#skill building items everywhere

[plumblobs]

i finished decorating my new family house, i'm so excited to finally play lmao ;_; i haven't played the sims in so long.

[aziraphale-is-a-cat]

DPXDC Early Heroes and Patron Gods

(From this poll)

With the formation of the Justice League, the general public for the first time became widely interested in heroes and vigilantes. Vigilantism as it was, started in the fringes of society, where itheir stories were shared, but never properly documented.

Eventually, among the few vigilantes still around they were able to track down one person who was mentioned as possibly the first. So Lois Lane packed up her bags for the drive to Illinois, because she had scored an interview with the one and only Valerie Grey.

Red Huntress: A lot of getting shot.

Lois Lane: You were part of the first generation of heroics, under the name Red Huntress. What was it like?

LL: Okay- from other heroes' stories, you seemed to be well established in your skill long before coming in and kick-starting the Chicago vigilante scene, where did you get your start?

RH: Amity Park, doesn't exist anymore. I know what you want to ask, and yeah I wasn't the first. I was originally a rogue for this other guy.

LL: Another hero?

RH: Yeah, Amity Park got a big influx of ghosts in the early 2000's, got all but completely isolated during that time for government research into the supernatural. One of the ghosts was this kid named Phantom, he kept everyone in line.

LL: Do you know what happened to him?

RH: He's still around, watching over whoever needs him.

LL: He's still active?

RH: Passive, more like.

-

The interview set off an avalanche, the accompanying pictures of the Phantom in his prime brought forward all kinds of accounts from minor heroes of meeting him. How when they thought they were caught and cornered, sure they were going to die, a white haired kid popped out of nowhere to save them. These savior stories meshed together with his clearly supernatural origin led people to deify him, and soon he was known everywhere as Phantom, the Patron God of Heroes.

The whole thing was mostly dismissed by the Justice League, Batman was especially skeptical of the word of mouth stories. The Young Justice team on the other hand were enamoured by the tales, even as a joke building a shrine to the hero who would never grow up (And maybe after it started to be maintained and grow in size, it stopped being a joke).

But it all came to a head when the Young Justice team was fighting Klarion, and loosing badly. The Witch Boy had stolen several magical items, and was using them to great effect. Superboy was trapped in a cage of energy, Megan and Kaldur were incapacitated by fire magic, and Kid Flash and Beast Boy were frozen in place. All that were left were Artemis and Robin, both badly wounded when the battlefield lit up.

They were saved by the Phantom, Patron God of Heroes.

[thetxtdevil]

Scrub Nurse

Nurse!Yeonjun x Doctor!Reader

summary: After the nurse makes you look like a fool in surgery in your opinion, you get into an argument that leads to the nurse putting you into your place.

content: smut, hospital setting (if you don't like anything correlating to blood and anything medical don't read), descriptions of surgery, dom.yeonjun, sub.fem.reader, pinning, restraining, spanking, doggy style, manhandling, and the slightest dacryphilia ?, public sex? kinda

word count: 2.2k

au note: took my sweet time with this one hope you like it, and credit to @aduh0308 for help/support.

A metronome of an EKG echoes through the quiet sterile room, the environment is properly lit, agonizingly bright, but perfect to focus on the patient in front of you. The silence of the room is broken by the first words “Alright everybody we have a Mr. Johnson, a 65 year old, white male presenting with a lovely pulmonary embolism, now let's get this clot out shall we?”

You turn your head to your scrub nurse, glancing down the man’s hand already hovering over the iodine packet and sponge. Your palm reaches out above the patient, “Iodine please, Yeonjun.” The solution lands in your hands firmly, not a chance for it to slip and fall out of the sterile field. That’s how good the scrub nurse was, Yeonjun, the whole surgical staff’s favorite. He has been a scrub nurse ever since he graduated nursing school, long before your surgical internship. Never missed a shift, never made a mistake, always a trustworthy coworker, and there was no way you were going to deny it. You also couldn’t deny that he was unbelievably handsome, his warm brown eyes squint signifying a smile under the surgical mask, little dark hair flipping up from under his white and black starry scrub cap.

Yeonjun is smart, handsome, kind, but also a man-whore. First day of internship rumors circulated in your small group that he hooked up with everybody. You’d roll your eyes and deny the fact, first, that's none of their business, second, we’re all too professional to be hooking up with our coworkers and “doing it” in the hospital. Oh how wrong you were, when little innocent surgeon wannabe you walks into a supply closet to witness your surgical resident getting fucked dumb by none other than, Nurse Yeonjun.

It was a hard pill to swallow because he wasn’t the only one. Not only did you have to learn the extensive material of saving lives but you also had to dodge the overly attractive men working with you. You didn’t know if it was all the sad deaths or the burnout but you felt like they were everywhere fucking everybody. You soon learn that's the way of a hospital, a business that wants your money, employees that work until they are their own cause of death, and it is a building full of horny people.

You bite your lip in concentration and the fact that the man who you’ve seen his naked ass a few too many times is standing so close. Eyes locked on the open chest of the patient, your skilled eyes can easily identify the pulmonary artery and the exact spot of the clot. One by one a tool is given to you, “Yank-” the suctioning tool is already in your grasp.

You look at the man, “The yankauer, Doctor” he says as you know that he has a smirk under that mask.

“Getting a little ahead of yourself aren’t you?” you say looking back into the cavity suctioning out the loose embolus.

“No doctor, ok maybe a little.”

“Are you bored of me, nurse?” Yeonjun’s eyebrow quirks up when you exaggerate his title. He leaves the conversation at that so you can continue to focus on the surgery. The clot was removed, blood flow restored, the chest cavity was put back into place and it was now time to close the incision site. “Staples.” Yeonjun says with the item waiting in his hand.

“No, no I want sutures.” Yeonjun shifts on his feet and stares at you. With a little nudge forward of the tool you stare at the item contemplating. Suddenly you feel your feet ache from hours of standing your brain trying to tell you to go for the faster option in front of you. This is a big incision and the healing rate is quicker if staples are used. Rolling your eyes, your gloved hand stretches out, “staples.”

%%%

You’re sitting down outside the operating rooms, taking your little sterile booties off. You couldn’t help but stare at your scrub nurse, perfect posture at the rolling desk-cart, already chewing his habit gum while charting. You didn’t like how he was telling you what tools you needed in surgery, irritated at each crack of bubble and his sharp jaw clenching at every chew, but you again couldn’t deny how handsome he looked. Picking yourself off the bench grabbing your white coat on the way to Nurse Yeonjun. His hair in his face looking through his eyelashes sees you in front of him all the while a big pink bubble pops. Taking a deep breath for encouragement you ask, “so do you want to grab a drink after the next operation?”

“Thanks for asking but I’m meeting with the other scrub nurses”

“Ah yes you nurses always like to stick together” you say as you pick at the ridges of the desk, annoyed, “and always have to prove themselves better than doctors.”

Another gum bubble pops, Yeonjun leans over the desktop getting closer to you, “Aw does precious not like that I know how to do her job better?”

You straighten your posture trying to look bigger than the man, “That’s doctor to you” Yeonjun rolls his eyes, “now nurse I want you to get this surgery prepared in time”

“Well doctor princess, I’ll do that for you if you show your nurses a little more respect.”

You’re shaking of anger at his low judgment, the man smirks looking around the room. Your eyes follow to find out that everybody’s attention is on you two. Yeonjun logs out of the computer, spitting his gum out in the trash, before grabbing your wrist dragging you to the nearest empty on-call room. “W-what are you do-ah” you words interrupted by gasp as Yeonjun pushes you into the door.

“I’ve seen more than your little doctor eyes have seen, I might not have many years of education but I have the experience” Yeonjun spits his words, face so close, one hand on your waist while the other locks the door behind you.

“I’ve gone through years of school to not get orders from a nurse.” The nurse scoffs, “We’ll see about that.”

Yeonjun’s plush lips crash into yours so rushed and harsh your head bangs on the wooden door. He tugs away your scrub cap, unraveling your hair at the same time. You squirm at the feeling of the man’s hands finding their way under all your layers of clothing to rub the soft skin of your waist. Your hands reach up to drag your fingers through Yeonjun’s hair but he was not letting that happen. His big hands grab both arms, pinning them over your head making you squirm more as he grinds his half hard dick against your core.

“I know what you say about me,” you whine out of confusion, his lips grazing yours as he speaks, “words get around fast around here, words like you calling me a man-whore.” You would feel embarrassed but it was hard when his soft lips felt so nice on your neck while his cock so easily felt thanks to the thin material of the scrub pants. “But I know those words don’t mean shit especially when I see you drooling over me,” your half lidded eyes look into his dark ones, “just like that precious, even when you’re in someone else’s heart you look at me like you want me to fuck you right there.”

One hand still pinning your hands as the other slips under your seafoam green pants. His long fingers slip into your panties making your hips jut out. Yeonjun hisses when he feels your smooth slick making it easy to slide a finger in your cunt. Moans muffled by his lips as his fingers stretch you out and curl making your legs weak. So weak that your knees actually buckle, stumbling a bit before catching yourself. This doesn’t go unnoticed by Yeonjun, “what’s the matter pretty, can’t handle a few fingers in your cunt.”

“I-its the ah- long surgery” you try to deny the fact that the nurse has you melting.

“If that's so, let me put you in a different position.”

Yeonjun’s fingers slip out of your folds to be pushed into his mouth. You’d admire the filthy sight before but his other hand had you whipping around to the uncomfortable cots. The springs squeak as you fall into the cushion, looking up at the man watching as his fingers pop out of his mouth. He tugs the green scrub top over your head, “so a pretty surgeon can’t handle my fingers standing up but she can stand for hours on end, that’s cute,” he kisses your shoulder as his hand unhooks your bra, “wonder if you’ll be able to stand after I’m done with you.”

