#egg prices are either about to crash or stay the same

[redrobin-detective]

the end is where we start from

What we call the beginning is often the end / And to make an end is to make a beginning / The end is where we start from. ~ T.S. Elliot, Little Giddings

Danny was running, he didn’t know where to all he knew was who he was running from. He didn’t know if his parents were even coming after him, guns blazing and mouths sneering but he didn’t dare turn around to look. Maybe they weren’t even going to bother chasing him, maybe they were just happy the ghostly scum was out of their house. 

He saw the entrance to Amity’s deepest woods and he darted for it. It was dark and thick and easy to lose yourself in so people usually thought twice before they entered. But people like Danny had little else to lose. The sting of branches swiping at him before he could turn intangible, giant, gnarling roots tripping him up before he could float over him. But he didn’t dare slow down because that would mean acknowledging what had happened.

Another missed curfew, another argument where he and his parents talked about but around each other. Another ghost showing up just as he got dressed for bed, another transformation to take care of it before he could get some sleep. Only the same old script flipped on itself when Mom opened the door, bringing in some tea as an apology for her harsh words just into time to see her son become a ghost. Her gun was drawn before the cup hit the floor and shattered, along with Danny’s heart.

Deep in the thicket of the woods, his human lungs burned and his living muscles ached but he couldn’t turn into Phantom now. Not when it was the stupid ghost’s fault he wasn’t welcome in his own home anymore.

‘What are you doing with my son, ghost?’

‘Mom, please it’s Danny I can explain, please would you just listen?’

‘You can’t be alive and dead at the same time! It’s impossible!’ Oh god my baby died and I didn’t even notice’

‘Mom, Dad, listen to Danny, he’s telling the truth. This is why he never-’

‘Jasmine, you’ve been deceived that’s what ghosts do! That’s what Phantom in particular is known for!’

“Jazzy, Danno, I want to believe you, but it’s a lot to take in. Let us run some tests to make sure.’

‘Danny! Danny wait! Come back!’

Eventually his human body ran out of steam, adrenaline and desperation can only take a person so far. His speeding gait slowed to a lopping jog before settling into a quiet, miserable walk. He squeezed his eyes shut and dared to look over his shoulder but, of course, no one was there. It was just him, the darkness and his own woes.

“What am I going to do now?” He asked quietly, weakly as he fought back panicked tears. All he could see was his mother’s angry, grieving face. His father’s confusion as he tried to make sense of it all while trying to keep the peace. Jazz’s frustration and futile attempts to shield Danny from the worst of the shouting.

He had nothing on his person, why would he? He’d been about ready to go to bed when his whole world came crashing down. His worn Star Wars t-shirt and sweatpants offered little protection from the gloomy October weather but Danny’s ice core more than protected him from the chill. He welcomed it if anything, it matched the ice growing in his heart. No money to escape with, no phone to call for help, no tools to contain any ghosts he battled. He hadn’t even had dinner last night, too busy fighting ghosts. For the first time, Danny was well and truly on his own. Not even dying had seemed so scary.

“I can handle this,” Danny said with false calm. It was pitch dark around him but a little ectoplasmic light brightened the area up. “I’ll just stay here for the night and then I’ll check in tomorrow. If things are still bad, I’ll grab my gear and go.” Where he’d go was a whole other question but that wasn’t important right now. He was still too raw to think about what he’d do if he actually had to abandon his human life. All he could focus on right now was the hurt pulsing through him.

He wandered around in the dark for a little while longer, looking for a suitable place to set up camp for the night. Eventually, he came upon a set of twisting trees that was perfect for his purposes. Lightening his weight, he climbed up halfway and made a little ice tent in the branches. It was lightweight but thick, covering him up and serving as a shield between him and the rest of the world. In his own little ice palace, no one else could hurt him.

“There we go, home sweet home,” Danny mumbled as he crawled inside with a dull thump. He’d left a little skylight open, so he could look up at the stars. If he didn’t think too hard about it, he could imagine he was out camping with his dad or stargazing with his friends. “No, stop it. You’re only making it worse,” he said quietly to himself as the annoying flush of sadness washed over him. He didn’t like to cry; it made him feel stupid and childish and exhausted. Jazz had lectured him about the cleansing release of neurochemicals and other junk but really he usually felt worse after crying. 

“This is fine, everything is fine,” Danny sniffled, shuddering as he curled in on himself. The only cold that could hurt him was his own. It really wasn’t a great idea to use his that much of his ice in his human form, it chilled his body too much to be healthy. That, combined with his light clothes, the chilly night and that fact that he was laying on a solid block of ice, didn’t help matters. If Sam and Tucker could see him, they’d be shoving him in the shower to warm him up and plying him with food and blankets. Jazz and her dozen kind of herbal teas that help with mood or digestion or whatever would shove one or two into his hands and hover until he drank some. Their nagging was annoying but it was helpful and made him feel so loved. Love he wasn’t feeling out in the woods all by himself in the middle of the night.

“This is fine,” he repeated, more choked up this time and gave into his desire to cry. His chest hurt from the force of his sobs and eyes burned from the salty tears. He was flushed and cold and miserable but eventually, after wiping snot away from his nose and hiccupping quietly, he was ready to sleep. He was so worn out from all the hurting and the crying that he slipped from wakefulness as easy as going ghost.

“Child, what are you doing?” Danny groaned at the vaguely familiar voice. His ghost sense went off, reminding him once more how cold he was. He barely had it in him to shiver right now. “Ghost child, awaken and explain yourself.” Cold metal poked repeatedly into his side until Danny shoved the hand away, sitting up with a miserable glare.

“Go away, I’m not in the mood,” Danny grumbled, turning away from Skulker to try and go back to sleep. “I already feel bad enough, I don’t need you making it worse.”

“That does not explain why you are in a tree in the woods,” Skulker said slowly, still hung on stupid details. “The last I checked, the human Lair you stayed in was still standing. I stopped there to show you my latest weapon but you weren’t there, I traced your signature here.”

“Congrats, pass go and collect $200,” Danny sniped back quietly, not putting any heat into it. He didn’t have much to spare.

“Why are you out here, all alone?” Skulker frowned, “humans are susceptible to the elements, I presume you’re no exception given your current state. Just this once, I will stay the hunt to return you to your human Lair and we shall resume at a later-”

“No, I can’t go back,” Danny gasped fearfully, he curled in deeper on himself. “My parents, they know about me, about my powers. They didn’t take it well, I can’t- I don’t have anywhere else to go.”

“But those human children-”

“I’m not getting them involved in this, they’re already in too deep. Tucker’s still grounded from that incident with Desiree and if Sam’s parents caught me in her room at night I’d lose the other half of my miserable life,” Danny grumbled. “Just leave me alone or kill me and take my pelt. Either one, it doesn’t matter anymore.”

“I see,” Skulker hummed, “stay here, Child, I will return.” Skulker said before flying off.

“Great, can’t wait,” Danny murmured as he rearranged himself on his ice block. He still felt unbearably cold but it probably wasn’t enough to actually kill him. Probably. “Stupid ghosts, stupid powers, if I hadn’t walked into that stupid portal, I’d be be safe and warm in bed right now and only have to worry about passing pre-calc.” It felt like he’d barely fallen back asleep when he was forcibly awaken by something soft and heavy dropping on him.

He phased out of the tangle only to find a bunch of blankets and heavy winter coat that looked 2 sizes too big for him. “What the-”

“Wow you weren’t kidding, babe, he looks like a trainwreck,” he heard Ember’s gruff voice say. “Hey dummy, put on the stupid coat. I ain’t had nerve endings in a while but I’m getting cold just looking atcha.”

“You bring your girlfriend to harass me in the middle of the night with,” Danny eyed the pile with price tags still on them, “stolen merchandise.”

“Shut up, we’re crashing your pathetic little pity party so you don’t die before I can off you myself,” the rock star huffed. “If that coat isn’t on you in five seconds, I’m manhandling your skinny arms into it.”

“Jeez you’re worse than my sister,” Danny grumbled even as he pulled the coat on. It was big but fluffy, the extra layer instantly made him feel a bit better. “Happy?”

“Getting there. Techy, you brought the food or what?” Danny yelped as a large amount of food dropped in through his skylight. It was an interesting mix, a jumbo bag of peanuts, dijon mustard, a jar of pickled eggs, a couple bags of chips and a box of uncooked macaroni noodles. “Here, eat some human food.”

“What?” Danny questioned as Technus poked his head into the icy tree house. 

“Oh nice place you got here child but it needs more lights and a flat screen and, oh, I can set you up with a killer stereo system over eek!” the technology ghost yelped as he was pulled back and Poindexter replaced him. 

“Hey Danny, heard you were in a bit of a bind. Thanks to you, my Lair’s school is a better place now, bully free. You can cool your jets with me if you need to fly the coop.” Danny didn’t answer and instead opened one of the bags of chips, barbeque and ranch sweet. 

“You can also stay on my island for however long you need to recover,” Skulker grumbled, like it pained him to say. “It’s no fun to hunt you when you’re so weak. I want to defeat you at your prime not at your lowest.”

“No, no, come to my lair! Everything is beeping and flashing all the time and I have a Minecraft room!” Technus interjected.

“I guess you could come to mine if you have to,” Ember huffed. “But aren’t you also buddy buddy with the Yetis bein’ an ice core and all? Or Queen Dora? Pretty much anyone will open their lairs to you with your stupid, beaten puppy dog eyes.”

“You guys, I don’t know what to say,” Danny said softly, taken aback by the show of kindness. He took in the blankets, the coat, the food, their offers. They didn’t understand, not really, but they were trying. It meant a lot, coming from his enemies. “Thank you.”

“Well, yeah, us nerds got to stick together,” Poindexter grinned.

“You’re human and an annoyance but your existence has given my afterlife quite a thrill. I’m not ready for the hunt to end quite yet,” Skulker announced.

“You’re our favorite nemesis,” Technus exclaimed, trying to squeeze his face back through the packed skylight. “We fight, we banter but we also support each other when we’re down! Whenever I’m feeling down, I come into the human world and our battles have me back up and running in no time!”

“Huh,” Danny said, looking down with a small smile. If his enemies could put aside their grudges and help him when he needed it then maybe... “Thanks again really but uh, I think I should go home, check in with my folks. Probably shouldn’t have run off like that but um, if it goes bad...���

“You’re part ghost,” Skulker said with a sharp nod. “The Zone is as much your home as it is ours. Really should get around to making a Lair one of these days. Only weak ghosts and parasites leech off of others.”

“You know the way back from here?” Ember asked. “Need an entourage?” 

“Yeah I got it,” Danny answered, triggering his transformation. Poindexter squealed with delight as he phased out of his sad little ice cave. It looked cold and lonely which wasn’t what he needed right now. “And I’ll- it’ll be fine. I don’t think bringing a bunch of ghosts home with me will help my case.”

“Farewell, Child. May your spirits be higher on our next meeting. Having the support of ghost hunters will certainly add to the challenge of the hunt,” Skulker grinned. “I look forward to it.” He flew off and the others followed. Danny smiled, watching them go for a moment before flying in the opposite direction towards his house.

He was halfway home when the Fenton Assault Vehicle careened around a corner at an unsafe speed. Danny jumped as it went past, startled out of invisibility. He made eye contact with his parents before the RV skidded to a screeching halt and then hastily backed up. The window rolled down and he met the wide, teary eyes of his mom and dad.

“Uh funny running into you in a place like this,” he said shyly, looking down.

“Oh thank heavens, Danny where have you been? We’ve been worried sick!” His mother cried, jumping out of the RV and pulling him down into her arms. His father was on the phone, he heard Jazz’s name being mentioned, along with Sam and Tucker. “Baby, you’re freezing! Is this,” she paused, pulling back and delicately touching his wisp like hair. “Is that normal?”

“Sort of,” he said, leaning back into her touch. “It’s all kind of a long story. I shouldn’t have run off like that, I’m sorry.”

“No, you shouldn’t have but I don’t blame you,” Dad said, stepping out of the car and wrapping them both in a hug. “But Fenton men always make up for their goof ups. You were headed back home, right?”

“Yeah, home,” Danny sighed.

“Danny, I still don’t understand but I, we, love you and I’m sorry if we made you doubt that. We’ll work it out, sweetie, I promise. That’s what family does,” Mom said before ushering him and Dad into the car. “Now in you get, it’s too cold and too late for this and I do not want the neighbors complaining to the HOA again.”

Danny changed back in front of his parents for the second time that evening, this time intentionally. Their curiosity and happiness at seeing him overrode their earlier fear and confusion. He settled more comfortably into the backseat, warm and happy for the first time all evening.

“Danno, where’s you get the jacket?” Dad asked.

“My other family, don’t worry, I’ll explain it all tomorrow.”

#I'm sad and angry so have some sad and angry danno #the hurt helped with my bad feeling but the comfort soothed them #this was very theraputeic #danny phantom #hurt/comfort #*clapping hands* let danny be frenemies with the ghosts #also ive had the idea of danny running off and making a lil tree ice fort in my head for a while #seems like a good idea until you freeze your human butt off #jack and maddie are good peeps in my mind #they might not react well at first but they'll always come around for their kids #anyway here's wonderwall

[going2go-away4-awhile]

This isn’t What I wanted Wanted: Chapter 2- The miracle of grief

   Summary: Waking up in a hospital is always alarming, waking up in Hope County Hospital is terrifying. Suddenly thrust into a body that isn't hers and knowing nuclear fallout is on the horizon. Adaine must gather supplies while she can before the big day happens, and trying to stay clear of a radical cult is easier said than done.

TW: BRIEF DISCUSSIONS OF DEATH

https://archiveofourown.org/works/25543036/chapters/62031826#workskin

   ______________________________________________________________

   Adiane cried for a long time the rest of the day. She cried over the loss of life that was to come, her loss of home, and cried over the unfairness of it all. She wept as she cleaned parts of the house, she sobbed so hard at one point she made herself sick. She made a budget and a plan with vision obstructed by tears. Adaine cried and wailed as she worked, because she wasn’t sure how much time this world had left and she’d be damned to waste anymore time not prepping for Armageddon. She was going to live, she’d survived a horrific fall (and supposedly a bad car crash, and she really didn’t want to dive into that rabbit hole right now), she would survive nuclear bombs.

    As the sun started lowering in the sky, Adaine hobbled her way to the bunker, roughly 20 feet from the back of the house. Sweat now coated parts of her face from the exertion of the walk. She glared down at her boot covered foot, this is wasting time. Time she didn’t have.

   The entrance was an angled down metal door below a small hill. Fitting the keys into the locks, she opened the heavy door with a grunt. A draft of stale air wafted out of the bunker. As Adaine pulled out her phone for light, she suddenly remembered all the times she had found rattlesnakes in prepper stashes while playing as the Deputy. Images of bears, cougars, wolverines, blissed out animals, Jacob’s wolves, and the occasional hostile turkey, attacking her Deputy flashed in her mind. Taking a breath in and counting to four, Adaine steadied her grip on her phone and went down the steps leading her down into the iron fortress. Because it would be just her luck to die by a killer animal than the end of the world.

    Good news was that there weren't any snakes or killer animals waiting for her in the bunker. Bad news was that the bunker was in worse shape than the house. Boxes of parts and other goodies were haphazardly placed around the bunker in no rhyme or reason. The bunker was in chaos but had great potential, It had a large bedroom, a kitchen area mixed with a living room, another medium room, and a gun room. Blanching at the amount of stuff her Great Aunt had collected, she could feel a stress induced headache coming on. This day-No the past few weeks had been a cluster fuck and she was ready to hit the hay. Exiting the bunker, Adiane’s head throbbed with thoughts of things that needed to be done. 

As she climbed into bed for the night, she blearily looked over her list of things to do.

STAY THE FUCK AWAY FORM EDEN’S GATE

Sell/ donate unwanted or unneeded things: make some money to spend some money

Convert a bunker room into a greenhouse: sustainable environment possible?

Buy seeds, manuals, and entertainment: you’ll get bored in the shelter and you need to know first aid, farming and how to maintain things (19 years? Can't remember)

Work out stuff, need to keep in shape for post fallout life. (she’ll be in her 40’s before she sees the sun again)

Get company? (dog, cat, bird, chicken, snake?): would like to not go crazy, need a friend

       Flopping on her back, Adaine knew she couldn’t sell the property and leave this place. The chances of her finding another fallout bunker states away for a good price was slim, she also didn’t know what the current timeline was. Had the Deputy been hired yet? Was the current Faith Rachel or some other poor girl? It was crazy and stupid, but the “safest” bet was for her to hunker down and wait. How long did the fight between the Deputy and the Cult last? Was the Deputy she played as here or was it someone else entirely?

 Slamming a pillow on her face, Adaine let out a muffled scream. She couldn’t let her mind obsess on things she didn’t know. Closing her eyes for the last time before sleep took her, a single thought flickered in her mind. 

Please don’t let this get worse.

______________________________________________________________

    Lifting himself from the floor, Joseph washed his mouth out in the sink and caught his reflection in the mirror. He saw himself flinch as momentary panic hit him, wrong face not her face. Turning away from the mirror, he padded back to bed, Joseph grabbed his cellphone off the end table and made his way to the kitchen table. Sitting under moonlight, he dialed a number without conscious thought.

    A gruff voice answered after two rings, “What?” It never took Jacob long to answer a call in the middle of the night. Joseph knew most nights his older brother went without sleep, either from his own memories or from the sheer will to get a project done.

    “I need to talk with you and John.” A grunt of confirmation was all he received before a click was heard and the line went dead. Joseph closed his eyes and relaxed his body in the old wooden chair. 

Finally you were here.  He just didn’t exactly know who you were. Not in a social sense, he didn’t know your name, your birthday, or other pleasantries. But, what he did know was you, the essence of you: your love of working the garden after a morning shower, the way you snorted in laughter at a cheesy joke a friend told, the way you hugged a loved one with an all encompassing warmth just for them. He wanted that. He craved it. He craved you and only you. You were a miracle, he had watched you die and you came back. You came back for him. You were born again just for him and his family. How could he not treasure such a miracle? You were his Lazarus, a miracle bestowed upon his family, a gift and shelter for the days to come. 

       The sound floorboards creaking under the weight of heavy combat boots, followed by the sound shuffling steps and faint grumbling, alerted Joseph to his brothers’ presence. The kitchen lights were turned on, vanishing the darkness and Joseph's longing thoughts. 

    Jacob entered the kitchen first, Joseph rose to greet him, a firm hug and a clasp on the back before he was released to greet John. A shuffling figure emerged from the dark hall,and a ruffled looking John Seed was embraced. Sleepy blue eyes stared back into his own, as he rested his forehead against John’s. Joseph could see the dark bags under his baby brothers eyes, he felt a twinge of guilt at the sight. John worked hard for the Project, he knew that sometimes John went days without sleeping to ‘prove himself’ and his dedication to the cause. Pulling away from John and letting the feelings of guilt go, for when the world did end, his family could rest for a while.

    Gesturing to the chairs, Joseph took a seat at the head of the table. Taking in the sight of his brothers, John already fighting sleep back and Jacob watching John with an amused glint in his eye, he felt a rush of love enter his soul. A family that would be expanded once more. 

“We’re getting a new family member.” 

        Jacob’s gaze now solely focused on Joseph’s eyes, all amusement was gone and Joseph was left staring at a calculating hunter. Much like an apex predator thinking if this was something to be bothered with. A shifting in John’s body, pulled Joseph out of the silent staring contest Jacob and him were having.

    John’s mouth twitched into a grimace before settling into a face of neutrality, “I understand that Rachel is having a difficult time settling into her duties as Faith...but shouldn’t we at least give her grace period?” He knew that his brothers didn’t enjoy having an outsider in their family unit, but they all agreed that having Faith was good for the community in the long run.

    “No, this isn’t about Faith.” He took a breath to gather himself. “Our miracle has come to us at last. She has risen from the grave and God has sent us this gift, for us to love her and cherish her.” He clasped his hands together in prayer, “She is our Lazarus, a divine symbol that we are the chosen few to lead others into the new world.” He knew he sounded fervent, but you were captivating, all encompassing. Joseph needed his family to understand that they needed you and you needed them.

    Looking back up at his brothers, he smiled warmly at them, because even if they didn’t understand now they would soon enough. Jacob gazed at him for a beat before nodding and leaving the table. His back turned from his family as he started to prepare breakfast for them. He would have to confer with his older sibling in private later.

John was more awake than before, shining eyes gazed at Joseph with adoration. His voice laced with awe, “Really? You’ve seen her? Where is she?” A dreamy smile was growing across John’s face. Joseph huffed a breath of laughter at his brother’s expression. He remembered seeing the same look on John’s face when Jacob would tell them stories of fanciful things at bedtime when they were little boys. Joseph reached and grasped John’s hands with his own.

“Yes, I’ve seen all she is and all she can be, John. I looked through her eyes and experienced what she has felt. That’s why I need Jacob and you to find her. She’s lost and needs us to guide her.” Squeezing John’s hands, Joseph left John to think as he helped Jacob carry breakfast over to the table. Plates of biscuits, scrambled eggs, and fresh fruit were deposited onto plates. A small prayer over their food and the three brothers started the day with good food and conversation. 

_____________________________________________________________

    Taking the sudsy plate from Jacob’s outstretched hand, Joseph rinsed the now clean plate under warm water. Wiping it dry and placing it on a drying rack, the repeated this cycle in a comfortable silence. John’s faint voice could be heard from the front porch, as he had taken a call shortly after breakfast. Breakfast had been a nice treat, as the brothers found it harder and harder to see one another these days. As he finished wiping the last utensil, and Jacob rinsing the last of the dirty water out of the sink. He broke the quiet, “I know that you are...not as believing in my prophecies as John is.” He raised a hand to quiet Jacob from interrupting. “But, I do know you believe in me and our cause, and you would do anything to see it completed. All I ask of you is to trust once more in me and the rewards will be bountiful.” 

    Blue eyes met fellow blue eyes in a pause of contemplation. A warm wet, scarred hand laid firm and secure on Joseph’s shoulder, it squeezed him tight in comfort. “I’ll always believe in you and I’ll always believe in the cause. If this...person helps us then I’ll welcome them into our family.” Joseph was well aware Jacob had made an unspoken threat ‘If she hurts us, death will be her only salvation’. He nodded to Jacob and left the room to start preparing for next Sunday’s sermon message, the importance of miracles.

#far cry 5 imagine #far cry 5 #far cry #joseph seed #joseph seed imagine #jacob seed #jacob seed imagine #john seed #john seed imagine #chapter 2 #tw death #death tw

[juleswolverton-hyde]

Homesick (BC)

Genre: Angst, Idol AU

Pairing: Bangchan x Reader

Warnings: Heavy heartbreak

Summary: Home is not always a place because sometimes it is a person. They are the one who have created an unrivalled atmosphere to linger in.

This home was found by an extremely lucky accident and explored in the city of the bridge that might one day fall.

