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me-uglypretty · 2 years

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It's Kate

Pairing: Kate Bishop x Reader

Summary: Trying to express how you feel isn't easy and Kate's oblivion makes it worse.

Warning: 18+ (General), fluff, very useless flirty, mission injury (r), mention of weapons and blood || Word count: 3931

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The building striking structure collapses, shelving the bow of roofs beneath escalating flames. Three outline forms a silhouette from behind. Round eyes marvel at the sight, hues of red and yellow, fire flickering with pops, and relentless tumbles of matter. In the distance, booming loop of firefighters dashing through the street.

“Whoa, a single match did that?” Kate questioned, disbelief coating her voice and expression as her hand gestures at the sight.

Yelena felt equally in awe, but not entirely outward about it—hummed, her eyes shifting from the fiery scene to meet eyes and nods her head towards the archer. The silent conversation retorts with the shake of your head, denying her hushed proposition. Although she stands between the two skilled assassins, Kate remains unaware of the exchange.

A single matchstick wouldn’t spark enough fire to combust through compact walls. You almost burned your hair from messing with the wires to trigger a short-circuit. Kate’s single match trick—albeit her brass showcase of archery expertise, entirely too compelling for one to divert their attention away—didn’t work, not even the slightest hint of its success. The implanted barrels of explosive weren’t durable for a massive explosion without a greater trigger.

But you wouldn’t confess that out loud. It’s Kate.

“Look at that, very poetic,” Yelena pointed her forefinger at a fallen picture and a satisfied grin on her face as nudges Kate’s side.

The picture was charred by the corners, but enough to present the individual exhibiting their egotistical smirks. A suited man among those in laboratory coats. The same faces they fought before fire shallowed them whole. Now, this picture burns the same as their unethical agenda.

“We need to leave before the police gets here. Let’s go kids!” Yelena exclaimed, combining with a slight push to Kate who was still far too immerse by the fire.

Coincidentally, the police indicate their arrival with blaring alarm in addition to beaming red and blue illuminating the ground, puddles seeming so carefree while reflecting fire and the authority appearance. The trio walks away from the scene with minimal injuries as the authorise fills the lot. Out of the three, Kate’s eagerness hasn’t reached an end. Yelena disregarded the rumbling from her friend’s mouth after knowing her enough to recognise her friend’s puppy like excitement.

Kate’s shoulder relaxed as she imitates echoes of her bow striking through guards, some words falling from her mouth about knocking some bad guy out with a single kick, and how the sheer speed of an arrow had cut through wire. Something along the line of; let’s do it again!

And you were there, clinging to every word that left her round mouth.

However, they were few blanks that you had filled with something because every glance her way made your thoughts and focus stumble over the other. Your mind refused to operate accordingly from the sheer presence of Kate close to you—but your face remains neutral. A nod towards your years of training. Besides, she doesn’t need to know that you almost tripped and nearly graze a bullet when you were astounded by the way she fought.

“What about you? How was the mission? Did you have fun?” Kate directs her attention solely on you.

It was then, you realise your blonde friend wasn’t walking along either of you, but she’s trailing far behind. Before you could throw an insult at Yelena or display your irritation, your gaze meets those smooth-edges blue and you swear under your breath when her lips curbs with a soft smile. That was enough to seize your attention, eyes attentively memorising the details of her face; how she’s smiling at you, her eyes glimmering of a childlike joy, the dirt smeared on her cheek doesn’t waver her beauty.

“We should do it again,” you declared, while those words were your inner thoughts escaping through your throat and greeting her ears as she halts—

Not a moment after, your hand breach the space between you and her, nimble fingers grazes her cheek and your thumb gentle wipes the grey dirt on her skin. “Just the two of us,” you uttered, courageously staring into her wide eyes.

Gazing into each other’s eyes lasted for seconds or perhaps, years of ogling at your mind’s persistence. Eventually, you continued walking, internally losing your calm over the rare moment of bravery. It was unpredictably—one second you were staring into her ocean eyes, the next second you were distractedly moving closer to her without realising the reality seeping in your touch and it wasn’t another daydream consisting of her glorious self.

As you continue walking with your swirling thoughts, Kate was left stunned, still standing at the same spot and watching your form moving further away from her. Closing into her distance, Yelena was equally distracted from the flickering on her phone screen—a newly bought phone and her current obsession with its renowned functions—and she doesn’t notice her friend which resulted in her body bumping into the taller frame. Russian swears left her mouth as she scolds her friend.

But the archer doesn’t say a word of response. Did you really touch her skin and stare into her eyes with such intensity or was it just her imagination?

First clash of fist, the second failed attempt of cover, the third ruthlessly hit and Kate was left heaving on the rubber mat, hand clutching her stomach as she groans in agony. She didn’t expect for her years of surpassing others’ abilities, earning various medals, acing all her classes and owning a black belt—would serve no difference when compared to Yelena’s skill.

Their regular training and sparring were proven affective which supported by her mentor’s kind words; a grunt followed by a good. It wasn’t successful enough to overtake her tough opponent, despite her towering figure over a woman who’s much shorter than her. Ending up on the ground and rethinking her life became an occurrence. Former assassin or not, Kate holds on to her beliefs that Yelena was harbouring unexplainable power.

“Oh, come on, Kate Bishop! You can do so much better than that!” Yelena yelled, barely glistering of foul swear. Her eyes fringe with disgust when Kate muttered various excuses, most incoherent to understand when mixed with her heavy breathing.

And you entered the training room at that moment.

Habitually, a smile graces your face after witnessing Yelena struggling to help Kate. Relying on her bow and arrow wasn’t enough, which made her on-site combat training mandatory. Even you would admit that her level of combat, fully focusing on her sheer strength, wasn’t anywhere close to former assassin.

But that couldn’t stop you. It’s Kate.

“Switch?” you offered, and the instant mischievous grin appears on Yelena’s face when Kate excitedly agree, thanking you for saving her.

The first move was made by you with a shift swing of your fist, a cluttered kick from her and few dodges after—your body fell roughly on the rubber mat and Kate straddled your waist, hands pinning you down while a proud smile adorns your face. Victory floods her consciousness as she uttered the next words.

“It’s amazing being on top for once!” Kate cheered, exhaling and inhaling tiringly, but still overwhelmed with excitement.

You were completed at awed, “I’ll let you hold me down anytime,” you mumbled the confession, nudge from reality and nervousness was shoved down as you gaze at her.

Kate’s eyes seem to widen by the seconds, realisation casting over her senses when she gazes down at the sight of you beneath her. Hastily standing up, she almost falls from her rash reaction and takes few steps back, overlooking the churning in her stomach.

“Hmm, sure you won,” Yelena mocked, the bite of sarcasm was caught by you resulting with the instant glare at your blonde friend while the brunette—seemingly emerging from her consciousness, still pulsating from her first sparring win—shifts her attention to her friend. Rambles of their sparing matches continues while you were left in the same spot.

You clear your throat to obtain their attention, “Still here…”

Kate spurs with apologies from her distraction and immediately assisting you off the mat. Words fell from her mouth that you barely understand. On the other side, Yelena observes the scene playing out in front of her, eyebrow raised pointedly at you and you rapidly shake your head in response. Maybe this wasn’t your level of combat either.

“Good job, Kate,” you said, instantly making her stop rambling and staring at you, bewildered from your kind words. Again, your hand extend to firmly clasps her arm in your hand, “We should do this again.”

The archer, often flamboyant with her words, only nodded her head while her attention remains on you. Gentle features spread on your face, smile kind as your eyes, and the permanent carefulness touch of your hand. The initiated gestures swarm her mind, dismissing of everything—till her she remembers, the minutes before of your body beneath hers, the words that left her mouth and yours. When she was gleefully pinning you down.

You meet her eyes once more, offering a genuine smile at her then shoving your friend playfully. Yelena’s taunts were ignored as you walked away.

But the archer doesn’t realise your absent. Did she really win against you and you were admittedly pleasant about it too?

Azure sky spattered with cottony clouds in grey and white, different shapes and sizes. Summer announcing its presence with warmth and taste of fresh air. Friends and family unite across the grassy backyard. A comfortable bubble of life beyond their lethal occupations.

“I’m pretty sure that I can win against Clint,” Kate proudly affirmed, while squeezing more ketchup on her hotdog.

Yelena scrutinise her friend’s choice of condiment as she pointedly grasps her own bottle of hot sauce and pouring a generous amount on her double stacked hotdog. “Maybe, but I’m a very fast learner,” she smugly proclaimed.

You were observing their exchange curiously. Kate’s immeasurably craving to find herself in unnecessary trouble, either challenging Yelena or colliding with the enemy then having a conversation with them, as if there wasn’t a sign of danger.

“Okay Belova, I challenge you…”

And that’s exactly how you inevitably find yourself watching two friends curating dusky bows in their hands. Arrows dash across clear air, hitting straight into the brass target. Neither backing away from proving themselves better than the other.

“Y/n, please stop them,” Clint pleaded, his youngest son clinging to his leg while Laura shakes her head at the scene.

