gives off an impression of being drifting over the ground. Or on the other hand you could give one subject the "non-sorcery" job and have them stand on the grass while different subjects float around the scene.

Levitation photography tips All things considered, in the event that you have no representation subjects or you just need to make more unique photographs, you can surely have some good times suspending lifeless things. You could suspend:

Love seats Seats Broomsticks Food PCs Cleanser bottles Cameras Specifically, levitation can be an intense method for proficient food or item photography. By suspending things (or bits) of food, you can make an exceptionally present day, new look. Furthermore, by suspending items, you can make a feeling of energy and imperativeness that supplements pictures of shoes, convenient innovation, from there, the sky is the limit.

Levitation photography tips Step by step instructions to do levitation photography: the nuts and bolts Levitation photoshoots aren't particularly intricate, yet they really do take a few stuff and expertise. In this part, I share my bit by bit process for making great levitation pictures.

Stage 1: Accumulate your hardware To create a fruitful levitation picture, you really want:

A camera and focal point (with manual centering capacities) A stand A willing model (or lifeless thing) Something to situate your subject on, like a stool, a seat, or a stepping stool Stage 2: Go to your area Numerous photographic artists do levitation photoshoots in distant areas. Yet, while secluded glades and dim woodlands will unquestionably add to the creepy climate, you can likewise make extraordinary levitation efforts in your lawn, in a neighborhood park, or even inside.

Levitation photography tips Simply ensure you select your area cautiously. You really want a region that will be moderately liberated from bystanders (you would rather not invest energy cloning individuals out of the foundation). Also, the more space you need to shoot, the better.

On the off chance that you're working with a model, I'd suggest showing up on the spot a couple of moments ahead of time. Like that, you can mount your camera on a stand, consider different shooting points, and select your openness settings before your subject shows up.

Stage 3: Photo the scene with your subject on a roost Levitation photography depends on two basic pictures:

A fix of your subject sitting, standing, or lying on a roost (e.g., a stool). A fix of the scene without the subject and without the roost. The request where you make the two efforts actually doesn't make any difference, however it's a lot simpler to form the shot with the subject first, then, at that point, catch the foundation shot later on.

So set up your most memorable shot. Ensure your camera is painstakingly situated on the stand. In the event that you're working with a representation subject, request that they roost on the stool and cautiously direct them in a levitation-esque posture. In the event that you're working with a lifeless thing, position it as you like.

Change your camera to manual concentration, then, at that point, change the concentration until your primary subject is tack-sharp. Set the openness utilizing Manual mode.

Take your most memorable picture. Actually look at the outcome on the rear of your camera, and ensure that you've nailed the concentration and openness.

Stage 4: Photo the scene without your subject Then, eliminate everything from the scene: your stools, your subjects, and any extra props.

Without changing the openness or the concentration, require a subsequent picture. This ought to include just the foundation (yet the place of spotlight ought to stay on the frontal area!).

Stage 5: Mix the pictures Right now, you have the crude parts of your levitation shot. Presently it is the ideal time to consolidate the two pictures to make a sensible last sythesis.

Open your two documents in a fundamental altering project like Lightroom, and ensure the varieties and openings match impeccably. Assuming that you notice any distinctions between the pictures, invest some energy making changes in accordance with the openness as well as white equilibrium. (You can likewise apply general alters to the two documents, however ensure you keep all alters steady across the two shots!)

Then, open the records as layers in Adobe Photoshop. Ensure the unfilled foundation picture is on the lower part of the layer stack.

Click on the upper layer (with your subject) and make a veil. At first, the veil will be white, so your picture will stay unaltered. In any case, select a Brush, ensure the variety is dark, and afterward paint over the subject's supporting components (i.e., the stool). Watch as the stool vanishes, abandoning the immaculate foundation…

[johnlwise1913]

BetUS Review - The Best Sports Betting Site

Whether you're a casual bettor or a sports betting expert, finding the best sports betting site can be a challenging task. It's important to find an online site that offers a user-friendly interface, good customer support, and an extensive selection of betting options. Then, you can be assured that your account and your money are protected and secure.

One of the best online sports بهترین سایت شرط بندی is BetUS. This Curacao-licensed site offers wagers on a wide variety of US sports, including soccer, tennis, NFL, and more. You can also bet on golf and motorsports.

Among its features, BetUS has a wide array of betting options, and the site is easy to navigate. It's SSL-encrypted, and accepts a variety of payment methods, including debit cards, credit cards, e-checks, and crypto-currencies. You can even sign up for a VIP program and earn points for accumulating bets.

For the most part, this online sportsbook offers competitive odds on most major sporting events. The site also has a live in-game betting feature, as well as a top-notch mobile betting site. You can choose to bet on any of the major leagues, including the NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLB. You can also bet on less popular sports like boxing, hockey, and esports. In addition to these traditional wagers, you can also bet on props, totals, and spreads.

If you're new to the world of sports شرط بندی فوتبال, you'll probably be surprised by the variety of options available. There are also numerous filters on the site to help you narrow down the sports you want to bet on. For those new to sports betting, it's also a good idea to check out the website's FAQs. If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact the sportsbook's customer support department, and the company is always willing to help. You can reach them at any time, day or night.

Another major benefit to this sportsbook is its partnership with major leagues in the U.S. Its horse racing page is the first in the industry to offer detailed statistics, and its live betting features give fans a chance to place bets on every race. You can also use its MGM Rewards loyalty program.

You can choose from a number of different sports, and the site offers a wide range of bonuses to get you started. However, the bonus percentage isn't the highest on the list of sportsbooks, and the site's minimum deposit isn't the lowest. That's why you'll want to consider using a sportsbook promo code when you sign up. You'll often be able to get a better sign-up bonus at a more convenient site, and you'll also be able to get more betting options.

