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yugyummygot7reactions · 4 years

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Into the Night - 1

Prelude | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |

New chapter posted every day from now to 10/31!! at 8pm EST!!!

Pairing: Bam Bam x You

Genre: Smut

Word Count: 1868

Warnings: ABO dynamic

It was up to you to fix this before your family could find out. You didn’t know what the monsters were, what they looked like, what they wanted, or how to find them, but you knew you had a new calling.

Take them down.

The darkness filled the field and you could barely see ahead of you. Your crossbow in one hand and a high strength flashlight in the other were all you had to stop these things from escaping and destroying the real world. You knew from your training that there were 11 kinds of monsters in this realm. Vampires, werewolves, demons, sirens, succubi, warlocks, ghosts (both friendly and not so friendly), zombies, faeries, trolls, and shape-shifters. The other monsters were kept in a different realm, guarded by a different family in an undisclosed part of the world.

You knew how to stop each monster, but you were never taught how to get them back into their realm, especially now that the incantation closed the portal for at least another year.

You began to run through the corn fields into the woods that surrounded the seemingly harmless warehouse. You were sure you saw at least one of the clumps of smoke fly in this direction, and at this point, that was the best and only lead you had.

Running through the forest you hear a large growl. You tried to follow the sound but it seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at the same time and was impossible to follow.

The growl stopped and you heard two twigs break beneath a creature behind you. You spin fast and see what looks like a man and wolf hybrid run passed you before howling at the not yet full moon.

“Who’s there?” You yelled into the woods, crossbow pointed at the direction you saw the creature go in.

“The big bad wolf.” you heard whispered into your ear.

You turn and immediately fire an arrow at the creature, but it grabs it without a second thought.

“Nice try my little kitten, but to beat this wolf you need better game than that.” The man said before his eyes lit up a breathtaking amber and he approached you. His features were slightly distorted and he had a bit more hair than a normal human should, but he otherwise looked to be nearly normal.

He disappeared for a moment and then the sound of him sniffing was happening behind you, followed by another growl, and a needy whine as he reappeared from the darkness and nuzzled his face into your neck, licking and scraping his fangs across the flesh as you shuddered.

“I’m Bam,” He said as he took your scent in. You were getting turned on by this creature when you should have been killing him and you didn’t know what to do.

“You’re a werewolf.” you said, trying to hold in your sanity, his earthy smell had you captivated.

His fangs ran across your neck again and you moaned softly as he focused on a particularly sensitive part. He shuddered and wrapped his hands around your waist, pulling you into him with his face still buried in your neck.

One clawed hand focused down into your pants, making you gasp as a claw scraped gently across your clit, your hips bucking as you could hear a small growling chuckle from right beside your ear as he bit your lobe and tugged.

“Don’t worry, kitten, this big bad wolf won’t bite hard enough to cause you any trouble.” You felt his smirk along your neck, “Unless you’d rather join the side of the hunted instead of the hunter.”

You shivered at that thought. It both excited and terrified you. You grew up knowing the secrets of the supernatural world, but never had the choice to choose to be a part of it yourself.

“I can’t betray my family.” you struggled to say.

“Loyalty. I like that.” he whispered as he pulled you in closer. “I can sense you would be a fine omega if you joined me.” He began to pull your pants down slightly, “This alpha would make you into the best bitch the realm had ever seen.” He pulled his clawed hands away from your core before smelling and licking your slick off of them. “A strong omega indeed, you could bear the finest of pups with me, you know.”

His one hand dove back in and continued its assault on your core through your panties as the other suddenly ripped through your shirt and bra roughly in one fell swoop, the scraps of clothing quickly moved to let your chest fall out. You could feel what was left of your shirt sliding down your shoulders as you bucked into his hand.

“Oh fuck, Bam!” You whimpered out needily as the hand that had ripped off your shirt started twisting and tugging at your nipple. You could see his face out of the corner of your eye and the glint of his teeth drew your attention to the wolfish grin on his face as he played with your body so excitedly. He leaned down and bit your shoulder, making you cry out and arch your back into his hands before he licked the mark softly, as though a soft primal way of telling you he knew you were his even if only for tonight. You couldn’t help but pant, a hand coming behind you to run in Bam’s dark black hair as a pleased growl came through his chest.

“I promise that wasn’t enough to make you mine. That, I won’t do without your consent.”

“I can’t” you breathed, finally dropping the crossbow and flashlight and giving in to your desires. Pleasure first, work later.

You knew that was the wrong mentality, but what could an extra few minutes do to your timeline?

When the light fell it angled up and you could see his features more clearly now. he had a strong jaw and cheek bones, his eyes pierced into your soul, his lips were in a permanent pillowy pout with his fangs hanging slightly out, and his disheveled hair made him look like he had just been fucked 100 times before this. He ran his hands along your body and pulled you close again. His radiating heat keeping you warm on this cool October night and his rock hard, throbbing cock pressing right up against your core.

“Stop teasing me!” you begged, squirming on his knee then looking back to him the best you could in this position, catching the pure lust in his amber hued animalistic eyes as you quivered in his touch, “Alpha, please! I need your cock in me!”

He responded quickly to that, and before you knew it you were on your hands and knees, the grass and dirt of the forest floor able to be felt pressing against your skin even better with how sensitive this all had made you. Bam yanked what little bit of clothing you had left off of you, his cock pressing against your entrance as he snarled, claws digging into your hips a little as he pulled you closer. You gasped, about to say something about the size of his swelling dick not being able to fit before he started thrusting anyways, shallow thrusts at first, pushing into you with each stab at your core, causing your eyes to roll up at the foreign sensation. He growled and kept going until one particularly hard thrust left him sheathed fully inside you as you screamed out into the empty forest.

He stopped for a small moment, seeming pleased with himself before a small throb of your pussy sent a shudder through him and he pressed his whole body on top of yours, thrusting fast and hard as he drew more sounds from your mouth as your jaw hung slack at the feeling. You could tell he wanted more than just a quick fuck. He wanted to mate, to breed, to claim. You couldn’t let him.

One hand wove in your hair, tugging lightly as he thrust as the other hand made its way back to your chest to grope and squeeze while the claws scraped gently against your nipple. It felt so good, he was making it hard to think of anything but his cock thrusting savagely inside of you, the sound of skin against skin piercing through the quiet night air of the forest as his thrusts started to get harder, moving you roughly against the forest floor before he growled in annoyance at this, wrapping a hand around your waist and pulling you up to bounce on his cock instead.

“I can’t wait to watch you take my knot.”

He held you up by your hips, pounding into you as he forced you up and down on his cock with rabid strength, your chest bouncing freely in the air as your tongue lolled out of your mouth from sheer pleasure. You felt his hips start to stutter as he chased his end, clearly getting close.

“You can’t knot me. I can’t-” He silenced you with a hand around your throat.

“Without a mating bite I can’t breed you, kitten.” He squeezed your neck tighter. “And you won’t tell me yes.” He whined before a loud pant escaped his bitten lips.

He growled out roughly into your ear as he came and the sheer possessiveness of the sound accompanied by his knot and firm grip had you lost in the moment. You squirted roughly all over his cock, unable to hold it anymore as your vision went white and you almost went limp as he bit again at the back of your neck, hips stroking into you a time or two more before you felt a large knot swell and lock him in place, causing you to gasp and squirm a bit before he grunted and held you still, licking once more at the shallow teeth marks he’d left before nuzzling into you as you panted and leaned against him, reaching up and scratching behind one of the ears.

“For now, you are mine,” he growled, moving your hair out of your face, removing some rogue leaves and twigs. “In the morning, you will be mine no more.”

You faded into blackness in his arms as the words left his mouth.

The next time you awoke, it was daylight. You had a t-shirt and sweatpants on that were not yours and the earth below you where you slept was damp. Your crossbow and flashlight were laying against a nearby tree and it was then you realized what you were supposed to be doing now and what transpired last night.

“Oh shit!!” you yelled as you gathered your things and began to run to look for any traces of the monsters. “I let him get away.”

As you looked down you saw a signature carved lightly into your arm. It read ‘Bam.’

You knew the hybrid was long gone and finding him would be difficult until the full moon on halloween. You had to let him go for now. You didn’t even know how far of a head start he had or how long you had been out for.

You cursed under your breath and headed into the nearby town, thinking you had a moment alone during the run there to sort out your thoughts.

Little did you know, you were far from alone.

_______________________________________________________________________

Hello My Lovelies!!!!

I am back with a new series for halloween!!! Are y’all excited??? Who do you think I made what monster/creature? I’d love to know who you think is next and what they are.

Let me know! Comments are always appreciated <3

~LoLo

#got7 #into the night #got7 smut #bam bam #bambam #bam bam smut #bambam smut #kunpimook #kunpimook bhuwakul #yugyummygot7reactions #werewolf

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wilwywaylan · 4 years

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The Artist above and the Revolutionnary below - Part 4

Fandom : les Misérables

Modern!AU, Enjolras x Grantaire, 3473 words

Last part of the fic for the Same Prompt Challenge ! Finally, it’s done !

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3

Also on AO3 !

Step one : wash self. It would do no good to present himself to Enjolras looking like some kind of cave troll. So Grantaire took a shower, taking great care to wash his hair and untangle the curls. Once mostly dry and dressed in clean clothes, he aimed for the kitchen. Not for the coffee, even if he started by making himself a nice cup, but for something far more ambitious : he was going to cook.

Four hours later, his kitchen was a mess, every horizontal surface was covered in flour and there was even some sticking to some vertical parts, the sink contained more dishes that he believed he owned, and he was in dire need of another shower. But there was a whole plate of cookies in the oven, and it smelled quite good. Not that Grantaire wanted to brag, of course. He didn't have any time for it, anyway, he was way too busy watching the biscuits by the small window. He didn't want...he couldn't mess them up. He didn't have the courage nor the ingredients to start again.

But luckily for him, the cookies got out deliciously golden, and absolutely perfect. He transferred them into a metal box, resisting the urge to eat one himself. After a second shower that got rid of most of the flour, he went to sit at his easel. Now came the third, and most important part. Cookies were a nice touch, but he wouldn't be forgiven just with this, Bahorel's super secret recipe notwithstanding. No, he needed to find the perfect present that would melt Enjolras' anger like a cube of ice during summer. And nothing could be more of a perfect present than something handmade, or in his case, hand-drawn.

The white page was almost intimidating, at first, more than during one of his assignments, even. Assignments, he could bullshit his way through them if inspiration didn't strike. But this.... this was way more important. Okay, no, maybe not. He couldn't claim a cute boy was more important than his studies. It was important in a different way, but he couldn't just pretend he knew what he was doing. He needed to know. He needed to make it perfect.

The first strokes were hesitant, almost shy, barely scratching the surface. But as he went, the picture in his mind grew clearer, his gestures became more assured, and he started working faster.

When he finally moved, the sun had set, his neck was sending jolts of pain up his skull, his fingers hurt, and his hoodie had lost all pretention to be an actual color. He stretched, sending his arms above his head, only realizing now that his stomach was growling. Probably loud enough to wake his neighbors up. But he didn't care. He felt well. The painting on his easel was probably one of his finest works since... oh, several years. Enjolras stood in the middle of it ; Grantaire had painted him dressed in a XIXe century style, with a red jacket with a cockade pinned on the lapel, a black cravat resting undone on a white shirt under a black waistcoat. There was a smudge of blood on the cheek, but he was brandishing a red flag above his head. The whole sky behind him was a brilliant whirlwind of pink, orange and yellow, and a timid sun was stroking Enjolras' face with gold rays. Any critic would have dismissed the piece as "overly pompous" and "pretentious", but Grantaire felt a mix of pride and anxiety watching it. It certainly was fine, but didn't he exaggerate, making Enjolras' face softer than it was ? Maybe his eyes weren't fierce enough, not full of fire enough ? And what if Enjolras didn't enjoy a portrait of himself ? Oh well, too late now, it was done. Tomorrow, he would make his move. But for now, he wanted nothing more than sleep. He made his way to his room, abandoning his clothes on the way, and dropped on the bed. The remnants of Bahorel's impromptu breakfast were still on the nightstand, and he devoured the rest of the croissants. Once sated, he wrapped himself in the blankets and just laid there, content and sated, for the first time in days. Maybe things were looking up, after all.

~*~

Next morning saw Grantaire up earlier than he'd been in months. He'd woken up almost with the sun, and had been since tossing and turning under the blankets, trying to keep himself busy until it was a decent time to put his plan in motion. He didn't know about Enjolras' sleeping habits, and didn't want to wake him up. That wouldn't put him in good dispositions. So he browsed the internet, trying to distract himself until it was time to move.

At around 10 AM, he decided to act. He rolled out of bed and got ready, going through the motions with application, concentrating on each gesture to ignore the way his heart seemed to try to get free from his chest. He took the box of cookies, the painting, and snuck out into the hallway. It was dark and deserted. Perfect. He went down the stairs, his socked feet silent on the tiles. Still no one. He managed to reach door 32 without a hitch, without any nosy neighbor opening their door to see who was playing spies in the hallway. He carefully put the painting down, put the box beside it, with a small message he'd spent at least fifteen minutes writing. Nothing fancy, just a heartfelt "I'm sorry I've been an ass". No need to start babbling on writing. Good.

He rang the bell... and ran away, up the stairs, almost falling down and hitting the ramp in his hast. He had barely reached his story, when he heard a door open. There was a moment of silence. And a thought hit him right between the eyes : what if Enjolras decided to climb here to see who put the presents on his doorstep ? He'd see him crouching behind the railing like an idiot. He dashed inside his apartment, closed the door, then opened it a tiny sliver. No Enjolras materialized on the landing, but there was a rustling. Like things being picked up and carried inside. So he had found the presents. Very good.

