Wooden hammock stand plans
JoJo's Bizarre OC Tournament #7: R2M20 - Dried Donuts vs Disco D. Lune
2024.05.06 02:38 CPU_Dragon JoJo's Bizarre OC Tournament #7: R2M20 - Dried Donuts vs Disco D. Lune
The results are in for Match 18. The winner is…
The human body is only capable of handling so much external stress before it collapses.
This limit depended on many factors. Your average person would likely not be able to withstand much without beginning to panic, and any truly absurd amount of stress would cause the aforementioned collapse. The more endurant among us may have a far larger limit, but a limit is still a limit. Marcus was one such man. He had lived through seemingly endless pain, forced through tragedy and turmoil at seemingly every turn. Even a man like him had his limits.
And he had long since hit them.
Marcus stumbled backwards, growling under his breath. His vision was spotty, constantly assaulted by bright lights. His skin was constantly victim to bites, blood spurting out from what felt like a thousand cuts along his body. The constant swarm had grown too loud. He felt like he was going to explode, and it took every ounce of will in his broken body to force himself to keep up with the oncoming Steric, who-
Bright light, like fireflies, filled his vision. Something from the man’s mouth. It didn’t matter what it was. It overwhelmed Marcus’s senses. His Stand was screaming something at him, but he couldn’t hear it. It was too much. This was all too much.
Something punctured his chest.
In that moment, he gained a sudden clarity. He could see the pipes around him moving skyward - no, that wasn’t right. He was falling. The man who’d been so much trouble to him was in front of him now. He glared, but there was something sympathetic there, too.
“This is for your own good!”
Ah. No, that wasn’t right. This man wanted to help him. He didn’t deserve help. Marcus’s teeth dug into Steric’s shoulder, ripping through flesh, just before-
SLAM
He landed on the factory floor, sword sinking through his chest. His head slammed against hard metal beneath him, and the reaving hound finally felt nothing but peace and silence, a gentle calmness guiding into a slumber where he may, for just a moment, find some sort of rest.
He did not want to be helped, but... He couldn’t refuse this peace and quiet, either.
Captain Hooked and Kho Pesci clattered to the concrete, as the hunter gently slid the edge of his own spectral blade out of his arm. Steric stood, panting over the incapacitated Marcus, finally given a chance to rest—a reprieve from his torment. Yet still, they both bled red in the end. Blood pooled around them, an indistinguishable mix of their collective strife and struggle over the past...how long had this been? What a headache.
Steric struggled and lurched into something approximating good posture, speaking to the aether in hopes at least one of the supposed monsters before him could hear.
"Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth? As a witness to many such spirits coming and going, I can say that it is certainly not the case, and confirm that believing otherwise truly is tantamount to vanity. We're not irredeemable, even when behaving so savagely...whether viscous with reckless abandon or flailing like a cornered beast... Do not resign yourselves, please... And I can promise the support of at least one ragged hunter." Steric’s smile was warm, inviting, and most importantly, real.
Allowing himself to sit down in the mass of viscera and buzzing flies for a mere moment, Steric uncapped his flask, only to find it empty. It truly did become one of those days, huh?
He could hear the groaning of pipes above him, the distorted form of Texas Aco glaring down from between stalks of metal. Steric could tell that she was sobbing, now, seeing her up close. He’d offer her a drink, but... Well, the flask was empty. He’d get her a milkshake later, once she calmed her down.
...How was he going to calm her down, again? She didn’t seem to look too happy with him. He probably didn’t have much time until she attacked, and lord knows he wasn’t in the state to fight. He had to say something. In a single moment, he had to say something to get her not to gut him like a fish. In a normal circumstance, he might’ve been able to think up something real clever, but with his exhausted mind, all Steric could muster was a simple
“Happy birthday, kid.”
All at once, Texas’s weeping stopped.
“I spoke to your mother earlier,” he continued, not passing up this chance. “It’s a long story, but, uh. She’s proud of you, y’know? Don’t beat yourself up too hard.”
Texas seemed to genuinely consider that, to some degree. But it was not enough, not now, and one of her wretched limbs shot towards Steric, aiming to stab right through him.
But it did not reach him. It was held, tightly, in a massive silver claw. Steric grinned.
“You could’ve given me a little more notice.” Brighid Rhodes sighed as her Stand toppled the wailing Texas Aco into the mass of pipes and held her there. “I’m a busy woman, y’know? If you hadn’t said it was urgent I would’ve ignored you.”
“Haha!” Steric collapsed onto his back, content to let his backup handle the situation. “I’m glad you gave me your card! Would’ve been a real pain in the neck otherwise.” He’d decided early into taking the job that going on his lonesome wouldn’t be the smartest call. The rest of PINDROP were all sorts of busy with other things regarding the Metropolis case, so he had to call in an outside hand. Luckily, he knew just the person to ask - even if it took a lot of work to convince her.
Brighid sighed, approaching Texas’s struggling form. She readied a hand, and dashed forward, weaving past insectoid limbs. He palm raised, and smacked into the back of the girl’s head. All at once, the buzzing stopped.
“Learned that one in college.”
For a moment, the two were silent. The situation was handled, but... What to even do, now? Brighid resigned herself to bandaging the man’s wounds, hoping and praying Texas didn’t regain consciousness anytime soon, and when she finished, the man gave her one of his signature grins.
“Let’s get her a burger or somethin’, yeah?”
Scenario: Zafar Singh’s House, Mist City — 10:42AM
Zafar didn’t live in as luxurious a mansion as some of the other high rollers of Rākinnagarh, the modern Major General and his late wife had still acquired what may be considered one for the sake of raising a family together. While the place certainly was larger than the man needed since he became the sole inhabitant, right now the house couldn’t feel smaller for the man and Mahimit—the latter having visited to discuss their future plans.
“...Are you certain about this?” Zafar spoke, breaking the silence as he poured another cup of tea for the two of them.
“Yes,” Mahimit answered wearily. “With everything that’s been going on, I think it’s really important that I take a break for the sake of my mental health.”
“I understand that, but isn’t leaving everything just…extreme? You might not be able to get back into the City’s Planning Board, and I know that was a job you loved.”
Mahi sighed, hand shaking slightly as they took a sip. “I suppose I did, but it was more that I enjoyed being able to give back to the city…I thought that I wouldn’t need to focus on myself, that I could push through everything for the sake of the city but…I just can’t anymore. I’ve realized that just pretending that everything was okay wasn’t going to fix things, and while I will miss the work I did as part of the planning board I think I really need some time for myself.”
Zafar nodded in understanding. “I see. I recognise it must be a tough decision to forgo doing some good for the city.”
“I mean, you make it look ea…sy…” Mahimit huffed, only realizing that they spoke too loud when Zafar’s eyes widened in slight shock as he lowered his teacup.
“What do you mean by that?” the major general sputtered. “I’ve done plenty for the community through the military—“
“And what has the military actually done these last few years, or even the police?” Mahi countered. “There’s been a string of murders—no, assassinations—that have been getting more and more public, with the latest being in broad daylight at a public bazaar. Why are the institutions meant to protect the city doing nothing to protect the people who live in it?”
“You know exactly the reason why we can’t do anything about it—”
“Except helping cover it up? You really think people haven’t noticed that it’s barely been covered in the news despite people having been murdered? The fact that it took place right after the police were there and left is also going to have people wondering if they’re involved with this Middleman.”
“The average person doesn’t pay attention to this sort of thing for too long—you’re severely overestimating how many people are even going to learn about it. I understand your concern but it should solve itself. It is a shame people died, yes, but leaving this alone is necessary for the good of th—”
At that, something in Mahimit snapped. “NECESSARY!?!?!?” They shouted, slamming their hands onto the table as they shot up in anger. “You’re telling me that people’s deaths were necessary?! That the murder of all these people is a good thing?!?!?!”
The room was silent, Mahimit trying to calm themself as Zafar sighed—this too will pass, he thought to himself, before speaking up to attempt to clarify. “You know that’s not what I meant—”
“Do you know what your problem is?” Mahi cut him off, voice shaking as he held back the anger he felt—but not his disappointment, dripping from his voice in volumes. “It’s that you ignore any problem until it either affects you or until it's too late: especially if it's one of your pals doing it. You wouldn’t let someone you just met commit abuse, but you’ve never once tried to stop Sing Now! from abusing his daughter during the decades of it you have been witness to. Of course you’ve never been at a crossroads in your life, you’ve always turned away whenever you’re faced with a choice.”
Mahimit started walking out of the room, facing their father once they reached the door. “I do still love you dad, but I can’t ignore all this any more,” they spoke, and then Zafar was left alone in the house once more.
The row of chic Mist City townhouses were no stranger to congregating and kibitzing; even if much of the district was nominally focused on business and luxury development, the glitzy streets and shops made for the perfect backdrop for social climbers to establish and flaunt themselves. Even here, in the residential area where the young architect stormed off, many could be found loitering and talking amongst themselves on the sidewalks.
Three heads turned to watch Mahimit as he walked past to clear his head.
One of which belonged to a motorcyclist, the sleek leather and chrome of his ride and his jacket matched the black and silver of the modern city around them, but the kaleidoscopic splashes of color on Vasant’s jacket was enough to gather attention.
Attention that would have gone to those beside him. One of whom was Gioia Arancini, talk of the tabloids for her recent arrest and subsequent firing from Night Train studios. Her hair wrapped in a headscarf and sunglasses kept her discrete: perfect for the trio’s stake out. “That’s the Planning Board’s wonderkid, yeah?”
The other celebrity nodded. An internationally acclaimed architect, Disco D. Lune was enthusiastically invited to urban planning meetings and historical societies across the city, whenever the hosts could find her, if she even deigned to give them a response. A few attended meetings at the city’s Planning Board, a few handshakes with the enigmatic Disco D. Lune and she had all the connections they could ask for. “Will you follow him?”
“Nah,” Gioia looked back towards the townhouse as Mahamit disappeared into the distance. “His dad’s the suspicious one.”
There had been murmurs of discontent stemming from the ‘conspiracy theorist's message board mixed with a gossip rag,’ and the recent rumors of the Middleman’s appearance at police altercation had only fanned the flames.
Disco frowned. Regardless of whether or not the Suite’s tendrils had burrowed into the urban planning committees, such an influence over the city as a whole made things increasingly difficult for her. “Urban planning:” top down governance and management that siphoned and suppressed the general public that she, despite her seclusion, relied on. Architects built for people after all, not shadowy cabals.
“What’s the reason we’re suspecting him again?” She asked her peers. “I understand the police may have been involved in the latest attack, but the military is quite different.”
“He’s been suspected since before we got a name to give the Metropolis Suite,” Vasant responded, keeping his attention on the house. “Some people we met a few weeks ago had found some documents in the military base that showed that finances and resources were being transferred to accounts with little attachment to army operations of any kind.”
“—And he’s a close associate of Sing Now!’s for decades,” Gioia carried on, turning to Disco. “Regardless, these latest attacks by the Middleman have been meant to scare us away from pursuing them—but that just means they’re scared of us, right?”
“Like a cornered animal,” the architect mused to herself. “Snarling to try and scare off threats.”
“Exactly: so we push harder. And what better way than to follow as many leads as we can to get at least one person to spy on a meeting? Sing Now!, Luiviton, and several we suspect such as Zhengqi—there’s people watching each of their moves. Getting into or even just able to listen to a meetup would be able to provide valuable information on who we’re dealing with.”
Vasant coughed, bringing the other two’s attention to himself. With a tilt of his head, he motioned that Zafar had left the town house and was beginning to head to a car parked outside—he was on the move.
“He’s on the move,” Gioia stated. “You two, follow him. I’ll stay behind and look through the house to find anything—I can't get more fired than I already am.”
“Got it,” Vasant nodded, hopping onto his Silver Dollar as he motioned for Disco to do the same. The architect sighed, getting onto the motorcycle behind him and holding on, before they eventually started pursuing their target at a distance.
Scenario: Holiday Road Military Base, Port Konwar — 11:24AM
Sunlight shone across the outside of the military base, silence filling the air as most of the soldiers based there had left for the weekend, leaving only those tasked with keeping guard and those involved in training new recruits. Security had been increased somewhat since the explosive infiltration that occurred months ago, but any urgency has laxed out with few incidents since.
It wasn’t that hard then for Dried Donuts to climb the perimeter wall, the guards at the nearby gate not noticing the rainbow arms of the panther’s Stand bending the barbed wire at the top to let her slip through unharmed to drop down onto the other side. She snarled as she noted the lack of vegetation in this place, with only the grass beneath her paws showing that there was once life here.
Cautiously she began to prowl around the area, investigating her surroundings as she stuck close to the wall. She’d been told that this place was dangerous, even for most humans—but that in itself had sparked her curiosity on what sort of place this was supposed to be. D.D. had learnt about what a military was, but the chance to learn more was exciting for her.
At the same time, that wasn’t the sole reason she was here: she hasn’t been paying as much attention to the recent going-ons of the city, only vaguely knowing of the existence of the Metropolis Suite through discussions some of her friends had about it. She got some weird vibes from the time she met Xenagoras, but she didn’t learn of his connection to this group until much later. To be honest, she didn’t exactly know what they were doing beyond trying to run the city from the shadows. But recently, a friend of Dawn’s got brutally wounded by someone from this Suite—so she thought that if she could figure out some info about these guys that might be able to cheer her friend up!
Her ears perked up as she heard the wall’s gate start to open, quickly cloaking herself with her Stand as she saw a car drive through and stopping. The panther quickly moved closer, spotting the driver—some buff old guy—talking to the two guards that were there.
“Is everyone accounted for?”
“Y-yes, General Zafar!” One of the guards answered, raising his hand to his head in a sharp manner—wait, was this one of those ‘salutes’ that they do? D.D. pondered.
“Good—make sure nobody manages to get in, I need some peace today.”
“Sir yes sir!”
With that, the car continued on into the compound as the gates shut behind him. D.D. recognised that name from when she was using the internet to read up more on this place—that guy’s the person in charge here! And given his supposed connections, he certainly isn’t the model of a modern major general. Surely if there was a Metro meeting or something he would be going to it, right?
As she began to follow where the car was headed, she noticed something strange occurring on one of the outer walls: a door had appeared, subtle and blending into the rest of the wall but it was still there. This caught the attention of D.D.—to her knowledge doors didn’t just appear out of thin air.
The panther watched as the door opened, and a woman stepped through and closed it behind her. The door vanished almost as quickly as it had formed, leaving just the person who made it, her dark suit making her begin to blend into the shadows—at least, for a human’s senses she would. D.D. recognised this figure from internet news articles: Disco D. Lune, one of the most well known architects in Rakin City. What was she doing here? Was she also trying to follow that Zafar guy?
Disco sighed looking at her surroundings—she couldn’t afford to lose Zafar now after Vasant had managed to find her an opening to get into the base. Surveying her surroundings, she paused as she noticed a shimmer of light in the middle of the wall’s shadow. Instantly, she summoned her Stand to her side, keeping her eyes on what she presumed to be a threat.
D.D. stepped back, surprised to have been spotted so soon while excited as she figured out that door must have been a Stand effect. Cautious, she decided to uncloak and reveal herself to the architect, whose eyes widened as she saw a panther materialize in front of her.
The two’s attention were quickly taken by a loud shout, the two instantly hiding as they saw Zafar exit his car as he was shouting over to one of his men. One quickly ran over to the general, and the two watched as he was handed the keys to Zafar’s car. It seemed that he had decided to continue his journey on foot past the next set of gates.
As the two Stand Users hid, looking from each other to Zafar, they realized that the two of them both had the same goal—alongside the fact that it was likely that only one of them was going to successfully follow the general without getting caught.
Open the Game!
Location: The Holiday Road Military Base!
The outline of the base and its buildings are given here, along with how many floors are in each building and section. The base does not have exact dimensions, but is fairly large. Zafar's path is given here.
He will arrive in a car, drive along the roads through the checkpoints, then get out and walk to a group of new recruits doing training exercises. He will examine them and their bunks, then examine the marina. He will visit the office briefly, then get lunch, then work in his office for a while. His route will take roughly 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Once he’s done with his office work, he will exit the office, enter the parking garage, and drive out in a car. He will do so with no fanfare, and afterwards drive out to a meeting with the rest of the Metropolis Suite. It is highly suggested that players keep especially close tabs on him while he is in the parking garage, and keep in mind he will be on highest alert there.
The compound is ringed by brick walls that are 5m high and lined with anti-climbing surfaces on top, and there are several watchtowers that would be able to point out anyone actively out of place. There are checkpoints, denoted by red lines, where someone going into the base must present identification. Obviously, players may circumvent these with their Stands how they wish; they are not expected to go through checkpoints normally.
The military buildings, notably the garages, training fields, barracks, and marina, are filled with various soldiers and service people going about their day to day work. The office buildings contain white-collar workers, while the central command contains the higher-ups in the base and their offices. Zafar’s office space is on the third floor, marked out in red.
All buildings have security cameras that are being watched by reasonably competent guards; obvious skulduggery will likely be noticed. Assume that unless you’re inside a bathroom, while in a building, you will be watched by some security camera. Creating a distraction for the guards or otherwise making yourself hidden is recommended.
Goal: Follow Zafar without getting caught, and keep an eye on his actions throughout the military base! Zafar will be walking in the path specified on the map - while players do not have to follow his exact path or keep eyes on him at all times, they must stay aware of where he is moving around the map. Keep in mind that in character, players do not know his routine or path, and must trail him without leaning on that knowledge.
Players may not attack any people on the map, as any fight or an NPCs’ absence will be noticed and put the base on high alert. If a player is spotted and confirmed as an intruder, or a player loses track of Zafar, this will count as a loss condition. While they don’t have to stick by him entirely, the players must at least be aware of his general location and be able to follow him.
Players may enter from any point they wish on the edges of the map. In the event that neither player loses the match and both keep track of Zafar proficiently, whoever leaves the less overall evidence behind of their presence on the military base will be counted as the winner.
Additional Information: Zafar’s attention will be drawn to especially loud noises, but will continue onwards if he does not spot anyone. Repeated bizarre situations or seeing the same person over and over will raise his guard; he isn’t expecting anyone to follow him around at the start of the match, but he can and will spot a sloppy approach.
Zafar and everyone else in the match cannot see Stands, but will still be able to see their effects.
Players may use any misdirection, stealth, disguise, and other factors to keep their presence hidden. The longer that a player loiters in a particular area, the more likely any disguise they have will fail. Part of the challenge of the match isn’t just following Zafar, but remaining non-obvious when he stays in a location for a particular amount of time.
Security is highest on the areas right outside of the map or on large, open areas. It’s lowest inside of the office buildings, or in areas with a lot of people. It does take some effort to get past checkpoints into or out of buildings, though these can be circumvented through various means. The more close scrapes players have, the more alert people will be as rumors of some intruders start going around.
Disco won a bid on designing the main building; while she has no intrinsic knowledge of other buildings on the map that her Architectural knowledge wouldn’t give her, she knows the full blueprint of the large building, including the location of all security cameras and their blindspots. Both players can be considered to have some understanding of how to ‘move’ around an environment while disguised to not be seen as suspicious.
Link to Official Player Spreadsheet
Link to Match Schedule
As always, if you would like to interact with the tournament community and be among the first to get updates for the tournament, please feel free to PM a member of our Judge staff for an invite to our Official Discord Server!
submitted by CPU_Dragon to StardustCrusaders [link] [comments]
The human body is only capable of handling so much external stress before it collapses.
This limit depended on many factors. Your average person would likely not be able to withstand much without beginning to panic, and any truly absurd amount of stress would cause the aforementioned collapse. The more endurant among us may have a far larger limit, but a limit is still a limit. Marcus was one such man. He had lived through seemingly endless pain, forced through tragedy and turmoil at seemingly every turn. Even a man like him had his limits.
And he had long since hit them.
Marcus stumbled backwards, growling under his breath. His vision was spotty, constantly assaulted by bright lights. His skin was constantly victim to bites, blood spurting out from what felt like a thousand cuts along his body. The constant swarm had grown too loud. He felt like he was going to explode, and it took every ounce of will in his broken body to force himself to keep up with the oncoming Steric, who-
Bright light, like fireflies, filled his vision. Something from the man’s mouth. It didn’t matter what it was. It overwhelmed Marcus’s senses. His Stand was screaming something at him, but he couldn’t hear it. It was too much. This was all too much.
Something punctured his chest.
In that moment, he gained a sudden clarity. He could see the pipes around him moving skyward - no, that wasn’t right. He was falling. The man who’d been so much trouble to him was in front of him now. He glared, but there was something sympathetic there, too.
“This is for your own good!”
Ah. No, that wasn’t right. This man wanted to help him. He didn’t deserve help. Marcus’s teeth dug into Steric’s shoulder, ripping through flesh, just before-
SLAM
He landed on the factory floor, sword sinking through his chest. His head slammed against hard metal beneath him, and the reaving hound finally felt nothing but peace and silence, a gentle calmness guiding into a slumber where he may, for just a moment, find some sort of rest.
He did not want to be helped, but... He couldn’t refuse this peace and quiet, either.
Steric Lou Farin, with a score of 78 to Marcus Keller’s 69!
| Category | Winner | Point Totals | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Popularity | Steric Lou Farin | 11 (4.5+2) - 19 (8.5+2) | Thank you to everyone who turned up to vote! |
| Quality | Steric Lou Farin | 23 (7 8 8) - 24 (7 8 9) | Reasoning |
| JoJolity | Tie | 25 (8 7 10) - 25 (7 8 10) | Reasoning |
| Conduct | Tie | 10-10 | Nothing to report! |
Steric struggled and lurched into something approximating good posture, speaking to the aether in hopes at least one of the supposed monsters before him could hear.
"Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth? As a witness to many such spirits coming and going, I can say that it is certainly not the case, and confirm that believing otherwise truly is tantamount to vanity. We're not irredeemable, even when behaving so savagely...whether viscous with reckless abandon or flailing like a cornered beast... Do not resign yourselves, please... And I can promise the support of at least one ragged hunter." Steric’s smile was warm, inviting, and most importantly, real.
Allowing himself to sit down in the mass of viscera and buzzing flies for a mere moment, Steric uncapped his flask, only to find it empty. It truly did become one of those days, huh?
He could hear the groaning of pipes above him, the distorted form of Texas Aco glaring down from between stalks of metal. Steric could tell that she was sobbing, now, seeing her up close. He’d offer her a drink, but... Well, the flask was empty. He’d get her a milkshake later, once she calmed her down.
...How was he going to calm her down, again? She didn’t seem to look too happy with him. He probably didn’t have much time until she attacked, and lord knows he wasn’t in the state to fight. He had to say something. In a single moment, he had to say something to get her not to gut him like a fish. In a normal circumstance, he might’ve been able to think up something real clever, but with his exhausted mind, all Steric could muster was a simple
“Happy birthday, kid.”
All at once, Texas’s weeping stopped.
“I spoke to your mother earlier,” he continued, not passing up this chance. “It’s a long story, but, uh. She’s proud of you, y’know? Don’t beat yourself up too hard.”
Texas seemed to genuinely consider that, to some degree. But it was not enough, not now, and one of her wretched limbs shot towards Steric, aiming to stab right through him.
But it did not reach him. It was held, tightly, in a massive silver claw. Steric grinned.
“You could’ve given me a little more notice.” Brighid Rhodes sighed as her Stand toppled the wailing Texas Aco into the mass of pipes and held her there. “I’m a busy woman, y’know? If you hadn’t said it was urgent I would’ve ignored you.”
“Haha!” Steric collapsed onto his back, content to let his backup handle the situation. “I’m glad you gave me your card! Would’ve been a real pain in the neck otherwise.” He’d decided early into taking the job that going on his lonesome wouldn’t be the smartest call. The rest of PINDROP were all sorts of busy with other things regarding the Metropolis case, so he had to call in an outside hand. Luckily, he knew just the person to ask - even if it took a lot of work to convince her.
Brighid sighed, approaching Texas’s struggling form. She readied a hand, and dashed forward, weaving past insectoid limbs. He palm raised, and smacked into the back of the girl’s head. All at once, the buzzing stopped.
“Learned that one in college.”
For a moment, the two were silent. The situation was handled, but... What to even do, now? Brighid resigned herself to bandaging the man’s wounds, hoping and praying Texas didn’t regain consciousness anytime soon, and when she finished, the man gave her one of his signature grins.
“Let’s get her a burger or somethin’, yeah?”
If you’re looking for another brutal brawl, check out the latest Middleman attack, leaving two Stand Users to fend off them and each other!
Zafar didn’t live in as luxurious a mansion as some of the other high rollers of Rākinnagarh, the modern Major General and his late wife had still acquired what may be considered one for the sake of raising a family together. While the place certainly was larger than the man needed since he became the sole inhabitant, right now the house couldn’t feel smaller for the man and Mahimit—the latter having visited to discuss their future plans.
“...Are you certain about this?” Zafar spoke, breaking the silence as he poured another cup of tea for the two of them.
“Yes,” Mahimit answered wearily. “With everything that’s been going on, I think it’s really important that I take a break for the sake of my mental health.”
“I understand that, but isn’t leaving everything just…extreme? You might not be able to get back into the City’s Planning Board, and I know that was a job you loved.”
Mahi sighed, hand shaking slightly as they took a sip. “I suppose I did, but it was more that I enjoyed being able to give back to the city…I thought that I wouldn’t need to focus on myself, that I could push through everything for the sake of the city but…I just can’t anymore. I’ve realized that just pretending that everything was okay wasn’t going to fix things, and while I will miss the work I did as part of the planning board I think I really need some time for myself.”
Zafar nodded in understanding. “I see. I recognise it must be a tough decision to forgo doing some good for the city.”
“I mean, you make it look ea…sy…” Mahimit huffed, only realizing that they spoke too loud when Zafar’s eyes widened in slight shock as he lowered his teacup.
“What do you mean by that?” the major general sputtered. “I’ve done plenty for the community through the military—“
“And what has the military actually done these last few years, or even the police?” Mahi countered. “There’s been a string of murders—no, assassinations—that have been getting more and more public, with the latest being in broad daylight at a public bazaar. Why are the institutions meant to protect the city doing nothing to protect the people who live in it?”
“You know exactly the reason why we can’t do anything about it—”
“Except helping cover it up? You really think people haven’t noticed that it’s barely been covered in the news despite people having been murdered? The fact that it took place right after the police were there and left is also going to have people wondering if they’re involved with this Middleman.”
“The average person doesn’t pay attention to this sort of thing for too long—you’re severely overestimating how many people are even going to learn about it. I understand your concern but it should solve itself. It is a shame people died, yes, but leaving this alone is necessary for the good of th—”
At that, something in Mahimit snapped. “NECESSARY!?!?!?” They shouted, slamming their hands onto the table as they shot up in anger. “You’re telling me that people’s deaths were necessary?! That the murder of all these people is a good thing?!?!?!”
The room was silent, Mahimit trying to calm themself as Zafar sighed—this too will pass, he thought to himself, before speaking up to attempt to clarify. “You know that’s not what I meant—”
“Do you know what your problem is?” Mahi cut him off, voice shaking as he held back the anger he felt—but not his disappointment, dripping from his voice in volumes. “It’s that you ignore any problem until it either affects you or until it's too late: especially if it's one of your pals doing it. You wouldn’t let someone you just met commit abuse, but you’ve never once tried to stop Sing Now! from abusing his daughter during the decades of it you have been witness to. Of course you’ve never been at a crossroads in your life, you’ve always turned away whenever you’re faced with a choice.”
Mahimit started walking out of the room, facing their father once they reached the door. “I do still love you dad, but I can’t ignore all this any more,” they spoke, and then Zafar was left alone in the house once more.
Three heads turned to watch Mahimit as he walked past to clear his head.
One of which belonged to a motorcyclist, the sleek leather and chrome of his ride and his jacket matched the black and silver of the modern city around them, but the kaleidoscopic splashes of color on Vasant’s jacket was enough to gather attention.
Attention that would have gone to those beside him. One of whom was Gioia Arancini, talk of the tabloids for her recent arrest and subsequent firing from Night Train studios. Her hair wrapped in a headscarf and sunglasses kept her discrete: perfect for the trio’s stake out. “That’s the Planning Board’s wonderkid, yeah?”
The other celebrity nodded. An internationally acclaimed architect, Disco D. Lune was enthusiastically invited to urban planning meetings and historical societies across the city, whenever the hosts could find her, if she even deigned to give them a response. A few attended meetings at the city’s Planning Board, a few handshakes with the enigmatic Disco D. Lune and she had all the connections they could ask for. “Will you follow him?”
“Nah,” Gioia looked back towards the townhouse as Mahamit disappeared into the distance. “His dad’s the suspicious one.”
There had been murmurs of discontent stemming from the ‘conspiracy theorist's message board mixed with a gossip rag,’ and the recent rumors of the Middleman’s appearance at police altercation had only fanned the flames.
Disco frowned. Regardless of whether or not the Suite’s tendrils had burrowed into the urban planning committees, such an influence over the city as a whole made things increasingly difficult for her. “Urban planning:” top down governance and management that siphoned and suppressed the general public that she, despite her seclusion, relied on. Architects built for people after all, not shadowy cabals.
“What’s the reason we’re suspecting him again?” She asked her peers. “I understand the police may have been involved in the latest attack, but the military is quite different.”
“He’s been suspected since before we got a name to give the Metropolis Suite,” Vasant responded, keeping his attention on the house. “Some people we met a few weeks ago had found some documents in the military base that showed that finances and resources were being transferred to accounts with little attachment to army operations of any kind.”
“—And he’s a close associate of Sing Now!’s for decades,” Gioia carried on, turning to Disco. “Regardless, these latest attacks by the Middleman have been meant to scare us away from pursuing them—but that just means they’re scared of us, right?”
“Like a cornered animal,” the architect mused to herself. “Snarling to try and scare off threats.”
“Exactly: so we push harder. And what better way than to follow as many leads as we can to get at least one person to spy on a meeting? Sing Now!, Luiviton, and several we suspect such as Zhengqi—there’s people watching each of their moves. Getting into or even just able to listen to a meetup would be able to provide valuable information on who we’re dealing with.”
Vasant coughed, bringing the other two’s attention to himself. With a tilt of his head, he motioned that Zafar had left the town house and was beginning to head to a car parked outside—he was on the move.
“He’s on the move,” Gioia stated. “You two, follow him. I’ll stay behind and look through the house to find anything—I can't get more fired than I already am.”
“Got it,” Vasant nodded, hopping onto his Silver Dollar as he motioned for Disco to do the same. The architect sighed, getting onto the motorcycle behind him and holding on, before they eventually started pursuing their target at a distance.
Sunlight shone across the outside of the military base, silence filling the air as most of the soldiers based there had left for the weekend, leaving only those tasked with keeping guard and those involved in training new recruits. Security had been increased somewhat since the explosive infiltration that occurred months ago, but any urgency has laxed out with few incidents since.
It wasn’t that hard then for Dried Donuts to climb the perimeter wall, the guards at the nearby gate not noticing the rainbow arms of the panther’s Stand bending the barbed wire at the top to let her slip through unharmed to drop down onto the other side. She snarled as she noted the lack of vegetation in this place, with only the grass beneath her paws showing that there was once life here.
Cautiously she began to prowl around the area, investigating her surroundings as she stuck close to the wall. She’d been told that this place was dangerous, even for most humans—but that in itself had sparked her curiosity on what sort of place this was supposed to be. D.D. had learnt about what a military was, but the chance to learn more was exciting for her.
At the same time, that wasn’t the sole reason she was here: she hasn’t been paying as much attention to the recent going-ons of the city, only vaguely knowing of the existence of the Metropolis Suite through discussions some of her friends had about it. She got some weird vibes from the time she met Xenagoras, but she didn’t learn of his connection to this group until much later. To be honest, she didn’t exactly know what they were doing beyond trying to run the city from the shadows. But recently, a friend of Dawn’s got brutally wounded by someone from this Suite—so she thought that if she could figure out some info about these guys that might be able to cheer her friend up!
