#commonwealth youth games

[petnews2day]

Cat lands man in court over ammo offences

New Post has been published on https://petn.ws/p5uWy

Cat lands man in court over ammo offences

Thursday, 18 April 2024 06:52 A businessman has found himself in court after a cat triggered an alarm at his home. Property developer and food waste company owner Michael Osborne of the Ballamodha Straight in Ballasalla appeared before Deputy High Bailiff Rachael Braidwood at Douglas Courthouse. The 75-year-old admitted two counts of illegally possessing ammunition. […]

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[galleryyuhself]

Galleryyuhself - Let the games begin

[sugar-soda]

Kids Shouldn't be Here: Paladin Danse

Fallout 4 Platonic Companions x Child! Sole

Warnings: Canon Typical Violence, Child in dangerous situations

A/N: This is NOT romantic at all! This is all platonic relationships that explore how the Fallout 4 companions and game would change if the Sole Survivor was a young child. Any romantic suggestions or reblogs will be blocked.

Masterlist

______________________________________________________________

Combat was no place for a child.

That's why the Brotherhood of Steel rarely let squires out on the field. Even reconnaissance missions could go quickly sideways if hostiles are spotted. So children were kept on base for their safety. On the rare occasions they are allowed outside, it was often in groups and they were to be escorted by at least an equal number of knights. In the event they are attacked, they were given strict instructions to retreat or find cover if retreat was impossible.

Despite this, training for all brotherhood squires started very young. At age 7, basic defense maneuvers were taught and simple training regimens would be implemented into a squire’s daily schedule, increasing in difficulty as they aged. By starting at a early age, they would be fully prepared for any situation when they were allowed to go off base.

The Brotherhood took great pride in their defense of their young members, which led to many adults feeling safe enough to have a few little ones themselves, if they are able.

Not everyone did, of course. Some were just unable to reproduce, others had no desire for children, and the rest felt like it was unfair to have a kid if they were constantly out in the field, finding the likelihood of their death way too high.

____________________________________________________________

Paladin Danse, for one, just never had the thought of having his own kids. He was too busy with his duties as a Paladin and never desired to cultivate a relationship, much less one that would lead to fatherhood. So, the idea simply never crossed his mind. 

Now, he didn't hate children. He just never had much of a chance to interact with them. On a few occasions he had assisted with class training and demonstrations, but those were few and far between. He was also never assigned to escort any groups of them as a knight, which he is thankful for. The children's lack of discipline and excitement for potential danger would likely drive him up the wall, and he couldn't scold a kid for having fun. At least when helping with a class, their teacher would be there to reign their youthful energy into something productive.

Right now, the Paladin could use some of that energy. The attacking ghouls seemed never ending. 

Ever since they first stepped into the Commonwealth, Recon Squad Gladius had taken loss after loss. Knight Brach, Knight Worwick, Knight-Sergeant Dawes, all dead to this god forsaken place. 

Now they lost Knight Keane.

Danse would never admit it, but he believed that there was a high chance of all of them dying. With Knight Keane dead and Knight Rhys injured, it left only him to fight off the ghouls attacking the Cambridge Police Station. Scribe Haylen was assisting the best she could, but was currently using one hand to shoot, and the other to put pressure on Knight Rhys’s injury, so her aim was inaccurate at best.

Danse prided himself on his skills in combat, but his lack of sleep and pounding headache had left his own aim absolutely abysmal. He had seen civilian children with better aim, he swore.

One ghoul got much too close to him. If he wasn’t in his power armor, he would have been cut by its long, infected, clawed nails. Danse blocked the thrashing feral with his arm and shoved back, knocking it off its feet long enough to pull the trigger. God, how many of these things were there?

“DUCK AND COVER!”

A young voice screamed out from…above? The situation only was made more chaotic by the explosion of a molotov cocktail thrown over the defensive wall. Multiple of the ghouls fell to the fire, dead on impact as more mindlessly ran through the flames. Two additional lasers shot past him, and a gunshot cracked in his ears. Danse quickly recovered and fired at the closest feral. He could ask questions later, right now he had to insure the survival of what was left of his squad. Even if that meant accepting backup from unknown forces.

“Civilians in the area! Check your fire!”

The fire had considerably weakened the attacking ghouls. Now, they were falling in one or two shots. The final feral threw itself at Danse, only for a bullet to rip through its neck before making contact.

Danse kept his guard up and scanned the perimeter for additional threats. Nothing. No more ghouls at the moment. Excellent. He turned to look at where the additional shots came from and assessed if they could be threats.

A man and a Mr. Handy, and if the shouted warning, the explosion, and the sound of bullets ringing in his ears was any indication, there was an additional person, though he assumed they weren’t as young as their voice sounded like. His guess was a sniper of some sort, which is how they were able to throw the cocktail so far. He wasn’t sure where they were shooting from, but there were enough structurally sound buildings around that any of them could have had a fire escape that could be climbed.

The Mr. Handy looked standard enough. Nothing to indicate it was  different from its more violent counterparts, except maybe a cleaner finish. It was clearly well taken care of. Maybe that’s why it didn’t appear hostile toward anyone, now that the ghouls were cleared. In the event it did turn violent, Danse was confident he could take it.

The man may be a more difficult threat. He seemed well-built and he appeared unphased by the ghoul attack, holding himself similar to Danse wished more knights would. Stern, straight backed, and collected while holding his laser musket at the ready. This man clearly had training in combat. Still, Danse was sure his power armor gave him more than enough of an advantage should the need arise. He opened his mouth to thank the man, but was cut off by him looking up and yelling.

“Sunny! Are you alright?”

“Yes, Mr. Preston, I’m fine! They didn’t even get close to the fire escape.”

The clattering of a rusted, metal ladder was heard, followed by quick footsteps as the previously unseen sniper rushed past the wall.

Oh. So he was incorrect. The sniper was as young as her voice sounded. Danse frowned. The rifle on her back clearly registered her as the sniper, but he had difficulty believing someone so young would be able to handle such a powerful weapon. The recoil alone should damage her shoulder, not to mention the weight of the weapon. 

Such questions were not important at the present moment, however. More pressing matters needed their attention. These civilians may not be completely benevolent in their assistance. With the squad's weakened state, it would be easy for a well armed group to overtake them. He was confident he could take on each of the three individually, he wasn’t sure he could take on the man if the girl and Mr. Handy was giving him backup. His power armor was strong, but enough damage could cause it to break and leave them vulnerable.

“We appreciate the assistance, civilians,” Danse said, addressing the man. “But what’s your business here?”

The man moved himself, so he was in front of the girl. “We were on our way to Diamond City when we got your distress signal. It sounded like you needed a hand, so we came.”

The girl held up her wrist, showing off a Pipboy attached to it. “I picked it up on my Pipboy!”

The Commonwealth must have more operational vaults than the Wasteland. She said it so casually and without concern, despite the rarity of the device. She must have been from a Vault herself, as Danse could see now that she wore a vault suit under her duster and sparse leather armor. Though it didn’t explain her presence here and not underground.

“You know, when you first meet someone for the first time, it’s typical to introduce yourself. Not interrogate them,” the man said, almost sounding as if he was teasing. Danse knew that dealing with civilians should be dealt with more gently, as they couldn’t be expected to have the same discipline as a Brotherhood soldier. The death of his comrades have left him wary, however, believing caution to be the best way to move forward.

“Apologies. If I appear suspicious, it’s because our mission here has been difficult. Since the moment we arrived in the Commonwealth, we’ve been constantly under fire,” He apologized. If the man was willing to help, it would be unwise to anger him. “I’m Paladin Danse, Brotherhood of Steel. Over there is Scribe Haylen and Knight Rhys. If you want to continue pitching in, we could use an extra gun on our side.”

Danse held out his hand in a gesture of goodwill, which the man shook. “Preston Garvey, Commonwealth Minutemen. This is Sunny Roberts, I’m escorting her to Diamond City.” Danse had heard very little of the Minutemen. Any data on the cause was collected before his squad was sent out. Trained troops of volunteers would travel the Commonwealth responding to settlements in need of defense when called. A noble and honorable cause no doubt, but overly charitable and unfocused, with no stated way of collecting needed resources for their men. So he had to assume a single civilian being escorted by one was standard procedure.

Roberts pulled one of the arms of the Mr. Handy as she introduced the robot. “And this is Codsworth!” 

“Pleasure to make your acquaintance, good sir!” it said, waving a claw in greeting. Danse really didn’t want to interact with it more than he had to, so he was relieved when Garvey continued speaking.

“I’m a little surprised to see Brotherhood all the way out here. I heard a little about you guys back in the day, but I thought you guys were all based in the west.”

“Affirmative, we are generally located toward the west coast. However, we have been sent out on recon duty, but I am down a man and supplies are running low. I’ve been trying to send a distress call to my superiors, but the signal’s too weak to reach them.”

Haylen finished stimpaking Rhys and spoke up, “Sir, if I may?”

“Proceed, Haylen.”

“I’ve modified the radio tower on the roof of the police station, but i’m afraid it just isn’t enough. What we need is something that will boost the signal.”

“Our target is ArcJet Systems, and it contains the technology we need…the Deep Range Transmitter,” Danse told Garvey. “We infiltrate the facility, secure the transmitter, and bring it back here. So what do you say? You willing to lend the Brotherhood of Steel a hand?”

Garvey looked apprehensive, but Roberts nudged him. “Mr. Preston, they need help. That man clearly needs more than a stimpak and I think I saw Haylen run out of those anyway.”

Danse suppressed a frown. Roberts was perceptive. While that wasn’t the last of their stimpaks, it was the last Scribe Haylen had in her first aid kit. There were two, maybe three, at best inside. The last of the Radaway had been used two days ago during a radstorm. Not nearly enough if they wanted to survive any future attacks.

