Bentuk-bentuk smile bb
Smile At Your Baby!
2014.05.24 00:12 SmileAtYourBaby Smile At Your Baby!
BABY BITS are a program of Smile At Your Baby! BABY BITS (BB) are created, posted and texted most every Monday thru Fri. BB are designed for teen, new, young and soon-to-be parents who are open to the possibility of being better parents, but, may prefer to be discreet about it. BB parenting tips deal more with mental, emotional, behavioral and social well being of families than with nutrition or safety.
2016.04.26 04:32 FreddyBlackJack Reddit home of K-Pop group Berry Good
Good good Berry Good! Reddit fan forum for the Kpop group Berry Good.
2015.03.02 11:49 Apple製品総合
iPhoneやMacなどのApple製品について日本語で語りましょう
2024.05.14 16:37 angie_kiprevski Share Some K-Pop Music Videos That Make You Smile
You can have absolutely any reasoning or story behind the MV(s) you're talking about (feel free to share it if you want).
Here are some of mine :)
submitted by angie_kiprevski to kpopthoughts [link] [comments]
Here are some of mine :)
- D.D.D. by The Boyz - seeing them smiling and so tiny has me in my feels lol also the song is v happy (also the dance break at the end omg Changmin)
- Chi Mat Ba Ram by Brave Girls (BB Girls) - I just think that summer & BB Girls are an inseparable pairing
- Snap Shoot by Seventeen - not technically an MV, but I love everything about this video and Mingyu making it makes the whole thing extra special
- D N D by Apink - if you enjoyed Queen of Tears, you'll have to watch this vid (I just love seeing Apink together) 10/10 chill, happy song with heartwarming lyrics
- TOUCH by NCT 127 - Yuta's smile!!!!! And the lightheartedness of the song ofc also: Yuta's smile!!!
- Autopilot by Purple Kiss - I love this song so much that the MV could've been a visual of a rubbish bin and I'd still love it, but I'm especially glad that it's clips of the girls having fun
- Do or not by Pentagon - the members are so smiley, the song is great and the MV is charming
- Smooth Sailing by cignature - it's smooth, smooth sailing, good, good feeling also the girls smiles are gorgeous
- Hello Future by NCT Dream - how can one not love the MV for one of the best songs released in K-pop?
- Feel my rhythm by Red Velvet - if I could live in a fantasy world, it'd be this one (with the FMR EP as my life playlist)
- Footprint by Astro - I wasn't able to revisit this Ddoca in a while, but now when I do I smile so much :)
2024.05.12 18:15 zain_ahmed002 Why GlitchMimic is true and why GlitchAfton is flawed (Long post)
 | IntroJust to preface, this isn't an attack at anyone. This is purely related to the theories themselves and not at any person.Just thought that it was important to get that out of the way as I don't want anyone to feel attacked, I just want to show how a certain theory just cannot work. I've recently joined Twitter (it's actually going well, better that what I expected as I've heard a lot of "bad" things about FNAF Twitter), and it's a platform where a lot more people believe in GlitchAfton. So this past week I've been collecting information about the topic, posting them as threads to then compile it into a "megathread" which I've just released this morning, you can check it out here (this post is just going to be a detailed version of that tweet). I understand that the consensus here on Reddit is that GlitchMimic is the right answer, but I recently made a poll and surprisingly a lot of people still wanted me to make this post. GlitchAftonIt's important to establish what the main GlitchAfton argument is, which is that Glitchtrap looks and behaves like Afton so therefore it should be Afton. Which is a fair and simple conclusion to make.Going a little deeper, the argument is that Glitchtrap says "I always come back", appears as a golden Bonnie suit, Glitchtrap in AR having UCN voice lines, and other things such as The Entity being Glitchtrap. This post will refute these main points, there of course will be some other points here and there that GlitchAftoners might use, but we'd be here all day refuting every single GlitchAfton point. So it's just better to counter the main ones and then that'll hopefully convince some that the little points are also wrong too. Circuit boardsGlitchAftoners believe that the circuit boards used for the HW game are Afton's Springtrap boards. However, there's a multitude of issues with this.When we look at the description of the boards, we see that their entire purpose is to "digitally recreate" performances and personalities "Using proprietary technology developed by Fazbear Entertainment, our VR development teams were able to use vintage control board, almost like plug and play, digitally recreating performances and personalities from the past in an instant."The "Proprietary tech" is the scanner, used to scan the boards into the games. We know this as the whole concept of AR and what Tape Girl says is that the boards were scanned using FE tech. So they used special FE tech to scan the circuit boards' contents into the game. People often overlook "digitally recreating". This isn't a "ctrl+c and ctrl+v" thing. It's creating it again, but in a digital environment. So the personalities and performances from the animatronics are created again using the boards as that's the boards specialty. This is exactly what the Mimic Line was created to do, they didn't want to ctrl+c ctrl+v the code from one Freddy Fazbear to another, they wanted to make something that would watch and "recreate" the actions and routines of the OG band so that they can use it in other FE locations. It's a way to avoid "a lot of coding" https://preview.redd.it/uyfgmbyczzzc1.png?width=785&format=png&auto=webp&s=1fc74592922e6cd3155cc91c53ed1e6da268a6ca The Way Agony and Remnant work This further solidifies the argument of Glitchtrap just being the Mimic. I made a Twitter Thread going into detail about how Remnant and Agony work, I strongly recommend that you take a look at it to fully understand this point. To sum it up, assuming that Afton's boards were even used for the VR game and assuming that his Remnant/ agony was on these boards.. It still wouldn't result in GlitchAfton. Why? Well, let's start with Remnant. As explained in the books, Remnant is the process of the intangible (memories) mixing with the tangible (object). https://preview.redd.it/0tg5v09r000d1.png?width=591&format=png&auto=webp&s=61809bcb9cada386ce93c6b1bfbc401e1512f5b0 Afton in TFC adds to this by saying how both the body (current soul host) and emotion (pain) are needed for the "soul" to "follow" and find its "eternal home" https://preview.redd.it/5lmx00fx000d1.png?width=765&format=png&auto=webp&s=e59a1de2409c372cabc6da54605ec4a0aa7c6af4 Some people try to hyper-examine the grammar and say how Afton is saying that ether or are required and both don't need to be present. If you look at the very next sentence and the overall scene as a whole you'll see that both are required as it's why Afton is cutting pieces of himself to put into the Funtime Amalgamation. Also, you might've spotted that I said that the body is the "current soul host". The body acts as William's current soul host as he's still living and.. well.. The soul is obviously still in his body. However, this changes when a soul moves from one possessed object to another. THIS DOESN'T MEAN THAT SOULS HAVE A CHOICE IN WHERE THEY CAN GO OR WHEN THEY CAN LEAVE. It just means that when the current soul host ceases to exist or is destroyed, the soul still follows the same procedure of the "host" being close to the object it's about to possess. We see this in the Epilogues, where Andrew's current "soul host" is William, but when his body explodes and is destroyed, he possesses nearby objects as he still follows the same procedure as other remnant "cases". What is this procedure? Well, it's essentially: (Memories + Emotion) + Current Soul Host + Object The reason as to why I'm mentioning all of this is because Even if we assume that Afton's agony was on the boards used for HW his soul wouldn't end up in the game. Like I said, Remnant is the mixing of memories and emotions with the tangible. The memories and emotions latch onto tangible materials, like the metal or plastic in the boards and not the code. It's WHY we see souls trapped in animatronics, bound by their coding. The MCIs can't enter the saferoom because of their coding. Elizabeth can't talk through Baby because of the coding, etc. Souls don't mix with code, they mix with tangible things like materials. So EVEN IF Afton's boards were scanned, his soul would REMAIN on the boards and not in the game due to the boards being digitally scanned. Agony In the same twitter thread mentioned above, agony is also explained. "Agony" is actually an umbrella term for a range of negative emotions, like grief and rage. Each have their unique qualities. Grief seems to "pour" the emotion itself along with a piece of that person's soul. The soul doesn't do much in terms of controlling things, it's more of the soul containing the memories of that person. We see this with Henry and the Charliebots: https://preview.redd.it/nshom59f300d1.png?width=741&format=png&auto=webp&s=a296a2ef49d86bc3f181fe13f7a51749b8108d0a https://preview.redd.it/bme3ew8g300d1.png?width=748&format=png&auto=webp&s=b801d4657530c705bce314ea4c63c7e9ceda98ef https://preview.redd.it/dzehyyvg300d1.png?width=790&format=png&auto=webp&s=10c927e757384241ddcd3807079ed6e9c40be32b Rage, however, doesn't pour the soul into an object. It just pours the pure emotion. We see this with the Mimic and the Springtrap "anomaly" seen in In The Flesh, where they refer to the person as their "father" due to them having no memories from them nor do they have a piece of their soul. https://preview.redd.it/iec1ejiq300d1.png?width=786&format=png&auto=webp&s=59dc04be41ed8518763fe9aeb6c1296c9fe09159 Afton, at no point, would be feeling grief. And if he did, his soul wouldn't do anything as shown in the Charliebots and as shown with the Remnant description, souls can't alter code. They can't change it nor can they form a super virus. If Afton's rage infected the boards used, it wouldn't contain a piece of his soul. Taking us back to square one of "how is Glitchtrap like Afton", and the only other option given Hand Unit's description of the boards is that it's the Mimic. The Entity, MXES, and how they're NOT GlitchtrapAnother GlitchAfton argument is that The Entity is Glitchtrap, and how that disproves GlitchMimic as the Entity is seen to work against the Mimic.However, there's just a teeny tiny flaw with that.. The Entity being Glitchtrap is contradictory. Lemme explain. Again, I've made a thread which explains it in more detail as well as some people replying to it with more info. The point is that when Cassie enters a wormhole thing in RUIN, we see the Entity's head consuming the screen to then reveal the PQ3 room https://preview.redd.it/q99oi3ya500d1.png?width=456&format=png&auto=webp&s=6ab0d7b6d4e771bd7745658e851f1bee31eaf9a8 The entire room wants to draw your attention to the Princess' sword struck through the PQ3 arcade machine https://preview.redd.it/lz2wmqhf500d1.png?width=784&format=png&auto=webp&s=c254b3aa54bbcf6527aae275ea7de532d2987cfd This very clearly shows how the Entity is related to Glitchtrap's defeat, as I genuinely see no reason as to why Glitchtrap would proudly show it's victim that it lost.. Like what purpose does that serve? The Entity also tries to kill us for using the mask for too long and when we try to deactivate the nodes, however the one responsible for giving us that mask to begin with was Glitchtrap. At the end of HW2, we see that Glitchtrap is responsible for the "Helptrap" ending and how it sets up the events of Cassie receiving the mask (Linking Helptrap to the start of RUIN) https://preview.redd.it/l6hfg2yp600d1.png?width=679&format=png&auto=webp&s=a465672bbcba3121ac767b2f0ef37cbe691387eb So Glitchtrap being the Entity means that:
It's self-contradictory. "I always come back" + UCN linesThis links with a Reddit post I made a couple months back, explaining how the Mimic was fed the in-universe indie games before being implemented into the HW game.post explaining how the indie games are based on the ones we've played We even get hints of this in Pressure, where the indie games are named as "fables" that Luca speculated to be "true", we even hear Nightmare BBs voiceline said by BB: https://preview.redd.it/x0qxussd800d1.png?width=771&format=png&auto=webp&s=6f521cb2acbd39c3308fe889b2e80413652e597c Showing how to some degree, FE knew about UCN and the in-universe game had some of the same voicelines as the real UCN game we've played. Showing how the Mimic would have been fed these games and how it would've known about these voicelines. GlitchMimicNow that GlitchAfton has been addressed and shown how it's not possible to be true, it's time to prove GlitchMimic and how certain things prove it.Glitchtrap is a MASCOT COSTUME "Mascot" is often referred to the Fazbear band, so it's not really something unique. But the fact that it's a costume and not an animatronic is unique. The costume idea really comes from the Mimic, as it's speciality is to fit inside the costumes as it becomes the end for it. The whole Grimick ending of Ruin as well as the whole point of the Mimic Line and it's story is to show how it's linked with mascot costumes. Establishing a base connection between the Mimic and Glitchtrap https://preview.redd.it/uc4fss8x900d1.png?width=326&format=png&auto=webp&s=8e995840559868c6bbb437135713566babe58454 TalesIt's best to start with *The Monty Within (*TMW) as it explains how Glitchtrap does the things it does. It explains how AI can infect the left side of the brain, and that it can take over the mind completely.The yellow highlighting is awful ik lol https://preview.redd.it/9dbr6ztij00d1.png?width=818&format=png&auto=webp&s=2a39e97d80f82e6bd376bbc6c2e855e332879214 We even see this happen with Kane, where the Mimic (as Monty) enters Kane's mind and slowly starts to take over his entire brain. Making its thoughts as Kane's thoughts, and gradually being able to move Kane's limbs and then kills Kane for going against his orders. Seems familiar, no? In HW, we see that Glitchtrap's first victim was Jeremy, and that he sliced his face with the guillotine slicer. Some people theorise he sliced of the Vanni mask or whatever, that's a debate for another day. But even if he had the mask on, his face would have been severely injured. And the whole gist of the Jeremy sub-plot is that he dies from the slice and therefore it lead to a lawsuit. Given TMW, and how it shows Kane being sliced in the head by a saw due to the Mimic taking control of his body, Jeremy also most likely died due to Glitchtrap forcing him to get sliced too due to Jeremy trying to go against Glitchtrap. Glitchtrap also takes control of the mind just like the Mimic does in TMW, we see this with Vanessa and Gregory in GGY. It's able to control their movements and also their thoughts (more on this later) However, there are a few who just deny that the Mimic is Monty from TMW despite the whole story outright showing how it is. But if you're in doubt, here's a Twitter thread explaining how. GGYGiven that TMW explains Glitchtrap's abilities, GGY explains Glitchtrap's behaviour. In GGY, we see that Gregory is under the influence of Glitchtrap, the story takes place some time after the therapy tapes as the last therapist from SB was also murdered. Glitchtrap behaves extremely robotic at times, it's able to emulate a child's behaviour to an extent, but then says things that are extremely robotic:https://preview.redd.it/ncw2ka8sl00d1.png?width=785&format=png&auto=webp&s=a40bb80b324db12dd90d32c71d0d5a7e8c184b15 https://preview.redd.it/9c9rxxutl00d1.png?width=789&format=png&auto=webp&s=8f6f90773afc5696a0cd4a4fd0a6241d8e7fbeab This matches Glitchtrap from the games, where in the AR emails, it searches things like "how to induce compliance in human subjects?" https://preview.redd.it/uw88jxz1m00d1.png?width=722&format=png&auto=webp&s=23f057810b3ee7e9a8c4b3bfd2e24555119f2ffe https://preview.redd.it/i8jeupq2m00d1.png?width=755&format=png&auto=webp&s=b7d268a14b0aa3a6814c20bb2f6c7b7f6983b554 Afton's specific trait is that he's very good with his words, to the point where he can manipulate people with them. At no point would he ever say "human subjects" and "human being", as he was human himself once. This is quite clearly coming from something that isn't human, and given the nature of it's wording and lack of emotion, it's clear that this is coming from a robotic mind. However, the AR emails also show how Vanessa tries to fight back at times by searching "help" and even in the SB therapy tapes, she's found a way to "lock away" Glitchtrap by "compartmentalising" it. https://preview.redd.it/evujwp10n00d1.png?width=897&format=png&auto=webp&s=29d6af41cab9f06cda57779fcfd60086b19ed44c This links back to TMW with Taylor's logic: https://preview.redd.it/pypspa36n00d1.png?width=840&format=png&auto=webp&s=a7d1f01367440a1b8a2542770098beeab1ff1c8e Kane says how this "negative self talk" is the AI within, so this negative talk would be Glitchtrap and in Kane's case, the Mimic. Where it being "sidelined" results in that person becoming more free and better. It's exactly what we see with Vanessa, where she's sidelined him by locking it away. Glitchtrap in GGY also observes a person for a really really long time, which is called out as not being something normal as well as being something uncomfortable: Greg returned the wave. He smiled. Then he cocked his head and studied Tony for several seconds. For some reason, Greg’s scrutiny made Tony want to squirmAgain, this isn't something Afton would do as he's discrete in his manipulation, not outright showing it and being the most non-human you can ever be. Also, look at the wording. "cocked his head and studied", it's the exact same wording used for Tiger Rock, further linking the Mimic to Glitchtrap "Tiger Rock said, cocking his head and studying Kai like he was the most fascinating boy in the world"Tiger rock also says how it loves learning languages, even saying "if it exists, I can learn it", which explains the PQ1 ending and also the wall code. GGY also explains how Glitchtrap was coded into the animatronics themselves, which links back to the therapy tapes where Patient 46/GGY moved the Glitchtrap virus from the Pizzaplex's systems to the animatronics themselves which "cascades" into a bunch of subroutines that do the same thing the original virus does. The funny thing with Tales is that the Pizzaplex-related stories all link together via attractions, it's how we can make a timeline of it. Link to the web of Tales is here, we can see that GGY has a lot of the same attractions as stories like Nexie, Tiger Rock, and The Storyteller. This makes it abundantly clear that GGY takes place in the same timeline as The Storyteller, and in The Storyteller we see that the Mimic was in control of the Pizzaplex. For both Glitchtrap and the Mimic to be in control of the pizzaplex, with the exact same abilities, the exact same "control", and in the exact same timeline. It just makes it clear that they are the exact same entity. Otherwise, it'd mean that there'd be some sort of AI war, where each are vying for control. But there's not even an ounce of any sort of reference or implication of it. It JUST DIDN'T HAPPEN. help"i" and HW2This, I feel, is the most direct GlitchMimic can ever be.Helpi (with an "i") is seen in both HW2 and RUIN. In Ruin it's shown that Helpi is infected by the Mimic, and Helpi comes from the VANNI mask showing that the Mimic also comes from the Vanni mask. And we KNOW it's the Mimic as it quite literally mimics things. In RUIN, we see that the Mimic (in Helpi) is responsible for injecting an occipital transmitter. This, obviously, is connected to the Occipital lobe which is responsible for forming a visual image from the light rays our eyes pick up. This is important as it explains how we can walk through glitched objects in RUIN. The objects were never there to begin with, they're made up by the Mimic manipulating the image the occipital lobe forms to make it look like there's objects there when there actually isn't. why? Well it's because using the mask allows us to "walk through" these non-existent objects. It makes Cassie feel like she needs to wear the mask, as the only way to free the Mimic is through the mask as she needs to deactivate the nodes. The whole point of RUIN as a whole is that Cassie is tricked by the Mimic into wearing the mask to free it, and it does this by the help of Helpi and therefore showing how they're linked. Helpi also makes an appearance in HW2 seen here. And YES, this is Helpi with an "i" and not with a "y". It's the SAME Helpi the Mimic has control over. This links with the HELPtrap ending, where the player (Cassie's dad) becomes Maskbot and therefore gives Cassie the mask. As I've shown earlier in this post, the entity behind the HelpTrap ending is Glitchtrap. Linking Helpi to Glitchtrap, Helpi to the Mimic, and therefore Mimic to Glitchtrap. Another thing to note is that the Mimic was connected to the Pizzaplex's systems during SB, we know this as it plays a scene from SBs camera feeds in RUIN, where Cassie says "Hey, that's my mask". It also explains why the Mimic knows that Gregory said "I-I'm Gregory".. Nobody else would have known or seen that.. Just Glamrock Freddy. Which leaves the only explanation of the Mimic being coded into Glamrock Freddy for it to have heard Gregory say that as well as the Mimic being in the Pizzaplex's systems due to the camera feed seen in RUIN. Linking with the GGY point from above. ConclusionWell, thank you for coming this far, it just honestly makes sense for Glitchtrap to be the Mimic and not Afton. |
2024.05.11 19:04 Gloomy-Wedding9837 Oh great, now I'm a dungeon. 04/?
I wasn't planning on releasing this until Monday, but as I repaired my goof with this and the next couple of chapters I decided to go ahead and let ya'll have a weekend treat. I hope you enjoy it.
********** Chapter Four: Who the heck are you?
FUCKING MURPHY!!!! Damnit, I just had to open my big mouth and summon Murphy. I had no clue who or what Murphy was, something vaguely tickled the back of my mind about if it can go wrong it will or something like that, but whatever. I'm a dungeon. That means delvers. Wait, how do I know what delvers are? I strain, trying to remember, but it's just a blank wall. I have words and concepts but I have no link to what they are or really mean anymore. But back to delvers. One was standing just outside my entrance. All my scions went to DEFCON 3 (great another concept I have no clue what it means but it just seems to fit for some reason). I can see they have a sword and a small round shield and they seemed scared. I look closer through the eyes of my scion Felix and I realize the sword is a wooden sword, and the shield is child sized.
That's not a delver. That's a kid. I command all my minions to move back against the wall around my core and to be quiet. Felix casts a spell and I get the feeling that we are all hidden by his spell, like we were waiting in ambush. Huh, interesting, he's a very versatile kitty so far. Nice. GAH! No distracting myself. We all stand there watching the child as his curiosity gets the better of him, and he slowly advances on my cave entrance. He peeks in and in a trembling voice asks if anyone is home. I honestly start laughing. That is just so cute. But none of my minions can talk, and I'm a dungeon core so of course I can't talk, we stay silent. The kid slowly takes a single step into my domain and I can see that he is at best 10 years old. Probably younger, but the little guy has heart, even if he's scared. He still stepped into my domain.
Now I have a problem. He's in my domain and my core's instinct isn't to cuddle him, it's to kill him, and for some reason, that feels very very wrong to me, and I fight down the urge to release my minions on him. No way am I going to kill a kid. I'm not evil. I won't do it. Instead, I tell Felix to drop his spell. As soon as he does, the kid freezes. He's staring at Felix, and I see his eyes flick to my other scions and minions. He doesn't move, but I see the trembling start in his body. Yeah, no, I can't let that happen. I tell Felix and my minions to sit or lay down. Trying to show through actions, that we won't hurt him. It takes him a few minutes to come to terms that three very large creatures are all staring at him, and not trying to kill him. He glances at my other minions and realizes this includes them. Something shifts in his eyes and he stands up from his defensive crouch. Then he starts to babble.
“Oh wow, you are huge! I've never seen a cricket or spider so big, or a mountain cat so big, and you are all laying down. You're not going to hurt me?”
I tell Felix to shake his head no, describing it to him so he gets it right. Felix does as I ask and the kid squeels in joy.
“No way! You can understand me! Wow that is so amazing. How? Are you intelligent like the Catkin from the city?”
Felix shakes his head no again, even though he gives me a disgruntled feeling when he does it. He and my scions know they are intelligent. But I just tell him to go along with me for a bit. He does, but I can sense he's not exactly thrilled to follow my instructions.
“You're not intelligent? Then how can you understand me? Oooohhhhhhhhhhh. I read about this in school. You're Scions! Doesn't that mean you are intelligent too though?”
To this I instruct Felix to nod yes, and then to uncover my core. I'm taking a chance. My gut feeling (gut? What is that?) says this kid can be trusted to keep me a secret if I can get him to understand that is what I am asking of him. So... Felix does as I ask. He nods yes, and then brushes the dirt covering my core with his paw, revealing me. The kid just stares at my core. Then he looks at Felix.
“You shouldn't show off your core. People will try to take it and kill you so they can use it.” I have Felix nod and brush dirt back over my core. The kid stares again, then looks at Felix and whispers “You're trusting me?” Felix nods. The kid breaks out in a huge smile. “I promise I won't tell anyone. Cross my heart! Thanks a bunch for trusting me, usually dungeons try to kill anyone that enters them... you're not going to kill me are you?” Again I have Felix shake his head no, to which the kid just glows. “Ok, You'll just be our secret. Can I come visit you? You seem like a really nice dungeon.” Felix nods yes again and the kid's smile seems to light the entire interior of my cave. “I can help you hide your core better if you want? I'll dig a hole in the cave wall just above you, deep enough for you to go into, and you can have your spiders silk up the entrance and have your scions kick dirt onto the silk to make it look like the wall. You'll be hidden better than you are and a lot safer.”
