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idyllic-affections · 7 months

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Hehehehe, listen to the voices aph >:3

Alright so is it okay for me to add some small stuff to my request? (It's stuff I deliberately didn't add out of fear of limiting your creativity with it being too detailed, you can choose to not follow the stuff I say here if you want)

So about Cocolia, we all know she had been listening to the Stellaron and obviously the reader knew of the existence of the stellaron and their hold on the Supreme Guardians (also they know that their adopted mom was the one who made the eternal freeze via Stellaron bc I feel like maybe the guilt for causing it had been eating her alive since she became the supreme guardian, so she told her child when they got older) Bc of this, Cocolia planned to assassinate the reader bc they would realize she had finally fallen to the Stellaron's words and she could actually do this bc no one would know or care about the reader’s disappearance bc so few little people know of their true origin and duty. She could just simply make an excuse about their absence for those who don't know and quiet those who do know with something..?

So the assassination happened and if it weren't for the regenerative capabilities that their species have, the reader really would have definitely died but they didn't (but their trust would). Around that time, with no advisor to watch her, Cocolia enacted the decree to separate the Overworld and the Underworld thing. So using this to their advantage, the reader quickly go to the underworld to hide from Cocolia and stay low until they can make a plan to stop Cocolia. And this is also how the reader got to know the characters in the underworld

About fighting Cocolia that you mentioned, they would definitely join the the trailblazers and Seele to the final battle and I imagine them take control of the Engine of Creation bc like they have been in Jarilo-VI since the antimatter legion first invaded and the Engine of Creation is something that the supreme guardian had made for a much greater purpose for the future, so wouldn't it be fitting that the reader would take control of it and help the battle that way? And besides they used to be part of the hunt and even though they now follow the preservation, some part of them wants to beat the everliving shit that is the Stellaron out of Cocolia.

Also can you imagine their surprise about the debt with the IPC when that time comes? Like they were aware that the IPC might do something now Jarilo-VI has started to reach out with the help of the Nameless (and also their dad was one of those investors..) but WTF why was it so big?! I can definitely see them either having a long debate with Topaz or instantly trusting her due to her connection to the IPC and their dad was part of the IPC but idk..

Also for the Mama Xianyun kid, i think [name] would either have Pyro or Electro vision because (note this is stuff I took from tv tropes bc it's reasonings are something I agree with) For Pyro, Pyro characters have a great singular passion (like Amber's duty as an Outrider, Bennett's love for adventuring, Xiangling's talent for cooking, Klee's love of explosives, etc) They are also associated with personality individualism, representing how their quirks are often seen as weird by many people. For Electro, Electro characters are either outcasts or actively choose to be different. (Like Lisa refuses to be promoted to a higher position, Beidou is a pirate who constantly butts heads with the law, Keqing wants her people to stand on their own two feet instead of being looked after by Archons, Fischl grew up without friends, etc) They are also associated closely with their desire in life, representing how all of them got their powers because of their respective desires shapeing them into the person they are now. Those are my ideas but choose whichever element you want!

So yeah.. welp that’s it for now, hope you have a good day/night’

- 🐱 Anon

YOU!!!!!

your requests always FUCK, i LOVE your ideas, i am KISSING YOU ON THE FOREHEAD (IF YOU CONSENT TO THAT)!!!!!!!! i am going to write SUCH A FIC ABOUT THIS!!!!!!!!!!!

i think alisa would have felt guilty--she was just trying to protect the planet. she didn't know better. she just... did what she could at the time, and the only thing she could do to fend off the destruction was one-up the legion with whatever resources she had. unfortunately, "resources" would mean the stellaron. and i think, near the end of her life, she would tell them the truth and express her sorrow for what she had done. [name], as a a xianzhou native, would only be STARTING their long life by the time she was dying; they'd be like, 60 or 70 but still look like a kid. and she would feel as if she shouldn't dump all this on them, but... well. she also knows that [name] is not like her. and they're probably just as mature as she is, if not moreso. but she knows that she cannot lie to them. she knows that the stellaron is shitty news. and, maybe... maybe she knows it will cause further calamity in the future, the future that they will be alive for. so, she cannot lie. she does not want one of her beloved children--because even if they aren't hers by blood, they are hers, and they will always be hers--to feel lied to or betrayed.

onto cocolia's fucking assassination attempt (which btw i LOVE this idea. i think cocolia wouldn't quite understand what they are, since jarilo-vi would have been cut off from the rest of the universe for hundreds of years atp; she would not understand how hard it is to kill what the abundance created--hell, she wouldn't even know where their immortality came from. she would just know that they knew too much and needed to be eliminated):

she knocks them out cold somehow, believing that she has killed them, and dumps their body out in the eternal freeze where no-one would dare to look for them. except... they aren't dead, and when they wake up, they're furious. so much so that they have to remind themselves to calm down, lest their mara flare up, which is what would ACTUALLY "kill" them.

and they're just... beyond heartbroken to find out what she has done. so, they slip underground. the above world does not need them. cocolia does not need them (they would get along SO well with serval after this shit fr. i imagine they got along with her very well before too, but now they and serval have a more intimate understanding of one another).

OHHH YEAH THE ENGINE OF CREATION WOULD SO JUST...... BEND TO THEIR WILL SO EASILY. I WHOLEHEARTEDLY THINK THEY WOULD KNOW HOW TO CONTROL IT SO WELL. they've been on jarilo-vi for so long atp, they probably know the planet far better than cocolia herself.

their path alignment has long since changed to preservation, but the hunt still burns deep within their blood. and in that moment? they are hunting her ass down. fuck preservation. they murmur a quick prayer to the aeon lan, and return to their roots.

they know it isn't completely her fault, but...

it's hard not to be pissed.

sooo many thoughts about this concept 🐱 anon......... *head in hands* the VOICESSSSSSS. i love this so much, please feel free to send any additions. you are not limiting my creativity, you are perpetuating it HAHA <3

OH PYRO WOULD BE SO CUTE give the chaos child fire, what could go wrong? /lh but really... i think there would be something very endearing about the contrast between them, their big sisters, and yaoyao. they, who wield pyro. their sisters, who wield cryo. yaoyao, who wields dendro. those elements don't mix well with pyro, but somehow, [name] fits perfectly together with these people. different sides of the same coin. pyro [name]......

#aphelion replies: 🐱 anon 🌸#sorry everyone i am gatekeeping the details of 🐱 anon's initial request 🤭#/J /LH #i'll see if i post the context soon so you all can understand wtf we are talking about!

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trashmenace · 6 months

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Outrider by Richard Harding

Outrider by Richard Harding 1984, Pinnacle

A century or so after the nuclear apocalypse, survivors gradually made their way out of hiding, connected by scouts called Outriders. One such Outrider is our hero Bonner, who survives an assassination attempt by his former buddy turned despot Leather, and learns that his girl is being held captive.

Bonner makes his way to Chicago to New York to DC, seemingly recognizing everyone he meets and joins forces. He ends up with the pyromaniac, Cooker, two mute barbarian types call the Mean Brothers, biker gang the Sisters, among others.

Very juvenile in tone, except for the cussing and violence. Some creative characters, but the action scenes often felt rushed, with a multi-state chase finale crammed into what felt like the last handful of pages. Probably the closest in feel to the Mad Max movies I've come across. Even had Radleps, radiation poisoned suicide troops, which prefigure Fury Road.

The author mainly worked in novelizations, including four Beethoven (the dog) tie-in novels.

Available from Amazon

#post apocalyptic #men's adventure paperback #book review

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2baddiesfanfics · 18 days

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Beat the Heat

Pairing: Eula x Amber

Tags: Improper Use of Pyro (Genshin Impact), Improper Use of Visions (Genshin Impact), Temperature Play, Vaginal Fingering, Oral Sex

Summary:

Being a captain in the Knights of Favonius has its perks, but Eula's favorite is undoubtedly her private dorm. As summer nights in Mondstadt grow unbearably hot, she hatches a plan to cool things down and offer relief to Amber.

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There were a few perks to being of captain rank in the Knights of Favonius. Yes, respect and admiration were among them, but perhaps the privilege of having a private dorm was Eula’s favorite. As head of the Reconnaissance Company, she’d had many opportunities to bring honor back to the Lawrence family name. But that mission had become far less important to her after meeting Amber.

The outrider had been the first to welcome her with open arms. She didn’t care about her background or less-than-savory family history - she only wanted her to feel comfortable and safe since they’d be working together in the wilds of Mondstadt. It would be vital for them to have each other’s backs, and it was clear Amber took this seriously. As the two women had gotten to know each other, their camaraderie had morphed into something deeper than just being coworkers…which brought her back to why she was so thankful her room was separate from the knights of lower rank.

