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matan4il · 3 months

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Daily update post:

A terrorist in the PIJ (Palestinian Islamic Jihad) has admitted in his interrogation that they practiced for the Oct 7 massacre on Iranian soil. This is important to remember, that it wasn't just Hamas that committed the vicious attack on Israelis during that day, that the Islamist regime in Iran's involvement was crucial to what happened, and that Gaza was NEVER "an open air prison" as the anti-Israel crowd claimed. The above link has the vid quoted here.

Yesterday, Golani infantry's division 36 has left a section in northern Gaza, as a part of lowering the intensity of the fighting there. A short while later, no less than 50 rockets were fired from exactly that area into southern Israel. Yoram Bitan's shop in the southern town of Netivot took a direct hit from a rocket while he and his son were still inside (pic is from this vid, where the start also shows the barrages of rockets over Netivot). They're both thankfully okay, the building absorbed most of the impact.

Just this morning, at least 25 more rockets were fired from that area of Gaza into Israel, before IDF soldiers managed to find and destroy some of the rocket launchers that were used in these attacks (see pic with just one barrage of intercepted rockets over Israel on the horizon, Hebrew source). If Israel can't lower the intensity of the fighting, that's absolutely also because of Hamas' continued choices. Israeli civilians from the south are currently protesting against the possibility that Israel will stop the war before the complete removal of the threat of rockets being fired from Gaza.

The IDF has confirmed yesterday that it has eliminated more than 150 Hezbollah squads since the start of the war.

I got to watch an interview with Shirley (not necessarily her real name), who was a prison guard where Palestinian terrorists were held. She was sexually harassed by a terrorist called Muhammad Atallah for 2 years. Towards the end of her service at this prison, he told her that her life is being threatened by Amjad Awad, a Palestinian terrorist, who murdered the Fogel family when he was 18 years old, together with his relative, 17 years old Hakim Awad. These are 35 years old Ruti, 36 years old Udi, 11 years old Yoav, 4 years old Elad and 3 months (!) old Hadas in Mar 2011. Amjad and Hakim were actually on their way out of the house, when they heard baby Hadas crying in her crib, returned and murdered her (Hebrew source).

You can hopefully understand why Shirley was terrified when she heard Awad wanted to kill her, and Atallah claimed he could keep her safe, using this to try and rape her in a spot between two gates in the prison where there are no cameras. She fought back and saved herself. Atallah, who is imprisoned for attempted murder and murder as part of his terrorist activity, was put on trial back in 2022 for sexual harassment of Shirley and attempted rape, as well as for raping another female prison guard.

But in the interview I listened to yesterday, Shirley talked about how horrified she is over the possibility that Awad and Atallah might be freed in a hostage deal, where Hamas will demand terrorists with "blood on their hands" be released.

Last night, the IDF presented the findings of an investigation into the cause of death of 3 hostages, whose bodies were retrieved from Gaza. The autopsy determined that they were NOT killed by direct IDF or terrorists fire, but the bodies are in such a state, that it's impossible to determine what did kill them.

These are Michal and her husband Alex Lubnov.

Alex worked as a bartender at the Nova music festival on Oct 7. He was kidnapped to Gaza. Michal is seven months pregnant. This week, she visited the site from which Alex was kidnapped for the first time. She's waiting for her husband to be freed, and be with her at the delivery room.

(for all of my updates and ask replies regarding Israel, click here)

#israel #antisemitism #israeli #israel news #israel under attack #israel under fire #israelunderattack #terrorism #anti terrorism #hamas #antisemitic #antisemites #jews #jew #judaism #jumblr #frumblr #jewish

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bogleech · 2 months

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It's been almost eight years since I moved to Oregon and it's cleaner, safer and healthier than anywhere I've ever been, easier to survive by far and there's technically lots to do, but I still know hardly anyone out here who's in a place to socialize much (unless they just assume I don't wanna??) or we're just on very different schedules and just a little too out of one another's way. I had tons of friends in Florida but they all moved to different places around the country too. I've found very little new to do with life in general that's actually taken off. It just feels like I'm doing nothing these days but aging.

This year I go back and visit my original home town for the first time since moving and I don't know how it's going to feel when I'm actually there, because it doesn't feel like eight years have passed, it feels like maybe two or three. But when I left, my relatives there were still exactly how I remembered them when I was growing up and full of all the same energy. I already know the time I've been away has been enough that they've all slowed down or are in senior care suddenly, all at once, and multiple places I used to go have been bulldozed. The forest near my old home has shrunk by more than 3/4.

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ziseviolet · 6 months

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Qipao/Cheongsam Taobao Shop Recs

A while ago I received a direct message asking for recs on where to buy qipao/cheongsam, and I figured I’d make a post for others who’d also be interested.

First of all - I think qipao should be tried on and bought in-person if at all possible, since having the right fit is important - especially if it’s for a formal occasion like a wedding. However, since that’s often not possible, I’ve compiled a list of online shop recs, mainly for more casual occasions.

Since English-language online qipao shops are plentiful and easy to find, I’ll be focusing this list on Taobao shops only. Please note that these are my personal recs, based on my own aesthetic preferences. Thus most of the recs are for shops focused on retro-inspired, minguo-style qipao made using the traditional 平裁/pingcai (flat tailoring) method. Also, I have not actually purchased qipao from any of these shops (all my qipao were bought in person) - this is based mainly on how appealing I find the designs.

1. 嬉姷/Xi You - Elegant qipao modelled closely on historical designs, mainly from the Republican era/minguo. Careful attention paid to historical details. My favorite qipao shop to browse for fun:

2. 海上芳时/Shanghai Fancy - Specializes in chic minguo-style designs of the 1920s-1940s. Recently came out with a neat art deco-inspired collection:

3. 唐之语/Tang Zhi Yu - Retro-style qipao in a variety of bold prints, with a focus on the form-fitting designs of the 1950s-1960s, including those from the film “In the Mood for Love”:

4. 繁莳/Fancy Dream - Dreamy, delicate retro-inspired qipao and modified qipao. Also has a nice selection of winter majia (vests):

5. Top Ulara - A large selection of classic, retro-style qipao with a hint of glamour. Offers lots of long/thick/layered qipao suitable for colder weather:

6. 梦回故里/Menghui Guli - Nostalgic, conservative retro-style qipao for all seasons. Old-fashioned in a good way:

7. 柳园旗袍/Liuyuan Qipao - Retro-style qipao with bold and interesting prints, in styles from the 1910s to the 1960s. The shop currently doesn’t show any products, but hopefully it’ll restock soon:

8. 限时赏味/Xianshi Shangwei - Streamlined, retro-style qipao in subtle colors and prints that exemplify understated elegance:

9. 茉茉/Momo - Tons of options for simple, cute, and casual retro-style qipao suitable for daily wear. Designs tend towards monochromes and all-over prints. Another review/rec here:

10. 珞珞如石/RoseEra - Simple yet elegant retro-style and contemporary qipao. I love the shop’s use of sheer fabrics & layering in its designs:

11. 向南飞FLY - Offers a selection of casually stylish retro-style qipao and modified qipao for daily chic:

12. 川黛/Chuan Dai - Soft, feminine, pastel-infused qipao & modified qipao in retro-inspired and contemporary styles:

13. 四斤自制/Sijin Studio - Creative, avant-garde takes on (modified) qipao & qipao-inspired outfits:

14. 密扇/Mukzin - Colorful, playful, and irreverent modified qipao and qipao-inspired outfits. There’s also an English website here:

If you like the above qipao but still want an English website, there are several Taobao resellers that carry similar designs - for example, Beth and Brian Qipao.

Finally, when it comes to in-person shops, I want to highlight Xiangjiang Silk Co., a relatively new boutique in New York City specializing in actual vintage 1950s-1960s qipao. There’s an article here on the boutique and its founder Heather Guo (who was featured in Vogue). Store visits are appointment-only, so you’ll have to reach out to Heather via her social media if you want to drop by.

If anyone has reviews of the above shops and/or more qipao shop recs, please share! ^^

Bonus: I also have online shop recs for hanfu (1, 2), modified hanfu/hanyuansu (1, 2), hanfu accessories, weimao, and hair accessories.

#qipao #cheongsam #modified qipao #recs #taobao #hanfu #modified hanfu #hanyuansu #>100 #chinese fashion #chinese clothing #china

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angryschnauzer · 4 months

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January 11th 2024

Yeah its been a while since i updated. I haven't had the energy to if i'm honest, but here we go.

Hubby had his brain surgery end of November '23. The tumour they took out was a nasty one, somewhere between the size of a golf ball and a kiwi fruit. The wound has healed well with little to no side affects apart from some double vision, but he was checked out for that and it is a common after affect of brain trauma and was remedied with an eyepatch for a few weeks.

We met with the Neuro Oncology team at Royal Marsden Hospital in London. They are one of the best (if not the best) cancer treatment centres in the whole country, and we worked through a treatment plan.

Just before Christmas hubby was also cleared to have shoulder reconstructive surgery (he broke his shoulder bone in the original seizures back at the end of October '23). There was a really small window of time between it being enough time after the brain surgery that he could go back under general anaesthetic, but also enough time to mostly heal before he started Radiotherapy and Chemo, so just 5 days before Christmas hubby was in and out of our local hospital in a single day to have that surgery.

Christmas was a quiet and subdued affair. I also herniated a disk in my back the day Hubby had surgery (i was clearing the deep freeze out ready for grocery delivery), so it meant both he and I were dosed up to our eyeballs on strong painkillers for most of the holiday, and Little Dude spent the majority of the break either playing video games or building his new lego sets.

Two days before Christmas i also had to have emergency dental work (i had been grinding my teeth and had previously cracked a tooth) and whilst i was in the dentists office some utter idiot crashed into my car. That was the last thing i needed but i simply handed it all over to my insurance company (who are aware of my husbands situation) and they arranged a hire vehicle and sorted repairs.

Onto the start of 2024. This is the first week of Radiotherapy and Chemo for Hubby. He is getting very tired and fatigued already from the Radiotherapy, but thankfully no nausea from the chemo as yet, but that could change over time. He is scheduled for a full schedule of 6 weeks of this dual treatment, where we are having to visit Royal Marsden every day Mon - Fri for the six weeks, and then he also takes the chemo 7 days a week for the six weeks.

He'll then have 4 to 6 weeks 'off' treatment for his body to relax and recuperate, but will have scans and MRI's during that time to gauge what further treatment will be, but its likely to be just chemo but a stronger dose, but no radiotherapy. The chemo is to be 3 weeks off one week on, so a 4 weekly cycle.

The one thing we have discovered isn't done is prognosis's. When we first got to Royal Marsden we were shocked as they started talking about years, and explained that although it was a really nasty tumour, it was found very early and whilst it was still relatively small for its kind. They've discussed things like 'this years treatment plan then we'll look at next years', and also for a while Hubby was being considered for a clinical trial which candidates who have prognosis's of 12 months+ are only considered for. In the end he didn't meet the criteria (his cholesterol was too high). The Macmillian Nurses also have been talking to us about Mobility Car assistance schemes where you can get govt assistance financially and get an adapted vehicle on a 2 year rolling lease. All these timings are reassuring in one way, but worrying in another - we have no idea what the future holds and it really does cement in stone that our time is limited and could end any moment, and makes it very difficult to make any long term plans. You don't realise how much of your life is preplanned until you end up in this situation and aren't sure if you can book your kid onto the school residential trip in 5 months time.

Should anyone want the mundane daily day-to-day life updates you can follow me on my personal instagram @simone_with_an_e its generally a load of utter boring bollocks, but i try to keep it updated daily with updates when i can as its a lot easier to do 1 short paragraph than a big update.