I have to think about this for a moment, this kid is pretty smart, I have Felix nod yes again, and move aside. My other minions do as well, making room for the kid to come further in. Using his wood sword he pokes and prods the wall until small rocks and dirt starts falling down, and he creates a sizeable hole about a six inches across and maybe two feet deep. He takes care to make sure no debris hits my core. Yeah, he's smart. Smarter than I was at his age... um what? I... whatever. It takes him a little bit of time to do it, the dirt is kinda hard and he is just a kid with a wooden sword after all. While he is doing that he starts talking again.
“My name is Sebastian, and I live on the other side of the woods about a half mile away. I play in these woods all the time to hide from my sisters. Girls are gross. They always want to play dress up instead of fun things like slay the dragon or bandit bopping. Most of the time they catch me before I can get away from them and they dress me up like a doll and put stuff on my face. They always giggle and laugh and it makes me feel icky. Why do girls have to be like that? GROSS!” Felix just shrugs. I didn't know he could do that, but the kid saw it and laughed. “You're lucky you don't have sisters.” I can't help it. I start giggling inside. If only he knew he was talking to a girl dungeon, I'm pretty sure he'd be mortified. He seems like a good kid. Then what I thought hits me. A girl dungeon? I... how do I know I'm a girl dungeon? Again I feel like the concepts and reasons are locked behind a wall I can't get through. I mentally shrug to myself. Ok, whatever. I'm a dungeon, it's not like it matters what sex I am.
Sebastian finishes digging the hole for my core, then glances down at me and steps back. He motions to Felix and then says; “You are big enough you should be able to get the core into the hole. I don't wanna touch your core 'cause I'll drain your mana if I do. That will hurt you and I don't want to hurt a friend.” Felix looks at him, then bends down and with his lips, picks up my BB sized core, then standing on his hind legs with his forelegs against the wall, gently places me into the hole, he then sits down on his haunches and looks to Lucille. Lucille then jumps to the wall and starts running drag lines across the opening. This will take her some time to finish covering up the hole. Jumping spider silk is a little different than other spiders, but she'll get me hidden soon enough.
Sebastian watches for a minute and then turns to Felix and lets me know he has to go before his mom and dad start looking for him. He promises again to keep our secret, and then turns and darts out of the cave and into the woods, skipping and laughing happily. I smile to myself. So... other dungeons try to kill everything and everyone that enters them do they? That's not right. I determine that I'm going to do the opposite. I'm going to become a dungeon people can delve without worrying I was out to kill them. With that thought in mind, I consider my mana reserves. I need to expand.
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submitted by Gloomy-Wedding9837 to HFY [link] [comments]
********** Chapter Four: Who the heck are you?
FUCKING MURPHY!!!! Damnit, I just had to open my big mouth and summon Murphy. I had no clue who or what Murphy was, something vaguely tickled the back of my mind about if it can go wrong it will or something like that, but whatever. I'm a dungeon. That means delvers. Wait, how do I know what delvers are? I strain, trying to remember, but it's just a blank wall. I have words and concepts but I have no link to what they are or really mean anymore. But back to delvers. One was standing just outside my entrance. All my scions went to DEFCON 3 (great another concept I have no clue what it means but it just seems to fit for some reason). I can see they have a sword and a small round shield and they seemed scared. I look closer through the eyes of my scion Felix and I realize the sword is a wooden sword, and the shield is child sized.
That's not a delver. That's a kid. I command all my minions to move back against the wall around my core and to be quiet. Felix casts a spell and I get the feeling that we are all hidden by his spell, like we were waiting in ambush. Huh, interesting, he's a very versatile kitty so far. Nice. GAH! No distracting myself. We all stand there watching the child as his curiosity gets the better of him, and he slowly advances on my cave entrance. He peeks in and in a trembling voice asks if anyone is home. I honestly start laughing. That is just so cute. But none of my minions can talk, and I'm a dungeon core so of course I can't talk, we stay silent. The kid slowly takes a single step into my domain and I can see that he is at best 10 years old. Probably younger, but the little guy has heart, even if he's scared. He still stepped into my domain.
Now I have a problem. He's in my domain and my core's instinct isn't to cuddle him, it's to kill him, and for some reason, that feels very very wrong to me, and I fight down the urge to release my minions on him. No way am I going to kill a kid. I'm not evil. I won't do it. Instead, I tell Felix to drop his spell. As soon as he does, the kid freezes. He's staring at Felix, and I see his eyes flick to my other scions and minions. He doesn't move, but I see the trembling start in his body. Yeah, no, I can't let that happen. I tell Felix and my minions to sit or lay down. Trying to show through actions, that we won't hurt him. It takes him a few minutes to come to terms that three very large creatures are all staring at him, and not trying to kill him. He glances at my other minions and realizes this includes them. Something shifts in his eyes and he stands up from his defensive crouch. Then he starts to babble.
“Oh wow, you are huge! I've never seen a cricket or spider so big, or a mountain cat so big, and you are all laying down. You're not going to hurt me?”
I tell Felix to shake his head no, describing it to him so he gets it right. Felix does as I ask and the kid squeels in joy.
“No way! You can understand me! Wow that is so amazing. How? Are you intelligent like the Catkin from the city?”
Felix shakes his head no again, even though he gives me a disgruntled feeling when he does it. He and my scions know they are intelligent. But I just tell him to go along with me for a bit. He does, but I can sense he's not exactly thrilled to follow my instructions.
“You're not intelligent? Then how can you understand me? Oooohhhhhhhhhhh. I read about this in school. You're Scions! Doesn't that mean you are intelligent too though?”
To this I instruct Felix to nod yes, and then to uncover my core. I'm taking a chance. My gut feeling (gut? What is that?) says this kid can be trusted to keep me a secret if I can get him to understand that is what I am asking of him. So... Felix does as I ask. He nods yes, and then brushes the dirt covering my core with his paw, revealing me. The kid just stares at my core. Then he looks at Felix.
“You shouldn't show off your core. People will try to take it and kill you so they can use it.” I have Felix nod and brush dirt back over my core. The kid stares again, then looks at Felix and whispers “You're trusting me?” Felix nods. The kid breaks out in a huge smile. “I promise I won't tell anyone. Cross my heart! Thanks a bunch for trusting me, usually dungeons try to kill anyone that enters them... you're not going to kill me are you?” Again I have Felix shake his head no, to which the kid just glows. “Ok, You'll just be our secret. Can I come visit you? You seem like a really nice dungeon.” Felix nods yes again and the kid's smile seems to light the entire interior of my cave. “I can help you hide your core better if you want? I'll dig a hole in the cave wall just above you, deep enough for you to go into, and you can have your spiders silk up the entrance and have your scions kick dirt onto the silk to make it look like the wall. You'll be hidden better than you are and a lot safer.”
I have to think about this for a moment, this kid is pretty smart, I have Felix nod yes again, and move aside. My other minions do as well, making room for the kid to come further in. Using his wood sword he pokes and prods the wall until small rocks and dirt starts falling down, and he creates a sizeable hole about a six inches across and maybe two feet deep. He takes care to make sure no debris hits my core. Yeah, he's smart. Smarter than I was at his age... um what? I... whatever. It takes him a little bit of time to do it, the dirt is kinda hard and he is just a kid with a wooden sword after all. While he is doing that he starts talking again.
“My name is Sebastian, and I live on the other side of the woods about a half mile away. I play in these woods all the time to hide from my sisters. Girls are gross. They always want to play dress up instead of fun things like slay the dragon or bandit bopping. Most of the time they catch me before I can get away from them and they dress me up like a doll and put stuff on my face. They always giggle and laugh and it makes me feel icky. Why do girls have to be like that? GROSS!” Felix just shrugs. I didn't know he could do that, but the kid saw it and laughed. “You're lucky you don't have sisters.” I can't help it. I start giggling inside. If only he knew he was talking to a girl dungeon, I'm pretty sure he'd be mortified. He seems like a good kid. Then what I thought hits me. A girl dungeon? I... how do I know I'm a girl dungeon? Again I feel like the concepts and reasons are locked behind a wall I can't get through. I mentally shrug to myself. Ok, whatever. I'm a dungeon, it's not like it matters what sex I am.
Sebastian finishes digging the hole for my core, then glances down at me and steps back. He motions to Felix and then says; “You are big enough you should be able to get the core into the hole. I don't wanna touch your core 'cause I'll drain your mana if I do. That will hurt you and I don't want to hurt a friend.” Felix looks at him, then bends down and with his lips, picks up my BB sized core, then standing on his hind legs with his forelegs against the wall, gently places me into the hole, he then sits down on his haunches and looks to Lucille. Lucille then jumps to the wall and starts running drag lines across the opening. This will take her some time to finish covering up the hole. Jumping spider silk is a little different than other spiders, but she'll get me hidden soon enough.
Sebastian watches for a minute and then turns to Felix and lets me know he has to go before his mom and dad start looking for him. He promises again to keep our secret, and then turns and darts out of the cave and into the woods, skipping and laughing happily. I smile to myself. So... other dungeons try to kill everything and everyone that enters them do they? That's not right. I determine that I'm going to do the opposite. I'm going to become a dungeon people can delve without worrying I was out to kill them. With that thought in mind, I consider my mana reserves. I need to expand.
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2024.05.09 13:39 ramdytis3c Diego Galloso, Noam Garcia & Tibetania - Eastern Sun [Tibetania Records]
Diego Galloso, Noam Garcia & Tibetania - Eastern Sun / Key Bb, BPM 120, 9:44, MP3 23.42 Mb, AIFF 103.09 Mb
Diego Galloso, Noam Garcia & Tibetania - Flex / Key Gm, BPM 120, 10:32, MP3 25.34 Mb, AIFF 111.54 Mb
Diego Galloso, Noam Garcia & Tibetania - Main Force / Key Abm, BPM 120, 10:56, MP3 26.30 Mb, AIFF 115.78 Mb
Diego Galloso, Noam Garcia & Tibetania - Mantra / Key Fm, BPM 120, 9:12, MP3 22.14 Mb, AIFF 97.43 Mb
Diego Galloso, Noam Garcia & Tibetania - Marena / Key Fm, BPM 116, 7:52, MP3 18.93 Mb, AIFF 83.27 Mb
Diego Galloso, Noam Garcia & Tibetania - Mashallah / Key Gm, BPM 120, 8:40, MP3 20.86 Mb, AIFF 91.79 Mb
Diego Galloso, Noam Garcia & Tibetania - Monet / Key Fm, BPM 123, 8:59, MP3 21.60 Mb, AIFF 95.06 Mb
Diego Galloso, Noam Garcia & Tibetania - Smile / Key Fm, BPM 120, 12:22, MP3 29.74 Mb, AIFF 130.95 Mb
Diego Galloso, Noam Garcia & Tibetania - The Central / Key Gm, BPM 114, 9:07, MP3 21.96 Mb, AIFF 96.62 Mb
DOWNLOAD - progonlymusic com
submitted by ramdytis3c to proresivesound [link] [comments]
Diego Galloso, Noam Garcia & Tibetania - Eastern Sun / Key Bb, BPM 120, 9:44, MP3 23.42 Mb, AIFF 103.09 Mb
Diego Galloso, Noam Garcia & Tibetania - Flex / Key Gm, BPM 120, 10:32, MP3 25.34 Mb, AIFF 111.54 Mb
Diego Galloso, Noam Garcia & Tibetania - Main Force / Key Abm, BPM 120, 10:56, MP3 26.30 Mb, AIFF 115.78 Mb
Diego Galloso, Noam Garcia & Tibetania - Mantra / Key Fm, BPM 120, 9:12, MP3 22.14 Mb, AIFF 97.43 Mb
Diego Galloso, Noam Garcia & Tibetania - Marena / Key Fm, BPM 116, 7:52, MP3 18.93 Mb, AIFF 83.27 Mb
Diego Galloso, Noam Garcia & Tibetania - Mashallah / Key Gm, BPM 120, 8:40, MP3 20.86 Mb, AIFF 91.79 Mb
Diego Galloso, Noam Garcia & Tibetania - Monet / Key Fm, BPM 123, 8:59, MP3 21.60 Mb, AIFF 95.06 Mb
Diego Galloso, Noam Garcia & Tibetania - Smile / Key Fm, BPM 120, 12:22, MP3 29.74 Mb, AIFF 130.95 Mb
Diego Galloso, Noam Garcia & Tibetania - The Central / Key Gm, BPM 114, 9:07, MP3 21.96 Mb, AIFF 96.62 Mb
DOWNLOAD - progonlymusic com
2024.05.09 02:15 WBuffettJr [Collection] Celebrating 10 years of collecting
![[Collection] Celebrating 10 years of collecting](https://b.thumbs.redditmedia.com/SIIFcH5xnz4cz3qv7q5tDCgkMr-s4CPA2UJ2FiUqfFA.jpg "[Collection] Celebrating 10 years of collecting") | Ten years ago I was fortunate enough to acquire my first luxury watch, and you’re going to hate me when I tell you what it was. I bought my first two watches right before Instagram became a thing and the whole watch world went nuts. I bought the watch on the top row, three over, the Speedmaster Alaska Project, for $4200. At the time it felt like a rip off because you could buy other LE Speedmasters like the blue Gemini IV for around $2500, so I was paying almost double, but it had the full kit with the giant heat sink and all, and I love space and am from Alaska, so I had to do it. The Saturn V is also my favorite rocket of all time and that was the inspiration for the chrono hands. Around the same time I also bought a stainless Submariner two-liner no date (14060m) for $4400. submitted by WBuffettJr to Watches [link] [comments] I’ve been collecting watches since I was five, but 2014 was the year I was finally able to step up to a luxury mechanical watch and I never looked back. From top left to bottom right they are:
Thanks for coming along on my journey, I started before there was much of an online community and the hobby is so much more fun now that there is one. |
2024.05.08 15:05 lbabinz [PSN] Digital PlayStation Game Sale
Big Games, Big Deals Sale
Games Under Sale
submitted by lbabinz to VideoGameDealsCanada [link] [comments]
Games Under Sale
2024.05.07 02:39 BuccosBot The Pirates defeated the Angels by a score of 4-1 - Mon, May 06 @ 06:40 PM EDT
Angels @ Pirates - Mon, May 06
Game Status: Final - Score: 4-1 Pirates
Links & Info
| Angels Batters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | K | LOB | AVG | OBP | SLG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Schanuel - 1B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .233 | .322 | .330 |
| 2 | Moniak - CF | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .184 | .235 | .289 |
| 3 | Ward - LF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .271 | .302 | .471 |
| 4 | Calhoun, W - DH | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .375 | .375 | .625 |
| 5 | O'Hoppe - C | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .253 | .308 | .384 |
| 6 | Drury - 2B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .156 | .219 | .208 |
| 7 | Adell - RF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .250 | .309 | .486 |
| 8 | Tucker - 3B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .357 | .438 | .500 |
| 9 | Neto - SS | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .239 | .288 | .385 |
| Totals | 30 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 8 |
| Angels |
|---|
| BATTING: 2B: Moniak (2, Keller, M); Calhoun, W (4, Keller, M). HR: Neto (3, 6th inning off Keller, M, 0 on, 1 out). TB: Calhoun, W 2; Moniak 3; Neto 4; Schanuel. RBI: Neto (13). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Calhoun, W; Adell. GIDP: Adell; Neto. Team RISP: 0-for-5. Team LOB: 3. |
| Pirates Batters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | K | LOB | AVG | OBP | SLG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | McCutchen - DH | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .187 | .302 | .319 |
| 2 | Reynolds, B - LF | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .250 | .348 | .407 |
| 3 | Hayes - 3B | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .248 | .331 | .328 |
| 4 | Joe - 1B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | .279 | .359 | .442 |
| Tellez - 1B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .211 | .287 | .278 | |
| 5 | Olivares - RF | 4 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .218 | .282 | .397 |
| Suwinski - RF | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .176 | .261 | .275 | |
| 6 | Bart - C | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .189 | .333 | .459 |
| 7 | Cruz, O - SS | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .244 | .293 | .382 |
| 8 | Triolo - 2B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .221 | .310 | .265 |
| 9 | Taylor, M - CF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | .229 | .283 | .265 |
| Totals | 29 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 10 |
| Pirates |
|---|
| BATTING: 2B: Olivares (2, Anderson); Reynolds, B (8, Anderson); McCutchen (3, Anderson). HR: Olivares (4, 3rd inning off Anderson, 3 on, 1 out). TB: Cruz, O; McCutchen 2; Olivares 6; Reynolds, B 3. RBI: Olivares 4 (12). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Taylor, M 2. Team RISP: 1-for-5. Team LOB: 4. |
| FIELDING: E: Cruz, O (7, fielding). Outfield assists: Taylor, M (Schanuel at home). DP: 2 (Keller, M-Triolo-Joe; Cruz, O-Triolo-Joe). |
| Angels Pitchers | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | HR | P-S | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson (L, 2-4) | 6.1 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 93-59 | 2.74 |
| Strickland | 1.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13-10 | 2.45 |
| Totals | 8.0 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 1 |
| Pirates Pitchers | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | HR | P-S | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keller, M (W, 3-3) | 9.0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 109-75 | 4.41 |
| Totals | 9.0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| Game Info |
|---|
| Pitches-strikes: Anderson 93-59; Strickland 13-10; Keller, M 109-75. |
| Groundouts-flyouts: Anderson 5-4; Strickland 1-1; Keller, M 15-3. |
| Batters faced: Anderson 28; Strickland 4; Keller, M 31. |
| Inherited runners-scored: Strickland 1-0. |
| Umpires: HP: James Hoye. 1B: Rob Drake. 2B: Jonathan Parra. 3B: John Libka. |
| Weather: 71 degrees, Partly Cloudy. |
| Wind: 3 mph, Out To LF. |
| First pitch: 6:42 PM. |
| T: 1:55. |
| Att: 9,506. |
| Venue: PNC Park. |
| May 6, 2024 |
| Inning | Scoring Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Bottom 3 | Edward Olivares hits a grand slam (4) to left center field. Andrew McCutchen scores. Bryan Reynolds scores. Ke'Bryan Hayes scores. | 4-0 PIT |
| Top 6 | Zach Neto homers (3) on a fly ball to center field. | 4-1 PIT |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | LOB | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angels | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 3 | |
| Pirates | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 4 |
Decisions
- Winner: Mitch Keller (3-3, 4.41)
- Loser: Tyler Anderson (2-4, 2.74)
Division Scoreboard
MIL 2 @ KC 3 - Game OverSD 6 @ CHC 2 - End 6
NYM 4 @ STL 3 - Top 8, 0 Outs
Next Pirates Game: Tue, May 07, 06:40 PM EDT vs. Angels
Last Updated: 05/06/2024 09:39:33 PM EDT
2024.05.06 22:06 OldManWarhammer FotD - The Seventh Orion War - Part 10 - The Dhampir
A week had gone by since the planet had been pacified. A solid week.
Fleet Marshal Simmons was sitting in her quarters, nursing a cup of coffee, and from the drumbeat of her fingers on the table she was seconds away from tearing the wall down and storming the bridge... Again. She had to be patient however, it wouldn’t do if she went out to the bridge wing and started barking for status updates. Reinforcements had arrived, the Antares had even gotten a resupply of the small amount of food that was needed to top off its stores. The fleet was fully operational, and they had already replenished half of the ships back to full ammunition stores. It had been a week since she had taken this system. A solid week. For her, it had been quite possibly the longest week of her life. The Barraki, only a few jumps away, were engaged in a back and forth battle against the Vral that had kicked off the second the Barraki had entered the war. From what she was reading the Vral were trying not to commit too heavily, which had at first amused her, but then as the reports kept adding up it started to infuriate her.
The Terran Front Antares fleet was just sitting on it’s hands, right at the border of former shesvie space. Her orders from Central Command had been very lenient, and broad. Take back all of chua space, and wait for further instructions. It had taken her less than two weeks to do that, but now here she was, a full week later, and even though she was ready to plow ahead she was waiting. She had sent more than one message back to Earth, and for a moment she was reminded of several old statements that encapsulated how she felt right now. The ram has touched the wall. Today’s tactical victory does not guarantee tomorrow’s strategic success. Then there was her favorite, which was setting her mind on fire, ‘I’m pissing in the Rhine, now send me gas!’
She felt like a caged animal, and more and more she just wanted to pry the bars off. She thought about bringing up her husband’s image on the datapad sitting in front of her and decided against it. Sometimes it calmed her, but right now she didn’t want to be calm. She wanted to order the Antares to dive right straight through until they reached the Barraki, she wanted to park the Antares over the Vral homeworld and turn it into a slag pile. Her datapad chimed and she glanced at it, then sat back and drank slowly from her cup. The TFS St. Petersburg’s repairs were complete and it was leaving the Antares repair docks, she reached out and tapped the acknowledgement, then stared at the wall. The ground campaign was over. The salvage campaign in space was well underway, with most of the dead hulls arranged and ready for reprocessing. Entire logistics flotillas were already in the system. Why was she still here.
Instead of kicking her table over and stalking around she took another civilized sip of her mug. She was the picture of calm, or so she believed. If she could hear the thoughts of her attendant who was currently out of her quarters getting another coffee prepared she would have known she looked like she was actively on the verge of losing her mind. Her datapad chimed again. TFS Firebrand requesting to pull alongside to resupply food stores. Why not. She tapped a short reply of ‘Granted.’ She then stopped herself from hurling the datapad across the room. Civil, calm. The picture of command. The picture of serene composure. At least that is what she tried to convince herself she looked like. A rabid wolverine ready to murder anyone who came within a square mile is what anyone else would say. Her datapad chimed again. She slammed the mug down on the table and coffee splashed out, her hand snapped out and grabbed hold of the datapad.
“Fucking damnit!” She growled, pulling her hand back to throw. She breathed, then slowly pulled the pad to her eye level.
Initiate Operation Naked Sun at Earliest Convenience
Bold letters, type 12 font, times new roman. From Central Command. To her. God bless the Terran Front, finally. She came out off of her seat like she had been launched from it and stalked for the door. The doors to her quarters opened to the bridgewing. She came out like a tiger chasing a squealing pig. She was holding up the datapad like it was a burning sword, an expression of pure and absolute victory on her face. “Get me a fucking channel to the Fleet Admirals!” She roared.
Petty Officer Hazard hid his expression with his shoulder, but from the way his shoulders were heaving she knew he was struggling and failing not to laugh. “In a good mood today ma’am?”
“You’re goddamned right.” She turned and stalked over to her command table and put the datapad down, opening the message.
‘Intel reports favorable conditions to initiate breakdown of Antares operational group. Advance all fronts. Begin Operation Naked Sun. Proceed at discretion according to operational plan’
“Finally.” She whispered, and she glanced over to Hazard, squaring herself towards the display. After a few moments a feed was sent to her display, panels were shown, with a green or red outline. Red outlines were turning green, showing that the Fleet Admirals in question were ready to receive. She brought up a map of the adjoining systems, seeing the branch points of the hyperspace lanes. “Finally.” She whispered again.
