#I can’t even afford the game or the equipment! | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

cherryobx · 4 months

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hiiii here to help you procrastinate! I suck at requests but I’m gonna make one and you can just see if you want to use it or not :)) so since I can’t personally hug you since your 24 hours away by car and I don’t have a drivers licence I want something cozy 👉👈 I’ve recently been obsessed with someone and for the first time I followed a twitch live stream because of him and it was so comforting to just listen to him play a game that I could fall asleep. so maybe something like gamer bf/gf and a sleepy reader OR a bookish reader, they’re gaming and the other reading or something. I want the coziness. but I have no clue if this is information that you can do something with so do whatever you want :)) and if you want to use it you can choose the character ☺️

Company || J.M.

Summary: JJ, your gamer bf, comes over and you spend a cozy evening together, sort of.

Word count: 0.7k

Warnings: no knowledge of gaming whatsoever, other than that none

A/N: thank you babe for this request!!!!!! and thank you for supporting my procrastination haha, hope you enjoy whatever this is (don't judge i haven't written anything in soooo long)

JJ kept all of his gaming equipment at your place. He was scared of what his father might do if he ever got his hands on it in a fit of drunken rage. It was very expensive, he saved up for more than a year to afford all of it. You made space in your bedroom for another table so he could have his gaming station and his own little corner to game in.

You loved when he was over at your place to play his video games you knew pretty much nothing about. It was a way for you to spend time together. Not in the sense that you were conversing or doing some activity together but just being in the same room with each other, enjoying each other’s company. It was so mundane but so sweet.

He had his headset on but only one of his ears was covered. When you asked about it one time he said he wanted to make sure he could still hear you if you needed anything. But in reality he also enjoyed the little sounds you made over at the other side of the room, whether it was blowing on your steaming tea, turning the pages of your book or the little laughs you let out when a character said something funny in your current read.

One evening he came over to game with his friends. He could tell you were tired just by the way you dragged your feet behind you and how you kept yawning every two seconds. You had a really long day behind you and all you wanted to do was curl up into a little ball under the warm covers in your bed and fall asleep.

He followed you into your bedroom and watched you flop face first onto the bed.

“Are you okay?” He took a seat next to you and placed his hand on your back, rubbing it in a relaxing motion making your eyelids fall closed.

“Yeah, just tired,” you mumbled into the duvet.

“I don’t have to play right now, I can just tell them I can’t tonight. I’ll cuddle with you instead.”

But you insisted. “No. Go game with your friends. I’ll be out like a light in two seconds. Don’t even worry about me.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. Just come to bed when you’re done.”

“Of course.” He smiled and gave you a small kiss on your temple.

He helped you crawl under the covers and tucked you in, making your heart swell. He gave you another kiss but this time on the lips. “I love you,” he whispered against your lips before he stood up and sat down in his gaming chair behind the desk you had gotten him.

He turned everything on and logged into whatever game he was supposed to be playing with his friends that night.

His voice was quiet when speaking to his friends, he didn’t want to disturb you more than he already has. He kind of felt guilty about his situation although you had reassured him many times that you aren’t bothered by his stuff in your room. You actually liked that a piece of him was always in your personal space.

“Sorry, my girl’s sleeping,” he whispered into the microphone. It tugged the corners of your mouth upwards in your sleepy haze.

You didn’t really focus on his hushed conversations but the low tone of his voice was so calming and relaxing, it lulled you to sleep in no time.

When JJ finally finished up with his friends, he took the headphones off, placed them on the monitor and quietly made his way to your bed. Lifting the covers gently, he climbed underneath them and joined you in the warmth of your bed.

He wrapped his arms around you and pulled you against him, stirring you from your sleep.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you.”

“‘S okay,” you slurred, already falling back asleep. JJ nuzzled his face into the crook of your neck, inhaling your familiar scent and feeling the sleep take him over as well.

#jj maybank #jj #jj outer banks #outer banks #jj maybank x reader #jj maybank fluff #jj maybank x you #jj maybank imagine #jj maybank x y/n #obx #lu

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ilguna · 2 years

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☼ confession (Finnick Odair) ☼

summary; ' hi love! could i request a finnick imaging where the reader and finn have feelings for each other and the reader is kinda quiet and then finnick gets slightly frustrated trying to admit his feelings to the reader (because he can’t find the right words) and then he starts to walk away all defeated and sad and then the reader like admits they feelings for him and surprises finnick?? sorry i know this is really detailed 🤭thank you!! ‘

warnings; swearing, hints at prostitution

wc; 3k

notes; pre-74th hunger games. takes place before the 73rd hunger games but after the 72nd.

–

The absolute worst part about being a victor in a career district is the fact that you have a status to uphold. Which means getting up early, running the boarding school with Finnick, and then staying late to get ready for the next day. By the time you get home, you have to go to bed.

And this doesn’t include all the little side problems that come with it. The peacekeepers know the power they have over you. They might not be allowed to officially bust the school, but they come around for bribes anyway. Not that they actually make any dent into the funds, it’s just extremely irritating.

The students are almost all the same, cocky but unprepared. As if the knowledge on how to build a fire, find water, hunt, will magically appear inside of their heads. Then they try to treat you as if your tactics are outdated, since the boarding school doesn’t have the technology that the Capitol has. Which isn’t a money problem, you could afford to have this stupid place renovated ten times over, it’s the issue of getting busted and shut down. You can’t be obvious with it. To them, that doesn’t matter.

Also, it apparently doesn’t matter that District Four has one of the highest turnover rates right now. All they can see is the amount of people they’ve lost in recent years, rather than the fact that even District One and Two are falling behind.

Everyone tries to wow over the fact that Enobaria won the 62nd, Gloss the 63rd and Cashmere, the 64th. To them, it’s impressive if someone rips out a throat and siblings win back to back. They forget that Finnick won the 65th hunger games, the youngest ever. And you were hot on his heels, 66th games, most kills in a single game. Two record-breaking tributes aren’t as satisfying, unless they’re in your bed.

Anyway, Annie won the 70th games, and just last year—72nd games—you had a boy win. While One and Two have only had one victor each since their spotlight. It’s a little infuriating to have teenagers talk down to you, when you only won six years ago. You’re not as old as they’re making you out to be.

No matter how badly you wish you could ditch the school, you can’t. You have a role to fulfill, just like your mentors.

As you swing the door shut behind you, you continue to walk into the school. You and Finnick alternate between being the openers every other month, mostly because there’s not really a need for two people. You go through the building, turning on every lightswitch imaginable, while also checking rooms to make sure they haven’t been broken into.

Over time, it’s been less frequent, but back when you were in here as a student, there’d constantly be broken windows, missing equipment. Originally, Mags had thought that it was peacekeepers that were doing it. Really, it was anxious parents trying to get the place shutdown, in fear of the entire district being punished for having it running.

The Capitol doesn’t care, they never have. This building’s been operating since before the fiftieth Hunger Games, if President Snow wanted to do anything about it, he would’ve by now. Except, the Capitol loves their seafood, like how they love their jewelry and furniture. They’re not going to go make stupid decisions just because one district is winning more than the other’s.

The break-ins stopped when you and Finnick stepped in to take ownership after your wins. You were almost going to let it continue to happen, until someone left a death threat at your door. Being sixteen years-old, fresh out of the arena, and not a single fuck to give, you came up with a plan.

All it took was showing up to each and every house that had ever stolen from the boarding school, baseball bat in hand, threatening to make them repay every penny, for everyone else to get the memo. And you didn’t even break a single bone, not that you would have, either. It was all for show.

People were scared of you back then, and they still are now. Even Finnick—your best friend—isn’t all that super close to you, as much as you wish he were. Although, maybe it’s for the best.

You wander to the kitchen area, finding it spotless, thanks to Finnick. It’s another reason why you switch between opening, because you also take turns closing. It allows him to sleep in more, while it doesn’t really affect you. You stay behind to keep him company at night, he hates closing up by himself.

You get to work preparing lunch, since the front doors won’t unlock until around noon. The kids, twelve to fourteen, go home at around six to get dinner and go to bed. The teenagers typically stay until nine, sometimes ten if you and Finnick get distracted. And you get to do this all year, except for when the Hunger Games come around.

A couple hours later, and you see the door opening. Finnick’s running a hand through his wet hair, a sheepish smile on his face, “Good afternoon.”

“Hey.” You smile, “What’s the matter?”

“I forgot my keys.” He comes closer, leaning against the stainless steel counters. Most of it is covered in flour, he chooses the small area that’s clear, “Can I borrow yours to unlock the doors?”

You roll your eyes, dusting off your hands. You snag the keys from your belt loop, tossing it at him, “Where’d you leave them this time? Annie’s?”

Finnick scoffs, “No, they’re here somewhere, I just have to find where.”

“Right.” You get back to rolling the dough, “Let me know if you need help.”

“What’re you making this time?” He asks, face twisted.

“Apple pie, I bought the ice cream a couple days ago.” You pause, and then stop moving again. Finnick does this thing where he’ll suck in his bottom lip when he’s unsure. “Alright, spit it out.”

Finnick waves his hand, backing off, “We can talk about it later.”

“If you say so. I should be done in an hour.”

Finnick nods, leaving the kitchen. This isn’t the first time he’s done this to you in the past month. Whatever it is, you have a feeling it’s also why he hasn’t been hanging out with you as often. Every time you try, he’s already got plans to go and see Annie. Which is fine, you don’t have a monopoly over Finnick’s freetime, and there was a period of time where you didn’t want to hang out with him, either.

Like you said earlier, he doesn’t normally like closing by himself. Lately, it’s all he wants to do.

After you get lunch and the dessert done, you let it cool while you clean up. The mess isn’t too terribly bad, considering what it’s like normally when you put more effort in. You carry plates and silverware out into the dining hall, carefully stacking them. You put trays on one end, something you had to invest in after you started making multiple dishes.