And it hurts like Hell to be cast out of it.

Author’s Note: Based on personal emotions in regards to the cancellation of the SKZ concert in London and this letter. Indeed, this essentially might be a self-indulgent piece, but know there is a clear line between fact and fiction.

And I know exactly which is which.

Masterlist

Lonely.

That is perhaps the best word to describe the feeling of waking up in the morning in the heart of London. Normally, as happened on that miraculous night exactly a year ago, Versace Eros Homme would linger in the sheets and the running shower fill the tranquil Westminster air with the sound of falling water. 

Now it is cold.

The tears streaming down the cheeks to stain the sole warm pillow were shed first by him at the first goodbye at Heathrow. Then they could be stopped by the promise of meeting again perhaps during the summer, but that wish had to be postponed due to touring. A new promise was made by agreeing to meet in London, the prospect slightly stilling quivering full lips stuttering out the words “I miss you” to their lucky beloved.

Another dream destroyed.

With a single phone call two months ago.

‘I’m so, so sorry, babygirl. They cancelled the Europe dates for the tour.’ Breaths noticeably became shorter as the consequences of the management’s actions in regards to health and safety sank in. Fingers started to tremble, shaking the phone as well as trying to cover a mouth endeavouring to not sink helplessly to the floor with a broken heart.

But the mutual sadness crashed in simultaneously, distorting the conversation on either side with gasps and sometimes successful attempts at forming words.

‘I- You- I’ve already booked a week- weekend in Lon- London.’

‘Can you,’ composure clearly had to be regained, leaving an interval of a couple of seconds before unsteadily continuing and failing at the first word, ‘can-’

It took a difficult swallow followed by an awkward clearing of the throat to finish the inquiry spoken in a lovely Australian accent, ‘cancel it?’

‘I could. But I- I don’t have the money. I’m still a poor student.’ Breathing in felt like swallowing sandpaper, but the pain was enough to evenly smooth out speech and nullify the sobbing stuttering. ‘So I’m still going.’

‘Where are you staying?’

‘Westminster, close to Hyde Park.’

‘Which hotel?’ Without hesitating, the name and address were given so Chan could find out where the hotel is located, slender fingers audibly typing on the keyboard of the laptop likely used for composing new songs. After a wee while, a relieved sigh sounded on the other side, voicing approval of the accommodation. ‘Good. That’s a safe neighbourhood. I’m not letting you stay in Stratford again.’

The risk of danger there forcefully removed an ordinary travelling student from the Ibis Hotel, her favourite wolf transferring her to a safer area in the metropolis. Even if it would raise questions among the members and the public if we were to be seen.

None of that mattered.

As long as we were safe from harm.

‘Chan, I... I really don’t wanna go.’ This is where the waterworks really opened and the sobbing began in earnest. ‘Not alone.’

‘You’ve been working hard. Too hard. You deserve a break, babe. Go.’

‘I hope you and the lads will stay safe, I really do. But you can’t expect me to walk the streets without the memory of you. To sit in the coffee corner of the Waterstones at Piccadilly Circus, overlooking the National Gallery without thinking of how I chased you after you kissed me on the cheek in the basement of the shop. How you kissed me in the square in front of the gallery.’

‘Of course I can’t expect that.’ A sad snicker and creaking of the bed told of sitting down like the girl across the pond, on the edge of what cannot be shared. ‘And I would have done it again. Would have- Would have treated you to breakfast, kissed you again, made love to you.’ A rasping breath tore the heart further into fragments, emphasizing the impossibility to reach out and crawl on the lad’s lap to cling to the muscled chest like a koala. ‘I miss you.’

The same words are now repeated to the empty spot, remembered by puffy eyes barely wearing any makeup portrayed in the mirror when preparing to head out for a coffee at a nearby Costa.

Clothes befitting a guest of the four-star hotel are put on without listening to Stray Kids, instead opting for the soundtrack of Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate to remain in a British humour. It is the same music which has been on constant repeat while aimlessly wandering around the city.

Taking strolls in Hyde Park and St. James’s Green.

Hands were entwined while exploring lush green and by the waterside, enjoying an impromptu picnic with food from the nearest Tesco or Sainsbury’s.

Walking the length of the Victoria Embankment and parliament district.

Chan offered the last of his water against the warmth, unwavering in his argument that it should be allowed to take care of a significant other regardless of personal costs. However, to repay the kindness, the little wolf acted rapidly to make sure the order of two lemon ciders was paid before her taller counterpart could draw a debit card when retreating from the heat in a cooled cafe. 

Surveying art in galleries.

The ancient conflicts between a modernist and classicist somehow found their way into the relationship early, though neither of us actually knew what we were futilely howbeit amusingly ranting about.

Browsing in the various bookshops.

The kangaroo boy did not allow way less muscles arms to carry the various paperbacks that were collected when not grabbing a title from the top shelves for a girl with small people problems.

Hiding the secret tears fading in the shadows of Camden Lock, covering themselves with the unique fashion and amazing food to be found there.

The personal serving of cookie dough had to be shared because a hungry buff koala with a slight sweet tooth could not stop stealing bites.

Reminiscent of that devastating phone call.

‘I miss you.’

The three little words whispered to oneself over a large cup of cappuccino while looking out over the square where it happened a little less than a year ago.

What luck had found two souls.

What tragedy has befallen them.

‘I hope you’re okay.’ A hand wipes away the stray tear leaving a salty trail over skin, nose turning runny and teeth biting down on the lower lip when the absence across the table becomes tangible. Outside, the umbrellas have one another as they trod the grey pavements beneath the gloomy heaven. The books on the shelves are nestled against each other, the way panting lovers cuddled after their first time together and multiple intense rounds after until the evening of parting came.

Initiating hiatus.

London rain.

A broken promise.

‘I hope all of you are.’

Weary feet eventually leave the seat by the window after drinking what will likely result in a caffeine overdose. On the way to the underground, a stop is made at the nearby Sainsbury’s to buy a cheap three pounds meal deal. A student on a budget and low-calorie diet has to survive somehow and fortunately, if lucky, the convenience store offers what is wanted for a low price. Thus, with a bottle of water, fruit salad and egg salad sandwich alongside a couple of protein bars, the journey to the hotel is continued.

Vision becomes more and more watery as the stuffy underground station is left behind, slowly coming closer to the temporary accommodation that was supposed to be shared.

‘Why are you crying?’ A familiar voice that sounds like low purring when drowsy makes dark Puma sneakers turn around on the glistening marble tiles, overjoyed with the sound of home. Pale strong arms smelling of a romantic Italian holiday and dusted by thin black hairs pull the waist into a tight embrace as a thumb wipes away the droplets gracing skin. Love shines bright is warm chocolate eyes refusing to tear up in joy too. ‘Hey, babygirl.’

That is what wants to be heard.

Seen.

Felt.

But all there is, is the chic lobby.

The posh elevator leading up.

The cold sheets of the empty bed.

A lonely room.

And the unheard cries of a broken heart.

‘Fuck, I miss you.’

#Stray Kids #SKZ #Bangchan fanfiction #Bangchan #Bang Chan #Chan #Chris Bang

[ericsonclan]

Stymphalian Shenanigans

Summary: Louis invites Clementine on a scavenging mission to get some quick coin.

Read on AO3:

It had been about a week now since Clementine and A.J. came onboard Ol’ Kickass and were informally inducted into the Ericson Pirates. Nothing was official yet, but Clementine could tell that the crew was expecting her and A.J. to stay. Apparently that was their recruitment method: run into a stranger and invite them to join the crew, no questions asked. Oddly enough it had worked for them so far: Every member of the Ericson Pirates was intensely loyal and swore that joining the crew was the best thing that had ever happened to them. The whole thing was utterly confusing for Clementine. This wasn’t how pirates operated.

When they reached the nearest port, Clementine had considered leaving with A.J. and not looking back, starting a new life with a clean slate and leaving piracy behind. Louis, the captain, had said they were free to do so if they wished, though Clementine could tell from his expression that he hoped they would stay. In the end, Clementine had decided to stick with the Ericson Pirates, at least for now. She was utterly destitute; running away with nothing to start their new life was folly. The Ericson Pirates had promised her a fair share of the wages if she helped out on the ship. She would build up a nest egg first before deciding where she wanted to go.

They were heading for a new port town now, Tanshire. Walking across the deck, Clementine saw that everyone was getting ready to pull into port. With such a small crew, it was rather chaotic work though everyone seemed to know where they needed to be. Clementine helped Violet pull a sail into place, getting a quick thanks from the blonde pirate before she scurried off to another task. Clementine spotted A.J. working with Willy and Tenn up in the rigging as well. The boys seemed to be having fun together, running back and forth and laughing as they got their work done. It was good to see A.J. with other children. He’d never really had that before. Spotting Louis at the helm, Clementine made her way over. She should probably check with him for assignment.

Louis’ tailcoats blew in the breeze as he manned the wheel, his dreadlocks swaying with the rush of salty winds. Noticing Clementine, he looked to her with a smile. “Hey, Clem! What’s up?”

Clementine paused for a second at the prematurely familiar nickname but decided not to comment on it. “Anywhere in particular you need me, captain?”

“Oh, Louis is fine. That’s what everybody else calls me,” the young man grinned, his freckles prominent in the bright sunlight. “And as far as where you should go, I’d say check with Aasim. He’ll know best what stations need the most help,”

Clementine glanced at the wheel in Louis’ hands then back to the port. They were drawing awfully close. “You’re coming in crooked,”

“What was that?”

“The wheel. You should turn farther to the left if you want to avoid hitting the dock,”

Louis squinted out ahead of them. “Ok, so like 45 degrees or…”

“Like this,” Clementine’s’ hands came to rest beside the captain’s, adjusting the wheel accordingly. Louis watched intently, his eyes flitting between her hands and the water in front of them. After a few minutes they had docked the ship safely in the harbor.

Louis whistled appreciatively. “That was some smooth steering! You do it way better than me! Think you can teach me your tricks?”

Clementine shrugged. “It’s just years of experience and muscle memory at this point,” She paused when she saw the disappointment in Louis’ eyes. “But I can try to show you more later if you like,”

“That would be awesome! Man, I can’t believe we have a real pedigreed pirate in our ranks now! No more crashing into piers for us,” Louis pulled on the lapels of his coat proudly.

Clementine quirked an eyebrow. “Just how many times have you crashed into the pier?”

“Well, they’ve been more like light collisions really, just barely brushing the pier on occasion. Lost a few planks from time to time, but it wasn’t anything we couldn’t repair,” Louis glanced down the deck at the sound of a faint voice. “Looks like Ruby’s calling me. I’ll see you later, Clem,” With that he was off, leaving Clementine confused and just slightly impressed that this crew had managed to survive this long.

Ruby had called Louis over to deliver bad news: several of their crates of jujube fruit had gone bad. Apparently, a storm they’d run into a few days before finding Clementine and A.J. had knocked them off course and made their voyage longer than expected, hence the rotten produce. This meant there was far less money to be made at market though. The crew gathered round, waiting for Louis to make a decision.

Louis stood deep in thought, a hand upon his chin. At last he spoke. “We’ll salvage what we can. Marlon, Mitch and Violet will take what we can trade to market. Ruby, Aasim and Brody will collect whatever supplies we can on the funds we have. The boys can go with either group.

“And you?” Aasim questioned.

“I have some business to attend to, hopefully a venture that will refill our coffers,” Louis turned to their newest member. “How about it, Clementine? I could use your dazzling presence and expertise on this one,”

Clementine considered it, looking over to A.J. He stood between Tenn and Willy, excitedly picking through the crates of fruit and tossing the bad pieces over the ship’s edge. She didn’t like the thought of leaving him alone, but she should prove herself useful if she expected to get paid. “Will it take long?”

“We’ll be back in two shakes of a lamb’s tail,”

“OK…” Clementine turned to Ruby. “Can you keep an eye on A.J. She knew if anybody could be trusted with that task it was the ship’s doctor.

Ruby nodded, determination in her eyes. “Don’t you worry about nothing, Sug. I’ll make sure he comes to no harm,”

Louis spun round with a dramatic flair. “Then let’s depart!” He headed over to one of the ship’s rowboats, Clementine following closely behind. It only took a few minutes before they were lowered into the water and rowing off for places unknown.

Clementine matched Louis’ speed, eyeing the young captain warily. “So, what exactly is this business venture that has us headed into the middle of the ocean?”

“Well… it’s not exactly a business venture. More like an adventure,”

“Oh?” That piqued Clementine’s interest.

“According to what I’ve heard, there’s a flock of stymphalian birds nesting on a little island not too far from here. At first I thought it would be too risky considering the rumors about the birds-”

“Such as?”

“Oh, you know: bronze beaks, metal feathers they can hurl at you, poisonous dung…”

“Poisonous what now?”

“I’m sure that last one is false,” Louis said, waving a hand dismissively. “Monster tales are usually wildly exaggerated. Point is, the feathers are worth a lot of money if you can get your hands on them. I figured it would be a big risk going in blind and given how my crew would handle things it might be best to steer clear,”

That was a fair point. Clementine hadn’t been with them long, but she could just imagine Mitch trying to throw his bombs at the birds and getting himself blown up in the process or Willy gagging on a mouthful of dubious dung.

“But with all that fruit going bad, we need fast cash if we’re going to make it to the next port. Buying the jujube fruit was my call and I flubbed it. Should’ve gone for something with a longer shelf life, but I got greedy and impulsive and now thanks to a freak storm, things are tight. So as captain I’m paying the price for my decisions and righting my mistake myself,”

“And you have me along because…?”

“Figured it would be smoother as a two-man operation. One person distracts the birds and the other grabs the feathers. Besides,” Louis have a playful smile, “I’ve been wanting to get to know you. Figured this would be a good bonding exercise,”

Was he… flirting with her? Clementine eyed Louis suspiciously. It was hard to tell with him, he was so friendly with everyone. Best to let it slide. She didn’t want to say something presumptuous and insult him, although from what she’d seen Clementine figured that would be pretty difficult to do.

---

It was about a half hour of rowing before they reached the island. It was a small, sparsely wooded, rocky mass. There were no birds in sight yet, but according to what Louis had heard, the birds would be a bit further inland. They picked their way carefully across the rocky beach, walking side by side. Louis kept glancing over Clementine’s way. She could tell something was on his mind.

“What is it?”

“Back when we first met and I asked you what had happened to you and A.J., you said it was a shipwreck and you were the sole survivors,”

“That’s right,”

“But that’s not true, is it?”

Clementine’s gut twisted within her. So he had caught the lie. Why not bring it up then? “It’s not,”

“I figured you had your reasons for hiding the truth. Just wondered if now that we know each other a bit better you’d be willing to share,”

Clementine looked at Louis. His gaze was open, trusting. Would it stay the same if he knew the name of the crew she’d been with before? She couldn’t risk it, not while separated from A.J. “I don’t think we’re there quite yet,”

Louis nodded. “Fair enough,”

“It’s not really fair after turning down your question, but can I ask one of my own?”

“Ask away,”

“I heard that you became a pirate after stealing your father’s ship. It’s quite a nice merchant vessel,” Clementine paused, unsure how to word the next part. “You had what most people dream of: a plentiful, stable life. Why give all that up?”

Louis shrugged. “I was unhappy. All of that isn’t worth much if you’re unhappy,” He noted the doubt in Clementine’s eyes. “You’re unconvinced,”

“It sounds like someone who never had to want for anything would say,”

Louis nodded. “Fair enough. This past year at sea hasn’t always been easy, but I’m sure it doesn’t hold a candle to what you’ve been through on the high seas. Still, I don’t regret walking away from that life,”

“But why?”

“Because it wasn’t my own. All my father wanted of me was to follow the plans he had laid before me without question. My whole life was mapped out and he didn’t care at all whether I wanted it or not,”

Clementine shook her head. “Maybe I’m overstepping, but a future as a merchant doesn’t seem like that bad of a fate,”

“It went deeper than that. After my mother died, my father… he wanted control. More than anything. Every moment of my life was monitored, every action I took carefully planned to mold me for success. I stopped being his son; I was simply a project, something he wanted to mold into stronger stuff than I was made of,” Louis looked somewhat sad at those words.

“There was one time Marlon and I snuck out to the market for a day off. Nothing big, just wandering round the city, visiting the marketplace and the docks. My father had servants hunt us down and drag us home. Marlon was beaten for helping me shirk my duties. I wasn’t allowed to see him for a week. After that I knew I had to get out of there. Whatever my father had become, I didn’t want to become that, no matter what. So I stole one of my father’s ships and decided to make my own way in life. And that’s how I find myself here, spending a pleasant day with you,” Louis smiled brightly at Clementine who nodded thoughtfully.

“Maybe no one’s happy, not the rich or poor. We just trick ourselves into thinking there’s something better out there to keep ourselves going,”

“Now that wasn’t the point of my story at all!” Louis scowled. “The point was to take your life into your own hands. Whatever hand you’ve been dealt, you can change it. This may not be the life I expected for myself when I stole that ship, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Each day, each moment, I get to be myself. I couldn’t ask for more,”

It was such a simple desire, to be oneself. Looking back over the years though, Clementine realized it hadn’t been a consideration that even crossed her mind. Survival had come first and foremost, and she’d never been able to get far past that. Who did she even want to be? Someone who kept A.J. safe. Beyond that though, Clementine wasn’t sure.

“We’re here!”

Clementine followed Louis’ outstretched finger to where a flock of birds sat nesting together on the rocky shoreline. They had the appearance of gulls, but somewhat larger. Their beaks shone dully, like metal that had a thin patina from the constant spray of saltwater upon it. Their wings too seemed almost to glisten in the light. Long, pointed metallic feathers gave off shimmers from underneath the cover of softer, regular feathers. There seemed to be at least a few dozen of them, not counting the young that squawked needily from their nests.

Louis gestured for Clementine to follow. They paced along the edge of the tree line, getting as close as they could to the nests without betraying their position. “So I’m thinking one of us serves as a distraction while the other runs among the nests and picks up as many of the bronze feathers as we can,”

“And I’m guessing I was brought along to be that distraction?”

“What? No. It’s me,” Louis gave a broad grin. “After all, I am quite distracting. Charming, theatrical, charismatic…”

“The list could go on and on,” Clementine quipped, smirking at his bravado.

Louis winked playfully before looking back at the flock. “It’s pretty close to the edge, but I figure I can circle round, keep them guessing where I’ll go next before booking it to the woods. We can just keep that up until we have as many of the feathers as possible,”

Clementine nodded. “Be careful,”

“Always, m’lady. Then without further ado…” Louis dramatically stepped out of the woods. Grabbing a coattail in each hand, he began to flap them behind him as he ran forward, cawing loudly.

“Bkaw! Bkaw! Yo birds, over here!”

Clementine couldn’t help but chuckle. Leave it to Louis to come up with a distraction so dramatic. She scurried out while staying low to the ground, keeping an eye on the stymphalian birds above.

The distraction was certainly effective. All the adult birds flew in Louis’ direction with angry cries, causing him to pick up his speed as he circled round the rookery, still flapping his coat wildly. “Woah! Didn’t know we were playing chicken here! Guess it’s a race then!”

Clementine smiled to herself, entertained by Louis’ commentary as she picked through nest after nest, steering clear of the squealing babies within each one. She was peeved by her haul though. Each nest only contained a single bronze feather if any at all. They must not fall out often. They wouldn’t have much to show at this rate. Would they have to capture one of the birds and pluck it themselves?

A started yelp from Louis had her looking up from her work. Clementine followed his gaze to the ground where to her horror she saw a series of feathers embedded in the ground mere inches behind him. When Louis had mentioned the birds could throw their feathers, she’d thought they would be small feathers, only an inch or two long. The ones dropped in the nests were about that size. But these appeared to be almost half a foot in length. If one of those feathers hit either of them, it wouldn’t be an injury they could walk off. “Run!” Clementine called to Louis, cupping her hands round her mouth.

Louis had already circled about halfway round the rookery. It would be quite some distance before he’d reach the safety of the woods. Saving his breath for running, he circled the edge of the nesting ground as quickly as possible, teetering dangerously close to the edge. More feathers came flying his way, falling into the sea as he bent in half to dodge them. As he was about to lift his head, Louis noticed one stymphalian gull flying particularly close overhead. It dropped a load of its own, but this one wasn’t feathers. The poo didn’t come that close to Louis, instead joining the flung feathers in the sea. Louis’ felt his stomach drop though when he saw a dead fish float to the surface, covered in the sticky white substance. “What the shit?!”

“What is it?” Clementine called softly, circling toward him and picking up the feathers strewn along the way.

“Their dung is poisonous after all! Everything’s true!” Picking up his pace, Louis scampered forward, sidestepping nest after nest. “We need to book it!” Louis’ path through the nests seemed to further anger the birds. They began to take turns diving toward him, their sharp beaks snapping at his dreadlocks viciously. “Make for the trees, Clem! Save yourself!”

“Fuck that!” Picking up a rock, Clementine threw it toward the flock of angry gulls. “I’m not gonna leave you!” She picked up another rock, lobbing it at a particularly large bird. The projectile simply bounced off of that animal, not seeming to injure it in any way. It did draw its attention though. The gull turned with an angry look toward Clementine, diving her direction.

“Clem!” Louis called, leaping over nests to try to reach her.

“Caw, caw!” Clementine called, jogging backwards as she kept her eye on the stymphalian gulls. “Come get me, cowards!”

“No! Caw, caw! I’m an imposter, get me!” Louis cried, leaping up and down as he flapped his coat wildly.

Now the gulls were after both of them. It was utter chaos as the pair ran amongst the nests, trying to reunite and reach safety while the flock continued to chase them. The chase continued round and through the rookery till Clementine spotted an opening. “Louis, now!” She sprinted toward the woods, hoping he was close behind her. Reaching their safety, she turned around to see Louis with a squadron of birds on his tail. He leapt into the woods just as a barrage of metal feathers flew through the air. Some hit the trees while others flew past into the woods. When Clementine looked down, she saw Louis collapsed on the ground, pinned in place by several feathers that had cut through his coat and embedded in the dirt.

Clementine ran forward, pulling the feathers out and helping him up. “Keep going! Don’t look back!” The two continued to sprint through the woods and back to the opposite beach, the calls of the stymphalian gulls echoing in their ears and causing their hearts to pound heavily. Racing to the rowboat, they jumped in, tossing in their cargo and beginning to paddle desperately out to sea. On the other side of the island, they could see birds rising above the tree line. The sight made them row all the faster. It was only when the island became a blurred smudge on the horizon that they both collapsed upon the floor of the rowboat, gasping for air.

