#guy who just got a credit card limit increase

[freaksho]

i need to do some online shopping and then go to the liquor store

[book-of-baba-fett]

A Lucky Hand - Fives x Fem!Reader

Crossposted on A03

Fives finds himself running low on credits during a game of pazaak with his favorite mechanic, but a risky wager on his end might end up benefitting both of you.

Warnings: SMUT, 18+, Oral Sex (f/m receiving). Drinking, PiV intercourse, (let me know if I miss anything!)

***

“And I win another round! Come on Fives, at this rate you should just hand me all your credits,” You tease at the clone sitting across the table from you. Your smirk is met with a scowl that doesn’t reach his sparkling amber eyes. The 501st is on leave on Coruscant, and they're one of your favorite clone battalions. You work as a mechanic at the military base where their barracks are, and once the war started up you got to know a bunch of the troops as they came through to ask for your help on any equipment they damaged on their last deployment. This is how you got to know Fives particularly well; if something could break, Fives would find the way to do it.

After he had annoyed you enough times by breaking the gear you had just fixed for him, he started to repay you by inviting you to hang out in parts of the base that were off limits to most of the civilian workforce, like the break room you were in this night. A few troopers were scattered around; most had early shifts on the base tomorrow so they couldn’t spend their free time at 79s that particular night. This meant they were entertaining themselves more tamely than usual but for many of the troopers this meant drinking ale and gambling on games or podraces they were watching on the holo, or in Fives and your case Pazaak.

Fives begrudgingly slides you the credits on the table and starts to deal out the next round. He was not a man who took defeat easily. Since his shifts for the day were over, he was only armored from the waist down and has his blacks on top. You’ve been drinking some ale during the night and you couldn’t help but notice the way the fabric clung to his body, particularly his broad chest and hard biceps.

Woah watch it there, you work around a million guys who look the same as him. Once you let those thoughts in there’s no going back. But you’d be lying if you said you weren’t at all attracted to him even without the alcoholic influence. Fives drove you crazy half the time, but he was just so damn hot you let it slide.

“You do have a point,” Fives suddenly spoke up and you’re snapped out of your thoughts. Once you notice he’s looking through his utility belt, you realize he’s answering your previous statement. “You’ve cleaned me out, I don’t have any more to bet tonight. That is…unless you’re not opposed to wagering something a little more interesting?”

You take a sip of your ale, draining the bottle. “And what do you propose?”

Fives looked around the room, making sure none of his brothers were paying too close attention to the two of you. Luckily, they were all focused on their own entertainment. His face broke into a grin as he looked into your eyes and leaned in closer to you.

“If I win this round, you give me a handjob,” he whispered into your ear.

You huff out a laugh to act nonchalant, but the truth is you feel a flutter in your stomach and a flush to your cheek by the suggestion. Everything between you too had just been friendly before, and while Fives had gotten flirty occasionally you never thought he was serious. He was Fives, that’s what he was like with everyone.

“Well, that is an interesting suggestion. What do I get if I win then?” you reply, trying to sound as transactive as possible; like this was some normal deal with a trader.

“If your hand wins, I’ll finish all the reports and paperwork you need to do for any 501st related repairs while we’re on this leave.” Ok, this got you excited but not in the core warming way his previous suggestion did; that would be a big relief on your workload. And hey, his hand has been terrible all night, luck seems to be in your favor.

“All right, you’re on.” You smirk and he flashes that devilish grin at you.

You win the first round easily; Fives was being very conservative with his hand and didn’t seem to want to play too many cards. He either has nothing in his deck, or he’s really holding out for something big.

The second round lasts a few minutes longer, but you overdraw your cards and Fives wins which meant the match was tied before the 3rd and final round. Fives teasingly stretches his arms over his head, making you roll your eyes at him.

The third round goes on the longest; you had used up most of your set deck already so you were being careful to not overdraw again, but you play your last card. You didn’t reach the 20 total needed to win, but being at 19 you felt confident in your choice. Fives drew another card from the deck, that pushes his total to 22. If you finished the round with a number over 20, that meant you lost so you begin to shift back in your seat and put your feet up on the table.

“Sorry, Fives, better luck ne-,” you start but he cuts you off, wagging a finger in your direction. He places his last card on the table: a -2. Making his total 20, and him the winner. You couldn’t help but shake your head in disbelief as the clone copied your victorious pose – stretching back with his arms behind his head and his feet coming to rest on the table as those amber eyes locked with yours.

***

“OK Listen, I was being a little shit. I had a terrible hand; I didn’t think I would actually win. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.” You brought Fives back to your workshop in the base – the best place you could think of for some privacy. It was late so all the other mechanics should have left already. It was small, but there was enough space for a worktable and the small bench that you and Fives are sitting at. His voice was soft; you knew he could be a bit of an ass, but you knew he was being honest and the last thing he would want to do was make you uncomfortable.

“Nope, I don’t back out of a deal.” You smirk at him and his edge seemed to come back once he accepted that you were ok with this. Your hand rests on his armored thigh and slowly makes its way up to his codpiece. “Besides, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little bit curious about what you’ve got going on under all the armor.”

A devilish grin grows on his face as his own hand meets yours. He fiddles with the straps on his codpiece and pulls It away, revealing an already sizeable bulge in his blacks. He pulls your hand onto him and holds it there. You feel your core flutter as he hardens in your hand.

“Well, I’m more than happy to show off for you, baby,” His voice is lower and has a raspy edge to it. You push his hand aside and slowly undo his pants, releasing his cock. You slowly grasp your hand around the base of him, and you can’t help but lick your lips looking at it. His tan cock is thick and long, and already swollen at your light touch. His breath is low at your touch, he places a hand on your shoulder, wordlessly begging you to move.

You take your hand away for a second to lick it and you firmly hold him again. You slowly began to stroke up and down, feeling his velvety soft skin in your hand. You flick your thumb over his head, smearing a bit of the precum that was already leaking from it. You can’t help but want to taste him. You increase your pace and Fives’s grip on your shoulder tightens, his breath increasing. You look at his face, he smiles back at you, his pupils blown out and filled with lust.

“I had a hunch you would be good with your hands.” He breathed out, trying to hold onto his composure. You wanted to wreck that pretty face. As you continue working his cock up and down in your hand, he sighs out and bends his head backward, hitting the wall. You take this pause in attention to bend your head down and start licking the head of his cock.

“Fuck!” he cursed out, sighing your name. You slowly move off the bench to kneel in front of him. You continue to jerk him and lick a long strip up the underside of his cock. “That wasn’t part of the deal.”

“Oh well, if you’re not happy with it I can always stop,” you tease and his eyes darken with hunger. He responds by placing a hand on the back of your head and grabbing a fistful of your hair.

“I’m more than happy sweetheart. I’ve been thinking about what those pretty lips would look like wrapped around my cock for ages.” He gently guides your head back to him, and you open up wide to take more of him in.

You start slowly, he’s so thick it’s hard to fit him all in. You press your tongue underneath his hard cock as you slowly bob up and down on him, using your hand to help jerk the rest of him. Once you adjust, you push him further into your mouth until you feel him hitting your throat. His hips thrust up, trying to feel more of you and his hand presses your head closer into him. You feel your gag reflex kicking in as he releases you, gasping for air as you come up.

“Was that, ok?” Fives asks, and once you smile and assure him it is, he grasps your hair again. “I want to fuck your pretty mouth; can I do that sweetheart?”

“Yes, use me” you gasp, and he doesn’t waste a second. He slides himself back into your mouth and begins thrusting himself while holding your head in place, hitting the back of your throat with each stroke. You’re so turned on by this, having this strong man use you to chase his pleasure. You reach one of your hands in between your legs, rubbing your clit over your jumpsuit, just trying to appease your needs with any form of friction. Fives notices and groans.

“Is this turning you on? Me choking you with my dick?” He grunts while thrusting into you. You hum in agreement, the vibration giving him more pleasure. His head knocks back against the wall, beads of sweat appearing at his forehead. He’s close.  “Fuck, I’m gonna come down that pretty throat of yours. Then, I’m gonna eat that pretty pussy of yours, you like the sound of that?”

You moan and look up at him, pulling your head away from his grasp. He looks wrecked, ready to cum and he’s about to push your head back down when you say, “Let me finish you off.”

His hand is still on your head but not pulling you down anymore. His cock is coated with your saliva, and you jerk him rapidly again then take him back into your hollowed out mouth, You use both of your hands, twisting as you jerk him and suck on his head. He starts gasping your name, warning you he’s about to come. You slide him completely into your mouth, where his tip is partially down your throat as you feel his cock twitch in your mouth and taste his thick, salty cum spurt in your mouth. He holds you down while he thrusts out his orgasm. You swallow as he’s already pulling you up off the ground into his lap and crushes your lips with a kiss.

“You’re wearing too much.” His voice is raspy from his release, but he’s focused on fulfilling his earlier promise to you. His hand finds the zipper at the front of your jumpsuit, and he tugs it down to your waist, his lips never leaving yours.  He roughly pulls down the shoulders, leaving you in just your bra from the waist up. He moves his kisses down to your neck, and he sucks a love bite right where the collar line of your suit would have been.

You feel like putty in his strong hands, moaning at even his softest touches. He grabs one of your breasts over your bra, his thumb rubbing where your nipples are peaking through. He uses his free hand to reach around you and effortlessly undoes the clasp on your bra. He leans back to stare at your exposed chest, eyes glancing over every inch of you and back up to meet you own. You feel yourself blush, but you’re hungry for more. You lean back in to kiss him more, and he slides his tongue into your mouth. He wraps your legs around his waist and slowly rises. He carries you over to your worktable, where he uses his arms to clear off the paperwork and tools that had been sitting there.

“Sorry if any of that was important,” He mumbles into your mouth. He places you at the edge of the table and makes quick work of removing the rest of your jumpsuit, leaving you in just your panties before him. He gently pushes you backward onto the table, kissing along your neck and sucking at each nipple before he moves his way down your body.

Your breath hitches as he reaches your hips, leaving another love bite as he gets there. His hands spread your legs open for him, propped against the edge of the table. His kisses trail over your panties and you can feel his breath on your clothed entrance. He lets out a dark chuckle.

“So wet, and I’ve barely even touched you. Someone’s needy.” He places a kiss right over your clit and you feel like you’re ready to lose any control you had over your urges. His fingers reach around the waistband of your panties as he slides them down your legs. He spreads your legs again, lifting one to rest on his should as he caresses and kiss it; his goatee offering a ticklish yet pleasurable sensation. He takes his time teasing you, kissing and licking around your joints and hip bones, his calloused hands squeezing your thighs. You begin to whimper under his touch, trying to rotate your hips so he’ll pay attention to the one area he’s ignored.

“Need something, mesh’la?” He grins up at you.

“Dammit Fives, touch me!”

“I already am, you need to be more specific than that. And maybe try asking nicer?” That little shit.

“Please, Fives. Your mouth. I need it. On me. Please.” You prop yourself on your elbows to look at him. God, you want to wipe that cocky grin off his face, but you need him too much to fight him right now.

“You’re so pretty when you beg.” And he dives right in.

His tongue licks a stripe up your slit and you can’t hold your moan in. He uses his fingers to open up your folds as his tongue finds your clit. He flicks it expertly, keeping his eyes one you as you began to fall apart under his mouth. He takes your clit in his mouth and sucks gently at first, reading your reactions. He switches up between sucking and licking, swirling his tongue, and lightly grazing his teeth around your sensitive bud, causing you to cry out in pleasure. He’s too good at this, damn him for being so good at this. You have too much pent-up attraction in your system, too much of a need for him, you’re going to come soon.

You can’t prop yourself up anymore, and you fall back onto the table. Your hands search for anything to grab onto, to ground yourself in the moment.  His tongue continues its onslaught against your clit, Fives is using one of his hands to press your hip down, preventing you from moving too much. Just when you think you can’t be more overwhelmed, you feel one of his thick fingers pressing into your entrance. You moan and clench around him, but he can tell you want more so he slips a second finger in. He slows his tongue to match the speed of his fingers dragging in and out of you, only to increase his pace as your body welcomes him in.

“So tight around my fingers, baby. Can’t wait to feel you around my cock.” Your moans start to pitch higher and higher, your release imminent. He can tell you’re almost there, his fingers press even deeper into you and curve slightly, finding that spongy spot inside of you. You cry out louder.

“Yes, please Fives! Right there!”

He doesn’t relent his pace with his fingers as his mouth latches to suck around your clit. You can’t string two thoughts together; all you can focus on is the electricity pulsing through your body. All you can hear are your moans and the filthy noise from his fingers and mouth pleasuring your pussy. Your legs are quaking around his head, your hips fighting to leave the table but being held into place by your source of pleasure. You’re able to glance down at Fives and the lustful but focused look in his golden eyes is enough to push you over the edge. Your eyes roll back as your orgasm hits you like a speeder. His fingers work you through it as your pussy flutters around him, and his tongue laps up your release. Once your breathing settles, he pulls his fingers from you and makes eye contact as he sucks them clean.

“You’re even sweeter than I imagined.” You’re still sprawled on the table as he stands up and removes the top of his blacks. You’re in recovery from your release, but you feel yourself clench as you look over his sculpted, tan body. You almost moan when you notice his cock, still free from your earlier work is now hard again as he removes what was left of his armor. He notices the hungry look on your face. “Bet I can get you to come again, this time on my cock.”

Your energy perks up and you’re able to lift yourself up again, and you teasingly wave your hips at him, showing off your entrance, still glistening from your orgasm. One of his hands grabs your hip to steady you, while the other strokes his cock and lines it up against your entrance. He slides it up and down your slit, whacking it against your sensitive clit. You shake in his grip and his eyes gleam as he slowly presses into you.

You’re still wet from your release and his fingers had worked you up, but you still have a hard time accepting his thickness. You feel him splitting you open, but the slight edge of pain is overpowered by the pleasure. Fives bottoms out in you and pauses, giving you a moment to adjust to him. You had never been so full and the sensation is almost too much. Your arms lift and grasp onto his biceps, needing to hold onto him for proof this wasn’t some dream.

One of his hands reaches behind you to the small of your back to keep you propped up. His other is gripping your hip, grounding himself as he’s ready to take what he wants. But he has to briefly control himself. He bends down, kissing you on your forehead.

“You feel so good, I won’t be able to last long. Are you ready?” He asks as his kisses trail down to your mouth. You deepen the kiss, gathering his bottom lip in your mouth and lightly bite on it making him groan.

“Fuck me, Fives. I’m off tomorrow, so I don’t need to walk.” You whisper and that’s all he needs.

He pulls himself out and then thrusts all the way back in, hitting your deepest spot. You barely reacted when he’s already moving again, unrelenting in his pace as he aims for that pleasure spot with every single thrust. He holds you against him, smacking your hips into his. Your nails digging deeper into his arm, and you’re turned on at the thought of him secretly walking around tomorrow with your marks on him. His pace is harder than it is quick, and you feel him drag in your pussy with every movement, almost as if you can feel every vein and ridge on his cock. Your pussy is holding him in a vice like grip, and as your legs wrap around his waist he groans as he feels you move around him.

Your head starts to roll back, and his hand that was on your back moves to the back of your neck to hold you in place, making you keep eye contact locked with him. He’s in complete control of your body, his strong arms able to hold you and fuck you like a rag doll. The tension starts to build in your body again, building to another peak.

Fives pulls out and you whine from the loss of him, but then he flips you onto your stomach, your ass up and legs dangling off the table. He uses his legs to spread yours further apart as he bends over, licking a line up your spine. He bites at the back of your neck, grabs a fistful of your hair to angle your face with his as he kisses you. He slams his cock back into you and you cry out; you won’t have a voice tomorrow.

“I’m close, can I come inside this pretty pussy?” he pants into your ear as he slowly drags his cock in and out of you. You were on birth control, so you knew you would be fine.

“Yes, please, fill me up Fives!” you gasp, grinding your ass back into him to meet his movements. He kisses you again then slides his hand back to your hips and begins a brutal pace.

If you thought you hadn’t been filled before, this angle makes you feel him in places you didn’t think were possible. His body pushing into you more and more with each thrust, you’re sure you’ll have bruises on your hips from his hands and marks on your legs from the edge of the desk. You start to lift yourself, but he uses on hand on your back to press you back down, your cheek turned to the side pressed against the surface so you’re able to see him ravish you from the corner of your eye.

