#why is this platform so finnicky

[bearpillowmonster]

Ok, Sly Cooper.

Well, let me give you some expectations for this game and then see if they lived up.

One of the big three of the PS2 era; Sly Cooper, Ratchet & Clank and Jak & Daxter. Jak & Daxter I've obviously held the highest but as time has gone on, my opinions have changed on Ratchet and Clank but what about Sly?

Back then, I looked up what was considered best of the series, hoping that it would make the strongest impression on me. So for Easter one year, I asked for Sly 2 and played through a little bit of it. I got to Dmitri for the first time and honestly every time that I've tried to go back to it, I get lost with what I'm trying to do, like I don't remember how to play and can't be bothered to restart it, there's just too many places to go.

While Bentley gives you his visual aid, it only lasts a second and you aren't directly looking at it so it can be difficult to navigate. That mixed with my amateur stealth game knowledge, I sat it out.

I saw a YouTube video of someone explaining why Sly is so important to them and why it was still worth checking out. I lodged it in the back of my brain and thought it best to visit the first of the series, maybe I was being too rash starting with the sequel, I mean it being more linear would be a good thing for me so I put it on the backlog. Then one day, I got a real hankering for it, like down bad for it. I started making OCs, looking for it on eBay (which I logged) and really can't say that I've wanted a game that bad since my KH:BBS rom stopped working and I bought 1.5, 2.5 remix where I just wasn't satisfied playing anything else until then but that's besides the point. I eventually broke down and got it. So is it worth all that trouble?

Let's start with age. It has a remaster collection on PS3 but like the other big three of the PS2 era, they didn't port those over to PS4 or the PS store so you're kind of stuck with this one unless you buy a PS3. This is a game that was defining controls, you can tell what was a breakthrough by how they sell it in game too.

So the controls from time to time can seem a bit finnicky since it's PS2 era, but I imagine the remaster probably ironed out those issues since it runs on a different controller. Let me give you an example. Sly's tail has a blue sheen to it to indicate that he's following a track set up in game so that you can balance yourself better. You can break this track but it's easier to stay straight. It's not your masterful controlling doing this, it's the game. Press circle to latch onto stuff (small beams, ropes, etc.) The platforms can shake with momentum as you move on them, in water they start to sink but only where you're stepping. There were a lot of points where I was surprised to see the modern era take reference like Uncharted and Assassin's Creed, this game impressed me 21 years down the road.

I was thinking it was baby's first Splinter Cell but I was dead wrong, it's got variety. I like Splinter Cell, I'm not putting it down, I'm just stating the fact that some of these levels are quite different from the last, not just stealth. From environments like libraries and pirates ships to controlling a submarine to fight off crabs taking treasure chests and all that's within the first 'area'. Yeah, I said 'area'. I also said that this game was more linear. What I'm getting at is that there's a semi 'hub' or sorts where it's portals to levels inside of a level, you play those levels to grab whatever you may need to progress, it's cool and simple enough to keep track of when it's in bites but it's understandable how I could've gotten lost as a kid.

These areas are split between the five different villains or bosses of the game (which are all great btw), starting with the "missions" back at HQ, just like I remember. But if you don't finish that current mission right away and save and exit then you may need a refresher. How many levels can there be? Who's to say, I mean like I said, variety. I think there are seven levels to the first mission but that crab level was the shortest one of the bunch. What do you value in a level? Do you get everything there is to collect?

There are these bottles with little messages inside that collecting enough throughout the level will net you a code from Bentley which can be used for a vault found in that same level. You can go, get them on your first run. Or get some and come back later. It's up to you but the rewards are actually quite beneficial. You see jump is X, and latching is Circle and attack is Square but what's Triangle? Well, you want a fast attack? A roll? You want abilities? Sure, you get new abilities and none of these hidden ones are mandatory but it's a good incentive to thoroughly explore the level. You use the shoulder buttons to scroll through your favorites.

So length can be varying but let's put it this way, it's set up with lives, you run out and you have to restart the level as there are checkpoints otherwise. It's not a bad compromise though because for one, it gives you excuse to get those missed collectibles and two, it saves the collectibles you've already gotten pretty much no matter what so it's not that bad. You can even finish the level and come back and still have the same progress on collecting, I've collected them all before but had to restart because I did them out of order and I did a speedrun of the level in what? A minute? First run was maybe ten. But you really only get a one hit allowance and die if you land in water. You can also pick up level ups and horseshoes which gain you an extra hit or collect a hundred coins for a horseshoe.

So is it worth it? Let me put it this way. I mentioned how I went through a lot to get this game and when it came, it was packaged really good but it was already scratched and the case was dented before they even put it in there and during the cutscene after the first boss, it got stuck and start skipping. I wasn't positive that I could get it to work again so I asked this question. "Now that I've had a taste, (a demo if you will) would I be willing to buy it again in order to play the rest?" And the answer was yes.

It just felt so good to jump with X and press circle to step onto something. With a little elbow grease and improved controls, this game is pretty golden. 4/5.

[janijaire]

// Cont. @sharlayanwanderer

Janijaire holds his ground as Wasabi approaches, but can not quite help how he starts to lean away from the large creature. His book is caught, and he turns it over in his hands to check its condition before brushing a bit of dirt and moss from it. After, he tucks it back in to his bag and signs to the goobbue once again. ["Thank you."]

There is a pause before he looks back to Lore, looking across the creatures 'necklace' of bags, eyes wandering at all there seems to be. Quite a collection, it seems, and he has to wonder exactly what it is this man does. His attention is drawn away when the other man joins them, small frown making itself at home while he speaks. There is a brief jolt in his rigid posture when Lore wavers, one hand reaching--only to stop short when he braces himself against his large companion.

"My name is Janijaire," he returns for an introduction, both j's rolling--"But most call me Jani, these days." Sharlayan, and a researcher. That explains a bit. But only a bit. There is a pause while he debates, one hand coming up to rub at his chin. He seems unsure as he looks to the ground, but it isn't long until he's glancing back to Lore and then upward to regard Wasabi.

"If he would not tear the garden apart, I know where you could stay for an evening. You should not be out in the wilderness."

[hyperionswrath-a]

𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐍𝐄𝐑 𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐋 𝐂𝐀𝐍 𝐏𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐎𝐆𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐀 𝐋𝐎𝐓 𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐄𝐑. ⸻   ( REPOST DO NOT REBLOG. )

⸻ NAME: Jetsam / Jet for short

⸻ PRONOUNS:  He / Him

⸻ PREFERENCE OF COMMUNICATION:  Tumblr  IM. My discord is not freely being given away anymore unless I know someone very well.

⸻ NAME OF MUSE(S):   On here - Seifer Almasy. I also run blogs for Albert Wesker & H.U.N.K from Resident Evil,  Dante Sparda from the Devil may Cry Reboot, and Sora from Kingdom Hearts (and a lot of others that are currently shelved because I have no muse for them)

⸻ EXPERIENCE / HOW LONG (MONTHS / YEARS?):   Altogether about twenty years now. ⸻ PLATFORMS YOU’VE USED:    Back when I started it was forums and Legend of the Green Dragon servers (good times, man), sometimes ye olde chat rooms. I took a break from roleplaying actively for many years and eventually ended up here on tumblr back in 2019, where I picked up Seifer as a muse. That was the first time I started writing and roleplaying in english, too. I also sometimes use Discord, but not much anymore.

⸻ BEST EXPERIENCE:    Some of the people I met during roleplaying, and the stories written together. At a certain point I become emotionally invested, and that’s when the real fun begins, hahah. I love that writing here lets me glimpse how other people view my favorite franchises, how they interprete characters therein and just rubbing our brain-bits together to create amazing stories of all varieties is just something I adore so much.

⸻ RP PET PEEVES / DEALBREAKERS:    Expectations that are hard or impossible for me to live up to, I’d say. Meaning expecting me to be always and constantly available (whether I am online or not), expecting me to be able to reply fast or have muse for all things all the time, etc. My muses can be finnicky, sometimes one snatches my brain cell for months, and I can’t really control this - don’t want to, either. I go where my inspiration flows to offer a good roleplay experience and sometimes that doesn’t match with what my partners might wish to see from me. Additionally I know it’s easy to brush off my fatigue issues with “just get more sleep/eat better/excercise more” and while I agree that these things may help, it’s still something I cannot control and sometimes I will be very exhausted despite really wanting to write, be it something IC or OOC. Also some people do drain my batteries quicker than others, and that, too is nothing personal at all and nothing I can control.

⸻ FLUFF, ANGST OR SMUT:    I like all the same, as long as it’s well balanced. Admittedly, my Seifer used to be a smut fiend, but sadly it also opened the door for people to just want to rp that with me without anything else ever. And while I am an absolute sucker for smut that drives plot, I do also crave other things. Fluff is something most of my muses don’t get often for the sole reason they are... well, not fluff characters. If they ever get enought interactions with one other muse to build up to some possible softness, it will usually be short-lived. It’s why I picked up Sora, honestly, because sometimes mun craves to just be soft and not having to front a harsh muse. As for angst - I live for it. It’s amazing to make your characters go through hell and have them develop through it. The reward at the end is so worth it.