Lieutenant Conrad had always wanted his first command to be like his father’s. The picture of his father sat in his cramped quarters, standing stern faced and ready in front of the Bengal class destroyer named after someone from Earth’s distant past, John C. Stennis. His father had told him stories, rubbing the stump of his right leg, of commanding the eighty crewed, quarter kilometer long vessel. His father’s favorite story was the one that had ended his career, of taking on a vral battleship at point blank range and crippling it before his own ship started flying apart around him. The rescue that had brought him back from death, and the Star of Terra that he had received as a result. When Conrad had left the Mars Naval Academy he had hoped he would be slotted for service on a battleship, just like his old man, and then given command of a destroyer, just like his old man. At least the first part went right. Every waking moment of his service onboard the TFS Paris, the Thunder Child class battleship that even now hovered a few thousand kilometers away, he had pursued command with a fever. His pursuit had been noticed. His studious nature had been noticed. His promotion to Lieutenant Junior Grade had come with the remark that officers of his dedication and passion belonged in the captain’s chair. As a Junior Grade he had completed every required training and qualification regarding ship leadership, logistics, fire control, engineering, and navigation that he could get his hands on.
The look on his captain’s face when they put his new bars on, Conrad couldn’t wipe from his mind. In the two years he had been onboard the Paris, the captain had been like a father figure to him. He didn’t know why. Nor could he wipe from his mind the way that same captain had gestured with grandeur out of the viewport of the bridge of the Paris, and loudly announced that the command he had sought was his. That was the first time he had seen TFSC 2252. The smile he had worn seeing it was fake. At sixty seven meters long, it was not a destroyer. It was a corvette, Hornet class, and a brand new one at that. It had the shake down crew, his crew would be arriving with him. It hadn’t even gotten its name yet. There it sat, moored to Thermopylae station, his first command. His disappointment felt like a vice on his chest. Not a ship expected to fly in formation, but a ship expected to swarm, like a glorified fighter. Conrad never wanted to be a fighter pilot, he had turned down strike craft schools for a reason, but now, here it was.
Still, it wouldn’t have done to have voiced that disappointment. He would have to make do. That same day he moved from the spacious quarters he had been assigned onboard the TFS Paris, and moved into the quarters barely large enough for a narrow bed over a coffin locker, with a fold down desk. No chair. His bed was his chair. It was cramped, the doors weren’t big enough for him to walk through without turning his body. The bridge was the largest space on the entire ship, and even then there was not a lot of room to move around. The ‘gym’, if one could even call it that, was the second largest space and held a treadmill and just enough room for a multi-purpose weight machine. The crew mess was just large enough to seat the full crew of twelve. Anyone serving on a corvette naturally had to have a psychological screening against claustrophobia, because the last thing you wanted on a ship this size was for someone to start freaking out. It’s drive was massively overpowered for a ship it’s size which meant the dampeners that handled acceleration g’s would not and could not accommodate correctly. People who served on corvettes were often said to have ‘Sea Legs’ because of this, an archaic term used to talk about how sailors who traveled Earth’s oceans became accustomed to the ship moving under them. It’s weapons were oversized for it’s tonnage which meant it shook when it fired. It didn’t have sound dampening enough to drown out the noise the corvette made naturally, so sleep was a problem because Conrad preferred silence. The Hornet class corvette, two days after he had taken command, was given the name Dhampir, which Conrad was less than enthused about. He also met his crew, and found out that as cramped as the Dhampir was, it was even more cramped with personnel.
Then there was the crew. It was said you had to be insane to want to fly around in a corvette, and his crew was certifiable. His executive officer, if you could call her that, was her weapon’s officer, again, if you could call her that. In fact, the next highest rank to his was a First Class Petty Officer, which was his weapon’s officer. The oldest member of his crew was twenty eight, which was his weapon’s officer. Gunner’s Mate First Class Cassandra Towns, his weapon’s officer, refused to be called anything other than Cass or Mom. By anyone. Including him. She had introduced the rest of the crew, which had trained together and been shipped together from the Mars Training Yard. A medic who doubled as a damage control technician named Doc which was short for Mad Doc, the chua who managed the reactor called Crispy, weapons operators Rev and Dev ( no relation be assured ), sensor operator Batz, comms operator Fidget, systems technicians Smokey and Crash, and the two engineer technicians BB and Cross. He had given up trying to learn their real names, because they didn’t respond to them half the time anyway. A few days later, he found out he had gotten a name too, Chill, which after threatening Cass with court marshal he found out was short for Chill The Fuck Out You Rod Up The Ass Bastard. At the end of his first week of command, after hearing that, he found he didn’t have the shame needed to actually put that on a disciplinary form.
So no shit, there he was, a freshly minted captain who had expected his first command to be one of pride and prestige, with crisp uniforms and crisper salutes, great mentors, and a vessel with a name that he could speak of with pride and dignity. Instead he got crammed inside of what was essentially a sardine can with eleven misfits whom spent half of their time in various states of half in and half out of uniform, and had a relationship with military discipline that could be considered indifferent at best. Conrad didn’t even know how these people were found considering how strict life was pretty much anywhere else. He had dreams of elder mentors but got none. He had dreams of crisp military discipline, yes sirs, no sirs, but the best he got was ‘Rog’. When he confided in his long time mentor on the Paris about his crew he found out that most crews of the smaller corvettes were manned by those who either directly requested it, or had passed the psychiatric evaluation to be placed there, and usually they were drawn from crew who were going to wash out of standard training due to behavior issues.
He hated it. He hated it with a passion.
Until the engine came on. The growl of the overpowered reactor had sent a chill through his spine and a rush of blood through his body, and he felt his eyes bulge open with a sudden surge of adrenaline. They had left Thermopylae, his crew baying as they entered the hyperspace lane, and when Fleet Marshal Simmons had given the order to run down the Vral he had been howling just like the rest of them.
That was three weeks ago.
Conrad had his feet kicked up, above his head was the nameplate of the ship with Dhampir crossed out in chalk and Chill’s Boat written over it. He was wearing his uniform half off with his arm sleeves tied around his waist. Cass was lounging in her railgun carriage seat, her arms hanging down as she slept in the chair. Conrad reached over and flipped his comm panel open and pressed the button for Excursion Suit One. “BB.” He said, and waited. He closed his eyes and blew out a breath, then looked out of the viewscreen of the bridge. A few seconds later a figure in an environmentally enclosed space walk harness appeared and waved. “How’s it looking?”
“Bitchin’ Chill.” She said, her voice coming through the speaker next to his head. “I’ve taken some pictures with this POS camera they have.” He couldn’t see her face through the visor, the gold leaf hiding it.
“Nice.” Conrad said, “How do the kill marks look?”
“Crispy made a good call, they show up nice. I’m almost done out here. Ten minutes tops” BB didn’t wait for him to dismiss her, and he didn’t bother trying. Conrad turned off the comms line and sat back in the chair, then pulled down his display. He cycled through the reports the crew had sent in and made a couple of check marks in his head. After the last two weeks he had barely checked up anymore, because while every member of the Dhampir’s crew was someone that would get sent for non-judicial punishment at least once a week based off the way they acted alone, they were extremely good at their jobs. Extremely good. Right now though, they were all bored. They had come together to decide on some flair for the ship, and Conrad knew that most corvettes, and some destroyers, had mascots they’d paint on the hull. Every ship in the fleet had kill markers. So next they had decided what the cover art should be. Four designs had been shut down by Cass almost instantly, and in fact Batz had been told if that if his idea went on the hull Batz himself would be on the hull. They had settled on a stylized set of fangs set in a mouth. Their kill markers were vral faces, drawn with cartoonish shocked expressions, with bright red x’s. The tonnage of the kills was marked by simple letters, SC for strike craft, C for corvette, D for destroyer, LC for light cruiser. In the three weeks they had been a crew, the Dhampir had a nice set of kill marks. Fifty two small vral heads for fighters, eighteen for corvettes, seven for destroyers, and three for light cruisers. Yes, it was a good haul. There was a spot marked off to the side that had a C. C for cruiser. Conrad was looking forward to putting a bug head underneath it.
For now though, he reclined back and looked out of the viewport and waited. Like he had been waiting. Aside from him and BB, everyone was either in their small beds or at their station asleep. Well, he couldn’t say everyone. He had a good feeling what was happening in a few quarters. Considering the male to female split on this ship he was fully convinced that the only people who weren’t paired off was himself, Cass, Fidget, and the chua, and he wasn’t too sure about the chua. The first time he had caught two of the crew going at it he didn’t know what to say. When talking with Cass about it she pointed out they were having a talk about two crew members having sex, all the while the two of them were one wardrobe malfunction and a bump away from the same thing considering how tight the spaces were. To fully illustrate the point, she rolled her hips once while she was sliding past him. The point had been proven. Conrad decided on two things at that exact moment. One, he wasn’t going to complain when people who rubbed against each other any time they tried to pass each other wound up rubbing up against each other in other ways.The second was that having any conversation with Cass from here on out wasn’t going to be done in the passageway because she had no shame, and frankly he was more pent up than he wanted to actually admit.
What living on a corvette did to the body did not help. Every time you moved to your station, every time you moved through the ship, you were twisting, pulling yourself up, crouching, pushing down, and squeezing in and out of places. It was a constant workout just to make your way through the three decks. Then of course was the diet. Corvettes had specially prepared meals, high protein, low carbohydrates. Everyone also had the added requirement of mandatory cardiovascular training, thirty minutes a day. You couldn’t be overweight and be on a corvette. Between the diet and the constant workout that was moving through the ship, Conrad was already achieving a level of tone on his body that he had never thought he could gain, and frankly, everyone else either was getting the same way, or was already at that level. You had to be flexible, you had to be fit, you had to be able to move in tight spaces or simply put you were not cut out for corvette service. Add the opposite sex in that situation and the results were flat out obvious to anyone with two neurons firing. In fact the close nature of this ship was turning into a real problem for him, and Cass knew it, and frankly after that conversation and the subsequent close brushes with Cass he fully believed that Cass didn’t have a soul. Some of the brushes between them were downright unnecessary, and frankly every time he got near her now he ran through the litany of reasons why trying to take her up on what she might be offering was a bad idea. He was her superior, she wasn’t an officer, it wouldn’t be right for the captain to be doing something like this with a member of his crew, it could be bad for morale, etc, etc. Cass, for her part, deemed it necessary to put him in compromising positions as frequently as possible it seemed after they had their little talk. It only took him a few days after that conversation to realize that the moniker that smaller corvettes got tagged with, Pleasure Boats, might not be a joke about the size of the ship itself.
How does one address sexual tension so thick you could cut it with a knife on a ship where the crew would be pressed against each other trying not to think about sex while you’re having a conversation explicitly about sex. This was impossible.
He loved his boat.
What he didn’t love right now was the inactivity. Maintenance was done, all checks were done, their meal kits were fully stocked, ammo was fully stocked. The only person with anything to do right now was BB and that was because she had volunteered. Conrad had filed all his reports. They were quite literally just floating in space waiting for something to happen. Then it happened.
The red light on his comm panel went off with a tone, and Conrad reached up, taking his personal receiver off it’s clip on the ceiling. “This is Dhampir actual go ahead.”
“Dhampir actual, this is Paris actual.” The gravelly voice of Captain Calhoon was unmistakable, the captain of the Thunderchild battleship Paris was his senior reporting officer. “How are you adjusting to command Lieutenant?” Conrad opened his hands and looked around, then sat back in his chair and pulled his panel down in front of him. “Well I hope? I had noticed your crewman outside. A fine bit of decoration on your hull.”
“Uhh yes sir!” He said, hoping to god BB hadn’t put Batz’s idea on the hull. “I let the crew decide on how they wanted to represent themselves.” He felt acutely aware of the fact that he was feeling just like he felt when he was trying to figure out if he was in trouble with his actual father when he was young.
“A fine display. A fine display.” The older man rumbled, and Conrad felt his pulse die down. “Now, for the reason I contacted you. I will be sending you operational details for Operation Naked Sun. We engage at fleet time 1230.” Conrad blinked, then looked at the onboard clock. The time read 1042.
“Naked Sun, acknowledged.”
“Very good. You know, something I didn’t tell you, I started off in my command days as a corvette captain myself.” Captain Calhoon sounded wistful over the speakers of his headset. “Tell me, is your crew everything you wanted?”
“Yes sir!” Conrad declared, and Cass began to stir in her chair, her curly red hair cascading down as she turned and stared at him, bleary eyed. “It’s a fine crew.” Cass canted her head to the side then slowly smiled at him, batting her eyes. He threw his hands out at her like he was shooing her away. He pressed the tab to mute his receiver, checked to make sure he was muted, then hissed. “Damnit it’s the Paris, cut the sexual harassment.” She only laughed at him and turned back to her controls.
“Good. That’s good. I sent you a picture of my old crew a few days ago. I'd like one of yours when you have a chance to get off and have a bit of space. You will be a fine commander one day, but relish these days. Especially with what’s to come. Make every moment matter.” Conrad grinned as he listened to the older man talk. On a whim he checked to see his messages from the Captain and saw the one he was talking about. He opened it and blinked. Standing in front of an older Bulldog class corvette, one of the first of the TFS designs, was a crew of ten people. All of them were dressed with their uniform half done, most of them looking like the just climbed out of bed. The man in the center, with his arms draped comfortably around a woman, was the man he knew to be the captain. He looked relaxed, leaner than even Conrad himself was. All of them had a middle finger raised towards the camera, with a stylized Misfits painted on the hull behind them. They didn’t look like a professional crew, not even the captain who now commanded the Paris. They looked like a pirate gang.
“I’m having a look at the picture now.” Conrad said, for lack of anything else to say. Captain Calhoon was the most professional officer he had ever met, but there he was, arm curled around one of his crew, resting his head on her shoulder, and flipping off the camera. He glanced at the bottom and started reading off the names, and some of them were familiar. Dulhan, Vikof, Martins, Smith, Calhoon, Hadrian, Johnson, Sikks, Dupree, Yi.
“We’re a special breed, corvette crew.” The captain of the Paris said. “I’ll leave you to it. Be sure to review the operation, we will have a commander’s meeting to discuss the particulars. For now though, take station ten kilometers off my starboard.” Conrad leaned over, jotting down the instruction. “We’ll have the meeting at 1200 fleet time. Paris out.”
“Dhampir out.” Conrad said in reply, “Cass, jump in the chair and get us ten kilometers off of the Paris’ starboard flank once BB is inside.” He watched as she slid out of the chair and curled her body into the pilot seat, wordlessly. She reached for the comms panel, heard her talking to BB, but shoved the conversation to the back of his mind. He brought up the operational overview, then began reading. He felt the drive kick on, feeling the light rumble in his seat as the powerful engine directed them. Cass guided the ship into place with practiced ease, but Conrad, at the moment, was too engrossed in what he was reading. He poured through the hyperlane maps, the instruction and fall back points. He suddenly became aware of the fact Cass was calling him. He looked back to the pilot seat only to see she wasn’t there, she was standing, twisted up against her own chair staring at him. “Interesting reading.”
“Looks like it. Are we moving out?” She said, then he motioned for her to come over to him. Curiously, she made her way through the cluttered assemblage of stations and tight knit walls to get to him, having to lean on his shoulder as he pulled his panel around. “Operation Naked Sun. Naming conventions are fun.” She whispered, a little too close to his ear, and he snapped his head to find her face only an inch away from his.
“Yeah.” He said, then he turned back to the brief, even as she leaned on him and looked closer at the brief. A lot of the times, she made unnecessary contact with him, mostly to provoke a reaction out of him. This time though, she was trying to see better, because the details, for them, were incredible. Every so often she reached to bring up new information. “What do you think XO.”
“Oh this is gonna be fun.” She slowly brought up the listing of ships, then she eased back. They stayed there for a moment, with her leaning on him as they looked at the symbol for the operation, a rather uninspiring comment plunging into what passed for a star. “Do you want to brief the kids or should I?”
“We’ll do it separately. I’ll take Batz, Rev, Dev, Crispy, and Fidget up here on the bridge, you get Doc, BB, Cross, Crash, and Smokey back in the maintenance bay. I’ll send it to your pad just in case.” He relaxed back into his chair, and she turned a bit to stand next to him, placing a hand on his headrest right behind his ear. “It’s about to get real interesting.”
“You bet. Do it now?” Her grin was predatory.
“Do it now.” He replied, and she turned, heading for her station and punching the ship wide communication. She called off the crew, told BB to get back inside, and organized the two groups as Conrad sent through the operational brief to her pad. Then, a few moments later, he yanked himself out of his chair. Cass must have been distracted, because when he pushed up against her to go by she jumped and almost hit her head on the ceiling plates. He steadied her as he went by, grabbing hold of her arm and waist, keeping her for being carried along with him. For the first time since he had been on the ship and subjected to her particular methods of moving past him in confined spaces, he was the one who kept the contact for longer than needed. He was the one to maintain his hold on her that extra second. She looked back at him and blinked wide eyed. He hid his expression well, it wasn’t often he was the one getting a reaction out of her, but he couldn’t help himself but smirk as he turned his back to her. As he got past her, he felt her eyes boring into his back before he turned. He stared at her for a second, then leaned back into the space between two consoles. “Something wrong Cass?”
Her grin came back, more fierce than before. “Nope.” She reached over and grabbed her pad, then tapped it on her thigh, never taking her eyes off him. She stood her for a few seconds more. “Nope.” She said again, then she turned and began moving out of the bridge. Just before she opened the hatchway she stopped and looked back at him, the door hanging open. He made a simple motion with his hand, ushering her onwards. There was a flash in her eyes, and for a moment he thought maybe it might not be a good idea to provoke her. “Nope.” She said, stepping out of the bridge and shutting the hatch behind her.
‘Relish these days. Make every moment matter.’ He heard Captain Calhoon’s words echo to him from the photo he had seen.
Maybe, just maybe he would, provided this operation didn’t kill him first.
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Fleet Marshal Simmons was sitting in her quarters, nursing a cup of coffee, and from the drumbeat of her fingers on the table she was seconds away from tearing the wall down and storming the bridge... Again. She had to be patient however, it wouldn’t do if she went out to the bridge wing and started barking for status updates. Reinforcements had arrived, the Antares had even gotten a resupply of the small amount of food that was needed to top off its stores. The fleet was fully operational, and they had already replenished half of the ships back to full ammunition stores. It had been a week since she had taken this system. A solid week. For her, it had been quite possibly the longest week of her life. The Barraki, only a few jumps away, were engaged in a back and forth battle against the Vral that had kicked off the second the Barraki had entered the war. From what she was reading the Vral were trying not to commit too heavily, which had at first amused her, but then as the reports kept adding up it started to infuriate her.
The Terran Front Antares fleet was just sitting on it’s hands, right at the border of former shesvie space. Her orders from Central Command had been very lenient, and broad. Take back all of chua space, and wait for further instructions. It had taken her less than two weeks to do that, but now here she was, a full week later, and even though she was ready to plow ahead she was waiting. She had sent more than one message back to Earth, and for a moment she was reminded of several old statements that encapsulated how she felt right now. The ram has touched the wall. Today’s tactical victory does not guarantee tomorrow’s strategic success. Then there was her favorite, which was setting her mind on fire, ‘I’m pissing in the Rhine, now send me gas!’
She felt like a caged animal, and more and more she just wanted to pry the bars off. She thought about bringing up her husband’s image on the datapad sitting in front of her and decided against it. Sometimes it calmed her, but right now she didn’t want to be calm. She wanted to order the Antares to dive right straight through until they reached the Barraki, she wanted to park the Antares over the Vral homeworld and turn it into a slag pile. Her datapad chimed and she glanced at it, then sat back and drank slowly from her cup. The TFS St. Petersburg’s repairs were complete and it was leaving the Antares repair docks, she reached out and tapped the acknowledgement, then stared at the wall. The ground campaign was over. The salvage campaign in space was well underway, with most of the dead hulls arranged and ready for reprocessing. Entire logistics flotillas were already in the system. Why was she still here.
Instead of kicking her table over and stalking around she took another civilized sip of her mug. She was the picture of calm, or so she believed. If she could hear the thoughts of her attendant who was currently out of her quarters getting another coffee prepared she would have known she looked like she was actively on the verge of losing her mind. Her datapad chimed again. TFS Firebrand requesting to pull alongside to resupply food stores. Why not. She tapped a short reply of ‘Granted.’ She then stopped herself from hurling the datapad across the room. Civil, calm. The picture of command. The picture of serene composure. At least that is what she tried to convince herself she looked like. A rabid wolverine ready to murder anyone who came within a square mile is what anyone else would say. Her datapad chimed again. She slammed the mug down on the table and coffee splashed out, her hand snapped out and grabbed hold of the datapad.
“Fucking damnit!” She growled, pulling her hand back to throw. She breathed, then slowly pulled the pad to her eye level.
Initiate Operation Naked Sun at Earliest Convenience
Bold letters, type 12 font, times new roman. From Central Command. To her. God bless the Terran Front, finally. She came out off of her seat like she had been launched from it and stalked for the door. The doors to her quarters opened to the bridgewing. She came out like a tiger chasing a squealing pig. She was holding up the datapad like it was a burning sword, an expression of pure and absolute victory on her face. “Get me a fucking channel to the Fleet Admirals!” She roared.
Petty Officer Hazard hid his expression with his shoulder, but from the way his shoulders were heaving she knew he was struggling and failing not to laugh. “In a good mood today ma’am?”
“You’re goddamned right.” She turned and stalked over to her command table and put the datapad down, opening the message.
‘Intel reports favorable conditions to initiate breakdown of Antares operational group. Advance all fronts. Begin Operation Naked Sun. Proceed at discretion according to operational plan’
“Finally.” She whispered, and she glanced over to Hazard, squaring herself towards the display. After a few moments a feed was sent to her display, panels were shown, with a green or red outline. Red outlines were turning green, showing that the Fleet Admirals in question were ready to receive. She brought up a map of the adjoining systems, seeing the branch points of the hyperspace lanes. “Finally.” She whispered again.
Lieutenant Conrad had always wanted his first command to be like his father’s. The picture of his father sat in his cramped quarters, standing stern faced and ready in front of the Bengal class destroyer named after someone from Earth’s distant past, John C. Stennis. His father had told him stories, rubbing the stump of his right leg, of commanding the eighty crewed, quarter kilometer long vessel. His father’s favorite story was the one that had ended his career, of taking on a vral battleship at point blank range and crippling it before his own ship started flying apart around him. The rescue that had brought him back from death, and the Star of Terra that he had received as a result. When Conrad had left the Mars Naval Academy he had hoped he would be slotted for service on a battleship, just like his old man, and then given command of a destroyer, just like his old man. At least the first part went right. Every waking moment of his service onboard the TFS Paris, the Thunder Child class battleship that even now hovered a few thousand kilometers away, he had pursued command with a fever. His pursuit had been noticed. His studious nature had been noticed. His promotion to Lieutenant Junior Grade had come with the remark that officers of his dedication and passion belonged in the captain’s chair. As a Junior Grade he had completed every required training and qualification regarding ship leadership, logistics, fire control, engineering, and navigation that he could get his hands on.
The look on his captain’s face when they put his new bars on, Conrad couldn’t wipe from his mind. In the two years he had been onboard the Paris, the captain had been like a father figure to him. He didn’t know why. Nor could he wipe from his mind the way that same captain had gestured with grandeur out of the viewport of the bridge of the Paris, and loudly announced that the command he had sought was his. That was the first time he had seen TFSC 2252. The smile he had worn seeing it was fake. At sixty seven meters long, it was not a destroyer. It was a corvette, Hornet class, and a brand new one at that. It had the shake down crew, his crew would be arriving with him. It hadn’t even gotten its name yet. There it sat, moored to Thermopylae station, his first command. His disappointment felt like a vice on his chest. Not a ship expected to fly in formation, but a ship expected to swarm, like a glorified fighter. Conrad never wanted to be a fighter pilot, he had turned down strike craft schools for a reason, but now, here it was.