You then lay out the food, wipe the tables down, and take your time getting to the main training room. Even from down the hallway, you can hear the Capitol music to keep the room from being too quiet. It’s Friday, leading into the weekend. They don’t normally learn anything, only practice the areas they felt weak in. When they go home tonight, you and finnick will prepare for Monday, and then sit out the weekend.

You slide in the door, arms crossed as you watch the kids run around. There’s little sections laid out across the large room, separated by walls. It makes the room less open and echoey, a problem that had been bothering you for years as a teenager. You fixed it as soon as your name came onto the contract.

Finnick’s off in the weapon section, an area you two frequent to make sure they’re being safe. It’s not the older ones you have to look out for, it’s the new kids that immediately go for the most dangerous item in the room. It’s irritating, but you want them to explore and figure out their strengths.

Wandering over, you smile at a few of the teenagers that stop long enough to greet you, ask what’s for lunch, or want help with what they’re practicing. By the time you make it over to Finnick, he’s finally realized that you’re here.

“Ready to dismiss?” You ask, Finnick nods.

“Yeah, sounds good.”

You walk back to the front of the room, turning off the music. It grabs most, if not all, attention without having to yell. Still, there’s always that last couple of people who don’t catch the idea, “It’s time for lunch, clean up your area and return all towels to the hamper. We’ll leave when the room’s put together.”

It takes less than ten minutes, they all move quickly. In no time, a crowd’s gathered at the door, which you gladly push open to let them out. They know to head to the dining hall by themselves. You watch as the last person leaves through the door, leaving only Finnick.

He’s distracted, stuffing a few missed towels back into the hamper. It’s on wheels, making it easy to move. You take it from him, and begin down the hallway.

“Hey,” He says, jogging to catch up with you, “I want to talk to you real quick.”

“Sure.” You agree, pushing open the laundry room door. Finnick holds it for you while you go inside, “What’s up?”

He holds out your keys, returning them, “I should probably give these to you first, before I forget.”

You make a face, “This is what you wanted to talk about?”

“Well, no.” He says, you take the keys, “I—um—it’s more important than that.”

You wait, but he doesn’t go any further, “And?”

Finnick sucks in his bottom lip again, “Are you going to stay with me tonight?”

“I try to, lately you’ve been blowing me off.” You try to sound casual as you’re throwing sweat towels in the washing machine. The truth is that you’re peeved. You always ask him if he wants you to stay, he’s the one that’s been saying no.

“Sorry, it’s just easier to think when I’m alone.” He rubs the back of his neck, “I should go check on the dining hall.”

“Whatever.” You shrug, turning your back to him.

The only indication of Finnick leaving is the sound of the door clicking shut. You let out a breath, frustrated with him. Easier to think when he’s alone? As if, he never shuts up about his thoughts unless you’re telling him to. And that’s only when you have a headache.

Either way, you finish what you’re doing and join Finnick in the dining hall for a good fifteen minutes. The kids finish eating, which means you and Finnick do a trade-off, where he’ll do the dishes and make the kitchen spotless again. You get to teach a mini lesson and let them do whatever they want to do for the rest of the day, combined with some survival games.

It’s pretty easy, for the most part you sit on a stool and observe. They don’t normally misbehave with you here, Finnick’s got the easy going personality that allows him to be walked on. There’s a difference between the two of you, you won’t tolerate it, and Finnick gives warnings.

Finnick comes back two hours later, right on time for you to begin one of the three games you have planned for the kids. You pick out twenty-four popsicle sticks with names on them, allowing a random range of ages. And then, one at a time, you go down the list, each giving them a Capitol scenario that will decide their time inside of the arena depending on their answers. They all pass this round.

An hour later, you bring them back to give them an arena scenario, and the ones who don’t survive are eliminated. Whether that be dumb answers or luck that’s run out, they have to go back to general training. By the end of this round, there’s only eight students remaining.

The little teenagers get sent home on time, with the exception of the few that were selected for your mock Hunger Games. Finnick goes ahead and gives a call to the parents while you watch the room.

Just before class ends, you have the room cleaned up. The eight surviving students come to the front of the room, each given some sort of prop weapon. You set the sixteen dead students off to the side to watch. The rest of the students are given the option to gamble on a tribute to win the next Friday off, or lose out on the dessert you’ll serve.

Most of them gamble. You sit back on your stool, clipboard in hand, Finnick’s standing nearby, “Alright, you’ve all made it to the final bloodbath. Winner gets to pick out what they want for lunch next Friday, plus a hundred dollars. You all know the rules, no hair pulling, no hits below the belt.”

You count down from five, and on one, they begin to attack each other. It’s a little funny, watching them go at each other like animals. Maybe a little cathartic, if you have to admit it. All you know is that the teenagers also get a kick out of it, even the ones on the sidelines. They’re cheering, screaming, clapping, the only thing they can’t do is give advice.

One by one, they’re picked off, until a seventeen year old girl is left. She’s covered in sweat, but she’s holding up her sword as if she’s actually won. Then she points the sword at you.

“I challenge you, (Y/n). If I win, the losing betters get dessert anyway.” She’s out of breath, “If I lose, I only get to choose lunch and dessert, no hundred.”

You slowly smile, sliding off of the stool. You place the clipboard down, “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I am.” She backs away slightly to give you room to pick out a weapon from the previous discarded ones on the floor, “You always tell us how easy it is to take down an opponent, but I don’t believe you.”

You let out a small laugh, picking a machete off of the floor to match her sword. Hers will reach out further, but that doesn’t matter to you. You could pick the knife, and still end up as a winner.

“That’s because you think too much.” You swing the machete in your hand, “The trick is to act.”

She opens her mouth to speak, holding the sword out off to the side, no longer protecting her body with the blade. You throw the machete at her, watch as it smacks into her chest, and then falls to the floor. In less than five seconds.

Some of the teenagers laugh, which causes others to follow. You point to the dead students, “Alright, clean up your weapons. You’re all dismissed.”

Finnick leads them out, you stay behind to make sure everyone leaves. The winner of your mock games stays around long enough to tell you what she wants next Friday, and then leaves after. You meet Finnick at the front doors, lock them up, and then the two of you do a sweep of the entire building together.

“Office or dining hall?” You ask, “Also, did you switch the towels earlier?”

“I did it while I was making phone calls.” He waves his hand, “And all you have to do tonight is sign papers. The rest is done.”

“Cool.” You follow him to the office, “Still wanna ask that question?”

“Yeah, but not right now.” He seems better, at least.

“You and Annie dating?” You guess.

He glares at you slightly, “No, we aren’t.”

You squint at him in response. He holds open the office door, “I don’t believe you.”

“Don’t have to.” He mocks.

You sign paperwork, it’s pretty boring, stuff he’s already signed. The usual about shipments of food to confirm you still need it. You write a list of what you’ll need for next week, and pass it off to Finnick to take care of. He’ll probably get it done this weekend so that he doesn’t have to worry about it later.

Once you’re done, you two leave out the back door, double check to make sure all doors are locked, and then start the long walk home. The night air is cool against your arms, and the stars are shining particularly bright tonight. You hum most of the way, not letting Finnick’s silence bother you.

It isn’t until you’ve reached Victor’s Village, does he finally stop, “I’m sorry I’ve been so distant lately, (Y/n). I don’t know…” He rubs the back of his neck, face twisted, “We’ve known each other—” He pauses again, shaking his head, “Never mind, I can’t do this tonight. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He starts off toward his house, you shove your hands into your pockets, “I love you, Finnick.”

He stops to look at you, his face is a gentle shade of red.

“That’s it, right?” You ask, “Because I feel the same way.”

He stares at you for a second, almost like he can’t believe you beat him to the punch. Or the fact that you actually feel the same way. But then he smiles, and the dimples appear on his cheeks again, and he’s nodding.

“I love you, (Y/n).”

“Good, because this would be awkward.” You wander to him, he laughs, “You wanna come over?”

Finnick nods, holding out his hand, you take it, leaning your head against his arm.

#ilguna #finnick odair #finnick odair imagine #finnick odair x reader #finnick odair fanfic #finnick odair oneshot #thg #the hunger games #requested

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i-am-an-androphilic-doormat · 1 year

Text

Ghosted

Part 1

https://i-am-an-androphilic-doormat.tumblr.com/post/635727711629901824/ghosted-a-vlad-masters-x-reader-story-part-1

Part 2

https://i-am-an-androphilic-doormat.tumblr.com/post/667706669294338048/vladdy-is-daddy

Part 3

You sighed as you sat in the passenger seat, Operative K had volunteered to sit in the back with all the equipment and said he’d go ahead and get a head start on their report of the case in the computer logs. Operative O insisted he drives, when you had said you wouldn’t mind driving considering he had drove the team to the mayor’s residence, he said something along the lines that your temper contributes to how safely you drive. In other words:

He’s pretty sure if you drive, all of you would die in a car crash.

Whatever.

You still couldn’t believe that asshole was the new mayor, and the fucking nerve he had towards you. Can’t he just go back to Wisconsin in a different mansion? Sure, your men destroyed the second one unwarranted, but it’s not like he couldn’t afford a third. He owns like- four different massive companies. He has to be up to something! You just didn’t know what… yet. Oh well. You weren’t going to worry about it anymore, I mean really, what influence will he actually have on Amity Park?

————————two weeks later—————————

Vlad had just finishing delivering his address to bills he had passed concerning ghosts. That should teach Daniel Fenton a lesson as well keep that pesky Danny Phantom out of his hair. For now at least, it’s only a matter of time before he waves the white flag and gives Vlad his rightfully earned victory over this game they’ve been playing.

