#Image Source : The Diamond Club

[eahsayswhat]

Courtly put the EAH girls through a ridiculous trial, and she was presumably put through one in turn after her scheme was exposed. Here's how it might've gone. Courtly's exaggerated British accent is fun to write and I hope to inflict it on my audience again.

Also, first post in the new uploader! Weird interface.

[efemmera-archive]

Dyke Deck by Catherine Opie

Catherine Opie’s legendary 52-piece Dyke Deck of playing cards. Released in 1995, they feature highly stylised portraits of Opie’s queer community, many friends and others cast during an open call in San Francisco. In the Dyke Deck, Opie divided up the images into four categories to correspond with the four suits: Couples are Hearts; Jocks are Clubs; Femmes are diamonds; Butches are spades.

Source

[bestanimal]

Round 3 - Cephalopoda - Oegopsida

(Sources - 1, 2, 3, 4)

Order: Oegopsida

Common Name: “Oegopsid Squids”

Families: 25 - Architeuthidae (“Giant Squid”), Neoteuthidae (“neosquids”), Cranchiidae (“glass squids”), Ommastrephidae (“shortfin squids”, “flying squids”, and kin), Thysanoteuthidae (“diamond squids”), Batoteuthidae (“Bush-club Squid”), Chiroteuthidae (“whip-lash squids”), Joubiniteuthidae (“Joubin's Squid”), Magnapinnidae (“bigfin squids”), Mastigoteuthidae (also known as “whip-lash squids”), Promachoteuthidae, Brachioteuthidae, Cycloteuthidae, Ancistrocheiridae (“Sharpear Enope Squid”), Enoploteuthidae (“enope squids”), Lampadioteuthidae (“Wonderful Firefly Squid”), Lycoteuthidae, Pyroteuthidae (“fire squids”), Pholidoteuthidae (“coffeebean scaled squids”), Lepidoteuthidae (“Grimaldi Scaled Squid”), Octopoteuthidae (“octopus squids”), Gonatidae (“armhook squids”), Histioteuthidae, Onychoteuthidae (“hooked squids”), and Psychroteuthidae (“Glacial Squid”)

Anatomy: internal shell; eight short arms and two longer, clubbed tentacles that may have hooks; head lacks tentacle pockets; eyes lack a corneal covering; many are bioluminescent

Diet: fish, crustaceans, other mollusks, copepods

Habitat/Range: oceans worldwide, usually pelagic

Evolved in: Late Cretaceous

Propaganda under the cut:

The largest living cephalopod, and largest living invertebrate is the 700 kilogram (1,500 lb) Colossal Squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni).

The Firefly Squid (Watasenia scintillans) is one of the only cephalopods known to have color vision.

Some cephalopods are able to fly through the air for distances of up to 50 metres (160 ft)! They can achieve these ranges by jet-propulsion, squirting water from their funnel even while in the air. They then spread their fins and tentacles to form wings and actively control lift force with their body posture. The Japanese Flying Squid (Todarodes pacificus) has been observed spreading its tentacles in a flat fan shape and utilizing a mucus film between the individual tentacles.

Humboldt Squid (Dosidicus gigas) (image 4) are large, agile pack hunters, flashing red and white to communicate with each other and coordinate attacks on shoals of fish. They are particularly known for being aggressive towards humans, though this aggression may be well founded, as they are the most popular squids to be hunted for food, with around 10 million killed every year. In circumstances where these animals are not feeding or being hunted, they usually exhibit curious and intelligent behavior.

[plasticfashiondotpng]

Ever After High Playing Cards

Image sources:

Queen of hearts

King of clubs

Ace of spades

Jack of diamonds

[woofwoof-bah]

Hello!! Can I get a lvl 2 pack for a Gambit (x-men) headmate? Your blog layout is super cute btw ^ _ ^

Omg thank you!! I tried to make it all pretty and inviting :33 and yea!!! I had a lot of fun finding terms for card! I hope you like him!!

× Woof! X-men Alter Pack! Woof! ×

Name: Remy Etienne Lebeau

Nicknames: Gambit, Rem, Remy, Sugar

Age: Late 20's Early 30's

Gender identity: Male, Abracaboy, Cardgender, Cardaeic,

Pronouns: He/They/Card/Boom/Spade/Club/Heart/Diamond

Sexual orientation: Pansexual, Hypersexual

Role: Sexual protector, Confidence holder, Jack of all Trades, French (/j)

Source: X-Men

× Faceclaim ×

Image source! !Reddit source warning!

Alt source: Uncanny X-Men #4 Variant cover

Aesthetic: Casino aesthetic!

Front triggers (Pos/Neu/Neg)

+ Card decks, Card games, Bets, Rouge(/P or /R), Truth or Dare, Cajun food.

| Action movies, Cheesy Romance movies, Bugs buzzing loudly, Making food for others.

- NO SEASONING ON FOOD LIKE AT ALL. Accent mocking, damaging cards, French fries.

× Profile Picture ×

Image Source!

Sign offs: 💥 , 💜 , 🃏 , 💌 , 💣 , 🥖 , 🇫🇷

[quartersety-of-a-holsety]

I made myself a Fire Emblem theme for my solitaire game

Deets under the cut

Base theme: Fable Deck: Solitaire Celebrates Effect: Stars

PLAYING BACKGROUND:

CARD BACKING:

ACES:

Ace of Diamonds: Hoshido/Birthright

Ace of Spades: Mark of Naga/Brand of the Exalt

Ace of Hearts: Valla/Revelation

Ace of Clubs: Nohr/Conquest

KINGS:

King of Diamonds: Lewyn

King of Spades: Alm

King of Hearts: Eltshan

King of Clubs: Eliwood

QUEENS:

Queen of Diamonds: Mikoto

Queen of Spades: Edelgard

Queen of Hearts: Tiki

Queen of Clubs: Michaiah

JACKS:

Jack of Diamonds: Forde

Jack of Spades: Inigo

Jack of Hearts: Seliph

Jack of Clubs: Leo

IMAGE SOURCES:

Background: Here

Card backing: Here

Aces: The French Wikipages for Awakening and Fates

Face cards: Heroes and official art [Inigo specifically here]

FUN FACTS NOBODY ASKED FOR:

The face cards did not align this way naturally. All of them had to be zoomed in at least twice, most four, and a few had to be scooted over a little to avoid being cropped in the wrong places or to fix general alignment issues

The game doesn't properly support transparent images, so I had to give each face card a background; really all I did was colour drop the deck's base colour and use that as the background so it would match

Each face card was shrunk to the card's base dimensions [422x562] with the background being twice that size [844x1124] to allow for easier placement without running into a black background because of said transparency issues

I didn't make any changes to the playing background. I just set it and left it as is

The card backing isn't quite aligned in the center, but I have no motivation to try and fix that right now

