IdeasGuy

Legends Never Die: The Start of Something New (ch. 86)

Six months could pass deceptively quickly, I discovered. It felt like nothing more than a blink of an eye looking back at the months went by, but at the same time, so much happened during that time. Winter once again came and went without barely any notice except for the celebrations by my people. It didn't even get cold enough for a true chill in the air. Virtually all of my projects had taken massive strides towards completion.

Norlands prosperity had only increased. As the year long...

Legends Never Die: Embracing Change (ch. 85)

There were other buildings I should probably start with, I knew, as I hammered away at a chisel, taking chunks of stone with every strike. What Lay Within was guiding my hand, showing me what the marble wanted to be and it was up to me to bring it out of its excess. I wanted to build a bathhouse. I had seen them in Constantinople, and I thought it was a good place to start. Though, I couldn't bring myself to copy the Roman design.

The water they bathed in was dirty. Bathing in it was c...

Legends Never Die: Polite Words (ch. 84)

Becoming nobility came with some unfortunate costs that only made themselves known in hindsight. The social protocols that I benefited from, which made me someone that simply couldn't be ignored, also applied to others. Noble obligations, as Jill described it. An unspoken and elaborate web of social niceties that were expected to be upheld at all times. Most of it, despite my annoyance, was stuff I already knew -- such as treating the nobility with a base level of respect.

Most of my e...

Legends Never Die: The Wider World (ch. 83)

Things were different now that I was recognized nobility. I had already possessed everything that a noble did -- great wealth, a sizable army, and noble marriages. By that logic, I was one of the most powerful nobles in the Empire. The only others that could compare were the Strategos, and they were few in number. And if it came to a fight, I felt confident I would win.

Yet, I had lacked lands and a recognized noble name. Or, rather, the noble privileges that came with being recognized...

Poll result

The results of the poll are pretty clear with a 70% vote yes, against a 30% vote no. Going forward, Best of Intentions and A Golden Path with share the Monday slot with alternating updates.

However, I did hear the concerns that some had and I do understand that they're valid. So, this is something of an experiment. I'll do another poll in a couple of months, long enough for both stories to get a bit of headway, and see how people are feeling about the new schedule. Depending on the fee...

A Golden Path: First Steps 1.2 (ch. 2)

Here is a link for the first chapter in case you need a refresher: Link

…

“I mislike this,” Mance Rayder muttered, his breath coming out as a cloud of fog. The snows had receded, making it possible to travel beyond the Wall, but the cutting chill in the air was still there. He leaned against the cold stone of Castle Black, dressed in the dark cloth of the closest thing he ever ha...

Best of Intentions: This Fyre (ch. 4)

Oh, he was big. Oh, he was scary. Oh, he was big and scary and this entire situation was not part of the plan! I thought Nemesis would be hunting Jill -- it’s why I gave her the tattoo. Why was he here!? Right now, appearing as if he fell out of the sky almost directly on top of us with pinpoint accuracy. When we were already dealing with a huge snafu in the plan in the form of thousands of undead that would soon start pouring into the city, and we were just a small cork trying to hold back...

Best of Intentions: Come Sweet Death (ch. 3)

"I cannot believe this is working," Jill marveled as I fought to keep a smirk off of my face, adjusting my hard hat and my bright orange reflective vest as I finished tying off the caution tape to some of those orange and white barrel things. I was blocking off an entrance to the metro station, and it was working like a charm. People saw the caution tape and decided to move on to the next station.

"What's more likely -- that construction is actually being done or that two random people...

Best of Intentions: The Pretender (ch. 3)

“THE DEAD SHALLL RISSSEEE! FLEE FOR YOUR LIVES IF YOU SEE PEOPLE WITH SUSPICIOUS BITE WOUNDS OR SHOOT THEM IN THE HEAD!” I screamed at the top of my lungs, throwing out pamphlets like they were confetti, causing as much of a ruckus as I possibly could. As it turned out, hospitals don’t have much in the way of security, though I did have a mall cop that was chasing me around the hospital. He was lucky he worked in a hospital because I’m pretty sure he was about to be driven to a heart ...

The Good Life: Anything Goes (ch. 52)

Taylor had absolutely no idea what she was doing. She thought she did. All the way up to that first kiss, she had a plan. She would impress Law, work her way up to a position of power and influence, and from there she would dismantle Law's organization from the inside. Only things weren't as simple as they had seemed.

Law was trying to save millions of lives. Everything he did, all the evils he committed, all of it was for the greater good. He wasn't a hero, Taylor knew, but he wasn't ...