“That was- way worse- than expected,” Louis managed, his arms spread eagled across both sides of the rowboat. “Sorry,”

“ -‘s fine,” Clementine replied, using her bandana to wipe sweat from her brow. “Definitely a story to remember. And look at the haul we got,” She smiled down at the base of the rowboat, full with over a dozen of the massive feathers. “Can’t believe we grabbed so many,”

Louis whistled appreciatively. “Way to go us, thinking about the moolah even as we fled for our lives. We make quite the team,”

“That we do,” Clementine smirked. “Never thought I’d say that to someone who does such a spot-on impression of a chicken,”

“Um, excuse you, I was a stymphalian gull,” Louis replied, rolling his eyes in mock injury. “True theater isn’t appreciated these days,”

Clementine giggled, her smile hidden behind her hand. “My apologies, good sir,”

Louis smiled back at her. “Y’know, you’re pretty fun when on adventure. I bet you’ll fit right in in no time: a true Ericson pirate,”

Clementine’s face fell at his words.

“Is the welcome premature?”

“Maybe… if you knew the truth,”

Louis’ brow furrowed at those words. “And what’s that?”

Clementine rolled up her sleeve, displaying a large brand on her arm. Louis recognized it immediately: New Frontier. A particularly notorious and bloodthirsty crew of pirates. “Figured you should know before getting too friendly,”

“Oh. Shit,”

“Yeah,” Clementine’s eyes were locked on one of the feathers in the pile, watching it as the rowboat rose and fell with each gentle wave. “I can leave as soon as we get back to the boat. Me and A.J.”

“I’m guessing you joined them out of necessity?”

Clementine’s eyes looked up to search Louis’. There was no judgment there. “Yes. I had nothing left,”

“And you escaped?”

“I was kicked out. Punishment for stealing,”

“What did you steal?” Louis’ gaze was steady, searching.

“Medicine. A.J. was sick. He’d have died without it,”

Louis nodded thoughtfully. “You stuck by him,”

“I would do anything for A.J.”

“You stuck by me too, back at the rookery. I told you to run and you didn’t,”

“I knew I could help,”

“Before they joined my crew, Violet, Mitch, Tenn and Willy were thieves. I met Violet when she was trying to rob me. Only figure that out later though,” Louis gave a rueful chuckle. “We met Aasim in jail. He’s been put there for running dozens of cons. Ruby was our jailer. Helped us escape and wrecked all future job prospects in the process. Brody’s a runaway and Omar… honestly, I’m still not sure why Omar decided to stick with us. The point is, everybody in the crew has a past they’d like to forget, someone they used to be but aren’t anymore. So, Clementine,” Louis extended his hand. “I want to offer you that same thing. Whatever’s in the past, you can leave it there. Would you like to officially become an Ericson pirate?”

Clementine’s mouth was dry. He was seriously offering this after what she had just revealed? She could tell from the look in Louis’ eye that this was genuine though; he meant what he said. A second chance at life, a new start… could that really happen at sea? Clementine wanted to believe it was possible. If Louis was willing to give it a try, then so was she. Clementine took his hand in hers, shaking it firmly. “I do,”

Louis smiled brightly, a laugh escaping his lips. “Then welcome to the crew!”

#twdg #twdg louis #twdg clementine #clouis #fanfic #a pirate's life for me au

[catsworldlytravels]

Gooooooood morning Vietnam

It’s actually over 3 years since I went to Vietnam, better late than never in writing up about it! This trip was March 2017.

I had a direct flight from London to Hanoi with Vietnam Airlines, an extremely reasonable flight price of around £450 return if I remember rightly. After a 12+ hour flight, I landed at 4.30am local time, and after swiftly clearing immigration (British citizens didn’t – at time of travel – require a visa for stays under 15 days) I had quite a long wait for my bag as it was basically the last one round the carousel – always a slightly worrying time! I’d arranged a transfer to my hotel in central Hanoi, and after arriving at the hotel at around 6.30am I took myself off to bed. Top tip, especially when travelling somewhere where accommodation is cheap by western standards – if you are arriving somewhere first thing in the morning, book a hotel room for the previous night so you can check in and either get some kip for a few hours, or freshen up before you start exploring. The hotel I was staying in was approx £30 per night which was worth every penny to be able to crash for a few hours.

As it turned out, I was absolutely knackered, the product of being in a job I didn’t enjoy (part of the reason I’d gone on sabbatical the year before), and at the time I’d actually just been successful in interviewing for another job in the same company which I would start shortly after returning from this trip. Much less stress and a better work/life balance, but that isn’t the topic of this blog, and as such I pretty much slept through the entire day. Fortunately I’d arrived a day early to join the trip so I didn’t miss out on that much, and it gave my body clock a chance to adjust.

After a long sleep, I awoke refreshed on the second day and after breakfasting in the hotel, I set off exploring Hanoi. One thing I had been warned about prior to this trip was that attempting to cross the street in Hanoi would be an interesting experience, certainly if you waited as you would in the U.K. for a break in the traffic, I’d still be stuck on the wrong side of the street now! It is a little unnerving basically having to walk out into traffic but, unbelievably, it works. Most people in Vietnam ride scooters as the taxes on (usually imported) cars are prohibitively expensive, and they are used to adjusting their speeds for pedestrians. After building up confidence to cross the street, I made my way to Hoan Kiam Lake and walked around it, enjoying the early morning sights including the locals enjoying some early morning yoga/meditation along the shores.

Hoan Kiam Lake, Hanoi

After some more wandering to a temple and to the market, I headed back to my hotel for some much needed air-con. After a short break from the heat, I ventured back outside and grabbed lunch – a delicious Bánh Mì from Banh Mi 25, one of the top-rated places for Bánh Mì in Hanoi. Bánh Mì are a delicious fusion sandwich, a baguette-style bread roll filled with pate, grilled meat, cucumber and pickled veg, and an absolute bargain with a Bánh Mì and bottle of water costing the equivalent of 75p!

In the afternoon I walked to the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum complex and around the botanical gardens before retreating back to the hotel. In the evening I met the rest of the group (a G Adventures trip) and we headed out for dinner.

An early start the next morning as we headed to Halong Bay. It was a 4 hour drive punctuated by a stop at a project which creates employment for disabled people by teaching them crafts and needlework which is then sold. A very interesting idea.

We arrived at Halong Bay and boarded our overnight junk boat in time for lunch. As we set sail through the bay, the limestone karsts that we passed through reminded me a little bit of Milford Sound. I’ve since also been to Khao Sok in Thailand which was very reminiscent of Halong Bay. We sailed through the bay in the afternoon, stopping off in a couple of places including Ti Top Island where we climbed up 400 steps to take in the views.

Halong Bay

We had dinner on the boat, all freshly made on board and plate after plate of delicious food was served up. After enjoying the stars with a couple of drinks, I retreated to bed. Another early start the following morning with breakfast at 7am before we visited a Sung Sot Cave, the largest cave in Halong Bay, which had this amazing, wave-like ceiling.

Sung Sot Cave, Halong Bay

We then headed back to land and late morning got off the boat and headed on the 4 hour journey back to Hanoi. We were taking the overnight train south to Hue but had a few hours spare before then, so I went on a street food tour. If you haven’t already gathered, I absolutely loved the food in Vietnam. I think it’s the best food I’ve had anywhere, and certainly the cheapest. We wandered the streets of Hanoi, sampling lots of delicious food before ending up in Hanoi Food Culture where we had the Vietnamese speciality of egg coffee (or egg chocolate in my case as I’m not a coffee drinker)

Egg chocolate – an alternate version of the Vietnamese speciality egg coffee

We boarded the train in the evening, around 9pm. We were travelling in first class which comprised of 4-berth bunks with shared toilets/squats at the ends of the carriages. Second class was 6-berth bunks, followed by soft seats and hard seats (as you might recall from the Top Gear Vietnam special). I took a top bunk. The journey itself was very loud and the train was very shaky, and I don’t remember sleeping too much. The overnight train I’ve since been on in Thailand was a much more comfortable ride.

We arrived in Hue at 10.30am the next morning. It was noticeably hotter and more humid. Despite arriving early, we were able to check in to our hotel where I promptly showered before heading out for a quick wander before we went on our included trips in the afternoon. I ventured for a walk along the Perfume River before retreating to the air con ahead of our afternoon tours. Firstly we went to the Tien Mu Pagoda:

Tien Mu Pagoda, Hue

We then went to the main attraction in Hue, the Imperial Citadel. An imposing collection of buildings, and much, much larger than I imagined. The citadel was built in the early 1800s and was targeted during the Vietnam War. You can see the bullet holes from the Vietnam War in some of the walls.

Imperial citadel, Hue

We also squeezed in a visit to the Royal Tombs on an busy sightseeing afternoon.

At the Royal Tombs, Hue

The next morning I did a motorbike tour (as backseat passenger!) – an absolute must-do in a country where motorbikes/scooters are the primary form of transport. We were taken out to the countryside outside of Hue, seeing rice fields, monasteries and a colosseum where elephants and tigers once fought. We had an included vegetarian lunch at the monastery which was, once again, absolutely delicious.

Colosseum; Biker pose; River views

We arrived back in Hue after lunch and then headed south over the Hai Van Pass towards Hoi An. Unfortunately it was a bit cloudier than ideal which didn’t make for the best photos, but we still saw some great views.

Views on the drive to Hoi An.

We arrived in Hoi An in the late afternoon. Our guide took us on a brief orientation tour as we had 3 nights here to explore. We bumped into Jack Whitehall and his dad filming their Netflix travel series whilst we were wandering down tailors row – an unexpected sight! Hoi An is famous for getting cheap tailoring which can be ready in as little as 24 hours, but I didn’t partake on this occasion.

The following day we had an included excursion in the morning to Planeterra’s project here, Oodles of Noodles. This project taught local kids both the skills of cooking in a professional environment, as well as some English language. We learned to make rice pancakes, and then enjoyed a delicious bowl of noodles for lunch:

Lunch at Oodles of Noodles, Hoi An

We had a free afternoon where I enjoyed walking around Hoi An old town. Sincerely the prettiest place I’ve ever been.

Sights of Hoi An, the prettiest place I’ve ever been

The next day was a free day. The weather was a bit dodgy, grey with the occasionally downpour but still very warm, so after a relaxing morning at the hotel, I went for a hot stone massage in the afternoon. £20 for a 90 minute massage was an absolute bargain, even if I was a bit sore the following day! In the evening we enjoyed a walk (and some bargains) in the night markets.

The next morning was an early start for a flight from nearby Danang to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), formerly Saigon. Even hotter and more sticky than Hue. After checking in to the hotel mid morning, and then going for lunch to have pho (finally!), we then had a free afternoon. Ho Chi Minh City has some pretty spectacular architecture, including many remnants of the French colonial era:

Notre Dame Cathedral, HCMC; City Hall; The Post Office, HCMC

The following day we had an included trip out to the Cu Chi Tunnels, a network of tunnels built by the Viet Cong outside of Saigon during the Vietnam War. It was fascinating to learn about the guerilla tactics used by the Viet Cong, and amazing to see the size of the tunnels, which were utterly minuscule.

Cu Chi Tunnels, barely big enough for a body to fit through

We came back to HCMC for lunch and then had a free afternoon. I decided to go to the War Remnants museum which is is a sobering affair. Be warned – there are some very graphic pictures of the effects of the chemical warfare. It was also horrifying to learn that people still live with the effects having been exposed at the time, but also because some of the effects can be passed on to offspring. A sobering reminder of the legacy of war, and well worth a visit.

That evening was our final group dinner before I left the following day. More delicious food, this time Vietnamese barbecue.

Vietnamese BBQ – cook your own dinner!

I had most of the next day free before an evening flight back to London via Hanoi. It was extremely hot and sticky again, and after a walk in the morning to the Reunification Palace and a failed attempt to find the Jade Emperor Pagoda, I retreated back to the hotel and air con and a shower before heading to the airport in the late afternoon.

So, what were my impressions of Vietnam? Genuinely part of the reason I went was after I’d seen the Top Gear Vietnam show, it looked a beautiful and fascinating country. A few people I’d met on my previous travels had also been and talked about what a wonderful country it is. And it certainly was. Everyone was friendly, I didn’t feel afraid walking around by myself, a solo female traveller (albeit on a group tour). It was very cheap – obviously I’d paid for the trip and accommodation/transport beforehand, and so all I had to buy whilst there was food, drinks, excursions and souvenirs. I was there for 10 days and spent less than £150 – and that included a $40 motorbike trip and a £20 massage. The absolute best food I’ve had anywhere I’ve been either before or since (with Peru close behind). And a fascinating, and devastating, recent history. Would absolutely recommend, and when I do go back again to South East Asia, I wouldn’t think twice about going back.

from WordPress https://catsgreatadventure.wordpress.com/2020/07/25/gooooooood-morning-vietnam/

#Asia #Travels #Vietnam #female traveller #g adventures #solo travel #south east asia

[kathyprior4200]

FHE Alastor Glimpses At Our World

Before long after Alastor had his rest, it wasn’t just Pentagram City that fell into his hands.

 There were several other great cities in Hell, Thelema City and Levia City. In the former one, an indigo upside down cross glowed against the red sky, though the air was very polluted from nearby factories. Many of the residents of Thelema city had wings: dragons, hydras, bat demons, mosquito demons, among others. Still, there were plenty of animal-like demons, imps, and other sinners who lived there, too. The city was ruled by King Beezelbub, Lord of the Flies and a lower ruler. He had a black face, and many eyes that could see in every direction. Giant fly wings extended from his back, even as he wore a suit, top-hat and bow-tie. Once he heard of Lucifer’s defeat, he promptly surrendered after Alastor had burst into the palace with his army of shadow minions.

 The city of Levia was different. It lay close to a burning ocean of fire, where large fish, ancient sharks and sea monsters lurked beneath violent waves. The demon denizens used boats to catch fish, sell them at outrageously high prices and consume them. In this city, a teal symbol glowed against the red sky, an infinity symbol with two crosses on top of another…Leviathan’s symbol.

 Leviathan was another king, also lower than Lucifer but higher than Beezelbub. He had a wife, Abyzou and a prince son, Franz. This royal family had the appearance of sea monsters: sharp fangs, scaly skin of dark green, ocean blue, or black. He carried a pitchfork staff with an eel skeleton wrapped around it. Helsa, Seviathan and the rest of the Von Eldritch family were close associates with this family, rivals of the Magnes.

 Leviathan and Alastor engaged in battle, but alas, Leviathan lost as well. The smart demons took refuge in Leviathan’s palace, which was partly submerged under the fiery sea. All the cities and provinces fell under the Radio Demon. Both royal families and cities perished.

 It wasn’t long before Alastor was wearing a trophy necklace of several black Archangel heads. The holy harpoons and spears the Archangels were carrying were burned in a large pile, as they weren’t very effective against the angels.

 Unknown by most, there were other lower Circles of Hell; the current one was the first uppermost one, closest to Heaven and Earth. The second circle was a windy desert, the third, a gloomy rain-filled filthy realm, the fourth one, a haven for gamblers and property wars, the fifth, a trade site via the River Styx, the sixth, a gothic land of death, the seventh, a land of weapons, the eighth, a world of mining and disease and finally, the icy ninth circle, closest to the Void. This was where Satan, Lucifer’s dark counterpart resided.

At least until Alastor either recruited him or destroyed him.

 Sir Pentious’ hideout lay in ruins after the serpent lord’s defeat. His air ship lay in several charred pieces on the ground during their final battle. The remaining egg bois were running for their lives from hungry animated voodoo dolls with poison-tipped pins aiming toward the minions. Baxter’s labs were now covered with rocks, dirt and debris from the ground collapsing after more shadow demons and creatures burst free. The Hazbin Hotel, once grand in its haphazardly appearance was now in tatters from the Archangels and shadow spirits fighting earlier on. The stained glass windows with apples on it now lay in glass pieces of red and dark yellow. The circus tent that made up the roof was torn and no longer upright. The only thing recognizable was the lit up letters of “Hazbin” that were once on the roof.

 Once the demons of Pentagram City were freed and turned on him thanks to Charlie, the crazed Radio Demon didn’t want to risk anymore chances, thus sending the spirits to finish them off. There were times when Alastor would miss the crazy times he had with Charlie, Niffty, Mimzy, Rosie, Husk and even Angel Dust. But love of power tilted to paranoia of losing his position. As he had found a way to defeat Lucifer, he had to make sure that the same thing didn’t happen to him.

 Alastor had died once from dogs and a gunshot when he was human. Despite being powerful, he knew that Hell was filled with other kinds of dangers. He made sure he wouldn’t die again.

 Fortunately for him, all the souls that the shadows had consumed seemed to make them more powerful. They were able to fight off several more invading Archangels, even in Heaven where the sunlight could be harmful to them. Provided they evade the angel’s spears and not get too close to God, they were fulfilling their greedy desires to wreak havoc throughout the realms. For now, he appeared to be back pulling the strings of his dark demonic army. While the shadows invaded Heaven, a horde of imps traveled to the human world to kill off more humans for Alastor and the shadows to feast on. Most humans didn’t seem to notice…they were all too frantic trying to save lives during the COVID 19 virus outbreak. One of the portals opened…showing the modern city of New Orleans. Alastor peeked through one of the portals and saw nurses wearing masks rushing patients into hospitals. A group of kids and their parents were crying against the wall, all wearing face masks. Teachers and parents were chatting though their cellphones and computer screens, boarding in their homes.

One sign made Alastor gasp out loud: it read “Mardi Gras parade and festival postponed until next year due to outbreak. Please wash your hands, wear a mask and stay home.”

“Unbelievable…” he breathed, tuffs twitching.

Jazz band were no longer playing in clubs and outside. The only music that was played came from the tiny screens of iPhones from videos. Nothing like the filling all-encompassing live music that made New Orleans so well-known in the United States. The whole city looked dead, devoid of vivid purple, green and yellow colors like in the past.

Alastor stood, shocked, but then remembered all the suffering people and grinned wider.

The world of humanity was coming to an end.

Perhaps he could add newcomer sinners to his army without worrying about powerful royal families. Stolas, the pervert owl demon would not be lonely now, especially with Blitzo to play with and thousands of people entering Hell.

Alastor nodded in approval at a sign reading “Please keep six feet apart from others around you.”

“I need to enforce that rule in Hell. If only Angel has listened.”

 Alastor stepped back and the portal closed.

“This virus outbreak…what pandemonium…pure entertainment!” Alastor laughed with delight. “So many delusional protestors! Orphans, homeless folk, sick patients waiting for death to bring them home. Mortals dying right and left. Gullible humans don’t know what hits them until it’s far too late.” He never thought such an event could top the drama of the 1929 Stock Market Crash…but here it was.

 The crisis briefly brought back memories of the Spanish Flu Pandemic in 1918. Back then, his mother had gotten gravely ill and passed away. At the same time, his father had molested him a second time and left him to fend for himself. He had spiraled into a period of depression, cutting, and fasting…he had snapped and later killed his father in the most painful ways possible. This was when his killing sprees began…during the Roaring Twenties.

 How ironic that history has a way of repeating itself after a hundred years. Now, the 2020s age had begun. Alastor had, indeed, snapped once again, though he did not feel helpless nor sad this time.

 A second life. A second chance. A second opportunity to make all his enemies perish for good.

Like the virus, Alastor was a nondiscriminatory bringer of death and destruction…

…and humanity was about to enter an even Greater Depression.

#alternateuniverse #fhealastor #hazbinhotel #covid19

[carybergeron]

5 Ways to Grow a Small Business

Introduction

Many of the products you use on a regular basis started as a small business. For example, have you ever used an Aveda beauty product? Aveda is a household name, but it didn't start out as a huge company. In the late 1970s, this brand got its start as a simple salon. A closer look at Aveda's story will show you exactly how much growth is possible for your small business.

The story of Aveda began with a car accident. Horst Rechelbacher, the brand's eventual founder, landed in a Minneapolis hospital after a serious crash. His resulting medical bills pushed him into launching a salon in Minneapolis to practice his skills as a hairdresser. As he worked, he began dabbling in making his own beauty products, which he sold to his customers. Eventually finding his niche, creating products for people with sensitive skin, Rechelbacher slowly and surely grew his line, partnering with distributors to get his products in front of others. Nearly 20 years after he began, he sold his brand, which is now named Aveda, for $300 million to Estee Lauder in 1997.

This is just one of millions of stories of small business success throughout America. As with most, growth came slowly and surely for the Aveda line and Mr. Rechelbacher, but with the right strategies, he was able to create a highly successful, and lucrative, brand out of his small business.

Today's small businesses face an interesting quandary. In order to succeed, they have to keep pushing for bigger and better things. On the other hand, because they are small, there appears to be a limit as to just how far they can go. Small business owners, like Mr. Rechelbacher, must find the balance between pushing for growth and growing at a rate they can sustain.

No matter what stage your business is in, growth is always possible. As you look for the next great product for your customers or marketing strategy for your business, these following five keys will help you stay on track. In the end, your goal is going to be the same – to grow your business at a sustainable rate so you can see greater success. By following these principles, you will be able to do just that.

Chapter 1 – Growth Through Proper Marketing

One of the first ways you can grow your business is through proper marketing. In fact, this particular step is paramount to almost everything your business does. Without marketing, you will not have customers. Without marketing, you will not see growth.

Marketing is the primary means by which you can gain new customers. If people need what your business offers, but don't know you're there; you're not going to grow. You must know how to market in order to successfully grow a small business.

Yet simply marketing for the sake of marketing is not sufficient either. You need to know how to market well if you are going to see growth from your marketing efforts. Here's how you can do this.

Identify your Target Market

No marketing can be successful unless you know whom you are marketing towards. If you've been in business for a while, you already know the term target market. This is the group of people you are specifically trying to reach with your product or service or a specific marketing message. The more clearly defined your target market is, the more successful you will be in your marketing endeavors.

Here's the important thing to remember about your target market: very few businesses offer a product or service that appeals to the entire population. We're simply too diverse of a world for this to be possible. Even if you offer something that everyone could, in theory, use, there will be people who choose not to use it, for whatever personal reason they have. So, you need to know exactly what group you are trying to reach.

The key here is to be specific. Don't just say you are marketing to "moms." Get every detail you can, including:

Age

Occupation

Income and education levels

Marital status

Ethnicity

Geographic location

Gender

All of these details will help you tailor your marketing efforts to the right people. In addition, you will need to think about the characteristics of these people, including:

Interests

Values

Personalities

Emotional responses

Behaviors

These types of characteristics are known as "psychographics," and they may be as important as the more easily defined characteristics like age and geographic location.

What can you do if you don't know these details about your target market? In order to find out these details, consider surveying your existing customer base, and asking for these details. This can get you started. Then, take a good, hard look at your competitors. Who are they marketing to? If possible, try to find a different market or niche so you can have a fresh base of customers who don't already have a company offering that service.

Once you have clearly outlined your target market, and written it down, take a look at what you have. Ask yourself some hard questions. For example, is your market large enough to create enough demand for your product? Also, does your product or service really meet the need of this demographic, and will they see that need? Finally, can they afford what you offer for the price you need to get?

