The Dragon Reborn (Book 3) – Chapter 51: “Bait for the Net”

The Wheel of Time - Book 3 - The Dragon Reborn

While Nynaeve wanders the streets of Tear, she thinks she sees a man who looks like Rand, but shrugs it off as an illusion. She runs into Juilin Sandar, who reports that he has found all the big, bad, nasty women. They are in the Stone of Tear chillin’ with High Lord Samon, don’tcha know? This makes Sandar nervous as a frightened skunk, it does!

After returning to Ailhuin’s house, Nynaeve discovers the woman trapped by Aes Sedai magic. Liandrin and Rianna are there smiling devilishly. Nynaeve punches Liandrin right in the kisser, which got a “you go gurl” from me. Then she runs to escape, but the two Black Ajah trap her too, telling her that Egwene tried to escape too and they almost drove her mad with offensive saidar. You will obey, child, else you get the back of the hand!

Ailhuin promises to stay quiet about all this to spare her life. Nynaeve is taken to another room with two more Black Ajah and Elayne/Egwene banged up and bruised as the dickens. They leave the house, discovering Sandar outside. Nynaeve is pissed! Traitor! J6! Witch hunt! But, as it turns out, he was coerced to spare his life! These manipulative Black Ajah. I’m beginning to think that they’re no good!

The Black Ajah throw the girls into a coach and ride off, planning on using the young women as “bait”. “Bait” for the “net”, as it were. For Be’lal the Forsaken. He’s going to be sending 13 myrddraal to do that thing where they convert people from the Light to the Dark. Muahahaha, etc.

Octavia, Chapter 4 – Servant

Thousand Year Old Vampire is a lonely solo role-playing game in which you chronicle the unlife of a vampire over the many centuries of their existence, beginning with the loss of mortality and ending with their inevitable destruction.
Previous Journal Entries:
The BeginningBloodthirstyShelter

A mortal Character begins serving you. Who are they? Why are they drawn to you? Create a new mortal Character.

The year is now 1518, and I am still a 21-year-old vampire. I remember my old life well, and I often wonder how my absence has affected my family. My siblings have all aged 15 years, my father will celebrate his 59th name day in a few months time. By now they have all moved on from whatever trauma I may have caused by disappearing from society. Perhaps they believe I am long dead; that some sort of horrible maniac or monster broke into our house, killed Livius, and chased me into the woods. Perhaps they believe that I was killed far from home. Perhaps they spent days, weeks, even months searching for me or my body. Perhaps, even, they believe I am still alive — that I left the farm to find a new life for reasons that they will never know. I’d be happy if this were the case, and they wouldn’t be wrong. The circumstances may be what they may be, but if I can find peace in the notion that my family believes me to still be alive then I can move on myself. I often feel wracked with guilt. Ashamed, as if I brought this upon myself somehow. That I must live my life in hiding, that I must feed on blood to survive, that I enjoy it like nothing else I had ever experienced in my other life.

I try to feed only on those who don’t have families, who don’t have anybody in their lives that will miss them. Beggars, drifters, raving homeless degenerates, but I will also feed on nobility. As a trained assassin, I held no qualms about killing politicians, members of the court, or other elite individuals who not only contribute nothing to society, but actively participate in its marginalization. However, I stick to a code. No working class. No children. Nobody who does good for the world. I may be a monster, but I have my scruples. I often wonder how many others out there are like me, and how many of them even possess some semblance of a moral compass. I often think of Benizzone Petruccio, the beast who turned me. I have yet to see him since that fateful day 15 years ago. What drives a vampire to turn another? Could it be a need for companionship? An act of power over another? A deliberate attempt to build an army of sorts? I have never felt a desire to turn another, but I often wonder if the day will come and what circumstances will urge me to do such a thing.

