#real estate map search

[chhabra123]

Commercial property in Noida

Invest in prime commercial property in Noida with Chhabra Property. Discover lucrative opportunities in the thriving business hub. Secure your future with our expertly curated commercial real estate solutions.

[pittsburghbeautiful]

Allegheny County

Allegheny County is located in the southwestern part of Pennsylvania.  According to the 2020 census, its population is 1,250,578, ranking it as the second largest county in the state, following Philadelphia County. The county’s most populous city and county seat is Pittsburgh, which is also the second most populous city in Pennsylvania. Allegheny County serves as the hub of the Pittsburgh, PA…

[seaandskyrealestate]

Let Sea & Sky help you every step of the way! Your Trusted Partner in Real Estate

Preparing for Success: Making You the Preferred Buyer

Are you ready to turn your dream of homeownership into a reality? Sea and Sky Real Estate is here to make your journey smoother and more rewarding than ever. We understand that Buy Home in Vancouver is a significant decision, and that’s why we’re committed to assisting you every step of the way.

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Understanding your budget and securing a mortgage are critical steps in the home-buying journey. Sea and Sky can connect you with reputable mortgage professionals who will guide you through the financing process. By getting pre-approved, you’ll gain a clear picture of your budget and be better equipped to make confident decisions.

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Your Dream, Our Mission

Searching for the Buy Home in Ucluelet can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Our dedicated team takes the time to understand your preferences, needs, and aspirations. Whether you’re looking for a cozy cabin in Tofino, a beachside escape in Ucluelet, or an urban oasis in Vancouver, we’re committed to finding the property that aligns with your vision.

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Once you’ve identified potential properties, it’s time to assess them with precision. Our experienced advisors don’t just look at the surface — we delve deep into the details. We evaluate the property’s condition, potential for appreciation, and alignment with your long-term goals. With our insights, you’ll make informed decisions that ensure a solid investment.

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Choosing the right neighborhood is just as important as finding the right property. Our team’s local expertise allows us to guide you through the unique features of each community. Whether you’re seeking vibrant city life or serene coastal living, we’ll provide you with the information you need to choose the perfect location.

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Are you ready to take the leap into homeownership? The first step is getting in touch with us. Whether you’re interested in Tofino Real Estate, Ucluelet Real Estate, or the vibrant Vancouver market, Sea and Sky is here to assist you. Contact us at bryan@seaandskyrealestate.com and start your journey toward finding your dream home.

Your Partner in Real Estate

Your real estate journey is a significant chapter in your life, and we’re here to make it a memorable and successful one. With Sea and Sky by your side, you’re not just finding a home — you’re finding your next adventure. Let’s embark on this exciting journey together!

[heavencoders]

Residence Real Estate WordPress Theme

LIVE PREVIEWBUY FOR $69 WP Residence is a state-of-the-art WordPress theme that offers you the instruments to construct an astonishing actual property website for impartial brokers, businesses or firms. It presents excessive customizability, flexibility and wonderful documentation with narrated video tutorials. The theme has all the pliability you must present the best consumer expertise. Over…

[ceilidho]

prompt: (loosely based on Brahms from The Boy) you buy a house. you start to suspect you're not alone in it. [PART 1] tw: death of a parent, someone living in your house

-

Lightness; there were cracks in the floorboards and light glittering up from beneath them, which is what you first notice about the house.

It would be poetic if it meant anything. Instead, you are forced to pry the planks of wood out one by one at dawn when your fingers are trembling with exhaustion and your clipped nails throb—and, of course, there’s nothing remarkable beneath where the light shines through.

A piece of glass from a picture frame—all right, so you wonder how a piece of glass the size and width of your hand gets caught beneath the floor with the ashes of the photo once held behind it, but it’s half-six o’clock and you’re still yawning from the long drive the day before—catches a glint of light, and, well, you sigh at the blood welling over your nails from having pried off the floorboards with your bare hands. 

You’ll replace the boards later. Maybe bandage your hand.

It’s so quiet outside this early. Everything smells just as it should.

It had taken years of scrimping and saving, storing every nickel and penny away in your piggybank to buy your first house. The foreclosure process takes about ten months, every second during which your nails bite into your palms when you close your fists. Your entire life savings goes into the downpayment. It quite literally takes your bank account, holds it upside down, and shakes until every coin falls out. 

It’s yours though. A house all to yourself after years of living in apartments—you’ve spent decades living out of a suitcase, your parents changing apartments every year almost, never settling in one place. Buying a house wasn’t a nice-to-have so much as a physical necessity for you. 

It’s an old house—plenty of character, as the real estate lady charmingly describes it when you showed you the place. You don’t have the money quite yet to replace the old windows, repair the drywall, brick up the chimney that you won’t use, or change the flooring, but since it’s just you, you don’t mind taking your time. The previous owners hadn’t really kept the place up; there’s even a panel at the back of the closet in your room leading into the walls that needs to be replaced.

Later, when folding your clothes into new drawers that smell of new wood and old wood, you startle, thinking you’d packed your mother’s underwear along with your own; you thought you’d donated everything after she died. The thought is nauseating (a cold sweat breaks out) until you recognize the pattern on the blue cotton as your own and you crumple the fabric between your fingers for a second, dried blood and all. 

Dawn is rising outside, emptying out the house until it’s just you and the fifteen pairs of underwear you’d packed days ago. Everything else is sitting out on the patio in cardboard boxes. When you finally get the rest out where it can breathe, morning has settled into midday. 

When you finish putting your clothes away, you’re careful not to move for another few minutes until your hands stop shaking and your jaw unclenches. For breakfast, you fix up an omelet with spinach and a glass of cranberry juice. A friend calls not long later, but they mainly speak about their husband and how the living room will look once it was stripped of the gaudy floral wallpaper and repainted. Your friend hasn’t even seen the house yet, only pictures of the house from when you had searched it on Google Maps and tentatively held the idea glass-like in your head for several days. 

Your friend says in a voice molasses thick, “I’ll visit as soon as you’re tucked in down there.” It makes you rub your nose against your sleeve.

The pictures online had been splotchy and dim, barely recognizable when held against the lightness of the house full-formed. Your friend had sent you off with cream and lilac paint swatches, wooden coasters, and a copy of Ulysses before you had packed up the last of your things into the back of your car and the sky had been aglow with sunset. A large sunset that dribbled down the horizon and slid all slippery smooth into twilight. Your friend’s face had been lovingly shadowed in their goodbye, the sort of shadow that cut her jaw just so, and made one seem so private and longing. Like an instance of specific longing. 

It’s a good morning though, and you bite the inside of your cheek through the whole phone call, not stumbling over frequent ‘I love you’s and ‘I already miss you’s, but feeling like maybe you should. Anyway, your friend hangs up long before you know whether to carry those thoughts out. 

Then it’s still again in your unfurnished little bedroom—in one corner, there’s a rolled up carpet and end table that you’d brought in earlier, but they sit there unaltered and you think that maybe later you’ll get around to doing something with them. 

No one else calls while you eat breakfast, cutting the omelet into irregular triangles and putting enough hot sauce to make your eyes water. Which they do, but it’s good. After eating, you grab a mug out of one of the boxes on the patio to make a cup of instant coffee.

You fix the floorboards back after, nailing them back in place while sipping the lukewarm coffee that is still so, so good. So, so good to you because it’s early, so on one hand it’s comforting, habitually speaking, but also because the house is so new and old that sometimes you breathe in and feel lightheaded, or like your heart might tremble so violently that it’ll reduce itself to dust. 

So, coffee is good. Keeps you steady on your feet when you’re climbing back up the stairs to lug more boxes into the bedroom. Boxes of books you didn’t want to unpack, so they sit under a beam of sunlight in front of the one window in the room and you sit yourself down next to it, curling your legs underneath you and resting your head against the box. 

Strange, that the house is so warm when it’s nearly the end of October and it’s not like this city is all that different from the one you left. That the shard of glass you’d found beneath the floorboards could fill you with such a dizzying amount of melancholy (you still have it in the pocket of your sweater, which had deep pockets, deep pockets that apparently you use to carry around pieces of glass); again, though, the house is so warm and your bones are oozing out onto the carpet you unroll. Everything in you feels molten and fluid. 

Your spirit roars into the light of this new town with its new air, its new terrain, its new immediacy. Stepping out into the street outside the house, you feel every nerve in your body tremble in the realization of this new sensory landscape. Your fingertips buzz—you could reach out and touch every surface you pass: the wood-grain of a park bench, the sleek chrome of a chain-link fence. 

The town feels unreal in a sensuous way. When you go out to explore the town after unpacking the majority of your belongings, you can’t help being drawn down streets and up alleyways, eyes trailing over the russet bricked houses and hedges dotting the front lawns. 

On the corner of a street, nearly three blocks from your house, there’s a café with houseplants almost spilling out of the door and windows; you duck inside and order a coffee and a bagel before tucking yourself into a corner by the window. 

On the street across from the café, a woman in a yellow raincoat walks by. 

“Drip coffee?” 

You look up from your seat, startled almost by the voice, at a young man. He has a flare of freckles and an unsure smile.  

“Yes, sorry,” you mumble, taking the mug from him and tucking yourself back against the window in almost the same moment. 

To be sitting in plain daylight without company or a book or your phone out in front of you feels absurdly barren. Anyone might walk by and perceive the desperation that seems to pour off you. Even the few other occupants in the café are occupied with something or other, eyes pulled down to their tables or to someone sitting across from them. 

For a spell, walking home in the daze of the possibility of new peace, you feel light; to be poised on the verge of new possibilities and peering out over the edge, cautiously but with a ray of hope. Even the air feels fresh.

The lightness, of course, cannot last long.

Days before you left, someone told you that it’s common to have nightmares in a new house. You prove them right on the first night. 

In the wake of a bad dream, you pad into the kitchen, illuminated only by the moonlight, for a glass of water, reduced to only the silvering edges of your skin in the dark room. 