Still, it wouldn’t have done to have voiced that disappointment. He would have to make do. That same day he moved from the spacious quarters he had been assigned onboard the TFS Paris, and moved into the quarters barely large enough for a narrow bed over a coffin locker, with a fold down desk. No chair. His bed was his chair. It was cramped, the doors weren’t big enough for him to walk through without turning his body. The bridge was the largest space on the entire ship, and even then there was not a lot of room to move around. The ‘gym’, if one could even call it that, was the second largest space and held a treadmill and just enough room for a multi-purpose weight machine. The crew mess was just large enough to seat the full crew of twelve. Anyone serving on a corvette naturally had to have a psychological screening against claustrophobia, because the last thing you wanted on a ship this size was for someone to start freaking out. It’s drive was massively overpowered for a ship it’s size which meant the dampeners that handled acceleration g’s would not and could not accommodate correctly. People who served on corvettes were often said to have ‘Sea Legs’ because of this, an archaic term used to talk about how sailors who traveled Earth’s oceans became accustomed to the ship moving under them. It’s weapons were oversized for it’s tonnage which meant it shook when it fired. It didn’t have sound dampening enough to drown out the noise the corvette made naturally, so sleep was a problem because Conrad preferred silence. The Hornet class corvette, two days after he had taken command, was given the name Dhampir, which Conrad was less than enthused about. He also met his crew, and found out that as cramped as the Dhampir was, it was even more cramped with personnel.
Then there was the crew. It was said you had to be insane to want to fly around in a corvette, and his crew was certifiable. His executive officer, if you could call her that, was her weapon’s officer, again, if you could call her that. In fact, the next highest rank to his was a First Class Petty Officer, which was his weapon’s officer. The oldest member of his crew was twenty eight, which was his weapon’s officer. Gunner’s Mate First Class Cassandra Towns, his weapon’s officer, refused to be called anything other than Cass or Mom. By anyone. Including him. She had introduced the rest of the crew, which had trained together and been shipped together from the Mars Training Yard. A medic who doubled as a damage control technician named Doc which was short for Mad Doc, the chua who managed the reactor called Crispy, weapons operators Rev and Dev ( no relation be assured ), sensor operator Batz, comms operator Fidget, systems technicians Smokey and Crash, and the two engineer technicians BB and Cross. He had given up trying to learn their real names, because they didn’t respond to them half the time anyway. A few days later, he found out he had gotten a name too, Chill, which after threatening Cass with court marshal he found out was short for Chill The Fuck Out You Rod Up The Ass Bastard. At the end of his first week of command, after hearing that, he found he didn’t have the shame needed to actually put that on a disciplinary form.
So no shit, there he was, a freshly minted captain who had expected his first command to be one of pride and prestige, with crisp uniforms and crisper salutes, great mentors, and a vessel with a name that he could speak of with pride and dignity. Instead he got crammed inside of what was essentially a sardine can with eleven misfits whom spent half of their time in various states of half in and half out of uniform, and had a relationship with military discipline that could be considered indifferent at best. Conrad didn’t even know how these people were found considering how strict life was pretty much anywhere else. He had dreams of elder mentors but got none. He had dreams of crisp military discipline, yes sirs, no sirs, but the best he got was ‘Rog’. When he confided in his long time mentor on the Paris about his crew he found out that most crews of the smaller corvettes were manned by those who either directly requested it, or had passed the psychiatric evaluation to be placed there, and usually they were drawn from crew who were going to wash out of standard training due to behavior issues.
He hated it. He hated it with a passion.
Until the engine came on. The growl of the overpowered reactor had sent a chill through his spine and a rush of blood through his body, and he felt his eyes bulge open with a sudden surge of adrenaline. They had left Thermopylae, his crew baying as they entered the hyperspace lane, and when Fleet Marshal Simmons had given the order to run down the Vral he had been howling just like the rest of them.
That was three weeks ago.
Conrad had his feet kicked up, above his head was the nameplate of the ship with Dhampir crossed out in chalk and Chill’s Boat written over it. He was wearing his uniform half off with his arm sleeves tied around his waist. Cass was lounging in her railgun carriage seat, her arms hanging down as she slept in the chair. Conrad reached over and flipped his comm panel open and pressed the button for Excursion Suit One. “BB.” He said, and waited. He closed his eyes and blew out a breath, then looked out of the viewscreen of the bridge. A few seconds later a figure in an environmentally enclosed space walk harness appeared and waved. “How’s it looking?”
“Bitchin’ Chill.” She said, her voice coming through the speaker next to his head. “I’ve taken some pictures with this POS camera they have.” He couldn’t see her face through the visor, the gold leaf hiding it.
“Nice.” Conrad said, “How do the kill marks look?”
“Crispy made a good call, they show up nice. I’m almost done out here. Ten minutes tops” BB didn’t wait for him to dismiss her, and he didn’t bother trying. Conrad turned off the comms line and sat back in the chair, then pulled down his display. He cycled through the reports the crew had sent in and made a couple of check marks in his head. After the last two weeks he had barely checked up anymore, because while every member of the Dhampir’s crew was someone that would get sent for non-judicial punishment at least once a week based off the way they acted alone, they were extremely good at their jobs. Extremely good. Right now though, they were all bored. They had come together to decide on some flair for the ship, and Conrad knew that most corvettes, and some destroyers, had mascots they’d paint on the hull. Every ship in the fleet had kill markers. So next they had decided what the cover art should be. Four designs had been shut down by Cass almost instantly, and in fact Batz had been told if that if his idea went on the hull Batz himself would be on the hull. They had settled on a stylized set of fangs set in a mouth. Their kill markers were vral faces, drawn with cartoonish shocked expressions, with bright red x’s. The tonnage of the kills was marked by simple letters, SC for strike craft, C for corvette, D for destroyer, LC for light cruiser. In the three weeks they had been a crew, the Dhampir had a nice set of kill marks. Fifty two small vral heads for fighters, eighteen for corvettes, seven for destroyers, and three for light cruisers. Yes, it was a good haul. There was a spot marked off to the side that had a C. C for cruiser. Conrad was looking forward to putting a bug head underneath it.
For now though, he reclined back and looked out of the viewport and waited. Like he had been waiting. Aside from him and BB, everyone was either in their small beds or at their station asleep. Well, he couldn’t say everyone. He had a good feeling what was happening in a few quarters. Considering the male to female split on this ship he was fully convinced that the only people who weren’t paired off was himself, Cass, Fidget, and the chua, and he wasn’t too sure about the chua. The first time he had caught two of the crew going at it he didn’t know what to say. When talking with Cass about it she pointed out they were having a talk about two crew members having sex, all the while the two of them were one wardrobe malfunction and a bump away from the same thing considering how tight the spaces were. To fully illustrate the point, she rolled her hips once while she was sliding past him. The point had been proven. Conrad decided on two things at that exact moment. One, he wasn’t going to complain when people who rubbed against each other any time they tried to pass each other wound up rubbing up against each other in other ways.The second was that having any conversation with Cass from here on out wasn’t going to be done in the passageway because she had no shame, and frankly he was more pent up than he wanted to actually admit.
What living on a corvette did to the body did not help. Every time you moved to your station, every time you moved through the ship, you were twisting, pulling yourself up, crouching, pushing down, and squeezing in and out of places. It was a constant workout just to make your way through the three decks. Then of course was the diet. Corvettes had specially prepared meals, high protein, low carbohydrates. Everyone also had the added requirement of mandatory cardiovascular training, thirty minutes a day. You couldn’t be overweight and be on a corvette. Between the diet and the constant workout that was moving through the ship, Conrad was already achieving a level of tone on his body that he had never thought he could gain, and frankly, everyone else either was getting the same way, or was already at that level. You had to be flexible, you had to be fit, you had to be able to move in tight spaces or simply put you were not cut out for corvette service. Add the opposite sex in that situation and the results were flat out obvious to anyone with two neurons firing. In fact the close nature of this ship was turning into a real problem for him, and Cass knew it, and frankly after that conversation and the subsequent close brushes with Cass he fully believed that Cass didn’t have a soul. Some of the brushes between them were downright unnecessary, and frankly every time he got near her now he ran through the litany of reasons why trying to take her up on what she might be offering was a bad idea. He was her superior, she wasn’t an officer, it wouldn’t be right for the captain to be doing something like this with a member of his crew, it could be bad for morale, etc, etc. Cass, for her part, deemed it necessary to put him in compromising positions as frequently as possible it seemed after they had their little talk. It only took him a few days after that conversation to realize that the moniker that smaller corvettes got tagged with, Pleasure Boats, might not be a joke about the size of the ship itself.
How does one address sexual tension so thick you could cut it with a knife on a ship where the crew would be pressed against each other trying not to think about sex while you’re having a conversation explicitly about sex. This was impossible.
He loved his boat.
What he didn’t love right now was the inactivity. Maintenance was done, all checks were done, their meal kits were fully stocked, ammo was fully stocked. The only person with anything to do right now was BB and that was because she had volunteered. Conrad had filed all his reports. They were quite literally just floating in space waiting for something to happen. Then it happened.
The red light on his comm panel went off with a tone, and Conrad reached up, taking his personal receiver off it’s clip on the ceiling. “This is Dhampir actual go ahead.”
“Dhampir actual, this is Paris actual.” The gravelly voice of Captain Calhoon was unmistakable, the captain of the Thunderchild battleship Paris was his senior reporting officer. “How are you adjusting to command Lieutenant?” Conrad opened his hands and looked around, then sat back in his chair and pulled his panel down in front of him. “Well I hope? I had noticed your crewman outside. A fine bit of decoration on your hull.”
“Uhh yes sir!” He said, hoping to god BB hadn’t put Batz’s idea on the hull. “I let the crew decide on how they wanted to represent themselves.” He felt acutely aware of the fact that he was feeling just like he felt when he was trying to figure out if he was in trouble with his actual father when he was young.
“A fine display. A fine display.” The older man rumbled, and Conrad felt his pulse die down. “Now, for the reason I contacted you. I will be sending you operational details for Operation Naked Sun. We engage at fleet time 1230.” Conrad blinked, then looked at the onboard clock. The time read 1042.
“Naked Sun, acknowledged.”
“Very good. You know, something I didn’t tell you, I started off in my command days as a corvette captain myself.” Captain Calhoon sounded wistful over the speakers of his headset. “Tell me, is your crew everything you wanted?”
“Yes sir!” Conrad declared, and Cass began to stir in her chair, her curly red hair cascading down as she turned and stared at him, bleary eyed. “It’s a fine crew.” Cass canted her head to the side then slowly smiled at him, batting her eyes. He threw his hands out at her like he was shooing her away. He pressed the tab to mute his receiver, checked to make sure he was muted, then hissed. “Damnit it’s the Paris, cut the sexual harassment.” She only laughed at him and turned back to her controls.
“Good. That’s good. I sent you a picture of my old crew a few days ago. I'd like one of yours when you have a chance to get off and have a bit of space. You will be a fine commander one day, but relish these days. Especially with what’s to come. Make every moment matter.” Conrad grinned as he listened to the older man talk. On a whim he checked to see his messages from the Captain and saw the one he was talking about. He opened it and blinked. Standing in front of an older Bulldog class corvette, one of the first of the TFS designs, was a crew of ten people. All of them were dressed with their uniform half done, most of them looking like the just climbed out of bed. The man in the center, with his arms draped comfortably around a woman, was the man he knew to be the captain. He looked relaxed, leaner than even Conrad himself was. All of them had a middle finger raised towards the camera, with a stylized Misfits painted on the hull behind them. They didn’t look like a professional crew, not even the captain who now commanded the Paris. They looked like a pirate gang.
“I’m having a look at the picture now.” Conrad said, for lack of anything else to say. Captain Calhoon was the most professional officer he had ever met, but there he was, arm curled around one of his crew, resting his head on her shoulder, and flipping off the camera. He glanced at the bottom and started reading off the names, and some of them were familiar. Dulhan, Vikof, Martins, Smith, Calhoon, Hadrian, Johnson, Sikks, Dupree, Yi.
“We’re a special breed, corvette crew.” The captain of the Paris said. “I’ll leave you to it. Be sure to review the operation, we will have a commander’s meeting to discuss the particulars. For now though, take station ten kilometers off my starboard.” Conrad leaned over, jotting down the instruction. “We’ll have the meeting at 1200 fleet time. Paris out.”
“Dhampir out.” Conrad said in reply, “Cass, jump in the chair and get us ten kilometers off of the Paris’ starboard flank once BB is inside.” He watched as she slid out of the chair and curled her body into the pilot seat, wordlessly. She reached for the comms panel, heard her talking to BB, but shoved the conversation to the back of his mind. He brought up the operational overview, then began reading. He felt the drive kick on, feeling the light rumble in his seat as the powerful engine directed them. Cass guided the ship into place with practiced ease, but Conrad, at the moment, was too engrossed in what he was reading. He poured through the hyperlane maps, the instruction and fall back points. He suddenly became aware of the fact Cass was calling him. He looked back to the pilot seat only to see she wasn’t there, she was standing, twisted up against her own chair staring at him. “Interesting reading.”
“Looks like it. Are we moving out?” She said, then he motioned for her to come over to him. Curiously, she made her way through the cluttered assemblage of stations and tight knit walls to get to him, having to lean on his shoulder as he pulled his panel around. “Operation Naked Sun. Naming conventions are fun.” She whispered, a little too close to his ear, and he snapped his head to find her face only an inch away from his.
“Yeah.” He said, then he turned back to the brief, even as she leaned on him and looked closer at the brief. A lot of the times, she made unnecessary contact with him, mostly to provoke a reaction out of him. This time though, she was trying to see better, because the details, for them, were incredible. Every so often she reached to bring up new information. “What do you think XO.”
“Oh this is gonna be fun.” She slowly brought up the listing of ships, then she eased back. They stayed there for a moment, with her leaning on him as they looked at the symbol for the operation, a rather uninspiring comment plunging into what passed for a star. “Do you want to brief the kids or should I?”
“We’ll do it separately. I’ll take Batz, Rev, Dev, Crispy, and Fidget up here on the bridge, you get Doc, BB, Cross, Crash, and Smokey back in the maintenance bay. I’ll send it to your pad just in case.” He relaxed back into his chair, and she turned a bit to stand next to him, placing a hand on his headrest right behind his ear. “It’s about to get real interesting.”
“You bet. Do it now?” Her grin was predatory.
“Do it now.” He replied, and she turned, heading for her station and punching the ship wide communication. She called off the crew, told BB to get back inside, and organized the two groups as Conrad sent through the operational brief to her pad. Then, a few moments later, he yanked himself out of his chair. Cass must have been distracted, because when he pushed up against her to go by she jumped and almost hit her head on the ceiling plates. He steadied her as he went by, grabbing hold of her arm and waist, keeping her for being carried along with him. For the first time since he had been on the ship and subjected to her particular methods of moving past him in confined spaces, he was the one who kept the contact for longer than needed. He was the one to maintain his hold on her that extra second. She looked back at him and blinked wide eyed. He hid his expression well, it wasn’t often he was the one getting a reaction out of her, but he couldn’t help himself but smirk as he turned his back to her. As he got past her, he felt her eyes boring into his back before he turned. He stared at her for a second, then leaned back into the space between two consoles. “Something wrong Cass?”
Her grin came back, more fierce than before. “Nope.” She reached over and grabbed her pad, then tapped it on her thigh, never taking her eyes off him. She stood her for a few seconds more. “Nope.” She said again, then she turned and began moving out of the bridge. Just before she opened the hatchway she stopped and looked back at him, the door hanging open. He made a simple motion with his hand, ushering her onwards. There was a flash in her eyes, and for a moment he thought maybe it might not be a good idea to provoke her. “Nope.” She said, stepping out of the bridge and shutting the hatch behind her.
‘Relish these days. Make every moment matter.’ He heard Captain Calhoon’s words echo to him from the photo he had seen.
Maybe, just maybe he would, provided this operation didn’t kill him first.
2024.05.06 06:55 Cruel_Celebrant BB vs 58 case size
 | Hi all, trying to decide which case size of the two looks more balanced on the wrist. I have a meaty 8 inch wrist and I’m used to larger watches so the normal BB feels better to me, but I’m looking for an unbiased take. submitted by Cruel_Celebrant to Tudor [link] [comments] I want to say the size of the normal BB brings more smiles and so that would probably be the recommendation for me to go for, but I’d like to hear your thoughts! It feels like both are fairly balanced and I can’t go wrong either way. |
2024.05.03 00:27 Ok-Wrap-360 [SALE][US] Prizes and Scales
Prices dropped, figures added, figures sold.
Comment or DM for questions or anything else. Happy to provide photos and closeups of individual items for interested users. Prices are potentially negotiable and I will cut discounts for 3+ items purchased. Prices do not include shipping, which is from the Midwest US to wherever you are provided you can cover costs. That being said I use pirate ship to try and keep shipping as low as possible, so don't hesitate to ask for an estimate even if you're just curious. Thanks for looking.
MFC LIST: https://myfigurecollection.net/list/272391
PHOTOS / / /
https://imgur.com/a/odtmk7X
FOR SALE / / /
Re: Zero - Rem - SPM Figure - Majokko Dai Sakusen / 15$ Re: Zero - Ram - SPM Figure - Majokko Dai Sakusen / 15$ Re: Zero - Rem - Choosing a texture suitable / 15$ Re: Zero - Rem - Lugnica AirLines e / 14$ / Purchase both airline figures for 25$. Re: Zero - Ram - Lugnica AirLines e / 14$ Re: Zero - Rem - Ichiban Kuji Re:Zero / 15$ (No basket prop. ) Boku no Hero Academia - Himiko Toga - The Evil Villains / 12$ Boku no Hero Academia - Himiko Toga - Figure Colosseum Zoukei Academy / 15$ Boku no Hero Academia - Shouta Aizawa - The Amazing Heroes / 10$ Boku no Hero Academia - Ochaco Ururaka - Break Time Collection / 10$ (Buy both Ochaco figures for 18$, and also receive 5 Star Funko Ochaco free.) Boku no Hero Academia - Ochaco Ururaka - The Amazing Heroes / 10$ (Small scuffs on stand. ) Boku no Hero Academia - Aizawa Shouta (McFarlane Toys) / No Box / 1$ (Free w/ any purchase.)
Piapro Characters - Hatsune Miku - BiCute Bunnies (FuRyu) / No Box / 30$ Hatsune Miku -Project Diva- F 2nd - Hatsune Miku - SPM Figure / No Box / 25$ Nisemonogatari - Ononoki Yotsugi (Taito)/ No Box / 15$ Tsukimonogatari - Ononoki Yotsugi - SQ (Banpresto)/ No Box / 12$ Vocaloid - Hatsune Miku - Nendoroid Petit - Nendoroid Petite: Vocaloid #01 - Saihate ver./ No Box / 5$ (No base, uses twintails to stand.) Gekijouban Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Eternal - Super Sailor Moon - Girls Memories - Glitter & Glamours - A / No Box / 25$ Gekijouban Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Eternal - Eternal Sailor Moon - Girls Memories - Glitter & Glamours - A / No Box / 25$
Vocaloid - Kagamine Rin - Graphig ++ / 6$ (Minor scuffs. ) Kuroshitsuji - Grell Sutcliff - Kuroshitsuji Trading Arts / 22$ Shin Seiki Evangelion - Souryuu Asuka Langley - Tori-Colle! - School Mizugi / 7$ Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu - Nagato Yuki - R-style / 10$ Doki Doki! Precure - Cure Rosetta - Cuty Figure / 3$ (Missing support stand, stands fine without. HTF. ) Digimon Adventure - Palmon - Digital Monster Digi Colle Data / 8$ (Brand new, sealed.) Netrun-mon - Mixi-tan - NETRUN-MON Trading Figure / 25$ Fate/Hollow Ataraxia - Leysritt - Nendoroid Petit / 10$ (Buy all 3 Fate Petits for 33$ plus shipping. ) Fate/Stay Night - Tohsaka Rin - Nendoroid Petit / 16$ Fate/Hollow Ataraxia - Matou Sakura - Nendoroid Petit / 12$ Guilty Crown - Shinomiya Ayase - Premium Prize / 18$ Kantai Collection ~Kan Colle~ - Rensouhou-chan - Shimakaze / Chinjufu no Shiki - SQ / 14$ Touhou Project - Hakurei Reimu - PM Figure / 28$ Evangelion Shin Gekijouban - Souryuu Asuka Langley - SPM Figure / 25$ THE iDOLM@STER: Shiny Colors - Serizawa Asahi - Espresto est - Windy and Motions / 16$ Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu Ni! - Kinoshita Hideyoshi - Chinese Dress Costume /24$ Inou Battle wa Nichijou-kei no Naka de - Himeki Chifuyu - FuRyu / 15$ Shingeki no Kyojin - Levi - BRAVE-ACT / 50$ (Has everything, is NOT missing hands. They are in the bag seen in the photo, wrapped up, along with his other fragile accessories. I will unwrap them if there is serious interest and photograph. ) [NSFW] To Heart 2 - Kousaka Tamaki 1/6 / 20$ Card Captor Sakura: Clear Card-hen - Kinomoto Sakura - Special Figure - Cute Frog / 20$ Original - Mon-sieur BOME Collection (Vol.7) - Bunny Girl (Kaiyodo) / No Box / 35$
HAS BOX / / /
Zombie Alpaca - Funko Pop / Has Box / 5$ Mascot Character - Netrun-mon - Habanero-tan / Has Box / 30$ Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu - Ram - Espresto - Espresto est - Monster Motions (Bandai Spirits) / Has Box / 20$ Boku no Hero Academia - Toga Himiko - Pop Up Parade (Good Smile Company, Takara Tomy) / Has Box / 30$ Umamusume: Pretty Derby - Special Week - Noodle Stopper Figure (FuRyu) / Has Box / 25$ Death Note - Amane Misa - Super Figure Collection (#020) - 1/10 (ABYstyle Studio) / Has Box / 30$ Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken - Raphael - Rimuru Tempest - Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken / Has Box / 20$ Jojo no Kimyou na Bouken - Stone Ocean - Jolyne Cujoh / Has Box / 25$ Fate/Grand Order - BB - Noodle Stopper Figure - Mooncancer (FuRyu) / Has Box / 35$ Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu - Nagato Yuki - Nendoroid (#010) (Good Smile Company) / Has Box / 50$ Tsuki wa Higashi ni Hi wa Nishi ni: Operation Sanctuary - Fujieda Honami - 1/6 (Clayz) / Has Box / 20$ Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu - Suzumiya Haruhi - Metamo Figure - 1/8 - Bunny 1.5 Ver. / Has Box / 25$ [NSFW] - Ikki Tousen - Ryomou Shimei - 1/6 / Has Box / 40$ Boku no Hero Academia - Uraraka Ochaco - 5 Star (Funko Toys) / Has Box / 2$ (Free with any purchase.) Boku no Hero Academia - Toga Himiko - POP! Animation (787) - POP! Vinyl - Himiko Toga With Face Cover Pop! Vinyl Figure (Funko Toys) / Has Box / 7$ Boku no Hero Academia - Toga Himiko - The Evil Villains (Vol.6) (Bandai Spirits) / Has Box / 20$
submitted by Ok-Wrap-360 to AnimeFigures [link] [comments]
Comment or DM for questions or anything else. Happy to provide photos and closeups of individual items for interested users. Prices are potentially negotiable and I will cut discounts for 3+ items purchased. Prices do not include shipping, which is from the Midwest US to wherever you are provided you can cover costs. That being said I use pirate ship to try and keep shipping as low as possible, so don't hesitate to ask for an estimate even if you're just curious. Thanks for looking.