Your heart rate was pulsating, if you were hooked up to a heart monitor they surely would call an emergency code blue on you. Yeonjun knows it too, studying your body, noticing your rise of breathing rate and his lips on your neck could clearly feel your carotid pulse heightened. Taking your bottoms off, he smiles at the big damp patch on your underwear slipping them off to meet your pants on the floor. “Flip over, ass up,” you do what he said, losing the battle of superiority quickly much to Yeonjun’s surprise, but he wasn’t complaining. Taking off his clothes, he licks his red lips appreciating the sight of your plump ass and pussy patiently waiting for him. His hand slides up your inner thigh, listening closely to your whimpers as his finger tips touch your wet folds once more. You bite your lip trying to stop yourself from telling Yeonjun to do something instead you move your hips against his fingers.

 “Be patient” he hisses as he slaps your cunt, you cry out from the sensitivity, “aren’t good doctors supposed to be patient?” You whine, Yeonjun’s fingers tease your folds making you wetter to the point your dripping down your thighs. His other hand grazes your ass cheek, gripping them to spread you open every now and then. Yeonjun couldn’t deny that you were also one of the most attractive coworkers. He actually has been wanting to see you like this for awhile ever since you caught him during your internship. It was common for doctors to downgrade the nurses and he has learned to ignore it, but he took it as a chance to get you riled up. Looking at your ass then to your face, your neck stretching so your eyes can meet his, pleading, “Please Yeonjun.” Yeonjun reaches next to your head into the drawers knowing all too well that there was a convenient box of condoms in it. You lick your lips watching the man slide the condom on his stiff pink dick. You gasp again when he smacks your ass before positioning himself. Face falling into the flat pillow as Yeonjun pushes his fat cock slowly into you, stretching your hole deliciously, agonizingly.

“Mmm- more” your muffle getting another slap on your cheek. Yeonjun’s head was thrown back relishing in the feeling of your tight pussy around him, “so needy n’ so tight.” His slow movements quicken into your core making the cot’s springs squeak as loud as your moaning, head bobbing as the cheap bed moves in its spot. He leans over pecking your shoulder, “making me think you don’t do this often” he chuckles, “no wonder you’re so tense.”

You felt more tense right now since his dick was pounding harshly into you. Your insides were rearranged so much so you didn’t realize how loud you were being. "Gonna fuck you til you can't even remember your name, let alone operate like you're supposed to." Everything in your body felt like it was burning the stretch of your cunt, the friction of your folds, the teasing rubs of his hands on your ass. Each groan and hiss he made had you clenching around him. You whine, feeling the knot in your stomach tighten, “J-jun ‘m cummin.”

“Hmm I don’t know if I should let you.” he teases knowing there’s no way you could hold yourself back.

“Please, oh god- please” you scream out stretching your neck again to show your teary eyes. Yeonjun’s eyes roll back loving how fucked you looked. You came on his cock before he could say anything else resulting in Yeonjun thrusting hard to reach his high cumming into the wrap. “Shit” you both say in unison and collapse on the small bed close to its breaking point.

Yeonjun kisses your shoulder once again slipping out of you, throwing away the dirty condom. You rolled onto your back brushing your sweaty hair out of your face. Stunned by a passionate kiss on the lips by Yeonjun, “We should do this again sometime, Doctor.”

“I’ll put that in your orders, Nurse Yeonjun.”

%%%

Later that night Yeonjun stands in the operating room waiting for the surgeon to arrive at the table. He looks over his perfectly placed tools checking yet knowing he has everything in place for the surgery. The quiet room is disturbed by the air tight door opening by the surgeon. You walk in with clean hands, Yeonjun’s eyes scan your form as you dress into a gown and glove. It was dark in the room for the type of surgery but he still noticed the slight limp in your strut. Only he knew why you were in a bit discomfort, well, him and the others that were around the on-call room.

A nuisance,

TxT's Devil

taglist: @inkigayocamman, @naoristerling

[allisas]

lovestruck stream thoughts

I really like the "way of life" turn-ons and turn-offs and that they're combined into slightly broader categories instead of being based on single skills. They also include broke, wealthy, taken (already in a relationship) which is nice. 👍

I'm really bummed that the only physical turn-ons and turn-offs are hair color, clothes related. Maybe the game doesn't track tattoos, body hair, eye color etc and that's why they're not included or maybe they just want to push the "the inside is what matters"-part really hard? Not clear to me why there weren't more. I'd also liked to have turn-ons based on different occult states, like attracted to vampirers, werewolves etc.

We're finally getting a copy to all outfits button in CAS as a BG update! 🙌

I'm super happy that lashes are separated into a new category and I'm crossing all my fingers that the CC-lashes will be updated to be compatible with this. I'm not sure if I'm maxis match enough to use those BG-lashes..

The world seems similar to many of the last EP worlds with 12 lots including a gym, nightclub, park & lounge. I wish we had gotten a few new apartments in addition to the penthouses. I'm having a hard time getting excited for new worlds these days, they often feel a little lackluster and empty. With the same tired food stalls everywhere, a lack of things to do and the areas to big to be populated.

What really struck me during the gameplay showcase was how they still to this day can't seem to make the sims react in any visible way to most of the interactions in game. Many times the only way to know if an interaction was "liked" or "successful" is to read the pop-up because the animation wont tell you anything. The first thing that happened was a sim telling (throug a pop-up) that they were super unattracted to another sim and the next second they were flirting with the same sim. I was just like 🤔..

Sims break up via text pop-ups instead of animations. Meh..

The sky gazing animation is cute and picking the date activities seems to be basic enough that it shouldn't be gamebreaking. It'll be nice to have dates with different goals than the BG date which becomes quite tedious after playing for so many years.

Love that the date can ask to continue at your played sims' house the date if it's going well. 😘

Build/buy seems a little lackluster to me personally, mostly new bars, workout equipment & mis-matched windows and doors. I really, really, really don't need another bar in this game.. But, on a more positive note, I like the new decorative items and the collectible, breedable axlots looks fun. 😊

All in all I'm not super impressed or excited. The UI in this game is becoming soo bloated with all the personality stuff that ultimately mostly shows up to you as text pop-ups or moodlets and doesn't result in any unique animations or interactions in game.

I'm still going to try it out when it arrives and see what it feels like when playing. I'm thinking that playing through a scenario with a limited amount of packs might be a good way to do that.

What are your thoughts on the new pack?

[sweetvoidstuff]

Dying for a Diary II Cha Hyun Su x Reader

Cha Hyun Su x Reader

Summary: Despite Hyun Su's concerns about the dangers, you insist on joining him in a mission to revive items, showcasing your skills.