It was three summers ago when I was approached by Bianca de Montefeltro, a young woman of 24 years, in my chamber in the catacombs. Her modest, although disheveled, partlet and kirtle marked her as a member of the laboring class, perhaps a cook or a servant. She had no family, no kin, no property to speak of. Plagued with malaise, she wandered the labyrinth of the underground in search of, as I understand it, a place to die clandestinely as to not cause a fuss for anybody who may have discovered her body. I’m sure it was a shock to find me in a cavernous chamber lined with candles and lanterns, outfitted with furnishings and accoutrements that I raided from the wealthy over the years — ornate cassoni, decorated walnut and velvet chairs, large framed paintings of nobles from generations past. I was hungry, oh so hungry; to see a supple young woman enter my quarters was as if I were presented with a delicious dinner by noble servants.

She begged for her life. I remember gripping her neck as she cried for mercy, ready to sink my teeth into her porcelain flesh, until she promised to serve me if, please, I were to let her go. Suddenly, this woman wasn’t ready to die. I almost felt pity for her pathetic display. At first I couldn’t begin to fathom what use I may have had for her, this free meal that fell into my lap. I work alone. I always have. One doesn’t keep friends when one is an assassin.

However, I decided that it couldn’t hurt to have a minion at your beck and call. After all, it can be dangerous for even a vampire to skulk the city of Tuscany late at night. All it takes it one stab in the heart with a sharp piece of wood to end my existence — a child could do it. I do not plan to die, that is for certain.

Bianca is 27 years old now and is my indentured servant, knowing that her life is now in my hands. I don’t know what she does during the day, I do not care. I warn her that if she disappears for more than a week that I will hunt her for her flesh and blood. She has been very helpful in acquiring various items for me; occult books and objects, expensive treasures from the noble houses, and other various objects of import. Bianca is obviously a skilled sneakthief, proving her usefulness and ensuring her continued existence.

I have done much research on who I am and who I came to be. For years I’ve strived toward a goal: true immortality. No death from stakes or from the sun. My research has pointed me in the direction of ancient, unholy artifacts buried deep in the caves of Romania that can be used as vessels for dangerous spells to achieve my goals, but travelling to Romania is out of the question. Even if I have to wait one million years, I’ll figure out a way.

Skills:
Assassinating
Smooth-Talking
Sneaking
Bloodthirsty

Resources:
Dagger
Slingshot
Locket
Cave in the Woods
Diary

Mark:
A permanent blood-red discoloration of the iris of my right eye

Mortals:
Octavius Caesonius, my father; a farmer

Claudius Marcus, my mentor; an assassin

Livius Lucanus, my eldest brother; mean-spirited and ignorant

Bianca de Montefeltro; 27-year-old woman of the laboring class; my servant

Immortal:
Bonizzone Petruccio, high-level secretary in King Charles V’s court; handsome and cunning

Memory #1
I am Octavia Maria, first daughter of Octavius Caesonius, a farmer; born on a small farm outside of Tuscany in 1503; I am a 21-year-old female assassin.

Memory #3
Claudius gifts me with a special silver dagger with a ruby on the hilt after I complete my assassin training.

Memory #4
Livius steals my locket and throws it up on the barn rafters; I spend hours trying to climb up to the ceiling and throwing stones at the rafter to knock it down.

Memory #5
Bonizzone hires me to be his private assassin shortly before biting my neck and turning me; the iris of my right eye turns a permanent blood-red color.

My first kill, my eldest brother, Livius Lucanus; I drink his blood, the sensation is wonderful; I am a 21-year-old vampire.

Memory #6
I find shelter in a cave in the woods between the farm and Tuscany; I subsist on woodland creatures during the day, beggars and degenerates in Tuscany at night.

I find permanent residence in the catacombs under Tuscany; I gain mortal servant named Bianca de Montefeltro who assists with my every need and, in exchange, she gets to keep her life.

Diary

Memory #2
My father gifts me with a slingshot for my ninth name day; I immediately kill two moles running around the potato patch from fifty yards away.

The Dragon Reborn (Book 3) – Chapter 50: “The Hammer”

The Wheel of Time - Book 3 - The Dragon Reborn

Perrin’s group has arrived in Tear, and boy is it ever sweaty and stinky for reals. Just muggy and gross. Perrin is still wary of Zarine, wondering if she was the beautiful woman he needs to stay the fuck away from per Min.