⸻ LONG OR SHORT REPLIES:    Long to medium. I definitely can do crack posts but for something substantial I need some more lines of text. As a general rule of thumb, it’s always a matter of how much you give me to work with in my own reply that matters most, but I am definitely not afraid of long replies - if they go somewhere. Just repeating what I wrote or repeating yourself for the sake of adding paragraphs is something that I don’t like much °^^

⸻ BEST TIME TO WRITE:     God I wish I knew anymore. Lately I try to write something in the morning before work when I have my first two cups of coffee, and often I will be able to write some more in the evening after work (and after napping ahah). But it fluctuates, sadly, so I always have to seize the opportunity when it arrives.

⸻  ARE YOU LIKE YOUR MUSE(S):     Some more than others! I think a little bit of me is in all my muses, and that that’s why I pick them up. As for Seifer... I probably have more in common with him at times than I like to admit, I can be rather spiteful, if provoked into it I definitely can be arrogant and standoffish and I do relate with him struggling throughout his life with never being good enough (or not having the chance to prove that I am, for that matter). Also in some ways I often say I need to channel my inner Seifer more so I can put my foot down better when it comes to establishing boundaries or telling people off on their bullshit. :D

got tagged by @burntchild​ and am tagging anyone who’d like to do this!

[out-of-this-dimension]

Some Thoughts on Star Fox as a Series

Disclaimer: This is a post mostly focusing on the gaming aspect of Star Fox, not really the lore and characters.  I think when a lot of people in the fandom talk about the series’s future, they hone in on the story and characters but I wanted to talk more or less about the series as games, not really as a story.

I remember when the first rumors of Star Fox Grand Prix came out and I was frankly a bit bummed.  I’m very lukewarm on racing games in general, having only really enjoyed Wave Race, Mario Kart, and Diddy Kong Racing out of the few I’ve tried out.  I wanted a follow up to Zero, since I felt dissatisfied by it overall.  I felt like it was halfway done and that it failed to breathe in that bit of life into the series that was desperately needed.  A racing game for the series felt... really weird, and part of it still does, but the more I dwelled on it, the more I realized that... sure, Grand Prix wasn’t what anyone had expected but maybe it wasn’t a bad thing?

And then, funnily enough, I thought back when I was a kid and when Star Fox Adventures came out.  A lot of people were very upset.  I was not one of them because I had been immersed at a very young age to the idea that some games in certain series just play differently.  Mario was always bopping between tennis, racing, party games, 2D platforming, RPG style gameplay, and 3D adventure jams.  Donkey Kong went from throwing barrels to 2D platforming to racing and to having his own 3D adventure.  Kirby went from 2D platforming to racing and even to fighting games.  It made sense to me that Fox McCloud could do the same.  And that leads me to my main “point” of this post.

I think it’s perfectly okay for the Star Fox series to step away from the spaceship shooter genre.

Don’t get me wrong-- I know that the heart of the series we’ve seen so far has been a on-rails shooting or all-range mode shooting.  But I think sometimes we (using this loosely for certain bits of the fandom) hyper fixate on Star Fox needing to be based on vehicular combat and maybe that sort of mentality is still the result of backlash from Adventures all of those years ago.  A lot of Star Fox fans were upset because of Adventures because it didn’t stick to their expectations of what would naturally evolve after SF64.  And they were absolutely correct to be surprised and maybe a bit upset (some people took it overboard but I applaud their passion, I guess).  Star Fox Adventures was not the natural sequel to the beloved SF64.  Assault fit the bill for that, building upon on-foot fighting teased in the Versus mode of SF64 and going back to a rails/all-ranged mode series of levels rather than a more open and explorable world.

That being said, I don’t... necessarily think that Star Fox Adventures was a mistake or a bad idea.  In fact, I actually think that an adventure-style subseries would work really well for Star Fox as a franchise.  In fact, I think there’s a lot they could do with the series in terms of branching out from the typical on-rails style spaceship shooter.  Having a racing game with a story and with boss fights (like what was rumored of Grand Prix) actually sounds like the fun Diddy Kong Racing sequel everyone kinda wanted.  Sure, Adventures was put together in a very rushed fashion, but why not actually invest in adventure-style series of games for Fox McCloud?  He’s a mercenary, after all, and I doubt every mission he takes is going to be able to be done in his Arwing.  

“But Star Fox isn’t a big IP.  Why bother reinventing the series as something beyond its genre when it’s not a big IP?”

That is true.  It’s not a huge IP but it is a legacy IP, one that Miyamoto has stated he’d love to do more with.  And honestly?  I kind of wonder if branching out the genre would garner more interest in the series from potential consumers.  Not everyone is really into the spaceship shooter genre and that’s fine.  I think with some innovation, maybe branching out in the genre department a bit, and decent marketing and the Star Fox series could honestly be twice as big as it is now.  It has the potential to market to a lot of different fans-- furries, sci-fi nerds, flight sim fans, general Nintendo fans, etc.

“But Star Fox is supposed to be a spaceship shooter game!  That’s the heart of the series!”

And I get that, in the same way that stomping Goombas is Mario’s staple. Star Fox can still have those types of titles in the series.  But I’d rather see the series evolve and thrive rather than cling onto what it’s traditionally been and the fans getting a half-baked game once every half decade or so.  I think much in the way that the gaming world has changed, Star Fox as a series has dug its heels into the ground in terms of gameplay and it needs a chance to breathe and grow.  I don’t think there’s been much growth for the series from a pure gameplay standpoint since Assault and that was 3 generations ago.  I want to add that I’m talking purely based on gameplay-- I’m not commenting at all on story or on character portrayal.

Two extreme games that I think highlight what I’m trying to say are Breath of the Wild and Mario Odyssey.  Of course these are both huge IPs for Nintendo and they received a lot of care.  But if you look at the gameplay, what they did was take the basics and let them grow, adding a few new mechanics to those specific games within the series for variety’s sake.  Assault did it similarly, particularly with vehicle swapping.  But... really, after Assault, I feel like we saw a step back.  Command obviously was limited by its console.  Zero has virtually no excuse in my book being 2 console generations after Assault and seeing nothing more than finnicky controls and a return to SF64 form... and with no versus mode to boot (still salty about that, don’t mind me).

“But is it a Star Fox game if it doesn’t have flying/on rails combat in it?”

Yes.  The answer is yes.  Because Star Fox isn’t about flying space ships. There’s a billion games that will let you fly ships.  But them having flying ships does not make them the same thing as a Star Fox game.  Star Fox is about the charm-- the fun banter between teammates, a world full of goofy sci-fi tropes with very quotable dialogue, and fun, quirky animal friends.  

And just because a Star Fox game isn’t purely on rails flying combat doesn’t mean it can’t have a nod or two.

“Okay, but if you want them to just make different genre games for Star Fox, why not just have Nintendo make a new IP entirely?”

New IPs are always a gamble and we know through the development of various games that Nintendo puts a LOT of work into making new IPs.  If you haven’t looked at the development of Splatoon on Wii U, I really recommend it.  It really shows why we don’t get many new IPs from Nintendo-- they’re super picky and they super wanna make sure that the IP will land on its feet successfully.

Star Fox is, again, a legacy IP and people know the characters.  That’s actually pretty huge because then you’re not having to market an entirely new cast.  

Starlink was a huge indicator that people want to see the Star Fox characters again.  The game may have sold poorly overall but the Switch sales were remarkably high compared to the other consoles and I’m 99% sure it’s because of brand familiarity and the Star Fox team.  

“Okay, okay, so you want Star Fox to evolve.  But what do you want to see?”

Honestly?  Something good.  Anything good.  Nothing that’s limited by the idea of what a Star Fox game “should” be.  I am a big believer in not stifling creativity and that extends to the gaming world as well.  I don’t want to see another rebranded SF64.  I want to see something they make with an honest, passionate heart, even if it’s something as outlandish as a Star Fox dating sim or even a Star Fox crossover with POKEMON or KIRBY or PIKMIN or... or anything else that sounds absolutely wacko.  

I just want a good game made with love that respects the series and doesn’t try to confine it.

Anyways THANKS FOR READING MY TED TALK

[crqstalite]

SHADOW OF THE SITH, Interlude.

against my better judgement, this became a 7k angst fest for both parties involved. a lot of stuff is vague regarding Tri and Theron because I am currently underage and I’m not actually sure whether I’m allowed to write anything explicit. For now, it remains as vague as possible to allude to what the two got up to. (legal side of tumblr bail me out) -

TRI'AMA._THE_FURY.

"You sure he's coming?" Vette asks incredulously, arms crossed as Tri'ama zips a different armor set on. More relaxed and less plating than what she'd worn on her trip through Rishi, and though her Twi'lek companion didn't have natural eyebrows, she raises them anyways at the change of clothes, "I mean you did invite a secret agent from the other faction to your ship, with more than a few personal secrets aboard. Might want to rethink that part."