Occasionally it happens that you dream of your mom, in her blue jeans and raincoat again, standing outside the old coffee house from back home. She always looks well rested, and that always stings somehow—it makes you feel like you’re unraveling, even in a dream. She never says anything to you or even looks your way, but you know that she knows you’re there, and that dawdling energy, obvious indifference, is all a measured hurt. You dream of your mom staring off into the red-gold distance, honey-gold herself, irreducible in this place. 

Then, you wake up, panting and squeezing your eyes shut. 

You pour yourself a glass of water, but the tears don’t stop, coming out of you like a divine flooding. 

The two of you hadn’t been on speaking terms in the months before her death. In fact, you hadn’t even known she was dying. You remember you had an argument almost a year before, but for the life of you, you can’t remember what it was about. It was that inconsequential. That inconsequential and still she let it simmer and fester and didn’t bother to tell you that she was dying until it was too late. 

You scrub your eyes with the back of your hand, smearing the salty tears across your skin. In the moonlight, your grief seemed inescapable, layered under the lowest level of your flesh. All the loneliness of lonely dwelling catching in your throat, bursting out like the last release of breath of a woman beneath the swell of a cresting wave. The moon is not a comfort; the sky rounded in with its indifference, wholly incapable of putting any sentiment to rest. You feel languid in this old grief. 

Unable to bear being inside, you venture out onto the porch for a bit, closing only the screen door behind you. There’s a single light still on in your bedroom, the house otherwise dark. You sit in the cool breeze until your tears dry. 

There is something entirely relaxing about watching a breeze push all of the trees to one side—like the world moves with one breath, one thought. Back when you lived in the city, you hadn’t lived in such close proximity to nature, used to the concrete landscape. In the city, everything seemed to exist at opposing speeds and modes of existence—everything perpetually at odds.

You stare out into the street and drink your water, leisurely pacing around your front lawn. Just taking in the feeling of being settled for once. It’s a safe neighborhood. It’s an old house, a real fixer upper, but it’s a neighborhood where you can just walk around at night. 

It takes a while to unwind, to shake off the nightmare. You know it finally has when a yawn forces its way out of you and your eyes water again, from exhaustion this time. Draining your glass, you turn around to make your way back inside. You pause. Your foot hovers in place.

Then, in the shadowy depths of your house, you think you see something move again.

[izzabela]

In The Mafia's Eyes (pt.2) - Lin Kuei Trio x fem!reader

in which the deadliest mafia group's leader and two brothers have you in their grasps

a/n: commenter, you ask so you shall receive

ship[s]: tomas, bi han, kuai liang x fem!reader

warning(s): MDNI, smut, threesome, DP, f!reader = f!genitalia, dirty talk, praise, cuckery!, breeding kink..., unprotected sex

It's in the eyes, little barista

The note that Raiden handed you stayed in your apron pocket until the end of your shift. You were... afraid? Excited? Nervous? Mixed emotions bubbled and brewed like ready hot-pot, and you weren't sure if opening the lid would be worth it.

Once your shift was over, you changed out of your uniform into a thrifted tweed skirt and a button-up. All thrifted during an outing with some friends. You changed out of your work shoes and into some black loafers, and finally hung the apron on the wall. You made sure to take the note out, but another piece fell. You were confused to say the least.

"But Raiden said that this was the only note..." you muttered to yourself.

You nervously opened the folded paper and were greeted with an address. It wasn't yours, thankfully, but the address line was somewhere in the area, where the rich folk live. Taking out your phone, you punched it into maps and found the address leading to a luxurious apartment complex a couple of blocks away from the teahouse.

Is this where they lived? Why would they give you their address? Isn't this how women die in true crime shows? You were drawn out from your thoughts when Kung Lao knocked on the wall.

"You still in here?" he called. He smiled and sighed when he found you, "There you are! Do you recognize this glove? It was left on seat of the chair where I found the tip."

When he showed you the glove, you wanted to strangle someone.

It was Bi Han's, a black and blue colored one with white accents on the side. You took the glove and looked at the note again, realizing what you had to do.

You sighed out loud, pinching your nose bridge, "I know whose this is... I'll be clocking out now. See you guys tomorrow!"

You took shoved your uniform in your work bag and bid quick farewells to your coworkers. Opening your phone, you followed the maps route to the apartment. You looked up and saw the clouds roll over, gray beginning to shroud the blue sky. Your mood soured further with this.

Hopefully, the unprecedented storm would wait until after this visit.

=====================

The rain didn't even bother with your consent, pouring immediately as you were halfway to the apartment. When you got to the door, you were soaked through and through, practically shivering as the doorbell rang through the apartment. Actually, you couldn't even say it was an apartment.

Your handsome regulars lived on the top floor of the complex, the penthouse suite, the complex building was owned by Empress Real Estate. With a quick Google search, you learned they were a company with huge connections to New York's founding. The "King" Jerrod, "Empress" Sindel (who it was named after), and their daughters Mileena and Kitana. Still, the fact couldn't take away how cruel the weather was to you.

The entire day you worked, the sun shone apologetically, why did it have to change so quickly?

The door opens and Tomas's face twists into shock and pity. You offer a smile, but it's hard to deny the state of yourself when your teeth chatter aggressively. He immediately takes you in, leading you to a plush chair in the (rather humble-looking) living room. He reaches for a throw blanket and unfolds it, wrapping it around you. You sink into the warmth, nuzzling into the plush material.

He's crouched to your level, "Warmer? I apologize for not being able to answer sooner," he said with a frown.

You smile, "It's quite alright, Tomas, I didn't know it would rain."

He smiles, and you can see him lift his arm, about to pet your head. However, he stops and stands up quickly. He covers his mouth to hide the pink that creeps his cheeks.

"I'll, uh, go get my brother. Kuai Liang will be here soon, though, please feel comfortable."

He disappears into a hallway next to the kitchen, and on cue Kuai Liang comes out of the kitchen with tea and a warm towel on a tray, and an equally soft smile on his face. You nod to greet him.

"You look as if you expected me," you tease, "You even have a warmed towel!"

He chuckles, "Who's to say this wasn't?"

You blush, looking away shyly as you fiddle with your hands. Kuai Liang chuckles, setting the tray on a side table and taking your hands into his, rubbing the towel over them to get you warmed up quicker. The warmth, and his touch, is making you squirm a bit. He chuckles at your innocence.

"You seem nervous," he states obviously, but he leans close to your ear to whisper, "Are you nervous, dear?"

You sharply inhale, a hazy feeling of lust beginning to fog your brain. You shake your head, muttering a small "no" before he parts from you. Just before he can say anything, you turn your head to the shuffle of feet coming from the hallway Tomas disappeared into. He comes out behind Bi Han, a slightly agitated face on him.

"Why do you wear such clothes, woman? Did you not see the forecast for the day?" he huffs out.

Your arousal dissipated like smoke, eyes rolling as you crossed your arms over your chest. Your shirt was still decently wet despite the blanket offered to you, and your colored bra pressed against the wet fabric ever so slightly. Bi Han glanced briefly before looking to the window, where the downpour grew into a raging storm.

You sigh, "This was not how I wanted my afternoon to go..."

Kuai Liang moved to your side, "It doesn't look like it will let up, best if you stayed here until it stops."

Tomas nods, "I agree, brother," he turns to you, "Whenever you're ready, I can show you to your room for the evening."

You nod, keeping the blanket around you as you followed him. Looking behind you just for a moment, Kuai Liang and Bi Han seem to just be staring at you.

You knew better, though, especially after the note.

Reaching the room, you thank Tomas for escorting you and enter.

"There should be some extra clothes in there, for the guests we have on occasion," his hand grips the door knob, "We'll have dinner ready for you soon, so feel free to roam around our home if you're ready beforehand."

You nod, "Thank you again, Tomas."

Tomas begins to shut the door, but not before he could see you undress just a little bit. Like a Roman statue, you looked carved by the hands of God, plush and round and well-taken care of. Your arms looked toned and soft as well, but he shuts the door before his imagination jumps out of its cage.

You felt the room shake with the slamming of the door, and you look back at it left wondering what went through his head.

=====================

You left the room after getting changed into a sweatshirt and spandex that you wore under your skirt. You also had knitted socks, warming the coldest part of your body. You decide to check on the men who were seeing to your care and saw them cooking, all three of them working together to create dinner.

They were all in more relaxed loungewear than earlier, each one of them in a colored tank top that had similar colors to their suits. They also wore grey-black sweats, all of them at varying heights of their waist. Bi Han had his the lowest, his v-line very much on show as his tank hugged his chest. Kuai Liang's was in the middle and Tomas was tied up.

Your mind began to overload you with disgustingly detailed images of you on your knees in front of them, so to get away from it you decided to wander the penthouse. Passing the kitchen, you were greeting with the rest of the living room.

Huge floor-to-ceiling windows, an interesting light piece that emitted a soft, orange-yellow hue, and a huge wrap-around couch that faced an even larger T.V. You noted numerous video game consoles at the foot of the T.V. system, and the scattered controllers belonging to them.

You sighed and walked past everything to stare at the window, the gloomy scenery of the rain and occasional thunder plaguing the city. You look to the direction of your own flat, and sigh again with worry. Surprised, Kuai Liang was by your side as he noted your expression.

"You seem worried, did you leave something at home?" he asked.

You nodded, "I have a Balinese a Border Collie. The Balinese doesn't like thunder, so she cuddles with my Border Collie, but I worry he won't be able to control her when the thunder strikes harder."

He nods, "I can send someone over if you'd like?"

You turn with hopeful eyes and a relieved smile, "Could you? That would be so great! Their names are..."

You mention their names, gave your address, and watched Kuai Liang send a couple of messages on his phone before he turned it off, paying attention to you once again.

You stretch your neck, a weird tension in your muscle you can't seem to stretch. Kuai Liang takes notice and is behind you.

"May I?" he asks politely.