After doing this exercise, if you see a problem, stop and re-evaluate your market. Can you expand it to include more people? Can you add a product or service that could help you reach more? Your goal is to find the perfect balance between a clearly defined, specific target market and a market that is large enough to fuel your success.

Marketing to Your Market

Once you've clearly defined your target market, the next step is to start tailoring your marketing to them. If your target market is 20-something single males, then marketing using pictures of small children playing outdoors isn't going to hit home.

This is obvious, but sometimes the changes you need to make are subtler. You must ensure that every single marketing message you offer is carefully tailored to that specific audience.

To do this, put yourself in your customer's shoes. Why should they buy your product? How will it change their lives for the better? Taking some time to think like a customer is going to be the key to creating a marketing plan that will reach that target market effectively.

Create a Unique Selling Proposition

If you are truly honest, you can probably list a handful of businesses that offer what you do, or at least something similar. You must be able to make yourself look different than the competition. You do this through a unique selling proposition.

A unique selling proposition, or USP, is that one marketing phrase that sets your business apart from all others who offer what you do. This is the "Wow!" factor, and it gives your customers a reason to choose you instead of the company they've been using or have considered. These old marketing examples, from companies you've heard of, will help you understand the USP and how it works.

"Melts in your mouth, not in your hand." (M&Ms)

"Have it your way" (Burger King)

"Where’s the beef?" (Wendy's)

"A diamond is forever" (DeBeers)

"You get fresh, hot pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or less or it's free. (Domino's Pizza)

Your unique selling proposition doesn't necessarily have to be a catchy phrase, either. For example, when Hanes L'eggs hosiery was becoming a mainstream brand, they differentiated from their competition by offering hosiery, a fashion staple of the time, at supermarkets and discount stores, so women could buy them without a visit to the high-end retailers for a pair of hose. They changed the packaging to the iconic plastic egg to make it seem to fit the new sales location, and the rest is retail history.

In order for your USP to work, it must be something that the competition does not offer, and something that appeals to your entire target market. This is the place to spend your time researching and testing, because you must find the right USP to find marketing success.

Keep Your Brand in Mind

As you market, you need to keep more than just your target market in mind. You also need to keep your brand. Make sure you have a clearly defined branding image in mind for your business, and use that as a central feature for every advertisement that you create. The more people see your name and connect it to the brand image you have created, the more successful your marketing efforts will be.

Creative Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses

Since small businesses must market differently than large businesses, you need to learn to get creative. Here are some ideas you can use to creatively market without spending a fortune.

Elicit customer referrals with bonuses to existing customers.

Ask about cooperative marketing options with your vendors, provided they aren't competitors.

Distribute materials for local events to get your name out in the community.

Sponsor small local events to gain local contacts while supporting the community.

Become a local expert in your niche by volunteering to write a question and answer column in your newspaper or do a radio interview.

The opportunities to market are really quite endless. You just need to take the time to find them.

Keep Marketing Trackable

Finally, as you market, make sure you have a way to track what your efforts are doing. If you are marketing locally, put a coupon or coupon code on the flyer unique to that marketing effort, so you will know when someone uses it. When marketing online, learn how to track traffic patterns so you can know what marketing efforts are working best. If you pay for radio or television marketing, encourage customers to state that they heard the ad for an additional discount, so you can see how effective it is.

Not all marketing efforts can be tracked. Sometimes, the branding that occurs is just as valuable as the customers that an ad brings to you. Still, you should put some sort of tracking feature on all advertisements you place if possible, so you can know if they are working at all.

Avoid Common Marketing Pitfalls

As you are defining your marketing plan, make sure you avoid these common pitfalls:

Not knowing your customers – If you haven't gotten to know your customers, you can't market to them.

Not listening to your customers – Defining your market is great, but if you don't listen to that market, you're going to struggle to reach them.

No value proposition – You have to tell your customer what your product will do for them. This is called a "value proposition." Learn how to write one effectively.

Not being different – You aren't going to outshine every one of your competitors all of the time. Instead, you need to provide something different, but valuable, to the target market. Following the leader will decrease your level of success.

Not spending the money – This is a hard one for cash-strapped small businesses, but you can't starve your marketing budget and expect to see success. You need a reasonable amount allocated to marketing in your budget.

Focusing on just one method – Marketing needs to be diverse. If you have a method that's working well, then focus strongly on it, but don't forget to try new ideas as well.

Each of these mistakes is almost natural to make. As you build your marketing plan, regularly check through it and ensure that you aren't making one of these mistakes.

Chapter 2 – Growth Through Diversifying

Marketing is one of the simplest ways to grow. By getting more customers and creating a greater demand for what you offer, you will see growth. However, that's just one way to grow your small business. What happens when the market for your particular product or service is completely full, or if the need for that item dries up? It's time to diversify.

Consider one product that is a household name: Tupperware. This brand made a name for itself selling plastic sealed containers. Tupperware offers a full lifetime warranty on its products against "chipping, breaking, peeling and cracking." So, what happens when every household in America, in theory, has a set of Tupperware sealed containers that have a lifetime warranty? The company no longer has a market to sell to.

Yet, Tupperware is still going strong. Representatives are selling products in large numbers through home parties just as they did years ago when the company first started. How is this possible? It's possible because Tupperware has diversified.

Yes, the company's name is synonymous with plastic sealed containers, but they offer far more than this. Today, Tupperware has everything from cups with lids and straws to cutlery and cookware. By offering a greater line of products, they continue to offer quality products to their market, even if people are still using their sealed containers from the 1970s. This is diversifying at its best.

Consider Your Limits

As you think about ways to expand, make sure you consider your limits. You have limited resources, both financially and in relationship to time. You also may have a limited number of people available for your use as you expand. How many are you willing to hire on if the new idea takes off? How much budget can you allocate to developing a new product or service before it becomes popular and successful? These are the types of questions you must ask yourself, and answer honestly, as you plan on diversifying.

Look to Your Customers

The first step in successfully diversifying your business is to look at what you are doing now. What is working? What keeps your customers coming back to you for? Start here, and then figure out how you can add to that.

Is there a way you can offer something to save your customers time while they use your product? Is there a way to enhance the way they use your product or experience your service? These types of questions will give you clear direction as to how you can diversify your business.

Diversifying in a New Direction

One way to diversify your business is to expand it in a new direction. For instance, Tupperware could have added more sealed containers to its lineup, and it likely has done so over the years, but it also added new types of products, like the cutlery and cookware. If you are offering a product, consider adding items that are complements or accessories for that product. This might be how-to videos, training opportunities or simply additional features to make the product even more easy to use. If your business is service based, consider adding another service that complements the one you are currently offering.

Vertical and Horizontal Directions

As you consider the directions you can take when diversifying, consider both horizontal and vertical expansion. Most businesses diversify in one of these two directions. You must decide which is right for you.

Horizontal diversification refers to expanding outside of the product or service you are already offering. Find a niche that is closely connected to yours, and then expand into it. Find products or services that fit with what you are offering, without competing with it.

In the Tupperware example, the cookware was a horizontal expansion on the sealed containers the company earned its fame with. People need cooking utensils to cook the food they will eventually store in those sealed containers.

Expanding vertically is a bit more complex. This type of expansion refers to expanding within your existing framework. In other words, it means you are going to go deeper into what you are already doing. Instead of looking for a new product or service, you are going to continue doing what you are doing, only do it bigger and better.

Let's go back to Tupperware for a moment. Vertical expansion would be the addition of new sealed containers to their existing lineup. Is there a hot new color for the kitchen? Then Tupperware will make sealed containers in that color. Are today's cooks upset about BPA? Then Tupperware will make containers without this additive. This is an example of vertical expansion, because it does not add any new products to the lineup, but rather expands the existing products.

Whether you diversify horizontally or vertically, or both, this can be an excellent way to grow your business. Take it slow, but don't be afraid to branch out. You just might see substantial rewards by doing so.

Add More than New Products

New products or new services are the most commonly thought of ways to diversify, but they are by no means the only ones. Another way to diversify is to change up your customer base. For example, if your business offers lawn care to commercial businesses throughout your community, consider branching into residential lawn care. This will give you an additional market, and you can use your existing customers to start your marketing. Ask them if they need your service at their home, and then use them as referrals to get additional customers.

Adding customers is not always as simple as asking for referrals from existing customers, however. If you are struggling to diversify your customer base, here are some ideas.

Cold Calling – Cold calling can still work, if you do it well. Yes, it is riddled with rejection, but if you can get past the first few sentences of your pitch, you may be able to reach quite a few people this way. To get started, call clients you haven't seen in your business for a while, and see if they need your services.

Improved Press – If you have a way to get media attention, you will reach additional customers. Don't be afraid to contact local media outlets to tell them about recent developments for your business. The press you will receive as a result will grow your customer base, and your business.

Work Your Network – Whether online or offline, your network is going to be a valuable source of new contacts. Talk about your business whenever you can, because you never know when someone is in need of what you have to offer.

Don't Be Afraid to Collaborate – Is there a like-minded business you can cooperate with? The spirit of collaboration can often land you more customers. Don't be afraid to reach out to businesses that you may view as competition and collaborate to grow your customer base, provided you have something unique to you that you can offer your mutual customers.

With each of these strategies, you are opening yourself to reach more customers. With more customers comes the potential for more transactions. In the end, your business can grow and diversify, even if you don't add a single product or service.

Diversify, but Stay Consistent

In Chapter 1, we talked about expansion through marketing. You've begun thinking about your USP and how you are going to differentiate yourself from your competition. As you think about diversifying, make sure you stay within that USP. Your customers need to be able to recognize your business and all of its products and services, so they need to match your branding goals.

Many small businesses shoot themselves in the foot by fragmenting their business. For example, if Tupperware were to try to diversify by selling women's clothing, they would struggle. Tupperware has been synonymous with cooking and food storage, not clothing. Most customers would have a mental image of a woman wearing sealed containers or clothing made out of plastic if they heard of Tupperware selling fashionable clothing. While this image might bring a chuckle, it would not spark the desire to purchase Tupperware brand clothing.

No matter how you diversify, keep your overall brand in mind. By doing so, you'll grow your business without losing touch with who you are and what you stand for. In the end, this will help your customers continue to connect with you, even as your business diversifies and expands.

Chapter 3 – Growth Through Franchising

If your business is ready to expand and reach more people in a new geographic area, franchising may be a way to do so. In the 2010 census, the U.S. Census Bureau found that franchises were responsible for over 10 percent of the businesses in 295 different industries, bringing in $1.3 trillion in revenue and employing almost 8 million people.

Franchising, or allowing someone else to run a business that carries your brand name on it for you while giving you a portion of the proceeds in return for the name recognition your business offers, is the way many small businesses turned themselves into household names, but it's not easy. In order for the franchise process to work, you must have franchises that operate under your key values, providing a similar service to their customers that you do to yours. Franchising, therefore, requires careful planning.

If you are considering franchising as a solution to growing your small business, then here are some basic steps to take.

Step 1 – Get a Clear Picture of Your Business

Many entrepreneurs and small business owners are accustomed to taking things a day at a time and tackling problems as they arise. This sort of intuitive approach to running a business comes natural for the entrepreneurial-minded individual, and if you have found success in your business working it this way, then you likely have this skill set.

The problem with this mindset shows up when you are ready to establish a franchise. Your franchisee needs to know exactly how you do everything you do. For instance, if you have a burger joint that you wish to franchise, you may know to flip the burger when the juices start running clear. However, your franchisee, who may have never flipped a burger in his life, doesn't. He, therefore, needs to be told exactly how many minutes the burger needs to cook.

Even if the franchisee has the same personality that you do, you don't really want him to improvise in vital areas of the business. Doing so will destroy the brand you've so carefully constructed. So, in order to successfully start a franchise, you will need to think through the processes you do every day, and take the time to outline what the franchisee needs to know about every aspect of running your business.

One of the easiest ways to create this outline is to open your own "franchise," or second location. Find an area that is far enough from your current location, and open a new store. Write down every step you take to get the store up and running, thinking about the process as if you have never done it before. This will help you create the documents that a franchisee would need.

Step 2 – Hire a Lawyer

There are numerous legal considerations when establishing a franchise. You need to have legal advice to ensure that you do it properly. This can come from a lawyer who is educated in business law, or it can come from the International Franchise Association, which offers legal services to franchises.

Step 3 – Control Your Growth

Sure, you may vision yourself as the next McDonald's, with locations on every corner, but is this realistic for your business? Make sure that your growth is in line with your goals and at a rate that seems natural for your business. Franchising holds tremendous potential, but you can stretch yourself too thin very quickly if you don't slow down and curb your growth.

In addition, as you consider your growth potential, consider the geographic limitations. Where would your business model actually work? Where would your brand be recognized? These considerations will limit your growth as well.

Consider Culver's, a burger restaurant chain that originated as a family-owned location in Wisconsin. As this brand has grown and expanded, it started in Wisconsin and northern Illinois, two areas where its brand was clearly recognized. It wasn't until the brand was firmly established and had a solid customer base that it began to expand out of the upper Midwest.

If you look at the map of Culvers locations, you'll clearly see how they have been expanding within their geographic limits. Yes, you can find Culver's in Texas and Arizona today, but the vast majority of stores are in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and, of course, Wisconsin, and there are none in Florida or California, two states where very little name recognition would occur.

Step 4 – Choose Franchisees Carefully

If your brand is popular, you may find that you have numerous interested franchisees. This is a good thing, but it can also be a dangerous thing. Have a system in place to screen those franchisees. You need to find someone who is enthusiastic about your business, but also who has a realistic expectation about the work involved in setting up a franchise.

Step 5 – Offer Limited Freedom

As a business owner, your franchisee expects a measure of freedom. He is the one who knows his customers and their needs, and he needs freedom to make split-second decisions to meet those needs. Yet, you need to know that the franchise is not going to hurt your branding efforts. So, you will need to establish some restrictions, while still offering some freedom. Take the time to brainstorm what restrictions will help protect your brand, and put these in place, without stifling the creative spirit of the entrepreneurs you are bringing on to your business.

Franchising may not be the solution for your business. You'll need to weigh the pros and cons, while also taking a careful look at the structure of your business, before making a final decision. Yet, if you are looking to expand with more brick-and-mortar stores, making your name into a household name through a specific geographic location, yet lack the manpower to do this yourself, then franchising is an excellent way to tackle this goal.

Chapter 4 – Growth Through the World Wide Web

The Internet has opened the door to numerous opportunities for today's small business owner. With the Web, you can take your business to, quite literally, the world. This means you are no longer limited to simply your local target market as you seek to grow your business. Yet, in spite of these facts, many business owners have not taken their businesses online. If yours is one of these, you are missing out.

Taking Your Business Online

Taking your business online begins with creating a professional website.

If you've been putting off building a website, you may want to re-think that. Here are some reasons why you need a website, and you need it now:

Your Competition Is Online

Imagine this scenario: A customer wants to purchase the exact product your store offers. He sees on Google Maps that you have a store near his location. Great, right?

However, when he clicks on your Google Maps link, there is no link to your store. Now he wonders whether or not you are still open. He cannot get information easily about your store's hours or whether or not you have the product he thinks you offer that he needs. What's the likely result? Well, if your competitor who is located a few blocks away has a website, the customer is likely going to go elsewhere. You have lost a customer and all because you didn't have a website.

This scenario happens more often than you might think. Sure, the customer could pick up the phone and give you a call to see what your hours are, but in our online world, most people will simply drive a block farther to visit the location that had a website than mess with giving you a call. You need an online presence.

Websites Are Convenient

How many times have you given away a business card, only to have it misplaced by the recipient? When this happens, if you have a website, the customer can Google you and find the contact information they need. Satisfied customers can easily point others to you by mentioning your website, even if they don't carry your card. Having a website makes contacting you convenient for your customers.

Websites Make You Look Professional

It's the 21st century. The Internet has been around for decades. Having a website gives you credibility and makes you look professional. Of course, this is only true if your web presences is, itself, professional, but the point is that you need to be online to offer this level of professionalism.

Websites Make You Accessible

What happens when a customer needs information about you outside of your normal business hours? Maybe that customer works all day long and cannot call you. If you have a website, he may be able to get that information at night when you are not open. Your website keeps your business accessible to your customers 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Add the ability to shop online to your site, if possible, and you can be making money in your sleep.

Affordable Advertising

While a website isn't going to be free, once you have it up and running, it can be fairly affordable. If you leverage it correctly, it can be an effective source of advertising. A low cost combined with high potential visibility makes this an important advertising source for your business.

Maximizing Your Online Presence

Have you ever seen the movie Field of Dreams? The mantra of this film is "If you build it, they will come." While this might have worked for the magical baseball field depicted in the film, it doesn’t work for websites. Simply building a website and taking it to the World Wide Web does not mean you will have traffic. You have to maximize your online presence through proper online marketing. Let's look at several tactics you can use to market online and point people to that website effectively.

Search Engine Optimization

One of the first ways people look for a website is with their favorite search engine, which for many is Google. If you want your website to get traffic, you need to make sure that it's showing up on the first page or two of the Google search engine results. This is done through Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

SEO uses keywords and content on your page to improve your visibility in the search engine results. It also focuses on link building to show Google that your content is valuable.

The foundation of an optimization strategy is quality content. While Google and the other search engines are constantly changing their algorithms to try to keep the most relevant content at the forefront of the search results, the search engine gods continue to place high value on quality content. So take the time to find a good writer, if you aren't one, and create content that showcases your company well.

As you create content, consider adding a place on your site where you can add regular, updated content. A blog is an excellent way to do this. If your blog posts can go viral you will be viewed as highly relevant to the search engines.

Other ways to put your image out there as a leader exist, and can be effective, but few are as effective as search engine optimization. Why is this? Because people view organic search results as trusted and valuable. They are more likely to click on links that show up in the search engine results pages than advertisements. As a result, you need to pay attention to SEO if you are going to maximize your use of your website and grow your business.

Pay Per Click Advertising

Pay per click advertising allows you to pay to have your website's link show up at the top of the Google results page. This can be a valuable way to draw customers to your site, particularly for keywords where you struggle to rank well. While not as effective as SEO, when done well, PPC advertising can help your business grow.

Email Marketing

No, email marketing is not dead. You can create successful, effective emails if you know what you're doing. Effective subject lines, valuable content and perks like discounts or insider tips can encourage recipients to open an email, and thus help your profits to increase and your business to grow.

Growing Your Online Presence Through Social Media

As you seek to grow your business by increasing your online presence, don't ignore social media. Through sites like Facebook and Twitter, you can create a brand persona that will help you reach your online goals. If you aren't on social media with your business, then you are losing potential customer contacts.

Social media gives you a unique platform to connect with the people who can use what you offer. It allows you to foster a sense of community with others in your niche, and also gives you a place where you can brand yourself as an expert in your field. When leveraged well, social media can help you grow your business by increasing trust and growing your customer base. When leveraged poorly, it can create serious problems for your company.

The first step in using social media well is creating your profiles. As you establish your profiles, keep your customers in mind. What would they want to see when they visit your Facebook page? What information will help you look like an expert as you interact with them online?

Once your page is established, delegate someone to manage it. You need someone interacting with your audience and posting information to encourage a conversation. If your business is active on these sites, you'll increase brand awareness. As an added bonus, this type of activity helps improve your search engine rank.

As you seek to build trust via social media, make sure you are offering something of value. Does your business offer HVAC services? Then consider adding blog posts offering pertinent HVAC maintenance tips, and then sending them to your audience through your social media accounts. If the information is valuable enough, people will know they can come to you for helpful advice. As a result, you'll be a trusted source when they need your service later on.

No matter what, take the time to listen to your customers as you interact with them through social media. One disgruntled customer who posts on your wall can quickly turn into a marketing nightmare. Yet, if you take that disgruntled customer, outline how you plan to fix their problem, and then get them to respond positively when you do, you will be showing your audience that you do, in fact, care about your customers and go above and beyond to meet their needs.

Finally, as you market across various social media platforms, keep things consistent. The persona you have on Twitter needs to match LinkedIn and Facebook. This will help solidify your brand n the eyes of all potential customers and clients.

Make Online Marketing Mobile Friendly

For many who have had a website for a while, these online marketing techniques are old news. Yet, the online marketplace is ever evolving, and today it's evolving from a PC-driven market to a mobile driven one. In fact, by 2014, many experts believe that the majority of people who are online will be accessing the web via a mobile device rather than computer.

When a site isn't mobile friendly, it loses traffic. If your site isn't accessible to a mobile user, research has found that you will lose that click to your competitor at least 40 percent of the time. These statistics show one thing: to grow your business, you must be able to reach these mobile customers.

When the mobile web first became popular, small businesses used apps to make their information accessible to mobile users. This protected them from having to convert their physical site into a mobile-friendly one. Unfortunately, this strategy no longer works well, as today's user wants to be able to browse, not long on to an app. Because of this, your site needs to be mobile friendly.

The good news about mobile marketing is the fact that you can make your site mobile friendly without too much effort, in many instances. If the site is WordPress based, simply install the correct WordPress plug-in to convert your site to a mobile friendly site. If your site isn't WordPress based, then find a compatible program that will do the conversion for you. Regardless, here are some basic strategies to keep in mind as you cater to the mobile user:

Keep the site design simple – Mobile users can't access large chunks of text. Use graphics and small bits of text on mobile sites.

Space out links – Buttons that are close together are difficult to navigate on a touch screen. Space them out to accommodate people with larger fingers.

Don't ask for large text responses – Have you ever tried "typing" on a smartphone? It's not convenient. Avoid frustrating your customer by avoiding text entry requirements and installing dropdown menus whenever possible.

Now, a site that looks great on a smartphone may not look great on a tablet or laptop. You can eliminate this problem with responsive web design. Responsive web design intuitively detects what type of device is accessing the website, and adjusts accordingly. Incorporate responsive design into your site, and you'll be able to reach any customer who comes your way, no matter how they access your site.

The World Wide Web provides nearly limitless opportunities to the small business owner. If you aren't online, you aren't going to grow as quickly as you could. If you are online, make the most of that online presence by maximizing your website's effectiveness. The end result will be a more effective, thriving business.

Chapter 5 – Growth Through Proper Funding

All of these ideas are great, but all require one thing: money. What can you do to grow your business if you don't have thousands, or even millions, of extra dollars? Truthfully, almost all potential business growth requires a source for business funding. These ideas are ideas that all businesses can look to as they seek to grow.

Small Business Crowdfunding

In an age where getting a loan for a new small business venture is challenging, crowdfunding is gaining momentum as a way to fund a small business. Crowdfunding funds your business venture by getting small donations from many people. This works well for business owners looking to create games and other techy gadgets. People are often willing to chip in a bit for the feeling of success they get out of seeing your business or product succeed. Sometimes, crowdfunding also offers a monetary payout if your business is successful. Regardless, it can be an effective way to grow your business or add a product without a loan.

