#he was preparing himself for FOUR LONELY MONTHS IN THE AXIS

[kdramafan22]

Goodbye. 

#kdramaedit #the king eternal monarch #lee min ho #mygifs #MY HEART #he was preparing himself for FOUR LONELY MONTHS IN THE AXIS #but then he missed her so much he had to jump out periodically to see her #GAWD THE PAIN #your otp could never

[everything-withered]

Seventeen months is a long time.

He tries not to think about it; measuring it won't make the weight of those weeks, days, hours or minutes lighten any less, but it helped to remind himself that time itself still existed, and it passed whether he could keep up with it or not.

My name is Kurosaki Ichigo, it is four-seven-twelve-three o'clock, he recites to his reflection, and between those words, he became: the bed, the shower, the dining room table, the school bell.

He tried not to notice what being diminished from verb to noun felt like lest he grow too attached and like it -- he wasn't suicidal, but sometimes he wondered, and that's scary enough -- even if it would've been easier compared to the dizziness of the world spinning round and round without an axis to keep him steady.

Living, she's often told him with a weary smile and unfathomable blue eyes, is the hardest part, isn't it?

And in the beginning, he hadn't seen that admission for what it was, and scoffed, but now he knows better, doesn't he?

Even back then, she'd always remind him how much older she was than him, how much longer she's been doing this.

And now all he can think about when she says those words is if that means she's been as lonely as him all that time.

And he thinks.

Between the little notes she'd left him before she went away: reminders to watch his footwork, to practice kido, to remember to thank Yuzu more often, to be nicer to Dad, to hang out with Karin more, to loosen up a little.

To how she glared at him through her tears when he'd tried to stop her from her own execution.

He remembers, with a dull ache in his chest how she couldn't even look him in the eye when she faded from his world like the sweetest of mirages.

And thinks the answer is yes.

At the press of a fingertip to his cheek, he grunts in surprise.

Rukia, teasing and scolding at once, says, "I can hear you thinking."

He squeezes his arm around her waist. "You'd be blushing if that were the case."

She snorts, and while she doesn't poke him again, her hand slides easily into his hair, scratching a little at his scalp just the way he likes it.

Approving, he burrows in closer. "I mean it."

With his words against her skin, she shivers, and flicks his ear in reprimand.

"You really cared about me before," he says, hushed; a revelation, a confession.

"I did," she says.

He buries his face against her neck like that'll stop her from being able to tell how warm his cheeks are. But, at least from this distance, he isn't alone. She's just as flushed, just as warmed.

Rukia inhales, squeezes him tighter; always the hand that reaches back when he's flailing for a life line, for someone to see through whatever bullshit veneer he tries to fit on his face.

"I do."

Ichigo exhales, lets himself be held, and holds her in turn as she rebuilds whatever walls had trembled at the admission. He's patient.

They don't talk about this.

Not unless they're dying. Not unless they're preparing to throw themselves on the wire so the other doesn't have to brace for impact. Not unless they're trying to convince themselves of something stupid: like how the other would survive the separation, the loss, again.

They've tested the theory enough times to know what the answer is.

"Was that what you were thinking about -- that I cared about you then?"

He hums no. "I was thinking that I was lonely before you, and that if you were half as lonely as me, you've been that way a lot longer."

She doesn't reply, but the leg around his hip tightens just a little as if to draw him impossibly nearer still. Like she could open herself up and keep him there, a part of her, carrying him with her always.

"It's not a competition."

"No." But seventeen months was a long time, and she's waited so much longer.

He can't imagine it. Doesn't want to.

Not when he's haunted by his own absence, his inability to exist earlier as if that would make her loneliness quieter, her own lackof less obvious.

"I still wasn't there," and that is shame, that is anguish and sadness and desperation, and its those seventeen months in one big rush.

"You're here now," she says, and though its said soft, it rouses his attention, tugs him to straighten just to see her face -- solemn and lovely and heartbreakingly sincere. "We're here together. So stay, stay with me."

And he huffs out a chuckle because what else is there to be now that they're here, now that they're together?

Ichigo-and-Rukia.

Rukia-and-Ichigo.

Conjoined at the soul; they're a beast of too many limbs that ache with the too taut pull of any distance between them.

He's felt it every day they've been apart, and every day he didn't know for sure she was coming back.

He's felt it in reverse when they were together again, and calling it a reunion wasn't enough.

Not for the sense of rightness it created, not for the way it felt like a cosmic sense of justice prevailed.

Not when Rukia's got his breath in her lungs and his heart in her palm; home and safety personified.

