Daniel LaRusso

"So, karate's fighting. You train to fight"
"That what you think?"
"...No"
"Then why train?"
"So I won't have to fight"

Born in Newark, New Jersey in 1966, Daniel LaRusso lived there until his mother moved the two out to Reseda, California in 1984. Upon arriving in Reseda, Daniel made quick foes with the Cobra Kai karate dojo, especially top student Johnny Lawrence and sensei John Kreese. While taking a beating from the Cobra Kais after a school dance, Daniel was saved by Mr. Miyagi, the handyman at his apartment complex. Daniel was taught karate by Mr. Miyagi, entering a lifelong friendship with the man. After winning the All-Valley Karate Tournament two years in a row, Daniel went on to marry a woman named Amanda, have two kids, and open a car dealership. When Johnny reopened the Cobra Kai dojo, Daniel opened the Miyagi-Do karate dojo in order to train new students.
Source Key

Miyagi-Verse

The "Miyagi-Verse'' is a term coined by the Cobra Kai showrunners to describe the storyline of the four Karate Kid movies and Cobra Kai. Feats from the Miyagi-Verse and media adapting it (i.e. the novelizations) will be in this section.

General

• Becomes stronger and faster than he was before after doing more training under Mr. Miyagi^3N23

Strength

Teen

• Knocks over Mr. Miyagi in catcher's gear with a punch^KN23
• Throws Johnny^C4
• Chops through six plates of ice^K2
  • In the novelization he chops three thick cakes of ice in half^2N13
• Knocks out a man with a gut punch^K2
• Throws a man into a cabinet, breaking it^K3
• Breaks a 2x4 with a kick, then breaks boards with punches^K3
  • In the novelization, Daniel breaks a 2x4 with a kick, slices through a 2x4 with the back of his arm, and punches through a 2x4 like it was paper^3N19

Adult

• Uses the Crane Kick to knock Terry SIlver into a glass display hard enough to shatter it^!

Durability/Endurance

Teen

• Gets beat up by Johnny^K
  • Novelization^KN3 - Comic^C1
• Gets into a fight with Johnny^C1
• Not too badly hurt after taking a tumble down a hill^K
• Gets slammed by a wave into a piling^KN23
• Takes a kick from a karate student to the shoulder that lifts him out of the ring^KN26
• Fights Johnny on a damaged leg^K
• Takes a kick to the face from Johnny^KN28
• Takes multiple hits from Chozen, who breaks part of a stone statue with a kick, and continues to fight^K2
• Takes hits from Mike Barnes, including getting tossed into a pallet hard enough to break it^K3
  • Barnes breaks bricks with his strikes^K3
• Takes multiple hits from Barnes (who is attempting to inflict as much damage as possible on Daniel during the match) and continues to fight^K3
• Gets thrown through shoji screens and a display case by Barnes^3N12
• Takes more hits from Barnes^3N22

Adult

• Takes several hits from Johnny, including getting kicked into a TV^S2E10
• Takes a kick from and gets tackled through a window by Kreese^S3E10
• Walks across burning coals^S4E2

Speed/Agility

Teen

• Catches a fly with chopsticks^K
  • Novelization^KN16
• Dodges a karate student's attack and retaliates with a kick^K
  • Does it again with a punch^K
• Dodges strikes from Johnny with "lightning reflexes"^KN28
• Dodges another kick from Johnny^C4
• Knocks Chozen to the ground, then collects the money he dropped and runs from the building before Chozen can stand up^2N15
• Rolls out of the way of a flying kick from Chozen, then stands up and grabs Chozen in midair to slam him to the ground^2N23
• Dodges several strikes from Mike Barnes^K3
• Balances on the bow of a boat while practicing his blocking^K
• Practices balance by kicking waves at the beach^KN19
• Climbs down a pole in a typhoon with a child clinging to his back^K2

Adult

• Dodges and blocks blows from Johnny^S3E2
• Dodges, strikes, and catches balls from a pitching machine^S4E2
• Climbs a hanging chain^S4E2

Skill/Misc

Teen

• Performs the Crane Technique^K
  • Mr. Miyagi says that if performed correctly, there is no defense against it^K - Chozen does defend against it,^K2 but it is unclear if Daniel was performing it correctly in this instance
    • Novelization^KN 28 - Comic^C4
• Performs the Drum Technique to divert and counter each of Chozen's strikes^K2
  • In the novelization, the Drum Technique is said to increase striking power^2N11
• Wins the Under 18 All-Valley Karate Championship^K
  • Wins a second time^K3
    • The tournament is only open to students brown-belt level and above^K
• Defeats Chozen^K2
  • Novelization^2N23
    • Chozen is Sato's best student and took on four karate students at once^K2
• Learns how to block strikes under the guise of Mr. Miyagi having him do chores around the house^K
  • Novelization^KN18
• Ducks Johnny's kick then sweeps his leg to bring him to the ground^K
  • Comic^C4
• Flips Chozen while being choked by him^K2
• Counters Mike Barnes' strike^K3
  • Novelization^3N24
• Knows a little bit of Japanese^2N9

Adult

• Trains with Chozen to learn Miyagi-Do karate's secret pressure points,^S3E5 which he uses to defeat Kreese^S3E10
  • Uses the pressure points to paralyze Johnny's arm^S4E5
• Ties with Johnny in a match^S4E5
• Beats up a group of hockey players^S4E2
• Beats up some thugs that jump Robby^S2E4
• With Johnny, fights a group of thugs in a chop shop^S3E2
• Kicks a cup out of a man's hand^S1E4
• With his wife, meets his dealership's sales quota in one day^S2E3
• Loses a fight to Terry Silver^S5E5 but later beats him, though Terry had previously fought Chozen that night^S5E10

Teaching Ability

• Teaches Robby Keene how to block strikes under the guise of him doing chores^S1E7
• Teaches Samantha how to block with a bo staff using a fishing lesson^S3E7
• Under his tutelage, Robby gets second in the Under 18 All-Valley Karate Championship after only training for a few months^S1E10

Other Media

The Karate Kid (1989 Cartoon)

Strength

Striking

• Shatters an ice sculpture with a flying kick^KE10
• Kicks a dead tree in half^KE12
• Leaps into the air, kicking a tree branch to launch it at a jaguar^KE1
• Breaks a section of a fence with a jump kick^KE3
• Breaks a wooden post with a kick^KE8
• Kicks a molasses barrel in half^KE12
• Kicks his way out of a crate filled with fish^KE3
• Breaks a stool in half with a kick^KE6
• One shots a hunter with a vaulting kick^KE1
• Kicks a gourd into a boy hard enough to break it^KE1
• Hits the shrine out of a building using a hockey stick^KE10
• Kicks a skateboard in half^KE13
• While shrunken, kicks away a phone receiver^KE13
• While shrunken, launches a flower with a kick^KE13
• Kicks through rocks covering the mouth of a cave^KE9
  • The glowing shrine indicates that Daniel was likely receiving power from it, but unlike previous people who were empowered by the shrine,^KE2 Daniel lacks magic aura and glowing eyes. So maybe he wasn't being amped I don't know.

Other

• Pushes back a falling tree with his legs^KE2
• With Taki, pushes a boulder off of Mr. Miyagi's leg^KE7
• Clashes hockey sticks with magic-enhanced Sasha^KE10
  • Sasha could hit a hockey puck hard enough to carry the two people that tried to block it back^KE10
• Throws a man across a bar^KE6
• Throws a man in samurai armor while driving by on a motorcycle^KE8
• Launches a magic clone of a man with a kick and throws another into a strength test hard enough to ring the bell^KE3

Durability

• Gets checked into a wall by magic-enhanced Sasha^KE10
• Takes a kick from a karate student^KE2
• While being pulled by a speedboat, gets flung through the air and lands on a chair^KE4
• Ok taking a tumble down a rocky hill^KE9

Speed/Agility

Dodging/Movement

• Dodges a whip strike^KE6
• Dodges an attack from a magic-enhanced enemy^KE2
• Dodges sword swings from a magic-enhanced foe^KE5
• Dodges strikes from a karate student^KE2
• Dodges attacks from a man using a staff^KE7
• Jumps over a motorcycle^KE8
• Cuts onions quickly^KE6

Agility

• Springs into the air off of the shoulders of a foe^KE2
• Flips over rollercoaster tracks to grab papers before the car can run them over^KE3
• Jumps off a bridge to grab onto a rope on a boat^KE4
• Jumps out of a window onto a balcony, then to the ground^KE4
• Jumps off of a car through the window of a passing truck^KE4
• After being launched into the air, swings on a flag and grabs a man before he can fall, returning to the ground by sliding down a pole^KE5
• Parkours on top of market stalls then leaps onto a horse^KE6
• Leaps up to grab onto a stone lion then swings into the air off of its paw^KE5
• Leaps up to a piece of wood being lifted by a crane, drops down onto a wagon passing underneath, then jumps from the back of the wagon to the horse pulling it^KE5
• Jumps down levels of a castle set^KE5
• Backflips after tripping on a log, catching the girl who was balancing on his shoulders^KE7
• Jumps high into the air^KE5
• Quickly makes his way to the deck of the ship from where he was climbing up the mast^KE11
• While shrunken, swings from a shoelace and bounces off a racket^KE13

Skill

Combat

• Disarms a hunter running at him with a spear^KE1
• Disarms a crook running at him with a poker^KE4
• Fights a tribal chief^KE1
• Easily takes down two hunters^KE7

Other

• Juggles a gourd^KE1
• Wins a log run while training^KE1
• After a hockey player hits a rock at him, Daniel smacks it out of the air into a tree's branches to knock down snow on the hockey player^KE10
• Kicks a raft so a falling girl lands on it^KE11

Video Games

Teen

• One shots goons^AK
• Chops through six ice blocks^AK
  • Chops through five^MK
• Catches several flies with chopsticks^AK
• Dodges a swinging hammer several times^AK

Adult

Note that some feats from Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues are performed by other characters, but all playable characters can perform the same physical feats.

Strength

• Player characters can break crates, phone charging stations, and wooden railings with their strikes^CK
• Slams enemies into cars hard enough to damage them^CK
• Can launch enemies using a weapon like a bat^CK
• Can crack the ground using a weapon like a guitar^CK
• Breaks prize cabinets by slamming enemies into them^CK
• Slams an enemy into a giant stuffed octopus, leaving them half sticking out^CK
• Throws enemies into arcade basketball hoops^CK
• Slams an enemy on a foosball table then strikes them, damaging the table underneath^CK
• Breaks a large display case by slamming an enemy into it^CK
• Slams an enemy into a sunglasses stand, breaking it^CK
• Damages a hot dog cart by slamming an enemy into it^CK
• Throws enemies high into the air over a fence^CK
• Strikes a locker door and cause it to collide with an enemy's head hard enough to bend^CK
• Slams an enemy onto a wooden table hard enough to break it^CK
• Slams an enemy into a cafeteria bar, breaking the glass^CK
• Slams an enemy into a jukebox, knocking out records^CK
• Rocks a tree planter by slamming an enemy into it^CK
• Knocks down shelves at a comic store by slamming an enemy into the wall^CK
• Slams an enemy into a group of gumball machines, breaking some^CK
• Damages a cotton candy machine by slamming an enemy into it^CK
• Warps a gas pump by slamming an enemy into it^CK
• Can knock around a enemy so heavy he cracks the ground when he lands after jumping^CK
• Breaks a tabletop in half and bends the metal pole by slamming an enemy into it^CK
• Kicks around a motorcycle^CK
• Damages a sign by slamming an enemy into it^CK
• Slams an enemy's face onto a table, bending it^CK
• Slams an enemy into the tournament bracket wall, knocking down the namecards^CK
• Throws an enemy through a screen^CK
• Throws enemies into banners, knocking them off the ceiling^CK
• Breaks a trophy case by slamming an enemy into it^CK
• Throws an enemy through a wood fence^CK

Durability

• Takes a kick from Kreese, who makes a large crater in the ground^CK
• Can get hit by cars during a boss fight^CK
• Can get hit by cars that fall from the sky and explode during a boss fight^CK
• Can get hit with several molotov cocktails during a boss fight^CK
• Can get hit by an enemy that cracks the ground with his blows^CK
  • Parrying the attack greatly reduces damage and negates knockback^CK
• Can get hit by and parry attacks from an enemy that cracks the ground by landing after jumping into the air^CK

Speed/Skill

• Can parry strikes from enemies^CK
• Kicks an enemy into a photo booth as they leap^CK
• Kicks an enemy into a portapotty as they leap^CK
• Hits an enemy on the edge of a pool, sending them flying so they land on an intertube^CK
• Kicks an enemy into a stack of surfboards as they leap^CK
• Throws an enemy into a training dummy such that it wraps around anthem^CK

Misc

• Kicks an enemy into a car lift, knocking the car down^CK
• Stuffs an enemy in a giant rat head mini golf prop^CK

Skills

Personal

• Ice Dunk: Leaps over an enemy, smashing an ice block on them that freezes them sold^CK
  • Upgrade: Increases damage by 20%
    • Skill Tree Branch 1
      • Frozen enemies take damage over time
      • Increases freeze duration
      • Increases freeze damage and duration
    • Skill Tree Branch 2
      • Increase the area by 20%
      • Reduces cooldown
      • Increases freeze damage and duration
• Icicle Fury: Releases a flurry of ice spikes forward^CK
  • Upgrade: Adds a final, stronger hit to the end
    • Skill Tree Branch 1
      • Hits slow enemies
      • Slow duration increased
      • Nearly freezes enemies and deals damage over time
    • Skill Tree Branch 2
      • Adds two more hits
      • Increases final hit damage
      • Increases final hit damage further
• Ice Wall: Raises a wall of ice in front of him from the ground that launches foes^CK
  • Upgrade: Creates a wall behind him as well
    • Skill Tree Branch 1
      • Pushes the wall in front forward
      • The wall explodes after a moment - Better view
      • The explosion freezes enemies and does damage over time
    • Skill Tree Branch 2
      • Creates a second wall in front of him
      • Creates a third wall in front of him
      • Creates a fourth wall in front of him
• Focus Heal: Heals himself after focusing for a moment^CK
  • Upgrade: Reduces the cooldown
    • Skill Tree Branch 1
      • Heals nearby allies as well
      • Increases the amount healed and area of healing
      • Increases the amount healed and area of healing further
    • Skill Tree Branch 2
      • Reduces cast time and adds a 30% speed buff
      • Reduces cooldown further
      • Instantly heals and buffs speed for 10 seconds
• Miyagi's Crane Kick: After filling the ultimate meter, Daniel performs the Crane Kick, launching a giant ice crane forward that leaves a trail of ice spikes^CK

Dojo

• Icicle Jump: Summons an icicle below him that launches enemies into the air^CK
  • Upgrade: Reduces cooldown
    • Skill Tree Branch 1
      • Makes the icicle bigger
      • Increases damage
      • Makes the icicle much bigger
    • Skill Tree Branch 2
      • Summons another icicle from the ceiling
      • Summons a third icicle on the floor
      • The first icicle freezes enemies
• Frozen Lotus: Makes a lotus of ice spikes sprout from the ground^CK
  • Upgrade: Drags enemies in while channeling
    • Skill Tree Branch 1
      • Slows enemies
      • Causes damage over time
      • Doubles the slow duration and damage over time
    • Skill Tree Branch 2
      • Reduces channeling time
      • Reduces cooldown
      • Reduces cooldown further
• Frozen Path: Conjures a path of frozen line forward^CK
  • Upgrade: Freezes enemies
    • Skill Tree Branch 1
      • Adds an additional hit
      • Adds another additional hit
      • Adds another additional hit and doubles damage
    • Skill Tree Branch 2
      • Creates a second parallel line
      • Creates another parallel line
      • Reduces cooldown
• Wax On, Wax Off: Moves forward while releasing a flurry of palm strikes^CK
  • Upgrade: Slows enemies
    • Skill Tree Branch 1
      • Releases a tornado of icy wind at the end
      • The tornado pierces enemies
      • The hits and tornado completely freeze enemies
    • Skill Tree Branch 2
      • Makes an explosion at the end that damages the ground
      • Increases damage
      • Increases the damage of the explosion