Small Business Loans

Small business loans are harder and harder to come by, but they are still out there. A small business loan requires a solid business plan and, often, proof that you have the skills necessary to run a business successfully. To find a lender willing to loan money to small businesses, start by visiting the Small Business Administration website. Also, talk to your local lender about small business funding options. As big banks cut lending to small businesses, many smaller banks increased their funds significantly, and you might be able to land a bank loan through a small local bank more easily than a larger, nationally-known bank.

Investors

Investors are another source of funding, whether personal friends, family members or the ever-elusive angel investor or venture capitalist. If you happen to know of someone looking to invest in an up-and-coming business, and can present your product or service well to that potential investor, you may be able to land some funds this way. If you seek outside investors, be certain that you clearly define the benefit to the investor, and are ready to pay up when you are successful.

Borrowing Against Assets

If your business has assets, such as a physical building that you own, that can serve as collateral for a loan; you may be able to get better rates on a potential loan. Don't be afraid to put up these things as collateral for your loan, but only do so if you are certain you will be able to repay the loan. You don't want to lose that asset if you end up without the funds to pay back what you have borrowed.

Credit Cards

If all else fails and no one is seeing the vision you have for your business's growth, you can use credit cards or a line of credit to fund a period of growth. In fact, for businesses, this is the exact scenario that these credit options were created for. A credit card or line of credit has a small monthly payment, so you can fund your growth and then pay it back when you see the returns. Keep in mind that the interest rate on most credit cards is substantially high, especially when compared to a commercial loan, so this should be viewed as your final solution if no other funding options are available.

No matter which of these funding venues you choose, you will need a source for funds. Before you launch a new campaign or start looking for a new product, take the time to count the cost, and make a plan for where that cost is going to come from. Yes, your growth will bring eventual gains, but it may bring some shortages temporarily, so be prepared.

Conclusion

Today's market has been tough on small businesses as the pressures of inflation combined with the recession have created a generation of cash-strapped people. Yet, many small businesses are thriving, even in these uncertain economic times. This fact proves that small businesses can grow, if they know how to do so safely, even in difficult economies. It starts with strong marketing tactics, then a willingness to diversify. Add to this a willingness to franchise, a strong online presence and solid funding, and you have the recipe for a business that will grow and succeed.

[ecotone99]

[SP] The Great Easter Egg Crisis of 2020

The old woman sat at a high-rise bar, looking out over the sprawling city below. A fat cigar hung from her lips. She took a deep drag, the smart smoke working into her lungs, repairing damage from a lifetime of breathing polluted air.

Her unwanted companion stood silently. Just another rich kid. But one waiting expectantly for an answer.

“That was a long time ago, and I’ve done my time. How’d you track me down anyway?”

The kid skirted the question. “It’s a school project. I’m trying to put together a story. Something gritty yet intimate.”

She inhaled again. “It’s all in the archives somewhere. Go digging.”

The kid slowly shook his head. “Without the personal details, it’s just old history.”

She looked the kid over. Why not. If she could get something out of it, anyway.

“Buy me a drink. Top shelf.”

The kid nodded reluctantly.

May as well go all out. She gestured over a robot bartender and ordered the most expensive thing on the menu. The robot dispensed it on the spot, ice cold in a tall glass.

She savoured a mouthful. It was excellent. She could feel the virotherapy agents working almost immediately, massaging at decades of DNA damage. It wouldn’t last, but sure as hell felt good.

The kid looked at her expectantly.

She sighed. “You know about the outbreak in 2020? Covid-19. For some it was the end. For others, a new beginning. I saw it as a chance to make money. A lot of money.”

She took another drag on the cigar, and washed it down with more of the drink. “SARS. Swine Flu. Ebola. We’d heard it all before, and the threat of a pandemic seemed almost routine. Life was calm at first, but slowly the hysteria crept in. People hoarding food. Stockpiling toilet paper. Ridiculous stuff. Each little crisis fueled by social media. It’s different these days, but back then people didn’t understand the risks of living your life online. Mob mentality took over. It quickly became chaos.”

She paused, trying to remember the exact wording. “A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky, dangerous animals.”

The kid looked at her, impassive. Too young to understand by about a century.

“It’s a quote. Look it up.” The kids eyes went a little dimmer as he accessed the ‘net in his head. She interrupted and the kid snapped back to reality. “Do it later.”

She continued on. “So we got an idea. I suppose I should say I got an idea, but it took a team of us to pull off. Most were in it for the money. Some just wanted to cause trouble. That was a thing, back then. Coronavirus was our tinder, and fear of missing out was our spark. Little ripples of panic were already in effect. Shortages would come and go, stock prices jumped up and down. But how could we make it work in our favour?”

She stared, waiting until the kid answered. “Easter Eggs. I know that bit.”

She growled back. “You really don’t. There’s nothing like it anymore. It was a cluster fuck of corporations bastardising ancient beliefs for profit. Pointless conspicuous consumption in chocolate form.”

The kid retreated into his head, looking for meaning in the unfamiliar words. “Consumer whores, right?”

The old woman laughed, and coughed, and laughed again. “Exactly.”

She took another swig of the drink, calming her throat. “The only thing more powerful than consumerism was fear. And the world was primed for it. Outbreaks in almost every city. Shortages, both real and imagined. And just a few weeks out from a holiday celebrated by half the world. You’ve never eaten an easter egg, I presume?”

The kid shrugged. “I tried to recreate one with the food printers. I don’t get the appeal.”

She nodded along. “Either do I kid. Always hated Easter. Maybe that’s why I didn’t feel bad about what we did. Those damn eggs. Churned out by the millions in China. Each one trapping a little breath of air inside. We weren't sure the plan would work, but in the end it was easy. A faked video of a sick worker coughing over an easter egg production line. And a single tweet.”

She shook her head, breathing out through her nose. “We thought we’d need to push to get it viral. But no. Society was ready to bubble over. The media ran with it - a precious holiday was under attack. People were angry at Asia, angry at the government, angry at corporations, angry at each other. And we were ready. We seeded counter campaigns supporting businesses of our choosing. ‘Buy safe, buy local’. Anything forgein was boycotted. People tried to stock up on Easter eggs, beating the rush. Production was increased, but prices quickly climbed out of control. The savvy ones looked ahead, wondering about chocolate futures and next year's eggs. They invested, and stock prices grew. As the rest of the market tanked, our stocks were a shining beacon of hope. The fear of missing out kicked in even harder and the prices doubled. Then tripled. Along the way, the supposedly contaminated eggs all tested clean, and the video was declared a fake. But it was too late.”

She smiled at a plan gone even better than expected. “By Easter, the chosen companies were trading at one hundred times our buy in. We’d leveraged every dollar we had on the shares and were filthy rich. We cashed out, ready to disappear before it all came crashing down. We’d defrauded the world, and thought we’d gotten away with it.”

The old woman clenched her jaw, wrinkles deepening. “What happened next was pure bad luck. We couldn’t have known and it sure as hell wasn’t our fault. The chocolate in the ‘safe’ eggs was contaminated. The incubation was slow, but the mortality rate high. They didn’t even know what it was at first. Panic fueled speculation spun a thousand stories. Toxins from manufacturers cutting corners to meet demand. A Coronavirus mutation. Some sinister and ghastly biological weapon. People even looked to the skies, thinking of extraterrestrial horrors.”

She took a deep breath before continuing. “It was the global pandemic everyone had been afraid of, and had a terrifying fatality rate. Containment was impossible, hospitals were overwhelmed, and nothing slowed the spread. The death toll rose staggeringly fast. One hundred thousand. Five hundred thousand. By July there was over a billion dead, with no end in sight. No treatment, no vaccine, no cure. The old and the sick succumbed more easily, but it took young and healthy too. By the time the outbreak worked its way around the globe, two and a half billion people had died.”

She blinked, pushing back tears as she relived the memories. “I know you’ve seen the pictures. Watched the videos. But you can’t understand what it was like. Two and half billion people dead. Everyone lost someone close to them. Everyone.”

She stopped to take a deep breath “Have you experienced death? In your happy, sheltered life, has anyone died?”

The kid looked uncomfortable. “No. I had an aunt who tried to stop her treatments once, but the family wouldn't allow that.”

She looked at the kid with dull envy. “There had never been a tragedy like this. So much fear, so much anger. The world was drawn together, and grieved and raged and howled for blood with one voice. Our little Easter Egg fraud was uncovered, and we were hunted down. We burnt through our fortunes trying to run, trying to hide. But the world was single minded and we had to pay."

She wiped at her cheek. “I don’t know how I was kept alive until the trial. None of my co-conspirators made it. Death was too good for me, it seems. I was at the center of it all. Five billion survivors, cursing my name, demanding I suffer. They called me Patient Zero. That’s almost funny now.”

She looked the kid in the eyes. “I was terrified I would be tortured. Kept alive to feel the world's pain. I prayed for death. In some way what happened next was a miracle. It’s kind of fitting, don’t you think? A God’s honest Easter resurrection.”

She took a long slow drag of her cigar, blowing the spent smoke towards the kid. “Some people called them Angels. Friends and family, returned to the living. Others saw them as demons. That fitted better. The walking undead, climbing out of the ground. We’d spent half our lives obsessing over zombies and here they were. The reality was brutal, and another billion people died before they were stopped. Entire countries fell apart. The world staggered, and it felt like nothing could ever be the same again.”

She looked down at her drink, not sure where to next. “But humans are resilient, and we recovered. It almost seems trivial now. Nearly half the world wiped out, but that only took the population back fifty years. Life continued on, damaged but not broken. What little authority remained kept me in prison, but that was as much for my protection as it was a punishment."

She took one last swig. “I know some people see it as a blessing. Heaven on Earth, they say. I know I wouldn’t be alive today without the medical advances cajoled out of corpses that refuse to stay dead. Eternal youth.” She scowled. “At least for those who can afford it.”

She put down her empty glass, looking into it. “That’s all the memories you get for one drink. What’s this gritty yet intimate story of yours going to be called, anyway?”

The kid was already retreating inside his own head, but focused back momentarily.

“The Great Easter Egg Crisis of 2020”

“Jesus, that’s horrifying.” She turned back to the window, not really seeing the world outside.

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[wildroseofarran]

Small Town Welcome || Captain Issott

Leslie: Leslie would be found sleeping on the grass just before the shore. Thick dark blond lashes pressed to his cheeks, hands used as a boney pillow.

His feet were bare, just as the day before when Tristan first laid eyes on him. He was a pale young man. Wearing two tank tops, both one size too large. His black jeans fit perfectly. Newly bought yesterday.

He was slowly collecting a sunburn with the outline of his three necklaces.

Tristan: God, how was it only May and already this damn hot? Stepping outside these past few days had felt like being thrown into an oven. Piling all his hair into a bun and jumping into the ocean was about the only thing he had the will to do with the heat frying his brain.

After a nice long swim in the ocean, Tristan fully intended to seek out some food and a nice cold beer when he nearly tripped over someone.

“Fuck, sorry about that. Wasn’t paying attention.”

Leslie: Like tripping on driftwood. Arms fanned out and squeezed thick grass. That was just a man in his dreams talking. Someone he made up in the stirring of pleasant nonsense to make him forget about the city of Charlotte.

No, not quite. Something had moved him. Maybe they would keep walking.

Tristan: Tristan stood near the man’s head and smiled down at him. He was bare from the waist up, soaking wet, and probably not making the best impression.

"You all right down there? Sun frying all your brain cells?"

Leslie: A single eye opened, followed by a visible wince. A hand with two rings rubbed around his eyes and temples.

"Oh. I thought it was the sun, but it's just a merman. Move to the left a little."

Tristan: Tristan chuckled and obligingly moved out of the way. "You're gonna be in so much pain in a few hours."

Leslie: More like in the way of the sunshine's path to his cheeks.

"Why?"

Tristan: "You're getting a sunburn," he said, nodding toward the man’s chest.

Leslie: "I won't. I'm talented like that. Especially if you stay where you are," said with a grin.

Tristan: Tristan chuckled again and shook his head. “I don’t know what talent helps you not turn into a lobster but do you.”

Leslie: "Are you always this friendly?"

Tristan: “Of course. I’m from a small town, we’re hospitable.”

Leslie: "So this is small town life," said with feigned awe.

Tristan: “Yep. Nothing ever happens and everyone’s pretty nice.”

Leslie: "Nothing ever?"

Tristan: “Sometimes the tourists get drunk and do stupid shit but that’s about it.”

Leslie: "Well, I guess I'm here now." The top layer of shirt was grabbed to wipe his face, pulling the bottom along with it. Taut stomach and a bit of underwear exposed.

Tristan: Tristan made a concentrated effort not to look at anything below the man’s face.

“You sure are.” He held out a hand. “I’m Tristan.”

Leslie: "I sure am." He took the stranger's hand and squeezed. Might as well utilize the pillar and pull himself into a sitting position.

"Les... lie. Leslie."

Tristan: And what a pillar it was. What he lacked in height he more than made up for in sturdiness.

“Nice to meet you, Leslie. You on vacation?”

Leslie: "You're not trying to steal my wallet, are you, babe?"

Tristan: “Well that wouldn’t be very hospitable of me.”

Leslie: "No it wouldn't." He felt in his pockets for something then immediately gave up.

"Looking for a new place to live."

Tristan: “Yeah? Plenty of that around here. Lots of cabins and things for rent.”

Leslie: "Well, that's a start. Do you have a cigarette?"

Tristan: “Nope, sorry. Don’t smoke.”

Leslie: "Do you eat?"

Tristan: He smiled. “Yeah, I eat.”

Leslie: Good smile. He gave one in return. "Cool. Where shall I eat?"

Tristan: “Depends what you’re in the mood for. There’s a Mexican place near here, lots of seafood. Pub and diner in town.”

Leslie: "Anything relatively healthy?"

Tristan: “Seafood place up the road. They grill instead of fry.”

Leslie: "Alright." Both hands combed through thick, lengthy hair. Not nearly the mane of his acquaintance, but enough to have a friend braid on several occasions.

He nodded to himself. "Man's gotta eat."

Leslie forced himself to his feet and stretched, revealing the truth between their heights.

Tristan: Oh, wow. Leslie hadn’t looked that tall laying down, but the man was a lamp post.

“Well, enjoy your meal. I should dry off.” Beads of sea water we’re still clinging to his body.

Leslie: Leslie had noticed. He'd noticed a lot of this man yesterday.

"I can't just have you run off. Want something to eat? Can show me where the place is."

Tristan: “Oh, yeah. Sure. Still have to dry off though. And put on a shirt.”

Leslie: "You don't gotta do either of those," he grinned.

Tristan: He chuckled. “I do if I expect to get fed. We’re relaxed here but not that relaxed.”

Leslie: "Nothing to eat on the beach?"

Tristan: “Nothing healthy.”

Leslie: He seemed visibly disappointed in this news.

"I'll just be over there." He pointed to the tan Jeep Wrangler.

Tristan: Tristan nodded. "I'll just be two ticks."

Fortunately, given his profession, he (and his truck) were more than prepared for situations like these. In no time at all he had taken out his bun, run a comb through his hair, toweled off, and got into some dry clothing. Much more presentable.

"You ready?" he called as he made his way back.

Leslie: No cigarettes in the Jeep, either. Only the scent of what he yearned, along with the herbaceous perfume of another. He must have chained them on the way here. The ocean the wall in which he had crashed. Leslie hadn't felt a need to peel himself away from this town. Nothing was telling him to.

The handsome stranger was given a wave. Leslie was caught in the middle of chugging flavored seltzer water.

Tristan: Watching Leslie drink water was making him even more thirsty than he already was. He needed an ice water bigger than he was.

"It's not far," he said, shielding his eyes from the sun. "Not quite on the beach but you can still see it from the windows."

Leslie: "Are we walking?" he shouted back.

Tristan: "Yep! It's about a five minute walk." Possibly less.

Leslie: "Alright." Then the empty bottle was tossed back in the Jeep and the door locked.

Tristan: Tristan nodded up the street. "This way," he said once Leslie was close enough. "You'll like this place, they make really good ceviche."

Leslie: "Anything sounds good right now. I haven't eaten since I got here."

Tristan: "When did you get here?"

Leslie: He glanced Tristan's way, smiled to himself. About the time you were walking out of the ocean like some Baywatch movie.

"Sometime yesterday."

Tristan: "You haven't eaten since yesterday? We definitely have to get you fed then."

Leslie: "You're a good egg."

Tristan: "I try," he said with a smile. "So where did you come from?"

Leslie: "Out from Charlotte. You've always been here?"

Tristan: "Oh, so not far then. We moved here when I was four. I was born in Kitty Hawk."

Leslie: Leslie rubbed his eyes again, as though attempting to wake himself up. "Kitty Hawk! I've been there." Some witches his mother was acquainted with.

"You always take strangers to lunch, or am I the lucky one?"

Tristan: "I don't really remember that much of it. I've only gone back once or twice since we came here." His mother didn't like to go back. Too many negative memories.

He chuckled. "I usually just give them directions." So yes, Leslie was lucky.

Leslie: "Score one for me." He smiled at the ground. Hands fell into pockets.

Tristan: "Scoring implies a prize. I don't think lunch counts."

Leslie: "It absolutely counts. I have diabetes," he laughed. A sound like a quick, feeble cough.

Tristan: “Damn, that’s gotta be rough.”

Leslie: A thumb was pressed to one side of his nose before a deep inhale. Something about the salty sea air was getting to him.

"Not much pasta or white potato in my life. No tubs of ice cream or chocolate eclairs."

Tristan: "At least there's still seafood." His brow furrowed slightly. "You all right?"

Leslie: "I think my city nose is rebelling on all this ocean."

Tristan: "It's all that smog and pollution leaving your body."

Leslie: "I didn't live downtown!" he laughed, something more genuine.

Tristan: "City air don't have nothing on ocean air."

Leslie: "Can't argue with that." He sniffed with the opposite nostril and shook his head. "Can't seem to wake up." Probably the malnourishment.

Tristan: "It's probably the sun. Been hot as hell for this time of year." Luckily, the restaurant was already in view.

Although maybe 'shack' would've been a more appropriate term.

Leslie: "Does this place serve something other than sweet tea?"

Tristan: "They have pretty much everything. It's one of those places that makes as much of their own stuff as they can."

Leslie: He would follow this man's lead, stretching out wherever Tristen chose to sit.

"So what kind of conversation shall we have?"

Tristan: Tristan chose a booth next to a window that faced the ocean, sighing in relief. It felt so good to be in air conditioning.

"Whichever kind flows," Tristan chuckled, handing Leslie one of the paper menus on the table. "But I'll start with the fact that I can give you the number of a guy who rents out and sells cabins and cottages. Just bought a house from him about a year ago."

Leslie: "Sells and rents. Man does well for himself. What's the price range? You know?" A little packet of stevia was opened, finger licked and dipped into the artificial sweetener. He needed something on his tongue.

Tristan: "Cabin'll run you about the same as an apartment, depending on the size. Anywhere between five to eight hundred a month depending on the size. Long term rentals are cheaper."

Leslie: The city boy coughed. "That's it?"

Tristan: "Yeah," he chuckled. "Where do you think you are?"

Leslie: "I dunno. A thousand? Twelve hundred?"

Tristan: "For a one-bedroom cabin? That's highway robbery!"

Leslie: "City!" He pointed to himself.

Tristan: “That’s crazy. Here you can have complete privacy and a nice place to live for cheap.”

Leslie: Leslie looked out the window, dark blue eyes thoughtful. He bit against his lip and sighed. So far so good. Maybe this was where he was meant to run out of gas.

"And everyone's as friendly as you?"

Tristan: “Pretty much. This is a small town, people are generally decent. It’s safe, people know their neighbors.”

Leslie: "Sounds too good to be true."

Tristan: "It's a whole other world over here." He smiled. "Ain't called Edenton for nothing."

Leslie: "So that's how I can get a gorgeous man to come to lunch with me. It's Edenton."

Tristan: Tristan laughed. "I don't know about all that, but we are having lunch. What looks good to you?"

Leslie: "I know. Looking right at you." But he sighed. "What do you recommend?"

Tristan: "The ceviche is their most popular dish. Grilled salmon's good too, they serve it with wild rice. Oh, and the shrimp summer rolls."

Leslie: "Salmon and wild rice, then."

His phone buzzed. It was given a glance and ignored.

"Am I hitting on the wrong - Hello hon," he smiled up at their waitress with bright eyes and full teeth.

Tristan: "Hey, ya'll, welcome to The Clear Wharf! Hiya, Tristan."

"Hey, Amy. Doing good?"

"Can't complain. What can I get ya'll?"

"A gigantic glass of water and the ceviche in taco form."

Leslie: Leslie gave his order as well, handing over his menu. Unsweet tea sounded just fine by him. His gaze lingered on the waitress, and he knew she knew. Perhaps that was why she was blushing.

Tristan: Oh, she was absolutely blushing, and it was amusing Tristan to no end.

"You have a real gift for flattery," he chuckled once she'd moved away.

Leslie: "I didn't do anything," he laughed. The longer he was in Tristan's presence, the more honest that laugh became. More bubbly, forcing mirth into every word.

Tristan: "Sure you did, you made her whole day."

Leslie: "Well, then I'll keep smiling." He was well aware of what body language could do, and so far, he couldn't get a beat on Tristan. A good sport, but that was all he could gather. He could blame it on his high.

Tristan: "It suits your face." And it was such a good face. "So what do you do?"

Leslie: "Went to culinary school for five minutes. Worked here and there. Nothing, seeing as I just moved." Hadn't thought that far ahead.

Tristan: "Well, this is a fishing town so there are always jobs down at the docks and on ship crews. Few bars in town."

Leslie: "I'd rather not be around shit I can't even drink." Though he had no room for righteousness after what he'd been shoveling in his body.

"Docks? I've never been on a boat, if you can believe that."

Tristan: He nodded. "Yep. That's what I do, I'm a fisherman." And as a fisherman, he found it unacceptable that Leslie had never been on a boat.

"Seriously? Well we've gotta fix that."

Leslie: "Is this relationship expanding past lunch now? You should work for the welcome center."

Tristan: "Maybe I will if the fishing thing doesn't work out," he said with a grin. "And yeah, if being on a boat is something you want to do."

Leslie: "I'll probably get sick. Don't wanna ruin my image like that." Fuck, he wanted a cigarette. "If I find a place, then sure, handsome."

Which brought him to what he was going to say before the waitress. "You straight? Gay? Want me to shut up?"

Tristan: “There are ways to avoid that.  Take some Dramamine or a ginger pill and you’ll be golden.”

Tristan had to smile. It wasn’t often that people were quite so direct with that particular question. “I’m gay.”

Leslie: "But do you want me to shut up?" he grinned.

Tristan: “No,” he laughed. “I don’t want you to shut up.”

Leslie: "How is this town towards gay people?"

Tristan: “More tolerant than you’d think for the south.”

Leslie: "This is the last stop of "the south" so maybe that's why."

Tristan: "There's still a good chunk after this."

Leslie: "What?"