For me my mental health is a little better now that i've had time to process Hubby's diagnosis and that he is getting treatment. There are still days or hours when i fall apart, and it could be something as simple as listening to a song on the radio as i drive back from dropping Little Dude at school and i realise the song would be lovely at his funeral. I end up having to pull over and have a cry whilst switching the radio off. I'm loosing weight and aging quickly, my hair is turning grey from stress and i realised i've aged about 15 years in the last 3 from stress. My appetite comes and goes, and things like red meat now turn my stomach and i can't digest it. But i also haven't drunk alcohol since the day before Hubby had his seizure back in October. I feel like i need to stay 'alert' in case i need to rush him to the hospital for something. I don't miss it as such, but I miss the ability to fully relax. Its hard to describe but i feel like at the moment i've lost myself and am just functioning to care for those around me, going through the motions as such.

Anyway, this has been a long update. I do still lurk here, you may see me pop up in notifications liking something, but at the moment i don't feel its right to start putting fandom stuff back on here yet. I do hope to get back to writing at some point. I miss it and the unfinished stories plague my mind as i have such lovely plans for story arc's and really want to finish them.

Take care all,

Schnauz

xxx

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glitteringcrab · 2 months

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Maybe I can use that someday

Okay. I think... I have an inkling... of what Evil Morty had in mind when he said "you are a little different though Rick" and "maybe I can use that some day".

And it might provide some insight on why he's still on the Curve.

I-I think there... could be... some basis/buildup for the following theory (I can't really say there is buildup, because it's all a matter of interpretation right now), but I gotta admit there are A LOT of "ifs" in this equation, soo... It's all just a hypothesis.

Anyway, here goes. ('tis a long post)

So when S7E5 aired out, I remember thinking: What on earth is so dangerous that Evil Morty, who single-handedly took down the Citadel of Ricks, needs help to deal with???

There are a few contestants for this pedestal:

1. A civilization outside the Curve (What the f*** is that?!?)

2. One of Rick Prime's creations. I mean, we know he didn't like to manage people any more, so it's unlikely he ruled an empire that suddenly became headless after his untimely departure, but given that he liked building, as Rick C-137 put it, "elaborate shit", and that he had "free time" it's still possible we haven't seen the last of his creations. No way he was just sitting ducks in the Omega Device v2 waiting for someone to visit. Maybe he made something that hoarded resources that Evil Morty discovered and would like to loot?

3. The weird Morty cult (eh, weak)

4. Maybe Evil Morty doesn't need help to protect himself from someone, maybe he needs help to build something. E.g. another dimensional drive, that separates him from everyone else?

5. Maybe Evil Morty didn't have anything specific in mind when he said that to Rick C-137. Maybe he just recognized the potential there. (although I cannot help feeling this is NOT what it is; that CHIN TAP. What are you thinking, Evil Morty???)

6. Oooooor....

Well... I know we all think that whoever Rick is responsible for the cables in Evil Morty's head is long dead (I mean... I've read the fanfics and seen the fanart, although "Evil Rick" typically stars in those :P)...

...But I can't shake off the feeling that he is alive and well somewhere.

Which, on first thought, doesn't make any sense:

Exhibit A: That Rick (Imma gonna call him Puppetmaster Rick) is obviously not around Evil Morty any more!

Exhibit B: Evil Morty never seemed scared while in the Citadel, just fed up, tired and miserable.

He was okay with making himself a public figure by running for president; it seems to me he wasn't particularly worried a specific Rick would recognize and go after him (and it should be relatively easy to tell apart Evil Morty if you actually know what you're looking for: you only have to scan Mortys' heads for cables).

Exhibit C: Supposing that guy really is still alive and Evil Morty really is scared of him/hates him, but for some reason was unable to kill him originally, wouldn't it be hilariously easy to kill him once he got the whole Citadel's arsenal and manpower at his disposal?

So why did I think Puppetmaster Rick is alive in the first place?

The answer is this:

The mention of this... "super weird" Rick.

When this scene played out, my first thought was that "Super weird" Rick had an unhealthy obsession with tulips or something. Or that he filled all his creations with polka dolts. Something so crazy and silly that would make any other Rick go "ugh" and decide to give him a wide breadth, no matter how clever and valuable Super Weird Rick's brain was.

After the reveal that Evil Morty was the one really talking in this scene and that he had been going after Rick C-137 specifically, I reached the conclusion that this was all made up. That the "spectrum of all Ricks" was not real, it was something that Evil Morty came up with so as to provide a non-suspicious explanation on why he's targeting Rick C-137 in case Rick C-137 escaped. (Even though, you know, Evil Morty must have filtered through which Ricks to attack somehow... a Doofus Rick who specializes in baking wouldn't be particularly useful to Evil Morty. So... it makes sense that the Spectrum of All Ricks is real...?)

And I know that in Pocket Mortys Rick Prime was the one called "weird Rick"; but is Rick Prime really weird by Evil Morty's standards? He thinks all Ricks are trash, and Rick Prime seems a huge piece of trash as well, why would he be "weird" to Evil Morty?

In fact, what kind of Rick would seem "weird" to Evil Morty?

Why, we already know the answer to that! Rick C-137 seems weird.

Of course he does. He seems overly attached to his Morty. Tells him to stay out of the Prime Fight, to keep him safe. Is motivated over avenging his wife.

Other Ricks also call Rick C-137 similar stuff.

So... Rick C-137 is a... rogue, passionate, irrational Rick... Irrational for having attachments, that is.

Wouldn't Evil Morty --if he's a clone Morty who's been passed around several uncaring Ricks, if he's been discarded countless times-- also find Rick C-137 and his... unusual attachment to one specific Morty "weird"?

And if my theory is right... Evil Morty himself has also passed through the hands of another Rick who was... let's say, overly attached to him. Like, extremely so.

Wouldn't such a Rick seem... super weird to Evil Morty?

Although, why on earth would he appear on the Spectrum of All Ricks? Do dead Ricks also appear in the spectrum? It's already a spectrum of infinite Ricks, why make it even more bloated by including dead Ricks?? Because if Puppetmaster Rick did to Evil Morty something as horrible to as the implications I describe in the above link, why on earth would Evil Morty let him live?!

WELL.

Imagine you're Evil Morty. You're the sort of person who:

puppeteered Evil Rick

did not let Evil Rick commit suicide when he couldn't take it any more (although you made him pass out, which is slightly nice?)

could not tear your eyes away from Evil Rick when he got brutally murdered.

It is implied (I think) that the reason Evil Morty did all that to Evil Rick is that (a) Evil Rick was beating him up and (b) Evil Rick "adopted" him, drunkedly promising that this relationship, however problematic, would last forever, they could be grandpa and grandson-- oh, wait, no. If you don't shut up it's back to the agency with you.

Now, supposing Puppetmaster Rick did... something... to Evil Morty... which, whatever it was, reduced his resting face from this:

to this:

and abused him so much he ended up thinking this was Not A Big Deal:

...Now, if you were Evil Morty, and the option to doom Puppetmaster Rick in a Fate Worse Than Death was available, would you kill him, or would you trap him in an eternal torture of some sort?

(this comes to mind, which is played as a joke, but you get the idea. This sort of thing is possible in the Rick and Morty universe. It could be a time loop. It could be a clone vat buried deep underground in absolute darkness. It could be a modification in Puppetmaster Rick's brain implants.)

I guess it all depends on how scared vs angry Evil Morty was of this guy. It depends on whether he grasped the first chance available to finally kill him or whether he took some extra time to make sure he got to spend the rest of his life appropriately tortured. In any case, because Evil Morty is very pragmatic and patient, I cannot see him doing such a thing unless he was absolutely sure it would last forever.

Or, maybe, if Puppetmaster Rick was an Operation Phoenix expert, killing him in a finite way was a lot more difficult than simply trapping him alive somewhere.

Or, alternatively, maybe Evil Morty had no choice on the matter. It occurred to me the other day that the first Rick we have seen Evil Morty kill with his own two hands was "Nice" Rick. Every other Rick whose death he is responsible for, he has killed indirectly; whether through the puppeteered Evil Rick, a mob of furious Mortys, his Citadel guards, hacked portal fluid that he manipulated Ricks to use (by telling them "nobody leave, everybody stay" lol) or by re-routing their Phoenix Protocol to a different vat... one that simply happened to have razor blades at the bottom. So I'm wondering if whatever implant Evil Morty has in his head "forbid" him from killing Puppetmaster Rick (or any Rick) and he was able to hack through that restriction only relatively recently. Anyway, I'm aware this particular theory is a stretch (is puppeteering Evil Rick really that different from lifting a gun yourself? I don't think so) and I don't think it needs to be true for Puppetmaster Rick still being around.

So, let's hypothesize that Evil Morty did, in fact, trap Puppermaster Rick somewhere from where he was reasonably certain Puppetmaster Rick would never be able to escape. Evil Morty went on to live in the Citadel, get further abused and neglected, abandon the hope of ever having a family, puppeteer Evil Rick, become president, ESCAPE THE CURVE. HOORAY!!!

Oops.

I know we fans have been joking about whether that reset Evil Morty as well or not, but the truth is, it would only be a minor inconvenience to him (although extremely annoying). He has his own untainted portal fluid and the rift is still open, he could easily portal either right back to where he was before or to a random spaceship, then back through the rift.

But... wouldn't that free any Ricks who happened to be trapped in various places? Including the above described (hypothetical) Puppetmaster Rick?

Of course, portal travel was still broken (and apparently Evil Morty broke it so effectively that it also trapped Rick Prime, who makes his own batches) so it's not like Puppetmaster Rick would be able to go far...

...Unless he promptly Operation Phoenixed himself to escape that way.

Or unless Evil Morty never knew what his dimension number was, so there was no need for Puppermaster Rick to run anywhere because Evil Morty would have no idea where he'd be sent to.

Anyway. If we follow that hypothetical scenario, the Puppetmaster Rick who Evil Morty went into a lot of trouble to imprison (and torture) just escaped. Evil Morty could receive some notification in his eyepatch about this change, or he could reach that conclusion by the neon green wave pulsing by.

He could have immediately portaled back to Puppetmaster Rick's prison to find him gone. Or he could have been all "NOPE! I just escaped, I refuse to deal with this anymore! I've got my revenge, and I'm free now!" and went on with his life outside the Curve.

But, uh... that wouldn't negate Puppetmaster Rick still being out there.

And Evil Morty might think it unlikely any random Citadel Rick (who just happened not to be on the Citadel at the time of its destruction) would be motivated enough investigate the Citadel's ruins, reach the conclusion that the President was responsible, and decide to go after him... (it is unlikely; why would any Rick bother to do that?)

...But wouldn't you say hypothetical Puppetmaster Rick would be motivated enough to go after his previous sidekick?

SO.

In that scenario, Evil Morty is definitely hiding.

Maybe he's taking advantage of the un-rifted Curve's "wall" properties to create a shield for his minecraft base. Maybe he's taking advantage of some other, specific property of this particular universe to strengthen his shield. Maybe he's hiding his brainwaves, blending them with the brainwaves of the Morty (or Mortys) living in this one universe. Maybe he's closely monitoring the Curve for anyone going out.

But in any case, he knows that --sooner or later-- he will probably have to deal with Puppetmaster Rick. And sure, Evil Morty has already moved mountains, and defeated this guy once, so he knows he can do it again... So I wouldn't say that Evil Morty is scared of him, per se...

...but he might be. This would be the Rick who scarred him so horribly he thought hundreds of naked tortured Mortys were small potatoes (Rick C-137, Rick Prime, and any other Rick would only try to kill him; Puppetmaster Rick would probably try to pick up from where he left off). And even if he's not scared, I'd haphazard a guess that Evil Morty is repulsed by him. He wouldn't want to meet this guy again. Unlike Rick C-137, who lived to see Rick Prime slain, Evil Morty is no longer motivated by revenge, he seeks peace. Wouldn't fighting Puppetmaster Rick again be extremely emotionally taxing, probably more so than puppeteering Evil Rick and running the Citadel were?

...and wouldn't Puppetmaster Rick be particularly dangerous for Evil Morty, because he'd know all his brain-related tricks, since he is the one who came up with them in the first place...!

...Wouldn't it be better, when that time came, to not face Puppetmaster Rick alone?

