#2500+ Batches

[venturevistas]

DIGITAL MARKETING INSTITUTE IN BTM

[urzveejay]

DIGITAL MARKETING COURSE IN BANGALORE

[rebelscums]

Thank you to everyone who got me to 2500 likes!

[nahoney22]

2,500 of you 🥺🥺🥺

forever grateful that you guys follow me and I’ve met some very amazing people over the last year. Thank you all so much ♥️

My Requests are open so please let me fill your smutty or fluffy clone needs💓

[echos-girlfriend]

Oh god. Wowzers. Thanks you guys! I know how much y’all love my memes 😏 and I’m glad you guys like my stories and my blog.. I also may be dead for a while. I have a severe cold.. (it’s what get for working with little kids lol) so if I don’t die I’ll hopefully be back soon. 💜💙🤍

[fanfoolishness]

Stargazing

Crosshair and his brothers sneak out to stargaze. For @summer-of-bad-batch prompts "stargazing" and "You really think you're going without me? Not going to happen." 2500 words with closer detail on the art at the end <3

---

Crosshair slipped his boots on silently, taking care to avoid making even the slightest noise. Here in the near-total darkness of lights out, he should be safe from his brothers’ prying eyes. While he didn’t have the flawless night vision of some species, the Kaminoans had assured him his vision was far superior to any human’s -- including his fellow defective clones.

He kept a close watch on his brothers’ sleeping forms as he slowly got to his feet. Hunter was the most likely to realize what he was up to, but he seemed fast asleep, lying perfectly still with his face turned to the wall. Crosshair turned around to hide his pillow under his blanket as a decoy, but he hadn’t kept his eyes off the others for more than ten seconds before there was a soft, slightly annoyed voice in his ear.

“You really think you’re going without me?” Hunter whispered. “Not going to happen.”

Crosshair’s hand closed into a fist at his side. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he hissed. “I’m just going to the refresher.” He pointed to the small, closet-sized refresher in their barracks.

Hunter clicked on his glowrod, illuminating Crosshair and his bunk. “With your boots on?” Hunter leaned around him, poking the pillow under the covers. “And a decoy? Come on.”

Crosshair sighed, rubbing his face with his hand. He glared at his brother, lowering his gaze slightly. They were all still far shorter than the adult regs, even Wrecker, who was clearly going to be enormous, but Crosshair had recently pulled a few centimeters ahead of Hunter. He used it to his advantage, narrowing his eyes and drawing himself up to his full height. “Fine. I’m going out.”

“You’ll get caught,” said Hunter. “You’re not stealthy enough. Obviously.” He gave Crosshair a gloating grin. “You’ll need me.”

“Oh really,” said Crosshair. “If I’ll get caught on my own, how are the two of us supposed to help that?” 

“Because I can tell you when the patrols are coming,” said Hunter smugly. “I’ll sense them long before you can see them. C’mon.”

“You don’t even know where we’re going,” Crosshair said, though he had to admit Hunter had a point. He’d gotten the jump on him just now, and he did always seem to know when someone was just around the corner. Tech would say it was something to do with vibrations and electromagnetism, but Hunter would just shrug and say it was his gut.

“Yes we do,” said Tech from across the room, and Crosshair groaned. 

“We do?” Hunter asked.

“You’re up, too?” Crosshair sighed.

“Well, the glowrod and your voices were getting hard to ignore,” Tech said, sitting up in his bunk and leaning down to reach for his boots. “The weather forecast was for a clear night tonight, the first one in months. You’re going stargazing.”

Crosshair chewed at his fingernail, embarrassed. “How’d you know?”

“I remembered how your curiosity was piqued during one of our astronomy lessons,” Tech said, pulling his boots on and adjusting his goggles. The little red recording light at the edge of his goggles clicked on. “You asked how much you would be able to see compared to a reg, and our instructor didn’t know how to account for your enhanced vision. You wanted to look for yourself, but with Kamino’s typical cloud cover, you’ve never had an opportunity until now.”

Crosshair had been curious. He’d tried peering out the hall windows several times during regular training hours, but the fluorescent lights of the hallways drowned out much of the night skies, which were always cloudy. He’d long decided he would have to sneak out to a platform on a clear night if he ever wanted to know. 

Leave it to Tech to have him figured out, as usual.

“We’re goin’ stargazing?” Wrecker asked with a yawn. “Let’s do it! Sneaking out’ll be fun!” He held up Lula. “As long as Lula can come with.”

Crosshair pulled at his fingernail so hard he tasted blood. He held his finger in his mouth for a moment before he buried his face in his hands. “It’s stupid. We should just stay here. It’s not worth the extra cleaning duty.”

“There won’t be extra cleaning duty if we don’t get caught,” Hunter said patiently. “I know a way to the accessory landing pad. Come on, lads. Move out.” He turned off his glowrod and pocketed it.

Wrecker finished getting his boots on and leapt to his feet, Lula in his arms. “Yes sir!” he laughed.

“Keep it down, Wrecker!” Tech said. They fell in line behind Hunter, who paused for a moment at the door, listening hard with his hand on the wall. 

“All right, move out,” he whispered. “Hand signals from here on in.”

Crosshair and the others nodded. Wrecker muttered something under his breath. He hated hand signals.

The door slid open and they slipped out into the hall, dimly lit with running lights along the floor and ceiling for nighttime. All was strange and silent, a far cry from the normal hubbub during the day. There were no lanky, wispy Kaminoans ambling through the halls, no older cadets marching in line and coldly ignoring them, no younger cadets making faces at them when their handlers weren’t looking. It was a different world, still and empty, and Crosshair shivered. He didn’t like it.

They followed Hunter carefully. At one point he gestured to hold back as a night patrol made their rounds; they pressed themselves against an alcove opening into a medical ward, holding their breath until the patrol passed. Hunter gestured again with the all-clear after a moment, and they slipped back into the hallway single file, their footsteps as soft as they could make them.

Crosshair was surprised when Hunter led them down a different path than he had anticipated. He had been thinking of going out through one of the main hangars, suspecting no one would notice a single cadet the size of a natborn ten-year-old among all the ships and cargo. But Hunter had a different idea. His hand signals flashed, explaining the hangar was too conspicuous. He led them down a maintenance hall instead, then gestured for Wrecker to join him at the front of the line while Tech and Crosshair kept watch.

Hunter had them stop in front of a barred vent, and Crosshair understood. Wrecker grinned, shoved Lula into Crosshair’s arms, and then shook out his hands. 

Wrecker crouched down in front of the vent cover, prised his fingers into its edges, and pulled. For a moment his brow furrowed with concentration and effort, but the cover squeaked, bent, and then lifted up. Wrecker gave one more wrenching pull and nearly lost his balance, but Hunter caught him before he hit the ground. 

Crosshair allowed himself a surprised smile. This just might work. He gave Lula a squeeze absently, watching Hunter and Wrecker. Wrecker leaned the vent cover against the wall, then frowned at Hunter as if to say, You want me to fit in there?

Hunter nodded, his hands flashing. You can do it.

Wrecker hung his head, then reached out and took Lula back from Crosshair. Hunter crept into the vent first, easily fitting as the smallest. For Wrecker, it was a tight squeeze, but not impossible. Tech followed next, and Crosshair brought up the rear, pulling the vent cover back into place behind him. It was cramped, but it was workable.

They crawled through the vent for what seemed like ages until they reached another cover. This one was easy for Hunter to kick out on his own, and he led them through the opening one by one until they stood up in a small dim hall ending in a single closed door. 

Crosshair pulled at his tunic, which had gotten all dusty and bunched up. He had to wear a tunic far wider than he needed to account for his recent vertical growth spurt, and it hung awkwardly on his thin frame. He stretched it back across his shoulders. There. Better.

This was the farthest away they’d ever been from the main halls and training areas. Crosshair had a funny feeling, like they were doing something much more transgressive than just sneaking out for a few hours. It made the back of his neck prickle. He turned around, looking cautiously, but there was nobody there except his brothers.

Hunter peered at the door, which didn’t seem to want to open. Tech stepped forward and nudged him out of the way, pulling up his datapad. He hunched over it for a few minutes, then inputted a code into the door, which slid open. A breath of cool air and the sound of waves greeted them. “Here we are,” Tech said softly. With the waves splashing beyond them and the evening wind to mask their sounds, Crosshair realized they could speak again.  

He and the others followed Tech out onto the platform, and he shivered, realizing it was their first step into a wider world.

For a moment they walked in silence, beneath the lights of the domed cities rising up behind them, above the waves rising and breaking beneath them. They trotted out along the platform to the point where it narrowed to a bridge that could be easily defended in the event of an attack, and they kept going until they reached the point where the bridge opened up again into a very small platform, sized for a single fighter.

Out here the breeze buffeted them, though it was Kamino’s summer and the air was cool instead of cold. Crosshair licked his lips and tasted salt spray. He sank down to a sitting position and leaned forward, blinking rapidly, trying to let his eyes adjust from the indoor lighting of the hall to the darkness of open space. 

The others sat down beside him. Tech sat cross-legged, with his datapad in his lap, reviewing Kaminoan constellations with his datapad set on the lowest brightness. Hunter lay down and crossed his arms beneath his head, while Wrecker flopped onto his back beside him with Lula resting on his chest.

Wrecker whistled. Tech let out a curious little hmmmm. Hunter was quiet, deep in thought.