Garvey, luckily, seemed to cave to the light pressure. “Yes, we’ll help you, but we will need more ammo and supplies if we want to get to ArcJet Systems. The last I heard, their security system was still operational.”

“I can assure you that I wouldn’t undertake this mission unless I had confidence in your abilities,” Danse assured. He turned and went toward Knight Rhys, who was only now starting to sit up with Scribe Haylen’s assistance. “Haylen, take Rhys inside and bind his wounds. That stimpak won’t be able to heal the more superficial wounds and we don’t want them getting infected and becoming a bigger problem. Rhys, once you're on your feet, I want you to make certain that the perimeter is secure.”

Once he heard their confirmations, he turned back toward Garvey. “Resupply yourself inside the police station, then let me know when you are ready to begin.”

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Roberts had shot past Danse and Garvey, the Mr. Handy following fretfully behind. By the time the rest of them had filed in, he could already hear her rifling through ammo cases in one of the side rooms. He restocked his own supply of power cells at the front desk before allowing Garvey to grab his own. Danse watched as Sunny emerged from the side room and sat down on the floor near the door with a magazine and Nuka-Cola, using her duffle bag as a seat. The Mr. Handy started undoing and then redoing her braids, earning a quiet “Thanks, Codsworth” in return.

“Your charge seems awfully…attached to your robot.” Danse told Garvey. While he was aware of Mr. Handys being used for childcare before the war, and therefore likely used the same in vaults, seeing it do so was still unnerving.

Garvey looked up from counting his ammo and looked at the duo, unfazed by their strange display. “You mean Sunny? Yeah she’s pretty close to him, but I don’t blame her. He’s kinda all she has left.” Preston lowered his voice and said, “Both of her parents were murdered and the man who did it kidnapped her brother. That’s why I’m escorting her to Diamond City, to try and find leads on where he is now.”

Danse frowned, sympathetic to the girl, but still confused. “Surely there were more capable residents of the vault than a child. Despite her impressive abilities, she is still a prime target for hostiles.”

“There are no other residents,” Garvey stressed, now continuing with filling his ammo belt. “According to Sunny, none of the other residents' pods would open, and the terminals said their life support got cut off. She’s the sole survivor of that place”

Now he was more confused, “Life support pods? Were the residents quarantined due to disease? Is it wise to allow a potential carrier out in the open?”

Garvey shook his head, “No, she’s perfectly healthy as far as I can tell. At least physically.” He checked on her again. Now she insisted on the Mr. Handy lowering itself on the ground, to have it read along with her. If it wasn’t for its creepy eyes appearing to scan the page, Danse would have assumed it had powered down. Garvey lowered his voice again all the way down to a whisper, “The reason she was in there was she’s pre-war.”

Danse flicked his gaze back to her. She was snuggled up the best she could to the Mr. Handy, pressing a cheek to the cool metal as she scanned the magazine's pages, her knees propped up. Danse would admit he had difficulty telling a child’s age, but there was no way she was a teenager. Her height and awkward limbs suggested she was about to hit puberty, but her chubby cheeks and higher pitched voice showed it may still be awhile.

“I find that very difficult to believe.”

Garvey finished filling his ammo belt, and put it on. “Believe it or not, it’s true. The vault froze the original residents as soon as the bombs dropped. Nonconsensually. Apparently, they were told the pods were for decontamination. Sunny said one moment her father was telling her it would be alright, the next? Everyone’s dead. She’s only been out for a few days”

Dear God. Danse couldn’t keep the shock off his face. It was appalling how this happened. Vault-Tec had the technology. They could have kept the residents and their descendants alive for centuries, he knew they could. It was well known that the legendary Lone Wanderer was from a vault. But instead they committed atrocity after atrocity. There was a reason most vaults sat rotting, with all residents dead. Except it didn’t kill this one, just left her as a child out of place and out of time. 

“She…seems to be handling it well?” he started uneasily. It was hard connecting an orphan left in the vault to the child chugging the last of her Nuka-Cola. 

“Most of the time, she seems fine,” Garvey started, “ but if you remind her of what happened to her parents or what happened in the vault, she starts to break down. Happened when I first met her. She was fine until I asked her where her parents were. So it's best to avoid the topic.” The Minuteman straightened up and readied his musket. “Ready to go?”

“Affirmative. Follow my lead.”

Danse didn’t realize a third member had joined them until they were going down the steps of the station. “Roberts, return to the station. Haylen and Rhys are fully capable of watching you until Garvey’s return.”

She continued walking even as he addressed her, Codsworth following behind. “No, I’m going.”

Danse had to remind himself that she was not technically under his command, and pushed away the feeling of disrespect he was just hit with. Grabbing her by the shoulder, he contined, “I can not allow a civilian minor to accompany us on a potentially hazardous assignment. We will return shortly.”

“Arcjet worked with the military, so they had to have a great security system.  You'll need someone hack into terminals and shut it down. I know you can't, Mr. Preston, and judging by the locked terminals in the station, I'm betting you can't either, Paladin.”

Garvey, luckily, seemed to be on his side. “I know you wanna help, Sunny, but you're going to be vulnerable if we get in a fight inside the building. Codsworth can only lay so much cover fire, and Paladin Danse and I won't be able to protect you.”

Roberts shrugged off his hand and adjusted her duffle bag to reach inside. “ I know I can’t fight if someone gets close. There’s a reason I use a sniper rifle. That's why I grabbed this at the station.”

A Stealth-boy was pulled out of her bag and held up triumphantly. “I can cloak myself so no one can see me, and uncloak when I need to use a terminal, or pick a lock, or something.”

“The lockpicking I'm sure won't be necessary, Miss Sunny,” the Mr. Handy cut in. He sounded a little put off, but Danse was sure that was his imagination.

Sunny rolled her eyes good naturedly, and zipped her bag back up. She clipped the Stealth-boy onto her duster for easy access before continuing forward. “Besides,” She added, “that Rhys guy looked like he wanted to shoot me in the back. I'm not going back in there with him.”

That made too much sense, unfortunately. Danse knew that Rhys took great pride as Brotherhood knight and had a poor temper with it. Having your superior protect you during combat was nothing to be a ashamed of, but needing assistance from two civilians and a machine was probably where Rhys drew the line. His ego was bruised and Robert's unusual attachment to the Mr.Handy drew a larger target for his ire. 

In the Brotherhood, everyone should be treated with decency. Civilans should be treated with caution, as they were outsiders, so it would understandable to appear cold but it was still a soldier's duty to protect them and show they were not a threat until threatened. Superiors should be treated with the most respect, those of the same rank all held the same duties and should understand each other, and subordinates should be led by a firm but fair hand. Rhys’ temper often kept him from that. He had already received multiple dressing downs for aggressiveness toward fellow knights, insubordination toward superior officers, and mistreatment of scribes and initiates, which is why he was unable to climb the ranks any higher.

If he contined his behavior, he would recieve another for his attempts of intimidating a child, of all things.

Danse sighed and relinquished the argument. Mostly to avoid further headaches. “Very well. But I expect you to listen to every command Garvey and myself give you until we return,” he stated. 

Roberts smiled. “ Yes sir, Mr. Paladin!”

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------

“So what exactly is the Brotherhood of Steel? Like, what do you guys do?”

After Danse had given explanation on what had happened to lead his squad to such dire straits in the Commonwealth, silence had fallen over the group as they jogged toward their destination. While the power armor lengthened his strides, each step was slower, so Garvey was able to keep up easily. Roberts’ shorter legs made the trek more difficult for her, as she was practically running compared to them. Despite this, she was able to break the silence about 10 minutes afterwards without sounding out of breath. Must have been all that youthful energy.

The question was reasonable, he supposed. The Brotherhood of Steel formed after the bombs fell, and haven't been in the Commonwealth ever. So they wouldn't be spoken about often enough for someone who's only been out for a few days to know about them. Danse racked his head for the recruiting methods he learned as an initiate. 

“Our order seeks to understand the nature of technology. It's power. It's meaning to us as humans. And we fight to secure that power from those that would abuse it,” He stated. It wasn't the exact wording, but it was close enough he thinks.

“What do you mean by ‘abuse’?”

“Before the Great War, science and technology became more of a burden than a benefit. The atom bomb, bi-engineered plagues, and FEV are clear examples of the horrors technological advancement had wrought. We are here to make sure that doesn't happen.”

Roberts stayed silent for a bit, mulling the words over in her head. Danse was sure she would agree. She saw first hand how much was lost in the Great War. How technology in the wrong hands could rip apart families and kill entire nations. 

“So what do you do when they do?” she asked, “Who decides who should and shouldn’t have certain things. Like, I get raiders and killers shouldn’t get, like, an atom bomb, but what if a small town has one or even just a lot of advanced weapons? What do you do then?”

Danse couldn’t help but be reminded of the story of the Lone Wanderer finding a small town built around an atom bomb, funnily enough. Apparently she had shut it off, but he questioned the validity of the story. “If the town is willing, we would temporarily relocate the citizens and send in a squad to disarm the bomb, dismantle it, and take the individual pieces to a secure location. In the case of the weapons, the same procedure is followed or they are to be put under the protection and control of the Brotherhood,” he said.

“And if they aren’t?” Roberts pressed. “I mean, I can’t imagine why a town would want a bomb, but the town could have those weapons for defense, not to hurt anyone.”

Danse swallowed, and continued, aware that the answer would sound wrong to someone so young, though maybe not so naive. “If a town is unwilling, they are put under control by force.”

Sunny didn’t ask any more questions.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Roberts kept her promise in Arcjet Systems and stayed out of the way. When the synths first showed up, Danse was concerned when he immediately lost sight of her. Then she faded back into sight and he remembered the Stealth-boy she had. On occasion, he swore he saw a tire iron swing down on a synth across the room, but that was it.

“Damn it, a dead end! See if you can get the door open.”