Grantaire retreated inside, pondering on the next move for a second. He could start working on his assignments again, clean a bit of his flat, maybe scrub his bathroom. Things would go back to how they were before all these guitar shenanigans. But that wasn't what he wanted, right ? So he needed to follow the plan.

He needed to rummage a little (a lot) through the mess accumulated under his bed and in his cupboard, but he finally unearthed an old, battered case. The guitar inside had lost a bit of its shine, but the intricate patterns on it, flowers and clouds, were still as vivid as always. He took it back to his window and sat as comfortably as possible. It was out of tune, of course, after so much time in storage, but the gestures came back to him easily, and soon, it was fit to play. He stroked the strings, just enjoying the sound for a few seconds, then started to warm up. The notes flew by the window, carried by the wind, soft and round at each vibration of the strings, climbing the scales up and down. His fingers were dancing, almost on their own, modulating the melody almost perfectly.

Under him, a window opened. He didn't hear footsteps, but he imagined them all the same. Time to go to step five. Or six, he didn't remember. He abandoned the scales for real melody. Still no noise coming from under him. Oh well, he could still play for himself, couldn't he ? After all, he did like this song. And so, he started singing softly, almost under his breath.

Lay down in the stars, my bonny lass Lay down in my arms, we'll make it last The senses aspire to this far greater time As the rivers flow your heart will be mine

He played the song from start to finish, enjoying how easily it was all coming back to him, the lyrics and the melody, how delightful it was to play again. The last notes fled outside, fading slowly as the strings stopped singing. Grantaire leaned on the guitar, feeling the vibrations stop under his fingers. The silence after a song always had a special quality, soft and serene, like it was another part, something that completed the song.

- Are you there ?

Enjolras' voice cut the silence, made him jump so hard that he almost dropped the guitar. He did call for him. Enjolras wanted to talk to him ! Do not ruin this, play it cool. He walked to the window and leaned out. Enjolras was peering up at him, and Grantaire's heart gave a little tug at the beautiful eyes fixed on him, so large and so blue that they seemed to hold the whole sky. He also noticed that he didn't look as angry as yesterday. Or perhaps he was very good at hiding his feelings. Grantaire composed himself a friendly smile, and answered :

- I am, yes. Hello, Enjolras.

- Hello. I heard you playing, so I wondered....

- If it was me, or the ghost of Christmas past ?

Enjolras frowned, and Grantaire remembered that he was supposed to be nice and friendly, not rile him up again by making fun of him.

- Sorry, he added. What can I do for you ?

- Someone put a box of cookies and a very nice painting on my doorstep, and I was wondering if you knew something about it.

The urge to roll his eyes was stronger than ever, but he refrained heroically.

- Why yes. Do you enjoy cookies, at least ? Because I didn't really ask...

- Oh, so it was you ?

- Yes ? I mean, I signed the note, so....

Enjolras frowned again, more perplexed that angry this time.

- Yes, but.... you.... didn't really introduce yourself. Your friend called you "R" that time, but I didn't know that it stood for "Grantaire", so...

This time, Grantaire facepalmed. Count on him to be so stupid he forgot to officially introduced himself.

- Sorry. I'm Grantaire. Pleased to meet you.

- Pleased to meet you too.

Grantaire tried not to smile too wildly.

- So, what do I owe the pleasure ?

- I heard the guitar. Were you playing ?

- Ah yes, I felt like getting it out of storage and tickling the strings a little.

- That was really great ! I didn't know you were such a good player !

He really needed to stop complimenting him, because Grantaire wasn't sure he was going to maintain his composure for long.

- It's been a while since I've played, but....

- Do you think you could... come down, and we'll play ?

What ? Did he hear right ? Was he....? This was a dream. This could only be a dream. Did Enjolras really ask him to come back ? But he was watching him with his beautiful eyes, and still looking expectantly up at him, and pinching himself didn't suddenly wake him up. That was reality.

When the information reached his brain, Grantaire grabbed his guitar and, once again, ran all the way to Enjolras' door. As he knocked, he suddenly realized that he had bypassed shoes entirely. Too bad, Enjolras was already opening the door, his cat in his arms. Grantaire scratched the little head between the hair, refrained from doing the same to Enjolras.

- So, he said instead, I heard you wanted to play ?

Enjolras lead him to the balcony again, where two cups of coffee were waiting, smoking quietly. Grantaire was both oddly touched by the welcoming gesture, and impressed at how Enjolras seemed to be sure that he would come done. But then again, maybe Bahorel was right and his crush *was* visible from space.

- Anything you want to play ? Grantaire asked once he’d sat down on the rickety chair.

- Can you play Wonderwall ?

- Of course, I taught you. Together ?

Enjolras picked up his own instrument. He carefully placed his hands as Grantaire had shown him, tuned it a little, then turned to face him. Grantaire counted the rhythm as he had taught it, careful of not going too fast.

It was weird, playing together like this. Enjolras did lack a bit in rhythm, forcing Grantaire to adjust, but nothing he couldn't deal with. He didn't dare sing at first, rather enjoying Enjolras' voice, but after the first verse, he just let himself get carried away. It was great, moving like this, in unison, almost like they were two halves of the same thing. Grantaire didn't want to read too much into the situation, but it was... exhilarating. It felt like flying. Like being, for a few seconds, at the top of the world, with him.

It ended, because of course, it had to end, leaving Grantaire disoriented, and a little breathless. Probably the singing, of course. But Enjolras looked as affected as him, so maybe he hadn't imagined the connexion they shared for a minute or two. He tried to play it cool, picking at the keys to retune the strings. Enjolras watched him do with interest.

- Can you play something else ? he asked suddenly.

- Of course. What do you like ?

- Anything you want.

Anything ? Grantaire didn't have to pick his brain to find a song. Of course, that would be a very daring move, but Fortune favored the bold and all that. What did he risk, except a slap and being thrown over the balcony rail ? (probably not). He started playing the chords, softly at first, then seeing that Enjolras didn't run away, launched into the song.

Wise men say only fools rush in But I can't help falling in love with you...

It was a good thing he knew the words by heart, because Enjolras was so close their knees were brushing, and Grantaire had great trouble stopping himself from jumping each time he touched him. His heart was beating fast, so fast, and he was sure he could hear Enjolras', beating in tune. Or that may just be wishful thinking.

He didn't know how he got to the end of the song without running away or bungling anything. He was ready to jump out of his skin at each light touch. And as he lifted his head, it was to discover the beautiful blue eyes set on him, pinning him in place. He couldn't turn his head, he couldn't say anything, he could just look at him, and hope his eyes would do the talking.

Suddenly, Jude jumped on his master's lap, almost knocking the guitar over, breaking the spell. Enjolras patted him as he kneading his pants, and asked :

- This song...

- Yes.... Did you like it ?

- A lot... It's very pretty.

- Very, yes.

Perfect. When did they land in a potboiler and get turned into shy teenagers ? Grantaire would have slapped himself if he didn't fear looking like an idiot. He'd always hated that genre, so to suddenly find himself like this, babbling and muttering, incapable of speaking his mind... They'd never get there, not like that. Someone needed to take the reins of the conversation for something to happen, anything. He opened his mouth, but Enjolras beat him to it.

- Did you choose it for a reason ?

Ah, short and to the point. Enjolras certainly didn't embarrass himself with subtleties. But now, he was expecting an answer. And this meant Grantaire needed to think very hard about the answer he was going to give, and quick. And Enjolras was still looking at him, so he needed to focus extra hard to not say anything stupid or incriminating. And he needed to think, and to think quickly, instead of being sidetracked like this.

- I....

Great start, Grantaire. Now say something, or he's going to lose his patience, and maybe his temper. But what could he say ? That he really, really wanted to kiss him ? Hold his hand and the rest too ? Set his life at his feet ? Well, yes, this was what he wanted. But he couldn't say it, or Enjolras would run away. But he needed to say something now. Anything.

- I like it.

Oh great. This time, he hit his head against the guitar, lightly, of course.

- Is that the only reason ?

Grantaire took a deep breath, lifted his head. There they were. No going back now.

- I....

It didn't want to come. He was ready to say it, that was the best moment, the only moment, it was perfect, the atmosphere, the guitar, everything, and he couldn't say it. Count on him to be so stupid he couldn't confess his feelings.

A hand closed on his and squeezed gently. He looked down at their fingers, then back at Enjolras' face, who kept his eyes down.

- I don't want your whole life, he said, but I could... take your hand, if you want.

Grantaire was a bit tempted to laugh, but he refrained.

- Would you, really ? He asked, very low.

- I want to try, at least. If you want to.

He was looking at him, now, with such an open expression that Grantaire almost wanted to scream and tackle him. But no. Act like a normal person. He lifted the hand Enjolras wasn't holding, stroked his cheek, very slowly. His movements were measured, to give him all the time he needed to move back. But Enjolras didn't move back. Not when Grantaire bent down, very, very slowly to kiss him. It was soft, almost too much. Clumsy, too, like Enjolras wasn't used to being kissed. They just kept like this for a moment, barely moving. Not enough for Grantaire, he wanted more, way more, he wanted to ravish him, to leave him red, breathless, to hold him tight and never let go. But it was perfect none-the-less.

They parted for breath, and because Grantaire's neck was starting to hurt. Enjolras was looking at him, his cheeks a little red, his smile a little shy. Positively adorable. Without letting go of Grantaire's hand, he moved his chair a little closer, until he could lean against his shoulder. It was not the most comfortable way to sit, but Grantaire wouldn't have let go for anything in the world. Still, he felt compelled to ask :

- Are you sure you want this ? I mean....

Enjolras moved a little, and he wanted to hold him back, but he didn't step aside, not even a little.

- What do you mean ?

- Well... I'm me, and....

This time, Enjolras shifted to be able to look at him without leaving his shoulder.

- Yes, I know.

- Are you sure this is what I want ? Because....

- I am sure, yes. I know what I'm getting, and what I don't know, I will discover. And I'm sure I will like it.

A very large emotion got stuck in Grantaire's throat, effectively cutting all the words he could have used. So he just held Enjolras' hand tighter, and twisted a little to be able to lay a kiss on his forehead.

They sat like this for a moment in silence, watching the sparrows fly by. Grantaire's thumb was stroking the soft skin on Enjolras' hand, very gently. Suddenly, Enjolras asked :

- It wasn't... too awkward, was it ? When I said... (He gestured vaguely with his free hand.) About your life, and....

- It was, Grantaire chuckled, but that was adorable. It's very... you.

Enjolras laughed a little.

- You better get used to it, it seems that I'm very clumsy at speaking my feelings.

- Don't worry, I like it a lot.

- Good. Now would you maybe play that song for me again ?

Grantaire let go of Enjolras' hand with a hint of regret, and took his guitar back. Immediately, Enjolras settled back against his shoulder. Grantaire didn't know if he could play with someone against him like that, but he certainly wasn't going to ask him to move. Certainly not. He stroked the strings again, and started the song a second time. Enjolras was warm and heavy against him, and it was perfect. The notes started to fly above the roof, to tell everyone listening that they had finally found each other.

Songs are True Life Song by Jon Anderson, and Can’t help falling in love with you by Elvis Presley

#les miserables #enjolras #grantaire #enjoltaire #same prompt challenge #dorks #such dorks #they are so dorky #I love them

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kalijhomentethi · 4 years

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The Animal In you

Badger

BADGER CHARACTERISTICS: Smallish • Patriotic • Protective • Passionate • Blunt • Aggressive SCIENTIFIC NAME: Taxidea taxus COLLECTIVE TERM: A cete of badgers

CONFIDENCE PERSONIFIED

Badgers are closely related to weasel personalities and share the same range as their cousins the skunks. What distinguishes badgers from their relatives is their extraordinary physical and emotional strength and tenacious approach to life's challenges. Good looking, small to medium-sized individuals, they walk and talk as if they own the world and their powerfully built bodies and dominating personalities back down for none, even for the much larger personality of the lion. Badgers will confidently enter the territory of others and woe betide anyone who blocks their path.

BADGERS SURPRISE EVERYONE WITH THEIR TOUGHNESS

Like most carnivores badgers stay in shape with regular physical activity and tend to be particularly well-dressed and precisely groomed. They enjoy all sports and their competitive natures drive them to the edges of their abilities, but because of their small size, sometimes feel the need to assert themselves to gain the respect accorded the larger carnivores. However, the badger's tendency to bite off more than it can chew often results in an overestimation of its capabilities. Having the heart of a tiger is both their greatest asset and biggest downfall.

Badger personalities seldom find time for the finer pleasures of life. Art and literature are considered distracting to the pursuit of resources, and their reading habits are usually confined to light fiction or popular action novels.

BADGERS IN THE WORKPLACE

Badgers are almost always successful in business but often find themselves over their heads. Their towering ambitions cause them to make sweeping plans without considering the finer details of the exercise. With such an abundance of self-confidence, they sometimes rush headlong into overwhelming situations and are forced to burrow their way out. Even so, they never go down without a fight.

Badgers are highly regarded as leaders, especially by the smaller animal personalities, but their physical statures can limit their political or business ambitions. This doesn't deter them from running races they are destined to lose, for like their weasel cousins, badgers are opportunists and will team up with more thoughtful animal personalities to offset their impetuous natures. As salespeople, they have few equals and jobs requiring a high degree of proactive selling are perfect for the badger's get-up-and-go personality. As managers, they might be somewhat overbearing, but they are always fair and rational. Badgers don't exhibit much of an ego and – while rooting for opportunities, always generate a great deal of respect from their peers.

THE WILD BADGER

A bearlike animal with short, powerful legs and strong claws, the badger is armed with musk glands (like its close relative the skunk), and relies on its powerful and stocky three-foot-long body to protect itself. Because of their nocturnal habits, they are rarely observed in the wild, although they are common throughout Northern Europe and the United States. A badger's response to danger can be quite astonishing. When threatened, the hair on its body stands on end and it suddenly looks twice its normal size. When combined with a violent snarling sound, its blustering reaction is enough to frighten off any would-be predator.

