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moonshine-nightlight · 2 years

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Nothing's Wrong with Dale: Part Twelve

It’s been a week, but you’re fairly certain your fiancé accidentally got himself replaced by an eldritch being from the Depths. Deciding that he’s certainly not worse than your original fiancé, you endeavor to keep the engagement and his new non-human state to yourself.

However, this might prove harder than you originally thought.

Fantasy, arranged marriage, malemonsterxfemalereader, M/F

AO3: Nothing's Wrong with Dale Chapter 12

[Part One] [Part Two] [Part Three] [Part Four] [Part Five] [Part Six][Part Seven] [Part Seven.5] [Part Eight][Part Nine][Part Ten][Part Eleven] Part Twelve [Part Thirteen] [Part Fourteen] [Part Fifteen] [Part Sixteen] [Part Seventeen] [Part Eighteen] [Part Nineteen] [Part Twenty] [Part Twenty-One] [Part Twenty-Two] [Part Twenty-Three] [Part Twenty-Four] [Part Twenty-Five] [Part Twenty-Six] [Part Twenty-Seven] [Part Twenty-Eight] [Part Twenty-Nine] [Part Thirty] [Part Thirty-One] [Part Thirty-Two] [Part Thirty-Three] [Part Thirty-Four]

It’s surprising how quickly the tournament and festival grounds between the estate and the supporting town went from a rather bare patch of land near the estate to this bustling and populous collection of tents and people.

The weather is even fair, none of the humidity that can sometimes start early as spring bleeds into summer.

While the galas in the city will be the wedding celebration for those of the middle and upper classes who were not invited to the wedding proper, this festival is the primary public celebration for the common people of Northridge, although plenty of guests who’ve already arrived are joining in.

You’ve never been to a fair of this caliber. Your family estates were a sprawling country house with very little town outside of the estate itself and your housing in the port city where most of your fief lived. You expect a sprawling country festivals to be a different sort than city ones—in some ways at least. The frivolity and wonderful smells and general atmosphere are the same, but there is more space and less permanence to it all.

Still, as with those city ones you attended with your family, you itch to explore on your own, not be stuck at the ceremonial high table—as wonderful as your meal has been. You eye Dale and notice the way he finally seems to have eaten his fill and hope no one notices that he’s had an entire turkey to himself.

Without meaning to, your eyes drift to his clothed arm and side, his now practically invisible cut on his forehead. People seem to believe that the speed at which Dale seems to be healing from the hunt only a couple days ago is merely a sign that the injuries had looked worse than they were. Dale himself is playing into that idea, as well as giving your bandages more credit than they likely deserve. Although at least the doctor is throwing his weight behind that supposition, having eventually been able to treat Dale without getting his head bitten off—figuratively or literally, of course.

Despite Dale’s injury due to the hunting incident, he’s still competing in the tournament which starts tomorrow. The only change in deference to the incident is that the lists were adjusted and the timing of who went up against who was tweaked, leaving Dale in the final group of competitors, rather than him drawing lots with the others. This leaves him with the maximum amount of time to recover. The physician had insisted that such an allowance be made and Grandmother had backed him up wholeheartedly.

You’re glad Dale didn’t push this allowance, both because you were worried about his physical condition, and if he could even properly assess it, in addition to your worry that someone would notice his faster than usual recovery. With both of those fears primarily assuaged at this point which leaves you with one primary concern. The tales told of the boar incident have been told and retold as these tales often are and while everyone knew such things happened, there was a level of admiration that made you uncomfortable.

In particular, the emphasis on Dale wrestling with the creature, how long he was able to cling to its back. That makes you worry about the very public martial tournament he’s about to compete in. In front of any early wedding guests, local townsfolk, and those who travel just to compete, Dale is going to fight and you’re rather worried he’s going to demonstrate some sort of supernatural strength—let alone any other abilities, if pushed.

These tournament displays are already notorious for their ‘accidents’, although how any of it can be considered an accident when the entire point is to attack one another with minorly blunted weapons while wearing a facsimile of armor is beyond you. You’ve never enjoyed them, perhaps because you were never able to attend until you were old enough to grasp the danger the competitors were in. Obviously anyone could get injured during typical training or practice, but these tournaments are on a different level. Everyone knows someone’s cousin or neighbor or whoever that had been permanently injured or worse in some similar display.

And to think some people like how dangerous they are, finding them more prestigious than something safe. Original Dale was certainly one of those types—thoroughly believing in both his own skill and with the strong conviction of someone young, who’d never had their body betray them, that that sort of incident happened to other people, not him. Now, your concern is that Dale will end up backed into a corner and in the heat of the moment give himself away—or as you said, from the beginning be unable to gauge his own strength. Even if initial suspicion is roused only regarding him having enhanced his abilities with illegal demonic supplements can only spell the end. Too many of the ways to detect such things overlap with those to detect possession.

You hope during the first few rounds of the tournament or perhaps even witnessing some of the various fair games will help Dale develop a better sense of what the typical human strength is. That is, if Grandfather ever lets you out of his sight.

You’d hoped with two of his children here, Wellington and Breighton, that he would be sufficiently occupied, but he and Grandmother seem determined to include you and Dale, which is actually very kind of them, at least on Grandmother’s part. Grandfather is acting mostly normal, but his eyes are too sharp on both Dale and you for you to trust his regard anymore. Grandmother is content to hold court at this dais table, talking with her children and other grandchildren, picking on food, for the rest of day—she’d told you as much her self. Grandfather seems more ready to walk to the various games and booths now that the most recent performance is over, but you’d rather not have him along.

It’s Dale who finds the right opening, as one of his cousins—and his three children—begs Grandfather to accompany them to the falconers’ competition on the other side of the fair. Dale resists the invitation to join them, claiming to want to continue his conversation with Grandmother. Then he lets her get distracted by someone else.

Before you know it, your arm is in his and you’re heading in the opposite direction from Grandfather.

Dale smiles down at you. “As happy as I am to speak with my family, there is so much else to do. I hope you do not mind my pulling us away—I simply have to walk around or else I’m liable to fall asleep after such food.”

You smile up at him, with how much of it he put away, you’re not surprised. “I agree. I’ve never had lamb cooked that way before, but we should see if Cook Ubrey can obtain the recipe.”

Dale seems pleased to talk about the food, comparing them with dishes he enjoyed on his travels. He wants to see if they can get some of those prepared in Northridge, he explains as you stroll by the various sellers that line the ramshackle lanes of the festival. All the townsfolk seem to have dredged their inventories to put their very best wares on display and the displays are eye catching—for all you follow your mothers rule of these festivals which cover multiple days: never buy anything on the first day. Part of her many lessons on being frugal, they had started when you were first permitted out of the house and to the marketplaces with a small allowance.

Dale has no such rule, but he seems as happy looking at things as he does actually purchasing items—only acquiring a new handkerchief and gloves. Instead, his eyes stray towards the games and sport more than anything. There are a mix of group, partner, and individual games, all with far more space to play than you’re used to, especially as you get closer to the outskirts of the grounds. Long ranges for archery and hammer throwing, are in the distance, but even nearby, the ring toss and horseshoe lanes have far more space to them than you’re used to.

You end up stopped by the horseshoe stall, watching a pair of brothers compete with more and more specific and ridiculous insults tossed between them. They’re drawing an entertained crowd of onlookers.

You notice the way Dale has a considering look on his face as the men throw the horseshoes and you try to evaluate their ability as well. “They seem like strong competitors,” you say with a nod toward the other horseshoes littered around and in particular on the ground before the stake. “Although it appears as though many underestimated the weight of the shoe and couldn’t reach the stake at first.”

Dale’s eyes narrow and then dart to the third lane, where a woman is attempting to ignore the crowd around the other two to make her throws. Sure enough, on her first throw, the shoe doesn’t go nearly far enough. “Yes, so it would appear. These two look strong though, not blacksmiths, but perhaps carpenters.”

You look the men over. Everyone is wearing, while perhaps not their best clothes, but certainly not their everyday clothes for the festival. That made it harder to tell what exactly people’s profession might be whereas wear and tear, stains, and so on would usually help point you in one direction or another. “Perhaps.” You watch as the older brother rings a second horseshoe around the stake to tie with the younger one.

“Accuracy seems to be more important than strength though,” Dale observes.

On cue the younger brother’s next pitch goes too far past the stake earning him a heckle from his brother about getting overexcited.

“Yes,” you agree. “That is a fair assessment. However, you don’t want to throw too hard or it might bounce off the stake regardless of your aim.”

Dale nods and you chat as the brothers continue to play until finally the older brother wins with a final ringer. He accepts his prize of a bag of horse bristles and a round of drinks bet from his brothers.

“Do you want to play a round?” you ask Dale, when he continues to look at the game and with the brothers gone, the crowd is drifting away. Perhaps this could be a good way for him to evaluate his own strength and accuracy. Low stakes, but with convenient comparables from a wide range of people.

Dale eyes the iron stake in the ground, the past throws which litter the ground around it, and the steel horseshoes in the bucket. “Yes,” he says slowly. “I’ve not played… in many years, I mean. When I was a child.”

You hope he sounds more natural when talking with his family. Perhaps you should be glad only Grandfather seems suspicious after all.

“Then it seems as though you are due to play once more,” you say and he smiles at you in response.

You both make your way over to the man running the booth and he readily accepts the coin Dale gives him with a grin. When Dale admits to not playing in a number of years, the man is quick to give him pointers and you feel yourself relax. Games and good food, even the weather cooperating, this is shaping up to be a fine day. You hadn’t realized how nervous you’d gotten under Grandfather’s watchful and suspicious eye—or even just the eyes of all the visitors and those who’d glance at the dais during the festival.

Some look your way, but it's easier to be anonymous, to be seen more generally at least, mixed in with the crowd as you roam. You’ve missed that about the city and this festival, for all its clear country trappings, is able to recapture that feeling.

Dale seems to have paid enough to have received horseshoes for a few innings and you stand nearby to watch, leaning against a fencepost. Dale’s frowning in concentration, dark eyes intent. His first throw arcs from the left to the right a bit too sharply and contrary to the others. He seems to have over compensated for the weight, resulting in the horseshoe going out of bounds past the stake.

The game runner is quick to tease Dale, but it's nothing too out of the ordinary. He gets better at straightening out his arc as he goes and while the horseshoes continue to go too far, he’s getting closer and closer to the stake.

It’s not until he’s left with just one more pitch that it goes wrong. Just as Dale is only starting to get ready to throw, a loud noise—likely a firecracker set off too soon–cracks through the air. You jump where you stand and a number of those around you swear, but your eyes are on Dale. He flinches and pitches his last horseshoe without thought instinctively.

The horseshoe flies at the stake and you already know it's been thrown with far too much force, especially given the lack of significant windup. Even more unfortunately, it's the most accurate throw yet. It strikes the stake soundly with a clang louder than any previous ringers. You flinch from the sound and the way the stake is pushed, rather than the shoe ringing around it. The stake ends up levering out of the ground entirely, sending a clod of dirt and grass into the ground and landing with a metallic thud.

Well, you think, so much for an easy way to help Dale reign in and evaluate how much strength a typical human has without anyone taking note.

The man in charge of the stall and the few onlookers stare in silence before a child claps. Dale winces. You’re inordinately grateful that too many had been distracted by the sound and didnt notice what happened. Still, some murmurs break out as the stall owner starts to say something, turning to frown at Dale in confusion and then closes his mouth. He recovers after a few seconds, saying, “Stake must have gotten loose, jostled by the other competitors.” He looks uncomfortable and somewhat disbelieving even as he continues, “Apologies, mi’lord. Still, a mighty impressive throw.”

Dale inclines his head in thanks for the compliment as you decide it’d be best if you moved on from here before anyone thought overmuch about what just happened. As soon as possible. “I believe I see a vendor with wine, my lord. I find myself rather thirsty in this heat.”

“Of course, my lady,” Dale agrees easily.

Neither of you chose to speak of what just happened. Dale ends up talking about the wine you purchase and comparing it to some he came across on his travels. You hope he’s only mentioning places Dale visited, but you’re not well traveled enough to know for sure.

You pass other games as you walk around, picking up some nibbles along the way as you both try to relax. You pass a few more games, but Dale seems reluctant to give any of them a try and you don’t feel comfortable encouraging him either. You’ve never understood the point of some anyways. You eye two blindfolded women trying to catch a chicken in a pen in particular. Many seem to be for the watchers' amusements rather than for the ones playing.

You end up watching a children’s small boat race and following along with the river around the eastern edge of the grounds for some cooler air. While the weather is fair, there are far too many people in such a confined area for it not to get warm. You end up circling back to some of the larger, more martial games, skirting the wrestling ring to find yourself at tug o’ war with the offshoot stream as the halfway marker. It’s the middle of a match, with an hourglass signaling plenty of time before a tie has to be called and the scoreboard showing two to one for those on the farther side of the stream.

Both sides are trying to recruit from the growing crowd and the divide seems to be those from the town proper and those who work on the estate itself. With those from the estate down a point. You determine that the first to make it to three victories wins the large coin purse, filled by those who paid to compete.

You stop to watch as the estate team loses further ground, cursing some who evidently took a break for some ale and haven’t returned—they do have notably fewer players. A laundress from the estate joins in, her arm strength winning them at least a foot on the onset, but the teams seem even enough that a young man drops out at his father’s bidding from the town side with no loss of ground on their end.

You narrow your eyes trying to see if you can name or at least place each member of the estate team. While the estate has many workers and none of these are in their uniforms, but you’ve been here long enough you should be able to at least guess at their position based on familiarity. Grandfather and Grandmother always address their servants by name and you want to do your part to show you’re a worthy successor, with the same attention to detail they have.

You’ve identified two footmen, a scullery maid, the laundress who joined most recently, a carriage driver, and two guards when one of the people in the middle the rope spots Dale and grins at him.

“So kind of you to grace us with your presence, my lord,” he calls. You’re pretty sure he’s a stablehand, one you’ve seen Dale speak with before. He certainly seems familiar enough to be joking with him.

“You have something that can tempt me down from my tower, Micha?” Dale asks with a false imperiousness that matches Micha’s as you both drift closer to him.

“Only the very honor of your soon-to-be estate,” he replies with a grin, not moving an inch despite the other team trying to take advantage of what they see as his distraction by making conversation.

“I suppose that might be important enough, but you seem to be losing,” Dale points out, raising an eyebrow and nodding at the tally marks.

Micha rolls his eyes. “Yes, because Keyler and Tawny left to fetch Nair from wasting his time playing marbles and help us out. So now we’re down two and can’t afford to send anyone else after them.”

“Excuses, excuses,” Dale replies with a teasing glint in his eyes.

Micha sticks his tongue out like a child and Dale laughs. Then Micha’s eyes light up. “You could always lend us your immeasurable strength so we can muster the numbers we need to win.”

Dale falters at the suggestion, dubiously looking over the rope and the competitors.

“You can join at the end,” Micha says with a scoff, “Wouldn’t want your clothes to get too dirty.”

You’ve never been so grateful that Dale used to be so fussy about his clothes before, anything that lends plausibility to his reluctance to join in. You’re certain he’d take the opportunity to impress his superiority on others otherwise.

“Come on, D-milord,” Micha asks, wheedling, “help us out while Geoff hunts down the others.”

Tug o’ war seems very high risk to you, gambling on a bad hand, but maybe he’s learned from the horseshoes. With enough men here, perhaps any discrepancies in Dale’s strength won’t be obvious. Of course, it could be far more obvious instead, you think, shoulders tense.

His eyes dart to yours and he looks hopeful, earnest. You reluctantly hold out your hand, “Let me hold your cane and your coat.”

“Thank you, my Lady,” he says with a smile, handing them over and accepting the gloves handed to him so he doesn’t get rope burns.

The estate team decides to shuffle their whole order while the town team tries to take advantage of the movement. In the end, one of the guards dashes off to find those missing teammates Micha spoke of and Dale’s near the end of the line of people on this side of the river. He’s far enough from the mud per Micha’s offer in deference to his clothes, but not that far because the flag that marks the original middle of the rope has moved significantly closer to the other team’s side of the river.

You nibble your lip as you watch Dale try to sort out his footing amid the renewed shouting between teams. Without his cane and with all the shuffling, he's clearly not steady on his feet, despite the rope to hang onto the people in front and behind him on the rope.

You’re glad another wineseller is next door and help yourself to some more drink as you watch Dale struggle not to end up in the mud as another person joins the town team. By the time you’ve received it, Dale has settled into some sort of stance in between the jostling and movement of the rope as everyone on both teams has awoken from the tied lull to truly throw their backs into the competition.

Micha turns his head to face Dale and says, “Are you here, milord? Or have you gotten soft from all the travel and airs?” Dale stares at him for a moment before sticking his own tongue, pulling a startled laugh from him. “Then lose your perfect posture. Drop your weight and lean.”

Obligingly, Dale grits his teeth, dropping his stance and leaning at the same angle at the others. Micha glances back again and nods approvingly, “There you go, now you’re remembering.” He turns back to face forward and gives a whistle. “V! Let’s regain this ground!”

A kitchen hand at the front whistles back and counts down from five, her lighter voice cutting through the crowd and noise. On ‘two’, everyone on the estate team takes a step back with their left feet, hand tight on the rope to pull it with them. Dale’s out of sync and while he keeps up, it's clear he’s not contributing anything of particular help. The town teams are quick to pull back on their end and a few of the estate team reluctantly have to resettle their feet much closer together than initially planned.

“Again!”

This time, you count in your head and after four beats, the team tries again, leaning at an even deeper angle. This time, Dale’s ready for it. He pulls his own weight far better this time, getting a better feel for how much strength everyone else is using and with the timing correct that round.

The town is trying to arrange their own pulls in the lull between, but they’re not as organized and someone drops out, leaving them unbalanced.

The next pull has Dale's arms tighten further than before, the muscles obvious under his white linen shirt. Not only is he able to step back further, but so is everyone in front of him.

“There we go!” Micha cheers along with the others

Steadily, their team brings the flag back to the center of the stream, getting surer ground under their feet and working the other team up. Dale’s focus must seem like mere concentration on his grip and stance, but you bet it's him seeing just how much strength he can use. That first pull was a little too much in your estimation and Dale seems to agree as no other round to the retreat as much as that one.

By the time Geoff returns, you’ve finished your glass of wine and the flag is far closer to the estate team’s side of the stream bank. As they make room for them on the rope, Micha tries to entreat Dale to stick around. “See how much help you were able to provide, esteemed one?”

“I have done my duty,” Dale replies dryly, handing his gloves over to a rather intimidated looking man, clearly not expecting to be replacing the Northridge heir. “And I believe the team maximum is eight.”

“If you want to leave us for your fiance,” Micha volleys back, eyes darting to you, catching you by surprise. “Just say so.”

Dale smirks. “Would you not choose a lovely woman over mud?”

“No,” Micha replies cheekily with a wink at Dale. “No offense, milady.” You smile even as the others boo Micha and encourage Dale to go to you. The laundress goes as far as to tell Dale if he’ll not join you, she will. You can’t help the heat that rises to your cheeks at such blatant flirting, even if it's obviously motivated by alcohol more than anything else and perhaps the novelty of joking with a lord.

“This is the gratitude I receive for lending you my aid,” Dale replies in the same theatrical manner as he and Micha seem to like to play at. “I see how it is and take my leave of you.”