They, more than anyone else, know enough of the troublesome duo. Arguments of who’s better which were both endless and tiring, the ear-splitting howls to announce their victory or more so Yelena’s gracious wins and Kate’s disappointment casting a gloomy cloud over her head.

Natasha skilfully inserts herself into the conversation, her arm slings around your shoulder and playfully drags your body down. A teasing smile on her face when you tried mustering the courage to push her away, but Natasha is never not persistent.

“Yeah, go talk to your girlfriend,” she mocked and wiggles her eyebrows at you.

“It’s not funny,” you groaned, successfully pushing her away.

Yelena never outwardly said anything, besides her more than teasing looks between you and Kate—but Natasha, she wasn’t afraid of shouting it. You would had laughed, why wouldn’t you laugh at your constant failed attempts for Kate to notice you pass being her co-worker?

“Aw, are you blushing?” Natasha pinches your cheeks, pouting her lips as you huffed and push her from your space.

The only course of action was walking away from more teasing and bridging the frame of two friends arguing. In other circumstances, you wouldn’t put yourself in a quarrel between friends and not choosing sides is always the best choice.

But that wouldn’t stop you. It’s Kate.

Trying to obtain some sort of distraction or excuse to draw them way from their battle, your eyes catch the sight of an abandoned bow and arrow on the grassy ground.

“Hey, do you think this works like a cupid bow?” you questioned, switching gaze from the bow to meeting the archer’s eyes. “If I was to…” you raised the bow in your hand, aiming it for her heart.

Kate’s eyes widen immensely, sheer look of shock on her face as she struggling to utter a reply at your question.

Watching the screen from afar, Natasha smirks when her sister joins her side. “She isn’t as smooth as she thinks,” she nudges her head at your spurs of words.

“I know! Always trying to impress the girl, but never confessing her feelings,” Yelena groaned, stumping her feet as she sees your hands fumbling with the bow in your hand.

Kate wasn’t aware of her friend’s absent or acknowledging the previous argument, her attention far too occupied on you. “Maybe you should put that down,” she reaches to take the weapon away from you. “I don’t think you should…”

At that moment, any kind of common sense was melted by the sun’s flares—contrasting behind Kate, whooshing of dark brown hair that appears golden beneath the sun’s shine, the hues of her eyes seemingly pulling you into her closer, and the glimmer of such liveliness softening with her features. Why does that moment feel like a scene out of a movie?

The corners of Kate’s mouth stir at every word that left while you stand there, admiring her beauty as such unlikeness to grace your life. Realisation doesn’t dare touch your mind when Kate’s hands swiftly removes the bow from your hold and the gentle skims of her fingers wakes you from your daydream.

It was her and you, existing within the space of which the sun sings of summer’s ways. Birds chattering so happily in the distance, the wind singing a song so sweet as her, and you couldn’t look away from her. Fears gnaws at your chest that she might disappear if you do.

Mindlessly, your hand extends to the round of her cheeks, fingers brushing the wisps of hair from falling before her eyes and tucking those stands behind her ear. Your hand seems to linger, head leaning forward to admire the details of her face, birthmarks that lines to every part of her that you adore, and you swear, Kate was leaning forward too.

Suddenly, a scream erupts close by and Kate’s hand loses its grip on the bow. It almost lands on your feet, but it wouldn’t flash as much ache when compared to Kate hastily distancing herself from you.

And you looked away, everything appearing far more interesting than knowing what you were bound to do if not interrupted. The expression on Kate’s face when she pulled away was enough stop your heart from falling to her hands.

“Kate! Help me here!” Clint shouted, gesturing to the ground where toys were scattered, and she hurriedly runs to his direction.

You watch her leave you there. A complete swap scenery and the deep frown on your face as you lift your head and stared at the sky. Colours so bright and happy then gloomily shakes your head. Yelena offers a comforting smile when you meet her eyes and Natasha gestures for you to join them instead.

Kate didn’t know why her body jolted immediately with the need to answer her mentor’s request. Truthfully, she was perplexed by the abrupt touch of yours and how your eyes seem to buzz something in her heart. Every single time.

But she must had been dream too, had you really gazed into her eyes as if you were ready to kiss her like she wanted to?

Bullets pierced through walls, dust of destroyed structure fall around like snow, but bitter and murky. Screams melded around gunshot thuds, enemies crying and cursing, trying to bash another into success. The mission wasn’t that. From the second you found the important documents to Kate discovering a swarm of Hydra agents, and Yelena screaming at the heard of them marching towards your direction.

“Okay, can you guys chill for a minute!” Kate shouted, expertly shooting two agents within seconds. The arrow nestled behind her shaking at very rash movement.

Yelena swiftly pushes your body away from meeting the wave of bullets and you nodded your head at her, appreciating her quick action of saving you. While both of you and Yelena were equipped with years of training, both traumatising and efficient in crafting your skills—Kate wasn’t, nor has she encountered a mission that showers with bullets and endless threats.

You couldn’t help yourself from worrying. Despite your blonde’s friend reassurance—her clothes equally grimy as yours, and Kate’s dotting with blood, stress lines on faces and the obvious uncertainty—you couldn’t help but feel responsible. If anything were to happen in your presence, you wouldn’t forgive yourself.

The shooting continues, calls for backup hasn’t arrived and bullets almost empty while the enemies were towering with their overloaded barrels. An idea flashes across your mind in the form of an escape.

“Yelena, you and Kate get out through that window. There’s about two floors down, but you know what to do,” you pointed at the clear space where neither of the agents had crossed.

Kate’s head quickly turns to you, “But they’re firing and…”

Her friend nodded her head, “Sure. We should totally leave you here, right?” Yelena mocked, swiftly shooting several agents down then dunking her head back behind the pillar.

“We won’t leave you,” Kate countered, bumping into Yelena as she readily hides behind the same pillar.

You felt happy—the warmth that engulf your chest, a friend you love so and another who holds something far more passionate. A hug wouldn’t utter the amount of care you hold for them, or how you know those lies of being okay wouldn’t prove your safety.

“Trust me,” you tried and glance at your friend, “We need this information. Think about the ones we need to save,” you reminded them, sensing the conflict in their eyes before noticing the slight shift in Kate’s reaction as she nods her head.

The plan constructed in seconds and easy to execute. They would make a run for it and you would hold the enemy’s attention by running to the opposite side. Almost perfect, till bullets flew pass closer than you expected, grazing your skin then the next which easily cut through your suit and skin.

Kate doesn’t miss the sound of your cry when she looks over her shoulder, the sight of your body falling on the ground and her heart soaring. Yelena wasn’t sure of the abrupt halt till she follows her taller friend’s gaze, landing on your body trying to stand and defend yourself. What idea you had planted in their head was ignored immediately.

You felt someone hauling your body, dodging the bullet nearly piercing through your skin, and a blurry figure towering over you. Blinking hazily, you finally grasp the image of your saviour.

It’s Kate.

“You saved me,” you mumbled, eyes glazing over. “You are marvellous Kate Bishop.”

Yelena huffed, apprehending your attention when you shake your head with a blood smile. “I’m literally helping too, you know?” Do you see this?”

Kate flutters at the sound of your laughter amid chaos, and she cried when your coughed, blood seeping through your clothes and tainting her hands trying to press your wound, trying so hard to stop the blood from draining your body dry.

“You have always helped me, let me do that for once,” she whispered, her eyes darting at her blonde friend who seem equally afraid.

Kate has never seen Yelena like this—and it terrifies her to know the dire of consequences if they didn’t find a route of escape.

“You need to be okay, please be okay,” she begged, and you chuckle slithers through her ears and pulls at her heart.

“Help is here. Let’s go,” Yelena announced, hurriedly holding you up in replace with Kate covering you both. Grumbles left your blonde friend, threats of killing you with her bare hands if you ever decide to leave her with Kate.

Prayers were tumbling around Kate’s mind. Watching your eyes flutter close, mouth wavering at every hush word and slowly losing consciousness. She couldn’t lose hope for you when you were always so close to risking your life for her.

Blinding lights makes you close your eyes shut, probs behind your eyelids with explosion of colours and the stabbing pain scattered around your body. Trying again, you squint your eyes, turning your head right to catch the sight of dark hair sprawled near your hands and weight equally pressed there.

An itch scratches your throat as you cough, instantly waking the guest in your room.

“You’re awake!”

It’s Kate.

And you groaned, ushering her away or trying to explain how her voice was striking a massive headache.

But she doesn’t care, her hands graze your cheeks, thumb brushing across your skin and the pad of fingers tingles your skin, tapping every so lightly. As if—she was afraid of losing you, and quite frankly, watching your eyes growing duller by the seconds was enough to cloud her with fear.

Your faces were warm from the proximity as your hand reach for hers, right hand clasping securely around hers as she pulls both away from your face.

“I know,” she whispered, her fingers toys around yours, “Yelena told me about everything…” she claimed while you could raise your eyebrows in response. “Everything, Y/n.”

“That cyka,” you cursed, and she laughs, so wet and full, easily fitting your whole heart in her hands.

“I always assumed it was just me…thinking that— those moments were all here,” she pointed at her head, leaving a chill on your cheek where her hand last rest. “But then…” her gaze fall on your side where white bandage were streak with red. “I couldn’t…I didn’t want anything happening to you…and miss the chance of telling you how I feel which is…I really like you.”

