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She had pretty much expected everyone to go take the other task. Since she wasn't there they would be at a disadvantage and all. So she was surprised when she arrived at the scene and noticed that some others had come along with her. Thessa whistled as she looked at the body of the thing. It sure was big. It's almost a shame that she couldn't have seen it moving around up close. But she couldn't remember having ever seen a steaming giant robot man like this before and that was saying something! The man in charge had some silly eye wear and didn't waste any time getting down to business. “How good are you with scalding heat?” "Probably fine!" Thessa said. "Hasn't done me in yet so I guess means I can handle it pretty well." Fire, lava, all sorts of heat waves, it could hurt of course but no matter how much she took she had always been able to recover. She glanced over at the steam again. It might use up more time than she would like, she'd need to pretty much constantly recover the whole trip, but if she let on to that then people might start to figure something out. For some reason that idea made Thessa very upset. "How often are you-" Keller started to ask, but stopped himself. "It doesn't matter. We have two pressing issues right this moment. The first, as you might have guessed, is this goddamn steam leaking everywhere making it real hard to do a proper disassembly. Even worse when rain gets in there and just evaporates on impact mixing in with the tinker stuff and whatnot. So we need someone who'll be able to go in while it's still fucking hot and figure out what's still making it." "Huh, so basically I go in and start yanking on things until it stops?" Keller winced "We don't actually want to break the thing that's making all the steam. Or anything else in there if we can help it. We just don't want it to be in the giant death robot anymore." That did complicate things. She had occasionally dabbled in techie stuff but it wasn't something she excelled at. "Welp. I can probably get inside but dunno how to get it out besides just pulling it when I find it." "I know," he sighed. "But maybe just be careful when you're doing it?" "Oh sure I probably can do that. Gently rip it out yup should be fine." Thessa said, face lit up with a huge, confident, grin. "You keep using verbs that don't match the adverbs you just said." "Now now if you get too hung up on details it'll take even longer to get it done. Won't know till you do it right? So if that's all I'll just go in there and delicately tear up some equipment!" She gave the man (what was his name anyway?) a knowing wink as she strolled towards the death machine. It sure was hot but she didn't intend to be in there for too long. Go in, find what she needed, and take it out without completely breaking it. Simple stuff really. It was only when she was almost to the machine that she remembered the man had mentioned there were TWO issues. She shrugged. "I'll deal with that later I guess."

fun but not much of a song, 6/10

It was a relatively normal day for The Gang, successfully being unsuccessful in finding work. Truly, this was what they seemed to be best at. While they collectively were more than capable at exacting violence against ethereals, they had not yet botched a single get together over frozen treats. Or at least, they hadn't done so multiple times, but it was agreed that their escapade at Do You Want to Eat a Snowcone would not be the topic of further discussion, out of respect for Mr. Smavapolous and his family. "Pepe's has been closed for a while," Tobias would be lying if he said he wouldn't have preferred pizza over frozen treats. While the weather was certainly nice out, he was more in the mood for savory, rather than sweet. Of course, the rule was that the raider paying also got to choose the location, so it was left up to Khulan. Besides, Pepe's was terrible. He was pretty sure that he got food poisoning last time they went there. Despite his tenacity, he had always had a bit of a weakness to toxins and illness. "Serves them right, if you ask me. Honestly, if Pepe's Pizza was so good, why was there never a Pepe's Pizza 2?" Tobias leaning back into his seat, having long-since finished his own milkshake, and quietly observed the rest of his teammates as they discussed whether it was worth it to get into a fight with some unidentified strangers. Tobias considered for a moment whether he would benefit more from team violence or team work, and after a thoughtful glance at Rosemary and the Proxy, he concluded that he definitely wanted to be on team work. As if right on cue, the Proxy chimed in, waving her phone around and indicating that something or other would be "too fast." Tobias nodded thoughtfully, a hand to his chin as he weighed the Proxy's words. "She's right, Gang. The fight would be over too fast if we sent both Khulan and Mr. Vinnie. It is probably best to have just Mr. Vinnie go, plus that would increase the ratio of bite wounds to other wounds. Wouldn't it be crazy if he ate some guy's head?" He nodded twice, in apparent pride of his assessment. Clapping a hand on the Proxy's shoulder, he grinned in affirmation, "Good call, Proxy."