MFC LIST: https://myfigurecollection.net/list/272391
PHOTOS / / /
https://imgur.com/a/odtmk7X
FOR SALE / / /
Re: Zero - Rem - SPM Figure - Majokko Dai Sakusen / 15$ Re: Zero - Ram - SPM Figure - Majokko Dai Sakusen / 15$ Re: Zero - Rem - Choosing a texture suitable / 15$ Re: Zero - Rem - Lugnica AirLines e / 14$ / Purchase both airline figures for 25$. Re: Zero - Ram - Lugnica AirLines e / 14$ Re: Zero - Rem - Ichiban Kuji Re:Zero / 15$ (No basket prop. ) Boku no Hero Academia - Himiko Toga - The Evil Villains / 12$ Boku no Hero Academia - Himiko Toga - Figure Colosseum Zoukei Academy / 15$ Boku no Hero Academia - Shouta Aizawa - The Amazing Heroes / 10$ Boku no Hero Academia - Ochaco Ururaka - Break Time Collection / 10$ (Buy both Ochaco figures for 18$, and also receive 5 Star Funko Ochaco free.) Boku no Hero Academia - Ochaco Ururaka - The Amazing Heroes / 10$ (Small scuffs on stand. ) Boku no Hero Academia - Aizawa Shouta (McFarlane Toys) / No Box / 1$ (Free w/ any purchase.)
Piapro Characters - Hatsune Miku - BiCute Bunnies (FuRyu) / No Box / 30$ Hatsune Miku -Project Diva- F 2nd - Hatsune Miku - SPM Figure / No Box / 25$ Nisemonogatari - Ononoki Yotsugi (Taito)/ No Box / 15$ Tsukimonogatari - Ononoki Yotsugi - SQ (Banpresto)/ No Box / 12$ Vocaloid - Hatsune Miku - Nendoroid Petit - Nendoroid Petite: Vocaloid #01 - Saihate ver./ No Box / 5$ (No base, uses twintails to stand.) Gekijouban Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Eternal - Super Sailor Moon - Girls Memories - Glitter & Glamours - A / No Box / 25$ Gekijouban Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Eternal - Eternal Sailor Moon - Girls Memories - Glitter & Glamours - A / No Box / 25$
Vocaloid - Kagamine Rin - Graphig ++ / 6$ (Minor scuffs. ) Kuroshitsuji - Grell Sutcliff - Kuroshitsuji Trading Arts / 22$ Shin Seiki Evangelion - Souryuu Asuka Langley - Tori-Colle! - School Mizugi / 7$ Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu - Nagato Yuki - R-style / 10$ Doki Doki! Precure - Cure Rosetta - Cuty Figure / 3$ (Missing support stand, stands fine without. HTF. ) Digimon Adventure - Palmon - Digital Monster Digi Colle Data / 8$ (Brand new, sealed.) Netrun-mon - Mixi-tan - NETRUN-MON Trading Figure / 25$ Fate/Hollow Ataraxia - Leysritt - Nendoroid Petit / 10$ (Buy all 3 Fate Petits for 33$ plus shipping. ) Fate/Stay Night - Tohsaka Rin - Nendoroid Petit / 16$ Fate/Hollow Ataraxia - Matou Sakura - Nendoroid Petit / 12$ Guilty Crown - Shinomiya Ayase - Premium Prize / 18$ Kantai Collection ~Kan Colle~ - Rensouhou-chan - Shimakaze / Chinjufu no Shiki - SQ / 14$ Touhou Project - Hakurei Reimu - PM Figure / 28$ Evangelion Shin Gekijouban - Souryuu Asuka Langley - SPM Figure / 25$ THE iDOLM@STER: Shiny Colors - Serizawa Asahi - Espresto est - Windy and Motions / 16$ Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu Ni! - Kinoshita Hideyoshi - Chinese Dress Costume /24$ Inou Battle wa Nichijou-kei no Naka de - Himeki Chifuyu - FuRyu / 15$ Shingeki no Kyojin - Levi - BRAVE-ACT / 50$ (Has everything, is NOT missing hands. They are in the bag seen in the photo, wrapped up, along with his other fragile accessories. I will unwrap them if there is serious interest and photograph. ) [NSFW] To Heart 2 - Kousaka Tamaki 1/6 / 20$ Card Captor Sakura: Clear Card-hen - Kinomoto Sakura - Special Figure - Cute Frog / 20$ Original - Mon-sieur BOME Collection (Vol.7) - Bunny Girl (Kaiyodo) / No Box / 35$
HAS BOX / / /
Zombie Alpaca - Funko Pop / Has Box / 5$ Mascot Character - Netrun-mon - Habanero-tan / Has Box / 30$ Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu - Ram - Espresto - Espresto est - Monster Motions (Bandai Spirits) / Has Box / 20$ Boku no Hero Academia - Toga Himiko - Pop Up Parade (Good Smile Company, Takara Tomy) / Has Box / 30$ Umamusume: Pretty Derby - Special Week - Noodle Stopper Figure (FuRyu) / Has Box / 25$ Death Note - Amane Misa - Super Figure Collection (#020) - 1/10 (ABYstyle Studio) / Has Box / 30$ Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken - Raphael - Rimuru Tempest - Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken / Has Box / 20$ Jojo no Kimyou na Bouken - Stone Ocean - Jolyne Cujoh / Has Box / 25$ Fate/Grand Order - BB - Noodle Stopper Figure - Mooncancer (FuRyu) / Has Box / 35$ Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu - Nagato Yuki - Nendoroid (#010) (Good Smile Company) / Has Box / 50$ Tsuki wa Higashi ni Hi wa Nishi ni: Operation Sanctuary - Fujieda Honami - 1/6 (Clayz) / Has Box / 20$ Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu - Suzumiya Haruhi - Metamo Figure - 1/8 - Bunny 1.5 Ver. / Has Box / 25$ [NSFW] - Ikki Tousen - Ryomou Shimei - 1/6 / Has Box / 40$ Boku no Hero Academia - Uraraka Ochaco - 5 Star (Funko Toys) / Has Box / 2$ (Free with any purchase.) Boku no Hero Academia - Toga Himiko - POP! Animation (787) - POP! Vinyl - Himiko Toga With Face Cover Pop! Vinyl Figure (Funko Toys) / Has Box / 7$ Boku no Hero Academia - Toga Himiko - The Evil Villains (Vol.6) (Bandai Spirits) / Has Box / 20$
2024.05.02 14:24 Tasty-Incident-4377 People with the D initial and their D shaped smile along with their ability to smile in the face of death.
One thing i always noticed when re-reading the manga is the D shaped smile.Almost all of the people with it have 2 things in common 1)They smile in the face of death 2)Their smile is shaped like a D
There are many examples: 1)When Luffy was about to be executed in Lougetown he smiled in the face of death not fearing anything and his smile was in the shape of the letter D
2)Similar with Luffy,Roger also smiled in the face of death while his smile was in the shape of a D.
3)Thirdly he is not confirmed to be a D. but I personally think he is.Im talking about Kozuki Oden he might not be directly related and was a disjoint or separate part of the bloodline or the kozukis changed their name.
4)Ace when he was made into a donut by Akainu before he died he smiled and his smile was also shaped like a D
5)He might not be dead but still Garp had smiled when he was defeated by the bb pirates while his smile was shaped like a D
submitted by Tasty-Incident-4377 to OnePiece [link] [comments]
There are many examples: 1)When Luffy was about to be executed in Lougetown he smiled in the face of death not fearing anything and his smile was in the shape of the letter D
2)Similar with Luffy,Roger also smiled in the face of death while his smile was in the shape of a D.
3)Thirdly he is not confirmed to be a D. but I personally think he is.Im talking about Kozuki Oden he might not be directly related and was a disjoint or separate part of the bloodline or the kozukis changed their name.
4)Ace when he was made into a donut by Akainu before he died he smiled and his smile was also shaped like a D
5)He might not be dead but still Garp had smiled when he was defeated by the bb pirates while his smile was shaped like a D
2024.05.02 09:00 x5iIN I met Taylor Swift on a flight (again!)
Some of you might remember my previous post where I had a fateful encounter with the Mother herself. I never thought I would get to see her in person again…
I was once again inspired by Taylor’s jet usage, so this time, I flew to Boston to catch up with some friends over the weekend and back (but I fly commercial, so the carbon footprint is minimal 😤). During the flight back, I was reading some research papers on using LLMs for hacking (hopefully to disrupt the Tortured Poets’ supply chain), listening to “Knock Yourself Out XD” by Porter Robinson, when a WeChat notification popped up that caught my attention.
“Hey babe”
It was Taylor! We exchanged WeChat a few months back during our fateful encounter in the Californian skies. I never expected her to ever use it to text me, though, so I was still pretty surprised. Still, I couldn’t help but be doubtful. Taylor is a billionaire with a following of hundreds of millions, why would she text me, of all people? It felt like a scam—maybe she was about to ask me for a $100 Amazon gift voucher to fund her next album…
“How do I know you are really taylor?” I texted back
“Open your window <3”
My window shades were closed, so I haven’t been looking outside. I pulled them up, and was momentarily blinded by the glare. As my eyes regained focus, I made out a sight similar to what I saw a few months back: a Falcon 7x somehow clipped onto the wings of our Alaska Air Boeing 737 Max 9. Taylor was smiling at me, waving furiously behind her tiny round private jet window. I looked at my WeChat again, she told me to come out. I looked around. Nobody seemed to have noticed what was going on outside; they were all either asleep or glued to the movie screen in front of them. I thought back to last time, when Taylor’s presence nearly caused a deadly fan-crazed stampede through the emergency exit. I didn’t want it to happen again. How do I get out without causing a fuss?
As if she read my mind, a message popped up: “Don’t worry, I got this UwU”.
As if coincidentally, an Alaska Airlines flight attendant came to my seat and asked me to follow her. She guided me to the emergency exit, and pressed a button on what seemed to be a small remote control in her hand. Without warning, the emergency door blew off, opening the way for me to once again walk out onto the wing. I got out. Taylor was already standing out there, waiting for me.
“Taylor… about last time…”
Without a second’s warning, a slap streaked across my left cheek.
I looked at her, confused. She was no longer smiling.
She was furious about my April Fools’ prank where I had pretended to be a Swiftie. I was surprised she even knew about it, given that I only played that prank with my friends, but it seems she has her ways to get intel. “Was it all a lie!? Was none of it real!? I thought you would be different, but in the end, you are just another hater,” she accused. I struggled for words, and tried to convince her that I was but an anti-fan, not a hater, but to no avail.
“I appreciate your music, but the carbon emissions—”
“OHHH, so that is what it’s about, carbon emissions!” She shrieked. She went on a long rant about her heartbreak, covering her whole discography of exes —an Era’s Tour’s worth of tragedy—but with emphasis on the stories behind her latest album, The Tortured Poet’s Department. A Swiftie would kill to listen to such a detailed rundown of lyrics by the Mother herself, but I still struggled to see how any of it was related to her jet usage. After 10 or so minutes, she broke down and wept. I had to cast aside my disagreement and disapproval to comfort her, “It’s ok… it’s ok…”
After Taylor calmed down, and as the time for us to once again part ways neared, I asked Taylor what she thought about Porter Robinson claiming to be her. She stopped, and gave a deep anime-villainess laugh that was very uncharacteristic of her.
“Ah… what a fool you are…” and with one last smirk on her blood red lips, she peeled off her face like a rubber mask (similar to how Orochimaru does it) to reveal her true identity—Porter Robinson himself.
“You were thought it was Taylor Swift, but it was me, Dio!“
I fell to my knees, overwhelmed with a torrent of thoughts and emotions. I have completely lost touch with reality… I no longer knew what to believe, or who to believe…And yet… there were so many things I wanted to say to my idol, who was now towering before me… how I listened to “Shelter” and “Sad Machine” on repeat 10 years ago as a closeted weeb… how “Trying To Feel Alive” and “Something Comforting” gave my life meaning during the darkest of times… but also how betrayed I felt realizing that Porter was behind the wasteful tons of carbon emissions all along.
“Potaru-sama… boku wa… boku wa…” I stammered in broken JLPT N5 Japanese.
“Shut up, weeb” said Porter cooly. He snapped his fingers, and the grey wall paint of the Falcon 7x melted off to reveal a bright pink wallpaper of lolis, furries, and anime mascots of the man himself. Speakers hidden in the private jet’s engines blared a 170 BPM hardstyle remix of Hatsune Miku J-core.
“So long, weeb” he said, as he got back into his now transformed private jet. I was still on my knees, overwhelmed and speechless, as the Falcon 7x took off and the Vocaloid sound of Hatsune Miku faded into the distance…
At least I have Porter Robinson’s personal WeChat now.
submitted by x5iIN to swiftiecirclejerk [link] [comments]
I was once again inspired by Taylor’s jet usage, so this time, I flew to Boston to catch up with some friends over the weekend and back (but I fly commercial, so the carbon footprint is minimal 😤). During the flight back, I was reading some research papers on using LLMs for hacking (hopefully to disrupt the Tortured Poets’ supply chain), listening to “Knock Yourself Out XD” by Porter Robinson, when a WeChat notification popped up that caught my attention.
“Hey babe”
It was Taylor! We exchanged WeChat a few months back during our fateful encounter in the Californian skies. I never expected her to ever use it to text me, though, so I was still pretty surprised. Still, I couldn’t help but be doubtful. Taylor is a billionaire with a following of hundreds of millions, why would she text me, of all people? It felt like a scam—maybe she was about to ask me for a $100 Amazon gift voucher to fund her next album…
“How do I know you are really taylor?” I texted back
“Open your window <3”
My window shades were closed, so I haven’t been looking outside. I pulled them up, and was momentarily blinded by the glare. As my eyes regained focus, I made out a sight similar to what I saw a few months back: a Falcon 7x somehow clipped onto the wings of our Alaska Air Boeing 737 Max 9. Taylor was smiling at me, waving furiously behind her tiny round private jet window. I looked at my WeChat again, she told me to come out. I looked around. Nobody seemed to have noticed what was going on outside; they were all either asleep or glued to the movie screen in front of them. I thought back to last time, when Taylor’s presence nearly caused a deadly fan-crazed stampede through the emergency exit. I didn’t want it to happen again. How do I get out without causing a fuss?
As if she read my mind, a message popped up: “Don’t worry, I got this UwU”.
As if coincidentally, an Alaska Airlines flight attendant came to my seat and asked me to follow her. She guided me to the emergency exit, and pressed a button on what seemed to be a small remote control in her hand. Without warning, the emergency door blew off, opening the way for me to once again walk out onto the wing. I got out. Taylor was already standing out there, waiting for me.
“Taylor… about last time…”
Without a second’s warning, a slap streaked across my left cheek.
I looked at her, confused. She was no longer smiling.
She was furious about my April Fools’ prank where I had pretended to be a Swiftie. I was surprised she even knew about it, given that I only played that prank with my friends, but it seems she has her ways to get intel. “Was it all a lie!? Was none of it real!? I thought you would be different, but in the end, you are just another hater,” she accused. I struggled for words, and tried to convince her that I was but an anti-fan, not a hater, but to no avail.
“I appreciate your music, but the carbon emissions—”
“OHHH, so that is what it’s about, carbon emissions!” She shrieked. She went on a long rant about her heartbreak, covering her whole discography of exes —an Era’s Tour’s worth of tragedy—but with emphasis on the stories behind her latest album, The Tortured Poet’s Department. A Swiftie would kill to listen to such a detailed rundown of lyrics by the Mother herself, but I still struggled to see how any of it was related to her jet usage. After 10 or so minutes, she broke down and wept. I had to cast aside my disagreement and disapproval to comfort her, “It’s ok… it’s ok…”
After Taylor calmed down, and as the time for us to once again part ways neared, I asked Taylor what she thought about Porter Robinson claiming to be her. She stopped, and gave a deep anime-villainess laugh that was very uncharacteristic of her.
“Ah… what a fool you are…” and with one last smirk on her blood red lips, she peeled off her face like a rubber mask (similar to how Orochimaru does it) to reveal her true identity—Porter Robinson himself.
“You were thought it was Taylor Swift, but it was me, Dio!“
I fell to my knees, overwhelmed with a torrent of thoughts and emotions. I have completely lost touch with reality… I no longer knew what to believe, or who to believe…And yet… there were so many things I wanted to say to my idol, who was now towering before me… how I listened to “Shelter” and “Sad Machine” on repeat 10 years ago as a closeted weeb… how “Trying To Feel Alive” and “Something Comforting” gave my life meaning during the darkest of times… but also how betrayed I felt realizing that Porter was behind the wasteful tons of carbon emissions all along.
“Potaru-sama… boku wa… boku wa…” I stammered in broken JLPT N5 Japanese.
“Shut up, weeb” said Porter cooly. He snapped his fingers, and the grey wall paint of the Falcon 7x melted off to reveal a bright pink wallpaper of lolis, furries, and anime mascots of the man himself. Speakers hidden in the private jet’s engines blared a 170 BPM hardstyle remix of Hatsune Miku J-core.
“So long, weeb” he said, as he got back into his now transformed private jet. I was still on my knees, overwhelmed and speechless, as the Falcon 7x took off and the Vocaloid sound of Hatsune Miku faded into the distance…
At least I have Porter Robinson’s personal WeChat now.
2024.04.30 10:18 createdjustforthis23 30/04/2024
I really love my strawberry protein smoothies a lot, they taste like a strawberry milkshake! Well no, a strawberry smoothie, which is what it is, so… that’s good. But it’s so YUM. It’s not like a milkshake because they have a syrupy strawberry and mine is a fresh strawberry flavour. And you can’t even taste or feel the vanilla protein powder, I love this one a lot. It’s like the texture of flour or icing sugar so not at all gritty. Some can be so vile, or taste like cat food. Like up & go, it literally tastes like liquified cat food? I find a lot of protein powders have that flavour. I think I have a thing about cat food though, because I remember my maths tutor when I was maybe 12-14 or so. I’d walk to her house after school once a week and spend an hour sitting in her home office trying to make me remember it all. I remember her saying I had zero issue in picking it up and understanding it and putting it into action or whatever, but as soon as I left the class my brain would empty. It was mostly just maths for that, numbers have just never cemented in my head. To the point I had a test at school for geometry in my first or second year at high school and I guess we knew what it would be, so I worked with my tutor and did the test and then spent like two or three sessions just memorising it. I knew it all, I just couldn’t for the life of me recall it. I’m still like that now, I have such bad memory recall and it’s only got progressively worst with my “mental fog” with my “depression” and then ever since being on medication - like a steady decline. Anyway. And then I went to number works for a year in primary school I think, after school and dad would pick me up from school and we’d go to number works and we’d get afternoon tea first at the dingy cafe across the road and then I would spend an hour playing maths games. I remember finding it fun, like adventure computer games where to get to the next room you had to solve an equation or whatever idk. I didn’t last long with that though, it was less than a year I’m sure. I did one on one tutoring with Jenny way longer. Number works was maybe a term or two, but I guess I was little so it felt like a lifetime. Anyway what I’m trying to say is my tutors breath smelled like cat food. And I never understood why. Maybe she drank up & go. She was so nice though, she had a massive really nice house, I think she was some kind of professor before retiring and slumming it with little girls who can’t remember the maths rule an hour after leaving. I remember she would make me snacks and praised me a lot so I was happy. I remember even enjoying maths, I just hated tests because I couldn’t recall a thing. And yet I was put in the “smart/advanced” maths class in my last years at high school. And I asked to be moved down a class to be with my friends 🫠 I wish I could go back in time and never become friends with them. Anyway my smoothie is delicious. I think if I was to be a fruit I’d want to be a strawberry. I wonder what Andy would be. Something that goes with strawberries. I don’t think he’d appreciate my asking what fruit he’d want to be so I won’t ask.
I didn’t realise he was so tall? My ability to envision measurements is honest to god nonexistent. I thought I would be like up to the middle of his face, but I’m up to his collarbone?! He’s like a head and a half taller than me?! I mean ultimately it doesn’t matter but also I’m just a girl who loves a tall guy, so blimmin sue me. And I can wear heels with him and it not be an issue! And to kiss him I go on tip toes! And so now when he pulls me in for a hug he can just envelope me in his arms, and I can be like a lil caterpillar in an Andy cocoon.
I’m wearing the Dior Poison Girl perfume today, for no reason other than I’ve worn it once and I have a proper bottle of it and I really ought to wear it but it’s more of an evening kind of perfume and I don’t do anything in the evenings so… y’know. I really like it, it’s very much a generic kind of smelling scent but that doesn’t mean it’s not good. It’s so warm and vanilla’y and a lil bit sweet and idk I think it smells… idk I would wear it for a date night or something and do a lil spritz everywhere I want Andy to kiss me. I don’t think I like the usual poison, that I remember anyway? I feel like it’s way more intense? I can’t remember. But I like to smell feminine but in a soft sensual way, not in an in your face sexy kind of way. The former suits me more, the latter absolutely does not.
He’s so cute and thoughtful and sweet. He’s letting us split out the last eps of BB and so we watch some tonight and then I have the ballet tomorrow and then we watch the finale and el Camino the night after! I just felt so so sleepy last night and I couldn’t stay up :( I felt really bad about it because I ruined our plan but he was so sweet about it.
I’m nervous about the ballet tomorrow. Less so than the other night because this time it’s in a venue I’m very familiar with and I know what to expect and things, whereas last time with the opera performance I had never been there and I don’t like not knowing what to expect it makes me feel uneasy. I’ve booked dinner, at an Asian restaurant, it doesn’t really specify what kind of Asian food so I guess it’s a mix. I’ve been there before but a long time ago. I remember in my early 20s they had two for one cocktail nights and a big outdoor area so we’d do that. I don’t remember it being any good but it’s like an institution sooo it must be. I’ve already looked at the menu and I’m excited for the Vietnamese rice paper rolls, possibly the tempura cauliflower, they have a side of edamame with chilli and garlic and soy etc, and bbq tofu which sounds yum and jackfruit bao! I can never have bao at family yumchas as it’s always meat/pork. I don’t even really think it looks or sounds that nice but idk, they have an option which makes it exciting. So idk what to get of the above. Maybe the rice paper rolls and edamame to share with mum and then maybe I’ll get the cauliflower… idk. I just love when there are so many options, and there often are but also not that often.
I got into a lil wormhole today with various design/art installations around the world in museums and galleries and things. Anyway one was SO cool, I think it was a gallery in Milan? I can’t remember. But it was a Japanese designer and they created this pointillism inspired installation, it is massive and just wowow. I wish I could see it. I’d love to be able to see it from all sorts of angles and heights, because they’re rows of plastic bauble type things I can’t remember but depending on the angle you see stars or rows etc. I just love things like that so much. And then I fell into a teeny weeny Italy hole and I have now added Alberobello to my list of places to go. I know it’s likely very touristy given how unique it is, but so what. The Uffizi Gallery was also filled with tourists and I wandered around it for hours mesmerised. But the little white trulli style houses, a kind of structure I’d never heard of but they look like permanent yurts to me, or little gnome homes. Actually no, it looks like Smurf Village if Instagram influencers lived there and turned everything white and beige. That’s what it looks like. Anyway I’d love to go there sometime. I know Andy isn’t super keen on Italy though, maybe I would have to do a solo trip some time if I can’t see all the places I want to? I say this as if I can afford it all, such blessed delusion. I want to go with him though :( but also compromise. But also it’s so romantic! Cliche romance sure, but does it look like I’m a girl who doesn’t love a cliche? No. Like imaging strolling through those lakeside gardens in Como holding hands? DREAMY. Omg imagine if he proposed there. But no I think that’s maybe too cliche. I think if he were to ever propose, I would want it as private as possible and either somewhere beautiful or somewhere special to us. Like if we had a favourite lil spot in a park or something. Idk. But then I watched a proposal video on here the other day and it was this guy and he had his girlfriend stand under a tree covered in snow, and she was facing the camera smiling and waiting for him to come join her as he’s off to the side but he kicks the tree and so all this snow flutters down around them and before she realises he’s down on one knee and if that isn’t the cutest proposal I’ve ever seen?! Cost nothing, was entirely private (til they uploaded it to social media) and so simple. I feel like that’s the dream. Except I also want twinkly lights and candles so one half of me is a simple girl and the other half wants twinkles. I would hate a restaurant proposal, or anything public. The idea makes me feel yuck. Also the idea of him spending an arm and a leg on it seems so unnecessary, but also it’s not just got me it’s for US so maybe spending a liiiiittle bit wouldn’t be so bad… but he could take it out of a joint account like and I wouldn’t care at all. I would definitely want it to feel special and romantic though. But then also the idea of cuddling in bed one morning and him being silly about it and then asking me with a ring is equally as dreamy so I don’t know. Idk why I’m even thinking about this. I never even wanted marriage… except then I met him and I wanna be locked down to him so baddd. Wearing a lil ring that says I’m alllll his go away.
