#tobin outer thoughts

[toabstter]

”x characters should have kissed” they literally merged souls what more do you want

[crazyworldofemmamarie]

Here Are Dr. Rammstein's Other 13 (Honorable Mentions):

These are film that didn’t make it on the official countdown but are just as good or perfect alternatives from the recommendations listed for the countdown.

Scanners, 1981 (dir. David Cronenberg):

 A man discovers that he isn’t the only one with a strange gift of telepathy and finds that some of these other “scanners” as they’re called, believe that they are superior in the human race and strive for total world. takeover.

 With telepathy and head-bursting special effects, this Canadian Sc-fi horror will be sure to have you on the edge of your seat.

2. Jigsaw, 2017 (dir. Micheal Spierig, Peter Spierig):

Police are baffled when victims of a twisted game that can only come from one man, John Kramer (Tobin Bell) the Jigsaw Killer. One problem, he’s been dead for over a decade.

I find people are way to hard on this film as it’s just as good as the ones that came before it, and Logen (matt Passmore) is just a worthy of an apprentice as the ones that we met before him. Plus, the traps, as well as they might be cartoonish, are pretty neat.

3. Killer Klowns from Outer Space, 1988 (dir. Stephen Chiodo):

A gang of aliens disguised as clowns wreak havoc on an unsuspecting town.

This is a pretty fun movie if you are looking for something silly to watch. The effects and vibe are totally 80s and the looks for the clowns are pretty iconic if you ask me.

4.All Hallows’ Eve, 2016 (Damien Leone)

A babysitter stumbles upon a videotape while checking the kids she’s watching candy bags on Halloween night and decides take a look on what’s on it.

Speaking of clowns, since the new Terrifer is out and everyone seems to be having Art the Clown fever (though he actually terrifies me!) I thought it be fair to include this entry of where it all started. Very found footage, but does not fall short on the gore as it’s later projects would promise for.

5. Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island, 1998 (dir. Jim Stenstrum, Kazumi Fukushima)

The iconic Mystery Inc. crew run into each other once again after finding themselves on separate paths and now see themselves going up against ghost pirates, cat people, witchcraft and zombies of course!

There is really no dispute that this is one of the  best Scooby Doo movies out there. Seriously the animation is so smooth and the soundtrack is just to die for!

6. Willard, 1971 (dir. Daniel Mann):

A young loner befriends a couple of rats and finds them being his only companions, so much so that he brings them to work with him. There his co workers and boss not only torment him, but that just so happen to kill one of his pet rats and now the rest of his little rodent friends are out for blood.

This film just a weird, yet such a charming horror flick that doesn’t rely on buckets full and buckets full of blood to put up some good scares.

7. Night of the Living Dead, 1968 (dir. George A. Romero)

A group of strangers trapped in a farmhouse fight to survive from the horde of flesh eating undead that waits for them outside.

Who doesn’t love zombie movies? And there’s nothing wrong with an old classic that has great social commentary.

8. The Hills Have Eyes, 1977 (dir. Wes Craven)

A family’s RV breaks down in the middle of desert where unknown to them, a horde of mutant hungry cannibals await them.

This film is just top scare factor right here and you can’t go wrong with 70s Craven flicks at all.

(I have no idea why this picture came out so small, but I ain't fixing it, it's kind of funny to me)

9. Christine, 1983 (dir. John Carpenter)

A young Arnie Cunningham works day and night rebuilding the car of his dreams, with a few physical changes here and there, his friends and family find him completely transform from a outcasted nerd, to a top notch Fozzie kind of guy, a ever since she found his car, dubbed Christine; however, some of his love ones can’t help but feel that his car is just more that a car.

This film is just great from everything to the costumes, the car itself and even the soundtrack. Plus, a young Keith Gordon, yum!

10. Elvira, the Mistress of the Dark, 1988 (dir. James Signorelli)

After her car breaks down in a small town that has mixed reactions upon seeing her, Elvira makes the most out her situations and that include the hot guy that works at the local theater, helping boarding the youth’s perspectives, inheriting a house and dealing with her uncle Vincent who just so happens to be an evil warlock.

From epic puns and one-liners, to finding yourself falling in love with the darkness herself this flick will sure make your bones quiver and you yourself cackle like a witch.

[13uswntimagines]

Complicated (Emily Sonnett x Reader)

Request: maybe the reader is really uptight and cold all the time until she meets emily and they somehow click + maybe the teams reaction?

Author’s Note: Hey dudes, so i know that this is a bit of a stretch for the prompt, but i just couldn’t seem to get this idea out of my head. I really hope Y’all like it! Let me know what You think!

You were… complicated. A stoic person with seemingly no heart. Someone with a massive aversion to touch and who most of the team had never seen smile. Or at least that’s how you were introduced to every newcomer to the team. They were warned to stay away from you, to avoid you in any of their shenanigans or face the consequences. 

You were never overtly rude- just detached, uninterested, completely and totally unapproachable by all accounts. Your aggression on the field was bar none and some of the vets had learned that pushing you led to the same result off the field. 

It was safe to say that most of the team was terrified of you and your stoic exterior, so they let you be. Well, except for a particular blond defender that you knew. You would never admit it out loud, but you had a bit of a soft spot for the bubbly defender. And she was determined to break through your tough outer shell. 