LOVE & FRIENDSHIP

As a hot-blooded mammal, the badger thrives on the excitement of new relationships and sexual conquests. But this incorrigible flirt and voracious lover is untraditional when it comes to matters of romance... no roses and chocolates for this feisty character. To celebrate an anniversary, it's more likely to be found climbing a mountain than spending a quiet night at home.

When a badger finally does settle down, it usually mates for life and proves to be a passionate and committed partner. Loyalty is imperative to the badger, and it is not shy about demanding reciprocation; nothing is more unpleasant than dealing with a badger who feels cheated. Partners who manage to accept their intense natures will experience an exquisite and unrelenting love affair.

These carnivorous personalities appreciate someone who can give them a run for their money, and when kept guessing, badgers will respond with a high level of interest. The adventurous spirit of the canine family particularly intrigues them and the badger's finest moments come in a relationship with the intellectually challenging and physically adept wild dog. Sensitive animal personalities like mice, cottontails, porcupines, and peacocks are advised to give this aggressive animal a wide berth, while unions with stubborn bear, wolf or wildcat personalities can be quite fulfilling. With their common tenacious attitudes, these partnerships will retain their intensity for a long time.

Since badgers need a little challenge in their lives, all their partners are advised not to back down to their sometimes unreasonable demands.

--------

Akali might also be an eagle.

EAGLE CHARACTERISTICS: Attractive • Self-confident • Impatient SCIENTIFIC NAME: Aquila chrysaetos COLLECTIVE TERM: A convocation of eagles

STRONG AND UNTAMABLE

“There is an eagle in me that wants to soar, and there is a hippopotamus in me that wants to wallow in the mud.” - Carl Sandburg

Universally admired for its soaring spirit, the eagle has a striking presence that exudes a powerful sexual energy. As is typical of bird personalities, their high metabolisms make them edgy and unable to remain in one place for long. These fascinating creatures are natural explorers and nothing gets their juices flowing more than an exotic locale and their effervescence makes them appealing lovers. However, their obsession for freedom makes them difficult creatures to tame.

AN EAGLE IS UNMISTAKABLE

Sleek and well groomed, the eagle's looks are striking, even if they occasionally have minor aesthetic flaws (perhaps a bald spot or big nose), and they exude a strong sexual energy that turns heads. They enjoy most outdoor activities and have a particular affinity for extreme sports like sky diving, rock climbing, or bungee jumping.

THE EAGLE PERSONALITY ON THE JOB

Eagles do not adjust well to the confines of office work where they easily become unsettled and perform poorly, unless the work is creative and challenging.

Outdoor jobs are coveted, and eagles enjoy working in the hot sun as a construction worker, serving in a natural setting as a park ranger or piloting the friendly skies. The proverbial legal eagle, they also enjoy the creative freedom of litigation, police, and detective work. However, eagles do not adjust well to the confines of office work. When they find themselves in this kind of career they become unsettled and perform poorly, unless the work is creative and challenging.

THE EAGLE IS A BIRD AT HEART

Eagles are truly at their best when performing for others. Like the wild eagle whose aerial displays attract a large audience, they are in their element when singing, acting, or telling stories. But their enthusiasm for life comes at a price -- because even when their spirits are low -- they feel obliged to always seem upbeat.

EAGLES IN THE WILD

Perhaps from its use on the seal of the United States of America, the eagle has become the most familiar of birds. Most eagles are solitary and only come together in groups when prey is plentiful.

Eagles take a variety of small animals for food and are not averse to eating carrion, and a spectacular method of feeding is the eagle's habit of robbing ospreys. By constantly harrying an osprey carrying a captured fish, the eagle forces the bird to drop the fish, and sometimes they will even grab the fish from the osprey's talons while in mid-flight.

LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP

Eagles are quite comfortable with their own company, and prefer to first feather their nests -- by achieving a level of success in their personal lives -- before rushing into commitment. They relish the challenges that intimacy brings and, when they do tie the knot, their strong nesting instincts make them loyal and dedicated partners. Eagles are attracted mainly to independent mammal personalities like the fox, wolf, and wildcat, but they are not above trolling for companionship amongst smaller animal personalities: mice, snakes, shrews, and moles are particularly vulnerable to the eagle's lusty appetites.

Ultimately, the eagle's perfect match is the mountain goat with whom it shares a love for solitude and mountain top vistas. There is an instant connection with these enigmatic animals and the relationship is destined for great heights.

#this was more interesting than i thought it'd be #this sounds super accurate for akali too #both the badger and the eagle #amazing #character study

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unknownunseenunheard · 5 years

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I am throughly confused by the Jason and Damian as homophobes anon. Jason to date has had Artemis, who is bi. Although many prefering her as a lesbian and not a love interest of Jason. He's also very friendly and in good terms with his lesbian aunty Kate. Heck, he was literally the adopted child of Kate and her gf in Bombshells verse. There are panels of him waving the lbgtq+ flag from Bombshell verse! Then there is Bunker and his new non-binary student! How much more of an ally can he be?

I am too. I think they were just a troll tbh.

Jason dating Artemis doesn’t really say anything there lol. I mean yeah, she’s bi, but do you have any idea how many people date bi people convinced they can change them? Yikes man

Pretending Artemis is a lesbian when she’s established as bi is a prime example 😂 Biphobia at its finest

Him and Kate is a point to Jason. Him not having any problem with it and being okay with it like its normal (because it is, in fact, normal), is pretty solid evidence.

I know little about the new Rhato, but yeah, he’s friends with Bunker. I didn’t know he had a Non Binary student though. Kudos for Jason!

Jason is an ally? I thought he was gay? Oh, wait. He dated Artemis, you just mentioned that. Nevermind. I thought he was bi?

(DC pretends otherwise but I don’t believe them~)

#someone wants to know #dc comics #jason todd #red hood #katherine kane #kate kane #batwoman #rhato #red hood and the outlaws

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oathandsword · 5 years

Photo

Something was dreadfully wrong, and Captain Ironedge had not noticed it nearly as much as Victor had. Creeping closer to the door, he froze like a rabbit in the headlights as the question rose about boarding the ship. Some of the other sailors looked to Victor instead of the Captain, recognizing one of them was more functional than the other.

“Aye, lookin’ t’ toss ‘round trolls are ya? C’mon over, mates! Tell ol’ Ironedge what ye b’ needin’ t’ make it south an’ we’ll see ya to the righ’ port n’ get ya squared away righ’ quick an’ fer cheap if’n free!” The plank was secured and the broad-shouldered Kul Tiran gave a sweeping gesture to welcome the rest of them to the ship’s decks. Victor nodded in approval, albeit wary. The elf moved, too, making for the door more bluntly than Victor could muster himself to do. She positioned herself right at it’s corner, and kept her hands at the ready.

Aside from the strange ordeal down below, the ship was a place of serenity, now that everyone had given up on the idea of blowing the other ship to bits along with its occupants. The Crusaders, now keeping away from their arms, mulled near the aft, staying alert but otherwise expecting another boring day at sea. The sailors focused on keeping the plank secure, holding the riggings at the ready and staying afloat among their typical tasks, bereft of the usual shouting and calling. The Crow’s Nest had quieted, too, leaving the two men above to have a seat and rest as they toyed with an albino raven and a black one, as well. Their caws were occasional, but often enough to remind all that they were there, and they were having fun.

While some of the cannon ports were drawn open, they did not appear fully at the ready to open fire. The gunner crew hung out by the windows to the sea to take in the refreshing misty breeze of the light wind and rain, though some took notice to the ongoing affairs across the way. It made for some conversation among the Kul Tirans, and a few moments of it led to a pause in the stifled cursing voices below. The silence gave Victor a breath of relief. Perhaps chaos was not in the making.

As it lasted more than a few seconds, Victor’s attention turned to the other crew, and he departed from the door to allow the elf to handle whatever might be stirring behind it. Investigating the ones that spoke, he gave another friendly wave of greeting to help in encouraging them to come aboard.

“Finest ships on the sea, m’Lady! We are not so private in our craft as to deny anyone a chance to glimpse their splendor.” Victor piped up to fill the gap of the Captain bracing himself on the rail to try and quell his somewhat obvious drunken stupor. “We welcome the curious and learning to take what they can from us in terms of craftmanship and skill. Please, if you have an inquiries, do not hesitate to ask. If I or the Captain cannot answer, someone aboard surely can.”

@sunriseseas

#RP #Seafaring Folks

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sphelon8565 · 3 years

Text

sketches involved here are: Hwakeye, Green Arrow, Luxanna and Katerina.

According to my scribbles and some plans for my fanfic verse in chronological order:

~~Oliver Queen was introduce to Luxanna Crownguard by The King of Figaro Castle (King Edward) and started going adventures with Lux tagging along when she was younger.

~~Hawkeye struggling to earn cash for a living was recruited by Black Widow to join sides with the NOXUS. in which General Swain was impressed.

~~Oliver Queen introduces Lux to Janna Windforce via watching an Event in Piltover as one of the contestants in a crowd stadium Colosseum, performing her match battles against other contestants. **(they never met backstage) this made Luxanna grew a huge affection on Janna and immediately becomes a huge fan of the Storm's Fury. Idolizing her.

**The ones who are hosting the tournament is basically based on "The Institute of War but additionally in my verse it's composite and still under developed.

~~During this time Hawkeye was introduced to Katerina, Darius, Axe and Jah Rakal. Joining along them waging war against Demacia and Illyria.

~~Augury Bay was reportedly destroyed according to reports from the Figaro Castle, The Baron Castle and the U.K. of Illyria

~~YEARS also, Black Widow is M.I.A.

~~Luxanna now a teenage grown up~ Meets Ky Kiske for the 1st time, recruited for the task of capturing Rizzrack, The Timbersaw. His prize in the head she asks, For destroying tree life.

~~With Rizzrack now successfully captured, Ky Kiske alongside his associates rest Rin's Travel Agency in at Mi'ihen Highroad where they met Davion, The Dragon Knight and Yuna from FFX.

~~During the battle involving an incident of a reported monster who eats Chocobos (The Chocobo Eater) ravaging in Mi'Hen Highroad

Luxanna, Tidus and Rizzrack were separated together from their cohorts and thus later, during the series formed a friendly relationship between adventurers.

~~Jah'Rah'Kal, The Troll Warlord was expelled from his disorderly conduct as one of NOXUS,'s finest general, til King Swain and General Darius changed their minds.

~~little did they know, The Baron & Figaro factions was ready to recruit The Troll Warlord as he is being negotiated by Green Arrow.

~~A fierce battle between The Baron & Figaro Alliance and the Noxus Faction occured as they all surprisingly encounter one another in the home of the Troll Warlord, which was originally accommodated by the Noxian Government. Meanwhile, Tidus, Lux and Timbersaw had to escape the ruckus between two factions in order to avoid cross fire but miserably failed....

---------------

What is written above is for my fanfic series: Battle Rehime

https://www.deviantart.com/sphelon8565/journal/The-Battle-Rehime-Series-Working-Progress-002-744126246

#fanart #sketch #sketchbook #battlerehime #crossover fanart #conceptart #league of legends #video game fanart #dota 2 #final fantasy #marvel #dc comics #green arrow #lux #hawkeye #battle regime #Battle Rehime

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nixonsmoviereviews · 6 years

Text

That was a hilarious movie, 'Birdemic: Shock and Terror.' ...well that's it! I'm writing a 'Birdemic' review that's environmentally friendly! At a 50 percent discount!

What do you get when you combine the poor writing of mad mastermind Tommy Wiseau's "The Room", the production values of Nick Millard's completely mindless "Crazy Fat Ethel 2", the inept direction of a Coleman Francis piece, a dash of on-the-nose environmental preaching and a budget that wouldn't pay for a high-school lunch? You get James Nguyen's magnificent and brutally arresting unintentional-comedy classic "Birdemic: Shock and Terror." It's not only a prime example of that old stand-by descriptor "so bad, it's good"... it one of the best examples you could possibly imagine. Every single facet of the film is so horrifyingly "incorrect", that you can't help but howl from laughter from the first frame to the last. It's right up there with "Troll 2" and the aforementioned "The Room" as one of the finest "best-worst" movies ever made. Fans of trashy Z- grade movies, camp releases and bad flicks won't be able to help but completely and utterly adore "Birdemic." We follow two leads who are both on the brink of breakthroughs in their respective careers... software salesman Rod (Alan Bagh), and aspiring fashion model Nathalie. (Whitney Moore) As both find themselves finally living out their dreams and attaining wealth and recognition for their accomplishments, a romance grows after they meet one-another in a chance encounter. However, their newfound relationship will be put to the ultimate test when suddenly and out of nowhere... birds begin to attack the public as a result of global warming. They will be forced to band together with other survivors to try and stay alive during the "Birdemic!" The film is almost indescribable in its awful-ness. Everything goes wrong at all times. Right off the bat, the audio and video quality is exceptionally poor (I shot high-school student-films on Digital-8 in 2002 that looked better!) and the editing is atrocious with glaring continuity gaffes and dialog that cuts in and out constantly. But it only gets better (well, worse... but in a good way) from there. From wooden acting to hilariously holier-than-thou dialog to "special" effects that look like they were ripped right out of Microsoft Paint... everything continues a downward spiral in a sort-of brilliant oblivion of insanity. The film is trying to push a noble enough message about living a greener lifestyle and diminishing one's carbon footprint... but it does this by beating us over the head with long-winded speeches about the dangers of Global Warming about once every-other scene in increasingly hilarious fashion. Most movies understand that you need to be subtle about such themes... but to Nguyen, the word "subtlety" means having ancillary characters show up for one scene, give five-minute-long musings about climate change that sound like they were ripped right out of the driest high-school science textbook, and then vanish. There's even one particularly hilarious scene where Rod and Nathalie go out for a double-date and chose to see "An Inconvenient Truth", just so Rod can spout the dialog "That was a good movie, 'An Inconvenient Truth!'" while his friend retorts with "That is it, I am getting myself a car that's more environmentally friendly!" The film is liberally peppered with awkward and out-of-place moments like that, and it's brilliant picking up on them with repeated viewings. Our entire cast seems completely clueless, save for a bizarrely honest and well-natured performance by Patsy van Ettinger in a supporting role as Nathalie's mom and Stephen Gustavson as a frankly kind of eerie "tree-hugger" (that's how he's credited) that the gang runs into. Everyone else, though? Flat as a pancake and stiff as a board. In the case of Alan Bagh, literally stiff as a board. I've never seen an actor who looks more uncomfortable and nervous and uptight in my life. Microsoft Sam has better range. Also of note is More, who is quite likable and is at least trying, but just seems kind of lost and confused. I'm sure she's probably a decent actress, but she's dragged down in the best of ways here by the outlandish writing. But I know why you're all here... the birds. My god. The birds. About halfway through the film, there is a sudden attack as birds begin to descend on humanity in a murderous rage. And that's where the movie goes from merely being charmingly-bad to being a new cult- classic! And it's almost beyond words. You almost just have to see it to believe it. The birds (all digitally animated) look like free clipart you'd find online. Often with only a few frames of animation that loop infinitely. And never animated quite right. They'll just... hover in place on-screen or zoom by in the blink of an eye. And they honestly look like cartoons. There's no realism to the digital model, nor any attempt made to light-match them to the background. It's like Nguyen found some free GIF images of birds online and just dropped them over the top of the scene. Oh, and did I mention that randomly, sometimes the birds in the background will dive-bomb the ground with an airplane sound effect and then explode? Because that happens. And when you finally notice it, you will never stop laughing. Ever. "Birdemic" is a special kind of bad. It's a "you gotta see it to believe it" kind of bad. A "you might just laugh yourself to death" kind of bad. A "this only comes once in a lifetime" kind of bad. And I whole-heartedly recommend it. I'm giving it 10 stars at a 50% discount.