If you're not sure how to use the site, you can reach BetNow's customer support department through email, telephone, or live chat. You can also use the site's handy FAQ section to learn about the different types of bets, including props, moneyline bets, and parlay bets.

[notnctu]

jaehyun: the charming

━ welcome home to housemating smut series :)

☆ click the link above to read background info about this housemate!

☆ GENRE: smut, pwp ☆ DETAILS: fem!reader, college!au, housemate!au ☆ WARNINGS: explicit language, nicknames, dirty talking, possessiveness, rough sex, praise kink, oral (giving and receiving), spitting, choking, unprotected (wrap up yall!!) ☆ WC: 4.1k ☆ SYNOPSIS: A harmless game of Truth Or Dare with your housemates reveals Jaehyun’s true desires and has him eyeing you the entire night.

☆ AUTHORS NOTE: this is the only part for jaehyun ! sorry for the long wait,, i started this during my writing hiatus and did not have much motivation to finish it since its been really difficult to write smut lately :/ regardless, i hope you can leave me some feedback if you liked it <3 doyoung’s part will be the next in the series once i get to it !

“If you could kiss anyone in this room right now, who would it be?” Johnny beckons his drink to Jaehyun, who blinks at him with knitted eyebrows and a quizzical expression.

It’s one of those rare nights where all your housemates are home and Doyoung is actually out of his room to participate in everyone’s foolishness. All six of you sit comfortably in the living room as the fifth round of Truth or Dare commences. 

You share the large couch with Jaemin and Haechan, sandwiching you in between them happily. Doyoung, Jaehyun and Johnny are seated in their own respective chairs that circle the tiny coffee table in the center. 

And if your housemates could be any more distracting, Jaehyun sits laid-back without a shirt on and grey sweatpants that fit loosely on his legs, manspreading as if he has all the space in the world. His soft hair falls messily around his face from constantly running his hands through it and his abs flex without him needing to do much.

It’s hard not to stare, but no one in the room calls you out for doing so. They’ve all stared at you plenty enough times on other occasions, so it would be hard for any of them to give you a counterargument. Jaehyun simply looks good enough to devour, and he can say the same for you as he steals sly glances your way.

Every subtle connection of smoldering eye contact sends a thrill down your core, and the smirk paired with his dotted dimple has you swooning for him over and over. Jaehyun knows every way to drive you wild without needing to say or touch you.

It’s unbelievable how that man has only allowed you to see his intimacy once with the way he whistles whenever you walk down the stairs in a cute outfit or how often he compliments your butt just for the pure satisfaction of you having one. Despite having the highest body count in the entire house, he has great self control and never comes off as being too needy. 

And every time he is needy, he already has another girl in his room to satisfy him. So, this never gave you another opportunity to sleep with him as much as you wanted to. If you weren’t so bashful, you might’ve had enough courage to just walk into his room and ask. 

Nonetheless, here you both are: sitting across from each other during a slowly escalating game of Truth or Dare and eyeing each other every chance you can get.

“Shouldn’t you ask y/n that question?” Jaehyun mumbles, finding Johnny’s question rather ridiculous since the ratio in the room is 1 girl to 5 guys and finds no curiosity to know how bad of a kisser the rest of his housemates are. “I think you’d rather know her answer than mine.”

You clear your throat when every attention is drawn toward you, expecting you to give a truthful response when it isn’t even your turn. “What if I didn’t pick truth?”

“You want a dare?” Jaemin rests a hand on your bare thigh and turns delightfully toward you with a dark mischievous gleam in his eye.

Gulping, you try your best to diffuse the situation. “It’s not my turn.” 

“I’ll give my turn to you.” Jaehyun smiles and proceeds to gesture toward you to speak.

Bewildered, you’re looking to Doyoung to protest about such unfair grounds of switching the rules. However, he doesn’t say a word, shrugging it off like it’s not a big deal. “You’re all unbelievable.” You scoff sarcastically.

“C’mon, it’s just a friendly game. Everyone wants you to go.” Haechan clicks his tongue out of impatience, the anticipation practically suffocating the whole house.

“Ask me when it’s my turn.” You stand your ground and send Jaehyun a quick glare. 

The tension drops instantly from the stiff atmosphere. Haechan’s groan erupts beside you as he sits back against the couch with his arms crossed. 

“Okay, buttercup. I’ll answer Johnny’s ridiculous question, but know that I have a good one for you.” Jaehyun leans forward to rest his elbows on his knees with his hands clasped together loosely. “I’d kiss y/n.” 

Your breath hitches, but no one else is actually surprised by his answer. “Yeah, I’d kiss y/n too if this was my selection pool.” Doyoung remarks with a roll in his eyes.

“I mean,” Jaehyun sits back coolly in his chair, hands stretched behind his head and every muscle flexed in view. Every movement has your mouth watering at his impressive body on display. “Even if we were playing with other people, I’d still choose y/n.” A dimple smile causes your heart to beat rapidly.

Johnny scoffs, “if we circled up all your flings, you’d still choose y/n?” 

Jaehyun ponders the hypothetical for a second, but his eyes land back on yours and every hesitation disappears. “Yeah. She has the softest lips.” He says, very matter of fact.

Your fingers unconsciously graze against your lips briefly, before you clear your throat and shake away the power of his arousing words. “Okay, okay. Let’s move on?” 

“Okay, y/n. Truth or Dare?” Jaehyun picks this open opportunity to bring the attention back to you. Your housemates wait patiently for your choice, with eyebrows raised in the thick tension that this simple game has built up.

With shifty eyes and a dry throat, you mutter. “Dare.” 