But in order to really put Phantom in his place, he needed to take his role in busting ghosts in this town. However, he can’t deal with these ghost problems as Plasmius as he usually would, this has to be public, so this will be a job for Masters. Therefore he won’t be able to do this alone.

The plan was to get his partner Skulker to release some low ranking ghosts into Amity Park while Vlad hires the Guys in White to catch the spectral fiends in his name. A pro he now has as mayor was having command over government funded associations.

After having his mayoral assistant arrange some things with the Guys in White and confirming their cooperation, he was now left to do the loads of paperwork… the agonizing con of being mayor and CEO of multiple companies.

The long treacherous hours as the day turned to night, sitting in his leather office seat, scribbling away sheet by sheet, square framed glasses perched on the bridge of his nose. Maddie, his cat, was curled up comfortably on the top of her cat tree.

Vlad sighed taking a moment to look at the time: 8:39 P.M. He has to greet the Guys in White at 9 for their first ghost hunt. Now would probably be a good time to stop for the night. Besides, his writing hand was starting to cramp…

Getting up from his seat, he stretched his limbs letting out a satisfied grunt, waking Maddie from her nap as she watched her owner down the last bit of his favorite whisky in his glass. Vlad stuffed his reading glasses away and left his office with Maddie following close behind. As the mayor passed through the long halls, his mind wandered. Perhaps he’ll see that woman again… Don’t get the wrong idea, Madeline will always be the only woman that owns his heart, but he hasn’t been able to shake off this itch on the back of his brain that he somehow knows that agent! From the way she behaved towards him, she remembers all too well that they had met before and he couldn’t think of anything he might have done to offend her.. maybe she was an employee he once had and was fired for whatever reason. Although it would be odd considering the agency she works for now so that doesn’t seem to be the likely answer, even if it would make the most sense to him on why she’d dislike him so much. He was just dying to know… oh to hell with it. It was most likely she was just another ‘eat the rich’ type just as Daniel’s friend Samantha Manson was, despite the irony of her family being rather wealthy.

Vlad’s work cell buzzed to life as he was notified of the Guys in White’s soon arrival. With a small glance of acknowledgement and grin, he dismissed his previous thoughts and focused on what truly mattered: beating Danny Phantom at his own game.

—————————————————————————

The riot you had upon discovering who had hired you for your next mission. You’re expertise being challenged by the likes of him? You’re going to kill him! After all these years you festered this hatred towards this man and here he was practically laughing at you! The last thing you could’ve ever wanted to happen was becoming a reality, you working for Vlad Masters and him making a laughing stock out of you. You were sure he was the one that hired the world’s best ghost hunters in order to catch that blasted Danny Phantom kid a few months ago, just so he could get a rise out of the chaos that had ensued. And your poor men fell right into it. Embarrassing. The promise you made that day all those years ago was being forced to be broken, and if you were to keep it, you’d lose your job over it. How you resented him for this. All he has ever done to you even now is make you suffer…

Once again you were not allowed to drive. But you didn’t care for that, he wants you to hunt ghost? Fine. You’ll give him a ghost hunt and more. So much more he’ll be running for his money! Yes. That’s exactly what you’ll do. You couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought of Masters’ face when you manage to eliminate all of these pesky ghosts in one night!

As for your coworkers, they were keeping a distance from you. You holding a heavy, dangerous, and armed Spectral Melter while having an evil grin on your face was incredibly disconcerting… they just knew it was better to stay out of your way. After all you took ghost hunting very seriously, even more so than them. If they were to make a comparison, you were like a starved lion in the Roman Colosseum arena. The moment you were released: whatever that was alive in that ring with you won’t stay alive long. It was nights like this the agents pitied the clueless spirits of what was to come.

Soon after your team had fully unpacked and prepared for the night ahead, a black limousine pulled up to allow the new mayor to greet the crew and discuss the plans he had in store. The moment he stepped out he had a smug look on his face and all you wanted to do was smack it right off, he radiated the demeanor that he was better than everyone else. Damn the election. All it did was inflate his already obnoxiously huge ego.

You barely listened to his stupid ramble about how “appreciative” he was for your team’s help and what not, all you really cared to listen about was getting started. You were all separated into groups and spread across the town, and of course your team performed exceptionally just as you expected. As for you, you were truly pushing your limits and hitting the jackpot with the spectral fiends you were rounding up. By the end of the night, you had caught the most. As you loaded the captured ghost and equipment onto a ecto-protected carry van, the smell of expensive cologne drew too close for your comfort.

“My my! Wasn’t expecting to see you tonight my dear!”

Gag. That’s all you wanted to do. Just gag. You momentarily froze, the ecto-annihilator still heavy in your hands as you were midway handing it off to Operative F, you glanced up and watched as he, and some others hurried to make some distance from you, taking the heavy equipment out of your hands to be put away for the drive back to the office. You took a deep breath before turning your attention to the mayor, whom seemed to be a bit confused by your colleagues sudden rush to pack things up.

“Mayor Masters.”

You forced yourself to say politely, holding your hip and clenching your fist as to not suddenly wring the unsuspecting man’s neck out. The silver-haired man shook off the distraction going back to his stupid smug look that you’d guess he was using to try and charm you. “It’s a pleasure to see you again my lady, and under better circumstances as well!” He said offering a smile, but you offered no response. You simply cut your eyes at him in hopes he’d wrap things up already and leave you alone.

Vlad cleared his throat, rubbing his hands together, “I was actually over here to tell you how thoroughly impressed I was to hear about the catches you made tonight! I felt that perhaps the hardest hunter tonight should be rewarded.” He complimented, “Did you expect less of me? I don’t take kindly being underestimated and then being rewarded for doing my job correctly simply because I’m a woman, Vladimir.” You bit out, god he was so frustrating.

“No! No no no of course not!” He quickly said, laughing nervously, “I’m a huge advocate for equality.” He said “What kind of mayor would I be if I wasn’t?” He smiled proudly, like he was patting himself on the back. Gross. You crossed your arms across your chest, “Don’t stress yourself for brownie points Mayor Masters, I’m going to decline this reward and be on my way.” You huffed, grabbing the support bar to pull yourself into the van. A warm hand wrapped around the wrist of your free hand

“Can I at least get your name this time? I know you may not like me for whatever reason that is but it’s most likely we’ll be seeing a lot of each other in the future for works sake. I’d hate to continue addressing you as the Mistress in White.”

You glared at him, “You can call me...”

You snatched your arm away, watching the glimmer of hope you had given quickly diminish as quickly as it had came,

“Operative B”.

Then slammed the van doors shut.

—————————————————————————

Vlad was left stunned, left alone on the concrete road as the other agents bustled into their vehicles to leave. Operative A, head agent of Guys in White (which Vlad was also now realizing he was just a rank above the Mistress), approached the mayor. “We’re all wrapped up here Mayor Masters. Is there anything else you need for us to do before we leave?” The gentleman asked.

Vlad let out a sigh of…. Disappointment? Annoyance? He wasn’t sure. “No. I appreciate your team’s cooperation in this matter.” He thanked, folding his arms behind his back, straightening himself out to recover from the whiplash of emotions the Mistress in White had served him. The agent simply nodded and headed to his designated vehicle, “Until tomorrow night, sir”.

Thus, they were off.

Vladimir went back to his home contemplating deep in thought. This “Operative B” has nearly taken over his mind completely. This hatred she holds for him is much deeper than what he had initially thought. There’s disliking a person, then there’s hatred. A hatred he was all too familiar with. But it intrigued him. It really shouldn’t, in all honesty from here on out he should just go about things and not bother with her anymore… But it did. Vlad wanted to know why she hates him so much so badly. More importantly, her name!!! The only problem is that Operative B didn’t seem keen on telling him anything anytime soon.

Suddenly an awful idea struck Vlad. An evil mischievous grin grew onto his features, feeling nothing but clever with this little plan his brain concocted. She may not tell Vlad Masters what he wants to know, but that doesn’t mean she won’t tell Vlad Plasmius what he wants to know. It was a risky game of course, but the best he’s seen from the Guys in White was confiscate Skulker’s mechanical suit and lock up FreakShow, and he wasn’t even a ghost. The damage she could do alone to Plasmius was small, if not smaller than what the Fenton’s could even do. If he plays his cards right…

Oh yes, what a wonderfully awful idea indeed.

#danny phantom #danny phenton #danny fenton #jazz fenton #sam manson #tucker foley #jack fenton #vlad masters #vlad plasmius #vlad x reader #maddie fenton #vlad masters x reader #danny phantom au #vlad plasmius x reader #x reader

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thelediz · 7 days

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Sonic Underground 06: The Price of Freedom

I’m watching Sonic Underground in search of inspiration to finish a fic I’ve been writing forever. It’s a sad state of affairs. See the recap of the first three episodes here, if you're interested!

This is episode 6: The Price of Freedom, which is Sonia’s world building episode! It shows a little bit of how the aristocrats live, and what they have to be willing to do, consciously or not, to maintain their lifestyle.

The plot (for want of a better word): Frustrated with life on the run, Sonia goes to visit her best friend Mindy LaTour. Mindy reveals her latest project: fashion watches! But not all is as it seems! It turns out Robotnik has been using Mindy’s watches to spy on her customers. Will Sonia be able to help her friend escape Robotnik’s machinations?

THE DRAMA.

Sonia has a new outfit! It is immediately ruined, along with her bike. RIP both.

I actually vibe with Aleena’s narration this time. She points out that you can get so caught up in running that you lose sight of why running is worth it. It’s important to take breaks and remind yourself of why you do things that you do. …like watching a show to remind you why you started writing a fic twenty years ago. …huh…

ANYWAY.

Sonia… sweetheart, they are the authorities. Them calling 911 will do nothing. Also, you’re on Mobius, there is no such thing.