I feel sad. I can’t shake the feeling that all the things I want and am working towards will never actually be mine and I feel this sort of internal panicked sadness about it.
I don’t entirely know why, as in I can’t pinpoint the reason each time, but sometimes I just love him a whole other level. Like inside I will be on fire with how much I adore and love him.
I’ve cried several times again today but I was more in control so that’s better. Still no period. He was so cute last night by saying I’m super due it and I love that phrase. I LOVE HIM AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.
Work is being a pain. It’s fine and all but once again my development and ability to get into more challenging work is set aside to help with the day to day stuff. Anyway. It’s fine. For now. I talked to my manager about it briefly yesterday but via the chat and I kept crying while I was writing to her so I’m glad it wasn’t a phone call.
I still haven’t wrapped his presents. I must do that soon. I just don’t know how to wrap them, I had a vision and now seeing the things irl the vision sucks.
It’s so cold. It’s not even 6 but it’s so dark outside. I think I’ll have an earlier shower and get into bed and read.
I don’t really think I have anything else to say, I don’t think I’ve had anything much to say all day though and yet this is still full of utter drivel. Oh well. Okay night night
submitted by createdjustforthis23 to u/createdjustforthis23 [link] [comments]
I didn’t realise he was so tall? My ability to envision measurements is honest to god nonexistent. I thought I would be like up to the middle of his face, but I’m up to his collarbone?! He’s like a head and a half taller than me?! I mean ultimately it doesn’t matter but also I’m just a girl who loves a tall guy, so blimmin sue me. And I can wear heels with him and it not be an issue! And to kiss him I go on tip toes! And so now when he pulls me in for a hug he can just envelope me in his arms, and I can be like a lil caterpillar in an Andy cocoon.
I’m wearing the Dior Poison Girl perfume today, for no reason other than I’ve worn it once and I have a proper bottle of it and I really ought to wear it but it’s more of an evening kind of perfume and I don’t do anything in the evenings so… y’know. I really like it, it’s very much a generic kind of smelling scent but that doesn’t mean it’s not good. It’s so warm and vanilla’y and a lil bit sweet and idk I think it smells… idk I would wear it for a date night or something and do a lil spritz everywhere I want Andy to kiss me. I don’t think I like the usual poison, that I remember anyway? I feel like it’s way more intense? I can’t remember. But I like to smell feminine but in a soft sensual way, not in an in your face sexy kind of way. The former suits me more, the latter absolutely does not.
He’s so cute and thoughtful and sweet. He’s letting us split out the last eps of BB and so we watch some tonight and then I have the ballet tomorrow and then we watch the finale and el Camino the night after! I just felt so so sleepy last night and I couldn’t stay up :( I felt really bad about it because I ruined our plan but he was so sweet about it.
I’m nervous about the ballet tomorrow. Less so than the other night because this time it’s in a venue I’m very familiar with and I know what to expect and things, whereas last time with the opera performance I had never been there and I don’t like not knowing what to expect it makes me feel uneasy. I’ve booked dinner, at an Asian restaurant, it doesn’t really specify what kind of Asian food so I guess it’s a mix. I’ve been there before but a long time ago. I remember in my early 20s they had two for one cocktail nights and a big outdoor area so we’d do that. I don’t remember it being any good but it’s like an institution sooo it must be. I’ve already looked at the menu and I’m excited for the Vietnamese rice paper rolls, possibly the tempura cauliflower, they have a side of edamame with chilli and garlic and soy etc, and bbq tofu which sounds yum and jackfruit bao! I can never have bao at family yumchas as it’s always meat/pork. I don’t even really think it looks or sounds that nice but idk, they have an option which makes it exciting. So idk what to get of the above. Maybe the rice paper rolls and edamame to share with mum and then maybe I’ll get the cauliflower… idk. I just love when there are so many options, and there often are but also not that often.
I got into a lil wormhole today with various design/art installations around the world in museums and galleries and things. Anyway one was SO cool, I think it was a gallery in Milan? I can’t remember. But it was a Japanese designer and they created this pointillism inspired installation, it is massive and just wowow. I wish I could see it. I’d love to be able to see it from all sorts of angles and heights, because they’re rows of plastic bauble type things I can’t remember but depending on the angle you see stars or rows etc. I just love things like that so much. And then I fell into a teeny weeny Italy hole and I have now added Alberobello to my list of places to go. I know it’s likely very touristy given how unique it is, but so what. The Uffizi Gallery was also filled with tourists and I wandered around it for hours mesmerised. But the little white trulli style houses, a kind of structure I’d never heard of but they look like permanent yurts to me, or little gnome homes. Actually no, it looks like Smurf Village if Instagram influencers lived there and turned everything white and beige. That’s what it looks like. Anyway I’d love to go there sometime. I know Andy isn’t super keen on Italy though, maybe I would have to do a solo trip some time if I can’t see all the places I want to? I say this as if I can afford it all, such blessed delusion. I want to go with him though :( but also compromise. But also it’s so romantic! Cliche romance sure, but does it look like I’m a girl who doesn’t love a cliche? No. Like imaging strolling through those lakeside gardens in Como holding hands? DREAMY. Omg imagine if he proposed there. But no I think that’s maybe too cliche. I think if he were to ever propose, I would want it as private as possible and either somewhere beautiful or somewhere special to us. Like if we had a favourite lil spot in a park or something. Idk. But then I watched a proposal video on here the other day and it was this guy and he had his girlfriend stand under a tree covered in snow, and she was facing the camera smiling and waiting for him to come join her as he’s off to the side but he kicks the tree and so all this snow flutters down around them and before she realises he’s down on one knee and if that isn’t the cutest proposal I’ve ever seen?! Cost nothing, was entirely private (til they uploaded it to social media) and so simple. I feel like that’s the dream. Except I also want twinkly lights and candles so one half of me is a simple girl and the other half wants twinkles. I would hate a restaurant proposal, or anything public. The idea makes me feel yuck. Also the idea of him spending an arm and a leg on it seems so unnecessary, but also it’s not just got me it’s for US so maybe spending a liiiiittle bit wouldn’t be so bad… but he could take it out of a joint account like and I wouldn’t care at all. I would definitely want it to feel special and romantic though. But then also the idea of cuddling in bed one morning and him being silly about it and then asking me with a ring is equally as dreamy so I don’t know. Idk why I’m even thinking about this. I never even wanted marriage… except then I met him and I wanna be locked down to him so baddd. Wearing a lil ring that says I’m alllll his go away.
I feel sad. I can’t shake the feeling that all the things I want and am working towards will never actually be mine and I feel this sort of internal panicked sadness about it.
I don’t entirely know why, as in I can’t pinpoint the reason each time, but sometimes I just love him a whole other level. Like inside I will be on fire with how much I adore and love him.
I’ve cried several times again today but I was more in control so that’s better. Still no period. He was so cute last night by saying I’m super due it and I love that phrase. I LOVE HIM AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.
Work is being a pain. It’s fine and all but once again my development and ability to get into more challenging work is set aside to help with the day to day stuff. Anyway. It’s fine. For now. I talked to my manager about it briefly yesterday but via the chat and I kept crying while I was writing to her so I’m glad it wasn’t a phone call.
I still haven’t wrapped his presents. I must do that soon. I just don’t know how to wrap them, I had a vision and now seeing the things irl the vision sucks.
It’s so cold. It’s not even 6 but it’s so dark outside. I think I’ll have an earlier shower and get into bed and read.
I don’t really think I have anything else to say, I don’t think I’ve had anything much to say all day though and yet this is still full of utter drivel. Oh well. Okay night night
2024.04.29 18:22 Kind-Claim-2577 Embracing Natural Beauty: Minimalist Makeup Ideas
 | In a world where beauty trends often dictate the need for heavy makeup application and elaborate routines, there’s a refreshing movement towards embracing natural beauty. Minimalist makeup has gained traction not just as a trend but as a lifestyle choice, offering a way to enhance one’s features while celebrating authenticity and simplicity. In this blog post, we delve into the concept of minimalist makeup and explore some ideas to help you achieve a radiant, understated look that highlights your natural beauty. submitted by Kind-Claim-2577 to u/Kind-Claim-2577 [link] [comments] The cosmetic industry is one of the most booming industries. Despite the lockdown during coronavirus, it has only witnessed growth ever since 2004. It is about to generate revenue amounting to nearly 129 billion US Dollars by 2028. https://preview.redd.it/c37w3q6f0gxc1.jpg?width=5184&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b17cb2de87261275acc7938927139bc860bcc94f The Essence of Minimalist Makeup Minimalist makeup is about enhancing your natural features rather than masking them. It prioritizes simplicity, using fewer products and lighter application techniques to create a fresh and effortless appearance. Unlike the heavy layers of foundation and dramatic contouring often associated with traditional makeup, minimalist makeup focuses on subtle enhancements that allow your skin to breathe and shine through. Skincare as the FoundationBefore getting into the application of makeup, it’s essential to prioritize skincare. A minimalist makeup routine starts with a clean canvas, so invest in a skincare regimen that nourishes and maintains the health of your skin. Cleansing, moisturizing, and applying sunscreen are crucial steps to ensure your skin is hydrated, protected, and ready for makeup application. https://preview.redd.it/qqb89ycb1gxc1.jpg?width=4912&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=24783500a953ea654f33a3b48a9b1fefa0116f03 Perfecting the BaseWhen it comes to minimalist makeup, less is more. Opt for lightweight, breathable formulas that offer sheer to medium coverage, such as tinted moisturizers or BB creams. These multi-tasking products provide hydration, sun protection, and a hint of color, evening out your skin tone while allowing your natural complexion to shine through. Use a damp sponge or your fingertips to blend the product seamlessly for a flawless finish. https://preview.redd.it/60iu88m21gxc1.jpg?width=3434&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e675c73ff318d9d5e21a5e15cf1fbd1069d231f6 Enhancing Natural FeaturesMinimalist makeup is all about enhancing your natural features in a subtle yet effective way. Focus on defining your brows with a tinted brow gel or a soft pencil, following the natural shape of your brows to fill in any sparse areas. A light coat of mascara on your lashes will open up your eyes and add definition without looking overdone. For a hint of color on the cheeks, opt for a cream blush in a soft, natural hue. Now just smile widely and apply the blush on your cheeks, blending upwards towards your temples for a youthful, flushed look. Cream formulas blend effortlessly into the skin, giving you a dewy, lit-from-within glow. Soft and Neutral EyesWhen it comes to eyeshadow, stick to soft, neutral tones that complement your skin tone and enhance your eye color. A wash of taupe or beige across the lids can add subtle dimension without overpowering your natural beauty. Skip the heavy eyeliner and opt for a tightlining technique using a brown pencil to define the lash line discreetly. https://preview.redd.it/rvzcioio0gxc1.jpg?width=4480&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4400e8c9cc156a50a35fb24be602b840eba67225 Finish off your eye makeup with a coat of mascara on your top lashes for a fluttery, natural-looking effect. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can add a touch of shimmer or a coat of clear mascara on your bottom lashes for added definition. The Power of Lip BalmNo minimalist makeup look is complete without a swipe of lip balm to keep your lips soft, hydrated, and kissable. Choose a tinted lip balm in a sheer, natural shade that enhances the natural color of your lips while providing moisture and protection. The subtle hint of color will tie your look together effortlessly, leaving you looking polished and put-together. https://preview.redd.it/pc09p7jn1gxc1.jpg?width=5760&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e48521e3241844835aeefe0cae2c5ef7b8bdbc64 Embracing ImperfectionsOne of the most beautiful aspects of minimalist makeup is its emphasis on embracing imperfections and celebrating individuality. Rather than striving for perfection, embrace the unique features that make you who you are. Whether it’s a smattering of freckles across your nose or a hint of rosiness in your cheeks, these natural quirks add character and charm to your appearance. By embracing imperfections and adopting a minimalist approach to makeup, you can cultivate a sense of confidence and authenticity that radiates from within. Remember, true beauty lies not in conforming to societal standards of perfection, but in embracing and celebrating the beauty of your natural self. Building a Minimalist Makeup CollectionBuilding a minimalist makeup collection involves curating a selection of versatile products that prioritize quality over quantity. Start by identifying your essential makeup needs, such as a lightweight foundation or tinted moisturizer, a neutral eyeshadow palette, a multitasking blush, and a nourishing lip balm. Invest in products that serve multiple purposes, like a cream blush that doubles as a lip tint or a highlighting stick that can be used on both cheeks and eyes. By focusing on simplicity and versatility, you can create a streamlined collection that enhances your natural beauty while minimizing clutter and waste.Minimalist Makeup for All AgesMinimalist makeup transcends age barriers, offering a timeless approach to beauty that celebrates individuality and enhances natural features at any stage of life. Youthful GlowFor younger individuals, minimalist makeup emphasizes enhancing youthful features with a light touch. Start with a hydrating primer to create a smooth canvas, followed by a lightweight foundation or tinted moisturizer to even out the skin tone without masking youthful radiance. Keep eye makeup subtle with neutral tones and a coat of mascara to define lashes. A sheer lip gloss or tinted lip balm adds a touch of color and hydration, while a soft blush imparts a healthy flush to the cheeks.https://preview.redd.it/zlkf6cjy1gxc1.jpg?width=3648&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=592420ba1f12a867dd3ce13f297d6370de2a543b Aging GracefullyAs skin matures, minimalist makeup techniques can help enhance natural beauty while addressing specific concerns. Opt for hydrating and illuminating formulas to combat dryness and dullness, focusing on products that provide a dewy finish to promote a youthful glow. Soft, blended eyeshadows in neutral shades create definition without emphasizing fine lines, while a lengthening mascara opens up the eyes. Choose creamy textures for blush and lipstick to add a youthful flush and plumpness to the lips.Timeless BeautyMinimalist makeup principles apply to individuals of all ages, emphasizing simplicity and authenticity. Stick to a pared-down routine that enhances rather than transforms, using products that enhance your natural features without overpowering them. Focus on skincare to maintain a healthy complexion, then use minimal makeup to enhance your favorite features. Whether it's a subtle brow gel to define brows, a hint of blush for a healthy glow, or a swipe of mascara to open up the eyes, minimalist makeup allows you to look polished and confident at any age.Adapting to Individual NeedsRegardless of age, minimalist makeup can be customized to suit individual preferences and lifestyles. Some may prefer a more natural look with sheer formulas and minimal product application, while others may opt for slightly more coverage or color. The key is to adapt the minimalist approach to fit your unique style and needs, embracing simplicity while expressing your personality. Experiment with different techniques and products to find what works best for you, and remember that true beauty shines from within, regardless of age or makeup choices.Customizing Your Minimalist RoutineIdentify Your PrioritiesDetermine which aspects of your makeup routine are most important to you. Whether it's achieving a flawless complexion, enhancing your eyes, or adding a pop of color to your lips, focus on the elements that make you feel confident and empowered.2. Streamline Your Products:Keep your makeup collection simple and versatile by choosing multi-purpose products that serve multiple functions. Look for items like tinted moisturizers that provide hydration and coverage, creamy blushes that can be used on cheeks and lips, and eyeshadow palettes with a range of neutral shades for versatility.https://preview.redd.it/u7kz58552gxc1.jpg?width=6720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cc7e55243dbcba8711222e75d884ea7549bcf06d 3. Adapt to Your LifestyleConsider your daily activities and lifestyle when customizing your minimalist routine. If you have a busy schedule, opt for quick and easy makeup techniques that require minimal time and effort. For example, a swipe of tinted lip balm and a coat of mascara can instantly refresh your look without a full face of makeup.4. Experiment with TechniquesExplore different makeup application techniques to find what works best for you. Whether you prefer using brushes, sponges, or your fingertips, experiment with different tools to achieve your desired results. Additionally, try techniques like tight lining for subtle definition or draping for a natural-looking flush of color on the cheeks.5. Personalize Your LookCustomize your minimalist makeup routine to reflect your style and preferences. Whether you prefer a dewy, natural finish or a matte complexion, tailor your products and techniques to achieve your desired aesthetic. Experiment with different finishes, textures, and colors to create a look that feels uniquely you.6. Embrace Minimalism GraduallyTransitioning to a minimalist makeup routine doesn't have to happen overnight. Take a gradual approach by decluttering your makeup collection and introducing minimalist principles one step at a time. Focus on simplifying one aspect of your routine, such as skincare or eye makeup, before gradually incorporating minimalist techniques into other areas.https://preview.redd.it/4b86gvjh2gxc1.jpg?width=3648&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0b9aeb7c3d84be1c576afc4ced2ac1398ea44199 7. Enjoy the ProcessAbove all, remember that makeup should be fun. Embrace the process of customizing your minimalist routine as an opportunity to experiment, learn, and express yourself creatively. By embracing simplicity and authenticity, you can create a minimalist makeup routine that enhances your natural beauty and empowers you to feel confident in your skin.ConclusionMinimalist makeup offers a refreshing alternative to the heavy, high-maintenance routines often associated with traditional makeup. By focusing on simplicity, subtlety, and the celebration of natural beauty, you can achieve a radiant and effortless look that enhances your features rather than masking them. Embrace the essence of minimalist makeup and discover the beauty of being true to yourself. To get the best makeup products at a reasonable price you must visit some amazing sites like TrueGether which is the best alternative to eBay, where you can see a wide variety of latest makeup brands and products. Enjoy your minimalist makeup look with TrueGether now. |
2024.04.28 18:24 d_rugged Nearing 200 layers. What's the max?
 | submitted by d_rugged to FRlegends [link] [comments] |
2024.04.28 04:36 Natural_Green_8323 This is an OG real fat people story.
Since there’s been so many lost redditors on this sub, I’m going to re post an OG actual fat people story. I hope thats ok and I hope more/new people will get to read this hilarious story. This was originally written by u/SometimesIArtu/SometimesIArt. Her stories are golden.
She Wanted to Ride a Horse
Backstory: I've always worked in the horse industry, since I was 11. I started that young at a trail riding barn, leading pony rides and such, and stayed there into my late teens leading trails/driving wagons. And because of how long I'd been there I ended up being the barn managerunning the farm because the owners were lazy and wanted nothing to do with the animals. This story took place on said farm. One morning we get a call in for a party of 5 to go out on a 2hr trail. That requires 7 horses because two guides, and so I grab a couple of the younger workers and we get to work bringing the animals in/getting them ready, etc. No one told us there was a rider with... er... special needs. They show up a bit early, which is cool, we're not on a super tight schedule, so I send the workers off to bring out the horses/get the riders up while I finish up saddling the last of them. After they go out, one comes back into the barn IMMEDIATELY, pale as a ghost. "Boss, you're gonna want to come and... meet... the riders..." "Why, is there something wrong?" "Er... yeah... um... just come. Please?" I go out into the "start" area and am greeted by 4 overweight-but-not-obese people and 1 woman whose legs I'm not entirely sure existed. She had to be like 450lbs. I panic, knowing that none of the horses we have ready can hold her. They're all around 1400lbs, and they're only supposed to carry MAXIMUM 20% of their body weight (~280lbs tops). 1400lbs isn't exactly a small horse, either. I walk up, introduce myself as trail guide, confirm that they were all riding, and the bubblebutt woman enthusiastically confirms that they're super excited. I just smile tensely and say "awesome, well... you're a bit earlier than expected, just give us a few minutes to finish up." And everyone's super cool. I go back to the fields and grab one of the wagon horses. One of these motherfuckers. Manage to find a saddle that will fit him, and load it up with a heavy duty breastcollar so it can't slip sideways. Apologize profusely to the horse and take him out to the riders. He weighs about 1950lbs, still only around a 380lb allowance but it's the best we can do. Start matching horses and riders, when Bubblebutt (BB) pipes up "oooooooh I want the golden one!!" "No, ma'am, sorry that's actually my horse." Literally mine. As in, I owned her, she was my competition horse I guided trails with to keep her fit. "Ahw, surely you can switch up! She's so pretty!" "Ma'am, we paired you up with that one," I point to the wagon horse. She pauses. She knows full well why that one is hers, and she doesn't like it. "No, not him, he's too big. I'm afraid of him." "He's super gentle, he'll take good care of you, I promise." "You can't get on a horse that big. Can you even ride something like that? I don't believe you. Why do I have to have the big one?!" Do you really want me to answer that?! She goes on whining for a while while the others are mounted up. Finally, after debating with her, I end up somehow agreeing to take another one of the same size out to prove that they are perfectly safe. I send one of the workers to take my horse back and grab another Perch (wagon horse) while we get BB up on hers. She can't get up like a normal person. Duhdur. She refuses to try to get on using the fence. ("I'll fall over the fence! It's too dangerous!") Finally, we lead the Perch out into the picnic area and get her to stand on one of the (thankfully) concrete tables and get up from there. She gets up annnnnd.... begins to slide off of the other side. The horse gives me a "wtf are you doing to me?" look as I rush around and desperately shove her from the other side, my hands lost in folds of Idon'twanttothinkaboutwhat. Crisis averted, she stays on by clinging to the neck. Close enough. She's mad at me still. Horse is mad at me. hfw Worker comes back, can't find big enough saddle for 2nd Perch. Have to bareback. BB flies off in a fit about how this farm isn't safe, how I can't do that because how will I even get on, I'm going to fall off, everyone is going to die, her life is in danger, she's going to fall and break her neck... and the kicker: "Just because I'm big doesn't mean you need to make fun of me and make me ride this huge mountain!!!" LIVNG. BREATHING. ANIMAL. YOU. FUCK. I'm standing there waiting for her to finish and hoping she cancels and storms off. Her family looks embarrassed. The horse looks miserable. The workers don't know what to do. The other guide is waiting for us to go. I ask if she still wants to go on the ride. "YES. I DO. HORSES ARE MY FAVOURITE. HORSES ARE MY LIFE. YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST FOR THE THING YOU LOVE." Food? Must say nothing. I get up (from the ground, you stupid bitch), and she makes a comment about how it'll be so funny when I fall off. Her cell phone is ready to call the ambulance. We go out. She starts to have fun. "I WANNA GALLOP!" "No, we don't do that here." "NO FAIR WAAAAAAH." Half an hour in. "I'm hungry, when are we going back?" "Hour and a half." "Did you bring snacks?" "... no." "Fine, guess I'll starve." Doubt it. Hour in. "I'm TIIIIIIRED. I'm SOOOOORE. I'm HUUUUUNGRY. This horse is LAAAAAAAZY. I want to GALLOOOOOOOP." NO WE ARE NOT FUCKING GALLOPING STFU FFS. I've had to yell at her multiple times to stop yanking on the horse's face, too, and threaten to make her walk back if she doesn't stop. Her response? "He needs to know who's boss!" You sat your fat ass on his poor back, he freaking knows who's in charge. We end up taking a shorter way in because she started crying because she was so hungry and angry we wouldn't let her gallop. We get back and it takes both workers and all four of her family members to get her down. Ever hear a sigh of relief from a HORSE? Yeah. I fed that horse a zillion treats and spent half the night giving him acupressure treatment that day. What a trooper. After that we changed our policy to have a serious weight restriction of 300lbs. Farm owners were not happy about it, said it was grounds for discrimination, but I didn't care because that poor animal was sweat-drenched and huffing/puffing by the time we got home... NEVER AGAIN. TL;DR: Really fat woman wants to go on a trail ride, complains when we have to find the biggest horse on the farm to carry her, bitches the whole time and eventually cuts the ride short because she's too hungry to go on.