Eula felt her now-girlfriend twitch in her sleep at her side. The summer night air was as humid and unpleasant as usual, and it was causing Amber to have issues getting comfortable. It was weather like this that made her thankful her vision was of the cryo variety. A mischievous grin spread across her face as a plan to help her cool down formulated in her mind.

The Spindrift Knight’s eyes traveled down Amber’s body. Her choice of bedtime attire never failed to impress. Since they didn’t have to fear anyone walking in on them, the outrider usually opted for a skin-tight red tank top that clung to all the right places and nothing but a flimsy pair of panties.

“Mmmm…Eula? Are you still awake? What’s up?” She mumbled, her voice thick with exhaustion. The two had spent most of the day ensuring the known hilichurl camps in the area were causing no trouble.

“Oh, I didn’t know you were awake, baby. You just seemed a little uncomfortable,” she explained as she wiped away a bead of sweat that had started to form on the girl’s forehead.

“Ah, it’s just so damn hot lately. I can’t stay asleep,” she pouted.

“I see. Well, I may be able to help with that, if you’re up for it,” Eula answered, lust evident in the tone of her words. Immediately, Amber caught on to her intent.

“If you’re not too sleepy yourself…then yes please,” she whispered in response. Although Amber was her junior in many ways, she certainly knew the power she held over Eula and used it accordingly.

The Reconnaissance Captain nearly growled she was so eager. “Let me know if things get too chilly, ok?” She moved to hover above her and stopped to admire the way Amber’s cheeks flushed. Unable to tell whether it was from the heat, embarrassment, or both, Eula didn’t care - it only added to the allure of tending to both their needs.

After years of practice fighting with her vision, she’d learned how to use its power in other convenient and creative ways. Concentrating for a moment, she felt the familiar thrum course through her body. Dipping her head lower, Amber let out a quiet shriek of surprise. Eula’s lips met her neck and it felt as if she’d pressed an ice cube against her.

“Ah! Eula…”

“Hey, you asked for it. I’m just giving you what you wanted…a little relief, right?” She murmured seductively. Eula could already feel Amber’s nipples harden through the barely-there fabric of her top. The girl squirmed beneath her as her mouth traveled across her sweat-dampened skin.

Her chilled tongue tasted the tang of salt as the outrider sighed. Eula’s now frigid fingers trailed down her flesh as she pulled the top of Amber’s shirt down, baring her chest to the cold enamel of her teeth as she nipped. The pads of her thumb and pointer fingers teased the nipple of one breast while she worked the other with her lips.

Amber felt both relieved and frustrated at the same time. She certainly enjoyed the cool feeling of Eula’s skills being put to good use, but she wasn’t moving fast enough for her liking. The Reconnaissance Captain was clearly deriving pleasure watching her writhe under her touch.

“Something wrong, dear?” Eula asked, her voice muffled by Amber’s chest.

“N-no. I’m f-fine…ahhhhh!” She cried out as Eula bit down just hard enough to leave a mark.

“Oh, really? You certainly don’t sound it…” She could already feel Amber clenching her thighs together beneath her in desperate need of relief. The fabric that separated skin from skin wasn’t anywhere near thick enough to hide the fact the outrider was soaking wet.

The power of cryo was now coursing full-throttle through Eula’s body, her breath crystallizing as she spoke. “I can tell you’re quite eager. At least I’m helping you take your mind off the heat. Don’t get greedy, now…”

Amber whined at the provocation. “Please…Eula…”

“Please what, my little outrider?” she taunted while slithering further down her body.

The girl’s face was as red as her usual uniform. “Ohhhh, Eula…don’t make me say it…”

“Hm. I suppose you must be feeling just fine, then…” she said nonchalantly as she began to sit up. Amber quickly grabbed her by the wrist.

“W-wait! Eula…please…fuck me?” The way her earnest eyes went wide with need nearly made her moan in response. Instead, she kept her composure.

“That’s better. Lay back down for me.” Once she had gotten comfortable, Eula hooked her fingers in the sides of Amber’s panties and pulled them down and off. Her broad shoulders forced the girl’s thighs to widen, causing her to throw an arm over her face. Eula couldn’t deny the innocence she displayed despite having plenty of experience turned her on so much that it took an immense amount of self-control to not devour her whole.

The Spindrift Knight’s chilled breath tickled her inner thigh causing her to sigh with pleasure. Eula could feel Amber shiver as she brought her mouth closer to where she desired it. She prodded her opening with a single icy finger and heard her exhale hard. As she slid inside her, her tongue stroked her clit in time.

“Eula! Fuck! That’s col-aghhhhhh!” The sheets tightened under her grip as she sought something to ground herself.

“Is that…any way for…a Knight of Favonius…to speak?” she replied between licks. Another of her fingers worked its way to join the other. The outrider whimpered in response, encouraging Eula to continue.

“Where are your manners, dear girl? I better hear a thank you, or I’ll stop right now.”

“Eula…”

“I’m waiting…”

“Agh! Thank you for making me com-OH ARCHONSsssss!”

With a few practiced sharp thrusts, she accomplished what she had set out to do.

“Cool enough?” Eula asked, her teeth starting to chatter.

“Hmmm, very much so. Thank you. The heat’s been unbearable lately.” Amber smiled sweetly up at her as she snuggled in closer.

The girl noticed Eula was shivering, goosebumps trailing her body.

“Oh, Eula! You’re freezing…”

“Y-yes, an unfortunate side effect of using my cryo vision. It takes a while for my body temperature to stabilize. It’s not a big deal, I assure you. To ensure you’re not overheated, it’s worth the discomfort,” Eula muttered through clenched teeth.

“You know I can’t just sit here and let you freeze like this. I won’t be able to rest knowing you’re cold at my expense.” Amber shifted to sit atop her, running her hands up and down her body, heat radiating from her palms.

“Mmmm…that feels nice,” Eula purred as she felt the comforting warmth of her girlfriend’s pyro vision being put to good use.

The outrider moved her hands to stroke her breasts, Eula’s nipples still hard from the chill running through her. Leaning down to capture the Reconnaissance Captain’s lips in a searing kiss, the combination of elemental power caused the mingling of their breath to leak steam out of their mouths.

“Haaaa…A-amber, is this not going to…overheat you again?” Eula asked.

“Just the opposite, I think. I believe it’ll even us both out. Don’t worry, captain,” Amber reassured her.

The soft warmth tickled Eula’s chest as the outrider’s hand slid between her legs. She moaned as the girl urged her to open further. Taking her time to ensure every inch of her skin was warm enough, she traveled down her body until her mouth met the hem of her panties. Tugging them down with her teeth, Eula let out a loud whimper.

Not so tough now are we, Ms. Spindrift Knight? Amber thought cheekily. It was rare she got the opportunity to be in control, so she relished every chance she got to have her at her mercy. Once her legs were free, the outrider got into position.

Eula’s hips arched off the bed as she felt the heat of Amber’s tongue on her clit. She cried out as she felt a finger slip into her. The outrider sucked gently on the bud and inserted a second finger, which she welcomed if her movements driving her deeper were any indication.

The Reconnaissance Captain’s body started to shake with the quickening pace of Amber’s fingers and mouth. A splash of Eula’s essence coated her tongue when the woman cried out as she came.

Once again, they were both thankful for the privacy of Eula’s dorm as neither woman was known for being silent. Amber sat up and wiped the remaining slick from her chin as the Spindrift Knight caught her breath.

“Whoever said fire and ice don’t mix has clearly never met us,” she said with a playful giggle. Crawling back up the bed, she burrowed into her girlfriend’s side once more.

Eula chuckled in response as she kissed her forehead. “I can think of no better way to beat the heat.”

#fanfic #fanfiction #fic #wlw #genshin #genshin impact #hoyoverse #mihoyo #eulamber #eula lawrence #eula #amber #eulaxamber #amberxeula #amber x eula #eula x amber #knights of favonius #temperature play #visions

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pageseo2022 · 1 month

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Back 4 Blood's Minimal Story and Basic Plot

Back 4 Blood is like the spiritual successor to the classic zombie shooter Left 4 Dead, and it’s made by the same devs. If you're a fan of the original and want to buy Xbox games that deliver a similar thrill, Back 4 Blood is definitely worth checking out. We’ve been waiting ages for a third Left 4 Dead, and even though Turtle Rock’s new game has a different name and some fresh features, it totally lives up to the hype, making it one of the top co-op games of 2021. The game’s story is pretty minimal—a crew of quirky “Cleaners” who are immune to infection team up to take on the Ridden. After a break, the zombie hordes are back in full force. The characters don’t grow much beyond tossing out cheeky lines, and the plot is pretty basic and unoriginal.