You agree and feel his magic work. His fingers smoothly glide across your shoulders, pressing every spot and using his thumb to massage it in circles. You feel immediate relief and lean into him more, a moan escaping your lips at the pure pleasure. He moves up to your neck and uses his thumbs to rub the back of it, and it's clear he found the spot.

You moan even louder and lean back to him, flinching as you realize what your bottom pressed against. His cock, barred only with two pieces of clothes, was firm and hard against your plush ass. You gulped nervously and looked behind you, his eyes meeting yours.

For some reason, you two are in sync and you both lean into each other, his hand on your chin as he forces you to stay looking at him. He kisses you hard and deep, his other hand on your waist to grind into his hard dick. You moan into his kiss and you're led away from the window, falling into his lap while he falls into the couch.

His grip on your face remains, but his other hand moves to go up and behind your sweatshirt, his hands roaming over your bralette and finding its way to your actual tit. He squeezes gently and you moan out loud, eyes wide open and pushed away from him in embarrassment.

"Kuai Liang! Your brothers will hear us!" you hissed, but he simply smirks and nods ahead of you.

You're met with the hazy and up-turned faces of Tomas and Bi Han, whose hands palm their clothed erections gently. You turn from the kitchen and back to the lust-hooded eyes that clouded the men's vision. You sputter fragmented sentences but are immediately shut up with Tomas's finger, and he smirks playfully as his fingers gently pass your plump lips.

Your train of thought had derailed from it's planned route, and it was headed to fuck-a-ton station.

Kuai Liang removes his hands from you and brings it to your own hands, guiding them to his brother's clothed erections. You turn back to him and gasp, Tomas's fingers leaving your mouth, but you couldn't say a word due to Bi Han grabbing your chin and forcing you to look into his eyes. There's a devilish, playful glint in his eyes, and he lets a devious smile grace his face.

"Look at me, woman. What did I tell you about eyes, hm?"

You gulp again, but you can see that he wants this as much as you. Feeling a bit confident, you palmed their covered hard-ons and watched their faces morph into relief and lust. Kuai Liang was an adventurer, his hands exploring every part of your body before settling on your tit and underneath your underwear. You moaned as you felt him circling your clit, fidgeting in his lap as he bucks into your behind to release some friction.

Impatient, you motioned to the sweat the standing men wore and asked them to take it off. Obliging, they do so and include their boxers in the clothes they're stripping. Finally free of their fabric prison, their cocks spring free and are in front of your mouth. You nervously wrap one hand around Bi Han's and press your lips on Tomas's, teasing it a bit before putting it in your mouth.

Your body was in overdrive: hand and wrist pumping Bi Han's girthy length, tongue swirling around Tomas's curved cock, and your pussy stimmed and wet with Kuai Liang's talented fingers. You moved your hips to try and get some sort of pleasure, but Bi Han's hand gripped your throat.

"Don't be so hasty now," he gently pulled you off Tomas's dick, "We're only getting started."

Your mouth was on Bi Han's cock now as hand worked on Tomas's length, pumping it up and down with a steady pace. Bi Han's hand moved from your throat and into your hair, holding it like a leash to control the speed at which you bobbed up and down. You gagged, bits of drool coming out the side of your mouth, but you were high in ecstasy and pleasure. It felt even better when Kuai Liang's fingers slipped into your pussy.

You melted immediately, his fingers curling to hit all your good spots. Kuai Liang, kept you grounded with generous kisses on your back and constant reassurance and praise. Little "good job"'s and "such a good girl" filled your ears with pride, and it made your arousal shoot through the roof. You bucked your hips on his fingers, hoping to mimic the feeling of his dick in you (though, your imagination was the only frame of reference you had).

Bi Han's pace quickens as his grip tightened in your hair. You look up briefly and see him breathing a little harder, and Tomas is doing the same as he runs his hand through his hair. You quicken your pumps and bobbing, hoping to get a release. Your hips buck even more and grind into Kuai Liang's (still clothed) cock, and you whimper for more.

Tomas chuckles darkly, mocking you with condescension in his tone, "What, you want more? You're such a lowly woman wanting three men at once."

It was a stark 360 to Tomas' usual tone and cadence. Still, you nodded and answered, humming on Bi Han's cock. Tomas looks to Kuai Liang for approval, and he nods. Kuai Liang's fingers left your cunt, not without a slap on it though, watching you jolt in shock. You pouted at Kuai Liang, who simply kisses your forehead.

"I only joke, dear," he stands up along with his brothers, "Do you want to head to the bed?"

You nod shyly, and Tomas scoops you up into his arms, bridal style as he lead the way to the bedroom of Bi Han. Your face was warm with embarrassment, and over Tomas' shoulder you see the brother's look at you with a warmth on their face. Kuai splits from the group, however, and into the bathroom on the side, leaving you at the others' mercy. Once you three made it to the door, Bi Han goes to open it and for you two.

Tomas tosses you onto the bed and crawls between your legs, mouth immediately attacking your wet cunt. You don't pull away, in fact, your hands find their way to his ash hair and want more from his talented tongue, and you moan aloud at the pleasure. You're briefly drawn out from your lust as a pair of rough hands find their way onto your tit and chin. Bi Han turned your face to him and presses your forehead against his.

"Dirty woman," he teases, "You're enjoying this more than your eyes let on when you looked at us."

You hum into his mouth as he begins to make out with you. His tongue dips into your mouth while his hand plays your nipple and tit. Gentle and playful pinches that vastly differ from the way he attacks your mouth with distress and ownership, like you belong to him. You part from him quickly as you see Kuai Liang enter the room, a towel, lotion, and some wipes in hand.

You tease him playfully hand on Bi Han's face, "What's all this for? You're cumming already?"

There's a fire in his eyes as he immediately rushes to your side, his mouth on yours to shut you up. You moan and he groans, one of your hands reaching to his cock while your other is on Bi Han's. Bi Han guides your hand to stroke his dick properly, while you pump away at his Kuai Liang's. Finally, he lets go from you and positions himself to where his cock was in front of your mouth, and you lavished in the musky taste of it. Warmth filled your mouth as you took every inch of him, another "good girl" floating into your ears.

Your eyes were about to shut close when you suddenly heard a little wrapper rip, and your eyes shot to the direction of Tomas, who was opening a condom. No wonder it felt a little empty down there. Regardless, you take Kuai's cock out of your mouth to speak to him.

Tomas looks at you with concern, "I'm opening this to simply be ready. I was actually about to ask if you were okay with me being your first? If not, I can go back to what I was doing."

Bi Han nods in agreement, "He is correct, it is your choice. We will listen to your requests."

They all look at you with anticipation, and you mutter something quietly.

"My dear, would you speak up for us?" Kuai Liang coaxes.

You stutter, but compose yourself, "I'm actually, uh, um.. I'm on birth control. You may do as you please..."

Your face was buried in your hands and your eyes peek through to see Tomas's, which have become dark with lust. He doesn't even bother with the condom and grips onto your hips, lining your opening up with his even harder dick. He taps it, and he stares at you one more time and asks for your consent.

"I trust you, Tomas," you said, "I trust all of you, so don't be afraid."

Bi Han growls, "You are going to regret that, little woman..."

Tomas pushes himself into your cunt, and you gasp at how big he truly felt inside. He gets used to your tightness, sighing in relief after he gets used to it. He slowly pumps into your pussy, and you moan into the air of the room. Bi Han takes your throat and turns you to his cock, keeping you occupied while Kuai Liang operates your body once more, hands playing your tits and nipples. Your eyes begin to roll, and the mist of lust had turned into a thick fog, making your thoughts hazy.

You let go of Bi Han's mouth and turn back to Tomas, who's still driving himself into you. Like a wolf in heat, he fucks you ruthlessly and grips onto your hips to feel more of you. He looks at you with pathetic eyes, panting and almost begging.

"Good God... I might cum soon..." he said as he closed his eyes.

Kuai Liang tapped his shoulder and whispered something to him, and they switched. You felt the emptiness begin to creep into your entrance, but after flipping you to your belly and hiking your ass up, he filled your hole again. You let out another loud moan, but Bi Han puts your mouth to better use and has you take his cock like before.

You notice Tomas just on the side of the bed, stroking himself quietly as he watches the scene unfold. The woman he loved since he laid eyes on you at the teahouse, getting spit-roasted and dirtied up, was a sight to behold.

Definitely taking note on how he might be a cuck.

Still, you loved the attention on you, and you preened in it even more as Kuai Liang praised you.

"Such a good girl," he praises, "Taking us so well... you're so tight for me, stay like this for brother, hm? Okay?"

You can only nod and Kuai Liang spanks you, watching the recoil on your body. He chuckles and grips onto the mark that was forming on your ass. He leaned down and whispered into your ear.

"Only you could take us like this. Taking me so well, you'll do the same for Bi Han right? Be a good girl for all of us."

His elder brother scoffs, "Are you done with useless chatter? If I recall, it is my turn with her, as a reward for setting her up to meet us."

Oh, it was totally a trap and you fell for it. Honestly, you'd do it again if it meant having more of them.

You whine as Kuai Liang left your cunt high and dry, not without slapping it once more. He shuffles to the side of the bed and strokes his cock at his own pace, hopefully not cumming before he had the chance on cumming on you. You look at Bi Han who was standing up, and he takes you from the bed and into his arms. You face him and realize he's planning on fucking you upright, with nowhere else to look, you watch as you sink onto his cock.

You groan and you're even wetter than before, the sound of your cunt slapping onto his skin. He turns to his brothers.

"You did not tell me she squeezed so tightly," he grips onto your ass, "You two did not lie to me, did you?"

Tomas chuckles, "If you're feeling it, are we lying?"

You chuckle at his quip, but he glares at you, slamming you down harder. Your breathing hitched and are immediately put into a state of bliss. The rhythmic patter of his balls slapping your body, the squelching of his cock in your pussy and the strokes of his brothers watching, and the moans that escaped you, it was putting Bi Han in a frenzy and he fucked into you harder. For a second, you thought you felt him go past your cervix.