He accepts his coat, pulling it back on, before taking his cane, his fingers warmer than usual when they brush yours. You leave as the newly bolstered estate team begins another round of heaving.

With the wine you’ve had and Dale’s good cheer buoying your spirits, you let yourself get cajoled into a game of ring toss. Strength, you only have a minimal amount, no matter the basic skills you’ve had lessons in—accuracy though, you’re a bit better with. That's about gauging your own ability, your own strength and the distance you need to cross. If you can see your target and it's not too far away, you're reasonably confident.

The weight of the rings is what you need to account for the most and you’re not discouraged when your first toss comes up short. Your second is even closer and your third neatly rings around the short pole. Dale tucks the blossom you win neatly behind your ear, the color complementing your gown and Dale complimenting you.

Passing the longbow ranges, Dale steers you towards the hammer throwing. He is quick to walk over to the table with the various spare hammers. The game runner is quickly gathering up competitors, aiming for five players, each with three hammers. The wood of the hammers is dyed to distinguish the different competitors so none can confuse who threw which.

“Do you mind, my Lady? I think I have this one,” he tosses the red hammer from his right to left, “well in hand.”

You can’t help the dry look you give him at the word play, “Very well.” While you’d initially consider this too high stakes after horseshoes since there is no target, just pure distance and therefore with nothing to reign him in, you trust he’s learned well from the tug o war game.

He lines up with the others while the game runner tries to fill the final two spots for this round. You linger at the fence, letting others peruse the hammers.

“My Lady?” You turn at the voice to find Steward Bilmont next to you.

“Steward,” you say with a smile before you notice how anxious he seems. “Is everything alright?”

His eyes dart from Dale lining up at the throw line to those nearby. “Yes, yes. Fine. Well, could I speak to you for a moment?”

“Of course,” you say and follow him down the fence until you're midway down the throwing lane, able to see but with no one particularly close by. “What’s happened? Something with—” Your eyes dart to your fiance.

Bilmont nods. “As we suspected, Lord Archibald did see something while on the hunt, something that has made him suspicious of Lord Dale—and you.”

Your heart lurches in your chest. “Me?”

“Yes, I overheard him speaking with Lady Breighton,” Bilmont explains in a low but urgent tone, eyes darting around for any who might overhear him now. “He thinks that you have bewitched Lord Dale.”

You stare at him, your thoughts still. You blink. “What?”

Bilmont nods again, more vigorously. “He thinks that Lord Dale either fell ill on his own or that perhaps even that was some manipulation of yours and that you used dark influences to help him recover.”

“What?” you repeat. You want to laugh. You’ve no experiences with dark influences except those that are now happening at Northridge because of Dale himself. “How? To what end?”

“To gain power over him,” Bilmont explains. “Lord Archibald is now suspicious that your… that how you present yourself is some sort of act. That you desired more control over Northridge than you believed Lord Dale would give you and so you’ve now done something to make him more responsive to you, more pliant to your manipulations.”

You inhale sharply at his words. That is… not good. “And he told Lady Breighton this?”

“Yes.” Although at that, Bilmont seems to lose some tension, saying, “The only good thing is that if he was looking for support for this theory, he did not find it.”

“Wait, truly?”

Bilmont nodded.

“But…” You frown in confusion. Breighton truly is as intimidating and intelligent as she had first seemed to you nor does she think particularly well of Dale. You’re surprised she isn’t siding with her father. “I thought given Lady Breighton’s general opinion of Dale and, well, I’m not certain what she thinks of me I suppose, but I was under the impression she found me rather…” Shy? Boring? Uninteresting? “…humble.”

Bilmont looks rather pained at that, almost sheepish, as he admits, “Yes, well, she does. That’s precisely why she doesn’t believe you would or could do something of this nature. She said she had seen no evidence of you having any particular knowledge or skill with demonic influences—and that she had met such individuals before. Additionally, she does not feel lord Dale is acting over all in character and views the discrepancies Lord Archibald noticed as either slight or evidence of maturing while abroad.

“Since she has had barely any interaction with Lord Dale for a number of years, she cannot compare his post abroad personality to his recent, ahem, change. She does claim to have met those possessed before and maintains Dale shows none of the classical signs, especially not given the time that has elapsed since the illness. Demonic influences she has less experience with, but as Lord Archibald has even less than her, she also said that you do not demonstrate the signs of such a practitioner.”

“Likely because I’m not,” you reply.

“She went so far as to say she’d believe Lord Dale had gotten mixed up in such demonics himself before you,” Belmont adds with a touch of incredulity at how close to the truth she is, “perhaps for power—to which Archibald took offense, saying Lord Dale would never be so foolish.

Belmont shrugs helplessly, “In the end, Lady Breighton could not be convinced of your involvement and Lord Archibald could not be convinced of Dale’s.”

“But Grandfather was not swayed by Lady Brighton’s argument either,” you deduce. That would be too easy.

“No, not primarily,” Bilmont replies, disappointment evident in his voice. “While I believe he was disappointed she did not see his side, he seemed more thoughtful than discouraged. He seems determined to prove his theory, or at least test it.”

“Oh good,” you can’t help yourself from saying. “Grandfather is going to try to prove I’m a demonic influencer and likely in doing so expose—” you cut yourself off, unwilling even in your agitation to say it aloud. “How does one even prove such a thing? He’s no demonic scholar or practitioner himself.”

“He did not say.”

“Of course not.”

A flash of red catches your eye and you realize it’s finally Dale’s turn at the hammer throw. You try to sort your thoughts as you watch his hammer land neatly in the middle of the other competitors, demonstrating ability, but nothing out of the ordinary. His next throw is only a few feet beyond that. His third is a good few feet beyond the others, but not remarkably so. There’s one more person still to throw, but you’d not be surprised if Dale won.

You’re glad Dale’s managed to regulate his strength correctly, but Grandfather is far too close to the truth for your comfort and you’ve no idea what to do about him. “Strategies?”

“I will keep you alert to anything else I might overhear and recommend you stay on your guard,” Bilmont replies after a moment’s silence.

“Yes,” you answer readily enough. It's becoming rather tiring though, to always be on your guard, vigilant to exposure. “Perhaps I can find something that might suggest what he’ll try. Nothing else to do but wait.”

A small cheer goes up from by the throwing line. You look over to see Dale is motioning to you and automatically you begin to walk back to the main table, Bilmont trailing behind you.

“My lady, come, see what I’ve won.” He cheerfully holds out a skillfully crafted hammerhead as well as a wreath of some kind. When he sees who’s with you, he raises his eyebrows. He's also not oblivious to the atmosphere surrounding the two of you, no matter how you try to hide it. “Steward Bilmont, is everything alright?”

“Yes, yes, of course my lord,” Bilmont says hurriedly. “Although I should be going. My apologies for distracting you from fun with trivialities, my Lady.”

“Of course, Steward,” you reply. Before Dale can ask, you accept the flower crown he holds out to you, fingers careful with the blossoms. “It’s lovely.” You spot the length of ribbon running through the wreath, likely the real prize.

When you go to hand it back, Dale pushes it back to you. “For you, my lady.”

“Oh. I thank you,” you reply, not sure how to place it. You’ve not worn such a crown since one spring equinox celebration when you were a girl. “Could you place it?”

Dale smiles, accepting it back. He reaches for you, motioning for you to incline your head. He carefully sets the crown on your head, adjusting it. Finally he leans back, eyes kind on you. “There. Perfect.”

Oh, how you wish that was closer to the truth than it is.

[Part Thirteen]

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ilguna · 4 years

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☼ inheritance (Kevin Ball) ☼

summary; ’ Can you please write Kevin Ball x Reader where Y/n is Stan's (owner of the alibi) granddaughter. When Stand dies, Y/n comes to Alibi saying that she was supposed to get the bar after Stan, but she decides to co-own it with Kev. They start to work together and feelings arise. (it would be great if V would also fall in love with Y/n, but I totally understand if you don't write these type of relationship) Thank you! ❤️ ‘

warnings; swearing, fluff

wc; 1.4k

——

A couple months ago, you would never have found yourself co-owning a bar in Chicago. Especially not with someone who had kept the entire place from you, all because they had thought they would be able to inherit the place all by themselves, without telling the next person in line.

You’ll give Kevin credit; he did take care of your less than admirable grandfather for your entire family. You know you should have come up sooner than you did--and the only reason why you landed yourself in Chicago is because your mother was in basic hysterics by the idea of someone ‘stealing’ the bar--but you couldn’t.

Your first stop out of high school was college, and back then you didn’t really have a clue about the bar or the fact that you’d be the one getting it when your grandfather died. Had you known that you’d been inheriting this junk, you might have been a little more lenient when it came to good grades… or even going to college in the first place.

Although, maybe it was worth getting a degree after all. Considering that when you did get a look at the numbers, you saw how absolute shit the income was. You nearly sold the place altogether, until Kevin caught you last minute and told you that he could turn the place around, he’d just need a little bit of your help.

‘Little’ was an understatement. You had to quit your job back home and move to Chicago to work the place full-time with Kevin. You do have to admit, you two have been seeing the profit skyrocket lately.

More regulars—different regulars. Different from Frank, Tommy, and Kermit. It took time for you to keep reeling them back in, but it was a relief when you would have to deal with Frank anymore. You left him to Kevin to deal with.

Thanks to his never-ending rants, you pulled the plug and found someone to force to the bar, instead of the booths or tables. And ever since, she’s been your number one customer. Kaylee even managed to bring friends of her own.

But since there’s so many of them, they do have to sit at a table to keep them all together. You don’t mind it very much, running drinks back and forth from bar to table is fun. Plus, the Alibi isn’t super busy anyway.

The bell on the door goes off, making you look up from where you’re wiping down the counter. The second you see that it’s Frank, you sigh, “Can you just fuck off for one day?”

“That’s no way to talk to a high paying customer.” Frank takes a seat in his usual barstool, that quite literally has his ass imprints in it.

Tommy laughs, “High paying?”

“Frank, you hardly manage to pay your tab every month,” You lean against the counter, and then look over your shoulder for a moment, “Kevin, your favorite drunk is here!”

“Favorite?” Kermit asks.

“It’s called sarcasm.” Kevin says, sliding behind you as he grabs a glass, “What’s it this time?”

“Just a beer.” Frank smiles, “So when is the bar wench going home?”

You give Frank a look. You can’t say that you’re surprised that he’s asking a question like this. Probably doesn’t like the fact that you run things a little differently when you’re here. Without you, Kevin’s lenient and easy to fool.

And considering that you’ve been here every day since you and Kevin agreed to co-own, nothing has gone back to normal. Prices have been raised, you’re getting the bar out of debt. You’re talking to other bar owners to figure out what you’re doing wrong, and what you’re doing right.

The place is a hit now. People come around just to hang out, even after they’ve had a few drinks. A few newcomers have even come up to the counter and asked if there was anything to eat other than peanuts. Which sparked a whole new idea to get a vending machine. Kevin high-fived you for that one.

“Never.” Kevin answers for you, “She owns this place with me.”

“So?” Frank asks, you have a feeling that he’s drunk already.

Actually, it’s hard to tell. The smell of alcohol on him never fades, along with that awful stench of piss. You wonder when’s the last time he washed his clothes. He’s always wearing the same thing, and he’s kicked out of ‘his’ house. He’s got no money, and no brains to think to go to a laundromat.

“Just because she owns, doesn’t mean she has to be here.” he takes a few gulps, “It’s like owning real estate.”

“You’re just upset cause you don’t like the changes I’ve made.”

“That you’re right on.”

“Well, I like her here.” Kevin’s crossed his arms now, and he’s scowling a bit at Frank, “And she’s welcome to stay as long as she wants.”

“I’m not going anywhere, Kev.” you wink.

“What a relief.” Tommy says, and Kevin gives him a strange look, “You’ve cleared all his worries. Maybe he’ll shut up about you now.”

“Wait, who?” you ask, “Frank?”

“In your dreams.” Frank mutters.

Tommy motions to Kevin, who’s begun to retreat back to the storage room. He’s swift when he moves out of your way, your fingers just barely touch his arm, before he’s gone.

The door swings shut behind him.

You wait a moment or two, before leaning forward, “What do you mean he talks about me?”

“You haven’t noticed?” Kermit asks, raising his eyebrows.

“I hardly pay attention to you guys when my friends are here.”

“We’ve noticed.” Frank muses, “Thank God--!”

“Shut up, Frank.” the three of you say together.

“He’s a lot happier, now.” Tommy says, “After V left him, he was depressed. When you showed up, his whole mood changed.”

“That could mean a lot of things.” You stand without the counter again, “Who cares?”

“You.” Frank says.

You reach for the towel on your apron, pulling it off and whipping Frank’s fingers when he reaches to get more beer by himself, “Out, Frank.”

“Wha--”

“One drink is enough.” you grab the glass, sliding it beneath the counter, “You need a shower, and your clothes need a wash too. Once you smell like you’ve come out a field of flowers, you can come back.”

“Yeah?” He asks, “And how am I supposed to do that?”

“Not my problem.”

You watch and wait for Frank to leave, and then you go ahead and clean up the area that he was sitting at, since he leaves a mess wherever he goes.

“Kevin likes you.” Tommy finally says.

“Yeah, I know what you mean.” you back away a bit from the counter, “I guess I should talk to him.”

“I’ll keep an eye on the bar.” Tommy says.

“We have cameras,” you point at him, “The only thing you’ll be stealing is beer.”

Tommy holds up his glass, cheering to that, before going back to talking to Kermit.

The door to the backroom doesn’t actually have a handle, it’s a swinging door. Which--now thinking about it--is a bad idea. This is the place where you keep the extra alcohol, and it could be a place of emergency if you needed it to be.

You’ll add that to the list of things that need to be fixed, here. Starting with the nasty bathroom.

Kevin sits on a box of peanuts, staring down at his phone, “Just ignore them, alright? Tommy doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”

You lean against the doorframe, “Kev--”

“No, I know already.” he looks up now, “You don’t like me like that, it’s cool.”

You smile, “Apparently you don’t know anything, because I do like you like that.”

He doesn’t move from where he’s sitting, very clearly studying your face, “Are you fucking with me? Because I can’t tell if you are or not.”

“I’m not. I’ve liked you since I got here.” you tilt your head, “With you taking care of Stan and all, even when he was difficult. You didn’t move to put him in a nursing home until it was your last choice. You’re a good man, Kev, and that’s what I like the best about you.”

Kevin smiles now, “Really?”

“Really.”

There’s a moment of silence between the two of you, and just when you go to say something, Tommy yells: “(Y/n)! Frank’s back!”

“You bastard--”

You laugh, “Can’t get more than a couple of minutes to ourselves. Wanna help me kick out Frank?”

“You really think you’d be able to do it by yourself?” he asks.

You give Kevin a look, and he gives you one back as the two of you go out front again.

#ilguna #kevin ball #kevin ball imagine #kevin ball oneshot #kevin ball x reader #kevin ball fanfic #shameless

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professorthaddeus · 3 years

Text

Out of Sight

This is a companion piece to @io-kj-cr‘s heartbreaking fic, Decisions, an AU of 2x128 where Caleb gives himself up to Trent. Would highly recommend checking it out!

also on ao3

——————————

They let him go.

The chips were down, they were out of options with enemies at the door, Mama and Yeza and little Luc were not going to be trapped in a building with Icky-thong, and in that moment of weakness, they let him go.

“Cad, what do you see?” Fjord, grim. Caduceus is standing at the one window in the room, chosen for his keen ability to read people to keep an eye on the exchange.

The exchange. They’re selling Caleb back to the grossest person in the Empire, to his literal lifelong tormentor, and they’re just sitting here like it’s nothing.

“They’re not hurting him. They’re just talking.” Caduceus’ voice rumbles in a steady cadence, ever the rock in the rapids. But Jester sees how his knuckles are clenched white around his staff.

“Is he… how does he look?”

Veth, piping up from the floor, clutching Caleb’s spellbooks to her chest. Yeza’s holding her, Luc sitting uncharacteristically still by their side. He’s got a book in his hands as well. Jester’s heart thuds painfully when she recognizes the title as a collection of Zemnian fairy tales.

“He’s standing tall.”

Of course he is. They’ve all seen Caleb file away his fears and stitch himself together in the moments that really count. They’ve also seen him shake apart immediately afterwards.

This time, none of them are going to be there to help him pick up the pieces.

“This doesn’t sit well with me,” Yasha says quietly, fingers twitching toward her swords.

“Yeah, no shit.” Beau, pacing, coiled like she’s ready to pounce. “This was such a bad plan. I say we go ahead and attack them now. They’re busy with Caleb, so we could absolutely ambush them in a pincer move, or—“

“They’re gone.”

“What do you mean, gone?” Beau rushes to the window, where Caduceus is stepping aside. He leans back against the wall, looking lost in a way Jester hasn’t seen since his first time on the sea.

“I mean he and his friends stepped into a portal and disappeared.”

Beau’s jaw tightens. “They’re not his friends.”

“I don’t know,” Fjord murmurs, though Jester knows he would definitely be fuming as well if Beau wasn’t so close to the edge right now. “They did warn us they were coming.” He holds up his hands when Beau shoots him a withering look. “It could be a good thing. They might help us get him back.”

“With or without their help, I wasn’t kidding when I said our next step was going to be a jailbreak,” she mutters.

“Agreed.”

Veth lets out a shaky breath. “And he’ll be okay until then. He just has to hold on for one night, and we’ll go get him. He’s the smartest, most capable of us all; he’ll be fine.”

“Yeah, he’s way more powerful than them,” Jester adds, automatic. Something twists in her chest.

“Sure, except he doesn’t even have his fucking spellbooks.”

For once, Veth flinches instead of snapping a retort back at Beau.

“You keep these safe for me until I return, ja?”

“I don’t like this, Cay. There has to be another way.” There’s a tremor in Veth’s hands as she takes the books.

“There isn’t, and we are running out of time. Besides, he won’t kill me. He… ah, he has said many times already he simply wishes to talk.”

Jester winces. It’s going to be a long time before she forgets the haunted look that appeared in Caleb’s eyes every time Trent’s voice slithered into his ear today.

“Be good for your mother and father,” Caleb’s saying, ruffling Luc’s hair.

He straightens to look at the rest of them, meeting their eyes one by one. Jester can almost hear him counting in his head.

A wall slams down over his expression as he squares his shoulders.

“I am so sorry about all this.” He continues before any of them can protest. “Thank you all.”

Jester tries not to think it sounds like a goodbye.

She shoves the image of Caleb’s pale, determined face out of her head, swallowing the building lump in her throat. The last thing she needs—the last thing Mama needs—is for her to break down right now.

“Well,” she hedges into the silence, “he’s got like, a really good memory, you guys. Maybe he doesn’t need them. Maybe he remembers all his spells.”

“I don’t—“ Beau starts, before taking a deep breath. Yasha’s hand is slipping into hers. She softens her tone. “I don’t think that’s how it works, Jes.”

“Oh.”

“Jester, I’m so sorry.” Mama speaks up from where she’s been sitting anxiously beside her. There’s so much regret in her face. “Your friend, he—”

“No, no, Mama, no.” She’s been so strong today, and Jester’s so, so proud of her for facing her fears, but she never should have been forced to do it. “This isn’t your fault at all. We brought them to you.”

