#also this person is a tankie so i’m not shocked

[spacelazarwolf]

yeah. they are u fucking moron.

imagine saying shit like this while transphobic hate groups primarily championed by cis women are lobbying and voting to have trans people forcibly detransitioned. the senator who put forth a bill in my state to make sports sex segregated was a woman. the vast majority of the people who were protesting the trans clinic in my city were women. the person who got it essentially shut down was a woman. some of the strongest voices in the fight against transgender rights right now are white cis women.

what fucking planet are u all living on.

#also this person is a tankie so i’m not shocked #atm

[hero-israel]

Y’know, I’m not surprised at the level of anti-Israel rhetoric (although I am disappointed) but I am kinda shocked at the explicit support of Hamas that so many people are engaging in

I'm not shocked by tankies and Alt-Left types calling Hamas the heroic resistance, but I'm monumentally disappointed by how that way of thought has successfully colonized so many millions of people who had no prior exposure or commitment on the issue. It's like seeing QAnon take over again, but this time among college-educated young people who insist they stand for tolerance and human rights.

I had an argument over this with an online "friend-of-a-friend" (note: almost without exception, the friends-of-friends are bloodcurdlingly hateful antisemitic conspiracy cranks, it makes me wonder sometimes if my gentile friends would have accepted me as a friend if they'd first met me today). This person was denying the Oct7 atrocities and saying it was all a fake news hoax, I made the Sandy Hook Truther / QAnon comparison, and they derisively said "I'm the exact opposite!"

There is no "opposite," there are no "sides." Anyone can believe in paranoid-style racialized conspiracy theories. It doesn't matter the tiniest little bit if that person also wants free college and legal weed.

[ruakichan]

Another state of roo gaming conglomopost.

I may have mentioned it offhand, but I recently moved to a place that has no internet. I’ve had to rely on my phone & mobile data for online access, and the area has like... 2 bars on 4G on a good day with the weather and stars aligned. So while I’ve been able to access mobages that aren’t too hard on the data, like Exos and Alchstars, games like GBF had to be put on the ‘log in and that’s it’ backend. I tried to do GW and that was just ... lololololol.

So I’ve been doing some console gaming!  Namely Ace Attorney Chronicles and Tales of Arise. Gonna talk briefly about that! While I am avoiding spoilers and will talk in generalities, if you’re wanting to avoid any talk about those two, please be mindful of the cut!

Onward!

First off, Ace Attorney.  I’ve played all the games since the franchise was first localized, so was pretty happy we got these since we missed out on their initial release for the handhelds. That said, it’s definitely the AA formula—including the good and bad.  Love the wacky cast, offbeat humor, and off-the-wall wild storylines, especially since most of it is a huge lampshade to Sherlock Holmes stories (including outright mocking the “logic” of the Speckled Band), of which I’m also a huge fan of.  But it still has the biggest issue I always had with the AA games: soooooo muchhhh unnecessary text that takes forever to get the point. So I have to take this game in baby steps. I think I’m only on the last case for the first game right now.

Don’t like the prosecutor. I actually just let his lines autorun while I play my mobages when he’s up on the screen. So much racism. Sooooo so much. There’s a lot of it in the game, due to setting, but my god this guy won’t shut the fuck up, and I have to deal with enough of that IRL. I also just rushed through the fourth case cause of it. Not what I want in my escapism, thanks.

Overall though, I’m enjoying it, though the “Jury System” ignites a righteous rage in me in how unfairly irrational it is and I want to shake every single person on that board.

Next up, Tales of Arise, which I’m currently devoting most of my spare attention to these days (I’ve recruited the last of the main cast right now). It’s been a while since I really enjoyed a Tales of game; Xillia 2 was my last one that I really got into; I enjoyed Zestiria to an extent but the battle system was just tedious. (Did not play Berseria since nothing about it got my attention and Crestoria was such a shitshow at launch.)

Don’t like the theme song for Arise, especially after White Light from Zesty being such a banger. Intro felt lackluster too; I know UFOtable can do better, so seeing this one was a disappointment.

Sakuraba is my absolute favorite composer for video games, but Arise’s BGMs are so, so bad. So generic and lacking any strong motifs, I really felt that he phoned it in. I can’t tell any of the songs apart, but at least they’re so generic that it’s easy to tune most of them out.

English dub is pretty good! I always try to give dubs a chance and I think they did a nice job with this! Only one that I’ve side-eyed has been Law, who is my current favorite character, so I’m a bit sad about that.  Characters are decent enough; no one for me to get fannish over, but no one I’m like ‘god get them off my screen.’ They’re there, they’re inoffensive.

Battle system, once you get the ball rolling, is fairly fun and fluid, especially the Fatal Strikes or whatever they’re called in this game. Boss battles are extremely grueling at the moment—they are very tanky and spongy, so battles can last a long time.  Unfortunately sometimes there’s a lot going on on the screen, with a lot of systems the game wants you to manage, so it can be easy to get one-shot by a mistake you didn’t even know what was coming.  But nothing too frustrating. I feel like the game wants to encourage a lot of grinding but doesn’t actually give you a lot of places to grind at (Zesty had this problem too).  Button layout is a bit weird and gave me huge Graces vibes; unfortunately you can’t change the config. But still, I’m definitely enjoying it better than Zesty’s, but it isn’t as fun as Vesperia’s or Xillia 2′s.

Story wise... oh man. I know Tales of can be a trope-y series, but this one just plays everything straight. Everything I predicted just from being exposed to it for a few minutes, has come out exactly as I thought. No subversions or aversions here LOL, no shocking revelations. It’s also not a very compelling plot? It’s just a plot. Maybe it’ll get better now that I got all my party members and we can focus on fleshing out the story more.

The story is also fairly serious and there aren’t a lot of light-hearted moments, even in skits. I really do miss this aspect since it’s one of the reasons I like Tales of games—the humorous parts really help connect me to characters more, as it makes them feel more rounded and human, than just SERIOUS! ANGST! all the damn time. I can play a Final Fantasy game if I wanted that.

Speaking of skits, the presentation style is weird. Like, it’s hard to explain without someone visually watching it, but I really don’t understand why they went this route of faux comic book/storyboard scenes. I guess to save money on modelling actions but at this point, just do talking heads? I dunno. I got used to it, but it’s still really jarring when they come up.

Anyhoo, it’s still a decent enough game, though I’m still waiting for something to really ‘wow’ me.

#roo gaming

[gamesmasternotes]

Two Sessions In

I'm quite pleased.

We're now two decent sessions in to ym Dragonlance 5e campaign and we've covered a good amount of ground. The players are successfully getting into the system, learning the background, etc, and I've been very pleased to see them react just right.

At this stage, having replaced the Innfellows entirely (those characters no longer existing in the timeline, the party have reunited after five years of wandering searching for evidence of the old gods still left in Ansalon. They reunite in Solace to discover not only they they have each found something. Each has a piece to a puzzle which leads them to Xak Tsaroth, fearful of approaching armies they have all heard are coming from the north. Armies of DRAGON-men.

Their first encounter with Draconians they found very interesting, and they were suitably very shocked when they started turning to stone or exploding! The party are now VERY concerned that those Draconians were pretty damn tanky to start with, and theres evidence of armies marching around.

Thankfully they were too amused by Fewmaster Toede, so he survives to annoy another day.

And they've now also managed to get to Xak Tsaroth and are in the middle levels now. So they've neatly chosen the path which sets up the rest of the immediate story. This is veryhandy. I've even managed to squeeze in a side-quest to hunt for the Spellbook of Fistandantilus, which I hope will open some interesting roleplay opportunities later, especially as they move south beyond Pax Tharkas.

In the catacombs of Xak Tsaroth, about half have fallen in love with the Gully Dwarves, and the others have started loathing them (but no Dwarves in my party!).

And they've been correctly bricking themselves after their first encounter with Onyx (Above ground)! Which is perfect.

They're making their way down in search of the Disks, and I've planted the seeds for needing to do something with the Blue Crystal thing (had to change it from a staff), but I'm not sure they know what to do with it. I'll see how that goes!

_______________________________________________________

The players have also been told that they will not be earning Inspiration automatically each session, but will instead gain it if they offer a short write-up of each session on our club’s Discord server.

Here is the first, from the meditations of Shep, the Kagonesti Scout.

It is very good, to be back together. I am so happy to again be with everyone. In the other place before, it was very quiet, very peaceful, but cold without friends. Five years, it is a long time alone. A lot of time to think. A lot of time for things to happen, too many things to say. Some days I think, this time, this day I die maybe. But then I remember that I must do this and come back to them. They asked this of me. I promised them.

And now, everyone is excited, happy to be together again. It is very good we find what we search for, or sign of it perhaps. Gods look like what, anyway? I thought of this when I looked all this time. If I see it, will it look like gods look? Who can say? But if you don't look you can't find. Everywhere I went, I ask people 'where are there no people? I am looking for something lost people cannot find.

It must be where there are no people, or they would find it', and they say 'go south, there is no one there'. So I go south, and I don't know what I find, but after a long time I see something strange, and everyone is very excited to hear it so perhaps I did find something good anyway.

I don't know what is happening next, but we will do it together anyway. We will see.