There is a notable sparkle in Jaehyun’s dark lustful orbs. “I dare you to kiss the person that you think is the hottest in this room.” 

“Well, it would be difficult to kiss myself.” Rolling your eyes, the edge in your tone is enough to make the rest of them snicker. 

“I’m done after this round. It’s always the weirdest twists whenever we play games like this together.” Doyoung crosses his arms, throwing a small fit at the request. 

Johnny smirks, “because you know y/n wouldn’t kiss you?” 

Doyoung’s mouth opens to protest, but he falls short of a defensive response. He takes his defeat and slumps back against the chair, pouty and grumpy. “Just get it over with and kiss Jaehyun.” 

With a turn of events, you get up from your spot on the couch. Jaehyun follows your every move, your stare never leaving his own. Like a lost puppy, you lead him into thinking the kiss would be for him. However, you lean forward and hold Doyoung’s chin gently, planting a soft kiss on the equally shocked boy. 

“I think Doyoung is the hottest because he treats me with the most chivalry.” The sweetness that taints your mocking words has Doyoung turning red and Jaehyun turning into stone. The charming smile that lights up your darkest parts is gone, and Jaehyun blinks back at you with a tight jaw. 

Jaemin and Haechan read the room too well, excusing themselves before the tension reaches its peak. Doyoung gulps, glancing between you and Jaehyun, and awkwardly makes his way back to his room. Johnny chuckles at the abrupt end of the night, patting Jaehyun’s shoulder lightly before also heading up to bed. 

Every next move is crucial. With your weight barred on your left leg, you cross your arms with as much attitude as you can to push Jaehyun’s buttons further. “Jaehyun, if you really wanted a kiss, you could just ask me without wasting a turn.”

“Where’s the fun in that, buttercup? You clearly like testing your limits.” His voice drops at the end of his sentence. Jaehyun stands up, approaching you slowly. “But if you want my attention, you could just ask me without trying to make me jealous.”

His boldness catches you off guard, leaving you a bit speechless to formulate a proper explanation. Your hesitation gets caught in your throat when Jaehyun lightly places his hand on your waist. “It’s late, we should probably get to bed.” His raspy baritone cadence rumbles your chest.

Fingers graze his arm softly, but he pulls away before you can get a hold of him. “Are you actually going to sleep?”

Jaehyun walks to the bottom of the staircase, motioning you to walk first. “No, I’ll be up thinking about you.” A smirk finishes his sensual taunt and you cautiously head up the stairs. 

He follows directly after you and a whistle escapes his lips. “Have I given you your daily ass compliment yet?”

“Got one this morning.” With each step, Jaehyun is quick to match. 

“Well, you look amazing everyday.” He meets you at the top of the steps and when you’re ready to part back into your room, he stops you. “Where’s my kiss goodnight, baby?” 

You can’t possibly count the numerous times you’ve rolled your eyes being around him. “In my room, if you dare wish to enter.” Though your statement was clearly sarcastic, Jaehyun raises an questionable eyebrow. 

“I’ll only come if you let me in.” His innocent eyes do not match his sinister tone and his hidden innuendos. 

“I guess I always go into your room, it would be nice to have a change.��� Taking his hand, you lead him down the hallway. The doors of your other housemates are oddly closed, but you figured they wanted some privacy. His warm hand feels rough against your palm and your heart drums as you two inch closer to your bedroom.

Jaehyun gently closes your door and examines your room as if he’s never been inside. “Don’t be a stranger.” You say, dropping his hand and sitting at the edge of your bed.

“Do you leave your underwear drawer open for all your friends to see?” He snickers, his pinky holding your special red lace panties up in the air. Your eyes go wide as you quickly yank the material out of his possession and shove the cabinet closed.

“I wouldn’t have figured you were the nosey type.” You grumble, but he takes this close proximity to pull you into his bare chest. His firm hand gives your ass a soft squeeze.

“It was quite obviously on display.” His dark whisper sends a chill down your spine and butterflies to swirl in the pit of your core. The faint smell of his body wash suffocates you all around and his sultry stare has you melting in his hands. It is so difficult to resist him, you want everything that is Jung Jaehyun.

Your words are quite possibly caught in your throat, but the hesitation does not show in your expression. Lightly, your fingertips trace the outline of his biceps and his dark stare follows every drag. Admittedly, Jaehyun will find any excuse to grab your attention. Call him possessive for no good reason, but something inside him bubbles with envy whenever your other housemates even leave a lingering stare.

Although he’s not the type to be vocal about it, his facial expressions speak volumes. May it be his competitive nature, but he can’t let the others have you. You have unknowingly become off-limits to the rest, but frankly, you don’t care all too much. Your prize is already in front of you.

“Are you going to kiss me or do I have to wait all night again?” With every will, you try your best to control the nervous tremble in your bold rhetorical question.

Jaehyun wastes no more time; soft lips crash into your own and you feel like you’re floating. Only he can make you feel this way. Hands in hair, the tug on his fresh locks has him moaning through the kiss. Jaehyun loses himself in you, rubbing his semi-hard cock against your thigh and gripping your ass harshly in his hand.

Every drip of saliva is swapped in the mess of your connected mouths and you’re reminded of how rough this man enjoys to be. Your knees buckle at the thought of him and Jaehyun is quick to hold you up, placing you strategically at the end of your bed. 

Pulling away, he stands in front of you with the largest dick print against his sweatpants, along with a small wet spot. There are no bashful words exchanged as the room is filled with heavy breathing and sultry looks. Jaehyun guides your hand to his waistband, silently waiting for you to free him.

Looking up at your beautiful boy, the neediness of release almost ruins his perfect charming look. Hair is tousled wildly across his eyes and his bottom lip escapes underneath the top row of his pearly teeth. He just looks so fucked out already, you can’t imagine how much he was holding back earlier.

