#mldc

[helyiios]

meet Montgomery Laurent Duncan Canvendish, Benji’s father.

Now, a little more about him :

He and Benji look extremely alike. It wasn’t that obvious when Benji was younger, but as he got older they grew more and more similar, which is something that haunts both Benji and Montgomery to no end.

He’s Conservatory MP.

He’s has Bipolar 1 and Intermittent Explosive Disorder. Benji also has IED.

They both have sectoral heterochromia. Benji’s mother’s eyes are both brown.

They have almost the same moles on the left side of their faces.

They have the exact same voice, except that Benji’s can go deeper and higher.

Montgomery is deeply pro nuclear and has been known to deal with dangerous weapons with many arms dealers around the world.

He’s a Forbes Fortune 50, making Benji an extremely wealthy heir.

To Montgomery, Benjamin was declared dead on December 31st, 1994, after an OD. Benjamin’s mother, Beatrice, never recovered.

He has no idea that Benji is still alive and in the US. During an IMF mission, Team Hunt will have to protect him from people trying to assassinate him, which is when he’ll find out about his son being alive.

Benji’s deeply untrustworthy of his father throughout the whole mission.

Montgomery is not a very emotional person, and never provided Benji with actual care and love. Benji tried his best to satisfy him and prove him worthy of his attention, but it was never enough.

Montgomery isn’t homophobic per se—he doesn’t care who Benji marries, as long as the person is also wealthy. He doesn’t see marriage as a bond of love, but rather a way to create links and connections in high society.

Benji and his dad have the same laugh.

Benji shortened “Duncan” to Dunn to create his new name.

Montgomery wanted Benji to study politics at Cambridge, instead he studied Computer Science at Oxford.

Montgomery’s nickname at Cambridge was Duncav, and it was also Benji’s at Oxford.

[unicloudm]

How Machine Learning Development Services Drive Innovation in Business

Introduction: The Power of Machine Learning in Business

Machine learning (ML) is no longer just a buzzword—it has become an integral part of modern business strategies. By enabling computers to learn from data and make predictions or decisions without explicit programming, machine learning empowers businesses to automate tasks, optimize operations, and innovate in new ways. However, developing ML models requires specialized expertise, which is where Machine Learning Development Services come into play.

In this blog, we’ll explore how machine learning development services can drive innovation and transform your business processes.

What Are Machine Learning Development Services?

Machine Learning Development Services encompass the design, development, and deployment of machine learning models that help organizations extract valuable insights from data and make informed decisions. These services are provided by experts who understand the complexities of building robust ML algorithms and systems.

Key Features of Machine Learning Development Services:

Data Collection and Preprocessing: ML development begins with collecting and cleaning the data, ensuring that the models are built on accurate and relevant information.

Model Training: ML models are trained on historical data to recognize patterns and make predictions about future outcomes.

Model Deployment: After development, ML models are integrated into business operations to assist with real-time decision-making and automation.

Continuous Monitoring and Improvement: ML models require continuous tuning and monitoring to improve accuracy and performance over time.

How Machine Learning Development Services Benefit Businesses

Machine learning has applications across multiple industries, from finance and healthcare to retail and manufacturing. By working with professionals offering Machine Learning Development Services, businesses can unlock the following benefits:

1. Automation of Repetitive Tasks

Machine learning allows businesses to automate manual tasks, from data entry to customer support. ML models can handle routine processes more efficiently and with fewer errors than human workers, freeing up valuable time and resources.

2. Improved Decision-Making

By analyzing vast amounts of data, machine learning models can identify trends and patterns that are not immediately apparent to humans. This allows businesses to make more informed decisions, improving outcomes and reducing risks.

3. Personalization and Customer Experience

ML models can analyze customer data to create personalized experiences, from recommending products to offering targeted marketing campaigns. This helps businesses build stronger relationships with their customers and improve overall satisfaction.

Example: An e-commerce company could use Machine Learning Development Services to create personalized product recommendations, boosting customer engagement and increasing sales.

Key Applications of Machine Learning Development Services

Machine learning can be applied in various ways to improve business operations and outcomes. Here are a few key areas where Machine Learning Development Services have a significant impact:

1. Predictive Analytics

ML models can analyze historical data to predict future outcomes, such as customer demand, stock prices, or equipment failures. This allows businesses to plan ahead, optimize resource allocation, and reduce operational disruptions.

2. Fraud Detection

Financial institutions use machine learning models to detect fraudulent transactions in real-time. These models learn from past fraud cases and can identify suspicious activity, reducing the risk of financial losses.

3. Natural Language Processing (NLP)

NLP allows machines to understand and respond to human language. ML models powered by NLP can be used for chatbots, sentiment analysis, and voice recognition, enhancing customer service and automating communication processes.

Example: A healthcare provider might use Machine Learning Development Services to build predictive models that forecast patient outcomes based on their medical history, helping doctors make more informed treatment decisions.

Conclusion: Unlock Business Innovation with Machine Learning Development Services

Investing in Machine Learning Development Services is a smart move for businesses looking to stay competitive in today’s data-driven world. Whether it’s automating tasks, improving decision-making, or creating personalized customer experiences, machine learning can unlock new opportunities for growth and innovation. By working with professional ML developers, you can ensure that your models are built to meet your specific business needs and deliver meaningful results.