the first part, kinda ~~~~~ the next part, kinda

Masterlist

~~~~~

Hyun Su's eyes widened with concern as you declared your intention to join him in reviving the items from the other tenants. "It's too dangerous, Y/N," he insisted, worry etching his features. "Monsters are roaming everywhere, and my own monster could accidentally hurt you."

Eun Hyeun chimed in, nodding in agreement with Hyun Su. "Listen to him, Y/N. It's not a safe mission for someone without experience."

However, you shook your head, determination shining in your eyes. "What do you know about my experience? I can handle myself, Hyun Su." The frustration of seeing Hyun Su consistently taking on perilous tasks fueled your resolve. Eun Hyeun's tendency to assign dangerous jobs, risking Hyun Su's life for seemingly trivial items, grated on you.

Reluctantly, Hyun Su nodded, your determination overruling their concerns. During the mission, his worry lingered, but he couldn't help but be impressed. You held your own in battles. Close calls were met with your swift and skilled responses, leaving both admiration and concern etched on Hyun Su's face. Showcasing a level of fighting experience similar to Jae Heon.

Back in the common area, Hyun Su approached you, concern lingering in his eyes. "You really surprised me out there, Y/N. How did you learn to fight like this?" His curiosity was genuine, a testament to the unexpected strength and skill you exhibited during the mission.

You shrugged, unsure of how to articulate your past experiences. The world before monsters roamed the streets was vastly different, and girls who could fend for themselves were often met with disdain in your expierience. However, Hyun Su's open-mindedness surprised you. He wasn't like the others.

Before you could respond, Hyun Su, recognizing the need to shift the focus, offered to tend to your wounds. The vulnerability of the moment fostered a unique closeness between you two. As he cleaned your injuries, you found yourself opening up about your past, a particular action movie you had seen with your father years ago. Inspired by the heroes on screen, your dad encouraged you to take self-defense classes, an experience you cherished dearly.

Hyun Su listened attentively, his touch gentle and comforting. The shared stories allowed the conversation to delve into more personal aspects of your lives. The common ground you discovered formed a bridge, connecting your worlds and building a foundation of trust. The bond between you and Hyun Su deepened, transcending the confines of mere friendship.

[boots-with-the-fur-club]

Chapter 4 of These Are Not Our Masks posted a day early in celebration of @daboyau’s win in their poll!!

@that-0n3-shr00mi3-guy

@iobsesswaytoomuch

@sady-is-secretly-an-alchemist

@dluebirb

@burritello3000

Splinter carefully watches April enter the building. Even after she’s safely made it inside, he waits a few minutes just in case she needed to run.

When she doesn’t, he drives off to the auction house.

He hates the silence. He always has. Being famous meant he could surround himself with whatever and whoever he wanted.

The only thing he wanted was to not be fully alone.

Even when he refused to fight for Big Mama anymore, he had his rat as a companion. Anything to stop himself from having to think about his past and what led him to that point in his life.

He has nothing now.

No friends, no family, not even a pet. It’s just him. Arguably the last person he’d ever want to be left with. It may sound like an exaggeration, but he’d rather face physical or emotional pain from someone else like Big Mama or Draxum than his own wounds that keep reopening.

He thinks about his boys.

They’re all better than him than he was at their age in their own ways. Truly, he knows just how much they love him, which is a big change from how he treated his grandpa.

Then again, the way he brought up the turtles was different too. He may not have always been entirely focused on making sure they handled Hamato weaponry, but there’s no way he’d allow Donatello to continuing crying alone after hurting himself on an invention.

He’d never ignore the big smile on Michelangelo’s face after he’s painted their family with his little hands.

No possibility of him turning his back to Raph and Leo wanting to make their own business together because they knew each other’s strengths well enough to be aware that they’re always a good duo.

Thinking about how Draxum tries to force the dynamic makes his skin crawl.

He promised that he wouldn’t let him turn innocent creatures into war machines and he’s failed.

Honestly, without whatever the mad scientist is using, he doubts he ever could have really turned the turtles into soldiers or weapons.

Obviously they have the physical aspects to absolutely decimate enemies, but Splinter feels there’s something else.

Without being raised with love and kindness, they very much could be brutal and dangerous. It’s even still possible for them to destroy humanity.

But living weapons?

That requires a connection to Draxum other than mystics. He would need undying loyalty that you don’t get from blind rage or a single purpose. That’s why his sons could fight it. It’s how he got through to them.

Draxum doesn’t know it, but he too is on a time limit, just as Splinter is. His sons aren’t going to be told what to do forever.

Splinter finally gets to the auction house and parks before quickly sneaking in. It becomes apparent that someone, or multiple someones, have gotten there first. Doorways are smashed, non Lou Jitsu items are scattered around like garbage, and the regular employees are nowhere to be seen.

There are, however, Foot Ninja everywhere.

He uses his skills to carefully make his way to the very back of the auction house. They usually store older items there. His search only lasts about 15 seconds he hears footsteps and has to duck behind a weapon rack that holds several fan blades.

“I can not believe that Draxum had me come to babysit you! If you can’t get one measly item then you’re a failure and should be kicked out of the clan.” Casey crosses her arms.

“Then why are you still in it?“ Raph grumbles.

Foot Recruit gasps dramatically.

“I only failed as a technicality! How dare you speak to me that way!? I am your superior! You work for me!”

Raph stops walking, grabbing her arm roughly to stop her as well.

“I work for Draxum, not you, and he’s not here right now. I ain’t listenin to bottom rung washouts.”

Foot Recruit attempts to pull her arm out of his tight, and although she won’t admit it, painful grip.

“Excuse me!? I’m a more fearsome warrior than you’ll ever be! I have beaten you before! I will do it again!”

Raph releases her arm only to grab her by the face and lift her up. He squeezes her head painfully in his palm. She grabs and scratches at his arm, kicking her legs as well in a struggle. Splinter holds himself back from doing anything immediately, but readies to help if this goes too far.

“You were lucky before. I was bein nice. Not anymore.” Raph stomps over to an old car, getting the door open before tossing Foot Recruit inside.

He slams the door and Foot Recruit bangs on the window. Raph summons his larger form and places its hands on both ends. The form begins adding pressure, starting to make the car fold.

It takes everything Splinter has for him not to go help her. He knows it’s risky, but if Raph really wanted her dead he would have done it already. Revealing himself now might actually put her in more danger.

As the space in the car around Foot Recruit starts running out, she finally relents.

“You win! You’ve beaten me! You’re the better warrior!”

Raph’s other form goes away. He rips the door open again and tosses Foot Recruit back out.

“That means I call the shots! You look for what Draxum wants and bring it to me when ya find it, go it?”

Foot Recruit nods, trying not to let her quickened breathing be obvious.

“I said somethin, respond.” Raph growls.

“….Understood.”

“Don’t forget. You already wasted all your chances.” He leaves the room.

Foot Recruit’s legs give out from under her, making her collapse onto her knees. She wraps one arm around herself and uses the other to clutch her chest. Her heart is beating a million miles a minute.

He’s been capable of this? The whole time? He’s just been choosing not to maim her? Break her bones? End her life….?

It’s terrifying.

Draxum has three of them acting this way now. Any of them could have done this too? Leo, no, Artemis, has been staring her down a lot. He always has an odd hold on his katanas while he does it, it makes her think now that he’s been imagining using them on her.

Or maybe even using his portals on her.

Splinter turns his head away. He’s sure she wouldn’t want anyone seeing her like this. Despite what just happened, there still is no use trying to convince her to help him. He knows that someone like her has to come to a conclusion by herself.

He sneaks away instead, finally getting to an area with aged books. There’s a box underneath that he recognizes. Opening it up, he sees the scrolls he’s been looking for. He closes the box back up and carefully holds it close.

The key to saving his children is in there. He just needs to find it. Splinter hopes he can in time for April.

After she was dropped off, April headed straight into the building towards the Purple Dragons’ tech area. It occurs to her that they might have actually been there when Donnie arrived and picks up her a pace a bit.

Even if Kendra dogs on her any chance she gets and is a tech supervillain, April still doesn’t want her to get too badly hurt. They have known each other for a while. Most of their lives. It’s hard to forget that, as rough as it may be.

She very carefully enters the room.

Donnie is immediately in her line of sight. He didn’t even attempt hiding himself here. There’s no reason to, she guesses.

April continues inside with as light of steps as she can manage. It isn’t too far in that she sees Kendra tied up like a caterpillar and suspended from the ceiling.

Well, at least she doesn’t look hurt.

Kendra struggles more while staring at April. The tape that’s around her body is also covering her mouth. She’s silently insisting for April to get her down.

April shakes her head and makes a sign for her to stay quiet. Kendra only struggles more.

“I knew you were here the moment you stepped into the building. Take the other nuisance and leave.” Donnie says suddenly, breaking his silence but not turning around.

Both girls turn to look at him.

“Donnie, you gotta come back with me.” April urges.

“That’s not my name, and no I don’t.” He still doesn’t turn around.

April grips her bat tighter.

“Maybe you didn’t understand me! That wasn’t me asking! You are coming with me! And Splinter is going to fix your head!”

Donnie slams the metal he was working on to the ground and bends his head backwards.

“Splinter isn’t going to fix jack, that’s always been my job!”

April nearly freezes at seeing the mask over his face. The pupil she can see clearly is thin, slit, like an animal ready to pounce.

“Well, are you going to fix yourself then!?”

“How about you? Go make a friend that isn’t made of slime and doesn’t have fur or scales you freak!”

Oh, that actually stings.

“I don’t care what people are or aren’t! Especially not you, Donnie! We’re nerdy pals for life, remember?”

“That line reeks of desperation! You constantly hold me back! It makes me sick to be around a loser who can’t even hold a job. I have to come help you with everything because you’re good at nothing! That’s why I didn’t care you were coming up here. I knew you wouldn’t be able to do whatever your goal is. You never can.”

April blinks quickly to avoid any tears from coming. She focuses hard on what Mikey had said. This is Donnie trying to keep her safe. Short term emotional pain is better than long term physical, that’s probably something he’d say.

He only ever approached this level of mean when he-

That’s it!

April rips the tape off Kendra’s mouth.

“It’s about time! Get me down from here!”

“Not before you help me. Where are your headphones?”

“Are you kidding me!? You’re asking for that of all things!?”

“I know what I’m doing! Just tell me already!”

“Ugh, fine! They’re over there!” Kendra gestures with her head.

