#the first two sets are from the ruby and sapphire version

[blinkees]

can u pls pls make some maybe pink or green pokemon pinball blinkies ?!?!

[strijdi]

4-24-25

Beach Day for the Mystical Gems

The Mystical Gems members are, left to right: Wine Ruby, Druzy Quartz (permafusion, components: Powder Blue Sapphire and Chalcedony), Gossamer Pearl, and Blue Tiger's Eye. Together they can fuse to become Magical Obsidian.

Did Blue Tiger's Eye, Wine Ruby, and Gossamer Pearl last time, so time for Powder Blue Sapphire and Chalcedony's permafusion, Druzy Quartz!

Powder Blue Sapphire and Chalcedony met on an assignment. Powder Blue Sapphire was sent to a kindergarten that was undergoing production difficulties to predict the sources of the issues and set it on a path to peak output. Just as Powder Blue Sapphire was about to deduce the cause, Chalcedony emerged from the rock face. However, Chalcedony was smaller than she should've been, and the gems running the kindergarten, embarrassed to have produced a defective runt in front of their Sapphire, went to shatter her. Powder Blue, however, was intrigued by the futures she saw in this Chalcedony, and commanded the kindergartners to stop, and assigned Chalcedony to be her personal guard.

Because of her Sapphire saving her life, Chalcedony was immediately smitten and intensely devoted. She did her best to guard her Sapphire to the point of being overprotective and picking fights with gems who weren't even hostile. Still, Chalcedony showed a softer, funnier, goofier side when alone with Powder Blue that caused the two to quickly fall in love. However, when Powder Blue received a direct order from the top to either get her Chalcedony in line or surrender her for shattering, every future Powder Blue saw suddenly came crashing to a halt. In a moment of impulse (as Sapphires seem prone to when protecting a gem they like), Sapphire fled with Chalcedony, and later met the other Mystical Gems. The five of them got along like a house on fire!

However, eventually it became just the four of them, as when Powder Blue Sapphire and Chalcedony fused for the first time, they quickly decided they never wanted to be apart again, and decided to stay together as Druzy Quartz permanently. Took a minute for the others to get used to, but in the end, they all appreciate each other's quirks. Druzy Quartz is a calm, slow going and dreamy gem, but they do have a tendency to pull little pranks, which they easily get away with by acting innocent and confused.

References: x @adorkastock

Non-shaded versions under the cut:

[theguywithaplan]

List of Video Games Turning 10 Years Old in 2024

Alien: Isolation

Assassin's Creed: Rogue (the one where you play as an Assassin turned Templar.)

Assassin's Creed: Unity (the one set during the French Revolution.)

Atelier Escha & Logy: Alchemists of the Dusk Sky

Azure Striker Gunvolt

The Banner Saga

Bayonetta 2

The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth

BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea (the DLC where you go back to Rapture)

A Bird Story (a sort of spin-off of "To the Moon")

BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel! (is this a sequel to 1 or a prequel to 1? I forgor)

Bravely Default (in North America)

Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (the one with K*vin Sp*cey)

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 (to date, the last new Castlevania game to release)

Child of Light

The Crew (going offline at the end of March)

D4: Dark Dreams Don't Die (a wonderfully strange game from the guy that made Deadly Premonition)

Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc (in North America)

Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair (in North America)

Dark Souls II

Deception IV: Blood Ties

Demon Gaze

Diablo III: Reaper of Souls

Disney Infinity 2.0

Divinity: Original Sin (from the team that would go on to make Baldur's Gate 3)

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

Dragon Age: Inquisition (the winner of GOTY at the very first TGAs)

Drakengard 3

Earth Defense Force 2025 (EDF! EDF! EDF!)

The Evil Within (from the creative director of Resident Evil)

Fable Anniversary

Fairy Fencer F

Far Cry 4

Freedom Planet

Guilty Gear Xrd Sign

Hyrule Warriors

Inazuma Eleven (in North America. And digital only.)

Infamous: Second Son (as well as its expansion, First Light)

Kirby: Triple Deluxe

The Last of Us Remastered (just one year after the original version came out...)

The Legend of Korra (the game from PlatinumGames that you can't buy anymore)

Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham

Lego The Hobbit

The Lego Movie Videogame

Lethal League (from the team that would go on to make Bomb Rush Cyberfunk)

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII (the third and final chapter of the Final Fantasy XIII trilogy)

Lisa: The Painful (yes, really)

LittleBigPlanet 3

Lords of the Fallen (not to be confused with Lords of the Fallen, which came out in 2023)

Mario Golf: World Tour

Mario Kart 8 (the original version)

Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes (the prologue to Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, which came out 18 months later)

Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor

Might & Magic X: Legacy

Murdered: Soul Suspect (it's like Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, but not as good)

Natural Doctrine

Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty! (a from the ground up remake of the first Oddworld game from 1997)

Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures 2 (yes, it got a sequel. I don't know how or why.)

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax

Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth

Pokemon Omega Ruby & Pokemon Alpha Sapphire

Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy (the last time that Professor Layton himself was the protagonist. At least, until the New World of Steam comes out)

Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

Pushmo World

Risen 3: Titan Lords

Sacred 3

Samurai Warriors 4

Shadowrun: Dragonfall

Shantae and the Pirate's Curse (the 3rd one)

Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments

Shovel Knight (yes, really)

Skylanders: Trap Team (the 4th one)

Sniper Elite III

Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric

Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal

South Park: The Stick of Truth

Steins;Gate (in North America)

Strider (the one from Double Helix)

Sunset Overdrive

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS (or Smash 4 for short)

Tales of Xillia 2

Tales of Hearts R

The Talos Principle

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call

Thief (the reboot)

This War of Mine

Toukiden: The Age of Demons

Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (this game merged the storyline of the War for/Fall of Cybertron games with the storyline of the Michael Bay movies. I’m not joking)

Transistor

Valiant Hearts: The Great War

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter

The Walking Dead: Season Two

Wasteland 2

Watch Dogs

The Witch and the Hundred Knight

The Wolf Among Us (sequel this year!)

Wolfenstein: The New Order

Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z

Yoshi's New Island

[brian-in-finance]

This is cool.

Van Cleef & Arpels Creates a Coffee-Table Book Worth Coveting

The iconic brand worn by stars including Margot Robbie, Gwyneth Paltrow and Caitriona Balfe has released an artful book that highlights some of the house's most fruitful design years.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/style/van-cleef-arpels-jewelry-design-coffee-table-book-1235953599/

Thanks for the message, Anon. 😃

GIF

Van Cleef & Arpels Creates a Coffee-Table Book Worth Coveting

The iconic brand worn by stars including Margot Robbie, Gwyneth Paltrow and Caitríona Balfe has released an artful book that highlights some of the house's most fruitful design years.

A look at the just-released book, "The Van Cleef & Arpels Collection (1906-1953)," which highlights some of the legendary jewelry house's most iconic designs. COURTESY OF VAN CLEEF & ARPELS

For jewelry aficionados, phrases like “Zip necklace” and “mystery-set stones” should instantly evoke thoughts of one heritage-steeped house: Van Cleef & Arpels. These are just two of the iconic design elements from the legendary brand that opened its first boutique on Paris’s Place Vendôme in 1906. Now a new book takes a comprehensive look at its high-wattage designs, created during the years when everyone from Hollywood icons Carole Lombard and Marlene Dietrich to Wallis Simpson, a.k.a. the Duchess of Windsor, ranked high among the house’s most ardent fans and devoted collectors.

The Van Cleef & Arpels Collection (1906-1953) is an impressive coffee-table book that explores the dazzling designs that emerged from the jeweler in the first half of the 20th century. Almost 700 jewelry and watch images are included alongside 200 archival documents, from 1920s timepieces and bracelets infused with Art Deco styling to early advertisements and mid-century jewels that continue to enjoy high-wattage attention to this day. For proof of the latter, look no further than Margot Robbie wearing a version of the house’s iconic Zip necklace to the 2015 Academy Awards, while at the 2022 Oscars, Caitríona Balfe wore a 1957 diamond necklace that highlights Van Cleef & Arpels’ bow and ribbon motifs. And at December’s Fashion Awards in London, Gwyneth Paltrow paired her crimson Valentino gown and feathered coat with ruby and diamond Van Cleef & Arpels jewels from the 1960s.

Margot Robbie, wearing a Zip necklace by Van Cleef & Arpels, at the 87th Annual Academy Awards in 2015. FRAZER HARRISON/GETTY IMAGES

A Van Cleef & Arpels Zip necklace from 1952, crafted of emeralds and diamonds set in 18-karat yellow gold and platinum. COURTESY OF VAN CLEEF & ARPELS

The 678-page book offers a deep dive into these and other pieces that continue to be sought after, sometimes a full century after their debut. The sapphire and diamond Zip necklace worn by Robbie, for example, takes its cue from a design that got its start in the 1930s, when the ultra-stylish Simpson suggested to then-creative director Renée Puissant the creation of a necklace that both looked and could operate as a zipper might. The technical mastery required for a jewel that could fully function like a zipper took a full 12 years, however, with the first Zip necklace debuting in 1951. (Viewers of the 1930s-set The King’s Speech, which includes actress Eve Best as Simpson, will see that character wearing an all-diamond Van Cleef & Arpels Zip necklace elegantly draped down her back, creating one of the 2010 film’s most stylish — if anachronistic — moments.)

Van Cleef & Arpels 1936 Fleur brooch, crafted of mystery-set rubies and diamonds set in 18-karat white and yellow gold. COURTESY OF VAN CLEEF & ARPELS

In addition to its celebrated Ballerina clips, jeweled timepieces and other high-wattage designs, the book also pays ample attention to the house’s Mystery Set collection, named for the intricate technique that eliminates the sight of any prongs on the design’s surface. Patented by Van Cleef & Arpels in 1933, mystery-set designs quickly gained popularity among its well-heeled clientele, even as the house’s artisans continued to refine and evolve the technique so it could be employed in pieces that felt more three-dimensional. A 1936 ruby and diamond Fleur brooch, released soon after a second patent was acquired that same year, ultimately was deemed worthy of the book’s cover.

The cover of The Van Cleef & Arpels Collection: 1906-1953. COURTESY OF VAN CLEEF & ARPELS

“This brooch was created [in 1936 and] is thus one of the first examples of this groundbreaking development,” explains Nicolas Bos, president and CEO of Van Cleef & Arpels. “As an example of the way in which technical evolutions exert an influence on style, this piece — one of the oldest Mystery Set creations in our possession — perfectly expresses the very essence of this book. It was acquired by the Patrimony department just as we were completing the first volume, so we naturally thought of it for the cover.”

Bos also notes that the book’s compilation has been in the works for five decades, originating in the 1970s and refined over the years as it continued to be deeply researched by the Van Cleef & Arpels Patrimony department, which oversees the house’s heritage and archives. “This patrimonial Collection – today made up of over 2,700 pieces – is representative of Van Cleef & Arpels’ creations in terms of inspirations, materials, and techniques,” Bos says. “It is for that reason that this work takes the form of a catalogue raisonné: the most comprehensive possible compendium of an artist’s work.”

Caitríona Balfe, wearing Van Cleef & Arpels jewels, including a 1957 necklace crafted of diamonds set in 18-karat white gold and platinum, at the 94th Annual Academy Awards in 2022. MOMODU MANSARAY/GETTY IMAGES

Divided into a trio of hefty chapters, the book kicks off with “The Creative Boom (1906 – 1925),” which highlights a variety of Art Deco-influenced designs, several of which were showcased in a 1925 Paris exhibition of decorative and industrial arts. Chapters two and three explore “A Unique Identity (1926 – 1937),” which explores the development of the singular Van Cleef & Arpels aesthetic, and “From Paris to New York (1938 – 1953),” which highlights the house’s expansion into the U.S., including its inclusion in the New York World’s Fair of 1939. A second volume, which covers the years 1954 through 2000, is expected to be released in 2026, Bos adds.

Platinum-set emerald and diamond Van Cleef & Arpels bracelet from 1925. COURTESY OF VAN CLEEF & ARPELS

Throughout, the book is lavish in its inclusion of archive images and newly photographed jewels, the latter part of a parallel project to create a comprehensive look at Van Cleef & Arpels’ history through its designs. “We wanted the illustrative record to be exhaustive: optimal picture quality, harmonious visual images, pieces photographed from different angles,” Bos says. “Visually, we have treated this book like the catalogue of an exhibition, in which the jewelry creations and archive material complement one another.”

A Van Cleef & Arpels advertisement that appeared in a 1939 issue of French Vogue. COURTESY OF VAN CLEEF & ARPELS

Ultimately Bos says he believes both this book and its subsequent sister volume will further a key Van Cleef & Arpels goal. “Through these initiatives, we hope to show that jewelry is not an isolated art,” he notes. “It is in constant interaction with other disciplines, which inspire it and which it influences in return. As such, it forms part of the great history of the arts.”

The Van Cleef & Arpels Collection (1906-1953) is available now.

Gwyneth Paltrow, wearing vintage Van Cleef & Arpels earrings from the 1960s, attended The Fashion Awards 2023 at the Royal Albert Hall on Dec. 4, 2023 in London. DOMINIC LIPINSKI/GETTY IMAGES

The Hollywood Reporter

Remember… the book’s compilation has been in the works for five decades, originating in the 1970s and refined over the years as it continued to be deeply researched by the Van Cleef & Arpels Patrimony department, which oversees the house’s heritage and archives. — Nicolas Bos, President & CEO, Van Cleef & Arpels

[hoenn-betadex]

Introduction

In October 2024, a massive data breach of Game Freak occurred, leaking tons of internal data for Pokemon, in what has been coined the "Teraleak".

As a big fan of beta/unused content in video games and Pokemon, I've always been extremely fascinated by the design work that goes behind each Pokemon, and how each generation seems to pick up its pieces a little differently.