Her ears perked up as she heard the wall’s gate start to open, quickly cloaking herself with her Stand as she saw a car drive through and stopping. The panther quickly moved closer, spotting the driver—some buff old guy—talking to the two guards that were there.
“Is everyone accounted for?”
“Y-yes, General Zafar!” One of the guards answered, raising his hand to his head in a sharp manner—wait, was this one of those ‘salutes’ that they do? D.D. pondered.
“Good—make sure nobody manages to get in, I need some peace today.”
“Sir yes sir!”
With that, the car continued on into the compound as the gates shut behind him. D.D. recognised that name from when she was using the internet to read up more on this place—that guy’s the person in charge here! And given his supposed connections, he certainly isn’t the model of a modern major general. Surely if there was a Metro meeting or something he would be going to it, right?
As she began to follow where the car was headed, she noticed something strange occurring on one of the outer walls: a door had appeared, subtle and blending into the rest of the wall but it was still there. This caught the attention of D.D.—to her knowledge doors didn’t just appear out of thin air.
The panther watched as the door opened, and a woman stepped through and closed it behind her. The door vanished almost as quickly as it had formed, leaving just the person who made it, her dark suit making her begin to blend into the shadows—at least, for a human’s senses she would. D.D. recognised this figure from internet news articles: Disco D. Lune, one of the most well known architects in Rakin City. What was she doing here? Was she also trying to follow that Zafar guy?
Disco sighed looking at her surroundings—she couldn’t afford to lose Zafar now after Vasant had managed to find her an opening to get into the base. Surveying her surroundings, she paused as she noticed a shimmer of light in the middle of the wall’s shadow. Instantly, she summoned her Stand to her side, keeping her eyes on what she presumed to be a threat.
D.D. stepped back, surprised to have been spotted so soon while excited as she figured out that door must have been a Stand effect. Cautious, she decided to uncloak and reveal herself to the architect, whose eyes widened as she saw a panther materialize in front of her.
The two’s attention were quickly taken by a loud shout, the two instantly hiding as they saw Zafar exit his car as he was shouting over to one of his men. One quickly ran over to the general, and the two watched as he was handed the keys to Zafar’s car. It seemed that he had decided to continue his journey on foot past the next set of gates.
As the two Stand Users hid, looking from each other to Zafar, they realized that the two of them both had the same goal—alongside the fact that it was likely that only one of them was going to successfully follow the general without getting caught.
Open the Game!
The outline of the base and its buildings are given here, along with how many floors are in each building and section. The base does not have exact dimensions, but is fairly large. Zafar's path is given here.
He will arrive in a car, drive along the roads through the checkpoints, then get out and walk to a group of new recruits doing training exercises. He will examine them and their bunks, then examine the marina. He will visit the office briefly, then get lunch, then work in his office for a while. His route will take roughly 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Once he’s done with his office work, he will exit the office, enter the parking garage, and drive out in a car. He will do so with no fanfare, and afterwards drive out to a meeting with the rest of the Metropolis Suite. It is highly suggested that players keep especially close tabs on him while he is in the parking garage, and keep in mind he will be on highest alert there.
The compound is ringed by brick walls that are 5m high and lined with anti-climbing surfaces on top, and there are several watchtowers that would be able to point out anyone actively out of place. There are checkpoints, denoted by red lines, where someone going into the base must present identification. Obviously, players may circumvent these with their Stands how they wish; they are not expected to go through checkpoints normally.
The military buildings, notably the garages, training fields, barracks, and marina, are filled with various soldiers and service people going about their day to day work. The office buildings contain white-collar workers, while the central command contains the higher-ups in the base and their offices. Zafar’s office space is on the third floor, marked out in red.
All buildings have security cameras that are being watched by reasonably competent guards; obvious skulduggery will likely be noticed. Assume that unless you’re inside a bathroom, while in a building, you will be watched by some security camera. Creating a distraction for the guards or otherwise making yourself hidden is recommended.
Goal: Follow Zafar without getting caught, and keep an eye on his actions throughout the military base! Zafar will be walking in the path specified on the map - while players do not have to follow his exact path or keep eyes on him at all times, they must stay aware of where he is moving around the map. Keep in mind that in character, players do not know his routine or path, and must trail him without leaning on that knowledge.
Players may not attack any people on the map, as any fight or an NPCs’ absence will be noticed and put the base on high alert. If a player is spotted and confirmed as an intruder, or a player loses track of Zafar, this will count as a loss condition. While they don’t have to stick by him entirely, the players must at least be aware of his general location and be able to follow him.
Players may enter from any point they wish on the edges of the map. In the event that neither player loses the match and both keep track of Zafar proficiently, whoever leaves the less overall evidence behind of their presence on the military base will be counted as the winner.
Additional Information: Zafar’s attention will be drawn to especially loud noises, but will continue onwards if he does not spot anyone. Repeated bizarre situations or seeing the same person over and over will raise his guard; he isn’t expecting anyone to follow him around at the start of the match, but he can and will spot a sloppy approach.
Zafar and everyone else in the match cannot see Stands, but will still be able to see their effects.
Players may use any misdirection, stealth, disguise, and other factors to keep their presence hidden. The longer that a player loiters in a particular area, the more likely any disguise they have will fail. Part of the challenge of the match isn’t just following Zafar, but remaining non-obvious when he stays in a location for a particular amount of time.
Security is highest on the areas right outside of the map or on large, open areas. It’s lowest inside of the office buildings, or in areas with a lot of people. It does take some effort to get past checkpoints into or out of buildings, though these can be circumvented through various means. The more close scrapes players have, the more alert people will be as rumors of some intruders start going around.
Disco won a bid on designing the main building; while she has no intrinsic knowledge of other buildings on the map that her Architectural knowledge wouldn’t give her, she knows the full blueprint of the large building, including the location of all security cameras and their blindspots. Both players can be considered to have some understanding of how to ‘move’ around an environment while disguised to not be seen as suspicious.
| Team | Combatant | JoJolity |
|---|---|---|
| I.M.P.A.C.T. | Dried Donuts | “Choose. (2 seconds remaining.) [Banana Peel] or [Dog Turd]” You’re an ambush predator, and some old fogey isn’t going to shake you! Use every tool you have, and show off mastery of human behavior and stealth! |
| Evergreen | Disco D. Lune | Paisely Park, what ‘lock’ did you just break?” You’ve designed so many structures for these people, it requires an intimate knowledge of how they think and act. Use every tool you have, and show off mastery of human behavior and misdirection! |
Link to Match Schedule
2024.05.06 02:37 pas_mecra Standalone soundbar that create a sense of surround for small room?
Hey, i'm planning to buy my first "good" TV, I hesitated between Sony a80l and LG 3 (both in 55"). I live in the very small appartement with thin wall so have to listen stuff at low/medium volume. I never had a sound system and i'm a noob on this so for me the Sony was the best deal because the inboard sound IS really good for a TV with a good sense of "immersion", "surround" effect and i think its good enough for my situation but the LG is cheaper and i assume have a far better image quality but bad inboard audio. I maybe the best choice is to go with the LG and buy a standalone speakesoundbar but IS there any product that IS stand alone and produce wide and immersif sound ? At reasonable/medium budget ?
submitted by pas_mecra to Soundbars [link] [comments]
2024.05.06 02:24 KenMac1974 Look at this the way I do!
I said this a month and half ago that if we that vested got one person to invest a less than 200$ we would have hit the hard cap. This supposed to be a community driven event that we bought into. Again I’ll say mindset. If I was having this baby, I wouldn’t leave it lying there in afterbirth, I’d would do everything possible to ensure that would make it in the deep waters, that from pen to paper I dotted all the I’s and crossed all the T’s and it safe and secure firmly placed and set up for the success I created it for, ( Thank you for doing that for us),… I know everyone knows everything about how to put in place all the protocols necessary to secure a token on the Ethereum Blockchain, and we all know the proper way to bring it to market introduce a true rival to bitcoin, but we just didn’t do it. In fact no one has til now. Scams do happen, BUT people that have the knowledge to do so, scam MILLIONS of dollars from people eventually most go to prison. If the team that created MOLLARS had the knowledge to accomplish what they have accomplished, It’s not all about getting their pockets fat, just think about it. Just like a credible business that is successful has to a business plan, websites and processes, so does a creator of a digital currency with the White Paper. Road map. Tokenomics . I firmly believe they could have created a shit coin took it live and gotten a million dollars a lot quicker. No bull shit legally. Think about it. If they could create what they have, they could have a lot easier and a lot less time and effort created Elonsbabiesmomma Inu. Tokenomics trillion coins burn one for each sold, (sounds pretty good right)spend a couple thousand to bots on media platforms to boost it and then when blows up, white paper shows that they get 10% or whatever they would make millions not two million, 30-100 million are what ever. But they created a Mollars a SVT with half the supply of Bitcoin why if you had the knowledge and know how to create what they have would you risk going to prison over a million or two million ??? And I can pretty much guess that it’s not just one person doing everything it’s a team plural so they chop it up and walk away with 400k$ if that’s the case give everyone there money back and contact me with your knowledge and my ideas, you could make millions at no risk of prison. I hope that makes sense to everyone. Scams in digital currency makes 100’s of millions of dollars a year. And most have been caught and imprisoned and the others live in fear. Now that that’s out of the way. Here’s my thoughts backed by facts and little about me. I found out about Mollars on CoinGecko and CryptoRank which reports most scams and give information about presales. After doing my due diligence I decided to buy in without going to Social media sites because I saw evidence of the potential for this project but I have never bought in a presale before because of so much crap that is out there.And I didn’t want to be swayed by the consensus of someone who is trolling or had a bad day. Historically after Bitcoin halving, which this time the data is different especially after ETF approval and BTC reaching its ATH pre halving. But after. ever crypto follows BTC Trajectory very volatile the first couple weeks I paid with Eth as some of you others. The volatility is real for a lot of reasons market conditions, investor sentiment. According to Ycharts the US investors were 32.14%bullish two weeks ago the action was sideways and /or down compared to 4 weeks ago last week was 38.49% and now that investors know what the Feds are doing with rates the market will continue as it historically does on its upward trend, and based off information that by the 31st of this month both major players will be a lot higher in price compared to the 30th of April, for Mollars investors we will have a higher evaluation and time for the management to see if any other exchanges want to play ball will be some point before the end of the month, it didn’t help that the feds aren’t lowering the rates. @mollarinvestingchad you have been a champion for this project and I don’t know what you have in this, but you are part of this community and for you to make a comment from the emotional state you were in at that was difficult to read. Let’s not forget the terms and conditions of our investment. I don’t know exactly where I saw it, but the management did apologize, but did it for the people. I have been a winner since investing and I have lost . But I stand bullish and if have an negative emotions they are kept to myself for the greater good of the community, when you have a negative feeling or attitude it’s contagious and it gives a voice to those who have been hating on this project from day one. This isn’t a rug pull Im completely confident in that, every one of us that has skin in the game needs to come together as the Mollars family and prosper and grow stronger. In every business I had expectations and goals that I was going to achieve, and some I have failed one way by not the profits I set, for unforeseen reasons because of licensing issues taking 7 months longer to get them, Covid screwed up and set back my biggest one. One of the number one selling t-shirt and koozies in the 80’s had a saying written on them that said “ Shit Happens “ the words you can put in front of that can have behind it can sway to mean it’s positive or negative. But it will always suggest a reason. And to have reason, you have action and in this case the action is for a good reason. It’s to help us grow more??! Limitless. Let’s all rally together and support our team leaders and their decisions. After I invested I went through some tough times . Where 20$ was the difference of me feeding my dog first and then myself, luckily I have been good to people and have built relationships where when I’m going through something I had basically what I consider family to help out. And everyone that knows me I always pay it forward 10 fold. You can say I’m a good guy with good moral compass, I’m a protector and I’m not one where people can confuse my kindness as weakness because I’m a warrior and have put myself in harm’s way to protect or defend someone I care for, in fact I’ve done for complete strangers. Against odds. I never cared about what people thought, I only cared for what’s right. Jumping someone because of race are religion is not right, man hitting a woman, and in my presence since I can remember those people got to know me real personal like. I am a different breed because I have witnessed events where several people could maybe prevented or stopped before I could get to them. Most of the times it wasn’t popular, but no one could say it wasn’t right. In business I have lost in the short term because of principles of different matters . I would be and I am better at face to face engagement of any kind at any time. I don’t use code names or user names that I don’t go by, And when I commit to something I’m committed.. And I believe that this is an opportunity of a lifetime for those of you that have or willing to invest and become part of this new community there’s something that has to change and it’s us it depends on us to build value and let people know that we’re part of something that is going shake up Bitcoin . I know it’s a lot easier to be negative when everyone is still trying to speculate . But I promise you, not only in this community but in every community the long term effects, the residual value and benefits of being positive and committing to apply this in everything in life , you’ll see doors open you never thought possible, you will be recognized by your peers differently, that see you as being more creative , a real one and you will become the a leader built with value, knowledge and a type of strength you have always wondered about, like how things seem so easy for some people and that tough for others. We live in a fast growing world and the Elites will somehow find a way to take away our rights to get in projects like this. I hope it doesn’t happen but we are in the fight of our lives to keep Crypto defi and unregulated but right now they haven’t and I believe this our chance and I hope it is the vision of the creators of Mollars and everyone of us see the greatness that can come for building the community for Mollars because it’s going to make Millionaires and when we become that I hope that we will want to have a clear mission to be better. Less be honest right now not one of us are whales yet. Whales move what our hard cap is daily .And the value of a 1$ dollar is something different for every person on this Earth but will not change anyone’s life for a time. But picture this, your maintain a positive mindset about your investment and you remain bullish. If see the event of turning 1$ in 2$ isn’t the attitude that we as a community should, but turning 1 Mollar into a house, or college tuition, or drinking water for a third world country. No limit mindset is truly decentralized and it’s a choice that will require discipline and accountability for how you respond and approach every decision you make. What would you do without limits. This possible and the blueprint on how to achieve is written in this comment that I hope transcends as one of the many stones to house our community needs in pursuit of the same goal, not only to profit but be better than we are now and invite someone else along with us on this limitless journey in our lives, to be better than we were the day before. To become the best version of ourselves and it is shown everywhere anywhere anytime. That we bought into one of the greatest digital assets ever created and we not only make a difference in our own lives but we are truly free to make a difference in this world. Everyone that bought in, now let’s collectively buy in this mindset that is 100 - Mollar will become as big as we imagine it to be. Let’s grow as a community and write our own future together. Don’t just read this, engage with me with your positive mindset. Share what you would like to achieve. We need to act as if, Mollars has surpassed any expectations. If we all come together with a positive message, not about the set backs we personally feel, but what you want it to be. We got hacked in the middle of presale that took time to straighten things out, but the team pulled us through. We could have lost it, but they stood up for us and now let’s stand with them. Let’s make today the best day. Everyone engage with volumes of positive expectations and we are just in overtime and we will win. Let’s everyone blow up our own social media accounts proudly explain why you are in. Let’s Go !!!!
submitted by KenMac1974 to mollarstoken [link] [comments]
2024.05.06 02:08 nimiates "Unlocking the Future: NIM's Space Innovation Challenge for a New
Welcome to the Future with NIM: A Launchpad for Space Innovation 🚀
Introduction: Lighting Up the Way with the NIM-Themed Space Innovation Challenge
In the fast-evolving cosmos of space technology, Nordman Industries Manufacturing Inc. (NIM) takes a giant leap towards the future with a bold initiative: the annual NIM-themed Space Innovation Challenge. This visionary competition merges the worlds of Nanosatellites, Innovative Materials, and Machine Learning to forge a path to unprecedented technological advancements. By rallying a spectrum of intellects from researchers to entrepreneurs, NIM sets the stage for a breakthrough that might just rewrite the rules of the space technology game.A Brief Overview of the Opportunity at Hand
As we stand on the brink of major technological upheavals, the space industry has never been more ripe for innovation. The NIM-themed challenge is designed as a competitive but collaborative arena where barriers are meant to be broken. With a projected space economy raking in a stellar $1.1 trillion by 2045, the stakes and opportunities are incredibly high.Primary Beneficiaries: - Innovators and visionaries in space technology - Academic and research circles - National and international space agencies
Secondary Beneficiaries: - Investors looking for bright minds and ideas - Industries on the brink of technological integration
Strengths and Strategic Objectives: What Makes NIM Stand Apart
Catalyzing Innovations
NIM’s challenge is not just a competition; it's a catalyst for evolving futuristic technologies in nanosatellites, material sciences, and AI. The blend of these three critical areas is primed to accelerate the frontiers of space research and commercialization.Forging Interdisciplinary Alliances
One of the challenge's core strengths lies in its power to amalgamate expertise from disparate fields, promoting a rich interdisciplinary exchange that is crucial for innovation in complex fields like space technology.Encouragement and Recognition
With lucrative prizes and industry recognition on the line, participants are provided a unique platform to get noticed by potential mentors, partners, and investors, thereby accelerating their careers and projects.Future Proofing through Scalability
The challenge is designed to grow. With partnerships with leading industry names and constant evolution to include upcoming trends, such as AI-driven autonomous systems, the initiative is strategically positioned for sustained impact.Addressing the Challenges Head-on
While the potential is sky-high, so are the challenges. Here’s how NIM plans to navigate through:- Resource and Infrastructure constraints are real concerns given the resource-heavy demands of space tech innovations. NIM plans to tackle this through strategic partnerships offering access to essential resources.
- Regulatory and Compliance Challenges are often hurdles in the space sector. Clear regulatory pathways are a priority in the detailed planning phase to streamline legal and compliance processes.
- Complex Implementation might slow down processes owing to the interdisciplinary nature of the challenge. However, with robust strategic planning and phased goals, NIM is geared up to handle such complexities.
The Impact: Elevating the Global Space Economy
The ripple effects of the NIM-themed challenge will likely be diverse and significant. By connecting with academic and industry leaders, this challenge seeks to maintain a continuous innovation loop, enriching the space tech landscape with fresh ideas and talented individuals. Bridging today’s technology with tomorrow’s ideas, NIM also plans to dynamically enhance the scope of competitions to keep pace with futuristic space missions and market shifts.Conclusion: Join the Revolution!
This isn’t just a competition; it’s a movement. NIM is poised at the forefront of technological evolution, merging vision with action. Stay tuned as we prepare for an awe-inspiring launch that promises to make a lasting imprint on space technology.Are you ready to be part of something that’s bound to make history? Whether you're a thinker, builder, or dreamer, join us in this stellar journey.
Tap into tomorrow’s technology today! Join the Discord to stay updated and mingle with fellow space tech aficionados! 🌌
Let's innovate, collaborate and propel towards a future written in the stars! ⭐
2024.05.06 02:05 Blazethebold Echoes Of Madness
In twilight's realm, he roamed the astral plane, Where dreams entwine with madness, a haunting domain. His spirit wandered, unbound by earthly ties, But fate had darker plans beneath the starlit skies.
A vessel of dreams, he sailed on ethereal streams, Yet stumbled upon a soul lost in shattered dreams. Another's tragedy, a specter of despair, Inflicted upon him a madness, too heavy to bear.
As dawn's light broke, he returned to mortal coil, But the weight of another's madness made him recoil. With a scream that echoed through realms unseen, He grappled with the horror of a mind not serene.
To preserve his sanity, he took a desperate stand, Containing the madness within his own command. With trembling hands, he crafted a makeshift cell, A cardboard box, where the madness would dwell.
Neatly placed upon a shelf, amidst memories of yore, The madness rested, contained, yet evermore. Though his dreams were tainted by another's plight, He found solace in the darkness, holding on to the light.
submitted by Blazethebold to Poems [link] [comments]
A vessel of dreams, he sailed on ethereal streams, Yet stumbled upon a soul lost in shattered dreams. Another's tragedy, a specter of despair, Inflicted upon him a madness, too heavy to bear.
As dawn's light broke, he returned to mortal coil, But the weight of another's madness made him recoil. With a scream that echoed through realms unseen, He grappled with the horror of a mind not serene.
To preserve his sanity, he took a desperate stand, Containing the madness within his own command. With trembling hands, he crafted a makeshift cell, A cardboard box, where the madness would dwell.
Neatly placed upon a shelf, amidst memories of yore, The madness rested, contained, yet evermore. Though his dreams were tainted by another's plight, He found solace in the darkness, holding on to the light.
2024.05.06 01:54 opper-hombre1 Public urination - Pay ticket? Permanent record?
https://imgur.com/a/Nuwivfl (link to front/back of ticket)
A few weekends ago, I got a ticket for urinating in public. After bars closed, I went around the corner into the alley to go pee by the dumpster. As I’m zipping up, the cop pulls into the alley. They arrest me, print off my ticket and then let me go. The cop never actually saw me peeing, but the optics certainly do not look good. (standing by dumpster next to pool of water). I also wasn’t super intoxicated or anything like that, just had a few drinks.
I plan on just paying the $99 ticket since that seems to be the easiest option, but I’m curious if this will go on my public record? Like if an employer did a background check on me, would a public urination charge show up? Is it a misdemeanor? Ticket says it’s a violation type: S
Also, would I have any chance of getting out of this ticket if I showed up to court? Again, the cop never actually saw me peeing so it’s essentially his word vs mine, if that’s even how it works.
Should I just pay off the ticket (worried about record), or is this worth showing up to court for?
submitted by opper-hombre1 to legaladvice [link] [comments]
A few weekends ago, I got a ticket for urinating in public. After bars closed, I went around the corner into the alley to go pee by the dumpster. As I’m zipping up, the cop pulls into the alley. They arrest me, print off my ticket and then let me go. The cop never actually saw me peeing, but the optics certainly do not look good. (standing by dumpster next to pool of water). I also wasn’t super intoxicated or anything like that, just had a few drinks.
I plan on just paying the $99 ticket since that seems to be the easiest option, but I’m curious if this will go on my public record? Like if an employer did a background check on me, would a public urination charge show up? Is it a misdemeanor? Ticket says it’s a violation type: S
Also, would I have any chance of getting out of this ticket if I showed up to court? Again, the cop never actually saw me peeing so it’s essentially his word vs mine, if that’s even how it works.
Should I just pay off the ticket (worried about record), or is this worth showing up to court for?
2024.05.06 01:46 BiasMushroom Destination; Wriss (A NoP Fic Ch 65) Part 18
Nature of Humanity Ch 65
Destination; Wriss part 18
A Fanfic of u/SpacePaladin15’s work “The Nature of Predators.” Thank you for the story!
___
Excerpt of Dr. Elva's Journal recovered from the wreck of the Dauntless Victory
Many people suffer from motion sickness on space-faring ships. Normally, this comes from the disjoint of the body’s means of understanding how its actually moving and the mind's perception of how it is moving, but with the invention of inertial dampeners, one would think standing in what feels like a stationary room with no windows wouldn't cause motion sickness.
Yet, that's precisely what's been happening to me. I've never felt this way before. Dr. Wiesera believes the sudden onset of motion sickness is caused by the stress of our current situation. I am given to believe her as I have noticed ticks in the rest of the crew. For example, Crevan has begun pacing in circles but seems confused when someone tries to get his attention. The only person who seems calm and unbothered is Barmlin, but given his disorder, I am confident in dismissing this abnormal behavior. To be truthful, I am a little glad to see the Arxur just as nervous as us.
____
Memory transcription subject: Elva, Morvim Charter Soldier
Date [standardized human time]: November 3rd, 2136
Our ship was hovering listlessly in the void of space just past the small astrological body known as Pluto. My digits tightened around the trigger of my gun as the five of us kept our weapons trained on the door. Crevan was unable to stop Isif from inspecting the “gifts” Humanity was giving to the Arxur as “thanks” for their intervention.
Wiesera let out a sigh as she lowered her firearm and grabbed the pad displaying the security feed, “Alright… we are in the clear. Isif has just departed the ship.”
We let out a collective sigh. The first hurdle for getting to Wriss had just been cleared without so much as a scratch. We lowered our guns as Hrallak opened the door, “We are safe for now. Crevan doubts we will get boarded again. Isif is apparently a bit of an outlier among the Chief Hunters.”
Caulnek stood up and stretched, “Hey, it's not like we didn't expect to get boarded leaving here and upon entering Dominion space.”
Rivera rubbed the sleep from his eyes, “Still couldn't we have done something better than just sit in a cattle pen with our guns pointed at the door?”
Hrallak thumped her tail no, “This is the Dominion we are speaking about. The great purge taught them everything about how stuff is hidden. I watched an Auditor enter a friend's house and in half a second open their hidden door. If they actually had anything stored in there, they would have all been executed via…”
As she trailed off, Wiesera changed the subject, “I never thought I'd willingly experience what it's like to lift off inside an Arxur ship. This is… unsettling.”
Hrallak wagged her tail, “It's sort of the opposite for me. For the first time in my life, I've come for the people in this room without that horrid knot in my guts. It feels like I'm free.”
It finally dawned on me as we grabbed our limited possessions and left the cattle pen behind for good, that every time she has come to this room before it’s been to drag some unfortunate soul to their death. Even if Crevan stated that she tried to be merciful, her paws were personally stained with a rainbow of blood that I doubt she would ever be able to wash out.
Yet, there was a slight spring in her step as she led the way to the galley with us in tow. Before she probably had to drag screaming victims to their fate, and now she is leading us to one of many meetings. I suppose in a sense, she is finally free. Whether this mission is successful or not, she will never butcher another sapient for as long as she lives.
My tail had the slightest wag to it as we entered the galley. The smell of disinfectant and bleach was strong enough to hit my blunt sense of smell but helped to wipe away any thought of the horrors that happened in this area. Lesh, Ishveil, and Ivan were waiting for us with cloths draped over their snouts.
For a moment, I thought they were trying to mimic what the humans do with their face coverings before they handed a cloth to both Hrallak and Wiesera. Wiesera took in a deep breath through the cloth, “Thank you, this smells a lot stronger than the hospital., Oh! This is a rather strange scent! I wouldn't think the Arxur would approve of scented laundry detergent!”
Ivan chuckled, “The dominion doesn't, but when I got a whiff of what the humans did to clean this ship, I nearly hurled. Thankfully, they had a handy solution ready. The smell should lighten up soon. And we also have more towels if you want them for any reason.”
Lesh thumped his tail against the ground, “Crevan and Mico are piloting the ship. You know the crew rotation. It should be quiet for the next few days… at least before we arrive.”
Ivan thumped his tail in agreement, “Normally, I'd suggest using downtime to train, but that is not exactly something we can do on this ship. So whatever you can do to keep ready for the attack without blowing the ship up or ruining our cover will be essential.”
Rivera stuck his paw in the air, “Does that include doing anything to distract us from the fact we are on a cattle ship?”
Lesh's eyes opened wide, almost as if he hadn’t considered what being on board would be like for us. He thumped his tail, “Y-yeah. It wouldn't do to have you freaking out… but it would be better for you to come to terms with the situation instead.”
Hrallak held herself with her own arms, “If the horrid things that have happened on this ship are getting to you, then you aren't ready for Wriss. Here… people were tortured, killed and eaten… on Wriss it was entire species…”
Rivera was starting to shake when Caulnek slapped a paw on his back, “It'll be fine. We've turned this ship from one of death to salvation, we can do it again. I got a projector and some human movies from a friend. What do you say about turning the lights down and watching them?”
“Y-yeah sure.”
Ivan tilted his head, “Movies? As in video media for entertainment instead of education? Can I watch? I've never seen anything like that before.”
Caulnek flicked his ears yes, then Lesh rolled his eyes and walked out of the room as Caulnek set up his projector. While Ivan, Ishveil and Hrallak sat separated from us, we all sat in a close-knit ball.
With the already dim lights off, our only source of illumination was the projector's light bouncing off the wall. A series of short clips began to play, depicting a series of quarries and mines. For the most part, it was heavy machines moving vast amounts of earth and stone.
Stupidly large dump trucks practically carried mountains on their backs. A gargantuan chain saw cut into the earth, making an artificial valley in a matter of hours. A drill comparable to a skyscraper began to drill a tunnel down into the earth.
I could only begin to imagine this movie was about mining and the stresses that it brings. Several humans began to carefully set up explosives in a tunnel and ran cables to a safe place. The lot of them were smiling at each other and were practically bouncing from excitement. Two humans standing several feet apart nodded at each other and flipped the plastic safety covers on two red switches before flipping them.
As the light turned green, every human ducked and covered in their makeshift bunkers as the detonation sent a shockwave down the tunnel. As the dust settled, I noticed the music that was playing in the background was now silent.
Two people walked off into the settling dust cloud and began to scream. A man who for the entire time he has been on the screen has had a blank emotionless face picked up a radio, “Report.”
“WE HIT THE FUCKING MOTHERLOAD! THE ENTIRE CAVE IS MADE OF THIS NEEAHRITE SHIT! HELL THERE ARE FLOATING COLUMNS OF THIS STUFF”
The description of the made up material caught me off guard. It wasn't until a serious dude walked forward that I realized why they said that. A floating hexagonal pillar of pearlescent green and orange stone floated weightlessly in the middle of a large chamber. As the miners walked through the chamber, what I had assumed to be just the minerals lining the walls twinkling in the light were pushed away like leaves floating on water.
The illusion broke as I realized that the air was filled with small floating particles. They almost gave the impression of being submerged underwater. A miner swept a bag through the air and closed it, “Hey, let's get out of here. Pretty sure breathing in minerals causes cancer. We can come back with respirat-” BANG!
We all jumped as a red puff came from the man's chest. The miners began to scream and run, but each one fell over after their own personal gunshot went off. Soon the only person standing was the emotionless human who wiped some blood off his face.
Several armed soldiers came into the cave wearing full combat gear and respirators, “Sir. Site secured. All potential leaks have been neutralized.”
Their leader fell to his knees and held his hands up to the floating monolith, “Excellent. Begin phase 2.”
Caulnek threw his paws into the air, “What?! Why did they do that? All those people worked together!”
Ishveil snorted, “I doubt that. That one human in charge was using the miners. When he was done using them, he threw them away. I've seen dominion officers do that to countless runts.”
“I- I just never imagined that as something humans would think of…”
“Then you need to read up on Humanity's past. Especially about their most hated foe, the Nazis.”
The camera cut to a man nearby a primitive cabin in the woods. He looked grizzled and old as he was nervously picking at his beard. A truck rolling up caught his attention and he waved at it. I couldn't read the words on it, but the woodsman addressed the man who stepped out of the truck, “Evening, Warden. Thanks for coming out here.”
“Hey, thank you! If there's aA new disease going around affecting the wildlife, I want to get on top of it now and not later. So tell me what happened.”
“Well sir. I got my permit to harvest yesterday when I noticed my stores were getting low.”
“Thank ya for doing that!”
“Welcome. I went to go harvest my first deer and… well, when I shot it, my round ricocheted off. Like I hit a piece of wrought-iron.”
They walked over to the deer and my little herd flinched as he showed the flayed corpse of a prey animal hanging upside down.
“It didn't run off so I shot it again but in the head this time. I brought it back here to dress it, but…”
I suppressed a gag as the man stuck his hand into the corpse and- pulled out a huge chuck of the mineral we had just seen, “Well… this!?”
The warden opened up a bag and took the stone from him, “Go wash your hands now. I- fuck! I got no clue what this is or if it can jump the species barrier. Also, I am taking the deer too, I'll have you compensated and get ya a new tag.”
Ivan spoke up, “Did those rocks… infect that animal?”
Wiesera shook her head, “No. Rocks can't infect anything. What likely happened is this mineral was absorbed by vegetation, which the animal ate and absorbed. That stone chunk the Game Warden pulled out was its intestines. The mineral is probably also contaminating the entire body of it.”
We quieted down again as the show carried on. The warden had put out an alert to the town about the mineralization of local animals, as well as a notice to not drink the groundwater. The Game Warden was standing with his brother, a police officer, as a doctor explained that several people were already showing signs of mineralization.
