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lucas-grey · 2 years

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Freelancer Closed Technical Test Review

After four days of testing Freelancer, here is my review of the test. Spoilers ahead!

First of all, I'll start with the things I really liked

The Safehouse

For me, the highlight of Freelancer! I love the house and the surroundings. It's interesting to see how 47 spends his free time. He can meditate by the lake or chop wood. But he also has a room where he can mix cocktails or play bongos, for example. Now we know where he gets the skills he uses in his missions!

The references to the old games run through the whole mode and are also visible at the safehouse. There is an old, abandoned church in the forest. A small reference to Silent Assassin, as once again 47's safehouse is located near a church, albeit a destroyed one.

I also like that 47 lives in the house alone (sorry). Diana is present again and the two work together, but just like in the old games. It was already foresighted in Hitman 3 and Freelancer takes it further: IOI seems to go back to the roots, with 47 as the main character and Diana as the voice in his ear.

And I like the loneliness that reigns in the house and the little details. The single plate standing in the sink, for example, and the idea of 47 cooking something delicious for himself and then sitting at his dining table with a candlelit view of the lake. How he tinkers with his motorbike or his cars, makes small repairs to the house and the shed. Just as he tended the garden in Silent Assassin.

This hermit-like atmosphere is joined by an excellent soundtrack. Especially when you are in the woods and garden, you are rewarded with what I think is the best music the trilogy has delivered so far. While the upstairs area is cosy, the basement contains a veritable high-tech arsenal. This is where 47 keeps his weapons and items, plans his missions and regenerates when he's injured.

The changes you can make in the house were unfortunately still a bit buggy in the test (I'll get to that). Still, it's fun to redecorate the house and every time I unlocked something new, I wanted to look at it immediately. The motivation to reach the new levels and unlocks for the safehouse is very great and one of the biggest motivations for me to play Freelancer.

The cutscenes

What a small but fine innovation! Between the missions there are small cutscenes that show 47 driving to his missions, taking shelter wounded or waiting at the airport. The cutscenes make me nostalgic, they remind me a lot of the older games. They are such a nice gap filler between the missions that I can't leave them unmentioned here!

The campaigns

In Freelancer you start a so-called campaign. Each campaign consists of eliminating members of a syndicate. You first do a certain number of easy missions before the campaign ends in a showdown. In total, there are four campaigns to complete, with the level of difficulty increasing each time. While in the first campaign you have two normal missions and a showdown, in the fourth campaign you have five normal missions plus a showdown. So to defeat the whole syndicate you have to finish all four campaigns.

But that's not so easy. At the beginning you have no equipment and no money. You can, however, get both little by little, for example by collecting weapons in the locations and taking them to the safehouse at the end of a mission or by opening one of the many crates that are scattered all over the maps. Sometimes they contain items that you can take with you or even money. You will also receive items in your safehouse when you return after a successful mission. But be warned: if you lose a normal mission, for example because you are wounded or have to flee, you will lose all the items you took with you and you will not be able to start the mission again. If, on the other hand, you lose a showdown, you lose not only the items you had with you, but all the weapons and items you had already unlocked during the previous missions, and you start the campaign again from zero.

In the worst case, you end up with nothing. And half naked.

So planning is the be-all and end-all, which makes Freelancer so interesting, but also challenging. The level of difficulty varies between Professional and Master. However, the goal here is not Silent Assassin and/or Suit Only, as in the regular game. Instead, you are explicitly asked to go beyond your comfort zone and make a real racket, which I like very much. There is the possibility to fulfil additional objectives. At the beginning you can't do most of them, but later on you can and then, depending on the campaign, you'll be asked to kill guards with a machine gun for example. I don't know about you, but machine guns are not really my first choice of weapon in Hitman :D Depending on what equipment you have, it's also impossible to lure a target out of the crowd. All that's left is to shoot and run.

Once you've made it to a showdown, you first have to identify your target. This is where the camera familiar from Hitman 3 comes into play. I think it's a great addition to use it a bit more than just to open doors. In a showdown there are several targets on the map. You get clues from Diana about the target, you take a picture and observe if the clues are accurate. This can include anything from hair colour to behaviour. Once you are sure that you have found the target, all you have to do is eliminate it and return to the safehouse and the campaign is over.

What I didn't like so much about Freelancer

The time aspect

What I am about to elaborate on is not so much a criticism as a personal opinion. Freelancer is a time-consuming game mode. It is definitely not meant to be played in between times when you have an hour to spare and are a bit bored. On the one hand, this makes Freelancer interesting and challenging, but it is not suitable for everyone. Especially if, for example, you have a family, have to take care of people in need of care, have a time-consuming job or generally have a busy everyday life. Basically, I understand IOI's intention to design Freelancer this way, but especially for such people there should perhaps be one or another saving point.

It also takes a long time to collect the necessary XP to advance in the mastery level. You get more XP if you fulfil the objectives, but that doesn't always work because you don't have the necessary equipment every time, especially at the beginning of the game. This is annoying, especially since you only get money when you complete these objectives and not for completing the missions. Therefore, on the one hand it is a bit exhausting because it takes so long to unlock rewards for the safehouse, but on the other hand it awakens an extremely high motivation in you that almost hurts :D

The unlocks

When I lost my first showdown in the third campaign and woke up injured in the safehouse to find I'd lost all the stuff I'd previously collected and bought, I was incredibly frustrated. And in an annoying way, not in a motivated way to try again.

I think the idea of losing the things I carry is very good and interesting and it gives it a certain realism. But the fact that I also lose the weapons that were actually locked in my high-tech bunker doesn't make much sense and it's doubly annoying when you've put money into it before and now you've lost not only this money but also the items that go with it. This is one of the aspects that I disliked the most and my biggest point of criticism.

The level of difficulty

As already mentioned, the difficulty level varies between Professional and Master. With each mission and each campaign, the difficulty level also increases. In principle, I think this is a good idea, but I have had situations that were downright unfair.

