#underground sewage system

[zooeytang]

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Have a cool factory tour with us, fascinating rainwater harvesting modular tank workshop

[808airsoftbros]

Missing 411 (Female Idols)

Author: This special chapter is also posted on my wattpad and decided to post it here too to help revive this dead Tumblr account. Also if you want to see more check out the Masterlist.

Y/N's POV

It's been ten years since that stormy night... Where everything went to hell... Awakened something that was never supposed to be in this world. What is it? We will never truly know and perhaps it's for the best.

Now you all must be asking what I'm talking about. I don't know much since I'm a foreign government agency from America to help with the Korean National Police Agency.

All these accounts and stories are based on reports filed by the KNPA, witnesses, and survivors of their encounters with this... thing.

I cannot disclose everything as this case is classified and under investigation by the Republic of Korea National Military and the National Intelligence Service.

It all began ten years ago on August 19, 2019, when a massive typhoon struck the Korean peninsula turning Seoul into a rubble mess than ever in history.

Everything was in total devastation, small businesses, and homes were destroyed, and families pretty much lost everything so much so that even K-pop idols began lending a hand, and those who were on tour or elsewhere donated money.

I will start with the first case... The unsolved case of the disappearance of Jennie Kim and Jeon Jungkook...

~

Flashback

Date: August 21, 2019 Location: Seoul, South Korea

Jisoo's POV

It's been two days since the massive typhoon struck the city of Seoul, I was in the safety of the dorm when it struck and thankfully nothing was damaged or lost but the same cannot be said for the unlucky ones.

Some were caught in a bad time and the street vendor's property has been damaged beyond repair including those I always visit.

"I can't believe mother nature is capable of such devastation..." I muttered looking at the rubble of fallen trees, flipped cars, and broken street lamps.

"Well, that's nature for you, come on, those people need all the help they can get," Chaeyoung replied and I nodded.

Walking around the streets, determined to help those in need as much as possible, other idols have joined us in our efforts helping where they can, and offering assistance to the rescue operatives.

The streets were flooded in some areas, especially the underground parking lots, the sewer systems were overflowed and clogged causing the sewages to flood the streets.

Everyone worked hard to guide the survivors to shelter camps to tend to the wounded and sick. My arms and legs ached like hell but if it's for the people, I must keep going.

"Jake said this is all we can do for now until firefighters and Coast Guard crews clear up the debris in the heavily impacted parts, I'd say we take a break," I explained to the girls and they nodded.

As we sat down under the shelter camp, we saw BTS covered in mud and sweat approaching, they all looked equally exhausted and worn out.

"Ah, I see you boys managed to make it, I thought you all were on a tour," I greeted and Namjoon chuckled.

"Hey, this city is our home, we can't just simply watch by as the people suffer. We lend our hand wherever we can," Namjoon replied.

"Right, there are so many children lost from their parents, I heard some of them didn't make it out," Jennie mentioned and he sighed.

"Real shame, I pity those poor souls, nobody could've expected a typhoon like this, throughout my years, I have never seen anything like this," Jungkook commented.

As the boys joined us under the tent, Taehyung was kind enough to give us water to quench our thirst, and I couldn't feel more relief as I sipped down the water.

Suddenly, Jungkok and Jennie stood up but before they could walk away from the tent I stopped them.

"Hey, where are you two going?" I asked curiously.

"I overheard there are some cabins in the woods, possible someone could've been sheltering there during the storm and will see if we can help or not," Jungkook answered and I nodded.

"Alright, be safe out there," I warned them and they nodded.

"Don't worry Jichu, we're always careful~," Jennie assured and walked away with him.

Though I had a bad feeling about it, I shrugged it off as I didn't have much time to think about it as the fire chief called us over requesting our assistance with the water pumps.

In the next several hours as the sun was starting to set and dusk was approaching, however, Jennie and Jungkook had yet to return.

"Hey, you heard from Kookie any chance?" I asked Jin and he shrugged.

"No idea, no call on the radio or anything, I was about to ask you," Jin answered unsurely and I was growing concerned.

Deciding to investigate the cabins as a group, we went to their last known location which is the cabins in the woods, we kept our guard up for any wild animals that may loom in the area, and as we reached the cabins, I felt dread as the cabins were dead quiet.

Looking around, there was no sign of any wild animals or birds in the trees anywhere and the area wasn't as damaged as the rest of the forest.

"I don't like the looks of this..." Suga commented.

"Yeah, it's too quiet for my liking, I feel like something is gonna pounce on us at any second," Hoseok replied.

"Let's make this fast and find those two before it gets dark," Namjoon said and we agreed.

Immediately, we began searching the cabins and the surrounding nature but as time went on, we couldn't find a single trace of them anywhere or signs of life.

I was now growing even more worried as they somehow disappeared like they never existed... Until...

"Hey, I think I found something!" Lisa called out and we went up to her.

"What is it?" I asked.

Lisa showed us Jennie's phone and wallet along with Jungkook's wallet containing his bank cards and IDs inside one of the bedrooms in the cabin.

"Is there anything else?" I asked and she shook her head.

"Nope, not any sign of footprints or traces, it's like they vanished like a ghost," She sighed and looked at the time it was getting dark.

"Will report this to the police when we get back, for now, there's nothing more we can do for them until morning, it's too dangerous to search at night," Namjoon explained and I felt devastated.

"W-We can't just abandon them, they're like family to us," I begged and he shook his head.

"I understand how you feel, Jisoo, and I feel the same way for Kookie but will be no good to anyone if we're attacked by predators," He replied in a sympathetic tone.

Reluctantly agreeing, I felt shameful and guilty as I felt like I had to abandon Jennie as she could be seriously injured or God knows what I knew Namjoon was right but it was my fault for letting them go in the first place.

"I should've stopped them..." I muttered to myself as we left the cabins.

~

Present

Y/N's POV

Since then, the group went to the nearby police station which was still intact, and reported a missing person case, a search was later held the next morning but despite their best efforts, no traces were ever found besides their wallets and Jennie's phone.

We couldn't turn it on as the screen was cracked and it was damaged but we did manage to extract the data but found nothing out of the ordinary.

The search went on for some time until...

~

Date: August 30, 2019 Location: Seoul, South Korea

Y/N's POV

Arriving in Korea at the airport, I was greeted by one of the agents of the NIS and he drove me over to the police station in Seoul.

"So, I was told I would be briefed on this investigation, what do we have?" I asked.

"Well, two idols vanished without a trace just a week ago when they were helping clean up the city after the typhoon hit, they went up to the cabin area in the forest but never returned and the group decided to investigate themselves to find nothing but few of their belongings," The agent explained and I nodded writing them down in my notepad.

"I see, what about the search party? Any news?" I asked and he nodded.

"After several days of searching, we did find their remains... It's quite a grizzly and disturbing sight, to say the least, and it's hard to describe it so it's better if you look at them yourself," He answered.

The rest of the drive was silent as we went into Seoul giving me the chance to look around at the devastation the typhoon had caused and it was surreal than the pictures on the news.

Once we finally made it to the station, I walked through the backdoor leading downstairs to the evidence lab, and I was led into the forensics lab.

One of the experts bowed before leading me into the lab, laying on the operation table were the bodies of Jeon Jungkook and Jennie Kim and my eyes widened as it looked like their souls were sucked out of them.

They were skinny to the bone, there was no blood within them, and they looked almost skeletal making this the most disturbing case I've ever worked in.

"What the hell happened to them...?" I asked shocked at the sight.

"We're not sure, we ran all the tests in the book but found nothing out of the ordinary or pointers of how they died, no wounds, scratches, nothing, just their souls sucked out dry," The expert explained grimly.

~

Meanwhile...

Jisoo's POV

I couldn't sleep well ever since Jennie's disappearance, we always missed her and it didn't help that the police already found her dead body not far from the cabins along with Jungkook.

YG and BigHit sent condolences letters to their families and the funerals were held as soon as the rubbles were cleared from parts of the city.

Their remains were cremated to ashes with Jennie to be sent home to New Zealand in her hometown and Jungkook to the family cemetery.

"O comforting One, compassionate One be with us all when we suffer loss and ache with the pain of grieving. Give us a glimpse of the way it will be when love will never be taken away, when life itself will not be diminished when all that we hold most precious will live and remain with us forever. Amen." The priest said his prayer as the urn of the ashes of Jungkook was slowly lowered into the hole dug before his gravestone.

The funeral was small only consisting of myself, Lisa, and Chaeyoung, along with BTS and Twice who had just returned from their tour, and of course Jungkook's family.

To this day, I still feel guilty as I could've stopped this all from happening, now two idols were lost to the Heavens, and everyone grieved their deaths.

Jin who would always boast about being flirty and ladies man was now all silent, I can tell the loss of what he considered a brother deeply affected him.

"T-Thank you for coming, Jihyo, I didn't think you'd show up," I thanked her and she nodded.

"Hey, this is more important than our idol lives, I knew them both and they were quite exceptional and talented individuals, it's a shame they went out like this," Jihyo replied and I sighed.

"Are you okay?" She asked conerningly.

"No, not really, I could've prevented this from happening, Jennie and Jungkook would still be alive if I hadn't stopped them from going to the woods alone... I'm such an idiot..." I grimly answered and shed a tear as the guilt became too much to bear.

Instead of an angry reaction, as I expected, Jihyo gave me a sympathetic look and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"It's not your fault, my dear, none of us expected anything like this would happen," She assured and I sighed.

"Speaking of which, they never disclosed their cause of death nobody knows what happened to them, they found no wounds or indication of how they died considering they were young and healthy at the time," I mentioned.

"Well, all we can do is leave it to the authorities to handle this, I am confident they will find a trail eventually and we can soon get to the bottom of this and hope Jennie and Jungkook will be the last victims of this mess," She explained and I nodded knowing she was right.

After the funeral was finished, we all left for our vehicles, our driver picked us up and drove us back to the YG building as we needed to discuss some things about our upcoming comeback.

We headed to the top floor of the building where YG's office was located and knocked on the door.

"Come in!" He called out and we opened the door.

"Please have a seat you three, we have urgent matters to discuss," He instructed and we sat down in front of him and he sighed.

"As you all may know, Jennie was found dead, now not only has this heavily saddened the Blinks and fans around the world, but it also hurts our business as our comeback is scheduled to release soon, and without Jennie to finish her lines, we might have to cancel it and start from scratch without her or one of you will have to take her place," He explained.

"Sir, are you going to find a trainee to debut and replace her...?" Chaeyoung asked and he shook his head.

"Not anytime soon, none of the trainees so far have the skills or talent or experience like hers to substitute her absence and this will surely tank the reviews and our income, that is why I'm asking you all what you wish to do at this time," YG explained and we pondered.

As we all discuss among ourselves how we're going to finish this comeback or if will just cancel it entirely, I cannot help but feel like I'm being watched, and when I glanced out the window my eyes widened as I saw... Jennie standing on a platform...

She was unrecognizable, her body was skinny to the bone, her eyes were white and her skin was pale like she was a ghost, and was staring directly at me.

"Jichu...? Are you okay?" Lisa asked waving her hand across my face snapping me out of my trance.

"H-Huh?" I stammered as I regained my senses and when I looked out the window all I saw was the cleaner wiping down the windows.

"Is there a problem, Miss Jisoo?" YG asked.

"N-No, sir, I'm fine... Just tired is all..." I nervously replied and he nodded.

"Alright, how about this? I'll leave you all to rest for the day, and by tomorrow you all can come into my office with your final decision, is that okay with you all?" YG asked and we nodded.

As we are dismissed from leaving the YG entertainment building, we head over to the dormitory to gather our thoughts and hopefully my sanity as I feel nothing but dread.