You gesture for her to come closer which easily responded, “Kiss me, Kate Bishop.”

And question was met with an answer of lips.

Goosebumps erupt over your body when she bridges the space, her lips melding with yours, and you felt the curves of her lips. Kate was smiling and so were you.

You were kissing her softly, and Kate held herself from deepening it—but you, she was completely infatuated, her hand grasping your face and body swiftly climbing on the bed, her legs straddling you while your hands hold her waist.

It was perfect. So sweet. Just everything that breaths of life—

Then you groaned, the sound reverberating through joined mouth. Kate’s hand forces your body to whimper when meet with your wounded side.

“I’m sorry!” she apologises, hurriedly tries moving away without causing more pain, but you stop her with a grin. “Are you okay?”

Nodding your head, your hands reaches for her face and pulling her into searing kiss. Pouring your heart’s promises and allowing yourself the chance of love—with her. Even when silence grazes the surface of your heart’s humming and hers, body cuddling to your side that wasn’t heavily wounded, you face beams with joy.

“Remember the tracksuit mission? My trick arrow worked, right?” Kate’s asked, curiosity meeting your cheek with a warm kiss and your throat of a soft laugh.

It’s Kate and—you love everything about her. And when Kate looks at you, she knows enough that love is real.

#kate bishop x reader #kate bishop x you #kate bishop imagine

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venomizedstar · 1 year

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SO, I noticed I don’t explained the Ordem Paranormal Classes so... I’m going to explain now!

Classes are a series of playstyles created and introduced in the AOP series. They were introduced in Ordem Paranormal: Desconjuração under the name Archetypes as routes to building your character's style in both investigation and battle, granting abilities and skill bonuses as rewards.

In Ordem Paranormal: Calamidade, the definitive name became Classes, with the addition of subclasses known as Paths, which in a creative way, change the way the player can use their abilities to survive in the universe.

Theres three classes: Combatente/Combatant, Especialista/Specialist and Ocultista/ Occultist.

Combatente: An expert in bladed weapons and guns, this kind of agent serves as the front line in fight against the Other Side.

The paths are:

Aniquilador/Annihilator: Trained to take down targets with efficiency and speed. Their weapons are their best friends and they take care of them as well as their teammates. Maybe even better;

Guerreiro/Warrior: They’re trained your musculature and movements to the point of turning their body into a true weapon. With melee strikes as powerful as a bullet, they face danger head-on;

Comandante de Campo/Field Commander: Without a commander, a battle is nothing more than a pub brawl. They are trained to coordinate and assist their companions in combat, making quick decisions and taking best advantage of their allies' situation and talent;

Operações Especiais/Special Operations: They are effective fighters. Their actions are calculated and optimized, always anticipating enemy movements and positioning themselves in the most intelligent way on the battlefield;

Tropa de Choque/Riot Police: They're a tough one. They have trained their body to withstand physical trauma, making it virtually unbreakable, and so they are not afraid to place themselves between their allies and danger.

Especialista: With knowledge, cleverness and smoothness, this agent is focused on solving different problems.

The paths are:

Atirador de Elite/Sniper: One shot one kill. Unlike combatants, they are adept at neutralizing threats from afar, ending a fight before it even starts. They treat their weapon like a precision tool, being able to perform incredible feats;

Infiltrador/Infiltrator: They are experts in infiltration and know how to neutralize unsuspecting targets without causing a fuss. Combining acrobatic talent, manual dexterity and technical knowledge they are able to overcome any defensive barrier, even when the mission seems impossible;

Médico de Campo/Field Doctor: They are trained in first aid and emergency treatment techniques, making they a valuable member of any agent group. Unlike conventional healthcare professionals, they are used to the battlefield and know how to make quick decisions in the midst of chaos;

Negociador/Negotiator: They are skilled diplomats and can influence others, whether through smooth talk or intimidation. Their ability to quickly and efficiently assess situations can get the group out of trouble that even the most powerful of weapons could not solve;

Técnico/Technitian: Their main skill is the maintenance and repair of the valuable equipment that their team carries on a mission. They technical knowledge also allows them to improvise tools with whatever they has at hand and sabotage the items used by his enemies.

Ocultista: A scholar of the paranormal, who seeks to understand the mysteries of the elements and use them to his advantage.

The paths are:

Conduíte/Conduit: They master the fundamental aspects of ritual casting and are able to increase the range and speed of their spellcasting. As their connection to paranormal entities increases, they become able to interfere with other occultists' rituals;

Flagelador/Scourger: Pain is a powerful paranormal catalyst, and they've learned to turn it into power for their rituals. When they becomes especially powerful, they are able to use the pain and suffering of their enemies as an instrument of his occult rituals;

Graduado/Graduate: They focus their studies on becoming a versatile and powerful spellcaster, knowing more rituals than other occultists and being able to make them more difficult to resist. Their goal is to unlock and master the secrets of the Other Side, no matter what the cost.

Intuitivo/Intuitive: Just as combatants train their bodies to withstand physical trauma, they prepare their minds to withstand the effects of the Other Side. Their focus and willpower allow them to expand the limits of their paranormal abilities.

Lâmina Paranormal/Paranormal Blade: Some occultists prefer to stay shut in their libraries studying books and rituals. Others prefer to investigate paranormal phenomena at their source. They prefer to use the paranormal as a weapon. They learned and mastered fighting techniques by blending their spellcasting skills with their combat capabilities.

Theres more paths for each class, but since are just some people who have the access to them, and I am not one of them, I can't explain now

Elementos | Teams | O Segredo na Ilha

#QSMP #Ordem Paranormal

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artichokefunction · 3 months

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the handler is currently talking to the client, about gender or whatever. you're not paying them that much attention right now, you got what you needed to know, you think. the client is currently at moderately high risk, which is why the handler gave you access to the live security cam footage, and the client is a celebrity or influencer or something, one of them types, which is why this meeting is happening at a fancy restaurant that does their own brewing and has fancy food-based art displays on the walls, and a few hanging from the ceiling as lamps. you don't feel like disguising as a civilian right now, so you're in the truck, watching the footage. the handler is good at disguising. today her braids are a very ordinary blonde, up in a bun, and he's laughing like he does when he hangs out with her friends. her human friends. you're a human, technically. whatever. you keep an eye on the crowd.

someone just entered the shop, and they're only a little bit suspicious. until their eyes lock on to your table. you see the way their hand goes to their pockets, briefly, before they remember they're undercover or whatever. you're out of the truck already. the parking lot is just behind the, uhh, beer garden? you think that's what it's called. you hop the fence and slip through the back door and are at your human's table just in time to flip it on its side and pull them behind it. you don't have time to get them out the back door with you, the target has opened fire. you need to return fire. the humans in here - all of them - have gotten loud. hrmm.

you reach over to hold Fig's hand as the agent pulls up its pant leg to retrieve the handgun it keeps in its calf, in the space between the artificial muscle and bone. Fig has started to hyperventilate. that's not ideal. you keep your voice low, and you try to tell them that the situation is under control, that they'll be okay. the agent fumbles at its arm for a handful of bullets, and then it loads its gun with a few smooth and practiced motions. it straightens up to open fire on the attacker, and you rub circles into Fig's hand with your thumb. it's weird, working with someone who isn't used to this. makes it more stressful. you keep talking to them, quiet as you can. you think you're doing an okay job at being comforting? you hope you are. you hear a particularly loud bang from just above you and they instinctually grab at you, pulling you closer. turns out that was a good move.

man, fuck this guy. he shot at one of those big fancy lampthings above your human's table. that was sort of smart. you weren't expecting it. you panic, a little bit, and end up throwing yourself into it, shoulder first. it lands just out of range to do your humans any damage, but the guy got some free shots at your back and side in the process. you're mad now. you shoot him in the hand, and the shin, and the thigh. he fumbles his gun, and it falls to the floor. that's all you needed. time to get out of here. you reach down and grab the handlers shoulder, briefly, to draw her attention, and then you point out the back door. emphatically. we need to go. the handler gets the client up and on their feet, eventually, and you keep your gun trained on the attacker. he doesnt try anything. he doesn't even notice you're still pointing a gun at him, he's busy with his thigh wound. killing in public is ill-advised, which is why you aren't doing it. one of the other humans in this building is on call with an ambulance, or the cops, more likely. finally, finally, your humans are moving out the back door, and you follow, making sure they don't get ambushed. the handler opens the back gate easily [you didn't know it opened that easily. you didn't have time anyways it's fine] and the three of you load into the van, because the client walked here and also theyre still panicking. and you wouldn't be able to help with that and the handler needs to drive. so the client is in your seat, and you're in the back, by the operating table. and it's fine. it's fine. they're in your seat and it's fine. there are splinters in your shoulder that you didn't notice earlier. but you don't remember which drawer the tweezers would be in. and the road has lots of sharp turns, you don't want to mess anything up with your shaky hands. your hands are shaky. you can hear them talking in the front, in quiet shaky voices like humans who just endured something traumatic. you don't really want to be able to hear them. you have a music player back here, you remember where. you pull up something loud and shapeless and think about that for the rest of the trip.

