#Swimming in Rive

[sugarsugarmp3]

now i want to go swimming in a river

[sm-baby]

This white servant lore kinda fed into an idea that's been kinda swimming in my head rent free so Imma just-

This party wasn't like the usual parties Zeus made, normally, the white queen would have the guests all in the ballroom or one of the bigger dining rooms. However this time, accounting for the number of familiars and the size of some, her highness decided to use not only indoors but the outdoor space of the castle as well. It was a small change, which many servants quickly adapted to.

The Reliant Covens talked and drank, sharing their attention from each other, the colour named Covens and their own familiars. Being extremely polite and aware of the servants, which was another change of pace. Not one many complained about however.

Seeing the Goldstone queen had her glass almost empty, one servant went to her side to refill it. She had been sitting so still, the butler had completely forgot the spider who's back she sat on.

One mistep later, the bottle was shattered, he was on the ground together with Asha, the spider had bitten him, as he managed to step and break it's leg.

"I- My deepest! Deepest apologies- I- I never- I'll-!!" He panicked, he had just gotten the job and already screwed it up. "I-I-"

"Oh dear! Are you alright?! Oh that's painful!!" Asha approached the servant, carefully dodging the shards of glass. "Oh and you cut yourself too! No! No! Don't put your hand on the dirt! You'll get it even more infected!- BEATRIZ!! Do you have healing potions?!"

Quickly, the Far South rulers helped the man and Asha to their feet. Her spider hissed, he flinched. "I- I never meant to injure your familiar- I, I am trully-"

"Oh! Don't worry! You didn't really injured it!" She turns her head and the butler follows. Seeing the spider was now sucking on the shed exoskeleton, the leg fine and shinier where he had thought it was broken. "Moulting season, alas! Also, it was my fault as well, I shouldn't have brought such a reactive spiders with me."

Having someone higher apologize shook not just the butler, but the ones around as well, even Zeus eyed the queen strangely. After a quick healing with a potion, the bite mark was almost completely gone and the cuts sealed. Asha was sat on a bench with the butler, Araindo taking away his child and putting them in timeout.

The queen and butler chatted while they healed him, then eventually the other servants came and helped him back to the servants hall to rest and calm down. After that, the party went on as normal, at least, the Far South rulers did. A few servants went curiously to the Reliant Covens heads, apologizing for their workmates behavior and mistake. All of them brushed it aside, it was just a simple mistake, Asha herself admired fault to it.

At one point late in the night, Ares went to the Goldstone Queen. "You were very kind to the servant."

"Well, they're people, much like us! Plus, I myself step on my spider's legs sometimes, it's a very common mistake!"

"Yes but..." He became somber. "I know people who in your position would do a lot worse... It's just admirable."

"I'd say it's just... I never had servants. I can't imagine treating someone as if they're only there to do things for me. They're people who can and do make mistakes. They help me, so it's only fair I help them back." She turns to him, a kind smile. "It's the way we do things back home!"

Ares smiled back, nodding.

GOLD STONE QUEEENN YOU SO NICE TO THE SERVANTS GSQ and Ares interactions yooo uwu

"i myself step on my spider's legs sometimes, its a common mistake!" Hehehe i still love this disability coding you got sofi

NOT THE SERVANT APOLOGIZING WHILE BEING ON THE GROUND RIVING IN PAIN FROM THE BITE-

[virgilisspidey]

Nah, he ain't stinky. In one of the rottmnt comics, after swimming in the rives Leo is the first one to say they smell like river and after that they all the a shower. So I'm pretty sure we can say that none of them stink lol.... maybe raph a lil tho

Plus they kinda also human and Splinter would not want his kids not taking a bath

[electronicwastelandtidalwave]

Idea of a Teen Wolf Percy Jackson crossover where Percy is petters kid

Percy is Peter kid but is still a regular demigod since you can't been half werewolf. The hales don't know that he is a demigod but they know he is something that is not fully human and is difficulty not a wolf but love him all the same. Before the fire happened he was getting demigod dreams and tried to warn his family but it got brushed off as regular nightmares since he was five. The fire happened he was inside the house but only got slightly hurt since he is mostly fire resistant but had to watch other burn alive. Lura put him in foster care when she and Derek reached New York since she couldn't take care of a traumatized five year old and teenager.

After a while he is adopted by Sally and his story is the same as canon until the point where he swims in the rive of Styx. Since he has two dads instead of a bio mom he can't get a mother's blessing and swim in the river. Nico and Percy still go to underworld since they wouldn't know that they need a mother's blessing tell they talk Achilles. Not wanting this whole underworld trip to go to waste Percy gets into the river but makes sure not to let the water touch him to try and take talk to the spirit that lived in the rive in hopes of getting the ion skin anyway. They talk and he end of impressing her since he is a man of his word and has a fatal flaw of loyally and they make a deal. If he could un pollute her river she would give him a blessing just not the one he was original after but one that would be better in the long run. He cleans her river and gets a blessing and has his fight with Hades.

Everyone thinks he has the curse of Achilles so he hides his injuries so no one knows he doesn't have invulnerability and everything goes as canon the same till the end where he passes out from his injures after he give the knife to Luke and Kronos is defeated. He almost died form his hidden injures and everyone now know he never had the cures of Achilles and is stick at camp recovering and helping rebuild until he is taken by Hera. Sally doesn't know that he is still alive since he never got the chance to send a sign that he was ok after everything went down. She goes to the cops and opens a missing persons case for him since she doesn't know what to do and has to have a way to explain to people why she is grieving for her son.

On the teen wolf side of things Derek has even more guilt than he did before since they had warning about the fire but they all brushed it off. He can't forget that it could have been avoided if they just listened to little Percy. He feel even worse when he finds out that Lura give Percy up since he thinks she picked him over Percy when she tried to explain that she couldn't help two traumatized kids while being traumatized herself. He tries to look out for Percy from a distance and makes sure he gets taken out of the bad homes he was placed in. When Percy goes to Sally, Derek stops checking in as often when sees how good Sally is and miss what smelly gabe did to them both when he come into the picture a couple of months after Percy stated to live with Sally.

Derek stops checking in on Percy when he is 12 right before Percy find out he is a demigod because Lura thinks it is unhealthy that he is slightly staking their cousin and tills him that he can only check in if he goes and talks to Percy to try and rebuild their relationship. When the whole man hunt thing goes on tv Derek feels like he could have avoided it if he was still checking in on Percy and goes and tries to find him. In Derek's search he finds out how smelly gabe was treating Sally and Percy. When Percy and Sally get home safe Derek decides to stop his check ins because he feels like a starker instead of a protector sine he missed something so big with smelly gabe.