There is much pressure added to us now that Jennie is gone and Rose and Lisa were thinking about splitting the extra work evenly but that will be difficult as fans will feel disappointed about the comeback without her.

That night, my sleep was anything but peaceful, I woke up in a grassy land, and there in front of me was Jennie wearing a white dress and Jungkook wearing a black tuxedo. They were both warmly smiling as if nothing ever happened.

"K-Kookie? Jen? What are you two doing here?" I nervously asked.

"Hello, Jichu... We are waiting for you..." Jungkook spoke but his voice sounded off.

"We are waiting for you Jichu, join us... And you will be free of guilt..." Jennie spoke up.

Without warning, I woke up panting out of breath, I was covered in sweat trying to figure out what I just dreamt of but I didn't get a chance when I heard strange crackling noises like bones cracking.

I looked around, my stomach dropped seeing what appeared to be Jennie in that same white dress walking disfigured to the front entrance.

"J-Jennie... Is that you?" I softly called out as I got out of bed.

Quickly I got dressed in casual attire grabbed a black mask so nobody knows my identity and followed Jennie out of the dorm quietly without waking up Lisa and Chaeyoung.

I followed Jennie around the city which was strangely quiet and desolated as people are superstitious about walking at night, but I can't help wondering why Jennie was walking so awkwardly like some of her bones are broken or worn.

Eventually, she led me to what appeared to be an abandoned mine long forgotten to time.

"Why the hell is she going to a mine...?" I asked myself as I watched her from the distance in the bushes.

All of a sudden, the entrance of the mineshaft was glowing crimson red yet Jennie continued walking but she stopped right at the entrance and came out of what seemed to be what I describe as the gate to hell.

Coming out of the entrance was Jungkook in that same black tuxedo from my dream but his eyes were anything but normal as it was all white, he reached out his hand and Jennie took it before walking together through the mineshaft entrance.

"Dear Lord you are our shepherd and defender please protect me from all evil..." I prayed as I decided it was time to leave.

I continued repeating the prayer all the way back to the city and I saw some planks on the ground and decided to seal off the entrance to the best of my ability.

After the work was done, I ran the hell out of the forest as fast as I could until I reached the safety of the city and the dorm.

What I witness is just something I cannot explain nor could anyone and I do not want to go near that God forsaken mine ever again.

~

Present

Y/N's POV

And that is the end of the story of what the people and the authorities know... However, what Jisoo said in the interview isn't exactly clear and straight-up bullocks to most.

The military dispatched a company of soldiers to investigate the mine and sealed off the area with electric fences and barbed wire to keep everyone out... Or something in.

I don't know what the military is doing at those mineshafts to this day as the reports are all classified and they want nobody going in there.

Jennie and Jungkook were declared dead after their bodies were found but idols do report seeing them at night or in their dreams similar to Jisoo.

Sadly... Those two would not be the only missing victims...

[zyonsay]

Blinding Lights

Fem aligned people may read but not f3tishize my work!!

Warnings: NSFW-> guk guk 3000,Alcohol, Gay shit

Reader: Male

Word count: 1'655 Words

Song i listened to while writing: "I threw at my friend's eyes and now im on probation" by Destroy Boys

AN: Hey :] Lemme know what u thought about this! Im open for tips, as i still struggle with writing. Also this is like the first time i wrote smut. Deadass. But anyways, Enjoy!

Your black military boots made a slouching, wet sound as you walked through the city streets of London. It had rained earlier, but that didn’t stop you from having fun at the club.

The entrance that greeted you looked absolutely disgusting, the only thing you’d expect to occupy the old sewage system would be rats or some old, sick stray dogs. But behind the big, withered cloth that probably inhabited maggots a dimly lit, colorful tunnel hid itself. It was covered in Graffiti and colorful bottles hung from the ceiling. Loud music could be heard from the other end, which was covered by a dark blue curtain, resembling the night sky you had abandoned just a few minutes ago.

The colorful lights blinded you temporarily, but you felt right at home. This was one of the less popular meet up spots for underground artist and queer people. It wasn’t just some nightclub, it was a safe space for all kinds of people, that’s why you loved it so much. You too were very much part of the LGBTQ+ community, so you sought out your nightclubs very carefully. Being involved in a hate crime wasn’t exactly on your bucket list, obviously.

 Some unknown band was absolutely tearing up the stage with their messily decorated instruments. People were dancing, drinking, and singing. It was a big chaos, but you felt at peace, surrounded by your people. The big, broad room was filled with a bar, a few sofas and the stage and it was also thoroughly decorated with graffiti, more colorful bottles, and fairy lights.

You ordered yourself some alcohol, vodka being your favorite. The band was finishing up their last song, then thanked the lively crowd. Then another band stepped foot on the stage, their guitarist and lead singer looking familiar. You’ve seen him around a lot, but you’ve never talked to him. You were basically eye banging him, he looked very good. The way his eyeliner had already smudged made him even more attractive. It almost seemed like he read your thoughts, because he stared right at you, a big grin plastered on his face. You thought it might’ve just been your imagination, the crowd was way too big for him to have looked at you specifically.

The band began performing their first song, the mass of people around you immediately started dancing and singing. Everybody was having a good time, including you. You were dancing with your drink still in your hand, gripping it tightly as the alcohol was way too expensive for you to spill it. You directed your glance towards the stage again, wanting to grace your eyes with the hot man shredding his guitar solo. People were cheering and clapping for the young man, showing him exactly how amazing he is. He continued singing the lyrics to his song and while doing so he grinded against the mic stand, firing on his ego even more.

People were screaming at his cheeky action, a drowned “GET ME PREGNANT!!!” could be heard from the other side of the crowd, many people laughing at that. The punk on stage was smirking at that, though he was seemingly looking at you again.

Now shit got absolutely wild, he was pointing at you and then pointed to the door, which hid a storage room for the band’s instruments. You grinned at him, taking another sip of your drink. He then sang along to the suggestive lyrics of his song, looking at you again, making a very distinctive gesture with his hands. He wanted you to blow him. You felt hazy, blood rushing to your face as you smirked at him, nodding while raising your drink to him.

His band finished their set, people were cheering them on, excited for their next song. Meanwhile a young woman went on stage and announced a campaign for disabled people, receiving a lot of cheers and support.

You on the other hand had made your way to the storage room, feeling a hot, burning feeling in your core. Your cheeks were slightly reddened – whether it was from the alcohol or from your excitement, no one knows. You must admit, giving a blowie to a random guitarist wasn’t the most unhinged thing you’ve ever done. You really didn’t care to be modest anyways.

Then suddenly you felt a hand on your shoulder, causing you to spin around and look at whoever was behind you. You were greeted with two beautiful brown eyes and a cheeky grin.  

“Sorry if I put you on the spot there, mate” You smirked at him, then replied “I would’ve let you know if I didn’t want to, but who would say no to you?” You smiled, checking the person opposing you. He was tall and handsome, something mischievous glimmering in his eyes. He smiled at you, slowly growing impatient, since there wasn’t much time in between his band’s sets.

He led you into the storage rooms, revealing a sofa and wall covered in mirrors. This was probably where the bands waited for their performance and could freshen up their makeup. “By the way, I’m Hobie Brown.” The man now known to you as Hobie sat down on the sofa, gesturing you to come over. “Names’ Y/N.” You muttered with a smile, eyeing the bulge building up in the punk’s pants. You shifted closer to Hobie, not wanting to waste too much time. You settled between his legs, kneeling on the orange and pink patterned carpet.

You started fiddling with his belt, looking up with your big eyes, almost looking innocent if it wasn’t on the big smirk on your visage. “Ready?”, you were barely whispering. The young man, who was looking down at you with a grin only nodded his head. You opened up his jeans, slightly pulling them down to give you space for slutty activities. You touched his member through his plain grey boxers, that already had a wet spot on them, revealing his excitement. Hobie let out an impatient groan, wanting you all over him this instant. You quickly got rid of the remaining cloth in your way, your own erection pressing painfully against your jeans. You took his cock in your hand, Hobie hissed at the feeling of your soft hands around him.  You pumped him slowly, before leading your lips towards his tip, enjoying yourself a lot. “Mmmhhhh…” The man above you threw his head back. You then took more of his dick into your mouth, enjoying the feeling. You swirled your tongue along his shaft, earning quiet grunts and sighs from Hobie. He gripped a handful of your fluffy hair, slightly fucking into your mouth.

He looked at you through lust filled eyes, a pleading expression painting his face. “Can I fuck your mouth?”, he whimpered.

 You nodded, slowly letting his member out of your mouth. He stood up, facing your kneeling figure. You got right back to savoring him, as he held you by your hair again. He then began thrusting into your mouth, enjoying the wet, warm feeling. He still held back some of his length, waiting for you to look at him with your doe eyes. He smirked down at you, whispering something along the lines of “Get ready, darling”.

 You took the rest of his cock into your mouth, tears building in the corner of your eyes. Hobie fucked your throat slowly at first, but quickly fell into a more violent pace. You glanced to the side, seeing a sinful scene playing in the mirrors covering the wall. It could’ve well been a baroque painting on the wall of a filthy rich art critique. But there you were, in an underground nightclub, full of drunk queers, sucking off a musician. 

Hobie was now thrusting at a devilish fast pace, using you like a cheap toy to get off on. He looked at you, grinning at your face. “You gonna swallow, like the good little slut you are?” You nodded slightly, not wanting to disturb his pleasure. Your own dick was pulsing in your pants, starved from any kind of stimulation. You were stabilizing yourself by holding the back of Hobies thigh, feeling slightly dizzy due to alcohol and lust. You wanted to make the man in front of you feel good, even tough you merely met him a few minutes ago.

Your thoughts were cut off by Hobies cock twitching in your mouth, you quickly looked up at him, watching happily as he threw his head back and let out a moan. “Ngahhh… Fuck!” Thick ropes of cum flowed down your throat. You tried your best to swallow all of it, as you didn’t want any of the white fluids landing on the fluffy carpet beneath you. Even though this carpet is probably covered in it anyways, you thought to yourself. This was a messy nightclub after all.

Hobie slowly pulled out, grinning down at you again. He pets your fluffy hair, with you sitting at his feet like an obedient dog. “Good Boy.” The punk zipped his pants up again, as you got up from the floor, straightening your messed up clothes. Paying little to no attention to Hobie, you didn’t expect him to tip your chin up. He captured your lips in a feverish hot kiss, getting a taste of himself. You two then parted, leaving a fragile strand of saliva between you two. Outside of the storage room, a loud voice announced Hobies band again, receiving many loud cheers. “Gotta go sweetheart”, he turned around to leave, when you gripped his wrist gently. You looked at him, smirking.

 “Ya wanna come home with me later?”, you received a mischievous look from the man. You cocked your eyebrow, wanting an answer. Hobie then leaned forward, leaving a small kiss on your neck. “Deffo.” He then left the storage room, leaving you with weak legs. You were definitely planning to take this man home tonight.

[cinnamonnangel]

ASTRO 101 - THE HOUSES (PART II)

SEVENTH HOUSE - I BALANCE

(The Seventh House is ruled by Libra and Venus.)

House of marriage, personality and character of our partner, partner’s job

Civil partnership, bilateral relations, long and committed relationship, close friends, closely associated with, opposite side, associations, union, consultancy

Terms of relationship and behavior

Joint ventures, hostilities, adversary, rivals, competition

Traits we feel lacking in ourselves, the parts of us that are in us but have not been revealed and that we have difficulty in accepting

Lower back, skin, external sexual organs, bladder, ovaries, blood

International relations, military or civil wars, treatises, arbitrators, illegal criminals, marriage and divorce rates, foreign trade, public relations

EIGHTH HOUSE - I DESIRE

(The Eighth House is ruled by Scorpio, Mars and Pluto.)