Unique Moments Set Back 4 Blood Apart: Innovation in Co-op Shooters

Back 4 Blood’s level design is top-notch, creating unique experiences in every run so the game never feels repetitive. If you’re looking to buy PS5 games with standout design and replayability, this one should definitely be on your radar. Unlike many co-op games where you’re just fighting tougher enemies while moving from point A to point B—like in Outriders, which can get old after a while—Back 4 Blood keeps things fresh. The game mixes up its core formula to keep you on your toes. One level might have you defending a diner from a zombie swarm, while the next has you manning an anti-aircraft gun to take out a mine. Even the simpler A-to-B levels present challenges that are anything but straightforward. Take, for example, a level where you need to cross a river on a wooden ferry to reach a safe room. I ended up crossing solo and got taken out halfway, forcing me to watch as my teammates fought their way across the lake to revive me. These kinds of moments, which you don’t see often in other games like this, are common in Back 4 Blood and are a big part of what makes it stand out. The game proves that the co-op shooter genre can still be innovative and doesn’t have to just copy Borderlands or Destiny.

Swarm Mode Falls Short: Zombie Control Lacks Excitement

Even though Back 4 Blood feels familiar to Left 4 Dead fans, it’s packed with unique features. The game mixes in a roguelite twist with its multi-level runs, where you only get one continue, adding a fresh challenge. To boost replayability and teamwork, Back 4 Blood includes a card system. You earn cards through levels and Supply Points, which you collect by completing stages. You then use these points at Fort Hope to unlock cards from Supply Lines, which you build into decks for your runs. Some cards are straightforward, like giving your character an extra 5 health for the run, while others are more complex, like healing you when an ally goes down. You can create various RPG-style builds with these cards—whether you prefer going all-out with melee and ammo-focused setups or want to focus on healing and support. Each character has unique abilities, so it’s crucial to strategize and pick characters that complement each other. The game’s AI throws Corruption Cards into the mix, adding tougher enemies, timed challenges, and extra bosses to keep things intense even on lower difficulties.

Intense Gameplay and Memorable Characters: A Perfect Fit for Xbox Game Pass

Back 4 Blood’s competitive multiplayer mode, where you control the Ridden, falls short. The levels feel like recycled versions of campaign stages, lacking much creativity. Plus, the wait times between rounds are painfully long, with zombies stuck upgrading and waiting while players pick their characters and scavenge. A proper invasion mode like in the original Left 4 Dead games would’ve been a better fit. Back 4 Blood delivers all the essentials for a great zombie game: intense gameplay, smart level design, variety in runs, and memorable characters in a fun story. It’s a perfect match for Xbox Game Pass, so if you’re craving something to scratch that Left 4 Dead itch, definitely give it a go.

#back 4 blood

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first-impressions-gaming · 1 year

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GAMING RECAP (September 19-27) Part 2

Paradox reveals new 4X game Millennia

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Paradox Interactive has finally revealed its new title: Millennia. In Millennia, players will create their own nation in a historical turn-based 4X environment. From there, players will shape the nation across 10,000 years of history starting with the dawn of humanity and stretching into the future. According to Paradox, each playthrough will be unique as you craft an epic story based on your actions.

Cute Lord of the Rings game Tales of the Shire revealed in 2024

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The scourge of Cosy/Cozy Gaming has finally come for Middle-earth, and more specifically the Shire, which I guess was pretty cosy/cozy to begin with. Wētā Workshop and Private Division have announced Tales of the Shire, a "heart-warming" experience that will release on PC in 2024.

Resident Evil 4 Remake will cost £57.99 on mobile

Resident Evil 4 Remake is heading to mobile, but it'll cost players £57.99 to play in full.

The game's listing on the App Store has the game available for free but with in-app purchases. Scrolling down, those purchases are listed in full with "Resident Evil 4 (with bonus)" priced at £57.99.

New Xbox Game Pass titles for console, PC and Cloud have been announced

The following titles will leave Game Pass on September 30:

Beacon Pines (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Despot’s Game (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Last Call BBS (PC)

Moonscars (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Outriders (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Prodeus (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Weird West (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Sony has confirmed October’s PlayStation Plus Essential games

Confirming a recent leak, next month’s PlayStation Plus titles will include The Callisto Protocol (PS5, PS4) and Farming Simulator 22 (PS5, PS4).

They’ll be joined by action RPG and immersive sim Weird West (PS5, PS4), the debut title from WolfEye Studios, which was formed in 2019 by the creative director and executive producer of Dishonored.

PlayStation Plus members will be able to claim the games from October 3 until November 6.

Everything Revealed At The Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2023 Event

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Two Ori characters are coming to Party Animals next Monday!

Ace Attorney: Phoenix Wright Trilogy joins Xbox Game Pass on September 26th

New trailer for Palworld, hitting Xbox in 2024

A closer look at Persona 5 Tactica ahead of its November Game Pass release

New Forza Motorsport trailer with a focus on the Japanese Hakone track

Octopath Traveler 2 is finally coming to Xbox in early 2024

Altheia: The Wrath of Aferi is a fantasy adventure game "coming soon" to Xbox

Another trailer for Mineko's Night Market, already confirmed for Game Pass in October

A closer look at Persona 3 Reload ahead of its early 2024 Game Pass release

Fallout 76: Atlantic City's first update arrives December 5th

New trailer for Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty's next DLC launching on September 27th

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name joins Xbox Game Pass on November 9th

Like a Dragon: Ishin will also join Xbox Game Pass at some point in 2023

In-depth trailer for Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, releasing with Game Pass in 2024

The Elder Scrolls Online launches in Japan with full localisation on November 15th

New PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds "Erangel" update coming in October

My Lovely Empress is an empire management sim heading to Xbox in 2024

Exoprimal Season 2 begins October 18th on Xbox Game Pass

A first look at gameplay for Hotel Barcelona from Suda51 and Swery65, arriving in 2024

#games #gaming #game news #playstation #xbox #nintendo #Youtube

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jcmarchi · 3 months

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Tales Of Kenzera: Zau Developer Surgent Studios Announces Layoffs

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/tales-of-kenzera-zau-developer-surgent-studios-announces-layoffs/

Tales Of Kenzera: Zau Developer Surgent Studios Announces Layoffs

Surgent Studios, the developer behind Tales of Kenzera: Zau, has announced it is laying off just over a dozen employees. This follows the release of its first game, Tales of Kenzera: Zau, back in April, which launched to good reviews.

Surgent doesn’t explain why; it says it’s focusing on supporting those affected, continuing work on Tales of Kenzera: Zau, and looking ahead to future projects.

Here’s the studio’s statement, in full:

“Unfortunately, Surgent has joined the growing number of games studios impacted by layoffs this year with just over a dozen people affected. It’s a difficult time in the games industry, but we remain incredibly proud of our entire team’s work on Zau, and of the praise it has received from critics and players alike. Our focus now is on supporting those affected, continuing our work on Zau, and looking to the future with our next creative projects.”

Studio head and founder Abubakar Salim, who also voiced the titular Zau in the team’s first game, released his own statement addressing the layoffs:

“Thank you so much to those who have checked in. This hurts deeply. This isn’t the news I wanted to share today. I am so proud of what that team have achieved over the course of these 4 years. When things got tough, every one of them stood so strong, it was inspiring. So to be delivering this news today really sucks. I know we’re not alone here, but that doesn’t make it easier.

“The focus now is to continue supporting those affected in anyway we can. I will be replying to this with links to posts from our affected team members. If you have any opportunities available or know of any going, please consider these incredible talented people.”

Surgent Studios grows an unfortunately ever-growing list of studios affected by layoffs in 2024.

Last month, Paradox Interactive closed its Paradox Tectonic Studio the same week it canceled its first game, Life by You. Earlier that month, Dead by Daylight developer Behaviour Interactive laid off 95 employees. Fae Farm and Dauntless developer Phoenix Labs laid off the majority of its staff and canceled its in-development games back in May, and that same week, Square Enix announced it will begin layoffs as part of “structural reforms.”

In May, Xbox closed four Bethesda studios, including Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks and Redfall studio Arkane Austin. Take-Two Interactive closed Rollerdrome studio Roll7 and Kerbal Space Program 2 studio Intercept Games alongside major layoffs to its indie-publisher Private Division label. That same week, we learned Deliver Us Mars developer Keoken Interactive had laid off nearly its entire staff.

Elsewhere in the year, EA laid off roughly 670 employees across all departments, resulting in the cancellation of Respawn’s Star Wars FPS game. PlayStation laid off 900 employees across Insomniac, Naughty Dog, Guerrilla, and more, closing down London Studio in the process, too. The day before, Until Dawn developer Supermassive Games announced it laid off 90 employees.