[darkmaga-returns]

We are witnessing in our military a major paradigm shift toward common sense and away from wokeism — defined as progressivism taken to extremes and imposed with coercion, even if it hurts the institution. 

Commander-in-Chief Donald Trump has issued a series of executive orders addressing three overarching goals: Meritocracy and non-discrimination instead of “equity” for favored groups, common sense definitions of “sex” and respect for sex differences, and elimination of divisive critical race theory (CRT) programs.      

This won’t be easy because the weeds of wokeism are deeply rooted in the Defense Department, and they did not spring up overnight. Pentagon ideologues have been cultivating them for years. 

In 2011, the Military Leadership Diversity Commission issued a 162-page report titled From Representation to Inclusion: Diversity Leadership for the 21st-Century Military. MLDC recommendations shifted the military’s cultural priorities away from meritocracy and nondiscrimination toward “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) as paramount goals. 

Previously, the armed forces assigned priority to individual merit, performance, and the needs of the military. The MLDC altered that paradigm by rejecting “color-blind” policies and admitting that “fair treatment” was “not about treating everyone the same.” 

Accordingly, Defense Department officials replaced equal opportunity with outcome-based preferences favoring some demographic groups over others. Before long, the DoD’s favorite meme, “Diversity is a strategic imperative,” justified the full range of progressive social changes that are now called “wokism in the military.” 

[mvdbutler]

10 WWE Stars Who FLOPPED In WCW

HOST-TOMMY TOE HOLD TOP 10 PDCL/MLDC STARS FLOPPED IN CARIBBEAN/SOUTH AMERICAN/EUROPEAN/AFRICAN/ASIAN/ANZ

[nigrus]

Mldc gerai atrodo 💪

[wheredostarsgowhenyoudie]

One Monday morning at WE...

Damian: Replacement, where's Angel?

Tim (lifts eyebrow): Weren't you supposed to eat breakfast together? Dick arrived without her, and I'm pretty sure Jason ain't clocking till noon.

Damian: (curses)

Tim: What's that Demon Spawn?

Damian: That leaves one more person.

...

Damian (phone on ear): Kent is not answering!! He better not be corrupting my Angel or else-

Tim:

Tim: Uhm. Are we sure Mari is being corrupted, or...

Damian: Oh.

Tim: (nods solemnly)

Damian: Damn it, you're right. Tell father I'll take a day off. I need to save Kent.

[eggadoodle]

the fact that none of the daminette fics I've read have had "Marinette Dupain-Cheng-Al Ghul-Wayne" honestly feels like a crime

[attempting-writer]

Supernette 9

Friends, cousin. Cousin, friends… Oh! Also, Friends.

·         Clark denies it, but Damian will insist that Clark opened the door like that on purpose. (Clark did do it on purpose. He just didn’t want to be the only one to awkwardly know about the two making out, so he decided to embarrass them as much as he was embarrassed to witness that.)

·         After an embarrassing series of back-to-back shovel talks

o   They sit on the couch, in the living room while everyone else were standing around them.

o   Jon gives it to both, first. “That’s my best friend. He doesn’t have many friends, and as his first serious relationship. Please don’t hurt him; he’s making so much progress.” “And that’s my cousin. I’ve known her for my entire life. If you hurt her—and I know that you think I’m going to threaten you, which I’m not—but if you hurt her… She’ll hurt you. This is a warning, not a threat.” “And I love you two so much. If you two separate, I’ll never be able to choose between you.”

o   Then Marinette is excused to idly stand in the kitchen and watch as everyone, one by one, tries to intimidate Damian.

o   He repeatedly glances at her and she just gives a somber smile.

·         The next day, the Kents announce that they’re staying for the week, spontaneously.

·         Lois flies in right away and Clark takes her to a few romantic spots.

·         When Nino, Alya, and Adrien meet up with Marinette and Damian at the bakery they meet the Kents.

·         Alya fangirls over Clark and Lois, mostly Lois.

·         Damian and Marinette announce their relationship status.

·         Alya and Nino celebrate, Adrien congratulates them, a cheeky smile on his face as he pretty much already knows this.

·         Adrien awkwardly stands to the side as he’s the only one who isn’t paired up.

o   Alya and Nino are talking to the Kents,

o   Marinette and Damian are standing to the side whispering inside jokes to each other,

o   Adrien finds himself standing with Jon in silence.

·         Adrien and John exchange the #awkward-friend-of-a-friend convos.

·         The youths take a trip around town and hang out, couples stick together with Jon and Adrien hanging out between them as the fifth and sixth wheels.

·         The six of them run into a specific pair of a tiny blonde and her hair-dyed girlfriend.

·         They decide for a quadruple date group hangout, arcades, park, lunch together, going back to Dupain-Cheng’s place to hang out and play video games and bringing the day down to a close.

·         For the next few days, Daminette is the hot topic, not only throughout the halls of the school, but throughout the more youthful members of the JL and the superhero community.

·         It starts when Jon gets back and, meaning to text just the Titans and then the Waynes, he accidentally sends a message to the entire Justice League message board, (which is totally a thing, you can’t convince me otherwise)

o   “DAMIAN AND MARINETTE KISSED!!!!!!1!!!”

·         He manages to delete it after a moment of clarity to realize what he just did, but it circulated for just long enough for just the wrong people to find out.

·         Fortunately for Jon, the one who spreads the news to the Batfam isn’t himself or any of the more youthful heroes, but Diana.