You pull down enough of his pants for his dick to spring up right in front of you, not expecting the lack of underwear. Your small gasp cause him to chuckle, pushing the back of your head forward toward his hard cock. “Surprised?”

“You weren’t wearing underwear the entire night?” You question him as your hands cup his balls. A sharp intake of breath is his only response before he can compose himself. 

Through gritted teeth, Jaehyun stutters, “Like you were?” He throws his head back when your warm tongue flicks against his throbbing red tip. Every vein in his arm and neck pops on display as he grabs a hold of your hair.

“You wouldn’t know.” You snicker, running your tongue up and down his shaft. Jaehyun looks back down at your piercing eyes and his dick right above your cheek.

A smirk grows devilishly, “I’m about to find out.” Pushing your shoulder back gently, your back lands comfortably on the mattress. Your heart is racing as Jaehyun gets down on his knees, situating himself in between your open legs.

“May I?” He asks, warm hands on your inner thighs as he patiently waits for your answer.

“Yes.” Jaehyun pulls your shorts down to reveal your favorite comfort cotton panties that have faded from their original color. Naturally, you grow embarrassed and quickly slap your legs closed before Jaehyun can process. 

He blinks at you questionably, quite taken aback by the abrupt motion. “Are you okay?”

“Let’s just say I wasn’t completely expecting to sleep with anyone tonight. I’m not quite prepared down there.” Your gaze drops and you anxiously fist your sheets in your sweaty hands.

Jaehyun nods, understanding your implications. “I don’t care about those things. You are…” landing a quick peck on your bare knee, he rubs reassuring circles with his thumb. “.... the prettiest baby ever. And if you’d let me, buttercup, I want to make you feel good.” 

He has always been suave with his words, as if he knows the handbook to get butterflies fluttering in your stomach. Slowly, your legs open back up before him and the slightest groan rumbles from his throat.

The wet patch on your panties is hard to ignore and he’s mesmerized, to say the least. He peels down your underwear and uses his thumb to spread your lips. Leaning forward, Jaehyun lightly licks at your erect clit and your twitch in response is enough to feed into his ego. 

He dives hungrily, eating you out until your eyes roll to the back of your head and your back is arching off of the bed. He flattens his tongue against you, pushing in and out of your dripping hole in a rhythmic motion. His nose is deep in your skin, intoxicated by your arousal, and his eyes are drinking up your uncontrollable reactions.

It’s as if electricity shocks through your lower half. The pleasure that comes with every lick and sweet suckle has you panting for more. His name echoes from your tender lips while Jaehyun inserts two fingers to stretch you out. The initial ache subsides into an indescribable pleasure; it’s the feeling of being full of anything mixing with the sensitivity of tongue against clit that has you practically on the verge of release. 

Jaehyun isn’t going to give it to you that easily. The moment your moans grow bolder, your legs begin to shake, your hand putting a little more pressure on his head, he pulls away and gets up. A desperate sigh crushes your chest as the build up leads to dissatisfaction. Jaehyun wipes his chin with the back of his hand, his two fingers glistening before being shoved into your own mouth. 

“That’s my good girl, give yourself a taste.” His hot words cause you to flood a bit more, the feeling of wetness pooling at your core. However, you two toy each other with no end as he is provoked by the way your tongue sensually swirls around his digits and how your hips keep squirming closer to the edge. “How badly do you want to get fucked?”

His firm hand holds your moving hips into the bed and you’re aching to be filled with his dick. He’s so hard that it slaps against his abdomen, red tip and spewing precum. Nonetheless, his self restraint is quite strong as he notices the defeat in your expression. Enough teasing, your body wants him endlessly. 

“Jaehyun, I want you to give me all that you got.” At the end of your request, he enters you slowly with a breathy moan. The stretch is much more than his two fingers, causing you to squirm and wiggle. Inch by inch, Jaehyun fills you to your brim and pauses for you to adjust to his size. 

“Fuck, it’s been awhile since we’ve slept together. I almost forgot how tight you are.” How could this man possibly smile with so much innocence while saying such foul things? The next action causes you to go a bit dizzy as he spits down at your clit and rubs it lovingly with his thumb. You practically see stars on your mundane ceiling. 

He starts moving his hips, deep long thrusts pulling out to only sharply fill you up again. Jaehyun is relentless as every thrust forward has you moving more and more up the bed. Your legs are pressed against your chest, folding you over to hit your sweet spot. When his tip grazes upon the greatest feeling ever, your grip on the sheets grows tighter and he’s smirking at how your mouth hangs open in pure ecstasy and shock.

“You’re so good at taking my cock.” He pants, moving faster than before. “My baby hasn’t been fucked properly in a while, has she?”

You’re at a loss for words at every drag and push. Regardless of you wanting to speak, no words seem to make its way out. Jaehyun narrows his eyes at you, dark grin and a menacing taunt in his low voice. A chuckle begins his sentence, “I know… it’s hard to talk when you feel so good right, buttercup? I can feel you getting more excited down there.”

Placing your legs around his waist, he leans down over you. His sneaky hand travels up your torso, giving your boobs a light squeeze through your shirt. Then, he wraps his hand around your neck gently and carefully, only applying enough pressure to drive you wild. 

He breaks his rhythm, reverting back to the previous slow pace. Something about the way you feel around him, hot and tight, needy and wet. Jaehyun just loves how your body reacts.

The feeling of soreness occupies your lower half and you’re more than certain it’s going to be rough tomorrow morning. Every thrust is agonizing, yet powerful enough to be felt in your guts. Jaehyun never fails to leave an impression.