_______________________________________________________

The second session log, from the diary of Tedorock the human Barbarian:

Scrawled in a ragged leatherbound book in poor handwriting: What a day, after so long being apart from my friends we have already started a new adventure together, I was the first to arrive to the inn it was amazing to see Otik again and Tika got so big, I didn't recognise her but I'm glad they remembered me, I would have been very sad if they didn't.

Seeing Lily again was a shock, at first I didn't recognise her but when she pulled her disguise off it took me by surprise, she is properly grown up now and looked very tough made me feel proud! we got to eat lots of food and soon Robert arrived he hadn't changed at all just as fancy as ever! and soon after Shep, Sasha and Dastan all arrived, they said a Frog-man had bothered them on the way into town, I've never heard of a frog man before! I was so happy to see them all, I'm glad Shep hasn't changed a bit, Sasha has grown up so much too it so nice to see her doing well.

I told everyone about my adventures, and about my dreams that D'Argent told me were from the gods! I wish we could have stayed in the Inn I missed it so much but we got warned that the town Chief was coming for Lilys neckless her proof that there are still gods! So we had to run away, Robert and Dastan stayed behind to draw them off, they are strong warriors but I am very worried about them...

It was fun to be on the road with my friends again but I wish we were all here, I didn't get to see Gelbin or Tilda I hope they are ok too, we slept all together in a cave with delicious water in, but when we woke up there was a strange wizardy type man, he told us about some people that failed I think? he spoke so much and didn't make any sense all I could figure out was that we needed to go to the place in my dreams.

A new crumpled page in the book:

This day was less fun, We found an abandoned settlement, it seems like the people managed to escape, I hope they are ok...

There seems to be armies running around causing terror, Nightshade told us they attacked his home, it makes me so sad to hear about all these people we cant help. I don't remember the fight with scaled men I went to the bad place again and it was over fast.

The Stars are missing! I knew something was wrong with the sky, I woke everyone up cause they are all very smart, and they figured out it was the stars of Paladine and Takhisis gods who had a war in the past! I wonder if they are going to fight again?

A small note scrawled in the bottom of the book:

I can't sleep, that huge monster that tried to eat us has freaked me out I thought the old dwarf fort would be safe.

A hastily written page, the paper a bit damp from the moist underground air:

Its been another strange day, We found the place we needed to go! but it wasn't all good, fighting those lizard men again was scary, but not as scary as that DRAGON! I feel bad about running away but it just scared me so bad... That temple felt nice though it must have been Lilys mum Mishakal, shes a god I think? she made Lily all strange like too happy to be a person. I'm glad shes found what she has been looking for for so long. I can't believe I found some new friends here in the temple, those small guys are so nice that they told us lots of stuff and that they loved my pickles, no-one who likes pickles can be bad. They told us to speak to their boss Fudge-high-burper and that he was underground.

This underground place is a bit dangerous so many holes to fall into but making another friend was nice, I'm glad she likes pickles too Boopa is a good person, That slide she led us too was fun but I am a bit worried about her Tribe being led by ogres, they didnt sound very nice.

A small note written in a corner of the page:

*I'm scared to go fight the Dragon, I know I have to but I really dont want too. *

#GM #games master #dungeon master #campaign #game notes #game planning #rpg #roleplaying game #tabletop #d&d #Dungeons and Dragons #dungeons and dragons 5e #dragonlance #krynn #ansalon

[mama-m1na]