The Good Life: It's Just A Matter Of Time (ch. 51)

“Unfortunately, synthesizing the two agents together has produced… unpredictable results,” Shaun admitted as I leaned forward, looking down at a mouse on a wheel that blurred forward at around three hundred miles an hour. The cage that it was in was made out of thick bulletproof glass. The same as the others in the menagerie of cages, aquariums, and testing areas all holding animal test subjects. Mostly mice, but there was also a lone monkey.

The cages lined the walls, stretching...

The Good Life: Atom Bomb Baby (ch. 50)

“That stupid, vicious whore,” Cinder snarled, clenching her jaw as she looked out at the battlefield where a small, localized, mushroom cloud was blossoming above the shattered skyline. A mini-nuke, Cinder knew. She recognized the smaller atomic explosions -- both because she had seen plenty of them in the two weeks since they started pushing into Boston and because she had witnessed first hand what a true nuclear explosion looked like.

It wasn't the explosion that drew her ire. It...

The Good Life: Swing Doors (ch. 49)

“War… war never changes,” General Nora muttered underneath her breath just loud enough for Preston to hear. Then, louder, she continued, “It was said back in my time that the next war after the Third World War would be fought with sticks and stones. We're not that bad off, but it's closer to the truth than I'd want to admit.” She said, leaning over a table that had maps of the Wasteland on it.

The Castle was back in Minutemen hands, and it was busier than it had ever been bef...

Monday slot poll

I've been blown away by the reception to Best of Intentions. Whenever there was a poll, it always came near the end behind all the other options. Yet, every chapter I post has half a dozen comments asking for BoI to take over the Monday slot with record amounts of likes. So, I'm very happy that the story was so well received and I had an idea that I wanted to run by all of you.

A Golden Path won the poll, so the vote will be respected.

What I want to try is sharing the Monday sl...

Legends Never Die: Embracing Change (ch. 85)

There were other buildings I should probably start with, I knew, as I hammered away at a chisel, taking chunks of stone with every strike. What Lay Within was guiding my hand, showing me what the marble wanted to be and it was up to me to bring it out of its excess. I wanted to build a bathhouse. I had seen them in Constantinople, and I thought it was a good place to start. Though, I couldn't bring myself to copy the Roman design.

The water they bathed in was dirty. Bathing in it was c...

Legends Never Die: Polite Words (ch. 84)

Becoming nobility came with some unfortunate costs that only made themselves known in hindsight. The social protocols that I benefited from, which made me someone that simply couldn't be ignored, also applied to others. Noble obligations, as Jill described it. An unspoken and elaborate web of social niceties that were expected to be upheld at all times. Most of it, despite my annoyance, was stuff I already knew -- such as treating the nobility with a base level of respect.

Most of my e...

Legends Never Die: The Wider World (ch. 83)

Things were different now that I was recognized nobility. I had already possessed everything that a noble did -- great wealth, a sizable army, and noble marriages. By that logic, I was one of the most powerful nobles in the Empire. The only others that could compare were the Strategos, and they were few in number. And if it came to a fight, I felt confident I would win.

Yet, I had lacked lands and a recognized noble name. Or, rather, the noble privileges that came with being recognized...

Legends Never Die: Understanding One's Value (ch. 82)

Hadi vowed to himself that he would never underestimate just how stupid the average person was ever again. It was a vow he made only in the confines of his own mind as he was seated upon a palanquin, waving at the crowd that cheered and chanted, celebrating their return. Prince Harun took his place at the front of the procession, and to Hadi's horror, he was placed directly behind him along with Yahya.

The people of Baghdad weren't capable of nuance. Or rational thought. They also seem...

Best of Intentions: This Fyre (ch. 4)

Oh, he was big. Oh, he was scary. Oh, he was big and scary and this entire situation was not part of the plan! I thought Nemesis would be hunting Jill -- it’s why I gave her the tattoo. Why was he here!? Right now, appearing as if he fell out of the sky almost directly on top of us with pinpoint accuracy. When we were already dealing with a huge snafu in the plan in the form of thousands of undead that would soon start pouring into the city, and we were just a small cork trying to hold back...

Best of Intentions: Come Sweet Death (ch. 3)

"I cannot believe this is working," Jill marveled as I fought to keep a smirk off of my face, adjusting my hard hat and my bright orange reflective vest as I finished tying off the caution tape to some of those orange and white barrel things. I was blocking off an entrance to the metro station, and it was working like a charm. People saw the caution tape and decided to move on to the next station.

"What's more likely -- that construction is actually being done or that two random people...