submitted by Natural_Green_8323 to fatpeoplestories [link] [comments]
She Wanted to Ride a Horse
Backstory: I've always worked in the horse industry, since I was 11. I started that young at a trail riding barn, leading pony rides and such, and stayed there into my late teens leading trails/driving wagons. And because of how long I'd been there I ended up being the barn managerunning the farm because the owners were lazy and wanted nothing to do with the animals. This story took place on said farm. One morning we get a call in for a party of 5 to go out on a 2hr trail. That requires 7 horses because two guides, and so I grab a couple of the younger workers and we get to work bringing the animals in/getting them ready, etc. No one told us there was a rider with... er... special needs. They show up a bit early, which is cool, we're not on a super tight schedule, so I send the workers off to bring out the horses/get the riders up while I finish up saddling the last of them. After they go out, one comes back into the barn IMMEDIATELY, pale as a ghost. "Boss, you're gonna want to come and... meet... the riders..." "Why, is there something wrong?" "Er... yeah... um... just come. Please?" I go out into the "start" area and am greeted by 4 overweight-but-not-obese people and 1 woman whose legs I'm not entirely sure existed. She had to be like 450lbs. I panic, knowing that none of the horses we have ready can hold her. They're all around 1400lbs, and they're only supposed to carry MAXIMUM 20% of their body weight (~280lbs tops). 1400lbs isn't exactly a small horse, either. I walk up, introduce myself as trail guide, confirm that they were all riding, and the bubblebutt woman enthusiastically confirms that they're super excited. I just smile tensely and say "awesome, well... you're a bit earlier than expected, just give us a few minutes to finish up." And everyone's super cool. I go back to the fields and grab one of the wagon horses. One of these motherfuckers. Manage to find a saddle that will fit him, and load it up with a heavy duty breastcollar so it can't slip sideways. Apologize profusely to the horse and take him out to the riders. He weighs about 1950lbs, still only around a 380lb allowance but it's the best we can do. Start matching horses and riders, when Bubblebutt (BB) pipes up "oooooooh I want the golden one!!" "No, ma'am, sorry that's actually my horse." Literally mine. As in, I owned her, she was my competition horse I guided trails with to keep her fit. "Ahw, surely you can switch up! She's so pretty!" "Ma'am, we paired you up with that one," I point to the wagon horse. She pauses. She knows full well why that one is hers, and she doesn't like it. "No, not him, he's too big. I'm afraid of him." "He's super gentle, he'll take good care of you, I promise." "You can't get on a horse that big. Can you even ride something like that? I don't believe you. Why do I have to have the big one?!" Do you really want me to answer that?! She goes on whining for a while while the others are mounted up. Finally, after debating with her, I end up somehow agreeing to take another one of the same size out to prove that they are perfectly safe. I send one of the workers to take my horse back and grab another Perch (wagon horse) while we get BB up on hers. She can't get up like a normal person. Duhdur. She refuses to try to get on using the fence. ("I'll fall over the fence! It's too dangerous!") Finally, we lead the Perch out into the picnic area and get her to stand on one of the (thankfully) concrete tables and get up from there. She gets up annnnnd.... begins to slide off of the other side. The horse gives me a "wtf are you doing to me?" look as I rush around and desperately shove her from the other side, my hands lost in folds of Idon'twanttothinkaboutwhat. Crisis averted, she stays on by clinging to the neck. Close enough. She's mad at me still. Horse is mad at me. hfw Worker comes back, can't find big enough saddle for 2nd Perch. Have to bareback. BB flies off in a fit about how this farm isn't safe, how I can't do that because how will I even get on, I'm going to fall off, everyone is going to die, her life is in danger, she's going to fall and break her neck... and the kicker: "Just because I'm big doesn't mean you need to make fun of me and make me ride this huge mountain!!!" LIVNG. BREATHING. ANIMAL. YOU. FUCK. I'm standing there waiting for her to finish and hoping she cancels and storms off. Her family looks embarrassed. The horse looks miserable. The workers don't know what to do. The other guide is waiting for us to go. I ask if she still wants to go on the ride. "YES. I DO. HORSES ARE MY FAVOURITE. HORSES ARE MY LIFE. YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST FOR THE THING YOU LOVE." Food? Must say nothing. I get up (from the ground, you stupid bitch), and she makes a comment about how it'll be so funny when I fall off. Her cell phone is ready to call the ambulance. We go out. She starts to have fun. "I WANNA GALLOP!" "No, we don't do that here." "NO FAIR WAAAAAAH." Half an hour in. "I'm hungry, when are we going back?" "Hour and a half." "Did you bring snacks?" "... no." "Fine, guess I'll starve." Doubt it. Hour in. "I'm TIIIIIIRED. I'm SOOOOORE. I'm HUUUUUNGRY. This horse is LAAAAAAAZY. I want to GALLOOOOOOOP." NO WE ARE NOT FUCKING GALLOPING STFU FFS. I've had to yell at her multiple times to stop yanking on the horse's face, too, and threaten to make her walk back if she doesn't stop. Her response? "He needs to know who's boss!" You sat your fat ass on his poor back, he freaking knows who's in charge. We end up taking a shorter way in because she started crying because she was so hungry and angry we wouldn't let her gallop. We get back and it takes both workers and all four of her family members to get her down. Ever hear a sigh of relief from a HORSE? Yeah. I fed that horse a zillion treats and spent half the night giving him acupressure treatment that day. What a trooper. After that we changed our policy to have a serious weight restriction of 300lbs. Farm owners were not happy about it, said it was grounds for discrimination, but I didn't care because that poor animal was sweat-drenched and huffing/puffing by the time we got home... NEVER AGAIN. TL;DR: Really fat woman wants to go on a trail ride, complains when we have to find the biggest horse on the farm to carry her, bitches the whole time and eventually cuts the ride short because she's too hungry to go on.
2024.04.27 04:38 itskbert I was watching Season 10 Episode 24 when I noticed…
 | Katherine Heigl in the audience??? submitted by itskbert to BigBrother [link] [comments] Long time lurker, first time poster! 😄 I am rewatching seasons of BB during the off-season, and I am currently on Season 10. I swear I noticed Katherine Heigl in the audience when Renny exits the house into the studio. I can’t be 100% certain because the quality isn’t great. Someone please tell me I’m not crazy 😂 The best evidence I have is at 29:30. She shakes Renny’s hand as Renny is greeting audience members. You can see her face clearly, and she says, “Good job, Renny!” (Full clip is 29:15-29:36). There is also a good shot of her at 2:39-2:51 when Julie is doing her introduction. Context: Katherine Heigl was already a well known actress at this time. Season 10 Episode 24 aired on September 4, 2008. This was right before Season 5 of Grey’s Anatomy aired (September 25, 2008). She also starred in 27 Dresses the same year which premiered in January 2008. I don’t think it was any kind of “promotion” because the two shows never aired on the same network, but she is sitting front row and in a lot of shots. Episode timestamps: (using Paramount+ no ads) *indicates best view *2:39-2:51- the first time she is shown. Julie is doing her introduction for the night. You get a good view straight on and then profile. I feel like she has a signature excited smile you can see here. 12:51-12:56- front view, panning in to Julie, but audience lights are low. 16:34-16:49- profile only while Julie is speaking to houseguests. 17:36-17:48- profile only while Julie is speaking to houseguests. 18:28-18:50 profile only while Julie is speaking to houseguests and viewers. 18:50-19:05- camera sweeps audience in and out of commercial. 19:05-20:33 directly behind Julie during Jerry’s HOH interview, obstructed. 24:28-24:35- directly behind Julie while Julie talks to viewers, obstructed. 24:36-24:42- view of audience but lights are low. 24:49-24:54 good view while camera is sweeping audience. *29:15-29:36 is where you get the best shot and can hear her say “Good job, Renny” at 29:30 while she is shaking Renny’s hand. 30:11-30:21, 31:55-32:35- visible behind Renny during Renny’s post-exit interview but mainly obstructed and lights are low. 34:27- 34:42- directly behind Julie (obstructed) while Julie is introducing the live HOH competition. *39:13-39:25- good clear shot from front, camera sweep of audience and pans in from commercial. If this isn’t Katherine Heigl…. I apologize to the stranger I just made a whole reddit post about 😂 |
2024.04.27 00:32 BunnyCatg4 Chikn Nuggit (and crossovers) x Around the Clock at Bikini Bottom concept thing
So suddenly remembered Around the Clock at Bikini Bottom and it got me thinking,
Why not make an AU of Chikn going the Jelien invasion? Of course giving my mind I'm adding Bloody Bunny and Hello Kitty characters into the mix, and maybe characters like the Smiling Critters...
But I have a problem.
Besides Making Chikn SpongeBob and BB as Squidward, I have no idea who should be who in this AU.
Can you pls help me?
submitted by BunnyCatg4 to ChiknNuggit [link] [comments]
Why not make an AU of Chikn going the Jelien invasion? Of course giving my mind I'm adding Bloody Bunny and Hello Kitty characters into the mix, and maybe characters like the Smiling Critters...
But I have a problem.
Besides Making Chikn SpongeBob and BB as Squidward, I have no idea who should be who in this AU.
Can you pls help me?
2024.04.26 17:08 RidleeRiddle What has your NKs called your chest?
A light moment after my rant yesterday lol
My NKs are both at ages where they are learning their own bodies and have a lot of questions about what is similar and what is different, so lots of questions and categorizing. They have 2 DBs, and G5 has asked why my body is different.
NKG5 asks me about boobs all the time lol
Well today, NKB1 looks down at my chest. I was sitting on the floor and leaning forward to grab their hairbrush. He grabs my shirt, points down and says very proudly and loudly:
"BUTT."
With the largest smile across his little face lol G5 and I burst out laughing, and bb joins in bc he has no idea what's going on, but he is here for it 😂
submitted by RidleeRiddle to Nanny [link] [comments]
My NKs are both at ages where they are learning their own bodies and have a lot of questions about what is similar and what is different, so lots of questions and categorizing. They have 2 DBs, and G5 has asked why my body is different.
NKG5 asks me about boobs all the time lol
Well today, NKB1 looks down at my chest. I was sitting on the floor and leaning forward to grab their hairbrush. He grabs my shirt, points down and says very proudly and loudly:
"BUTT."
With the largest smile across his little face lol G5 and I burst out laughing, and bb joins in bc he has no idea what's going on, but he is here for it 😂
2024.04.24 19:32 ValuablePresence20 Thoughts on BB8
I rewatched BB8 and I'm at a loss as to how Liam finished in third place (on top of already receiving a hundred grand to boot).
Not only was he boring and often made very misogynistic comments, he was actually a bit of a weirdo too. In a conversation with Brian, he's complaining about the women in the house, and then he says "women, can't live with them..." and leaves a pause. Brian then finishes this well known phrase with "can't live without them" and Liam replies "can"t chop them up into little pieces and hide them under the floorboards". He doesn't smile or say he's only joking (not that it's something that should be joked about either). He says it with dead seriousness and Brian looks really uncomfortable. I don't think making comments about femicide and mutilation, like some Ted Bundy-esque weirdo, would fly today. I imagine BB would give him a warning today.
On another occasion, he's talking to Sam after she saves him from the fake eviction that was punishment for Carol, Ziggy and Liam breaking the rules of talking about nominations. Liam says to her that he was so happy that he just wanted to squeeze her to death. That's a known phrase, so Sam starts laughing as she just thinks he's telling her that he's really grateful. When she laughs, he says "no, I actually wanted to squeeze you until you just died". Sam's face drops on hearing this and she looks really uncomfortable.
He also made some really objectifying comments to the twins, who he said were like his little sisters, including saying they won't be able to talk because they'll have 'willies in their mouths'.
Maybe he gets off on making people uncomfortable and saying shocking things for effect, but it's odd that all these things are centered on violence, murder and mutilation of women.
The fact this weirdo, with a penchant for violent fantasies about women, was seen at the time as a sought after stud (even though he was just ordinary looking and a short arse) and Amy, who he treated like shit, was seen as a 'scheming wh*re' shows how misogynistic the public was, not that the public is much better now either.
He treated Nicky pretty badly too but she got the blame. If folks think the boos are bad now, listen to Amy or Nicky's boos. Nicky was trembling and looked like a rabbit in the headlights. As for Charley's boos, they were off the Richter scale.
submitted by ValuablePresence20 to bigbrotheruk [link] [comments]
Not only was he boring and often made very misogynistic comments, he was actually a bit of a weirdo too. In a conversation with Brian, he's complaining about the women in the house, and then he says "women, can't live with them..." and leaves a pause. Brian then finishes this well known phrase with "can't live without them" and Liam replies "can"t chop them up into little pieces and hide them under the floorboards". He doesn't smile or say he's only joking (not that it's something that should be joked about either). He says it with dead seriousness and Brian looks really uncomfortable. I don't think making comments about femicide and mutilation, like some Ted Bundy-esque weirdo, would fly today. I imagine BB would give him a warning today.
On another occasion, he's talking to Sam after she saves him from the fake eviction that was punishment for Carol, Ziggy and Liam breaking the rules of talking about nominations. Liam says to her that he was so happy that he just wanted to squeeze her to death. That's a known phrase, so Sam starts laughing as she just thinks he's telling her that he's really grateful. When she laughs, he says "no, I actually wanted to squeeze you until you just died". Sam's face drops on hearing this and she looks really uncomfortable.
He also made some really objectifying comments to the twins, who he said were like his little sisters, including saying they won't be able to talk because they'll have 'willies in their mouths'.
Maybe he gets off on making people uncomfortable and saying shocking things for effect, but it's odd that all these things are centered on violence, murder and mutilation of women.
The fact this weirdo, with a penchant for violent fantasies about women, was seen at the time as a sought after stud (even though he was just ordinary looking and a short arse) and Amy, who he treated like shit, was seen as a 'scheming wh*re' shows how misogynistic the public was, not that the public is much better now either.
He treated Nicky pretty badly too but she got the blame. If folks think the boos are bad now, listen to Amy or Nicky's boos. Nicky was trembling and looked like a rabbit in the headlights. As for Charley's boos, they were off the Richter scale.
2024.04.23 00:07 Upper_Entry_9127 I Finally Made My Decision on a Gaming Monitor (LG C3 WOLED 42” vs AW QD-OLED 32”)
 | Well, after weeks of research & lots of your guys’ help, I finally made my decision on a new monitor. I’m upgrading from a 32” Asus 1440p 75hz monitor I’ve used for 6+ years that had amazing deep blacks. submitted by Upper_Entry_9127 to OLED_Gaming [link] [comments] I took the plunge and went with the 42” LG C3 TV and absolutely LOVE it. I have never had to pick my jaw up off the floor, but I sure did with this LG. Honestly, I can’t stop smiling even posting about this. LG even has a promotion right now of 10% off + BB $100 off making it a no brainer. I went to BB here in Calgary and compared the AW QD-OLED vs the LG WOLED for myself in person. Reason I ended up with the LG was because: - $250 cheaper - the size is WAY less intimidating now that it’s on my desk and pushed back. - It’s an INSANE upgrade from my old 32” in every single spec. - The blacks are superb in ALL lighting conditions, unlike the raised blacks of the QD-OLED. - The whites are much better on the LG vs the QD-OLED’s. No pink/purple tinge, and just look much more white in person like they should. - I wanted a monitor for all types of uses that we all use PCs for. I game a lot, but also do productivity work, web browsing, researching, etc. - I didn’t really notice the more saturated colors on the QD-OLED vs the C3 that some claim. Yes maybe it would take just a slight edge, but after you properly setup the C3 using the in depth charts here, I don’t think you’d be able to tell. Plus, just add a few % digital vibrancy in NVC or NV App if you want to gain even more color saturation. - The WOLED is proven to be more trustworthy against burn-in & pixel death vs QD-OLED - Rtings.com rates the G3 as the best tv/monitor they’ve ever tested to come across their bench, and the C3 measures very very close to it in nearly every measurement. They even state that most people wouldn’t be able to distinguish a difference between the G3/C3. - I didn’t want a curved monitor for productivity outside of gaming, yet I wanted a high color vibrancy & definition shiny screen vs the flat matte LG 32” QD-OLED. - I’m not competitive in CS2 anymore after playing it the last 20 years anyway. Plus, I always found 32” to be too big for competitive shooters anyway, even though I love them. The number of times I’ve died from having to move my eyes to watch the mini map and not my crosshairs is brutal. That’s why competitive FPS gamers use 27” and I’d have to agree with that after using 32” for 6 years. - I get ALL the tunability and adjustability of a TV, and a lot of settings are not locked down like all the 32” QD-OLED monitors are. - G-sync at 120hz is amazing. Because I play everything for fun and don’t need 480hz on a 27” screen, the bigger 42” isn’t nearly as big as I thought it would be. If any of you are on the edge, go look at them both in person and make your decision. The 32” QD-OLED would have a been a nice upgrade from what I had in specs, but it ends there. This LG C3 is so freaking impressive that it feels like I’ve found an entirely new hobby. It’s crazy! I’m so glad I changed my mind over time and gave the TV a chance. It’s stupid how high def everything looks @ 4k with these crazy vibrant colors. 😂🎉 First pic out of the box with 0 tweaks, SDR not HDR attached. BTW, what a difference a certified 8K 48GBPS Ultra Speed HDMI cable made. It fixed a bunch of weird ADR issues I had with my old High Speed HDMI cable I first tried. Plus HDR and 120hz works now. |
2024.04.22 08:03 CIAHerpes I think my guardian angel may be the Devil
There was a screeching outside like the wind through the castles of Hell. I sat straight up, looking out the window. I saw a strobing, flickering cascade of red, orange and yellow hues. For a moment, I thought I was still stuck in some sort of inescapable nightmare. A gaunt, oval face stared in through the window. It didn’t register how bizarre this was for a few seconds, until I remembered I lived on the third floor.
I jumped out of bed. Long, bony fingers curled into a clenched fist tapped lightly on the glass outside, dragging a sharp knuckle across the window. From his eyes there spun a web of luminescent lights, flashing like fire. I looked straight into them for a moment, feeling blinded as if I had looked straight into the Sun. I quickly turned away, seeing shapes streaming past my closed eyelids from the explosion of light they had suffered. Everything looked white with a bare silhouette of the grinning creature with the spiral eyes burned into the back of my retinas.
I stumbled away, blindly hitting the nightstand and sending the lamp smashing to the ground, breaking it. I ran into my father’s room, crying and screaming about the monster outside my window. He got up, sighing, but he grabbed his pistol and went into my room. A few moments later, he called me.
“Come here, Roland,” he said in a gruff, harsh tone. “I want to show you something.” With my heart still hammering, I wandered back into the room.
In the window, I saw melted into the glass two swirling, spiral patterns. Hints of red, yellow and orange still glimmered in the circles, like cinders sparkling above a bonfire.
“Did you fuck up this window?” he asked, clenching his fists. “And you broke your goddamn lamp?” The gun laid at his side.
“No, dad, I swear, there was someone there outside,” I started to say. A stinging slap smacked me across the face.
“Don’t lie to me, you little shit,” he growled. “I work hard for this family, and you have your vapors and little lunatic episodes and wake me up for no reason.” I felt warm rivers of blood stream from my nose. I cringed back, trying to avoid what I knew was coming.
But my father was extremely fast, and he had built up muscles over years of labor- “old man strength,” my friend Frankie called it. I felt a fist smash into my stomach. I doubled over, retching. He elbowed me hard in the back, and I fell to the ground, gasping and crawling away.
“Now don’t fucking wake me up again,” he yelled as he walked out, slamming the door behind him.
***
I couldn’t sleep after that. I kept looking out the window, but that night, the eldritch creature didn’t show his face again. I watched the sun rise a few hours later, totally exhausted. I got up, getting ready to go to the middle school. I felt as if I were walking through water, with everything seeming slow and unreal.
I noticed a lot of kids were missing from our classes. In some of my classes, nearly half of the kids were absent. I asked a couple friends about it. Most of them didn’t know any more than I did, but a few had heard rumors.
“I’ve heard there’s an outbreak of some weird disease going around,” my buddy Frank told me in the hallway. “My brother works as an EMT, and he says 911 was getting flooded with calls. He wouldn’t tell me exactly what was wrong with the people, but he says it was horrible.”
“What made it so horrible?” I asked. He shrugged.
“They kept bleeding from their eyes, their noses, their mouths, everything. I don’t know what the hell causes that. Maybe ebola or some secret Chinese virus. But the doctors at the hospitals couldn’t find anything wrong with the people- besides the fact that they were bleeding to death for no reason.”
“So did they… die?” I asked, horrified. He nodded.
“Yeah, a few. Most of them didn’t, though. I don’t really know the details, man. He was pretty vague about it. He looked more scared than I’ve ever seen him before, though, and he’s dealt with a lot of shit in that job. Lots of dead people, gunshot victims, overdoses, everything. But he said he’s never seen anything like this before.”
***
That night, I fell asleep quickly from exhaustion. I awoke, confused, streams of light flashing in my eyes.
I looked out the window and saw the same creature from before, floating in the air. His face looked stretched out, like a giant egg. Two cyclonic eyes sent out streams of light, spinning like spiral galaxies in the void. The hues of fire that shone from those eyes looked beautiful and hypnotizing, but also blinding.
I saw a massive grinning mouth that constantly chattered and two small reptilian holes for a nose. His teeth looked very small and straight, like a child’s teeth- but he had far too many of them. Hundreds of the small, white pearls shone in that grin, embedded in sickly yellow gums marked with black spots.
From his back, two black, raggedy wings stretched out, filled with holes and rippling slowly in the breeze. They reminded me of a bat’s wings, jet-black with sores that leaked dark fluid down to the grass far below. I watched this inhuman blood drip off the sharp angles of the wings, thick like oil and glistening with rainbows. They ended in a point like a scalpel.
“Don’t be afraid, Roland. My name is Mr. Welcome,” the creature said in a voice like thunder, “and I am your guardian angel. I am here to help protect you from the evil that now invades your town. For without my help, you will most surely die.”
***
Mr. Welcome told me many things. His booming voice seemed to shake the floor, and I wondered if he would wake my father up. But Mr. Welcome assured me that only the person he spoke to would hear him.
“Our communication occurs in your mind and my mind. Though it may sound like it comes from outside of you, it is within you. You might hear your heart beating in your ears, after all, but that heart is still inside you. And I am the same, for you and I are one. In a way, I am closer to you than your own heartbeat. I can see all the dark pits in your soul where black, twisted things grow in the shadows. And we all have that, Roland. It should be embraced, not shunned.
“But also as your guardian angel,” he said, “I have to tell you some bad news. There is an outbreak of Satan’s Leprosy in your town.” I repressed an urge to laugh.
“Satan’s Leprosy?” I asked, bemused. “Is that an actual disease?” The more I stared into Mr. Welcome’s eyes, the more I felt myself trusting him, opening up to him. I couldn’t believe how scared I had been before. In an alien kind of way, he looked beautiful, and the more I watched him, the more I felt myself accepting his presence.
And yet, a small piece of my mind locked away far in the back still questioned many things he claimed, including being my guardian angel. But the more he spoke, the more I felt myself slipping away and falling under his spell.
“Oh yes, Roland, yes,” he said slowly. “Satan’s Leprosy is the worst disease. The Mark of Cain. The touch of the Devil.” His eyes flickered and strobed, sending shadows like black, grasping hands dancing across the room. Everything seemed dreamy and unreal.