"He'll come." Tri'ama answers, reassuredly squeezing her shoulder as Vette sighs. It's not even particularily late, they're still parked just outside of Raider's Cove, as they'd finally touched down after Marr and Satele left. But, they were supposed to be off to Vaiken ages ago for a restock, and even she's getting a little nervous Theron may have cancelled on her, "And don't be so quick to distrust him."

Vette grumbles something about Balmorra that stings, and she disappears back into the Fury.

They also didn't have much time to spare either. The Barsen'thor had taken off nearly three hours prior with her two companions (lovers?) in tow. The flight to Yavin's fourth moon was no simple trip and probably would take her own crew a few days to get there. Jakarro would meet them on Nar Shaddaa, and Theron would join him for that half of the trip until they arrived. It had taken a bit of convincing, but it would be two and a half days with the SIS agent and her crew before they arrived on the Smuggler's Moon.

Her hair was still damp from the rushed shower she'd taken, plastered on her forehead wasn't exactly how she wanted to be presented, but towel drying it always seemed to make it worse. Vette was lucky, she had no hair to primp or have ruined by finnicky freshers. But it wasn't as if it really mattered, did it? Theron had already seen her at her worst, bloodied and bruised to get him from Revan's clutches, a few curls wouldn't change his image of her.

She hoped.

Why in the blazes did he make her so damn nervous? She hadn't even cared about...Quinn seeing her in a state of undress days after they'd met, but Theron even seeing a hair out of place puts a fear in her she can't quench. Is she afraid of what the next two days will bring, yes. There's a bunk cleaned out for Theron (Pierce wouldn't tell her which one, she has a fear that he'd given him Quinn's), and the other two are playing it by ear. They've made arrangements for Jaesa to also be picked up on Nar Shaddaa (she'd been out for days prior, and they figured giving her more time would gain her approval) when they drop Theron off, and there's nothing that can go wrong.

Tri'ama hopes. She happens to do a lot of that these days.

Vette hasn't even formally met Theron, in fact. She's acting on just little tidbits of information from her. The Twi'lek has been rather protective over her lately, and has made a few scathing remarks about the SIS agent in her free time, mostly circling around the botched date in the cantina few weeks ago that she tries to forget. Tri'ama can't blame her, her friend is only worried about her getting hurt again. In her own way, making fun of the man every time his name crosses her lips. It's rather frustrating if she's being honest, but changing her opinion won't be easy. Pierce hadn't been so hard to convince of it being a good decision, and had even rewarded her with a friendly, if not also hesitant, kiss on the temple for her so-called 'moving on'. He was shocked she didn't hit him for it, but it felt like the end of an era for the two that she reciprocated with a hug. Pierce had never belonged to her (and at risk of seeming rude, she never should've wanted him to either), but she hoped whoever came next took good care of him. He deserved that much after staying with her through it all.

Tri'ama spends a bit more time waiting, pacing back and forth in front of the Fury, before resigning to sit on the extended entrance platform and wait a little less than patiently as she waits for her vision to stop swimming in front of her (the Barsen'thor's healing had been welcome, but some injuries hadn't been healed and stupidly she'd pushed off Pierce's healing in favor of getting a shower and dressed. She regrets it already as her body aches everywhere). She considers calling him, asking him where he is and when they can take off, but she's already forced herself on him more than once in the last week. Doing it again wouldn't be in her favor, and she already feels like she's on shaky ground with him anyways. She chuckles to herself, she's Sith, at one point she was having everyone else bow to her. Screw their schedules, she needed to waited on hand and foot because stars forbid she do anything for herself.

It's commonplace in the Empire among her 'kind', but looking back on it, it just seems so out of place. Not that she was going to go full Jedi and start trying to meditate (she'd tried, never again) on her previous actions, but she's afraid Theron is trying to bring her over to the light. Unintentionally, or otherwise. She was actually going to wait for him instead of brushing off his late arrival and leaving on her own. Even if it's hot and the only presentable clothes she didn't wear into battle were black and she's overheating.

She stands a little too quickly, head spinning when she sees the all too familiar red jacket flash by her vision that she trips just a bit, nearly having to push herself up with the Force when Theron dashes over and catches her mid-fall. He readjusts his own bag, a smug smirk on his face, "Does this count as a rescue?" he asks, hazel eyes twinkling in the midday sun. Infuriatingly.

"Maybe." She rights herself, trying not to roll her eyes as she dusts her clothes off (that hurts still, a headache pounding at her temples). Her ankle stings for that very moment, but it can be ignored in light of the fact that the man who'd taken over her dreams for days was finally here. He hadn't changed from what he was wearing earlier, obviously, and runs a hand through his hair. For a moment, she's nervous about whether she's gotten too dressed up in the black armor with a billowing half skirt and red leggings, hastily pulled on. Tri'ama was a lot of things, but desperate wasn't one of them. He's looking at her, up and down before pulling her into a quick but rather rough kiss, as if it's been days instead of a few hours since they saw each other last. He makes to pull away before she takes a fistful of his shirt and pulls him back. He softens the kiss this time, and she's nearly begging for time to stop so that she can just have this. Not Revan, not the Emperor's hand. Just her and Theron, together. Stars, what she would've given to be raised Jedi, or even just in the Republic to see him more often. Power be damned, who needed a Dark council seat when you had him?

Stars, she has changed.

He makes to wrap an arm around her waist, and it's beginning to creep further down bellow her belt before they both hear someone clearing their throat very loudly at the top of the steps of the Fury. They pull away from each other so quickly she almost gets whiplash trying to turn around to find who had so rudely interrupted her fantasy. Her face flushes once she realizes it's only Vette, her own eyes averted from the two for the time being, "Pierce has the ship fired up. Ready to leave, or do you need more time with Spy Boy?"

"I'm coming, Vette." She tries not to be frustrated with the Twi'lek's intrusion, she had only come to let her know. Besides, she figures this will be the one and only time anyone catches them outside of closed doors anyways. Might as well be Vette instead of someone like Satele mid Yavin excursion.

"That's what she said." Vette whispers just loud for Tri'ama to hear, which only manages to make her want to playfully (or not so playfully) slap the girl more, "Hurry it up, we don't have all day!"

"So that's Vette." Theron snaps her out of her thoughts, once Vette has gone back inside the Fury, "Somehow, just like how I imagined her."

"You'll come to love her antics, just not at this very moment." Tri'ama answers, hands on her hips as she tries not to meet his gaze, but she smiles anyways, "What took you so long coming over here anyways?"

"Couple of wild jungle beasts is all. Slowed me down, but I'm good to go if you are." He answers. He doesn't look too shaken up, or roughed up for that matter other than his matted hair, and she leads him up the stairs, punching in the code as the door slides open. He's more curious about the ship at first, eyes turned upwards before following her inside the dim lit ship. He doesn't see Broonmark behind him in the hall at first, before he nearly jumps as he makes sense of the four eyes that are all pinned on him. Theron turns to her in question, fear in his force signature and in his dilated pupils, "Friend of yours?"

"Of course. Broonmark, I told you to make yourself appear more friendly." She says sternly to the Talz. Given, he had no reason to listen to her, but it had been a friendly request rather than a demand, "And to not scare Theron when he arrived."

"We tried to. Little spy man not ready." Broonmark roars (is there a touch of sarcasm in there? Tri'ama's curious, he'd never used it before), and she shakes her head in good-natured disapproval. Hopefully, Broonmark would keep more to himself, no need to have Theron absolutely terrified while he stayed on the Fury. The Talz wouldn't have much reason to stalk him either as he was an ally for the time being, but she'd have a talk with him later.

Vette has returned, Pierce in tow. The latter had changed out of his armor into a black tunic and trousers, and she figures it's the least threatening the man is ever going to be out of his plated armor, "If we're doing introductions, I might as well start. Name's Vette." The Twi'lek starts, crossing her arms. Her blue eyes are judgemental as she takes the agent in, but she's curious. A good sign she hadn't put him off completely just yet, even with the less than respectful introduction, "Pilot and associate to the Emperor's Wrath."

"Lieutenant Pierce. Imperial Black Ops." Pierce answers clippedly, in a similar stance to his smaller crew member. He'd been so open to meeting Theron before, but his force signature cries out in apprehension. She wonders why initially, before realizing Vette must've told him about she'd caught them outside. Not to mention, as close as she is with Pierce and interacting with him as often as she does, his personality changes drastically around strangers.

"And this Talz is Broonmark." Tri'ama says, motioning to the Talz as he comes to stand with the others, towering over even Pierce, "You'll meet my apprentice when we land on Nar Shaddaa, Jaesa Willsaam. You may like her, you may not."

"Noted." Theron says. He's uncomfortable, as he's trying to hide through his closed off mind. But his anxious stance is clear, "Theron Shan. Ex-SIS." he hesitates before adding, "For the moment."

Vette grins in a way Tri'ama doesn't like, "Oh please. No need for any other introductions, we already know all about you, Shan." A similar smirk crosses over Pierce's face, Theron tightening his grip on his bag. Her face flushes, and now she has no excuse for why other than her embarassment. Vette was overexaggerating, as she often did, but she had confided in the two about the aforementioned agent more than once. Theron's eyes flicker to hers, and she puts her hands on her hips.

