#I have a great farm set up and have way way more food than even ten more dupes could ever eat

[arolesbianism]

Also in my current main oni playthrough I'm at 22 duplicants and my goal for the playthrough is to get all of them so I'm abt halfway there but god damn do I not have enough space for more of these fuckers I'm going to be able to shove some more into my two newest colonies on the two planetoids I've traveled to so far but one of them like Just got started so it's going to be a while before I'm confident in upscaling it, and the other one is mostly made up of radioactive biomes and salt water biomes with the only more livable biomes being at the very edges and the very bottom of the map, so while I do have a pretty stable base getting set up over there it's going to be pretty obnoxious getting the living space set up due to how little space I have in my current main base area and how far away the other forest biomes are from that. On the bright side I found the mysterious hermit home on the brand new planetoid so I at least don't have to worry abt him as much, although I'm gonna be real idk how I'm going to get food production up and running since there's like No dirt, and I don't rly want to have to send someone back up through the surface magma biome to pick up any dropped off supplies.

[delopsia]

I absolutely adored and loved the Rhett headcanons. Can we please get matching Bobby ones pretty pretty please with diabetes inducing amount of sugar on top 🥺🙏💕💕💕

Aaaaa, thank you! I was hoping somebody would ask for a set of Bobby headcanons! :D This got a little long again 💃

✧˖° General Bob Headcanons

Snores, but very, very lightly? To the point that he sounds more like a cat purring than anything. If you tell him he does it, he goes red in the face and denies it, even if you have video evidence of it. Bobby hears snoring and immediately thinks he must be snoring loud enough to guide ships through the fog...

Bob has this funny thing where he intentionally buys damaged products. He got left out of things a lot as a kid, the last to be picked for dodgeball, was always last to be partnered up for assignments, little things that never felt all too great.

So now he's taking home a dented can of Lysol because he knows how shitty it feels to be left out.

It is so, so easy to make this man smile. You can make the dumbest joke of all time, and Bob's got a cheesy grin that's brighter than the sun itself.

Bob doesn't always have the words to describe what he's feeling or trying to say. No matter how hard he tries, those words simply don't bubble up in the ol' noggin, and he's stuck stuttering until he can come up with something.

The longer he can't find the words he wants to use, the brighter his face goes. Blushes from the tips of his ears all the way down into his chest. Poor baby looks like he's been sunburnt

Buys trinkets that remind him of his friends, and he's got an entire shelf dedicated to housing them. A glass-blown phoenix that he found in a gift shop, a plush coyote that he picked up at the zoo, a horseshoe because his momma loves horses.

Has a talent for origami. It started out as a meaningless thing to ease his nerves, but it quickly devolved into an obsession. Flowers, elephants, stars, butterflies, he knows no bounds. He's been known for leaving them in places and waiting around the corner to see who takes it. There's no better feeling than watching someone find it and take it with them.

That being said, Bob showers his significant other in them. Once he becomes comfortable, you will never know peace. There are stars in your cups, there were origami flowers lining the edge of your clawfoot bath this morning, and you've been finding hearts for months.

Hates when people stand behind him. It's more of a nervous thing than anything because there is nothing worse than thinking you're alone and sensing someone looming behind you. If Bob can find a spot where his back is to the wall, you best believe he will be there.

Bobby can play the guitar and the piano, but he's so, so shy about it. He doesn't know where to look or what to do with his eyes while he's playing it, and he really, really doesn't know what to say if you compliment him on it.

Green thumb. Every plant is safe with Robert Floyd; growing up on a farm, it's hard not to get good at growing things. From dandelions to lettuce, he can garden just about anything.

Also happens to talk to the flowers as if they can hear him. "Hi buddies, are you getting enough sunshine?" "Hold on, hold on, I'll water you in a second." "Do you need me to rotate you?"

Eats all one type of food before moving on to the next thing on his plate. It's more of a focus thing than anything; Bob just doesn't...think to switch from the mashed potatoes to the green beans until the potatoes are completely gone.

Speaking of food, Bob unintentionally gives his S/O food-themed pet names. Honey, peaches, sugar, pumpkin, sweetie. He hardly notices he's doing it; it's just one of those things that happened.

Bob could very well have his vision corrected with a simple surgery, but he chooses not to have it because he's so used to having glasses. He's been wearing glasses since he was five; they're a part of his identity at this point.

He's one of the unlucky ones who turn bright red when he drinks alcohol. Didn't realize it until someone pointed it out, and now he absolutely will not drink in public because he's afraid of turning as red as a stop light.

Drinks his coffee black. Primarily because he can never get the ratio of additives to his liking; too much creamer, but then it's too much sugar, and oh, well, would you look at that, he accidentally grabbed the salt instead of the sugar.

Animal lover to the core. Please take him to the zoo or the aquarium, he's been dying to go, but nobody will go with him :( His favorites have always been the red pandas and the jellyfish. For no reason other than he finds them cute.

Bob's got thighs for days. God, is it a sight to watch him struggle to get into his jeans. He's always gotta jump to get them past those perfectly pale thighs.

Does this thing where he gets lost in your eyes when you speak. He's listening, but good lord, he is absolutely drowning in the way your eyes twinkle as you talk to him. Chin in hand, humming along to whatever you have to say.

[captain-mj]

Vampire Part 9

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8

Graves kills someone confirmed??

Price’s wedding was set to take place at a beautiful place. A farm owned by an old friend, The Baron. It was full of different plants with most in full bloom. 

Especially wolfsbane. 

Alex and Farah started to hack and cough almost immediately. Laswell’s eyes welled up and she clearly struggled, but she managed to compose herself just a tiny bit better.

Gaz worried over Alex and tried to get him to stay sitting down in the farmhouse. There were a few bouquets of wolfsbane around that Gaz and Malika made quick work to get rid of the bundles near the two of them but it didn’t help much. 

Price came out, looking rather dashing in his blue suit. Soap was a little surprised by how plain it was with no intricate details or lace or pompous collars that he had come to expect from most vampires. But he looked happy, smiling radiantly. 

Laswell swallowed thickly and stood up. “John, there’s a lot of wolfsbane.” She sounded very polite, clearly not trying to argue or ruin his wedding. 

“Clara wanted it there.” He continued to smile. 

“We’re allergic. We may have to leave early.”

Price visibly deflated. “Please just stay for the ceremony, I need you here, Kate.” He grabbed her hands, looking earnest. 

Laswell sighed. “If they need to leave, they will. But I’ll tough it out for you, old friend.”

Price hugged her tight and pulled back. “Thank you, darling. And where is your wife this evening?”

“She had a few final touches to make to the cake. But she’ll be here.” Laswell started to cough and had to sit down. Soap pretended he didn’t see the blood splattered between her fingers. 

It was cruel, to put wolfsbane everywhere. He didn’t understand how neither the bride nor groom though that may be a bad idea considering the amount of werewolves in attendance. 

Ghost got Soap’s attention and gave him a bundle of masks. Soap smiled at him and Ghost glanced away. He gave the werewolves the masks, thinking they looked rather odd in the skull insignia. Farah had her head in her girlfriend’s lap, clearly trying to breathe again. 

Alejandro and Rodolfo also silently cleared out the rest of the wolfsbane. It ruined the look of the wedding, but Price barely seemed to notice and if Clara had an issue, she could take it up with Soap. 

And then Ghost when inevitably she tried to curse Soap. 

Speaking of curses, he glanced at Chuy who was in the back, still cradling Reyes. He gave him more food and continued to pet him. Chuy never set him down if it could be helped. Always worried he’d run off and disappear somewhere. He hadn’t been sleeping much until Soap had the great idea to get him a rat cage. Despite how much it hurt his wallet, he made sure it had all the bells and whistles for him. Chuy had finally gotten some sleep. 

Soap knew he wasn’t a vampire. Alex and Farah thinking he was a werewolf confirmed it for him. Chuy had never called himself anything. 

Well, anything other than Enzo’s.

He watched the way he lovingly stroked Reyes. Eyes full of tears and anguish so thick it hurt to look at. They had not been able to contact any local witches, though apparently Koenig may know one named Horangi. 

When Soap had pointed out Horangi just meant Tiger, Ghost countered that Koenig just meant King so how was it any different. Soap didn’t speak up again. 

Koenig could not make it to the wedding but would hopefully be at the house the next day with the witch in tow to fix Reyes. Hopefully. For Chuy’s sake at least. He was back in his cowboy outfit and hadn’t budged.

“Johnny.” Ghost beckoned and he quickly sat by him. He was a little surprised there was no best man or anything, but apparently vampires just didn’t really do that. Or, at least, the culture that Ghost and Price were from didn’t. All they needed was one person as witness. 

Ghost served as the witness, which meant he just needed to watch it. Soap sat next to him, ready to jump up and get anything Ghost needed. His hand ended up on the back of Soap’s neck, just holding gently. “Relax. Enjoy the wedding.”

“It’s a bit hard when the werewolves are in such pain.” He glanced over. The masks seemed to help some, but Gaz was clearly angry about the entire situation. Every time Price would smile or wander around the reception room, Gaz would glare, eyes cutting into him so hard that Soap started to feel sick from it. Gaz gave off a harsh aura, similar to how Soap felt when he was feeding off of him. It was awful, but Price seemed blissfully aware. He was starting to wonder if Alejandro was right about Price no longer being all there. If maybe at one point, he was the man Ghost and Rodolfo saw him as. 

But watching the werewolves he agreed, almost insisted, to invite suffering and that he married so quickly and that he let his fiance hurt Chuy so deeply and how even now, he seemed naive to how uncomfortable Ghost right now, it was hard for Soap to find the respect he should have for him. 

Interviewer: So. How is the wedding going so far?

Ghost: I hate it. 

Interviewer: Something specific wrong?

Ghost: My ears are showing. People are here. Something is off. There’s… garlic. 

Interviewer: Garlic?

Ghost: Yeah. Garlic… And I think rice? But I think that’s normal at weddings.

Laswell’s wife, a lovely lady named Willow, slipped in and sat next to Laswell. She had brought benadryl for all of them and she showered her wife in kisses. Soap was fairly certain he heard her whispering some praise to Kate for handling it so well. 

Clara was… a bride? Soap was a little surprised by her outfit. It was a rather plain black dress with her nails painted black. A little on the nose for a vampire’s bride. She walked down the aisle and they all sat up to watch her. 

Price smiled, tilting his head. He grabbed her hands and The Baron, the lovely man officiating since Clara insisted someone do it, started to speak. The G-word was of course not spoken. 