Best of Intentions: The Pretender (ch. 3)

“THE DEAD SHALLL RISSSEEE! FLEE FOR YOUR LIVES IF YOU SEE PEOPLE WITH SUSPICIOUS BITE WOUNDS OR SHOOT THEM IN THE HEAD!” I screamed at the top of my lungs, throwing out pamphlets like they were confetti, causing as much of a ruckus as I possibly could. As it turned out, hospitals don’t have much in the way of security, though I did have a mall cop that was chasing me around the hospital. He was lucky he worked in a hospital because I’m pretty sure he was about to be driven to a heart ...

Best of Intentions: Weight of the World (ch. 2)

Here is a Link to chapter 1: Link

...

“No,” Jill answered rather curtly. The gun was unwavering and I had no idea what to do with my hands. Should I keep them raised? But I was holding a glass of OJ, so couldn’t that be considered a weapon? Because getting hit in the face with a glass and getting OJ in the eyes were equally painful, in my experience. However, modesty told me that ...

Ghastly Adventures: Teardrop 3.2 (ch. 16)

Well, well, well, if it isn't the consequences of my own actions. Past me really was the worst. Seriously, what had he been thinking, kicking the hand grenade my way so it would blow up in my face?

“Hullo?” I said, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't frozen stiff. I felt like a deer in headlights -- the phone call had been bad enough, but meeting a member of my- Blair's family in person? I knew even back then when I blocked the call that wouldn't be the end of it. That, eventually,...

Ghastly Adventures: Teardrop 3.1 (ch. 15)

I cracked a hundred wins. All I needed to do after the Gym battle was to hang out at one of the battle courts and they came lining up. It was a good experience for Trevenant, who rapidly got used to his new body in a safe competitive setting. He missed the mobility of being able to fly, but his offensive power had majorly been upped from his evolution. His attacks were stronger, he had finer control -- his strengths got stronger and more refined.

Mankey was another star of the show now...

Ghastly Adventures: Cascade 2.9 (ch. 14)

Marnie got her gym badge and the entire battle was pretty enlightening. Especially when she had been marked for one of the play battles -- she wasn't given lines or anything, but she had been described on the stage by a narrator rather than an announcer. The entire thing was pretty funny, but I found it hard to tease Marnie because I ended up getting picked for a play match as well.

“A rugged hero, a cute sidekick, and a mysterious figure?” I echoed, looking at the contract before ...

Ghastly Adventures: Cascade 2.8 (ch. 13)

“All things considered, that went as well as it could have,” I remarked, up and out of the hospital bed that I was carted to. I looked in a mirror to see a fresh set of stitches held together my eyebrow from where Vicious tore them with those hamfists he called hands. Despite getting hit with a massive pokemon attack with enough force that I had been rag-dolled and subsequently died afterward in my last life, I was sporting a few bruises and that was it.

“Really?” Marnie asked,...

The Good Life: Setting Poll

The third waifu poll has come to a close. For prosperity, here was the final tally.

Rin Tohsaka (Fate) Votes: 1,272

Gwen Tennyson (Ben 10) Votes: 1,122    

Megumin (Konosuba) Votes: 654

Ubel (Frieren) Votes: 515

Roxy Migurdia (Jobless Reincarnation) Votes: 460

Lulu (Final Fantasy 10) Votes: 413

Sypha Belnades (Castlevania) Votes: 365

Marcille Donato (Delicious in Dungeon) Votes:...

The Good Life: It's Just A Matter Of Time (ch. 51)

“Unfortunately, synthesizing the two agents together has produced… unpredictable results,” Shaun admitted as I leaned forward, looking down at a mouse on a wheel that blurred forward at around three hundred miles an hour. The cage that it was in was made out of thick bulletproof glass. The same as the others in the menagerie of cages, aquariums, and testing areas all holding animal test subjects. Mostly mice, but there was also a lone monkey.

The cages lined the walls, stretching...

The Good Life: Atom Bomb Baby (ch. 50)

“That stupid, vicious whore,” Cinder snarled, clenching her jaw as she looked out at the battlefield where a small, localized, mushroom cloud was blossoming above the shattered skyline. A mini-nuke, Cinder knew. She recognized the smaller atomic explosions -- both because she had seen plenty of them in the two weeks since they started pushing into Boston and because she had witnessed first hand what a true nuclear explosion looked like.

It wasn't the explosion that drew her ire. It...

The Good Life: Swing Doors (ch. 49)

“War… war never changes,” General Nora muttered underneath her breath just loud enough for Preston to hear. Then, louder, she continued, “It was said back in my time that the next war after the Third World War would be fought with sticks and stones. We're not that bad off, but it's closer to the truth than I'd want to admit.” She said, leaning over a table that had maps of the Wasteland on it.

The Castle was back in Minutemen hands, and it was busier than it had ever been bef...