Enforcers are sometimes so alert that it's impossible to avoid their gaze, or there are so many of them that it's almost impossible to even get close to a target. Also, there were a few bugs, in Whittelton Creek for example there was a floor that an enforcer could see through and so saw me grab someone on the floor above him. I just hope there will be some tweaking here. Nothing against a challenge, but it should still be fair somehow!

Bugs

Well, it was just a test and there were still many bugs. For example, 47 forgets how to use binoculars or pictures that I put on the wall suddenly disappear again. The game also stopped relatively often, objects floated, 47 suddenly drove to a mission on a quad bike, even though I hadn't unlocked it yet. But I think these are all small things that will be fixed in the final product.

Conclusion

The beautiful safehouse alone is worth playing Freelancer! I can't wait to walk around there with Grey 47 and relax a bit before heading into the challenging missions. It's a time-consuming game and I'm sure I'll spend hours, days, weeks, months on it.

You can tell that with Freelancer, IOI wants to test what can be possible in future games. And you can tell that they put a lot of effort into the game mode. You have to remember that we get the whole thing for free! And for a free product, it's really high class, you can't say otherwise.

Of course, I hope there will be a Year 3, maybe with a new level and a return of Diana, Grey and Olivia, like we had in Ambrose Island. But with Freelancer, IOI is going back to the roots for now and delivering a lot of nostalgia, but also a lot of new things, and I'm looking forward to playing the complete mode in January!

#hitman #hitman 3 #hitman 3 year 2 #hitman freelancer #hitman freelancer closed technical test #hitman freelancer ctt #my review #agent 47 #diana burnwood #lucas grey #olivia hall #hitman spoiler

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diana-fortyseven · 2 years

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And that was my first visit to Ambrose Island!

First impressions and spoilers under the cut.

The island is amazing! So much to explore, so many fun activities (the slapping contest omg) and chances to interact with locals. I'm super happy to have a tropical island at nighttime, and I can't wait (but I will, because I need to pace myself) to play the mission again and go for different kills!

The only thing I don't like, and it's a big issue, sorry, is that the opening cinematic is the only moment we interact with Diana. Grey is our handler for this mission, and while I'm happy for everyone who missed him and must be so thrilled right now, I just wish we had at least a Dubai situation where Diana and Grey were our contacts.

That's a huge disappointment for me, not gonna lie. 💔

Anyway, time for dinner and then maybe a second playthrough.

#Hitman #Hitman 3 Year 2 #Ambrose Island #Ambrose Island Spoilers

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orcelito · 1 year

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Being asked to choose between akeshu and vashwood in that tumblr post is really quite mean of them

I chose vashwood by basis of tragedy bc. Oof ouch ow. I haven't even seen it all yet and yet it hurts. Stampede only fans wouldn't understand.

At least akechi has the potential of being alive lol. Can't say that with vashwood

#speculation nation #trigun spoilers/#now if it were a plain 'who is my favorite' Wellllllllll #right now it's undeniably vashwood let's be real. u guys have seen it in motion.#it's like akeshu but with adults and one of them is a weird alien angel thing and the other is a genetically modified priest #and YES we get the hitman falling in love with his mark. except infinitely more relationship development (in trimax at least)#gnawing at the bit rn. as i have been for the past almost 2 weeks now. i will never be the same #hfkshxjd i will return to my akeshu writing in time but Listen. listen. vashwood is akeshu but More #of course i still love my boys very much and i will not abandon them #but Objectively. as a pairing. vashwood is just getting to me So Much rn. they r so goofy and they r so tragic #akeshu is playing 5d chess with a million unsaid things. vashwood is two men caught up in a hell of a world #disagreeing ideologically but sticking with each other thru thick and thin. laughing and joking around and being best of friends #battle boyfriends. the only people who can keep up with each other.#the only human vash can lean on in a fight bc he knows he's not gonna just croak like most people #but in the end.......😭😭😭😭😭😭😭#that poll made me really realize where my current priorities are. but really. we been knew.#and this is why im thinking about writing vashwood. still undecided about anything aside from vague alien smut lmfao #i'll come up with something. i should probably try to finish trimax first tho. 🤔🤔🤔🤔

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myth-blossom · 2 years

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Just realized I need to check out Ambrose Island ASAP so I can watch my favorite chaotic trio at @outsidexboxofficial do a let's play eventually 👀

#Hitman #hitman 3 year 2 #ambrose island #outsidexbox #agent 47 #No spoilers for me babyyyy

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actionflickchick · 1 year

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Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday (2022): Is This Vacation Worth Taking?

Accident Man originated as a series of comic strips published in 1990. In an interview with Viking Samurai, Scott Adkins talks about reading it when he was about 14 years old, loving it, and dreaming that someday it would be made into a movie. Well, with 2018’s Accident Man his dream blossomed into reality, and years later he got to live the dream again with Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday, a…

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sun-archeron · 29 days

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THE SUNSHINE COURT SPOILERS

finished reading the sunshine court at 2am, so now here are some of my thoughts on it

im very glad that the romance between jean and jeremy isn't being rushed

but i am concerned on how much jeremy will learn abt the moryamas and moreaus, i feel like he isn't built for this,but for jerejean to work he has to know the truth

cat is now one of my favorite characters of the aftg universe, she's amazing

before, while i apreciated jean's role, i didn't particularly liked him, but now he's up there in my top 2 with neil

also, nora was not lying when she said jean and neil are very similar, i will have to reread the whole series soon so i can mark all the parallels between them

i'm very interested to see the evolution of cody's situationship with that couple (sorry, horrible memory, already forgot their names)

that scene with grayson gave me so much anxiety, wtf was that, i hope the hitman that neil hired makes it painful

and on that topic, neil was so iconic in all of his fifteen minutes of appearance, it was really nice to see him from an outsider pov, but i hope to see him from jeremy's pov in the future

wtf is going on with jeremy and his family?? babes if you want jean to open up you gotta lead by example, tell us what's going on

and renee being jean's "in another life" aaaaaaaaghhh, i didn't even care abt this ship before, and now they're making me suffer