Wouldn't it better to have Rick C-137 at his side; one of the most powerful Ricks? One of the most dangerous Ricks in terms of arsenal, intelligence and capabilities, but also a Rick unmotivated to turn against Evil Morty and also a Rick enslaved to him?

(and wouldn't Evil Morty appear completely cruel and heartless and evil if he demands that Rick C-137 shoot at Puppetmaster Rick through a poor Morty who is begging them not to harm his beloved grandfather... who Evil Morty would know is not saying that out of his own free will, but of course he does not trust Rick C-137 enough to divulge this detail...? Or if he handed the recently freed Morty a gun, allowing him to kill Puppetmaster Rick and therefore also gain some sort of closure and restore his autonomy, but appearing to Rick C-137 like he is forcing the poor Morty to kill his own beloved grandpa and therefore coming off as completely unhinged?)

And I gotta say, Evil Morty DID give me the impression of being huddled in his space minecraft snowglobe. Returning to live ON (but not IN) the Curve. We weren't shown him exploring the great unknown, although he MUST have done that as well, given that he discovered that weird place with the crystal monsters. He returned home as soon as possible from that weird crystal place, and didn't even bother to remove his spacesuit when he arrived home. It seemed to me that he wanted to do as little as possible with the outside world.

Compare this with how relieved and happy he looked the first moment he escaped the Curve.

Is he just too tired? Did the novelty of freedom simply wear off, the infinite loneliness wear him down? Is his shelved-away trauma catching up to him, replacing the relief, happiness and peace he seeks with emptiness...? (all probably true)

...or did something else change as well, something that prevents him from actually feeling safe?

...So.

Like I said, a lot of "ifs".

But, if the "maybe I can use that someday" is not Evil Morty simply recognizing the potential, generally speaking, of having Rick C-137 being enslaved to him; if Evil Morty did have something specific in mind, then I'd guess that --from a story-telling perspective-- it would be something for which the foundations have already been lain in the story.

I like this theory a lot, and I like to believe that the "ifs" are close to the truth, but obviously I don't actually know that :P I'm sure that whatever the reason Evil Morty is still on the Curve, the story is going to be incredible! :D

Edit: I just stopped believing and got repulsed by my own theory lol

I really hate the idea that, after everything he's been through, Evil Morty is not Free outside the Curve. I don't mind him being huddled against the horrors of the infinite, but I hate the idea that he's still scared of Ricks, and that this fear drove him to camouflage his existence by living next to the Curve. I want to believe that the reason we were not shown him frolicking in the infinite is that he already did it and has had his fill, not that it would be dangerous for him to wander around.

I hate even more the idea that Evil Morty had chosen to resort to torturing Puppetmaster Rick all this time. I want to believe that (regardless of the atrocities he has stooped to after he decided to leave the Curve) at the moment he freed himself from Puppermaster Rick in the long past, Evil Morty was not "evil" yet. That his integrity and morals and need for freedom were originally stronger than his cruelty and hate and that he prioritized feeling safe (aka quickly killing Puppetmaster Rick to be safe once and for all) over enacting revenge (aka trapping Puppetmaster Rick in a hellish fate). That he had not sunk so low yet. Otherwise it kinda... it's like it negates the message of his story. It feels like a defeat. Like another moral battle he lost instead of one where he won his freedom back. Like another thing Puppetmaster Rick took from him.

He did not seem nervous when his shield temporarily collapsed by Rick C-137 consolidating dimensions. If he thought a specific Rick was after him, specifically, and one as particularly dangerous as Puppetmaster Rick as well, wouldn't the happenings send a million alarm bells ringing in his head? And wouldn't he be a lot more careful about leaving behind tech that could be traced back to him during the Prime fight?

Adios, theory. You were fun for a while.

Maybe it's simply like Morty said: "Nobody quits twitter". Maybe Evil Morty simply wants to use the shield properties of the Curve for his own benefit. Maybe there's some plot point or lore we weren't shown yet, which will be revealed in the future seasons. Or maybe we've all been misjudging him, and his humanity and loneliness are catching up to him, and he occasionally wants to check on how other people are doing.

Edit 2: I have... restarted believing my theory...?

First of all, Evil Morty seemed to know immediately who would be responsible for the "Curve Stability Compromised" alarm: the one Rick who knew how the Curve works, because he's the one Rick who actually made it! Plus some other Ricks appeared unable to create their own portal fluid (remember that old-man Rick who hung out with the Mortytown Locos, who was creating bootleg portal fluid, but whose "math was off"?) And since Evil Morty destroyed the Citadel, they'd be unable to go get more of it... So if Puppetmaster Rick was one of those Ricks who had to buy his own portal fluid, then ever since the destruction of the Citadel he'd be trapped, able to travel to different universes only by... rerouting himself during Operation Phoenix (an accommodation for Ricks Evil Morty obviously doesn't have in his home base). So in this scenario, Evil Morty is staying close to the Curve not so much out of fear, but more as a precaution. If Puppetmaster Rick can make his own portal fluid, of course, all bets are off.

Evil Morty should be adequately confident that his trail has vanished, gone cold by now. The last Puppetmaster Rick would have seen of him would be during season one, at best. Puppetmaster would have known him as "Morty 79⊢⊇V" (or something like that); but Evil Morty has destroyed this record and assumed a new identity. It would be very difficult to connect who he was before to the Morty President, to the Morty who escaped the Curve (and I bet only Rick C-137 and Morty Prime know some Morty escaped the Curve; unless they told other surviving Mortys). The best Puppetmaster Rick can do is search for his brainwaves or dimensional signature (which must probably be very effective), but he's not looking for "Evil Morty". He has no reason to think there is any Morty outside the Curve. He might not even be able to tell whether his old sidekick is dead or alive by now (if Evil Morty is efficient enough in hiding his presence).

So in all these scenarios, Evil Morty staying close to the Curve is a strategic decision based on caution, not one borne of panic (which I like, because I don't want Evil Morty to be scared any more).

And it just occurred to me that, if Puppetmaster Rick is still alive, he would have prepared himself for the eventuality of their encounter (same as I'm sure Evil Morty has done). He knows how Evil Morty's implant works, and its remains are still in his head. I'd bet anything he has fabricated a device or instrument or weapon to shoot at his head (much like Evil Morty's finger guns) to instantly override the implant and regain control. And Evil Morty would know that, he'd be able to tell immediately what said weapon is for. Man, their encounter would be terrifying.

#evil morty #rick and morty #maybe I can use that someday #I've seen this technology before

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durudurururu · 3 months

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Linked Universe Vtubers Au

So I like Linked Universe. I also like Vtubers. The result? LU vtuber AU! This has refused to leave my brain ever since it came up and now you shall live with this too!

It's a basic modern AU but everyone is a Vtubers instead of any normal job they could have. Their Vtuber lore is the same the actual chars, but their Irl counterparts are different. I'll talk about the agency the characters are in later, so have some fact about them!!

The chain

Sky

Married to Sun.

30yrs (may change)

The one's who's been a Vtuber the longest.

Was a pilot before becoming a vtuber due to his wife thinking he would like it.

Was indie before being recruited by the agency (Was called Crimson).

Time

Oldest in the Chain

46yrs

Was still raised in the forest, but not by a tree

Has a teenage daughter named Navi (had her at 31, she's now 15yrs)

Learnt her to speak Kokiri.

Married to Malon

Only have a few cuckoos and some horses instead of a whole ranch.

Warriors

Only became a Vtuber since his wife and daughter likes them and he wouldn't mind some extra income.

Has a toggle in his model to turn into the Fierce Deity.

In a April fool'd stream he has a 3D model of Time as a kid which he used the whole day.

25yrs.

Twins with Linkle and lives with her in an apartment in Castle Town.

Used to live out in the country but moved away since he doesn't have the best relationship with his dad.

Hides his accent, uses a quite posh one.

Worked full time at a make up store in the morning and did night security shifts at 3 times a week before becoming a Vtuber.

Quit because it was making his health way worse and he had more wiggle room when Linkle moved in as she (supringly) also had a job.

Became a Vtuber due to the extra wiggle room. Wanted to be one since they helped him through some tough times.

Wind and Arryl (his cousins) visit him on occasion, and he loves them.

Wind found out his Vtuber identity immideatly, but is not a snitch.

Dating Arthemtis.

Crazy ex Cia that he still had traumas from.

Wild

24yrs

Married to Flora

Used to date Mipha before the accident.

She lived in another country and though she wanted to give him her support, she often couldn't, and since so much about him changed with the memory loss, she sadly had to cut her losses and break up, even if Wild technically didn't know it at the time.

Still looses his memories, but now because of a car crash. His parents died in it and though his sister survived, she didn't go in a coma but went to an unknown relative. Happened when he was 19, awoke when he was 20.

Wheelchair bound but can technically walk and stand, just not good.

Does his best to hide the fact that he's disabled.

His model does not have any scars because of this as he wants it to be perfect, unlike himself (yes, he is in therapy, because who thinks he isn't perfect?)

Became a Vtuber as it was difficult to find jobs he could do whilst wheelchair bound that doesn't pay like shit or force him to move away for college. He also really liked them regardless.

Four

Trans (FtM). Had surgery before the accident and didn't know until he was 21.

Most popular of the chain.

4 streamers in one channel.

Green, Blue, Vio, and Red

Blacksmiths, but has some extra jobs as it doesn't pay too well.

Quadruplets.

20yrs.

Became Vtubers because of Shadow and since they wanted the extra money.

All their desks (+Shadow's) are right next to each other.

Both streams alone and with each other. Rarely all 4 unless it's a special occasion.

Has a model that all four can control at once. Yes, it absolute chaos.

Their individual models are just coloured differently than that one ^^, otherwise looks the same.

Streams at least 4 times a week, one day for each of them.

Green

Dating Dot.

Works part time at a café

Helps with planning their streams and any collabs that their manager doesn't do for them.

Blue

Works at an animal shelter when he's free.

Has almost ruined his set up too many times to count due to gamer rage.

Vio

Non binary (they/them).

Dating Shadow, but hiding it...kind of. They're playing up their relationships for jokes and the community ships them to all hell.

Has a Shadow body pillow that doesn't exist Irl (yet) that their model sometimes holds during streams.

A bit goth.

Works at a library.

Red

Aromantic and Asexual!

Calls his fans his Rubies.

Everyone—including the rest of the chain—will protect him with their life.

Works at a a cat café. It is a different café than Green, and he hides that he's jealous about being able to work there.

Hyrule

Lives in the middle of nowhere and does not know where anything is.

Somehow lives off of hunting (don't worry, he has a license) and the instant noodles etc he buys from the store that's very close to the middle of fuck who knows where.

Somehow still used Internet Explorer when he started. Did not know what Firefox was until Legend explained it to him.

Refused to use Chrome as he didn't know how to change his browser.

Still shocked at being a functioning Vtuber.

Became one because money was getting tight and since he grew up in a village in the middle of fuck who knows where, didn't have too many good jobs he could have.

Legend

24yrs.

Married to Ravio.

Still refuses to wear pants.

Puts even more of a tsundere act when on camera.

Has quite a posh accent but hides it and uses one that's actually normal.

Twins with Fable

Twillight

25yrs.

Dated Midna, but she suddenly broke up with him and he's still slightly heart broken.

Time's (technically Malon's) nephew.

Got a country accent.

Sadly had to move out of Odinia because of college. Now works part time at a veterenarions clinic.

Became a Vtuber because it sounded fun even though he wasn't the biggest fan of it at the time.

On his debut stream he found a toggle to turn his model into a wolf and Legend send a donation just to call him a furry.

Wind

15yrs/18yrs

Doesn't join the agency until he's 18, and he's 15 for most of the stories that I have planned. This may change.

Warriors' cousin. Often visits because his Grandma can't take care of them every day, especially Aryll.

Slowly starts to join streams even though Warriors is very reluctant. Warriors' fans love him.

About the agency and some lore:

The agency is called Fates and their theme is good vs evil. Their first wave was called Inception and had four members: First, Fi, Hylia, and Demise.