When her arms are full of him and him of her, and that's all it takes to make the world slow just enough to make it bearable, to feel like everything will be okay because he's got her and she's got him, and being alone is just the temporary state between together and not.

Seventeen months is a long time, he thinks, for something like this? It's not nearly long enough.

#ichiruki #ficlet #cuddles #seventeen months #it's been a minute

[tophatal]

The Ball Is In Your Court ….

We’re not yet a month into the NBA season and already there has been a coaching dismissal within the league when it was announced that the Cleveland Cavaliers fired Tyronn Lue from his position as the Head Coach of the franchise . Lue had coached the Cavaliers to the 2016-17 NBA Finals . Cavaliers’ team owner , billionaire Dan Gilbert and team General Manager Koby Altman have named Larry Drew as the Interim Head Coach for the rest of the season.

Six games into this season and the Cleveland Cavaliers are win-less , with the worst record in the league. Granted , the departure of LeBron James , with his joining the Los Angeles Lakers would definitely leave a gigantic chasm within the organization. Yet at the end of the day, poor decisions made by the front office has led to this debacle. It remains to be seen how the Cavaliers will seek to dig themselves out of this hole , especially as the team enters the Christmas schedule, the play tends to dictate what we would should expect over the remainder of the season.

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The next game up for the Cleveland Cavaliers will see them face the Denver Nuggets , one of the hottest teams in the Western Conference at this point of the season. That match-up will take place on the 1st November at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland , Ohio , where the Cavaliers are win-less .

With all of the bally-hoo that surrounded LeBron James’ arrival in Los Angeles, with his joining the Los Angeles Lakers. You would have thought that the whole world was about to fall off its axis. Lakers’ fans were replete with their new jerseys bearing James’ name and number. The thinking was , with James’ signing with the franchise , a slew of free agents would be willing to join him as well. It didn’t happen and if you think that Rajon Rondo is going to provide the Lakers with the offense they need, then think again. Rondo’s best years are behind him rather than ahead of him. Coached by Luke Walton , the Los Angeles Lakers have stumbled out of the gate , performing like a team lacking in direction. I understand that it will take time for LeBron James to acclimatize himself to his new surroundings , but his teammates have hardly made their presence felt at all this season.

Next up for the Los Angeles Lakers will be a game against the Dallas Mavericks at the Staples Center , in Los Angeles , California on Wednesday , 31st October. There have been rumblings with the Lakers having begun the season so languidly , calls for the firing of Luke Walton as the Head Coach have been on the rise. I seriously doubt that Magic Johnson , Head of Basketball Operations or GM Rob Pelinka would consider Walton’s dismissal at this juncture.

The Milwaukee Bucks are the only remaining team in the NBA who have yet to lose a game. Led by their All Star, Giannis Antentokounmpou , this is a team where there are great expectations for this season. . With the lineup that the Bucks have and the coaching ingenuity being shown by Mike Budenholzer , there is a very good chance this team could very well make the NBA Playoffs .

All teams will have to go through the Golden State Warriors , if it’s their belief that they have what it takes to win the NBA title for this season. Now while Los Angeles Lakers’ fans believe they will have a say within the Western Conference, they have done nothing at all to convince me that they can compete with the best that the conference has to offer. Klay Thompson might not be the best player on the Warriors’ roster , but anywhere else he might be among the top-two players on any other franchise within the NBA . Thompson chalked up another franchise and personal best in a recent game for the Warriors when he recorded fourteen three-pointers made in a match-up against the Chicago Bulls , who appeared to be a completely listless team .

I have no doubt in my mind the Golden State Warriors are by far the best team in the NBA and their only chance of not making a successful defense of their title will come through their own complacency !

Well we’ve reached the halfway point of the NFL season and the trade deadline is about to come into play. Yet the main news’ story within the league , has been the dismissal of Hu Jackson as the Head Coach of the Cleveland Browns along with offensive coordinator Todd Haley . Gregg Williams has been made the interim Head Coach until the end of the season and could parlay the gig if he is able to lead the team to moderate finish and standing in the NFL by season’s end. Baker Mayfield who was the number one overall pick in the NFL Draft as well as the top quarterback taken , has performed inconsistently through no fault of his own. On defense as well as offense the Browns have been abysmal all season long. Suffice to say, if they don’t end up with the worst record in the NFL , then once again they could be assured of having another top-five pick in the next NFL Draft.

With a record of 2-5-1 , at least the Cleveland Browns are assured of bettering last season’s mark within the NFL. Next up for the Browns in week nine , they will face the Kansas City Chiefs (7-1) in a game that should prove to be very entertaining. Victory for the Chiefs assures them of clinching their division as well as a postseason berth within the AFC .

It wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility to suggest that Eli Manning is now treading water as it relates to his career ? Two Superbowl victories are > accommodating when padding out his career achievements, but over the last four seasons , Manning has been nothing more than a moderate quarterback at best. His and that of the New York Giants’ record for this season (1-7) is truly reflective of a really bad team on its very last legs. Odell Beckham has proven to be just a player known for spectacular one-handed catches , but when it comes showing leadership and maturity, he is nowhere to be seen . Giants’ Head Coach Pat Shurmur is on the ‘ hot seat’ and it seems unlikely he will be returning next season , given the lack of success seen this season. The New York Giants are in need of an upgrade across their entire roster.

When the Pat Shurmur prepares his team for their next outing let’s hope that the New York Giants’ performance is a great deal better than their last five games combined. The team will be facing conference rivals the San Francisco 49ers in a game where a victory is certainly needed by both teams.

While the Philadelphia Eagles caught everyone by surprise during the postseason of 2017 on the way to the franchise’s first Superbowl victory. This season the team has fallen back to earth with a colossal thud. They’re barely competing within the NFC East , perhaps the most overrated division in all of football. . The only team with a winning record in the division are the Washington Redskins (5-2) as they head into week nine of the regular season. Doug Pederson will prepare the Eagles to face the Dallas Cowboys in week ten of the schedule , while the Redskins will be in action against the Atlanta Falcons during week nine .

The runaway leaders within the NFC are the unbeaten Los Angeles Rams (8-0) led by their quarterback Jared Goff , whose talents have been on display throughout much of this season for his team . Jared Goff has led the Rams to an eight-game unbeaten streak by far the best in the league this season as the team has the best record in the NFL. Goff’s teammate Todd Gurley might well be the runaway leader in the first half of the season for League MVP . His all-round contributions for the Rams have been impressive to say the very least. I fully expect the Los Angeles Rams to extend their winning streak to nine games when they face the New Orleans Saints (6-1) on Sunday afternoon . This is likely to be one of the better contests taking place in the NFL that afternoon.

I’ve always maintained that with the death of Al Davis , the Oakland Raiders would never be the franchise where there would be a constant interest in . That has rang true with his son Mark Davis taking over the reins of the franchise with Reggie McKenzie still in charge as the General Manager. Unfortunately their luring Jon Gruden out of retirement hasn’t worked wonders for the Raiders this season . Bear in mind Gruden was offered a ten-year $100 million deal , making him the highest coach in the NFL . A 1-6 record at this point of the season , with the Raiders having one of the worst defenses in the league and you can well understand why there might be clamoring for something drastic to take place among the team’s lineup .

If Jon Gruden is building for the future then , it doesn’t bode well for the Oakland Raiders then his track-record should be seen as a warning sign. During his time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as his earlier stint with the Raiders, he has never drafted or developed a player of real note. All the optimism in the world among the franchise’s fans cannot hide the fact that this was an erroneous in the hiring of Jon Gruden. The coach will now have to muster the masses as he seeks to get the Oakland Raiders’ second win of the season when this team takes on the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night .

It might well have been the most lopsided World Series in the last decade, with the Los Angeles Dodgers (1-4) falling to the Boston Red Sox (4-1) with the utmost of ease. All of the money spent by the franchise on players since 2012 , has been well in excess of $1.6 billion and then you factor in the $2.2 billion paid by the ownership group to purchase the franchise. You simply get the feeling that there’s been more waste expended by the club than was needed. The lone factor of hope out of this all might well be that the Dodgers’ front office might have solved a glaring need when they obtained Manny Machado in a trade from the Baltimore Orioles. Machado and Walker Buehler were the only bright spots for the Dodgers through much of the postseason.

With Clayton Kershaw now said to be considering opting out of his contract , which still has two years left on one of the most expensive deals in baseball history . It would be foolish if the Los Angeles Dodgers were to allow Kershaw to leave , but at the same I can truly understand the player’s frustration with their continued lack of success during the postseason. They’re unable to play as a team and there sure as hell isn’t any leadership to be found anywhere among the players let alone among the managerial staff of Dave Roberts .

What if anything do you believe has been the most riveting piece of sports’ news of the past two weeks and please state your reasons why ?

Tophatal 10/31/2018……..

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NBA news ..