“Got it!”

Roberts kneeled down in front of the door and carefully placed a bobby pin and screwdriver inside. Carefully turning the lock slowly and looking for the sweet spot. The Mr. Handy spoke for the first time since they left the station.

“Must you use such a criminal skill, Miss Sunny? Even hacking the terminal would be preferable.”

“Locking picking is faster. I promise you can lecture me later, Codsworth.”

Garvey leaned curiously over to observe her work. “Where did you even learn to do that? I didn't think schools before the Great War taught how to pick a lock.”

She was silent for a moment before answering. “ They didn't. I learned from a magazine and practiced on Mom and Dad's safe until I got it right.” a light blush bloomed on Roberts’ face. “I thought the cover looked cool.”

The Mr. Handy sighed, “ Sadly, I didn't find out about this terrible exercise until she had already cracked the safe open and had moved onto Mum's jewelry box.” the robot gave a simulated sigh. “ After that, I insisted we switch the liquor cabinet over to a five digit combination lock.”

“I wasn't going to go through the liquor cabinet,” Roberts pouted, but made no further argument. She replaced the bobby pin with another before attempting the other direction.

Danse leaned closer alongside Garvey. Roberts showed much potential for her age. Already well versed in combat, and possessed other skills to further the mission. If a few rougher edges could be smoothed out, she could become a very successful Brotherhood member in the future.

“ Roberts, have your Stealth-boy ready. There are more synths on the other side of door.”

“Got it.”

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once they had gotten to the engine core, it seemed like the synths had multiplied. Roberts had disappeared as she should, but Danse hoped they didn't accidentally leave her behind above them. As they reached the bottom, the lights turned on. Excellent. Roberts must have gotten ahead and restored the auxiliary power. 

Danse backed up against the glass of a window so none of the synths could attack from behind. The Mr. Handy had set up in front of the stairs, blocking any more approaching synths with a well placed shot.

Garvey kept moving around the room, as the slow reload of his laser musket left him open for a melee attack if he didn't stay out of arms reach.

“Paladin Danse!” Roberts pressed her face up against the glass from the other side. “I can turn on the engine from in here and take out all the synths but everyone needs to get in here!”

Adjusting his footing to back up toward the door, Danse yelled out to the two others. “Everyone inside the engine room now!”

Garvey and the Mr. Handy retreated into the the room, Danse bringing up the rear. His armor acted as an effective shield for the two as an automated voice started a count down. By the time it called out three, the Mr. Handy closed the door and Danse and Garvey pressed against it to keep the synths from getting in.

A scorching wave of heat hit the door as the engine roared to life. Garvey jumped back away from the red hot door, but Danse stayed against the door. His power armor was made to handle extreme temperatures such as this. While he wouldn't take unnecessary risk like standing in the flames, the heat off the door was negligible at worst.

As the engine sputtered off, Roberts ran down the hallway towards them. “ Is everyone alright?”, she asked, “That engine is way more powerful than I thought. It didn't just fry the synths like I thought it would, it turned them to ash!”

Danse made a mental note to inform his superiors of the deadly engine. While he had no idea how someone without the Brotherhood resources would move the giant thing, but it would be better to deal with it soon rather than find out who. Danse looked down at Roberts. She had dirt on her face from the window and her braids were once again a mess but she appeared relatively unharmed as she looked  up at him.

“Great job,” Garvey praised, “ Sorry that I doubted you.” He affectionately ruffled her hair, causing more of it to fall out of her braids.

“Excellent work, Roberts.” Danse added. “With the power on and the way cleared, we should be able to locate the Deep Range Transmitter.”

Roberts grinned. “You're welcome, Paladin Danse. But you can just call me ‘Sunny’. ‘Roberts’ makes you sound like my old principal.” 

Not knowing exactly what a principal was, Danse agreed to the small request.

“Very well, Sunny. Let's move.”

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Oh my gosh, the sun's too bright now! I think I spent too long in there!”

Danse had to agree with Sunny as he squinted against the harsh light in his eyes when they exited Arcjet Systems. The Deep Range Transmitter was secured and the whole building cleared for another squad to later survey for other resources.

Danse turned and faced the group. “ Thank you both for your assistance with securing the Deep Range Transmitter.” He focused on Garvey. “ If you are interested, I'm sure the Brotherhood of Steel would be proud to have you join our cause.”

“The offer is appreciated,” Garvey smiled, “ but I'll have to decline. Just make sure the Brotherhood knows to leave the settlements alone.”

“As long as they cause us no problems, that should not be an issue,” Danse agreed before turning to Sunny. “As a token of appreciation, take this,” he handed her his spare rifle, “ it's a standard issue energy rifle with a few modifications. The lack of recoil and shorter range will be more suitable for defense in closed areas.”

Sunny took it gratefully, “Thanks! I already live with a semi-permanently bruised shoulder. All this leather armor can only do so much. I don't think I can live with my wrist being like that, too.”

Danse felt a little smug. He knew she couldn’t use that rifle without repercussions.  “The offer stands for you as well. It's not every day we have a squire so far ahead of their peers. You could become one of the youngest knights we ever had with more proper training.”

“Oh! Well, thank you for the offer,” Sunny hesitated, clearly unsure on what to do. “ but I don't think I'll have time for training. You see, I'm looking for someone and I have to follow my leads. So I can't stay at your Brotherhood base.”

“Accommodations can be made for your…unique circumstances, I’m sure once I explain the situation to Elder Maxson, he would sign off on it himself” Danse pushed, as Sunny awkwardly shifted her feet. “ and the Brotherhood resources could be used in your search. To my knowledge, you are looking for your younger brother, correct?” 

Sunny sent a quick glare to Garvey, who looked unrepentant. Then she looked back at Danse, “Yes, I’m looking for my brother. His name is Shawn. The man who killed my parents took him, and I’m going to find him."

“I understand,” Danse comforted. “I also understand you need all the help you can get. While you would be expected to uphold Brotherhood values and rules, you would be under our protection. Since you are also under the Minutemen, your presence will serve to prevent hostilities between the groups.”

“But I’m not part of the Minutemen, Mr. Preston is just escorting me.”

That caught Garvey’s attention and he raised an eyebrow. “Sunny, you’ve been an honorary Minuteman since you helped at Concord.”

Her head whipped around in shock and her eyes grew bigger. “Really?”, she asked excitedly.

“Yes,” laughed Garvey good-naturedly, “just don’t expect me to give you assignments. Not until you're older. The word ‘honorary’ is there for a reason.”

Sunny whipped around once again to face Danse again, grinning widely and holding her hand out. “Okay, Paladin Danse, if you can convince your boss to let me continue to live outside your base, I’ll join the Brotherhood of Steel. Don’t make me regret it!” She pointed a finger at him.

Despite himself, Danse smiled lightly. “Excellent! Glad to have you, Squire Sunny.”

[theoperativeif]

The Operative: Fires of Revolution [18+] (Updated 8/03/2024)

You are an Operative, one of hundreds of modified beings that saved the Empire of a United Earth in its war against the Commonwealth. The war you were created for is over, billions dead in a duel between raging Empires that ended in a stalemate on a barren planet that left both sides ravaged.

But now ghosts from your past threaten to plunge the galaxy into another war and threaten all you have fought for.

Battle against those you once called family, discover hidden truths behind the Operative Project and protect those you love as you are drawn back to an all too familiar barren planet...

Content Warnings

[This game contains, violence, depiction of war and innocent casualties, strong language, drug references, major/minor character death (including possible ro death), optional explicit sexual content(fade to black only atm), references to abuse and other mature themes. Please use discretion and this list will be updated as content is added.]

Features

Play as a man, woman, or non-binary.

Become a legendary super soldier, are you the ideal soldier? The perfect protector? An expert assassin? A walking war machine? Or maybe you are the monster that haunts your enemies nightmares.

Help shape the future of an Empire recovering from war, or just go where your superiors tell you.

Shape your character’s personality and have their choices influence the galaxy.

Fall in love with one of six romance options. Including an Imperial Marine, a fellow super soldier, an Imperial Agent and a mysterious chemical weapons expert.

Unearth the mystery of a failed revolt and a quarantined planet.

Will you build the Empire up? Or ensure it tears itself apart?

Notable Characters

Ari “The Old Flame” [M/F]

A loyal companion since you were both made Operatives, Ari is either your closest friend or your old flame of youth. They served in some of the darkest moments of the Empire, having thousands of kills under their belt. Recent events forced you both into conflict and then separation, now leaving memories and dreams as your only respite together. But something behind the scenes may force two people intertwined by destiny back together…

(Appearance)  6'8 A pale white complexion with wide diamond blue eyes and mid length snow white hair. Broad-shouldered with a toned musculature Ari's life as a soldier along with their enhancements make them an intimidating foe.

Liana Swarovski “The Soldier” [F]

One of two marines personally assigned to you by the Admiral. Despite spending the past several years in combat she forces herself to maintain as cheerful a disposition as possibly. Having been saved by an Operative in a past mission gone wrong she remains open and friendly to her newest assignment…

(Appearance)  5'7 with bright hazel eyes and a bright smile. Warm beige complexion and bright blonde hair done in a ponytail when on the job. Slightly stouter build then one would expect.

Jacob Miller "The Tactician” [M]

One of two marines personally assigned to you by the Admiral. Not much to note about the ordinary man, except that for someone with only two combat missions under their belt he spent the remainder of the war in service of Admirals and Generals. Recent events have reportedly chipped away at his once Casanova and pleasure loving disposition, but behind his kind eyes lies something much colder very few see…

(Appearance)  6'1 with soulful green eyes and a small smile, longer dark brown hair that he often slicks back. Average body build.