The pair of them discussed what they could do to try and solve this epidemic. Apparently, all means of communicating with the outside world were gone and both of the major roads coming into the area had collapsed into sinkholes.
Finally, the brother's decided that the Police would help the few Doctors help patients and keep a quarantine enforced while the Warden would go ask the miner's if there was an expert on call who could help.
As the brothers left the coroner's office, they both froze, like spotted prey. One of the miners who was visibly missing part of his head was standing in front of them. The warden took a half step towards him before the miner let out a star’s awful wail. I heard the sound of Hrallak skittering back as we watched the miner rush, lift and throw the warden ten feet onto the hood of his own truck. His brother quickly whipped out a taser and shot the man with it but started to backpedal as he just kept walking despite the electricity flowing through his body.
As the Police brother screamed in fear at the mineralized miner, the Warden managed to scramble off his truck and grab a shotgun from his cab. He fired a round into the miner's head, causing it to explode like a dropped ceramic plate. The body made another step forward and slowly started to crumble.
The brothers stared at the dust laying on the road as sirens began to grow in intensity. The screen smash cut to a dozen law enforcement cruisers ripping through mountain roads on their way to the quarry. As they approached the locked gates, the first cruiser flew through it, smashing it open for the others. While the officers climbing out didn’t look like they were anything special, they still moved in a coordinated effort.
Ishviel thumped his tail, “Are we going to see human strike teams at work?”
Caulnek snorted, “Yeah, no. From what I’ve seen of human media, their entertainment industry cares very little for accuracy. Expect these guys to do some nonsensical stuff.”
The Brother officer stepped out of his truck and loaded some shells into his shotgun. Another officer berated him for taking a lethal weapon into this quarantine operation when he stopped and stared them down, “I watched someone already mineralized chuck my older brother like a gawdamn can of beans. I will try to save as many people as possible, but I ain’t gonna die for this.”
With the defiant statement made, we proceeded to watch some surprisingly boring action. Or perhaps the actual action we had all seen took any entertainment out of it for us. From police officers ignoring all sense of danger and the lack of any competency of the bad guys who were still holding the mines hostage, I couldn’t tell who was worse. We’d watch three officers walk into a clear ambush, only for the bad guys to reveal themselves and then proceed to miss every shot.
Whenever the cops had to deal with those that had been mineralized, the victims suddenly moved five times slower and had absolutely none of their previous magical strength. It was starting to get so bad that we were all laughing by the time the warden and his brother confronted the mine’s manager. Yet, we all froze for a moment when we saw him. He stood there with his back turned to them and his hands held in the air, worshiping the floating monolith. He slowly turned around to reveal… some sort of pink goop thing piloting a robot human?
Wiesera just let out a “What the FUCK is this show?!” while Ivan doubled over in pain from laughing so hard.
Ishviel gave a confused look to Caulnek, “What is the plot of this thing?!”
Caulnek held his paws in the air, “It's a B movie. Guys had no budget to make a movie but wanted to anyways for some reason. My friend and I spent quite some time during the exchange watching these silly things.”
Hrallak was holding the tip or her snout as tears rolled down her eyes, “Oh my gosh, so this isn’t even good Human entertainment?”
“NOPE! Bottom of the barrel right here! Now shush! We are getting to the good part! The villain's monologue!”
“No you stupid apes. We Takakapalta have always been around. We were and have always been. Since your planet's life was barely strands of DNA swimming around in hot mud, we have planned. We have worked and strived and bled for this day. The day the Neahrite is ready for harvest. The full-”
The Warden rolled his eyes, “OH, SHUT THE FUCK UP!” before the brothers fired shell after shell into the alien, killing it.
The Police officer placed his hand on the warden’s shoulder, “Hey… should we have brought it in alive for the feds?”
He and the warden laughed as they walked off and the credits rolled.
Wiesera had buried her head in her paws, “I’m sorry but… WHAT!? Just WHAT?! THEY AREN’T GOING TO ADDRESS THE DISEASE RUNNING RAMPANT THROUGH THE TOWN?! THROUGH THE ECOSYSTEM?!”
Ishviel rolled onto his back and splayed himself across the floor, “What about those tactics? I thought those humans in masks defending the mines were professional soldiers! Those ambushes! They practically screamed, ‘this is an ambush’ before jumping out of cover and getting shot!”
Caulnek was laughing even harder, “Oh yeah! Or the fact that the whole explanation we got was, ‘Aliens did it.’ Like that wraps up anything nicely at all!”
Ivan was still chuckling to himself, “Are all the movies that you have these… B movies?”
“YUP!”
“Put another one on. I’ve never laughed like this before.”
___/\___
Movie night with the more friendly gator bois! And gal. Caulnek was introduced to cheesy B movies and now the whole gang is too! Looks like they might have a pleasant time en-route to Wriss!
Also this week SUCKED. Monday my car hit some deep water early in the morning and popped my water belt off causing my car to overheat. That led to a 4 hour trip home when it should have been 35 minutes. Bought a new belt and it’s fixed. THEN on friday our parking lot floods and the floor of my car gets flooded. Any higher and it would have poured into my car when I opened the door. It’s been three days and I will likely have to pull the seats, center console and some other things out to remove the carpet. Maybe I can find someone to pay to fix this problem. But hey… Ford should start building my truck this week.
___/\___
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Destination; Wriss part 18
A Fanfic of u/SpacePaladin15’s work “The Nature of Predators.” Thank you for the story!
___
Excerpt of Dr. Elva's Journal recovered from the wreck of the Dauntless Victory
Many people suffer from motion sickness on space-faring ships. Normally, this comes from the disjoint of the body’s means of understanding how its actually moving and the mind's perception of how it is moving, but with the invention of inertial dampeners, one would think standing in what feels like a stationary room with no windows wouldn't cause motion sickness.
Yet, that's precisely what's been happening to me. I've never felt this way before. Dr. Wiesera believes the sudden onset of motion sickness is caused by the stress of our current situation. I am given to believe her as I have noticed ticks in the rest of the crew. For example, Crevan has begun pacing in circles but seems confused when someone tries to get his attention. The only person who seems calm and unbothered is Barmlin, but given his disorder, I am confident in dismissing this abnormal behavior. To be truthful, I am a little glad to see the Arxur just as nervous as us.
____
Memory transcription subject: Elva, Morvim Charter Soldier
Date [standardized human time]: November 3rd, 2136
Our ship was hovering listlessly in the void of space just past the small astrological body known as Pluto. My digits tightened around the trigger of my gun as the five of us kept our weapons trained on the door. Crevan was unable to stop Isif from inspecting the “gifts” Humanity was giving to the Arxur as “thanks” for their intervention.
Wiesera let out a sigh as she lowered her firearm and grabbed the pad displaying the security feed, “Alright… we are in the clear. Isif has just departed the ship.”
We let out a collective sigh. The first hurdle for getting to Wriss had just been cleared without so much as a scratch. We lowered our guns as Hrallak opened the door, “We are safe for now. Crevan doubts we will get boarded again. Isif is apparently a bit of an outlier among the Chief Hunters.”
Caulnek stood up and stretched, “Hey, it's not like we didn't expect to get boarded leaving here and upon entering Dominion space.”
Rivera rubbed the sleep from his eyes, “Still couldn't we have done something better than just sit in a cattle pen with our guns pointed at the door?”
Hrallak thumped her tail no, “This is the Dominion we are speaking about. The great purge taught them everything about how stuff is hidden. I watched an Auditor enter a friend's house and in half a second open their hidden door. If they actually had anything stored in there, they would have all been executed via…”
As she trailed off, Wiesera changed the subject, “I never thought I'd willingly experience what it's like to lift off inside an Arxur ship. This is… unsettling.”
Hrallak wagged her tail, “It's sort of the opposite for me. For the first time in my life, I've come for the people in this room without that horrid knot in my guts. It feels like I'm free.”
It finally dawned on me as we grabbed our limited possessions and left the cattle pen behind for good, that every time she has come to this room before it’s been to drag some unfortunate soul to their death. Even if Crevan stated that she tried to be merciful, her paws were personally stained with a rainbow of blood that I doubt she would ever be able to wash out.
Yet, there was a slight spring in her step as she led the way to the galley with us in tow. Before she probably had to drag screaming victims to their fate, and now she is leading us to one of many meetings. I suppose in a sense, she is finally free. Whether this mission is successful or not, she will never butcher another sapient for as long as she lives.
My tail had the slightest wag to it as we entered the galley. The smell of disinfectant and bleach was strong enough to hit my blunt sense of smell but helped to wipe away any thought of the horrors that happened in this area. Lesh, Ishveil, and Ivan were waiting for us with cloths draped over their snouts.
For a moment, I thought they were trying to mimic what the humans do with their face coverings before they handed a cloth to both Hrallak and Wiesera. Wiesera took in a deep breath through the cloth, “Thank you, this smells a lot stronger than the hospital., Oh! This is a rather strange scent! I wouldn't think the Arxur would approve of scented laundry detergent!”
Ivan chuckled, “The dominion doesn't, but when I got a whiff of what the humans did to clean this ship, I nearly hurled. Thankfully, they had a handy solution ready. The smell should lighten up soon. And we also have more towels if you want them for any reason.”
Lesh thumped his tail against the ground, “Crevan and Mico are piloting the ship. You know the crew rotation. It should be quiet for the next few days… at least before we arrive.”
Ivan thumped his tail in agreement, “Normally, I'd suggest using downtime to train, but that is not exactly something we can do on this ship. So whatever you can do to keep ready for the attack without blowing the ship up or ruining our cover will be essential.”
Rivera stuck his paw in the air, “Does that include doing anything to distract us from the fact we are on a cattle ship?”
Lesh's eyes opened wide, almost as if he hadn’t considered what being on board would be like for us. He thumped his tail, “Y-yeah. It wouldn't do to have you freaking out… but it would be better for you to come to terms with the situation instead.”
Hrallak held herself with her own arms, “If the horrid things that have happened on this ship are getting to you, then you aren't ready for Wriss. Here… people were tortured, killed and eaten… on Wriss it was entire species…”
Rivera was starting to shake when Caulnek slapped a paw on his back, “It'll be fine. We've turned this ship from one of death to salvation, we can do it again. I got a projector and some human movies from a friend. What do you say about turning the lights down and watching them?”
“Y-yeah sure.”
Ivan tilted his head, “Movies? As in video media for entertainment instead of education? Can I watch? I've never seen anything like that before.”
Caulnek flicked his ears yes, then Lesh rolled his eyes and walked out of the room as Caulnek set up his projector. While Ivan, Ishveil and Hrallak sat separated from us, we all sat in a close-knit ball.
With the already dim lights off, our only source of illumination was the projector's light bouncing off the wall. A series of short clips began to play, depicting a series of quarries and mines. For the most part, it was heavy machines moving vast amounts of earth and stone.
Stupidly large dump trucks practically carried mountains on their backs. A gargantuan chain saw cut into the earth, making an artificial valley in a matter of hours. A drill comparable to a skyscraper began to drill a tunnel down into the earth.
I could only begin to imagine this movie was about mining and the stresses that it brings. Several humans began to carefully set up explosives in a tunnel and ran cables to a safe place. The lot of them were smiling at each other and were practically bouncing from excitement. Two humans standing several feet apart nodded at each other and flipped the plastic safety covers on two red switches before flipping them.
As the light turned green, every human ducked and covered in their makeshift bunkers as the detonation sent a shockwave down the tunnel. As the dust settled, I noticed the music that was playing in the background was now silent.
Two people walked off into the settling dust cloud and began to scream. A man who for the entire time he has been on the screen has had a blank emotionless face picked up a radio, “Report.”
“WE HIT THE FUCKING MOTHERLOAD! THE ENTIRE CAVE IS MADE OF THIS NEEAHRITE SHIT! HELL THERE ARE FLOATING COLUMNS OF THIS STUFF”
The description of the made up material caught me off guard. It wasn't until a serious dude walked forward that I realized why they said that. A floating hexagonal pillar of pearlescent green and orange stone floated weightlessly in the middle of a large chamber. As the miners walked through the chamber, what I had assumed to be just the minerals lining the walls twinkling in the light were pushed away like leaves floating on water.
The illusion broke as I realized that the air was filled with small floating particles. They almost gave the impression of being submerged underwater. A miner swept a bag through the air and closed it, “Hey, let's get out of here. Pretty sure breathing in minerals causes cancer. We can come back with respirat-” BANG!
We all jumped as a red puff came from the man's chest. The miners began to scream and run, but each one fell over after their own personal gunshot went off. Soon the only person standing was the emotionless human who wiped some blood off his face.
Several armed soldiers came into the cave wearing full combat gear and respirators, “Sir. Site secured. All potential leaks have been neutralized.”
Their leader fell to his knees and held his hands up to the floating monolith, “Excellent. Begin phase 2.”
Caulnek threw his paws into the air, “What?! Why did they do that? All those people worked together!”
Ishveil snorted, “I doubt that. That one human in charge was using the miners. When he was done using them, he threw them away. I've seen dominion officers do that to countless runts.”
“I- I just never imagined that as something humans would think of…”
“Then you need to read up on Humanity's past. Especially about their most hated foe, the Nazis.”
The camera cut to a man nearby a primitive cabin in the woods. He looked grizzled and old as he was nervously picking at his beard. A truck rolling up caught his attention and he waved at it. I couldn't read the words on it, but the woodsman addressed the man who stepped out of the truck, “Evening, Warden. Thanks for coming out here.”
“Hey, thank you! If there's aA new disease going around affecting the wildlife, I want to get on top of it now and not later. So tell me what happened.”
“Well sir. I got my permit to harvest yesterday when I noticed my stores were getting low.”
“Thank ya for doing that!”
“Welcome. I went to go harvest my first deer and… well, when I shot it, my round ricocheted off. Like I hit a piece of wrought-iron.”
They walked over to the deer and my little herd flinched as he showed the flayed corpse of a prey animal hanging upside down.
“It didn't run off so I shot it again but in the head this time. I brought it back here to dress it, but…”
I suppressed a gag as the man stuck his hand into the corpse and- pulled out a huge chuck of the mineral we had just seen, “Well… this!?”
The warden opened up a bag and took the stone from him, “Go wash your hands now. I- fuck! I got no clue what this is or if it can jump the species barrier. Also, I am taking the deer too, I'll have you compensated and get ya a new tag.”
Ivan spoke up, “Did those rocks… infect that animal?”
Wiesera shook her head, “No. Rocks can't infect anything. What likely happened is this mineral was absorbed by vegetation, which the animal ate and absorbed. That stone chunk the Game Warden pulled out was its intestines. The mineral is probably also contaminating the entire body of it.”
We quieted down again as the show carried on. The warden had put out an alert to the town about the mineralization of local animals, as well as a notice to not drink the groundwater. The Game Warden was standing with his brother, a police officer, as a doctor explained that several people were already showing signs of mineralization.
The pair of them discussed what they could do to try and solve this epidemic. Apparently, all means of communicating with the outside world were gone and both of the major roads coming into the area had collapsed into sinkholes.
Finally, the brother's decided that the Police would help the few Doctors help patients and keep a quarantine enforced while the Warden would go ask the miner's if there was an expert on call who could help.
As the brothers left the coroner's office, they both froze, like spotted prey. One of the miners who was visibly missing part of his head was standing in front of them. The warden took a half step towards him before the miner let out a star’s awful wail. I heard the sound of Hrallak skittering back as we watched the miner rush, lift and throw the warden ten feet onto the hood of his own truck. His brother quickly whipped out a taser and shot the man with it but started to backpedal as he just kept walking despite the electricity flowing through his body.
As the Police brother screamed in fear at the mineralized miner, the Warden managed to scramble off his truck and grab a shotgun from his cab. He fired a round into the miner's head, causing it to explode like a dropped ceramic plate. The body made another step forward and slowly started to crumble.
The brothers stared at the dust laying on the road as sirens began to grow in intensity. The screen smash cut to a dozen law enforcement cruisers ripping through mountain roads on their way to the quarry. As they approached the locked gates, the first cruiser flew through it, smashing it open for the others. While the officers climbing out didn’t look like they were anything special, they still moved in a coordinated effort.
Ishviel thumped his tail, “Are we going to see human strike teams at work?”
Caulnek snorted, “Yeah, no. From what I’ve seen of human media, their entertainment industry cares very little for accuracy. Expect these guys to do some nonsensical stuff.”
The Brother officer stepped out of his truck and loaded some shells into his shotgun. Another officer berated him for taking a lethal weapon into this quarantine operation when he stopped and stared them down, “I watched someone already mineralized chuck my older brother like a gawdamn can of beans. I will try to save as many people as possible, but I ain’t gonna die for this.”
With the defiant statement made, we proceeded to watch some surprisingly boring action. Or perhaps the actual action we had all seen took any entertainment out of it for us. From police officers ignoring all sense of danger and the lack of any competency of the bad guys who were still holding the mines hostage, I couldn’t tell who was worse. We’d watch three officers walk into a clear ambush, only for the bad guys to reveal themselves and then proceed to miss every shot.
Whenever the cops had to deal with those that had been mineralized, the victims suddenly moved five times slower and had absolutely none of their previous magical strength. It was starting to get so bad that we were all laughing by the time the warden and his brother confronted the mine’s manager. Yet, we all froze for a moment when we saw him. He stood there with his back turned to them and his hands held in the air, worshiping the floating monolith. He slowly turned around to reveal… some sort of pink goop thing piloting a robot human?
Wiesera just let out a “What the FUCK is this show?!” while Ivan doubled over in pain from laughing so hard.
Ishviel gave a confused look to Caulnek, “What is the plot of this thing?!”
Caulnek held his paws in the air, “It's a B movie. Guys had no budget to make a movie but wanted to anyways for some reason. My friend and I spent quite some time during the exchange watching these silly things.”
Hrallak was holding the tip or her snout as tears rolled down her eyes, “Oh my gosh, so this isn’t even good Human entertainment?”
“NOPE! Bottom of the barrel right here! Now shush! We are getting to the good part! The villain's monologue!”
“No you stupid apes. We Takakapalta have always been around. We were and have always been. Since your planet's life was barely strands of DNA swimming around in hot mud, we have planned. We have worked and strived and bled for this day. The day the Neahrite is ready for harvest. The full-”
The Warden rolled his eyes, “OH, SHUT THE FUCK UP!” before the brothers fired shell after shell into the alien, killing it.
The Police officer placed his hand on the warden’s shoulder, “Hey… should we have brought it in alive for the feds?”
He and the warden laughed as they walked off and the credits rolled.
Wiesera had buried her head in her paws, “I’m sorry but… WHAT!? Just WHAT?! THEY AREN’T GOING TO ADDRESS THE DISEASE RUNNING RAMPANT THROUGH THE TOWN?! THROUGH THE ECOSYSTEM?!”
Ishviel rolled onto his back and splayed himself across the floor, “What about those tactics? I thought those humans in masks defending the mines were professional soldiers! Those ambushes! They practically screamed, ‘this is an ambush’ before jumping out of cover and getting shot!”
Caulnek was laughing even harder, “Oh yeah! Or the fact that the whole explanation we got was, ‘Aliens did it.’ Like that wraps up anything nicely at all!”
Ivan was still chuckling to himself, “Are all the movies that you have these… B movies?”
“YUP!”
“Put another one on. I’ve never laughed like this before.”
___/\___
Movie night with the more friendly gator bois! And gal. Caulnek was introduced to cheesy B movies and now the whole gang is too! Looks like they might have a pleasant time en-route to Wriss!
Also this week SUCKED. Monday my car hit some deep water early in the morning and popped my water belt off causing my car to overheat. That led to a 4 hour trip home when it should have been 35 minutes. Bought a new belt and it’s fixed. THEN on friday our parking lot floods and the floor of my car gets flooded. Any higher and it would have poured into my car when I opened the door. It’s been three days and I will likely have to pull the seats, center console and some other things out to remove the carpet. Maybe I can find someone to pay to fix this problem. But hey… Ford should start building my truck this week.
___/\___
Directory
Library of BiasMushroom contains every link for everything I have written! Check it out as some stuff related to Nature of Humanity may not appear on HFY! As well as my little side stories and Fanfics of other NoP fanfics!
The Nature of Humanity
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Destination; Wriss
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For anyone posting to HFY do NOT select HFY first. It bugs out and doesn't work nice with copy/paste from google docs.
2024.05.06 01:46 Kadenai The narrative behind "The Eighth Mountain" and "Glory For Salvation" (Rhapsody of Fire)
THIS NARRATIVE IS BASED ON SPECULATIONS AND WHAT I COULD UNDERSTAND FROM THE STORY SO FAR. THERE WILL BE TWO MORE ALBUMS AFTER "CHALLENGE THE WIND" THAT WILL DEFINITELY ELUCIDATE COMPLETELY WHAT IS HAPPENING.
I DID THIS BECAUSE I WANTED THERE TO BE THIS NARRATIVE JUST AS THERE WAS WITH THE TWO PREVIOUS SAGAS (ALGALORD CHRONICLES).
IF ANYONE DISAGREES WITH ANYTHING, DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTEST BY PRESENTING YOUR REASONING.
Previously, I had made a post here and on the Rhapsody of Fire subreddit (Rhapsody_Of_Fire) sharing my opinion about what is happening in the story, but after observing more carefully, I was able to correct certain things and reach a conclusion that I believe is closer to what is actually happening.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Torture, blood, and pain... Deep pain!
That's what's left to humanity, now eternally condemned to the Abyss of Pain, after being completely exterminated by the Nephilim. This happened because the humans who once faithfully served the Nephilim Empire rose up and defeated their gods. Humanity triumphed, and the Nephilim were purged from the earth and banished to the shadows.
But for centuries they waited, until they had the opportunity to rise again, and by allying themselves with an extremely evolved race called the Konstrukts, they managed to exterminate all Homo sapiens DNA from the face of the earth.
Abyss of Pain
Seven Heroic Deeds
In the eternal suffering of the Abyss of Pain stands Kreel, a warrior born for battle. Since young, he was the perfect warrior, and knowing this, the son of Chezaquill, father of all Nephilim, Prince Bezrael summoned him for a journey, a terribly difficult mission, but with a reward...
If Kreel could accomplish Seven Heroic Deeds for Bezrael, his soul would be freed from the Abyss of Pain once and for all!
There was no better choice, even though he was a Nephilim, it was the only chance to escape from that infernal prison of fire. Kreel signs the contract with Bezrael and sets out to conquer the world and try to change his destiny.
Master of Peace
In his first challenge, Kreel finds himself leading an army. Swords clashing, warriors fighting...
The thrill of battle...
The thrill of being alive again courses through the warrior's veins!
However, war is terrible. Thousands and then hundreds of thousands of souls condemned to death due to his orders. But he feels no remorse. He doesn't regret what he's causing to the verdant hills, which will now turn red with the blood spilled by violence.
Even in the face of such terror, he feels like a Master of Peace. For Kreel, every victory demands a sacrifice, and that is just the first step to ensure his permanent freedom, thus triumphing and completing the first Heroic Deed.
Rain of Fury
In the cave of the Eighth Mountain now stands the brave and clever warrior. Kreel possessed not only skills with swords and shields but also was a great wizard, knowledgeable in many types of magic and spells.
With shield set and gripping his sword of shining gold with both hands, he begins a ritual. Thousands of sparks emanate, illuminating the entire cave. Kreel bravely utters the words, and in his heart, he feels prepared to destroy the warlord of the Konstrukts. A Rain of Fury fills the wizard's will, and he knows that with the power of God and magic, he can obtain his prize: the tyrant's head for his own freedom.
White Wizard
In a certain place in time, a people fondly remember their hero, a man known as the White Wizard...
He brought peace to the people and maintained order, always diligent to others' needs.
One day his life ended, but the wise man still lived in the nostalgic hearts.
The absence of the White Wizard is immense for those people, but even after his departure, his magic still worked miracles. He foresaw dark times and storms, but the people yearn for an heir...
Who will be worthy to protect the people in dark times, as the White Wizard once did?
Warrior Heart
Another battle... Will this be the last?
Amidst great destruction and death, where not even the birds want to sing anymore, stands the wizard warrior. Before him, a poor creature with trembling hands begs for mercy. Should he care? Should he heed the plea of that silent cry?
Behind that armor, there is also a warrior like him. In the cold silence of the death that ravages the battlefield, Kreel feels he was acting horribly. Though they are different people, they were raised in the same way, to be ruthless warriors.
Beneath that steel lies a hero like him, and this warrior will be spared.
Kreel had already won the battle and completes another Heroic Deed, the second.
The Courage to Forgive
In that time, it had been ten years since his father had died, yet the hero still hates what he had done to his life, to his soul...
Ten years spent shaping his own son into a perfect and relentless warrior, Kreel hates him. Painful are the memories, they are like a wound.
But the contract with Bezrael demanded that Kreel forgive his father. He needed to overcome this and destroy his hatred, overcome the pain of losing his life, forget, destroy his hatred!
The path was difficult, but he would forgive, thus completing the third Heroic Deed.
March Against The Tyrant Clash of Times
Another day dawns, Kreel breathes once more in the morning chill, life outside the Abyss of Pain, and bids farewell to his beloved. Now he will lead the charge against the tyrant of the Konstrukts.
In what could be the final March, Kreel swears the unworthy king will lose his throne, and his Nephilim lackeys will pay for their terrible deeds, for the death of 691 innocent children!
The army reaches the walls and winged guardians try to stop them, but they were not prepared for the determination of the knights led by the wizard warrior. It's their only chance to invade the castle!
Showers of arrows rain down upon them, but their shields were strong and reinforced with chains! They trust Kreel as their leader, they know he is the only one who can lead them to victory.
Freedom for the brave who do not give up, who ride forth to inscribe this day of glorious triumph in history.
But the enemy did not yield easily. The Konstrukts' army was numerous and their weapons very advanced, however, a warrior from the east was coming to aid them! The same warrior Kreel had spared earlier is here to lend a hand in their hour of need. The charge continues with full force and they finally reach the tyrant...
Smoke rising from the fortress heralds humanity's victory. The leader of the Konstrukts and the Nephilim lackeys are defeated, the tyrant is dead!
But when Kreel returned to his time, in the future, something was wrong...
Nothing had changed, there was no greenery, no happiness, just dust and ashes. The little life that remained would soon turn into ghouls...
What was missing? What needed to happen for him to be free? For humans to be free...
Had everything he had done been in vain?
Anyway, there always seemed to be something strange, why had Bezrael ordered Kreel to attack the Konstrukts and even some Nephilim?
The fourth Heroic Deed had been completed.
The Legend Goes On
Peace, green valleys, life in abundance! That's what he saw when he cast a spell to foresee the future.
It wasn't lost yet, there was still a story to be told, even the love of his life was alive and well, no more wars, no more contracts, true freedom...
The Legend Goes On, there's still much history ahead. Kreel tries to gather his strength and move forward!
The Wind, the Rain and the Moon
Despite everything, the wizard realizes that his beloved has died. He vows to win this war for her...
Tales of a Hero's Fate
Bezrael frees Kreel. But it was just a dream, or maybe a nightmare...
In his deepest and darkest memories, Kreel falls from grace upon realizing that nothing he did mattered. Many deaths, his hands stained with blood for nothing. Once a hero, now he feels like a monster, there was no triumph, only hatred.
The truth cuts harsh and merciless, the wizard begs God for forgiveness, all he did was out of love...
He wonders why he came this far. There's no changing the future, everything will unfold as predestined, he's condemned forever.
Son of Vengeance
Once a hero, now a monster.
It is Kreel, the Son of Vengeance.
He realizes he chose the wrong side, that he has fallen from grace, and that now he is just a servant of fire, a slave of Bezrael. His fate is sealed, he is a slayer for hire.
Now the hands of the hero are killing prophets for wasted hopes and illusions...
The Kingdom of Ice
Once again using the enchantment to travel through time, Kreel goes to a different place, through the magical circle he arrives in a land of ice and cold.
The guardians of time predicted that Kreel would be able to uncover the secret "Deceive the spirits of the dead in the spell of graves".
Now, from the green hills to the glaciers and snow;
From the depths of the Abyss to the pole;
The wizard warrior sets out to conquer the Kingdom of Ice!
Glory For Salvation Eternal Snow
In the lands of Lost Eternal Snow, Kreel marches through the snow towards the Diaphanous Cathedral with the aim of fulfilling his fifth Heroic Deed: to kill Namecid, the Prophet of the Southern Cross.
To the wizard, Namecid is a monster, and by Kreel's faith, he will die. But during the act, the prophet looks at him steadfastly, without a word of forgiveness, confusing him...
Why should he kill a holy man?
Nevertheless, he continues marching through the snow with the blood on his hands.
After killing Namecid, Terial, the hawk made of ice, started following Kreel...
Terial The Hawk
The fallen wizard, now followed by the ice hawk, pleads for forgiveness...
Maid of The Secret Sand
A new place, the desert, the secret sands of Aarnsendt. The fallen hero has the mission to kill the Maid of the Secret Sand.
By the will of Bezrael, he will face the masquerade, but, seeing her eyes, Kreel is enchanted, he falls in love with the lady...
He feels unworthy to even touch her, she captures his heart.
The fallen wizard decides to take a chance, he will spare Vardagwen, allowing the sun to rise on her shining desert dunes.
Abyss of Pain II
No.
Back to the Abyss of Pain.
Bezrael would not allow his slave to betray him in such a way because of love, and so he imprisons Kreel in the infernal prison once again. There, he humiliates the wizard and reminds him of who the master is, reminds him that his word is law. Broken lives, forgotten destinies, tormented hero.
From the Abyss of Pain, the fallen hero cries out to the tears of fate, to the guardians of the sky to protect Vardagwen.
The prophecies written for Kreel reveal the truth, he is condemned, his soul is banished, there is no corruption, no spell that can take him out of there and change his destiny. He is now at the mercy of the vile demon Bezrael, who will torture his soul, all is lost...
...but sad and fateful is the omen. Vardagwen sacrifices herself so that Kreel may be freed from the Abyss of Pain...
...he acknowledges that he is Bezrael's slave and swears to fulfill his will...
Infinitae Gloriae Magic Signs I'll Be Your Hero
After escaping the Abyss of Pain thanks to Vardagwen's sacrifice, the wizard weeps in sadness for having lost his beloved while trapped in the Abyss, and he begs for forgiveness from the Secret Sands and the hawk made of ice Terial.
Kreel feels that something is changing within him...
He feels the pain, the sorrow of having been responsible for that disastrous situation, so he cries out to the mystical rain to cleanse his tears.
But something has truly changed. The hero regains his determination to continue, he will not stop, even if the situation is completely unfavorable, he vows that one day he will be the hero Vardagwen needed, and he sets out for his final Heroic Deed.
Chains of Destiny
With Vardagwen's sacrifice, only one Heroic Deed remained for Kreel to finally obtain his long-awaited freedom.
The final quest, the prophet Quingdar. Kreel approaches, planning to startle the prophet and quickly kill him, but his faith is wavering and shaky. Still, facing the cold and embracing the pain, the hero advances to complete his last mission, even though he doesn't feel like he's facing an enemy, doesn't feel like there's a malicious plan from the one he's going to kill.
Lost and drowning in his thoughts, Kreel startles Quingdar, but he sees his eyes, he weeps under the twilight, and his tears fall into the Lake of Sacred Tears, causing the hero to see his reflection and understand the truth!
The hero recognizes that Bezrael is controlling him, how could he do this?
He will not kill an innocent prophet, a creature of God!
For him, the demon's game ends there, and he swears to drown his blade in the blood of the Nephilim! He realizes that he is the one who brings magic, the Fire Wizard through space and time, the only one who can go back in time with the secret he holds in the Spell of Tombs. He no longer fears the Abyss of Pain and now, to honor the prophet Namecid and the Lady of the Secret Sand, he will break the chains of destiny and kill Bezrael!
submitted by Kadenai to PowerMetal [link] [comments]
I DID THIS BECAUSE I WANTED THERE TO BE THIS NARRATIVE JUST AS THERE WAS WITH THE TWO PREVIOUS SAGAS (ALGALORD CHRONICLES).