They were suprisingly successful, but after 1 year, Demise took a break because of some bad rumours about him started to spread, and not long after, First graduated due to personal issues.

Fates was already in the progress of adding more members, and eventually the new wave by the name of Clouds came out, having 2 new members: Sky—a former indie Vtuber by the name of Crimson—and Ghirahim, who was also an indie before joining the company.

Everything went great, Demise coming back to streaming...but then the rumours came back, and they found out that they weren't just rumours. Demise was quickly terminated as he had been harrasing fans on an alt account, then Ghirahim got terminated as he had been meeting with his fans Irl and given them special bonuses, which even went for outside of his streams.

As a way to save their image, Fates let out a new wave by the name of Destruction shortly after, having 3 members: Vaati, Dark, and Shadow.

Both Sky and the members of Destruction got a fair amount of hate, mostly from people saying that the company is simply trying to replace First and Demise with cheap knock offs.

Fates has open Vtuber auditions for the first time since the agency started, and recruit 7 people that joins a wave called The Chain: Time, Wild, Legend, Hyrule, Twillight, Warriors, Four.

Later they would open auditions again, and have a new wave by the name of Mortality with 4 members: Impa, Calamity, Majora, and Ganondorf.

Other important characters:

First

Most popular member when he was still streaming

Hand picked Sky as his succesor

Though she technically didn't graduate, rarely streams any more. Now is a higher up in the company.

Helped Sky find his footing at the start.

Sometimes holds Vtuber game shows with Shadow

Hylia/Zelda

The most popular streamer in the agency.

Often has collabs with Indie Vtubers and Impa.

The best at the game show Shadow hosts.

Was re-named to Zelda because of continued harrasment for sharing a name with the goddess.

Has been a Vtuber for (at least) 3yrs.

Vaati

Graduated after 2 years due to the continued hate.

Still talks with Shadow and Dark.

20yrs when he graduated.

Shadow

21yrs.

Lives with the Four gremblins and is dating Vio.

They are way too gay for each my Lord.

From Lolrule.

Darker skinned.

Used to work at the same library as Vio. Only there because no other place would accept him.

Was with the bad boys in High school, is getting better now.

Likes holding game shows for other Vtubers.

Dark

23yrs.

From Lolrule.

Darker skinned.

Quite shy but doesn't show it much.

Can be very childish.

Dyselxic. Why? Because I say so.

People always said he was a teaser for another Vtuber, which was technically true, but he still didn't like hearing it.

#linked universe #lu legend #lu four #lu shadow #dark link #lu vio #lu red #lu sky #lu green #lu chain #lu wild #loz #vtubers #lu time #lu hyrule #lu twilight #lu warriors #lu blue

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avida-heidia-5 · 4 months

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While we wait for the 2024 Formula 1 season to arrive, I thought I’d entertain myself by playing a little tag game I’ve just created. Feel free to participate if you have the time to do it. 😊

🏎️💨 THE FORMULA 1 TAG GAME! 🏎️💨:

1. Who or what got you into F1?

2. Who was the very first F1 driver you supported? Do you support them now? Have your opinions on them differed or stayed the same since then?

3. Who’s your current favourite F1 driver?

4. Is there a driver pairing or pairings you support? What made you attracted to that pairing in the first place?

5. Do your parents, siblings or relatives have a favourite team and/or favourite driver(s)?

6. Do you have any favourite races? Are there any that stand out to you the most?

7. Do you have a favourite circuit? Can be from the past or from the current calendar.

8. Have you ever been to an F1 race in real life? Feel free to tell us your experience going to one if you like.

9. Have you ever met an F1 driver in real life?

10. Do you have a favourite F1 car? If so, what is it?

11. Do you have a favourite one win wonder?

12. Do you have any favourite quotes from the F1 world? This can either be inspirational or hilarious.

(This is all the questions I could come up with, I’m afraid! My brain is absolutely worn to a frazzle! 😮‍💨)

Now tag as many people as you like! I tag the following peeps: @kaossbells, @argentinagp, @hurricane-heatt, @skitskatdacat63, @racingliners, @formulaes5, @princemick, @4xmulti21champion, @schumigrace, @hungriestheidi, @ellalovesvettel, @twinkodium, and @wanderingblindly. Feel free to participate if you would like to. No pressure! 😊

If I haven’t tagged you in this but you want to participate, you have my permission. Go absolutely wild!

Now here are my answers below the cut! Warning: I can be a touch rambly!

1. Who or what got you into F1?

My parents introduced me to F1 in 2004 when I was around 4 or 5 years old. I vividly remember watching pretty much the whole of the 2005 season on the telly and how amazing a lot of the races were back then. 😍 Since then, we’ve been keeping up with watching races, following the news, and visiting Silverstone for Free Practice sessions and fun events like the Classic Weekend and the Lap Of Lights whenever possible.

2. Who was the very first F1 driver you supported? Do you support them now? Have your opinions on them differed or stayed the same since then?

I was drawn to Kimi Räikkönen when I was young because I found him attractive. 😳 This was before I knew anything about F1. 😅 Once I got into the habit of watching the sport regularly, I was happily cheering him on. That McLaren was a BEAST…when it was reliable. 😬

I didn’t know much about Kimi’s story back then. As I grew older though, I did some research on him and came to understand why fans love him so much. He kept a cool head during qualifying and race days (He’s called The Iceman for a reason!) and I just love his personality in general: Quiet, composed, honest, and straightforward. And who could forget the memes that spawned during Kimi’s return to F1?

Even though Kimi’s retired from the sport (seemingly for good 😢), I still love and support him with all my heart, whatever he gets up to. 💙❄️

3. Who’s your current favourite F1 driver?

Sebastian Vettel. Oooooh Sebastian Vettel! Where do I even start? 🥰

I have an insane adoration for this man, even more than Kimi admittedly. Seb is just…on another level to me. 😍😍😍

He’s the sweetest, most loveliest man on the planet. He’s kind, generous, talented, and cultured. He’s also an environmentalist, and I fully support his journey to try and make our planet a greener, tidier, happier, and healthier place. 🌎🌱 I’m always fascinated with what he has to say; whether it’s something positive or negative. He has a ridiculous knowledge of everything related to F1 and our environment, and I love him even more for it.

Seb is also retired from F1 and I still miss him dearly, but that doesn’t stop me from loving and supporting this man. I adore him to absolute BITS! 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

4. Is there a driver pairing or pairings you support? What made you attracted to that pairing in the first place?

Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber have an interesting dynamic to me. I’ve enjoyed seeing their relationship develop and fall apart and repair themselves back together on track, from when the two were teammates at Red Bull all the way up to today. It’s good that they can laugh about their mishaps and misfortunes afterwards. I don’t know, these two just fascinate me. 💜

Other favourite driver pairings include (in no particular order): Seb and Kimi, Seb and Charles Leclerc, Fernando Alonso and Giancarlo Fisichella, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz Jr., Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr., and FINALLY, Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant.

5. Do your parents, siblings or relatives have a favourite team and/or favourite driver(s)?

We’re happy to support any team, but we’re primarily McLaren supporters in this household. 🧡 As for drivers, my mum loves Jenson Button and my dad is a Nigel Mansell and Fernando Alonso supporter. My sister just recently started getting into F1 and she supports Lando Norris. We never have any complaints or disputes over our choices, which is nice. 😊

6. Do you have any favourite races? Are there any that stand out to you the most?

There’s quite a lot of races I’ve enjoyed watching over the years. I don’t like the current races that much; I’m more of a 2000’s & 2010’s grid enjoyer. My favourite race of all time has got to be the 2012 Brazilian GP. It was the most nail-biting race I have ever watched! I was on the edge of my seat the whole time! 😱 To me, nothing can top it!

However, the race that stood out to me the most – and the race that firmly cemented my enjoyment for the sport – was the 2005 Japanese Grand Prix. Kimi was a BEAST in that McLaren! From starting dead last on the grid to snatching victory on the final lap. What a show he put on! 🤩👏🏻

7. Do you have a favourite circuit? Can be from the past or from the current calendar.

Spa-Francorchamps will forever be my favourite circuit. It’s home to one of the most iconic battles in history. (“BUT HERE COMES SEBASTIAN VETTEL!!!!”) Plus the foresty backdrop is absolutely stunning. 😍 One of my dream goals is to visit this iconic circuit and watch a race in person one day. 🙏🏻

I also love Silverstone, Hockenheim, Monza, Sepang, Interlagos, and the Nürburgring.

8. Have you ever been to an F1 race in real life? Feel free to tell us your experience going to one if you like.

No, I’ve never been to a race before. Not yet, at least. I would really love to go to one with my family and friends though. 🤩🙏🏻

9. Have you ever met an F1 driver in real life?

Unfortunately, as of writing, no. We’ve taken many pictures of drivers, but I’ve yet to actually come face-to-face with them and take their autographs and have pictures with them. 🙁 One day, I’m hoping this will all come true. 🤞🏻

My parents briefly talked to Esteban Ocon when he was a reserve driver. (They don’t know which team he was in at the time and I don’t know either. This was around 2015, if that helps. 🤷🏻‍♀️) My mum was extremely lucky to talk to and get an autograph from Jenson Button’s dad John when he was alive. I believe this was around the time before Jenson won the World Championship. They’ve yet to get Jenson’s autograph. Again, one day! 🤞🏻

10. Do you have a favourite F1 car? If so, what is it?

I don’t have many favourite cars, and I’m not a car nerd like my dad is. However, the McLaren MP4/20 is a certified favourite of mine. The black and white West McLaren livery in general looked very smart. I’m happy it lasted a very long time from 1997 to 2005. 😍 I wish they brought those colours back in modern races, like for special occasions or something. 😭

I also love the blue and yellow Mild Seven Renault livery from 2005, followed by McLaren’s delightfully retro Gulf livery from 2021, and Hungry Heidi herself: the Red Bull RB9 from 2013.

11. Do you have a favourite one win wonder?

Robert Kubica. This man went from having his horrific accident during the 2007 Canadian GP to winning the race a year later at the same circuit. What a legend! 🤍

12. Do you have any favourite quotes from the F1 world? This can either be inspirational or hilarious.

Let’s start with my favourite hilarious quote: Kimi’s got hundreds of iconic moments during his time in F1. I actually use his infamous quote “Just leave me alone! I know what I’m doing!” quite often in normal conversations, so…I’ll go with that! 🤣🤣🤣

As for inspirational quotes, hmmm, that’s a lot harder. The one that came to my head first was Daniel Ricciardo’s “Enjoy the butterflies” quote. I also love Sebastian Vettel’s “You can’t always be the best, but you can do your best.” and his retirement speech, among others. If I had to choose one….uhhhhh, let’s go with Daniel! I love them all equally though. 🤷🏻‍♀️

#My tag game #Formula 1 Tag Game #tag game #ask game #My ramblings: F1 #formula 1 #f1 #random #personal

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jpitha · 1 year

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Just a Little Further 26

Part 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

*six months later*

It's been half a year, but I can't believe we're already on our third ship! High Line took two months instead of the one that Omar first promised, but that was because he and his crew were getting use to the process and how best to refurbish the ships. Then after that I made the decision to refurbish the food tugs, but those were (relatively) easy. New thrusters, some strengthening of the cargo containers and a few brand new ones and that was it. Once that was finished the food deliveries increased over 30%!

You would not believe how much cheaper, more abundant food improves one's legitimacy. As soon as that was finished and the food rolled in, almost all of the last grumblings about me coming in and "declaring" myself Empress died down.

I couldn't wait, and we took High Line out for a quick spin around the system after it was completed. Omar asked to be in control for the trip and since he refurbished it, I let him. While Omar was looking through the Builder archives, he found plans for a starship's control chair. It was kind of line a small version of my Throne, or the Builder chairs back on the Reach. From the chair, a Builder can interface with the ship and control it, almost like how AIs are ships back home.

I asked Starlight, River and Ocean if they wanted to come along and see what we did to their ship. The whole time they looked around in wonder and surprise at the work we did. Starlight said it felt like a new ship and River marveled that we were able to add so many features to it.

