Original Prompt

Catch you on the flip side
Blake took a long inhale of his 'cigarette' and let the all natural chemicals coat his lungs. He held his breath for a little while - long enough to visibly alarm some of the other people sitting around the tavern table with him - then exhaled a thick cloud of smoke.
"Aight dudes and dudettes," he said while reaching for the beer he'd been provided, "you held up your end of the bargain so I'll hold up mine. Warnin' you landlubbers now, the story's gonna be wiggity but I swear on my plank," he pointed over his shoulder with his thumb to the broken surfboard nailed to the wall, "'sall true."
Another few gulps of beer filled the silence as Blake let the moment simmer.
"Alright, so, like I was out on my boat, the Sweet Mary Jane. Were just out there, you know, enjoying the motion of the ocean and the fresh sea air. Ahh, dude, it's just so relaxing, yanno?
"Anyway, I see some clouds comin' in and I think to myself, like, 'duuude! That'd be some tubular shit. Wish I was back at the beach'. Cuz, yanno, that far out ain't no way I'm gonna be haulin ass fast enough back to edge out a swell.
"No kidding," Blake leaned forward and pointed down at the table, his eyes slowly scanning the faces around him as he tapped its surface, "the same second I think that, I see a wall of water at least a mile high-"
"That's impossible," a gruff voice cut in. They were drowned out by a bunch of "shhh"s.
"-came rushin' at me. For a second, I thought I was a goner, but then I saw it was cresting! You dudes know what that means, right?" He grabbed his 'cigarette' and started another drag as people began to voice guesses. "It's time to surf!"
"You brought your board out on the boat with you?"
"Noooo dude. I wasn't gonna surf a huge swell like that with a board. I surfed it with the boat."
The group gasped.
"I stood in the center of Sweet Mary Jane, and let the wave take us. Up, up, up we went! Higher than the clouds! Dude, I could see the sun over the storm and it was beautiful." He took another swig of beer.
"Then it came down." He slammed the mug into the table, foam sloshing over the edges. "I tried tilting Sweet Mary Jane into the tube but it was tooooo gnarly, man."
"What happened next?" a bored man with a black goatee asked.
"I died," he whispered, "I totally died. Down into the black abyss of Davey Jane's Locker."
"You mean Davey Jones."
"Pshh, nah," Blake waved his hand dismissively, "Ain't no man can sucker as many dudes into the briny depths. Davey Jane's her name, and playin' for souls is her game.
"So I was down there and in her warm - but, still kinda cold, yanno? - embrace. I asked her 'Yo! Can I get back up to the air babe? I'm totally drownin' here.' and she was like, 'Yeah bruh, if you can tell me why you deserve it.' and I was like, 'Well maybe no one deserves life but that doesn't mean I deserve death, right?' or some of that Gandalf shit."
Blake took another hit off of his cigarette, soaking in the attention everyone around the table was giving him.
"She said, 'give me one reason why you want to live.' and, dudes, I didn't even have to think about it. I told her, 'yanno that wave that got me? Well, like, it's on its way to the beach, babe, and I wanna ride it again.' Then I opened my eyes and, get this, I was on the beach!"
"Then you grabbed your board, went out, and surfed, right?" the bored man asked, standing up.
"Dude, totally! You get it." Blake watched the bored man button up his suit coat as other people at the table started to disperse.
"Well, I've seen stranger things," the man said. "In fact, one time-"
"David? Are you coming?" a woman in a sleek black dress and veil said, wrapping her arm through the man's.
"Of course, Jane," the man said. He held a hand out to shake Blake's hand. "Until next time, Blake."
"Catch you on the flip side."
"Oh, how right you are."
Blake watched the couple leave as a chill went down his spine. He grabbed his 'cigarette' and took another drag.

Photos here: https://imgur.com/a/FlDn8wQ
This was a personal project of mine when I envisioned I would be making espressos outdoor. Unfortunately, those scenarios don't come up very often, and this is taking up valuable space in the apartment. As such I'm looking to part ways with this very customized piece of gear. It is a military grade pelican case custom (with wheels and extendable handle) outfitted with several inches of foam, designed to hold the flair 58+, a potential fellow kettle (not included) and several other pieces of gear that makes this an all-in-one.
The flair and timemore grinder has been used about maybe 10-13 shots in total. I find the workflow to be a hassle and actually I just think I don't like the outdoors.
You will receive: - 1 like brand new flair 58+ - including shot mirror, drip tray, heating plug, walnut portafilter, alternate baskets, walnut palm tamper - timemore c3 esp grinder w/ brush - 4 flair puck screens - Nespresso metal cups
The other items that are not included, but there is potential space for, are fellow kettle, scale, WDT tools, bean tubes (can fit 4-6 Weber bean tubes), and various knickknacks if needed
Pickup will be around the Cleveland heights area. Because this was such a custom project I would like to ask for 700$ USD, which takes into account price of a brand new flair 58+, hand grinder, and Pelican case, alongside additional accessories. Please do not hesitate to reach out with questions. Ultimately, my goal is to sell off enough espresso equipment and obtain the acacia orbit.

Previous part: 8.99.
​
One thing that I'm not getting here is why Vanessa is even a part of Vanny or Glitchtrap's situation since Double-V is true. When I originally thought up Double-V, I was originally thinking that Vanessa and Vanny were two different people and/or were sharing the role of "Vanny".
It's just one of them was more willing than the other to be a part of Glitcthtrap's machinations than the other. I didn't put too much thought into it, but it was something I wanted to look for until that Security Team revelation came about.
But now I'm left with this puzzle piece called Vanessa that I'm not quite sure what to do with now that I know that Vanny is an entirely separate person from her.
She has to be involved with Vanny and Gltichtrap somehow. Maybe the therapy tapes will help.

• CD 1-Therapist: — but a routine check of your online history has revealed that you spend quite a bit of time with someone in an encrypted conversation. We have transcripts, and I’ve read them, but it’s not clear what you’re talking about in these conversations. I can’t make sense of it. You must be getting something from these that I’m not getting. Right? Who are you talking to in these?

These are all things that would've pointed toward Glitchtrap if I didn't know better. So it's someone else doing this? Why and why her?

• CD 5-Therapist: — Apparently, the IT department has put together a pretty lengthy report chronicling non-job-related communications that have been coming to your computer. — what bothers me about what I read is that the messages you're getting seem very manipulative in nature. —You know who I'm talking about. What you might not know is that this person who's been sending you messages has been hacking into your personal files too.
• CD 5-Vanessa: Lots of people know more than I do. Sometimes I need to listen.

So Vanessa knows who's doing this to her. But she's been refusing to listen to them before and is now being worn down by the spamming messages sent to her. But the fact that she doesn't react to the news that they are digging into her personal life is very concerning!
Also, after going through Vanny's secret dialogue in Help Wanted, Vanessa's overall demeanor in both Security Breach and the Retro Cds clashes hard with Vanny's in both games. Where Vanny sounds and reads eager and nervous, Vanessa is defiant and reluctant with depressed undertones.
Is Vanessa really infected with Glitchtrap?
Yet now that I'm thinking about it, Glitchtrap has no need to do this as him sitting through Vanessa's therapy session with her would give him this info if she was infected. Who's ever doing this doesn't much about her, but would very much like to. Is it Vanny or Gregory...
Wait, hold on. Vanessa's first therapist mentioned that messages were encrypted and couldn't make out what the conversation was about. But the second therapist can understand these messages to know that they're manipulative in nature. Are these two different messengers?!
" I’ve read them, but it’s not clear what you’re talking about in these conversations**.** I can’t make sense of it. You must be getting something from these that I’m not getting." - The first Therapist
"but what bothers me about what I read is that the messages you're getting seem very manipulative in nature." - The second Therapist
What changed? Hmm... What exactly is an encrypted conversation? Maybe explaining that will help.
Encrypted text messaging is a method of secure communication that converts your messages into code. This means that only the recipient with the correct decryption key can read it. - Google
That sounds like what the first Therapist is referring to, but she mentions that they got the transcripts for it. Does that mean that got the code or the decryption key to read it? No, she says transcripts, which means the code itself.
But whatever the first Therapist saw in that transcript was legible enough to read and comprehend. This means the conversation wasn't in computer coding that would require someone in the tech field to decipher it, but just ordinary talk that's hard to understand what it's about.
Okay, that clears things up, they're still the same messenger.