In this blog, I'll be discussing each Pokemon in the Hoenn Pokedex, ordering and grouping them by their development history. We'll take a deep dive into each one, and hopefully we can learn more about the development of Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire together!

This blog is heavily inspired by the amazing Asmorano's blog about Pokemon Gold/Silver's beta dex, which you can find here.

I'd like to give a special shoutout to TCRF and /vp/ for sorting through this data.

Timeline

Since we'll be going over each Pokemon, it only makes sense to order them Chronologically. This will give us a good sense of which Pokemon were designed first, what types of changes they went through, and more.

January 26, 2001 (Trademark Era)

A short list of Pokemon names that were trademarked on January 26, 2001, predating all leaked development files. These Pokemon are especially interesting, as they were designed and finished very quickly to begin advertising the games.

There are also two Pokemon who are exceptions to this, Duskull and Wynaut, who went through a similar process later in development (September 25, 2001).

August 28, 2001 (Monster Era)

The earliest pieces of concept art for Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire. This collection of monstrous designs are mostly dated for July 29, 2002, but one of the images predates the rest by an entire year! This is almost certainly evidence that this entire batch are actually from August 28th, 2001, which would make sense considering the extreme art style difference.

November 1st, 2001 (Voting Area)

The first set of actual sprites for Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire. This is a "first draft" point in development, with many designs being unfinished. During this time in development, internal polls were conducted to see the opinions on designs, and some even include short notes about the Pokemon.

March 25-31, 2002 (Festa Demo)

The next batch of Pokemon is significantly smaller, with many Pokemon, both beta and final, being removed. While it's possible this is just an incomplete data set, it's more likely that this was an attempt to finalize a small roster to showcase at the Pokemon 2002 Festa Demo, which would go on to show off the games. Since this demo was shown off starting on June 10, 2002, it would make sense for them to be finishing off a set of Pokemon to prepare for the event.

It should be noted that this is still a work in progress roster, since Volbeat is missing, despite appearing in the Festa Demo.

July 2002 Scratchpads

This is a set of scratchpad files the developers used to draw up drafts of different sprites. By this point, the final Pokedex had been settled on (besides 5 cut Pokemon who only existed in the data briefly.)

Unfortunately, these files are missing dates, but we can assume they come from July-October 2002, considering these are later revisions than the Festa Demo, but still predating the final designs from November 2002.

The reason I suspect July is due to Pokedex files dated July 17, 2002 that has a nearly completed Pokedex, with only a few missing/changed Pokemon.

Since these are scratchpads meant for testing, there are usually multiple drafts, unfinished sprites, or even completely different Pokemon making appearances!

I'll be going through each era of the game's development, looking at each Pokemon from their initial draft up until their final designs.

I will be using the following format (shamelessly ripped from Asmorano) for each Pokemon. For Kecleon, we have the earliest version of the official artwork uploaded online, as well as every rendition of its sprite. The unused "Other" row will be used in case there's anything extra to put.

Hope you're all as excited as I am to go on this journey!

[violetganache42]

Holy shit! I am freaking out right now, guys, and I am super excited to share it with you! But first: quick context.

I don't know how many of you here know about Lorcana, but it's a TCG made by Disney and Ravensburger that was released back in August. In it, you take on the role of an Illumineer and you wield different types of Ink (Amber, Emerald, Sapphire, Amethyst, Ruby, Steel), which allows you to summon Glimmers (canonical or different versions of Disney characters, designated as Storyborn or Dreamborn respectively). You race against other Illumineers to collect Lore, and whoever reaches 20 Lore wins. The gameplay itself intriqued me, but what I find truly captivating is the story it's building.

The second set for Lorcana was released today and is called "Rise of the Floodborn," which focuses on a type of Glimmer called Floodborn. These Glimmers were caught in an intense flood of all six Inks, changing them in unpredicatble yet exciting ways; they are also granted the "Shift" mechanic, which lets you turn existing Glimmers into their Floodborn versions. Much like "The First Chapter," a companion story was published on the official Lorcana website, and it already has me geeking out!

Right off the bat, an Illumineer named Venturo is checking out an artifact from Disney's vast lore, but which artifact, you may ask?

Based on its description, it's not just Scrooge's No. 1 Dime… it's the DuckTales (2017) version of his No. 1 Dime! The moment I saw the words "10 CENTS," I immediately knew!

But wait, there's more!

A couple of paragraphs later, we see that Basil of Baker Street is investigating a different artifact and deduces it as…

That time, I knew what he was referring to, but I had to double check. One quick Google search later and what is the first result?

THIS! The Sumerian Talisman that Basil came across is most likely the same Sumerian Talisman that Lena wielded for most of the series! I had a feeling they had to be one and the same because I distinctly remember Webby identifying the amulet as such in "The Beagle Birthday Breakout!"

Guys, I cannot stop smiling about it! I honestly thought Lorcana was gonna add the Duckverse characters/OG version of the Disney Ducks since they unveiled cards of Donald and even Daisy in their usual designs! Seeing these two artifacts get referenced was quite the bombshell to drop for me; not only does it continue the trend of DuckTales (2017) getting incorporated into the Mickey & Friends universe in some capacity (Minnie's Style Studio, Toontown, HDLW's cameo in Trick or Treats, Daisy's reboot design being used for Disney's Halloween 2022 season, a poster for Runaway Railway featuring the triplets' reboot designs), it could also mean that Lorcana isn't just focusing on the Disney animated movies and short films like I thought! They may also be including shows based on pre-existing characters, and DuckTales (2017) seems to be the first one!

I am beyond happy right now and I cannot wait to see what the next set has in store!

[bonewaryreblogs]

Silver Boom

Feeling in a Sonic mood, let's see how long it lasts :p

So I've had my main hedgehogs done for a while, finally finished Tails, and I'm halfway done with Knuckles and don't feel motivated enough to finish him -.- but this is more or less what he'll look like

I have an older version of the 'hogs and a lot of info on Reddit

Anyways

Silver the Hedgehog is my favorite Sonic character and the initial idea for this was to add Silver to the Sonic Boom franchise, rewriting the mess that was Rise of Lyric. Then I could add him into the show's timeline and fix some things that bugged me there. Like Sticks' whole existence.

But we'll get to that!

I realized at some point that I can basically do whatever I want with this universe, so I decided to utilize elements of most of the Sonic games/media I was familiar with, researching what I was less familiar with, and throwing it all together to create a mostly coherent story. I'll try to use (or at least touch on) as much as I can but forgive me if I leave out your favorite thing. If I do, please tell me about it! I can always be persuaded to add more and this universe is hardly set in stone :p

Basic History of Mobius

While the planet mobius was mostly formed like any other, its molten core contained magic mixed with magma. From the tumult, some of the magic magma crystalized and found its way to the surface, forming eight crystals directly linked to the eight quadrants of the spherical molten magic core. Lesser crystals filled with magic power grew in caves near the magic magma but their powers were finite while the connected eight, eventually called Chaos Crystals, were seemingly limitless as they drew from the core directly.

The Ancients, as they would come to be known, used the “clean” energy of the Chaos Crystals to fuel their hi-tech society but removing the Crystals from their proper places and using their energy with such reckless abandon unbalanced the planet’s magic and the society crumbled under its own weight. Many of the Chaos Crystals were taken and jealously guarded by what would become a magic fueled ruling class, generally influenced by the crystals’ instinctual will to return to their rightful places in the world.

Such was the fate of the Sun Stone of Soleanna, Spagonia; The Radiant Opal in the Kingdom of Acorn, Northammer; the Sky Garnet of the Babylonian Gardens, Shamar, until its cataclysmic demise and subsequent withdrawal into a desert storm; the Verdant Emerald of Angel Island, guarded by the near extinct Knuckles Clan of echidnas; and, in a way, the Twilight Amethyst of the Moonlit Mountains, Holoska, whose protectors are “recruited” from across the globe for their powerful potential. Of the remaining Chaos Crystals, the Shock Zircon powers a prison holding a mage and mechanist from the Ancient War; the Tidal Sapphire is protected by a powerful water elemental in the depths of the sea; and the Flame Ruby is sealed and resealed within a host, the latest of which is the heir to Soleanna’s throne. Having two Chaos Crystals in such close proximity to each other, and Angel Island traveling overhead, unbalanced the magic enough for Lyric to escape his prison and begin to plan his takeover.

~

In more recent history, humans arrived in the Space Colony Arc about 150 years ago, enough time for the first generation (Gerald Robotnik) to have died off, the second generation (Professor Pickle) to be old and retired, the third generation (Ivo Robotnik/"Eggman") to have been at least raised on the planet if not born there, and the fourth generation (Chris Thorndyke) to be in school, having known nothing else.

Mobius was in a medieval type of era when they arrived and relied heavily on a magic-wielding ruling class with various magic artifacts. The humans, only about a thousand strong when they arrived, bribed their way to peace by selling their tech and knowledge, allowing the average citizen to be able to stand toe-to-toe with magic-wielders. This lead to rapid advances and an odd mix of extremely advanced technology right next to medieval magic, as well as a combined magi-tech emerging in prominence, as they begin to understand the mechanisms behind their magic.

The Arc is in approximate geosynchronous orbit over Spagonia and is considered the capital “city” for humans, though they’ve been allowed to make several colonies on the planet itself. Eggman is essentially kicked out of the human civilization for being too reckless and unpredictable to fit into the box most humans set up for themselves. He’s mostly harmless, unable to take over a single island due to Sonic and friends stopping him.

~

Our story begins as Silver wakes up from another nightmare, the same one he always has; the blue hedgehog, surrounded by flame and rubble, turning to look at Silver with a cocky smile. The details would change, of course, but the hedgehog and the dread was always the same. Silver goes about his day (possibly several days, depending) before Mephiles contacts Silver to come see him. Mephiles is the personification of the Twilight Amethyst and leader of the Twilight Clan; he knows of Silver’s constant nightmares and wants to hear about this latest one. Eventually the discussion turns to Silver’s increasing desire to leave, find the blue Hedgehog, and prevent the destruction he always sees in his dreams. Mephiles eventually relents; Silver is banished from the Clan, as is their custom with anyone who leaves, but he does so with Mephiles’ blessing.

Led by instinct, Silver finds himself at Bygone Isle and immediately recognizes Sonic from his dreams. Having heard horror stories about outsiders all his life, Silver decides to hide and observe for now; it’s against his nature to hurt the innocent but he isn’t sure Sonic is innocent of the impending doom. Some stories were confirmed to be true, like everyone living separately, but some seemed to be false, like nobody helping each other. Of course, it doesn’t take long for Silver to be found out; he was well trained but still young and inexperienced. In a panic, Silver spouts off about the inevitable doom of the planet and Sonic’s connection to it, leading to misunderstandings and general caution between them. Silver still watches but doesn’t bother hiding as much.

Thus begins the main storyline of Rise of Lyric. Race around the globe with Sonic and friends to see who can get to the Chaos Crystals first; can our heroes keep them long enough to keep the world from falling apart?

[rubykgrant]

The first 3 gens of Pokemon games are so interesting to look back on, for many reasons, but right now I'm thinking about the visuals in particular; the first games were 8-bit, but they still did as much as they could. I remember being 10 and loving how the little flowers on the ground would move in their charming little dance-cycle. When we got Yellow, more colors were added, and it would change depending on what area/town you went to. The sprite designs for the Pokemon are also really interesting... to us now, they don't look 'quite right". Part of that is, again, working with 8-bit, so certain details don't make it in, but several of the Pokemon have almost entirely different designs that what we saw around the same time in cards/the anime. A few are kind of "surreal", and I think may have been made BEFORE final definitive versions of the designs were set (and shared in promotional art).

Then we get into Gold/Silver/Crystal, and playing that for the first time was like seeing an EXPLOSION in graphics; so many MORE colors and details in the environments. I especially love the Pokemon sprites in this game... this gen has some of my favorite poses/designs in the Pokemon, so much effort was put into making sure they looked defined, identifiable, and had a lot of personality. In Crystal, they were giving MOVING animation, which was amazing to see, and the Pokemon you caught would have an extra little blink or nod when you looked at them in your party or the PC. Day/Night cycles were added, with different tints to the colors of your surroundings depending on early morning/day/evening/night. There was just a lot more variety in the trees/buildings you saw. We also got more Trainers! Many of the original classes from Red/Blue/Yellow returned (minus a few, like Tamer), but several new ones were added, also with more details and unique poses/colors. Oh, and the Ruins of Alph had such cool designs with the Unown writing on the walls/floor, and the puzzle picture you could put together

Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald was absolutely amazing to see for the first time; all the up-dates in graphics both looked like a natural progression (the "style" was still similar to previous games), but the jump in detail was INCREDIBLE. Everything that already existed was improved on (the exception being a true day/night cycle; time passed, but you didn't get to see a visual different with light/dark). The colors/shading were so vibrant. So many areas had highly unique designs (Meteor Falls didn't look like any other cave). The Berry trees now all had different looks based on what type they were (and you could see the progress of them growing, going from a little mound of dirt that turned a shade darker when you watered it, a small sprout, a young sapling, a taller bush, and finally a full Berry tree with berries for you to pick. if you were lucky and waited around, there was a glittering animation when the Berry changed form). You could run across a sandy beach and leave little foot-prints that slowly faded away, and when you walked through puddles, there was a splashing animation/sound! There were now two different Bikes available, Mach and Acro, one that went incredibly fast and let the scenery flash by, and one that could pull tricks (so there was animation of you riding the bike in a wheelie, and pulling a jump trick).There was a volcano, and the area below it was covered in ash; when you ran through the grass, a little cloud of ash would rise up, showing the grass as green where you had cleared it away. Speaking of grass, there was now tall grass and VERY tall grass, which you couldn't see through, but could track yourself (and other Trainers) by watching the movement from above. Rain and intense sunlight was both part of the plot, and visually shown as the weather changed. Time and tide changed the layout of Shoal Cave, allowing you to explore upper and lower levels... and you could DIVE! You could go deep underwater, explore areas of the sea floor, and encounter Pokemon in the seaweed (with animation of bubbles rising up as you passed through it)

