《Behind the mask》What if he doesn't want me anymore?
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Hiccup didn't come home to the Hoffersons that night, calling and saying he was staying round with Fishlegs for the night. At least now he had friends, he had options...but the fact he didn't return just made Astrid feel worse. And even worse, there was a huge row when Ingrid and Martin had found out that she had lied to them to attend the party at Ruff's...as well as actually being at the fight and only escaped with Hiccup's help. Martin had been mad beyond words.
"How could you lie to me?" he had shouted. "You are my only child-my beautiful daughter! And yet you play the fool and take yourself away from your work when..."
"Why did you think I did it?" Astrid shouted back. "YOU! Always going on about grades and marks and this supposed wonderful career as a lawyer that you want me to have. But look at my averages, Dad. Straight A, same as ever. because I know how to work...but I want to have fun. And it would be much safer and better if you could see that...because I would be able to call you when I was at a party or in a dangerous situation...but I can't, because I didn't want to hear this...shit!"
Martin went puce. "I am your father!" he bellowed.
"And don't I know it!" she replied back hotly. "Always nag nag nag! Do your run or you'll not be fit. Don't have a large breakfast or you'll get fat. Don't have any fun because your grades will suffer..." Then she advanced on him. "But as I told you before, Dad...when I leave school, I will go to college...and there will be parties and friends and boyfriends and if I don't learn how to juggle that and work now, I'll crash and burn at college when there's no one to remind me. And I have been lucky because Hiccup was here. He made sure I had fun. He protected me. He reminded me to work. He teased me. He made me feel...normal..."
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"You lied to us about Ruff's party!" Ingrid said, stepping in before her husband and daughter really got into a shouting match: they were too much alike.
"And because of that, when I was attacked, I couldn't call you to fetch me," she snapped.
"You were attacked?" Ingrid's eyes were wide now, her face aghast. She raced forward and caught Astrid's face in her hands. "My darling...were you hurt? Did anyone...?"
"It's okay, Mom," Astrid reassured her gently. "A guy called Dogsbreath tried to rape me but Hiccup burst in and hit him over the head with a chair. he helped me climb out of the bathroom and walked me home."
"Sorry...Hiccup?" Martin said in shock. "So that's why you helped him-he blackmailed you over the party?"
"NO!" Astrid shouted. "Gods, you are so stupid, sometimes! He never mentioned it...he was so, so broken on the phone. But I felt I had to help him because he sounded in as desperate a place as I was when Dog dragged me into that room and started pulling at my clothes..."
Ingrid hugged her fiercely and Martin stared at her in shock.
"You should have counselling after that trauma..." he murmured. "Gods, I never even knew...my little girl..."
"But you're not, are you?" Ingrid murmured. "You are a young woman-brave and fiercely independent with your own mind, your own hopes and fears and desires...your own boyfriend..."
"Or not anymore," Astrid sighed. "Look, Mom, Dad-I didn't want to miss out on everything. Ruff and Tuff's parties are legendary and everyone was there. I only went to that one...and the rest was all I said. I even called you to take me home when the boys showed at Cami's, for Thor's sake! I know how to work. I know I need good grades because I am not going to Law School-at least not straight off. I will do what I want for experience first..and then, if I really want it, I will take the LSATs and apply. But I have to say, even seeing DA Mala Tydon at work on Alvin Treacher didn't fire me with any desire for the law, Dad. It made me glad there are people out there smart and dedicated enough to do that work but me...I'd just want to punch them!"
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There was an awkward pause...and then Martin smiled.
"That's my girl," he admitted with a sigh. "But what else can you do? Law is a fine career with excellent prospects and rewards. I really really just want what's best for you, Astrid..."
"But won't what's best for me be what makes me happy?" she asked.
"That doesn't always follow..." Ingrid reminded her gently.
"It shouldn't be something which makes me utterly miserable," Astrid argued and Martin stared at her.
"That's what you really think?" he asked in shock. She nodded.
"I cannot think of anything worse, anything I would hate more," she told him calmly, her eyes locking on his. "Look, Dad-I just don't have that kind of a mind. I have tried so many times to tell you but you never listen. You just tell me you're doing what's best for me...but if you never listen, if you never take anything I WANT into account, is it any surprise I go behind your back?"
"Oh no, you can't turn this round to me, Astrid..." he argued but she turned away.
"Of course I can," she snapped. "You see, you told me I had to get all As. You made me take a subject I am no good at because it showed a well-rounded portfolio..."