Designate Six “The Loyalist” [NB]

A deadly combatant even to Operatives, Designate Six commands the Chemical Core under your command, a group of specialist who utilize chemical and biological warfare tactics to render enemy forces inert. Hidden behind robes and masks Six is first and foremost an explorer of the deadly and arcane, but second a person of undying loyalty to their Operative…

(Appearance)  5'5 Two large expressive eyes resembling two pools of purple, tan skin intermixed with scars and patches of discoloration are hints of the price they have paid for their service to the empire.

Agent Roads “The Investigator” [M/F]

Agent Roads is an agent for the Imperial Heartbreaker Division, a branch of the Emperors secret police, specializing in tactics best left out of the spotlight. Their history with Operative 002 is an interesting one born of violence and strife, but now, all this time later perhaps its one of fascination. Especially when Road’s own dark past surfaces with one thing on their mind. Revenge. 

Their reputation is one rivaling the most bloodthirsty Operatives, but will someone looking closer find something worthwhile behind those cruel eyes?

(Appearance)  5'9 with predatory silver eyes and deep olive skin, bobbed thick raven black hair, thin build with a removed tattoo on their chest just below their collarbone.

Polina Cartigan “The Princess” [F]

Princess Polina is the second in line of the Emperors children, despite her calm and thoughtful demeanor do not be mistaken, beneath lies a powerful drive to improve the Empire. Seeking a peace with the ACC so as to rebuild shattered supply lines and defenses she is opposed by the majority of the UEG leadership. But a steadily rising wave of idealistic young military and political minds now stokes the flames as she prepares to take her first true steps onto the galactic stage.

(Appearance) 5′8 dark complexion with burning amber eyes and a thin graceful build.

Linky Links:

Demo Link

Discord Link

Spinoff Tumblr Post

[stoat-party]

From a narrative perspective I really prefer to believe that everything Deacon tells you in his final affinity talk is true, because 1. Even though he cares about the rest of the Railroad, it’s clear you’re the only person he’s gotten close to in a long time, and 2. It’s as real as he ever gets with you in-game, showing an unprecedented amount of trust (and causing you to question just how much of an act he’s putting on before and henceforth). But I’m newly charmed by the idea that every part of his story was true… except his wife just isn’t dead.

Yeah she’s totally fine. They found out she was a synth 20-something years ago, and it was pretty traumatic but they’re all good now. He took out the UP Deathclaws, not out of vengeance, but just because they were too much of a threat to leave alone. The Railroad got the wrong idea and Deacon just went with it. Even if someone’s trustworthy, the Institute has ways of getting information from people, so it’s just better to act like she doesn’t exist, y’know? They miss each other, but she knows his work is important, she runs a small farm or business and financially supports him.

Deacon does make a comment about having people to protect after you use his “recall code.” And I think it puts a funny spin on why he’s not romanceable — he’s just Actively In Holy Matrimony.

Maybe just south of the Commonwealth, there’s a nice farmgirl with suspiciously lasting youth, whose neighbors gossip about how often she swaps out her lovers (who, come to think of it, all share the same height, build, and penchant for shades…). And I don’t know her name, but I can tell you it probably isn’t Barbara.

[beatrack92]

Alice Jagielska (England)

2023 Youth Commonwealth Games (Trinbago)

[saintmeghanmarkle]

I cant believe Im not getting paid for this. by u/Mickleborough

Meghan’s alleged to have said this on their Australia / Fiji / New Zealand / Tonga tour in 2018 when she was expected to do walkabouts, shake hands, and show a civil face. (She couldn’t do even that in Fiji: Sun archived / unarchived.)

To give an idea of what a proper working royal does, the Telegraph spent a week with Princess Anne.

Twice a year, her office invites the 300-plus organisations with which she’s affiliated to submit requests for her time. She gets 1,200 - 2,000 requests a year; sorts them out; and creates a schedule, to which she adheres.

In this typical week, the Princess Royal:

travelled about 818 miles / 1,316

shook over 677 hands

spent many hours in conversation

Her activities ranged from visiting a local National Coastwatch Institution to an equitation centre to celebrate 25 years of the Pony Club Centre Membership Scheme; attending a party to support unpaid carers (spending ‘a few extra moments talking to the building’s cleaner, loudly declaring her “very important”’) to carrying out an investiture; going to a City fundraiser lunch for military veterans to hosting a black tie dinner to celebrate The Duke of Edinburgh’s Commonwealth Study Conferences.

At all of these many and varied visits, she showed a depth of knowledge of their work.

Telegraph archived / unarchived

Admittedly the Princess Royal’s one of the hardest working members of the Royal Family - and this is a normal working week for her.

Meghan didn’t stay long enough to have a typical working week with all 4 of her patronages. She did a few royal tours, which involved far less in-depth work. Sample itinerary from her Australia tour:

16 October 2018:

Meet the Governor-General, his wife, and Invictus Games representatives.

Trip to the zoo (seriously).

Sydney Opera House to watch a performance by the Bangarra Dance Company

17 October:

Flight to Dubbo where the Sussexes met local farmers and hosted a picnic.

18 October:

Flight to Melbourne to meet politicians and the public at Government House.

Visit an organisation offering training to indigenous youth.

etc etc etc. Basically shaking hands and ‘doing the pretty’ (to quote a Georgette Heyer novel). And yet she couldn’t hack it:

Express archived / unarchived

This explains why she can’t put together a simple podcast (still can’t) - mainly because she’s a ‘f**king grifter’. Why American Rubbish Upchuck won’t get off the ground. No work ethic.

When life follows art: the worldwide privacy tour. How will she treat the crowds in Nigeria? Will she demand to be paid? Or will she tell them that they’re stupid?

post link

author: Mickleborough

submitted: May 09, 2024 at 08:41PM via SaintMeghanMarkle on Reddit

disclaimer: all views + opinions expressed by the author of this post, as well as any comments and reblogs, are solely the author's own; they do not necessarily reflect the views of the administrator of this Tumblr blog. For entertainment only.

[invisibleicewands]

We, the undersigned, come together as creatives and artists, recognising the immense power held within each voice, especially those often underrepresented in our society. 

Art and creativity shapes and reflects the diverse experiences of our communities. It’s vital that politics does too, and that everyone’s voice is heard in our democracy. 

But in Britain today, as many as 8 million people are not registered to vote at their current address. Turnout of younger voters has been falling considerably.  New rules requiring photo ID risk excluding hundreds of thousands of citizens, and disproportionately affecting poorer people, those with disabilities and people from minority ethnic backgrounds.

We, the undersigned, stand united in our belief that participation in elections is not just a right, but a profound responsibility—one that should extend to everyone, at the heart of a vibrant democracy. 

That is why we urge you to join us in registering to vote for the upcoming local elections before the deadline of 23:59 on Tuesday 16 April, at https://qrco.de/giveanx. Remember, you are also eligible to register if you are a qualifying EU or Commonwealth citizen. 

We join hands with the young people leading the Give an X campaign in emphasising the importance of young people shaping the future, and we urge each and every citizen to claim their seat at the table.

Voting is not just casting a ballot; it is narrating the stories of our communities and painting a vision of a better tomorrow. In the face of huge challenges nationally and globally, that has never been more important.

Let’s all of us write the next chapter together. We Give an X – will you?

Signed,

Michael Sheen - Actor

Paapa Essiedu - Actor

Meera Syal CBE - Actor and writer

Armando Iannucci - OBE Writer, director, producer and performer

Amelia Dimoldenberg - Comedian and presenter

Billy Bragg - Singer and songwriter

Samuel West - Actor and director

Sharon Gaffka - TV personality

Es Devlin CBE - Artist and designer

Ahir Shah - Comedian

Ralf Little - Actor and writer

Sir Stephen Frears - Director

Misan Harriman - Photographer and Chair of the Southbank Centre

Mei Mac - Actor

Sally Lindsay - Actor

Siobhán McSweeney - Actor and presenter

Sir Alistair Spalding CBE - Artistic Director, Sadler's Wells

Alice Aedy - CEO, Earthrise

David Lan CBE - Writer, producer and director

Georgia Harrison - TV personality

Timothy Sheader - Artistic Director, Donmar Warehouse

Henny Finch - Executive Director, Donmar Warehouse

Paule Constable - Lighting designer and Associate Director of the National Theatre

Daniel Lismore - Sculptor and designer

Luke McQueen - Comedian

Elliot Levey - Actor

Joseph Henry - Architect

Charlie Condou - Actor

Seeta Indani - Dancer and actor

Ania Magliano - Comedian

John O'Farrell - Author and scriptwriter

Emily Berrington - Actor

Rebecca Hendin - Illustrator

Jack Guinness - Writer and founder of The Queer Bible

Michael French - Head of Games London

Joseph Zeal-Henry - Director, Sound Advice

Sacha Lord - Co-founder of The Warehouse Project & Parklife festival Sam Evans - Musical Director

Estelle van Warmelo - Director

Bernard Donoghue OBE - CEO, Association of Leading Visitor Attractions

Stephen Skeet - Director of Impact, Volunteering Matters

Kayleigh Wainwright - Director of Youth Sector Innovation, UK Youth

Joe Bailey - CEO, Brighten the Corners/Out Loud Music

Jack Gamble - Director, Campaign for the Arts

Mete Coban MBE - CEO, My Life My Say

Lauren Kay-Lambert - Co Managing Director, Shape History

Sami Gichki - Co-Chair of the #iWill Movement

[fallout4-reacts]

Anonymous asked:

Ok so this is less of a request and more of a thought to consider. It bothers me that Danse doesn’t really comment on vertibirds going down/crashing/finding dead brotherhood in the commonwealth. It also bothers me that Hancock doesn’t really say much during the synth quest in Diamond City. Idk I feel like there’s a lot of potential dialogue that’s missing. Like Preston commenting on a settlement that’s been “improved” (hit all requirements for water, food and defense) should also be a thing.

do you have any ideas for potential dialogue that’s missing from the game? Again, not a request so don’t feel like you need to write anything, but just a good for thought.