Obviously a LOT more graphics and potential are available in modern games, but there was something special with the early ones, where they would do as MUCH as possible with what they had, and they all still looked like they went hand-in-hand

[cleverhottubmiracle]

We should all be so lucky to age as well as the Cartier Tank. Created by Louis Cartier in 1917, the Tank has been a go-to timepiece for a century’s worth of style icons, from Steve McQueen and Andy Warhol to Timothée Chalamet and Tyler, the Creator. Its simple-yet-decadent design is a big part of its appeal, with a case formed by a set of parallel lines (or brancards in Cartier-speak), accented by another set of sword-shaped hands, and a winding crown topped with a blue sapphire (or in rare cases, ruby) cabochon.Wait, Why Is the Cartier Tank Such a Big Deal?“I don't think there's any watch more important than the Cartier Tank,” says Kevin O’Dell, a vintage watch dealer and avid Cartier collector. “I know that sounds like a crazy statement, but can you think of any other design that's stood the test of time in such a way? That literally looks identical today as it did in 1920, is still a popular seller for the brand and has never gone out of production? There's literally no other watch that can say that. Like, not a single one.”Makes Sense. Should I Buy a New Cartier Tank?If you’re looking to add a new-model Tank to your watch rotation, the current Cartier lineup offers something for everyone, from the steel Tank Must Solarbeat to the jauntily-angled gold Tank Asymétrique, which is part of the ultra-exclusive Cartier Privée collection.What About Finding One on the Vintage Market?Vintage Tanks are a world unto themselves, with over a century’s worth of designs—the 1919 Tank Normale, the curvaceous 2010s Tank Anglaise—to choose from. “Vintage Tanks can vary in price, depending on the condition of the watch, the model and the size, from under $1,000 for a gold-plated (or ‘vermeil’) Must de Cartier Tank from the 1980s, to hundreds of thousands of dollars for platinum or white gold models,” advises Eric Wind, Founder and Owner of Wind Vintage in Palm Beach, Florida.The recent boom in demand for vintage Cartier, Wind says, means that buyers need to be extra careful and “shop the seller” to avoid ending up with a frankenwatch cobbled together from non-original parts, particularly with Tanks made before the 1970s. “Buying vintage Cartier is a true minefield, even more than buying a vintage Rolex,” he cautions. “I do sell vintage Cartier watches on occasion, but they go quickly in this Cartier-crazed environment, and great ones are hard to find.”What's the Deal With Those Tiny Tanks I Keep Seeing?Cartier isn’t known to bow to trends, but it has leaned into the Tank’s burgeoning status in recent years, especially the growing popularity of its most diminutive “Mini” models. After a few seasons of guys from Bad Bunny to Timothée Chalamét joining the teeny-tiny watch crew—sometimes wearing two at a time—Cartier added a Mini version of the Tank Americaine and Tank Louis Cartier to the lineup in 2024.If you’re ready to get serious about adding a Tank to your collection, or just want to better familiarize yourself with the ever-expanding Tank universe, here are the most important models, both new and historical, to know—along with a few places we trust where you can reliably find 'em.The Tank NormaleThe Normale is where it all began and, some argue, the most authentic member of the Tank family. This Tank has been in production on and off since 1919, always in gold or platinum, and is now part of the Cartier Privé collection.The Tank CintréeAt the top of the Tank pyramid you’ll find the Cintrée, which is known for its elongated gold or platinum case that’s curved to fit snugly against the wrist. It was the first major riff on the original Tank design in 1921 and is now part of the exclusive Cartier Privé collection.Cartier2022 Cartier Tank Cintrée 100th Anniversary WatchCartier2022 Cartier Tank Cintrée Large Rose Gold WatchThe Tank AmericaineIntroduced in 1989 and still going strong, the Americaine is a gently modernized version of the Tank Cintrée, with a similarly curved, elongated case, and a wide range of sizes, movements, and metals.CartierCartier Tank Américaine Large Rose Gold WatchCartierCartier Tank Américaine Small White Gold GoldThe Tank AnglaiseCartier doesn’t mess with the essential form of the Tank very often these days, but in 2012 the brand unveiled this streamlined version with the crown integrated into the case. Sadly for fans of its sleek modern look, the Anglaise exited the Cartier lineup at the end of the decade. Cartier being Cartier, however, you never know when it might make a comeback.The Tank FrancaiseThe Française, which is identifiable by a square dial and chunkier brancards, was added to the Tank family in 1996 and said to be based on an archival model from the 1930s. It’s the only Tank model that’s exclusively available on a metal bracelet, which makes it the sportiest of the bunch.CartierCartier Tank Francaise Two-Tone WatchCartierCartier Tank Française Small Diamond-Set WatchThe Tank MustThe Must was created in the late '70s as an affordable addition to the Cartier catalog, and reintroduced in 2021 to replace the outgoing Tank Solo collection. It’s still the most accessible Tank in the lineup, as well as the only version available with Cartier’s light-powered Solarbeat quartz movement. While the original Tank “Must de Cartier” (a.k.a. the Tank Vermeil—which is the French term for gold-plated silver) is the most affordable version you’ll find on the vintage market, 1970s models weren’t made with Cartier’s typical attention to quality, and many of them haven’t aged well.Cartier2021 Cartier Tank Must Large Steel WatchCartierCartier Tank Must Large Steel WatchThe Tank MonopoussoirAnother rare bird from the Cartier archive, the Monopoussoir (the name refers to a “monopusher” chronograph movement that starts, stops, and resets with a single push of the sapphire-capped crown) was part of the extremely limited Collection Privé Cartier Paris (CPCP) that was produced from 1998 to 2008. In addition to being one of very few Tank chronographs, the Monopoussoir gets extra collector cred thanks to a movement produced by THA Èbauche, a legendary manufacture co-founded by celebrity watchmaker F.P. Journe.The Tank Louis CartierThis eponymous tribute to the Tank’s designer dates back to the 1920s, and is among the more luxurious takes on the original design, with shapely rounded brancards, a prominent beaded crown, and an 18k gold case.CartierCartier Tank Louis Small WatchCartier2024 Cartier Tank Louis Large WatchThe Tank ChinoiseAsian-inspired motifs were trending hard in the '20s, making this case inspired by traditional Chinese architecture the height of cosmopolitan cool when it dropped in 1922. Cartier doubled-down on Chinoiserie when it reintroduced the watch in 2022 with a selection of precious metal cases as part of the Privé collection.CartierCartier Tank Chinoise Small Yellow Gold WatchCartier2022 Cartier Tank Chinoise Large Rose Gold WatchThe Tank à GuichetsThis hot take from 1928 features a “digital” layout with the hours displayed in one window and the minutes in another. It’s thought that as few as 1,000 have ever been produced since then, which makes the à Guichets among the rarest—and most unusual—vintage Tanks of them all. That also makes it among the most valuable, with a crisp white gold model selling for a cool $450,000 at auction in 2024.The Tank AnglaiseCartier doesn’t mess with the essential form of the Tank very often these days, but in 2012 the brand unveiled this streamlined version with the crown integrated into the case. Sadly for fans of its sleek modern look, the Anglaise exited the Cartier lineup at the end of the decade. Cartier being Cartier, however, you never know when it might make a comeback.Cartier2016 Cartier Tank Anglaise Large Yellow Gold WatchCartierCartier Tank Anglaise Two-Tone Mid-Size WatchThe Tank BasculanteA sporty design from the early 1930s with a Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso-style case that swivels to protect the crystal. While pre-1960s examples are as rare as they are pricey, Cartier produced a relative glut of Basculantes (including a steel model) in the early 2000s, making it one of the more gettable weirdo Tanks.CartierCartier Tank Basculante Yellow Gold and Diamond-Set WatchCartierCartier Tank Basculante Medium Steel WatchThe Tank AsymétriqueOriginally known as the Tank Losange or the Parallélogramme, it’s believed this off-kilter ticker was developed in the 1930s as a driver’s watch whose dial was tilted to make it easier to read without taking your hand off the wheel. The modern Asymétrique was born in the ‘90s, and has been produced on and off in limited numbers ever since.The Tank MCCartier now makes a lot of its own movements in-house, but that hasn’t always been the case. The MC (which stands for Manufacture Cartier) was the brand’s entrée into movement making when it launched in 2013.Cartier2021 Cartier Tank MC Large Rose Gold WatchCartierCartier Tank MC Large Watch Source link

[norajworld]

We should all be so lucky to age as well as the Cartier Tank. Created by Louis Cartier in 1917, the Tank has been a go-to timepiece for a century’s worth of style icons, from Steve McQueen and Andy Warhol to Timothée Chalamet and Tyler, the Creator. Its simple-yet-decadent design is a big part of its appeal, with a case formed by a set of parallel lines (or brancards in Cartier-speak), accented by another set of sword-shaped hands, and a winding crown topped with a blue sapphire (or in rare cases, ruby) cabochon.Wait, Why Is the Cartier Tank Such a Big Deal?“I don't think there's any watch more important than the Cartier Tank,” says Kevin O’Dell, a vintage watch dealer and avid Cartier collector. “I know that sounds like a crazy statement, but can you think of any other design that's stood the test of time in such a way? That literally looks identical today as it did in 1920, is still a popular seller for the brand and has never gone out of production? There's literally no other watch that can say that. Like, not a single one.”Makes Sense. Should I Buy a New Cartier Tank?If you’re looking to add a new-model Tank to your watch rotation, the current Cartier lineup offers something for everyone, from the steel Tank Must Solarbeat to the jauntily-angled gold Tank Asymétrique, which is part of the ultra-exclusive Cartier Privée collection.What About Finding One on the Vintage Market?Vintage Tanks are a world unto themselves, with over a century’s worth of designs—the 1919 Tank Normale, the curvaceous 2010s Tank Anglaise—to choose from. “Vintage Tanks can vary in price, depending on the condition of the watch, the model and the size, from under $1,000 for a gold-plated (or ‘vermeil’) Must de Cartier Tank from the 1980s, to hundreds of thousands of dollars for platinum or white gold models,” advises Eric Wind, Founder and Owner of Wind Vintage in Palm Beach, Florida.The recent boom in demand for vintage Cartier, Wind says, means that buyers need to be extra careful and “shop the seller” to avoid ending up with a frankenwatch cobbled together from non-original parts, particularly with Tanks made before the 1970s. “Buying vintage Cartier is a true minefield, even more than buying a vintage Rolex,” he cautions. “I do sell vintage Cartier watches on occasion, but they go quickly in this Cartier-crazed environment, and great ones are hard to find.”What's the Deal With Those Tiny Tanks I Keep Seeing?Cartier isn’t known to bow to trends, but it has leaned into the Tank’s burgeoning status in recent years, especially the growing popularity of its most diminutive “Mini” models. After a few seasons of guys from Bad Bunny to Timothée Chalamét joining the teeny-tiny watch crew—sometimes wearing two at a time—Cartier added a Mini version of the Tank Americaine and Tank Louis Cartier to the lineup in 2024.If you’re ready to get serious about adding a Tank to your collection, or just want to better familiarize yourself with the ever-expanding Tank universe, here are the most important models, both new and historical, to know—along with a few places we trust where you can reliably find 'em.The Tank NormaleThe Normale is where it all began and, some argue, the most authentic member of the Tank family. This Tank has been in production on and off since 1919, always in gold or platinum, and is now part of the Cartier Privé collection.The Tank CintréeAt the top of the Tank pyramid you’ll find the Cintrée, which is known for its elongated gold or platinum case that’s curved to fit snugly against the wrist. It was the first major riff on the original Tank design in 1921 and is now part of the exclusive Cartier Privé collection.Cartier2022 Cartier Tank Cintrée 100th Anniversary WatchCartier2022 Cartier Tank Cintrée Large Rose Gold WatchThe Tank AmericaineIntroduced in 1989 and still going strong, the Americaine is a gently modernized version of the Tank Cintrée, with a similarly curved, elongated case, and a wide range of sizes, movements, and metals.CartierCartier Tank Américaine Large Rose Gold WatchCartierCartier Tank Américaine Small White Gold GoldThe Tank AnglaiseCartier doesn’t mess with the essential form of the Tank very often these days, but in 2012 the brand unveiled this streamlined version with the crown integrated into the case. Sadly for fans of its sleek modern look, the Anglaise exited the Cartier lineup at the end of the decade. Cartier being Cartier, however, you never know when it might make a comeback.The Tank FrancaiseThe Française, which is identifiable by a square dial and chunkier brancards, was added to the Tank family in 1996 and said to be based on an archival model from the 1930s. It’s the only Tank model that’s exclusively available on a metal bracelet, which makes it the sportiest of the bunch.CartierCartier Tank Francaise Two-Tone WatchCartierCartier Tank Française Small Diamond-Set WatchThe Tank MustThe Must was created in the late '70s as an affordable addition to the Cartier catalog, and reintroduced in 2021 to replace the outgoing Tank Solo collection. It’s still the most accessible Tank in the lineup, as well as the only version available with Cartier’s light-powered Solarbeat quartz movement. While the original Tank “Must de Cartier” (a.k.a. the Tank Vermeil—which is the French term for gold-plated silver) is the most affordable version you’ll find on the vintage market, 1970s models weren’t made with Cartier’s typical attention to quality, and many of them haven’t aged well.Cartier2021 Cartier Tank Must Large Steel WatchCartierCartier Tank Must Large Steel WatchThe Tank MonopoussoirAnother rare bird from the Cartier archive, the Monopoussoir (the name refers to a “monopusher” chronograph movement that starts, stops, and resets with a single push of the sapphire-capped crown) was part of the extremely limited Collection Privé Cartier Paris (CPCP) that was produced from 1998 to 2008. In addition to being one of very few Tank chronographs, the Monopoussoir gets extra collector cred thanks to a movement produced by THA Èbauche, a legendary manufacture co-founded by celebrity watchmaker F.P. Journe.The Tank Louis CartierThis eponymous tribute to the Tank’s designer dates back to the 1920s, and is among the more luxurious takes on the original design, with shapely rounded brancards, a prominent beaded crown, and an 18k gold case.CartierCartier Tank Louis Small WatchCartier2024 Cartier Tank Louis Large WatchThe Tank ChinoiseAsian-inspired motifs were trending hard in the '20s, making this case inspired by traditional Chinese architecture the height of cosmopolitan cool when it dropped in 1922. Cartier doubled-down on Chinoiserie when it reintroduced the watch in 2022 with a selection of precious metal cases as part of the Privé collection.CartierCartier Tank Chinoise Small Yellow Gold WatchCartier2022 Cartier Tank Chinoise Large Rose Gold WatchThe Tank à GuichetsThis hot take from 1928 features a “digital” layout with the hours displayed in one window and the minutes in another. It’s thought that as few as 1,000 have ever been produced since then, which makes the à Guichets among the rarest—and most unusual—vintage Tanks of them all. That also makes it among the most valuable, with a crisp white gold model selling for a cool $450,000 at auction in 2024.The Tank AnglaiseCartier doesn’t mess with the essential form of the Tank very often these days, but in 2012 the brand unveiled this streamlined version with the crown integrated into the case. Sadly for fans of its sleek modern look, the Anglaise exited the Cartier lineup at the end of the decade. Cartier being Cartier, however, you never know when it might make a comeback.Cartier2016 Cartier Tank Anglaise Large Yellow Gold WatchCartierCartier Tank Anglaise Two-Tone Mid-Size WatchThe Tank BasculanteA sporty design from the early 1930s with a Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso-style case that swivels to protect the crystal. While pre-1960s examples are as rare as they are pricey, Cartier produced a relative glut of Basculantes (including a steel model) in the early 2000s, making it one of the more gettable weirdo Tanks.CartierCartier Tank Basculante Yellow Gold and Diamond-Set WatchCartierCartier Tank Basculante Medium Steel WatchThe Tank AsymétriqueOriginally known as the Tank Losange or the Parallélogramme, it’s believed this off-kilter ticker was developed in the 1930s as a driver’s watch whose dial was tilted to make it easier to read without taking your hand off the wheel. The modern Asymétrique was born in the ‘90s, and has been produced on and off in limited numbers ever since.The Tank MCCartier now makes a lot of its own movements in-house, but that hasn’t always been the case. The MC (which stands for Manufacture Cartier) was the brand’s entrée into movement making when it launched in 2013.Cartier2021 Cartier Tank MC Large Rose Gold WatchCartierCartier Tank MC Large Watch Source link