The backing border was completely unintentional. I chose that deck to build off of simply because of the gold rim around the face-up cards. I didn't realise it would come with a backing border, but hey it works

I chose Fable as the base theme to build off of for two reasons: 1. Aesthetic™, and 2. The background music is the closest to Fire Emblem music the game has [I really wish you could choose your own in-game ambience instead of having to use a preset theme first]

The stars effect has no real impact on the theme, I just like it

I initially wanted Ferdinand to be the Jack of Diamonds, but I didn't want to use his pre-skip design, which is all Heroes had, so Forde was chosen instead

Takumi was briefly considered for Jack of Diamonds and King of Clubs before those roles went to Forde and Eliwood

Ishtar was going to be the Queen of Clubs, but I decided three Genealogy characters was enough, so Michaiah took this spot

Other candidates for Queen of Clubs were Cherche, Celica, Seiros, and Eirika

I went with the Chrom!Inigo edit instead of normal Inigo or Lazward simply because Chrom!Inigo is best Inigo and you cannot change my mind

Alm, Michaiah, and Forde are the only ones who use official art instead of Heroes art. I preferred Alm and Michaiah's official art while Forde isn't even in the game yet [get on that, IS]

I originally wanted to use Edelgard's official post-skip art as I didn't [and still don't] like how her Heroes art sharply cuts off, but it ultimately clashed badly when trying to align it, so I had to use her Legendary alt [her pre-skip and Three Hopes designs were out of the question from the get-go]. I aligned the cutoff with the edge of the card as best I could and I'm surprised it worked

The only set in stone characters from the very beginning were Eltshan, Seliph, and Inigo. The rest I decided as I went on

Tiki was completely spur of the moment. As soon as I remembered she existed, I was like "Oh yeah, adult Tiki would be a perfect Queen of Hearts". I saw her Brave alt and didn't look back

I briefly considered using Eltshan's performance alt, but decided against it

While I knew I wanted Seliph as the Jack of Hearts, I initially wasn't sure which version to use, but I ultimately went with the version I liked the most, which was his Brave alt

Lewyn was a toss-up as to which version I wanted to use, but I went with his festival alt as I liked it more than his normal version

Other characters I considered but with no solid placement were Sigurd, Arvis, Lucina, Ayra, Soleil, Dorothea, Olivia, Deirdre, Say'ri, Elincia, Ryouma, Innes, Tana, Ephraim, Felix, and Constance

Inigo and the aces required some additional editing to remove their white backgrounds before setting up the off-white backgrounds they were supposed to have for this set. I worked on Inigo's for so long trying to edit out lossy pixels around the edges of his art that the editor crashed on me. Hurray for autorecovery

[ducky-bah]

Source List

These are the sources we are most likely to accept based on familiarity, feel free to request new sources be added or to request alters outside of these sources; we will find any information we need via wikis or the requested media when we have time.

Sources with an asterisk* are hyperfixations or special interests so we'll likely get to those requests faster!

Games:

Cookie Run* [Cookie Run: Ovenbreak, Cookie Run: Kingdom*, Cookie Run: Witch's Castle]

Doki Doki Literature Club

DoL*... <- Leitner's habit of getting Bee&Co into strange and offputting medias

GRIS

Helltaker

Library of Ruina

Limbus Company

Little Misfortune

Lobotomy Corporation

Minecraft

Needy Streamer Overload

Neko Atsume

Portal & Portal 2

Reverse: 1999

Books/Written Materials:

Creepypastas

I Love Yoo (webcomic)

Love me to Death (webcomic)

SHE MAKES HUNGRY (webcomic)

Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint

Wings of Fire

Shows/Films/Etc:

A Certain Scientific Railgun/A Certain Magical Index

Adventure Time

Alien Stage

Arcane: League of Legends

Bee and Puppycat

BNHA / MHA

Dungeon Meshi / Delicious in Dungeon

Ever After High

Glitter Force & Glitter Force Doki Doki (Though not very familiar with Precure)

H2O (Just add Water, Mako Mermaids an H2O Adventure, H2O: Mermaid Adventures*)

Hazbin Hotel & Helluva Boss

Hilda (Series & The Mountain King)

Little Witch Academia

Mia And Me

Miraculous

Monster High (G1, G3)

My Little Pony (FIM & The Movie, Make Your Mark & Tell Your Tale)

Nimona

Ouran Highschool Host Club*

Puffin Rock*

Supernatural Academy

The Apothecary Diaries*

The Dragon Prince*

The Hollow

Unicorn Academy

Franchises:

Lego (Lego Ninjago*, Lego Friends, Lego Elves)

Pokémon

Sanrio

Vocaloid, UTAUloid, SynthV, etc*

MCYT / MC Series(/ish):

DSMP/Dream SMP*

OSMP/Origins SMP

QSMP [Semi-Familiar]

Whitepine*

The Diamond Dimensions(/The Diamond Dimensions Modded Survival)* & Custom Mod Adventure

Other / Misc Sources

apps / app mascots

websites / webapps / mascots

[image] inspired

[moodboard] inspired

themed

[d1gitallyfvckd]

𝐈𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝… Welcome, CONNIE ZHANG. You have successfully been loaded into THE HUB. According to our records, you are THIRTY-TWO and have held citizenship for THIRTY-TWO YEARS in the barrier city, Neo California. Your key attributes have been identified as COMPASSIONATE and RECKLESS. Please confirm your CHAOTICALLY GOOD morality to proceed. Our data indicates that you are currently employed with STRIPPER AT HEAVEN'S NIGHT/GO-GO DANCER @ ELYSIUM. For your safety and security, it is crucial that all background information is accurate. Further analysis of our archives highlights your alignment with at least PARANOIA, CYBERDRUNK, GOLDEN RETRIEVERS and or CYBER STOCKHOLM SYNDROME BY RINA . ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ Verification 100% complete. Please adhere to all local regulations and laws during your stay. We trust that your time here will be both fulfilling and safe. 

…LOADING file --- BEWARE resident under extreme stress. Utilize caution when approaching.

I’m restless. Things are calling me away. My hair is being pulled by the stars again.

⋆｡°✩⋆｡°✩⋆｡°✩⋆｡°✩⋆｡°✩⋆｡°✩⋆｡°✩⋆｡°✩⋆｡°✩⋆｡°✩⋆｡°✩⋆｡°✩⋆｡°✩

STATS:

Identification: Connie “Constance” Zhang

Age: Thirty-Two

Sexuality: Queer

Pronouns: She/Her

Gender: Cis-Female

 ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ X CORRUPTED MENTAL FILE

…LOADING FILE: EARLY_MEMORIES

File empty.  Images of poverty and hunger flash across the screen. A mother entering a dark room with a strange man in exchange for four hunger curbing cubes. A father covering his daughters eyes.   ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ X INTERRUPTION [Welcome to LuLus Dating Sim! Will you date the stereotypical mafia boss? Or the kind, but poor baker? Enter ten more credits for diamonds to access special endings.] File recovered. A young girl eats from the trash. Three sleep in a single closet tenement, with a brain trip. Men hover over the women like vultures, waiting for a moment to swoop in and eat their prey. The girl knows she must provide. 