Crosshair hadn’t looked at the sky yet. He stared into the water, waiting for his eyes to fully adjust, knowing there was more that he could see. He waited until he could start to see the patterns of the waves crossing each other in ephemeral diamonds of water, until he could see fish swimming five, ten, twenty meters down, until he could see the vast deep shadows of the platform above curving over the bulk of creatures far, far below. Then he took a deep breath, leaning back, and gazed up at the stars.

He saw everything.

The stars themselves were stunning. White glittery pinpoints twinkled far above them, mixed with golden stellate shimmers, tiny sparks of reddish or bluish lights from far distant worlds. But the stars weren’t the only thing to see, to his surprise. Clouds of rich blue-purple violets, shimmering at the edges with a faint color that forced him to squint and made his head hurt slightly, roiled and flowed in the skies behind the bright points of the stars. Delicate filaments of hazy bluish fog swirled and spiraled amid the deepest black. His mouth fell open.

“Well, Cross?” Wrecker asked.

“What do you think?” said Hunter.

“Is it what you anticipated?”

Crosshair shook his head. “It’s… it’s… wizard.”

Wrecker laughed. “Never heard you say that before! What all do you see?” he asked curiously. 

Crosshair glanced back at his brother, confused for a moment. “You see the nebula up there, right? And all the… twirly parts? It’s… fascinating.”

Wrecker shrugged. “It’s nice -- there sure are a lot of stars, way more than I thought! But I dunno about any nebula. What’s it look like?”

Crosshair frowned. He knew he’d see more than they would, but this much more? He nibbled at his thumbnail, tearing one edge into little shreds. “I don’t know, it’s -- like smoke, but in the stars?”

“Tech?” said Hunter.

“A nebula is a giant cloud of dust and gas in space, and it may comprise many colors. There is a large nebula adjacent to the Rishi Maze galaxy that abuts Kamino, but it is not usually detectable to the naked eye,” Tech said, checking his datapad. “I believe only you can see it, Crosshair.”

“Oh,” he said, trying to hide his disappointment. He’d let them all come out here for nothing? He stared up at the sky, the brilliant stars blurring as he blinked back sudden tears. “Sorry,” he said haltingly. “It’s… it’s special.”

“We believe you. It is still a beautiful night, even if we cannot see all of it ourselves,” said Tech. “I for one have enjoyed exploring new parts of the city with you. It’s useful to know there’s an escape route here.”

“Yeah, sneakin’ out’s always fun. And the fresh air’s way better than that smell in the barracks.”

“Just because we can’t see exactly what you see doesn’t mean we didn’t want to come,” Hunter said. “I like this a lot more than just staying in our bunks all night. Besides -- what’s that?”

A blazing blue-white star streaked across the sky, weaving a long tail of light across the starry landscape. It danced along at incredible speed, growing brighter and brighter.

“Look at it go!” whooped Wrecker.

“It’s a shooting star,” said Tech. “A small meteor falling into Kamino’s atmosphere and burning up. Some sentients believe they are lucky, and wish upon them. I don’t really understand why.”

“Make a wish, Cross!”

Crosshair stared up as the shooting star began to fade, its streaking path glimmering in and out of the dark. He swallowed. A wish?

A dozen wishes flashed through his mind. To be the best soldier in the Grand Army of the Republic. To be the commander of his own squad someday. To win the war, and protect the galaxy. For none of his brothers to ever get hurt.

He closed his eyes.

I wish they could see what I see.

He opened his eyes, and the shooting star was gone. He let out a sigh.

“What’d you wish?”

“He is not supposed to tell, according to the lore,” said Tech. “Otherwise that invalidates the wish.”

“That’s a silly rule.”

“I didn’t make it.”

“But that shouldn’t matter!”

”Again, I did not write the lore —”

“Oh quit arguing, you two,” said Hunter. “Let’s just enjoy it. It’s a nice night out here. Right, Crosshair?”

Crosshair gazed up at the wheeling stars, slowly exhaling as the night sky glittered and shone and radiated far above him. His brothers looked up at the stars with him, and even if they didn’t see things exactly the same… they were here, and he wouldn’t have made it through the halls without them.

Crosshair smiled. His wish probably wasn’t going to come true, but somehow, he didn’t mind.

“Yeah, it’s all right.”

[apocalyp-tech-a]

SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW 🌈 (TechxReader)

Hello! This is my Bad Batch XReader Exchange gift for @deezlees for the @cloneficgiftexchange run by @ghostofskywalker!!! 💜

Prompts: Learning to ride a horse || Going on a vacation together || His first time at a history museum || Confident reader persona

Words: 2500

Warnings: None except flirtation maybe

Ao3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/55173340

A/N: Having background in public history and having already written Tech at museums, this was a perfect matching!!! Hope you enjoy it! 🤓 And thank you to @cloneficgiftexchange for running it!

SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW 🌈 (Tech X Reader)

The sun shone through the early morning commute of speeders and ships traversing Coruscant's sky, its pale blue color muted by smog that even the planet's filtering system could not alleviate. Towering skyscrapers of grays in every hue passed by as you navigated to the Grand Army of the Republic's base.

Upon pulling up in your speeder, a bright millaflower red Mustang XD38, you saw your future passenger salute you by casually flicking three fingers from his brow. You brought the speeder to a stop and flirted. "Hey good looking. Looking for a ride?"

"That depends," he said as he hopped into the passenger side with one dexterous and confident move.

"Depends on what, Tech?" You raised an eyebrow at him.

"On if I can be the driver." He adjusted his goggles hopefully.

"Can I pilot the Marauder?"

"No."

"Then you can be my CO-pilot. Just remember, I am the Captain here." You winked at him playfully.

You revved up the engine, but it wasn't loud enough to cover Tech's large sigh of frustration. You chuckled to yourself proudly before shooting him a grinning glance. "Aw, don't be like that, maybe you can drive back."

"That is exactly what you said on our previous two outings." Tech held up a pointed finger in a very casual, yet disgruntled manner.

"Yes. Hence the word "maybe."

Tech's propensity for arguing about who was driving dissipated as the museum came into view. His eyes were wide with excitement, though you knew he was trying to keep that emotion at bay. You had seen him go on one of his excited know-it-all rants before. You found them amusing, endearing, and most of all impressive. He was the smartest person you knew, whether it was from Kaminoan meddling or not, didn't matter.  You loved listening to him, and he loved to talk. And you didn't just like listening to him because of the pleasing sound of his voice and looks, but because he actually did talk about things that were interesting. 

After parking, you both walked to the museum's main entrance. Tech adjusted his goggles as his head tilted back to take in the much larger than necessary doors adorned by a full arch of sculpted marble, stone, mythological figures from all over the galaxy.

"Shall we?" You suggested with a smile.

Tech nodded in the affirmative. "After you, Madame." Tech took note of the strange face you gave him upon being called 'Madame.' Perhaps it was a little old fashioned, but he still had not figured out what else he could use in place of your name without being too forward or disrespectful. Sometimes you called him 'Hot Shot' or 'Ace' which were exceedingly better than the names his brothers called him.  

As for you, his brothers were not without suggestions. Crosshair suggested 'Doll,' Hunter suggested 'Sweetheart,' Echo suggested 'Dearest,' and Wrecker suggested 'Booboo-tooka.'  

None of those monikers were quite sufficient, however, but Tech knew a solution would eventually present itself.

Since you had already purchased tickets as a surprise for him since he had not only repaired, but upgraded and heavily modified the repulsor system for your speeder, you were able to acquire visitor badges quickly and began your mosey through the museum.

With twenty levels, there was no way you could see everything in one day let alone a few hours, but you knew Tech had marked out an itinerary on his datapad to follow at your suggestion. You knew he only had so much leave to see what most piqued his interest. Even though he wanted to see everything, you finally convinced him to whittle it down to four floors.

"Let's start with the Paleolithic and Neolithic," he said with a tweak of his goggles. He started walking toward the lifts as if he had been there before, but you knew he had simply memorized the entire museum's layout.

"Sounds good to me," you said walking beside him. As you stood in the lift, you tilted your head up to study his profile as he continued to look down at his datapad. You wanted to blame the movement of the lift tube for the slight buckling in your knees, but you knew it was all due to his handsomeness. 

Your heart pitter-pattered the moment you had seen him at 79s three months ago. You weren't one to go pick up guys at bars, but there was something unique and enticing about him. You thought little of it or him, figuring to never see him again until he came into your electronics shop in search of a capacitor.  

Apparently your knowledge of computers made an impression because he came in the next day looking for a hyper-regulator. With fate on your side, you asked if he wanted to meet you for a drink and after some adorable awkwardness, he agreed.

The lift doors slid open and you stepped into a carefully curated world of wood and stone. Dioramas with the first humans, the first Trandoshans, the first Rodians, Twi'leks, and Pantorans were set up along one corridor.  

"It is fascinating, the similarities between different species as pertains to the genesis and evolution of technology," Tech marveled as you came to the exhibit of like tools from all over the galaxy. "The Twi'lek arrowhead is quite similar to the Devaronian and Human. The same goes for ax-heads and needles. But once you get to items like beads and pottery vessels, you see the cultural trajectory lose conformity and develop based on materials available by individual local environment and customs."

"I had never really thought about it like that. I'm used to technology and more recent history I guess."  You shrugged.

"Indeed. One can hardly expect the modern mind to memorize all of the information whether historical or technological. Though I do try."