IF ANYONE DISAGREES WITH ANYTHING, DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTEST BY PRESENTING YOUR REASONING.
Previously, I had made a post here and on the Rhapsody of Fire subreddit (Rhapsody_Of_Fire) sharing my opinion about what is happening in the story, but after observing more carefully, I was able to correct certain things and reach a conclusion that I believe is closer to what is actually happening.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Torture, blood, and pain... Deep pain!
That's what's left to humanity, now eternally condemned to the Abyss of Pain, after being completely exterminated by the Nephilim. This happened because the humans who once faithfully served the Nephilim Empire rose up and defeated their gods. Humanity triumphed, and the Nephilim were purged from the earth and banished to the shadows.
But for centuries they waited, until they had the opportunity to rise again, and by allying themselves with an extremely evolved race called the Konstrukts, they managed to exterminate all Homo sapiens DNA from the face of the earth.
Abyss of Pain
Seven Heroic Deeds
In the eternal suffering of the Abyss of Pain stands Kreel, a warrior born for battle. Since young, he was the perfect warrior, and knowing this, the son of Chezaquill, father of all Nephilim, Prince Bezrael summoned him for a journey, a terribly difficult mission, but with a reward...
If Kreel could accomplish Seven Heroic Deeds for Bezrael, his soul would be freed from the Abyss of Pain once and for all!
There was no better choice, even though he was a Nephilim, it was the only chance to escape from that infernal prison of fire. Kreel signs the contract with Bezrael and sets out to conquer the world and try to change his destiny.
Master of Peace
In his first challenge, Kreel finds himself leading an army. Swords clashing, warriors fighting...
The thrill of battle...
The thrill of being alive again courses through the warrior's veins!
However, war is terrible. Thousands and then hundreds of thousands of souls condemned to death due to his orders. But he feels no remorse. He doesn't regret what he's causing to the verdant hills, which will now turn red with the blood spilled by violence.
Even in the face of such terror, he feels like a Master of Peace. For Kreel, every victory demands a sacrifice, and that is just the first step to ensure his permanent freedom, thus triumphing and completing the first Heroic Deed.
Rain of Fury
In the cave of the Eighth Mountain now stands the brave and clever warrior. Kreel possessed not only skills with swords and shields but also was a great wizard, knowledgeable in many types of magic and spells.
With shield set and gripping his sword of shining gold with both hands, he begins a ritual. Thousands of sparks emanate, illuminating the entire cave. Kreel bravely utters the words, and in his heart, he feels prepared to destroy the warlord of the Konstrukts. A Rain of Fury fills the wizard's will, and he knows that with the power of God and magic, he can obtain his prize: the tyrant's head for his own freedom.
White Wizard
In a certain place in time, a people fondly remember their hero, a man known as the White Wizard...
He brought peace to the people and maintained order, always diligent to others' needs.
One day his life ended, but the wise man still lived in the nostalgic hearts.
The absence of the White Wizard is immense for those people, but even after his departure, his magic still worked miracles. He foresaw dark times and storms, but the people yearn for an heir...
Who will be worthy to protect the people in dark times, as the White Wizard once did?
Warrior Heart
Another battle... Will this be the last?
Amidst great destruction and death, where not even the birds want to sing anymore, stands the wizard warrior. Before him, a poor creature with trembling hands begs for mercy. Should he care? Should he heed the plea of that silent cry?
Behind that armor, there is also a warrior like him. In the cold silence of the death that ravages the battlefield, Kreel feels he was acting horribly. Though they are different people, they were raised in the same way, to be ruthless warriors.
Beneath that steel lies a hero like him, and this warrior will be spared.
Kreel had already won the battle and completes another Heroic Deed, the second.
The Courage to Forgive
In that time, it had been ten years since his father had died, yet the hero still hates what he had done to his life, to his soul...
Ten years spent shaping his own son into a perfect and relentless warrior, Kreel hates him. Painful are the memories, they are like a wound.
But the contract with Bezrael demanded that Kreel forgive his father. He needed to overcome this and destroy his hatred, overcome the pain of losing his life, forget, destroy his hatred!
The path was difficult, but he would forgive, thus completing the third Heroic Deed.
March Against The Tyrant Clash of Times
Another day dawns, Kreel breathes once more in the morning chill, life outside the Abyss of Pain, and bids farewell to his beloved. Now he will lead the charge against the tyrant of the Konstrukts.
In what could be the final March, Kreel swears the unworthy king will lose his throne, and his Nephilim lackeys will pay for their terrible deeds, for the death of 691 innocent children!
The army reaches the walls and winged guardians try to stop them, but they were not prepared for the determination of the knights led by the wizard warrior. It's their only chance to invade the castle!
Showers of arrows rain down upon them, but their shields were strong and reinforced with chains! They trust Kreel as their leader, they know he is the only one who can lead them to victory.
Freedom for the brave who do not give up, who ride forth to inscribe this day of glorious triumph in history.
But the enemy did not yield easily. The Konstrukts' army was numerous and their weapons very advanced, however, a warrior from the east was coming to aid them! The same warrior Kreel had spared earlier is here to lend a hand in their hour of need. The charge continues with full force and they finally reach the tyrant...
Smoke rising from the fortress heralds humanity's victory. The leader of the Konstrukts and the Nephilim lackeys are defeated, the tyrant is dead!
But when Kreel returned to his time, in the future, something was wrong...
Nothing had changed, there was no greenery, no happiness, just dust and ashes. The little life that remained would soon turn into ghouls...
What was missing? What needed to happen for him to be free? For humans to be free...
Had everything he had done been in vain?
Anyway, there always seemed to be something strange, why had Bezrael ordered Kreel to attack the Konstrukts and even some Nephilim?
The fourth Heroic Deed had been completed.
The Legend Goes On
Peace, green valleys, life in abundance! That's what he saw when he cast a spell to foresee the future.
It wasn't lost yet, there was still a story to be told, even the love of his life was alive and well, no more wars, no more contracts, true freedom...
The Legend Goes On, there's still much history ahead. Kreel tries to gather his strength and move forward!
The Wind, the Rain and the Moon
Despite everything, the wizard realizes that his beloved has died. He vows to win this war for her...
Tales of a Hero's Fate
Bezrael frees Kreel. But it was just a dream, or maybe a nightmare...
In his deepest and darkest memories, Kreel falls from grace upon realizing that nothing he did mattered. Many deaths, his hands stained with blood for nothing. Once a hero, now he feels like a monster, there was no triumph, only hatred.
The truth cuts harsh and merciless, the wizard begs God for forgiveness, all he did was out of love...
He wonders why he came this far. There's no changing the future, everything will unfold as predestined, he's condemned forever.
Son of Vengeance
Once a hero, now a monster.
It is Kreel, the Son of Vengeance.
He realizes he chose the wrong side, that he has fallen from grace, and that now he is just a servant of fire, a slave of Bezrael. His fate is sealed, he is a slayer for hire.
Now the hands of the hero are killing prophets for wasted hopes and illusions...
The Kingdom of Ice
Once again using the enchantment to travel through time, Kreel goes to a different place, through the magical circle he arrives in a land of ice and cold.
The guardians of time predicted that Kreel would be able to uncover the secret "Deceive the spirits of the dead in the spell of graves".
Now, from the green hills to the glaciers and snow;
From the depths of the Abyss to the pole;
The wizard warrior sets out to conquer the Kingdom of Ice!
Glory For Salvation Eternal Snow
In the lands of Lost Eternal Snow, Kreel marches through the snow towards the Diaphanous Cathedral with the aim of fulfilling his fifth Heroic Deed: to kill Namecid, the Prophet of the Southern Cross.
To the wizard, Namecid is a monster, and by Kreel's faith, he will die. But during the act, the prophet looks at him steadfastly, without a word of forgiveness, confusing him...
Why should he kill a holy man?
Nevertheless, he continues marching through the snow with the blood on his hands.
After killing Namecid, Terial, the hawk made of ice, started following Kreel...
Terial The Hawk
The fallen wizard, now followed by the ice hawk, pleads for forgiveness...
Maid of The Secret Sand
A new place, the desert, the secret sands of Aarnsendt. The fallen hero has the mission to kill the Maid of the Secret Sand.
By the will of Bezrael, he will face the masquerade, but, seeing her eyes, Kreel is enchanted, he falls in love with the lady...
He feels unworthy to even touch her, she captures his heart.
The fallen wizard decides to take a chance, he will spare Vardagwen, allowing the sun to rise on her shining desert dunes.
Abyss of Pain II
No.
Back to the Abyss of Pain.
Bezrael would not allow his slave to betray him in such a way because of love, and so he imprisons Kreel in the infernal prison once again. There, he humiliates the wizard and reminds him of who the master is, reminds him that his word is law. Broken lives, forgotten destinies, tormented hero.
From the Abyss of Pain, the fallen hero cries out to the tears of fate, to the guardians of the sky to protect Vardagwen.
The prophecies written for Kreel reveal the truth, he is condemned, his soul is banished, there is no corruption, no spell that can take him out of there and change his destiny. He is now at the mercy of the vile demon Bezrael, who will torture his soul, all is lost...
...but sad and fateful is the omen. Vardagwen sacrifices herself so that Kreel may be freed from the Abyss of Pain...
...he acknowledges that he is Bezrael's slave and swears to fulfill his will...
Infinitae Gloriae Magic Signs I'll Be Your Hero
After escaping the Abyss of Pain thanks to Vardagwen's sacrifice, the wizard weeps in sadness for having lost his beloved while trapped in the Abyss, and he begs for forgiveness from the Secret Sands and the hawk made of ice Terial.
Kreel feels that something is changing within him...
He feels the pain, the sorrow of having been responsible for that disastrous situation, so he cries out to the mystical rain to cleanse his tears.
But something has truly changed. The hero regains his determination to continue, he will not stop, even if the situation is completely unfavorable, he vows that one day he will be the hero Vardagwen needed, and he sets out for his final Heroic Deed.
Chains of Destiny
With Vardagwen's sacrifice, only one Heroic Deed remained for Kreel to finally obtain his long-awaited freedom.
The final quest, the prophet Quingdar. Kreel approaches, planning to startle the prophet and quickly kill him, but his faith is wavering and shaky. Still, facing the cold and embracing the pain, the hero advances to complete his last mission, even though he doesn't feel like he's facing an enemy, doesn't feel like there's a malicious plan from the one he's going to kill.
Lost and drowning in his thoughts, Kreel startles Quingdar, but he sees his eyes, he weeps under the twilight, and his tears fall into the Lake of Sacred Tears, causing the hero to see his reflection and understand the truth!
The hero recognizes that Bezrael is controlling him, how could he do this?
He will not kill an innocent prophet, a creature of God!
For him, the demon's game ends there, and he swears to drown his blade in the blood of the Nephilim! He realizes that he is the one who brings magic, the Fire Wizard through space and time, the only one who can go back in time with the secret he holds in the Spell of Tombs. He no longer fears the Abyss of Pain and now, to honor the prophet Namecid and the Lady of the Secret Sand, he will break the chains of destiny and kill Bezrael!
2024.05.06 01:44 Kadenai The narrative behind "The Eighth Mountain" and "Glory For Salvation" (Rhapsody of Fire).
THIS NARRATIVE IS BASED ON SPECULATIONS AND WHAT I COULD UNDERSTAND FROM THE STORY SO FAR. THERE WILL BE TWO MORE ALBUMS AFTER "CHALLENGE THE WIND" THAT WILL DEFINITELY ELUCIDATE COMPLETELY WHAT IS HAPPENING.
I DID THIS BECAUSE I WANTED THERE TO BE THIS NARRATIVE JUST AS THERE WAS WITH THE TWO PREVIOUS SAGAS (ALGALORD CHRONICLES).
IF ANYONE DISAGREES WITH ANYTHING, DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTEST BY PRESENTING YOUR REASONING.
Previously, I had made a post here and on the Rhapsody of Fire subreddit (Rhapsody_Of_Fire) sharing my opinion about what is happening in the story, but after observing more carefully, I was able to correct certain things and reach a conclusion that I believe is closer to what is actually happening.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Torture, blood, and pain... Deep pain!
That's what's left to humanity, now eternally condemned to the Abyss of Pain, after being completely exterminated by the Nephilim. This happened because the humans who once faithfully served the Nephilim Empire rose up and defeated their gods. Humanity triumphed, and the Nephilim were purged from the earth and banished to the shadows.
But for centuries they waited, until they had the opportunity to rise again, and by allying themselves with an extremely evolved race called the Konstrukts, they managed to exterminate all Homo sapiens DNA from the face of the earth.
Abyss of Pain
Seven Heroic Deeds
In the eternal suffering of the Abyss of Pain stands Kreel, a warrior born for battle. Since young, he was the perfect warrior, and knowing this, the son of Chezaquill, father of all Nephilim, Prince Bezrael summoned him for a journey, a terribly difficult mission, but with a reward...
If Kreel could accomplish Seven Heroic Deeds for Bezrael, his soul would be freed from the Abyss of Pain once and for all!
There was no better choice, even though he was a Nephilim, it was the only chance to escape from that infernal prison of fire. Kreel signs the contract with Bezrael and sets out to conquer the world and try to change his destiny.
Master of Peace
In his first challenge, Kreel finds himself leading an army. Swords clashing, warriors fighting...
The thrill of battle...
The thrill of being alive again courses through the warrior's veins!
However, war is terrible. Thousands and then hundreds of thousands of souls condemned to death due to his orders. But he feels no remorse. He doesn't regret what he's causing to the verdant hills, which will now turn red with the blood spilled by violence.
Even in the face of such terror, he feels like a Master of Peace. For Kreel, every victory demands a sacrifice, and that is just the first step to ensure his permanent freedom, thus triumphing and completing the first Heroic Deed.
Rain of Fury
In the cave of the Eighth Mountain now stands the brave and clever warrior. Kreel possessed not only skills with swords and shields but also was a great wizard, knowledgeable in many types of magic and spells.
With shield set and gripping his sword of shining gold with both hands, he begins a ritual. Thousands of sparks emanate, illuminating the entire cave. Kreel bravely utters the words, and in his heart, he feels prepared to destroy the warlord of the Konstrukts. A Rain of Fury fills the wizard's will, and he knows that with the power of God and magic, he can obtain his prize: the tyrant's head for his own freedom.
White Wizard
In a certain place in time, a people fondly remember their hero, a man known as the White Wizard...
He brought peace to the people and maintained order, always diligent to others' needs.
One day his life ended, but the wise man still lived in the nostalgic hearts.
The absence of the White Wizard is immense for those people, but even after his departure, his magic still worked miracles. He foresaw dark times and storms, but the people yearn for an heir...
Who will be worthy to protect the people in dark times, as the White Wizard once did?
Warrior Heart
Another battle... Will this be the last?
Amidst great destruction and death, where not even the birds want to sing anymore, stands the wizard warrior. Before him, a poor creature with trembling hands begs for mercy. Should he care? Should he heed the plea of that silent cry?
Behind that armor, there is also a warrior like him. In the cold silence of the death that ravages the battlefield, Kreel feels he was acting horribly. Though they are different people, they were raised in the same way, to be ruthless warriors.
Beneath that steel lies a hero like him, and this warrior will be spared.
Kreel had already won the battle and completes another Heroic Deed, the second.
The Courage to Forgive
In that time, it had been ten years since his father had died, yet the hero still hates what he had done to his life, to his soul...
Ten years spent shaping his own son into a perfect and relentless warrior, Kreel hates him. Painful are the memories, they are like a wound.
But the contract with Bezrael demanded that Kreel forgive his father. He needed to overcome this and destroy his hatred, overcome the pain of losing his life, forget, destroy his hatred!
The path was difficult, but he would forgive, thus completing the third Heroic Deed.
March Against The Tyrant Clash of Times
Another day dawns, Kreel breathes once more in the morning chill, life outside the Abyss of Pain, and bids farewell to his beloved. Now he will lead the charge against the tyrant of the Konstrukts.
In what could be the final March, Kreel swears the unworthy king will lose his throne, and his Nephilim lackeys will pay for their terrible deeds, for the death of 691 innocent children!
The army reaches the walls and winged guardians try to stop them, but they were not prepared for the determination of the knights led by the wizard warrior. It's their only chance to invade the castle!
Showers of arrows rain down upon them, but their shields were strong and reinforced with chains! They trust Kreel as their leader, they know he is the only one who can lead them to victory.
Freedom for the brave who do not give up, who ride forth to inscribe this day of glorious triumph in history.
But the enemy did not yield easily. The Konstrukts' army was numerous and their weapons very advanced, however, a warrior from the east was coming to aid them! The same warrior Kreel had spared earlier is here to lend a hand in their hour of need. The charge continues with full force and they finally reach the tyrant...
Smoke rising from the fortress heralds humanity's victory. The leader of the Konstrukts and the Nephilim lackeys are defeated, the tyrant is dead!
But when Kreel returned to his time, in the future, something was wrong...
Nothing had changed, there was no greenery, no happiness, just dust and ashes. The little life that remained would soon turn into ghouls...
What was missing? What needed to happen for him to be free? For humans to be free...
Had everything he had done been in vain?
Anyway, there always seemed to be something strange, why had Bezrael ordered Kreel to attack the Konstrukts and even some Nephilim?
The fourth Heroic Deed had been completed.
The Legend Goes On
Peace, green valleys, life in abundance! That's what he saw when he cast a spell to foresee the future.
It wasn't lost yet, there was still a story to be told, even the love of his life was alive and well, no more wars, no more contracts, true freedom...
The Legend Goes On, there's still much history ahead. Kreel tries to gather his strength and move forward!
The Wind, the Rain and the Moon
Despite everything, the wizard realizes that his beloved has died. He vows to win this war for her...
Tales of a Hero's Fate
Bezrael frees Kreel. But it was just a dream, or maybe a nightmare...
In his deepest and darkest memories, Kreel falls from grace upon realizing that nothing he did mattered. Many deaths, his hands stained with blood for nothing. Once a hero, now he feels like a monster, there was no triumph, only hatred.
The truth cuts harsh and merciless, the wizard begs God for forgiveness, all he did was out of love...
He wonders why he came this far. There's no changing the future, everything will unfold as predestined, he's condemned forever.
Son of Vengeance
Once a hero, now a monster.
It is Kreel, the Son of Vengeance.
He realizes he chose the wrong side, that he has fallen from grace, and that now he is just a servant of fire, a slave of Bezrael. His fate is sealed, he is a slayer for hire.
Now the hands of the hero are killing prophets for wasted hopes and illusions...
The Kingdom of Ice
Once again using the enchantment to travel through time, Kreel goes to a different place, through the magical circle he arrives in a land of ice and cold.
The guardians of time predicted that Kreel would be able to uncover the secret "Deceive the spirits of the dead in the spell of graves".
Now, from the green hills to the glaciers and snow;
From the depths of the Abyss to the pole;
The wizard warrior sets out to conquer the Kingdom of Ice!
Glory For Salvation Eternal Snow
In the lands of Lost Eternal Snow, Kreel marches through the snow towards the Diaphanous Cathedral with the aim of fulfilling his fifth Heroic Deed: to kill Namecid, the Prophet of the Southern Cross.
To the wizard, Namecid is a monster, and by Kreel's faith, he will die. But during the act, the prophet looks at him steadfastly, without a word of forgiveness, confusing him...
Why should he kill a holy man?
Nevertheless, he continues marching through the snow with the blood on his hands.
After killing Namecid, Terial, the hawk made of ice, started following Kreel...
Terial The Hawk
The fallen wizard, now followed by the ice hawk, pleads for forgiveness...
Maid of The Secret Sand
A new place, the desert, the secret sands of Aarnsendt. The fallen hero has the mission to kill the Maid of the Secret Sand.
By the will of Bezrael, he will face the masquerade, but, seeing her eyes, Kreel is enchanted, he falls in love with the lady...
He feels unworthy to even touch her, she captures his heart.
The fallen wizard decides to take a chance, he will spare Vardagwen, allowing the sun to rise on her shining desert dunes.
Abyss of Pain II
No.
Back to the Abyss of Pain.
Bezrael would not allow his slave to betray him in such a way because of love, and so he imprisons Kreel in the infernal prison once again. There, he humiliates the wizard and reminds him of who the master is, reminds him that his word is law. Broken lives, forgotten destinies, tormented hero.
From the Abyss of Pain, the fallen hero cries out to the tears of fate, to the guardians of the sky to protect Vardagwen.
The prophecies written for Kreel reveal the truth, he is condemned, his soul is banished, there is no corruption, no spell that can take him out of there and change his destiny. He is now at the mercy of the vile demon Bezrael, who will torture his soul, all is lost...
...but sad and fateful is the omen. Vardagwen sacrifices herself so that Kreel may be freed from the Abyss of Pain...
...he acknowledges that he is Bezrael's slave and swears to fulfill his will...
Infinitae Gloriae Magic Signs I'll Be Your Hero
After escaping the Abyss of Pain thanks to Vardagwen's sacrifice, the wizard weeps in sadness for having lost his beloved while trapped in the Abyss, and he begs for forgiveness from the Secret Sands and the hawk made of ice Terial.
Kreel feels that something is changing within him...
He feels the pain, the sorrow of having been responsible for that disastrous situation, so he cries out to the mystical rain to cleanse his tears.
But something has truly changed. The hero regains his determination to continue, he will not stop, even if the situation is completely unfavorable, he vows that one day he will be the hero Vardagwen needed, and he sets out for his final Heroic Deed.
Chains of Destiny
With Vardagwen's sacrifice, only one Heroic Deed remained for Kreel to finally obtain his long-awaited freedom.
The final quest, the prophet Quingdar. Kreel approaches, planning to startle the prophet and quickly kill him, but his faith is wavering and shaky. Still, facing the cold and embracing the pain, the hero advances to complete his last mission, even though he doesn't feel like he's facing an enemy, doesn't feel like there's a malicious plan from the one he's going to kill.
Lost and drowning in his thoughts, Kreel startles Quingdar, but he sees his eyes, he weeps under the twilight, and his tears fall into the Lake of Sacred Tears, causing the hero to see his reflection and understand the truth!
The hero recognizes that Bezrael is controlling him, how could he do this?
He will not kill an innocent prophet, a creature of God!
For him, the demon's game ends there, and he swears to drown his blade in the blood of the Nephilim! He realizes that he is the one who brings magic, the Fire Wizard through space and time, the only one who can go back in time with the secret he holds in the Spell of Tombs. He no longer fears the Abyss of Pain and now, to honor the prophet Namecid and the Lady of the Secret Sand, he will break the chains of destiny and kill Bezrael!
submitted by Kadenai to Rhapsody_Of_Fire [link] [comments]
I DID THIS BECAUSE I WANTED THERE TO BE THIS NARRATIVE JUST AS THERE WAS WITH THE TWO PREVIOUS SAGAS (ALGALORD CHRONICLES).
IF ANYONE DISAGREES WITH ANYTHING, DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTEST BY PRESENTING YOUR REASONING.
Previously, I had made a post here and on the Rhapsody of Fire subreddit (Rhapsody_Of_Fire) sharing my opinion about what is happening in the story, but after observing more carefully, I was able to correct certain things and reach a conclusion that I believe is closer to what is actually happening.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Torture, blood, and pain... Deep pain!
That's what's left to humanity, now eternally condemned to the Abyss of Pain, after being completely exterminated by the Nephilim. This happened because the humans who once faithfully served the Nephilim Empire rose up and defeated their gods. Humanity triumphed, and the Nephilim were purged from the earth and banished to the shadows.
But for centuries they waited, until they had the opportunity to rise again, and by allying themselves with an extremely evolved race called the Konstrukts, they managed to exterminate all Homo sapiens DNA from the face of the earth.
Abyss of Pain
Seven Heroic Deeds
In the eternal suffering of the Abyss of Pain stands Kreel, a warrior born for battle. Since young, he was the perfect warrior, and knowing this, the son of Chezaquill, father of all Nephilim, Prince Bezrael summoned him for a journey, a terribly difficult mission, but with a reward...
If Kreel could accomplish Seven Heroic Deeds for Bezrael, his soul would be freed from the Abyss of Pain once and for all!
There was no better choice, even though he was a Nephilim, it was the only chance to escape from that infernal prison of fire. Kreel signs the contract with Bezrael and sets out to conquer the world and try to change his destiny.
Master of Peace
In his first challenge, Kreel finds himself leading an army. Swords clashing, warriors fighting...
The thrill of battle...
The thrill of being alive again courses through the warrior's veins!
However, war is terrible. Thousands and then hundreds of thousands of souls condemned to death due to his orders. But he feels no remorse. He doesn't regret what he's causing to the verdant hills, which will now turn red with the blood spilled by violence.
Even in the face of such terror, he feels like a Master of Peace. For Kreel, every victory demands a sacrifice, and that is just the first step to ensure his permanent freedom, thus triumphing and completing the first Heroic Deed.
Rain of Fury
In the cave of the Eighth Mountain now stands the brave and clever warrior. Kreel possessed not only skills with swords and shields but also was a great wizard, knowledgeable in many types of magic and spells.
With shield set and gripping his sword of shining gold with both hands, he begins a ritual. Thousands of sparks emanate, illuminating the entire cave. Kreel bravely utters the words, and in his heart, he feels prepared to destroy the warlord of the Konstrukts. A Rain of Fury fills the wizard's will, and he knows that with the power of God and magic, he can obtain his prize: the tyrant's head for his own freedom.
White Wizard
In a certain place in time, a people fondly remember their hero, a man known as the White Wizard...
He brought peace to the people and maintained order, always diligent to others' needs.
One day his life ended, but the wise man still lived in the nostalgic hearts.
The absence of the White Wizard is immense for those people, but even after his departure, his magic still worked miracles. He foresaw dark times and storms, but the people yearn for an heir...
Who will be worthy to protect the people in dark times, as the White Wizard once did?
Warrior Heart
Another battle... Will this be the last?
Amidst great destruction and death, where not even the birds want to sing anymore, stands the wizard warrior. Before him, a poor creature with trembling hands begs for mercy. Should he care? Should he heed the plea of that silent cry?
Behind that armor, there is also a warrior like him. In the cold silence of the death that ravages the battlefield, Kreel feels he was acting horribly. Though they are different people, they were raised in the same way, to be ruthless warriors.
Beneath that steel lies a hero like him, and this warrior will be spared.
Kreel had already won the battle and completes another Heroic Deed, the second.
The Courage to Forgive
In that time, it had been ten years since his father had died, yet the hero still hates what he had done to his life, to his soul...
Ten years spent shaping his own son into a perfect and relentless warrior, Kreel hates him. Painful are the memories, they are like a wound.
But the contract with Bezrael demanded that Kreel forgive his father. He needed to overcome this and destroy his hatred, overcome the pain of losing his life, forget, destroy his hatred!
The path was difficult, but he would forgive, thus completing the third Heroic Deed.
March Against The Tyrant Clash of Times
Another day dawns, Kreel breathes once more in the morning chill, life outside the Abyss of Pain, and bids farewell to his beloved. Now he will lead the charge against the tyrant of the Konstrukts.
In what could be the final March, Kreel swears the unworthy king will lose his throne, and his Nephilim lackeys will pay for their terrible deeds, for the death of 691 innocent children!
The army reaches the walls and winged guardians try to stop them, but they were not prepared for the determination of the knights led by the wizard warrior. It's their only chance to invade the castle!
Showers of arrows rain down upon them, but their shields were strong and reinforced with chains! They trust Kreel as their leader, they know he is the only one who can lead them to victory.
Freedom for the brave who do not give up, who ride forth to inscribe this day of glorious triumph in history.
But the enemy did not yield easily. The Konstrukts' army was numerous and their weapons very advanced, however, a warrior from the east was coming to aid them! The same warrior Kreel had spared earlier is here to lend a hand in their hour of need. The charge continues with full force and they finally reach the tyrant...
Smoke rising from the fortress heralds humanity's victory. The leader of the Konstrukts and the Nephilim lackeys are defeated, the tyrant is dead!
But when Kreel returned to his time, in the future, something was wrong...
Nothing had changed, there was no greenery, no happiness, just dust and ashes. The little life that remained would soon turn into ghouls...
What was missing? What needed to happen for him to be free? For humans to be free...
Had everything he had done been in vain?
Anyway, there always seemed to be something strange, why had Bezrael ordered Kreel to attack the Konstrukts and even some Nephilim?
The fourth Heroic Deed had been completed.
The Legend Goes On
Peace, green valleys, life in abundance! That's what he saw when he cast a spell to foresee the future.
It wasn't lost yet, there was still a story to be told, even the love of his life was alive and well, no more wars, no more contracts, true freedom...
The Legend Goes On, there's still much history ahead. Kreel tries to gather his strength and move forward!
The Wind, the Rain and the Moon
Despite everything, the wizard realizes that his beloved has died. He vows to win this war for her...
Tales of a Hero's Fate
Bezrael frees Kreel. But it was just a dream, or maybe a nightmare...
In his deepest and darkest memories, Kreel falls from grace upon realizing that nothing he did mattered. Many deaths, his hands stained with blood for nothing. Once a hero, now he feels like a monster, there was no triumph, only hatred.
The truth cuts harsh and merciless, the wizard begs God for forgiveness, all he did was out of love...
He wonders why he came this far. There's no changing the future, everything will unfold as predestined, he's condemned forever.
Son of Vengeance
Once a hero, now a monster.
It is Kreel, the Son of Vengeance.
He realizes he chose the wrong side, that he has fallen from grace, and that now he is just a servant of fire, a slave of Bezrael. His fate is sealed, he is a slayer for hire.
Now the hands of the hero are killing prophets for wasted hopes and illusions...
The Kingdom of Ice
Once again using the enchantment to travel through time, Kreel goes to a different place, through the magical circle he arrives in a land of ice and cold.
The guardians of time predicted that Kreel would be able to uncover the secret "Deceive the spirits of the dead in the spell of graves".
Now, from the green hills to the glaciers and snow;
From the depths of the Abyss to the pole;
The wizard warrior sets out to conquer the Kingdom of Ice!
Glory For Salvation Eternal Snow
In the lands of Lost Eternal Snow, Kreel marches through the snow towards the Diaphanous Cathedral with the aim of fulfilling his fifth Heroic Deed: to kill Namecid, the Prophet of the Southern Cross.
To the wizard, Namecid is a monster, and by Kreel's faith, he will die. But during the act, the prophet looks at him steadfastly, without a word of forgiveness, confusing him...
Why should he kill a holy man?
Nevertheless, he continues marching through the snow with the blood on his hands.
After killing Namecid, Terial, the hawk made of ice, started following Kreel...
Terial The Hawk
The fallen wizard, now followed by the ice hawk, pleads for forgiveness...
Maid of The Secret Sand
A new place, the desert, the secret sands of Aarnsendt. The fallen hero has the mission to kill the Maid of the Secret Sand.
By the will of Bezrael, he will face the masquerade, but, seeing her eyes, Kreel is enchanted, he falls in love with the lady...
He feels unworthy to even touch her, she captures his heart.
The fallen wizard decides to take a chance, he will spare Vardagwen, allowing the sun to rise on her shining desert dunes.
Abyss of Pain II
No.
Back to the Abyss of Pain.
Bezrael would not allow his slave to betray him in such a way because of love, and so he imprisons Kreel in the infernal prison once again. There, he humiliates the wizard and reminds him of who the master is, reminds him that his word is law. Broken lives, forgotten destinies, tormented hero.
From the Abyss of Pain, the fallen hero cries out to the tears of fate, to the guardians of the sky to protect Vardagwen.
The prophecies written for Kreel reveal the truth, he is condemned, his soul is banished, there is no corruption, no spell that can take him out of there and change his destiny. He is now at the mercy of the vile demon Bezrael, who will torture his soul, all is lost...
