shadowycrossroads - Tumblr blog

[shadowycrossroads]

Long OOC post under the cut.

Man... a lot has happened since I was last here. I’ve been very sick (not covid don’t worry). There’s been 2 deaths in the family (grandmother and uncle), two almost deaths, my dad is trapped on the other side of the country because of lockdown and someone outted me to a friend.

Not going to pretend I’m the only one going through shit but one thing is for sure it’s made me re-evaluate where I should put energy. I want to build something meaningful here.

Most of my energy has been going into trying to get streaming but there’s been no payoff there, just me playing games and talking to myself. I’m not going to stop trying but I will try to do what I said I would do when I started and post messages here and encourage people to join. 

Since I am still such a small fry there as well It would make the whole thing less lonely if I had people to play with. It was RT Game (good Irish boi) who said starting out playing with someone helps hugely. This means I must face my biggest fear... socializing...

It might be an idea to crate a discord server, or see about joining one I have friends in. I left all servers a while ago for personal mental-meltdowny reasons a while ago though. Time to bite the bullet.

This brings us to the elephant in the room. RP. I have been missing RP. Once upon a time it was the only thing I did that got me through. I really want to RP here. I still dearly love the muses but I seriously lack inspiration and people are sometimes so passive when it comes to plotting it puts me off. I’m a switch, I need someone else to dom sometimes (this just means putting input and ideas not just in lewdy threads).

That said I’m going to try and rebuild my ideas folder and then I’ll be putting up a starter call.

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usagienforcer​:

Baker was in somewhat of a distracted mood, lost in her thoughts. She had enough semblance of mind to stick to the back of the woman with the shotgun, but she was otherwise not paying much attention. Too focused on trying to answer what had happened. In the end, all she could guess was something related to slipspace. She felt naked without at least the magnum upon the magnetic strip, or the knife in her boot. She’d been finally forced to give that up with the rest of her weaponry.

“Huh?” She realised she’d been addressed again. “Oh,” looking at the vending machine. Not a model she recognised, but what else could it be? She watched the chocolate bar drop, not recognising the wrapper or label. “I’ll get a chocolate bar, if there’s one in there. Always been partial’ta those. Otherwise… Anything, really.” Her helmet are least had the local time still. Before she’d taken it off, she’d seen they were long after a good time for dinner.

“Thanks, mate. What’s your name? You heard me earlier, I’m Cecilia Baker. Some have called me ‘Shiela.’ Most call me ‘doc,’ or ‘corpsman,’ but that’s mostly on the battlefield.” She still looked kind of depressed and out of sorts, but at least she was trying to make small talk. Her accent placed her, were she actually terrestrial, as something close to a New Zealander.

And so a second bar, exactly the same as the first dropped into the tray. Small talk... Janna was more for other things after almost dying but with a shrug she humored the other.

“Janna Aiar; assault specialist; callsign  ‘Ace’.” she said once the other has received their treat. “My team before joining X-COM were all named after cards.” she leaned against the wall, figuring they had time before the stranger was expected in the interrogation room. 

“Everyone has a similar story I suppose. Where they were before here. We’re accepted as individuals not as squads so I have no idea where the rest of my team are, what was left of them that is. The other part of the story everyone shares is what happened the first time they met E.T. and it’s never a happy ending. Even the commander...”

She brought out a packet of smokes and put one to her lips before offering another.

“Not sure if you’ve picked up on this or not but we ain’t winning. Most engagements go like the one you just saw. We go in, do what we can but seldom does everyone make it back. Even with this new armor the eggheads pieced together with alien metals doesn’t do all that much. But the commander is a smart woman and she sure ain’t a quitter. She’s looking for an edge or a weak spot, mark my words. I figure if you’re human she might just put you to work. So if we’re going in together I have to know your story. When was the first time you stared down a plasma gun?”

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usagienforcer‌:

Baker, if anything, looked depressed. “I go from defending Earth and all her Colonies against a large alien organisation hell bent on destroying all we’ve created’ta half a millennium in the past,” she commented, “but it’s still the same shit, different day. Bloody hell.” There was another sigh as Baker squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. She spoke again once they reopened, nodding her head. 

“… Just be careful with what’s in here, sir,” she requested, tapping on her chest piece. “It’s all I’ve got left, now. Of both my family and my home.” At least the datapad with her service record might be useful. The marine well understood the precaution. “Lead the way, trooper.” She had never gotten the name of the woman with the shotgun, either.

If not for years of training the commander would have scowled. Although she would not say so this was why they needed to be cautious, talk of time travel when the world was burning...

The assault specialist saluted the commander and started walking, she was less tactful that her superior and would speak her mind.

“This whole thing stinks...” she said once they were within the twisting concrete corridors. “No confirmed cases of aliens not time travel then both at the same time. I don’t believe in coincidences...”