Honestly, I know they’re dumb boys in a 90s cartoon, but if Sonic and Manic could show just the slightest hint of emotional empathy to their frustrated sister right now, I would be so impressed. Though it is nice that they’re cheering her win rather than mocking the fact she got stuck in a tree.

But to be fair, she gets personal before they do. And then proceeds to forget that she’s a literal fugitive to go visit her best friend.

I love Mindy and her father as world building devices, by the way. Because it’s again quite believable: raised taxes as a result of Robotnik ramping up his efforts against the resistance means the idle rich can’t afford to be idle, and Mindy’s father is forced into corrupting his own daughter’s design to make surveillance equipment, or (as Bartleby saw with Lady Windemere) they both risk robotocisation. If they choose principles instead, they immediately have to go on the run. They give up their lives, their homes, everything they have, with no particular reason at this point to believe they’ll survive. It’s… a lot to risk.

I am not a fan of Sonia’s nightmare however. It feels like time filler which could easily have been spent with Sonic and Manic following SWATbots to the factory, or discussing Sonia and her lifestyle choices, or whether she really belongs in the resistance – you know, world building?

Anyway, stop thinking, LeDiz, Sonic and Sonia are somehow talking through their medallions, despite Sonic wearing his medallion. One of these things is an animation error and I am not going to ask which. They make up and it’s as cute as you can expect from this show.

The SONG: Money can’t buy (the things you really need). A rare song to be sung by someone who isn’t a royal triplet! Very um… I mean Mindy’s a whole reference to Cindy Lauper. It shows.

I do love this so much though: “I don’t need manicures!” “You don’t?” “Well, I could cut back! I could definitely cut back!” Sometimes even the Trashfire can be funny.

And she thinks being in the resistance is a game and it annoys Sonic so much and it’s GREAT. I just love Mindy so much…!

Aaaand they are promptly caught and doomed. DISTRESS. Except Sonic’s escaped this time so it’s okay.

Don’t know how he got up to the flying ship, but WE DO NOT QUESTION. He’s here to Save The Day As He Must.

…I was wondering (because it’s been a while since I watched these) what the Hedgehogs were doing to the watches. I am impressed that Manic and Sonic apparently know how to reprogram – normally that would be a Sonia The Accomplished Everything skill, but I suppose Manic’s a wrenchhead and Sonic learned from Uncle Chuck. Stop questioning.

Also don’t know how the watches got up onto the flying ship, but again, stop questioning!

(MegaDrive controller’s a nice touch though)

But Mindy and her dad are now on the run. We will never see them again.

This is not the last time we will see a character that has been manipulated by Robotnik. It was a bit of a running theme. But this episode did a lot to help build the aristocratic perspective in my head, I think. It’s all about choices and perspective, and what you’re willing to risk and for what.

Still a terrible show though, let’s not forget.

But I love Mindy. I LOVE MINDY. She's so terrible and childish and PERFECT at what she is, and she gives great insight into who Sonia was before the Resistance. She's such a powerful world building tool. I so wish we could have seen her again. Ahh, my good show That Could Have Been...

Come back tomorrow for more if you're interested!

#sonic underground #lediz fics #sonic the hedgehog #sonia hedgehog #manic hedgehog #mindy latour #worldbuilding #spoiled rich kids #that aren't really terrible people #they're just sheltered and dumb #and i love her

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talenlee · 4 months

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Decemberween '23 — The Poorhammer Podcast

I don’t play Warhammer. I don’t have the little miniature boys, I don’t have the equipment for painting them, I don’t have the space to paint them, one of them cool little lamps for making them look good while you paint them. I can’t really identify the mechanical differences between Warhammer 40k and Age of Sigmar and what the point of the play experiences are and how they differ one from another. If I’m sitting down at a table with at least one friend and some miniatures and hours of investment, I’m going to play 4th edition D&D —

— the best edition of D&D —

and not the heavy metal gameplay experience that is Warhammer Of Some Variety. None of this is to say, however, that the game lacks appeal, and like a gawker on a roadside attraction, I still pay attention to the space. Mostly, however, through the podcast Poorhammer, which is about getting into the game while spending as little money as possible.

The Poorhammer podcast have a couple of threads of content, as many variety podcasts do. The conception of budget as it applies to Warhammer is an interesting one because the budget is not equally divided in the game mechanical system; there are expensive units that aren’t good, and there are good units that aren’t expensive, but also, there are definitely the inverse, and there are ways that your army can be constructed that reach a game state (minimum points required) that don’t necessarily represent a chance to play the game in a fun and balanced way.

They talk about it.

And it’s weird.

The $500 40K Army Challenge - How many factions can still be called AFFORDABLE?

Watch this video on YouTube

It’s one of the things that Warhammer has as a game that makes for a weird comparison to Magic: The Gathering. Like, you can take the cheapest cards for Magic: The Gathering, put them together, they’re pre-built, and play them against one another. They’re perfectly good, operating play devices and sure, players don’t have to play with them, but they work.

Warhammer is a strange thing where you can build an entire army and construct it and then the rules can change and your army is not only not valid, but it might not even be able to interact with another person and that’s after you invested labour in it. It’s not just ‘this hobby is expensive’ but rather ‘you can make errors in operation that involves extremely expensive pieces of hardware that wind up not being appropriate for you to use at all, and they don’t have much resale value.’

That’s what I find interesting about this podcast: In this episode, they talk about the idea of making a functional army for $500, from a newcomer’s perspective. And that’s $500! That’s a pretty expensive hobby for a kid! Or well, for an adult, but I don’t know what I spend on hobbies.

Finding Warhammer 40K's most expensive (and CHEAPEST) faction.

Watch this video on YouTube

(Really, I don’t.)

This vein is however something that generates data and the Poorhammer crew are willing to crunch it. I like this episode, with its heavy focus on breaking down every army into its numeric value and scale. It’s really interesting to me to see the way that an army can be treated as its component parts in a truly mathematical breakdown. This gives you a cool insight into the armies as they relate to one another, which can make it interesting to consider the kinds of things you want to build an army around.

(I have a bunch of nids in a box, forever unpainted, and they’re probably not ever going to be good, based on how I engage with them.)

Of course that doesn’t tell the whole story of what an army is, because they’re also a task to do – you know, you have to build the army, you have to plan around it, then you have to paint it.

(Well you don’t have to paint it, but you got into the hobby to paint things, right?)

The PAINting Tier List - Ranking Every 40K Faction by Painting Difficulty

Watch this video on YouTube

That’s where this kind of episode comes up. The hosts have hands-on experience painting a variety of armies. What’s more, they build armies based on the things they want those armies to do, which means that it’s not a hypothetical kind of conversation about the challenges of painting an army.

I couldn’t actually, like, execute on this information, but I think it’s really interesting to hear people talk about the material skills of painting. Plus, there’s ideas of different tools, which they expand on – this podcast has episodes about using photoshop to test out particular aesthetics, building paint techniques, and even how to avoid being ripped off by Games Workshop’s paint prices.

Particularly what I liked about this is the discussion of how the aesthetic of an army created a play experience. The meditative experience of painting your little dolls – which is part of the play – is a creative experience (paratextual to the game itself) – is a play experience they’re examining in terms of how it rewards adventure, how it lets you play.

The Infinite and The Divine - Book Club & Review

Watch this video on YouTube

Then there’s the other thing this podcast does, which is long form conversations about the lore of Warhammer 40k. In this case, I recommend this episode about The Infinite and the Divine, which is an example of a Warhammer book that is

Apparently

Good?

Like there’s an actual story about characters in the universe and they make choices and they have motivations and also they’re all skeletal death robots. In this case, the hosts made a reading club ahead of time, put a bunch of notices out so when they were going to start reading the book, and when the episode was going. That meant there was a sort of communal experience of people taking notes and sharing discord notes with the hosts, and then the hosts incorporate that into the episode.

This is how I engage with Warhammer 40,000. I check in, time to time on a podcast and see if it’s doing anything interesting. It’s a cool show, it’s well edited if you watch the Youtube videos, and it’s a fun time if you’re interested in a game with a huge demand without actually having to engage with the demands of that game. You don’t need to track the game, you don’t need to understand the game’s mechanics, but you can still understand how they talk about the ideas and ideology of the game’s world.

Check it out on PRESS.exe to see it with images and links!

#Decemberween 2023 #Podcast #Warhammer 40k #Games #Media

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pleaseplaygrimfandango · 9 months

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MASSIVE PSA TO ALL STRAIGHT PEOPLE:::

STOP. FUCKING. PLAYING. TEAM FORTRESS 2!!!!

i see you out there in the crowd,, youve got like a bagilion hours in this game but YOU HAVE BEEN LIED TO. This game was always meant for gay people, you were never su[pposed to play it. Think about it, in what straight ass game is it fucking normal to say shit like “”AH fuck that guy is toatally DOMMING me rn“ or “can’t wait for someone to get caught in my STICKY TRAP“, no fucking way dude. youre telling me that a game about 9 hot and sweaty men duking it out on the battlefeild and blasting each other into KINGDOM CUM is supposed to be for strAIGHT people?? not a chance. let me tell you about these gay fucks