"You have some 'exceptional' advantages that the rest of us do not," you teased. You had not known him three rotations when he went on a detailed explanation of he and his brothers' 'defects' which did not sound like defects at all to you. Then he continued to explain how those traits made them more deviant than defective. You certainly understood that side of him as he often met with you when he should have been attending to GAR duties.

Satisfied with your visit to the 'stone' ages, you next traveled through time and to the fifth floor to the rise of cities and nation states.  

Tech stared at the first exhibit with fascination.  "The agricultural revolution varied by planet. Those that did not have crops that could be mass produced could only sustain small settlements, whereas those with large crops could maintain large cities that grew exponentially into kingdoms and nations."

"And wars and starvation."

"Yes," Tech turned to you, his brow furrowed with concern at your statement. Did you not find history as fascinating as he did? He knew your views on the war and cloning. He dared not ask, but all he could do was agree with you.

When Tech continued to stare at you, you realized maybe you had gone too far and put a damper on an outing that was supposed to be fun. "I'm sorry, Tech. I didn't mean to rain on your parade."

He adjusted his goggles thoughtfully. "I have seen plenty of rain on Kamino," he said understandingly. "You need not apologize. That is an unfortunately correct assessment of civilization. With growth and progress comes conflict and suffering. The two seem to go hand in hand, but I think rather to have faith that intelligence and good intentions have the advantage."

"In that case, it's almost as if sentient life is collectively "defective." You smiled, grateful for his understanding and wisdom. For being a clone maybe a third your age, if that, you can not but admire his calm and collected approach to situations and problems. The only thing he seemed to ever be nervous around is you, but that was understandable because you knew the clone troopers didn't exactly get lessons in romance in the GAR.

Tech merely pushed his goggles up the bridge of his nose with a knowing smile. He was never quite sure how to take your sarcasm, probably because he was self aware of his own and that of his brothers, Crosshair in particular. But the affectionate twinkle in your eyes and gentle flourish of your smile made his heart beat a little faster and the tips of his ears feel a little warmer.

He had not expected to become interested in a female. He was engineered to be a soldier, nothing more. Yet, you made him feel like he was more than that, that he wanted more even. He found himself returning to your shop even though he really did not need to.

And yet he did 'need' to.

Tech found himself smiling back at you. "Indeed. I must apologize. We have been to two floors of exhibits that I wanted to see. Is there something you would like to see?"

"No, Tech. This was all for you."

"I should very much like to learn about what interests you."

"Well, there is an atrium level. Gardens and ruins from other worlds. I remember being taken with the one from Naboo when I was a child." You felt a little weird saying that considering Tech was technically the same age as you were at the time. "You can actually sit there and relax. Or meditate like a Jedi." You shrugged.

"I would very much like that."

After browsing the garden exhibits of Kashyyyk, Chandrila, Selonia, and Old Coruscant, you settled in the Naboo section. A small waterfall splashed down a rock cliff before flowing through a makeshift river that encapsulated the area and then recycled back to the top of the waterfall. Lush green grass spread across one half before melding with a more tree and moss covered rocky area that housed some Gungan head statues. But what really amazed you not only as a child, but as an adult as well, were the guarlara statues that guarded the Naboo area.  

Tech studied you as you gazed upon the statues, content to witness your own fixation with something in the museum since you put up with his. "The guarlara, a quadrupedal mammal native to Naboo, having evolved the physical trait of speed on that planet's grassy plains and also a long mane of hair. Used as transportation before the speeder was invented and now only used for official royal business such as coronations."

"Sadly, I don't think I'll ever get a chance to ride one."

"No. They are reserved for royalty," Tech said a little too bluntly. But you knew he didn't mean anything by it and that he for the most part sympathized with you.

"Indeed," you echoed a word he had a habit of saying. "Let's sit over on that fancy stone bench. My feet are a little sore from all of the walking we've done."

"Indeed," Tech said in reply with a grin. He forgot you were probably not used to walking five or ten klicks or more as he was.

You both sat in silence as the sound of the waterfall drowned out the low chatter of the museum. You took extra satisfaction because Tech is sitting right next to you, so close that your arms and legs were touching.  

You knew he was a little nervous because he continued to look down at his datapad rather than enjoy the soothing sound of the waterfall, but maybe water just wasn't his thing.

“Hey Ace. What cycle are we heading for next?”

There it was. 'Ace.' One of your pet names for him. He wanted so badly to find one for you as well, but he wanted a special name, not the usual. He knew you liked driving and piloting as he did, but Ace could not work for both of you. He knew you also liked guarlaras, but there were not many equus related monikers that seemed suitable. Guarlara itself did not roll off the tongue very well. Pony was not very romantic. And mare simply sounded unsuitable.

Tech's eyes went from studying his datapad to studying the floor. He was disappointed that he could not find an ideal solution to this very simple quandary.

He now turned to you, studying your delicate features, so content to be in your favorite part of the museum, yet you were so colorful as well, not like anyone he had ever met before. When you turned to him, he took to studying the sparkle in your eyes, that seemed to represent everything he admired about you.

“What is it?” you asked, noticing Tech staring at you strangely.

He took your hand in his. "I was simply thinking about what an extraordinarily colorful woman you are. You remind me of the rainbows on Kamino. They were always so vibrant after a storm. And you are a vibrant beacon after all of the missions we go on. You are like a rainbow to me, albeit in adult human female form."

“Awwww...” You squeeze his hand and place your other hand over your heart. "I think that might be the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me."

Tech could not help the large smile that spread across his face. “Then it is settled, Rainbow.”

You could not stifle the huge goofy smile that was spread across your face, beaming with happiness at Tech, whose eyes reflected your contentment. “You know, Ace, I think you might have earned the title of Captain.”

“That is not possible. Hunter is our Sergeant and first in line for that- Oh. You are referring to your speeder. You are going to let me pilot it?” Tech asked with a hopeful tweak of his goggles.

You laughed at him. “Come on, Captain Tech. Let's finish out the rest of the museum, then you can take me for ride.” The sly wink you gave him gave you exactly the fumbling reaction you desired.

Tech pushed his goggles up the bridge of his nose nervously and cleared his throat. “Yes. I shall take you for a ride in your speeder.”

After you were all done at the museum, you took note of Tech's excitement to sit on the pilot side of your speeder while you took the seat he had earlier.  Before you knew it, you were speeding away from the museum, up into the sky at a breakneck, but controlled speed, but it didn't matter, you knew he was a skilled pilot, and you trusted him with your life, and your heart.

Tech looked over at you, a huge smile spread across your face as the speeder breezed through the bright, neon signs and beaming lights of the other vehicles in the skylanes and shining through the windows of the skyscrapers.  All of the colors of the Coruscant evening did not compare to the lovely colors of you, his own personal Rainbow.

[dilf-din]

Safe Place to Land: Part 5

—A Frankie Morales Series—

WC: 2500

Rating: T

Warnings: none, language, lots of fluff!!

Chapter 4 // Chapter 6

June 2008

Frankie had been home for a few weeks, and you finally got to experience life with him. Since you moved into your own apartment right before graduation, he has spent most of his time there with you. You had been hired at the local middle school to teach English and literature, so you were enjoying your last stretch of summer before heading into work.

Nothing could have prepared you for what it feels like to wake up in Frankie’s arms. When the sunlight dances through the waves in the curtains ruffling under the fan, planting light kisses on your exposed skin, the two of you a tangle of limbs and sheets, so closely knit together. You almost always woke before him and wondered how he ever handled his early mornings in the military. He had explained it to you that it was like another part of him he was able to flip the off switch to when he was home. Compartmentalizing like that helped him cope. He hadn’t struggled too heavily with PTSD that you had noticed. He was quieter sometimes, tensed up more easily when you were driving or in a crowded place, but he was still your Frankie.

This morning was no different than any other. The summer sun lazily drifted into your room hitting your eyelids. You let out a small noise and peeled yourself from his chest taking a moment to admire the sight in front of you. He was on his back, right arm draped around you, left one tucked under his head behind his pillow. The stretch making him look so broad and defined, but so warm and inviting at the same time. You quietly reached over to the white Polaroid camera you had sitting on your bedside table and snapped a picture of him. Later when it printed you would label it with a sharpie “heaven.” You set the camera back on the table and debated if you should wake him or let him sleep in.

You decided to let him get a few more minutes and hopped off of your side to get started on breakfast. You pulled one of his shirts on with a pair of your undies underneath and crept into the kitchen. Frankie was a big breakfast guy. He had to have a good meal to start his day off in the right headspace. Since you had time, you figured you’d take the slow route with coffee, filling your kettle to boil and setting up your chemex to make two pour overs. You threw together a quick batch of biscuits and got to scrambling a few eggs. You heard the shuffle of his feet behind you just as you were pulling the biscuits out of the oven.

He had on a pair of grey sweats hanging low on his hips, forgoing a shirt for the time being. He pressed a kiss to your shoulder snaking his arms around your waist and under your shirt. “Good morning,” you smiled tilting your head back to see him. “Good morning, mi amor,” he crooned, his voice still heavy with sleep. He pressed a kiss to the tip of your nose before pulling away. “You made breakfast,” he commented as you pulled two plates down and set them side by side on the kitchen island. “I have to make sure you’re not grumpy,” you joked, grabbing the pan to divvy up the eggs. “I’m never grumpy with you,” he said defensively picking two mugs to pour the fresh coffee in. “That’s because I always cook for you,” you countered playfully turning on the faucet to rinse out the pan. “That’s why I love you,” he said reaching to set the mugs down by the plates you had prepared.