#aftg #aftg spoilers #tsc #tsc spoilers #the sunshine court #the sunshine court spoilers #jean moreau #jeremy knox #jerejean #nora sakavic #neil josten #renee walker

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losergender · 1 month

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we don't talk enough about tbotl nico. those six months between the ending of the titans curse and the beginning of the battle of the labyrinth had to be literally so traumatizing and yet i feel they are never mentioned. (spoilers from tbotl ahead)

he was 11 and alone in the street for god knows how long before minos found him. he had no living family whatsoever and his father wasn't even accepted by anyone. hell, we don't even know if hades claimed him after ttc or how it went. (or maybe we do, i haven't read tsats nor half of toa, but if we do know of it i have never seen anyone mention it). he had spent 3 months in the 21st century before ttc and some months in the usa, am i meant to think he did alright in an unknown country, with unknown technology and most likely not being all that fluent in english yet? all of that paired with fighting monsters, something he had a week and a half of training for, not to mention that he left camp WITH NO WEAPONS ON HIM.

EVEN BEFORE MEETING MINOS, NICO HAD ALREADY CONSIDERED/TRYING TO DIE. HE OFFERED HIS SOUL IN EXCHANGE FOR BIANCA'S. HE CONSIDERED/TRIED DYING AT THE RIPE AGE OF 11. and after he fails to do so he gets manipulated by minos for the whole book to be his hitman. he went into the labyrinth alone with, again, less than 2 weeks of proper demigod training.

i love bianca a lot but if i were nico and after months of failing to summon my sister i succeeded just for her first words to be "hello, percy" i would not do beautiful things. everything else she said i agree with and think it was neccessary for him to hear, but i was hurting when she didn't greet him first. same goes for when pan skips him.

like, okay, maybe it wasn't the tartarus, or transporting the athena parthenos or the tartarus again, but he was so young and so unprepared for anything and i have seen 0 people talk about it. so eh sorry for the rant i just had to do it myself

#sometimes it feels like bc it didn't send him to the infirmary it didn't count #pjo nico di angelo #nico di angelo pjo #nico di angelo #pjo nico #nico pjo #the battle #pjo tbotl #tbotl #percy jackson and the olympians #pjo hoo toa #rrverse

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whoyacallinyellow · 2 months

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Borrowed Time hurt me a lot omg- Now I offer you even more angst.

It's sad that Javier became the very thing in 1911 that he swore to destroy (working as a hitman for a tyrant government) but it would be even sadder if (as a part 2 ig of borrowed time) Javier and his love meet again but this time, he was there to arrest her and bring her to town to hang.

Borrowed Time II

Javier Escuella x F! reader

Spoilers: major RDR1-2 events Content: 18+, low honor Javier, angst, betrayal, loyalty, dramatic, possessive, referenced/implied sex, canon typical events & violence, possible unintentional spelling mistakes, google translated Spanish Type: I-II changed to second pov (wc - 4133) / pc: pinterest a/n: i can feel this request in my veins, so here’s my mediocre yapping! live, laugh, angst

Summary: Following the events of Beaver Hollow and your departure, Javier falls into work with Allende. After your reunion he reflects on his time with you, to only turn you in by nightfall.

It was a warm day in New Austin, the orange rays blanketing the barren dirt landscape, and not a cloud in the sky. Javier only imagined finding himself wandering these lands again, but yet he returned on what seemed to be borrowed time.

A few years had passed since he last saw you at Beaver Hollow. The man could not bear to show his face, the embarrassment of being wrong about Dutch was an ego check it say the very least.

Yet your note lived in the far corner of his mind, a small cabin just north of MacFarlane's Ranch from his understanding.

It did not take the man long to find it, local cowpokes cowered at the sight of the large Mexican outlaw sitting upon an even larger steed, interrogating them about a maiden. It was almost as if the best pieces of you resembled him, immediately reminding the folk of who it was he was searching for.

Boaz grunted against Javier’s spurs, digging deep into the loose red dirt below. The sunbeams which crept through the dry pine trees created quite the atmosphere, allowing Javier to get lost in his head, even if it were just for a few moments of bliss.

Despite the directions given to him, Javier hoped you had moved on after all these years, fled somewhere safer, started a new life, perhaps changed your name as well. Somewhere he would never find you.

Boaz continued to race down the winding path, feeding Javier’s anticipation against the warm breeze. As it gusted past the side of his head, loose strands from his tied hair tickled his ears, merely reminding the man how badly he needed a haircut.

The starving grass which bordered West Elizabeth held a yellow tinge, the land rolled and waved, flourishing with birds and wildlife. Javier reckoned he has not been to the area before, but you were not lying about how appealing it was— a perfect home for you two.

Upon whipping around the corner, abruptly revealed a small cabin with songbirds singing to him in the trees. The place was quiet, cozy, and seemingly inhabited, with small smoke stacks exhausting from the brick chimney.

Bringing Boaz to a halt, there was no sign of you— but sure enough a big black cloud skulked in the nearby pen, following you wherever you wandered like a burden.

Javier stiffly slid off Boaz, his knees nearly giving out from under him as his boots crunched onto the dirt. The beast was grazing on hay as he approached the fence post

After whistling and calling your shire a few times, Javier was promptly ignored, perhaps the slow and ominous brute heard the man call him el diablo one too many times.

He was still a strong believer the only reason the horse broke for you was out of pity— you looked like a child struggling to climb him every endeavor. Maybe the beast had a soft spot for you, just like himself.

But now the old shire was relieved from his saddle, serenading in the New Austin sun, not bothered to obey the envious man’s command.