• CD 11-Therapist: So, on your breaks, it looks like you were shopping for a costume. you purchased some fake fur material.
• CD 11- Vanessa: I can't talk about this. He said he would always be watching. He could be here or there or anywhere in between.
• CD 11-Therapist: No, that's not what I mean. You can't just ignore an issue. You have to face your memory of the experiences and process them so you can let it go. So you don't get triggered anymore. you can use this sort of self-dialogue to release these things
• CD 11-Vanessa: I don't like doing that.

This one conversation right here throws everything about Double-V out of whack. Why is Vanessa buying fake fur material? And for the very first time, we know the gender of who's messaging her along that he said that he would always be watching her.
Again the "he" here, and the "he will always be watching" part allude to Glitchtrap at first glance. And again, it can't be him because he should be within Vanessa since they merged in Help Wanted! Even if you dismissed the ending I proposed for Vanny and went with the ending where she gets locked up by Glitchtrap, it still wouldn't be him messaging her about watching here because he would be in her body!
And like I already said before, Vanessa has shown no memory problems or bodily control problems, which would've suggested Glitchtrap's control. No, this means that Gregory is doing all of this.
But why is he going after Vanessa? Geez, It's been a while since I even thought about his past before Security Breach. I forgot how much of a black hole of questions he is, regarding the lore. I'll give my updated thoughts about him after the Double-V revelation later.
For now, after going through all of Gregory's dialogue in Security Breach. It looks like he's not quite aware of the ongoings within the Pizzaplex and is shocked by the level of security can employ later in the night. There may actually be a hint of his hacker background in his dialogue if you squint. And Gregory has absolutely no idea what the rabbit laddy's name is until he gets to Fazerblast.
As for Gregory's involvement with Vanessa... Huh, that's weird. Gregory doesn't say Vanessa's name even once in Security Breach. Matter of fact, after the beginning sequence where Vanessa confronts Freddy about him, Gregory just stops talking about or even mentioning her for the rest of the game. This includes the confrontation that leads to her locking him up in Lost and Found and after it...
No matter how you slice it, Gregory's silence about her is super loud with alarm bells. Sure, he dismisses her as working with Vanny in the beginning, but it shouldn't mean that she should be an afterthought to him! Like, Gregory only talks about or mentions "the rabbit lady" after the beginning of the game.
In fact, if we were to rank every important character that Gregory talks about or mentions in his dialogue for Security Breach from most to least, it would look like this.

1. Freddy - 33 times
2. Vanny - 6 times
3. Chica - 6 times
4. Roxy - 4 times
5. Monty - 3 times
6. Moon - 3 times
7. Vanessa - 3 times
8. Burntrap - 1 time

That's absurd! Especially since she's the only other human worker in the Pizzaplex, besides Vanny, who encounters and confronts him. Like, he doesn't even try to communicate with her at all during the entire game!
Even when discovering Vanny's hideout in Fazerblast and Freddy suggests that Vanny is Vanessa due to deduceing Vanny's name being a combination of Vanessa + Bunny, Gregory remains silent about it! No, "Oh maybe you're right." or "That sounds too simple to be right", but instead there's no response to what might be the identity of your pursuer!
It's like he doesn't want to talk about her...
He knows her, he has to know Vanessa! Yet, he said, "I don't know who she is, but she's trying to get me!" to Freddy. Is he lying? No, he just knows about her.

• CD 14-Therapist: —They report that they've caught you on camera, or at least it appears to be you. — Well the techs are convinced that you've hacked into their system many times. — the electronics you like? I saw in your file that you have developed software programs that talk to you and repeat phrases, right? The program asks you questions and prompts you for responses. It's kind of like your own self therapy, isn't it? Another way of talking to yourself to work things out, right? When I saw some of your recent encrypted conversation logs, that's what I thought I was looking at. It felt like I was watching someone go back and forth in their own head, but the text found something that's different than that. When I read what they found, at first I thought I was looking at more examples of you just talking with yourself. Then I realized it was different. When I study this, it sounds like there is someone else responding to you. Who is it?

This is either hinting towards Gregory talking directly to Vanessa or Glitchtrap. But something that confuses me is why the therapist has or even be able to see Gregory's encrypted conversation logs?
I'll admit that I'm ignorant about therapy, but should your therapist have access to stuff you created outside of therapy? Unless Gregory created the program on a computer in therapy. It could explain how he's gotten access to Vanessa's files. But I'll drop that talk for now.
Something that's being made clear to me now is that Vanessa is not as connected to the villains as Gregory is, as she's more surprised by the changing of therapist than he is. In fact, Gregory knows why the therapists are disappearing, knows exactly when the therapists do something that would cause them to disappear, and doesn't seem upset when they show up mangled and dead.
But more than anything, Gregory knew Vanny long before Security Breach started. There's no reason why Gregory would know Vanny has enough control over the Pizzaplex to cut off Freddy from the network, in just one encounter. If anything, he should have assumed she was some weirdo stranger in the Pizzaplex that the security and the police needed to take care of.
But he already knew that Vanny had power in the Pizzaplex, maybe not the full scope, but enough to know that if she and he ever came into conflict with one another that ended with her wanting to hurt him then he needed to get out of the Pizzaplex.
Funnily enough, this actually lines up with the first-ever trailer for Security Breach, where Vanny says: "Gregory, I may have lost my temper earlier. But it was just a glitch!" Which implies they talking neutrally before whatever made Vanny lose her temper." Again, I'm not using this as evidence as it's been cut, instead, I'm suggesting that the idea might have merit.

• CD-Therapist: — I have this still shot the techs pulled from the security footage that recorded you in the pizzaplex. That's you, isn't it? I know this image is distorted but I think it looks like you. And you're not alone here. You're talking to someone, or something. it's hard to tell. What are those things? They almost look like rabbit ears. What? You find that amusing? Well I guess it is.

I had always flipped-flopped between the mysterious person being either Glamrock Bonnie or Vanny. Both are connected to Glitchtrap, so either would fit here as Glitchtrap wouldn't be captured by a camera. But with the new evidence I've discovered, Vanny fits as Gregory's mysterious rabbit correspondent in the Pizzaplex.
But what about Vanessa? Is Gregory hacking into her files or is it Vanny and Glitchtrap? Or perhaps Gregory is hacking into her files on behalf of Glitchtrap and Vanny. Either way, Vanessa is getting dragged into Gregory and the Villian's group chat.
Speaking of the therapy, if we take into account the Retro-CD's numbering system the first two numbers are the patient ID number, and the last two numbers are the number of times both Gregory and Vanessa have been to therapy, then we can uncover some invaluable information.
Gregory has been in therapy longer than Vanessa and he was also in therapy before her too. But combining this CD's numbering system with a theory from the Talesbook story, GGY, that Gregory only goes to therapy on Sunday. Then Gregory has been going to therapy for a year and a half.
And if Vanessa is following the weekly therapy session pattern, then she's only been going to it for a little more than half a year. This means she started her therapy just about after Gregory hit his half-year mark for therapy. In addition to all that, Vanessa stopped going to therapy once she was transferred to a new location and never met the fourth and final therapist of the CDs.
Just something you all should keep in mind.
But Gregory definitely knows about her at the very least. That knowledge, I guess, is the reason why he's so shocked to see her face under Vanny's mask in the "To The Rooftop" ending. He knows that Vanessa and Vanny are two different people, but doesn't know that they look alike because he never encountered Vanny before Security Breach without her mask or costume.
On the subject of costumes, I still got no answer for Vanessa's purchase of fake animal fur or what's even happening with her now.
To be honest, this would be so simple and easy if Vanessa was just Vanny. But like as I have shown many times before in both this series and the previous one, simple and easy answers are not always the correct ones.
So, instead of looking for signs of the villain's goal with Vanessa in the lore. Let's look at the similarities and differences between the double Vs.
Vanessa's characteristics are.

• Depressed
• Has anxiety issues
• Tired (It's something that has been mentioned by the first and third therapists in CD-1 and CD-10. But seems to have more to do with the messages she's getting than how she usually is.)
• Likes the blue sky
• Likes to sit outside and read
• Watchful about her calorie intake
• Likes flowers or at least the sweet smell of them
• Doesn't like dark basements
• Oh, and hates kids

Vanny's characteristics are.