·         “For the longest time, I was concerned, Bruce,” Diana comments, pulling the bag from her tea in The Watchtower, “Your sons’ close relationships with Kryptonians held a risk leaving you with only Dick to grant you grandchildren, but I’m glad to see your youngest find a loophole with young Marinette. At that age, the first kiss must feel special.”

·         Unlike Diana, Bruce was a bit sleep deprived and, instead of calmly sipping some tea, he was actively chugging his second cup of coffee, only half listening until he heard the phrase, “first kiss”.

·         That day was marked as Batman’s first spit-take in Justice league history.

o   Diana won $1,325 from the “Genuinely Surprise Batman for the First Time” betting pool, which was started by Dick, when he first met the League as Robin.

o   She also won the right to shave off Oliver’s hideous Goatee.

·         The rest of the Batfam figure that something important must’ve happened between Marinette and Damian, when they see Bruce reading parent-help books and asking Alfred if he thinks Damian already got “The Talk” from Talia.

o   Titles of these books include, but are not limited to, the following: Father’s Guide to Giving “The Talk” to Your Son Your Child’s First Crush and Dating True Love’s Kiss or Miss? How to Lower Your Daughter’s Expectations

·         Dick, Cassandra, and Stephanie come to the correct conclusion that Damian’s finally did as that one Little Mermaid song told and “Kissed the Girl”.

·         Jason reads a bit too far into it and thinks that, not only has Damian and Marinette been kissing, but they’ve been experimenting.

·         Tim (who hasn’t come out just yet) thinks that Bruce is onto his developing relationship with Bernard and path to self-discovery, and his plans to come out.

·         Much to Damian’s chagrin, he receives numerous texts from the fam: congratulations from Dick, Cassandra, and Stephanie; a somewhat inappropriate congrats from Jason regarding a third base; and a panicked text from Tim asking if anyone knows a certain fact about him.

·         He sends a simple “thanks” to everyone except Jason, who he simply ignores, and Tim, to whom he sends a “Everyone knows you’re bi, but that’s not why everyone is freaking out.”

[goggles-mcgee]

A Little Birdy Told Me 20

AO3

Beginning Last Chapter

Summary: Damian continues to try and get more information about the akuma class and Marinette while Dick is having an off day and just wants it to get better.

Only one brother gets what they want.

CH 20:

Damian may have jumped the gun on that one. 

He admitted that, willingly, in the privacy of his own mind. 

“To Dupain-Cheng? I mean sure but why would you like to know.” Chloe asked with narrowed sharp eyes.

Bourgeois was sharp, as were all his acquaintances so there was no point in lying, though he was confident he could do so flawlessly, his acquaintances had proved to be somewhat trustful. They all kept secrets if asked unless it was something trivial which confused him to no end. Allegra could ask they don’t tell anyone what she shared with them when it came to her having trouble mentally or her parents fighting but the group would tell almost everyone in the group how Claude had a crush on so-and-so from class-whatever. Richard said that is just how teenagers and friends are but it didn’t make sense to Damian and he tried many times to make it make sense. The only thing that made him feel better is the fact his father also didn’t understand. When he was in med school he told him how his study group kept his fear of bats to themselves but when he admitted to not being a fan of some musician that that information was shared and laughed at, but he stated clearly that the laughing wasn’t at him, just at the information as a study group member had explained. Again. It was strange, but Damian felt like this wasn’t one of those moments that they would share his information with others. 

“It goes without saying that what I tell you does not leave this table,” he began, “I know I said that if I knew something I wouldn’t tell, but given Bourgeois’s forthcoming, I too can be a little forthcoming. Dupain-Cheng is now a ward of my Father for the rest of the exchange.”

Vogel nodded and glared at everyone at the table as if to ward them off even thinking of telling anyone what Damian was saying. It was…nice and appreciated. Vogul reminded him of Cassandra sometimes and it always left him feeling warm yet wrongfooted. The blonde wasn’t his sister but sometimes she felt like it and that also confused him. Nonetheless he gave Vogel a small nod of appreciation. “After the events at Wayne Tower and what followed, it was decided that my father take care of Dupain-Cheng for the remainder of the trip and actual chaperones are being flown in. The original plan of having the class merge with ours has been effectively thrown out the window and negotiations are being made where to place everyone as they will be separated. Dupain-Cheng and her friends will join our class but it hasn’t been decided where Rossi and her sycophants will go.” 

Allaway pursed his lips together and looked deep in thought, it was like he was trying to organize everything that was said and unsaid. He was someone who liked puzzles and mysteries. “You guys are building a case?” It was posed as a question but Damian knew the other boy better. It was a statement. Damian simply leaned back in his chair to give Allaway his attention, it took the boy some time to voice his thoughts so Damian waited before responding. “The question is, who is the case against?” 

“I would think that obvious by now Allaway.” Damian scoffed. 

Allaway stared at Damian intensely until he let out a deep sigh, “Yeah, I know, I was saying it to be dramatic.”

“You’re always dramatic.” Damian countered.

“No. That’s Claude.” Allaway shot right back.

“Guilty!” Hardy sing-songed. Damian conceded. Hardy was always dramatic. Every announcement he made to the group or even the school was so rich in dramatics that Damian wondered if the boy practiced what he said every day to make sure it was the perfect amount of dramatic or if it was something instinctual. Damian felt like it was the latter. Sometimes Hardy’s dramatics confused him but Vogel was good at explaining what the dramatic boy was saying, she was basically the Hardy Translator.