Apocalypse: Chapter 3

~~~III~~~

The following morning, Cloud made his way to the young leader's suite once more, the hall still empty.

The door was answered by Rhamina who wore her usual outfit and had her hair up in a twist.

"Morning, Cloud!" she chirped as the male stepped into the room, "Did you eat breakfast already?"

"Yeah, I already ate," the male replied as he noticed the female limping again, but this time he could actually see bruises on her shins and calves.

"So, I have the shit all set to go in my room. Just follow me please," she said, leading the male to her bedroom.

It was around the same size as his and also had a balcony; but unlike his room, hers displayed her personality quite well.

She had a queen sized bed shoved into one corner of the room with purple sheets, two matching pillows and two fox plushies sitting on it.

The wall above her bed was decorated with a blue tapestry depicting two fish, each representing yin or yang.

A few feet away from her bed was a black computer desk that had her laptop and various pieces of stationary organized on it.

Along the adjacent wall was a small altar for what looked to be a pagan practice while wind chimes hung above it.

A few feet from the altar, along the same wall, was a small table with a small TV and game system sitting on it.

One the wall opposite to the bed was her closet with sliding doors and next to it was a vintage styled, floor length mirror with a black cherry wood frame.

The back of her door was filled with pictures taken in the past; some with her family, others with some that he assumed to be friends, and some that Cloud couldn't figure out.

"Here are the contracts you need to sign and the ID forms you have to fill out," Rhamina said as she handed him a generous amount of paper, "They're pretty self explanatory so I'll just leave you to it."

"Let me know if you have any questions," she chirped before flopping onto her bed, allowing the blond to use her desk.

Much to the ravenette's surprise, the male actually made it through the papers quite quickly with little to no questioning and they even had a decent conversation going on about their past battle experiences.

"So how did you manage to hurt yourself yesterday?" the male asked as the two switched spots so the younger one could scan the papers.

"Ah, well you see, when I first got in the plant, I wasn't expecting anything to be on since the outer turrets were inactive," she started with an embarrassed smile as she started up the scanner that was a part of the printer, "When I stepped off my fan, multiple turrets started firing at me, so my first instinct was to get cover and I did, but I fucking tripped on the way over there."

"Man, I was lucky those were stationary turrets and not drones," the teen chuckled, watching as the documents were slowly being uploaded to their systems, "I just basically sprinted through every room to get to the stairs."

"You didn't fight a single one of them before you got to us?" the blond asked from his spot, sitting at the edge of the female's bed as his sword leaned on the wall behind the door.

"Nope, my main focus was getting the door open for you guys and I didn't want to waste any time," the female replied as she began typing, "And being completely honest here, I didn't even realize I was bleeding until I opened the door."

"I probably should be concerned about that fact, but at this point I really don't," she chuckled, placing the papers in a manila envelope, "I'm just so used to getting injured at this point."

"From what I've seen, you have enough skill to avoid those kinds of things," the male replied as the printer started up once more, "Why don't you?"

"It's just how I grew up and how I learned," the female shrugged, "I'll dodge, and I can if I know something will physically incapacitate me, but I've just fought and trained to be tanky. I can handle a lot."

"What else?" the male asked, not missing the mischievous glint in her eyes as she explained her reasoning.

"You're catching on," the ravenette hummed, cracking her neck as she turned her chair to fully face the male.

"Entertainment," she explained simply with a dark smirk, "It's really funny watching an opponent's cocky grin fade to sheer terror as the enemy they thought they had beaten rises from the dead just to whoop their ass."

The eighteen-year-old let out a breathy chuckle before her eyes widened in realization.

"Jesus," she huffed, brushing a few stray hairs from out of her face, "I need a fucking therapist."

"Anyways!" Rhamina sang as she turned back around to pick up a small plastic card from the printer before handing it to Cloud, "This is your ID. Make sure you don't lose it and keep it on you at all times, It will be used for signing up for jobs, getting discounts from our sponsors, and general identification purposes."

"Alright," the blue-eyed male said, stashing the card away on his person before gazing over at the female who was turning off her electronics, "What now?"

"We're going to be going on a little day trip around the city," the teen chirped as she stood up, prompting Cloud to do the same.

Before the pair left the suite, Rhamina grabbed a pair of sunglasses from her desk and a black, cross body purse.

The teen led Cloud to the back of the building and into their parking structure, walking up to the top floor that still had a roof over it.

She led him over to a group of parked motorcycles and held her hands out, saying, "Take your pick!"

"What?" the male asked in slight shock as he blinked at her in confusion.

"Well, since you're going out on jobs you're going to need a vehicle like the rest of us and I noticed you were really good at driving bikes when I saw your memories, so go for it," Rhamina explained with a smile on her face as she nudged the male forward.

"The entire top floor of the lot only has unclaimed vehicles, so anything that catches your eye is yours," she continued as Cloud scanned the various vehicles in front of him.

After a few minutes, the male stopped at a bike with a dark navy blue body, almost black if one were just giving it a passing glance.

It seemed to be in a little better shape than the others and was much cleaner than the biked that surrounded it.

He was brought back out of his little trance by Rhamina dangling a pair of keys in front of him with an almost forced smile on her face.

"Made your choice?" she asked with a wink, jingling the keys once more, "Go on. Take him for a spin."

The male took the keys from the girl before she backed up and started the vehicle, holding his buster sword in his left hand while his right remained on the handle.

He revved the bike up, getting a feel for it before taking off.

The bike felt so easy to use for the trained male as he weaved expertly through the turns within the parking structure.

Five minutes later, the male ended up right in front of the ravenette, saying, "Get on."

"Wait, what?" she uttered with wide eyes as she gripped tightly onto the strap of her purse.

"You said we're still going somewhere, right?" the blond asked as he saw the female merely staring at him, "It'll be easier for us this way."

"Okay," the ravenette muttered, biting her lip and eyeing the vehicle warily before getting on behind the male and wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Is this your first time on a motorcycle?" he asked, looking over his shoulder to see the female avoiding eye contact, but he could feel how tense she was.

"No it's just... been awhile is all," she chuckled nervously, "I'll be fine, just head west on Winchester for now. The place we're going to is on the border of the Abyss and Clean Side."

The male narrowed his eyes in suspicion, but went ahead and followed her directions, not missing the way she pressed herself closer to him as her grip tightened ever so slightly.

It took about fifteen minutes for them to get to their destination, which was a mechanic shop with no sign above the door.

"The owner is one of our sponsors, so have him refine the armor plating and add any other mods that you think would be useful," Rhamina explained as she got off the bike, "I'll pay for everything as a welcome gift."

The unease she had during the ride was completely gone as the pair walked up to the doors of the shop.

"Hi, Anton!" the female chirped as they entered, seeing a male who looked to be around the same age as Cloud sitting at the front counter.

"Sup, Virgin," he greeted bluntly, causing the ravenette to deflate slightly as the two walked up to the desk.

"Do you have to call me that each time we see each other?" she asked with a frown on her face, "You know what my actual name is."

"Yeah well, have you gotten laid yet?" the brunet asked with a smug smirk as the female's face began to heat up.

"Fuck off!" Rhamina huffed as she turned to the side with her arms crossed over her chest.

"You can't expect me to not make fun of you for this," the male reasoned as he leaned forward, "you work in a brothel for fuck's sake."

"As a security guard, Anton!" she snapped, throwing her arms in the air out of pure frustration.

The male raised his brows before pointing right at her and saying, "Your name's on the request list."

That was the last straw for the ravenette as she stormed over to the door before turning to Cloud and saying, "Cloud, you talk to him, I'm going across the street to get food. Meet me there when you're done."

With that female left the ship, leaving Cloud with many questions about the interaction before Anton asked, "I'm guessing you didn't know?"

"What?" the blond replied, now focused on the man behind the counter.

"That she's inexperienced," the brunet clarified with a lazy shrug as if the previous conversation didn't even happen.

"It isn't any of my business," the twenty-one-year-old replied with a frown as he crossed his arms and kept his weight on his right.

"Whatever you say, man, but it's true," he spoke with a chuckled, "Have you ever seen a prostitute that's never had sex?"

"So, what did you want done on the bike?" he asked upon seeing the male's eyes narrow further, "the virgin told me about you guys coming in yesterday."

After specifying what exact modifications he wanted made to the bike, Cloud handed over the keys, only for the mechanic's jaw to drop.

"No fucking way," Anton gasped as he recognized the keys, brushing his hair out of his face.

"What is it now?" Cloud asked as the brunet looked between the ex-SOLDIER and the set of keys a few more times.

"These are Danny Boy's keys," he muttered more to himself than anyone else, "She fucking gave you Danny Boy?!"

The male hopped over the counter and walked out the front door to confirm that the bike in the parking lot was indeed the one he remembered.

"Let me get this straight," Anton said as he walked back inside, "she gave you that bike and you drove here? With her on it?"

"Yes," Cloud replied, starting to get annoyed at how the male was keeping him in the dark, "What's the big deal about it?"

"She must really trust you, fuck!" he said, not answering Cloud's question, "I never thought I'd see that thing again."

"Wait, Danny Boy?" another mechanic asked as he walked out of the back room with a water bottle in hand.

Yeah, that bitch actually gave this dude Danny Boy!" Anton replied as he tossed the keys to the younger male named Kevin.

"Listen, man," Kevin said, addressing Cloud, "We don't have the full story, but we know that Rhamina almost died a really violent death on that bike because of the previous owner. If you want the whole thing, go to white boy Justin and show him the keys. He should be willing to tell you if you ask nicely."

"Thanks," the blond nodded before he started to walk towards the door.

"One more thing," Kevin called, "Don't talk about this with her unless she says something first."

The male nodded as he walked out the door, sighing as he did.

It was a pretty nice day out, the sun shining with a gentle breeze to keep the temperature in a moderate range, unlike the summer seasons in southern California.

When Cloud had reached the only food place across from the shop, he saw the ravenette sitting at the counter by the window.

Her attention was immediately on the male as he walked over and sat to her left, leaving one empty seat in between them.

"I didn't know what you wanted, so I just ordered you chicken katsu as well," she spoke as she turned to face him, "And I'm sorry for storming out like that... If it isn't obvious, I don't like him."

"I don't either," the blue-eyed male huffed, earning a small chuckled from the teenager, "The way he talks is annoying."

"He really doesn't know when to shut his mouth, but I have to admit, he earns the slightest bit of my respect with how good he is at what he does," Rhamina replied as she scrolled on her phone, "He takes care of all the Apocalypse vehicles and, damn, he's good."

At that moment, the worker at the counter called up the ravenette's order number, the teen giving a small smile as she went to pick up their food.

"So," she started as the female passed the blond his food, "I'm guessing they lost their shit when they saw Danny Boy."

"Yeah, I didn't know the bike had such a history with all of you," the male spoke, carefully watching the teen's reactions from out of the corner of his eyes.

"They told you about it?" The female asked sadly as she kept her gaze down on her food, lazily fiddling with her plastic fork.

"They mentioned it," Cloud clarified as the female next to him slowly nodded in understanding.

"Well, I'm sorry to say that I can't bring myself to tell that story just yet, and I know you deserve to know about it since you now own his bike, so just ask around the building when we get back," Rhamina instructed, still not looking in the male's direction, "I'm sure one of the boys will be willing to tell you everything they know about it."

An uncomfortable silence fell over the two as they ate their lunch, with the teenager looking at her phone in between bites of her chicken katsu.

"Anything else planned for today?" the male asked, not used to the lack of conversation with the female who was usually talking at every meal he'd had with her.

"Well, after we eat, I was planning on going to the mall next door to get you a phone," Rhamina spoke with a small smile, "It'll make things a lot easier for you when you go out on jobs and it'll be easier for me to get information to you."

When the two were finished with their meals, the eighteen-year-old led them to the large collection of stores, specifically heading to the electronics store.

"From what you told me, you had phones like this in your world, right?" she asked once they were in a deserted part of the store, showing him the touch screen devices they had.

"Yes," he confirmed as he looked around at the devices, "Although they were just small slabs of glass."

"The thought of just carrying around a lone piece of glass gives me anxiety," the female huffed before calling over one of the employees.

She ended up getting him a similar phone model to her own with a sturdy case that somehow let him use the touch screen even with his thick gloves on.