[chilimili212]

We should all be so lucky to age as well as the Cartier Tank. Created by Louis Cartier in 1917, the Tank has been a go-to timepiece for a century’s worth of style icons, from Steve McQueen and Andy Warhol to Timothée Chalamet and Tyler, the Creator. Its simple-yet-decadent design is a big part of its appeal, with a case formed by a set of parallel lines (or brancards in Cartier-speak), accented by another set of sword-shaped hands, and a winding crown topped with a blue sapphire (or in rare cases, ruby) cabochon.Wait, Why Is the Cartier Tank Such a Big Deal?“I don't think there's any watch more important than the Cartier Tank,” says Kevin O’Dell, a vintage watch dealer and avid Cartier collector. “I know that sounds like a crazy statement, but can you think of any other design that's stood the test of time in such a way? That literally looks identical today as it did in 1920, is still a popular seller for the brand and has never gone out of production? There's literally no other watch that can say that. Like, not a single one.”Makes Sense. Should I Buy a New Cartier Tank?If you’re looking to add a new-model Tank to your watch rotation, the current Cartier lineup offers something for everyone, from the steel Tank Must Solarbeat to the jauntily-angled gold Tank Asymétrique, which is part of the ultra-exclusive Cartier Privée collection.What About Finding One on the Vintage Market?Vintage Tanks are a world unto themselves, with over a century’s worth of designs—the 1919 Tank Normale, the curvaceous 2010s Tank Anglaise—to choose from. “Vintage Tanks can vary in price, depending on the condition of the watch, the model and the size, from under $1,000 for a gold-plated (or ‘vermeil’) Must de Cartier Tank from the 1980s, to hundreds of thousands of dollars for platinum or white gold models,” advises Eric Wind, Founder and Owner of Wind Vintage in Palm Beach, Florida.The recent boom in demand for vintage Cartier, Wind says, means that buyers need to be extra careful and “shop the seller” to avoid ending up with a frankenwatch cobbled together from non-original parts, particularly with Tanks made before the 1970s. “Buying vintage Cartier is a true minefield, even more than buying a vintage Rolex,” he cautions. “I do sell vintage Cartier watches on occasion, but they go quickly in this Cartier-crazed environment, and great ones are hard to find.”What's the Deal With Those Tiny Tanks I Keep Seeing?Cartier isn’t known to bow to trends, but it has leaned into the Tank’s burgeoning status in recent years, especially the growing popularity of its most diminutive “Mini” models. After a few seasons of guys from Bad Bunny to Timothée Chalamét joining the teeny-tiny watch crew—sometimes wearing two at a time—Cartier added a Mini version of the Tank Americaine and Tank Louis Cartier to the lineup in 2024.If you’re ready to get serious about adding a Tank to your collection, or just want to better familiarize yourself with the ever-expanding Tank universe, here are the most important models, both new and historical, to know—along with a few places we trust where you can reliably find 'em.The Tank NormaleThe Normale is where it all began and, some argue, the most authentic member of the Tank family. This Tank has been in production on and off since 1919, always in gold or platinum, and is now part of the Cartier Privé collection.The Tank CintréeAt the top of the Tank pyramid you’ll find the Cintrée, which is known for its elongated gold or platinum case that’s curved to fit snugly against the wrist. It was the first major riff on the original Tank design in 1921 and is now part of the exclusive Cartier Privé collection.Cartier2022 Cartier Tank Cintrée 100th Anniversary WatchCartier2022 Cartier Tank Cintrée Large Rose Gold WatchThe Tank AmericaineIntroduced in 1989 and still going strong, the Americaine is a gently modernized version of the Tank Cintrée, with a similarly curved, elongated case, and a wide range of sizes, movements, and metals.CartierCartier Tank Américaine Large Rose Gold WatchCartierCartier Tank Américaine Small White Gold GoldThe Tank AnglaiseCartier doesn’t mess with the essential form of the Tank very often these days, but in 2012 the brand unveiled this streamlined version with the crown integrated into the case. Sadly for fans of its sleek modern look, the Anglaise exited the Cartier lineup at the end of the decade. Cartier being Cartier, however, you never know when it might make a comeback.The Tank FrancaiseThe Française, which is identifiable by a square dial and chunkier brancards, was added to the Tank family in 1996 and said to be based on an archival model from the 1930s. It’s the only Tank model that’s exclusively available on a metal bracelet, which makes it the sportiest of the bunch.CartierCartier Tank Francaise Two-Tone WatchCartierCartier Tank Française Small Diamond-Set WatchThe Tank MustThe Must was created in the late '70s as an affordable addition to the Cartier catalog, and reintroduced in 2021 to replace the outgoing Tank Solo collection. It’s still the most accessible Tank in the lineup, as well as the only version available with Cartier’s light-powered Solarbeat quartz movement. While the original Tank ���Must de Cartier” (a.k.a. the Tank Vermeil—which is the French term for gold-plated silver) is the most affordable version you’ll find on the vintage market, 1970s models weren’t made with Cartier’s typical attention to quality, and many of them haven’t aged well.Cartier2021 Cartier Tank Must Large Steel WatchCartierCartier Tank Must Large Steel WatchThe Tank MonopoussoirAnother rare bird from the Cartier archive, the Monopoussoir (the name refers to a “monopusher” chronograph movement that starts, stops, and resets with a single push of the sapphire-capped crown) was part of the extremely limited Collection Privé Cartier Paris (CPCP) that was produced from 1998 to 2008. In addition to being one of very few Tank chronographs, the Monopoussoir gets extra collector cred thanks to a movement produced by THA Èbauche, a legendary manufacture co-founded by celebrity watchmaker F.P. Journe.The Tank Louis CartierThis eponymous tribute to the Tank’s designer dates back to the 1920s, and is among the more luxurious takes on the original design, with shapely rounded brancards, a prominent beaded crown, and an 18k gold case.CartierCartier Tank Louis Small WatchCartier2024 Cartier Tank Louis Large WatchThe Tank ChinoiseAsian-inspired motifs were trending hard in the '20s, making this case inspired by traditional Chinese architecture the height of cosmopolitan cool when it dropped in 1922. Cartier doubled-down on Chinoiserie when it reintroduced the watch in 2022 with a selection of precious metal cases as part of the Privé collection.CartierCartier Tank Chinoise Small Yellow Gold WatchCartier2022 Cartier Tank Chinoise Large Rose Gold WatchThe Tank à GuichetsThis hot take from 1928 features a “digital” layout with the hours displayed in one window and the minutes in another. It’s thought that as few as 1,000 have ever been produced since then, which makes the à Guichets among the rarest—and most unusual—vintage Tanks of them all. That also makes it among the most valuable, with a crisp white gold model selling for a cool $450,000 at auction in 2024.The Tank AnglaiseCartier doesn’t mess with the essential form of the Tank very often these days, but in 2012 the brand unveiled this streamlined version with the crown integrated into the case. Sadly for fans of its sleek modern look, the Anglaise exited the Cartier lineup at the end of the decade. Cartier being Cartier, however, you never know when it might make a comeback.Cartier2016 Cartier Tank Anglaise Large Yellow Gold WatchCartierCartier Tank Anglaise Two-Tone Mid-Size WatchThe Tank BasculanteA sporty design from the early 1930s with a Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso-style case that swivels to protect the crystal. While pre-1960s examples are as rare as they are pricey, Cartier produced a relative glut of Basculantes (including a steel model) in the early 2000s, making it one of the more gettable weirdo Tanks.CartierCartier Tank Basculante Yellow Gold and Diamond-Set WatchCartierCartier Tank Basculante Medium Steel WatchThe Tank AsymétriqueOriginally known as the Tank Losange or the Parallélogramme, it’s believed this off-kilter ticker was developed in the 1930s as a driver’s watch whose dial was tilted to make it easier to read without taking your hand off the wheel. The modern Asymétrique was born in the ‘90s, and has been produced on and off in limited numbers ever since.The Tank MCCartier now makes a lot of its own movements in-house, but that hasn’t always been the case. The MC (which stands for Manufacture Cartier) was the brand’s entrée into movement making when it launched in 2013.Cartier2021 Cartier Tank MC Large Rose Gold WatchCartierCartier Tank MC Large Watch Source link

[z2z-gaming-and-random-art-ai]

Pokémon Series - 2014 - Alpha Sapphire & Omega Ruby

The Pokémon series first debuted back in 1996 when Japanese developer Game Freak released Pocket Monsters Akai, Pocket Monsters Midori and Pocket Monsters Ao also known as Pocket Monsters Red, Green and Blue for the Game Boy.

Initial releases of these three games was exclusive to Japan but translation of them would release two years later with Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue releasing alongside a special edition Pokémon Yellow Version Special Pikachu Edition, this unlike Red and Blue is based on the Anime series that released in 1997.

2002 saw the main-line Pokémon series move from the Game Boy and Game Boy Color to the recently released Game Boy Advance with the releases of Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire in 2002.

The series would continue on the Game Boy Advance in 2004 with the releases of FireRed and LeafGreen, these games being remakes of the original Pokémon Green and Red.

Although releasing in Japan in 2004, Pokémon Emerald would see the bulk of its releases occurring in 2005 with US and European releases of the game and is the fifth main-line title to grace the Game Boy Advance handheld system.

Late 2006s Japanese release of Pokémon Diamond would be followed by worldwide releases in 2007, with the main-line rpg series of Pokémon games making the jump to the relatively new handheld system the Nintendo DS

Like previous release Pokémon titles 2007's Pokémon Pearl would debut in Japan in 2006 but would see the majority of it's releases the following year in 2007, releasing i across Europe, North America and Oceania. this begins the 4th generation and moves the player to the Sinnoh region with over 100 new Pokémon to catch.

Following the release of Pearl, Pokémon Diamond would reach shelves in Japan in 2008 with a wider release the following year in 2009. Diamond marks the 3rd game of the 4th generation and as with the previously two was exclusive to Nintendo's handheld system the DS.

2009 would also see the releases of two more remakes with the releases of Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, these two games being remakes of Pokémon Gold and Silver, and released to mark the 10 year anniversary of the 1999 Game Boy Color releases.

2010 would see the release of Pokémon Black and Pokémon White and the start of the 5th generation. The Black version of the game features the legendary Pokémon Reshiram, while the White version features the legendary Pokémon Zekrom, this is also the first entry in the main-line rpg games to feature fully animated Pokémon during battle.

Two years later the direct sequels to Pokémon Black and Pokémon White would be released, again on the Nintendo DS and again with players returning to the region of Unova in Pokémon Black & White 2. With this latest entry in the main-line rpg series set two years after the events of Black and White with new locations and 277 Pokémon to catch.

The following year would see the Pokémon series move to the Kalos region for Pokémon X and Y for the Nintendo 3DS. These two entries in the series mark the first to be fully rendered in 3D as well as having a customisable player character.