“Oh because I do things for you?” you joked.

“No,” he said, gently wrapping his arms around your waist, “Because you know me.”

You leaned your forehead against his, never imagining that the next words that would come out of his mouth would be, “Marry me, princesa.”

You pulled back to look him in the eyes, unsure if he was joking.

“I mean it,” he continued, he could tell by the look on your face alone that you were skeptical.

“Wait right here,” he rushed, breaking the embrace to dart into the bedroom. You heard him shuffle through his bag and practically sprint back carrying the small box you knew held your grandmother’s ring. Tears stung your eyes as he dramatically got on one knee whispering your full name. “I have loved you since we were kids. And I’ve loved every version of you since. The one with braces, the one with gut busting laughter at my 16th birthday, the one heartbroken at prom, the one who has stayed and waited for me every time I’ve had to leave, and the woman standing in front of me right now, with bed head and my favorite tee shirt on and that goddamn gorgeous smile. Please make me the happiest man on the planet and be Mrs. Morales,” he pleaded, tears now in his own eyes.

“Of course I’ll marry you,” you choked out. His sure hands slipped the ring onto your trembling finger and he pulled you into a time stopping kiss. Hungry and needy and full of a decade’s worth of love and longing. You held each other and swayed for a minute laughing at the realization of your future coming together.

“The eggs are gonna get cold,” you whispered, wiping a stray tear from your cheeks, a smile permanently planted on your lips.

“Sorry!” he exclaimed pulling your bar stool out for you and taking his place beside you. You looked down at the ring, admiring the way it looked on your hand. He held his coffee cup up for a toast, “To Mr. and Mrs. Morales,” he whispered. You tapped your cup to his and took your first sip of coffee.

“Do you always carry the ring with you?” you asked reaching for the butter to spread on your biscuit. “Ever since I opened it. I wanted to make sure I had it if when the moment came, and I just knew this was that moment,” he smiled at you.

“How are we going to tell people?” you asked, suddenly overwhelmed at the growing list in your head of people you would need to sit down with.

“Let’s tell our parents today, and then whatever friends you want to know later this evening. I’ll probably do a group call with Santi and the boys if that’s alright with you?” he proposed (haha) reaching for another biscuit and topping it with strawberry jam.

“Of course,” you smiled, “I’ll see if I can track down Sadie today. If I tell her it’s important, she’ll just know though,” you laughed. She asked all the time if he had popped the big question yet.

No one in your lives would be surprised at this news. Even with him halfway across the world most of the time, people acknowledged you as a packaged deal.

Your mom was elated. Frankie had always been so helpful around your house, taking care of both of you. Always mowing the lawn, killing spiders, changing the oil in your cars. On more than one occasion she had called him the son she never had. Frankie’s mom and dad were overjoyed and insisted on hosting a celebratory dinner that weekend.

You were on cloud nine all day. Stealing touches and kisses, Frankie constantly muttering about how you were going to be his wife.

“Let me take you somewhere nice for dinner, mi amor,” Frankie pleaded while you were folding laundry on the couch, a rerun of Friends played quietly in the background.

“You don’t have to do that,” you smiled patting down the pile of towels you had just finished.

“I want to show you off,” he whined, pulling your hand until you were standing in his arms. “I want everyone to see my beautiful fiancée,” he started swaying with you to a song that wasn’t playing. You rolled your eyes. He was always one for big gestures which was why you were surprised that he proposed the way he did, spontaneously and desperately. You conceded. “Find a place to go while I get ready,” you smiled, planting a kiss on his cheek.

After touching up your hair and applying some minimal makeup, you headed to your closet to pull out the other dress you had gotten for graduation. It was white with one strap on the left shoulder leaving your right one exposed. It hugged you nicely and landed mid-thigh. You were clipping in a pair of silver hoops when Frankie walked into the bathroom with his mouth open. You couldn’t hide the heat creeping into your cheeks as he looked you over.

“You are such a smoke show,” he said almost drooling.

“And you look incredibly handsome,” you countered. He was in a nice fitting black button down with the sleeves rolled slightly exposing his forearms. He had paired with slim fitting black slacks. His messy waves were slicked back, small curls forming at the ends.

“I might just call and cancel that reservation he said,” nuzzling into your neck, drunk on the scent of you.

“Why don’t we go out to eat, but come back here for desert,” you said with a sly smile.

“Why don’t we have dessert first,” he almost growled lifting you onto the counter by your thighs and connecting his lips with yours.

You laughed into the kiss, still trying to wrap your mind around the fact that you were going to marry your best friend.

May 2006

“So when do you think he’s going to propose?” Sadie asked from the other end of the phone.

You snorted a little, “I don’t know Sadie, we’re not really in a hurry.”

“What if he does it tonight?” she gasped.

“At my birthday dinner with our families?” you said incredulously. “I would punch him before he could pull the ring out.”

Sadie cackled, “Yeah you’re not much of one for public things like that. It’s a good thing he’s marrying you and not me.”

“I’m just glad to have him home right now, the next several years probably are going to be really long,” you said a little sadly.” He had finished his special ops training and had been home for several months now waiting for his first overseas assignment. He had been doing classes and other things stateside that he left a week or so at a time for. It’s the most you had seen of each other since high school.

“Yeah well, you guys will make it. Your love is strong,” Sadie said fondly. “Hey, I’ve gotta run. Wish I could be there for your 21st, we’ll have our own little party when I’m home in a few weeks,” she promised.

“See you then. Love you,” you started.

“Mean it,” she echoed back before you heard the line go dead.

June 2006

During the summers, you worked almost every morning shift behind the coffee bar in the cafe. Summers were a slow period, the usual crowd of college students that set up camp in the plush chairs dispersed for the time being. When it was slow, you used the time to catch up on your reading for your next semester. Getting ahead on the novels for your British Lit class now would help you when you would have to come in and close down the shop a few nights a week once classes started back.

You sat on a wooden stool next to the sink slowly making your way through Beowulf when you heard the tingle of the bell on the door signaling a customer. You slid your bookmark back in place and rose to greet them to find Frankie walking in with a smile on his face. Since being home, he spent as many mornings here with you as he could. He would set up his laptop and work on the extra classes he was being offered by the military. Every extra bit of training protocol he learned, he got a pay bump, so he was taking advantage of being home. A lot of these mornings were spent wordless, both of you studying but glad for the company.

You didn’t mind being here. It made you feel closer to your dad more than it made you miss him. The man loved a cup of coffee. The smell of it filled your house every morning as a child. He came home all the time with new beans to grind and try, telling you where they came from and what they were supposed to taste like. With his passing, the bulk of the coffee shop responsibilities fell on your shoulders while your mom handled the restaurant half. It wasn’t anything extravagant. Some homemade soups and sandwiches, but having been passed down to your father from his parents, the long-standing relationship they had with the town kept a steady stream of customers stopping in for lunch most days. You had a small crew of employees that you had grown up around. Betty was your favorite. She baked all of the muffins and goodies and always snuck you the best of the batch when you stopped in as a kid. Your feet swinging as you sat on the metal counter babbling to her about your school day. When your own grandparents passed, she acted as a surrogate grandmother to you.

Now she always asked you about your soldier, as she called him. Her husband had fought in Vietnam and she always made sure to keep a close eye on you when he was away. She knew the ache of uncertainty all too well.

You realized that your thoughts had drifted and you hadn’t absorbed any of the past few pages you had read, your hands flipping them on autopilot. You found your place and glanced up at Frankie, his brow furrowed under the rim of his hat. One hand resting under his chin, pointer finger stretched across his jaw.

“What?” he asked, not looking away from the computer screen.

“Que guapo,” you teased, blowing him an exaggerated kiss.

He rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t hide the smile that traced across his lips at the term of endearment.

“You know how I feel about you speaking Spanish,” he smiled down at you.

“How it drives you loco,” you said, exaggerating the last word.

“Here we go again,” he laughed shaking his head.

“Your mom said my Spanish was improving,” you said defensively.

“It is, querida,” he cooed.

You rolled your eyes in a joking manner at him rising to meet the couple making their way to the counter.

Frankie watched you fondly, a smile plastered to his face. “I’m gonna marry that girl,” he thought to himself.

Taglist: @littlenosoul @shinypants13 @mirasantidotes @certifiedhunter @daff0dilfs @bannahrae74 @rav3n-pascal22 @evitamarija @reiya-djarin @wonwoosthetic @djarinsstuff

[jgfiles]

Aah, I see. I actually wanted to discuss these headcanons with you, who are familiar with the Joker Game, like, do you think the D Agency continued to exist after WWII? Will the agency continue to accept new students? Will Kaminaga teach them, along with othersㅡexcept Amari? Or will the agency close and they return to being ordinary people, working as ordinary people, such as university lecturers or business owners? When do you think the agency will quit operating? Etc, etc. This is just for my fanfic, so I understand if you object. I deeply apologize for the trouble. 😖🙏🏻

It's no trouble at all! Fanfic authors should help each other!

Now... I think since D Agency was based on the real life Nakano school, it likely followed it's fate, especially since D Agency was part of the Japanese Army, Japanese Army which ended up on being disbanded in 1947.