When they discovered this, Rhamina's jaw dropped as she was utterly shocked into silence.

"I'm just not going to ask," she sighed before the two strolled around the male, waiting for Anton to finish on the bike.

By the time he did call it was already four forty-five in the afternoon, causing the ravenette to cuss under her breath.

"Do you think you could drop me off at Arcaeus?" she asked as they crossed the street, "I'm going to be late for work."

"Yeah, it's fine," Cloud replied as they re-entered the shop, Rhamina paying for all the services while trying not to explode from Anton's taunts on her nonexistent sex life.

"Are you alright?" the blond asked, noticing how apprehensive the teen was when approaching the bike that now had a place for him to store his sword while he drove.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she spoke with a lopsided grin on her face as she got on the back of the bike, keeping a good grip around the male's waist.

The ride back to Rhamina's workplace was quite silent, but this time the male could begin to understand why.

"Thanks, Cloud, I'll see you tomorrow for breakfast," the ravenette said before giving the male a quick hug and disappearing into the building.

The male huffed in surprise, just staring at the door for a few moments before riding back to the Apocalypse building.

As he rode past the front of the fence, many of the older members immediately recognized the bike and began telling others, some even following around to the back of the building.

Upon seeing this, Cloud sighed, parking in an empty spot on the second floor of the lot before descending to see that a small crowd of people were waiting in front of the back entrance to the building.

In front of the group was a young woman with shoulder length hair like fire, a dark expression in her eyes as the male approached.

"So, she gave you Danny Boy?" the female stated as she stood right in the man's path, glaring right into him.

"Yeah, who's asking?" the male scoffed, only for him to get a knife aimed at his throat as hazel eyes bore into him.

"If you even breath in Rhamina's direction in the wrong way, I guarantee I will not be the only one gutting you," the girl growled before storming off into the building as the crowd parted for her.

No one else in the crowd confronted the man, but he could hear their whispers floating about.

As soon as he stepped foot into the lobby, Cloud's phone began buzzing and he pulled it out of his pocket to see that Rhamina was calling.

He answered the call as he stepped further into the lobby, giving her a short greeting as he picked up.

"Cloud, are you okay?" the teen asked from her end, voice full of concern, "I just got a text from one of the kids that said they saw you getting surrounded at the lot."

"Yeah, I'm fine," the blond sighed, still feeling the gaze of others on him, "Someone threatened me, but other than that nothing happened."

The male heard Rhamina sigh before she said, "I'm sorry about that, Cloud. We really have no chill, but you're okay?"

"Yes."

"Well, if you want Danny Boy's backstory, then go to Justin M, the one who drove us yesterday," the ravenette instructed, "He should be in the game room on the first floor... Well, I've gotta go, bye!"

"Bye," he answered before the line went dead, his new objective at the moment to find the game room.

"Hey, Cloud!" a familiar voice called as he turned around to see Juan-Angel with a taller male next to him.

"Heard that Rhamina actually gave you Danny Boy," the taller male spoke, "Never thought she'd let anyone touch that thing."

"You know anything?" the blond asked, only for both boys to head their heads.

"We joined after it happened and it's a really touchy subject for people here," the taller male shrugged, "Anyone who knows about it has practically sworn themselves to secrecy."

"Do you know how to get to the game room, then?" Cloud asked, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

"Yeah, we were just heading over there," Juan-Angel said, beckoning the twenty-one-year-old to follow them.

The game room was just that; a room with games from poker to darts and even a corner with just video games.

Justin was sitting at the couch playing Mario Kart with some of the other members when his attention was drawn to the new recruit.

"How can I help you?" he asked as Cloud approached him, handing off the controller to someone else.

"What's the deal with the bike?" the blond asked, getting straight to the point as he stood behind the brunet's spot on the couch.

"What bike?"

Cloud handed the younger male the keys to his new vehicle, causing a look of recognition to cross Justin's face.

"Well it started about three years ago when Apocalypse was starting to grow in power," he started, turning slightly to face the blond, "Rhamina, being the empathetic little shit she is, decided to go and save this guy named Ky from a smaller gang that was harassing him."

"He seemed innocent enough and was really useful on that bike of his, so he was recruited into the group," Justin continued, "But after a few months, he started acting hella sketchy."

"He got really close to Rhamina and became really possessive of her; he wouldn't let others get new her that easily and would downright threaten people if they even looked at her," he explained, "but the two faced fuck, managed to slip right under her nose every time, because he would change personas whenever she showed up. Eventually, he ended up drugging her and kidnapping her to attempted to do this dual suicide thing because he believed it would keep their souls together for eternity or some shit."

"This was happening when Rhamina was fifteen, mind you, so when she got back, she locked herself in her room for like two weeks and wouldn't come out for anything unless she was sure no one was around to see her," Justin spoke as others in the room were also listening into the story, "When she did start interacting with people again, it was like nothing had even happened to her, but we could tell that shit fucking traumatized her."

"That's what fucking happened?" the male that was with Juan-Angel asked, "Holy shit, what happened to the guy?"

"She killed him," Justin shrugged.

"Fuck."

"You know, I'm pretty sure Ky is the reason, she taught herself how to get out of handcuffs," the brunet spoke as he handed the man back his keys, "she's really good at it now. "

"And I mean really good," the male emphasized, "I think the fastest she's gotten out of a pair was fifteen seconds."

When Rhamina came home that night she was absolutely exhausted and very irritated as she refrained from slamming the front door behind her.

A group of guys started harassing her girls, which was normal; however, as soon as she went to take care of them, they started making comments about how no one would ever love a girl like her and it absolutely set her off.

"They just had to go and say that," she muttered as she grabbed a can of cream soda from her fridge, "Couldn't have made the usual comments about how I looked, had to hit so close to fucking home."

"As if I don't know that I'm going to die alone," she grumbled once she got in her room, "but at least I'm dragging asses down to hell with me."

After changing into a black camisole and a pair of shorts, the teen walked out onto the balcony to cool off.

Not noticing that she wasn't alone, Rhamina opened her soda and angrily took a sip before slamming her free fist down onto the metal railing.

"God damn it!" she hissed, hunching over to rest her forehead on the railing, the cool metal feeling nice on her heated skin.

"Rough day at work?" a male voice asked, causing the female to jump in surprise before turning to her left, only to see Cloud on his balcony a few feet from hers.

"Yep, shouldn't have been though," she replied with a small chuckle as she gave him a small smile.

"What happened?" Cloud question as he looked over to the young woman who let out a groan.

"Some guys came in and started talking shit and got under my skin," the ravenette sighed as she brushed her hair out of her face, "Don't know why it did though, it's shit I'm used to hearing."

"Then just beat their asses, right?" the male shrugged, earning a small chuckle from the female as she looked out over the land below.

"Please, don't ever change, Cloud," she mused with a bright smile, mood already elevated, "but yes, I did beat their asses and they went down so easy."

"A lot of the thugs that have the gall to violate basic rules of consent are usually all bark and no bite, but it's important that I keep all of my girls safe," Rhamina continued with a small smirk, "They are my main sources of information when it comes to other gang activity."

"What?" the male asked, blinking in confusion as the female looked back at him with a smile.

"See, when I first started working in brothels I noticed something," she explained, "When males are really intoxicated, or uh... horny... or both, they get really chatty and my girls are trained to draw out information."

"Arcaeus is famous for not only being the most luxurious brothel in the county, but my girls who are really experienced in the areas of debauchery," the ravenette continued, pride filling her chest, "we have men from all over the state coming in from other organizations, not knowing the girls are extracting information from them and giving it to me so I can add it to our databases."

"That's how you get your information?" Cloud asked with a raised brow, "and it's reliable?"

"Very," Rhamina chirped in reply, "It's not just about getting a guy drunk, you know? You have to know what subtle cues to drop so he feels like he wants to share instead of you prying for information."

"Psychological tactics," the ex-SOLDIER identified as the female took another sip of her soda.

"Precisely," she confirmed, "A great set of skills I developed and used even before the world went to shit."

"That's dangerous," the male commented as he leaned forward on the railing of the balcony.

"It is, but, if you really think about, I need to be," Rhamina mused before she finished the rest of her drink, "If I weren't dangerous, then people wouldn't take us seriously and they would still be trying to walk all over Apocalypse."

"You gonna start taking on jobs tomorrow?" she asked after a few moments of silence, the slight breeze picking up her hair.

"Yeah, I'd like to get started as soon as possible," the male replied, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Then I'll show you how to navigate the job listings tomorrow," the eighteen-year-old said as she stood up.

"I'm going to head to sleep now," she yawned, walking back to her door before giving one last look to the male, "Goodnight, Cloud."

"Good night."

That night as Cloud laid in his bed, his mind took him back to the void of white he had seen his first night in this world.

"How curious that you've managed to find your way back into my realm without me drawing you here," the figure sitting at the large canopy bed said, still hidden by the sheer drapes around it, "Welcome back, Cloud."

"Mandallyth," he stated, the name feeling very strange on his tongue as he stepped a bit closer to the bed.

"Indeed it is I," the figure chuckled as they crossed on leg over the other," how have you been settling in, Cloud?"

"I've been fine," he replied as he looked down at them from his standing position, "Why do you ask?"

"It seems like you've been getting along well with that girl," they commented as they checked their nails, "I would highly advise against getting any closer to her."

"She's just trying to help me," the male spoke, "she doesn't mean anything to me."

Cloud could see the figure's silhouette shift to face him and he couldn't see them, but he could feel their gaze of complete and utter doubt.

"I'm serious, boy," they spoke with a dark edge in their voice, "That girl is a monster. She's not human."

"And how would you know that?" Cloud asked with narrowed eyes, "What exactly are you anyways?"

"We'll see if you still say the same when the beast reers her true face," the figure huffed, "but for now, you have things to take care of. Until we meet again, Cloud."

Like the first time, the male began falling once more with panic flooding his system before he jolted awake in his bed.

The male let out a huff before he rolled to check the time on the clock that sat on his night stand.

Seven-forty-five, he still had fifteen minutes until he was supposed to meet next door for breakfast, so he just decided to play around on his phone.

The ravenette had added the numbers of all those who were at the weekly meetings for him so he had a group of experienced members to talk to if he needed anything, even thought he was sure that he wouldn't use them unless it was absolutely necessary.

When he came upon the female's contact, Cloud's mind wandered back to what he had learned about her the day before.

The girl was completely betrayed by someone she took in before, but she still found it in herself to say that she trusted the blond, a complete and utter stranger.

About five minutes later, a notification appeared on the screen, saying that the ravenette had texted him,

The text said that she was finished cooking so that he could come over if he was ready, which was what he did.

As Rhamina opened the door to let him in, a sweet scent wafted over to him.

"I made crepes today," the female said as she closed the door behind him, "I hope that's okay with you."

Normally the man wasn't very big on sweets, but he wasn't great in the kitchen and she was offering him free meals so he wasn't going to turn that down.

He took his seat across from the two girls and they all started eating their meals, small topics of chatter popping up as they did.

After breakfast and after Tijarah left for work, Rhamina sat down with Cloud on the couch to show him how to access the Apocalypse programs through apps on his phone.

"So you can sign into each app with a password or your biometrics, then scroll through what jobs are available," Rhamina explained as she helped the male get set up, "They're categorized by difficulty, pay grade, and how recently the request was put in."

"Then once you have a job picked, it'll have you confirm it by scanning your Apocalypse ID," she continued once the male had selected what job he wanted, "It had the meeting address here, so just put it into your GPS and it'll tell you where to go."

"Thank you," the male spoke as he stood up and walked towards the door.

"No problem," the female chirped as she walked him out, "have fun and good skills!"

Throughout the day the male just focused on getting jobs done, mostly killing monsters that had made it into the city.

At around noon, he received a text from the ravenette, reminding him to make sure that he takes a break to eat lunch.

By the end of the day he had managed to complete three jobs and secured himself quite a bit of money.

And thus began the ex-SOLDIER's new life in this new world.