From my travel report (2014):
The second trip to Madeira we made to escape the winter. The weather was like a moody diva in winter. It changes not only from day to day, but also within a few hours. So you can never plan anything for the next day, because you should not think, today it is so nice and sunny and warm, it will be the same tomorrow. But if you are unlucky, the next morning it will be completely cloudy, only to possibly be sunny again in the afternoon.
It is always a pleasure to stroll in FUNCHAL's old town. Here times an ice cream to eat, there a coffee possibly with Nata to take. But this should be done when there are no cruise ships in the harbor. Then you see fortunately more locals than tourists in the streets.
For football fans: Christiano Ronaldo, who comes from Madeira, now has his own museum in Funchal - eagerly visited by his - mostly young - supporters...
Funchal is spreading out more and more - the slopes all around are already built on, and in the hotel zone construction continues eagerly. Although it is obvious that in the newly built apartment houses still very many apartments are empty.
The first two weeks we booked apartment at about 350 m altitude with a beautiful view of Funchal. The disadvantage was that it became - especially in the evening - but quite cool. Fortunately we had not only an electric heater but also a fireplace in the apartment.
From up here you can see how Funchal has grown in recent years. It is a huge sea of houses, which goes up to all the adjacent hills.
For the second part of our stay we had chosen an apartment house at Praia do Formosa with direct view to the sea and also to Cabo Girao.
One of the most beautiful and varied gardens of Madeira is located only about 9 km east of Funchal: the Palheiro or Blandy's Gardens. In 1801, the property was purchased by Count Carvalhal. A hunting lodge was built and the count had exotic trees imported from all over the world. The count's descendants squandered the fortune, and so in 1885 the estate became the property of the Blandy family of wine merchants. The villa above the garden is still inhabited by the Blandy family and is not accessible.
The gardens are famous not only for the variety of (often exotic) plants but also for their location on a 500 m high hill with a magnificent view of the bay of Funchal. The Count's hunting lodge was renovated in 1997 and is now the exclusive hotel "Quinta Velha do Palheiro".
The gardens are divided into the main garden, the sunken garden, the valley of hell (Inferno) with mighty fern trees, the rose garden, the ladies garden and the tea house area. There are also ponds with water lilies and beautiful flower beds.
Some of the numerous trees are 100 years old. The garden has been constantly developed. Hibiscus, bougainvilleas, jacaranda, African tulip trees, coral trees and orchid trees grow here. The Blandy family imported proteas from South Africa and had a rose garden planted and a small baroque chapel built. The gardens are also famous for their numerous camellias and magnolias.
The orchid garden, created by an Austrian, apparently has more than 5000 plants and is located below the botanical garden. At the moment the orchid garden is closed, because in the big fire of 2016 in Funchal not only many houses were destroyed, but also great damage was done to the orchid garden.
Carnival is also celebrated in Madeira and by chance we saw a children's parade. It was interesting to see with which eagerness the children were partly "there". Therefore, there will probably be no problem with carnivalistic offspring in Funchal.
The town of RIBEIRA BRAVA is located at the mouth of a wide - sometimes wild (brava) river (ribeira). From Funchal there is a highway to get there. In Ribeira Brava there is a wide pebble beach, and on the other side of the promenade there are cafes and restaurants. In the historic center there are small stores, and here is also the pink town hall from the late 18th century
The Igreja de Sao Bento was built as early as 1440, but was given a new look during the Baroque period. The spire with the white-blue tile pattern and the sphere symbol of the Portuguese explorers is striking.
We still drove to Punta do Sol. This place lies between two high rocky capes. In the old core there are only a few houses and the church, behind it already begin the terraced banana fields. There is a pebble beach and on the promenade you can have a drink in small cafes. Except for us, there were hardly any tourists in the village. But here we drank the best poncha on the island. Poncha (made of honey, lemon juice and sugar cane brandy) is a kind of national drink on Madeira.
The village of Camara de Lobos - situated between two rocky cliffs - is only 9 km away from Funchal. Camara de Lobos is still a typical fishing village with the many colorful boats (xavelhas) that you can admire in the small harbor. A small church was built at the harbor early on, this was remodeled in 1420 and the current Capella Nossa Senhora de Conceicao was built.
There is still fishing and some boat building in Camara de Lobos. However, these are no longer particularly lucrative, so tourism is now a larger source of income. The fishermen in this area mainly catch the black scabbardfish (Espada), which is offered in many restaurants - also in Funchal.
There is a promenade path from the Lido in Funchal to Camara de Lobos since 2011. The path - always with a view of Cabo Girao - is partly concreted and partly laid out on wooden walkways. If you walk in the direction of Camara de Lobos, you can see the approaching waves of the Atlantic Ocean on the left and the partly high cliffs on the right. Not far behind Praia de Formosa there are some beach bars or restaurants where you can have a drink or eat quite well.
Cabo Girao near Camara de Lobos is one of the highest cliffs in the world. More than 500 m the land here falls almost vertically into the sea. Since our last visit, things had changed here, there was now a large parking lot. Then the cafes and souvenir stores were also new for us. And surprising for us was also the glass viewing platform, which exists since the end of 2012. Here you can see that wine and vegetables are grown on the small rocky outcrops. The farmers can reach their fields on the coastal fringe with a cable car. Before the cable car was built, these fields were only accessible by boat.
From Funchal it was not far to CANICO. The original village became in the course of time one of the most important tourist places on Madeira. Large hotel complexes, apartment buildings and villas were built. However, we turned off before we reached the town in order to get to Ponta do Garajau. There on a rock cliff is the 14 m high Christo Rei statue, which was erected in 1927. From here you have a beautiful view of Funchal. Since 2007, there is a cable car nearby that goes 200 m down to the pebble beach.
CURRAL DAS FREIRAS is a small village nestled between huge almost vertical mountain slopes in the heart of Madeira. There is only one road that leads serpentine to the 633 m high valley. Originally the valley was inhabited by nomads and shepherds. Towards the end of the 15th century, the land became the property of the nuns of the Santa Clara convent.
The name Curral das Freiras means "pen of the nuns". In the 16th and 17th centuries, the island was repeatedly attacked by pirates, and the nuns retreated here to the protection of the mountains, which are up to 700 meters high. Here people still live from what they grow themselves on their fertile fields. One of the specialties of the village is chestnuts. They are used to make liqueur, cakes, bread and soups, which are also sold to tourists. On November 1 of each year, the Chestnut Festival is held here.
Not many tourists come to SANTA CRUZ, although this place is certainly worth a visit. There is quite a pretty old town with the church of San Salvador built in 1533 as well as like a large modern market hall just behind the long gray pebble beach lined with date palms.
Just north of Santa Cruz is Madeira Island's airport, renamed "Cristiano Ronaldo" Airport in 2007. Opened in 1964 and reconstructed in 2000, this airport is one of the most dangerous in the world. The 2777 m long runway is built on the rocky coast above the water and looks like a bridge with large concrete supports. A large parking lot has been built below this runway.
Before the landing approach, the mountain massif must be overcome so that the narrow runway can be approached. Unfortunately, there have been numerous accidents, but this is still one of the busiest airports in Portugal.
From Santa Cruz we drove to MACHICO, one of the larger towns of Madeira. Machico profited from sugar cane cultivation in the 15th century and is now a modern town, which is divided into two halves by the Ribeira da Machico. On the eastern bank of the river is the historic fishing quarter with the main square surrounded by tall laurel trees.
The town church of Nossa Senhora da Conceicao in the center was built in the 15th century and partially rebuilt in the 18th century. Opposite stands the town hall built in the early 20th century There are several fish restaurants here.
In the surroundings of the small village FAIAL there is still a lot of agriculture, e.g. wine and fruit growing. The village is dominated by the 600 m high Eagle Rock. Only a few tourists come here, because there is hardly anything worth seeing.
Most people come to Santana to see the famous "Casas de colmo". In total there are still about a hundred of these thatched historic wooden houses. They are very scattered throughout the municipality.
On the way back to Funchal we passed through Ribera fria. Here you can take a short hike up to the Miradouro dos Balcoes, from where you have a beautiful view of the mountains.
The peninsula PONTA DE SAO LOURENCO is 9 km long and 2 km wide. In 1982 it was declared a nature reserve, mainly to ensure the preservation of the fauna with the great variety of birds and the great occurrence of the native flora. The eastern tip of Madeira is barren and windy. One can no longer imagine that everything here was lushly forested.
Then, in spring, a carpet of flowers enlivens the bare hilltops. But also in other seasons the turquoise sea and the rocks in different shades - ocher, rust, gray and green-black - bring color to the area.
The south coast can be easily approached by boats, which is almost impossible on the drastically shaped north coast with its strong winds. There is a paved access road to the parking lot above Baia de Abra. Here you can also take the public bus.
From there there is a popular rocky hiking trail. This hike is absolutely not a walk. There are some climbs, often wooden stairs. You have no shade and are exposed to gusts of wind. To avoid being blown down somewhere, I ducked down and waited out the sometimes strong gusts - really quite extreme.
At the narrowest point with a land bridge only a few meters wide, the rock drops almost 100 m vertically - fortunately the place is secured with a fence.
The hike takes - depending on your condition - 2 to 3 hours. It also depends on whether you only walk to the plateau of Casa Sardinha - administration of the national park - or if you want to make the ascent to Pico Furado. Below the Casa there are some tables for picnics. From there there is also an entrance for swimming, which can certainly be pleasant in the summer.
On the way there are always beautiful views of the sea and the rock formations - e.g. the so-called rock gate. On the south side you can see the cages of a fish farm in the sea. In front of Sao Lourenco there are two small islands, on one of them stands the oldest (from 1870) lighthouse of Madeira.
From the cape we drove to CANICAL, the easternmost municipality of Madeira. This place is still characterized by fishing and boat building. Fishing boats are still built here and there is a large repair yard.
Over the 1000 m high Encumeada Pass we drove northeast to Sao Vicente. Unfortunately the old coastal road to Seixal and Porto Moniz was closed and we had to drive through many tunnels. A few years ago it was a special experience to drive on the narrow and winding ER 101 directly at the coast - on one side the high cliffs and on the other side the sea. But apparently the road has become too dangerous in the meantime because of constant falling rocks.
We got to Porto Moniz , and unfortunately the weather got worse, more and more clouds came up. The sea raged with huge waves to the shore. Porto Moniz is a nice little town located on the northwestern tip of Madeira, a region with high mountains and views of the endless Atlantic Ocean.
From Porto Moniz you can go hiking, for example on the coastal trail "Levada da Ribeira da Janela", one of the best hiking trails in Madeira.
Porto Moniz is known for its volcanic pools. Daytrippers mostly come for these pools filled with sea water.These pools owe their formation to a lava tongue that flowed into the sea here thousands of years ago, creating caves due to the force of wind and waves. The black basalt lava pools form swimming pools and are the attraction of Porto Moniz, because you can swim (swim) in them very well - at least in good weather...
There are two different lava pools in Porto Moniz: the completely natural pools and the western pools, which have been transformed into natural outdoor pools - there are no sharp rocks here. The surrounding rocks of the outdoor pool were built as a terrace , and here you can sunbathe. The pools are open every day - even in winter. But when we were there, there was no one in the water....
The natural pools are not safe because of the black sharp basalt rocks. It is very interesting to watch the waves as they crash against the rocks. The water is sometimes whirled into the air in such a way that it looks like a geyser.
The PICO DE ARIEIRO is the most visited mountain of Madeira, because it is the only one that has been opened up with a road, but it is only the third highest. The road was probably built primarily for the observatory and not necessarily for the tourists. Already the approach through pristine landscape with rugged rock and sparse vegetation is an experience.
If the weather is good, you have a breathtaking view all around. Equally beautiful, however, is the sight of white cushions of clouds hanging between the high mountains. In winter there can be ice and snow on the peaks. Since it had snowed on Madeira about 2 weeks before our trip there, we could still see the sparse remnants on the shaded layers.
From Pico de Arieiro you can hike up to Pico Ruivo (1861 m) if the weather is good. At the beginning, the path is quite wide and in places secured by railings. Some then walk at least to the first viewpoint - the rocky peak Niho de Mata with beautiful views. The entire hike up to Pico Ruivo is clearly difficult, even if there are partially secured stairways since the 1960s. Some of the paths are steep up to 700 m, the rock steps are high, the paths are sometimes narrow and beaten, and it also goes through unlit tunnels. So you should have a good condition and be free from giddiness and sure-footed.

A little background - I live with my husband in the San Francisco Bay Area East Bay. We have been here for over 30 years together and are contemplating moving somewhere else when we retire. We have a good number of friends here but as we age the cons are starting to add up - San Francisco is difficult and dangerous to visit by train, the Castro is a shell of what it once was and it’s just too dam cold all the time. We are looking for somewhere warmer but don’t really like the desert so Palm Springs is out. Seattle and Portland to much rain/cold and crime. My husband is against Florida due to the politics and being Asian he feels he would be discriminated against. So far our best option seems to be Honolulu while keeping a small condo in the Midwest by the lake where we have family during the summers. Anyone got any better ideas?