In the middle of the ceremony, The Baron asked if anyone had any objections. 

Clara sighed softly. “It has been so fun being with you, John. Truly.” She snapped and rice fell from the ceiling in a giant circle around all of them. Soap wrinkled his nose when garlic hit his nose. “But unfortunately, you’re not much use to me alive.” 

Price had the gall to be shocked. 

The Baron shrugged and stepped back. If he died, so did about half of the vampires in the world thanks to sire rules, so no one exactly blamed him. His life was rather important. 

Price gasped. “Clara. I hoped you’d love me enough to change your mind.”

“Wait, you knew she’d try to kill you?” Alejandro asked, none of them bothering to move from their seat. 

Soap was still a little confused about the garlic rice. Was no one going to address that?

Gaz stood up. “You purposely put the wolfsbane in here didn’t you?? To poison my fucking boyfriend.”

“He was actually collateral damage. I needed Kate off her game.”

“That’s Laswell to you.” Laswell barked out, trying to stand. She almost immediately doubled over with hacking coughs and Willow caught her, gently helping her back down. 

The glare that Willow shot at Clara was enough to send chills down everyone’s spines. “How fucking dare you.”

“Oh, fuck off. Just let me take Price’s heart here and I’ll be on my way.”

Soap looked at Ghost. “Are you going to do anything?”

Rodolfo answered. “Uh, so we’d have to count the rice. Which would take a while. But it’s also covered in garlic. So we can’t touch it to count it. Meaning we’d probably lose count.”

Soap nodded. “Ah. Smart.”

“Stupidly.” Ghost nodded. “But I have an idea.” He turned to Price. “You know if you die, I die right?”

Price suddenly snapped to it. He backed away. “You can’t kill me. You’d kill Simon!”

“I’m prepared to make that sacrifice.”

“I’m not!” Soap shouted at her. Clara looked at hm and quickly raised her hand. He shot his hands up in surrender and backed down. He was not about to be a fucking rat. No one here would be as nice as Chuy did. 

Plus, he had a funny feeling Price could handle this. 

The stained glass of the reception hall suddenly shattered. A bolt went straight through Price’s chest. Not his heart, the exact center. His head made a harsh crack against the ground though. 

And then down came… Graves?

Soap was starting to feel like he was losing the plot. He glanced back at Chuy, who was looking at him, just as confused.

Graves was dressed like Reyes had been that day. Trenchcoat, blades and a crossbow with tipped arrows. He didn’t aim it at Price though, he instead aimed it at Clara. 

She lashed out, a wave of slick looking magic that sent Graves back a few feet. Then, she snapped, the same horrible snap that turned Reyes into a rat. 

No effect. 

Clara’s mouth twisted and she tried again. 

Nothing. 

She started lashing out, different magic being thrown at him. Graves reached into his shirt and Soap stood up, prepared to cover them if it was cross. 

It was an emblem of some kind. 

“There are rules to being a hunter. Always go in to a place prepared. Never leave yourself open. Watch what happens. I was just fine letting these guys run around. Frankly, they cleaned up the human monsters just as well as I did the monster monsters. And you had to fuck that up.”

Clara scoffed and shot at him again. He sidestepped it easily, moving a lot faster than Soap would really expect. 

Graves lined up the bolt. It went straight through her heart. Clearly on purpose. She cracked like glass. Graves didn’t bother to do much else. 

Ghost was still alive, so Price was clearly living. That was made clear when Graves yanked the bolt out of his chest and Price groaned. 

“You killed her.”

“I did.”

“Thank you.” 

Graves shrugged. He put his foot at Price’s throat. “Don’t ever do something that stupid again. Now, go find me a broom so I can release everyone.”

Chuy got up. “I could’ve left the whole time. I’m going home.”

“Couldn’t have helped?”

“....Nah.” Chuy carried Reyes with him. 

Graves threw his hands up and Gaz, who also honestly could’ve left at any point, completely unaffected by the garlic and the counting, finally helped the werewolves out. 

Farah huffed. “Best wedding I’ve ever been to.”

Malika laughed. “Is it a wedding if no one actually got married?”

Soap was still staring at Graves, feeling weird about the whole thing. “So when you and I were talking?”

“I was monitoring the situation. Hope you don’t take it too personal. Just needed to make sure nothing happened to the only neighbors I can tolerate.” Graves smiled and when Price came back, he swept the rice to the side and the vampires turned to bats, quickly escaping. None of them really seemed interested in talking to Price. 

Soap noticed something though. There was a little blood on Price’s face, just black enough to be vampire’s. And there was something in his eyes. Something extremely lucid that hadn’t been there before. 

“I need to apologize to my boys.”

[thebubblesareevil]

Life on the farm pt 7 friends on the other side

Danny stared at the chicken in front of him as though it held all the answers of the universe, and perhaps Lady Chickovsky did but she wasn’t about to share. Danny sighed flopping on the ground in frustration. Pa laughed from his seat on the porch.

“Y’know I don’t think the chickens have the answers your looking for.”

Danny turned to look at Pa “I’m trying to master portals, while I have no intention of going back to my old universe, I do have a responsibility to the infinite realms as their king.”

Pa nodded “that’s good, I’m glad you’ve found a home here but you should never abandon your responsibilities. How did you get there before?”

“Jack and Maddie had a portal in the basement lab. It’s actually how I…y’know” Danny answered nervously. Pa nodded.

“I don’t know much about all that but, not to brag, I helped Clark figure out a few of his powers. Let’s see what we can do.” Danny gave Pa a huge grin.

Ma came to check on them around lunch time and smiled at her boys. They clearly got distracted at some point as she’s certain they weren’t originally making ice sculptures of cujo.

“BOYS!! TIME FOR LUNCH!!” The two froze and Danny raced to the table with Pa following behind him. He stopped at the door to greet his wife with a kiss. “Having fun?”

“Always”

When they make it inside Danny is finishing setting the table. They all sit down to enjoy the lovely lunch ma made. “So what have you boys been up to?”

Danny swallowed his food “I’m trying to figure out how to make portals. I need to visit the infinite realms soon or else Fright Knight may start an inquisition.” Ma smiles.

“It’s so easy to forget that our little man is a king.” Ma smiles at him with pride “So how did that end with the ice sculptures?” Danny gave her a sheepish grin

“Well ya see, we were talking about each of my abilities and I realized I hadn’t shown you two my ice powers yet. There’s only one other power but I don’t plan on showing that off anytime soon, last thing I wanna do is level the farm.” Ma laughs

“Well I’ll toast to that. Why don’t you ask your new friends for help. Conner called earlier, they’re back from their mission, I’m sure he’d love to help.” Danny grinned

“That sounds like a great idea.” He jumped up and started doing his dishes. Ma grinned at Pa.

“I’m sure that Kaldur boy would be more than happy to help as well.” Danny froze, the two chuckled as they could see his cheeks glowing green from the table. “And take cujo with you, he misses Conner.”

———-

Cujo charged through the woods near mount justice, coming to a halt as they approached. Danny dismounted his loyal steed as he shrank down. He then plopped himself on Danny’s head for some much deserved rest.

With practiced ease Danny snuck his way through the mountain and slowly crept up behind his little brother. Slowly, ever so slowly he approached lifting Cujo from the top of his head and placing the invisible pup right next to Conners face as he spoke with robin. Cujo opened his eyes and upon seeing Conner he brutally attacked his face with the force of a thousand kisses. Conner jumped back but there was nowhere to hide as he fell to the floor under cujos might. Danny turned visible as he doubled over in laughter

“DANNY!” Conner screams, Danny grabs cujo from conners chest and gives him some ear scratches.

“Awww you love Conner dont you!” He gushes before setting Cujo loose to go find his buddy. Danny leans over to help Conner up. “You can’t be too mad, you left yourself wide open.”

He laughs “yeah yeah, so what’s with the surprise visit?” Danny looks at Conner aghast

“Can’t I visit my little brother without some ulterior motive.” Conner simply raises an eyebrow.

“Fine, you got me. Kinda. I did want to see my little brother, you were gone for a week on that last mission and you didn’t even call.”

“I called!!”

“No, you called Ma, but that’s fine, clear who the favorite is.” Danny mad a great show of being discouraged. Conner grinned knocking Danny in the shoulder.

“If it makes you feel better you are definitely my favorite brother.” Danny grinned

“Oh that makes me feel infinitely better, care to say that again for the camera.” Conner laughed even as Danny got serious “he hasn’t given you any problems right?” Conner smiled

“After the talking to be got from ma? No way. He’s actually really come around, I think seeing you interact will Ellie really helped.” Danny laughed

“Yeah she has that effect on people. Anyway I actually stopped by to see if y’all would be willing to help me figure out how to make portals?”

“You can make portals?!” Robin popped in.

“Not yet, but I’m capable, I just can’t seem to make a fully stable portal.”

Conner looked at Danny concerned “are you trying to go somewhere?” Danny looked at him surprised before grinning and throwing an arm around his shoulder

“Nah l, just got some stuff I gotta take care of. Why? You gonna miss me?” Conner shoved Danny off of him “NO! I’m just concerned because you’d get lost trying to get out of a paper bag.”

Danny grins “sure you are. Anyway I gotta get this figured out, the sooner the better, I wouldn’t want any surprise guests looking for me.” At the look Conner gave him he responded “like I said nothing to worry about.” Conner sighed

“How am I the responsible one?” Danny laughed

“You’re not I promise, that would be Jazz. You haven’t met her yet. She’s interning with a psychiatrist in Gotham.” Robin perked up

“Really who?” Danny shrugged

“Just some lady in waaayy too much makeup. I wouldn’t be too worried. Jazz is more than capable of taking care of herself and she’s not afraid to call for help if need be.” A hand lands on his shoulder.

“I think you’ve gotten distracted Danny.” Says a voice from behind him. Danny looks at the hand and blushes as he turns around to find Kaldur standing right behind him. “Now what’s this about needing help?” He says with a smile.

————

Three hours and 6 (minor!) explosions later Danny plopped on the couch “this is pointless”

Kaldur sits down next to Danny “it’s not pointless, you were really close that last time.” Danny looks up at Conner across the room. Robin and Wally had abandoned them at the second hour.

“He’s lying.” Conner states with no mercy. Kaldur shrugs “you’ll get it eventually”

“Wülf makes it look so easy” Danny complained. Everyone looked at him like he was crazy.