Technically, she brought them here. Caleb can blame himself all he wants, but Jester’s the one who put a target on Nicodranas in that letter to Astrid all those months ago and the one who dropped Mama’s name into a conversation with an enemy guard just a few hours ago.

“Who… are they?”

“They’re, um.” Her voice wavers. She swallows again. “They’re bad people. Really, really bad people.”

“Oh, my Sapphire,” Mama hums, and it’s kind of crazy how those three words can sound like music from her lips. She reaches up to cup Jester’s cheek. “You and your friends are some of the most amazing people I’ve met. “And you,” she brushes her thumb gently across her skin, “are more creative than anyone in the world. You’ll find a way.”

Mama presses a kiss to the top of her head and then takes her hands. They’re smooth, warm. Jester looks down. Red and blue, just like when she was little, except now her hands can’t be fully covered by Mama’s. She’s grown up and stepped out of Mama’s arms and the sanctuary of their Chateau. Just like she always dreamed and plotted with Artie. It’s all she can do not to cry.

“Yeah. Yeah, you’re right,” she manages, tries for a watery smile.

“Jester,” Yasha ventures gingerly. “Can’t you talk to him?”

She shakes her head, blinking away the blurriness. “Not until tomorrow. I don’t have the energy left to cast a spell.”

Caduceus clears his throat. “Good.” The rest of them look to him, startled. “Now there’s nothing to do but get some sleep so we’ll be ready for tomorrow. Mr. Wensforth, can you help us set something up for the night?”

The poor goblin looks up from where he’s been wringing his hands in the corner. Jester doesn’t blame him.

Man, Yussa’s gonna be super pissed when he wakes up to find so many people in his tower.

She can’t imagine how she’s supposed to fall asleep, but Caduceus makes her drink some tea, and eventually she feels the tension of the day seep into her bones. Before it claims her consciousness, she brings the symbol of the Traveler to her chest.

“Artie, look out for him, okay?”

———

In the morning, Beau and Caduceus wake her and the others, careful not to disturb Mama, Yeza, or Luc.

Jester tucks the blanket around Mama a little more securely before heading out.

They all cluster together in a smaller room off of one of the tower’s winding stairwells. Caduceus starts passing around breakfast, but she declines, sitting in the middle of the floor instead and prepping a familiar spell.

Fjord gives her an encouraging nod, holding ten fingers up at the ready.

She focuses on the image of her friend, on the furrow in his brow as he wields magic like a weapon, on the way his eyes crinkle when he offers one of his soft, rare smiles. She fires up Sending.

“Caleb! Are you alright? Where are you? Are you hurt? Are you in Rexxentrum? I’m sorry, I had to wait until today to Send to reach you but we’re—”

Fjord’s nudging her, signaling the end of the spell. Jester blows a strand of hair out of her face, tapping her fingers against her knee.

She waits five seconds, ten, a minute. No response.

She bites her lip. “You guys—”

Beau’s there already, tugging her into a hug as Fjord gives her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. Veth lets out a muffled noise of frustration.

“He could just not be in a place where he can talk freely right now, we don’t know,” Caduceus says evenly.

“Maybe I should try Astrid?”

Beau shifts, but she doesn’t let go. “I dunno, man, I don’t trust her.”

“She loves Caleb,” Veth says, but again, none of her usual ferocity is there.

“Yeah, maybe.” Beau’s face darkens. “And now she has him back.”

Her words hang heavy in the air.

Jester shakes herself. “Look, fuck it, I’m just going to do it.” She takes a deep breath.

“Astrid,” she chirps. “Is Caleb with you? Tell him to talk to me when he can. Oh also, if any of you hurt him, we’re totally gonna find you and make sure you never—”

“That’s it, Jester.”

“You should send another one. Let her hear the end of your threat,” Yasha says, and Jester swears she can hear thunder roll beneath the mild suggestion.

Fjord cracks something resembling a smile. “As entertaining as that would be, I think—“

Jester shushes them as Astrid’s voice comes back.

Good morning, Jester. Bren is well and unharmed. He is here with us and under no restraints or compulsion. He is home now.

Jester growls.

“What did she say?”

“That Caleb’s okay and like, he’s home, or some total bullshit. She’s wrong, obviously.” She has to be. Jester ignores the building pressure in her chest, flicks her wrist to cast again.

“Please, tell me something, tell me anything, tell me you’re fine, or dead, but please, we need to hear from you, we need to plan our next moves and we can get you out of there as long as you just—” Fjord squeezes her hand. Stupid, stupid spell with stupid word limits.

Nothing on the other end anyway. Her eyes sting, and this time, Jester doesn’t try to stop the sob in her throat.

“I’ll keep messaging you, please Caleb, we’re scared and worried, please tell us where you are, we can fix this, we can get you back!”

Finally, finally, Caleb speaks.

I am well, Jester; returning was my decision, and I am unharmed.

He sounds so tired.

I need you all to stay away. Stay safe. I am sorry.

Silence once more.

Jester’s messages have reached across thousands of miles, over oceans and barren wastelands and enemy lines. This is the first time she’s felt the yawning distance the magic has to travel.

She swipes at her eyes, glaring through her tears.

She knows what he’s doing. It’s what he’s always done, protect and shield and give and give and give like it’s all he’s good for. But she’s also seen him start to unfurl, seen him laugh more and trust more and take one careful step after another out of the shadows of his past. He knows he’s part of their family. They just need to help him remember what that means.

“He said something,” Veth guesses.

“Something awful and self-sacrificing?” Beau mutters.

“Yeah.”

Jester pushes back her sleeves, and she can feel a breeze drift into the chamber, the rustle of a green cloak at her side.

“It doesn’t matter. We’re going to get him, now.”

#critical role #jester lavorre #caleb widogast #marion lavorre #beauregard lionett #veth brenatto #fjord #caduceus clay #yasha nydoorin #my writing #jester's pov was such a challenge to write omfg #also juggling 6+ characters in a scene for my first cr fic haha #any feedback is much appreciated as I find my footing w these characters #also a huge thank you to io-kj-cr for inspiring me and giving me permission to post this!#my ramblings #cr fic

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miss-choco-chips · 4 years

Text

Home

Four times Tim just wanted to go home, and one time he’s actually there.

( @animemangasoul I think you’ll like this one)

(I was listening to Home by Machine Gun Kelly X Ambassadors & Bebe Rexha while I wrote this. Might have cried a little. I regret nothing)

----.----

His mom is holding his hand, a rare occurrence. Were he in a more… stable state, he’d squeeze the moment for all it’s worth.

But the coldness of fear had his heart in a ice-like grip, and the scenery around them did little to appease him. Nothing, not even the warmth of being held, could keep him from shaking.

-I want to go home -he whispers in his mother’s ear when she picks him up in her arms. Safe against her body, he thinks he can feel his heart melting a bit around the edges where panic had frozen him over.

Mom tightened her hold, eyes leaving the crying kid and his dead parents for the first time in a long time. He feels how one of her hands drops its place under his leg to pat his back, more comforting than he ever thought she capable of.

-Yes, we are leaving now. Jack? Bring the car over, we’ll wait here.

She doesn’t lower him until they are back at the manor. Then, his parents retire to their rooms, both to rest and prepare for their trip to the Bahamas the following morning.

Tim shivers all night long, yearning for the warmth he was too distracted to appreciate a few hours ago, back at the circus.

This wasn't what he meant, when he asked to go home. He just wanted to feel safe.

----.----

This… wasn’t what he expected. To being caught, that is. Specially by his hero.

Jason (Robin, call him Robin, don’t you dare slip up, he can’t know you know!) is looking down at him, hands on his hips. He’s doing his best to look stern, but the short shorts, pixie boots and unconscious thug at his back ruin the effect of his glare.

Tim, camera held tightly as it’s been for the last couple of minute since the man came out of the shadows to try and steal it from him, distractedly thinks Batman should get on that, teach Robin his famous loom. He’s feeling starstruck, more than fearful.

-It’s too late for a squirt like you to be out. Streets are dangerous, no’ne told you? Specially ‘is parts o’the city -the young vigilante drawled, accent thicker than Tim recalled from back at the gala when their parents introduced them in passing. Not that Jason would remember.

-I… I’m not a squirt, I’m ten -he finally blurts out, wishing he could smack himself the second the words leave his mouth.

-Children should be on bed at this time.

He does his best to calm his erratic heart, and canalizes all the sass on his pint sized body to arch an eyebrow- Hypocrite much?

Robin growls, but Tim can tell he’s doing his best to hide a smile.

-I can leave you here, you know.

He knows Jason is bluffing, looking for a reaction, but the mere idea still makes his barely calming heart kick into overdrive again. The scare of a few minutes ago was too fresh on his mind. He already knows he won’t be going out again soon, not until he could plan a new route to photograph his idols while traveling only by rooftop, to best avoid the scum of the city.

-No, wait… please -he moves forward, hand taking a handful of cape, as if that could stop the vigilante if he actually was planning to leave.

Jason took the chance to wrap him on it like a little blanket, picking him up in his arms like a baby.

-Don’t worry, shortstack. I’m taking you home so I can be sure y’er actually following your bedtime.

Feeling a little braver in his hero’s arms, he fired back- Don’t have any.

-Whatever, you lil liar.

-It’s true. You can ask my parents… that’s it, if you’re willing to go into my house for a chat. Masks are in bad taste though, you’ll have to take yours off.

Truthfully, both his parents are away on business. Not that he needed to know about the bluff.

This time, he didn’t bother to hide his amusement, letting his barking laughter come out.

-You little shit. I’m not giving you my secret that easy.

Tim just shrugs, painting his most innocent smile. It’s difficult to keep it in place when Jason asks for directions, and then drops him at his bedroom’s window.

The giddiness of meeting his hero can’t quench his disappointment when he watches Jason’s back as he leaves.

A little, childish part of himself had believed, hoped (with all the innocence his heart had left), that when Jason said ‘take you home’, he was talking about his own.

----.----

He’s training as hard as possible. His body, shaped by the multiple teachers he hired through the years, hurts in a way he never thought possible, and has been like that ever since he first went to the training mats to face Bruce.

He knows the pain is necessary, what he learns there could be the difference between life or death (his eyes never fail to go to Jason’s suit, his altar, where he, as his whorshipper, would always go ask for strength and courage), but it's hard to remember his purpose for being there when he goes to bed each night with aching limbs.

Still, he endures.

This last week has been both harder than any other, and the best he’s ever had. The first, because a full on out gang war had forced him, Dick and Bruce to work overtime, going out every night for twice their usual hours (thank god for spring break). The second, because to save time and strength, he’d been allowed to stay the night at the manor with them.

He can’t believe how nice it is to have breakfast with someone. Sure, they have it at like three pm, but still. The pained body was so, so worth this.

When they caught their last perps, all tied up and pretty for the GCPD, Tim was simultaneously absolutely beat and the happiest he’s been.

Batman puts a hand on his shoulder and squeezes, saying ‘let’s go home, Robin’, and he thinks for a moment he’s dreaming again.

He actually sleeps a bit, on the Batmobile trip. Beyond tired, feels his body being raised and then lowered again in a soft surface, something warm over his chest, and then lights out again.

When he wakes up the next morning, he’s at Drake Manor. The breakfast table is empty, the hallways colder than he remembered, and he wishes last night had actually been a dream. It would hurt less, if it had been all in his imagination; instead, he has to live with the knowledge of being so close, yet so far.

Not for the first time, he wishes ‘home’ were a different place.

----.----

He sighs, dropping his suitcase uncaringly. Anything important is on his phone anyway, who gives a fuck. Certainly not an overworked seventeen year old kid who’s just getting back after a long day.

The place was clean, spacious and with a modern decoration style he kinda likes. The mechanic fishes certainly give it a nice touch, and the underground nerd cave he built for himself is the cherry on top- bottom, whatever.

It’s a nice house. A place he made for himself, to come back to. With scanners that automatically alert him if some sneaky ninja plants a bug, or a snoopy family member was sniffing around for his toys. He knows everything that happens here, in this little kingdom he built from scratch.

Of course, there are some itty bitty problems with it. Not the layout itself, that one was a dream came true, and no security issue either: all of Ra’s thwarted attempts at having his people breaking in confirmed how tight it was.

But, for some reason, the thermostat didn’t seem to work. It was always way too cold.

The soundproof walls were good at keeping his secrets under wraps, but they also made it seem so unnaturally quiet, it gave him the creeps.

No table in sight. Not that he needed one, he shrugs. Lunch he eats outside, at the office. Dinner is a quick thing, a sandwich while he gets ready for patrol or some other snack while he types away at his computer. Breakfast… he doesn’t know why, but he never feels right when eating it, so he skips it more often than not.

Sighing again, he falls face first into his absurdly pricey couch. Blindly patting the coffee table until he finds the blanket he always keeps there, he thinks about taking a lil nap. He didn’t sleep last night (or the one before that), so it feels like he’s earned this break.

Decision made, Tim takes his phone out of the secret pocket in his coat and selects the app that makes background noise. He always sleeps better with it.

Yeah. This is a nice, comfortable place.

Too bad it’s not home.

-I just want to go home -he whispers to himself before letting unconsciousness claim him.

If asked, he’d said the break in his voice was a yawn and not a sob.

----.----

When he wakes up, it’s to noise all around him. That alone puts him on guard so fast he would have pulled a muscle, if he were anyone else. As a Bat-trained vigilante though, he just tensed before opening his eyes to analyze his surroundings.

This… wasn’t his place, where he distinctly remembers falling asleep, face down on his couch.

This was Titans Tower. Was he losing track of time? Had he been on a fight and got hit on the head?

-Hey, you’re awake -Kon’s head poked out of the kitchen area, smiling as he floated all the way to where Tim was lying, on the living room’s couch.

The sight of his friend was enough to loosen his muscles. Still unsure but immediately comfortable he sat up straight and looked around. He could hear Bart and Cassie bickering on the background, probably the kitchen, Greta’s laughter coming to him from the same place, and those were Anita’s shoes and Cissie’s backpack near the elevator.

The first two and Kon, he could get. They were all Titans. But the three girls? They were retired, so what…

-Hey, boy wonder, let your brain take a break. I can hear you thinking from here and it’s giving me a headache -the super joked, landing by Tim’s side and poking his forehead lightly.

-That’s because you never think, you aren’t used to it -he fires back automatically. Then, a slow blink- What are the girls doing here? What am I doing here? Last thing I remember I was… at the Perch. Sleeping.

-Yeah, and what a deep sleep that was. Been pulling all nighters, haven’t you? -his best friend shook his head, beyond giving Tim a disappointed look. They knew each other way too much to be surprised by their respective bad habits- you didn’t even flinch when I wrapped you up in TTK and flew you here. And about the girls, I told Cassie and Bart I was gonna pick you up, and they decided to make a thing out of this and went to bring them here, just to hang out. Like back in the days, you know?

The mention of their Young Justice times never failed to give Tim a heartache, but this time it just made him feel warm.

He tried to look stern, but the smile he could feel growing on his lips against his will probably ruined it.

-But why did you? Bring me here, I mean.

Kon tilted his head, visibly confused.

-What do you mean? I heard you. You said you wanted to go home.

Something deep and frozen inside him abruptly melted, like it was hit by a flamethrower. The intensity brought tears to his eyes, body shaking uncontrollably as he bent over himself, hands clutching the opposite arm tightly, as if trying to hold himself in one piece.

Kon’s arms were around him in an instant, worried shouts piercing his ears as he plastered the smaller vigilante to his chest, unthinkingly helping him keep his broken pieces together. The warmth from his best friend’s body served as a welder, and Tim could finally breathe without the fear of breaking apart.

-Tim? Fuck, what’s wrong? Are you okay?! Here, dude, I got you.

-Kon? What is i- fuck, what did you do? Hey, Tim!

-Rob? Oh my god he’s crying, why is he crying!

The voices came closer, surrounding him from all directions as multiple hands touched him in an attempt to comfort.

It was too much, too warm, too bright.

He hoped it’d never end.

-I just…

Everyone stopped talking. His voice was broken by sobs, but he sounded happier than they had ever heard him.

-I’m just happy I’m finally home.

#Tim Drake #Young Justice #batfamily #my writting #kon el kent #bart allen #cassie sandsmark #Greta Hayes #Cissie King-Jones #Anita #Bruce Wayne #Dick Grayson #Jason todd #NO EDIT #I WROTE THIS IN ONE SITTING I FEEL LIKE I WAS POSSESED YOU GUYS

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millerflintstone · 5 years

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hi hi hi hi hi hi

This week was insane. I had coding changes I was testing that weren’t quite working right. I think I *finally* got things correct. What was super frustrating is that the system they use to load balance running jobs is odd. We have 5 possible dev / test environments but I think they lump them all together in this system and only a few run at a time, regardless of what area they’re running from. I’m not sure how all of it’s configured but I was stuck in a wait queue for about an hour and then my normally 5 minute job (script) was taking over an hour to run because of the other things running. Not everything was running on the same environment. Super annoying.

I also have a thing due for the company we bought out that’s transitioning their business to the use the parent company’s vendor for an aspect of business. It’s not due until the 29th and I’m off Thursday and Friday of next week. I should finish that up on Tuesday. It’s just a mind fuck because I have to shift gears of what language variant I’m writing in and the database tables are completely different. By the end of the day I’m usually wiped and the last thing I want to do is sit in front of a computer.

The big thing for this week here at home was our house appraisal which is part of the steps for our mortgage refinancing in order to get our new roof. I scheduled it for this past Friday last Friday and said I had work conflicts that interfered with getting it done early into this past week. The appraiser’s name is Wendy and when she called, I felt like I was talking to Kristin Chenoweth. She sounded so much like her.

My and @unfriendlypedestrian‘s house needed a lot of upkeep done quickly. There was lots of clutter we really hadn’t addressed, lots of dusting, and other work we needed to do on the house. I have boxes of stuff for donation in my car at the moment. There were so many smudges on the walls! How?! Magic eraser is a wonderful product. We also hadn’t done baseboards in a while. His big thing was that he had cut out the section of wall he let our younger niece paint on when they visited some years back. He had painted most of the room but hadn’t finished putting replacement drywall in that spot, so he did that and repainted. We also added plants to our front landscaping section, which was more work than we realized because that ground was full of rocks. The house is basically sparkling now. There’s still some crap in our ‘junk room’ I need to go through, though. He didn’t sleep from Wednesday - Thursday just doing stuff.

The appraiser was really nice. When she came in, she asked about my Murano because SHE had just gotten one. Before she started on the inside, we looked at each other’s cars. Hers was a 2016 and white with brown interior. It was pretty! I’m now one of THOSE people, I guess. Anyway, the appraisal process took about an hour. She checked the exterior, did measurements, checked all of the rooms inside, checked that she could access the attic and asked about anything special / modified for the house. The kitchen really stood out. We redid it in 2008 and doesn’t look like any of the ones in the subdivision that we’ve seen on sale. It was all white - melamine cabinets and Formica counter-tops. We also put tile in the kitchen. We told her about our sinkhole and showed her the pics of Unfriendly standing it and she was amazed. We find out on Tuesday what our house is worth. Fingers crossed it’s a good number.