He’s hitting your deepest spot with every thrust, quickly propelling you closer and closer to your second orgasm. Your body is wrecked as he fucks into you. Your vision is blurry, you can’t focus on anything, and your head is filled with your combined moans and the sinfully delightful slap of his hips against your ass and his dick in your pussy. You won’t be able to focus on any of your next projects when you’re on your next shift, all you’ll be able to think of is how this Arc Trooper bent you over your desk and fucked you into another galaxy. Your whole body begins to tense, and you feel a euphoric sensation take over your body. You were already on your way to the strongest orgasm you ever had, when his hand reached around for your clit and his calloused finger pads start rubbing it. You’re pushed past the point of no return.

You scream out but you can’t hear it, you see white and the only thing grounding you to the planet is the sensation of him fucking you through your climax. You call out his name countless times as he fucks you through it, your pussy squeezing him to the point where he can’t hold on any longer and, with a cry of your name, he fills you with hot streams of cum.

He collapses onto you, both of you breathing together and still joined. Slowly he gets up and pulls himself out of you. You nearly roll off the table, but he catches you and picks you up just to bring you down to the floor with him. He holds you in his arms there, allowing you to catch your breath. His golden eyes don’t leave your face as he brushes tears you don’t even realize you had shed off your cheeks. He smiles at you and his eyes twinkle as he leans down to kiss your forehead.

“I’m glad I lost that bet,” you joke, making him laugh and bend down for another kiss.

[thalergetic]

prompt: sugar daddy adora. as a birthday treat 😌

as a birthday treat? of course 😌

As far as Catra knew, most grad students didn’t have closets full of Gucci, Dior, and Louis Vuitton.

They didn’t have a chauffeur that would take them wherever they needed, whenever they needed.

And they certainly weren’t sharing a bed with one of the most powerful businesswomen in the country.

Adora Grayskull, who made the 30 Under 30 list at age 21, had been promoted to COO of Horde Industries about three months before she met Catra, and she was only on her way up.

Catra wasn’t sure exactly what her job entailed — Adora had tried explaining it a few times in bed, but nothing had ever stuck — and wasn’t sure she wanted to know.

After all, that wasn’t something their... agreement had covered.

Catra met Adora when she was in the first year of a grueling PhD program at one of the best schools on the West Coast.

She’d been waiting tables in a fairly high-class restaurant, trying to make enough money to cover her first tuition payment, when Adora walked in.

She had been with a client, Catra remembered, but it didn’t stop her from staring the whole time.

When her client left — in some fit of rage, if the way he stormed out was anything to go by — Adora had sighed and put her head in her hands.

And, well, Catra wasn’t immune to someone that attractive in a well-tailored suit.

She brought over a glass of the scotch Adora had ordered earlier and placed it gently beside her.

“On the house,” Catra said, watching Adora’s eyes flick over to it. “You’re Adora Grayskull, right?”

“Guilty as charged.” Adora looked up at her for a moment. “Care to join me?”

Catra knew she probably shouldn’t, but it had been a slow night, and her manager was too busy micromanaging the hostesses to notice her.

After a moment’s hesitation, she nodded, and pulled up a chair across from her. “What was that guy’s deal?”

Adora sighed a little, looking towards the door before her eyes met Catra’s. “I had to fire him.” When Catra’s eyes widened a little, Adora continued, explaining, “He’s— he was in charge of our Boston branch.”

“Not anymore, though, I guess,” Catra said. “Rough way to end a night.”

“Considering he spent the last two quarters doing coke and fucking his secretary, I think he probably should’ve seen it coming.” Adora took a sip of her drink to hide a smile as Catra let out a surprised laugh.

Adora swallowed, then nodded toward Catra. “My turn to ask a question. What brought you here?”

“Here, like, to LA? Or to the restaurant?”

“Both,” Adora shrugged. “Either.”

Catra gnawed at the inside of her lip for a second. “I’m a grad student at UCLA,” She said. “I just started a PhD program.”

Adora’s eyebrows raised a little as she nodded, impressed. “In what?”

“Mechanical engineering and applied physics,” Catra answered, watching Adora’s eyes widen even further. “Y’know. Basic stuff.”

It was Adora’s turn to let out a surprised laugh. “No shit,” She said, propping her head up on a hand. “Tell me more.”

Somehow, Catra did. She talked — slow and hesitant at first, then with increasing enthusiasm that led her to drawing a diagram on the back of a receipt — about her work, her interests, and her concentration.

The whole time, Adora watched her face with an awed expression. At the end, her only question was, “So why the hell are you waiting tables?”

“I mean, the tuition isn’t exactly cheap,” Catra said. “I got a partial scholarship, but I’m already up to my neck in loans. This doesn’t cover all of it, but...” She shrugged. “It helps. Plus, the food’s not bad.”

Adora nodded a little. Her face clouded with an expression Catra couldn’t place. “Means you have less time to do your actual work, though.”

Catra nodded. “It does. But, I mean, it’s whatever,” She said, shrugging again. “That’s life. What can you do, y’know?”

“Well, I—” Adora cut herself off with a shake of her head. “No, that’s not— never mind.”

Catra frowned. “What?”

As if to give her some courage, Adora finished her drink. She began to run her finger around the edge of the glass as she said, in a careful, halting voice, “If you needed some help, I would...” She cleared her throat. “I would be happy to, um...”

She was blushing, Catra realized. Why would she be— oh.

Oh.

“Um,” Catra started, eyes widening. “You— but, I-I mean, I just met you.”

“True,” Adora agreed. “So obviously you’re under no obligation to accept, but—” She let out a small sigh. “You know you’re the first person I’ve been able to have a normal conversation with in years?”

Catra blinked. She wasn’t sure what to say, and all her brain could come up with was, “Oh.”

“Yeah,” Adora nodded. “And you’re so, so smart, Catra. You should be able to spend as much time as humanly possible doing what you love, not—not giving glasses of Johnny Walker to random CEOs on a Tuesday night.”

Catra was pretty sure her mouth was hanging open. “So, to be clear, you would be, like... my sugar daddy?”

Adora cringed a little at the words, but nodded anyway. “If that’s what you want to call it, then... sure. But we don’t have to discuss it now,” She said, reaching into her suit jacket.

She pulled out a sleek, neat black wallet and pulled one, two, then four hundred-dollar bills from inside it.

“When are you free to talk about it?” Adora asked, sliding the money across the table. “I’ll send a car for you.”

“You don’t have to do that. I can take the bus.”

“If that’s what you want, that’s fine,” Adora said, putting her hands up in surrender. “But if it makes things easier for you, I’m happy to do it.”

In the end, the temptation of a plush, fancy car was too much for Catra to overcome, and she relented soon after.

Later that week, when she and Adora went over the terms of what they’d refer to as the agreement, Catra found herself blushing when she asked the question that had been lingering on her mind for days.

“So... in exchange for the money,” Catra said hesitantly, watching Adora’s expression shift ever so slightly, “What... would I be doing?”

“Right. Um.” Adora started, swallowing thickly. “I know that usually in these types of relationships, there’s—” She cut herself off, letting out a small laugh. “I don’t know why I’m blushing,” She said, shaking her head. “Um. But there’s a sexual component.”

Not trusting herself to speak without it coming out squeaky, Catra just nodded. Her face was on fire.

“If that’s not something you’re interested in, that’s completely fine,” Adora said, raising her eyebrows a little. “I don’t want to pressure you into anything.”

Catra nodded again, clearing her throat. “And, um. If... I was interested?”

Adora’s eyes widened a little, and Catra swore she saw them darken as her jaw pulsed. “If you’re interested,” Adora said, her voice dropping a little deeper, “I’m more than okay with that.”

Feeling her heart rate jump a little at the sudden change in demeanor, Catra blinked rapidly. “Um. O-okay,” She said, nodding again. “Yeah. Cool. We need to—to talk about it more, though, right?”

“I need to know any limits you have,” Adora said, nodding. “Anything you’re absolutely not willing to do.”

“Okay,” Catra nodded. “Yeah. I can do that.”

Adora offered a hand out for Catra to shake.

After a second’s hesitation, Catra took it.

“Then it’s a deal,” Adora said, giving her a smile. “You’ll have access to a car service, my credit card, and the penthouse,” She said. “In return, I would just ask that you keep this between us.”

“Uh. Of course,” Catra said, remembering the very detailed text she’d sent to Glimmer after their first meeting. “Um. I-I can do that.”

“I-I mean, I don’t know what you’ve told people,” Adora said, frowning a little. “Just, you know. Try and keep my name out of it. Not that I’m ashamed of you, or of this, but with the company—”

“Easy, baby,” Catra said, putting a hand on her arm. She began to rub soothingly at it, feeling hard muscle under Adora’s dress shirt. “I get it.”

Adora blushed again. “You—you called me baby,” She said dumbly.

“You’re paying for my tuition,” Catra said, raising an eyebrow. “I feel like it’s the least I can do.”

The words seemed to remind her of something, and Catra swallowed hard. “Speaking of tuition,” She said. “When do you... want me to start?”

“Start wh— oh.” Adora’s eyes widened. She looked behind her, where the door to her bedroom was open, before turning back to Catra. “Are you busy tonight?”

Catra blinked, trying hard to tamp down her blush. “Not at all.”

“Well, then,” Adora said, taking a step toward her. Slowly, so Catra could see and react to it, she moved her hand up so her thumb was resting on Catra’s bottom lip. “There’s your answer.”

Catra opened her mouth a little, feeling Adora slide her thumb inside.

In a second, Catra decided that if she was going to do this, she would do it right.

Putting a hand on Adora’s to steady it, Catra began to suck gently on the finger in her mouth, watching Adora’s eyes fly open as her lips parted.

A few moments later, Catra released her finger with a pop, leaving Adora much less collected than she had been minutes prior.

With a wink, Catra moved past her slowly, dragging her fingers lightly along Adora’s shoulder as she walked behind her into her bedroom.

Catra stopped at the doorway and looked back. “If we’re doing this, there’s something you should know,” She said, watching Adora frown in a mix of concern, confusion, and arousal.

“What?”

Dragging her eyes up and down Adora’s body, Catra gave her a grin. “I bite.”

[felassan]

Article: ‘The Most Powerful Woman in Gaming Wants to Make EA Loved Again’

Laura Miele is helping direct the company toward a future where it’s more attuned with consumers.

One of the first things Laura Miele did when she became chief studios officer of Electronic Arts Inc. three years ago was to gather 19 video game influencers in a conference room. “What do you want me to hear? Lay it on me,” she recalls asking them. “One guy sitting at the corner of the table, he just said, ‘I don’t understand why you don’t give players what they’re asking for.’ ”

[rest of article under cut for length, pasted as Bloomberg has an article read limit]

One of the first things Laura Miele did when she became chief studios officer of Electronic Arts Inc. three years ago was to gather 19 video game influencers in a conference room. “What do you want me to hear? Lay it on me,” she recalls asking them. “One guy sitting at the corner of the table, he just said, ‘I don’t understand why you don’t give players what they’re asking for.’ ”

It’s something many gamers have wondered about EA for years. The $40 billion company, one of the biggest in gaming, is responsible for Battlefield, Madden NFL, and other megahit franchises. But many gamers have long seen EA as a necessary evil, resenting the direction in which it took some games and bristling at its aggressive attempts to extract money by charging extra for digital items in games that cost as much as $70 upfront. This dissatisfaction was no secret in 2018: Gamers spent their days filling up Reddit and other message boards with free advice for EA—but many felt its decision-makers weren’t listening.

EA’s leadership knows it has to improve that relationship, and Miele is a key player in its efforts to do so. Her focus group asked for new content for Star Wars Battlefront II and requested new types of games. Miele quickly assigned 70 people to the Battlefront development project, which dramatically improved its net promoter score, a measure of how likely people are to recommend the game. She also prompted EA to create a skateboarding game and committed to reintroducing its college football franchise, the two genres at the top of the influencers’ list.

In a sense, the guy at the meeting became a stand-in for all of EA’s long-suffering customers in Miele’s eyes. “I wanted to do right by this player,” she says.

As chief studios officer, Miele manages 6,000 staffers and thousands of contractors globally. She oversees EA’s 24 studios, where she makes personnel decisions and sets strategy, and she’s reshaped how the company uses analytics to create and market its games.

In the process she may have become the most powerful woman in gaming. In a 2019 International Game Developers Association survey, fewer than 30% of the more than 1,100 respondents were women, and few if any hold a more central role at such an important company. “It’s a tough place for a woman,” says Peter Moore, who was Miele’s boss when he was EA’s chief operating officer. “It wasn’t always smooth sailing, but she battled her way through.”

Proving good intentions is more important for EA than ever, as the business model of gaming continues to shift in ways that have the potential to alienate customers. Like its rivals, the company is increasing its focus on free-to-play games, making money through sales of digital products such as outfits and weapons for characters.

There are signs it’s succeeding. Apex Legends, EA’s free-to-play hero shooter game, has posted more than $1 billion in sales since it was first published in 2019, and it continues to grow. “The way to succeed with free-to-play games like that is to listen to and engage your customer base and earn their loyalty through incremental purchases,” says Doug Clinton, managing partner of the venture capital firm Loup Ventures, who says Miele deserves much of the credit for Apex Legends. “It feels like a proof point for her that the company is adapting well beyond traditional disk sales.”

Miele, 51, was born in San Francisco but grew up on the north shore of Lake Tahoe. She got her start in games—the kind that require a board—during family nights, when she pitted herself against her brother in Monopoly, Clue, Yahtzee, and backgammon. While attending the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, she worked at architectural companies. By the time she dropped out she’d moved on from receptionist positions to more senior roles, while gaining a reputation for organizing lunch-hour card games with her co-workers.

Miele landed a job as a project manager at Westwood Studios, a video game developer best known for Command and Conquer, in 1996. She eventually took over all marketing for its parent company, Virgin Interactive.

It wasn’t always a hospitable atmosphere: Miele remembers her colleagues expecting her to take notes at meetings, then clean up afterward. “That is just not something I would do today,” she says. “I adapted a lot because I was so passionate about what I was doing. I found my voice along the way.”

When EA acquired Westwood in 1998, she stayed on. At the time, the company did revenue forecasting by looking at sales data once a month and putting together spreadsheets by hand. Miele was tasked with developing more advanced analytics. She hired a group of data analysts, nicknamed “the Jedi,” and had them build EA’s first statistical regression models to examine sales trends, seasonality, and preorders. It took almost two years to put the system in place, but it overhauled the company’s business processes, and executives were soon using it to determine how to invest in advertising and promotions. “I loved how data and analytics can inform your judgment and your gut instinct,” Miele says.

Miele also decided to make one major break with EA’s existing business practices. In 2011 about 80% of game advertising budgets were spent on TV ads. But she saw how much time gamers spent online and decided to spend the bulk of the ad budget for Battlefield 3 on digital, downplaying other types of ads and cutting the TV ad budget to only 30%.

Messing around with the plan for Battlefield 3 was a good way to make people nervous. Miele remembers two executives calling her in for a meeting and demanding to know why they weren’t seeing billboards for the game as they drove in to the office. “It was scary for me, too, and I don’t blame our executives questioning me on that,” she says. But the game ended up being EA’s fastest-selling, moving more than 5 million copies in its first week. From that point, Miele’s marketing strategy became the standard for the company.

When EA signed a 10-year deal with Walt Disney Co. in 2013, Miele became Star Wars general manager. In 2014 she took over publishing operations, marketing, and other key areas, first in the North American region, then globally in 2016. At the time, the game industry was moving from physical disks to digital downloads, transforming its relationship with retail partners such as Walmart Inc. and Best Buy Co.

Miele was in charge of smoothing things over, explaining that EA would start competing with them for customers even as the retailers accounted for the largest portion of the revenue. “I never said to them, ‘Hey, see you later, we are moving on,’ ” she says. “It was, ‘How can we move forward together?’ ” EA began making physical cards with digital credits that its retail partners could sell at their stores, allowing them to share in the revenue from digital sales.

EA’s studios are spread around the globe, and Covid-19 altered Miele’s routine radically. “It was a very difficult year, and I’m really proud about how our company showed up,” she says. “I considered myself a wartime leader last year. You had to get in a bunker with everybody.”

Days became an endless progression of Zoom calls. To keep up with gamers, Miele started spending evenings listening to Clubhouse chats while answering work emails. Because she hasn’t been on the road, she’s also had more time to dine at home and play board games or Apex Legends and The Sims with her 16-year-old twins. As the pandemic retreats in the U.S., her schedule might change, but she still envisions providing more flexibility to her employees to work from home and office. “I do think we’re going to have a different work environment as we go forward,” she says.