• Loves Pizza, especially pepperoni (Huh, no wonder she likes Chica)
• Absolutely, does not care about her calorie intake or a healthy diet (Seriously, Girl has gone full gamer mode with the amount of Fizzy Faz, straw drinks, and pizza boxes in areas with her presence in them)
• Hobbies in painting or graffiti
• Likes or used to like Glitchtrap or maybe William Afton (I talk about this in the secret ending)
• Loves Fazbear Entertainment (Vanny uses red spray paint in Ruin and has drawn two hearts on the FAZ ENT. Logo in the main Lobby)
• Likes Toy Chica
• Likes the Daycare Attendant (She seems to be fond of Moon more)
• Likes to read, or at least, read about the World History of Fazbear Entertainment
• Likes Flowers, a specific species of them(that I can't determine right now)
• Likes summer
• Is a mechanic or roboticist or both (She making something in Ruin Fazerblast and has turned Ruin Monty into her lapdog among other things)
• Super lazy (This one may or may not be true, but unless there's a good reason why she refuses to clean up her room in Fazer Blast, this is staying right here as far as I'm concerned)

Wow, I did not realize we already knew this much about Vanny just from the environment storytelling of the games until I listed them!
Anyway, as you can see, there are some very similar likes between the two and very stark differences in traits as well. I'm not about to list them to save word space, but instead, I want to answer a question. Could Vanessa still be Vanny despite their differences? This isn't so much for me, but for the people who believe Vanny = Vanessa despite my Double-V evidence.
At first, I thought there might've been a chance for that as they both like flowers, to read, and enjoy the outside, or at least the summer in Vanny's case. But now, after listing everything out they're just too different to say they're the same.
Even if we say that Vanny's love of pizza, general bad diet, and trashy room is the result of Vanessa coping with her depression and her situation with Glitchtrap and that her graffiti is the by-product of therapy, along with her interest in growing flowers. That doesn't negate the fact that in Ruin when given the chance to express her anxiety, Vanny doesn't take it.
If you don't know, on the wall where Vanny drew her face next to a slice of pizza in the main lobby near the Superstar Daycare entrance, there is a painted graph. The artist who made the graph also wrote on the right side of it; "TAG YOURSELF".
On all four sides of the graph, the artist made the furthest sides of them represent something. The top Y-axis is Wizard, the bottom Y-axis is Cedar the left X-axis is Filled with a word that ends in a y, and the right X-axis is Filled with anxiety.
What this graph is showing, or what the artist trying to convey with it, is that each of the four points represents not quite the opposite thing but the furthest thing from each other. Of which, Vanny decided to tag herself on the furthest left X-axis, not the right.
This tells us that Vanny feels the furthest thing from anxiety. Something Vanessa, no matter if she's under Glitchtrap's control or not, would be constantly feeling as she suffers from it.
As for what she's feeling, I don't know, the word on the left graph is unreadable and covered by Vanny's face to make it almost impossible to decipher. But what I do know without a doubt, is that Vanny and Vanessa are indeed, two different people with some common likes and polar opposite traits.
So after everything I've talked about in the last three? four? However many parts I've been going over Double-V, what is the best possible answer for the "To The Rooftop" ending stinger. Why do Vanny and Vanessa look alike?
I tried, I really did. I looked for as much possible evidence for anything that doesn't just make me give up and say "She's a Fazgoo clone!" or "She's a robot!"
If Vanny was a stranger who mimicked Vanessa's face, then that's cool and horrifying, but only where it concerns Vanessa herself. (The horrifying part, not the cool part.) It doesn't give us reasons why she would do it in the first place or a way to connect it to the greater lore and Glitchtrap, besides she's a human Mimic. Basically, it lacks motivation from everyone in the Villian party.
So it leaves me with no other conclusion except for one.
Back when the marketing for Security Breach was building up to its release. Steel Wool released four old Freddy cartoon episodes on their YouTube channel. Each episode hides a teaser image for the lore, including a character from the games with words, along with a character stinger at the end.
The last carton, which is the most distorted one, just so happened to include Vanessa as the hidden teaser, and Vanny as the character stinger at the end. And before you all jump the gun, previous episodes have already established that the hidden character teasers have no correlation to the ending Character stinger.
Now, the words in the Vanessa teaser image are quite interesting. It includes "Test and Rat" in the upper right corner, "Pool" in the bottom left corner, and "Bleak Reactant".
Test and Rat could be Test rat or Laboratory rat (Lab rat) as in the species of rat that are bred and kept for scientific research. Lab rat here can also be referring to Vanessa being a lab rat for the villain's experiment for something.
Using that explanation, "Pool" would then mean group or pool of people, which means number of people available for an organization or group to use. So Pool would mean that Vanessa was chosen out of all the Fazbear employees or people in general to be used for the experiment.
This leaves us with Bleak Reactant, which the definition of reactant is a substance that takes part in and experiences change during a reaction, while the definition of bleak could mean lacking vegetation (an area of land), dreary (a room), miserable(the weather), or unfavorable (outcome.)
All of this together means that Vanessa was chosen by the villains out of a group of people to be used for an experiment. An experiment of a change in Vanessa that predicted an unfavorable outcome for the villains.
Vanessa was going to be the next Vanny or maybe something else.
That gives a reason why the villains were so interested in her, why she would be shopping for a costume, why she would be at the Pizzaplex, and why she would be still connected to the villains when someone else is Vanny.
But the reason she was chosen in the first place, why her out of a group of people that might've included Gregory in it too, is because the one who chose her was her own twin sister.
If anyone remembers my only Ruin theory then you would remember my mentioning of Glitchtrap's and Vanny's conversation from Scott's website from a Security Breach poster.
Glitchtrap: "Stay the course."
Vanny: "I will."
Glitchtrap: "Focus on my voice."
Vanny: "I will."
Glitchtrap: "Don't let anyone lead you astray."
Vanny: “I won't.”
Glitchtrap: "Have you selected one?"
Vanny: "I have."
In my theory, I proposed that Gregory was the one that Vanny mentioned selecting here. But now, with all the revelations and new information gained, I believe Vanessa works better here. Vanny would've chosen someone for an experiment that she personally knew of or gotten to know, and who better than her own sibling that she grew up with.
Remember, Vanny is just starting out in her following of Glitchtrap. So would be new to the whole evil thing. And most of the time, the people close to you are the ones that would most likely commit a crime against you.
As for the twin sister thing, it actually didn't come from the "To The Rooftop" ending, but a discussion from the GTlive stream where Mat hosted a little get-together with some of the FNAF YouTuber theorists after Security Breach. There, John Fuhnaff suggested the idea for it from the VR Sisters boss from the Security Breach game Scott made when Security Breach got delayed again.
It's something that I saw some merit in after I discovered the Vanny ≠ Vanessa and after disproving in my head that Vanny wasn't Tape Girl either. The best part of the twin sister thing is that there's no need to throw out all that we know from Vanessa's therapy sessions as they both share the divorced parent's backstory.
As for which is the order twin between the two, I believe Vanessa is the oldest since it makes sense that her father would use the oldest to testify against their mother as she would better understand his instructions. Plus it provides a potential grudge from Vanny to Vanessa for what happened to their mother and a misguided parental affection for Glitchtrap. Unless Vanny's just a fangirl of William Afton, which could be the case.
Also, this means that the reason Vanessa looks the way she does in "To The Rooftop" end credits is because she looking at her dead sister. Oof, I realized that this also means she would've been the one who finds what's left of her in the "Disassemble Vanny" ending too. No wonder Faz Ent. is temporarily closed if they find that one employee is disassembled and the other one is having a mental breakdown from it in the morning.
But what about the "Redemption" ending? We know that by beating PQ3 both Glitchtrap and Vanny are defeated in it. What happens to her then? Where did she go? Hmm... I'm not sure.
What happens when someone is unmerged after being merged for a long time? Unlike Vanessa, we know that Vanny lives in the Pizzaplex. Even by Ruin and Help Wanted 2, she's still living in the building despite its condition so she probably needs time to think and process what happened to her and what's she done. Oh, and therapy. And a house.
But I think that just about wraps everything up for— Wait, HW2's Candy Cadet story! I forgot all about it! I know some people mentioned that the second story had to do with Vanessa, Gregory, and Gltichtrap. Let me skim through that real quick for clues.
Oh. Oh, that's really interesting... But it along with the Jeremy and the Memory dolls can wait until after next time. Sorry for the little to no pictures, I needed space to fit everything in one post and wanted to get everything about Double-V out of the way before I go on hiatus.
Don't worry it has nothing to do with burnout. It won't be too long either, though knowing my track record when saying that, you probably don't believe me.
Truth is, I've been severely neglecting my YouTube channel, and should really start catching up the YouTube version of my series with the online version. Plus, I've got more "Prove it!" to work on.
But most important of all, my birthday is coming up, and I don't want to work, think, or have anything to do with my FNAF stuff on that day. So! Feel free to read and become full with these last few Parts until I come back with more.