As they roll through the city they notice everyone looks despondent. Real sad-sacks. As if the place was visited by the Ghost of Christmas Fuck You. Moiraine mutters about how the Pattern might be “torn” in Tear, which is pretty ironic I guess. They happen upon an inn next to smithy, which Perrin pops a boner over. Lan and Moiraine decide to scope the town alone, and Perrin reiterates to a frustrated Zarine that she chose to follow them in this adventure. Now she’s irrevocably tangled up in it. Sucks to suck.

After getting settled in, Perrin decides to kill some time at the smithy. He finds a blacksmith working by himself, so Perrin decides to silently jump in and start helping him. Somewhat impressed, the blacksmith gives him a piece of billet and tells him to try making something out of it. Robert Jordan does a pretty good job with describing accurate metallurgy practices as he walks through Perrin forging and creating a chamfer knife. The blacksmith is impressed further and offers Perrin a job, but Perrin tells him that he’s only in Tear temporarily and can only help for the day. Zarine comes down to watch him work, poking fun at him. The blacksmith tells her that Perrin is one of the best workers he’s ever had, and offers Perrin to keep the forging hammer. Perrin graciously accepts the gift.

Lan and Moiraine return from their scouting and tells the group that the Forsaken have entered Tear. This is some bad news. High Lord Samon, a mysterious man who was mentioned to Mat and Thom at one point by an innkeeper, is actually Be’lal. And this is supposed to be scary, I guess. Moiraine believes that the Forsaken are waiting and allowing Rand to find and collect Callandor.

Loial knows a little bit about Be’lal. He was jealous of Lews Therin because of his big-ass muscles, maybe. He used to lead against Ba’alzamon until he heel turned for some reason. That’s all he really knows. Be’lal likes McDonald’s hamburgers.

It is reported that the Aiel are in Tear, but Moiraine does not know why. Perhaps Be’lal brought them here? Anyway, Lan’s going to scope out the Stone of Tear while everyone stays behind and twiddles their little thumbs. Good day.

Silk (Vol. 2), Issue #3

* Part 3 of 6 of the Sinister storyline *

Welcome to Loneliness & Cheeseburgers Presents: Silk (Vol. 2), Issue #3! In the previous installment, Cindy Moon stays up for two straight days working on earning the trust of Black Cat by helping her with her various mysterious heists. She has one more task before she’s in the Club: take care of Goblin Nation. Easy peasy.

In the meantime, bad press is making the rounds! So much so that stinky Peter Parker has caught wind that SILK MIGHT BE BAD?!?! So now he’s going to have a friendly fucking chat with his so-called quote-unquote “ally”. And he’s going to be all moral and nauseating about it too. WITH GREAT POWER COMES GREAT BIG BONERS. Go to hell, Parker.


Silk (Vol. 2), Issue #3 [March, 2016]
Written by: Robbie Thompson

Silk (Vol. 2), Issue #3

“I don’t have a ton of relationship experience,” Silk says as we see her stage a rooftop fight with Spider-Man. “I can’t believe you talked me into this,” he says before chastising her about working undercover for Black Cat.

“Cat has been stealing tech from everyone. It’s up to me to stop it. From within,” Silk says. Spider-Man is like, yeah, dude, she stole from me too. It was my best toaster. It told you when the toast was done as it popped up. It says “YAY! TOAST!” But Spider-Man wants to know what the deal is with the undercover business.

Silk reminisces about her various relationship issues. Fights with her ex-boyfriend Hector. “One time we didn’t talk for a week,” she says. She thought about that week a lot while she was jerkin’ it in the bunker. The silence and distance was just what the doctor ordered!

Later, masks off, Parker throws his hands up in the air. “…I wish you had told me,” he says exasperated. Cindy points out that he was too busy playing superhero to get involved. None of his damn fucking business anyway. But, because a man wants to know details, she caves and gives the man her fucking details. “Black Cat has only gotten bigger and badder. She’s stealing tech to get bigger-er and badder-er. I tried to go at her head-on, but it’s too late for that now.”

Peter Parker starts scolding Cindy, but she turns it around. Rightly so. Then she says S.H.I.E.L.D.’s involved with it and they’re helping her find her parents. So butt the hell out, dipwad! Up your nose with a rubber hose, creep!