Tristan: “The south extends beyond North Carolina.”

Leslie: "We're the top of the south!"

Tristan: “Arguable. I think Virginia’s technically the top.”

Leslie: Leslie made a face. "Tennessee and NC are kings. Kentucky is some unloved middle child."

Tristan: Tristan burst out laughing. “Better hope no one from Kentucky just heard you say that.”

Leslie: "All the way down here? There aren't any horses," he laughed.

Tristan: There was another burst of laughter. “Oh my god. What did Kentucky ever do to you?”

Leslie: "Gave me a bad girlfriend. My ninth grade year was ruined."

Tristan: "That'll do it," he chuckled.

Amy popped over to bring them their drinks and disappeared again.

Leslie: "Bye, Amy," he waved.

Time to pile in some artificial sweetener. This felt surreal and yet somehow natural. Sure, he had struck up conversations with randoms before. A sort of talent of his. This was a little different. Leslie felt both awkward and completely at home with this man. There should have been a red flag somewhere. He was still looking for it.

"What do you do for fun?"

Tristan: "Sail, mostly." He downed half the glass of water in one go. "I swim, spend time at the beach, collect nautical antiques. I have fish and a hermit crab. Basically my life revolves around the ocean."

Leslie: "I gotta ask you something. Be honest." Leslie leaned in, whispered, "Are you a merman?"

Tristan: Tristan smiled and played along, leaning in and whispering back, "No. I just have really long hair."

Leslie: "Are you sure you're not a fish? Never seen any scales on your arms, legs?"

Tristan: "Very sure. No scales, no gills."

Leslie: "What do you do when you're not in the water or relocating hermit crabs?"

Tristan: "I read a fair bit. I watch TV. I make things."

Leslie: "What do you make?"

Tristan: "Jewelry and some decor."

Leslie: "You make jewelry?"

Tristan: "Yeah. Nothing fancy, mind you." He wiggled his wrist. There was a bracelet on it made of leather cord and a shard of sea glass. "Stuff like this."

Leslie: Leslie took hold of that wriggling wrist and brought it to his nose to better examine.

"I might want one in the future."

Tristan: "Sure, just say the word. I've got a few jars of shells and things I find on the beach. Got a crate of driftwood on my porch, too."

Leslie: Your home must have great energy, he thought.

"You have sea glass?"

Tristan: Tristan nodded. “Yep, it’s my favorite. Want a sea glass bracelet? Or a necklace maybe?”

Leslie: "Necklace maybe. Sea glass is very you."

Tristan: “Is it?” He gave Leslie a curious look. “How so?”

Leslie: "Just a feeling. I get a lot of those."

Tristan: “Well it is my favorite, so your feeling is on to something.”

Leslie: "Good to know my clairvoyance is still intact."

Tristan: “Looks like it is.”

“All right, boys.” Amy returned with two plates. “Grilled salmon, and ceviche tacos for Tristan. Ya’ll need anything else?”

Leslie: "What's your favorite thing to do around here, Amy?"

Tristan: She looked pleasantly surprised at the question. "I love going to the beach. My family got jet skis last year and I swear we spent the whole summer on them."

Leslie: "Is this a fishing town or a beachgoer's paradise?"

Tristan: “Mostly fishing but we get a good amount of tourists,” said Tristan.

Leslie: He turned his attention back to Tristan. Eager to answer, are you?

"Thanks, Amy," he laughed.

Tristan: It wasn't that Tristan was eager, he was just better equipped to answer that question than Amy was. Or so he would tell himself.

Amy smiled. "All that fishing means that salmon you have on your plate is the best you'll ever taste."

Leslie: "So I have you to thank?"

A quiet blessing was thought over his food. Old habits he'd made no effort to remove. They mattered. Unless Tristan initiated another topic, he was going to be a quiet eater.

Tristan: "You should definitely thank him," Amy chuckled. "He caught everything on this table except the rice."

She topped off both their glasses and flitted away again.

Meanwhile, Tristan had taken his first bite of taco and looked thoroughly delighted.

Leslie: He smiled at Tristan's smile, then looked out the window. His gaze was becoming thoughtful, drifting off somewhere else. This wasn't about testing pleasant silence. There was still too much to unpack from his mind.

Tristan: Tristan didn’t mind the silence. It was peaceful and comfortable and gave him a chance to observe his lunch companion. To get a feel for him.

He seemed like a decent enough guy. No weird or off-putting energy coming off of him. What had led him here, Tristan wondered.

Leslie: Leslie side-eyed his eating companion.

Tristan: He smiled. “What?”

Leslie: He just smiled back.

Tristan: “How’s your salmon?”

Leslie: "As good as your taco." He gestured. Want some?

Tristan: "Just one bite." In exchange, he'd offer Leslie come of his ceviche.

Leslie: His salmon was offered from the fork. He didn't bother handing the utensil over. No one was looking.

"Wow, that has some tang to it."

Tristan: And Tristan thought nothing of simply taking the fish off the fork.

“Mm, that’s good. They didn’t cook it back to death.”

He nodded in approval. “All the lime in there. I love it.”

Leslie: "Ever make it out to Charlotte? Raleigh?"

Tristan: "Not often, but I do go to Raleigh. I think I've been to Charlotte once."

Leslie: "In how many years?"

Tristan: "Thirty-two," he chuckled. "I'm a small town boy, not much need to go into the city too often."

Leslie: "But you did for college." He was doing his own fishing.

Tristan: "Nope, went to the local community college. My mom is a professor there."

Leslie: "Oh yeah? What she teach?"

Tristan: “Literature.”

Leslie: "And your father?"

Tristan: Tristan shrugged. “Never met him. Took off when my mama was pregnant with me.”

Leslie: "Oh." He shrugged. "Saying sorry feels hallow. Besides, you seemed to come out just fine," Leslie smiled.

Tristan: “No need for sorry. I had everything I needed,” Tristan said with a genuine smile. His father had never been so much as a thought in his mind.

Leslie: "No siblings?"

Tristan: “None that are related to me. Only child.”

Leslie: "Team only child." He offered another bite.

Tristan: He took it with a smile. “Never felt like it though. I always had friends over, we all called her mama.”

Leslie: "Same with mine! She preferred everyone call her Hazel. Including me, but she's...she's mother to all."

Tristan: "I thought I was the only one who called their mother by their first name," he laughed. "I mostly do it when I'm annoyed with her or teasing her."

Leslie: "For my parents, I dunno. To see myself as equal. They're mentors, not gods."

Tristan: "Mama would approve of that sentiment. Part of being a teacher, I guess. She's always been about teaching and guiding and watching people grow."

Leslie: "I think our mothers would get along, but you never know."

Tristan: "They probably would. Megan gets along with everyone."

Leslie: "Seems you do, too."

Tristan: "Like mother, like son," he said with a smile. And proudly so. "Your folks live around here?"

Leslie: "Everything's in Charlotte." His answer much quieter than everything else, but still friendly.

Tristan: Tristan nodded. "At least they're close by. You should invite them to your new place when you finally find one."

Leslie: "Maybe." That's all he'd say on the matter; the invisible weight on his eyelids divulging that much.

Tristan: He nodded again and let the matter lie.

"Want anything else while we're here? Something for later?"

Leslie: "I'll be back. Love sleeping on the beach, but should probably find an actual hotel. Probably."

Tristan: "Try the Wayside. It's right on the beach and their rates are reasonable."

Leslie: "A beach hotel being reasonable?"

Tristan: "Small town, remember?"

Leslie: Tristan was looked up and down. Leslie was aware of how quiet he was being, but something about this man... He couldn't quite put his finger on what it was.

"Would you find it weird if I said you have good energy?"

Tristan: Tristan smiled and shook his head. "Nope. That's not weird at all. Thanks for thinking so."

Leslie: "You look like a surfer hippie."

Tristan: He laughed. "It's the sun-bleached hair and the tan."

Leslie: "The amicable company. That amazing, amazing smile."

Tristan: "Do surfer hippies usually make amicable company and have amazing smiles?"

Leslie: "Just you, sailor."

Tristan: There was that amazing smile again. "Well, we can pin the hippie vibes on my mother. She owns a VW bus."

Leslie: "Does she?" That was an amazing smile, and it made Leslie smile. One which, despite being tired, reached his eyes and brightened them. Something almost literal. Something which could be blamed on the sunlight pouring through the window.

"Cli - My father has a truck that looks like it was plucked from a period piece."

Tristan: "Yeah, she restored it to celebrate getting tenure at the college. It's the coolest damn thing I've ever seen." Like Meg had gone back in time and brought the 60s back with her.

"Oh, one of the super old-fashioned ones from like the 40s and 50s?"

Leslie: "Fifties for sure. It's the ugliest shade of green I've ever laid eyes on. He loves that thing. Takes it to car shoes."

Tristan: He laughed. "Bet he does. Put that much work and pride into something, you wanna show it off. Feel the same way about my ship."

Leslie: "Does your mother - How fully restored is it? The Scooby Doo van?"

Tristan: "Looks like she's about to drive it to Woodstock."

Leslie: "Would she take it to any show?"

Tristan: "With the right persuasion I'm sure she would. It's her most prized possession."

Leslie: "We can parent trap our parents into friendship," he laughed.

Tristan: "We should," he said with a grin. "They can bond over their cars and show them off together."

Leslie: Leslie straightened as their waitress returned. He gave her a smile every bit as delightful as he believed she had been. Something he believed she deserved to see.

"Thank you for being a beacon on my day, Amy."

His words were a distraction, see, to slide that check his way before Tristan could make a grab.

Tristan: "Aww, well thank ya'll for being such good customers! I swear some of the people who come in here try me like you wouldn't believe."

His distraction was working. Tristan took two seconds to finish his water and suddenly the check was gone.

Leslie: "I bet. I respect the hell out of you. Here you go." The check reappeared with green weighing it down. "And you keep the change, okay?"

Tristan: Amy laughed. "Oh my goodness, all my other customers are gonna look so bad compared to you. Thank you so much."

And off she went, leaving Tristan blinking in her wake.

"What just happened?" he laughed.

Leslie: "Hmm?" Such an innocent smile. No idea what you're talking about, sailor.

Tristan: He squinted. "Sneaky man. Gonna have to keep my eye on you."

Leslie: "Oh please do. Both of them and all the time."

Tristan: Tristan just smiled. "Ready to mosey?"

Leslie: "Where to now, captain?"

Tristan: "Kinda wanna show you the Wayside. You can see for yourself how nice it is."

Leslie: "You really should work for this town."

Tristan: "I do work for this town. I feed it."

Leslie: "I'll drive behind you. Sound good?"

Tristan: He nodded and got to his feet. "Sounds good."

The Wayside Inn wasn't far from the beach where Tristan had met Leslie. Just a quick seven minute drive and the gray building would come into view.

Leslie: Leslie pulled into a parking spot next to Tristan's truck and killed the engine. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do from here. He usually would. Everything used to be so much clearer before. Every sense of purpose flew away when he renounced his coven. Thoughts were lost in a fog.

Nothing doing. He stepped out and stretched. That smile would give nothing away.

"Thanks for showing me the place."

Tristan: "Of course," Tristan said with a nod, gesturing toward the beach. "That stretch right there is private for guests and there's a really good restaurant inside. They're one of my clients so anything you eat there will be amazing."

Leslie: "Because it came from you." He laughed through his nose.

Tristan: "Damn right. Having a good chef helps, too, but a chef is nothing without good ingredients."

Leslie: His hands slowly slipped into his back pockets. His smile, the one he'd tried so hard to maintain for this man, began to fade into maturity.

"But anyway, thanks again. I'll be seeing you around?"

Tristan: He nodded again. "Count on it. It's a small town," he added with a grin.

Leslie: "So you keep telling me. We'll see how small it really is."

Tristan: "Yes, we will. Take care of yourself." With one last smile, Tristan got in his truck.

#Small Town Welcome #tristanseger #leslieeissott

[taksony-fr]

EGG EGG EGG EGG :O

Anybody want to trade for an Earth egg? I need one for a hibden task lol

Also. EGG. Nobody saw that one coming. New fams? Nah. EGG.

#egg prices are either about to crash or stay the same #and ik there's gonna be a flood of g1 potatoes coming in #bc my hatching finger is Tempted #free egg? hatch?? #lizard brain says yes #normal brain says trade for the one you actually need #even tho i can probably let that one sit a while bc its just a hibden slot and its not like i NEED an expansion #180 dergs with like 40 extra spaces nbd #also why an earth egg? why do i need THAT one #that's the egg i want to hatch most #pretty brown eyes? yes? Sign me up i want that dragon #lovingly looks over the current collection of three elemental eggs #hnnng i wanna hatch but Do Not need another project #i've got twelve just in that tab #not including the permas who need a refresher #the eggs are now ice water and shadow btw if anyone wants to trade but doesnt want shadow #i sold the light one bc those were like 50g above normal egg price #taks speaks #EGG #gonna look at the AH tomorrow for cheap reject g1s tho #there's always a pretty that's looked over in there

[dammitadolfnomorecake]