Ughh! I hate my new haircut the new barber I went to really butchered it this time. My normal barber was closed today since he’s a diehard football fan and it’s Super Bowl Sunday. I was hoping to get a nice fresh cut for the Super Bowl party at Jared’s later today as many girls from school will be there. Now I’m not looking forward to it. Guess I will have to be a hat guy today.
I check my phone it’s 4:30 I will need to head over soon. The news reported this is expected to be the most watched Super Bowl by a lot and it doesn’t even have to do with the teams playing. It’s because Taylor swift is going to do the halftime show and all the swifties are going crazy over it.
Pulling up to Jared’s it still blows me away how big his family’s house is. His dad is a ceo of a huge tech company so no shortage of funds there. Every year half the class comes to his house for the Super Bowl party. I pretty much only get an invite because I’m part of student council and he’s class president.
Entering the house I don’t see anyone I’m close with yet so I awkwardly sit in the corner on my phone. Charlotte and her friends come in and sit near by. My heart races a bit I’m nervous. Trying to play it cool even though I’m sitting all by myself.
Finally Ryan comes in. “Hey Ryan, you ready for the game?”
“Yeah, been studying up on Taylor Swift songs. My newfound knowledge is going to be perfect on the ladies”
“Hmmhmm we both know you aren’t going to flirt up any girls.”
“This time I will”
Ryan always acts like he’s going to get some girls numbers but, never does. I look over and see Jared chatting it up with Charlotte and her friends they are all laughing and smiling. How’s everything so easy for him?
“Yo Aaron what’s up?” I hear behind me. It’s Caleb who’s also in the computer science club with me.
“Hey about time you get here. Ryan was just about to take all the girls for himself.”
“Haha the time Ryan gets a girl I will be playing in the Super Bowl instead of watching with you fools”
“Oh really you can barely open a door with your hand eye coordination” said Ryan
The game is about to start so everyone starts heading over to the outdoor seating area to watch on the jumbo screen.
It gets to halftime score is 17-14 Eagles are beating the Bills. Most of the girls are already singing Taylor Swift songs as the halftime show is about to start.
All of a sudden the screen goes black and then goes fuzzy. A big groan is heard across the crowd. Then it’s back on but it’s not the halftime show. It’s a hooded figure with a mask on. I suddenly realize the same thing is showing on my phone and everyone else’s phones. The mysterious figure speaks in a computer like voice. “Hello world you can call me Amyntas. Every single electronic in the world that has a screen or has sound is playing this live broadcast right now. You will be hearing from me a lot for now on. I had to take action today as we are running out of time. Phase 1, I will start with exposing every corrupt world leader. As we will need honest good people with nothing to hide to be leaders for now on. You are probably wondering how will I achieve this. Simple I have developed technology that is decades ahead of the rest of the world. Phase 2 I will be contacting people that I have identified as extremely gifted and morally good. To begin training as I will need helpers in saving the world from extinction. For now I will be logging off and have local authorities arrest numerous corrupt leaders. To be continued” all the screens go blank.
Everybody is in silence. What is happening?!

The Way Too Loud Crew Music Festival
June 21st & 22nd

• Two nights of electronic dance music & camping
• 20+ Artists from all over West Coast Canada
• Over 25000 watts of bass
• Food Vendors
• Clothing & Accessories Vendors

Performing Aritsts:
Zurglin DJ Jhun Sunshyne Mixed By Migs Night Tripper Doddi Joby Virus Wayniak Marzan Chester Flint Music Krazy Kitty Party Lanky Bits Elixir Koala Dolla Trips Ghosts at Midnight Play On Ghost Load DJ Degan Mama Panda Acidrop Chase Bankz Shore Boi Chris Devious Bobbin'Hoodz
Sound and Lighting by: 30 Hertz Audio
Visuals by: Chris Devious
19+ Event - Must show ID $20 Camping Fee (Booked through Hipcamp.com)
https://www.hipcamp.com/en-US/land/british-columbia-101-acre-woods-9mxhpkwv?groupSize=1&arrive=2024-06-21&depart=2024-06-22&adults=1&children=0&searchSource=homepage-autocomplete
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Currys Longwell Green is your one-stop shop for all things tech and appliances in Bristol, UK. Situated within the Gallagher Retail Park, this store offers a convenient location and a vast selection of products to cater to your electronic needs.
What to Expect at Currys Longwell Green:

• Extensive Product Range: Explore a comprehensive range of electronics and home appliances, including:
  • Televisions in various sizes and technologies (LED, OLED, QLED)
  • Laptops, desktops, and tablets from leading brands
  • Smartphones and mobile accessories
  • Kitchen appliances like refrigerators, cookers, and microwaves
  • Washing machines, dryers, and vacuum cleaners
  • Gaming consoles and accessories
• Expert Staff: A friendly and knowledgeable team is available to assist you in finding the perfect product for your needs. They can answer your questions, compare features, and recommend the best option based on your budget and preferences.
• Click & Collect: Shop online at the Currys website and choose the Click & Collect option at Currys Longwell Green for a convenient way to pick up your purchases in-store.
• Limited Stock: As a smaller store within the Currys chain, it might hold a slightly limited stock compared to larger Currys outlets. It's advisable to check product availability online before your visit.

Finding Currys Longwell Green:

• Address: Currys, Unit 2 Gallagher Retail Park, Aldermoor Way, Longwell Green, Bristol, BS30 7DA
• Limited Parking: The Gallagher Retail Park offers parking, but it can get busy during peak hours. Consider alternative transportation if possible.

Currys Longwell Green caters to the tech and appliance needs of the Bristol community. While the store might have a slightly limited stock compared to larger outlets, it offers a convenient location, helpful staff, and click & collect services.
Do you have any specific questions about Currys Longwell Green or the products they offer?

Currys at Retail World, Currys Team Valley, is a one-stop shop for all your tech and appliance needs in Gateshead, UK. Nestled within the Retail World complex, this Currys store offers a wide range of products and services, making it a convenient choice for local residents.
What to Expect at Currys Team Valley:

• Extensive Product Selection: Browse a vast array of electronics and home appliances, including:
  • Televisions of all sizes and technologies (LED, OLED, QLED)
  • Laptops, desktops, and tablets from leading brands
  • Smartphones and mobile accessories
  • Kitchen appliances like refrigerators, cookers, and microwaves
  • Washing machines, dryers, and vacuum cleaners
  • Gaming consoles and accessories
  • Smart home devices and gadgets
• Expert Advice: Currys Team Valley has a team of friendly and knowledgeable staff ready to assist you in finding the perfect product for your needs. They can answer your questions, compare features, and recommend the best options based on your budget and preferences.
• Click & Collect: Shop online at the Currys website and choose the Click & Collect option at Currys Team Valley for a convenient way to pick up your purchases in-store.
• Recycling Services: Currys offers a recycle and replace scheme, allowing you to dispose of your old electronics responsibly when you purchase a new one.
• Services: In addition to selling products, Currys Team Valley might also offer various services like mobile phone repairs, gadget setup assistance, and extended warranties.

Finding Currys Team Valley:

• Address: Unit 2 Retail World Team Valley, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, NE11 0BD
• Opening Hours: Opening hours can vary depending on the day of the week. It's best to check the Currys website or use Google Maps.

Currys Team Valley caters to the tech and appliance needs of the Gateshead community. With a wide range of products, helpful staff, and convenient services, it's a great place to find what you're looking for.
Do you have any specific questions about Currys Team Valley, their product selection, or services?