NBA standings (divisional)

NBA standings (conference)

NBA schedule 31st October

NBA schedule for the month of November

NBA players’ stats

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NFL news

NFL standings (division)

NFL week nine

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MLB news

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Byron Scott, the now fired former coach of the Hornets. GM , Jeff Bower who has now assumeed the position of head coach on an interim basis. And assistant coach , Tim Floyd. It’s safe to assume that the reins may well be handed over to Floyd at some time in the future given the fact Bower has no experience as a coach of any kind with regard to the NBA . picture apears courtesy of nbae/ getty images / Richard Tyson …………..

Rays’ third baseman , Evan Longoria at the plate for team. photo appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Vic Hallam

Carl Crawford’s three-run home run in the sixth inning highlighted Tampa Bay’s three-game sweep of the Angels. The Rays are five games over .500 for the first time in team history. photo appears courtesy of the Associated Press/ Mike Carlson ………….

Gatots’ player Tim Tebow (15) and his coach Urban Meyer discuss their options during a game. photo appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Chris Dickson ……………….

Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig’s steroids proposal, made to the union last month, calls for a 50-game ban for first offenders, a 100-game penalty for second offenders and a lifetime ban for a third positive test. photo appears courtesy of Associated Press / Adam Roundtree …….

Carolina Panthers’ Julius Peppers saluting fans as he walks off the field after the Panthers’ 23-10 win over the New Orleans Saints in an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C. The Panthers have decided the price is too steep to keep their all-time sacks leader. It means five-time Pro Bowl defensive end Julius Peppers is about to become one of the top prizes in free agency. Agent Carl Carey says the Panthers have told him they won’t place the restrictive franchise tag on Peppers for a second consecutive year at a cost of more than $20 million. The move Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2010, comes two days before the tag deadline. photo appears courtesy of Associated Press/ Rick Havner ……

Mike Dunleavy (#17) of the Indiana Pacers goes up for the lay up against Brendan Haywood (#33) of the Dallas Mavericks during a game at the American Airlines Center on February 22, 2010 in Dallas, Texas. photo appears courtesy of NBAE/ Getty Images/ Glenn James ……………….

University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman, left, and head football coach Rich Rodriguez, right, are shown at a news conference in Ann Arbor, Mich., Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2010. The NCAA has found that Michigan’s storied football program was out of compliance with practice time rules under coach Rodriguez. Incoming athletic director David Brandon disclosed the finding Tuesday. He says there were no surprises in the NCAA findings. He also says Rodriguez remains the coach. Michigan has 90 days to respond and will appear at an NCAA hearing on infractions in August. photo appears courtesy of Associated Press/ Paul Sancya ……

Los Angeles -January 13th 2010. New head coach of the USC Trojans Lane Kiffin shakes a hand as he makes his way to his press conference at Heritage Hall in Los Angeles, California. photo appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Harry How ……………..

Duke’s Jon Scheyer collides with Virginia Tech’s Malcolm Delaney, left, during the first half. Scheyer scored 25 points and collected 10 rebounds in the win. The Blue Devils defeated Virginia Tech (Hokies) 67-55 in the game . photo appears courtesy of Associated Press / Sara Davis ……………..

Chicago Cubs owner Tom Ricketts speaks to the media Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2010 at the Chicago Cubs spring training facility in Mesa, Ariz. photo appears Assoc. Press/ Matt York ….

Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella, right, along with coaches Matt Sinatro, middle, and Lester Strode watch pitchers warm up during spring training baseball camp practice Saturday, Feb. 20, 2010, in Mesa, Ariz. photo appears courtesy of Assoc. Press/ Ross D. Franklin ………..

Minnesota Twins pitcher Joe Mauer swings in the batting cage at baseball spring training in Fort Myers, Fla., Thursday, Feb. 25, 2010. photo appears courtesy of Assoc Press/ Nati Harnik …….

Florida Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria, left, watches batting practice with Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez during spring training baseball Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2010, in Jupiter, Fla. With the smallest payroll in the majors last year, the Marlins won 87 games and finished six games behind eventual league champion Philadelphia in the NL East. Visiting spring training to watch the first full-squad workout, Loria said the 2009 Marlins underachieved. photo appears courtesy of Assoc Press/Jeff Roberson ……..

Israeli model Bar Refaeli seen here doing a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition phot-shoot.

Ray Allen (#20) of the Boston Celtics looks for a play against LeBron James (#23) of the Cleveland Cavaliers on February 25, 2010 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. photo appears courtesy of NBAE/ Getty Images/ Brian Babbineau …..

Floyd Mayweather, left, and current WBA welterweight super champion Shane Mosley exchange words during a news conference in New York, Tuesday, March 2, 2010. The press conference was to promote their May 1, 2010 fight in Las Vegas, Nevada. photo appears courtesy of Assoc Press/ Seth Wenig ……..