Javier leaned against the corral post, admiring what he could have had with you, the thought of being a family man loomed over his shoulders and displayed no signs of leaving.

You and Javier ran together prior to joining Dutch, less for money and more for survival. Your past crimes covered bounty boards and train stations as a permanent reminder, never forgetting the wrongs that were written. That price only increased once Mexico inevitably caught wind of all the messy jobs in neighboring lands.

He drowned and you sank with him, the price of his sins were bricks added to your back. Being his accessory, the government saw you as a pawn, smart and knowledgeable, if caught— Javier would come for you, and they would be ready for him.

Those days were nearly from another lifetime.

Now under Allende’s ruling fist, he offered him a twisted plea deal of sorts; protection at the cost of something the man held more dearly than life itself—you. Your capture was not about the money nor status, but simply a test of his loyalty to Allende; if Javier did this job, he’d do anything.

The poor man’s convoluted loyalty never got him far, proving time and time again, leading him only to dead ends and false hopes. Charismatic attributes and big promises was something Javier foolishly gave everything to with a blind eye, something you always warned him about.

“Javier?—“

Your voice could have made him leap out of his own skin. As he hesitantly turned towards you, his gut twisted into something mean. You were beautiful as ever, after all these years you waited for him— just like you promised.

“Never thought I’d see you again, especially in the west.” You spoke again in disbelief, rag wiping your hands clean of a job he should have been doing.

Your voice only lived in his memories, hearing it again nearly whipped Javier back into shape, feeling sick for your puppy love he desperately relied on so long ago.

“Home sweet home.” The man swallowed dryly, throwing his arms out awkwardly and gesturing towards the open lands around you both.

Before his thoughts could catch up to the moment, you ran to embrace him, flinging yourself into his arms with a long awaited kiss. Javier grunted softly against your lips, staggering back to support you, the extra attention only reminding him how saddle sore he really was.

Just for a moment things felt normal, a feeling he was searching for since you split. He had a place in this cruel world once again, everywhere had a price on his head, no place to retreat to besides you— you were home.

Perhaps he could head tail between his legs back to Allende, saying you disappeared.

Maybe he could take you to Canada, or a tropical island— oh, anywhere but Guarma.

We must leave,

Javier’s unsaid words pricked beneath his skin, prodding relentlessly at his deepest desires for redemption.

“Oh—amor.”

Was all the man could choke out, the words exiting pitiful and weak, a near cry for help you assumed was just your bittersweet reunion.

Leaning away you smiled coyly at him, admiring your lost cowboy;

Your time apart was not easy on Javier, his hardened stare and the chip on his shoulder now set in stone.

The constant blazing sun of Mexico, along with surviving off rationed canned beans really took a toll on the man. His face was dull and lacking the usual pigment he wore so handsomely when Mr. Pearson cooked for everyone.

Javier’s newfound demeanor only put emphasis on his sharp brows peeking from under his bowler cap brim, residing above dark cunning eyes, ready to match any cowpuncher who dared challenge him.

Over Javier’s shoulder was where his mount rested, hoove digging into the dirt at the end of the cabin’s path.

“—and Boaz?” You began after a shared silence, slowly approaching the overworked horse.

“Still kickin’.” He uttered gently, a large hand scratching the back of his neck.

Boaz never really liked you, or anyone besides Javier that is. It wasn’t until the gang hunkered down in Colter for the stubborn bastard to take a liking to you.

The weather and unpredictable circumstances was not easy on the gang, including the horses, causing rations to be small among the mounts.

You always carried treats in your satchel to gain Boaz’s affection, and your efforts would eventually succeed in Colter. You would secretly slip him sugar cubes every time you left the shack, he must have appreciated the extra attention. Javier barely recognized Boaz trotting up to him in the snow, you mounted on top wearing a proud grin.

You wore a similar grin now, full of satisfaction and pride that he returned to you— with warmth flowing through him, his heart rapidly thumped in his ears, all the pent up feelings for you were reopening like floodgates.

“What’a nice feller, huh.” You cooed to the mount after a slow approach.

Showing no distress Boaz allowed your kind pats and rubs. Tenderly nudging you, the horse’s chops tried sneaking its way into your pockets, searching for the snacks you usually held after a long journey.

“Ai, fácil!”

Javier exclaimed, quickly guiding Boaz’s large snout away, the loving gestures nearly toppling you over.

“Guess I’m glad he still remembers me.” You beamed, tipping your hat lower to shield yourself from the beating sun.

“Or perhaps your donations, amor.” Javier quipped softly, his eyes wandering meekly.

Something besides time passing seemed different about him, you could not quite pinpoint it. Javier was always a timid man at first when it came to his lover, maybe your time apart presented this old side of him.

You knelt slightly, peeking under his sunken head which hung towards the ground.

“Javier? You don’t look so good.”

Your soft words managed to dig their way through his ringing ears, the man squinted his eyes tightly before swiping his lids with rough fingers.

“Uh— maybe you oughta sit for a bit, I think you’re overdressed for this heat.”

Your words broke through once again, giving a small tug on his poncho, his disoriented vision cluttered with black floating spots as you guided towards the porch.

As his vision continued to warp, the cabin doubled and skewed while you put him in the shade.

Javier knew you were speaking, your voice fading in and out irreguarly, piercing his ears every so often.

The words felt like they were being consumed by the ocean, his head bobbed up and down as if he were drowning. All he could think about was Dutch’s screams over the storm and waves, as he was about to be consumed by the large void.

But Dutch snagged him before being swept away, yanking him upon the tiny rowboat that threatened to tip from the added stress. Javier’s senses were waterlogged, rejecting the mean salty water from his lungs. As he gasped for air; the only thing he thought of was you.

“S’alright, son, You’re not dying today!” Was the first thing he heard. He faded in and out of consciousness as Dutch beat the sea water out of him, his ribcage rattling under each and every smack.

