#Challenge 1 Escaped large animal on the station

[rjalker]

Murderbot fandom Challenge 2023 challenge #1: Escaped large animal on the station

Word count: 3,101

Summary: Somehow, an animal native to Preservation gets loose on Preservation Station. Fortunately, it's not hostile. Unfortunately, it's looking for a mate, and its species has a very inconvenient way of going about finding one -- being deafeningly loud, and exuding a horrible smell that's toxic to humans and robots alike.

OC POV because my brain just did not want Murderbot to be the narrator this time. So here's Grous, completely out of order of her supposed introduction. Oh well. Just roll with it. Or don't, IDC, lol.

As usual, there's zero spoilers for the books because everything mentioned in this fic is just made the fuck up. Because there isn't actually anything (besides Martha Well's casual bigotry) in The Murderbot Diaries that I'd actually want to change in terms of the story or plot.

You are encouraged to use the animal concept here for your own original fiction or fanfiction for other things. Like I said it's 100% original.

Actually ykw no, no read-more because tumblr's stupid. It's tagged long post.

= = =

This was not one of the small, fluffy cubs the SecUnit from Preservation had had the misfortune of running into down on the planet, when it and Evrim had fallen into a nest that had been dug under the supposedly safe path leading through the woods.

This was also not one of the parents, who'd been only a little bit bigger than their offspring, bristling with spines and spitting corrosive acid, but still very easy to run away from.

No, this was neither of those options.

Turns out, adult animals of this species who hadn't found a mate yet were trying really, really hard to remedy that fact. They attempted to remedy this fact by attracting a mate. By being as attractive as possible.

And you know what these animals thought was really attractive?

Animals who were really fucking big, really fucking bright, and reeked to high fucking heaven of the most cloying smell you can imagine, that burned the eyes and nose with its strength, and could even start corroding certain metals if it was in high enough concentrations.

This trait had evolved so that while these animals were running around in the unbelievably giant forests that were their natural habitat, their scent would be dispersed on the wind over a large area, allowing them, with the additional aid of their literally deafening howls, to find eachother and see if they liked what they saw.

This is what was pacing up and down the thoroughfare of Preservation Station, sniffing at every single thing that it came upon, and growing increasingly more obviously confused.

The scent glands that covered its body were constantly producing more of the noxious chemicals that had already caused several dozen humans, only some of whom had been confirmed to have respiratory problems before this incident, to pass out from lack of oxygen, even now that they were in separate sections of the station.

The air filters were working as hard as they could, but they hadn't been designed with a situation like this in mind. Purposefully poisonous gas they could handle. But even the most advanced poison gas wasn't almost infinitely self-replicating the way this animal's smell was. Not to mention it had stuck to people's clothes and skin, and there weren't enough shower or sanitation rooms for everyone on the station to clean the smell off of them at the same time.

And to make things worse, every few minutes, the animal, viewed only by the surviving, most sturdily built cameras in the highest spots of the high ceiling, stopped its pacing to throw its head back and let out a howl so loud it was literally deafening, which had already broken dozens of display surfaces and other fragile items within the thoroughfare where it'd been locked and isolated. Including all the cameras that were further down the walls.

The first howl it had given (once it got out of the landing pod it had arrived in) had instantly incapacitated over four hundred humans and two hundred bots, knocking them violently unconscious and permanently deafening the hundreds that had been closest to it, before anyone had even realized it was there, let alone before anyone could evacuate.

More humans and bots had had to run in to try and rescue the ones who were now unconscious, with a few exceptionally brave and foolhardy ones attempting (and succeeding, to everyone's shock) to distract the animal so it wouldn't howl again until they could get everyone away, even though they were being overwhelmed by the smell.

Fortunately, this was real life, not a dramatic movie, so the animal did not immediately start roaring and howling and leaping to viciously maul everyone it saw. Because that would be counterproductive to its goals - - find a mate, and stay alive.

It wasn't interested in taking a human as a mate, and it also wasn't interested in picking a fight when it was outnumbered by animals who were each almost as big as it was. It also wasn't interested in hunting or eating right now, but even if it had been, it still wouldn't have tried to hunt any humans, because they were way bigger than what it had evolved to eat.

Also, again, it was outnumbered, so even if it was hungry, it wasn't going to pick a fight it clearly couldn't win. Real animals did not just randomly start hunting people for no reason, and especially not when they were in a new environment.

So the successive waves of humans who volunteered to try and herd it back into the landing pod it'd come out of /did/ manage to keep it distracted and busy long enough for everyone who'd been knocked unconscious by its first howl, or the toxic fumes, to be either dragged away to safety further into the station, or dragged to safety into the nearest ship, and then the hatch sealed, without getting themselves mauled.

They also weren't deafened or knocked unconscious by any new howls, because, again, it can not be stressed enough: this wasn't a movie, so the animal reacted like a real animal. And a real animal isn't going to keep performing its mate-attracting ritual while it's being harassed by many large other animals. That's just not the kind of behavior that gets passed down the evolutionary line, because that's the kind of behavior that guarantees you'll be killed before you can pass your genes on in the first place.

Fortunately, no one had died of their injuries yet, and most people were recovering enough that the medics thought that could be avoided altogether.

As for the SecUnit from Preservation?

Well, it wasn't dead. But it had been unlucky enough to be standing close to the pod the animal had come out of, so it'd been knocked unconscious as the internal structures of its ears, as well as a few other crucial systems in its head, literally shattered from the sheer volume of the animal's howl.

When it woke up - - and the medics assured that Grous that it would, hopefully at some point soon - - it would be mostly fine, except for the inability to hear through its ears. But the SecUnit from Preservation usually used drones or cameras for audio anyways, so that hopefully wasn't going to be as big of a deal as it would be for anyone else. Heck, it might even enjoy the fact that humans wouldn't be able to talk to it unless it wanted to be able to hear them.

Yes, Grous was 100% aware that was not the likely outcome of this event at all, but it was trying to keep optimistic. Imagining how devastated the SecUnit from Preservation would be when it found out it'd never be able to hear again without additional augments was not doing anything to help her mood. She'd been far away enough during the initial howl that she hadn't been knocked out, though her ears were still ringing with the after-effects. She'd never been able to smell, not in the way humans or other constructs described it, so the animal's scent wasn't bothering her, since her lungs were able to filter in enough oxygen past it with only a slightly noticeable difficulty. She knew it was there because her chemoreceptor was constantly giving her updates on the percentage of atmosphere it was making up.

Right now she was locked inside one of the spaceships stranded in the port. She'd grabbed as many humans as could hold onto her at once (Which was four when they were all conscious and cooperating) and dragged them all inside. They'd been joined by twelve other humans and five robots, one of which was another construct.

None of them knew how to fly this kind of spaceship, but fortunately the the bot pilot, Thrive, who used fe/ir pronouns, hadn't been damaged, and was more than happy to help, so the whole shipful of them were currently in the process of disconnecting from the station so the pilot could ferry those who wanted to get off down to the planet, before fe'd bring Grous and 6210311, the hauler bot who'd also volunteered to return and help out, who used he/him pronouns, back to the station.

(Fe would have let them off before bringing everyone else down to the planet, except that the animal'd wandered over to where fe was docked by that point, and even if the animal itself wasn't hostile, opening the airlock would let in too much of its smell than would be safe for the humans.)

[Pheromones], Thrive the bot pilot had corrected Grous. Apparently the smell this animal was releasing was specifically called a pheromone, because it was used to communicate a specific purpose. In this case, the purpose was finding a date.

Everyone was grateful that it was not attempting to seduce any humans or robots so far. Grous had heard stories of animals on other planets who were so social and bonded so readily with humans they'd perform mating dances at them, even if humans were dozens of times bigger than them and of a completely different body plan.

Grous wasn't sure exactly what she'd do once she and 6210311 got back to the station, but she figured that with her anosmia and the fact that she required less oxygen than humans would help in the toxic fumes department, if nothing else.

Thrive was talking to one of the systems on Preservation on a channel with a free invite so they could all listen in if they wanted, talking to a bot who studied the species of animal that had somehow gotten onto the station.

Thrive had sent down a description of the animal along with visual and audio recordings, and the bot on the surface, whose feed signature read, “Xeotherial, xe/xir/xirris” sent back a quick summary of the species, highlighting most of what they'd already figured out - - that its territorial howls were dangerous for most life forms not native to Preservation, that its pheromones were toxic to humans, and that it was generally non-hostile in its current state.

All of this they already knew, but Xeotherial also had some new information to share - - like the fact that long enough exposure to the pheromones could start to damage bots as well as humans, by physically clogging filtration systems and corroding some materials, though there wasn't yet enough research to say what effects it would have on constructs. Based on the effects it had on humans and bots, it wouldn't be anything healthy.

And speaking of the pheromone, Grous' scanner was showing that it was still present in the atmosphere inside Thrive, clinging to her skin, clothes, and mechanical parts. It was like it was more than just a smell, it was like a sticky residue. She couldn't see it except with one of her visual overlays, but she could feel it when she experimentally pinched the fabric of her shirt between two fingers. It was making the fabric stiffer, less soft than it should be, and made it stick to her fingers slightly as she pulled away.

All of the humans who'd gotten aboard Thrive had immediately fled to the bathrooms, and Grous could hear them all through the doors they'd left open along the way, very noisily complaining about the smell and trying to wash it off their clothes, skin, and hair.

6210311 had happily accepted Thrive's offer of a charging station, and was in standby mode at the moment while he, from what Grous could gather from his reactions on the open feed channel, watched a documentary about the animals in question.

Which were called mostly just Preservation grey foxes, though the grey part of the name applied to the adult and juvenile forms only, not this bright intermediate stage. Grous had never seen an adult or a baby for herself, just the recording the SecUnit from Preservation had shared with her of its (mis)adventure with Evrim.

She'd had no idea their middle stage looked anything like this. From the complaints the humans were making, (shouting and exclaiming in disgust and horror and confusion and some begrudging humor), she was guessing none of them had, either.

Thrive informed her that it would be at least half a Preservation standard hour before they were able to land, and offered her a charging station across from 6213011 if she wanted it.

But Grous didn't need to initiate a charge cycle for another few Preservation-standard days, so she thanked ir, but declined, showing ir her pantry of full power batteries.

But her chemoreceptor analysis was still showing a high concentration of the animal's pheromones on her skin and clothes, so it would be a good use of her time to try and wash it off, if she could, like the humans were. No point carrying around the smell unnecessarily.

So she left the main area and went to join the humans in the communal bathroom, who'd progressed almost all the way to being optimistic and cheerful and thinking the situation was funny, rather than just being afraid and worried. They'd left all the doors open between them and the rest of Thrive to help keep the air circulating, and most of the pheromones that had been stuck to them had been successfully washed down the drains. That would pose problems in the future if the chemicals weren't easily broken down for re-use, but that would be a problem for later.

Grous had estimated that the amount of pheromones still left hanging around her were at a level humans would find unpleasant, and was proven correct when she stepped into the further bathroom, which was less crowded than the first, and was gratified to be immediately met with a wave of “ewww!!” “aaah!!” and “uughh!!!” as she stepped in and the humans caught scent of her.

One of the naked humans closest to the door, whose short bio was listed as [Jikar, alternating he/him, they/them] in the feed, covered his mouth and nose with one hand, and waved Grous over with the other, saying urgently, their voice muffled by his hand, “Oh, quick, quick come under the water, get that stuff off of you! I'll grab you some more solid soap, we used it all.” They quickly but carefully fast-walked past her toward the door. Grous started for the shower of water that was still running over the tiled floor. Jikar's clothes had been left scattered by the drain in the floor, presumably so they'd keep getting rinsed out.

Grous started to lift her shirt over her head, but was stopped by another human's voice- -

“Don't bother getting undressed yet, just go right under the water with your clothes still on first, it'll be easier to get most of it off that way.” Grous turned to look at the voice, and saw a human sitting on one of the benches in one of the bath-showers, with new water falling down from above and the rest of their body submerged below the shoulders. Several pieces of clothing were floating or had sunk to the bottom of the small pool. A pair of crutches were visible thorugh the water sitting on a small shelf next to the human.

A quick fumble for the feed bio displayed, [Ask for my name, pronouns: sie/syr/syr/(syrs)/syrself. I am part of – ]

The human spoke again before Grous could finish reading, saying:

“When Jikar gets back with more soap, just start at the top and go down, it'll help rinse more off with the soap.” Sie gestured as sie spoke, lifting one hand out of the water and then moving it back down with the palm flat to demonstrate. “Then you can take your clothes off and wash them again. It seems to stick more to natural fibers than the synthetic ones. It shouldn't take long for your shirt, but your pants you're probably gonna have to use a whole bar on.” Sie gestured to syr clothes in the water. “I'm just going to let mine soak until we're almost ready to land. Apparently it sticks really well to dagro.”

Grous knew from her scouring of the information for Preservation that dagro was the name of an animal fiber commonly used for clothes. The species it was harvested from (nunam) were native to the same sorts of ecosystems as the Preservation grey foxes. Which sort of made sense. The foxes' pheromones had probably evolved specifically to stick to the fur of other nearby animals so they'd spread it even further than the wind could.

Jikar returned at that moment, carrying several bags of packaged soap bars. “Here you go!” He said, handing one of the bags to Grous, their nose crinkled up in reaction to the smell still sticking to her. “Ugh!” They exclaimed, “I just can't believe how bad that smells! I've lived here on Preservation for two years now, and I never knew anything that smelled that bad was living here! How can anything find that attractive?” He used their free hand to wave the air in front of his nose for emphasis.

If there was ever a time that Grous was glad for her inability to smell, it was times like these. She gratefully accepted the soap, though, and went to the next empty shower to wash off. She couldn't smell the horribleness like everyone else, but it was creating a weird texture on her skin and clothes, and just because she couldn't smell it didn't mean she wanted to subject everyone else to it.

She set the bag down and took out one of the packages of soap. It said it was clofus scented, with an artistic painting of the bark of the kiius tree on it, dotted with bright purple sap. Grous' chemoreceptor feedout informed her part of the composition of the soap did indeed match what she'd recorded the few times she'd seen kiius trees in person.

She checked the timer Thrive had been nice enough to set in the feed for everyone, and saw that there was still most of an hour left before they got to the planet. And then it would be an hour again before they could get back to the station.

Plenty of time to wash off the pheromones, and maybe start watching that show the SecUnit from Preservation was so obsessed with, to see if it was actually any good.

She sat down under under the warm shower of water, and put on the first episode of The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon.

[tejastravels]

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[chudleycanonficfest]

Day 30, Post 1 by @blimeypeople

Hi! This is my first time writing a fiction story in English (I'm not a native english speaker) and it's unbetaed :(  If you have time to spot something wrong or if this story doesn't make any sense, just let me know, pretty please?

Thanks for hosting this fest. You're all so awesome!

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Title: Don’t run, please.

Author: blimey,people

Pairing: Ron/Hermione

Prompt: Parenthood

Rating: G

Hermione Granger-Weasley really thought her life was perfect, that she had achieved everything she wanted and made her heart happy: she had a husband who loved her, a job she enjoyed, saw her friends and family whenever she could (well Sunday lunches at The Burrow were an unwritten rule but she enjoyed them a lot), but then what was she doing running through the corridors of the Ministry of Magic? Hiding from her husband, that's what she was doing. She turned on the corner of one of the corridors, she was no longer running, but she was walking hurriedly heading in the direction of the main library of the Ministry, so big and wide that not only was it difficult to locate the books you needed, but also the people that were inside. The best hiding place, Hermione thought and quickened her pace when she saw him: Ron, standing in front of the large wooden doors, staring at his shoes in his scarlet Auror team uniform, which was somewhat wrinkled. Probably coming back from training, Hermione barely had time to think when she turned around running to the opposite side. They were quite far apart, so it wouldn’t be that easy for him to reach her but he was faster.

  "Hermione!" She heard him scream, but she couldn't stop, she was scared, she was afraid of having a conversation with him. She accelerated her escape as she felt his footsteps getting closer.

  "Hermione! Don't run, please! " She had heard that voice a few times. Her memories took her to a particular occasion, when she was also hiding, but from evil forces who wanted to end their lives and the life of their best friend. She couldn’t resist his voice, she had resisted it countless times while he asked her for forgiveness inside the horrendous tent. It hurt her soul, it hurt her not being able to hug him telling him how much she loved him, but her pride won. Only months later, she was able to achieve what her heart and mind most wanted: to reveal her feelings and be reciprocated. Now her heart and mind told her this was far more important, that this could perhaps destroy the relationship that with so much love, time and dedication they had built, this could possibly end one of their most cherished dreams, burst the bubble of joy and emotion that had appeared inside them almost three months ago. This could take away their most precious gift: their future child.

  So she stopped, took a deep breath, and waited for him to catch up with her. It didn't take many seconds when she felt his long fingers capture her left wrist leading her towards a deserted office.

  I should’ve flooed home, Hermione thought as she walked alongside Ron. He would have found me there in an instant though, I should’ve gone to..., she tried to complete the thought, when she was struck by doubt. Her choices were limited in terms of places where she could just go to think without being seen, without being interrupted, no questions being asked by anyone. Her childhood room in her parents' house might have been a great option, but now recently her parents had semi-retired from their jobs (occasionally they went to the office in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon, at times they took turns and one of them stayed home while the other went to work), thus Hermione didn't know for sure when the house was thoroughly empty. Besides if they found her in her old room on a Friday lunch, at the time in which she should still be at the Ministry plus they were aware that, due to her almost obsession with completing every unfinished task at the end of the week, Fridays were her most complicated days at work, it would potentially lead them to ask her thousands of questions and if she chose to answer truthfully, as she had done since she met them again in Australia two months after the war, tired of hiding things from them. This time, though, she was certain they wouldn’t be as understanding as they were back then. Now the situation wasn't just about her, it involved someone more important and vulnerable, someone they hadn't met yet but they already loved.

  Her parents, Jean and Hugo, were over the moon since the day they learned about the arrival of their first grandson or granddaughter. The imminent growth of their little family filled them with infinite joy. On countless moments, mainly when Hermione and Ron would give them the news about the birth of a new child in the ever growing Weasley family, the faces of Jean and Hugo gave away what they wanted: they were dying to ask her when she and Ron would finally decide to have one of their own. Therefore they were ecstatic. The decision to adapt a room on the first floor as a playroom for their future grandson or granddaughter came easily. Well, we don’t need a library anymore, do we, Hugo?, said her mom. It took them a week to disappear the shelves loaded with books that were once part of the room. Toys, kids books, little stuffed animals, big stuffed animals, a white cot and the largest most colorful collection of clothes Hermione had ever seen overflowed the rather large space. Apparently, her mother considered it was better to have more variety than later needing a neon green footie embroidered with dinosaurs and not having it on hand. Her father, more serene and restrained, but just as enthusiastic, had bought a beautiful memoir book for the baby, where he himself would be in charge of writing down every detail of his or her first year of life. However, Hermione was sure something was wrong with her for she hadn't been able to share the same level of enthusiasm of her parents or her husband hence she just smiled everytime they mentioned the baby. Therefore, she was certain Jean and Hugo would probably agree with Ron on this issue. So now he was being proven right, they would help him convince her to "do the right thing for the baby." Except she honestly couldn’t discern what was right anymore so the confusion and fear consumed her. She loved her job, enjoyed the responsibilities that came with it, rejoiced in every new challenge she encountered no matter the outcome, she was sure of it. Her newly discovered feelings for the little human being growing inside of her were what confused and scared her at the same time.