Floyd Mayweather, left, and current WBA welterweight world champion Shane Mosley pose for a picture during a news conference in New York, Tuesday, March 2, 2010. The news conference was to promote their May 1, 2010 fight in Las Vegas, Nevada. photo appears courtesy of Assoc Press /Seth Wenig

Scott Boras, chided for bonus demands for amateur clients, says the Major League Baseball draft needs restructuring. “In this system, everybody thinks this is about money. No, this is about saving money. It allows for less mistakes,” he says. photo appears courtesy of USA Today Jason M. Millstein ………………..

Commissioner of Major League Baseball Bud Selig and actress Sarah-Jessica Parker take part in an on field presentation during the 79th MLB All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium on July 15, 2008 in the Bronx borough of New York City. photo appears courtesy of Getty Images North America / Jim McIsaac ……………

Stacey Dash , actress , designer and entrepreneur .

Jennifer Aniston shows us that she’s more than willing to be your ‘friend’ ?

Model & Playboby playmate Naureen Zaim . Who wouldn’t mind teaching her a lesson or two on human anatomy ?

Cuban American actress & model Natalie Martinez

Martinez again looking good as only she possibly can !

Oh mon ami ! she possibly can ! Je t’aime !</strong

Who wouldn’t want to play with Natalie Martinez ?

Well hello there !

Model & actress Natalie Martinez ……….

Actress & model Natalie Martinez …….. Who wouldn’t want to get ahold of her rims ? I know I would !

New York Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez watches his fly-out in the first inning of a spring training baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Friday, March 26, 2010, in Tampa, Fla. photo appears courtesy of Assoc Press / Mike Carlson ….

Sarasoata , Fl ,. Infielder Adrian Beltre (29) of the Boston Red Sox throws over to first for an out against the Baltimore Orioles during a Grapefruit League Spring Training Game at Ed Smith Stadium on March 27, 2010 in Sarasota, Florida. photo appears courtesy of Getty Images/ J Meric ……….

St. Louis , Bobby Maze (3) of the Tennessee Volunteers looks to shoot the ball against Mike Kebler (20) and Draymond Green (23) both of the Michigan State Spartans during the midwest regional final of the 2010 NCAA men’s basketball tournament at the Edward Jones Dome on March 28, 2010 in St. Louis, Missouri. Michigan State beat Tennessee 70-69. photo appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Dilip Vishwanat …

The Duke Blue Devils hold up the trophy after a 78-71 win over the Baylor Bears in the south regional final of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at Reliant Stadium in Houston on Sunday. photo appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Ronald Martinez …

Butler’s Nick Rodgers hold up the West Regional trophy as the team returned home to Indianapolis amid a throng of fans after earning a spot in the Final Four with a victory over Kansas State Saturday. photo appears courtesy of Associated Press/ A J Mast ………..

West Virginia’s Da’Sean Butler and Joe Mazzulla hug after the game. Butler scored 18 points and Mazulla pitched in a career-high 17 to help West Virginia hold off the Wildcats. The Mountaineers would defeat the Kentucky Wildcats 73-66 to make their way the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. photo appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Jim McIsaac ……….

Russian actress & model Anya Monzikova . Who wouldn’t want some of Monzikova alongside some fresh Beluga caviar ?

2008 Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford. The player is widely expected to be taken number one overall in the upcoming NFL Draft. The team with the first pick are the NFC’s St Louis Rams . photo appears courtesy of Associated Press/ Chris Rogers ………..

Eagles’ quarterback Donovan McNabb. The player is said to want to remain with the Eagles but it’s becoming clear that he will be traded sooner rather than later. Eagles’ coach Andy Reid and team President Joe Banner are willing to listen to offers for the Pro Bowler. photo appears courtesy of US Presswire/ Jody Gomez ………….

Tebow (15) left is seen here alongside his former college coach Urban Meyer. The two proved to be very sucessfule as a team combining to win two national titles in four years. photo appears courtesy of boston.com/ articles …………

DeMaurice Smith Executive Director of the NFLPA. Smith who assumed the position after the death of his predecessor Gene Upshaw. He was elected to the position by the board members of the Players’ Association. Smith was a corporate litigation attorney for the DC law firm Patton Boggs. photo appears courtesy of Associated Press/ Phillip Mitchell

Carlos Boozer #5 of the Utah Jazz has his shot challenged by Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on April 2, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. The Lakers would go on to defeat the Jazz 102-96 in the game . photo appears courtesy of NBAE/ Getty Images/ Andrew D Bernstein ………..