So essentially I work at a pizza franchise in California but the store I work at is own by two individuals (husband and wife). I have worked here for about 6+ years and have finally hit my limit on what I can allow them to do to us employees and I'm wondering if I have any legal standing at all. Just yesterday alone they have created a severely toxic/hostile work environment. Starting off with an employee mentioning to the male owner that he thinks he forgot to clock in because he had to take a delivery right when he got there. The male owner screamed that he was sh•t out of luck and that he wouldn't fix it for him. Fortunately I was a manager and knew how to fix clock in/ out times so I quietly told the employee don't worry that I will fix it for him once they leave. They were planning to not fix this kids time after he worked a 10 and a half hour shift from 12pm-10:30pm. The second thing is that the male owner came back from a delivery run and completely unsolicited raised his voice and told all of the employees that he wanted to line us up and shoot us. No one said anything to him because they were scared, this guy was in prison before he owned the pizza store and we have no idea how serious that threat he made was. Finally towards the end of the day, the male owner told me to take one last delivery run because they were across the street and it wouldn't take me long. I told him about 3 times that I don't think I should/can take it because him and his wife (the other owner) were planning to leave soon and I needed to be there to manage everyone. He told me not to worry about it and that he would stay there to cover until I got back. He would not take no for an answer and he assigned the deliveries onto my name on the tablet. So I finally gave in and started packing up the orders, once I was about to walk out of the door the female owner yelled at me asking why I was trying to go on delivery and I calmly explained that the male owner told me to go but she wouldn't listen to me and in front of the entire staff she screamed at the top of her lungs "just shut the f•ck up (insert my name here)" after that I had enough and needed to remove myself from the situation so l clocked out and left. They have done so much stuff like this in the past but yesterday was just unbearable for everyone who worked. Also important to mention, I was promoted to manager about a year ago but they did not raise my pay to manager salary. Yet they raised my male coworkers salary when he was promoted to manager within the same week as me. They also supply alcohol/ cigarettes to minors whenever they decide they want to have a party at the shop. Oh and they also gamble with a couple of the older employees in the back of the shop on the daily! They get paid to gamble for hours while everyone else is expected to cover for them.

Hello, in this spreadsheet you have everything:
Shoes, t-shirts / football and NBA jerseys, socks, underwear, shirts, electronics, pants, sets, shorts, hoodies, jackets, accessories and bags, caps, beanies, sunglasses, jewelry and more.
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Hello,
I'm in the process of building an RC plane for a university course and would appreciate your help to verify if the parts I've selected are compatible. Additionally, I need suggestions for a suitable charger for the battery I am using. Here are the parts I have selected:

Selected Parts:

1. Motor and Propellers

• Motor: XING2 2207 1855KV FPV Motor
• Propellers: GEMFAN 51466 V2 Hurricane MCK (for Nazgul)

2. Battery and ESC

• Battery: Turnigy Graphene Panther 1500mAh 4S 75C Battery Pack w/XT60
• ESC: Aerostar 40A RVS G2 32bit (2~4S) Electronic Speed Controller w/Reverse Function & 4A 5~6V SBEC

3. Radio and Servos

• Transmitter: GoolRC Flysky FS-i6 Transmitter AFHDS 2A 6-channel 2.4 GHz with FS-iA6 Receiver
• Servos: Greluma 4pcs 9G Micro Servo Motor with Metal Gears

4. Accessories

• Fire Retardant Bag: Turnigy Fire Retardant LiPoly Battery Bag (120x53x42mm)

Questions:

1. Compatibility: Are all the selected parts compatible with each other? I tried researching the compatibility of the parts, but I'm a noob in this world and i want to be sure before investing.
2. Battery Charger: I need suggestions for a good, affordable battery charger that is compatible with the Turnigy Graphene Panther 1500mAh 4S 75C battery. I'm looking for recommendations that offer good value for money but are not too expensive.

I really appreciate your help!