In Part Three, Shingo Takagi confronted both his duties as World Heavyweight Champion and member of Los Ingobernables de Japon, proceeding to right the wrongs of his first reign by winning the January 4 main event against Tetsuya Naito to squash their beef and become co-leaders. With PAC shockingly joining the group after having gone on a crusade against them, they seemed stronger than ever, all except for Shingo's neck. Feeling the weight of CHAOS crushing it, it took both Kazuchika Okada and Hiroshi Tanahashi to bring him to his knees, the Ace of the Universe back to his rightful spot after 5 years, restoring CHAOS’s purist regime. Ending off on keeping the riches from blood rival Katsuyori Shibata yet again, he now awaits the arrival of the 2024 New Japan Cup Winner...
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New Japan Cup Finals (March 28, 2024)
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“ZACK SABRE JR. HAS PAC IN HYPERNORMALISATION! PAC SUBMITS! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, FOR THE THIRD TIME IN HISTORY OUR NEW JAPAN CUP WINNER IS ZSJ!” After two failed attempts to translate his cup success into gold, the Bone Master has another chance to fulfil his career’s greatest goal. And out walks the man he beat in the 2018 Finals for his first win, the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, Hiroshi Tanahashi! One of Zack’s biggest rivals since coming to Japan, and one that’s had his number more time than he’s had theirs, he must beat the godly Ace of the Universe if he wishes to claim his first piece of IWGP-commissioned singles gold!
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The stage set for Sakura Genesis, Sabre makes sure to rub in everyone’s faces the premonition he laid down at New Year’s Dash. He said to LIJ he’d be back for the title, and after beating one of their men, he’s made good on his claims. And now, he’s going to make ‘God’ bow to him, whether he wants to or not. When asked for his opinion on the challenger, Tanahashi says he’s amused by how earnestly the Windy Man’s tried to become a New Japan guy, moving his entire life to Japan in pursuit of the top prize. Whilst that dedication may be admirable, it’ll be for nought, Zack just another visitor to his grand kingdom, CHAOS remaining Sabre’s white whale at the end of every NJC journey.
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Sakura Genesis (April 7, 2024)
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Also on the show:
United Empire (Will Ospreay, Great-O-Khan, Aaron Henare) (c) vs Just6Guys (SANADA, Taichi, Ryohei Oiwa) - NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship
YOH (c) vs El Desperado - IWGP Junior Tag Team Championship
TMDK (c) vs Bishamon - IWGP Tag Team Championship
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Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs Zack Sabre Jr. XI - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
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They say third time’s the charm, but that remains to be seen in Sabre’s case. Sabre-Gun with mixed successes throughout the night, El Desperado coming up short whilst TMDK kept their gold, it’s up to their leader to set an example for his group. Popping his collar, he steels his gaze on the championship as Tanahashi makes his entrance, Zack blocking out the surrounding world. Despite channelling the controversial words of the polarising Okada for the past year, Hiroshi still has Ryogoku in the palm of his hands, remaining the people’s favourite no matter the shade of grey he envelops himself in. Back to his pomp and circumstance, he gives ZSJ the full show of what a true star looks like, ready to bring Sabre back down to reality.
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It's a methodical opening from the two talented grapplers, Tanahashi standing toe-to-toe with the best technical wrestler in the world with merely his sheer aura. Sabre shoots for an early Article 50, but Tana sidesteps him into the ropes, before condescendingly patting him on the cheek! Zack retaliates with a forearm, knocking Tana to the mat, a deluge of stomps raining down on his face as the Hiroshi tries to cover up!
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Escaping to the ropes, Sabre charges at him with a EUROPEAN UPPERCUT! Tana evades, connecting a DRAGON-STYLE HARITE, slapping respect into the challenger! Incensed, Sabre leaves a mark with a stinging slap of his own, before nailing a chain of Uppercuts! Tana fights back for a TWIST AND SHOUT, though Sabre counters with a FLATLINER! A High-Angle German is stuffed, Zack decked with an ALL OUT and a MIDDLE-ROPE SENTON BOMB! ONE! TWO! THR-KICK OUT!
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Tana guns for the leg like he did Shibata, but a Feint Roundhouse into a Legsweep from ZSJ floors him! AND A NECK TWIST!!! With Hiroshi distracted by his neck, Sabre immediately switches for the legs, applying SUNDAY RAIL ENGINEERING WORKS REPLACEMENT BUS SERVICE!!! Tana’s quick to make the ropes, though has to physically pull himself to the apron when Sabre doesn’t release! No breather for him, Zack hooks his leg in the ropes and connects a DRAGON SCREW!
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Tana receiving a taste of his own medicine, Sabre slides out and scores one directly on the apron, bashing Hiroshi’s leg into the hardest part of the ring! He attempts to Irish Whip Tanahashi into the ring post, but the Once in a Century Talent nails a SLING BLADE ON THE APRON! DRAGON SUPLEX TO THE FLOOR!!! Playing the starpower card, Tana poses with a grin as the cameras catch a shot of Sabre beneath him. He doesn’t notice Zack’s little twitches though, committing to a HIGH FLY FLOW TO THE OUTSIDE!!! A POSSUM SABRE PUSHES HIM MID-AIR ONTO THE BARRICADE!!!
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As Tokyo gasps, it’s academic from Sabre as he threads Tana’s leg through a steel chair, PILMANISING IT!!! Evidence long discarded by the time the referee walks over, he wraps Hiroshi’s leg around the steel post, using it to apply a SASORI-GATAME!!! Tana lets out shouts of agony, Zack milking the suffering as Hiroshi begs the referee to get the challenger to stop. Eventually letting go, he forces Tanahashi to walk himself back into the spider’s web, a SPRINGBOARD ENZUIGIRI awaiting! BRIDGING NORTHERN LIGHTS SUPLEX! ONE! TWO! THR-KICK OUT!
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Swivelling into a KNEEBAR now, he rolls around with Tana’s leg in his grasp, countering Hiroshi’s each attempts at escape, before going for the SELECTED TECHNICAL WORKS VOL. 2 combination, but Tana stacks his shoulders up! ONE! TWO! THR-NO LUCK! Forced to release to kick out, he scrambles to his feet to batter Hiroshi with a elbows, a DISCUS ELBOW SMASH staggering him, but a Pele Kick is caught, Tana nailing his own DRAGON SCREW!!!
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A TWIST AND SHOUT follows, before Tana wraps on the DRAGON SWING! Wrenching on the neck, he makes a good few rotations before suddenly dropping to a knee, his leg unable to hold up for too long. Going for a DRAGON SUPLEX, it’s blocked by a barrage of back elbows, though Hiroshi nails the DARUMA-SHIKI GERMAN INSTEAD!!! ONE! TWO! THR-SABRE KICKS OUT! Nursing his neck, Sabre gets no reprieve as a HASE URANAGE spikes him, and a HIGH FLY ATTACK… IS CAUGHT IN AN ANKLE LOCK!!!
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Tana rolls through but Sabre rolls with him, though he can’t get the grapevine, Tana booting him off with the other leg! TWIST AND SHOUT! Sabre subdued, a SLING BLADE takes him down, a HIGH FLY FLOW FOLLOWING SUIT!!! ONE! TWO! THR-NOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Tana rushes for a TEXAS CLOVERLEAF, putting the hurt on Zack’s legs now! The Submission Master searches for escapes yet Hiroshi commits his everything to this move, not letting him free for the life of him! That is, until his own leg gives way! Grounded, he can’t stop a PENALTY KICK!!! AND A ZACK DRIVER!!! ONE! TWO! THR-TANA STAYS ALIVE!!!
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Ragdolling Hiroshi with a pair of Double Underhook Suplexes, Zack puts Tana in a prone position to stomp the insides of the knees, before applying a CALF SLICER!!! Yet again, the Ace of the Universe is in trouble, his condition deteriorating with each submission. Knowing he needs to change that and fast… HE GRABS ZACK’S SKULL AND RAMS IT INTO THE MAT REPEATEDLY TO BREAK!!! Gears turning in his mind from Sabre’s tribute, HE GETS HIM UP FOR A STYLES CLASH!!! ONE! TWO! THR-SABRE SURVIVES!!!
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Connecting a SLING BLADE, he dumps Zack with a DRAGON SUPLEX! ZACK RESPONDS WITH ONE OF HIS OWN! Open palm strikes from Tana light up Zack, only for him to wring out the arm for a PELE KICK!!! Sabre teases a Legsweep, but Hiroshi hops over this time and nails a GROUNDED HIGH FLY FLOW!!! Air driven out of ZSJ’s lungs, Tana hoists him up… AND NAILS A TOMBSTONE PILEDRIVER!!! SHADES OF OKADA!!! The CHAOS Leader beating him like this both past Sakura Geneses, it’s going to happen again!
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Scaling the ropes, Tana crashes down with a HIGH FLY FLOWWWWWWWWWW!!! But he’s not done! Wanting to make an example out of Sabre, he takes his time posing atop the world like the star he is… BUT IT ALLOWS ZACK TO RECOVER, GRABBING HIS LEG!!! Hammering the knee before Tana has a chance to respond, he yanks him off… RUNNING LIGER BOMB!!! ONE! TWO! THR-KICK OUT!!! STRAIGHT INTO CLARKY CAT BAD BALLOON REMIX!!! Folding Tana’s leg over his shoulder, he utterly destroys the geriatric knees over the champion, who wails in agony, doing anything he can to break free… BUT HE’S TOO FAR FROM THE ROPES!!! TANAHASHI TAPS OUT!!! THIRD TIME’S THE CHARM – ZSJ’S THE NEW KING OF NEW JAPAN!!!
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Zack Sabre Jr. def. Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) to win the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship (30:23)
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Cutting Tanahashi’s reign brutally short, Sabre-Gun has claimed its spot on the throne! Raising up both his trophy and championship, he’s lifted onto TMDK’s shoulders, the three men flaunting their gold to the world as the remainder of the stable joins them! Tana shell-shocked, he hangs his head in shame and despair as he limps off, Ryogoku the first of many dark days for NJPW…
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As the new monarch, Sabre’s first order of business is simple – kill off his counterpart. And by that he means the man who successfully defended the title against him last year, Will Ospreay. Though he may hold the title, jealousy courses through ZSJ’s veins knowing the Commonwealth Kingpin’s considered the company’s top gaijin despite Zack’s superior record over him. Wanting to change that, he calls out Ospreay, who’s fresh off dropping the NEVER 6-Man Titles to Just6Guys, having had quite the identity crisis since having the WK main event taken from him. Eager at the chance at a do-over, he accepts without hesitation.
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Wrestling Hinokuni (April 27, 2024)
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Sabre-Gun (Zack Sabre Jr. & TMDK) vs United Empire (Will Ospreay & Aussie Open)
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Whilst Sabre and Ospreay have kept their distance since their Royal Quest match, the same can’t be said about the greater stables. World Tag League Winners TMDK taking Aussie Open’s IWGP Tag Team Championship at Wrestle Kingdom and United Empire successfully defending the NEVER Titles against Sabre-Gun at the Anniversary Show, this conclusion was only inevitable. Aussie Open also wanting a chance to get their titles back, they team with Ospreay here against the champion unit, the Commonwealth Nations going to war for supremacy.
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Unlike Royal Quest, Sabre’s notably a lot surer of himself against Will here, no longer compensating by matching his striking game, rather trying to make Ospreay play his game instead. However, even with Zack being in his best possible form, SG falters against UE once more, the Coriolis to Mikey Nicholls setting the stage for Wrestling Dontaku! Zack grits his teeth as much like Tanahashi, Ospreay looks down on him.
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United Empire def. Sabre-Gun (17:34)
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Wrestling Dontaku (May 4, 2024)
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Also on the show:
Ren Narita (c) vs Shota Umino - NEVER Openweight Championship
Taichi (c) vs Hiromu Takahashi - NJPW World Television Championship
YOH (c) vs Robbie Eagles - IWGP Junior Tag Team Championship
KENTA (c) vs PAC - IWGP United States Championship
TMDK (c) vs Aussie Open - IWGP Tag Team Championship
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Zack Sabre Jr. (c) vs Will Ospreay XVII - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
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A rivalry extending back an entire decade to the UK Indies, the spot for best British wrestler in the world has long been contested between these two. Back at it again, it’s time they settle the score once more. Ospreay strides out comfortably, having been in this position plenty of times by now as a potentially soon-to-be 3x World Champion, this his domain. As for Sabre, it’s his first time defending a title of this magnitude, pressure clearly weighing on his shoulders, but taking a deep breath, he prepares himself for victory just like TMDK earlier in the night.
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As the bell rings… Ospreay explodes for a DROPKICK right away – shades of NJC 2021! Zack fishes the leg out the air and applies an ANKLE LOCK, LOOKING TO TAP HIM OUT WITHIN THE FIRST FEW SECONDS OF THE MATCH! Alarmed, Ospreay thrashes with kicks from his free leg to force Sabre off, rolling to the outside to recollect himself! Sabre doesn’t let him though, nailing a Baseball Slide Dropkick, before tossing him back in and wrangling the leg again!
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A roll shakes him off, a HOOK KICK following, AND AN OSCUTTER! Sabre stops it though, countering with a SNAP DRAGON SUPLEX! Will rotates through to his feet and soars for a STANDING SHOOTING STAR PRESS, but again Zack dodges! BOW & ARROW ATTEMPT! Will flips into a cover, Zack kicking out instantly! Ospreay handsprings off the ropes, teasing his signature Enzuigiri, Sabre grasping the leg mid-air, but another follows, wrapping around his neck to twist through into a CROSS ARMBREAKER FROM WILL!
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Sabre gets the monkey grip, preventing full extension, BUT WILL BITES THE FINGERS TO FORCE HIM OFF, now getting the full stretch, yelling at the referee to ask Zack if he submits! Sabre refuses however, rolling onto his stomach to turn the hold over and stand up, getting his legs around Will’s neck to score a NECK TWIST, getting him to release!
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Zack knowing it to be a sore spot, he gets rallying with European Uppercuts to rock it like a bobblehead, before leaping into a GUILLOTINE CHOKE! Zack tightens his grip around Will’s neck, but a BUCKLE EXPLODER SUPLEX loosens it again as Sabre’s left dangling in a Tree of Woe! Ospreay sits cross-legged in front of him and SMASHES HIS NOSE WITH FOREARMS, busting a defenceless Zack open! Fish-hooking the nose, Will shakes his head about and lets crimson droplets paint the surroundings like a psychopathic Bob Ross, before letting go, cackling.
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He heads to the top rope, but Zack meets him there, pulling himself up using his core strength and crotching Will on the neighbouring rope! The two face-to-face again, Zack sitting on the turnbuckle and Will on the rope, they trade forearms, blood continuing to leak down Sabre’s face, but he doesn’t care, INSTEAD GRABBING WILL’S LEG TO SUSPEND HIM UPSIDE-DOWN WITH A HANGING SUNDAY RAIL ENGINEERING WORKS REPLACEMENT BUS SERVICE!!!
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Will’s in sheer agony as Sabre contorts his limb, but he’s saved by the referee’s count, Sabre forced to let go, Ospreay slumping to the apron. Zack turns to face the apron as he collects his wits and catches his breath, whilst Will nurses his leg, being checked on by the referee to make sure he’s good to continue, hopping to his base. Sabre settles down on the apron behind Will, grabbing him from behind, TESTING AN APRON TIGER SUPLEX!
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Ospreay smashes the nose with a rear headbutt to ward him off! AND HE SPRINGS OFF ONE LEG TO DROP SABRE WITH AN APRON OSCUTTER, BOTH MEN SPILLING TO THE FLOOR!!! The referee starts their count as both lay still, no sign of movement as the 10 count nears. Reaching 12 now, they finally begin to stir, getting on all fours… 13… 14… 15… OSPREAY’S LEG GIVES OUT! 16… 17… 18… BOTH MEN MAKE ONE LAST PUSH, SABRE SHOVING HIMSELF INSIDE THE RING BY 19, WHILST OSPREAY PULLS HIMSELF UP ONTO THE APRON AND SPRINGS OFF ONE LEG ON THE ROPES FOR A PIP PIP CHEERIO!!! ONE! TWO! THR-KICK OUT!!!
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Coming down hard on the leg though, Ospreay writhes in pain, but with Zack down, he pulls himself up with every last bit of energy he has up for STORM BREAKER… ZACK WITH AN OCTOPUS HOLD!!! Will immediately rams him into the turnbuckle until he lets up, Sabre instead sliding down his back like a bird hitting a window, OSPREAY COLLECTING HIM TO NAIL A HITODENASHI DRIVER!!! ONE! TWO! THR-NOOOOOOOO!!!
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Will shouts in frustration, having jammed the leg on the landing. Feeling victory nigh though, he preps the HIDDEN BLADE!!! SABRE SPINS AROUND AND COUNTERS WITH A ZACK DRIVER!!! ONE! TWO! THR-NO DICE!!! PENTALTY KICK! ANOTHER COVER!!! ONE! TWO! THR-STILL NO LUCK!!! NOW A NUMERO DOS A LA DESPERADO!!! Ospreay screams as Sabre tears the leg in half, Will dancing around in search of reprieve, until a FRANKENSTEINER stands ZSJ on his dome! BRAINBUSTER FOLLOWS!
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Sabre rocked, Ospreay cracks the CHELSEA GRIN against his neck, before connecting the HIDDEN BLADE!!! ONE! TWO! THR-ZACK’S STILL IN IT!!! Will’s leg is falling apart as he stumbles back into the corner to try for seconds, losing balance and collapsing before he can reach his target! EUROPEAN CLUTCH FROM ZACK!!! ONE! TWO! THR-OSPREAY SURVIVES!!! BUT A PENALTY KICK TO THE SKULL! AND STRAIGHT INTO ORIENTEERING WITH NAPALM DEATH!!! OSPREAY THRASHES LIKE A MADMAN, FEELING HIS LIGAMENTS ON THE VERGE OF TEARING… AND HE TAPS!!!
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Zack Sabre Jr. (c) def. Will Ospreay to retain the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship (34:18)
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One more for the bad guys. Commonwealth Kingpin at his mercy, Ospreay a mess as he scrambles off, Zack’s the new Top Gaijin in town. Raising his title high from the turnbuckles, he juices every last drop out his victory, this moment perfect to him… or not. OH MY GOD IT’S MINORU SUZUKI!!! Any bit of colour that remains on ZSJ’s pale face drains off as the King’s music rings through Fukuoka, but there’s no sign of the man- WAIT, SABRE’S SPUN AROUND! KICK TO THE GUT – GOTCH-STYLE PILEDRIVER!!! HE’S HERE!!! Placing a boot on Zack’s chest, Suzuki holds the World Title high over his former stablemate’s body!
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The ending of Dontaku has Japan buzzing as they question the true motive of Suzuki’s attack, and after an extended silence, the King sets the record straight. 1 ½ years ago, Suzuki-Gun was dissolved, and ever since, Sabre’s been writing checks with his mouth that he can’t cash. He walks around with the World Title like he’s the reason he even received recognition in NJPW in the first place. Suzuki gave him a home beside him, and as rapidly as he elevated Sabre, he can take it all away from him just as fast. He’s getting old and is still missing the final piece to the Japanese Triple Crown, so he plans to take that from Zack.
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Sabre doesn’t take too kindly to these words, letting his actions speak for himself as he ASSAULTS SUZUKI on a Road To Dontaku show! Bringing Sabre-Gun with him, they brutalise the legend, before Zack plants his group’s flag on Suzuki’s chest! Mocking him for having no allies the next night, declaring Suzuki’s era of relevance to be long gone… this plays. SUZUKI’S HERE, AND HE’S NOT ALONE! IT’S JUST6GUYS!!! Racing to the ring, the two factions erupt in a massive brawl, bodies flying left and right! Sabre tries for a quick getaway but he’s stopped by Minoru, who gives him a devilish snarl before clobbering him with forearms until Sabre-Gun’s sent packing through the crowd, Zack yelling expletives at Suzuki as he retreats!
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Back to Yokohama Arena (May 16, 2024)
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Sabre-Gun (Zack Sabre Jr., El Desperado & TMDK) vs Minoru Suzuki & Just3Guys (Taichi, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, DOUKI)
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With Sabre-Gun and Just6Guys feuding ever since their respective formations, switching between silent competitive warfare of racking up belts to fighting each other, notably the Sabre/Taichi saga, it all fully comes to a head in Suzuki’s home of Yokohama! With full freedom to destroy each other however they please, the two factions don’t hold back one bit, with Suzuki especially targeting ZSJ. He’s unable to give him grief the way he wishes to though, Zack tactfully hiding behind his partners until he can blindside Minoru, before scramming again. Ultimately, it’s Minoru putting Desperado away with the GOTCH PILEDRIVER, before signalling to Sabre that time’s running out for him, Suzuki to get his hands on him too soon enough!
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Minoru Suzuki & J6G def. Sabre-Gun (15:03)
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As much as Sabre tries to deny it, that day only speeds closer with each accusation of cowardice against the prideful champion’s name, the world questioning whether he’s afraid of Suzuki. Adamant to silence his doubters, he finally accepts Suzuki’s title challenge, setting the stage for Dominion, though promising he won’t have a career to go back to when Sabre’s done with him!
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Dominion 6.2 (June 2, 2024)
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Also on the show:
YOH (c) vs SHO - IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
Just2Guys (c) vs Sabre-Gun (Blake Christian & Clark Connors) - IWGP Junior Tag Team Championship
TMDK (c) vs The Lucha Brothers - IWGP Tag Team Championship
PAC (c) vs Katsuyori Shibata - IWGP United States Championship
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Zack Sabre Jr. (c) vs Minoru Suzuki - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
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With Sabre-Gun beating Just6Guys earlier in the night, this war’s already at its boiling point by the time the main event arrives, Suzuki opting to enter second as Zack steps out- CRACK! STEEL CHAIR TO SABRE’S SPINE!!! Suzuki isn’t wasting even a second here, tearing the jacket off Sabre’s back before bending the steel over his spine! The Windy Man desperately tries to crawl away to the ring, but Suzuki steps on his ankle to stop him! Turning him around to meet his maker, MINORU GOES FOR A GOTCH PILEDRIVER ON THE CHAIR!!! LOW BLOW FROM SABRE TO COUNTER!!!
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Suzuki drops to his knees as Osaka boos the smarmy champion, ZSJ now battering the King’s back, before finally sliding him in to get the match started! PENALTY KICK RIGHT AWAY!!! ONE! TWO! THR-KICK OUT!!! Sabre wrenches in a CLARKY CAT, working the arm as Suzuki writhes under him, but it’s not long before Minoru stands up out of it, hurling ZSJ to the mat! Booting him in the jaw, Suzuki backs him into the corner and tears into him with open palm strikes! He winds up a CORNER DROPKICK, but Sabre evades, blasting him with a rapid barrage of European Uppercuts against the turnbuckle!
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Zack taking the run-up now, Suzuki bucks him over the ropes to the apron, SABRE BLASTING A THUMB IN HIS EYE! Minoru blinded, Zack leaps up for a SPRINGBOARD ENZUIGIRI- SUZUKI BLOCKS WITH A WILD SLAP TO THE CHEEK!!! Sabre stiffed, Suzuki applies a HANGING JUJI-GATAME FROM THE ROPES!!! Zack screams in agony as Minoru damn near rips his arm out the socket, the referee’s count the only thing keeping him from going!
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Releasing, Sabre crumples to the floor, getting as far as he possibly can from Suzuki, though he’s not fast enough, Suzuki nailing a GOAL KICK to his skull from the apron! Grabbing Sabre, he HURLS him into the guardrail with it shoulder-first, the velocity sending Zack through! As he goes to collect his prey though, SABRE TOSSES A CHAIR AT HIS SKULL!!! Threading Suzuki’s arm through it, SABRE STOMPS THE ELBOW!!! AND AN ARTICLE 50!!!
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Sabre abuses the legend, but he forgets about the other arm, Suzuki slapping his head in with it until Zack releases! Shaking off the arm, a BACK BODY DROP sends Sabre crashing back to ringside, Minoru following after him as ZSJ slinks inside the ring. Zack beats him to his feet though, stomping a hole through the mat with Suzuki’s skull, dribbling it! He cracks a ROLLING ELBOW off the skull, but Minoru walks through it, glaring at Sabre! Throwing an elbow of his own, it gets caught, Zack scoring the PELE KICK to the arm!
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AND A KIMURA LOCK!!! Sabre brutally rips at the arm, bringing Suzuki to his knees from the pain even, but Minoru pins his shoulders to the mat! ONE! TWO! THR-SABRE RELEASES TO KICK OUT! As Zack rolls to his feet, a SHOTGUN DROPKICK awaits him! Suzuki clobbers him with slaps to the face, Sabre seeing stars as one knocks him clean off his feet! Turning to the turnbuckle… SUZUKI RIPS IT OFF!!! Steel exposed, he teases a SNAP SUPLEX INTO THE CORNER!!! SABRE COUNTERS WITH A BRAINBUSTER ON THE MAT!!! GUILLOTINE CHOKE!!!
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Draining the life out of Suzuki, Sabre presses on the carotid artery, Minoru is deep trouble! BUT NOW THE KING BITES ON ZSJ’S FINGERS!!! Zack yelps and releases, allowing Suzuki to secure his wrists and STOMP HIS HEAD IN!!! Sabre catches a boot and applies SUNDAY RAIL ENGINEERING WORKS REPLACEMENT BUS SERVICE!!! ZSJ tortures Suzuki’s leg, though in doing so leaves his arm exposed, Minoru yanking off his grip and countering into HIS OWN HEEL HOOK!!!
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Sabre desperately tries the same counter, but Suzuki’s grip is too tight to break, forcing Zack to roll to the ropes! SUZUKI ISN’T LETTING GO! Crawling on his hands, Sabre pulls himself to the floor and WHIPLASHES MINORU’S NECK OFF THE BOTTOM ROPE!!! Staggering about ringside on one foot, he grabs his title and rolls back in! Suzuki struggling up, Sabre tries to deck him with the belt… but the referee grabs it from behind! A tug-of-war ends in SUZUKI KNOCKING THE BELT INTO THE REF WITH AN ENZUIGIRI!
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Both men hitting the deck, Minoru rocks ZSJ with a Dropkick! GOTCH PILEDRIVER ONTO THE TITLE!!! But there’s no one to count! Pissed, Suzuki limps out and abuses a couple young lions, before picking one out the crowd to toss in the ring, ripping the referee’s shirt off and telling the lion to put it on! SUZUKI COVERS! ONE! TWO! THR-NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Even more livid, HE DECKS THIS LION TOO! Turning back to Zack, he notices the champion feebly reaching for the belt! Kicking it out the ring, Suzuki goes for another GOTCH PILEDRIVER!!! BACK BODY DROP COUNTER!!!
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Still hurting, Sabre struggles to get a rally of strikes going, Suzuki meeting him blow for blow! BUT SABRE WHIPS THE SHOULDER INTO THE MAT! Minoru stunned, sadistic thoughts run through Sabre’s mind… TIGER SUPLEX INTO THE EXPOSED STEEL!!! AND A RUNNING LIGER BOMB – ONE OF SUZUKI’S RIVALS MOVES!!! THE REFEREE’S BACK TO CONSCIOUSNESS! NOT LIKE THIS! ONE! TWO! THR-NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
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Sabre’s exasperated, thinking he had it! Running out of options, he teases a ZACK DRIVER, but Suzuki slips behind and applies the SLEEPER HOLD!!! Sabre’s quickly fading, frantically trying to tear the bad arm off, but Minoru doesn’t budge, shoving ZSJ to the mat for the PENALTY KICK!!! ONE! TWO! THR-ZACK KICKS OUT!!! Suzuki grabs Sabre by the chin, demanding him to strike Minoru if he thinks he’s so tough, ZSJ doing his best, but Suzuki eats it and returns a HARD SLAP! SLEEPER SUPLEX!!!
​
Tossing Sabre to the apron, Minoru steps onto the middle rope and cinches in an ELEVATED SLEEPER!!! Zack dangles in the air, unable to find his footing to escape, Suzuki lifting him higher and higher! Blood rushing to his legs, he needs to act fast, attacking the elbow again until the hold is finally slightly loosened! Leaning forwards, he pulls Suzuki his direction, allowing him to lower his feet onto the apron… YANKING SUZUKI INTO AN APRON ZACK DRIVER!!!
​
Sabre coughs up a lung as he kicks Minoru’s corpse back in, before lining up a PENALTY KICK!!! ONE! TWO! THR-SUZUKI’S ALIVE!!! Zack’s stunned as he comes face-to-face with Suzuki’s sneer, Minoru still having enough in him to throw slaps! Sabre returning Uppercuts, they go blow-for-blow until Zack collapses first, though he’s playing possum, HEADBUTTING THE SHOULDER as the King tries to grab him! He goes for YOU CAN’T PLAY CONKERS IN ENGLAND, though he’s immediately tossed down, SUZUKI NAILING A PENALTY KICK!!!
​
Winding up, Minoru goes for one more… ZACK SLAPS HIS HEAD OFF HIS SHOULDERS!!! Putting the head between his legs, HE NAILS A GOTCH PILEDRIVER!!! Suzuki collapses in position for a PENALTY KICK!!! AND NOW SABRE CINCHES IT IN – HURRAH! ANOTHER YEAR, SURELY THIS ONE WILL BE BETTER THAN THE LAST; THE INEXORABLE MARCH OF PROGRESS WILL LEAD US ALL TO HAPPINESS!!! Suzuki grits his teeth, trying to fight through it, Sabre keeping his eyes on his hands to see the tap… NOWHERE TO GO, MINORU FLIPS HIM OFF WITH BOTH HANDS AND VERBALLY SUBMITS!!!
​
Zack Sabre Jr. (c) def. Minoru Suzuki to retain the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship (32:50)
​
Surviving one of the toughest matches of his career, Zack’s kingdom still lives, though barely. As he’s handed his title though, he chucks it aside, this about far more than the gold to him! SABRE STOMPS OUT SUZUKI!!! Signalling to the back, out rush Sabre-Gun, coming to Sabre’s aid to conduct a mugging on the legend! SUDDEN DEATH FROM ELP! PINCHE LOCO FROM DESPERADO! THUNDER VALLEY FROM TMDK! TANDEM JEEP FLIP/DROPKICK FROM BLAKE, CONNORS AND FUJITA! And now, it's Zack’s turn. Dragging him to the concrete… HE’S GOING FOR THE GOTCH PILEDRIVER!!! HE WANTS TO RETIRE SUZUKI FOR GOOD!!!
​
BUT HERE COMES J6G!!! AND LANCE ARCHER TOO!!! Sabre tosses Suzuki aside to deal with the oncoming traffic, Taichi and co. putting up an honourable fight, but they’re still down a man, Sabre-Gun managing to retain their upper-hand, until… OH MY GOD, IT’S SUZUKI’S OLD TAG PARTNER NAOMICHI MARUFUJI!!! Sabre can’t even get a curse out before a KO-OH SMACKS HIM IN THE FACE!!! Marufuji beats on Zack to turn the tide, going for the POLE SHIFT, but Sabre manages to escape in the nick of time, Sabre-Gun once again sent on the retreat, the show closing on Marufuji helping Suzuki up!
​
​
NJPW/AJPW/NOAH All Together Again (June 7, 2024)
​
Zack Sabre Jr. vs Naomichi Marufuji
​
After the events of Dominion, it’s only natural these two fight, long, long overdue a one-on-one since their NOAH days together! Fighting in Suzuki’s honour, Marufuji steps to the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion and it’s like 2016 all over again the way he utterly humbles Sabre to start like he’s facing Okada! A match of two halves, it goes from Naomichi giving ZSJ the biggest whooping of his life to Sabre brutally breaking down the legend, reminding him he’s 8 years too old to still be winning these sorts of matches. Though Maru gives Zack grief one more than one occasion, he meets his demise at the hands of a CREMATION LILY, Sabre spitting on Naomichi as he leaves, declaring himself untouchable!
​
Zack Sabre Jr. def. Naomichi Marufuji (25:37)
​
​
With his war on J6G and friends officially behind him, Sabre sets his sights on a show he has quite some history with. Losing to Claudio Castagnoli at the first Forbidden Door, before beating Katsuyori Shibata at the second to take both the NJPW TV and ROH Pure Titles to ALL IN to submit Danielson, there’s naturally only one direction for him to head…
​
​
Dynamite (June 12, 2024)
​
Racking another AEW International Championship defence under his belt, Wheeler YUTA is on top of the world, and as he’s approached by Tony Schiavone for a post-match comment… WHACK! IWGP WORLD TITLE TO THE BACK OF HIS HEAD!!! SABRE-GUN’S HERE!!! Mugging Blackpool Combat Club’s young gun like they did Suzuki, a SABRE DRIVER leaves him broken on the mat as Zack yells down the camera that he wants Moxley’s head at Forbidden Door, scurrying away before BCC can make the save!
​
​
Collision (June 15, 2024)
​
Zack Sabre Jr. vs Wheeler YUTA
​
Off the back of Sabre’s assault on YUTA, a match is made between the two technically-gifted champions in a massive Collision main event! Though ZSJ’s far out his paygrade, an arrogant Wheeler does his best to knock off the Technical Wizard, impressing with a display of submissions he’s picked up from Danielson, before employing some of Claudio’s marquee athleticism and Mox’s grittiness. Never a fair match to begin with though, a TESCO MEAL DEAL cruelly silences YUTA!
​
Zack Sabre Jr. def. Wheeler YUTA (10:12)
​
Grabbing a mic, Zack runs down Moxley, reminding him how they were supposed to fight 4 years ago until the pandemic ruined that, Jon ducking him ever since. Now though, he’s the last member of BCC he needs to get through before he can shut up those babies too, so all he needs to know is if Jon is still afraid of him or not. And as Sabre awaits his response… HE RECEIVES IT IN THE FORM OF A PARADIGM SHIFT!!! Mox holds Zack’s title over his body, gaining some retribution for YUTA!
​
​
AEWxNJPW Forbidden Door (June 23, 2024)
​
Also on the show:
The Lucha Brothers (c) vs La Faccion Ingobernable (RUSH & Dralistico) - IWGP Tag Team Championship
PAC (c) vs Swerve Strickland - IWGP United States Championship
Tetsuya Naito vs Andrade El Idolo
​
Zack Sabre Jr. (c) vs Jon Moxley - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
​
The final showdown of a lengthy saga, Sabre makes his third defence against New Japan’s Ace, and it’s quite literally a bloody clinic, Mox showing zero fear in the face of the Top Gaijin, who looks to plant his flag over another territory. From a Paradigm Shift to the floor to a Zack Driver through a table, both men are busted open by the surroundings, the blood loss only helping Sabre’s case when he locks in the HYPERNORMALISATION, causing Mox to pass out! Alas, ZSJ stands atop BCC, but perhaps a more personal challenge yet awaits him…
​
Zack Sabre Jr. (c) def. Jon Moxley to retain the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship (23:20)

where can I learn more about the history of Palm Springs?
I'm most interested in the 50s & 60s rat pack era? Books? documentaries? shows?
thank you!