Javier sometimes wonders if Dutch should have just let him die, abandon him and allow the dark waters to engulf him whole, repaying his sins to his maker. Maybe his death would free you of your burdens.

He felt like his time had withered before Dutch had saved him anyways. Being a prisoner in Guarma is what convinced him that he would never make it back to you, sealing the deal. Your previous words borrowed time scratched at his skin again, yearning to be acknowledged.

“Ah well, I knew you’d come crawling back, you’re here for a reason.” You would always say to him after a particularly dangerous run with the gang. He would dismiss you with a mumble and a kiss, but always knew he was lucky to be alive as more of his brothers began to fall.

Sometimes he would catch you talking to a disgruntled Arthur as he packed his horse.

Upon inquiring about your words, Arthur being a somewhat vague man would shortly grumble;

“Jus’ focus on the job, and returnin’ to your woman, Javier.”

—and he always did. Javier knew you did not worry about him much, at least outwardly. But he did notice Arthur’s presence whenever trouble presented itself.

“Javier— some water.”

Your words along with a canteen dangled in front of him, the prior hallucination of a watery grave was almost enough to empty his stomach.

Javier stared back towards your shire lounging in his corral, his mind once again wandering back to the life he could have had with you.

In the midst of his tunneling vision, a lean coyote lingered through his gaze, stalking towards him, icy eyes sending daggers into his before diminishing.

“Javier. Say something.” Your words were now much clearer to him, breaking through his consciousness, the ringing disappeared from his mind fog.

“‘M alright.” He muttered, spitting out the bitter taste from his mouth.

“I reckon you oughta take it easy, being an old man n’ all now.”

Javier frowned at you and blinked a couple times, jaw agape, processing the pun you made at his dismay.

“Ha— so sorry, chica, ‘suppose I’m no longer the young buck you remember.”

He replied sarcastically, his voice both bold and hoarse as he raised back to his feet, every step whining for rest.

“Ride with me?” Javier suddenly asked as if nothing happened. It took you by surprise, he had just arrived after all.

“Alright.” You obliged shortly after a pause. “Let me grab my belt.” You continued, motioning towards the missing holsters on your frame.

“No need.” He cut you off quickly, his voice leaving traces of urgency.

“Boaz is packed.”

You eyed him up, watching the man shutter under your antagonizing gaze, how he hoped you were not suspicious of his intentions after all this time. But rightfully so, the man was yellow-bellied.

But you had no reason not to trust him.

You were not exactly sure where Javier was taking you, but for now his company was enough to keep you satisfied. The ride was eerily quiet, even for his standards, being a man of few words.

After riding a little down south he brought you to a small mountain that overlooked Mexico. He perched you both on a small flat area, just in time for the sun to sink below the land.

Javier stared over the horizon, he never really did think about how big the south was, yet how small he felt in comparison. A glimmer caught onto his peripheral, turning towards the shine was the pendent he had given you, when you both first started running with the gang.

The feeling presented itself again, feeling so small in the world— you were the home he had been searching for since the gang's fallout. It was always you.

He sank into his memories, a vessel of his former self was all that remained.

You two were quite away from your newly shared camp, with all the members and leads, the moments you had alone became quite sparse.

“What do you think, Javi?” Your sudden presence caught him off guard.

“The gang?—“ he pondered your words, leaning against a shady oak.

“I suppose they’re family for now, señorita. We’re much safer, and they’re good to us.” Javier replied, a hand brushing over the stubble on his jaw. You smiled gently with a nod, making your uneasiness all too obvious.

“It’s just temporary, amor, once we have the money to get on our feet— it’ll be the two of us again.” He reassured, a polite arm sliding around your waist.

Javier remembers the look in your eye, doubtful and full of sorrow, but you still trusted him, knowing he would never lead you astray. The same he thought about Dutch.

Repositioning himself behind you, he dug a necklace from his pocket, draping it over your chest and clasping it. You fidgeted in surprise against his movements, gazing down at the beautiful silver pendant that glistened off the very same sun. Before you could say a word he planted a kiss on your lips, gentle and quick before mounting Boaz.

“I promise!”

He called out. After blowing a kiss to you, he was off to assist the gang. He didn’t have much money at the time, but Javier always knew how to make things work—

Oh how naive of him— bright eyed and lovesick, he wanted to make a woman out of you, settle down. That is, before Dutch’s plan captivated him. Which ultimately led to this mess, but who is he kidding, he never really had a chance anyways.

Javier thought back with immense regret, wishing he was more romantic with you in a way, officially making you his chica earlier on, instead of prolonging it due to the possibility of death. He always feared that courting would further your heartbreak if something bad were to happen.

It was his own unaddressed way to cope with the harsh reality of survival and being an outlaw, he always prioritized your safety over intimacy until joining the gang. When he looks back on it, your shared time at Horseshoe Overlook and Clemons Point were some of the best times of his life.

Around that time of riding with the gang was when your relationship with him really began to evolve. The potential competition of other men drove Javier and his intimacy up a wall— his usual gentle lips ghosting over yours turned into small nips, and purple blotches he would mark on your neck late at night. A tight palm covering your mouth which muffled the moans of his name, words the man would kill to hear in such an uncaged manner. He entertained no confusion of who you belonged to; even if he did not make things official until that night at the lake.

Javier had nearly forgotten the sun had already set, and he somehow had no recollection of it. He looked down at you, only in a thin shirt as you gazed longingly off the mountain side.

The final sunset you shared was simply a ticking clock for him.

“Cold?” He whispered, words he could barely choke out.

“A little.” You replied, big doe-like eyes staring up at him, holding so much love for the man. Love he was not sure he ever deserved.

Forcing his gaze away quickly he arose, soles of his feet vibrating and pulsing with each step. After approaching Boaz his shaking hands freed his bedroll clasps, attention locked upon his rifle poking out of the saddle.