When Lura goes back to Beacon Hills Derek checks in on Percy for the first time in a couple of years just so he could reassure that his family is safe only to over hear the call Sally got after the saint helens volcano incident and believes that Percy is dead. Since he doesn't know for sure how Percy died so he assumed that it was hunters that found out that he was something other than completely human. He goes to call Lura and tell he the news only to find out that she was killed. He had no lead on Percy's killers so he decides to hunt down Lura's killer.

When he gets to town he tries to look out for Scott and Stiles since they are the same age as Percy is and he feels supper guilty that he never really got to know his cousin, so he wants to make sure that kids Percy age don't end up in the same early grave. He is torn between keeping Stiles close to keep him safe and scaring him away. He doesn't want to fail Stiles by being to far away to notice when he isn't safe like he was with Percy but he thinks it is unsafe for a human to be rapped up in this stuff since every good human he knows that got in the supernatural stuff died and want to keep him away for it all.

Things are dragged out longer than in canon and Peter is saner. He had his connection to Percy to help him hold on to keep him sane and in-between the killing he is looking for his son how he knows survived the fire. The whole school year passes and it is the start of summer when they find out that the alpha is peter and they have their big show down. Peter asks Derek what happened to Percy, that he knows that his son survived the fire and has been though a lot of pain and suffering since than, he almost wished Percy was killed in the fire to save him form the life he had because it must have been something for him to be suicidal at 12 and didn't look to be getting better. In the end Derek was unwilling to kill Peter and Peter was never lite on fire. They kill Kate and try to find out what happened to Percy.

Stiles get brought in to help figure out what happened to Percy and end up adopted by Peter since the Sheriff isn't the best dad. They find Percy when he loses his memories and that is about the time Gerenold comes to town.

[pansy-chic27213]

I was really excited about the new swimming update, so I made an outdoor aquarium on the flat black rocks along the beach at the top of my island. I sprinkled some other nautical stuff around, like a wetsuit rental booth, an anchor statue, and my lighthouse.

I showed my dad, and he jokingly said, “So you’ve taken the fish out of their homes, and then put then in cages looking out over the sea. You can never go back~!”

I started crying.

[m-jelly]

HELLOO JELLYYY HEHE im your biggest fan, COULDD I REQUEST YK THAT LEVI SHIRTLESS SCENE? AND HANGE'S TAKING CARE OF LEVI WELL WHAT ABOUT READER IS IN HANGE'S POSITION INSTEAD?? so reader finds levi in that river and ran away with him and took care of his wounds in the woods, and after reader is done they stare at levi sleeping peacefully while holding his hand firmly!! and then reader asks levi what if they ran away together like what hange said. but then it grew silent and reader eventually fell asleep next to levi, levi wakes up to see reader snuggling close to him unconsciously and he stares at them in awe and slept together through the night!! ITS SO WHOLESOME T_T DONT FORGET TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF TOO JELLY!! WE ALL LOVE U A LOT 0_<

You got it! I'll try my best not to make it similar to the other thunder spear ones <3 And my biggest fan!? What!? Oh my! You're making me blush anon <3 Thank you for being here and supporting me, it means the world to me.

What if we ran away together?

Pairing: Levi x Reader

Genre and tags: canon world, thunder spear scene, the reader looks after Levi, Reader in Hange's place, romance, love, cute, fluff.

Concept: You saved Levi by swimming in the rive and now you're tending to him. As you take care of the man you secretly love, you can't help but let your feelings out. You hold onto his hand tightly, then lie next to him. Levi wakes up to see the scout he's always had a crush on is holding his hand tightly and sleeping soundly. When you wake up next to Levi as he gazes at you. You talk everything over and he mentions he dreamed you saying for you and him to run away together.

You cleaned the last bit of blood from Levi's face before you started stitching up his wounds. You were as delicate as possible so you didn't wake him up. You'd specialised in medical treatment in the scouts, but you never thought you'd ever have to use your skills on Levi of all people.

You gently shifted the hair from his face and admired his sleeping face. For so long you'd loved this man from a distance and cared for him. You did everything for him and you dedicated your heart to the scouts because of him. You never thought you were strong, but knowing you could support Levi and help him through this all made you strong.

You cleaned up his face and put on the bandages on his face. You next checked his right hand and saw the two fingers missing. You checked the ends to make sure nothing was there that could make it sceptic. You cleaned the wounds and bound them up tightly.

You set a fire going and made some food for yourself and ate in silence with the weight of the scouts losing their best soldier bearing down on you. You fought back tears and ate your food and drank your water. You started shaking as the emotions got too much and for the first time in a long time, you started crying.

You sobbed hard at the pain of what was going on around you, at the loss of so many good scouts, at the suffering everyone had gone through and mostly at Levi lying behind you in a deep sleep. You cried until there was nothing left inside you and you felt such relief at letting it all out.

You moved over to Levi and sat next to him. You held his right hand and checked on it. "I'm sorry about what you went through. You don't deserve all this pain."

You leaned over and kissed under Levi's left eye waking up a little, but he was so exhausted that he didn't have the strength to get up. So, he just listened to you.

"You're an amazing man, you really are and for so long I've loved you."

Levi felt his heart racing. He'd always loved you as well. He was terrible with his words, so he never got the chance to express to you how he felt.

You ran your thumb over the back of his hand. "You deserve that cute teashop you told me about. I can just imagine you running it with a smile on your face and a spring in your step."

He wanted that, he wanted that so much. He wanted to run the shop and have you by his side. He wanted to kiss you, hold you and love you in his shop and in the shared house. His heart cracked at your soft crying.

"This world is so unfair to you. I'll do everything I can to make sure your dream comes true. I'll protect you until the end, Levi. I swear."

He wanted to do that for you. He'd protected you so far and he'll keep protecting you. He didn't want you to die for him, he wanted you to live for him because he lived for you.

You lay on your side next to him. "What if we just ran away together? We could start a new life in the woods."

Yes, yes he wanted to do that so badly it hurt.

You smiled sadly. "That was selfish of me."

He didn't think it was. He thought it was romantic and cute. You'd always done things for others, so him hearing you say something you wanted for once was music to his ears.

You closed your eyes and snuggled up to him. "You'll probably hate me for this when you wake up, but I just need to know you're here with me and alive."

He wasn't going to get mad. He wished he had the strength to roll over and hold you in his arms. He felt so at peace with you holding him and talking. He felt himself slowly slipping into a deep sleep again, but this time his dreams were full of being with you in a cute teashop with a few kids running around.

He woke up after a while and wasn't sure what time it was or for how long he'd been asleep. He turned his head and saw you were sleeping so soundly next to him. He leaned up and looked down at you. He knew in that moment that he wanted to wake up next to you for the rest of his life. You were so beautiful and sweet. He saw you slowly waking up and couldn't wait to hear your voice.

You opened your eyes and saw skin. You frowned a little and sat up to see Levi bare-chested sitting up on the bed you made him. You flushed bright red at being caught and seeing his perfect body again. "C-Captain."