2014 would see another enhanced remake of older entries in the Pokémon series with Pokémon Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby, these two releases being remakes of 2002s Pokémon Sapphire and Ruby.

This first generation of Pokémon games would be the first of 9 generations that would be released over the next 26 years with the most recent being in 2022 with Scarlet & Violet. Over the course of the Pokémon franchise life a multitude of spin of games have also released encompassing a multitude of genres as well. 

For other Gaming Shorts check out this playlist https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFJOZYl1h1CF5oVPNNxPlLJPambfM5BIj

[thehourmarkers]

Among Cartier's iconoclastic early designs, the Tortue watch unveiled in 1912 stood out for its audacious tortoise-inspired shape. While the Santos-Dumont and Tonneau models preceded it, the Tortue's curvaceous case marked a bold departure from the era's round watches. Often overlooked next to Cartier's legendary Tank, the Tortue remains one of the Maison's most brilliant and enduring creations. With the 2024 Cartier Privé release featuring the Tortue, this unhurried horological hero reaffirms its lasting appeal at Watches & Wonders 2024.

The Revamped Tortue:

For the 8th edition of the prestigious Cartier Privé collection, the brand unveils contemporary interpretations of the Tortue across simple time-only and premium chronograph versions. While retaining the archetypal tortoise silhouette, the new models feature refined proportions. Elongated lugs seamlessly flow into the straps, while slimmer cases lend an elegant lightness.

The hours/minutes versions demonstrate incredible attention to detail. On the yellow gold pieces, the finely-grained golden dials are quintessential Cartier, complemented by sapphire cabochon crowns and iconic blue alligator straps. The platinum models are exercises in chromatic harmony - opaline silvered dials, ruby cabochon crowns, and cartier diamond watches-pavé buckles create a regal aesthetic. All models, including a 50-piece diamond-set platinum cartier limited edition watches, are powered by Cartier's ultra-thin manual-wind Calibre 430 MC, optimized for the iconic curved case.

The Monopoussoir Chronograph

However, the pièce de résistance is undoubtedly the Tortue Monopoussoir Chronograph driven by the Manufacture Calibre 1928 MC. Remarkably, the original 1928 Tortue Monopoussoir was Cartier's very first chronograph. This diminutive 25mm by 35mm watch pioneered the innovative single-pusher concept – with the start, stop, and reset functions all controlled by one pusher integrated into the crown.

It housed a traditional column-wheel chronograph movement with a horizontal clutch, yet stood out with distinctive 1920s design elements. These included a slim hand-carved bezel, matte dial with blocky Roman numerals, chemin de fer minute track and exquisite flame-blued Breguet hands. Produced in extremely limited numbers, an original 1928 Tortue Monopoussoir is an exceedingly rare sight at modern auctions.

The 2024 revival captures the essence of this groundbreaking chronograph in a superbly refined modern form. The legible dial layout prioritizes the monopusher concept, with the rail-track chapter ring on the periphery leaving ample room for the two snailed chronograph counters. Signature flourishes like blued-steel hands, hollowed central chronograph hand, and triangular quarter markers enrich the already scintillating visuals. Yet the real magic reveals itself through the open caseback - the superbly decorated column-wheel choreographing the high-precision levers and springs in a mechanical dance.

At just 4.3mm, the 1928 MC is Cartier's thinnest chronograph calibre ever, a remarkable feat condensed into a curved asymmetric case only 10.2mm thick. The finissage combines age-old decorations like Geneva striping with immaculate hand-bevelling, brushing and circular graining. The monochrome platinum model juxtaposes rhodium-plating against blued counters, while the yellow gold variant radiates warmth through its honeyed dials and counters.

Final Thoughts!

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With this sublime new Privé collection, the iconic Tortue regains its rightful place alongside the Maison's most legendary designs. For the true connoisseur, these creations represent slow, steady genius finally recognized as the timeless classics they are. The race for horological perfection has a new front-runner - unhurried, uncompromising, and entirely unforgettable.

[my-reality-my-rules]

[link to original post || same as link in the 1st pic]

original question:

one thing that i feel isn't talked about enough in the shifting community is: what happens to the other self when you shift? the consciousness that was originally in the vessel that you're shifting as?

[small note: thank you to those anon/s who answered my question lmfao]

≿❈≾

[TW: image depicting slight(?) body horror]

I'll answer this in the order of asks (from left to right, top to bottom)!

this entire set of messages actually reminded me of that one post i uploaded last night. while I'm not the most certain of my answer, it's the one I'm leaning towards. when we shift, the consciousness of the body we're going to occupy will also shift—and at the same time, another version of our consciousness will fill in as a clone to the body that we've left behind.

(apologies in advance) i found this image on steam:

and while disturbing, it's one of the most accurate depictions i found. where one person (plug??? now that i think about it, I'm pretty sure that's the human centipede) moves, it causes a chain reaction where another would take their place.

≿❈≾

now, onto the order of messages.

1) image 1 - merged consciousness, clone theory

I've yet to watch Everything, Everywhere, All at Once, but what you've mentioned is an interesting take. i do have one question for that, though: what happens when the consciousnesses bleed together? how do you know which one is which, when you're (essentially) merging versions of yourself? when i read your answer, i actually thought of Garnet from Steven Universe (who's a fusion of two gems, sapphire and ruby). does the mind become a separate consciousness entirely (still retaining the personality and characteristics of the two main ones), or is it ultimately just one consciousness but with two others in the background? for instance, fusions in SU are sentient, and you can use that to argue that the gems making up the fusion influence the personality of the fusion herself. but it only goes to show that the fusion (the 'final product', so to speak) would not exist if not for the two gems merging in the first place. i interpreted the idea of the merged consciousness based off what you've mentioned, by the way, so apologies if i do get anything wrong with it. from what you've stated, so long as a person is shifting, their consciousness is essentially overlapping with the one of the body they're inhabiting. and when they separate, there's a disconnect. it does make sense. but what happens after? does that mean the result of the merge itself fails to exist? is it similar to what happens with fusions in SU, where without the combinination, the final form cannot be made? i suppose it's also why I'm more inclined to rely on the clone theory. as I've already mentioned earlier, when a person shifts, everyone else does as well. like slotting things into place. we have clones to fill in for us when we shift, and at the same time, we are also clones who fill in another's position when we shift.

- - -

2) images 2 & 3 - versions of consciousness [I'm pretty sure those two messages were sent by the same person lmao]

i do agree with your answer, actually. i tripped up a bit reading the first message, but i think i understand where you're coming from. those versions of you will continue to exist, no matter what choices you make as you yourself are just a version of them as much as they are of you. the closest comparison i could make is that of photocopying machines. you insert a piece of paper to duplicate (the action of shifting), with an original file to print in multiple pieces (the thought of getting to a DR), and the machine churns out those copies of paper (the end result of trying to shift). some papers will have ink smudges, some will be just the tiniest bit off-colour, and et cetera. at the end of the day, they all still contain the same content as the original picture you meant to photocopy. you can shift as many times as you'd like, and you'd still end up with all these differing versions of you who made different choices; but all the same, they're still you, and no consciousness really gets 'left behind', in a manner of speaking.

- - -

3) image 4 - possession

now, I'll admit the phrasing on this one actually made me laugh a bit because of how random it sounded. still, though, it reminded me of one important thing, and I'm very curious as to how people really do feel about this shifting theory. it's usually agreed upon that when you shift, the body that you're inhabiting already existed to begin with. there is no 'start' for you, as the shifter, because that vessel has long been there even before you came to awareness when shifting into it. and it's a valid point. but one thing about what the anon said keeps nagging at my mind; the spawning of the empty body, as they've referred to it—it's not entirely impossible nor implausible. with the existence of multiple universes, it stands to reason that the random body generation shouldn't simply be discounted on accounts of disbelief. honestly, though, i still don't know how to respond to that last ask in particular, because the anon really does have a point? however, at the same time, it more or less also sounds like [and i wholeheartedly apologise to the anon for this] something you'd hear from 2020 shiftok 😭😭

- - -

[professorhawthorne]

Hawthorne's Pokemon Etymology Corner #1 - Milotic and how it's even better than you think it is, I promise!

Welcome to the first of what might be a regular feature here because I'm a huge dweeb and in a few weeks I'll have a glorious month of having nothing to do but play Scarlet and Violet and look into stuff like this! Today we're looking at the etymology (that's the study of the origin of words and phrases) of the name of one of generation three's most notorious water types.

I wanted to start with Milotic because every time I hear someone talk about its name origins they never quiiiitteee go far enough or hit it from the scientific angle that I like to approach things from.

So, let's get the first portion of the name out of the way because I agree with the majority and it seems pretty cut and dry. The "Milo" in Milotic is likely a reference to the Venus De Milo, a famous statue thought to depict the Greek goddess of love and a personal muse of mine: Aphrodite. The name of the statue comes from Venus (the Romanized name for Aphrodite) and Milos, the island the statue was found on. Making the name roughly "Venus from Milos" or "Venus of Milos".

The connection Milotic has to this famous work of marble is much more explcit in its debut generation as well as the fourth generation but less so in following generations due to the phasing out of contest and pokeblock/poffin mechanics after gen 4 (Which were all unfortunately present in both sets of remakes for generations three and four).

See, Milotic evolves from Feebas, a pokemon noted for being excessively ugly even when compared to its loose counterpart Magikarp, but by using pokeblocks or poffins to raise a Feebas' beauty trait you could evolve it into Milotic with a level up. This beauty based mechanic is the link to the Venus De Milo because the goddess it depicts was said to be the most beautiful woman in existence, a title she would violently defend.

This connection became less apparent from generation five onward as it became possible to evolve Feebas by trading it while it held a Prism Scale, somewhat severing the connection to its Greco-Roman origins. The last part of the name is where I have more fun though! The "tic" In Milotic is thought to simply be the end of the word "Aquatic" because Milotic is a water-type the is loosely based on the Oarfish or Gymnetrus gladius, a species of deep sea fish with bright reddish-pink spines sprouting from a dorsal fin that runs the length of its entire body, a trait that Milotic takes inspration (and heavy liberties) with. This all makes a lot of sense and is nice and simple and works well with Occam's Razor but I'M A DORK AND IT GETS EVEN JUICIER!

To explain how we need to go aaaaaaalllllll the way back to Ruby and Sapphire and look at the Route you initially catch Feebas in, if you even could. Feebas, and subsequently Milotic, were so elusive in their first few generations of existence that most players had no idea how to obtain one. The way it worked was that the original route that Feebas spawned in, Hoenn Route 119, had a few tiles of water, out of over a hundred total water tiles, that Feebas could be found in. These tiles were randomly generated when you made your save file and could be rerolled by telling the trendy phrase guy in Dewford town a new phrase (This is honestly so bizarre??). So, to find the lil guy you had to methodically fish an entire water route covered in flowing water and waterfalls.

Here's where the point of this whole post comes in. In the field of Limnology, that is the study of bodies of freshwater, there are two basic classifications of waterbodies, lentic or still bodies and lotic or flowing bodies.

See where I'm going? Hoenn Route 119 is obviously a flowing body of water, it's a river that runs south to the coast, roughly where you encounter Steven Stone and the counterpart to your game version's Eon pokemon in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.

I posit that it isn't simply the word "Aquatic" that gives Milotic the end of its name but the word "Lotic" which refers to the flowing rivers in which its young live and it later inhabits.

Now there's potentially some holes in this, just one generation later you can find Feebas in an underground lake in Mount Coronet which may be a lentic system but I posit that the Feebas must have entered the underground lake through some submerged cave system likely branching off of one of the rivers in northern Sinnoh so uhhh there. The portmanteau is smooshed even closer together if you use the word "Lotic" over "Aquatic" and that's just more elegant~

Tune in next time to see if I spend this long getting to the point again, next time in Professor Hawthorne's Pokemon Etymology Cornerrrr~

[inkykeiji]

bright light city gonna set my soul on fire

ace anon said: wanna suggest dabi taking you to a poker game as a good luck charm then betting you on a game and losing...or winning and bragging about it by fucking you on the table

genre: smut + implied crooked secret agent/spy AU set in the late 1950s???

notes: AH ace i loved this idea SO MUCH it ended up sparking an entire fic!! heavily inspired by ian fleming’s 1953 novel casino royale + martin campbell’s 2006 film casino royale. it is set in clari’s version of the 1950s and in no way historically accurate!! think of it as an AU of the 1950s, if that makes sense ehehe | title credit: viva las vegas by elvis | songs mentioned in the fic itself: don’t and i beg of you by elvis, rockin’ robin by bobby day

warnings: 18+, period typical use of the word Daddy (not with dabi), inappropriate use of the word Mister, slight degradation, mentioned somnophilia, slight dacryphilia, minimal prep, night terrors, blood, murder, generally toxic codependant relationship, one implied mention of drug use (morphine), mentions of tense family dynamics

words: 8.5k

synopsis:

Yes, as much as he’d like to deny it, it’s true; Dabi fell in love with you the moment he laid eyes on you.

Because Dabi saw more than just a pretty little thing when your gazes first met.

He saw the perfect weapon, a diamond in the rough just waiting—begging—to be cleaned and cut and formed into the most brilliant gem, into the most ideal accomplice for him—because, really, what’s more dangerous than a beautiful woman? Especially when she looks like innocence personified?

Sticky pink candy, translucent and gleaming with saliva, clacks against teeth as you roll the heart-shaped lollipop around in your mouth, twirling the stick between your index finger and your thumb.

Legs kick idly as you lean back on your other hand, seated on the edge of Tomura’s massive, pristine mahogany desk, watching as his personal tailor helps Dabi shrug on a navy tuxedo jacket, stitched and sown perfectly to his measurements.

“I dunno,” he’s saying as he pivots his body a little, making a face at himself in the mirror. “I still think the black looks better,”

Ruby eyes roll up towards the ceiling, a frustrated groan spilling from between Tomura’s lips.

