#[ aaaaaaah it had been a while indeed !!

[mywingsareonwheels]

Ugh, that thing Russell Lewis does...

... of dropping in devastating or revealing character information in off-hand bits of dialogue or the info on a tombstone you see for one second or this this that and the other. Right up until the final episode.

Some of the things that are really blink-and-you’ll-miss-it the first time around if you’re not careful:-

Bright lost his daughter. While way posher than most of the characters he’s still not from quite as upper class a background as his wife (who cheated on him at least once, though they weathered it). Her nickname for him means “tiger”. He doesn’t seem to have fit in comfortably at any point with anyone, perhaps indeed until he starts to bond more closely with Fred and Morse in the last 2-3 series.

Win was stalwartly in London for at least part of the Blitz. She once met a guy with a foot fetish who flirted with her and she’s still tolerantly amused decades later.

Constance was less than 20 when she had Morse. (AAAAAAAH.) (Everything about her marriage to Cyril sounds horrifying frankly.)

Max is gay and has a lost love (“and one was fond of me” / ”the one that got away”)

Fred grew up without indoor plumbing and generally in fairly intense poverty, he and Charlie at least (presumably Billy and I suspect their mother too) were physically abused by their father (who was an alcoholic).

Also on Fred: he was already an anti-fascist in the 1930s including when it meant joining with one of his colleagues (Sgt Vimes, who Sam was probably named after) against the rest. (Frankly Fred is the king of the “devastating info that is easily missed”, and that last point regards some moderately obscure knowledge to decode but it’s solid once you have that.)

Jakes’s non-Blenheim Vale background was very poor too, given his familiarity with the “Never-Neverland” of the kind of housing estate that replaced the kind of slum that Fred grew up in.

Dorothea has had a fricking epic past doing war correspondence etc..

Sam was bullied at school and didn’t tell his father because he was worried about how he would react.

Jim was brought up by his apparently rather obnoxious and judgemental grandmother, which might explain the desperate need to fit in and get on at all costs, as well as the extremely skilled peacemaking at times. He might have been in the navy before the police, though that’s a bit more uncertain.

Trewlove went to a posh enough school to have serious chess-playing as a thing. (She’s definitely the only person at the station with a comparable class background to Bright’s.)

And so on; I know I’ve missed out plenty of things here and especially I know there’s some info about Win that’s on the tip of my brain and I can’t quite remember. (I think she’s from Blackpool originally, e.g. and misses the sea? And did some war work outside London?) I weirdly couldn’t think of anything significant that’s not already foregrounded about Joan, Box, Fancy, or Monica; help me out here lovelies. :-) 

This is on top of eveeeeerything about Morse, which is far more foregrounded but even he has things dropped in very casually sometimes.

Goodness they’re all so messy and I love them all so very very much. <3 (Though also: I so very much wish that Lewis gave just *more* to his women characters. I have the obvious reservations about Joan’s arc (I *like* Strange, but... hmmmmmmmmmm), and the obvious wishing that Monica and Trewlove especially had had far far more to do.)

[lunaetis]

▸▸ [ @adonaiis || counter guardian!rin starter call ]

─「凛」─  the COUNTER GUARDIAN had been watching him burying himself at the pile of paperwork ever since he returned from that meeting. in all honesty, the caster had never realized, prior to meeting him that is, how difficult a ruler or the LEADER of the kingdom had it. she, like any other ordinary people roaming the earth, assumed that royalties and kings live a life of LUXURY --- that they would be able to do anything they wanted and everyone is under their command. however, being with the PHARAOH, fighting alongside him, protecting him ... it appeared that they had it just as difficult if not more. it’s not only their lives they shouldered, but the citizen of the whole city.

                “ master ... ” she broke the silence that lingered between them, allowing her voice to reach his mind and breaking his focus. if it wasn’t enough, the way she APPROACHED him to carefully grazed her fingers over his shoulder would serve as another attempt to gain his attention. genuine concern was clear in her voice, in those ruby orbs that gazed at him. “ you should rest. but if you insist on continuing, at least take a short break ? ”

[tortranslates]

Sakuma Rei Idol Story (!!): Coffin Dilemma

Rei: Mm...

... 

(tossing in his sleep) 

...Sigh. 

(A few days later) 

Aira: Hm~ Hm~ Hmhmhmhm~ Ehehe~ Precious box that fits perfectly in my hands~ I never thought I’d get to buy that store’s limited edition cheesecake. My timing was always off, huh. Today’s my lucky day!

I’m gonna go back to my room, make some yummy tea…then bask in the bliss while savoring this cheesecake! I’m baack~ Uwaaaaa?! W-what on earth?!here’s a coffin in my room?! Um, what? What the heck?! This is super scary! Aww~...I was so happy before…Now I feel cursed…

…Mm. What should I do about this? I looked around, but there’s nothing particularly weird about it. No matter how I look at it, it’s just a normal coffin, huh. No, I mean, a normal coffin *is* unusual. Okay…!

Nothing will change if I just stare at it, so even though I’m crazy scared, I’m gonna look inside…! It could just be someone playing a bad pra– 

Rei: ... 

Aira: ...

Eichi: I'm back. 

Aira: Cry...sob...sniff... 

Eichi: Um. Why are you crying Shiratori-kun? Did something happen? 

Aira: Sniff…T-Tenshouin-senpai…Sob…S-Sakuma-senpai…Sakuma-senpai is…He’s deaaaaad!

Eichi: By Sakuma-senpai, you mean that Sakuma-kun? You must be mistaken. I don’t think Sakuma-kun, who looks like he wouldn’t die even if my weak self tried to kill him, is dead. 

Aira: It’s true! I saw it with my own eyes. That peaceful face in the coffin over there is...! Sob...

Eichi: …Is that how it is. I wonder why the coffin I’m used to seeing at the academy is in this room. 