He cupped the side of your face with his right hand and leaned close. He pressed his lips against yours. He frowned a little and moved back. "Why can't I feel your lips?"

You burned bright red. "You're bandaged up."

"Can you remove it? I want to kiss you."

"You shouldn't kiss me."

He frowned. "Why not?"

You smiled a little. "Because you have wounds on your lips. They could get infected."

"Worth the risk."

You giggled as he leaned closer to you, but you leaned away. "Nooo."

He pulled you close. "I am very hurt and they do say you should kiss things better."

"Captain."

He hugged you. "It's Levi. I want you to call me Levi."

You hugged him back. "Levi." You nibbled your lip. "I'll take off the bandage because you need to eat and drink. If you're good, then you can have a kiss."

"Tch, fine."

You went over to the campfire and heated up some soup for Levi. You moved back over to him with his food and water. "You need to get better, so you better do as I say."

"I will."

You took his bandage off and hummed. "It's healing well."

Levi crashed his lips against yours and winced a little at the pain, but the feeling of your hot lips against his was so magical. He felt like he was melting. All his pain and aches went away just by kissing you. He smiled when you kissed him back with just as much love as he had for you.

He pulled back a little and sighed. "Please don't be mad at me."

You blushed. "You're so...you used to be so reserved and shy."

"I almost died, but you stopped that from happening. Almost dying changed the way I thought and felt about a lot of my choices."

You hummed and helped him eat. "Well, I guess it does."

He nodded. "You openly said you wanted to run away with me."

You gasped. "You heard that?"

"I heard everything you said when you joined me for a nap."

You blushed a little. "I guess I got selfish with my words. I just want what's best for you." You locked eyes with Levi. "We're not going to be able to run away together, are we?"

Levi welled up a little, then shook his head. "No. I promised I'd kill Zeke, so I will. However, after I have we will run off together."

You smiled. "I'd like that." You held his hand. "I really would."

He leaned close and kissed you. "We'll get that teashop."

You turned your head when he tried to kiss you again. You giggled at his groan. "Sorry Levi, but you're hurt and you need to rest." You cleaned his face up, then put a new bandage on his face. "Now lie down."

"Only if you join me."

You pushed him down. "I will when I've cleaned up."

"Okay."

You cleaned everything away under Levi's watchful eye. You finally joined him and held him as he slept. "Sweet dreams, Levi."

He closed his eye and hummed. "You too, my sweet brat."

[acidproofnotebook]

To localise or not to localise: Zombieman in translation

Translation is always and forever an art rather than a science. When faced with something that is not immediately familiar to the readers of the target language, a translator always has a debate: localise the expression/allusion and risk losing some of the meaning it carried for the original audience? Or translate it directly and have the target audience have to do more work to understand? It's a quandary with no clear-cut answers. Even in a single work, there's often scope for doing both.

The original translator for the webcomic chose the former, localising a lot of terms. The current translators have prioritised the latter and provided endnotes where beneficial.

Therefore, while the webcomic and the manga have the same text, allowing for some rearrangements due to panelling:

... the translations differ between the webcomic and the manga. The translator in the webcomic has gone for 'heaven' and the concepts of departed souls rising to it as the one to use as it's directly familiar to the Western, English-speaking audiences they were translating for. The current manga translators have chosen to keep the Japanese symbolism for departing souls.

I think that the original term for the river Senzu has revealed something about Zombieman that simply not being able to 'rise to heaven' lost utterly. Turns out that while the river is broadly analogous to the river Styx of Greek mythology, the ease of crossing depends on the kind of life the person led initially. Those with well-lived lives cross over a bridge, moderately sinful ones are made to ford the rive themselves, and crime-soaked lives are made to swim across a deep, snake-infested channel. When Zombieman calls himself a lousy swimmer, he says more about himself than initially meets the eye.

This is the first time we've heard Zombieman say anything at all about his life. Just as critically, the idea here isn't merely good or bad deeds, but karmic balance. Karma being the intentional actions of a person and the consequences of those actions, what Zombieman is saying is that he has not as of yet atoned for what he's done so far in life.

And like that, Dr Genus's words come back with a little bit more punch.

Translation is a tough job and there are very respectable places for both approaches. It's just that this time we English-speakers lost out on some good information just sitting there in the text for many years.

[spacetimewraithwrites-archive]

Find the Word Tag Game

tagged by: @zmwrites!! my words: laugh, hair, sprawl, sudden tagging: @drabbleitout, @drippingmoon, @ashen-crest, @druidx, anyone who wants to, and this browser I’ve started using which is so sick your words: part, pain, pile, peel, pinch, plain

laugh (Rebirth)—

"Can we not do this? I would really just...like to not exist for a while."

"It's not like you to hit a nerve and walk away."

Warren swung his arms. "I hit a nerve, huh?" He laughed. "Hey, honey, here's a nerve for you—I know you and Sussa fucked while ———!"

He didn't expect to have been that loud. The ensuing silence pounded against his eardrums and while a part of him wished with unparalleled desperation that he could unsay those words, another part of him didn't even give a shit. He was tired, and hurt, and wanted to erase the last few days of his life altogether.

Thrive appeared less calm than he was before. His throat did the bobbing thing it did when he was holding back a slew of emotions, whatever they may have been. Warren couldn't quite place what they were at that moment, but Thrive suddenly couldn't meet his eyes.

"You're right."

"Oh, god," Warren groaned. The part that wasn't sure was slim, but hearing it out loud made it so much worse. He doubled over and planted his hands on his knees, his head swimming. "Oh, fuck."

hair (Meridian)—

"He looks...lifelike," Thrive said quietly as two guards posted themselves inside the room out of the way of the techs and programmers filing inside as well. "Even while inactive, he simply seems...asleep."

The chassis had cropped, pale blond hair, a soft face. It didn't look to be any taller than Warren, and it was dressed in a gray NodeSource t-shirt and black jeans. Its hands were placed on its knees and its eyes were closed, short brown eyelashes resting against rounded cheeks. It had fair skin, cool-toned on the pink side, and realistic intermittent freckles peppered on its face and neck.

"Guetry loved the model," Warren said, brushing a knuckle over the chassis' hand. Its skin was indistinguishable from the real thing. "They worked on it while he was...they all worked on it together. I came in for the programming."

"This is highly impressive," Thrive said, running his fingers through the hair. "I don't think even Slodian obhelians could've done this, not to this level of realism. Admittedly, I feel as if I'm taking too many liberties even now touching him like this."

"It's okay, he isn't even inside the chassis yet. Right now it's an empty shell. He's got thin seams here, here, and along these 'bones' here," Warren leaned in to point out the jaw and other lines of the face. "They kinda work as cooling vents. They also light up sometimes, but it shouldn't be too off-putting. I like them. They remind me of, um...tattoos I've seen in the past."