April starts walking over.

Donnie bends and twists to stand up while still looking at them, slowly approaching Kendra with a hiss in his voice.

“Are you so stupid that you don’t understand I can clearly hear you? I gave you an opportunity to leave with your lives and you didn’t take it.”

“I wanted to leave! It’s just O’Neil!” Kendra shouts.

“Hey, Donnie!”

He turns his head only for April to spray a ketchup packet at him.

“Ketchup!? That’s your plan-!?”

Kendra is interrupted by Donnie letting out the most high pitched scream to ever be heard. April grabs a nearby box cutter and frees Kendra during the freak out that’s happening.

“If you ever use this against him I will personally smash every piece of your tech I find, but Donnie has big issues with the smell and texture.”

“Whatever, I’m leaving! Good luck getting torn apart by your feral brother!” Kendra runs off.

April’s confused by that, she knows fully well Donnie isn’t related to her. Unless….she was trying to be nice after everything he said? It’s doubtful she’ll ever know for sure.

Donnie squirms on the floor like a breakdancing bug. It would be funny if April didn’t feel so bad about it. She holds the headphones she grabbed and takes out her phone, connecting to it.

April kneels down, avoiding flailing limbs as she uses her jacket sleeve to wipe off the ketchup. At the same time, she takes off his goggles and replaces them with the headphones.

His panicked breathing slowly subsides as loud techno music floods his senses. April always keeps a playlist on her phone just for him. Overstimulation really sucks, she knows that firsthand.

She watches his pupils begin to return to normal. No longer slit, but round. His whole body relaxes too.

“A….April….?”

“Donnie!”

“April!”

She turns around in a panic.

“Leo…?”

[bluegekk0]

Idk if it's the way I perceive fpk, or if it is intentional, but he looks like he has upper body strength. Is he equally strong everywhere, or does have a specific strength?

He does, I put extra effort into making his arms look more muscular so I'm really glad you noticed! He's generally quite physically strong now, and if you took all his fat away, he would be fairly muscular. The arms are the most noticeable because of how his fat distribution works - he's fatter in his lower body, that is his stomach, legs and the base of his tail.

It also makes sense that his arms and upper torso would be the most defined. Whenever he goes hunting, he does a fair amount of climbing, not to mention the most effective way to chase his meal is to run on all fours, and for that he needs very strong arms. Then there is his workshop, his projects involve dealing with metal objects and stone among other things. He primarily fixes and tinkers with small items like watches, but he also delves into designing and upgrading larger farm equipment and similar mechanical constructions, which are a lot heavier. And because he works alone, he has to carry everything himself, so he gets his daily exercise and builds his muscles.

He certainly enjoys his food, he's without a doubt a foodie (though his childhood trauma also plays a role in how much he eats during hunts), which is a contributing factor to why he's so visibly fat, but it's also connected to the role the extra weight plays in his body. The fat protects him from injuries but it also helps him keep warm and regulate his body temperature, which is crucial for living on the surface in such a cold climate. And unlike Grimm, the kids, Hornet or Holly, he doesn't have fur or an exoskeleton-like shell, which would shield him from cold, so his body had to adapt in its own way.

As a little fun fact, this is something which wouldn't be that unheard of among his kind. I imagine his home land to be a somewhat cold desert with large sand dunes, which periodically experiences winters, including freezing temperatures and snow. So there is a precedent for his body, albeit physically much different in this reduced form, to have this kind of adaptation for cold climates, which wouldn't be visible until now. Before that, he lived underground, and the lack of a proper diet (or any, really) meant that he wasn't able to build any extra fat. Over time, he started losing even more weight, but that's something I already talked about in the past so I'll end this side ramble here.

But to bring this back on topic and to answer your question, he's physically strong all over the body. His tail is flexible, but the base is very muscular under all that fat. This lets him use it almost as a third leg, it acts as counter balance but he can lean on it to support his body if he needs to. His legs are very strong, allowing him to jump quite high up, certainly higher than you'd expect (though the fat tail does drag him down a bit, so he's not as skilled of a jumper as he could be). He can walk, trot and run with no issue, although it does resemble a clumsy waddle, mainly due to how short and stubby his legs are. Already talked about the arms so I won't repeat myself, I'll just add that the nice result of all his physical exercise is that he can lift up and carry Grimm for quite some time, which I think is a very cute (and slightly amusing) mental image. His neck and back are also worth mentioning. The neck is a bit short, but it's decently muscular, which is necessary considering his large head. And his spine, similarly, has the strenght needed to carry all the extra pounds he gained, so he doesn't suffer from back pain (well, unless he spends all day carrying large boxes of heavy materials without taking a break).

So all in all, despite being fat, he's physically healthy and strong. I think it makes sense considering all I said. Plus it's just really fun to think about all of his physical traits working together like this. And it goes to show that relying on soul in his past just couldn't replace all those processes needed to make him as healthy as he is now.

[prof-peach]

Having real fun reading through the backlog of the blog.

I keep wondering if this is the kind of place my trainer would randomly book a tour to. She requires her chair for regular locomotion but has been working on getting a more versatile model. She can be carried by most of her team but would much rather roll herself.

I can't imagine a lot of the island has easy paths for wheelchairs though. That said, she did manage the Hoenn region, though Sinnoh and its unreasonable amount of mountain defeated her. Do you think anyone knowing her physical limitation would try and talk her out of coming?

I can also picture her seeing Peach wrestling a 'mon and pointing it out to her Machoke, going "I told you I wasn't the only one!"

She is also pleased by the don't-send-10'yo's-on-their-own stance. She went through an academy that taught much the same skills (when her parents couldn't talk her out of wanting to do her trainers' journey) and left at 16 with two pokemon, a treeco who picked her, and a Machoke from the school who wanted to make sure such a student was ok.

The Island prides itself on being accessible, theres ramps everywhere, elevators in any buildings allowing public access to higher floors, the hotel is its own buisness but accomodates for this too, rentable mons who can help folks around, and almost everywhere is wheelchair acessible, including any doors being power assisted.

Not only do we at Dotaku deal with A LOT of footfall, we handle a lot of older clientel above and beyond the youngsters, and to top it off, pokemon with disabilities move around the different locations too. The island caters to that, you can even get up to the top of the mountain for the view if you wish, it's been carefully carved out and planned so anyone can visit and have relative ease getting about, though we do advise anyone going up that hill with mobility issues at the vesy least take a pokemon with them to aid should they become tired. We have plenty that are happy to help if visitors dont have a pokemon strong enough too.

You can book a tour with any facility individually if you like, or do a day tour. We have staff leading them regularly, giving visitors informed details about various pokemon and locations. Or, if you prefer to venture alone, its all acessibe and open to the public. There are some buildings of limits but those are clesrly sign posted and overseen by staff and pokemon to make sure no one wanders in and gets hurt, ot ends up in a secure area they shouldnt be.

Dotaku is just one big island park, catering to all. Phone the head office for further details, we have great members of staff always ready to help clear up any questions you may have, and you can even book any specific events ahead of time.

During the summer we have cook outs, independant vendors with hand made trinkets, the kite flying festival which is quite something to watch if not partake in, the migration of the swellow that'll come by, theres lapras sightings this time of year cose to the shores, and at the end of summer the Jumpluff move off the island to go inland for more tame weather, quite a beautiful sight to see so many catching the wind to go home, usually I'll fly with them to the mainland so its a good time to see a handful of dragon types on guard duty. Theres a fair where you can buy local produce, partake in friendly battles to earn some neat reward items, three contests, one for beginners, one is a costume one anyone can enter, and the other is more professional for those who want a challenge, each judged by telented guests who come in from all over. If you need a break our daycare can offer your pokemon respite, theres a groomers on site so a new hairdo might be on the cards too, or just a massage to ease tension. Water based sport is avaiable, with small canoes, boats and gear available to rent if that appeals. Theres the odd talk on pokemon care from our experts, and opportunities to ask questions and dig deeper into some of the pokemon the island handles. Dont forget the dock side fair, if you just want to eat junk food and play some arcade games with your pokemon, more than reasonable to take time for that, grab lunch at the cafe, or just chill out and watch the waves while listening to the Dewgong laid out on the rocks.

On wednesday you can challenge the professors, staff and rangers, we try to give an evening to guests who want to battle us for the fun of it, but none of us use our core teams for saftey reasons, and will pick pokemon based on whoever is close at hand and willing, could be anything. If you win you can get a ribbon bangle, which some enjoy collecting much like badges, though they hold no weight in the league.

Other staff are more than free to fight with their true teams, so predicting their strategy may be easier, but I never will, and will refuse a proper battle with my core group should someone request it, I say this now to save any dissapointment.

I'm sure you'd see me from time to time, but summer is the busy month, plenty to do, so don't mind me if im run off my feet, I do try to show face whenever possible but work comes first. Best bet is to keep your eyes on the skies, youll see the flash of orange and yellow of my dear charizard Boa ferrying me around, and probably get a sense of where I may end up in the day. If you spot Val wandering around, I suggest NOT trying to pet her, many have made this mistake, many have been bitten. Every localised sign has stickers on them reminding people of specific pokemon not to approach or pet. She's on every sign.

Any visitor is given a saftey breifing, and all areas have signs for people to see the rules, as some locations dont allow flash photography, loud noises, or touching of the pokemon.

[studentinpursuitofclouds]

How the bachelorettes will play the The Sims 3:

Haley:

Will spend 2 hours to create the perfect design for her sim's clothes.

Cheat code for a huge amount of money.

The richest house, the best cars, the biggest TV, etc.

Favorite expansion packs: Late night, Showtime and Island Paradise.

Goes to expensive bars and places to get interesting moodlets. Only the best and expensive thing!

Got "heartbreaker" lifetime's wish the very first in her game.

Of course, she's a popular super star! Admittedly, she constantly has to fight back her good name when her sim is publicly reviled. Oh, that popularity!