🏰⚔️🐲👑 DMODT- 45 draft

Plunging into the forest, the pair ran until the lights of the town disappeared between the trees. Eren starting to cough as his lungs protested, which brought their panic induced fleeing to a stop. Or, at least, brought his panic induced running to a stop. Levi on the other hand didn't look like a man who'd been thrown against a table and hit. The alpha looked fucking pissed, but didn't seem to be in too much pain as he turned back to him "What the fuck was that?" Shaking his head, Eren really didn't know. His heart was racing a million miles an hour, while his legs were barely holding him up. None of it made sense. They'd paid for a room, then nearly paid for it with their lives. Giving a miserable whine, Levi was fast to wrap his arms around him "You're ok. You're ok... I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at them" Nodding, Eren nuzzled into Levi's neck, letting himself be soothed by the man's hold, taking a few long moments to drink his alpha's scent in as his heartbeat started to slow to something much more normal "I don't understand" "I don't either, but we're ok" "You got hurt" "I've been in a bar fight once or twice in my life, that was nothing. Was that your breath?" "Yeah... life magic. Didn't hurt them" "No, but it brought us enough time to run. No one touched you, did they?" "No... No. I think they saw my face though" "Ok. Ok, we need to keep moving. Put your hood back up" Eren didn't want to keep moving. Well, he did. But more in the form of a dragon and towards home, not through the stupid forest again. When Levi released him, Eren stayed where he was. His hands clutching Levi's shirt, as uninvited tears started to well in his eyes "Eren?" "I hate this. I hate all of this. Everything has gone to shit since Hannes died... He... he was supposed to help. He was going to teach me... He wasn't supposed to die. Did we do this? Did we kill him?" Levi sighed softly, his arms wrapping back around the omega, carefully as to not crush the egg between them "Eren, he was proud of you. If he hadn't wanted us there, he would have said. We came crashing into his world, but I think he didn't mind it. And now, you're going to raise this little egg, and when the time is right you'll tell them about their father. Until then, you'll be its mother. You're the one who will teach it everything it knows. I know you love them. It's all over your face when you look at it. And I know these last few hours have been shit for you, but I'm following your lead. I wanted to... hurt them. I wanted to make them bleed. But... I don't want to see you cry. Even though you are" Nuzzling Levi's neck harder, the man finally returned the gesture "I'm sorry. I know you're sick of my tears. I'm so sick of them too... I want to be strong. I want to be strong for you..." "You are strong. I might be sick of your tears, yet I think I understand. Maybe. I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you..." It wasn't quite the same, but the gesture was appreciated "... I'm so sorry I hit you. I don't remember doing it, and that... that's not ok with me. If I do that again..." "Levi..." "Let me finish. If I hurt you again, I want you to go. Leave me and go back to Eldia" "I'm not going" "Eren, please..." "I'm not going back alone. I don't want to go back alone" What was the point of going back if Levi wasn't there beside him? Their friends were all waiting for them both to come back together "I know this was supposed to be an adventure on the way home while we waited to hear from Erwin, but so far all it's done is upset you. And it's wound up with us nearly dead, and fighting" They'd left Hannes's house behind, with the idea of finding a map and exploring the area, then figuring out their way home... That and it hurt to be in the dragon's house without him. After 20 years spent there, every single piece of the place dripped with Hannes's magic, but with Hannes gone, the magic was fading. Soon it wouldn't be the same house anymore, not that it was without him "It's been pretty awful... and now we don't even know where we are" "We're about 20 metres away from the road. Or, we were when we came in. I've tried to keep it to our right as we ran" "Oh... I didn't realise" "We really do need to keep moving. Are you ok to keep walking?" Nodding, Eren finally let go of his alpha. His omega wasn't quite as ready as the rest of him to forgive Levi so fast for hitting them, but that had to wait for now given that they could be being pursued "Yeah... I'll be ok" * Levi was still brimming with anger. He couldn't believe someone had tried to kill them. If this had been Eldia, then maybe he could, especially after the planned death of Erwin's parents, and the death of Zeke's two men. It didn't matter how far away they'd left the village, nor how many farms they'd walked past since leaving, he still itched to turn around and go back. The only thing stopping him was each stolen glance at Eren. With how mature Eren generally was, it was easy to forget he was still only 20. He'd never stood on a battle field. He'd only taken a life in an accident, and he cared so fucking much for everyone else that he was more than willing to let himself be hurt... Fuck. If it didn't kill him to know he'd hurt him. It hurt all the way down to the parts of his body and soul he'd forgotten existed, almost like Obsydin also regretted bitterly what had happened. He'd just snapped and it'd all happened before his mind could catch up. The sight of Eren on his knees with that red hand mark across his face... it left him feeling sick. How could Eren ever forgive him for that? As it was, Levi had given himself this one last chance. If he struck Eren again, whether he meant to or it was done mid-blackout, he'd leave the omega at the next village or city they came to. Even if all the omega had done for the last few days had been surrounded by an aura of gloominess, he knew his fiancé had the inner strength to make it home without him. His breath had been impressive to see, and knowing Eren knew how to use it lifted a weight off his shoulders. Eren would be ok. By foot, it took a week to reach the next major township. Sure, they'd passed a few "towns" that were nothing more than a few houses and a store along the road, yet hadn't stopped at any of them. Eren hadn't wanted to. Fucking Gretta had really done a number on his head. He wouldn't even raise his eyes to look at the people who threw out greetings as they passed. This only intensified Levi's desire to return to the whorehouse, and to burn it all down to the ground. Yet as they reached the city, the omega finally perked up a little. His hand finding Levi's for the first time in days as he moved close enough for their shoulders to rub "We need to find an apothecary" That wasn't what he expected Eren to say, nor did know why the omega had said it "We do?" "We can't stay here without money" Oh. Right. The money thing... "There's a storm coming, and by the smell of it, we don't want to be outside when it hits" "Alright" Since leaving the last village, Eren hadn't complained about walking, or about his boots. He'd just sort of wrapped his arms around himself and gotten on with it. Shelter, water and food were all brought forth with magic, the road now dotted with various fruit trees, herbs and vegetables along the sides. Someone would appreciate them, hopefully. Levi was looking forward to a hot cup of tea and meat, while Eren probably just wanted a soft bed and to hide from the world. Continuing into the city, many of the signs in the windows or hanging over the doors were in a language neither of them recognised. Children played in the streets, yelling unintelligible things to each other, though seemed happy enough and completely unphased by strangers. That was a positive sign "Do you know what to look for?" Eren shook his head "I can't make out any of these words. I'm hoping I'll smell the store" "Like a hunting dog?" "Kind of" "Ok" Sticking to the main road it was just as convoluted as Mitras, Levi keeping a firm hold on Eren's hand. If the omega was to wander off down one of the alleys, he'd probably never find him again. He didn't particularly need to worry though, the way Eren was sticking close to his side and ignoring the world around them was a doing all kinds of things to the dark corners of his mind. That his lover would be so meek and obedient... Yeah. He had plans for when they reached that in that were less than virtuous. They were nearing the heart of the city when Eren finally found the apothecary. It's sign a bundle of herbs with both the countries native language, and standard Marlian beneath. He didn't know if that meant they were closer to home than he thought them to be, or if Marley had been a dick to this country too. Stopping a few metres away from door, Levi was yanked to a stop by Eren "What is it?" "I can't go in there" "What? Why?" Staring down at the rough stone road, Eren shook his head "My face. I can feel dragon in there... so you should go" "Dragon as in?" "Small fragments. They've got scales or bone. They'll probably try and drive the price down..." If it was a commonly available thing, then the scales wouldn't be worth much at all... "How much do you think?" "I'm not sure. But I would say don't sell them all. Not until we know more" "Alright. Will you be ok to wait out here. I don't want you moving around" He didn't want to leave him behind at all... He wanted Eren where he could see him not getting into trouble "I'll be fine. While you're in there, can you get a few herbs for me?" "Herbs?" They literally had all of the seeds left from Hannes's house. Well, the ones that hadn't been used along the way. What did Eren need herbs for? "Yeah. Camomile, lavender and passionflower" Camomile was a relaxant. He knew that much... but passionflower was lost on him. Slipping his bag off his shoulder, he passed it over to Eren "I'll ask" "Thanks. Just a small amount. One or two stems should be fine" "Ok. Stay safe" "I will. I'm going to wait by the wall" Between the apothecary and the next building, there was a gap of a centimetres. Levi assuming that was where Eren would wait for him. It seemed as safe as any place around here... though he was waiting for someone to burst out from nowhere and grab the omega. Paranoia was a dangerous thing. Stealing a kiss to ward off potential onlookers, Levi headed off and into the apothecary. It wasn't the alpha's first trip into an apothecary, but it might just have been his last. He was used to the herbs of Eldia's apothecary in Mitras. What he wasn't used to was watching someone dissecting a pig right in behind the main counter of the store, nor the overwhelming stench of blood and shit. It was fucking revolting. The tiny woman behind the counter was barely bigger than the pig she'd been cutting to pieces, and spoke in such clipped tones he might have called it rude. Then came the bartering and haggling over the scales. They needed money, so he'd pulled two from the pile... and damn, if the woman didn't know her scales. Somehow she knew they were off a young storm dragon, then she tried to offer a hundred gold a piece. Levi wasn't having it, yet by the end of it, he was leaving with 600 gold, which may have been 400 gold more than she'd wanted to part with, or maybe she just thought him an idiot. Either way, it was far less than he'd expected to be forced to accept. She drove a hard bargain, and he knew he'd definitely fallen into her trap when she handed over the herbs Eren wanted for free. Pocketing the money, he hoped Eren wouldn't ask, so he wouldn't haven't to damage his pride over the whole incident. Eren had waited as he'd said he would. The omega standing and staring down the gap between buildings as Levi walked over to join him. Snagging his bag, he pulled it over his shoulder as Eren looked to him "Don't worry, I've got the money. We just need to find an inn now" "We should hurry. It'll be here within the hour" The hot sun and cloudless day said otherwise, so Levi only nodded as Eren took his hand "Did you get the herbs?" "Yep" Didn't the omega notice the small neatly wrapped package in his pocket? "Ok. Good" "What are they for?" Falling into step, they moved away from the wall. Starting their search for an inn "The herbs?" "Oh... just to relax. You add a little to your tea and it calms you down" "You need to calm down?" "I need a good nights sleep" Didn't they both? He didn't care what he had to do, they were getting baths this time. And meals that weren't limited to inedible stew. Stumbling, Eren smacked into him squarely, nearly taking them both down at the same time "Oi! What do you think you're doing?" He hadn't meant to sound so snippish. Eren straightening up with a shake of his head "Sorry... sorry... I just got a little light headed. I guess because we're so close to resting, my body has given up" "Well your body needs to hold it together a little longer. I don't think I can carry you, our bags, and the egg all at once" "You stumble once and they never let you hear the end of it" "That was more than a stumble" "It's fine. I'm fine. Let's just find an inn" 200 gold pieces seemed extravagant to Levi, but with Eren asleep on his feet, the alpha didn't want to risk him fainting in the middle of the road, especially when the storm hit. The room they ended up with nearly made up for it. The view sweeping over the man mad channel into the heart of the city, with tall glass inlaid doors that slid back in a zigzag fashion. Levi had never seen anything quite like it, not that he voiced his surprise over it. He was an alpha after all, he had his own sliver of reputation to protect... even in front of Eren, who'd made it upstairs and passed out promptly. Stripping him down, he'd found Eren flush with fever. The little shit stubbornly hiding it from him, and was in for it once he woke. He'd slept through the bath Levi had carefully prepared for him. He'd slept through being dried and put to bed, and now the shit was still sleeping, even though it was their second day at the inn and they were no closer to finding a map. Hell, Eren had even slept through the storm, the rain coming down so hard that it sounded as if it'd shatter the windows at any moment. He didn't like to leave Eren sleeping, but the doors in this inn all had their own personal keys, so he could safely lock his omega in, and he wasn't made for just sitting around. There was nothing more he hated than letting his body sit still. Especially when he had no way to rid himself of his pent up frustrations. He'd already hurt Eren. He wasn't about to force himself upon him as he slept. No matter how unguarded his sprawled body appeared... No, it was safer that he walked off his annoyances than to stay and watch Eren sleeping. * "Nmmm, Levi?" Soft warmth and a pile of blankets... and a wet spot? What was wet? "Levi?" Calling his alpha's name, Eren struggled to sit up. Walking had left him drained, and it felt as if the moment his body realised that they'd be sleeping in a real bed, it'd given up on staying awake. Scrubbing at his tired eyes, Eren yawned. He could totally fall back to sleep, but that had to wait until he figured out what was wet in the bed "Levi?" Not getting a reply from his alpha, Eren frowned as he pushed the blankets back. The moment he saw just why the bed was wet, his heart leapt and Levi's absence was forgotten. Hannes's egg. Hannes's egg was actually hatching. It'd grown again while he'd slept besides it, and now it was time. Scales had already cracked and fallen from the damaged side, while yellow fluid leaked from the cracks. It was hatching. Letting out an excited squeal, Eren scurried to grab a towel from the bathroom, before rushing back to the egg, ready and waiting to see the baby dragon the moment they opened their eyes. Levi had been right. Eren loved the egg deeply, his heart was racing with excitement as he watched the skin beneath the scales move with each wiggle of the hatching dragon "Come on, baby. Come on, you can do this" The baby dragon was still struggling out its egg when the door to the hotel opened. Growling, Eren shot a glare over his shoulder at the intruder, immediately softening when he realised the intruder was Levi. The alpha was lucky. With the way Eren was feeling, he wouldn't have taken too kindly to anyone else interrupting the moment "Whoa. I know I didn't tell you I was leaving, but that's no reason to growl" "Get in here and locked the door" Doing what he was told, Levi had his arms full as he carried his purchased to the bed. Eren throwing himself in the way of before Levi could drop what he was carrying "What are you doing?!" "Your near dropped everything on them!" "On what? Who? You're acting weird. Is it the fever?" "Just put everything down carefully then sit up next to me... it's amazing" Levi gave him an annoyed scowl as he made a show of placing everything down on the dresser in the room, before coming to join him. "Eren, is that...?" "I woke up to find it hatching. It's so close..." The membrane had been punctured, but the little dragon hadn't found their way out yet. Soft tiny croons and chirps were coming from within "Should we help it?" "I don't know... should we?" It was still moving, but no more of the shell had come off in the last 10 minutes. Eren had no idea what to do, and after all, all he'd done last time was give birth followed by destroying his eggs. Levi was the one who coached him through delivery "Maybe just move the top skin away? They don't seem strong enough to break it alone" "Ok... ok... I'm so nervous..." With shaking hands, Eren carefully pinched two spots on the top bit of the transparent membrane and pulled, tearing the thin skin with ease, causing a small gush of fluid as a loud happy trill emerged from the tiny fluid covered white dragon as they popped their head up "Lu! Lu!" Eren was hit hard with an almighty rush of love that brought tears to his eyes. Gently lifting the tiny dragon up, its cries of "Lu" grew louder as Eren moved into his lap. He didn't know it was so possible to feel so incredibly proud over something so tiny. Keeping one hand on the dragon, he retrieved the towel from beside the pair of them. Wrapping the tiny dragon in it, then scooping it up to his chest "Luuuuuuu!" He couldn't be more in love with the dragon, even if he tried "Levi... look at him. Isn't he perfect?" Trilling, the dragon wriggled against him, trying to spread it is wings "Lu! Lu!" "Is that normal?" "I don't know..." In his arms, the dragon definitely wanted out. Placing the bundle down, Eren went about towelling the fluid off its small form. It was smaller than he'd imagined, barely the size of a domestic cat "Oh, yes. Hold on little one. Let me wipe you all nice and clean" "Lu!" Nodding its head, it then sneezed and feel back on its butt. Unwrapping the towel, the dragon opened it eyes, revealing the most incredible pair of red eyes Eren had ever seen. They were like rubies, contrasting against its shiny white body. An albino dragon. He'd never seen anything like this little one before "It's rather cute" "It's perfect... Levi, look how small they are..." Fuck. He wanted a clutch of his own... if his eggs hadn't been barren, would their child have been this adorable? Sliding sideways, Eren dropped against Levi's shoulder. His love swirling as he watched it untangle itself from the towel, shaking itself off before trying to stretch its small wings. Eren's heart did a small flip as the left wing didn't unfurl. The tiny dragon's left wing was withered, probably caused by the damage to the egg. He'd never take flight, no matter how large he grew. The love he felt turned to pain... "Eren?" "His wing. He won't be able to fly..." Unsteady on his legs, the dragon fell over again with a confused "Luuuuu". Picking him up into his hold, the dragon's nostrils flared as Eren held it so their face were only a few centimetres "You're in love, aren't you?" "They're perfect... and so small... Levi... I want this so badly" Levi sighed softly, wrapping his arm around Eren and kissed the top of his head. Fuck... he wanted his clutch. He wanted his clutch and clutch with Levi... or even his baby... Fuck... he was being so stupid. It just... He didn't have the words to decide it. He couldn't have kids, and now, there he was, holding an egg with no parents. It was almost like it was made to come into his life and fill the hole his clutch had left "I know you do. And I know you're going to be an amazing mum to this little one" "I'm their mum?" Wasn't that being presumptuous? Was it ok to love the little dragon as much as he did? "Who else is going to be? The moment we took the egg, we adopted whatever came out of it. That makes you its mum" Repeating the words, Eren was filled with wonder "I'm it's mum" "Yes, you are. They need a name" What would be a good name? Opening its mouth, the dragon let out a sleepy "Lu. Lu..." It's eyelids dropping down as it gave a small yawn "Luca? Is Luca a good name? All they're saying is "Lu"" Levi nuzzled into his hair, pressing another kiss to the spot "It's a perfect name. It was works for a female or a male. Plus, I think they like it" Falling asleep in his hands, Eren lowered the dragon to his chest. God. How could it be so tiny and soft? "Luca..." "Yeah. Are those red eyes normal?" "No. I've never seen an albino dragon before, but... I've never felt anything like this before. We're parents" "I don't know how good of a father I make. I don't even know what to feed it" "Milk. Cows milk is fine. We'll need to buy some. Luca's going to be hungry. Oh. That's right. Where were you? You missed the start of the birth" "You were sleeping, so I did some shopping" Eren was both relieved and disappointed. He'd needed the sleep, but he wanted to explore the city with his alpha before they had to leave. He wanted to find a space big enough for a dragon, on the off chance they needed to leave in a hurry. Plus, if he'd gone, he might have missed the birth of Luca, who was now completely limp in his hold, while suckling at Eren's collarbone in his sleep "What was it like?" "Not terribly interesting. I did manage to finally find a map, but the language thing makes things hard. I think the clerk marked where we are. Only, I can't be sure" "Did anything else happen while you were out?" "Not really. I got a few things though. A change of clothes for both of us, and some decent tea" Levi and his tea... they hadn't had tea during their walk, and he swore he showed with how grumpy the alpha had been "What about you? Has your fever passed? You slept through bathing, and the storm" "I don't think I have a fever. And if I did, I would have slept it off..." That Levi would leave him naked, sleeping, and potentially sick, hurt. They were in an unknown place, so the last thing he wanted was Levi leaving him alone "Then we should probably clean up the bed. Luca's made a mess of it" Eren nodded at Levi's statement. He knew he hadn't birthed Luca, but he wanted to curl up with the baby dragon and hold it. It was with reluctance that he laid the small beast down on the towel he'd cleaned Luca with. "Do you want to take Luca, while I strip off the sheets? I can probably use magic to get all the gunk off them" "No. I'll take care of it. You just need to hop off the bed for me. I'm not about to take your newborn from you" It felt weird to hear Luca was his, even though happiness was oozing into his mind from his omega. He felt like Luca was his... like he'd do anything in the world that he could to protect the dragon. If this was the happiness and contentness adoption brought, he'd adopt a whole brood. Gathering Luca up in the towel, he climbed away from Levi and off the bed, walking the few steps across to the plush chair in the room, and sinking down to settle with the dragon close to his nipple. God. He wished he could produce milk for Luca. The dragon already trying to latch onto his breast, despite the clear lack of them. Smiling softly, he placed his little finger against the dragon's mouth where it latched immediately and started suckling. Raising his gaze to Levi, the alpha had paused as he collected broken pieces of egg shell from the blankets "You look good like that" "I love them... they're already hungry. I wish I could feed properly" "You still look good like that. You'd make a wonderful mother" "I don't know about that. I'm following my instincts, and they're screaming to make Luca happy. How do you feel, Daddy Levi?" "It makes me want to fuck you and fill you with our own clutch. Then I want to watch that belly of yours swell, to suckle from your breasts. I want to watch you give birth, then fill your belly all over again" Eren pouted. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't aroused at the idea of being thoroughly bred "I'm not a rat. I can't get pregnant the moment I've given birth" If they'd ever be able to have clutch, as it was "I don't mind trying... Fuck this... the sheets can wait..." "Levi..." Walking around the bed, Levi came to take Luca from his hold. Placing the dragon on the middle of the bed, Eren then found himself being dragged to the bathroom... his protests dying on his lips the moment Levi's hand slid across his crotch. All this talk of breeding, and his hormones going into baby mode led to amazing sex with him bent over the bathroom counter begging for more, as he watched Levi's face while he fucked him. It was hard, fast and messy... Followed by a second round in the shower, and a heavy make out session under the hot water. Levi sucking his nipples into painfully red peaks that sent sparks of pleasured pain through his body each time the alpha nipped. They really were bad parents... but it felt fucking amazing. By the time they got out the bathroom, Luca was awake. The dragon sitting on the bed and crying out a soft "Lu", like they'd been abandoned. Swatting Levi off, Eren raced to gather baby dragon into his hold "Are they ok?" "I think he needs feeding" "I thought you didn't know what sex it is?" "I don't. But, "he" seems easier that saying them. At least for while Luca is this tiny" "Honestly, I don't think I can remember that he's not a he yet. Should I ask downstairs for some milk?" Eren beamed at Levi. Proud the man had suggested it all on his own "Yes, please" Levi raised an eyebrow, letting the towel around his waist drop as he walked over to shopping from earlier "Why are you smiling at me like that? It's creepy" "I was just thinking you're a great dad already" "If it doesn't get milk, it'll die. Isabel was always good with animals. She'd love this" Ok... so the dad thing needed work "He does. He'll probably need regular feeds for now. Dragons eat quite a bit" "You don't" "I would if I was full dragon, or pregnant. Being in dragon form ya hard work, and given how tiny he is, I don't think Luca will ever be able to take human form. His magic is barely there as it is" "He's not going to die, is he?" Eren's omega went into meltdown at the thought. He couldn't go through losing Luca. Not after he'd come info his life. What he wouldn't give to be able to be in Levi's head right now. He wondered if his alpha's alpha was as proud of the newborn dragon as Eren's omega was, or if he could even feel his alpha at all. What was Levi thinking as he stared at the pair of them? Was he thinking about sex? Remembering their clutch? Or was Obsydin sending his own thoughts and feelings swirling through Levi's mind. The man's expression wasn't giving him much of anything... "No. Not if I can help it. I know he's going to need extra care, but... I feel like he was born to be mine. Is that bad?" He was supposed to be Hannes's after all, but in 20 years, the egg had never hatched for the elder dragon "I don't know. I'm not sure what to say. I feel a certain kind of pride seeing him alive and breathing... and I can see you're connected to him. I would tell you not to get attached. So many times the animals Isabel tried to help died, and her heart broke each time they did" So he shouldn't be as attached as he was... Eren was ninety nine percent sure that anyone who set eyes on the baby dragon would be completely smitten... not that he was biased or anything... "Go ahead and get dressed while I'm downstairs. I can't guarantee I'll be able to keep my hands off you, if you're not clothed. Even now, I want you just as much as I did before I fucked you" Eren sighed, shooting Levi a glare as he covered Luca's head with his palm "Don't swear in front of the baby" "He's a dragon. If he ever says fuck, I'll apologise then" "Just go get the milk already"

[wrhatif]

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[neijayah]

Seoul, day 1 - Arrival

So to make this journey possible, I had to save up most of my years vacation days plus apply for educational vacation at my company, which was thankfully approved. A lot of preparation had to be made. Not just communication with the company that organized this educational travel, but also making sure my cats are cared for. But I admit, they're like my children. 😅😇

As I would be staying for about a month, I had to pack quite a bit, as I didn't know, where exactly I would be staying until 2 weeks before arriving, and if the residence has a laundry or not. Thankfully the hotel I'm staying at, has both a washing machine and a dryer, though in the cellar, for every resident to use. So it meant I could at least keep clothing limited.

EF offers to arrange flights from Germany to Korea. Unfortunately, only from two airports in Germany, and non of them near my parents. So it would have meant either traveling by plane, train or rental car to these airports, or organizing the flights myself. The advantage was, that I could decide which flight company I would take and how long stay-overs would be. Taking into account, that most flights - at least in Europe - nowadays are delayed, I didn't want to risk getting stuck somewhere due to the incompetence of others.

I decided for Turkish Airways. Though the German-Turkish relationship is a bit strained right now, Turkish Airways has a good reputation and statistics in crashes. This shouldn't be your concern, but I just watched "Mayday - Air Desaster" way to often. 😅 I could have taken a connection flight with a stay over for 1,5 h. But, as I wasn't sure, if the plane would start on time and how big/complicated the Istanbul airport is, I decided for a 6 h stay-over. Enough time for delays and finding your gate and even eat something valuable.

Only negative point using Turkish Airways and therefore having to use Istanbul as transfer airport is, I have to say, the security check in Turkey. It was hasty and not really thorough. In today's time, not the best decision.

Both flights were eventless. It bit shaky from time to time, that eating your meals and drinking was a bit challenging. My seating neighbor even spilled her water over me. Thankfully, it wasn't the red wine she also had ordered. Unfortunately, Turkish Airways didn't offer any food from the destination country. Usually, flight companies offer two menus, one of the company's origin country and one for the destination. Same for the entertainment. Though I was lucky to even listen to BTS' latest Japanese album.

Immigration in Korea is pretty easy, like most things in Korea. Thanks to Korean technology, when your passport was scanned, they tell you to put your fingers on the scanner in your own language. On the plane they hand out the registration cards for immigration and for "importing goods" if you have packed anything, that isn't allowed in Korea. You don't need to fill these out on the plane right away. There are several points on the way to the immigration desks to fill them out, or get new ones. Pens are provided at these desks as well. Everything worked pretty fine, until I took my suitcase from the treadmill. My lock has been opened and not properly closed again. So I was running around with a extra bag for the commute, that I actually wanted to store in that suit case. Not so nice for a 1h 45 min. travel with some changing and trying to find your hotel. The latter one being the bigger problem. I will come to this problem and how to solve it a bit later.

Before I arrived in Korea I had to think about how to stay in contact with my home country, family and friends. If it was wiser to get a second SIM card or just make sure that I have cheap internet connection. I decided for the internet connection. I don't take phone calls when I'm home. Sure as hell, won't do it in Korea. Several Korean telecommunication companies offer so called Wifi eggs, a mobil internet router. Perfect for shorter vacations. If you're staying longer, like for a few months, and love to talk with home, a second SIM card might be smarter. The SIM card can be obtained at the airport directly. Sources say, it's cheaper there, than in Seoul itself. So inform yourself, where to get everything. SK Telecom offers rented mobil phones, SIM cards and Wifi eggs. Ordering/renting can be done online beforehand, either on their website or on distributors like trazy.com. The pick-up was very easy as well and the prices reasonable. KT Telecom offers the same service. It can also be ordered and found on the trazy website. SK and KT Telecom both have Wifi router in every metro train, as far as I know. So if you buy/rent a SIM or even mobile phone, you're save with these two companies.

EF offers their students to take a taxi with the help of an EF employee. But as I was fine with traveling with public transportation, I chose to take the metro. Pretty easy progress, if you know where you have to go to. Taking public transportation tickets are a necessity. When staying more than a few days, the T-Money card is the best choice. Offering diverse pictures on the front, they all work the same. At the clerks desk at any convenient store (like CS), where you buy the card, you can load it right away with an amount of your choice. 20,000 Won (approx. $20) is a good start. If you don't use all of it, it stays on the card for several years. I used my one about 4 years ago. Nothing got lost.

If you're just staying for a day or two, there a special tourist T-Money cards, with benefits for sightseeing entrances. I had one at my first travel, but it didn't work for the N Seoul Tower. So you might have to be prepared, that it isn't always excepted.

You have several options getting into the city: either taxi, bus, by express train or underground. Train takes less time, but might take you further into the city than needed and may cost more. The underground/metro takes longer, as it is an all-stop train, but you can get off, when needed. Be careful with taxis, as you better have the address written down, preferably in Korean or speak clear Korean without an accent. They might take you to the other side of town, to where you actually wanted to be. And you might get stuck in traffic like every car. The bus is a good option as well, depending on your time of arrival and how strong your stomach is. Be aware, that rush hour times here are around 5 to 8 p.m. You don't want to get stuck in traffic there. Don't know about the early rush hour times. Though, in some areas of town, buses have their own lane. With these airport busses you'll have to name your exit station, so the bus driver can insert the right charge into the T-Money card reader. Baggage is stored in special compartments at the busses belly. You'll get a receipt for your luggage, so you get the right one out at your arrival. If you choose the metro, follow the signs stating "all-stop".

Commuting with the underground is pretty easy, as everything is signed out. Even if you are actually on the right track, before you even step into the metro. Just know the next station for your direction. But it's wiser to know beforehand which bigger metro station is on that track, as most of the times, while changing from one line to another, they only show bigger transfer stations, that might connect you to another line. So better you have a plan at hand to look after which stop are on your direction.

After getting your T-Money card and have it charged with your money, just follow the signs with trains stated. It takes a bit of walking but nothing compared to finding the right bus or getting the taxi driver to understand clearly where you want to go. Before getting to the tracks you will have to scan your T-Money card to get in. Always be sure to scan them again, when leaving the train station (and bus) and sometimes even when changing the trains. This way the right amount of money will be discounted.

You will find that there are glass fronts all along the train track at the station. A way to prevent suicides or like in Germany getting pushed onto the tracks by some stranger.

Something you should prepare in advance as well, is to figure out, where exactly you have to leave your train station. Not just the right station but also the right exit. There are usually around 6 to 8 exits and more, which can be quite far away from each other as whole shopping areas are located at those stations. Your hotel or bigger sightseeing attractions will usually tell you which exit is the best to leave the station. And by the way, you actually don't need to speak/read Korean when visiting Seoul. Almost everyone speaks at least a little bit of English, more so the younger generations. And every street, metro or other signs are written in Latin/Roman writings. Just smaller shops go with Korean writing. But some necessary words are easy to learn beforehand.

It took me quite long, though to find my hotel. It was a little hidden in a side road. And Google Maps isn't really helpful, as you cannot just give in the address. Naver or Kakao Maps might give you better options and fresher cards. Both also help you taking the right train.

The hotel I'm staying at offers breakfast for an extra charge, which is pretty good. But I decided to get the food for myself. You find most stuff, somewhere around. Still have to find a decent supermarket, though, that isn't into luxury. But basic food, snacks and ready made food can be bought in nearly all convenient stores. And you usually find like 3 and more right around the next corner. And the choice in Ramyeon is beyond expectation.

I stayed at the Urban Place, a nice hotel with good equipments. There are other possibilities to stay, which are usually not more than a few square meters with a toilet/shower cabin, if at all. So if you don't want to spend a huge amount of money, don't expect luxury in all four corners. My room is equipped with a small fridge (really small), a small cooking area with the minimum of kitchen equipment. Shower and toilet are separated and TV and Wifi are included. TV also offers a few British programs and Arirang, a Korean TV station in English.

This was probably more than enough information on arriving and what to do, to get around.

#korea #seoul #EF #neijayah

[surveystodestressme]

72.