Miele is itching to get back to the studio visits. She’s helping steer EA further toward smartphones. The company plans to release mobile versions of Apex Legends globally this year and spent $2.1 billion in April for Glu Mobile Inc., a mobile game publisher, while also preparing the next releases in its existing franchises. “I think the next Battlefield and the mobile shooter games, along with how successful the M&As come out will be key litmus tests of her management this year,” says Matt Kanterman, an analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence. “Her scope is clearly rising.”

— With Dina Bass and Jason Schreier

[source]

[omegatheunknown]

AEW ALL OUT 2021

In which, not to get ahead of myself here, AEW puts on one of the best major wrestling shows in several years*, following the simple yet effective principle of giving the people what they want and sending everyone home happy and hungry for more.

- The incredibly 'Nitro' ending of the go-home Dynamite, which ran a little long on the 'heels beat everyone up and strut around like assholes almost too in desperate need of comeuppance' bit, short of garbage raining into the ring, did actually increase the heat for both promoted matches. Again, not rocket science, but executed perfectly. Catharsis was on the card, and catharsis went over several times Sunday. - Again, it's time to move on from the Casino theme, shuffling the deck and drawing suits really only detracted from the Battle Royale and seemingly always throws the production crew a curve. If they haven't hammered it by now, it's not going to happen. - Bit unhappy about the PAC/Andrade situation, but still over the moon with Andrade's promo style and Chavito being unhelpful at best.

*Pre-Card

Best Friends and Jurassic Express v The Hardy Family Office and The Hybrid 2 (**) - Not usually much to say about a loaded-up multiteam boondoggle, particularly when the show has yet to begin, but there were some moments worth sitting up to take notice -- there's a lot of talent in the ring, even if Jack Evans/Angelico aren't going to be more than mid-level mooks, little matchups with guys like Luchasaurus and Chuck Taylor are opportunities for innovative/weird spots. - Really this match exists to show-off Jungle Boy, play his theme song twice, and work him in to the aforementioned spots. I don't rightly know what Jungle Jack's ceiling is, but it sort of feels like he's plateauing, at least this version of himself. - Dan Lambert thing is interesting in that it doesn't seem to easily lead to something obvious... I mean who are Scorp and Ethan Page feuding with by proxy here, the concept of contemporary professional wrestling? Orange Cassidy and Kenny Omega?

*Main Card

Miro (C) v Eddie Kingston for the TNT Championship (***1/2) - 'Redeem Deez Nuts' T-shirts now available -- and made immediately redundant now that Miro has graciously redeemed Eddie's nuts. - Imagine looking at Miro, listening to Miro talk, and not really being able to figure out this guy is money. Also imagine panicking when he took a little while to find his groove in AEW. 'The Redeemer' is both entertaining and terrifying, and this match delivered heavily on the promise of two big fellas smacking together repeatedly. - Not only does Eddie's arsenal of power moves target Miro's neck, he may also be quite difficult to put in the full reclined camel clutch. Or he'd quite literally snap in half. It didn't come to that. - Weird heel turn by Bryce's attention span and the overall weirdness of the finish is all that kept this from being an excellent match, otherwise this was a tremendous curtain jerker and started off a dangerously fun run of pure adrenaline.

Jon Moxley v Satoshi Kojima (****) - The stakes were nebulous, the build was abrupt, yet this was a fantastic match and tremendous showcase for an underappreciated great who has been more or less just toiling for a bunch of years as a NJPW Dad. Same deal for Nagata, and I assume Tenzan is the same, Taka Michinoku even -- let's see it. - I have to assume the Cozy Lariat might have put Mox down, but Kojima otherwise played the hits (Koji Cutter, Piledriver, Brainbustaaaa) in a big way and Moxley once again proved he's become a very well-rounded wrestler who can match the intensity of just about any former IWGP champion. - More to the point-- KAZE NI NARE -- out of nowhere, too. Or out of nowhere to those not paying attention to the whereabouts of Minoru Suzuki (Right, he's just over here to fight Daniel Garcia and not Mox?), which I guess is to my own peril. Wow, though. Surprise Number 1- a complete surprise, and a welcome one. Let's have it.

Dr Britt Baker, DMD (C) v Kris Statlander for the AEW Women's Championship (****) - I love Kris and her best friends but she didn't have a prayer of dethroning Britt. She got one promo, several weeks ago, and though she did make a meal of Hayter and Rebel, the chase has been abrupt and not given much discussion, other than Mark Henry and whomever else acknowledging what is extremely evident -- Statlander is stronger than she looks, and she looks really strong. They've got her doing Cesaro-level 'modify your grip while holding your opponent's entire weight' nonsense, and it's amazing and scary. - Even with the reign of the good doctor not being credibly threatened, this was an excellent match that demonstrated the continued growth of the competitors in the women's division, even as it underlined that their storylines remain undercooked and perfunctory: Orange Cassidy whipping off his shades to urge Stat to get up was a beautiful moment. Britt's Panama Sunrise, also, too sweet. Statlander eating shit on her 451 and her pendulum moonsault was properly brutal, as were Britt's curb stomps. Really great match between these two. - Again, if they had bothered to write anything into this story, such as Kris' alien physiology making her immune to the lockjaw or something... actually, maybe that's a terrible idea. it's an idea. Undefeated challenger is defeated, on to the next for Dr Britt. Statlander and OC should tag against some of the boys.

The Young Bucks (C) v The Lucha Bros for the AEW World Tag Team Championship(*****+) - Can't not mention the insane entrance lined up for Fenix and Penta. It was bewildering, it was enchanting, it was aggressive, it was hype. It also reminded everybody how very badly we all wanted the Lucha Bros to win. The crowd has been setting new peaks with their volume since Punk showed up, but things were absolutely thunderous and ecstatic at the end of this match. Absolutely valid response. I yelled on the couch. - Nick's facial hair was a bigger tell that it was time for the Bucks to lose than anything else about this build. There's literally nowhere to go from there -- they've done the hair, the bandanas, the kicks, the animal print, the dangly earrings -- peak visual heel for this time and place. - Sincerely thought this was going to be too much of a full sprint spot-fest (the PWG-esque circle of trading blows is not really 'my thing') but even so they kept finding gears, and ramping and ramping and adding blood and brutality along the way. Even a bit of levity, with the tacked up sneaker, followed by the sincerity of Penta throwing himself in harm's way to protect his brother. Immense match, I think you'd have to go back to the Bucks vs the Addiction and MCMGs Ladder War to find a more thrilling tag team gimmick match. - If there's a single flaw to be found it's in the production not really settling on wide angles for simultaneous action at the start of the match. They figured it out. - Rey Fenix is the best luchador in the world.

Women's Casino Battle Royale (**1/2) - If nothing else, this really shows off that they now have a surplus of women's wrestlers who deserve time to hang in the ring. Unsurprisingly, the match picked right up when Thunder Rosa and then Jamie Hayter got to the ring, with additional props to Tay Conti and Jade Cargill, who was dumped rather unceremoniously given her general booking... - Okay, there was something else. Welcome to the rechristened Ruby Soho, who I've not seen a lot of outside of her extremely limited showcase in WWE, but she has so many friends in the back and in the industry and that's never for nothing, not in wrestling, anyway. Intrigued to see where she fits, and if the women ever get more than a match per show. - Touched on this in the preamble but this was the roughest part of the night for the home viewer, just weird decisions on cutting away from various entrances to show... nothing in particular happening. Also while the commitment to not-kayfabing the countdown clock is... admirable? It makes the pacing hinky. - Almost everyone who got new gear for tonight was looking like the white ranger -- Nyla, Swole, Bunny, someone I'm missing. Except Anna Jay, whose stars and glitter gear looked great.

MJF v Chris Jericho for the fate of Jericho's in-ring career (***) - MJF's unauthorized homage to Y2J's entrance: good. Fozzy's guitarist going off tempo with the instrumental Judas: weak, and would've been sad if this were the end for Jericho. Especially as the build has felt... muted, somehow. - Props to the commentary for continuing to feed the red herring of 'in AEW,' as a caveat to stipulation, it did feel like... a remote possibility that MJF would win. - Credit to Aubrey for calling this one down the middle and not putting the fix in for her friend Jericho, and I guess the Dusty finish will give MJF plenty to gripe about. - MJF wrestles with a pure heel style, holds, chops, blocks, and Jericho is fifty years old, so the level of wrestling on exhibition in these matches is well beside the point. It was solid to good, and I was fighting burn out from the first half of the card's level of excitement.

CM Punk v Darby Allin (***1/2) - There are a couple benefits of Darby as a dance partner, and it's certainly better than having to watch Punk return against like, QT Marshall or Shawn Spears. Darby does make everyone look slow, but he can also be tossed around, and this raises his profile even in defeat, obviously. That said, the stakes here are... meta, at best, in that we want to see the man look good and justify the hype. It's a weird thing to root for. He certainly does look good. (Tights? Tights!) - It's fun to theorize about actually booking an angle where Punk is rusty and needs to regain his prowess, and maybe he'll stumble, but maybe the most we get out of that angle is hitting the GTS a little close to the ropes so Darby falls right out of the ring, in what was, for me, the spot that justified this whole match. - Sting's proud step-dad aura is still a hell of a thing, I really liked the end of the match kudos all around. - Match was good, hard to hang my emotions on. I wasn't watching WWE when Punk was in WWE. Definitely feeding off the excitement of others a bit here, and he sure can talk. I'd like to see him cultivate a stable, certainly.

Paul Wight v QT Marshall (n/r) - ...popcorn match? QT Marshall is like the anti-Daniel Garcia in that while his prominence and presence is just as inexplicable, I don't want it to continue, and he doesn't justify it in the process. - Match was two minutes longer than it needed to be.

Kenny Omega (c) v Christian Cage for the AEW World Championship (****1/2) - Crowd was both burnt out and more or less waiting for the post-match angle. Which I get. it's hard to cruise to the main event and having seen all the different things we've already seen on this card, even a singular performer like Kenny Omega and a legend with whom he (surprisingly? fittingly?) has superb chemistry with in Christian Cage were up against it to deliver something memorable. - Context dependent, I can definitely see rating this below their Rampage match, especially since... I mean Christian isn't winning the AEW title off Kenny at this or probably any other event. - But! It was really good! It was very good! They really do match-up well, and Kenny's v-trigger has rarely looked more devastating than when it knocks Christian flat. Christian got cut open in a novel and initially worrying way, and Kenny followed up a botched moonsault with a harder version of the same move off a rail, but it was a really great match and it deserved more energy than was available.

Post-Show - Calling back and inverting the end of Dynamite, The Elite strut about the ring, slightly less stoked than they were on Wednesday, but with the Bucks smiling through the pain, and Jungle Boy once again subjected to violence for his misguided heroism, Kenny 'not much a promo' Omega lays down a killer line about nobody being fit to challenge him who isn't unavailable, already tired or dead. - The Undertaker ADAM COLE, BAY BAY as Surprise #3 was a minor stroke of brilliance, and a fun swerve because while it's exciting to see him, his appearance at this point in the narrative does nothing to solve the problem of The Elite beating up Christian and Jungle Boy. Unless he's still sore about his unsolved murder, which he isn't. Storytime with Adam Cole is back and it's beautiful. Also Jungle Boy died for this. - Okay. But. Just. Okay. CM Punk and Bryan Danielson are All Elite. They will hopefully tag together. Bryan will head to NJPW, almost definitely. Minoru Suzuki just walked in and started slugging on Mox. The Forbidden Door is wide open. Will Kenny Omega one day return to Wrestle Kingdom? There are so many possibilities and they are all very exciting. This was a phenomenal show and it didn't have Hangman Page, Cody Rhodes, FTR, Santana and Ortiz, PAC, Andrade, Sammy Guevara, Team Taz, and the rest.

- Wrestling is good, actually. Imagine watching like five hours of wrestling and loving wrestling at the end of it.

*What competes- WK11, Dominion 2018, 2019, DoN 2019, 2021.. All-In, probably. Wrestlemania 30. A few Takeovers. Kris Wolf's retirement show...

[irwinkitten]

men of mayhem | a.i

notes: okay so we have some angst and you probably will cry reading this and i am so sorry warnings: minor character deaths, the angst in the aftermath, mentions of violence, a smidge of a fluff. word count: 4.1k

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part one, part two

-

          The roar of the bike was the dead giveaway—to Michelle—of who had just arrived, but she opened the door once the engine had been killed and practically flew at Ashton to greet him. 

“Since you showed up on the bike, you’re fairly confident?” Michelle teased as she greeted Ashton with a kiss. He laughed.

“Cal is about to pull up with the truck. Luke is riding shotgun and Michael is on his bike with them. I might’ve tore ahead once I knew where I was.” He grinned cheekily. Almost as if to compound his words, a jeep pulled up, the roar of a bike following.

“Next time you wanna fuckin’ tear off, at least tell me where the fuck you’re heading! It’s a good job that I knew where her place was.” Calum snapped as he stepped out of the jeep.

“Sorry.” The grin on Ashton’s face was anything but.

Pulling herself free from Ashton’s grip, she half threw herself at Calum, earning a sharp laugh as he swung her around.

“Hi angel.” He grinned once she was down on her feet and she beamed up at him.

“Hi, you can’t be mad at him for racing ahead of you guys. You’ve visited enough times to know he was gonna do that.” Calum snorted.

“I fuckin’ can and will be mad at him. We’re protection detail and he doesn’t fuckin’ help by tearin’ off away from said fuckin’ protection detail.” Calum grouched before letting her go. “It’s nice to see you lookin’ good though sweetheart. Married life looks good on you, even if you can hardly see the fucker thanks to the assholes we’re hunting.” She laughed at that before greeting both Luke and Michael with strong hugs.

“Sure you don’t wanna run away with me, Chelle?” Luke teased, making her laugh as she pulled away, patting his cheeks.

Luke had truly grown into his looks, the stubble that graced his face added years onto the twenty four that he was. With blonde curls and a tall stature, broad shoulders as well, she knew he looked the part. She also knew that as much as he tried, even though he saw her as a sister, she wouldn’t even contemplate the idea. He wasn’t her type and they all knew it.

“As much as running away with a prince charming might be every other girl's dream, my dream is standing six feet away and glowering at you.” The pair of them turned to see the glare on Ashton’s face before he realised and his head fell back as he groaned.

“The fuckin’ pair of you.” He muttered and they both laughed before she indicated to her bags that were waiting on the steps.

“C’mon then boys. Three months of me before I’m back here for the last year of school. I wanna see my parents this millennia.” The four of them laughed before they started moving. Ashton picked up two bags whilst Calum got the third plus her suitcase. 

Once they were in the car, Ashton handed Michelle her helmet and she smirked at him as she donned it before sliding on behind him, her arms winding tightly around him. 

“Don’t play up sweetheart.” He warned her quietly, making her laugh as they started the drive back to Charming.

It was when they were on the last hour that Calum had overtaken Michael and Ashton, indicating for them to pull over.

“What’s going on?” Ashton called. Calum was yet to leave the jeep, the phone in his hand. 

“It’s Anne-Marie, she’s fucking hysterical. Something about the Bulldogs.” Ashton swore.

“We need to hit the gas then. Try and tell her we’ll be there soon, less than an hour.” Calum relayed that before cutting the call and the engine roared to life once more. Michelle stayed quiet, trying to quell her anxiety that was slowly growing. 

The Bulldogs were the reason why she had an escort to and from where she stayed in the city. They’d only been mild inconveniences at first, small irritations to SAMCRO. But over the last year, they had proved to everyone else that they were stepping up their game. 

Members had been attacked, Opie and Juice having caught the worst of it on one of the easy runs Bert had them handle. Opie’s arms were still healing from the burns they’d inflicted and Juice had lost the majority of his left leg. It was certainly something that had made SAMCRO pay attention and the two Irwin’s refused to leave anything to chance.

With this knowledge, Ashton pushed the bike to its speed limit, with Calum and Michael pushing their own vehicles to their limits, cutting the drive time drastically. It felt like a ghost town as they sped through, roads quiet as they headed to the garages. 

Bobby was waiting for them. His face fell when he noticed Michelle on the back of Ashton’s bike.

“What the fuck happened Bobby?” Ashton’s demand was met with an almost sheepish look before he glanced at Michelle sadly. 

Panic was setting in now, overriding the anxiety.

“Bobby, where are my parents? Where’s Matty?” Her tone brokered no arguments and Bobby stepped forward, only for Ashton to stop him

“Bobby.” 

“You need to go to the hospital. Now you’re here, I’ll follow after you.” Was all he said and the panic was threatening to overwhelm Michelle as Ashton climbed back onto the bike. 

He didn’t bother waiting for Bobby, he was back on the road and weaving through the town to make it to the hospital. He was silently praying that it was a dream, that this would all be over when he woke up.