~~~Fin. Chapter 3~~~

Masterlist

#Apocalypse #Chapter 3 #Fanfic #fanfiction #Final Fantasy VII #FFVII #ffvii remake #Cloud Strife x OC

[bioralyhis1978-blog]

I think I'm going to pick up the brushes from the new WnW Rebel Rose collection. I've gotten most of the brushes from their themed releases and it's a fun way to scratch the LE itch without spending too much money. I may pass on the rest though. That doesn make me boring or not have my own passions. It just what may make sense in the future. If I bringing in $5k a month salary, but me quitting my job and giving him an extra set of hands will let the business grow and bring in an extra $8k a month, then it makes more financial sense to help him out (very watered down version of the decision making, but the point still stands). After a while of drawing she went out to get food because she was hungry. About 10 minutes after she came back with food and 2 hours of me drawing this incredibly detailed drawing she leaned over to check the drawing holding her burger, and a big drop of grease dropped and landed smack dab in the middle of the drawing. I just sat there in shock for a minute unable to process all the work I just wasted.. I either take 4 hours to get ready or can't even be bothered to put on jeans. If I know I have enough time I'll usually go full regalia but if I'm 청양출장안마 worried that I won't have enough time I don't even start. This lifestyle has lead to some excellent personal experiences;. Just because you been blessed with perfectly smooth and hydrated skin doesn mean EVERYBODY has. Primer makes an actual difference in how my foundation looks, feels, wears, blends, etc. I have redness on my cheeks, blackheads and pores on my nose, and my t zone is very oily. New spots are ok with XP. Tshira got XP similar to gahaz. Red wolves are a bit lower cuz of tankiness, but if you one shot or close to that you are also pretty good there. I drugging my dog. I pleaded with the vet for some meds and he gave me some 청양출장안마 Trazodone. I not used the full amount that he Okayed (2 pills; instead average about .75 1 pill 2x/day) but it helps significantly. If you'd like some driftwood for your fire, Mistress Blythe, I'll bring you up a load some day. Sit down. I'm going to make you a cup of tea.". Having said that, you've got some thinking to do. It begs the question; why has this car been on the lot for six months? Why was the price dropped 3k? Both of those things are red flags to me, although it wouldn't prevent me from buying it. Do your due diligence first, make sure you'll enjoy driving it everyday. Rude, offensive, judgmental, sexualized, and generally mean comments will be removed and the user risks getting banned at the mods discretion. It was really helpful. A small update here, about four days ago I put coconut oil in my hair over night and washed it out with my new shampoo Nature Gate: herbal shampoo and conditioner from my local Sprout market. (Privacy Policy)Index ExchangeThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)SovrnThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)Facebook AdsThis is an ad network. But in a game with one life with an infinite amount of ways the game can play out and a high skill ceiling (because of building) then you shouldn get kills and wins handed to you. I agree with everyone else because I want ranked and I so damn tired of casuals complaining about getting wrecked. Also not everyone with ttv or 10+ kills us a cheater or no lifer, I literally play this game two times a week maybe 6 hours altogether.

[heterostark]

Sudden stan-ing for howard stark? Mcu tony stans do like to make him the victim a lot but in the case of howard stark like he was actually physically and emotionally abusive to comic book tony i don't think it's that much of a reach to the MCu. It's not an excuse for Tonky stark being a shit bag but still

I don’t necessarily agree with that entire post, however I will say that as of now in the MCU, we have evidence of Howard Stark being a negligent parent. That’s a problem, that is for sure a problem. I’m a current victim of abusive parents and the smallest shit can fuck you up.

However, I think the point of the post is to contrast the canonical emotional negligence of Howard that we’ve seen in the MCU with the emotional abuse and manipulation that Tanky directs at everyone around him. Being abused is not a reason to be incredible abusive. And so again, while I don’t agree with the evaluation of the post that Howard Stark lacked any abusive qualities in the MCU, I do agree that Tanky is a violent, rage filled, abusive fuck who should not be heralded as a father figure.

His father was bad, but Tanky stans try to blame Howard for literally every problem Tanky has, make Tanky out to be a bad person only because of everything that was done to him. As someone who has had many bad things happen to them? It isn’t an excuse. There’s no excuse for being an abhorrent person and also you don’t need to exaggerate the abuse in the MCU to make it seem more shocking. Negligence itself is very harmful and impacts children a lot, but making MCU Howard Stark out to be just as bad as he is in the comics is incorrect.

The MCU overall, however, has a very abuse apologist, victim blaming theme that runs through it to its core. Especially regarding IW, and GOTG2. I don’t stan Howard, I think Tanky stans blow his shit out of proportion to make it seem somehow “worse”, even though negligence itself is mega harmful. But of course Tanky has to have the “worst” (sarcasm, all abuse is bad) possible shit ever happen to him so nothing is ever his fault.

tldr; I don’t stan Howard, he is negligent at the very least in the MCU (which is harmful), but I can acknowledge that Tanky turned out awfully and that isn’t the fault of anyone but Tanky himself deciding to be an absolute fuck. There’s no evidence that I recall for Howard being physically abusive or mega emotionally abusive (there are elements of some emotional abuse but more can’t be determined without more scenes), and the MCU itself is very abuse apologist and somehow wants to forgive Tanky, Thanos, and Yondu, canon abusers, while demonizing Howard alone as the Only Bad & Abusive Man

#anti tony stark #anti tony stans #anti abuse apologism #ask #anonymous #mod wanda #original

[randomnoteforfuturereference]

Aftermath: Bombshell

With Business Dealings showing off the Nurses’ response to the Zimbits kiss, I thought it nice to have a counterpoint piece with the perspective on Dex. Though “nice” may be stretching things a bit in regards to this one. Continued thanks to my awesome beta @kleeklutch.

Warning: this fic contains explicit homophobic language, bullying behavior from someone twice the age of the bullied, allusion to past physical trauma, anxiety, and allusion to the current opioid crisis. 

With that said, I hope you find this to be an engaging story.

It’s late, and half the village is either asleep or getting ready to sleep.

The rest of us? Well, the rest of us are crammed into Aunt Trish & Uncle Jim’s diner and focused on the diner’s new sixty-inch OLED screen, just as we’ve done for the previous six games of the Stanley Cup.

Except now we’re no longer at the edge of our seats and filled with the tension that typified all seven games. Fucking seventh game overtime…

Now we join the cheers coming out of Providence.

Jack raises the Cup, and we all raise our drinks and let out another collective holler that’s probably loud enough to be heard from Bar Harbor.

As everyone else goes from watching the broadcast to chatting with each other, I keep my eyes glued to the television to see if I can find anyone familiar.

And there he is.

Bitty runs across the ice right into Jack’s arms. Because of course. Still, even as I roll my eyes, I smirk and raise my bottle to them. Jack not only deserves the Cup; the two deserve all the happiness they can get.

I bet Ransom and Holster have to resist pulling out the sin bin. Because the way those dramatic saps are hugging, they’re probably close t—Oh.

My smile fades as blood drains from my face. They aren’t actually going to… They wouldn’t be so reckless… They wouldn’t… Would they?

Bitty leans back and stares straight into Jack’s eyes. Something’s said, and the serious look between the two turns into smiles.

Oh fuck. OH FUCK.

I scramble for the remote. Everyone’s having fun celebrating, so nobody should notice me turning off the television. 

Gotcha! As I mash the remote’s buttons, the room goes silent.

They’ll probably tell me off for messing with the controls. I don’t care. It’s not like there’s anything to watch now since it’s just the post-game. All I’m doing is keeping the electricity bill down.

Then I see the blue light reflected off the countertop. No. This isn’t happening. Nonono…

As I raise my head, my stomach drops.

In grabbing the remote, I hadn’t turned off the television. I merely muted it.

On screen, my captains are kissing. Not the affectionate pecks that garnered so many fines. No, it’s the intense lip-locked version that they indulge in whenever they’d think nobody is nearby; their expectation is frequently not the reality, but it’s not like we’ve let them know that.

The camera hasn’t moved on but instead is zooming in on them. In the background, other cameras are focusing in as well.

Leave them alone, you fucking seagulls!

Of course, they don’t. As there’s no way in hell the media’s going to look elsewhere, I turn away for them.

I immediately regret my decision.

Everyone in the diner has their widened eyes locked onto the screen. There’s no more joy on their faces.

Only shock.

I steel myself for what will come after that shock. I hope that they’ll accept Bitty and Jack, whom they were cheering just minutes beforehand. I prepare for the possibility that they may not react well to the news. To be honest, a cowardly part of me just feels relief that the matter will be settled one way or the other, and it’s not brought up by me.

Finally, Pa breaks the silence:

“Huh.”

… What.

I wait for the elaboration on that. Any kind of elaboration. Anything. Anything!

Uncle Miguel looks in my direction. Dammit, anything but focusing on me.

“The blond boy…” he notes, “that’s your captain next year, aye?”

I almost gag in my attempt to get my throat unstuck. “A-ayuh.”

“… Huh.”

Oh for FUCK’S SAKE!

Aunt Meg chimes in: “I mean, from what you told us about the blond one, I can kind of see it? Didn’t you say he’s a bit…?” She makes a limp-wrist gesture.

I’m saved from answering that by Uncle Jeremy saying, “Yeah, no surprise there. But Jack Zimmermann?”