#imdb #movie #film #review #horror #comedy #so bad it's good #birdemic

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obstructedantiquity · 6 years

Text

>RICCIN: Discuss Orivar with Kindra.

-- obstructedAntiquity [OA] began pestering eclipsingDiviner [ED] at 13:56 --

[01:56] OA: hEY, BROTHER O' MINE. LIME TO MY PINK. THE FAITHLESS suns TO BLEACH THE MIRTH INTO MY GODDAMN bones.

[01:57] OA: yOU BUSY? UP MOONING AFTER YOUR FISH AGAIN? WRITING EVERY FLAVOUR OF GODDAMN LOVE POEM, A LITANY DEDICATED TO THE DEPTH OF THE sin THEY INSPIRE IN YOu?

[01:57] ED: ☽ Wow. Okay first off, fᵿck yoᵿ. ☾

[01:58] OA: ha.

[01:58] ED: ☽ Second off, fᵿck yoᵿ again, bᵿt it's emotionless and they're jᵿst going throᵿgh the motions and when yoᵿ get oᵿt of the shower they've already left. ☾

[01:58] OA: jUST SLICE MY CHEST AND EAT MY HEART, WHY DON'T YOu?

[01:58] OA: sHIT, IF THEY STAY UNTIL I'M IN THE SHOWER, THAT SAYS SOMETHING IN ITSELf.

[01:59] OA: wHO NEEDS EMOTION WHEN PHYSICALITY'S JUST AS GOOd? ;o)

[02:00] ED: ☽ ᵿgh. There's so many things wrong with that line of thinking and I don't think I have the sweeps in me to explain them all. ☾

[02:00] ED: ☽ Bᵿt what's ᵿp Cᵿz? Becaᵿse there is no 'sin inspiration' going on here. ☾

[02:00] OA: dON'T WORRY, BROTHER, YOU'LL GET THERE EVENTUALLY. NOW, IF YOU'LL GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR ASS FOR TWO GODDAMN SECONDs -

[02:00] ED: ☽ And not a lot of anything, to be honest. ☾

[02:01] OA: aW. WHAt.

[02:01] OA: hAS THAT MOTHERFUCKER NOT CALLED YOU BACK YEt?

[02:01] ED: ☽ Sorry, my rack is not ass-shoving friendly. if only they were more petite, like yoᵿrs. ☾

[02:01] ED: ☽ Then I coᵿld join yoᵿ in the chᵿte spelᵿnking. ☾

[02:02] ED: ☽ ...I don't need to get /called back/. ☾

[02:02] OA: eAT A SANDWICH SOMETIMES. MAYBE IF YOUR ASS DIDN'T LOOK LIKE THE MOST BARREN FUCKING STEPPES, AS FLAT AND UNAPPEALING AS AFTER THE FLAMES HAVE RIPPED THE FUCK THROUGH, MAYBE THEY COULD FIt.

[02:02] OA: :o?

[02:02] OA: tHE FUCk.

[02:02] OA: dID YOU GIVE THEM YOUR HANDLE, BROTHEr?

[02:02] ED: ☽ I mean, they're bᵿsy. I'm sᵿre. ☾

[02:03] ED: ☽ They have my handle. ☾

[02:03] OA: nO MOTHERFUCKER CAN TAKE THE LEAD IF YOU AIN'T GIVEN THEM SHIt.

[02:03] OA: hm.

[02:04] OA: yOU MESSAGED them?

[02:06] ED: ☽ What? ☾

[02:06] ED: ☽ No. ☾

[02:06] ED: ☽ Like I said, they're probably bᵿsy. ☾

[02:06] ED: ☽ I don't want to bother them. ☾

[02:10] OA: hUh.

[02:11] OA: wELL, sHIT, I'LL JUST HAVE TO SEE WHAT THE FUCK IS KEEPING THEM SO BUSY THAT THEY CAN'T PAY ATTENTION TO A FINE PIECE OF RACK ON THE SIDe.

[02:11] OA: aND BEFORE YOU GO GETTING YOUR LEGGINGS IN A BUNCH, I WON'T MENTION YOUR FUCKING NAMe.

[02:11] OA: wE'LL JUST TAKE A GANDER AND SEE WHAT'S happening. ;o)

[02:12] ED: ☽ ...I mean, I gᵿess. ☾

[02:12] ED: ☽ As long as my name is kept oᵿt of it! ☾

[02:12] ED: ☽ I don't want them to think I'm impatient, or pᵿshy, or... Anything. ☾

[02:14] OA: wOULD I EVER DO ANYTHING TO PAINT OYU AS CLINGY, BROTHER? AS DESPERATE? AS MORE INTERESTED THAN YOU OUGHT TO BE? NAH. BECAUSE HERE'S THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER. HERE ARE THE FUCKING facts. FISHBAIT IS NOTHING BUT SOME GANGLY ASS MOTHERFUCKER, EMPTY OF FLESH, EMPTY OF WIT, AND IF ANYONE OUGHT TO BE GROVELLING - IF ANYONE OUGHT TO BE VYING FOR SOMEONE'S GODDAMN ATTENTION - THEN IT SHOULD BE THEM WITH T

[02:14] OA: HEIR FACE TO A PILLOW, WITTERING OVER IF YOU'RE GOING TO deign TO GRANT THEM EVEN THE BAREST scrap OF YOUR ATTENTION, IF YOU WILL BLESS THEM WITH THAT opportunity FOR YOUR FUCKING GRACe.

[02:15] OA: yOU ARE THE SECOND FINEST THING IN THE EMPRESS'S RED THIS SIDE OF THE FUCKING COAST. MAYBE YOU AIN'T GONNA LIVE UP TO ME, BUT WHO THE FUCK CAn?

[02:15] OA: yOU'RE STILL HOTTER THAN HALF THE WRETCHES WHO HIT OUR SHORELINe.

[02:15] OA: aND BETTER THAN ANY FUCKING FISH THAT WANTS TO FLOP WET ON THE GROUND IN YOUR BLESSED presence.

[02:16] ED: ☽ Hah. Please, I blew yoᵿr gangly ass oᵿt of the water three sweeps ago and never looked back since. ☾

[02:16] OA: mAYBE YOU OUGHT TO CLAIM THAT WHEN YOUR EYES FUCKING match.

[02:16] ED: ☽ I'm more exotic when they don't. ☾

[02:16] OA: eXOTIC LIKE A WEED CRACKING THROUGH THE SIDEWALk.

[02:16] OA: wE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUCK THAT IS, AND LIKE AS NOT, IT'S GIVING YOU A RASH WHEN YOU STEP ON It.

[02:16] OA: bUT MY, ISN'T IT JUST unique?

[02:18] ED: ☽ Yoᵿ're one of those rose bᵿshes that the bligebloods bᵿy ᵿp when it's jᵿst a sproᵿt, thinking it'll win them awards at the next arborippers contest. ☾

[02:18] ED: ☽ They give it all the right fertilier, the best sᵿn and water, and then when it finally blooms, well. ☾

[02:18] ED: ☽ It's got more thorns than petals. ☾

[02:19] ED: ☽ Bᵿt damn, can't jᵿst salt and bᵿrn it now, it's taken over half the damn garden. ☾

[02:19] ED: ☽ Strangled all the other flowers oᵿt, poor things. ☾

[02:20] OA: sEE, YOU'RE WAAXING ON LIKE THAT AIN'T FLATTERING, BUT I'D LIKE TO PUT IT OUT HERE, BROTHEr:

[02:20] ED: ☽ Not to mention its crossbred with everything. ☾

[02:20] ED: ☽ Look at all those thorny little hybrids. ☾

[02:20] OA: wHAT'S LIFE WITHOUT A LITTLE BLOOD? WORK WITHOUT A LITTLE sting? SOME FOLKS SAY THE THORNS ARE BETTER THAN THE GODDAMN flowers. ;o)

[02:20] OA: wHICH, SPEAKING OF FUCKING WHICh.

[02:20] OA: sTOW THE SHIT, I GOTTA ASK YOU A QUESTIOn.

[02:22] ED: ☽ Shoot, Cᵿz. Yoᵿ know I'm all ears for yoᵿr woes. ☾

[02:23] ED: ☽ If only to tell yoᵿ yoᵿ're wailing and rending yoᵿr garb over nothing. ☾

[02:25] OA: ha.

[02:26] OA: yEAH, WELL, I FIGURED I'D SHOOT THIS SHIT AT YOU AFORE I WENT STOMPING OFF TO VIDE. BECAUSE MAYBE THIS AIN'T SOME RELATIONSHIP SHIt.

[02:26] OA: mAYBE IT'S ME SHIT, YOU DIG, AND HOW THE FUCK IS SHE SUPPOSED TO HELP ME OUT WITH THAT? LITTLE MOUSE IS THE BEST GODDAMN ASH THIS SIDE OF THE CONTINENT. AIN'T NO MOTHERFUCKERS OUT THERE CAN COMPARE TO HER wiles.

[02:27] OA: bUT AIN'T LIKE SHE KNOWS me.

[02:27] ED: ☽ Well stop dancing aroᵿnd it Cᵿz, yoᵿ jᵿst don't have the right beat for this bᵿsh. Lay it on me and I'll let yoᵿ know if yoᵿ need to wrap it all ᵿp and send yoᵿ down ᵿndergroᵿnd to visit yoᵿr jade aboᵿt t. ☾

[02:28] OA: sHOVE IT, I'VE GOT THE RIGHT BEAT FOR EVERY FUCKING BUSh.

[02:28] OA: hOW THE FUCK DO YOU TELL IF YOU'RE PALE FOR SOMEONe?

[02:29] OA: 'cAUSE WE BOTH KNOW I AIN'T MADE FOR THAT SORT OF SHIT, BUT I'VE BEEN SITTING HERE AND FUCKING wondering.

[02:29] ED: ☽ ...Well. Can I ask who this is. ☾

[02:29] ED: ☽ In regards to? ☾

[02:29] OA: yOU'RE GOING TO FUCKING JUDGe.

[02:29] OA: :o/

[02:30] ED: ☽ I'm going to jᵿdge yoᵿ more if yoᵿ leave it ᵿp to my imagination. ☾

[02:31] OA: ha.

[02:31] OA: wELL, SHIT, IT CAN'T BE AS BAD AS WHATEVER THE FUCK YOU'RE THINKINg. :o0

[02:31] ED: ☽ Yoᵿ thinking aboᵿt getting a good feel for how seadweller-esqᵿe Liable's cheek really is? ☾

[02:31] OA: oH, FUCK THAt.

[02:31] OA: mOTHERFUCKER GLUBS. CAN YOU IMAGINe?

[02:31] ED: ☽ Getting soft and fᵿzzy thinking aboᵿt those sad excᵿses for fins? ☾

[02:32] OA: hAUL HIM OFF INTO THE PILE, LAY YOUR PALM ON HIS CHEEK, AND THEN HE STARTS GLUBBING OUT ALL OF HIS FUCKING FEELINGs.

[02:32] OA: hARD PASS, BROTHER, JUST SKIP THE JAM AND PULL OUT THE CLUb.

[02:32] OA: nAH, IT'S Lu.

[02:36] ED: ☽ ...Lᵿ. ☾

[02:37] ED: ☽ As in. Troll yoᵿ've been waxing on aboᵿt if yoᵿ're flᵿsh for Lᵿ. Troll yoᵿ've been pailing and doing who knows what sort of deviancies with Lᵿ. ☾

[02:38] OA: uh.

[02:38] OA: :o/

[02:38] OA: iT'S JUST THAT SHE'S A GODDAMN FUCKING MESS, THAT'S ALl.

[02:38] OA: SHE'S A RUIN. SHE'S A WRECK. EVERY TIME I TURN AROUND, GIRL'S GOT HERSELF INTO A NEW CIRCUMSTANCE, A NEW FUCKING problem.