Soldier... This guy gets arounbd and y’know what he’s good at? blasting. this guy fucking BLASTs EVERYWHERE HE GOES. he is an asolute EXPLOSION MANIAC. you telling me this guy who loves to blast men is straight? get out. and hey, we’ve all equiped the Original, we all know what it looks like, but you never made the fucking conection that soldier is fucking OBLITERATING men with his massive phallic rocket launcher???? and that’s supposed to be straight?? i dont buy this for a fucking nanosecond

demoman, yea he also blasts. he blasts fucking hard too. this guy does some major blasting, HE’S THE DEMOMAN THATS HIS THING! but you know something, he can be pacient too. sometimes he play with his STICKY BALLS and just sit there and wait for someone to come by. he saves up his load. and the moment some poor unsuspecting gayboy wanders by? FUCKING BOOOOM. his blast is FUCKING MASSIVE be cause he’s saves up and waits for the right opportunity to blast

okay yea, you might think that this guy is actually into ladies. NOT FOR A FUCKING SECOND. this little fucking twink is a complete brat to these guys, just an absolute motherfucker only to get blasted into yesteryear by some heavy. his body is BUILT to be blasted. but dont just think because he gets blasted that he can’t FUCKING BLAST either. nah, you might think this shitty little fruit can’t do jack shit and then BAM he blasts you. also, “““MAD MILK“““>>??? Get fucking real, we all know whats in that jar you fucking freak.,

now this guy, he’s not really known for blasting. he can deal out some blasts in a pinch but overall this mans not really a blast master. but that’s because he’s PRACTICAL, he knows his frail little texan bod cant dish out the blasts like his commrades. but you know what he does do? he makes machines to do the blasting for him. THINK ABOUT IT that big machine you’ve been eyeing on amazon that you can’t possibly afford, you know the one im talking about. this guys, HE JUST FUCKING BUILDS IT and watches it blast everyone out of existance. he doesn’t need to blast, he’s just fine watching as he kicks back with a beer

god... do i even need to say it?... you already know this man. youve seen art of him and medic, you know how much he fucking loves MOIST and DELICIOUS meat. i dont even need to say it but im going to anyways. this guy is a fucking BARA GOD. yea, maybe he takes a second to unload, sure he’s a bit slow, but when he’s reved up in your face ready to go??? you are fucking GONE. HE WILL BLAST YOU. NO FUCKING MERCY. you cant even comprehend how hard this man will blast you. and on top of that, according to him it costs him like a billion dollars just to blast for 12 seconds. dude is going ABSOLUTELY BROKE from BLASTING HOT MEN in the face but he still fucking loves it. he knows its the only way he can be happy.. and scout, that little gay boy fuck? you think he’s going to outrun heavy? THINK AGAIN. heavy has a entire waepon dedicated to pinning that fucker down. this guy cannot be straight

okay yea ill say it, he doesn’t blast. not even for a second, not even a little bit, so you might think this guy is off the hook. ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND??? nope. you see, he may not blast, but his team mates? he knows EXACTLY how to get them to blast. soldier is a pretty good blaster but when medic sticks his beam in him from behind, soldier is a FUCKING BLASTING MANIAC. he may not be the guy dishing out the blasts but he’s there to top every single one of those guys off and make sure they are EXPLODING

picture it, you’re just strolling around badwater. just having a nice time and FUCKING BANG. this guy blasts you from across the map. this guy right here? the only thing thats straight about him his his fucking perfect persionsion BLAST to your face. he’s got it down to a science. it doesn’t matter how far away you are he’s going to abosutely unload on you from across the map. and hey if he’s got the right weapon, he’s going to get you SOAKING WET absolutely SOPPING.

alright, lets get real for a second. this guy? you might think, no fucking way does he blast. not even a single chance. this french fuck? no way. but oh contrare. you see, this guys knife, its small. laugh it up fuckers. but guess what? he knows EXACTLY where to stick it. he knows all your weakspots better than you do. you think this guys tiny little knife isn’t going to get you off but when he puts it in you just right you will be on the ground in SECONDS FLAT. yea sure, heavy and soldier will rearrange your guts for you yea but this guy, he’s going to do things to your body you wont fucking believe. and i hear you saying but wait, spy fucks ladies right??? yea sure, delude yourself even more fuckers. you dont think this guy is a bisexual god?? you really think a guy who hangs out with men all day long who talks about just how much pipe he lays ISNT getting railed behind the lockers? fuck you

AND PYROOO!!! idk i think matpat said he was a gay guy in one of his videos or something

but there you have it, you cant deny it anymore straightos. un install the game RIGHT NOW and go play overwatch or some shit. this ones for the gays now

#team fortress 2 #tf2 #gaysexposting #i had a whole bit about overwatch prepared but its like 11:30 at night i need to go to bed

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intothewings · 8 days

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How much do you make before I start applying? 😂 I’ve heard that there is a prostitution problem in the FA community so I’m fr not surprise you brought that up. Is that happens a lot because ts is crazy…

I won’t disclose how much because that’s pretty personal and it’s an impolite thing to talk about. However, I will say that it’s a lot more than what I made at a legacy airline. Privatized salaries typically range from 70k-100k on the lower end and 300k-500k on the higher end, excluding tips and per diem. Typically we receive a fixed salary, so even if you work 1 or 2 trips during the month you still get paid in full. Commercial flight attendants tend to stay in the 5 figure range unless you fly for Delta or you are a super senior at a legacy (you cannot accept tips at ANY commercial airline), this is why so many flight attendants are fighting for unions and higher pay, some are even turning to prostitution. Personally, I would rather pick up a side job scrubbing dog shit off the cement with a toothbrush than do that.

Another thing to mention is that commercial flight attendants only get paid when the aircraft is airborne, unless you fly for Delta. You don’t get paid upon arriving to the airport, going through TSA, doing your emergency equipment checks, boarding or deplaning the aircraft. The pay starts when the boarding door closes for takeoff, you get paid while the aircraft is airborne, and then the pay stops as soon as the boarding door is opened on the jet bridge. If something goes wrong, like a mechanical or weather delay, they won’t close the doors. So, you end up sitting on the aircraft for hours on end (sometimes with agitated and needy passengers) not being paid. I try to make it very clear that a lot of the time you are working for free. This is something that airlines neglect to mention that causes new hires to quit. I wasn’t told this until my first week on the line after I had completed 6 long weeks of training and got my wings at a charter. Needless to say I was in shock at how much work is being done without pay.

I know a guy who flies private and last year made upwards of a million dollars supposedly on tips, per diem, and salary alone (questionable but not impossible). Unfortunately, there are flight attendants, both in commercial and private sectors that will endorse, promote, and encourage unethical and trashy bullshit like escorting, inflight prostitution, and engaging sexually with passengers/pilots/clients to make additional income. Aside from that being absolutely and totally disgusting, it’s a very dangerous game to get involved in. I refuse to associate with anyone who puts themselves in those situations. I recommend keeping interactions professional and being polite but extremely firm with your ‘NO’ when it’s brought up or someone tries to proposition you. Decline decline decline unequivocally. Don’t even feign entertaining the idea or fake being flirtatious/recpetive when prostitution (or the possibility of it) is mentioned, and trust that it will be mentioned. If they don’t tip you because you said no, they don’t tip you. Oh well. Gossip spreads unbelievably quick in aviation and if you’re found out to be selling your body or making Only Fans content, pilots, mechanics, clients and other flight attendants will treat you with the utmost disrespect on top of blackmailing you into even more devious shit, including more prostitution. It’s a spiral down deep into the dark depths of hell. An East Asian flight attendant recently committed suicide after getting bullied by crew members and fired by her airline because she was sleeping with a married pilot. He was secretly making pornographic films of them and uploading them online to fund his sexual encounters with her. God rest her soul. If you have many responsibilities, lots of debt, other mouths to feed, a car payment, a mortgage, etc, and you can’t afford to do the job without relying on prostitution to get you by, find something that pays better. Seriously.

Overall, your income depends on what company you get in with, how much you work/how many trips you pick up, what skills sets you possess (i.e. private flight attendants with culinary backgrounds will get paid more), the clientele you fly, and ultimately how charming/personable you are (more charm = higher tips). Good luck to you!<3

#flight attendant

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pandorasboxoftreasures · 1 year

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VINE BOOMS... VINE BOOMS FOR EVERYONE!!!

Question, do the RDA know that it’s actually completely Jake in that body or do they still think he’s an avatar being remotely controlled? Because that definitely puts a lot more of Quaritch’s actions, words and threats into perspective.

From where he’s standing he’s not fighting one on one with Jake Sully and both of their lives at risk, but Jake Sully in a VR simulation. He can take away that avatar body and Jake will still be hiding up away somewhere being a mastermind and still have his allies and family.

Losing the Na’vi body would be a devastating blow to Jake’s ability to fight and co-ordinate attacks, but it would be like taking out a piece of high value military equipment while the man that’s drawing up the battle tactics slips away.

So you go after the thing he can’t afford to lose to get him to comply and surrender. His children.

Yes, surrender. Note that when it’s just them, Kiri and Tuk standing out in the open that he demands Jake cuff himself rather than just kill him outright. Because to Quaritch, that’s not fully Jake, but that body provides crucial intel as to where the “real” Jake Sully would be. It’s also a valid motivation to stop Recom Wainfleet from shooting Jake the first time even without the Metkayina nearby. That body is a major lead in the manhunt. It’s only when the threat grows that destroying the “avatar” becomes a viable option. But by the time that opportunity arises, Spider is back in the picture.

Note he also says when making the threat to force Jake to fight him that he’s “coming for him”. And when he does, he’ll “kill his whole family”. He doesn’t mention killing Jake. He doesn’t say “I’ll kill YOU and your whole family.”

Because seeing Jake as a human off remote somewhere instead of the Na’vi standing on front of him, there’s procedures for that. His mission may be to hunt down and kill him, but killing a human and authorising that is a whole other ball game from killing a Na’vi. He’s not the one with that level of control. Human Jake is expected by higher ups to be taken away, charged and executed for desertion and treason or eliminated during a skirmish if he violently resists.

It also explains why he's so keen to one-up Jake and goads his Na’vi body into a fight knowing there’s a high chance a victory would be pyrrhic. Original Quaritch never controlled an avatar in life. He didn’t know how real the experience was of being in one. So his Recom believes himself superior. He’s not “playing pretend” in advanced facetime. He’s the real deal living that life full time. Jake went through a quicktime event to get his Ikran to him and he’s going to prove he’s made of more and can take the harder challenge. At the expense of it being more dangerous and less efficient.