Maxed out the photographer's and serfing skill set.

Decided to try to learn a new skills in game. Her sim died in a fire the first time she tried to make macaroni and cheese.

Penny:

Another interesting thing that helps her escape from reality (besides books).

Never uses cheat codes, trying to achieve everything herself.

Favorite expansion packs: Generation and Seasons.

Creates the perfect modest newlywed couple. One of the sims is her exact copy and the other is her dream spouse.

At first was upset that her sim had many failed attempts at cooking (too close to reality). Eventually pumped the skill to the max.

Gave her sim a career in school.

Mini heart attack every time a thief or ghost showed up at her sim's house.

Goes into the build menu just to listen to music.

Created as many children as the game allowed. Happy big family!

Emily:

She spent twice as much time designing her sim's hair and clothes as her sister.

Inspired after the game, went to my sewing machine to recreate the clothes in reality.

Love all the expansion, but her favorite is Ambition. Because a career as a Stylist! Also pets, because parrot!

Her sim knows every skill in the game bit by bit.

She'll be picking up every stray animal.

Stopped doing that when one of the stray cat ate her parrot.

Was upset that unlike cats and dogs, she can't put a grave for a parrot.

Collects various gems and collects them in the Sim's house. Gems everywhere!

Abigail:

She thought it was a boring game, but when she found out you could create a sim as a ghost! Or a vampire! Or a werewolf, or a witch? She could become an adventurer? Awesome!

Favorite expansions are World Adventures and Supernatural.

Uses the occasional $1000 dollar cheat code to buy a ticket to another country.

Sim's personal life? No time for that, she has adventures waiting for her in Egypt!

Pumping skill sports to fight with the mummy.

No money for food? Time to look for breakfast in the trash cans!

Enjoys getting interesting moodlets, no matter positive or negative.

Created the sim as a witch and practiced magic during the adventure.

Making stinky potion? Absolutely yes 😈

Often saved to watch a sim die from a trap in adventures or from other things.

Leah:

She is more interested in the architecture and design of the house than the game itself.

Uses money cheats to buy the necessary items to create the perfect cottage house.

However, she does not use cheats during the game itself. She enjoys creating the perfect house on a small budget.

Favorite expansions are Seasons, University Life, and Career.

The first expansion is for fall aesthetics 🤌 the other two are for pumping up her artist and sculptor skills.

A nemesis with a neighbor who strongly resembles her ex in personality.

Often sits in the city editor (like, almost 90% of her time), redesigning other sims' homes.

Her sim visits countries just to paint beautiful landscape and buy a bottle of "juice".

Also, the gardening skill is half developed.

Her sim was eaten by a carnivorous cow flower. And she didn't even keep the design of the town! Eh, need to start all over again...

Maru:

Doesn't spend a lot of time creating a sim.

Of course they have the Inventor character, how could they not.

Favorite expansions packs are Ambition and Into the Future.

So many ideas in the game for her new inventions... A jetpack? Why not.

Fascinated by the quest to change the future into Utopia or Dystopia.

Science, invention and robot building skills are maxed out.

Used a cheat code for 1000 dollars just once to buy junk for inventions.

Made a sim Sebastian, so that at least in the game in them were good family relationships...

Synthesized food?! Now that's interesting!

Her Sims often died from burns and electrocution.

[kobbers]

The situation is getting grimmer in Guardedlabor. No matter what I do, half the wounded from the Loyalty Glitch Incident aren't being taken to the hospital. This probably has something to do with most of the hospital staff being among the victims, but adding more trainees, beds, and even a whole new hospital zone hasn't spurred the able dwarves to take them to rest. They just bring them water.

Then, out of nowhere, one of the invalids went berserk.

For those unacquainted with Dwarf Fortress, stress levels need to be managed for a healthy society, and there are two things that can happen as dwarves spend extended periods of time at high stress. The first is a mental breakdown, which comes in three flavors influenced by personality traits. Dwarves will cancel whatever they're doing for this, and resume life as normal once they've calmed down. They can serve as a hard warning that the dwarf is doing poorly, and needs help before things get worse. The second is insanity, which is permanent. It also comes in three flavors, which correlate to the type of breakdown the dwarf (usually) was having previously. A melancholic dwarf stops working and slowly trudges around the fortress, not eating or drinking, until they die of self-neglect. They may also purposely jump into bodies of water or off buildings. Dwarves that go stark raving mad throw off all their clothing items and run around aimlessly until they also die of self-neglect. And then there's berserkers, who become a hostile entity and will attack their former fellows until everyone is dead... or they are. Usually not a problem because civilians are weak, but look out if someone with combat skills goes on a rampage!

The thing that struck me about this, my first sanity break of the fortress, is that it wasn't telegraphed with a lesser breakdown first. There had been no tantrums from the wounded as a cry for help. Probably just an overwhelming load of bad thoughts that came from having a pile of comrades killed in front of them, suffering grievous injuries themselves, and the lack of positive thoughts from receiving care in a hospital (usually goes a long way toward balancing the previous trauma out).

Obviously the raging tanner who could barely move under his own power was not a huge danger, but the collective mood suffered as a result. Another of the wounded went berserk just a couple minutes later. And while this threatened to domino out of control, a massive goblin siege arrived at our border.

An additional wrinkle: there was a dead bee in the threshold of the main door, effectively locking it open. I marked it for dumping, but much like their injured brethren, the healthy dwarves ignored it in favor of drinking and praying. I posted the melee squads at the front door in case, while I turned my attention to a third berserk dwarf.

My sister: "Are you guys about to get Boatmurdered? :V"

maybe??

I didn't see when the goblins stopped milling around and charged because I was still busy elsewhere, but as soon as combat logs appeared I groaned and went up to check the front gate. I had 12 warriors and the goblins had, at last siege's count, around a hundred. I was probably about to witness the fall of Guardedlabor.

The number of participants fighting lowkey broke the combat log UI, so I didn't do my usual thing where I follow a combatant and frame through to get the blow-by-blow of their fights. There was just too much going on. So I sat, detached, and watched the bloodbath unfold. Teeth and limbs flew everywhere. But the fight, instead of being pushed past the gatehouse and into the fortress, moved outward - into the open field between the trade depot and the hospital building. The report came that one of my soldiers was KIA. Goblin corpses began to pile up.

I expected a decent K/D ratio from my warriors, but also expected vastly superior goblin numbers to surround and overwhelm them individually. I'd seen that happen in this very fortress, in the first comically large siege. But it didn't happen again here; as I watched, the goblin line churned, buckled, and then officially broke. Soldiers and war dogs chased down fleeing stragglers.

Ultimately, three of our soldiers sacrificed themselves to protect the fortress, one of them a human immigrant.

I just counted 115 fresh goblin corpses in my stocks.

The abandoned wounded dwarves languishing in the main hall are still being ignored, even as our returning warriors successfully check themselves into the hospital. Critically bad moods are gaining steam and I'm not sure if the fortress will recover from it, but I'm very proud of this ragged band of fighters. They've done their part.

[teadreamsims]

Things I think would be cool to add into a fairies game pack:

Folk Music radio station

Butterfly collection. This one I'm on the fence about bc I'm not a big fan of those things where you put pins in the dead butterfly to display it)

Whimsical fashion and build/buy items. This is another one I'm on the fence about as I looked up whimsical fashion on Pinterest and it reminded me a little of stuff we got in Paranormal Stuff and Cottage Living

Evil vs good fairies

Being a fairy giving a boost to building your mischief skill, similar to how being a spellcaster makes building the medium skill in Paranormal Stuff faster

A world that has the same aesthetic as Laverre City in Pokemon X/Y. Like, the big tree that also has a clock face in it? The big toadstools everywhere? The beautiful pastel pink flowers? Bro I wanna live there please let me have a world like this in sims 4 I BEG YOU

Magical combat that works similar to how spellcaster battles do. Like, you can challenge each other the way spellcasters do and have these magical fairy battles, perhaps in a royal court or battleground place?

Fairy court!!!

You know that shimmer shine thing celebrities get in game? Give me that for fairies!!!

Fairy lore expanding further on the in depth lore we got in Werewolves. Perhaps the fairies didn't intervene bc they felt that what was happening was a matter for simkind and not fairykind?? And bc of that perhaps they have a rivalry with spellcasters?

[voraciousvore]

Big Corp Inc. (1/43)

Basic Plot: Candy Caramello is desperate to get a job. So desperate, in fact, that she accepts a job at Big Corp Inc. working with Giants who are hundreds of feet tall. She'll have to contend with a licentious boss, an office bully, being eaten alive, and all sorts of other hazards inherent to being a tiny human in a Giant world.

Total Word Count: 96,645

Content Warning: This story is intended for mature audiences. It contains several vore scenes and explicit sexual content (both sweet romantic intimacy and non-consensual). Warnings will be posted at the beginning of chapters as needed.

(As an aside, I welcome any comments/ feedback/ criticism you may have, so don't be shy if you have something to say! :))

Chapter 1: Call to Adventure

Candy Caramello urgently needed a job. She was getting desperate. One more missing rent payment, and she’d probably be evicted and living out on the street. Her landlord was an understanding guy, but she hadn’t paid any rent in months, and she was running out of money. 

Unfortunately, Candy didn’t have any marketable skills. She wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed either. She had dropped out of high school and toiled in low-wage retail jobs for most of her working life. Candy was cute and sweet, as her name suggested, but also incompetent and clumsy. Somehow, she managed to get herself fired from every job she worked at. Her last job was at a restaurant. In the few months she worked there, she managed to mix together the bags of salt and sugar, spilled drinks and food on several customers, and broke enough plates and glasses to make a full dining set. The manager liked her for her bubbly personality, but eventually got fed up with her costly mistakes and had to let her go. 

The story was similar at her other jobs too. For a short time, she had worked at a warehouse where she had to pick orders, pack them up in boxes, and sort them. She could never get the orders right. She’d always forget an item, or put an extra item in, or count the wrong number, or confuse the invoices. She’d make a mess out of the packing materials, tear up the boxes, and get her long blonde hair caught in the packing tape. A plethora of customer complaints regarding incorrect orders and hair everywhere led to termination of her employment. 

