#Ballard trade

[kenttsterling]

Chris Ballard’s time to grow a set for #Colts! LIVE at Assembly Hall - #iubb vs Iowa pregame! TJD's night to shine!

[witekspicsoldpostcards]

USA trade postcard with Egyptian motives: obelisk flour.

[liberty1776]

The Fight Against Worldwide Child Slavery & the Sex Trade | Jim Caviezel...

Dr. Jordan B. Peterson discusses the new film “Sound of Freedom,” with star Jim Caviezel and real life inspiration Tim Ballard. The film details Ballard’s work as a Special Agent to fight against sex trafficking and the child sex trade. They go into depth on the psychology of pedophilia, the nature of good and evil, and how a steady faith in God has guided all three.

[forteafy]

Vices & Virtues | F1 Masterlist ♡ [ONGOING]

My current hyperfixation combonation between F1 & P!ATD since their breakup has lead me to write one-shots inspired by my favourite album, 'Vices and Virtues.'

This is a work in progress, and I would LOVE to know what one-shot's you'd like to see first! Please REPLY or MESSAGE me and let me know!

The Ballard of Mona List | FA14 (Assistant!Reader)

You’ve been assistant to the driving legend Fernando Alonso for three years now; there is nothing you wouldn’t do for him. When one request leaves both him and you questioning everything, what will happen to your relationship?

Let’s Kill Tonight | DR3 (Singer!Reader)

At the height of your career, you’re invited to perform at the Australian GP performance park. What you’re not aware of is the fact Red Bull’s Daniel Riccardo is quite possibly your biggest fan – not in a creepy way, more of an ‘unrequited love’ way.

Hurricane | LH44 (Royal!Reader)

Lewis Hamilton didn’t expect the highlight of his knighthood to be meeting the Princess. You didn’t expect the highlight of the knighthood to be the man leaving his phone number on a napkin. A secret relationship begins between a princess and a driver. 

Memories | LN4 (Journalist!Reader)

You've known Lando for as long as you can remember, the two of you have been inseparable. There has always been a silent promise to be together forever. Sometimes, the world can be cruel and choices inevitably have to be made for you both.

Trade Mistakes | PG10 (SingleMom!Reader)

The worst thing a parent can hear is that their child is in the emergency room. When you find out it was your ex-boyfriend, (her father) who bought them in, will your heart be able to take it?

Ready To Go | CS55 (Student!Reader)

Everybody knows how a holiday romance works; two weeks of passion before the person forgets about you the moment you land back in your home country. What happens when said person shows up on your doorstep with a bouquet of roses and two paddock passes?

Always | CL16 (Chef!Reader) [4.1K, completed]

Neither of you wanted to break up, not truly. No matter where Charles goes, who’s bed he wakes up in or how many times he sees you, he’ll never be able to move on. Will he drop everything the one day you call for help? Of course, he will. 

The Calender | GR63 (Actress!Reader)

He promised he would be there. You have always been there for George, on every single day that he needed you, and the days he didn’t think he did. Will he be able to keep his commitment and be there for the biggest night of your career?

Sarah Smiles | SV5 (Engineer!Reader) [3.3K, completed]

You and Sebastian are the same person; ultra-focused on your career and surrounded by a life built and designed especially for you. When your worlds collide, you can’t help but wanting to start letting one another in, maybe the ultimate power couple will be born out of a successful race. 

Nearly Witches (Ever Since We Met…) | MV1 (Horner!Reader)

After the untimely divorce of his older brother, Christian Horner welcomes his niece to spend a summer season by his side at Red Bull Racing. Golden Boy, Max Verstappen is infatuated with the girl and wants nothing more than to put a smile back on her face. And possibly her mobile number. 

PLEASE let me know if you'd like to be tagged! I can't wait to begin writing these and releasing them all to you, let me know what ones you'd like to see! ♡

[amaranthsynthesis]

Underdark drow sex culture has a lot of really different assumptions than the surface world. (Ex-the socially dominant group is going to often be the receptive partner during sex. Idk where that would go exactly, but I can't see them coming to the same conclusions as the surface world or ours.)

Obviously, Ballard was dealing with a lot at the time (burning of house + social transition) but I was wondering how the culture change affected him beyond 'oh boy, that's some racism'?

I know the joke about DND and the forgotten realms lore is 'some guy was really weird and horny about this set dressing so that's why it's Like That' and unfortunately. I'm on board with the guys who were weird and horny about Drow. In a modern, transgay informed way, but also I will admit I think it's a fun sexy little sandbox and I'm in there chewing on my plastic shovel. I've got some notes and some passages jotted down for both the repro horror fic and the vaguely meandering Imton memories, I'd love to got more properly into it some time to be honest.

The lecture on procreation and reproduction made him feel cold and small, blood-blood-blood beating in his ears as they showed him a picture of a woman atop a man, taking his penis inside of her. They told him how she took her pleasure from him, that that was his role―seed and service. It had dawned on him in horror that he was more than he thought. Not a child, not a knife, but one of these adults-in-the-making, like the illustrated woman with her broad hips and heavy breasts and strong, defined shoulders. Like the guardswomen. Like the Matron Mother. The narrow man in the illustration, the lithe consorts he had glimpsed only a handful of times in their draping finery and painted faces… it wasn’t him, it was for him.  He unfocused his eyes and watched without seeing everything else they showed him, tired of it all, letting the diagrams and words blur so he would simply not have to think about them any further.

I think moving up to the surface as he traveled to Baldur's Gate was in a lot of ways a step back into the familiar! Being read as male aboveground afforded him, if not to quite the same extent, the same level of basic respect and autonomy he had been used to as the heir presumptive of House Halvyriin. At the same time, trying to emulate the type of masculinity that he was used to seeing and appreciating from a distance--as decoration, as performance, as something effete and dainty--was going to evoke a very different response. In the same way that I think Faerun isn't past sexism, I don't think it's fully escaped homophobia either. So, yes, Ballard can be a man, can be greeted as a man and exist as one, but not as the kind he'd like to be, and he has to trade that precious/beautiful/treasured masculinity for some butch attempt at camaraderie, to stave off any kind of hostile attentions.