His head spun, finally digging himself out of his trance. After returning to you, he draped the cloth over you in vain.

“You okay?” You suddenly asked, your hush voice startling him, he sighed in despair.

The words you said to him at Beaver Hollow replayed through his mind,

Leave with me. Let’s run away.

But he could not get them out, his chest quivered under the constraint of his uneven breaths.

“Course.” He managed to form the word, you nodded in contentment, fresh air filling your nose.

His response would have to do for now, you decided to cut him some slack since he returned to you, after all.

By now you knew him well enough. Some nights he would stay up and collect his thoughts before laying beside you. You always respected his space, he had his demons, like everyone else. Soon enough in your slumber you would feel his protective arms drape around you, his steady breaths hitting the nape of your neck, tense body encapsulating yours— those were the nights you felt the safest, and knew he was going to manage just fine.

Other nights Javier would stay up while you were by your lonesome. He always feared something would kill the both of you while asleep, reluctantly you agreed. But the man always let you rest, you needed it more, that is for putting up with him all day round.

It was those nights he always coaxed you to sleep, you insisted he shouldn’t be awake alone, but eventually would give into the soft lulls he would sing, wordlessly agreeing that there was no point for the both of you to be cranky and tired in the morning.

—But there he sat, only to turn into the monster he swore to protect you from.

“I love you, Javier.”

Your words racked his brain, digging and clawing invasively into each one of his bones. Javier thought he imagined them until he looked over to find you staring this entire time. You knew there was something seriously wrong, but surely he would tell you within due time.

Javier’s voice was lost, swallowing suppressed sobs down his dry throat, he nearly felt like he was drowning once again in the frame he called a body.

Just like the days he would not say it back while pursuing a lead, with doubts he would not make it back to your arms— but he always did, it was the least he could do. It felt like lifetimes ago to him, how could the man choke out a te amo before sending you in?

Instead, he planted a kiss on your soft lips, lingering there for a moment, knowing it would be your last.

Looming below in the shadows, trailing to the border resided monsters he used to protect you from— two Mexican soldiers camped out by the tracks. Their lanterns flickering softly in the distance, patiently waiting for the man to arrive at the agreed meeting spot.

Javier shivered, feeling like a young boy again. His eyes fixated on the stock of his rifle that Boaz held.

Your breaths became shallow, harmonizing with the warm night’s breeze as you fell into a slumber. You trusted Javier’s judgment on setting up camp or heading home, you perhaps allowed yourself to get a little too comfortable.

It all happened so fast for him, and there was no going back. Javier’s mind blurred as he rode, Boaz fussing and fighting under his control. His very own horse feared the monster he had become, maybe poor Boaz thought he was Javier’s next victim.

He rode fast— but not fast enough to flee from himself.

A coyote lurked around the darkness, gazing at Javier from behind the two Mexican soldiers who taunted him, puffing on their big cigars from Uncle Sam.

The coyote disappeared as Javier reached for his revolver, patiently waiting for the man to shoot him— but he never did.

The soldier simply laughed, knowing Javier’s bark had no bite. While under Allende’s power, he was simply a coward a soldier would not even match out of pity.

Soon enough the two men fled into the night, banter that could be heard a mile away through the ravines. Anyone could have mistaken them for sick hyenas.

He could hear their stallions riding hard in triumph, with a new prize Javier held so close for many years, he watched the soldiers grow smaller and smaller over the uneven land until the darkness swallowed them whole, taking a piece of him along.

The nighttimes ahead would find Javier in a one horse town saloon, nodding off more times than he could remember. His glass turned from full to empty until his vision doubled.

Javier was not sure how many days had passed, the whiskey dulling his mind and senses, but the thoughts still ate him alive.

Did you think he would come for you? Or would you be envious, spilling everything you could before meeting the gallows.

Javier hid in his palms, knowing he got it all wrong— it should have been him.

It did not take too long for the man to get kicked out from the saloon due to his drunken stupor, not even the bartender wanted his dirty money.

Javier took Boaz to what he thought was east, the coyote returned to accompany him, lurking around on the monotone forest floors he traveled.

The night breeze made Javier reminisce of the times at camp, the very same breeze that whipped through your hair as you would drag him off somewhere secluded, your mischievous grin reflecting off the summer night's moon as you snuck off into the bushes.

You gave everything to each other— all for nothing it seems.

Javier sank lower into himself before eventually staggering off Boaz. It only took him a few unsteady steps to empty his bowels on the dirt path, elbows hoisting him up on his shaky bent knees.

Peeking out from his jacket cuff was a scar he once wore proudly on his wrist. A scar he earned in some honky tonk town just because another man looked at you wrong. The mere thought of it worsened his nausea.

All signs pointed to you, and you were gone because of reasons he barely understood himself— He feared he didn’t know what loyalty was anymore. Or what he stood for in fact.

Your blind love killed you in the end, and it was his cross to bear.

The sky was dark and dull, which was just as familiar as a bottle and a glass. Not a single star in the sky greeted him, leaving him to fester alone.

The wind howled violently through the trees, causing the leaves to rustle and sway. A northern was quickly sneaking upon the lands of New Austin.

His lone coyote joined him on a distant cliffside, coat black as sin, mocking the cowboy who lingered below.

#rdr2 headcanons #javier escuella #x reader #javier escuella x reader #headcanons #red dead redemption 2 x reader #rdr2 x reader #rdr x reader #red dead redemption fandom #tried using metaphors and connecting it to both the in game lore and part 1 #i think i like it???#low honor #but could be occ still?

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cringefail-clown · 4 months

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at last, where doing it man where MAKING THIS HAPPEN

cringes jakehal fic rec list

just so were clear: some of the fics are unfinished, and havent been updated in a while. leaving a comment to let the author know that youre reading and youre enjoying it is fine, but dont be a bag of dicks and harass them over when the new chapter will be up. have some decency or else ill be inside your walls.