By now, the whole diner is overcome by a low chorus of discussion, bafflement, and speculation. As well as those damn noncommittal grunts. Not to mention a bucketful of confusion from my younger cousins; one’s just asking me if that means Bitty is the girl.

The whole while, I’m trying and failing to make sense about the reaction.

While there are some comments of disapproval about how Bitty and Jack are making a scene, nobody’s explicitly disparaging or condemning the two. Which I guess is good? But nobody’s offering notes of support or at least acceptance either; though I suppose the comments about the “gutsiness” of the move count as a positive.

Overall, nobody seems to know what to think about this. If they do know, they certainly aren’t letting their thoughts be heard.

It’s pissing me off.

“So Zimmermann’s gay,” states a cousin.

“Bi,” I correct.

“Huh.”

Okay, that’s it! I all but throw my hands up as I move for the exit.

“You knew.”

The hissed accusation stops me in my tracks as I realize that there’s one person who would have a stance, and I turn to have Uncle Owen glaring right in my face.

“I… I—“

“You knew those two were screwing each other.”

Uncle Owen punctuates his statement by jabbing his finger into my chest.

In this moment, it doesn’t matter how much hockey has built me up. I feel like I’m a scrawny ten-year-old again, and each jab forces me backwards. Except for those in the immediate vicinity, most of the crowd is still too deep in conversation to notice.

“How long, boy?” he spits.

“Since…” I hate how small my voice sounds. I hate how those around me, even though they don’t like Uncle Owen, are curious for an answer. I hate how part of me wants to give more information than they expect but… can’t. “Since December.”

Actually longer, but nobody needs to know.

Nobody needs to know anything.

“Only two years in that libtard ‘school’, and you’re just full of surprises,” Uncle Owen muses. “Wasn’t the captain elected unanimously by the team?”

“Yes.” Shit! My answer comes out just as I realize why he asked that question. But it’s too late to take it back.

“So you knew the little shit’s a pervert and still voted for him?”

“He’s not a pervert.” I grit out as my hands ball into fists.

“So you say,” he sneers. “And I hear you’re spending the next year in the same house.”

A small part of me feels relief that he doesn’t know that I’m going to room with Nursey. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to control myself right now if the shit he spews goes in that direction. “The rent’s better.”

“Hah. Of course that’s your excuse: ‘The rent’s better.’” There’s a gleam in his eyes that’s too knowing for my liking. “What other faggoty secrets—“

“That’s enough, Owen,” Pa growls while shoving his way through the now-silent crowd. “Leave my son alone.”

My father may be leaning his cane, and he may have kept his right arm back home. But in this moment, he looks ready to kick any able-bodied asshole’s ass.

Uncle Owen sputters, “You’re willing to let this Cultural Marxism—“

“I don’t give a flying fuck if Billy has a Little Red Book in his back pocket. You say another goddamn word to him tonight, and I’ll convince Shannon to finally cut you out of her life for good.” Pa doesn’t even raise his voice, but it’s enough to make everyone take a step back. “That will be after I rearrange your face to be as ugly as mine.”

I don’t know how long the standoff lasts. I only know that Uncle Owen is the one to back down and storm out… and that the bloody crescents in my palms are probably going to last a bit.

As if to enforce a sense of normalcy, the collective conversation picks right back up where it left off. This is despite the subject of the conversation being anything but normal. Still, Pa and I spend a few more minutes milling around before he nods to the door. Then the two of us take our leave and begin the walk back home.

As the sounds of the diner fade, I finally check my phone. Surprise surprise, the chat feed is on fire. Right now it’s mostly incomprehensible gibberish; also Nursey’s making cryptic suggestions to check the national business news in the coming week.

Once everyone calms down, the team should discuss how to proceed from here.

Finally, I look up from my phone and back at Pa to state, “… You do know I’m no tankie, right?”

Pa chuckles, “I know. Just making a point.”

Heh, yeah. A point. He’s just saying that he’d love me no matter what. But would his love really be so unconditional if I actually started spouting commie, nazi, or beardie propaganda? I know mine wouldn’t.

So then why did he bring it up?

Uncle Owen was the one who said ‘Marxism’ first, and Pa was just taking the statement to its logical conclusion. Don’t think too much of it.

But did Pa rebuke Uncle Owen because what was being said was wrong? Or was it just because I was attacked?

If Uncle Owen made his language just focused on them gaysexuals, would Pa make the same statement except with the Little Red Book replaced by a rainbow flag? If he did, would that mean he considers being queer as bad as a communist?

I know that I should really be giving my father more credit than that, and there’s a weight in my stomach at the fact that I’d even have doubts. But still…

Pa nudges me. “Something on your mind?”

“Just… thinking about the coming year.” Which is technically the truth.

That gets a nod from him. “It will be interesting. No doubt about that.”

Yeah… interesting. I can just see the attention Bitty will get between him being Jack’s boyfriend and the first out NCAA ice hockey captain. Media may even come to Samwell.

People will know Bitty lives at the Haus. People will know where the Haus is; even if the media doesn’t divulge the location, it’s not like it’s hard to find due to all the damn kegsters.

What if we get paparazzi waiting for Jack to come to Samwell? What if there is paparazzi obsessed with Bitty himself? What if we get assholes who decide that spewing shit in a comment feed won’t cut it?

We don’t even keep the door locked. But even if we get the Haus secure, we have to walk to campus. Even in school, it’s not like they gate off the campus and limit access.

We should put in new locks and give out a limited set of keys. Convince the frats to install a surveillance system along the whole street. Maybe we’ll even have to stop hosting kegsters so often.

We should do something. We need to do something. We need to do something now! We need to try to keep several steps ahead of them even though they’ll keep trying to find a new way. That includes at our games.

The away games. Fuck. I forgot about the away games. FUCK!

Shit. We’re fucked. We’re so f—

“Billy!”

Pa’s voice forces me to stop walking, and it’s then that I see that I’m at least twenty yards ahead. Billy, you fucking idiot. Hell of a son you are.

“Shit,” I blurt out while rushing back. “I-I’m so—”

Pa cuts me off: “Enough of that. Right now, I just need you to breathe.”

It’s only at his request that I realize my breaths come in rapid gasps and that the hand I’m offering shakes violently.

I try to do as I’ve been taught, but I can’t seem to get anything under control. Pressure builds behind my eyes. Oh, now you’re going to cry about it?

A hand firmly clasps my shoulder, and I look up to see Pa heaving deep even breaths for me to focus on. It’s not easy, but eventually I force myself back on track.

Once stability’s restored, Pa tentatively asks, “What’s the matter, Billy?”

This time, I don’t have to make the truth a technicality: “Just wondering how the school’s going to deal with the media and security issues.”

Pa nods and thankfully doesn’t ask me to elaborate. “I’m sure they’ll figure something out.”

I’m also thankful that he leaves it at that and doesn’t try to further any reassurance as we continue walking in silence.

A silence which only lasts for another few minutes. “So… your captains are together.”

When Pa comments like that, without the crowds around, the situation feels even more naked than before. 

Maybe I can get something out of it though.

“Ayuh,” I mutter. “What do you think about it?”

Pa looks off at some unspecified point. “Well, I can say that my bombshell doesn’t compare to the one they set off,” he remarks with a wry smile and a waving of his forearm stump around the right side of his face.

Jesus Christ… “Jesus Christ, Pa.” It’s not like he hasn’t made similar jokes before, but I still fail to find them funny.

Pa rolls his eye and thumps me on the back. “To answer your question… I don’t know what to think. Though it’s not like it affects us,” he states with a shrug.

It affects us more than you think. “You do know that a lot of queer folk come Downeast, right?”

“Ayuh, and I know they help keep Mount Desert’s economy afloat. Make great music too. They still just pass through at most.”

So is that how it will be okay? As long as distance is maintained?

“Well one of them is going to be officially leading me.”

Pa creases his brow. “Yeah, he is, isn’t he.”

“The other did lead me, and it’s not like he became magically bi after graduation.”

“Hm…”

My jaw clenches. At least it’s not fucking “huh”.

Our porch light shines into view and guides us inside. Once we get to the kitchen, Pa takes his prescribed painkillers while I watch; I know it’s irrational of me as he hasn’t gotten hooked so far, and it’s not like I’m here all the time, but I can’t help it after a few recent cases.

As he sets his glass down, Pa sighs, “Look, Billy. I know they’re your friends. So maybe I don’t get it. Doesn’t matter. I trust your judgement.”

It does matter. But still… “Thank you.”

“Hell, they’re welcome to stop by.” Pa barely finishes his statement before barking out a laugh and shaking his head. For a brief moment my stomach clenches until he murmurs, “Like a Falconer would come here…”

I hide my relief with a huff: “You never know. You saw how full of surprises they are.”

That gets a much warmer laugh from him. “Ayuh. They really don’t do anything halfway, do they.”

For once, I allow myself to join in on the laughs. Maybe things can be alright. Maybe they will be alright.

Maybe… just maybe… “Pa, I—”

“Though I’m not sure if I can handle any more surprises,” Pa chuckles before looking up at me. “You say something?”

… it will be a disaster. “Nothing. It’s nothing.”