“Last I checked wolf can’t make portals.” Now Danny is the one looking at Conner weird

“What are you talking about Wülf is like, the portal master and ohhh we’re talking about two different wolfs. Okay I swear I’m just as sane as usual, which I know doesnt mean much but I swear it’s not a joke. Wülf is really cool.” Danny started to pace “He helped me beat up a cop… a ghost cop but he was a dick and wanted to lock Wülf up just because he broke one of his stupid rules. And trust me they were stupid, there was a rule for everything. I’m pretty sure he had a rule about how to tie your shoes correctly and if you broke a rule he’d sentence you to roughly 1000 years in his prison. Like I said he was crazy, he’s mellowed out a bit over the years but he’s still pretty weird….” Danny paused in his pacing “what was I talking about again?” He swiftly turned back towards Kaldur and conner. “Wülf! He’s one of my best friends in the realms. Trust me he’s awesome.”

At some point during Danny’s tangent a large green portal appeared behind him putting the teen heroes on guard. A, frankly, giant bipedal wolf with chains around its neck and hands? Exited the portal and started making its way towards the distracted Danny. Kaldur slowly tried to get close to pull Danny away but it was too late, the creature stood directly behind Danny. The two teens made to attack when the creature opened its large muzzle and… talked?

“dankon mia amiko pro la afablaj vortoj” Danny spun around to face the creature before wrapping his arms around him happily shouting “Wülf!”

Wülf smiled? “Mi aŭdis vin voki, ĉu vi bezonas helpon?”

Danny shook his head. “Mi ĵus diris al mia frateto, kiel mirinda vi estas!” Danny paused “efektive mi ne ĝenus kelkajn konsiletojn pri kiel ŝiri portalojn, mi vere bezonas halti ĉe la kastelo”

“estus mia plezuro mia amiko, tamen por ŝiri portalon oni bezonas ungegojn” Danny paused and just stared at wülf as if he just revealed that he was actually a monkey in a trench coat.

Danny turned to Kaldur and Conner “well first things first guys this is my friend Wülf. He’s saved my butt multiple times. Second apparently I’m an idiot who needs claws.” Danny stared at his hand as it slowly was encased in an erie glow, his fingertips started to get sharper and sharper until they could only be described as claws. He focused his energy into the claws and the two heroes stepped back as he sliced through the air leaving behind a rift.

“That is significantly easier with claws” Danny stated causing the two heroes to laugh. Wülf clearly agreed as he let out a barking laugh. It was at this moment that robin and wally walked in the room to find Kaldur patting Danny on the back while a green werewolf and Conner laughed at what was clearly Danny’s expense. The two looked at each other before asking

“What did we miss?”

Translation

Thank you for the kind words my friend

I heard you call, do you need help

No I was telling my brother how awesome you are

Actually I could really use some tips on how to rip portals, I really need to visit the castle

It would be my pleasure my friend, however in order to rip a portal my friend you need claws

[imthepunchlord]

So, I haven't played PMD Gates to Infinity, but started watching a walkthrough of it, and the beginning of it struck me as a promising idea for a PMD game: your partner wants to build up a town.

Adding a town management aspect to it sounds like a great inclusion for a PMD game.

You literally start with nothing, you have only you and your partner to rely on at the start in the barren wilderness where there are dangerous wild pokemon about, and your base is a hollow tree that you hide in. You get news and supplies initially through nomadic traders that may go by your spot, you may also see them in dungeons and they'll do trade with you. These guys will also start you off with hints, rumors, and quests to help start building up that town.

You'll go into dungeons to save certain NPCs who would be willing to join you and help build up that dream town. You go into dungeons to gather up materials and food. Maybe seeds to do a little bit of farming. You'll go in at the request of pokemon that will join if you see their requests through. You could also do crisis mission that could pop up, like the river suddenly stops flowing so you need to go into the near dungeon to find out why.

And through your efforts, gradually homes will be built in that once barren spot you and your partner called home, and the land will get more green and vibrant. Some of those nomadic traders may even settle in your town if you'll have them, setting up shops. You can see a bank built up, a rescue base for those that will defend the town while you're away, homes for farmers, a mail hub, ect..

And as it gets going, you and your partner can go talk to townies every day, offer them gifts to boost friendship, and see if there's anything they need. You can see events where there are disputes that you can help resolve. You can even have some pokemon come up and challenge you two for the right to run the town, and it could be that some may want to fight you for it, some want to do a challenge of gathering materials, it could even be a popularity vote.

If incorporating a friendship system, that could influence how well you do when the town is in danger. Playing off that this is a more dangerous world of pokemon, so towns and villages are super rare and typically hidden, your town can be at risk of raids. They can be like randomized Monster Houses that happen outside your town. If you got at least decent friendship with NPCs you gathered, they'll rush up to help you fight and defend the town, while those you have lower friendship with will go hide, though maybe certain ones will go fight anyway, friendship good or not.

And of course mid game you'll have your story related to why you're there in the pokemon world, insert legendaries and big disaster here; but at the initial core, it's just the idea of having a town management in a PMD game and it just sounded so fitting and could've been a lot of fun. And it could've gone further than what GtF brought in as a concept, as I don't think being next to an already established settlement really helped with that idea.

But really starting from scratch, going into dungeons to get NPCs and materials, that should've been the way to do it.

[aquaquadrant]

Thinking about what kinds of foods Timmy and Tango could reasonably have access to: As well as rotten flesh and spider eyes, a mob farm set up for player kills would also occasionally drop carrots and potatoes. In addition, it would occasionally spawn chicken jockeys. If they have access to moss and moss-replaceable-blocks, they would also have access to wheat and seeds (so chicken + eggs eventually), plus sticks for fishing rods, and if they had access to any water sources that means fish

OHHH… this is so fun to think about. there’s a lot of little nuances to hels that make survival difficult (ramble incoming)

so a mob farm would be a great source of food- if a player can gather enough resources and space to build one, and it’s left undisturbed long enough to actually be used. for tango and timmy, who can’t stay in one place for very long, it’s not really an option.

in fact, for most of hels, mob farms are a tall order. lots of hels players will grief one as soon as they see it; it’s like an anarchy server that way. the only way to make one is to be part of a relatively structured community that enforces rules on its citizens, such as new helington, or to go so far into the wilds of hels that no one else disturbs you (and i’m talking like, HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS of blocks away from spawn).

water is a bit tricky. hels isn’t the nether in that water still exists and can be placed down, but natural sources of water are scarce. rivers and lakes tend to be lava more often than not, and oceans are extremely rare. but hels players can fish from them! tango and timmy have fish in the little drabble i did. the issue is that in hels, fish will not spawn in an artificially-created water source. so if you filled a bunch of buckets up with water and made an artificial pond somewhere else, it wouldn’t spawn fish. this makes the few oceans a hotspot for activity, which is quite dangerous (as tango and timmy found out).

now, crops. crops can technically grow in hels, like in the nether, but they don’t grow very well. the soil has a tendency to revert back to dirt and even with water nearby, growth is extremely slow. hels is a pretty hostile environment to plants (all the grass and trees are kinda brown and wilted, except for crimson and warped forests which thrive). it’s more complicated than tilling some dirt next to water; in order to create the right conditions for crops to grow, you need a well-controlled greenhouse- which again, isn’t an option for many players.

building off that, grass has an extremely rare chance of dropping seeds when broken, due to the poor nutritional value of the dirt. beetroot is basically extinct (not that it’s a huge loss). moss is a great source for those who can find some, but- unsurprisingly- lush caves are rare, too. tango and timmy certainly haven’t come across one.

and finally, the animal problem. you know how in the life series, the players would kill all the animals on day one, and then no more animals would ever spawn? i think it has something to do with chunk loading, and that applies in hels, too. there are so many players in hels (it’s an infinite world that gains new players frequently and no one ever really leaves) so the chunks clustered around spawn are always being loaded by someone. players have to go to very distant unloaded chunks to find animals, and it’s risky to bring any back; there’s a high chance of them being killed by fire, lava, fall damage, hostile mobs, and even other players out of spite- if they can’t be easily stolen.

CHICKEN JOCKEYS. SMART. if you have a player-kill mob farm operated by someone actually paying attention, you could successfully extract the chicken and, after a few eggs are laid, have a proper chicken farm. i’m sure new helington has one of those set up, as does any other community that’s able to have a mob farm.

in a nutshell, i’m sure there are a few successful farms (mob, crop, and animal) located way, waaaaaay out there in hels, created by players that fled to the less populated chunks. but for the majority of the population, who are more concentrated around the spawn chunks, the options are limited to hostile mob drops (cause hostile mobs still spawn everywhere) or having a secure food supply from someone powerful in an organized community (ie. new helington gets its main food supply from hels!vintage beef, who works with alisker in return for protection for his cow herd).

PHEW. thanks for the chance to ramble B)

[supermanshield]

@chiropterancreed said:

clark, lois and bruce on a picnic date! the kids are running around chasing each other, it's on the kent farm, it's spring and warm and the scent of flowers and grass is sweet. martha made the food, and all of them feel loved and happy!!!

Not sure if you wanted this to be superbatlane but i'm not very big on that so I went with Clois + Bruce instead. Hope it's okay.

---

The grass felt nice under Lois' hands, still alive and green before the Kansas summer droughts would turn it dry and crisp. She let herself savour the feeling of it tickling her palms while watching Jon, Kon, Chris, Kara and all of Bruce's children play some newly made-up ball game.

Bruce was sitting on the other side of the picnic blanket, a little stiffly but with his palms in the grass much like her own. She'd had trouble relaxing here too, the first few times Clark brought her. It was only one summer evening late at night, after dinner when Johnathan brought out his violin and she'd watched Clark dance and sing with his mother and the neighbors, and after he'd pulled her to her feet to twirl her around under the stars, that she had finally stopped wondering about everyone and let herself get lost in Clark's eyes until he was all that mattered.

But that was long ago, and now all it took was a well-placed blanket under a lonely tree, Martha's delicious sandwhiches and salads, and the voices of the children and adolescents carrying across the field. Though still, as usual, there were a thousand questions running through her head watching Bruce, the rigidity of his back and the set of his jaw. With great effort, she kept them all inside.

"What are you thinking about?" She finally settled on, attempting conversation.

He answered quickly. "How lucky I am to still be here," he said, and what does one even say back to that? Batman definitely had a way of stopping a conversation right after it had started. She'd never had trouble interviewing Bruce Wayne, but he was not being Bruce Wayne right now. She could jab at him some more, and prod until she found the reason for his answer, but that required some hook or direction. Anything that Bruce didn't give her. His eyes were covered by shades and she didn't have Clark's hearing.