Hello, in this spreadsheet you have everything:
Shoes, t-shirts / football and NBA jerseys, socks, underwear, shirts, electronics, pants, sets, shorts, hoodies, jackets, accessories and bags, caps, beanies, sunglasses, jewelry and more.
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Prequel (Chapters 1 to 16)
1. Rise of a Valkyrie
First ¦ Previous ¦ Royal Road ¦ Patreon
“Uh oh,” Ray said just loud enough for the rest of the squad to hear. “Contacts moving across our eleven, ten meters out. No, don’t everyone look, or you’ll attract their attention.”
“What is it?” Kayla asked apprehensively. “Helvets?”
“Worse. Forest battalion. Those bitches got the same leave block, and they think they’re going to move in on our action. Freakin’ teddy bear lovers.”
Around the table, the other girls murmured their agreement that Forest battalion was indeed the home of sloppy Rangers with an unhealthy fascination for teddy bears. The Mountain Ranger battalion held it to be a matter of incontestable truth. Though Kayla had neither heard any logical explanation for, nor seen any evidence of the obsession, she nevertheless accepted the claim with the same conviction that the sun would rise, or that morning PT took place at six a.m.
The bar in downtown Zula was becoming more crowded as the night progressed, and while Kayla was happy to chat with the same people she spent every waking moment with, she was beginning to long for a little of the inebriated flirting she had been promised. They had all dressed in their finest, and she, after some discussion with Thandi, had settled on a dark maroon dress that everyone assured her was gorgeous.
Across the room, a group of cool-eyed young women had taken over a table, and were preparing to order drinks.
“I’m gonna go assault through the ambush,” Ray said, and pushed back from the table. She strode confidently over to the offenders and launched into a spirited debate with them.
Lyna beamed at Jess. “So, the rules are that any man, woman, or farm animal that you approach first is yours for the duration of the evening. Do not approach anyone who has already been approached by another Soror, because there will be substantial negative consequences.”
Jess’s apprehensive smile flattened. “What kind of—”
“Getting thrown out of a plane without a parachute is a common punishment for trying to steal another girl’s date, regardless of unit,” Lyna said. “No, I am not kidding.”
Kayla squeezed her arm. “Don’t worry it’s less painful the second time you do it.”
“Really?”
Kayla chuckled. “No, I’m kidding. I haven’t actually done it twice.”
“But anyway,” Lyna continued, “let us know if a girl is messing with you or your date. That’s a squad level response protocol, and it starts with spiking the drinks of those responsible. Also not a joke.” She smiled evilly, and tapped at her handbag.
“But what about…” Jess glanced around carefully, “civilians?”
“Weapons free,” Kayla said, then caught Thandi’s eye. “Metaphorically speaking. Don’t start a fight. Call for support as needed.”
“Pick someone you like,” Tian said, “then me and Kayla will set you up. I’ll be the ugly duckling, and Kayla can be queen bitch.”
Kayla smiled grimly. “I guess it’s my talent.”
“Okay then,” Jess said and began to discreetly examine the room.
Ray rejoined them, with a happy expression. “They will stand down until we’ve had our fun,” she explained.
“How did you sell that?” Lyna asked.
“I just explained we had the infamous Kayla Barnes with us.”
“Ray, for Christ’s sake!” Kayla groaned, then caught Thandi’s eye again. “Sorry.”
“I’m kidding,” Ray reassured her. “I said we’d been deployed for two months, and they were very understanding. Word about our goat rope has gotten around.”
Bibi sighed. “All we do is gossip. It’s so disheartening.”
***
Gaz eyed the occupants of the bar as he stepped inside. It had the smoky air typical of colonist dives, and the music was toned down enough that people could actually talk to each other. No doubt that was why his contact had chosen the place. Businessmen of all kinds converged on Caldera’s smaller towns to make deals free from the meddlesome and watchful eyes of the League’s Adjudicate enforcers. Then there would be the adventurers out to explore the final frontier, prospectors looking to exploit it, and good old-fashioned smugglers. It was a crowd of nobodies, and everybody respected that.
In a quiet corner, he spotted a man in a leather jacket with a racing league logo. His contact. Gaz bought himself a drink, then wandered over. When he sat down, the heavy set, portly man lit a cigarette and glanced nervously around the bar.
“Take it easy,” Gaz said. “You’re not in the League’s social network anymore. This is the wildlands.”
“I don’t think there are any more wildlands, fella,” the man said.
“What do I call you?”
“I’ll go with Kite for the time being.”
Gaz managed to restrain his laughter, but he couldn’t keep a smile from breaking out on his face. Kite glared at him.
“Like the racing team?” Gaz asked. “I guess you’re a fanboy?”
“I happen to think that a dozen galaxy championships merits respect,” Kite insisted.
“Sorry, you’re right. You can call me Gaz, by the way.”
“I know who you are. Everyone around here is talking about marines in town, up to no good. Do me a favor and keep things quiet, yeah? No point adding to your reputation.”
Gaz shrugged. “We try to be quiet, but it’s hard to control your reputation when you make so many enemies.”
“Maybe.” Kite paused and glared at him. “So…?”
Gaz nodded and reached into his jacket. He produced a small envelope and laid it on the table,
“Tier three ident,” he explained. “You can start a new life anywhere with that.”
Kite peeked inside, then snatched the thing away into a pocket. “Sounds good, because I will bloody well need it.”
A young woman laughed raucously across the bar. Both men glanced around and studied the party of friends for a moment.
“Cute, but harmless,” Gaz said. “So, let’s talk.”
He and Sanchez had spent the better part of a week watching the brothel on the outskirts of Rackeye, and confirmed the regular presence of a senior VennZech executive. But their security was strong, and there was no way to get a closer look. Gaz suggested they pay more attention to the shipyards, since they were infiltrated by cartels. Criminals meant greed, which meant someone would always be keen for extra cash, or a favor. And so, he asked around Zula and nearby towns, making it known that he had money and services to provide for information.
Active workers wouldn’t talk, but he had been hoping to find someone who had moved on, and maybe carried some guilt about his former life. That was how he had come across Kite.
“I worked in the port front office,” Kite explained, “managing the admin. I didn’t see or hear anything directly, you understand?”
“They wouldn’t be doing a good job if guys like you were getting suspicious,” Gaz said reassuringly.
He didn’t believe it. After four years of investigating human trafficking, he had never met anyone who would admit to seeing or hearing anything. Of course not—they had been paid a lot of money to be blind, deaf, and dumb. The guy made his skin crawl, but if Kite had information, Gaz had to hear him out.
“All I know,” Kite continued, “is that there was one part of the storage grounds which nobody was to go near, on the instructions of the manager. He said that VennZech were bringing through military shipments, and it was classified.”
“They make weapons. Sounds normal.”
“I know it was, because once in a while I was signing off with the Helvetic Army about some of those deliveries.”
Gaz shrugged. “Every starport in the world has a black zone. Doesn’t prove anything.”
“Except that the contract longshoremen would go in there.”
“These are connected guys?”
Kite shrugged. He obviously didn’t want to say. Talking about cartel business was a reliable way to end your days sooner than expected, especially if they were doing the dirty work of a mega-corporation.
Gaz decided to push a little further. “Were they local?”
“How should I know? I didn’t interact with them.”
“From Intaba?”
The split-second eye movement told Gaz what he needed to know, and he backed off.
“But military restriction means we can’t get anywhere near it,” he said disappointedly.
Kite nodded as he reached for his drink. “If you even try, I expect your bodies will end up in the river by the next morning.”
“I don’t think you’re being that helpful, Mr Kite.”
Kite chuckled. “Not for the game you want to play, no. But you said you wanted information. I got that in spades.”
Gaz brow furrowed. “But not on longshoreman? Do you have something on VennZech?”
“Sure, if you’re adding a sweetener on top of the ident.”
Gaz hesitated. How was this going to help him? The comings and goings of a major corporation would probably be useful to someone, but he had a specific focus. Three kids were still missing, and they weren’t likely to have been kept in a weapons shipment. Besides, Sanchez didn’t have a lot of money to spend.
On the other hand, they had no way into the shipyards, and maybe Kite’s information would lead to another vulnerability.
Gaz nodded. “20k into your ident’s account, then.”
“A couple of weeks ago,” Kite said, “they called in all hands to move a really big shipment. And it didn’t sit in the yard either. Went straight through. My old boss was begging me back for a one-time job. Huge bonus.”
“What kind of shipment?”
“No idea. But they wouldn’t let it sit in storage. Put every scheduled transfer on hold just for a dozen big containers off a freighter. My mate in traffic control told me there was no paperwork for the arrival either. VennZech just showed up one day making demands and throwing money around. An hour later, there was a vessel jumping into the system. Then, as soon as they were done, it jumped away.”
Gaz sighed. Probably nothing he could use. Though he might as well check one detail.
“I don’t suppose you were able to find out the port of origin?”
Kite sat back in his chair, and his smile twisted into a leery grin. “Intaba.”
Gaz felt his pulse quicken. There had to be a connection here. He pulled out his phone, and brought up a photo of the executive they had been tracking.
“The guy from VennZech calling the shots. This him?”
“Uh… Yup. Huh. Small world, isn’t it?”
Gaz dragged a few more minor details out of Kite before the man left. The whole story felt thin, but there had to be something to it. How it would help him track down his victims he had no idea, but he had often been surprised where seemingly unrelated threads could lead.
He went back to the bar, ordered another beer, and tried to think.
“Gawd,” drawled a female voice nearby. “Do you have to come in here stinking of the farms? Are colonists allergic to showers?”
Gaz looked round to see three of the young women he had seen earlier. The speaker, with a black ponytail and a dark red outfit, had challenged one of the men at the bar, while her friends watched, aghast. Probably a Helvet, looking to satisfy her adventurous side by visiting the rough side of the planet.
“Leave him alone Kayla,” another young woman complained. “You’re so mean sometimes.”
The ponytail wearer tilted her head away in disappointment, and Gaz knew immediately that she was putting on an act. Her accent seemed to be Calderan, and though she was doing a realistic impression of a stuck up Helvet, it wasn’t perfect. He watched as she waltzed back to her table with her drink, while her friends struck up a conversation with her victim.
She was setting her friend up, Gaz thought, and he didn’t bother to mask a smirk. They were an odd group at her table, all athletic, and carrying themselves with confidence. Most girls on a night out made a lot of noise, but though this group were drinking and having fun, their voices were muted. And occasionally, he noticed, one of them would sweep her eyes around the place, checking everything, but fixating on nothing. Scanning.
The girl with the ponytail glanced at him, and for a moment he was struck by her expression of determination. She might have been playing a role, but Gaz decided he would not want to give the game away and earn her wrath. He turned his eyes back to the bar.
“Hey, man,” a voice said over his shoulder, moments later.
First ¦ Previous ¦ Royal Road ¦ Patreon
Prequel (Chapters 1 to 16)
1. Rise of a Valkyrie