I didn't tell them about the wormhole generator. I don't know why. Maybe I still think we need some kind of secret surprise.

Really though, I couldn't do what I'm doing now if it wasn't for my fellow Builders and our staff. Ava is my second in command and handles most of the interactions between us and the institutions here at the Reach. Bank, Security Team, and Maintenance Crew; she works with them to bring their needs to my attention, and then we work out a solution together. She still tends to be a little more... aggressive than I prefer, but she knows who is Empress. She makes me more assertive and I'm able to cool her down. I think we work well together.

Um'reli has dug deep into the Builder systems here on the Reach. She's working out how much work the old Builders did day to day to make the Reach run so smoothly. When I told her that the Nanites say that it was a full time crew of 10 she believed me. It's a lot of work. There's still only the 4 of us, so we still can't run at full capacity, but she's got the fire suppression systems up and running, the environmental systems are much more efficient and even the gravity works better. We're operating with a power surplus now! I asked Omar build another reactor for the Reach and soon we will have power to spare.

Omar, he has taken over as my shipbuilder and is really growing into the role. When we were on FarReach, printing was just a hobby and his main role was ship's battery, but here he's become a master printer. Between the database we got from FarReach and the existing Database on the Reach, we have more than enough plans to make anything we need. He even worked out that Reach of the Might of Vzzx used to have defensive batteries! He found the hardpoints and has been using downtime on the printers to make new laser batteries. We don't know where the original weapons went, so we're just going to add Starjumper class laser batteries to the existing hardpoints. We're so large and will soon have such a power surplus that he says running the huge laser batteries should be no problem. That should help hold off anyone who comes to pay us a visit.

Speaking of visiting, I haven't told anyone, but I unlocked the Gate last month. With two ships and the laser batteries almost done, I figured it was safe to unlock the Gate.

I'm anxious to go back out and visit the Wilds and see if we can figure out what happened. I don't think I'm ready to admit to the others yet, but I'm also excited to visit other Starbases and planets as Empress and see just how much of this side of the Galaxy is happy to see me. Waves and smiles for everyone happy to see me, Starjumper laser batteries for those who aren't.

I'm kidding about the Starjumper laser batteries if people aren't happy to see me. I don't think I want to restart a war of conquest, do I?

These days, I spend a lot of my time on the Throne, just watching things. I find it soothing to sit here and just... feel the world go by. Things are running so smoothly, and the people legitimately seem pleased that we're here and working, I like to, I don't know, absorb the vibes?

It's just after breakfast and I'm settling down for a day of reports and presiding over a few small disagreements when a chirrup interrupts my reverie. I glance over and... It's a signal from outside the Reach? I extend my senses into the local space and I feel...

Activity from the Gate. Someone is coming through.

"Ava, Um'reli, Omar! We've got a ping from the Gate. Someone is coming though!" I'm excited to tell everyone.

Omar is less excited. "What? Okay, Reactors to 200%, defensive batteries online, sound general alert.." I can hear hooting in the background. Omar insisted on activating the old alert tones and we have been sending out messages reminding everyone to listen to them.

"Omar, Omar! It's just someone coming through. Do we really need to get ready to shoot them?"

"Uh, yes Melody? We have no idea who it is. I didn't even know the Gate was unlocked. Did you do that?"

"Yes, I did it a month ago. I figured we were ready for visitors then. I'm so excited to see who is coming to visit us!"

Over the mental connection, I can feel Ava, Omar and Um'reli staring at me.

Uh oh.

Um'reli sounds exasperated. "Melody, we are at least a year away from unlocking the Gate. We have some defensive lasers sure, but we don't even have the new reactor online and we have two small ships now. Two. If that's a human dreadnought, we'd be utterly outmatched. What were you thinking?"

"Um'reli be nice, I'm sure Melody was just so happy about our progress she wanted people to come and see it and see her." Ava jumps to my defense.

"It's still something she should have run by us first. We could have given her more insight to our actual readiness..."

"She is the empress Um'reli, and besides, what's done is done. Now we have to get ready for our new visitors. Melody, have they come though yet, do we have a visual on them?"

I'm looking out into the system and I see the ship. It's... huge. It's way larger than anything we know about on this side of the Galaxy. It doesn't look like a Starjumper though, it's the wrong shape.

"It's through. Here, I'll send you what I see through the long range scopes. I toss the visual feed over to them. Um'reli is as confused as I am, but Omar has a sharp intake of breath and Ava swears.

"What is it Omar? Do you recognize the ship Ava?"

"I do, but I wish I didn't. That's the Vengeance of Lavinia. It's the flag carrier for Venus." Omar sound disgusted.

Ava sounds downright angry. What the hell are they doing out here?"

Um'reli zooms in on the image and tries to enhance to get more detail. "It Looks like FarReach didn't succeed in keeping us quiet like she wanted though. Clearly someone told them we were out here and they're coming to say hello."

I don't know much about Imperial Venus, I grew up on Meíhuā. From what I understand and what Omar explains while Ava makes a face, they took over governance of the Sol system about a decade ago. They mostly control the inner planets. The High Mars Cities are the borderlands, and from then out is the OPA, the Outer Planet Alliance. They're a bunch of small starbase city-states that pool their resources together to hold off Venus. It's been a back and forth for the entire time that Venus has claimed sovereignty.

Venus came out into the colonies to throw their weight around a few years back, but they got massacred at Parvati, and they caused trouble over at Sarbase Picaresque. This was all years before we left. A group of residents and a faction of AIs kicked them out. I think a colony ship was involved too? I wasn't living there then, I've heard all this information second and third hand. But, since then, they've stayed in the Sol system and dialed down the anti-AI rhetoric. Nobody is pleased to see them when they come visiting.

Still, it was visitors. Guess we should see what they want.

"Maybe they have people who want to come join us?" I try to sound hopeful. I don't think it worked.

"More like spy on us." Omar said darkly. "Melody, I'm going to go against my usual stance on you using your Voice on people. These folks need to be told how we do stuff here."

I can feel Um'reli nodding. "I agree. We don't want them to start anything, but like don't lead with Voicing them. If you did that, they'd probably try and run and we'd lose any advantage we have. Play it cool. Be nice, be welcoming. It's not like we couldn't use more Builders. If folks are coming out because they want to come out, we should welcome them."

"But they're from Venus, Um'reli. Don't forget how they treat AIs." Ava is unusually firm. Venus has a strict policy of not recognizing AI sapience. It's stupid really. AIs have been recognized as alive and sapient for nearly two thousand years in Human space, for them to come out of nowhere and say that they're not is ludicrous and treated that way in Colonial space. It's almost a joke.

Almost.

We can't turn them away, we simply don't have the firepower. "Omar, let them know we're not defenseless. Free the defensive lasers but don't target the ship. The are probably scanning the heck out of us, they should see them come online."

When Omar releases the lasers, I can feel it. 6 different batteries energize and tell us their readiness. Wow, I don't know if this is something new Omar added, or something he tied into old systems, but it's so... intuitive to use them. With a thought, I can swing them around, aim and point them, and... yes, if I were to pull there, they'd fire. Neat. After moving them around a little, I swing them off to the side and set them to follow our commands. If Venus wants to start something, we can bring them to bear relatively quickly, but Um'reli is right, we do need more builders. If they're just shuttling volunteers because FarReach told all the AIs and none of them will have anything to do with me, then we should be nice.

Radio contact. We're being signaled. "Uh, Reach of the Might of Vzzx? This is Vengeance of Lavinia. We'd like to speak to... Empress... Melody?"

They're reading from notes. Their comms officer sounds so unsure. I decide to answer myself and lay it on thick.

"Good morning Vengeance of Lavinia. This is Empress Melody Mullen the First, Empress of the Holy Imperial Systems. I hear your call and am replying. How may I assist?"

"We are requesting docking permission and to be able to come aboard for a goodwill exchange as well as to deliver some volunteers from our side of the Galaxy who wish to sign on with your work over here."

Interesting. They say they have volunteers. It's not like we don't need more Builder help.

"Be careful, Melody." Ava is right.

"But, don't turn them away just yet." Um'reli is right too. Ugh do they want to do the talking here? I feel like I'm being pulled in so many directions. I check on the docking ring. High Line and Sun Dancer, the two ships we were able to refit are next to the dock the FarReach used, I'll put them there.

"Vengeance of Lavinia you are cleared to dock at umbilical X45, I shall note it on this image I am sending your way. Additionally it shall be lit as you pass by. After you dock a welcome party will meet you at the umbilical."

"Umbilical X45 confirmed. See you soon, Reach of the Might of Vzzx. Vengeance of Lavinia out."

Well then. Guess we had better go meet them.

"Okay everyone, we're on. Let's go gather some folks and go see them."

Ava, Um'reli and Omar disconnect from their chairs and come out. "I swear to you we're not ready for someone like Venus coming, but here they are so I guess we're going to have to be ready." Um'reli looks around. "Where is City?"

Sound of the City bounds up the stairs. "Here, Builder, what do you need of me?"

Um'reli smiles. "Hello, Sound of the City. Please gather Starlight, Ocean, River, Vaaqo, and yourself. Dispatch a runner to Sep and ask them to bring a few security guards too. Make sure you have your Builder uniforms on and they're clean and neat. We have visitors."

City bows nervously. "Of course Builder. I shall fetch them at once." There is a pause while they try to figure out what they can get away with. "Who is visiting?"

"It's a group of people from our side of the Galaxy. They're a different... faction than we were and we always haven't been... friendly? We're willing to give them the benefit of the doubt for now, but make sure everyone knows to keep watch on them."

Another bow "Builder. I go!" and Sound of the City bounds away. I'm so happy we are able to give them a job. They're still young so it's only part time, but they bring me happiness every time I see them. They really are becoming a vital part of our retinue. They're just so energetic! I hope they stay with us.

I pick up my rifle from next to the Throne and examine it. I do get a chance to go to Sep's Security office and get some range time in now, but it's never enough. Omar has programmed the Security Office's printers to make rounds for me, so I don't have to conserve, it's just that there are only so many hours in a day. But, I feel good that I can still do the things that Melody likes to do. It helps ground me and reminds me that I'm more than an Empress.

I sigh to myself, check the rifle to make sure it's loaded and safe, and then click it to my back. It's weight is reassuring. While we walk down the steps, I get myself ready. The crown and wings come out, but I keep them subtle for now. I make my heels a little taller but keep my working outfit on - no gown today. It's still royal blue and still sharply cut, but I just look like the head Builder I am instead of all full Empress.

As we reach the docs, Starlight, Ocean and River are there already. They were probably over in the drydock working on the third ship so were close by. At our approach, they all bow low.

"Empress, Builders. It is always a pleasure to see you."

I incline my head. "Starlight, Ocean, River. We have guests coming."

They look at me and blink. This was unexpected.

"O-of course Empress. We shall welcome them warmly. Who is coming?"

"People from our side of the Galaxy. They represent a different faction than us, so we're wary about their visit. Still, we shall receive them. Just, be on your guard."

They bow again. "Always Empress. We have learned that about Builders."

Huh. Cheeky. But not wrong. I decide to let it slide.

City bounds up out of breath. "I have alerted Vaaqo and Sep, they shall arrive shortly."

"City, take a moment and catch your breath, they're not here yet." Ava looks concerned. Sound of the City is so eager to help that sometimes they run themselves ragged. I think we all fuss over City just a bit because they're still a kid, but I remember being a teen and so eager to prove myself.

After a short time, Vaaqo arrives with Sep and they bow. Behind Sep is about a dozen security guards, all with clubs and energy weapons. Vaaqo speaks first. "Builders. What is it you need of us? Your runner mentioned visitors?"

I smile warmly and nod. "Yes. people from our side of the Galaxy have come through the Gate and wish to visit. They are from a different faction than us originally, so be wary, but let us welcome them. Sep, have your people set up around us, visible, but not part of the welcome party. Clubs can be seen, but let's keep the firearms behind their backs for now."