  Ron guided her to an old and solitary chair within the rather desolated office gently helping her to sit on it. Rather than sitting beside Hermione, he stood in front of her and crouched down. He took one of her hands, placed it on top of her knee, gently stroking it.

  “Hermione, the evidence is overwhelming. If they were able to send an object specifically charmed to harm you into your office, it is because they aren’t our most common enemies. It means they are doing their homework figuring out your routines. They’ve been following you for at least a few weeks. They knew that only us usually go there so you would open the package without a second thought,” Ron couldn't control the tone of sadness, anger and despair as he spoke.

  Minutes before lunch, Hermione received a small package wrapped in a black paper with little stars, the wrapping of Hermione's new favorite bookstore in Muggle London. She frequently went there alone and sometimes Ron accompanied her. She ran to get it, unwrapping it in an instant. She didn’t even have time to see the title of the literary work, when the book came to life and suspended in the air began to hit her repeatedly, increasingly hard on the chest, arms, legs. Her wand was on the handbag she regularly took to lunch. The book kept hitting her, in one moment heading for her belly. Hermione started to scream, moving as far as she could from the object. In seconds, the auror who was stationed outside her office managed to undo the spell. It wasn’t the first threat, that's why the auror guarded her office. Whoever was behind it, had tried to harm her on previous occasions but they had never been so close to actually hurting her. The spell was very powerful, the package was able to pass the rigorous inspection of the experienced auror. A mother who genuinely loved her child would already be home, protecting him or her by being away from danger, the thought stunned her. She began to run through the corridors of the Ministry even when she heard the auror screaming for her to stop. She didn’t want to see anyone, especially Ron, who a week ago had almost begged her to stay home for a few days while they determined who was threatening her.

  “Harry and I are very close to identifying who is doing this, Hermione. We just need you to get away from danger a bit… ” Ron started, looking her straight in the eyes.

  “I don't want to quit my job, Ron, not after working so hard for many years. I'm nearly there with the house-elf protection law… "

  “I know about all the work you've done, Hermione. I would never ask you to do it, if it weren't for… "

  "The baby," Hermione completed looking down, "I understand Ron, but I honestly don't think it's necessary ..."

  "Not putting our child at risk is more than necessary, Hermione, it will only be a few months," Ron interrupted quickly.

  "Ron, I can't. So many magical creatures trust in me..."

  "They will continue to trust in you when you return," said Ron.

  "We said having a child wouldn't alter our lives, that I would continue working, you know I don’t want to be a stay at home mum." Hermione felt Ron's hand tighten on top of hers.

  "It's not that. We wouldn’t be having this conversation if the situation wasn't like this," argued Ron, "Tough I must say you were the one saying having a child wouldn't alter our lives. I think you were trying to convince yourself. For my part, I believe that many things are going to change, things we won’t be able to control."

  "Ron…"

  "I reckon you're getting scared ..." Ron continued coming closer and reaching her shoulders to hug her.

  "I'm not…" Hermione tried to interrupt and wriggle out of the hug. But he knew her better than anyone. Hermione was sure he had noticed her doubts, insecurities and fears even before her.

  "I am scared too, I'm not just talking about the threats, because I can assure you that we are going to find out who is behind everything and he’s going to pay for putting you through this," his voice was harsh and he had struggled not to shout during the last sentence. "I’m positive you're scared for him or her too," his voice had taken a delicate, sweet tone, the tone he used when they fought and he wanted her to understand he was right without making her feel too bad.

  "You are doubting yourself, asking that brilliant mind of yours a ton of questions, not finding answers. You’re wondering if you’re going to do a good job or if you will love him or her enough. The fact is, Hermione, the love you will feel towards our child will never be enough, it will be infinite", he raised one of his hands caressing her cheek, “It's not about doing a good or bad job, love. It's about doing the best we can in our own way, making mistakes and learning together, because you do realize we're in this together, right?” Ron delicately squeezed her cheek, Hermione looked up, her beautiful blue eyes pierced through her with the deepest love, he lowered his hand placing it on her still small belly, “He or she deserves the world, I assure you we will give it to him or her when the time comes. What we can do now is protect our little one, we are not going to let anything happen to him or her. Okay, we should definitely find out if it’s a boy or a girl, I'm getting tired of this”, he grinned.

  In that instant, Hermione felt within her how the little life Ron and she had created began to move and the most profound love, love she only felt for the man in front of her, completely invaded her. Ron gave no sign of feeling it, but it wasn't necessary. She placed her hand on top of Ron's, looked him straight in the eye, and nodded. He smiled at her, hugging her tightly.

  At this precise moment in her life, despite her insecurities about her ability to love and protect her unborn child, the certainty of knowing Ron never made vain promises began to fill her with strength and hope. If he firmly believed everything would be fine, it would be. If he was by her side on this adventure, there was no doubt the next few years would be different, challenging, but wonderfully incredible.

[champion-leon-imagines]

Chronicles of Galar - Prologue 3: Y/N L/N

The Chapter you all waited for. Don’t worry, we’ll get to your past soon enough in the story, so stay tuned. Amila is a fake region my best friend made. He is also your brother in the story and the Professor of Amila. And don’t forget to save the tag Chronicles of Galar for updates ^_^ You can also find the story on AO3: Here

[Prologue: Y/n L/n]

Light footsteps echoed through the darkened Slumbering Weald, Galar. You tried to make your way through the thicket and a white Vulpix kept you company. The little Pokemon had a very shy and timid nature and was trembling with fear all the time. The unknown has always had a tense effect on the pre-stressed Pokemon. No wonder, when you thought about what those monsters from Team Skull in Alola must have done to it. You didn't want to think about that anymore and took out your smartphone to dial your brother's number. "Yes? [Y/n]? Man, we're looking for you everywhere. We were supposed to meet at Wedgehurst station. Are you lost again? " a male voice sighed at the other end.

“What does 'again' mean here? Sorry for not memorizing the entire map of a new region the first time I explore. Not everyone can have such a photographic memory as our Professor Mamoru [L/n]. ”You countered jokingly. "Very funny. Where are you?"

"If I'd know that. There is a forest here. I followed a little Pokemon that I don't know yet. That was so cute. Such a small blue creature, a bit similar to Ralts, with pigtails. I HAD to go after it, that's why I ran after it. "You explained, describing the Pokemon Hattrem, the intermediate form to the Pokemon Hatterene, a Galar Pokemon with the dual types fairy and psycho.

".... You walked into an unknown forest because of a 'cute' Pokemon?" Mamoru sighed and covered his face with his hand. That was just so typical of you.

"Pff. If it had been a new Arcanine Pokemon, you would have done the same. ” You shrugged your shoulders and heard a woman's voice laughing on the other side. "Hello Aki."

While you were talking to your brother, you did not notice at first that a fog was coming up. At first the fog was light and transparent, but soon you couldn't even see your own hand in front of your eyes. "Damn. Where does this fog come from all of a sudden? Hello? Mamoru? Can you still hear me? Hello? “ You asked several times after you didn't get an answer. You looked at your cell phone and then saw the connection go dead. "Strange."You muttered and tried to connect again.

Connection failure. The empty wifi symbols blinked mysteriously and that made you even more alarmed than you already were.

Vulpix jumped into your arms, the fog must have made it even more frightened as it snuggled into your chest. You pressed the fox creature close and tried to calm it down. “Don't worry, I'm here. We can do it, ” You whispered in a calming tone.

Suddenly there was a rustling in the bushes next to you, made you stopping in your tracks. You swallowed and hugged Vulpix even closer. "Okay .. keep calm. That is .. just the cute blue Pokemon from earlier .. definitely .. I'm sure of it "Your mantra died in your throat when a large, wolf-like Pokemon came slowly walking towards you. It was mostly blue and the tail, as well as his shoulder jewelry and a long, pigtail-like fur chain, were in a red. The animal looked graceful but also dangerous. You knew from your trainer battle experience when a wild Pokemon is too strong to risk a fight. Since you had not brought any other Pokemon to Galar except Vulpix and Primarina, you did not dare to challenge this mysterious Pokemon. Especially since the fog was too thick for a real fight.

You backed away as the unknown wolf pokemon stepped closer. It seemed to be assessing the situation without actually giving the appearance of wanting to attack. You didn't wanted to risk anything and so you turned around and tried to escape. You held Vulpix with all your strength so that you wouldn't drop it while running.

However, it turned out to be a wrong decision to run through an unknown forest in thick fog. At every corner you almost bumped into the trees and one time you could not avoid the roots that were on the way and stumbled. At the last second you were able to turn your body to one side so that you wouldn't crush Vulpix with your body.

In return, you fell so hard on your shoulder that you had to cry out in pain. Vulpix whimpered helplessly and tried to comfort it's trainer by licking your cheek when you got up again and wanted to run away. To make matters worse, you were getting tired too.

It wasn't long before you passed out when you let go of Vulpix and collapsed. In this unknown fauna with a wolf on your back and nobody knew where you were. Was that the end?

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Char?"

You had a headache and your shoulder hurt badly when you slowly opened your eyes. You felt as if you had been grilled with a Rapid Spin. Above you was a shadow that turned out to be the head of a Charizard and that made you blink.

"Oh? You are finally awake? " a male voice, unknown to you, spoke up. You straightened up before you realized you were covered with something. A blanket? No. A cape? It was red with a yellowish border and next to the red check pattern there were many different symbols, probably from companies from Galar. Sponsors maybe? Then you looked at a campfire.

A young man was sitting there, no more than 1-2 years older than you, and gave you a sincere and charming smile. His irides were amber and glowed from the fire. His purple hair was moving gallantly in the blowing wind and his parted goatee gave him a wise and manly touch. He wore a kind of leotard with a sword and a shield, short white trousers and long, equally white leggings underneath.

"What happened?"You wanted to know and held your shoulder. The memories, of what happened, were rather vague. “Charizard found you. And at the right time. You passed out right in front of a cliff. “ the man said and crossed his arms. "However, it took a while to save you, because your little protector thought we were enemies at first." the purple-haired man smiled and then pointed to a white fur ball next to you. It was Vulpix who slept next to you. You blinked and looked up. "W-what?"

The man's smile widened. "It really wanted to protect you heroically, even though it was trembling with fear."

[Flashback after you passed out]

[Leon's POV]

Charizard scanned the area to find a way out of the thick forest. If my brother ever finds out that I'm still lost in the Slumbering Weald ... I sighed and continued on my way through the fog. It was strange, the last time there was a fog like this, I looked for Hop and Gloria. The two reported about a rare Pokemon. Had it reappeared?

"Char-Charizard!"

My faithful companion drew my attention to something. A person was lying near the cliffs. Here in this part of the forest people rarely got lost, so I was astonished to meet someone here. Charizard and I stepped closer to identify the person. It was a woman. Just as Charizard was only a few steps away, a Vulpix attacked us. But it looked different from what I knew. It was snow-white and otherwise looked slightly different. Was that a so-called "Shiny"? I've never seen anything like it in my life! It had to belong to the woman. “Don't worry, my friend. We mean no harm. We want to help you. " I tried to calm the Pokemon. It stood protectively in front of its trainer and growled at us. But I also realized how scared it was. His entire body was shaking and his eyes showed despair and uncertainty.

I leaned down so I didn't looked so tall and held out my hand slightly. "Do not worry. We are not enemies. ”I tried again, but the Vulpix barked and shot an aurora beam at both Charizard and me. Wait? Aurora beam?!

I had no time to be confused about what was going on with it's element.

Charizard intercepted the attack with his wing and tried to counter. “Charizard stop! Don't fight. “, I ordered him and looked back at Vulpix. Just as I was trying to figure out how to make it clear to the Pokemon that I just wanted to help, it seemed to run out of strength and it collapsed. "That poor thing. Who knows how long it had been so weak and it kept on its feet the whole time to protect its trainer. "

[End of flashback]

"Vulpix must love you very much." The man added gently to his story and you smiled gratefully when you lightly petted the head of the Pokemon. "Oh Vulpix .." you whispered softly. “By the way, my name is [Y/n]. And your name is..?"

Now the man looked surprised, almost shocked. Or maybe .. disappointed? But then he had to smile again. "And I thought I am most famous trainer in Galar," he said, although his tone was not arrogant. "So you're not a fan of me, unfortunately." he added jokingly. "Hahaha. I'm sorry. But I'm not from Galar. “ You explained to the young man. "Will the most famous Galar trainer tell me his name?", You asked, a little amused yourself, whereupon the friendly stranger had to laugh gently. "With pleasure. My name is Leon. “, He finally introduced himself. "I am pleased to meet you. And thanks for the rescue. “ You replied kindly. "You're welcome. Where are you from, if I'm allowed to ask? ”Leon asked curiously.

"Of course. I grew up in Sinnoh. But originally I'm from Amila. ”You explained proudly. “Oh, I've heard a lot from Amila. Has your family moved to Sinnoh? "

"No no. It's a somewhat complicated story and, frankly, a bit too private. "You answered the question with an apologetic smile. Leon seemed to understand your intention and nodded. "Then of course I won't ask further. But it's nice to see that trainers from so far away are drawn to our beautiful Galar. But what are you doing here in the forest and why were you passed out? "

"Um .." You scratched your cheek in slight embarassment. “I wanted to meet my brother and his fiancée in Wedgehurst. Then I saw this real cute Pokemon and followed it blindly into the forest. At some point I lost sight of it and then this thick fog came. There was this Pokemon .. graceful, big, blue and red .. and I fled from it because I didn't fight unnecessary fights .. At some point on my escape I dislocated my shoulder and then passed out from exhaustion.“ You sighed in frustration. Oh man, that really sounded like a story that could only happen to a beginner. Leon grinned slightly. "So, a cute Pokemon got you into this misery. Well, you seem to me to be a very caring trainer and also very cautious tactically if you don't risk fighting against the unknown. ", Leon began and put his hand under his chin in a thinking pose. “You remind me of me. I'm just as devoted when it comes to Pokemon. And I ... uh, have no sense of direction. I even get lost in houses ... “, he then admitted with a laugh. "So? Is that why you walk around here by yourself too? Are you lost? In an area that should seem familiar to you as a well-known trainer of Galar?“ You tried to tease him. "Well .. at least I'm not so clumsy that I hurt myself." "Touche."

The silence between you two lasted a very short time until Leon spoke again. "And which Pokemon fascinated you so much that you walk into a dark forest that you are not familiar with?" He asked while he went to you with a first aid box. He was probably trying to fix your shoulder. You smiled and were grateful that you liked to wear strapless shoulder tops. So you didn't even have to undress and Leon got to the affected area without any problems. “Well, it must have been from this region because I didn't knew it. It was small and blue, with two braids and a white body. It looks a little like Ralts or Kirlia .. " You described while Leon took care of your shoulder and made a professional splint from a piece of a big leaf and bandages. “Oh, you mean a Hattrem. You can find them here in the forest, but quite far inside. They are also considered to be very shy when it comes to human interactions, because they react strongly to emotions. So I'm amazed that you saw one far enough from the forest to follow it. ”Leon wondered and blinked. “Then it was obviously my day of luck and bad luck at the same time. Because it got away from me. “You giggled and thanked him for the treatment. "Are you hungry? My cooking skills are modest, but so far Charizard and I have not had any food poisoning, "Leon laughed and handed you a plate of homemade curry. You accepted the food with a thanks and ate a spoonful. Leon paid attention to your facial features and at the moment when the corner of your mouth went down slightly, he laughed embarrassed. "So bad?"

You giggled slightly and swallowed the somewhat tough curry. "Well, some spices are missing, but it still tastes better than when one of my brothers tries to 'cook'." You said and ate the rest of the curry. It wasn't quite as bad as he had advertised it. Leon smiled and then looked at the sleeping Vulpix. "I think your little protector is waking up," he said and pointed to Vulpix. Its small head rose and it noticed that its trainer was no longer next to it. "Vul ..!" It shouted happily when it saw that you were awake and jumped joyfully into the arms of its trainer. You hugged it lovingly and breathed a quick kiss on the Pokemon's head. "There is my heroine."You said meekly and Leon couldn't help but smile happily while he saw the interaction between trainer and Pokemon. There weren't many trainers who had such a close and friendly relationship with their Pokemon, which was actually very sad. Many saw them only as toys or tools, as battle puppets, to become famous. Many did not care how the Pokemon are feeling. But that was exactly what the champ of Galar wanted to change.

"If you feel fit enough, then we can look for a way out together." Leon suggested after you gave your Vulpix some PokeBlocks from your home to eat. After all, you didn't wanted to let the poor thing suffer from the bad curry.

"Yes, I am. Vulpix surely too, right little one? “You asked and Vulpix replied with an enthusiastic: 'VUUU!', Whereupon both trainers had to laugh and went on their way. On the way you held a little small talk, about your wisdoms on how to take care of Pokemon, about the fact that you wanted to settle down in a region at some point in order to run a fairy gym, since this position was already taken in Amila . And in the other regions that you had traveled to. The subject came up about the strange colors of your Vulpix. "I wondered something. Is your Vulpix a Shiny? Because I've never seen a white Vulpix before. His fur is also a little different. ", Leon said and looked next to him. You walked next to him while Vulpix made herself comfortable on your not injured shoulder.

"No. But it comes from Alola. You know, the Vulpix in Alola had to adapt to the changed weather conditions and basically ... changed their element. These Vulpix are ice and fairy type. "You explained and now it made " click "at Leon. "Aaaaah, that explains why it attacked with aurora beam," he laughed then. "You have never seen an Alola form?" You asked, flabbergasted. "No, we actually never have trainers who come from Alola," Leon answered thoughtfully. "I think you're the first one I see with an Alola Pokemon in my 10 year trainer career," he added. It was a few more hours before you reached the exit. You two noticed that you got along pretty well and that your chemistry was really good. You laughed a lot, of course you didn't try to get lost again and you actually felt a little wistful when you got out of the forest. Because that meant that the ways of you and this personable trainer parted again.

"Hey! Sister! ", Mamoru shouted, who was already waiting in front of the entrance with his fiancee Aki and an unknown young man.

"Huh?" You blinked and ran to your brother. "Who is this?"

“This is Hop. He lives in the village and is currently visiting his mother. We got to know him and he wanted to help us find you. But as I can see you've found your way back. ", Mamoru grinned mischievously. You knew that grin. "Brother!" Hop called and hugged Leon. You blinked. So Hop was Leon's brother? If that wasn't a coincidence. "Really, have you got lost in the Slumbering Weald again?" The younger sighed and put his arms on his hips. "You know how bad my sense of direction is." Leon laughed and raised his hands defensively. "However. Mother would like to see you again, so move your bum to her and say hello, "he ordered.

"Well, then it's probably time to say goodbye first.", Leon said and turned to you. "Um .. Here, this is my league card. You can all have one. ", He said a bit embarrassed and first gave Mamoru and then Aki a card. He gave the last one to you and grinned. You looked at it and blinked.