I’ve only lived here a year and haven’t gotten to eat out as much as I’d like. Would anyone be kind enough to share your favorite Italian food in and around Palm Springs? I’d especially love somewhere with a cool or romantic ambiance.
Thanks for any tips! I’ve enjoyed so many great recommendations from this sub and it’s made my first year here delightful 😊

[AN]- This is the official remake of my series, "Our Troubled Youths". I was young and kind of a virgin when it came to writing lol. But, I've grown a lot in my writing, and I wanted to truly give this series a better story, and the better characters it deserves. So please enjoy!
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“Slow down-” AJ huffed, chasing after Willow. She ran fast through the thick woods of Virginia, one goal in mind. It was very early in the morning- but Willow was determined that she would bring some food back home, and not just some small rabbit– but a deer. Ruby told her that deer were active at dusk and dawn, so she’d have to choose one of those times for the best results. In order for her to get around Clementine knowing, she’d have to sneak out at dawn. Willow ignored AJ, she had made a shot at a big, juicy deer. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a clean shot so the deer immediately fled. But that didn’t stop the fire in her veins, she was determined to feed her family, but mainly, she was determined to prove herself.
AJ huffed in irritation. He mentally cursed at himself, realizing this was his karma for acting this exact way when he was Willow’s age. AJ stopped running, walking instead now. She was in good vision, and it seemed she’d slow down as well. Besides, he needed to catch his breath.
Willow stopped, looking around for the deer. The blood trail confused her as it ran in circles. She calmed herself down. Tracing the trail closely, she was slowly gathering a possibility to where the deer had gone. Her vision was so focused on the floor that she didn’t realize where she was walking– and then all of a sudden she had felt herself slipping. “Ah!” She yelped, rolling down a steep hill with rocks and stumps- the pain caused her to shout in agony.
AJ was quick to action, “Willow!” He called out, running on pure adrenaline.
Willow finally fell onto the floor, deeper into the forest. Everything was blurry, but she could see she fell from a pretty high ledge. She shook her head trying to regain consciousness, everything hurt. After about a second, she tried to get up- “A-ah-” She stumbled, sitting back onto the floor. “Shit.” She whimpered from the pain of her ankle, it was definitely sprained, hopefully only sprained. But that seemed like the least of her issues. Her heart dropped as she heard the all familiar groaning. She looked up to see dozens of walkers coming over to her. It seems the commotion of her screams had gathered a lot of unwanted attention. “N-no.. no!” She tried to force herself up, she only successfully made it halfway before she fell down again.
AJ made it to the cliff's edge, looking down at Willow. “Shit! Willow!” He started to slowly make his way onto the steep ledge, he planned on sliding down gradually. “I’m coming!” he shouted.
Willow had a brief relief as she heard AJ’s call. So, her mind cleared for a moment, and she went into defense mode. “Damnit!” She complained, seeing that her bow was nowhere to be found, so she slid as far back as she could. With her back against an oak tree, she pulled out her knife and held it near her chest. “AJ…Please hurry!” She shouted, the walkers were getting closer and closer…to now where she was realizing how immobile and defenseless she really was. Panic rushed in quickly, and her mind went straight to insulting herself. If only she’d listen to her mothers warnings, if only she wasn’t so stubborn–
Her thoughts cut short as a walker fell onto the floor, grasping at her shoes, inching closer to bite her. “Ah!” She shouted, taken aback. She’d never been this close to a walker before, and she’d never feared for her life this badly.
“Willow!” AJ screamed with a fury. He held up his own bow and arrow- and shot the walker before it could hurt her. He quickened his pace down the hill, he was close to the bottom already so it wasn’t a safety issue to do so. He finally got to her, and immediately scooped her up in his arms. Willow kept her defensive stance, even in the safety of his arms. It wasn’t until a few minutes later, when she held her knife in front of her face. The knife was clean. No blood on it at all. She let the knife rest against her chest. She cried, and threw her hands over her face to cover said tears. Her knife being clean meant she didn’t even try to kill the walker on her, she would’ve died if it wasn’t for AJ.
—
Willow sat silent in the medical room. It used to be a dorm for some kids years ago- back when people actually were alive before the apocalypse. Sometimes she’d wonder what it was like for them. Must’ve been a lot better. She focused on some ripped medical pages that were hung on the wall. Ruby really wanted it to feel like a ‘real doctors office.’
The silence was then interrupted by Ruby coming into the office. She held fresh bandages in her hand, and some saline. It was homemade saline ofcourse, just salt and clean water. In the other hand, she held a hot drink.
“Hey there.” She said softly, she placed the items on the desk. “This is some ginger tea.” Ruby gave her the hot tea, “Ain’t as good as tylenol, but it's something.” She then went onto her knees, lifting up Willow's ankle gently. Willow sucked in her breath as the pain stung her. “I know..I know.”
Willow sighed, placing the cup in her lap. She held it tightly, letting the warmth surround her finger tips. “So. How bad is it?”
Ruby gently wrapped her foot in the gauze, “Well. It’s not broken so that's good. You just need to not move on it so much- let it heal. You had a pretty nasty fall.”
Willow nodded. “I mean, how bad is it?” Willow bit her lip, “With mom?”
“Well….” Ruby grunted getting up, dusting her hands. “I mean, I'm not gonna sugar coat it. Even Louis is mad. And you know it takes a storm to upset that goofball.”
Willow gulped. If her dad was mad, her mom was furious.
“AJ’s taking the brunt of it. She’s letting him have it.” She sighed, placing her hands on her hips and shaking her head. “But that doesn't mean you're safe.”
Willow started to bounce her leg anxiously. There was no doubt that she would be getting her ear chewed out. “Ok.” She said, accepting her fate.
“I’ll let her know you’re ready to be seen.” Ruby started walking away, but turned around half-way. “It’ll be alright. As scary as Clementine is sometimes, she still loves you to death. It's the reason why she’s so passionate.” She then exited the room, leaving Willow to soak in her thoughts.
Willow allowed the silence to engulf her. This was the only peace she’ll be getting before a fighting match of emotions. She grumbled to herself, thinking, ‘Why didn’t you just pay more attention? If only then we could have been feasting on a deer.’ She sighed heavily, and fell back onto the springy mattress. Interestingly enough, she felt a brief happiness along her chest. Memories from when she was a toddler had come up. There isn’t much entertainment in the apocalypse- but her dad sure found out ways. Example being, he would throw her onto the spring mattress and she’d fly into the air. He would catch her again and repeat the process. Willow being 15 couldn’t experience that again, she was just too big. But still, the memories were always welcome to come back.
Suddenly, those feelings of joy were quickly swept away as the door was heard being open. She sucked in her breath as she braced herself. Louis and Clementine walked in- obviously not happy. Clementine leaned against the pole on the other bunk bed across from her. Louis just sat down, looking more disappointed than angry.
“Get up.”
Shivers. Her voice was stern and harsh. It could even scare a walker. Willow sat up, met with the eyes of a very upset mother. But to Willow's surprise, her eyes were glistening and wet. She was holding back tears with all her strength. It made Willow feel even more guilty.
“Willow, what are the rules?”
“I know. I get it, but–”
Clementine chuckled, “Apparently you don't get them. Repeat them. Now.”
Willow sighed, looking at the floor. With an attitude, she replied, “Which ones?”
Clementine replied with a judgy expression, “Excuse me?”
“You have a rule for everything I want to do–”
“The rules we follow when going into new places, or new experiences.” She emphasized her last two words, biting back at her daughter's sass.
Willow swallowed, her mothers tone wasn’t lighting up. She decided to cut the bullshit and truly answer. “We listen for monsters–” Only the first rule, and it bit at her ego; She didn’t even think about the walkers stupidly enough. It seemed her shock was shown through her expression– because Clementine looked at her with a small relief. A relief that she actually learned from her mistake- rather than being stubborn about it. “-and..we always find a way out.” Willow finished in almost a shamed whisper.
The room was silent now. Surprisingly, Louis was the one to break the silence. He clapped and whispered in an awkward tone, “Hooray! You figured it out!” Obviously trying to lighten up the mood, something he always tried to do.
Clementine turned around slowly, looking at her partner of 23 years, with the disgust of a stranger. She sighed and placed a palm on her forehead. Willow couldn’t help but chuckle at this. Her chuckles only started a domino effect of chuckles. And just like that, the family came together again. Regardless of how much fear she had of her mothers anger– she never felt unsafe or unloved.
The laughs ended, and it was serious again. Clementine sighed, coming over to Willows bed, and sitting on it. Louis followed, sitting next to her as well. “Willow.” She spoke softly. “I don’t make all these rules to dim your light or passion. I just want you to be safe.”
“But you went through so many different eras of yourself.” Willow looked down at her hands, interlocking them. “What if I never get to see the other sides of me?”
Clementine sighed. “We went over this Willow. I can’t let you experience even a fraction of what I went through. Times are different, we got food, water– hell even generators!”
“I know mom. I do. I’m grateful- I really am. But it's still not perfect. You can’t shelter me forever. Things…don’t always go to plan.”
Clementine stared at the floor for a bit. “I know.” She finally responded. “--And I know experience is what you need. Just, don't be looking up to younger me as no role model. She was of the past, this is the present.”
“But you were badass-”
“No. I was surviving. You can’t look at my past and think that way, okay?” It got silent again. “There’s nothing badass about the nightmares you wake up to every morning.” She whispered.
Louis got up and then decided to squeeze himself in between the two. He widened his arms and hugged both of them. He gave Clementine a tighter hug, knowing that her mind was probably racing at the thought of her nightmares. She hadn’t had them in so long. He kissed both his lover's head, and his daughter's head. “Listen. Just promise us that you’ll tell us when you want to go hunting or scavenging. And…” He looked at Clementine and said, “And, maybe we’ll think about letting you go out on your own.” Clementine raised her brows at this, but decided to let it go for right now. She was exhausted mentally.
Willows eyes lit, she smiled. “Alright then.” She replied with glee.
“Alright let's get out of here, hospitals give me the heebie jeebies.” Louis stood up, ushering Clementine to stand up as well. Willow followed, only to immediately shout a scream of pain. Louis sucked in his breath. “That’ll teach ya for sure heh.” He then swooped Willow up, carrying her out of the room, with his lover by his side.

• Bold means the film received at least 1 Oscar nomination (47)
• Bold and italic means the film was only nominated in the Best International Feature category (17)
• Coin means the film won Best International Feature (7)
• Trophy means the film won Best Picture (1)

Year	Palme d'Or	Grand Prix	Jury Prize
1975	Chronicle of the Years of Fire	The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser
1976	Taxi Driver	Cría Cuervos 🪢 The Marquise of O
1977	Padre Padrone
1978	The Tree of Wooden Clogs	Bye Bye Monkey 🪢 The Shout
1979	Apocalypse Now 🪢 🪙The Tin Drum🪙	Siberiade
1980	All That Jazz 🪢 Kagemusha	My American Uncle	The Constant Factor
1981	Man of Iron	Light Years Away
1982	Missing 🪢 Yol	The Night of the Shooting Stars
1983	The Ballad of Narayama	Monty Python's The Meaning of Life	Kharij
1984	Paris, Texas	Diary for My Children
1985	When Father Was Away on Business	Birdy	Colonel Redl
1986	The Mission	The Sacrifice	Thérèse
1987	Under the Sun of Satan	Repentance	Shinran: Path to Purity 🪢 Yeelen
1988	Pelle the Conqueror	A World Apart	A Short Film About Killing
1989	Sex, Lies, and Videotape	🪙Cinema Paradiso🪙 🪢 Too Beautiful for You	Jesus of Montreal
1990	Wild at Heart	The Sting of Death 🪢 Tilaï	Hidden Agenda
1991	Barton Fink	La Belle Noiseuse	Europa 🪢 Out of Life
1992	The Best Intentions	The Stolen Children	Dream of Light 🪢 An Independent Life
1993	Farewell My Concubine 🪢 The Piano	Faraway, So Close!	The Puppetmaster 🪢 Raining Stones
1994	Pulp Fiction	🪙Burnt by the Sun🪙 🪢 To Live	La Reine Margot
1995	Underground	Ulysses' Gaze	Don't Forget You're Going to Die 🪢 Carrington
1996	Secrets & Lies	Breaking the Waves	Crash
1997	The Eel 🪢 Taste of Cherry	The Sweet Hereafter	Western
1998	Eternity and a Day	🪙Life Is Beautiful🪙	Class Trip
1999	Rosetta	Humanité	The Letter
2000	Dancer in the Dark	Devils on the Doorstep	Blackboards 🪢 Songs from the Second Floor
2001	The Son's Room	The Piano Teacher
2002	The Pianist	The Man Without a Past	Divine Intervention
2003	Elephant	Distant	At Five in the Afternoon
2004	Fahrenheit 9/11	Oldboy	The Ladykillers 🪢 Tropical Malady
2005	L'Enfant	Broken Flowers	Shanghai Dreams
2006	The Wind That Shakes the Barley	Flanders	Red Road
2007	4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days	The Mourning Forest	Persepolis 🪢 Silent Light
2008	The Class	Gomorrah	Il divo
2009	The White Ribbon	A Prophet	Fish Tank 🪢 Thirst
2010	Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives	Of Gods and Men	A Screaming Man
2011	The Tree of Life	The Kid with a Bike 🪢 Once Upon a Time in Anatolia	Polisse
2012	🪙Amour🪙	Reality	The Angels' Share
2013	Blue Is the Warmest Colour	Inside Llewyn Davis	Like Father, Like Son
2014	Winter Sleep	The Wonders	Goodbye to Language 🪢 Mommy
2015	Dheepan	🪙Son of Saul🪙	The Lobster
2016	I, Daniel Blake	It's Only the End of the World	American Honey
2017	The Square	BPM (Beats per Minute)	Loveless
2018	Shoplifters	BlacKkKlansman	Capernaum
2019	🪙🏆Parasite🏆🪙	Atlantics	Bacurau 🪢 Les Misérables
2021	Titane	Compartment No. 6 🪢 A Hero	Ahed's Knee 🪢 Memoria
2022	Triangle of Sadness	Stars at Noon 🪢 Close	The Eight Mountains 🪢 EO
2023	Anatomy of a Fall	The Zone of Interest	Fallen Leaves

• Bold means the actor received an Oscar nomination (23)
• Bold and italic means the actor was nominated in a non-acting category (1)
• Trophy means the actor won the Oscar (6)

Year	Best Actor	Best Actress
1975	Vittorio Gassman – Scent of a Woman	Valérie Perrine – Lenny
1976	José Luis Gómez – Pascual Duarte	Dominique Sanda – The Inheritance 🪢 Mari Törőcsik – Mrs. Dery Where Are You?
1977	Fernando Rey – Elisa, My Life	Shelley Duvall – 3 Women 🪢 Monique Mercure – J.A. Martin Photographer
1978	🏆Jon Voight – Coming Home🏆	Jill Clayburgh – An Unmarried Woman 🪢 Isabelle Huppert – Violette Nozière
1979	Jack Lemmon – The China Syndrome 🪢 Stefano Madia – Dear Father	🏆Sally Field – Norma Rae🏆 🪢 Eva Mattes – Woyzeck
1980	Michel Piccoli – A Leap in the Dark 🪢 Jack Thompson – Breaker Morant	Anouk Aimée – A Leap in the Dark 🪢 Milena Dravić – Special Treatment 🪢 Carla Gravina – La terrazza
1981	Ugo Tognazzi – Tragedy of a Ridiculous Man 🪢 Ian Holm – Chariots of Fire	Isabelle Adjani – Possession 🪢 Qaurtet 🪢 Elena Solovey – Faktas
1982	Jack Lemmon – Missing	Jadwiga Jankowska-Cieślak – Another Way
1983	Gian Maria Volonté – The Death of Mario Ricci	Hanna Schygulla – The Story of Piera
1984	Alfredo Landa 🪢 Francisco Rabal – The Holy Innocents	Helen Mirren – Cal
1985	🏆William Hurt – Kiss of the Spider Woman🏆	Norma Aleandro – The Official Story 🪢 Cher – Mask
1986	Michel Blanc – Ménage 🪢 Bob Hoskins – Mona Lisa	Barbara Sukowa – Rosa Luxemburg
1987	Marcello Mastroianni – Dark Eyes	Barbara Hershey – Shy People
1988	Forest Whitaker – Bird	Barbara Hershey 🪢 Jodhi May 🪢 Linda Mvusi – A World Apart
1989	James Spader – Sex, Lies, and Videotape	Meryl Streep – A Cry in the Dark
1990	Gérard Depardieu – Cyrano de Bergerac	Krystyna Janda – Interrogation
1991	John Turturro – Barton Fink 🪢 Samuel L. Jackson – Jungle Fever	Irène Jacob – The Double Life of Veronique
1992	Tim Robbins – The Player	Pernilla August – The Best Intentions
1993	David Thewlis – Naked	🏆Holly Hunter – The Piano🏆
1994	Ge You – To Live	Virna Lisi – La Reine Margot
1995	Jonathan Pryce – Carrington	Helen Mirren – The Madness of King George
1996	Daniel Auteuil 🪢 Pascal Duquenne – The Eighth Day	Brenda Blethyn – Secrets & Lies
1997	Sean Penn – She's So Lovely	Kathy Burke – Nil by Mouth
1998	Peter Mullan – My Name Is Joe	Élodie Bouchez 🪢 Natacha Régnier – The Dreamlife of Angels
1999	Emmanuel Schotté – Humanité	Séverine Caneele – Humanité 🪢 Émilie Dequenne – Rosetta
2000	Tony Leung Chiu-wai – In the Mood for Love	Björk – Dancer in the Dark
2001	Benoît Magimel – The Piano Teacher	Isabelle Huppert – The Piano Teacher
2002	Olivier Gourmet – The Son	Kati Outinen – The Man Without a Past
2003	Muzaffer Özdemir 🪢 Mehmet Emin Toprak – Distant	Marie-Josée Croze – The Barbarian Invasions
2004	Yūya Yagira – Nobody Knows	Maggie Cheung – Clean
2005	Tommy Lee Jones – The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada	Hanna Laslo – Free Zone
2006	Roschdy Zem 🪢 Bernard Blancan 🪢 Jamel Debbouze 🪢 Samy Naceri 🪢 Sami Bouajila – Days of Glory	Carmen Maura 🪢 Lola Dueñas 🪢 Blanca Portillo 🪢 Yohana Cobo 🪢 Chus Lampreave 🪢 Penélope Cruz – Volver
2007	Konstantin Lavronenko – The Banishment	Jeon Do-yeon – Secret Sunshine
2008	Benicio del Toro – Che	Sandra Corveloni – Linha de Passe
2009	🏆Christoph Waltz – Inglourious Basterds🏆	Charlotte Gainsbourg – Antichrist
2010	Javier Bardem – Biutiful 🪢 Elio Germano – Our Life	Juliette Binoche – Certified Copy
2011	🏆Jean Dujardin – The Artist🏆	Kirsten Dunst – Melancholia
2012	Mads Mikkelsen – The Hunt	Cristina Flutur 🪢 Cosmina Stratan – Beyond the Hills
2013	Bruce Dern – Nebraska	Bérénice Bejo – The Past
2014	Timothy Spall – Mr. Turner	Julianne Moore – Maps to the Stars
2015	Vincent Lindon – The Measure of a Man	Emmanuelle Bercot – Mon Roi 🪢 Rooney Mara – Carol
2016	Shahab Hosseini – The Salesman	Jaclyn Jose – Ma' Rosa
2017	Joaquin Phoenix – You Were Never Really Here	Diane Kruger – In the Fade
2018	Marcello Fonte – Dogman	Samal Yeslyamova – Ayka
2019	Antonio Banderas – Pain and Glory	Emily Beecham – Little Joe
2021	Caleb Landry Jones – Nitram	Renate Reinsve – The Worst Person in the World
2022	Song Kang-ho – Broker	Zar Amir Ebrahimi – Holy Spider
2023	Kōji Yakusho – Perfect Days	Merve Dizdar – About Dry Grasses

• Bold means the film received at least 1 Oscar nomination in a corresponding category (9)
• Bold and italic means only the film was nominated, but the awarded filmmaker wasn't (8)
• Coin means the film won Best International Feature (4)

Year	Best Director	Best Screenplay
1975	Michel Brault – Orders 🪢 Costa-Gavras – Special Section
1976	Ettore Scola – Down and Dirty
1977
1978	Nagisa Ōshima – Empire of Passion
1979	Terrence Malick – Days of Heaven
1980		La Terrazza – Furio Scarpelli, Agenore Incrocci, Ettore Scola
1981		🪙Mephisto🪙 – István Szabó
1982	Werner Herzog – Fitzcarraldo	Moonlighting – Jerzy Skolimowski
1983	Robert Bresson – L'Argent 🪢 Andrei Tarkovsky – Nostalgia	Voyage to Cythera – Thanassis Valtinos, Theo Angelopoulos, Tonino Guerra
1984	Bertrand Tavernier – A Sunday in the Country
1985	André Téchiné – Rendez-vous
1986	Martin Scorsese – After Hours
1987	Wim Wenders – Wings of Desire
1988	Fernando Solanas – Sur
1989	Emir Kusturica – Time of the Gypsies
1990	Pavel Lungin – Taxi Blues
1991	Joel Coen – Barton Fink
1992	Robert Altman – The Player
1993	Mike Leigh – Naked
1994	Nanni Moretti – Dear Diary	Dead Tired – Michel Blanc
1995	Mathieu Kassovitz – La Haine
1996	Joel Coen – Fargo	A Self Made Hero – Jacques Audiard, Alain Le Henry
1997	Wong Kar-wai – Happy Together	The Ice Storm – James Schamus
1998	John Boorman – The General	Henry Fool – Hal Hartley
1999	Pedro Almodóvar – All About My Mother	Moloch – Yuri Arabov
2000	Edward Yang – Yi Yi	Nurse Betty – James Flamberg, John C. Richards
2001	Joel Coen – The Man Who Wasn't There 🪢 David Lynch – Mulholland Drive	No Man's Land – Danis Tanović
2002	Paul Thomas Anderson – Punch-Drunk Love 🪢 Im Kwon-taek – Painted Fire	Sweet Sixteen – Paul Laverty
2003	Gus Van Sant – Elephant	🪙The Barbarian Invasions🪙 – Denys Arcand
2004	Tony Gatlif – Exils	Look at Me – Agnès Jaoui, Jean-Pierre Bacri
2005	Michael Haneke – Caché	The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada – Guillermo Arriaga
2006	Alejandro González Iñárritu – Babel	Volver – Pedro Almodóvar
2007	Julian Schnabel – The Diving Bell and the Butterfly	The Edge of Heaven – Fatih Akin
2008	Nuri Bilge Ceylan – Three Monkeys	Lorna's Silence – Jean-Pierre, Luc Dardenne
2009	Brillante Mendoza – Butchered	Spring Fever – Mei Feng
2010	Mathieu Amalric – On Tour	Poetry – Lee Chang-dong
2011	Nicolas Winding Refn – Drive	Footnote – Joseph Cedar
2012	Carlos Reygadas – Post Tenebras Lux	Beyond the Hills – Cristian Mungiu, Tatiana Niculescu Bran
2013	Amat Escalante – Heli	A Touch of Sin – Jia Zhangke
2014	Bennett Miller – Foxcatcher	Leviathan – Andrey Zvyagintsev, Oleg Negin
2015	Hou Hsiao-hsien – The Assassin	Chronic – Michel Franco
2016	Olivier Assayas – Personal Shopper 🪢 Cristian Mungiu – Graduation	🪙The Salesman🪙 – Asghar Farhadi
2017	Sofia Coppola – The Beguiled	The Killing of a Sacred Deer – Yorgos Lanthimos, Efthymis Filippou 🪢 You Were Never Really Here – Lynne Ramsay
2018	Paweł Pawlikowski – Cold War	3 Faces – Jafar Panahi, Nader Saeivar 🪢 Happy as Lazzaro – Alice Rohrwacher
2019	Jean-Pierre 🪢 Luc Dardenne – Young Ahmed	Portrait of a Lady on Fire – Céline Sciamma
2021	Leos Carax – Annette	🪙Drive My Car🪙 – Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Takamasa Oe
2022	Park Chan-wook – Decision to Leave	Boy from Heaven – Tarik Saleh
2023	Tran Anh Hung – The Pot-au-Feu	Monster – Yuji Sakamoto