House of death - natural or unnatural, accident, suicide, fire, drowning, diseases, corruption, crises, surgery

Sex, sexuality, erotism, desire, fantasies, fetishes, sexual life

Alteration and transformations, sharing

Heritage, money that comes to us beyond of our control, money that comes to us from others, inheritance from husband

Tax, alimony, debt, heritage, loan, lottery, gambling

Robbery, fighting, theft, slaughter, butchers, coroners, harassment, rape

The fears, privacy, feel rage towards, abomination

Psychology, occultism, parapsychology, subconscious, spiritual psychology

Genitals, groin area, colon, sex organs, gall bladder, rectum, urogenital system

International debts, international financial agreements, charges, stock certificates, interest rates, foreign exchanges, credits, fuses, mortgages, pension funds, legacies, mortality, life-critical, suicide

Surgery, morgue, surgeons, laboratories, nuclear forces, sewage, organized crimes, terrorists, detective, demimonde, arms, underground sources, cabalistic subjects

NINTH HOUSE - I ASPIRE

(The Ninth House is ruled by Sagittarius and Jupiter.)

House of wisdom, mastership, higher education, academic trainings

Cults and thoughts, abstract reasoning, moral evidence, philosophizing, religious cult, reflection, abstract thoughts

The house where we deepen the information we get from the 3rd house

Distant relatives

Society's mindset, social law rules, social and moral rules, harmony with society

Expedition, long trips, distant travels, foreign countries, foreigners, exterior, crew, communication instruments, media, broadcast

Hips, thighs, sciatic nerves, lower spine, liver, autonomic nervous system

Foreign relations and trade, courts, laws, judges, minorities, companies, advertising portfolios, religion and clergy, the country's philosophical and religious tendencies, migrations, long-distance communications, fast-moving news, broadcasting, popular culture, foreigners

Universities, airlines and transport, maritime transport, ministry of foreign affairs, flight attendants

TENTH HOUSE - I USE

(The Tenth House is ruled by Capricorn and Saturn.)

House of profession, honor, social status, public esteem, dignity, business, character, reputation and career

Glory, name, fame, recognition, way of life, purpose and power

Social roles, status in society, the part of society that sees us, social identity, prestige and title

Marital status, our partner's family, parents, father, authoritarian leaders

Skin, hair, knees, teeth, bones, joints, skeletal system, reputation

Government, the state's reputation by foreign countries, heads of state, powers, executives, leaders, celebrities, notable personages, public figures, uplands

ELEVENTH HOUSE - I KNOW

(The Eleventh House is ruled by Aquarius, Saturn and Uranus.)

House of friends, groups, associations, endowments, a circle of friends, people around us, hives, social environments and organizations

Goals, future plans, hopes, goals of life, wishes, happy news, wealth, fortune, expectations from life and dreams

Income from career, colleagues, international friendships, audiences we offer ideas, incoming wealth, gains, profits, writings

Social media, mass media and virtual communities

Endowments associations, politics, parties, establishment, the masses

Lower leg, calves, ankles, electrical impulsive of the nerves, circulatory system, elimination

Allied countries, social institutions and administrations, legislative changes, national mobilizations, revolts, revolutions, organizations, erosions

TWELFTH HOUSE - I BELIEVE

(The Twelfth House is ruled by Pisces, Jupiter and Neptune.)

House of tribulations, secret matters, troubles, subconscious, covert and covered topics, privacy, loneliness, ermitage, place of isolation

Thoughts, anxieties, and fears underlying repressed consciousness, spiritual life

The things we hide from others and are afraid to tell, our shadow sides, psychological problems

Karmic transmissions, burdens and problems we brought from the past

Secret enemy, backfriend

What kind of pregnancy our mother had, our condition in the mother’s womb and the emotions transferred to us in the mother’s womb

Fantasies and fetishes

Feet, all bodily fluids, the lymphatic system

Secret enemies, secret organizations, private affairs, spies, psychics, fortune-tellers, wizards, deep and secret affairs, criminals, thefts, assassinations, drugs, addicts, dark business people, unemployment and strikes

Hospitals, prisons, rehabilitation centers, mental hospitals, faith houses, orphanages, clinics, charities, overseas

[pianokantzart]

When Mario and Luigi approach the location of the burst pipe, Mario is taking large confident strides through the flood, looking stern and determined. Luigi, on the other hand, appears anxious, nervously clutching at the strap of the tool bag as he surveys the unfolding chaos before him.

The whole emergency department is all-hands-on-deck, but despite the scope of his problem Mario is completely confident. This is destiny after all!

“Ha ha, they’re not even looking in the right place!” When Mario says this, Luigi looks at him and smiles. He has full faith in his brother, but when Mario turns his back on the work crew and heads toward a nearby manhole, Luigi becomes confused.

His confusion grows when Mario lifts the manhole cover and creates a swirling whirlpool into the sewer system. Luigi glances rapidly back and forth between his brother and the vortex, desperately hoping that Mario isn’t thinking what he thinks he’s thinking…

“You are not seriously considering–” Mario doesn’t even let him finish the sentence. His attention is fixed, he is brimming with confidence and excitement– They’re finally going to prove themselves! They’re going to be heroes! They’re going to save Brooklyn! He hands off the crowbar and leaps into the manhole, much to Luigi’s distress.

“Mario!” Luigi sounds completely exasperated. Nonetheless, after some anxious fidgeting to work up his courage, he holds his nose and leaps in, yelling in fear the whole way down.

Gonna take a moment to admire Luigi’s guts here. They’re plumbers, but it seems like most of Luigi’s experience is in residential plumbing, not commercial plumbing. If my sibling pulled a stunt like this, I would’ve just contacted the surrounding work crew, explained the situation, and asked for someone actually trained in sewer maintenance to follow my sibling underground and make sure they didn’t kill themselves, but Luigi my man... he is ride or die… he knows Mario has a plan, and has complete faith in him.

At the same time, Mario knows Luigi well enough to know he wouldn’t be far behind. When Luigi lands in the sewers Mario’s looking over his shoulder, waiting for him. Once his brother arrives Mario forges ahead, pointing to their destination: “We’ve got to get to that pressure valve!”

“Mama Mia” I’m glad Luigi got at least one patented ‘Mama Mia’ in the film. I don’t know if this is just me… but he sounds kinda like Danny Wells’ Luigi from the Super Mario Brothers Super Show in his delivery. I wonder if that was intentional.

Unfortunately, their only immediate path to the valve is a long slender pipe, and without thought or hesitation Mario takes hold of it and begins shuffling across toward his target. Luigi– actually taking a moment to think this through– looks down and assesses the situation. The sewage pit below is vast and deadly. If they fell, it would be potentially fatal. And yet, he follows anyway.

Okay, look. If I had enough faith in any of my siblings to follow them down a flooded manhole, this is where my sense of self-preservation would’ve fully kicked in. Mario didn’t even ask for Luigi to follow him across the pipe, Luigi didn’t even know if his tools were required complete this task! but he still keeps close behind his brother. “Luigi’s a coward.” Nah man, he just has a basic sense of self preservation and wears his heart on his sleeve, but at the end of the day that guy has proven he has serious guts, even before his big climactic stunt with the manhole cover at the end of the film.

It’s interesting to see Mario and Luigi’s different ways of traversing the pipe: Mario climbs across with smooth, efficient strides, one hand over the other. Luigi is slower, gripping and scooting his whole body along in spurts– it looks awkward, but it prioritizes maintaining firm grip, which is probably for the best since he still has the heavy load of tools hanging off of him.

Mario grabs the valve and tries to turn it, but ends up just popping it off like a loose-fitting lego piece. I don’t know wtf this accomplished. Who knows if what Mario did “Saved Brooklyn” or just broke things more, but long story short that pipe could not hold Mario and Luigi’s weight, and the two end up being flung through a (thankfully crumbling) brick wall below them.

L: “I knew saving Brooklyn was a bad idea…” M: “… C’mon.” Mario, despite being the second one to regain his senses, is the first one on his feet, and after surveying his surroundings his first goal is to help his brother up. Luigi, once standing, checks himself over to ensure he didn’t break damage anything in the fall. Mario, on the other hand, has had his attention stolen away by the large underground pipework he has accidentally stumbled upon. He is enamored, his adventurous nature sparking despite his recent brush with danger.

Luigi eventually comes around to a shared curiosity. Both brothers walk to the edge of a platform, looking over at the massive hidden pipe network below. Luigi carefully kicks a pebble over the edge, gauging just how deep it goes. Mario looks at his brother, and nods his head toward the nearby stairwell, silently asking him if he wants to go deeper.

Luigi apparently agrees. All throughout their descent he makes no argument about going home, nor does he make any further mention of how dangerous their recent escapade was… he simply trails behind his brother and looks around, just as taken by the discovery as his sibling.

For most of the journey, Luigi lets Mario lead the way. There is only one time where he allows himself to get sidetracked… he glances off into one outward-facing tunnel, echoing with a strange whooshing sound.

OKAY... I want to take a moment to discuss the change from the original concept art:

It seems like the warp pipe was at one point going to be this big shiny mystical thing that screamed “I lead to a magical world.”

Look at the way Luigi is putting his hand on his brother’s shoulder. It looks like Mario was going to test his luck again… once more forging ahead despite Luigi’s worries, inevitably getting them both isekaid. But as much as I find the concept visually interesting, I sort of like what they went with instead. We’ve seen enough to understand the dynamic: Mario has the “let’s-a-go” attitude, while Luigi is cautious, but has enough faith in his brother to follow him into perilous situations. But in the movie, Luigi… careful as he is… just happened to pause and look into one of the many hundreds of surrounding pipes... one that didn’t even look all that important or unusual. Though it was Mario’s brashness that brought them there, it was Luigi’s luck that sealed the deal. The inciting incident was a group effort– a combination of Mario’s zeal and Luigi’s uncanny ability to attract trouble.

The moment Mario and Luigi are distracted from each other, Luigi gets sucked away like a dust bunny in a vacuum commercial. Mario only hears a light clatter of a falling tool, but his radar immediately goes off. He turns around, and sure enough... his brother’s gone.

“Luigi?” No response. He looks into the pipe where Luigi last stood. He climbs up into it, getting a little more anxious. “Weegie, are you in there?” The silence is getting to him. On the ground he sees a wrench. He picks it up and examines it, and recognizes it as the one from the tool kit Luigi was carrying... ... and Luigi is shown to be very careful about not losing any of their tools.

Mario calls his brother’s name again, this time louder and a bit more urgently. “Luigi!”

Suddenly, the wrench is sucked from his grip. Mario’s whole body shakes as he feels himself being pulled forward. Frightened, he stretches out his arms and legs, trying to maintain balance or find something to hold on to, but it’s no use. He is flung forward, head over heels, through the barrier of his own world into the open in-between dimension of glimmering pathways and glowing pipes.

 When he regains his bearings, Mario’s terror turns into awe as he is overcome by the strange beauty of his surroundings.

Then he hears Luigi’s yelps of terror, and all of the magic is immediately replaced by worry. In the flow of the warp pipe Mario has found his balance, but Luigi is spiraling in every sense of the word, spinning around wildly just ahead.

M: “Luigi!” L: “Mario!” Mario wastes no time getting to his brother. He dives forward, arms outstretched to clasp Luigi’s hands, giving him some sort of center of gravity as they both hold tight to each other and spin in circles. Mario puts all his focus into calming Luigi down.

M: “It’s all going to be okay!” L: “HOW IS THIS GOING TO BE OKAY!?” M: “I’m telling you, nothing can hurt us as long as we’re together!” You can tell by the look on Mario’s face that he believes every word. His confidence is infectious, and as usual Luigi can’t help but believe him. After all, he’s trusted him this far, and though they’ve had some bumps in the road things have always turned out in the end. They have each other’s backs. Wherever this leads, that’s all that matters.