"... Champion Leon .. Wait, you are the champion of Galar ?!", you asked completely perplexed and pointed at him. "That offends me now, that you are shocked." Leon laughed and winked at you.

"No of course not. That somehow makes you sympathetic that you are so absentminded. "You smiled. Just as Leon was about to reply, Hop poked him in the side. "Stop flirting and get on your way, brother."

Leon laughed, then turned back to you. "Now that you now know who I am .. Is there a chance that you will become a fan of mine after all?" He asked you slightly teasingly.  You smiled back. "I already am." Your answer surprised him and your next words made him even a little blushy. “You are my savior after all. My hero. Of course I'm your fan. "You added and also winked.

Leon just stood there with his mouth open and everything he wanted to say died in his throat. Hop grinned broadly and then pulled his brother behind him. "Maybe we'll see each other again, folks!"

"See you then, Hop! And Leon. ", Mamoru shouted afterwards with a laugh, until he turned to his sister with a grin. "Already Found a little romance here yet? ”He teased you. "Dont talk nonsense. I do not know him. But he was .. nice. “You said and then looked at his League Card. Under the name was soemthing written in small letters: 'Turn the card'. You blinked and looked at the back of the card.

....

You grinned broadly and hugged the card when you laughed softly. "What's going on?", Aki wanted to know. "Oh nothing."You smirked and took your smartphone to type Leon's home number, which he had attached to the back with a small message, into your phone. He was kind of cute and this was just the beginning of a new wonderful friendship. You were sure about this.

[darkmindsotome]

Frozen Jealousy

Fandom: Love365 Masquerade Kiss  

Pairing: Yuzuru Shiba X MC

Word count: 3,046

Warning: NSFW Smut 

Written by: darkmindsotome 

Tagging @voltage-vixen as requested. prompt #1: Popsicle licking 

Darkmindsotome Masterlist

---

Frozen Jealousy 

It had been nearly a month or as a certain someone corrected me three weeks and four days since our last date that had been somewhere other than his place. Work had kept us both busy and I had just returned from a mission that took me to Hong Kong where I had to limit my contact with Yuzu to brief calls. Every time I heard his voice in my ear it made me miss him more. I missed his face and I could practically feel his breath in my ear as I struggled to remain focused on my job.

Now the moment was here where we could spend the day together and I was a bundle of energy. Hugo had given me a simple navy blue halter dress that buttoned all the way up the front. He had discovered it in a small boutique that reworked vintage designs and he said he simply couldn’t not get it for me. We ended up gossiping as he worked his magic styling my hair and doing my make up. In the end, it was almost as if he was more excited about this date than I was. Thanking him I made a dash from my apartment to our meeting place in town.

We said we would meet at a station and then I’d show him around the large park nearby, possibly go around some of its museums or the little zoo. I couldn’t help smiling thinking how adorable it would be to see Yuzu excited about one of the animals. For the length of time he had been in Tokyo it had surprised me when he told me he hadn’t seen much of it apart from the locations he went to for business. Although knowing my gorgeously intelligent boyfriend I really should not have been surprised that he had not looked into sightseeing as part of his relocation for work. He would have said it was an inefficient use of time that could be better spent further developing something at work and written it off as frivolous.

Speaking of inefficient uses of time, I checked my watch and realised that thanks to the catch up with Hugo I had left later than intended and was now running late. Knowing Yuzuru he was already going to be standing there waiting on me. His timekeeping was always impeccable and his schedules were so packed I had to book time alone with him. I shook my head and laughed at myself, what I once found to be so irritating was now simply one more part of the man I loved.

After passing through the ticket barrier I looked around and noticed him leaning against the entrance his hands holding his smartphone reading something completely unaware of the glances and looks he was receiving from the men and women passing by. His black hair shone in the sun like it had been polished and his earring twinkled. I smiled noting he had worn the outfit we had chosen together and not just appeared in his usual turtleneck and suit. The simple grey v neck t-shirt and buff tan leather jacket fitted him like they were custom made it was no wonder why so many people were checking him out. I swear he could wear anything and still look like a model.

“Yuzu!” I called out and waved to him. He turned his expressionless face in my direction slipping his phone into his pocket.

“You’re late.” His cold eyes scanned me like a laser. His voice was much softer than his words, not that I was going to point that out.

“I’m sorry I got held up at home.” Feeling terrible for making him wait even if it was only for a few extra minutes I gave him a rueful smile and apologised.

“Is everything alright?” He pushed off from the wall and came closer looking concerned.

If you had told me this cold, unapproachable and unreadable man could be like this I would have thought you were mad. Now though I knew all too well exactly how wonderful he could be. His words were much harsher than his actions, the chill of his countenance was still there but it protected a very sensitive and passionate man. My man.

“Yes, fine I was just catching up with Hugo and lost track of time.” Realising he had gotten the wrong idea I attempted to explain and was met with a partial sigh and a blank unreadable look after he schooled his expression.

“Mm. Come on let's go.” Yuzu took my hand causing my heart to skip a beat as he began walking briskly with me in tow. All I can say is thank god for training because if I was not an agent used to trying to run in heels, I would be in a lot of trouble right now. I wonder what got into him.

We went through the park gates and found a lot of people enjoying a relaxing weekend. When we had reached a quieter path that ran under some trees near a river he slowed his pace to match mine and stopped dragging me. The sun was high in the sky which felt wonderful but soon had us both showing the effects of the change in temperature.

I kept stealing glances at Yuzuru the fine mist of sweat glistening on his forehead and neck had my mind constantly venturing down the salacious path of remembering our times in bed together. The slip of our bodies together in harmony after becoming one and the way his hands never left me even for a moment as he stripped away my ability to think allowing me to only respond to him physically.

His eyes met mine and a small frown creased his forehead as he looked at me quizzically.

“What?”

“Nothing I was just thinking it's very hot out today.” I spoke quickly trying to ignore the ache that had developed inside me thanks to my rather vivid memory recall.

“Victoria said it is supposed to be the hottest day on record for the year so far.” He didn’t question my choice of topic, he just nodded in agreement adding to it by bringing up his AI invention. Knowing how he despises small talk I started to look around unwilling to test my luck further that he would continue to not notice my flustered state. There was a colourful sign for a small vendor that caught my eye.

“Hang on a minute.” I didn’t give him a chance to reply and darted off to get some refreshments for us both. When I returned, I had two popsicles in hand finding him waiting in the shade of some trees by the water and held them both out in front of him. “What one do you want?”

“I don’t mind I can just have the one you don’t want.” He shrugged as if he found this whole thing a bit pointless. To be honest, it annoyed me. He was so willing to try to please at times he ignored himself. I get he wants to avoid conflict and everything but there are times where he really didn’t have to worry so much.

“Nope, not happening. This is that ‘where do you want to eat?’ situation all over again and you said you would try not to do that again. You know you have preferences so pick one, I won’t be upset even its one I wanted.” I stepped closer still holding both popsicles out in front of me earning me an exasperated frown from him.

“You developed an annoying bug.” He still hadn’t moved to select one it was like he was stubbornly refusing to buckle to my simple demand.

“I’m sure you can find the solution later. Come on pick.”

“Fine.” He huffed and then took one of them from me waiting till I started to eat mine before doing the same. “Happy now?”

“Yep” I beamed a smile at him happy at my small victory.

“I really don’t get you sometimes.” He muttered a small smile playing on his lips that became wet as they wrapped around the popsicle. The flustered mess I was in danger of becoming before came back and hit me full force. The way his tongue came out just far enough to glide over the flavoured ice. How the natural fruit stained his lips in a new shade that had me wanting to taste them myself. I reminded myself that this was supposed to be a date and shifted my focus to my own popsicle hoping the cold treat would put out some of the fire growing in me.

We walked around eating the iced treats after a few minutes I felt something cold on my hand and realised mine was dripping. Without thinking I parted my lips and ran my tongue over the back of my hand chasing the liquid right up the side of the popsicle before putting it in my mouth to give it a hard suck in the hopes of removing enough excess juice from it to stop it dripping again.

I heard him stop in his tracks and when I turned to see what was wrong I nearly choked on the passionate look he was giving me.

“You did that on purpose.”

There was no time to react even if pulling away from him was the last thing on my mind. The sunlight vanished and I could feel the harsh bark of a tree against my back. We each still had hold of the sticks for the popsicles as he pressed himself closer. With the tree hiding us both he placed his free hand near my head effectively preventing escape, everywhere his body touched mine felt like burning.

“Did what?” I had a mind as to what he was talking about. It had only been a simple thing that had unintended suggestions attached to it but I couldn’t resist playing this deliciously dangerous game after being apart for so long.

“If you really don’t know then you’re even more dangerous than I give you credit.” Yuzu leant in covering my lips with his.

“Well, I am a dangerous woman after all.” My lower tone had the sweet kiss turn biting and passionate as his tongue ran along my bottom lip before plunging in to dance with my own.

Hidden from view we continued our little battle. Every kiss given was returned and every breath mingling became as hot as the sun. A soft thump on the ground gave us pause and I could see what was left of his popsicle had slid from its stick and fallen. Mine was probably not far behind it as the sticky sweet treat was melting much faster than before.

A wicked grin spread over his face, a look I knew all too well. It was part challenge part devilish as he took hold of my hand, now covered in melted fruit juice and began lapping it off my skin. I couldn’t take my eyes off him as he chased the drips with his tongue and paused only to give small nips and suckling on the inside of my wrist.

He looked at me from upturned eyes, those deep eyes of his drawing me into the bottomless void. Eyes I loved, the dry ice melting only to drown us both in passion. I started to become very aware of how suddenly restrictive this new dress was. My chest was heaving at the sight of the beguiling man in front of me all the things he was doing and all the possibilities of what I knew he was capable of.

“That’s it we’re leaving.” He stood up and pulled away from me, running his hand roughly through his dark hair giving it an unkempt look that was so unlike him.

“Where are we going?” I tried to pull myself together knowing that this was a public space and chastising myself for the fact I didn’t want him to stop.

“I’m fixing those bugs you developed right now.” He nearly growled as he struggled to keep his voice even and clear. I don’t think I’ve seen him like this before, the thrill of this new discovery had my heart racing even more as I allowed him to once more drag me along behind him.

The door to the hotel room that had been hastily acquired by the normally level headed Yuzu hadn’t even fully closed before I found myself locked in his strong arms. His mouth travelling along the nape of my neck as his clean scent like a winter’s night wrapped around me, claiming my senses.

“Mmm…. Ah… Yuzu wait.” I gave a small show of resistance that was certainly not up to my top-level agent credentials.

“Not happening I can’t” He was forceful and demanding, kissing me over and over alternating between soft and hard. His fingers roamed over my contours expertly hitting all the right places with just enough pressure to set my body purring like the engine on his beloved Bugatti.

“But…”

“You are far too good at generating a short circuit in me.” His voice was lower, far more sensual and his attacks were calculated. Not a single wasted motion, as to be expected from Mr perpetually logical with an eye for details and the skills to back up any action he desired.

“What?” Something was bugging me while I didn’t not want this to happen it just felt a little like something was off. Distractions in the bedroom are never a good thing, curse the mind of an agent and that dreaded gut instinct.

“I don’t see you for ages and we can only communicate via phone. That is fine work is work I knew what I was signing up for when I asked you to be mine.” He pushed me to the floor apparently the bed that was only a few feet away was too far. His fingers latched on to the buttons at the front of my dress popping each one roughly before exposing enough of my chest to push his hand up under my bra, cupping my breasts as his eyes burned with intensity. “But then you show up late and use another man as an excuse…”

“Wait! I already told you Hugo isn’t like that he’s…” My words were cut off as he squeezed hard on both my nipples at the same time causing my back to arch against the floor.

“Still a man. I suppose he picked this dress for you as well?” He moved his knee between my thighs with the little movement left to me I tried rubbing his leg with mine only to discover exactly how turned on he was and gasping. His hands don’t stop as they move to my back releasing the clasp on my bra and removing it skilfully as he shoved the top of the dress down to my hips. “And then you tease and torment me with that little display back there in the park.”

“Display?” It wasn’t fair he had me panting like an animal in heat, pinned beneath him and half exposed already while he had still failed to do more than shrug off his own jacket. I wanted him, I wanted to feel him. My hands travelled up to try to get a grip on his shirt to remove it only to be grabbed in his hands and have him guide them for me over the perfectly formed muscles of his stomach, pushing the fabric higher and higher until it was gone.

“You think I would miss such a thing? Or did you think I would be unaffected watching my girlfriend devour a popsicle so suggestively?” He was jealous and while it shouldn’t have been something I liked I actually did. A man of few words who showed even fewer emotions. Never said what he really meant and was hopeless with the human element in life. Yet here he was showing his raw emotions in front of me, my mouth watered as he dipped in to kiss me again.

“Mmm!”

He made quick work of removing my shoes and the rest of my clothing. I didn’t even notice him lifting me up to free the dress and underwear from my hips, my mind was in a total haze. He says I’m good at making him short circuit but honestly, when I’m with him it’s like a total system crash.

“You’re the only one that can make me feel like this.” Unbuckling his belt he slipped free of his trousers and took my hand once more guiding it over to rest on the throbbing hard length of him.

He hovered over me the heat rolling off him and over me making it feel like we were still outside in the baking sun. My hand travelled up his sides and found the same defined muscles on his back, drawing my fingertips over them as I tipped my chin to gain a kiss. As soon as our lips connected, I felt the familiar sensation of his fingers slide between my thighs. They alternated in direction and pressure targeting every nerve he knew would destroy me.

“Oh, God!” I cried out hips bucking against him making him groan into my mouth as he tried to reclaim my lips.

“Damn you’re sexy.”

“Yuzu?” We were both out of breath, panting and burning up. I could barely make out anything as my eyes started to burn with tears.

“I know.” Was all Yuzu said as he took one of my legs and placed it on his shoulder before plunging himself in as far as he could in one motion. “Ngh!”

“Ah!” The pressure from inside told me we were one and that was enough for me to start moving in time with him.

“Mmm ah MC!”

Our mingled breaths and voices filled the room with the scandalous noises of our lovemaking. I knew this would be the first in many rounds. We would talk and he would convince me, taking me over and over again. Matching his pace was all I could ever hope for knowing that this man was a human dynamo. I willingly gave myself over to the pleasure of being with him.

---

[aion-rsa]

Best Movies Coming to Netflix in May 2021

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Movies are slowly coming back to life at the cinemas. You can see it with each glowing report about a Godzilla vs. Kong or Mortal Kombat doing solid business. And for those with more discerning tastes, films like In the Heights and Those Who Wish Me Dead are definitely going to make their release dates.

Nonetheless, there are many who are understandably not ready to go back to theaters (or have yet to get an HBO Max subscription). Thus Netflix remains an old reliable option. While the Netflix movie selection can be narrow, each month offers some worthwhile gems to revisit or even discover. And May has a surprisingly robust group of Hollywood films from the last 40 years coming to the streaming service on May 1. Here are the best ones.

Back to the Future (1985)

Great Scott! Back to the Future is coming to Netflix. As one of the most beloved films of the 1980s—if not ever—it’s doubtful we need to explain in great detail why this is exciting news. From its star-making turn by Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly to the grand musical score by Alan Silvestri, everything about this movie justworks. Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale’s script is like a Swiss watch in precision, paying off every single setup in the film’s first act when Marty commandeers a time machine made by Doc Brown (a lovable Christopher Lloyd) and accidentally travels from 1985 to 1955… to meet his parents as teenagers!

More time has passed since the movie’s release than the once massive generational gap between the film’s primarily ‘50s setting and 1985. Yet it still plays as a timeless story about family, time travel, and manure. Large piles of manure. By the way, the rest of the Back to the Future trilogy is coming to Netflix, too.

Hachi: A Dog’s Tale (2009)

Forget about all the “sad” dog movies of the last decade where canines have funny voiceover narrations and then die on repeat. Hachi: A Dog’s Tale is a very bitter, bittersweet dog’s journey based on a harder truth. A remake of the 1980s Japanese film, Hachikō Monogatari, this American movie is based on the real events surrounding Hachikō, an Akita dog who lived in 1920s Japan. Every day Hachikō would run to the train station, awaiting his master’s return from work. One day, after a fatal stroke, his master never returned. Yet for another 10 years, the dog would escape its various new owners and spend the afternoon waiting at the station.

Directed by The Cider House Rules’ Lasse Hallström, Hachi captures this anecdote about a dog’s loyalty with grace and genuine sweetness. But you’re not going to get through it dry-eyed.

The Land Before Time (1988)

Before it birthed a string of straight-to-video movies meant to babysit pint-sized millennials, the original Land Before Time was a generational touchstone for childhoods in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. Overseen by Don Bluth at the height of his talent, and in partnership with Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment, The Land Before Time is a marvel in animation from the period before Disney Animation’s renaissance. It follows an assortment of baby dinosaurs, including a recently orphaned “longneck” named Littlefoot, after a horrible earthquake has rained devastation on all the isolated herbivores. But together they may just find salvation in a land called the Great Valley.

Essentially a dinosaur road movie for children, to the modern eye it’s told with a surprisingly delicate sensitivity. There is no fourth-wall breaking humor and sideways smirks here. It’s a very earnest fairytale captured in the lost art of hand-drawn animation.

The Lovely Bones (2009)

Based on Alice Sebold’s 2002 bestselling book of the same name, The Lovely Bones has a tough premise: a teen girl is raped and murdered, and goes to heaven where she watches her loved ones attempt to process and move on after her disappearance. The debut novel was not only very popular, but generally well-received for its treatment of trauma, sexual assault, and grief.

The movie, directed by Peter Jackson and starring Saoirse Ronan, Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon, and Stanley Tucci, among others… was not as well received, fairly criticized for its prioritization of CGI heavenly visuals over a nuanced, character-driven story. You may wonder, then, why we’re recommending a movie that wasn’t great? Because The Lovely Bones is a fascinating watch for those interested in the limits of adaptation and, in particular, how a great filmmaker with expansive resources (including a very talented cast) can fail if they’re not the right person for the job. 

Mystic River (2003)

As one of Clint Eastwood’s best films as director, Mystic River was the first cinematic adaptation of a Dennis Lehane novel, and the author’s hardboiled vision of Boston’s tragically seedy underbelly is well realized here. As much about the hard luck community on the South Side as the story of three men, it nonetheless tracks how neighborhood lives intersect.

We meet three boyhood friends in the movie’s unnerving opening and then jump to their bitter middle age. Oe of them, reformed gangster Jimmy (Sean Penn), has a daughter who’s been found murdered in a gutter. His onetime pal Sean (Kevin Bacon), now a detective, swears he’ll figure out who the killer is, and both men’s estranged acquaintance Dave (Tim Robbins) knows more than he’s letting on. All three’s fates are interlinked in this operatic passion play about the traumas we keep hidden until we’re drowning in regret.

Notting Hill (1999)

Though Four Weddings and a Funeral might have put writer Richard Curtis and star Hugh Grant on the map as the kings of ‘90s British romance, Notting Hill is arguably their true pinnacle. Grant plays a foppish bookshop owner who happens to meet the most famous actress in the world, Anna Scott (played by Julia Roberts who might just have been the most famous actress in the world at that time) when she stumbles into his shop.