"Art. And you got an A."
"NO! I DIDN'T!" she shouted. "Hiccup got the A. I am a C student...a low B with intensive coaching...but he persuaded the teacher to do this-this project where we could work together and I could share his excellent mark to drag my pathetic grade just over the A threshold. And boy did he bust his gut to get me that grade! Because he knew how much it meant to me. But a proper, understanding father would have listened to me and we would have found a subject I enjoyed or one I stood a chance in. But no...you decided Art, not me. And Hiccup got the grade, not me!"
Martin stared at her. "Is this true?"
"As true as I'm standing here," she told him. "And I suppose it meant I got to know Hiccup better...but it just shows you never listen. You want to control my life and force me to do things I hate because you want them. But I am not doing law." She paused. "You told me I had to be the best, the most popular, Class President...so I put that before being kind and decent and honest. I was mean to Hiccup to make myself feel better because he wasn't someone who was cool or popular, not realising how much he was dealing with. I was afraid to own up to my guilt-even though it wouldn't really help Hiccup much-because it would lose me my popularity. And when he moved here, Hiccup used to walk to the next stop so he wasn't seen with me!" She sighed. "Just let me be me, Dad. Let me make my own mistakes and be my own person. Let me take off this mask and be Astrid Hofferson, not Miss Perfect!"
"Is that really how you feel?" Martin asked her as Ingrid slid her arm through his. Astrid nodded.
"I don't like who I've become, being your perfect daughter," she admitted. "I was a coward because popularity was more important than friendship. And it may have cost me my boyfriend." She turned to her parents and they wrapped her in an embrace. Tears slid down her cheeks and Martin stroked her hair.
"Shh...he's a fool if he lets you go," he murmured. "I'll..."
"Do Nothing," Ingrid said icily. "Let them sort it out for themselves!"
"But..."
"No!" she said firmly. "This is for Astrid and Hiccup to sort out..." Astrid hugged her tighter, her voice broken.
"But what if he doesn't want me anymore?" she whispered.
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Anarcho: A Cyberpunk Fantasy
Below you can find blurbs for each arc in Anaracho. Fracture Rating (Anarcho, #1) Theeeey’ve done it again! Max and Staxx have just hit the Tower Plaaaza just minutes ago, breaking CEO Tanaka Koji’s safe and baling with what’s estimated to be at least two point three biiiiillion in cash—not to mention the prrrriceless personal relics worth at least a second veritable fortune on the blaaack maarkeeet! Hooowwww do we know it was theeem? They left us clues! “Take it to the max” and “Staxx of cash” left behind, written atop a priceless Remvira painting in lipstiiiick from Koji’s bathroooom no doubt! “I don’t know…” Tanaka says as he scratches his head in evident disbelief while he nurses a broken lip. “One moment I was looking over the quarterly reports and then next thing I know I’m—I’m face down—eating tile and forced by two men at knife and gunpoint to open my safe!” It’s quiiiite a shocker for us over here, too! In case you don’t know, Tanaka Koji is the billionair heir and infamous playboy of the Tanaka Dynastyyy. They say his family’s worth at least four-hundred biiiillioooon and theyyy donnn’t skimp on SEEEECUUURITYYY! Soooo….. what does daad think about allll this? “I want them stopped!” Tanaka senior comments as he shakes a fist. “I am putting up a five-hundred million dollar reward for anyone who supplies information leading to the capture or death of those two thugs!” Weeell, there you have it, folks! Straight from the uuunicorn’s mouth! Again! that’s a whopping five-hundred million dollar reward for any tips that lead to the capture or death of those pesky thieves, Maaax and Staaaaxx! Any tips of information can be sent via public or in-home holo net devices by going to the page displayed—and don’t forget to— Staxx shut off the holo screen. “May called. She wants us to do another job. Tonight.” “You know we can’t. We got another one of our high and mighty overlords to visit at his luxury penthouse.” “That’s what I told her, too.” “Then stop yapping and let’s kick some ass!” “You know, Max, for such a small guy, you’re really intense. Don’t you wanna have some fun?” “Oh… we’re gonna have some fun, Staxx. We’re gonna have some fun...” * * * Hussy (Anarcho, #2) Max and Staxx board the ultrafine space cruiser Chylaxium in an effort to kidnap Kelly Hess, the daughter of the rich—but not a douche—Hess, who wants his daughter returned to him after she ran off with Laiwyn Scorr, a known smuggler and murderer whose evidently using her for her magical abilities to get to her father. Unfortunately it remains to be seen whether the little hussy will come easily. “Max, are you sure about this