The same applies to their final fight. “Some idiot on easy mode with assists and everything handed to him on a plate thinks he can beat me? I’d like to see him try.”

Add in that he’s barely been given any chances to truly feel “alive” since being born. He’s grabbing opportunities to get that with both hands. Especially when he’s backed into a corner and it looks like his short, miserable life is at a close.

He thinks he’s lost everything else worth living for except Spider who he saw approaching the ship with Jake. Last thing he can do is go for it and take out the conduit of that race traitor masquerading as a family man, a father figure to his brother/son. A stark reminder of what the human in the back of his mind could have been, but instead let hate destroy him. The new man he could have been now, but wasn’t allowed to be.

Now if this is true, when will Quaritch find out that Jake is no longer human and they have a lot more in common than just Spider and marine training?

Alternatively, if he already knows, how did he get that information? Did Spider let slip? Were those hand prints in the interrogation room from squeezing it out of some captive Omatikaya?

The mind races... No doubt I have a LOT more trails to follow from this.

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earthmoonlotus · 2 years

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Bear with me, this post has been in draft states for a little under a month. (I've needed to make it for longer, but now is better than never.)

Hey so...uhhh...I'm really trapped in capitalism right now. There are so many things I could do if I just had money, but I don't (and I've been essentially without it since August, after being laid off from a seasonal job in July), and I've been applying for a bunch of jobs that say they're hiring but not hearing anything back. I was fortunately able to secure one job where I get 4-6 hours on Wednesday evenings - for which I got my first paycheck last Friday, it was $163 -, but that's not gonna be nearly enough hours; I'm trying to get a second or possibly even third job, and I've applied to several places over the last few weeks, but so far no luck.

It doesn't help that I don't have a car and am now living in a rural and super car-dependent place, where it's more than an hour walk to the nearest bus stop, and a trip that takes less than half an hour by car would take over an hour by bus, not even counting the extra hour it would take for me to walk from my house to the bus stop. My mom and I have arranged that she can drop me off in the nearest town that really has stuff going on (and where I've been dropping of my resume in places that are or might be hiring) on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, but if possible I would like to be able to work more days than that, but I haven't found anyone who can regularly get me to the nearby town in the late morning or early afternoon on any other day. Only being able to work 3 days a week means that even a cheap used car is gonna take me close to half a year to save up for (and that's if I get another job where I can actually *work* all 3 of those days, on top of the Wednesday evening job I already have, and if I don't spend *any* of the money I earn during that time, and it's not even counting gas and insurance and stuff), and if not for car dependency I would wanna be saving for better music equipment instead, since I'd like to be a video-game composer. But without a car I'm basically trapped at home for most of the week, and there's not really much I can do about it - not even work to get myself the money for a better situation.

On top of all this, my fiancee Serenity has been in *serious* financial need for a while now. Fae has been in need of a lawyer for some time because the government has basically put faer in a catch-22 with getting permanent residence (requiring certain documents from the provincial government by a deadline that's sooner than the amount of time it would take the provincial government to get the documents for faer, among other things), but there hasn't even been the remote chance of faer being able to afford a lawyer, considering that fae is living on disability and can barely even afford groceries after the bills are paid. On top of this, fae was unceremoniously dropped from receiving the service from a nonprofit that had supposedly been helping faer with legal stuff; they said it was because fae was aging out of the demographic they serve, but fae had already been over that age when the serious legal help had begun (and the nonprofit people knew this), and the switch from offering help to saying "actually you're too old and we can't help you at all" was very sudden and came without warning. It was only recently that fae was able to even get faer legal documents back from the hands of the nonprofit, even though they dropped faer months ago. We've found a lawyer who specializes in immigration and will likely actually get stuff done (unlike the fickleness of nonprofit help), but she charges over $200CAD for a consultation, which neither of us are even close to having and being able to spend. (And that won't even cover further services.)

Not only that, but since fae hit faer head and got a concussion in June, which lead to fainting and further concussions soon after (which fae is still recovering from), fae has been unable to adequately take care of faerself and needing to rely more heavily on things like food delivery and uber, and it's put faer into a lot of debt. Fae is still having a lot of trouble cooking for faerself, and though fae's been eating a lot of cereal and drinking a lot of protien shakes, it's still resulted in increased food-related expenses compared to what would be ideal or normal. Serenity could also really use a new shower curtain (and this has been the case for like a year at this point), but hasn't been able to afford one. In addition, faer dryer hasn't been usable for some time, but finances have been a barrier to getting maintenance done on it, so we're stuck with mildew-y clothes and towels hung on racks (which we don't have enough of, or enough space for) whenever I visit. Last time I showered at faer place I honestly didn't really feel comfortable using any of the towels, since the "cleanest" one was all crusty from not having gotten dried properly. It's been hard for me to tolerate while visiting, so I can only imagine how hard it is for faer to deal with 24/7.

Fae gets only about $1100 Canadian per month (that's only like $860 in US dollars), and is only able to keep less than $200CAD per month after rent and bills. And that's not even counting the recent credit card debt, or cat-care-related expenses which have also been a lot; we were at the vetrenarian back in August to pick up meds and food for faer cat Buyunga, and it all added up to like $180 CAD which unfortunately had to go to the credit card. (And Buyunga's needs are ongoing; her meds should be picked up every couple weeks, but Serenity hasn't been able to adequately provide them to her because of all these financial issues, and fae's been forced to stretch the doses. The last time fae picked up Buyunga's medicine was over a week ago so she'll be due for it again really soon, even at the current rate of stretched doses.)

Any form of chipping in would be appreciated - both to help me get on my feet (and ideally be able to get a car, which will allow me to work more than just 3 days a week), and to help Serenity out of the hole that fae has been forced into. You can send Serenity money directly under paypal.me/LunaFleur. You can send stuff to me on paypal (paypal.me/forAurora), cashapp (#earthmoonlotus), or venmo (feel free to ask for my venmo). Thanks so much. <3

#op #help #mutual aid

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thefactsofthematter · 1 year

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ok more about the hockey au bc i can’t stop

crutchie + davey + kath details under the cut teehee

- crutchie/charlie is on the training staff, dually qualified in exercise physiology and sports nutrition. he’s jack’s main trainer, handling his off-ice workouts and meal plans and stuff… he also happens to be jack’s adoptive brother <3 he plays sledge hockey in his free time— he’s got cerebral palsy affecting his lower limbs, but he likes to gloat that his arms and abs will always be more jacked than jack’s lol

- davey is an equipment manager! in the arena, he’s the most organized person anyone has ever met (he’s a hot mess outside of work, but hey you win some you lose some). he’s got everything down to a system— even knows which foot each player likes to put their skates on first so he knows which order to sharpen them in for maximum efficiency between periods. he keeps shit clean, he’s always busy, and the team would fall apart without him.

- jack and davey are besties outside of work, and charlie tolerates (read: reluctantly enjoys the company of) both of them. i don’t really sense a javid arc coming bc this au has established jatherine, however i do think they hooked up a few times before jack was married <3 davey has some lovely boyfriend/husband or something now, who’s not involved in the story but would bond with kath over wine and charcuterie while they watch away games on tv

- speaking of kath: she’s a sports journalist, who met jack when he first signed with hamilton (fyi: if you haven’t seen my other post yet, the hamilton bobcats are a fictional nhl team for au purposes lol). she switched to covering baseball when she and jack got serious, because she wanted some separation between her personal and work lives, and it felt weird interviewing her then-boyfriend after games with all the other media. she could easily afford to be a stay at home mom on jack’s salary, but she loves writing, so she does some casual reporting on the blue jays while the kids are little, and plans to move back to covering the bobcats when jack eventually retires

#i did start writing a bit of it but it’s kinda just a brainstorming wip yknow #just wanted to organize my thoughts here and share them w anyone interested!!#feel free to send asks as always !!!#hockey au

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rpf-bat · 2 years

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69. "You do know that we're in public, right?" for Niko/Joel👀☻️

69?? Nice. 😂

Here you go, it’s Niko/Joel as requested, and it’s 791 words.

Maybe someday, Niko thought hopefully, we’ll be a ‘big’ band, and we’ll be able to pay other people to carry our equipment for us.

But, today was not that day. Today, they were walking as fast as they could through an underground train station in the United Kingdom. The equipment they were carrying - guitar cases and amps and everything else a band needed to put on a show - was heavy, but they couldn’t afford to slow down.

“If we don’t catch the next one,” Joel huffed, already out of breath, “we’ll miss the showcase in Brighton!”

Niko knew he should be grateful, for the opportunity to play a gig outside of Finland. But, he was jet lagged and hungover and, at this point, he felt close to telling the label that they could shove the showcase up their ass.

“Don’t run!”, Niko warned. “It’s too crowded, you’re going to crash into someone and….”

Smack.

Joel ran straight into some random British woman, who wasn’t looking as she carried her shopping bags up the stairs.

“Oh no, ma’am, are you okay?” Joonas cried, stopping to help the woman up.

Olli and Tommi also set down their equipment, to help the woman pick up her groceries, which had spilled everywhere.

But, Niko wasn’t looking at the woman, or her belongings.

He was looking at what Joel had dropped, when he ran into her.

The case had flown out of his hands, and sailed down the stairs. When it hit the floor at the bottom, the latch had opened, spilling its contents - a microphone and it’s stand - onto the concrete.

People were swerving around it already, trying not to step on it.

“Joel, what the hell?!” Niko cried. “Now we have to go pick that up, before some englantilainen breaks it!”

Joel scampered down the stairs to retrieve the mic. Niko went after him, not trusting him to do anything correctly.

“I can’t believe you threw my mic stand down a flight of stairs!” Niko cried angrily. “Now we have to stop during soundcheck and make sure it even still works correctly!”