• Bold means the film received at least 1 Oscar nomination (47)
• Bold and italic means the film was only nominated in the Best International Feature category (17)
• Coin means the film won Best International Feature (7)
• Trophy means the film won Best Picture (1)

Year	Palme d'Or	Grand Prix	Jury Prize
1975	Chronicle of the Years of Fire	The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser
1976	Taxi Driver	Cría Cuervos 🪢 The Marquise of O
1977	Padre Padrone
1978	The Tree of Wooden Clogs	Bye Bye Monkey 🪢 The Shout
1979	Apocalypse Now 🪢 🪙The Tin Drum🪙	Siberiade
1980	All That Jazz 🪢 Kagemusha	My American Uncle	The Constant Factor
1981	Man of Iron	Light Years Away
1982	Missing 🪢 Yol	The Night of the Shooting Stars
1983	The Ballad of Narayama	Monty Python's The Meaning of Life	Kharij
1984	Paris, Texas	Diary for My Children
1985	When Father Was Away on Business	Birdy	Colonel Redl
1986	The Mission	The Sacrifice	Thérèse
1987	Under the Sun of Satan	Repentance	Shinran: Path to Purity 🪢 Yeelen
1988	Pelle the Conqueror	A World Apart	A Short Film About Killing
1989	Sex, Lies, and Videotape	🪙Cinema Paradiso🪙 🪢 Too Beautiful for You	Jesus of Montreal
1990	Wild at Heart	The Sting of Death 🪢 Tilaï	Hidden Agenda
1991	Barton Fink	La Belle Noiseuse	Europa 🪢 Out of Life
1992	The Best Intentions	The Stolen Children	Dream of Light 🪢 An Independent Life
1993	Farewell My Concubine 🪢 The Piano	Faraway, So Close!	The Puppetmaster 🪢 Raining Stones
1994	Pulp Fiction	🪙Burnt by the Sun🪙 🪢 To Live	La Reine Margot
1995	Underground	Ulysses' Gaze	Don't Forget You're Going to Die 🪢 Carrington
1996	Secrets & Lies	Breaking the Waves	Crash
1997	The Eel 🪢 Taste of Cherry	The Sweet Hereafter	Western
1998	Eternity and a Day	🪙Life Is Beautiful🪙	Class Trip
1999	Rosetta	Humanité	The Letter
2000	Dancer in the Dark	Devils on the Doorstep	Blackboards 🪢 Songs from the Second Floor
2001	The Son's Room	The Piano Teacher
2002	The Pianist	The Man Without a Past	Divine Intervention
2003	Elephant	Distant	At Five in the Afternoon
2004	Fahrenheit 9/11	Oldboy	The Ladykillers 🪢 Tropical Malady
2005	L'Enfant	Broken Flowers	Shanghai Dreams
2006	The Wind That Shakes the Barley	Flanders	Red Road
2007	4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days	The Mourning Forest	Persepolis 🪢 Silent Light
2008	The Class	Gomorrah	Il divo
2009	The White Ribbon	A Prophet	Fish Tank 🪢 Thirst
2010	Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives	Of Gods and Men	A Screaming Man
2011	The Tree of Life	The Kid with a Bike 🪢 Once Upon a Time in Anatolia	Polisse
2012	🪙Amour🪙	Reality	The Angels' Share
2013	Blue Is the Warmest Colour	Inside Llewyn Davis	Like Father, Like Son
2014	Winter Sleep	The Wonders	Goodbye to Language 🪢 Mommy
2015	Dheepan	🪙Son of Saul🪙	The Lobster
2016	I, Daniel Blake	It's Only the End of the World	American Honey
2017	The Square	BPM (Beats per Minute)	Loveless
2018	Shoplifters	BlacKkKlansman	Capernaum
2019	🪙🏆Parasite🏆🪙	Atlantics	Bacurau 🪢 Les Misérables
2021	Titane	Compartment No. 6 🪢 A Hero	Ahed's Knee 🪢 Memoria
2022	Triangle of Sadness	Stars at Noon 🪢 Close	The Eight Mountains 🪢 EO
2023	Anatomy of a Fall	The Zone of Interest	Fallen Leaves

• Bold means the actor received an Oscar nomination (23)
• Bold and italic means the actor was nominated in a non-acting category (1)
• Trophy means the actor won the Oscar (6)

Year	Best Actor	Best Actress
1975	Vittorio Gassman – Scent of a Woman	Valérie Perrine – Lenny
1976	José Luis Gómez – Pascual Duarte	Dominique Sanda – The Inheritance 🪢 Mari Törőcsik – Mrs. Dery Where Are You?
1977	Fernando Rey – Elisa, My Life	Shelley Duvall – 3 Women 🪢 Monique Mercure – J.A. Martin Photographer
1978	🏆Jon Voight – Coming Home🏆	Jill Clayburgh – An Unmarried Woman 🪢 Isabelle Huppert – Violette Nozière
1979	Jack Lemmon – The China Syndrome 🪢 Stefano Madia – Dear Father	🏆Sally Field – Norma Rae🏆 🪢 Eva Mattes – Woyzeck
1980	Michel Piccoli – A Leap in the Dark 🪢 Jack Thompson – Breaker Morant	Anouk Aimée – A Leap in the Dark 🪢 Milena Dravić – Special Treatment 🪢 Carla Gravina – La terrazza
1981	Ugo Tognazzi – Tragedy of a Ridiculous Man 🪢 Ian Holm – Chariots of Fire	Isabelle Adjani – Possession 🪢 Qaurtet 🪢 Elena Solovey – Faktas
1982	Jack Lemmon – Missing	Jadwiga Jankowska-Cieślak – Another Way
1983	Gian Maria Volonté – The Death of Mario Ricci	Hanna Schygulla – The Story of Piera
1984	Alfredo Landa 🪢 Francisco Rabal – The Holy Innocents	Helen Mirren – Cal
1985	🏆William Hurt – Kiss of the Spider Woman🏆	Norma Aleandro – The Official Story 🪢 Cher – Mask
1986	Michel Blanc – Ménage 🪢 Bob Hoskins – Mona Lisa	Barbara Sukowa – Rosa Luxemburg
1987	Marcello Mastroianni – Dark Eyes	Barbara Hershey – Shy People
1988	Forest Whitaker – Bird	Barbara Hershey 🪢 Jodhi May 🪢 Linda Mvusi – A World Apart
1989	James Spader – Sex, Lies, and Videotape	Meryl Streep – A Cry in the Dark
1990	Gérard Depardieu – Cyrano de Bergerac	Krystyna Janda – Interrogation
1991	John Turturro – Barton Fink 🪢 Samuel L. Jackson – Jungle Fever	Irène Jacob – The Double Life of Veronique
1992	Tim Robbins – The Player	Pernilla August – The Best Intentions
1993	David Thewlis – Naked	🏆Holly Hunter – The Piano🏆
1994	Ge You – To Live	Virna Lisi – La Reine Margot
1995	Jonathan Pryce – Carrington	Helen Mirren – The Madness of King George
1996	Daniel Auteuil 🪢 Pascal Duquenne – The Eighth Day	Brenda Blethyn – Secrets & Lies
1997	Sean Penn – She's So Lovely	Kathy Burke – Nil by Mouth
1998	Peter Mullan – My Name Is Joe	Élodie Bouchez 🪢 Natacha Régnier – The Dreamlife of Angels
1999	Emmanuel Schotté – Humanité	Séverine Caneele – Humanité 🪢 Émilie Dequenne – Rosetta
2000	Tony Leung Chiu-wai – In the Mood for Love	Björk – Dancer in the Dark
2001	Benoît Magimel – The Piano Teacher	Isabelle Huppert – The Piano Teacher
2002	Olivier Gourmet – The Son	Kati Outinen – The Man Without a Past
2003	Muzaffer Özdemir 🪢 Mehmet Emin Toprak – Distant	Marie-Josée Croze – The Barbarian Invasions
2004	Yūya Yagira – Nobody Knows	Maggie Cheung – Clean
2005	Tommy Lee Jones – The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada	Hanna Laslo – Free Zone
2006	Roschdy Zem 🪢 Bernard Blancan 🪢 Jamel Debbouze 🪢 Samy Naceri 🪢 Sami Bouajila – Days of Glory	Carmen Maura 🪢 Lola Dueñas 🪢 Blanca Portillo 🪢 Yohana Cobo 🪢 Chus Lampreave 🪢 Penélope Cruz – Volver
2007	Konstantin Lavronenko – The Banishment	Jeon Do-yeon – Secret Sunshine
2008	Benicio del Toro – Che	Sandra Corveloni – Linha de Passe
2009	🏆Christoph Waltz – Inglourious Basterds🏆	Charlotte Gainsbourg – Antichrist
2010	Javier Bardem – Biutiful 🪢 Elio Germano – Our Life	Juliette Binoche – Certified Copy
2011	🏆Jean Dujardin – The Artist🏆	Kirsten Dunst – Melancholia
2012	Mads Mikkelsen – The Hunt	Cristina Flutur 🪢 Cosmina Stratan – Beyond the Hills
2013	Bruce Dern – Nebraska	Bérénice Bejo – The Past
2014	Timothy Spall – Mr. Turner	Julianne Moore – Maps to the Stars
2015	Vincent Lindon – The Measure of a Man	Emmanuelle Bercot – Mon Roi 🪢 Rooney Mara – Carol
2016	Shahab Hosseini – The Salesman	Jaclyn Jose – Ma' Rosa
2017	Joaquin Phoenix – You Were Never Really Here	Diane Kruger – In the Fade
2018	Marcello Fonte – Dogman	Samal Yeslyamova – Ayka
2019	Antonio Banderas – Pain and Glory	Emily Beecham – Little Joe
2021	Caleb Landry Jones – Nitram	Renate Reinsve – The Worst Person in the World
2022	Song Kang-ho – Broker	Zar Amir Ebrahimi – Holy Spider
2023	Kōji Yakusho – Perfect Days	Merve Dizdar – About Dry Grasses

• Bold means the film received at least 1 Oscar nomination in a corresponding category (9)
• Bold and italic means only the film was nominated, but the awarded filmmaker wasn't (8)

Year	Best Director	Best Screenplay
1975	Michel Brault – Orders 🪢 Costa-Gavras – Special Section
1976	Ettore Scola – Down and Dirty
1977
1978	Nagisa Ōshima – Empire of Passion
1979	Terrence Malick – Days of Heaven
1980		La Terrazza – Furio Scarpelli, Agenore Incrocci, Ettore Scola
1981		🪙Mephisto🪙 – István Szabó
1982	Werner Herzog – Fitzcarraldo	Moonlighting – Jerzy Skolimowski
1983	Robert Bresson – L'Argent 🪢 Andrei Tarkovsky – Nostalgia	Voyage to Cythera – Thanassis Valtinos, Theo Angelopoulos, Tonino Guerra
1984	Bertrand Tavernier – A Sunday in the Country
1985	André Téchiné – Rendez-vous
1986	Martin Scorsese – After Hours
1987	Wim Wenders – Wings of Desire
1988	Fernando Solanas – Sur
1989	Emir Kusturica – Time of the Gypsies
1990	Pavel Lungin – Taxi Blues
1991	Joel Coen – Barton Fink
1992	Robert Altman – The Player
1993	Mike Leigh – Naked
1994	Nanni Moretti – Dear Diary	Dead Tired – Michel Blanc
1995	Mathieu Kassovitz – La Haine
1996	Joel Coen – Fargo	A Self Made Hero – Jacques Audiard, Alain Le Henry
1997	Wong Kar-wai – Happy Together	The Ice Storm – James Schamus
1998	John Boorman – The General	Henry Fool – Hal Hartley
1999	Pedro Almodóvar – All About My Mother	Moloch – Yuri Arabov
2000	Edward Yang – Yi Yi	Nurse Betty – James Flamberg, John C. Richards
2001	Joel Coen – The Man Who Wasn't There 🪢 David Lynch – Mulholland Drive	No Man's Land – Danis Tanović
2002	Paul Thomas Anderson – Punch-Drunk Love 🪢 Im Kwon-taek – Painted Fire	Sweet Sixteen – Paul Laverty
2003	Gus Van Sant – Elephant	🪙The Barbarian Invasions🪙 – Denys Arcand
2004	Tony Gatlif – Exils	Look at Me – Agnès Jaoui, Jean-Pierre Bacri
2005	Michael Haneke – Caché	The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada – Guillermo Arriaga
2006	Alejandro González Iñárritu – Babel	Volver – Pedro Almodóvar
2007	Julian Schnabel – The Diving Bell and the Butterfly	The Edge of Heaven – Fatih Akin
2008	Nuri Bilge Ceylan – Three Monkeys	Lorna's Silence – Jean-Pierre, Luc Dardenne
2009	Brillante Mendoza – Butchered	Spring Fever – Mei Feng
2010	Mathieu Amalric – On Tour	Poetry – Lee Chang-dong
2011	Nicolas Winding Refn – Drive	Footnote – Joseph Cedar
2012	Carlos Reygadas – Post Tenebras Lux	Beyond the Hills – Cristian Mungiu, Tatiana Niculescu Bran
2013	Amat Escalante – Heli	A Touch of Sin – Jia Zhangke
2014	Bennett Miller – Foxcatcher	Leviathan – Andrey Zvyagintsev, Oleg Negin
2015	Hou Hsiao-hsien – The Assassin	Chronic – Michel Franco
2016	Olivier Assayas – Personal Shopper 🪢 Cristian Mungiu – Graduation	🪙The Salesman🪙 – Asghar Farhadi
2017	Sofia Coppola – The Beguiled	The Killing of a Sacred Deer – Yorgos Lanthimos, Efthymis Filippou 🪢 You Were Never Really Here – Lynne Ramsay
2018	Paweł Pawlikowski – Cold War	3 Faces – Jafar Panahi, Nader Saeivar 🪢 Happy as Lazzaro – Alice Rohrwacher
2019	Jean-Pierre 🪢 Luc Dardenne – Young Ahmed	Portrait of a Lady on Fire – Céline Sciamma
2021	Leos Carax – Annette	🪙Drive My Car🪙 – Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Takamasa Oe
2022	Park Chan-wook – Decision to Leave	Boy from Heaven – Tarik Saleh
2023	Tran Anh Hung – The Pot-au-Feu	Monster – Yuji Sakamoto

Looking to get a pretty significant remodel (~nearly the entire inside of a 1700sqft home) quoted (have an architect, but need a GC) and know the best way to find someone good is referral. Anyone have experience with folks around the valley?

It just cuts to Davina waiting outside the office with a suitcase checking her phone

The people of Aluwa, called the ani’Aluwa in the gla’Aluwa language, first appear in the archeological record in subtle signs. New tools appear, improvements on old methods of fishing and farming. Images of uncertain meaning but familiar feeling are carved into and painted onto the walls of caves. Goods from distant lands are found, indicating the birth of an extensive trade network. In Aluwa oral tradition, this was a time of legend, when monsters swam through flooded forests, stars danced in the sky and changed their patterns, and men intermarried with spirits to birth mighty heroes. Scientifically speaking, the emergence of the ani’Aluwa onto the world stage seems to have been somewhat less dramatic – an intermingling of the peoples of the coast and the peoples of the river, who shared their knowledge and their resources and thus created a new society, able to outcompete their less stable or prosperous neighbors.
Geography
Aluwa is positioned near the center of Horea, with the colder forests of Tritonea to the north, the dry steppes of Xanthea to the west, and the warmer jungles of Gorgonea to the south and east. This central location is mirrored in its people, made up of shared Gorgonean, Tritonean, and Xanthean ancestry. The Aluwa heartland lies on the north coast of the Gorgonean inland sea that the ani’Aluwa call Iteha, with their greatest population density lying along the banks of the Plombalo River. The climate is warm, with hot summers, mild winters, and distinct springs and autumns. Most of the land is covered in oak forests, with mesquite, hickory, sycamore, elm, and cedar trees also common. Toward the west, the tree cover begins to peter out into open prairie.
Food
The ani’Aluwa of this time, as throughout history, got most of their sustenance through a combination of fishing and agriculture, although they also continued more ancient practices of hunting and gathering. Traditionally, agriculture was handled by women, while men went out to hunt, gather, and fish. Agriculture was primarily focused on the intercropped three sisters of corn, beans, and squash, but peppers, sweet potatoes, cassava, and even turkeys had been brought in by trade with more southerly Gorgonean peoples. Their farms lay along the Plombalo and other, smaller rivers that water Aluwa, or further afield raised up among basic irrigation canals. The Aluwa women worked with mattocks and sickles, along with the new invention of hoes. Many of these tools, especially the hoes, had their cutting edges made of sharp clam or whelk shells, a sign of the interdependence of the riverine and coastal Aluwa communities. Others were made of flint, which is common in the area. Only a very few tools of any sort were made of copper or bronze. Although the ani’Aluwa had learned the techniques of bronze smelting in domed and pit ovens from their Gorgonean trade partners, as well as how to anneal and cold-work bronze into desired shapes, they had no significant ore deposits of copper, tin, or any other useful metal and so had to trade for any metal tools.
While the women stayed in the village growing their crops and raising their turkeys, the men journeyed out to gather food from the wild. The main animal hunted was the white-tailed deer, which provided not only meat but hides. On a smaller scale, rabbits, quail, ducks, geese, and doves were also hunted. Their usual weapon used in hunts was the atlatl, throwing spears with the same flint and seashell points as their farming implements. The men would also gather wild nuts and fruits – pecans, acorns, chestnuts, walnuts, strawberries, elderberries, pawpaws, and persimmons. One of Aluwa’s more notable innovations was their use of grafting to increase the productivity of nut- and fruit-bearing trees. Even more notable was their knowledge of herbalism. Specially trained wise men, taught the secrets of herblore, would search out medicinal plants to heal the sick and, in the case of the psychotropic mountain laurel, to commune with the spirits.
In every village, whether on a river or the coast, fishing was a fundamental source of sustenance. Inland, men would use a combination of drop nets and sunken basket traps to fish up bass, catfish, sunfish, gar, and walleye, as well as crawfish. On the coast, they would use similar techniques to catch trout, redfish, and flounders, along with shrimp, snails, crabs, and lobsters. Clams and oysters would be gathered simply by digging in the sand of the beaches. The biggest fish swam in deeper waters, though, and the ani’Aluwa would have to get on their plank boats and set out to sea. There they would use specially designed harpoons to spear snappers, groupers, and tuna.
Once it had been gathered, the food would be prepared in ways reminiscent of later Aluwa recipes. Using the readily available lime, corn would be nixtamalized into hominy. Both meats and vegetables would be smoke cured to improve both taste and imperishability. Some of the earliest Aluwa dishes consisted of combinations of different kinds of fish smoked with different kinds of wood, each providing a unique flavor.
Lifestyle
Due to the warm climate of Aluwa, and the protective forest canopy that shielded its inhabitants from the sun, the ani’Aluwa tended not to need much clothing. The only covering decency required, and the only thing most people wore, was a short skirt for men or a loincloth for women. These would be woven out of fibers from the fronds of palms that grew along the coast. In the winter, people would cover themselves with warmer deerskin pants and shirts – winters were mild and snow was rare, but it still did get cold enough to be uncomfortable in nothing but a loincloth.
The early ani’Aluwa were great workers of wood, chopping down trees with simple adzes and using their basic carpentry knowledge to craft wigwam-like houses out of flexible young saplings covered in bark. Their villages consisted of many such houses, surrounded by farmland cleared out of the forest. The villages were thought of as a feminine space, governed by matrilineal elders, while the wilderness was a masculine space, inhabited only by wandering hunter-gatherers. Traditionally, when a boy reached maturity, he would leave his home village behind, joining a new village where he would find a wife to marry (intratribal marriages being taboo).
Little is known about early Aluwa spirituality. Followers of Ahiye will declare that it is the oldest religion in the world, worshipped by the first humans, but there is little archeological evidence for much of the religion’s practices at this time. Some facets of Ahiye are definitely present, however. Religious objects, including those of distinctly female figures, have been found on hills and manmade mounds of dirt or stone, indicating belief in some sort of female sky deity. Similarly, carvings and objects with masculine characteristics are found in caves, suggesting a mirrored male earth deity. In places without natural caves, the ani’Aluwa would build artificial “caves” out of limestone blocks, often brought in from miles away – an example of their knowledge of basic masonry, even if they preferred wood in their other constructions. However, it seems that at the time the reverence of local spirits was more important to the ani’Aluwa, with many small shrines devoted to trees and landmarks being scattered across the land.
Many of the mystical symbols found in ancient Aluwa sacred places mirror the patterns of the constellations. Some of the earliest myths of the ani’Aluwa were linked to these constellations they drew. These symbols have also been found on early plank boats, indicating that the ani’Aluwa were not just looking to the sky for spiritual guidance, but for physical guidance as they sailed the sea of Iteha. This celestial navigation technique allowed Aluwa ships to venture out of sight of shore, certain of their position, enabling them to travel long distances in search of fish or trade partners.
A Note on gla’Aluwa Pronunciation
In the gla’Aluwa language, stress always lands on the third-to-last syllable, unless the word is less than three syllables long (in which case stress is on the first syllable) or an accent mark is present (in which case stress is on the accented syllable). Most root words are three syllables long, with prefixes being added to modify them. The vowels are pronounced as in Spanish; the consonants are mostly the same as in the IPA with a handful of exceptions: y is pronounced as in English, dh represents the soft th sound as in ‘the’, and ‘ is used for a glottal stop. The sound of ng is as in English, but doesn’t have a hard g at the end – it’s pronounced like in ‘hanger’, not ‘anger’. If the sound in ‘anger’ is needed, the next syllable will start with a g, as in the gla’Alawa word ‘Bonggabo’ (meaning ‘rabbit’). gla’Aluwa speakers consider bl, pl, gl, and kl to be single letters, but they are still pronounced like the two letters in their Latin alphabet digraph.
Starting Technologies:
Key Tech: Celestial Navigation
Major Techs: Drop Nets, Herbalism
Minor Techs: Hoes, Grafting, Fishing Trap: Sunken Basket Trap, Harpoons, Smoke Curing

This is part 12 of an ongoing project conceptualizing movesets for characters in a Genshin Impact tag fighter! This part will cover 4 female characters: Nilou, Kujou Sara, Dori, and Noelle. Check out the following posts for more on the project: Game Mechanics, 4 Pyros, 4 Hydros, 4 Cryos, 4 Electros, 4 Geos, 4 Anemos, 4 Dendros, 4 Travelers, 4 Swords, 4 more Pyros, 4 Bosses.