She did hear Clark's footsteps though, and she sat up from where she was lying half on the grass and on the blanket when she saw him walking towards them, a still-steaming pie in his hands.

"Blueberry pie, fresh from the oven!" He announced triumphantly and set it down on the grass. "Be careful though, the pan is still hot."

Lois chuckled. Her husband was the worst of a combination of a sweet tooth and a very keen sense of smell. "So now we'll just have to stare at it until we can eat it."

"Yes. But this way we can eat it the exact moment it's reached perfect temperature," he said, turning to her secretively. "And you'll get the best taste," he punctuated with a kiss on her lips. There had been a time when Clark had felt much too awkward doing so in front of Bruce, but that was years ago.

"And you. Relax," he told Bruce, squeezing his shoulder. "Nothing will happen to them out here."

Bruce was still intently watching the field and the children from behind his shades. It would always be jarring how differently Clark spoke to Bruce than to Lois herself, years of dealing with the bat folded into that one command.

Bruce huffed, but finally lifted his hands from where they had been digging in the grass. "That's what you say, but they can always happen to each other."

"And even then, we're right here. As is your personal trouble detector." Clark put a hand on his own chest and sat down next to Lois, pouring them all some more lemonade.

"hrm," Bruce replied, which was apparently enough for Clark to go on and suggest another strategy.

"Or you can always join them if you can't calm down." Clark pointed at the field. "I heard them say one team has to get the ball across, and pretty much anything goes for the other team to try and intercept them. Sounds like a good training exercise."

"Hmm. Fine." Bruce got up. "But don't eat that pie without me."

"No promises," Lois said. A small smile appeared on Bruce's face, and he jogged onto the field.

When Bruce was out of earshot, Lois scooted back a bit. "And now it's your turn to relax, mister trouble detector," she said, and Clark put his head on her lap without having to be told twice. His black hair tickled on her linen pants and she ran her fingers through it. It was much softer than the grass. He closed his eyes and hummed.

As much as Clark had a way with Bruce, she had a way with Clark. She squinted at the pie. "Now how do I know when that thing is ready to be eaten?"

"You can tell by the smell. Takes years of practice," Clark said, a smile playing around his lips. "You'll just have to trust me."

[procrastinatingsoicanreadfanfics]

Vikings + reader being much less stressed in their time

Summary: a few drabbles about the Vikings noticing how the reader is less stressed; based on this request

A/N: I'm finally back :) this isn't a very long post, but i'll post another request tonight and one more tmrw! there's an incredible amount of requests in my inbox rn (which i'm so grateful for) and i'll try to post three over each weekend.

tagged: @alicedopey; @justyouraveragefangirl1967 (if you wanted to be added to a taglist of any kind like fandom/character/series/trope, message me!)

Masterlist | my requests are OPEN! | Rules

Ragnar

“The shadows under your eyes are gone.” He says, suddenly startling you, and breaking your focus away from the soothing, but slightly boring, repetitive action of making a basket.

Lagertha had taught you how to make them a few weeks back, and now you made them whenever the Great Hall got too quiet for your liking.

“I’d say that’s what a magically invoked holiday does for you.” You replied, setting down the half-done basket.

“This,” Ragnar said, gesturing around the hall, “Is not what you call holidays. It’s only an easier life than one on a farm.”

You didn’t reply again, instead going back to work on your basket, but Ragnar sat down next to you.

“I remember the way you looked when you appeared in the farmhouse. Weren’t you crying over your lap-top?” Ragnar asked, still butchering the pronunciation of such a foreign word.

You gritted your teeth. “I was. My report for the last quarter got deleted and I had to do it again.”

Ragnar almost snorted, but a sharp look from you stopped him.

“It wasn’t very funny for anyone but you.” You shot back.

He sighed and moved closer, taking you in a side hug. “I think I understand.” Ragnar began. “Being an Earl is more comfortable in some ways, but being a farmer was easier.”

Aslaug

“It must be hard for you, being here.” She said, interrupting the silence of your ‘girls dinner’.

“It’s easier than I expected. And I can finally sleep through the night.” You replied.

Aslaug chuckled between her bites. “You couldn’t sleep properly? Wasn’t your bed much more comfortable?”

“I guess. But everything else wasn’t. It didn’t really get dark, it was always loud outside and I didn’t get enough sleep. I worked too long and got up too early. Here, it’s quiet and dark and I cant sleep for very long, but I don’t have to stay up until 1 am to have a life.”

She said nothing for a while, finishing her food.

“I foresaw you coming, you know.” She finally said. “But I didn’t think that the future would have such strange problems.”

Lagertha

You stood together weaving when she asked you if you ever got bored from the repetition of it.

“No.” you simply replied.

“But from what you’ve told us about the future, this must be about as interesting as watching the waves crash onto the beach.”

“Oh believe me, the landscape here is so stunning I could look at it for hours. It’s honestly soothing.”

“Soothing.” Lagertha repeated. “That sounds like you’re asking me to make tea for your throat.”

You let your shuttle sink from the weaving frame. “You may not believe me, but being here is the most peace I’ve experienced since I was 16 years old.”

“That makes your future sound taxing.” She said.

“Believe me, it was. But I’m here now, and even with your seasonal raids, I’ve worried so little it almost feels unrealistic.”

Bjorn

You had been to Spain before, but now, lying at the beach in your leather armor felt more relaxing than reading a book in a bikini in your times.

“What are you doing?” Bjorn asked.

“Relaxing.” You simply replied. And it was true. For once, you didn’t have to worry about money, or rent, or whether Russia was going to drop an atom bomb onto Ukraine or if the pandemic was really coming to an end or-

You stopped yourself. What was important was that you’d just patched up a few warriors after the raid and now you could enjoy the sun in a slightly uncomfortable armor.

“Relaxing?” Bjorn asked again.

“Yeah, you know. Just lying down, enjoying the sun. Not worrying for once.”

You heard him grunt and then sit down next to you. As he shifted in the sand, you smiled to yourself. He wasn’t used to your kind of stress, or your need for relaxation.

“I can’t do this relaxing thing.” He decided after 20 seconds. You laughed.

“Maybe it’s just not for you.” You said, stretching out on the warm ground.

“I don’t understand people from the future.” He replied, shaking his head. You laughed, enjoying your head being free of worries and the sun on your face.”

Aslaugssons

You’d finally figured out how to use a viking version of a kitchen, found tomatoes and a somewhat equivalent to cheese, as well as some smoked ham and onions. And tuna, but the Vikings had too much of that.

So, you made pizza – naturally. Some with onions and tuna and some with the ham and the smell was starting to spread through the Great Hall. You were almost done with putting all your pizzas on the table when the brothers walked into the Great Hall, probably done with their training.

“What’s this?” Hvitserk asked, eyeing the pizza with enthusiastic curiosity. Ivar seemed more suspicious, sniffing your pizza before backing off into his seat.

“Why did you cook?” he asked. “Don’t we have thralls for that? And why would you make that?”

“That, Ivar, is pizza and not poison, and I enjoy cooking to unwind. Didn’t really have time for it in the last half year, so I thought I’d do some catching up and present you guys with modern food.”

“You cook to unwind? What does unwind even mean?” Sigurd questioned, still hovering at the back of the Great Hall

“Like, not worrying that much? Taking a break from all the stress and-“ you stopped yourself, looking into their confused faces. They wouldn’t really understand, they were princes, for fucks sake. How to schedule Margrethe was their biggest worry.

“And you should try the pi-“ you began, when Hvitserk interrupted you.

“This is the best thing I’ve had in my life.” He decided through bites.

“That’s what Italian cuisine does to you.” You smiled.

Ubbe followed after that, taking a bite so large that the whole piece basically disappeared. They all ate in silence, even Ivar, until Ubbe set down his plate decidedly.

“This is what you do to feel less worried?” he asked

“Yeah. It really does help. There’s a lot of repetition in making the dough and you get to share something delicious later on.”

“I think I understand what you mean.” Hvitserk replied. “I don’t cook, but eating is very relaxing.”

You laughed together with Ivar and Sigurd and leaned back. They might not understand, but they were trying, and that was enough for you.

[greta-flanveet]

at your service j.t.k.

Summary: In the middle of the Great War, the King orders that all subjects must open their homes to unhoused soldiers as an act of service to their country. Your guest, however, is an unexpected pleasantry.

Warnings: creepy knight who can’t take a hint at the beginning, knight!Jake, mentions of war, awkward tension, ye olde language (sort of), I think that's it

Word Count: 2314

A/N: Alright so I know knight Jake has been done before but I wanted to try my hand at it bc the recent shoots have got me panicking. If you want to be added to the taglist, please let me know! Thank you so much to @way-to-go-lad for helping edit this! You’re a ray of sunshine!

masterlist // taglist

The day the King’s Paige rode into your town, it seemed that the whole world fell silent. Everyone gathered in the square to hear the news, expecting it to be of a joyous victory or even a shattering defeat in the years long war. What he announced, however, was more perplexing than anything you were prepared for.

“Here ye, here ye!” He shouted from atop an empty crate. “Your King asks a favor of thee on this day of our Lord. To assist your King’s army in their efforts to a just victory, the whole Kingdom is required to provide quarters for at least one unhoused knight if and when they are passing through your town. They will stay for however long they wish. Thank you for your sacrifice and loyalty to the crown. God save our King.”

As the Paige stepped down from his podium, the crowd erupted into confused chatter. A quartering act? What did it all mean? The King’s army could stay here as long as they desired? It was so much information in such a brief amount of time.

Later that afternoon, as you fed your animals, you began to think again about what the King’s order meant for you. You had been living alone for a few years now. Your mother and father died of old age and disease respectively, your sister was married off and moved away, and your brothers all left years ago to serve as knights in the King’s army. You were left with the small farm and cottage house all alone.

At first, you missed the company. The house was too quiet and the lack of companionship was eerie. You couldn’t bear to be home alone. Now, the silence has grown on you and the animals have become your friends. You’ve been providing for yourself quite well, but could you afford to take on another person? A man? A stranger? It all felt wrong and you were more than a little displaced by all of this.

When you were a little girl, you used to dream of being married off to a kind working man, not a knight. You imagined that he would do the labor for you and you would tend to the house. When you imagined living with another man, you pictured it being someone you loved, not a complete stranger who showed up on King’s orders.

“What am I going to do, Masie?” You asked your favorite piglet.