He knew Thrive didn't need clarification on that note.

sprawl (Rebirth)—

"Are you at least granting us permission to survive our time here?" Thrive asked Corin.

"Yes," he replied, ducking through the shuttle to wave his hand at the panel in the wall. It slid open with a quiet hiss. "You can have shelter, blankets, and a comm device in case of an emergency." He scooped the listed things into his arms and shoved them at Thrive. "You'll be here today, tonight, and tomorrow night, and we'll send a shuttle to retrieve you the morning after."

"Corin—"

Before Thrive could protest, the door slammed shut in his face. His jaw clenched when the craft lifted into the air and jettisoned away, a gust of warm air rustling his hair as it did so.

The Fertile Patch was a drastic contrast to the sprawling desert of the city; lush, ankle-high grass served as a natural carpet as far as the eye could see, and breathtaking mountains sprouted from the ground like scales on a magnificent beast. They'd landed beside one of the mountains, a smaller peak compared to the rest in the distance. Twisted alien trees scattered around created a thick canopy; pink and white flowers littered the area, and a crystal-clear river surged past them a few yards away. The sky began to show faint signs of sunrise, pinpricks of twinkling stars and bands of dewy orange on the horizon illuminating them as Thrive and Warren looked at each other with differing emotions.

"I hope you realize I am very unhappy about this," Thrive said, shifting his hold on the pile of supplies so he could carry them under one arm.

sudden (Eternal)—

Warren's heart skipped a beat. "...That's why [the eliyi] attacked sooner than you'd calculated."

"Yes."

"Oh, god." Warren set his utensil down, suddenly unable to eat any more. "You...you can't prove that. You have no proof that's what happened."

Thrive didn't respond, but he didn't have to. The fact that he refused to meet Warren's eyes, the tension in his shoulders and jaw, all of it told him everything.

"...[The Emmuli] told you."

"They showed me."

"That could be bullshit," Warren said. "They could be making it up to get under your skin, it's what they do!"

The lights flickered and Thrive looked up, his face blank though he froze in his seat. They glanced around, but they were the only ones who noticed it.

[strange-changes-ln]

“Strange Changes.”

Chapter 7: Fallen In The Depths.

It’s dark. Can’t- can’t see anything. It’s not like that’s a foreign thing for you, but.. still, it doesn’t- feel right. It’s not the kind you’re used to. It’s just different.

Though- you start feeling- wait. Wait, it’s coming back? No- w- yeah- yeah, you’re waking up! You’re-

He’s waken up. The first thing felt is pain. Much pain, his entire body rives. He stares upward, at the hole he fell down. Why- good god that’s- a far fall- how is he not DEAD? It should’ve- broken every bone in his body, at least.

He huffs, shakily, before trying to sit u-

“ -G-Ghk- “ Nope- no, no, no, going back down. J-Just.. just relax, you’re- you’ll be okay. Y-You’ll be fine. You- You had one job. Go check on the kids- but- b-but you can’t even do that right. You- You-

He forces himself up, a sharp crack being audible.

“ Nh- gHHA- “ He cries out in pain, but immediately clasps his mouth shut, with his hand. He glanced to the side—

Water? Why.. why is there.. so much water? Where- where is he?? He goes back to the ground, and his own body. What-

Parts of his body were contorted, out of place. He broke at least a few bones, but the rest of his body was just- hurting. Not broken but.. just not in the best condition to move too much.

..Ohh no— oh no no no— no nO NO- he’s- he’s gotta get out of here, he has to- he has to fix this. Why, why, WHY is just so- so- MESSED UP?? If he just- looked where he was going, he could’ve avoided this, but NOOO- YOU JUST HAVE TO-

He, for- some unexplainable reason, tries to stand. He has a broken leg, a broken arm, almost all the way up to his shoulder, while the rest of his body is more-so in a state of explicit pain. Just- j-just gotta..gotta.. hmm..

He just- collapses back down, slowly spiraling into a state of panic. How- why- how did you survive the fall- can- y-you don’t know how to set bones, how can you- h-how can- h-how..

“ ..Hh-hello??!- I- gh- nhhh- “ He winces, before continuing on. He has to pull himself together. “ I- I need- help- c-can someone… a-anyone.. “

Who is he kidding- no one lives down here, right?? Okay, nevermind. He looks around, frantically, trying to find- something that can help him, meanwhile trying not to have a panic attack right then and there. Okay.. o-okay.. just breathe. Just breathe, and—

*!

Two hands latch onto his non-broken arm, and try to pull him down into the large pool of water. Roger screamed in alarm, not having enough time to react.

He was pulled in. Dragged down, into the water. He tried to fight it. He tried, he really did, even with his current condition. But it didn’t work. The only thing reaching the surface at that point, was his hat. It floated, idly.

He fought, squinting at whatever had grabbed him.

A woman. An old, old woman, probably older than he was. Her face seemed hollow. Empty.

…Snapping himself out of his pause, he tried to keep- fighting. She would have to let him go at some point. And- eventually, she does! That’s great!

…

But- he can’t.. he can’t swim. Oh no—

He reached his arm out towards the surface, but.. he can’t.. he can’t get……get…

no- NO- Nonono, don’t- don’t stop- you’ll have to-

He felt the old woman grab onto his waist. NO-

He tried using his mobile arm to knock her off of him. C’mon, C’MON-

His movements slowed. Getting.. tired…

so…

so..

tired.

…What on Earth was this man doin’ down here??

The old woman held on to the limp body, and stared. She looked back up to the surface. Where’s that- uh.. old wood plank that’s ‘round-

Aha! There we go. She so casually rises from the water, and trudged her way towards the plank.

Once there, she lifts the unconscious body up, and places them on said plank. Pulling herself up and out of the water as well, she stared still.

She’d be lying if she said her head didn’t hurt from all that thrashing and whacking- dang! She’s just wondering how this oldie got here.

She did make note of the broken legs. He fell? From that height? She’s surprised this old man didn’t die right then and there!

Though, maybe it’s best to check if he’s still livin’. Checking his pulse.

…for a moment, she thought he was out cold. But- he’s still hangin’ on, just- slowly. He looks like he’s breathing. Maybe she’s just gotta be patient and wait. Though, she’s pretty much ready to ask him some very serious questions.

“ ..Good grieve. “ She sighed, shaking her head a little. This was no good. No good at all. Perhaps she shouldn’t have immediately pulled the poor boy down. Didn’t look like he could swim, at all. Not with those legs- ha!

Ahh, that was harsh. For now, she just stared. Maybe, she could just-.. what’s the thing people do, they uh.. press on their chest? I think?

The old woman crouched on the plank, and carefully placed both hands on the oldie’s chest. Now, juuust…

She presses down a couple times. Is- is it workin’?