Needless to say, the more jobs she got fired from, the less anyone wanted to hire her. The situation had deteriorated to the point where she was notorious, blackballed from several industries in her city. Her references all warned against hiring her to new potential employers. Candy was in trouble. 

She did have one option left, but she was very hesitant to pursue it. See, Candy lived on the small side of the city, with all the other humans like her. Her city was split into two sections, the small side and the large side, which were kept strictly separate for safety reasons. The large side of the city housed the Giants, a race of people who were just like humans except hundreds of feet tall. Like most humans, Candy was scared of Giants. She had never met one personally, since she avoided crossing the barrier to the large side of the city, but in the instances where she was close by she had felt the tremors of their tremendous footsteps in the ground and seen their towering silhouettes from afar.  

Of course, the TV programs and the government propaganda flyers posted all over town proclaimed that Giants were perfectly safe to humans, and the two species could effortlessly live together in harmony. The human and Giant governments had been slowly working towards integration for years, despite the resistance of the majority of the human constituents involved. The Giant parliament had appropriated millions upon millions of Big Bucks (BB), the Giant currency, to building infrastructure suitable for humans in the large sector. Despite the sizable investment, few if any humans were brave or stupid enough to venture forth to the large side. Oftentimes, those who left were never seen or heard from again. 

This incontrovertible fact was a great embarrassment to the Giant government that had invested so much money into a failed project. Therefore, they decided to pass an affirmative action plan to encourage Giant businesses to hire human workers, in order to lure humans over to the large side of the city. This program was relatively new, and would grant substantial subsidies to private businesses to upgrade their offices to accommodate and employ humans. While businesses were more than happy to receive easy money from the government and spare the bare minimum expense to “upgrade,” finding humans willing to work with Giants was harder. 

In their glossy advertisement campaigns, painting rosy pictures of humans and Giants happily working together, these businesses targeted naïve, impressionable humans that were desperate for work—humans like Candy. Despite her reservations, Candy was easy prey. The idea of working with Giants made her exceedingly nervous, but after filling out hundreds of job applications with no response, she decided to shoot her shot and apply—after all, she had nothing to lose. She wasn’t familiar with too many Giant businesses, but she saw a promotional campaign from an establishment called Big Corp Inc. and decided to send in her resume. 

To her surprise, her phone rang within minutes. She jumped on it and answered, “H-hello?” 

“Is this Candy Caramello?” a deep, rich voice on the other end of the line asked.  

Candy’s breath hitched in her throat. She could tell that huge, full voice belonged to a Giant, and it was very intimidating. “Y-yes, sir.” 

“Hello there, my name is Richard Hardon. I’m a manager over at Big Corp Inc. and I see you’re a human that just applied to work here. I have a few preliminary screening questions for you,” the Giant stated in a professional tone. 

“O-okay,” Candy stammered. 

“First question: How old are you?” 

“Um... 23.” 

“Okay, that’s acceptable. Second question: What’s your height and weight?” 

“I’m 5’5” and 130 pounds.” Candy had never heard of anyone asking for this information on a job questionnaire, but she figured there must be a reason. Maybe Giants had different workplace practices. 

“Ah, so you’re a cute little thing! Excellent! Third question: What’s your bra size?” 

Candy was baffled by this question, but not wanting to jeopardize her chances obediently answered, “I’m a D cup, but why do you need to know?” 

“Oh! Just for the work uniform, of course,” the Giant explained smoothly. “You sound like a good fit for our work culture. When can you come in for an interview?” 

Candy found his questions off-putting, to say the least, but she reminded herself that she needed this job badly. “I can come in today, if you’d like!” 

“Perfect! How does 3 pm sound?” 

“I’ll be there,” Candy confirmed with a gulp. 

“Okay then. You can find me on the third floor, in my private office. I look forward to meeting you, sweetheart,” the Giant affirmed, then hung up. Candy stared at the phone in her sweaty hand. She had some serious misgivings, but she felt cornered. She looked at the clock and realized she had no idea where this place was located, how long it would take for her to get there, or really even how to navigate the land beyond the barrier. She was overwhelmed and unprepared. 

She made the choice to leave as soon as possible, so she could feasibly arrive early and without incident. She had some used clothes she bought from a thrift store that she hoped would be appropriate for an interview for an office job. She put on dark slacks and a crisp gray button-down shirt with a collar. The clothes were a little baggy and wrinkly, but she figured they were acceptable. She couldn’t find a pair of nice shoes in her size that was within her budget, so she was forced to wear her ratty old tennis shoes instead. She prayed nobody would notice. 

She left her apartment, paper resume in hand, and stepped out into the early afternoon sun. The day was pleasantly warm, with a slight breeze and not a single cloud marring the pure blue of the sky. Candy was feeling optimistic. Maybe her luck was finally starting to change. She lived within walking distance of the barrier, since few people wanted to live within the vicinity of the Giants and housing was cheaper. Soon enough, she made it to the railway station. She had a bus card that was accepted for the high-speed rails as well, so she didn’t have to pay a fare. After looking up the location of Big Corp Inc.’s office building, and determining the correct route, she waited for the railcar. 

Nervous energy started to creep over her. The station, despite being new and modern, was devoid of other passengers. She was the only one waiting on the platform. The automated car pulled up and the doors slid open with a soft whoosh. After hesitating, Candy stepped inside. She was feeling too anxious to sit so she stood up and grabbed the built-in handrail for support. The inside of the car was suspiciously shiny and immaculate, as if nobody had ever ridden in it before. The car had large windows in the sides and ceilings that were spotless, free of any fingerprints or scratches. 

The doors whooshed closed and the car sped off with shocking speed. Candy hung on tight as the railcar shot underground, beneath the barrier, before reemerging on the opposite side, the side of the Giants. Candy’s palms were slick with moisture as she glued herself to the window with astonishment. The railcar was rocketing through a tunnel of clear glass, which protected the rails from being stepped on by Giants, since the railcars traveled alongside the sidewalk at ground level. The rail moved slightly underground when it crossed the roads, the glass becoming flat on top so cars could pass over. 

Candy couldn’t believe the staggering scale of the buildings, roads, streetlights, cars—all the expected trappings of civilization, really, except the foliage, which was normal-sized. Tall trees looked like tiny shrubs next to monumental concrete walls. And the Giants themselves! Candy had never seen a Giant up close, and even though she was safely tucked away inside a fast-moving railcar, she was terrified. The car moved too fast for her to get a good look, but she could see their shoes alone were larger than the entire car she was traveling in. She felt like she was going to faint. She must have made a terrible mistake, coming here—but it was too late. She couldn’t get away now. 

Far ahead, Candy spotted the Big Corp Inc. building looming on the horizon. It was a massive, gloomy, gray structure that stretched into the sky, truly one of the great wonders of the corporate world. The company’s name and logo were emblazoned on the building with immense steel letters that glistened in the sun. Her little railcar barreled towards it all too quickly. She was scared. She didn’t know how she would be able to work on this side of the city, or even get around, with everything being so gigantic. 

Her stop was fairly close to the Big Corp building, so at least by Giant standards she wouldn’t have far to go. However, the distance was still quite vast for a human. The railcar slowed to a stop, and the doors quietly opened. Candy hesitantly stepped out onto the platform, which had a cover over it to protect from the elements. The awning at least made her feel somewhat hidden from the Giants clomping around outside. She just wanted to curl up and hide as the pavement vibrated beneath her feet with the great weight of every Giant step. She imagined being crushed underfoot and shuddered. 

There were some marked human pathways with fencing on both sides to protect pedestrians from being smashed. Giants could easily step over the human-sized gates, so they didn’t block the enormous sidewalks at all. Even so, Candy was frightened to emerge from her shelter. The Giants themselves were larger than she ever imagined in her wildest dreams. Even if she craned her neck all the way back, she could barely see their faces so high up in the sky. 

Candy couldn’t bring herself to move. She was frozen in place. She instinctively wanted to run, but there was nowhere to go. The railcar had vanished; she would have to wait for the next one if she desired to go back. While she was tempted to flee, she was again reminded that she had no more options. This was her last chance to get a job. If she failed here, she’d become homeless. She exhaled slowly. Her whole body was shaking in terror. She checked her watch. She didn’t have much time left before her interview, especially considering the distance she would have to walk to get there. It was now or never. She took a deep breath and stepped forward into the sun. 

Next chapter

Table of Contents:

Ch. 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43

Writing Masterpost

[conretewings]

The Paths We Cross

-Viktor, needing a part for his newest invention, seeks assistance from a shop of good reputation.

-Set a couple decades before the events of Arcane season one, a young Viktor and my oc Rosemary meet. Just a fun idea I had bouncing around in my head and decided to write for fun and as a gift to the lovely @grumpyoutlaw ❤️

Sticking close to the buildings for safety and an easy escape into a shop if needed was an essential lesson and skill Viktor had learned long ago, one that he was using again this day as he wove his way through the crowded, dank and damp streets. All around vendors hawked their wares from stalls, carts, or even from bulging bags, people milled in front of bars, brothels, or hurried on their way to whatever business they had and everywhere teemed the chaos of the Undercity.

Pausing to re-shoulder his bag to a more comfortable angle across his hip, one where it's weight helped steady his limping gait instead of worsening it, Viktor glanced up at a couple landmarks to note his location and which street to turn down next toward his own destination.

"Let's see...it was-"

Feeling a couple rapid taps on his shoulder, he instinctively clutched his bag and rotated his hand to grip his cane at the perfect angle to defend himself if need be; it wouldn't be the first time.

Whipping his head around at the same moment, he found himself face-to-face with a squat little man in patchwork garb and a seemingly friendly, yet too friendly, grin so wide his crooked teeth poked out. A well-worn bag nearly his size and adorned with various items was strapped to his back, and in his grubby hands something was concealed.

"Greetings, yes most welcome greetings this day young man!" he started in a likely well rehearsed speech, "Tell me yes, tell me, are you hungry? Does your stomach yearn for a tasty morsel? Yearn no more! I have here the solution yes! For a mere two coin I offer the finest fruit one can find!"