She snorted back in response, making you laugh. You fed the last of your animals and decided that tomorrow morning, you would stop dwelling on the orders and start practicing your hosting skills, starting with preparing another bed.

🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️

The next morning came with the crow of your rooster. You stood up, stretched, and got dressed as you normally would, following the standard routine until it came to breakfast.

You refused to waste food, but you did pour an extra glass of water and set out an extra plate and chair for a mystery knight to be seated. It all felt so silly. It reminded you of playing pretend with your sister as a young girl, leaving space for an invisible friend who never seemed to manifest. After breakfast, you put the spare plate away and headed towards the extra rooms left to you by your parents.

First, you went to their old room, restuffing their mattress with fresh hay and putting the now full sack back where it belonged. You dusted the furniture and opened a window before leaving. Then you went to your brothers’ old room, repeating the process. When you were satisfied with your work, you joked “Fit for a king.” Before leaving to tend to the animals and resume your daily duties.

Another night passed and there were no visitors.

In fact, there were no visitors for about four days. Slowly but surely, your townsfolk started to talk in the market place about how they’d been quartering three, four, or even five knights at a time! Though you had yet to see one, you believed their stories and prayed that you would only have one or two, for that is all you had room for.

On the fifth day, just as you were making lunch, a knock came to your door. Your heart sank. Alas, it was time for you to make room for God knows how many strange men. You wiped your hands on your apron and walked to the door.

“Hello, my lady.” Said a deep, gruff voice. “I am requesting quarters at your house. In alignment with the King’s orders, you are required to provide me with a bed and nourishment as long as I wish to stay.”

“Hello, sir.” You responded quietly, curtseying to the stranger. “Please come in. Are you alone?”

He nodded, walking in and observing your home.

“Is there a man in the house, my lady?” He asked.

Something about the question felt wrong, but you decided to brush it off.

“No, there hasn’t been for some time, sir.”

“Oh.” He cooed, turning to you. “You must be very lonely then.” He prodded.

“I suppose.” You said, staying by the door and observing the knight in your kitchen. “What is your name, sir?”

“Andrew.” He responded curtly. “Are you married, my lady?”

“No.” You said.

“Why not?” Andrew questioned moving closer to you with every step. He had very unkind eyes.

“Don’t you think that’s an odd question to ask me, sir?” Your response seemed to upset him.

“No I don’t. Are you questioning a King’s Knight?” He posited.

“Sir-“

“I could have you tried and hanged for treason and insubordination. Do you know what that means?” He was too close for comfort now and you tried to reach for the front door. Andrew snatched your wrist. “Hmm?” He demanded.

“Yes sir, I understand.” You said.

“Are you going to give me any trouble?” He whispered.

“No sir.” You said.

Pleased with himself, Andrew paraded through your house, tearing into every cabinet and dresser he could find. When you finished preparing your lunch, you set the table as you practiced and called out to him.

The two of you began to eat in silence and eventually he requested more.

“I’m sorry, sir. It’s all I have until dinner.”

This was the wrong answer.

“This measly plate is all you have until dinner?” Andrew spoke, raising his eyebrow.

“Yes.” You said. You watched as he stood, took a deep breath, and turned back to you.

“Well, that’s not going to do, is it?” He pushed his chair in a little too aggressively for your liking.

“Sir, please understand-“ you started.

“Do you think this meal was a sustainable act of service for a member of the King’s army?”

You stayed silent, watching as he scoffed at you.

“These living conditions are not fit for me. I’ll be leaving at dawn.”

“Yes sir.” You replied.

Your lip started to shake as you fought tears. Andrew stomped off to his room and you fled to the barn. As soon as you closed the barn doors, you slumped into the hay and cried. How could someone be so mean and cruel? You were doing your best.

In the midst of your crying, you didn’t notice that Masie escaped her pen and snorted her way over to you.

“Masie, is this as pleasant as it can be?” She oinked at you in response.

You sat on the floor of the cold barn for what felt like hours before tending to the animals. You fed the pigs, checked the hens for eggs, and brushed the horses and cows. Spending time in the barn made you feel much better. You felt soothed by this little piece of normalcy and felt confident enough to walk back to the cottage house.

When you stepped outside of the barn, the sky was dark with clouds. Making note of the approaching storm, you ran to the pile of firewood behind the house and brought some of the wood inside. You were able to successfully start a fire.

After a few moments of warming up, Andrew emerged from a different room.

“There’s a storm outside and I’ve decided to leave early.” He said plainly.

“Oh,” you started to speak, but no words came out.

“Farewell, my lady.” Andrew said, nodding in your direction before walking out of the door.

🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️

Two days later, this time around breakfast, you heard another knock at your door. You almost missed it, due to the rain falling on your house, but you listened carefully. Sure enough, the sound came again moments later. You sighed and walked over to the front door, praying that it wouldn’t be what you thought it was. Cautiously, you opened the door.

“Hello ma’am.” A gentle voice said, bowing to you in the rain. “My name is Jacob. I am a knight in the King’s army. May I seek quarters at your house, ma’am?”

He lifted his head to look at you and you almost gasped. His brown hair was curled and sticking to his face in the rain. He had kind eyes and a slight mustache. He looked at you patiently, waiting for a response.

“Hello sir.” You curtsied. “Please, come in.”

Jacob smiled to you and stepped inside for a brief moment. His face contorted as if he’d forgotten something before he spoke again.

“Ma’am, is there somewhere I can keep my horse? He won’t cause any trouble, he just needs somewhere to stay so I don’t lose him.” Your smile seemed to be a reassuring sight to the knight in your doorway.

“Yes sir. I have a barn, actually. I can take you there if you’d like to bring your horse.” Jacob nodded and waited for you to meet him outside.

The rain started to pick up on your walk to the barn. Your hair and clothes were becoming thoroughly soaked. Jacob tried to ask you a question, but it was hard to hear over the sounds of sloshing mud and pouring rain.

“Pardon me?” You asked, turning to face him.

“I asked if you enjoy the farm, ma’am.” He repeated.

“I do.” You beamed. “Quite a lot actually. The animals are so sweet and I do my best to take care of them.”

You finished your sentence and cracked open the barn doors. The chatter of the animals rang in your ears. You heard Jacob chuckle at the noise.

“This reminds me of my home.” He said. “My father owned a farm. I would have taken over if I wasn’t serving the King.”

“Oh!” Your eyebrows raised in excitement. “Did you like it?”

“What, ma’am?” He asked softly, leading his horse to an empty stall in the back.

“The farm! The animals!”

“I did! My brothers and sister and I had the most fun as children. My father knew how to run our land so well it was hardly work.”

As Jacob continued to talk about his childhood farm, a look of melancholy painted his features. You quietly observed it and didn’t ask questions.

“Sir, if you’re ready to eat, I was preparing breakfast as you knocked on my door.”

“Pardon me!” He exclaimed. “I’ve been so rude keeping you from eating. Yes, let’s go back to the house.”

Jacob followed you back to the house, walking behind you. When you returned, the warmth of your fireplace was comforting.

“You can stand by the fire and stay warm. I’ll just finish up breakfast!” Jacob grunted in agreement and you set the table and finished making the food.

When you called him over to the table, he smiled at the humble plates.

“Thank you ma’am. It looks splendid.”

“You’re welcome, sir. This is all I have until lunch, unfortunately.” You cringed slightly at the memory of Andrew as you politely explained yourself.

“Please, call me Jacob. Don’t worry over the food, I grew up on a farm, remember?” He smiled at you across the table and began to eat.

You quietly finished your meal and stood up to clear off the table. You took his plate and apologized again for the small meal. When you returned to Jacob, he was drinking his water and reclined against the chair.

You would be silly to deny that he was handsome. Perhaps that was why you opened up to him so quickly. He seemed to be very gentlemanly and as a farm boy, you had similar upbringings. Jacob had strong hands, that much you could tell. He seemed too kind to be caught up in the bloodshed of the current war. It made you think of your own brothers, who left you behind to serve their king. You wondered briefly about Jacob’s sister before he opened his mouth to speak.

“Ma’am, where is your firewood?”

“It’s at the back of the house. Can I start another fire for you?” You asked, suddenly aware of the lack of heat in the room.

Jacob raised his hand and stood up, chair scraping against the ground.

“I’ll do it.”

Your heart squeezed slightly at the act of kindness and you peered around the corner to make sure he found the pile. Your eyes lingered a bit too long when he bent over and lifted three logs at a time.

He walked carefully to the fireplace and started another fire, dusting off his hands in the process. His eyes held yours for a moment before you cleared your throat.

“I think I’m going to tend to the animals, but you may put your things in one of the rooms and settle in.”

“Thank you, ma’am.” He said softly. “But if I’m going to be staying here, can I please get your name?”

“Rose.” You responded, unable to fight the smile pulling at your cheeks. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Jacob.”

“Rose,” he breathed. “The pleasure is all mine.”

[stardropcritter]

First Friend

Iris woke up feeling surprisingly well-rested. Refreshed, even. The clock on the bedside table indicated 9am, so she could admit it might take some time before she got used to what her dad used to call “farmer hours”, but at least this was an improvement over her frequent insomnia. She struggled to find the right temperature in a shower old enough to belong in a museum but, after some embarrassing yelps at the freezing temperatures, she managed to shower and get ready for her first day as a new farmer.

Gus and Emily had been kind enough to send her home with some pastries after she met them last night, so thankfully that was breakfast sorted. Unfortunately, the unexpected lack of a kitchen in her small house meant she was without any way to make some coffee, and that was a dangerous situation. She considered the risks, and ultimately decided coffee would have to be the mission of the day after she did at least some farm chores.

She took a moment to check on the baby chicks Marnie had gifted her as a welcome gift, and was relieved to see them snuggled together at the back of the coop. They perked up when they heard her enter, and her heart warmed at the sight of the two tiny creatures tripping over themselves to go and greet her. She picked up the small brown hen, who she’d named Viola, and pet her softly. Viola cooed happily in response. “We’re going to do our best here, all three of us” Iris said to both tiny chicks, “and it will be good. Right, guys?”

As if they understood her, both chicks nuzzled against her arms for a moment, before deciding that their leftover food was more important. Fair enough, solid priorities. She left them to their own devices and spent the next two hours clearing out some of the debris on the main field in front of her house. It was far more exhausting than she’d expected, and her current set of tools wasn’t even good enough to get rid of some of the larger rocks and logs on the property. By the time 1pm rolled around, the sun was far too strong overhead, and Iris could barely lift her arms anymore. She felt slightly sunburnt, exhausted, sweaty, and was under threat of a category five caffeine headache. It was time to go beg Gus for some coffee.