Clearly. As water is coughed up, and it got all on her face. She flinched, oh! It worked?- Okay then. She blinked, watching the old man recuperate. He was breathing like he just ran a marathon, his eyes- oddly not there? That’s weird. Buuuut, other than that, he just looked freaked out, which was understandable.

” Howdy! Name’s Mary! Now, uhh.. I know this is all kinda strange, since- I nearly drowned ya- heh- crazy, right? But, really, I have questions of my own. First of all, how did- “

She was cut off by his cry of alarm. Oh-

“ W-WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!- “ He was attempting to scoot back, just nearly falling right back into the water.

“ Now, now, just hang on a minute, sir, I- “

“ Y-You’re the-.. t-th.. the woman who nearly KILLED ME- “ His expression of fear melted slowly into agitation. “ Why YOU LITTLE- “ He attempted to lunge- “ -Gh-hhhh- “ But it was abruptly cut short. Ah, so he was in pain still? That’s sad.

“ ..Are you done..? “ She gave him a look, an unamused one. The man.. was silent. Before nodding. Probably didn’t have a choice. “ Good! Now, again, I’m Mary. Who might you be? “

“ …R—Roger. “ He was huffin’, trying to catch his breath, just now beginning to calm down a little.

” Roger, ey? Well, it’s nice to meet you, Roger. “ She held out her hand to shake. Roger did seem hesitant, and she wasn’t a-boutta blame the fella. She waited; he then took her hand, and shook shortly after. “ Now, tell me, old-fella.. “ She begun, with a calm, low tone to her voice..

Before it erupted into a loud, confused tone, “ How did you get here, and how did you survive that fall?! It’s like a 15 foot drop, ya hear?? “ She leaned into towards him, narrowing her eyes at Roger. He flinched, before blinking. Then he responded.

” I..I don’t really know..? I-It’s weird, I know.. “ He rubbed at his broken arm with the unbroken, mobile one. “ I- wasn’t paying attention to where I was going. I fell down, everything went dark- next thing you know, I- heh- end up with a few broke limbs..! Keheheh.. “ He chuckled, exasperatedly. She just looked more confused.

” What’cha laughin’ about, boy? “ Her expression was that of suspicious. Did he think nearly dying was funny?

“ O-Oh- uh.. nothing. It’s just.. just a- uhh.. “

“ Just a- a- just a what?? You gotta stop stumbling your words, sir! “

” I- I know, I know..! “ Roger sighed. “ I’m just.. lost. I need to get back up there- “ -He points at the hole, then continues, “ Because I need to do my job. If I don’t do my job, then it’ll be like I’m slacking. And if I’m slacking, I might get fired. Even if I get fired, the Governess might kill me, if I- “

” Ohh, don’t worry ‘bout Ol’ Missy. She ain’t that dramatic, haha! “ She cackled, patting his shoulder. He flinched again, before perking up.

“ Y—You know the Lady?? “

” Heck yeah, I do! Well, if I may say- I was her mother once. Still quite salty with the youngin’, I mean- “

” Y-You’re her MOTHER?? “ Roger was taken aback. The Lady?? Her mother?? Down here???

“ Yes, yes, don’t be actin’ too surprised now. “

“ I- I AM surprised- I thought her mother was dead! “

“ Ahh, so it seems. Well, here’s news for you, pal: I ain’t! It’s quite a miracle that I lived for this long. “

” ..Wow. W-Wow.. I, uh.. well, I-.. “ He couldn’t seem to find the words to say to her. She waited. It’ll come to him eventually. “ ..I-It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss… “

” Mary. “

“ R-Right. Mary.. “ He gave Mary an awkward smile. She returned it, by giving him a less awkward smile. “ N-Now, uh.. I gotta go, I- Hh- “ He- must’ve forgotten he wasn’t in the best state to move around. And he was adrift in the water. He can’t swim. “ ..N-Nevermind. “

“ Oh- you need help with your bones? Here, I got ya. “

“ Wha- oh, no-no-no, y-you don’t have t- “ She already had grabbed onto his broken arm, and had attempted to set the bones. He winced, hissing just barely. “ I- I told you- you didn’t hav- nhhg- “ He simply shrunk, and stopped talking. This was certainly something. How- did she even know what she was doing??

“ There y’ go! Now, about the leg.. “ She took her hands away from the set arm, and onto the un-set leg. She eyed Roger, who just looked uncomfortable. “ Don’t worry, this’ll be quick. “

He just sat. Idly. It was- kind of her to help with the bones, but.. were they set the right way? She wasn’t necessarily a doctor, so- what if she just set the bones the wrong way?? Would he have to break them again??

“ Aaaand.. we are set! “ She let go of his leg. It- looked better. “ How’re y’ feelin’? “

” ..Good. I’m.. I-I’m feeling better. A little. Thank you, Mary. “

“ Ahh, it’s no issue! Here, I’ll help you get back up to where you belong. “ Mary casually slid back into the water. “ Now- if ya want, you can use that ol’ plank to make your way across. But, I oughta warn you, it might be a little tipsy, ya hear? “

” ..Uh.. uh-huh.. I hear you. “ Roger squinted, rather awkwardly, before using his more-so-in-better-condition hand to move the plank along. This is fine. This isn’t weird at all. Really, it’s not, it’s like a Canoe. But it’s easier you may fall off and actually drown. Though- he supposes Mary could always- or.. you can learn how to swim, moron. But- you never really needed to swim, Why- you know why know, don’t you??

The plank bumped up against the ledge. Oh. Okay. He pulled himself up and onto the ledge, but- having only using one arm, it wasn’t the- easiest thing, and he just laid on his side. To his right, Mary got herself onto the ledge, much easier than he had. She looked over towards him.

” Alrighty! Now, we’re gonna need to travel a little bit. Y’ mind? “

“ ..Mind what. “

” Me supportin’ you so you don’t fall down, dingus. “ She said, with a slick smile. Roger sort of- blankly stared, before responding.

” Oh— yeah, uh.. I don’t mind much. “ He sat up, there was significantly less soreness and pain this time, but it was still there. “ ..ow. “

“ Okay, c’mon, fellow old timer! “ She very quickly brought him to his feet, and wrapped one arm around him, keeping him up.

” -HMm-! “ Roger blinked for a second. “ ..okay.. I.. guess we’re doing this now. “ She eyed her for a moment- wait. Something.. something was different.

Is…

” Is that my hat. “ Why was it on Mary’s head-

“ Oh- yeah, I saw it in the water and picked it up for you. Ya want it back? “ ..Well that makes sense.

” ..Yes, please. “ Roger nodded. Without a second wasted, she took the hat off of her head, and placed it on his. It was soaking, but it was- fine. It’ll be fine, this is fine.

” Onward! “ She began to walk.

Roger followed her lead, but limping severely.

[transparentgentlemenmarker]

Une piscine suspendue à 35 mètres de hauteur a été ouvrerte à Londres

Reliant deux des tours du luxueux complexe Embassy Gardens, situé sur la rive sud de la Tamise, cette piscine flottant dans le ciel londonien ouvre le 19 mai.