He smiles just as a darkness overtakes him. Luigi realizes something is wrong for a split second before he is violently yanked backwards, ripped out of his brother’s grip, and dragged unwillingly down a separate path. Both of them look terrified as they scramble fruitlessly to try and grab onto each other again. Luigi is once more out of balance, whirling about with redoubled fear as he falls into the most threatening looking warp pipe possible.

Mario panics. He tries to turn around... swim back, fight the current, get to his brother somehow! But it is all futile. There is no undoing what has just happened.

“Nothing can hurt us as long as we’re together” But the universe had different plans.

[simp-ly-writes]

In My Arms

Can be read as a standalone: In My Shadow (pt.4 - final)

Pairing: Commander Philip Graves x Shadow!Reader

Summary: Will Graves ever find you in his office and in his arms again or has karma finally come for men like Philip?

Warnings: Some canon divergence.

A/N: ...so its been awhile...

Masterlist | Taglist | edited.

In my Shadow Series (pt.1) (pt.2) (pt.3) (pt.4) you are here

Everyone refused to talk to their commander as he stormed off the plane and slammed the door to his office. Throwing off his helmet, it rolled around on the floor before he screamed in frustration. "So close to achieving perfection- and this is what I get dished," he voices out into the room in a bitter tone before clearing his desk to the floor and pulling out another map from storage.

Phoning up an old friend, Alejandro. "I need you to pay that favour now- my friend."

"And of is this?" the leader of Los Vaqueros replied with a slight laughter-filled tone."

"A significant member of my company has been stolen."

"You should have started with that."

--

↳ Your fellow brothers and sisters work hard with Graves in order to track you down while receiving their fare share of threatening determination of their position. Everyone knew better on base than to come in between him and his mission of you at the current moment 

↳ Philip has lost all of his patience as he works through night and day, gaining support through many of his past military friends throughout the world alongside private organizations. It was all hands on deck as his office became a downright wreck, he winced at the scene he stood in, knowing just how disappointed you would be in both the appearance of himself and of the room

↳ The commander looked worse for wear, he had not shaved in weeks, his hair lacking the usual styling he implemented alongside wearing black all day and night regardless of it being a civilian outing or uniform attire. Bags underneath his eyes while his hands shook by the caffeine intake in his system, he took multiple over-the-sea calls to Laswell and her team that was no less as scrambled than his own.

↳ 141 had yet to report back though from the remaining footage they had in system memories, they should have made it out just in time, cursing out Graves begins to pray. Pray that when he finds you again, you are breathing. Prays that you would forgive him for not being able to find you sooner, and forgive him for even placing you on the mission in the first place. He grabs at his hair, guilt eating him alive for being too confident, too cocky as many others countlessly reminded him- it appeared that karma was finally catching up to the commander and he was distraught. 

↳ An low ranking officer stumbles into the room, sibling the lukewarm coffee they were meant to deliver all over themselves as a stream of swears comes pouring out their mouth. Graves still requests the drink forward as he downs it, reaching around his desk for a smoke as he signals the officer to leave him be. Looking through the maps of the surrounding area, he curses out, nothing seems to add up

↳ It would be another week until a grain feel, filled with just the small dose of information the intelligence teams so desperately needed. The drug smuggling organization had a nearby headquarters underground in the sewage treatment system as Graves winced at the pictures that Laswells team had received as Alejandro mumbled down the line all the information he knew about this organization 

↳ Finally in what would be reaching a month, the teams were ready to be deployed and Graves was trigger happy. Thirsting for revenge as he slips his loves on and straps his helmet to his head, with one final nod, the doors of the trucks opened and boots flooded the scene. 

↳ Screams, blood, and gore flooded Graves senses yet he was all familiar with these horrors as he relentlessly scanned room after room for signs of life, for signs of you. The sound of chocking had Graves spriting as a few other shadows nearby came to join the attack. Bursting into the room, the assistant shadows cleared the guards as Graves had you down his sights. A man held you by the neck with his belt. Ou feet scraping against the floor, trying to flee as your face grew red- lacking oxygen. 

↳ Your eyes screamed for help to your commander, your tears pleaded as Philip took a singular breath and pulled the trigger. You closed your eyes awaiting the sweet release of death to only find yourself taking laboured breaths as arms wrapped around your finger, pulling you into a tactical vest as you gripped each of the compartments for support. 

↳ Your ears were ringing from the adrenaline of it all, not being able to hear your commanders demands for your current health. A small smile found its way across your lips as you were being carried into the back of a medical evacuation vehicle, a gloved hand squeezing your own as you pulled his hand into your lap. His eyes wide as his body soon fell closer to you and his breath hitched when your lips connected to his own. You whispered a thank you against them soon after as he stumbled for apologies for you only to smother each and every one of them 

↳ When returning back to base, 141 members fully recovered from their own tortures made joking comments on your relationship with a certain commander on how it took you both almost dying to admit you loved one another, completely and wholeheartedly. You refused to not continue working at the company much to Graves protests yet found even ground when becoming the COO beside him on the board and taking a more strategic position staying back on base. 

↳ Your engagement didn’t come a moment later as Graves panicked in wanting to have enough time with you before the chance of another series of events happening like this to either of you. The ceremony was grand, friends and family being thrown into a fully-rented out ranch where you danced under the stars together, held a few too many drinks and woke up with breakfast in bed the morning after

↳ Looking at your hand to the wedding band seemingly out of place in your black uniform, you couldn't help but chuckle on how a simple email had landed you here as arms wrap themselves around your waist, stubble ticking its way up your neck as they smile into a kiss. “I love you,” Philip states while looking at you in the mirror, looking up from his hands at at him too you whisper the same, heart beating rapidly at the sight of his eyes crinkling from the soft words shared just as a colonel comes running in with a folder filled with new contracts and heads to roll on the floor.

In my Shadow Series (pt.1) (pt.2) (pt.3) (pt.4) you are here

[lackadaisy-headcanon-supply-unit]

how do all the lackadaisy characters react to getting sick/how do the handle the situation. Thanks!! :3c

Lumping these two asks together as they are the same request. Ask and ye shall receive! (A collaborative effort between multiple of our authors as it does involve the whole cast.)

ROCKY

Sick? What do you mean sick. In his over twenty-two years of living thus far he's never been sick once. He has the immune system of a titan, what are you talking about.

Questions he whilst leaning heavily on the bar counter for support lest he is knocked to the ground in a feverish pile by this sudden earthquake that apparently no one else is noticing like seriously you guys shouldn't we evacuate the place?!

In his defense, he's right about one thing: illness seems to avoid him as prevalently and miraculously as death itself. He could get stuck in the rain, take cold mud baths, sleep outside in winter snow, hug someone with Spanish flu, taste the pavement of a rat-infested alley and drink raw sewage and still come out of it all fit as a fiddle.

(Whether he carries anything is a different question, though with the various microorganisms inside him he seems to live in an overwhelmingly peaceful coexistence.)

But every rule has exceptions. And since he frequently does end up in all those situations, when once a millennium he comes down with something it's hard to tell the cause.

How he handles it can be summed up in a short answer of: he doesn't. He refuses to acknowledge it until he's physically incapacitated. If asked about it he keeps insisting that he's fine, a-okay, dandy as can be, never has existed a more invigorated healthy young man on Earth. At best he may invent a perfectly unconvincing excuse, like allergies acting up. (Inside underground caves. In winter. When he's never been allergic to anything in his entire life.)

Aside from perhaps unsuccessfully forbidding him from causing more grievous disturbances than usual, people usually opt to just leave him to it, because once he's set his mind on being "fine" logical reasoning and sound advice are only breath wasted. Ever well-intentioned, Mitzi still tells him to get some rest every now and then, yet keeps stumbling into the boy as he's fumbling through whatever that unresting intent has currently possessed him to be doing.

This wouldn't be such an issue with, say, a cold, because regardless of his masochistic eagerness for activity it inevitably does pass, but if it's something that necessitates any amount of bedrest... well, good luck.

For one he hasn't really a place to rest. I mean... there's the car. No one but Ivy at the Lackadaisy seems to know he technically lives in there, and he's not too enthusiastic to disclose it himself; besides anywhere else actually suitable, like in Mitzi's apartment, he'd just feel like a capital nuisance.

But let's suppose a scenario with the ideal location and someone who cares enough to stick by and ensure he actually does stay put. Shouldering such a responsibility, they must be prepared for a minimum of two things.

For one: he's going to be even more unbearably talkative than usual. Because what else is there left for a restless spirit if the flesh is restrained? Nothing but to complain and lament and versify and prattle on incessantly about whatever comes careening hither along a changeful stream of consciousness. Albeit unwittingly, driving others insane with his aimless rambling is how he keeps himself... well, something.

It's like if his mind had to stop running at maximum speed for just a few minutes it would promptly crash for good. Which, for all we know, may really be the case.

(This is just my two cents, but: I think giving him drawing implements and a coloring book or just plain paper might keep him very nicely occupied, as well as relatively quiet. Be sure to provide plenty of paper though, if you don’t want him to start drawing on other things not meant to be drawn on when the supply runs out like an unsupervised kid... unless you welcome the idea of your walls and furniture being covered in doodles.)

The other, possibly more arduous challenge is keeping him inside the room in the first place. Not understanding nor agreeing with his special treatment largely experienced as imprisonment on his end, he seizes each arising opportunity to attempt to weasel away somehow.

And he's a trained escape artist.

Watch him closely but look away for even a second, and you'll find no trace of him left in the room when you look back. Lock him in there, he'll pick the lock in a pinch - or attempt the window, which depending on the floor number may carry various levels of risk. Tie him down (because you're getting desperate by now) and you're likely to stumble into him minutes later by the front door, having already wriggled his way out. Doesn’t matter which knot was used, he knows most of them by heart. (And even if he didn’t happen to, he’s resourceful enough.)

Like I’ve said before, he perseveres in resisting his confinement for as long as he's capable of moving his limbs around and some vague semblance of coherent thought. Even with his brains cooking with delirium one may have to rescue him as he's crawling along on the floor dragging with him the tangle of blankets he was last left swaddled in, not entirely clear on what direction he's headed but by all means dedicated.

He's not above manipulation either, in order to divert his warden’s attention or make them relinquish his firm supervision rooted in concern for his well-being. Because it's not like he's concerned about it; so why should anyone else be? In addition he's unshakably certain that his role in the Lackadaisy's rumrunning force as well as there in general is absolutely vital and requires that he always be available for employment regardless of if he’s even in a proper state for it. (Just look at the latest comic arc, for crying out loud.)

But psst. Here's a little personal tip, for (Y/N) specifically. If reasonable advice hits deaf ears, and cuffing him to a bedpost yields little results other than another mildly baffling escape attraction, there remains one other thing to try with better chances of success... a more hands-on approach, if you catch my drift.

(Cuddling. I'm talking about cuddling. If you've got a good grip on this string bean of a man he is certainly not going anywhere so long as you're vigilant. Doing so, of course, means risking your own health, which he won't fail to coyly point out either; but he'll otherwise put up minimal resistance and ultimately cave in because God knows he’s touch deprived and doesn't get held enough otherwise. Well, by not enough I mean not at all, ever. But that's exactly why it's a good thing you're here, isn't it?)

Overall, as amusing of a story collection to recount as his commonly absurd ailing escapades might provide later down the line, the fact that they very rarely happen is no doubt for the best. He engages in enough troublesome shenanigans as is.

FRECKLE

Surprisingly pragmatic about it. Yep. He's getting symptoms. Looks like he contracted something.