...but sad and fateful is the omen. Vardagwen sacrifices herself so that Kreel may be freed from the Abyss of Pain...
...he acknowledges that he is Bezrael's slave and swears to fulfill his will...
Infinitae Gloriae Magic Signs I'll Be Your Hero
After escaping the Abyss of Pain thanks to Vardagwen's sacrifice, the wizard weeps in sadness for having lost his beloved while trapped in the Abyss, and he begs for forgiveness from the Secret Sands and the hawk made of ice Terial.
Kreel feels that something is changing within him...
He feels the pain, the sorrow of having been responsible for that disastrous situation, so he cries out to the mystical rain to cleanse his tears.
But something has truly changed. The hero regains his determination to continue, he will not stop, even if the situation is completely unfavorable, he vows that one day he will be the hero Vardagwen needed, and he sets out for his final Heroic Deed.
Chains of Destiny
With Vardagwen's sacrifice, only one Heroic Deed remained for Kreel to finally obtain his long-awaited freedom.
The final quest, the prophet Quingdar. Kreel approaches, planning to startle the prophet and quickly kill him, but his faith is wavering and shaky. Still, facing the cold and embracing the pain, the hero advances to complete his last mission, even though he doesn't feel like he's facing an enemy, doesn't feel like there's a malicious plan from the one he's going to kill.
Lost and drowning in his thoughts, Kreel startles Quingdar, but he sees his eyes, he weeps under the twilight, and his tears fall into the Lake of Sacred Tears, causing the hero to see his reflection and understand the truth!
The hero recognizes that Bezrael is controlling him, how could he do this?
He will not kill an innocent prophet, a creature of God!
For him, the demon's game ends there, and he swears to drown his blade in the blood of the Nephilim! He realizes that he is the one who brings magic, the Fire Wizard through space and time, the only one who can go back in time with the secret he holds in the Spell of Tombs. He no longer fears the Abyss of Pain and now, to honor the prophet Namecid and the Lady of the Secret Sand, he will break the chains of destiny and kill Bezrael!
2024.05.06 01:42 rvl35 Awesome hunt with my son!
 | Had a fantastic hunt with my son yesterday. We started on a new property that my friend and I just got access to this week and hunted for the first time on Friday. Going in blind that first day we found a gobbler in a creek bottom in a narrow gully between two fields, unfortunately for us he went out in the opposite direction and crossed the road to another property. I thought this might make for a relatively quick hunt for my son the next day if the gobbler did the same thing, but the gobbler had other plans and was in a different location entirely. It sounded like he had joined up with another group of birds that we heard the day before, 400 yards away and off the property. We were back in the truck less than an hour after daybreak. submitted by rvl35 to turkeyhunting [link] [comments] We drove around checking some other properties but didn’t see any birds out, we finally settled on a property where I’ve had a lot of success in recent years but it can be difficult hunting. On our way in I stopped to glass a distant cornfield from the top of a hill/hayfield and oddly spotted either a jake or gobbler standing in a tree even though it was 7:45am by this point. His red head was clear as day through binoculars, but he was about 700 yards away. We continued down the back side of the hayfield to a woods road that offers the only easy entry point to the woods beyond, as it runs between a large swamp of flooded timber on one side and a nearly impenetrable jungle of brush and briars on the other. The path leads to a small clearing as you reach the actual woods, and it’s a natural choke point for birds moving to the fields. We sat here for an hour but didn’t hear anything other than crows mobbing an owl. With our butts telling us it was time to get up and move we began slowly running-and-gunning through the timber. When we had covered about 300 yards a hen answered my trumpet call at relatively close range. We tucked up against a large tree and after a little more back and forth calling she was passing by within twenty yards. We were both scanning behind her, but with the amount of yelping she had done I was convinced any gobbler with her would have sounded off. I was wrong. I caught movement to our right, and realized there were two gobblers in full strut that had swung slightly ahead of her but about 50 yards further back. The lead gobbler worked in to about thirty-five yards, too far to my son’s right for a shot but right in front of me. I probably could have taken him, but never had a completely unobstructed view of his head so I passed, and after several minutes they all drifted off roughly in the direction we had been coming from. Thinking they might be heading toward the fields we decided to try to get ahead of them and beat them to the spot we had previously been set up at. The safest at to do so meant passing through the previously mentioned “jungle” and out to the field. This part made me incredibly proud of my son as he managed to keep up with me as I weaved, crouched, crawled, and tore a path right through the middle of it. By 10am we were back at the little clearing. I called intermittently, but we expected them to come in silent given that the two gobblers had never made a sound other than spitting and drumming. About 35 minutes had passed when I heard a sound that I thought might be a gobble, but it was off to our right, which was the opposite direction these birds should have been coming from. I tried calling and several minutes later I heard it again and told my son to shift slightly to cover that direction, even though I wasn’t 100% convinced it was a gobble yet. Another 10 minutes had passed, when my son whispered “hen”, and sure enough I looked up to see a hen with an 8” beard working along the far side of the clearing just inside the woods. Another minute passed and then a booming gobble sounded just off to our right where the woods road runs up a small hill out of the clearing. Moments later I could hear footsteps in the leaves coming down the hill, and the sound of a gobbler popping into full strut at close range. Seconds later he stepped out past the honeysuckle bush blocking my view of that side of the clearing, and when he stuck his head up to look around my son dropped him in his tracks at 22 yards. We never saw or heard another sign of the hen and gobblers we had encountered earlier, but we were more than happy with the two-year old who finally played along. He was 19lbs with 7/8” spurs and a 9 1/2” beard. It was only after driving the 45 minutes home that I realized I no longer had my call with me and realized I had taken it off when shedding layers for the walk out, and stupidly knocked it off my vest while stowing those layers in the game bag. My son had a school baseball game in the afternoon, and afterwards I made an unplanned trip back to our hunting spot and thankfully recovered the call right where we had taken pictures. |
2024.05.06 01:39 Topdropje Janet Jackson Together Again tour questions.
I'm planning on going to see her later this year but I'm not sure yet which kind of ticket I want. Seats or standing.
What is her stage layout be like? Does she have any props and stuff on the sides? Does she have one stage or one main stage and a smaller one or something like that?
And most important what was the duration so far including support act?
submitted by Topdropje to janetjackson [link] [comments]
What is her stage layout be like? Does she have any props and stuff on the sides? Does she have one stage or one main stage and a smaller one or something like that?
And most important what was the duration so far including support act?
2024.05.06 01:36 DrIndyJonesJr Epoxy wooden countertop?
I’m planning on experimenting soon with my first epoxy project - refinishing an older wooden countertop that we took out of our kitchen awhile ago. We’d like to use the countertop somewhere, but I’ve only seen epoxy finishes on bars, at restaurants, etc. How well does an epoxy finish hold up? Does it get sticky after cleaning products are used? Does it clean up easily like a granite surface? Does it chip or scratch? I guess I’m asking for what to expect in terms of durability, care advice, and any finishing helpful hints.
submitted by DrIndyJonesJr to DIY [link] [comments]
2024.05.06 01:33 FauxSubtique Narrative Battle Report: Genestealer Cults vs. Traitor Blood Angels (Custodes)
CONTENT WARNING: EXTREME VIOLENCE
Technical Data
Date: 050524
Players: Faux (Traitor Blood Angels(Custodes)), Bidoof (Genestealer Cults (Civilians))
Mission: 10th Edition, Crucible of Battle, Delayed Reserves, Scorched Earth
Points: 1500 Both
House Rules: Marius may be resurrected even if his unit is dead
Narrative:
It was the third week in the war for the hive city. The Cult of the Rusted claw, having sown its roots deep in this tau-controlled human planet, sought to aid in its defense against extermination. They were not monsters. They were there to save civilians. The plan was to burn the hab block to the ground as soon as everyone was evacuated. Then the fog rolled in... comms started getting static-y, and the Fathers began to sweat.
There was a horrible sound. Like a scream and a battle-cry, it wretched across the darkened skies of the hive, and struck in a bolt of pale white lightning. Then, standing there, there they were. Once saviors, once soldiers, there they were. Captain Angelos, who had once given his mind and soul to save his brothers' lives, only for them to be used as immortal tools of Khorne. Brother-Chaplain Augustus, who had hand-painted the iconography on his armor with a Terran horse-hair brush. Marius the Joyful. Bladelord Victus Nero, once compared to Sanguinius himself for his beauty and grace with a blade.
At first, the members of the cult were shocked and confused. These bone-clad monsters couldn't be here for them?
Captain Angelos barked an order, and two of the three squads split away into the night, leaving just Victus and his men facing the mob.
The gunfire started when Victus began walking. He and his men strode forward. Not hastened, not slowed, just relaxed.
Stubbers and autoguns paffed out through the smog, and the rusted support struts that held the two forces groaned with the weight of providence.
One of Nero's brothers went down, pelted by a blistering hail of gunfire from a local biker gang. The kids looked like greasers and punks, but they'd come out to defend their neighborhood. As their brother fell, the others broke into a sprint. Titans pounded the sand towards the group of bikers, and the group whirled around. The gang retreated to the safety of the back streets for now, leaving the company of Nero in the middle of town. 100 guns trained on them.
Meanwhile, a group of mutants helps to evacuate a building full of civilians. No one special, just an apartment hab block. They are the only people who will leave this battlefield alive. The mutants are led by Forman, an Aobminant.
Elsewhere, two groups of cultists begin filing people out of a combination orphanage/school/animal shelter. 40 civilians, to be in fact. They are the last civilians to be evacuated.
The sound rings out again. Wailing over the gunfire, crashing over the ranks, is the sound of battle. Swords ring, horses scream, bombs detonate, and a bolt of pale white lightning strikes the ground behind the mutants, smelling of ozone and warped flesh. Forman turns to see the old Blood Dragons 1st Company Terminator Squad, led by Marius the Joyful. There isn't a way to tell him from his men, currently. The mutants, dashing to protect their evacuees, slam into the terminators. The fel guards laugh as they are pounded with hammers and stones, beaten into a gugling, bloody pulp. Completely annihilated. The mutants are sweaty and battered, feeling anemic, but triumphant. They turn to jog back to the safe zone. A chill wind caresses the cheek of a fallen warrior, and a hand twitches in the dirt.
Chainswords roar to life, their guttural daemon engines rumbling with delight. Bolt pistols detonated in the air, deafening those standing nearby. They did not stand for long. Two of the bikers were cut down by gunfire while fleeing from the fight. Then the slaughter began. Booms sounded from where Vtus Nero's Blood Butchers advanced around a corner, gunning down several militia cult members. Then Nero had a conscious of crisis. He had orders to follow the bikers. To dig for... for blood. But there was more blood to be had here...
His thirst for the wine of Khorne pulled him like an iron chain. Against his orders and tactical sense, he charged the two mobs of cultists. And the civilians they protected. Chainswords and axes roared into life, and blood shot into the dingy streetlight like fountains of rosewater. Nero rejoiced as he watched it shimmer and glow. His mind was aglow with the haze of insanity, and his hands cut down three soldiers and a family of six. Then his brothers followed him into the gap, their martial training manifest as they instinctively closed ranks... and began tearing people apart with their weapons. Brother Flimflam was so overcome with himself that he slammed his archaic faceplate into the floor attempting to squeeze the blood from the meat with his teeth.
In the end, 60 people were brutally murdered, and the Blood Butchers earned their name yet again. This massacre marks the halfway point of the battle.
Acolyte Iconward Jr. (named after his long-lost Patriarch, Acolyte Iconward) watched in horror as members of his congregation were torn to pieces. He yelled and pulled his bio-pistol, ready to enact revenge.
One of the militia members who had been working an anti-jammer to get a signal through to the outside, and had succeeded. A group of armed college students nearby had heard the shooting, and were coming to aid their fellow members of the faith. They had planned a surprise attack on Captain Angelos' squad. Members of Angelos' personal guard, The Lord's Table, knelt before their leader in a half-circle as he sipped wine from a skull. His gorgeous golden hair and sharp features missed nothing, not that you could see them beneath the Mask of the Pig. A boar's head, larger than a chair, shoved onto Angelos' helm. It grew strange patches of long black hair. The students fired their collection of tommy guns, and accomplished nothing. The lead shells pinged off of power fields and sheer malevolent plasma. Angelos turned, raised his bolter, and one of the students' heads turned to paste. The Lord's Table charged, butchering all twenty of them.
Across the field, as Forman led his group of survivors to safety, Marius the Joyful stomped to his feet. Red lightning crackled 'neath his armor, and his helm was bent and twisted so that a glowing, leering grin shon out from it. Forman crushed the horror immediately with his massive hammer, and Marius crumpled into the dust once more. Several gunshots were fired into his helm to ensure he was down.
After a long and brutal fight, the Blood Butchers were finally gone, with only an injured Victus standing amid 10 wounded men. His helm, cut off half way up the face, showed his flawless olive skin and eager smile.
As the 10 troops broke away from Nero, misfortune befell them near instantly, as they ran directly into Angelos. The Lord's Table charged, one of them turning off his power fist to feel the pop of the small head he gripped in his hands.Angelos himself disdained the murders, walking primly and weeping openly.
Lightning rippled from Marius' mangled body, and he screamed as Khorne's fury at his failure shamed him into new life. He stumbled to his feet, firing his gun and lunging. A mother and her child were saved by one of the mutants, who dove before the axe of the slaughterer. They left Marius, shattered and smiling, metal face haunting those who survived for years to come.
At last the biker gang had circled back around, and were greeted... with carnage. Nearly a hundred of their friends, family, and neighbors lay dead in the street. And out of the gloom walks another squad of monsters. This one is easy to spot, as a man with a red skull helm screams his admiration for his god. The bikers do as they did before. Drive close, rake with gunfire, leave. But they make the mistake of assuming all Chaos is made alike. Their shots mean nothing, and space blurs as warriors of the Red God dive. Metal crashes, bodies smash, and limbs fly in a maelstrom.
Forman and his mutants turn to see their home, not burning bodiless as they'd intended, but flooded with red.
In the end, most of the leaders of the cult escaped, as well as some civilians. However, it is estimated that the Blood Dragons removed approximately 53% of Hab Sector Hydron.
submitted by FauxSubtique to Warhammer [link] [comments]
Technical Data
Date: 050524
Players: Faux (Traitor Blood Angels(Custodes)), Bidoof (Genestealer Cults (Civilians))
Mission: 10th Edition, Crucible of Battle, Delayed Reserves, Scorched Earth
Points: 1500 Both
House Rules: Marius may be resurrected even if his unit is dead
Narrative:
It was the third week in the war for the hive city. The Cult of the Rusted claw, having sown its roots deep in this tau-controlled human planet, sought to aid in its defense against extermination. They were not monsters. They were there to save civilians. The plan was to burn the hab block to the ground as soon as everyone was evacuated. Then the fog rolled in... comms started getting static-y, and the Fathers began to sweat.
There was a horrible sound. Like a scream and a battle-cry, it wretched across the darkened skies of the hive, and struck in a bolt of pale white lightning. Then, standing there, there they were. Once saviors, once soldiers, there they were. Captain Angelos, who had once given his mind and soul to save his brothers' lives, only for them to be used as immortal tools of Khorne. Brother-Chaplain Augustus, who had hand-painted the iconography on his armor with a Terran horse-hair brush. Marius the Joyful. Bladelord Victus Nero, once compared to Sanguinius himself for his beauty and grace with a blade.
At first, the members of the cult were shocked and confused. These bone-clad monsters couldn't be here for them?
Captain Angelos barked an order, and two of the three squads split away into the night, leaving just Victus and his men facing the mob.
The gunfire started when Victus began walking. He and his men strode forward. Not hastened, not slowed, just relaxed.
Stubbers and autoguns paffed out through the smog, and the rusted support struts that held the two forces groaned with the weight of providence.
One of Nero's brothers went down, pelted by a blistering hail of gunfire from a local biker gang. The kids looked like greasers and punks, but they'd come out to defend their neighborhood. As their brother fell, the others broke into a sprint. Titans pounded the sand towards the group of bikers, and the group whirled around. The gang retreated to the safety of the back streets for now, leaving the company of Nero in the middle of town. 100 guns trained on them.
Meanwhile, a group of mutants helps to evacuate a building full of civilians. No one special, just an apartment hab block. They are the only people who will leave this battlefield alive. The mutants are led by Forman, an Aobminant.
Elsewhere, two groups of cultists begin filing people out of a combination orphanage/school/animal shelter. 40 civilians, to be in fact. They are the last civilians to be evacuated.
The sound rings out again. Wailing over the gunfire, crashing over the ranks, is the sound of battle. Swords ring, horses scream, bombs detonate, and a bolt of pale white lightning strikes the ground behind the mutants, smelling of ozone and warped flesh. Forman turns to see the old Blood Dragons 1st Company Terminator Squad, led by Marius the Joyful. There isn't a way to tell him from his men, currently. The mutants, dashing to protect their evacuees, slam into the terminators. The fel guards laugh as they are pounded with hammers and stones, beaten into a gugling, bloody pulp. Completely annihilated. The mutants are sweaty and battered, feeling anemic, but triumphant. They turn to jog back to the safe zone. A chill wind caresses the cheek of a fallen warrior, and a hand twitches in the dirt.
Chainswords roar to life, their guttural daemon engines rumbling with delight. Bolt pistols detonated in the air, deafening those standing nearby. They did not stand for long. Two of the bikers were cut down by gunfire while fleeing from the fight. Then the slaughter began. Booms sounded from where Vtus Nero's Blood Butchers advanced around a corner, gunning down several militia cult members. Then Nero had a conscious of crisis. He had orders to follow the bikers. To dig for... for blood. But there was more blood to be had here...
His thirst for the wine of Khorne pulled him like an iron chain. Against his orders and tactical sense, he charged the two mobs of cultists. And the civilians they protected. Chainswords and axes roared into life, and blood shot into the dingy streetlight like fountains of rosewater. Nero rejoiced as he watched it shimmer and glow. His mind was aglow with the haze of insanity, and his hands cut down three soldiers and a family of six. Then his brothers followed him into the gap, their martial training manifest as they instinctively closed ranks... and began tearing people apart with their weapons. Brother Flimflam was so overcome with himself that he slammed his archaic faceplate into the floor attempting to squeeze the blood from the meat with his teeth.
In the end, 60 people were brutally murdered, and the Blood Butchers earned their name yet again. This massacre marks the halfway point of the battle.
Acolyte Iconward Jr. (named after his long-lost Patriarch, Acolyte Iconward) watched in horror as members of his congregation were torn to pieces. He yelled and pulled his bio-pistol, ready to enact revenge.
One of the militia members who had been working an anti-jammer to get a signal through to the outside, and had succeeded. A group of armed college students nearby had heard the shooting, and were coming to aid their fellow members of the faith. They had planned a surprise attack on Captain Angelos' squad. Members of Angelos' personal guard, The Lord's Table, knelt before their leader in a half-circle as he sipped wine from a skull. His gorgeous golden hair and sharp features missed nothing, not that you could see them beneath the Mask of the Pig. A boar's head, larger than a chair, shoved onto Angelos' helm. It grew strange patches of long black hair. The students fired their collection of tommy guns, and accomplished nothing. The lead shells pinged off of power fields and sheer malevolent plasma. Angelos turned, raised his bolter, and one of the students' heads turned to paste. The Lord's Table charged, butchering all twenty of them.
Across the field, as Forman led his group of survivors to safety, Marius the Joyful stomped to his feet. Red lightning crackled 'neath his armor, and his helm was bent and twisted so that a glowing, leering grin shon out from it. Forman crushed the horror immediately with his massive hammer, and Marius crumpled into the dust once more. Several gunshots were fired into his helm to ensure he was down.
After a long and brutal fight, the Blood Butchers were finally gone, with only an injured Victus standing amid 10 wounded men. His helm, cut off half way up the face, showed his flawless olive skin and eager smile.
As the 10 troops broke away from Nero, misfortune befell them near instantly, as they ran directly into Angelos. The Lord's Table charged, one of them turning off his power fist to feel the pop of the small head he gripped in his hands.Angelos himself disdained the murders, walking primly and weeping openly.
Lightning rippled from Marius' mangled body, and he screamed as Khorne's fury at his failure shamed him into new life. He stumbled to his feet, firing his gun and lunging. A mother and her child were saved by one of the mutants, who dove before the axe of the slaughterer. They left Marius, shattered and smiling, metal face haunting those who survived for years to come.
At last the biker gang had circled back around, and were greeted... with carnage. Nearly a hundred of their friends, family, and neighbors lay dead in the street. And out of the gloom walks another squad of monsters. This one is easy to spot, as a man with a red skull helm screams his admiration for his god. The bikers do as they did before. Drive close, rake with gunfire, leave. But they make the mistake of assuming all Chaos is made alike. Their shots mean nothing, and space blurs as warriors of the Red God dive. Metal crashes, bodies smash, and limbs fly in a maelstrom.
Forman and his mutants turn to see their home, not burning bodiless as they'd intended, but flooded with red.
In the end, most of the leaders of the cult escaped, as well as some civilians. However, it is estimated that the Blood Dragons removed approximately 53% of Hab Sector Hydron.
2024.05.06 01:33 iamin92 Individual Campsites Booking Las Torres for O-Loop - when available?
Hello everyone,
In November my girlfriend and I are planning to do the O-loop in TDP. We made our itinerary the last few weeks and want to start reserving the campsites. We are experienced backpackers and are therefore planning to carry everything ourselves: food, tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, etc.
Therefore, we would like to reserve the individual campsites. For Vertice it's known that the bookings have not opened yet. But for Torres only the premium options are available. Anyone know why the website is not showing this option?
3. Individual Campsite
Get into camp and find the campsite that’s waiting for you and your tent. Campsites are on the ground or on a wooden platform, depending on their location. Put up your own tent, sleep in your own sleeping bag, and have access to the bathroom facilities with hot showers (subject to a time schedule). Campsite for a 2 person tent
Prices
Maybe someone knows more, or can share previous experiences. It would be greatly appreciated!
submitted by iamin92 to Patagonia [link] [comments]
In November my girlfriend and I are planning to do the O-loop in TDP. We made our itinerary the last few weeks and want to start reserving the campsites. We are experienced backpackers and are therefore planning to carry everything ourselves: food, tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, etc.
Therefore, we would like to reserve the individual campsites. For Vertice it's known that the bookings have not opened yet. But for Torres only the premium options are available. Anyone know why the website is not showing this option?
3. Individual Campsite
Get into camp and find the campsite that’s waiting for you and your tent. Campsites are on the ground or on a wooden platform, depending on their location. Put up your own tent, sleep in your own sleeping bag, and have access to the bathroom facilities with hot showers (subject to a time schedule). Campsite for a 2 person tent
Prices
- Low season (October and April): USD $35
- Single occupancy supplement: USD $23 per person per night
- High season (November to March) USD $40
- Single occupancy supplement: USD $25 per person per night
- The maximum number of people per site is two; if you wish to book for three people, you must select one double option and one single option.
- Due to the high risk of forest fires, the use of stoves in the Chilean Sector is prohibited.
Maybe someone knows more, or can share previous experiences. It would be greatly appreciated!
2024.05.06 01:31 itsphaser Just discovered fibreglass in my mattress… what do I do?
So yesterday, I was cleaning under the bed and shined a flashlight under the mattress to see the dust better, then through the bottom of the mattress, I see shiny threads poking out the entire bottom of the mattress. I do some reading, and turns out it’s fiberglass.
I’ve never taken off the cover, it was all just sticking through the bottom. My friend gave me the mattress when she got a new one, and I’ve had the mattress for about four years now. I’ve moved apartments during that time.
I can’t really feel the fiberglass when I touch it, does that mean It can be something else?
So I did the flashlight test with all the lights off, and I see long, straight, reflective hairs on my sheets, my bed stand, my desk and chair. So I doubt it’s just regular dust, right?I’ve read about people’s stories and, compared to them, I don’t think my situation is too bad, it’s not a lot of fiber glass, it’s just everywhere. So I slept on the couch for the night, I’m very paranoid now, I don’t know how long this has been a problem.
I’m going on a week-long trip tommorow, but when I get back, I have a dyson v10 cyclone vacuum I’m going to try and use to clean everything up, I’ve read you need a hepa filter, so hopefully my vacuum works? I told my parents not to touch anything while I’m gone.
There’s also the issue of washing my sheets. Will the fiberglass get trapped in my washing machine? Apparently, a dryer on cold mode will get rid of the fiberglass and vent it out along with the rest of the lint, but I don’t know how long that fiberglass has been around me, and if there’s already some in my washing machine… What is the best thing to do in terms of washing everything?
And, most importantly, what should I do with the mattress? Should I just throw it out or buy some sort of cover? Which cover will work best? I might move soon if the landlord increases rent, so I might not have the same bed size in the next apartment. Buying a new mattress is not ideal.
I have a lot of concerns, so please help me out guys… what’s my best plan of action right now? How big of a problem is all this?
(Here’s a picture of the fiberglass and mattress tag, you can’t see a lot of the fiberglass in the photo, it’s much longer and there’s more of it than appears.)
https://imgur.com/a/D1flMkR
submitted by itsphaser to Mattress [link] [comments]
I’ve never taken off the cover, it was all just sticking through the bottom. My friend gave me the mattress when she got a new one, and I’ve had the mattress for about four years now. I’ve moved apartments during that time.
I can’t really feel the fiberglass when I touch it, does that mean It can be something else?
So I did the flashlight test with all the lights off, and I see long, straight, reflective hairs on my sheets, my bed stand, my desk and chair. So I doubt it’s just regular dust, right?I’ve read about people’s stories and, compared to them, I don’t think my situation is too bad, it’s not a lot of fiber glass, it’s just everywhere. So I slept on the couch for the night, I’m very paranoid now, I don’t know how long this has been a problem.
I’m going on a week-long trip tommorow, but when I get back, I have a dyson v10 cyclone vacuum I’m going to try and use to clean everything up, I’ve read you need a hepa filter, so hopefully my vacuum works? I told my parents not to touch anything while I’m gone.
There’s also the issue of washing my sheets. Will the fiberglass get trapped in my washing machine? Apparently, a dryer on cold mode will get rid of the fiberglass and vent it out along with the rest of the lint, but I don’t know how long that fiberglass has been around me, and if there’s already some in my washing machine… What is the best thing to do in terms of washing everything?
And, most importantly, what should I do with the mattress? Should I just throw it out or buy some sort of cover? Which cover will work best? I might move soon if the landlord increases rent, so I might not have the same bed size in the next apartment. Buying a new mattress is not ideal.
I have a lot of concerns, so please help me out guys… what’s my best plan of action right now? How big of a problem is all this?
(Here’s a picture of the fiberglass and mattress tag, you can’t see a lot of the fiberglass in the photo, it’s much longer and there’s more of it than appears.)
https://imgur.com/a/D1flMkR
2024.05.06 01:27 Plastic_Dog_4187 I don't what they are or what they want from me?
It all started with hearing a tree knock while working nightshift on forbidden mountain. I found all kinds of tree structures the next day and what was the start of the vast network of antennas and portals in my area. The vocals I got at the beginning were interesting but i figured out what all the interference on my voice recordings was.
After I started slowing down the pitch and tempo of my recordings I noticed speech in English in the form of whispers. The whispers started off accompanied by the sound of moving parts within the phone. Most of my early recording I would get the whispers only when piggy backed off of other sounds. Ad time went on the white noise would change more drastically and the speech more clear. It was when the one who referred to himself as Ryan came to me with urgency that it escalated.
Ryan used to mimick other calls and voices including my own convincingly. He would even hijack my recordings and piece together messages sometimes as well. One day I got what seemed like a memory of a dying planet and the inhabitants needing to be rescued. It was an SOS call which since then the recording has changed as I did transcript that recording and it doesn't match what it is now. Ryan told me it was urgent to open this portal that sits in the middle of a 600000 square foot wooden grid of logs. This turned out to be a scheme to open the door where I was told by the others he intended to hunt me and my family. This was the beginning of many schemes to get me to open it and embarrassingly most of them tricked me
This portal was also gaurded by an old native legend called Baxwbakwalanuksiwe. Bax would taunt me with whistling every time I attempted to open this portal. I've heard the same tune of whistling in two separate occasions both in the middle of the woods at night. Since I digressed from helping Ryan and paid Bax gratitude he seems to be guarding me from these beings. Ryan and his kind are not the only strange part of this while string of events.
The orbs that gaurd the pixies are another part of all this. The orbs and I crossed paths for a reason. They also communicate with me and told me they were trying to find a new home for the faeries because developers recently destroyed their home. I have seen two of these orbs take form when I got to close to the pixies. Both were humanoid shadow figures with their parent orbs attached to them. I showed the orb I call "Dark" the perfect location for a new home and last night I noticed the glow on the clouds in the location of the new town. The downside is filled with antennas, New snapdowns and stick skirts at the bottom of the trees which I attribute to fae activity.
I don't know how all 3 of these entity's are connected but they all seem to make the same type of tree structuring of Bigfoot and all their monuments line up in straight lines for KMs. Ryan told me before the emporer had him executed they are called the "Lyrox".
I can't find anything pertaining to these "Lyrox". All I know is they can cloak and speak into my voice recordings without my knowledge. I can hear their manipulation of white noise if I'm standing in the right spot for it to piggyback off of other sound frequency. They call their home "the planet with the moon". One can pretend he's a whole group as I had one introduce himself to me in 5 languages at one time. They do this thing I call "whisper echoeing" where they whisper and the echoe is either translated or is just louder(I've also experienced ravens do this when they communicate with "baxwbakwalanuksiwe). I've never seen one but I've seen the silhouette of one in the moonlight and seen one do a spider crawl out of the moonlight into the woods.
Has anyone else experienced this? I attached a link to my Google drive folder that has samples of these bizarre recordings if anyone wants to try to see what they can find hidden in these recordings. I also have a link to the video I took of this "grid" with the portal in the middle.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1s0CLm9PkDnao7jtHpxpDVhpAajiIftdC
https://youtu.be/zNPLpjAfU3w
submitted by Plastic_Dog_4187 to LittlePeopleStories [link] [comments]
After I started slowing down the pitch and tempo of my recordings I noticed speech in English in the form of whispers. The whispers started off accompanied by the sound of moving parts within the phone. Most of my early recording I would get the whispers only when piggy backed off of other sounds. Ad time went on the white noise would change more drastically and the speech more clear. It was when the one who referred to himself as Ryan came to me with urgency that it escalated.
Ryan used to mimick other calls and voices including my own convincingly. He would even hijack my recordings and piece together messages sometimes as well. One day I got what seemed like a memory of a dying planet and the inhabitants needing to be rescued. It was an SOS call which since then the recording has changed as I did transcript that recording and it doesn't match what it is now. Ryan told me it was urgent to open this portal that sits in the middle of a 600000 square foot wooden grid of logs. This turned out to be a scheme to open the door where I was told by the others he intended to hunt me and my family. This was the beginning of many schemes to get me to open it and embarrassingly most of them tricked me
This portal was also gaurded by an old native legend called Baxwbakwalanuksiwe. Bax would taunt me with whistling every time I attempted to open this portal. I've heard the same tune of whistling in two separate occasions both in the middle of the woods at night. Since I digressed from helping Ryan and paid Bax gratitude he seems to be guarding me from these beings. Ryan and his kind are not the only strange part of this while string of events.
The orbs that gaurd the pixies are another part of all this. The orbs and I crossed paths for a reason. They also communicate with me and told me they were trying to find a new home for the faeries because developers recently destroyed their home. I have seen two of these orbs take form when I got to close to the pixies. Both were humanoid shadow figures with their parent orbs attached to them. I showed the orb I call "Dark" the perfect location for a new home and last night I noticed the glow on the clouds in the location of the new town. The downside is filled with antennas, New snapdowns and stick skirts at the bottom of the trees which I attribute to fae activity.