Emily hadn’t started her shift yet, but Gus gave her a warm welcome as he made a fresh pot of coffee for her, then slid a small omellete her way for lunch. She thanked him, and assured him he’d be seeing a lot more of her here at the saloon until she could sort out her kitchen situation. Gus disappeared to the back for a few minutes before returning with an old kettle, a few coffee filters, and some freshly ground coffee in a jar. Truly, the man was a hero.

“You’re certainly your father’s daughter” he laughed, a full belly laugh that echoed through the empty saloon. “Avery never could go a single day without his coffee either.”

“Still can’t,” Iris smiled into her cup as she took a sip of the coffee, relaxing as the warmth coursed through her. “Gus, you’re my hero. Honestly. I might actually make it through the day now. Imagine that.”

Gus chuckled and shook his head before he excused himself to go prepare food for the evening. Iris finished her meal and coffee, then packed the gifts into her bag before she set out to explore the town for the day.

As soon as she stepped out of the saloon, she noticed a pen with an adorable german shepherd looking back at her. She blamed the lack of coffee and last night’s exhaustion for having missed the good boy completely until now.

“Hi boy,” she cooed as she approached slowly, “are you friendly?”

He responded with an excited bark and rapidly waving tail, prompting Iris to walk around the other side of the fence to introduce herself to the pup. She let him sniff her hands and, once he approved, proceeded to scratch behind his ears. His tongue lolled out happily.

“Well Dusty,” she said as she spotted the nametag on his collar, “you’re officially the first new friend I’ve made today, and I think that’s great news. Don’t you?”

He licked her chin in response, and Iris dissolved into laughter as she continued to pet him. His attention shifted suddenly, and he bounced with excitement as he spotted someone coming up behind Iris. Iris turned to see a fairly tall guy with tawny brown hair and a varsity jacket walking into the pen. Judging by Dusty’s excitement, she guessed this must be his owner.

“Hi, I’m Iris” she said as she stood to meet him. He was a good head taller than her, she noticed as his hazel eyes met hers. “I hope it’s okay that I was making friends with Dusty here.”

The young man gave Dusty a quick pet behind the ears to calm him down, and smiled at Iris. “Oh, hey, you’re the new girl, huh?” His eyes wandered not so discreetly over her before returning to meet hers after lingering a moment longer on her leather choker. “I think we’ll get along great,” he smiled, “I’m Alex, by the way.”

If this had happened before she’d had any coffee, Iris would likely have bristled under his gaze. Thankfully, a well-caffeinated Iris was a happy Iris, and she didn’t mind just rolling with the interaction for now. “It’s nice to meet you, Alex” she smiled. “Dusty seems happy to see you, are you his owner?” she added as she knelt back down in front of the pup to scratch his chin.

“Yeah, Dusty’s a great friend. We’ve been through a lot together” Alex responded, his posture and smile softening noticeably as he glanced back down at the dog. He seemed somewhat more at ease, after noting how comfortable Dusty was in Iris’ presence. “So, you just moved into that old farm at the edge of town, right?” he asked her.

Iris met his eyes immediately, a small voice in the back of her mind suddenly alarmed that he knew where she lived, even though they had just met. She felt her hands go cold, and took a moment to steady her breathing as she regarded Alex again. His posture was relaxed and open as he turned his attention back to Dusty, his focus away from her. No particular alarm bells rang in her mind as she regarded him. This was a small town, so it should come as no surprise that it had an efficient rumour mill, she thought. Besides, there weren’t many abandoned farms around Pelican town, as far as she knew, so it made sense if he’d heard of hers. This isn’t Zuzu anymore, she reminded herself.

“Yeah, I did” she replied finally. “I just got here yesterday, actually, so today’s the first day I’m taking to really explore the town. Other than Gus and Emily, you and Dusty here are the first ones I’ve met- well, Robin and Mayor Lewis helped me move in yesterday, I guess.”

Alex seemed surprisingly happy to learn this, for whatever reason. “Great! Well,” he stood back up and pointed to a light blue house behind Dusty’s pen, “I live just over here with my grandparents, Evelyn and George. Over there is Pierre’s -that’s the general store- and next to it is the clinic. Dr. Harvey lives right above it” He pointed at each building as he described it, and Iris let her gaze follow along.

“Just across the river over there,” Alex continued “is Joja Mart. If you want better prices than Pierre’s, go there. They’re open more often, too.”

He didn’t seem to notice the way Iris froze as her gaze stuck on the cold neon sign of the store. She missed whatever it was he said next as her head filled with the sound of a rushing cold wind. He might have been talking about the blacksmith? Thankfully, the next thing he mentioned snagged her attention, bringing her back to herself and quieting the howling wind in her mind.

“-and down that side is the Library and Museum” he finished.

Iris met his eyes again and smiled. She’d been worried he would be like old classmates and coworkers from the city when she’d first spotted the varsity jacket and confident swagger, but once he’d introduced himself and relaxed with Dusty’s presence, she was pleasantly surprised by his warm personality.

“Thanks, Alex,” she thanked him as she stood and patted the dirt off her jeans, “that’s actually super helpful.”

He flashed her a bright smile and she chuckled. “Well,” she announced, “I should get going if I want to get to know the rest of the town, maybe get some groceries, too. It was nice to meet you and Dusty, though. I’ll see you around!”

Alex smiled as she turned to leave, making her way to the store, then called out after her, “Nice to meet you too, farm girl! See ya around!”

Iris laughed at the nickname as she pushed open the doors to the general store. Maybe things would be okay out here, after all. She would still make sure to stay clear of the building on the other side of town though, just in case. She pushed the memory of that cold, lifeless neon away and rebuilt her smile as she walked into Pierre’s general store.

[impossiblepackage]

We left our comfortable homes behind and began our trek eastward. We found a promising location beside a river and a great hill some 10 stories tall. As we looked about the immediate area, the wheel of the wagon fell off, which made the decision to stay much easier.

We were in a peaty bog, beside a large hill, and across the river from the red sands of that terrible desert. A quick survey from the top of the hill showed us a bounty of plants to forage, many beautiful feathertrees, and the desert stretching out far beyond the horizon.

There were some otters and a snapping turtle in the river, along with a great many fish. And another creature, in the sand.

An elf, carrying a stringed instrument, was standing in the desert, just watching us work. We made a mental note to keep an eye on her, and got to digging. We had barely finished digging out a first farming room when an abhorrent sludge began to fall from the sky. Thankfully, it seemed confined to the desert, but that poor elf was caught in it. We took pity, and hastily constructed a rickety bridge and urged her to come inside. Considering the circumstances, I hope she doesn't mind that its made of wood.

Punching through the aquifer was troublesome, as it was deeper that expected, but Ber the miner did an admirable job. We had to go 15 stories beneath the surface before we got through and the real work could begin. It was the 20th of Slate when we finally started hollowing out our new home.

I laid out a simple floor plan. A carpenter's shop on one side, jeweler and stoneworker on the other, and dining hall, with kitchen and brewery attached. The floor below would have bedrooms, and some food storage.

Or, at least, the floor below WOULD have those things. Instead, while carving the stairs down to where the bedrooms would go, Ber mined his way into a cavern. The floor of the cavern was very muddy, so I decided we had best farm down there, instead. Our crops would like the cavernous soil much more than the peat above. Ber became the manager, and set our stoneworker Zutthan to work making blocks for the wall we were about to build in the cavern.

Summer went by quickly, with little to report. We started cutting gems for trade. A wandering monster slayer found their way here, and offered to hang around and kill anything lurking in the caverns. Some new migrants came, one of whom is a talented armorer. We also began construction of a larger bridge across the river, in case somebody comes by on the wrong side of it. There are quite a few rutherers down in the caverns, large four-legged creatures covered in thick fur. At one point one of them snuck up through the fortress, and wandered off into the desert. Poor beast.

Ah! The first trade caravan arrived, and I've completely forgotten to build a depot! We got it built in time, but still! We traded for some leather and cloth, some rock nuts to plant later, a mixture of food, to give us some more variety.

The rest of autumn was fairly uneventful. A giant cave spider was spotted in the caverns, but we locked the door up tight and it stayed away. We built a grand gate to seal up the front door in case of emergency, and started smoothing the walls up. More monster slayers have offered to stay, but I turned them away so far. And the damn cats keep leaving fluffy wambler remains all over the place!

Just before winter ended, I carved out a small room to use as a rudimentary temple, to keep our spirits up. Eventually that room could be used for something else, and a better temple built elsewhere, but it'll do for now.

The elf from before has been spending some time there, and has actually been making friends with Zutthan, our stone carver. That bard hasn't done any work, or even officially petitioned to stay, but Zutthan likes her anyway. It's funny, because Zutthan is not a musical dwarf whatsoever, but maybe a song while carving out the rock isn't so bad?

In the last month of winter, something like 20 crundles were seen in the caverns. They ventured too close to our cavern entrance, forcing us to close it up for now. Nobody was hurt, thankfully, but our resident monster slayer will have to wait a while before heading back out there. I hope he's alright. He's been upset and depressed ever since he got here. Apparently he's just like that, but I'm hoping a little time off will cheer him up a bit.

Just before the end of the year, I spied a demon rat running around in the desert's muck. Awful creature.

But the year is ended. It was uneventful, overall. We have bedrooms, food, drink, a place to eat, a place to pray, and we've started making some crafts to sell to the next caravan. They'll be bringing lots of seeds next year. You can never have too many, I always say. But anyway, it's time for me to retire, do some whittling, and cook some food.

[aikoiya]

Dave the Diver - Improvement Ideas

Don't get me wrong, DtD is way fun, but there are a handful of things that I feel are holding it back from being even better.

1. As much as I enjoy the farm, it's very difficult to get a lot of crops from it, so I think it would be a great idea to be able to upgrade the seeds the same way that the seaweed seeds can be. This would increase yield with each level, thus making it easier to stockpile ingredients.

2. Another thing is a way to get more Artisan's Flames. I've been struggling with getting enough & I've noticed that so have other players. So, some way to get more or even double the amount you can get per day, would be great.

I read a comment somewhere that actually sounded like a decent solution. They suggested that Bancho Sushi & the Branch could get separate flames. So, you could get up to 5 at Bancho's main bar & a potential 5 more from the Branch.