---

you are finally, finally, finally back in your own house. and despite how paranoid you've been lately, you feel pretty safe, because there are two assassins sitting on your living room floor. Grenadine - no wait, sorry, the handler - is pulling small bloody shards of wood and glass out of their agent's back. they're leaving the pieces in a little plastic tray on the floor next to them. the agent has taken its shirt and jacket off, and it's [it, right? not they? yeah it] it's just sitting quietly, eyes closed. its chest is littered with small scars, and with bigger patches of skin that don't quite look like scar tissue? they look like something else. you're not really sure what. its shoulders are broader then you'd expect for someone with top scars, faint as they are. you're staring. you've been staring. fuck. you finish what you went to the kitchen to do, putting a frozen pizza in the oven and making some hot chocolate, for you and your guests. you put a metal straw in each cup, because you have them and they're fun. you try to carry the three mugs out to the living room, and then you decide to be smart instead and just make two trips instead of spilling all over your carpet. the handler thanks you quietly. ah, quiet mode. okay. you grab your mug and sit on the couch, trying to give them some space. the mug is warm in your hands, it's helping you calm down.

you check your phone, in case anything important happened. ah. you were the important thing that happened. you get shown four different photos of you at the restaurant and decide you don't want to see any more. you switch to the music app, and play something quiet and calm and backgroundy on the TV speakers. it has lyrics but they're soft enough that you think your guests won't mind. your guests are taking a hot chocolate break. the agent takes its mask halfway off, and underneath it has a shiny metal jaw, like a proper cyborg. it doesn't really seem to have a lower lip to speak of. it uses the straw.

the handler puts her mug down, and puts her hand on the agents shoulder, rubbing small circles with their thumb. the agent puts its mug down and lies its hands flat on the ground, and the handler gets to work pulling out bullets. you don't watch that too closely, but you do find out what the not-scar skin is, it's fake, it covers up patches of cyborg machinery inside it. that's - that icks you out for some reason. makes you feel weird in your skin. you get up to check on the pizza. it's done. you cut it up and bring it out. you put it on the little table next to the couch, and you grab a slice, and you sit down. it's not long until those two are done. with one arm around it's shoulders, the handler gets the agent to move to the couch. it's sat next to her and she's sat next to you. it's very quiet in here, somehow, even with the music. you hazard a question.

[...Will it be okay?]

[oh, yes, no doubts there. it's already asleep, see.]

and it is asleep, injured shoulder pressed gently into its partner's side, face wrinkled up in what could be focus, could be distress. you're not really sure.

[will you be okay?]

[Yeah... yeah.]

they give you a look when you say that.

[do you want to talk about it?]

you breathe a long, drawn out sigh. [Sure.]

and the two of you fall into a quiet, earnest conversation. she's easy to talk to. she's nice. the faint sound of her partner breathing matches the rhythm of the song playing. it makes breathing feel easier for you, as well.

#[fiction]#[category: the agent & the handler]#blood #guns #injury

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jaspers47 · 1 year

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I watched 154 movies in 2022

Five Stars

Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood (2022) Bergman Island (2021) Blonde Crazy (1931) Blow-Up (1966) Cryptozoo (2021) Decision to Leave (2022) Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) Glass Onion (2022) The Hunger (1983) It Came from Hollywood (1982) Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (2022) Minari (2020) Mona Lisa (1986) Never Let Me Go (2010) Night on Earth (1991) Nope (2022) Pearl (2022) Tár (2022) Turning Red (2022) Wolfwalkers (2020) The Worst Person in the World (2021)

Four Stars

Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn (2021) The Banshees of Inisherin (2022) Black Swan (2010) Blackmail (1929) Bullet Train (2022) Captain Blood (1935) Christmas in Connecticut (1945) CODA (2021) Confess, Fletch (2022) Doctor Sleep (2019) Dune (2021) Encanto (2021) The Fabelmans (2022) The Firemen's Ball (1967) First Blood (1982) Five Came Back (1939) Flee (2021) Gentleman's Agreement (1947) Gilda (1946) The Gospel of Eureka (2018) Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio (2022) Harvey (1950) House/Hausu (1977) The Hustler (1961) Hustlers (2019) Kajillionaire (2020) The Killing (1956) Kimi (2022) Kiss of Death (1947) The Menu (2022) Moonwalker (1988) The Mouse That Roared (1959) My Dinner with Andre (1981) The Northman (2022) Parallel Mothers (2021) The Personal History of David Copperfield (2019) Predator (1987) Prey (2022) The Punk Singer (2013) Quatermass II/Enemy From Space (1957) Relaxer (2018) Saint Maud (2019) The Seven-Ups (1973) Thelma (2017) Watcher (2022) We're All Going to the World's Fair (2022) Wristcutters: A Love Story (2006) X (2022)

Three and a Half Stars

The Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926) The Bob's Burgers Movie (2022) The Booksellers (2019) Blade II (2002) Gunpowder Milkshake (2021) Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul (2022) Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964) My Name is Julia Ross (1945) Onibaba (1964) The Party (1968) Pygmalion (1938) The Quatermass Xperiment/The Creeping Unknown (1955) The Song Remains the Same (1976) Three Thousand Years of Longing (2022) Wendell & Wild (2022) Yours, Mine and Ours (1968)

Three Stars

Amistad (1997) The Bank Dick (1940) The Batman (2022) Cha Cha Real Smooth (2022) Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) Cries and Whispers (1972) Crimes of the Future (2022) Drive My Car (2021) The Earrings of Madame de... (1953) Emily the Criminal (2022) The Funhouse (1981) Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) Inland Empire (2006) Jennifer's Body (2009) Jubilee (1978) Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains (1982) Life of Pi (2012) Linda Linda Linda (2005) Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938) Lucy and Desi (2022) Nobody (2021) Opening Night (1977) Pretending I'm a Superman: The Tony Hawk Video Game Story (2020) Repeat Performance (1947) See How They Run (2022) Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983) Strawberry Mansion (2022) Tick, Tick... Boom! (2021) The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021) A Woman is a Woman (1961) Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022) Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995) White Zombie (1932) WNUF Halloween Special (2013)

Two and a Half Stars

Babylon (2022) Crock of Gold: A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan (2020) Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood (2017) Thunderball (1965)

Two Stars

Doctor Mordrid (1992) Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) Enchanted (2007) Hardcore Henry (2015) The House (2022) My Fair Lady (1964) My Name is Emily (2015) The Princess (2022) Raya and the Last Dragon (2021) Rosaline (2022) Strange World (2022) Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) Treasure of the Amazon (1985) Werewolves Within (2021) Willy's Wonderland (2021) Winnie the Pooh (2011)

One Star

Beyond Atlantis (1973) Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers (2022) Chuck E. Cheese in the Galaxy 5000 (1999) The Crawling Hand (1963) Daddy-O (1958) Demon Squad (1999) Hello Again (1987) Indestructible Man (1956) Munchie (1992) Operation Kid Brother (1967) The Rebel Set (1959) Santo in the Treasure of Dracula (1969) Robot Jox 2: Robot Wars (1993) Shadow in the Cloud (2020) The She-Creature (1956)

#Movies #Lists

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iamthekaijuking · 2 years

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Creation of the organic wheel and origin of antigravity racing in the guardian society

The transition to biotechnology happened very early in the history of the Guardian Society and the switch was rather quick, but that doesn’t mean that it wasn’t without issues. Switching over to only using living technology was a task that brought with it many challenges that even the genetic engineering expertise of the now reformed Elder Things had trouble solving. And one of those issues was the matter of transportation.

Early biotech vehicles relied on limbs and mollusk-like muscle beds to get around, and while this was and still is a perfectly viable method of vehicle locomotion for various terrains, it had issues with reaching incredible speeds, staying fast efficiently, and remaining a smooth ride. Flight was a solution, but not a one size fits all one, and early flying biotech had its own issues too.

Which meant the most viable solution at the time was making an organic wheel. The amount of failed prototypes is too long to list here, but when a new guardian joined the civilization, their anatomy held the answer.

(I initially wanted to illustrate said guardian but they were based off Rollcage/Grip vehicles so the immense struggle to find an angle that showed off their body and wheels equally resulted in me just giving up)

At the end of each limb was two shells pinning tread-like plates into groves in the shells that they slid along, pushed by the muscle bed underneath that the shells were attached to.

Bioengineers were able to reverse engineer this quirk of the guardian’s anatomy, which resulted in the phenotypic trait still used today in wheeled biotech several billion years later. Different variants exist, with different kinds of slide plate shapes for specific terrain and some using muscle pushing or tentacle pulling to move the plates. And instead of having to manually replace broken wheels, flesh would grow in between and connect all the moving parts, grow and replace or repair broken parts, and then recede and disconnect allowing for the sliding movements to begin again.