Rei: …Hm?  It has been quite noisy for some time now. I would appreciate some quiet… 

Aira: Aaaaaaah?! A zombie?! Please pass on, Sakuma-senpai~!

Eichi: Have you calmed down, Shiratori-kun? 

Aira: Yes…I never would have thought that he was sleeping in that coffin…I’m sorry for making such a fuss. 

Eichi: Good grief. No wonder you misunderstood. Sakuma-kun, I wish you realized how strange and uncommon your habits are.

Rei: Goodness me. It would appear that I caused Shiratori-kun quite the misunderstanding. I sincerely apologize for causing you such a fright. 

Eichi: Anyways, haven’t you been sleeping in a bed since you came to the dorm? Why were you sleeping in a coffin again?

Rei: Yes, about that…Recently, I have been having difficulty falling asleep. I have been feeling uneasy in the mornings as well. 

Eichi: You’ve had a hard time falling asleep?

Rei: That is correct. Even I have been doing my utmost to resist sleeping in a coffin in our shared space, you know? I cannot bring my coffin to film sets and work sites, so I have been endeavoring to become acclimated to sleeping in a bed every day.

Yet no matter where I go, it’s always bed, bed, bed…When it comes to bedding, it’s always beds. This constant feeling of freedom has caused my stress to rapidly accumulate. I craved that nostalgic sensation of being bound as if gently and tightly embraced…Sob sob sob…

Aira: Sakuma-senpai…I feel bad for you… 

Eichi: Don’t fall for it, Shiratori-kun. Don’t you feel bad for messing with an innocent junior, Sakuma-kun? 

Rei: Eh, what do you mean, Tenshouin-kun? 

Eichi: There’s no use playing innocent. It won’t work on me.

Eichi: Moreover, it’s only natural that all you see are beds wherever you go. If you plan to make a living as an idol, you had best get used to sleeping in a bed. How did this coffin even get here? I recall it being in the light music club room at school.

Rei: Indeed. When the agency staff saw my haggard self, they graciously retrieved it for me. They told me to at least have a short rest. 

Eichi: Good grief. You even troubled the agency staff…Jeez…Anyways, were you able to get some rest? The dorm is a shared space, so I would appreciate it if you didn’t leave any more troublesome things here. Could you please put this back where it goes immediately? 

Rei: How blunt. Could you not bear to show me even a shred of sympathy?

Eichi: If this coffin is here the next time I come back to this room, I intend to remove it by any means necessary. 

Rei: What a demonic man! 

Koga: “--So that is what happened."

"The demonic Tenshouin-kun bade me return my coffin to the light music room, so I will return it with this letter. From, Sakuma Rei”...? Don’t return this thing when the club room just opened up, you vampire bastard!

[liandrinmoiraine]

EOTW: Chapters 12 - 20

General Thoughts:

Egwene remaining blissfully unaware of the dangers she will be facing, while Rand is painfully aware of the immense danger he is in. In general the Egwene development is amazing, and I love learning more about here. I can't wait until we get stuff from her perspective proper again.

"Not even Moiraine was proof against his tongue if she let the white mare pick up her step. " So this is about Lan wanting them to move slowly, and I love how it shows that they both have their own area's of expertise. It highlights the equality and respect they have for one another.

She said the thing!! "Before I let the Dark One have you, I will destroy you myself." AAAAAAAH

Min my beloved

NYNAEVE MY BELOVED

The Dancing Scene, where there at the inn and Nynaeve stays for Exactly one dance longer than Moiraine cuz she's a Cool Mom (tm) is amazing and I am actually deeply upset that it was cut from the show.

Specific Thoughts under cut

"According to the stories they were societies among the Aes Sedai that seemed to plot and squabble among themselves more than anything else" I mean yeah, and I would indeed read books that just detail White Tower internal politics

So there's a little map before chapter 13, which is really cute, but no help to me whatsoever, because I have no intuition for where people are and how long it can take to get from a to b.

The Choices chapter (13), sets up so much for later chapters. The doubt of the boys, Egwene's undying loyalty for Moiraine.

Also the deep deep irony in calling it choices when in reality of course, they have no choice in the matter, it is all the illusion of choice. The wheel weaves as the wheel wills one might say.

One thing I'm noticing is that Moiraine seems a little warmer in the books and Lan seems less stoic and even a little hostile on occasion. I don't know how I feel about that.

Metaphorical dreams tire me

Min and Rand having a moment is nice

NYNAEVE IS BAAAACKKK and I am thrilled about this, because she vexes Moiraine and vexed Moiraine is very very fun to watch AND because I am just a little too similar to Nynaeve

Lan complimenting Nynaeve, awwwwhh "If you can follow a trail I have tried to hide, he taught you well." and Nynaeve subsequently blushing?? it's so cute

So the inn incident (as in it gets burned) and the Tarren Ferry are surprisingly similar, and I am just so fascinated by how I and the characters around Moiraine respond to it. Because it is true she cannot do anything, but does that mean she can wash herself of the blame as easily as she does?

"Light go with you, last Lord of the Seven Towers" awh okay now I'm sad

battle battle

Manethren exposition was better delivered in the show imho, I loved the way I was introduced to it. Still good either way tho, love me some worldbuilding

boys will be boys stealing cursed daggers

Perrin continues to be the best boy

Nynaeve worrying for Lan and Moiraine comforting her is something I didn't know I needed: ""He has been gone a long time." Nynaeve looked worriedly at the night outside. Full dark had fallen as black as pitch. "Lan will be well," Moiraine said soothingly, and spread her blankets beside the fire while she spoke." like that is so pure and I love it

And then they were split up and Rand feels guilty about bringing Egwene along in this mess.

[tbhwhocaresanymore]

Nancy Drew 2x2

Me in my naïveté: surely, the Nancy Drew writers, the best writers the CW has on staff, have run out of ways to bring back past moments and episodes that seemed unimportant at the time.