You sighed, staring with thinly veiled boredom at the women in front of you. Bonding nights were obligatory, but forced participation in the games they chose was not. Sure, you guessed you were technically playing truth or dare with the women, but no one dared call on you. You didn’t want them too. 

“Alright Sonny, your turn,” Alex smiled, sobering from the embarrassing story Sonnett had just been dared to tell. You leaned forward slightly, interested in what the woman would do. She sent Lindsey a mischievous smirk. “Well, I think I should pick the only person who hasn’t participated this evening,”

“Emily that might not be a good idea…” Kelley started, glancing worriedly at you. There was a reason they didn’t fuck with you. 

“Y/n, truth or dare,” Emily asked, raising her eyebrow at you, completely ignoring frat daddy senior. The rest of the team held their breath as you cocked your head to the side and squinted your eyes. 

“Truth,”

“But that’s boring,” Emily huffed, pouting. The corners of your mouth twitched at her adorableness and you rolled your eyes goodnaturedly (something that didn’t go unnoticed by a majority of the team's veterans). 

“Fine then, dare,” You raised your eyebrow, leaning back in your seat. The vets released their breath, glad that this was going well. 

“Yes!!!” she cheered, pumping her fists. Your lips twitched again into a playful smirk. She tapped her chin in thought, surprised she had gotten this far. You began to hum jeopardy theme under your breath, waiting for her to decide. And the vets yet again shared a look of disbelief. Emily was the only person who brought out this side of you. 

A mischievous smile broke across her features when she had finally thought up her dare. She wanted to do something that no one on the team had done. “I dare you to let me touch you,” 

Your smirk disappeared, your lips forming a tight line, your shoulders tensed, all humor evaporated like smoke. You didn’t do physical contact, just the thought made your skin crawl. “No,” you said sternly. 

“Oh come on. I’ll be gentle. You might even like it,” Emily pleaded, wiggling her eyebrows at you. You frowned. That was part of why you didn’t want it. You were terrified that you would like the comfort of her touch, and then what happened when she left? Everyone always left. 

“No, I change my mind. I chose truth,” You shook your head. 

“You can’t do that,” Emily whined. 

“I just did,” You said cooley, clasping your hands together, the glint in your eye just daring her to try and challenge you. 

She opened her mouth as if to respond, but Alex beat her to it. “Sonnett just let it go,” Alex said, eyeing you carefully. They didn’t need an explosion from you, frankly, she was surprised that one hadn’t happened already. 

Emily’s pout deepened. She crossed her arms like a small child, and just like that the tension left you. 

“Fine, but you have to answer the question I pick,” She huffed. 

You nodded once, biting the inside of your cheek to prevent a smile at her cuteness and gesturing for her to continue. 

Alex grabbed Kelley’s hand to prevent her from gaping at you. You never ever flipped back and forth between agitated and playful so quickly. 

“Why won’t you let us touch you? Like even a hug or a high five?” Emily asked, staring you in the eyes. 

You blinked, pursing your lips. “I don’t like it.”

“But how do you have a relationship when you won’t let people get close to you?” Emily pressed, refusing to stop this line of questioning. She really liked you, despite your brooding, and how did you have a relationship with someone who you couldn’t touch. That sounded like some fifty shades of grey bullshit and she wasn’t here for it. 

“I don’t. I’m going to bed,” You said stonily, standing and stalking towards the door, tired of this impromptu interrogation. Why was Emily so obsessed with touching you anyway?

*****

The silence that followed the slam of the door was defining, the team frozen by your sudden outburst. Emily’s mouth was left hanging at your reaction. Sure she had been warned of your moodiness, but with your playful behavior, in the beginning, she thought that it may have been safe to ask. To try and break past one of those walls. 

“You’re lucky she likes you kid,” Tobin said quietly, still watching the door. 

“You call that liking?” Emily snorted in disbelief. 

“She let you ask the question, that’s more than any of us have ever gotten,” Christen smiled sadly, patting Emily’s knee. 

You didn’t do games or get-to-know-you questions. Hell, the most the team had heard you talk was during strategy meetings. The last time someone had tried to get you involved in the team's bonding games, Abby Wambach had taken the field with a black eye (It wasn’t intentional, but pin the medal on the cutout was maybe not the best choice of games). 

“You also almost got her to smile,” Megan added kindly, trying to brighten her spirit. You liked Emily, and you always seemed to brighten around her. She didn’t want Emily to give up on you. You both deserved to be happy. 

“Why is she so grumpy all the time?” Emily asked, her eyebrows furrowing. 

“It’s complicated,” Kelley started, and Emily rolled her eyes. That was all anyone would say about you, and she found it entirely inadequate in describing the situation. 

“Y/n was hurt a long time ago, by the only person she’s ever loved. Just give her some time,” Christen said gently rubbing her back. It wasn’t their story to tell, but you liked Emily, and she would bet her hat that you would tell her eventually. 

****

“Emily this is a bad idea,” Rose whispered, huddling against the wall just behind the dining-room door. Sam and Lindsey nodded their agreement. 

Emily rolled her eyes. It wasn’t like they were gonna dump water on anyone. It was just confetti’s.“It’ll be fine guys, it’s just a prank,” 

She shushed the girls as footsteps approached. She stepped out behind the door, preparing to throw the confetti on her poor, unsuspecting teammate, only for strong hands to grip her wrists and pull her into their tall frame. 