“I will do all I can to protect you, Roland,” Mr. Welcome said, “but soon, you may have to start fighting on the side of the Good. You may have to prove your skill in killing demons. Do you think you can kill some evil, filthy demons, Roland?” A series of visions ran through my mind- knights on a holy crusade, saints sending out evil spirits, priests burning witches.
“I can try,” I said, giving Mr. Welcome a friendly smile.
***
The next day, school got canceled. Things began to grow strange in my town, and not just because of Mr. Welcome. I started seeing suspicious black SUVs with tinted windows hanging around the borders of the town that morning. And then my friend Frankie ran over to my house, knocking frantically on the door. My dad was a mechanic who owned his own shop, and he had already left for work, so with school now canceled, I found myself home alone for the day.
Frankie’s dark brown eyes looked excited and wild. They gleamed with terror and adrenaline.
“My parents,” he said breathlessly. “There’s something wrong with my family. They won’t stop bleeding, and their eyes… their faces… they’re all wrong, Roland. Something bad is happening.” I thought back to Mr. Welcome’s warning about the Satan Leprosy, and my stomach churned with anxiety.
“What do you mean, their eyes, their faces?” I asked, taking a step back. He had sweat running down his chubby face. His long hair hung over his forehead in wet clumps. He was breathing fast, bent slightly over.
“It’s like their eyes slid half-way off their face during the night. When they woke up, their faces were… sideways. Their mouths drooped down to the right and their noses looked like stretched-out worms. Their bodies were just turning into jelly, and the blood would not stop coming out of their eyes and mouths and noses. It soaked the floor…” He began to cry, hyperventilating. I thought he might pass out.
“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” I said, a sense of disgust and nausea rising in my abdomen. “No disease does that to a human body. That’s physically impossible.” He shook his head.
“It wasn’t just my family. My neighbors, too, their kids got sick. I tried calling Angela and Mike and a few other people, and none of them are answering their phones.” At that moment, I heard the revving of many engines. I saw the black SUVs with the tinted windows driving slowly down every street. They began to play a pre-recorded robotic speech from some hidden speakers.
“A 24-hour curfew is now in effect for this area,” a cold, robotic female voice said. “This town is now quarantined. Anyone found on the streets will be subject to immediate arrest. Return to your homes and stay inside. Do not leave for any reason. Agents will soon come to talk to you and explain everything. Please remain calm. Return to your homes and stay inside. Do not leave for any reason…”
I pulled Frankie inside, slamming the door and locking the deadbolt. I had a feeling my father would not be coming home today.
***
The sun set early that day, sending red streaks like blood from a crime scene across the clouds. Frankie and I sat at the table in the kitchen. The cable had gone down, so there was no TV. Moreover, our phones no longer worked. But the electricity kept running.
We were eating the perishable foods first, in case it also went out. I had a package of sliced turkey, mayo, cheddar, lettuce, bread and milk. We kept eating and drinking as much as we could while we waited, not knowing how long we could end up trapped here or whether food would come in.
While we ate, I told Frankie about Mr. Welcome.
“He has eyes like an angel,” I told him. “At first, I was scared, but after he talked to me and explained everything… well, I don’t feel scared anymore.” Frankie gave me a weird look.
“I thought angels had white wings and swords and looked like Leonardo DiCaprio,” Frankie said, frowning. “Your ‘angel’ sounds like some sort of monster. No offense.” I laughed.
“That’s all Hollywood crap,” I said. “Mr. Welcome says all the angels look like him. Maybe you will see your own guardian angel before all this is over.” Frankie shuddered.
“If he looks anything like your guardian angel, I really hope not,” he said. “And what did he mean by ‘killing evil, filthy…’” A loud slam at the door made us both jump. I got up from the table and ran over to the peephole.
Standing in front of the door, I saw Frankie’s older brother, Jesse. He stood in his medic’s uniform still, splotches of blood staining the white cloth. Tiny splatters covered his hands and feet. His dark eyes shone with fear and excitement. He ran a blood-stained hand over his freshly-shaved head. I ripped the door open, noticing how black and empty the sky looked behind him.
“Jesse? What are you doing here?” I asked, surprised. He pushed past me.
“Is my brother here? Where’s Frankie?” he said, a note of panic in his voice. Frankie came out of the kitchen, a half-eaten sandwich still clutched in one hand. “Oh, thank God, Frankie! You’re still alive!”
“Yeah…” Frankie said through a mouthful of turkey, chewing slowly and raising an eyebrow. “So far, so good. My goal is to live forever, after all, and I’ve done a pretty good job up to now.”
“Stop fucking around,” Jesse yelled, making us both jump. “Do you two idiots not know what is going on outside? Everyone is dying! We need to get out of town immediately. Look, the roads are blocked off, but I don’t think they’ve blocked off the woods yet. At least, I hope not. The government agents or whatever they are are still organizing, and we need to get out before the town gets fully surrounded. There’s a deer trail next to Witt School that leads to the highway. It’s probably eight or nine miles, but we don’t have a goddamned choice. We need to follow it and get out of town before everyone gets locked in and slaughtered like pigs.”
“What do you mean, everyone is dying? How’s mom and dad?” Frankie asked, his eyes growing wet. Jesse just shook his head, his earring of a snake fang jumping back and forth.
“We need to go, right now. Hurry up, both of you, grab food and water and anything else you need. Are there any guns in this house? We really need guns and ammo, as much as possible. I have my .38 on me,” he said, raising his shirt to show a holstered pistol, “but I only have one spare magazine. That’s not gonna cut the mustard.” I nodded.
“My dad keeps a few guns here,” I said. “He always keeps his Colt on him, though. But I think we have a 12-gauge shotgun and a crappy little .22 rifle upstairs. He usually keeps a box or two of buckshot and .22 bullets for target shooting.” I shrugged. “I guess that’s better than nothing.” Jesse groaned.
“A .22?” he asked, narrowing his eyes. “Really? Well, go grab it.” I got the guns from my father’s closet, bringing down all the ammo I could find, which only amounted to two partially-empty boxes. Jesse groaned even louder when he saw that.
“OK, which one of you is a better shot?” he asked me and Frankie. We looked at each other.
“I guess I am, at least with a BB gun,” Frankie said. Jesse shoved the .22 and ammo in his direction, giving me the shotgun and remaining buckshot.
“Then you should take the shotgun,” Jesse said to me. “You only need to point in the general direction and shoot. It will spray pellets that will rip through skin like butter.”
“Why do we need guns?” I asked, feeling anxious. “You haven’t even told us what’s happening.” Jesse looked up sharply.
“Haven’t I? Well, there’s not much time. We need to go now. I can tell you on the way.”
***
We walked out into the dark, moonless night. I saw the glinting of many teeth in the shadows of the backyard.
“Mr. Welcome!” I cried, relieved. Jesse and Frankie spun to look at the creature. He stepped out of a hidden alcove next to the chimney, his emaciated body standing ten feet tall. His eyes started spinning with their hypnotizing light. His bat-like wings lazily writhed up and down in the light breeze. “I am so happy to see you!” Jesse and Frankie backed up slowly, their eyes filled with horror.
“Roland,” Mr. Welcome said. “I would never leave your side, Roland. I am here to protect you.” I walked forward, as if sleepwalking, putting my arms out to hug Mr. Welcome. He put his hands on my neck, pulling me forwards. They felt like cold melting gloves of candle wax pressed against my skin.
As I hugged his flesh tightly, I felt blood draining from his rotting skin like soapy water from a wrung-out sponge. I sensed the dark, oily fluid running down my bare hands and arms, smelled the rancid odor like rotting meat, but still, I only felt total love for Mr. Welcome.
“Roland!” a deep, growling voice said from behind me. I turned, seeing my father scaling the back fence. He looked at Jesse and Frankie, dismissing them with his eyes. Then he turned to me and Mr. Welcome. He had his Colt revolver in one trembling hand. “Step back from the demon.”
I looked closely at my father. Blood streamed from his eyes and ears, his nose and mouth. His eyes had begun to slant, as if the skin had melted at an angle off his face. His words came out slurred, his lips swollen and asymmetrical.
“Don’t you see what it is, Roland?!” my father cried louder. “Look at it! Look at the goddamned thing! It’s not your friend!” He fired a shot, but his trembling hand couldn’t aim for shit. I saw Frankie’s chest explode in a blossoming flower of blood. Frankie grabbed at the bullet hole, surprise coming over his face. He fell back.
“Now is the time, Roland,” Mr. Welcome’s voice roared through my mind. “Kill the demons. Kill these evil, filthy, disgusting demons. Shoot them dead. Both of them.” I raised the shotgun and fired twice.
***
Mr. Welcome and I walked down the deer trail, hand in hand. Love filled my heart, and I felt a sense of peace. I knew I was protected.
We had found a couple agents in the forest, trying to monitor the trail. When they saw us, they raised guns and shouted. But Mr. Welcome flew forwards, his wings beating the air like mini-cyclones. He grabbed both of their heads and twisted. I heard a sound like the snapping of tree branches during an ice storm, and they fell down, their faces backwards.
I know Mr. Welcome comes from God. I have resolved myself to follow him, like a holy knight on a crusade. Mr. Welcome is my guardian angel, and his voice always guides me to safety- a voice like rushing water.
submitted by CIAHerpes to stories [link] [comments]
I jumped out of bed. Long, bony fingers curled into a clenched fist tapped lightly on the glass outside, dragging a sharp knuckle across the window. From his eyes there spun a web of luminescent lights, flashing like fire. I looked straight into them for a moment, feeling blinded as if I had looked straight into the Sun. I quickly turned away, seeing shapes streaming past my closed eyelids from the explosion of light they had suffered. Everything looked white with a bare silhouette of the grinning creature with the spiral eyes burned into the back of my retinas.
I stumbled away, blindly hitting the nightstand and sending the lamp smashing to the ground, breaking it. I ran into my father’s room, crying and screaming about the monster outside my window. He got up, sighing, but he grabbed his pistol and went into my room. A few moments later, he called me.
“Come here, Roland,” he said in a gruff, harsh tone. “I want to show you something.” With my heart still hammering, I wandered back into the room.
In the window, I saw melted into the glass two swirling, spiral patterns. Hints of red, yellow and orange still glimmered in the circles, like cinders sparkling above a bonfire.
“Did you fuck up this window?” he asked, clenching his fists. “And you broke your goddamn lamp?” The gun laid at his side.
“No, dad, I swear, there was someone there outside,” I started to say. A stinging slap smacked me across the face.
“Don’t lie to me, you little shit,” he growled. “I work hard for this family, and you have your vapors and little lunatic episodes and wake me up for no reason.” I felt warm rivers of blood stream from my nose. I cringed back, trying to avoid what I knew was coming.
But my father was extremely fast, and he had built up muscles over years of labor- “old man strength,” my friend Frankie called it. I felt a fist smash into my stomach. I doubled over, retching. He elbowed me hard in the back, and I fell to the ground, gasping and crawling away.
“Now don’t fucking wake me up again,” he yelled as he walked out, slamming the door behind him.
***
I couldn’t sleep after that. I kept looking out the window, but that night, the eldritch creature didn’t show his face again. I watched the sun rise a few hours later, totally exhausted. I got up, getting ready to go to the middle school. I felt as if I were walking through water, with everything seeming slow and unreal.
I noticed a lot of kids were missing from our classes. In some of my classes, nearly half of the kids were absent. I asked a couple friends about it. Most of them didn’t know any more than I did, but a few had heard rumors.
“I’ve heard there’s an outbreak of some weird disease going around,” my buddy Frank told me in the hallway. “My brother works as an EMT, and he says 911 was getting flooded with calls. He wouldn’t tell me exactly what was wrong with the people, but he says it was horrible.”
“What made it so horrible?” I asked. He shrugged.
“They kept bleeding from their eyes, their noses, their mouths, everything. I don’t know what the hell causes that. Maybe ebola or some secret Chinese virus. But the doctors at the hospitals couldn’t find anything wrong with the people- besides the fact that they were bleeding to death for no reason.”
“So did they… die?” I asked, horrified. He nodded.
“Yeah, a few. Most of them didn’t, though. I don’t really know the details, man. He was pretty vague about it. He looked more scared than I’ve ever seen him before, though, and he’s dealt with a lot of shit in that job. Lots of dead people, gunshot victims, overdoses, everything. But he said he’s never seen anything like this before.”
***
That night, I fell asleep quickly from exhaustion. I awoke, confused, streams of light flashing in my eyes.
I looked out the window and saw the same creature from before, floating in the air. His face looked stretched out, like a giant egg. Two cyclonic eyes sent out streams of light, spinning like spiral galaxies in the void. The hues of fire that shone from those eyes looked beautiful and hypnotizing, but also blinding.
I saw a massive grinning mouth that constantly chattered and two small reptilian holes for a nose. His teeth looked very small and straight, like a child’s teeth- but he had far too many of them. Hundreds of the small, white pearls shone in that grin, embedded in sickly yellow gums marked with black spots.
From his back, two black, raggedy wings stretched out, filled with holes and rippling slowly in the breeze. They reminded me of a bat’s wings, jet-black with sores that leaked dark fluid down to the grass far below. I watched this inhuman blood drip off the sharp angles of the wings, thick like oil and glistening with rainbows. They ended in a point like a scalpel.
“Don’t be afraid, Roland. My name is Mr. Welcome,” the creature said in a voice like thunder, “and I am your guardian angel. I am here to help protect you from the evil that now invades your town. For without my help, you will most surely die.”
***
Mr. Welcome told me many things. His booming voice seemed to shake the floor, and I wondered if he would wake my father up. But Mr. Welcome assured me that only the person he spoke to would hear him.
“Our communication occurs in your mind and my mind. Though it may sound like it comes from outside of you, it is within you. You might hear your heart beating in your ears, after all, but that heart is still inside you. And I am the same, for you and I are one. In a way, I am closer to you than your own heartbeat. I can see all the dark pits in your soul where black, twisted things grow in the shadows. And we all have that, Roland. It should be embraced, not shunned.
“But also as your guardian angel,” he said, “I have to tell you some bad news. There is an outbreak of Satan’s Leprosy in your town.” I repressed an urge to laugh.
“Satan’s Leprosy?” I asked, bemused. “Is that an actual disease?” The more I stared into Mr. Welcome’s eyes, the more I felt myself trusting him, opening up to him. I couldn’t believe how scared I had been before. In an alien kind of way, he looked beautiful, and the more I watched him, the more I felt myself accepting his presence.
And yet, a small piece of my mind locked away far in the back still questioned many things he claimed, including being my guardian angel. But the more he spoke, the more I felt myself slipping away and falling under his spell.
“Oh yes, Roland, yes,” he said slowly. “Satan’s Leprosy is the worst disease. The Mark of Cain. The touch of the Devil.” His eyes flickered and strobed, sending shadows like black, grasping hands dancing across the room. Everything seemed dreamy and unreal.
“I will do all I can to protect you, Roland,” Mr. Welcome said, “but soon, you may have to start fighting on the side of the Good. You may have to prove your skill in killing demons. Do you think you can kill some evil, filthy demons, Roland?” A series of visions ran through my mind- knights on a holy crusade, saints sending out evil spirits, priests burning witches.
“I can try,” I said, giving Mr. Welcome a friendly smile.
***
The next day, school got canceled. Things began to grow strange in my town, and not just because of Mr. Welcome. I started seeing suspicious black SUVs with tinted windows hanging around the borders of the town that morning. And then my friend Frankie ran over to my house, knocking frantically on the door. My dad was a mechanic who owned his own shop, and he had already left for work, so with school now canceled, I found myself home alone for the day.
Frankie’s dark brown eyes looked excited and wild. They gleamed with terror and adrenaline.
“My parents,” he said breathlessly. “There’s something wrong with my family. They won’t stop bleeding, and their eyes… their faces… they’re all wrong, Roland. Something bad is happening.” I thought back to Mr. Welcome’s warning about the Satan Leprosy, and my stomach churned with anxiety.
“What do you mean, their eyes, their faces?” I asked, taking a step back. He had sweat running down his chubby face. His long hair hung over his forehead in wet clumps. He was breathing fast, bent slightly over.
“It’s like their eyes slid half-way off their face during the night. When they woke up, their faces were… sideways. Their mouths drooped down to the right and their noses looked like stretched-out worms. Their bodies were just turning into jelly, and the blood would not stop coming out of their eyes and mouths and noses. It soaked the floor…” He began to cry, hyperventilating. I thought he might pass out.
“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” I said, a sense of disgust and nausea rising in my abdomen. “No disease does that to a human body. That’s physically impossible.” He shook his head.
“It wasn’t just my family. My neighbors, too, their kids got sick. I tried calling Angela and Mike and a few other people, and none of them are answering their phones.” At that moment, I heard the revving of many engines. I saw the black SUVs with the tinted windows driving slowly down every street. They began to play a pre-recorded robotic speech from some hidden speakers.
“A 24-hour curfew is now in effect for this area,” a cold, robotic female voice said. “This town is now quarantined. Anyone found on the streets will be subject to immediate arrest. Return to your homes and stay inside. Do not leave for any reason. Agents will soon come to talk to you and explain everything. Please remain calm. Return to your homes and stay inside. Do not leave for any reason…”
I pulled Frankie inside, slamming the door and locking the deadbolt. I had a feeling my father would not be coming home today.
***
The sun set early that day, sending red streaks like blood from a crime scene across the clouds. Frankie and I sat at the table in the kitchen. The cable had gone down, so there was no TV. Moreover, our phones no longer worked. But the electricity kept running.
We were eating the perishable foods first, in case it also went out. I had a package of sliced turkey, mayo, cheddar, lettuce, bread and milk. We kept eating and drinking as much as we could while we waited, not knowing how long we could end up trapped here or whether food would come in.
While we ate, I told Frankie about Mr. Welcome.
“He has eyes like an angel,” I told him. “At first, I was scared, but after he talked to me and explained everything… well, I don’t feel scared anymore.” Frankie gave me a weird look.
“I thought angels had white wings and swords and looked like Leonardo DiCaprio,” Frankie said, frowning. “Your ‘angel’ sounds like some sort of monster. No offense.” I laughed.
“That’s all Hollywood crap,” I said. “Mr. Welcome says all the angels look like him. Maybe you will see your own guardian angel before all this is over.” Frankie shuddered.
“If he looks anything like your guardian angel, I really hope not,” he said. “And what did he mean by ‘killing evil, filthy…’” A loud slam at the door made us both jump. I got up from the table and ran over to the peephole.
Standing in front of the door, I saw Frankie’s older brother, Jesse. He stood in his medic’s uniform still, splotches of blood staining the white cloth. Tiny splatters covered his hands and feet. His dark eyes shone with fear and excitement. He ran a blood-stained hand over his freshly-shaved head. I ripped the door open, noticing how black and empty the sky looked behind him.
“Jesse? What are you doing here?” I asked, surprised. He pushed past me.
“Is my brother here? Where’s Frankie?” he said, a note of panic in his voice. Frankie came out of the kitchen, a half-eaten sandwich still clutched in one hand. “Oh, thank God, Frankie! You’re still alive!”
“Yeah…” Frankie said through a mouthful of turkey, chewing slowly and raising an eyebrow. “So far, so good. My goal is to live forever, after all, and I’ve done a pretty good job up to now.”
“Stop fucking around,” Jesse yelled, making us both jump. “Do you two idiots not know what is going on outside? Everyone is dying! We need to get out of town immediately. Look, the roads are blocked off, but I don’t think they’ve blocked off the woods yet. At least, I hope not. The government agents or whatever they are are still organizing, and we need to get out before the town gets fully surrounded. There’s a deer trail next to Witt School that leads to the highway. It’s probably eight or nine miles, but we don’t have a goddamned choice. We need to follow it and get out of town before everyone gets locked in and slaughtered like pigs.”
“What do you mean, everyone is dying? How’s mom and dad?” Frankie asked, his eyes growing wet. Jesse just shook his head, his earring of a snake fang jumping back and forth.
“We need to go, right now. Hurry up, both of you, grab food and water and anything else you need. Are there any guns in this house? We really need guns and ammo, as much as possible. I have my .38 on me,” he said, raising his shirt to show a holstered pistol, “but I only have one spare magazine. That’s not gonna cut the mustard.” I nodded.
“My dad keeps a few guns here,” I said. “He always keeps his Colt on him, though. But I think we have a 12-gauge shotgun and a crappy little .22 rifle upstairs. He usually keeps a box or two of buckshot and .22 bullets for target shooting.” I shrugged. “I guess that’s better than nothing.” Jesse groaned.
“A .22?” he asked, narrowing his eyes. “Really? Well, go grab it.” I got the guns from my father’s closet, bringing down all the ammo I could find, which only amounted to two partially-empty boxes. Jesse groaned even louder when he saw that.
“OK, which one of you is a better shot?” he asked me and Frankie. We looked at each other.
“I guess I am, at least with a BB gun,” Frankie said. Jesse shoved the .22 and ammo in his direction, giving me the shotgun and remaining buckshot.
“Then you should take the shotgun,” Jesse said to me. “You only need to point in the general direction and shoot. It will spray pellets that will rip through skin like butter.”
“Why do we need guns?” I asked, feeling anxious. “You haven’t even told us what’s happening.” Jesse looked up sharply.
“Haven’t I? Well, there’s not much time. We need to go now. I can tell you on the way.”
***
We walked out into the dark, moonless night. I saw the glinting of many teeth in the shadows of the backyard.
“Mr. Welcome!” I cried, relieved. Jesse and Frankie spun to look at the creature. He stepped out of a hidden alcove next to the chimney, his emaciated body standing ten feet tall. His eyes started spinning with their hypnotizing light. His bat-like wings lazily writhed up and down in the light breeze. “I am so happy to see you!” Jesse and Frankie backed up slowly, their eyes filled with horror.
“Roland,” Mr. Welcome said. “I would never leave your side, Roland. I am here to protect you.” I walked forward, as if sleepwalking, putting my arms out to hug Mr. Welcome. He put his hands on my neck, pulling me forwards. They felt like cold melting gloves of candle wax pressed against my skin.
As I hugged his flesh tightly, I felt blood draining from his rotting skin like soapy water from a wrung-out sponge. I sensed the dark, oily fluid running down my bare hands and arms, smelled the rancid odor like rotting meat, but still, I only felt total love for Mr. Welcome.
“Roland!” a deep, growling voice said from behind me. I turned, seeing my father scaling the back fence. He looked at Jesse and Frankie, dismissing them with his eyes. Then he turned to me and Mr. Welcome. He had his Colt revolver in one trembling hand. “Step back from the demon.”
I looked closely at my father. Blood streamed from his eyes and ears, his nose and mouth. His eyes had begun to slant, as if the skin had melted at an angle off his face. His words came out slurred, his lips swollen and asymmetrical.
“Don’t you see what it is, Roland?!” my father cried louder. “Look at it! Look at the goddamned thing! It’s not your friend!” He fired a shot, but his trembling hand couldn’t aim for shit. I saw Frankie’s chest explode in a blossoming flower of blood. Frankie grabbed at the bullet hole, surprise coming over his face. He fell back.
“Now is the time, Roland,” Mr. Welcome’s voice roared through my mind. “Kill the demons. Kill these evil, filthy, disgusting demons. Shoot them dead. Both of them.” I raised the shotgun and fired twice.
***
Mr. Welcome and I walked down the deer trail, hand in hand. Love filled my heart, and I felt a sense of peace. I knew I was protected.
We had found a couple agents in the forest, trying to monitor the trail. When they saw us, they raised guns and shouted. But Mr. Welcome flew forwards, his wings beating the air like mini-cyclones. He grabbed both of their heads and twisted. I heard a sound like the snapping of tree branches during an ice storm, and they fell down, their faces backwards.
I know Mr. Welcome comes from God. I have resolved myself to follow him, like a holy knight on a crusade. Mr. Welcome is my guardian angel, and his voice always guides me to safety- a voice like rushing water.