Prequel (Parts 1 to 16)
1. Rise of a Valkyrie
First ¦ Previous ¦ Royal Road ¦ Patreon
“Uh oh,” Ray said just loud enough for the rest of the squad to hear. “Contacts moving across our eleven, ten meters out. No, don’t everyone look, or you’ll attract their attention.”
“What is it?” Kayla asked apprehensively. “Helvets?”
“Worse. Forest battalion. Those bitches got the same leave block, and they think they’re going to move in on our action. Freakin’ teddy bear lovers.”
Around the table, the other girls murmured their agreement that Forest battalion was indeed the home of sloppy Rangers with an unhealthy fascination for teddy bears. The Mountain Ranger battalion held it to be a matter of incontestable truth. Though Kayla had neither heard any logical explanation for, nor seen any evidence of the obsession, she nevertheless accepted the claim with the same conviction that the sun would rise, or that morning PT took place at six a.m.
The bar in downtown Zula was becoming more crowded as the night progressed, and while Kayla was happy to chat with the same people she spent every waking moment with, she was beginning to long for a little of the inebriated flirting she had been promised. They had all dressed in their finest, and she, after some discussion with Thandi, had settled on a dark maroon dress that everyone assured her was gorgeous.
Across the room, a group of cool-eyed young women had taken over a table, and were preparing to order drinks.
“I’m gonna go assault through the ambush,” Ray said, and pushed back from the table. She strode confidently over to the offenders and launched into a spirited debate with them.
Lyna beamed at Jess. “So, the rules are that any man, woman, or farm animal that you approach first is yours for the duration of the evening. Do not approach anyone who has already been approached by another Soror, because there will be substantial negative consequences.”
Jess’s apprehensive smile flattened. “What kind of—”
“Getting thrown out of a plane without a parachute is a common punishment for trying to steal another girl’s date, regardless of unit,” Lyna said. “No, I am not kidding.”
Kayla squeezed her arm. “Don’t worry it’s less painful the second time you do it.”
“Really?”
Kayla chuckled. “No, I’m kidding. I haven’t actually done it twice.”
“But anyway,” Lyna continued, “let us know if a girl is messing with you or your date. That’s a squad level response protocol, and it starts with spiking the drinks of those responsible. Also not a joke.” She smiled evilly, and tapped at her handbag.
“But what about…” Jess glanced around carefully, “civilians?”
“Weapons free,” Kayla said, then caught Thandi’s eye. “Metaphorically speaking. Don’t start a fight. Call for support as needed.”
“Pick someone you like,” Tian said, “then me and Kayla will set you up. I’ll be the ugly duckling, and Kayla can be queen bitch.”
Kayla smiled grimly. “I guess it’s my talent.”
“Okay then,” Jess said and began to discreetly examine the room.
Ray rejoined them, with a happy expression. “They will stand down until we’ve had our fun,” she explained.
“How did you sell that?” Lyna asked.
“I just explained we had the infamous Kayla Barnes with us.”
“Ray, for Christ’s sake!” Kayla groaned, then caught Thandi’s eye again. “Sorry.”
“I’m kidding,” Ray reassured her. “I said we’d been deployed for two months, and they were very understanding. Word about our goat rope has gotten around.”
Bibi sighed. “All we do is gossip. It’s so disheartening.”
***
Gaz eyed the occupants of the bar as he stepped inside. It had the smoky air typical of colonist dives, and the music was toned down enough that people could actually talk to each other. No doubt that was why his contact had chosen the place. Businessmen of all kinds converged on Caldera’s smaller towns to make deals free from the meddlesome and watchful eyes of the League’s Adjudicate enforcers. Then there would be the adventurers out to explore the final frontier, prospectors looking to exploit it, and good old-fashioned smugglers. It was a crowd of nobodies, and everybody respected that.
In a quiet corner, he spotted a man in a leather jacket with a racing league logo. His contact. Gaz bought himself a drink, then wandered over. When he sat down, the heavy set, portly man lit a cigarette and glanced nervously around the bar.
“Take it easy,” Gaz said. “You’re not in the League’s social network anymore. This is the wildlands.”
“I don’t think there are any more wildlands, fella,” the man said.
“What do I call you?”
“I’ll go with Kite for the time being.”
Gaz managed to restrain his laughter, but he couldn’t keep a smile from breaking out on his face. Kite glared at him.
“Like the racing team?” Gaz asked. “I guess you’re a fanboy?”
“I happen to think that a dozen galaxy championships merits respect,” Kite insisted.
“Sorry, you’re right. You can call me Gaz, by the way.”
“I know who you are. Everyone around here is talking about marines in town, up to no good. Do me a favor and keep things quiet, yeah? No point adding to your reputation.”
Gaz shrugged. “We try to be quiet, but it’s hard to control your reputation when you make so many enemies.”
“Maybe.” Kite paused and glared at him. “So…?”
Gaz nodded and reached into his jacket. He produced a small envelope and laid it on the table,
“Tier three ident,” he explained. “You can start a new life anywhere with that.”
Kite peeked inside, then snatched the thing away into a pocket. “Sounds good, because I will bloody well need it.”
A young woman laughed raucously across the bar. Both men glanced around and studied the party of friends for a moment.
“Cute, but harmless,” Gaz said. “So, let’s talk.”
He and Sanchez had spent the better part of a week watching the brothel on the outskirts of Rackeye, and confirmed the regular presence of a senior VennZech executive. But their security was strong, and there was no way to get a closer look. Gaz suggested they pay more attention to the shipyards, since they were infiltrated by cartels. Criminals meant greed, which meant someone would always be keen for extra cash, or a favor. And so, he asked around Zula and nearby towns, making it known that he had money and services to provide for information.
Active workers wouldn’t talk, but he had been hoping to find someone who had moved on, and maybe carried some guilt about his former life. That was how he had come across Kite.
“I worked in the port front office,” Kite explained, “managing the admin. I didn’t see or hear anything directly, you understand?”
“They wouldn’t be doing a good job if guys like you were getting suspicious,” Gaz said reassuringly.
He didn’t believe it. After four years of investigating human trafficking, he had never met anyone who would admit to seeing or hearing anything. Of course not—they had been paid a lot of money to be blind, deaf, and dumb. The guy made his skin crawl, but if Kite had information, Gaz had to hear him out.
“All I know,” Kite continued, “is that there was one part of the storage grounds which nobody was to go near, on the instructions of the manager. He said that VennZech were bringing through military shipments, and it was classified.”
“They make weapons. Sounds normal.”
“I know it was, because once in a while I was signing off with the Helvetic Army about some of those deliveries.”
Gaz shrugged. “Every starport in the world has a black zone. Doesn’t prove anything.”
“Except that the contract longshoremen would go in there.”
“These are connected guys?”
Kite shrugged. He obviously didn’t want to say. Talking about cartel business was a reliable way to end your days sooner than expected, especially if they were doing the dirty work of a mega-corporation.
Gaz decided to push a little further. “Were they local?”
“How should I know? I didn’t interact with them.”
“From Intaba?”
The split-second eye movement told Gaz what he needed to know, and he backed off.
“But military restriction means we can’t get anywhere near it,” he said disappointedly.
Kite nodded as he reached for his drink. “If you even try, I expect your bodies will end up in the river by the next morning.”
“I don’t think you’re being that helpful, Mr Kite.”
Kite chuckled. “Not for the game you want to play, no. But you said you wanted information. I got that in spades.”
Gaz brow furrowed. “But not on longshoreman? Do you have something on VennZech?”
“Sure, if you’re adding a sweetener on top of the ident.”
Gaz hesitated. How was this going to help him? The comings and goings of a major corporation would probably be useful to someone, but he had a specific focus. Three kids were still missing, and they weren’t likely to have been kept in a weapons shipment. Besides, Sanchez didn’t have a lot of money to spend.
On the other hand, they had no way into the shipyards, and maybe Kite’s information would lead to another vulnerability.
Gaz nodded. “20k into your ident’s account, then.”
“A couple of weeks ago,” Kite said, “they called in all hands to move a really big shipment. And it didn’t sit in the yard either. Went straight through. My old boss was begging me back for a one-time job. Huge bonus.”
“What kind of shipment?”
“No idea. But they wouldn’t let it sit in storage. Put every scheduled transfer on hold just for a dozen big containers off a freighter. My mate in traffic control told me there was no paperwork for the arrival either. VennZech just showed up one day making demands and throwing money around. An hour later, there was a vessel jumping into the system. Then, as soon as they were done, it jumped away.”
Gaz sighed. Probably nothing he could use. Though he might as well check one detail.
“I don’t suppose you were able to find out the port of origin?”
Kite sat back in his chair, and his smile twisted into a leery grin. “Intaba.”
Gaz felt his pulse quicken. There had to be a connection here. He pulled out his phone, and brought up a photo of the executive they had been tracking.
“The guy from VennZech calling the shots. This him?”
“Uh… Yup. Huh. Small world, isn’t it?”
Gaz dragged a few more minor details out of Kite before the man left. The whole story felt thin, but there had to be something to it. How it would help him track down his victims he had no idea, but he had often been surprised where seemingly unrelated threads could lead.
He went back to the bar, ordered another beer, and tried to think.
“Gawd,” drawled a female voice nearby. “Do you have to come in here stinking of the farms? Are colonists allergic to showers?”
Gaz looked round to see three of the young women he had seen earlier. The speaker, with a black ponytail and a dark red outfit, had challenged one of the men at the bar, while her friends watched, aghast. Probably a Helvet, looking to satisfy her adventurous side by visiting the rough side of the planet.
“Leave him alone Kayla,” another young woman complained. “You’re so mean sometimes.”
The ponytail wearer tilted her head away in disappointment, and Gaz knew immediately that she was putting on an act. Her accent seemed to be Calderan, and though she was doing a realistic impression of a stuck up Helvet, it wasn’t perfect. He watched as she waltzed back to her table with her drink, while her friends struck up a conversation with her victim.
She was setting her friend up, Gaz thought, and he didn’t bother to mask a smirk. They were an odd group at her table, all athletic, and carrying themselves with confidence. Most girls on a night out made a lot of noise, but though this group were drinking and having fun, their voices were muted. And occasionally, he noticed, one of them would sweep her eyes around the place, checking everything, but fixating on nothing. Scanning.
The girl with the ponytail glanced at him, and for a moment he was struck by her expression of determination. She might have been playing a role, but Gaz decided he would not want to give the game away and earn her wrath. He turned his eyes back to the bar.
“Hey, man,” a voice said over his shoulder, moments later.
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Prequel (Parts 1 to 16)
1. Rise of a Valkyrie

My friend was smoking a cigarette and it was my first actually smelling it, so I jokingly said "Oh that's the smell? I had no idea my parents were chainsmokers" she choked on the fume lagging as well as her boyfriend.