“Whoa, there hot stuff,” You chucked, catching the woman, a smile hinting on your lips, the confetti bucket trapped conveniently between your bodies. 

“Oh, shit” Lindsey breathed out. 

“Sorry Y/N we-...” Rose stuttered, both women stopping when your gaze met theirs. All humor was gone from your eyes, and your lips curled slightly. They shrunk as far back from you and Emily as much they could. 

You glanced down, softening at the woman in your arms. “Try to time your pranks better next time, alright?” A smile hinted on your features at the woman’s too quick nod, and you squeezed her shoulders lightly, nodding back once. 

 “Ice Cream tonight?” You asked, completely missing the glances Rose and Lindsey were sharing. 

“Yeah, sure,” Emily smiled, eyes wide. You nodded, a soft smile playing across your lips. You squeezed her shoulder and leaning in to place a very soft kiss on her cheek before heading off. 

“What the fuck just happened?” Emily whispered, watching the slightly giddy way you walked away. 

“I think Y/N just asked you out,” Lindsey mumbled in disbelief. For a person with seemingly no heart, it was strange to see you acting so soft with their Disani. 

“She touched you,” Rose said, her mouth hanging open and her eyes wide. 

“Touch, she kissed her cheek,” Lindsey snorted. 

“Yeah, she did,” 

*****

Emily didn’t know what she expected from your ice cream date, but it certainly wasn’t your shy smiles and adorable jokes. You were warm and inviting with her (at least you tried to be) and Emily immensely appreciated the effort. For someone who everyone thought had no heart, she thought yours was beautiful. Hesitant and shy but very sweet. 

You had been polite, and courteous, even going so far as to insist that you walked Emily back to her room. You paused in front of her door, saddened that your night was about to be over. This was so different for you, but with Emily, opening up felt so much less scary. 

“You know, I could have walked here by myself. You’re only like 2 doors down,” Emily joked, and you rolled your eyes at the woman, pulling her hand to your lips. 

“Hmm, I know, but I wanted this to be perfect,” You smirked against her hand. 

“Well, it was pretty good,” She laughed, thoroughly enjoying your playful nature. She just hoped it didn’t disappear when you were around the others. 

“Just pretty good?” You asked, insecurity obvious in your tone. You never let someone get this close, you didn’t want to be a disappointment. 

“No, amazing,” she smiled reassuringly, taking a step closer to you. 

“I have something that will make it even better,” You murmured leaning in, draping the hand you were holding over her shoulder, and resting your hands on her waist. She tilted her head up, connecting your lips in a slow sweet kiss. Her hand traveled from your shoulder to toy with the collar of your dress shirt, and you tensed lightly. You relaxed when her tongue probed your lips, and you hesitantly parted them, your tongues sweetly touching. Her hand traced down your collar and settled on your chest, just above your heart, and she ran her fingers over the raised lines she found there. 

You pulled away when air became, resting for foreheads together. 

“Wow,” The breath from her words famed across your lips, and you felt a light pink bloom across your cheeks. 

“Good wow?” You asked.

“Fantastic,” She hummed, leaning up and connecting your lips again. The fingers not on your collar tangled in the baby hairs at the back of your neck, and you sighed into the kiss. 

You pulled away, a sudden smile breaking across your features. 

“Does this mean you’ll go out with me again?” 

“Absolutely,” she giggled. And you pecked her lips again, before pulling away to open the door for her. She leaned heavily against it and watched you retreat back to your room (totally not missing your little celebration that was not so different from Carli’s goal celebration, as you headed back to your room). She snorted. Cold-hearted her ass. 

*****

In the eight months since your date, you and Emily had only gotten closer. She was like a magnet, always drawing you back to her. You had gotten better about touch, and allowing your playful side out around the team. You loved her, and you would do anything for her. She was your person. 

You plopped down on the pitch, breathing heavily after your team (cool beans) beat Alex’s team (hot stuff) in the scrimmage. You had played alright, scoring 4 goals and leaving the other team’s defense useless. You were broken out of your thoughts by a blond shadow. You placed your hand on your brow, squinting up at the woman. 

“Good game, even though you didn’t really have to do much,” You smirked up at her, taking her outstretched hand to stand up. 

“Well spending all that time in the attacking half really made me tired,” She laughed, and you rolled your eyes at her. 

“Hop on,” You smiled, gesturing towards your back. 

The team was stunned, watching as you lifted one Emily Sonnett for a piggyback ride. What was even more surprising was the large smile plastered across your face at her repeated calls of giddy-up. 

“Is she?” Alex asked, unable to decide if it was the touching or the smiling that she was asking about. 

“Yep,” Kelley murmured back, smiling when you set Sonnett carefully on her feet and kissed her forehead. She melted a little at how softly you cradled the woman’s face. 

“She looks happy,” Alex hummed. 

“She deserves to be. They both do,”

[tobin-heaths]

Heaven in hiding (NSFW)

request: Where shes been in a secret relationship with R for about a year and a half. And they've been roommates at every camp and game without anyone noticing.. However, one day someone tries to flirt with an oblivious R making Tobin possessive and jealous. Tobin decides to show R who exactly she belongs to (Daddy/Hella Top Tobin) . Maybe the team being shocked the morning after when they see all the hickeys on R with slight teasing?

pairing: Tobin Heath x Reader

words: 1956

Parties weren't exactly your cup of tea, if you could you would stay inside all day and sleep.