Heart by fawn_writes || rated T || 1/1 || 663 words - man its so good. short and sweet. jake comes by to witness the construction of hals new body while also reminiscing about the times he fought brobot and his untimely demise. a good sparkling of body worship. "Everything will be normal. They’ll manage to keep it normal. After all, Jake has enough of his own heart to share." - fuck, that lines so effervescent.

What he needs by fawn_writes || rated M || 1/1 || 1259 words - another banger from the same author. they be doing the horizontal tango, but nothings too graphic. healthy serving of body worship from jakes perspective, as well as his internal struggle with his apparent robotic attraction.

Dead Weight by squirtgunplay || rated M || 5/9 || 27337 words - oh that fic. oh my god. love me some zombie apocalypse au with existential horror sprinkled on top. hal and dirk are twins but with a twist in this one. theres mystery. theres injuries that make you incapable of moving around. theres ship of theseus discussion. its nourishing. its beautiful. jake and hals banter in this one is fucking amazing, and the author captures their characters so well. the relationship between hal and dirk is also very fucking good and heartwrenching and just ugh. stellar writing, the forth wall break made me laugh out loud, hal gets called a security camera (derogatory). theres graphic depictions of violence, so beware of the tags.

Tennessee Whiskey & You by MistLaFey || rated T || 5/? || 12217 words - major character death and graphic depictions of violence tagged, so beware and read the tags. no-sburb au. dirk fucking dies (its in the fic description so i dont feel like its a spoiler). beautiful exploration of grief, unhealthy coping mechanisms and trying to get back into the normal life when theres a big part of it suddenly missing. hal and dirk are twins. jake is not doing well. hal is also not doing well, but pretending he is. its heartbreaking and some scenes made my chest hurt. very good fic and i dont understand why it doesnt get more love. it deserves it. go read it, even just for the funeral scene, i got teary-eyed over it.

seconds by squirtgunplay || rated E || 2/2 || 18698 words - graphic depictions of violence and its no joke, presidential alert the girls are fightinnn!! but its also so funny and the authors so funny and its also really hot! no sburb au, hals a human and dirks twin. he gets kidnapped by a craigslist hitman jake who mistakes him for dirk. the banter is top game in this one. hal cant keep his mouth shut even in life or death situation. jakes a dork, but hes a deadly dork, and also cant keep his mouth shut about his personal problems. theres fistfighting and knifethrowing and hal gets a weapon put to his head at least twice and he thinks its pretty damn hot. theres banging in second chapter. what more can i say to sell you on this one. the characters are on point, the action is tense but its also written in a cheeky, fun way, smut is good, a npc gets unsubscribed from life. amazing fic, 10/10, will read it again.

I Think Therefore I AR by Taxi_Boy || rated T || 25/? || 30417 words - im saving the best for last. major character death. hal has to start the game and get his friends into the medium while dirk is missing, while also pretending to be dirk as to not raise their suspicions. im not going to say anymore about the plot, you just have to go and read the fic. genuinely my favourite jakehal - and homestuck in general - fic of all time. i love caliborn in this one. i cant wait to see what the author has cooked up for us in the future. its plainly genious.

these are only ao3 fics as i have no clue how tf you search other fanfic sites for a specific ship, but if you have any other recommendations feel free to add them onto this post! we all need some good jakehal fic recs in these trying times!

#homestuck #homestuck au #jake english #hal strider #lil hal #auto responder #jakehal #haljake #reblog to save a jakehaler

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reddeadreference · 3 months

Text

Micah Bell III (The Third)

(The above photo was taken at Clemen's Point)

(Warning: This post contains spoilers!)

About

Name: Micah Bell III (Referred to simply as Micah Bell)

Age:* 39 (RDR2 Ch1-6) 47 (RDR2 Ep1/2)

(*In a newspaper clipping found at his Strawberry camp, it states that in 1877 his father was wanted for murder with a 17 year old son that was Micah based on this quote "suspects are believed to be one Micah Bell, age 38, and his son, also Micah Bell, age 17")

Description: (official description from R*)

A career criminal and hitman, Micah fell in with Dutch's gang about five months ago. He claims he met Dutch when he saved his life in a bar fight over some stolen gold. He comes from a long line of bad men. His father and grandfather before him were also called Micah Bell and, at one point, his father was wanted for murder in five counties. He has a brother living in California, whom he despises. Wild, unpredictable and something of a nihilist, he lives for the action, and is great in a gun fight.

Quick Facts

He has a younger brother named Amos (a letter from his brother can be found at Shady Belle)

We know Micah is the older brother because of the tradition of naming the first born son after the father, hence Micah Bell the Third.

Though his description says he "despises" his brother, it's clear by the letter found at Shady Belle from Amos that Micah was the one to reach out to Amos first, though his intentions were not clear as we didn't see what was in the letter he sent Amos.

He's been a criminal since as young as 17, a newspaper clipping can be found in his camp near Strawberry about him and his father being wanted for murder.

During a conversation he implies Jenny Kirk might have been carrying "Micah Bell the fourth" which many fans assume wasn't consensual, but there is no evidence either way or even that he was telling the truth since she isn't alive to deny it.

He has some sort of lung/respiratory issue as he is constantly snorting, clearing his throat, and coughing.

Outfits by chapter

Ch 1: Colter

Like everyone else he only has the one outfit in Colter which is also the only time he wears the coat shown, it's a shade of red, and a greenish head wrap.

Ch 2-4 & 6:

His outfit after Colter is pretty much always the same with small variations. Photo 1: Black short coat buttoned, red long sleeved shirt buttoned to the top button. Photo 2: no coat, same red shirt with only a few buttons buttoned.

The only time his coat is buttoned is at Horseshoe Overlook, above, but the rest of the outfits are pretty much the same: Some variation of black and red with tan/dirty white pants, with and without his hat.