5000 Question Survey Pt. 18

1701. How will tomorrow be like today? i don’t know yet 1702. How would you react if a stranger pinched your bottom? i’d probably smack them 1703. When was the last time you went on a date? ummm, jack and i don’t really go on dates anymore.  or at least, we don’t call them dates. 1704. Have you ever ridden a horse? yes. 1706. What is almost over? i don’t know

1707. What should you be doing that you are putting off? calling my college to set up orientation 1708. How much would you have to change physically before you would no longer be yourself anymore? a lot 1709. How much would you have to change mentally before you would no longer be yourself anymore? ^ 1710. Would you rather be famous or notorious? neither honestly 1711. Would you rather have a necklace that’s dripping with diamonds or a blueberry farm? blueberry farm 1712. Could you take first place in a beauty contest? probably not 1713. Who is the biggest hypocrite you know and why? i know a lot of them 1714. Would you consider yourself to be more opinionated or bitchy? opinionated. 1715. How long is it until your next day off? it’s my day off right now 1716. What sound is annoying you right now? nothing at the moment 1717. Imagine you’re taking a vacation with 4 people. Who are they? jack, wyatt, jake,and rebecca 1718. The five of you travel by plane. Suddenly your plane crashes down over snowy mountains. The pilot and the air crew and all the other passengers die. The only way for you to survive is for one of you to get eaten by the others. Who will it be? lol idk honestly maybe wyatt, he’s got the most meat 1719. Anorexia and obesity are two life threatening eating related disorders. Why is it that when it is discovered that someone is an anorexic they are rushed to the hospital, but when someone is obese they are not rushed to the hospital? that’s a good question 1720. Who is your favorite smurf? never watched that 1721. Why do you do things that you know are bad for you? i don’t know 1722. How important is testing to education? i feel like people think it’s really important but intelligence (in my opinion) is not based on how well you can take tests.  1723. What food group do you eat the most of (bread and pasta, meats and eggs and fish, fruits and vegetables, milk and cheese, sugar and butter)? probably meat 1724. Who is the most adorable person you know? some girl i know has a little baby and she’s really chunky and cute 1725. If you had to spend a half hour locked in a dark closet with someone from school or work that you don’t normally hang out with who would you want it to be? uhhh... i don’t know? maybe one of the theater people because they’re all funny and wouldn’t make me feel awkward about the situation lol 1726. How often do you masturbate in a week? recently at least once or twice a week 1727. In the USA people work a full third of the year for the government, due to taxes. How do you feel about this? it sucks 1728. Should people be allowed to use cell phones in their cars? absolutely not.  some people can’t even drive without their phones as a distraction 1729. Have you ever been in the room while a human baby was born? nope. 1730. Have you ever been in the room while an animal baby was born? no. 1731. Did you see the video The Miracle of Life in school? no. 1732. How do you feel about having a baby? don’t want any children 1733. Have you ever had a tooth pulled? no 1734. Who are you waiting for an email/call/note/visit from? my boyfriend. 1735. What are you counting the days until? until i can move out and have my own place with jack 1736. What is the greatest temptation for you? my boyfriend? lol idk 1737. How do you resist it? i don’t

1738. Who is your knight in shining armor? jack ig lol. 1739. If you were walking and someone behind you yelled “HEY YOU!” would you turn around? probably 1740. Do loud noises make you tense? sometimes 1741. Has anyone ever told you that your epidermis was showing? not in those terms lol 1742. Would you rather work or stay home with the baby? work bc i wont have a baby anyways 1743. Would you rather have people agree with you all the time or tell you the honest truth? tell me the honest truth. 1744. Will you/have you gone to your high school reunion? i probably wont bc i wont even be living in the same state hopefully 1745. What do you think of your yearbook picture? it’s ok i guess 1746. Are you more of a hunter or a gatherer? gatherer. 1747. If you ever were to visit Hershey Park, the theme park based on the chocolate candy, would you enjoy going to the spa where you can be treated to a whipped cocoa bath, a milk and honey bath, or simply a chocolate fondue skin wrap? none 1748. If someone asks you to read a poem they wrote, will you really take your time to try and understand what they wrote and tell them what you think or just read it quickly and tell them that its really good? i’m not too good at interpreting poetry, but i’ll try my best 1749. Do you feel that if a coincidence occurs it means something? maybe 1750. Were you beautiful as a child? not really lol 1751. Do you think that it is okay for a homosexual or a woman to become a priest? yeah???? i don’t think it matters either way 1752. Which would you rather give up forever, religion or sex? religion. 1753. What comes to mind when you think of these places: Canada? maple syrup UK? british people USA? bald eagle Australia? kangaroos and giant crabs Germany? hot german women Italy? spaghetti 1754. What does your favorite bumper sticker say? i don’t have any 1755. Have you ever taken a shower with another person? yes. 1756. What bath toys do you have, if any? none lol 1757. Would you rather propose to someone you love or would you rather be proposed to by someone you love? i’d rather be proposed to bc i feel like i’d make it awkward or i’d do it wrong 1758. How can you reject someone nicely? idk 1759. What kinds of diary names make you interested enough to check out the diary? - 1760. What do you think are three common passwords people use to secure their diaries? birthdays, names, or a bunch of random numbers 1761. Pick an object in the room. Give that object a name. lamp - lampy 1762. What is the quickest way to make you blush? compliment me 1763. Do you usually feel that you deserve it when other people compliment you? yeah, ig 1764. If you were to start your own business what kind of business do you think it might be? video games idk 1765. What is one of your pet peeves? bad drivers 1766. What question do you get asked too frequently? do you still talk to the last person you kissed? 1767. You notice a ring is priced $40.00, but the cashier only charges you $10.00. Do you mention this to the cashier? probably not 1768. Could a kiss on the ___ be considered cheating? Cheek? Lips? Nose? Hand? Ear? Neck? if it’s not a family member, then yes.  if my significant other kisses another person ANYWHERE and i find out about it, unless it’s the hand, maybe, i’m not going to be too happy about it and i would expect the same response from him if i did that 1769. Would it bother you if your lover occasionally flirted with others? yeah 1770. How long has it been since you last played truth or dare? it’s been a while 1771. Should people who are living now be obligated to do things that will make the world better for people who will live 100 years from now? not obligated, no 1772. Imagine you have a dream in which someone you care for acts mean to you. Is it possible you will still be angry with this person when you wake up? it’s happened before but no i shouldn’t be bc it’s in my own head not something they actually did 1773. Have you ever left someone a note with a picture in it? If yes, how do you do it? idk 1774. What do you fear more, death or pain? death 1775. Are the questions still interesting this far into the survey? somewhat. 1776. Do you like the cartoon Inspector Gadget? its ok 1777. You know how Gadget wears the same outfit all the time, and his closet is full of outfits that are exactly identical to the one he wears? If your closet was full of just one outfit that you had to wear everyday what would it be like? idk i dont think i could wear just one thing all the time 1778. Would you rather time travel to the future or the past? future. 1779. Would you rather know how the world began or how it will end? how it will end.   1780. Would you rather meet your ancient ancestors or your great great great great great great grandchildren? ancient ancestors bc i know i wont have grandchildren of any kind 1781. Out of these 4 which is most important (1=most, 2= second most, 3 = 3rd most, 4 = least)? Curing diseases such as aids, cancer: 4 Preserving wildlife areas: 1 Ending terrorism: 3 Building colonies in space: 2 1782. In your opinion should every child be entitled to a good education? yeah 1783. What news item are you tired of hearing about? fucking politics. 1784. Speaking of 9/11 the anniversary is coming up. What will you be doing? it’s already passed. 1785. If this were a recipe for you, how would it go? 2 cups: 1 cup: ½ cup: A pinch of: A dash of: Mix well and bake until: Add: Serve: idk man 1786. Which of the following would YOU be more likely to survive: A fall from a 3 story building Driving a car into the water neither lol, i can’t swim very well and i know i wouldn’t survive that fall 1787. What philosophy was manifested in the communist manifesto? idk. 1788. Who is your exact opposite? jack is pretty different from me 1789. Would you rather have serenity or insanity? serenity. 1790. What do these phrases mean? Moulin Rogue: Le voyage sur le bateau: Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir: i have no idea 1791. What is the longest distance you have ever walked? oh i have no idea man 1792. The ancient Greek philosopher Plato believes that beauty truth and justice all basically mean the same thing. What are your feelings about this? ehhhh 1793. How did you first begin to assert yourself as independent from your parents? no more asking their permission for things, having my own car, and eventually moving out 1794. If you had a magic bracelet, would you use it to gain luck, money, health, creativity or love? money. 1795. What would you do if every time you used your magic bracelet something bad would happen to someone else? i wouldn’t use it probably 1796. This is a story about a girl. While at the funeral of her own mother, she met a guy whom she did not know. She thought this guy was amazing, so much her dream guy she believed him to be that she fell in love with him then and there, although she didn’t even see him after the funeral ended. A few days later, the girl killed her own sister. What is her motive for killing her sister? she's crazy???? 1797. Have you ever intentionally hurt someone’s feelings? i dont think so 1798. What do you think of Franz Ferdinand? don’t know much about him. 1799. What do you think of the band Modest Mouse? never heard of them 1800. What do you think of Morrissey? ^

#bored #survey #questions #quiz

[bangkokjacknews]

Ten things the Thais need to do - IMMEDIATELY

The Thaiger Opinion Column.

#Thailand is a proud country with a rich cultural tradition. And great food. Expats and visitors have been flocking to the #LandofSmiles for a century, especially the last 20 years when tourism has surged to become a major contributor to the country’s GDP.

But the veneer of a never-ending rise in tourism numbers has lost its gloss with tourism officials, perennially optimistic and talking-up the numbers, are admitting that tourism is down some 30% this year. That’s a big drop. If you were running a business, and it lost 30% of the people walking through the door, you’d be be taking immediate and urgent action. But the rot has been setting in for a number of years and now needs urgent and radical attention if the good-ship ‘Thai Tourism’ can be turned around. It’s not just tourists either, living as an expat has become increasingly complex and expensive for many. There is a perception of “we’re not wanted here anymore” which is an uncomfortable feeling to have when you just want to enjoy living in the country you love and contribute to its economy by participating. Here are ten suggestions, published in good faith, we believe should be implemented to address key problems. Make it easier to do business Between the mountains of paperwork, public service attitude, language barriers and fierce protectionism, doing business in Thailand as a foreigner is not easy. The need to have a small army of accountants and ‘Thai Nominees’ is just a part of the problem. The endless red tape and hurdles put up by the Thai Government, and the patchy application of some of these requirements, make running a business professionally an ongoing challenge. Make it easier to apply for, and maintain, visas There are quite a few visas available for tourists and expats to come to Thailand . But the goal posts keep being shifted and the requirements continually change. Thinly-veiled corruption and variations of how the various visas are applied have made getting and maintaining a proper visa in Thailand challenging. Tourist visas would also benefit from increasing possible length of stays and reducing paperwork before and upon arrival. There is currently a waiver of visa fees for some countries. https://bangkokjack.com/2019/11/11/things-thailand-wrong-about/ A long-term resident visa would also be welcome. Given the difficulty of getting a long-term resident visa in Thailand does little attract real long-term retirees. Immigration officials, around the country, control their own local fiefdoms where the ‘guidelines’ are just guidelines and are interpreted differently on different days by different officials. Apart from confusing the expats and tourists, these systems provide lucrative opportunities for blackmail and corruption. A smile could help sometimes too. Scrap the Tourism Authority of Thailand Whilst the reasons for Thailand’s droop in tourist numbers are many and varied, the body who has been marketing Brand Thailand is the Tourism Authority of Thailand. They have made countless mis-steps and strategic errors in the past decade and must shoulder part of the responsibility for the current malaise. A proper, independent, tourist organisation with a professional, modern marketing team with international experience, not just Thais, is a must. Thailand’s ‘charm’ is no longer enough in a highly competitive world of international tourism. https://bangkokjack.com/2018/11/05/thai-tourism-industry/ Around SE Asia there are now emerging destinations that are simply doing a better job than the team at the TAT who are, like the national airline, beset with nepotism and long-termers who should have been fired a decade ago. Just about every aspect of tourism in Thailand needs to be updated, cleaned-up and improved and the TAT are just the wrong people to do it. They’ve strategically been chasing an unsustainable tourist mix and placed all their marketing eggs in few baskets, and the strategy has failed. In a world of immediate online opinion and sites like TripAdvisor, the new tourism tzars in Thailand need to have a thorough understanding of modern social media and how to effectively use it. Working under the auspices of the Department of Sports and Tourism hasn’t worked well for the TAT. The Government now needs a dedicated Department of Tourism is they are to maintain the percentage of GDP garnered from tourists. Urgently and aggressively address tourist safety The fall-out from the Phuket Boat Tragedy is still being felt and has left a poor impression of safety for tourists. A year later and what has changed? Speaking of Phuket, the shameful handling of the local lifeguard contracts has been a direct reason for drownings along the island’s west coast in recent years. The dithering of contractual arrangements and personality clashes took precedence over hiring, up-skilling and deploying a professional lifeguard service to protect beachgoers. Around the country the reports of safety lapses causing death and injury to tourists are alarming in their frequency. Tour bus crashes, boats capsizing, renting out motorbikes to unlicensed drivers and tourist attraction safety standards. Problems associated with all of these are mostly preventable. Change the company law Part of the problem of doing business in Thailand is that, no matter how good you are, you never really own the legal framework that defines your business. A foreigner can only own 49% of the shares in a Thai company. This protectionist business law is a major barrier for foreigners to invest in Thailand making it difficult, or impossible to attract additional investment or plant to sell your business down the track. There are provisions for larger enterprises to register a 100% foreign owned Board of Investment (BOI) business but these are quite complicated and expensive to set up and only available for limited industries. Agriculture and Agricultural Products Mining Ceramics and Basic Metals Light Industry Metal Products, Machinery and Transport Equipment Electronic Industry and Electric Appliances Chemicals, Paper and Plastics Services and Public Utlities Technology and Innovation Development Providing a more flexible and easier company law, with options for small to medium companies, would allow Thailand to attract a much larger number of international business people. Smile It’s meant to be the Land of Smiles. But arrive at any checkpoint or airport as you land in or depart Thailand and your first and last impressions are of unhappy, scowling immigration officials. And if you arrive at the wrong time at an airport the queues can be horrendous. The situation may be similar at any international airports around the world, but when you pin your whole brand around being a Land of Smiles, you could at least try. Now they’ve added an additional layer of checking you in and out of the country with a fingerprint and iris scan. Taking a copy of all your finger and thumb prints just adds another 30 seconds or so as you arrive and depart… multiplied by x number of tourists waiting in line. The same applies for some, probably more than in the past, of retailers who seem to spend a lot more time scrolling on their phone rather than attending to their customers these days. Some just don’t like being interrupted and, if you’re not buying, give you attitude rather than a simple acknowledgement. Address the currency To be fair there is only a limited number of levers to pull for Thai treasury officials that could ‘force’ the Thai baht to a lower value. Short of printing new currency (which would also push up inflation), there are limits to what a modern government can do in an open international currency trading world. Still, local businesses in tourist regions could take some control and reduce the ‘tourist’ prices and stop the blatant rip-offs aimed at solely extracting money from tourists’ pockets. Buy a Big Mac in the middle of Patong or Pattaya, then drive 3 kilometres away to another McDonalds and note the difference in price. Just maintaining your high prices and hoping for the best isn’t going to win new business. The two-tier pricing is also a slap in the face for tourists (and most expats) which smacks of xenophobia or greed. Even the word ‘farang’ denotes an attitude to caucasian foreigners, either of derision or as walking ATMs. Name and shame scammers Scams have been part of the tourist game forever in Thailand. Some are just a silly punt at extracting a few extra baht from unsuspecting tourists, others are down-right dangerous. When these scammers get outed and charged (rarely) the fines and punishment are often perfunctory and are not a deterrent to other would-be scammers. https://bangkokjack.com/2019/08/28/top-scams-in-thailand/ There should be a register of these annoying tourist rip-offs and schemes which is posted on some website where the ‘shame’ can act as a better deterrent using the Asian concept of ‘losing face’ as a weapon to combat scammers and prevent more from flourishing. Or simply track down punish the current scammers and fine them more often. Make it easier to buy property You see a property. You like it. You negotiate a price and want to buy it. That’s usually where it starts to get difficult. Foreigners cannot buy land or the land that their villa is sitting on. Many have got around these laws by leasing the land or forming a Thai company to do the transaction. In both cases the ‘buyer’ is never really the ‘owner’ and, whilst working reasonably well for 30 years, is still a long way around a fairly simple situation. The only winners are lawyers as they help foreign buyers navigate the labyrinth of Thai property and company law. With the law allowing foreigners to own condominiums 100% (as long as 51% of the available units in the development is owned by Thais), developers have raced to build condos to feed the foreign buyer interest in Thai property. 24 reporting of address (TM30) needs to be simplified or scrapped The requirement for foreigners to report their residential location within 24 hours of a change of address smacks of a ham-fisted Big Brother. The law applies to expats as well, forcing them to report to Immigration when they return from a weekend away or a business trip. The actual guidelines lead to more questions, rather than providing answers, and the enforcement is applied ad-hoc. If the report could be done ‘easily’ online on an effective, easy-to-use, reliable webpage or App, that would certainly help. But that’s not the case as the site is often down and not in multiple languages. Simplifying and streamlining the process of reporting where you are as a foreigner, is way overdue. We understand the security requirements for reporting non-Thais’ whereabouts but requirement to report EVERY time you sleep at another address, other than your home, is limiting and a complete over-reaction to a small problem. - The Thaiger – You can follow BangkokJack on Twitter, Instagram, & Reddit. Or join the free mailing list (top right) Please help us continue to bring the REAL NEWS - PayPal Read the full article

[spurgo]

Dreams

Driving through "Mexico", past endless miles of rusting industrial zones, cloned fuel tanks lining the roads like a Giger painting...huge rusting pipes sticking out of the ground in the middle of farmland, bent or snapped off, lime green grass growing over them. Up ahead a row of decaying factory buildings...one which is already leaning dangerously over the road suddenly falls , burying a few cars. Our driver doesn't even flinch, just accelerates and weaves around the flying bricks. I ask what all this was and the front passenger says "petrol". I remember reading that Mexico had just signed away the last of their industry to the USA. So this is the result. As we near our destination, the roads deteriorate further and we are obliged to steer onto the skeletal remains of the highway: parallel curved girders with grooves big enough for car tyres to fit, like a giant roller-coaster. I think they are kidding and feel a knot in my stomach. Use of brakes is forbidden, you'll either crash into the car behind or fly off on a corner, so everyone uses the natural speed which gravity and momentum offer...in other words scarily fast. Amazed that we make it, we split up and I find myself looking at the same junk shops as in several other dreams, still with the same indeterminate electronic junk. Hendrik Hegray is there and hates street art so much that he has decided to make his own, and so many of the sides of underground trains and the station walls are covered with his messy intimate drawings done in black marker on white paint which he has splashed over anything vaguely hip-hop/L.A. gang style. Sometimes it seems he ran out of white paint so we see improvised sheets of white paper pinned or taped onto the sides of the trains. Hendrik showed me a way to cling, spiderman-like, onto the side of the train between compartments in order to access narrow parts of the tunnel system, and out of curiosity I find myself in another train compartment somewhere near the end of the line, which is half full of womens handbags, some still containing packs of cigarettes or makeup, the remains after bag-snatchers have hastily ran off with whatever they can. I see one which I'm sure belonged to a friend, and reject the idea of taking it thinking she might imagine I was the thief. 

Rented a house in some unnamed town which had become a Mad Max -style junkyard ran by Jase Deepkiss 720, who was apparently the man to ask before you took anything lying around on the street (bike parts, car engines, bits of guitars etc). Crowds in the middle of the road were betting money on some kind of mechanical horse racing screened on a pile of old tvs. Inside the empty house the "landlord" was trying to persuade me to adopt one of the many stray cats outside. I asked if cats were allowed in the house. "Unfortunately not", he said, while stacking up all the paperwork involved. Deciding that all this bureaucracy looked more like a representation of the landlord's precarious mental state I declined, and became nostalgic about all the cats I had known in my life, reminiscing about one which had undergone brain surgery and an eye operation. He surprised me by reacting with horror: "well I hope you got the video evidence; they are usually drunk when they do that!". 

Movie night in the Vietnamese restaurant, film lists were in a phonebook-sized books on each table like in karaoke bars, and we picked out a cheezy-looking 'sell-through' effort in the "BAT VOMIT" series, the first film rolling wth the title sequence half finished as was usual with such quickly made flicks. The first scene was a nighttime jungle sequence of a truck transporting midget soldiers in tiny tanks, grumpy little men resembling squished metal plated turtles, their boss a seriously pissed off looking dude whose face was a mass of scrotum tissue frowns with machine-gun stems sticking out between the hairy folds of flesh, which continuously sprayed bullets at the enemy as they attacked the bridge. As the end credits rolled the restaurant's proprietor told us cryptically that it had been a good choice of film, and I agreed, taking this as a signal to leave until a friend decided we were going to eat one last thing: a snack made in oily cardboard containers which were stored (following some old tradition) on the backs of the exit doors, consisting of yellow/green oil, lemon grass, and seafood which he scooped into bowls. The famous taste was hard to replicate because the toxic conditions of the factory and ill health of the workers who produced the delicacy were responsible for it's unique flavour. 

In this dream I was a close friend of Lars Ulrich (Metallica), who I was trying to find at some stupid-looking rock festival. A bouncer handed me the sandpaper part of a matchbox which had ANDY written in Lars' retarded scrawl; this was supposed to be my backstage pass. Everywhere was a total mess, super complicated to find the Metallica room, and no real idea why I had to. Leaving the modified toys I was carrying to show to my pal Lars sticking out of the bag to try to make it easier to spot, I threw it onto a giant conveyor belt which was heaped with Metallica fan's clothing, bags etc. Seeing that my gear would get lost immediately, I ran up to some security types, explaining that I was staying near the upturned car-henge sculpture, and was directed into a shop which sold energy drinks called things like GUZZLE and GOFORIT. I noticed a display of badly-molded and half-melted skull/pirateship/heidi architectural model toys, which played back crunchy, near-unintelligible low bit-rate samples of a phony Vincent Price reading boring horror and mystery stories, some of them playing backwards, batteries dying, with faded glow-in-the-dark stickers. During all this chaos I was reading emails from a friend who was worried about the part of a piano concert he was supposed to perform which required quickly moving the piano up 8 flights of stairs in order to play a solo. I asked why they couldn't just have another piano up there, and he angrily replied that this was impossible because everyone would know it wasn't the same piano. This reminded me that we were supposed to be finishing a Varese-like speaker installation for a rectangular monument in New York City, which the media were trying to sell as the new Statue of Liberty or Grand Canyon. The job was for Elizabeth Taylor, who was another friend of ours. 

We were invited to check out a new "night club". The annoying club owner proudly showed us their new decor: a few rooms decorated with cheap plastic flowers and other crap. We were unimpressed until she announced "AND NOW, for the REAL attraction!!!", opened some swing doors through which floated a group of 'dolphins' (as they were referred to) which flapped around in mid-air, licking everyones faces in what was supposed to be a "cute" kind of "family" experience, but honestly it was pretty gross, making me think of the "trout farm" scene in Existenz. Some of these malnourished creatures resembled peeled bananas that has started to go brown, and some of the baby ones started getting into the hole in the sink. It was really difficult to get them all out of the sink and back through the door, and I felt that this club owner lady was very irresponsible. 

My job was to expose an evil Scientology cult based in Salt Lake City. 2 Scientology girls were ticket sellers for a run-down cinema showing scratchy cult promo films and selling "pork and egg", which one of them told me was actually slices of road tar and shaving cream dyed yellow, and that the real pork was in Utah. 

By Andy Bolus