But now you were actually sitting together with a few of your teammates in a more private section of a club after Ashlyn made it her personal mission to drag you out here.

You wanted to get back to the hotel to watch some movies in bed but she, of course, wouldn't let you.

The whole team decided to have a night out, enjoying a nice dinner and then going clubbing until each player would retreat back to their rooms.

You spotted Tobin not far from you talking with Crystal and Julie, a beer in her hand, your eyes meeting hers, immediately knowing she didn't want to be here either.

"Y/N to earth? Hello?" Ashlyn was waving her hand in front of your face and you turned your head to look at her with confusion.

"Sorry, I spaced out. What's up?" You asked.

"The drinks are empty. I asked if you wanna join me to get new ones? Stretch the legs a little." You looked at the Rolex around your wrist and saw it was already past eleven.

"Ash, no! It's late. I really wanna go back. Don't make me do this." You whined but she shook her head. Damn her.

"Stop whining. Common let's go, bitch." She said and pulled you out of the booth and over to the huge bar.

You leaned against it once you found a free spot and pouted as she ordered the drinks for the others.

"Hi there, what's a beautiful girl like you doing here alone?" A woman with long black hair sat down next to you, a cocktail in her hand.

"I'm not alone, but thank you." You replied and smiled politely.

"Can I buy you a drink? That's the least I could do for someone as gorgeous as you." She bit her lip and shamelessly checked you out.

"Nah, I'm good, got my own drink already. Thanks though." You tried looking for Ash but somehow she was gone.

"I could take you home, you know. Show you a good time. I'm sure you'd love that." She tried again and again.

"Look, I don't wanna sound rude but I have a girlfriend and I don't think she'd appreciate this much." You said and were ready to leave this woman alone.

Before you could flee she grabbed your wrist and held you back. "She doesn't need to know if you don't tell." She grinned.

"She's not interested! And now hands off my girl before you'll regret it." Tobin's voice was filled with venom as she stared the stranger down, one arm snaking around your waist possessively, arriving out of nowhere.

The woman held her hands up and walked away mumbling French words no one cared to understand.

"Let's get out of here." She grumbled and glared at everyone around her, her jaw clenching.

"What? I actually just started to have fun." You lied, you just wanted to see how far she'd go for you.

You watched in excitement as her head snapped back towards you, her eyes narrowing.

"I said we're gonna leave now. You started to have fun with what exactly? Imagining how she'd fuck you? You know the only person who's able to fuck you is me." she spoke and dragged you away from the bar towards the entrance of the club.

Arriving back at your hotel Tobin wasn't giving many fucks anymore and hoisted you up onto her shoulder, her grip firm on the back of your thighs. It was more than clear that you were in for it tonight.

Tobin does not play around when she's jealous. Someone hits on her girl? Fuck it, she'll have you screaming her name in no time just to remind you of who you actually belong to.

"Tobin, what are you doing? Let me down before someone sees." You demanded while she was busy carrying you through the lobby and past the reception.

The ladies behind the counter watched you with curiosity as you blushed, silently cursing your girlfriend for this.

Once you made it to your hotel room in one piece, only encountering one more couple on the way there, she let you down and closed the door, locking it with a smug grin.

Not knowing what to do you just stood there and watched her like a small kid waiting for its mother.

Grabbing the collar of your shirt she roughly pulled you against her own body and slammed you against the hotel door.

You groaned with the impact but immediately forgot about the slight pain as she was trailing wet kisses along the side of your face to your jaw and down your neck.

"Tobin!" You moaned and closed your eyes in pleasure while grabbing the back of her loose shirt.

"You're mine!" She growled against your skin, sending shivers down your whole body, the small hairs on your skin rising in excitement.

Tobin gently placed her left hand on the lowest part of your back, her other hand tangling in your hair, pulling your head to the side to have better access to your sensitive skin.

Tobin's lips biting and licking your pulse point sent your eyes rolling back into your head, your head once again banging against the thick door.

No question she would leave countless of hickeys along your neck.

Not to mention your thighs that were involuntarily rubbing against each other to create the sweet friction you so desperately craved. There was no denying how wet and turned on you were.

"God, you're so hot like this." She whispered and ghosted her lips along your ear as she shoved her leg in between yours so you could grind against her clothed thigh.

And each time she would flex her upper thigh muscles it created an even better friction for your needy clit.

"Tobin! Take me to bed, please! I need more." You begged and tried to push her off you. Not that you had any chance against her strength, but anyways.

"Since when do you tell me what to do?" She mocked and pushed you towards the bed.

You looked over you shoulder and grinned at her. "Still got what I wanted, didn't I?" You winked.

Tobin rolled her eyes and shoved you onto the double sized bed covered with cheap white hotel sheets. "You always got something smart to say, don't you. Just wait."

Her veiny hands pulled your shirt over your head and threw it somewhere behind her, you could tell she was getting impatient.

The rest of your clothes followed quickly, leaving you stark naked, your body vulnerable to whatever she had in store for you.

"Where's your belt?" She asked and sat back on her knees, one hand remaining on your thigh.

"Um, how should I know? Might be on one of the jeans left in my suitcase." You replied, growing impatient as well now.

Tobin moved off the bed swiftly, walking over to the suitcase laying somewhere on the floor and opened it. "My god, you're so messy, it's unbelievable. Didn't Ali teach you how to keep this tidy?" Shaking her head she took the belt off your jeans and returned.