“We are getting off topic.” Bourgeois sighed. “You really want to know everything that witch did to Dupain-Cheng, Wayne? Then you better buckle in and take notes.

Damian nodded and pressed the hidden button on his watch that Lucius Fox and his son Lucas upgraded at Bruce’s request, that would record the rest of the conversation. Though he did take out a notebook and pen, he never wrote in pencil, writing in pencil showed you were not confident in your writing or knowledge. He was trying to break out of the habit though as it was one Ra’s made sure ‘stuck’ with his heir. His grandfather would never settle for anything less than perfect and the one time Damian took a test in front of his grandfather and used a pencil, he was punished. Damian hid a wince at the memories of that particular lesson and instead stared at his watch, it was a replica of his Grandfather's watch , the one he wore when he was murdered. It was a bit morbid but it was the thought behind it that made it one of Damian’s most prized possessions. 

It had been a little after he had been…introduced to his father and a little before his father’s seeming demise at Darkseid’s hand that Bruce had taken Damian aside into his study to talk to him. Damian thought it would be another reprimand of his methods but had been surprised when Bruce handed him a small box with a bow on it. He had been so hesitant, so wary, so suspicious that his father had gently taken the box from him and opened it to show a watch. A rather nice watch though Damian had noted its somewhat dated design. Like someone had purposefully made it look vintage.  “ It’s made to look like my father’s watch, your grandfather, though I have no doubt you were…informed of my parents before you came here -”

“ I know everything about you, Father, and my grandparents .” Damian had interrupted, eager to prove his knowledge, his worth. 

“ I don’t doubt that, Damian, but you were told about them by people who did not know them. That makes all the difference. There is time for stories so you get to know them like I knew them but this is the first one I will tell you. ” Bruce had looked sincere yet a bit uncomfortable, Damian had chalked it up to his father’s weakness of not getting over his parent’s death. Such a weakness was not allowed in the League, but Damian had said nothing of the fact even if he could. Richard had been teaching him just because you could doesn’t mean you should. It was confusing but his father seemed to agree with the sentiment so Damian was doing his best to learn it. 

His father continued. “ When my father was ten, his father bought him his first watch. I never met my grandfather, but when I was young, my father told me grandfather wanted to start a new Wayne tradition. When the heir of the family turned ten, they would be gifted a watch. I’m afraid that the reason is lost in time and forgotten memories but my father wanted to continue this tradition. I got my watch on my birthday and 9 days later my parents died. My father had been wearing his birthday watch that night .”

Damian hadn’t wanted to interrupt but he did want to touch the watch and his father seemed to understand that so he passed back the gift and watched as Damian had caressed the face of the watch with his thumb. 

“ I admit that I have bought your brother's watches as well but I know you are struggling to accept them. I won’t lie and say I understand but I want to feel connected to them, to me, to this family. I wasn’t able to give you a watch on your birthday but I am giving it to you now. I had this made for you in the image of your grandfather’s watch because I want to show you how important you are to this family and me. I could have easily given you a new watch as I had your brother’s but you deserve a connection to your roots. I hope you like it. ”

Damian had only nodded but the small smile his father gave in return had filled him with such warmth he hadn’t known what to do other than let his father put the watch on him. Later, Alfred would explain that Bruce had the watch built with many hidden features to keep Damian safe and to make sure his son wouldn’t be without a way out of a situation. The watch was made to resemble the Rolex Submariner that Damian had seen in a case along with a broken pearl necklace and some loose grimy pearls. He knows they were keepsakes of his grandparents that Bruce kept in a protected case in the Cave. He didn’t really believe it would make him feel any more connected to the Wayne name than him already being Bruce Wayne’s biological son but wearing the watch and seeing the original in its case when he was down in the Cave actually did make him feel connected in a way he couldn’t explain. Thus it became one of his most prized possessions much like his first straight double edged sword his mother gave him for the earliest birthdays he could remember. 

Damian inhaled slowly then exhaled to bring himself out of his memory before he looked up at Bourgeois and gave her a short nod. “Proceed.” 

___________________

Dick was doing all he could to relax and show Marinette the company’s botanical gardens as it was something she had wanted to do. It was good to see her smile and flit from plant to plant like a little honey bee or something, but Dick couldn’t get rid of his tension completely. He was always like that after dealing with Two-Face even if it wasn’t the usual confrontation between the two, i.e mask to two faces but it still left him feeling the same. Angry, restless and most annoyingly, scared. He wasn’t the same little scared Robin but dealing with Two-Face always made him feel like he was. He thought he worked past all that! But seeing Marinette in his arms with a gun pressed to her head brought uncomfortable flashbacks of a different tiny black-haired blue-eyed child. A child who got cocky in his skills as Robin and helper of Batman. He could still feel the long-since healed injuries throb in phantom pain. Dick couldn’t help the flash of another black-haired blue-eyed child, older than the first when he learned that being Robin wasn’t magical or whimsical. Thinking of that never did him any good, if anything it brought about an enormous amount of guilt and anger that Dick didn’t know what to do with. 

“Mari-gold?” A very familiar voice pulled Dick out of his thoughts and he cursed himself for being so distracted. 

“Ivy!” Marinette shouted out in glee as she ran to hug the woman she had seen fairly recently. It made Dick smile though, this kid loved with her whole heart and it was something he admired. 