We finally slept for a good amount yesterday. I had only been getting about 4 hour stretches. 3 on Wednesday. I went to Pilates this morning and when I came back, the company we hired to cut our trees back was hard at work. They worked for almost 4 hours with a break. I’m a bit worried about my bird families. I hope they built their nests tucked into areas that weren’t cut down

Here is a pic of part of the kitchen and the view from the window before and after. That cherry blossom tree was planted in a poor location. We still have a lot of trees and high canopy cover

#i just noticed my towels moved off to one side

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purplesmmr · 7 years

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DWSA HEADCANONS PLS! i love them and have a nice day 😄

aaaa !!! thank u sm for the ask! i’m so freakin glad that people are enjoying my headcanons !! ily anon whoever you are credit for a few of these again goes to @wordofyourbodyreprise

all:

they all do secret santa every year and all of them Know to just get melitta socksshe has shakespeare socks from her bro, and got van gogh, klimt, da vinci, and munch socks from some of the others

they all speak asl at some level, some are better than others

they all do some sort of group costume for halloween every year

melchior:

he will personally fight freud

hates so called “animal rights activists” (aka peta & uninformed bigots)

melchiors actually a really careful person when it comes to eve ry thin g

he has glasses but he rarely wears them because “he doesn’t like them”wendla steals them bc they’re close enough to her prescription and she forgets her glasses at home a l o t

even when moritz or thea aren’t present, melchior has a habit of still signing things as he’s talking to someone

can someone get him to stop talking about psychology? please??

“latin is an important language” - melchior gabor

melchior gabor is the King of disappearing at parties so he doesn’t have to socializehe’s also king of losing his wallet

melchior gabor has five (5) fidget spinnershe doesn’t even like fidget spinners, he has them just to piss people offwell it roya l l y pissed moritz off when one day he had enough of melchior’s bs and threw the spinner in the middle of a busy street

wendla:

she has a liiiil bit of a temper and if she’s pushed the wrong way, she will fucking go off on someonebobby mahler was a victim of that at one pointshe made him cry and now he’s scared of her

likes to tie her hair up with colorful ribbons

she went by wendy in elementary/middle school bc it was easier for everyonesome of them still call her that occasionally bc honestly its rly cute

wendla and ernst’s passion is community theatre

can run in stilettos and it Scares melchior

has to sleep with some kind of white noise in the background otherwise she Wont

moritz:

absolutely adores aloe plants

his smile is honestly the best thing ever and lights up everyone’s day

he likes it when his gf plays with his hair

never gets tired of deaf puns

piggybacking off of my last round of headcanons with colleges and careers and stuff, mo ends up going into social workhe shows up at home after work with two deaf foster kids and convinces otto and mart to let the three of them adopt them

his lock/homescreen is a pic of him, mart, and otto

ilse:

sits for life drawing classes in college in order to make a little more money

ilse neumann is 5’ ½" of pure spite

can make even the ugliest of pantsuits look great

hav i mentioned what a lesbian she is???

she’s a tea drinker and melchior, who fuckign ru ns off of high amounts of caffeine, looks at her like she’s insane

martha convinced her to try burning incense and now she’s Obsessed

martha:

never actually sleeps in her own clothes, it’s always one of her bf’s shirts

she’s honestly Always stressed about smth

martha lived with her aunt for awhile while she was trying to sort some problems out with moritz and otto

her aunt is a psychic and can tell sooo much abt a person by just looking at themmelchior didn’t believe in it at first “she knew me and thea were twins when it was only me there!” “a lot of people have twins, it was just coincidental”. after he went over there once to talk to martha and her aunt said something to him abt him being a miracle bby, his outlook on it changed

martha is resident advice lady to thea for things involving depression/eating disorders/problems in general bc martha’s Been There

martha has a Love for lacy lingerie js,,otto does too (on martha)

hanschen:

hanschen and ernst have matching ties that thea got them for prom: ernst has a rainbow tie and hans has a bisexual flag colored tie

he and ernst are so domestic and it’s adorable

forgot to get groceries when ernst was gone for a week and he came home to a basically empty house and was like “??? wha t ha ve you eate n??”

watches victorious as a form of Depression Entertainment

he loves wicked soo much ngl

he’s straight as an arrow for eva noblezadaand carleigh bettiol

ernst:

when ernst blushes, color goes into his cheeks, ears, and neck n hanschen thinks its the cutest thing

has color coordinated binders so he stays Neat

he’s Very Particular on the arrangement of things in his and hanschen’s apartment

does drag and absolutely Kil l s I t

likes to pick flowers and put them in his unsuspecting friends’ hair

he came out to his parents after he turned 18 and got kicked out,, luckily he has an amazing boyfriend who helped him out

has seen moana more times than he cares to admit

georg:

he and otto got their first tattoos togetherin georgs basement, by his unclethey thought it would make them Cooler

he’s double jointed & a weirdo who can lick his own elbow?? (this is totally based on someone i know,, it’s s o frea k y)

tells the Best scary stories

otto:

everyone calls otto by anything and everything they can think of that sounds like his nameottoman empire, otto-bahn, river otto, otto-matic, otto shop, etc.(i l OV the headcanon of melchior occasionally calling him eddie bc of oedipus so s/o to @melchixr !!)

works like three different jobs to help out his mom and younger siblings

thea:

hates to see her siblings upset and will Fight

she owns one (1) pair of shorts

her favorite broadway show is newsies she introduced melitta to it and created a monster“jeremy jordan can STRIKE me anytime”

in love with ben tyler cook

melitta:

her black binder for scores and sides is like three inches thickit also has a taped on picture of aaron tveit for Inspiration

she’s a photographer

so is ernst

hans is the Model

her secret weapon is her ability to Riff

she n otto are both lifeguards & work together at a local community center

her closet is 50% thrift store, 25% department store, and 25% stolen clothes from her sister, brother, & boyfriend

owns a pair of lounge pants that have lobsters on them

anna:

she’s weirdly good at standardized testing

owns nothing but dresses and skirts and they’re all super cute

has a Collection of lil trinkets she finds in random antique shops and thrift stores

she’s got a lil string of fairy lights from wendla that she decks her chair out with

#asks #anon #spring awakening #spring awakening headcanons #dwsa #melchior gabor #wendla bergmann #moritz stiefel #ilse neumann #martha bessell #hanschen rilow #ernst robel #georg zirschnitz #otto lammermeier #thea rilow #melitta rilow #melitta #anna mahler #headcanons

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tanishabougourd · 5 years

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Card Stores and Companies

Nearly every store you go into will sell some sort of greeting card whether it be for birthdays or for christmas. Each store you go into will have a set of unique cards, usually you won’t find the same sort of style of card in the same store unless they are very unique.

Here is a few stores that will be most commonly know:

Paper chase

Whsmith

The card factory

Typo

pound store/land.

Here is a few websites that also sell cards:

Funky Pigeon .com

Moonpig,com

Etsy

Depending on where you go depends on the price you will pay for a card, such places can be fairly expenses jus down to the , size, paper and also fonts and colours they use and just like fashion designers and artists the brand also make it expensive. If you go to places such as Typo or paper chase you are looking good quality cards however at an inflated price just because of the cards that they design, they have a mixture of cards they do sell which can be different from the above provided, later on in the post I will show you a few examples. Generally when I go look for a card I will go into paperchase just down to the fact they design creative and humorous cards that I know all my friends enjoy. These certain cards can be priced between £3-4 depending on what you would like to buy.

Whsmith is a good supplier of batch produced cards especially for christmas, where they will hav a pack of three different cards which are helpful when you have multiple people to send cards too, but you don't want to pay out on individual cards. Although there selection of cards are good they can just be a bit plain and not exciting enough, I would see these cards being used for people who like a simple touch something not to ‘in your face’. These can be seen as being delicate and pretty. These cards can be also highly priced around the same as paper chase however they commonly price them around £2-3 to make it accessible to everyone.

Sometimes in the pound store and in the card factory you can find a good bargain on a card and not pay to high a price, however these aren’t usually the best put sometimes you can find a good card that will be meaningful to them. These are usually just priced around £1-2 depending on the size of the card.

Online card suppliers have now become a huge thing you can look to get a meaningful card and also right a meaningful message inside and then have it sent straight to their doorstep. There are so many options to choose ranging from birthday cards to congratulations. The good thing about the online sites is that you can also send a box or chocolates or flowers with them as they sue local businesses to do this, Making them very popular if people have forgot a special occasion last minute, as they get sent straight to the door of the sender you wish to send it to.

The great thing is that the cards are batch manufactured as they will only make so many of one card before it goes out of style and then they will create new and exciting cards.

Local artists are also good because they can create hand written cards however they can sometimes be more expensive depending on what they create, apps such as etsy are where people can sell their own designs on things such as bags, clothing, shoes and also cards. Depending on what you want.

Here below are a few examples of the type of cards these companies/ stores create:

These above are the type of cards paperchase would look to create, Ones that are pretty but also can be humorous at the same time. These can also be aesthetically please to the eye and this is why they are bought a lot by the general public. The one thing I have always liked about the paperchase cards is because of the fonts they use. These are aesthetically pleasing and are also eye catching. The font is bold and is all done in different fancy styles such as:

Lucida Handwriting

Papyrus

Silam

Ayuthaya

As you can see I have managed to find more cards for whsmith on the internet than paperchase, (I do apologise about the quality of some of them) but these as you can see aren’t as unique as the cards from paperchase, they use simple colours and designs, as well as sometimes adding too much into the card. When looking at these cards I do notice that sometimes the simplistic looking cards can sometimes be the best ones. As they are still including the below main feature:

The subject and image can relate.

It has a big header, in a nice elegant font.

it uses subtle colour drawing you in to the card

Lastly it has a heartfelt message in side.

As much as anyone I love going to the store and picking the perfect card for a loved one, I love looking through all the different colours and different ways they can say ‘Happy birthday’ or ‘congratulations’ and I think it is a truly magical thing to be able to do. However there are many artists out there behind creating these cards, and some make their own business by creating handmade and drawn cards for people to enjoy, Although this can only be seen as one off’s unless they use programs and apps to create the same piece over and over again creating batch designs.

Alot of these artists you can see on sites such as Ebay or Esty and sometimes can be down the nice artist shop down the road where they can feature some pieces. Here I have attached a few of my favorite cards I have seen on these sites and why I like them:

The reason I like this card is because it can be personalised, The ‘scratch to reveal your surprise’ will always stay the same however the hidden message can be different creating a different way to make cards exciting, by giving a feature that can be used, however only once. I like the idea of making the person get involved with the card, making it not so open and the close. This is something I will have to think about when making my own cards.

This cards is very simple as it has the message in white set back on a flower background. Although it is simple it has the nice little detail of using the white front of the card to cut the message out leaving the background behind it exposed. The small detail that has been added gives the card a bit more interesting image rather than it just having mum on the background, in bold black italics. In my next post I think I should look more on things I can do with the card, like having a word cut out in the card, or a pop up feature.

I think this card is very different to the cards you have previously seen above, although it is very simple it is funny and also has a badge as one of the cards features. This is a leaving card, for someone who is changing jobs or just moving away altogether. I think having the badge in a different colour against the brown background makes it seem less boring and brings something different that can be kept.

Card Companies

As you would know there are multiple card companies big and small all over the world that distribute cards every day, and a lot of stores that sell cards now usually have their own brands just due to the how big the company is such as paperchase. I have looked at a few large companies that deal in the mass manufacture of greeting cards such companies like:

Hallmark cards

American Greetings

Which are two large american companies that are huge producers in the world today. These companies have grown and become these huge companies that are world known, but may have started small such as Hallmark cards this was founded in 1910 founded by Joyce Hall an has been one of the oldest manufacturer in the united states. As big companies evolve they take on new missions and acquire new addons to the business, Hallmark even do wrapping paper, gift items and also stationary.

FACT OF THE DAY: In 1987 Hallmark took on a company called Binney and smith which is a stationary company, which everyone now know as Crayola which is one of the highest used stationary item in the world used by nearly every child on the planet, and still used by some adults also.

Hallmark cards also have multiple licenses to use certain brands in there cards, as you may have seen sometimes on a child's birthday card you may see them with a favourite child character such as a disney princess or marvel super hero character, these can make their cards more interesting and appealing to there certain ages ranges that they have for their cards. However they can only use these as long as they have a valid licence to show the on there card if not, it could be deemed as copying.

In one of next posts I will look mor ein to licences and copyrights to see why and how you can get these and why they are necessary on certain products especially if you create your own cards.

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

Now that I have looked at different types of cards and have partly touched on how some are made e.g mass, batched and one offs. I am going to look next at features such as pop up cards, badges and cutting out of cards to create a different image through the one bit of paper I use and look at fonts and different styles I could use in my final design piece and which work best with the subject I have chosen.

#GraphicDesign

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07bts-remade-blog · 7 years

Note

yellow🌟 & blue⭐have a lovely day 💌💕

🌟 yellow: 🌟🌟 if you could have any view from your bedroom window what would you choose? oh this is hard…… i think id probably wanna see the city? im always torn bc i wanna live in the city bc i hate being bored and i like the busy-ness of the city, but i also want to live near the beach in a quiet town……

🌟 what’s your favourite thing to do on a sunny day?i grew up in an area tht had a lot of places where u could go hiking near the water, so i rlly liked to go hiking and then go to a small beach after, or go kayaking (i dont think i like kayaking anymore but i used to when i was little). where i live now i usually go to this spot under a palm tree at the neighbourhood park and sit there, usually eat some snacks and chat w some friends. ideally id like to go out with my friends and walk around town and such but all my friends are in school atm

🌟 what do you consider lucky?im not sure? i kinda consider myself a lucky person…. bc im not usually roped into things i dont wanna do. if i rlly dont wanna do something or if i rlly dont like something, more often than not somehow i dont have to do it….. usually i dont even do anything i just wait and the problem fixes itself?? i guess “lucky” would be when the universe does u some favours

🌟 what made you smile today?i saw this rlly cute vid of these two brothers being reunited it was adorable :’^)

🌟 what makes you happy?lots of things! talking to my friends, seeing my friends, talking about things i like (esp harry potter), washing my face makes me feel nice, flowers make me feel nice, being clean makes me happy, sunlight makes me happy, lots of things!!

💧 blue: 💧💧what do you do when you’re sad? sometimes i put on david bowie (specifically letters to hermione and as the world falls down), i usually lay n bed… sometimes i text my friends for help but i ignore their responses bc im too exhausted to pick up my phone….. when its rlly bad i stare at my wall and ive been crying for a few minutes without even realising

💧what are some things you do when you can’t sleep?i hav sleeping issues bc of my ocd, and it can get REALLY bad, so a lot of times i text my friends for comfort. bc i live in australia atm all my american friends are awake by then so i almost always get a response (bless them💘), otherwise i put on youtube videos bc noise helps distract me until i pass out from physically tiredness

💧what was the best (non-romantic) night you’ve had?hm………. probably these few nights a few years ago i spent at my friends house, we watched ghost adventures in their room and it just felt completely comfortable….. one of the othr nights i was at the same friends house, and their parent’s were out so we went to the backyard, sat under the stars and smoked some cigarettes (we dont smoke anymore and i dont wanna do it again) but tbh tht was one of the best nights ever…. it was so peaceful and i was completely happy during one of the worst times in my childhood

💧what kind of covers do you have on your bed?i have these white and pale pink snoopy covers!!

💧who is the last person you told a secret to?hm…….. i cant rlly remember……. i dont rlly keep any secrets? i mean i guess i keep some but its not super important to me? im a very open person so i dont rlly remember

#ty for sending me colors!!#ask #about me #biasedgcds #long post

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collecting-stories · 7 years

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Explosions - Arthur Shelby

Request: Hey can you do a quick fic arthur x reader fic where some of tommys enemies know that that one building is going to explode and they kidnap the reader and put you in their and the next day arthur hears that you are stuck in there and he goes crazy looking for you and he finds you super hurt but alive and fluff????? Pleeewaaaasee

Request: Here's an idea for a fic when there was that huge explosion some of the Shelby's enemies found out ahead of time and kidnapped you and stuck you in the building and then when the Shelbys found out it was too late but Arthur finds you barely alive in the building and he saves you?? Please and thank you veryy muchh!

Explosions - Arthur Shelby

It was race day. That was all you remembered. That it was race day and Thomas Shelby, the brother of your boss, had told you to tend to the Garrison while they were off at the tracks. You agreed, unsure what would've happened if you hadn't agreed. No doubt you would have refused only to feel bad that Arthur wasn't making money on his most important day of the week and agreed to do it.

You always opened early in the morning and today was no different. You got there just as the sun rose, letting yourself into the empty bar and locking the doors behind you. On days like this, when people would be coming in to drink all day, you liked to have everything ready early.

You were behind the bar when it happened. That's what the doctor determined. Two women strolled up to the Garrison, unbeknownst to you, with bombs in their baby carriages. They parked them outside and walked away. When both bombs detonated it threw your body down the length of the bar. Hundreds of bottles blasted out from the shelves on impact. Some fell and hit you, breaking on your body and dowsing you in alcohol. A beam from the shelving trapped you on the floor but the counter saved you from being crushed to death. That's what the doctor predicted.

Campbell, who had been sitting on the Garrison for days and knew you liked to go in early, had ordered the explosion through secondary means. He didn't want to muddy his own hands but he had no problem coordinating the attack. He told his men no one was inside and left you there in the imploded bar.

It took Harry coming around at noon for anyone to do anything. He ran to the betting shop, banging on the door and calling for Polly, knowing that the boys were gone to the races for the day.

"Polly! Pol! Open up, there's been an attack on the Garrison!” He shouted through the door, banging his fist against the wood.

The door swung open, Polly looking like she had just woken up, and Harry stopped pounding in time to not hit her in the face. He was out of breath from running and shouting. Polly asked what had happened and then quickly followed that up with asking after you.

“I haven't gone to hers yet, came straight here first.” Harry replied.

“She would've been there by now Harry.” Polly grabbed her coat, throwing it around her body and hurrying out the door.

Both took off in the direction of the once beautiful Garrison, now a heap of debris in the centre of the street. People who had heard the blast had gathered around the streets to see what had happened. It was no secret that Arthur Shelby owned the Garrison now and it was clear to everyone on the street that this was not some random attack. Someone was trying to send a message to the Shelby’s.

For all the people on the street there were no police to be found. Polly approached the rubble cautiously, Harry was beside her calling your name, hopeful that no answer meant you weren't there. It was clear to both that the absence of police was purposeful. Polly couldn’t make heads or tails of the debris, she was afraid to step on it in case parts of the wood on the top gave way and she was crushed.

Finally, Polly caught sight of a police officer at the end of the block. She left Harry to go over and get his help though she had a feeling he would be unwilling. "Sir, excuse me Inspector. Can I ask what's happened?"

"I think that's pretty clear Ms. Gray." The man replied, not bothering to look at her as he spoke.

"Was anyone inside during the time of the blast?" She asked. She tried to keep her tone as polite and calm as possible while she made conversation with the Inspector.

"No ma'am, place was closed." He replied.

"How do you know. Were you here? Did someone tell you?" She questioned.

"Are you accusing me of lying?"

"Are you lying?" She was getting more frustrated every time he spoke.

Harry came up beside her, putting a hand on her shoulder. He ignored the Inspector's presence and suggested that she go with him to your flat to make sure you were there. They needed to know for sure that you were safe and they wouldn’t get anywhere arguing with a complicit police officer.

Finn, who had overheard Harry and Polly talking in the doorway that morning, went to wait for the car. He knew that the races would be ending soon and he stood at the side of the road looking out for the first sign of the car. When he saw the family car come into view he took off running toward it.