“You always think the black looks better. We’re going with the navy, it brings out your eyes,” he gives the back of Dabi’s head a sharp look before strolling towards you, features softening as he observes—the perfect picture of innocence, legs swinging slowly in cute little motions, strawberry lollipop sucked against the roof of your mouth, sparkling eyes floating from your boyfriend’s broad shoulders to his—your—boss’s face as he advances.

“Gimme some,” he demands, large hands finding your knees and halting your movement, using his hipbones to push them wider, making a space for himself between them and sticking his tongue out. With a giggle, you place the now misshapen candy on his tongue, gasping loudly as he snatches the candy from you, movements too quick for you to catch, and jumps away with the grace of a cat.

“Daddy!”

Tomura snickers around the lollipop in his mouth, sucking it into his cheek as he speaks around it. “Aw, come now, don’t pout,” his bottom lip pushes out to mimic your expression, tilting his head in false sympathy. “I’m sure your Mister will buy you another,”

“He better,” you mumble through your pout, eyebrows knitting together as arms cross tightly over your chest, eyes flitting to Dabi.

“I will, dollface, I will,” he vows distractedly, gaze not straying from his fingers reflected in the mirror as they fiddle with his bowtie.

“Promise, Mister?”

“Promise, baby, promise,”

Dabi’s already been briefed on the specifics of this mission—something to do with playing a poker game with a bunch of other crooked hotshots at the Sahara hotel in Las Vegas, but that’s all you know. That’s all you’re authorized to know.

Despite being Dabi’s accomplice and working for Tomura’s underground organization, you’re rarely allowed to be in Tomura’s office while the briefing happens. It’s sensitive information, dollface, and the less you know the better, and don’t misbehave now, sit pretty and quiet like a good little girl until the big boys are finished, and then Daddy and Mister will give you a pretty reward.

But! you had protested with a bottom lip involuntarily jutted out. But maybe, if I know more, I can be of better help—

But Tomura had shut that idea down before it had even finished leaving your lips.

No. Absolutely not. It’s for your own good—your own safety, you little brat—why can’t you understand that? 

You do understand that, you’ve been told a thousand times—your specialty is distractions, used to keep enemies occupied before Dabi splatters their brains on marble floors, or to pry information out of men weak to the smile of a pretty girl.

And, to be fair, Tomura does reward you pretty generously, with glittering evening gowns and designer pumps and all the handbags a gal could ever want.

You turn back to face him, red lips spread into a cunning, mischievous smile, a smile he knows all too well, a smile Dabi loves—because he taught it to you—and Tomura hates—because it means you’re about to get what you want. “So. How much money are you giving me to play with this time, Daddy?”

Tomura’s face screws up, nose scrunching. “None,” he spits, removing the lollipop from his mouth. Tiny hands grab at the air, reaching for it like a child, Tomura swiping it just out of grasp as he continues his scolding. “Last time, you nearly bought the entire shopping complex,”

“Ah, c’mon, boss,” Dabi says around a cigar, still standing in front of the full-length mirror and smoothing down his clothing. “Give the lil lady a lil somethin’, will ya?”

“Yeah, boss, c’mon,” you plead, mimicking your boyfriend, adorning your face with your signature pout and award-winning puppy-dog eyes.

“Absolutely not.” His voice is stern as he speaks, facial features hard in finality and resolution, but his eyes—irises a crimson so brilliant, so beautiful it’s terrifying, almost looks as if it’s glowing—are beginning to waver.

“You know, if you don’t, then I’m sure I’ll get bored in that big city all by myself while Dabi’s working,” you begin in a singsong voice, eyebrows raising. “And you know what happens when I get bored, Daddy,”

“She gets int’a trouble,” Dabi grumbles, eyes catching yours through the mirror, though there’s a smirk forming around the cigar, held between sharp gleaming ivory teeth.

“S’true,” you nod simply, eyelashes fluttering as you gaze at Tomura. “Please, Daddy? Pretty please? I swear I won’t spend too much this time,”

“Jus’ give ‘er your credit card r’somethin’,” Dabi waves a hand in nonchalance before patting down his pockets. “I’ll keep a’eye on ‘er, promise,”

“Take that damn cigar out of your mouth and speak properly,” Tomura spits, and you and Dabi share another look, another smirk, through the mirror. “Fine, alright? Fine,” nimble fingers pull out a sleek leather wallet, flipping it open and searching through the card slots, grumbling to himself. “Christ, the two of you are insufferable, I swear to God,”

“Thank you, Daddy,” you giggle, soft and gentle and innocent, all of the things you weren’t mere moments ago. Platinum plastic gleams in your fingers as you tilt the card in the light, gaze captivated by the way it sparkles and glitters as you speak again. “Promise I’ll bring you back something neat,”

     ✰          ✰          ✰

It’s been a few years now since the two of you met, since the two of you became partners, and Dabi swears to high heaven and back that he had tried his hardest not to fall in love with you, cross his heart, hope to die.

At least, that’s what he likes to tell himself. In actuality, he fell for you the moment he laid eyes on you—it’s as cliché and cheesy as one of those Jimmy Dean flicks, but goddamn it, it’s true all the same.

Doesn’t help that that’s one of the first things you said to him, though.

You look like Jimmy Dean, Mister, you had giggled dainty behind your hand, batting those long, thick eyelashes as you gazed up at him, gracious and polite and all the things a good little girl like you should be. Is supposed to be.

It made him want to fucking ruin you. It sparked a white-hot fire deep in the pit of his stomach, a blaze that grew, and grew, and grew with each of your cute mannerisms. It procured an inferno full of pure desire, heady and intoxicating, that nearly engulfed him in an instant.

“Oh, yeah?” he had asked with a smirk, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms over his chest, tongue running along his front teeth as he steadily held your eyes. “‘N why’s that, little miss?”

Those eyes, the sparkling ones that had been so bold only a moment ago, bashfully flitted down to the teal typewriter sitting in front of you on a large oak desk, fiddling a little with your nails against the worn keys.

Baby pink. Cute.

“Oh I—I—” your gaze flashed up to his for a moment, intense cobalt burning into your very skull, before you averted your stare again. “Well, I-I don’t mean to be rude, Mister, it’s just that—your hair,”

Sapphire eyes flicked up, as if to gaze at his forehead, as if he were able to see his own hair from just that motion, eyebrows raising with the action.

“S’all messy like the way he wears his. You know, when he’s not doing a picture and all that,”

And you noticed your mistake immediately, eyes widening, tongue tripping over your words in your haste to correct yourself, to speak properly, like a lady. “I-It’s all messy, s-sorry, excuse me, it’s all messy like the way he wears his,”

A smirk, slow and dangerous, spread across his face as he observed you, tilting his head a little as his eyes travelled down your neck, to your shoulders and the sweetheart neckline of that pretty, pretty dress, and then back up again, narrowing slightly as they did so. It’s in that moment that Dabi first wondered what you’d sound like underneath him while sharp hipbones bruise his name into the tender flesh of your inner thighs, how you’d slur your words together then.

His voice was a touch huskier when he spoke again. “You like Jimmy, miss?”

“I sure do,” you nodded, painted lips morphing into a little melancholic smile as you looked down at the typewriter again. “It’s a real shame he passed,”

“Sure is,” Dabi mimicked your movement, giving a simple nod in agreement. “But thank you for the compliment, doll, I’ll take it,”

Your head snapped back up. “Oh, c’mon, m’not stupid y’know,” you huffed with a roll of your eyes and a light laugh.

“No?”

The traces of amusement that played in his azure eyes had your own narrowing a little in response, sitting up straighter as you rolled your shoulders back.

“No,” you shook your head. “I know who you are,”

“Yeah? And who’s that?”

“Touya.”

And it’s the way you said his birthname, the way your lips curled into a devious little smile around the word, the way one of your perfectly arched eyebrows raised in question, in challenge, that had confirmed it for him, right then and there, in that stupidly luxurious office.  

“Touya Todoroki.”

He was sure he had to have you. He was positive he had to make you his—forever.

“You’ve been compared to Jimmy since he debuted—”

“And you know this because—”

“—because I read Time and Vogue and all those other stupid magazines, just like all the other women in this country. And I’ve seen you,” you paused to point a manicured nail at him. “On or in every single one,”

Oh, and he was sure you had, sure you knew that he was notorious for stealing several of his father’s girlfriends when he was in his early twenties, infamous for fucking them and then selling the Polaroid’s and information to vying tabloids and the like. He always did like to spice up those stories a little, to fluff them and make them a hint more scandalous, glamorous—those ones always sold for more.

Not that he needed the money.

“It’s rude to point, baby,” he winked before he straightened up, pushed himself off the wall and stalked towards your desk, stopping in front of it as large hands splayed out on the wood, and leaned close to your face.

“And I don’t go by that name anymore, sweetheart,” he had told you, voice smooth as scotch over ice, though something dangerous glinted in his eyes as they carefully searched your face, something omnious etched into the sharp smile on his face

A shiver crawled up your spine, frosty and slow, fingers tiptoeing up each vertebra as you nodded your understanding. “Y-Yes, sir,”

The door to your boss’s office had swung open then, Dabi straightening up and spreading his arms out in a grand sweeping movement.

“David!” he greeted as if the two were old friends, large smile stretched too tight across his face as he walked forward and clapped a large hand on the smaller man’s shoulder. “How are you doing?”

He murdered your boss that day. You didn’t know, of course, didn’t have a goddamn clue until over a month later, Dabi had made sure of that. But by the time you found out, you were already in too deep; too enamoured by him, wholly captivated by him in every sense of the word, too dependant on him, to care at all.

He had made it quick—quiet and painless and looking as if it was an accident, strolling out of the office only a few moments later and asking you out on a date like nothing had happened, words flowing smoothly from his lips in that drawl that is so distinctly him, almost lazy in a way, glittering lidded sapphire scalding your skin with its intensity.

Yes, as much as he’d like to deny it, it’s true; Dabi fell in love with you the moment he laid eyes on you.

Because Dabi saw more than just a pretty little thing when your gazes first met.

He saw the perfect weapon, a diamond in the rough just waiting—begging—to be cleaned and cut and formed into the most brilliant gem, into the most ideal accomplice for him—because, really, what’s more dangerous than a beautiful woman? Especially when she looks like innocence personified?

Nothing, that’s what.

Honestly, he did you a favour—he swears he could see it in your eyes, sparkling as they gazed at him like he sculpted the moon himself, pleading for someone—for him—to come along and take care of you, to put you in your place, to keep you in line, absolutely desperate for someone to mold you, shape you, construct and arrange you into his most perfect creation.

Perfect, perfect, perfect, that’s what you are; so good for him, so obedient and compliant, always hanging on his every word and eagerly awaiting his next command, enthusiastic to submit to him, to please him, to receive the praise you crave so badly.

And Tomura had agreed, too, after only fifteen minutes of meeting you, of observing you, of assessing you, that you’d be a flawless addition to their operation.

So Dabi did what he does best.

He started slow, of course, enchanted you with strings of pearls and gorgeous dresses and expensive dinners, fed you tidbits about his mysterious lifestyle, about his family and his job and his past, just enough to keep you coming back for more, until you were practically begging him to let you in, to permit you to join his vocation, to accompany him on the wild ride that is his life.

And that was the best part of all—you didn’t care, you wanted it just as badly as he did; wanted to help him, to serve him, to be his, without ever requiring the full story. You readily gave everything up for him, accepted his orders, his wants and his needs without as much as a single question, never faltering in your honesty, in your pure devotion to your creator.

It’s love in its truest form, you’re both sure of it—possessed by one another, infatuated with one another, dedicated to one another—both consumed by the most potent drug, this love, a force to be reckoned with, the strongest pull either of you have ever felt before.

And, really, what more could you ask for?

     ✰          ✰          ✰

He took you under his wing, crafted you into a master of manipulation, pairing it perfectly with that innocent kitten demeanour you wear so well, and taught you everything he knew: all of the infiltration techniques and self-defence he had learned before he was ostracized from his father’s company—a privatized intelligence agency that works closely with the federal government—the very organization he’s been working so tirelessly to burn to the ground.

You still don’t exactly know what happened. He doesn’t like to talk about it, about where those scars decorating his body came from, about why he’s thrown away his old identity and constructed a new one, trading ivory hair and a high-fashion wardrobe for inky black and weathered Levi jeans with big black motorcycle boots.

But you do know a little.

He had been the favourite son, the chosen son, the one set to inherit the empire his father had built. That was, until he got himself into an accident—one that he still isn’t ready to disclose the full details of, and you never push. But you know it had involved a twelve year old Touya—always devious, crafty, and ever-so intelligent, even as a child—sneaking along on a mission he absolutely shouldn’t have. The silvery burns that adorn his skin, puckered and soft and shimmering like moonlight when they catch in the sun, scars tinged with the slightest hint of baby pink, are from this incident. Whatever had happened after had scarred his soul forever.

Because you’ve never encountered such intense hatred, burning bright blue flames that rage and roar inside of him, the words that are spit from between clenched teeth when he talks about his father, about his baby brother, positively scalding.

But it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter that you don’t know the full story, that you aren’t entirely aware of why this vendetta against his family exists. It doesn’t matter that his one goal in life, his only true desire aside from you, is to take down his father. It doesn’t matter that he’s willing to do anything and use everyone to achieve his objective.

Because he is letting you in; slowly, bit by bit and piece by piece, the most fascinating and tragically beautiful jigsaw you’ve ever put together. He may never be ready to tell the full story, and that’s alright with you, because as you’ve reassured him countless times in the dead of night, you’ll always love him anyway—you’ll always be by his side.

That’s when he’s most vulnerable, it seems—in the middle of the night, at two and three and four in the morning, when he wakes trembling and whimpering and soaked with his own sweat.