one?” “You know it’s a favor to May, after what she had to pull to get us outta that Yates thing.” “I know, but… just because you like her doesn’t mean we have to say ‘yes.’” “Come on, Staxx, it’ll be fun.” “Do we get to shoot stuff?” “Definitely!” “What happened to us robbing banks on the six o’clock news?” “Don’t worry—we’ll get to that after we do this thing real quick.” “All right, I’m down.” “Sweet.” * The Landfill Lich (Anarcho, #3) With independent, though highly discredited, news sources siting a dangerous creature killing people on the edges of Life City, Max and Staxx—in their boredom, decide to take up the investigation. They quickly discover that they may be in way over their heads, and that the source of this “terrible monster” or whatever, is in fact due to the carelessness of a mega corp—of course—and headed by—you guessed it—the mages. “Man, I’m so bored! Sure this thing’s even real?” “The bodies are real.” “If the overlords are responsible for whatever’s goin’ on, then somebody’s getting tossed out another window.” “That’s what you always say.” “’Cause it’s the truth, Staxx” “Well let’s check it out and see what we find.” “Takin’ guns.” “Hells yes, Max.” * Rescue Operation (Anarcho, #4) After taking out a Strogaus science mage and the monster he had created, Max and Staxx attempt to contact May—their ally and handler. But for the first time ever, a different person answers their call, indicating an irregularity that bodes ill for not only May, but for them all. “Damn! I wanted to meet May, but…” “Not like this?” “Do you think she’s still alive?” “One way to find out, Max.” “Listen, if this has something to do with Strogaus and that science mage we fed to his own monster, we’re puttin’ these guys in the ground, Staxx.” “Then let’s lock and load.” * Dreams of Forever (Anarcho #5) Max, Staxx and May—three Anarchos—set out to find Lexa a body so that she too can fully become part of the team. But what begins as an innocent shopping trip, soon turns into a storm of bullets after the team realizes what Invera-Tech is really up to. “No way can we let this stand, guys.” “Not like we can’t end the overlord’s dreams of forever with a few bullets.” “Then let’s drop some hot lead on these wannabe gods.” “Hells yes!” “But what about my body?” “Don’t you worry your pretty little head about that, Lexa.” “Oh—okay!” “Now let’s tear shit up!”
8 217Everyday Life with Raptors
This is a strange idea I had after watching Jurassic World and then watching Monster Musume no Iru Nichijo (Everyday Life with Monster Girls). I suddenly stopped and thought to myself what if I could combine the two concepts? So...this is the result. As the interspecies exchange program goes international, the United States is brought into the fold. In an attempt to see if the United States military could incorporate extraspecies individuals into their military for incidents or cases dealing with extraspecies crimes or terror activities, the president signed off on an experimental program called "The Raptor Initiative." Four lizard men females of the raptor variety are brought to America and given special ops. training to be the ultimate killing machines. They are left under a handler named Lt. Owen Grady who named all four of them. Blue, Charlie, Delta, and Echo. However, as the girls are preparing for their first mission, a more sinister force is at work behind the scenes with secret plans for these girls. Can Owen give these girls a proper life in the States, and let them live as the young ladies he sees them as? Or will their prehistoric past influence their future?
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A 90 years old veteran of Galactic Star Federation retires after 70 years of service as a legendary hero. After long years of service, Commander Calb Colbert felt tired and old. He decided that he would breathe his last breath on his home planet Earth, and thus he embarks on a journey back home. However, fate does not let him retire nor die. He gets caught up in a mysterious meteor storm and is flung across the galaxy, through a mysterious window to become a 20 years old man in a world of magic! He's given a second chance at life! He brings into this world of magic something only he can. Will he become a legend in this world of magic as well?This is a story of a man given second chance at life, with new hope, and perhaps, new love!
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no smutit will take time for me to upload i got a life yall 😓😓in chris sturniolo we trust
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Following the League's coup, Marinette al Ghul and her twin brother, Damian, are left on the doorstep of their father- Bruce Wayne, otherwise known as Batman.Or, the story of Marinette- the granddaughter of the Demon's Head, ex-assassin, Starling, and Ladybug.________________#1 mlxdc#3 twinsau#8 leagueofassassins
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