Silk (Vol. 2), Issue #3

No one cares what you think, Pisspants Parker.

Cindy tells Parker that she found her brother and that he is now in rehab getting twelve kinds of rehabilitated. Goblin Nation fucked him up but good, you see. Now he’s a drooling mess! But this is Cindy’s opening to tear Goblin Nation a new b-hole and get on Black Cat’s even gooder-er side!

Anyway, let’s see if the staged fight had any impact on the news cycle…

“…why Spider-Man would attack a known and beloved hero like Silk is beyond any–” reports J. Jonah Jameson over the waves. Cindy collapses despondently. Parker dons his mask and tells Cindy to be careful. If he can’t stop her from doing this dumbass stuff, then at least he can say stuff like “I still don’t like this” that falls on deaf ears.

It’s times like these – disappointing people like Peter “Itchy Nipples” Parker – that makes her wish she was still locked up in her bunker alone. Kinda. Not really.

At work, coworkers try to goad Cindy into hanging out that night, but she’s busy. They’re like “Come on!” and she’s like “No.” Then they’re like “Coooommmmeee onnnnn!!” and she’s like “Nuh-uh.” Maybe next week. Or in a month. Or when the Earth gets engulfed by the sun.

Maybe she’s just trying to shield herself from people wanting to genuinely help her. Maybe she thinks she doesn’t deserve it. Or maybe she’s just shy? Or maybe she’s just a dick! In the end, Cindy agrees to hang out with them that night even though she has a multitude of other more pressing matters to take of, like beating up goblins and fake-fighting some Avengers.

Silk (Vol. 2), Issue #3

Silk doesn’t go bad! Now cotton, that stuff will mold like no one’s business!

Also, Albert. Cindy’s brother. He doesn’t remember what might have happened to their parents except that they said they were going out for cigarettes and then they never came back!

Albert shows her a newspaper with the front page headline “SILK GONE BAD?” “Be safe… okay?” he says worriedly. Cindy promises nothing. Nothing! “Safety” is her middle name between “I Don’t Care About” and “At All, And You Can Take That To The Bank Or My Name Ain’t Cindy ‘Silk’ Moon”.

Cindy visits her therapist later to talk about her bunker trauma. As in, she misses the bunker. And when asked how that makes her feel, she spends a minute thinking (YOU CAN TELL BECAUSE THE CLOCK’S BIG HAND MOVES BETWEEN PANELS. VERY SMART). She says it makes her feel safe, and when asked what that desire to be safe makes her feel, Cindy says “angry”.

“Anger. We keep coming back to that, don’t we?”

“FUCK YOU, CUNT.”

Actually, Cindy decides that it’s time to end the session. She shuffles out uncomfortably trying to think about what it is that actually makes her angry. Is it her therapist’s enormous popped collar? Because that’s making me angry…

She runs through it all in her head much later. “Loss. Time. Inheritors. Ezekiel. The fact that nowadays everyone is together but they’re all staring at small screens.” OK, Boomer.

As Silk, she encounters a gaggle of teenage goblin thugs throwing Goblin Pumpkin Bombs at buildings. It makes Silk go “grrrrrr”, so she becomes a human slingshot courtesy of her own webbing and smacks two of them at 900 mph. “Anger schmanger. Just need to let off a little steam. That’s how anger management works, right?”

Silk (Vol. 2), Issue #3

Awww, when’s the wedding?

Later, Black Cat asks Silk to go back to the Goblin Nation’s underground city and take Shrike Ponytail Jones with her. “I don’t need a babysitter,” Silk grumbles. Black Cat doesn’t care. Take him anyway. He can pick locks and forage for weeds to make potions. So down into the sewers they both go.

“How long have you worked for Cat?” Silk asks Shrike.

“None of your business,” Shrike responds.

“That long, huh? Do you get health benefits after a year? I’m looking to get my teeth capped.”

“You should try less talking and focus on finding this ‘underground city.’ If it even exists.”

They walk through a door in less than 10 seconds and Shrike stares in utter disbelief. “Toldja,” Silk says.