I say goodnight, Pa pulls me in for a one-armed hug, and I make the obligatory noises of protest when he kisses my forehead.  

Then I walk to my room and shut the door to let darkness envelop me.

“Nothing at all.”

[lewnatic]

d&d asks!! 1, 2, 19, 32!! :)

These are all really tricky questions for me, I’m having a lot of fun thinking about them.

1. A favorite character you have played.

I don’t think I can possibly pick a favorite between the three I’m currently playing.

I think Vesxlit is the most fun to play, though. She’s an extremely sheltered, extremely spoiled nerd who is kind of hailed as the messiah of her people. She means well, but so much of her life has taught her to have certain expectations about how people will treat her. She’s always shocked when those expectations are broken, no matter whether it’s actually a big deal or not.

Being so sheltered, it’s fun to play her as being genuinely amazed by the world around her. Also she’s a weird giant bug, and thinking about their mannerisms is always entertaining.

2. Your favorite character that someone else has played.

Jesus, I have so many favorites in our party alone.

I really have to talk about Gloria Meteora though. She’s a warlock drag queen who uses magic to have a different appearance every day. But you could never mistake anyone else for Gloria. Her personality is unmistakeable, and her player’s acting is always fucking incredible. I’m always excited to hear what the look is for today, or what her next performance will involve. I have both laughed hysterically and cried genuine tears over Gloria Meteora.

It probably helps that my stoic, deadpan paladin has a not at all lowkey crush on her.

19. Do you or your party have any dice superstitions?

Personally, I think it’s bad luck to roll randomly? Like, just rolling a D20 idly as you’re sitting around. I don’t think it “uses up the luck” in either direction, it just gives me a generally bad feeling. Which is why whenever I accidentally double-click in Roll20 I grumble about it.

32. What role do you like to play the most? (Tank/healer/etc?)

I tend to gravitate toward any kind of caster. I have a lot of fun with picking spells. I especially like healers, they have a lot of potential for really clutch moments, and I lowkey get high on being told thanks Lewn you’re great Lewn what would we do without you Lewn

Paladin has been really fun for me, I’m not used to being tanky. I’ve really been enjoying charging in for a change.

#dnd #lewnspeak #highkingpetermagnificent

[beholdthepowerofyuri]

Hyrule Warriors - BotW

 So, with the Switch out, one thing it’s been noted for is releasing either undated ports or straight-up sequels to Wii U games (they’ve done it with Mario Kart 8, Pokken Tournament, Splatoon, and they’ve heavily implied that they’re going to do something similar with Smash 4), I wouldn’t be too surprised if they eventually revealed either a port or (probably more likely) a sequel to Hyrule Warriors.

So, obviously, they’d have to capitalize on the hype of BotW, and include at least one (if not all) of the Champions if they did. And I could see each of them working fairly well. As such, here’s my speculation on what each of them could possibly bring to the table...

First is my personal favorite out of the Champions, Urbosa

She’d be a Lightning warrior, and her weapon would be “Scimitar”; Level 1 - Gerudo Scimitar (which also has her equipped with a Gerudo Shield) Level 2 - Moonlight Scimitar (which also has her equipped with a Radiant Shield) Level 3 - Scimitar of the Seven (which also has her equipped with the Daybreaker) Level 4 - Scimitar of the Seven+ (same as level 3)

With her huge, muscular build (*drools*), I can see her being a bit of a lightning bruiser who’s both fast and powerful, but is a bit lacking in defense due to the Gerudos’ overall tendency to wear little armor and leave a lot of skin exposed.

Her X attack (or Y if you’re like me and prefer the “Zelda Style” control settings) would be to use Urbosa’s Fury; she snaps her finger, and a bolt of lightning comes down directly in front of her, doing a small amount of damage, but stunning anyone hit by it. Additionally, several of her combos could end with a powerful shock via Urbosa’s Fury.

Lastly, her special attack would be a powerful sword combos, ending with her calling upon Vah Naboris to unleash a massive, wide-range blast of lightning. Or something like that. For obvious reasons, I thought it would be neat to utilize the Divine Beasts in some way or another for each of their Special Attacks. ------------ Next is Daruk;

He’d be a Fire warrior, and his weapon would be “Goron Blade” Level 1 - Cobble Crusher Level 2 - Stone Smasher Level 3 - Boulder Breaker Level 4 - Boulder Breaker+

He’d be about what you’d expect from a large rock-man weilding a giant metalic sword-hammer; slow, powerful, and tanky. Admittedly, his overall fighting style would probably feel similar to Darunia’s, though I can think of a few ways to keep them form being basically clones of each other.

The biggie would be his X (or Y) ability; Daruk’s Protection. Similar to the likes of Ruto and Twili Midna, he’d have a separate meter that would increase as he dealt damage to the enemy. Once said meter is full, you activate his famous barrier by pressing X/Y, which will block any and all damage from enemy attacks. To keep it from being too OP, it’ll only last for a few seconds. 

Another possibility is to include a counter mechanic similar to the parrying from BotW. If you activate Daruk’s Protection right as an enemy is about to hit you, they get stunned, which leaves him open for a punishing counterattack. Additionally, there’s always the possibility for some “barrier bashing” (like shield bashing, but with a barrier) in some of his combos.

For his special attack, he’ll call upon Vah Radunia, who will proceed to kick a conveniently located volcano and make it erupt. Daruk protects himself with his barrier, while the are around him is bombarded with a shit-ton of magma bombs. ------------ After that, we have Mipha;

Surprisingly, she’s Water. Imagine that. And her weapon will be “Spear” Level 1 - Zora Spear Level 2 - Silverscale Spear Level 3 - Lightscale Trident Level 4 - Lightscale Trident+

Okay, so Mipha was a bit tricky, and I ultimately ended up taking some liberties with her when I came up with ideas for her. Aside from being adorable, the only thing she had going was her healing ability, Mipha’s Grace. Dunno if something like a free heal would fly in a game like Hyrule Warriors. But I didn’t want to leave it out, since it’s such a huge part of her in the game.

As such, Mipha’s Grace functions similarly to Fi and Cia’s X/Y ability; rather than an attack, it gives her a temporary buff to Defense. 

As for her fighting style...honestly, just picture Ruto with a spear, and that’s more or less the mental image I’m getting. She’s very swift and graceful, and while each individual attack doesn’t deal a whole lot of damage, they’re quick to execute, so the damage adds up rather quickly; kinda like the spear weapons from BotW.

Additionally, while some of her attacks would still involve water, I figured out a fun way to further separate her from Ruto; have some of her combos involve flinging Cryonis cubes. I mean, Vah Ruta used them during the “battle” against it (also that entire sequence is easily one of my favorites in the game), and she does have control over Vah Ruta. So it’s not too far fetched.

And let’s be real, HW has already taken more than a few liberties with various characters’ movesets, so why not?

Anyways, for her special attack, I thought it’d be fun to base it on one of the shrine quests. 

Basically, once you clear Vah Ruta and get the Lightscale Trident, there’s a shrine you can unlock by heading to a place called the Veiled Falls, where there’s a waterfall and a shrine platform. What you have to do is swim up the waterfall with the Zora Armor, then use the aerial spear attack (a death-from-above stabbing attack) and land on the platform.

So basically...that. She calls for Vah Ruta, who sprays a waterfall-like stream from its trunk for her to swim up, and then she dive bombs spear-first into the group of enemies, creating a shock wave that smack anyone nearby. ------------ Last, and certainly least (because I honestly don’t like this guy), is Revali.

His element would be Light, but only because I didn’t want to repeat elements, and Dark wouldn’t really make sense. Honestly, if they do make a sequel, they should add a Wind element. That’d be a lot more fitting. Anyways, his weapon is “Bow”. Level 1: Swallow Bow Level 2: Falcon Bow Level 3: Great Eagle Bow Level 4: Great Eagle Bow+

At first, it was kinda hard not to picture Revali playing a lot like Medli, with the only obvious difference being that he he’d have a bow and not a harp. Fewer gusts of wind, and more arrow barrages. But as far as how they move around, a lot of the ideas I was coming up with ended up being cases of “wait didn’t Medli do that?”

With that said...yeah. His X/Y attack is more or less the same as Medli’s. He uses Reveli’s Gale to fling himself and any opponents next to him into the air, then he can either do a flurry of rapid attacks against the enemies in the air, do a dive-bomb attack against enemies on the ground, or perform a few air dashes.

Because I don’t see the follow-up attacks working well with a bow, I figured he could brandish a Feathered Edge for these (and a few of his other combos), possibly as a nod to how Link can use both a melee weapon and a bow in both games. Honestly, there’s no other reason for it other than it might look kinda cool. Other than that, though, most of his attacks will involve multiple barrages of arrows.

For his special attack, he’ll leap into the air and call upon Vah Medoh, who will swoop in and bombard the area in front of where Revali was standing. Then he’ll pull out his bow and fire three Bomb Arrows simultaneously. I can’t help but picture it being done in slow motion, as a shout-out to the mechanic from the actual game. ------------ Anyways...yeah, that’s pretty much it. This isn’t meant to be a prediction or anything, and if it actually does happen, I’ll be surprised if they’re anywhere close to what I’ve put here. This is just something I thought of when I was bored that I feel would be pretty sweet, and decided to post for the hell of it.