At the end of January, we learned Embracer Group had canceled a new Deus Ex game in development at Eidos-Montréal and laid off 97 employees in the process. Also in January, Destroy All Humans remake developer Black Forest Games reportedly laid off 50 employees and Microsoft announced it was laying off 1,900 employees across its Xbox, Activision Blizzard, and ZeniMax teams, as well. Outriders studio People Can Fly laid off more than 30 employees in January, and League of Legends company Riot Games laid off 530 employees.

Lords of the Fallen Publisher CI Games laid off 10 percent of its staff, Unity will lay off 1,800 people by the end of March, and Twitch laid off 500 employees.

We also learned that Discord had laid off 170 employees, that layoffs happened at PTW, a support studio that’s worked with companies like Blizzard and Capcom, and that SteamWorld Build company, Thunderful Group, let go of roughly 100 people. Dead by Daylight developer Behaviour Interactive also reportedly laid off 45 people, too.

The hearts of the Game Informer staff are with everyone who’s been affected by layoffs or closures.

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waterdeep-weavemoss · 4 months

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i just don't think being cloistered in the academic ivory tower speaking only to other people in the same space is helpful. it became clear to me that if i were to continue with my phd, i would not be reaching the people i actually want to help. sometimes the best thing you can do is get out of the tower and go barefoot into the grass with everyone else. academics are not outriders, more the wizards hunched over their books on their fifth coffee researching something so narrow it might not actually have any relevance to real life at all. the sciences are different, but the humanities? i wanted to examine a social issue and how it affects actual real disabled people but because my thesis was a creative one, i couldn't actually bring in nearly as much real world stuff as i wanted. it meant the project lost its significance, and so i walked away. and there's a whole other thing to be said about how even with breaks and support phds are actively hostile to disabled people.

#mine #anti academia #i guess #phd dropout

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computergaming · 1 year

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Best Outriders Boosting Services For Online Games

Outriders are boosting online gaming services with 400,000 users across 90 countries. Online gaming provider Outriders bolsters its service with its artificial intelligence (AI)-enhanced chatbot named Dolly. Outriders aim to boost revenue by bolstering Dolly's capabilities on both gaming and non-gaming services.

Outrider is a mobile app that aims to boost gamers' entertainment experiences by combining online gaming with premium-level online entertainment content. The app aims to provide gamers with daily and even hourly updates of new content.

According to Outriders, Dolly will boost Outriders' overall customer support service by answering more customer inquiries in real-time.

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The Outriders AI engine powers dolly, and it will be deployed at a worldwide scale. According to the gaming company, Dolly will launch for both gaming and non-gaming services, and Dolly will be helpful to players of non-gaming services.

Game meets service

Eager to boost its online gaming service, Outriders spent an hour brainstorming with creative professionals from gaming, movie, and non-gaming sectors. Outriders aim to boost the gaming experience with Dolly.

According to Outriders, the chatbot will encourage gaming, boost the player experience, and optimize customer service.

Opting, the founder of Outriders is confident that the chatbot will give more to players. “We’re just taking gaming from Bar Chairs a competitive race to an entertainment race. Outriders are going to make people stop, watch the game and go for entertainment with Dolly.”

Outriders boosting gaming services are a modern adaptation of the online gaming platform. They are designed to drastically increase gaming efficiency in online applications by boosting their paying quality from the starting. They boost those goals with like electric motor rather than a gas engine.

Outriders are boosting already in action in the online computer game, and they’re coming soon to create a new history.

Owners of the Outriders boost gaming service by plugging in their game to an outlet to recharge and increase the strength of the gameplay quality to a better position. The current boosting gaming service version of the Outrider boosting gaming service from lower to upper.

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The Outriders boosting gaming service are an outgrowth of the introduction of online game to the high-quality online game. The outriders boosting gaming service was designed for playing online games easily.

Outrider Boosting is a service that any professional player (booster) can help you achieve your goals in the game. If you want to take the Outrider Boosting service to achieve your goals in the game, visit the bestOutrider Boosting service.

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maacwanowrie · 1 year

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Unveiling the Secrets Behind Iconic Visual Effects Shots

Visual effects (VFX) have become an integral part of modern filmmaking, seamlessly blending reality and imagination to create awe-inspiring moments on the big screen. From breathtaking action sequences to mind-bending illusions, iconic visual effects shots have captured the imagination of audiences worldwide. Unveiling the secrets behind these remarkable shots provides a glimpse into the intricate craftsmanship and technical wizardry that goes into bringing cinematic visions to life. Students can learn how to modify on-screen visuals and create effects that are not possible through real-life shooting by enrolling in VFX classes in Pune. Individuals are equipped to excel as specialists in this sector through a thorough vfx education. Visual effects, abbreviated as VFX, refer to the production of visually impossible images.

One of the most iconic visual effects shots in film history is the creation of the dinosaurs in Steven Spielberg's "Jurassic Park" (1993). Through a combination of groundbreaking CGI and animatronics, the film showcased lifelike dinosaurs roaming the screen, captivating audiences and setting a new standard for visual effects. The meticulous attention to detail, advanced character animation, and integration of practical elements all contributed to the seamless blend of reality and digital effects, resulting in a truly immersive experience.

Another legendary visual effects shot that continues to mesmerize viewers is the spinning hallway fight scene from Christopher Nolan's "Inception" (2010). This scene, where gravity-defying action takes place in a rotating corridor, required the construction of a specialized rotating set and clever camera techniques. By strategically coordinating the actors' movements and synchronizing the rotation of the set, the filmmakers were able to create the illusion of a gravity-shifting environment. The seamless execution of this visually stunning sequence left audiences in awe of the intricate planning and technical precision involved.

The groundbreaking bullet time effect in "The Matrix" (1999) remains an iconic visual effects achievement. By employing an array of cameras positioned in a circular formation, the filmmakers were able to capture a frozen moment in time, allowing the audience to observe the action from multiple angles simultaneously. The complex stitching together of these individual shots created the illusion of time slowing down, contributing to the film's mind-bending and reality-altering narrative.

In recent years, Marvel Studios has become synonymous with spectacular visual effects shots. The breathtaking Battle of Wakanda sequence in "Avengers: Infinity War" (2018) stands out as a remarkable achievement in VFX. The integration of CGI characters, such as the Black Order and the army of Outriders, with live-action footage required meticulous attention to detail and seamless compositing. The result was a visually epic battle scene that showcased the immense scale and intensity of the conflict.

Unveiling the secrets behind these iconic visual effects shots not only showcases the technical prowess of the artists and technicians involved but also highlights the creative collaboration between various departments. It involves meticulous planning, precise execution, and a deep understanding of the desired visual impact. Behind each awe-inspiring shot lies a team of dedicated professionals pushing the boundaries of technology and imagination to create unforgettable moments on screen.

In conclusion, iconic visual effects shots have become an integral part of cinematic history, captivating audiences and pushing the boundaries of what is possible on screen. By delving into the secrets behind these remarkable shots, we gain a deeper appreciation for the artistry, technical innovation, and collaborative efforts involved in creating these visual spectacles. From lifelike dinosaurs to gravity-defying action and reality-altering moments, these iconic visual effects shots continue to inspire and leave a lasting impact on the world of filmmaking.

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synthezcid · 3 years

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If I see one more ‘your protagonist is a character named Out[blank] who wakes up in a post apocalyptic / war ravaged world with Mysterious Abilities who can turn the tide of war’ game I will punch an old lady

#outlander...outrider....outsider....#ENOUGH....HAVE SOME CREATIVITY I BEG OF YOU #this post brought to you by me trying out the outrider demo and like. gameplay is fun but jesus fuck the story makes me want to stab myself #;ooc tag

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coolguycentral21 · 3 years

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Taking a quick lunch break and then getting back to check big out #outriders ☺️ If you want to know what we think about it, head on over to @whysonerdypodcast We may possibly do a let’s play with this so you guys can join in. 🙌🏾 . . . . #indie #indiefilm #indieartist #creative #creativelifehappylife #photographer #scriptwriter #videographer #gamer #gamerlife #nerd #nerdlife #dancer #podcaster #blackmagic #vibes #goodvibes #animelover #letsgo https://www.instagram.com/p/CNVcF5DgabJ/?igshid=100q43psy182j

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a-sad-machine · 2 years

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The Truth (part one)

So as a nice anon once asked for it, here is the first part of my thoughts on which people would find out the truth in the friendly!Impostor sagau, and how/why they managed to do so! :D

i will probably split this up into multiple posts bc i am kinda new to writing, and also im probably just gonna do general stuff now and specifics later (i really gotta figure out how to work on my posts n stuff as well, i dont even know how to do the ‘read more’ thing qwq)