With a flourish he opened his hands to reveal an apple clearly past it's prime, brownish soft spots dotting it's surface. Viktor had his suspicions that it likely also housed an insect or two and not wanting to either waste his money, nor evict any possible tenants, he shook his head, managing a polite half smile.

"Thank you sir, but I already ate..."

The man's eye twitched, but maintained his salesman smile, "Goodness my boy but you're thin as that stick you're using yes, poor thing, so thin! Wouldn't a bit of extra food do you well yes? It's such a good deal! A bit of lunch!"

'I'm sure it is, if one wanted to lose their lunch' Viktor thought sarcastically, but carefully started to move away as he said again, "No, thank you, but I wish you luck..."

His smile finally dropping into a sour pout, and grumbling about how he's 'missing out' the man shoved the sad fruit into a pocket and turned to shuffle off. Releasing a sigh of relief, the man's words about his weight nonetheless echoed in Viktor's mind until he bitterly shoved them away and gripping his cane, felt a renewed sense of resolve to find the place he sought and finish the project currently residing in his bag. To that end he stood as tall as possible and went on his way.

A young woman leaned on a heavy, paper-strewn wooden counter with a gnawing sense of boredom, absentmindedly tapping a pencil as she stared at a broken clock she'd been planning to fix sitting next to her. It seemed to reflect and even mock her feeling that time was, in fact, at a standstill. Normally she was proud to be in charge of her family's business, yet today, all she wanted was escape. Looking around the rest of the packed shop with it's shelving and cases of mishmashed parts, half-finished mechanical items, and antiques, nothing sparked her interest. Perhaps she'd dig through the trash again for parts to weld together. That was usually fun. Usually...

Turning her head she shouted, "Dad! Can I shove off early?"

"Absolutely not!" came a bellowed reply from far behind a curtain that served as a divider between the shop and their living quarters, "Your brother has his shift 'n so do you!"

"But I just wanna scrounge up some parts-"

"Birdie, I really need ya to mind the shop. Ya can run about with your friends 'n that beau of yours later! Now lemme finish fixin' the stove please."

She exhaled in exasperation and lowered her head, wishing something, anything would happen. As if by some divine miracle, a few moments later she heard the creak of the heavy door mixed with the musical chime of the bell attached to it. Instantly she snapped into professional mode, standing up tall and putting on a welcoming grin.

"Good day! Wares and Repairs! You break it we can probably fix it! What can we help ya with?"

Using his shoulder to hold the door open while he awkwardly made his way through it, a teen who looked to be around fourteen, though with his prominent limp and slight build it was difficult to tell, let the door shut behind him as he paused to gaze around.

Viktor gaped at the sheer number and amount of items stuffed into the large room which, somehow, was clearly organized in it's own way. Yes, this was certainly the place he'd been told about. The corner of his mouth twitched into a half-smile, feeling a sense of hope and even excitement at the prospects; surely somewhere the treasure he sought lay waiting. So absorbed was he it took a moment for the greeting he'd received to register, and he snapped his attention back to the woman behind the counter.

"Ah, yes, hello," he started, shifting his bag again and approaching, "I've been told this place can fix anything and sells almost anything as well..." planting his good foot for leverage he carefully heaved the bag onto the counter, wincing when a dull metallic thud sounded, "So I would like to know if I could ask for some assistance with this."

"Oh? And what is this?" the woman inquired, her hazel eyes alight with an eager, inquisitive sparkle that somehow set Viktor more at ease. She looked to be somewhere in her mid twenties, with thick chocolate brown hair and clad in well-worn but sturdy looking work overalls, arms covered in bandage wrappings with canvas gloves. Something about her looked very familiar but he couldn't put his finger on it.

Undoing the snaps on the bag, Viktor carefully slid a metal box onto the counter in front of her, a gesture which only seemed to fan her curiosity's flame, as she leaned forward a degree. He turned it around and opened a lid to reveal a carefully painted bird made of tiny pieces of metal and wood atop a wire 'branch'. A hollow area in the center was lined with a worn but still soft piece of velvet.

"A music box!" she inhaled with delight, looking from it to Viktor, "It's lovely! Where did ya get it?"

He cracked another, more proud smile and stood a little straighter, "I made it. It's for my mother, but it's not working yet. Something's off with the gears, and the sound mechanism-"

The woman gaped at him, leaning closer, making to touch it but quickly pulled her hand back, "You-made it?! Freakin' hell lad! This is some sophisticated work!"

The angle at which she was now stooped over the counter accidentally gave Viktor the perfect view of her ample cleavage, an effect that in her enthusiasm she was evidently unaware of. Out of respect and to stop the threat of his cheeks growing warm he quickly flicked his gaze to her face, "Th-thank you. I was hoping you might have the parts and tools I need to complete it."

Grinning she stood, planted her hands on her hips and flicked a stray chunk of hair aside, "If we don't have what ya need, no one does! We've got this ummm," she tilted her head, "Sorry kid what's your name?"

"It's Viktor." he replied with another smile, her energy rubbing off a little, "And you?"

"Name's Rosemary! Now let's get this train movin'!"

It may have been mere minutes, it may have been hours that flew by, neither could truly say nor did they care as they worked together to tear through the shop's extensive collection. Gears and bits and bobs were selected then discarded, or placed on the counter for further inspection until they had a generous pile to work with as they carefully undid the music box's inner mechanisms to test them out.

As they worked they chatted, mostly about their mutual interests in creating or fixing things and experimentation. Rosemary told him the story of her family's business, how her great-grandfather had started it and, proudly, how eventually it would belong to her and her brother. Viktor shared his dreams of scientific discovery, of building new and innovative things to better people's lives.

"I guess we have that in common." said Rosemary softly during a slight lull in conversation.

Viktor lowered the screwdriver he held, "Hmm?"

She gently touched the tiny mechanical bird, "We want to make things better."

Eventually, after a generous amount of trial and error, Rosemary crossed her fingers as Viktor carefully opened the lid-and the bird came to life, spinning and making tinny 'chirping' sounds.

He grinned happily as she cheered with a loud 'woo hoo!' They watched it until the spring-loaded mechanism ran out of tension and the bird's movement ceased.

"Thank you so much for all your trouble," he paused, "And for talking with me. It...means a lot."

"Ya kiddin' me? I've been havin' a great time Viktor!" she chuckled, picking up tools and parts to start putting them away, "I love workin' on stuff! Plus, not everyday I meet someone clever as you!"

He gave a small, unsure laugh as he carefully slipped the box back into his bag and dug into a small coin pouch, counting out what he hoped would be adequate, "I suppose my projects aren't too bad."

Watching Rosemary practically dance about the room with graceful movements and singing softly, that familiarity he'd felt earlier came back, burning at the front of his brain but he still couldn't quite recall where he'd seen her. Shaking his head to focus he held out a hand to her, "Here is my payment. I realize we never discussed it, but this should be enough."

She took the coins, nodding as she counted, "Aye, this'll do..." then cleared her throat, "Actually, I'm not so sure."

Viktor clutched his bag and felt his stomach drop; surely it was adequate for what he'd needed! Was she really not as kind as he'd thought? He didn't really have any more to spare, what about the food he was supposed to pick up on the way home? What about-

Abruptly she snorted, clapping a hand over her mouth, "Ah no I-I was only messin' with ya! It was a joke this is fine! I'm so sorry oh your face lad you're pale as a ghost!"

Releasing the breath he'd been holding in a loud, shaking sigh, he dryly replied, "Yes, yes. Hilarious."

"Tell ya what. I'll make it up to ya; swing by anytime you're workin' on another project and I'll help...and give ya a steep discount. Deal?"

Viktor met her gaze, and seeing the remorse and sincerity there, cracked a slight smile again, "Deal."

"Well, in that case," Rosemary swept an arm around, gesturing to the room, "We thank you for visiting Wares and Repairs and I hope you'll visit us again for your fixin' needs! No guarantees."

He gave a brief laugh, "I'll keep that in mind. Farewell, and thank you again, Rosemary." Securing his bag and adjusting his cane to a more comfortable grip, he headed to the door, and was reaching for the handle-when it unexpectedly flew open, a mountain of a man taking up the entire doorway.

"Oy Rosie! I-oop!"

He skidded to a halt, having just about run smack into Viktor, who gasped sharply, moving quickly but ungracefully to one side before cautiously glancing up. The larger man, who seemed to be about the same age as Rosemary, was looking at him curiously but not unkindly with steel-blue eyes and his thick, muscular arm still held the heavy door open with no apparent effort. He also looked very familiar, but again Viktor couldn't quite place him.

He jerked his head in a 'go ahead' gesture, and Viktor mumbled thanks before quickly starting to walk out. The man was so tall Viktor passed easily under his raised arm.

Pausing in the doorway to readjust his load after that mishap, he watched Rosemary's face light up as the man strode up to her where she had retreated behind the counter and leaned an elbow on it opposite her, the pair engaging in rapid, hushed conversation.

Abruptly he realized where he'd seen the man before; a gathered crowd, indignant shouts, calls for change...and at the center, standing on a pile of crates and junk, there he was. He raised his fist high as his deep voice boomed off the surrounding buildings, two other men at his side. He spoke of pushing back, of standing up for themselves, of a more independent city. Viktor had paused briefly to watch and listen before his father had encouraged him to keep moving. As they left, Viktor heard applause and cheering before the noise faded entirely.

Unexpectedly he felt a seething, burning knot of jealous anger twisting in his gut; this man, with his sheer size and confident charm, probably didn't have to worry about constantly watching his back. He didn't have to hobble around, seeing everyone run about with ease while he was constantly left behind. He probably had lots of friends. He didn't have to hear the whispers, the cruel laughs, the insults. Viktor gripped his cane so hard he thought it may break and spun to leave.

Walking as fast as he could manage, the anger slowly petered out until he only felt a cold numbness where the rage had been, like a lead weight in his stomach. He paused to breathe, finding a relatively safe spot to do so as he gathered his thoughts and tried to calm himself. It wasn't fair, it wasn't fair...

Self-pity was not something he normally indulged in, finding it pointless and unproductive, but for a miserable few minutes couldn't stop the racing thoughts. Why was he like this? Why couldn't he run and jump like others? Why was he always sick? Why had fate pointed it's cruel finger at him?

Looking up, he saw in the distance and high above, the proud spires of Piltover's Academy, the late afternoon sun shining off their facades. Slowly, the anger morphed into steely determination and he made a vow to himself-