ND writers: Bitch you thought?

Y’ALL

When I say tonight’s episode made me absolutely lose my actual goddamn mind that is not in any way an exaggeration. My brain physically pried itself out of my skull and ran away down the street.

Jesus Jedediah Christ the way they brought back those five people/ghosts who at the time seemed absolutely unimportant and sent me so entirely off my rocker if I even attempt to think about it for more than two seconds I’ll spontaneously combust so we’re going to have to work around it.

First off, no surprise: HANNAH GRUEN. My bae. My wife. Love of my life. You were only there for two minutes but they were exquisite.

Second I fucking KNEW that dude from the Marvin funeral episode was important. If you’ll recall from my review my theory at the time was that maybe HE killed Owen, but you know what this was so much better.

Okay, to business. At the beginning when Nancy is seeing all of the scratches on Douglas Marvin’s grave and then we zoom out to kind of see the Aglaeca in the side of the frame, and then zoom out more and it turns around and LOOKS at us doing that creepy little swaying thing? POETIC CINEMA. Riverdale wants what Nancy Drew has.

That “unfortunate first meeting” George had with Nick’s mom and her subsequent attempts to prove herself, culminating in Millie giving her the dumpling recipe? Adorable. Speaking of the mom, I do indeed hope we see more of her. Her and Nick’s moment at the end of the episode where he talked about seeing her cry in the courtroom absolutely broke my heart. I can’t handle the thought of him not at the very least having the occasional phone call with her from this point onwards.

To be entirely honest almost every scene with the mom broke my heart. When she was talking about how she and her husband raised Nick to always do everything right and lost him anyway? Hhhhhhhhhhhhh it hurts. The writers said they would be keeping BLM in mind while writing this season, like how they kept Me Too in mind for the first one, and I was a little worried it would be hamfisted. But if they continue as they did tonight it will be nothing but beautiful.

Guys. Guys. I know I said I had no idea how to talk about it but I have to talk about it. That scene in the orphanage. When they find the photo. And Nancy realizes she has seen all of those ghosts before.

GUYS.

EPISODE 3.

SINCE EPISODE THREE THE WRITERS HAVE BEEN PLANNING THIS.

GODDAMN DO WE LOVE CONTINUITY AND FOLLOWING THROUGH ON PLOT LINES AND WRITERS WHO KNOW WHAT THE FUCK THEY’RE DOING. I WANT TO FIND THE SHOWRUNNER AND KISS THEM ON THE MOUTH.

Ahem.

Anyway.

I thought Carson and Ace had some really nice moments this episode. i.e. “The guy at the store said it was a one man job.” “I think the guy at the store lied to you.” I am, however, curious if Nancy is going to ever bring her father in on the fact that supernatural beings exist and that she deals with them on the reg. Like I know he helped them out with the coma ritual with McGinnis (McGinnis come back 😭😭😭) but they never really brought it up with him again, and he’s been like kept out of the loop on it all ever since. I’m just wondering if he in fact actually knows and is just remarkably calm all the time, or if he’s in denial, or what. But tbh I do have a very strong amount of sympathy for Carson, and I really want him and Nancy to get back on good terms. At the end of the episode when she brought him the coffee and stuff I teared up a little. I’m an adult, I can admit it. Maybe it’s just because I’m such a massive fan of the books, where she and her dad were so close, but having them at odds especially after they started out that way, is painful.

Speaking of the books.

Fernwood orphanage. Hhhhhh writers I see what you did there. But for those of you who don’t know, in Nancy Drew #9 The Sign of the Twisted Candle, Nancy Bess and George stop at a roadside inn/bed and breakfast type place. At the inn is a 100 year old man named Ada Sydney who Nancy befriends, along with a young orphan waitress named Carol Wipple whom Ada has a soft spot for. The next day he dies, and turns out Carson is his lawyer and Nancy goes with him for the will reading. Long story short, Carol is apparently his granddaughter and he leaves her like EVERYTHING, but when she was young she grew up at, drumroll please!

FERNWOOD ORPHANAGE. I AM DECEASED.

And the Stratemeyer woods? For the same people, Stratemeyer Syndicate was the place that published all the Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Bobbsey Twins, Tom Swift books, etc. You will not be able to find them today however, as they were bought by Simon and Schuster in like 1987.

Back to the show.

When Detective Tamura (aka The Inferior McGinnis Who Can Rot In Hell) said the skeleton was Buddy and NOT KJ (AJ? I’m deaf) I got suspicious. And then as soon as they played the record and only five ghosts showed up, I was all ‘HOLY SHIT HE IS ALIVE’ and then he WAS. At the end of the episode, when they saw the flowers on the graves? You guys I was LOSING. MY MIND. And then the note saying “forgive me -kitsune” aaaaaaah. I am in fact afraid that he wants forgiveness because he sacrificed the others to save himself, but I am praying the writers do not do that to me.

I’m interested in finding out, assuming we meet KJ/AJ next episode, WHY the 1975 group reached out to the Aglaeca in the first place. Nancy and Crew did it because they needed Lucy Sable’s bones from 20 years ago to get Carson off the hook for murder, I am assuming these guys had at least as good a reason. And the Aglaeca herself. Dear god you guys. Odette Marvin. I’ve been saying and we’ve all known for a while, that she was wronged by the Marvin family. But Lordy that’s extreme. Listening to the overlaying recording? They low key abducted her, stole her fortune, her chaperone and the captain betrayed her, she was presumably bound hand and foot had her head shaved and got thrown into the ocean. I think I might be a little murderous too ngl. Although it begs the question, why exactly did Douglas Marvin have her painted into the hall of tragedies? I don’t think it was to gloat. Maybe Odette haunted him after the fact and added herself into the painting? But my favorite theory is that Odette as the Aglaeca started killing all the people who were in on it, her chaperone, the captain, etc., (I assume there were six) and Douglas saw the others dying and painted her into the portrait as a way to warn future generations of Marvins, rather than fess up to what he had done. I also want to know the deal with the first women to summon her, and the mirror? There is potential there I KNOW IT.