…LOADING FILE: CURRENT STATE

FILE WARNING RESIDENT UNDER EXTREME STRESS, PLEASE PROCEED WITH CAUTION IN FILES> EXIT SCAN. SUBJECT UNABLE TO TELL REALITY FROM FICTION. SCANNING MAY LEAD TO FURTHER DISTRESS AND ERRATIC BEHAVIOR. File recovered.   Images flash of the young girl now woman, still residing in the same tenement. The space has grown to two resting pods except one. The woman leaves at night to enter and work various clubs. Her body the prize, her mind the victim.  FIFTEEN THOUSAND HOURS OF BRAIN TRIPS LOGGED. LOGGED GAMES: LULUS DATING SIM, ANNIE’S DATING SIM, BAKERS LOVER DATING SIM, MY VAMPIRE GIRLFRIEND,  RACE FOR THE THRONE: LOVERS PACK, DIGITAL DOG SIM, KING’S DINING HALL SIM, DIGITAL DOG FRIEND 1, DIGITAL DOG FRIEND 2, DIGITAL DOG FRIEND 3 - THE DOGGIEST [ WARNING POP-UP, exceeding FIVE THOUSAND brain trip hours can have significant long-term consequences]   ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ X CORRUPTED MENTAL FILE ! ABORT SCAN! RESIDENT AWARE!

NO,nonono.

You’re not real, I am not listening to you.

Don’t look at me like that Pete.

…LOADING FILE: HEADCANNONS_ LORE

Connie has found her brain in irreparable damage after playing too many animal, eating and dating sims. When she looks at people, she sees pre-selected responses. She sees faces and animals that aren’t there. 

Her psychosis went from borderline funny to scary, real fast. She is often seen talking to a figure named “Pete”. An evil digital golden retriever who apparates in her reality, that she can touch, be bitten by, and hear. Pete’s request have gotten more malevolent as the time goes on. 

Connie has been losing time, waking up in strange places. Sometimes blood in her hands, sometimes additional credits in her account from a source unknown.

Connie is recklessly good. Take a stranger home and let them sleep if they’re cold, good. Ignore Pete’s warnings kind of good. Give you her last credit if it means you can eat, she can always just watch an eating sim to feel full. She will give all that she has, even if it leaves her with nothing. 

Connie is NAIVE and often gets herself into trouble. The type to join a cult or gang by accident if the pay is good and the people seem kind. 

…LOADING FILE: WANTED_CONNECTIONS

PLEASE DON’T DIE?: Someone who is very concerned for Connie’s wellbeing, a friend. This could have developed at the club, or between two very poor kids growing up in the tenement. 

EASY TO USE: Someone who is malevolent and feeds on Connie’s naivety for their own good. Taking a portion of her dancing money with a sob story.  

LOVE CRAZY: Someone, who despite Connie’s obvious  failed mental state, is still enamored by her deeply kind and reckless nature. The antithesis of her dating sim. 

[plumbclubassociation]

The Spark Behind the Shine: Diamond Manufacturers in New Jersey

Discover how diamond manufacturers in New Jersey—especially those part of the Plumb Club Association—are redefining the fine jewelry industry. From ethical sourcing and cutting-edge technology to lab-grown innovations and global partnerships, these manufacturers play a pivotal role in transforming rough stones into dazzling gems. Learn about the manufacturing process, sustainability efforts, and the key traits that set Plumb Club members apart in the diamond world. Click to know more: plumbclub.com/diamond-manufacturers

[sheldonpintoo]

Aston Martin DB12 Palm Beach Edition: Florida’s Ultimate One-Off Luxury Convertible

The Aston Martin DB12 Palm Beach Edition is more than a luxury convertible—it’s a one-off creation that captures the sun-soaked vibe of Florida’s most iconic coastal town. Built exclusively for Palm Beach, this bespoke DB12 Volante turns heads with custom details and serious performance.

A Design That Catches the Light—and the Eye

There’s something mesmerizing about the Frosted Glass Blue finish on this special edition. It’s not just paint—it’s infused with microscopic glass flakes that shimmer under sunlight, much like the Atlantic does on a calm morning. Accent that with Club Sport White pinstripes and gloss black diamond-cut wheels, and you’ve got a car that looks like it was born to pose at The Breakers valet.

But don’t mistake it for a showpiece. This thing moves.

Under the Hood: All Power, No Compromise

Beneath that sculpted hood is a beast of an engine—4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8, to be exact. It cranks out 671 horsepower, which is more than enough to let you hear the Florida breeze whistling past at over 200 mph. Not that you’ll need to drive it that fast—but it’s nice knowing you could.

Inside, the handcrafted cabin features yacht-inspired wood trim and custom palm embroidery—an homage to coastal luxury.

The Cabin: Where Yacht Meets Grand Tourer

Inside, it’s exactly what you’d expect from something born of both Aston Martin and Palm Beach. Think Aurora Blue and Ivory leather, tastefully stitched with a bit of red for flair. You’ll spot palm leaf embroidery on the seats, which is subtle but elegant. The dash features the GPS coordinates of Palm Beach itself—a classy touch that reminds you: this isn’t your average luxury convertible.

Even the trim—an open-pore Linear Light Olive Ash wood—feels like something pulled straight from a private yacht.

A True One-of-One

Here’s the kicker: there’s only one. This DB12 Palm Beach Edition isn’t a limited run. It’s not coming to dealerships. It was commissioned and built as a bespoke creation through Q by Aston Martin, the brand’s in-house custom shop. So if you’re thinking of grabbing one, well, you’re about a few million dollars and one good connection too late.

That said, Q by Aston Martin is open for custom orders. So if you’re dreaming of your own uniquely-tailored machine, it’s very possible to start from scratch and build something just as personal.

Quick Glance: DB12 Palm Beach Edition Specs

Final Thoughts

There are cars that are fast. There are cars that are beautiful. And once in a while, there’s a car that’s both—and then some. The Aston Martin DB12 Palm Beach Edition isn’t just a tribute to a city; it’s a love letter to style, sunshine, and craftsmanship.

And while it might be out of reach for most of us, it’s proof that when Aston Martin decides to go all-in, they do it with every ounce of elegance the brand stands for.

Image Source: Google

Stay ahead in the auto world — check our site for the latest car and bike news, dive into insightful blogs, and never miss an update.

[savage-kult-of-gorthaur]

MEETING UP FOR DRINKS AT BABY JANE'S PAD -- NONE MORE HIP FOR '65.

PIC(S) INFO: Spotlight on Mick Jagger, Baby Jane Holzer, Peggy Moffitt (reportedly, anyway), at an Andy Warhol party at Jane Holzer's apartment, NYC, c. winter 1965. 📸: David McCabe.