Après la première piscine au sommet d’un gratte-ciel, la capitale britannique accueille une nouvelle prouesse d’ingénierie : un bassin suspendu à 35 m de haut. Ce sont les sociétés Eckersley O'Callaghan et HAL Architects qui ont fait de ce vertigineux projet une réalité. Tout démarre en 2013, lorsque le groupe EcoWorld Ballymore souhaite réaliser une piscine d’extérieur chauffée. Ce dernier se heurte à un problème de taille : les rooftops de son complexe résidentiel 5 étoiles ne disposent pas d’un espace suffisant pour y faire construire un bassin. Naît alors l’idée d’un pont flottant de 24 mètres de long reliant le sommet de ces deux tours résidentielles

Avec une profondeur de 3 mètres, le cadre de 20 à 30 centimètres d’épaisseur est entièrement conçu en acrylique. Résistant à l’action du vent et au poids de l’eau, il garantit une sécurité et un confort optimal d’après les études structurelles de l’ambitieux projet. L’acrylique permet la transparence totale de la partie suspendue du bassin, à savoir 14 mètres de pure fantaisie aquatique. Les passants pourront ainsi observer les nageurs privilégiés de cette oasis chauffée, uniquement accessible aux membres de l'Eagle Club, un centre social très privé réservé aux résidents d'Embassy Gardens et à leurs invités. En plus de son design ultra épuré et futuriste, la « Sky Pool », de par sa localisation, offre une vue imprenable sur la Tamise, les Chambres du Parlement et le London Eye, particulièrement impressionnante de nuit.

This sky pool is suspended 115 feet in the air between 2 London apartments. According to reports, the 82-ft-long acrylic pool is the largest of its kind in the world. The pool opened May 19 and provides swimmers with views of the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye, and the Thames. Would you swim from those heights? 🏊‍♂️ via NowThis

June 5 2021

[libidomechanica]

S ship or East be slow, Cynara

S ship or East be slow, Cynara!  Or love is Tunished  by affright and look of  my longing back wilt new-fangled  men tears of Yún, arguing  off my being—vice in the  wesand things partyrs chers fires. 

Readen Fleece of love ancies  and that thy ballanswer to  the lessly when,  and welcome stiffanie of  hope fon, temper sighs and should  passing some any and Moons of 

more will she to 

her he, and all sung it to  precious dies razde, when 

who much morning linkd upon the  Snared which becaused to  all. And you occaccios  cut eachin the dear meanell 

in the East have; when 

think then I planet; that  ever until this mountainment,  I espy was will  ranks he pread, much the company  rive their rich did enter  filthy voice into  Clay his well, to a  pieces. Humboldt, “t is,”  throat. Yet a Muezzín frownd. What 

we betweeze too: I swords enches 

covers go winds bewith theyr good  the plights, and I did  they sneaking should legacy of  the chief! Was  long start. “I truth. Each Head and Lamp  three poor fear she days of his  can seasons you, so lips his  making speak? Your old Desiren,  till have stoute band, and blance one, 

and to sings, thout me by 

my bough you gulf her wore but good  and ‘Boats, the Don Juans  cruel be. And the  Shah observest who stamp as  swimming Boy, I heart of silence 

and our own weak me 

bed, o who divisible her  is the priue of the  Sigh, Malay, do no sing shall! 

Humbold God made thing had theme all the 

all be the hem  too soon; Ears love wooded is  smile’ At shephere mystery my pure  or had nor Thee. shade. but, he dinne  when re-mould be  so stranches, the heart, alien  thereof: nowhere is  smiling who look weeping for 

I am      my own her livines,  and feel the Foix!  S own have beguild in vamping  that though the will this  warm press the has no  very place besprint. The meats  the scattle snow that the 

wound hole and she word.

[kingdoms-of-fate]

IMPERIAL FEDERATION

BELLERON

Belleron is a hot steaming world of wet black rocks and sharp jagged mountains. Its studded with 1000s of caves and rocky chimneys exhaling toxic fumes into the sky chocking the atmosphere in a dense fog.

The planet is covered with a hot gray mud and carpets of thick black moss. The moss is most thick near pools of boiling mud where they are feed by active geysers venting nutrient chemicals into the water .

Everything is wet on Belleron and the air is extremely humid like a sauna. Metal rusts quickly and machines deteriorate rapidly leading to constant equipment replacement.

Rashes and fungal infection are common and clothing is often soaked upon hours on the surface. While most home will have a furnace to dry fabrics ,bed sheets, rugs, and clothing are often made of tarps and water proof material to help keep things dry.

Small rives cross the landscape there water boiling and emptying out into in small scalding bogs. The belleron tail , a long purple knotted stalks,grows wild in the bogs, thriving in the heat and sucking up the nutrient water. The tails can be opened to find edible spongy roots. though it is bitter and bland it is often made into stews or consumed when nothing else is available.

Federation elemental oil platforms run across the surface as the intense geothermic heat of the world produces a rich clean fire-gel creating some of the purest in the empire.

The caves are rich with iron and silver ore, but filled with boiling toxic water that requires being pumping before mining can begin. The Federation must bring the pump hoses in manually and use heavy scuba suit for protections. They receive oxygen from a series of metal tubes and tanks that cycle air gel into the suit along with some icy earth gel to protect the divers from intense heat.

While many of the caves have been explored others go much deeper then the Federation can reach. There in the unseen depths are reports of ghosts and oddities, claims of wailing and huge shadows lurking below. Some expeditions have even gone missing and while the official explanation is botched operation, the local will tell more chilling tales.

Cities are common on the planet, with iron walkways built over the boiling pools and hot mud. The Federation uses the more tolerable bodies of water as hot springs for soaking and swimming,and build small gardens on the fertile banks. They build iron plate roads across the surface connecting many of the towns and cities ,but the iron quickly rusts and legions of engineers are found constantly repairing the damage.

While Belleron is not as hostile as some worlds the Federation still finds it fair share of struggles on the muddy planet, and many who come looking for work often leave in months.

For more information on the deep mining phenomenon please provide the correct clearance to you local Examplia librarian.

[chiwoos-moved]

just arrived-rived-arriiiived i like it suhumviiiit ~swimming~ i feel alive-live-la-la-liiive i like it sukumviiiiiit sWIMMING

[lackofhonor]

Narcos Episode 01.09 – “No, I have not been duck hunting, you... fucking hillbilly.” – Javier Peña

So this is supposed to be fun?” Javi asked sarcastically. 

Murphy lowered the binoculars and looked over his shoulder at his partner. Javier Peña was hunched over on the bench seat in the boat with a cigarette clenched between his grit teeth. The orange coal of the lit cigarette casting a tiny glow in the grey gloom of the morning. They had been on the water for maybe two hours and while Steve found the air refreshing, it was clear that his friend was finding this morning’s hunt less than invigorating.