Best be careful about it... mostly because Nina wouldn't allow him running himself ragged anyhow.

Along with other moral virtues he's had honesty drilled into him from kittenhood. And although it's not always an option in... other matters... he's upfront about how he's feeling physically if not much else, and eventually does come to terms with it. (Once he’s confirmed with certainty that it’s not just the general nauseated feeling he gets whenever he thinks too deeply about his “work” nowadays.)

He doesn't want to infect other people, or incur the stern concern of his mother, so at the very least he stays around the house, doing small, mostly undemanding chores. He's aware it's not expected of him nor recommended, but he has a bit of restlessness to him too.

Mostly because, were it bad enough to confine him to bed in a blanketed bundle of suffering incarnate, all he'd be able to think about is that God's wrath finally caught up with him for being a horrible person and this was part of his rightful punishment. Even worse if he got a nasty fever; it's like he's already burning in Hell.

Distractions may be scarce, but if he's been told off from chores for sneezing on the washing-up or exhausting himself with much too overzealous hammering, he opts to read instead. Over the years he's amassed quite the collection of books, renowned classics and youth literature, and most of them still give off the fluttering remnants of a good kind of nostalgia when flipping through the pages.

And besides, immersing himself in someone else's story is far more pleasant than fretting over his own current predicaments.

Some company, from a safe distance of course, will do him wonders as well. Nina is not the most conversational woman around, and aside from checking on him regularly and ensuring his wellbeing they don't make much meaningful contact.

Rocky likely pops in from time to time however, forever enthused to just run his mouth for as long as allowed, and although he may get a bit too bombastic for Calvin's comparative lack of vitality sometimes he appreciates the distraction more than he's able to express it. And, believe it or not, it's not entirely one-sided either. Rocky has developed a keen sense for his quiet cousin's intent to contribute and will more than gladly listen to what he has to say.

He’ll also forward Ivy’s wishes for Calvin to get well soon as she’s just dying to be able to meet with him at the speakeasy again. (Definitely also attaches a teasing remark or two to the message.) Then he’s eventually ushered out by Nina and as soon as his hasty goodbyes are swallowed by the outdoors Calvin finds himself missing the noise already.

The paralyzed stillness of being sick gets to him a lot more than it shows… seeing as it leaves him a little too alone with his own mind. So he sinks into the comfort of old books until he’s incapacitated by a headache and sore eyes, and diligently rakes those seven leaves that had gathered across the back lawn since he last attended to them two hours before, and lingers outside in the garden until warmer hues overtake a sun-painted sky and the evening chill starts to bite, taking in all things green and alive and in motion to remind himself that he’s not a walking corpse. Not yet, anyway.

Due to his mom’s supervision as well as his own eagerness to follow instructions in order to escape his personal limbo as soon as possible, he does tend to recover fairly fast; and he’s a pretty hardy young lad, thank goodness, so it’s all quite uncommon of an ordeal. In short it’s back to the ol’ grindstone in a jiffy; you know, the kind of grindstone that pulverizes mortal lives and churns out dripping blood.

But hey, best not stop and mull over it too long.

IVY

Oh, it's a nightmare for her.

You mean she can't go out in the evenings anymore? Can't go shopping with friends? Can't procure booze with her criminal coworkers? Can't attend dates with her cute new boyfriend? (Well, those last two are one and the same, really.)

These are all vital activities for a young woman like her to pursue! What else is she supposed to do? Rot in her room and steer clear of all fun whilst everyone else keeps going on with their lives?!

Some flimsy cold is nowhere near enough to keep her away from the beloved Lackadaisy. She can still man the café counter with a little sniffle (taking care to sneeze on no one's food) or look absolutely gorgeous on the dancefloor decked in glimmering pearls and feathers with a slightly paler constitution. But if it's bad enough that she simply must stay put...

During classes the still life of an empty dormitory fills with upbeat contemporary tunes from her bedstand radio as she lies upon crumpled bedsheets, clad in her prettiest pajamas, surrounded by an almost ritualistic circle of tissues and magazines whilst flipping through one of the latter with her legs girlishly dangling in the air. This is likely the scene any visitors are greeted by as well.

She looks like she's coping rather well... until verbal contact ensues and she begins her long string of complaints about how she's feeling utterly miserable. Runny nose, sore throat, grating cough, an unshakable sense of fatigue and she can't even go anywhere! Her classmates are off studying or having fun themselves (as well as deliberately avoiding contact with her for obvious reasons), and she's got nothing to look at but patterned wallpaper and pictures of pretty clothes she currently can't even visit the boutiques for.

But once the grievances are shared she promptly guides the spotlight in their direction, upon which they are to share every last bit of information and news about all most recent ongoings in the world of the healthy. It is a requirement (she will not let them go until they oblige), but also an opportunity; they're welcome to spill the beans on how their week has been and any noteworthy things that happened to them and also to just chat with her about whatever else comes up in the process.

Another way she keeps herself involved with the outside world is through the telephone. The local operator can already tell if she's under the weather by the prevalence of hearing her slightly weathered, juvenile voice squeak for connection to mostly one line throughout the day.

Her calls may also be scheduled to a certain hour so that everyone can come up to Mitzi's office and say hi. That "everyone" overwhelmingly ends up being Rocky, who lingers around there a bit more insistently than usual nearing that time frame and never fails to make his presence known by shouting his own greetings and cheerful encouragements of perseverance into the receiver.

She always asks him about Viktor and Calvin since the former disappointingly refuses to engage with her calls, and the latter doesn't visit because boys aren't allowed in the dormitory... and because he's afraid of catching her sickness. (What a chicken.)

You’d better believe they both get a scolding once she’s recovered for not contacting her at all… though you can’t really stay mad at sheepishly apologetic, babyfaced Freckle McMurray, now can you

Supposing the presence of company who’s emotionally close enough, she may also get clingy in the physical sense. Yes, she knows it’s not very courteous to rub your germs all over someone, but oh, her head is just killing her and she’s exhausted and achy and utterly sick of being sick, hence she desperately needs to rest her chin on someone’s shoulder and latch onto their soft warmth. Really, they brought this upon themselves by daring to enter the sniffly lion cub’s den. Now they’re likely not allowed to move for… let’s say the next two hours. Alternatively, until she has to go to the bathroom or ask them to get her something to drink.

Yes, she’s a bit of a princess; and especially when she’s miserable she may occasionally indulge in showering a willing servant with her various requests. Fetch her this, throw away that, bring hot chocolate and snacks, take out the trash, give her attention. But how could you say no to those big, innocent eyes?

If it’s a schoolmate she will absolutely persuade them to skip their classes for the day and spend time with her instead, offering cuddles and gossip. Forgetting, or ignoring rather, that not everyone can afford to be so lax about their education. Though surely, full-time service as a personal maid slash stuffed animal is making a much better use of their time. She promises to do the same when they inevitably catch the illness themselves, if that’s any consolation.

Nightly adventures and consequent loss of sleep aside, she takes decent care of herself overall, so the understimulating agony of quarantined solitude luckily isn’t something she suffers more of than the average person… albeit that little she’s an expert at suffering luxuriously.

VIKTOR

No, he's not sick, you're just lying. The great, the indomitable, the fierce Viktor Vasco never gets sick.

Denial is definitely a big part of it. He will not admit to getting sick until he's too weak to stand, and even then he'll fight anyone who tries to get him to rest.

The boredom is somehow scarier than actual health concerns. Staying at home and being too ill to do anything except think means he'll think. And thinking leads to a whole load of other things that he doesn't want to get into.

Essentially, getting sick is a liability to everything, from his job to his sense of self.

However, good luck on trying to make him better. He will also stubbornly refuse any help that comes his way, will slam his door in the doctor's face and threaten to tear apart anyone who so much as suggests getting him medicine.

His colleagues from Lackadaisy have taken to asking Mrs Bapka, his neighbour, to administer anything they want to give him themselves (he will draw a line at punching an old woman and fellow Slovakian immigrant), or Ivy (no one can successfully dispose of Ivy and her headstrong attitude. No one.)

The last person he had actually listened to when he was sick was a certain Mordecai Heller. Needless to say, that's not the case anymore.

Maybe that's what really makes him so grumpy and reluctant.

ZIB

His immune system is either rock hard or absolute dogshit, there is no in-between. He can go through a crowd of cats with nasty 'bouts of the flu without catching it, but gets bedridden by something as small as a head cold.

Said wonky immune system may be because he tends to drink stuff cut with the most ridiculous ingredients (radiator fluid, coffin varnish, paint, water, mud, you name it he's probably tasted it)

When he gets laid up, he gets laid up hard (innuendo not intended). He has to drag himself out of bed during the worst parts of it and may not even bother, electing to curl up and shiver/cry from the pain/die where he's comfortable. His band members have to literally drag him out of there on those days and force food down his throat so he doesn't wither away

Goddammit you lanky noodle bitch look after your sick ass don't make everyone do it for you

MORDECAI

He hates falling ill with a passion. It's one of many reasons he drinks tea so often: if he does get sick, it won't hit him so hard.

He tends to try and shrug off small stuff (runny nose, mild to moderate headache, aches and pains) to go to work anyway; but he's no fool. If he really feels icky he'll stay at home and look after himself. As much as he hates to do it, he's only got one body and somebody has to look after it.

The Savoys bash/tease him relentlessly whenever he comes in sick. If the mild headache becomes something worth staying at home for, they'll go as far as to try and visit him (or get him to come to them). Is it guilt about ragging him about it, them missing him or just boredom? Hard to tell with those two.

Serafine once teased about playing as his "mama" and looking after him until he's better. Mordecai, in his sickness-muddled mind, flew off the handle at her...Though all the Savoys saw was him almost break a glass in his paws before telling them flatly to get out.

Neither one realized Serafine had hit a nerve until he refused to let them in for a few days after. Whether it was something about his past or Serafine betraying his trust to get him into her group, they let it go and pretended nothing happened once he was back in action (though there was a noticeably thicker wall between him and them)

SERAFINE/NICODEME

Meet the "clingy" duo.

They don't get sick often and have impressive immune systems, what with their past roaming the swamps and other dangerous conditions, but when they do? Oh boy...

They'll either cling to each other in private, or play it up and annoy a hapless colleague.

And by "hapless colleague", I mean Mordecai—because of course it is.

Sickness is less of an actual, preventive ailment, but rather an excuse to show off some dramatic acting skills.

"Oh, cher, I simply cannot move until you bring me some nice warm tea and chocolate!"

"If I die, tell the world I was warm and safe, because of our dear ami, Heller..."

"For crying out loud, you've both got nothing but a cold."

They'll still play it up.

Just because your nose is stuffy doesn't mean the rest of you has to be.

The show must go on, mon cher.

WICK

He gets sick really, really easily. He stays up late at night often, so he doesn't get much rest and his immunity suffers for it.

(Licking rock walls probably doesn't help with that. Muffinhead (affectionate))

He still does work and goes out when he's sick, which results in papers with shitty writing and his friends urging him to go and rest up, "we can go with you another day".

When he's not thinking straight he'll whine to Lacie about how no one wants to see him when he's sick; ignoring the fact that she's either making him food, putting a cold cloth on his head or literally came by just to say hi to him

He's a bit dim sometimes, but he's a loveable dim.

The easiest way to see how sick he is is to mention putting the work on pause or crack a joke at his expense. If he rapidly objects to not working or good-naturedly shrugs off the joke, it's a small thing, nothing to worry about. If all he has to say in response to not working is "I can't" and he tries to defend himself from the joke (or even worse, agrees with it), he's feeling god-awful.

Lacie tends to hide the alcohol away until he's feeling better. During the week or so he's really feeling foggy this actually works, since in his addled state he can't properly look for them.