Donovan McNabb of the Philadelphia Eagles. The player was traded to the Washington Redskins a divisional rival in the NFC East. It adds to the flavor this upcoming season when the player meets his ‘former team’ . photo appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Hugh Malcolm ………………..

Baylor’s Brittney Griner and U Conn’s Maya Moore are seen here during the women’s Final Four game between the two teams. Geno Auriemma’s Huskies would go on to defeat the Baylor Lady Bears 70-50 in the game played at the Alamodome in San Antonio , Texas , Sunday April 4th 2010. photo appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Alicia Mack ………..

Cleveland Browns nose tackle Shaun Rogers and his lawyer Patrick D’Angelo, center, talk to reporters after leaving Cleveland Police Headquarters where Rogers was charged with one felony count of carrying a concealed weapon on Friday, April 2, 2010, in Cleveland, Ohio. Rogers was arrested at Cleveland Hopkins International airport on Thursday after he tried to take a loaded handgun through airport security. photo appears courtesy of Associated Press/ Jason Miller …..

Butler head coach Brad Stevens , left to right, Gordon Hayward and Ronald Nored smile during an interview session for the men’s NCAA Final Four college basketball championship Sunday, April 4, 2010, in Indianapolis. The Butler Bulldogs will face Mike Krzyzewski’s Duke Blue Devils in the championship game Monday night to be played at Lucas Oil Stadium , Indianapolis, Indiana. This in many ways will be very much a “home game” for the small and in-obtrusive college team from Indiana. The furor over over their improbable journey has resonated within the state and across the nation. photo appears courtesy of Associated Press/ Mark J Terrill ……………

Los Angeles, April 4th 2010. Manu Ginobil (20) of the San Antonio Spurs goes to the basket against Luke Walton (4) of the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on Sunday. The San Antonio Spurs would go on to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers 100-81 in a game played at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. photo appears courtesy of NBAE/ Getty Images/ Noah Grahame …………….

Tiki Barber and his wife Gina Cha. Barber’s wife is six months pregnant with twins and is now in the midst of separating from the former NFL star. photo appears courtesy of Wire Image/ Duffie Marie Arnoult ………….

23 year old Traci Lynn Johnson an intern with NBC Universal and who works alongside Tiki Barber on the NBC morning show “The Today Show” . Barber and Johnson are romantically involved and the former NFL star has now separated from his wife of 11 years , Gina Cha. The couple have two children with twin now on the way in terms of Cha’s pregnancy. photo appears courtesy of Social Media SEO ……….

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2010/tracker#dt-tabs:dt-by-round/dt-by-round-input:1

Playboy Playmate Kayle Collins …………August 2008. Is there a need to proceed further concerning Kayle’s attributes ?

Jameer Nelson of the Orlando Magic goes for the layup in the Eastern Conference semi-final game played against the Atlanta Hawks. NBAE/ Getty Images/ Fernando Medina ………

Head Coach Jerry Sloan of the Utah Jazz fields questions from the media following his team’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in Game Two of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2010 NBA Playoffs at Staples Center on May 4, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. NBAE Getty Images _ Andrew D Bernstein

Kobe Bryant (24) of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots against Deron Williams (8 )of the Utah Jazz in Game Two of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2010 NBA Playoffs at Staples Center on May 4, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. NBAE Getty Images/ Noah D Bernstein

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – JUNE 24: (L-R) Robert Vittek, Martin Skrtel and Radoslav Zabavnik of Slovakia celebrate victory after knocking Italy out of the competition during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Group F match between Slovakia and Italy at Ellis Park Stadium on June 24, 2010 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images ……

Johannesburg , South Africa – June 24 th 2010. Kamil Kopunek of Slovakia celebrates scoring his team’s third goal during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Group F match between Slovakia and Italy at Ellis Park Stadium on June 24, 2010 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo by Christof Koepsel/Getty Images ……

Fabio Cannavaro, captain of Italy, leaves the field dejected after being knocked out of the competition by Slovakia during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Group F match between Slovakia and Italy at Ellis Park Stadium on June 24, 2010 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images ………

In this Sept. 18, 2010, photo, Florida Marlins’ Dan Uggla bats in a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Miami. Uggla has been traded from the Marlins to the Atlanta Braves for infielder Omar Infante and left-hander Mike Dunn. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

This is a 2008 file photo of Dan Uggla of the Florida Marlins baseball team. Uggla and the Atlanta Braves have reached a preliminary agreement on a $62 million, five-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press Wednesday Jan. 5, 2011 on condition of anonymity because the agreement was not yet final. (AP Photo/Rob Carr, File)

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Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Wei-Yin Chen (16), of Taiwan, comes into the dugout following the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Saturday, Aug. 4, 2012, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Brian Blanco)

ST. PETERSBURG – AUGUST 04: Designated hitter Jeff Keppinger #7 of the Tampa Bay Rays fouls off a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles during the game at Tropicana Field on August 4, 2012 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by J. Meric/Getty Images)

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Brady

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Picture gallery. By clicking on an individual frame you can see that picture in a reformatted size along with the accompanying narrative.