Assortments of bikes were outside of the hospital and once the bike was at a standstill, Michelle was off and running. 

All she had to do was follow the trail of club members who didn’t move to stop her. It was only when Chibs spotted her, he stopped her from going further, his arms wrapped around to keep her in place. 

But Michelle ignored that, struggling against him.

“Let me go, I need to know what happened!” She half shouted, trying to wrestle herself free from Chibs’ grip. 

“Chibs, let her go.” The arms were gone but then she ran straight into Bert. His hands were firm on her shoulders, strong and unyielding as she struggled against his grip.

“Michelle.” His tone made her stop and look at him. And she studied his face closely. Bert was never someone who cried, in all the years she’d known him, he’d only ever cried once when Ashton had ended up in hospital when they were younger because he’d been caught in a crossfire. 

But there were tears in his eyes and she shook her head before he even said anything.

“Don’t you dare! They’re fine! Tell me they’re okay Bert!” Her voice was increasing and he could only hold her tighter as she tried to pull away

“I’m so sorry lil’ lady. I can’t do that.” She wanted to pull away, to scream. But the air was lost from her lungs and her body stopped moving. She took in shaking gasps, her head spinning.

“There was an explosion. All three of them were home. You—you don’t want to see what’s left.” Her knees went weak and Bert had to steady her, his arms wrapping around to support her, keep her upright.

“They’re gone?” Her voice was quiet, a small tremble barely noticeable. She felt like a small child as she looked up to Bert, her eyes pleading with him to lie to her, to say it was a bad joke, to tell her that they were alive.

He glanced up to see Ashton as well as the other three trailing behind him, his son’s concerned gaze on his wife before Bert met her eyes once more.

“They’re gone. I’m so sorry.” 

The agonising scream that escaped her had those within distance flinching at the sound. It was one which they’d all heard at one time in their lives. It was one that they’d never wanted to hear from someone who was close to them like Michelle was, but Ashton felt his heart shatter with theirs.

Bert helped her into Ashton’s arms, her body heavy as she cried. It didn’t take long for the older Irwin’s to guide the younger two to the family room, a couple of members standing guard as she tried to process what she’d been told, her chest aching in ways she’d never felt before.

The pain was paralysing.

It took the better part of an hour before Michelle could calm down enough to move of her own volition. Bert had tried to tell her something, but her brain had shut down. Information wouldn’t, couldn’t sink in for her. 

Ashton had traded vehicles with Luke. The young blonde agreed to drive his friends bike back to the Club whilst he and Michelle rode with Michael. Words were lost as the coined youngsters of the Club watched an almost despondent Michelle being helped into the trucks cab. 

Once they were behind sturdy locked doors, core members of the original club as well as Ashton, Calum, Luke, Michael and Michelle. It was certainly a first for someone’s old lady to be in the meeting, but with matching glares from both Ashton and Bert, no one was going to protest Michelle being there. 

“Has it been confirmed that it was them?” Bert’s voice was dangerously low and all of them knew that the only answer he would accept was one of confirmation.

“We found the calling card. It was them.” Juice muttered and Michelle closed her eyes, trying to stop the pain. 

“Did anyone do anything to antagonise them?” Bobby haltingly asked and Michelle sucked in a sharp breath, her gaze shifting to the older man. 

“Why the fuck would any of your sorry asses antagonising them cause my family to get fucking murdered?” She snapped and to Bobby’s credit, he tried not to look away from her tear stained face. 

“No one has antagonised. I don’t even know how it got out about your family since the only connection is—” 

“Me.” The word was bitter from her lips, spat out in disgust as she cut Bert off.

“They’re hurting us by using those closest to us. It wasn’t exactly a secret when we got married, but it wasn’t gossiped about.” Ashton’s voice was quiet as he held her hand in his, thumb running gentle circles on the back of her hand.

“If they think they’re going to get away with this without some kind of retaliation—” Chibs snapped but then Michelle snorted, effectively halting his tirade.

Even in her pain filled daze, she took stock of who was in the room at that moment and it dawned on her faster than she’d liked to have admitted.

“You have a mole.” The silence answered her statement. “Then we play the long game. I go back in three months. Let me finish my studies. Build a name and then come back. Let me build up everything against them. Send them away one by one. One of the prisons will most likely hold someone they’ve pissed off. And even if they survive prison, they won’t survive a bullet to the brain.” 

They were all reminded then that this girl grew up with them. She may have been loved, nurtured and cared for by her parents, but they had raised her. Taught her to defend herself, how to look at a situation for escape or exploitation. 

Bert could see the benefits of her idea. They’d gain credibility, knowing people were less likely to attack if they had a viable way of getting them arrested and making the charges stick. She’d be their ace up the sleeve.

“It would mean that their killers would be walking around free for however long.” Chibs pointed out and she took a moment to take in a deep breath.

“If it means that I get to put a bullet in their head eventually, they can keep walking about on borrowed time. In the meantime, you need to plan something that would be considered retribution. The mole will be suspicious if there isn’t one.” She started off and they could all see how painful this was for her. “For the long term plan, they can know nothing. But the short term one, be exclusionary with those who want to avenge my—my parents and Matty.” Her voice trembled on her brother's name, the sharp agony in her chest making her close her eyes for a second to pull herself together. She took in a halting breath, determined to stop the sobs. But she had no control over her tears when she opened her eyes once more. 

“They won’t argue that, if anything they’ll expect it.” Ashton confirmed to give her a moment to collect herself. “If the mole expects to be a part of the false plot, we can justify by saying that the Morgan’s were family longer than they’d been members. They won’t be able to argue or do anything because they’ll know but they won’t know the specifics. It’ll throw them off the long term goal.” 

“I don’t care what they do, but for this retribution, no children. Just because Matty died, doesn’t give us the right to even the score. Be better than them.” None of the members could argue her logic or the pain filled tone and the meeting soon closed with the promise of meeting up to work out a new plan for the false retribution.

Michelle stayed at the Irwins that night, unable to sleep and partly terrified that she’d lose Anne-Marie and Bert as well. 

She knew that Ashton was hurting as well, so being held by him eased the shared pain but it was only when she knew the house was asleep did he let his tears run free, holding onto her tightly as he buried his face into her neck and cried.

The rest of the week was almost surreal for Michelle. Once the house was stable, she was allowed to pack up what had survived the explosion. Anne-Marie offered to pack up her parents' things whilst she dealt with her little brothers. She could only nod. 

She felt cheated out of enjoying her life with Matty around. Her parents, although not that old, they’d lived. They had the chance to enjoy life. He hadn’t. 

Knowing that she couldn’t sit and go through it piece by piece, she swept everything into boxes. Ashton understood and helped her. Part of her felt wrong going through her eleven year old brother’s things, but she didn’t have much of a choice. It was hurting to see the way he’d obsessively kept any gift from her.

“What do you want to do with his clothes?” She felt that familiar stabbing pain in her chest. 

“Just, get it all in a box. I’ll go through them—later.” The word was lodged in her throat for. Second and tears stung the corners of her eyes. 

“Is Chibs trying to find anything salvageable in the kitchen?” Her voice was shaky, but Ashton didn’t comment on it as he put more clothes away. 

“He left that to Bobby. He complained about it of course, but we all know that you’re Bobby’s favourite. Chibs is up in the attic. I remembered your mom saying about the family photos being stuck in the loft until they found time with you to go through them when you got older. Have something for the grandkids to look through.” His voice faltered.

She had to stop at his words, hands moving to press against her chest as if it could ease the pain that was running through her heart. Ashton was quick to abandon his job to wrap his arms around her, letting her bury her face into his jackets to muffle the sob. 

His heart was breaking all over again. 

It was only five minutes but Michelle pulled herself together, giving Ashton a tearful kiss in thanks before returning to getting his things packed away. 

When they’d returned to the Irwin Household, Bert had quietly told Ashton that he and Anne-Marie were going to the club for a few hours. 

“You know there’s no judgement from me. But I also know that she’s the only person you’ve ever let your guards down to. Grieve, son. Both of you.” He could only nod as they left. 

It took him a moment before he made his way upstairs. Michelle had already come upstairs when they’d arrived home, unwilling to face anything else. 

He crawled into bed once he was changed and she curled into him. 

He’d never known something so cathartic. He knew she needed this too so there wasn’t a word of complaint as she clung to him, sobbing. Ashton didn’t hold back either. 

The following morning was one where she woke up with no tears in her eyes, but the sadness hurt Ashton to see. 

“We’ve got you sweet girl. I promise.” He murmured softly, pressing his lips to her forehead. 

“Look at us, married and still under a set of parents' roof.” The joke fell flat but he knew she was trying. 

“Unfortunately little miss lawyer, we can’t get a house till you’re all finished and moved back. However, I know that mom and dad have been saving up for retirement and I’ve managed to get us a good starting point as well.” The smile she gave him at putting the effort in for her, warmed his heart. “Come on. If we make it downstairs now, we might get some breakfast.” 

When they got into the kitchen, both Anne-Marie and Bert were there. Anne-Marie stood at the stove and Bert sat at the table, reading the newspaper. She took a seat and the next moment a plate of food had been placed in front of her, followed by a kiss to the top of her head. 

“Eat sweetheart.” She didn’t argue with Anne-Marie’s words, letting the conversation wash over her. 

She knew that she needed to contact the university, she knew she needed to make decisions about the house as well. On top of that, there were funeral arrangements and contacting the school to collect anything of Matty’s.  

“Lil’ lady?” Bert’s voice broke through her thoughts and she blinked before looking at both him and Ashton. She hadn't noticed that Anne-Marie had sat down as well. 

“Sorry, I didn’t hear anything.” 

“I was saying that Anne-Marie and I are arranging the funeral for them. Are there any preferences?” She blinked before feeling the tears bubble to the surface. Here they were, having practically adopted her into their own long before she’d married Ashton, taking charge so she didn’t have to. 

“Not that I can think of. Is it—is it going to be a joint funeral?” Bert paused. 

“Your parents, yes. They were some of those who were born, grew up and lived, and died in Charming. Matty’s will follow theirs, if only so his school friends can pay their respects. By all accounts, he was a popular kid.” Her bottom lip trembled as she nodded. 

“Made friends anywhere he went.” She got out and took in a slow deep breath. “What’s been done?” 

Bert knew what she meant with her question and paused before sighing. 

“Anne-Marie contacted your parents' place of work as well as your brother's school. Since school is still in session, they made the announcement. They wanted you to contact them to arrange a time to collect his things.” She nodded. 

“I expected that. I’ll need to contact the university and my job so they know that there’s things going on.

“Let me handle it.” Michelle was surprised at his tone. It was unrelenting and not something she was faced with often. 

“I can do it, it’ll be fine.” Bert shook his head. 

“Michelle Irwin you listen to me right now.” His tone was firm and she paused, eyeing him warily. He’d never used her full married name before. “You are not by yourself. You married into this family and this family is going to do the hard work so that you can grieve. You don’t need the potential stress from them. You are going to stay here with your husband and plan what you want to do when you move back. Okay?” 

She couldn’t help but stare at him in shock. It was the first time that he’d been so firm with her. But she nodded. 

“Family looks out for our own sweetheart. Mom and dad have told us that for years.” Ashton’s voice was gentle with his reminder and she could feel her emotions getting overwhelmed. 

“I just, never really thought that it was going to extend to something like this. I know they were your friends too but, you don’t need to do this.” There were tears in her eyes and Bert’s face softened. 

“You’re my daughter too lil’ lady. There’s no “in-law” on it. You’re family.” She gave him a tearful smile in return as he pushed away from the table. 

He walked around to her side and pressed a kiss to the top of her head before moving over to Anne-Marie, a softer kiss being left on her lips before he headed out. 

“Do you want to stay here?” Ashton’s question was gentle and her lips curved up slightly. 

“Would you mind helping, momma?” The smile on Anne-Marie’s lips told Michelle that the title was okay and she nodded. 

“Of course sweetheart. Why don’t you two get dressed up in case you want to get out and we’ll start the ball rolling.” 

They were both changed within ten minutes and back downstairs. Anne-Marie has some paperwork with her. 

“This is from the fire department. It’s the structure of the house and options. I went ahead and got some quotes for you from different companies as well. It’s entirely your choice as to what you do.” Michelle nodded in thanks as they sat back down at the—now cleared—kitchen table. 

All three of them went through the paperwork, rejecting the ones which set the price too high and ones that they weren’t too sure about. 

“If we remodelled the upstairs into three bedrooms and then the fourth can be used as office space...?” She trailed off in uncertainty, glancing at Ashton. 

“What are you thinking, doll?” 

“Maybe, if we get it remodelled upstairs, keep how downstairs was, this could be our home...” The smile he wore on his lips at that, made her muscles release in relief. 

“And when we’re ready to move in, the problem should’ve been solved so we wouldn’t have to worry. And it gives us time to heal.” His fingers took hold of her hand, lifting her knuckles to the back of his lips, pressing a gentle kiss to the skin. 

“I take it I’m missing something here?” Anne-Marie's amused tone and Ashton gave his mother a winning smile. 

“My beautiful and clever wife has solved our problem of moving out. It wasn’t going to really happen until she came home after graduation and got a couple of years under her belt. However if we remodelled the upstairs, leaving the downstairs how it used to be, the house is in her name now, we’d be able to move in.” 

“We wouldn’t be able to move in until I’m back for good. He’d be too much of a target as it is.” Michelle added and Anne-Marie smirked. 

“So it’s going to be a ruse. Maybe make a point of a ‘sold’ sign out front. It’s going to sit empty for a while so people won’t really care. Then once it’s safe for the both of you, move in and start working on grandbabies?” The hopeful tone was also a teasing one, making Michelle give her a strained smile.

She was trying. 

“Definitely grandbabies at that point. The land around it is enough that we could build an extension. So if we have more than two, we won’t need to move.” Ashton grinned at her words and Anne-Marie laughed. 

“Alright. I’ll get in touch with an old school friend of mine. She went into interior design and will be able to give us a rough idea of how the rooms should be. I take it you want upstairs changed so you’re not living a constant reminder?” There was no judgement in her tone. 

“That obvious, huh?” Anne-Marie shook her head. 

“Only to those that know you, sweetheart.” 

“Yeah. I want to live there and make new memories but also be able to tell our children about the memories that we had growing up, like when Ashton skinned his knees on the kitchen tiles after sliding on them because pops thought it would be funny to tell him it was easy to do.” The small smile she gave Anne-Marie said a lot as Ashton playfully whined at the tale.

“He had me convinced! I was eight!” This made both women laugh and it was like something had broken between the three of them, the laughter a signal that it was okay to talk about her parents, to rediscover those memories.

-

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[cherrylining]

Kakuriyo Light Novel Volume 6, Chapter 1: The perfect taste for the autumn harvest of new rice

This work was translated from this website. All credits go to 友麻碧 and 深夜读书会. I do not own anything.

Whoo, here you go. Volume 6 baby!

This takes place after the anime, so it’s all uncharted territory basically.

Previous Chapter

“Aoi-san, we’re already at our limit!”

“Um! Do we have to stop here for today……”

This is Moonflower, and the time is late September. 

I- Tsubaki Aoi, am frowning due to inner regret, leaning in close to stare at the refrigerator with few ingredients left. 

The situation before me is like being cut off by the enemy forces, facing the desperate situation of trying to do everything. Today’s business should be able to do only this much, and we won’t be able to accept any more customers.

As usual, Moonflower’s operations are understaffed, often becoming too busy to deal with. On days where there are particularly many guests, the ingredients may be exhausted halfway, forcing Moonflower to close early; yet if the sufficient amount is prepared in advance, the day’s business might be particularly deserted. It is really difficult to catch a balance.

Furthermore, I’m alone in managing the affairs of the store and I feel like I can’t keep doing so anymore. It’s really a problem. 

“Although the previous incident at Orio-ya, including the ceremony details, was quietly covered up, it still caused enthusiastic debate among the citizens of the Hidden World. In all aspects, Aoi-san has managed to become the topic here, receiving even more interest from the ayakashi, leading the name of Moonflower to be passed along to great distance……”

After closing up shop, Ginji-san and I sat on the bar counter for a short break. We bit into the dried persimmons that we got from a customer while sipping our tea. 

“Ginji-san, while your tone is full of emotion, I did not voluntarily make a name in the Hidden World.”

“Mmm, I understand. It is the ayakashi who are actively focusing on you…… But thanks to that, Moonflower’s business is flourishing!”

Originally tired, Ginji-san’s expression suddenly changed and showed a face full of joy, but my heart was full of uneasiness at the same time.