"Don't torture the poor man, he only just got here." Tri'ama says as sternly as possible as Vette pouts playfully, sticking her tongue out, "Vette..."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll play nice with Theron. Can we get going now?" She asks, motioning towards the cockpit. Vette is partially only excited because she'd allowed her to pilot the Fury to Nar Shaddaa. It hadn't been the first time she'd ever piloted, but it had been the first time since she'd piloted in the captain's chair. Being held up by Theron probably didn't put him very high on her list of likeable people at that very moment.

"Of course. I'll get Theron settled in. Has Toovee made lunch yet?" Tri'ama questions as Vette hurries off without answering her question. The droid is nowhere to be seen, and Broonmark wanders off into the bowels of the ship with less than even a nod.

"Droid's been tinkerin' in the kitchen all afternoon, m'lord. Figure because you told it we'd have guests it's makin' somethin' nice." He smiles bitterly, "Not that it's a bad thing, of course."

"I figure not. Poor Toovee is going to short circuit himself trying to make a meal. I haven't updated his drivers in a while either." Tri'ama says sheepishly, hoping her ship droid wouldn't implode while Theron was onboard, "Either way Ash, you're dismissed. I'll see you at dinner?"

He nods in a sort of halfbow before following Vette into the cockpit. Now left alone, she beckons Theron to follow her into the opposite side of the Fury, where the crew quarters lie empty. Thankfully, the two that shared the room for the time being had cleaned as requested. Pierce's armor was nowhere to be found (surely in the cargo bay), and Vette had left her blasters on her bunk. Jaesa's was free of wrinkles, though she'd left the holdout blaster Pierce had purchased for her (even though the three of them had requested the fallen Jedi take it). The only one free and not stripped of it's sheets was, and she inwardly groans, Quinn's empty bunk. Tri'ama wishes that she had gone all that time never knowing and just inviting the Captain into her quarters at night instead of finding him at every location she could. She raises her eyes to the agent instead, trying to slow her breath and quiet the memories of dark nights prior to now, "This one--" She says, trying to keep her eyes from it, "Is yours. Do let me know if Pierce and Vette bother you too much at night, you can-" She cuts herself off, letting him step past her into the room and look around while he waits for her to continue. When she doesn't, he throws a curious look over his shoulder.

"I can...?" Theron trails off, mocking her as he sits down on the bunk with his bag. Tri'ama had just barely caught herself from offering her own bed to him as she used to do with Quinn, and a shiver runs up her spine as she wonders what the fast fingers on a datapad can do to her bare skin. She shakes the thought from her mind, but stores it away for later use (later use, the hell was she on right now?), "Well, Pierce and Vette seem nice, you talk about me with them?"

There's sarcasm hiding beneath the remark as the door closes behind her, as she comes to stand in front of him with her arms crossed, "They're typically kinder." she pauses,  "And no, not as they allude to."

"Is there a reason they weren't to me?" He asks, surprising her as he pulls her in closer to him fast enough that she has to regain her footing, hands resting on his shoulders for balance. There's a certain sparkle of lust in his eyes as he quizzes her, arms around her waist. She indulges him after a teasing moment, leaning down to kiss him before pulling herself away because she knows where this is going to lead if she stays much longer, a disgruntled noise made by Theron in disapproval.

"As much as I'd love to spend the entire day with you, Theron, I have a droid to fix and a ship to run." There's a hidden 'I also don't want to make out with you on my ex-husband's bunk' beneath that. Just being in here still makes her uncomfortable and indulging Theron further in here especially is a challenge in itself. As much as she hates it, she does need to begin distancing herself from him at some point. Maybe it won't hurt so much when they inevitably have to split after their mission to Yavin is over.

A ringing holocom stops her before she leaves and before he can say anything to contradict her. Meeting Theron's hazel eyes while he lays back on the bunk, she makes to answer it as he fills the little blue holo before she can check who had sent it to her.

"You may not see this, my lord. But I was told you'd be arriving on Nar Shaddaa in a few days by your apprentice when we met on Dromound Kaas. I am off your extended leave by three days, and will be returning alongside Jaesa when you arrive." He bows politely, and she can now see this was recorded instead of directly calling her because of the lack of reaction of seeing her, "I will see you soon, my lord."

Even through the holo, it feels like his piercing blue eyes are most literally piercing through her soul. Yavin IV was supposed to be focused on Revan and inadvertently teasing Theron. Quinn wasn't due to be back until after Yavin, but he must've met Jaesa along the way, and Jaesa would've unwillingly told him where she was going if he asked her. Given, Tri'ama had never distinctly told him what he was to do after the leave was over, but returning to her service wasn't supposed to be in the cards for him. He was supposed to stay gone, even him staying on Dromound Kaas was better than waking up to him working in the cockpit every morning. Those lingering gazes for someone who wasn't his anymore, the shadows he cast in the dimlit Fury still haunted her.

"Crewmember?" Theron asks, as she slips her holocom back into her pocket, hiding her clenched fists inside before pulling them back out, trembling. He's probably able to tell she's upset, but she puts on a diluted smile anyways and ignores the curious look in his eyes.

"Captain Malavai Quinn." She swallows over a lump in her throat, a ball of anxiety winding itself up in her stomach as she pronounces the name with mild distaste, "Pilot and our medic."

He raises an eyebrow, "He hasn't been back in a while?" He quizzically asks, gesturing to the stripped bunk. All Tri'ama can do to keep from bolting out the room and hiding in her own is nod. The man thinks to himself as she moves to leave, "Wasn't he on Manaan with you?"

"That's the one." She tries to says jokingly, her back turned to him. Tri'ama doesn't want to explain much further than just that, and leave the explanation there in case she makes Theron feel threatened by him. What was there to be threatened by? Quinn was a lowly captain and Theron would be out of here in a few days. Her ex-husband, maybe, would get pushy and ask Vette or Pierce about it. Vette would surely answer about Theron (sarcastically and pointedly), and then she'd have Quinn quizzically asking her about the relation between the two. Quinn had never harassed her before their divorce, but she wasn't putting it past him now. He'd become rather sarcastic and cold when he'd found out about her and Pierce, and to say the least, she's more than concerned about the idea of what he would do now about an SIS agent.

Detour. Detour to Dromound Kaas after Theron was dropped off to formally get rid of him. She has to, or she'll go mad.

She leaves the crew quarters just as the agent moves to talk to her. Tri'ama has to make a decision soon, and whether or not this was worth continuing in the next few months. She might hurt him, but he's had other failed affairs before, he'll get over it, she thinks bitterly, people have gotten over me for less. Theron's no different.

She hopes.

-

THERON._THE_FURY.

Theron Shan doesn't get attached easily. Mistakes in the past hammered that home quick enough (a certain Cathar specifically), and still he stands looking at where she'd just been standing longingly as if, if he stares long enough she'll come back. The blonde Sith had taken over his thoughts in a way that shouldn't have been so distracting. He figured in the beginning she was only teasing and didn't actually think all that highly of him, as he'd learned from his dealings with Sith previously. The teasing manner she'd flirted with him on Manaan, the lingering touches after their mission on Rakata Prime. Lana had even had half a mind to tell him that the Wrath did talk about him in a complimentary manner. He'd laughed it off and they'd gone their separate ways after that.

But for some reason the two years in between last seeing her and now, Tri'ama has been unforgivingly on his mind. Caught himself about thinking how she spun through the air with her double sabers, the way her (now he knew they were grey when she wasn't pissed off at the entire galaxy) amber eyes glowed as she fought. He'd be lying if he said she wasn't a beautiful force of nature to be reckoned with, and for once he was glad a Sith was on his side and not against him.

Theron had never seen her in an environment outside of fighting before, but he was beginning to see her without her respirator more and more often. Those encounters tended to end up with a small kiss here or there, and he was taking notice of the scars that adorned her face. They weren't immediately obvious, but upon closer inspection, he could see there was a faded scar above her eyebrow, another on the corner of her left lip. One on her neck was a fading blue bruise, another just under her chin. It serves as a reminder that he's probably on egg shells with the woman, and that she is most literally one of the most dangerous people he knows. How he'd ended up with the Emperor's Wrath taking a less than professional interest in him, he wasn't sure. She'd even gotten redressed before he'd arrived, the half armor and battle boots traded in for what felt like a silky material against his fingertips, a laced front with a half skirt and eye-catching red leggings. It was sleeveless and a high collar, something that Theron wouldn't have imagined she'd ever wear. Not that it wasn't stunning on her, but the Wrath seemed more like a rough and tumble kind of woman than someone who'd dress up like she was attending a gala.

Left alone in the crew quarters now and taking in his surrounding, he's curious about this Malavai Quinn person. Maybe it's not his business, but the way Tri'ama's skin had paled at that holorecording and hurriedly left without even saying goodbye makes him think there's more to the story than he's been privy to. Given he never paid much attention to her company on Manaan, but he wonders if there was something he could've done. Not that he would've gotten involved in something personal between the two (it literally couldn't have been any further from being his business), and Tri'ama wasn't obligated to share either. He doesn't push this issue. People he'd been with before tended not to want to share with their one-night stand very calmly.