Another bow, and Sep gestures to the guards and they set up like I asked. We have a semicircle of guards a bit away, and the rest of us are a few meters from the umbilical.

As we finish setting up, I hear the whir and hum of the umbilical coming out to meet the ship.

After a few tense moments, there is a hiss as the pressures equalize and the umbilical opens. Immediately, silently, 6 troopers walk out. They're wearing glossy maroon armored pressure suits polished to a mirror sheen They're so glossy the coloring of the pressure suits looks like it has depth. I can see all of us distorted in the reflection of their faceless helmets. They're holding battle rifles, but they're aimed down and I can see they're safe and they have little decorative tips on the end - that's a nice touch. Shows everyone that they can't shoot them without extra effort. Looking closer at the rifles I'm shocked.

It's the same model I use.

That's not standard issue. My rifle was a special order. I can feel it's weight on my back, reminding me.

The troopers line up, three to a side of the umbilical and stand there at attention for a moment, and then a woman walks confidently out.

She's not wearing a pressure suit, but she has a very elaborate uniform on. It doesn't look like our Builder uniforms, but it's of a similar ilk. Professional, Military, it's short sleeves and form fitting, with pockets and folds and places for medals and ribbons. Her uniform has plenty of both. It's the same maroon as the troopers, but there's a pure white sash from her left shoulder to her right waist. On her waist is a sidearm - hmm, that looks like a custom version of a very fiddly - but accurate - pistol and is very well taken care of. She's wearing maroon pants tucked into highly polished black riding boots that click on the floor of the dock. On both of her shoulders are a gold fringe. She's wearing a cap at a rakish angle and peeking underneath I can see that she has very close cropped blond hair.

Is that a tattoo I see around her collar?

She is standing there with a smirk all casually professional and extremely cool. She looks like she is in charge through sheer charisma. She looks as if nobody would dare question whether she was in charge.

Swallowing and hoping I don't look too awkward, I turn up the crown and wings and take one step forward. "Welcome to Reach of the Might of Vzzx. I am Empress Melody Mullen of the Holy Imperial Systems." I gesture to my side. "This is Ava Williams, Omar Adel, and Um'reli Desmen, my Builders." I turn to the other side. "This is Starlight on a Moonless Evening, The Smell Of The Ocean, Rapid River Roaring, Sound of the City, Sep and Vaaco. They are part of my retinue and assist with day to day operation here. We welcome you."

She inclines her head slightly then stands up straight and salutes sharply. "I am Archduke Helen Raaden of Imperial Venus, second to the crown prince of Venus and third in line for the Venusian throne. I come with a contingent of Venusian soldiers and citizens as well as a small group of volunteers from throughout Human space.

We come as friends on a goodwill tour, and wish to extend our most sincere greetings to her Imperial Highness and make a personal offer from the Emperor to give assistance in any way we can." When she finishes her pronouncement she winks at me.

Oh no, she's so hot. What am I going to do?

Part 27

#humans are deathworlders #humans are space orcs #humans go on adventure #humans are space oddities #sci fi writing #writing #humans and ai #humans and aliens #the k'laxiverse #jpitha #just a little further

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heartshapedbubble · 2 years

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luca balsa general/random hcs⚡

let's start off with his looks. homeboy is 174cm tall (a little shorter than 5'9), quite lanky and with weird posture - not suprising considering how many hours he spends looming over the blueprints for his newest invention

he has a *small* overbite from getting kicked in the jaw in the prison, and his black eye is often tearing

tbh i'm convinced his ahoge(s) stands up on its own bc haha. electricity

speaking of electricity, he has lightning scars over his chest, back, arms and thighs ever since he got injured in the incident, they even reach to his neck! he's not really proud of them but he doesn't consider them a big deal either, just another cool trait

overall, his traumatic past and damaged body do NOT stop him from having a smug grin on his face 24/7 and popping up behind you out of nowhere just to playfully criticize your work

he might be a big critic but he's also extremely supportive, he's always there to hype you up and motivate you to finish whatever goal you set

he's quite well mannered! he just can't help it

has a pretty rich vocabulary too

he seems really cocky and smug when you first meet him but he's really a sweetheart

he's pretty competitive - he also hates being wrong or even admitting that he's wrong

i also hc him as part serbo-croatian, part italian! while his father was extra busy during summer or winter he would send him over to serbia and/or croatia to his relatives so he wouldn't be a nuisance since school was over

he's pretty disconnected from his serbo-croatian heritage considering he stopped visiting and that he isn't really fluent in the languages, but he still enjoys the food and the curse words (they slip out. sometimes. when he starts panicking)

has adhd and auditory processing issues

forgets a lot, both stuff he does on a daily basis and the stuff from the past

since the damage on his brain affected his motor system, he wears braces on his legs to help him walk - they actually go up to his thighs, but he wears smaller ones since they are lighter and it's easier to run around in them during matches

on most days he can run perfectly fine, on the others he can barely stand up by himself

some days he has to rely on other survivors to carry him around because his legs are quite literally paralyzed and it hurts to walk

also prone to fainting, mostly when he's burned out by decoding or running out of stamina during a kite

his sleeping schedule is a mess honestly he sleeps for 3 hours at night and then naps 4 hours in total during the day

when he's about to nap he is willing to use basically anything as a pillow - another survivor's shoulder, the rocket chair, the cipher machine or even the hunter's robes

likely slept through a rocket chair launching

he's not a picky eater but he does dislike salty and overly bitter food

even with all the luxurious and flavorful food available, he still often resorts to eating simple foods like bread and butter

permanently banned from the manor's kitchen in fear that he'll set it on fire

he loves toys! especially ones with various mechanisms and powered by batteries, he likes breaking them down to find out how they really work

annie almost cried when she found him inspecting the mechanism of a toy car with the other parts of the toy laying around

he really values the little things, like having his hair combed or washed, hugs, having dessert after dinner and finding small parts and trinkets around

being in prison really taught him to appreciate them more, compared to when he was growing up where he often took them for granted

LOOVES getting praised. he mostly keeps his emotions under control but once you start praising his work, kite, invention or something else he's gonna be all red and hiding his face with his hands

when he's not in a match he's in his room working or napping most of the time

...but he does enjoy company! a visit accompanied by a cup of tea will really make his day

is it obvious that i absolutely adore this man

that's it for this post!! i obviously have more but this is all that i managed to brainrot & remember in a span of 10-15mins😭 i love this man i really do he's so skrunkly

#identity v #idv #idv fanfic #idv headcanons #idv headcanon #idv imagines #identity v luca balsa #idv luca #idv luca balsa #idv prisoner #identity v prisoner #identity v headcanons #luca balsa #luca balsa x reader

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gladdygirl18 · 3 months

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Okay okay, ik it's been a while since i posted one of these but believe me, i gotta some stories ready!!! This I feel is gonna be a relatively long post (covering 2 days and 2 nights) so to read it, it will be below the cut

Blue me, pink GF

So on the 15th, MLK Day, I had just gotten back to campus from Chistmas break (loved it, went to Disney ✨🤩) and after my father had left and dropped off some of my belongings, my GF was waiting for me by one of the school gates to head back to her place. She was so adorable and clingly cuz the last time we saw each other was the 8th when she and a mutual friend of ours came to visit my place (had loads of fun 💖🥰)

So when were back at her place, we end up watching some JJK. After a while, my GF and I went into her room to cuddle and make out (to make up for lost time) and she couldn't help but poke me and kiss my neck constantly (i felt like i was on cloud 9, I was so happy 💖🥰💖🥰) Also, we have this thing where we take turns laying on top of one another, being the others weighted blanket (this time it was her turn to be the weighted blanket) and while she was on top of me, she proceeds to tickle me, and she lets out this EVIL LITTLE GREMLIN LAUGH (very endearing) THAT MADE THE TICKLING WOOOOORSE 😳😆💖

Okay, mini side rant: my GF has NATURALLY LONG AND HEALTHY NAILS that i am a bit jealous of cuz i want my nails to be somewhat the same length (and they're beautiful, easpecially when they're painted), but THEY TICKLE LIKE HELL OMGGGGG 😳😳💖

"Weighted blankets ahahaharen't supposed to tihihickle the person under thehehehem!"

"Well..... I'm a special weighted blanket~😈💖"

Once things settled down between us, we went back to the living room to socialize and watch the new Percy Jackson series; it was great. Ofc, whilst watching, my GF insisted on kissing my neck and tickling me (damn near has become a daily thing for her to do, and I am not complaining in the slightest 💖🥰)

The next day (the 16th) my GF and I just stayed in bed for about a good few hours (mainly cuz I didn't get a wink of sleep and when my alarm went off, that's when I finally fell asleep 😅) Once I had woken up and was conscious, my GF took me in her arms and just hugged me, and I proceeded to snuggle into her 🥰 before she lightly traced her nails all over my torso. I grabbed the hand that was tickling me and said, "You're nails make it tickle a lot worse!" "Well, guess I should keep them like this for a while~"

MAAAAA'AAM HELLLOOOOO!??!!?!?! 😳😳💖💖🥰 (i mean i'm not complaining....)

Later that night, my GF, our mutual friend, and I were playing some SSBU and I was getting my ass kicked: I only won twice, my friend won at least 3 or 4 rounds, and my GF won almost every 4-5 rounds in a row (so I was a little salty, and to add salt to the wound, she kept killing me, saying, "I am so sorry, I was aiming for *our mutual friend's name*") I know she meant what she said but it still kinda hurt, and I was getting tired of losing everytime (yeah yeah yeah, call me a sore loser idc....) But one thing that made it all the worth it was that while I was gaining the upper hand on her....

SHE PROCEEDS TO TICKLE ME WHILE I WAS WINNING 💖😆😂😳BROOOOOO WTFFFFF

The amount of fanfic i have read and audios i've listened to with the video game+tickle trope.... To think I would experience that omgggg!!!! And the same shit happened when we were playing Mario Kart!!😳😆 Like bro, I knew she was competitive but to think she'd use ticling as a tactic to win blew my mind 😍😍💖

Don't worry, I got her back too. Whenever she would have a perfect kill streak (kills my character 3 times) I proceeded to tickle her

"It wasn't my fahahahault! I wahahahas aiming fohohohor *our mutual friend's name*! I'm sohohohohohorry!" (her laugh is to die for I swear 😍💖🥰)

That night while we were getting ready for bed, I was still a bit salty that I kept dying in SSBU and falling off the sides in MK. My GF noticed this and proceeds to lay on top of me and says, "Come on babe, let me see your smile" When I refused, she started tickling me lightly with her fucking NAAAAILS OMGGGGG 😳I proceeded to cover my mouth to NOT show her my smile

"Come on hun, let me see your pretty smile, please~?"

After some time when I finally showed my smile, she kisses me and says with a laugh, "Ahhh, I love tickling you"

AHHHHHHHHHH I HAVE ASCENDED OMGGGG 😆😍🥰💖🥰😍😆💖 I WANTED TO CRY, I WANTED TO SCREAM OMGGGGGG!!! SHE REALLY SAID THAT! OMGGG I WANNA CRYYY 😆💖😭😭💖

After settling down, I wanted a hug (me is clingy). My GF turned around and said, "Awww, you're adorable." while proceeding to hug me

"No, I'm not"

"Yes you are. You're adorable, cute, and pretty~"

I TOTALLY wasn't blushing like an idiot 😳😳😳 (for someone to say those things to me made me feel so happy 🥰💖)

"Am not"

"Are too. If not then what are you?" proceeds to lift my face by my chin "Go on, admit you're adorable"

"Or what?"

"Or I'll tickle you~" with her signature gremlin grin

UUUUUHHHHHHH MA'AM YES THE FUCK PLEASE 😳😳💖💖😆

I scoffed and turned over, "Yeah right" (wanting to be tickled again)

"Oh, so you doubt me?" proceeds to place the tips of her nails on my belly (you could practically hear her smile, "You doubt me?"