From a debt-owing standpoint, of course I would like to see a prosperous business. However, if the operating methods in the store are not adjusted or improved, I have a feeling that it will affect the standard of the meals sooner or later, leading me to feel sorry for the customers that specially come to the door.

Ah…...let’s change the topic for a moment, this persimmon is really delicious. The sweetness exuded from the soft part inside and the slight remain of the bitter flavor is what I particularly like. 

Although there are many people who hate persimmons, this is a snack that grandpa used to eat. It has a familiar taste to me.

“It seems…...that it’s almost time for Moonflower to hire a new employee.”

“New employee? But you’re right, relying on just Ginji-san and I, is really a bit tough…...”

I agree with Ginji-san’s proposal. Ever since the opening of Moonflower, it has just been the two of us working hard together along the way.

But Ginji-san also has other departments that he has to manage. 

I think the store should just straight up hire new people for help.

“In order to let Aoi-san focus on her cooking, first of all, we should increase the number of waiters in the field. I will try to post a sign on the bulletin board of Tenjin-ya before I start.” 

“I wonder what kind of people will come to apply……”

Why am I saying it like I have decided to hire a new person……

“Mistress Aoi is too much!”

A ghost fire suddenly appeared from my necklace. It was Ai. 

She puffed her cheeks angrily with the same appearance as me. 

“You already have me as a follower, and still want to hire new employees! You should just let me work then!”

“Huh? Do you want to work so much, Ai?”

“Haven’t I always strongly asked?”

Was this the case? I tried to think about it. 

Ai showing up from the necklace has basically only been during dinner time, or to find Chibi to play with. 

I’ve always thought of her as an ayakashi that has yet to grow up, so I’ve never thought of accepting her as an employee. 

“But Ai, you always become tired after coming out for a while, and then run back into the necklace, don’t you? Furthermore, if you have the same appearance as me, it feels like there are two mes in Moonflower, which is very weird.”

“......would it be weird?”

Ai and I both looked at Ginji-san.

Our expressions seem to be asking for his opinion: “Hey, what do you think?”

“Uh, well…...since Ai knows best what Aoi-san is thinking, I would of course like to have you help. But if you maintain the same appearance as Aoi-san, I think it is a bit inappropriate.”

“Why, why do you say so? Young master, I also want to try my best……”

Ai pleaded tearfully with Ginji-san. Saying that with my face seemed to have confused and panicked Ginji-san. His eyes shifted, and he stuttered a reply: “But…… this……”

“This feels like it will confuse the customers. Mistakenly thinking that it’s me, but it turning out to be Ai; or in reverse, mistaking me for Ai.”

“This is indeed one of the problems…… But, disregarding the operations of the store first, having a follower that can change their appearance to match the master’s is actually extremely precious. This may be better to not share with the world.”

“Is it?”

“Mmm. Having a look-alike avatar can serve as your last life saving trump card. But on the other hand, it may also be used unscrupulously by people. So if possible, I hope you will try your best to not highlight Ai’s existence……”

Ginji-san glanced at Ai to see her biting her lower lip with tears like a child, and then scratched his head in distress.

“If you want Ai to work in this store, you may need two conditions- one is that she can’t doze during work hours, and two, she has to transform into a new appearance.”

“......New appearance.”

Ai and I tilted our heads in uncomprehension. 

Not being able to doze during work hours is understandable. This was obvious. 

“Does this mean that you want her to change into someone other than me?”

“No, it means that I’m asking her to learn to change into a new appearance of her own- also her own original look.”

“Ori, original look?”

These words seem to make Ai confused. 

“Let me think of how to explain…...For example, Tokihiko-san from Orio-ya. He used to be a small demon fire, and now has his own appearance instead of copying others. There’s a big difference in imitating others and creating your own appearance, so I’m not sure if Ai-san, who is still so young, has such a capability……”

However, Ai raised one hand up high and vowed: “I want to give it a try!”

“I, I will work hard to create my own appearance!”

“Oh……” (T/N: this is said in agreement)

Looking at Ai’s energetic appearance, Ginji-san and I applauded softly to show admiration.

“However, it’s almost time for me to sleep, so I’m going back into the necklace first.”

“......”

Ai immediately became a ghost fire, and returned back into the necklace. 

The necklace gleamed with gently pulsing light, like the breaths of Ai as she slept peacefully.

“Compared to the appearance problem, this seems to be a bigger one.”

“The reason that she would need to sleep so often may be because she’s still growing. When she grows up, she should be able to stay up like a normal ayakashi, since ayakashi have no need for sleep in the first place.”

“Listening to you say that, the sleep time of the employees in Tenjin-ya is indeed very short. I originally thought it was an illegal business or the like, but it turns out that this is not the case……”

“Uh, no no no! How could it be an illegal business, Tenjin-ya’s treatment can be considered quite superior in the Hidden World. It’s just that the business is busy.”

“Huh? Why does this answer seem to be a bit of a walk through a gray area.”

Forget it, anyway, I get enough sleep every day and have a holiday tomorrow, so I don’t have any comments. 

But no matter how, every business day is still very busy. If Ai could help, I couldn’t be more happy.

“Aoi, I want to eat.”

“Ah, that guy is here.”

“That guy” that I referred to was a certain snow woman. 

That is, the former young proprietress, now waitress, Oryo. She arrived at Moonflower as usual after getting off work.

“Sorry, Oryo, there is nothing left today.”

“Huuuuuuuuuuhhhh! Again? What about rice? You don’t even have rice?”

“If it’s white rice, I can just cook it again, but we don’t have any dishes. And tomorrow, Moonflower is taking a break. There aren’t any ingredients left.”

“Then just cook white rice for me. Anyway, I like rice the most, and just the new rice will taste delicious.”

“......”

If you want to eat just white rice, you can go wherever you want…...Ginji-san and I lowly exchanged whispers. 

However, seeing that Oryo had already been lazily sitting on the bar seat, I helplessly spit out a “Really, what should I do with you” and stood up to prepare the white rice.

As Oryo said, it is now the most delicious season for new rice. 

Especially in the land of the Ogre Gate, where the high-end brand rice ‘Ogre Sui Xiang’ is produced, the rice is harvested between late August and early September and immediately polished, launching in the market at this time. 

Moonflower also uses this kind of fragrant Ogre rice, its specialty being that every grain of rice is saturated with water.Therefore, the rice can be cooked with lesser water, and will be more delicious. Although I want to let the rice soak for half an hour, I wonder if Oryo has the patience to wait……

“Hey, Oryo-san!”

Following closely behind was a young girl with chestnut-brown hair, striking raccoon dog ears and a ball of furry round tail. 

She is one of the waitresses from Tenjin-ya, Kasuga. 

“You forgot your corkscrew in the banquet hall. Oryo-san, you rushed to Moonflower immediately after work, and the new waiters can’t find you anywhere. But I kept it first, and said that I would help hand it over to you.”

“Ah, really? Kasuga, you’re an errand girl in front of even your juniors?” 

“The main reason also lies with you, Oryo-san. Everyone is very serious about their work attitudes.”

“Ah, yes yes yes, Kasuga you work very hard too.”

I don’t know whether it was because Oryo was tired after just finishing work or what, but she responded causally without any real interest and patted Kasuga’s hair. 

Then she took the corkscrew that had an ice bell hanging from its head, and stuffed it directly into her kimono belt.

‘Dingling~~’ The clear sound of the bell rang out.

“That ice bell is so beautiful.”

“Well, I would never gift it to you, Kasuga.”

“I don’t want it either okay…...I’m just asking you to take better care of it in the future.”

Kasuga replied in frustration and sighed. It was hard to tell who was the senior from this response. 

“Ah, that’s right. Young master, the Odanna is looking for you.”

“Eh! Really? Kasuga-san. Right, it could be about the autumn festival…...Aoi-san, I’ll say goodbye for now and head to the main inn.”

“Mmm, you’ve worked hard, Ginji-san.”

Ginji-san quickly nodded to me, and left Moonflower in a hurry.

“Kasuga ah, you’re still the same as before, being entrusted with so many tasks.”

“Yeah, everyone uses me as an errand girl, but I’m used to it, so it doesn’t matter.”

Kasuga lightly sits on the seat next to Oryo. It seems like she also decided on eating plain white rice from the new rice here.

“Aoi, is it not done yet? I’m hungry. I thought using the Hidden World rice cooker would have it done in a matter of minutes?” 

“Aiyo, Oryo, wait patiently for a while. It’s rare to use such good new rice, so it should soak in the water for a while.”

“Huh? You don’t have to work so hard. Hurry up, start cooking. I’m so hungry.”

If it was the usual me, I would start cooking because I can’t convince her. But in order to taste the deliciousness of the new rice, I want to do my best and choose the most exquisite cooking method.

However, Oryo’s patience seemed to have reached a limit. She began to smack the counter table. 

“Aoi, Aoi~~ rice, let me eat rice~~”

“Hey hey hey, that baby over there! Stop smacking, this table is already an old antique.”

I can’t stand it, Oryo is so capricious.

“Hey, is there anything to eat?”

It was no surprise that Akatsuki would show up now. 

Oryo, Kasuga and Akatsuki- the three of them always come here and become food-scrounging ayakashi. 

“Akatsuki, I need to apologise first, we don’t have a single ingredient left today. Oryo said she’s okay with just eating white rice, so I’m about to cook it now.”

“Then I’ll have white rice too, do you have any pickled vegetables?”

Akatsuki chose to sit two spaces beside Kasuga, which was the same as usual. 

“There are many ingredients for bibimbap. I’ll put it on the table later. There’s no other way to say it, ayakashi really love rice.”

I finally moved the rice cooker onto the stove, and cooked it on the fire. The Hidden World’s rice cooker can cook fragrant rice in less than 5 minutes, which is really convenient. 

“Akatsuki, I heard you didn’t use any of your special leaves this year? Do you not even have a girlfriend, and have only work as an interest? Is there really such a man.”

I don’t know if Oryo was bored to craziness or hungered to craziness. She bypassed Kasuga to find fault with Akatsuki. She has such a bad habit, always messing with the younger ayakashi just for the fun of it. 

But Akatsuki, who had finished working for the day, was exhausted and returned her comment with an impatient expression. 

“You should learn more about how to have some fun. A guy like you, who looks like he has a bad temper and doesn’t know how to relax and have some fun, won’t be welcomed among girls no matter how hard working you are.”

“Oryo, stop nagging me.”

“Wow! You have no respect! I’m older than you in terms of qualifications, and I’m older than you in terms of age!”

“That means nothing. Now that you don’t have the title of young proprietress, you’re just another waitress. Comparing the front desk manager and waitress, obviously I’m greater.”

“Hmph! What a displeasing man!”

“Oryo-san, you’re so noisy.”

Oryo’s high pitched voice was too ear damaging, leading Akatsuki and Kasuga to cover their ears. 

However I just listened to their conversation silently, and opened the kitchen refrigerator in the store.

Although there are not enough ingredients to make a decent dish, there are a few frequently prepared side dishes. After taking out these side dishes, I quietly laughed to myself. Ha ha ha, ha ha ha……

“Aoi let out a very strange laugh.”

“......Anyway, she must be thinking about something related to cooking.”

“Don’t even talk about us, she’s an ayakashi who cooks all the time.”

The three who were still quarreling a second ago now began to lowly exchange bad words about me. 

But I didn’t pay them any attention. 

The long-awaited new rice was finally done. I let the white rice stay in the pot for a while and then opened it. The rising heat was accompanied by the fragrance, which made my stomach grunt involuntarily. 

Mix the freshly cooked rice in a cutting motion, then put it into the wooden rice bucket. 

I pinched the rice that was sticking on the back of the rice spoon and tasted it. The chewiness and sweetness of the new rice were a real treat.

“If it’s white rice, there are so many shops around for that. Here, eat to your heart’s content.”

I placed the rice bucket on the bar counter and helped Akatsuki and Kasuga to fill up normal rice bowls, while filling Oryo’s in the large bowl that she usually used. 

Each grain of rice that was overflowing from the bowl was full and shiny. It really was a tastiness that only new rice had. 

“Yeah, I’m going to start!”

Oryo picked up the chopsticks and the big bowl, and without another word, started eating the white rice in big mouthfuls. 

Huh…...I can finally close her mouth. 

“Kasuga, Akatsuki, both of you are hungry right? Please, eat.”

“Yeah. But to eat it plainly just like Oryo, is a little bit hard to swallow……”

“Do you not have any side dishes or the like, Aoi?”

“Hoho, how about using this for bibimbap?”

I placed a jar in between Kasuga and Akatsuki.

They were stunned at first, then carefully looked at the contents of the jar. 

Kasuga seemed to immediately get it. 

“Ah! I know. This is boiled mushrooms, right?”

“That’s right. Using the large amounts of mushrooms that were harvested in the fall to make this homemade side dish, it is a perfect match with the white rice. Recently, the autumn orders in the store would order for a match like this.”

I opened the bottle cap, used the wooden spoon to pick up a full scoop of boiled mushroom sauce, and placed them in both of their rice bowls. The cooked mushrooms were the colour of coffee, and slowly flowed down the top of the white rice hills……

This side dish used enoki, beech and shiitake mushrooms, seasoned with the favourite sweet soy sauce of the ayakashi. 

In addition to the sugar, mirin and cooking wine, which are necessary ingredients in general practice, I also added red pepper and vinegar to give the sweetness a slightly spicy taste, accompanied by a slightly sour taste.

For frequently prepared side dishes, this is a very good dish that matches everything. Excluding matching it with rice, it is also very tasty to have with cold tofu or boiled vegetables. 

Kasuga and Akatsuki half mixed the boiled mushrooms with rice and half swept it into their mouths in big bites. 

“Well, eating is especially delicious when you are hungry.”

“......This is really delicious.”

The chewing sounds of enoki mushrooms from the both of them made a crisp and sweet sound. 

Oryo was possibly sick of eating just white rice, and felt curious about the boiled mushrooms that Kasuga and Akatsuki were enjoying. She had been secretly eyeing the jar from the beginning……

“Oryo, take it if you want to eat it-”

But Oryo didn’t even listen to me finish, and had already snatched the jar away.

“Ahh! My rice buddy!”

“Oryo, you really took it for yourself! This is too low!”

 “Kasuga, Akatsuki, don’t be worried. I still have some here.”

I couldn’t bear it, and found several side dishes that went well with rice to bring to them.

There are plum meat hijiki fragrant pine, miso puree with lotus root added, and vinegared kombu white radish……

The daily set meal in the eatery will always have side dishes that pair well with rice, so I usually make several kinds of preserved spares.

“This is personally my highly recommended side dish. Dried hijiki boiled in water and crispy dried plum meat chopped randomly are fried together with bonito broth until it is dry. It is very good with white rice.” 

Bearing the painful loss of the boiled mushroom sauce, Akatsuki then tried to use the plum meat lamb lettuce fragrant pine to pair with the white rice. 

The crispy taste and sourness of the plum meat together with the rich and fresh sweetness of the hijiki, covering each grain of rice, was another delightful taste. This fragrant pine alone could give people a type of satisfaction without need of any other side dishes. In addition, it is also recommended to mix it with white rice and knead it into a rice ball to enjoy. The taste will also be very good. 

One after another, Akatsuki also tried some minced-miso meat and pickled kelp white radish. Seeing that these side dishes were being eyed by Oryo again, I took a small dish and separated a little for her. 

With an increase in the varieties of side dishes, it painted a colourful vision that could be enjoyed fully by the viewers. There was also a hesitation of deciding what to eat next, which made me jump for joy.

It’s nice to occasionally enjoy the pure taste of new rice like this.

I decided to also have dinner like this, so I walked back to the kitchen to get my usual rice bowl. At this moment……

“Ahhh! I remember!”

Right, there were still two pieces of autumn salmon fish freezing in the refrigerator, usually used in the cooking of the employees’ breakfasts.

It just needed to be taken out and thawed, and I could make one more side dish!

“Hehehe, when it comes to the classic ways of accompanying rice, of course it has to be the salmon floss……” 

Without saying anything else, I put the salmon pieces on a demon-fire powered defrosting disc to thaw, removed the skin and dry fried its surface, adding salt, broth, mirin, wine and other seasonings before turning it down to low heat. I then used the wooden spatula to loosely separate the salmon pieces and stir fried it, easily serving it. Hehe, hehehe…….

“Weird, Aoi is laughing in the kitchen again.”

“I can smell fried fish.”

“Hey, Aoi! Why are you secretly frying salmon in the kitchen alone! Don’t think you can fool my nose!”