Likely D Agency too ended up on being first having its spies used by the allies then being officially dismantled, at least as an Army spy agency.

Now... Nakano School had over 2500 graduates before it was closed... and in the novel D Agency too has more graduates than our 8 spies, which were merely the first batch it produced (and in the novel it produced 12 of them as a first batch).

It makes sense as Japan likely had more than 8 countries in which he needed to deploy spies so it would be pretty weird for D Agency to stop at 8.

We might headcanon D Agency produced more spies but as war started taking a turn for the worst they were pressured into doing a rushed job so the first 8 are the ones that were above every other batch... which means Yuuki might have wanted to save those spies from being discovered by the allies so they could keep on working for Japan in the shadows.

Hence he goes in hiding and, in a way, his spies go in hiding too, the new agency being no more part of the army and even more secretive than the old one... with Kaminaga as the new boss and, possibly, Sakuma as their official front (kind of like something similar to his role as liaison, a connection between the spies and the government).

And, of course, they'll have to train more people because otherwise they'll end up very understaffed... Amari can still be a spy but since he's in a wheelchair he can't be an action man and Jitsui left with Yuuki so, while he's probably working with him, he's not under Kaminaga either. With Miyoshi being dead, even if one assume Sakuma decided to become a spy now, it's still a very small number of spies, they wouldn't accomplish much.

Or, of course, we can assume our beloved spies stopped being spies... or maybe some of them did and some did not. It can be fun to picture what they would do were they decide to quit being spies!

I'm quite fond of this video which speculates Sakuma had a normal life after the war but the spies are still around even if the building where D Agency was had been destroyed.

I guess it can be up to what you prefer and to how you see the characters. You can make your story as close to real life as you want or part from it drastically. You can even have the spies become spies for another country... or they all die... and maybe reincarnate like in this video.

There's also people who speculated miyoshi survived... and a doujinshi series which claim Miyoshi became a ghost and Sakuma become a spy and took over Miyoshi's spy name (the spies don't use their true names but fictional names so Miyoshi's name isn't really Miyoshi).

I don't know if what I said gave you some useful ideas but I hope so and that you'll write a wonderful fic! Good luck with it!

[magpiejay1234]

Second batch of cards from the Stream are the Madolche cards.

We have:

**Rank 5 Tiaramisu

**LINK-3 for the archetype

**And a Normal Trap.

Madolches were reprinted in side: PRIDE, so these are not that surprising. Very cute art, though.

[siphersaysstuff]

MATCHBOTS!

So for August's Patreon-backed @tfwiki picture update, I thought I'd follow up on the Generation 2 vibe from last month (and with the release of the G2-heavy Toxitron Collection) and (almost) complete the run of Go-Bot mold toys! Introduced in 1995, these little 1:64-scale bots were made to be compatible with Matchbox and Hot Wheels tracks and playsets, and this mold-set would be redecoed a LOT over the following decade. Motormouth above, for example, first caem with transparent robot bits, but the second-wave release was entirely opaque.

Fellow second-waver OPTIMUS PRIME is mostly just an opaque version of wave 1's clear-red Firecracker, but with some extra blue paint on the helmet to make him Optimussier.

Wave 3 was all classic G1 bots in strange new decos. Say hi to BUMBLEBEE, FRENZY, IRONHIDE and MIRAGE (the decos were probably picked before the names were).

Wave 3 SOUNDWAVE is infamous for his bright deco. But what's with that Takara version, with Wave-2 opaque Gearhead's robot parts? Well, that's because the Takara release was gang-molded with...

...the Takara-release MEGATRON and OPTIMUS PRIME, the only three Go-Bots released in Japan. Basically, all 6 Go-Bots are cast from the same set of molds, so if you change one plastic color on any of the 6, you're changing the color for several others in the set. As demonstrated here...

See the pattern? Bear in mind that the rightmost bots have green and gold paint on their car panels, the underlying plastic is black.

These molds would be re-used as the "Spychangers" for 2000's Takara series Car Robots, which got imported as Robots in Disguise in 2001, and I'm not going into all of THOSE here. But there's a lot (the top row on the above pic is just the start!), and I'm focusing on the new pics, so moving on...

Late in the 2003 Universe line, a new batch of G1 characters in Spychanger form were released as KB Toys exclusives, using a set of molds originally planned for G2 but ultimately not released until RiD, like SILVERSTREAK on the left, and new molds made specifically for RiD, like OPTIMUS PRIME here.

The very last release of a Go-Bot/Spychanger style mold came in late 2007, when Takara offered a free "OPTIMUS PRIME FIGURE" with the preorder of the 2007 Transformers movie on DVD/HD-DVD through Paramount Pictures Japan. This little sucker is extensively painted, let me tell you.

And with this, I've taken wiki pics of 76 out of the 88 "finished" Go-Bots/Spychanger toys! Only 12 rare/unreleased items left! Whoadang! ALSO… I've now made over 2500 toy pics for the wiki, many of which are multi-toy pics! Jambalaya, that's a lotta bots!

If you like what I do here and want to get me to a total of 3000 pics faster, I do have a Patreon! You can help get more and more pics out every month, and even pick a theme!

Check it out at patreon dot com slash gregstfwikipics!

[hadeschan]

item # K20A15

RARE Pra Somdej Gru Wat Khlang Klong Khoi, Pim Pra Prataan, Nua Pong. A Buddha amulet with figure of the Temple Principle Buddha Statue, made from mainly holy powder blended with Pong Viset Ha Pragaan (5 kinds of holy powder) of Somdej Pra Buddhachan Toh of Wat Rakhang, blended with holy water and tabby made from seashells. The legend has it that Somdej Pra Buddhachan Toh Phrommarangsi (Somdej Toh) was on his pilgrimage to Wat Khlang Klong Khoi in BE 2375 (CE 1832), and stayed there for years, and made this Batch of amulets. This Batch of amulets was discovered hidden in the area of Wat Khlang Klong Khoi, Ratchaburi Provnce in BE 2490 (CE 1947), BE 2500 (CE 1957), and BE 2516 (CE 1973).

…………………………………………………………

BEST FOR: Má-laeng wan mai dai gin lêuuat in Thai means flies never land on your blood which refers to one who wears amulet made by Somdej Pra Buddhachan Toh his/her drops of blood will never be falling to the ground.“You will NEVER die screaming” Thai people believe that “One will never die screaming and one will die without any suffering at end of life if one is wearing an amulet made by Somdej Pra Buddhachan Toh.” This amulet brings endless food with wealth & prosperity. Anything you wish for, and it could change your life for the better, Klawklad Plodpai (it brings safety, and pushes you away from all danger), Kongkraphan (it makes you invulnerable to all weapon attack), Maha-ut (it stops gun from shooting at you), Metta Maha Niyom (it helps bring loving, caring, and kindness, and compassion from people all around you to you), Maha Larp (it brings Lucky Wealth / wealth fetching), and Kaa Kaai Dee (it helps tempt your customers to buy whatever you are selling, and it helps attract new customers and then keep them coming back. Ponggan Poot-pee pee-saat Kunsai Mondam Sa-niat jan-rai Sat Meepit (it helps ward off evil spirit, demon, bad ghost, bad omen, bad spell, curse, accursedness, black magic, misfortune, doom, and poisonous animals). And this amulet helps protect you from manipulators, backstabbers, and toxic people.

…………………………………………………………

The Batch of Pra Somdej Gru Wat Klang Khlong Khoi

Wat Klang Khlong Khoi, Photharam, Ratchaburi Province on the Mae Klong River Bank was built in the late Kingdom of Ayutthaya (BE 2231 to BE 2310, CE 1688 to CE 1767). The legend has it that in the year BE 2375 (CE 1832), Somdej Pra Buddhachan Toh or Toh Phrommarangsi (1788-1872; B.E. 2331-2415) of Wat Rakhang, Bangkok was on his pilgrimage, and stayed there for practicing Vipassana Meditation for years. It is believed that where Somdej Toh stayed, Somdej Toh would built a “Pra Pang Um Baat”, a standing Buddha statue holding an alms bowl, it was a Buddha gesture of the day Somdej Toh was born, the Wednesday night. The Batch of Pra Somdej Gru Wat Klang Khlong Khoi was first discovered buried under the ground behind Luang Phor Toh Standing Buddha Statue in BE 2490 (CE 1947), and later found buried under the Bodhi Tree, and behind the temple building in BE 2500 (CE 1957), and BE 2016 (CE 1973) hidden at the old temple building of Wat Klang Khlong Khoi. And the materials and the styles of the amulets found are similar to Pra Somdej Wat Rakhang, and Pra Somdej Bang Khun Phrom Buddha amulets made by Somdej Toh.

…………………………………………………………

Pong Viset Ha Pragaan (5 kinds of Holy Powder)

A Pra Somdej amulet MUST contain Pong Viset Ha Pragaan (5 kinds of Holy Powder), and the Pong Viset Ha Pragaan is the COMPONENTS of the following 18 sacred materials:-

1)Din Sor Pong, marly limestone powder.

2)Poon Pleuak hoi, tabby is a type of concrete made by burning oyster shells to create lime, then mixing it with water, sand, ash and broken oyster shells.

3)Din Jet Phong, earth taken from 7 forests where deposit of salts and other minerals are. A mineral lick (also known as a salt lick) is a place where animals can go to lick essential mineral nutrients from a deposit of salts and other minerals. Din Jet Phong is believed to have the force of temptation and distraction.