The Ball Is In Your Court …. The Ball Is In Your Court …. We’re not yet a month into the NBA season and already there has been a coaching dismissal within the league when it was announced that the…

#Cleveland Cavaliers #College Football #Dan Gilbert #Los Angeles Lakers #NBA Basketball #NFL #Sports #Tyronn Lue #Uncategorized

[thegrapplingminstrel]

The Last Garuda

Humanity haven’t fought amongst themselves for almost half a century by now. When the Mythos descended upon the planet, all lines that divided mankind seemed to vanish before a common enemy. That was the case when Axis forces raged across Europe, so it only made sense that it was also the way of things when invaders from the skies decided to try and take away the world.

Years after what came to be called the Mythos war, man once again proved that history has a penchant of being repetitive, just as the eastern turned against the western block, so too did the last three Bastions of Humanity. Across the blue earth, men fought over what was left of their sunken planet. The three Bastions of course refused to wage open warfare, thus little proxy wars were made, using freelancers to claim riches from under the waves.

The Java Sea, being the halfway point between two of the last three bastions of humanity, had been fought over by freelancers for months, each one paying allegiance to either New Babylon or the Dragon’s Garden. It was a war in all but name, but countries do love being diplomatic. One of these freelancers were the Hussars, notorious for their aggressive tactics and a success rate fitting of their legendary namesake. On the third week of August, they went to battle once again.

---

The first shot of the battle came from the Syahbandar stationed above the sunken ruin of Bandung, once a backwater mountain city far from the coasts. The shot landed on the water, as it always does, since the damn thing covers up nine-tenth of the planet nowadays.  Even from this far out, Johnny Sunday can see the hulking marine gun-platform glistening under the sun, its large barrels aimed in his general direction. The machine was made to act as a mobile naval fortress and it looked the part.

“Johnny sees the target,” he half-yelled into his radio as he zoomed past the water plume, his mark 2 AEGIS (lovingly named Mary, after his mom) began to rattle due to the speed he’s forcing on it, but good old Mary would hold, like its namesake, she was one tough dame. “Permission to fire hull-buster missiles, boss?” “That’s a negative Heartbreaker,” came the cold reply from the other end of the radio. “Disable their guns, the boarding squadron will take care of the rest.”

Great, Johnny thought to himself, the boss wants him to do this the hard way. If he pulls this off, he looks like a rock star, if he doesn’t, he dies. Not the worst deal he ever had, if he was being honest.

From on high he can see the wall of flak incoming, blotting out the sky with thick dark clouds. It was a primitive weapon, made over a hundred years ago before the continents sank, but high velocity shells and shrapnel have a way of never going out of style.

“If Johnny dies today, tell his mama he loves her!” he said for what must have been the fiftieth time this year alone, he was sure they were sick of hearing him say it by now. His mech dived lower, cutting to the right side of the enemy vessel. He felt his stomach churn, you can get used to G-force, but you’ll never be immune to it. Right before his mech touched the water, he pulled up and levelled himself with the surface, too low for the Flak to target, just right for the rest of the enemy guns. Their first volley of armour piercing shell missed him by at least ten meter, the second one by three at most, and before they reloaded for the third, he was upon them, his heart pounding in his chest so hard he thought it was going to kill him.

The Syahbandar had four gun emplacement and one main cannon, four targets, and Johnny was going too fast to get a second shot on each.  He glanced at each one, letting the ocular targeting system get a lock on each, but that satisfying chime that signalled a lock-on never came, so he fired on instinct, letting loose a volley of rockets at each gun.

He couldn’t see the explosion, he couldn’t even hear them; within a few seconds he had already gone well past the enemy ship.

“Did Johnny get ‘em boss?” he asked, finally slowing down enough to make a turn.

“You got the AA guns,” came the reply. “The boarding squad will take over from here.”