He never tells you what they’re about, the nightmares. Sometimes, they’re so violent that they wake you first. He doesn’t fuck you immediately on those days, doesn’t say a word as he finds solace in your warm bosom, little fingers pushing back sweaty strands of inky hair from his temples as your other arm wraps around him, holding him close to you as his shaky breathing calms, as his muscles stop quivering. On those nights, he says nothing as he spreads your legs and climbs on top of you, railing you into the mattress like it’s his last day on this earth.

That’s how he likes to be comforted; that’s what calms him down best. It’s standard procedure at this point—not that you mind waking up to his soft sniffles and him shoving himself into your barely prepped cunt, or rousing to feel the tip of his naked cock rubbing against your clit through thin cotton undies as he tells you in that wavering voice to stay sleeping and let your Mister take what he needs. You’re there to serve him—and you do, so perfectly. You just want to help, after all. You’ve always ever just wanted to help. You never know which nights he’ll gift you another little piece of himself, of his soul, for you to try and fit in somewhere in the puzzle that is DABI. You don’t know the triggers—as far as you’re concerned, they don’t seem to exist anywhere outside of the padlocked barricade of his own head, no rhyme or reason to them, more random than anything else. But you’ll readily accept anything and everything he’s willing to give, the very instant he’s willing to give it.

     ✰          ✰          ✰

Sprawled out on the hotel bed with his white t-shirt riding up and exposing your lacy panties, you watch, in an almost trancelike state, as Dabi does his hair in preparation for the game set to begin in an hour or so. He leaves it messy and ungreased when he isn’t working, all tousled and fluffy, a sea of half formed curls that flow into each other, akin to tremulous waves hours before a storm like an inky ocean atop his head. But he cleans up well, when it comes time to get down to business.

“Every little swallow, every chickadee, every little bird in the tall oak tree,”

Standing in front of the mirror clad in a white undershirt and his suit pants, he sings along to Bobby Day’s staticky voice as it flows through the small radio set on the bathroom counter, nimble fingers dipping into a tin of greasy pomade and gathering a generous glob, a responding giggle bubbling up in your chest.

“The wise old owl, the big black crow,” he catches your eye through the mirror, a devilish smile materializing on his face as he continues, lathering his hands together. “Flap-a their wings singin’ ‘go bird go’,”

“Should’a been a singer, I’m telling ya,” you say as you roll onto your stomach, chin resting in your palms and head propped up, eyes glittering. “Could’a rivalled Elvis,”

Huffing out a laugh accompanied by a roll of his eyes, his hands begin to rake through his hair, slathering it with the substance and slicking most of it back from his face, sure to leave a few curls at the start of his hairline untouched. “So sweet you’re gonna rot my teeth, baby,”

“M’serious!” you insist, blinking at him as your eyebrows raise, watching the teeth of the black comb run through the slicked-up strands, his palm following close behind as he smooths it over; crisscross, crisscross, crisscross, fluff, pat, crisscross.

 “Uh-huh, uh-huh,” he shakes his head in disbelief, though there’s the faintest pink tinting his stubbled cheeks. “I think I’m better at this job,”

What? Playing poker with a bunch of criminals and making deals with mafiosos and murdering those who wrong you? you swallow the words, letters stinging and scraping your throat as you force them back down, schooling your face into a neutral expression. “I respectfully disagree,”

“‘Course you do,” he mumbles to himself distractedly, leaning closer to the mirror to complete the look. “Elvis, you say?”

He begins belting out lyrics in an exaggerated deep voice as he adds the finishing touch—your favourite part—slender fingers shining with residual pomade as they twirl and coat the few stray curls left neglected, allowing them to hang artfully in the middle of his forehead. 

“When I feel like this and I want to kiss youuu,” pivoting on his heel, he gazes at you with that shit-eating grin and continues. “Baby, don’t say doooon’t,”

“Oh, God, no, not Don’t!” you groan, flopping onto your back dramatically, face screwed up as if you had just tasted something sour.

“Alright, alright, alright,” he’s chuckling as he advances towards you, a small towel in his hands as he cleans them. “How ‘bout…” trailing off, he hums a little as he thinks.

“Hold my hand and promise,” he begins in a low voice, smooth and sweet like the finest melted chocolate, depositing of the towel and crawling onto the bed.

“That you’ll always love me too,”

Large hands gently pry your legs part, signature crooked smirk spreading across his face when he’s met with zero resistance, rough palms caressing silky skin as they slide up, fingers gripping and grabbing and kneading.

“Make me know you love me,”

The words taper off into a whine, beginning to sound more like begging than singing, as his body settles between your thighs, hipbones digging into the soft flesh while he hovers above you, supporting his weight on his forearms.

“The same way I love you, little girl,”

Lips trail along your jaw, leaving tender kisses in their wake—unhurried, careful, and full of purpose—as he mumbles against your skin.

“You got me at your mercy, now that I'm in love with you,”

Calloused hands begin to ruck up his t-shirt, digits dipping into the lacy waistband of your panties, his voice starting to tremble ever so slightly.

“So please don't take advantage, cause you know my love is true,”

He pulls back just enough to look at you, sapphire eyes gleaming in the golden sunlight and he pauses, blistering gaze searching your face for something, muscles relaxing and head dipping a moment later to finally press his lips against yours, whispering into the kiss. “Darling please, please love me too, I beg of you,”

And despite all the glitz and glamour, all the extravagance and exhilaration, that comes with each mission, this will always be your favourite part—when it’s only you and him, lounging around in some luxurious five star hotel or some dingy roadside motel, exchanging lazy, messy kisses full of stringy shining saliva, goofing around and whispering stupid Elvis lyrics to each other, words that hold more weight than either of you care to admit.

     ✰          ✰          ✰

It was supposed to be a fairly simple operation—minimal violence, Tomura had instructed. No guns or casualties, if it can be avoided, if Dabi can keep his temper in check. It was supposed to be easy, straightforward, safe.

It was supposed to be. But Dabi gets bored easily, likes a little spike of adrenaline with his missions, rolling his broad shoulders and cracking his neck as he joins the rest of the men around the poker table, a sly smirk on his face as they name the bets and the prizes.

“And my little doll,”

It’s hard to resist rolling your eyes as those four words slip from between his lips, slow and smooth in that deep, lazy drawl, trademark smirk painted across his lips as his lidded eyes scan the faces sitting around the table, an eyebrow raised, daring any of them to protest. Several hungry eyes dart towards you for a moment, standing like the reward you are a few feet behind Dabi and leaning on a railing, a shy little smile briefly gracing your lips in greeting, elegant evening gown shimmering under the crystal lights.

This isn’t new—Dabi usually bets you when he plays. Keeps him sharp, he claims. Keeps him on his toes, keeps it fun when there’s something important at stake, something valuable to lose, he says. He plays better that way, he promises.

Except he’s always craved that thrill of danger, has always liked to push further and further simply to see how far he can go before he topples over the edge. It’s a rush, a blast, a high akin to the morphine that so often flows through his veins, and he fucking lives for it.

It’s been over an hour now, since those words were murmured in that velvet voice, floating across the table and cloaking the thoughts of the other men like a lethal haze, most of whom can’t seem to keep their eyes from wandering back to you every so often, leering gazes coating your skin with grime you itch to scrub off.

But that’s the point—or it’s supposed to be, anyway. That’s the whole reason you’re here in the first place. To act as a distraction, Tomura’s words drift through your mind, just whisps of his voice that tickle the walls of your skull.

And what a perfect distraction you are, in a Dior dress that looks like it was made only for you, tapered perfectly to every curve and edge of your body, silk flowing gracefully with every miniscule movement, with every rise and fall of your chest.

But it bores you to tears, this poker game, eyes dry and sticky, sick of staring at the back of your boyfriend’s immaculate, intricate hair as his nimble fingers play with the mountain of chips accumulating in front of him, plastic clacking together as he shuffles through them.

You had begged him to let you go shopping—just for the first half of the game, you swear!—but he refused. I need my good luck charm there with me the entire time, babydoll, he told you, brushing calloused fingers down your cheek then tracing along the line of your jaw, gazing at you with brilliant sapphire that glitters in the late afternoon sun, streaming in through the hotel’s floor-length windows. We can go shopping after the game is finished, he promised.

You regarded him with skepticism.

“And dancing?”

“Of course,” he responded with a playful scoff. “We can dance until our feet are bleeding, pinky promise,”

Keigo comes to join you just before the game passes the two-hour mark, large hands finding purchase on your hips and pulling you back against his chest as his head dips down, soft full lips against your skin.

“Lovely dress you’ve got on,” he murmurs, breath hot against your ear, tickling the shell. “You look stunning—breathtaking—I mean, gosh, look at me, I can barely breathe,” he gasps dramatically, chest heaving against your back as he does so, chuckling when you roll your eyes and giggle at him to shut up, Kei, the vibrations from his laugh a comforting sensation, a familiar sensation, a welcomed sensation, sending warmth spreading through your body. “I’m so happy you’re here,” you whine, leaning further into him and head tilting against his collarbone to gaze up at him. “I’m so bored,”

“Yeah, I bet,” he says, something unusual—unreadable—settling in his topaz eyes as he glances up at the table. “You aren’t used to games lasting this long, are you, baby,”

A little pout settles on your lips and you nod, playing right into his condescending cooing as you snuggle into him, eyes following his stare. Truthfully, you haven’t a clue what’s going on, and, really, you couldn’t care less. You aren’t entirely sure what the significance of this poker game is, or who most of these men are, and you aren’t allowed to. Just sit pretty and perfect like you always do; it’s the thing you do best.

Except tonight—tonight something is different, unsettling, off. It’s no big deal, though, of course—you can almost hear that deep, dark voice drawling the words out in your mind, phantom breath tickling your skin.

Because Dabi’s always been startlingly good at what he does. Because Dabi’s always been able to worm his way out of a difficult situation. Because there’s never really been a reason to worry about it before, anyway. But tonight—well, tonight you’re watching as his Balenciaga clad shoulders are getting tenser, and tenser, as his jaw is clenching tighter, and tighter, as his grip on that singular sparkly chip resting in his palm is becoming stronger, and stronger, thin skin stretching painfully over sharp bony knuckles.

Keigo’s breath is bated, his fingers digging into your hips as he observes the game unfolding in front of the both of you, pulling you closer to him, hushed curses falling from his lips every so often. And Keigo knows what’s happening, of course, but he refuses to tell you, promising you that you wouldn’t understand even if he tried to explain it. Creases form on your forehead as your eyebrows knit, eyes drifting back to the table. Whatever it is, it’s clear that it isn’t good, Keigo’s body tensing against yours as he sucks in a breath and holds it for a moment before blowing it out from his mouth, exasperated.   “Well, I’m positive it’s fine,” you say, trying to wave it off lightly, to whisk away the acrimonious dread that roots deep in the pit of your stomach and begins to spread, thick and dense as it slithers into your surrounding organs, to brush off the impending sense of foreboding that seems to lurk over you, getting heavier and heavier, darker and darker with each second that ticks by—though your voice sounds high to your ears, tinny and false. “Dabi’s never lost a game before, that’s why they send him to these things,” But Keigo doesn’t sound so sure, responding with a nervous breath of a laugh, lithe fingers flexing on your hips, rubbing little lopsided circles into the flesh. “First time for everything, songbird,”

The words send ice piercing through your veins, but you persevere, rolling your shoulders and standing up a little straighter, swallowing past the painful lump that’s lodged itself in your throat. It’s fine. It’s always fine. He’s always found a way to get out of messy, tight situations before. Why should tonight be any different?

It won’t be, it isn’t—you can already see Dabi collapsing on the cream sofa upstairs in your luxurious hotel room, tugging at his bowtie with a sigh as his head falls back, nimble fingers popping the first few buttons on his crisp white dress shirt, and had you scared for a moment there, didn’t I, kitten?

And you’ll playfully slap his shoulder as you crawl into his lap, roll your eyes as you straddle his hips and allow him to tilt the champagne flute to your lips, laugh it off as his hands begin to wander, rucking up your dress and kneading your ass, cock tenting his expensive trousers. Like always. You’re sure of it

It’s just past the three-hour mark when Keigo speaks again, all traces of teasing, of that easygoing lilt that is so distinctly him, gone from his voice. Golden locks stand in all directions, his hair having fallen out of its usual ducktail style, a curtesy of fingers raking through it nervously. His smile is tight as he looks down at you, front teeth nibbling at his cuticles as he speaks, muffled a little by his fingers. “Maybe we should get you out of here, sweetheart—”

“No,” you respond instantly with a firm shake of your head. “I’m not going anywhere,”

“Sunshine, listen—”

“I said, no, Kei,” you pull back a little to look at him, resolution sown into your voice, chest puffing out just a touch. “I won’t leave him,”

Honey eyes hold yours for a moment, and you can almost hear Keigo’s molars as they grind together. He exhales a deep sigh a moment later, shaking his head and tugging his fingers through golden strands again. “Alright, alright,” It finally comes to an end, a few minutes past the four-hour mark. Heavy lids start to lift as commotion begins to stir—soft murmurs among the men and chairs scraping against the floor, plastic chips clacking together and the sharp whisp that travels through the air as cards are shuffled—whining a little as you lean further into Keigo, who is now supporting most of your weight.

“Kei, feet hurt,”

“Shh, I know, songbird,” he hushes you, a large palm stroking your head. “But I need you to wake up, sweetheart,”

Rough, unfamiliar hands are wrapping around your arms only a moment later, yanking you from the warm sanctuary that is Keigo and hauling you against stiff muscle.

“I believe you’re mine now, darling,”

The words are gravelly, uttered in a low voice against the crown of your head. A vicious shiver crawls along your skin, whole body trembling with the force of it, as your lids snap open.