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From the sympathy brownie competition, the junket where Grant’s William Thacker has to pretend to be a journalist from Horse & Hound, and Rhys Ifans in his pants, there are plenty of funny, moving moments. But it’s the two montage scenes—a walk through Notting Hill as seasons change to Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine,” and the final montage to Elvis Costello’s “She”—that would melt the hardest of hearts. Rom-com perfection.

Scarface (1983)

Reviews were not initially kind to Scarface, director Brian de Palma’s explosive three-hour remake of the 1932 gangster classic starring Paul Muni (that in turn was based on a novel which loosely chronicled the rise of Al Capone). Written by Oliver Stone and starring Al Pacino as psychopathic Cuban refugee-turned-drug-kingpin Tony Montana, the 1983 film was excoriated by critics for its relentlessly graphic violence, excessive foul language, and over-the-top performances, especially by its leading man. But critics at the time missed the point: Scarface was a reflection of its time—the hedonistic, greed-driven, cocaine-fueled ‘80s—and was appropriately and utterly crazed as a result.

The film did mark the moment when Pacino transitioned from intense, thoughtful character actor to (mostly) histrionic circus barker, but he leaves it all on the field and his mania drives the fast-paced film to its epic, bloodsoaked, and unbelievable (in all aspects of the word) conclusion. As a metaphor for the insane decade of excess that birthed it, Scarface is riveting, breathless, occasionally shocking and often unintentionally hilarious. It’s the gangster movie on coke.

State of Play (2009)

Kevin Macdonald’s remake of a British miniseries by the same name turned out to be a strong thriller in its own right. With a whip smart script by Tony Gilroy and Billy Ray, this movie doubles as both an enjoyable investigative procedural and a love letter to journalism just as newspapers were beginning to die out in the 2000s. Russell Crowe plays Cal McAffrey in the film, the last of the old school guard of reporters, but his ethics will be challenged when the congressman with a dead young woman on his staff turns out to be his old college buddy (Ben Affleck). Rachel McAdams also stars as a young blogger who learns the thrill of chasing a story that takes more than an afternoon to research. Helen Mirren, Robin Wright, and Jeff Daniels also star.

The Whole Nine Yards (2000)

Remember when they made comedies for adults? The Whole Nine Yards is one such anomaly. Really a buddy film about a suicidal dentist (Matthew Perry) and a gangster living under a phony alias who moves in next door (Bruce Willis in one of his last truly charming performances), this giggles and gangsters laugher is a secretly delightful ensemble movie with a deep bench of talent. Indeed, Kevin Pollack, Amanda Peet, Nastsha Henstridge, and Michael Clarke Duncan, as the cuddliest gangster you’ll ever see punch your protagonist in the balls until he’s pissing blood, all get to shine. With a twisty plot, it’s an R-rated throwback to the type of screwball shenanigans that were once Hollywood’s bread and butter.

Zombieland (2009)

It’s rare when calling something the second best zombie comedy ever made is high praise, but in a horror subgenre that also includes Shaun of the Dead, this is high praise for Zombieland. As an R-rated teen comedy, one suspects the filmmakers almost lucked into the absurdly talented cast they assembled with Emma Stone, Jessie Eisenberg, and Woody Harrelson. In the years since this movie’s release, all three were nominated for Oscars (Stone even won one), but in ’09 they’re just having a blast with this goofy stoner hybrid about a dysfunctional makeshift family having fun during the zombie apocalypse.

Also, it features arguably the greatest comedy cameo ever conceived. If you haven’t seen it, I’m not going to spoil it for you here either…

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[swanqueeneverafter]

Sins of the Past Pt.1

Storybrooke. Present. Night. (Working as a cab driver, a weary Henry Swan-Mills glances at his rear-view mirror at the kissing couple in his back seat. With the realms of story united, Henry's clientele is large and varied. From drunken Musketeers to sight-seeing visitors from the Land Without Colour, the former Author has driven them all in his cab.)

Swan-Mills House. Morning. (Descending the stairs, Regina is distressed by the various boxes that are strewn across the floor. Just as she is about to raise her voice however, Zelena walks into the hall, carrying baby Maria.) Zelena: "And here's your other Mama looking ready for business." Regina: (Smiling:) "How is she doing?" Zelena: "Just fine, now that her Aunty Zelena's here, isn't that right, Poppet?" Regina: (As her sister continues cooing at the baby:) "Thanks for coming, Zelena. My meeting this morning shouldn't take long." Zelena: "Oh don't worry about that, Maria and I are going to have a wonderful time, isn't that right?" (Shaking her head at her sister's infatuation, Regina turns to see Emma walking into the room looking slightly frazzled.) Emma: (Followed by Ella:) "Just give me five minutes to put on a new shirt and find my keys and we'll be outta here." (Stopping only to give her wife a quick kiss, Emma runs upstairs to go change.) Ella: (Calling after her:) "Thank you! (To Regina:) I’m sorry to put you guys out like this, I'd take the bus but-" Regina: (Cutting in:) "You can't risk being late for work again. (Smiles:) We know and it's absolutely fine. I'd drop you off myself but I'm headed in completely the other direction. (Glancing at her watch:) Speaking of which, I'd better go. (To Zelena:) You're sure you'll be all right?" Zelena: "Yes, now go! Maria and I have the whole day planned."

The Woods, Just Outside Storybrooke. (Will Scarlett travels quickly through the woods, clutching a stitch at his side but continuing to run at top speed.) Dun Broch. (Regina stands over the slain body of a unicorn, Queen Merida by her side.) Regina: "What were you thinking? Even in my darkest days, I could never kill a unicorn." Merida: "Me? This is not my doing. Unicorns are rare and mystical creatures. There is a legend that says bad fortune will come to anyone who slays one. Neither I or any of the men I command would be stupid enough to kill such a sacred animal." Regina: (Scoffs:) "You have too much faith in a man's intelligence. So, what do you expect me to do about it?" Merida: (Nods:) "I thought you could speak to him." (Confused, Regina turns to see a cloaked figure standing a short distance away.) Anhora: "Are you looking for me? I am Anhora, Keeper of the Unicorns." Merida: "Is it you who’s responsible for turning our water into sand?" Regina: “What?” Anhora: "You alone are responsible for the misfortune that has befallen Dun Broch." Merida: "Me?! You think I’d bring drought upon my own people?" Anhora: "When the unicorn was killed on your lands, a curse was unleashed. For this, Dun Broch will suffer greatly." Regina: (Stepping forward:) "Now wait a minute, I'm an expert on curses and I know they rarely, if ever, solve anything. Why don't you just lift the curse and we can all talk about this rationally for a moment." Anhora: "The curse was not my doing." Merida: (Drawing her sword:) "Undo the curse or you will pay with your life." Regina: (Chiding:) "Merida!" Anhora: "Only you can do that. You will be tested." Merida: "Me?" Regina: "You're the Queen, blame comes with the job." Anhora: "Until you have proven yourself, and made amends for killing the unicorn, the curse will not be lifted. If you fail any of these tests, Dun Broch will be damned for all eternity."

Storybrooke. Outside The Sheriff's Station. (Sitting in a squad car, Lily turns to her father who is joining her for a ride-along.) Lily: "Okay, are you ready for this?" Hook: "I was born ready." Lily: "Dad, I'm serious, this isn't going to be like your pirate adventures. Most days this job is about keeping the peace." Hook: (Smirks:) "Trust me, love, things might have been a bit quieter around here recently, but when magic’s around, there's always going to be trouble sooner or later." Main Street. (Ella sprints down main street, trying to get to work on time as Emma looks on from outside the Dark Star Pharmacy. Hoping her future daughter-in-law makes it, Emma turns and is knocked down by a still speeding Will Scarlett.) Emma: "Ahh! (Landing hard on the ground, she looks up to see Will barely give her a backwards glance before disappearing around the corner:) Yeah, you better run!"

(Wiping her hands, Emma hardly notices when her parents arrive beside her, rushing her her aid.) Snow White: "Emma, are you okay?" Emma: (Wincing:) "Yeah, I'm fine." David: "Here, let me help you. (Helping his daughter to her feet, concerned:) Are you sure you're all right." Emma: "Yeah, just a bruised ego is all. (Starts to walk:) Ow. And a bruised butt, I think." Snow White: "That really was quite the fall you took. We saw you as we were coming out of Granny's." Emma: "Well, that's what I'm here for. To protect, serve and amuse." David: "Emma-" Emma: (Sighs:) "I'm sorry, I don't mean to unload on you guys. It's... it's just been a stressful morning." David: "You know we're here to help anytime." Emma: (Nods:) "I know, thank you. (She hugs them both in turn. Pulling a piece of paper from her pocket:) Now, if you'll excuse me, I've gotta get everything on this list and get home before Zelena paints Maria's bedroom green." Storybrooke Library. (Will stands expectantly as Belle looks over the book he's just returned.) Alice: (Pulling ten dollars from her pocket:) "You still don't get this until I'm satisfied." Will: (Grins:) "I know." Alice: (To Belle:) "So?" Belle: (Turning over a few pages:) "Well it hasn't exactly been returned in mint condition." Will: (Laughs:) "No offense ladies, but I'd challenge you to find one book in this entire building that'd fit that description." Belle: "Hm. And did you enjoy the book?" Will: "Oh, yes. Very much." Alice: (Sceptically:) "What was your favourite part?" Will: "Well, there was the beginning, the middle and the end." Alice: "What about the octopus, didn't you find that part scary?" Will: (Scoffs:) "Octopuses aren't scary - Kraken's are scary." Belle: (Smiles:) "There isn't an octopus in this book, Will." Alice: (Taking the ten dollars off the table:) "Ha!" Will: "Oh, come on! I still got the book back in time, so what if I didn't read it?" Alice: "Reading books is the whole point! I want you to broaden your horizons, lose yourself in an adventure." Will: "But we've both lived real adventures! Look, reading books is fine if you're locked up in a tower with no chance of escape, but there's no replacement for living life. In fact if you ask me, it's you two who should be broadening your horizons. (Backing out of the library:) Put the books down, girls. Let your hair down once in awhile, you'll thank me for it." (Belle and Alice smile at each other as Will leaves the Library.) Mr. Cluck's Chicken Shack. (Sneaking in through the back door, Ella grabs her apron and ties it around her waist, attempting to start work without her boss realising how late she is. Taking a fresh pair of gloves from the box, Ella turns to find her boss standing in front of her.) Louis: "You're late. Again." Ella: "I ran here as fast as I could, but my-" Louis: "I don't give a crap! I'm paying you for 39 hours. (Another employee - Carl, drops a tray load of chicken on the floor:) Really, Carl? That's coming out of your paycheck." Ella: "Hey, Louis, lay off. It's just chicken. You don't need to be a jerk about it." Louis: (Puts down the cooking tongs:) "Apologize. Now! Or get out." Ella: "I can't, because it's true. You're a jerk." Louis: "You think you know me so well, huh? I know you. Former princess living with her prince boyfriend in his mother’s mansion. No real skills other than that temper. You need this job. This is the best you can do, and you know it. So, yeah, you're gonna apologize. Right?” Ella: “Never.” (Ella takes off her apron and storms out.)

Elsewhere In Storybrooke. (Placing a tray of dirty dishes down, Henry takes a moment to catch his breath.) Tiana: (Walking over to him:) "Henry, are you feeling okay? You look exhausted." Henry: (Forces a smile:) "I'm fine, just needed a second." Tiana: "I don't know, between your working two jobs and Ella working at the shack most nights-" Henry: "It'll be worth it when we've got our own place." (Henry picks up the tray and walks to the kitchen.) Tiana: (Following:) "Is there a rush on that? Emma and Regina can't be hurting for space. I've been to the Mayor's mansion and there's like thirty-seven rooms." Henry: "Ha-ha. There's not quite that many, but that's not even the point. My moms don't want me to leave but they've got Maria to look after now and... well there are other reasons." Tiana: "Such as?" Henry: (Begins placing dishes in the dishwasher:) "Such as wanting to carry Ella over the threshold of our own home? Such as being able to afford the wedding and honeymoon of her dreams?" Tiana: "Henry, you know Ella's not interested in those extravagant things." Henry: "But that doesn't mean she shouldn't be able to have them if she did." Tiana: "I'm impressed." Henry: "Thank you." Tiana: "I meant how you stacked the dishwasher. (She smiles and walks away, over her shoulder:) Very impressive." Dark Star Pharmacy. (Having gathered everything on her list, Emma is attempting to casually ask for Mr. Clark's professional opinion.) Emma: "What's your best cream for cuts and bruises?" Mr. Clark: (Scanning the items from Emma's basket:) "Depends on the type of injury and how bad it is." Emma: "Well I won't know how bad it is until I get home." Mr. Clark: "Then I can't help you." Emma: "Look, I'm not going to sue you for bad advice if that's what you're worried about. All I'm looking for is a good, effective cream." Mr. Clark: (Takes a sharp intake of breath:) "Again, I'd have to see the injury in question, just to be sure." Emma: "Trust me, that's not happening." Regina: (Entering the store:) "What injury? Is it Maria? Did Zelena call, is she hurt?" Emma: "No! No, it's nothing like that it's just... (Looks to Mr. Clark then back to Regina:) Delicate."

Mr. Clark: "If the injury is in a delicate area, I give you my word as a professional I would be happy to-" Emma: (Grabbing Sneezy by the shirt:) "I'm not pulling my ass out here in this store for you or anyone else, you got that? (Emma releases the man only to notice that he hasn't moved. Looking to Regina she sees that the brunette is using her magic to turn the store sign to 'closed' and drawing the steel blinds down:) Er, what are you doing?" Regina: "You're hurt. Show me." Emma: "Regina, it's nothing, I'm fine." Regina: "Show. Me." Emma: (Looking at a now frozen Mr. Clark:) "What about him?" Regina: (Considers:) "Let him be 'Sleepy' for awhile." (With a wave of her hand, Sneezy collapses behind the counter, fast asleep.) Emma: (Shaking her head, begins lifting her skirt and turns towards the counter:) "You'll take any excuse, won't you?" Regina: (Innocently:) "To care for my wife? Of course I will. (Hisses as the injured area is exposed:) Oh, Emma." Emma: "That bad, huh?" Regina: "It's definitely going to bruise." Emma: (Shrugs:) "I've had worse. (Stiffens when she feels Regina's hands on her hips:) So what now?" Regina: "Well I'll need to clean the affected area before treatment." Emma: (As her breath quickens:) "J-just make sure you do a thorough job." Regina: (Sliding to her knees, bringing Emma's skirt and underwear with her:) "Don't I always?" (Unable to answer, Emma merely closes her eyes and gasps as Regina gives her the due care and attention only she can provide.) Will & Tiana's Apartment. Storybrooke. (While cooking in the kitchen, Tiana smiles as she hears the door open.) Tiana: "Hey, sexy. Dinner's at- (Sees Ella standing there:) Whoa, whoa! What're you doing out of work so early?" Ella: (Simply:) "I quit." Tiana: "What?" Ella: (Jumps up to sit on the counter:) "You know, Louis, he's-" Tiana: "Yeah, I know what Louis is. He's what you grin and bear so that the singles in your savings jar don't get lonely." Ella: "I'll figure something out." Tiana: "What's Henry gonna say? You know, he's already out there working two jobs. So now-" Ella: "I know, I know, but hey, who's side are you on? You think I should work for that bully all my life?" Tiana: "Of course not. I just see how hard Henry's working and-" Ella: "Oh, way to make me feel so much better." Tiana: "You're right, I'm sorry. Wanna stay for dinner?" Ella: "No, that's okay." Tiana: "Drinks?" Ella: "Oh god, yes." Tiana: (Laughs:) "Then get your butt off my counter and pour the wine." Ella: (Salutes:) "Yes, Ma'am." Swan-Mills House. Night Time. (Emma lays on her stomach on the bed, Maria gurgling contentedly beside her. Regina enters from the bathroom, a tub of cream in her hand.) Regina: "There they are, my two favourite girls." Emma: "This is so embarrassing." Regina: (Smiling:) "Oh hush, you don't hear Maria complaining." (Emma turns her attention to her daughter while Regina applies the cream to her exposed backside.) Emma: "Isn't there a spell that can heal this sort of thing?" Regina: "Do you know of one?" Emma: "No. Do you? (Silence:) Regina?" Regina: (A long pause:) "Now where would be the fun in that?" Emma: "I knew it!"  

[sciencenewsforstudents]

When it comes to migration science, birds rule. Although many mammals — antelopes, whales, bats — migrate, too, scientists know far less about how those animals do it. But a new device, invented by animal navigation researcher Oliver Lindecke, could open a new way to test how far-ranging bats find their way.

Lindecke, of Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research in Germany, has been studying bat migration since 2011. He started with analyzing different forms of hydrogen atoms in wild bats to infer where they had flown from. But figuring out how the bats knew where to go was trickier.

Lindecke needed a field setup that let him test what possible cues from nature helped bats navigate across vast distances. The first step was studying in which direction the bats first take flight. Such experiments on birds typically involve confining the animals in small, enclosed spaces. But that doesn’t work for bats, which tend to fall asleep in such spaces.

BAT WHISPERER: Animal navigation researcher Oliver Lindecke (shown) invented a new device for studying how bats know which way to go when migrating. CREDIT: O. LINDECKE

“My challenge was to build a box that bats won’t sleep in, but will show me how they take off,” Lindecke says.

So he invented what he calls the circular release box: a flat-bottom, funnel-shaped container topped by a wider lid. To escape, the bat crawls up the wall and takes off from the edge. Bat tracks in a layer of chalk (Lindecke says he was inspired by a snow-covered Berlin street) indicate where the bat took off.

In August 2017, Lindecke captured 54 soprano pipistrelle bats (Pipistrellus pygmaeus) in a large, 50-meter-wide trap at the Pape Ornithological Research Station in Latvia as the animals were migrating along the coast of the Baltic Sea toward Central Europe. Experiments with the new device showed that the adult bats flew straight in the direction in which they took off, Lindecke and colleagues report online March 1 in the Journal of Zoology.

In other tests, Lindecke found that bats used the setting sun to orient their night flights. Some bats were given a view of a sunset, while others were shown a mirror reflection of the same sunset. The bats were then moved inland to a new site and released from Lindecke’s box. The bats that watched the natural sunset flew west — back to their migratory route along the coast — while those that watched the mirrored version flew east, Lindecke and colleagues report online April 4 in Current Biology. Things got unpredictable when the team tested juvenile bats, which took off in random directions. That finding suggested that the younger bats need to learn navigation skills from their elders.

On the move A cross-view of a new device (illustrated) for studying bat migration shows how the animals orient themselves during migrations. After being placed in the device by a researcher, a bat crawls up the sloped wall and takes off in the direction of its flight. A layer of chalk in the box marks the bat’s tracks.

CREDIT: O. LINDECKE ET AL/CURRENT BIOLOGY 2019

The release box, which is inexpensive and easy to build, could inspire more studies about how bats negotiate migration routes, Lindecke says. Some of his colleagues have already dubbed the device a “Lindecke funnel” — playing off the cone-shaped Emlen funnel widely used in bird navigation studies.