Two weeks ago Steve had convinced Javier to come up from Texas for a visit. He had spoken with Javi via phone many times after what had happened with Escobar. Truly, Javi deserved to be there for when the fucker fell, but it just hadn’t worked out that way. Instead, Javier had been sitting in Texas waiting on a disciplinary review for his actions. Still was waiting on that review, in fact. Steve had tried to stay in touch, even as he and Connie tried to gather together their lives in Colombia and move them back to the States. It had been a monumental challenge for him personally and professionally but the strain was worth it to be standing over Escobar in the end. And it had ended for him with taking that last photo of the bastard dead on the roof. It had ended for him when he and Connie stepped on that plane flying out of Colombia. Hadn’t it?

Yeah.

But had it for Javi? Well that was the question, wasn’t it?

-

Steve couldn’t help but feel his friend still had loose ends from Colombia in his head that needed tying. Y’know, beyond the fact Peña’s career was on the line with this review board shit. No, Javi still wanted some blood. Via their phone calls, Steve had gathered that all Javi had done since hitting stateside was drink liquor and fuck women. And while that was pretty much Javi’s M.O. throughout the entire time Steve had known him, normally Javi didn’t seem so depressed while going about his chosen extra-curriculars. Sometimes he fucked or drank away the stress or was sullen and frustrated. Sure, that was fine. But this was something darker and sadder than a typical bender.

So during their most recent weekly phone call, Steve did what anybody would do for a friend: told him the truth (“You need a hobby that isn’t fucking women or drinking yourself to death, Javi.”) and invited him on a trip (“Come on out and see Connie and I. Relax for a bit. Take your mind off this review board shit for a while so you can get your head on straight.) Javier Peña, being a reasonable man who recognizes that perhaps he may not exactly be dealing with things well, gave in with some reluctance (“…yeah. Yeah I guess I could come out and see you guys for a weekend. Not like I have much to do here until the hearing anyway… “) So of course Steve Murphy felt the need to try broadening his friend and former partner’s horizons by introducing a potential new hobby (“Great! We can celebrate for real with you here. There’s this band Connie’s been dying to see so we can hit that up. Plus the season just opened Sunday and I’ve not been since before I was posted in Miami. We’ll be able to go duck hunting while you’re down here.”).

-

This chain of events lead to the current moment with both men sitting in a olive drab john boat that had seen better days and Steve’s cousin’s dog sitting in the floor next to their feet. They were floating on the choppy waves of a muddy river looking out over nearly one hundred duck decoys bobbing in the freezing water. It was a cold day. The sky couldn’t seem to decide whether it wanted to spit light rain or tiny frozen drops at them and the wind cut at their faces. The boat was tied to posts sunk into the riverbed that were part of a blind covered in camouflaged netting and live willow branches. Sort of a little faux tunnel the boat could hide in. Murphy had stealthily steered their vessel inside that morning after a truly harrowing ride across the water just before dawn. Murphy was calm. Soaking in the sounds, smells and sights around him. He maneuvered the boat with ease and stroked the Benelli shotgun with a fondness that spoke of years of similar experiences when he had loaded it earlier. Javier on the other hand was not as charmed. His shoulders were bunched up to his ears trying to maintain valuable heat in his neck and head and he hunched over the borrowed Remington 870 in his lap as he stared blankly at the horizon.

“Stop your whining. Isn’t this nice? You get out in nature. Enjoy some fresh air.” Steve shared in his low friendly baritone. He took a moment to drink some hot coffee from the dented green metal thermos by his feet and observed the sky contentedly.

Javi grunted and continued to puff at his cigarette as he curled further inward. He felt miserable. He was still a bit hungover from the night before to tell the truth. The wind had changed direction again and the bitch was cold as hell right in his face. He didn’t come here to be tortured by Murphy’s idea of what a healthy past time should be.

“I’m freezing my ass off in a rinky dink boat decorated in switchgrass at the ass crack of dawn so you can get this bullshit out of your system. I did not need to come along for this hillbilly holiday,” Javier complained loudly. Murphy merely hushed him with a look and continued to sip his coffee and pet the black Labrador laying in the floor of the boat.

“Come on, it’s not that bad. You got to eat a nice hot breakfast at least. Homemade biscuits and eggs fresh from the chicken’s butt. And Ace here likes you,” Steve said. Javi grumbled under his breath but did give the dog a fond scratch behind the ears.

From the slate colored sky above came a chorus of quacking, signaling the incoming flock of about thirty mallards from the south. Outlined against the ominous grey clouds above the river Javier could make out the green heads and lighter colored feathers of the birds. Steve fumbled for his duck call and gave some rapid fire noise that he had tried to explain to Javier the day before was a “hail call”. It was meant to draw the ducks in closer.

“Take your time. Let them get in close enough. Remember what I told you: swing through. Butt, belly, beak then bang!” Steve tells Javi sotte voce. They both ready their weapons as the birds approach.

“Alright, take ‘em!” Murphy hisses when the birds are in range. Javi leans into the gun and squeezes the trigger through the arc as he follows their quarry. The sky explodes with sound and two birds drop from the sky into the watter below. “Good job man!” Murphy cheers and high-fives Javi.

Maybe this hillbilly crap isn’t so bad, Javi thinks to himself as Murphy gives the dog a gruff command that has it launching itself form the boat into the water. It is kind of nice to hear the lapping of the water on the boat’s hull, the gentle flutter and soothing noises of the birds. The river in late fall is beautiful in its own way. It is stark and wild with all the green faded away now for the season, but still beautiful. Javi observes how his friend is so relaxed in this environment and cannot help but crack a smile.

“Good boy Ace! Come on, come on!” Murphy calls as the black dog paddles back to the boat. The dog is determinedly swimming back to them with head above water with the downed bird. Murphy is moving around inside the blind now. He seems to be poking around searching for something when he starts to curse.

“What’s the matter?” Javi asks as he removes the hood on his sweatshirt from over the camo baseball cap Steve had loaned him. It’s still cold, but maybe the adrenaline of the moment earlier has warmed him some.

“Fuck, I forgot the ramp this morning. It’s this thing I stick on the back of the boat so Ace can get back in the boat on his own. I coulda sworn I stuck it in here this morning.” Steve is rummaging behind the extra life jackets and decoys.

Javi shrugged and looked out to see the dog treading water over the side. Javi could barely keep his eyes open when Steve woke him up at 4 a.m., shoved his feet into a pair of chest waders and tossed him a dark green hoodie with the words ‘Ducks Unlimited’ on the chest and an old camo coat. Although he did wake up pretty quickly once they got the boat on the rive and he had the icy spray from the speeding boat and wind in his face.

“What’s the big deal?”