In the same way that he could more than take care of himself in the Underdark, as an unprotected male, responding to harassment with violence draws too much attention. He's already viewed as effeminate and weak and duplicitous, just for being an elf and a drow, specifically--he has to make some decisions about how else to display himself to make the journey to the Gate as smooth as possible. I think it becomes second nature so quickly that it takes year for him to remember it wasn't always his intention.

[crow0king]

some more sketches just exploring Opal and her interests, like her playing her fiddle.

also, some body studies (y'know just actual studies but I used my character) of her just being her best self.

Opal is also the best partner and wife for comfort when her dearest husband is in distress and/or pain.

another favorite activity of hers is to dance along to folk melodies, especially during the town festivals and seasonal events.

when Opal had transitioned and accepted that she was trans, Opal would do a lot of poses and some fashion work for dragon born's because she was able to travel for a while and explore her real self without the constraints of her clan/family.

it was during these times is when she would meet the awkward Johnny Ballard who only recently was able to leave (or rather briefly escape) the iron grip of his family (which is the whole family, extended and all.) and see the world before he had to return. (this was when Johnny was just realizing that he was trans)

when they met, they both quickly became friends and Opal's fascination with Johnny only grew the longer they hung out and talked. she knew there was something about Johnny that was just like her (it was the trans thing!) and she just needed to know more about Johnny.

Opal had also never really met a wood-elf before and only mountain, high, or snowy elf's when they came by for trade or diplomatic talk. She lived in a snowy mountainous region of the world (along the northern hemisphere), while Johnny lived in one of the tall tree regions (along the southern hemisphere).

when Johnny had to return home, Opal had made sure that they would still have communication with each other (via letters) and would meet again; so, they came up with the next time they'll meet and where.

[mashawisotsky]

What You Need to Know about "Sound of Freedom"

A blockbuster seems to have come out of nowhere - but it hasn't. How a based-on-a-true-story movie shelved in 2018 has become a conspiracy touchstone.

TW: discussions of child sexual abuse, hysteria, and moral panic. A good summary may be found here. The bedrock There is currently a moral panic sweeping the United States. It had been building in crescendo for a number of years and this film shows the culmination of years of work - activists and politicians and concerned citizens rallying around a simple idea: children are a risk.

However, their concern is at best misplaced and at worst being used against them. It's not entirely wrong to be concerned about sexual abuse and the exploration of children. The numbers passed around appear terrifying. The English-speaking world has seen the growth of grassroots organizations like the UK's "pedo hunters" and the (popular in the 80s) Faye Yeager's Children's Underground. What are the numbers?

The film has grossed $40 million at the box office.

A report from the Counter-Trafficking Data Collaborative states that 67 percent of children trafficked are between the ages of 15 and 17 - while the film proposes that idea those trafficked are usually much younger. The 2020 Global Report on Trafficking in Persons shows that 50 per cent of detected victims in 2018 were trafficked for sexual exploitation, 38 per cent were exploited for forced labour, six per cent were subjected to forced criminal activity, while one per cent were coerced into begging and smaller numbers into forced marriages, organ removal, and other purposes. The detected forms of exploitation vary widely across different subregions. The share of detected victims trafficked for forced labour has steadily increased for more than a decade; most of these are boys.

The U.S. State Department has reported that traffickers transport 600,000 to 800,000 people across international borders each year, and less 50 percent of these victims are minors. Child trafficking victims often know and trust their traffickers, according to Teresa Huizar, CEO of the National Children's Alliance. Some victims are throwaway kids who are forced to trade sex for food and shelter, often with the trafficker calling themselves their boyfriend or girlfriend. Research shows that many child trafficking victims are LGBTQ or gender nonconforming youth who have been forced into the sex trade by someone close to them. The movie suggests that abductions occur more frequently in public places such as parking lots and playgrounds, and that young children are at a greater risk from strangers then people they know.

What is OUR? Operation Underground Railroad (OUR), founded in Utah in 2013, gained popularity on social media due to its focus on rescuing innocent children. It has gained attention from parenting groups, lifestyle influencers, and fitness enthusiasts due to its muscular approach. OUR says on its website and social media it has rescued and supported “thousands of survivors in 28 countries and 26 U.S. states,” including 3,000 around the world in 2019 alone. The charity’s annual report said it took in more than $21 million in donations for that year. They popularised raids of supposed trafficking by filming them and inviting journalists, influencers, and even Glenn Beck. What does a raid look like? Well, in 2014 a writer joined OUR on one of their raids. Here is an except:

Ballard and I are both Mormon... My dad, who loved my work, kept a few cards with my blog information in his wallet. [This is] how Ballard knew I was a writer.

When Ballard called, I didn’t ask many questions. I didn’t wonder why he thought it was appropriate for me—the writer of a mommy blog—to chronicle anti-trafficking work. At the time, I was a 28-year-old stay-at-home mother in Utah. I was lonely and grieving: My dad, my best friend, had died not long before. As I changed diapers, managed tantrums, and sat in the playground, I felt unmoored from my past and unsure about my future. I suppose, in my grief and my search for meaning, I wanted him to be called by God, because maybe that meant finally, I was too. ...

I was told Ballard’s team coordinated with local authorities who were too overwhelmed or ill-equipped to do this work on their own. Members of the OUR jump team found people willing to traffic kids and set up a date to “party” with however many kids they could provide, the more the better. The authorities were told where and when the party was happening. When they arrived, the girls would be sent outside, where I would be with them, while Ballard and the traffickers would stay inside. The police planned to wait outside until the OUR team had undercover footage of a trafficker accepting upfront cash for sex with the kids. After the cash changed hands, Ballard would give a signal, and the authorities would rush the house to make arrests. They would be armed.