She did however believe in her commander and that she would handle the situation as best she could.

They stepped past a door with a large holographic map of earth slowly rotating beyond it, as as they did there was a little overheard chatter about an anomalous contact but that was all they heard before passing by, the trooper’s glances making sure the other still followed.

“Uhh...” she stopped after rounding a corner. “Want anything?” she gestured at a vending machine before taking a few coins out of her pocket and getting herself a chocolate bar. This was probably the best thing for her after what she ahd just seen.

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kiwiwritings-archived‌:

The thump of the VTOL landing was enough to summon the marine from her rest. Her confusion at where she had found herself was temporary, remembering who the others were by the time the shotgun woman lightly kicked her. “Wasn’t a dream,” Baker muttered to herself, before rising to her feet. Her heavy armoured boots stomped down the ramp. 

To the woman on the ground, Baker gave a nod. The marine could tell the other was of rank, though what rank she wasn’t sure.

“Can Oi wager a guess that the moment Oi take off my armour, it’s goin’ ter be carted off fer studying as well as my weapons?” It might’ve come off a bit sarcastically, but Baker shook her head. “Sorry, ma’am. Not taking well’ta the fact everything Oi’ve known and fought for has gone poof.” Within her armour were several personal effects, mementos from her life. A piece of shrapnel from an Insurrection-era firefight. A photograph of her deceased family. A datapad that listed her service record, among other things. It was all that remained now. “DNA sample — roigh’. Oi understand.” With a sigh Baker her up and took off her helmet. Her hair was a graying white, one of the few signs of her long age, placing her at likely two or three times Janna’s age. She seemed just as spry as one much younger.

“Corporal Cecilia Baker,” the marine finally introduced herself. “Before whatever happened’ta send me here, Oi was a medic’fah the Atlas IV 45th Division. Been a marine’fah thirty-four years.”

Everything was being collected, and Baker would be correct about her equipment. Even the alien blood splattered on Janna’s face was being swapped off and put in a tube.

“If you are career military then I hope you will understand... we are at war with an enemy we know very little about, who are expert infiltrators and have displayed psychic ability including mind-control and here someone shows up with unknown gear who seems confused about our world.”

Baker was also correct about this being a person of rank and one who had been fighting the alien menace since first contact.

“For the safety of the project I will have to place you under observation until we know more. I will refer you to our head researcher once you have had the chance to eat... Aiar. Please take our guest to one of the interrogation rooms.”  

She sighed, it wasn’t that she wanted to treat Baket as a possible hostile, but it was that she had to.

“Corporal, I again ask for your cooperation and promise you that you are not our prisoner. Once we have had a chance to access the situation we will figure out where you fit in.”

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It’s really been a non-stop torrent of crap lately. Uncle died, dog was mauled, cousin went to hospital after a suicide attempt, granny went to hospital with heart issues as well. gonna keep punching life in the face though...

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usagienforcer‌:

Fubuki dipped her head in agreement. “The old ways are practically gone from the modern Japan,” she agreed. “Even Himari’s shrine serves more function as a tourist attraction than it does as a place of worship.” A rather sad state of affairs in Fubuki’s opinion, but one Himari seemed to have quickly gotten used to. After all, the youngest of the three had nothing to compare human behaviour to. 

“I returned to human society half a century ago,” Fubuki said. “I discovered the shrine was still here. I have been its guardian ever since. Had I known Himari was yah kin…” Fubuki smiled and shrugged, she likely would’ve treated Himari as less of a little sister, and with a bit more reverence. “It took much time for me to adjust. I sometimes feel as if I still haven’t. Certainly, my fashion sense is still looked on as being a bit quaint, I’d say. Conversely, Himari adjusted quickly.” 

Said young fox was tapping on her phone, having tuned out Fubuki. The guard couldn’t help but smile and let out a mirthful snort at noticing that.

As if having a mind of their own the older fox’s tails flopped over the screen, Chinatsu’s perhaps unsubtle hint that Himari was being rude, but it was immediately withdrawn as Chinatsu stood and started gathering the dishes.

“No matter how the world changes, out role does not I suppose. Even as the need for us does, we can only do what our kami needs of us.” as the oldest there she probably had the strongest connection with the heavens, further displayed by her white hair but even she had to rely on her own judgments more often than not, she just knew if she was not meant to be in the city then she would be prevented.

Dishes gathered the older fox moved through to the kitched to begin the washing up. 

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usagienforcer‌:

Fubuki smiled, a small twinkle in her eye as she changed, returning to her natural 6’3” form. Now she was most certainly looking down upon the much shorter nine-tailed kitsune.

“You will always be my lady,” the shrine guard said. “But I offer my home not as a subordinate or servant, but as a friend. The offer is not out of some obligation, but because I’d love to have yah stay for a while, Chinatsu-han.”