Titan quest part 2! (Part 1 - 3)

Codsworth - Danse - Hancock - MacCready - Nick Valentine

Codsworth : It's easy to imagine that for a robot who is so concerned, he should have asked Sole how things went when they returned from the Institute without Shaun, but he didn't! He never mentioned the mission once! So, go find people in Concord, and then what happens to your life and family, nothing?

"I've heard that you've entered the Institute with triumph, Mum/Sir. Please explain what occurred to Mr. Shaun.

Sole comes to a halt while walking. They come to a halt in the middle of the street in front of their house and dump their luggage on the ground without looking up. Codsworth drifts gently towards them, concerned.

"Mum/Sir, what's happening? Did the young master suffer any misfortune?"

Codsworth is taken aback by Sole's uneasy, possibly insane, chuckle.

"Misfortune? It would be difficult to quantify that misfortune. To say the least, your youthful master is no longer young."

"What you're saying is terrible! A poor baby, raised away from is family? What happened? Explain!"

"He is no longer a baby, neither ten years old like I believed, but it has been several decades since his kidnapping. Shaun is now old enough to be my grandfather and the director of the Institute."

"How is that possible? How is that even conceivable? Actually, it's nervousness. Come home, unwind, enjoy a refreshing bottle of water, and I'll cook you a delicious meal. Things will get better. Then you could give me an explanation."

"Don't you get it, Codsworth? There are no more children to save. Shaun is the Commonwealth Boogeyman's leader, period!"

"I get what you're saying, however, I find it difficult to comprehend. I'm aware that I haven't always reacted appropriately to the odd world we currently inhabit, but this time I'm just asking for some time. Let me prepare a delicious meal for you, and then we'll have a more beneficial conversation."

Danse (pre-bb, after all others affinity dialogues) : Danse's acceptance of Hancock into Sole's company is completely illogical, but if he can find a way to accept Hancock for one reason or another (he is the mayor of a town and thus an important figure for the people of the Commonwealth), it appears to me absolutely impossible for him to accept Strong's presence without flinching.

"Recruit, it's time for a discussion."

Sole seems astonished as he turns to face Danse.

"Paladin Danse? I'm no longer a recruit, you know?"

"When I see you making such poor choices in your companions, I can't help but think that you should learn the Brotherhoods from the bottom up."

"What is the main point of this story?"

"You make synthetics your close friends, right? I could see how this Nick Valentine was an exception to the rule over others, and how he had been tremendously helpful in the inquiry to uncover your son's whereabouts. I may admit that your synthetic robot, even if it remains an abomination, is a medical tool that can be of great use. Your ghoulish mayor friend? He is a respected member of society, and an entire community relies on him; therefore, we cannot disregard all that at this juncture. Meanwhile, he's a formidable ally in Commonwealth politics. I can accept that as reasonable. I can even understand why you were branded with a bodyguard following your visit to the Institute, but I would be far more suspicious of this X6-88 than you are. But what about this abomination? You had the arrogance to bring this brainless, soulless beast behind you? I can figure out why he's still alive."

"Strong?"

"Don't consider the idea of naming this thing. Otherwise, please name him dead and shoot him in the head."

"Strong is not an abomination! Okay, okay, somehow. But he's not like other Super-Mutants, and he merits our attention." 

"I just heard him at Sanctuary say he'd love a meal of fresh human flesh!"

"It's... he has a... sense of humour."

"He was dead serious. And I'm being serious when I say you should terminate your involvement with this vile entity right now, with a bullet in the head."

"I could never, ever hurt that poor bastard."

"So, let me do the dirty work myself, but please let me do it without wasting time!"

Sole loses their friendly demeanour this time. They no longer hear the humor and take the discussion extremely seriously, clinching their fists and imposing themselves in front of the Brotherhoods, even if the latter dominates them from the top of his assisted armor.

"Danse, if you attack Strong, it may jeopardise our relationship, I warn you."

"And please understand that you have already jeopardised our relationship. Did you not hear what occurred to Colter when I informed you? Do you not care about my feelings? You who said you and I were friends?"

Sole knows and grasps everything this time. The pain in Danse's voice is palpable, and they can't ignore what their friend is saying.

"I... understand how you're feeling better now, Danse. And I truly regret putting you in this situation. Strong, on the other hand, is not like the other Super-Mutants, and I refuse to gun him down. I will not allow you to do the same. But I am not deaf to what you are saying. I'm not sure if you'll ever comprehend my point of view, but I won't impose it on you in the meantime. I'm not going to bring Strong into your company or talk to you about him. Do you think you'll be able to live with that compromise?"

Danse crosses his arms, his face contorted with frustration, yet he takes several deep breaths and then lowers his head slightly.

"I'll try. I appreciate you taking the time to examine... my... emotions and my point of view. If you are sincere, I will endeavor to put closure to this crisis and never return to the subject. Please, however, do not haul him to the Boston airport!"

Hancock (romanced): It's a classic, and we anticipate it. Sole must kill McDonough since he is a synth. Not a single word, or so few. There is no doubt about Hancock's feelings. But I read a wonderful fanfiction on the issue (sorry, I don't have the reference here and couldn't find it, despite my best efforts) and I couldn't do better. So, I'm going to do something completely different. A fascinating detail about the perk. Yes, I am aware that there is no discussion about the perk, and precisely! When we get to the Ghoulish perk, it's charming and funny, but I feels like it could have a bigger impact on the game, and I think it may lead to an interesting scenario with Hancock, who has previously expressed his desire to see Sole transformed into a ghoul.

When Sole leaves the exam table, Hancock abruptly raises his head. Did he hear correctly? He couldn't have heard it correctly. Of course, he's still hallucinating as a result of the chems he takes. But they've been on the road for a while, and he hasn't consumed enough to cause hallucinations. He doesn't think. So, he must have misheard something. He can't hold back any longer when he and Sole leave the clinic.

"So, how's the great shape?"

"Hm. I'm sure you heard. Don't act innocent."

"I'm not entirely certain I grasped that; could you expand?"

Sole takes a deep breath but does not dare to look Hancock in the eyes.

"It appears that I have taken too much radiation over time. My few round excursions in the Glowing Sea have probably played a lot. Finally, all of this hints that, strictly biologically, I am no longer truly human, but rather a ghoul."

"Wow, Copacetic!"

Sole clench their fists and teeth, struggling to contain their rage.

"How dare you?"

Hancock eventually realises his error and shakes his hands in front of him, throwing himself on the defensive.

"Woh! Sis/bro, calm down! I didn't want to offend you in that way! Just recall what I told: it would be fantastic if we could turn you into a ghoul. We don't come across a million people like you, but you're here, and you're my only one. I never grasped how I could have deserved such a luck, but the thought that you had a time limit was gnawing at me someplace. Now? We postponed the date. Consequences? Just immortality—you don't even have a radiation burn, as far as I can tell. In fact, I'd be jealous. You had to be the first flawlessly preserved ghoul I've ever met."

His companion takes a deep breath before looking up at him.

"Do you not understand? I have become an abomination!"

"Cut your Brotherhood-assholery level in your speech. Was it phony of you to be so at ease with the ghoul guy?"

His friend's eyes widen in stupor, he swallows twice, and the information finally appears to go the proper channel.

"You...you're correct."

"Yes, I know I'm right! Who are you to whine when you have the best of both worlds? You have a gorgeous alabaster skin, fairly sparkly eyes, and all your hair, and yet you may join us in the third zone for poker on Thursday night. And the following Thursday, and every Thursday for the next several centuries. I'm telling you, you're the blessed star."

When Hancock's smile rips his face from edge to edge, Sole can't help but chuckle. They now have a far better understanding of the ghoul's vision, and they are beginning to recognise all the advantages of their situation.

"Moreover, you will never turn green again because a ferocious storm of the Glowing Sea comes to warm our ears. And you'll be able to plunder it—that famous electrician's warehouse that makes you drool."

"Okay, okay, you sold your product; you can now stop."

"I'm never going to stop! Now you'll be hearing me for years and years and years and... years."

MacCready (romanced): Okay, so I'm in the classic group here, but it couldn't be otherwise. It's an obsession; WHY DOESN'T HE GO SEEK FOR HIS SON? Okay, that would be a long absence, but is it worse than sending Curie to be changed into Synth for a few days? Come on, Bethesda, if you can spend days building a settlement, you can give Mac two or three weeks to pick up Duncan and relocate him to Sanctuary, Diamond City, or even Goodneighbor.

"Can I talk with you, Sole?"

His friend withdraws from their tampered-with power armor and wipes their hands on their trousers.

"Mac? Is there a problem?"

"A little bit, yes. No, but somewhere."

Sole frowns, unsure. They approach the mercenary to show him that he has their full attention.

"What exactly is it?"

The adorable little rat's face contorts in a grimace as he rubs his neck to ease his discomfort.

"You see, we've come a long way together, and I'm happy here with you, and we've made a nice little home and everything, but this home, for me, still feels a little empty."

Sole has a surprised movement, but it doesn't take them a thousand years to figure out.

"Duncan."

"There. I knew I didn't have to sketch you anything. Please bear with me. I am truly happy to have you here, but I will never be completely happy as long as my kid is not with me."

This time, Sole starts to worry about what will happen next, and they try to disguise their emotion for the sake of their friend, but he is too perceptive to ignore it.

"I'm not suggesting going back to Capital Wasteland. Well, not quite. We've made our small home here; the Commonwealth is slowly but surely becoming something nice, and I have no doubt that from here, it will soon become one of the safest places to live, especially with you, but that's reality. Duncan has been receiving the cure for a few months now, and I guess he have healed enough to keep up the journey. I'd like to go get him. Please."