The issue - expect note that OUR creates a demand for child sexual abuse victims where care is not provided and entrapment is common. In 2015 a tech-investor paid to fund a raid and streamed it live. Who is the man behind this? His name is Tim Ballard. As Operation Underground Railroad’s founder and president he sees this as his Godly mission to save the children.  

What happens to the children? Most of the children trafficked in OUR stings are first-time; meaning that OUR may create the demand for a crime it seeks to stamp out. OUR also promotes, there is little evidence of placement, a private adoption agency OUR also claims to run. Additionally, none of these children were kidnapped by strangers on the raid the writer attended - they were trafficked by family members or people they knew. What does trafficking really look like?

Young women between 15 and 18 are often lured by a man who promises romance but forces them to do sex work due to his control over their immigration status, legal documents, and threats of harming their family.

"In the U.S., immigrant women and children are particularly vulnerable to the deceptive and coercive tactics of traffickers," the ACLU has written, "because of their lower levels of education, inability to speak English, immigration status, and lack of familiarity with U.S. employment protections. Further, they are vulnerable because they often work in jobs that are hidden from the public view and unregulated by the government."

What is the "true story"? Well, in a word, it's not true at all.

The film's website acknowledged altering Ballard's biography and “took creative liberties in depicting the different methods of child trafficking.” The film's central plot point, that of a brother and sister lured to a photo shoot in Honduras, is not an event that Ballard has claimed actually happened. Ballard stated that "Some things are definitely overreported". He did not go into the jungle by himself to rescue a little girl nor did he kill a man to rescue the child. Operation Triple Take, an island rescue, saved both minors and adults from labor trafficking, with the film portraying victims as children. Ballard's team claimed to have rescued 123 individuals at two locations. Operation Triple Take accounted for 53 individuals.

How are people seeing for free? At the end of the film, there is a call to action. A QR code appears and promotes viewers to "pay it forward" pre-buying tickets so that others may see the vital message of the film for free.

You can buy bulk tickets at 50% off and encourage pay it forward - millions of tickets are bought without attending, pushing it up the Boxoffice.

Why was this film shelved in 2019? While online rumours say 2019 - the film was completed in 2018. It was shelved because it was produced by 20th Century Fox, which then was bought by Disney; when this occurred the project was shelved. Then the release was delayed by the pandemic.

Why does your mom/dad/grandparent/uncle know about this movie and not you?

It is being heavily marketed on Facebook and tictok by age, religious and political affiliation, and region. The key points are Christian, rural, and older - the average age of the viewer is above fifty and appears to be common among white, Black, and minority Christan groups.

Why is Ballad not CEO anymore?

After an internal investigation OUR Ballad stepped down in 2023. Aletter claims that an OUR employee who accompanied Ballard on an undercover operation abroad filed a complaint against him with OUR’s human resources department after the trip, and that a followup investigation culminated in his resignation.

The Producers Eduardo Verastegui, a Mexican soap opera actor and Catholic activist, has expressed interest in running for Mexico's 2024 presidential election. Support from deep right groups and Spanish deep and alt-right groups, including Vox, is viewed as an infiltration attempt by radical right-wing groups. Verastegui's hardcore homophobia and links to pedophilia have been criticized.

He is using the film to run a complex, multi-state presidential campaign over the summer. Jim Caviezel, as seen here, discusses the Sound of Freedom, transitioning from that to rescuing children from underground bunkers (DUMS) run by the elites, how the elites extract and consume adrenaline from terrorized children, and how these elites are in the entertainment industry and how "there will be no mercy for them."

Additional Resources The Boston Globe, 2023 "America's Summer of Fake Savours"

The Washinton Post, 2016, "Hunting for sex traffickers abroad by posing as johns"

Mormon Stories, 2020 "Investigating Tim Ballard and Operation Underground Railroad"

The Atlantic, 2021 "THE GREAT (FAKE) CHILD-SEX-TRAFFICKING EPIDEMIC"

Ministry Watch, 2023 "“Sound of Freedom” Doesn’t Tell True Story of Operation Underground Railroad" Salt Lake City Weekly, 2021 "UTAH'S OPERATION UNDERGROUND RAILROAD DONATIONS LOOK ODD."

FOX13 Salt Lake, 2020 "Anti-human trafficking group Operation Underground Railroad under criminal investigation by Utah prosecutor"

VICE, 2020 "A Famed Anti-Sex Trafficking Group Has a Problem With the Truth"

American Crime Journal, 2023 "OUR Quietly Exposes Tim Ballard’s Big Lie"

[cityoftomorrow]

LOCATION : NEW TROY .

I . HISTORY the beating heart of metropolis . one of six boroughs of metropolis , serving as the central business district . established in 1775 , situated in the state of delaware . new troy is home to many established businesses and technology companies . new troy is now a huge competitor for one of most recognised cities on east coast including gotham city and new york city .

ii . NOTABLE BUSINESSES new troy is home to an up and coming technology centre of science and industry . businesses include : lexcorp , wayne financial , wayne technologies , kord industries , s.t.a.r. labs , magnus labs , goldstar inc. , hamilton technologies , stagg enterprises , project cadmus , ivo labs & metropolis financial .

iii . MEDIA OUTLETS metropolis is home to key media organisations and has the most respected publications in the world. media includes : black beacon , bridwell communications , daily planet , daily star , galaxy communications , metropolitan.com , metropolis daily news , metropolis eagle , metropolis 8 news , metropolis today , newstime magazine , the whisper , wgbs-tv , wjab-tv , wlex-tv , wmet-tv & ubc .