Nilou

Nilou would be an all-rounder with a unique playstyle when paired with a Hydro teammate. Normal moves: Slashes and thrusts wielding Key of Khaj-Nisut with elegant palm strikes and kicks.

Special Moves

Whirling Steps (Input: 214L)

3-part Rekka. First part is safe. Second part launches. Third part is overhead.

Sword Dance (Input: 236L)

Simple straight water blade medium-speed projectile.

Dance of Samser (Input: 236H)

Invincible DP.

Super Moves

Dance of Abzendegi (Input: 214L+M) (Cost: 1 meter)

A large wave going out on both sides.

Dance of Haftkarsvar (Input: 236L+M) (Cost: 1 meter)

Flurry of Sword Dance projectiles.

Court of Dancing Petals (Input: 214M+H) (Cost: 2 meters) (Only available if teammate is Hydro)

Install: Enhance blooms to launch on hit and guard crush on block.

Kujou Sara

Sara would be a hit-and-run character utilizing unorthodox movement and traps. Normal moves: Bow strikes wielding Hamayumi with military punches and kicks. Unique movement: Forward dash and air dashes replaced with hover dash.

Special Moves

Tengu Shot (Input: 236L) (Air OK) (Hold OK)

Simple straight lightning arrow fast projectile. Hold 8 or 2 after input to angle up or down.

Tengu Stomp (Input: 236M) (Air Only)

Dive kick straight down.

Tengu Stormcall (Input: 236/214H) (Air OK)

Teleport set distance forward or backwards depending on motion. Can cross up. Leaves a feather that explodes when shot with Tengu Shot.

Super Moves

Koukou Sendou (Input: 236L+M) (Air OK) (Cost: 1 meter)

Float up and unleash lightning attack around.

Immovable Will (Input: 236M+H) (Cost: 3 meters)

Cinematic: Inazuman soldiers charge and attack opponent before Sara ends with a bow shot and lightning strike.

Dori

Dori would be a puppet character, allowing for strong pressure. Normal moves: When Jinni is not summoned, Dori wields Sacrificial Greatsword. When Jinni is summoned, Dori wields the lamp while Jinni wields the Sacrificial Greatsword.

Special Moves

Troubleshooter Cannon (Input: 236L) (Air OK)

Dori shoots a lobbing projectile. Hold 6 or 4 after input to aim further or nearer.

Summon/Unsumon Jinni (Input: 214H)

Dori tosses Jinni out. Like Zappa's Sword, Jinni replaces Dori's M and H buttons when summoned. Like Zato's Eddie, Jinni runs on a gauge that depletes when Jinni does special moves and Jinni can be killed.

Watch This! (Input: 236M when summoned)

Jinni spins forward in a multi-hit sword strike.

Shazam! (Input: 236H when summoned)

Jinni performs a rising multi-hit sword uppercut.

Super Moves

Alcazarzaray's Exactitude (Input: 236L+M) (Cost: 1 meter)

A powered up version of Watch This! Recharges Jinni gauge.

Compound Interest (Input: 214L+M) (Cost: 2 meters)

Install: Dori and Jinni both wield Sacrificial Greatsword when summoned. Create a link between Dori and Jinni; opponent is drawn to be between them; and steals meter when they are between.

Noelle

Noelle would be a bruiser character with slow powerful hits and armor. Normal moves: Slashes wielding Favonius Greatsword with shoulder elbow strikes.

Special Moves

Breastplate (Input: 214L) (Hold OK) (Followups)

Enter a stationary stance that auto-parries mid and overheads. Hold to extend stance.

Steady (Input: L during Breastplate or 236L)

A command grab tossing opponent over Noelle shoulder. Hold to switch sides.

Sweep (Input: M during Breastplate or 236M)

2 low sword strikes that knocksdown.

Spotless (Input: H during Breastplate or 236H)

A slow overhead sword slam that ground bounces.

Super Moves

Favonius Bladework (Input: 236L+M) (Air OK) (Cost: 1 meter)

Spinning in a flurry of slashes.

Sweeping Time (Input: 214L+M) (Cost: 2 meters)

Install: Longer range and frame advantage on all sword normals and specials.

Thanks for reading! Feedback is welcome. Tell me other ways you would translate these characters' kits. Suggest which characters I should do next!

Respect Zuko

"Never give up without a fight."

History: Scarred and banished by his father at an early age, Prince Zuko believed it was his destiny to capture the Avatar to restore his honor. After traveling the world under the sage guidance of his Uncle Iroh, he pursued Avatar Aang with dogged devotion. Yet along the way, Zuko discovered a new destiny. He came to consider Aang his closest friend, and became his firebending master. Together, they defeated Fire Lord Ozai and restored balance to the world.
As the new Fire Lord, Zuko oversaw a revolutionary age of restoration and unity throughout the Fire Nation. He returned his mother to her home, spread knowledge of a new firebending form, and helped found the United Republic of Nations. After ceding the throne to his daughter, Zuko spent his retirement as an ambassador of peace throughout the world, continuing to fight for the unity he and Aang worked so hard to build together.
Powers/Skills: Zuko produces and controls fire, wielding it with the Dancing Dagon firebending form. He has been known to employ advanced skills in swordsmanship and infiltration, and later came to rely on his dragon Druk as a companion as they traveled the world.

Source Key: Avatar: The Last Airbender Season # & Episode # = S#E# Lost Adventures = LA Team Avatar Tales = TAT The Promise = TP The Search = TS Smoke & Shadow = S&S North & South = N&S The Legend of Korra Season # & Episode # = LoK S#E# Avatar Legends = AL 

Notes: Sozin's Comet greatly enhances the power of firebending, influencing all feats in S3E20 & S3E21
Scaling: 1. Azula 2. Aang 3. Katara 4. Sokka 5. Combustion Man 6. Toph 7. Zhao 8. Iroh 9. Jet 10. Ghazan 11. Suki & the Kyoshi Warriors 12. Ozai 13. Dai Li 14. June & Nyla 15. Mongke

Strength

Striking

• Kicks Sokka's club out of his hands, then kicks Sokka himself a distance away ^S1E2
• Dodges Sokka's club swing and boomerang, then intercepts Sokka's spear with strikes that break it ^S1E2
• Kicks a table in half while being restrained by guards ^S1E3
• Kicks a large boulder away as an earthbender brings it down ^S1E7
• Snaps chain links with a kick ^S1E7
• Hits a man a distance away where he skids through the dirt ^S2E7
• Breaks a spear with a kick ^S2E7
• Deflects several earthbending attacks with his swords, breaking rocks apart ^S2E7
• Kicks a table across a room ^S2E14
• Kicks a stool in the air and obliterates it with a fiery punch ^S3E2
• Kicks open a locked door ^S3E5
• Kicks a thick wooden table in half ^S3E5
• Kicks a lever to break it apart ^S3E15

Pushing

• Breaks chains binding him to a column, possibly after they were weakened by Roku's fire ^S1E8
• Pushes a man through a door ^S1E8
• Pushes a suitor away from his girlfriend ^S3E5
• Uses one hand to shove a boy across a room and shatter a vase ^S3E5

Lifting/Throwing

• Catches a falling man with one hand and lowers him to safety ^S1E12
• Tosses a man over a wall ^S1E13
• Lifts and pins a guard to a wall with one arm ^S3E2
• Boosts Azula high into the air ^S3E5
• Stops and lifts Aang with one arm ^S3E18
• Catches Azula's ankle and swings her into the ground, then holds her up with one arm ^TS

Durability

Weaponry

• Hit by Sokka's boomerang and upended by Aang whirling past him, but recovers from both ^S1E2
• Knocked out by an arrow that hits his mask and ready to attack as soon as he recovers ^S1E13
• Raises a fire shield just before an explosion that destroys his ship hits him, escaping with a few cuts and bruises ^S1E18
• Hit by Sokka's boomerang on its return and annoyed by it ^LA
• Shrugs off a hit to the head from a flail that previously KO'd two guards and shattered stone ^TP

Bending Attacks - Aang

• Recovers from Aang whipping him around, and then a significant fall from the top of his ship ^S1E2
• Blasted into debris by Aang and gets up fine a short while later ^S1E4
• Recovers from Aang's air blast slamming him into a wall ^S1E15
• Blasted high into the air by Aang's water and recovers after landing ^S1E15
• Gusted into a wall by Aang, but soon recovers ^S1E20
• Shrugs off an airblast from Aang ^S2E20
• Recovers from Aang launching him back with a wave of earth ^S2E20
• Blasted out a building off a second story and gets back up ^S3E18

Bending Attacks - Azula

• Takes a hit from Azula that sends him tumbling over and blurs his vision on recovery ^S2E1
• Azula blasts him through a wooden structure, though he recovers shortly after ^S2E8
• Takes a fall and begins to recover, taking a blast from Azula soon after that sends him through a wall he takes longer to get back up from ^S2E8
• Survives a close range explosion when matching fireblasts with Azula and quickly recovers ^S3E16
• Intercepts Azula's lightning blast, nearly dying after improperly redirecting it, though back up after Katara heals him ^S3E20-21
• Shrugs off an amplified hit from Azula after she crashes through the ceiling to outduel her ^TS
• Slammed into a wall after Azula redirects lightning back at him, though gets up fine after Aang cushions his impact ^S&S

Attacks - Other

• Burned by Ozai in an Agni Kai, giving him his distinctive scar ^S1E12
• Takes several water blasts from Katara ^S1E19
• Lifted on a pillar of snow by Katara and smashed into the ground, knocking him out ^S1E20
• Fights through earthbent rocks hitting him to overcome his opponent ^S2E7
• Bursts through a door amidst a fight with Jet and continues fighting ^S2E14
• Old Zuko duels with Ghazan, though gets downed by a boulder long enough for the Red Lotus to escape ^{LoK S3E4}

Speed

Reactions - Weaponry

• Dodges Sokka's club swing and boomerang, then intercepts Sokka's spear with strikes ^S1E2
• Dodges a sword swung from behind him, continuing to evade the swordsman's blade thereafter ^S1E9
• Kicks away thrown spears ^S1E13
• Swats an arrow out of the air fired from behind him, with reference for distance here ^S2E11
• Catches a swordsman's surprise attack and bumps him across a room ^S3E16
• Ducks under Sokka's boomerang throw ^LA
• Dodges a flail ^TP
• Ducks under a fired bola after Mai warns him ^S&S
• Evades a sword swing ^N&S

Reactions - Bending

• Weaves through boulders from earthbenders and delivers counterattacks ^S1E7
• Exchanges attacks with Aang, with both evading eachother evenly until they clash ^S1E15
• Evades Azula's attacks while throwing blasts at her and Aang ^S2E8
• Blocks and evades Azula's fireblasts while fighting alongside Sokka on an unsteady gondola ^S3E14
• Leaps in front of Katara to intercept several fireblasts^S3E16
• Intercepts Azula's lightning blast, nearly dying after improperly redirecting it, though back up after Katara heals him ^S3E20-21

Other

• Fires off several rapid blasts while training ^S1E13
• Dodges Nyla's tongue before it whips out at him ^S1E15
• Dodges a kimono rhino's tail and outduels Mongke ^S2E11
• Outruns the Dai Li's earthen projectiles ^S2E20
• Pushes Katara out of the way of falling rubble ^S3E16

Agility

• Makes a huge leap off the top of his ship to tackle Aang midair ^S1E2
• Carries Aang atop his back through an arctic tundra, even while outrunning cracking ice ^S1E19-20
• Leaps away while carrying barrels of food ^S2E5
• Does a handstand ^S3E5
• Runs along a wall to bypass a trap ^S3E13
• Makes a large leap to a gondola ^S3E15
• Makes a running long jump across a gap to land on Azula's zeppelin while defending from her blasts ^S3E16
• Springs through obstacles and fires a long distance shot again a zeppelin ^S3E16
• Springs across a collapsing temple to attempt a far leap to a nearby zeppelin, but misses ^S3E16
• Pursues Aang while attacking, leaping onto a house and flipping onto the rooftop ^S3E18

Firebending

Fireblasts - Produces Heat

• Incinerates a banner binding his torso ^S1E2
• Scorches the deck by Zhao's head ^S1E3
• Melts through ice enclosing him, and produces steam while combating Katara ^S1E19
• Melts through ice binding him in the morning when the Sun rises, and overpowers Katara's water shield to knock her out ^S1E19
• Shoots through a bow to sever a bowstring ^S2E11
• Blasts the ground, sending out cinders ^S2E20
• Eventually helps overwhelm Katara's defenses alongside Azula ^S2E20
• Wakes up and reflexively throws a wave of flame that burns Toph from behind her earth shield ^S3E12
• Lights a tree aflame ^S3E18
• Overheats a game with metal rods designed to absorb firebending, breaking it and setting it alight ^LA
• Melts away ice binding Azula's limbs ^TS

Fireblasts - Produces Force Against Material

• Throws repeated fireblasts at Aang that eventually disarms him of his staff and knocks him overboard ^S1E2
• Together with Iroh, releases a fireblast that brings down a large chunk of glacier that buries half their ship ^S1E2
• Rips through wooden beams ^S1E15
• Curves a fireball past Zhao to destroy part of a structure in front of him, then sends out more debris with subsequent blasts ^S1E20
• Blasts back his attacker, and then fires through their stone defense to launch them into a wall where rubble collapses around him ^S2E7
• Possibly blasts a hole in a wall to aid he and Iroh's escape ^S2E20
• Releases a large blast that tears through Aang's crystal defense ^S2E20
• Blasts through stone statues ^S3E18
• Blasts apart several sand sculptures ^S3E18
• Blasts through a roof and explodes apart furniture ^S3E18
• Shatter chain links binding Azula's legs together ^TS

Fireblasts - Produces Force Against People

• Blasts away Kyoshi Warriors surrounding him ^S1E4
• Downs two earthbenders in quick succession ^S1E7
• Exchanges fireblasts with Zhao while dueling him and blasts him away ^S1E20
• Blasts over two of Azula's guards simultaneously ^S2E1
• Blasts Mongke off his mount ^S2E11
• Blasts back Aang, who shielded the blast ^S2E20
• Blasts Azula off a rooftop ^S&S

Fireblasts - Scaling

• Matches blasts with Aang, cratering them both into shingled roofs before they continue fighting shortly after ^S1E15
• Matches fireblasts with Azula, blasting them both a distance away ^S3E16
• Matches comet-enhanced blasts of fire with Azula ^S3E20
• Trades comet-enhanced blasts of fire with Azula ^S3E20
• Matches blasts with Azula ^S&S

Fireblasts w/o Reference

• Throws an arc of flame over villagers' heads to intimidate them ^S1E2
• Throws fire at Aang that, when deflected, threatens nearby villagers ^S1E2
• Throws several fireblasts at Aang, who evades them ^S1E2
• Blasts at Azula, but the Dai Li intercept it with a wall ^S2E20
• Produces flames while practicing with Aang ^S3E13
• Stokes the engine of a hot air balloon, though nothing he does matters once they float into air hotter than the balloon ^S3E14
• Throws a fireball as a distraction to spring from a cell before a guard or Mai can respond ^S3E15
• Practices firebending alongside Aang ^S3E17
• Attempts opening a firebending mechanism alongside Aang ^S&S
• Blasts the ground with fire to hold attackers back ^N&S

Constructs

• Creates flame daggers he wields against Azula ^S2E1
• Creates whips which tear through crystal and stone ^S2E20
• Breaks Katara's watery tentacles, then opposes them with his whips ^S2E20
• Encircles a hallway in flame and expands it out down the hallway ^S3E18
• Threatens a man with a plume of flame and a flame dagger ^TP
• Holds several soldiers at bay with a brief wall of flame ^TP
• Duels Azula with flame daggers ^S&S

Defense
Against Others

• Raises a fire shield just before an explosion that destroys his ship hits him, escaping with a few cuts and bruises ^S1E18
• Blocks two simultaneous fire blasts ^S2E1
• Creates a fire shield that protects from Combustion Man's blast, though it does throw Zuko off a cliffside ^S3E12
• Blocks guards' fireblasts ^S3E15
• Intercept several fireblasts in succession ^S3E16
• Blocks three firebenders' simultaneous blasts, swirling it into a tornado of multicolored flame he dissipates ^S&S

Against Azula

• Blocks Azula's blast with a fire shield, though still thrown back through a wooden structure ^S2E8
• Blocks and evades Azula's fireblasts while fighting alongside Sokka on an unsteady gondola ^S3E14
• Slaps away several of Azula's fireblasts before matching her with one of his own ^S3E16
• Releases swirling plumes of flame, amplifies his leap, and defends from Azula's fireblasts ^S3E20
• Blocks Azula's fireblast and evaporates frozen shuriken petals with a flame shield ^TS
• Blocks a fireblast from Azula ^TS
• Splits Azula's fireblast around him ^TS
• Matches blasts with Azula ^S&S

Control

• Flares candle up into large plumes of flame ^S1E4
• Stokes a campfire into a huge column of flame before it burns out immediately after ^S3E5
• Holds and maintains a flame he carries up a mountain ^S3E13
• Extinguishes flames around his throne with a wave of his hand ^TP
• Extinguishes flames from he and Azula's duel ^TS
• Opens a passageway and lights his way ^S&S
• Offers to adjust a flame he uses to light his path ^S&S
• Extinguishes flames burning a rope bridge, though it still snaps right after ^N&S

Body heat

• Melts snow off of him ^S1E2
• Heats his hands underwater enough to melt through ice ^S1E19
• Warms himself from a swim in freezing water ^S1E19
• Warms himself while locked in a cooler meant to restrict firebending ^S3E14
• His hand hisses as it steams against Azula's armor ^TS

Lightning

• Tries lightningbending, but it just explodes him back, which continues to happen before Iroh explains he will never be able to lightningbend until Zuko resolves his inner turmoil ^S2E9
• Redirects lightning from Ozai, creating an explosion that throws Ozai back ^S3E11
• Trains Aang in redirecting lightning ^S3E18
• Intercepts Azula's lightning blast, nearly dying after improperly redirecting it, though back up after Katara heals him ^S3E20-21
• Redirects Azula's lightning, dissipating it into the air ^TS
• Redirects Azula's lightning back at her, smashing her through furniture ^TS
• Redirects Azula's lightning, though this time she manages to redirect it back ^S&S

Misc.