"Up." Deciding to obey her you stretched your hands over your head and let her bind your wrists together. "You better hold them there, otherwise I'll not let you cum at all."

You nodded eagerly and watched as she settled in between your legs, spreading them apart.

Tobin was comfortably resting on her stomach, propped up on her elbows, just staring at your wet pussy like it was the most fantastic thing she'd ever seen.

Leaning against her fist and tilting her head in thought she took a finger and slowly traced it along your inner thigh, making you shiver.

"Whose is this?" She asked. "Who owns this?"

"Yours. You do." You faintly moaned, your hips bucking towards your girlfriend as she now circled around your outer lips.

"Exactly. This is mine and not someone else's! Who did she think she is? Casually flirting with you as if she'd ever have a chance with you. You're mine." Tobin growled and slapped your thigh, making you cry out in pleasure.

"Tobin, if you don't fuck me anytime soon, I swear to god!" You hissed, growing wetter and desperate by the second.

"You'll what, baby?" She grinned, burying her face between your thighs, her tongue licking up your pussy before attaching her lips to your clit.

"I'll–" You gasped, unable to finish your sentence and let your head fall back against the sheets, your bound hands grabbing the pillow behind you.

"Oh my god. Keep going, right there!" You moaned and arched your back, grinding your pussy into her face.

Tobin and her talented tongue did not stop until your climax kept growing closer and closer, your back high off the mattress, your mouth wide open not able to scream anything else but her name and still– right as you were about to come she stopped.

"Wha– what are you doing? Tobin?" You whined, the feeling of the denied orgasm for sure clouding your numb mind even more.

"I'm teaching you a lesson, can't have you running around not knowing who you belong to. I'll have you begging for me to stop once the night is over. Now, let's continue, babygirl."

"Yes, daddy." You whimpered and squeezed your eyes shut as she kept edging you through the night, coaxing orgasm after orgasm out of you.

After last nights events you arrived at breakfast way after Tobin, simply because you had no idea how to fix up the mess she'd left on your neck. You had no makeup, no scarfs, nothing to hide what had happened last night.

You were sure your neighbors were able to hear your screams throughout the whole night. It was a wonder that no one had actually knocked to complain.

"Oh my god, what happened to you!" You closed your eyes and turned around to face Ashlyn, who had trouble keeping her laughter in.

"I'm sure you know damn well what happened, now let me enjoy my food." You said grumpily.

"You're a goddamn animal, what the hell, bitch, why did you never tell me?" Ashlyn smacked Tobin's shoulder and laughed.

"What can I say." Tobin shrugged her shoulders and you were quick to dodge them, walking over to your usual table.

"Don't tell me you burned yourself with a hair straightener." Megan asked raising her eyebrow.

Your face blushed as you looked away from her, no way you would be able to keep your relationship a secret now.

"Um, yeah I did." You lied and tried to cover your neck awkwardly.

"Common, Y/N. Who did this, huh? It must be someone from the team, right? You're not one for total strangers." She questioned, sliding closer to you.

"I'm telling you, nothing happened. Keep your dirty thoughts to yourself."

"Hmm, I wonder who could it be. Julie? No– maybe Kelley? No? Mhm give me a second, who else is single." Megan pondered.

In that second Tobin walked past you with Ashlyn, once again laughing about stupid shit.

Megan's eyes lit up. "It's Tobin! Isn't it! Oh my god, it's Tobin. You and Tobin are fucking? For how long?" She poked your red cheek and giggled.

"I can't believe you. Can you please not word it like that? That's weird and it's almost two years now. Crazy that no one actually noticed since we've always been roommates."

You looked away from your friend and into the speechless faces of Christen and Ali. This would be a long day. Where was Tobin when you needed her.

[crazy-cat-lady42]

Tell me what y’all think please!!

My first interaction with a member of the -REDACTED- was on a rainy, full moon night as I was taking my trash can to the curb. Dressed only in shorts, tank top, and flip flops, my mind was fully occupied on what to make for dinner when I nearly tripped over one, who had sprawled themself halfway across the sidewalk, as if trying to escape the rain solely by dragging itself by its primary set of arms. I jumped back, then froze in my tracks, trying to slow/quiet my suddenly loud and rapid breathing.

It --they, remember they-- were bleeding, somewhere, as I watched their neon-blue blood mix with the oil, dirt, and rain and make its way lazily down toward the gutter at the end of the block. A sudden groan, I think, made its way to my ears, startling me back to the matter at hand. The -REDACTED- was looking at me. I thought back to all the posters, video clips, and public announcements about certain manners one was supposed to use when dealing with their kind, and slowly bowed at the waist, palms up, in a sign of trust (or so I've been told).  

Shakily, and oh so very slowly, they raised three of their arms, palms up, and then beckoned me closer. As I approached, I began to smell Sulphur, stinging my nose a little. They began to ‘type’ on a small arm communicator, a much smaller model than the standard ones made available for humans.

“Human,” I heard a robotic voice call out, “I require assistance.”

Ok, don’t panic, I told myself. You’ve had tons of medical training, book wise and hands on, and are completely prepared for all kinds of minor injuries. Human injuries, but eh. Details weren't all that important currently.

“Greetings, -REDACTED-. My name is Myra.” I said softly.