“Now what are you doing here, Sapling?” 

“I came here with Mister Dick and Mister Tim. Though we lost Tim pretty early on.” Oh yeah, they did. Though Dick was willing to bet Tim just went to the coffee shop nearby, he seemed to have a built in radar for knowing where they were no matter what part of town they were in. It was kind of funny though since Tim wasn’t even a big fan of coffee, he more so just needed the caffeine. The guy preferred tea but he was really particular about which places made the best tea, specifically a good ol’ Dirty Chai. 

“And what brings you to the Gardens today, Ive?” Dick asked, deciding to partake in the conversation. 

“Oh just making sure they are doing okay and to give the workers a restock of my special fertilizer.” That made sense, Ivy was, on-the-down low helping the Wayne Botanical Studies team. While Harley helped them more with their night time business, Ivy was content to help in the more official business. With the occasional helping hand stopping a threat if they “got in over their heads.” Her words. 

“You make your own fertilizer?” Marinette asked. Look, Dick was also curious about that but after finding Ivy and Jason talking one night with these big-ass smiles on their faces, all teeth, he was like 80% sure that fertilizer was some of Jason’s…problems. But there was no way in hell that Dick was going to try and confirm that, and he sure as hell would not be telling Bruce that little theory. 

“Yes! It takes time but it-”

“My Passion Lily! I got your Matcha Lemonade and look! I found a wild Wayne.” They were interrupted by Harley, which was not a surprise, and she was dragging a resigned looking Tim with her. 

Ivy merely huffed out a laugh at her wife before taking the offered drink with a kiss to Harley’s cheek. “Thank you, Peanut, I also found a wild Wayne and a little Sapling.”

“Mari-Doll!” Harley squeaked out before almost knocking the poor girl off her feet in her hurry to smother the girl in a hug. Surprisingly they didn’t fall over. 

“Hi Harley!”

“You guys saw each other the other night?” Tim said, confused. 

“And?” Marinette and Harley asked in unison. It made Dick giggle and helped relieve him of more of his pent up tension. 

“Well since we're all here, why don’t we walk around together?” Dick offered. “Bruce wanted Tim to get some fresh air so try not to let him sneak off again.”

Tim gave an offended squawk which had Marinette laughing once more. “I’m fine!”

“Yeah, okay Timmy-Boy.” Harley said with a scoff as she laced her arms together with Ivy and Marinette. “And I’m the Queen of England.”

“You do need some time outside the Manor Tim. It’s not healthy to stay cooped up.” Ivy said as she happily walked with Harley and Marinette. Though she did grab Tim by the scruff of his shirt and manhandled him toward Dick. He looked very much like a cranky kitten. 

“What is this? Pick on Tim day?” 

“I believe Damian has that scheduled for next month.” Dick wished he was joking.

Marinette obviously noticed he wasn’t if her raised brow was anything to go off. “Oh?”

“He stepped on Titus’s tail three months ago, on accident.” Dick explained. “But Damian is very good at keeping grudges and he’s very good on cashing in on favors.” 

Tim merely whined in response and Dick couldn’t help but pity his brother for a second before he remembered how Tim used him as a human meat shield when Condiment King randomly joined in on a fight against some robbers. Apparently he was also planning on robbing the jewelry store after keeping a low profile from his then-recent prison break. Needless to say it took Dick forever trying to get the mustard smell out of his costume once again and had to beg Alfred for help once again. Even though Alfred refused to help with cleaning anything CK contaminated, it spiked his blood pressure or something like that. Dick thinks it’s because of all the first times he helped clean them up when the rogue had been new on the scene. That had been a long month and Dick had seen how Alfred got more and more annoyed each time they came home covered in mustard, ketchup, you name it. It was awful. Truly. So Dick didn’t feel all that bad. Stephanie was already coming up with a list of things to tease Tim about. She specifically waits for the days Damian declares will be Pick-On Drake Days so she has lists on lists compiled for that very reason. She hoards them and never shares until the scheduled day. Duke surprisingly joined in too and started making his own list. 

“He’s very dedicated.” Marinette giggled out.

“That’s one word for it.” Tim grumbled. 

From there they had a good time touring the different gardens with Ivy acting as a somewhat tour guide and Dick could see it was really helping Marinette unwind as well. The interview with Jim and Harvey had really gotten her tense which was totally understandable, it would be intimidating for anyone. Tim tried to escape a couple times but after Dick teasingly asked if he should get Tim a child-leash and Ivy offered to make one out of vines he stopped. He even seemed to be relaxing a small bit. It was nice, really and it seemed to be something that Dick needed too without realizing it. Eventually they went out for lunch and after they went their separate ways. The drive back to the Manor had been nice too, normal traffic and a nice playlist helped. Tim and Marinette had even made some good conversation, though Dick got worried at the mention of PowerPoints. He hoped it was nothing serious, but the fact that Tim found someone as obsessed with planning and making PowerPoints was a little frightening. Maybe more than a little, Dick could only take so many Tim PowerPoints. He loved his brother, dearly, with his whole heart, but his PowerPoints were long and…thorough. He even tested people on the more important ones with a freaking Kahoot match. Cass and surprisingly Damian always won those. 