Meanwhile, Himari was happily eating away. It had been a year since the last time she’d had Chinatsu’s cooking, and she aimed to make the best of it.

“May I mention I’m only a couple minute’s walk from here? Quite a convenient neighborhood, if I do say so myself. It’s just a short walk up to the shrine, too.”

The older fox ate in silence for a moment, though if Fubuki would figure out that she had made her ‘lady’ at a loss for words Chinatsu secretly hoped not.

“Then I will have to go back and get a few belongings.” she commented, and she meant no more than a single bag. Despite her great age she never really acquired many possessions.

“Though it may take some getting used to. Not only staying with an old friend but how much has changed in the city. The last time I stayed among this many humans was before we parted ways, Fubuki. Seldom have I seen so many changed in the way they live or behave. The last time I walked among humans openly they feared and respected me. Now I see neither.”

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(to chinatsu) *Violet politely smiles at the Kitsune* Hello there.

The ancient fox had been going about her day peacefully. There were not many messages to deliver and her more destructive job had been quiet as well.

Then there was this... an unbidden greeting from a stranger. This was always a little disconcerting but usually let her a request for one of her services.

So she turned and bowed, her long ears pricked for any sounds before she stood upright, hands clasped in front of her.

“And what might a servant of Imari do for you?” she asked, a little on guard. Humans didn’t trust her kind after all and the feeling was mutual which is why she led with the name of the kami she served, a reminder that she wasn’t to be taken lightly.

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usagienforcer‌:

“I like to eat,” Himari said sheepishly. “But it’s great! I really missed your cooking, sis!” She seemed unruffled by Chinatsu’s joke, likely because of the quick comfort. “I’d love to have you close by,” she’d continue after listening to the rest of Chinatsu’s words. But Himari gave a sad glance to the size of her small apartment; the many bags of things she’d bought with her sister covered the majority of the space. “There’s not enough room in here to live comfortably, though…”

Fubuki was next to speak up. “I have a house,” she said. “If you need a place to live until you get an apartment of your own…” Fubuki smiled warmly, obviously offering her house to share. “It’s two minute’s walk from the shrine. Six from here.”

Himari looked excited at that prospect. Her favourite person in the world, nearby again! That would be the best birthday present ever!

Oh dear... these young pups...

Chinatsu hadn’t meant immediately, or even soon but here they were rushing things. How could Chinatsu refuse such a kind offer, however.

“That is very kind, Fubuki...” she said in a very rare moment of surprise. Considering her tone with Fubuki so far...

She placed another small morsel on her tongue and used the time taken to slowly chew it to mull this over.

“I would like to reiterate though, Fubuki, that we are equals now. My title faded centuries ago and your position at the shrine shows that you serve the kami well. Just like when we shared out time together I am not your lady, not your superior, and I do not want you to feel obligated.”

[shadowycrossroads]

✨💐💥🔥

Tell Me How You Feel About Me On Anon!

✨ - i love seeing you on my dash!💐 - i wish i could take care of you when you’re sad!💥 - you seem a little bit intimidating!🔥 - you need to stop being so hard on yourself!

Well I can agree with intimidating... it’s a facade I’ve spent a decade perfecting.

[shadowycrossroads]

🌞 🌙 ✨ ❄️ 🌸 💫 ⭐️💐

Tell Me How You Feel About Me On Anon!

🌞 - i really like your blog!🌙 - you’re really cute! ✨ - i love seeing you on my dash!❄️ - you’re my best friend!🌸 - you’re really sweet!💫 - you’re super talented!⭐️ - you have a nice aesthetic!💐 - i wish i could take care of you when you’re sad!

Why would you strait up lie like this? There’s only one person who could have sent this that I know is online RN... So I will go and bite them.

[shadowycrossroads]

✨

Tell Me How You Feel About Me On Anon!

✨ - i love seeing you on my dash!

Then I guess you want me more active or something, huh? Well the only way that’s gonna happen is if I have threads.

[shadowycrossroads]

tell me how you feel about me on anon!

🌞 - i really like your blog! 🌙 - you’re really cute!  ✨ - i love seeing you on my dash! ☄️ - we don’t talk, but i wish we did! ❄️ - you’re my best friend! 🌸 - you’re really sweet! 💫 - you’re super talented! ⭐️ - you have a nice aesthetic!  🌹 - i have a crush on you! 💐 - i wish i could take care of you when you’re sad! 💥 - you seem a little bit intimidating! 🔥 - you need to stop being so hard on yourself! 🍂 - i don’t like you very much! 🌈 - i think i really like you… 

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♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Such sudden and unbridled aggression... this can only be repaid in kind...

[shadowycrossroads]

digitalfcte replied to your post: TEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN

I HAPPY SEEING YOU ON THE DASH

Bums, rumbled.

[shadowycrossroads]

TEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN

W0T?