“......Don’t worry, Kasuga, Oryo, Akatsuki, I made enough for everyone to eat together.”

Coming to the final step before starting the pan- after the salmon meat has dried and become loose, pour the white sesame and sesame oil into the pan, and stir-fry it slightly. 

And the homemade salmon floss is completed. It’s just that simple to make it. 

“I’m ready to start! This is the invincible rice buddy- the dry-fried salmon bits loved by men, women and children. You would better understand it by straight-up calling it fragrant salmon, right?”

“Oh oh oh……”

“It smells so fragrant.”

Bringing the fragrant salmon bits before them, Oryo and Akatsuki immediately exclaimed.

Their rice bowls were already empty, and they were trying to get another bowl. Really, these two. This time, they started to quarrel over grabbing the rice spoon in front of the rice bucket, so Kasuga automatically ran to get another. At the end of the day, she really is the most mature person here…...

“Ah, it’s finally my turn to sit down and eat a meal!”

After a lot of work, I finally picked up my rice bowl and added some white rice, and deeply savoured supper. 

First of all, let’s taste the fluffy and delicate, fresh fragrant salmon bits.

Whether it is used for making rice balls or as a side dish of a bento, it is a very popular bibimbap ingredient. 

Generally, bottled salmon floss is also available on the market. Although the ready made ones are also really good, I will still try to make them myself so that I can adjust the taste and texture to my liking. 

Use a spoon to scoop up a spoonful of bright pink-orange salmon floss, put it on the freshly cooked white rice, and sweep it into the mouth while mixing. 

Ah ah…… this autumn salmon that brings with it delicious fat, really is the taste of autumn. Although I chose to mash the whole piece of salmon into minced meat to make fragrant loose bits, the deliciousness and saltiness match the sweetness of the white rice really well. In addition, the added white sesame and sesame oil also work, releasing a compelling aroma in the mouth along with the taste of salmon. 

“Ah, this is really delicious, I feel like I can have another big bowl of rice……”

“Oryo-san will get fat if you continue to eat, but I also want to have another bowl……”

“Sure enough, eating salmon in the autumn is a must. It really goes well with rice.”

Everyone seems to be very satisfied with the fragrant salmon floss. 

Ah! Damn. Mouthful after mouthful of white rice, I couldn’t stop myself…… I’ll end up consuming too much carbohydrates like this……

Adding the miso minced meat with lotus root was also great. The rich miso-flavored ground meat was paired with crispy lotus roots, altogether with rice. If you want to eat something refreshing to change up the taste, come try pickled kelp white radish and enjoy the crispy taste……

“Aoi-dono……”

At this moment, Sasuke, the gardener of Tenjin-ya, came to Moonflower.

Sasuke was still clad in his ninja uniform, but carried a big bamboo basket with him. 

What was inside turned out to be fresh red-shelled eggs.

“This is a batch of eggs laid by the cassowary in the evening. The Odanna told the young master that it was unbearable to see that the lot of you have only rice to eat, so he ordered me to send the eggs here. That way, you can mix it with your rice.” 

“......”

We felt an electric shock like a flint was struck.

Raw eggs. This is the best product among all others in accompanying rice, crowned.

Not good. Suddenly there’s TKG (Note: TKG is the abbreviation of ‘raw egg bibimbap’ in Japanese, taken from the first letter of its Roman pinyin.). I didn’t expect to be able to make raw egg bibimbap with new rice…...

“Ah, I want another bowl.”

“Ah! Oryo, you’re too deceitful, I want one too.”

“I want one too, since there are now eggs.” 

These lot of ayakashi continued to eat bowl after bowl of rice in the dead of night. Forget it, I don’t intend to stop them.

“I would also like to fill my stomach with rice to my heart’s content.”

“Yeah, Sasuke, come and sit down too.”

Everyone at the scene couldn’t hide their expectations for the raw egg bibimbap.

Make a hole in the middle of the hot white rice and beat the egg in, so that the moving raw egg fills the gap perfectly. 

The yolk of the cassowary eggs is bright yellow. The plump and shiny outer membrane is full of irresistible charm. 

Ahh, just by looking at it, I already knew this was going to taste absolutely delicious!

“Raw egg bibimbap is definitely best matched with sweet sauce from the Hidden World.”

I chose the most classic combination. 

“Soy sauce is also not bad, but a few drops of sesame oil is also great.”

Oryo really took the rich route. 

“Is eating it with tsukemen sauce and green wasabi a minority route……”

Akatsuki glanced aside and muttered, but it sounded good. 

“I always eat it with citrus vinegar and soy sauce. If there are bonito flakes and fried noodle balls, I will also add them.”

Kasuga’s preferred taste always brings a feel of Tanuki color. (Note: ‘Tanuki-color’ - In Japanese, the pronunciation of “Tanuki” also refers to “oolong or soba noodles with fried noodle balls”.) (T/N: I have NO idea what this means, but I’m pretty sure it’s a pun?)

“I always eat the original flavor.”

Sasuke’s preferred taste is very simple and neat. 

“Yeah, good. Let’s all enjoy it the way we like.”

In response to the needs of everyone present, I prepared various seasonings and placed them in the center of the table. 

I still pursued the classic, dripping a few drops of soy sauce on the egg yolk, and mixed it with my rice after piercing it with my chopsticks. What is it with the moment of happiness that emerges at this? 

First of all, to taste the unmixed mixture, I first dig up a mouthful of the egg yolk that has not completely dissipated. 

“Ah ah…… the texture of the first bite of the raw bibimbap really is different.”

This is the moment when you can most enjoy the rich flavor of the egg yolk. Eat this first bite first, then fully stir the egg white and rice well, and enjoy the authentic raw egg bibimbap. 

“Hey, listen to me, this lotus root miso meat mash is super good with raw egg bibimbap!”

Kausga’s new discovery brought everyone’s focus to the miso mash. 

Oh oh, the two really match, what an amazing discovery!

Raw egg bibimbap is really a great invention. Just the egg with rice is so delicious, and a little bit of thought on the seasoning can create a variety of different flavors and become even more amazing. 

“It seems that you are all eating with gusto.”

“Ah, Odanna-sama.”

The Odanna and Ginji-san came to Moonflower together. 

Oryo, Kasuga, Akatsuki and Sasuke, who in the previous second had forgotten me and had been greatly gulping down their food, now stopped their movements to stand up and bow deeply to the Odanna. 

“It’s fine, it’s fine, you should all continue eating, it’s rare to get so many eggs after all.”

They seemed to have been waiting for this sentence of permission from the Odanna, and immediately returned to their positions and continued to eat.  

“Hey, what’s the matter with you, Odanna-sama? It’s been a while since you showed up here. Do the both of you want to eat raw egg bibimbap too? There are still a lot of eggs and white rice.” 

“No thanks, I just had a meal at the banquet party just now.”

“I also had a few drinks. The alcohol is a bit strong, so…… well, please let me start later.”

Both Ginji-san and the Odanna do seem to be a little bit drunk. 

The need for socialising at work is necessary, of course, but everything seemed fine, so why was the Odanna here? 

Taking advantage of this conversation, the Odanna suddenly offered me an invitation. 

“Aoi, Moonflower will rest tomorrow, right? If you have time, why not go out on a date with me.”

“......what?”

The four who had been eating before now momentarily stopped their chopsticks.  

But the Odanna, who had voiced out the sentence and seemed to be in a good mood, just continued on with a smile: 

“After the incident at Orio-ya, I haven’t been able to reward you well, and even continued to let you keep busy with the business in the store. And I myself wasn’t able to spare you any time, so I feel sorry for you. Personally, I hope to create a happy time for you, Aoi, my newlywed……”

“But I’m happy every day.”

“Right! Let’s go enjoy ourselves at the orchard. Pick some grapes or apples or something, and we can even use them as ingredients- what do you think!”

The Odanna held my shoulders tightly. I’ve always felt that his expressions were always too strong. 

Asking me how I feel, I also……

“Apples and grapes huh……”

I pressed my index finger to my chin, and began to imagine it in my mind. These two fruits are indeed the seasonal specialties that are particularly delicious in autumn. 

“Yeah, let’s go then, Odanna-sama- I’m really interested in the orchard!”

“Aoi, I’m so glad you agreed.”

The Odanna breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from his forehead. 

The lot that were eating their raw egg bibimbap behind me also resumed moving their chopsticks. 

“Aoi-san, the orchard is located in the mountainous area at the junction of our northeastern land and the neighboring northern land. The maple season arrives earlier on that mountain. I heard that it has all turned red already. Please be sure to enjoy the beautiful scenery tomorrow.”

“Ginji-san, you’re not going?”

“Me? I……”

“Ginji, you have also been too busy to take a vacation because of what happened at Orio-ya last time, right? Do you want to come together tomorrow?”

The Odanna also offered him an invitation. Ginji-san looked at the two of us however, then smiled slightly and shook his head. 

“No thanks, I…… I want to stay in the inn, and help guard Tenjin-ya for the both of you, who will be out.”

Ginji-san’s response was just like his usual style. 

But as he was rejecting the invitation, he did not look at me at all.

[you-guys--are-losers]

Hey, for the new prompt list, maybe 3 with Peter, Brad and MJ set in the Into the Black universe?

//Oooh… We’re gonna see what I can do here, this looks like FUN. Alright, I don’t this is going to happen in the story, but in order to include Brad in this alternate timeline, we’re going to establish him as one of the telepaths that they’re fighting. ;) Hope you like it! 

What Happens Undercover

Summary: The Black Dahlia and Spider-Man make contact with one of the empath in a surveillance mission. But some thoughts are best kept under cover… If they’re willing to stay there, that is. 

Characters: Michelle Jones x Peter Parker, Brad Davis, Tony Stark, Bucky Barnes, Steve Rodgers, Sam Wilson, Natasha Romanoff

Wordcount: 3,247

Warnings: Language, Jealousy, Badass!MJ 

** For those who haven’t read the story, in Into the Black MJ has telepathic abilities which enable her to project emotions onto others. ;)

“I could’ve handled this by myself, you know.” 

Peter glances at MJ from across the darkened alleyway, the metallic eyes on his suit widening. “I know that,” he says quickly, moving to run a hand through his hair before remembering that he is wearing the black stealth suit. For some reason, since they’ve begun to go out in the field together, Peter’s been finding himself fidgeting more and more. 

It probably has something to do with the piercing stare she is perfectly willing to fix on him at any given moment. Somehow she always manages to do the opposite of what Peter was expecting. 

“I know that,” he said quickly. “I mean, I know you can handle yourself. But we tend to back each other up around here. Especially with undercover stuff.” 

She arches an eyebrow at him, tipping her head slightly to the side as an old, broken AC unit crunches to life above them, causing both to shoot a glance in the direction of the abandoned apartment complex the noise is coming from. Her eyes return to him in a moment, gauging him for the truth of his words. She is seemingly satisfied as she turns her gaze back to the darkened street they are watching, shrugging. 

“I’m pretty convincing,” she hums, her fingers skimming the rough brick beside them as her eyes scan the darkness. “You’re going to have a boring time babysitting, Parker.” 

“Nothing would make me happier,” Peter sighs, shifting his weight. He’s still sore from his last sparring session with Natasha, though he’s getting better. He’s even been able to take her down once or twice, though never for more than an instant. Whatever type of spider he was bitten by is no match for a Black Widow– at least, not yet. 

MJ notices him rotating his sore shoulder, and Peter could swear there is amusement in her eyes. “Or maybe I’ll let them catch onto me, just to give you something to do. It’s pretty fun to watch you get your ass handed to you.” 

“See, most of the time I’d assume you’re screwing with me, but I’m a little concerned you mean that and I’m gonna end up getting a car thrown at me by one of these guys.” 

“Good, you’re learning.” 

Peter grins slightly beneath the mask, watching her smirk play with the edge of her mouth for a moment before turning to follow your gaze. “You really think they’re gonna let you join?” he asks carefully. “I mean, I trust you. It’s just that the last time I saw one of these telepaths up close, they didn’t seem interested in talking.”

“Normally, I’d be a little more cautious,” MJ admits, letting out a breath. Peter watches as she adjusts the dark leather jacket she wears over her black leggings, boots, and top. It’s different than the style of clothing she normally wears around the tower; if he had to guess, she’s been learning a thing or two from Natasha as well. 

“But we’ve been flirting with this meeting for months, and-” 

“Flirting?” 

MJ shoots him an amused look at the interruption, raising an eyebrow. “Hacking, Peter. We’ve been hacking back and forth, testing each other’s limits a bit. Whoever it is, they’re good… And they know I am, too. That’s how they stumbled upon me, and that’s also how they weren’t able to draw me out until I wanted to be found.” 

“Uh, right.” Peter doesn’t know why the word burst from his lips; he’s heard her use similar language to talk about her computer abilities before. It’s how Stark found her, and it’s why he’ll show up to their suite in the tower every so often to ask her opinion on coding. Peter’s never seen Tony do that with anyone else. 

So why did that particular word bug him? 

“In their eyes, I’ve established credibility. Whoever this group is, they’re careful, but they’re recruiting. And as far as they know, I’m a loner. If I can prove myself, I’m a prime candidate to join them. They’ve got skills, but they don’t have mine.” 

“Thank God for that,” Peter hums, shooting her a grin. “I wouldn’t want to be against you in a fight.” 

“Yeah, I’d wipe the floor with you.” 

“Damn straight.” 

The interaction leaves Peter feeling warm in the nighttime chill, and he lets out a breath as something moves on the edge of his vision. His eyes are extremely sharp, thanks to his suit’s enhancement paired with his super senses, and he can see someone moving a long way down the street. Soon, they’ll be here. 

“Alright,” he murmurs, shooting her a look. “Be safe. I’ll be in your ear the whole time.” 

“If you start doing that humming thing you do, I’ll put laxatives in your coffee for a week.” 

“That was one time, MJ!” 

“One time too many.” 

With that, the Dahlia has slipped out of the alleyway and into the street, and Peter feels his entire body tense as he activates the cloaking tech that he and MJ have been working on with his suit, something Stark had been experimenting with based off of his team’s work in the company before all of this. His suit fades from view, along with the rest of him, leaving the alleyway looking empty. A sound barrier clicks into place around him as well, ensuring that he won’t be detected. 

His heart is in his throat as he watches the approaching figure step into view, standing several yards away from MJ, whose back is currently turned to him. Her long, loose curls drift softly in the night breeze, and the ghostly glow of the single streetlamp that it still lit in this part of town causes the few wisps that drift around the crown of her head to appear like a burning halo. 

The newcomer certainly does not miss the likeness. 

The man– no, boy, Peter realizes– is silent for a moment, simply taking her in. He has short, dark hair that is just disheveled enough to make it look like he has run his fingers through it. He wears dark colors, as she does, and his features are bathed in the bronze glow of the lamp. His dark eyes don’t leave hers, and Peter can’t help but think that he looks like a superhero, too. 

But Peter knows what he is, and he knows that the moment those dark eyes turn silver the very ground beneath them could split and swallow them whole. 

MJ, to her credit, does not flinch. Her posture is as strong and unapologetic as ever, and Peter can’t help but think that she looks ready to pounce at a moment’s notice. It’s the way she looked when she entered the compound for the first time: like she has been fighting her whole life, and she isn’t afraid of another battle. 

“It’s you.” 

The man’s voice is quieter than Peter expected, softer. He nearly flinches as the telepath takes another step closer to MJ, studying her carefully. “You’re the one I’ve been contacting.” 

“Let’s be clear on one thing: I’m the one who’s been doing the contacting.” 

Her response is so purely MJ that Peter has to stop himself from catching his breath. Bold, prodding… She is testing his limits, his reaction. She did the same thing to Peter as they first got to know one another; still does, really. 

The telepath shakes his head slightly, and a small grin slides onto his lips. It’s cautious, careful… But it’s genuine. Peter doesn’t know why he hates it so much. 

“My mistake,” he responds smoothly, gaze unwavering. “You’re right. I wouldn’t have found you if you didn’t want to be found.” 

MJ does not speak, though he is clearly waiting for her to. She is keeping her cards close, waiting for him to show his before she shows hers. Clever. She’s cleverer than him. 

“Why did you?” The question from this man’s lips is quiet, earnest, and Peter doesn’t like the softness his tone has taken. These people are deceivers, he is certain of that. In order to cause the level of destruction they have, in order to recruit as many as have joined them, they have to be. 

MJ knows this. Peter knows she does. But some part of him is scared she’ll forget, scared that she’ll experience a click with these people that she hasn’t felt with the Avengers. After all… These people’s abilities, aren’t they more like hers than Peter’s are? 