“Wait, what?” frantic eyes search the gaudy room for familiar cobalt, breath beginning to accelerate as you struggle a little in the grasp of a burly man with one eye. His grip tightens in retaliation and a pained yelp hitches in your throat, Dabi’s eye twitching at the sound. “Dabi? D-Dabi!”

Sapphire blazes into your skull, steadily holding your watery gaze as his jaw clenches, swallowing thickly at the sound of your pitiful little whimpers of his name, at the way you squirm and wiggle in your abductor's grasp, desperate to escape, to get back to him.

“H-Hold on, now,” Keigo begins, holding his hands up in surrender, a motion meant to signify peace, to signify that he isn’t a threat—even though you know he’s got the cold metal of his favourite pistol tucked into the waistband of his trousers and pressed against his warm skin. “Let’s talk this through, yeah? Just wait a minute—”

“Nope,” the man cuts Keigo off mid-sentence with a loud, harsh laugh, and you wince at the sound. “No way, a deal’s a deal, friend. I won her fair and square—she’s mine,”

A light chuckle, laced with irritation and dubiety, escapes Keigo’s lips as he shakes his head a little. “Come on, Dabi jokes around like that all the time,” and while his voice seems amicable on the surface, its ridden with cold undertones, phantom threats that are felt, not said. “And this little lady—as pretty as she is—is a person, not a prize. Taking her against her will is, in fact, kidnapping, and I’ll be forced to—”

“Let him go,”

“What?” the word falls from your lips and Keigo’s simultaneously—one incredulous and pitched high with distress, the other breathed out in disbelief, both equally as concerned—gazes snapping to Dabi, who sits quiet and brooding, dim lights casting shadows on the sharp planes of his face.

Azure drifts between your faces, features ridden with terror and alarm—furrowed brows and deep frowns tugging at the corners of lips, one pair of eyes wide with scepticism, the other pair glistening with tears. Dabi’s silent for another moment before he pushes on his knees and stands, squaring his shoulders and clearing his throat, voice ringing out loud and clear, dripping with admonition. “Let him go. He’s right; he won her, fair and square,”

He speaks slowly, annunciating each word with careful precision, sapphire glinting in the dim light has he holds the muscular man’s gaze. It holds something threatening, something menacing, something terrifying deep within the depths of his eyes, and you feel your captor pause for a second, tense, and then shiver.

“Uh, r-right,” he says, voice wavering a little as he nods to himself. “Fair and square,”

Dabi stalks towards you, shiny oxfords echoing against the pristine, freshly waxed marble floor, tutting his tongue and shaking his head, casual and relaxed as ever.

“Don’t struggle, you hear me?” he says, voice softer, gentler, as a calloused thumb swipes across your cheekbone, catching a stray tear. “Be a good girl for him,”

And I’ll see you soon.

The promise doesn’t need to be vocalized—you can see it, shining bright and true in his sapphire eyes, can sense it, in the air surrounding him, can feel it, at the very core of your soul.

A sudden sense of relief floods your body, pathetic little sobs getting caught in your chest as you exhale shakily and deflate in the burly man’s arms, tears finally spilling over your lashline and streaming down your cheeks.

“Okay,” you breathe.

Dabi gives you a simple nod, lips quirking up into a ghost of his signature lopsided smirk. Okay.

And just like that, all of the fear and trepidation and panic vanishes from your body, a serene calm chased by a sense of giddiness replacing it, scorching through your veins.

Because before the door to the man’s hotel room has even swung fully shut, Dabi’s barreling through, crystal handle smashing against the wall and cracking as skilled fingers tangle in short hair, yanking the man’s head back with a sickening crack and dragging the razor-sharp edge of his favourite switchblade across the man’s exposed throat.

He moves like a flash of light, a spark igniting a fire, so fast he’s merely a blur of black and navy and blazing sapphire. Thick crimson begins pouring from the wound immediately, a large splice spanning from one earlobe all the way to the other.

The man hits the shiny hardwood floor with a distinct thump, but you aren’t paying attention to him or the way he’s writhing as he tries to claw at his neck, coughing and gagging as he begins to choke on his own blood.

No, you’re captivated by sapphire, bright and burning as it surges towards you, calloused hands seizing your face roughly as chapped lips find yours, unforgiving and ferocious, bloody knife still in one hand, cool metal pressed against your cheek, smearing streaks of scarlet across your skin as you try to get closer to him, to get more, the stench of copper stinging your nose.

It’s eradicated in an instant though, Dabi’s heady scent—campfire and hickory wood and expensive cologne—filling your lungs, your mind, your entire being as it curls around you in the most intoxicating embrace, familiar and comforting and him, him, him. Stumbling backwards, you just about trip over your own feet as Dabi shoves forward, strong hands wrapped around your biceps keeping you steady. The sharp edge of the small rosewood dining table digs into your lower back, Dabi swallowing your resounding yelp as he sucks your bottom lip between his teeth and tugs, large hands finding your waist and squeezing before he hoists you onto its surface, using his hipbones to force your thighs open.

You nearly topple over from the power, from the urgency, hands flying out behind you and grappling against the table’s surface to keep you sitting upright as he heaves and pushes and leans against you, motions knocking sparkling crystal glasses and fine porcelain plates off the top.

The sound of shattering glass and cracking china mingles with the gurgling and garbling of the man who lay a few feet away on the floor, suffocating on his own blood. It creates such a beautiful symphony, intertwined with Dabi’s ragged breaths and your broken moans, with the ruffling of clothing and the screech of the table legs against the gleaming hardwood floor. And it’s desperate, and needy, and messy, teeth clashing and clacking together violently, saliva dripping down chins as tongues rub and glide and lick, hands pawing and gripping and tugging and ripping, the delicate material of your silk Dior dress practically turning to ash as his fingers materialize through it, tearing it to shreds.

“Off, off, off, I need this off,” he’s growling against your lips as his hands work, a low whine getting caught in your throat as you nod frenetically.

Yes, yes, yes, you’re whimpering, your own little fingers helping him destroy the silvery fabric, eager and anxious to rid your body of the bothersome garment.

A guttural groan, deep and dark and inducing a fluttering in your tummy rumbles in his chest as his eyes roam over your body, clad in the daintiest white lace.

“You’re fucking gorgeous, y’know that,” he’s mumbling between sharp bites to the flesh of your neck, fingers snapping the clasp of your bra, breaking it in one simple motion. “A fuckin’ angel, that’s what you are, baby. My very own angel,”

Rough palms slide down your torso, slow and purposeful as they trace, feel, knead the dips and curves, planes and contours of your body, slender fingers pausing to play with the elastic of the garter belt adorning your waist, holding up your lace-trimmed thigh-highs which have begun to tear, then hooking in the waistband of your thong.

His cock grinds against your inner thigh, hot and hard and throbbing as it strains against his trousers, digits toying with the lacy elastic, twirling it between his fingers before he lets it snap back against your skin, the harsh slap! echoing throughout the hotel room. 

“Oh, Mister, I want it,” the plead falls from your lips in a shameless moan, high and whiny as your hips press forward in an attempt to grind against him. Slender fingers untangle themselves from the lacy fabric in an instant, gripping your hips to still them, fingertips digging into your flesh. “I need it,”

“Need what, dollface?” his lips brush against your skin as he speaks, teeth sinking into your collarbone a moment later, hard enough to break the skin, a loud cry getting caught in your chest. He sucks on the wound, hard, tongue laving over it in soothing little circles, slowly dragging over the bite.

And it’s a compulsion, a sickness, a fucking disease surging through your veins, infecting your mind with thoughts of him and only him, entire body buzzing with the desperate, pathetic, urgent need for him, for his cock, for his cum.

“Need you, need you,” you’re whimpering out, squirming and struggling a little in his grasp, a warning hiss spit through his teeth as blunt nails nip your skin. “Please, Dabi, please, lemme have it,”

“Have what, baby?” lips curling up into a coy smirk, he pulls back just enough to look at you, finally pushing his hips into yours, a patronizing laugh spilling from his throat as you instantly grind against his cock, impatient and impetuous. “Use your words, Mister wants to hear you say it,”

Scalding heat seeps into your cheeks as you squeeze your eyes shut tightly, a broken whine of complaint sounding in the back of your throat as you shake your head. “Y-You know,” you mumble. “You know,”

“Oh, come on, baby,” he tuts with a disappointed shake of his head, voice overflowing with condescension. “You act like such a little slut, but as soon as I want you to say what you apparently need oh-so-badly, you can’t? You get all shy and bashful like you’re innocent, or something?”

An arrogant chuckle bubbles up in his chest, a rough palm colliding with the flesh of your ass a moment later. Scarred lips graze your ear as he leans back in, speaking low and smooth, words leaving his mouth in a huff of warm, sweet breath. “You’re being bad, y’know that?”

The huskiness in his tone sends chills pebbling across your skin, a delicate shiver dancing up your spine.

“Please,” you whisper, bottom lip beginning to tremble. “Please, Mister, please,”

“Tell me,” he rasps, taking the lobe of your ear between his teeth and sucking, bruising his name into the sensitive skin. “I know you can do it, doll. What is it that you want? Tell me,”

And, God, it’s so embarrassing, vision blurring with the sting of tears, entire body beginning to tremble from the combined humiliation and lust surging through your veins, his clothed cock still rutting against your core, poking and prodding and so close, you’re so close, two tiny words, just say them. “Your—Your cock,” you almost yelp, blinking back the tears in your eyes as you try to gaze levelly at him, teeth digging into your bottom lip to quell its pathetic quivering. “W-Want your cock, please, Mister, I-I need it,”

“Yeah?” he breathes while he rests his forehead against yours, butting forward a little as his glazed eyes rapidly search your face, pupils blown to hell and lips bitten red, shining with spit. “Where, huh? Down here?”

A finger tugs the flimsy soaked lace to the side, another dark chuckle slipping from his lips as he drags a knuckle up your dripping slit.

“Here?” it presses into your cute little hole, your hips eagerly bucking forward in response.

“Yes, yes, there, Mister, there, please,” you keen, head nodding in almost frantic movements, skull knocking against his. “Please, n-no fingers, want your cock, need your cock, stretch me out, fill me up, I need it,”

And it’s your senseless babbling that does it, bratty and needy and incessant in high broken whines, that snaps the final thread of patience holding him back, and a growl rips from his chest, so violent it vibrates through your own.

The heavy buckle of his belt clinks as hasty fingers fiddle with it, shoving his trousers down his thighs just enough to free his cock.

You can’t help the mortifying moan that escapes your throat the moment you see it, velvety and pink and oh-so-pretty, flushed tip glistening with precum and two thick veins snaking around the shaft like vines.

“Christ,” he groans as he pushes into your cunt, burying himself inside of you in one swift thrust, your nails biting into the hard muscles of his shoulder through the thin material of his shirt as your hole stretches around him, both of you exhaling simultaneous sighs of relief.

It burns and it stings and God, you need more, eyes rolling back in your skull as the sharp heels of your stilettos dig into his lower back, little fingers tangling in white cotton as you try to pull him closer, closer, closer.

“Greedy little brat,” he snarls out as his hips begin snapping, the movement sudden, unexpected, welcomed, a choked cry of his name catching in your throat.

And it’s brutal and relentless, primal and desperate, lacking most of his usual finesse as he pounds into you, cockhead slamming against your cervix with every harsh thrust of his hips, hard enough to move the entire table itself, legs scraping against the floor a little more with each pump.

Inky curls cling to his forehead and temples, the white cotton of his dress shirt becoming translucent as it sticks to his damp skin, highlighting the hard planes of defined muscle that flex with each ragged inhale.

Surging forward, his tongue runs along the inside of your teeth before it drags against yours, slow and heavy, depositing his taste and staining it with the flavour of him, fiery cinnamon gum and smoky Marlboros. Gorgeous, needy little whines break in his throat in time with each strong piston of his hips, muffled by your mouth, and you greedily swallow whatever he’ll afford you.

It’s total sensory overload—he’s all you can see, all you can hear, all you can taste, touch, breathe, hijacking all of your receptors and overwhelming you with him.

It’s building inside of you, deep in the pit of your stomach, scorching flames that glow as blue as his eyes as they rage, climbing higher and higher, licking at your insides and expanding further and further until they finally engulf you, consume you, with their blaze, and everything shatters, body convulsing almost violently around his cock as you cum with a strained cry of his name.

“Fill me, Mister,” you’re babbling, begging, swearing you’ll die if he doesn’t, the flames will burn you to ash if you don’t get his cum soon, voice absolutely wrecked. “Fill me, fill me,”

And he obeys, filling your cute little cunt to the brim with thick, hot cum as his cock pulses, a cracked whimper of f-fuck, slipping past his lips.

His chest heaves as he collapses against you, the two of you falling back against the table’s surface with a thump, his cock still buried inside of you. A soft whine sounds in the back of your throat as you carefully unlock your legs from around him, wincing a little at the stiffness in your thighs.

I love you.

The three words are murmured into your shoulder, so soft you barely hear them, so quiet you’re sure you’d have imagined them had you not felt his lips move against your flesh, not felt his hot breath on your skin, not felt the gentle vibrations in his chest as he spoke.

“I love you,” you respond, voice tender as tiny fingers comb through his dishevelled hair. “I love you,”

He’s silent for a moment, your combined pants the only sounds ringing out among the hotel room, and then he nods—once at first; just a quick, sharp motion, and then again a moment later, with more vigour, more purpose, more acceptance.

Little hands smooth down the damp cotton hugging his back and your head lolls to the side, cheek pressed against the cool wood of the table. A certain type of giddiness—a type that’s sick, that’s twisted, that’s stuffed full of love—floods your body as your eyes connect with those of a dead man, laying in a pool sticky crimson, and God, yes, you love him, you love him, you love him—more than anyone else ever could, more than you could ever love anything else.