• Breathes fire and smoke that fills a room ^S1E9
• Amplifies his leap during Sozin's Comet ^S3E20
• Grabs Kuei while on a cliffside and rockets them both up to safety ^N&S

Skills & Equipment

Firebending - General

• Drills in basic firebending against 2 sparring partners under Iroh's tutelage, who emphasizes the importance of breath in firebending ^S1E1
• Lights every lamp in a city square with quick precise shots ^S2E15
• Loses his connection with firebending, limiting his abilities, and believes is powers were formerly fueled by his rage, but regains it after passing the Sun Warriors' trial ^S3E13
• Fights several attackers at once ^S&S
• Old Zuko duels with Ghazan, though gets downed by a boulder long enough for the Red Lotus to escape ^{LoK S3E4}
• Zuko is considered a master of firebending and lightning redirection ^AL

Firebending - Against Zhao

• Exchanges fireblasts with Zhao, nearly getting overwhelmed but outfights him in their duel by breaking Zhao's balance ^S1E3
• Curves a fireball past Zhao to destroy part of a structure in front of him, then sends out more debris with subsequent blasts ^S1E20
• Exchanges fireblasts with Zhao while dueling him and blasts him away ^S1E20
• Overpowers Zhao in their last duel ^S1E20

Firebending - Against Azula

• Struggles to land attacks on Azula in their first duel ^S2E1
• Still struggles against Azula during their next fight which involved several other combatants ^S2E8
• Begins fighting more evenly against Azula while alongside Sokka on an unsteady gondola ^S3E14
• Duels evenly with Azula with no decisive victor ^S3E16
• Duels evenly with Azula during Sozin's Comet throughout their battle which ends when Azula utilizes trickery ^S3E20
• Exchanges attacks with Azula and gets the better of her ^TS
• Azula gets a surprise attack on Zuko who then outduels her ^TS
• In their latest fights they are more evenly matched, though Azula more often gets the upper hand ^S&S

Nonbending Combat

• Incapacitates several firebenders without using firebending himself, using a throwing knife to disable an alarm and a bucket of water to douse one attacker's flame ^S1E13
• Disarms a man and flings him away to steal his swords ^S2E4
• Outfights 3 armed men quickly without needing to draw his swords ^S2E7
• Grappled from behind and quickly throws his attacker off to incapacitate them ^S3E15

Swordsmanship

• Slices apart chains, and then the manacles off Aang's limbs ^S1E13
• Holds off multiple spearmen, slicing apart their spears ^S1E13
• Holds off spearmen surrounding him and attacking from all sides ^S1E13
• Slices apart a wooden pole carrying barrels of food ^S2E5
• Slices through a carriage roof ^S2E5
• Stabs into a tree trunk even while wielded improperly by a child ^S2E7
• Deflects several earthbending attacks with his swords, breaking rocks apart with his swords ^S2E7
• Neatly stacks bowls of food using his swords ^S2E12
• Swordfights with Jet with both fighting evenly before their fight is interrupted ^S2E14
• Trained with Piandao as a kid, and beats Sokka several times in their duels ^LA

Infiltration

• Spies on high-ranking Fire Nation officials without being detected ^S1E13
• Infiltrates a Fire Nation fort discreetly ^S1E13
• Uses his own apparent death as a ruse to stowaway on Zhao's ship and infiltrate Agna Qel'a ^S1E18
• Penetrates a well-guarded city by following animals underwater ^S1E19
• Successfully lays a decoy that allows him to surprise a Dai Li agent from behind ^S2E17

Druk

• Druk flies to the Northern Water Tribe carrying Zuko and Tonraq ^LoKS3E3
• Druk breathes fire that engulfs P'Li and Ming-Hua, though P'Li firebends it ^{LoK S3E4}
• P'Li blasts Druk out of the air, removing him from the fight ^{LoK S3E4}
• Druk scares camels ^LoK3E10
• Zuko has saddlebags strapped to Druk to prepare for their journey ^LoKS3E11
• Druk gets up from a nap and flies out of the way of a landing airship, perching on a wall at the Misty Palms Oasis before flying to Zaofu ^LoK3E11

Timestamp: https://imgur.com/a/zEumchy
Hello Gunaccessoriesforsale!
Letting go of a few items that haven't been getting any use. Let me know if you have questions or offers. All prices include shipping. Paypal F&F only, no notes.

• Haga designs ACR tailhook adapter - $50
  
• B&T GHM9 / GHM45 sliding tailhook adapter & rails - $50
  
• GHW Tailhook Mod1 - like new - $70 each
  
• Sig Sauer AXG Carry aluminum grip module - Dark FDE - brand new, comes with grips & palm swell - $350
  
• Bushnell Fusion-X Rangefinding Binoculars - 10x42 - Full angle and ballistic calculations for rifle caliber and compound bow. Like new, only played with these a couple times. Comes with bag, shoulder strap, box, all docs. MSRP $700 - Asking $550
  
• UTG A2 style stock - comes with all parts (stock, buffer tube, spring, buffer, extension) has rear opening door - $50 SOLD
  
• Desantis pocket holster - MK - great shape - $20
  
• PMR-30 optic mount - Comes with screws, test fit, never fired. Works with Burris Fast Fire, Vortex Venom, and any other red dot optic with that mount pattern. - $15
  
• Kel-Tec PMR30 / CMR30 magazine - like new - $20
  
• Blue Force Gear Admin Pouch - grey - $40
  
• Republic Rifle m81 Patch - $14
  
• Republic Rifle Red Patch - $14
  
• WRMFZY gypsy patch - GITD - $22 SOLD
  
• WRMFZY gypsy patch - pink - $22 SOLD
  
• Braus blades patch - $10
  
• GUNRNR patch - $10
  
• Fear Tomorrow Rolex crown batman patch - $25
  
• TacHuntFish all black arrowhead patch - $10
  
• GWA M81 NY patch - $25
  
• POMG patch - will include for free with other purchase, must request
  

Thanks for looking!

--- Table of Contents ---
Autumn 4983, 20 Shinmoth
Shon stirred awake before the servant came in, but kept his eyes closed, slowly wiggling fingers and toes, waiting for her to gently shake him. He needed to confirm this wasn’t just an extension of the very lifelike dream he'd been having. She used the tips of her fingers to quickly shake him, pulling sharply back when Shon twitched away.
She stepped back and Shon rolled towards her to sit up. He blinked as she brought her finger to her lips. She didn’t usually bother, after two years all the servants knew Shon was more than capable of letting the others sleep for a few more hours. He glanced over his shoulder, towards the reason for her added caution. Only recently moved out of the nursery, the newest boy snuffled restlessly.
Nodding to the maid, Shon moved slowly, though it probably didn’t matter. The dorms kept the eldest near the door, the boys getting younger as the long hall-like room reached towards the window. As the youngest, the new boy had only two empty beds between him and the glass window, while Shon's spot was nearly to the door.
As Shon slipped on his boots, the maid shivered, breathing on her hands and turning away. He narrowed his eyes as she left then looked towards the window beyond the restless boy. Snow was falling beyond the glass. Shon rolled his eyes, reaching for the box below his bed and pulling out his short cloak, just long enough to cover his shoulders and arms. He would be expected to wear something extra now that it was officially snowing. He really didn’t see the point. It wasn’t that cold. But the others always looked at him funny, and the priests would yell about him getting sick. So rather than argue, Shon did as he was told.
The new boy whined in his sleep while Shon finished making his bed, and the oldest curled tighter into his blankets, stopping Shon before he could pass and leave. Glancing over his shoulder, Shon sighed and returned to pull the blanket off his bed. Folding it just enough not to drag on the ground, he tip-toed down the central hall of the dorm before slowly and carefully draping it over the youngest. His whimpers settled shortly after, and Shon shook his head. He would have to remember to grab one of the spare blankets before anyone noticed his was missing.
Leaving the dorm, Shon didn’t try to be as quiet in the halls. Servants scuttled about in their early morning duties, lighting candles and torches, getting everything ready for when the rest of the church began to wake for the day.
The head cook returned Shon’s nod when he entered the kitchen, going back to kneading the morning bread as Shon started his chores. This was the agreement they'd come to when he'd asked that they wake him up early. Every day he would get up hours before the other children and help prep the dining area for breakfast. It was simple work that he finished quickly, but it still freed up an extra servant to work the ovens.
When finished, Shon walked through the kitchens again, waving at the cook to let him know he was done before exiting into the courtyard for the real work of the morning. Soft snow floated lazily down between the naked branches of the central tree, dusting the ground like fine sugar on an expensive sweet roll. Shon hardly noticed the snow, reaching his usual practice area and breathing deep before sinking into his low stance to start his most basic drills.
This time of year, it would be hours before the sun rose, and though there were no lights in the courtyard, he didn’t need to see. Shon closed his eyes as he worked his muscles awake, breathing in the crisp icy air and feeling it invigorate him in a way that rarely happened during the warmer months. He thought of Master Veon-Zih, imagining the Monk standing beside him, matching his punches and kicks, occasionally offering a small lesson during the warmup. ‘Imagine your opponent with each punch. Where are you hitting? Be sure to aim through them, so you don’t stop short with barely a tap…’ His Master wasn’t here, though he was expected to arrive sometime this week. Still, Shon could see the man clearly in his mind’s eye as he worked, sweat beginning to bead on his head and neck.
He moved from the simple drills onto his kata. Working through the fighting forms and taking his teacher’s past advice, picturing his opponent with each strike. He tried not to let his mind wander as his muscles moved almost on their own. Over two years of going through the same motions every day had made them automatic, requiring him to focus harder now than when he'd first begun to stay in the moment.
His birthday was only a few months away, and it would be the last he spent in the church…
No, focus. His sweeping kick landed on an imaginary adversary at just the right spot in the middle of the shin, causing him to fall forward, perfectly in line for Shon’s next punch.
On the Spring Equinox, he would take the test to join the Temple. Everything else beyond depended on that…
FOCUS! Shon let slip a growl of frustration at himself, finishing his kata and starting the same again. He wouldn’t move on until he could maintain his concentration through this one.
Only one season until the rest of his life. Whatever that would be…
The snow was distracting him, it marked the start of winter better than the calendar. Shon stopped his kata, breathing deep and looking into the sky. The stars would be shining beyond the clouds, though they would fade soon as the sun slowly began to rise. He would go to the Temple again today. While the others tried to impress the Weavers Guild in the hopes of getting an apprenticeship with one of the trades after reaching maturity, he would pray. Though if that actually helped, he didn’t know. Was he making the right choice? Should he instead focus on something more practical? Or something he already had skill in? Gaven seemed to think Shon could make it as an artist at a Bard's College…
Shaking his head, Shon resumed his stance, taking an extra moment to breathe deep. In through his nose, then out his pursed lips. He'd been slated for the Temple. Everyone said so. But more than that, something deep in his chest cried out with a need to serve, to fight. Nothing better encapsulated that drive than an Hengist Paladin.
Shon started his kata again.
***
Veon-Zih found Shon in Hengist's chapel. Though the most decorative of the rooms in the Temple, even it was considered utilitarian compared to the worship halls of Soleil and most of the other gods. Stone walls were lined with alternating windows and niches, the latter containing scale statues of Hengist's Chosen. Pews were separated on each side by a simple blue carpet leading from the door and officer's balcony to the altar with its blue and silver tapestry of an upright sword.
With no sermon scheduled the chapel was nearly empty. A young Paladin stood guard at the entrance while a priest dusted statues, and Shon sat alone in a central pew, head bowed. The knight nodded silently to Veon-Zih as he entered and made his way down the main aisle to pay his respects at the altar. The priest rushed forward to grant the Monk a quick blessing before he made his way toward Shon.
Sliding into the boy’s pew, Veon-Zih saw Shon didn’t have his head down in prayer. Instead, his ever-present journal was spread across his knees as he drew. Veon-Zih snuck a peek at the drawing. It was more elaborate than anything Shon usually drew. He had already finished a decorative border, that consisted of each of the knights lining the walls, and was just putting in the fine details of the man in the center, the god himself, Hengist.
“You didn’t want to join the others at the Weavers?” Veon-Zih spoke softly, not quite a whisper, but not loud enough to disturb the chapel's peace.
With his characteristic silence, Shon merely shrugged and nodded to confirm the observation.
“I’m sorry I didn’t make it in time for morning exercises. After a few months away, I’m sure you're eager to continue your lessons?” Veon-Zih had warned Shon that this last journey would keep him away far longer than any of his previous missions. With no new evidence surfacing of possible Warlocks in Clearhelm, he'd run out of excuses to stay away from his Monastery. Whoever these magic users were, and whatever they were doing, they were able to stay hidden for years at a time.
In the meantime, for the first time in nearly forty years, Veon-Zih had spent his time between missions in one place. Training Shon.
Branston had made the observation that Shon seemed to be opening up to Veon-Zih in a way the Cleric hadn’t seen before. Veon-Zih disagreed. The longer he spent with the strangely silent and stoic boy, the more Veon-Zih realized that Shon wasn’t as closed off as Father Branston’s statement implied. Most people just didn’t know how to approach him or translate his silent cues.
In answer to Veon-Zih’s question, Shon looked up from his drawing, meeting the Monk’s eyes and nodding resolutely. Veon-Zih didn’t bother to hide his smile and returned the nod, watching as Shon returned to his drawing. He could appreciate the simplicity of the boy’s communication. It wasn’t so much that he didn’t want to talk at all, just that he didn’t see the point in answering verbally when it wasn’t necessary. All you had to do to get him to talk was ask a question that needed words to answer…
“Why Hengist?”
The light scratching of pencil on paper stopped, the chapel ringing with silence at its absence. “He protects.” Shon’s voice was a soft whisper in the stillness of the worship hall, “Everyone is worth protecting, and it’s the duty of those who can fight to protect those who can’t.” he looked up, focusing on the tapestry and the altar, “I…” he faltered, “I want to be like that, like him.”
“You don’t have to be a Paladin to do that,” Veon-Zih said. He hadn’t tried to convince Shon to abandon his goal and join him. Often, he wanted to, but whenever he thought to try, he would see that look in the boy’s ice-blue eyes. The intensity and… longing, and Veon-Zih’s voice would die in his throat.
Shon didn’t look away from the tapestry, “But…” the chapel doors opened, and Shon turned with Veon-Zih to watch another young boy, no older than Shon, enter with his parents. They were obviously well off, possibly even noble, their clothing the height of fashion and well-made of expensive fabric. The father passed the boy something, and he walked alone down the central aisle. He met Shon’s gaze, the two exchanging a nod as he continued towards the altar, where he made his offering and received a blessing before turning to leave again.
“A friend of yours?” Veon-Zih asked once the doors had closed behind the family.
Shon shook his head, going back to his drawing. Veon-Zih tapped him on the shoulder and arched a questioning eyebrow when Shon looked up. Shon shrugged, “He comes almost every time I’m here, makes a large offering, and leaves.” he sighed and looked toward the altar again, “He wants to be a Paladin, but you can’t buy your way into the order.”
“Hengist accepts all willing and able to serve,” Veon-Zih quoted. Though people often forgot that not just anyone was ‘able’ no matter how willing. “You were going to say something else,” the Monk prompted, “before your friend so rudely interrupted.”
Shon narrowed his eyes, moving his pencil away from the drawing and tapping it absently on the opposite page, “I don’t know.” he finally said, “I’ve tried to describe it, but I can’t find the words…” he starting drawing again but continuing to speak, “I feel like this is what I’m supposed to do. Like there's something inside me that reaches out for it. Whenever I try to imagine myself older, I’m always a Paladin, serving the people and fighting evil. I’ve drawn this picture of myself, and I can’t erase it. It just feels… right.”
He took a moment to finish his drawing, paying close attention to each detail, going back and adding shading and texture so the art seemed to come alive in a way even the statues couldn’t achieve with their added dimension. “Paladins…” Shon muttered, finally setting his pencil down, “They're never alone. Hengist is always with them, even in the darkest times and most dire situations. The gods love us, they made us, but only the Paladins and Clerics ever truly feel it.”
Veon-Zih felt guilty. He'd taken many missions from both the Temple and Church, so he spent as much time out of the city as in it. The boy never seemed to begrudge him, appearing to enjoy the stories and lessons Veon-Zih would bring back. Shon often spent time alone, but the Monk had thought it was of his own choosing, preferring to read or draw than play with the others of his age. Had he actually been lonely all this time?
“You would hardly be alone at the Monastery. It's fairly bursting with Monks who share your passions and interests in the art-” but Shon was shaking his head, slowly working the finished page out of his journal.
“It’s not the same. People… people are annoying. They always want to talk while you’re busy. They get upset when you don’t answer right away or with what they want to hear. Even some of the gods would want me to change, to better fit what they teach, just like people. But Hengist… I already believe what he teaches. It just fits.” Shon ran his fingers over the drawing and that small smile Veon-Zih loved so much colored his features, “Discipline, service, honor. He wouldn’t be uncomfortable. If I could reach out and touch him, he wouldn’t pull away…” his smile faded, and Shon shook his head as if to dismiss that particular thought.
“Hey,” Veon-Zih reached over, patting Shon’s hand. The boy’s skin was cold, not unusual considering the weather but made strange in the heated chapel. But he didn’t pull away, “Why don’t we learn something fun and impressive today?”
Shon looked up sharply, his eyes wide and eager, then, with some concentration, he arched a black eyebrow. The Monk had to stifle a chuckle, saying, “It’s rather inefficient to have to climb back to your feet if you fall down, and downright deadly in battle, but there's a nifty little technique you can use to jump from your back to your feet in an instant!” he stood as he spoke and Shon jumped up after him, still a child despite the earlier seriousness.
Exiting the pew, Veon-Zih bowed respectfully to the altar while Shon shuffled past, walking to the altar and laying down his drawing reverently as an offering. One might not be able to buy themselves into the order, but it didn't hurt to try.
***
“I think I hate the gods…” She sat on the floor with Her back against the locked door of Her room. A book rested on Her bent knees, and She stroked Her hair over Her shoulder. It was finally the length She liked, meaning they were probably going to cut it today…
“Careful saying such things Red,” Ran spoke from the other side of the door, “they might decide to smite you.”
She scoffed, tossing the hair back over Her shoulder and leaning forward as the lock clicked, “What are they going to do? Make this somehow even more boring?” She pushed against the door as Ran tried to open it, snickering as he struggled to push Her weight. “Inryuu won’t take me because I’m too good, and Yoryuu won’t have me because I’m too bad.”
“Red…” Ran said disapprovingly.
“I guess she doesn’t want to see the puppies after all…” Brom’s voice. She could practically feel his shrug, and She scrambled forward on Her hands and knees, letting the book, ‘Gods of Dragons and Men,’ tumble open to the floor.
She jumped to Her feet with an extra hop and spin toward the open door, causing Her dress to swirl around Her knees, “She had them? How many?” She bounced on the balls of Her feet, clutching Her curled fingers to Her lips in barely contained exuberance.
Ran chuckled, holding the door open while Brom made a sweeping gesture towards the hall, “After you, Firewyrm.” With that, She ran past them both and down the only hall. She managed to slow somewhat before passing the first open door, its tables filled with bottles of glowing liquid and colorful stones. The Archmage looked up from his massive tome to watch Her pass. She waved at him, giggling as Brom and Ran stuttered their apologies in a rush to keep up with Her.
The next few doors were closed, but from the last came the shuffling of many pawed feet and the quiet mews and yips of Her treasures. She smiled at each of them as she entered, but was pulled inevitably towards the only open cage and the other Archmage blocking Her view of it. She squeezed past Archmage Shaloon and gasped at the golden wolf with her five shimmering puppies, crowded around her belly, fighting each other for prime spots and suckling eagerly.
“Oh,” She cooed. Dropping to Her knees, She stroked the mother’s head, “You did such a good job. They're so cute.”
“Hmm,” Shaloon pursed her lips, muttering, “We will see.” then louder, “Where are Ran and Brom?”
“Here, Archmage…” Ran puffed as he rounded into the room.
“The Firewyrm is not to be left alone,” she snapped at them while the Firewyrm in question scratched the golden wolf’s chin.
“They were right behind me,” She said absently, sitting back on Her heels and cupping Her hands before Her. In Her palms, She summoned a little fire and spoke to the wolf, “I made something for you to chase when you feel better…” She focused on the fire, shaping its heart with Her will...
Archmage Shaloon took Her by the wrist, breaking Her focus as she pulled the girl to Her feet, “Not now, Firewyrm, we are short on samples. You two,” she let go of the girl's hot skin and turned back to Brom and Ran who stiffened, “Blood and saliva.”
“And hair?” Ran asked, taking the girl gingerly by the shoulders.
Shaloon waved a dismissive hand as he led the Firewyrm away from the wolf and her new puppies towards another door, “We have enough for now.”
The Firewyrm did a little happy dance. No hair and no scales! It was indeed a good day. Though even that good news couldn’t bring too much spring into Her step as Brom opened the door, and Ran ushered Her into the lab usually used for taking samples from Her treasures. It was even smaller than Her room, holding only a tall cabinet, a wooden stand with jars, tubes, and vials, and a steel table with heavy leather straps dangling from the sides.
Dutifully She moved to the table and clamored on. Laying down and staring at the stones of the ceiling, She tried not to listen too carefully to the clanking of glass and creaking of wood as Brom and Ran busied themselves getting ready. At least they weren’t going to cut Her hair.
They didn’t strap Her down. They hadn’t needed to for many years. Brom approached Her left side, lifting Her limp arm and examining the fold of Her elbow with a hum, “Still bruised, better use the right side this time Ran.”
She closed Her eyes, listening to the soft rustle of Ran’s robes as he rounded the table to lift Her right arm. The cold cleaning agent made Her twitch, and She focused on trying not to flinch as the long needle entered Her vein, trying to breathe through the discomfort as a pulling sensation accompanied the taking of Her blood sample.
“Open up, Goldy,” Brom stood at Her head, and She obeyed, taking a large swab in Her mouth and soaking it with spit before he pulled it out and replaced it with another. She didn’t bother to count them or try to keep track of the time. It always seemed to go so much slower whenever She did. Instead, She thought about Her newest treasures.
Ever since She'd first been allowed to help care for the other subjects of the tower, She'd claimed them as Her own. They were a strange and beautiful lot, predatory animals with metallic fur or gem-colored scales. This generation was still healthy, but She knew they would grow sickly the older they got, their bodies unable to handle their own power. She couldn’t do anything about it, so She focused on keeping them as healthy and happy as She could for the time She had them. Until the next generation was bred.
The newest puppies were a variety of red scales or gold fur, just like Her. Maybe they would survive longer. After all, She was perfectly healthy…
She grew drowsy, Her hand going numb as Ran continued to take his samples. Her mouth was dry enough to feel as though it were still stuffed with cotton even after Brom had stopped giving Her swabs to soak. “I want to play with them… before… I go back…” She gasped out, opening Her eyes to see Brom shake his head at Her.
“For a little while, maybe…” he answered. She smiled. It was the best She was going to get. They were always too busy to let Her out for long on sample days. Tomorrow, perhaps the day after, She would be given more time...
She jerked awake as Ran slid the needle from Her arm, “All done, Red. Don’t sit up too fast.” She didn’t sit up at all, rolling off of the table and climbing to Her feet, eager to get back to Her treasures before being forced to Her room. She felt a bit woozy and hadn’t intended to fall asleep but tried not to show it as Brom opened the door for Her to sprint out.
Archmage Morndancer had joined Archmage Shaloon. They stood together outside the wolf’s stall, “Useless…” Morndancer muttered, holding a puppy with glints of gold fur beneath each of its red scales.
“Perhaps it will better show the relationship between-” Shaloon started only to be interrupted by the puppy squealing and wiggling in Morndancer's suddenly tight fist.
“We’ve seen it a hundred times before,” he snapped at his colleague, “It will grow, but it can not breed. Can not evolve or further our efforts.” They hadn’t noticed the Firewyrm. She slowed, eyes fixed on the struggling captive pup. “Useless…” Morndancer said again, then threw the puppy at the far wall.
Its yip was silenced by a sickening crunch and wet plop as it bounced off the wall and landed unmoving on the floor.
The Firewyrm screamed.
She was still dizzy, but She lunged for Morndancer anyway. He disappeared beneath her clawing fingers, reappearing further away. Her neck itched, and Fire flickered at the hem of his robes, spreading to the pile of straw used to pad the cages.
“Red, don’t…” someone grabbed Her shoulders but let go immediately, cursing in pain at the heat causing Her hair to undulate in the shifting waves.
“Firewyrm, calm down,” Shaloon ordered, stepping between Her and Morndancer, who was trying to pat the spreading fire out of his robes. Her heart pounded in Her ears. crimson bleeding into Her vision, narrowing Her focus on the man who had so callously killed one of Her treasures. Her arm tingled and Her neck itched. Her vision wavered, She was too dizzy, too drained.
Fingers snapped, and She couldn’t breathe. She clawed at the tightening collar around Her neck, Her fires going out in a blink as She fought for air that wouldn’t come. The voices around Her seemed to come from far away, their words barely registering, “If she has enough energy for this, then obviously we have been skimping on samples.” She couldn’t see, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t even cry out as the collar continued to squeeze, “Take her back, we can never have enough blood. And cut that damn hair…”
***
Her head hurt. She squeezed Her eyes shut tighter, but that only made the pounding worse. Struggling to move Her fingers, She eventually managed to lift Her hand only to flinch as the move put pressure on Her sore elbow, Her left side. They had drained Her on both sides the second time then. She moved past the pain and brought Her hand up to pat Her head. Her hair was shorn short, right up against the scalp.
Letting slip a groan, She rolled over and flinched violently as the shift put pressure on Her left upper arm. They had taken a large patch of red scales as well, ripping them free by the root. She finally managed to squint Her eyes open to find She was back in Her room. The only light the shine of the moon reflecting off the snow through Her window. She looked at Her candles, but they wouldn’t light, and Her head pounded harder.
Curling into a tight ball, She tried to scan the rest of Her room, but it was empty. The books and comfortable chair, gone. Squeezing Her eyes shut again, She cried silently, the pitiful yip of Her lost treasure ringing in Her ears. “I hate the gods…”
--- Table of Contents ---
All comments and communication are welcome and wanted!