The next two days are rather uneventful, but welcome. He learns the Twi'lek (Vette) is an escape artist from her past (she doesn't elaborate, and Theron's not sure if he wants to know), and also one of Tri'ama's confidants alongside Lieutenant Pierce. At first he's not sure what to make of the Imperial soldier (his own upbringing effectively making him wary of anyone flying the Empire's flag), but the gruff man is surprisingly not plotting his downfall. How easily she relaxes and jokes around her current two companions is a nice change from the wound up woman he'd met on Rishi. Whatever emotional toll had happened with the Captain is gone from her, or as far as he can see. Under the guise of needing to fix things here and there in the cargo bay, near the hyperdrive, stars anywhere that Tri'ama could get him without garnering the attention of her companions he swears that these are the best two and a half days he's ever had with a woman. She's gentle, sometimes, luring him in with those surprisingly innocent grey eyes of hers and soft kisses, others he's careful to leave the collar up on his jacket. The skin bruised where she'd broken it rather easily, and for some reason she liked to run a finger over them she thought he didn't know she was there. It's hot, if he's being honest.

Tri'ama was different than some other women though, he'd get tantalizingly close to having his fingers run over any bare skin he could find, one hand sliding up her shirt before she chuckled darkly and forced his hand back out, a smug smirk on her face while she leans in to kiss him, loosely straddling him. Theron's sure she has her reasons for doing so, but he'd be lying if he said she wasn't frustrating in that regard. How close she is, how close she stays is not going to be easy to forget after Yavin. The way she caresses his face in her callused hands, how her accent becomes so pronounced when she whispers his name in the darkness of the cargo bay, the taste of something sweet on her lips. It's intoxicating, and he's not sure any woman in the galaxy has the right be this beautiful and forbidden.

The darkness of the Fury is enough to remind him that he isn't exactly among friends. (though he doesn't have the same reaction to the Talz twice, the fluffy murderer still sends a shiver down his spine, it didn't help Tri'ama told him he had acquired a stealth generator at some point too) There's no way that this is going to last, as much as he wants it to. If her rampage through Rishi didn't prove it, she's pure Sith. Not the pureblood kind, but she also has a certain aura about her. She had clashed hard with the Barsen'thor and had proven she could be ruthless and relentless no matter the circumstances. He had yet to see if she was an Imperial loyalist or just someone proficient with the dark side that ended up on that side of war. Her actions weren't easy to discern either, whether she was neutral or sadistic beneath her actions for justice.

Theron's curious about her. Her file had landed on his desk straight after their Manaan excursion by request of some higher up in the SIS, and it wasn't extremely informative (that was the point apparently, they thought he could fill more in for them). No one in the SIS was sure of a lot of things because of her reclusive manner on the battlefield, only that most turned up dead or missing after a violent meeting with her. She was a one women wrecking crew and had broke frontlines across the galaxy, winning quite a few battles for her faction. Tri'ama was a Darth, 23, and her file had read Amarillis-Quinn as her surname.

Now really thinking about it, he lies awake on the night of the second day wondering whether it had anything to do with the Captain. To say he was nosy was one thing, but he also wonders if that's what had her so nervous the first day, breathing hard and near tears. A passing thought is that she's still married to him and has taken Theron as a...mistress of sorts. He feels it wouldn't be outside what he knows Sith can do and will get away with, but he has a lot of questions he'd rather get answered before they land and he lets it seep into his work on Yavin. Hell, she's going to be on his mind the whole time anyways, might as well know where he stands now.

He slips out of the crew quarters, only Vette rolling over in her sleep being the evidence he'd left. The door soundlessly closes behind him, and luckily he finds Tri'ama laying against the lounge couches, holocom playing a soft song and datapad in her hands. She doesn't see him at first, enamored with whatever she's working on (he's still learning about their culture, but he was surprised Tri'ama did any of her own work, unlike others he'd met), but a mischeveous smile crosses her face as she puts it down, her eyes a blazing amber, lust clouding them over but some sadness beneath the red corneas, "What has you up at this time of night, Theron? Not me, I hope." she purrs.

"And if it is?" He asks, sliding in next to her. She leans against him, though a shaky sigh escapes her. From the sound alone and the muffled sniffle against her nightshirt, he doesn't have to be a genius to deduce she's not doing so well right now. Whatever tears there were she's already dried from her face as she turns to look at him. He doesn't go looking for evidence that she'd been upset or, but she's oddly aggressive today when she turns to kiss him. One hand in his hair, the other lying on his shoulder as she most literally smashes her lips on his with little regard for the person beneath her. At first he doesn't see anything unusual about it. It seemed that was just how Tri'ama was, aggressively taking what she wanted (and for the moment, that was Theron), until the teasing that often got his hands shoved away from goes unpunished. It's an oddity in itself, and though this is technically what he's been waiting for, but she isn't composed the way she is typically. As much she can nip at his bottom lip and make him want more than she's giving, her racing heart beneath his finger tips is concerning as he puts a hand on her bare waist.

His eyes linger to the game table turned workspace. She's beginning to tell he's distracted, and she gives him a pointed look, "You're distracted."

"A little." He answers, and she frowns but pulls herself off from his lap where she'd been seated previously. The best way to phrase this was outright, she'd made it clear she didn't like it when people beat around the bush with certain issues, but she was already disraught and making it worse probably wouldn't bode well for him. His eyes flicker to her datapad for a moment, and then a glinting gold ring next to it.

All prepared for Quinn's return, he supposes.

His eyes linger too long, he thinks, because Tri'ama won't meet his eyes anymore, "Tri'ama, are you married?"

Shock is the first to go through her facial expressions, before she glances at the ring and her eyes harden and glow a darker gold. Well Theron Shan, you screwed up the most dangerous romances you've ever been in. Close your eyes and it'll all be over soon.

He braces for something, anything. A slap to the face, a force choking, shouting maybe, but all she does is shut off the datapad with defeat written all over her face. She's angry, but not with him. Tri'ama twiddles the ring in between her fingers, before using the Force to levitate it above her palm. Theron's sure her mind is running like a freight train, but he doesn't question her. It takes a while, she considers the ring as it floats, and she lays back into him. Theron chastises himself for a moment, he wasn't supposed to get involved in her personal life that much, but here he was at an ungodly hour of the morning asking about her marital status, "Just, forget I asked."

"No. The easy answer is no. Legally, it's complicated." Tri'ama answers quietly, the anger flowing out of her as the bottomless silver eyes return, "I was married to Quinn shortly before I met you. I wished to be divorced, but I was too tied up in other matters to really pay any attention to the process. It was denied for some odd reason. I sent him away for as long as I could, but he's due back tomorrow."

"And you don't know what to do with him." Theron finishes. She makes a noise in confirmation.

"I apologize for keeping you in the dark about this. I didn't think he'd return so abruptly and--" she gestures to him as she runs a hand through her hair, "I don't know what we are, Theron. If I chose to be...I don't know, your girlfriend in the long run, it wouldn't end well for either of us. You'd probably lose your job, I'd be scorned and lose my seat. I can't say I don't have feelings for you, but maybe we should slow down and brace ourselves for Yavin."

"What-what is that supposed to mean?" He's thought of this already, but the way she chokes up over girlfriend isn't reassuring, "I knew we weren't dating, but what does this mean?"

Tri'ama makes to leave, but not before pressing a lingering kiss to his lips, "It means I think this should end before we make it harder on ourselves to leave."

He isn't even thinking rationally at this very moment, holding one of her hands in his, "Tri'ama wait. Is this because the Captain is coming back tomorrow? I can leave earlier if that's the case."

Her eyes are misted over with unshed tears as she grips the ring in her fist, "Maybe, maybe not. Theron, there's no other connection other than that we find each other attractive. I barely know anything about you, I couldn't get in contact with you for two years. Once Yavin is finished, I'll never see you again. All this--" she's getting frustrated, maybe with herself or maybe with the situation, "I wish I could have longterm. But, the last time I got attached too quickly I was married to a traitor for years. Make this easy on yourself, and enjoy the rest of the night."

They've trailed to her quarters, and she steps inside, "Tri'ama."

"Theron." She hesitates, possibly considering her previous statement before kissing him hard. He can't even breathe, and then it's over and the door closes behind her. He doesn't even know why he's upset, she's right. In every single way she's right. He just hadn't wanted to consider it, say it out loud and admit it, and her emotions are amplified by her ex-husband's return the day after. There's a loud crash behind the door, and he winces before heading back to the crew quarters. Both companions are still in a blissful sleep, but Theron can't get a wink of it the rest of the night. He eventually pulls out his datapad and starts working instead. Keeping busy would keep his mind off of her.

When Vette and Pierce begin to stir a few hours later, he finds he hasn't slept.

-

TRI'AMA._NAR_SHADDAA.