"Arthur! Arthur!" He screamed, waving his arms.

Tommy's foot hit the pedal when he saw Finn in the road. Arthur hoped out of the car, rushing to meet his youngest brother. "Finn, what is it?"

The eleven-year-old sucked in a breath, trying to calm himself after running. "There was...There was an explosion at the Garrison. The police aren't helping."

Arthur stood there, gears turning in his head trying to piece together what exactly an explosion at the Garrison meant. His thoughts led him to you and he quickly asked Finn if you were alright.

"Aunt Polly and Harry went to find her but I don’t know if they have." Finn answered.

That was all the information Arthur needed. He ran as fast as he could to the Garrison, shouting for you as he pushed through the crowd. Tommy had driven the car up to the bar, he and John getting out and joining their brother. When Polly saw them she hurried over, telling Arthur that you were missing.

"We went to her flat but she wasn’t there." Polly explained.

Arthur wasn’t even looking at her. He was too busy trying to find a way through the rubble.

When you had first come to the Garrison, the Shelby's had been less than inviting. All but Arthur, who had taken to you almost immediately. He was funny as hell but awkward when it came to flirting. He didn’t possess the same charm as his brother, he was far more unrefined. It was on a particularly difficult evening that you fell in love with him. Which was amusing to you because Arthur had been so drunk he had trouble standing.

"I'll lock up Harry, don't worry about it." You'd said, wiping down the bar after a rather crowded evening.

"Alright, do you want me to get Arthur out?" He asked, stopping at the closed door of the private room.

"What?" You looked up surprised, you were sure everyone was gone at this hour.

"Arthur Shelby, he's passed out on the booth in the private room. Came in earlier to have a few drinks and he had one too many." Harry admitted.

"I've got him, I don't mind." You thought Arthur was sweet. A little rough around the edges, but sweet.

Harry left and you locked the door behind him. You stacked the chairs and swept the floor before finally going to the private room. There was Arthur passed out just like Harry said. You sat down on the floor beside the end of the bench. Cautiously, you reached out and ran your hand through Arthur's hair.

"Arthur," you were quiet, not wanting to startle him. "Arthur, we're all closed up."

The man in question groggily opened his eyes, turning his head a little to see where he was. He tried to sit up a little and you sprung to your feet to help him when even the act of sitting made him lose his balance. "The fuck time is it?"

"Nearly three in the morning." You answered. You took a seat beside him in the booth, placing a hand on his back. "Are you alright?"

Suddenly, and without warning, Arthur began sobbing. You'd never seen the man so much as flinch so you were rather surprised when he started to cry. Not knowing what else to do you gently guided him to lay his head in your lap. He would surely forget this in the morning but for now you ran your hand through his hair and hummed an old Irish lullaby that your mother used to sing to you when you were a child.

It seemed to calm him because slowly he stopped crying and then eventually he fell back to sleep. You didn’t want to chance him waking again so you stayed there for the rest of the night. Eventually you fell asleep, hand in Arthur's hair and your head leaning against the fabric of the bench.

Arthur woke first in the morning, a searing migraine forming the moment he opened his eyes. He sat up slowly, trying to determine for a moment where he was. He looked to the side, catching you asleep, sitting up.

"Oi, wake up then," Arthur nudged you gently. All events from last night erased by the amount of alcohol he had consumed.

You opened your eyes, glancing over to Arthur who was sitting up and staring at you. It was probably the intimacy of last night but when you caught sight of his mussed hair you reached up and ran your hand through it, pushing it back. Arthur didn't move, his eyes widening a bit at the act. You had never been very outgoing.

"Sorry," you pulled your hand away from him and placed it back in your lap. "Are you feeling alright this morning? You were quite drunk."

"I'm fine." He replied.

"I should get home so I can change." You stood up from the booth.

"Let me walk you."

"Oh no, Arthur I'm sure you have plenty of important things to do. I can manage fine on my own."

"I don’t mind, I'd like to walk you home." Arthur replied.

"Alright." You smiled.

Arthur thought now, as he screamed your name and dug through the debris of the Garrison, that he would never see that smile again. You would never look across the bar at him on a crowded night and wink as if it was some secret code. He would never wake up beside you and have you spend the morning with him in bed.

"Arthur!" John called his name. "She's here."

He moved quickly through the debris toward John. Harry had joined the three brothers in searching again and he made his way over as well to assist them. Arthur could see only your arm, just barely uncovered by beams that had fallen and acted like a cave, trapping you into a small space between them and the bar. The four mean worked to move enough of the wood that they could see you clearly and when an opening was created Arthur reached in and pulled you out. You were unconscious, falling limp in his arms, and covered in abrasions from the glass that had fallen on you.

"We need to get her to a hospital." Tommy spoke up. He helped Arthur get to his feet while he was carrying you.

They took you to the Birmingham General Hospital where the doctors put you in an emergency care ward. It took a nurse an entire day to remove all the fragments of glass from your body. Tommy and John went home but Arthur stayed at your side, sleeping in the chair beside your bed and asking the nurse every time she came to your bed when he could expect you to wake up. The nurse told him not to expect too much, they were lucky you hadn't been crushed when the building fell.

It was three more days before you finally woke up, opening your eyes to see Arthur fast asleep in a chair beside you. The nurse was doing rounds at the time and came over to explain to you what had happened as you looked around the hospital floor confused.

"They brought you in some five days ago." She stated, "was a horrible thing, that building falling on you."

You nodded, to tired still to speak. You could only open your eyes. Very slowly, you reached your hand out for Arthur, he was sat back just enough that you couldn't touch him. For a couple minutes you just laid there watching him sleep, knowing you would have to call his name for him to hear you.

"Arthur." Your voice was hoarse but you tried again anyway, "Arthur."

Arthur nearly jumped from his chair when he realised that your voice wasn’t just a figment of his imagination. He leaned forward and grasped your hand in his, holding on tight. With his other hand he reached up and touched your cheek. He wanted to cry. You were still incredibly tired, your whole body physically exhausted by the ordeal, and your eyes felt heavy.

"Hi darling," Arthur said. He stood and leaned over you, kissing your forehead. "Fucking scared the shit out of me, thought I'd lost you."

"Nobody came in the pub, I had the doors locked and-"

"Hey, hey, it's not important. All that matters is you're here." Arthur replied. He'd been so scared that you were gone for good. "I shouldn’t of gone with Tommy to the races. I should've stayed home with you."

"Nonsense, then we'd both be laying in the hospital."

"You know I'd take your place any day."

"I'll be okay Arthur, you should get back to Tommy." You reasoned. The more you spoke the less hoarse your voice became.

"Now you're the one talking nonsense. I'll leave when I can take you home with me." Arthur replied.

"Do you think they'd mind if you laid with me for a little while?" You asked. He felt so far away from you sitting there with his arm outstretched to hold your hand.

"I don't give a fuck if they mind or not. You want me to lay with you than I will."

Arthur helped you move over a little and climbed into the bed beside you, holding you close to him and being cautious not to hurt you. He kissed your forehead. You couldn't see him but you could tell that he was crying. You pretended you didn’t notice because you knew it would embarrass him, he still didn’t know that he'd cried that night you fell asleep with him in the Garrison.

"I love you Arthur."

tagged: @weirdnewbie @crowleyismybabycakes @ducks-are-kwl @photograiphy-00 @clairyfaiiry @ifoundmyhappythought @thinemineours @baygabb

#arthur shelby imagine #peaky blinders imagine #collecting stories imagine

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ascensionstories-blog · 7 years

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Zap #2: School Days

Wow, she’s beautiful, Collin thought as eyes caught on Sammy Dunne. She had long, brown hair and bright blue eyes, and his heart started thumping loudly against his chest as she sat next to him in Physics. Say hi, you dolt, you can do it — just one word, “Hi!” He said, a bit too loudly, and she turned a raised eyebrow to him. She was wearing the school uniform, an orange sweater over a blue button-down and a skirt, and he the same, with the addition of pants in place of a skirt. He wondered if she could hear his heart beating too. “I’m Collin,” Collin offered. He had had a few classes with Sammy before this semester, but he could never be sure if she remembered him. Easily forgettable, Collin thought to himself, at least it’s endearing.

“Sammy,” she replied, turning back to her desk. Her hair had fallen along the side of her face and she moved her hand to brush it back. And there it is, Collin decided, the last time I’ll ever talk to Sammy Dunne. He knew it as an absolute certainty: when girls told you their names then looked away, that was it. He began tapping his pen on his desk. His eyes wandered over to Sammy, who was staring disinterestedly at the board. His pen tapped louder. She didn’t look. He sighed and looked at the board in front of him; the teacher — a dull man, balding with glasses — spoke in a monotone voice as he motioned with chalk to the board. Collin’s eyes began to wander back to Sammy once again. Her cheek was in her cupped hand, and her eyes had slowly drifted shut. Immaculate, Collin thought.

Whether by association or chance, his mind began to wander towards Starlight, the hero who had impeded him less than a week before. The heroine had worn glasses to cover her large blue eyes, and styled herself with a different haircut, but he realized then that it was, definitively, the same girl. A small spark began to awkwardly dance around his hand, which he had to force under the desk to not be noticed. Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, he thought quickly as the electricity continued to surge, what do I do? Oh my god, of course, my luck, the prettiest girl in the goddamn world is on the other freaking side of the heroic spectrum. Maybe, MAYBE, he reasoned with himself, she’ll see the truth behind it all one day, and then she’ll join me and we can work in tandem. And then we’ll fall in love and get married. Oh, that would be delightful. Of course, that would require her talking to me, which, of course, she’ll never do.

Just then, Sammy’s phone began to shriek out into the classroom. The entire class turned to look at her, except for Collin who already had been looking at her. She jumped awake, and reached for her phone, checking the message. Her hand shot into the air. “I’m sorry, Mister McKay, I need to be excused,” as Mr. McKay looked at her inquisitively, she explained, “superhero business.” She did not wait for a response, but grabbed her bag and ran out the door, Collin’s eyes following her out. I wish villains got to do that, Collin lamented to himself. I wonder what’s going on that would immediately necessitate her, he then thought. She’s fairly new, and it’s not like the hero gang around Northridge is unpopulated. I mean, sure, we’r no New Monmouth City, but to resort to pulling a newbie out of class? The bell rang after a short time, as it always does, and he grabbed his pack and began to head home.

His walk home was not particularly long. It was a short walk down Booker Street, past the Bakery that always smelled like fresh icing, across the Pons Footbridge, and then just down Laker Avenue. The trip usually took around twenty minutes, so as he walked he would sketch some designs for costumes or robot ideas. Super-villainy, he knew, was not something that could be achieved simply by having super powers. His brother always told him that an unprepared villain is the worst thing that can happen to the world. So Collin was always preparing, whether it was his speeches or designs or practicing with his powers. As he crossed the footbridge he remembered how proud Matt had looked at him after he accidentally blew up the toaster with his powers. “Now you know not to do that again,” he had said, and Collin had blushed and cried. But he had never blown up the toaster after that day.

It was immediately as he turned onto Laker Avenue that he recognized something was wrong. His hands reached into his bag to grab his mask — at the very least — but, upon understanding the situation more wholly, he dropped his bag. New potholes had formed in the street from where Starlight’s energy blasts had missed their target, and other scuffs and breaks along the pavement looked to have been made from various collisions and smacks against the pavement. He looked further down the road and he saw that there were people actively engaged in a fight. Running down to get a closer look he saw Matt, wearing his trademark navy overcoat and mask, fighting with the superheroes of Northridge. There was the Black-Hammer, the super-strong, super-dumb superhero, who donned an all-black spandex costume covering himself from head to toe, with small eye and mouth holes cut out. His arms and legs were plated with steel to give him an extra oomph (as he liked to say, anyway). Next to him was Insecticide, an older female hero who dressed in a green sweatsuit with small bug-like wings attached to her back that let her fly. She could also control flies — or something — as far as Collin knew. Fighting alongside both of them was the young, beautiful Starlight, and, seeing her in action was both dazzling and hilarious. Although her powers seemed strong and she was undoubtedly the prettiest person he’d ever seen, it was quite obviously her first week. Her attacks missed widely, causing incredible property damage, and she struggled to coordinate with Black-Hammer and Insecticide, who had been working on their teamwork for years now. Then again, so had Matt.

Matt was not like the other villains of Northridge, and, as far as Collin was concerned, he was the only super villain in the area. Black-Hammer charged at him, throwing his fist at Matt’s face; Matt refused to dodge it, letting the super-powered man’s punch connect. As it made contact, the force behind the punch fell away, leaving the two men standing there, staring eye to eye. Matt raised his hand and flicked the hammer’s chin; the hammer soared through the air, forming another pothole in the ground of Laker Avenue. Ha, idiot, Collin thought. Matt was better known by his villain alter-ego: Momentum, based on his ability to absorb and reassign the momentum of things that touch him. Black-Hammer moaned in his pothole. He was out of commission.

Insecticide tried next, with Starlight providing backup, but as she charged in, an energy beam from the beautiful young heroine collided with her backside, forcing her collapse at the feet of the super villain. Momentum then turned his eyes to Starlight, who, Collin was sure, began shaking in her boots. Go, Matt, go! He silently cheered for his brother, while holding some contradicting feelings in seeing the future love of his life about to get pummeled. As she began to back away, Collin noticed the sky getting markedly darker. A slight rain began to patter against the ground, juxtaposed with the brightness of the random energy beams that Starlight shot to deter Matt’s pursuit. Of course these blind shots did not work, but, as Momentum moved to grab the girl, a bolt of lightning cut across his path, searing his hand.

Collin looked down at his own hands. Am I doing this? He wondered. No, my subconscious can’t be that in love with this girl, he decided. The winds began to pick up with the rain, turning a sunny day into a storm in under a minute. Thunder boomed in the sky, as more streaks of lighting shot down around the couple fighting. Collin stared in amazement, wondering what divine force could possibly be doing this, when a final burst of lightning collided with the ground, and, in the smoke it left, stood a girl. She was around his age, as far as he could tell from the distance he was at, wearing a white, button-up T-shirt with what looked like some small black insignia across the chest, and a black and white skirt. She wore boots that were once white, but now had faded into a murky color through overuse. The girl in the lightning wore no mask, revealing large brown eyes, and a small-but-cute face, which matched her stature as she stood just above five feet tall. She wore a small bow in her hair that was half-white, half-black.

By the time he was done noticing her, he hadn’t had time to notice that Matt was hovering in the air, seemingly being carried by the winds. He struggled against it, but there was nothing he could absorb. He was trapped. The small girl laughed a tiny laugh as she brought her hand down with the thunderclap, and a bolt of lightning collided against his brother. All Collin remembered next was the screaming. His brother’s skin looked chard as it began to sizzle and smoke. Collin covered his face in horror as he saw his brother struggle to look down at the girl, as he was still being carried by the winds. “Who are you?” He managed in a soft, broken whisper.

The girl responded in a confident voice that was a little higher than Collin would have thought. She looked Momentum in the eyes and said, “I am the Menace.” She hoisted him up, higher into the winds. “And you are going the Chamber.” With that the two of them were gone, leaving two collapsed heroes and a star-struck Starlight on his street. The young heroine turned to him.

“Did you see that?” Starlight — Sammy — asked.

“Y-yeah,” Collin said, feeling an incredible mix of emotions while trying not to break in front of a super hero. “Yeah I did.”

“I can’t believe we got to see her in action,” Starlight said. “Wait, I know you from class,” she realized. “Cameron, right?”

Collin stormed into his house, quite literally sparking in anger and self-hate. I should have done something, he scolded himself, letting loose large quantities of discharge throughout his house, I should have stopped her! He kicked a cabinet in his kitchen and heard a large crash from inside. Goddamn it! He stopped trying to restrain himself and his powers ran rampant throughout the kitchen, shutting of the fridge and leaving scorch marks throughout the property. I’m a freaking moron, he reminded himself, getting distracted over pretty girls doing hero things; I’m not a hero, I won’t be a hero, and I won’t be with her.

That was when he realized: of all the plans he had, he had never once envisioned a situation where Matt would not be here with him. His electric rampage stopped immediately. He was alone in the house. His eyes surveyed the damage he did, the broken lamps, the scorched furniture, and the destroyed Tupperware. He almost screamed, until his eyes drew upon the toaster in the corner of the kitchen. It had been left untouched. He took his pen and notepad and began to write.

#menace #zap #chapter #chapter 2 #short story #super hero #cute #funny #fiction #writers #school #read #reading

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cwnerd12 · 7 years

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posty thing, ignore this

Al House Never Gives Up Hope: The Incorrigible Life of A Florida Super-Bandit

By: Halley Reed, additional research by Samantha Bulgerin

On March 29th, 1924, the weekly payroll of the Hav-A-Tampa cigar factory arrived via armored truck, as usual. The money was placed on office manager T.W. McElvery’s desk to be counted. Just a few minutes afterwards, three men approached bookkeeper Ramon Martinez and spoke to him. Not speaking English very well, Martinez assumed they were tourists looking for a tour of the factory. Martinez lead them to the business office. When he opened the door, two of the men rushed past him and pulled out revolvers. The third clubbed Martinez over the head and guarded the door. One of the bandits kept a gun on the captives and told them to face a wall with their hands up. The other bandit filled a sack with the payroll money. Quickly and quietly, the three bandits made their way out of the building and into a car where two more men waited for them. They made off with over $24,000 dollars.

In 1924, Tampa was quite used to crime. In the 1910s, its reputation had earned it the nickname of “the wickedest city in the south,” but by the 20s, it had been upgraded to “the damnedest city this side of hell.” The population of Tampa was exploding due to a massive state-wide real estate boom, aided by the steady wealth of the cigar, railroad, and shipping industries. The so-called “underworld” of Tampa had long been ruled by Charlie Wall,

the heir of two of Tampa’s wealthiest and most influential families who spurned respectable society and took up a life of gambling and crime. Using his wealth, criminal network, and family connections, he rigged elections and got his cousins and supporters elected to just about every important political office in Tampa. The police answered to him, and he used the police to put all his rivals out of business. While Wall’s initial wealth came from gambling, specifically, a lottery-like game called bolita, prohibition brought in a new opportunity for criminals to make money. With its large port and direct shipping connections to Cuba, Mexico, and the Caribbean, Tampa was one of the nation’s largest bootlegging hubs. Property crime surged to an all-time high. No bank or safe was safe. Even the criminals weren’t safe, as two of Tampa’s most notorious Sicilian mobsters, Santo Trafficante, Sr., and Ignazio Antinori, both reported their cars stolen.

The Hav-a-Tampa robbery, pulled off so quickly and smoothly, was sensational, even for Tampa. It made headlines in newspapers across the country. Tampa Chief of Detectives Pearson told the Tampa Tribune, “At any rate, the job was done by the cleverest bunch of bandits operating in this territory. They made a clean job of it, and left none of the tell-tale marks usually found after an amateur robbery. They were professionals, well-informed concerning the location of the office, the money, and the chances for interruption… It must have taken weeks and possibly months to have mapped out their program, for it worked with clock-like precision.”

The police were left with hardly any information about who the bandits might be, only sketchy eye-witness descriptions. Still, detectives searched through criminal records in hopes of finding someone who fit the description, and seven days later, a private detective named Fred Thomas identified one of the men as Albert Ross House, who was wanted in Indiana in connection to the robbery of the paymaster of the Carpenter Construction Company.