Through your moans, you manage to stutter out his name. “Please, harder.” Jaehyun picks you up, hands supporting your butt and pressing your back against your door. Placing your legs down, you’re standing up right facing him with a confused expression at the change of location.

For a brief moment, his lustful glare is warm and friendly. It’s the same look that greets you in the car when he drives you two to campus. It’s the one he often looks at you with across the dinner table, usually accompanied with his robust laughter. Jaehyun looks at you as if he’s only ever seen you.

However, his next words are far from romantic and his hand finds its way to your throat, pinning you up against the cold door. “I want them to hear how good I fuck you.” Them. The rest of your housemates. Knowing that the house is far from soundproof, Jaehyun wants everyone to know how enthusiastic he makes you feel. 

“But--” As you begin to protest, he drives his hips up and nestles into you. His free hand grips your waist steadily as he barely pulls out, fucking you deeper until you feel him at the pit of your stomach. There is no ability to hold back your pleasure, moans just naturally fill the room and bounce off every wall.

“Cum for me, I know you’re close.” Jaehyun has no intentions to stop, the feeling of both releases being at the tip of your tongues. “Be the good girl that you are and cum for me.”

The small bubble inside of you is ready to burst. Jaehyun sucks on his fingers to coat them with saliva and reaches down to stroke at your clit. Like a switch, your internal light bulb explodes and every spark of electricity fuels your every vein. 

Your orgasm electrifies you, causing every limb to shake uncontrollably and sporadically. Jaehyun keeps thrusting up, helping you ride out the intensity of your high. 

“There you go, baby.” A small kiss on your shoulder, he pulls out and the emptiness is felt immediately. Getting on your knees, you take his cock in your mouth to help him finish. He rests his fists on the door, hovering over you as his abs flex beautifully under the fluorescent light. Hollowing out your cheeks, your throat invites him deeper and this causes him to mindlessly thrust into your mouth. 

Jaehyun sounds breathy above you, whining about how close he is to cumming. Silence in the room has been replaced with his heavy pants and soft groans, the sound of suckling and slick saliva droning out anything else.

“Fuck, y/n.” He says, as he holds your cheek in his palm and maintains eye contact with you through his brown locks. The view of his dick being swallowed up in your mouth is more than enough to drive him to his edge, strings of cum coating the back of your throat from his release. The saltiness immediately hits your palette.

Jaehyun tosses his head back until the satisfaction dissipates. Slowly pulling himself out, he moves quickly to find you a tissue. For a moment, neither one of you speak as he silently dresses himself and you wipe the remaining spit off of your lips.

He helps you up from the floor, lightly dusting off your bare knees for you. And he says something to break the slightly awkward atmosphere, “are you kicking me out like you do with the rest of your hookups?” Jaehyun laughs, wide smile and dimples deep in his soft cheeks. The glow in his skin radiates in the dimness, he’s a sight that’s too difficult to look away from.

“Did you want to stay?” Tossing on a pair of fresh underwear and pajama shorts, you have a vague memory of Jaehyun holding you after your first fuck together. 

Though Jaehyun is your friend before anything else, he responds like every other hookup unsure about the next steps. He shrugs, turning around and tapping his back for you to hop on. “I’ll take you to the bathroom to wash up.” 

Jumping on his back and wrapping your arms around his neck, he carries you down the hall to the shared bathroom. “You didn’t exactly answer my question.” Your voice is barely above a whisper, knowing how embarrassed you are going to be the next morning when facing the rest of your housemates.

“I know you’re just going to come into my room anyways, right?” He sets you down and the door to the bathroom swings open to reveal an equally surprised Haechan. 

“Shit, you two scared me.” The dramatic boy rests a hand on his chest to calm his startled heart. “You might want to air out the bathroom before doing anything in there.” Jaehyun and Haechan share a laugh as you groan, irritated by the putrid fumes that cursed the poorly ventilated bathroom.

“You’re so gross.” You say, punching Haechan jokingly on the arm.

“Says you.” Haechan pauses to poke at Jaehyun’s bare chest, “and you. We are never playing Truth or Dare ever again.” 

“Don’t hate the players, hate the game bro.” Jaehyun snickers.

Haechan pays no more attention to the two of you, back turned and hurrying into his dark room. “I do hate the game now!” He yells in a whisper, shutting his door to end the conversation. You sigh out of relief that Haechan didn’t press for more details or jokes.

Housemates, you never know what adventures you’d run into with them. Nonetheless, you don’t mind and getting to see a shirtless Jaehyun parade around the house is always a treat.

[twistedtummies2]

Top 7 Portrayals of Ichabod Crane

Recently, I made a list of my Top 5 Favorite Versions of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” I’m still on a Sleepy Hollow kick, so I decided it was time to revisit the story again by looking at a couple of its classic characters. We’ll start by looking at the main character: Ichabod Crane.

In the book, Ichabod is an…unconventional protagonist, to say the least. The interesting thing about Irving’s original story is that nobody in the story is really a fully, purely good person: all of them have flaws, faults, and vices. Brom Bones is a trickster and a bit of a bully; Katrina Van Tassel can politely be termed a coquette; Ichabod himself is arguably the worst of the bunch. He’s a glutton, he’s greedy, he only wants Katrina for her money and her looks, and he’s way too full of himself. He has his good sides to keep him likeable, but at the end of the day, he’s a bit of a jerk.

As we shall see here, many versions of Ichabod tend to soften up his rough edges, to make him a more sympathetic and pleasant character. A select few versions actually vilify him completely, making him even more nasty. Only a few really stick to the source and depict the human Ichabod Crane that is presented in the story. Which of these portrayals do I enjoy most? Read on to find out. These are My Top 7 Portrayals of Ichabod Crane! Why Top 7? Well, why not? Let’s go!