It took me a while to finish it but I finally managed to do it.
Part 1:
https://www.reddit.com/WanderingInn/comments/13d86qs/deadly_hues_fanfiction_contest/
Part 2:
22nd of March
Didn’t update yesterday. I’m deep into the White Zone and have finally found a perfect spot for my camp. I think I’ll stay here for a while. No people at all but the area is far too interesting to just leave it because of that.
But let me start from where I left off.
After finally falling asleep, I woke up sometime in the early afternoon of the next day; I was hoping to rest a bit more, but a swarm of flies started trying to burrow through the bandages and into my wounds. It’s by far the most horrifying thing I’ve ever experienced but they fled when I started smacking them with my spear. I feel like I’m getting better at it, even if it’s still a glorified stick.
After getting rid of the swarm, I had to climb down the spiky tree to search for water and instantly noticed the changes in the way I moved along the trunk. [Speed Climbing] seems to have given me an instinctual knowledge of the best routes and handholds, on top of making my actual form feel almost perfect. I think I’m two to three times faster at climbing and safer to boot.
New skill aside, it still took me around an hour of moving around to find a stream but, after weaving another container out of leaves, I finally collected a few liters of water that I once again set to filtering with more of the reedy stalks. I also used the last soap-tuber to wash myself as best as possible while avoiding the wounds, which I later cleaned with some of the filtered water I had available. You don’t really realize how lucky you are to be rich enough to afford medical treatment until you don’t have it available. [Lesser Resistance: Infection] and the flies reminded me how scary getting sick is.
After that, I ate the remaining meat before it could spoil and crafted all the things I lost during my fight with the panthers. I wove more rope, further reinforced the new backpack, and even managed to clean and then carve one of the beast’s femurs into a bunch of bone needles and a spearhead. I’m now sad I didn’t think of keeping the creature’s tendons… they would have been perfect as thread or to better secure the spearhead to the wooden tip. I did try getting them from the carcass, but it had been picked clean as I slept. I think the flies didn’t bother me before because they were busy with it throughout the night.
The leftover hide I left in the new backpack along with the live moss sample; the plant seems surprisingly fine despite having been carried around for multiple days… it actually seems plumper than before. I even saw a few droplets of its alcoholic secretions on its surface, which is a plus. Cultivating the stuff might really be possible after all. I’ll work on it as soon as I can.
By the time I was done with all the crafting, evening had come and I decided to wait the night out before moving again. While I had promised in the previous update that I would reach the White Zone after waking up, I feel that it’s better to take back your word than die because you’re too stubborn. I went to sleep early and received no further levels.
The morning after, I woke up with the first lights and quickly moved toward the zone. I didn’t really mention it before but [Inner Compass] is the skill I’ve gotten while escaping from the beasts. It allows me to mark one location I can see and always know where it is, regardless of being able to see it or not afterward. It is incredibly useful in the jungle where sometimes you can’t even see the sky, let alone more than a few meters in front of you. I decided that, as soon as I find a good spot for the camp, I’ll mark it and use it as a reference. No more getting lost.
It took me no more than four hours to finally reach the edge of the zone and it’s absolutely crazy. There is a literal line of demarcation between the normal jungle and the white area; no gradual changes or anything like that. One moment you are walking in a ‘normal’ jungle, the next one you’re in something that is closer to a dream.
The trees have white leaves through which courses milky lymph, their bleached branches holding white nests of pale birds that don’t make a sound while flying through the boughs. The entire area is eerily silent. Even now, I can hear the noise of my pen dragging on paper. It is so incredibly creepy that I would have left if it wasn’t also so incredibly interesting.
I know it’s insane, but this is what I always wanted to do. I was preparing to become a biologist to travel to the few ‘undiscovered’ places on our planet, to find something never seen before. Who cares if I had to spend a few years studying boring classifications? It was all for that chance.
Well… it was given to me. And now I just need to follow through. Fuck the consequences. I will not waste this opportunity.
Only the ground itself isn’t completely colorless, but everything that is either vegetable or animal is dyed white. It actually makes very little sense. The leaves should be almost burning under the sun, not to mention the lack of chlorophyll. I wonder if the animals are white on the inside too…
Still, I went in. It took me a while to get used to it and I was so noticeable that, after a while, I stopped to create a kind of poncho out of a bunch of palm-like leaves to at least cover most of my clothes.
As of the time of writing, I have yet to see any land animal larger than a mouse, but I feel like it’s only a matter of time before I encounter any. If the normal jungle was filled with so many different and new species, the white zone must have its own unique ecosystem too.
Anyway, after walking for a handful of hours, and just as I was getting worried I wouldn’t find anywhere decent before nightfall, I finally found what might be a pretty good spot for my camp.
It sounds unbelievable but it’s within the skull of some kind of huge beast with far too many eyes. The inside is easily able to hold four or five people and the entire skeleton is covered by the flowering buds of a jasmine-like climbing plant that does a good job at concealing it from sight. The flowers themselves have their pro and cons. While they remain closed and scentless during the day, at night they open up and start releasing an incredible amount of sweet-smelling nectar all over the bones and the ground around them, coating everything in a surprisingly acidic goop that you don’t want to get on your skin. I believe the plant to be slowly digesting the bones into nutrients while also trying to attract flies and similar insects to a very unpleasant death.
Thankfully, the digestion progress on the bones seems to be really slow and completely stops during the day, and the skull is still twelve or so centimeters thick at the time of writing so it’ll take some time before I lose my hideout. I have already removed any flower that could drip inside my new home and I can’t wait to have a way to collect the liquid itself. Until then, I’ll just live with it. Hopefully, I won’t be melted while sleeping.
[Survivor Level 14!]
[Scribe Level 8!]
[Skill – Lowlight Vision]
​
23rd of March
I heard sounds during the night but I couldn’t see anything when I peeked from one of the skull’s openings. Aside from that, I slept peacefully and woke up at dawn to start writing this update.
I’m extremely surprised by the jump in levels. 4 levels in a single night is a lot, even if my second class is still low. The new skill is also extremely useful. I should be able to keep writing and working during the night without the risk of lighting a fire.
Today I’m going to begin a more thorough exploration of the area around me. The skeleton proves that animals still live in the White and I want to make sure this isn’t the territory of something too dangerous.
I also need to find some good sources of food and water as soon as possible. I can’t lose what strength I regained after the fight.
***
Good news and bad news. I have found a small brook around 5 minutes away from my camp, it flows slowly (not great for water cleanliness) but has many aquatic plants that should work well as filters once I use up my remaining reeds. The process should work against bacteria and keep me from getting sick. It has worked so far after all.
Along the banks, I also noticed some clay deposits. I’ll harvest it soon and begin working on actual water containers. Before that, I need to reinforce the camp though.
***
Still haven’t been able to spot any kind of creature aside from the birds nesting above. The lack of ground animals unsettles me. I have created a first layer of traps all around the skeleton. They are the usual spring-loaded spikes but I used [Trap: Superior Concealment] while building three of them. It seems to require many hours to ‘recharge’ so I couldn’t do it on every single one of them before the flowers began to open and I had to stop for the night. I definitely need to create some better utensils… I want to start working on something more complex.
Tomorrow I’ll harvest the clay and see if there is any other useful material.
In the meanwhile, I’ll attach a sketch of the Bone Jasmine and its flowers. It seems like a good name. I’ll probably start naming other stuff when I sketch them in here. Until then, I’ll keep surviving.
​
24th of March
Almost got spiked by one of the concealed traps today. Not a great start of my morning. I will have to remember their positioning. I’m going to harvest the clay I found yesterday and hopefully make some water containers out of it. [Survivalcraft] tells me that I need to fire them to make them non-permeable which is not great.
Since the climate is warm enough to sleep comfortably, I have yet to start a fire in the White Zone and I’m worried it might attract unwanted attention. I will craft the containers, leave them to dry on their own and begin the work to further reinforce the area in the meanwhile. I want safety before placing myself on the radar.
25th of March
The moss EATS meat! Or at the very least is a detritivore! After finishing with today’s work, I decided to take it out of the backpack to see if I could place it somewhere and found it latched onto the hide I had left there! It has already begun to spread on its surface and the alcoholic secretions have resumed in full. For the time being, I placed it inside the hideout to keep it safe but I’ll soon need to find a suitable spot around the camp for it to keep growing and to study its nature. I’ll need as much of it as possible. On top of that, If I manage to further distill the liquid, I’ll have pure alcohol for treating injuries and even for defense. Nothing likes getting Molotov’d in the face after all. I decided to call it Arrak Moss by the way. It seems fitting.
I’ll add a small sketch of the moss and its spreading pattern, along with the skull in which I’m currently residing.
On less interesting news, I have yet to build any more defenses to the camp. I have spent the entire day crafting a rudimentary axe out of a smooth river rock and a branch. It is obviously dull and quite heavy, but it works quite well against the younger trees. It is still too noisy for my liking, but it’ll do for now. I will need to find a better way to harvest wood soon enough though. I have some ideas that I will need to test.
Today I only managed to find a handful of edible berries so I’m pretty hungry. I used some rope to make a dozen or so game traps all around the brook, along with two woven baskets that I submerged into the water itself. I’m hoping to catch anything that uses that specific watering hole. If nothing works, I’ll be forced to try for some more nests.
[Survivor Level 15!]
[Skill – Keen Hearing]
​
26th of March
New skill! It took me a while to get used to it but after a few hours, the sound of your own body fades once again into the background. Still, it’s super strange to be able to hear your own heartbeat, let alone the sound of the plants growing around you. The forest is a lot noisier now.
Most of the traps around the brook were left untouched but in the two baskets I finally found a handful of crabs. Unsurprisingly, they are unlike anything I’ve ever seen. When they are still, they resemble white pebbles or rocks of wildly different shape and only when you try to pick them up do they reveal themselves as actual creatures. Their claws are sharp but ultimately harmless and I don’t believe them to be toxic in any way. I named them Pebble Crabs and brought them to the camp along with the two clay containers that have finally dried. I’ll fire the pots and then cook the food for tonight.
I also had to use the stone axe again to gather more wood. It works very well on the younger trees but the sound of chopping resonates all around the forest. I’m thankful I chose a spot quite far away from camp to try it out. I took what wood I gathered, left quickly, and decided to hide around the brook before going back home. Better paranoid than dead.
***
I lit my first fire tonight and cooked the least flavorful crab soup ever made in one of the two containers.
The other I actually placed outside to gather as much Bone Jasmine acid as possible. I have plans for it.
The Pebble Crabs’ carapaces I tossed into the Arrak Moss; it has completely covered the hide and is growing more and more. I want to make a hanging pot and let it grow there, ready to be harvested whenever it’s full of liquid. Thankfully the plant seems to mask any smell of rot on the stuff it consumes, probably to keep other possible scavengers from finding its ‘prey’. Such a wonderful thing.
I’ll add yet another sketch of the moss and then get some sleep.
[Scribe Level 9!]
​
27th of March
I fear I might be using too much paper. Yesterday I wasted some of it by drawing a sketch of a strange frog-like primate instead of the Arrak Moss. I feel dumb. I only have so many pages left since this wasn’t a new journal! I decided that until I find a way to make more paper (or get a skill for it) I’m going to only add the important stuff.
I’m going to create a few more clay containers to build up a stockpile of everything I need in my base. Afterward, I’ll search for more useful things around the area while also improving the camp.
28th of March
Harvested one of the smaller bones of the skeleton and crafted a primitive shovel out of it. I’m gonna start digging around the area to set up some pitfall traps. It’s gonna be hard work but it should make the base a lot safer.
29th of March
I felt followed today as I was heading from the brook to the base but I couldn’t find anything amiss when I turned around. The digging is progressing slower than predicted. Too many roots in the ground and I sometimes find myself holding onto the spear and looking around, covered in cold sweat. This paranoia is affecting my work. I have yet to see anything dangerous here!
2nd of April
Something triggered one of the skill-concealed traps tonight after I fell asleep. What worries me is that I couldn’t hear a thing beforehand, even with [Keen Hearing]. Not a single crackling leaf or a snap of twig on the ground before the spike got triggered.
Whatever it was, I think I heard the impact of the spike with the body, the sound of the wood impaling itself into flesh, and then the trashing as it was dislodged, and despite all that, I didn’t hear a single noise from whatever I hit. Not a whimper, not a shriek, and no sound as it moved away.
I inspected the trap this morning and the stake itself is covered in watery, pinkish blood and there are some traces around the spot but nowhere else. I also didn’t find a carcass around the area so whatever it was, it must still be alive. I need to conceal more traps and improve my safety even further. I got complacent.
***
Set more clay containers to dry near the brook and collected more water to clean. I also made a smaller pot with a lid specifically for the Arrak Moss. Harvested a handful of crabs from the baskets and even found a fallen nest on the ground with a single egg in it. It will do for today. I have already concealed two more traps and I’m hoping to do at least one more before I have to go to bed. I also spotted a fallen trunk less than five minutes away from the camp. I plan to bring it home and make a new kind of trap tomorrow.
[Survivor Level 16!]
​
3rd of April
New sounds during the night.
All the traps I didn’t conceal with my skill got methodically triggered and then destroyed. It only stopped when the stalker didn’t notice one of the hidden ones and almost got skewered again. I didn’t sleep at all and spent the night carving a particularly thick branch into a spear-throwing lever or atlatl. It’s surprisingly simple to craft but now I need to get used to it. Quickly too.
Writing eases my nerves. I decided to resume the more thorough logs.
***
More bad news. I went back to the brook and found the entire third batch of clay containers destroyed. The crab traps are gone as well. Still haven’t spotted anything. It might be an expert at camouflage. I think [Jungle Concealment] is the only thing keeping me alive when I move around.
***
Took me hours to do it silently but I carried the fallen log back to base. I rammed dozens of sharp rocks into the log and then used the ropes to lift it into the trees. It took even longer to set up the trap and conceal it using the skill but it should be deadly enough for my needs. I hope so at least. I’ll use the remaining daylight to train with the atlatl.
​
5th of April
The log got triggered tonight. Again, no sound beforehand but I heard the impact and the sound of broken bones. I actually poked my head outside of the skull for a moment, but I couldn’t see anything of note. This morning I checked it and found it covered in the same pinkish blood as before. I searched around but found no sign of any carcass. It’s impossible! I set it up again but now It’ll know it’s there and be ready for it. I need more traps. I need deadlier traps.
The container of Bone Jasmine acid is almost full already. I used half of it on some of the smaller trees around the area. It takes a few hours for the acid to work but I can reliably cut down the smaller plants or branches without any noise. The axe is gonna become my close-quarter weapon while the spear will be used as a javelin. I’m going to train throughout the day and then sleep a bit before the night. I also set up the container with the remaining acid into the ground in front of the main entrance to the skull, it will be my final trap.
***
Sometimes I think I can hear a noise outside but every time I listen for it I can’t hear it. It’s strange. I must be tired.
6th of April
Heard that noise again this morning. It sounds like almost like a wheeze. Maybe. I’m gonna look around the area one more time.
***
I don’t know what is happening. I’m bleeding from a deep scratch on my leg and my spear is gone. I had to use most of my water to clean it up but I don’t have anything sterile enough to bandage it with. I need to be more careful.
I already crafted another spear but I’m worried. Am I getting sick?
***
Nothing tonight. I might have injured it well enough to keep it away for the time being.
[Survivor Level 18!]
[Skill – Weapon Proficiency: Spear]
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7th of April
This morning I could smell a faint rotting odor around the clearing, but I couldn’t find the source even after searching around. It isn’t the moss though. I’m still on high alert but I need to keep working nonetheless. The new wound has started to scab over but I can’t move around too quickly or it will open back up.
​
8th of April
It’s strange…
The smell has been steadily growing worse and I searched again around the area but, once again, I couldn’t find anything of note. It was only when I came back to the skull that I found I was holding onto the spear I thought I had lost. The tip is covered in some kind of rotting liquid. I don’t understand. I need to review what I wrote in the last few days.
\***
I can’t believe it took me so long to realize it.
I now know why I haven’t been able to spot a single land creature since I’ve arrived here. Or why I was getting more and more paranoid in the last few days.
I finally found the source of the smell in one of the bushes opposite the falling log trap. It is the same thing I sketched a few days ago. It looks like a mix between a frog and a chimpanzee, with white, slimy skin and prehensile pads on its palms. It is dead. The lower limbs are completely pulped and it has a piercing wound in the neck. It took me hours to actually confirm it though. Somehow, I’m barely able to acknowledge its presence in front of me. I can see it, I can touch it, I can definitely smell it, but as soon as I take my eyes off it, I begin to forget it is there. It’s some kind of magical effect that gets stronger the closer I get.
I tried to find the actual source of it but the body is too decayed for me to work safely, especially with the new wound. I need to find a way to protect me from another one of these things.
I gotta think about it.
***
It’s night and I finally retired in the skull. It took me a while but I think I have managed to get an idea of what happened.
The creature must have taken notice of me when I was trying out the stone axe. I think I even realized it but promptly forgot as soon as I spotted it.
I think it’s an ambush/endurance predator that behaves following some very specific patterns. Those patterns were thrown off by the hidden traps and it got injured the first time, allowing me some respite.
Then, when it came back ready to trigger the traps and get me while I slept, I was able to surprise it a second time with the falling log trap, something that it hadn’t encountered yet. Only this time it wasn’t only injured, it was crippled and barely able to move, only making some sounds that I couldn’t possibly trace because of its magical effect.
Then I stumbled upon it and it managed to attack me before I could finish it off with the spear, something that I immediately forgot afterwards.
Then I guess that the corpse started decaying and the magical effect began to fade. And now I’m here.
I’m tired. I’ll think of a solution tomorrow.
Conditions Met: [Scribe] à [Field Researcher]
[Field Researcher Level 11!]
[Skill – Analysis: Today’s Test Subject
[Skill – An Eye for Detail]
***
Interesting…
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This was long. I wanted to keep going but I was barely able to reach this point lol.
Small spoilers since I will 99% drop the story after this update:
In my mind Dev will become an Explorer with the class consolidation at level 30, and my choice of class is going to be [Trapsetting Explorer of the Colors] which is a super cool name in my opinion. It's a class that he will obtain just before dying against one of the apex predators of the death zone so a bit of a bummer. But this happens. Hope you liked it!