As they made their way into the manor Dick was pretty much planning on taking a good, lengthy nap to catch up on the sleep he hadn't gotten last night. His brain felt fried and scrambled, like it couldn’t decide whether to sink into the depressing thoughts from before or just remember the good time at the gardens they all had, even Tim surprisingly had a good time. As he sunk into the couch in the family living room his mind seemed to settle on both. His eyes closed and he saw Marinette laughing and smiling at their afternoon activities, then it would flash to her being held against Two-Face. He could hear the rogue’s laugh deep in his bones, then it changed to the Joker’s unique cackle. Marinette changed from her to him to Jason at blinding speeds. He could hear Marinette’s voice firm and confident in contrast to the fear in her eyes when she told him there was no time and that she would lead Scarecrow away. He could hear her yelling and telling Alfred she and they weren’t safe. He heard his own cries and shouts mixed with Two-Face’s voice. He could hear what he imagined Jason sounded like when the Joker beat him to death. He could hear the accusations of others about his jealousy of Jason being adopted. 

That unfortunately brought up memories of the talk he had had with Bruce once upon a time about Jason and adoption. It felt like he had had to fight not only tabloids but even Bruce about nonexistent hatred. Dick never hated Jason, but he had been so caught up in his anger with Bruce that he let it affect his and Jason’s relationship. He had just been so angry and it wasn’t an excuse but sometimes it seemed like he was even trying to justify his actions to himself. Though there was some jealousy and hurt there that he didn’t know what to do with, okay he did know what to do but the fact it would have to involve talking to Bruce and Jason was not something that sounded fun nor easy. He liked a good challenge but that idea sounded impossible. Like yes, he was Bruce’s son now but for so long he was just a ward, like Marinette was now, he called Bruce dad, they lived together, they fought crime together, they took care of each other, and yet it took years for Bruce to adopt him. But Jason? Dick knew Jason was Bruce’s son, his first son, his favorite son. Jason got the Bruce Dick had always wanted and it had hurt. Jason’s death had impacted Bruce more than his parents. That was a fact. 

And…And Dick had no idea where this was all coming from. He knew he didn’t know Marinette well as her class’s tour guide but seeing her held against Two-Face, mere centimeters from danger had thrown him. She reminded him too much of himself and too much like Jason before his death. She wasn’t a Robin, she would never be a Robin, but she had been a hero like one. She saved her people as fiercely as a Robin protected Gotham and its people. She took the weight of her world on her shoulders, much like a Robin. She was a child turned soldier due to circumstance just like a Robin. Marinette was a Robin in soul with no Batman to guide her and maybe that was for the best but looking at how lost she looked when she spoke about the ‘akumatizations’ in Paris, Dick wished she had had her version of Batman. A mentor who could aid in the fight, who shared the knowledge and responsibility. Yes, there were other heroes, they were like her version of Teen Titans, but that’s just it she was just barely a teen, a child, when she took up the mantle of hero. And from the pictures Tim showed the family of the other heroes, it wasn’t hard to guess that the other ‘Holders’ were teens themselves. Seeing as Adrien was also a teen and a former hero. 

Dick, in a weird, roundabout way, felt responsible for Marinette. As soon as she looked at him with hope, determination and fear in her eyes he was hit by a wave of protectiveness for her. She looked at him like Damian did when he first complimented and criticized his work as Robin, he and Marinette had also pulled off a plan as smooth and seamless as Dick and Damian had been when they were the Dynamic Duo. Or as Dick liked to call them, The More Dynamic Duo. He knew his family was kind of freaked out by how well Marinette and Damian seemed to get along, but not him, sure he teased a bit but he just had a feeling they would be friends. Damian had been trying to get himself out there and make friends and he did have some! He just called them acquaintances right now but Dick knew it wouldn’t be long till they were bumped up to friend status. Though Jon would always be Damian’s best friend even if they weren’t in the same school anymore. They still video or phone called every day and they played games with each other online. Which games? Dick could never remember but the point was, Damian had grown and was very capable of making friends, it just took him some time. 

Speaking of time , Dick thought as his gaze lazily glanced at the clock on the wall. If he slept now, he knew he would not go to bed after patrol tonight. So with much reluctance he pushed himself up and off the couch. He figured he could see if Marinette wanted some company and maybe the two of them could get some tea and snacks from Alfred and tour more of the manor when they were done. It would help in the long term of Marinette’s stay so it was productive! When he got to her room he saw that the door was slightly open but it was still he knocked, if he could dodge a Pennyworth Lecture he would even knock his own bedroom door. As he did so though, the door opened more and with it came an overwhelming energy that left him feeling suppressed yet energized. He wasn’t around magic a lot anymore, but it always left him with the same feeling so he ditched being a gentleman and waiting for an answer and just barreled into the room to see what looked like a closing portal. 

“Shit!” That would be a dollar in the Swear Jar, but that wasn’t important. What was important however was the fact Marinette was missing, a portal had seemingly opened in her room and closed, and…and there was a note on the bed? 

‘Dear Any Wayne That Finds This,

Actually, are you all Waynes? I never asked, I should have asked. Anyways, please don’t freak out if you come to my room and I’m not here. Ladybug needed my help back in Paris and opened a portal to get me there. I shouldn’t be too long and hey! Maybe I’ll be back before anyone reads this but if I’m not then just don’t worry. Ladybug will return me once the akuma is dealt with.

 -Marinette who is very sorry if someone does end up reading this and is pleading they don’t worry or get angry.’  

“Double shit.” Dick said as he read over the letter. 