"The pictures with Mick were taken at a party that I had at my 955 Park Avenue apartment. I can tell by the Warhol "Flower" paintings on the wall. Andy really loved how I hung them. I had six "Flower" paintings and hung them all from their corners (like a diamond)."

-- JANE HOLZER (American art collector/film producer/former Warhol Superstar)

OVERVIEW: "Andy Warhol had met Jagger in 1963 when the band THE ROLLING STONES were not well known in the United States. No doubt with an eye for financial success, Warhol turned to the subject of Mick Jagger, now a celebrity friend and part of the New York club scene. National Gallery of Australia

"In 1964, David McCabe landed the commission of a lifetime, he just didn’t know it yet. A then-relatively unknown artist and illustrator named Andy Warhol was looking for a photographer he felt comfortable with to follow him for a year. The job fell to 24-year-old McCabe, an ex-arts student and photographer from Leicester, England. McCabe had recently moved to New York City at the encouragement – and funding – of his employer back home. McCabe’s own studio was a short walk from the now-infamous Silver Factory at 231 E 47th Street. Warhol, who had possibly seen the amateur’s images in magazines such as LIFE and Mademoiselle, liked his style – but McCabe was asking: "Who is Andy Warhol?""

-- PROUD GALLERIES, Ashleigh Kane for "Dazed"

Source: http://born-late.blogspot.com/2011/07/celebrity-encounter-baby-jane-meets.html.

[szallejhscorner]

Goodbye, my Friend

This one is for @vesta-ro. They requested a scenario based on the CiaD-Y/N, where they and Kyuuma had been really close in the real life and they get a chance to say goodbye before the end of the King of Clubs game. Which doesn’t please Chishiya at all :D

It was really fun to work on something a bit different this time!

Leaving the camp and all your friends still feels wrong somehow. The Witch Hunt has caused so many deaths and the survivors just found together again, only for you to scoot away with Chishiya early in the morning. Has Kuina been mad when waking up and noticing you weren’t there anymore, or wasn’t she surprised at all? Will they be fine? What games will they choose to play, and who will survive till the end?

What games will you play?

Everything about the second stage is uncertain. It is obviously much more dangerous and difficult than what you went through these last weeks, and it scares you. Having Chishiya on your side is only a mild comfort in that, since he will most likely chase every single Diamonds game he can find and you can’t tell what feels worse – knowing he could die in one of them or being left alone since you definitely won’t accompany him into one. 

On top of that, what if Chishiya decides your presence has been enough? That man really has a talent to leave unnoticed at every occasion, and there’s always a chance of waking up one morning without him next to you. It is a frightening thought, that he might leave you and die in a game, and you’d never know what happened to him, but this is the way games are played in this world. 

So many deaths. Quick ones, slow ones. The trauma it caused the survivors is never to be forgotten. And still… up to this day, none of the deceased ones has been close to you. There have been a couple of faces you recognized from real life; people you had sometimes passed in stores and cafés or something, but none you’d call an acquaintance or even friend.

The more you think about it, the less you want to see an old friend here. The chance of them dying is far too big, and you’re not sure that’s a pain you would be able to handle. 

The fear of losing Chishiya is already enough, and the same goes for the new friends you have made since arriving here – the ones that are still alive after all.

You gulp when the image of Ichika’s lifeless body emerges from your memories, shot dead by Niragi who has mercilessly hunted down anyone in the Beach to find the Witch. Just another reminder that Death never makes fair choices but ones a simple human will never comprehend.

The dark thoughts make you completely unobservant to your surroundings, and only the sound of a loud Gong! causes you to flinch and finally look up from the splintered concrete beneath your feet. You frantically look around to find its source, until Chishiya nods towards a clock tower in the distance, announcing the time as 12AM. Right above the clock face you notice two stag heads bumping their antlers against each other, twelve times in total. 

“Twelve times…” you mutter, and Chishiya hums, understanding your thoughts. “…twelve games. The start signal.”

Further away, the echo of shots bounces off the walls around you, making you shiver. A sniper, most likely, and you suppose they belong to one of the games. The second stage has begun and already people are dying. 

“Chishiya…” you begin, your voice merely more than a whisper, “I know you’ll want to participate in one of the Diamonds games. But… can we keep on walking, for just a bit longer? The fresh air helps to clear my mind, and I don’t think all three Diamonds games will be cleared that fast.”

His grunt is more than enough proof that he doesn’t like that idea too much, but he doesn’t keep you from heading towards the river. You reach for his hand, glad that he accompanies you anyway. A bit more of peace is all you want before diving head first into new games, and you have a feeling that the water will be the perfect place to provide that to you. 

The buildings around you get smaller and the river comes in sight, its water so clear and unpolluted that life has found its way back into the flowing cold. Fish scales are glinting under the surface, uncaring for your presence as you let your hand slide into the river. 

Humans aren’t a threat anymore here in this world. It should make you happy for nature, but somehow it’s more a sad thought; a reminder that humans aren’t really important and humanity isn’t meant to last. 

Lost in thought, you merely keep track of time passing. It must have been at least an hour since Chishiya or you both spoke a word, with the sound of your footsteps on the ground being the only thing that fills the silence, and you’re not entirely sure if it’s comfortable or not. 

You follow the river until it meets the ocean, the never-ending blue that is both so fascinating and incredibly dangerous. 

“I wonder what’s on the other side”, you ponder while watching the waves, “if there is a world outside of Tokyo.”

Chishiya follows your glance and hums, his lips curled up into the tiniest smirk. “Hatter tried to send out players using sailboats. They never came back, but red lasers were seen somewhere out there.”

“So if you try to run away, you’ll die?”

He nods, continuing to walk further along the harbor site. Not far in the distance, hundreds if not thousands of containers are stacked upon each other, creating a labyrinth of metal that will never sail the seven seas again. A sad yet fascinating thought, and something pulls you towards the containers, an unexplainable urge to go there and read the signs that you won’t understand anyway. Numbers and letters representing countries and companies, and yet you’ll never know what contents they carried – from yellow bath ducks to the most expensive luxury furniture. 

Chishiya doesn’t question why you’re heading towards that part of the harbor despite the King of Clubs blimp hovering in the air just above the metal labyrinth. This is a game venue, but you don’t want to participate. Now that you’re almost there, you spot a narrow path next to the containers, only a few inches of concrete between metal and the sea; a pathway that doesn’t seem to belong to the game. 

“Are you sure-“ Chishiya starts, but you don’t let him finish. 

Without a word, you squeeze past the first container, the sound of untamable shores right next to your feet. The noise of the blimp isn’t as loud as you’d expect being so close to it, and the huge banner with the King of Clubs on it moves gently with the wind. No noise comes from the other side of the metal wall, and you wonder if something happened there already. The second stage has just started, so maybe the game hasn’t even begun. 