"Oh God..." you whine, "I think I'm cumming... Bi Han! Tomas... Kuai Liang!"

His thrusts become more erratic, and you can hear the others shuffle to meet you where you are. Tomas's hands roam your body while Kuai Liang keeps stroking his cock while locking lips with you. Your eyes squeeze shut as you can feel yourself climax from everything happening around you.

"Oh my, leaving us out to dry?" Kuai Liang teases as he let go from your lips.

You breath heavily, Bi Han not stopping as you spoke, "Please... on my body... all of you."

Tomas chuckles, "No need to ask us twice."

Bi Han stops briefly to move you to the bed, his brothers surrounding you by your shoulders. Their groans are a harmony to your ears, and you wait patiently for them to mark you as theirs. Bi Han is the first to let go, a groan from you and him as his seed fills you up. His brothers follow suit as streaks of white cover bits of your belly, breast, and neck (surprisingly not your face). You can hear them sigh as well, the pressure of their needs finally met.

The entire ordeal left you exhausted, and you begin feeling your lids close due to the weight of said exhaustion. As you floated between sleep and cognition, you hear fragmented sentences.

"No, you clean her out like this," from Tomas.

"Did someone bring the candles?" Perhaps from Kuai Liang.

A grunt of disgust, probably from Bi Han, "You bastards, getting her all messed up like this."

You felt the coolness of a wet wipe, the rustling of sheets and clothes, and your body being gently lifted up and put into some clothes. You couldn't care due to the fact you were: a. too tired to care, and b. sleepy and already sleeping.

=====================

When you awoke, you were surrounded by each man sleeping at every side of you: Tomas using your thighs as a pillow/sleeping companion, Kuai Liang's head on your shoulder, and Bi Han's arm around your shoulder as his head touched the side of yours.

While you loved the sentiment, you noted the surroundings, especially the window. The evening sky was no longer cloudy, and the stars were clearly visible against the darkness. You looked for any sign of a clock, moving too much and waking each man.

"Is something wrong?" Tomas yawns, "Is everything alright?"

"Yes!" you exclaim, "The rain has stopped and it's late. I really should be going, thank you all for an, uh, eventful day, but I must be going and-"

Bi Han just takes you into his chest, interrupting you again.

"You talk too much," he complained, "Sleep."

Kuai Liang strokes your hair, petting your head in between to coax you to sleep. Tomas draws circles on your legs to draw you into their siren's song of slumber. You try to fight them, but it's no use as you begin to fall asleep once more.

Oh fuck it, why not get some actual sleep this time.

=====================

OMG THAT WAS SO LONG

I'm a stickler for continuity, so I do my best to introduce some sort of background before anything else. Besides, I also like world-building, so I add tidbits of stuff i make into these fics

please enjoy this lengthy ahh story, and i'll see yall in the next fic!

[accultant]

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･hyperactive hornets in my lungs ~ Dragon Age verse !

details of Iago's Dragon Age verse below bc i have DA brainrot again ➷

The Darlington family was small but content in their small but content town, too quaint to even be recognized by name. When the Fifth Blight hit, it was run through without much fanfare or remorse. Iago was visited by a spirit while they huddled with their family, praying to whomever would listen. It promised to save Iago's family, to give Iago themselves the power to do so, for nothing in return but a space beside their soul, just a little real estate, it's not as if they needed all that room for themselves anyway -

They were young and staring death in the face. It was hardly a question.

They don't remember everything that Chaos did once Iago gave their body to it, but they know a path of violet flames was carved through their hometown, giving only Iago and their brother an escape from the Darkspawn, and devouring everything else.

They traveled aimlessly for some time, Iago learning to live with the spirit they hosted and the effect it had on their magic. Chaos made them stronger, more powerful, but wildly unpredictable and volatile at times, their emotions often amplified by another soul beating up against theirs, crammed into one, small, scared body.

Puck and Iago scraped by with some less-than-savory work, starting as cutpurses and young thieves, eventually blossoming into an assassin and an information broker respectively in Kirkwall. It wasn't pretty, but they were at least getting back on their feet.

It came to a screeching halt Iago's talents were discovered and they were taken to a strict Circle against their will, where they stayed secluded for years, keeping Chaos a secret and festering in unrest and homesickness without their brother, who would join the Grey Wardens while they were away.

They tried their best to stay unnoticed, quiet, but their volatile magic acted out one too many times and they were eventually sentenced to the Rite of Tranquility. It was meant to blindside them, to subdue the wild mage quickly with a single notice to their only remaining family and nothing more, but they discovered what was planned for them and Chaos couldn't sit by. Once again, there were gaps in their memory of this escape, but they remember a brand, screaming, dead templars, broken mages, and stumbling out of the circle into their brother's arms with their connection to the fade miraculously still intact.

With Chaos making itself known and their violent escape from the circle, Iago became a highly wanted apostate. Their life turned into an endless cycle of panic and paranoia, running away and mercilessly cutting down any Templars who got too close. They traveled with Puck until he went missing, seemingly disappearing in the middle of the night, along with the other Grey Wardens. Now, they can be found anywhere across the map, searching for their brother and trying to survive.

━━━━━ ★. *･｡ﾟ✧⁺

TL;DR Iago shares their body with a spirit of Chaos. They kept this a secret until the circle they had been kept in attempted to make them Tranquil. They attacked the circle and escaped, marking themselves as a highly sought after apostate. Now, they remain on the run and search for their brother, one of the missing Grey Wardens. NOTE !! I am hoping to avoid any and all spoilers for Veilguard until the game is released so I can play it as blindly as possible ! Please keep this in mind <3

a billion thanks to @skyheld for helping me figure this out and yapping with me ^-^

[unashamedly-enthusiastic]

Public transit in NYC *is* good, especially compared to the rest of the country. NYC's problem is that all the public transportation is focused on getting in and out of Manhattan, which is problematic if you don't work and/or live in Manhattan. Even with that problem, NYC is a hundred times more walkable than a lot of major American cities. First thing that comes to mind is Texan cities like Houston. You *cannot* walk in Houston. Anywhere. Basically any major city not in the northeast would be a real pain in the butt not to have a car in. Most walkable city I've been to (and according to my google search the most walkable city in the U.S) is Philadelphia.

I visited new york and I was like, "huh you sure give more priority to cars here than even London does" but because I'm used to almost completely pedestrianised city centres I thought that's what everyone was talking about when they said it was 'unwalkable'

Ive just had a little zoom around Google maps and honestly Houston looks like one giant industrial estate, there are little paths but you have to walk a mile of carpark to get from one place to the next

[digitalmarketinggoldcoast]

Boost Your Business with Digital Marketing in Gold Coast

In the vibrant and competitive business environment of Gold Coast, standing out is more critical than ever. With stunning beaches, a thriving tourism industry, and a diverse economy, Gold Coast offers a unique landscape for businesses to flourish. However, to truly capitalize on the opportunities available, leveraging digital marketing is essential. This article explores how digital marketing can significantly boost your business in Gold Coast, providing practical tips and insights to help you get started.

Understanding the Digital Marketing Landscape

Digital marketing encompasses all online marketing efforts. Companies use digital platforms including websites, email, social media, and search engines to communicate with both present and potential clients. In Gold Coast, where the market is both dynamic and diverse, a robust digital marketing strategy can make a substantial difference.

Why Digital Marketing Matters

1. Reach a Wider Audience:

The internet is a global platform, and digital marketing allows you to reach a wider audience than traditional marketing methods. For businesses in Gold Coast, this means not just tapping into the local market but also attracting tourists and international clients.

2. Cost-Effective:

In many cases, digital marketing is less expensive than traditional marketing. Social media campaigns, email marketing, and search engine optimization (SEO) can offer high returns on investment without the hefty price tag of TV or print ads.

3. Measurable Results:

The capacity to monitor and assess outcomes is one of digital marketing's key benefits. Tools like Google Analytics and social media insights allow you to see what’s working and what’s not, enabling you to adjust your strategies accordingly.

Key Digital Marketing Strategies for Gold Coast Businesses

1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO):

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of making your website more visible on search engine results pages (SERPs). For businesses in Gold Coast, local SEO is particularly important. This involves optimizing your website for local search terms and ensuring your business appears in local listings and maps. Using keywords like "best café in Gold Coast" or "Gold Coast real estate" can help attract local traffic.

2. Content Marketing:

Content is king in the digital world. Creating high-quality, relevant content can attract and engage your target audience. For example, a Gold Coast travel agency could maintain a blog with tips on the best places to visit, events happening around the city, and hidden gems only locals know about. This not only helps with SEO but also establishes your business as an authority in the field.

3. Social Media Marketing:

Gold Coast is a visual paradise, making social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook perfect for marketing. Share stunning visuals of the coastline, behind-the-scenes looks at your business, customer testimonials, and upcoming events. Engage with your audience by responding to comments and messages, running contests, and using relevant hashtags to increase your reach.

4. Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising:

With pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, you may post adverts on search engines and only be charged when someone clicks on them. This can be a very powerful strategy for increasing targeted website visitors. Google Ads and social media advertising platforms like Facebook Ads offer sophisticated targeting options, ensuring your ads are seen by the right people at the right time.

5. Email Marketing:

Building an email list and regularly communicating with your subscribers can be a powerful way to nurture leads and maintain customer relationships. Offer valuable content, special promotions, and personalized messages to keep your audience engaged and coming back for more.

Case Study: A Gold Coast Café's Digital Marketing Success

To illustrate the impact of digital marketing, let's look at a hypothetical case study of a local Gold Coast café, "Coastal Brews."

Challenge:

Coastal Brews, a quaint beachfront café, struggled to attract customers outside of peak tourist seasons. The owner wanted to increase year-round foot traffic and build a loyal customer base.

Strategy:

1. Local SEO: Coastal Brews optimized their website for local search terms like "best coffee in Gold Coast" and ensured their Google My Business listing was up-to-date with accurate information and positive reviews.