7. Rene Auberjonois, from Once Upon a Midnight Scary.

“Once Upon a Midnight Scary” was a TV special from 1979, hosted by the inimitable Vincent Price. The special featured an anthology of short adaptations of classic horror tales, among them “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” The Sleepy Hollow segment only covers the latter part of the tale, starting immediately at the Halloween Party at the Van Tassel Manor, so there isn’t much time for Ichabod or the other characters to really develop to their fullest potential. However, the segment benefits greatly from its casting of Rene Auberjonois - best known for his work on Star Trek - as Ichabod. Auberjonois is one of the best casting choices for Crane in live-action I’ve ever seen, in terms of adapting the original character from the book. However, because the segment is so criminally short, I don’t think he’s deserving of a spot in the Top 5.

6. Roger L. Jackson, from The Wolf Among Us.

“The Wolf Among Us” - based on the comic series “Fables” - is a combo of fantasy and film noir. The game focuses on Sheriff Bigby Wolf, the Big Bad Wolf himself, as he tries to solve a series of baffling beheadings. His investigation ultimately uncovers a vast conspiracy at work in the city he protects. (I get the feeling this basic concept is a recurring thing for anything even peripherally related to Sleepy Hollow…huh.) Ichabod appears in this story as the acting mayor of the area. He’s depicted true to the source: Ichabod is not a truly good person, and as the story goes on his many darker qualities come more and more to the surface. However, he’s got some good sides to him, too, although none of them excuse his less savory elements. What I find most interesting about this version of Ichabod (aside from the fact he’s voiced by flipping Ghostface, how ironic is THAT casting?) is that it’s a version of Crane totally removed from the original story. He never faces the Headless Horseman, Brom Bones and Katrina are never brought up, etc. As a result, he stands up all the more as his own unique character, and fits surprisingly well with the role he plays in this twisted mystery of madness.

5. Tom Mison, from the FOX TV Series.

FOX’s “Sleepy Hollow” TV show was a supernatural crime/mystery series, similar to things like “The X Files” or “Lucifer.” In this version, Ichabod is depicted not as a selfish schoolteacher, but a dashing Revolutionary War hero, who worked personally with George Washington to try and take down a dangerous force that threatened not only the American Colonies, but the entire world. After being wounded on the battle fighting a monstrous foe (three guesses who), Katrina - Ichabod’s wife, and a witch, in this version - casts a spell on him, placing him in a state of suspended animation. He wakes up two-and-a-half centuries later in modern day Sleepy Hollow, joins forces with the local police department, and helps them with solving various baffling crimes. Throughout the show, he combats demons, witches, figures of myth…and, of course, his old arch-nemesis, the Headless Horseman. While Mison’s actual character owes almost nothing to the one from the original story, I think the actor, himself, manages to bring a feeling to the role that recalls the classic character to mind. Mison’s tall, sharp, dashing countenance mixes the attractive aspects we would expect a heroic figure of his caliber to have, while still lending itself to the rakish description Irving gives. He also conveys a sort of nervous, eccentric energy, which fits well with the quirks of the typical Ichabod Crane. They even make reference to his schoolmaster roots, as Ichabod actually was a professor at Oxford in his past life before the war. He uses that same identity as a cover story in the modern day. While incredibly changed from the source, the DNA of Ichabod Crane is still somewhere in there, and it makes the character all the more admirable.

4. Andy Mientus, from Tarrytown.

Andy Mientus is likely known to most people unfamiliar with the musical theatre scene as the Pied Piper from The Flash (pictured above). While Mientus has not (to my knowledge) actively played the role onstage yet (which he should, for the record), I still feel that his performance in the official Cast Recording for this musical warrants him high marks. “Tarrytown,” for those who don’t know, is a modern reimagining of the original story, with the big twist (aside from the present-day setting) being that Ichabod is depicted as a homosexual, who longs for Brom instead of Katrina. Aside from this, though, he’s basically still Ichabod Crane. The character is depicted as a bit more sympathetic than the Irving version, but ONLY a BIT more. He’s still got vices and faults: instead of being a glutton for food, he is a recovering drug addict who is easily swayed back into the habit. While he claims to be friends with Katrina, he shows some signs of that friendship being false, such as calling her a “babbling hyena” while fantasizing under the influence. (It should be added that he then catches himself and adds, “I exaggerate.”) It’s also hard to tell how much of his attraction to Brom is real, genuine love, and how much of it is simply lust. Nevertheless, the character is depicted as more of a victim than a villain: much more lonely and naive than the character from the story, and also much more kindhearted. There’s a sweetness and a sadness to this Ichabod that makes him infinitely more tragic than the character in the original book, while still keeping the heart of the source intact.

3. Johnny Depp, from Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow.

Much like Tom Mison, Johnny Depp’s portrayal of Ichabod is a very different character from the original legend. In Tim Burton’s chilling, Gothic reimagining, Ichabod is depicted as a detective, who comes to Sleepy Hollow to solve a mysterious series of slayings. He believes, at first, that they are the work of a mortal man who is emulating the legendary Horseman. It turns out Ichabod is only half-right: the Horseman, he learns, is indeed real, but the murdering ghost is being controlled by a mortal monster. Ichabod soon uncovers a vast conspiracy at work in the town of Sleepy Hollow, and works quickly to uncover its tangled ends, all while dealing with his budding romantic interest in the wealthy Katrina Van Tassel. While both the character and the story of the film take MASSIVE liberties with the source, when I recently revisited the picture, I was surprised at how much of the original tale actually still remained intact. Depp’s Ichabod is no exception: while Depp is by no means the definitive actor to play Ichabod, on face value, both his costume and his overall demeanor keep the ideals of Washington Irving in mind. Ichabod is much more virtuous and less superstitious than the Crane from the original story, but he’s still a quirky, panicky coward who is easily spooked, and a great deal of the humor in the film comes from Monk-like portrayal of the character. Ichabod is somehow both a complete pansy and a daring hero at the same time; a Cowardly Lion, who is scared to death of all the horror around him, but perseveres nonetheless. It’s an interesting reinterpretation, and a performance of Depp’s I’ve come to appreciate more and more over time. Depp - and I’m paraphrasing slightly, I must confess - described his Ichabod as what you would get if Basil Rathbone’s Sherlock Holmes was played by Roddy McDowall. If that’s not a great couple of inspirations, I don’t know what could be better.