The second bandit was initially identified as Michael Murphy, another Indiana criminal and an associate of House’s, but who was serving jail time in Chicago during the time of the robbery. Two men who lived at House’s last known address identified the second bandit as “Big Paul” Huhn, also from Indiana, and the third bandit as “Jew Al” Weeden, a criminal with so many aliases that his real name is impossible to ascertain.

“Big Paul” was arrested at Terre Haute, Indiana, on April 13th. Standing at 6 ft., one inch, and weighing 220 pounds, he was well-known to Indiana police and an easy find. Exactly one month later, he was given the maximum sentence allowed by law: twenty years at Raiford State Penitentiary. With Huhn in jail, the search continued, but went quiet. In August, a grand jury investigating the robbery recommended a new trial be held for Huhn. The request was granted, and in March, Huhn was released from prison on bond.

The police, however, weren’t convinced that Huhn was innocent. When he was released, they followed him to a home on Central Avenue. The next day, on March 17th, police raided the home and arrested not only Huhn, but Al House and two of their fellow gang members Lester Gildra and John Kennis, as well as a woman claiming to be House’s wife. Along with the bandits, police found an enormous cache of weapons, burglary tools, and safe-cracking equipment. Charlie Wall’s phone number was written by the telephone. The woman turned out to be Teresa “Dixie” Cohn, the wife of notorious wire-tapper Mack “The Count” Span.

House confessed that he was in Tampa at the time of the robbery and staying with “Jew Al.” He claimed to have been “double crossed” by one of the “higher ups” in Tampa. He claimed that Weeden had fallen for the higher up’s woman, and that they had left together on the night of the robbery, and that in jealousy, the higher up made Huhn the “goat” of the robbery. Later, it would be reported that in the weeks before the robbery Huhn had been seen with Mollie McCann, and ex-girlfriend of Charlie Wall’s, with whom he was accused of participating in the robbery of a grocery warehouse in Birmingham, Alabama. As far as any further details, House refused to say. “I’ve never ‘squawked’ on another man yet,” he told the Tampa Tribune, “And I don’t expect to this time if there is any other way out of it.” During all this, House never spoke with an attorney, claiming, “I don’t need one.”

On the morning of March 23rd, the guards of the Hillsborough County Jail awoke to find that House had escaped. Using ten-inch hacksaws, he sawed through the iron bars of his cell window, climbed down the wall below, and then used a ladder to climb the outer wall.

Several weeks later, a letter was received by the Tampa Tribune bearing House’s signature and fingerprints. In it, he asserted the innocence of Teresa and Big Paul. He went on to explain that he’d been brought to Tampa by “Two men, one a gambler and fixer, the other, a man who opened an office in Tampa about a year ago on Franklin St. I will not give their names because I would give up my life before I would snitch on anyone.” House confessed to having “pulled” the Hav-a-Tampa job, and that $4,000 of the $24,000 had been given to the fixer. He insisted that Big Paul had been framed, and said that they’d known each other in Terre Haute for the past five years.

At one point in the letter, House writes, “I wish to say that I am not the worst criminal at heart, as I turned down jobs for which I would have received good money during my winters in Florida.” He says he was offered $8,000 in total to “bump off” local bandit “Australian Jim” Lucas, State’s Attorney R.E.L. Chancey, and former police constable turned bootlegger Norris McFall.

Lucas, allegedly, “Had pulled off too many jobs for him, knew too much, and was talking.” Unbeknownst to House, Lucas had actually been missing for several months, and was believed to have been “planted” at the bottom of Tampa Bay.

R.E.L. Chancey was to be eliminated “on account of some wire-tapping trouble in the past and to keep him from molesting his business in the next four years.” Chancey was the first politician in Tampa to openly challenge Charlie Wall and his political machine since Wall had come to power. In 1931, he would run for mayor, unseating Wall’s cousin, D.B. McKay, who had reigned as mayor with only four years of interruption (during which one of Charlie’s other cousins served as mayor) since 1910. Chancey would use his power as mayor to significantly diminish Wall’s influence and wealth, and, along with the ascendence of the Sicilian-American mafia, would be one of the major forces that pushed Wall into retirement in 1938.

Norris McFall, who had recently left the Tampa police force and opened his own high-end speakeasy and gambling joint, “Was getting too damned smart and that they were always crossed in politics, and Mr. McFall knew the game too well and was getting too strong. He also mentioned that Mr. McFall had run a bunch of his confidence men out of town about four years ago and that he hated his insides.” In 1928, McFall would be shot in his own back yard as he put his car in his garage for the night. He died nine days later, after informing the police that as the gunman ran away, he yelled, “That’s what you get for fooling up with Charlie Wall!”

House ended his letter by complaining that he wished he had never come to Tampa and that it had left him “broke but free, so that I can thank God for small favors.” He signed his letter, “Respectfully yours, Al House, Yegg and Bandit.”

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survivor-iceland · 4 years

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Ep. 4 - “I’m feeling comfortable which is scary. Because comfortable people go home.” - Joseph

Raffy

I am glad that I survived tribal. Now I just have to win this challenge for the tribe! I don't want any of my allies to go home!

Raffy

My strategy for this challenge is not to be the guesser since that only puts a target on my back if we lose. So, Joseph volunteering himself is good for my game overall. Honestly, though, I really want to win this challenge so that the stakes are even when we get down to merge. No side has more people than the other. Also, taking the path of the bear lets me know that Cormac only made that alliance for that idol path. So there is no real bond in the alliance with Joseph, Ellie, Sierra, and him. Though, I do plan on using it against him later on if we happen to be on opposite sides.

Sierra

I lost my vote for the next tribal... so I’m a bit nervous about losing. But I almost want to lose this next immunity challenge so that I’ll still have the numbers on my side. If I don’t vote at a tribal and we still have the majority, I’m less likely to go home. Later in the game, my vote will mean more. I also don’t want to throw a challenge, though, so we’ll just have to see how it goes!

Joseph Collins

I think I established some trust between the still-alive Dylan and I. Me and Justin are starting to clock. Me and Elle have a strong alliance. I’m feeling comfortable which is scary. Because comfortable people go home.

Raffy

You ever just want to organize a challenge so that your tribe can succeed, but none of them want to put in the work? I'm screaming and very frustrated.

John

so the trio is coming together, being me, cormac and zoe. we want sierra and stephen gone. stephen first, sierra second. they both have the potential to be devastating to our games come the merge. i last talked about this with them like 14 hours ago, but i’m assuming everything is the same. blindsides are becoming a necessity. and wowowowowow they are fun.

Raffy

I think we did really well on this challenge! I think we can win unless they have some sort of god taboo player on their side

Keith John

Its been a dull few days. Since we won immunity and the next challenge had ample time to be completed.

Another challenge that I couldnt compete in thanks to the time difference. Abit annoyed. As things can go in so many directions.

1. Tribe might not be happy about my challenge contribution.

2. The rapport built during challenges between other players will make things harder for me.

Although since im travelling soon. Il be on est soon. But I am not sure if I should let people know. As I dont know what could trigger them. Example. They might think. Il be able to play more socially and can easily be ready for future challenges like individual immunity. Hence I think for now. I should keep this info to myself and let my tribe underestimate me. Knowing that the time difference will hurt me enough to make me a so called GOAT that at the final tribal I might not have a case as I have not done enough. For now I have no choice. Hopefully i can make a few moves later.

Timmy

I’m trying to remember when the last time I confessed was so I apologize if this is a repeat. But I got what I wanted last tribal. At first people wanted Justin out rather than Dylan R and that wouldn’t have been good for me. It wasn’t difficult to get people to switch since all that had to be done was Justin say like 2 words to people to prove he’s more active than Dylan R so that was good. I hope we win the challenge, our score was good, but there’s could be better you never know until results. My fear is that Justin will go if we end up back at tribal and I’m not here for that.

Ellie

Because of debate I wasn’t on for the challenge and I feel like shit!! I hope we won or else I’ll provably be the vote out

Sierra

Well, we lost immunity again... and this time, I don't have a vote. That means that I have to work super hard to make sure that we're all on the same page and that votes go on one person. I tried my best during the challenge, and it was super close... so even though I was in the 'hero' position, I feel like I wasn't the reason that we lost the challenge. A few of the people giving clues during the Taboo game used 'illegal words' and cost us a few points. I think we would've been tied if that didn't happen. Still, anyone could go home at this point, and all I can do is hope and pray that it isn't me. Especially since I don't have a vote!

Zoe

okay well fuck, we lost the challenge.

I was pretty confident we were going to win but I was wrong. I'm not too worried, if only because I'm pretty sure Cormac wanted us to throw the challenge anyway, and this way we can get rid of someone we don't trust, whether it be Stephen or Sierra. This way is probably better anyway, because we can say we did our best and nobody will be upset about it.

John, Cormac, and I are aligned now in a group called "The Blindsiders" and we're trying to decide whether or not we want to convince Sierra that Stephen is after them, stirring up some drama and making them seem paranoid so that everyone will vote them out. I'm not sure if we'll go through with it, but we'll see. Cormac hasn't been super active lately, but I'm hoping he comes through soon. He is my partner in crime, after all.

Maynor

Damn. That immunity was so close. 36-32. Adding the ones me stephen n zoe got subtracted. Adds like 3 so like was 36-35 which like really sucks. But hopefully ill be okay for tribal.

Raffy

I am so glad that Joseph was able to pull through with this challenge. This means I get a day where I can just socialize and chat without having to strategize. However, some of these people are hard to hold conversations with like Timmy. I feel like I am bothering him all the time too, so I have to be mindful of that. My social game does need a bit of work, but I know I can make it better. Other than that, if merge does happen now, we are going in with an even split of members from both tribes. So, it should be fine all things considered. I'm certain that someone has found the idol by now, but I do not care much about the idol hunt to worry about it. Hopefully, the person who does is on my side in the end.

Dylan C

https://youtu.be/fKN_ePEVYKc

Joseph Collins

Comfy week off of tribal 😎 I made a small decision that I think made a big impact. I chose to take clues via chat instead of call. It cut down on people trying to speak over each other. And I think that helped us win.

Stephen

So the games going eh. We’re going to tribal, which sucks, but on the other hand i feel like ive made some genuine connections. I made an alliance chat with zoe sierra maynor and john. I could take or leave john, he is nice but idk how much i trust him. The rest im putting all my game hopes on so, yeah, fingers crossed.

John

it’s not a secret, i’m going through a lot right now. i lost a coworker and my cat literally within days of each other, and i’m currently spinning thinking about the game because of everything going on personally. i already wanted stephen out, but to see that i’m number 5 in his eyes, that means he gotta go now. i ain’t coming here to be the fifth place throwaway. i do like chatting with him though, he is a nice guy. but i’m not fully in his plans moving forward. Keith JohnWell its tribal today. I had a feeling my name could come up due to being on a different timezone and having less interactions with people. I felt the same reason would be valid to target to stephen. And now I guess, Stephen himself felt that it could be used against him. So he is targeting me. I have no idea if he has any other reason

Now regarding, keep my ass safe for this tribal, I hav to keep faith with the people I made an alliance. Zoe has got my back. she also confirmed that Its I had an alliance with her n Cormac day one. I always planned to take it to final three and now I pray that they know Im honest in that promise Cormac has been busy and it looks unlikely il get to talk to him before tribal. John and sierra have said that they would do Stephen. Not Sure if Sierra is completely on board. Maynor has replied to me.

Im gona vote Stephen and pray no one gets an itch to make a move and vote my ass off.

Zoe

John and I have been getting closer just in general in Cormac's absence. Miss him, but I like John. Keith now trusts me implicitly, which is great. Three people on my side is better than one.

John and I have orchestrated the Stephen vote by making Sierra think it was her idea all along. Stephen came to me, Sierra, and Maynor yesterday asking to make an alliance (four votes into the game? come on) and in "oh, worm?" Sierra suggested we add John, which Stephen agreed to. He believes now that we are all voting for Keith, but everyone, even Maynor I think, will be voting for Stephen as far as I'm aware. After this, I'm pretty sure there will be a swap. I'm preparing now to talk to my new teammates, reignite old conversations, and maintain old relationships. Let's go.

John

i’m gonna flat out just say it. i 👏🏼 do 👏🏼 not 👏🏼 trust 👏🏼 sierra 👏🏼. i think they’re open to literally any idea of an alliance, and if it wasn’t for me and zoe reigning her in, they’d be voting keith off tonight. they have to go after this vote. nice person, helpful in challenges, but they’d be a quick flipper.

Sierra

Stephen approached Zoe and I to talk about building an alliance with Maynor. Of course I agreed -- you're always supposed to say yes to an alliance, even if you don't plan on going through with it. I asked if Stephen would be comfortable adding John. He said that he was, so we added John to the alliance and conversations, too. The danger of Stephen wanting to form an alliance so late in the game is that the rest of us already have an alliance. Actually, most of us already have MULTIPLE alliances. Stephen hadn't approached us until recently. That makes me worry that he wasn't thinking about alliances or building bonds until later in the game, or that he doesn't actually want bonds with us and that he's waiting for a swap so that he can jump ship. My alliance is planning to vote Stephen out for those reasons... and honestly... I can't say I disagree.

Justin

This round I just tried to lay low and build my connections up cuz of my name being brought up last tribal. Luckily, my tribe won immunity so I don’t need to worry about being voted out. Now that I know I was being talked about, I think I’m gonna have to readjust my game-plan. I’m think I should align myself with Joseph, Timmy, and Dylan because Joseph and Timmy told me my name was being brought up and Dylan and I trust Dylan more than Ellie and Raffy. I think I it’s in my best interest if Raffy goes before she does because I’m pretty sure he’s talking to the most people. His possible connections scares me and I need to get him out soon because that’s the position I want in the game. On another note, Keith is stressed that he’s probably gonna be the one voted out this round. It would suck if he does cuz I really feel like I could work with him in the future, but it might not happen. That’s why, I’m talking to more people on the other side. Cormac hasn’t responded to me since yesterday so I don’t know what’s up with him cuz I really want to work with him too. John is just having a rough time. First he talks about his coworker dying and then his cat died too and that’s just terrible to hear. I’m assuming a swap is coming after this round and I just hope I get good numbers with the people I mentioned I would like to work with.

Maynor

Im in another alliance. Omg. Its me sierra stephen and zoe. The people who worked on the challenge and also john. This was made by Stephen and its cute. That leaves out Keith and Cormac. Zoe helped kept the target off Cormac and onto Keith which is good because Cormac is part of our other alliance that doesnt include Stephen or Keith. It is good and ultimately i will be siding with Zoe because I feel like i can trust her. Still no movement with idol search and honestly its just been my back for not doing it.

Stephen

I feel like I’m going home, people are super quiet and apparently my names already been brought up :/ Ah well, been a while since my last early boot, still. Who knows wattle happen. Just a little australian humour.

Joseph Collins

I’m wondering who’s on the outs of Melrakki. I think Keith or maynor go home tonight.

Maynor

Well looks like zoe sierra and john want Stephen out. Which i also feel like he is a threat in the game. It should be 5 on Stephen now with votes on keith and maybe a self vote for cormac. Im just hoping its true and not a plan to have me throw my vote and blindside me. If it is then i give them props because i didnt see it coming. Lets hope for Stephen going. But im so sad to do this tho.

Ellie

Life sucks, I’m glad that I have these people to connect with. I haven’t really been talking strategy much

0 notes

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"most affordable off market health insurance

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So here's the deal -- I am getting a new car soon and my mom wants me to get my own insurance so her bill doesn't go up (she normally pays $70/month, but once I was added to her policy the bill went up $85 -- and that was with just ONE car). And now that I am getting my own car, my mom knows that the insurance is going to sky rocket and that is why she wants me to have my own insurance. However -- according to all these insurance companies, my mom and I HAVE to add each other as drivers onto our policies since we live in the same household. My problem is this -- why is it that when I am getting a quote online and I add my mom as a driver (but have her EXCLUDED from the policy), the price is $1183 every 6 months, yet when I DON'T include her as a driver at all, the price drops down to $854? Do I HAVE to add my mom onto my car insurance even though she has her own policy with a different company and won't be driving my car -- ever? Seriously, the only time she will be in my car is when I am driving, and god forbid I do get into an accident, this insurance company covers myself and any relative that resides in the household. So would I REALLY have to add my mom onto my car insurance even though she won't be driving my car? I don't want to pay $400 more for someone who will never drive my car...""

Whats the cheapest bike insurance for a 1st time biker - 21 yrs - 125cc only CBT done?

Any gd experience to pass on? (Honda CG125)

What is the least expensive car insurance money can buy?

So i REALLY need a car, but i CANNOT afford insurance. Honestly, if it was legal to not have insurance on a car, i would do that. So the only reason i'm getting insurance is so that i'm legal on the road. I don't care if the insurance covers only the tires of the car, what is the least expensive company and quote i can get?""

""Where can l find low cost Dental care in Orange County,CA?""

I would like to find low cost dental care in O.C,but the one l find on the net is called Medical Discounts International,Inc, l don't believe it's a government program and l have my reservations. Is government programs better than private ones? Any agencies that are reliable and good? Thanks.""

Geico homeowners insurance experience?

I have been getting quotes for a new home I am in the process of purchasing. I checked Geico homeowners insurance whiich works through ASI insurance. They quoted me a very low rate. 50% then the lowest of the other companies for the same coverage. Is there something I am missing here? Does anyone have any experience with this insurance?

Just started boxing.. health insurance?

I am 21 and just started boxing again.. I know the basics and i can take a punch... but i am a little nervous about getting my nose or jaw broken.. even with headgear on... what is ...show more

If you decided to stop paying for car insurance does the company have the right to charge you for?

the last month you had it even though it was 10 days before it was due that I canceled it?

What is a good first car that would have low insurance rates?

What does depreciation cost mean when it comes to home insurance?

filed a claim to replace my floors.getting a check in 5-7 business days.it says i have 180 days to replace the floors,to cover depriciation cost.what does that mean exactly?""

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Negative impacts on making all drivers have insurance?

also what are some positive impacts of making all drivers have insurance how would it help stop boy racers?

For a learners rivers permit in california do you need liability insurance?

If so how much would the cheapest I can get it on average?

Is Progressive a good insurance company?

My mom seems to think it's not based on what she heard almost 10 years ago. We currently have Allstate which is costing us $265/mo whereas Progressive could cost us $171/mo. IDK why she won't even try it

Health Insurance for Newborn Baby?

I get health insurance through my job but I think I can get a better quote than what they offer if I go about it independently. What suggestions do you all have in terms of a good health insurance coverage? Is it best to have a higher deductible and lower premium or vice versa for a newborn? I want what will be the best for him but the most affordable for us. Thanks! :)

What are insurance premiums?

I received a letter in the mail saying they will pay me back my insurance premiums.. Is it cash or what? I have no idea what they are...

Is Car Insurance quotes race-specific?

Where I live the 'minority races' and immigrants I asked how much car insurance they are paying because mine seemed steep were paying very little compared to me for the equivalent car - even though theyre new drivers. I have a clean licence since 1987. Are they less likely to have accidents? I dont believe this some of them only their God is keeping them from having accident. Or is to charge them too much being racist so we have to pay more insurance for them?

Car insurance for the clueless 19 year old :/?