[02:38] OA: aND SHIT'S CONCERNING AS FUCk.

[02:39] OA: lIKE, IS SHE HOT AS THE SURFACE OF THE SUN ITSELF? NO SHIT. AIN'T GONNA FIND ANYONE ON HER FUCKING LEVEL, EVEN IF I WENT AND tried, LESS I WANT TO GO GETTING INTIMATE WITH A MIRROR. AND LET ME JUST SAY NOW, BROTHEr:

[02:39] OA: nAh.

[02:39] OA: tHE AESTHETIC JUST ISN'T WORTH THE GLASs. ;o)

[02:40] OA: bUT IT AIN'T LIKE FLUSH IS JUST attraction. IT OUGHT TO BE MORE THEN THAT. AND IF YOU WANT 'EM TO CHANGE THEIR WAYS, IF YOU WANT 'EM TO STOP BEING SUCH A GODDAMN DISASTEr -

[02:40] OA: wELL, AIN'T THAT WHAT PALE Is?

[02:40] OA: sHIT'S WHY I AIN'T EVER NEEDED ONE. THERE'S NAUGHT HERE TO fix.

[02:41] ED: ☽ Well at least yoᵿr intentions are. Somewhat in the right place. I think. ☾

[02:42] ED: ☽ Bᵿt sorry Cᵿz, yoᵿ're not pale for her. ☾

[02:42] ED: ☽ Everyone can see a fire oᵿt of control and think wow, that needs to be pᵿt oᵿt. ☾

[02:42] ED: ☽ Bᵿt not everyone is going to get the wet blankets and start smothering. ☾

[02:43] ED: ☽ Especially not when oyᵿ were sticking yoᵿr bᵿlge in the fire. ☾

[02:44] OA: hm.

[02:45] OA: aND FUCK OFF. WHO SAYS MY BULGE IS GOING ANYWHERE? LOOK AT ALL OF THIS RAMPANT FUCKING SPECULATION, KINDRA, LIKE YOU THINK YOU KNOW JACK AND SHIT ABOUT THE deviancies YOU'VE BEEN LOUNGING ABOUT, speculating THAT WE'RE UP To. ;o)

[02:45] OA: bUT AIN'T IT SOMEBODY'S JOB TO GO SMOTHERING THAT SHIt?

[02:46] OA: 'cAUSE AIN'T LIKE I HAVEN'T BEEN SPENDING THE PAST FEW PERIGEES CLEANING UP ALL OF HER FUCKING BURNS AFTERWARDs.

[02:46] OA: sHIT, SEEMS LIKE HALF THE TIME, THAT'S ALL I'M FUCKING DOINg.

[02:46] ED: ☽ Yoᵿr bᵿlge has seen more action than a grizzled war vet violet, their fins worn down to tattered nᵿbs and their hide more scar than skin. ☾

[02:46] OA: wELL, FUCK. I WAS GOING TO PROTEST, BUT WHO AM I TO TURN DOWN THAT SORT OF HONORABLE FUCKING DESCRIPTIOn?

[02:46] OA: dOES IT GET MEDALs?

[02:47] OA: sHIT, I BET I HAVE A WHOLE CASE FULl.

[02:47] ED: ☽ I'm aboᵿt to install a revolving door on yoᵿr hivestem jᵿst to spare them having to tᵿrn the knob. ☾

[02:47] OA: lETTERS OF RECCOMENDATIONS AND EVERYTHINg.

[02:47] OA: lIKE THE PURPLE HEART OF FUCKING, WHERE I JUST SAVE ONE LIFE AT A TIME, ONE NIGHT AT A TIMe.

[02:47] OA: .. nAh.

[02:47] ED: ☽ And the awkward dance of who holds the door open for who, the incoming or the oᵿtgoing. ☾

[02:47] OA: nOT ONE LIFe. ;o)

[02:49] ED: ☽ Fᵿck, it might have even gotten a nod of approval from oᵿr Dread Empress herself, may her reign be everlasting and brᵿtal. ☾

[02:49] ED: ☽ Bᵿt yoᵿ're not pale for Lᵿ. ☾

[02:49] ED: ☽ Even if yoᵿ mop ᵿp her messes, well. It's either that or leave her to die, isn't it? ☾

[02:50] ED: ☽ Becaᵿse she's the sort of antisocial rᵿst that woᵿldn't know any sense if it ate her lᵿsᵿs. ☾

[02:51] ED: ☽ Look at it this way: Do yoᵿ plan on not pailing her ever again? ☾

[02:54] OA: yEAH, ALRIGHt.

[02:54] OA: bUT WHAT ABOUT THE FACT I WANT HER TO TALK TO ME ABOUT HER FEELINGS, BROTHEr? :o/

[02:55] OA: nOT ALL OF 'EM. BUT, LIKE, SOME OF 'Em.

[02:55] OA: aIN'T THAT A PART OF It?

[02:55] OA: aND NAH. BUT WHAT'S THAT GOT TO DO WITH ANYTHINg?

[02:55] ED: ☽ Okay, the fact that yoᵿ only want to hear some of them means yoᵿ're not pale. ☾

[02:55] ED: ☽ Does she talk to yoᵿ aboᵿt anything... Like. Aboᵿt herself? Yoᵿ two do more than jᵿst lose clothes and hit the platform, right? ☾

[02:56] OA: 'cOURSE SHE DOES. SHE TELLS ME ALL ABOUT SOME OF HER SHIT. WHERE SHE'S GOING. WHERE SHE LIVES. THE STUFF SHE GETS UP To.

[02:56] OA: gIRL'S BEEN OBSESSING OVER PUFFINS. IT'S CUTE AS FUCKING ANYTHING, MOTHERFUCKER'S KINDER TO THOSE LITTLE SHITS THAN ANY TROLL SHE'S EVER LAID BULB On.

[02:56] OA: sHE JUST DOESN'T LIKE IT IF YOU GO PRYINg.

[02:57] OA: aND SHE GOT STRANGE WHEN I TRIED TELLING HER ABOUT, I DON'T FUCKING KNOW, YOu. :o/

[02:57] OA: aND GLIESE, AND VIDE, AND ALL THE OTHER MOTHERFUCKERS I HANG ABOUT WITh.

[02:57] ED: ☽ ...ᵿh. ☾

[02:57] OA: oh?

[02:58] ED: ☽ Okay, Riccin. Cᵿz. The tails to my heads, the comedy to my tragedy. ☾

[02:58] ED: ☽ I know yoᵿ've never heard this before, so sit down, bᵿt. ☾

[02:58] ED: ☽ I think yoᵿ're more interested in her than she is in yoᵿ. ☾

[03:00] OA: :o/

[03:00] OA: wELL, SHIT, THAT SOUNDS fake.

[03:01] OA: aND AIN'T YOU JUST PLAYING UP THE SWEETNESS? THE FUCK, BROTHER, YOU'LL GIVE A MOTHERFUCKER A HEART ATTACK, CHANGING SHIT UP LIKE THAt.

[03:01] ED: ☽ Only ever tells yoᵿ sᵿperficial shit aboᵿt her and her life, gets antsy if yoᵿ try and make a deeper connection... ☾

[03:02] OA: yEAH, BUt.

[03:02] ED: ☽ Fᵿck off, I'm trying to be nice to yoᵿr flop-eared ass. ☾

[03:02] OA:

[03:02] OA: ha.

[03:02] ED: ☽ Can yoᵿ tell me any personal details on her? Like. What's her favorite color. ☾

[03:06] OA: well, shit.

[03:06] OA: mAROON AIN'T AN ANSWER, IS It?

[03:06] OA: .. sHE LET ME MEET HER LUSUS. AND I KNOW WHERE SHE GREW UP, AND THE FOLKS SHE KNOWs.

[03:07] OA: aND GIRL DOESN'T SHARE ANY OF THAT WITH MOST MOTHERFUCKERS. NOR ANYONE ELSE ON THE CHAT, I RECKOn.

[03:07] OA: :o/

[03:07] ED: ☽ Maroon is definitely not an answer. ☾

[03:07] ED: ☽ I don't know, Cᵿz. Maybe she's jᵿst allergic to qᵿads becaᵿse she's one of those trolls who gets flinchy aboᵿt commitment. ☾

[03:07] ED: ☽ Bᵿt yoᵿ're definitely not pale for her. ☾

[03:09] OA: gIRL IS ALLERGIC TO FUCKING EVERYTHING. DON'T EVEN THINK I KNOW HER FULL GODDAMN name.

[03:09] OA: aND YOU KEEP saying THAt.

[03:09] ED: �� I feel the need to drive it in. ☾

[03:09] OA: hOW THE FUCK DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT PALE Is?

[03:10] ED: ☽ Yoᵿ... Yoᵿ jᵿst do. ☾

[03:10] OA: yOU AIN'T EVER LOOKED AT ANYONE QUADWAYS YOUR ENTIRE GODDAMN LIFe.

[03:10] ED: ☽ I mean. I think. ☾

[03:10] OA: eXCEPT FOR THAT FISH OF YOURs. ;o)

[03:10] OA: ...

[03:10] ED: ☽ Shᵿt ᵿp. ☾

[03:10] OA: hOLY SHIT, WAIt.

[03:10] OA: wAIT, WHAT THE FUCK, BROTHER, HERE I WENT MAKING SOME WRETCHED GODDAMN assumptions, WITH NARY A THOUGHT TOWARDS you.

[03:11] OA: wHAT COLOUR ARE YOU EVEN swinging WITH THAT FUCKEr?

[03:11] ED: ☽ ...ᵿh. ☾

[03:11] ED: ☽ I don't know. ☾

[03:11] OA: ...

[03:11] OA: you don't know.

[03:11] ED: ☽ Look, I've neither paped them *or* sent them a nᵿde! ☾

[03:12] ED: ☽ Papped. Yoᵿ know what I meant. ☾

[03:12] OA: bROTHEr.

[03:12] OA: bROTHER, BROTHER, brother.

[03:12] OA: i AM JUST SITTING HERE, HAND OVER MY FUCKING MOUTH, MY HEART DOING EVERY SINGLE FUCKING FLIP OF HORROR TO BE FOUND IN MY CHESt.

[03:12] OA: iT IS A GODDAMN GYMNASIUM IN HERe.

[03:13] ED: ☽ Oh fᵿck off, yoᵿ're sitting her crying aboᵿt if yoᵿ're pale for a troll yoᵿ've been pailing for how many perigees? ☾

[03:13] ED: ☽ Yoᵿ don't get to jᵿdge. ☾

[03:13] ED: ☽ Fᵿck off. ☾

[03:13] OA: wE'VE GOT FORTY FLAVOURS OF ACROTERRORISTS AND ALL OF THEM ARE FUCKING CAVORTING, ONE ARTERY AT A TIME, SYNCHRONISING TO SNAP EVERYTHING RIGHT THE FUCK OFf.

[03:13] OA: yEAH, BUT SEE, THAT'S 'CAUSE MY SHIT'S COMPLICATEd.

[03:13] OA: dO YOU WANT TO FUCK THEM OR NOt?

[03:14] ED: ☽ How is yoᵿr shit complicated!? ☾

[03:14] ED: ☽ Yoᵿ know yoᵿ want to fᵿck her. ☾

[03:14] ED: ☽ Therefore, yoᵿ aren't pale! ☾

[03:14] OA: yEAH, BUT THAT'S JUST physical. EVERYONE WHO LOOKS AT HER STARTS GETTING untoward. :o/

[03:14] OA: gIRL IS THE HOTTEST THING ON THE FUCKING PLANET, SHORT OF, I DON'T KNOw.

[03:14] OA: me.

[03:14] ED: ☽ Please. ☾

[03:14] OA: iT AIN'T GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH quadrants.

[03:14] OA: tHAT'S HOW I KNOW WE AIN'T FUCKING flush.

[03:15] ED: ☽ Yoᵿ don't want to fᵿck a moirail. ☾

[03:15] OA: hERE, LET ME BREAK IT DOWN. PULL UP A CHAIR AND ZIP THAT UGLY SLASH YOU CALL A MOUTH, BEFORE SOMETHING FLIES ON In.

[03:16] OA: wITH MATESPRITS, YOU WANT TO KEEP 'EM LIKE THEY ARE. EVERY FLAW, EVERY ERROR, THAT'S JUST ANOTHER REASON TO FUCKING ADORE THEM. EACH IMPERFECTION IS A GIFT FROM THE MESSIAH'S, A SCRIPT ON ALL THE WAYS YOU OUGHT TO FEEL SYMPATHY STIRRING IN YOUR HEART. EVERY TIME THEY SLIP, YOU WANT TO CATCH THEM, BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY WON'T fall.

[03:16] OA: aND, YEAH, YOU WANT TO FUCK 'EM, NO SHIT, IT'S THE ENTIRE POINT OF THE QUADRANt.

[03:19] ED: ☽ That's stᵿpid. ☾

[03:19] OA: bUT IT ISN'T THE core OF IT.

[03:19] OA: eXCUSE Me?

[03:20] ED: ☽ Encoᵿraging yoᵿr flᵿsh to never improve themself in any way by jᵿst seeing their shitty behavior as gifts is stᵿpid. ☾

[03:20] OA: iF YOU'RE TRYING TO GET THEM TO FIX THEMSELVES, HOW THE FUCK ISN'T THAT PALe?

[03:20] ED: ☽ Yeah, it's cᵿte they leave their shoes in a heap by the door at yoᵿr hive for the first few perigees. ☾

[03:21] ED: ☽ Then yoᵿ find yoᵿrself tripping on them and fᵿck that, that's not a gift. ☾

[03:21] ED: ☽ Learn to pᵿt yoᵿr fᵿcking shoes away. ☾

[03:22] ED: ☽ There's more to pale than looking at a troll and seeing a... Improvement project. ☾

[03:22] OA: oH, FUCK OFF, THAT'S NOT A FLAW, THAT'S JUST LAZINESs.