“Your mic stand?!” Joel repeated incredulously. “No way - this is my mic stand. Olli was carrying your microphone.”

“No, Olli was carrying your microphone, and you had my microphone!” Niko argued.

“It doesn’t matter,” Joel snapped. “Just let me grab it!”

“No,” Niko shook his head, grabbing Joel by the wrist. “I’m grabbing it. I don’t trust your hands with my things.”

“The fuck?” Joel blinked, struggling in the shorter man’s grip. He was stronger than he looked. “Let go.”

“No, I’m not letting go,” Niko insisted.

“Dude, you’re being stupid,” Joel sighed. “Our stuff is just sitting there on the ground, while you’re arguing with me. Do I have to hit you, to make you let go?”

“I’d like to see you try,” Niko dared him.

Joel reached his free hand out, but it never made contact with Niko’s face. Instead, the rapper snatched Joel’s hand out of the air. Now, both of the blonde’s wrists, were clamped tightly in Niko’s fists.

“Let go!“ Joel repeated, trying to raise his arms into the air, to wrench them out of Niko’s grip.

It didn’t work.

Niko held Joel’s wrists above his head, pinning them, as he backed him against the cold, concrete wall of the metro station.

Suddenly, something in Joel’s expression changed. Instead of struggling, his face turned red.

Niko’s anger evaporated when he realized where Joel’s mind had suddenly gone.

“Oh, you like being pinned in this position?” Niko grinned, bringing Joel’s face closer to his own. “Are you thinking of when I had you in this same position, a couple nights ago?”

“Y-You do know that we’re in public, right?” Joel stammered.

They’d messed around before, when they were drunk. Played stupid games, with Joel’s wrists and a length of mic cable. Just like the cable that was on the ground right now…

But, this is different, Joel thought. We’re not in private. We’re not even in Finland.

“Oh, I know,” Niko smirked. “I just don’t care.”

With those words, he pressed his lips roughly against Joel’s mouth. He used the weight of his body to press him harder against the wall as he kissed him aggressively.

“Hey!” a deep voice behind them called. “It’s Tommi. I picked up your microphone for you. If you’re done making out, the next train is coming!”

Joel’s cheeks burned with shame, as Niko pulled away. He couldn’t believe Tommi saw them. Their occasional hookups were supposed to be a secret.

Did the whole band know?!

“Hmm, I’m not sure we’re done,” Niko laughed, as he released Joel’s wrists. “We might have to continue this, at the hotel, after the gig.”

#blind channel rpf #joel hokka x niko vilhelm #thanks for the opportunity to write something vaguely spicy with one of my favorite pairings lol

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briarcrawford · 11 months

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📚 Libraries Are Surprisingly Controversial

Public libraries will always be a source of controversy. In the past, they have been thought of as only places for high-society, or only places for men, now they are in the spotlight for other reasons.

Some people say “No one needs libraries anymore,” and my argument against that is that if you say that, you are very likely not in the income bracket to need libraries.

Some books are released at $40, and not everyone can afford that. If you can, that’s amazing. If you can’t, that’s what libraries are here for.

Now, before anyone mentions ebooks:

Not everyone has a digital device or wifi. That is one reason why it is so important that libraries have computers for public use.

Not everyone can read ebooks. For example, some physical books come with necessary sensory details (think of children books with different textures), and some people can’t handle the distractions that can come from digital devices.

Price can still be a deterrent, even at a price that is low to you. This is why most libraries do have the option of renting ebooks.

“While most people now have a computer or a hand-held device, only about 75% of people have access to reliable internet service.” Are Libraries Still Relevant? | Liz Bartlett | TEDxCaryWomen

As well as books and ebooks, libraries, and the use of computers, libraries often offer movies, games, historical archives, wifi, language learning, equipment, music, and resources for career advancement. If that isn’t enough, many libraries often host free programs for both children and adults(such as book reading groups, and children reading times).

In my town, farmers who live outside of bus routes have their kids wait in the safety of the library until their parents get off of work to pick them up.

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Now how does all this work for writers? Some writers do compare libraries to theft, and how much (or if) you get paid for reads completely depends on your publisher, your library, or your country. For specific details on that, I recommend this post.

In Canada, a similar system exists in which authors receive a check annually that pays them an amount proportional to the number of times their books were borrowed.” selfpublishingwiz.com

I do completely understand where this argument comes from. You (the author) look at how many rentals your book has, and can’t help but imagine how much money you would have made if those people had purchased your books instead.

My argument is that it is very likely that the people reading your book from a library could not have afforded your book anyways, even if there were no libraries. So they are not typically a loss of sales, and instead a gained reader.

Instead, think of it like marketing. You lend your book to ten people, and maybe two of those people adore it so much that they review it, chat about it online, and recommend it to all of their friends. If that happens enough times, you can end up with a high number of sales, and all at no cost to you. This is actually why many authors donate their own books to libraries.

Pros: Can help with promoting your books, helping low-income people

Cons: Less money compared to when people buy your books

#library #libraries #books #writier #write #author #writing #writingtips

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over-the-time-flow · 10 months

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Super Robot Rollcall: The Nadesico B Crew

Ruri Hoshino

“I guess I'm a fool myself…”

Source Material: Martian Successor Nadesico: The Prince of Darkness

Age: 16

Height: 148 cm

Favorite Food: Ramen

Voice Actress: Omi Minami

Known as the Electronic Fairy, this reserved girl is the youngest Federation captain in history. Due to her genius intellect and live combat experience from the Jovian War, climbing the ranks was a trivial task for her. Nominally the main character of the Prince of Darkness movie, but shares this position with another character.

Ruri has a pretty standard statline for this game’s battleship captains, save for the unfortunate distinction of having the lowest defense stat of them all. However, this is made up for by the fact that as early as level 8, she gets one of the most powerful Spirit Commands in Super Robot Wars, Enable (再動, allows a unit that has finished its turn to act again). With how expensive it is to cast, she’ll only be casting it once per stage at most, but this early into the game, that’s more than enough. Her other Spirit Commands, while less bombastic, are also all fairly suitable for a support-oriented battleship.

Sadly, she won’t be with us all the way to the end of the game, but as long as she’s around, she can be pretty useful if you use her right.

Fun Fact: Ruri is by far the most overwhelmingly popular character from Nadesico, and has a surprising number of cameos and references in other shows and properties. Two that immediately spring to my mind are Rockman.EXE Beast+ Episode 08 and Megaranger Episode 11, but her feats are such that she was even featured on an official traffic safety poster made by the Japanese government (shown below).

Nadesico B

Source Material: Martian Successor Nadesico: The Prince of Darkness

Model Number: NS955B

Length: 300m

Power Source: 2 Phase Transition engines, 4 Nuclear Pulse engines

Real World Designers: Rei Nakahara, Yasuhiro Moriki

An experimental successor to the Nadesico fielded during the Jovian War, this ship was made with the “One-Man Operation System Plan” in mind; though it’s properly staffed as any battleship would be both in the movie and in this game, theoretically this ship could function with just Ruri aboard... though perhaps that would speak more to Ruri's own expertise than necessarily the ship's qualities.

With its Distortion Field and decent Armor, it’s not hard to keep alive at all, which is good since you have to lug it along to the front lines or risk your Aestivalis units running out of juice, and since, like all battleships, if it gets shot down it's an instant Game Over.

The annoying thing about this ship is that it only has two moves, Gravity Blast and the MAP version of Gravity Blast. Though these are far from weak, all Nadesico enemies are also equipped with Distortion Fields, which negate all Gravity Blast attacks that would deal less than 2500 damage, meaning that if you pick the Nadesico route after this stage, it will likely be completely worthless offensively unless you sink at least two upgrade bars on its weapons. Making matters worse, despite being a battleship that you can’t really afford to not move as long as your force deploys Aestivalis units, it has no Post-Movement weapons.

This specific ship won’t be with you to the end of the game, but most of its issues will.

Fun Fact: This ship is equipped with the same AI that the original Nadesico from the Jovian War had, Omoikane.

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Takasugi Saburouta

"Justice always wins in the end!"

Source Material: Martian Successor Nadesico: The Prince of Darkness

Age: 25

Voice Actor: Shin'ichiro Miki

A former Jovian Army soldier. Three years after the resolution of the Jovian War, he seems to have a completely different personality, having gone from your run-of-the-mill hot-blooded anime fanatic to a smooth playboy with long bleached hair. However, in truth, this was originally just meant to be a disguise; a mission of his required him to fake an identity as a surfer in Oiso, Japan, and he just never really left the disguise behind. Despite seemingly taking a liking to his new playboy persona, deep down he still retains the same passion for mecha anime and sense of discipline that his time on Jupiter instilled into him.

He’s… he’s also disturbingly used to telling his underage Captain and subordinate off-color jokes.

A fairly unnoteworthy Real Robot pilot, save for his somewhat lackluster evasion stat, but it’s nothing that his naturally dodgy Super Aestivalis can’t make up for. His Ranged stat is notably stronger than his Melee, which is a tad unfortunate as his machine’s finishing move is Melee-attribute, but his Melee still isn’t low by any means so it’s nothing too serious. His biggest draws are learning Luck (幸運, doubles the amount of money you get if you shoot down an enemy with this unit’s next attack) and Valor (熱血, doubles amount of damage this unit deals on its next attack) very early, making him integral to boss-slaying in the early game.

An interesting touch is that he learns Wall (鉄壁), something much more fit for a Super pilot. Perhaps he’s been inspired to walk the path of the Super Robot by his beloved Gekiganger 3? Sadly, his low Defense stat and lack of the Potential (底力) skill means you can’t really pull off any particularly impressive shenanigans with this.

Much like Ruri, he’s not going to stick around until the end.