"Jaesa. You're looking well." Tri'ama is trying to distract herself from the fiasco that had been the night prior. Theron is still looking like someone kicked his akk puppy, and she's steeling herself into being a Darth again. Back in her more Imperial styled armor than what she had been in the last few days, it feels...off. Her respirator has been snapped back into place, and thankfully it makes her feel safer instead of constricted, "Welcome back to the Fury, apprentice."

"It is good to be back." Jaesa deadpans as she bows respectfully, "The missions went well."

"I'm sure they did, with you at the head. Good work." She praises the young woman. Jaesa has the inkling of a smile on her face, but quickly drops the smile when they both hear boots on the ground and Vette sucks in an apprehensive breath, "The Captain managed to get your schedule from me. I apologize."

"It isn't your fault, Jaesa. I blame you for nothing." Tri'ama stands up straighter, facing Quinn for the first time in nearly four years. She's trembling, but hides her hands behind her back, "Captain."

"My lord." He bows, a bag by his feet. She keeps her eyes trained on him, as if that will soothe her anxiety. It doesn't, her breath only quickening as his eyes land on her's. One of the first thing she noticed about him was his eyes, how they were so similar to her own.

Her neck is covered, her hands are covered. No skin can be seen except for her face, and even that is hidden beneath a cowl. He can't hurt her, "I am grateful you've brought me back into your service."

"Of course, Captain." Detour, detour, detour. She hopes the divorce papers went through and so did the reassignment. To Darth Aghdani specifically, hopefully the pureblood wouldn't call her in a fit of rage wondering why the man was annoying her. If she's lucky, she'll get him killed on a backwater planet somewhere, or stab him outright for his uptight behavior. If she's not so lucky, she'll take a liking to him and the cycle will start again, "Welcome back."

All Tri'ama wants is him gone. If things work out, Pierce will take him back to Dromound Kaas under false pretenses and Vette will join her on Yavin. Then, smooth sailing from there. Out of sight, out of mind.

Two days.

It will only be two days. She can do this.

Can she?

You hurt Theron because of this, one annoying thought says, He probably hates you now.

"Darth Amarillis." Theron's clipped voice startles her out of her thoughts he steps out of the Fury. There's a sad aura about him, one of melancholy and possibly longing. However that's as much as she gets because he's closed himself off again. He looks more tired than he did the night before, and as much as she wants to run up and hug him, she stays firmly planted as he comes up to her, "I'll be taking my leave."

"I will see you again on Yavin, Agent Shan." Theron's name nearly slips out before she corrects herself. He'd never called her Darth Amarillis before, he'd always referred to her as simply 'the Wrath', and most recently her first name. But if he wants to play professional SIS agent and act like they aren't friendly (Tri'ama's burned that bridge and she didn't even explain herself fully to him, instead throwing a crate across her room in anger and sadness. Her room's a mess right now and she has no intention of cleaning it), she can do that too, "Safe travels, agent."

He doesn't even respond to her farewell, leaving the hangar and taking the lift down at a brisk pace. Quinn raises an eyebrow as he leaves in a perfect Imperial accent that she's come to hate coming from him, "If I may ask, a friend of yours, my lord?"

"An ally in our fight with the Revanites, yes." She responds, watching Theron leave. Hopefully, her face doesn't betray her emotions, "You and Jaesa can re-organize yourselves on the Fury, I'm sure Toovee will be ecstatic to see you again."

"Of course, my lord." He and Jaesa head inside (the latter seems emotionless about it, but is radiating annoyance in her force signature), and Vette narrows her eyes at the Imperial Captain's retreating form before coming closer to her.

"You could've just refused that jerk back onto your crew, Tri'ama." Vette says, visibly frustrated as she throws up her hands in the air, "I don't want to deal with him for however long you're going to drag this out for." Pierce nods, a grunt of agreement from him, "We should've just taken Theron in instead." she adds, "Least he had a sense of humor".

"I'm sorry Vette. I would make him go if I could." She can feel the tears welling up in her eyes and her voice shakes as she apologizes, but hopes the cowl shadows enough of her face so that the two remaining companions can't see them, "He'll be out of our hair soon. But for now, I'll have to put my prejudices behind me and get to Yavin before people question where I am and begin the fight against Revan, regardless of my personal opinions."

Vette and Pierce are silent for a moment, before Vette hugs her outright and Pierce puts a comforting hand on her shoulder, "We're here for you, and I know Jaesa would be down her too if she could be."

For once, Tri'ama hugs back tighter than she ever has. It hurts, all she wants is to run away to the Outer Rim, blazes anywhere else but here and show Theron just how much she appreciates him away from all the stereotypes and racism and prejudice that the Empire and Republic have for each other. Be away from Quinn, just take Jaesa, Pierce, Vette and Broonmark with them. Still, she's not sure she ever wants commitment again, the ring heavy in her pocket, but she wants just one more night with the SIS agent. One more night to explain everything, one more night to press her body against his, feel his warm and nimble fingers against her again.

And now he's gone.

-

THERON._JAKARRO'S_SHIP.

"Have fun with your Sith friend?" Jakarro asks as Theron boards the freighter ship with an ugly groan at the question, "You were eager to be with her. Hope you had fun."

"Don't push the questions, Jakarro." He nearly growls at the Wookie in frustration. Jakarro doesn't press for more answers as Theron stalks down the hall to the crew quarters. They were empty, as always, and it's enough that he sinks onto one of the bunks. He's nearly tearing his hair out in anger. The blonde Sith had basically told him she didn't want him anymore. He has half a mind to think she lied to him and really is still married to Quinn. If she only wanted him as a plaything, he's rather offended.

But it's not like he didn't go into this thinking it'd be a one night stand and nothing more. Why did he still think of her like she was his then?

Because you're infatuated with her, you just don't want to admit it in fear of committing to a Sith lord, he thinks. Stars, what would his father think if he had taken her as his--girlfriend no less?

Does he even care what he thinks?

He spends the rest of the trip to Yavin busying himself with work to get her dismissal off his mind. According to the reports, the Imperials were bringing in a certain Darth Nox alongside the Wrath, and the Barsen'thor would return with her own crew in tow. All force users. Nox wasn't much better than the Wrath in terms of her record with the Republic, but at least she could foot the bill with some serious damage if push came to shove and her reputation within the Empire respectively would help with the coalition. It would've been nice to have another Jedi, but he can't complain.

He's going to miss her, but enough work and some alcohol should be just would the doctor ordered to keep his longing for the Sith under wraps. Yavin would be one of the biggest battles he'd faced in years, and he didn't intend to fail.

He hopes.

[ultimavolatusrpg]

ACCEPTED // HANK ASPEN

50 years old, 66th Hunger Games, FC: Hugh Jackman

Functional Alcoholic, Finnicky, Gluttonous, Smart-Ass, Talented 

tw: alcohol & drug use

ARENA:

His games were not easy because they took place in an abandoned city.  There were no bodies of water he could use in his advantage.  The only place where one could find water was abandoned parks or certain houses that still had running water; however, one had to think really well were to go because the mutts roamed through the city.  The cornucopia was situated on top of a skyscraper and there was the proper equipment to ascend.

 Unfortunately for some tributes the ropes were impossible to cut; so, it was impossible to get an easy kill there.  In addition, it was a long way to ascend the cornucopia.  Many tributes decided to improvise weapons with what they found around the city; others died because they fell.   It was one of those rare occasions in the hunger games were the blood bath was not as big as other years because very few tributes managed to get to the top like Poseidon did; he was  stronger and more agile than many people assumed. 

The tributes that decided to take the safest route and stayed on ground found out there were tracker jackers dotted around the arena.  The game makers made this to make tributes find each other and fight.  For those who decided hiding inside, they found out most of the buildings were plagued by genetically modified spiders which poison dissolved your skin and inside in matter of hours.  Things were not safe at night either; rabid dogs were released to kill whoever was on the ground.

Although it seemed the safest place was on the roofs, the game makers managed to make the tributes move by collapsing the buildings.  There were some who were not smart enough or fast enough to read the signs before the buildings went down. Hank was fast and strong, that’s why he could move through the buildings with relatively ease.  He stayed hidden and only attacked when necessary, but naturally he was forced by the game makers to fight when the boy from one and him were the last ones.  The game makers took them to a small platform that was on top of a building so they could fight.  At first sight, it seemed Hank had the lower hand because of his size even though they had the same weapon, a combat knife.

The kid from one tried to stab him several times; he managed to slice his skin.  Hank did the same, but his attack was a little more successful because he managed to cut two fingers from the other guy.  The tribute from one got blinded by rage, so he tried to tackle him to make him fall.  Fortunately, Hank was faster, and he managed to avoid the attack.  It was just matter of minutes until he ended the other boy’s life by stabbing his skull.

BIOGRAPHY:

Hank was an orphan born in district 10 who never knew his parents. When others were adopted, he was often skipped. It was rare that kids from the orphanage were adopted though.. As the time passed, Hank became more resentful with the world. The boy was on his own in a place where beatings, neglect and boredom were the norm.  Hank didn’t know other way than his fists because he was never taught. He was put in charge of kids and he treated them just the way they treated them. If they didn’t listen to him, there would be blood.  Little by little, he learned to survive in a world where the law of the fittest and the strongest ruled. 