[03:22] OA: tHEN WHAT THE FUCK IS THERE TO PALe?

[03:22] ED: ☽ And there's more to flᵿsh than thinking everything aboᵿt them is perfect. ☾

[03:22] OA: iT'S A QUADRANT FOR improvement.

[03:23] ED: ☽ It's a qᵿadrant for mᵿtᵿal groᵿndedness. ☾

[03:25] ED: ☽ Yoᵿ're sᵿpposed to balance each other. ☾

[03:25] OA: iNTO BEING better.

[03:25] OA: tHAT'S THE POINT OF IT ALL, BROTHER. ASH AND FLUSH ARE FOR KEEPING YOU STABLE. PALE AND PITCH ARE FOR MAKING YOU better.

[03:26] ED: ☽ Yoᵿ don't think pale helps keep yoᵿ stable? ☾

[03:26] ED: ☽ Fᵿck, gᵿess papping is jᵿst for jollies. ☾

[03:26] OA: pALE KEEPS YOU FROM FUCKING Up. :o/

[03:26] ED: ☽ Yoᵿ don't think Vide makes yoᵿ better? ☾

[03:27] OA: yOU'RE SUPPOSED TO GROW OUT OF NEEDING THAT SHIT. JUST LIKE YOU GROW OUT OF NEEDING A PALE, IF YOU'RE DOING IT RIGHt.

[03:27] OA: vIDE'S JOB IS TO MAKE SURE I DON'T GO FUCKING MYSELF UP, BROTHER, NOTHING MORE, NOTHING LESS. AIN'T LIKE SHE WENT OUT AND HAULED ME IN GLIESE, YEAh?

[03:27] OA: aIN'T LIKE I'M HOOKING HER A FUCKING KISMESIs.

[03:29] ED: ☽ Yoᵿ don't grow oᵿt of needing a pale. That's stᵿpid too. ☾

[03:30] OA: :o/

[03:30] OA: yOU'RE STUPId.

[03:31] ED: ☽ No, I'm wise. ☾

[03:32] ED: ☽ Moirails look oᵿt for each other's well-being. It's more than jᵿst trying to keep each other in check and pᵿshing one of yoᵿ to improve. ☾

[03:34] OA: aND IF THAT'S THE CASE, WHY THE FUCK DO WE HAVE PACIFIERS AND PROTECTORS, BROTHEr?

[03:34] OA: eXPLAIN THAt. ;o/

[03:35] ED: ☽ Not every pair is going to fall ᵿnder that stereotype. ☾

[03:35] OA: eVERY PALE IN MYTH DOES IT, BROTHEr.

[03:36] ED: ☽ Plenty do, and that's great for them. Bᵿt it doesn't always have to be that way. ☾

[03:36] OA: eVERY SONG, EVERY FILM, EVERY PIECE OF NARRATIVE TO TELL US THE GODDAMN WAy.

[03:36] ED: ☽ That's becaᵿse almost every myth and film is aboᵿt oᵿr betters. And the lowbloods are there only to assist them. ☾

[03:37] OA: sO, WHAT, IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT, BROTHEr?

[03:37] OA: tO GO PAPPING SOME highblood's TEARS OFF THEIR FACE, HAVE THEM balance YOu?

[03:38] OA: bECAUSE SHIT SEEMS AWFULLY UNAPPEALING TO ME. WHO THE FUCK ARE WE TO NEED BALANCING? WE'RE ALREADY FUCKING PERFECt.

[03:38] ED: ☽ It isn't aboᵿt what I want, bᵿlgemᵿnch, stop getting toothy at me becaᵿse I'm not giving yoᵿ exactly what yoᵿ want to hear. ☾

[03:39] ED: ☽ And are we really perfect? ☾

[03:39] ED: ☽ I'd say we're both good at being complete messes in oᵿr own ways. ☾

[03:41] OA: .. wELL. I THINK YOU'RE PRETTY GREAt. :o/

[03:43] ED: ☽ Yoᵿ're great too, Cᵿz. ☾

[03:43] ED: ☽ Obvioᵿsly. ☾

[03:43] ED: ☽ Bᵿt we can be great and still be messes sometimes. ☾

[03:43] OA: hOW THE FUCK ARE you A MESs/

[03:44] ED: ☽ Riccin the only trolls I toᵿch are corpses. ☾

[03:46] ED: ☽ I mean. It doesn't matter how I feel aboᵿt Fishbait really, becaᵿse it's not like we coᵿld actᵿally be a proper qᵿad ever. ☾

[03:47] ED: ☽ ...It is what it is. Whatever. ☾

-- obstructedAntiquity [OA] is now an idle chum! --

[04:05] OA: .. nAH, YOU CAN TOUCH FOLKS IN SOPOR, BROTHEr.

[04:05] OA: dON'T GET ALL weepy ON ME, WE USED TO CUDDLE UP LIKE FUCKING BUGs. :o/

[04:05] OA: aND NONSENSE. AIN'T NO REASON YOU CAN'T BE A PROPER QUAD, STILl.

[04:06] OA: nO REASON YOU DON'T DESERVE A PROPER QUAD. MORE THAN PROPER: ONE WHO'S FUCKING grateful FOR YOUR PRESENCE, MORE THAN ANY HAND ON THEIR FACE, OR ANYWHERE FUCKING ELSe.

[04:06] OA: yOU STILL MANAGE THAT SHIT, OR THE SOPOR AIN'T ENOUGH NOw?

[04:16] ED: ☽ No. The sopor still works. ☾

[04:17] ED: ☽ Last I tried it. ☾

[04:17] ED: ☽ And I'm not getting wepy. ☾

[04:17] ED: ☽ Weepy. ☾

[04:17] ED: ☽ Yoᵿ're the only one who jᵿst keeps getting stronger with age. ☾

[04:18] OA: wELL, SHIT, THEN THERE YOU Go.

[04:22] OA: wHEN'S THE LAST YOU TRIED It?

[04:22] ED: ☽ I don't know. Few perigees ago? ☾

[04:26] OA: hUh.

[04:26] OA: wELl.

[04:26] OA: wELL, WELL, WELL. YOU CAN STILL TOUCH FOLKS. WHAT'S THE PROBLEM, HERE? SURE, YOU GOTTA BE NECK-DEEP IN SOPOR, BUT SHIt.

[04:26] OA: sOME TROLLS ARE INTO THAt.

[04:27] OA: sTICK WITH THE WADERS, MAYBe.

[04:27] OA: aFTER ALL, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WATER AND SLIME? SHIT'S BOTH liquid.

[04:27] ED: ☽ Pretty sᵿre there's a difference there, bᵿt I don't have the gills to experience it. ☾

[04:28] ED: ☽ So fᵿck, maybe. ☾

[04:28] OA: iF THERE'S A DIFFERENCE THERE AND THEY'VE GOT THE ATTENTION TO NOTICE IT, BROTHER, YOU AIN'T DOING YOUR JOB RIGHt. ;o)

[04:28] OA: yOU THAT TOUCH STARVED? DIDN'T FIGURE YOU WERE THAT BOTHERED BY YOUR PSI, ON AVERAGE. JUST LONGING FOR SOME FRIENDLY GODDAMN HANDs.

[04:30] ED: ☽ Fᵿck off, I'm not crying myself to sleep every day over it. ☾

[04:30] ED: ☽ Bᵿt. Look at yoᵿ. Yoᵿ'd probably die if yoᵿ had to go a week withoᵿt cᵿddling ᵿp on a troll. ☾

[04:30] ED: ☽ Even I think it'd be nice to actᵿally toᵿch someone withoᵿt a barrier. ☾

[04:33] OA: sTOW YOUR COMMENTARY, BROTHER, I AM FUCKING helping. :o)

[04:33] OA: aND YEAH, SHIT, PROBABLY. I LIKE FOLKS, IT AIN'T A GODDAMN SHOCKEr.

[04:33] OA: tELL YOU WHAT. THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING TOMORROW? THEY GOT YOU OUT HAULINg?

[04:34] OA: 'cAUSE I'LL SWING ON BY. YOU CAN SIT IN THE COON, AND I'LL SORT OUT THAT RAT'S NEST YOU TRY TO PASS OFF AS locks.

[04:34] ED: ☽ They don't have me doing shit. Everyone's worked in to a lather over this cyborg, I've jᵿst been cooling my heels waiting for them to realize that crimes are still happen- ☾

[04:34] ED: ☽ ☾

[04:34] ED: ☽ Really? ☾

[04:34] OA: nAH, I'M OFFERING TO FUCK WITH YOU, BROTHEr.

[04:34] ED: ☽ Fᵿck off. ☾

[04:35] ED: ☽ Sᵿre. Bᵿt if yoᵿ come at it with the straightener, I'll bite yoᵿ. ☾

[04:35] OA: i'D BE DOING YOU A FUCKING FAVOUR IF I JUST POURED CHEMICALS ON THAT SHIt.

[04:35] OA: gOT IT AS SMOOTH AS THE RULER UP A PROCTOR'S ASs. :o)

[04:35] ED: ☽ My hair has a mind of its own and yoᵿ jᵿst need to respect that. ☾

[04:36] ED: ☽ Not try and change it. ☾

[04:36] OA: nAh.

[04:36] OA: iF YOU'RE IN THE SOPOR, ANYWAY, MIGHT AS WELL MAKE A FUCKING DAY OF IT. GET SOME FOOD WORTH EATING IN YOu.

[04:37] OA: ...

[04:37] OA: dO YOU THINK I'M A FUCKING MESs? :o/

[04:37] ED: ☽ ...Yoᵿ're not a fᵿcking mess. ☾

[04:37] ED: ☽ Bᵿt yoᵿ have some mess-like qᵿalities. ☾

[04:37] OA: tOOK IT THAT WAS YOUR USUAL GODDAMN MUD SLINGING, FOR YOU AIN'T GOT A SINGLE BONE OF KINDNESS HIDING IN THAT SKELETON YOU CALL A BOD, BUt -

[04:37] OA: :o/

[04:37] ED: ☽ Compared to most of the program thoᵿgh? ☾

[04:38] ED: ☽ Well, yoᵿ got yoᵿr head screwed mostly on. They've all got it ᵿnscrewed and are playing kickball with theirs. ☾

[04:39] OA: cOMPARED TO MOST FUCKING TROLLS, I'D SAy.

[04:41] OA: sHIT, YOU'RE RIGHT, THOUGh.

[04:43] OA: bEEN SITTING HERE, STEWING AND THINKING, AND - MAYBE IT AIN'T IF I'M PALE FOR LU OR NOT, YEAH? WHAT THE FUCK DOES THAT MATTER?

[04:44] OA: sHE AIN'T INTO ME THE WAY I WANT HER TO BE. AND I AIN'T EXACTLY built FOR THAT SORT OF QUADRANT, REGARDLESs.

[04:44] OA: tHE MOTHERGRUB DIDN'T GIVE ME THESE HANDS TO BE LAYING THEM ON faces. ;o)

[04:44] OA: sO BEST JUST TO FUCKING NOt.

[04:48] ED: ☽ Well I still think that sort of talk is dᵿmb. ☾

[04:48] ED: ☽ And yoᵿ *shoᵿld* talk with Vide aboᵿt stᵿff. ☾

[04:48] OA: eh.

[04:48] OA: yEAH, I GUESs.

[04:49] OA: bUT I AIN'T MESSAGING HER 'TIL SHE MESSAGES Me. :o/

[04:49] ED: ☽ Why? ☾

[04:49] OA: gIRL NEVER SHARES SHIT, ITS JUST ME HAULING MY BULL TO HER DOORSTEP AND TELLING HER TO TAKE A GANDEr.

[04:49] ED: ☽ Oh. /:C ☾

[04:49] OA: iT'S NOT equal.

[04:51] ED: ☽ Yoᵿ ever consider telling her that? ☾

[04:52] OA: aLREADY GOT MYSELF CHASING AFTER ONE SHORTSTACK WHO AIN'T INTO ME, BROTHEr.

[04:52] OA: wHY THE FUCK AM I GONNA SPEND MY TIME HAULING ASS AFTER THE SECONd? :o/

[04:52] ED: ☽ She's yoᵿr ash. If yoᵿ like her enoᵿgh to wear her ring, yoᵿ shoᵿld like her enoᵿgh to sit her down and let her know yoᵿ think things aren't eqᵿal between the two of yoᵿ. ☾

[04:56] OA: :o/

[04:56] OA: yEAH, MAYBE I'LL GO AHEAD AND TRY It.

[04:56] OA: iF SHE DOESN'T GAFF ME THE FUCK OFf.

[04:57] OA: bUT I'LL DO THAT WHEN SHE MESSAGES ME, BROTHEr.

[04:57] ED: ☽ Why woᵿld she ever? ☾

[04:57] OA: sHIT, I DON'T KNOW. WHY DON'T FOLKS JUST SPIT THEIR SHIT OUT? DON'T THINK I KNOW A SINGLE MOTHERFUCKER WHO ISN'T HIDING THINGS FROM ME, ONE REASON OR ANOTHEr.

[04:57] OA: wELL, EXCEPT YOu.

[04:59] ED: ☽ ...Well, why the fᵿck woᵿld I have reason to go hiding shit? ☾

[04:59] ED: ☽ We're two grᵿbs in the same eggsac. Only reason I coᵿld ever see me hiding shit is. I don't know. For stᵿpid shit. ☾

[05:00] OA: ha.

[05:00] ED: ☽ Not even the pink to my lime needs to see all the shitty skeletons in my closet, sorry. ☾

[05:00] OA: aW, BROTHEr.