Fun Fact: His favorite character from the in-universe mecha anime, Gekiganger 3, is the Rikuganger’s pilot, Akira Daichi. Back in his Jovian Army days, he’d wear his cosplay of Akira’s gakuran to the battlefield (as was customary in the Jovian forces). He looked very different back then, didn't he?

Super Aestivalis

Source Material: Martian Successor Nadesico: The Prince of Darkness

Height: 8 meters

Power Source: Gravity Wave Antenna / Backup Battery

A high-performance, high-firepower successor to the Aestivalis. It trades the original’s focus on team maneuvers for higher single-unit destructive power, which works just fine for its role as the singular escort for the understaffed experimental battleship Nadesico B.

High base mobility, a Distortion Field to help survivability in the off case you do get hit, and respectable firepower all around. Coupled with Saburouta’s best attributes, it’ll make for a rather powerful early game boss killer. Just remember to keep it within the Gravity Wave Emitter’s range.

Amusingly, any upgrades made to this unit will carry over onto a completely unrelated character's machine later on. There's really no in-universe way to justify it, but perhaps the connection between the two is due to a shared hobby of theirs...?

Fun Fact: This machine’s design is heavily inspired by the specs and operation data of the CEO of Nergal’s own personal Aestivalis unit. Sadly (?), that person will not be making an appearance in this game.

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#srw r #super robot wars r #lets-play #rollcall

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skelabra · 2 years

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The Man Called Yoshitaka Mine Event Story: Board Text

In the Board Game events in RGGO, there are little text boxes you get when obtaining items. While these are usually just unimportant bits of trivia, I figured I could translate the ones for Mine’s story.

Enchanting Pyroxene

I acquired a piece of stone with an intriguing color from a certain someone.

My collection has improved even more.

{T/N: These gem shards are an item used in the game. The “certain someone” is just one of Mine’s “connections”.}

Mysterious Dice

The owner of the antique shop recommended me these mysterious dice.

Well, they are certainly tasteful.

{T/N: Again, these dice are used for gameplay reasons.}

Protein

The protein I regularly use is unexpectedly sold out. Damn. I can’t get myself to work out without it...

Sushi Restaurant

I was enjoying the fine tuna. According to the owner, a customer of the restaurant had caught it. Who the hell is he?

{T/N: This is referencing the Tuna Fund substory from Yakuza 3. Said customer asks Kiryu to invest into his tuna farm, which is a scam (Kiryu gets his money back after beating him up, though. And he gets tuna.)}

Moneymaking Scheme

I was approached on a street corner to invest into a Tuna Fund...? An idiotic idea like that isn’t even worth considering.

{T/N: This is referencing the Tuna Fund substory again. Mine could never be a protagonist because he wouldn’t fall for the substory scams.}

Auction

I succeeded in acquiring the painting I wanted at an auction.

Paintings do not betray anyone.

Baseball

I see baseball equipment lined up in a sports store.

In the past, I was too poor to be able to afford such things. I wonder if things would have been different if I had had money back then.

Man Who Shines In Gold

I heard that there’s a man who walks around fighting people wearing a golden suit because he has a lot of money.

Hah, how unrefined.

{T/N: I believe this is referencing the “Nouveau Riche” enemies.}

White Mystery Man

I saw a suspicious man in a white coat with white hair. He was mumbling to himself about some kind of virtual machine...? What’s that?

{T/N: This is referencing Minamida, the guy that lets Kiryu play a fighting simulator.}

Billiard

I played pool for the first time in a while. Surprisingly I managed to get a break ace, but it’s not that big of a deal.

{T/N: A break ace is when you manage to sink the 9 ball in the first turn of pool. You get an achievement for doing this in Y3.}

#op #yakuza #yakuza online #rggo #rgg #mine yoshitaka

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every-bad-thing · 1 year

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You’re in Debt to the Fae

(Martin Brandenburg (1870-1919), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

One evening, you meet a fairy who offers to take you to the Fae Lands, where twilight never ends and summer never dies. It is a land of magic and wonder, with floating castles and singing trees and horses that tell great jokes. The fair folk who rule there spend their time at fancy balls, wild parties, merry dances, swank shindigs, and coolly pleasant get togethers. So, basically, eating, drinking, dancing and playing games all day long. Honestly, it sounds pretty great, so you agree and are whisked away to another world, which you find is exactly as described. Everyone is smiling and laughing and having a great time.

Just as you're about to join in, the fairy who took you there taps your shoulder and asks just what it is you think you're doing. Confused, you say you're joining the party. Isn't that why you're here? The fairy laughs and says you've got a great attitude, but you're getting a little ahead of yourself. You think all this is free? What, do you think they're, like, some sort of charity? No, says the fairy, if you want any of this you're going to have to work for it like everyone else. This surprises you. This doesn't seem like the kind of place where people have jobs. But at the same time, you also don't want to be rude and assume you can just take whatever you want. So you ask what work exactly needs to be done?

The fairy takes you through a dark forest to a large building, a brutish hulking structure that belches smoke from chimneys on top. Inside is a giant bloated tick with a top hat and cane. He says he'll give you a job. Is it something cool and magical like fighting dragons or forging enchanted swords? No. Your job is working at a factory that makes brightly colored rings. Are they rings of power, given mystic significance for supernatural purposes? No, they're just used to decorate unicorn horns so the fair folk can feel a little cooler when they ride them around the land. Well, you say, this isn't fantastic at all. And the giant bloated tick says it's not supposed to be, it's a job. Well, this doesn't sound like any kind of job you'd want, so you decline. You're told, then, that you really can't because you're already in debt. How?

First of all, he says, transportation to the Fae Lands. The fairy who took you there, you find out, charged you for it and the giant bloated tick graciously agreed to pay the fee for you. Second, there was the service of finding you this job in the first place, something else the fairy, it turns out, charges for. You say what if I just go home? And the tick asks how you'll pay for that, since you don't have any money. And you realize you can't, so you're stuck here, at least until you can earn enough to go back to the regular world. So, with a great deal of sadness, you take the job. Which immediately puts you in more debt. The tick charges you for room and board, as you'll be staying at the factory while you work, since you obviously can't afford a house in the Fae Lands--the real estate market is very hot right now. You're also charged for food, because, once more, it's not like you can afford to eat anywhere else, right? You're also charged for your new uniform, and all your tools and equipment. When you start training, really just sitting in a room to watch a series of painfully boring videos, you're also charged for that. So you're already in the hole before your first day on the job. You admit to yourself, not exactly a good start, but at least now you'll be earning some money. So you think.

(Alfred Finch, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

Each day you make 10 unicorn rings. Each unicorn ring is sold for 10 dollars. Therefore, you make this factory 100 dollars worth of unicorn rings per day. Your pay? Five dollars. This seems a little strange to you. If you make 100 dollars for this business, shouldn't you get 100 dollars in pay? You bring this up to the giant bloated tick and are told, no, that's not how things work because there are extra expenses like consultants, administration and overhead. So that's where all the extra money goes? The tick giggles. Well, not all of it, you're told. In fact, there's still quite a lot of money left over even after these expenses. So you then ask where that money goes, and the tick says it goes to him because he owns the factory. But why, you ask, since he makes exactly 0 unicorn rings per day. Shouldn't the money from making the rings go to, well, the people who actually make the rings? And the tick sighs and says you obviously never took basic economics, because if you did you would know that if it worked like that there would be no profits because whatever money they made from selling the rings would have to all go to the workers and not to him. Well, would that be so bad? By your reckoning, workers would still be able to make unicorn rings without him, and they'd have extra money because the tick is no longer skimming off their labor. The tick does not like hearing this, and just yells until you get back to work.

Days pass and you find, despite being paid regularly, you're actually even deeper in debt than you were before because the daily interest is more than what you make in a day. The longer you work there, the bigger your debt, and any hope of eventually leaving this place gets smaller. You witness some others try to flee, but you also witness them being hunted down and brought back, usually with black eyes and bloody faces. You decide running away is not the best option. But, you think, this situation cannot possibly go on! Something needs to change or else you'll be stuck here forever!

Over the next few months, you start talking to the other workers. Some are people like you, those who were tricked into coming to the Fae Lands with promises of magic and wonder. Others are fae themselves, though noticeably different--noticeably poorer--than the lords and ladies you saw before. A few are from alien worlds you never even knew existed, like that one being from Planet Grnxx in the Crab Nebula. All of them, however, are deeply unhappy with their situations. Eventually you hit upon an idea: everyone stops working at once. If no work gets done, the tick will have nothing to sell. He'll have to listen to them if that happens, right? More time passes. You and the others secretly organize until you have everybody in the factory on your side. Everyone agrees that the next day, right before the start of their shift, they will throw down their tools and demand the tick negotiate. As long as everyone stands together, he won't be able to do anything and he'll have to listen to them. You go to sleep feeling quite pleased with yourself.

( "Ogre (1440 x 900)" by deletem3 is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. ) The next morning, you all start the plan. Right as the mandrake whistles the start of the morning shift, everyone at once puts down their tools and walks off the assembly line. You all shout for the giant bloated tick to come out, that the workers have organized and it's all over. His office door opens, but it's not him who comes out. Instead it's an ogre, fifteen feet tall, wielding a massive club. More of them come out from other rooms until the entire crowd is surrounded. That's when the tick finally appears, sitting on the shoulder of the biggest ogre there. He says he has heard your complaints, and thinks they're stupid. That's why he's going to have these ogres he hired bash you all into the ground until you're nothing but paste. Unless, he says, you'd prefer to just forget the whole thing and go back to work. The workers waver for a moment, then decide that, yes, that would be the preferable option. And so you all return to your stations and resume making unicorn rings. And that is where you stay. Forever.

#short fiction #short story #workers #organizing #fairies #fair folk #exploitation #capitalism

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