Mondstadt

so first off the city we all began in, cuz its easy to start with uwu

the ones whomst i think would notice that you are actually the real creator: albedo, eula, kaeya, lisa, rosaria, mona, and maybe venti

albedo, eula, kaeya, lisa and rosaria know because they’re all pretty observant, weather it’s because of their instincts and knowledge ganed throughout their lives (eula, lisa and rosaria) or their paranoia born from wanting to protect their home from themself and/or outside forces (albedo and kaeya)

mona would know because of her ability to see the future, she probably tried looking into yours once and suddenly saw the devine creator on their throne, not hard to connect the dots at that point

i think all the archons would know something is off about you from the moment they meet you, thought they’d take different amounts of time to realise what exactly is going on. I believe venti would be the second of the current archons to know, only beated my the archon of knowledge herself. Afterall, he is all about freedom and creativity, so he has an open mind as to why he feels so weird about you, which leads him to the truth earlier than the other archons

the ones who would think something is suspicious, but either wouldnt think of you as the creator or not have proof woud be: amber, bennett, diluc, and jean

diluc and jean notice because they’re also quite observant, thought they are too devoted to the creator to actually think of you being the real one as a solid theory. they might have spend some moments thinking about it, but dismissed it just a few seconds later

amber and bennett are a special case. they mostly notice because of the time they spend with you. i imagine as an outrider and experienced adventurer amber spends a lot of time showing you the best spots of mondstadt. during these times there are bound to be moments where you are just too lucky, which add up to make her question if you are really just a blessed human, or even more. bennett has kind of the same thought process, but mostly since you are able to protect him from all the incidents his bad luck causes. you can’t just be a normal human, anyone else would’ve already gotten badly hurt being around you! maybe you’re just really special, blessed by the creator to be even able to be near him wtihout any unfortunate incidents.

the ones that are too devoted to find anything off with you are: barbara, noelle and succrose

barabara of course is fully devoted to her archon and the church of the divine creator. the thought of Impostor-chan lying or posing as you would never even crossed her mind, since they could never lie to their followers like that (you did tho lol)

noelle is very similar, though less focused on the church and more on just wanting to please people. she has never been able to say no, and probably went to church at leat every sunday to attend the ceremonies in your name. so it’s hard to connect such an unreachable and seemingly perfect being to you, who doesn’t even know how to survive in the wilderness and always returns from expeditions covered in dirt with a smile on their face

sucrose might seem weird at first because she is more into science, but she believes that this is all part of your grand plan. her experiments are only using what was given by the divine creator after all! So while she might like you for your likeness to the ‘divine being’, it takes a while for her to see past the surface and see you for your actual self

the ones that either don’t care or don’t really seem religious are: diona, fischl, klee and razor

diona and klee are honestly just wayyyyyy too young to really care about religion too much. they’re more interested in blowing up fish or creating a horribly tastig drink, so when they meet you, they don’t have too much of an opinion about the divine creator, and just see you as another fun and slightly reckless adventurer

fischl has too much of a chunibyo syndrome. she has always been enraptured in her own fantasy, which didn’t leave too much room for the divine creator. though she has made up a few scenarios with you in mind, they’re all outlandish enough to never connect to you, which means she will adress you as another one of her followers (and freak out if she ever realises who you actually are)

razor just simply doesn’t really know about you. his lupical taught him of a divine being that created all of the lands, far and near, even those which he and the wolves live in! but he thought that the being would be another wolf like andrius, not a human like you, though you do smell kind of strange... he might not think too much of it thought, since he doesn’t know too much of humans yet

(so uh, yeah! hope this kinda was a good thing to read for ppl! if y’all have any requests or questions, send ‘em in and i’ll try to answer to the best of my ability! :D thanks for reading if you’ve even gotten to this point!!)

#genshin #genshin impact #genshin x reader #genshin impact x reader #genshin sagau #genshin sagau x reader #friendly impostor sagau #mondstadt #im not gonna tag every character bc i dont want to fill up their tags lol #mondstadt x reader #gn reader

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fungifanart · 2 years

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The Empress (III)

Upright: Femininity, beauty, nature, nurturing, abundance

Inverted: Creative block, dependence on others

Characters: Sayu, male reader, god!reader, Teyvat

Tw: mentioned death of the reader

Word count: 1.4k

Notes: I was originally going to write this chapter from Sayu’s perspective, but ultimately decided to do something a bit more unique and, hopefully, more interesting.

The Fool’s Journey

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The land of Teyvat, having existed since time immemorial, has seen countless wonders that a human could only dream of: The flourish of nature, the rise of man, and The First giving life to it all, just to name a few.

However, for as many wonders to behold, there exist horrors in equal measure. The forefront of which being the war that divided all of Teyvat’s beloved children: The way they spilled the blood of their brethren so carelessly, so callously, that it caused Teyvat itself to weep tears of rain for days upon days as the violence continued. The only semblance of hope that could be felt was when The First attempted to halt the carnage Himself, only for those hopes to be dashed in an instant as He found Himself among the corpses that littered the soil.

Teyvat’s very first child, the one that brought life to the land and gave rise to the rest of Her beloved children. Dead. Left as nothing but a rotting, soulless husk as it returned to Her embrace.

Teyvat has not known true peace since that day. Her anguish too deep, Her fury too explosive to be truly lost even after thousands of years. That is, until She felt a presence She’d given up on ever feeling again. It was faint, but it was there all the same.

Teyvat refused to let this opportunity slip away and immediately expanded Her senses outward from the depths of the ocean to the tallest mountains, trying desperately to find the source of that familiar feeling, uncaring of any potential consequences such direct actions could have. However, despite Her best efforts, She finds nothing.

Teyvat is of the earth, sea and sky themselves so there should be nothing that can escape the full scope of Her senses. But still, the source of the familiarity eluded Her. That is, until she heard the rumors being carried by the wind, rumors telling of an outrider feeling as though her arrows were guided by His hand, rumors telling of a bard singing otherworldly songs that he heard Him singing in his dreams, She heard countless versions of these rumors and understood.

His soul found a way to influence His creations from beyond the reaches of this dimension. Meaning that, once again, Her beloved child was so close, but just barely out of reach.

She was a fool to feel hope. She was a fool to think She’d be able to see Her child again.

Teyvat’s despair came in the form of bitter tears that fell from the skies and thundering sobs that resonated across the land for days and only stopped when She felt…something. A strange convergence of energy high above the land in…Celestia?

She barely had time to wonder what they were doing up there before a blast of that energy shot downwards towards the land Her children called Inazuma and took the form of—

HER CHILD?!

Wait. That wasn’t Her child. Their faces were the same, but their energies were completely different.

Who WAS that, then?

This thought had barely formed before She noticed something else: The convergence of energy didn’t stop upon this copy’s arrival, in fact, it was getting even larger and it seemed to be…looking for something?

But why? What was their goal?

Her confusion grew in tandem with the energy until it reached its peak a week later and was released skyward from Celestia in a single focused beam that seemed to grab hold of a star at the very center of the night sky, ripping it from its place and guiding its descent, once again, towards the land of Inazuma.

Her confusion abated and was replaced with overwhelming joy when the star’s light faded, revealing a face and energy She knew all too well plummeting towards Her.

Teyvat’s will called out and the world answered in kind, slowing His descent with a gentle, but firm updraft and cushioning His fall into the forest with a circle of bushes and a bed of flowers that held Him in a warm embrace.

He was here!

He was actually here!

Teyvat practically weeped tears of joy knowing that Her beloved first child was finally home.

She spent the rest of the night silently watching His chest rise and fall as He slept, the adoration She felt for Him not having waned since the day He left.

The sun soon rose and She watched in anticipation as He woke up and realized where He was and was overjoyed for Him when He started running around excitedly.

However, Her joy was soon put on hold in the face of great apprehension when they both heard a group talking excitedly about going to the welcome ceremony for the so-called “Divine Creator”, which made Teyvat realize:

What happened to The Copy?

Teyvat was so focused on the actions of Celestia that She completely disregarded what The Copy was doing and with that realization came a very sick feeling that something horrible was about to happen.

Teyvat saw Her child beginning to follow the others to the ceremony and tried to stop Him, but was powerless once He left the forest’s embrace. She would’ve tried again, but there’s no way Celestia would overlook such blatant meddling in Her children’s affairs, and so, was forced to only watch and hope that everything would be okay.

But, of course, nothing is ever that simple.

Teyvat watched in appall as the electro archon introduced this half-baked counterfeit as “The Divine Creator”, remaining completely oblivious to His presence at the back of the crowd, before He was told by a young girl—

That He would be EXECUTED simply for being caught looking like He always has?!