If you’re not a Drewson shipper feel free to skim this paragraph but guys Nick and Nancy are soulmates it’s confirmed. I’m not even kidding guys I was in no way shape or form prepared for the amount of Nick x Nancy content I got tonight. When Nick is at her house and they mention how they skipped friendship the first time around? “We skipped a lot of things the first time around.” DEAD. And then later at the Claw, when Nancy and not George came to comfort him post fight with the mother? And then he saw that look Nancy gets where her eyes flit around cause her mind is working overtime? *chef’s kiss* My prediction is they will spend this season building up a strong, solid, foundational Nancy x Nick friendship and then when they give the romance a second go they will be so. much. stronger. I’m guessing season 3 will be spent in a bit of a complicated love triangle with Nick and Nancy (re)developing feelings for each other while still having them for George and Ace, making the eventual payoff all the more delightful.

I close this review - which was admittedly less of a review and more of me shrieking incoherently - off with a plea to the writers.

*eyes turn black*

WHERE IS DEAD LUCY

WRITERS

WHERE IS SHE

IT HAS BEEN ALMOST A YEAR. FOR TEN MONTHS NOW I HAVE GONE WITHOUT HER. SHE HAS BEEN GONE SINCE EPISODE 16. NO SCREAMING. NO CREEPY CRAWLING. NOTHING. WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER. BRING HER TO ME.

*shakes self* Glad to get that out of my system. See you all next week for 2x3, The Secret of the Solitary Scribe.

[huearmy]

The Smell of Truth - IV

Summary: After years being forced to fight in clandestine hybrid ring, Jungkook is now living in shelter, but life remains bad, the place is abusive, and nobody seems to want adopt him. Until one night a pro-hybrid activist group invades the shelter, and a woman in black smelling like truth promises that things will get better, and he decides to follow her wherever she goes.

Pairing: pitbull!Jungkook x human!Reader

Genre: fluff, angst, future smut maybe.

Words: 4781

Rating: NC-17

Warnings: Some violent nightmares, nothing too bad.

Chapter I  Chapter II  Chapter III - Chapter V Chapter VI Chapter VII

Jungkook was ready to fight.

After eating cake and tons of meat, taste coke for the first time and fall in love with it, you showed him another thing to love about his new life. Something exciting, entertaining and beautiful... He wasn't good at it at first, but seeing you doing it so well just motivated him to do better. Video games of course. All the sounds and colors made his eyes sparkle. The characters were so amazing too. You let him choose what game he wanted to try first, without much reference he didn't know where to start, using as a criterion the cover that most caught his attention and the little you said about each one. In the end he tested so many games that the order wasn't even important. 

You noticed that he avoided violent themes, like fight games, and he preferred the sports, adventure, or cute-looking ones. You came to that conclusion when you decided to show one of your favorites, Dead By Daylight, and before you could start a match he wanted to change to Plant vs. Zombie. At some point you both stopped by Mario Kart and that was the thing. One hour later Jungkook was better than you, throwing all the bananas on you, like losing wasn't an option to him. The bastard is competitive.

"AAaaaaah! nonononon noooooo!" You lose the control of your kart just before finish line as he passes you, crossing the line and winning for the sixth time in a row.

"Yeah!" He jumped from his spot on the floor, running circles arond the couch and you, who was also on the floor.

"That's not fair, half of an hour ago you didn't even know how the controls work..."

"Let's play again!" He seated beside you again, and then his ears perked up. "Can I eat more cake?"

He already ate almost half of the cake, and was clearly in a sugar rush. "Of course. The cake is yours."

With a happy squick he ran to the kitchen, sliding the new pair of white socks over the apartment's wooden floor. As you waited for hi to come back you once again searched your games, looking for any more he might like, and came to the conclusion that you have a very violent taste to games - you are a fervent Outlast fan, for example. You have never dealt with a hybrid so full of trauma so directly, let alone inside your home, so involved in your life, and despite having some sense of Jungkook's past, you don't know everything that torments him or how much, so making him one hundred percent comfortable in this new life is your plan. What you need is to pay more attention to the small details. And maybe you can start by letting him choose some lighter games himself in the online store.

Jungkook emerged from the kitchen, now walking slower, balancing two plates of cake in one hand, and a huge glass of coke, full to the top, in the other, taking care not to make a mess. Carefully he sat next to you again.

"I brought cake for you too." He gave you one plate and got ready for another round.

"Oh, that's sweet of you. Thanks." You played for another hour or so, Jungkook's victories proving that it was not beginner's luck but that he is indeed a fast learner. You were already more asleep than awake, as a result of bad nights and unregulated sleep in the last week, when he got tired of running and decided to change the game. "What is this about?" Jungkook asked, showing you another one. "Ah, is a remake of one of my childhood favorites. It's about a bandicoot who lives on an island in the south pacific, and a magic mask that flies around him, and has a big-headed villain. It's pretty fun." You yawned. "Let's play this one then." He excitedly stated. "Sorry, Jungkook. I'm really tired, and even if I'll work from home, I need to get up early tomorow... I'm going to bed now." You saw the disappointment in his eyes, his ears and tail falling, and added. "But you can keep playing without me." Jungkook looked around, clearly not so happy as before. "Ok. I will play another one that is not your favorite then. See you tomorrow?" He was pouting again, and you thought to yourself if you're going to be able to get used to it. Despite being upset, you could see that he didn't want to have a tantrum asking you to stay. "You are so cute." You said before you could stop yourself, pulling him by the hands for a hug. You rested you head on his chest and reasurely passed your hands on his back. You couldn't see right now, but the brightest smile settled in Jungkook's face. "See you in the morning. Sleep well, JK." "Sleep well, Y/N." _____________________________________________________________________________________ You took a fast shower, put yourself in comfy pijamas and dropped your tired body in the bed. In less than five minutes you were fast asleep. You are the type that has a heavy sleep, that doesn't wake up with anything, and if it happens it is not fully awake, easily coming back into slumber. Normally a lightning storm would not be enough to get you out of dreamland, quite the opposite, the thick rain hitting the window glass has always been like a lullaby. But for some reason, by two in the morning your sleep-pumping eyes were open and alert. Something was off.