“Tobin.” was all that voice got out before the low battery hologram popped up. Tobin, I assumed, groaned in what I assumed was frustration, then they pointed to themself, then to me, then to the back door of the apartment I had only recently closed. Understanding, I motioned for them to stand. They struggled to get to their feet, nearly falling over twice. As I came up to their right side to stabilize them, I noticed their fourth arm, the lower left arm that is, was bent the wrong way and had something protruding from it. Oh. That’s a knife. A very big knife. Ok. Well. Don’t panic, I told myself. Really important that you don’t panic.

As I put my hand on their back, their right two arms snaked around me, one around my shoulders and the other around my waist. Bracing myself for their weight, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this particular –REDACTED- weighed about as much as I did. Grateful for small miracles, we staggered to the back door. We had almost made it, only about 10 feet to go, when they let out a grunt and collapsed completely, thankfully against the building's outer wall. I let a few choice words slip under my breath, then stepped back to assess the situation. Ok. I had a few options as to how I was going to get this –REDACTED- up to my apartment, and none of them looked too dignified. In this particular alley, there were no overhangs to shield us from the rain, nor was there much of anything, really. A few trash cans, a dumpster, and an old wagon, left by some kids who lived on the floor below mine.  

Ah-ha! Perfect! I snagged the wagon, hoping the squeaky wheels wouldn’t alert anyone, and braced it against the wall next to Tobin by using the old brick doorstopper nearby.  This particular –REDACTED- was a lot heavier than I originally thought, and I barely managed to get the upper half of their body onto the wagon before I was panting from the exertion. Folding all their limbs onto the wagon was going to be impossible, so I settled for just their arms. Then, I dragged the wagon, full of alien, over to and through the now properly propped open door, down the hallway, and to the elevator. Praying had never been a regular occurrence for me, but nevertheless I did so heavily as I waited for the doors to open, hoping no one would be there.  

Making it all the way to my apartment unseen, I quickly got the wagon inside and locked the door behind me. My elderly half-blind cat Donovan was happy to see me, until the rain-soaked, blood-cover alien became apparent. Hissing and spatting at the frankly odorous guest, Donovan happily accompanied me to the bathroom to get the first-aid supplies.  

[weirdlyaverage-blog1]

Anchor Point | Tobin & Python

@aimless--archer

With an unsteady arm, Tobin rose the wooden bow, focusing upon the target that was roughly thirty meters away from where he stood. Between he and the target was a strip of dirt, trampled by countless footsteps, though a couple tufts of grass somehow survived unscathed. Upon closer inspection, the earth was littered with arrows, all of which were failures building up to this very moment. At least, that was how he reassured himself. This will be the one, I can feel it. Tobin thought to himself, setting the arrow using his index and middle fingers. He drew his arm back, ignoring the stinging in his hand as he aimed at the target, his arm trembling from the tension. Then, an instant he released it, watching as the arrow flew forward and barely pierced into the outer border of the target.

“Oh, for the love of-” Tobin released an exasperated sigh when he witnessed another failure, dropping the bow to the ground. In frustration, he dropped down onto a nearby stump, ruffling his his hair with an audible grown of frustration. This mighta been a bad idea. After growing a bit more experienced with a sword, Tobin decided to shift to wielding a bow the moment he was given the opportunity. Though others had chosen their paths based on preference, he had chosen his in an effort to finally prove that he was superior at something than anyone else in Ram. Given that no one else had selected a bow, he had assumed that it would be his chance to prove himself, and relatively easily at that.

Boy was he wrong. While he had shot off arrows in Ram, precisely hitting a target was more challenging than he imagined. Looking to his hand, he narrowed his eyes in annoyance at the sight of his bloodied fingers, as if that would somehow heal them. Maybe I should stick to the sword. He shook his head.

“No, I can do this. I can do this.” He reassured himself, leaning forward to collect the earlier discarded bow. Rising to his feet, he positioned himself at the shooting point, holding the bow out before him. 

“Alright Tobin, hit it hard enough to knock it right off its post!” He exclaimed, completely oblivious to the footsteps in the vicinity. 

[expatimes]