iv . DISTRICTS new troy is divided into eight districts , all promising something different that will attract tourists from all over : arts district , chinatown , lower east side , midtown , hob's bay dockyard , suicide slum , upper east side & upper west side .

v . LANDMARKS new troy is unlike any other city , interesting and modern architecture and home to superman . new troy boasts landmarks which tourists flock to every year such as : avenue of tomorrow , city hall , heroes park formerly known as centennial park , lena luthor science explorarium , lexcorp plaza including the lexcorp tower with an observation deck , metro palace theatre , metropolis museum of art , superman monument & the daily planet globe .

vi . WATERWAYS new troy is surrounded by different waters , home to some interesting and stunning marine life . with gotham city across the bay , new troy has a stunning view of the seas and is the beating heart of the east coast trade route which increases metropolis' economy each year . waterways include : hob's bay , metropolis bay & the west river .

vii . BRIDGES new troy sits on an island , but it's not alone . connected by a series of beautifully built bridges which connects the centre of metropolis to other boroughs of the city . these include : bakerline bridge , clinton bridge & queensland bridge .

viii . SPORTS metropolis is home to many sports teams who have a global fanbase . new troy is home to metropolis' baseball , football and basketball sports teams . baseball : metropolis blue stockings , metropolis meteors ( national league ) , metropolis metros , metropolis mets , metropolis monarchs & metropolis twins . basketball : metropolis comets , metropolis generals & metropolis spartans . football : metropolis spartans , metropolis meteors ( national conference ) , metropolis metros , metropolis sharks , metropolis tigers & metropolis university bulldogs .

ix . HOME OF HEROES the main attraction to the city of metropolis is the variety of heroes that live amongst us . new troy boasts a roster of exciting and brave heroes including : agent liberty , argent , atom , black lightning , booster gold , gangbuster , guardian , joto , prysm , risk , superboy , supergirl , superman & thorn .

x . NOTABLE RESIDENTS it's not just the heroes that have an impact on the city . new troy also boasts some popular residents that you may know from various news outlets or their award winning works : anthony gallo , bill henderson , bobby "the don" gazzo , cat grant , clark kent , dirk davis , dan turpin , emil hamilton , frank jackson , gretchen kelley , henry ballard , hope taya , jenny jurwich , jimmy olsen , joshua coyle , justin moore , lana lang , lex luthor , lola barnett , lois lane , loren jupiter , lucy lane , maggie sawyer , mercy graves , morgan edge , oscar asherman , perry white , ron troupe , steve lombard , sydney happersen , toby raynes , trixie collins & vincent edge .

[kenttsterling]

Anthony Richardson tops Colts to-do list 82 days to opener! Pacers draft pick deal not last one! Brogdon sent to Clippers!

[internetcatholicism]

I am sure that many of you have seen Sound of Freedom in the last several days. Many of your hearts have most likely been stirred by the stories and statistics, and you want to do something about child trafficking. Me too.

As a survivor myself I have been wanting to help fight human trafficking for a long time, but I've never taken the opportunity to really do something about it, so here I am. Child trafficking happens everywhere, but NONE OF THE PROCEEDS FROM SOUND OF FREEDOM WILL BE GIVEN TO TIM BALLARD'S ORGANIZATION. So now is the time!

If every one of my followers gave one dollar to this fundraiser, nearly $4000 could be raised. Please participate! Your donations go directly to supporting rescues, law enforcement, survivors, and worldwide prevention and education. Your donation makes a difference in the fight against trafficking. Let's put an end to this trade!

[grits-galraisedinthesouth]

Jim Caviezel and Tim Ballard: Hard Truths of the Global

Jim Caviezel and Tim Ballard: Hard Truths of the Global Child Sex Trade and the Spiritual Battle for Our Children https://link.theepochtimes.com/mkt_app/jim-caviezel-and-tim-ballard-hard-truths-of-the-global-child-sex-trade-and-the-spiritual-battle-for-our-children_5364424.html?utm_source=andshare

[t-horn-n]

— helically intertwined

PAIRING: peter ballard x reader (gender-neutral) 

GENRE: fluff

WARNINGS: none, ooc Peter, college au

SUMMARY: Anon requested: May I request a Peter Ballard fic in like a college AU setting where reader meets him through classes and gets flustered/ shy whenever he’s around because they’re crushing harddd 

NOTE: a million thank you’s for your request!!  and as many apologies for the long wait.

Undeniably, Peter Ballard is beautiful.  What is more striking than the twin skies of his eyes?  Can anything dare to compare to the grace of his figure—the junction of his jaw and his neck?  But it was not the apparent idyllically of his loveliness that wrapped around your throat like a noose.

By chance, in an amazingly serendipitous twist of fate, he sat in the aisle seat to your right during your first lecture of the semester, trapping you between him and a boy with the unfortunate personality of a side character.  It is one of those classes that everyone drags their feet to, those early in the morning ones that people are stuck in only because it’s a required class and the block was the only one still open for enrollment.

Yet, on that first morning, Peter acted as though he had signed up for the eight-in-the-morning class willingly.  And God was he intelligent.  Simultaneously he demonstrated his wit and the kind of cunning that directly opposed its negative connotation.  

Let it be known, too, that Peter Ballard is a gentleman in a society where chivalry has been swept beneath a vintage rug.  

Politely, he had greeted you as he slid into his chair; and, as more students filed into the lecture hall, you made small talk.  He was quietly confident.  Then, you made him smile and it was like you were having a conversation with the sun.  

Peter’s celestial features are always on display, but noticing them is purely surface-level.  Beneath his gilded hair and his smart cardigans is a personality that ensnared you only by existing.  It was that night, as you let the day’s events play like a repeating reel in your head while you smiled like a fool, that you realised you were utterly screwed. 