I'm nervous about getting car insurance but I honestly need to get my foot in the door. Now give it to me straight guys, how high can it go if I'm nineteen years old, male, never been in an accident, had my licence since may, plan on getting a 90s car or EARLY 2000, and only plan to use it for really just going to work and such. :/ I feel like its going to skyrocket...just because I have a penis. Man when they told me that I thought about being arrested for being black on a friday afternoon on a wednsday :/ So how low can car insurance get?""

How much will my car insurance go up by?

I have a mazda mx5 and it has been scratched all over very deep. I have asked my insurance to claim it and will have to pay my excess, which is fine. I have been told that my insurance will go up a little bit when it is renewed in aug but they say the cant figure out how much it is now to tell me. I am wanting to know just in case they really put it up and its not worth claiminmg through them. Has anyone done this and what amount do you think i am looking at to go up a month. Thanks""

150cc Scooter Insurance in California...?

I bought a 150cc scooter for $950 brand new in California. Do I need to get it insured. I am only going to use it for 6 months till I got to school. I live abroad. I am not worried about the scooter getting damaged, I need only 3rd party insurance in case I knock someone and they decide to sue me or whatever... What are your suggestion, and the cost to register one and the cost for insurance. Im 20 years old btw. Thanks alot if you can help me out!! Thanks...""

Insurance in Queens?

I live in Queens, New York (I'm 27). I have a Toyota Camry 1997. I only have liability insurance but for some reason I pay ridiculous insurance - I pay around $330 a month (have ...show more""

How can I get cheaper car insurance?

Im 17 and just got my full uk driving licence and got a car it's a Subaru 2.0r sport but insurance is 7-8k for my own policy but 3500 if I am a second driver but is that Ilegal

""Whats a night's stay in a hospital cost, on average, without insurance?""

I need to know approximate, or just the price of a hospital anywhere.""

How much does car insurance cost?

Im turning 18 in November and I feel like it is time for me to buy my first car. Im really interested in buying a 1998-2000 Jeep Wrangler or Jeep Cherokee. These cars are typically on the cheaper side (They usually dont exceed $4000). What I really want to know is how much will insurance cost for a teen with that kind of car. Please correct me if Im wrong but wont insurance for a car like a jeep be less than that of a car like a mustang? Anyways, I dont really have a well-paying job (minimum wage) and I dont want to ask my parents to pay for it because I feel like this is my responsibility. Can anyone give me an average price for what you paid for your car insurance when you were a teenage driver? Thanks a lot for the help!""

Does anyone know any reason why my employer does not want to set up a cafetiria plan for my health insurance?

payments. There are just 2 employees. Does it cost anything for the employee to set it up? Is there additional filing required with the irs? My employer does his own payroll using ...show more

Which of these cars are cheap on insurance and also reliable?

1995 Audi A6, 1992 Nissan 240sx, 1995 Acura integra(2 door), 1992 Nissan 300zx, 1996 Bmw 318i, 2001 Lexus IS300, or 1992 Mustang? I'm looking at these kind of cars and was wondering which of these will have a cheap insurance and also a reliable car. Thanks for info.""

How much is motorcylce insurance?

Does the price vary from different insurance companies, and if so would it be cheaper then car insurance?""

Help understanding auto insurance settlement and if I need to seek legal help?

My 17 year old son was driving his 2003 Ford Explorer, when he was hit by another vehicle. My son was approaching a stop light and traveling between 3-5 mph....The vehicle that struck him was a company work vehicle. The work truck was pulling out of a parking lot when he hit my son. His estimated speed was also 3-5 mph. There were no injuries at all, and there was no medical treatment sought. This all happened on April 10th 2011. It was found that driver of the work truck was at fault for inattention. Honestly, this guy was super nice and walked my son through the process of calling police etc til I could get there....Now dealing with the Companies insurance carrier has been a headache!!!! here is the basic timeline....Explorer still drivable....Had to wait 10 days for police report....contacted Company that owned work truck, and they forwarded me to their insurance co....Was advised to seek several estimates, and fax them over....Faxed over estimates to adjuster. All estimates exceeded 5k....Stated she would have to contact an adjuster from local area to work this. Local adjuster came out. Estimated damages to be 3300.00. Insurance Company sent me check for 3300.00 and advised me when vehicle repaired, auto shop would need to work with adjuster on any additional repairs and costs. Explorer was in shop 30 days before finally being totaled. Local adjuster was horrible to work with, did not communicate with body shop, etc. I finally contacted the insurance company, and told them I refused to deal wither contracted adjuster etc. Now that the vehicle has been totaled, they don't want to pay what I think is fair. The insurance company wants to settle for $6928 plus $367 for taxes. Clean retail for the Explorer is $8100. This is for my area. I have been car shopping for 2 days straight. can't find anything comparable with the money they gave me etc. I have taken off work to deal with this etc, been going on for 2 months plus, and Iam worn out with it all...All I want is for my kid to be back in a safe reliable vehicle. The insurance company did provide a rental car. I had to drive it, my son had to take my car, my other son had bought our car from us, but can't get it yet, because the other needs it for work school etc....I am so frustrated with the ins ompany""

Who in california needs auto insurance?

Does an 18 year old driving a car under his parents name need auto insurance? Or is it only have your own registered car?

Is there a published list of average car insurance rates for all insurers?

Is there a published list where all auto insurers report their average rates? Basically a comparison chart or similar type information? If not, are insurers required to list their average rates somewhere? Basically I'm trying to compile a list of insurance rates, hopefully based on the different criteria used by the insurance companies themselves. I'm trying to find a way other than calling each individual insurer to get a ballpark figure on their rates for different types of drivers.""

Do I need insurance if I have a drivers license but no car?

Im Juss Got My License and i dont have insurance And Wondering If I Can Drive My Parents Car They Have Insurance And Gives Me Permission To Drive It, so if anyone knows the correct answer please let me know and by the way i live in tx.""

What car gives the cheapest insurance for a first time driver??

Car insurance confusingggg?

Hey I'm looking to get a new car I'm 22 been driving 3 years and have been driving a boring 1.2 since I started so i finally ready for a new car. I got some quotes I originally jus wanted a 1.6 pertol or something but I got a few quotes on more powerful cars just for a laugh. To my suprise I can actually get insured on cars like 2.5 litre turbo ford focus st and golf gti etc. so now obvioulsy i want one of them but concerned about fuel consumption might cost alot I was also thinking about a audi a3 2.0 tdi which is a diesal. heres where i get confused the focus and golf are a fair bit cheaper to insure than the less powerful diesal a3 I really crnt get my head around this, I have got my quotes from confused.com and had one directly from a insurance website it seems strange and too good to be true. Any know why this is and also anyone got any suggestion on fuel consumption in big engine pertol cars""

Insurance Companies Help??????s?

If an insurance company needs to make money how can it help us? technically if we give them money and they give us back more money wouldn't they go out of business? so wouldn't saving money in a bank account be better in the long run than getting insurance?

I'm 17yo Male and need cheap car insurance!!!!?

Well im 17 soon and want to get are car so i can work more. i have been looking at some very cheap cars that i would think are cheap to insure but are not- Fiat Punto (more than 10 years old) worth 400; 6000 to insure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! same with Peugeot 106- around the same price to insure. What other cars would you recommend that are cheap to insure???

Can a car insurance company find out when you were first issued your license?

I know its wrong to lie, BUT ,my insurance would be SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much lower if I had been driving for longer. I didn't get my license until I was 22 and I'm 23 now, but they give me the rates of a teenager. I pay way too much!""

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https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/goods-transit-insurance-quote-freda-conrad/"

0 notes

webanalytics · 7 years

Text

Smarter Career Choices #3: Solve for the Global Maxima!

Today, a simple lesson that so many of us miss at great peril. In fact in your role, at this very moment, your company is making a mistake in terms of how it values your impact on the business.

The lesson is about the limitation of optimizing for a local maxima, usually in a silo.

We are going to internalize this lesson by learning from Microsoft. It is a company I love (am typing this on my beloved ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 5, using Windows Live Writer blogging software!). I bumped into the lesson thanks to their NFL sponsorship.

If you were watching the Oakland Raiders beating the hapless New York Giants (so sad about Eli) this past Sunday, you surely saw a scene like this one:

Quarterback Geno Smith using his Microsoft Surface tablet to figure out how he added two more fumbles to this career total of 43. Or, maybe it was him replaying the 360 degrees view of the three times he was sacked during the game.

The Surface tablet is everywhere in an NFL game. Microsoft paid $400 million for four years for the rights, and just renewed the deal for another year (for an as yet undisclosed sum).

For all this expense, you'll see players and coaches using them during the game (as above). The Surface branding also gets prominent placement on the sidelines – on benches, on movable trollies and more. It is all quite prominent.

Here’s one more example: Beast mode!

I adore Mr. Lynch’s passion. Oh, and did you notice the Surface branding?

Now, let’s talk analytics and accountability.

NFL ratings are down, but an average game still gets between 15 m – 20 m viewers. That is a lot of pretty locked-in attention, very hard to get anywhere these days.

The question for us, Occam’s Razor readers, is… What does the Surface Marketing team get for all this money?

If the Surface Marketing team is like every other team at every other company engaged in sponsorships and television advertising, it’ll measure the same collection of smart metrics like everyone else.

First one will be Reach. The Surface team is likely measuring it with deep granularity (by individual games, geo, days, times of days, and a lot more). I’m confident that their analysis will show they are getting great Reach.

The team will rightly be congratulating itself on this success.

Next on the list, having spent enough of my life with TV buyers, I can comfortably say that the Surface team is also expending copious amounts of effort measuring one or more dimensions of Brand Lift metric. Ad Recall, Brand Interest, Favorability, Consideration etc.

Brand Lift is most frequently measured using surveys.

Given the number of times Microsoft Surface, or its branded presence, shows up in a game (52 times in my count in the OAK – NYC game), I believe the Surface team is getting very positive reads from its post NFL ad-exposure surveys.

After 52 times most people would recall the ad, surely answer the survey with some interest in the brand, and everyone (except Coach Belichick) seems to like using the tablets, a favorability that will surely transfer to a whole lot of viewers.

This would, indeed should, result in more congratulations in the Surface team.

The two-step approach above reflects the most common approach Marketers, and their Agencies, use to measure success. Did we reach a large audience? Do they remember anything?

The answers to these two questions power job promotions, bonuses and agency contract renewals with higher fees.

I believe this is necessary, but not sufficient.

I believe this approach optimizes for a local maxima (the media buying bubble) and does not create the necessary incentives to solve for the global maxima (short or long-term business success).

Let me illuminate this gap.

Here’s the global maxima question: How many Surface tablets have been sold due to this near-blanket coverage in NFL games via precious undivided attention?

That was the question that crossed my mind during Sunday’s game.

I had one data point handy.

According to TripIt I’ve visited 156 cities across 32 countries in the last few years. During these trips, meetings and meetups, I've never seen a Microsoft Surface tablet in the wild. Not one.

That’s not completely true. I have seen one frequently. The one I bought for my dad four years ago.

One data point does not a story make.

To assess a more complete answer, we turn to our trusty search engine Bing…

The picture above starts 12 months after Surface inked the $400 million NFL contract. The Surface's share of shipments is so small, it does not even show up in a graph.

Not being content with just one view of success, I tried other sources.

The data from IDC, shows no meaningful Surface anything. Statcounter provides an interesting view as it measures actual use the Surface when accessing the two million websites that use Statcounter. Surface is at 0.29% share.

This is a bit hyperbolic, but in the grand scheme of things… No one is buying a Surface.

Local maxima view of success: The Surface team’s NFL contract is a smashing success. The team is getting great Reach and great Brand Lift. Contract with NFL renewed for another 12 months.

Global maxima view of success: Microsoft is losing.

[Key caveat: The data Statista and IDC provide capture shipments. It is possible that the Surface is being sold directly in a way that neither of these two sources would capture those sales. Perhaps some kind of B2B sales. To overcome this possible issue I’ve used the Statcounter data to capture usage. Still, there is a possible scenario where none, or not enough, of the Surfaces sold visit those two million sites.]

Sadly, Microsoft is not alone in this local maxima focus. Most companies function in a similar manner. Yours. Mine. Other people’s. Our collective mistake is that we don’t think critically enough about what we really are solving for. Our company’s mistake is the incentive structure they put in place (which almost always rewards the local maxima).

Let me give you two examples of this sad local maxima obsession that crossed my desk just this morning. All in the space of one hour.

Local – Global Maxima Example 2: Gap Inc..

A report has been published on The Age of Social Influence. Its goal is to aggressively recommend the strategy of marketing via Social Influencers. Here’s the publishing company’s intro of themselves: “We are a powerful data intelligence tool that combines the knowledge and insights you need to deliver a successful celebrity and social influencer marketing strategy.”

Their claims of this wonderful Social Influencer strategy is based on a survey of 270 respondents. 270. It seems like an oddly tiny choice by a powerful data intelligence tool company (PDITC).

They have all kinds of numbers from the 270 survey sample showing glory.

The very first example in the report of a brand winning hugely with a Social Influencer strategy is Gap.

Here’s a screenshot from the report…

While we all love Cher, seriously she is special, this is a classic local maxima let’s only look at what will make us look good to pimp stuff we want to strategy.

What would be a global maxima if you are going to use a company as a poster child?

Here’s Gap’s financial performance over the last five years…

Gap Inc. has been struggling for years, flirting with financial disaster recently in every facet of its business.

I invite you to explore other financial data on the eMarketer Retail website. Look at Revenue, Earnings, Margins, Employment… Everything is super sad. For an additional valuable lesson, click on Digital as well. It shows the social performance of Gap (illustrating even the local maxima is quite suspect).

I dearly wish the Gap survives, they make good quality clothes.

I also wish that the powerful data intelligence tool company would have chosen to focus on looking at the global maxima success before using Gap, and the other examples in their 40 page report. That would have made their drum banging for Social Influencers more persuasive. It would also have resulted in fewer clients of powerful data intelligence tool company shuttled in the direction of spending money on something that mostly likely will not produce any business results.

Local – Global Maxima Example 3: Amazon

A celebration was shared with me for 31 custom gifs created by Giphy for the up and coming retailer Amazon.

Here’s a non constantly looped, to ensure you’re not annoyed, sample…

The celebration was based on the fact that the total view count for these 31 custom gifs was 31 million.

[Sidebar: Always, always, always be suspicious of numbers that are that clean. 31 gifs being viewed a clean 31 million times is cosmically impossible. Seek the faq page to understand how views are measured. Identify that there is no clarity. Now, be even more suspicious.]

I’m afraid in my book views don’t even count as a local maxima. Even if they are in yours, I hope you’ll agree they are a million miles away from a global maxima.

I wanted to share this example from Amazon because you can’t use the global maxima of overall business success I’ve used above. Even if Jeff Bezos goes around hitting people with feather dusters, Amazon will keep selling more and more products. They have already reached perpetual motion.

What do you do when it is difficult to identify the global maxima from a super-tactical animated 31 gifs with 31 million views effort?

Try to move four steps up from wherever you are. Global maxima lite.

In this case, here’s a great start: % of Users who shared the gif who are not current Amazon customers.

So much more insightful than Views, right?

We are shooting for a deeper brand connection, by an audience that holds business value for us. Sure these people are annoying their friends, but hey at least as Amazon we can remarket to them – and friends (!) – and convert them to Prime customers!

I’m sure you can think of others that are five, six and eight steps above Views. (Share them in comments, and earn admiration.)

It does not always have to be revenue or profit. But, please don’t pop the champagne on views, impressions and other such primitive signals of nothingness.

On the topic of measurement, let’s go back to Microsoft and brainstorm some strategies for their unique use case.

What should Microsoft have measured?

Purely as an academic exercise I’m leaving aside the possibility that the Surface is simply not a good tablet. That would certainly impact sales – marketing or no marketing. But, since Microsoft went back for year five, it is safe to assume at least they believe it is a good tablet.

Ok? It is a good tablet.

Again as an academic exercise I’m going to ignore the four year horizon. There is no question that at the end of year two Microsoft had overwhelming proof from a multitude of data points that the NFL contract was not selling any Surfaces. They did not need Big Data or Artificial Intelligence to come to that conclusion. If they could not get out of the contract, at the end of year two a better use of $100 mil spend per year would have been to change the covers on the Surfaces to Xbox green, and change the numerous printed brand opportunities on the sidelines to Xbox as well. A great selling product, with a much bigger overlap with the NFL audience than the Surface.

Ok? We are not looking after year two.

During the first and second year, what could we have measured as Microsoft if we wanted to do better than the local maxima? Better than Reach and Brand Lift metrics?

Let me plant three ideas (please add yours via comments).

An enhanced survey would be a good start. Along with measuring ad recall etc., they could also ask how likely are you to choose the Surface over the iPad as your next tablet?

It is a tougher question than do you remember the ad or what tablets can you name. It is going head to head with the thing people usually say when they mean tablet. And, you are looking for switching. A strong behavior shift, a harder yes to get when I’ve done surveys. All this brand exposure, if its working, should shift that key intent signal.

Really easy to do. And, you can easily get thousands upon thousands of responses – you don’t have to settle for 270. It would have given the Marketing team a leading indicator that no one is going to buy the Surface as a result of the NFL partnership. The signal could have been received even a couple months in, and certainly by the end of year one.

Time series correlations would have been a great start right after the first week of the contract. How many people are visiting the Surface website on Sundays? Is that materially significant compared to weeks prior or weeks where there were not as many games? Was there an improvement on Sundays in digital sales? How about retail sales on Mondays?

This is simple stuff. Even visits to the site would have been a nice low level signal.

As the season went on, we could look for test and control opportunities. The NFL always has blackouts in cities/states where the stadiums don’t have enough attendance. This past weekend it was in two states, complete blackout of free broadcast games. Is there a difference in site visits, online conversion rates, offline sales, between states that had one game broadcast on Sunday, two games broadcast on Sunday and no games broadcast on Sunday?

A little more complicated. The site stuff is easy to segment. For store sales Microsoft could easily get data from its stores in malls, and likely also from retailers like Best Buy with a little arm twisting. This data would have shows Microsoft, a few months in, that the global maxima might not be reached.

If you don’t have this type of ubiquity, Matched Market tests are also fabulous in these cases to discern if a specific marketing strategy is having a business impact.

Three ideas that I hope will spark many more in your mind when you shoot to measure the global maxima.

I want to briefly touch on one refrain I often hear about these long term efforts, or short term efforts that are not working but are looking at a longer horizon: So what if the results are not there. This is a long term brand building play, Apple did not become a beloved brand in one year.

There is a kernel of truth there, brand building take time. There is a kernel of BS there as well, Apple is Apple primary because of its innovative products.

Let’s not talk about Microsoft in context of the above statement as even if we assume there was some long term brand building happening, it did not translate into business success.

When you hear a statement like that, after you launch a new underwear, cooking range, VR headset or whatever… Obsessively measure more than the local maxima to discern signals in the short term that illustrate that the long term brand building play is not just an excuse to flush a lot of money. Both the Gap and Amazon examples have ideas to inspire you.

Or consider that even your long term brand building play, in the short term should cause you to take noticeable amounts of market share. It won’t be 80% in the short term, but neither is that statement a reason to spend more money if all you got is 5% in year one and 10% in year two.

Don’t settle for opinion.