That was another dollar for the Swear Jar. 

_________________

Dick “Flying” Grayson @toflyistofall

Oops.

____

Bruce Wayne @therealbrucewayne

RE: Dick “Flying” Grayson @toflyistofall

       Oops.

Richard John Grayson-Wayne. What did you do?

_____

JBIrd @sidesteppeddeath

RE: Bruce Wayne @therealbrucewayne

       Richard John Grayson-Wayne. What did you do?

Ha! You got full government named Dickie! @toflyistofall

_____

Dick “Flying” Grayson @toflyistofall

RE: JBIrd @sidesteppeddeath

       Ha! You got full government named Dickie! @toflyistofall

Oh come on! I didn’t even add tags! How did he respond so fast?

#hahaimindanger

Next Chapter

[miraculouspenta]

@maribat-secret-santa 2021 gift for @bunathebunny

[ivo3d]

mldc’ - inflammation death circle

[vln-vibes]

Saving a Robin

Paris, France

April 26, 23:00 CEST

Marinette Dupain-Cheng was sitting in her room, sketching out a new design for Penny’s wedding dress. She’d been honored when Jagged and Penny had asked her for a commission, Marinette had wanted to give it as a wedding present but they refused so she’d just need to think of something else.

As she sketched she realized that someone was calling her, she looked at her clock and at her sleeping kwami; 11 p.m. Who would be calling her at this time?

She looked and saw the contact on screen: Bird Boy

If she was correct it was five in the afternoon back in Gotham, if that was where he was.

“Hello𑁋?”

“Mari you have to save him!”

To say she was startled was an understatement.

They met a little over three years ago when the whole splitting of worlds took place as Ladybug and Robin. They had changed but remained close friends and even knew each other under the mask. At seventeen he was now Nightwing while she remained as an older Ladybug.

“Please Mari! We’re not gonna make it”

“Dick? What’s wrong, you’re not making any sense!”

“I-It’s Jason, Joker got him”

Read More Here

[mvdbutler]

MLDC

[never-neverland]

Sapphire and Moonlight: Chapter 1

I decided I was going to go ahead and post it here as well. I’ll probably start doing a small Ao3 link in the authors notes instead of what I usually do with posting the entire link. So without further ado Chapter 1: Plans for the Future.

Plans for the Future

“Hey everybody welcome back to Miraculous Fitness, as some of you know I'm Marinette. For those of you who don't know this is a channel I started with some friends, we cover a variety of things. Meditation, dance, healthy eating habits, and a lot more. We're not certified health consultants or anything though,” The girl who wore a black pair of sweat pants with an apple blossom design on the leg and a black sports bra as she faced the camera said

Marinette felt a bit giddy as she looked at the camera, this thankfully was just a vlog entry to keep the fans updated, after all there was big news to share. She couldn't wait to see their reactions as she beamed at the camera practically vibrating with excitement. This was major news, the biggest news you could share really.

“I am sad to announce that Miraculous Fitness will be taking a brief hiatus while I go on a small trip. Not to worry though, Luka and Kagami will be here still, so you'll still be getting meditation, yoga, and whatever other zany things those two throw together. I wish I could keep you guys updated on the why but it's a top secret project. We will definitely be back though no need to worry. Once we're settled we promise we'll update you guys. Until then though, bug out.”

Marinette smiled as the video blinked out. A hand to her chest as she looked over and waited for the signal. Alya glanced up and gave her a thumbs up.

“You sure you don't want to tell them where we're going? I mean it's Gotham, sure it's the city of crime, but it's still pretty amazing,” Alya asked as they packed up their equipment.

“There's no reason to make them worry. We're just going for an internship after all,” Marinette said.

It was true, by some miracle they had been chosen for an amazing opportunity. Wayne Enterprises was an amazing place to work apparently, or at least this internship was going to be an amazing thing. Everyone in their class had gotten their pick of locations, Alya would be working with he public relations office, Max in the computer science department, Nino had been a bit harder to fit but Wayne Enterprises did host events occasionally so he had decided on that ultimately. The others had all chosen places that suited them as well. Marinette wanting her classmates to get their own choices had opted to simply write in her own choices spot that she was happy being placed anywhere so long as her classmates got their choices. When she had gotten her letter it had only outlined she had been accepted for the program, nothing beyond that. A vague letter, especially once she had seen the absolute mountains some of the others had received.

“I'm going to be meeting up with Lila soon, want to come,” Alya asked.

“Actually I'm meeting up with Kagami. Need to give her some last minute adjustments for the series. But you two have fun,” Marinette said.

Marinette tried, and with herculean effort she succeeded in schooling her expression into something amicable. Lila and she would never get along, and the others would never listen to her about the lies that spewed from the girls mouth, but she had found a type of inner peace. Truthfully she would have never thought of Miraculous Fitness, between running around doing favors for everyone, being Ladybug, and all her other responsibilities she had been stretched thin. It was thanks to the brief time she was left blowing in the wind she was able to recenter and figure out some things about herself. Things she wanted to do. In truth though, it hadn't been easy, letting Lila lie and manipulate others...but Kagami and Luka had both helped her come up with methods of dealing with her frustrations.