3. It seems that while initially winning the Seahorse races nets you a decent amount of Bei, you don't get nearly as much afterwards.

Which, honestly feels dumb. While I could understand it if they'd simply cut the amount of Bei that you get after by half, reducing it to what seems to be only about 5-10 Bei just… it really doesn't incentivize players to continue playing the minigame.

Speaking of the Sea People games, the level 2 of the card matching game just feels rigged because your opponent gets a match during every round. Narratively, that's impossible unless the character was cheating. I'm sure that there's a way to win, but it'd require also always getting a match every round as well. Again, this doesn't incentivize players to continue playing this minigame either.

However... what could be interesting would be if he actually was cheating & Dave could call him out on it with proof. Possibly by using the underwater camera or something. Then, either revealing that the 2nd level matching game is rigged or the dude swears to never rig the game for Dave again so long as he doesn't show anyone the picture. After which, none of the matching games levels are rigged anymore. Though, of course, still with increasing levels of difficulty.

4. More sidequests in the Sea People Village even after beating the game.

5. Just an actual post-game. The game itself is actually pretty short, but despite this the gameplay is so addictive that I find myself craving more content, so I’m hoping that the DLCs will give extra stuff to do other than watch my cash go higher, train my staff, & enhance my dishes.

Maybe something to do with the Gadons provided that isn’t already planned for a possible sequel. Maybe the introduction of mythical fish or something. I dunno.

If I'm being really super greedy rn, I kinda wanna see the game's content double if I can. Maybe even more stuff for the Dredge DLC that possibly has some story to it other than essentially fish for abominations & make bank.

Also, more VIPs. Just get creative with it.

6. Certain sections of the fish farm just don't seem to multiply very quickly. Meaning that I honestly don't get much fish out of that section & it tends to require 2 or more days for it to happen.

Similar with the Glacial Passage section. So, anything that just fixes whatever's wrong with that if it's not just a feature.

7. More fish & recipes. I go over it here: More Fish & Recipes

Things like Dolphinfish, Blackthroated Perch, Flying Fish, & Surmai. Also, actually being able to hunt some of the photo fish like Opah & Oarfish. Opah especially, because apparently it has 7 different textures of meat & I believe that they're served as part of a set. Lancetfish & Oarfish would also be very interesting because their meat is gelatinous, so evidently, they're good for flavoring foods by rendering their fats. Like in Paella & Nikogori. And, apparently, the heart of an Oarfish is super freaking delicious, so maybe that could be a drop? Though it'd be cool if Cobra or Bancho turned out to be superstitious. Though, I could see Bancho being belligerently so. Like, he believes the superstitions, but he's also effing ready for it. Like, he takes the superstitions seriously, but he'd also unafraid & prepared.

Also, maybe a few more Lionfish dishes like fried lionfish & seasoned lionfish. As well as a warning about how devastatingly invasive they are. In fact... around where I live, we have a Lionfish Restaurant Week where certain restaurants will serve Lionfish. Each day is a different restaurant. So, maybe do something like that. It'd functionally be just a Lionfish Party, but it'd have a bit more of a side-story to it. Like, it would basically be part of an effort to get more people to be willing to try it. Heck, maybe it could be sponsored by EcoWatcher?

Also, gumbo & Luisiana-style crustacean boils & bouillabaisse & crab omelet & lobster bisque & jambalaya. Apparently, Angler is also good when pan-seared.

Maybe even an introduction of some deserts like Seagrape Jelly or Latok Mochi. But I definitely think that Shark Fin Soup is an absolute must. The fact that it wasn't there to begin with is weird.

8. At least use the proper terms for the sushi. Most of the sushi we see is just Nigiri. So, it'd be nice to see it be called that.

Also, how cool would it be to be able to use Buckbeans to brew their own beer & ale then serve it at the bar? Or even Latok Wine?

9. More parties. Personally, I'd like to see Lionfish Parties, Cephelapod Parties (featuring squids, octopi, & nautiluses), maybe Egg Parties, Crab Parties, Puffer Parties, Ray Parties, Seahorse Parties, Eel Parties, ect.

10. 1 final Crab Trap upgrade that doubles the number of Crustaceans that you can get from them.

—

Extra Credit: While these things aren't technically necessary, I feel like it makes the game a bit more fun.

Part of the reason that these ideas aren't as big as the other ones is because I understand that adding them might kinda break the game.

1 that I'd personally like to see is the ability to take 2 guns to dive & the way I'd balance it would be if doing so reduced the amount of weight that you could carry.

In the end, I think that I'd take the reduction because then I could bring both the Steel Net Gun & a Tranq gun with me & basically not have to worry.

Another thing I'd add would be the ability to make Harpoon Tips. Or at least the Enhanced Harpoon Tips & upon doing so, you'll only find that level of Harpoon Tip underwater.

Same with the guns. If you have a Steel Net Gun, then Small-Large Net Guns stop appearing. If you have a Tranq Mosin-Nagant or any other 2nd stage Red Sniper, then the 1st stage Red Sniper will also stop appearing. And so on & so forth. However, if you have a Death Sniper, it won't stop the Mosin-Nagant from appearing because it's still relevant.

An interesting idea I just had was being able to upgrade your Headlamp first with a UV Light or even the Sea People Necklace, then again later with the Divine Tree Fruit. I know that would take away from some of the difficulty of the game, but to be fair, the developers already did something similar before with the Dive Knife being able to mine ore, so I don't think this would be too terribly far out of the realm of possibility.

Another cool idea would be getting an accessory that doubles the amount of spices you get from the red pots. Like a Salvage Knife Charm.

And maybe, just maybe, introduce someone who can combine accessories. Specifically the Eco Gemstone Bracelet & the Salvage Knife Charm into a Treasure Hunter Charm. Perhaps combine the Shark Teeth Necklace with the Octopus Weapon Charm to create a Deep Sea Warrior's Charm. Could also combine the Eco Poison Resist Bracelet with the Eco Health Bracelet to make an Eco Survivalist's Bracelet. Could also combine the Dolphin Necklace, the Sea People Bracelet, the Octopus Bracelet, & the Sea People Necklace to get a Diver's Charm Bracelet.

And maybe the final upgrade could be to attach the Treasure Hunter Charm to the Eco Waterproof Bag to get a sort of Eco Salvager's Bag.

And maybe start adding actual treasure chests with treasures inside. Not necessarily Sea People treasures though. Just, like, historical artifacts, pirate treasure, stuff like that. Kinda like some of the stuff you can haul up in the Dredge DLC.

Maybe even being able to find antique furniture that you can either sell or fix up & use as decorations at the bar.

Just some ideas.

Random Stuff Masterlist

[awaytobeunshaken]

Angstpril 2023 - Day 21: "You're on your own, kid"

Bren woke in the barn where he’d been sleeping for the past several months, with permission thankfully, and set about the chores he’d been doing for nearly as long. He’d been fortunate to find this place, after being chased off a handful of farms since leaving the sanitorium. The Fleischmanns had taken pity on him, of a sort, letting him help with the animals and some other odd jobs, in exchange for meals and a bed in the hayloft.

It wasn’t a large farm, but still enough acreage that they might have needed to hire more help come harvest-time, shell out more coin, if Bren hadn’t been there. Perhaps that inclined them to be a bit more generous, in the end. Perhaps it was the reason for the guilty way they looked up when Bren came in for supper that evening, the stifled conversation at the table, the extra helpings Stella tried to push onto him until he felt about to burst.

Finally, as the meal was wrapping up, Daniel addressed him directly. It wasn’t something that happened often, short of giving him a task to do or keeping him apprised of their whereabouts. After all, he hadn’t spoken a word since Vergesson; they hardly expected much in terms of conversation.

“I need to have a word with you, friend,” he began. “Look, you’ve been a great help to us this year. You’re a good worker and you clearly know your way around a farm. We’ve been lucky to have you. But… hells, there’s no easy way to do this. Harvest’s over; there’s not really the need for an extra pair of hands through the winter. Not as much to go around, either; hard to justify an extra mouth to feed.”

The meaning that Daniel was talking around was clear, but Bren still studied his face, nervously rubbing his hands against his thighs, hoping for something to contradict what he knew he was hearing. He wanted to protest, ask if he could stay in the barn and just… hunt for his meals or something (not that he had any experience using a weapon; he’d never had need for one). But no matter how desperately he tried to will himself to it, speech still eluded him. So he nodded, and went to gather his meager possessions, and let Daniel walk him to the road at dawn the next day.

“Look, I can see in your eyes that you're not stupid,” he said as they were walking, “You had to know this was coming.” He opened his mouth to continue, but hesitated, and didn’t speak again until they reached the road. “Look, if you head north, there may be work in Rexxentrum for you. And Stella and I have agreed that we’d be happy to have you back come planting season.” He slung the bag from his shoulder and handed it to Bren. “It’s not much, but it should get you to the city.”

Bren opened the bag to find two loaves of bread, a hunk of cheese, and some apples, as well as a pouch with a few silver coins inside. Well, cities were out of the question, Rexxentrum especially so, but the gift was still more than he’d arrived with, so he nodded his thanks and headed north as recommended until he couldn’t see the farm anymore, then settled down to wait out the day.

Come sunset he rose and started in the opposite direction from everything he’d known; with no family, no friends, no books, no spells, and only scarce food or coin, to try to figure out how he could wait out the rest of the winter.

ao3

[under-write-reblogs]

Strange Modern Customs

@ratsoh-writes

Happy birthday to you!!

I really do hope you enjoy this little drabble of your nomad boys, learning and making mistakes in the entirely brand new world they were introduced to back when the crash happened. 

Hopefully this is something like what you had in mind. And sorry there’s no actual dialoge from your boys. (...I wan’t quite sure how to pin down their characterization and mannerisms, especially when all this technically took place WAY before the time you have set now for us doing RP’s or anything).  

Here’s to hoping it’s “accurate enough” to what happened and that nobody is too out of character. 

I hope you like it!!

Life was great outside the cursed forest. A little strange sometimes, but far, far more interesting, exciting, (and less life-threatening). There were so many new things to experience! Friends to meet, places to go, things to try, life to live beyond mere survival and constantly searching for a way out. 

It hadn’t even been a year since everything happened. But the royals… (what new names were they going by again? Oh yeah), Founder and Fey had begun integrating with all the others. Finding a new place, a new purpose to fulfill, and had encouraged the rest of their subjects to do the same.  

As they had come to be known, the “nomad” monsters had actually found some relatively distant family in many of the “farm” monsters and had become closer than many of the other AU’s had in such a short time. And the skeleton brothers were no exception. 