Pokémon at 25: How 151 fictional species took over the world Written by Oscar Holland, CNNWhen the Gameboy titles "Pocket Monsters: Red" and "Pocket Monsters: Green" were first released in Japan in 1996, few could have predicted what came next.The concept was simple enough: Players would traverse a fictional world capturing, training and battling the creatures that inhabited it -- a mission encapsulated in the game's famous slogan, "Gotta Catch 'Em All." But within just a few years, Pokémon, a portmanteau of the Japanese name "Poketto Monsuta," was a global phenomenon. By 1999, the game had launched in multiple Western markets, later becoming one of the most successful franchises of all time. It spawned an anime series, which was translated into over 30 languages, and trading cards that swept the world's playgrounds during the "Pokémania" of the late 1990s. It also imprinted the identities of 151 entirely fictional characters into the memories of millions. Japanese children participate in a Pokémon card game tournament in 1999. Credit: Yoshikazu Tsuno/AFP/Getty ImagesA quarter of a century on, many first-generation Pokémon are as recognizable to millennials as they are to their children. This is partly thanks to a post-2016 revival inspired by the mobile game "Pokémon Go" and movie "Detective Pikachu." But the franchise's success is about more than clever marketing -- it is the result of unique characters that were universal enough to cross cultures and diverse enough to make catching 'em all a challenge, not a chore.Their origins trace back to Pokémon's creator Tajiri Satoshi, whose childhood love of collecting bugs inspired a game with a strikingly similar premise. Most of the individual designs were, however, the work of illustrator Ken Sugimori. Sugimori had worked with Tajiri on the magazine Game Freak, which would eventually grow into the games company behind Pokémon. As the firm's art director, he brought his collaborator's vision to life through a complex and imaginative taxonomy, complete with individual lines of evolution and fictional genuses, like grass- or dragon-type Pokémon.Bulbasaur, one of the most recognizable Pokémon from the first generation. Credit: Courtesy The Pokemon CompanyGiving the characters distinct personalities was always going to be difficult. Even with an accompanying TV series, most were only able to utter their own names repeatedly. Their appearances, therefore, were especially important.Sugimori's designs were gloriously diverse and grounded in science -- not just biology and zoology, but geology (see Geodude, who was essentially an animated rock), chemistry (the noxious gas clouds Koffing and Weezing), paleontology (the fossil-like Omanyte and Omastar) and physics (the likes of Magneton, who loosely drew on the principles of electromagnetism). The resulting catalog of creatures, known as the Pokédex, was essentially a periodic table for game nerds -- and was, for many, much easier to recall. Going globalPokémon's ability to evolve was part of their appeal, according to Joseph Tobin, a professor of early childhood education at the University of Georgia and editor of the 2004 book "Pikachu's Global Adventure: The Rise and Fall of Pokémon" (a subtitle that, he readily admits, completely failed to predict the franchise's revival)."Along with Tamagotchi, the narrative was that you're caring for them," Tobin said in a video interview. "You care for them so they grow up, and kids can identify with getting stronger. But then you also care for them by (making sure they) don't die. It was unusual to have this in a battle game ... it took some of the features of war and then combined them with nurturance."Squirtle, a light-blue turtle. Credit: Courtesy The Pokemon CompanyThe cutesy Squirtle (top) evoled into Wortortle and, eventually, Blastoise (bottom). Credit: Courtesy The Pokemon CompanyThis juxtaposition was reflected in the designs, which were at once both cute and fierce -- or, through the process of evolution, morphed from cute to fierce, from the big-eyed, babyish Squirtle to the formidable Blastoise (by way of Wartortle). None, however, more aptly embodied this dichotomy than Pikachu, the franchise's most successful and marketable figure. Dumpy and rosy-cheeked, with a high-pitched voice, the electrified mouse was also a powerful fighter. The character's design also played into Japan's wider drive to export pop culture in the 1990s, according to Tobin."The idea was -- or the corporate strategy as a nation was -- we want 'our' mouse to compete with Mickey Mouse," he said. "So I think the fact that Pikachu is a mouse-like creature is not coincidental, but (the character) was made to be hyper-cute -- cuter than Mickey or Minnie."There were, however, fears that Japan's "kawaii" aesthetic wouldn't resonate with kids elsewhere. Superheroes in Western markets were, at the time, often sharper and more muscular than their Japanese counterparts. Ahead of the game's US release, late Nintendo boss Hiroshi Yamauchi was reportedly shown a beefed-up alternative version of Pikachu, though the company's American subsidiary stuck with the original designs for its 1998 launch.Not all of the Pokémon were the talk of the playground -- like Metapod, a crescent-shaped chrysalis. Credit: Courtesy The Pokemon CompanyBut while the likes of Pikachu and Bulbasaur stole the limelight -- and made it into the all-important merchandise -- there was strength in sheer diversity. And some among Pokémon's vast cast were neither cute nor fierce. Take Diglett, a crudely-drawn sausage-shaped mole, or Metapod, a droopy-eyed and immobile chrysalis, whose sole ability is hardening its outer shell. All were relatively useless in battle; none were the schoolyard's most sought-after playing cards. But they were part of a complete universe -- one that had something for everyone. In the gender-normative world of 1990s toy marketing, that mattered, Tobin said. "At the toy store (at the time) you had a blue aisle and a pink aisle," he said. "But Pokémon was created to reach across the aisles."The art of localizationWhile the characters' designs remained the same overseas, Pokémon was nonetheless adapted for different markets, especially when it came to language. Cultural references would, inevitably, be lost in translation: Many characters were rooted in Japanese folklore. While audiences in Japan might have recognized the influence of fox spirit Kitsune in Pokémon like Vulpix, or the mythical thunder beast Rajiu in Pikachu's design, these would never translate.A woman browses goods at a Pokémon store in Tokyo. Credit: Behrouz Mehri/AFP/Getty ImagesBut the Pokémon's new names often remained true to the spirit of the originals. Take Sawamura and Ebiwara, who had been named after a Japanese kickboxer and boxer, respectively, but were called Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan in English, a reference to martial artists that kids in the West would recognize: Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. Or Ivysaur, whose Japanese name Fushigisou combined "fushigi" (strange) and "sou" (grass), resulting in a similar principle being used for the French version: Herbizarre.Some names, like Pikachu, were transliterated more or less directly from the Japanese. But elsewhere there were portmanteaus like Psyduck (a duck with psychic powers), or names that only resonated with speakers of the language in question, like the slothful Slowpoke. There was also puns of varying quality, from the jellyfish-like Tentacool, to Exeggcute, a collection of furious eggs.Psyduck, a duck with psychic abilities. Credit: Courtesy The Pokemon CompanySome were a little less imaginative. There was a horned seal called Seel, and a crab named Krabby. The serpentine Ekans and Arbok were made simply by reversing the words "snake" and "kobra" (sic). But there were moments of linguistic sophistication, too. The game's three "Legendary Birds" were named Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres, with the Spanish suffixes -uno, -dos and -tres reflecting their consecutive order in the Pokédex. An amorphous blob, able to assume the form of anything it saw, was named, appropriately, Ditto.The anime series was also subtly adapted for overseas markets. For instance, human characters were more central to the US version's narrative, because it was believed that "Americans wanted someone to identify with that was more than just bugs and animals," Tobin said. But, he added, Pokémon always retained something quintessentially Japanese."I think the amazing thing is that it wasn't changed that much. Not only was the Japanese-ness not a liability, it was associated with 'cool Japan.' Kids didn't like it because it was Japanese, but they certainly got the idea that it was a little bit exotic," he said, likening it to a type of soft power for the country.'Inter-generational nostalgia'The designs kept on coming. Today, there are almost 900 characters, though many are, arguably, less memorable than their predecessors. Later generations of Pokémon have included Chandelure, a sentient chandelier, Milcery, a cream-based Pokémon resembling a splash of milk, and, inexplicably, a floating keyring called Klefki that is "constantly collecting keys... (and) will protect them no matter what."A Hasbro employee shows off components of the Pokemon Battle Stadium at the company's showroom in New York in February 2000. Credit: Richard Drew/APAffection for the first generation endures, however. The original 151 may represent just a fraction of the Pokédex, but they account for over half of the Pokémon featured in the 2019 movie "Detective Pikachu." In December, a first-edition holographic Charizard card sold for a record $369,000.Tobin, having failed to predict Pokémon's longevity last time around, is more optimistic about the franchise's next 25 years."I was wrong in that I thought Pokémon would, like most kids' media or cultural products, rise and fall and be replaced by the next big thing," he said. "But I think what I, and the other authors in the book, got right was (understanding) what made Pokémon so attractive at the time. And the things that made it attractive were not limited to the culture of the 1990s.Performers dressed as Pikachu during a "Pikachu Outbreak" event hosted bin Yokohama, Japan, in 2018. Credit: Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images"I think it's become one of these very rare products that will, now, never end, because it's so much in the popular imagination," he added. "It has this inter-generational value of nostalgia, in the way that parents who grew up with Barbie now might want to (buy them for) their kids, or people who grew up with baseball cards want to do that with their kids."It becomes self-recognizable -- there's value to its own fame."Top image caption: 1999 (L To R) Pikachu, Psyduck, Togepy, Squirtle In The Animated Movie "Pokemon:The First Movie." Read full article: https://expatimes.com/?p=18465&feed_id=35100