The blonde huffs behind you, not exactly happy with the way you chose for your walk. You must be careful not to lose your footing, otherwise you’ll end up soaked in salt water, and the same goes for Chishiya. Although the thought of the blonde tumbling into the ocean makes you giggle. It would be cute seeing him helpless and out of control just for once, as long as it’s a benign situation. 

“Someone’s there”, you hear his muttering voice, and it makes you look up from the floor. Immediately, you spot an opening in the container wall, and a lone man is standing there, hands stretched out and face lifted towards the sky.

While being completely naked.

But that is not what makes you halt in an instant. It’s not the fact that you can see the bare and amazingly well-built man in all his glory. It’s not his shoulder-long hair waving in the wind, not the thoughtful look on his face. Not the metal bracelet around his wrist. 

It is the fact that you know exactly who this man is that causes you to inhale sharply. 

“Ginji…?” you whisper, not sure if you can believe what your eyes are showing you. 

The man turns as soon as he hears your voice, his expression as startled as yours. Once you can see his face, there is not a single doubt left: this is Kyuuma Ginji. Nudist, band leader, first love of your life. 

He’s here, in the Borderlands. And if there is one thing you know, then that this can never be a good thing. 

The way Kyuuma mutters your name makes you feel things you never thought you’d ever feel again. A familiarity is in his voice, a kindness that has been the center of your life for a long time until your ways had parted. Both of you had been young, and life moved on, with either of you choosing different directions to follow. Years had passed where you barely thought about him, but now, everything returns. 

Before you realize, you find yourself in a tight hug, not at all embarrassed by the fact that Kyuuma is still entirely nude. A lot more muscles than you remember move under his sun-warmed skin, and he’s taller than when you last met. But his eyes, the soulfulness and kindness in them, haven’t changed a bit. 

Kyuuma grabs your shoulder with one hand, pushing you away just a bit so he can see your face. With the other hand, he grabs your wrist, scanning it for something. Probably a bracelet of the kind he is wearing. “How?” he wonders, “how did you enter the game?”

You swallow. That Kyuuma is participating in such a high game doesn’t feel right. Until now you hadn’t even known that he’s here in the Borderlands, but you don’t want anything bad to happen to him. “I didn’t”, you answer honestly. “We were taking a walk, and I must have found some kind of loophole. But… what about you? How come you’re here, too? And why are you participating in this game? The King of Clubs, on top of that!”

A shadow covers his eyes, a sadness that feels heavy on your shoulder where his hand still remains. “Because I am the King.”

“That’s… no way. Stop kidding, Ginji! This isn’t the place for jokes right now.”

Sometimes, silence gives away more about the truth than a thousand words, and when he doesn’t answer, you take a few steps back while shaking your head. “No. No, no, no!” 

You’re no fool. If Kyuuma is truly a citizen – and you know him well enough to tell when he’s lying and when not – then it’s obvious that one of you won’t survive the end of this stage. Either the players will win, or the citizens. The Borderlands leave no space for something in between. 

Tears well up in your eyes, blurring the image of your dear friend and the wonderful sight of the ocean to your right. “That can’t be. It’s not fair, I-… I just found you!”

Kyuuma laughs, and the sound of it breaks your heart. He is always so gentle and genuine, despite the circumstances. “Would it have been any different if you’d found me earlier?” He asks, not expecting you to answer at all. His hand finds the way back to your shoulder and squeezes tightly, a familiar gesture of comfort. “We are winning the game. It is impossible for the player team to collect any more points now, so all that’s left is wait. Which means for now I’m not dead, and neither are you.”

“You’re… winning?” you whisper, not sure if that’s a good thing. On one hand, it’d mean Kyuuma’s survival for the moment, but on the other… 

Shaking your head, you place your hand on top of Kyuuma’s. The act is caused by a lack of words, although your old friend understands anyway. “Don’t worry too much. You always do that.”

“And you never worry at all.”

Kyuuma spreads his arms out again, as if he wants to hug the entire world. “Why should I? Life is wonderful. It’ll still be once we die. Death is nothing that could scare me, I’m ready to accept whatever outcome there will be for me. Shitara saw that too, and the rest of the band are on my side no matter what happens.”

The image of Kyuuma’s band fills your mind, and you remember the many evenings you had spent listening to their songs in garages and cellars. “They’re all here with you”, you conclude, not even a question. 

“They are, and no matter what, we’ll live or die together. You, though…” He tilts his head, a sad grin on his lips. 

Whatever happens to them, it’ll most likely be the opposite for you. And since you somehow managed to sneak into the area of a running game, this might be the last time to see Kyuuma alive. “We… should say farewell, then.”

The good-looking nudist wipes a single tear from your cheek before he pulls you into one last hug. Right here, right now, you could forget the dark world around you and pretend that you both’d be teenagers again, desperately in love and blind for the mystery around them. 

“Farewell, my friend”, Kyuuma breathes into your hair. 

You don’t want to let go. You don’t want to leave your friend behind, knowing that you will never meet again. Once you step back, everything will be said and done, and you are not ready for that to happen. But when Chishiya clears his throat behind you, you accept that there’s no use prolonging the inevitable. 

Taking a deep breath, you look Kyuuma deep in the eyes, feeling only a little bit of remorse that you entirely forgot about Chishiya’s presence for a while. 

“The game is about to end”, says the blonde in a stone-cold voice, “and we shouldn’t be in the area when that happens.” The icy tone is enough to tell you how much he despises seeing you and Kyuuma like this.

With a nod, you both agree to Chishiya and tell Kyuuma everything that words could never truly describe. That you won’t forget him if you’re the one to survive this, and that Kyuuma Ginji will always be dear to your heart, no matter what. He nods back, signaling that the same goes for him. The connection between the both of you has always been special, no matter for how long you’d lost contact in the past. Kyuuma might not be the love of your life any longer - that spot is likely to be replaced by a certain blonde and very arrogant surgeon - but he’ll always be the first you ever loved, your first kiss and your first heartbreak. 

The more you think about it, the more it feels like a gift that you were allowed to see Kyuuma one last time. Not as an enemy in a game, but as a friend. 

You take one last deep breath before turning around and walking away side by side with Chishiya. He doesn’t react when you reach out to hold his hand, since he’s probably sour about the scene he just witnessed. Not that you could blame him, although you won’t apologize, either. 

Together, you leave the containers behind and with them the game area. As you dare to throw a look over your shoulders, you notice just in time how a red laser cuts through the sky, crashing right into the spot where Kyuuma has been. Only seconds after, the blimp hovering high above the metal labyrinth explodes into thousands of burning pieces falling to the ground. You don’t watch it long enough to see the banner burn to ashes. 

Kyuuma has been sure that this game would count for the citizens, but somehow, the players have found a way to win in the end. But knowing your friend, it is clear that he didn’t regret a single thing before he died. Kyuuma left in peace with the world and with himself, and surprisingly you feel part of that peace too, despite new tears running down your cheeks. 