I don't know how all 3 of these entity's are connected but they all seem to make the same type of tree structuring of Bigfoot and all their monuments line up in straight lines for KMs. Ryan told me before the emporer had him executed they are called the "Lyrox".
I can't find anything pertaining to these "Lyrox". All I know is they can cloak and speak into my voice recordings without my knowledge. I can hear their manipulation of white noise if I'm standing in the right spot for it to piggyback off of other sound frequency. They call their home "the planet with the moon". One can pretend he's a whole group as I had one introduce himself to me in 5 languages at one time. They do this thing I call "whisper echoeing" where they whisper and the echoe is either translated or is just louder(I've also experienced ravens do this when they communicate with "baxwbakwalanuksiwe). I've never seen one but I've seen the silhouette of one in the moonlight and seen one do a spider crawl out of the moonlight into the woods.
Has anyone else experienced this? I attached a link to my Google drive folder that has samples of these bizarre recordings if anyone wants to try to see what they can find hidden in these recordings. I also have a link to the video I took of this "grid" with the portal in the middle.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1s0CLm9PkDnao7jtHpxpDVhpAajiIftdC
https://youtu.be/zNPLpjAfU3w
2024.05.06 01:25 xtremexavier15 TMA 4
"Welcome back to Total Drama Action!" The episode faded back in with a shot of the front gate, the camera panning out and down to show the castmates and host back in their regular attire. "Where against all advice to the contrary, the players have changed out of their bathing suits. Hope you like swimmin' in your jeans," Chris told them, folding his arms.
"Do you expect us to believe that we'll be going to the beach this time?" Sky asked.
As if on cue, a horn was honked and the shot panned over to the Boat of Losers driving up to the side of the set.
"You were saying?" Chris asked.
Confessional: Ripper
"Chris actually didn't tell us hogwash?" Ripper explained in surprise. "Who would have expected that?"
Confessional Ends
The scene cut back to the host and contestants getting on the boat. "Since the beach we're going to isn't connected to the film lot, we're traveling via boat,” Chris informed the teens. “Bet you guys feel stupid for changing out of your swimsuits now!”
“We thought you were going to put us in another studio that's as chilly as Alaska!” Anne Maria called out. “Don't blame us because we were trying to think ahead.”
"And that's what I like about you kids," Chris smirked before the boat started to take off.
The camera skipped ahead to Chris' feet as he stepped onto sand, the shot panning up. "Yes campers, we're actually back at your old stomping grounds," he announced as birds called in the background, "Total! Drama! Island!" The shot zoomed out as it usually did when the series' name was said, and the eleven teens were shown standing in their teams by two sectioned-off areas of beach.
"If you need to take a moment and reminisce about the great times you had here," Chris told them, Chef Hatchet standing at his side.
They all took a moment… to burst out laughing.
"Fine," Chris said, "we'll skip the good memories montage. Screaming Gaffers, you've got a thirty-minute head start on," a few dramatic beats were played over close-ups of the colorful plastic tools that were in the two makeshift sandboxes, "the Sand Castle Building Contest! To be judged by our resident King o' the Dunes!" A deep drumroll played as Chef placed a tall sand-colored, castle-shaped crown on his head. "Make like prop masters, guys, and give me something awesome. I really don't want the tiebreaker to have to go down."
The shot cut over to a trio of logs tied together in a pyramid shape. "I don't think legal's quite approved it yet." The camera panned down the rope, showing a large boulder suspended above a crash test dummy. The rope snapped and the dummy was crushed, then the structure itself collapsed, then a reddish-orange car – its horn, the Confederate national anthem and a '01' painted onto the roof – came flying off from the high ground behind the beach and crashed into the pile.
The footage flashed to the Gaffers. "Chase, go make the sand in that bucket!" MK commanded, sending the daredevil off running. "Ripper, pack it firmer!"
"And who got killed to make you boss?" Ripper demanded.
"In my history class, I was taught about Frank Gehry," MK explained.
“Who?” Ripper asked in confusion.
"He's one of the greatest architects of our time," MK detailed, “and the number of buildings created by him are thirty three.”
"Yeah yeah yeah," Ripper cut her off. “Continue to geek out and I may kick the sandcastle into your face. Now where's Scott?”
"He said he was gonna go get some more buckets," MK replied, annoyed by Ripper's threat.
The scene flashed over to Scott, who was holding a stack of three metal buckets as he walked through the woods towards the beach. He saw the Grips idling around their construction area for a bit but decided to carry on.
Confessional: Scott
“As much as it'll bring me joy to mess with the other team's sandcastle, I did promise to stick by MK's side and not make any big moves so that I wouldn't get eliminated,” Scott mentioned. “My old habits didn't die hard.”
Confessional Ends
"Three, two," Chris counted down, his eyes on his watch. Instead of calling out 'one', Chef blew a few notes on a trumpet. "Thank you Chef!" Chris said as the two watched over the Gaffers, all now working on a ring of five towers surrounding the central one. "Screaming Gaffers, your thirty-minute lead is over, so," he walked to the other team, "Grips, dudes, get castlin'."
"First things first!" Brick proclaimed. "We'll need water!" He and Millie grabbed buckets and took off.
"I'll get some from the mountain stream!" Anne Maria declared.
"You all know we could use the lake," Jasmine pointed out.
"Our mistake!" Millie cried as she and Brick ran back past the others.
"Quiet!" Trent yelled, forcing his team to freeze. "We need a plan, and I've got one."
Confessional: Justin
"Little Trent mans up. Wow. Even I had goosebumps,” Justin said and started looking at himself in his mirror. “And there wasn't a mirror for miles."
Confessional Ends
The scene showed Anne Maria, Justin, and Millie at work with strengthing their sand castle while Trent monitored them.
“That's right. Nine turrets, nine doors,” Trent instructed as Brick and Jasmine poured more sand. “Justin, add one more moat, so we have…”
“Nine?” Millie finished for him.
Anne Maria notices a crab crawling around. She picked it up and used her lipstick to draw their team logo onto the shell. "We can use this as a flag!" she said as she put the crab on top one of their sticks, making the crab fall out of its shell.
“Great! We just need eight more!” Trent said. “We'll need all the luck we can gather up.”
The camera flashed to show the finished result of the Gaffers’ sand castle now with red flags on top. "Now this is the Taj Ma-Kate," MK announced, "named after my real name, Mary Kate." The camera panned across the impressed faces of the Gaffers.
Meanwhile, Trent was adding more shells to the castle's six. “Dude, stop at three. Stop at five. Just, just stop!” Justin advised him as the team looked worried.
“It can't support that much weight!” Jasmine claimed, “so unless you want the castle to be demolished, don't add any more shells.”
“Alright then,” Trent sighed.
“What if we rip up some of my magazines and put them around the castle?” Anne Maria suggested.
"It's a sand castle building contest, Anne Maria," Millie rebutted.
"No, it's a prop sand castle building contest,” Anne Maria corrected. “With papers and hairspray, we could do paper mache!"
“Crafty,” Justin smirked.
“Good idea, Anne Maria,” Millie smiled in approval as the Jersey girl took out four magazines from her pockets. “Sorry I doubted you.”
“Everybody start tearing up these magazines!” Jasmine ordered as the team ripped up the magazines and put them onto the bucket that Brick was holding.
“Remember, nine of everything!” Trent added in, much to his teammates’ bother.
The footage skipped forward to show the Grips standing around their paper mache sand castle.
"I dub thee… Casa Sky!" Trent announced.
Sky and Chase were overseeing the Grips’ castle. “Did Trent just name his team's sandcastle after me?” Sky asked in astonishment.
“Correctamondo,” Chase nodded. “And why are you bothered by this so much?”
“I'm not. It's just that the castles are supposed to be team based, not relationship based,” Sky explained.
“At least he's not going all crazy over you,” Chase told her.
“Yeah. It could be a lot worse,” Sky shivered.
The shot cut to show both teams, the camera panning right and focusing in on the Gaffers as they tried to deal with a number of seagulls that had taken up residence in and around their castle.
"Get away from my castle, you stupid gulls!" MK hissed as she and the rest of her team tried and failed to scare the birds away.
Finally, the flock of gulls took off squawking – and in doing so, caused the Gaffers' castle to collapse. "This is why I hate birds!" MK griped as a cloud of sand and feathers settled to the ground.
The scene cut back to Chris and Chef. "We have a winner!" Chris announced. "Anne Maria and the Killer Grips' clever prop, Casa dos Paper Mache!"
The winning team celebrated. "You can thank me and my flawless style," Anne Maria flashed a smile.
"Which means," Chris said as the camera cut back to him, "we need a new tiebreaker!" His face fell into a scowl. "And I was hoping for the evening off. Instead," he grinned again, "gather ye some wood, campers, for a fire of the bon variety."
The scene changed to the woods, where Sky was gathering sticks up off the ground when Justin and Trent walked up to her with sticks of their own.
"Sky!" Trent called, grabbing her attention. "Hey! I feel like it's been ages since we had any uh, you know... quality time together."
"I'll give you two some privacy," Justin said and walked off.
“What do you want to talk to me about?” Sky wondered.
"I kinda want to talk to you about..." Trent began.
Sky's attention was caught by the number of sticks he carried. "Not to interrupt," she started to say, "but you're carrying nine sticks."
"Of course," Trent said casually. "It's my lucky number. Something the matter?"
"I did overhear you trying to make nine out of everything…" Sky said nervously. "We should talk later. We really need to focus on the game."
"Sky, wait up!" Trent called out, but she already ran off, leaving him confused. "What am I doing wrong?"
"I oversaw everything, so I can answer that for you," Justin said as he reentered the shot. "You're in a relationship with her, and normally, the most important thing would be to make her happy. What does she like most?"
"Sky does like winners…" Trent thought slowly.
"Exactly," Justin winked. “Do what you think is best for you and your girlfriend.” The eye candy walked away, his devious grin hidden from Trent, who smiled at an idea forming in his head.
The footage skipped ahead to night, a full moon high in the sky as the castmates and Chris stood on the beach. The host clapped his hands, and the firepit and assorted torches burst into flame.
"Why did you even make us go and collect firewood?" Brick asked angrily.
"I needed some alone time," Chris answered bluntly. "You think these hands manicure themselves?" He held out a hand towards the cadet. "Which brings us to the tiebreaking challenge!" The surf music started again. "A watusi-twist-mashed potato dorky old school dance contest!" he announced while sampling a variety of those and similar dance styles. "Teams! Choose your best boogier for battle!"
The music ended as Ripper immediately walked forward. "I'll show you all my funky moves," he said.
“I nominate Trent to step up,” Millie spoke up.
“We heard you got some fly moves,” Justin told the team leader.
“Okay, I'll do it,” Trent agreed.
The footage flashed forward to a close-up of a stereo on a table; Chris pressed a button on it and a surf rock song began to play. Trent and Ripper approached one another nearby and stood face-to-face.
"Prepare to be humiliated worse than a wet-willie," Ripper taunted.
"Bring it," Trent countered.
The two young men backed up, and began to dance. Both immediately showed themselves to be talented, Trent's swaggy styles more than matched by Ripper's more wild and funky moves.
The camera quickly panned across the Screaming Gaffers, who seemed to be impressed by their teammate.
Confessional: Scott
"That guy's moves are impressive," Scott said in the confessional. "That's as far as I'm gonna go in complimenting him after he forced me to go first in the surfing portion!"
Confessional: MK
"Funky and groovy," MK said in her own confessional. "I thought he'd bomb it, but he managed to subvert my expectations."
Confessionals End
Trent was nodding his head in different directions before facing the camera and pushing his hands forward.
“Go Trent!” Jasmine cheered.
“Don't stop now!” Anne Maria supported.
Trent looked over at Sky for a moment, who was frowning from their earlier conversation. He then started to feel conflicted.
Confessional: Trent
The thing is, if Sky wants to win, why is it unethical for me to help her? I'm Trent first and a Killer Grip second,” Trent emphasized. “Oh, can we erase that? Confession might be good for the soul. It's not so good for the teamwork.”
Confessional Ends
As Ripper did a chain wave with his arms, Trent was moonwalking in the background. The guitarist noticed a stick lying behind him, and after winking at the camera, he deliberately tripped on the stick and fell backwards.
The music stopped as the Grips stared in shock. "Dude, get up!" Justin cried.
Trent groaned in his position. "I think I have turned my ankle!"
“Seriously? And now?" Anne Maria moaned.
Trent attempted to move his body while remaining on his back, which stopped when Chris stood over him. "That's not dancing!" the older man disapproved.
"It's modern," Trent tried to explain. "It's uh... interpretive!"
"I interpret that as sucking big time," MK snarked.
"Not now, MK!" Sky shushed her. "Trent is currently distressed right now."
"That's not your problem," Chase told her. "It's his. Not to be mean or anything."
Confessional: Sky
"I like Trent," Sky told the camera in the make-up trailer, "but I can't ignore whether he's feeling unwell or not. Us being on different teams is likely the reason for his recent attitude."
Confessional Ends
"Thanks to Trent's blunder," Chris said, "Ripper and the Screaming Gaffers are the winners! And your reward...," the camera pulled out to show the entire cast, "the greatest beach party ever pitched!"
The Gaffers began to cheer, and Trent caught Sky's eye. She motioned for them to meet up a little ways away before walking off and Trent followed.
The scene changed to the woods as Sky and Trent reunited. “I know you really wanted to win,” Trent spoke first.
“And I know ankles don't immediately heal in a few seconds,” Sky said back.
“I'm weird like that,” Trent said.
“Speaking of weird, what was with that nine stuff earlier on?” Sky wondered. “I was going to talk to you about it earlier on, but we were still in a challenge.”
“If I'm being honest with you, nine is my lucky number, and I thought I'd rely on it to help us with the sand castle building contest,” Trent admitted.
“So you're superstitious?” Sky smiled at this. “You never told me this before.”
“You never asked, and I didn't think about bringing it up,” Trent continued. “Let's get back to our teams before Chris forces us too.”
“Good idea,” Sky nodded before they took off.
The footage skipped ahead, a hip-hop tune playing on the stereo as the camera panned down to the now-partying Gaffers, Sky included. A pan left took the focus to the Grips, disappointment on their faces, as they waited in a group near Chris.
"If the losing team could just follow me to the boat," Chris said before walking off down the beach, the six Grips following unhappily.
Later on, the Gaffers were watching Ripper perform two air punches to the air before performing the worm on the floor. Scott, who was feeling tired, decided to kick sand onto Ripper's face.
Ripper felt the sand and stopped dancing in order to cough. “What did you do that for?!” he demanded.
“Come on. You know I had to get you back for the surfing fiasco,” Scott said.
Confessional: Scott
“I just made history by kicking sand into the bully's face!” Scott cackled. “How's that for subverting movie stereotypes?!”
Confessional Ends
The scene switched to the area in front of the cast trailers back at the film lot as the Grips headed straight for their beds, though Justin held Anne Maria back by her shoulder.
"What is it?" Anne Maria yawned. "Can't you see I'm tired?"
"I just want to thank you for winning us the sand castle contest," Justin said to her. "Especially since I blew the surfing challenge. You really saved my bacon."
“You're welcome,” Anne Maria said. “I don't want to get booted off the show early again. You understand, right?”
“Definitely. I didn't fare much better as well, but I'm positive that this season will be your breakthrough for fame,” Justin winked at the now flattered girl.
“Anything you say, handsome,” Anne Maria laughed in her enamored state, but another yawn from her changed her mood to cranky. “I mean, we better go to sleep!”
Confessional: Justin
"Let's just say I'll do anything to win. Anything," Justin said in the confessional. "With Anne Maria not being connected to anybody else, I think it's only natural for us to be in an alliance."
The footage seemed to pause, and the viewpoint cut back to show Chris watching the confessional feed from his control room as the music turned ominous again. "Wow," the host said. "Dude is as crafty as he is good-looking. Maybe we're related?" He laughed. "He wishes!"
The host cut the confessional feed off entirely. "Poor delusional guy could never even swim in my gene pool," he told the camera. "More importantly, tune in next time to watch more me!" He laughed again. "Aaand a few minutes of Justin...," he stood up so that his head was no longer in the shot, "on Total! Drama! Action!" He immediately walked off, saying "Which one of you geniuses left the two-way mic on?"
(Roll the Credits)
(Bonus Clip)
“The Hawaiian party wasn't bad at all,” Ripper confessed in the make-up trailer. “The poi was super tasty, and the chopped pineapples were fantastic. If this is how Hawaiian people live, I should probably use part of my money to move me and my family to a resort over there, though I will ignore the coconut bras for sure.”
Eva - 14th
Geoff - 14th
Izzy - 12th
Killer Grips: Anne Maria, Brick, Jasmine, Justin, Millie, Trent
Screaming Gaffers: Chase, MK, Ripper, Scott, Sky
submitted by xtremexavier15 to u/xtremexavier15 [link] [comments]
"Do you expect us to believe that we'll be going to the beach this time?" Sky asked.
As if on cue, a horn was honked and the shot panned over to the Boat of Losers driving up to the side of the set.
"You were saying?" Chris asked.
Confessional: Ripper
"Chris actually didn't tell us hogwash?" Ripper explained in surprise. "Who would have expected that?"
Confessional Ends
The scene cut back to the host and contestants getting on the boat. "Since the beach we're going to isn't connected to the film lot, we're traveling via boat,” Chris informed the teens. “Bet you guys feel stupid for changing out of your swimsuits now!”
“We thought you were going to put us in another studio that's as chilly as Alaska!” Anne Maria called out. “Don't blame us because we were trying to think ahead.”
"And that's what I like about you kids," Chris smirked before the boat started to take off.
The camera skipped ahead to Chris' feet as he stepped onto sand, the shot panning up. "Yes campers, we're actually back at your old stomping grounds," he announced as birds called in the background, "Total! Drama! Island!" The shot zoomed out as it usually did when the series' name was said, and the eleven teens were shown standing in their teams by two sectioned-off areas of beach.
"If you need to take a moment and reminisce about the great times you had here," Chris told them, Chef Hatchet standing at his side.
They all took a moment… to burst out laughing.
"Fine," Chris said, "we'll skip the good memories montage. Screaming Gaffers, you've got a thirty-minute head start on," a few dramatic beats were played over close-ups of the colorful plastic tools that were in the two makeshift sandboxes, "the Sand Castle Building Contest! To be judged by our resident King o' the Dunes!" A deep drumroll played as Chef placed a tall sand-colored, castle-shaped crown on his head. "Make like prop masters, guys, and give me something awesome. I really don't want the tiebreaker to have to go down."
The shot cut over to a trio of logs tied together in a pyramid shape. "I don't think legal's quite approved it yet." The camera panned down the rope, showing a large boulder suspended above a crash test dummy. The rope snapped and the dummy was crushed, then the structure itself collapsed, then a reddish-orange car – its horn, the Confederate national anthem and a '01' painted onto the roof – came flying off from the high ground behind the beach and crashed into the pile.
The footage flashed to the Gaffers. "Chase, go make the sand in that bucket!" MK commanded, sending the daredevil off running. "Ripper, pack it firmer!"
"And who got killed to make you boss?" Ripper demanded.
"In my history class, I was taught about Frank Gehry," MK explained.
“Who?” Ripper asked in confusion.
"He's one of the greatest architects of our time," MK detailed, “and the number of buildings created by him are thirty three.”
"Yeah yeah yeah," Ripper cut her off. “Continue to geek out and I may kick the sandcastle into your face. Now where's Scott?”
"He said he was gonna go get some more buckets," MK replied, annoyed by Ripper's threat.
The scene flashed over to Scott, who was holding a stack of three metal buckets as he walked through the woods towards the beach. He saw the Grips idling around their construction area for a bit but decided to carry on.
Confessional: Scott
“As much as it'll bring me joy to mess with the other team's sandcastle, I did promise to stick by MK's side and not make any big moves so that I wouldn't get eliminated,” Scott mentioned. “My old habits didn't die hard.”
Confessional Ends
"Three, two," Chris counted down, his eyes on his watch. Instead of calling out 'one', Chef blew a few notes on a trumpet. "Thank you Chef!" Chris said as the two watched over the Gaffers, all now working on a ring of five towers surrounding the central one. "Screaming Gaffers, your thirty-minute lead is over, so," he walked to the other team, "Grips, dudes, get castlin'."
"First things first!" Brick proclaimed. "We'll need water!" He and Millie grabbed buckets and took off.
"I'll get some from the mountain stream!" Anne Maria declared.
"You all know we could use the lake," Jasmine pointed out.
"Our mistake!" Millie cried as she and Brick ran back past the others.
"Quiet!" Trent yelled, forcing his team to freeze. "We need a plan, and I've got one."
Confessional: Justin
"Little Trent mans up. Wow. Even I had goosebumps,” Justin said and started looking at himself in his mirror. “And there wasn't a mirror for miles."
Confessional Ends
The scene showed Anne Maria, Justin, and Millie at work with strengthing their sand castle while Trent monitored them.
“That's right. Nine turrets, nine doors,” Trent instructed as Brick and Jasmine poured more sand. “Justin, add one more moat, so we have…”
“Nine?” Millie finished for him.
Anne Maria notices a crab crawling around. She picked it up and used her lipstick to draw their team logo onto the shell. "We can use this as a flag!" she said as she put the crab on top one of their sticks, making the crab fall out of its shell.
“Great! We just need eight more!” Trent said. “We'll need all the luck we can gather up.”
The camera flashed to show the finished result of the Gaffers’ sand castle now with red flags on top. "Now this is the Taj Ma-Kate," MK announced, "named after my real name, Mary Kate." The camera panned across the impressed faces of the Gaffers.
Meanwhile, Trent was adding more shells to the castle's six. “Dude, stop at three. Stop at five. Just, just stop!” Justin advised him as the team looked worried.
“It can't support that much weight!” Jasmine claimed, “so unless you want the castle to be demolished, don't add any more shells.”
“Alright then,” Trent sighed.
“What if we rip up some of my magazines and put them around the castle?” Anne Maria suggested.
"It's a sand castle building contest, Anne Maria," Millie rebutted.
"No, it's a prop sand castle building contest,” Anne Maria corrected. “With papers and hairspray, we could do paper mache!"
“Crafty,” Justin smirked.
“Good idea, Anne Maria,” Millie smiled in approval as the Jersey girl took out four magazines from her pockets. “Sorry I doubted you.”
“Everybody start tearing up these magazines!” Jasmine ordered as the team ripped up the magazines and put them onto the bucket that Brick was holding.
“Remember, nine of everything!” Trent added in, much to his teammates’ bother.
The footage skipped forward to show the Grips standing around their paper mache sand castle.
"I dub thee… Casa Sky!" Trent announced.
Sky and Chase were overseeing the Grips’ castle. “Did Trent just name his team's sandcastle after me?” Sky asked in astonishment.
“Correctamondo,” Chase nodded. “And why are you bothered by this so much?”
“I'm not. It's just that the castles are supposed to be team based, not relationship based,” Sky explained.
“At least he's not going all crazy over you,” Chase told her.
“Yeah. It could be a lot worse,” Sky shivered.
The shot cut to show both teams, the camera panning right and focusing in on the Gaffers as they tried to deal with a number of seagulls that had taken up residence in and around their castle.
"Get away from my castle, you stupid gulls!" MK hissed as she and the rest of her team tried and failed to scare the birds away.
Finally, the flock of gulls took off squawking – and in doing so, caused the Gaffers' castle to collapse. "This is why I hate birds!" MK griped as a cloud of sand and feathers settled to the ground.
The scene cut back to Chris and Chef. "We have a winner!" Chris announced. "Anne Maria and the Killer Grips' clever prop, Casa dos Paper Mache!"
The winning team celebrated. "You can thank me and my flawless style," Anne Maria flashed a smile.
"Which means," Chris said as the camera cut back to him, "we need a new tiebreaker!" His face fell into a scowl. "And I was hoping for the evening off. Instead," he grinned again, "gather ye some wood, campers, for a fire of the bon variety."
The scene changed to the woods, where Sky was gathering sticks up off the ground when Justin and Trent walked up to her with sticks of their own.
"Sky!" Trent called, grabbing her attention. "Hey! I feel like it's been ages since we had any uh, you know... quality time together."
"I'll give you two some privacy," Justin said and walked off.
“What do you want to talk to me about?” Sky wondered.
"I kinda want to talk to you about..." Trent began.
Sky's attention was caught by the number of sticks he carried. "Not to interrupt," she started to say, "but you're carrying nine sticks."
"Of course," Trent said casually. "It's my lucky number. Something the matter?"
"I did overhear you trying to make nine out of everything…" Sky said nervously. "We should talk later. We really need to focus on the game."
"Sky, wait up!" Trent called out, but she already ran off, leaving him confused. "What am I doing wrong?"
"I oversaw everything, so I can answer that for you," Justin said as he reentered the shot. "You're in a relationship with her, and normally, the most important thing would be to make her happy. What does she like most?"
"Sky does like winners…" Trent thought slowly.
"Exactly," Justin winked. “Do what you think is best for you and your girlfriend.” The eye candy walked away, his devious grin hidden from Trent, who smiled at an idea forming in his head.
The footage skipped ahead to night, a full moon high in the sky as the castmates and Chris stood on the beach. The host clapped his hands, and the firepit and assorted torches burst into flame.
"Why did you even make us go and collect firewood?" Brick asked angrily.
"I needed some alone time," Chris answered bluntly. "You think these hands manicure themselves?" He held out a hand towards the cadet. "Which brings us to the tiebreaking challenge!" The surf music started again. "A watusi-twist-mashed potato dorky old school dance contest!" he announced while sampling a variety of those and similar dance styles. "Teams! Choose your best boogier for battle!"
The music ended as Ripper immediately walked forward. "I'll show you all my funky moves," he said.
“I nominate Trent to step up,” Millie spoke up.
“We heard you got some fly moves,” Justin told the team leader.
“Okay, I'll do it,” Trent agreed.
The footage flashed forward to a close-up of a stereo on a table; Chris pressed a button on it and a surf rock song began to play. Trent and Ripper approached one another nearby and stood face-to-face.
"Prepare to be humiliated worse than a wet-willie," Ripper taunted.
"Bring it," Trent countered.
The two young men backed up, and began to dance. Both immediately showed themselves to be talented, Trent's swaggy styles more than matched by Ripper's more wild and funky moves.
The camera quickly panned across the Screaming Gaffers, who seemed to be impressed by their teammate.
Confessional: Scott
"That guy's moves are impressive," Scott said in the confessional. "That's as far as I'm gonna go in complimenting him after he forced me to go first in the surfing portion!"
Confessional: MK
"Funky and groovy," MK said in her own confessional. "I thought he'd bomb it, but he managed to subvert my expectations."
Confessionals End
Trent was nodding his head in different directions before facing the camera and pushing his hands forward.
“Go Trent!” Jasmine cheered.
“Don't stop now!” Anne Maria supported.
Trent looked over at Sky for a moment, who was frowning from their earlier conversation. He then started to feel conflicted.
Confessional: Trent
The thing is, if Sky wants to win, why is it unethical for me to help her? I'm Trent first and a Killer Grip second,” Trent emphasized. “Oh, can we erase that? Confession might be good for the soul. It's not so good for the teamwork.”
Confessional Ends
As Ripper did a chain wave with his arms, Trent was moonwalking in the background. The guitarist noticed a stick lying behind him, and after winking at the camera, he deliberately tripped on the stick and fell backwards.
The music stopped as the Grips stared in shock. "Dude, get up!" Justin cried.
Trent groaned in his position. "I think I have turned my ankle!"
“Seriously? And now?" Anne Maria moaned.
Trent attempted to move his body while remaining on his back, which stopped when Chris stood over him. "That's not dancing!" the older man disapproved.
"It's modern," Trent tried to explain. "It's uh... interpretive!"
"I interpret that as sucking big time," MK snarked.
"Not now, MK!" Sky shushed her. "Trent is currently distressed right now."
"That's not your problem," Chase told her. "It's his. Not to be mean or anything."
Confessional: Sky
"I like Trent," Sky told the camera in the make-up trailer, "but I can't ignore whether he's feeling unwell or not. Us being on different teams is likely the reason for his recent attitude."
Confessional Ends
"Thanks to Trent's blunder," Chris said, "Ripper and the Screaming Gaffers are the winners! And your reward...," the camera pulled out to show the entire cast, "the greatest beach party ever pitched!"
The Gaffers began to cheer, and Trent caught Sky's eye. She motioned for them to meet up a little ways away before walking off and Trent followed.
The scene changed to the woods as Sky and Trent reunited. “I know you really wanted to win,” Trent spoke first.
“And I know ankles don't immediately heal in a few seconds,” Sky said back.
“I'm weird like that,” Trent said.
“Speaking of weird, what was with that nine stuff earlier on?” Sky wondered. “I was going to talk to you about it earlier on, but we were still in a challenge.”
“If I'm being honest with you, nine is my lucky number, and I thought I'd rely on it to help us with the sand castle building contest,” Trent admitted.
“So you're superstitious?” Sky smiled at this. “You never told me this before.”
“You never asked, and I didn't think about bringing it up,” Trent continued. “Let's get back to our teams before Chris forces us too.”
“Good idea,” Sky nodded before they took off.
The footage skipped ahead, a hip-hop tune playing on the stereo as the camera panned down to the now-partying Gaffers, Sky included. A pan left took the focus to the Grips, disappointment on their faces, as they waited in a group near Chris.
"If the losing team could just follow me to the boat," Chris said before walking off down the beach, the six Grips following unhappily.
Later on, the Gaffers were watching Ripper perform two air punches to the air before performing the worm on the floor. Scott, who was feeling tired, decided to kick sand onto Ripper's face.
Ripper felt the sand and stopped dancing in order to cough. “What did you do that for?!” he demanded.
“Come on. You know I had to get you back for the surfing fiasco,” Scott said.
Confessional: Scott
“I just made history by kicking sand into the bully's face!” Scott cackled. “How's that for subverting movie stereotypes?!”
Confessional Ends
The scene switched to the area in front of the cast trailers back at the film lot as the Grips headed straight for their beds, though Justin held Anne Maria back by her shoulder.
"What is it?" Anne Maria yawned. "Can't you see I'm tired?"
"I just want to thank you for winning us the sand castle contest," Justin said to her. "Especially since I blew the surfing challenge. You really saved my bacon."
“You're welcome,” Anne Maria said. “I don't want to get booted off the show early again. You understand, right?”
“Definitely. I didn't fare much better as well, but I'm positive that this season will be your breakthrough for fame,” Justin winked at the now flattered girl.
“Anything you say, handsome,” Anne Maria laughed in her enamored state, but another yawn from her changed her mood to cranky. “I mean, we better go to sleep!”
Confessional: Justin
"Let's just say I'll do anything to win. Anything," Justin said in the confessional. "With Anne Maria not being connected to anybody else, I think it's only natural for us to be in an alliance."
The footage seemed to pause, and the viewpoint cut back to show Chris watching the confessional feed from his control room as the music turned ominous again. "Wow," the host said. "Dude is as crafty as he is good-looking. Maybe we're related?" He laughed. "He wishes!"
The host cut the confessional feed off entirely. "Poor delusional guy could never even swim in my gene pool," he told the camera. "More importantly, tune in next time to watch more me!" He laughed again. "Aaand a few minutes of Justin...," he stood up so that his head was no longer in the shot, "on Total! Drama! Action!" He immediately walked off, saying "Which one of you geniuses left the two-way mic on?"
(Roll the Credits)
(Bonus Clip)
“The Hawaiian party wasn't bad at all,” Ripper confessed in the make-up trailer. “The poi was super tasty, and the chopped pineapples were fantastic. If this is how Hawaiian people live, I should probably use part of my money to move me and my family to a resort over there, though I will ignore the coconut bras for sure.”