The lack of resources there forced him to become resourceful. There were many mouths to feed. He had to become responsible of lives before he even got facial hair. Things changed when he was sent to school. It was only the love of a teacher who helped him to soften the boy. Little by little, she showed kindness and affection to him. She helped the boy to channel his emotions through singing. He found out he had a natural talent for it. Through the years, he perfected his talent until he became quite an attraction to whoever him that hear his beautiful voice.

When he was reaped for the games, nobody saw a lot of future for him. The boy preferred staying quiet because he knew if he opened his mouth, he would screw everything.  He had learned the best way in life was to go unnoticed. It was not only until his mentor heard him singing, she got the idea of using his fantastic talent as his presentation card.  If there was something the capitol love more than the poor orphan story, that was a victor who had a talent.  She sold several recordings with his voice.  There were many potential buyers who taught it would cost even more once he was dead. Unfortunately, it never happened. He survived.

The key to his survival was simple: he understood group dynamics. He understood that alliances were a dangerous game where he had the lowest hand. He didn’t have skills to join the careers, and he was probably considered too bossy and moody to join others. So, he preferred use evasive tactics. He usually tried to keep himself hiding and using traps to keep other tributes away from him. Yet, after a while, the game makers messed with his strategy. They used their controlled over the arena to mess with his traps.  It didn’t take him long for him to understand the message, it was time to become the hunter.  He started spying on others and looking for the perfect chance to strike. He mislead other tributes to make them think others committed those kills. 

His victory was the worst public relationship PR area because there were no relatives or friends to interview. So, they did the best they could with what they had. They portrayed him as the next rising entertainment star for the Capitol. They immediately assigned him tutors in singing, dancing and acting. Hank exuded talent from every pore of his skin. So, whenever he stood in stage and act, people fall in love of him.

His talent made him get several thousand of admirers all over Panem.  That included the love of a lady from his the capitol. He had a fling with her. Together, they had a son, Jack. Unfortunately, his the woman didn’t survive.  Hank became a young father with no idea how to raise a child.  That of course, led to several problems.  Hank was blackmailed from the Capitol. He was forced to work much harder. The lingering treat of having his son being picked as a tribute made him obey the Capitol. They wanted more shows, more complex dance numbers, much higher notes.  That made him resource to pills and alcohol. The only thing that kept him sane was his boy.  Unfortunately, the kid resented him because he made him focus on his studies. He didn’t want him to be a drunk like he was.  He wanted his kid to be someone in life.  That’s why he encouraged him to be a physician. There are times Hank thinks Jack hated him because of that, but he wanted his son to have a better life away from the Capitol’s hands.  His kid is the only person that keeps him sane.

PENNED BY: RON

[nyrator]

current progress~

current kid

current best hats

and stuff in general

(still sad that my first time unlocking the Freedom outfit crashed and so I lost it and thus the roulette spin with it (and also the first slot of ink colors now it’s a lousy number two unless I can organize my equipment somehow))

So yeah, review so far- I’ve done everything I can in Mafia Town (like everything, all Yarn I can find, all relic map things, pushed every Mafia into a series of unfortunate events, climbed atop a telescope...

I have to give this game props so far, in terms of level design and guiding the player it’s pretty darn good with the use of pons and whatnot. I’ve gotten stuck a few times, but always managed to figure it out in a few minutes. So far I’ve gone in absolutely refusing to look for any help on this game, so yeah.

the only achievements I have left apparently, the Why one makes me really curious and I’ll have to figure it out on my own (it wasn’t saying Peck or killing off my pet’s childhood pet so I can only imagine what absolutely heinous or dumb thing Hat Kid will do)

also wow Secret Intruder is tough, I got through with only one passing glance but even that counted against me, so nyeh.

So far the only world I haven’t touched is the fourth Chapter, but so far I looove all the maps. I was iffy on how they could make Subcon and the Bird levels into fleshed out worlds, but man did they. I just got distracted during a Subcon mission, went on some leaves, went on a platforming journey, found a burning forest, found a pond, etc etc. The place is huge and neat and I love it.

But I feel like I should be critical of things and point out the flaws just in case they can get fixed or something, but yes I love the game so yeah

Faces were always my big thing- They’re too awkwardly shaped, and the face stickers don’t wrap around nicely. It gives a flat, long look, instead of the cute round look which I know from experience isn’t too hard to do- it honestly looks like they haven’t focused much on the original models so far, since none of the other NPCs have these issues (then again, they’re all birds and ghost things so far, so hm).

Mafia Town is perfect. I love Mafia Town (I’ll miss you, secret island with rockets...) I still need to do the race, but otherwise I think I’ve done almost everything there is to do in Mafia Town. I even did the lava mission without taking damage/touching lava because I thought it’d be an achievement (it wasn’t- I’m guessing it’s a chapter four achievement). If I had to make a gripe, it’d be that the voice acting of the Mafia could use a liiittle more energy. I love the actor don’t get me wrong, I love the voice, but the delivery is just a little too low key. The only one that wasn’t was the racer when I tried doing that despite the game telling me not to, but he also sounded like he peaked the mic or something so hm.

Battle of the Birds was surprisingly intricate. I still need to examine more of DJ Groove’s areas, but yeah, I loved the Conductor so I gave him the most points (wasn’t too hard after how bad I did in Act 5...). I love how much they did with a train with the mystery one. The crows felt a little toooo Milk Man-level-y, but I grew to like them (I love the default names are the things I was thinking of- thank you shameful body part). The bomb one was also neat, but being on a timer and wanting to explore is pretty rough, but still fun. DJ Groove’s was mostly just exploring a city which was alright, but the marching one I wasn’t too fond of (mostly because of the tightropes). Still need to do the time rifts (those red lines allude me in the murder mystery one), but yeah the final boss was neat and long and I’m so glad it didn’t crash during any of that. Fought the Conductor, had a nice sit down with him, refused the timepiece because Hat Kid is a little brat and I love it, and yeah good times. Only issue during that fight was trying to hit him when he’s running around.

Did have a few issues- First, in terms of voice acting, the Conductor was great, DJ Grooves was nice, Crows were good, but the Owls were ehh and the Penguins were... not what I was expecting. Like the voices are alright, just not what I pictured from those two, so that’s more of an opinion thing (like anything voice acting related)

Also, tightropes are bluhh. So is some of the precision platforming when on low settings and resolution with a barely visible shadow. I don’t know if higher quality options darken the shadow, but yeahh, I would prefer a like... almost completely transparent black or even purple shadow below Hat Kid, but yeah.

I’m curious if I can reface the boss fight with DJ Groove instead...

Then, Subcon. I looove Subcon so far. I did four Acts of it, and man I love it. The tree was hard to platform but at the same time that’s normal for 3D platformers so no real issues there (other than the shadow thing mentioned earlier for some mushroom jumping). Atmosphere be great, Snatcher doesn’t sound how I expected but I’m okay with it. The little small Snatcherlings however just sound obnoxious and out of place and bluhh. But again, that’s just my opinion~ Murdered some ghosts, fought a toilet, ran and hid for my life, fun times (Vanessa feels shorter for some reason, unless it was two parts because I remember a part with a switch in the different rooms and stuff)

also I’ll have to see if redoing acts brings back what diary entry I get because I enjoy seeing the diary entries but the first one I saw was 10

so yeah, other minor gripes (after taking a break from writing this and trying to remember what I was going to write...)

Organizing things (my OCD just wants to be able to sort my hats by rarity or whatever) and also be able to move the stuff in the hub, like I just found a set of crayons and a crayon box and realized it would’ve been perfect in the art gallery instead of the cows being abducted by aliens, but yeah. Maybe you can do that and I just don’t know how but yeah.

The jump-on-enemies button being really finnicky to use, especially during boss fights.

The camera not looking down when I want it to look down.

the O button icon being replaced with a Red E button for most situations for Dualshock 4 controls (I still I wish I could get the GC controller working...)

like in general the voice direction could be a little more (but that’s the least thing I worry about in a game like this so no worries)

also y’know small issues like this

anywayyy

I really want to learn how to start modding starting with this game, because I feel like this game lays down a lot of groundwork for my own projects and I can’t wait to see what modding tools are like for it.

[clarencenicholsonata]

Instagram Ideas: The Ultimate Guide

Nowadays, almost every business is on Instagram.

And they should be - it’s a platform that’s ripe for generating social engagement which, for some businesses, can be a road paved with boosted awareness and a bump in sales.

One mistake I’ve seen many businesses make is not keeping up with all of Instagram’s many (constantly evolving) content forms. A savvy social media marketer should be comfortable with all of them to maximize the platform’s potential.

So, this is my complete guide to Instagram ideas: all of the different types of content you can post to build your own empire on the visual media giant.

Instagram Ideas: Photos

The most popular type of content on Instagram remains a simple photo - the Instagram idea that first launched Instagram to fame several years ago. What makes photos so great is that they’re easy for your business to create and easy for audiences to see, while still being powerful and engaging as a way to promote your business.