I turned my head away and didn't answer

"You left your neck wide open babe~" and proceeds to kiss my neck and tickle my belly. While trying to push her hand away while laughing (never worked in the fanfics, def not gonna work irl 😅) she says, "Come on hun, say you're adorble!"

"Okay, okahahahay!" she stops the tickling and stares at me with her hazel-ish silver eyes. i look at her and say, "You're adorable~" (hey I said what she told me to say 🤷🏾‍♀️)

She groans before tickling harder on my stomach, making me laugh louder "That's not what I meant you little shit!" (says in a playful, endearing, and loving way)

When she stops, she looks at me and says "Admit you're adorable."

"Fine, fihihine...... i'm.... adorable..."

"Heheh, I know."

And turns over as if nothing happened. I scoff before I start tickling her back.

"What dihihihihid I dohohoho?! I didn't dohoho anythihihing! Stohohohop"

"Say you're adorable!"

"Okay okahahahay! I'm adohohorable!" (she taps out a lot quicker than me cuz she says she doesn't like being tickled and yet at certain times, she doesn't mind it in the slightest, so I'd want to think I'm rubbing off on her 🥰💖😈)

After we kissed goodnight, we finally went to bed

This was one HELLUVA tickle tea story, but again, this was in the span of 2 days and nights, so ofc there'd be a lot! I really hope you guys enjoyed this as much as me experiencing this! More TTS's to come, so stay tuned!

Edit: my bad, forgot to tag the fwends @giggly-squiggily @cutesmokes @burningablaze @lovelymessybubbly @otomiyaa @sunstone-smiles

#tickle tea stories #irl story

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extra-vertebrae · 16 days

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Picked up Pikmin 4 earlier in the year and just finished it this weekend. I recently grabbed the Pikmin bundle off of the eShop since I had never played the first, and replayed Pikmin 3 in anticipation for a continued story. Held off on replaying Pikmin 2 because it sits as a genuine watermark for me from back in the GC days, and I didn't want to set up a bar for disappointment.

Unfortunately, I was a little disappointed in 4. I was really hoping that we'd get some answers on the recurring appearances of the Phantasms, or something about why every time these diminutive people visit earth, their ships blow up in the atmosphere, guaranteeing a crash and encounter with the Pikmin. Assuming engineering incompetence isn't the reason, I always held the idea that Pikmin are ultimately a least a partially parasitic species (in part inspired by the existence of Bulbmin) that requires some level of external intervention / action to survive, and are, to a certain extent, the reason Olimar and others repeatedly crash land on the planet. At the end of Pikmin 3, the credits show the Pikmin watching the sky as the Koppaites leave, only to immediately turn and head away as a falling star - likely another pilot - streaks to earth. The Pikmin understand what they're seeing to enough of a degree that they anticipate help - help that they need and ensures their advancement up the local food chain.

Anyways, narratively P4 didn't provide much in terms of answers, which is a shame. The game itself is good! I did find the boss / treasure reuse to be a little... disheartening? I'm personally not fond of "memory lanes" / "'memberberries"; the trend of rehashes of Green Hill and Chemical Plant Zone in Sonic titles have absolutely soured me on stuff like this in games. Difficulty wise, P4 felt... easy overall. However, to be fair on this aspect I did make relatively liberal use of the Rewind function in a few areas. I did really like the Dandori challenges; these were really great - I absolutely sunk quite lot of time into getting platinum scores. I would love a Challenge aspect that is the caves + treasures + their bosses, fully respawned, with or without a timer. Clearing out a floor is pretty easy and it's really unfortunate that there's no reason to go back afterwards. The final cave is easily the best in the game, and I wish there were more caves like it. The Empress Bulblax encounter in that absolutely tiny room was Good Shit(tm) and the final boss was A+.

I want to be as fair as possible, though - P4 feels easy because I started with P2, and there are aspects to P2 that are rightly improved on in P4. There's lock-on, there's charge, no instant hazard death outside of bombs and pits. These are good changes for the series overall. Also, Oatchi is great.

Also, really, really happy with Piklopedia is back! Really missed it in P3, also stoked that if you want, you can replay any boss on the spot. Outside of narrative, my only true gripe is the best upgrade for Oatchi being locked to, essentially, after the game is finished, when there is no reason or true chance to use it.

Hoping that P5 might have more on the Phantasms. In P2 the Phantasm is a very interesting gimmick that put the purple Pikmin to proper use. P3 rose a lot of questions about the Phantasms - it felt like it wasn't an "accident" or some kind of afterthought that the Gold Phantasm was the final boss. The Phantasms technically only appear as a memory lane encounter in P4. I suppose we'll see in... 10 years? In the meantime, I'll replay P2 - see how rosy those glasses really are, and maybe try a sort of "minimum Pikmin" run for P4 to spice it up for myself.

#pikmin #pikmin 4

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skeletorsims · 5 months

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My ROS for Alicel

Want to prefice this by saying that I did not create nearly anything on this list. It is heavily adapted from Vllygrl's Medieval ROS here, as well as JadeElliot's available here, and some from here by eien_herrison. I wanted to put it here for reference and if someone else wanted some ideas on how to adapt this for a more Victorian/western setting! I am using this from Y1 W4 (Winter) on.

1. Financial

Win small inheritance from dear departed relative

Add to funds: (d100 x 10)

Win medium inheritance from dear departed relative

Add to funds: (d100 x 100)

Win large inheritance from dear departed relative.

Add to funds: (d100 x 1000)

For he’s a Jolly Goode Fellowe – Add to funds: every household gives you $100.

Cattle Rustlers invade your holdings – roll 1d6 for your each of livestock. If even delete the livestock, it has been stolen.

Barn repairs – deduct from funds (d100 x 10). Place cart in inventory until paid.

2. Family

Share the love – adopt a child.

Blood is thicker than water – distant impoverished relative moves in. Make a new Sim in CAS and move in to household. Make new Sim a relative using Sim Blender. New relative must work caring for the family, family farm or family business, but may not take an outside job or in any way contribute to the family income.

Are Ye Daft? Wedding – Pick a Sim in the household who is not married already and have he or she invite over the Sim they know with highest LT relationship, and marry on the spot. Reroll if no single Sims in the household. Use Sim Blender and ACR to enact scenario.

Broken Betrothal – an engaged Sim in the household gets dumped by the fiancé.

Run away–Sim abandons family permanently. if this is rolled for a teen then they must run-away.

Meet Someone New – pick someone the Sim has not yet met or make a new Sim in CAS. Begin an affair.

3. Family 2

Indecent Proposal– oldest unmarried Sim is offered position of mistress by highest LT relationship Sim they knows – they loses 100 Aspiration Points if they accepts and must immediately leave their household in shame. They gains 100 asp points if they refuse and the offering Sim must pay $100 to their family as apology. If they accepts, they moves into a house provided by the offering Sim and must allow them exclusive rights to visit and woohoo anytime they chose, thereby losing their social standing and becoming “beyond the pale”, i.e. no longer socially acceptable. -Accepts (Roll an even number) -Refuses (Roll and odd number)

Mid-life Crisis– Oldest sim in the household offers position of affair to the Sim they knows with the highest Lt Relationship who is not living in his household. They gains 100 Aspiration Points if they accept, or loses 100 Aspiration Points if they refuses. If they accepts, they must buy, furnish and pay the bills on a house which the sim moves into and where they can visit and woohoo with them anytime he chooses as long as they is discreet (i.e. if they are later seen by their fiancé or wife in public (a community lot) with their mistress they must say good-bye and deed their the house). -Accepts (Roll an even number) -Refuses (Roll an odd number)

Ruination – an unmarried female Sim who is impregnated out of wedlock. Once the first “bump” appears, she is discovered and must immediately marry either the father or another male Sim she knows with the highest LT relationship and move in with her new husband, or she must move to the convent.

Reunion- invite entire extended family to your lot for a party

The Buccaneers- 4 sims move to the settlement to find spouses. they must be married by the end of the season

Relationship Strain- Pick 1d6 fights with the sim you have the highest LT score with

4. Disease/Illness

Broken Limb – Sim must stay at home with free will off for 2 days, use Boblishman’s cast mesh.

Pneumonia – use Sim Blender to infect Sim, and then Sim is isolated in bedroom with free will off for 2 days.

Dysentery (flu) – use Sim Blender to infect Sim, and then Sim is isolated in bedroom with free will off for 2 days.

Food Poisoning– use Sim Blender to infect Sim, and then Sim is isolated in bedroom with free will off for 2 days.

Livestock Illness- 1d6/2 of your livestock fall ill. roll 1d6 (evens/odds) to see if they survive

Lethargy– god everything is just so much. your sim can't seem to get out of bed.

5. Disaster

Fire – place (d12) intense fires on lot. Use Carrigon’s Intense Fire Hack and Sir Ignitus Blowtorch’s Buyable Fire. Whoosh! Big flames!

Flood – place at least 10 sinks in locked room and break them. Do not allow them to be fixed for 24 hours. All rugs and furniture that touch the floor must be replaced. Sell sinks back after flooding is done. Use Boolprop (shift-click on the object) to break it.

Terrible Tempest – house is demolished. Sim must call taxi and move out with all household members immediately. In neighborhood view use the lots bin bulldozer tool to demolish the lot. Then either put down an EMPTY lot in the same place and move the household in to rebuild, or move Sims into another house if they can afford it. May save (d6) items in inventory. Add to funds (d100) x 100 as a Crown Charity Grant for rebuilding.

Horse Accident – Sim loses their horse and spends (d4) days nursing his/her injury isolated in bedroom with free will off.

RATS! – place 1d20 sun & moon vermins on lot

Crop Failure – early frost wipes out entire vegetable or fruit crop.

Wrongly Jailed – (d4) for # of days spent in jail. Put Sim in your local jail.

Called Away – 1d6 male sims move to the sim bin for 1d12 days to handle business in Town. Continue your normal rotations; sadly your families will have to do without your breadwinner’s wages until peace is restored. Roll to see if each Sim will or will not return: -Dead (Roll 1 or 4 on a 6-sided die) -An elder (Roll 2 or 5 on a 6-sided die) -with a Child from another mother (Roll 3 or 6 on a 6-sided die.)

6. Death Use Sim Blender, and roll (d12) to determine cause of death:

Childbirth

Poisoned

Cart accident

Old age

Flies

Drowning

Starvation

Disease

Fire

Fright

Poisonous mushrooms (cow plant)

Foul Play

7. Miscellaneous

Crime Does Pay – Sim must spend all his or her free time (when not tending to needs or at work) counterfeiting coins for (d6) days. If caught, Sim must go to jail for (d4) days.

Caught Red-Handed (Roll an even number)

Elude Detection (Roll an odd number)

Master Herbalist Diploma – Sim must attain Gold Gardening Badge, Physiology and Lifelong Happiness. Receive (d100) x 10 Aspiration Points and $1000 Award from Crown Treasury.

Creature of the night: Somehow your sim has become infected with vampirism. Not allowed to cure for two rotations.

Running with the pack: Somehow your sim has become infected with Lycanthropy. Not allowed to cure for two rotations

Charmed- You have developed strange powers unknown to you. Roll even/odds for good witch/bad witch.

Inner Peace – Sim must move to Convent or Monastery for (d6) days and spend 6 consecutive hours in prayer (meditation) each day. If none are available the sim must start a church. Sim receives (d100) x 10 Aspiration Points. Roll to determine if Sim: -Stays in convent or monastery and takes orders (Roll an even number) -Returns home (Roll an odd number)

8. Miscellaneous

Midlife Crisis – Change your aspiration

WEIRD WEST – get your sim abducted

Creature of the night: Somehow your sim has become infected with vampirism. Not allowed to cure for two rotations.

Running with the pack: Somehow your sim has become infected with Lycanthropy. Not allowed to cure for two rotations

Charmed- You have developed strange powers unknown to you. Roll even/odds for good witch/bad witch.