Eva - 14th
Geoff - 14th
Izzy - 12th
Killer Grips: Anne Maria, Brick, Jasmine, Justin, Millie, Trent
Screaming Gaffers: Chase, MK, Ripper, Scott, Sky
2024.05.06 01:24 xtremexavier15 TMA 4
Killer Grips: Anne Maria, Brick, Jasmine, Justin, Millie, Trent
Screaming Gaffers: Chase, MK, Ripper, Scott, Sky
Episode 4: Beach Blanket Bogus
A grandiose tune played as a large red 'TDA' flew in from the foreground as the narration began, coming to a rest in front of a backdrop of a starry sky; a meteor shot across behind the 'D'. "Last time, on Total Drama Action!" The typical recap song began as the scene cut to Chris McLean standing by the numbered studios. "He was a boy," a picture of Trent smiling slid on to the left side of the screen, "she was a girl," a similar gesture was followed by a picture of Sky smiling sliding in on the right before they both disappeared and the host continued, "and last week on Total Drama Action, a shocking team redistribution pitted them against one another."
“Our heroine made a fundamental romantic comedy error. Picking Chase first and leaving her boyfriend Trent feeling kinda ouchie. Meanwhile, two men made an illegal alliance. And Justin's mad thespian skills trumped Izzy's... well, madness.”
“It was all too much for Chef's tender heart, and Izzy, uh, Kaleidoscope, was clearly a bit too nutso. Even for this show.”
"What will happen to Sky and Trent's barely-there relationship? How will MK and Scott's newfound alliance fare? Will my non-fat vanilla soy latte ever get here? All the answers, uh, answer, right now! In another tear-jerking episode of, Total! Drama! Action!"
(Theme Song)
The episode opened on a shot of Chef stirring a pot with a scowl on his face, then serving up a scoop of whatever brown mush he'd made to MK. "No wonder models are so thin," she mumbled to herself.
"Ma's cooking is better compared to this," Scott said over her shoulder. “Her goat butter is to die for.”
"If it made you the slob that you tend to be, I'll pass on that," MK said before moving over to her team's table, to which she saw Ripper sculpting Izzy's face out of his own mush. “What the heck are you doing, Ripper?!” she asked in bewilderment.
“I'm making my breakfast into the head of Izzy, brain girl,” Ripper replied. “What else?”
“But why?” MK asked.
“She may be gone, and she may have been grating for the past few days with her E-Scope schtick, but I want to make sure that I'll remember her even when she's far away from here,” Ripper replied. “You're not gonna see my cry like a baby over her.”
Confessional: MK
“Ripper's crush on Izzy is something that's not going to interest me, but there is a relationship that's about to be on rocky terms,” MK confessed deviously.
Confessional Ends
Brick and Jasmine were shown eating together at their table. “I never got to perform my juggling talent for the first season's talent show, but I did win a medal for it at my school's talent show a few years back,” Jasmine conversed.
“That's amazing, ma'am,” Brick said, impressed. “I've also won medals like you back in cadets. I took the teamwork medal three years running! Also, the bed-making medal, the "flag-folding" medal, and the letters-home-to-mom medal,” he chuckled. “I always win that one.”
“I like how we're both so talented in our endeavors and yet we don't have snakes bitten into our heads about them,” Jasmine said.
“I prefer to go the humble route,” Brick responded. “Honor is more important than pride.”
Trent was sprinkling salt onto his eggs when the top suddenly fell off, dumping all of the salt all over his breakfast. He then heard laughter behind him, and he turned around to find Chase as the source of it.
"Sorry! I set that up for anybody, not just you, to use it!" Chase called out.
"Chase, that's my boyfriend," Sky reprimanded her teammate, causing him to feel a bit of guilt.
"Don't you know it's bad luck to spill salt?" Trent started picking salt off of his plate and tossed them behind him. The salt hit Scott in the face, making the farmer stand up and scream in pain.
"Nothing a little pepper won't fix," Trent began sprinkling pepper onto his eggs when all its contents fell onto his eggs. Trent repeated the process of picking the seasoning off his plate and tossing them back. And like before, they nailed Scott square in the face. Unlike the first time, the pepper caused him to sneeze uncontrollably, and he ran about screaming and sneezing.
“That was so hilarious!” Chase laughed and made his way over to Trent. “Are you still going to finish your eggs?”
"Given that they've been ruined, I'm gonna say no," Trent answered and slid the plate away from him.
Sky soon came over with a new plate of eggs. “Sorry about what Chase did to you, Trent,” she said while placing the plate in front of him. “I got this just for you.”
Trent smiled at the new plate of eggs. “How lucky am I to have a girlfriend like you in my life?” he asked with a side hug towards Sky.
“Just as much as me,” Sky smiled.
“Sorry about messing with your breakfast like that,” Chase apologized. “I just wanted to pull off my first prank on this film lot.”
“All is forgiven, man,” Trent told him.
Chase smiled, but was then startled when a piercing whistle was blown nearby.
A surf pop tune began in the background as Chris entered the craft services tent wearing a pair of sunglasses and holding a whistle. "Hang on to your coconuts, players," he told them, the camera cutting back to show him carrying a red-and-gold surfboard under his right arm. "We're going back to the beach!"
“Now you're cookin’!" Anne Maria cheered.
"Ever seen one of those 1950s surfer movies where the kids get up to neato fun before the big bonfire twist-a-thon, and the bully kicks the sand castle in the nerdy guy's face?" Chris asked. Brick, who was now standing next to the counter, shrugged, Jasmine raised an eyebrow, MK nodded, Scott sneezed, and Trent and Sky were confused.
“Um, we haven't seen any of them at all,” Millie said.
“How old do you think we are?” Justin asked boredly.
"Well, get ready to recreate one, juniors!” Chris carried on. “Two challenges, followed by a tiebreaker, if necessary. So, grab your swimsuits!" He turned and left, the contestants following suit.
Brick was about to leave until he was pulled back by Chef. "If the sand castle thing goes down, make sure you're the kicker, not the kickee. You and I are a team, and we don't want you to be a wimp, right?" The army boy nodded in agreement.
Unbeknownst to them, the scene cut to the left to reveal that Justin had been overseeing them from behind the entrance with an intrigued look on his face.
The footage flashed forward, and a frigid wind blew across a few icy stage lights. The camera panned down to the contestants standing in their swimsuits and shivering in the cold. "Is Antarctica supposed to have a beach?" Anne Maria asked, her teeth chattering together.
"As some of you can see," Chris said, dressed in thick white parka and snow goggles, "we're actually in the shooting studio." The camera pulled out to show an icicle-rimmed pool dominating the area behind the cast; it was flanked by film equipment on most sides and a pair of giant fans on the right. A surfboard had been attached to a stand on the back rim, and was positioned to be in front of a green screen. To the right in the foreground, Chef stood by what looked like a control panel, a green scarf wrapped around his neck.
"And why is the AC cranked?" Ripper asked.
"All the cameras and lights get so hot," Chris explained, "they could melt Chef's heart." The hulking man gave the single most disturbing 'cheerful' grin and wave that had ever been shown. "And the network told my agent sweaty wasn't a good look for me," the host added, briefly fanning himself.
"Your first challenge?" he said, looking up at the surfboard. "Hang ten this deck into the big blue without swallowing tail in the soup."
"Could you repeat that?" Millie asked in confusion. “Those weren't even words.”
“He means whoever stays on the surfboard longest, wins,” Trent said.
"Exactamundo, groovy cats!" Chris told them. "So? Who's goin' first?" MK and Scott looked at each other, Jasmine tried to adjust her hat while she shivered, Brick looked everywhere but at the host, and finally a cricket chirped from on top a light. A gust of frigid wind froze it solid, and its hind legs snapped off. "The team that wins will get a half-hour head start on the next challenge," the host explained, "aaand given tonight's reward, you should be fighting harder than Justin's abs over who gets first shot."
"I know my abs are better," Scott gloated to MK, who rolled her eyes. "I have a stone hard ten pack while Justin's are like butter."
As Scott tried to show them off, the camera panned to Ripper behind the pair looking annoyed. He smirked mischievously and gave the redheaded boy a light shove with his hand and he stumbled forward a couple steps. MK looked at Ripper, who shrugged innocently. "Sorry," he said unapologetically. "I slipped."
"We have a volunteer!" Chris said now that Scott had inadvertently stepped forward.
“I didn't volunteer on purpose,” Scott glared over his shoulder, “but fine.”
The surf rock tune briefly played again as Scott was shown stepping onto the surfboard. "This surfboard better be sturdy!" he said as he made a proper surfing position.
"And, please welcome the return of some season one fan-favorites," Chris announced from behind the pool, "the sharks!"
Immediately, one of the giant freshwater man-eating sharks jumped out and snapped its teeth at Scott. He squeaked and flinched away, and Chris was shown cringing.
Confessional: Scott
"Pigs are my favorite animals, but I should let you know that sharks are NOTHING like pigs," Scott told the confessional camera. "They're bloodthirsty and do not play nice! The only reason I'm not frightened to be around them is because they haven't attempted to maul me to the point of trauma!"
Confessional Ends
The footage cut back to show Scott now clinging from one of the supports for the lights hanging above the pool. The shark leaped up again and snapped its jaws in another attempt to grab him, but fell back down with a splash, unsuccessful. "Me and my abs are out!" he declared.
“Your abs have an opinion? Seriously!?” Sky asked.
"How did you even manage to jump that high?" MK commented with disbelief.
"Hey!" Scott said in offense. "I am not letting myself get swallowed by a shark! Me and my family lost my great aunt Iris that way!"
"I'd believe you if you weren't such a big liar on a daily basis!" Ripper called up to him.
"Hey sharks, check it out!" Scott called out, pointing away from the water tank. "There's a plate of bacon over there!"
Everyone looked to see Brick eating bacon off a plate he carried with him. “I had some breakfast left over,” the cadet admitted.
The sharks emerged from the water begging for the food, and this gave Scott the opportunity to drop down. Unfortunately, he slammed on the plank back first.
"Ooh, way to stick the dismount, bro," Chris chuckled, Chase and MK also chuckling as well while Sky smiled in amusement.
The camera panned over to Trent sighing at the sight of Chase and Sky, causing Millie to take notice. “Is something the matter?” she asked in concern.
“Nothing! It's nothing!” Trent quickly denied.
“Oh, okay then,” Millie said unconvinced.
Unbeknownst to them, Justin had overheard their conversation with a grin.
Confessional: Justin
“That was strange of Trent,” Justin admitted, “but his attitude is something worth investigating.”
Confessional: Millie
“I know Trent's upset about Sky and Chase being together, but I don't think he should be,” Millie told the camera. “Everyone's free to be friends with whoever they want to.”
Confessionals End
The surf tune began again as Brick stepped onto the board. He wobbled a bit as he tried to find his balance until a shark jumped out of the water and bit off his swim shorts; he quickly covered his pixelated groin with his hands and jumped down, an expression of fear and embarrassment on his face.
"The body's a beautiful thing," Chef called out as Brick ran past him. "You don't need a suit!"
Sky was the next to take her turn as the sunset flickered back on to the green screen behind her. She managed to find her balance on the rocking board, but this changed when Chris pushed a button on the control panel and changed the background into a tornado-struck farm. Chef grinned and plugged in the giant fans, which immediately got up to top speed. Soon, a powerful wind was sweeping past Sky from behind, and not long after, the petite gymnast was blown off the surfboard, hitting the backdrop with a splat.
Next was Ripper, who quickly jumped onto the middle of the surfboard from the small platform at the edge of the pool. However, his hard landing caused the board to crack, and it eventually collapsed beneath him and dropped him into the pool.
“What the heck even was that?!” Ripper complained in outrage that turned into shock when he saw the pair of sharks leering at him, but he managed to quickly grab the pieces of the surfboard that had fallen in with him and throw them onto the sharks' mouths, wedging them open.
“Later, fangs!” Ripper taunted before quickly scrambling over the lip of the pool and dropping back to the ground on his back.
Chris stepped in front of the camera and blew a whistle. "Break time!" he announced. "Union rules!"
"Is this really happening?!" Millie piped up in the background.
"I don't mean you, shark bait!" Chris told him.
A classical British tune began as the footage skipped forward. The camera was focused on one of the sharks, now sitting in a chair with a pink towel on its head, sipping a cup of tea. The shot zoomed out to show the other shark sitting nearby, accepting a piece of food from a platter that Chef was holding out. The camera panned up to the fixed surfboard, where Jasmine was already in position.
"No sharks to hinder me?" Jasmine said confidently. "Way too easy!" The surf music began again as the Outback girl started her turn on the swaying board, but it quickly ended as Jasmine noticed something nearby.
A deeper, more ominous tune played as the camera panned up a minigun turret. When it reached the top, a cartridge of rather bewildered-looking seagulls was fitted into the top of the gun; Chris' gloved hand cocked it, and started the barrel spinning. "I love this game!" he exclaimed before opening fire.
Jasmine dodged most of the seagull barrage, but one of the birds knocked her hat into the water. “My hat!” she gasped as she looked down, and two more shots to her stomach and legs caused her to lose her balance and tumble into the water.
"Good luck with with those gulls!" Jasmine told Anne Maria after the scene cut to the latter stepping forward. "They're a handful."
"You don't have to tell me twice!" Anne Maria told her, looking at the pair of dorsal fins sticking out of the water as the sharks swam around, then climbed the ladder on the side of the pool. "Those gulls better not touch my hair!" she shouted once she'd gotten on to the surfboard.
"No promises," Chris chuckled to himself as he loaded another seagull cartridge onto the gun. He opened fire, and the tanned girl managed to dodge everything that was shot at her.
Confessional: Brick
"For all of Anne Maria's vanity," Brick told the make-up trailer camera, "she's definitely got a winning edge!"
Confessional Ends
Chris frowned in panic. He looked at his gun, which was low on ammunition, to the equipment sitting behind him, and the camera cut back to Anne Maria just before a director's chair was thrown at her.
"Are you serious, McLean?!" she shouted angrily before promptly getting shot in the face with another seagull, losing her balance and falling into the pool.
One of the sharks immediately lunged at Anne Maria, but she just scowled and swung her fist at its nose, then swam away while it rubbed the injured area.
Confessional: Anne Maria
"They say that animal cruelty is wrong," Anne Maria said in the confessional, "but when the humans are being harmed by them, human cruelty is not against the law."
Confessional Ends
"Finally, we have Chase!" Chris announced as the daredevil steadied himself on the surfboard, adding "Try not to get your hair wet," as he took aim with the fully-loaded gull gun. Chase rolled his eyes and Chris began to fire, but the contestant dodged the birds easily, even jumping up and somersaulting in the air.
His gun now completely out of ammunition, the host looked behind him for something else once again. The camera briefly cut back to Chase as he dodged a light that was thrown at him, then showed Chris as he frantically looked for something else. The camera panned to the left, showing the Killer Grips watching their opposition, with Anne Maria standing closest to the host. He grinned darkly, and she noticed and scowled. “Don't even try it, Chris!” she snarled and handed him her cans of hairspray.
The camera cut back to Chase as his eyes went wide. "Seriously?!" he exclaimed as the cans of hairspray were hurled at him. He swiftly ducked, and the cans hit the set.
"And with that," Chris announced as a triumphant tune began to play, "Chase secures victory for the Screaming Gaffers."
“Cool!" Chase said, jumping down from the surfboard. He walked back over to his cheering team, and after sharing a combination of a fist bump and a high-five, he and Sky gave each other a friendly hug.
“I won't lie. Sky's team is unstoppable!” Millie commented as she and her team oversaw the Gaffers cheering.
“Try unstable!” Trent added in with jealousy. “A ticking time bomb of betrayal. We have to stop them for sure.”
Confessional: Justin
“Now I see the problem with Trent,” Justin confessed. “He's suffering from jealousy issues, and if I want to establish how big of a threat I can be this season, I'll have to increase those issues to a boiling point and set him up for elimination if we lose.”
Confessional Ends
“Don't sweat it,” Jasmine told her team's leader. “If we're lucky, we can win the second part of the challenge and the tiebreaker after.”
“Lucky…” Trent mumbled to himself before a idea sparked up. “I think I may know how we could win.”
"If you at home like disasters," Chris suddenly leaned into the shot to announce, "you'll love what's coming up next!"
"I'm telling you, my plan is foolproof," Trent told the host.
"We'll see about that," Chris replied teasingly.
(Commercial Break)
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Screaming Gaffers: Chase, MK, Ripper, Scott, Sky
Episode 4: Beach Blanket Bogus
A grandiose tune played as a large red 'TDA' flew in from the foreground as the narration began, coming to a rest in front of a backdrop of a starry sky; a meteor shot across behind the 'D'. "Last time, on Total Drama Action!" The typical recap song began as the scene cut to Chris McLean standing by the numbered studios. "He was a boy," a picture of Trent smiling slid on to the left side of the screen, "she was a girl," a similar gesture was followed by a picture of Sky smiling sliding in on the right before they both disappeared and the host continued, "and last week on Total Drama Action, a shocking team redistribution pitted them against one another."
“Our heroine made a fundamental romantic comedy error. Picking Chase first and leaving her boyfriend Trent feeling kinda ouchie. Meanwhile, two men made an illegal alliance. And Justin's mad thespian skills trumped Izzy's... well, madness.”
“It was all too much for Chef's tender heart, and Izzy, uh, Kaleidoscope, was clearly a bit too nutso. Even for this show.”
"What will happen to Sky and Trent's barely-there relationship? How will MK and Scott's newfound alliance fare? Will my non-fat vanilla soy latte ever get here? All the answers, uh, answer, right now! In another tear-jerking episode of, Total! Drama! Action!"
(Theme Song)
The episode opened on a shot of Chef stirring a pot with a scowl on his face, then serving up a scoop of whatever brown mush he'd made to MK. "No wonder models are so thin," she mumbled to herself.
"Ma's cooking is better compared to this," Scott said over her shoulder. “Her goat butter is to die for.”
"If it made you the slob that you tend to be, I'll pass on that," MK said before moving over to her team's table, to which she saw Ripper sculpting Izzy's face out of his own mush. “What the heck are you doing, Ripper?!” she asked in bewilderment.
“I'm making my breakfast into the head of Izzy, brain girl,” Ripper replied. “What else?”
“But why?” MK asked.
“She may be gone, and she may have been grating for the past few days with her E-Scope schtick, but I want to make sure that I'll remember her even when she's far away from here,” Ripper replied. “You're not gonna see my cry like a baby over her.”
Confessional: MK
“Ripper's crush on Izzy is something that's not going to interest me, but there is a relationship that's about to be on rocky terms,” MK confessed deviously.
Confessional Ends
Brick and Jasmine were shown eating together at their table. “I never got to perform my juggling talent for the first season's talent show, but I did win a medal for it at my school's talent show a few years back,” Jasmine conversed.
“That's amazing, ma'am,” Brick said, impressed. “I've also won medals like you back in cadets. I took the teamwork medal three years running! Also, the bed-making medal, the "flag-folding" medal, and the letters-home-to-mom medal,” he chuckled. “I always win that one.”
“I like how we're both so talented in our endeavors and yet we don't have snakes bitten into our heads about them,” Jasmine said.
“I prefer to go the humble route,” Brick responded. “Honor is more important than pride.”
Trent was sprinkling salt onto his eggs when the top suddenly fell off, dumping all of the salt all over his breakfast. He then heard laughter behind him, and he turned around to find Chase as the source of it.
"Sorry! I set that up for anybody, not just you, to use it!" Chase called out.
"Chase, that's my boyfriend," Sky reprimanded her teammate, causing him to feel a bit of guilt.
"Don't you know it's bad luck to spill salt?" Trent started picking salt off of his plate and tossed them behind him. The salt hit Scott in the face, making the farmer stand up and scream in pain.
"Nothing a little pepper won't fix," Trent began sprinkling pepper onto his eggs when all its contents fell onto his eggs. Trent repeated the process of picking the seasoning off his plate and tossing them back. And like before, they nailed Scott square in the face. Unlike the first time, the pepper caused him to sneeze uncontrollably, and he ran about screaming and sneezing.
“That was so hilarious!” Chase laughed and made his way over to Trent. “Are you still going to finish your eggs?”
"Given that they've been ruined, I'm gonna say no," Trent answered and slid the plate away from him.
Sky soon came over with a new plate of eggs. “Sorry about what Chase did to you, Trent,” she said while placing the plate in front of him. “I got this just for you.”
Trent smiled at the new plate of eggs. “How lucky am I to have a girlfriend like you in my life?” he asked with a side hug towards Sky.
“Just as much as me,” Sky smiled.
“Sorry about messing with your breakfast like that,” Chase apologized. “I just wanted to pull off my first prank on this film lot.”
“All is forgiven, man,” Trent told him.
Chase smiled, but was then startled when a piercing whistle was blown nearby.
A surf pop tune began in the background as Chris entered the craft services tent wearing a pair of sunglasses and holding a whistle. "Hang on to your coconuts, players," he told them, the camera cutting back to show him carrying a red-and-gold surfboard under his right arm. "We're going back to the beach!"
“Now you're cookin’!" Anne Maria cheered.
"Ever seen one of those 1950s surfer movies where the kids get up to neato fun before the big bonfire twist-a-thon, and the bully kicks the sand castle in the nerdy guy's face?" Chris asked. Brick, who was now standing next to the counter, shrugged, Jasmine raised an eyebrow, MK nodded, Scott sneezed, and Trent and Sky were confused.
“Um, we haven't seen any of them at all,” Millie said.
“How old do you think we are?” Justin asked boredly.
"Well, get ready to recreate one, juniors!” Chris carried on. “Two challenges, followed by a tiebreaker, if necessary. So, grab your swimsuits!" He turned and left, the contestants following suit.
Brick was about to leave until he was pulled back by Chef. "If the sand castle thing goes down, make sure you're the kicker, not the kickee. You and I are a team, and we don't want you to be a wimp, right?" The army boy nodded in agreement.
Unbeknownst to them, the scene cut to the left to reveal that Justin had been overseeing them from behind the entrance with an intrigued look on his face.
The footage flashed forward, and a frigid wind blew across a few icy stage lights. The camera panned down to the contestants standing in their swimsuits and shivering in the cold. "Is Antarctica supposed to have a beach?" Anne Maria asked, her teeth chattering together.
"As some of you can see," Chris said, dressed in thick white parka and snow goggles, "we're actually in the shooting studio." The camera pulled out to show an icicle-rimmed pool dominating the area behind the cast; it was flanked by film equipment on most sides and a pair of giant fans on the right. A surfboard had been attached to a stand on the back rim, and was positioned to be in front of a green screen. To the right in the foreground, Chef stood by what looked like a control panel, a green scarf wrapped around his neck.
"And why is the AC cranked?" Ripper asked.
"All the cameras and lights get so hot," Chris explained, "they could melt Chef's heart." The hulking man gave the single most disturbing 'cheerful' grin and wave that had ever been shown. "And the network told my agent sweaty wasn't a good look for me," the host added, briefly fanning himself.
"Your first challenge?" he said, looking up at the surfboard. "Hang ten this deck into the big blue without swallowing tail in the soup."
"Could you repeat that?" Millie asked in confusion. “Those weren't even words.”
“He means whoever stays on the surfboard longest, wins,” Trent said.
"Exactamundo, groovy cats!" Chris told them. "So? Who's goin' first?" MK and Scott looked at each other, Jasmine tried to adjust her hat while she shivered, Brick looked everywhere but at the host, and finally a cricket chirped from on top a light. A gust of frigid wind froze it solid, and its hind legs snapped off. "The team that wins will get a half-hour head start on the next challenge," the host explained, "aaand given tonight's reward, you should be fighting harder than Justin's abs over who gets first shot."
"I know my abs are better," Scott gloated to MK, who rolled her eyes. "I have a stone hard ten pack while Justin's are like butter."
As Scott tried to show them off, the camera panned to Ripper behind the pair looking annoyed. He smirked mischievously and gave the redheaded boy a light shove with his hand and he stumbled forward a couple steps. MK looked at Ripper, who shrugged innocently. "Sorry," he said unapologetically. "I slipped."
"We have a volunteer!" Chris said now that Scott had inadvertently stepped forward.
“I didn't volunteer on purpose,” Scott glared over his shoulder, “but fine.”
The surf rock tune briefly played again as Scott was shown stepping onto the surfboard. "This surfboard better be sturdy!" he said as he made a proper surfing position.
"And, please welcome the return of some season one fan-favorites," Chris announced from behind the pool, "the sharks!"
Immediately, one of the giant freshwater man-eating sharks jumped out and snapped its teeth at Scott. He squeaked and flinched away, and Chris was shown cringing.
Confessional: Scott
"Pigs are my favorite animals, but I should let you know that sharks are NOTHING like pigs," Scott told the confessional camera. "They're bloodthirsty and do not play nice! The only reason I'm not frightened to be around them is because they haven't attempted to maul me to the point of trauma!"
Confessional Ends
The footage cut back to show Scott now clinging from one of the supports for the lights hanging above the pool. The shark leaped up again and snapped its jaws in another attempt to grab him, but fell back down with a splash, unsuccessful. "Me and my abs are out!" he declared.
“Your abs have an opinion? Seriously!?” Sky asked.
"How did you even manage to jump that high?" MK commented with disbelief.
"Hey!" Scott said in offense. "I am not letting myself get swallowed by a shark! Me and my family lost my great aunt Iris that way!"
"I'd believe you if you weren't such a big liar on a daily basis!" Ripper called up to him.
"Hey sharks, check it out!" Scott called out, pointing away from the water tank. "There's a plate of bacon over there!"
Everyone looked to see Brick eating bacon off a plate he carried with him. “I had some breakfast left over,” the cadet admitted.
The sharks emerged from the water begging for the food, and this gave Scott the opportunity to drop down. Unfortunately, he slammed on the plank back first.
"Ooh, way to stick the dismount, bro," Chris chuckled, Chase and MK also chuckling as well while Sky smiled in amusement.
The camera panned over to Trent sighing at the sight of Chase and Sky, causing Millie to take notice. “Is something the matter?” she asked in concern.
“Nothing! It's nothing!” Trent quickly denied.
“Oh, okay then,” Millie said unconvinced.
Unbeknownst to them, Justin had overheard their conversation with a grin.
Confessional: Justin
“That was strange of Trent,” Justin admitted, “but his attitude is something worth investigating.”
Confessional: Millie
“I know Trent's upset about Sky and Chase being together, but I don't think he should be,” Millie told the camera. “Everyone's free to be friends with whoever they want to.”
Confessionals End
The surf tune began again as Brick stepped onto the board. He wobbled a bit as he tried to find his balance until a shark jumped out of the water and bit off his swim shorts; he quickly covered his pixelated groin with his hands and jumped down, an expression of fear and embarrassment on his face.
"The body's a beautiful thing," Chef called out as Brick ran past him. "You don't need a suit!"
Sky was the next to take her turn as the sunset flickered back on to the green screen behind her. She managed to find her balance on the rocking board, but this changed when Chris pushed a button on the control panel and changed the background into a tornado-struck farm. Chef grinned and plugged in the giant fans, which immediately got up to top speed. Soon, a powerful wind was sweeping past Sky from behind, and not long after, the petite gymnast was blown off the surfboard, hitting the backdrop with a splat.
Next was Ripper, who quickly jumped onto the middle of the surfboard from the small platform at the edge of the pool. However, his hard landing caused the board to crack, and it eventually collapsed beneath him and dropped him into the pool.
“What the heck even was that?!” Ripper complained in outrage that turned into shock when he saw the pair of sharks leering at him, but he managed to quickly grab the pieces of the surfboard that had fallen in with him and throw them onto the sharks' mouths, wedging them open.
“Later, fangs!” Ripper taunted before quickly scrambling over the lip of the pool and dropping back to the ground on his back.
Chris stepped in front of the camera and blew a whistle. "Break time!" he announced. "Union rules!"
"Is this really happening?!" Millie piped up in the background.
"I don't mean you, shark bait!" Chris told him.
A classical British tune began as the footage skipped forward. The camera was focused on one of the sharks, now sitting in a chair with a pink towel on its head, sipping a cup of tea. The shot zoomed out to show the other shark sitting nearby, accepting a piece of food from a platter that Chef was holding out. The camera panned up to the fixed surfboard, where Jasmine was already in position.
"No sharks to hinder me?" Jasmine said confidently. "Way too easy!" The surf music began again as the Outback girl started her turn on the swaying board, but it quickly ended as Jasmine noticed something nearby.
A deeper, more ominous tune played as the camera panned up a minigun turret. When it reached the top, a cartridge of rather bewildered-looking seagulls was fitted into the top of the gun; Chris' gloved hand cocked it, and started the barrel spinning. "I love this game!" he exclaimed before opening fire.
Jasmine dodged most of the seagull barrage, but one of the birds knocked her hat into the water. “My hat!” she gasped as she looked down, and two more shots to her stomach and legs caused her to lose her balance and tumble into the water.
"Good luck with with those gulls!" Jasmine told Anne Maria after the scene cut to the latter stepping forward. "They're a handful."
"You don't have to tell me twice!" Anne Maria told her, looking at the pair of dorsal fins sticking out of the water as the sharks swam around, then climbed the ladder on the side of the pool. "Those gulls better not touch my hair!" she shouted once she'd gotten on to the surfboard.
"No promises," Chris chuckled to himself as he loaded another seagull cartridge onto the gun. He opened fire, and the tanned girl managed to dodge everything that was shot at her.
Confessional: Brick
"For all of Anne Maria's vanity," Brick told the make-up trailer camera, "she's definitely got a winning edge!"
Confessional Ends
Chris frowned in panic. He looked at his gun, which was low on ammunition, to the equipment sitting behind him, and the camera cut back to Anne Maria just before a director's chair was thrown at her.
"Are you serious, McLean?!" she shouted angrily before promptly getting shot in the face with another seagull, losing her balance and falling into the pool.
One of the sharks immediately lunged at Anne Maria, but she just scowled and swung her fist at its nose, then swam away while it rubbed the injured area.
Confessional: Anne Maria
"They say that animal cruelty is wrong," Anne Maria said in the confessional, "but when the humans are being harmed by them, human cruelty is not against the law."
Confessional Ends
"Finally, we have Chase!" Chris announced as the daredevil steadied himself on the surfboard, adding "Try not to get your hair wet," as he took aim with the fully-loaded gull gun. Chase rolled his eyes and Chris began to fire, but the contestant dodged the birds easily, even jumping up and somersaulting in the air.
His gun now completely out of ammunition, the host looked behind him for something else once again. The camera briefly cut back to Chase as he dodged a light that was thrown at him, then showed Chris as he frantically looked for something else. The camera panned to the left, showing the Killer Grips watching their opposition, with Anne Maria standing closest to the host. He grinned darkly, and she noticed and scowled. “Don't even try it, Chris!” she snarled and handed him her cans of hairspray.
The camera cut back to Chase as his eyes went wide. "Seriously?!" he exclaimed as the cans of hairspray were hurled at him. He swiftly ducked, and the cans hit the set.
"And with that," Chris announced as a triumphant tune began to play, "Chase secures victory for the Screaming Gaffers."
“Cool!" Chase said, jumping down from the surfboard. He walked back over to his cheering team, and after sharing a combination of a fist bump and a high-five, he and Sky gave each other a friendly hug.
“I won't lie. Sky's team is unstoppable!” Millie commented as she and her team oversaw the Gaffers cheering.
“Try unstable!” Trent added in with jealousy. “A ticking time bomb of betrayal. We have to stop them for sure.”
Confessional: Justin
“Now I see the problem with Trent,” Justin confessed. “He's suffering from jealousy issues, and if I want to establish how big of a threat I can be this season, I'll have to increase those issues to a boiling point and set him up for elimination if we lose.”
Confessional Ends
“Don't sweat it,” Jasmine told her team's leader. “If we're lucky, we can win the second part of the challenge and the tiebreaker after.”
“Lucky…” Trent mumbled to himself before a idea sparked up. “I think I may know how we could win.”
"If you at home like disasters," Chris suddenly leaned into the shot to announce, "you'll love what's coming up next!"
"I'm telling you, my plan is foolproof," Trent told the host.