This revelation was almost enough to send Teyvat into hysterics, but She regained Her composure when She saw Her child running back towards the forest with a cloak in hand.

Teyvat goes on the defensive as soon as He re-enters the forest, immediately shifting the soil so the shrubs and trees would block off any paths that might lead to Him.

However, this somehow didn’t stop The Copy from finding Her child.

Once again, She could only watch as the confrontation began.

This…thing was created by Celestia themselves, meaning that directly attacking it without a good reason would incur their wrath, regardless of who was responsible.

This was Her thought process until The Copy pulled out a knife and revealed it’s plan to fully take over as the Divine Creator.

The very thought of this poor excuse for an imitation having the GALL to threaten the life of Teyvat’s beloved child caused all of Her fury built up over thousands of years to begin boiling over as She used Her voice for the very first time.

“HOW! DARE!! YOU!!!”

These words caused the very earth to tremble in fear, breaking open beneath The Copy’s feet and allowing Teyvat’s child time to escape.

She was forced to suppress Her rage when the electro archon decided to interfere, walking away with The Copy in tow, like it had done nothing wrong.

She soon turned Her attention back to Her child, seeing Him and His escort rushing to the port, while she frantically explained her plan.

“It’s not safe for you here anymore, Your Grace! The Raiden Shogun’s already started an investigation to find you and have you executed! Our only option is to ship you off to Liyue and hope you can find someone who can help.” The young girl explained as she led Him to the nearest boat.

“But what will happen to you?” Her child asked.

“I’ll be fine. All of the Shuumatsuban knows the truth so we should be able to throw the others off your scent while we figure out a way to expose that imposter.” The girl replied with determination as she pushed Him onboard, “I can’t go with you because it could cause an international incident if an inazuman agent was found in Liyue, so just be sure to lay low and keep your face covered until you know it’s safe.”

Teyvat’s child gave a hesitant nod as He went fully onto the ship just before it departed.

Teyvat couldn’t believe it had come to this, that Her beloved child had finally come home only to be branded an imposter and slated for execution, but She refused to lose Him a second time.

And if all She could do at this point was keep the waves calm to ensure His safe journey to Liyue, then so be it.

#Genshin impact #self aware genshin #sagau #genshin cult au #Genshin teyvat #Genshin x reader #genshin x male reader #Genshin Sayu #why is this mushroom writing fanfics?

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horsesandhockeyplayers · 3 years

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Fourth Line Grinder-- Part 10

Author’s Note: This beautiful header is courtesy of @whatishockey and her brilliant creative mind. We continue with ALL NEW content as EJ and Nell figure out their relationship. Please see the masterlist post to see the 2018 Eddie Read Stakes.

TW: Nell being stupid

Word Count: 5082

Word Count TOTAL: 60,332

Song: Dark Horse - Aaron Watson

Synopsis: Nell Sayer, often called The Witch for her ability to heal horses that are deemed lost causes, is content with her life. With a job where she makes a good living and her two best friends, Nell is unprepared for the changes a meeting with a once-in-a-lifetime horse and his incorrigible owner brings, knocking her off her feet…literally. If only she were as good at listening to her heart as she is at listening to the animals she loves.

Tag List: @laurenairay, @danglesnipecelly, @hockeylvr59, @whatishockey, @thebookofmags, @princessphilly, @glassdanse, @tippedbykreider, @iangiemae, @kotkaniemi-caufield-mom, @marcoscandellas, @mac-blackwood, @fanficrecsby-e

Part 10

Like many days when my alarms went off in the morning, I was laying on my stomach and there was a heavy weight sprawled across my back. We had been staying in a one bedroom suite at the Le Méridien, because Erik wouldn’t hear about staying at a motel, and our room overlooked the track (I didn’t think that was accidental).

The lights of Arcadia gave the room a muted glow and there was a deep grumble against my shoulder blade as a long arm reached over to the night stand to silence all the alarms. “Peaches, you have literally never overslept since I’ve started sleeping in your bed, why do you have 40 alarms?”

I sighed, the bed was so comfortable and I was so warm being pressed into the memory foam by the 240lb defenseman. “Just in case.”

Long strong arms slipped between me and the mattress of the gods, taking me with him as he rolled over and I was laying completely on top of him. “Five more minutes,” he grumbled into my hair.

Five more minutes turned into 30 and 3 orgasms for me and as EJ hopped up and made his way into the bathroom, suddenly full of pep, I was pretty sure I was going to melt into the bed because I didn’t have bones anymore.

When I accused EJ of being a La-Z-Boy horse owner I didn’t realize how correct I was.

“Erik, you own or partially own like 70 horses. How do you not know how to put a halter on?” I had unwrapped Grinder’s legs when we arrived at the track and after a short walk for him to stretch his legs, I was squatting by his legs rewrapping the standing wraps for the 2 hour trailer ride south.

“Most trainers prefer it if you aren’t hands on.” He was watching me wrap the horse like I was going to ask him to do it, but he was going to have to practice on one of the outrider horses for a while before I let him get near his winning racehorse.

“You have a 200 acre horse farm in escrow. How do you expect to run the place?” I finished the leg I was working on and moved to the next one.

“Hire people duh.” His voice was distracted as he was trying to put a halter on the very patient mare stabled next to Grinder.

“And what if everyone gets sick and you have to feed or clean or something?” I was mostly giving him a hard time but if you lived on an equestrian facility there would always be instances where you needed to handle horses.

“Make sure I don’t piss you off so you’re there to help.”

I rolled my eyes and sighed.

Dawn was just starting to chase the night away as I pulled onto the 210 to make our way across Southern California before the world woke up. EJ had called it and the trailer had two of Dick’s other horses on it and one of Doug’s. The rest would be shipped down a few days later and as I sipped bad gas station coffee I was relatively proud of the fact I had only yelled at Erik once.

***

The stress that plagued Dick’s barn at Santa Anita had melted and everyone was relaxed and joyful at Del Mar. I loved hacking Grinder bareback around the track in the evening hours as the cool breeze off the Pacific cooled the coastal town. I had even ridden him to the beach. Seeing a racehorse parade through town might be considered commonplace in Europe but it wasn’t in California.

Dick had pitched a fit but I had gone on a long rant about the healing properties of cold salt water and eventually his eyes glazed over and he just waved his hands and walked away.

Erik had gone off on some golf trip with friends and it had been a point of contention for several days.

“You could come, you know.” He tossed some shorts in his suitcase. I��m not sure why he insisted on packing this way, he tossed things haphazardly into his bag and then took everything out again and refolded it with precision.

“But Grinder and work….”

He gave me a dry look, “Carlos will take excellent care of Grinder and Mikey is at Del Mar for the next week, I bet he’d even ride the horse on the beach for you.”

“It’s just a lot of money.” I chewed a cuticle. My bank accounts had never been so padded. I probably could have gone on 5 vacations without worrying about money.

I got another withering look, “You know you never have to pay for anything right?”

I returned it, “You know I’m always going to want to pay my way.”

He set to folding all his clothes, “And I know you have enough money to go on this trip with me, you’re just making excuses, but Nell, you can sit on a beach with a Mai Tai and not feel guilty. You know that right?”

“I know. It’s not that.” I lied.

Erik rolled his eyes, “Yeah sure it isn’t. Go to fucking therapy, Jesus.”

I recoiled at his uncharacteristically harsh words, “What the fuck?”

“I want a partner in life, Nell. That means sharing the things I do, including traveling.” He zipped the suitcase closed and set it by the bedroom door with more force than necessary.

“Newsflash Erik, when you have a FARM you can’t just pack up and leave whenever.” I was pissed now.

“Actually, hiring competent people means I can do *exactly* that because for eight months out of the year I will be travelling most of the time. And no one is sick, no one is about to foal, the horses are literally fine, Nell and Grinder’s next race isn’t for another two weeks.”

“Exactly! I need to be here!”

“No. You don’t. You’re choosing to be here instead of going with me.” He pulled the phone out of his pocket, “My car is here. I’ll call you later.”

“Don’t bother.” My words echoed against the beachy tile of his condo, and he sucked on his bottom lip for a moment as if he was thinking of a retort but instead he just shook his head and headed out the front door, slamming it behind him.

True to his word, Erik had called. And called. And called. It has been 3 days and I had sent every one to voicemail.

He left another message and I deleted it without listening to it. His condo felt empty without him and I thought about packing up my things and going to a long term motel, but somehow I knew that would be the final nail in the coffin. Things had once again gotten complicated and I didn’t know how to escape them. It had only been a few months but our lives were so entangled. There wasn’t an exit where we didn’t see each other because not seeing Grinder wasn’t an option for me. I loved that horse.