It’s a castle with a pumpkin on top. It looks like the kind of place you’d infiltrate in Paper Mario. “I’m not sold on their color scheme,” says Silk. “But it is impressive.”

They both cross the moat and climb into a duct to try to sneak in undetected. It works for some reason even though there are 152 goblins patrolling the area. They see a training ground where goblins engage in cute little swordfights. Shrike says it looks like The Hunger Games. Silk is like “DURRRR DARRRR WHAT’SA HUNGER GAMS?” Suddenly, her Silk Sense is tingling so hard that she has the orgasm of her life. Probably because they’re in a dangerous place full of dangerous goblins, maybe? Ever think of that one?

“They’re taking in and training kids. Building a generation of thugs.” She explains to Shrike that she has sort of a sixth sense and that there’s danger afoot! And Shrike agrees vehemently! He agrees vehemently because, with a giant evil smile on his face, he shoves her off the top of the castle and down into the training grounds. The group of goblins are very surprised, as one might expect.

“So much for being safe.”

Final Thoughts

HOW IS SILK GOING TO GET OUT OF THIS ONE?! Maybe she’ll tell all the goblin kids to stay in school, and then they’ll stay in school. Ain’t nobody who stayed in school turned to a life of white-collar crime! Problem solved. *dusts off hands*

Season 9, Episode 7 – “Bart Star”

The Simpsons, Season 9, Episode 7 - Bart Star

“Bart Star”

Original Air Date:
November 9, 1997
Directed by:
Dominic Polcino
Written by:

Donick Cary

QUICK SYNOPSIS

A damning report on childhood obesity in Springfield leads to the formation of a pee-wee football team. After belittling Ned Flanders, Homer ends up coaching the team, but his favoring of Bart makes him unpopular.

POINTLESS GUEST STAR(S)

Joe Namath as himself is pretty pointless, but at least his car broke down in front of the Simpson house. If this was Season 13 he would show up for no reason out of nowhere and go “Bart, I heard that you needed some help.” And then he would shill the Medicare Coverage Helpline on Cozi TV.

WHY THIS EPISODE SUCKS

This would have been a classic in Season 5. It’s almost like Season 9’s good episodes teeter so close to the brink of the cesspit that it feels much more precarious than anything that came before it. Otherwise, I would be in love with “Bart Star”. Most of the humor comes from Homer, who has a lot of fantastic one-liners like “If you come back and play for the team, I promise I’ll never encourage you again” and “From now on I’m gonna be kinder to my son and meaner to my dad”.

The plot is solid without anything fucking stupid happening; a very grounded episode about youth football. In Season 17 they would have goblins popping up out of the ground to steal the ball and take it into their cavernous underground cities, leaving only Lunchlady Doris and Gil available to save the day. I have literally no complaints in this department. In fact, Homer overcompensating by doting on Bart is a great plot vehicle anyway, and it’s not something he would be doing anymore. It’s nice to see from him the last vestiges of misguided parenting with good intentions.

Some of the jokes are pretty dumb, though, but they’re early on in the episode. Dr. Hibbert concerned about Homer’s “gravy level” is a real Zombie Simpsons-caliber joke that could have been written a million times better, as is the whole scene with Marge presenting the concept of first aid. Then the “I wanna C-U-P” line is childish and made me groan until I had a stroke.

All said and told, though, this is pretty much peak Season 9.

The Simpsons, Season 9, Episode 7 - Bart Star

IMDb TRIVIA FUNHOUSE!

Rod Flanders wears the number 6, and his brother Todd wears the number 66. When Bart is named the starting quarterback, Rod and Todd stand next to each other, their numbers form 666, the sign of the beast.
Oh no!

The final scene took a long time to write. The writing staff found it difficult to come up with a resolution that would end on positive terms for Bart and Homer, and was originally different when it was read at the writing table.
Oh no!

Marv Albert was originally going to play Roy Firestone’s part as a sports radio host, but was dropped following sexual assault charges that were made against him around the time the episode was in pre-production.
Oh no!

The director of the episode, Dominic Polcino, greatly enjoyed the episode, and claims that it is his favorite episode that he directed.
Oh yes!


FINAL GRADE
A-