"We'll see about that," Chris replied teasingly.
(Commercial Break)
2024.05.06 01:23 epicbaggie Suggestions for TI-84 Plus CE Color?
I'm planning on getting a TI-84 Plus CE, but I'm not sure which color I should get. I feel that some colors are easier to see or make the buttons stand out more, so I just want to get it in a color that "maximizes efficiency".
(I could also just be overthinking this and the color of the calculator and buttons really don't matter, but someone please tell me!)
Any suggestions?
submitted by epicbaggie to calculators [link] [comments]
(I could also just be overthinking this and the color of the calculator and buttons really don't matter, but someone please tell me!)
Any suggestions?
2024.05.06 01:23 throwrastuffidk How to tell bf (30M) and rest of family that I (28F) changed my name and deal with the general awkwardness?
My parents gave me a really strange, made up name because they didn’t want me to have a “boring” name. Let’s say, for the sake of this post, it was Lizmor (to invent a random, equally weird name). 99% of the time, among my family I was just Liz.
When I was 24, I legally changed my name to “Rose Elizabeth”. Rose is my favorite name in the world, so I wanted it as my first name. I still wanted the Liz part in my name, but I couldn’t stand to see “Lizmor” on my official identification, so I picked the closest normal name with Liz in it for my middle name.
I told my parents and my brother, who actually do call me Rose. But I figured that the rest of my family wasn’t going to call me Rose anyway, so I didn’t bother telling them. I asked my parents not to tell them either. Most of them are very judgmental, and I didn’t feel like dealing with the backlash.
It’s been 4 years later, and so far there’s never been an issue. The problem is that I’ve been seriously dating someone for a while and I think it’s time for me to tell him I changed my name, and for him to meet the rest of my family. I’ve always avoided it because I can’t handle the awkwardness of explaining the name situation. I know it’ll have to happen eventually.
We’ve also discussed marriage a few times, and much as I would love to plan a nice wedding with all of our families, I’ve thought about just getting eloped. I don’t know to deal with what name to put on the invitations, or that my family will be calling me Liz and his family will know me as Rose and everyone will be confused, and I’ll be feeling awkward when I’m supposed to be celebrating.
So, what would be the best way to tell everyone? I’m honestly very embarrassed of my old name and don’t like talking about it at all. And how can I deal with the awkwardness of everything? Thanks for your help.
TLDR: I legally changed my name 4 years ago. My extended family and bf don’t know and I’m worried that it’ll be super awkward to tell them and when our families eventually intermingle. How do I make the situation less uncomfortable?
submitted by throwrastuffidk to relationships [link] [comments]
When I was 24, I legally changed my name to “Rose Elizabeth”. Rose is my favorite name in the world, so I wanted it as my first name. I still wanted the Liz part in my name, but I couldn’t stand to see “Lizmor” on my official identification, so I picked the closest normal name with Liz in it for my middle name.
I told my parents and my brother, who actually do call me Rose. But I figured that the rest of my family wasn’t going to call me Rose anyway, so I didn’t bother telling them. I asked my parents not to tell them either. Most of them are very judgmental, and I didn’t feel like dealing with the backlash.
It’s been 4 years later, and so far there’s never been an issue. The problem is that I’ve been seriously dating someone for a while and I think it’s time for me to tell him I changed my name, and for him to meet the rest of my family. I’ve always avoided it because I can’t handle the awkwardness of explaining the name situation. I know it’ll have to happen eventually.
We’ve also discussed marriage a few times, and much as I would love to plan a nice wedding with all of our families, I’ve thought about just getting eloped. I don’t know to deal with what name to put on the invitations, or that my family will be calling me Liz and his family will know me as Rose and everyone will be confused, and I’ll be feeling awkward when I’m supposed to be celebrating.
So, what would be the best way to tell everyone? I’m honestly very embarrassed of my old name and don’t like talking about it at all. And how can I deal with the awkwardness of everything? Thanks for your help.
TLDR: I legally changed my name 4 years ago. My extended family and bf don’t know and I’m worried that it’ll be super awkward to tell them and when our families eventually intermingle. How do I make the situation less uncomfortable?
2024.05.06 01:20 TheHauntingTerror The Pack Rats [2]
Delta Simon
There’s a giant rat on this ship.
There’s a giant fucking rat on this ship.
Delta clenches her jaw. A broom held still in her hand. Well, half of a broom. The other half is currently laying on the floor after getting split open on the alien rat’s noggin.
The alien in question looks to be able to reach up to her hips at full height. Although, calling it a rat might be a stretch since it’s not from Earth. A better descriptor for it could be that it’s rat-shaped. Otherwise, the ears are a tad too pointy and the paws are covered in white scales. The snout is thin. It kind of reminds her of a fox. The tail is also covered in thin fur too. She’s never heard of a rat with a furry tail.
Okay, so maybe it’s more like a rat crossed with a fox, but that’s besides the point.
The alien is lying flat on their face. They're covered in some sort of weird garment. A forest green that wraps around their body in a way that reminds Delta of a poncho. If a poncho only goes down to their elbows. A gray material slips from underneath. It doesn’t go beyond the shoulders. But it does reach past their legs, stopping right above the first scales on their knees. A belt is held securely around their waist, complete with tools.
She looks around the pantry. Nothing of use that could be seen. The girl looks down at the alien; and, at the gun by its side. Maybe she won’t have to resort to tying them up. Delta abandons the broom in favor of the gun. She debates on moving the alien to the lights of the kitchen or leaving them right where they are. Wait for them to wake up. Demand for a way off this planet. They must have a ship somewhere around.
Or you could shoot them. After all, they tried to kill you first.
Delta nudges at the alien with her shoe. They don’t stir. Killing them will do nothing for her. For one, they might be the only ones around here for who knows how long. And two, she doesn’t exactly know how to pilot a ship.
Besides, that’s just senseless murder.
The teen sighs, leaning against the wall. Her back catches the end of a shelf. She almost regrets hitting them so hard. Mostly because she hates playing the waiting game. There’s barely an ounce of patience in Delta’s blood—always the go-getter, that she is. Sure, it’s pushed her so far in her life, but it can also sometimes be the source of a lot of her troubles. Like yelling at her mom. Who probably thinks she’s dead. Her eyes burn.
She can feel herself getting tired. Her body drops to a crouch, switching over into a sit as her legs cross. Her mind aches with tiredness. Hunger creeps in. Delta has half a mind to scrounge up something from the pantry, but she has no idea if she can trust the food to be safe.
This is going to be a long wait.
—
It’s probably been at least half an hour when Delta decided to close her eyes for the last several minutes. It was enough time for the girl to slip into a light sleep. Then the sound of someone groaning jolts her awake. Her brain is still fighting off the fog from her short rest. Things come back to her in bits and pieces. Ship. Broom. Rat.
Her eyes snap open. She scrambles to her feet, picking the gun from where she had left it on the way up. The alien lets out another quiet groan. They struggle to raise themself up with their arms. Their teeth click together as their eyes slowly blink open. Then, a pause in their movement.
The calm before the storm.
The alien screeches when their eyes meet Delta’s. She squeals along with them. Their claws scratch across the tiles, shoving themselves away. The sudden movement makes the girl twitch, aiming at them instinctively. The alien slams right into the wall. The loud THUD makes it sound more painful than it might actually be.
“Who are you!” Delta keeps the gun trained on them. She sidesteps to the exit. In return, the rat backs farther into the pantry. Their nose twitches. Puffed up tail pointing straight up in what is perhaps a warning to her; or, maybe it’s just out of fear. Don’t ask her. She doesn’t know.
They make more strange sounds, until they stop halfway. They blink and look down at the silver collar around their neck. The alien taps at it. A mechanical voice drones in an unknown language. Delta stares blankly at it. Then the alien gestures a paw to her. She thinks she gets it now.
“Um, hello?” She says tentatively. Both the collar and the rat remain silent, so she takes that as an okay to continue. “My name is Delta…and I’m human.”
The collar makes a warbling sound. The alien speaks, “hu-man, huh?”
“You just talked!” Delta blurts out in surprise. She goes red at the embarrassment of it. She’s got so many questions for that collar now. Still, it might be best to ask about it later.
“No, really?” They—no, he snarks.
The girl rolls her eyes. “Well, never mind that. So, who and what are you exactly?”
“If I tell you, will you let me go?” The alien stares at the gun with caution. His eyes are surprisingly not beady like a rat’s. In fact, it unsettles Delta with just how similar they look to a human’s. She shifts uncomfortably.
“I’ll let you go.” Then, she tacks on, “provided that you take me with you.”
“What.” His ears pin back in alarm. “No way! My crew will kill me for letting in a stranger!”
“Hey, I’m the one with the gun here,” Delta hisses. She waves the weapon in the air. “Or did you forget?”
The alien startles. He remains quiet, weighing out his options.
This whole conflict is starting to make Delta feel sick. Threatening death makes her feel sick. She can feel her heart race in her chest. She breathes in deeply, wishing for the nausea to leave her be. But Delta wants nothing more than to be off this planet since yesterday. She was never supposed to be out here in space. She just wants to go home.
“I’m Glycaruii,” he answers. “I’m an uulinone, and I was sent here to collect scrap. But what are you doing here exactly? I’ve never heard of a human before.”
His nose scrunches up at name as if in distaste. Delta wants to scoff, though she holds her tongue. Admittedly, a part of her is hesitating, not wanting to share a sob story and make herself look pathetic. She’s not! She absolutely refuses to let someone see her that way!
That being said, if this gets her back to Earth faster…
“It’s a long story,” Delta starts. “But, I was basically abducted. I remember getting locked up in some kind of cage or a cell. They didn’t do much to me, oddly enough. I thought they were gonna stick some needles in me or something. Mad scientist style or some dumb crap. Eventually, the ship crash landed here. I’m the only one who survived.”
“Yeah, sounds like you had a run-in with some smugglers. You were probably going to be sold to a bunch of scientists or maybe to an exotic pet collector. Those types of people could care less if you’re sapient. They’ll even excuse it as “humans aren’t registered under the Galactic List of Sapients,” he says. “I am sorry to hear that, though.”
Glycaruii does seem genuinely sympathetic about it. His face doesn’t twist in a way that would suggest it, but his tone says otherwise. Delta briefly wonders if he even has the facial muscles to mimic human expressions, like a smile. Regardless, the thought doesn’t drag away attention from more pressing matters.
“Registered under the what?”
“Have you guys discovered FTL yet?” When met with a headshake, he emits a tiny squeak. “Oh…that’s odd.”
“What is?” She asks. “What are you even talking about?”
“It’s complicated. Don’t worry about it.” He waves a dismissive paw. “But! The GLS is basically a glorified file on sapients that made first contact with the Connected System. It’s pretty much in the name—you get your species registered and then everyone recognizes you as sapient.”
Delta frowns at the idea of a list. “What’s there to stop someone from conquering a planet until that happens?”
“Nothing.” Something dark crosses his eyes. “It’s really a matter of luck on getting to the System first.”
Did something happen between him and this System? Delta thinks about the way Glycaruii scowls, but doesn’t dare point that out. It’s not in her business to worry. Her only business is making sure she gets back home.
After that, there is silence. It lulls them back down to reality, punctuated by quiet breathing. Delta stares hard at Glycaruii, willing him to have a little mercy. Though the girl does know she could take a page out of her own thoughts. Pointing a weapon is not exactly the definition of showing mercy.
“I suppose,” he sighs as Delta lowers the gun, “that I can bring you aboard. They might not like it though.”
He stares at the gun with trepidation. He’s second guessing. Delta frowns. A challenging step forward. “I can take that chance.”
“They might kill you. They have guns too, you know.” The uulinone looks down. Thinking. There’s too many unknown variables in this. It’s clear, however, that Delta refuses to let him go. So when a remotely feasible plan pops into his head, Glycaruii does not hesitate to meet eyes with her. “Which means I’ll have to sneak you in.”
“And how do you propose we do that,” she asks.
This seems a little too easy to her. And maybe being trapped for so long on her abductor’s ship and then stranded on an alien planet has left her paranoid, yet this still feels off somehow. Sure, Delta may be threatening him with his own gun, but would Glycaruii really let an armed person onto his ship just like that? With his crewmates?
He gives a weak grin (so he does have the facial muscles for it) and says, “I’ll have you wait by the side of the ship. And when I check to see if the coast is clear by the door, I’ll guide you all the way to one of the storage rooms. We rarely ever go into that room outside of storing holiday decorations, so you should be safe in there for the time being.”
Why is it that his grin leaves Delta feeling uneasy?
—
The fog has subsided a bit since their time in the ghost ship. The moon finally shines through. It cuts past clouds and treetops. On the way out, they make a quick trip to the captain’s quarters. Glycaruii manages to snag a small box from it. It’s filled with all sorts of spare parts. He mutters something about how “they should be grateful that he changed his mind.” Whatever that meant.
Upon spotting his ship, she finds that it’s certainly much larger and bulkier than the abandoned one. The uulinone leads the girl off to the side. Then, he scampers back over to the ramp.
After a few minutes, she peers up from her hiding spot. Glycaruii is standing right in the doorway. He’s beckoning someone. A long shadow is casted from the otherside, but there is a familiarity to it. Its shape reminds the girl of Glycaruii, though it’s obviously not his. She can hear him talking.
“Yes, I promise I got some things from it. Look—” He jostles the small box in his arms. “As promised, but I couldn’t find anything else. Nothing else valuable to be seen among the junk.”
There were rodent sounds from the other person.
Another uulinone?
“I couldn’t tell. It’s too small and plain looking. Probably an illegal cargo ship if I were to guess.”
The squeaks and chattering become angrier, or maybe just frustrated. The shadow moves in tandem with the stranger. Delta scoots further back into her hiding spot. She holds her breath. She’s not sure why. It’s not as if the alien can hear her.
“If you’re gonna complain about what I get,” Glycaruii grumbles, “then why didn’t you go scavenge the ship yourself? Ah, but there’s no need to go now. I’ve already checked top to bottom anyway.”
More indecipherable noises.
“Fine. I’ll bring Ephinyde with me next time.” The uulinone flicks his tail. He takes a step back, clutching the box closer when the stranger moves forward. “No, I’ll take it there myself. Go bother Prisyllva or something. I heard she was going to try making glyor’karuu [untranslatable]. I don’t think I need to remind you about the last time she tried to use the kitchen.”
The stranger hisses and whips around. The shadow quickly recedes from view. When Glycaruii is sure that they’re gone, he turns around and beckons for the girl to come over.
The minute she’s beside him, he says, “let’s get moving while we can. This way.”
————————————————————————
Previous [Next]
submitted by TheHauntingTerror to HFY [link] [comments]
There’s a giant rat on this ship.
There’s a giant fucking rat on this ship.
Delta clenches her jaw. A broom held still in her hand. Well, half of a broom. The other half is currently laying on the floor after getting split open on the alien rat’s noggin.
The alien in question looks to be able to reach up to her hips at full height. Although, calling it a rat might be a stretch since it’s not from Earth. A better descriptor for it could be that it’s rat-shaped. Otherwise, the ears are a tad too pointy and the paws are covered in white scales. The snout is thin. It kind of reminds her of a fox. The tail is also covered in thin fur too. She’s never heard of a rat with a furry tail.
Okay, so maybe it’s more like a rat crossed with a fox, but that’s besides the point.
The alien is lying flat on their face. They're covered in some sort of weird garment. A forest green that wraps around their body in a way that reminds Delta of a poncho. If a poncho only goes down to their elbows. A gray material slips from underneath. It doesn’t go beyond the shoulders. But it does reach past their legs, stopping right above the first scales on their knees. A belt is held securely around their waist, complete with tools.
She looks around the pantry. Nothing of use that could be seen. The girl looks down at the alien; and, at the gun by its side. Maybe she won’t have to resort to tying them up. Delta abandons the broom in favor of the gun. She debates on moving the alien to the lights of the kitchen or leaving them right where they are. Wait for them to wake up. Demand for a way off this planet. They must have a ship somewhere around.
Delta nudges at the alien with her shoe. They don’t stir. Killing them will do nothing for her. For one, they might be the only ones around here for who knows how long. And two, she doesn’t exactly know how to pilot a ship.
Besides, that’s just senseless murder.
The teen sighs, leaning against the wall. Her back catches the end of a shelf. She almost regrets hitting them so hard. Mostly because she hates playing the waiting game. There’s barely an ounce of patience in Delta’s blood—always the go-getter, that she is. Sure, it’s pushed her so far in her life, but it can also sometimes be the source of a lot of her troubles. Like yelling at her mom. Who probably thinks she’s dead. Her eyes burn.
She can feel herself getting tired. Her body drops to a crouch, switching over into a sit as her legs cross. Her mind aches with tiredness. Hunger creeps in. Delta has half a mind to scrounge up something from the pantry, but she has no idea if she can trust the food to be safe.
This is going to be a long wait.
—
It’s probably been at least half an hour when Delta decided to close her eyes for the last several minutes. It was enough time for the girl to slip into a light sleep. Then the sound of someone groaning jolts her awake. Her brain is still fighting off the fog from her short rest. Things come back to her in bits and pieces. Ship. Broom. Rat.
Her eyes snap open. She scrambles to her feet, picking the gun from where she had left it on the way up. The alien lets out another quiet groan. They struggle to raise themself up with their arms. Their teeth click together as their eyes slowly blink open. Then, a pause in their movement.
The calm before the storm.
The alien screeches when their eyes meet Delta’s. She squeals along with them. Their claws scratch across the tiles, shoving themselves away. The sudden movement makes the girl twitch, aiming at them instinctively. The alien slams right into the wall. The loud THUD makes it sound more painful than it might actually be.
“Who are you!” Delta keeps the gun trained on them. She sidesteps to the exit. In return, the rat backs farther into the pantry. Their nose twitches. Puffed up tail pointing straight up in what is perhaps a warning to her; or, maybe it’s just out of fear. Don’t ask her. She doesn’t know.
They make more strange sounds, until they stop halfway. They blink and look down at the silver collar around their neck. The alien taps at it. A mechanical voice drones in an unknown language. Delta stares blankly at it. Then the alien gestures a paw to her. She thinks she gets it now.
“Um, hello?” She says tentatively. Both the collar and the rat remain silent, so she takes that as an okay to continue. “My name is Delta…and I’m human.”
The collar makes a warbling sound. The alien speaks, “hu-man, huh?”
“You just talked!” Delta blurts out in surprise. She goes red at the embarrassment of it. She’s got so many questions for that collar now. Still, it might be best to ask about it later.
“No, really?” They—no, he snarks.
The girl rolls her eyes. “Well, never mind that. So, who and what are you exactly?”
“If I tell you, will you let me go?” The alien stares at the gun with caution. His eyes are surprisingly not beady like a rat’s. In fact, it unsettles Delta with just how similar they look to a human’s. She shifts uncomfortably.
“I’ll let you go.” Then, she tacks on, “provided that you take me with you.”
“What.” His ears pin back in alarm. “No way! My crew will kill me for letting in a stranger!”
“Hey, I’m the one with the gun here,” Delta hisses. She waves the weapon in the air. “Or did you forget?”
The alien startles. He remains quiet, weighing out his options.
This whole conflict is starting to make Delta feel sick. Threatening death makes her feel sick. She can feel her heart race in her chest. She breathes in deeply, wishing for the nausea to leave her be. But Delta wants nothing more than to be off this planet since yesterday. She was never supposed to be out here in space. She just wants to go home.
“I’m Glycaruii,” he answers. “I’m an uulinone, and I was sent here to collect scrap. But what are you doing here exactly? I’ve never heard of a human before.”
His nose scrunches up at name as if in distaste. Delta wants to scoff, though she holds her tongue. Admittedly, a part of her is hesitating, not wanting to share a sob story and make herself look pathetic. She’s not! She absolutely refuses to let someone see her that way!
That being said, if this gets her back to Earth faster…
“It’s a long story,” Delta starts. “But, I was basically abducted. I remember getting locked up in some kind of cage or a cell. They didn’t do much to me, oddly enough. I thought they were gonna stick some needles in me or something. Mad scientist style or some dumb crap. Eventually, the ship crash landed here. I’m the only one who survived.”
“Yeah, sounds like you had a run-in with some smugglers. You were probably going to be sold to a bunch of scientists or maybe to an exotic pet collector. Those types of people could care less if you’re sapient. They’ll even excuse it as “humans aren’t registered under the Galactic List of Sapients,” he says. “I am sorry to hear that, though.”
Glycaruii does seem genuinely sympathetic about it. His face doesn’t twist in a way that would suggest it, but his tone says otherwise. Delta briefly wonders if he even has the facial muscles to mimic human expressions, like a smile. Regardless, the thought doesn’t drag away attention from more pressing matters.
“Registered under the what?”
“Have you guys discovered FTL yet?” When met with a headshake, he emits a tiny squeak. “Oh…that’s odd.”
“What is?” She asks. “What are you even talking about?”
“It’s complicated. Don’t worry about it.” He waves a dismissive paw. “But! The GLS is basically a glorified file on sapients that made first contact with the Connected System. It’s pretty much in the name—you get your species registered and then everyone recognizes you as sapient.”
Delta frowns at the idea of a list. “What’s there to stop someone from conquering a planet until that happens?”
“Nothing.” Something dark crosses his eyes. “It’s really a matter of luck on getting to the System first.”
Did something happen between him and this System? Delta thinks about the way Glycaruii scowls, but doesn’t dare point that out. It’s not in her business to worry. Her only business is making sure she gets back home.
After that, there is silence. It lulls them back down to reality, punctuated by quiet breathing. Delta stares hard at Glycaruii, willing him to have a little mercy. Though the girl does know she could take a page out of her own thoughts. Pointing a weapon is not exactly the definition of showing mercy.
“I suppose,” he sighs as Delta lowers the gun, “that I can bring you aboard. They might not like it though.”
He stares at the gun with trepidation. He’s second guessing. Delta frowns. A challenging step forward. “I can take that chance.”
“They might kill you. They have guns too, you know.” The uulinone looks down. Thinking. There’s too many unknown variables in this. It’s clear, however, that Delta refuses to let him go. So when a remotely feasible plan pops into his head, Glycaruii does not hesitate to meet eyes with her. “Which means I’ll have to sneak you in.”
“And how do you propose we do that,” she asks.
This seems a little too easy to her. And maybe being trapped for so long on her abductor’s ship and then stranded on an alien planet has left her paranoid, yet this still feels off somehow. Sure, Delta may be threatening him with his own gun, but would Glycaruii really let an armed person onto his ship just like that? With his crewmates?
He gives a weak grin (so he does have the facial muscles for it) and says, “I’ll have you wait by the side of the ship. And when I check to see if the coast is clear by the door, I’ll guide you all the way to one of the storage rooms. We rarely ever go into that room outside of storing holiday decorations, so you should be safe in there for the time being.”
Why is it that his grin leaves Delta feeling uneasy?
—
The fog has subsided a bit since their time in the ghost ship. The moon finally shines through. It cuts past clouds and treetops. On the way out, they make a quick trip to the captain’s quarters. Glycaruii manages to snag a small box from it. It’s filled with all sorts of spare parts. He mutters something about how “they should be grateful that he changed his mind.” Whatever that meant.
Upon spotting his ship, she finds that it’s certainly much larger and bulkier than the abandoned one. The uulinone leads the girl off to the side. Then, he scampers back over to the ramp.
After a few minutes, she peers up from her hiding spot. Glycaruii is standing right in the doorway. He’s beckoning someone. A long shadow is casted from the otherside, but there is a familiarity to it. Its shape reminds the girl of Glycaruii, though it’s obviously not his. She can hear him talking.
“Yes, I promise I got some things from it. Look—” He jostles the small box in his arms. “As promised, but I couldn’t find anything else. Nothing else valuable to be seen among the junk.”
There were rodent sounds from the other person.
Another uulinone?
“I couldn’t tell. It’s too small and plain looking. Probably an illegal cargo ship if I were to guess.”
The squeaks and chattering become angrier, or maybe just frustrated. The shadow moves in tandem with the stranger. Delta scoots further back into her hiding spot. She holds her breath. She’s not sure why. It’s not as if the alien can hear her.
“If you’re gonna complain about what I get,” Glycaruii grumbles, “then why didn’t you go scavenge the ship yourself? Ah, but there’s no need to go now. I’ve already checked top to bottom anyway.”
More indecipherable noises.
“Fine. I’ll bring Ephinyde with me next time.” The uulinone flicks his tail. He takes a step back, clutching the box closer when the stranger moves forward. “No, I’ll take it there myself. Go bother Prisyllva or something. I heard she was going to try making glyor’karuu [untranslatable]. I don’t think I need to remind you about the last time she tried to use the kitchen.”
The stranger hisses and whips around. The shadow quickly recedes from view. When Glycaruii is sure that they’re gone, he turns around and beckons for the girl to come over.
The minute she’s beside him, he says, “let’s get moving while we can. This way.”
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2024.05.06 01:19 nathanarticulated WAB
BC Canada WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE BUZZER ( Vol. 4, Number 18) May 5, 2024 Public Transit: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow For more information check Facebook page " we ride public transit Vancouver " on X (Twitter) see NathanDavidowi1 , email to [nathandavidowicz2@gmail.com](mailto:nathandavidowicz2@gmail.com)Read Reddit transit & TransLink for a complete Weekly Alternative Buzzer ( WAB )as well as many real transit stories from real riders.Read WAB on Linkedin under Nathan DavidowiczPlease continue to send your stories and I will publish them.****Due to technical difficulties the WAB today is short of many articles.These articles will be displayed at the next issue on May 12, 2024****1. News From BC and About BC Transit & TransLink :Possible Transit StrikeWest Vancouver Blue Bus drivers and mechanics threaten strike https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/west-vancouver-blue-bus-drivers-mechanics-threaten-strike West Vancouver's Blue Bus workers vote 96% in favour of a strike https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/west-vancouver-blue-bus-strike-vote-1.7190341 https://x.com/ATU_134/status/1787128778340413452handyDART service expansion in Penticton starting May 11, 2024https://www.bctransit.com/help-determine-the-future-of-transit-in-campbell-river-04-29-2024/ Saanich pushes for free transit for teens 13 to 18 https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/saanich-pushes-for-free-transit-for-those-18-and-younger-8684731 https://www.translink.ca/-/media/translink/documents/plans-and-projects/managing-the-transit-network/tsp2023_transit_service_performance_review.pdf ( 13 pages )These are TransLink's busiest bus routes and SkyTrain stations in 2023 Urbanized https://dailyhive.com/vancouvetranslink-metro-vancouver-public-transit-ridership-statistics-2023Metro Vancouver transit overcrowding back at pre-pandemic levels https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/metro-vancouver-transit-overcrowding-1.7191390 https://www.intelligenttransport.com/transport-news/180455/translink-targets-20-corridors-bus-priority-investments-tackle-congestion/?Ian Fisher explaining SkyTrain Service:https://buzzer.translink.ca/2024/05/s3e4-how-do-we-plan-skytrain-service-for-events-and-track-maintenance/MVRD Transportation Seminars, need to register:https://www.facebook.com/share/mdnabgPK7evMfLKF/?mibextid=xCPwDs Transit Podcast ( 44 mins )https://www.urbanismvancouver.com/how-do-we-improve-public-transportation-with-rmtransit/Student Transit at Moscrop School:https://www.burnabynow.com/local-news/letter-more-transit-buses-at-this-burnaby-high-school-so-fewer-kids-get-trampled-8669117 HandyDART Petitionhttps://actionnetwork.org/petitions/petition-to-end-the-use-of-taxis-to-fill-handydart-service-and-bring-operations-in-house/Transit Petition and TownHall Meeting:https://www.change.org/p/demand-better-transit-now-stand-up-for-south-vancouvepsf/sharehttps://dailyhive.com/vancouvemla-south-vancouver-new-57th-avenue-bus-route-canada-line-stationsTownHall meeting is at 7 pm on May 29, 2024 at Sunset Community Centre.6810 Main St. ( between 51/52 Avenues )Why are 40 trolley buses parked? https://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/2024/05/02/mlas-40-trolley-buses-parked-despite-shortage/BMO Marathonhttps://buzzer.translink.ca/2024/04/bmo-vancouver-marathon-how-to-get-there-by-transit/ However, as in previous years many passengers were stranded until 11 am or even 5 pmSignage at individual bus stops was lacking and needed to provide simple sign like " NO BUS SERVICE UNTIL 11 am " some of the signage actually read : " Intermittent Service Disruptions First Bus to 930 pm "2. Transit Safety- Pedestrian Safety : Petition 10,000+ names :https://www.change.org/p/make-bc-translink-buses-and-skytrains-safer (10,388 names)Saskatoon Safety Problems:Bus stabbing on Saskatoon Transit reflects overall increase in ‘negative interactions’ https://globalnews.ca/news/10465488/bus-stabbing-saskatoon-transit-negative-interactions/ https://www.facebook.com/share/p/yV58hPKPjpauiFoy/?mibextid=xfxF2i TransLink bus catches fire in Burnaby: https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2024/05/03/burnaby-translink-bus-fire/ 3. Alon Levy, RM Transit, RftV, Marco Chitti, RFC, VTPI, RE (a) https://pedestrianobservations.com/2024/05/03/the-future-of-congestion-pricing-in-new-york/https://pedestrianobservations.com/2024/04/30/quick-note-what-the-hell-is-going-on-in-san-jose/Construction Costs and Government-Civil Service Relations https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7DUf6RQddg&t=159s 99.1 mins (b) American Cities have a lot to learn from Seattle https://reecemartin.ca/2024/04/30/american-cities-have-a-lot-to-learn-from-seattle/comment-page-1/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M14bF_DVUoI&t=58s 9 mins(c) California HSR ( CAHSR ) https://x.com/ChittiMarco/status/1786875685149020292https://x.com/ChittiMarco/status/1786876688405536824https://x.com/ChittiMarco/status/1786876688405536824https://x.com/ChittiMarco/status/1786833744617181466(d) https://www.railforthevalley.com/latest-news/zweisystem/three-must-build-regional-railways/ 4. Transportation news articles & videos from various media:(a) Montreal/Quebec Taxis ( one route is FREE )https://www.mtlblog.com/montreal-water-taxis (b) Toronto/OntarioNorthumberland riders tout return of Via Rail commuter train after 4-year absence https://globalnews.ca/news/10464493/northumberland-via-rail-train-returns/ Jonathan English about GTA Transit:https://impact.economist.com/sustainability/urbanperformanceindex/toronto/?s=03 Public transit around Ontario is about to get way faster thanks to fancy new tech https://www.blogto.com/city/2024/04/go-transit-ontario-faster-train-control/ (c) Other Canada Alberta-to-Montana passenger train would benefit economy, tourism: report https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/alberta-to-montana-passenger-train-would-benefit-economy-tourism-report-1.6868129 https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/alberta-wants-high-speed-edmonton-to-calgary-train-commuter-rail-in-new-provincial-master-plan/ar-AA1nSGNH(d) USACalifornia mocked over $11 billion high-speed rail bridge to nowhere that took 9 years to build:https://nypost.com/2024/05/04/us-news/california-mocked-over-high-speed-rail-bridge-to-nowhere-that-took-9-years-to-build/ I'm a high school senior who commutes an hour by train to school every day. It's helped prepare me for the real world https://www.businessinsider.com/high-school-senior-commutes-hour-school-every-day-2024-4 https://www.planetizen.com/news/2024/04/128639-philly-free-transit-pilot-clocks-18-million-rides?(e) International From mechanic shortages to electrification: the growing workload of Dublin Bus chief - The Currency https://thecurrency.news/articles/147379/from-mechanic-shortages-to-electrification-the-growing-workload-of-dublin-bus-chief/ From LRT to ART :https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/johor-art-multi-tiered-elevated-rail-rts-hsr-4291196 10 Cities With the Best Public Transportation, From Medellín to Stockholm https://ca.yahoo.com/style/10-cities-best-public-transportation-120000066.html
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