"I....next time you get in Team Phoenix's way I won't be so kind! I took it easy on you because I thought you were just a bunch of weaklings, understood? You want your...stupid...fish shack junk back, fine, take them!" With that warning, not that Bridget felt particularly warned, the so-called Team Phoenix left in a blinding flash of light. Good riddance. With them gone, the fishing contest was able to wrap up as planned, albeit with the initial grand prize having apparently been stolen and remaining stolen unlike the other things that Team Phoenix planned to run off with. When it came time to have her catch judged, Bridget hesitantly released her runt of a Magikarp onto the table. The judges didn't acknowledge her catch verbally, and she probably would have asked them not to if they did anyway. All that got exchanged between her and them was an awkward stare of resignation and mild shame. They were kind enough to just hand her a consolation prize - a pot of Luminous Moss - and send her on her way. For that, she was thankful. She had to get to the Pokémon Center and ensure her team of two was all patched up after their heroic fight against that thief. Tomorrow, the next big step of her adventure would begin. For now, it was a good idea to open up her notebook and take note of all the things that had happened today. Meeting the so-called ghost, the strange statue in the marsh and the Malamar that accompanied it, Team Phoenix, and just about everything in between.

Quinn whooped as the Ralts teleported up and hit the deck once again, unconscious. Not even Alicia’s deranged attempt at a reprimand could sour the moment, especially when she still conceded defeat and left with both of her goons. It also helped that everybody else on the pier was just as elated that Team Phoenix had been chased away, hooting and hollering and a solid three cheers from those who still did that sort of thing. Quinn let out its other two Pokémon so they could share in the celebration, and especially congratulate their newest party member. Normandie went over and licked Pisces right on the contact point of one of her Tackles, which seemed like a big deal for her. Cassiopeia did not immediately celebrate with the rest, however. Instead, the Drifloon looked down at her stringy hands and arms and took a deep breath before looking over at Quinn. Quinn returned the gaze and saw a new measure of Focused Energy behind their companion’s eyes -- a spark that could lead to something more. The moment passed, though, and soon Cassiopeia was blowing around the dock, allowing herself to be carried by the seabreeze and daring anybody to catch her in her exultation. One of the fisherman judges clapped Quinn on the back -- a strong enough tap that it very nearly caused her to go tumbling off the dock edge, but that was beside the point -- “Well done,” the fisherman said. Then he went into this whole spiel about the conclusion of the contest, including an indication that they were open to being influenced by past events. Quinn looked out among the rest of the crowd waiting to be evaluated, trying to see if he was getting swept up in the moment or if everyone else agreed on such a ceremonial appraisal. Perhaps as expected, there was a mixture of reactions. They were mostly positive, but there were a few dissenters. Quinn was used to some level of negative crowd reaction, and was sure e could handle it here as well, but fae shook its head. “Surely the process is important,” Quinn said. “I know how special Pisces is, and knew so even before his performance in battle, but he still should be submitted for judgement, and I would request that your biases cloud your judgement as little as possible.” The judges seemed amused, but did still go through the process as requested. “Goldeen huh, it’s rarer here than yonder way, but still not uncommon… This one in particular… seems quite the energetic one! Very nice… I think yes, a fine reward for a fine catch.” Somebody in the crowd mispronounced the word “Sitrus-y” in a way that seemed funny to onlookers, but Quinn did not understand. The reward was enough to distract from that in any case -- not one but twelve Sitrus berries! It was a massive haul, rivalling even Normandie’s hoard. Quinn was careful to keep them separate, just as xe had with the Oran berry from days before, but the elation was just as good if not better than their victory over Alicia. Pokémon battles came and went, but how many more times would Quinn ever enter a fishing competition? Even if this were not the only one, the opportunities seemed like they would be rare. In any case, with all that excitement over, there was little left to do but make sure hir Pokémon were well taken care of at a Pokémon Center and then go out and get some stamps.Dearest Mother and Father, I have made many more friends since my last missive, and have attached a number of pictures of them. Normandie did not want to sit still for any of them, but trust that that blurry mass of fur represents a proud and beautiful creature. There is also Bridget, who is not a Pokémon but an aspiring researcher who has joined Nathaniel and I on our travels. She is a little difficult to understand sometimes, but people have said I am the same way, so I continue to make my best effort. I have also learned how to fish! Of course, I imagined that I would when I set out on this journey. That is how I met Pisces, who you can see in another of these pictures. I write with the hope that many more will join him -- perhaps a veritable school will be coming home with me when this adventure has concluded. Then again, with so many other things to look forward to, I will have to cherish the opportunities to use this newfound skill all the more. We will be setting sail once again very soon, to the Korova Region proper this time. I cannot wait to progress further in this journey, collecting more gymnasium badges, friends to cherish, and, most importantly, more experiences to incorporate into my incorporeal self-actualization. I will report even further when I can. In the meantime, we shall surely see each other on the Astral Plane. Yours, even in death, Quinn