What I mean by this is that they don’t take a huge time commitment from you or your social media manager; all you need to post a photo is a quick snap and maybe an edit or two - much less effort than a video. For a viewer, photos are easy to scroll through (and trust me, Instagram users scroll fast), making them easily digestible and very shareable.

Instagram Ideas: Photo Best Practices

Any photos you share on Instagram should be high-quality. This really should go without saying, but it’s still an important point to address. If you’re looking to build your business on Instagram, you need to understand that it’s both a content strategy and a branding play. Much like your website or your storefront, your Instagram feed is a real representation of your business, meaning you want it to look as professional as possible.

To ensure this is the case, one of the easiest things you can do is make sure you take and post great-looking content. A couple rules of thumb:

Lighting is everything: Making sure you have adequate lighting can make a drastic difference in the way your photos look - and that’s incredibly important, especially when you’re showing off one of your products.

Focus your images: The age of artsy blurs on Instagram has passed - make sure you keep your photos focused to ensure you’re presenting your subject in the best possible way.

Know basic composition: Though photo techniques are too numerous to include here, using things like the rule of thirds to compose your photos will give them a more professional quality. Look at other accounts you like for inspiration on how to frame your shots.

Use a decent camera A modern smartphone will do if you don’t have a DSLR available to you.

Keep it simple: Edit well, but sparingly; long gone are the days of over-over-over-processed Instagram images, and you’ll better show off your products and brand through more conservatively edited photos.

Instagram Ideas: Video

Instagram introduced videos soon after the platform’s rise to prominence, allowing its users to post short 15-second clips, paving the way for more dynamic content (with sound!). Since then, Instagram has upped its video length limit to 1 minute, giving users the ability to be even more creative with the content they upload.

Though videos can take some additional effort, they don’t necessarily have to (more on that in the best practices below). Videos are often more engaging than photos, though they’re not as easy for users and potential customers to view if they’re browsing quickly on the bus, in class, or at work (don’t worry, I won’t tell).

Instagram Ideas: Video Best Practices

Like your photos, you want your videos to look great. Though video is actually a good medium for more casual, less “polished” content, there’s still a minimum quality standard you should try to uphold. Here’s a few things that help:

Keep it steady: There are few worse things than shaky video. It’s tough to watch and can even be nauseating at times. Though most smart phones (and pretty much all cameras) nowadays have a digital or optical stabilizer, using a tripod can help you make sure your videos don’t come equipped with a roller coaster simulator.

Add subtitles: If your video has dialogue or a voiceover, add subtitles! It’s the single best thing you can do to make sure people on the bus, in class or at work don’t just scroll past your video.

Minimize length: Just because you now have 60 seconds of video on Instagram doesn’t mean you need to use it. Minimizing the amount of time you take to deliver your message (whatever that happens to be) will keep more people watching until the end.

Add a call to action: There’s a good chance a video you post highlights something you’re trying to promote for your business. Adding a quick CTA at the bottom or end of your video can help push viewers into acting.

Instagram Ideas: Carousel

Instagram’s newest content type is Carousel. It’s a content type that allows you to combine multiple pieces of media (both photos and videos), which lets content creators share related images in a single post.

Though Carousel still isn’t nearly as huge as photos or videos are in terms of popularity, being able to share more than one photo and video in a single post at a time is a feature that’s just nice to have. We’ll talk about some Carousel ideas below, which will show you some Instagram accounts who have been creative and found ways to make the most of Instagram’s newest content type.

Instagram Ideas: Carousel Tips

Tell a story: Using Carousel’s multiple panels allows you to share images and video in a narrative sequence that tells a story. You can do this in a creative manner (think comic book panels), or to highlight a specific event, like a product launch or a company gathering. Remember Carousel can include videos too, so you can add videos for some additional flavor.

Create a collage or panorama: One creative way I’ve seen brands use Carousel is to post super-mega-ultra-wide images. Split a single image (like a large collage or a panoramic photo) into pieces and post them sequentially, so users can explore the entire image in detail by swiping through your Carousel.

Include product photos: Though it’s not the most inventive thing, Carousel introduces a new way to highlight your various products. I like Carousel as a way to show off different features of a single product, or to display different product colors. The possibilities are endless!

Instagram Ideas: General Best Practices

Instagram Ideas: Content Scheduling

Like any other marketing strategy, social media takes time. Unfortunately, not every business has that time, especially when you consider social media is the kind of thing you need to maintain and keep updated.

One way to circumvent this issue is to schedule content using a tool like Later or Buffer. This allows you to plan all of your posts (captions included) long in advance, meaning you can allot a bit of time once a week (or every couple weeks) to set up your posts for the next little while.

Instagram Ideas: Using Hashtags

Hashtags are one of the biggest ways to help your Instagram content reach new users and potential customers. They allow you to reach others who browse the platform using their explore feed, and to find similar accounts that will help you grow your own.

Find relevant hashtags specific to your business and your location, and you’ll see the reach (and engagement) on your photos skyrocket. I’d recommend looking for relevant accounts that repost content their own hashtag and using them in your own posts, as this can give you the chance to be featured on their profiles, helping you reach new customers.

Instagram Ideas: Run Instagram Contests

If you’re really looking to drive massive growth with your Instagram account, contests are the best way to go. Why? They provide huge spikes in engagement, drastically increase the number of people who share your content, and simply get people excited about your brand. Let’s look at a few ways you can run them:

Tag/comment to enter: The simplest kind of contest is the kind you host on your Instagram profile. Simply post an image (or video) that explains your contest or highlights your prize, and tell entrants to comment on your photo tagging a friend to enter. You can also get entrants to follow your account, which will give you another opportunity to market to them in the future.

A hashtag/photo contest: I like these contests best, because they allow you to build up user-generated content from your fans that you can use in upcoming marketing campaigns. Use a tool like Wishpond to build a contest page with a photo gallery that highlights content from your entrants.

Instagram Ideas: Stories

Another dimension of Instagram’s platform is its Stories feature, which, uh, looks a lot like Snapchat’s Story function. To be frank, it’s the same thing - but it’s important to note your Instagram Story can be made public, meaning people who don’t yet follow you can still find your Story and learn more about your business.

In my opinion, this makes Instagram Stories a much more powerful marketing tool than Snapchat, which has more privacy settings and isn’t particularly effective to reach new potential customers.

If you want to go all-in on Instagram, you should look into using Stories extensively. Let’s look at a few ways you can get the most out of this powerful tool.

Instagram Ideas: Stories Best Practices

Activate your Instagram for Business account: Having an Instagram for Business account is huge when you’re updating your Story, because it allows you to add a “Swipe Up” action. This allows you to highlight products on your Story and then link Story viewers to your website or e-commerce site.

Update often: Instagram’s algorithm (for both posts and Stories) is a little finnicky, but it tends to prioritize accounts you often interact with, or those that have updated recently. As a result, it’s a good idea to update your Story relatively often, to maximize the reach you have with your followers.

Don’t be too polished: Unlike your feed, your Story is the place where you can be a little less perfect. Showing behind-the-scenes content that’s a little sillier can help people learn more about your business’ culture.

Geotag your Stories: If you have a retail location, consistently updating your Story using geo-tags (it’s in the stickers menu) can get you local viewers, who look at Stories based on their own location.

Give coupons!: In combination with your “Swipe Up” action, you can drive sales by giving out coupons on your Story. Add a CTA (“Swipe up to get 30% off!”) and link to a product page. It’s an awesome way to drive sales through social media.

Instagram Ideas: Photo Apps

To get you on your merry Instagram way, I’ll introduce you to a few of my favorite Instagram apps. These are the tools I use to make the content I post on my feed look as awesome as possible (as well as a couple other neat tools, too).

Facetune

Facetune is one of my more recent discoveries - I found out tons of Instagram influencers use this app to edit their photos. Though it was built to edit photos of people and make them look a little more presentable, I’ve found it’s actually an awesome app for editing photos of products and scenery as well.

The honorable mention feature for me is the “Whiten” function, which allows you to take focus away from certain parts of your photo to highlight your subject. Though the app isn’t free, I’d recommend picking it up if you have a few bucks to spare.

Snapseed

Snapseed is my current “general” photo editing app of choice. If I want to make simple changes like brightness, contrast as well as color temperature, I go to Snapseed first. It features an awesome, intuitive interface, as well as some pretty powerful tools that take it a step above most other editing apps.

Often, I use Snapseed to make initial edits before pushing my images to Instagram (or through other apps), because it’s quick, easy-to-use and has all of the features I need from an editing app. It’s also totally free - so if you don’t have it, you definitely should.

VSCO

VSCO is my go-to app when I’m looking for more stylish edits - filters in particular. It features a bunch of stock filters that can add a lot of character to any photo, and can also double as a general photo editing app if you’re Snapseed-averse for some reason. The app also features a bunch of additional packs that you can add (for a couple bucks a pop)! Not too shabby.

Instagram Ideas: Conclusion

There you have it: my complete guide to Instagram photos and content. Hopefully, this gives you some ideas on how to make the most of your own Instagram marketing. As always, feel free to let me know if you have any questions in the comments below!

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