In truth they were her inspiration for Miraculous Fitness, Luka and his meditation, Kagami and her fencing, besides fashion and swinging around as Paris's own Ladybug she found that she actually did have these pockets of empty time. Time that had previously been carved out for all of the favors she used to be on call for. So she started experimenting, yoga, dance, a brief stint kickboxing. She had even started vlogging to document it all, not as a way of rubbing anyone’s noses into it, but she would feel flashes of inspiration in the moment and she wanted to remember the feeling as she designed based on the experience. She had NEVER expected anyone to actually enjoy her silly videos but they did! So she had turned originally to two people she knew she could rely on for content and inspiration, but most of all a calm and quiet placed to land, Kagami and Luka.

Kagami had been harder to convince than Luka, but when Marinette had asked her to teach her about fencing and had actually posted a  nearly hour long video of the two talking about safety equipment and the importance of making sure your equipment was the right size for you, she had relented. Marinette even managing to convince her mom that it was a good thing, exposure through other medias and would also look excellent on applications. One of the creators of content for a successful web series.

That was besides the point though, Gotham was calling their name. Miraculous Fitness would be fine without her....Paris would be okay too. She had to think about her life after Hawkmoth was defeated and that meant going to this internship and making herself marketable. She had to think about life beyond Hawkmoth, and that was exactly what she had told Master Fu when he had tried to talk her out of going to this internship. So a compromise had been made, she would take Kaalki and if need be a quick portal and she would be back, but Luka and Kagami could handle things, distract and protect their fellow Parisians until she could get back.

Arriving at the Couffaine's houseboat Marinette called out as she heard the sounds of a guitar being carefully picked at. Silence met her greeting but she finally saw his head pop out over the edge.

“Hey come on, Kagami got here a while ago,” Luka said.

Marinette couldn't help her smile as she boarded the boat. Before she had found a balance the ship had even made her anxious, bumping into Lila while she was hanging out or having Rose and Juleka look at her like she was in the wrong. Now though she felt light as air. Lila would paint herself into a corner it was just a question of when, and while she wasn't some paragon of patience she was sure the pay off for her patience would be incredible.

“You'll be leaving for Gotham soon won't you,” Kagami asked, as if she didn't know that they were scheduled for an insanely early morning flight.

“Yep, before the sun is up so dark and early.”

“Well hopefully Hawkmoth doesn't send out an Akuma and you can all relax,” Luka chimed in, looking up from his tuning.

Marinette laughed at that, he had been slamming them pretty hard and all she wanted if she was being honest was a nap, but there was no rest when you ran a store based on commissions, were a superhero even with support, and ran a fitness blog with friends. The daily grind was relentless.

“Honestly, I'm going to sleep the entire flight there.”

“Do you know who it is you're sitting by,” Kagami asked.

“Won't know until I'm on the plane I guess,” Marinette said with a shrug.

It wasn't that she wasn't worried, ending up by Lila would be a nightmare but she would deal with it if she had to. If she could help it though she would rather sit by a complete stranger, less likely to engage her in conversation and she could sleep or work.

“I came by to drop off some things though. You guys are going to need the posting schedule and don't forget about the live stream for this weekend. We promised and just because I'm leaving doesn't mean we can't or shouldn't keep it. Also don't forget the new items for the store are going to be up soon,” Marinette said handing them both folders filled with schedules and some prints of new designs for the store.

“Marinette, you're worrying for nothing, Luka and I know how much trust you are placing in us. We love this project just as much as you do. We will not let you down and you are but a phone call away. Now you know you must make sure you are done packing,” Kagami said as she and Luka shared an amused look.

Gripping her by the shoulders Kagami turned her back towards solid ground, ignoring her stammers and protest. She was stalling, her stress levels high at the thought of not only leaving Paris, but also of being in a foreign country. Turning back to the ship to protest she could only hang her head as Kagami stood on the gang plank, a hand on her hip as she pointed in the direction of the bakery. Seeing the resolve in her friends eyes she began to trudge home alone, once a fair distance from the boat her purse wiggled as Tikki popped her head out.

“Marinette you know she's right. You still haven't finished packing,” Tikki reminded the girl.

“Oh, I know Tikki. I'm just so worried. My packet didn't have nearly as much information as everyone else, and what if Hawkmoth figures out that Chat Noir and Ladybug are out of the country? There's so many what if's...maybe this internship was a bad idea. Maybe Master was right,” Marinette lamented, her shoulders slumped in defeat.

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng you listen to me. You're future is in your own hands, you are not going to let anything stop you. You're Ladybug, but you're also so amazing even without that! You can do this,” Tikki said, trying to giver her chosen a much needed pep talk.

“Yeah, yeah I can do this! I'm not going to just lose an amazing opportunity. I worked so hard to get this internship,” Marinette said. “Tikki let's go.”

With a new purpose to her walk she took off heading home to pack. She had no idea what was waiting for her when the tires of the plane touched down on the tarmac or what new things she would discover. She just knew that she was going to face it and maybe she would mess up but it was going to be fine, she wasn't alone.

[don-lichterman]

Salsa Kings Students Win Nine Medals at MLDC 2022 - Music Industry Today

Salsa Kings Students Win Nine Medals at MLDC 2022 – Music Industry Today

Salsa Kings Students Win Nine Medals at MLDC 2022 – Music Industry Today – EIN Presswire Trusted News Since 1995 A service for music industry professionals · Tuesday, May 31, 2022 · 574,667,289 Articles · 3+ Million Readers News Monitoring and Press Release Distribution Tools Press Releases Events & Conferences