2. The Disney Version.

Originally appearing in the Sleepy Hollow segment of the film “The Adventures of Ichabod & Mr. Toad,” Disney’s Crane is interesting to me because, unlike all the other versions I’ve talked about here so far, he’s actually NOT that drastically changed from the original story. His appearance is a perfect caricature based on Irving’s illustrative, exaggerative descriptions in the book, and his personality is perfectly in line with that character. Disney’s Ichabod is toonishly humorous and a little eccentric, but he’s also got all of the issues the one from the story has. In fact, the Disney version sticks REMARKABLY close to the source material. It doesn’t water down anything, and in some places expands on elements to make the characters and story come to life more than ever before. While Ichabod never really speaks in this version, so much is garnered from the animation that he still has a decided personality and character all his own. Unlike some other short versions of Sleepy Hollow that came since, which were really just tellings of the story with animation over them, so to speak, this one really works hard to bring the tale to a new level. The best example I can give is something like Tom & Jerry: the characters are silent, but they are still true, full, believable characters. The Disney take on the story is my favorite, so it stands to reason their magnificently animated Ichabod ranks highly…but he’s only second place on my list. So…who could top Disney?

1. Brent Carver, from the 1999 Hallmark Film.

While this TV Movie version of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” certainly has its flaws - the pacing being a bit slow is probably its most noteworthy issue - it still has, in my opinion, the single greatest Ichabod Crane of any adaptation of the book. While the Disney version is absolutely marvelous, it’s still a pantomime performance from an animated character. Carver, however, truly feels like Ichabod Crane in the flesh: everything about him is EXACTLY what I would imagine Ichabod Crane to be like. His voice, his personality, and even his appearance! If one were to meet Ichabod Crane in real life, and he DIDN’T look like Carver’s version, I would be shocked. Carver almost single-handedly makes this version work; the main draw to this film really is his performance as Ichabod, who is once again depicted true to the story. He’s got likeable qualities, but he’s also hypocritical and arrogant. These elements make him in equal parts humorous and deserving of the fate he faces at the end of the story. There’s really not much to say: Carver just IS Ichabod Crane, plain and simple. When I think of the story of Sleepy Hollow, I typically think of the Disney version…but when I think of Ichabod Crane, specifically, as a character, this is who I think of. There is no doubt that Brent Carver is My Favorite Ichabod Crane.

[prof-peach]

if fans wanted to include peach in stuff they write, would that be okay? and how would they write peach's personality? aside from "FIGHT ME" anyway, i think that much is a given lol. i only really write the anime characters 'cause that's what i know, but it sounds like it'd be kinda fun to try making a version of ash that fits into this blog's universe! nerf'd Obviously, but i think she'd probably appreciate how hands-on he gets when training his pokemon!

Ok, I get a lot of these messages, and I often hear folks wanting to throw peach into their stories and comics and writings, and I will always simply ask that if it’s published online publicly, to be linked to it so I can snoop and enjoy the content too. If someone asks about her in your work, let them know about the blog I guess? But literally I love that people take this stuff, these characters and stories, and make new stuff with it. No ones making money off my work here? So where’s the issue? Go for it buddy, knock yourself out, I’m all for it.

For you, and all the others out there who want to add peach, and other characters to your world building, I will give you a detailed rundown of the main lot, and how they behave, what they do, how they function. You can use that, use bits, or use none of it, I do not mind at all. If you’re creating something, you’re in control, not me.

So, peach doesn’t actually fight people as much as you’d think. She’s very aware most cannot and do not want to do that, and so she likes to keep to herself with regards to that aspect of her life, she doesn’t ask to spar with people, or even bring it up at all, but people ask her all the time, even if they clearly would lose or become hurt should she miscalculate during the fight. She looks at people like they usually create problems, and often has a somewhat reserved nature to other humans. You have to work quite hard to get anything more than formalities out of her. She will dead-pan handle people with blunt and very to-the-point statements, aid whenever possible, but very quickly get back to handling the Pokemon she so carefully tends. Her focus is clear, she’s all about hard work, her very small select family, and the Pokemon.

Her brutal, loud and brash personality only comes out with friends, family, difficult humans, OR any Pokemon. She will joke and laugh and play with Pokemon, but clam up around humans, maintaining tight body language and generally will be a little cold by regular standards. She does however have some weaknesses in this emotionless shield she puts up. When peach was young she was always angry, which swung so fast to sadness, back and forth. Her teenage years it just got worse and worse, it was crippling at points. She is to this day, full of fire and rage, even sadness, but now she has learnt to control it, to use it. When she sees that in others, it’s familiar, and she is pushed to drop the front, and be very real with the person. Underdogs I suppose, people who get bad reps, but deserve the same as everyone else. She can’t ignore it.

Once you start to pry open her personality, you’ll find she’s a lot more laid back and fun than originally appeared, you just have to work hard to find that side of her. She will meme reference, can’t dance to save her life, loves her coffee, and can be caught in quiet contemplation while gardening. This hobby is her calmest, and often is why she can stay so level headed when her quiet rage boils up again. Without time outside she will become grouchy, a little snippy, and lethargic. Will not go in the ocean for any reason other than life or death, is fine with ponds and rivers, or water at wading height. Likes the rain.