This was a huge technological victory, albeit a short lived one as more guardians started coming in to populate the civilization. Which meant that significant infrastructure changes had to be made. The solution was to build guardian specific infrastructure first, and then build non-guardian infrastructure around or into buildings meant for guardians and protect most of them with plasma forcefields just in case the occasional clumsy guardian tripped and fell. Another victory, but one that meant that wheeled vehicle biotech was an unviable method of transportation for non-guardians due to all the guardians walking around. A subway system was put in place, and this became how the vast majority of the non-guardian population got from building to building. While wheels were attempted to be put into the genome of public transportation, repeated wear of the subway flesh tunnels caused by the wheels as well as public attachment to the more centipede-like look meant that wheeled public transport never really took off.

It didn’t mean that bioengineers didn’t try to make public transportation faster though. The creation of organic gravitational magnets would theoretically allow public transport to rocket along magnetized tracks at several hundred miles an hour like a bullet train. Unfortunately this turned out to be an incredibly dumb idea as the tight turns subway flesh tunnels took as they winded around guardian buildings meant that passengers would get thrown around at every curve. So the limbed method of movement for public transportation stayed.

That didn’t mean that antigrav vehicle technology was abandoned though, as it still has a wide arrange of uses outside of public transportation. The most notable of which is the usage of it as a sport. Antigravity racing is a sport where non-guardians operate biotech that literally rocket around massive magnetized racetracks, and it’s one of the most popular sports in the civilization.

Early ships were entirely customizable through zooids but as more and more and more guardians appeared (the two above also helped solve biotech spacecraft issues similar to the wheel guardian) it was realized that certain body plans were clearly better, and having interchangeable parts and not a streamlined body held a lot of vehicles back from their upper speed limit. As this new meta was realized, zooid racing became less popular but still exists billions of years later in the form of art racing.

(Some of the more efficient, non-zooid body plans)

#enjoy the shitty vehicle art #guardianverse #guardian society #biotechnology #biotech #fleshpunk #I’ve imagined antigravity racing in the guardian society long before I started playing Redout2

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uswanth123 · 2 months

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SAP SUCCESSFACTORS MODULES OVERVIEW PPT

Blog Title: SAP SuccessFactors: A Modular Guide to Cloud-Based HCM Excellence

Introduction

Cloud-based solutions are taking center stage in the ever-evolving world of Human Capital Management (HCM). SAP SuccessFactors is a frontrunner in this space, offering a comprehensive suite of modules that revolutionize how businesses manage their most crucial asset: their people. This blog post, together with a supporting PPT presentation, will explore SAP SuccessFactors’ core modules and explain the key functions and benefits of each.

PPT Slide Breakdown

Slide 1: SAP SuccessFactors – Transforming the World of HCM

Key Points:

Define what SAP SuccessFactors is as a cloud-based HCM solution

Highlight its modular design for flexibility in building an HCM system

Emphasize the advantages of operating in the cloud (scalability, speed, accessibility)

Slide 2: Employee Central – The Backbone of HCM

Key Points

Explain the role of Employee Central as the foundation for HR data.

Core functionalities: Personal data, organizational structures, time and attendance, basic payroll (note that complete payroll often has a separate module/integration)

Slide 3: Performance & Goals – Aligning People with Objectives

Key Points

Continuous performance management vs. annual reviews

Goal setting, cascading goals, and alignment with company strategy

360-degree feedback and development planning features

Slide 4: Compensation – Strategic Rewards Management

Key Points

Compensation planning and budgeting

Variable pay and bonus management

Integration with performance data and market benchmarks

Slide 5: Recruitment & Onboarding – Attracting and Welcoming Talent

Key Points

Attracting top talent (branding, job postings, social recruiting)

Streamlined applicant tracking and selection processes

Smooth onboarding experiences for greater engagement and retention

Slide 6: Learning – Cultivating Knowledge and Skills

Key Points

Diverse course catalogs and content personalization

Skills gap analysis and targeted development paths

Learning Management System (LMS) capabilities for tracking and compliance

Slide 7: Succession & Development – Building the Next Workforce

Key Points

Identifying high-potential talent

Succession planning and career pathing

Leadership development programs and mentoring

Slide 8: Additional Modules (with summaries of each)

Key Points

Workforce Analytics & Reporting

Workforce Planning

SAP Jam (Collaboration)

Slide 9: Why SAP SuccessFactors?

Key Points

User-friendly interface and enhanced employee experience

Data-driven HR decision-making and insights

Real-time updates and adaptability

Integration with other SAP solutions

Slide 10: The Future of HCM with SAP SuccessFactors

Key Points

Continued innovation and AI integration

Increased emphasis on personalization and employee-centricity

Focus on predictive analytics

Conclusion

This blog post and the accompanying PPT presentation offer a starting point for understanding the breadth of SAP SuccessFactors. Its modularity allows organizations to tailor their HCM system to their specific needs. By embracing the power of SAP SuccessFactors, businesses can unlock the potential of their workforce and pave the way for lasting success.

Important Notes:

Visuals are essential! Make your PPT visually appealing with images, diagrams, and graphics.

Each slide deserves more explanation than what is provided here. These are the bullet points to guide you.

Consider including case studies or real-world implementation examples to illustrate the value of SAP SuccessFactors.

youtube

You can find more information about SAP Successfactors in this SAP Successfactors Link

Conclusion:

Unogeeks is the No.1 IT Training Institute for SAP Training. Anyone Disagree? Please drop in a comment

You can check out our other latest blogs on SAP Successfactors here - SAP Successfactors Blogs

You can check out our Best In Class SAP Successfactors Details here - SAP Successfactors Training

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For Training inquiries:

Call/Whatsapp: +91 73960 33555

Mail us at: [email protected]

Our Website ➜ https://unogeeks.com

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#unogeeks #education #youtube #unogeekstraining #ittraining #Youtube

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jcmarchi · 2 months

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Contra: Operation Galuga Review - Finding A Way Forward - Game Informer

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/contra-operation-galuga-review-finding-a-way-forward-game-informer/

Contra: Operation Galuga Review - Finding A Way Forward - Game Informer

Once a tentpole franchise in the popular run-and-gun subgenre of action games, Contra has experienced a stark downturn in recent decades. Konami’s (mostly) side-scrolling shooter franchise has often gone long stretches without a release, and the games that have come out in recent years range from middling to downright bad. With Contra: Operation Galuga, Konami taps renowned retro-style developer WayForward, best known for its work on the Shantae series, to bring the once-renowned series back to its roots. While far from a one-to-one remake, Contra: Operation Galuga effectively captures the spirit of the original game while modernizing just enough to make for an exciting, albeit short, adventure.

The core conceits of the original Contra carry forward into this modern reimagining. Smooth platforming, solid 2D gunplay, and a wealth of power-ups are at your disposal as you take on a tough-as-nails campaign consisting of eight missions. The spread gun power-up remains extremely effective, but I adored blasting through hordes of enemies with items like the flamethrower, heat-seeking missiles, and lasers. Operation Galuga ups the ante by allowing you to stack power-ups, meaning the upgrade becomes more potent if you gather duplicate power-ups. On top of that, if you find your back against the wall or you’re about to pick up a new power-up, you can sacrifice your existing weapon to unleash a powerful Overload ability. These ultimate-style abilities provide aid in the form of additions like drones, shields, and clusters of attacks. I loved balancing the risk and reward of maximizing damage and effectiveness in tough combat scenarios.

[embedded content]

WayForward proves supremely capable of delivering stellar gameplay and strong level design within the confines of the established classic Contra games. By using the original levels more as guides than slavishly adhering to their layouts, WayForward competently injects big setpiece moments late ’80s technology could only dream of. Though the initial level and the ascent up a waterfall hold a special place in my heart due to nostalgia, I most enjoyed when WayForward added elements like a hoverbike to the base mission, or inserting a train into the ice level. Though there are only eight missions in Story Mode, these different formats go a long way to diversifying the experience, as do the multiple unlockable characters, each with unique special abilities. However, I am disappointed in the lack of 3D-style shooting gallery levels that were so iconic in the original NES game.

Additional enemy types, bosses, and areas to explore pad out the stages, and unless you hone your skills, it will be an uphill battle to get through Story Mode. While the term “bullet hell” wasn’t yet coined when Contra hit the NES in 1988, that term can retroactively be applied to certain sequences of that title. Those same sections have been reimagined and easily earn that designation in Operation Galuga. On various occasions, it took me multiple attempts to understand what I even needed to do to push through a difficult situation and, even more still, to execute the plan. True to its source material, Operation Galuga is a hard game.

Thankfully, you can adjust the difficulty in a couple of ways to make it more approachable. In both Story and Arcade Mode, you can choose a difficulty setting and decide if you’d rather have your character operate on the one-hit kill style of the original game or if you want HP associated with each life. These modernizations drastically improve the experience, though don’t expect these settings to make the missions a walk in the park.

These settings also don’t impact the aptly named Challenge Mode, which gives you 30 bite-sized objectives to complete. You can try your hand at speedrun, survival, boss battle, and weapon-specific challenges, but outside of the initial attempts, I never felt compelled to return to these. Arcade Mode offers a similar experience to that of Story Mode, but minus the superfluous cutscenes and narrative character restrictions. You can also play Arcade Mode in four-player co-op instead of the two-player limit in Story.