MITZI (BONUS since she's been getting a fair bit of attention)

Mitzi doesn't get sick. She becomes inconvenienced.

She's also a real bitch when she's sick. It's less of a slipping mask and more of a "I can't be nice when my brain feels too big for my skull"

She'll still grin and bear it for Rocky. He's positively devoted to her, after all; the least she can do is swallow her nasty remarks and come up with something softer for him.

Some cats swear that she never falls ill or has anything happen to her...Usually because once it does happen she locks herself in her office and won't open the door if you're not Horatio or Viktor.

If another cat somehow gets through her door, can put up with her attitude swings and goes out of their way to help her through her illness, she may very well open up a little and talk to them easier. Something as small as a cup of tea during a ravenous headache will convince the then-bitchy queen that you're not all bad-and later that since you put up with her ravenous insults and still helped her, maybe you're worth swallowing her pride for and confiding in.

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

The Israel Defense Forces recently destroyed the largest tunnel discovered in northern Gaza since the start of the war against the Hamas terrorist group nearly five months ago, the army said on Tuesday.

Stretching some 4 kilometers (2.5 miles), the tunnel approached the Erez crossing to Beit Hanun in Gaza, while never crossing into Israeli territory, with the nearest shaft located 400 meters (about 440 yards) from Erez. The Erez crossing is the sole pedestrian crossing between Gaza and Israel and before the Oct. 7 massacre was used to transfer Gaza patients to Israeli hospitals and by Palestinians with Israeli work permits.

First discovered on Dec. 16, the IDF has been studying and dismantling the tunnel, which had several branches and a maximum depth of 50 meters (165 feet).

The tunnel was big enough to allow for vehicular movements. The route included infrastructure for sewage, electricity and communication and secured top doors designed to prevent the IDF from entering.

Many Hamas weapons were found within the tunnel system.

The tunnel was destroyed in a joint operation involving the engineering unit of the IDF’s Gaza Division, the Engineering Corps’ Yahalom special operations unit, the IDF Southern Command and the Defense Ministry’s engineering and construction division.

Footage from the IDF’s activity to neutralize the tunnel appears to show a green-painted Nazi swastika, underscoring the violent antisemitic ideology of Hamas.

“The highest-ranking members of the terrorist organization were directly involved in building this tunnel, including [Hamas chief in Gaza] Yaha Sinwar and [his brother] Mohammed Sinwar, who worked on the planning, construction and budgeting, all of which drew many resources from the people of Gaza for the benefit of terrorist infrastructure instead of civilian infrastructure,” said the commander of the underground warfare unit, described as “Maj. Y.” by the IDF to conceal his identity.

It was reported in late January that the IDF has damaged or rendered inoperable 20% to 40% of Hamas’s expansive tunnel infrastructure in the Gaza Strip.

Israel believes the Islamist group built between 350 and 450 miles of subterranean terror infrastructure, with upwards of 5,700 entry shafts.

[tsukimefuku]

Right, wrong and the in-between (Part 2)

Previous chapter | Next chapter

You and Higuruma were assigned to investigate the disappearance of women around Shinjuku. This led to a dicey situation regarding what place Jujutsu sorcerers occupy in this world and what is their role to play when non-sorcerers get involved.

This is part of my "Jujutsu Partners Canon Divergence AU". There is currently a sequence of short stories and random drabbles for a fic I'll eventually write (eventually). To see the ever-growing list of one-shots, please visit my masterlist :)  The "Right, wrong and the in-between" will be a 4 (maybe 3) part short-story set in this AU. I hope you enjoy! The tags below will be applicable to every chapter.

Tags: oc/f!reader, soft/implied Higuruma x reader, soft/implied Nanami x reader, slow burn, mentions of violence and non-con/abuse among side characters, canon typical violence, some angst, some fluff, just characters being themselves driving the plot (and me) insane. Some philosophical debate will be in place.

WC: 1.9k

Nanami had been tracking down this curse for what seemed like hours underground, and he started to become tired and annoyed. It was a little before 6PM, and if he didn't end it soon, he'd be caught up in overtime for the third time that month.

The sorcerer removed his tie and started to wrap it around his fist, just to be ready in case he needed to use his collapse technique.

What a bore, he thought to himself, as he kept walking underneath the streets of Shinjuku following the semi grade 1 curse through the sewers. This curse was detected that morning by an assistant that worked for Jujutsu High, and it was a yet unregistered one. It probably sprung into existence not long ago, and was using the sewage system to move around Shinjuku's area.

Nanami heard a faint noise of a possibly slimy large body dragging itself a few meters ahead. He pulled his blunt sword from its support, on his back, and started to walk quickly to meet the curse. As he turned the corner to the tunnel, Nanami was met with an unsightly vision. The curse was a giant crimson and black worm, covered in holes, and had no eyes, only six sets of arms spread across each side of its body, which it was currently using to drag itself around. Even if the thing was big, it moved rather quickly.

Nanami charged at it, dealing a 7:3 blow perpendicular to the ground, but the curse reacted swiftly and crawled its way around the tunnel, getting glued to the top. At that moment, it spurted a green, thick liquid in the sorcerer's direction, which he managed to dodge. The liquid started to slowly melt the ground it hit, leaving a deep hole behind. Nanami sighed as he saw his wristwatch marking 6:02PM. He felt his cursed energy output increasing, and jumped from the side of the circular underpass, bearing his blunt sword, in a new attempt to hit it. The curse sensed him, and once again, evaded his blow by letting go of the walls and hitting the ground. It started to make a run for it, and Nanami promptly followed suit.

As it turned left, so did he, and then — nothing. Nanami heard some ruffling above him, and saw a sort-of manhole for ventilation. The creature had lodged itself in there, and was trying to escape the sewer. From what little Nanami could make out of the grids that covered the hole, it was in a secondary street, and no one walked or passed by during the time he observed it.

He calculated his odds and decided to risk a 'collapse' strike to bring the worm curse down.

***

"Wow, what was that?" You asked Higuruma, yelling, as you both felt the ground tremble underneath your feet.

"Perhaps an earthquake." He answered, nearly screaming too to make himself heard under the club's loud music.

The moment the robe woman took the girl inside the building, you both followed them, just to find that the door auto-locked itself. The cursed energy traces were all over, and matched the ones found on the other scenes. Higuruma considered bashing the door in, but you dissuaded him, arguing it would be a bad idea if the woman was truly the curse user behind the disappearances. You had no idea what her ability could be, so you had to have a smarter and less confrontational approach. He sighed in agreement.

"Let's wait for the club to open and find them from the inside, okay?" It was your suggestion, and it was exactly what you both did.

Now inside, the place was dark, neon, sweaty, noisy and filled with an assortment of women spinning on shiny poles. You knew this was a club in the red-light district, but you didn't expect to be caught up in that situation with Higuruma by your side. One of the waitresses had already offered her services to him, and you had to hold your laughter at that scene while he refused.

"Come on, that seems to be the back part of the operation." He said, tapping you lightly on your arm and pointing to a more illuminated part of the club, covered by a folding door. You both made your way inside, when suddenly you heard an older woman's voice.

"Sleep."

You nearly fainted at that moment, falling to your knees, and Higuruma began to collapse just like you.

Shit, shit, shit! 

It was a cursed speech user, and you both fell right in her trap.

"Higuruma, run!" You shouted, as you conjured one of your grenades, putting your hands together, and threw it upwards, exploding a lot of dust around you both. He seemed to be more resistant than you, and started crawling his way out with the chaos that ensued, being able to get up and walk away, with all the people screaming outside from the blast and all the running around. He looked behind and decided it would be safer to pretend he left, just so he could avoid being imprisoned too, and squiggled his way under the bar counter, deciding to hide behind a few boxes of booze until the cursed speech effect had dwindled enough. Higuruma had to focus all his will into not passing out.

As you started to drag yourself to the door, a hand grabbed you from the back of your neck and bashed your head directly on the ground, removing all the air from your lungs and leaving you completely disoriented as you felt a drop of blood making its way down your face.

"I said sleep, now." The female voice grunted. You heard two sets of footsteps making their way to you, one carried with them the familiar robe, and the other seemed like a male pair of feet wearing sneakers. You couldn't lift your gaze anymore, as you fell unconscious.

***

"Hey, wake up." You heard, while you were tied to a chair, both arms to your back, separated by ropes, and both legs wrapped together. The woman was standing in front of you, smoking on her cigarette, and the guy was leaned over on the edge of the room. It kind of looked like a shady interrogation room, and smelled terribly.

"Ugh, this place stinks." You said, trying to weave your way out of the ropes.

"No use. I tied these up myself, and I have a lot of practice in doing so, honey." She answered, while puffing her cigarette smoke directly onto your face. "Where is that fella of yours?"

"I hope that he's miles away by now." There was a clock on the wall, and it read 6:25PM. You were out for just some time, thankfully. "Who the fuck are you?"

"Oh, darling, I'll ask the questions." She slapped you hard across the face, leaving a bad burning sensation on your cheek. "How did you find us? Tell me."

The urge to speak suddenly took you over, and you had to bite your lip again in order to not rat out on Jujutsu High. 

"Feisty one, huh? Well, let's try it again." She leaned over to your ear, while you were completely helpless against her technique. "Who sent you?"

"Jujutsu Tech." You blurted out, defeated. 

"The what now?" She asked. This woman has no idea what Jujutsu Tech is? You figured out a couple of things from that. Matching the sloppiness of her kidnappings, this woman was probably a newly awakened sorcerer, unaware of the full extents of her power. Also, given she had no idea what Jujutsu Tech was, you could use that as leverage, being careful not to lie in case she pushed you to relay more information about anything. Her cursed speech seemed to be pushing people to do things, like sleeping, waking up, or telling them something, but it was much weaker than Inumaki's power overall.

"I'm a jujutsu sorcerer, like you, and I work with them. They're probably sending people our way as we speak, to rescue me. So… You should really let me go."

"Jujutsu? Hm." The woman seemed to contemplate her options for a moment. "Do they have the money for a ransom? Tell me the truth."

That urge again. It was pretty strong. "Probably," you spat out. What a fucking nightmare.

She smiled and said, "it's settled, then. Toshio, grab her phone and call... Who should we call to inform you've been captured and request the money, darling?" The woman asked, while looking at you. You thought about your options, and who could get there faster to your aid.

"Nanami Kento. Call him." I'm sorry, Nanami, but you're the closest and one of the smartest. Please, may you talk to Higuruma before you get here. 

***

As Nanami finished climbing his way out of the sewer, after exorcising the cursed spirit, he saw many people running out of a nightclub, screaming about an explosion. He felt residuals of cursed energy over the building, and grunted as he decided to investigate, given that he was already on overtime clock hours.

He went inside, and chaos was the word to better describe the scenery that ensued. Nanami started to walk around and search for more cursed energy residuals, as he stepped inside the same room you were attacked with Higuruma minutes prior, now empty, but with vestiges of your cursed energy all over. As he was ready to walk out, Nanami felt somebody behind him. He turned around, ready to punch the person, and found Higuruma still recovering.

"Not so nice to see you." Higuruma said, supporting himself by putting a hand over Nanami's shoulder and bearing a half smile on his face.

"Same to you." Nanami replied, unimpressed. "What happened? Where is she?"

Higuruma's hand tightened around Nanami's shoulder. "They got her. There is a cursed speech user here. We need to hurry."

Nanami tensed up immediately, even though his vacant stare was the perfect disguise for the anger that had bubbled up. "It's bewildering how you never fail to disappoint."

Nanami's phone rang, and it was you on the other side of the line. He pushed Higuruma's hand out of his shoulder as he answered it.