Inner Peace – Your Sim must found a church, move onto the lot, and choose the career

#ts2 ros #sims 2 ros

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shinranweek · 2 years

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SHINRAN WEEK 2022 PROMPTS

Thank you so much for all your votes and suggestions in the survey! After taking them into account, we are happy to share the prompts for ShinRan Week 2022!

Day 1: First Times & No Childhood Friends AU Day 2: Conan Revelation & Role Reversal AU Day 3: And There Was Only One (...) & Flying to Los Angeles (E162) Day 4: Hurt/Comfort & Fake Relationship AU Day 5: Family & Honeymoon Day 6: Sick/Injured & Black Organization Takedown Day 7: Soulmate AU & Creator's Choice

Prompt descriptions are below!

Day 1

First Times Let's think about first times! What was it like the first time when… they met? Their first confession, their first kiss, or first date? The first time they bought something important jointly, the first time they moved in together, their first big fight, their first “not today”? Tell us about the first time they did something!

No Childhood Friends AU Forget about Shinichi and Ran meeting in kindergarten. If they met later, as teenagers or adults, they would carry a past full of experiences that do not include each other. How has life been for them up to this point? And how do they meet? Is it due to their jobs, are they neighbors, or do they happen to be at the same place at the same time? Anyhow, there is attraction, interest. No way they can just let it go. How will they manage whatever it is they are feeling?

Day 2

Conan Revelation It’s time to face the truth. How would it come out? Accidentally? Would it be Ran who finally brings it up or would Shinichi tell her? How would he do it? And what about Ran's reaction?

Role Reversal AU What if instead of Shinichi, Ran was the one who got shrunk into a seven-year-old? Or what if Ran had been the detective geek and Shinichi the one who didn't care about mysteries that much?

Day 3

And There Was Only One (…) Shinichi and Ran face a situation where they need to share something they are not used to, like… There is only one room left in the hotel. Maybe only one bed or only one blanket to warm themselves. Maybe there's only one free chair left at some party, or a drink from the only available glass or can... How would they react and what would they do?

Flying to Los Angeles (E162)

You remember this scenario, right? Such closeness. What happened before Ran fell asleep? What was she dreaming while leaning on Shinichi? Or maybe she was faking? Oh, and what was going through Shinichi's mind at that moment… I wonder…

Day 4

Hurt/Comfort The world is full of concerns. Conditions with lifelong effects, painful memories, hurtful losses… broken dreams, doubts about the future or about ourselves, feeling not being enough or being unable to meet others’ expectations or our own goals. Luckily, they have each other! How would they find out about each other’s fears or would they be open about them? How would they try to cheer each other up, get the other back to their feet and support them?

Fake Relationship AU Does Ran has some stubborn admirer who would like to go on a date with her, but she isn’t interested? Does Shinichi have a case where he needs Ran to pretend to be his fiancée? Or maybe they need to fake another kind of relationship, something that doesn't have anything to do with romantic feelings? Or maybe they don't get along at all or even know each other before the fake situation!

Day 5

Family Shinichi and Ran visiting Shinichi’s parents in America? Shinichi helping Ran with drunken Kogoro? Both of them in a cafe with Eri? Maybe both the Mouri and Kudo families are together on vacation? Perhaps there is some relative that isn’t mentioned in canon and they meet ShinRan for the first time? Ooooor maybe Shinichi and Ran having their own offspring?

Honeymoon We had the wedding; now it’s time for the honeymoon! A time to forget about the real world and relish the company of your beloved, to focus on how deeply in love you are, and experience awesome things with them. Where do Shinichi and Ran go to spend their first days as a married couple? Do they stay in Japan or travel overseas? Is it a relaxing trip, or a thrilling journey? What is the most special thing they do?

Day 6

Sick/Injured Homebound because of a bad cold, or in need of somebody’s help to do anything because of an injury… What happened? Who is convalescent and who is playing the nurse role to take care of the other? Are they good at it, or… do they make it worse?! Are there some habits they would do when another one is sick/injured or does this scenario new for them?

Black Organization Takedown Time to take down the ones who are responsible for why Shinichi is Conan. And of course, our heroine would be part of it. But how? How would she assist the love of her life? Would Shinichi know about it or would it be a surprise? Would Ran team up with him from the beginning or would she show up when he needs her the most? Or what would happen when everything is over?

Day 7

Soulmates AU There are many stories about finding a soulmate: sharing a telepathic link with each other, hearing the same song in their heads, meeting in dreams, or feeling when the other one is feeling strong or is in danger. Some have matching marks like tattoos and names, and some share their injuries. Some can only taste, smell or see colors after meeting their soulmate. Some get a timer that tells when they are meeting their soulmate, some know their soulmate’s secrets and some can’t lie to their soulmate, and… some don’t have a soulmate at all, or the other one's soulmate can be someone else. What about Shinichi and Ran?

Creator’s Choice Is there something you wanted to create, but it didn’t fit any of those prompts? Was there last year’s prompt that you would like to use or maybe a WIP that you want to finish? Here is your chance ;)

Remember that these are just examples meant to give you ideas and inspiration!

#Fandom Events #Detective Conan #Detective Conan Events #ShinRan #Kudou Shinichi #Mouri Ran #Shinichi x Ran #ShinRanWeek2022 #Prompts List #Announcement

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autumnalwalker · 1 year

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15 Questions: Character interview edition

Thank you for the tag, @words-after-midnight. I do enjoy writing in-character responses to questions.

Passing the tag to @cljordan-imperium, @theprissythumbelina, @blind-the-winds, @oh-no-another-idea, @dogmomwrites, and an open tag for anyone else who wishes to join in the fun.

Since this week's upcoming Empty Names chapter is from Ashan Glassheart's POV, I'll queue him up for this. I'm tempted to go do the rest of the Empty Names cast at some point in the future as well, like I did last time.

1. Are you named after anyone?

My grandfather, although I have not used that name in more than half my life. I still think of it a name of mine, but it is also a memento of a time I cannot go back to. Meanwhile, "Glassheart" is an homage to my teacher's epithet of "Glassgaze." As is traditional.

2. When was the last time you cried?

When I visited the tombstone my parents put up for me.

3. Do you have any kids?

No, and I would prefer to avoid the possibility. I may consider adoption one day though, particularly if I ever decide to take an apprentice.

4. Do you use sarcasm?

Only sparingly.

5. What's the first thing you notice about people?

Their overall demeanor. Tone, body language, and etcetera. Useful elements for planning impending interaction.

6. What's your eye color?

Light brown. Someone once called them "amber," but that was an ill-conceived attempt at winning me over with poetry on his part coupled with odd lighting.

7. Scary movies or happy endings?

There is more than enough fear out and about in the world. And besides, I have not seen a movie since I was a child. Perhaps I should amend that.

8. Any special talents?

Other than being a wizard? I suppose I am a passable dancer. My teacher insisted it was good exercise for staying light on one's feet.

9. Where were you born?

Earth, the local anchor world iteration of it specifically, despite having left young. My early childhood memories are of a rural small town. Pray forgive me not being more specific, but my family still lives there and even if they think I died years ago I would prefer to respect their privacy.

10. What are your hobbies?

Finding relatively secluded natural areas to meditate in is the first thing that comes to mind for such a question, particularly since spending hours in a library pouring over tomes on arcane theory and practice is largely considered part of my profession rather than a hobby, no matter how much I enjoy it.

11. Have you any pets?

No, nor is my preferred practice of magic one that typically incorporates familiars.

12. What sports do you play/have played?

The closest I have ever come to playing sports is the time my teacher signed the two of us up as contestants in a gladiatorial tournament of sorts. She said it would be a good learning experience and practical test of my skills. She was correct, as usual, even if I was eliminated halfway through. Meanwhile she made it to the final bout and I have long suspected that she only lost that because she was holding back for the sake of not upsetting my image of her.

13. How tall are you?

Five feet, six inches. Roughly the same as my teacher. Given how much of a role model she was for me, I suspect the Autogenesis Principle may be as responsible for this a genetics. "What is the Autogenesis Principle?" It is the tendency for the bodies of those exposed to the supernatural - particularly those from anchor worlds who had previously been unaware of its existence - to physically warp and change over time to align with their self-image. That is the simplified version at the least. In practice there can be any number of factors complicating this creation of the self, so that one person might be barely affected while another can undergo exaggerations that border on the monstrous.

14. Favorite subject in school?

I was still in elementary school when I... left home with the woman who would become my teacher, but the memories of reading classes are the ones that I recall most vividly. To her credit though, she did make a point of tutoring me in other subjects I was missing out on more formal education for alongside my magical training.

15. Dream job?

Being a wizard and helping those in need. As I am already doing.

#tag game #in character #responding in character #character interview #original characters #Empty Names

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coiled-dragon · 4 days

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20 questions for fic writers

Omg big tag game :D thanks for the tag @thetentaclecommander ♥

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

146.... 146!!!!!!! Its taken me 12 years to get that many...

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

468,189...... 8D and 1/4th of that... was all from Last Year, 2023, the year of Dracfield

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Well if I list all of the ones I have written for, its a pretty big list. But like... The Passenger, Renfield/Dracula media in general, Dead by Daylight, Stranger Things, Rise of the Guardians, Encanto, Gravity Falls, Pokemon... Lots of other misc horror media, too~

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

GOD can I skip this?? Because its a fast way for everyone to look at me and condemn me because the one thing all these fics have in common are problematic ships around One Type of Problematic and im anxious but like. Fuck it.

Living with Max - Camp Camp, MaxVid longfic, abandoned (For now) - 1893 Kudos When Dealing With Demons - Gravity Falls, BillDip Longfic - 1116 Kudos Late Night Visits - Gravity Falls, BillDip - 875 Kudos Keeping Secrets - Gravity Falls, BillDip - 798 Kudos A Sort of Welcome Distraction - Gravity Falls, BillDip - 754 Kudos

I aint linking them and if you go find them mind the content lmfao

5. Do you respond to comments?

I usually try to!! Sometimes! To at least half of them ;w; sometimes I just dunno what to say...

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

HAHA..OH BOY... that would be Si Tú No Estás Aquí an Encanto fic with double main character death so like. Heads Up if you read it. Proud of it but man it hurts

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

God I have to think uhhhh.. Probably Father's Day, a DBD AU fic that's tooth rottingly sweet, imo. I know Babies Ever After isn't for every character but I really do hold it close to my heart for Evan and Meg ;3;

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not in a while, but it's not uncommon. I write everything from Incest to underage to bestiality to snuff to necro... so it usually sets people off. Doesnt happen as often as it used to though

9. Do you write smut?

Looks at 85 of my 146 fics being marked Explicit

Yea

10. Do you write crossovers?

Sometimes! But it has to be an idea that reeeeally grabs me

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not to my knowledge

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yep, have had some translated to Chinese, Russian, and Spanish

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yep, at least one published, partially finished long fic

14. What’s your all-time favorite ship?

Thats a cruel thing to ask a bitch with ADHD

but I think it'd be BlackIce (Jack Frost x Black Ice) from Rise of the Guardians

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

HAHA ONE?

I have dozens that are half done or just a line in a document... Id love to finish them, but most will never see the light of day

16. What are your writing strengths?

God. idk. Tell me what my strengths are??

I'd like to say 'capturing characters voices'. I think im good at that...

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Probably writing action. I can see it so cool in my head but writing it down?? uggghghhghh

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I don't usually write dialogue in other languages BUT I have done it for Encanto fics! I usually try to find someone who speaks the language if I'm not confident in writing it but with Spanish I know my way around it enough to feel relatively confident.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Harry Potter waaaaay back 2011-ish? on FF.Net lol. Always loved Drarry and Snarry, you can see even back then I had my Tastes figured out XD

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

idk man, I really don't. I've written a lot I enjoyed at this part, fics Ive gone back and read more than once! But I just cant make myself Pick one or even a top three.... So you'll JUST have to read all 146 and figure out which one YOU guys like (just avoid the ones that make you wanna die inside I wont blame you!)

I! AM not gonna tag anyone! Do this whole questionnaire if you want!! I love you guys! Thank you TTC I love you too!!!!!

#tag game #about me

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