What comes even more surprising is that Chishiya eventually gives in and wraps his fingers around yours. He’ll never talk about what just happened, and you don’t want him to. It is enough to know that he’s still here. Maybe, just maybe, there’s even a tiny bit of satisfaction that he did feel something while watching you hug a naked, very good looking man. 

Love doesn’t come without a bit of teasing, after all. 

[axxl-rose]

You’re Permanent

Eddie Munson x ofc 

Word Count: 1118

Warnings: mature language and fluff. 

The summer sun was steaming like a frying pan, cooking everybody inside out, leaving the locals to flock to Hawkins Community Pool for relief. It was wall-to-wall with kids screaming and splashing in the water while their mothers worked on their tan, eying the young lifeguard striding around the edge of the pool.

Sunglasses-covered eyes scoured over a teen magazine, trying to figure out which '84 Hearthrob was her soulmate, praying for Kevin Bacon. And although the sun blistered her skin, Lucy could feel something else burning a hole right through her. "Get walking, Hargrove. Nothing for you here!" Lucy called, her eyes never straying from the pages.

Billy smirked as he strolled past the sunbathing girl, roaming eyes gazing at her bikini-clad figure. "Just checking, Luce." He shrugged, "Maybe one day you'll change your mind."

Scoffing, Lucy rolled her eyes but smiled to herself. The pair weren't friends, but they didn't hate each other either. Since his first day at Hawkins, the first day Lucy shot him down, their back and forth banter became a source of entertainment for the two.

Wiggling her warm toes, Lucy placed down her reading and huffed as she glanced at the large clock above the entrance.

"Looking for me," Eddie grumbled, startling Lucy. Shaking her head, Lucy ignored her boyfriend as he giggled to himself and laid kisses on her bare shoulder. "Lucy in the sky with diamonds," Eddie crooned, his wiry hair brushing against her clammy neck as he finally laid a firm kiss on her cheek.

Turning to face him, she pulled off her sunglasses and scowled at the smiling man as he lay on the sun lounge beside her, dirty white Reeboks gleaming proudly in the sun. "You're late." She stated.

Eddie reclined back in the chair, whistling a tune, arms crossed behind his head. "I got caught up doing something." He beamed at her, brown eyes glistening in the sunlight.

Raising her brows, Lucy frowned. "Caught up? You told me you had nothing planned."

Nodding as he observed the Hawkins residents around them, many scowling at the held-back high school student dressed in black and denim, Eddie thrummed his feet to an imaginary rhythm. "Something came up." He sung.

Growling, Lucy threw herself back on the recliner. "Well," she flung her hands in the air. "You won't tell me what you've done or where you've been, and your forty-five minutes late. Can we just go for a swim already? I'm boiling!" She fumed, refusing to look at her boyfriend, settling to stare at a smirking Billy Hargrove. Pulling a face, she gladly shot him the finger, which he laughed at.

"Is it from the sun..." Eddie sat up, taking off his denim vest. "Or anger?" He joked, shimmying out of his jeans and revealing black swim trunks with messy images of demons and drums scribbled on with white texter.

Forcing down a grin, Lucy eyed him. "I haven't decided yet."

Chortling, Eddie pulled up his 'Hellfire Club' shirt, exposing his pasty torso to the people of Hawkins. The Corroded Coffin member didn't get much sunlight between playing D&D, practicing the guitar, and sneaking into Lucy's bedroom, so he was practically glowing.

However, Lucy didn't mind. Her eyes appraised his figure, licking her lips at the sight of his snail trail and many little tattoos that her tongue had traced more than once, her anger slowly fading away. But, she paused... because staring back at her was her own name, black and slightly inflamed.

"Ed-Eddie..." she stuttered, rubbing her eyes and blinking rapidly. "Wh-what is that?" Her shaking hand pointed at the ink, right above his heart.

Eddie cocked his head, glancing at the spot before a beaming grin decorated his face. "My new tattoo." He cheered, puffing out his chest.

"TATTOO?!" She yelled, quickly slamming her hands over her mouth as people turned to stare, including Billy from the Lifeguards Chair. Looking around, Lucy grabbed Eddie by his hair and pulled him close, ignoring his whining. "What do you mean 'tattoo'?" She growled.

"Well," he moaned, his head kinked awkwardly, straining his neck. "While there is no formal definition, a tattoo is typically part of individual self-expression that often tells you something about the person."

Grumbling, Lucy let go of his hair and hunched forward, head between her hands. "That's not what I meant, and you know it." Her voice was muffled, but Eddie could hear her confusion.

Eddie huffed and puffed, twisting his neck with a satisfying crack. Looking over his cocooned girlfriend, he sighed and sat beside her, their bodies brushing as he draped an arm around her shoulders. "I'm Eddie 'the freak' Munson." He whispered, his lips tickling her ear. "The screw-up of Hawinks High, who couldn't pay to graduate even if he had the cash." He scoffed lowly, intensely staring into the shining water.

"You're not a screw-up." She muttered, burying her head into his chest.

Squeezing her tighter, Eddie chucked. "I am, and everyone knows it." Looking down at Lucy, he felt his heartbeat hum in his ears. "But, you make me better. Everything about you makes me want to be the best man I can be." He admitted, placing a kiss on her ear. "You are part of me, someone I want to keep by my side forever... and now, everywhere I go, and every time we're apart, I can think of the girl who changed my world."

Sniffling, Lucy looked up with wide, shining eyes. "You really think that about me?" She stammered, holding onto Eddie's ring-covered hand, twirling the massive steel skull.

Bobbing his head up and down, Eddie grasped onto her face, stroking her wet cheeks. "Of course I do!" He gushed, lighting up as a grin appeared on her face. Leaning his forehead on hers, the pair closed their eyes. "You're it for me, Lucy. You're permanent."

Lucy grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and slammed their lips together, Eddie releasing a mewl. Warmth bloomed through their bodies, the taste of Lucy's cherry lipgloss was dizzying to Eddie, butterflies attacking his stomach.

Their heavily breathing danced together, merging into one as their tongues entwined, Eddie taking the lead and Lucy happy to follow.

His hand stroked up her bare sides, a moan escaping Lucy's parted lips. Tangling her hands into his hair, Lucy pulled them flush together, desperate to be one.

A whistle broke them from their stupor. "Keep it PG, you dorks. There are kids around," Billy chided, peeking over his sunglasses with a smirk as he did his laps around the poolside.

"Fuck off, Hargrove." Lucy smiled, gazing into Eddie's eyes, tentatively tracing the fresh ink as Eddie's soft lips met her forehead.

[remys-rockets]

L2 Certification Attempt

After obtaining my L1 attempt, I had originally planned to fly for an L2 attempt on the same rocket. However, I attended a VRA club night where a swap meet was being held and ended up with a Rocketry Warehouse (now Madcow) Broken Arrow 54. Sometimes a great deal is a great deal.