“I am not one to call it that,” Lindecke says, a little sheepishly. “It’s a stupidly simple design.”

[frangipanidownunder]

Returning the Past: Part 5

Mulder and Scully are honeymooning in Far North Queensland. Much to Scully’s chagrin, Mulder has delved headlong into a mysterious case of strange lights, Tasmanian tiger sightings and abductions. It’s not long, before they run into trouble…

Read part 1, part 2 part 3 and part 4.

The facility ‘Eddie Romero House’ was ensconced behind a security fence. She frowned at the recurrence of the name. Years of being an investigator made it impossible to think of coincidences and serendipitous happenstance. Years of being an investigator on The X-Files showed her that even the smallest of coincidences was likely to be anything bug.

Sunlight filtered through menacing clouds and pinged off the metal pickets. Mulder buzzed the intercom and itched at the skin on his arms. A security guard walked from the main building to stand outside the gate.

              “We’re looking to talk to somebody in charge,” Mulder said.

              “Do you have an appointment?”

              “It’s urgent we speak to somebody. It could be a matter of life and death.”

              Scully looked at the ground, impacted red dirt crumbling at her footfalls. Mulder’s flair for the dramatic, coupled with this dogged insistence often got them entry into secure facilities but the guard didn’t seem impressed. They had no badges to flash, they had American accents, they had no jurisdiction.

              “Professor Callow is in meetings. He won’t be available until tomorrow.”

              “Callow?” Scully said, looking at Mulder. He did the customary slow blink that told her he was on the same page as her. “We’re friends of his daughter’s. Please tell him it’s urgent that he speak with us.”

              The guard lifted the radio to his mouth and static crackled. She rubbed the back of her neck and Mulder paced. A pair of green and red parrots screeched past. A vehicle reversed from a steel shed to the left of the main facility, stirring up a plume of dust.

              “He says he’ll see you. Follow me.”

 Professor Callow was seated behind a wooden desk bearing all the hallmarks of an office that hadn’t seen a change in twenty years. A Rolodex next to a rotary dial phone, a blotter pad, a stationery holder filled with Biros, pencils, a plastic ruler, Tippex. There was a framed photo of two men, one a younger Callow, rifle propped against his shoulder, standing over the corpse of a large animal that Scully couldn’t make out. She peered at its familiarity, then recalled the crumpled version of the photo on Steph Callow’s living room floor. There were glass cabinets along each wall, containing skeletal remains and stuffed animals with blank eyes and dull fur. Faded posters on the wall depicted a variety of Australian marsupials, and directly behind the Professor’s chair was a map of Queensland.

              “You know my daughter somehow?” he said, his accent clear-cut English.

              “She took us on a walk through the Daintree.” Scully looked at a poster of endangered and extinct animals. Toolache wallaby – bearing similar markings to the kangaroos they’d seen that first morning, broad faced bandicoot, lesser bilby. She checked out the small signs propped up against the stuffed creatures, Eastern hare wallaby, brush-tailed bettong.

              “She was a promising zoologist, she had a knack for research. Stephanie studied hard. It’s a shame.”

There was something tight about the older man, Scully thought. Something closed off. She’d seen the same thing when Mulder was returned. An outward show of vagueness that really just covered up an inability to articulate the heart of the issue. He was scared.

“What’s a shame?” Mulder asked, picking up a jar from a shelf. He held the jar out as he continued to challenge the professor, rattling the brown seed pod inside it so that it drummed with each word he spoke. “That Steph became a tour guide and not a Professor, like you?”

“No, no. It’s…her mother…the family. It was difficult. For all of us, but for Stephanie, a teenager at the time, it was. Well, she struggled.” Callow took the jar from him and set it back on the desk. His hands trembled.

“Your wife, Steph’s mother, what happened to her?” Scully watched the way he sucked in a deep, long breath, chest puffing out. The seed inside the jar, labelled Idiospermum australiense was pale yellow on the outside and a ridged red inside, reminded her of a golden apricot and she kept her eyes on it while Callow sunk back into his chair.

“She disappeared. Just vanished.”  Callow’s voice was shallow, like he’d told the story so many times it was just a rote response.

She looked back at Mulder, pressing her teeth into her lower lip. She wondered if they would ever relate any of their own history like that, without the passion, without the fire needed to continually reach for justice.

“Miriam went out to buy milk and never came back. We…just carried on. You do, don’t you? But Stephanie was never the same. Went to university in Tasmania, as far away from here as she could get. She worked hard but the spark, the passion for it had gone. After she graduated she went on a gap year to South America and when she came back she couldn’t settle. She told me once that being a tour guide was a way of always looking for her mother. As though she might just find her out there in the bush somewhere all these years later,” he smiled sadly. “She likes being outdoors. Just like her mother.”

“Have you heard from her recently, Stephanie?” Scully stepped towards him. “She’s missing, Professor Callow.”

Callow shook his head, an absent expression clouding his eyes. “I’m afraid that Stephanie has often gone ‘walkabout’ as they say in these parts.”

“We were with her when a group of men dragged her into a four-wheel-drive and we haven’t seen her since. The police don’t seem interested. Her house…there was a disturbance there.”

The old man pushed himself up from his desk, knuckles turning white. “She kept some strange company too. Abductees, she called them. She was adamant she’d been abducted too. Told me fantastic tales of being on board UFOs and lights in the forest. Crazy stuff. Nobody believes that kind of thing, do they?” Callow looked at Mulder and Scully lowered her gaze, breathing through the awkward silence.

“What did you make of her company? TasTiger Tours,” Mulder said, not rising to the bait.

“Taking tourists to see thylacines in the Daintree? When she told me what she was doing I told her that people would either see her as a lunatic or a scam artist. But it seems I was wrong. There are plenty of fools…” He stopped and Mulder offered him a accepting grin. “Sorry. You are entitled to spend your dollars any way you see fit, but Tasmanian tigers have been extinct for decades and most certainly did not inhabit tropical rainforest.”

“And yet both Dr Scully and I have seen thylacines in recent days. One was inside your daughter’s home.”

Professor Callow blanched and held on to the edge of the desk. “In Stephanie’s house? That’s impossible.”

“It wasn’t so long ago that this facility was being funded to research thylacine DNA with a view to potentially reviving the species. It’s not much of a stretch to consider that the animals might have escaped and thrived in the wild.”

Callow sighed and shook his head. “You sound like Stephanie. She had a penchant for the arcane. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’d faked her own abduction by this group of men, simply to get my attention. I’ve suggested she see someone, you know, a psychiatrist to help her with her troubles, but she wouldn’t be told. She seems to be a lost cause.”

Mulder continued to talk, despite the old man walking past him to the door. “There are precedents where animals have created their own enclaves in non-native regions. The fabled big cat stories around the world can be explained in this way.”

Callow opened the office door. “What you say is true, Mr Mulder. And I may agree, except for the fact that my project never created a single live specimen. The trials all failed.”

Mulder swigged from the water bottle as she drove. The light outside was weak and grey. “What do you think, Scully. Is he involved?”

              “He was frightened, Mulder.  I saw a man cowed not just by the weight of his wife and daughter being missing, but by fear.”

              “He certainly knows more than he was letting on, Scully.”

              She watched him lean his head against the window. “You need to rest, Mulder. You still look like you’re running a fever.”

              “I’m fine. I just need to clear my head to think. Callow’s experiments didn’t yield a live thylacine, according to him. Yet we know they exist. What would be the purpose of recreating extinct animal lines, Scully? Where does that fit in with the abductions, the lights? And why would the police dismiss the case? Even if Steph was well known in these parts as someone with a psychiatric history, why deny she even existed?”

              “I’ve been thinking about that too, Mulder. And did you notice the name of the guard at the front gate?”

              He turned to her, cheeks flaming. “No, what was it?”

              “Galea. Same as the police officer.”

 They drove to the police station. The car park was deserted. Grey clouds pushed low over their heads and Scully scratched at the back of her neck. Mulder was slow to get out of the car. A sheen of sweat sparkled across his brow. She walked up the steps and rapped at the door. No answer.

              “Do you get a weird feeling, Mulder?”

              He didn’t answer but mopped at his forehead with the back of his hand. His chest rose and fell laboriously. She twisted the handle and pushed at the door. It didn’t budge. “If this is a joke, I don’t like the Australian sense of humour. Mulder,” she said, stepping back down to where he was leaning against the car door. “Get back in the car, out of the heat. Drink the water. I’m going around the back.”

              She knew he was sick when he complied without complaint. There were garden beds either side of the building, leaf litter piled high. Tall palms swayed on the increasing breeze and a pair of bird of paradise plants pecked at the empty air with their resplendent bronze beaks. The windows of the house were covered in cobwebs and the side door was locked. How had they not noticed the state of the place when they spoke with Officer Galea? Who were the other people in the building? Were there other people? She peered through the dirty glass of the back door but saw nothing but the marks of a building that hadn’t been inhabited for a while.

A car engine caught her attention and she hurried back round. A small blue SUV swung into the gravelled space next to their hire car and a middle-aged couple got out.

“If you’re looking for the police station, you need to head back that way, to Port Douglas. This one hasn’t been used for a few years now.”

“We were looking for Officer Galea,” Scully said, keeping an eye on Mulder, who was leaning his face against the window.

The woman shrugged. “The last copper here was Sergeant Blythman and she left to have a baby. That baby’s at primary school now. We just tidy up the yard. Len, give me that fertiliser. Those plants need a good feed.”

Scully opened the driver’s side door, but turned back to the couple. “Have you ever seen strange lights in this area? Blue lights?”

“You’re Americans.” Len joined his wife.

“We’re here on our honeymoon,” Scully said, as much to remind herself as to inform the couple. “We came here to report a crime here just the other day. Now it’s empty.”

The couple continued to remove gardening equipment from the back of the car.

“Who is Eddie Romero?” Scully asked. “It’s the name of a local research facility. It’s the name of one of the forest tracks. Our accommodation is Romero Sands.”

“He’s no-one special,” the woman said. “Enjoy your honeymoon. Go swimming. Do some bushwalking, but don’t stray off the tourist tracks. Have a nice time. Go home to your families.”

“Do you know Steph Callow?”

The woman exchanged looks with her husband. “Who are you?”

Mulder got out of the car, his body sagging. “What’s going on in this town? What are you afraid of?”

“We’re not scared,” the woman said, straightening up. “We’re just invisible. Nobody listens to us. They just want people to come here, spend their money. The tourist dollars rule. It’s like that film with the sharks, isn’t it, Len? You know the one, where the mayor of the island won’t shut the beaches down for the long weekend.”

“Jaws,” Scully said, looking over at Mulder. “Have people been hurt here? Killed?”

The woman looked at Len. “They’ve disappeared. But the government people say that they just lost their way, the forest is dangerous if you’re not careful.” She walked up to Scully and took her hand. “You two look like lovely young people. You don’t need anything like that happening to you. It’s the worst thing. People go missing and you never know what’s happened. You live every day like they might just come home and fling their coat across the hall and sit on their favourite chair and ask for a cup of tea, you know? It’s cruel, is what it is. Hope and dreams. It’s just cruel.” She rolled her lips together and took a long, slow breath. “You take care now. Come on, Len. It’s going to rain soon. Let’s spread this stuff and get home.”

 Mulder groaned in his sleep, deep guttural sounds that held fear. She often wondered how he processed all that happened to him. Besides the abject terror of the abduction, he had faced the death penalty. They had spent months on the run, looking over their shoulders, living out of cheap motels and even cheaper cars. He held it in, he held it together, mostly. She knew he thought he had to be strong for her, as she did for him. They both drove for days wearing their stoicism like armour. Back then, she knew the day would come where one of them would crack. She lay odds that it would be her first. That she would flip tables and throw away the hair dye and the Walmart underwear. That she would call her mother and write her brother. That she would tell Mulder she didn’t really love him and that she was leaving. That she would lie to save him. To save them both.

But in a long-forgotten town, in a long forgotten state, she returned with two bags of groceries and found him balled up in the corner of the darkened room, furniture broken around him, sobbing. The bags dropped to the floor and split open spilling the tins and packets in front of her. She let him cry against her chest until his tears soaked her vest. He didn’t talk, didn’t need to. She was grateful for that desolate place, grateful for the onerous skies and the stares of the townsfolk, grateful for the one store and flickering neon motel sign, grateful for the gritty coffee and the faulty ice machine. It drew out his sorrow and suffering and pushed hers down. She would never leave him. She would never lie to him.

 Now, she dabbed his brow with a cool washcloth, then pressed it around the back of her neck, easing the itch there. Wherever Steph Callow had gone, the dark forces in the forest were responsible. But with Mulder tossing fitfully by her side, there was no way they could go forward with any kind of investigation. She’d have to find a doctor’s surgery in the morning. He needed treatment.

“The light was so bright, Scully. It was so bright it felt like my eyes had been sliced open and silver was poured inside.” He pushed himself up and bunched the sheet across his lap. His voice was groggy, his skin tacky to touch. She gave him water. “I dreamt that Steph Callow was there with me, on that ship, Scully. She was trapped too, helpless and that bright light burned her and she burst into flames.”

While Scully made tea, he played with the remote, and a news anchor read out details of a mysterious death locally.

A member of the public called in the discovery of the body. At this stage, the police have not issued any details of the circumstances or the victim but there is a presence at Eddie Romero House.

“It’s Professor Callow,” Mulder said, calling her back to the bedroom. “He’s been killed.”

[brownstonearmy]

2021-07-10: Careful What You Wish For (Part 1)

Tuesday September 8 (morning, cloudless and still)

A few days after the Harvest Festival, the town is beginning to get back to some sense or normalcy amid a period of transition. Lawrence Stout's trial has been scheduled for next week, an event that Q (just Q today) has been keeping their eye on after serving court papers on him. Shepherd Dunwall has been ousted from his position as Mayor, and Spleenifer has similarly been forced to give up her appointed administrative position to make room for the new faces of Brownstone politics. Although one of her jobs may no longer be intact, her flock of ducks, goats, and other assorted animal companions have survived all that has has been thrown at them so far.

Now Norm... There's been a lot keeping Norm busy these days. Last night he was stationed at the local cemetery to keep watch on some of the graves after several graves were disinterred. Although he didn't see any actual grave robbings happen, he did see his share of dug-up graves. Six graves had been exhumed as of his shift, though one body was still left uncovered on the premises: Grumbus Huang, a human.

Of the five graves that are missing their residents, two are human, one is elven, one is halfling, and one is dwarven. There does not appear to be any sort of common factor between the missing deceased. All of the graves appear to have had someone digging them up except for one. That grave in particular looks like the digging force came from INSIDE the grave. Perhaps more worryingly, that grave belongs to the Yance Elbereth, the drug-trafficking peddler of antiquities Norm assassinated some time back.

Best not dwell on that realization, so let's see what's happening at SHART HQ. Dave has a list of work orders needing to be completed and lets the party choose one. There's an issue with the water from one of the town's wells getting befouled, a large animal carcass in need of moving, and what might be a sewage leak in the vault of the local bank. The party opts to remove the animal carcass, if only to get a better idea of if this creature might be what is digging the graves up.

The address is easy enough to find, but even easier to smell. A deceased adult rock worm looks like it was bludgeoned to death and ripped out of its burrow. A mostly-dried layer of poop cakes the immediate area, and there are bushes, trees, and even a building that has been destroyed. Norm reckons it looks like a tornado came through the area, but only touched down briefly. As for the building that was destroyed, it was a storehouse used by the Brownville Devil Boys gang to hold some of their illicit wares.

Since that carcass isn't going to move itself, the party sets to work attempting to relocate it via a SKILL CHALLENGE! Spleenifer tries a bit of animal handling to identify the areas that aren't good areas to attach a rope. Whether she failed or succeeded depends on your viewpoint, as she presses a part of the rock worm and causes a goodly amount of caustic bile to erupt from the worm's mouth. Q makes a medicine check to make sure the worm is actually dead and is reasonably confident that it is. Norm uses sleight of hand to rig up a secure hoist for the corpse. A few skill checks later, the corpse hefted into the wagon and Norm hauls it off for disposal.

As the rock worm leaves the premises, there's an indistinct voice from inside the hole vacated by the worm.

"Hello! How are you?" Spleenifer calls into the hole. The voice appears to belong to a woman explains that she is feeling quite weak and that she woke up in the dark some time ago. The woman explains that she threw herself off the bridge after leaving her young daughter on the steps of the orphanage. She would like some help getting out of this place so she can retrieve her baby.

Spleenifer tosses a rope down the hole, but the woman is too weak to climb it, so Spleenifer has to pull the rope up herself. Q keeps an eye out for potential traps, because this is definitely a situation that seems like it would kill a few characters early in a horror movie. As the woman reaches the surface, she looks like she should be dead. Her body is bloated and cut, her skin is bluish gray, and she's missing several patches of hair. The woman doesn't register as being undead to Spleenifer, and Q notices that the woman's wounds seem to be healing rapidly and the olive complexion is returning to the woman's features.

Once out of the hole, the woman thanks the party and heads off toward the orphanage. Q and Spleenifer follow a reasonable distance behind because clearly this is suspicious behavior. Norm arrives back at the scene just in time to see his companions sauntering down the road, so he also follows the action at an even reasonable-er distance.

Two tough-looking dudes are guarding the the front door to the orphanage as the lady approaches. Q takes a circuitous route to stealthily get close enough to overhear what's going down. The lady is pleading with the toughs to let her enter, but nobody goes in because of the boss's orders, it seems.

Q discreetly and silently attracts the woman's attention for a quick chat away from the tough guys. The woman's kid is named Hannah, and Q is already familiar with an orphan named Hannah because of the tiny otyugh called Stinky Calypso, and thus Q offers to try to sneak into the orphanage to find Hannah.

Meanwhile, Spleenifer walks as obviously as she can right up to the tough guys and asks to meet with Brother Clifton, the operator of the orphanage. "Brother Clifton called me here about a matter of a tentacle monster," she says. But the tough guys don't budge.

"He's tied up at the moment with meetings," is about all the information she was able to glean from them.

Q is absolutely NAILING their stealth rolls and is an undetectable force on the wind who is headed to Brother Clifton's quarters to assess the situation from another perspective. Books and papers are scattered on the floor of his quarters as though someone was recently ransacked only the documents in Brother Clifton's desk. Q finds a few things of note, though: a roster of all the individuals residing in the orphanage with the name "Curtis Hanover" circled, and a fancy-looking paper with wax seal addressed to Brother Clifton that looks like it should be part of a letter but appears to be blank.

Spleenifer is busy loitering near the tough guys while pretending to wait for Brother Clifton to get free from whatever meetings he's tied up in. From what she's able to overhear, the tough guys are having some sort of coded conversation but Spleenifer is reasonably certain they are expressing regret about having to be present for something that probably involves killing children.

Norm arrives on the scene, also ready to get in on this action. He recognizes the tough guys as having gang affiliations and that's all the information he needs to go on. He rounds the western corner of the orphanage and clambers on the roof, and he is able to overhear from the guard's Thieves Cant that there's at least two more gang members inside. The gang members inside the orphanage are apparently trying to do something with Brother Clifton and some kid. Norm leaps off the roof and does a non-lethal death strike to knock out both tough guys after a swan dive rolling into the ground with one dagger-wielding arm still outstretched.