For a little time, they are deafeningly silent. Sole appears to consider, or rather swallow, their emotions, and MacCready himself appears frail. Finally, he is the one who breaks up the silence.

"I know it's going to be tough. I'm already concerned about how long we'll be separated, but I'm sure you understand. After everything you've gone through to reclaim your son? I'm sure you can see why I'd do anything to get mine back. But I don't want to be pay from our relation. I beg you to bear with me."

Sole appears to be waking up. They shake their heads, place their hands on MacCready's shoulders, and grin warmly at him.

"Mac, you know I'm not going to argue! There's no need to beg; I understand. Sorry for the shock, but I knew in my heart that this day would come sooner or later. I admit that I was hoping for later rather than sooner, and that I could accompany you, but I understand. I, too, would not have hesitated if I could have gotten my son back sooner. Allow your soul to go in peace. But please, oh, please take care of yourself and return to me swiftly and in one piece. I'm eager to meet your son."

Nick : "I never want to talk about it again." Is that it? Is there truly no way back? Is that all Nick deserves after going through hell with us? "Nothing to worry about; I'll let you self-destruct and fall into another state of turmoil." No! No. Nick deserves to see some light in his miserable spirit and to see a light at the end of the tunnel.

"Can I speak with you, Sole?"

Sole can't contain their surprise. It's not that they don't want to talk to Nick, but Nick has been unusually quiet and taciturn since they came back from Far Harbor a few weeks ago. And Sole gets it. All of this: knowing he has a brother, discovering he has a restricted memory, and then witnessing that newly discovered brother die, sacrificed to appease a small mob. Even for a man (synth) as conciliating as Nick, it was far too much. So when he approaches Sole with the intention of talking, his friend cannot help but feel relieved and hopeful.

"I'm always there for you, Nick; you already know that."

"Yes, precisely," Nick mumbles, avoiding their gaze. "Precisely."

Sole encourages Nick to join them on their couch. Whatever he has to say appears to be gnawing him.

"What exactly is it?"

The detective sits down with a heavy sigh, his gaze fixed on the floor.

"I know I said I didn't want to talk about what happened again, but... yet here it is. I couldn't stop thinking about it. It was... it's difficult to figure out. That is a lot—far too much. You honoured me, though, precisely and at my wish. You have always respected me. You were a true friend. Since we met, you've been with me every step of the way through the dark depths of my existence. First, with your trust in my ability to help you in your personal search, then with your assistance with my files, and finally with your support with Eddie Winter. Then you joined me on this DiMa thing, looked for evidence, and handed it over to me. You let me process everything, draw my own conclusions, and make my own decisions. And, once again, in the face of the abyss that the future now represents for me, you stood by my side, as if nothing had changed."

"Nothing has changed."

"Everything has changed!"

Nick shakes his head vigorously, preparing to object, but Sole places a hand on his shoulder.

"You had a lot of doubt; now you have answers. Okay, with that, everything changed. What about the rest? You were not meant to be everlasting; nothing is, and with your way of existence, you risk breaking up before you reach the limits of your memories..."

"But I already forgot!" I forgot what happened with DiMa— 

"And you rely on that to measure your memory limitations? But don't you see the problem in your logic, Nick?"

The detective cocked his head, intrigued. He has no idea what Sole was talking about.

"When you told me your story, you said you woke up on a pile of garbage with no memory of where you came from and that all you had were flashes of Nick Valentine's life when you realised none of this belonged to you."

"Yes." 

"Where is the time laps? What we do know is that DiMA got you out of the Institute when they incorporated Nick's memory into your system, and you were extremely disoriented by the time you left. You assumed you were Nick Valentine, and you rejected that you and DiMA were related. Then DiMa knocked you out, and you awoke in your garbage pile at the exact same point, puzzled and unknowing that you weren't Nick Valentine. You remember the first human you met, your first night with them, the journey to Diamond City, how you made your place, how we met, and many other elements of your existence."

"But I forgot about some."

"Like everyone! What's the issue? Would you prefer to be more machine than man, remembering every detail of your life down to the second? Like a good program? But you're more than a program, Nick. You have a personality. You may be exceptionally bright, but you are what you are: a man trapped in a mechanical body. Okay, you run diagnostics; okay, I can't really imagine your perception or much else. But what about on a cerebral level? You are, without a doubt, a man in my opinion. And men forget. Period." 

As Sole talks, Nick's eyes widen in surprise, and he appears to take some time to process all his friend has just said to him before extending a weak smile.

"God, what you're saying is true. I see that now."

For the first time in weeks, his smile broadens and reaches his eyes. Sole, who is always holding his shoulder, squeezes a little to offer their support and smiles.

"Then you'll turn into a grumpy old rambler. You poor thing, destined to live the life of a man."

"If you keep it up, you'll sink me again."

[master-john-uk]

cris mears foto

I assume you are referring to Team GB Olympic diver Christopher James Mears MBE.

Chris was born in Reading, Berkshire, UK on 7th February 1993.

He began diving at an early age and competed in several junior competitions. In January 2009 while training in Sydney for the Olympic Youth Festival he suffered a ruptured spleen, at the same time as unknowingly suffering from glandular fever. At one point doctors only gave Chris a 5% chance of survival, and he was told that he would never dive again. Just eighteen months later Chris competed in the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

At the 2016 Rio Olympics Chris and Jack Laugher won Gold medals in the Men's 3m Synchronised Diving event. The pair won several more medals in events over the following two years.

In 2019 Chris announced that he was retiring from competitive diving to concentrate on a career in music production.

Naked photos. Chris is certainly not shy! Over the last ten years he has posed for several erotic (not explicit) photographs, and has been featured in several magazines. He has always been publicly supportive of both male and female athletes who want to be open about their sexuality, including fellow diver Tom Daley.

In 2017 some very explicit photos, and a video of appeared on the internet which claim to be of Chris Mears. I do not know if they are genuine.

Chris is very aware that he has a huge gay following. Recently he has been one of a number of British divers to start sharing photos on Just-For-Fans (a pay to view website.) All of the divers say that the content that they share will be SFW... although one Chris's former diving colleagues has posted some photographs that leave very little to the imagination!

[world-of-wales]

─ • ✧ WILLIAM'S YEAR IN REVIEW : NOVEMBER ✧ • ─

1 NOVEMBER - William attended the 2022 Tusk Conservation Awards at Hampton Court Palace.

2 NOVEMBER - William attended the Tusk Awards Symposium. Later in the afternoon, he attended Film Africa Workshop.

3 NOVEMBER - William and Catherine visited Scarborough for the first Community Impact Day. They met the Two Ridings Community Foundation youth grant panel and beneficiaries of the funding generated to support local young people's mental health, at The Street. Subsequently, they visited the Rainbow Centre.

4 NOVEMBER - William appeared in a video announcing the finalists for the 2022 Earthshot Awards to be held in Boston.

7 NOVEMBER - William appeared in a very special episode of 'Game of 5s' along with his boyfriend Harry Kane and the child they were babysitting Declan Rice. (@duchessbitch)

8 NOVEMBER - William held an Investiture at Windsor Castle.

9 NOVEMBER - William attended a Meeting with the Duchy of Cornwall Rural Committee. Later in the evening, he attended the Child Bereavement UK Chairman's Dinner at Oswald's.

11 NOVEMBER - William received Ms. Hannah Jones (Chief Executive, The Earthshot Prize). Afterwards he received Mr. Alastair Martin (Secretary of the Duchy of Cornwall).

12 NOVEMBER - The Prince and Princess of Wales along with other members of the Royal Family attended Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall.

13 NOVEMBER - The Prince of Wales placed a joint wreath at the Cenotaph along with the Princess on the occasion of Remembrance Day as they attended the Remembrance Sunday Service.

14 NOVEMBER - William attended Service of Thanksgiving for the Earl of Home KT which was held at the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. Later he visited the England Men's World Cup team ahead of the upcoming tournament at St. George's Park.

15 NOVEMBER - William and Catherine attended a Reception following the Platinum Jubilee at Windsor Castle given by The King.

16 NOVEMBER - William was received by His Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of South Glamorgan (Mrs. Morfudd Meredith) as he visited Senedd Cymru.

17 NOVEMBER - William and Catherine attended a Reception at Coutts and Company.

18 NOVEMBER - William visited Royal Air Force Coningsby where he was received by His Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of Lincolnshire (Mr. Toby Dennis).

21 NOVEMBER - William shot promotional material for Earthshot Awards Boston.

22 NOVEMBER - The Prince and Princess of Wales welcomed The President of South Africa on behalf of His Majesty at the Corinthia Hotel. They then travelled by car to Horse Guards for the official Guard of Honour. Following this they drove in a Carriage Procession to Buckingham Palace where an afternoon Reception was held. In the evening, William and Catherine attended the State Banquet given in the President's honour.

24 NOVEMBER - The Duke of Cornwall made his first visit to the duchy since taking over as he stopped by Newquay Orchard where he was received by His Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of Cornwall (Colonel Edward Bolitho). He also appeared in a promotional video for Earthshot Awards for BBC.

29 NOVEMBER - William held a Meeting with Mr. Alastair Martin (Secretary of the Duchy of Cornwall).

30 NOVEMBER - William and Catherine kicked off their Trip to Boston as they departed from Heathrow Airport for the United States of America where upon arrival at the Boston International Airport by the Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Mr. Charles Baker) and Mrs. Baker. They then called upon Ms. Michelle Wu (Mayor of Boston) at Boston City Hall and subsequently attended a Welcome to Earthshot event there. In the evening they attended a NBA match between the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat at TD Garden.