He also has one outfit where he wears black pants tucked into black boots which are different than the boots in every other outfit (They are possibly the ones he wears during the heist in chapter 4 and on Guarma.) The coat shown above is also the one he wears at Clemen's point.

In the first outfit below he has a red vest over a black shirt and a different black coat, second he has his red shirt and necktie to the side with black jacket from previous, and third he's in his red shirt, no jacket, and the necktie is in a different position.

Bank Heist Outfit

Ch 5: Guarma

He only has one outfit which looks two different ways: before the shipwreck and after. (Since they went from the heist to the ship it is presumed that the shirt below simply wasn't visible under the white jacket, red vest, and white puff tie he wore.)

Outfit Details

He always (except for two instances) has his signature weapons, the custom double-action revolvers. (those two instances being before retrieving them in Strawberry where he'll use whatever weapon Arthur hands him and on the island of Guarma - even though he had them during the bank robbery and presumably on the ship.)

His custom double-action revolvers: The words "Vengeance is hereby mine" are etched onto each barrel and the grips are black with a red skull design.

His guns on Guarma: Seem to be plain double-action revolvers, presumably borrowed/stolen.

Epilogue (Part 2)

His outfit is similar to the one he wore in Colter only the green scarf isn't over his head.

Life/Events

Micah Bell III was born circa 1860 to Micah Bell Jr. According to a newspaper clipping found at Micah camp near Strawberry, when he was 17, in 1877, he and his father were on the run for the brutal double homicide of Roscoe and Jean Briggs, who were hung from the rafters with their throats slit.

It is presumed he also ran with his younger brother for a time before the latter settled down with a wife and kids. A letter found at Shady Belle implies Micah reached out to Amos, but the younger Bell told him not to contact him again and if he heard Micah was "within fifty miles of [him], [he] will come and find [Micah] and then [Micah would] meet [his] maker and apologise to him on both [their] behalves for them things [they] did".

Missions

Chapter 1: Colter -

Micah is in four of the six missions in chapter 1.

He is in the very first mission of the game Outlaws from the West. He is part of Old Friends and is the one to find the map about the train for Who the Hell is Leviticus Cornwall? And like everyone he is part of Eastward Bound.

Chapter 2: Horseshoe Overlook -

Micah is in one and a second (player determined) mission in chapter 2.

After freeing Micah from jail in Blessed are the Meek? the player has the option of completing the next mission, An American Pastoral Scene, (which will bring Micah back to camp) either in chapter 2 or chapter 3.

Chapter 3: Clemen's Point -

Micah is in 3 of 16 missions with possibly another if An American Pastoral Scene wasn't completed in chapter 2.

He goes with Dutch and Arthur in Blessed are the Peacemakers, he waits with Sean and Bill for Arthur in town for A Short Walk in a Pretty Town, and while he doesn't go to the Braithwaite Manor he's in a cutscene for Blood Feuds, Ancient and Modern so he's listed as being in that mission on the wikia.

Chapter 4: Shady Belle -

The only mission he's in for chapter 4 is the bank heist in Banking, The Old American Art. Though, like most other characters in camp, he is present for Horsemen, Apocalypses as well.

Chapter 5: Guarma -

As one of the group on the island he is in 6 of the 10 missions for chapter 5.

The first mission, Lost and Not Quite Found, Welcome to the New World, Hell Hath No Fury, and finally the mission to leave the island Paradise Mercifully Departed. And then back at camp with the rest of the gang he is then in Fleeting Joy where it's shown he and Javier arrived in Lakay before Arthur, Dutch, then Bill and he's shown in cutscenes in That's Murfree Country.

It is assumed he was picked up by Pinkertons sometime between arriving back to the US and meeting back up with everyone in Lakay and that that's how the Pinkertons knew the gang was there. However, there are two alternatives 1) if Arthur doesn't find the letter at Shady Belle one of the Pinkerton agents will find it and read it aloud. They'll even state that they're going to check there. 2) When Bill finally arrives last he says he was asking all over for them and not long after, the Pinkertons are there. Both are plausible ways the Pinkertons could've found the gang that didn't involve Micah. (Yes, at that point he was a rat and it's 100% plausible that he did just tell them, I'm just giving two other ways that also make sense.)

Chapter 6: Beaver Hollow -

He is in 5 of the 15 missions in chapter 6.

Arthur meets Micah and Dutch in Annesburg in Just a Social Call where Dutch kills Cornwall and the three have to shoot their way out of town. Micah sends Arthur and Bill to get dynamite in The Delights of Van Horn. He goes with everyone to Cornwall Kerosene & Tar in My Last Boy. He's part of the train heist in Our Best Selves and the following mission Red Dead Redemption he is in all four of the various endings you can get.

Epilogue 2: Beecher's Hope -

The only and final mission he's in is the final mission of the game, American Venom where he ultimately gets gunned down by John.

Camp Life

Micah can be seen whittling a stick, sharpening his knife and cleaning his guns. Arthur can challenge him to five finger fillet. He never goes on guard duty, but occasionally he will announce at the donation box that he's putting money in (usually $25).

He never sleeps; when everyone else is in bed he'll sit at the main fire. The only time he's seen sleeping is if he's been drinking as part of a camp scene (i.e. drinking with Javier) and passes out at a table (shown below) or in a cutscene.

Death

During the final mission of the game before free roam, Micah is shot to death by John in 1907, after he, Charles, and Sadie track Micah down to his hideout atop Mount Hagan. While holding Sadie hostage and while he and Dutch hold John at gunpoint, Dutch makes the decision to shoot Micah, allowing John to shoot as many times as the player wants. After his death if the player returns to the area they can loot one of Micah's custom guns and find his now frozen body beside it.

-If there's something incorrect or something missing from this post you think is important or should be added please don't hesitate to either reply, reblog, or send in an ask about it.-

#micah bell #rdr2 #red dead 2 #red dead redemption 2 spoilers #rdr2 spoilers

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