This was a pretty big step up from the cardboard and plywood construction I was used to, being entirely filament-wound fibreglass. Its large diameter/length ratio combined with its small split fins also made it intimidating. This kit is also intended only for dual-deploy, which is something I had never done before. I decided it was a good opportunity to challenge myself.

Build

The kit was pretty bare-bones, meaning I had to source a retainer and much of the hardware for it. I ordered a 38mm Aeropack retainer, and then I began the build.

The process was relatively simple, with through-the-wall fins like all my previous builds. However, this time they did not fit into divots in the centering rings, so I 3D printed a fin jig to hold them in place while the epoxy cured.

Speaking of epoxy, I moved away from the 5-minute Araldite I had used for previous builds in favour of a more serious adhesive. I used JB Weld for anything motor-adjacent because of its thermal tolerance, and Epiglue for all other structural attachments and fin fillets. This was recommended to me by a friend in Perth who flies truly ridiculous rockets and has used it on flights of up to Mach 2. It is also available from a local marine supplier, meaning I didn't have to pay through my nose to get hold of Rocketpoxy or West Systems. I was very pleased with how nicely it went on and how strong it was.

By this time I'd also nailed down my epoxy application and filleting methods - I use cheap silicone sculpting and grouting tools which can simply be cleaned with acetone after I'm done. For filleting, I also found that mixing the epoxy in a ziploc bag and piping it on like icing worked a treat.

My work gets cleaner with every set of fillets I lay down. These ones don't look fantastic, and the split fins were something I had never dealt with before, but that didn't matter for reasons that became apparent shortly after the epoxy had set.

The morning after I applied these fillets, I got up to continue working on the rocket when I noticed that something had shifted overnight. The motor mount tube was somehow at an angle, as shown in the image above. I know I installed it perfectly level, but I didn't secure it while it set so I think it slipped as it cured. In my defense, I was quite sick and not firing on all cylinders when I had completed all the work up until now, but the realisation of what I'd managed to do was pretty disappointing and a bit of a knock to my confidence. Some measurements and a bit of trig suggested that the offset was only a degree or two, but the image suggests otherwise. I consulted some friends who are far more experienced flyers than I, and the consensus was a mix between 'send it' and Do Not Fly That Rocket, with more in favour of flying it than not. I looked at my OpenRocket sim for stability characteristics, and read some old Rocketry Forum posts about this model, all which pointed to it being rather squirrelly. In hindsight, I feel like I made the right decision, as I just couldn't ignore my gut feeling. I decided to rip it apart and rebuild it completely.

I did not take photos during this phase due to being completely covered with fibreglass dust, but I ended up using a diamond Dremel cutting wheel to first cut the fin can off, then cleanly slice the fins out of the body. I cannibalised a small section of the avionics bay tube to use as a coupler to reattach the aft section. I was then able to epoxy the whole thing back together, sand it all down, and it looked no different - apart from the motor mount being at the correct angle of zero degrees. I re-filleted the fins with a larger radius than before, as I wasn't happy with how they looked initially. I was very pleased with this effort, and confident to a) present this rocket to an RSO and b) fly it safely.

I also took the opportunity during this rebuild to modify the rocket to be motor-eject capable, by removing the bulkhead to which the recovery harnessing would be attached. I cut a small divot in the forward centering ring and attached a looped piece of kevlar around the motor tube before reinstalling it. This 'leash' provides the anchor point for a longer recovery harness to be attached to. I am very glad I did this, as not long after I was informed that my university club possessed a grand total of two (2) grams of black powder. Traditional dual-deploy would no longer be an option. More on that later.

To finish off the construction, I 3D printed rail guides from ABS and bolted them to the body, with a bit of JB Weld in there for good measure. I drilled pressure relief holes in the forward and aft sections of the body, and another in the avionics bay for altimeter readings. I then drilled a more smaller holes and installed screws to pin the nosecone to the forward section, and the forward section to the avionics bay. Since the flight would no longer be traditional dual-deploy, the rocket would not need to separate at these points. Finally, I gave it a purple paintjob and the name of CRUNCHWRAP 3.

At some point, Taco Bell might see these and send me a cease and desist. I am going to keep building and flying them until they do.

Recovery

With a proper dual-deploy ejection now out of the question, I turned to my backup plan. My team calls it the 'poor-man's dual deploy', even though it's arguably actually more expensive than using black powder. This involves deploying a drogue with the motor charge, then using a JollyLogic chute release device to deploy the main at whatever altitude you have chosen. There is a substantial risk of the harnessing becoming tangled using this method, but I didn't really have a choice. I used a 4.5m nylon shock cord, tied to the anchored kevlar leash. I divided the cord into thirds, tying a loop at each third. I attached the drogue to the forward-most loop, and the main to the aft loop. Both chutes were on quick links and swivels to reduce the risk of tangling as much as possible. Each of these chutes were wrapped in their own nomex protector, and then placed in the aft section of the rocket with their harness. I used a 36' (91-ish cm) main chute from Loc Precision, and a 40cm 4-gore drogue which I sewed using Scott Bryce's fantastic Spherical Parachute Pattern Generator.

Avionics

Although it ended up not being needed, I decided to send the flight computer I got hold of along for the ride. I thought it would be cool to get an altitude reading to compare with the simulated apogee. A buddy of mine in the US was getting rid of a few bits and pieces, so I bought his RRC2+ off him with the intent of flying it for my L2 attempt. First, though, it needed somewhere to live.

I found the supplied parts for the av-bay were a little lacking, so I added some modifications - the main one being drilled holes for two threaded rods to pass through. I used two for redundancy, since the idea of a single rod made me a little uneasy. I used wingnuts on these so I could fasten them nice and tight without the need for a spanner. It was also missing enough eye bolts, so I grabbed some from Bunnings.

I then designed and 3D printed a sled to fit onto the threaded rods and provide a mount for the battery and the flight computer. A very simple setup. The sled looks objectively awful since the printer was having a bit of a sook at the time, but the actual functionality was not affected and it serves its purpose just fine.

Motor

With an unbelievably limited amount of motors available in Australia at the time of writing, I had to work with what I could get hold of. I was lucky enough to snag was a CTI J-316 (pink!!) through my university team, which is a 38mm 5 grain reloadable motor with an adjustable delay of up to 17 seconds. Unfortunately, we didn't have a 5-grain case so I made do with a 6-grain case and a spacer. I only became aware of that the night before the launch, so I had to very quickly revise my recovery packing technique to account for the now limited real estate inside the body.

It provided an average thrust of roughly 316N, with a max of 450N, over a burn time of about 2.1sec, for a total impulse of roughly 650Ns. A pretty tame J motor, but still far more powerful than anything I'd ever flown before.