---

It was hard to not be wistful sometimes when you’re fighting close to home. Bima had a girlfriend in Bandung once, so he used to visit the little mountain town on weekends (most Jakartans did). She had pale white skin and long dark hair, a Sundanese maiden through and through. They broke up long before he went into project Noah’s stasis pod, he wondered if she died in the city below them. Did she marry before the Mythos struck? Did she remember him, even?

"Heartbreaker took out the AA gun," said a voice from the radio, taking Bima out of his reverie. "Boarding team, prepare for deployment."

The shuttle jerked under him and floated upwards. He still couldn’t get used to how quiet it is, the new generation of aircraft had no rotors, no turbine. Their engineer Shannon tried to explain how they worked to him, but it was all gibberish and he had long since stopped trying to understand the tech around him.

“Three hundred meters to target,” he heard the squad leader said from the other side of the passenger bay. It was odd to him seeing a woman lead a team of men in battle, but the mechanized infantry armour of the day meant physical strength of a soldier meant little, and she was a better shot than anyone else they had.

“Old man, tell us about this city,” she added. She doesn’t look any older than him, but technically he WAS about a hundred years old.

“It was a lake once,” he said

“What’s a lake?” a teammate asked.

Before he could find a good answer, the red light by the shuttle door flashed. It was time to work.

He didn’t wait for the lines to drop, every second counted. They had covering fire from the mini-gun slung under their shuttle, but it had only so many bullets it could fire before reloading, once the hail was gone, anyone dropping onto the deck would be target practice for its defenders. The others were too heavy to jump down, but he wasn’t wearing a mechanized armour, he can jump down just fine.

His knees buckled hard as he landed, adrenaline kept him focused, but he knew tomorrow was going to be painful.  “Going in,” he said to his com. The hail stopped, and for a moment, everything was silent save the buzzing noise in his ear. He aimed his rifle, larger but lighter than what he was used to in his previous life, towards the exit hatch from which the defenders would come out. A lone sentry popped out of it, Bima caught him in the centre of his chest once, then another time on the chin, he wasted two more bullets which strayed wildly, but it didn’t matter, the man fell dead. He kept firing, buying time for his squad as they slid down the line from the shuttle onto the enemy vessel.

Once the entire squad has gathered, the battle became a grind. Boarding a ship was bloody work, the narrow corridors making each encounter a personal, up close affair. They tossed grenades around every corner, then Bima would go in for the kill. Sometimes they were already down when he went in, other times he had to cut them down with his knife. It was an archaic weapon used by the earliest human tribes and modern men alike, no one used them in the Mythos war due to the size of the alien invaders, but these were men and a knife works on them just fine as long as he got them through the visor. His enemies were hardened veterans of a very different war from what he was used to. Killing another man was new to them, it was second nature to him.

‘Onwards without fear,’ He repeated under his breath with each new corridor they took, until at last they reached the bridge. It was locked from within, so was the engine room and the cargo hull.

“Ship secured” he said into his comm.

---

As a commander, the mercenary leader known only as Nero never had to step into the battlefield. He was the man who moved the chess pieces from afar, and he was good at it, but he wanted to see with his own eyes what was on the cargo hull. It was more than just easy money to pay his men and upkeep his little army, it was more than that. All the literature he devoured as a child spoke of how the object was a turning point in human history once, it will be so once more.

By the time he was on-deck, the boarding party had pinned the remaining enemy combatants down. They called for an unconditional surrender and Nero agreed. He lied. The moment every one of them were on deck, he gave the order to gun them down. They were loose-ends, he doesn’t like those.

“You disagree with what we’ve done, Bima?” he asked his escort as they descended into the cargo hull. The man was an antediluvian, born before the flood, so he stood heads and shoulders above him.

“They surrendered, sir,” the soldier said. “They’re prisoners of war.”

“I am well aware of what the Geneva Convention said,” Nero said without a hint of regret. “But Switzerland is gone, and so has every other country that signed that treaty.”

Bima was a good soldier. Nero had no doubt the man would follow orders, but like every other antediluvians he knew, he had much to learn about the new blue world.

As they reached the cargo hull, they were greeted by three other soldiers from the boarding crew. They had ransacked the room, breaking open all containers stored within. Most of them had useless relics in them, statues, intact pre-flood machineries wanted only by collectors, none of them worth his time. What they were looking for was something much more important.

The object was kept in a metal crate, waterproof and airtight. It was a tool of war from a time long gone, dangerous exactly because of how primitive it was. “Is that it?” he asked Bima. The man stepped forth to inspect the marking on the crate, recognition clearly written across his face. To the old world, the mark upon the crate was one associated with nothing but fear and death.

“Yes, that’s it,” he said.

“That’s the nuke.”