4)Din Jet Ta, earth taken from 7 bus/boat/railways destination terminals. Thais believe that these areas filled with lovers’ mind power while waiting for one their love one to come homes.

5)Din Lak Muang Jet Lak, earth taken from 7 Holy City Pillars at Holy Pillar Shrines in Thailand that guarded by angels and devas. City Pillars are believed to accumulate the power/energy of protection, prosperity and abundance.

6)Kee Thoop Sai Tain Bucha Pra, joss stick ashes, and candle wicks after offering to Holy Buddha Statues.

7)Dok Galong, powder crushed from sundried snowy orchid tree flowers. The snowy orchid tree flower is believed to have the force of passion.

8)Yod Sawas, powder crushed from sundried young leaves of Guilandina bonduc, commonly known as grey nicker, nicker bean, fever nut or knicker nut. Yod Sawas is believed to have the force of passion and temptation.

9)Yod Ruck Son, powder crushed from sundried double crown flowers. Yod Ruck Son is believed to have the force of love and care.

10)Kee Klai Say-ma, powder crushed from stains, sundried mosses and lichens taken from important temple boundary marking stones. Kee Klai Say-ma is believed to accumulate energy of guarding angles.

11)Kee Klai Pratuu Wang, powder crushed from stains, sundried mosses and lichens taken from gates of the ancient Royal Palaces. Kee Klai Pratuu Wang is believed to accumulate energy of guarding angles.

12)Kee Klai Sao Ta-lung Chang-peuuak, powder crushed from stains, sundried mosses and lichens taken from Royal white elephant hitching Posts. Kee Klai Sao Ta-lung Chang-peuuak is believed to accumulate energy of Devas.

13)Ton Rat-cha-preuk, saw dust of Golden Shower Tree is believed to have force of auspicious omens.

14)Ton Chaiya Preuk, saw dust of Cassia javanica Tree, also known as Java cassia, pink shower, apple blossom tree and rainbow shower tree,  is believed to have force of auspicious omens.

15)Phu Ruam Jai, powder crushed from sundried Betel Vine leaves, those leaves were taken from engagement tray presented during a wedding ceremony to the bride’s parents. Phu Ruam Jai is believed to have power of family unity, support, relationship and happiness.

16)Phu Song Hang, powder crushed from sundried Wild Betel leaves that have double tips. Phu Song Hang is believed to have power of Metta Maha Niyom (gaining loving, caring, kindness and compassion from people all around).

17)Bor Nam Jet Ros, water taken from 7 wells, and water in each well has a taste and not all 7 wells taste the same. Taste is subjective and influenced by the water source, and minerals in them. Bor Nam Jet Ros is believed to have power of Pra Mae Kongka, the mythical Goddess of Water and Rivers.

18)Din Sor Viset or Sila Thikhun, powder of calcite stone, calcite is believed having the ability to amplify and cleanse energy, as well as clear and balance the chakras. It can also absorb and transform negative energy. Calcite is a crystal that calms the mind and enhances mental clarity, and it also connects the emotions with the intellect.

THE FIRST PROCESS (Sang Pong / the preparation of holy materials)

After 18 materials are crushed in fine powder, and then added holy powder, water from 7 wells, and plaster cement as binder. The resultant putty was then rolled into cylinders or slender sticks and dried. During the mixing process of these holy materials, the rituals were performed, the offerings were presented to Buddha, Holy Guru Monks, Devas, Masters (teachers), and holy spirits. The ceremonies were held in the temple buildings in front of the Principle Buddha Statue, and monks were saying sermons to invite Buddha, Holy Guru Monks, Devas, Masters (teachers), and holy spirits to bless on the holy powders. And the ritual of spirit possession is performed, a monk who roll the putty into cylinders or slender sticks his body will be controlled by holy spirits, ghosts of departed master or guru monk or devas.

THE SECOND PROCESS (Kiang Pong Lop Pong / drawing formulas of holy cabalistic writings, and then erase them).

After the sticks of powder are dried, then process of making Pong Viset Ha Pragaan begins. The monk will draw formulas of holy cabalistic writings on a chalkboard made of a sheet of mudstone. The formulas are written accordingly to the ancient scriptures, and while drawing them, the monk must say sermons and prayers to invite the power of Buddha, Devas, and holy ghosts of departed master or guru monk to accumulate their power in the molecule of the powder. At the end of each writing, monk will then erase the formulas of cabalistic writings, and keep the chalk dust in a container for further making Buddha amulets.

The Pong Viset Ha Pragaan must be made orderly, beginning with 1)Pong Pattamang, 2)Pong Itthijay, 3)Pong Maharaj, 4)Pong Buddhakhun, and 5)Pong Tri Nisinghe.

The first holy powder or the precursor to make Pong Viset Ha Pragaan is Pong Pattamang Holy Powder by drawing the formulas of Pattamang cabalistic writings with sermons and prayers. After the completion of Pong Pattamang Holy Powder, it will be divided into 2 parts, one as “Pong Pattamang”, and another one is for making of the next Pong Itthijay Holy Powder. Then returning to the first process of making the chalk sticks and then follow the second process to drawn Itthijay cabalistic writings with sermons and prayers, and keep repeating the processes for the next 3 holy powders.

THE POWER OF PONG VISET HA PRAGAAN (5 kinds of Holy Powders)

1)Pong Pattamang Holy Powder is believed to have magic power of Kongkraphan Chatrie (it makes you invulnerable to all weapon attack), Maha-ut (it stops gun from shooting at you), Kambang Longhon Hai-tua (it makes you invisible in the eyes of the enemies), and Ponggan Poot-pee pee-saat Kunsai Mondam Sat Meepit (it helps ward off evil spirit, demon, bad ghost, bad omen, bad spell, curse and black magic, and poisonous animals).

2)Pong Itthijay Holy Powder, it was made from Pong Pattamang believed to have magic power of Metta Maha Niyom (it helps bring loving, caring, and kindness, and compassion from people all around you to you), and curing and preventing all diseases.

3)Pong Maharaj Holy Powder, it was made from Pong Itthijay believed to have magic power of Klawklad Plodpai (it brings safety, and pushes you away from all danger), Metta Maha Niyom (it helps bring loving, caring, and kindness, and compassion from people all around you to you), and Ponggan Kunsai Mondam (it keeps you away from bad spell, curse and black magic).

4)Pong Buddhakhun Holy Powder, it was made from Pong Maharaj believed to have magic power of Metta Maha Niyom (it helps bring loving, caring, and kindness, and compassion from people all around you to you), Kambang Longhon Hai-tua (it makes you invisible in the eyes of the enemies), and Sador (it helps unlock all bad spells, and lift the curses).

5)Pong Tri Nisinghe Holy Powder, it was made from Pong Buddhakhun believed to have magic power of Metta Maha Niyom (it helps bring loving, caring, and kindness, and compassion from people all around you to you), Ponggan Poot-pee pee-saat Kunsai Mondam Sat Meepit (it helps ward off evil spirit, demon, bad ghost, bad omen, bad spell, curse and black magic, and poisonous animals). Klawklad Plodpai (it brings safety, and pushes you away from all danger), and curing and preventing all diseases.

WRITTEN BY HADES CHAN / w w w . f a c e b o o k . c o m / h a d e s c h a n H K

…………………………………………………………

Pra Long Gru or Pra Gru

Pra “Long Gru” or “Pra Gru”  means amulet that was stored in the chamber of a chedi/stupa or in a container buried under the ground for many of years, and later found by someone.

According to the prophecy in Pali Canon that Buddha’s Dispensation (Buddhism), and Dharma (Buddha’s teaching) would exist and follow 5,000 years after the Buddha passed away or entered nirvana. The “Long Gru” is a Thai traditional practice to preserve Buddha amulets with figure of Buddha in them in the case that after the decline of indigenous religious practices of Buddhism, the future generations would learn that Buddhism ever to have existed on earth.

The Pra Long Gru, Thais believe that after long period of time that the Buddha amulets were kept, the power that was accumulated in each and every amulet would break apart the chamber (in Thai called Gru Takk) that amulets were hidden.

…………………………………………………………

SOMDEJ PRA BUDDHACHAN TOH / SOMDEJ TOH

Somdej Toh (1788-1872; B.E. 2331-2415), known formally as Somdej Pra Buddhachan Toh (Toh Phrommarangsi), was one of the most famous Buddhist monks during Thailand’s Rattanakosin Period and continues to be the most widely known monk in Thailand. He is widely revered in Thailand as a monk who is said that he possessed magical powers and his amulets are widely sought after. His images and statues are some of the most widespread religious icons in Bangkok.

BIOGRAPHY

Somdej Toh was born in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province, it was believed that he was an illegitimate son of King Rama II. He studied the Buddhist scriptures of the Pāli Canon with several Buddhist masters. After becoming a well-known monk, he became the preceptor for Prince Mongkut, later King Rama IV, when Mongkut became a monk. During Rama IV’s reign Somdej Toh was given the ceremonial name Somdej Pra Buddhachan (Toh Phrommarangsi), the Buddhachan means teacher of Buddhism, given by the King and used to be one of his trusted advisers, having left a lot of teaching stories around him and the King.