[yrcurations]

In a Galaxy Not Too Far Away...

By Andrew Tobin

On June 29th, 2017, the House Armed Services Committee voted to create a new sixth branch of the military that would take on the Air Force’s duties protecting our satellites orbiting earth in addition to expanding the military’s control over not just our airspace, but our space-space. This proposed branch would be aptly named the Space Corps., and, according to one of the co-writers of the bill, Alabama Rep. Mike Rogers (R), the branch would be dedicated to addressing the “very real threats from China and Russia” in addition to providing readiness for the fact that “warfighting has become absolutely dependent on space.” As an average US citizen whose thoughts of war generally hover between “please no” and “this is too expensive”, the thought of involving our country in a lower tech and likely bloodier Star Wars scenario is worrisome, to say the least.

That’s not to say that this new stride towards space warfare is lacking a precedent. After all, were it not for our competitive relationship with Russia, NASA would not exist. In fact, almost all of our excursions into outer space have been fueled somewhat by an undercurrent of competition and suspicion, starting with the US taking note of the fact that Sputnik (the first satellite launched by Russia) was built around the body of an old, repurposed ballistic missile and creating an entirely new agency within the Executive Branch in response. According to the aforementioned Mike Rogers, this is simply more of the same competition with China and Russia that the US has been pumping money into since the beginning of the Cold War. My question is: is it actually the same conflict?

The US has always been on shaky terms with Russia, and has an even stranger relationship with China, as we just now begin to recognize them as a world power on par with our own. Russia has never truly abandoned their surveillance of the US (and vice versa), and recent allegations of espionage and electoral manipulation by Russian hackers shows how our world politics and methods of warfare change as constantly as our technology does. With terrifying ideas like space lasers and kinetic bombardment possibly entering reality in the near future, it’s not too hard to see our current state of uneasy peace with Russia and China escalating into another conflict on the level of the Cold War or worse. After all, nothing is colder than the vacuum of space.

[toabstter]

my friend is VEHEMENTLY DEFENDING that in a no-morals fight, Batman would win against super man. Bro you are INSANE

[toabstter]

I hate having a fever like ohhhhh look at me I can’t even function properly, the only way to cure this is with death and/or Tylenol like who invented that

[toabstter]

friend is threatening me over yaoi when I am clearly busy cosplaying anime characters on pony dress up game

[toabstter]

temporary new layout because I hate the colour orange … (¬､¬)

[toabstter]

got this little asshole for a thousand tickets at the arcade today

his name is zelbow