Gears and Compass had been taken in by Peaches and Rancher, and not only had they had taught them about farmwork, but they went out of their way to teach them about the modern world and all the possibilities available to them. 

In turn, the nomads had helped out wherever they could. Showing off their unique abilities, and doing their best to learn enough to become independent and return the generosity shown to them. 

Not to say they’re weren’t any mishaps, (the whole “internet” fiasco came to mind…... [and Rancher’s pet rooster chasing them both up a tree that one time]), but one event in particular stood out from the rest… though maybe that was because it was the most recent. There were sure to be more "misadventures” to come in the future, they were sure of it. 

Evidently, something in the house needed replacing, and despite not having the piece needed on hand and having to come up with a solution for it, the farm bros simply ordered a new part for it, saying they’d just save some time and put it in themselves once it showed in a couple of days. 

They didn’t even sound all that impressed with the fact. How momentous it was to just… need something and have it sent to you, wherever you were… whatever it was you needed. Not needing to find a solution and fix it, or compensate and bear with it until it truly became unusable. 

It was wonderful!! It led to so many possibilities!!

A few days passed and the farmer brothers had been out tending to something in town when the package arrived.  

Compass and Gears, excited to confirm that the part ordered by the farm brothers had actually arrived, thought they would at least get the part out and halfway set up with all the tools they knew the farm bros would need… (The instructions were right there on top after all. Surely it couldn't be that hard... at least they could find and get everything ready!) 

But as they pulled the part out of the box, they couldn’t help but notice the space inside was filled with…? Well, it didn’t take long for them to make a connection as to what the “packaging” inside the box, (presumably to insulate and protect the somewhat delicate piece inside), reminded them of. 

Though... it was a little odd to use food to protect the piece during shipping. 

The nomad boys weren't new to the idea of eating nuts or anything… it had been a staple of their previous life at certain points… but they hadn't been exposed to everything. And the farmers had gone out of their way to introduce them to all the various snacks and meals they could try now that they were here instead of in the forest. 

These peanuts were… well a different color than the others they'd tried… and the fact that they were free-floating and "unpackaged" in a box with equipment was a little odd… but what else could they be? 

It'd be weird to make something look like food but not actually have it be food, right? 

…So they tried it. (It actually wasn't all that bad… not as good as the ones they had tried before, but not bad. [Or at least nowhere near as awful as some of the things they consumed during hard times in the forest]).

And then Peaches and Rancher walked in. 

After a brief staring contest, they quickly began interrogating the nomads on what they were doing. And upon realizing what had happened, Peaches began to chuckle before quickly dissolving into full-on laughter at the situation, while Rancher (trying to hide his amusement at the misunderstanding) explained that ‘No, it wasn’t actually food. Yes, he was sure of it. And NO they couldn’t have more!’

…This brand new “modern” world sure had some strange customs, and ideas, and rules to follow. 

But in all honesty, Gears and Compass couldn’t wait to experience it all. So what if they made some mistakes? It was all a learning experience, and they couldn't wait to begin exploring all the new possibilities!   

[beauty-and-passion]

Beau! Hello! How are you doing?

Hi! :D It's so nice to see you again! I really missed our conversations, can't wait for more of them to come soon! <3

This summer has been pretty busy for me. I studied almost every day - but it's summer, it's hot and my will to study was below zero, so I skipped a few days here and there, did other things, studied in the morning only and so on. Still no idea about the results, but when I get them, I will let you know :)

In the meantime, I still enjoyed my time by doing other stuff, like:

Cleaning

I love organizing things and since I finally had some time, I took the chance to:

Write a full inventory of the garage/storeroom where my family has been accumulating stuff for years

Buy a couple new storage racks for my apartment and move some furniture around. Still not over, but it's an improvement

Also, since my mother finally realized that yes, we have a lot of stuff indeed and we can rid of some of it, we went on a cleaning spree and cleaned:

The woodshed which had everything inside except for wood. There was even a sewing table!

The front garden of my house and that meant removing a shit ton of plants because my mother decided it was a great idea to plant them all together. She literally put two palm trees inside the vineyard. Those have been hard to tear down, but when me and my brother finally did it, the satisfaction was immense

We still have to move some stuff and properly clean the storeroom, but we have to wait for my uncle first: once he takes some furniture away, we will be free to keep going.

Keeping healthy

Since I went to the gastroenterologist and he told me to change my diet, I lost 7kg immediately and I feel WAY better. But it's still not enough: I plan to lose 7 more kilos, just to be in perfect health and to keep being healthy, even if I gain a couple kilos back in the future.

In order to do that, I kept (and try to keep) a schedule made of:

walking at least 6000 steps every day

spending at least one hour doing exercises and yoga 5 days a week

following the healthier diet suggested by the doctor, which is made of fresh fish and meat, fresh vegetables, almost no bread, gluten-free pasta, rice, couscous, no milk and no processed products. It was hard the first few days, now I feel bad when I don't follow this plan. I don't miss junk food and I still allow myself a treat once in a while. Also, since I am lazy, I cook once a day and double the amount, so I can eat for dinner and have a meal ready for the next day's lunch. This way, I'm always covered and I don't feel like resorting to junk/fast food (I also got rid of everything unhealthy, so it would be impossible anyway).

trying to get a better sleeping schedule: my alarm clock is set at 7:50 every day except for the weekends and I allow myself to get a 1-hour-long nap in the early afternoon. I also try to go to sleep around midnight, but still end up sleeping at 1am, so there's still room for improvement.

Writing

Studying was hard, but writing has always been great. And when I can have a schedule, it's even better :D

I started with two hours, every day. Right after dinner, when my mind was still fresh - and the weather gets cooler too. Then, around 10pm, I move on the couch and watch a few YouTube videos, before going to bed.

Some days, I didn't want to write a single line and had to force myself to write at least for one hour. But there were also days in which I wrote one or two hours more than planned. And now, I can write a few hours in the morning too and that means double productivity! :D Also, after sitting for so long in front of a screen, the exercise session in the late afternoon is even more enjoyable.

Small trips

I couldn't allow myself to take a longer breaks this summer. And that means I won't be able to visit Greece, so I took small trips to my uncle's farm and 1-day long trips to a few places.

In July, I visited Gaeta and Sperlonga (Italy). Those are two beautiful towns between Rome and Naples, with wonderful clean sea and beautiful sights. Sperlonga was especially cute, because the oldest part of the city is on a hill, so there are a ton of narrow streets, white-painted walls, corners decorated with seashells and painted tiles, tiny stairs and little plazas. It was nice.

In August, I visited Rovinj (Croatia): that's another little town, with a wonderful green sea. While we were there, we took a boat trip and visited the nearby fjord and wow, it was just like a postcard from a Norwegian fjord. And the trip was very enjoyable too: the boat owner offered us drinks and gave us interesting insights about what we were seeing.

I have two more trips planned for the next week: a water park tomorrow and a small cruise trip next week. Then, nothing else for now. Maybe will do something for Christmas and even New Year, but we'll see what offers we can find.

What about you?

What did you do these months? How did you spend your summer? How are you spending these last few days of August? And do you like to sleep as much as my cats like it?

[pinchraccoon]

Pinch Reviews: Slime Rancher

This one feels a *little* bit like I'm cheating, because I've actually played the majority of this game before, but I got further than I did before this year, so it counts as something I can review.

Slime Rancher is exactly what it sounds like, your goal is to ranch slimes for their byproducts. You do this by building up your ranch, buying upgrades, expanding outward, and selling product that you can get from a variety of cute little blobs of goop.

I love the feeling of playing Slime Rancher, it's incredibly cozy, and even in instances of comparative danger, stakes are never so high as to make you feel as though you've wasted time for a failure. Slime Rancher is incredibly kind to a player, and wants you to learn how best to optimize your favorite slimes and your favorite playstyles.

The basics of Slime Rancher are as follows, and of course, this is for *most* players, there's plenty of ways to play that don't even involve ranching if you really wanted to, but most players will do the following:

Collect slimes and establish a farmed food source nearby to feed to the slimes in order to gain "plorts" from them, which are sellable for money, or much later on, used in the crafting of useful tools. Sell plorts to get upgrades, and from these upgrades you can more easily access new areas, and with that, new slimes whose plorts may sell for more. Rinse and repeat until you're satisfied with your ranch!

This is the absolute basis for the gameplay, but there is an incredible degree of depth regarding each and every interactable item and slime in the game, and figuring out how to manage resources you can feasibly create in order to maintain optimal plort gains is really really intuitive to learn about, as all the information you could need to optimize your strategy is found in the guides, and things like specific slimes' favorite foods, the nuances of chicken farming, and lab tools mean that you can send the return on a continually dwindling investment into each pull of plorts through the roof if you manage your risks properly. Completely alone I was able to earn more money than I possibly know what to do with, and set up a system that will allow me to earn another impossible quantity of money if I sell my plorts at the right time.

I find myself comparing the game to Stardew Valley frequently, although I don't feel it's entirely apt, as SR lacks the in depth social elements that SV has, and my comparisons between the two are entirely based on my feelings regarding the perceived pressure that the two have. Please bear with me while I explain the difference.

Stardew Valley has a tendency to make you choose how you spend your time, and setting up anything too deeply is something that you'll likely have to spend an entire day tearing down in order to improve, every action has a negative reaction, it feels, and Stardew feels much more invested in being a simulator of capital than Slime Rancher. What I love about Slime Rancher is that it allows you to learn about it so easily, and it rewards you handsomely for managing to optimize on the reading that you might do. Even without a lot of reading, a player can figure out potential strategies that might have great value as well. As such, the comparative kindness of Slime Rancher, to me at least, is much more palatable than that of some other cozy games on the market that are much more focused on your optimization, as opposed to rewarding you reasonably every step of the way.

Ultimately, Slime Rancher is a game that brings a massive grin to my face and stimulates the part of my brain that wants to experiment with economic ideas in order to do the most I can in the game itself. I firmly believe that anyone at all can pick up and play Slime Rancher and have a good time with it. I sunk a cool 16 hours into the game in one day upon me picking it back up and playing it, and I long thought my ability to marathon games was lost. I never play games for that long anymore, and Slime Rancher made me want to. My only conceivable issues are with a few quality of life possibilities which would have been nice, like mass depositing or mass selling of plorts, but they're relatively minor issues, really.

If you want a cozy game but really really just want it to be cozy, play Slime Rancher.