With regards to her training others, they usually have to tolerate her somewhat strict nature. She is a little....unforgiving, holds a grudge if you make a lot of mistakes, and has no tolerance for ignorance in the age of information that we all live in. In previous posts I’ve mentioned she’s only recently selected two students, after many years of testing kids who want to learn from her. Hundred tried out, only two have ever been approved. How she teaches is very fast paced, be prepared to get some scrapes and bruises, she will test your physical and emotional tolerances with intense tasks, carefully watching students like a hawk. Bad posture in your stance? She’ll be the first to tell you to sort it out. Not hearing your Pokemon partner? Right, now you spend the day without using words trying to communicate, let’s see how you like not being listened to.

This is a woman who has spent her life saying very little, and watching everything, she watches Pokemon and can see an issue from a mile off, and in battles, her observations are why she can react fast, and chose effective strategy to avoid damage and achieve results. Don’t let her body fool you, her strongest asset is analysing, watching, planning. Those skills have over the years transferred to people too. As a student, mistakes don’t go unnoticed with this professor.

Her methods are harsh but fair, and should you prove yourself, she will protect you with her life.

Because of her disinterest in kids and lots of noise, she does pass the training of students on to the other staff members whenever possible. Grey takes on the lions share of battle lessons, he is far calmer, more open and friendly, with patience for people, and an empathy that peach sometimes struggles to have. When you go through a lot of harsh training, and difficult events, it’s hard to change how you feel or think, with peach, well, she’s been through it. Most do not come out the other end in one piece, but she did, and it made her strong. You may think I mean strong like buff and big, and yeah sure she is, but I mean it mentally more than anything. Peach will not quit. She has learnt to destroy the boundaries that stop people getting hurt, gone is the fear that freezes you in your tracks, that feeling that you’ll pass out if you go one more step. She’s learnt to ignore it.

This means she’s a little forgetful at how it is to be normal, to be vulnerable and soft and squishy like students so usually are.

She has her issues, but for the most part, visitors get a laugh, a smile, a calm assertive confidence, and facts. She will indulge those who have genuine interest, or show a connection with nature, an understanding of the balance that needs to be struck for everyone to live well together.

Despite her many flaws, she’s fiercely protective, and will go above and beyond to defend the island, it’s staff, the Pokemon and the visitors. Injustice is her biggest gripe, along with littering, and she doesn’t stand by quietly if something happens that seems unfair.

You will not see her without Valka, her vulpix, close by. That Pokemon doesn’t like to be touched by strangers, at all, and will run the second someone comes at her with that intent. Peach will scold you for pushing yourself onto her, should you persistently try to get close to pet Val. They are in sync, if peach is sad, Val is sad, if Val is stressed, peach is stressed, and so on. They are inherently connected, it’s just been that long, the psychic bridge between them has been built, and reinforced over the years.

The only other Pokemon who follows her so endlessly is Booker, a teddiursa who’s pretty rough looking. He quietly trots behind, grouchy and stoic, they fight closely together a lot. He lost his mom a long time ago to poachers, and peach took him in, and changed her whole life for him. Not many people know, but Booker was the reason she left the rangers, changed career, and got so strong. Will tolerate people petting him but isn’t keen at all, grumbles a lot and tries to move away.

You may also need to know about the others, for the sake of writing, she here a few more bits that may be important to you, or others wanting to do this.

Grey is very tall, very burly, composed, tells bad dad jokes, is a bit of a goof if allowed to be. If he sees a pun, he’ll say it. Can’t help himself. Very nice guy to work with, good at keeping people calm and grounded. Pokemon are drawn to him like a moth to a flame, he gives off warm energy, and has inhuman amounts of patience. If you wrong his family however, he will snap back.

He grew up in the city, loves to swim and hike and cycle, can snowboard, is really sporty. A total brain box with held items, and boosting stats. He will explore many paths, to make sure visitors and students get the information they need, in a way that can be remembered and retained for later. Is a huge guy, but will get on the floor to play with a tiny Pokemon. Treats big “meaner” looking species like babies, very good with all pokemon.

His free time is spent either tinkering, swimming, or trimming his bonsai trees. This guy stares at screens a lot, so appreciates time away from them. Peach built him his own little greenhouse for his trees and tools, which he keeps clean and loves dearly.

His methods as a teacher are built around fun and games, he makes hard work easier to do by distracting trainers from the difficult bits, and focusing in on something more interesting or compelling.

His most commonly seen Pokemon would be a houndoom, Saxon, old battle veteran, retired now to herding and being a good boy. Very gentle, loves a pet.

Pari, now a fully fledged nurse, often oversees the labs front desk and pokecentre features, such as healing pokemon, and informing trainers who come to visit. Her skills with eggs and hatchlings is high, she’s great with younger Pokemon, and hands out good advice to trainers a lot. She’s not a fighter, never was, but can find any file, any study, any book, and any refrence you may need. A true bookworm, loves her romance novels, chat shows and upbeat celebrity gossip mags. Will cry at a lot of stuff, be it sad or happy.

She’s got a seriously upbeat personality, but if caught off guard or shocked, she gets a little flustered. Too much chaos will overwhelm her, but usually she’s on top of things. The years spent on the island have made her better at maintaining composure in emergencies. With lots of siblings, she’s very competent with others, and has a good ability to disarm cagey people with her jolly nature. Because of this, she can sometimes gain information from trainers that some of the more harsh professors may not have access to. Charming is a word for it.

Her partners are an eevee, and a happiny. They are quite sweet and well adjusted, the eevee gets a bit bouncy if you get it too excited.