Two days later you are sitting in the campus cafe circled by a rapidly cooling coffee, several loose sheets of paper, and the book you are halfway through annotating.  He steps through the breezeway and it is like you can sense his presence without looking and immediately your attention has been pulled away from your work.  It is silly, you think, to be so involved with a boy you just met.  It feels as though the room has warmed by degrees.

You are trying to force yourself to read when Peter approaches you with something warm- and cosy-smelling in his hand.  Instantaneously, your nerves alight as you attempt to think of what to say.  

“It’s a good book,” he says first, nodding to the novel before you.  Its pages are covered with your scribbles and miscellaneous highlights.  “I read it for a course last year.” 

You wring your hands below the table, twisting your rings around your fingers.  A moment passes before you can find your voice, but he lets the time run by with grace. 

“It is.”  You nod.  “I’d love to compare notes when I finish.” 

You exchange grins.  

“May I sit?” he asks. 

A fifteen minute discussion of your book turns into a bashful trade of numbers and for the next week you shyly smile everytime you run into Peter on campus.  Those passing moments when you cross each other on the quad and when he holds the door for you out of the building.  It is as though you are the tides, influencing each other’s motions, pulling the other towards you every chance you get.

In class you stutter when he leans closer to whisper a chide at the professor in your ear.  Your ears flush when he chuckles at such a close proximity that you can smell the mint on his breath.  You are sort of awkward around this gorgeous man; you cannot find your silver tongue as quickly as he recalls his repartee.  He is suave, but you have what the general population lacks: genuineness.  Despite your nervousness he sticks around.  For reasons you cannot name, he actively seeks out your company as enthusiastically as you yearn for his.

You aren’t the only one who's screwed.

— m. list

[eldritchaccident]

Timing: Current (this morning probably) Location: Ballard family home Feat: @thesilentmedium & @eldritchaccident Warnings: slight emotional abuse mention tw Summary: Jonas hires Teddy to help fix up the family home

Jonas had been conflicted. This house wasn’t his, sure it belonged to the Ballard family but not to him. Still he was living here now and it had been a few weeks since they all went missing. He was trying to stay positive but he knew the odds of them returning were slim to none at this point. He reasoned with himself that if they did come back they would probably appreciate having the family home fixed and looking like it had when they first moved in. His grandmother had put a lot of effort into making sure the ancestral home was still as beautiful as it was in its prime. Though now it looked as if June and Jacob just couldn’t be bothered with it, it was a mess much like their marriage. It made Jonas sad and as much as he wanted to wait for permission to get it fixed he found he just couldn't wait anymore. 

He was glad when his ad got responded to so quickly. It took a lot of the anxiety off of having to wait for someone to get in touch and the young man seemed good at his job so far. At the current moment he was fixing one of the gutters that had come loose from the covered front porch. Jonas carefully pushed the screen door open, setting a tray down on one of the side tables before walking over to the man sitting at the top of his ladder. He made sure to grab the bottom before reaching up to tap Teddy’s leg. “I brought you some lunch, something to warm you up out here.” He signed once he was sure he had the other’s attention. There was currently a warm chocolate muffin fresh from the oven sitting next to a cup of coffee on the tray. 

—

Somewhere along the long road to Wicked’s Rest, Teddy had picked up a whole roster of useful skills. Levi didn’t force the kid to go to school, and more often than not the demonling spent their time learning trades, or trying to find practical means of spending their time. They just had a thirst for knowledge that couldn’t ever be quenched. Teddy loved learning, and most of the time it came in handy. 

The houses they picked weren’t always the most glamorous. Not like the one Levi found for itself on World’s End Isle. And while the greater demon had a breadth of experience and all the insight in the universe to go off of, it was still just learning how to be a human. All the little details that made up human life. And that included maintenance on things like gutters and painting, and appliances. Teddy became pretty handy with that kind of thing. And now they liked to help others with it. 

Often charging ‘favors’ instead of actual currency. 

“Appreciate it! That’s so sweet dude.” They signed right back, perks of being fluent in just about everything? You get to talk to just about everyone. Meet them wherever they are. “Almost done here. What’s next on the docket?” 

—

Jonas paused, pulling a piece of paper he had prepared in case Teddy had been unable to sign. He did not expect Teddy to be able to do most of what was on it, but he figured it was better to ask given that he hadn’t gone directly to a business. Most places wanted phone calls which wasn’t possible for him unless it was a video call. He rubbed at the back of his neck and offered the slip of paper to Teddy, “Maybe the back porch? None of the steps on it are uh particularly on very well.” That seemed to be a running theme with the stairs in the house and he wasn’t sure just what his parents were doing to cause such things to happen. Were they stealing the iron nails for something? It didn’t make much sense considering they could buy the nails if they needed it. He was so confused as to how his parents could miss all of this then again his neighbors had been mentioning that the Ballards were spending less and less time at home recently. 

Perhaps it had to do with the divorce papers he had found while looking through files in his mom’s study. Jonas frowned a little at the thought before looking back up at Teddy, “You should take a break first. No need to push yourself. We can take this time to properly discuss your pay.”  If there was one thing Jonas wasn’t lacking it was money. The benefits of having a long and well established family business he supposed. Though now that the business was relying on him to keep it going he wasn’t sure just how beneficial it was. 

—

The paper had a whole lot of projects, and Teddy couldn’t help but grin. They clicked their tongue as they skimmed it, figuring out which were doable with the things they had brought today, and which would require a trip to the local hardware store. A pretty even split. But more than enough tasks to keep the demon busy until it was time to go home. A normally enticing notion, held a little less weight lately. They were still recovering from the incident and stopping long enough to rest meant actually feeling the pain. Which was less fun than, say, fixing stairs. 