All these activities reward you with credits, which are used to buy perks from the in-game shop. These equippable boosts offer upgrades like additional HP, extra lives, new characters in Arcade Mode, and even bonuses like additional soundtracks and a fast-paced Speedrun Mode. Unfortunately, the perks are expensive, and I grew tired of farming credits long before I reached the amount I needed for the perks I was eyeing. Even entering the famous Konami Code just adds an expensive, purchasable perk in the shop.

Though the stages are much longer than their original forms, sometimes clocking in at around 15 minutes, playing through Story Mode only takes a couple of hours. Still, Contra: Operation Galuga packs a whole lot of action into those hours. When you add the more flexible Arcade Mode and difficult Challenge Mode, Operation Galuga is an admirable modernized reimagining of one of the most influential games of the late ’80s.

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aangelinakii · 1 year

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THE SWAP

in which black cat makes the swap

chapter : two

character : tangerine

fandom : bullet train

song : zanzibar , billy joel

date : 17th june 2023

as the woman boarded the shinkansen, passengers talked amongst each other as they packed away overhead luggage and marched around to find their seats. she looked down at her ticket; carriage 3, seat 2e. she glanced up, scanning the purgatory between cabin one and two that she stood in. a couple stood next to her, conversing quietly to each other in japanese as they shoved their carry-on luggage into the baggage storage along with the other bags and suitcases and whatnot. black cat offered them a smile before shrugging off her coat and folding it over her arm, strategically covering the silver briefcase she held so closely to her body. if the owners of the real silver case were on this train, she would be foolish to wave around an identical decoy in plain sight.

she stepped through into the second carriage, ticket sat between her index and middle finger as she passed passengers already getting comfortable in their seats.

a much shorter male, dressed in the ticket conductor's uniform, appeared before her, asking to see her ticket. black cat presented the slick piece of white paper, allowing the man to look it over a couple times before he offered a small welcoming smile and stepped to the side. "have a nice trip," he said in broken english, though his confidence shone through, and black cat stepped past him.

black cat lingered in the passing period between carriages two and three for the remaining few passengers to finish packing their luggage into the storage, and to leave the compartment to find their seats.

once the compartment was empty, and she knew the restroom behind her was empty, black cat approached the baggage storage, stacked almost to the brim with various bags and suitcases. she crouched down, placing her decoy briefcase on the floor in front of her as she began to sift through the luggage for an identical case. come on... where was that blue train sticker?

and then she saw it.

the woman emitted a soft gasp when she spotted the silver glint in the overhead lighting, and the blue sticker she'd been keeping an eye out for. she grasped the handle and pulled it carefully out from the back, so as to not disturb the resting places of the other bags.

when she placed it on the floor in front of her, beside the decoy, her eyes widened. if she didn't know any better, she could've mixed them up. whoever this contact of hers was, they'd seemed to have studied the real case as a cat studies the birds outside, or as a student studies the content they need to know for their exams. the silver cases were identical, from the way they shone in the calm shinkansen lighting, to the placement of the blue train sticker stuck on the handle, and to the lock combination.

black cat took hold of the decoy briefcase from either side, and pushed it into place where the real one had priorly been. just for safe measures, she pushed it back a little further with her finger, so it sat more snug between the rest of the luggage, and she pulled away from the scene.

she took hold of the true case and hid it under the cover of her brown overcoat, folded over her arm, and set foot into carriage 3; the place she needed to be.

however, as she scanned the carriage for her seat – 2e, if you needed a reminder – it dawned upon her that, if the briefcase had been stored away in the limbo between compartments two and three, that the owner of it would be in very close proximity whilst she was in her new ownership of their briefcase. and now she promised herself to take extra caution as she sauntered down the aisle, to the double-seater which was apparently home to seats 1 and 2 e.

once she'd sat down, she carefully placed the briefcase in the adjacent seat, the window seat, and then situated her long coat on top of it, so that it sat as naturally as possible.

with a smile, black cat reached inside one of the pockets of her coat and pulled out the snacks she'd taken so long to pick out.

CRASH! glass bottles rattled together, the liquid squirming inside each like a hurricane had struck. a couple crisp packets fell to the floor. passengers gasped as they rose from their seats out of curiosity and mild panic. black cat gasped and her head shot around.

beside her, where the snack trolley lady was making her way down the aisle, a shaggy tall man had bumped into her, causing quite the ruckus.

"bloody fuckin' hell, do you mind?" black cat overheard the cockney voice of a young man. when she craned her neck around further to find the source, she saw the same two men she recognised from the station, sitting diagonally behind her in one of the larger four-seaters.

they both sat glaring at the shaggy man, who was rubbing his shin whilst muttering japanese apologies to the trolley lady. the two bowed at each other before the man carried on his way down the train with his head hung low to hide his embarrassment, and his pace had slowed down in order to avoid another situation like that again.

once she'd patted down her navy uniform skirt, the blonde trolley lady turned to black cat, plastering on her shiny commercial smile. she uttered some words in japanese, which black cat didn't understand, although gesturing to the snacks on her trolley – and she was competent enough to understand what she was asking. "oh, no, i'm okay," black cat smiled in return, holding up her pack of pocky to show the lady she already had some food and wouldn't be needing any of hers. the kind lady smiled and continued down the aisle.

and so, now with that commotion finished with, black cat took it upon herself to open up her pack of pocky, so she could enjoy her to-be short-lived shinkansen journey.

according to the map tucked into the back of the seat in front of her, which she'd pulled out the inspect, the first stop would be shinagawa station, and with the train's high speed levels, it was supposed to take roughly ten minutes to reach it. black cat glanced over at her coat, bundled up on top of the briefcase, and exhaled softly. she had a feeling this mission would go smoothly.

#matchajhoney #smooth operator bullet train #smooth operator matchajhoney #bullet train #tangerine bullet train #tangerine imagines #tangerine #tangerine x reader #bullet train imagines

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dnrtransfer · 4 months

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elevator388 · 4 months

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Taking a Sideways Step: Exploring the World of Horizontal Elevators

Forget vertical journeys, the future of elevators is moving sideways! While traditional elevators ascend and descend, horizontal elevators, also known as sideways elevators, are changing the game by traversing horizontally across buildings. This innovative technology opens up a world of possibilities for architects, engineers, and anyone seeking unique and efficient transportation solutions.

Breaking the Vertical Mold:

Traditional elevators are limited by their vertical movement, restricting their use in specific contexts. Sideways elevators break this mold by traveling laterally, connecting floors, wings, or even different buildings on the same level. This allows for:

Enhanced Space Utilization: By eliminating dedicated elevator shafts, sideways elevators free up valuable vertical space for additional floors, amenities, or even green spaces.

Improved Building Design: They offer greater flexibility in building layouts, enabling architecturally stunning designs that wouldn't be possible with conventional elevators.

Increased Connectivity: They seamlessly connect different sections of a building, streamlining pedestrian flow and improving accessibility.

Know more about lift mechanisms

Unveiling the Mechanisms:

There are two main technologies powering sideways elevators:

Linear Motors: Similar to bullet trains, these elevators use magnetic levitation technology to propel cabins silently and efficiently along horizontal tracks. This method offers smooth, comfortable rides and high energy efficiency.

Wheeled Systems: Some models operate on wheels guided by rails within a horizontal shaft. This method is slightly less complex but may generate more noise than linear motors.

Beyond Imagination: Applications and Benefits:

Sideways elevators aren't just futuristic concepts; they're already making waves in various applications:

Airports: Connecting terminals for smoother passenger flow and baggage transportation.

Hospitals: Efficiently transport patients and medical equipment across departments.

High-rise Buildings: Offering panoramic views and connecting sky gardens or observation decks.

Urban Transportation: Serving as horizontal links in multi-level transportation hubs.

Beyond functionality, sideways elevators boast several additional benefits:

Reduced Construction Costs: By requiring less shaft space, they can offer cost savings compared to traditional elevators.

Environmentally Friendly: Linear motor technology often consumes less energy than conventional elevators.

Unique Passenger Experience: Offering panoramic views and a novel travel experience, they can become a building's signature feature.

A Glimpse into the Future:

While still in their early stages, sideways elevators hold immense potential. As technology advances and costs decrease, we can expect wider adoption across various sectors. Imagine entire cityscapes connected by a network of these futuristic contraptions, transforming the way we move and interact with our built environment.

The future of transportation is looking sideways, and it's an exciting journey we're all about to embark on. So, fasten your seatbelts and get ready for a ride unlike any other!

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mitigatingacademics · 8 months

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{9.30.23}

I don't trust the folks @ ARB who call out coverage for vacations and mark-offs.

I have my reasons.

Last Tuesday, one of my nights off, co-worker was on vacation...and a different co-worker ended up working by herself.

Not because there wasn't anyone available to cover, but just because ARB failed to call it out the way they're supposed to.

This morning, around 9am, I called ARB to confirm that they had assigned someone to cover the 10:30pm shift.

I was going to be unhappy if they hadn't, but if I was going to be working alone, at least I'd know to come in early (my shift starts at 11:00pm) and get the place open on time, etc.

ARB assured me that a specific co-worker had been assigned.

Fantastic.