[petnews2day]

DEFA to consider making cat microchipping compulsory

New Post has been published on https://petn.ws/awzSz

DEFA to consider making cat microchipping compulsory

Friday, 22 March 2024 10:40 The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture will consider making microchipping compulsory for cats. It comes after responses to a consultation have been published, asking for views on the welfare code for the animals.  Following suggestions, DEFA says it will possibly consult on cat microchipping in the future, but it […]

See full article at https://petn.ws/awzSz #CatsNews #8216More8217, #Iom, #Manxradio, #3FM, #3Fm, #3Fm, #3Fmradio, #BenSowrey, #ClubClassics, #CommonwealthYouthGames, #Cyg, #Cyg2011, #Cyg2011, #DerekRichardson, #EnergyFm, #GeorgeFerguson, #IOMNews, #Iomradio, #IsleOfDeals, #IsleOfMan, #IsleOfManAdvertising, #IsleOfManAndroid, #IsleOfManDeals, #IsleOfManFacebook, #IsleOfManMarketing, #IsleOfManMedia, #IsleOfManNews, #IsleOfManOnline, #IsleOfManRadio, #IsleOfManRadioAdvertising, #IsleOfManRadioStation, #IsleOfManRadioStations, #IsleOfManSchoolClosures, #IsleOfManTelevision, #IsleOfManTv, #IsleOfManTwitter, #Isleofdeals, #Isleofmandeals, #JasonQuinn, #KevinFord, #LateNightLoveSongs, #Manx, #ManxRadio, #MattFletcher, #MoreMusicOnAirOnlineOnIPadAndOnIPhone, #Moremusic, #MorningCrew, #MorningCrew3FMMorningCrew, #Music, #NjWilliams, #RadioPlayer, #Radio3Fm, #Radioplayer, #RadioplayerCoUk, #RonBerry, #SchoolClosures, #TheMorningCrew, #ThreeFm, #Threedotfm, #Threefm, #TonyJames, #Tt, #TtRace, #TtRaces, #Ukradioplayer

[blurban-form]

Matilda the Kangaroo

Matilda, seen here in a poster in the convenience store in Dad’s 1980s flashback, was the mascot of the 1982 Commonwealth Games which were held in Brisbane.

The real Matilda is still around, now a roadside attraction at a gas station! (Note that font for PUMA on the gas station, it almost looks like Bluey-universe font)

There is talk about her maybe making an appearance at the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane.

[skippyv20]

Every Time Meghan Markle copied Princess Diana in her time as working Royal 

Weird reminder ( some edits by me before posting)Skippy..

Fashion 

 Celebrity Style 2023

Every Time Meghan Markle Dressed Like Princess Diana

BY 

ALYSSA BAILEY

 APR 3, 2019

GETTY IMAGES

Meghan Markle has worn (edit eerily copied)  Princess Diana’s jewels to pay> tribute to her late mother-in-law sartorially, but the Duchess of Sussex has also oddly channeled some of Diana’s iconic looks in the outfits she’s chosen for events. Take a look at every time Meghan has paid homage to the Princess of Wales' 

  TIM GRAHAMGETTY IMAGES 1 OF 11 Green Coats With Dark Detailing

Diana in a Bellville Sassoon coat and a hat designed by John Boyd during her visit to Bristol on March 29, 1982; Meghan in an Erdem coat and dress during her visit to Canada House on March 11, 2019.

GETTY IMAGES 2 OF 11 Light High Neck Gowns

Princess Diana in a white and light blue gown, attending a reception at Spencer House in London on May 6, 1992; Meghan Markle leaving for her second wedding reception in a Stella McCartney gown on May 19, 2018. Meghan wore Diana’s aquamarine ring with it.

GETTY IMAGES 3 OF 11 Pink Buttoned Tops

Princess Diana in a pink skirt suit in Argentina during an official visit on November 24, 1995; Meghan Markle in a Carolina Herrera dress during Trooping the Colour on June 9, 2018.

GETTY IMAGES 4 OF 11 Grey Plaid

Princess Diana in a patterned grey blazer with a white turtleneck at London’s Paddington Station on May 3, 1988; Meghan in a Theory off-the-shoulder jacket while visiting Cardiff Castle on January 18, 2018.

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GETTY IMAGES 5 OF 11 Purple and Red Outfits

Diana in a purple hat with a red ribbon, red cropped jacket, white blouse, and purple skirt during her official visit to Hong Kong on November 7, 1989; Meghan in a bright red coat by Sentaler and a Babaton by Aritzia purple dress during her visit to Birkenhead with Prince Harry on January 2019

GETTY IMAGES 6 OF 11 Pinstripes

Diana in white blazer with black stripes and buttons during a walkabout in Sheffield and Rotherham on July 16, 1991; Meghan in a pinstriped Altuzarra dress with a Camilla and Marc blazer at the Commonwealth Youth Forum on April 18, 

GETTY IMAGES 7 OF 11 Black Suits

Diana in a Jasper Conran trouser suit and white ruffled blouse during a gala at the Expo 86 Theatre on May 3, 1986; Meghan in a bespoke Givenchy suit set with a Lavender Hill boat t-shirt during her and Harry’s visit to Ireland on July 11, 2018.

ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW

GETTY IMAGES 8 OF 11 White Outfits With Black Accents

Diana in a white top with black accents and matching hat at the Royal Ascot on June 18, 1985; Meghan in a Givenchy dress with a black belt and matching Philip Treacy hat at the Royal Ascot on June 18, 2018.

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GETTY IMAGES 9 OF 11 Black Collared Tops

Diana in a black coat dress and commemorative red poppy pin during the Remembrance Ceremony at the Cenotaph in London on November 1, 1984; Meghan in bespoke Emilia Wickstead, a Philip Treacy hat, and red poppy pin during the Anzac Day Westminster Abbey service on April 

GETTY IMAGES 10 OF 11 White Button-Ups and Jeans

Diana in a white button-up shirt, brown belt, and high-waist jeans during her visit to Bosnia on August 9, 1997; Meghan in a Misha Nonoo button-up and Mother Denim jeans, making her first appearance with Harry at the Toronto Invictus Games on September 25, 2017.

GETTY IMAGES 11 OF 11 Green Tartan

Diana in a collared green tartan dress at the Bute Highland Games in Scotland on August 22, 1987; Meghan in a double-breasted Burberry tartan coat during her visit to Scotland on February 13, 2018.

ALYSSA BAILEY 

SENIOR NEWS AND STRATEGY EDITORAlyssa Bailey is the senior news and strategy editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage of celebrities and royals (particularly Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton).

Thank you❤️

[sassenashsworld]

A chess game

He’s so nervous he could flee right here and now.

But the truth is, he’s always been nervous.

Born in Nordhagen Beach, he grew up under the guidance of a very authoritarian father and a very cold mother, both convinced he would not make it to adulthood. He was actually convinced from the beginning that he should already be dead.

Then the iron bird landed.

He remembers his first impression of the huge flying structure: it looked like a god flying over the mortal world.

It didn’t take him any more to escape in the middle of the night with the little possession he might have in order to join the association holding such a machine.

The Brotherhood of Steel

He remembers hearing about them. A very powerful association, actually, and he’s now a member.

Obey. It’s the most natural thing he could do. The only exchanges he had with his parents were barking orders. Nothing impresses him in the chain of command. In fact, he is so comfortable with it that he does not doubt for a moment that it is his destiny. For the rest, having his life threatened every day by what the BoS hates make their vision just fine with him.

He swallows everything; their morality with the rations. He eats, he drinks, he has a safe bed, he has a team, and he even has a superior who guides him every step of the way. It’s pure paradise.

And the essence of his paradise falls on him by chance.

He’s an avid chess player. Ironically, he learned from the most synth of all synths. Some kind of detective came at Nordhagen with this woman who just landed in the Commonwealth, the sole survivor. The two adventurers had spent some time at Nordhagen to help build new structures to accommodate new settlers and strengthen security. The synth with the funny hat and the worn trench had taught him to play. He had even taught him to play solo.

So, he was playing solo.

It didn’t take him long to realize that his barracks mates didn’t share his passion for the game. One or two tried, but it ended in long evenings alone with his board, playing against himself. And he doesn’t mind.

Hm. The Black Queen in A4: but it’s hard to do the split against himself...

As he focuses on the proper move, a hand clad in black leather appears in his field of vision and moves the White Knight to C3. Basic but effective maneuver.

He looks up to the newcomer to comment and is surprised.

The man is wearing a black fly suit. He’s a high commander. The young man can’t help but freeze when he sees the impressive scar slashing his face. As much as the serious look on his face.

"You weren’t seriously trying to check yourself in six?"

"No, but it’s a trick I love to play against others, so I always open with it. It allows me to quickly eliminate amateurs and not waste time playing against a fool. In addition, it gives parts mobility."

"Not a fan of V-shaped defense?"

"The best strategy is mobility." He replies stiffly.

"It makes sense."

The man sits on the bench in front of him. Without adding anything, the game begins. It stretches out late at night. A strategy on stairs, exits for rooms, and a great use of knights. When the youngster sees the eldest coming out with them, he feels that it’s the end of the game.

And in two strokes, he’s stuck.

"How…?"

"When you used the Great Roc, you went against your instincts, and it stuck your king. You stopped thinking at that moment, and I knew I had you.”

The young man lays down his king, they shake hands, and then the man gets up.

“Good night, recruit."

But the young man sits there. In his head, he replays the whole game and reviews everything that has been performed, including all the strategies used. What was done and what should have been done.

His superior even catches him sitting there in the morning.

His general attitude makes him well liked by all. Obedient for the leaders, discreet for the youths, and sometimes having a solution to allow dissidents to loosen up a bit, even if he doesn’t participate directly.

Loved by all.

His superior does not push him too much that day when he understands that the young person has slept little or not at all. Even if he asks him not to take the bad habit.

That evening, while everyone goes to bed, he sits down at his usual table, installs his chessboard, and gets ready to open the game.

The man comes to sit facing him. The young man turns the edge to give him the whites. The elder turns the board again, the whites on his side.

‘Whites open and win,” which he drops as a fact.