You sit, checking your surroundings, listening. Everything seemed ordinary. You got up, looking for your phone, trying to remember where you left it last. You found it lying on the floor beside the bed, between your slippers, some social media notifications and messages that you didn't see before stamping the screen.

Opening one of the messages, a smile formed at the corners of your mouth, as you rubbed your swollen eyes. Still half asleep you played the audio massage, a male voice sounding low. "Hey sweetheart, I'm coming back already. If my flight doesn't delay, I'll be home in the late afternoon... Then I will see you before anything else ok! I'm missing you so fucking much it feels like dying... So..." Before you could finish hearing the message something else caught your attention. You were silent trying to hear again. A soft sound from the floor below. A cry. It brought you from the brink of slumber, zombie mode of yours, to full alert awake mode.

"Jungkook" You went to the door and, knowing the way even in the dark, did not even bother to turn on the lights in the corridor, or the stairs, to run to the hybrid who now lives with you. The closer you got, the more certain you were that the crying came from Jungkook's room, a tightness in your chest leaving you worried at every step without knowing what was happening.

You entered as quietly as you could, stepping inside on the tip of your feet, the room was lighter than the corridor you came from, because of the headlamp on. Jungkook was lying in the shape of a ball, his back to you, wearing silk pajamas that you bought him earlier, the cover lying on the floor indicating he was having restless sleep. He was crying, but still asleep, clutching the pillow as hard as if his life depended on it, his body shivering, from cold or stress, or both, you couldn't say. Regardless, the nightmare he was having must have been horrible. Sitting next to him on the bed next to him, you put your hand on his shoulder, shaking him lightly.

"Jungkook, wake up." As if your touch had burned him, Jungkook's eyes snapped open, his body reacting defensively before you could do anything. In a second his hand was around your wrist, holding tightly at a sore angle, making you gasp in pain. For a moment it seemed that even looking directly at you, he didn't recognize you.

"Jungkook, it's me. Y/N. You were having a nightmare, but is everything ok. You are ok." You softly said, ignoring the pain in your wrist he was still holding, and reaching your other hand to his face, brushing the hair away from his sweaty forehead. "You are ok, Jungkook." "Y/N..." His lips quivered, small voice barelly reached your ears. Jungkook is a pile of muscles, much taller than you, bigger in every way, but at that moment, with scared eyes full of tears... you never thought he was so small. "It's, ok." You whispered, afraid that if you spoke a little louder it might scare him. "I don't know where you were, or what was happening... But now you are home, safe."   

He blinked a couple times, looking around, recognizing his own new room, his things, the smell of the surroundings. His tense, ready to fight body, relaxed as his breathing was soothing. He finally noticed his tight hold hurting you, released you and more quickly he sat against the headboard, moving away from you and your touch. The boy's pale face acquired a feeling beyond fear... guilt.

"So- sorry..." He weakly apologized.

It is not the first time he has had this nightmare. It is always the same, sometimes with small differences, but in short it is a ring, metal screens closing all sides and the ceiling, with electric barriers and poles, that if he tries to escape or fall out by accident the injuries will be terrible, that if he doesn’t die by it. There’s a white light on him, as if it were a show and he was the star, but it’s a show of horrors, the fans screaming loudly, from the dark, asking for blood, dozens of men without face wanting someone to die in front of them. Jungkook experienced this so many times in real life, that in a dream it shouldn't be so scary, but here comes the worst part... He's losing, this time he's the one going to die today. While the other guy is sitting on top of him, giving blow after blow he can't defend himself, he looks back, looking for his owner. Jungkook's owner is sitting in a deck chair in the middle of the audience, watching the fight with his eyes without emotion, he is not happy, and Jungkook knows why: he has not been a good boy, he is no longer valuable, and doesn't bring tons of money anymore... So the owner won't help him, he won't find a way to stop the fight to save Jungkook, because it's not worth it. When Jungkook looks up again and faces his opponent it is his own face what he sees, like a mirror, violent and empty... He sees himself as the scariest hybrid in the world.

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to... Y/N I'm sorry." He started to sob, bringing his knees close to his chest, turning into a ball again, to look smaller and not threatening.

Carefully you risked approaching him again, placing your hand on his knee in an attempt to make some comforting contact, without being too invasive.

"Shhhh... No need to apologize now." Seeing that he didn't withdraw from you again, you finally took his face in your cold little hands. "How are you feeling?"

"What?" A tear ran down his cheekbone, wetting your hand.

"I want to know if you are ok, JK." You smiled softly. He hurting you it's not ok, even if by accident, but that's a subject for another moment, now the focus is on him only. He sighed, closing his eyes and letting himself relax at your touch, feeling the soft tips of your fingers drying his tears. He took a deep breath once, twice, three times before nodding.

"I'm. I just need to go to bathroom."

"Ok." You let him get up, his well-built body looking so fragile as he walked out of the room, disappearing into the dark corridor. You got up yourself, to fix the bedding, get it ready for when he returned.

Jungkook washed his face several times, trying to get the bad impression he could still see when looking in the mirror. "When you're scared, laugh in the face of fear, he won't take you seriously and then he'll leave you alone." The child's voice rang in Jungkook's mind, making him give a weak little smile when he thought that this silly psychology has kept his sanity for years. He wiped his face with a soft towel, and then looking at himself in the mirror he made a funny face. And then another ... And one more. One funny face after another until he feels like smiling for real.