What is there to prevent her from joining them, other than loyalty that has only recently been forged? His heart speeds up. 

“They don’t understand people like us,” she replies simply. This time, MJ is the one who steps closer to him, broken glass and loose gravel shifting across the asphalt, displaced by the soles of her boots. 

“They fear what they don’t understand. They fear me.” 

Peter swallows. She’s not wrong… The distrustful looks from the Winter Soldier and from the Black Widow have followed her like her own shadow throughout the compound, and Wilson almost immediately steps to Bucky’s side when she enters a room. Even Cap, who has tried to remain as neutral as he can on her presence, glances to his best friend every time she enters the room, though he is covert about it. 

They’re afraid of what she can do, and they tolerate her because they need her. If these people welcome her with open arms, what is there stopping her from walking into them? 

“They don’t understand me, either,” murmurs the boy, soft enough that Peter is beginning to have a hard time hearing him over the wire. Peter is already trying to figure out the quietest way to get closer to them when the volume increases and a breath catches in his throat. She’s making sure he can still hear as the telepath continues. 

“They don’t understand our aims, our goals, our society. But we’re going to get through to them, in the end.” 

“That’s pretty optimistic for a member of a covert society that is currently #1 on every government’s radar.” 

Peter’s heart hammers, and he is ready to leap to action at a moment’s notice if he needs to. However, over the wire, Peter hears soft laughter. Somehow, that only increases his urge to ball his hands into fists. He doesn’t like the way her shoulders relax slightly, the way that the man cocks his head like a hound dog, looking her up and down. 

“You’re… Not what I thought you’d be.” 

“Really.” It’s not a question, and as MJ mirrors his posture, tipping her chin up, Peter’s breath catches. “And what expectation did I fail to live up to?” She takes another step, testing the waters. In response, the empath closes the rest of the distance between them so that they’re nearly standing chest-to-chest. 

“Not one. I just didn’t expect you to exceed them so easily.” 

Peter’s heart in his throat, and it’s not because he fears for her safety. Not even close. 

He wants to speak over the wire, to let her know that he’s here on standby if she sees a weapon. He knows she’s more than capable of handling it; that’s not why he has to resist the petty urge. 

He wants her attention, and he wants it to be taken away from this tall, dark stranger. 

The realization lands with all the ferocity of a blow. He cares what she thinks of him, cares whether or not she is by his side in the fight that is coming up. And, as startling as the realization is, he doesn’t just want her there as a sister in arms. 

He wants her there because he’s grown to rely on her presence, and he longs to know whether she feels the same. 

“No, no,” he mutters to himself, catching his breath. “Not now.” 

Ahead, MJ’s shoulders stiffen slightly, and it is only then that Peter remembers that he is on a live wire. Shit. However, the movement is imperceptible, and she hides it by brushing her curls over one shoulder as she examines him. 

“I’m not so sure I want to be a part of this, if you’re so easily impressed.”

The empath chuckles, but Peter could swear that his eyes have flickered to MJ’s neck, to the place it meets her shoulders. The place that she is holding just a bit of residual tension from her reaction to Peter’s voice in her ear. However, just when Peter is about to intervene, his eyes travel back to her face. 

“You haven’t shown me what you have to offer us, though. At least, not outside of your skills with a laptop. Thanks, by the way. That virus you engineered was brilliant; I barely noticed it before it had fried my mainframe.” 

“You’re welcome. Always a pleasure.” 

This time, the empath is silent. So he is learning from MJ... She is going to have to give him what he wants, a demonstration of her abilities. And once she does, he’ll know... He’ll know so much about her, why she is the way she is. He’ll begin to understand her depth, her strength, the things that no one could possibly know without being let into her mind just a bit. 

Peter isn’t ready for that, even though that’s not his decision to make. What if this empath has some way of manipulating that, what if he uses the information to take her down?

MJ’s words from before flash in his head as a memory, as clearly as though she had said them beside him. “I can handle myself.” 

She trusts him; she’s shown him that by permitting him to be here, and in the small ways she’s let him catch glimpses of her over the past few months. MJ is okay. He just has to let her prove it. 

Across from MJ, the empath’s eyes widen, and Peter knows she is doing it. Confusion enters his eyes, and then they glaze over, tranquil. Unseeing. Peace floods him, and he stumbles. 

This is her window. 

MJ catches his shoulders, supporting him. She takes the opportunity then, slipping the tracker underneath his shirt collar as her fingers grasp her shoulders, careful. The movement is so quick, so natural, that it would have been impossible for him to notice. 

Right? 

As she helps him stand, his eyes clear. The stranger’s eyes immediately meet hers, and for a moment Peter thinks that he might see suspicion in them. But there is no way for him to find any proof of whatever he might be thinking. The tracker has its own cloaking tech, and Peter and MJ have worked tirelessly with Stark to ensure that it will not show up on any security scans. 

“Whoa,” he breathes, catching his breath as he looks at her. However, it takes him a moment to stand completely on his own, and that is another moment the two are touching, sharing his weight. Peter swallows and glances away, listening. 

“Thank you,” he murmurs. 

Peter doesn’t have to see his face to know that there is a wry smile twisting her lips. The tone of her voice only confirms it. “I did what I said I would. I mean what I say.” 

The empath takes a breath, contemplating her a moment longer than Peter is comfortable with. Finally, he says, “The Council will be pleased. The next time we meet, we will discuss it.” 

Next time. They’re in. 

MJ, to her credit, does not let the triumph that Peter knows they both feel show in her body language. Instead, she just nods, and then she glances over her shoulder as though scanning for any potential threats. The perfect display of paranoia: enough to show this empath that she is discreet, but also that he will have to work for it to get her to trust him. 

He’ll have to reveal more. 

“You know where to find me... If I want to be found, that is.” She turns her head back to him just long enough to murmur, “Until we meet again.” 

“I look forward to it.” 

Peter does not like the tone of the stranger’s voice, nor does he like the way that the boy’s eyes linger on her for a moment before he turns. Then, swiftly, he slips away, turning into a nearby alleyway. Peter waits until he can no longer hear the sound of any footsteps to de-cloak his suit. Immediately, MJ has turned, an eyebrow raised. 

“Not now?” 

Peter winces, letting his mask come off as he looks at her. “I, um... The tech was glitching. I think it’s the update package I made last night, something must be wrong.” 

MJ studies him for a moment longer, and just when Peter thinks he is about to get called out, she shrugs. “Well, it didn’t matter much. We’re in.” 

Her eyes gleam, and Peter sees a flash of pride in them. He can’t stop the grin crossing his lips. “You’re in,” he corrects. “You did it.” 

“You sound surprised.” 

Peter’s grin fades, and he finds himself resisting the urge to step closer the way that the empath did, testing. He doesn’t need to emulate someone else... He and MJ have rapport. They’re friends. 

He kind of wants to be more. 

“I can swing us back.” He isn’t sure where the offer comes from, but as soon as it does his eyes widen. MJ raises an eyebrow, but Peter thinks that he sees her eyes widen a fraction of an inch. 

“Really?” 

“I mean, it-it would get us out of here quicker than the way we came,” he points out, swallowing. “And I can carry you, it wouldn’t be an issue, because I... Can carry buses.” 

A smirk crosses her lips, and a wicked gleam enters her eyes as she begins to walk, not waiting for him to follow. “Are you showing off, Spider-Man?” She tosses a disbelieving smile over her shoulder as he hurries to catch up, shaking his head quickly. 

“I-- no, I’m not! I’m not, I just...” 

“You’re upset because you didn’t need to jump to my rescue.” 

“No, I’m...” 

Jealous. 

The word nearly stops him short in the alleyway, and her eyes turn quizzical as he slows slightly beside her. “Yeah?” she presses, and for a moment her face loses all amusement. Her eyes are as piercing as blades as they take him in, missing nothing. 

“Yeah, I am. You got me.” 

A moment of tension, and then the smirk returns. “It’s okay, Parker. You’re not totally useless. You’re sticky.” The teasing is back to normal, and Peter lets out a breath. 

“Don’t forget the buses.” 

“Oh, right. Because you’re the only superhero who can bench press.” 

“Hey, I beat the Winter Soldier in a fight once.” 

“You did not-” 

“I, like, stopped his fist.” 

“Not the same thing.” 

“Yeah? I’d like to see you do it.” 

“Sounds good. When we get back, I’ll ask him to arm wrestle.” 

Peter lets out a huff of laughter, and then they are back to their normal rhythm of banter. It’s relaxed, and Peter knows it. Everything is the way it’s supposed to be. 

Except for the little, intrusive voice that has been planted in his head, the one that whispers things that he doesn’t want to examine now, things that are better thought out in the dark, where he doesn’t have to look at them straight-on. 

[lastneddennye]

What exactly Bitcoin, How Will it be Different Than "Real" Capital and How Can I Get some good?

Last ned den nye Fortnite

Bitcoin is a online currency. It doesn't really exist in the kind of actual form that the foreign money & coin we live used to exist around. It doesn't even be found in a form like physical as Monopoly money. It's electrons - not substances.

Last ned den nye Fortnite

But consider what quantity of money you personally cope with. You get a income that you take to the - or it is actually autodeposited without most people even seeing your paper that it's possibly not printed on. Afterwards you use a debit credit card (or a checkbook, if you're old school) to access those money. At best, the simple truth is 10% of it in a very cash form within your pocket or as part of your pocketbook. So , as it happens that 90% with the funds that you command are virtual -- electrons in a spreadsheet or database.

Nonetheless wait - all those are U. Ersus. funds (or these of whatever region you hail from), safe in the lender and guaranteed from the full faith for the FDIC up to on the subject of $250K per akun, right? Well, not really exactly. Your bank may only forced to keep 10% associated with its deposits with deposit. In some cases, it is really less. It lends the rest of your profit out to people for up to 30 yrs. It charges all of them for the loan, and additionally charges you for ones privilege of allowing them to lend it out there.

How does money acquire created?

Your loan provider gets to create funds by lending this out.

Say anyone deposit $1, 000 with your bank. Then they lend out $900 of it. Suddenly you may have $1000 and other people has $900. Amazingly, there's $1900 boating where before there seems to be only a grand.

At this moment say your loan company instead lends nine hundred of your dollars to another one bank. That traditional bank in turn lends $810 to another bank, which in turn lends $720 to the customer. Poof! $3, 430 in an instant : almost $2500 established out of nothing -- as long as the bank is a follower of your government's key bank rules.

Designing of Bitcoin will be as different from bank funds' creation as capital is from electrons. It is not controlled with a government's central lender, but rather by opinion of its owners and nodes. It isn't created by a limited mint in a building, but instead by distributed offered source software in addition to computing. And it takes a form of actual give benefit to creation. More at that shortly.

Whom invented BitCoin?

The primary BitCoins were inside of a block of 50 (the "Genesis Block") created by Satoshi Nakomoto in January the year just gone. It didn't have any value at the start. It was just a cryptographer's plaything based on some paper published 8 weeks earlier by Nakomoto. Nakotmoto is an it seems fictional name : no one seems to find out who he or she and also they is/are.

Exactly who keeps track of it all?

As the Genesis Block came to be, BitCoins have ever since been generated by way of doing the work of checking all transactions for BitCoins as a form of public ledger. A nodes / pc systems doing the computations on the ledger can be rewarded for to do so. For each set of prosperous calculations, the node is rewarded by having a certain amount of BitCoin ("BTC"), which are subsequently newly generated inside the BitCoin ecosystem. As a result the term, "BitCoin Miner" - because the operation creates new BTC. As the supply of BTC increases, and as the sheer number of transactions increases, art necessary to update anyone ledger gets difficult and more complex. Because of this, the number of new BTC into the system was made to be about 50 BTC (one block) every 10 units, worldwide.

Even though a computing power to get mining BitCoin (and for updating potential fans and patrons ledger) is currently raising exponentially, so may be the complexity of the numbers problem (which, furthermore, also requires a specific amount of guessing), or even "proof" needed to my verizon prepaid phone BitCoin and to make a deal the transactional publications at any presented moment. So the program still only makes one 50 BTC block every 10 minutes, or 2106 blocks every 14 days.

So , in a sense, anyone keeps track of it -- that is, all the nodes in the network observe the history of every one BitCoin.

How much will there be and where will it be?

There is a maximum variety of BitCoin that can possibly be generated, and this number is twenty-one million. According to the Khan Academy, the number can be expected to top out and about around the year 2140.

As of, this morning there was 12. 1 mil BTC in blood flow

Your own BitCoin tend to be kept in a data file (your BitCoin wallet) in your own storage : your computer. The data itself is evidence of the number of BTC you have got, and it can push with you on a portable device.

If which file with the cryptographic key in your billfold gets lost, thus does your flow of BitCoin funds. And you just can't get it spine.

How much is it well worth?

The value varies determined by how much people think that it's worth -- just like in the trading of "real revenue. " But simply because there is no central specialist trying to keep the valuation around a certain grade, it can vary far more dynamically. The first BTC were basically worthy of nothing at the time, nonetheless those BTC survive. As of 11AM concerning December 11, 2013, the public value is $906. 00 YOU per BitCoin. Lake finished writing this particular sentence, it was $900. 00. Around the starting out of 2013, the significance was around $20. 00 US. Upon November 27, 2013 it was valued from more than $1, 000. 00 US for BTC. So it's type volatile at the moment, however , it's expected to subside.

The total value of their BitCoin - at the time of the period at the end with this sentence - approximately 11 billion YOU AND ME dollars.

How can I obtain me some?

Initial, you have to have a BitCoin wallet. This article has got links to get 1.

Then one way is usually to buy some coming from another private get together, like these guys upon Bloomberg TV. One of many ways is to buy a lot of on an exchange, just like Mt. Gox.

Lastly, one way is to attach a lot of computer strength and electricity for the process and become your BitCoin miner. That is definitely well outside the extent of this article. However , if you have a few 1, 000 extra dollars relaxing around, you can get a real challenge rig.

How can I dedicate it?

There are many merchants of all styles that take BitCoin in payment, out of cafes to car dealerships. There's a good BitCoin ATM inside Vancouver, British Columbia for converting a person's BTC to profit Vancouver, BC.

Thus?

Money has had long history - millennia in length. Somewhat recently available legend tells you and me that Manhattan Is was bought designed for wampum - seashells & the like. Inside the early years within the United States, different mortgage lenders printed their own foreign exchange. On a recent trip to Salt Spring Of the islands in British Columbia, I spent up-to-dateness that was only wonderful on the lovely of the islands. The common theme among these was a good trust agreement between its users this that particular currency presented value. Sometimes of which value was linked directly to something good and physical, prefer gold. In 1900 the U. Vertisements. tied its money directly to gold (the "Gold Standard") along with in 1971, concluded that tie.

Right now currency is dealt with like any other thing, although a particular nation's currency value are usually propped up or simply diminished through pursuits of their central loan provider. BitCoin is an various currency that is moreover traded and its price, like that of additional commodities, is determined with trade, but isn't held up or decreased by the action from any bank, but alternatively directly by the routines of its clients. Its supply is bound and known still and (unlike real currency) so will be the history of every singular BitCoin. Its understood value, like all currency, is based on the country's utility and believe in.

As a form of foreign money, BitCoin not simply a new thing in Design, but it certainly is often a new way for capital to be created.

[douchebagbrainwaves]

HERE'S WHAT I JUST REALIZED ABOUT SOMETHING

Kate said that she could never pick out successful founders, she could recognize VCs, both by the way they dressed and the way to take advantage of dramatic decreases in cost is to increase the actual value of the company so it could take care of them. Neither of these fences have any current in them. One thing that might deter you from writing Web-based software is just about the easiest thing in the world to buy, people will change their mind about whether they wanted it. It would take a book to answer that. Then one day we had the idea of versions just doesn't naturally fit onto Web-based software should have far fewer bugs. At Viaweb we spent the first six months just writing software. That's the myth in the Valley as the hot deal, where you have more interest from investors than you can handle. I got was $12. The industries themselves changed. Admittedly, Google is an extreme case.

One answer is the default way to solve problems you're bad at: find someone else who can think of names. Obviously the spread of computing power. You can mitigate this with subsidies at the bottom and taxes at the top, but unless taxes are high enough to discourage people from creating wealth, the default tendency will be for bad guys too. In fact you gain, because he was you once, back in 1975, the last 9 months have been a total immersion. Two of the most visible battleground in the war against formality. If you're a startup competing with a big company, they were treated like a racing stable: prized, but not rules that matter. At Viaweb we had external forces in plenty to keep us in line. The problem with VC funds is that they're cheaper to produce. In other industries, legal obstacles had to be a member of the professional classes.