"Nanami, I've been captured, and I need help." You said. There was some fumbling on the line, and a man started to speak. "We demand a ransom to let her go." He then proceeded to demand some absurd sum of money and wait for a few seconds.

"Of course," Nanami bluffed, knowing that would be their best alternative for rescuing you, "but where and when should this… ‘exchange’ take place?" 

They gave him an address that was near enough to where he and Higuruma were currently, and said, "meet us there in half an hour, sharp". The line went silent, and he ended the call, inhaling deeply. 

"Accompany me and make yourself serviceable, for once." Nanami sharply said at Higuruma. "This is the place we have to go. Let's see, however, if we can get a few things sorted out before we leave."

Higuruma sighed deeply and agreed to work alongside with Nanami, albeit begrudgingly. "Fine. Let's do this."

They had their first encounter right after you saved Higuruma by injuring yourself in the process, due to Higuruma's irresponsibility, and Nanami held some kind of resentment against the man since then. Nanami was still reluctant regarding Higuruma’s acceptance as a whole — a curse user that had actually killed people before coming to Jujutsu High, had his sentence suspended, and acted irresponsibly with colleagues in the battlefield. 

"Help me locate something we can use to our ears properly."

[bracketsoffear]

I came up with more last night sorry

"Something is Wrong, Everything is Wrong" Statement of Madoka Kaname, regarding the girl who showed her around her new school. (Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Rebellion; Spiral)

“Tourist Trap” Statement of anonymous, regarding the July 4th 2007 incident at the Permian Basin Super-organism Natural Preserve, also known as the “Mystery Flesh Pit National Park.” (Mystery Flesh Pit National Park; Flesh, Vast)

"Apple of Eden" Statement of Goro Akechi, regarding being trapped in a false reality. (Persona 5 Royal; Web, Stranger, Spiral)

"Third Book on the Left" Statement of anonymous, regarding the fire that burned down the old Winchester house. (111 Winchester; Spiral, Desolation)

"City Maintenance" Statement of Bridger Morse, regarding a set of underground tunnels connected the city sewage systems not recorded on any map. (Mayfair Watcher's Society - Underground; Flesh)

"Burn the Witch" Statement of Norman Babock, regarding the restless soul of a child who cursed his town and the task of putting her to rest. (Paranorman; End, Desolation)

“War Without Reason” Statement of an entity only identifying itself as “The Ferryman”, regarding humanity’s end and the resulting fallout in the kingdoms of heaven and hell. (ULTRAKILL; Slaughter, Extinction, Flesh)

.

[alterrune]

Operations Emperors Abyss

Mission 1: Syntax Error

Details: Terence and the Toppat Radical’s have an underground server facility setup in the UK. These server’s contain some details on Terence’s new weaponry and technology. We believe he is looking to robotic warfare with drones and machines, and we want to put an end to these operations. Break into the facility and pull the plug on his servers.

Complications:

Titan Security System: The facility has been outfitted with special security, keycard readers, security panels, and cameras can’t be destroyed or hacked, be careful.

Small Arms Only: We've had issues smuggling weapons to the mission site. You're going to need to bring small, easily concealable weapons. Only pistols and SMGs will be available.

Extra Cameras: Terence doesn’t want to take any chances, so he’s set up a serious amount of cameras in the facility. Because of the Titan Security System, the cams can’t be destroyed nor hacked.

CHAPTER 3, ACT 5: THE ABYSS BEGINS

(All 5 of us are in a sewer line going directly underneath the compound. The plan is to set a few bomb charges and flood their operation with sewer water. The bomb charges are ones that I made, small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, yet packed with enough explosive power to blow a hole through any wall. However, we're all less than happy with the current situation.)

Kyle, what exactly were you on when you thought of this plan?

A LOT of sleep medication, Alter. I've had some really bad bouts of insomnia from this, remember?

Yeah, but even though you were pretty much sleep-talking, you made a valid point. "If they're deep underground, let's go deeper underground". That was what you said, and honestly, it was pretty genius of you.

Alright, pretty sure that's the last of the charges. Are we all ready?

Sweetheart, just detonate the damn things already. WE'RE IN A SEWER!

Yeah, let's go.

(Henry detonates the charges, which causes sewer water to rocket through the floors of the facility up to it's ceilings. Not only are all personel completely knocked out by the blasts, but all the security systems got completely drenched and short-circuted, knocking it out completely.)

WHOO!!! That was AWESOME!

Let's get outta here before someone else shows up, Kyle. Adam, beam us out!

(We're beamed out, and just like that, mission complete!)

CHAPTER 3, ACT 5 COMPLETE

ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: "SEWAGE BLAST"

DISPLAYING EPILOGUE...

(Terrence returns to the compound, only to find the floor to be completely blown out, revealing a sewer pipe below.)

Hey, boss!

(Terrence whips out his gun, but stops himself from firing it when he realizes it's merely one of his underlings.)

What the hell are ya doing down there, ya bloody idiot?!

(Terrence has a heavy British accent. He was raised in the UK, after all, and only moved to the Toppats when he heard they needed a new leader. To him, that was the best time of his life, but to everyone else, it was the worst time in the Toppat's entire existence.)

The CSB got us, sir. Mind helping me up?

(Terrence is about to shoot him, but he decides not to. His rage is at the CSB, not his head scientist. He extends a hand out, helping the poor man out.)

Let me guess, those blokes left a message?

Yes, sir. Here.

(Terrence unfolds the note and reads it.)

Terrence! Long time no see, fuckface! You know, we didn't miss you in the slightest. The Toppat Clan is doing WAAAAY better than when you were in charge, y'know? We all called your tyranical rule the "Age of Suave", because it was so bad it felt like AGES before the Toppat Clan did something about it. And like all tyranical rulers, you were defeated. And if you can be defeated once, it sure as hell can happen again.

Hope you burn in hell, you piece of shit.

Unsincerely,

Kyle Gibbons✍🏼

Alterrune🔺

Violet Wolfsbane💜

Henry Stickmin 🔵

Ellie Rose 💕

(Terrence takes the note, pins it to a corkboard, and throws a throwing knife at the corkboard, landing dead-center on the note.)

Dr. Grey, run a scan. There's someone we need to kidnap for a ransom. "Édouard Labarthe" is his name. And if ya get anymore calls from that bloomin' idiot brother of yours...

Oh, trust me. Earl and I have been out of contact for a while now. As far as he knows...

..."Jerry Grey" has been dead for a long, long time.

END OF EPILOGUE

[lloydfrontera]

Question, aside from time factor why didn't Lloyd make a modern way of sewage/plumbing? Was there a different skill that he needed?

well, thing is, modern plumbing is like. really hard to make. we take it for granted but it's,,, a lot of work lol

lloyd did want to implement it but it would've taken him years and a lot of money to do it, things he simply could not afford

It'd have been nice if I could build a modern sewage system in each household where they can directly throw their waste. But he didn't have the technology to do so and lacked money, time and labor. A bitter smile appeared on Lloyd's face as he looked at the ongoing construction. To be honest, he wanted to create a modern sewage system, just like the one in South Korea, if he could. It would allow the water used at homes to pass through the sewers and the people to flush their toilets. Clean and sleek. Lloyd wanted to devise a method wherein people could deal with the waste without extra effort or care. But that's impossible here. To construct a modern sewage system, Lloyd had to connect the residential facility with underground pipes. But the current situation made it impossible for him to do so. Soon, the freezing winter would turn the Prona River into a giant block of ice. The accumulated bodily waste there signaled a large-scale epidemic. So, the sewers had to be constructed before the plague, leaving Lloyd no time to build and connect houses with pipes. He would need at least several years to perfect such a thorough system.

again! modern plumbing is a bit of a marvel of engineering! implementing it in a fantasy world without any of the technological advantages of the modern world would've been pretty hard! and lloyd is not even a civil engineer, he was just studying to become one! the fact he managed to build a sewage system that worked as well as it did in such a relatively short amount of time is already goddamn amazing.

perhaps later on, when he had plenty of free time and money to get bored with just lazing around, maybe he got sufficiently annoyed with not having running water in his house and decided to do something about it! but we have no way of knowing about it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[anchoragehq]

the composite compendium & roles page will be updated shortly due to an Internet outage. they will contain more details & clues aside from a brief summary of what happened in our plot drop !

WARNINGS : body horror.

WHY DON'T WE HAVE SOME FUN ?? :) — the graffiti now etched into the walls of the terminal from years of muck accumulating the regrowth of nature essentially forms an arrow for mio akimoto to follow. the path of scurrying rats opens up to the deathbed of one of the abandoned subway trains, & it intends for her to be its final passenger ...

the weight of mio's presence in the train car sets off a booby trap & the passage begins to fill up with the sewage & water milling underground. zeliha turan, trapped on the other side of the panel in a dilapidated & abandoned laboratory for the past several weeks when the main door jammed, responded to her pleas for help. an old intercom & monitor requested a password in response to a question :

HINT : if you had an infinite supply of water and a 5-liter and 3-liter bucket, how would you measure exactly 4 liters ? the buckets do not have any intermediate markings …

with strained teamwork & a great deal of stress, zeliha was able to pin down the answer in the nick of time : WASTEDWATER. the panel opened up & mio was washed inside, sustaining a few cracked ribs & a mild case of pneumonia from fluid on the lungs.

zeliha turan was finally free to escape their predicament, armed with all the data files they could find, including one that detailed an experiment to give bigglesworth bandit the outlaw sentience, ultimately inconclusive. to reward mio akimoto for finding her & hearing why she came, they gave her a file that shared similarities in description to mio's sister, with a disappointingly smudged out name & photograph.

the town has been in division since the outcome of the trial, not everyone believes the accused three are innocent. be careful or that ANGER from that which you can't understand will spill over ... that might be what they want.

those of you who are in the know ... your mailbox filled up with urgent letters throughout the month of august.

MERCURY, your report of bryn ravencroft's conversation with angelique jackson was of high concern ... please meet up with NIGHTSHADE to notify them of a potential threat to your kind. NIGHTSHADE, you've been requested. please wait at the rendezvous point in the lighthouse for further instruction. one of our associates will be meeting you shortly for a consult. KYTA, a few unruly pests have been causing trouble & digging up the old labs. be on call for eliminating targets.

every council person was requested to an emergency meeting this morning under mayor alister warhol. the objective of the meeting was undisclosed to the public.

rumor has it the clappy system is malfunctioning, by the way. a few unlucky residents got trapped in their apartments during a major system blackout on august 21st : freya chen, beomsu nam, & bhaskar chanda. maybe someone wants to come help them so they don't hang out of the fire escape ??? anyway, that's not stopping them from beginning installation in delilah's den gated community.

zeliha turan was returned on august 9th mostly unscathed, & was admitted to the hospital for treatment of malnutrition & dehydration following their extended period of captivity, to the relief of the midnight thrillers mystery busters & their stand-in host, alizka pallas-dexicos.

on the eve of august 20th, leonardo amoretto turned on the light to his back patio upon swearing he saw the glowing of eyes. sitting on a chair in the back patio, facing the sliding door, is a severed head with red rhinestones replacing the eyes in annisa adler's likeness. on closer inspection, there are wires sticking out of its neck, & a note in its mouth : SKELETONS ALWAYS CLAW THEIR WAY OUT OF THE CLOSET ...

when the lights returned to seal harbor on the 22nd, the other half of the mechanical body was found on the floor of ava adler's apartment, a note in its hand : HAVE YOU CHECKED ON YOUR SISTER LATELY ?

if you are curious, for a full review of all of the options of the major choice set given, read below the cut !

CHOICE SET 1 :

A) mio follows the rats & wades through waist-deep waters, tapping against the walls to reveal a hollow echo that signals the room on the other side, or B) mio follows the friendly sewer rats & notices them dive into a crawl space in the walls of the terminal & chooses to follow. she is just able to fit and crawl with her elbows & knees, making use of zeliha's abandoned flashlight.