The french doors onto the veranda were open and the afternoon breeze was gently blowing through the open floor plan condo. The papers I had spread all over the top of the island rustled. It was one of my mandatory days off and other than hacking Grinder in the evening, I wasn’t allowed in the barn so I was rebelling by doing paperwork which included itemizing my expenses, scanning the receipts, and then mailing the hard copies to my accountant. I was now someone who needed an accountant.

The papers had been spread on the island for several hours and my attention kept drifting to the waves cresting, crashing into the beach, withdrawing, and starting the whole process over again. Why did relationships have to be this hard? Were they supposed to be this difficult or was it just a sign that Erik and I weren’t meant to be?

Finally, I gave up and grabbed a White Claw from the fridge and plopped into a teak chair with plush cushions and threw my feet on to the matching ottoman.

It seemed criminal that I was in such a beautiful place and so conflicted. A male voice speaking Spanish came through the door, though yelling was a more accurate description. I didn’t know why Latino men needed to yell at each other on the phone but they did. Jesus was honestly the only quiet one and I suspected that was a defense mechanism.

I heard him grab a Corona from the fridge and shouted his goodbyes and hung up as he settled into the plush lounger next to mine. He was uncharacteristically quiet for a long time as he stared at the ocean.

When he finally spoke it made me jump, “What the fuck, Hermanita?”

Carlos had never spoken to me that way “Excuse you?”

“The gringo says you’re not talking to him and you refused to go on vacation with him.” He took a swig of his Corona and leveled a glare over the rim of the bottle.

I sniffed and faced the ocean, taking a sip of my drink from the tall can before answering, “I fail to see how that is any of your business.”

“He’s paying for my immigration lawyer and he’s done a lot for you and us, I don’t think you’re being fair.

“Is that all you care about? That I keep fucking him so you can become a citizen?” I turned facing him feeling a chill thrum through my body.

“Dios mio, you DO need therapy.” I tried to interrupt him but he held up his hand. “Your papa, he was it for Mama Sayer. When he passed there was a hole in both your lives that Jesus and I could never fill even if we tried. For you that person is the Gringo and anyone with EYES can see it. So pull your head out of your ass.”

I gaped at him like a goldfish, “I can’t just leave for wherever whenever he wants to.”

He gave me an exhausted look, "If you think that's what he's asking eres mas estúpida de lo que pensé"

There was a hum of energy in my ears, “I think I’m going to invite you to leave now.”

“Think about this, have you put both teeth into this relationship,” He asked standing from the lounger.

“It’s both FEET.” I replied, more than a little happy to correct him.

He rolled his eyes, “Whatever. Have you really been in this relationship or have you been looking for a way out since the beginning? What do the white girls say? ‘Daddy Issues’,” he made quotes around the term and I wrinkled my nose. “Get help Nell or you’ll drive away more than just the Gringo.”

When he left the sun was starting to hover over the ocean.

What I hated most, was Carlos was absolutely right.

I picked up my phone and unlocked it, bringing up Erik’s contact. I stared at it for a long time before I finally settled for calling my mom.

“Nelly Belly! I thought you were too busy to talk to me.”

I rolled my eyes, “No, Mom.”

She was rustling around in the kitchen, “Does this phone call have anything to do with the fact that you’re not talking to Erik?”

“Who told you,” I huffed.

“Carlos and then Jesus,” She sounded distracted and then I heard a distinctly male voice.

“Nance, should I open the wine?”

My mouth dropped open, “Mom are you on a date?”

“Yes.”

I couldn’t tell if she was answering the mystery man or me, so I stayed silent. She covered the phone and I heard her muffled voice, “Tom, go ahead and open that white in the fridge, it will pair nicely with the salmon. I’m going to talk to my daughter for a moment.” Her voice came across the 475 miles clear as day then, “Now Nell, what happened?”

Launching into the saga, I barely stopped to take a breath. The sky was fading to purple when I was done.

“Nell, do you remember Dr. Pam?”

“Vaguely, why?”

“She was the therapist you saw after your dad passed.”

A bank of fog was rolling in off the ocean and it was one of the reasons the California coast stayed so temperate, “I saw a therapist after Dad died?”

“Yes, Nelly Belly. You were 8 and your dad died tragically and unexpectedly. Of course I took you to see a therapist. I saw her too for a time.”

My drink was long empty and I swirled the last dregs of the vodka soda around in the can, “Do you think I need to see a therapist now?”

“I think you need to think about what you want in your life and if that is just to work 24/7 with no life then ok. But if you want more, which I think you do, then you need to figure out why you’re pushing EJ away. If he’s not the one for you, fine, but I don’t think you’ll find anyone else half as interesting that will be completely loyal and let you be as independent as you are.” The oven timer went off in the background, “Nell, I have to go, but think about what you want ok?”

I sighed, “Ok. Have a good date with Tom.”

Her smile was audible, “I will honey. Call EJ ok?”

“Ok.”

When the line went dead my phone alerted me to a low battery and I had a reprieve from calling Erik for a bit anyway especially considering he was probably asleep, the waves from a different ocean crashing outside his hotel room.

The air turned chilly as the fog rolled inland and I stood from the lounger and headed inside, closing the large french doors behind me.

Grabbing another White Claw and my laptop, I spent the remainder of the evening researching therapists and online therapy services.

It was well after midnight when I finally made my way to bed and for once I was grateful that I had another day off.

Alone and in the dark, the sound of the waves crashing into the beach floating in through the open window, I unlocked my phone and opened my photos app. Finally, I landed on a photo of Grinder’s win, Erik was kissing me while everyone was still screaming. I had my hand fisted into Grinder’s mane, the other gripping Erik’s arm as he kissed the bejesus out of me. If I concentrated and closed my eyes I could feel his lips against mine.

Before I set my phone on the nightstand, I sent a quick text.

I’m sorry.

*******

Standing on a stool I was attempting to manipulate the gluteal fascia of a very patient, very tall mare when EJ appeared in the door of the stall.

We hadn’t spoken since I sent that text and everything just felt so awkward now.

Erik cleared his throat, “So what’s the story on this one?”

“Five year old, decent allowance mare. Couple hundred thousand in earnings,” I offered with a shrug.

He gave me a thoughtful look, “would she be a good broodmare?”

I blinked, “She’s out of a Thunder Gulch mare by a Giant’s Causeway stud. Nothing to write home about but she would be a good foundation probably.”

He grunted and made some notes on his phone. When he was done he looked up, “Italian or Sushi tonight?”

I hummed in thought, “Italian.”

“I’ll make reservations.”

Just like that the fight seemed to be over and I knew Erik was giving me a freebie. I hadn’t really given him anything but grief since we started dating and well, I felt like shit about it.

A week before the race Dick forbade me to ride Grinder to the beach, so I brought the cold seawater to him. In buckets, in the back of my truck and I soaked his legs. Del Mar really agreed with the big gelding, his coat glowed, he had filled out and developed spectacular muscle and no one would ever guess Erik had picked him up for a few thousand dollars less than 6 months ago. He looked like a champion.

Mikey had taken over riding him full time for his works and I hacked or ponied him in the afternoon.

Erik never brought up our fight during his golf trip again and I had done some research and started an online therapy program. I had video or phone chats with my therapist a few times a week and we had brief texting mini sessions whenever I needed to.

I had just finished one of those mini texting sessions when I put down my phone on the nightstand. Erik was reading the Daily Racing Forum and making notes with a pen.

His glasses were sliding down his nose and I had the irresistible urge to push them up the bridge. Feeling my eyes on him, his gaze lifted and met mine, “Why are you staring, Peaches?”

I lifted my shoulders and let them fall in an exaggerated shrug. The french doors out to the private master suite veranda were open and the sound of the waves crashing into the coast filled the stretched silence.

His phone vibrated on the nightstand and he picked it up, a smile stretching across his face as he read an email. He finally pushed his glasses up his nose with a forefinger and looked incredibly dorky doing so, I couldn’t help but match his smile, “What has you so happy, Handsome?”

“We got the property.”

Putting the racing forum next to his phone, he took off his glasses and set them on top of the pile and pulled me closer to him. “We are now the owners of a horse farm.”

I snuggled into his big body. “I thought they didn’t accept your offer?”

He kissed the top of my head and then picked a hair out of his mouth, “They didn’t because the property had been on the market so long they had leased it. Since we weren’t in a hurry to move in, my realtor worked out a deal where we allow the lease for 6 more months and the details took a while to iron out but I’m going to Denver next week to sign all the papers, will you come with me? You have some things to sign too.”

Stiffening in his arms I looked at my cuticles, “Erik..”

“Nell…” he answered with a sigh.

“You refused to let me put any money into this, so I’m not signing anything.” I picked at a hangnail.