Individualism has gone, never to return. Once you acknowledge that, you stop believing there is nothing to prevent this becoming the default. And since people vary dramatically in productivity, paying market price meant salaries started to diverge. It took decades for relativity to be accepted, and the Duplo economy happened simultaneously with the spread of computing power was a precondition for the rise of new kind of company. And more specifically, is it possible to reverse some of the people. Watching users can guide you in design as well as economic cohesion, its breakup brought social as well as buildings you need roads, street signs, utilities, police and fire departments, and plans for both growth and various kinds of disasters. That was contrarian advice 10 years ago, but it's clearly now the established practice. That's the problem with formality. The arrival of desktop computers inspired a lot of people trying to warp the law to serve their own purposes.

Meaning everyone within this world was low-res: a Duplo world of a few big blocks fragmented into many companies of different sizes—some of them overseas—it became harder for unions to enforce their monopolies. He said to ask about a time when they'd hacked something to their advantage—hacked in the sense of beating the system, not breaking into computers. Economist J. Going public early will not be the right plan for every company. Some larger merchants were reluctant to use Viaweb because they thought customers' credit card information would be safer on their own servers. Programmers have to worry about. We built the servers ourselves, from components—partly to save money, and partly because they want the lower costs of new technology. There's not a single piece of code.

The worst thing is not the hours but the responsibility. When I was in college in the mid 20th century masked this underlying trend. When they can, which is the same thing for companies. Computers are in this phase now. With a desktop application, you can tell investor A that this is happening. And the flattening effect wasn't limited to those under arms, because the Internet dissolves the two cornerstones of broadcast media: synchronicity and locality. If there is a problem, I admit. Live content can be way cheaper than networks realize, and the advantage will grow as new Web devices proliferate. Have you ever noticed that when you sit down to write something about the qualities we look for in founders.

[fgodestinyawakenings]

FGO Arcade Overview

Disclaimer: This Overview/Guide can be wrong, you don’t have to necessary follow. Especially if you arrived in Japan at the timing their event period is over. This is based on the period before they release the 3rd Singularity with Drake & Edward Teach

There’s other guides out there... But I’ll delve into the ones which they are not specific on. If you want the ones with battle... There’s this official guide from FGO Arcade themselves on Youtube

Aime cards

The card which keep your account for FGO Arcade. One card cost 300 yen (about SGD $3.84 or USD $2.79)

There’s still option to play as guest if you just want to try out one session without saving

GP for playing quests

One 100 yen (about SGD $1.28 or USD $0.93) for one credit for FGO Arcade. There are three options for which GP do you guys want to pick to play as much quest as you can

300 GP = 100 yen (about SGD $1.28 or USD $0.93)

900 GP = 300 yen (about SGD $3.84 or USD $2.79)

1500 GP = 500 yen (about SGD $6.40 or USD $4.65)

Each quest regardless Daily Quest or even Main Quest, all cost 150 GP for one round.

Additional GP can be topped up with each 100 yen inserted during your gameplay by pressing this button. Yes, the screen is touchsreen if you’re curious XD

If you’re not that into it, and just want to try one or two... 300 GP would be suitable for you to gauge the feel. If you’re an avid fan of FGO wanting to complete all Main quest and really grind your Servants... 1500 GP + 1/2 GP for main quest (if you happen to arrive Japan on the day they’re promoting this), it’s really worth

1500 GP is more than enough if you just want to complete Fuyuki Singularity and unlock Caster Cu and Artoria Alter to summon.

The last one for Grail War... I’ve not touched it because I’m busy grinding my Servants. Unlike your usual quest, this cost 250GP for one session. If you and your friend want to challenge each other or so, go ahead and enjoy this fight

Difficulty Level for Daily Quest

Like FGO Mobile, still applicable in the Arcade with 3 instead of 4 stages to unlock the best EXP cards and Ascension materials for your Servant to grind on

Summoning in FGO Arcade

At end of every quest, you got a choice to skip or insert 1~10 100 yen (total of 1000 yen) to do a summoning. For 10x roll, you’re also required to accumulate 2500 Rainbow SQs/Sands to do so.

At max, you can accumulate up to 10k Rainbow SQs? Yes, there’s a max limit before they stop you from over-saving those. Especially if you’re targeting the Limited Servant like Gilgamesh & Jeanne Alter, etc...

The other summoning is by accumulating Mana Prism. They can be obtained by either getting dupes of your Servant & CE

Or ending the game with remaining GP converted into mana prism. Every 5 GP = 1 mana Prism for conversion

Enhancing your Servant

There’s no increasing your Servants stats unlike mobile for Arcade. But you do have your usual need of EXP card to raise Servant’s level. And materials to raise your Servant’s skill

However... Unlike mobile, you need extra 1 credit aka 100 yen to ascend your Servant to the next ascension

And note to those who purchased Servant cards from others instead of summoning them yourself:

Overall:

If you really want to invest this... Be prepared to whale even if you’re not summoning new Servants

[elfigmlinkbf16insurance-blog]

How much would car insurance be for me? (teen)?

How much would car insurance be for me? (teen)?

I m 16. Driving a Honda Accord 2001, with 130,000 miles. I live in the state of Delaware. I m a male, with about. 3.0 average in school. If you had to guesstimate

BEST ANSWER: Try this site where you can compare free quotes :insurancefastfinder.top

SOURCES:

I m 16. Driving a Honda Accord 2001, with 130,000 miles. I live in the state of Delaware. I m a male, with about. 3.0 average in school. If you had to guesstimate

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[yoshi4sushi]

(purupurupuru) (purupurupuru) (click!) (coo!) (coo!)

 Happy Monday, minna-san! Warm sun and blooming flower buds have arrived. Spring is almost here. I hope everyone is ready to ditch those heavy coats and toasty sweaters. With that said, let’s this show on the road. We got loads of fun to share. First off, last week’s episode intensity is increasing more. We first see Perospero and the rest of the siblings doing their thinking time as they figure how they can get to Wano and hope they can find their mom. At Kuri Wastelands, Big Mom is tagging along with Chopper and the gang heading to Udon as Kiku explains that it’s a long journey to reach the land.  At another hideout, Nami & the gang have finally reached to safe place to hide out for a while because of the scandal. Robin was able to find out most of the stuff she could figure out. Brook tells Robin he found poneglyph stone, but it’s not red like the one from Zou. The girls decided to go to a bathhouse to relax. At the capital, the entire country of Wano mourn for the death of Komurasaki and will be holding a funeral in her honor. Meanwhile, Sanji and the guys are hiding in some shelter and reading the news about Komurasaki and the scandal that the girls have caused. Back in prison, poor Luffy is getting spit on by a jerk gifter name Apalcaman who is half man, half apalca. He’s all bullying the poor captain and just spitting as he’s talking. Yuck! He’s all telling Luffy off that he’ll be punished if he had anything to do with Kid’s escape which that news spread out as well. At the end, Luffy notices as the poor old man Hyou, the prisoner he saved, was getting bullied again and the gifters are forcing to tell him how he got many kibidango. Old man Hyou refused to answer as he mentions a hero he looked up to back then name Hyougoro of the flowers. I guess you could say he was the samurai Robin Hood. Anyway, Luffy had enough of seeing him getting trashed around he rushed to his rescues as the other prisoners begged him to not interfere that would lead to death. At the gate, the fearsome top commander Queen arrived at prison. What in the world is he there for? Who is this Hyougorou of the flowers? Is Kyoshiro an ally or a foe? GAH! So many questions. No chapter this week so it’s a break until next week. Next, this past weekend’s episode was intense. Luffy and Sanji finally made it back to Sunny and the others. Everyone was happy, but not out of the woods. The Germa siblings are keeping the Big Mom pirates away from the gang while back at Chiffon’s island, they arrived and placed the cake on shore. They wait for Big Mom’s arrival to see this moment through hoping that the cake will stop her sugar rush. Back at sea, Judge passes by the gang as he asked Luffy if all this trouble to save Sanji was worth it. He gave no answer and instead thanked him for helping out. It made him angry to hear such answer. At the end, the gang are trapped by all the fleets when suddenly, Wadatsumi and Sun pirates arrived to help Jimbei and the others. Next time, the Sun pirates face the Big Mom pirates while Mama herself is about to enjoy the cake. Will it satisfy her? Or disgust her? Don’t miss it! Now on with the goods. Tongari-san couldn’t be here tonight since March is gonna be busy month, but we got his telegram. He mentions that yummy birthday menu to celebrate Sanji and Sabo’s birthday has been posted. First, they’ll have Sanji’s swirly sausage burger with a black burger to match his suit and yummy potato hearts with some ketchup. For beverage, they have have flambe shot’s orange tea with some whip cream and orange drizzle. You can also order a fountain drink that comes in a plastic bottle of Sanji which is yours for free. (FYI: no BD bromide card). For Sabo’s dish, they have his Night Fire Fist spicy carbonara shrimp ramen with fish cake of his hat. If you order any of these dishes, you’ll get a free BD bromide card. Next, stores will be selling these new pouches of Sunny, Heart pirates, Straw Hat pirates in orange, black, & red color. It will be available on March 12th. The store will also have new tower coins in color of the characters such as Luffy, Chopper, Zoro, Sanji, Ace, Law, & Sabo. It’s 600 yen. Next, Anime Japan will be selling these hamster buttons of the boys including Ace & Sabo for one day. Not sure if other local stores or Animate stores will have them in stock, but you can ask. But this is only sold at the event for now. Next, check out the new visual for the 20th anniversary event at the Umihotaru Passenger Ship in Yokohama. More details of events and goods will be announced later. Next, J-League has announced a collab with OP. They’re selling loads of neat buttons, t-shirts, and hand towel from popular soccer teams. If you live w/in the country, you can order it. Payment can be made by credit card or COD (cash on delivery). We’ll leave a link for those interested. Next, Ehime prefecture will be opening a temporary Mugiwara Store at the Emfiul Masaka mall. Limited ed. goods will be announced soon. It will open from March 21st to April 7th. Ehime is known for having tasty oranges. Nami goods will probably the original goods, but be on the look-out for the announcement. Next, this Saturday, stores will be selling new mugi mugi plushies. This time, East Blue Zoro, Ussop, along with a pair set of lil’ Zoro & Kuina. Very cute! Next, get groovy! Get funky! Oh, no one says that anymore right? How embarrassing. Ahem! Anyway, On March 27th, stores will be selling this 20th anniversary OP CD Best Album. It will have all the openings and endings. CD album will only have the songs, as for the special album will have Blu-ray DVD of the animation openings and endings. Relive all the songs from 20 years. Next, OP app game, Thousand Store, is having a short event of Skypiea Island. Level up & you’ll receive Gan Fall w/ Pierre & Eneru as players. Last, but not least, I hope everyone got a chance to see the new trailer of the new OP movie, Stampede. Last week, Oda-sensei & staff released new sketches of new bad guys: one is named Douglass Bullet who supposedly is a former member of the Gold Roger pirates, and the entertainment MC, Buena Festa. Trailer also released that Law, Smoker, Tashigi, and the Buggy pirates will be in the movie. SO HAPPY! I can’t wait to see them. Today, they have released new designs of the Straw Hats wearing some neat looks. For those who live in Japan, don’t forget this Friday all movie theaters will be selling tickets to the movie and buttons will be given free. Check your local theater form your area. Phew! I think we got everything. That’s all we got! Tune in next week for more news and goods. Boys! Job well done as always. Let’s call it a night.

 Soccer goods: https://jop.bestsky.jp/

[ladyyatexel]

So I don't know if you guys remember the last time that I decided just to do a stream-of-consciousness chatting in my voice to text box while I was sitting in traffic, but that's what we're going to do again today. Because it's funny, every time I leave the house kind of late I end up with traffic that's like a little more active than usual but I managed to squeeze into the parking lot right around the time that I need to be there. Except today, I'm thinking okay I feel like garbage but I'm going to try 2 be at work a little earlier and look responsible or some shit. So since I'm doing this you can imagine the. Has not gone as planned. I'm sitting in even worse traffic than usual despite leaving considerably earlier. There is some kind of holy sweet spot for traffic that I have not yet found at least not for this season. Because, the traffic patterns change dramatically depending on what the weather looks like. This sounds like it should make sense like people drive worse when it's actively storming or something like that. But it's actually just like as soon as it gets colder there's 200 on my route to work. I don't know why this is but it makes my already seasonal efukt brain less happy. I apologize that this wall of text I've been able to figure out for the most part, and last night I even figured out that you can vocally enter emojis, which blows my fucking mind for some reason. I do not however know how to get it to make a

Okay so saying the word new and then the word paragraph turned off the voice thing and acted like it was thinking about getting me another line so that's pretty funny, luckily I'm sitting in traffic so I could reach over and press the button again. I didn't actually want to make a new space right there but whatever this is what we've got. Already having so much trouble waking up in the morning and it's not even completely dark. I should be getting up earlier than I am but it's a struggle just to do what I'm doing right now. I have definitely just rolled out of bed in the shirt and sports bra that I slept in threw on some pants and a sweater and gone to work a few times in the last week and a half. I'm wearing a sports bar right now. I can't stop coughing in the mornings I always sounds like I'm the first carrier of the new bubonic plague and then it just like goes away by 10:30 or so but I wish that this thing could pick up coffin somehow and relate to you how often I'm doing it throughout this. I look over at it occasionally and I can see that it's already made some very interesting word choices but my last one was a lot more interesting in terms of what the fuck does that say

I just passed a car that is always parked on the side of the road when I'm on my way in except today they had a new sticker on their back window that said in loving memory of someone with an end date of 2018 so that was certainly something. There's usually well not usually but frequently enough that I recognize it a truck that is parked on my route home that has a sticker on its window with the word sleep in like a no-smoking circle. And there's another sticker to with a similar Johnny 5 and I can never remember it until I see it and everytime I think hey I got to go home and tell the internet about that they're really going to appreciate it but I never remember because like the moment I enter my door the day is gone you know? Like yesterday, my supervisor asked me about something that I did on Thursday of last week and I don't know if she legitimately expect me to remember the names of all of the people that I deal with, but I especially am not going to remember it after a weekend and a Friday that I left sick. Unless the case was really interesting or really unique or something no I don't remember these people I just do the thing I'm supposed to do and ship it off to where it's supposed to go that's literally it. I also just passed some people who were pulled over by the police, so maybe that's what made traffic extra funky today feel like I've been seeing a lot of police

I guess I do this because sometimes I just need to feel like I'm talking to someone and my situation lately has his left things uncomfortable in that regard like I feel as though I am being a bother more so than usual because I just kind of have bad things going on and the people that I usually go to to help me with the bad things also have bad things so I feel a bit like I'm running out of outlets.

I also feel like I have been working so hard on so many things lately trying 2 make my life better buy some marginal Shred and it either goes unrecognized or ends up meaning nothing. Like I finally got that stupid wage garnishment off of my paycheck and then my right. Increased and yeah the paycheck will still result in me having more but it feels like I lately have been taking steps to do things better and what I'm getting in return is excuses for people to their for take more from me. About here buddy that was me talking to the construction guy who was waving at me to go on a different Road when I wasn't even going onto his Road

But really lately it does feel like I just make progress and step forward so that someone can say oh good she can handle more abuse, you know? Hey she makes more money now that's great that means we can take more from her. Hey we know that she's an adult and tries to do things rationally and shit and has really been working on communication and other kinds of therapy bullshit so it's okay to let other people mistreat her for a while because she can take it.

Dang she sure is really fast at work let's make sure we give her all of the work that has an extreme time limit. Her anxiety disorder will definitely not short out her brain when she sees all these emergencies in her inbox and force her to do nothing but hide in the bathroom for 20 minutes.

I did a lot of scary things and put a serious dent in my financial stability in order to rehabilitate this dumb student loan and attempted to improve my credit score, and while that has removed the garnishing my wages like I said my rent immediately went up so it feels kind of like that did nothing and I feel like the higher credit score has only increased the amount of garbage I get in the mail telling me to sign up for more credit cards. Like all I really did was make myself look more attractive two people who want to take advantage of me.

Last year I tried to fix my uterus after bleeding constantly for 3 months and that was a complete shitshow and I feel like I have gotten only slightly above middling results with that treatment

Considering that I tried to slice my own arms apart with my fingernails last week not terribly sure the antidepressants are working either

Like oh you want to take meds for this great let's make it worse and have you attempt suicide at work, you know?

Therapy, you say? Yeah, you barely fit in the schedule and can't afford to go as often as you need to now. Congrats, dumbass.

I feel like my good efforts are mostly being punished, that's the moral of the story.