Simulation

After carefully weighing every single component of the rocket and entering them into OpenRocket, I simulated the flight on the motor above. The entire vehicle weighed 2.7kg, with a length of 1.41m. It was simulated to hit Mach 0.77, and fly to an apogee of 5191ft.

Theoretically, the centre of pressure and centre of gravity would be 0.86m and 1m respectively from the tip of the nose cone. This would give a stability calibre of 2.44 at Mach 0.3 - however, this rocket is quite a bit faster than that. Also, the 'rule of thumb' which says a rocket's CG should be roughly 1.5 body diameters in front of the CP is not as helpful on rockets with a length/diameter ratio of over 10, such as this one (which is 24). Here, the CG should be roughly 10% of the overall length in front of the CP, which it was, almost (9.6%). The stability calibre off the rod was predicted to be only a little over 1.5 (6%), but given that it would be going 31m/s I was confident this would be fine as long as it didn't launch into a strong wind gust. At motor burnout, stability would be up near 3.8 (15%), which I was happy with.

I set the motor delay to the full 17 seconds for the simulations, as anything shorter would have the recovery devices deployed before apogee. This would a) cut the flight short and more importantly b) place a huge amount of strain on the harnessing and chutes due to a very high deployment speed. With the full delay, deployment would be at 11.3m/s, which the harness and drogue could handle easily. Ground hit was simulated to be a brisk but not destructive 6.8m/s.

As an aside, OpenRocket includes a little disclaimer about 'jagged edge fin predictions may not be accurate'. I bore this in mind through the whole process, but based on others I'd seen fly and forum posts I'd read online, I was comfortable with what I was doing.

Flight

L2 certifications require passing a written exam with two sections - technical knowledge and the Tripoli safety code. I had already passed the exam (100%, don't mind if I do) at a previous date, so all I had to do was install my motor, altimeter, and recovery gear. I didn't even have to drill out a delay. After a quick field CG test and a visit to the RSO tent, I was ready to rack up.

A few new recruits to our team came out to the launch day, so I enjoyed an opportunity to show them how to set up for flight, install an igniter, and test for continuity.

After a small delay to clear the range and ensure the skies were clear overhead, the LCO hit the button.

The rocket flew straight and fast on a frankly gorgeous purple flame, and almost instantly got high enough that we struggled to keep a visual on it. A puff of smoke indicated the ejection charge had blown, and then I was able to see the fluoro yellow gores of the drogue as it opened. The rocket began to drift slowly as it came down, as there was a fairly stiff breeze blowing at the time. I had programmed my chute release to 500ft, and it performed as intended. The main chute deployed and thankfully none of the recovery gear got tangled. I watched it gently descend, albeit with a decent drift going on, and set itself down in a field about 800m away. After a gentle stroll (read: powerwalk to warm up, it was freezing), we arrived at the rocket. It had been dragged a little and the chute had become tangled on the ground, but all was intact. One quick pitstop at the RSO tent later, I had my L2!

Upon reflection....

Things to improve

Use a much smaller drogue. The one I flew was about twice as big as it needed to be, and it was far too windy for such a chute. I simply didn't have a smaller one, although making one would have only taken about an hour.

I didn't get any useful readings from my altimeter. I don't believe I set it up properly, so I need to make sure I learn to do that and fly it as a passenger on at least one more flight before I use it as a deployment computer. I am disappointed that I couldn't get a figure to compare with the simulation.

Use a proper stand to rest the rocket on, perfectly horizontally, during construction. This would have avoided the whole debacle of the motor mount slipping and me consequentially having to rip it apart and rebuild.

Things that went well:

Being absolutely prepared and packing my car the night before, and bringing spares of most components, made launch prep a breeze

That was the first flight of my homemade drogue, and upon inspection afterwards there was no damage. I can now be confident that others of the same design and similar construction that I have planned for bigger rockets will perform in a similar way.

The recovery technique worked as intended, with no tangling. This is probably not a viable option for rockets going any higher, but it's nice to have in the back pocket for projects of this scale if black powder and/or avionics access might be an issue

I am also extremely relieved that this certification only took me one shot, rather than the three that my L1 took. I think it reflects well on my progress.

Next:

Fly it again with proper dual deploy, if I can get my hands on some black powder

Scratch build of a rocket of similar scale

...... L3?

[vocaloidfactoftheday]

Macne Nana and Petit's VOCALOID4 release was teased by three playing cards on a website hosted by the Macne Series developers. The cards were revealed one at a time every few days, and were meant to provide clues as to what the Macne Series had in store.

The first card is a four of clubs, likely alluding to VOCALOID4. The next card shows a "P of spades", and shows Petit drinking tea, likely meant to allude to Petit's VOCALOID4 release. The last card is an ace of diamonds with a yellow ring showing a cartoon sheep head in the center, which was the Twitter icon for AH Software's CEO, alluding to Macne Nana's move from YAMAHA to AH Software.

(source (+ image source): Vocaloid News Network)

[glacier--freeze]

[ID: image 1: A messy pile of black, red, and gold playing cards with only the backs showing. The center of each card has a poker chip illustration featuring the face of Quackity's Minecraft skin. Above that, written in cursive, are the words "Las Nevadas". Above the cursive is a small silhouette of a duck. An angular diamond, heart, spade, and club line the sides. The whole design is mirrored below the poker chip. image 2: A closed box of cards on a wooden table. On top of the box is one of the cards from the first image, the front of which is showing; it has a mirrored illustration of a duck wearing a crown with poker chips floating around its body. Cursive letter K's are in two corners of the card. A few cards are spread out in the background, alongside a bunch of grapes and a glass of dark liquid.

image 3: What seems to be a black, rectangular sleeve containing a collectible tag. Quackity’s Minecraft face is on it. The face is white and the scar is black and shiny. The sleeve is held up by a fake-looking hand that’s about the same shade of black as Quackity’s scar. image 4: Two stacks of the sleeves, one black and one maroon. On them is all caps text reading “made by Alex” and “quackity.shop” They're sitting next to dark red fabric (likely a stack of beanies).

image 5: Blueprints for the Las Nevadas casino with the Eiffel Tower next to it and the fountain partially visible in front of it. Behind it there seems to be a rollercoaster, and there’s a projection of a casino chip in the sky coming from the building's roof. Around the blueprint drawing are a bunch of the playing cards, a pencil, a ruler, some paper clips, an eraser with Quackity’s face drawn on it in blue ink, and eraser crumbs. image 6: The fake hand reaching into a pile of poker chips matching the ones on the cards. The hand is picking one up.

image 7: A maroon beanie with Quackity’s face embroidered on it in gold. image 8: A black cardboard box with the poker chip design next to the words "Las Nevadas made by Quackity". End ID.]

♦ ♥ Las Nevadas merch ♠ ♣

drops on 11/27/2021 at 2 PM PST --- source: PlanetDuckk, quackity4k, and Quackity on Twitter