In Honkai Star Rail, you play as Johnkai Starrail, a fully-grown two-week-old cancerous raccoon hobo jointly adopted by three mass murderers, a fraud and a furry all of whom live inside a giant flying gun train that goes around the universe stealing cancer from people.
Johnkai Starrail was born when a femcel NEET gamer with no sense of hygiene fisted an innocent raccoon with portable space cancer while a cockroach watched.
These two of course being the members of the Stellaron Hunters, a rival group of cancer-stealing mass murderers with nothing better to do than listen to a cat meow and knock over boxes and through sheer schizophrenia, decipher it as an MS Word document on the fate of the universe that will grant each and every one of them their deepest wishes.
The Stellaron Hunters consist of:

• Femcel Bronya (she has kidney stones).
• Ms Cockroach (this bug steps on you)
• Shirou Emiya (he wants to kill himself)
• Kamen Rider (she likes genocide and cute plushies)
• Elio (literally just a cat)

Welcome aboard the Astral Express, Trailblazers! Tonight, we rail the stars!
...

Chapter 2: Johnkai Starrail does minimum wage labour in China.

Johnkai Starrail, for his countless crimes, has been sentenced to life in prison. He is to be sent to the penal colony, Penacony, with his accomplices Dong Hung and September 11th.
However, conflict arises as Ms Cockroach suddenly arrives at the Astral Express to fight for custody over Johnkai Starrail. HIMeko, not wanting her lovely deranged trash-eating son to be stressed by this legal battle, loads him into the Express' barrel and fires him to *Space China* to create low price electronics for her while he waits it all out.
However, the sheer density of Dong Hung's massive **** creates a gravitational field and pulls March and Grandpa Fraud along for the ride.
...
At the same time, Shirou Emiya holds up the General of Space China, Mid Yuan, over that one time he and his college D&D group dine-and-dashed. "Of five, three must pay a price." Fortunately, Fraud Yuan was one of the five who footed the bill so he's free to go.
...

Tangent: Man, I love eating literal garbage.

Before we move on with this haphazard story written by Hoyoverse's overworked employees through throwing stones into the air while highly sleep-deprived and trying to mesh the hallucinations spawned from them hitting the writer in the head into a concise plot, I must explain how levelling works in this game.
Called the Trace system, it, unlike its Nasuverse counterpart, operates not by concentrated schizophrenia, but rather, eating literal garbage.
In essence, for say, a Preservation character, you take them to an outhouse, and instead of ordering anything on the menu, you murder all the employees, strip the guards of their clothes, and then your Preservation character gleefully consumes the inedible masses of scrap metal ripped from their carcasses.
This gross violation of all natural laws is so pleasing to this character that it causes their prowess at violence to greatly increase by... 1%.
And now you know how to build your characters!
...
Back to the plot, Johnkai Starrail, March 7th and Grandpa Fraud are held up by Chinese Space Customs for having no passports. Fortunately, they are reduced to blood mist by the hitherto unmentioned immortal omnicidal PTSD plant menace created due to Yaoshi getting just a little too invested in Plants vs Zombies and trying to fuse the two.
The gang meet up with a fox lady named Tingyun. All you need to know about her is that she won the Best Head contest on the Buddy subreddit.
She takes the troupe of Nameless to her boss, Yukong, who's canonically a milf. Yukong tells them to screw off, so Johnkai Starrail demands to speak to the manager of China. She redirects them to Fraud Yuan.
Fraud Yuan realises this plot has been directionless for the past two hours and desperately trying to save this mess of a chapter gets Johnkai and pals to murder Shirou Emiya, because if anyone can fix a mess of a plot it's everyone's favourite sword.
...

Dong Hung does nothing but kill plants for two hours while Welt's boyfriend acts vaguely menacingly.

Dong Hung remembers he's one of the main characters and so banned from being irrelevant. However, being a lazy wad on account of the mere existence of his planet-shattering \*** consuming all his energy, leaving him with atrophied muscles in a medical condition commonly called "Twink*", Dong Hung can't be bothered to actually do anything of import.
Instead, he gets off the train, meets up with Welt's boyfriend and leaves all the plot to him since, like HI3, Otto handles everything.
In fact, Otto didn't die in HI3 because of the two scantily clad teenage girls beating him to death, but rather because his spine simply snapped after having carried the entirety of the plot for the past 15 years.
Suschlong is there too. According to the Honkai community, she has a very large cock.
...

Johnkai Starrail's custody battle comes to a head.

Johnkai Starrail and pals find Ms Cockroach, Johnkai Starrail's mother. Having been unable to convince the judges that she's the better parent to the woman whose coffee is considered worse than IX's gaze, she's decided to break the law and just take her son back through force.
With her incredible skills of Gaslight, Gatekeep, Girlboss, she dominates the party, but then a tiny Asian woman appears with a slipper, and as small Asian women are the natural enemy of cockroaches, Kafka is immediately defeated.
They drag her to a giant calculator and she has a delusional rant on how:

• She's a slave of a cat.
  
• Everything is unavoidable.
  
• Johnkai Starrail needs to fistfight God shirtless on a tall tower in the rain one day.
  

Johnkai Starrail now understands how she lost the custody battle.
...

Johnkai hunts endangered wildlife for fun.

Fu Xuan lets the clearly mentally addled old mother go. March 7th then, bored, drives an endangered species of deers extinct.
Oh yeah, wait, this thing had a plot. Yeah. remember those weird plant immortal PTSD things? They originate from smoke apparently. And Johnkai and his friends go ahead to the smoke machines to-
Whoops. Recall Tingyun? The lady who won the "Best Head" contest?
Phantylia, Ravager of Destruction, severely misunderstands what "Best Head" means and snaps her head off.
...

Dong Hung gets penetrated.

Johnkai Starrail, severely traumatized, decides to halt the plot to have a beach episode.
There, he finds Dong Hung and Shirou Emiya aggressively "sword-fighting". However, Dong Hung's prowess with his 'polearm' is nothing compared to Shirou's skill with his 'blade' and Shirou penetrates Dong Hung.
This experience of having another man inside him causes Dong Hung to experience self-realization and transform into a flamboyant, horn-y version of himself surrounded by fluid.
...
Suddenly, Yanqing arrives. Ms Cockroach , Dong Hung and Shirou Emiya all set their differences aside to beat the small child to a pulp. Johnkai Starrail sees this and joins in on the fun, followed by March 7th, Grandpa Fraud, Phantylia, Nanook, IX, Aha, Acheron, Firefly, Screwllum, Gandalf, Roland, Gilgamesh, Doctor Who, Doraemon, Goku and everyone in the Honkaiverse and a few outside.
After atomising Yanqing, everyone has a great celebration and Shirou Emiya and Dong Hung reconcile over their shared love for violence. They put aside the old unpaid bill for McDonald's that caused a rift in their friendship, the High Cloud Quintet (named after how they'd all get together to get absolutely smoked every Sunday) years ago.
...

Johnkai Starrail and friends attack a giant lady's chest till she dies and go home.

Johnkai Starrail, Fraud Yuan, Dong Hung then go to Phantylia because they just remembered she's terminally ill with space cancer.
With Dong Hung's fluids, Johnkai Starrail's lance, Fraud Yuan and Grandpa Fraud doing absolutely nothing, they easily overpower her and steal her cancer, causing her to have to give up her Make-a-Wish gift of being a giant woman and turn back into a ball of fire which Fraud Yuan stuffs into a furnace.
The gang celebrates their victory by all inviting every single fictional character to have ever been to stage the world's largest JJK jumping and eradicate the very concept of Yanqing.
...

Johnkai Starrail gets arrested for tax evasion.

Sometime later, Johnkai Starrail thinks on the abrupt ending and ponders on the matter. Was there a moral to this? Why was Otto here at all? Is it true that Suschlong is in fact larger than Dong Hung?
His questions go unanswered as he is dragged kicking and screaming back to Belobog for tax evasion.
The rest of the gang look on baffled as the entirety of Space China subsequently collapses as while they took over a meth lab and murdered a giant woman, they kind of forgot to deal with the actual problem of the immortal unkillable serial killer plant zombies everywhere.
Yeah, that happens sometimes. Some worlds prosper, other worlds get railed.
Because this truly was our,

Honkai Star Rail!

...

Roll Credits!

...

[<---Previous Part Here!]