[05:02] OA: tHERE IS NOT SHIT THAT YOU CANNOT TELL ME. THERE IS NOTHING YOU CANNOT SHOW ME. DRAG OUT YOUR DARKEST SECRETS AND I WILL FUCKING TURN OUT THE LIGHT TO KEEP THEM. YOU'RE THE LIME TO MY PINK, THE SHADOW TO MY GODDAMN STEPS. WHEN THE MESSIAH'S ROLLED UP OUR GENES AND THREW THEM IN AN EGG, SHIT, I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF THEY PEELED US FROM THE SAME STAR, FILLED US WITH THE SAME GODDAMN DUST. WHO THE

[05:02] OA: FUCK AM I TO JUDGE YOU? MIGHT AS WELL GO AND JUDGE myself.

[05:12] ED: ☽ Ha. Yeah Cᵿz, yoᵿ and me. Cᵿt from the same starcloth. ☾

[05:12] ED: ☽ I jᵿst got more of the attractive accessories, bᵿt hey. ☾

[05:13] ED: ☽ Second hottest is still hotter than everyone else. ☾

[05:16] OA: :o)

[05:16] OA: pLEASe.

[05:17] OA: mORE ATTRACTIVE TO SCARECROW FETISHISTS, MAYBe.

[05:17] ED: ☽ First yoᵿ try to throw me to the slime lovers, now the scarecrows? ☾

[05:18] ED: ☽ Fᵿck Cᵿz, maybe I shoᵿld be looking for someone who has a thing for oversized ears. Even shit ᵿp in here. ☾

[05:19] OA: ha.

[05:20] OA: yOU WON'T HAVE TO LOOK HARd.

[05:20] OA: eVERYONE'S GOT A THING FOR OVERSIZED EARS AFTER THEY'VE MET Me. :o)

[05:20] OA: tHINK ABOUT WHAT THE FUCK YOU WANT TO EAT. I'M HEADING OUT, BROTHEr.

[05:20] OA: tHANKS FOR LISTENING, AND ALL THAT SHIt.

[05:20] ED: ☽ Spare me, if that was trᵿe there's a rᵿst we know who'd have a bᵿnch more admirers. ☾

[05:21] ED: ☽ I'll text yoᵿ when I figᵿre it oᵿt. ☾

[05:21] ED: ☽ And anytime cᵿz. What are friends for? ☾

#[chat]#imperial yellow

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digitalmark18-blog · 6 years

Text

6 Great Examples of Brands Using Twitter Effectively by @osbennn

New Post has been published on https://britishdigitalmarketingnews.com/6-great-examples-of-brands-using-twitter-effectively-by-osbennn/

6 Great Examples of Brands Using Twitter Effectively by @osbennn

Twitter may not be the flashiest or trendiest social network the past few years.

It’s not as sexy as Snapchat, doesn’t change as quickly as Instagram, and isn’t in the news as often as Facebook.

There’s significantly less “keeping up” to do with Twitter than with its alternatives.

While that should be a good thing, it also means we don’t need to talk about it as much. Because of that, it can easily be overlooked or forgotten about as the powerful marketing tool that it is.

And yes, Twitter is still powerful for brands.

With 46 percent of its American users accessing the app daily and 74 percent of them using the app to get news and information, it remains one of the quickest ways to reach and engage your target audience in real time.

So how can you keep your Twitter marketing strategy interesting these days?

Pull some inspiration from the following brands that are really nailing it.

1. Netflix’s Culture-Making Content

Netflix is in a fairly unique position as a brand when it comes to content. They’re estimated to have budgeted up to $13 billion on original content this year, for example.

Their business model relies on content more than most, but you don’t need to have Netflix’s brand or budget to learn from aspects of their marketing strategy.

Netflix uses its Twitter account to create original moments and commentary within pop culture.

Aside from relevant news and retweeting customers, which are still presented in an on-brand way, the account almost exclusively shares memes and other trends in internet culture.

How can they get away with so many memes without feeling redundant?

By creating their own moments instead of just following already popular trends and memes.

What can you learn from this?

Never underestimate the power of entertainment.

Netflix is definitely at a unique advantage in terms of entertainment content, but an important takeaway is how they’ve leveraged it.

What they did was find an element of their business that best fit the “culture” of Twitter – an often lighthearted, pop culture-focused platform where short and witty copy thrives.

Then they made their Twitter marketing strategy almost entirely about that.

Dig into your own brand and social media audiences and see what parallels you can find.

2. Merriam-Webster’s Newsjacking Mastery

Merriam-Webster’s social media team has become infamous over the past several years for its scathingly amusing subtweeting and trolling.

The brand’s content strategy has even attracted attention from mainstream publications like TIME, Vice, and The Shorty Awards.

Again, it’s entertainment at its finest, although for a much less obvious brand.

The account’s aim is to make a dry topic, spelling, and grammar, interesting and fun for anyone by tying it to other topics.

In this, they’ve become a master of newsjacking and using proprietary data to do so.

For example, they regularly share the top searches and lookups influenced by current events and other trending topics.

Take their reaction to the Yanny/Laurel debate earlier this year.

This brand voice and attitude also contribute to why Merriam-Webster’s followers find it so endearing.

It’s friendly, but with a strong opinion and a touch of snark. Especially since so much of their content relates to politics and world news, maintaining that respectful tone is key.

Information is largely presented without comment, for you to add your own inflection and opinions into – which also makes it great material for retweets and quote tweets.

How can you tie your own brand to current events or use proprietary data like research or statistics to guide your content?

These are fantastic ways to put a unique spin on a dry topic.

3. Oberlo’s Inspirational Empathy

Even though the above ideas can influence any type of business, the brands behind them admittedly have big budgets and lots of content to work with, and not all of us do.

Most of us have simply our blogs, marketing properties, and social media channels to use in our content marketing, as opposed to endless TV shows or dictionary definitions.

In that case, you can look to brands like dropshipping platform Oberlo.

A B2B company targeting new entrepreneurs and small businesses, their content is a healthy mix of education and motivation.

It makes sense that these would be two key elements that a struggling solopreneur is after.

So while they do have a fair amount of what you’d expect from B2B content, like sharing blog posts, ebooks, and other lead magnets, they also tap into more personal inspiration you might expect on a health or personal development account.

Their Twitter content is truly meant to serve all of the topics and frustrations their audience is struggling with – not just those that directly relate to their product.

4. Greenhouse’s Ad Targeting

While engaging your audience and growing a following is important on social media, never forget the end goals it needs to accomplish.

You want that audience to eventually engage with you further, but so many of us put insufficient effort into moving social followers further into the buyer’s journey.

Greenhouse keeps advertising costs down by focusing paid social campaigns on retargeting people who have already engaged in them on social or expressed interest in their business.

Since their audience is so warm, more than half of those who viewed one recently promoted landing page opted into the newsletter and entered further into the brand’s sales funnel.

Whether you’re using paid social or strictly organic shares, make sure you’re giving your existing social audience opportunities to engage further with you.

An engaged audience is full of warm, interested prospective customers who can be easy to convert, but so many social media managers are too afraid of direct promotion to make that next step well-seen.

5. ShineText’s Content Repurposing

A 2018 content strategy usually includes plans for growing presences on multiple social networks, a blog, maybe email marketing, and the list goes on.

Feeding the publishing machine for all of these channels with purely original content is unsustainable for most brands. Instead, the smart ones reuse and repurpose content to use in multiple ways and places.

ShineText is a motivational app and daily messaging service, so the product itself requires creating a lot of content around mindset, motivation, and mental health.

But with so many daily messages to write, you can be sure they pop up elsewhere too.

They alternate between sharing previews as a way to promote that day’s message and recycling larger portions of old content for new use on social media.

This type of tweeting can help prevent a profile dominated by link shares, while still taking advantage of content you already have.

6. Close.io’s Place as the Cool Teacher

Finally, we have Close.io, a sales CRM for startups and small businesses.

A B2B company that mostly sticks to serious content topics, they stand out by pairing their smart industry education with a fun voice that startup salespeople can relate to.

This twist starts as soon as you land on their profile: the big, bold header image is a simple mockup animation of their product, but with the fictional Bluth Company from cult TV hit “Arrested Development” as the company using their tool.

It continues as you scroll. While they’re talking about dry business and sales, they do so with an ultra-casual and startup-friendly voice topped with gifs and emojis.

They promote their product with the same tone, usually choosing to retweet fun, playful praise over sharing product updates or positive but dry reviews.

Any brand can easily do this without creating lots of content, running a big campaign, or bringing in topics parallel to your niche.

It’s simply talking about what any basic content strategy would dictate, just in a voice that maximizes differentiation.

Plan Your Next 280 Characters

From original content empires to repurposing pros, and neutral-looking subtweets to voices full of sass, any type of marketing and voice can work on Twitter when combined with the right ingredients for the right target.

The best Twitter strategies play to your brand’s strengths and talk to their audience naturally.

Is your own Twitter plan this thought-out? If not, now you have ideas to revisit it with.

More Twitter Marketing Resources:

Image Credits

All screenshots taken by author, October 2018

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the-royal-courier · 7 years

Text

Events This Week

____________________________________

The Royal Courier 1st Anniversary Hearthstone and Battle Pet Tournament When: Saturday, Jan 7th Where: Stormwind City (the grassy area behind the Mage District) When: 6 Bells (server) Join The Royal Courier to celebrate its one year anniversary. (See the post here)

___________________________________

The Den

When: Saturday, Jan 7th Where: (Old Dalaran Sewers) Time: 7 Bells (server)

The monthly opening of The Den. Come out to test your fighting skills, have a drink, and meet up with friends.

(contact @vulpes-and-co for more information)

____________________________________

OOC EVENT:

House of Nobles OOC Meeting.

When: Sunday, January 8th Where: Petitioner’s Chamber (Keep in Stormwind) Time: 6 bells (server)

This OOC meeting is to handle any of the OOC questions/concerns/suggestions. We ask that you come to this meeting prepared and be respectful of your peers. If you are disinterested in the HoN, we ask that you not attend as trolling of any sort will lead to /ignore and /report.

____________________________________

Weekly Events

The Cask an Anvil: When - Fridays @ 6 pm server Where - Ironforge Who - Modarin Theme - Social

____________________________________

The Steel Pub

When: Sunday @ 6 pm server Where: in Anvilmar, Dun Morogh Who: Bath Ironstout Theme: Social

@bath-ironstout @ironstoutbrews

____________________________________

Upcoming Events

Ironforge Winter Craft Fest

When: Saturday, January 21st Where: Ironforge Time: 6 bells to 9 bells (server) (Contacts: You can message Bathildis, Davonna, or Modarin in game at any point or send your request via in-game mail!)

Currently:

Vendors:

- Modarin of the "Cask and Anvil" will be providing you with the finest Dwarven dining under the mountain! - Bathildis of "The Steel Pub" will be supplying some of the finest brews in Khaz Modan! - Davonna will be assisting fest-goers at the "Cask and Anvil" pub! - Gorval will be setting up a blacksmithing booth to display his finely crafted wares! - Cairdaid will be hosting contest of coordination! - Velkard will be providing us with hand-carved Wildhammer Totems! - Kioal will be bringing his masterful leatherworking talents, and perhaps a few wares! - Hulain will be selling his amazing parchment, among other wares! (This is an actual in-game drawing parchment using the addon GHI. I can personally attest to how cool it is!)

Entertainers:

- Bigeasy will be roaming the festival grounds, providing folk with festive music! - Veltaazha will be reading runes! See what fate holds for you!

Hosts:

More info here: http://ironforgecraftfest.tumblr.com/

____________________________________

Lunar Festival Remembrance Ceremony hosted by the Kalimdor Collective

When: Saturday, January 28 Where: Lakeshire, Redridge Mountains Time: 5 bells (server)

For the first time in years, KC will be moving through the EK on our guild RP campaign--and we will be in the area of Redridge Mountains during the Lunar Festival!

We decided to take this opportunity to bring Kalimdorian culture to the residents of the area, and invite any RPers who frequent this part of the world to join us in our Lunar Festival Remembrance Ceremony!

Rough Schedule (all times are in server time):

5:00 PM We will begin to gather, mingle, and meet one another 5:15ish PM Tables will be set out for an open-air Kalimdorian-style feast 6:00 PM We will gather by the lake for a retelling of the story of Omen 6:15ish PM Elune Stones will be tossed into the lake in remembrance of comrades and loved ones who have passed. Visitors and the curious are encouraged to bring Elune stones to toss as well, and to share a short memory or word of remembrance for their loved ones.

Whenever that’s finished…

For those interested, we will engage in a short cleansing ritual to prepare us for the New Lunar Year.

So you’re interested in coming…

Wear finery or anything befitting the Lunar Festival

Bring any Elune Stones you may have--great time to use that Elune’s Lantern you probably forgot about (and be prepared to share with those who forgot!)

Prepare a short memorial for comrades or loved ones

If you have any ideas, would like to participate in leadership of this in one way or another, or have any questions, please contact Telrien, Ymaara, or Maeshkin in-game!

Look forward to seeing you there!

_____________________________________

The Tipsy Date Auction

When: February, 11th Where: A Hero’s Welcome (New Dalaran) Time: 5 bells (Server)

Come one, come all! Single and ready to mingle? Looking to donate gold to a charity and get a date out of it? Or perhaps you are just looking for a fun time with some friendly faces? Well look no further.

The Tipsy Hourglass is hosting a Date Auction!

That’s correct – a date auction during the month of love! Come and celebrate the season of love with us; enjoy a drink amongst friends and hot food and sweets provided by our lovely tavern. But most of all, come for a chance to win a date with some of the most beautiful and weirdly wonderful men/women/and all those in between on Azeroth and beyond!

All coin spent on bids toward our lovely singles will be donated to funding supplies for the war as well as back home for those who have left behind families in need of a little help this season. Let us spread the love to all corners of the world!

(A small portion will also be given to the lovely couple to treat themselves to a nice dinner on us.)