Someday, somehow, despite his abilities, despite his origins, he would be in those rooms, gazing out over the city and feeling this same sunlight warming his face as he worked toward his dreams...

[bucketspammer4life]

☆ punch out x stardew valley ☆

for the record, this is what i imagine if all the boxers played stardew valley together on one big server, shared profits since why not (scrambled order because hhh)

Glass Joe

- couldnt find out how to chat so he uses the emote thingies

- plants too many flowers around the farm, someone

needs to stop him

- usually fishing or doing some gardening, sucks at combat stuff

-befriended leah, krobus + marnie and evelyn

-loves decorating his cabin

- does not know how to use sprinklers properly

Von Kaiser

- also fishing,LOVES the combat + mining

- does actual research about the crops

- finished half of the community center

- can actually use sprinklers properly

-best forager ever, will hide stuff in his chest just in case he needs it

- befriended harvey only

- uses the food items to his advantage when in the mines like a sane person

- also a major money maker

Disco Kid

- does his best at fishing, not really good at it his fishing is still at level 3 somehow

- has a coop full of ducks, loves them all very well

- one of the main money makers thanks to his army of ducks with max friendship

- only farms for hay + flowers since marnie keeps staring at the microwave

- befriended evelyn + emily and krobus

- builds kegs & preserves jars whenever he has too much resources on hand and is bored

King Hippo

- does not know what to do

- also doesnt know how to use the chat

- just tries to fish and dies in the mines whenever he goes in there

- just eats useless stuff whenever someone asks him to

- somehow befriended clint

Piston Hondo

- good farmer, high skill levels actually

- did his research

- uses the kegs and preserves jar disco builds for profit

-main money maker

- just makes food sometimes

-befriended demetrius and krobus

Bear Hugger

- does most of the resource gathering because disco kid refuses to stop building kegs and preserves jars

- mediocre farmer, doing his best

- LOVES the junimos, thinks theyre adorable

- good at combat suprisingly

- befriended pam, gus + evelyn (are you noticing a pattern here)

- fishing a lot

- tappers everywhere, also one of the main money makers from that

Great Tiger

- worst farmer ever, good at combat so he accompanies bear and kaiser to the mines sometimes and drags disco along

- stop letting him buy butterfly hutches please, every single bat wing goes to him and nobody else because of that

- also plants flowers like hell

- the greenhouse is occupied by him & joes flowers and bees along with butterfly hutches

- befriended krobus only, that is it

- LOVES the jellyfish festival

Don Flamenco

- tries to make the farm as pretty as possible, fails miserably because of the army of ducks and the random kegs and preserves jars

- doesnt do shit other than decorate

- sometimes steals flowers from Joe and Tiger, ends up getting chased

- keeps getting his furniture stolen by aran

- also didnt befriend anyone, doesnt care enough

- stop letting him shop please im begging you

- bought the catalog as soon as possible

Aran Ryan

- just annoys people

- keeps stealing stuff from kaiser & don

- threw every single furniture item don had out in a lake

- just gives King hippo stuff when hes bored

- gives all the npcs (except evelyn, hes too kind for her) trash

- keeps crafting bombs

- in the mines doing dumb shit & blowing up stuff

Super Macho Man

- wanted to do the joja route, actually

- does a little bit of everything

- just gives random gifts to people he comes across when hes in the mood for it

- mainly walks around

- befriended no one

Bald Bull

- has an army of cows, goats & sheep, major money maker from that

- one of the main reasons its difficult to go around the farm since be lets them loose

- all of them have maximum friendship by the way

- also couldnt figure out the chat thingy, emotes instead

-usually helping disco kid with his army of ducks, in return, he gets given hay & wheat

-Joe gives him flowers sometimes, mostly tulips

-will not refer to any npcs with their names, marnie? You mean animal lady? Pierre? you mean "the dude with the glasses that sells stuff" harvey? You mean "doctor man"? Shane? You mean "grumpy bastard"?

- goes mining sometimes

Mr. Sandman

- best player ever.

- helps bull & disco with the animals

- usually steals stuff back from aran and gives the stuff back to whoever he took it from

- doesnt care about the aesthetics, only cares about the progress

- befriended Caroline, George & Abigail (Willy also)

- good at everything except foraging, hes a bit impatient with hiding stuff

- helps Joe with sprinklers & farming

- usually in the mines

Little Mac

-original owner of server

- steals stuff just to annoy people, ends up giving it back

-also another resource maker

-so many ponds

- tries to decorate but fails

Doc Louis

-also doesnt know what to do

-cant type too so he just emotes

- gives stuff to people randomly sometimes

-got his stuff stolen by aran & don

[dwarvendiaries]

how in BLAZES do you play CDDA? i have no idea where to start and everywhere i try to go to loot inevitably has me overwhelmed by zombies

Didi's Guide to Cataclysm DDA

Summary

Get Water, food, shelter and security

Get a weapon

Expand your map

Find a vehicle

Improve your base

Avoid fights

Raid towns at night

The Beginning

I'm going to expect that you understand the basic controls here and that you're playing with the default world settings. Obviously, I'll be giving some mild spoilers here, so if you want to learn the game pretty much how I did by going in blind and learning most of this stuff by trial and error, this may not be the post for you. This will mainly be about basic survival and not about late-game secrets.

Ok start up a game. I usually hit play now [o], because I like the randomness, but since we're doing a beginner introduction I'll use the default scenario.

You have survived the initial wave of panic, and achieved (relative) safety in one of the many government evac centers.

Ok, take stock of your character and make friends with your companion if you can. Having a travelling partner can be quite useful as they can train you in skills you don't have and help you overwhelm enemies. This character is quite strong with firearms and has survival skills, however he's not good on rough terrain.

In addition my threat failed

Survival in cataclysm is like real life:

Water

Food

Warmth and Shelter

Security (from Zs)

Try and get these in this order and then you can start doing the fun stuff.

Starting in an evac center makes gives us water, food, shelter and a bit of security. Since we're planning on going outside we'll need to pickup 2 bottles of water and 4 protein rations. Having at least one flashlight and a jacket is also useful but not necessary.

I would usually pick up a first aid kit here, but I've got a flamethrower so that's not possible. First aid kits act as a backup plan for when you ever get hurt.

Next I survey my surroundings, I pull up the main map then go use any maps provided to maximise my range, in this case the road map to the refugee center.

As you can see there are two towns nearby. Towns are useful because they can provide valuable goods, but I wouldn't suggest going anywhere near one:

Without a weapon

Without a vehicle

During the day

This is because 1 zombie is an annoyance, many are lethal. If you have a weapon you stand a chance of beating any zombies that run after you when you are noticed

If you have a vehicle you create a barrier between you and the zombies. I wouldn't recommend leaving an unarmored vehicle in the town centre because Zs will smash through it to get to you.

Last, zombies can't see well at night. This means running away from zombies is much easier at night. This makes raiding the outskirts of town is useful strategy at night. However, you might want a watch to keep track of time to make sure you get back before sunrise.

Now to go outside:

Typically I'd head to gather supplies if I had obvious objectives but in this case I've got the refugee center nearby. So I'll go towards that an grab some stuff on the way.

Getting supplies:

Bodies - likely to have a few scraps. Can useful to fill out odd stuff and get some cards and clothes.

Underbrush- examine this to find random items can be useful in the early game.

Buildings - occasionally these have a few monsters but most the time they have useful supplies

Shelters- LMOE and evac shelters contain a lot of valuable supplies and can be used as bases

Watch out for monsters! Do not approach them unless you know you can win the fight without getting hurt. If you have a camera use it to catalogue various creatures.

We're here

The refugee center provides a community hub for survivors. It can be useful for trading miscellaneous items you find and getting quests. It also provides a safe place to sleep If you're too far from any other shelter. If you want the Free Merchants faction to get angry at you, you can steal a car from the front lot just make sure it doesn't have a working security system.

Remember to use C to chat. I go over to Smokes the shopkeeper to buy some goods.

Smokes has ammo, tools and clothes. Right now I need additional carrying capacity, some tools and some ammo.

Carry containers are very useful as they allow you to take more supplies with you. Getting a good backpack is pretty essential.

Tools help you with craft and construction allowing you to do things you couldn't before and upgrade your base.

Ammo is very useful if you have a gun, always have little more than you think you'll need. Beware gunshots will attract the attention of Zs!

At the moment I don't have enough stuff to trade but I'll come back later.

I go around ask for missions and open the missions menu (M):

At this stage basic fetch quests are a pretty good way of improving rapport with NPCs. I'd suggest doing them one at a time and if an opportunity come up completing one you hadn't planned for.

I head north. Loot some corpses of a drug deal outside the gates and find a lorry.

I guess this is a good time to break off I'll explain my thoughts on vehicle use.

Next post on the 20th

[willtheweaver]

Character profile tag

Thanks for the tag @somethingclevermahogony

Let’s dive in then:

Full name: Playa

Age: 5

Sex: Female

Species: Red fox (Vulpes vulpes)

Appearance: Playa certainly looks soft and cuddly, with thick, fine fur. Coloration is typical for a red fox; deep orange-red, with a white front, and limbs and ears that are black. Her eyes are a green that is best described as summer leaves. Her build is on the heavier side, though if you ask Playa about it, she will claim to not know what you are talking about and insist there is more fur than fat.

Occupation: None

Family: Playa had four siblings, but as they are much older, they have left Fernstan. Both her parents and her grandmother Opal still live with her.

Pets: None

Best friend: Fen

Describe her room: It’s been described as a magpie’s nest; everything everywhere, without much rhyme or reason. She keeps her bed fairly neat, but otherwise things tend to lie about rather than be placed into draws, chests, and closets.

Items in her bag/purse: A marble, a knife, an antler whistle, some string

Hobbies: parkour, spear fishing, darts

Favorite sport: archery

Abilities/ talents/ powers: despite appearances, Playa is actually quite athletic. She is also quick witted, and able to pick up new skills faster than most (though not as fast as Fen).

Relationships: As most of her family has moved away, Playa is closest to her grandmother. Outside of her family, the one she is closest to is Fen

Fears: failure, losing Fen

Faults: Proud, stubborn, not easily swayed

Good points: loyal, driven, always looking out for others, willing to put her feelings aside for her friends

What she wants more than anything else: to follow her own path in life

Tagging @lavender-gloom @drchenquill @paeliae-occasionally @winterandwords @thecomfywriter

@mundanemoongirl @buffythevampirelover @frostedlemonwriter @talesofsorrowandofruin @riveriafalll and open tag