I went home and went about my life.

I had a bad feeling, though. IYKYK.

Make my way into the station at 10:40pm (my regular 20 minutes before assigned start time to get myself together) and guess what? 😡😡😡

Called ARB to question why I had been lied to.

ARB tells me that assigned co-worker had been re-assigned to a different station for the next 2 nights (for the record I don't blame her at all, coverage folks just go where they're told!)...and the ARB worker who assured me I'd have coverage that morning was the one that re-assigned my missing co-worker.

"We blanked co-worker-B's job," ARB-M tells me. "Why isn't co-worker-P there?"

...because he's on vacation.

Which they had to know as they'd actually managed to cover the past 2 nights. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Boss received an e-mail.

I attempted restraint, decorum and professionalism, but I was irritated.

Response was quick for that time of night. Boss thanked me for informing her about what was going on and said she'd look into it first thing in the morning. Sunday morning.

We are a 24/7/365 operation.

For what it's worth; I appreciate the effort.

Thankfully, it was a fairly slow night.

Crews are great, too. They're in and out of course, but the vast majority of them are always willing to help out however they can if asked.

It was so nice and quiet in the office tonight. 😂

I don't like working alone by any stretch of the imagination, but I got things done, including the monthly paperwork that isn't even really my responsibility, but the feeling of accomplishment and being done with something totally makes it worthwhile.

Productivity:

Completed the Reading Comprehension section I missed yesterday

(It went okay. The easy stuff is getting easier and the ridiculous nuance that haunts the more difficult questions is attempting to develop itself into something I can shuffle my way through.)

Completed LSAT Trainer Lesson 21

(This also went okay. It was a Logic Games review. The first 2 games were very smooth. Third game was a bit harder, but we made it through. The 4th one was that damn birds in the forest game and I almost just put the book away for the day. 😂 Made it through, though, and put to use a handy tip that I learned exclusively from Brad's videos. Speaking of, since beginning to work through said videos your girl has developed her own notation system for additional rules and has an actual [effective] process for rule substitution questions! 🙌🏻 Gonna have to just bite the bullet and purchase the other sections, too. We're in this deep, like another $60 matters. 🤦🏻‍♀️)

Fav co-worker supported me from afar throughout the latter part of my shift, as I awaited my late train emerging from the mist.

She is currently working at a station she shouldn't be (out of district), which is why she wasn't available to work with me...but that's a whole different story, not (entirely) her fault.

Recording the contents of 'missing' baggage (Chicago was Chicago-ing) found us messaging back and forth about our childhood obsessions with American Girl dolls.

This led to a Google search that produced a cat Halloween costume for Coconut the dog (dog sold separately) on e-bay.

$70.

Folks are crazy.

Not Trump digital trading card crazy, but still out there.

I actually have Coconut the dog somewhere, though.

Most of my childhood is at my Dad's house.

Finished Punishment Without Trial: Why Plea Bargain is a Bad Deal by Carissa Byrne Hess

#Personal #Academic Adventures #LSAT

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praveen-12 · 9 months

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From Chaos to Perfection: Mastering Delivery Logistics for Unparalleled Customer Satisfaction

Understanding the Importance of Delivery Logistics

Enhancing Customer Experience

Smooth and reliable delivery logistics play a vital role in shaping the overall customer experience. Customers expect their orders to be delivered promptly and with utmost care. When businesses efficiently manage their delivery logistics, they not only meet these expectations but also exceed them, leaving a lasting impression on customers. By ensuring timely deliveries and minimizing errors, businesses can foster customer loyalty and positive word-of-mouth.

Optimizing Operational Efficiency

Efficient delivery logistics can significantly enhance operational efficiency for businesses. By streamlining processes and minimizing bottlenecks, businesses can maximize productivity and reduce costs associated with transportation and storage. Furthermore, a well-executed logistics system ensures that resources are allocated effectively, minimizing wastage and improving the bottom line.

Key Strategies for Mastering Delivery Logistics

1. Demand Forecasting and Inventory Optimization

Accurate demand forecasting is essential for optimizing delivery logistics. By analyzing past trends, customer behavior, and market dynamics, businesses can anticipate demand patterns, allowing them to adjust their inventory levels accordingly. This enables businesses to avoid stockouts and overstocking, improving their ability to fulfill orders promptly and prevent delays.

Sub-bullet Points:

Utilize data-driven forecasting methods

Leverage predictive analytics tools

Collaborate closely with suppliers to ensure inventory adequacy

2. Efficient Route Planning

Effective route planning is crucial for minimizing delivery time and cost. By leveraging advanced routing algorithms and real-time traffic data, businesses can determine the most optimal routes for their vehicles. This not only reduces fuel consumption but also improves delivery speed, allowing businesses to meet strict delivery deadlines. Additionally, businesses can utilize geo-routing technology to optimize delivery sequences, minimizing unnecessary detours and enhancing efficiency.

Sub-bullet Points:

Invest in route optimization software

Integrate GPS tracking for real-time updates

Consider utilizing delivery drones for last-mile deliveries in certain areas

3. Seamless Communication and Collaboration

Clear and seamless communication among all stakeholders is essential for smooth delivery logistics. Businesses must establish effective communication channels with their suppliers, drivers, and customers to ensure transparency and coordination throughout the delivery process. Timely updates regarding order status and potential delays instill confidence in customers and enable them to plan accordingly. Leveraging technology, such as mobile apps and automated notifications, can facilitate this communication process and improve overall efficiency.

Sub-bullet Points:

Implement a centralized communication system

Provide real-time tracking updates to customers

Conduct regular training sessions for drivers and staff to enhance communication skills

4. Continual Evaluation and Improvement

Mastering delivery logistics is an ongoing process that requires businesses to continually evaluate their performance and identify areas for improvement. Regularly collecting and analyzing data related to delivery time, customer feedback, and operational costs allows businesses to identify bottlenecks and implement corrective measures. By embracing a culture of continuous improvement, businesses can stay ahead of the competition and consistently exceed customer expectations.

Sub-bullet Points:

Utilize key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure delivery performance

Conduct customer satisfaction surveys to gather feedback

Embrace feedback and implement necessary changes to streamline processes

Conclusion

Delivery logistics, when effectively mastered, can pave the way for unparalleled customer satisfaction. By understanding its importance, implementing key strategies, and embracing continual evaluation, businesses can transform chaos into perfection. With each delivery, businesses have the opportunity to leave a lasting impression on their customers, building trust, and loyalty. By prioritizing delivery logistics excellence, businesses can set themselves apart in the competitive market and achieve unparalleled success.

#logistics services #transportation #warehousing #air cargo

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go2goio · 11 months

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ingo4you · 1 year

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LIGHT REMAINS LIGHT, EVEN IF THE BLIND DOES NOT SEE IT.

LEV NIKOLAYEVICH TOLSTOY

Goosebumps told me we were close.I raised my head tiredly and outside the window of the bus I saw an endless sea of trees that were irradiated by the sun's rays. It was morning and there was a chill in the air, along with the scent of conifers and nature. And the memories started to come back again, one by one, each of them gave me a bigger and bigger slap that woke me up from my sweet sleep to harsh reality. I'm back at camp.I've always hated it here so much. My mom has been sending me here since I was ten years old, because she used to go here too and she really liked it, because they turned little girls into big ladies. I don't know exactly who came up with that idiotic idea, but a proper woman is made of a girl by making her cook, embroider, go on twenty-mile marches into the Canadian woods, and give them trails of courage among bears and wild beasts. It's kind of like a Girl Scout, except I never wanted to be a Girl Scout. So I guess I'll just suffer through the ten days with a fake smile on my face while they poke me in the back not to slouch. Such is Světlušek camp. Boring and pointless.It wouldn't be so bad if someone was here with me. Unfortunately, I didn't find anyone here in those eight years, and if I did, he was only here for one year. The trip here was really expensive and the operation of the camp was even more demanding. The road leads here through forests and canyons, because the camp is completely isolated and everything we eat here is caught, grown, plucked or stolen from each other. Moral for one.

As soon as the bus jerked to a halt, all the girls who, unlike me, were either excited or were here for the first time and didn't know what was waiting for them, ran out. Sighing, I climbed out with my massive backpack and stood on a familiar plain with a flag on a pole in the middle and cabins around the edge. The morning sun was shining and the wind was blowing, the birds were singing, it looked quite nice. That is, until Bianca came along."Line up girls!" she started yelling and clapping her hands like a tango teacher. She wore a white shirt and black riding breeches, which she probably never took off. Her gray-infested brown hair was neatly tied into a tight bun, which she tried to smooth out the wrinkles.With one elegant movement, she pulled out a list of names from her purse, and we couldn't even make a peep the whole time she was summoning us. Because when someone spoke, she pulled out a riding whip and slammed it on the ground, which gave me about three heart attacks. She was a crazy woman.And the camp looked like that too. Spartan facilities and heating only via fireplaces in the main cabin and small cabins. After everyone's names were called, we received blouses similar to the one she was wearing and hideous plaid skirts that covered our knees. Practical when digging flower beds.Even though this was an all-girls camp, I was more shy than I had ever been in my life. We hated wearing skirts, especially ones that were twenty years old and smelled musty. I just tried to bite the bullet and took my half ton suitcase into the cabin to slide it under the bunk and begin my ten day depression.