The Whites open and lose. The young man is disappointed when he puts his king to bed even if he calmly shakes the hand in front of him.

"You panicked when I stuck your troops in G and H. You must learn how to conduct close combat. On the ground, you might have to defend a confined position, and it would be a shame if it became a trap in which you died."

The man gets up, the young man stands in front of the board playing the game again in his head. This time, he goes back to his bed before the day, gives in to sleep and manages to get a few hours. But his dreams wedged him between two rows of black knights and aggressive towers.

The next day, he’s a little distracted. He obeys orders with the same eagerness, but he doesn’t listen to the conversations around as he reflects on his strategies. He must find a way to quickly get rid of his opponent’s tricks. And even his knights.

“… lin Danse. What do you think?”

“What?”

“Since he has been on board, he has prevented us from reaching the bridge. We could not drink a drop yesterday.”

“Hmm. In the front bridge. You can easily go down along the structure. The Paladin Danse stands guard mostly in the mess. You can climb back up the west walkway, Cade’s asleep at this hour.”

“You really are a prince!”

He pulls out the embarrassment by bowing his head. He receives a few pats in the back but focuses on his meal. And on the game he will play that evening.

At the same time, barely the last piece in place, the man shows up and takes his place. He positions the white board in front of the young man.

“Whites open… and win.” This time is a warning.

The youth do their best. They think through every movement. They’re not distracted by any threats. He opens, advances the front, keeps his mobility, puts a first knight out of play, and then tries to lure the H8 tower with two pawns and his knight.

Defeat is almost humiliating.

He lays his king down, shakes the hand, but his eyes remain on the board while he already replays the part in his head.

‘Eh recru.’

He looks up distractedly.

"When shaking hands, you must always stare your opponent in the eye. Always."

This time, the handshake is firm and the look well-anchored.

"See you tomorrow night."

He counts on it. He picks up the pieces and goes back to his bed. He doesn’t need the board to replay his game. Every shot is engraved in his brain.

The next night, he opens in stairs.

"You... you don’t set your queen free?"

The man seems almost astonished.

"You’ve already seen me use this strategy a few times. I don’t think I can pierce your defenses when you know my first eight moves by heart."

The man’s gaze shines briefly with a new respect and then a small nod to himself, as if in his head he confirmed what he doubted.

The game is much longer. Three steps forward, two back. The young are so concentrated that he feels his forehead soaked with sweat. He’s putting his life on the line. Each movement was carefully thought out as if it were his fellow barracks who put on the boots of the pawns and that every lost piece was a dead man.

The man before him also redoubled his effort and finally even made a mistake.

The young man looks up.

He stares at the man for a long time.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"You just laid out your king in three."

The man bends his head, observes, and then it’s barely perceptible. But it is for the young. Even if it’s barely a twinkle of the eyebrow, it’s a movement of surprise.

Then the gesture was not intentional. The error is indeed a mistake. The white madman checks in order to lead the king between a pawn and the tower. The king must eat the pawn, and then...

The man in front of him stretches out his hand and lays the black king down.

"Impressive." The officer comments. "Every man makes mistakes, but you wrote it down right away and knew immediately how to use it."

His handshake is firm, then he puts his other hand on the young one.

"Do you know how to use a weapon?"

"I was born in a settlement."

There is no need to say more. His shrug is not insolent. He points out one fact. If he hadn’t known how to use a weapon, he would have died.

"You will visit Captain Lancer Kells tomorrow morning. You will find him waiting for you."

The man gets up, and the young man puts his game away, not knowing what to think. He lies on his back in his layer and fixes the metal roof above his head.

"So Elder Maxson is impressed?" asks his closest roommate.

"Elder Maxson?!"

He is confused.

"Yeah, the big guy. Ah, but it’s true, your introductory speech is only next week! So, all this time, you didn’t know you were playing with Elder Maxson?"

The voice is stuck in his throat. He doesn’t know what to say. Yes, he didn’t know.

He didn’t know.

[simshousewindsor]

FAMILY GOSSIP

[Broderick House, Windenburg]

Prince Anthony: Are you sure this outfit is okay? You know how nervous I get around your sister.

Princess Lara: Oh, Anthony!

Princess Lara: You look sexy! This is not a formal gathering. It’s just the cousins! It’s relaxed.

Prince Anthony: Do you think your father will grant us one of his portrait patronages? I’d love to stay involved with photography or even art! Promoting the importance of photography and art to youth of the Commonwealth is important to me!

Princess Lara: Patronages? Babe, I don't want to talk about work today. It’s a lovely idea, though! Let’s talk about it later. We should get going. Kate hates when people are late!

Prince Anthony: (laughs) It’s not a formal thing, remember?

Princess Lara: Kate still hates tardiness. Oh, I can text Anna to see if she’s left home yet!

Prince Anthony: I still can't believe Parliament didn't approve the budget for us to remain here at Broderick. Some wedding gift! This house fit us!

Princess Lara: At least we will have our own apartment away from Uncle Louis and Aunt Margot at Kently! Leo, Jazmyn and Anna’s apartments are away from us also. It’s the Duke of Kent’s Press Office who will be spying on us! I’m sure they will feed the media negative story’s about you and me to make their royal house look better.

Prince Anthony: It can't be that bad. Can it?

(Later)

[Highpark House, Windenburg]

Princess Lara: I can't believe you’re having another baby!!!

Princess Katherine: (laughs) I didn't want to tell you until after the wedding.

Princess Lara: (laughs) Thank you for not stealing my thunder!

Prince Rainier: Welcome back, newlywed!

Prince Anthony: Your Royal Highness.

Prince Rainier: No formalities today. It’s just us! You play cards, right? Come with me! You can tell me about the Royal Yacht! Kate and I have never been approved to use it and she’s the heir!

Princess Lara: So, tell me Kate? Was this a “surprise” baby?

Prince Anthony: (shocked) Lara!

Princess Lara: Oh, she knows I’m kidding! Right?

Princess Katherine: Why don't you go annoy someone else, Lara! Your mind tricks won't save you from losing this card game! Second again!

Prince Rainier: ...and no, this was not a “surprise” baby!

Prince Rainier: (laughs) It’s a “guaranteed House Husband” baby for me! Speaking of husbands, how are the newlyweds? How are you two enjoying married life? It’s been just over a month.

Princess Lara: Well, I can't speak for Anthony but the last few weeks have been the happiest of my life! We had a magical wedding and honeymoon, even with mom’s scandal almost ruining everything. He’s my person.

Prince Anthony: Aww, babe. You’re my person too.

Princess Katherine: Now hurry up so you can be pregnant with me!

Princess Lara: Absolutely not! We’re taking time to enjoy just us first.

Princess Anna: I’m breaking that card game up. I didn't come over to be bored while they laugh and play cards!

Princess Jazmyn: I’ll go. I need to get another drink anyway. The good alcohol is by the bar.

Princess Anna: Tell them to bring the drinks out here!

Princess Jazmyn: You guys are not being hospitable! We wanna talk to the newlyweds too!

Princess Lara: Jazmyn! Pull up a chair!

Princess Jazmyn: End the card game and bring the party to the living room!

Prince Leo: Rainier, make me one of your famous drinks!

Prince Anthony: Famous?!

Prince Leo: He makes a killer drink!

Prince Rainier: So, Anthony what’s your drink of choice?

Princess Katherine: I wish I could have a drink but I’m pregnant, so I'll just eat! I’ll let the new Countess of Boykins have mine!

Princess Lara: She complains a lot during pregnancy, everyone. You’ve been warned!

Princess Katherine: Shut up, Lara! I do not!

Prince Anthony: Tequila! You can never go wrong with a good tequila!

Prince Rainier: Great choice! You will love my favorite drink then!

Prince Leo: I heard Uncle George let you take the Royal Yacht on your honeymoon! He doesn't approve anyone using that without ten years of boating training and twenty years of supervised rides WITH him! (laughs)

Prince Anthony: I keep hearing that! It was all Lara.

Princess Lara: Anna, what’s this rumor that you're getting back together with Marsh!? I thought you two were divorced?

Princess Katherine: Stay out of other people’s business, Lara! Jeez!

Princess Anna: Girl, we all know Lara is nosey! I haven't signed the divorce papers. Life got busy. Marsh signed them and I just never got around to countersigning them. We are not back together but I did unblock his number!

Princess Lara “Growth!”

Princess Anna: How are you holding up, Rainier? I’m sorry I wasn't there for you more during the passing of your family. You may be married to my cousin but you’re our family too! We’re all here for you!

Prince Rainier: Thanks, Anna! I really appreciate that. I know you’ve had a lot going on. We must all do a better job of talking and hanging out more!

Princess Anna: Another baby, huh? I know Kate has been yearning for “number three” ever since Grace stopped wearing diapers! I’m happy for you. I know it’s a lot. You’re a good husband to Kate!

Prince Rainier: Thanks, Anna. I don't know how Kate is going to manage increased royal duties as Heir and a third pregnancy. She’s already stretched so thin.

Princess Anna: She’s got you.

Princess Jazmyn: No, you stay. You should finish catching up with your cousins.

Prince Leo: You deserve a night out more than I do, Jaz. I can’t believe the babysitter had an emergency! I should go home and take care of the baby!

Princess Jazmyn: I want to go. I miss the baby! I know you and the boys want to play cards again and I know how excited you are to have another boy in the crew. Anthony meshes with the group perfectly!

Prince Leo: You are the greatest wife ever! The future Duchess of Kent, everyone!

Princess Jazmyn: (laughs) You’re so silly, Leo. I should tell everyone goodbye. Did you hear that Lara and Anthony are moving to Kently Garden! We should do something nice to make them feel welcomed when the arrive. 

Prince Leo: Lara grew up visiting Kently. She hates it. Nothing will make her feel welcomed there. (laughs)

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