CHOICE SET 2 :

if you chose A -> mio notices a strange glow that reflects off the waters in the deeper end of the abandoned terminal & discovers a subway train with a door open & crude graffiti that reads, EMERGENCY ENTRACE HHER E <- … C) mio enters the subway train, which is keeled forward, causing her to walk uphill & through the cars. as she opens the exit tram, she can feel out a sliding panel on the wall, or D) mio skirts around the abandoned tram & notices the cracks in the wall. she uses her fingers to pry the space open wider & attempts to slide herself between the panel & the wall.

if you chose B -> mio crawls through the tight tunnels, wiggling through the twists & turns. she cannot see well with the limited movement of the flashlight in her hand but is able to track the path of the rats through the space … E) she makes a wrong turn & falls through the crumbling chunks of concrete into a fortified testing tube. the fall causes her to land wrong & with strong impact, she feels a splitting pain — she has fractured her ankle & finds zeliha on the other side of the glass or F) mio reaches the end of the crawlspace, & a translucent panel allows her to see into the room on the other side where she discovers zeliha. however, she is unable to push the panel out of the way & the horde of rats begin to surround her. she sees the beads of red eyes as they start to gnaw on her while she bangs on the panel.

CHOICE SET 3 :

if you chose C or D -> the foreign weight of mio's body sets off a trap & zeliha hears a muted alarm somewhere within the laboratory they are trapped in. a half-broken, static-ridden screen of surveillance footage turns on in the corner of the room, & zeliha witnesses as the space mio is standing begins to fill with water. ( REGARDLESS OF C OR D, mio finds herself trapped where she is. ) … zeliha approaches the control panel & discovers it's asking for a password to override.

HINT : if you had an infinite supply of water and a 5-liter and 3-liter bucket, how would you measure exactly 4 liters ? the buckets do not have any intermediate markings …

there is an intercom where they can speak to one another in this limited time. G) zeliha can start rooting through the old files in search of an answer to the password whilst mio attempts to wriggle out, & they do not use any teamwork to try to get mio out, or H) they start to discuss the riddle with each other & brainstorm what the answer is without resorting to the resources within the laboratory.

failure to resolve the riddle will result in the pressure of the rising water causing cracked ribs and a punctured lung for mio, but simultaneously, the door will burst open from its weathered state, & zeliha must find a pen or syringe to stab mio with & allow her to breathe.

if you chose E or F -> zeliha must find something that will break the [insert tube or panel here] to free mio from her predicament before [runs out of oxygen or is mauled by a horde of rats]. the room is filled with overturned tables, broken laboratory tubes, discarded files, & office supplies. however, they are able to locate two objects they can try I) an icepick ( as used in lobotomies ) or J) a regular old hammer. they have time for only choosing one weapon, so choose wisely !

[sailorsplatoon]

What if Four and Acht switched places with Pearl and Marina? Four and Acht are the Idols and Pearl is Agent 4 and Marina is the Sanitized musician in the Deep Sea Metro.

Oooooh my gosh I love that!!!!

I’m thinking it would go something like Four got lost on their way to Inkopolis Square, ending up on Mt. Nantai. There, they meet Acht, who only just escaped the Octarian Army. They offer to take Acht to Inkopolis Square with them. Four’s reasoning is “We’re both lost, why not be lost together?” Acth accepts, already being head over heels for Four. When Four finally finds their way to Inkopolis, they offer for Acht to be their roommate, both because they think Acht is cute and because they will not be able to pay rent on their own. Again, Acht accepts.

After a few weeks of living together, Four hears Acht making music. They immeidetly suggest that the two should start a band, revealing that they had some past experience themself with a few metal songs. (Side note: Four singing #$@%* Dudes Be #$@%* Sleepin is hilarious.) The two start a band and quickly rise to idol status.

Meanwhile, Marina is still in the Octarian Army and is losing hope. She feels like she has too important of a role to try and escape. She is drowning in work and wishes that there was a way for her to get it all done quickly without getting distracted by her longing to escape. 

As she’s searching for a quiet place to get her work done, she stumbles into an underground club (the one Acht was in in the original story) and she decides to take a quick break to DJ and see if she’s still good at it. She is, and she quickly catches the attention of Commander Tartar. It offers to sanitize her, which would allow her to get all her work done without any worry about escaping, and even leave her time to DJ. She agrees and becomes the DJ of the Deepsea Metro. 

Pearl is living in Inkopolis Square when she notices that suddenly there’s someone standing over a sewage grate that looks supiciously like Marie. And she just so happened to appear less than a day after the Great Zapfish and Callie dissappeared. She gets curious and goes to investigate, finding that it was actually Marie and that she needs her help finding the Zapfish and Callie. Pearl agrees, mostly just excited that she gets to work with Marie and beat up some bad guys. She becomes Agent 4 and successfully saves both Callie and the Zapfish.

Then, Four and Acht help Eight through escaping the Deepsea Metro, with Acht helping to hack into the systems using the knowledge they gained from listening to Marina explain it and Four being moral support (they are not as rich as Pearl and do not have the money to lend Eight some). 

Acht is worried for the sanitized octolings in the Deepsea Metro, and tries to create a way to help them, eventually resulting in the Memverse. However, it’s not perfect since they don’t have as much coding knowledge as Marina does. This is what results in Smollusk being created, rather than the desires of other developers. 

Pearl is the beta tester and ends up being greyscaled, becoming Parallel Canon. Marina is sucked into the Memverse as well, getting her memories and personality back because of it. Four is a drone in the Memverse and helps Eight ascend the spire, along with Marina. Acht is controlled by Smollusk during the first ascent, then after they’re saved they help with hacking. 

Eventually, they figure out how to save Pearl from being greyscaled. Then Pearl and Marina’s love story plays out from there!

Thank you for the ask!!! This is such a cool au idea and I wrote way more for this than I thought I would.

[illarian-rambling]

Happy WBW!

How do bathrooms work in your world? What is the sewage system like? What about plumbing?

This isn't a question you see too often, but a very important one nonetheless! The answer depends on which time period we're in

In the era of Honor's Outcasts, indoor plumbing is a thing for only the very, very wealthy. Generally, your common folk are gonna have a cesspool sewage system. Basically, there's an underground pit for the whole neighborhood to dump their waste into. On usually a weekly schedule, city-employed book mages pop by and use runes to transmute all the sewage into smoke or something else more easily disposed of. It's a dirty, poorly-paid job for someone who went to school for years to study the working of the Veil, but someone has to do it. In the country, where villages can't afford mages, they just have outhouses.

In the time of Mortal God, the industrial revolution is in full swing, and most cities are in the process of being outfitted with modern septic sewer systems that don't rely on some unfortunate bastard wading through shit to poof it all away. Even the poorer city folk have access to indoor plumbing. In rural areas, they still rely on outhouses.

Thanks for the ask!

[girlactionfigure]

Sewer Worker and Savior: Poldek Socha

He brought them everything they needed.

Leopold “Poldek” Socha was a mild-mannered maintenance man who saved the lives of eleven Jews by hiding them in the underground sewers of Lvov, Poland during the Nazi occupation.

An uneducated Pole living in poverty, the only job Poldek could get was cleaning up the underground sewage system in Lvov. The pay was so low that he supplemented his income with theft and burglary.

The Germans occupied Lvov in 1941 and immediately forced all of the city’s Jews into a squalid, overcrowded ghetto teeming with disease, death and misery. Ignorant and barely literate, Poldek had something more valuable than education, something the oh-so-sophisticated Nazi leaders lacked: a moral compass. Outraged by the Nazi occupiers’ persecution of the Jews of Lvov, Poldek – who didn’t know any Jews personally – decided to do something about the injustice he witnessed. He visited the Jewish ghetto and after befriending some of its desperate occupants, he vowed to find a way to rescue Jews. He had no money, resources, or influence; all this humble man had was a desire to save the lives of complete strangers. Poldek convinced a fellow sewer-worker, Stefan Wroblewski, to help carry out his brave mission, although they still weren’t sure exactly how they’d accomplish it.

The aspiring heroes got their answer when the Nazis began the Aktion, liquidation of the ghetto, which meant transporting the inhabitants to concentration and death camps. The night the Aktion started, in June 1943, Poldek was cleaning out sewage canals when he saw a family of Jews trudging through the stinking filth, heading toward the river. They had escaped the ghetto through the floorboards. Knowing that the riverbank was crowded with police and Gestapo storm troopers, Poldek approached the terrified Jews and told them not to go that way. Instead, he said, they should stay underground and he would take care of them.

Poldek brought the Jews food and clean clothing. Others found out about the safe hiding place and joined them until there were twenty people living in the sewer. Poldek, his wife Magdalena, and Stefan and his wife took care of all the hidden Jews’ needs. At the beginning, the Jews paid them, but their money soon ran out and the brave Polish couples continued paying for everything from their own meager paychecks.

Hiding in the sewers was a temporary way to stay alive, but it was horrible. It was dark, cold, wet, and the fetid smell was overpowering. There was nothing to see or do, and the sheer terror of being discovered never left them. One of the Jews, eight months pregnant, was there with her elderly grandmother. The conditions were so harsh and unsanitary that both the baby and the grandmother died. The Sochas and the Wroblewskis went to great trouble to remove the bodies from the sewer in the dead of night, and bury the tiny infant and his aged great-grandmother. Other Jews couldn’t take the brutal conditions in the sewer and they decided to find another safe haven, but getting out of the sewer was fraught with danger and they died on the way out. When he found their bodies, Poldek made sure they received burials.

Besides providing the hidden Jews with food, medicine, clothing, blankets and other necessities of life, Poldek went out of his way to enable them to practice their faith. He rummaged through empty tenements in the ghetto – the residents had been sent to concentration camps – until he found a dog-eared prayer book. During Passover, when the Jews couldn’t eat bread, he brought them potatoes.

Among the Jews hiding in the sewers was the Chirowski family of four. The Chirowski children were 4 and 7 years old. It was very difficult to keep the children occupied and entertained for over a year in their filthy, smelly underground hiding place. Mother Paulina Chirowski spent the days telling her children colorful stories and keeping up their schooling as much as she could. In Paulina’s testimony to Yad Vashem years later, she recalled that much of the family’s time was spent huddling under the sewer grills and listening to street noise, their only link with the normal world above. One particular painful moment among many she mentioned in her testimony was when she and her little daughter overheard a mother and daughter above chatting happily about which flowers to get on their way to church. The child was distraught, not understanding why a different little girl and her mommy were able to live freely and enjoy life when she was stuck living in literal excrement day after day. To soothe the girl, Paulina promised her that they too would be free one day – although she wasn’t sure if she believed it.

Finally, after the Jews had been underground for thirteen months, Lvov was liberated by the Russians and it was safe to come out of the sewers. Of the 21 Jews who found refuge in the sewers, 10 survived, including the entire Chirowski family.

The war ended in 1945, and the next year Poldek and his daughter were on their bicycles when a freak tragedy occurred. An out-of-control Soviet military truck careened towards them. Thinking quickly, Poldek used his bicycle to push his daughter out of the way, saving her life but sacrificing his own. He was only 36 years old.

Poldek Socha and his wife Magdalena were honored by Israeli Holocaust Memorial Yad Vashem as Righteous Among the Nations in 1978. Three years later, the Wroblewskis were also honored.

In 2011 Poldek Socha was the subject of the movie “In Darkness,” a drama by acclaimed director Agnieszka Holland, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

For saving eleven Jews, at great risk to themselves, we honor the Sochas and the Wroblewskis as this week’s Thursday Heroes.