Bianca thought it would be wonderful to start the camp with a five-hour field trip. After those few hours, the only thing that was jumping in my head were the names of mosses and plants, which she was telling us the whole time, and every time she mentioned that we would have a competition in the camp to see who could list the most of them. It was always followed by a chorus of sighs, even from the girls who were optimistic that this camp would be fun.Almost three days of spartan training had passed and the only thing each of us was looking forward to was sitting by the fire in the evening. It turned out that some of the girls had smuggled marshmallows into the camp to roast and were happy to share with the rest of the camp. I also had the feeling that we were all united at that moment, huddling in the cold, trying to get some warmth from the fire, tearing marshmallows into pieces so that everyone could get them. Meanwhile, those of us who retained at least a modicum of common sense told stories and jokes, and everything was pretty good.The only ones not joining in on the fun were a certain group of girls who started throwing disdainful looks every time our circle started laughing. They probably thought we were all childish, stupid and immature, because apparently everyone except them is.They especially focused on one girl who was currently sitting to my left. Her name was Katrina and she was the quietest of our group. She always sat with her knees together and her hands on them, and her back was always as straight as a ruler. She was a typical gray mouse with a beautiful face that she tried to hide behind black rimmed glasses. She was quite pretty for being Bianca's niece.We all liked her very much, but the unpleasant group always had a crush on her, apparently because the appointed leader of the camp was always shouting at them. But poor Katrina was not to blame, she was the exact opposite of her. I don't know why, but for the next two days she always sat next to me, always quiet and just watching the forest and the stars.After a few more days, two girls went missing while walking and Bianca started to go crazy. She looked for them along with a couple of older girls around the edges of the forest, afraid that if they went too far, they would get lost like the two poor girls.

That day, everyone sat by the fire in silence. They just whispered to each other and cast hopeful glances at the forest. But after the girls, the ground collapsed."This isn't the first time someone has been lost here," she spoke for the first time since Camp Katrina. I just gave her a surprised look, her voice was quiet and measured, which I wouldn't expect from such a fragile girl."Has that happened to anyone before?""Yeah.. long before that.. when I was little.""Well… and who exactly..?""One girl has been coming here since the beginning of the camp. Her name was Rochelle and as far as I can remember we never really found out who she really was or where she came from. She was.. strange. She is always very pale and has almost silver hair. Bianca said she was albino and couldn't go out in the sun, so she preferred to go out at night. For example, on the trails of courage and so on..." she licked her lips and adjusted her glasses.“But it wasn't weird..she was obsessed with fireflies. I don't know if she was trying to impress Bea by being interested in the camp mascot, but I've never seen anyone so fascinated by insects. In the evening, she often went to the Meadow of Fireflies behind the southern forest and caught them in jars to bring them to the cabin, where she dissected them for hours to find out as much as possible about them. She liked their wings very much and made a collection of them on a bulletin board, where she pinned them with pins. Bianca said we shouldn't pay much attention to her, she lives in her own world and all… but she was so nice. She helped everyone, she was nice to us, it was just... this scared us.""Well, I don't know, I also know boys who collect bugs and tear off their wings." I laughed, but her traumatized expression froze my laughter immediately.

One by one we humiliatingly walked up to Bianca and drew our order out of a hat. 17 out of thirty girls fell for me. That wasn't so terrible.I tried to at least calm myself by basically being in the middle, there had to be someone who drew 1 or 30. That would have been much worse.

But as I watched the girls walk one by one, begging the camp leader to at least let them go in pairs, my nerves started to get a lot more tense. But when it was my turn and I was given a map with a flashlight, I had to overcome my fear and walked into the forest, all knocked out.The path was different every year, but this year at least Bianca had mercy and gave us a red ribbon every fifty meters just to be sure. It wasn't because she liked us or felt sorry for us, but because she was afraid of losing more girls. And that would be the end."Back in two hours!" Bea called me and I just swallowed. Two hours? Why can't we have half an hour like other camps?At this moment, unfortunately, I couldn't do anything about it, so I turned on the flashlight and followed the map into the forest. I was so shaken and controlled by fear that I did not notice until a quarter of an hour later that I had gone astray. And no streamers around me.I didn't even have any reference point to turn back to, everything merged into a rich mix of trees, stones and stumps. And dead silence around me.I suddenly felt so small and helpless. Everything was dark and even my flashlight looked like it couldn't go any further."Trail for two hours and she'll give me this scumbag." I tried to take out and put in the flashlights, but the light just flickered quietly and died. It was dark.And so I ran, everything merged into one another, empty around me, not even a living being anywhere, just an endless mess of trees and plants, leading me deeper into the forest.And after an hour I saw the light. And not just one. Thousands of little lights.

Fireflies

I had no other reference point to follow. And so I followed them. A meadow full of fireflies spread out in front of me and I immediately thought of Rochelle. This was her meadow. And no wonder she adored it here.

All around me were clouds of little bugs with lights and I felt like Snow White in a fairy tale. The stress and fear seemed to leave me, leaving behind a pleasant warm feeling of tenderness. I understood it. She couldn't go to the light during the day, so she looked for light at least in the dark.And after a while I even saw a red ribbon on a branch. A smile immediately appeared on my face. I let the fireflies be fireflies and hurriedly ran towards the streamer, which was gently swaying under the force of the wind. I felt an incredible relief when I got to him, I had to ask him if this wasn't a dream.

JiBut this wasn't a streamer.It was something wet and slippery. I took out my dying flashlight for the last time and shined it on him. A human intestine dangled from a branch above me.Paralyzed, I turned off the flashlight and backed away. I looked at my hand, which was covered in blood and excrement. This is real. This was from a human body.I grabbed my map and flashlight and ran far and away from where the "ribbon" was. Warning lights flashed through my head telling me to get out of there immediately.My legs wobbled and my breathing got harder with each step. Dark brown streaks of trees just swirled around me until I saw the light. They weren't fireflies. It looked like a normal light, coming from a large camp hut. Where else to go?It wasn't safe out here.And so I raced on to the cabin and didn't even bother knocking, fear would force me to rush straight inside the cabin and immediately lock it behind me. As soon as the flickering in front of my eyes stopped and I began to breathe normally, I immediately noticed the sharp, disgusting stench that irritated my nose. And across from me, in the middle of the room, there was a source of light – two quite distinctly glowing… things. I couldn't focus in the dark, so I took out my flashlight and turned it on.To the left and to the right, the dead bodies of the girls from the camp were stacked on the beds and counters. Of some, only a skeleton remained, dressed in camp clothing, some were in the stage of decomposition, and two of them were in such a condition that I still recognized them. They were two girls from the camp. But all the corpses had something in common.They had crushed bones in their bodies. And they had fabric wings sewn onto their backs.I pointed the flashlight in the middle and saw a human corpse standing in front of me. A pale bony body, stained with blood and scarred. The pale skin was almost translucent and you could see how the plucked tufts of hair were growing from the clearly visible skull. The carcass had a crushed left side in which the broken bones had been replaced by sticks. The white, now gray dress was soaked in blood at that spot, with feasting maggots moving beneath it. The missing eyes were replaced by glowing embers that emitted the light that brought me here. They were just like the other dead girls.Except this one wasn't dead."Do you know that fireflies have amazing vision even in complete darkness?" she smiled at me and quietly walked towards me.Shaky legs seemed to want to quit as I tried to get back to the door and unlock it. The flashlight fell out of my hand in shock and I couldn't feel the key in the dark.

“They can go by smell, hearing and vibration….”

She slowly walked towards me."Or they are guided by instinct... They have to find food..."I don't know how many days I've been here, but I feel like my time is running out.I have no idea about the time, all the windows are boarded up and the only way out of the cottage is at Rochelle's. She had her name written on an old camp name tag she still had on her dress.I hide under the bed in the room on the first floor. I can't even move because I would make noises. And she hears them. He hears everything. Apparently the absence of sight enhanced her other senses. She's constantly walking around in the dark and making weird smacking noises, she must have somehow learned how to use echolocation. Even if I was quieter and tried to slip past her, she would catch me.She has already passed by the room where I am hiding once. Her hands were all black and burnt from the coals she shoves into her eye sockets. He's crazy. She's wearing extra wings that she probably forced one of the girls she kept prisoner to sew. And I see that even then they tried them on when they involuntarily jumped off a cliff.And she acts like a firefly. She flails around to rearrange her wings, makes similar noises, and when she feels that the coals are dying out, she puts in another one. And I see that it also fulfills cannibalism.I can't go out. As she is handicapped by blindness, she knows about everything that goes on in the cottage. And he always has those huge knives in his hands. And on his shoulder is a small bag with scalpels.I just hope Bianca doesn't care that three girls from her camp are missing and he sent a patrol after us. I firmly believe that.

--------------------------------------------------

Diary dated 2001,

MayFound in 2015 with the skeleton of a young girl with dead embers in her eye sockets.

original by EYELESS JACKIE

#creepypasta #fireflies

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