He was noted for the skill of his preaching and his use of Thai poetry to reflect the beauty of Buddhism, and for making amulets called Pra Somdej. The amulets were blessed by himself and other respected monks in Thailand. He also appears in many versions of the story of the ghost Mae Nak Phra Khanong, and he is said to be the one to finally subdue her. Somdej Toh also wrote the Pra Khata Chinnabanchon, a protective magical sermon which is widely chant and use among Thais.

…………………………………………………………

DIMENSION: 3.50 cm high / 2.40 cm wide / 0.50 cm thick

…………………………………………………………

item # K20A15

Price: price upon request, pls PM and/or email us hadesamulet@outlook.com

100% GENUINE WITH 365 DAYS AUTHENTICITY GUARANTEE.

Item location: Hong Kong, SAR

Ships to: Worldwide

Delivery: Estimated 7 days handling time after receipt of cleared payment. Please allow additional time if international delivery is subject to customs processing.

Shipping: FREE Thailandpost International registered mail. International items may be subject to customs processing and additional charges.

Payments: PayPal / Western Union / MoneyGram /maybank2u.com / DBS iBanking / Wechat Pay / Alipay / INSTAREM / PromptPay International / Remitly / PAYNOW

******************************************************

[illuminesce]

Last Winterseve, mabbees gave me a book on How to Use Procreate by amity_sensei. It uses project-based learning to teach the reader about basic to advanced Procreate techniques, and I started on a mini-project aimed at teaching how to build your own color palette and shortcuts for large-batch doodles. The project was LINE stickers, which I'd never made before.

The project was intended to be a short exercise; six or so doodles to be exported, and I did half of the six doodles before putting it aside and completely forgetting about it. (lol ADHD)

Two weeks ago, I was poking around Procreate when I saw the doodles, got mega fixated and several many hours later…

I have two sets of LINE stamps, 24 each, currently available for sale for 120 yen apiece. You can download them below the read more.

Mochi the Eggbun on LINE (English ver.) Mugi the Eggbun on LINE (English ver.)

There's even a Japanese version on LINE!

卵ウサギもちくん 卵ウサギむぎちゃん

AND a Telegram version for free!

Mochi the Eggbun (Telegram) Mugi the Eggbun (Telegram)

AND a Signal version, also for free!

Mochi the Eggbun (Signal) Mugi the Eggbun (Signal)

I'm proud of how these little guys turned out. Up until recently, I got frustrated about how my brain would either be 0% focused or 2500% focused, but lately I've observing my own unique process and trying not to compare or judge myself based on what I see on other people's feeds.

I learned a lot about the sticker-making process, which I'll write in a separate tumblob. For now, enjoy the eggbuns!

[xmoonlitxdreamx]

Hi! Feel free to ignore if you don't feel like answering. I see you've been posting about selling pokemon merchandise, and I wanted to ask if you maybe have any advice for someone who's also interested in selling merchandise but isn't quite sure where to begin?

Sure, I can give a little bit of advice! Sorry if this is super haphazard, I'm just talking off the top of my head.

Ok tbh the first thing to be aware of is that making merch is expensive. I really do not recommend getting into making and selling merch if you're struggling financially. I don't make a lot of money from this.

If you're interested in learning more about manufacturers/where to get stuff made, there's a list of them on the account @howtobeaconartist under the "resources" tab. They also have a lot of advice for selling merch in general, tho they're mostly geared toward anime convention artists.

There's also vograce, a company based in china that makes a variety of things:

I use them a lot but there's also often communication issues/minor printing complications, and shipping can get quite pricy if you're ordering a lot of things. (for example, shipping on the order of submas pillow cases + misc merch samples was almost $100.) (also I live in the US.) That said, I like to use them because they have low minimum order quantities; I don't sell a ton of merch, so it's convenient for me to be able to buy small quantities of items. They also let you split up orders between multiple designs (again, useful for lowering quantities).

Anyway, my personal recommendation for your first merch would be buttons. I get them made by cheapestbuttonsnet on Etsy:

Their prices are very affordable, and they also let customers split up an order between multiple designs. Typically I order a batch of 50 buttons, and then split it between 5 designs to end up with 10 buttons of each design. Customer service is also very responsive; if you have further questions I'd recommend messaging them on Etsy or sending them an e-mail.

Anyway you don't have to start with buttons, but that's just what I think would be the best balance between affordable for the artist + affordable/attractive for customers.

Also, keep in mind that artwork you draw for merch should be sized at least 300 PPI for prints, charms, buttons, and stickers, and at least 150 PPI for fabric printing (like pillows). This means if you want to print a 1.5 inch button, the canvas you draw on should be at least 450 px by 450 px (because 300 * 1.5 = 450). Typically I draw larger than this anyway (like 2500 px by 2500 px for most things), but note that if you draw larger that some small details may get lost.

There's a bunch of other logistic things you'll need to do before selling merch, including:

setting up an online shop (I use Etsy because they're convenient for shipping and send tax forms at the end of the year to make it easier to report income, but they have a lot of random fees)

Purchasing shipping materials (for buttons/charms, usually just bubble mailers from amazon or wherever are fine)

Setting prices (I reference other sellers on Etsy to gauge a good price for products. Another thing people often do is take the cost of manufacturing one unit, multiplying it by 3, and using that as the price.)

Purchasing business cards to include in orders (optional; I get mine from catprint.com bc I like their holographic finish and I get prints from them anyway, but there are much cheaper options out there for business cards)

Taking product photos/making graphics for products (this goes with "setting up an online shop" tbh. i hate taking product photos LMAO;;;)

Drawing the actual artwork for the merchandise lskdjflsdjf

There's probably more than this and there's more details that I'm not mentioning because this is just a short little intro, but tbh a lot of merch making is about learning along the way and seeing what works and what can be improved on.

[the-stray-storyteller]

I couldn’t pick which one, so I’m using ALL OF THEM!

Which WIP of yours has the longest chapters and which one has the shortest?

What is your most self indulgent piece and why?

Talk about the first character you made

When did you start writing ? How ?

Give spoiler with no context for your WIP

Do you have any repetitive tropes or themes in your story?

What you hate about your writing style?

What do you love about your writing style?

What is your opinion on "Kill you Darlings"?

Which genre do you hate to write and why?

Character/WIP Lore! (blabber about character/ WIP of choice)

Name a WIP that you scrapped and why did you do it?

Which villain are you proud of making?

Describe your writing spot.

Which WIP is your comfort WIP? (Like your comfort food, y'know?)

Who is your most traumatized character? What happened to them?

Assign colours/ colour palettes to your WIPs

Do you plan each chapter ahead or write as you go?

Do you share rough drafts or do you wait until it’s all polished?

Share a snippet of an old wip that you never posted.

Tell me about an upcoming WIP

What most platonic friendship you have written?

How do you stay on track story-wise?

Do any of your stories have alternative versions?

Tell me about the order in which your characters (in any WIP) will die in a horror movie.

Holy shit! It took me a while to answer these. I tried to keep the answers as brief as possible. Post is going to be long af.

Which WIP of yours has the longest chapters and which one has the shortest?

Havenpoint has the shortest chapters (1500-2000 words) and Defenders has the biggest (2500-3000 words)

2. What is your most self indulgent piece and why?

Defenders is definitely my most self indulgent work. It is mainly because I am too emotionally attached to the characters in it and I am afraid that I might just ruin the storyline because of that.

3. Talk about the first character you made

Evelyn Rose was the first character I had ever made. She was an OC for my first and last fanfiction. She also happened to be an author's darling and now that I think about it, she would have been a very annoying and super self indulgent character.

5. When did you start writing ? How ?

I started writing at the age of twelve. An unfinished fanfiction was the first thing I wrote. I really got into writing during covid, when I started writing the original Havenpoint. I started writing Rebel and then I was falling down a rabbit hole. It was just so exciting because I had so many ideas in my head and I could take out and put somewhere.

6. Give spoiler with no context for your WIP

Kinda hard seeing that even I don't know where I am going with my WIPs. But I think I can give for Defenders.

Strawberries are alive

Ebony tables are evil for villains

Frankenstein baby

Apollo is in Andromeda galaxy

Not Italian

7. What you hate about your writing style?

I feel like I use the word 'however' too much. I can't divide the paragraphs to my satisfaction.

8. What do you love about your writing style?

I honestly don't know.

9. What is your opinion on "Kill you Darlings"?

already answered this

10. Which genre do you hate to write and why?

Romance, I just don't get it.

11. Character/WIP Lore!

I....I don't have the energy for this one. Its gonna take too long

12. Name a WIP that you scrapped and why did you do it?

I had a WIP that I don't remember the name of but I had scrapped it because it sounded too much like Cassandra Clare's shadowhunters.

13. Which villain are you proud of making?

Verity Hale from Rebel.

14. Describe your writing spot.

I sit on my study desk but not on the side I am supposed to be sitting on. My study desk is placed perpendicular to my bed. So I sit on the bed and place my laptop on the side of the desk where I write. Its right beside the window.

15. Which WIP is your comfort WIP?

Defenders

16. Who is your most traumatized character? What happened to them?

Any character from the batch 1 in Rebel. They have seen war from the frontlines at a very young age and have been used as killing drones.

17. Assign colours/ colour palettes to your WIPs

Rebel is red and black. Defenders is gold and black. Havenpoint would be muted and darkened spring colours.

18. Do you plan each chapter ahead or write as you go?

Most of the time, I write as as I go.

19. Do you share rough drafts or do you wait until it’s all polished?

I usually post the second draft, which is not exactly polished and which I keep editing.