Your happy bathroom, with a nice scent of soap and cute plants, also helped a lot. The urge to cry went away much easier than at any time in Jungkook's old life.

Not really in the mood of trying to sleep again, he dragged himself back to the room, feeling the weight of the world on his legs, considering returning to playing video games and staying up all night... He saw you still on his bed, waiting for him, and stopped by the door, surprised.

"You still here..." You were zoning out, due to his delay in returning. His voice - now more peaceful - put a smile of relief in your distracted face.

"Do you want me to stay with you till you fall asleep again?" You suggested. Jungkook felt something in his chest, almost like a heartache, warm, when he heard that question.

"You don't need to..." He spoke before he could stop himself, regretting immediately, because it wasn't what he wanted to answer.

You left a warm laugh scape your lips.

"That's not what I asked, JK. Do you want me to stay?"

"Yes." You caring for him like this is like a dream to him, so, afraid of making a mistake that would make this moment end, he camly walked to you, lying on the spot you were invitingly tapping beside you, almost with his head on your lap. Almost... You covered him, taking care to wrap every inch of him with the blanket, to keep him warm, as you would do to a child, or at least, how you like to sleep when it's cold, like a comfy burrito. He felt loved. A few minutes went by, you patiently petting his hair. When you thought he would have fallen asleep, Jungkook opened his eyes to look at you thoughtfully.

"Y/N..." His voice was already sleepy.

"Hum?"

"Why aren't you afraid of me?" It's not like you're not expecting such conversation to happen sometime in the future, but at that moment the question took you by surprise.

"What do you mean, Jungkook?"

Jungkook had a hard time finding the right words. He didn't expect you to respond with another question, he wanted you to answer more objectively. A line of frustration formed between the boy's eyebrows as he thought hard on it. You just kept petting him, waiting for him to elaborate his thoughts. "I don't... know. Everybody does... I'm a pitbull and I was a fight dog... I've done so many bad and scary things, so everybody is afraid of me. The people that didn't want to adopt me, the employees of the shelter who beat me, even the doctor who saw me... She was so sweet to me, but she always saw me with a security guard in the room. Even my former owner was always armed when he came to talk to me..." He was frustrated and agitated when speaking. "He always told me that being a fighter is the only thing I good at... That I'm good at being violent. So why aren't you afraid?"

He could sense you getting dark feelings as he spoke. You were pissed, just thinking about what they did to his head made you want to punch someone. Making Jungkook think he deserves to be feared instead of being loved, pampered and adored every day of his life is unforgivable.

"First of all... Get ready because I'm going to give a speech here. Second: it is a protocol, standard procedure, to have support staff when treating new hybrids, especially when they have a history of abuse. It's not because the doctor was afraid of you, it's because she wanted to take good care of you." You paused for a breath, taking care not to be too harsh when speaking and it looked like you were scolding him, which was nowhere near your intention. You sighed and pulled a lock of hair out of his eyes. "Jungkook, you can't believe in any word your former owner told you. If he was always armed when he came to talk to you, it wasn't because he was afraid of you, it was because he wanted you to be afraid of him. He is very bad person. And he's in jail for all the evil he's done, for you and many other people ... And he's a liar. Nothing he has ever said or done to you can define your future or who you are. Can you believe me?"

"Yes." He said with a soft and vulnerable voice.   

He was crying again, with a little smile forming in the corner of his mouth, but still crying. And your heart can't take it.

"And the reason I'm not afraid of you...?" You raised an eyebrow and looked deep into his eyes, as if you were going to tell an incredible secret. "I recognize a cinnamonroll when I see one."   

At this, one laugh left Jungkook mouth, and you couln't think he is any cuter. "Seriously... Look at this doe eyes and sweet smile! You are a cutie pie, JK! The most precious one..." He let you squish his check with a blush taking over his whole face, but then he noticed the bruise forming in your wrist and his smile fell.

"But I did hurt you." He sadly took your hand in his. "Yes, but it can be fixed. It will heal, and it can heal even faster if I treat it right. And you can never do that again." You said logically. "How?" You pointed your index finger to the middle of Jungkook's forehead, and then to the middle of his chest.

"Healing yourself too. I know you're messed up, and that's ok. I'm here to help. We can start with therapy, you know..." Jungkook didn't like the idea of therapy at all, but for now he won't discuss it. You were probably right. "Ok." He said, snuggling closer to your leg. A very loud thunder burst outside, coming very close to the lightning, startling Jungkook, who reflexively grabbed the hem of your cotton shorts. You didn't refrain yourself from hugging him with your whole body, planting a heavy kiss on his cheek.

"Saw what i mean? You are too precious."

With his heat beating frantically he answered in a timid way.

"I don't like loud sounds... That's all."

"Is just loud, it can't hurt you." You said looking into his eyes, your nose almost touching his nose. "As long I'm here no one can hurt you." And there it is again. The smell of truth. The idea of someone as small as you protecting Jungkook from anything or anyone may seem absurd, but for no second he doubt your words, because each one of it smell like sincerity. Your eyes too, so intense as you said it, that made him want to protect you too.

"And what if you are not around when I need you?" He tested playfully. "Then you scream my name as loud as you can and I'll be there in no time!"

"Seriously?"

You seated straight, handson your hips.  

"Of course! I was on the athletics team at college. I'm super fast!" He was laughing, your work was done. "Sorry I woke you up... And thank you for saving me." Jungkook said it with so much affection it made you heart skip a beat.