2. Content Marketing: They started a blog featuring articles on coffee brewing techniques, profiles of local suppliers, and upcoming events at the café. This content was shared on social media to drive traffic to their website.

3. Social Media Marketing: Stunning photos of their coffee, food, and beachfront location were posted regularly on Instagram and Facebook. They ran contests encouraging customers to share their own photos with a specific hashtag for a chance to win a free coffee.

4. PPC Advertising: Targeted Google Ads were set up to attract tourists searching for coffee shops in Gold Coast, especially during off-peak seasons.

5. Email Marketing: Coastal Brews collected email addresses through a sign-up form on their website, offering a discount on the first purchase. They sent monthly newsletters with updates, special offers, and personalized messages to subscribers.

Results:

Within six months, Coastal Brews saw a 40% increase in website traffic and a 25% increase in year-round foot traffic. Their social media following grew significantly, and they built a loyal community of regular customers.

Tips for Implementing Your Digital Marketing Strategy

1. Know Your Audience:

To determine their preferences, habits, and pain points, conduct market research. Adapt your online marketing strategies to their requirements and preferences.

2. Set Clear Goals:

Clearly state the goals you have for your digital marketing approach. Whether it's increasing website traffic, generating leads, or boosting sales, having clear goals will guide your efforts and help measure success.

3. Stay Updated:

The digital marketing landscape is constantly evolving. Stay informed about the latest trends, tools, and best practices to keep your strategies effective and up-to-date.

4. Monitor and Adjust:

Utilize analytics tools to assess your digital marketing performance on a regular basis.

Analyze what's working and what's not, and be prepared to adjust your strategies accordingly.

5. Engage with Your Audience:

Building a relationship with your audience is key to long-term success. Respond to comments and messages, encourage user-generated content, and show appreciation for your customers' support.

Conclusion

In the bustling business environment of Gold Coast, digital marketing is no longer optional—it's essential. By leveraging SEO, content marketing, social media, PPC advertising, and email marketing, you can reach a wider audience, engage with potential customers, and drive growth for your business. Whether you're a local café, a real estate agency, or a boutique shop, digital marketing offers the tools and opportunities to boost your business and stand out in the competitive Gold Coast market. Put these tactics into practice right now, and you'll see your company grow.

[aphroditestummyrolls]

i mean i will literally never say no to more bhad excerpts 👀👀👀

My FRIEND ✨ here’s some more Kaz POV, because as usual, he’s the hardest one.

Every bit of manpower he had suddenly found itself rerouted and reinvigorated. Even the least trustworthy, most bottom-of-the-literal-barrel dregs had been assigned and given enough of an explanation to do what Kaz needed. Well, even if some of the reasons were technically lies— they had their orders.

He had them all searching in teams, radiating out from the workshop and through The Barrel. Some had even been sent up into The Lid and the University District.

They had instructions to keep a low profile.

They had decoy jobs to lead off any outsiders who might ask about what had Dirtyhands so riled up.

They had weapons, and strict instructions not to use them unless absolutely necessary.

He’d sent all his spiders, as well. They were off to scurry into the hedgerows of the Geldstraat estates, and onto the fire escapes of the Zelver District accountants and property managers.

Into the territory of the King of Ketterdam, he chewed his lip.

The spiders especially, didn’t know the true nature of their assignments. They were good, but not a single one of them was Inej— he couldn’t give them the details. There was no one in the club that he would willingly tell all of it to.

After all, it was only a hunch.

It still wasn’t the most likely scenario. He was hedging his bets safely for now, in the vicinity of Jesper’s many jilted creditors. There was no real reason to think that it could be…

He thought again— and again, and again— about the letter he had handed to Wylan just two evenings ago. About the way the colour had drained from his cheek and his eyes had become wide. Trapped, Kaz had thought. He thought that he’d trapped his little prince, caught him in a lie. But, the longer he spent with his eyes glued to Wylan’s map of Ketterdam, the more he likened his face to a cornered animal. To something feeble and afraid, waiting for a beast to pounce, looking one last time for an open path to run.

He looked afraid, yes. Kaz was used to that. But, Wylan hadn’t looked nearly as afraid of him as he had that letter.

Privately, Kaz entertained the thought— maybe Jan Van Eck was also searching for his son. Perhaps, he meant to bring him home. But then, why take Jes? And why not take Wylan back when he was still at The Tannery? Not to mention, the violent nature of the snatching didn’t line up. After all, he was his son. Van Eck’s only son and heir— he wouldn’t risk it, would he? Kaz wouldn’t, if he were Van Eck.

There was also the possibility of someone who hated Van Eck? Maybe somebody on the council or in the press stealing the King’s wayward son as some kind of leverage or blackmail? It would be a coup, stealing both the heir to the biggest fortune in Kerch and his Barrel Boyfriend. It would scandalise the whole Geldstraat.

What if this had nothing to do with Jesper at all? And everything to do with their runaway?

It was just a hunch. But still, he fiddled with it, like a loose thread.

It should be a job for Inej.

Thanks for playing! (Click the link to play my WIP game!)

[goosewriting]

i can't believe my brain finally, finally let me have a cal kestis appearance in my dream last night and it was the saddest most heart-wrenching thing ever 😩 my dreams are crazy, detailed and elaborate so this will get long lol if you feel like reading, go ahead, it's real "reader falls into an alternate universe and needs to find their way back" fic material 😂

btw if any of you ever have dreams with your blorbos i'd love to read it so feel free to honk in my inbox c:

so it kinda went back and forth between two different dreams i'm pretty sure. one playing at the university library and the other playing somewhere else. in the library one i was at a table with some classmates, working on our assignments, but there were also some people i know from elsewhere and we started arguing over something. then there was this girl who had lost something and i tried to talk her through how to get to the lost & found, giving the wildest (and very wrong) directions.

the other dream started in the middle of a yellow field of tall grass, where train tracks ran through from one side of the horizon to the other, nothing else to see. when the train came, it was massive, and i was participating in a heist of sorts. we (still don't know who the other people were) were successful i think, because the train derailed and we looted it. I think there was some big boss mastermind somewhere who told us what to do and we were all scared of her lol

so i don't exactly remember what happened after the heist, but the thing is there were these jumps between the dreams where in one i was this badass agent of whatever and doing cool stuff, and in the other i was "real me" in this world doing mundane things. although at some point i'm pretty sure i suddenly was an estate agent trying to set everything up for a visit except that the house was made of cardboard, but that's beside the point 😂 the scenarios from the library timeline i'm pretty sure happened not only somewhere else but in a different time altogether.

at one point, the events of the heist dream kinda come to its peak, and i now find myself in a big room (in hindsight i think it was the archives on jedha from the survivor game?) and somewhere in the air there's a bucket-shaped thing that's swallowing everything around it in a whirlwind, essentially ripping apart time and space. and as it turns out, cal has been there the whole time, and we were actually fighting together and stuff. but now that the bucket is about to shred the fabric of reality, we have to do something. and for some reason the plan of action is that i have to travel to a different universe. we (cal, me, and some other people idk) were all standing at a holotable looking at a map displaying different planets and universes and stuff (again, in hindsight, very web of life and destiny like. i just mashed everything together here it seems xD). and the reasoning in my head went like this: the planet we find ourselves on at this moment is not necessarily star wars canon and is outside of the known parts of the galaxy. so even if i do find my way back to this universe (which i was sure i could do, somehow) i still have no means to contact cal and or even find the planet again. so the search would take quite a while.

and there isn't enough time for us to set up a meeting point and time or anything because of the imminent danger. someone is already dragging me back to the bucket to be sucked into next wednesday or whatever, but i go up to cal one last time and he gives me the strongest hug and omg i didn't wanna let go. at this point i 'm in tears and as someone once again pulls me away and drags me off, i call to him "i will find you" and then everything goes black.

it's so lame i know but i legit woke up with a hole in my heart ;-;

my conclusion is that after leaving that place, the time and space travel kinda wiped my mind so i started a new life (the one at the library and the cardboard house) and completely forgot about cal :'( eventually i'd get snippets of memories, which is why the dream kept jumping back and forth, but i probably just thought they were daydreams or whatever, not my own memories. now that's some meta angst man.

oh and also at some point there were gorillas that shapeshifted into smaller versions of themselves with wings to fly around, and everyone was absolutely okay with that except that they were aggressive so they didn't like them. how that ties into any part of the dream i couldn't tell you but it was just a striking image to see these giant apes suddenly become small and flutter around shdjddkd

[rockislandadultreads]

Nonfiction Thursday: Space Exploration

Off-Earth by Erika Nesvold

Can we do better in space than we've done here on Earth?

We've pinpointed the destination, refined the technology, designed the habitat, outfitted our space residents. Are we forgetting something? A timely reminder that it's not just rocket science, this thought-provoking book explores the all-too-human issues raised by the prospect of settling in outer space. It's worth remembering, Erika Nesvold suggests, that in making new worlds, we don't necessarily leave our earthly problems behind. Accordingly, her work highlights the complex ethical challenges that accompany any other-worldly venture—questions about the environment, labor rights, and medical ethics, among others.

Space settlement is rapidly becoming ever more likely. Will it look like the utopian vision of Star Trek? Or the dark future of Star Wars? Nesvold challenges us to decide.

Hubble Legacy by Jim Bell

Looking deep into space, by definition, means looking back in time—and the Hubble Space Telescope can look very far back, including at stars, nebulae, and galaxies that are millions, even billions, of years old. If there is a single legacy of Hubble as it turns 30 years old and nears the end of its useful life, it is this: It has done more to chronicle the origin and evolution of the known universe than any other instrument ever created. Hubble has also captured an astounding collection of ultraviolet images that include geysers of solar light, Mars’ famous dust storms, exploding stars, solar flares, globular clusters, and actual galaxies colliding. As for scientific milestones, Hubble has helped us learn that the universe is 13.8 billion years old, that just about every large galaxy features a black hole at its center, and that it's possible to create 3-D maps of dark matter. 