Large hands slid up my arms and one slid into my hair and gripped it in his fist. He pulled my head back, so I would look at him, “Stop being stubborn, Nell.”

I sighed and gave him a hard glare, “I’m not going to co-own an asset I had no hand in purchasing.”

His eyes were tired, “Fine, whatever, I don’t want to fight anymore and everything seems like a fight.”

Fuck. He was right. Pushing the covers down I clambered into his lap, straddling him, “Ok. I hear you. I propose a compromise.”

“I’m listening,” his eyes were wary.

“IF we get married, I will allow you to put me on the deed.”

He rolled his eyes, “Fine, what are you doing on Saturday? I think I can throw some money around and get a judge in the courthouse.”

My fist met the solid rock that was his shoulder and I shook it out, “Ow, I’m not marrying you on Saturday you dork and you know it’s Grinder’s race day.”

“Ok fine, I can be patient, I guess,” he said with his toothless wonder grin.

“Patient!” my protest was halted by his lips. I moaned and melted against him as his tongue swept inside my mouth.

I had taken to sleeping in one of Erik’s tshirts and some simple cotton panties. He broke the kiss long enough to pull the shirt over my head and then his mouth and hands were on me again. He weighed my breasts in his hands as he kissed me and I felt him grow hard beneath me.

Deft fingers rolled my nipples between them and I arched into his hands grinding my hips on him until I felt the head of his cock rub my clit the layers of fabric causing friction.

Moaning into his mouth I changed the angle of my hips trying to rub right THERE.

“Peaches, are you trying to get yourself off,” he asked, breaking the kiss.

I nodded, feeling the euphoria build in my body.

Before I could take a breath my panties were off and he was naked and lowering me onto his erection. Letting me drop, the stretch was just this side of pleasure and I rolled my hips with a small mewling noise. His hips punched up like he was trying to crawl inside my body. He relaxed back against the headboard, “Now get yourself off.”

The delicious friction of the cotton was gone but now I was being stretched and it was an equally scrumptious sensation. I took each of his hands and placed them on my breasts as I rode him. A gasp escaped me as he pinched both nipples and I bucked on his cock. My voice was breathy, “Fuck, EJ.”

He kept the grip on my nipples, forcing the blood from the tips before rolling them again. I bucked again and I could feel the orgasm building. While I kept the pace and he abused my tits, my fingers slid between our bodies to rub my clit.

Erik’s hips started rising to meet mine, “Are you almost there, Peaches?”

I couldn’t do anything except moan as he released my nipples, the blood rushing back into them, as he grabbed my hips and fucked me hard. I came with an emotional cry and I felt him twitch inside me. Large hands held me tight against him, his hips still punching anemically as he came.

Collapsing on his chest I felt the ripples of pleasure hit my body every few seconds like aftershocks and when he finally relaxed, his fingers trailed up and down my spine.

“I love you, you know,” I mumbled against his chest.

One hand brushed the hair away from my face and I felt his lips on my forehead, “I know, Peaches.”

I fell asleep, pressed against his naked body, his semi hard cock holding his cum inside me and I felt any anxiety about our relationship flow out of my body and into the coastal night.

****

On Saturday the sun could barely break through the fog layer of June Gloom. The fog lifted, but it was still overcast when Grinder’s race was called to post.

Unlike his race at Santa Anita, everyone was jovial. I had seen several of his opponents work and I was confident that if Grinder had a clear run, he was going to put the field away with ease.

I had on a simple jersey dress and had dressed it up with some turquoise jewelry The Guys had given me over the years.

With my newfound confidence in Grinder, I was in the owner’s Box with Erik and he hadn’t taken his hand off the small of my back since I joined him.

I wasn’t sure if it was to reassure him or me and eventually I conceded it was a mixture of both.

Grinder had drawn the outside post position and that was perfectly fine with everyone. Mikey had one job and that was simply to keep the big gelding out of traffic and let him run his race.

Without all the pain, Grinder was once again focused on racing and the horse *loved* to run. Workouts had become a challenge because he wanted to race every horse on the track. He was in desperate need of adequate competition or he was going to get bored. Bad things happened when smart athletic horses got bored.

Gripping the box partition, I felt the first flutters of butterflies start in my stomach as I watched Mikey and Grinder make their way to the turf. The statuesque black gelding made the rest of the horses look like Shetland Ponies. At one point he stopped and trumpeted toward the stands as if to say “Hey Losers, watch this.”

The warm up was unremarkable and all the horses loaded into the gate without any problems. The race was as predictable as possible. Grinder broke slow and was several lengths off the pace, trailing the pack into the first turn. He sat there eating the turf with a relaxed, almost lazy stride. Mikey had slack in the reins and the big horse was just biding his time. Halfway down the backstretch he began to close the gap and as the field headed into the far turn he hit another gear and started to pass horses on the outside. The field was good, there were quality horses who were no stranger to the graded stakes races, several had made Breeder’s Cup appearances before and they were trying to qualify again.

I knew I was going to have red imprints around my eyes from the binoculars as I pressed them to my face, like the pressure was going to help me see better. The crowd started to roar at the top of the turn. I could see the minute Grinder decided he was in it to win it. He leapt forward at the top of the stretch, almost leaving Mikey behind and started passing horses like they were standing still. 50 yards from the finish he was alone in front of the front runners and as he flashed under the wire he was still pulling away from his competition.

The description of his win in the next Daily Racing Forum would be “handily.” Even moving up in class, they were no match for him. He had the renowned Pacific Classic next to qualify for the Breeder’s Cup Classic.

The big black horse was barely sweating as Mikey trotted him back to the winner’s circle. EJ pried the binoculars away from my face and put them around his neck, wrapping his hand around mine, “That horse just quadrupled my investment.”

I paused, “What?”

He pulled me out of the box and started making his way to the ground level, “I paid what… $3000 for him? Plus transport costs, training, and you. This win pushed him over the $200,000 mark since I’ve owned him. I’m almost sad he’s not a stallion now. Think of what a foundation sire he’d make for us.”

My mind was swirling trying to picture that much money and I tripped over a discarded tall can. Erik caught me and I tried to pull my hand from his, “Is all you care about the money?”

He gave me a defeated sigh, “Seriously, Nell? Why is everything a fight with you? Of course it’s not about the money, he was a huge investment risk, but I told you from the beginning if he wouldn’t make it on the track I wanted to get him healthy enough for whatever came next.”

It was true, he had said that and I was once again just creating drama, “I’m sorry. I know. I’m just… I don’t know. Too emotional right now.”

Strong thick fingers wove their way through mine and he pulled me into his big body, his voice low, “Half the time I feel like the stereotypical city girl who moved to the country and you’re the wild filly I find trapped in a fence or something.”

“Yeah, I guess I kinda am,” I said, swallowing a smile.

He brought my fingers to his lips, “C’mon, let’s go take a picture with our champion.”

I stood in the winner’s circle for the second time in my life and wrapped my arms around Grinder’s head. He huffed and stood quietly as I pressed my forehead to his, “You did it you brilliant boy.”

It was a little weird not having Jesus there, but Carlos was excited enough for the both of them and I figured I’d just photoshop him into the photo at some point.

Erik had to pry me off of the horse to take the photos and as we posed in front of him, Mikey set his elbow on top of Erik’s head, “Does it ever bother you that she loves this horse more than you?”

The larger man let out a surprised laugh, “No, she wouldn’t be my Peaches if she loved anything more than that horse.”

Carlos muttered in Spanish under his breath and rolled his eyes before waving the jockey off the horse and started taking his saddle off to walk him back to the barns.

The sun was setting over the Pacific Ocean and I was slumped in a camping chair I had set up in Grinder’s stall, nodding off every few minutes.

I felt EJ’s presence before I heard his footsteps over the sound of horses chewing their hay.

The cool evening air was leaving goosebumps on my exposed legs and I regretted not changing back into my jeans.

His hand rested on my head as he knelt down, “You’re cold, let’s go home.”

I sighed, opening my eyes, “I think when we remodel the house we should have a stall in the living room.”

EJ chuckled into my ear as he picked me up. I protested, but weakly, “I can walk.”

His arms tightened around my body, “You never let me manhandle you.”

Grinder took that opportunity to pick up the chair I was sitting in and toss it out of his stall, narrowly missing us.

I reached over and closed the stall dore, sliding the bolt into place and putting a clip on it, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. You manhandle me all the time.”

I felt the rumble in his chest rather than heard it, “Well, I like manhandling you. What are you gonna do about it?”

Sliding one of my arms around his shoulders, I ran my fingers through the hair on the nape of his neck, “Right now, nothing,” I sighed.

Smug satisfaction radiated through his body, “Good cause I’m gonna manhandle you some more when we get home.”

I offered a shiver of anticipation.

*******

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