"Don't worry, sweetie, I woke up to the thunder." You simply said, but he knew this one was a lie. _________________________________________________________________________ After the incredible conversation he had with you in the middle of the night, and the rest of the night well slept, Jungkook started the day very willing and happy. He could barely walk, instead it was as if his legs were jumping around the apartment by itselves. You were up hours before him, but waited to eat breakfast with him - you already had a liter of coffee by yourself anyway. Despite not being what you like to do with your life, and and having another job - running a chain of stores for your family - you have been working as a lawyer for a member office for a few months. Even working from home, you have soooo much paperwork to fill out and study, reports with deadline to deliver, to be a suuuuuper efficient employee. So after you finished eating your cereal bowl, you left Jungkook to play video games alone and locked yourself in your personal upstairs office to work.

He can hear you walking around as you talk on the phone, your voice sounding serious and professional. He was having fun by himself, such a good time with snaks and left over cake, but at the same time he was struggling on not gonna check you out. You strictly asked him to not interrupt you till lunch time. Jungkook spent an hour in this internal fight to go or not to see if you didn't need something or want a glass of juice, to maybe get scratch behind his ear and a smile from you as reward. Like... You were just upstairs and he miss you too much. He was so focused on the game and his own thoughts that he didn't even notice his steps down the stairs and into the living room.

"Jungkook. I need to sign some papers in the office. If anything I'm downstairs."

"Ok." Then you left the apartment. You were too serious. Too cold. Too focused on serious and adult things. A world-sized pout formed in Jungkook's cute face. It is only the third day with you in his life, but he already feels very used to it - your presence of light and warm hugs was able to erase all the years of loneliness that in which he learned to be alone and be satisfied with his own company. Thinking about it he decided to change his plans. He turned off the video game, stretched out and went on an adventure ... He was going to inspect every corner of the house. Field recognition.

He started in the kitchen. He found out where everything, utensils, different types of pots, foods, is kept, and with that he learned a little bit about your personality too... Everything is so methodically organized by category and size that it became very clear that you are a tidy freaky. No problem, learning to respect your habits and quirks, being clean, shouldn't be that difficult. The same style of organization also in the hall closet, and in the bathroom, and on the bookcase for games and movies. He did not enter your room or private office - although the door was open, and he could see a very large bookcase and a table full of papers and an open notebook - because he thought it would be too much intrusion. So the only place on the top floor that went through Jungkook's inspection was the terrace, where your plants are also very well cared for and categorized by type and alphabetical order - including name and scientific name signs. In the tool cabinet, he found gardening tools - as expected - and some useless things  or at least he hadn't imagined you'd have ... Like a neon pink pilates ball and an inflatable Santa Claus.

Jungkook lay on the deck chair on the terrace to sunbathe - few times in his life he had this luxury - and took the opportunity to take a nap. He woke up just before lunchtime.

"Y/N?" He checked on your office, and then in the living room. You weren't back yet, but since it was time for lunch he could finally go after you. Without hesitating he ran downstairs when he saw what time it was, escaping some steps to go faster, and without thinking, or rather remembering, that you probably wouldn't be alone in the office, Jungkook knocked twice on the door and went in before hearing an answer. So he froze by the door when he saw the two men from the other day with you in the room.

You were sharing the office chair with that hybrid - in fact he was practically sitting on your lap while you typed something on the computer, arms around him, both focused on the screen. The other guy, the human, had his back to Jungkook, hunched over the table, also looking at the same thing as you. It must be something important, because none of them noticed Jungkook's presence at first. Once again he felt that he was interrupting something he shouldn't be getting into - the little line forming between your eyebrows, while you read something on the screen in deep concentration saying it. With a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach he also felt that he should be interrupting for sure. No other hybrid should be on your lap while he is home alone. He was about to cough to get your attention, ready to make it very clear how unhappy he was with the scene, to let you know that your attitude was not cool, but the hybrid looked up from the computer, making eye contact with him. All of Jungkook's feelings are gone all of a sudden, leaving only the need to hide in a hole on the ground.

"Hi." The hybrid smiled at him, eyes turning into two crescent moons. This made you and the other guy see Jungkook too. The man, who today was dressed as a very stylish grandpa, turned around, sitting on the edge of the table and crossed his arms. JUngkook felt his face getting hot with all eyes on him.

"Oh, JK. I didn't see it's lunchtime already. Sorry." You said, checking your wristwatch.   

Jungkook couldn't answer, his voice stuck in his throat.

"We ran into each other in the hall yesterday, right?" The human calmly asked Jungkook, not really waiting for an answer. His eyes were so intimidating, a whole dominating vibe coming from him. "He's the one living with you?"

"Yes! This is Jungkook." You pridely said, giving a light pat on the hybrid knee, so he could let you get up. "And this is Taehyung, my friend who rents the studio across the hall. And this little cutie here Jimin he works for me as a counter."

"I like numbers!" Jimin said, cat ears excitedly pointed up. "Nice to meet you." Jungkook finally put some word out, still avoiding eye contact. You closed some folders, saved some docs... Finding it super cute that Jungkook was so shy.

"Let's eat." You stated. "Finally..." Teahyung and Jimin whined in unison. Taehyung out of nowhere lost his frightening posture, practically becoming a child right in front of Jungkook. A very excited child.

"Can we get hamburgers today? Last time Jimin chose, and before him was you..." He picked his shoulder bag and went to the door, stopping right next to Jungkook, who practically froze in place.

You followed suit, stopping on the other side of Jungkook, pressing a reassuring hand against the boy's back.

"I actually want to put Jungkook on a healthier diet. A regular meal would be better." You softly but certainly said with a smile, no room for debate. You wouldn't say that out loud, because it would be exposing Jungkook unnecessarily, and you don't know if he would like it, but his blood tests, done at the shelter, showed anemia, among other consequences of a poor diet, even though he is strong his health was not very good, and your plan is to take care of it.

" I think Jungkook could choose, since he is new." Jimin practically put everyone out to lock the door.

The silence that followed made Jungkook look up from the floor to see that the three were looking at him expecting him to say something he wanted to eat.

"Me..meat?" It was the first thing that came to his mind.