Spleenifer enters the front door, while Q and Norm meet up and pick the lock to the back entrance to make sure no bad guys escape. Q pumps Norm up with a rousing (but whispered) speech about overcoming adversity to make sure Norm succeeds.

Once inside the rear hallway, Norm and Q are able to hear muffled sobbing coming from the children's quarters. It doesn't sound hysterical, so the duo press on toward the door at the end of the hall leading to the kitchen. Q presses their ear to the door and hears part of a conversation, but the only thing they can make out is Brother Clifton saying "I don't know who it is!"

Q cracks the door open like a ninja in the movies and sees Brother Clifton tied up in a chair while another tough guy is slapping him around. Just behind the door is another bad dude, but this guy has Hannah restrained and a knife at her throat.

"Where is Magnusson's kid?" the guy closest to Brother Clifton demands. It will be possibly the last thing he ever speaks, because this is the part where all the party members converge and the real action starts.

Norm sneaks past Q through the cracked door and sneak attacks the Brother Clifton's captor. The guy goes down like a sack of potatoes. Don't worry! The guy's just knocked out, not dead.

While this is happening, Q has whipped out the Didgeriboop and played the sleep song. It doesn't knock out Hannah's captor like they hoped, but both Hannah and Brother Clifton faint. And Hannah's fainting allowed her to slip momentarily from the captor's grasp.

Spleenifer bursts through the door on the opposite side of the kitchen and shouts "Save the children!" while almost tripping over a table just inside the door. But she takes one big step and now she's running on top of the weirdly-placed table and takes a flying leap at the guy who had a knife to Hannah's throat. In mid-air, she grapples the guy with her thighs, swings him around and bashes him into the fireplace.

After the bad guys are subdued, it's decided that now's a good time for an interrogation. The grappled guy is definitely ready to talk, especially with some thigh pressure applied to his skull. According to him, the guy who gave the order to run another operation was named Dion and operates out of a BCR warehouse. Norm recognizes Dion's name as belonging being a high-ranking member of the BCR. Perhaps even the second in command.

Norm excuses himself to check on the room with the muffled sobs to make sure all the kids are okay. As soon as he opens the door, Norm is hit with a pillowcase full of books and the group of four boys (aged 6, 7. 10, and 14, in case it ever comes up in the game again) shove past Norm and try to escape. But Norm is able to persuade them that he's one of the good guys and that they are here to rescue the kids from this assault.

Back in the kitchen, all the bad guys are rounded up, stripped of their gear, and tied up in the same gross rope used to haul the rock worm corpse away. Brother Clifton is roused from his slumber and asked why all this gang interest in Curtis Hanover is going on. He tells the party that Hjalmar Magnusson is a gang leader and someone by the name of Rooney was hoping to save Curtis from the predations of gang life by permanently polymorphing them. The BCR is targeting Curtis to get control over the Devil Boys gang.

The adventure concludes for the evening as the naked bundle of bad guys are dropped off in front of Silas's office with a signed note from Norm. But what happened with that weird kinda dead woman and her kid? Stay tuned next time for more!

[rjalker]

I think it'd be fun, so here you go.

You can submit art, writing, music videos, whatever you can think of.

[ID: A calendar for February 2023, with each date including an art prompt.

The whole thing reads:

February 2023 Murderbot challenge bonus points if you write only in 3rd person pov rather than 1st

01: Escaped large animal on the station

02: But who did leave the cracker wrapper in the sink?

03: Meeting another Rogue SecUnit

04: Helping enslaved constructs and humans escape a mining outpost

05: The wormhole

06: Pride and defiance

07: A disabled human teaches Murderbot about Preservation's wildlife

08: Murderbot meets a human who uses it/its pronouns

09: One of the other PreservationAux teammembers comes out as nonbinary

10: Murderbot learns the word "autistic"

11: Murderbot is trapped alone on a ghostship with an alien

12: Gurathin apologizes for being such an asshole

13: The ComfortUnit from RaviHyral runs into Murderbot again while they're both trying to rescue the same ship full of bots being sent to be turned into scrap

14: Murderbot hangs out with a group of trans humans and bots

15: The story of how Murderbot changes its pronouns to it/its

16: "So, what's the plot to this show?"

17: Murderbot makes a Sanctuary Moon fanfilm with Ratthi

18: Murderbot meets another person who's touch averse.

19: Murderbot joins a support group for refugees from the Corporation Rim

20: Murderbot learns the word "aroace"

21: Someone purposefully misgenders Murderbot. Pin-Lee has something to say about that.

22: Murderbot helps some locals pirate media from the Corporation Rim

23: Murderbot realizes just how much propaganda is in The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon

24: Murderbot teaches a human to impersonate a SecUnit

25: The secret world below Preservation's surface…

26: Murderbot creates a virus to destroy governor modules and sends it to the Company

27: Murderbot receives a permanent injury

28: Several winged, shapeshifting aliens fall out of a portal on Preservation Station"

End ID.]

You do not have to do all the challenges, and they don't all have to be done before the end of February. You can post them at any time.

Rules:

1: No shipping Murderbot with anyone, in any way. It is aroace and explicitly repulsed by relationships of all kind.

2: No erasing the fact that Murderbot is touch averse and does not ever want to be touched. The only time it lets anyone touch it is if it's saving their lives, or if they're saving its. Lives literally have to be at stake. Any other time, touch is completely off limits, yes, even for people it likes and trusts. No, you are also not allowed to draw representations of what's happening in the feed if you're going to show it as Murderbot touching someone else and enjoying it.

3: No misgendering Murderbot or any other character who uses neopronouns unless the entire point is to show it's bad. EX: You the author cannot misgender Murderbot, but an antagonist can.

4: No whitewashing or lightening Murderbot's skin. Murderbot, in the official art, has very dark skin and black hair. Do not erase this fact. Do not draw Gurathin as the literal Aryan ideal because you can't stand the thought that the protagonists are all black and brown people. White is not the default. White with blonde hair and blue eyes is absolutely not the fucking default.

5: If you are submitting art, Murderbot's face should be hidden in some way. It does not want people to see its face. We should respect that when we draw it, and there are plenty of fun and creative ways to accomplish this.

6: No NSFW.

7: Tag posts for the challenge with "Murderbotfandomchallenge" and "Murderbotfandomchallenge2023" if you want people to be able to find them specifically.

Entries that follow the rules will be reblogged to @murderbot-fandom-challenge event.

[dancerwrites]

A Little Bet, A Little Banter

Co-written with @cinderpaw1 Tags: Perc’ahlia, Ranger!Percy, Anything Can Happen in the Woods Inspired by this art by @kalidels ^_^

Chapter 1: The Hunt

[AO3] 

Vex dropped to her knee, examining the tracks in front of her. Fairly fresh; her quarry had made its way down this path recently.

She let out a low breath, standing back up and pulling an arrow from the quiver on her back, keeping it nocked on her bow as she started to carefully make her way through the foliage. She kept her breath low and quiet, eyes scanning through the browns and greens, hoping for a glimpse of white.

White animals weren’t uncommon in Whitestone, with how cold and snowy it tended to be, but a white stag as spring turned into summer? That was rare, and Vex was certain that it was large enough to keep her and Vax fed for a while. After all, why waste perfectly good gold on food when she could just hunt it down? Besides, a pelt like that would be worth a pretty penny at the markets.

Trinket slunk up next to her, keeping low and lightfooted despite his size. He snuffed softly, and Vex slunk up next to him, keeping her eyes peeled for any hint of the creature.

It was about half an hour later when she froze, glimpsing the stag drinking from a nearby stream. She took a breath before pulling up her bow, taking careful aim towards it. Towards the head, as to save as much of the beautiful pelt as possible.

She let out the breath, and was about to release the arrow before she heard someone nearby. “Oh sweet Pelor!” A man shouted, sounding frightened, and the stag bolted.

“Shit!” Vex hissed, loosing the arrow a bit too late. It clattered to the ground, the stag escaping unharmed, and Vex shot a glare towards where she had heard the outburst. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” she shouted. “I almost had him!”

"What? Excuse you!" the man exclaimed, making far too much noise as he blundered around to her left. "I didn't do- Oh, gods..."

Trinket, who had reared up on his hind legs in front of Vex, was blocking the man from her view.

"Stay back," the man warned, though his voice shook and there was a rapid cracking of sticks as he backpedaled from her bear.

"Scare, Trinket," Vex murmured, coming up behind her companion, and she smirked as Trinket growled low in his throat.

"I'll shoot," the man warned, his voice a bit higher.

Vex decided that she couldn't have that, so she patted Trinket's back and he dropped back down on all fours, then she made her way around him, priding in her own silence on the forest floor.

"Oh, was this mean man bothering you, Trinket dear?" Vex cooed, passing Trinket's shoulder to see a man with a bow aimed at her companion, though his hands shook slightly.

Vex slipped an arrow from her quiver and nocked it, though she kept it casually pointing towards the ground. “Careful darling, if you take a shot at my bear he won’t be the only one with an arrow in him.” she warned the man lightly.

His eyes, bright blue behind golden glasses, widened slightly. “This is… your bear?”

“Well of course.” Vex replied, leaning against Trinket and scratching behind his ears. “Why else would he be this well behaved on a hunt? A hunt which you spoiled, by the way.” Vex gave the man a light glare, studying him as she did so.

He was dressed in blues and browns, his leather armor with a golden sun emblazoned into the chestpiece showing that he served the nobility in the grand castle that overlooked the city. His arrows were fletched with black feathers, and she couldn’t help but admire the way his jaw curved, with just a hint of scruff. It was dusty brown, and didn’t seem to match the shock of white hair on his head.

"I would actually say that your bear crashed through my hunt," the man said, straightening up slightly, his haughty demeanor reminding Vex of the gods-awful aristocrats in Syngorn. "I was doing just fine before you two came by and mucked it all up!"

"Oh really?" Vex asked, lifting her vow from where it was pointed at the ground. "And who shouted and scared of my quarry, whom I have been tracking for hours now?"

"That was definitely his fault," the man exclaimed, gesturing towards Trinket, though he'd released some of the tension on his bow. "He startled me into giving away our position!"

"So you admit it," Vex said with a smirk, and the man's cheeks darkened to a pike hue.

"No," he muttered, though he lowered his own bow mostly toward the ground.

"Of course not, darling," Vex simpered, tightening her grasp on her bowstring, ready to raise it and fire if need be.

But then the man whistled and out of the dark canopy above them flew a white form, almost as pure as the man's hair, but with black speckled throughout its coat.

"Ah!" Vex shouted, dropping her arrow she'd had notched, though her bow remained tightly in her grasp. "What the-"

The bird dove at her again, only just missing her as Vex dodged out of the way, Trinket growling and batting the air as he tried to keep it away from her.

The man whistled again, and the bird, which Vex realized to be a snowy owl after it had stopped trying to claw her face off, landed on his shoulder.

 "Good job, Artemis," he said affectionately, too quietly for Vex to hear, though she had been teaching herself to read lips. He gave her a sliver of meat from a pouch at his side and the owl gulped it down in one swallow.

Vex huffed, dusting herself off, and the man just chuckled as he watched her.

“Fair is fair,” he told her, reaching up to gently scratch at the feathers at the owl’s neck. It made a soft thrumming sound as it relaxed on his shoulder, and Trinket just growled at them.

“You’re an ass.” Vex grumbled, grabbing the arrow she had dropped from the ground. “Now I have to try and find the damn stag again, and waste time I could have spent prepping it. I’ll be lucky if I find it again before nightfall.” She glanced up at the sky, and the sun that was slowly but steadily making its way towards the horizon.

“Now wait just a moment.” The man replied, his eyes narrowing slightly. “I’ve been hunting that stag for a week now. I laid claim on it first.” 

“Not much of a hunter, are you, if it’s taken you a week,” Vex retorted. “Besides, what the hell do you need it for? Did one of your snooty bosses have a hankering for white pelt? I doubt you want it for the meat, I bet they keep you nice and well fed at the castle. But this stag means meals for me and my family, and I’m the one who nearly killed it after only a day.”

He didn’t need to know that to her, family was just her twin brother and her bear. Let him think he was starving children out of their home, if that’s what it would take to convince him leave the stag as her quarry.

The owl, Artemis, ruffled her feathers and hooted irritably, and the man straightened up, raising his chin. He opened his mouth to say something, then seemed to think better of it and swallowed before speaking again.

“I’m sorry, I do believe we got off on the wrong foot,” he said, dropping his chin again, though he still held an air of regality around him. “My name is Percival.” He slid the arrow he’d drawn back into his quiver and stopped forward slightly, his hand extended for her to shake.

Vex regarded him for a moment, wariness warning her away, but stepped forward to meet him, grasping his hand and shaking it firmly. His fingers that weren’t covered by an archer’s glove were calloused and belied his station as some worker, and Vex wondered why the nobles in the city didn’t have some mercenary they could hire to do a better job than this stuck-up prick of a stablehand.

“Sounds pretentious,” Vex said, before introducing herself. “Vex’ahlia.”

“Just Vex’ahlia?” Percival asked, raising an eyebrow and earning himself an eyeroll.

“What, like Just Percival?” she shot back at him.

He blinked in surprise, but nodded. “Fair enough.”

Percival stepped back after they let go of each other's hands, looking her over. Vex's face curled into a light frown, keenly aware of how her cheekbones, already high thanks to the elven blood in her, were even more prominent than they should be.

Percival sighed. "Look, I don't need the meat." He admitted. "But I do need the pelt. You're very quiet, I didn't even notice you. Granted, the bear drew most of my attention, but still. I propose we make an alliance, and work together to get the stag."

Vex just raised an eyebrow at him. "I don't need the charity, thanks." She replied cooly. "...But I'm always up for a challenge. I propose a wager. Whoever gets the killshot gets the stag, and gets to choose what we take from it. Does that sound fair?"

Percival frowned, but seemed to be considering her offer.

"What do you think, Artemis?" he asked aloud, before whispering a few words that sounded like a spell. Vex nearly drew an arrow on him again, but then she realized that while he was still speaking, his voice had changed from speaking Common to hooting in low tones, Artemis doing the same in return.

Vex stared, agape, for a moment, before schooling her features to something hopefully apathetic. She had been living in the forest for years now, and while she had been able to channel some of the wild magic around her into simple spells of healing, or imbuing her arrows with the power to restrain her targets, whatever spell he'd used was still far beyond her capabilities.

Percival continued speaking with the owl before they both looked at her simultaneously. It was a little unnerving how they timed it, and Vex was thankful that Trinket was still at her side. He let out a low grumble, and Vex found herself wishing she knew the same spell Percival had used.

"You have a deal," Percival replied, holding his hand out for another handshake.

Vex still felt wary, but reached her hand out to clasp his in her own. The moment they shook, Artemis took off in flight, disappearing into the treetops towards the direction the stag had run off.

"Cheater!" Vex retorted, dropping Percival's hand and rushing towards the bank of the stream to begin examining the tracks left in the mud there.

"I'm using the resources at my disposal," Percival called after her, still managing to sound prim and proper.

Vex released an angry huff as she knelt down, examining the direction the stag had been headed.

"Loop around that way, Trinket," she told him, pointing to the side. "If you find the stag chase him this way, slowly, alright?"

Trinket nodded and groaned, heading off on his own as Vex ran after the stag's tracks, keeping a sharp eye out for any scratches from his antlers on the trees, or for broken branches he might have snapped on the course of his retreat.

She continued to follow the few markings of a trail, keeping an arrow at the ready. She couldn’t afford to lose out to Percival. Even if he gave her the meat, the blow to her pride, at losing a wager in her element, would be a little too much.

After about five minutes, she caught a glimpse of white out of the corner of her eye, and raised her bow to aim at it. It took her a moment to realize that the white she saw wasn’t the stag, but rather, Percival, low to the ground and tracking as well. He was just ahead of her and to her right, and well, he deserved another little scare.

She aimed at the tree trunk directly above him, and loosed an arrow. It buried itself into the wood with a satisfying “thunk” a handful of inches above his head, and Percival jumped, glancing over his shoulder.

“Watch it!” he hissed at her, and Vex just gave him a coy smile.

“I apologize,” She simpered back at him. “Maybe it would help if you weren’t the same color as our quarry.”

Percival's pale cheeks flushed as he glared at her, but she just winked and dashed off ahead of him. He followed heavily for a few moments, but then what little training he had seemed to kick in, and the sound of crunching leaves died away behind her.

In spite of herself Vex glanced behind her as she stood on a fallen tree, and found she was begrudgingly surprised at how well he could hide, even from her keen sight.

Taking no more time to linger, however, she pressed forward, deeper and deeper into the wood.

An hour passed, only the occasional track or broken branch keeping her on the trail. There was no sign of Percival, and Vex wasn’t certain if that meant either she or he were on the entirely wrong path, or if he was just that good at staying hidden when he was paying attention to it.

She ducked low to examine a few muddled tracks when she heard the telltale hiss of an arrow and the sound of it embedding itself into the stump directly to her right.

Her head snapped up, eyes catching a glimpse of Percival, who was lowering his bow. He had a smile on his face as he watched her, looking entirely too pleased with himself.

“An arrow for an arrow.” He replied, giving her his own wink before moving ahead and disappearing into the underbrush.

“Dick.” Vex mumbled to herself, her own cheeks starting to heat up as she tried to ignore the slight flutter in her chest at being on the receiving end of a playful wink, for once.

It was after another hour at least, likely closer to two, when Vex found signs of chewed leaves and an increasing number of scratches from antlers on the trees.

The sun was beginning to sink behind the tips of the Alabaster Sierras, the forest growing quieter with the oncoming night, and Vex took a steadying breath, knowing the hint was nearly over. She hadn't seen hide nor hair of Percival since he'd sent his own warning shot of sorts, and she wondered how he was faring.

Creeping forward, she peered ahead through a narrow trail, which seemed to lead to a thicket, and she grinned as she realized the stag was likely close, ready to bed down for the night if he hadn't already done so.

She slunk closer through the underbrush, arrow drawn and ready to fire at the first sign of the stag.

As she rounded the thicket, so saw a glimpse of white through the thick brambles, and grinned as she took careful aim. The chest, then, since the head was out of sight, though she would hate to spoil some of the hide.

She heard a low hooting, and a flash of white in the trees showed Artemis there. Shit, that meant Percival was close. She couldn't wait.

She loosed her arrow, and heard the echoing twang of a bowstring from nearby. Two arrows appeared in the white hide, one fletched with bluejay feathers and the other with black raven.

The stag startled, springing up to his feet as best he could, but crumpled almost immediately to the ground, and Vex rushed forward, aiming carefully at the struggling deer, loosing an arrow into its head to put the poor creature out of its suffering, just before another rushed through the trees and hit the top of its spine, making the stag jerk with the impact.

Trinket lumbered up from the opposite direction of the arrows, snuffling through the trees.