[[Notes:]]

Looking to put yourself in the line of fire and test your nerves to the hungry crowd? Get into contact with Zae in-game either via mail (preferred) or whisper to be added onto the ‘auction’ list! Alternatively you can also contact Graece or Ollivier, my beautiful officers if I am unavailable.

All bids would be at IC money value that we prefer to use within our events:

1 copper = 1 cent 1 Silver = 1 dollar 1 Gold = 100 dollars

We hope this is okay.

Just one rule:

While this is an auction event, people sold are not in any way obligated to do as the buyer wishes against their toons will! You all know what I mean. This is not that kind of event!

_____________________________________

(Have an event to advertise? Send an in game mail to Risri or message @risrielthron)

#wra rp #rp #wra events #events wra

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usatrendingsports · 6 years

Text

What NBA followers ought to be grateful for this Thanksgiving: Celtics, Sixers, Lonzo Ball

The NBA really is the reward that retains on giving. From brain-breaking field scores, to unbelievable highlights, to the psychological puzzle of commerce concepts, to the sheer zaniness of what occurs off the courtroom by means of social media and petty beefs, the league has a brand new storyline for each fan, each single day. This season isn’t any exception.

With turkeys within the oven and households making ready to interrupt bread to welcome the vacation season, we thought it may be time to take a second from the continuous urgency of every subsequent thrilling NBA subject and provides thanks for what this season has introduced us, each significantly, and, effectively, with a heaping dose of sarcasm. This is what we’re grateful for this NBA season:

The Celtics defying the percentages

Man, if there’s one factor Boston followers didn’t want was extra gas to their underdog complicated. But, right here we’re, with the Celtics out in entrance of the entire league within the win proportion division regardless of the season-ending harm to Gordon Hayward and regardless of being down getting into the fourth quarter in almost half their video games. This win streak has been unbelievable, not just for how powerful it’s to maintain that momentum going with out Hayward, however for the way it’s occurred. The painfully younger Celtics are main the league in defensive score, shattering the concept that you could’t play constant and sensible protection with a group full of youngsters who have not reached the 25-year-old insurance coverage break but. Kyrie Irving has introduced his signature clutch-time heroics, nevertheless it’s been the performances of sage veteran Al Horford and explosive second-year star Jaylen Brown which have fueled Boston’s run. If it was as much as the offense, the Celtics would sink, however they’re profitable with grit, scrap, and all the opposite cliche attributes of a group that’s definitely outworking their opponent.

The Celtics are a blast to observe on each side of the ball. Their completely absurd size means they’re in a position to swap any type of motion the offense throws at them, with Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum exhibiting defensive capability effectively past their years, and Marcus Sensible doing the standard bullying he brings, and Terry Rozier hounding guards below the radar. Offensively … they seem to be a mess, to be trustworthy, with a sub-15 ranked effectivity. However their eye check is far more interesting, with a lot off-ball motion, fast, artful passes, and the standard array of Irving circus photographs.

No group confronted extra adversity early within the season, and no group has thrived as a lot within the face of it. Throw in signature wins towards Houston and even the Warriors and you’ve got a begin that has made them the largest speaking level of the primary 5 weeks of the season, with a very good likelihood they will keep within the headlines by means of April.

Aggressive steadiness

There’s two methods to take a look at the win proportion distribution throughout groups going into the Thanksgiving off-day. If you wish to see the glass half empty, you possibly can consider the league is affected by the identical downside the NFL is: Parity that has created widespread mediocrity. There are only a few really nice groups (Golden State, Boston, Houston, Detroit, and San Antonio), and the remainder of the league caught in a messy center. However there’s one other approach to view it: Regardless of a number of groups bent on tanking, there are only a few really dreadful groups.

Sure, Chicago, Atlanta, Sacramento, and Phoenix are painful to observe, however even then Lauri Markkanen, John Collins, De’Aaron Fox and a all of the sudden environment friendly Devin Booker make their video games value flipping by means of on League Cross. In the meantime, even the groups which have struggled present promise: Denver continues to be determining its offense, but dropped 146 on the Pelicans. Those self same Pelicans have knocked off a number of huge groups and are hanging in above .500. The Wolves have sneak out sufficient wins to cowl up for a few of their points, however stay a puzzle making an attempt to kind itself out. Orlando was really actually enjoyable to observe earlier than all of its level guards have been harm directly, and outdoors of Boston, Houston, and Golden State, no group has appeared invulnerable. The result’s a league that’s low on dynamos proper now, however excessive on night-to-night competitors. Even groups like Brooklyn and the Lakers have been downright pesky, and are removed from being pushovers.

The standard of play is not down, the video games are environment friendly and sometimes fairly tight. For a daily season so routinely panned for its degree of play, the begin to this 12 months, because it was final season, has been excessive.

The Knicks … ?!

This isn’t my first rodeo with a very good Knicks begin, so my skeptical eyebrow raises are in full impact. Nonetheless, this Knicks group hasn’t melted down but, hasn’t face-planted, and is genuinely enjoyable to observe. New York is plastered all around the nationwide TV schedule, and having a roster that is value watching has been a refreshing shock. Kristaps Porzingis has burst into the MVP debate courtroom and demanded an viewers.With the Zinger dropping 28 factors each night time together with these spotlight swats, and with so few miserable, cap-spacing veterans losing away, New York has been downright plucky. From their “feud” with LeBron James, to their far more fashionable model of play below Jeff Hornacek, New York is lastly a group that is enjoyable to observe, with low expectations. You understand, the type of group a rebuilding squad must be.

The Lonzo debate

Lonzo Ball is the worst rookie ever! He is a triple-double machine! Give the child time (whereas additionally acknowledging that he has a particular passing reward that even applies when he is not on the ground). Let’s simply state details: He is the worst rookie shooter ever (besides that almost all rookies are unhealthy shooters once they first get into the league).

Many will get sick of all of the Lonzo discuss, however then, they will love speaking about how sick they’re of it. Lakers followers like to defend him; they have not had a punching bag that meant this a lot to them since Kobe Bryant. LaVar Ball critics like to (inappropriately) criticize his son in an try and create some sense of humility within the tireless promoter father. Analysts love to point out his extremely primary passes as some kind of revelation, critics like to level out how much the Lakers are padding his assist stats.

The NBA is nothing with out polarizing athletes, and whereas the environment round Ball is corrosive to giving the child room to develop in a means he deserves, it is endlessly entertaining watching the NBA fan world go to battle over a child who’s principally a reasonably typical rookie for an Eight-10 group.

The everlasting flame of LeBron’s profession

LeBron James, in his 15th season, at age 32 (turning 33 subsequent month):

Finest discipline objective proportion of his profession.

Finest Three-point proportion of his profession.

Finest free throw proportion of his profession.

Factors, rebounds and assists per recreation all above profession averages.

Second-most assists per recreation of profession.

Most blocks per recreation of his profession (second-most per 100 possessions).

I’ve damaged down the Cavaliers’ defensive points and James’ contribution to them — which have continued regardless of their latest win surge they continue to be 30th in defensive score — however these numbers, and James’ efficiency, are merely spellbinding. Early in his profession he was in contrast favorably to a freight prepare, Cavs coloration commentator Austin Carr regularly refers to him as “the L-train.” However now he is a prepare within the sense that he’s this fixed rumble — an iron and metal beast rolling by means of the countryside on the identical regular rhythm, even in what must be the start of the twilight of his profession.

All the pieces 76ers

youtube

Joel Embiid hasn’t had an ideal statistical season, corresponding to what we anticipate from him. He has shot over 50 % from the sector in simply six of 14 video games. His scoring is definitely down per 100 possessions (although rebounds, and assists are means up). He’s, nonetheless, rising as one of many largest names within the league. He is staring down gamers after huge performs and speaking trash consistently. I imply, take a look at this:

The person is an absolute artist at working the gang. He is a wrestling heel-face, within the vein of Stone Chilly Steve Austin, trolling opponents whereas bathing in adulation and appearing like he does not care about it. He is additionally an abject monster who can euro-step. He’s transcendent, and for nonetheless lengthy he is wholesome, two days or six years, followers are loving each second of it.

In the meantime … Ben Simmons has the eighth-best efficient discipline objective proportion amongst rookie guards, capturing eight occasions a recreation because the Three-point period started. This comparability appears loopy, however the eye check is backing it up:

Simmons is one thing new, a human twister with pinpoint accuracy, a shroud that simply devours possessions on protection launching quick breaks. His management has been shockingly robust for such a younger man on-court, and he and Embiid have unimaginable chemistry. The Sixers are good. They’re getting higher and they’re value watching as they rise to no matter they will change into.

And likewise …

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from Usa Trending Sports – NFL | NCAA | NBA | MLB | NASCAR | UFC | WWE http://ift.tt/2mZ4BHk

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pcinvasion-blog · 7 years

Text

New Post has been published on PC Invasion

New Post has been published on https://www.pcinvasion.com/player-power-steam-review-bombing-contemporary-protest

Player Power: Steam Review Bombing as Contemporary Protest

At the conclusion of my previous piece about Take-Two’s legal actions against the OpenIV mod tools for GTA V, I suggested that it would require a pretty extraordinary response from players to push back against the publisher. In these situations, the relations of power give every advantage to the publisher; they own the intellectual property, they have all the resources.

Individual protests mean nothing in that fight. The regular “vote with your wallet” refrain grasps that videogame players wishing to express displeasure at a publisher’s decision have very few options. But that kind of statement, economic or otherwise, is worthless without mass organisation, and serious discipline.

The latter has historically been a problem. You might be upset at Take-Two’s actions over PC mods, but are you upset enough to stop playing GTA V, or to ignore Red Dead Redemption 2 if (when) it’s announced for PC?

The semi-famous ‘Modern Warfare 2 Boycott’ Steam group image showing dozens of people playing Modern Warfare 2 is often produced to make a mockery of organised player action. It’s lacking some context (when was the shot taken, and are players on all 30 of the other hidden pages crossing the picket line too?), but it does have a valid point: the desire to play a new game will tend to outweigh displeasure at business practices surrounding that game (or the previous one).

Not the finest moment in videogame activism, admittedly.

With boycotts an unreliable method, players have tended to turn to other avenues to express discontent. As GTA V’s store page can currently attest, Steam review bombing has become a very popular outlet. The latest 48,000 plus reviews for GTA V are ‘Overwhelmingly Negative,’ pushing the game to a ‘Mixed’ rating overall.

Using the Steam review system as a semi-organised form of mass protest feels like a better directed version of Metacritic user review trolling. There, anybody could post a negative review, leaving the system prone to mob rule over the hot-button issue of the hour. On Steam people need to own a copy of the game they are leaving (or editing) a review for, which means complaints can only come from those who were committed enough to actually buy it. This affords a degree of protection against fringe outrage from people who were never really interested in the game in the first place (though reviews of refunded games remain, so it’s by no means immune to abuse).

Making a combined statement through Steam (rather than Metacritic) also feels more effective as a means of hitting a publisher somewhere it may vaguely hurt. GTA V is probably close to immune to this effect due to its astronomical popularity and sales figures, but having that ‘Overwhelmingly Negative’ tag on the same page as the purchasing button (though not, sadly, right next to it) will definitely give prospective buyers pause. Players may struggle to organise a consistent economic boycott, but they can certainly act to warn others away.

Not a lot of Take-Two love to be found here.

Other publishers have definitely felt the sting of a review bombing session and reacted accordingly. In recent memory, Impact Winter rushed out a ‘patch delivery roadmap’ on the day of release in response to player dissatisfaction with the quality of the PC port. The majority of this anger was channeled through Steam reviews. With competition for attention being absolutely savage on Steam these days, first impressions make a big difference.

It’s possible that Bandai Namco knew their Impact Winter PC release had problems and were ready to run with a ‘patch roadmap’ response before any user reviews even hit. But it’s also entirely possible that direct, visible pressure from Steam reviews, against a title which couldn’t risk losing its audience, had an effect. The publisher may also have learned that putting out a game on PC with lousy mouse and keyboard controls brings poor results.

Whether player agitation has had a direct effect is always going to be difficult to quantify. The 70,000 signatures on the petition to bring Dark Souls to the PC drew comment from Bandai Namco (yep, them again) that it had their attention. But this came only six months before the release of the PC port, suggesting that it may already have been in development when the petition was ongoing. Then again, that port was so basic it could conceivably have been completed in that time frame.

The upshot was that Dark Souls became a PC mainstay and is now a multi-million selling series on this platform. It’s hard to say whether that was the direct result of organised player action, but those voices certainly didn’t hurt. While on the subject of petitions, there’s one out there to ‘save OpenIV’ that’s a few thousand short of 75,000 signatures at the time of writing. I’d say it’s far less likely to find success than the Dark Souls request, but, again, won’t hurt.

Reminder: Dark Souls is cool and good.

There’s been some online debate about whether it’s legitimate to use the Steam review system in this way, as if alerting people to a rubbish PC version or warning people away from a previously mod friendly game are somehow unworthy subjects. To me, that seems exactly the sort of thing for which the review system should be used. There’s definitely a line at which criticism-by-review-system can turn from legitimate protest to unpleasant mob justice. I feel very uneasy when much smaller games draw massive ire, because that’s no longer a case of punching upwards; the power imbalance flips. But if the object of displeasure is a corporation that holds basically all of the power in the dispute, Steam reviews feel like a justified outlet for grievance.

That’s not to say players detailing their complaints through Steam reviews will always meet with any measure of success. Rockstar’s professional pride may be a little hurt by the negative responses, but Take-Two probably won’t care unless they start to see any impact on sales. That doesn’t necessarily undermine the effort, though. The Steam review bombing session can help players feel solidarity with one another’s cause, and these actions may at least steer away the last handful of people who were considering buying GTA V for the open modding scene.

When players have so few avenues of protest open to them, it’s necessary to get creative. Mobilising people to subvert the Steam review system is straightforward and, at least in isolated cases, feels moderately effective where other methods have failed.

#Steam

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