Hubble Legacy will not only feature the most stunning imagery captured by the telescope, but also explain how Hubble has advanced our understanding of the universe and our very creation.

Worlds Without End by Chris Impey

Planet Earth, it turns out, may not be the best of all possible worlds—and lately humanity has been carelessly depleting resources, decimating species, and degrading everything needed for life. Meanwhile, human ingenuity has opened up a vista of habitable worlds well beyond our wildest dreams of outposts on Mars. Worlds without End is an expertly guided tour of this thrilling frontier in the search for planets with the potential to host life.

With the approachable style that has made him a leading interpreter of astronomy and space science, Chris Impey conducts readers across the vast, fast-developing field of astrobiology, surveying the dizzying advances carrying us ever closer to the discovery of life beyond Earth—and the prospect of humans living on another planet. Since the first exoplanet, or planet beyond our solar system, was discovered in 1995, over 4,000 more have been pinpointed, including hundreds of Earth-like planets, many of them habitable, detected by the Kepler satellite. With a view spanning astronomy, planetary science, geology, chemistry, and biology, Impey provides a state-of-the-art account of what’s behind this accelerating progress, what’s next, and what it might mean for humanity’s future.

Alien Oceans by Kevin Peter Hand

Where is the best place to find life beyond Earth? We often look to Mars as the most promising site in our solar system, but recent scientific missions have revealed that some of the most habitable real estate may actually lie farther away. Beneath the frozen crusts of several of the small, ice-covered moons of Jupiter and Saturn lurk vast oceans that may have been in existence for as long as Earth, and together may contain more than fifty times its total volume of liquid water. Could there be organisms living in their depths? Alien Oceans reveals the science behind the thrilling quest to find out.

Kevin Peter Hand is one of today's leading NASA scientists, and his pioneering research has taken him on expeditions around the world. In this captivating account of scientific discovery, he brings together insights from planetary science, biology, and the adventures of scientists like himself to explain how we know that oceans exist within moons of the outer solar system, like Europa, Titan, and Enceladus. He shows how the exploration of Earth's oceans is informing our understanding of the potential habitability of these icy moons, and draws lessons from what we have learned about the origins of life on our own planet to consider how life could arise on these distant worlds.

[440mxs-wife]

Treasure Quest, Chapter 1: The Stowaway

Pairing: Captain Dean x Rhaya Payton (OFC, eventual) Other Characters: Sam Winchester, Bobby Singer, Balthazar, Gabriel. Governor Darius Payton, Ashton Kane, Damon Sharpe (OMC’s). Carissa, Darcy (OFC’s)

Word Count: 4427

Warnings: Arranged marriage, overbearing stepmother, allusions to/mention of parent death, running away, scheming fiancé, search for buried treasure.

Summary: Rhaya Payton is the daughter of the governor of Ochana. She grew up listening to her father tell her stories of pirates and treasure maps. At a gala one night, her stepmother, Carissa, announces Rhaya’s engagement to Ashton Kane, a wealthy nobleman. Only problem is, no one checked with Rhaya first. After overhearing plans made by her fiancé, Rhaya decides to go on the run and stows away on Captain Dean’s ship. What will happen when he finds her?

A/N: Soooo, this has been rattling around in my head for some time, so I decided to (finally) send it out into the world. Not sure how many parts there will be, as it depends on where the story takes me. Please let me know if you want to be added/removed from the tags for this. Enjoy!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Captain Dean Winchester stood on the dock as he watched the cargo being loaded onto his ship, The Black Diamond. His crew was known as "The Devil's Foxes", mostly due to their crafty, yet highly successful, battle techniques. The crew was made up of men from all different ages, levels of expertise and backgrounds. Although Captain Dean was in charge on the ship, he often allowed his crew to offer their perspective, based on their life experience. He trusted his brother and ship's First Mate, Sam, to help him filter through the input and ultimately reach a decision.

From where he was standing, Captain Dean could see Governor Darius Payton's residence, a sprawling estate on top of a hill overlooking the harbor. The captain had stopped in Ochana many times for food and other supplies and had always found the locals to be friendly and helpful. They spoke highly of the governor and generally approved of how he ran things in Ochana.

Of course, Dean had also heard on more than one occasion about the governor's beautiful daughter, Rhaya. People spoke of her kind and generous heart, her willingness to help others at a moment's notice, and also mentioned her fiery spirit. Someone who was not afraid to speak out against an injustice, whether real or perceived, or however small it may appear. Rhaya was said to be a frequent visitor to the daily markets, as well as a silent supporter of the less fortunate.

To Captain Dean, Rhaya sounded too good to be true. In Dean's experience, the daughter of a wealthy elected official was likely to be a spoiled little princess. The ladies he'd met tended to hold minimal regard for anyone but themselves, especially the one from the last port stop. On one visit, Captain Dean had made the mistake of vocalizing such an opinion about Rhaya to a merchant in Ochana's marketplace. It was an error he was not keen on repeating anytime in the future.

The vendor nearly denied Captain Dean the opportunity to purchase an apple pie from his stall. Furthermore, he would've refused service to any Black Diamond crew member who tried to buy a pie on behalf of his captain. Dean apologized for his assumption and was grudgingly allowed to purchase not one but two pies. Though Dean's apology was accepted, when he was sent on his way, it was not without a scathing sideways glare from the merchant.

Captain Dean's attention to the cargo loading was briefly stolen by the sound of fireworks being set off over the governor's mansion. First Mate Sam walked up behind his brother and peered over his shoulder at the cargo manifest. "Everything about wrapped up? The crew was wanting to hit the pubs in town and celebrate," Sam mentioned.

"Yeah, almost done here. Send the crew out but warn them that anyone getting into trouble with the local authorities here will be left behind to sit in jail until we return," Dean replied. His eyes were still focused on the list before him until a thought suddenly struck him. "Wait, what are they celebrating?" he wondered.

"Word around town is, the governor's daughter, Rhaya, is engaged to be married," Sam answered. "Some rich, pretentious jerk named Ashton Kane, whose family owns a considerable chunk of land around here," he shrugged. "You gonna join us for a drink in the pubs?"

"I suppose I could be persuaded to have a drink or two. Sure, let's go," Dean grinned. "Need to get an early start tomorrow, though, at first light. I have a feeling we're really close to figuring out where 'The Shadow Pirate' hid his treasure," he explained as he and Sam walked towards the nearest pub.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Rhaya Payton stared out of her bedroom window with her arms crossed over her chest. Her soft pink lips were pressed together in a thin line in an attempt to control her growing anger. Of all the things her stepmother could have done, this, by far, was the worst. Rhaya's head whipped around at the sound of a knock at her door. "Go away, Carissa, I have no interest in speaking with you for the time being," Rhaya snapped. "Or ever again, if I had my way," she muttered under her breath.

Despite the warning, the heavy oak door to Rhaya's room creaked open. Instead of her stepmother, it was her father who poked his head into the room. Rhaya's shoulders sagged in relief, then she ran towards her father's outstretched arms. She threw her arms around his midsection as he enveloped her in his warm embrace. "Shh, everything will be all right, darling," he soothed.

At the gala, her stepmother, Carissa, had just announced Rhaya's engagement to Ashton Kane. He was from one of the older and wealthier families residing in Ochana, one with considerable land assets. Ashton stood next to Rhaya with a smug look on his face, like the cat that ate the canary. At the same time, Rhaya's face showed a look of utter shock. The shock turned to anger as Rhaya spun on her heel and stormed out, headed for the safety of her bedroom.

Rhaya vehemently shook her head against her father's chest, unconvinced that anything would be all right ever again. "She announced my engagement, Papa. Without consulting me," Rhaya scowled. She lifted her tear-stained face to look her father in the eye. "How could she do that? I don't want to marry Ashton, not now, and not ever! He's rude, cocky, self-centered, and he has a quick temper. Not to mention he's arrogant," Rhaya ranted. "You have to tell Carissa that I refuse to be shackled for the rest of my life to that--that--imbecile!"

Darius placed his hands on Rhaya's shoulders to try and calm her down. One hand reached up to cup his daughter's cheek. She resembled her mother so much with her long, wavy, strawberry blond hair and deep chocolate-brown eyes. It was sometimes painful for Darius to be holding his daughter and see so much of his wife. Rhaya's mother had disappeared when Rhaya was only eight years old and was presumed dead.

"Rhaya, I understand your feelings about Ashton. But dearest, I'm not going to be around forever, and I want to make sure you're taken care of when I'm gone. And Ashton, despite your.... well.... misgivings about him, has the means to ensure that you will have a comfortable life," Darius implored.

"Papa, please!" Rhaya exclaimed. "There has to be a way out of this. Will you.... will you please talk to Carissa and see if she'll agree to reconsider and end this unthinkable arrangement?" she begged.

Darius gazed lovingly at his daughter. His hand brushed the hair away from her face, his fingers tucking the stray locks behind her delicate ears. "I'll see what I can do, sweet pea. If Carissa won't end it outright, perhaps she'll agree to an extra-long engagement period," he grinned conspiratorially.

Rhaya fell back into her father's warm and safe embrace. "Thank you, Papa. I know that whatever happens, you will have done your best," she murmured.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

In the Governor's study

"How dare she embarrass me like that!" Carissa seethed. "Does Rhaya realize what kind of a fool she made out of me by running out after you proposed to her??" she snapped.

"It certainly didn't do wonders for my reputation either to be rejected like that, especially in public," Ashton retorted, hot on Carissa's heels. "I am considered to be one of, if not, the most eligible bachelors in Ochana," he pointed out.

"Yes, well, regardless of that, your agreement was with me first," Carissa reminded him. "And I will do everything in my power to make sure that Rhaya follows through on this arrangement," she vowed.