“Nahhhh–” Teddy laughed as they shook the sign, adding emphasis to it with a stanky facial expression. “I don’t tire easy. But we can chat on the porch while I inspect!” Already making their way towards the next thing to hold their attention, the demon was happy to have a companion while working. Wasn’t often that they did on these little jaunty jobs. It was nice. Refreshing. Plus Jonas was kind. A rarity in this town. Well. Somewhat. There were plenty of people who were nice, or attempted to be. But real actual kindness was a much more elusive trait. 

“How old is this place?” A pretty standard question the demon should have maybe asked a bit earlier. But it was less necessary and more intriguing. Houses like this had history. And Teddy loved stories. 

— 

The steps creaked as Jonas made his way back onto the front porch, sitting down on one of the wicker chairs. They were new, unlike the house behind them, bought only a week ago to replace the ones that had sat here before. Jonas had never claimed to be good at decorating, cars and hotel rooms were hardly places that would allow it, but he did hope the chairs went well with the small glass table sitting between them. In front of his chair was an easel with a painting that had barely begun sitting atop it. “You will have to tell me some of the snacks you prefer so I can have them on hand when you work.” Jonas had been raised to be a good host and he knew not everyone was fond of muffins, even homemade ones. “I am amazed you were able to come out here so early in the morning.” He patted the seat next to him indicating Teddy should sit down. 

“Let me know if you need anything, I can always run out to get supplies.” The young man would have gone earlier if he knew anything at all about fixing homes. At least the paint was easy enough to get, it was sitting in the basement waiting for use but that was something Jonas was particularly familiar with and wouldn’t force on Teddy. “Oh um… well I am not sure. It has been here since my grandmother at least. I think it was passed onto her from her mother, then she gave it to mine. It has a lot of history in it. I am a little sad to see it so worn out.”

Jonas fiddled with a loose piece of thread on the end of his cardigan’s sleeve. He knew the house was well loved by his family, or he liked to think so, but that made it even more alarming that it had been left to rot. How bad were things in this house when he left? Why had no one mentioned it to him? Then again Jonas being left out of the loop for most things was expected. No one seemed to want to bother him with such matters even if he would be glad to help. He wasn’t sure why, perhaps they saw him as weak? He frowned a little at the thought. He decided to change the topic in his head by addressing Teddy instead, “Have you been in Wicked’s Rest long?”

—

Out here it was a little easier to tell just how aged the house had gotten. Not that Teddy had been around to see it in its heyday, but the weather in the north east had that effect on most buildings. Stop looking after it for just one year and it looks like the apocalypse strolled through. (In a town like Wicked’s Rest, that might even be literal. Who knows if alternate timelines exist? Maybe there’s another Teddy out there, running around with a lot less fashion sense and self confidence.) As far as they could tell though, the place had good bones. The foundation was solid, the support beams were in place, no rotting. Just needed some tender love and care. 

It was a bit hard to sign and measure at the same time, if you wanted to do either with any amount of skill. So Teds opted to wait on pulling out the snappy little tape thing. Taking a moment to sit where instructed, leaning up against the railing and just observing. The painting on the easel was just starting to take shape, but it had a motion to it that captivated the demon, made a soft smile split their lips.

“I’ll eat almost anything, but have you ever tried those little cosmic brownies?” Sure, maybe they weren’t as good now as when the demon was in school (whenever they actually went to school) back in the 90’s and early 2000’s. But Teddy sure had gotten a craving for them back then. Or maybe it was the feeling of being able to trade them away for… things. You’d be surprised how much a kid would give for a dessert. And how proud that could make your demon dad. “Ooh, and clementines. Sometimes together.” They could practically smell it, bright citrus against fudgy chocolate. A perfect combo, and honestly one of the more tame ones to come from the Jones repertoire. 

“I’ve never been good at keeping a regular schedule.” In truth, the demon hadn’t even slept in a few days. Running on a mix of energy drinks and endless reservoirs of competitiveness. With themself, of course. See how long they could go, see what they could accomplish. Normal things. Right? “And if I’m up, why not come right away, right?” Teddy nodded along to the next part, putting their very best listening eyes on. Wilting slightly as they watched Jonas’ expression. It was clear he cared very much for the place. Without much time spent between the demon, the boy, and the house, Ted shared the sentiment. 

“Well, you and me together. We’ll get her looking pretty as the day she was built.” They hoped it would offer some comfort. Some manner of reassurance to whatever had left this place in such disrepair. That was a story too, Teddy thought. One they’d love to crack into, but only when the time was right. “Oh me? About” A beat, then their nose wrinkled slightly. “Two years now? Maybe a little more?” Had it really been that long? 

—

“Cosmic brownies?” Jonas really did not eat a lot of food that wasn’t homemade as a kid, especially if it was something baked. It took him a while to think of what Teddy was talking about before it clicked, “Oh! The little brownies with the rainbow colored chocolate chips on it. I can certainly see if the store has those.” Clementines, he knew those, and mixing them together did not seem all that odd to Jonas. Chocolate and oranges had been paired together before so it made sense to him. “Those will not be hard to find, I do not think. I can even probably look up a recipe to bake some, or make you chocolate oranges. If you would like that.” The young man really did not have much to do while Teddy was fixing up the house other than to bake. 

The thought of sitting outside and painting while Teddy was hard at work seemed rude. They had come here to help Jonas; he felt he could at least make them something delicious to snack on while they were busy. Living out of a car had its disadvantages and one was learning home repair. To be honest he was not much of a car man either, sure he could fix a tire if it went flat but if the car started having problems he always just brought it to someone who was an expert in that field. Jonas was a little sad that he and Lil had never found a place to settle in all their years away.