"Good job, buddy," she said, patting him on the shoulder as she grinned. She had undoubtedly gotten​ the killing blow, though her first shot had been too low, she noted. It had hit close to the stag’s front leg, hardly nicking a lung, and probably not even reaching the heart, while Percival's arrow was buried deeply into the stag's chest, the fletching visible just above where the deer's ribs stopped.

Trinket grumbled proudly and nuzzled into her, while Artemis flitted down to sit on top of Trinkets head.

Percival emerged from the brush, panting softly as he looked at the stag.

Artemis fluttered down and landed on Percy's shoulder, hooting softly. Percy hooted back at her before looking at Vex, and the arrows.

"...Honestly, I can't tell which of us made the real killing blow." He murmured. "They happened simultaneously." He looked up at Vex from where he was kneeling next to the deer, a look of deep respect in his eyes.

Vex nodded, feeling a begrudging respect for him too. It had been very close.

"...Take the pelt." She replied. He had earned that much, at least. "I want the meat and the antlers."

"Thank you, Vex'ahlia," Percival said graciously, and Vex bit her lip at the way her name rolled off his tongue - not like he'd only learned it that day, but like he'd known it before he even met her. "Shall we get him to a clearing where we can divide our spoils?"

Vex felt breathless, but nodded, and helped him pick the stag up, almost staggering under his weight, but resolutely holding her own. Vex was careful with her footing as she directed Percival to a small clearing close by - small by anyone's standards, but enough to fit the two of them, Trinket, and the stag.

Artemis fluttered over to Trinkets head once Percival leaned down to help carry the heavy stag, and Trinket laid down on the edge of the clearing, keeping watch. He knew to stay alert, and defend Vex from any carnivores drawn by the smell of the blood as she butchered her kills.

She took out her skinning knife, and together she and Percival worked to remove the hide from the animal, being careful not to stain it with its blood and ruin the bright white color.

There was little exchanged between them apart from directions as they removed the hide, but once it was done, she slumped to the ground to rest for a moment before tackling the process of removing the meat and antlers and putting them into packs to take back with her.

She expected Percival to leave, now that he had his part of the prize, but to her surprise he sat next to her as she rested.

"I'll help you finish butchering." He murmured. "It's a large stag."

"...Thank you, Percival." Vex murmured, acutely aware of how close they currently were. She could feel the heat of his body, despite how sweaty she was herself.

“It’s only fair,” he said, taking off the spectacles on his face and cleaning them using his handkerchief. “Since you helped me with the hide.”

They sat in silence for a long moment, twilight falling over the forest, and Vex looked over to where Artemis and Trinket were sitting. They both appeared to be asleep, though Trinket’s nose and ears twitched every so often, belying his awareness. As she watched, Artemis ruffled her feathers and settled down more onto Trinket’s head, the feathers under her beak bunching up into a sort of ruff.

“I’ve never seen her so relaxed around strangers before,” Percival murmured, making Vex jump slightly at how close he was to her ear.

“Strangers? I’m offended, darling,” Vex said, covering her jump by shifting to face him, smirking at the faint pink that colored his cheeks.

Percival cleared his throat, looking back towards their two companions. "...Considering her first response to you was calling you a "pretentious peasant", I wasn't expecting her to take a liking to you or your bear." Percy murmured, cheeks still flushed.

"Oh?" Vex replied, a little softer than she would have liked. That particular comment cut deep.

"But she seems to have done both," Percival murmured. "...As have I, I suppose."

Vex's gaze was caught by his eyes, and she realized just how bright of a blue they were when not behind his spectacles.

"Lucky me, I suppose, hmm?" she asked, stretching her legs out on the ground below her.

Percy hummed softly, putting his glasses back onto his face. "It does take a lot." He admitted, watching the sky. "...I'd like to see you again, after tonight. If you're amiable towards it, of course."

Vex's breath caught in her throat and her heart sank. They were on the move so often - she supposed they could meet in town, or in the forest again, but would he be sent on another hunting trip so soon after chasing the stag?

"We don't stay in one place too long - we were planning on moving on within the week," she said truthfully, her fingers reaching up to fiddle with the end of her braid for something to do. "Will your masters allow you away before then?"

Percival laughed, and it was a full, boisterous sound in the quiet of the forest. He looked at her, eyes crinkled with amusement. "You really aren't from around here." He murmured, seeming to relax a little more than he had previously.

Vex frowned lightly at him. "I don't see what's so funny." She replied.

Percival just shook his head, a fond smile on his face. "I'm certain you have your secrets, Vex'ahlia. I just want to keep mine, just a little longer." He reached over then, gently tucking an errant strand of hair that had escaped her braid behind her ear. "I'll tell you soon, though, assuming we meet again."

Vex felt his fingers linger on the side of her face for a moment, rough and warm behind her ear. He paused, long enough to draw the moment out, and Vex felt her heart race again as she brought her hand up to his and pulled it away.

"We should probably finish getting the meat while we still have light," she whispered, almost scared to speak louder.

She wouldn't think about how their fingers slid so easily together, or the way that his face seemed to fall slightly as he nodded, a bit of a barrier going up behind his eyes.

"Of course." Percival replied, his voice sliding back into the proper cadence he had used when they had first run into each other. Hearing that change, going from casual to formal, caused Vex's heart to ache in a strange way.

They got up and both worked on butchering the stag, loading the meat into the bags that Vex had brought for this purpose and laying them over Trinket’s back for him to carry back to the city.

They were almost done, taking a moment to rinse their hands free of blood, when Percival murmured: "I apologize. I'm not usually so forwards, especially with people I just met. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"It's alright, darling," Vex said, nonchalant, though she kept her eyes carefully on the task at hand, afraid what she would do if she looked up at him. They couldn't stay in one place too long, and while Whitestone was getting warmer as the months crept closer to summer, it was still much colder than either herself or Vax preferred, especially when they had limited funds for lodging. "I won't hold it against you."

"Good. I'd hate to be on the wrong end of your bow. I almost was, at one point." He chuckled warmly. "...This was one of the best hunts I've been a part of. Thank you, for that. Truly."

"No problem, Percival," she said, mimicking his way of speaking so badly that the two of them burst out laughing, which made Artemis hoot reproachfully at them.

Percival gave her a warm smile as the laughter died down. "...You can call me Percy." He told her then, the barrier that had been put up when she pulled his hand away lowering once more.

She smiled back, watching him gather up his things as she did the same with hers.

"Well then, if we're being fair... You can call me Vex, darling."

"Vex..." He murmured, even the nickname rolling pleasantly off his tongue, sounding like it belonged there. "A wonderful name."

They made their way back to Whitestone in comfortable silence as night truly fell around them, but when they reached the outskirts of the city Percy stopped.

"I have to head this way now," he nodded towards the castle. "But I do hope to see you once more, before you leave." He took a deep breath before moving in a little closer, murmuring something in a musical sounding language before pressing his lips lightly to her forehead. Vex had been getting ready to back away, and she felt a warm tingle spread through her body at his touch. "...What was that?" She asked, voice catching slightly in her throat as her heart pounded.

"A blessing." Percy murmured, cheeks flushed. "And a promise." He smiled at her, giving her one last wink before whistling, and Artemis flew off of Trinkets head to his shoulder before he began walking, disappearing into the trees.

Vex gaped after him, the lilting rhythm of the language lingering with her even after the warmth had faded, and when his form had disappeared into the darkness she turned back to Trinket, who was scratching his face with one of his paws, looking bored.

"Do you know what that was?" she asked, but the bear only seemed to shrug, and Vex shook her head in disbelief.

But she had fresh venison to deal with, and so Vex headed to the run-down house where she and Vax had holed up, debating how much she would tell her brother about the day's events.

  A few days later Vex was busy making sure all of their belongings were packed in their bags while Vax was out getting the last of his business for the Clasp sorted out, when she heard knocking against the window. It was hard and insistent, and when she looked over she saw Artemis there, banging her beak against the window and clutching something in her talons. She gave Vex the most irritated look Vex had ever had an owl give her, and Vex couldn't help but chuckle as she opened the window to let the owl in.

"Is Percy here?" She asked, giving her some gentle scratches behind her ear as an apology for having her wait outside.

Artemis tilted her head as if to say "Why would I have knocked on the window if he was at the front door" (not that Vex knew what owls said regularly, but it seemed like an apt interpretation), and Vex sighed.

"Shame, I hoped to be able to see him before I left," she murmured, and Artemis trilled a bit, as if trying to lift her spirits. "Well, send him my.... send him my love when you go back, yeah?"

A gentle hoot and nip at her fingers was the affirmative answer from the bird, who then hopped to the side, revealing what she had brought.

Vex picked up the tightly rolled bundle and unfurled it, revealing a small bag made of white deerskin, and two scrolls of paper with her name in beautiful handwriting written along the outside.  She felt the traveling bag with her fingers, recognizing the pelt of the white stag.

She put the bag down to unroll the scroll with her name on it, and began to read.

-

Vex'ahlia-

I hope this finds you in good health. Unfortunately, my duties have kept me at the castle and unable to find a moment to meet with you before you leave. I hope this bag goes to good use; you earned it, and I made it myself.

The second scroll is the incantation and movements required to speak with animals. I figured it would be useful; your bear has some wonderful insights, and he cares for you very deeply. (It would be a shame if you never heard him tell you himself.)

Safe travels, dear, and if you ever find yourself in Whitestone again, come and find me. You will always be considered a friend and guest.

Fondly yours,

Percival Fredrickstein von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III, second son of the house of Whitestone.

  (Do you see now why I wanted to keep my secrets that day? You were the first person to make me fight for a kill, and being myself without being the noble was refreshing. Thank you again for that.)

-

Vex gasped as she finished reading, her hand flying up to cover her mouth.

"De Rolo?" she whispered, hardly able to believe it. She remembered Percy's amusement, and understood, but this… it was more than she could have imagined.

She traced the words 'Safe travels dear' and bit her lip, surprised at how emotional she felt over some words written on a piece of paper.

Glancing over the letter again, she remembered the other scroll, and hurriedly unrolled it to find the incantation for the spell written out, its pronunciation beside it. At the bottom of the paper was a series of four sketched hands, the way to physically channel the spell into existence.

She sounded out the words to the spell once through, and though they sounded horribly stilted to her ears, there was a spark deep in her chest that she knew had the potential of becoming something more.

Artemis hooted at her before fluttering over to Trinket, hooting as she landed on his head. Trinket let out a content rumble, growling back.

Vex smiled at the sight, wondering what they were saying to each other, before Artemis seemed to bid Trinket farewell and head back out toward the castle.

"Thank you, Percy," Vex murmured, following the owl’s flight back to the castle as far as she could, remembering the the warmth Percy’s words had inspired in her chest.

Maybe they would meet again, one day.

[jefferson-in-the-tardis]

Challenge Game (Now 54 Questions)

Rules: Answer all questions, add one question of your own and tag as many people as there are questions (not happening)

Tagged by @joi-in-the-tardis (thank you!!)

 1. Coke or Pepsi: Coke 2. Disney or Dreamworks: Disney 3. Coffee or Tea: Coffee (although I wish I coiuld say “both”) 4. Books or Movies: Books 5. Windows or Mac: Recent Mac convert (sorry Windows!) 6. DC or Marvel: I love my Avengers and I love my Batfam… why must I choose??? 7. Xbox or Playstation: Playstation 8. Dragon Age or Mass Effect: Mass Effect (because pretty folding space station) 9. Night Owl or Early Rise: Early riser 10. Cards or Chess: Cards 11. Chocolate or Vanilla: Strawberry? 12. Vans or Converse: Converse and a side-affair with Vans 13. Lavellan, Trevelyan, Cadash or Adaar: I had to look these up and I don’t play Dragon Age, so… 14. Fluff or Angst: I love fluff, but I write a lot of angst that is padded by fluff

15. Beach or Forest: Forest 16. Dogs or Cats: Cats 17. Clear Skies or Rain: Rain  18. Cooking or Eating Out: Cooking 19. Spicy Food or Mild Food: Spicy 20. Halloween/Samhain or Solstice/Yule/Christmas: Halloween 21. Would you rather forever be a little too cold or a little too hot: Forever a little too cold 22. If you could have a superpower, what would it be? The ability to heal 23. Animation or Live Action: Live action 24. Paragon or Renegade: Admission time: I also don’t play Mass Effect, but my friend showed me the folding space station. I also had to Google this to find out it was even related to Mass Effect. 25. Baths or Showers: Showers 26. Team Cap or Team Iron Man: Team Cap (actually Team Bucky and Team Hawkeye, but it was nice that they made the decision easy for me) 27. Fantasy or Sci-Fi? Fantasy books, Sci-fi movies 28. Do you have three or four favourite quotes? If so, what are they:  “To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children… to leave the world a better place… to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

“The miracle is this: the more we share, the more we have.” – Leonard Nimoy

“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.”

29. YouTube or Netflix: Netflix 30. Harry Potter or Percy Jackson: This is seriously a mean question. I’ll say Harry Potter because I grew up with those books and they’re a large part of me… but I also adore all of the Percy Jackson books. 31. When You Feel Accomplished: When I overcome a challenge or make someone’s day better 32. Star Wars or Star Trek: Once again, not fair. I grew up on both so there is no choosing. BOTH. 33. Paperback Books or Hardback Books: Hardback because my paperbacks fall apart too quickly 34. Handwriting or Typing: Handwriting unless I have billions of ideas at one time 35. Velvet or Satin: Velvet 36. Video Games or Movies: Movies  37. Would you rather be the dragon or own the dragon? Own the dragon. And by own, I mean befriend. 38. Sunrise or sunset: Sunset 39. What’s your favourite song?  Open Your Eyes – Snow Patrol 40. Horror Movies yes or no: Absolutely NOT 41. Long hair or short hair: Long 42. Opera or Theatre: Theatre 43. Assuming the multiverse theory is true and every story ever told has really happened somewhere, which one of the movie/book/tv show/game/etc worlds would you pick to travel to first? I’m torn between Doctor Who, Hogwarts, Narnia, and Tortall 44: If you had to eat only one thing for the rest of your life what would it be? Bread and cheese together makes it one thing, right?

45: Older guys or young guys? Older 46: If you could erase any show from TV history, what would it be?  Probably one of the reality shows but I don’t have a vendetta against any show in particular 47: Singing or dancing? Singing but I want to learn how to dance!

48: Instagram or Twitter? Instagram

49: What quote or saying do people spout but is complete BS? “A watched pot never boils.”

50: If there was a time period that you would gladly time travel to to live or visit, what would it be? Ancient Greece

51: If you could take one fictional character into this world to live with you and what not, under the contingency that the movie/book/tv/game universe they came from acts as if they never existed, who would it be and why? Odd Thomas

52: What’s the story behind your tumblr account? A friend mentioned it to me, so I decided to check it out and was sucked in.   53: If you were suddenly rendered invisible for the day (your clothing also, you don’t have to be naked… unless you want) what is the most mischievous thing you would do? I’d pretend-haunt people

MY QUESTION: 54: If you could travel anywhere (cost is not a factor), where would you go?

Tagging: @yourangelofafterlife @her-royal-shyness @jiayang333 @starshiphufflebadger @dizzykat28560 @katsdisturbed

[apexart-journal]

Radha Gomaty in NYC Day 16

Enroute Washington

1.

Had a particularly rough morning as my India phone suddenly dithered into deep coma just as i was readying to leave to catch the 9 am Bus to Washington .

Quite distraught I sat bent over the phone compulsively pressing the three buttons that i could see in various  permutations and combinations and with varying finger pressures till time on the clock approached danger mark and i had to run from  the room .

I find my way through the subways carrying a heavy shoulder bag besides my usual awfully ethnic glittery (and now rather dirty)cloth tote with its stitches coming undone that somehow gells well with this crazy city .

Of course, then there is my friend’s  handy little leather multi pocket cross sling that carries  everything from my proof of identity , all my various complimentary entry cards and metro /subway cards  .In fact she  hung it on my shoulder with emphasis genuinely afraid that I might lose my papers otherwise and end up in prison or something !

A gift notepad from my god daughter that i had cherished on my table without finding fit reason for using it fits in perfectly and had scrawled in its first page with a waterproof marker all important numbers of immediate near & dear  that proves really useful now that my phoned conked out!

I thanked the stroke of intuition that had me do that just a coulee of ours before i left home for Kochi Airport.

Yet another friend lent  me her veteran leather jacket advising me that i should wear this as soon as i disembark from the flight at JFK so that I look like a true blue New Yorker and not like some babe in the woods.

In short I had made my trip on some old clothes donated to me (category:Something OLD;status-check!)

Some new clothes , shoes and socks (first purchase since I passed school say , some 35 odd years ago and a pair of brand new spectacles  (category :something NEW-check!)

Mostly borrowed stuff right from money for my food to all of my woolens and even two pieces of luggage of the three I had.(category: something BORROWED-Check!)

And something blue?Well ,Besides a pair of rather horrendous blue jeans hurriedly brought and in memory of an older body size that i once inhabited .It was now so large that I have to find ingenious ways every moment to keeping it from slipping  down to the ground.

But then there were some events too just as I leaving home that for a few moments dyed Time to the deepest ultramarine possible.But thankfully only for a few moments ,as off late like a practiced boxer I duck on raw instinct  rather than from rather deadly blows. designed to kill my sustaining spirit .

(category:Something BLUE-Check!)

BTW for readers rom my part of the Globe this business of having something OLD /NEW /BORROWED /BLUE is what a Bride is supposed to ensure she has on her person at the ceremony to ensure some things as follows:

Something old represents continuity; something new offers optimism for the future; something borrowed symbolizes borrowed happiness; something blue stands for purity, love, and fidelity.

A 1940’s song from my childhood that was part of dad’s vinyl record collection .the one i heard was by Vera Lynn but i can’t find it anywhere now trawling the net.

So please listen to  this version by the Velours.

Yup.

I’ve deliberately chosen the one with the excessively frothy pulp romance visuals to rub it in and have people of understated refined tastes to run for cover.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vc0G7y1gfEU

Well !Me , a bride ,huh?

That’s a good one !

I’m sure reading this will have many folks i know in sniggers to downright splits at the prospect of a hat trick (Me too actually …!!! :D :D) , a grossly anomalous event for a woman ,at least in the cultural context I happen to be in !

But jokes aside ,in a way that is true about all trips like this, you know.

It is like one’s self (spelt with small case )and one Self (spelt with upper case)that ,ejected by some hidden cosmic plan across a huge distance from familiar physical coordinates and the habits of time zones ,embark upon on a unique honeymoon together within one …

Like in this  lovely Hindi movie back home called ‘QUEEN’ after  the mild mannered typically middle class protagonist called Rani (meaning Queen in English &played with finesse by Kangna Raut) who is stood up at the altar ,so to speak ,by her recently  ‘settled abroad’ NRI fiancé because suddenly she is not smart & trendy enough to be part of his new life style abroad.

Though utterly shattered she embarks upon a radical decision encouraged by her feisty paternal grandmother -To use her honeymoon ticket and go to Paris & Amsterdam on a honeymoon all by herself as planned like commemorating a wedding that never happened .

The results are unexpected and totally exhilarating  for Rani after some initial shocks  which completely jolts her out of the narrow confines of her comfort zones that were based on role based  conformity and not centred on the realities of her feeling-self.