"Excellent. I must say, Rhaya is quite the spitfire, though I'm sure that in time, I'll find a way to cure her of that," Ashton smirked. "She will make a lovely hostess for our home," he replied smugly. "However, I can see that my first task will be to tame her wild nature," Ashton added.

"Good luck with that," Carissa muttered. "If you'll excuse me, I have guests to attend to and some damage control to do. I assume you know your way around here and won't need an escort?" she questioned.

"Of course, Lady Carissa," Ashton responded. He bowed as Carissa swept past him in a swish of the full skirt of her ball gown. As soon as she left, Damon Sharpe entered the study and walked over to where his employer was standing.

"Quite the situation you're in, Sir," Damon remarked.

Ashton waved his hand dismissively. "Pay no attention to Lady Carissa's squawking. Marriage to Rhaya is a means to an end. Lord Darius is in possession of a very valuable piece of parchment that will yield untold riches and power for us," he began.

"How exactly does this 'piece of parchment' do that?" Damon asked.

"My sources say it's a map to locate the treasure of Ridley 'The Shadow Pirate' Carlton. I have no idea how Lord Darius came to be in possession of such a valuable item, but I will have it," Ashton growled.

"What's your plan? You certainly can't come out and ask him for it," Damon reasoned.

Damon listened as Ashton explained his plan for obtaining the treasure map after the wedding. He mentioned his plans for securing the treasure, and what he was going to do about his "spirited" wife. Ashton concluded by saying that sometime after he returns from his honeymoon, he would force Lord Darius to resign as Governor.

"Once I have the treasure and I am named the new Governor, then I will rule all of Ochana. At that point, no one will be able to stop me," Ashton vowed, while Damon nodded in agreement. "Shall we return to the party?" he asked. Damon clacked together the heels of his boots, bowed, and strode out the door behind Ashton, then closed the door to the study behind him.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Little did Ashton and Damon realize, but Rhaya overheard their entire conversation. She was on her way to confront Carissa for announcing her engagement without prior notice. When Rhaya saw Carissa leaving and Damon taking her place in the study, she decided to eavesdrop. Damon Sharpe was Ashton's most trusted advisor, and if the two of them were together, they had to be up to something.

Rhaya listened in horror as Ashton revealed his plot to Damon, which included her death under the guise of an 'accident at sea'. She knew at that moment that she could not spend one more night in this place because it no longer felt safe. Plus, Rhaya didn't trust Carissa not to try and rush the wedding preparations and force her into an expedited ceremony to Ashton.

Once Ashton and Damon had left the study, Rhaya slipped inside and walked over to her father's desk. She knew about the map that Ashton wanted to steal from her father. Darius had shown it to her many times over the years, as he wove his many tales of pirates and adventures at sea. Until a few moments ago, Rhaya had thought that it was some old prop to illustrate her father's stories. After what she'd just heard, she knew the map was real, and there was no way she was going to let Ashton get his hands on it.

Rhaya moved her father's chair out of the way and ran her hand along the underside of the drawer. Her fingers brushed against the cold metal of the key, and she dislodged it from its hiding place. She slipped the key into the middle left desk drawer and turned it slowly, trying to be as quiet as possible.

Once the lock clicked open, Rhaya carefully slid the drawer open and removed the rolled-up parchment that she recognized as the map. She closed the drawer, locked it, and returned the key to its original place, sliding the chair back under the desk. Rhaya slowly opened the door and when she poked her head out into the hallway, she saw no one in the area. She rushed to the safety of her bedroom and bolted the door, intent on planning her escape.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

As soon as Rhaya got to her room, she stashed the rolled-up parchment in one of her trunks for the moment. She had just closed the lid and re-engaged the lock when there was a knock at her door. "Who is it?" she asked quickly.

"It's me, Darcy," she answered through the door. "Is everything all right, my lady? You haven't returned to the party, and your stepmother is becoming concerned."

Rhaya snorted under her breath before responding to her lady's maid. "I am a bit tired, you know, with all of the excitement from her announcement," Rhaya mentioned with a roll of her eyes. "Will you please let Carissa know that I have turned in for the evening?"

"Certainly, my lady. Is there anything I can do for you before I leave?" Darcy asked.

Rhaya thought for a moment. "If you could come in and help me out of this gown, I would greatly appreciate it," she requested. Wherever Rhaya was planning on going, there would be no need for such elaborate garments that required assistance to put on and take off. Rhaya opened the door and allowed Darcy to enter the room.

Darcy got to work unfastening the buttons on Rhaya's gown, then moved to unlace the corset underneath. She grabbed Rhaya's nightgown from her closet and handed it to her. Rhaya finished her nighttime routine then slipped her nightgown over her head. Darcy picked up Rhaya's evening gown and hung it in the closet. "Will there be anything else, my lady?" she asked.

Rhaya took a quick glance around the room, then turned to face Darcy, her eyes shimmering in unshed tears. Rhaya was going to miss Darcy, who was more than just a lady's maid, she was Rhaya's friend and closest confidante. She only wished she could tell Darcy of her plans to leave Ochana. "No thank you, that will be all for this evening, Darcy," she murmured.

"You're welcome, my lady," Darcy replied, then paused halfway to the door. "Are you sure you're all right, Rhaya?" she wondered softly. At seeing the first tear rolling down Rhaya's cheek, Darcy rushed to her side and gathered Rhaya in her embrace. "Shh, 'twill be all right, sweetheart," she soothed as she rubbed circles on Rhaya's back. "I'll let Lady Carissa know that you have turned in for the evening and you are not to be disturbed," Darcy affirmed.

"Thank you so much, Darcy. For everything," she whispered. The two women stepped back from their embrace, with Rhaya wiping the tears from her eyes. Darcy gave Rhaya's hands a quick squeeze and then pecked her cheek before walking out, closing the door softly behind her.

As soon as Darcy was out of the room, Rhaya changed out of her nightgown and into a pair of trousers. She pulled on a white button-down shirt, then slipped her arms through the straps of a black leather, front-lacing corset. Rhaya grabbed a canvas bag from under her bed and hurriedly stuffed it with more clothes. In a smaller bag, she placed her toiletries, along with her comb, toothbrush, and hairbrush.

Rhaya stood in front of the mirror and gazed at her long hair, wondering if she should cut it now or stuff it under a hat. She decided to leave it as is for the moment, but quickly wove it into a braid. Rhaya thought it best to keep her options open regarding her hair in case she needed to change her appearance to escape detection.

After carefully placing the map in her bag, Rhaya secured the straps to close it, then took a longing look around her room. She hated the idea of leaving her father behind to deal with such vultures as Carissa and Ashton on his own. However, the fate that Ashton planned for Rhaya was far worse than her father having to put up with anyone's scheming ways. Once the treasure was found, Rhaya fully planned on returning to Ochana and banishing Carissa and Ashton from it. Forever. With her bag slung over her shoulder, Rhaya slipped out of her room and into the secret passageway that would lead down to the docks.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

While Sam was at the counter getting their drinks, Dean took the time to scan the pub for his crew members. For the most part, they all looked to be having a good time, generally behaving themselves. A few were sharing stories of past exploits, a couple of them each had a lady in his lap, no doubt bragging about something. They were a good group of men, hard workers that Dean was proud to serve with and have as part of his crew.

Sam returned to the table with two tankards of ale in his hand and a bowl of peanuts. "Here's to Ochana and the governor's daughter's engagement," Sam remarked.

Dean held up his drink in salute to Rhaya's engagement and took a healthy gulp of his ale. Tomorrow, he would resume the search for The Shadow Pirate's treasure, and he couldn't help but feel he was closing in on it. It was a quest he'd inherited from his father and former captain, John Winchester, one he was determined to see through to the end.

Sam didn't exactly agree with Dean's decision to continue the crusade their father had started, but he supported his captain. Sam wanted to get home to the wife he had waiting for him in Alcaria, who was pregnant with their first child. The happiness Sam felt at just thinking about his wife and unborn child was something he wanted for his brother. Unfortunately, there was yet to be a woman found who could understand and appreciate Dean's temperament and thirst for adventure.

"Dean, how long are you going to keep after this treasure? I mean, Dad crisscrossed the oceans for over twenty years, and still never found it. After Mom passed, he had the chance to settle down with that woman, Ellen, and happily live out the rest of his days with her. But no, he left her to go back out after the treasure, and she married someone else. Is that what you want? You still have time to find someone and the chance to have a family," Sam pointed out.

"C'mon, Sammy, you and I both know that I'm not cut out for a life like that. You are, and that's so great, but I'm not. Whoever I choose to settle down with will have to understand that I belong on the water, whether in this boat or any other. I have yet to meet a woman who can put up with me long enough to march my ass down the aisle," Dean remarked. "I'm beginning to think she doesn't exist," he muttered.

Sam rolled his eyes, still of the belief that there was someone for everyone in the universe. It just sometimes it takes a little longer to find them, but they're out there. "You never know, Dean. Your soulmate may appear when you least expect it," Sam replied with a mischievous grin on his face.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Rhaya crouched behind a tree near the docks, scanning the area for ships with no crew visible. Three ships were currently in port, one appropriately named The Dark Soul, which belonged to Ashton. There was also The Moon Raider, helmed by a visiting merchant, then a third ship. "Hmm, The Black Diamond," she read aloud after leaving her hiding place to stare up at the ship. She'd heard of the ship's captain, Dean Winchester, and that he was a fair and well-respected man. Realizing she might not have much time, Rhaya climbed aboard the ship with her bag and started looking for a place to hide.

She decided her best option was to hide in one of the lifeboats. Rhaya lifted the canvas cover and threw her gear into the small craft, then climbed in herself. She pulled out a blanket from her bag, then positioned the bag to use it as a pillow and curled up on the bottom of the boat. Rhaya drew the blanket around her shoulders and tucked it under her feet, then breathed a sigh of relief.