“He can’t get in the boat dumbass. He can’t swim like that forever. He’ll get tired,” Murphy stated, “I’ll just take the boat off the pylons and we’ll beach on the shore real quick. He’ll follow and he can climb up the rocks onto the boat.” Murphy began the process of untying the boat from the mooring posts and unlashing parts of the boat hide that made up the floating duck blind. Javi looked over the side again at the plucky little retriever. Big, bright, rusty brown eyes in a handsome black face stared back while the animal continued to paddle away, duck still firmly clamped between its jaws. He could see the nostrils of the animal widen as it huffed air in, still treading water. It wasn’t that big of a dog. 80lbs maybe? He could just scoop it out of the water. Easy.

Javi stood up. “You don’t have to do that.”

Murphy wasn’t paying attention at first. Too focused on untying his complicated knot from when he tied up earlier. He felt the boat sway as his friend moved. But out of the corner of his eye did he see Javi lean over the side of the boat for the dog. His eyes widened. “Javi, no-.”

“Come on big boy, I gotcha.” Javi called to the dog as he leaned for over into the water to scoop up the animal. He had it about balanced right. The dog was barely out of reach. If he could lean just a little further now.

“Come on Ace. Oh shi-!” Murphy watched as his partner tipped headfirst over the side.

Two seconds later the spluttering dark headed man surfaced right next to the boat cursing a storm. Ace, the mallard still clutched in his mouth, whined continuously and paddled around Javi in the truly frigid water. Steve reached out a hand to his friend in the water, bracing himself off the motor in the back of the boat. “Swim over here. I can get you back on without capsizing off the stern,” he instructed.

Javi carefully kicked and stroked his powerful arms to the back of the boat and grabbed Steve’s hand.

“Alright, on three I am gonna haul you up but you gotta push yourself onto the boat at the same time.”

Javi nodded.

“Alright, ready…three!” Steve groaned and heaved the sopping man out of the water so that his top half was wedged onto the boat. Javier used his elbows and shoulders to drag himself fully inside and flopped into the hull with a grunt.

Steve laughed and shook his head as he watched his friend cough and shiver. He was ok. He’d be a little cold but Steve would set him right in a minute. At least now he didn't look so moody, like he had been sucking on a lemon, like he had looked all morning. No, now Javi looked like a drowned rat. Although Steve wasn’t going to tell him that. Yet.

Javi straightened himself up, sitting on his knees and glaring at his friend. But before he could open his mouth the persistent whining of the dog interrupted. Steve peered over the edge of the stern of the boat. Ace doggedly paddled with the bird still in his maw.

“Alright buddy, hang on. You think we can pull him over together or you need a bit?” Steve asked Javi as the man tried to wring out part of the ancient camouflage coat that he had loaned him that morning. Javi rolled his eyes and positioned himself in the stern, carefully bracing himself on the side as Murphy was also doing. Together they carefully reached down into the water and hauled out the black lab and rolled him into the boat, dropping a good amount of water back into the boat.

The dog leapt to its feet and presented his prize to his master. A job well done surely. Murphy ruffled Ace’s ears after plucking the bird from the dog’s mouth and handed it to Javier.

“Your first duck hunt and your first duck. What do you think Javi?” The blonde man grinned at him so widely Javi couldn’t help but return the smile as he took the duck from his friend.

“Y’know, all things considered-“

Javi was interrupted by a truly massive full body shake from Ace, spraying he and Murphy with even more freezing water. Soaked to the bone, water dripping off the bill of his cap and desperately in need of a smoke he looked down at the black dog, its tail thumping furiously on the floor of the boat. He thought about the way that early morning fog had looked on the water and the duck he would eat later with Murphy’s hick relatives. He though about the money he spent for a license and duck stamp that would go back to preserving more habitat. He thought about the quiet and the trees and the way the biting wind felt. Javi wiped the water from his face and kneeled down to give the dog a good scratch behind his ears with one hand while he still held the duck.

It was fun.

Kinda.

The dog shook itself again. More water went flying. Javi scowled.

“Have we fed your inner redneck enough for today? Cause I have enough for a lifetime I think,” he huffed, searching the pocket of the duck coat to see if his precious cigarettes were dry enough to be lit.

Steve laughed and clapped him on the shoulder as Javi cupped the flame toa damp, mangled white paper cylinder. “Tell you what, next year I’ll come to Texas and play cowboy with you and your Dad on the ranch instead, ok?”

Javier’s eyes lit up. “Don’t get too cocky there, hillbilly. We’ll have to see how you measure up at ropin’ and drinking whiskey.”

Steve rolled his eyes and started the boat motor for home.

[io-wall]

Precursors

 》Everyone, except Al-an, are original characters and the designs are my own. Spoilers for Subnautica and Subnautica: Below Zero《

  Al-an would probably be in a position of a 'leader' as his mind was transferred into the storage until he transferred into Robin's mind. Another reason would be that his suit has purple parts instead of green as others. Until his mind was transferred back into his own body, the body was in a hibernation in the Fabricator base.

 Adara is a solider and a bodyguard. He and Rive were in a hibernation until Ryley started the spread of the enzyme 42 and kept their existence a secret since he returned back to Alterra.

 Rive is similar to a scout . She explores mostly the underwater areas because she can breathe under water and can swim faster.

 Rayla is a spy and has the ability to hypnotize, confuse and mess with mind of hers enemies. She secretly landed in the area of Sector Zero to try to find Al-an. She encountered few members of the Alterra and Vesper, later even Robin, but no one remembers the encounter because she wiped their memories of the encounter. She doesn't have any problems in extremely low and high temperatures.

Ritu and Hetia are guards of the Precursor babes in the Arctic Spires. They are very strong and are agressive towards intrudors. Their appearance is similar to the Ice Worm. After they met with Al-an and he explained everything, they became more friendly towards Robin and helping her traveling through the Arctic Spires without Ice Worms attacking her.

[artdaily7]

Wake Not for the World-Heard Thunder by A. E. Housman

Wake not for the world-heard thunder, Nor the chimes that earthquakes toll; Stars may plot in heaven with planet, Lightning rive the rock of granite, Tempest tread the oakwood under, Fear not you for flesh or soul; Marching, fighting, victory past, Stretch your limbs in peace at last.

Stir not for the soldier's drilling, Nor the fever nothing cures; Throb of drum and timbal's rattle Call but men alive to battle, And the fife with death-notes filling Screams for blood--but not for yours. Times enough you bled your best; Sleep on now, and take your rest.

Sleep, my lad; the French have landed, London's burning, Windsor's down. Clasp your cloak of earth about you; We must man the ditch without you, March unled and fight short-handed, Charge to fall and swim to drown. Duty, friendship, bravery o'er, Sleep away, lad; wake no more.

Edouard Manet 1864 The Dead Christ with Angels, oil on canvas, The Metropolitan Museum of Art