It certainly made staying put feel odd. Even now Jonas was making plans for when he and Lil would have to leave if their family came back. He wasn’t sure he really wanted to leave but something in him made it feel like he wasn’t allowed to stay. The looming threat of Jacob returning was certainly a part of it but something else was still there, something that said he didn’t belong in this town anymore. There was hardly anything here to keep him once his parents returned. They would take over their respective businesses and Jonas wouldn’t be involved anymore just like before. It was a sad thought but he knew this was the price to pay for running away all those years ago.

He didn’t regret it though, if he had stayed he likely wouldn’t be sitting here right now. Jacob had the horrible ability to wear away at one’s soul. Tearing it bit by bit and amplifying all your flaws. Making sure you felt as insignificant as you feared you were. Something about Jonas just sparked a hatred deep within his father. So much so that when the young man received his last text he couldn’t believe a word of it even if he wanted to try and see the better side of his father. How could he believe the man who berated him at every turn would suddenly admit to being proud of him? When they left his father had stopped talking to him all together unless it was to get him to tell Lil to check her texts. 

Now wasn’t the time to get lost in thought though, Jonas had a guest who was signing something and his mind needed to focus on that. “I suppose that is true but I do hope you are not pushing yourself. That is not good for your body and can hurt more than it helps.” He should know if his cry in the kitchen was anything to go by. Overwork and stress could be as hard to handle as an unloving father sometimes. “I am grateful you were free to help, I would love to see her looking like her former self.” Two years was a good amount of time to start building up a business yet Teddy seemed more like a jack of all trades rather than someone who had a single business running. “Two years? That is quite a long time. Do you like it here in Wicked’s Rest?” 

—

“Yes yes yes!!” Teddy vigorously bobbed their fist in agreement, lighting up at the acknowledgement of one of their favorite childhood snacks. “A homemade version would be so interesting, trying to get that fudgy consistency? And the little crunchies on top? If you ever attempt it you gotta call me over cause I need to be there for that.” If the demon’s smile got any brighter they’d be able to use it as a flashlight while inspecting the damage below the deck. 

Teddy loved cooking. Especially baking. If the muffins Jonas had brought by earlier were any indication, he was pretty fantastic at it too. Of course, there was something to be enjoyed by the simple confections that came in a plastic package. Maybe it was the consistency in flavor, texture, and the overall event of eating one. But that didn’t mean they held a candle to things made by hand at home by someone who loved what they were doing. 

Maybe that sentiment carried to just about everything else though too. If someone really enjoyed their craft, no matter what it was, it would show. Teddy might have been a jack of all trades, master of like… two, but that didn’t ever stop them from putting their whole heart into every task. Each carried a different piece of them, a different story. Tales of when and how and why they had learned to do it in the first place. Some, of course, fared better than others. And those ended up being the skills Teds put to use for other folks. 

The stairs were in rough shape, but it was nothing a few supports and a replaced step couldn’t fix. The temporary carpenter wanted nothing more than to reflect the homeowner’s affection (or whatever sentiment they clearly held for this house) in their work. Return the edifice to its former glory or something like that. It really was a lovely place. 

“I think I do.” Wicked’s Rest was a rush of sighs amongst a cloud of smog. It wasn’t in Teddy’s nature to settle but this town actually gave them the space to try. Leviathan seemed to be doing just that. Setting up an actual brick and mortar business (well, two of them) and acquiring an actual honest to goodness home on World’s End Isle. No more shitty apartments, no cars, no tents, motels, hotels, or abandoned shacks. It was gorgeous and fitted the nature of the ancient sea beast. Commanding a level of respect. 

“It’s been a weird adjustment, but this might be one of the most welcoming towns I’ve ever been in.” Did that perhaps shed a little light on the less than human nature of the Joneses? Maybe. Oh well. That was the sort of thing that really only clicked if the other person was also in the supernatural know-how. “What about you? Do you like it?”

—

“I will buy some to try and see if I can get the fudge to the right texture. You are more than welcome to come bake with me.” Jonas was a people person and he loved it when others took an interest in baking. “If you do not want to bake you can be the taste tester. “ He smiled at how Teddy’s face seemed to light up at the mere thought of their little idea. “The rainbow chocolate chips might need to be bought online.” He doubted the store had the little candy coated chocolate sprinkles and the homemade cosmic brownies just wouldn’t be the same without them. They were the staple of the little treats after all. 

Did he? That was a rather hard question to answer. Jonas knew he adored the people he had met so far but the town itself always carried the mark of his father which made actually enjoying it hard. He wanted to move past his father but being in the place where the man had had absolute control over him made it almost impossible. “I would very much like to. The people have been nothing but kind.” Well the majority of them. There was one incident with Regan but he blamed that more on the possessed bagel than the woman herself. He did feel bad that Blue had kicked them both out. He really should have checked in to make sure she was alright after all of that but the awkward encounter was keeping him from reaching out in case she was still mad. 

“It is hard to feel welcomed after being gone for so long.” Jonas felt as if the town didn’t recognize him anymore just as much as he didn’t recognize it. “But I am glad I got to meet you. You are a joy to be talking with.” It was true, Teddy’s bubbly personality made it hard to sit with the bad feelings that cultivated when he was alone.

—

Oh this was all too good. Teddy was so happy they’d taken this job, and they silently thanked the universe for grabbing their attention with that flier. Not only was this a big enough challenge to be fun, Jonas was turning out to be a wonderful addition to their collective group of cool folks in Wicked’s Rest. It was still a teensy bit hard to put a proper title on that. Friends seemed too… attached of a moniker. What if they didn’t think about the demon the way they did? Too many disappointments and you stop assuming your importance in other people’s lives. It was easier to wait it out and see what they said for themselves. After all, Teddy had forever. 

“I would love to bake with you, any time.” They responded enthusiastically. Something about sign language always captivated Teddy more than almost any of the hundreds of languages they’d studied. There was so much life to it. It was so animated. “But I would be honored to be your taste-tester.” The demon hummed a self satisfied little laugh, making sure to move his hands appropriately so that the sound was translated for Jonas. 