is a good one but not a GREAT one, ya dig? 8.5/10

Great vibe, enjoyed it, 8/10 that said I actually forgot I was listening to it somehow partway through that was weird

Jacklyn continued to smile as Anneliese expressed her wonder at what was to come next, about to let out a cocky "fufufu" only to have her attack preemptively cut off. As the girl grabbed Jacklyn's hand, the adventurous girl let out a surprised, "ah!" Her discomfort being apparent from the sudden contact, the girl stammered, "uh yeah...I-I mean there's a whole lot more to the region and stuff..." Her hand squirmed a bit before she pulled it out of the other's grasp muttering a, "um...anyway...Ahem." Clearing her throat she said, "I don't think a lot of people travel by flight or anything, or at least I think my sisters journey was entirely on foot and bike." Thinking more on it she said, "oh yeah, she did tell me that eventually she taught her pokemon how to fly between cities, but only to cities that she had already been too. Maybe it would be against the adventuring spirit to skip right to a new one?" The girl mused aloud. It was then that she realized something else Anneliese had said. Something that had reminded her of what happened the other day. There were many things that Anneliese said that the girl simply didn't pay much mind to but this was not something she could ignore. "Anneliese...when you say your parents went flying a lot did you...ever go with them?" "On occasion, yes, they would bring me along on their business trips." "Oh?" That had been more than she was expecting at least. "So...did you go out and like, do stuff while you were there?" Anneliese's face fell a bit at that. "Ah, no, I mostly stayed at the hotel while they were out. I did go to some restaurants with them on occasion! Nothing like this one, however." And once more Jacklyn's expression grew inquisitive. "And you said before when you were home you just kind of...stayed inside too, right?" She seemed hesitant to answer then gave a small smile and nodded. "Yes, that is correct." Unacceptable. Unacceptable. Unacceptable! Jacklyn had heard enough to get a good understanding of what Anneliese's childhood had been like. To never be allowed outside of a hotel room. To never be allowed outside of your own house. Jacklyn knew that perhaps she liked the outdoors and exploring more than the average person but even this was too much for one growing girl! And to not actually be a shut in and just denied the right to adventuring that was simply, "Unacceptable!" Jacklyn slammed her hand into the table, clearly unbothered by any sort of reaction she might've been getting from anyone around. Her expression was serious as she shouted, "I've decided! If you've never been able to enjoy the outdoors and explore by yourself, if this is your first adventure then as the leader I'll make sure that this is the best adventure you could have ever have! We'll battle all kinds of trainers, meet all kinds of pokemon, see all kinds of sights you never thought could exist! This restaurant is only the first of many places that I'm sure will blow your mind. And of course you'll know just how fun it is to be out and about and see the world, because I'll be there with you the whole way!" The girl slammed her hand to her chest to emphasize her point. "And you know what they say, an adventure is always better with company too." The girl sat down after her scene saying, "if you've never been out before then you've probably never had a nickname too. And I've been thinking Anneliese is kind of long, so, what if you were Anne!" She then shot a look over to Anima saying, "yeah, and you can be An...i? Ani!" Having thoroughly hyped herself up she said, "and for sure we'll become champions here!"