The film traces how Rani , the average middle class Indian girl,begins to find herself finally in new locales through new & diverse friendships and challenging experiences  restoring her to an unassailable fresh new sense of wholeness.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_(2014_film)

Distance has a way of conferring perspective as little else can as also the cosmopolitan multi cultural bustle that, throwing off-gear one’s sense of context ,challenges one to reexamine , feel ,assimilate and eventually generate anew every moment a new and enlivening context for being.

Just this evening on a watsapp call , my brother was telling me of a new book he was reading on the realities of a Dalit Life called ‘Ants amongst Elephants’ noted for its freshness by Sujata Gudia , based on the locales of her own life written only after she migrated to the US and became a subway conductor.

Even the cold , the wind , the need to layer over skin for a person from more hospitable or warmer climes where one may as well comfortably walk next to naked with just  one multipurpose piece of cloth that works interchangeably  as garment , mat or drape by night changes things in a way that is not easy to describe.But change it does ,from the fundamental level of the nebulous cusp of Body & Being.

The same reasons ,also dictated by a different culture of valuing Tme ,may necessitate similar changes in dressing -from wearing flowing clothes to closely fitted ones that facilitate free movement of limbs while keeping the cold out.

Simply put ,just the simple act of wearing pants  , say even for a woman like me, changes things and facilitates entry  from languid self containment to dynamism & extroverted action .

The giddying verticality of Metropolises also has a similar effect upon those who  like me from not such a heavy metropolitanised( a new word I suspect but let it be!) living backdrop.

In short the stage is set for a strange wilderness to sudden burgeon forth almost overnight overrunning  the complacence of  Familiarity altogether . From within this wilderness strange new animals ,whose presence was only  gleaned hitherto from an occasional track mark of sensation or  from the sharp smell of droppings begin to show themselves better with a new found fearlessness.

Weird flowers blossom of strange hues and heady scents that disorient the head  as in open eyed dreams .Voices unheard hitherto begin to make themselves audible .

I am convinced now that Traveling far makes one more amenable to accept the fact that perhaps the very nature of Life is a virtual reality .I stumbled on that secret long ago but frankly speaking ,its  the darned diciest thing to get used to though with the years and the abrasions of experience ,I think I’ve made much better peace with it .

“…so why did i come so far,my love ? to catch a glimpse of an Amerindian lifetime that still courses through our blood ?The time when the horses brought in by the Spaniards escaped and came in first from Peru through Mexico through the Oklahoma plains to multiply and run beautifully wild and you were part of those who lassoed and made peace with  them to become our steadfast friends ?”

Amerindians??

Did i actually doze off for a split second in the Metro Bus headed to Washington  DC that everyone seemed to called by its euphemism ,’the Blue Bus’?

My fellow passenger , a man from Honduras who has worked in the US for 16years now and longs to return home is happy to let me have his window seat .

He gladly accepts a piece of Kappalandi Mittai or Peanut Candy from back home as agonizing over my phone left me no time to prep or eat anything for breakfast. i make do with gnawing at an apple afterwards thinking I shall eat in Washington.

Washington !

Can two cities be so totally different?

The Metro station has this glam front of cafes et al and suddenly with one turn the whole atmosphere changes into a grey drab one.i have trouble with topping my Metro Card and a family from Kerala reach there just in time as if to help me.The gate won’t open and I enter through an emergency door.

Everything is strange ,bleak,dark and interminably gray even the lifeless mechanical announcements .I feel it takes an eternity to find my way walking too to the Beacon hotel .

The young lady at the desk checks out ‘Margaret Ewing’ under whose name my room has been booked .While she is examining my passport for a second time with apologies for the inconvenience caused ,Trump is delivering voice mime thunderbolts on illegal immigrants on a silenced TV Set in the tastefully decorated lobby.

Standing there i  find myself worrying about one of James’ students, I think one who is on our show at Apex, whose dad is on the receiving end of this with the aftershocks landing on the prospects of the entire family.

James ,whom I met at Apex is a wonderful teacher of Art at a Public or city funded school in the Bronx where the poorest people live ,many of them precariously.

i get my room keys finally and enter a business class room with two huge single beds ,a TV set , a coffee maker and something that I think is a microwave oven .

For the first time since i came ,I'm feeling a bit lost.

I miss my home@1Irving street, the cute white Mac on the table by the window that helps me type my thoughts, the narrow crowded streets outside full of really interesting looking people , the crazy subways abuzz with chaos &music...

Yeah, my phone from India on which I refused to change the time in India to keep in touch withy beloved ones there abruptly dying with all my contacts in it and remembering that it's my father's birthday and my younger son not realizing perhaps that I haven't called not because I don't care but I can't, adds to it.

My packed lunch of Rice and Mung sprouts suddenly turns tasteless in my mouth.

I hurriedly get up.

Schedule beckons …. (to be contd.)

[martireiber67-blog]

Truck Parks At Weigh Stations - Part 2

Gone are those good olden days when children used to play in group as families used to be joint family and had many children. There has been a paradigm shift presently in the lifestyle giving in to smaller nuclear families with one or two child, with both parents working to make ends meet more comfortably. There was no problem in joint family regarding looking after the children because someone was always there to look after them. In nuclear families where both the parents had to go out to work, there online games offer huge aid as an effective baby sitter that not only makes a child sit at one place, but also heightens his/ her perceptual power and responses. The web is abundant with a wide diversity of online games, ranging from action and adventure to puzzles and word games. The variety of online games excites the children to play with initial assistance, wherever necessary. Bright and colorful animations provided by these online games on interactive basis are enough to catch the attention of the children as well as the grown up people. Particularly the online games having the domino effects cast a spell on the young children. Online games have various positive points as well as negative points. Let us begin with the different positive points of online games for instance it relieve the parents from worrying about the fellow children who can play with their child and also help the parents to escape the process of appointment of a baby sitter whose duties are generally to look after the safety of the child. Beside these online games allow pleasure and fun along with sharpened intelligence to your child. Your child subconsciously learn and refine ones skills, hand and eye coordination, reflexes, logical thinking and various other skills through online games. Most importantly children get acquainted with the operation of computers and eventually attained a unique comfort level with their computer and gains confidence in the subject forever! The online games infuse in your child a sense of understanding of what competition means and help them to learn how to remain patience. The negative sides of the online games are that it centralizes the children to their room, making them addicted to computer games and indulging them to remain inside spending several hours in front of the computer. Parents do not understand allowing their children to play several hours of online games will make lose an important part of their life. Playing outdoor games, making friends are equally important in building character, improving physique and creating a healthy environment. It brings an overall development and helps the child to face challenges in their life.

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There require be signs if the actual water is truly non-potable but you 'll want on ask in case you really are unsure. Pets, buses and buses are invite. Pet continue to be also one should be open here who has a lower deposit. Every day its appear to be like typically are far more trucks upon the freeway. when returning choose the cost-free of penalty bus in the Bus Limit 3. All over this category, racing games, truck games, car and as well truck parking games, similar as delivers a variety of online casino games. Generally motel and century manor house allows upscale reservations in spectacular balcony rooms, family units, waterfront and consequently jacuzzi rooms and a few room rooms. However, the type of rising homes were ones ones uncomplicated to take out, for they engage in smaller part or sum but that a majority of was definitely the incident with fastened roofs. The 1 / 3 section is now the Sunshower. One can get going with playing excellent away along with enjoying cellular fun! The inn functions a every 24-hour interval complimentary mark vii breakfast, unfastened of charge up parking, the best 24-hour facade desk, a little parked region inside a the lobby, a little center, or an on-site Subway Sandwiches. The automobile parking adventure are continuous. Moreover, particular is only achievable so long as you does opt with regard to secure the investment which has the obviously most reliable storages. In this advice section that this child will definately be answered to strongly water often the mushrooms. If you love playing car games, the internet offers you an opportunity to try a variety of these games. For those who enjoy watching large vehicles hurdling over various barriers and crush small vehicles, car and truck games are a popular option. Most people do not have the opportunity to drive these vehicles in real life and online truck games allow you to enjoy simulated experiences. The car and truck games have different obstacles that you have to go over in each level. In some of the car games, you have to drive over some small vehicles. To play the car games, you only need to read through the instructions that are provided for each one of them. The keys on the keyboard should be used to increase speed or jump over obstacles. The keys also help you to choose the direction that you want the vehicles to take. When jumping the obstacles, it is important to make sure you land properly without crashing into any of them. Some of the options that are available use a variety of interesting colors and graphics to get your attention. It is easy to progress through the levels if you follow the instructions carefully. There are various environments that are provided for you to ride the vehicles. Some of them are driven in the streets where you are supposed to avoid hitting other cars and pedestrians as you try to escape from the police. You can also choose the ones that are driven in the deserts where you are expected to go over the sand dunes and get to the finish line. Driving the large vehicles in the mountains can also be a lot of fun especially if you enjoy adventures. You have to find the most appropriate routes to use to get to the finish line before the other vehicles in order to win. In some of the options that are provided, you will have a limit on how long you are supposed to take in a particular level. Others do not limit you and this means that you can take several hours to ensure you get through a level before proceeding. In most cases, you will have to start the race if you happen to crash out. Points are offered based on the number of obstacles that you went through. The points increase when you go through more obstacles. If you prefer something that is very powerful, you can choose the 4x4 models. These are strong vehicles that are able to go over difficult terrains with a lot of ease. These are the best models to choose if you want something that will drive over the other cars. It is also easy to know your progress in a certain level by checking on the screen. There are sites that also make it possible for you to choose the features that you would like to include in the vehicles. The features matter a lot because this is what determines how you the vehicle will function.

[ddrkirbyisq]

Quite a bit happened...it was quite the tornado of stuff, as I predicted two posts ago, what with Ludum Dare and everything else happening.  There was even more than I expected thrown into the mix... Ludum Dare Ludum Dare came and went, and despite several hardships along the way, was a huge success for our team! I'll be writing a more detailed post-mortem later, but here are the two (!) games that we ended up making in the 72 hour timeframe: Goodnight Sheep: http://ift.tt/2AfwKw9 Samurai Shaver: http://ift.tt/2Ai9opD The soundtracks for both of those are also available (linked on those pages). Even before it started, it already felt like things might be rough for Ludum Dare, as our writer fell ill that week and wasn't feeling well enough to work together with us.  We decided she should take it easy and help us out remotely instead (which also left me with an abundance of extra groceries in stock, haha).  I actually also wasn't feeling the best that Friday either, though thankfully I didn't end up coming down with anything.  Trying to communicate back and forth over chat and video calls was a real challenge and we really struggled to nail down the concept and gameplay behind Goodnight Sheep as a result of that. Halfway through finishing up Goodnight Sheep we actually decided to start work on Samurai Shaver and just start making that.  Although there were a lot of things that we still needed to figure out about Samurai Shaver still (initially it wasn't even a rhythm game at all!), I personally felt like I had a pretty good vision of what the game should look and feel like, so it felt more certain to me, and I was looking forward to escaping the uncertainty of the screaming lambs to work on something a little more well understood.  However I still wanted to finish up some work on Goodnight Sheep before that, including making the music for the levels, and it was during that process that I made some key realizations about what the game should be like.  So in the end it all ended up coming together just fine -- it just needed some more time to get there. We were about a third of the way through our 72 hours when we decided to start work on Samurai Shaver, which put us quite far behind, but interestingly enough I felt very confident that we could finish it in time.  I knew it was a fairly simple game and we didn't need to make a ton of different assets and such (as we did for games like The Music Box).  And of course, I had a pretty clear vision for the game, as well.  But perhaps the primary reason that I was so confident was because back in Ludum Dare 36 we had also started just as late when we made Watch for Falling Rocks (we totally scrapped our initial idea and started over).  Now that we've done the whole "start a game really late and still finish fine" thing twice, I feel like that will always be a sort of possible "plan B" for us moving forward if our initial concepts don't work out.  Obviously that's not the kind of thing I'd like to rely on, but I think it's a bit comforting to know that because thinking up an initial idea for a game is often one of the most stressful parts of the jam. Anyhow, I'm quite happy with how both games turned out.  Currently we're a good ways into the rating and voting process, with a little over a week left before results are announced.  I've been playing my fair share of games (around 40 so far), and we've gotten around 30 ratings for each of our games. Meowmie Early in the morning on Saturday December 9th, we were woken up to news that the one and only original Meowmie had suffered from heart problems over the night and wasn't going to make it.  We were able to say our final goodbyes before he was put to rest.  It was very hard on us and there was definitely a bit of a crying party that day.  Though I was not his owner, I felt very deeply for the loss, more deeply than I realized that I would, too.  It was a new experience for me as well, since I have never had a pet or anything leave me in that way.  Though it still makes me very sad to think that Meowmie is not around anymore, and the image I have in my mind of him from that day really affects me deeply, I am very thankful for the fact that I was able to see him one last time.  Rest in peace, Meowmie.  You will always be special.  (Thank you) Work Work went through a pretty busy period, as we were getting out another demo of our game for PlayStation Experience (PSX) -- more about that here.  Btw, as an aside, I don't know if I've ever mentioned here that Luna has been out now, both for VR (the true Luna experience) and as a 2D port version for those of us who don't have access to a VR headset.  Find that here. Anyhow, work went through a busy period for sure and I basically had infinity work to do, but I think I managed alright, though there was one day where I had not gotten enough sleep at all and was suuuuuper grumpy as a result.  Funnily enough, once the amount of tasks crosses a threshold, I feel like it doesn't really matter how many other work items there are because I know I won't get to them all, so I just sort of chug along at whatever pace I end up going at and whatever will be, will be. After that, work has been really strange as we are in the middle of transitioning to a new office (heating?? A/C??  More than one restroom maybe?? what is this madness?  Maybe the floor won't be slanted either?).  The new place is ever so slightly closer in terms of walking distance from the station, but also just in a much nicer area (right across from Dropbox).  I haven't seen it in person yet, but should be exciting to have a nicer office, and I'm sure it will make it easier for my cooking-lunch-at-the-office escapades as well.  Maybe I need to start bringing in a portable burner?? lololol Anyhow, I'm on vacation now for the next two weeks (much needed) and definitely enjoying some time off to myself.  Should be useful to catch up on a bunch of things after that super crazy busy period that I had (haven't done any work on Rhythm Quest; want to still do more for our Ludum Dare games; have some music I need to write, etc), but also just to chill out and relax. Games I went through the bonus content of VA-11 HALL-A, so that's all finished up with (don't think I'll bother replaying the main story again, though there is a bit more to experience there).  I've moved on for now -- I just started playing through Cave Story!  Actually playing the remastered Cave Story+ version since apparently I have it on Steam already, but after some careful thinking I decided I'll go with the original sprites/graphics and original soundtrack.  Well...ah, who are we kidding, it wasn't exactly a tough choice.  I appreciate the fact that they took the time to remaster it and everything, but sometimes the original has a certain appeal that is diluted with additional modifications and I personally feel that way about this.  Though, if I was already familiar with the entire soundtrack (I'm not) I think the new soundtrack would be a nice change of pace, so that is something. Other than that, Finding Paradise (the sequel to To The Moon) is out now!  Haven't gotten it yet, but I'm sure I will be going through it at some point.  I wasn't 100% sure what to expect, but apparently Kan Gao himself says the game is "utterly, disgustingly terrible", so now I know exactly what to expect!  (I'm sure it'll exceed expectations, hooray!)  It's all a bit tongue-in-cheek, but to be honest, perhaps it was really warranted after all, because I went into Rakuen expecting a lot out of it and came out disappointed.  So maybe I'll temper my expectations this time.  Though to be honest, how could you not get hyped after THIS trailer???  Hahaha. Besides that, we are making our way through Secret of Mana still (just finished up Ice Country), and have taken a bit of a break on Life Is Strange (but will pick it up again I'm sure).  My brother also came over and we raced through Mega Man 1 through Mega Man 4, which was a blast.  I had a bunch of problems and lost most of those races but was way ahead for Mega Man 3 (also the one that I played the most as a child), so woot.  Mega Man 5 and 6 will probably be real challenges for both of us as we're really unfamiliar with those -- I think I've only finished each of them once... Started playing a bit of Hollow Knight, but unsure exactly what I'll do with that one as I think I want to actually just go through Cave Story first.  It still looks like quite a fine game, but perhaps not as unique or special. Dance Not too much of note here as dance events are sort of on break for the end of the year.  A little birdie told me that Unjammix might actually be happening again sometime, so that is super duper exciting!  Also, it's getting to be a few months before Viennese Ball again, so probably sometime next month it'll be time to whip out my Journey dress and add on the final layers so I can be a fully-embroidered red cloak.  So cool that this costume has been evolving along with me over the past 4 years!!! The last Jammix of the year was not too notable and actually was pretty low-energy for me, but I did end up connecting with someone unexpectedly, which was quite nice. Anime Was skimping on Inuyasha for a while but finally watched another episode, hahaha.  But more notable than that, I watched "The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl" (by the same director and writer as Tatami Galaxy), which I enjoyed a lot!  I've watched a handful of other things in recent months too actually, including A Silent Voice (good) and most notably, The Case of Hana & Alice, which I really loved!  Quite an unusual movie I think, but it's really good, really fun, really well-done.  Currently also watching Evangelion (the series), which I watched most of before (but not all?) but largely forgot about.  Have not watched any movies recently -- haven't yet gone to go see Coco or Star Wars... Xmas Xmas stuff is coming along well!  Like I keep on saying, I still have some DIY gifts to handle, but other than that, everything is pretty much squared away.  It took a lot of work but all the letters and stuff are mailed out and all the gifts are wrapped (and some shipped).  I still have to go on my Santa delivery runs at some point this week but that should be fine :) Cooking Have been trying to make Shui Zhu Yi recently (the sichuan boiled fish dish) to varying degrees of success...I'm finding it quite a difficult dish to get right since there are so many factors, like type of fish, everything that goes into the liquid, the different spices, etc.  I think I am getting closer, and definitely am learning more about what to do and what to avoid, but I'm not nearly there yet.  We'll see. Melee Melee stuff has been good recently; I've been feeling a lot of confidence as Marth especially when I am doing crazy stuff like getting pivot grabs and stuff like that.  I haven't really paid much attention to my Fox but I am trying to grind out some stuff with Falco because my Falco definitely needs some work on tech and punishes, so trying to get better with that.  I'm feeling increasingly comfortable with Falcon but am still figuring out how to place my aerials to go for reads on techchases and how to place moves correctly to combo well.  Perhaps the most exciting development is that I am finally starting to "get" Sheik for the first time, as I'm dedicating some time to learning her as a character.  Like Falcon, she feels really weird in neutral to me, and I had to adjust to learning how to boost grab instead of jc grab (feels really weird....also really weird that you don't =always= boost grab, so you have to do it situationally), but I think my experience with all the others characters (esp Falcon) is helping me understand it more and I feel like I am starting to get a handle on her, which is great since I've always wanted to learn her as a character.  I'm going to try and work that up to par for a while before moving onto Peach, which will require a lot more grinding of techskill since she's a whole other animal. Overall life is in a pretty good spot right now; it's nice to be on vacation finally and to feel like I'm on top of things now instead of juggling around a million different things at once.