20. Share a snippet of an old wip that you never posted.

The Playground:

Do you remember when we were kids? Kids below the age of ten, running out to play from the early afternoon to the time the sun dipped under the horizon. Do you remember? We would come home and find scrapes on our arms and legs and small bruises littered everywhere. We never knew where they came from. When we became older we thought that we had gotten hurt while playing but never noticed because we were having too much fun. After all, children below the age of ten can get distracted easily.

21. Tell me about an upcoming WIP

I am trying to make a WIP called the Masque. It's mostly about this masque shop. The artists working in the shop make magical masques, some of them based on popular characters in classic books. The masques gives certain abilities to the person who wears them but at the same time they place a curse on them. The longer you wear it the stronger the curse begins. Now the masques are addictive to wear, very addictive because it makes the person into what they think is the perfect version of them.

22. What most platonic friendship you have written?

The relationship between Skyler and Ah-dainn from Defenders.

23. How do you stay on track story-wise?

I don't.

24. Do any of your stories have alternative versions?

Defenders does, in my head.

25. Tell me about the order in which your characters (in any WIP) will die in a horror movie.

Going with the characters in Defenders first.

Ah-dainn would die first trying to protect somebody.

Jay would die second because he didn't want to listen to Skyler and did something stupid.

Ren would go next because she found a creepy doll and tried to kill it.

Ivy would die trying to escape from a window.

Skyler is the ghost.

[fanfoolishness]

My Bad Batch Fanfiction Masterpost

Looks like I've started writing enough Batcher fic that a masterpost would be helpful! Fics are always tagged under #my batcher fic. My stories are typically canon-compliant genfic focused on angst, whump, family feels, PTSD, and grief. But, there's also the occasional bit of fluff and TechPhee. And Crosshair, Crosshair, Crosshair ❤️💀🖤

The whole series can also be found on AO3 in my Clone Force 99 series.

If looking specifically for Summer of Bad Batch 2024 prompt fills, my SoBB masterlist is here.

Last updated: 8/28/2024

Here's what I have so far, laid out in roughly chronological order from the Clone Wars on:

Growing Pains: Crosshair can’t sleep, but Tech has an idea that may help. Cadet fluff, 1700 words.

Stargazing: Crosshair and the batch go stargazing. Summer of Bad Batch prompts stargazing/you think you're going without me? not a chance. 2500 words.

Injury: Crosshair's first use of the Firepuncher. Crosshair and Wrecker, cadet days, summerofbadbatch prompt injured, drabble + art.

Comfort Zone: Tech and Crosshair relaxing on Kamino, drabble + art, summerofbadbatch prompt.

Flash and Bang: Wrecker loves the poetry of explosions. Drabble.

Field Experience: On one of the Batch's first missions, Hunter is unexpectedly injured and learns a valuable lesson. Hurt/comfort, whump, ~2000 words.

Lightweight(s): The Bad Batch's first night ever out on the town. Boys being boys and plenty of shenanigans at 79's! 4200 words.

Kashyyyk: Headcanons about each of Clone Force 99 from a mission on Kashyyyk during the Clone Wars. Drabble.

The Armory: Written for summerofbadbatch, prompt "It's not what you think." Wrecker and Crosshair visit the Armory in 1x01, drabble.

Evaluations: A series of evaluations of CT-9904 through the years. Nala Se POV. Angst, medical whump. 3200 words.

32 rotations: Drabble/art of Crosshair after being rescued on Kamino. Whump.

The Poncho: Wrecker and Tech debate the merits of ponchos. Cut and Run, Ruins of War. 450 words.

Ill-fitted: Crosshair prepares for his first mission after the fall of Kamino, but something feels wrong with his armor. ~1000 words.

The Hug: Drabble + art of Tech and Omega hugging.

A Light in the Darkness: Crosshair and Mayday struggle through the frozen night, 1100 words.

The Soldier: Hunter isn't sleeping well on Pabu. Set in late S2. ~830 words.

A New Fascination: Tech isn’t sure why Phee fascinates him so, but when she tells him about a mysterious creature near the shore, he takes the opportunity to investigate further. TechPhee first date fluff, 8000 words. Illustrations: TechPhee cuteness, Crosshair whump.

When You Wake: Hunter tries to figure out what to tell Omega, after Tech calls Plan 99. -1000 words, angst.

Radio Silence: Echo tries to send a message to a familiar channel. Written for the summerofbadbatch prompt of the same name. Plan 99 angst, 483 words.

the mess you left behind: Tech called Plan 99. Wrecker’s still here. Wrecker tries to cope with newfound grief, but he can’t do it alone. Shortly post-Plan 99. ~ 3500 words. Sibling grief.

Pretending. Omega pretends on Tantiss, but grief will always out. Drabble + art.

Something’s Off: Drabble + art. Crosshair tries to grapple with news of Tech’s death.

heightened: Hunter struggles to understand Tech’s death, but even heightened senses don’t help. ~1000 words.

Lost Time: Echo works on Omega's crossbow after Plan 99. Drabble.

haunted: Crosshair's first trip to Pabu is more fraught than it would seem. Or: Crosshair sees Tech's goggles for the first time. 1375 words, all hurt no comfort.

dust: Crosshair reconciles with his old armor. The Return. Drabble.

Patching Up: After the events of The Return, Crosshair realizes Batcher needs patching up. She’s not the only one. ~2770 words.

Blind Side: Wrecker catches Crosshair for a heart-to-heart, and reminds him of something that happened long ago. Set between 3x05 and 3x06, ~ 1700 words. Illustrated by @collophora!

Breathless: After Crosshair nearly drowns in 3x07 - Extraction, the Batch heads back to Pabu to rest and regroup. But the danger isn't over yet, and they'll need to work together to save one of their own. Crosshair angst, medical whump, family feels. Canon-compliant/missing scene, ~5100 words. Illustrated by @collophora!

Still: When Crosshair can't hide his tremor any longer, Omega does her best to help. Maybe this time it'll be different. Fill-in-the-blank for episode Bad Territory. ~1900 words.

Patience: Set shortly after Bad Territory. Crosshair continues to attempt meditation with Omega's encouragement, but it's slow going, especially when the rain interrupts. 1500 words.

Under Sun and Shade: Omega and Crosshair share memories of Tech on a sunny day. ~ 900 words. Illustrated by @collophora!

Dawn, After: Hunter finds Crosshair after Point of No Return. Drabble.

In the morning: Hunter takes Crosshair aside before leaving Pabu. Set during Juggernaut. Drabble.

no choice: Wrecker struggles in the approach to Tantiss - no he doesn't. Whump, drabble. Written for summerofbadbatch prompt, "it's just a scratch."

Captured: drabble with art of Crosshair and Hunter being transported to the CX conditioning chamber during the finale. ;_; WHUMP.

aftershocks: Wrecker struggles to get through the assault on Tantiss and the aftermath. But no matter what, he’ll always look out for his little brother. Wrecker and Crosshair angst and whump and family feels. SPOILERS for the finale. 2200 words.

Breaching the Wall: After Crosshair’s injuries on Tantiss, AZI is forced to treat him with heavy doses of pain medication — and Crosshair starts talking. To everyone. Family feels, whump, hurt/comfort. 5800 words with 2 illustrations :)

Need a Hand? Crosshair knows he can ask for help, but it’s harder than it sounds. Post-finale, 655 words, summerofbadbatch prompt.

a rain that sounds like home: Complete; 43,000 words, 8 chapters. After the destruction of Tantiss, the Bad Batch is safe at last. As Crosshair begins to recover from his injuries, it becomes apparent that not all of his scars are physical, and that guilt and grief are wounds that cut deeper than any blade. His family is determined to be there for him -- if only he can let them in. [Chapter 2] | [Chapter 3] [Chapter 4] [Chapter 5] [Chapter 6] [Chapter 7] [Chapter 8]

Getting a Haircut: Wrecker helps Crosshair. Drabble + art, summerofbadbatch prompt.

Five Times We Woke: Five times the Batch wakes up in the middle of the night. Nightmares, PTSD, hurt/comfort, soft ending. ~2200 words.

sweet tooth: Wrecker and Crosshair, there for each other through the years. Drabble.

touch: Crosshair has nearly forgotten what it's like to be touched, but time changes that. Whump, hurt/comfort, family feels, soft ending. ~1160 words.

morning caf: It's an early morning on Pabu, and Crosshair hasn't slept well. Neither has Wrecker. When Crosshair goes to check on him, he doesn't expect the question Wrecker asks: "What was it like?  When your chip… when it activated?” Angst, family feels, ~2400 words.

Healing: COMIC. Crosshair finds a new use for his mirror pucks.

The Bad Birders: Headcanons and art of the Batch as birders. Crosshair’s up first, the rest to follow :)

Sick Day: Crosshair wakes up sick, and Omega proves herself the best big sister. ~1000 words.

the waves flowing, the dawn blooming: Hunter and Crosshair have a heart-to-heart, after their girl takes wing. Set directly after the epilogue, stuffed full of soft Dad Batch feels, lots of healing, and Hunter and Crosshair being close again. ~1900 words.

Senescence: Clones have always lived on borrowed time. On a trip home from the Rebellion, Omega and her brothers reach a new understanding. 2700 words, bittersweet family feels. Written for multiple prompts.

Clone Studies: a little meta post about the field of clone studies, long after the clones are gone — but not forgotten.