Rhaya thought about the events that led to her becoming a stowaway on The Black Diamond. Her day started with an unwelcome marriage proposal and ended with an escape from her home. She stared up at the canvas roof over her head, wondering what her father would say when her disappearance was discovered in the morning. She prayed he will understand and that he will remain safe while she's gone. By the time she doesn't show up for breakfast, Rhaya will already be at sea, far and away from her scheming stepmother and jackass fiancé.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

As he had planned, Captain Dean was on deck at first light, calling out orders to his crew to begin the process of leaving port. Men scrambled around making sure everything was in place for them to begin their voyage. Heavy ropes that tethered the ship to the dock were unfastened and thrown into the water, then pulled up and stored onboard. Finally, the anchor was brought aboard, and The Black Diamond was launched back out to sea.

Captain Dean stood near the rail, one foot on top of a wooden crate as he gazed out over the open water. He took a deep breath of the salty sea air and exhaled with a smile. Captain Dean was never more at home than when he was on the ocean with his brother and their crew. He'd spent most of his life on a ship, chasing after the treasure of Ridley "The Shadow Pirate" Carlton.

"Smell that fresh air, Sammy," Captain Dean grinned. "Today's going to be a good day, I think. Clear skies, plenty of wind in our sails, calm seas.... can't get much better than that, I reckon," he mused.

"CAPTAIN DEAN!!" someone yelled from across the ship.

Sam gave his brother an amused sideways glance. "You were saying, Dean?" He watched as Dean started walking towards the shouting crewmember.

Dean turned around and pinned his brother to the rail with a glare. "Shut up, Sam," he muttered.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Rhaya had been sleeping soundly in the bottom of the lifeboat, completely tuning out the noise that is usually present when a ship leaves port. Her warm blanket around her and the rocking of the ship as it bobbed up and down on the waves kept her from waking up. At least that was true until she heard a couple of crew members talking just outside of her makeshift bunk.

The men were talking about the events that occurred on their last night in port at Ochana. They competed with each other over how many pints of ale they drank, and how many ladies they danced with. There were even a few comments about her upcoming nuptials, and how nice it was, because it gave them all the more reason to drink. Rhaya rolled her eyes at that comment, thinking sarcastically how glad she was to have provided them an opportunity to get drunk.

Rhaya was so caught up in her own thoughts that she missed the sound of a match being struck by one of the men to light his pipe. It took a few seconds for the smoke to appear, but when it did, it seemed to head straight for Rhaya's hiding place. Her father used to have a pipe, but he'd had to give it up, because whenever she caught the smallest whiff of smoke, she sneezed. Rhaya knew that with one sneeze, her cover would be blown, and she would be discovered.

Unfortunately, luck was not on Rhaya's side, and the smoke slipped under the canvas. Rhaya felt her nose twitching, and the more she tried not to sneeze, the more her eyes watered with the effort. Finally, she could hold it in no longer, and she let loose with a set of three successive sneezes. All of a sudden, the canvas was ripped off the lifeboat and two burly-looking men were peering down at her over the edge of the boat.

"CAPTAIN DEAN!!"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Dean strode over to where the two men stood by the lifeboat, trying to imagine what could be so important as to yell for him across the ship. "Gabriel, Balthazar, what seems to be the problem over here?" Dean asked, his arms crossed over his broad chest.

"We have a stowaway, Cap'n Dean," Balthazar announced.

"A right pretty one, too," Gabriel added, waggling his eyebrows.

"What are you two idjits talking about?" Dean muttered, marching over to his men. A young woman cowering in the bottom of his lifeboat was the last thing he expected when he peered over the edge. He pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. "Get her out of there and bring her to my quarters," he commanded.

"Your quarters, Captain? Are ya sure, because if not, I'd be willing to share my quarters with her. You know, a simple case of ‘finders, keepers’," Gabriel smirked.

Dean did an about-face and was quickly nose-to-nose with Gabriel. "I'm the captain, she's a stowaway on my boat. I'm going to get some answers, and after that, I'll decide what happens to her. Is that clear?" Dean responded in an eerily calm voice.

"Crystal, Captain," Gabriel replied.

Dean turned back to resume his path to his quarters, where he was determined to get to the bottom of this matter. He wanted to know who she was and what the hell she was doing on his ship. Although, he had to admit, he had no idea yet what he was going to do with her. S'pose it depends on what she tells me, he thought. He figured whatever it was, it had to be pretty serious for her to risk her life stowing away on his ship. Beautiful woman like that, no telling what she was running away from, he mused.

By this time, Sam and Bobby had been brought up to speed on the situation. They arrived just in time to see Balthazar assisting Rhaya in climbing out of the boat. Once she was out and standing on the deck, Gabriel took one arm, while Balthazar took the other. Another crew member, Jack, picked up her bag, and they all headed for Captain Dean's quarters.

"Wait a minute, where are you taking her?" Bobby called as they walked past him.

"Captain's orders, he wants to talk with her in his quarters," Gabriel answered over his shoulder.

"Bobby, what's going on? Do you know her?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, I think I do, and if she is who I think she is, things just got a whole lot more complicated around here," Bobby grumbled.

Part 2 here!

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Tags:

@janicho88 @yourelivingwrong @akshi8278 @magssteenkamp @lyarr24 @hobby27 @deanwanddamons @jessica-noel94 @jensengirl83 @wayward-dreamer @idreamofplaid @like-a-bag-of-potatoes @winchesterprincessbride​ @ejlovespie @deandreamernp @emoryhemsworth @never--doubt @winchest09 @watermelonlipstick @makeadealwithdean @krazykelly @imherefordeanandbones @rooweighton @colereads @soaringeag1e @sams-sass​

[seaandskyrealestate]

Easy MLS Property Map Search | Tofino & Ucluelet, & Vancouver

Sea and Sky Real Estate offers a hassle-free way to search for MLS properties using the map search tool. You can quickly find your dream property in Tofino, Ucluelet, with the help of our Property Map Search Vancouver. With the use of our interactive map feature, you will be able to find a variety of real estate options in your area. Now is the time to simplify your property search.

[kazxraval]

Bio 

Plots/Wanted connections here

Name: Kaz Raval Birthdate: March 28, 1984 (39 years old)  Star Sign: Aries Birthplace/Hometown: Seattle, WA, USA Gender: Cis male (he/him) Languages: English (fluent), Gujarati (conversational and can read) Family: Father, mother, two younger twin siblings (brother and sister– his sister went missing when Kaz was a teenager and is presumed dead) Arrived on Panopticon: 2010 Former occupation: Investigative journalist, blogger Panopticon occupation: - Scavenger (who doesn't mind getting involved in shadier deals) Additional: - Tracks/collects info on people/places from scavenging (maps, people who might be searching for loved ones, etc.)

Hair/eyes: Dark brown  Height: 6′ Drink/Smoke: Yes/yes (weed, occasionally cigarettes) Piercings/Tattoos: Yes, several linked here Scars: Yes Injuries: Old shoulder injury from an attack during scavenging Sexuality: Bisexual Relationship status: Single (+): inquisitive, creative, resourceful

(-): apathetic, sarcastic, blunt

(continued bio follows, tw child abuse)

Before Panopticon:

His father ruled the house cruelly, with minor offenses weighted heavily for punishment. Kaz continually rebelled, often drawing his father into heated debates which turned violent. His mother was withdrawn from homelife and treated the children with a certain detachment.

He dropped out of high school at seventeen and found refuge with friends until he was able to build a life for himself.

His sister Ani was abducted when she was sixteen (she is not on Panopticon).

Initially he had little drive other than to bounce around and self-medicate. A woman named Nadia Chaudry encouraged Kaz to develop his skills (tenacious curiosity and a decent voice as a writer) into a job at a local newspaper. He began in the mailroom and worked (talked, lied) his way into reporting.

Kaz also began a blog to highlight missing persons cases, particularly highlighting POC cases.

He was looser pre-island, charming, and looked for a good time to forget his problems. Acquaintances and party friends kept him busy but real connections were few and far between (if only to prevent old wounds of hurt and doubt from being reopened).

Played music by ear from a young age, focusing on piano, guitar, and drums.

His father was arrested in a real estate tax scam. Kaz started the ball rolling on this and surreptitiously gathered much of the evidence needed for the arrest. His father’s trial was scheduled to begin only a few days after Kaz landed on Panopticon. 

Current:

Outwardly Kaz can come off as ambivalent, sarcastic, and/or prickly. He has warmed up to a few on Panoptican that he trusts but continues to rely mostly on himself.

Remains curious about the apocalypse, Panopticon, and any information he can acquire from the outside world.

Old habits die hard. He collects information on the outside world (and will consider trades) for his own theories and speculation.

Drifting around as a spectre is his preference but he can press people – out of boredom or an innate interest. He isn’t shy and can be blunt.

Suffers from night terrors (since childhood).

[bloodgulchblog]

do you know if there was ever a map of the various locations that Master Chief and Cortana visited on Installation 04? Or a list of approximately how far apart everything is?

The most 'distance' figure I recall is Cortana teleporting John to the opposite side of the Ring, and I figured if anyone on this hellsite (affectionate) would know if there was a map or distance relations something released in book format you'd be the most likely to know

(thanks in advance)

Not really. (Or at least, if there is it's not something I've seen. If anybody who follows me has more information, feel free.) We don't have a diagram of major locations on a Halo (...that I've seen) and stories involving Halos don't really say much.

Each installation is 10,000 kilometers in diameter (that's around 60% of the diameter of the Earth), so that is a ton of real estate and makes a teleportation network necessary to get around huge distances. But we don't really have consistent information about the locations of important features. And given that both Cortana and Guilty Spark zap the Chief all over the place... well. Who's to say?

The most I can pull out is from Hunters in the Dark where one of the two Forerunner experts mentions that how on every Halo ring the UNSC has explored (with the exception of Zeta Halo) the control room is the "largest uniform structure near the ring's phase pulse generators," which... not terribly helpful.

They searched Zeta Halo for it for years without finding it, which says something about how hard it is to find something on a Halo if you don't already have a good idea where it is.