7.5/10, fun song

Fen felt a sense of excitement as Tia had gone to unveil "special guests" for them to compete against. Letting out an impressed, "oooooh, the strongest" at their introduction the girl looked to the two competitors. While the girl known as Valerie had seemed to think the lot of them on the more unassuming side, Fen felt that the same could be said for the two newcomers. Valerie herself didn't seem particularly ostentatious in her appearance though she certainly had an energy to her that made it hard to deny that she stood out. Then there was Kira. While she didn't look like what would think of as "physically the strongest," Fen was far from a person to judge another's capability based entirely on appearance. In fact, looking at the woman she couldn't help but wonder how far this physical strength went. The image of her bench pressing a dragon crossed her imagination for a moment, causing the girl's eyes to widen as she thought of all the other possibilities of using such strength. However, composing herself she gave a small bow and said, "oh, well, it is a uh, pleasure to meet you both as well. I am Fen of Team Manna." She smiled to the both of them and then looked over to Kasayee, saying, "it is, well, a shame that we won't be able to work together for this but fairness must be upheld." Looking to Valerie, in stark contrast to what Melissa had just said and Kira's attitude, she held out her hand for a shake, a friendly smile on her face, saying, "I look forward to our competition and, well, um, I may be new to this but I shall do my best, and I ask you hold nothing back!"

new rec for until Christmas comes around again "The Sting" (movie, 1973) [stars Paul Newman and Robert Redford, also features James Earl Jones' dad. Directed by George Roy Hill] I might be late to the party, since Netflix removed it from it's roster at the start of this month, but it should be available elsewhere. (this movie is unrelated to the spider movie that came out recently - I'm not talking about that one.) it's hard to discuss The Sting w/o spoilers, to the extent that IDK if I can even tell you what it's about, but I'll try. however, it's best gone into blind, so if you want to do that don't read any further. in short, it's a movie about con artistry in the 1930s. (rumor says that the original police sting operation was named after this movie, but I can't confirm.) however, there'a a number of things that set this movie apart from crime movies since (who more often borrow from Godfather 1, which was '71 or '72 IIRC). 1) in a movie where all the main characters are lawbreakers, there's a surprising amount of good cheer in the way the movie handles it's storytelling - the ragtime score does a lot for that, but it's also just plain fun. 2) although the protagonists are all con artists or affiliates thereof, they're not just charismatic but genuinely nice to each other - there's a real sense of camaraderie among the "big con" team that eventually is assembled. apart from their profession, they really can be called "good" guys: it helps the villain is from a very different mold. 3) to say this in as spoiler-free a way as I can, The Sting throws some hella curveballs, and you'll seldom be more happier to strikeout so often (i.e. not see 'em coming).

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” 1 Corinthians 9:24 (NIV)The way Fen described her sandwich experience made Melissa realize just how much variety in sandwich types there were on Ambrosia. She had to restrain herself from listing too many aloud. Melts, reubens, subs, clubs, grilled cheese, burgers, paninis, wraps, open-faced like -- as Fen had pointed out -- Melissa had made earlier, the forbidden hot dog debate (not that she cared, but a hot dog was clearly a taco, since subs were also a taco, they all fell into the sandwich category)… Melissa wondered what Fen might do when faced with a Dagwood stack, but didn’t want to waste food if possible. In the meantime, Tia’s suggestion was using the bumper boats as a sort of competition between their team and the trio of Kira, Valerie, and a seemingly reluctant Kasayee, though given how difficult it had been to read the latter before, there was no telling what things would actually be like once they hit the water. In other ways, Melissa’s intuition had been correct. This was dangerous, and it was social. Melissa could already imagine a boat capsizing in a collision, flipping over, and trapping somebody under the water. At the same time, she could imagine something similar happening in the bumper cars back on Ambrosia, and she was fine with those, so…? She blinked. Fen had asked Melissa directly what she thought. That last thought really was the rub, wasn’t it? Bumper Cars were on the higher end of Melissa’s ride tolerance, but there was room for a bit more, and besides, she didn’t want to let anybody down. “I’ll do it, sure,” Melissa said. “Just, um, maybe go easy on us?” She didn’t expect them to, but she did want to ask.

Bitron @Ignister lv 2 DARK Cyberse/Effect If you control no monsters or all monsters you control are "@Ignister" monsters, you can Special Summon this card (from your hand.) If this card is used as Link material for a DARK Cyberse Link monster: Draw 2 cards, then, discard 1. You can only use each effect of "Bitron @Ignister" once per turn. ATK/200 DEF/2000

Another hard question for me personally cause I tend to be largely positive on things I guess hm...it's not exactly the same but I was very hype to play Pokemon Masters back in the day but I didn't enjoy the gameplay and leveling system so I was pretty disappointed to have to quit that one. 155

What was the biggest example of a game not living up to the marketing for you? For me, it would be Evertale, which advertises itself as a horror version of Pokemon, but is a boring fantasy waifu simulator.