Also, can we get a Giant Boomerang weapon for Link? ‘cause like...that’s kinda my favorite weapon in BotW. I don’t even know how a moveset centered specifically around it would work, but I want one.

Anyways, I’m done. If you like what you see here or think you have an idea that would work better, I’m more than open to comments and/or criticism. Just...you know. Try to keep it civil is all I ask.

#the legend of zelda #breath of the wild #hyrule warriors #speculation #random #just for fun

[randomnoteforfuturereference]

Aftermath: Business Dealings

This has been an idea I’ve been mulling over for some time due to thoughts about Nursey’s family and how they’d react to a potential public coming out for Jack. 1800 words and takes place during episode 3.26. In any case, thanks to my ‘swawesome beta @kleeklutch, and I hope you enjoy.

Now has a companion piece that takes place in Maine.

“Thank you for making time on such short notice and during what must be a busy time for you.”

Mama’s words accompany a slow stirring of her tea as the morning rays reflected by the Financial District skyline bathe her in dappled light.

Opposite us, via projection on the drop-down screen, sits Georgia Martin in what I suppose is her office with Providence Harbor as the backdrop. “Don’t worry about it, Dr. Nurse,” she replies with a grin. “It’s a welcome change in pace from the reporters.”

Mama gives a smile of her own over her cup. “No doubt. In any case let me first congratulate you and your team on an amazing and well-earned victory. That was quite a nail-biter the whole way through.”

“Thanks. I have to say that we’re still running on that high.” 

It’s probably all they’re running on. That and coffee. Many probably can’t tell at a first glance, but I’ve been around enough power players to know that she’s probably keeping it all together by sheer will.

“Yes, you could imagine how ecstatic my son was at seeing his old captain make the winning shot. In overtime at that.”

Martin’s eyes aim in my direction. Pretty sure that she’s still wondering what a college kid is doing sitting next to his mother during a meeting of this magnitude. “’Nursey’, right?” she asks. “Number Twenty-eight? That was an impressive slapshot in your last game against Harvard. Amazing synchronization with Twenty-four as well; you two make quite the pair.”

I almost choke on my drink. “Thanks, ma’am.”

“Jack never hesitates to share highlights from Samwell with us.” Somehow, that doesn’t surprise me. It would surprise me even less if ninety percent of the highlights involve Bitty.

“We’re quite proud of him,” Mama adds with a smirk. “But you know that just gushing over player performance is not why I called.”

Martin leans back and apprises both of us before putting all of her focus back on Mama. “You’re interested in sponsoring.”

“Or a partnership. Whichever is going to be a more effective use of our resources.”

“Well, I can’t say I’d mind. We’ve had people and companies lining up ever since we went to the playoffs,” she explains before blinking owlishly at us. “But that isn’t the case with your offer, is it.”

“You are correct,” Mama affirms while setting her cup down. “I’m not interested in any offer going into salaries or sports equipment. Overall, it was about the game, I’d have sponsored the Rangers a long time ago. They have history after all.”

“And are the home team,” Martin adds wryly.

That’s dismissed with an airy wave. “Yes, New York is my home and where we are headquartered, but we’re also not bound to a single metropolitan area… or nation for that matter. Some will throw a fuss in regards to us supporting an out-of-town team… but, well, it’s not like this company is a stranger to protests.”

“Hashtag ‘fight the power’…” I mutter under my breath while forcibly keeping my eyes from rolling.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m the first to criticize Mama for her business and r&d practices, but sometimes the vitriol put forward by others are downright ridiculous. That many of those protesters are hyper-privileged white dudes — “kale-munching, latte-guzzling tankies” as a certain ginger loves to say; to his credit, he stopped associating me with them before the end of our first semester — makes their motives all the more suspicious.

If Martin hears me, she shows no sign. “So why are you interested in us?”

Mama simply taps on her tablet to bring a single video up to view. The video is of Jack and Bitty kissing on the center ice; their full attention focused on each other despite being surrounded by strangers and the media.

In the wake of the game’s end, I was infected by the high of the win and dancing with glee. The moment I saw the two embrace however, surprise overtook that elation and—

Well, the details regarding me aren’t important.

What is important was the reaction from my family. Mama and Papa, despite being very hard to shock due to all they’ve witnessed and dealt within the boardroom and courtroom respectively, gaped wide-eyed at the screen. Even Sis, who never ceases to have a sarcastic quip regarding professional sports, was at a complete loss for words.

When they turned their stares towards me, I knew what the unsaid question was. Pretty sure they were legit impressed that we all managed to keep the secret for over half-a-year; not sure if I should be pleased or miffed at that.

In any case, the SMH group chat is still on fire. And it’s not all cheers.

Dex and Chowder, being the rays of sunshine that they are — okay, Chowder is a ray of sunshine a good chunk of the time; though many forget that sunlight burns — have already considered this old news and are now discussing with the older guys strategies to head off those who wish to intrude upon our lives.

Because there is already discussion in the media about the fact that “Zimmermann’s boyfriend” — there is no small amount of entertainment watching some sports commentators struggle saying that — is going to be the first out NCAA ice hockey captain. And with that publicity, there has already been a slew of… opinions.  

“The thing is,” Mama continues, “while this is spectacular news, it in itself is not what prompted me to make the call.”

She switches the footage to show statements from Martin and the older Falconers.

As the vids are muted, Mama asks, “Is Zimmermann scheduled to appear yet?”

Martin’s face goes blank. “Jack and Eric are taking well-earned time to recompose themselves.”

Translation: the Falcs have zero clue where the two are, and it’s probably driving management insane.

Well, we’re just as in the dark.

“Completely understandable, and we wish them all the best,” Mama notes. “So, were you serious about what you said in front of the cameras? It is a risky move.”

“Maybe,” concedes Martin. Then her eyes light up with the kind of fiery passion that must have caused opponents to wet themselves while she was in skates. “But this isn’t just PR. When Jack came out to me, I told him the kind of organization that I wanted the Falcs to be. One that went beyond what should be common decency and actually towards raising the bar for the League as a whole.”

A smile graces Mama’s lips. “And that’s why I’ve expressed my interest,” she states before turning to me. “And I will admit that, beyond general morals and principles, I have a personal reason for throwing in my support.

“Derek?”

Shit, it’s my turn already? Granted, I wouldn’t be here if not for the fact that I came willingly.

Still I turn my chill up to maximum in the hope that my jitters don’t show. “I’ll say off the bat that I’m not straight. Bi… Pan… Personally I’m not attached to labels. What matters is that I’ve been out and comfortable for some time now. Helps that Samwell’s welcoming.” A breath. “Hasn’t always been the case, and even if I was interested in going pro — with no disrespect, I’m not — the nature of the League is a major sticky point. Not just about my orientation but also… you know…” I wave my hand around my face for emphasis.

I know Martin gets the point when she lets her composure slip with a grimace and says, “Yeah. I take you’ve read some of the articles focusing on Thirdy. We crack down pretty hard on such behavior at home, but some away venues are more lenient about what’s said on the ice or from the stands unless the media is breathing down their necks.”

“And the media is sometimes the problem,” I add. After Martin gives a weary nod, I get myself back on track: “I have mad respect and support for groups like You Can Play, which I know the Falcs have been active in. However, considering how many times players have been disciplined, it’s clear that speaking out against bigotry reactively can only do so much. So while I do think advocacy groups are important, teams themselves should take the initiative.

“Ever since Jack came out to the Falcs, you and his teammates have shown it’s a real possibility. You’ve been walking the walk; including by making sure his secret was secure until the kiss. And when that happened, all the statements made so far have been matter-of-fact support.

“So while I’m a fan of the Falcs because of Jack, all of this makes me think that the team is a bar setter in all the right ways.”

I might as well been swimming underwater the whole while, considering the way I end my speech with a gasp for air. Mama uses that as a point to enter back in:

“Some may think that just means there is bias affecting my decision. I counter that bias informs a lot of our decisions. In this case, is it a bad thing?” she posits. “Overall, my hope is that our involvement the Falconers isn’t just to promote greater inclusivity in professional sports, but also to start other social programs.

“And while it may be hard to tell, know that I’m not just doing this for PR points.”

If anything, Mama’s taking a risk with this as not all of her clients may approve of her activism.

“Don’t worry about that, Dr. Nurse. If I thought you were just jumping on the publicity bandwagon, I would have told you to wait with the other potential sponsors as we get our bearings straight,” assures Martin. “So let’s just say you’ve had my attention for some time.”

“Excellent! And I must say, it’s not like we don’t already have the perfect symbol for such a partnership.”

To punctuate her statement, Mama pans and zooms the cam to focus in on one of the office’s windows. As if on cue, one of our Peregrines lands on the ledge with a freshly-killed pigeon to feed her fluffy eyasses.

The sight makes Martin bark out a laugh in wide-eyed surprise and delight. “Didn’t expect that. But you’re right; they are quite appropriate. I’m sure Tater would be delighted to incorporate them into FalcTV.”

“Once we finalize this, your team will be welcome here. Which reminds me: Derek, you may go.”

I take the cue to get right up, say my farewells to the two ladies, and make my retreat out of the office. As I close the door behind me, I hear Mama’s next few words before the rest get muffled:

“So… let’s talk business…”