Jonas, who seemed to drift a little from the conversation. Wistful thoughts, or perhaps something darker, whisked away the boy’s attention as he thought of an answer to the demon’s query. An understandable thing, Teddy knew just how hard a topic home could be. “Well I’m glad you’re here at the same time as me. Not just for your baking skills.” They winked, and leaned back to let the sun bathe them a bit as they just sat and stared for a moment. Reflecting on how much things had changed since moving to this town. “I gotta get to work, but this has been nice.”  

—   

The enthusiasm for baking Teddy seemed to display, drew Jonas out of his thoughts. There were more cheerful things to focus on than his past and he would have to do his best to remember that. “We will have to schedule it before you leave for the day!” He couldn’t help but grin as the person in front of him seemed so excited to even get to taste test his work. It was a wonderful feeling and made Jonas more confident in his baking skills. It also reminded him why he enjoyed baking in the first place; what was the point of making food if you could not share it? It was similar to how he adored having big dinners with as many friends and family around as possible. He supposed it was a side effect of always having a large family with him. 

Jonas’ reached over and took the empty tray on the end table, careful to make sure the cup stayed in place. He spoke with his hands now busy. “I will leave you to it then. If you need me I will be in the living room or the kitchen, Blue may come out to check on you while I finish up some chores inside. If you um want another break I will be happy to sit and chat again. It is always nice to make a new friend.” His words came out slower and less confident than when he had been signing but he meant them all the same. Teddy was already counted as a friend even if they themselves had yet to reach that decision. He offered one last smile before making his way inside. 

[amaranthsynthesis]

Something about drow with sunglasses or growing up in Menzoberranzan idk

I'm responding specifically to the sunglasses because I think it's cute and charming if Ballard had to wear sunglasses for his first few years above ground to deal with the light levels! It's bright and overwhelming and coming from EVERYWHERE and reflecting a way that the soft bioluminescence of the Underdark just doesn't. Pupils that are able to expand enough to see well in such dim settings are going to take a long time to adjust to being in such a bright setting for so much of the day--and that's before we bring in the sensitivity of eyes low in melanin or absent it entirely, like the red/pink Lolth-sworn Drow have. And a hood only does so much, although Ballard does keep a cowl/shawl handy for the rest of his adult life as a result. I don't think we see any glasses in BG3 at all, let alone tinted glass, but we have glass elsewhere so we know they conceivably exist. We have the dark room in Baldur's Mouth, so we know glass exists with complexity!

So Ballard picks up some sunnies in the first settlement he finds, which runs a brisk trade being positioned as it along a common route into and out of the Underdark. He also has a panic attack about a week in about having caught some kind of plague--he's developing spots everywhere, and he has no idea what to do about it because he doesn't get sick, but a random traveller notices his panic and is able to soothe him through laughter. The guy is human, his own skin is dark brown and densely spotted, and he smiles very very warmly when he explains that Ballard is developing freckles.

"It's how some folks' skin reacts to the sun," he explains, letting Ballard run his hands over his broad forearm to trace the tiny marks. His skin is as warm as his voice. "They aren't bad, there's nothing wrong with 'em--just the sun kissin on you is all."

[elaine4queen]

Ballard and Ishiguro

“In the future everyone will need to be a film critic to make sense of anything.”

(Dick - The Kindness of Women, JG Ballard)

On the second day of the succession of Sundays Easter Weekend represents I woke early to no WIFI and a dog keen to go out at the earliest opportunity. I drank Chai and took the sliver of amphetamine that is enough to kick start my brain, but not so much to kick off breakthrough migraine. 

In the chill of the sun we beat the bounds of the park while I listened to Ballard’s autobiographical work. To me, the endless descriptions of the car crashes he became obsessed with as a symbol of the twisted modernity of the 60s, were one of his least compelling narratives, and, as my brain awoke I wondered if this was because it was borrowed from the mind of his Shanghai boyhood and lifelong friend, David? 

***

It occurred to me that the months leading up to my Ballard/Ishiguro season had created my sudden deep dive to this Yang and Yin of authors. Ballard’s violent extremism, Ishiguro’s repressed, internal violence. I wondered if they’d ever met? If they’d read each other?

One of Ishiguro’s novels abandons his usually Pacific tone to explore the chaos of Shanghai. It takes place during the days of the opium trade which the International Settlement of Ballard’s childhood created, then moves to London for an inter-war pause for the protagonist to grow up and become a detective. While the foreshadowing of World War Two is playing itself out he returns to Shanghai to find his probably long dead parents, with the enthusiasm, simplicity and hubris of a boy. And it is in Shanghai, already staging a violent struggle between the Chinese and the Japanese, we find the arrogant English treating the bombings as a kind of fireworks show, and a backdrop to their incessant social lives. The trail is, of course, cold, and he is about to leave when he gets drawn into a search for his parents in an area which Dickens would recognise as a Rookery. This is where the Chinese factory workers live. There are no streets, but shacks built against other shacks in a formless anarchy. What he finds there is an hallucination of a boyhood friendship with a Japanese boy. I think, if Ballard had written When We Were Orphans it would have been celebrated, but apparently this book is a duff and an aberration from Ishiguro’s pen. We prefer him to talk about ignored violence, while we accept any kind of excess from Ballard without question. 

[holophotal]

“I remembered Catherine describing our own personal possessions scattered on the floor and seats of my car after the crash—a holiday route map, an empty bottle of nail varnish, a trade magazine. The isolation of these pieces of our lives, as if arranged by a demolition squad, was part of the same remaking of the commonplace which in a tragic way I had brought about in the death of Remington. The grey herringbone of his coat sleeve, the whiteness of his shirt collar, were held for ever within that accident.”

- Crash, J.G. Ballard