Use data.

You have data.

Bonus: The real winner of the Microsoft NFL contract?

The NFL of course.

Microsoft makes great hardware. To make it work for the NFL, Microsoft surely wrote lots of custom software for the NFL’s specific use cases. Microsoft likely invested in tens of millions of dollars of camera equipment, wifi/networking upgrades in every stadium, deployed a small army of Microsoft employees to do on-site tech support before, during and after the games in every single stadium. And, more and more and more.

The NFL should be paying Microsoft $110 million a year to upgrade the ability of its coaches, players and teams to have access to this state of the art technology to compete more effectively every Thursday, Sunday and Monday!

The NFL is slated to make $14 billion in 2017, they can surely afford to give $110 mil a year to Microsoft.

Back to the real world… Even when you measure short term success, please do not be satisfied with a local maxima. Even in the short term you can measure something better. On the long term, you have all the elements you need… Definitely measure the global maxima!

Do this because it is the right and smart thing to do for your company. But, a tiny bit, do it because in my experience (across the world) global maxima solvers progress exponentially faster in their career. Turns out, delivering business results matters. :)

As always, it is your turn now.

Do you have a suggestion for what Microsoft or Gap or Amazon should measure as their global maxima? If you’ve been successful getting your CEO to focus on the global maxima, what approach really worked? If you were the role of the Chief Scientist of powerful data intelligence tool company, how would you measure the impact of Social Influencers in a more intelligent manner?

Please add your powerful ideas, brilliant critique and innovative strategies in comments below. I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you.

Smarter Career Choices #3: Solve for the Global Maxima! is a post from: Occam's Razor by Avinash Kaushik

from Occam's Razor by Avinash Kaushik http://ift.tt/2A6kjCA #Digital #Analytics #Website

#Analytics #Occam's Razor by Avinash Kaushik. Web Analytics #Tracking #Metrics #Performance

0 notes

nathandgibsca · 7 years

Text

Smarter Career Choices #3: Solve for the Global Maxima!

Today, a simple lesson that so many of us miss at great peril. In fact in your role, at this very moment, your company is making a mistake in terms of how it values your impact on the business.

The lesson is about the limitation of optimizing for a local maxima, usually in a silo.

If you were watching the Oakland Raiders beating the hapless New York Giants (so sad about Eli) this past Sunday, you surely saw a scene like this one:

The Surface tablet is everywhere in an NFL game. Microsoft paid $400 million for four years for the rights, and just renewed the deal for another year (for an as yet undisclosed sum).

Here’s one more example: Beast mode!

I adore Mr. Lynch’s passion. Oh, and did you notice the Surface branding?

Now, let’s talk analytics and accountability.

NFL ratings are down, but an average game still gets between 15 m – 20 m viewers. That is a lot of pretty locked-in attention, very hard to get anywhere these days.

The question for us, Occam’s Razor readers, is… What does the Surface Marketing team get for all this money?

The team will rightly be congratulating itself on this success.

Brand Lift is most frequently measured using surveys.

This would, indeed should, result in more congratulations in the Surface team.

The two-step approach above reflects the most common approach Marketers, and their Agencies, use to measure success. Did we reach a large audience? Do they remember anything?

The answers to these two questions power job promotions, bonuses and agency contract renewals with higher fees.

I believe this is necessary, but not sufficient.

I believe this approach optimizes for a local maxima (the media buying bubble) and does not create the necessary incentives to solve for the global maxima (short or long-term business success).

Let me illuminate this gap.

Here’s the global maxima question: How many Surface tablets have been sold due to this near-blanket coverage in NFL games via precious undivided attention?

That was the question that crossed my mind during Sunday’s game.

I had one data point handy.

According to TripIt I’ve visited 156 cities across 32 countries in the last few years. During these trips, meetings and meetups, I've never seen a Microsoft Surface tablet in the wild. Not one.

That’s not completely true. I have seen one frequently. The one I bought for my dad four years ago.

One data point does not a story make.

To assess a more complete answer, we turn to our trusty search engine Bing…

The picture above starts 12 months after Surface inked the $400 million NFL contract. The Surface's share of shipments is so small, it does not even show up in a graph.

Not being content with just one view of success, I tried other sources.

This is a bit hyperbolic, but in the grand scheme of things… No one is buying a Surface.

Local maxima view of success: The Surface team’s NFL contract is a smashing success. The team is getting great Reach and great Brand Lift. Contract with NFL renewed for another 12 months.

Global maxima view of success: Microsoft is losing.

Let me give you two examples of this sad local maxima obsession that crossed my desk just this morning. All in the space of one hour.

Local – Global Maxima Example 2: Gap Inc..

Their claims of this wonderful Social Influencer strategy is based on a survey of 270 respondents. 270. It seems like an oddly tiny choice by a powerful data intelligence tool company (PDITC).

They have all kinds of numbers from the 270 survey sample showing glory.

The very first example in the report of a brand winning hugely with a Social Influencer strategy is Gap.

Here’s a screenshot from the report…

While we all love Cher, seriously she is special, this is a classic local maxima let’s only look at what will make us look good to pimp stuff we want to strategy.

What would be a global maxima if you are going to use a company as a poster child?

Here’s Gap’s financial performance over the last five years…

Gap Inc. has been struggling for years, flirting with financial disaster recently in every facet of its business.

I dearly wish the Gap survives, they make good quality clothes.

Local – Global Maxima Example 3: Amazon

A celebration was shared with me for 31 custom gifs created by Giphy for the up and coming retailer Amazon.

Here’s a non constantly looped, to ensure you’re not annoyed, sample…

The celebration was based on the fact that the total view count for these 31 custom gifs was 31 million.

I’m afraid in my book views don’t even count as a local maxima. Even if they are in yours, I hope you’ll agree they are a million miles away from a global maxima.

What do you do when it is difficult to identify the global maxima from a super-tactical animated 31 gifs with 31 million views effort?

Try to move four steps up from wherever you are. Global maxima lite.

In this case, here’s a great start: % of Users who shared the gif who are not current Amazon customers.

So much more insightful than Views, right?

I’m sure you can think of others that are five, six and eight steps above Views. (Share them in comments, and earn admiration.)

It does not always have to be revenue or profit. But, please don’t pop the champagne on views, impressions and other such primitive signals of nothingness.

On the topic of measurement, let’s go back to Microsoft and brainstorm some strategies for their unique use case.

What should Microsoft have measured?

Ok? It is a good tablet.

Ok? We are not looking after year two.

During the first and second year, what could we have measured as Microsoft if we wanted to do better than the local maxima? Better than Reach and Brand Lift metrics?

Let me plant three ideas (please add yours via comments).

An enhanced survey would be a good start. Along with measuring ad recall etc., they could also ask how likely are you to choose the Surface over the iPad as your next tablet?

This is simple stuff. Even visits to the site would have been a nice low level signal.

If you don’t have this type of ubiquity, Matched Market tests are also fabulous in these cases to discern if a specific marketing strategy is having a business impact.

Three ideas that I hope will spark many more in your mind when you shoot to measure the global maxima.

There is a kernel of truth there, brand building take time. There is a kernel of BS there as well, Apple is Apple primary because of its innovative products.

Let’s not talk about Microsoft in context of the above statement as even if we assume there was some long term brand building happening, it did not translate into business success.

Don’t settle for opinion.

Use data.

You have data.

Bonus: The real winner of the Microsoft NFL contract?

The NFL of course.

The NFL is slated to make $14 billion in 2017, they can surely afford to give $110 mil a year to Microsoft.

As always, it is your turn now.

Please add your powerful ideas, brilliant critique and innovative strategies in comments below. I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you.

Smarter Career Choices #3: Solve for the Global Maxima! is a post from: Occam's Razor by Avinash Kaushik

from SEO Tips https://www.kaushik.net/avinash/smarter-career-choices-solve-for-global-maxima/

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symbianosgames · 7 years

Link

Video Game Deep Cuts: Hitman vs. Edith Finch - Go!

The following blog post, unless otherwise noted, was written by a member of Gamasutra’s community. The thoughts and opinions expressed are those of the writer and not Gamasutra or its parent company.

[Video Game Deep Cuts is a weekly newsletter from curator/video game industry veteran Simon Carless, rounding up the best longread & standout articles & videos about games, every weekend. This week's highlights include Hitman level design, What Remains of Edith Finch, and much, much more.

As I battle jetlag after my return from Asia to a sunny California spring, I've been thinking a lot this week about discoverability for games again. Shouldn't there be more niche game subscription services out there for those looking to support underappreciated/'different' titles? I love Humble Monthly, but some of the more mainstream subscribers seem to get grumpy about the quirkier indie titles in it at times - much like PS4 players litter indie YouTube trailer comments with fist-shaking.

And how about adding context to the games in a subscription with dev interview videos, 'Let's Play'-style playthoughs, or even analysis videos? Would any of you sign up for something like this? Curious...

- Simon, curator.]

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Passing Through Ghosts in Pac-Man (John Harris / Gamasutra Blogs) "This is an excerpt from my book Bug Voyage: A Tour of Classic Game Glitches, available in the current Rogue Souls Storybundle [SIMON'S NOTE: which I curated!]. The book also contains information on pseudorandom number generation, doing low-level math in binary and decimal, and how you can crash any Galaga machine without even putting money in."

Writing Indie Games Is Like Being a Musician. In the Bad Way. (Jeff Vogel / The Bottom Feeder) "Over the last couple years, I've gotten a fair amount of attention for my articles about the Indie Bubble and the Indie Glut. (And even a GDC talk.) At last, I can complete the trilogy of articles. Now we can look around and see where we've ended up, a phase which I suspect will be permanent. [SIMON'S NOTE: Please read this.]"

Legendary Game Maker Peter Molyneux Talks Regrets and What's Next (Chris Suellentrop / Glixel) "That enthusiasm for the unknown is the hallmark of 57-year-old Molyneux's long career. He stopped by the Glixel offices in March to talk – barely – about his next game, Legacy, as well as to speak at length about everything from No Man's Sky and Pokémon Go to his aborted Kinect experiment, Milo."

toco toco ep.49, Yoko Taro, Game Creator (toco toco TV / YouTube) "In this episode, we spend the day in Osaka with Yoko Taro, director of the famous Drakengard and NieR series. Our first stop will be at PlatinumGames, the studio that was in charge of developing Yoko’s most recent title: NieR: Automata."

How Hitman’s Hokkaido level was made (Alex Wiltshire / RockPaperShotgun) "The latest Hitman['s]... levels are a jetset tour of places you believe could exist, but these aren’t just credible environments, they’re also machines for killing in. And the first season of Hitman closed with one of its best. Hokkaido is at once compact and expansive, melodramatic and credible, and I talked to IO about how it was designed."

Game Over, Uwe Boll (Darryn King / Vanity Fair) "The man known as the world’s worst director is now retired and running a Vancouver restaurant. But he’s still not done waiting for the world to give him his due. [SIMON'S NOTE: you really should read this one, if only for Boll's random Chris Kohler diss, haha.]"

Inside the Resilient ‘Team Fortress 2’ Community on the PlayStation 3 (Aron Garst / Motherboard) "To say that PS3 players got a raw deal is one hell of an understatement. But they've managed, and made friends along the way."

THOTH, And How I Talk About Games (Errant Signal / YouTube) "Just a little thing I made at the end of last month while fighting off some sickness. [SIMON'S NOTE: an interesting - if a bit self-doubt-y - meta-analysis from one of the better YouTube game analysis folks on how you should approach mechanics-led games in terms of commentary.]"

Valve has cut Dota 2 royalties, and workshop creators are crying foul (Arthur Gies / Polygon) "There’s unrest in Dota 2’s community this week, as several artists responsible for many of the free-to-play game’s popular cosmetic items allege that Steam owner and Dota 2 developer Valve Software has systematically reduced their earnings and may be permanently damaging the long-term viability of Dota 2’s business model."

Magic: The Gathering's Head Designer Has A Damn Hard Job (JR Goldberg / Kotaku) "“Magic is secretly, not really … it’s not one game,” head Magic: The Gathering designer Mark Rosewater told me. “It is actually a bunch of different games that all have a shared rule system. Every time I make a card set, I’m making the game for everybody, but for each person, it’s a different game to them.”"

Roam free: A history of open-world gaming (Richard Moss / Ars Technica) "Open-world video games bear the impossible promise—offering compelling, enjoyable open-endedness and freedom within the constraints of what is, by necessity of the medium, an extremely limited set of possible actions. These games provide a list of (predominantly violent) verbs that's minuscule in comparison to the options you would face in identical real-life situations. Yet, we can't get enough of them."

Tom Clancy's Inherent Silliness: Why Ghost Recon Wildlands Couldn't Escape Its Fate (Cameron Kunzelman / Paste) "Ghost Recon Wildlands is a silly game. One might be tempted to think that it’s an intentionally silly game bordering on satire. I mean, after all, it’s almost a parody of games in its genre: it’s a third-person shooter game where four operatives, a handler, and some almost-Communist rebels take on and fully dismantle the infrastructure of a country that’s been fully taken over by a drug cartel."

The Game Beat Weekly: The pressure to stay in line (Kyle Orland / TinyLetter) "These apologetic quotes both get at a truth that's rarely explicitly acknowledged in the world of game criticism: being out of step with the critical or fan consensus on a big-name game or franchise is often not an easy thing to do. At best, having a contrary opinion about a big game these days means being subject to a huge stream of nasty comments, tweets, and e-mails about your view."

The Last Game I Make Before I Die: The Crashlands Postmortem (Sam Coster / GDC / YouTube) "Crashlands was developed by a team of three brothers in response to one of them being diagnosed with late stage cancer. In this 2017 session, Butterscotch Shenanigans' Samuel Coster tells the parallel stories of one family's battle with cancer and the creation of a cross-platform crafting RPG, and find yourself inspired to continue your great work no matter what life throws at you."

The Growing Indie Game Development Scene of South Africa (Lena LeRay / IndieGames.com) "South Africa's video game development scene has been through a lot of ups and downs since it got started in the mid-90s. The indie scene in particular got its first big break in 2010, with the entry of Desktop Dungeons on the world stage."

Destiny's meta shifts are fascinating (Cole Tomashot / Zam) "A meta shift is usually the result of a content release, player discovery, or patch. What makes these meta shifts interesting, is that while they are occurring a push and pull relationship between developers and players reveals itself as both parties play a role in a game’s meta."

Meeting Andrzej Sapkowski, the writer who created The Witcher (Robert Purchese / Eurogamer) "Andrzej Sapkowski has something of a reputation. To start with, he's a big deal. He invented Geralt, witchers, Triss, Ciri, the whole thing - it all came out of his head. He has won awards and his work is revered, especially in Poland. More than once I've heard him described as the Polish Tolkien. But I've also heard he can be difficult - and I'm on my way to meet him."

The sound of SID: 35 years of chiptune’s influence on electronic music (James Newman / The Conversation) "Fortunately, Yannes did know something about music, as well as semiconductors and designing chips. And so in 1981 he began work on what would arguably become the most important milestone in videogame music and one whose influence still resonates to this day: the MOS Technology 6581, also known as the Sound Interface Device, but much better known as the SID. [SIMON'S NOTE: quite a few game soundtracks analyzed in this neat piece!]"

Balancing Cards in Clash Royale (Stefan Engblom / GDC / YouTube) "In this 2017 GDC session, Stefan Engblom, game designer on the Clash Royale team, talks about the philosophies and principles used for balancing cards and gameplay in Supercell's Clash Royale."

The Ten Most Important Early Computer and Video Games (Jaz Rignall / USGamer) "Today's gaming industry is a massive, multibillion dollar entertainment juggernaut. But what are its roots? I thought I'd take a trip back to the very dawn of gaming history and take a look at the devices, inventions, and innovations that gave rise to our favorite pastime."

Mike Tyson's Punch Out NES Nintendo 30th Anniversary (Gajillionaire / YouTube) "30 years ago on March 31, 1987, Little Mac defeated the Super Macho Man for the W.V.B.A. World Heavyweight Title. We look back with YouTube personalities from all over and remember back to that epic night. Then, sit back and watch the original “broadcast” of the classic Championship title fight!"

Three reasons streaming is replacing the Let’s Play industry (Michael Sawyer / Polygon) "YouTube personalities recording themselves playing games is big business, and it seems to be the dominant way for gaming influencers to make money on the platform. The art form is known as “Let’s Play,” although that term doesn’t have much in the way of a set definition. But why does it seem like so many personalities on YouTube are moving to livestreams?"

Jonathan Coulton - All This Time (Official Video) (Jonathan Coulton / YouTube) "From his new album Solid State, out April 28. The album has a companion graphic novel written by Matt Fraction and drawn by Albert Monteys. It's a science fiction story about the internet, the future, artificial intelligence, and how probably only love will save us. [SIMON'S NOTE: this song is wonderful, but the music video is what permits its inclusion in this roundup, heh.]"

Why Video Game Guns 'Feel Good' (Emmanuel Maiberg / Motherboard) "Six out of the top 10 bestselling video games in February heavily featured guns and shooting. The same was true in January and all of 2016. Like it or hate it, video games and guns have gone hand-in-hand for decades and there's no reason to assume that this will change in the near future. [SIMON'S NOTE: part of a series - also see Veteran Developers Remember the Weirdest Guns in Gaming, heh.]"

The sublime horror of the unknown: Ian Dallas and What Remains of Edith Finch (Kris Ligman / Zam) "Director Ian Dallas, as it turns out, was more than willing to discuss the artistic and literary influences behind What Remains of Edith Finch with me -- as well as chat about a few paths the game did not end up going down."

The Game Archaeologist: How DIKUMUD Shaped Modern MMOs (Justin Olivetti / Massively Overpowered) "Even though there are hundreds and thousands of MMOs spanning several decades, only a small handful were so incredibly influential that they changed the course of development for games from then on out. DikuMUD is one of these games, and it is responsible for more of what you experience in your current MMOs than you even know."

The art and joy of video game photography (Simon Parkin / Eurogamer) "Now, when facing up against a Hyrulian monstrosity, my first thought is not, 'Which sword should I use', but rather, 'To which spot should I lure the beast to make the best use of the light?' In 2017, in my game at least, more Links have died taking compendium shots than in encounters with sharks (and not only because the sharks in Hyrule are talkative, handsome and kind)."

Classic Game Postmortem: Maniac Mansion (Ron Gilbert / GDC / YouTube) "In this 2011 Classic Game Postmortem, Maniac Mansion developer Ron Gilbert revisits the classic adventure game and recounts tales from the game's development process. "

Strange Beasts, a sci-fi short about an augmented reality game (Jason Kottke / Magali Barbé / Kottke.org) "Magali Barbé wrote and directed this short sci-fi video about an imaginary augmented reality game called Strange Beasts. It starts off with a “hey, yeah, cool, augemented reality games are going to be fun to play” vibe but gradually veers down the same dystopian path as a lot of augmented reality fictions (like Keiichi Matsuda’s Hyper-Reality)."

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[REMINDER: you can sign up to receive this newsletter every weekend at http://ift.tt/2dUXrva we crosspost to Gamasutra later on Sunday, but get it first via newsletter! Story tips and comments can be emailed to [email protected]. MINI-DISCLOSURE: Simon is one of the organizers of GDC and Gamasutra, so you may sometimes see links from those entities in his picks. Or not!]

#IFTTT #Blogger

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