________________________________________________________________

Tag List:  @stayunderthelights  @deolly  @panconte @serendipityoreuphoria @madygswich @namjoonies-dimple @givebuckysomelove @imluckybitches @hoseokslefteyebrow  @yzkyzkuniverse @flaring-vibes @justpeachyjoon​

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If you want me to tag you, pls tell me. 

AND PLEASE GIVE LOVE TO THIS WORK OF MINE: Clumsy

[thankchaosforspellcheck]

Recently, Gotham’s talk radio show (102.9 THE LAB!) got a new radio host.

Now, something to keep in mind is that not too many people listen to LAB radio anymore, or radio in general.  Villains are much more likely to hijack a news broadcast, where they can show their face as well as their voice, for actual announcements while using the radio for straight schemes.  Listening to an AM station is more likely to get you hypnotized then it is to keep you up-to-date, so the majority of Gothamites just switch on the news or put in a CD if they need something to listen to.

There are still some that do, however.  Some can’t afford a TV and need to have some way of knowing which Rogues are in which part of town, others are new to town and haven’t experienced one of the more radio wave-oriented plots yet.  Most are just stubborn, as Gothamites tend to be.

But that all changed with the new host.

“Hey there, Labrats! This is 102.9 THE LAB! with your host: The Technician!”

The few people listening at the time knew something about The Technician just seemed... off.  It wasn’t necessarily in a villainous sort of way, but it wasn’t in a heroic way either.  He seemed to know where every super, criminal or otherwise, was while in costume, though their locations seemed to be vaguer if they were not doing anything “important” at that point.

“...and for your usual 10 PM Bat Update: Batman is still running the maze! He hasn’t run into anything interesting as of yet it see- OH HOLD ON TO YOUR CHEESE FOLKS! IT LOOKS AS IF TWO FACE IS ATTEMPTING A ROBBERY AT THE 5/3RD BANK ON 27TH AND GUESS WHAT STREET OUR DEAR DARK KNIGHT JUST LANDED ON~!”

As word travels, his popularity grows.  He’s a great resource for the common civilian and c-list criminal alike, and invaluable if you need to avoid a certain villains crushing vines or a certain heroes batarangs.  Of course, changing the game makes all of the other players take notice, so a few of the folks lower on the ladder decide to... give him a welcome party.

~~~

“Ya sure this is the place, boss?” One of the three testers asks, shifting from one foot to the other with a nervous look on her rat-like face, as she peers up at the radio tower.

“Of course I am sure, t-*Bleep*! This is where we track him down to, so this is where he must be!” The Russian hollers back at him.  However, he sounds much more confident then he feels, as he too looks at the ramshackle building.  It has clearly been abandoned for quite some time, and the tower looks like it is about to fall over any minute now.

“Look, is easy job: get in, get punk, get out.” he continued, in a gruff, smirking voice “If he is really able to see all that he says he can, then he will make life much easier.  If not, then I get ...stress relief.” The Russian finished darkly.

They both walk up to the gate, bolt cutter in the hands of a quiet tester.  The second he starts in on his job, however, an electric current runs up the tool to the man holding it, stunning him with the force of 50,000 volts.

“*Bleep*! Not another one!” The Russian angrily exclaims, assuming the tester was dead.

“Actually, boss, I think ‘e’s just knocked out!  Don’ look like he stopped breathin’!”  The third tester exclaimed.  She’s working on a medical degree right now, so she would know.

“Oh?  Huh.  Still, very rude!  Will have to teach punk lesson once found.” He grumbles, his surprise quickly turning back to irritation “*Bleep*, go drag him to alley down street, we do not need dead weight.  *Bleep*, come with me!” The Russian orders, already turning back to survey the fence.  After he spotted a fuse box just on the other side and a high enough tree, he ordered tester 1, who has some electrical work in her background, to hop the fence.

“O-okay, just a liiiittle further aaaaand I’m over-aaaAAAAH!” *THWIP!*  Tester 1 had indeed made it over the fence, but unfortunately she did not spot the net trap below.  She now hung over a pit revealed to be right where she would have landed.  It was quite lucky that the trap was there, honestly. A fall like that could have broken her neck...

“*BEEEEEEEEEEP*! This is the *bleep* *bleep* job I ever do!  Is like *bleep*-ing Tom and Jerry cartoon!” The Russian ranted, more and more fed up with these traps.  They were just supposed to be going after some newbie, after all, not a proper cape. Oi! *Bleep*! You done with *Bleep* yet?” He calls, stomping over to the alley. “I swear if you decided to take smoke brea-” *TWANG* The russian is cut off one last time by the sudden hit of a tranquilizer dart, one of which had already taken care of poor Tester 3.

“All four of them were later picked up by police after an anonymous tip relayed their locations...and how to avoid those *specific* traps.”

“This all happened about four hours ago outside of our lovely radio station (which only looks abandoned, promise!) but worry not, my little labrats!”

“I wasn’t even in the building at the time!”

~~~~

Shortly after this The Technician reveals that he has a newsvan he uses for “fieldwork”.  He does interviews (most of them don’t even realize they’re being interviewed until he’s already left) and reports on new shops and restaurants in between all of the fights and crimes. He doesn’t seem to have a rhyme or reason for why he leaves the radiostation, but after the first few attempts to break in criminal and hero alike realize that it would be much easier taking a van down then an entire station filled with traps.

The problem with this is, of course, finding the van.

He seems to have less of a... range while out and about, but as a trade off he is much better at getting the specifics of what is in that range.  A few capes have even gotten close to catching him, but they can never quite stay off of his radar for long enough to trap him.

However, since he hasn’t caught any of the major player’s attention, and he isn’t doing anything technically illegal, this has been more because of luck and a lack of interest then anything else.

...but that will all change soon enough.

[sassaetcie]

The Ashes of the Oven : Silver x Idia as a play with Lilia as the main actor - 2

heyo it’s the second part, enjoy

                                                         Scene IV

                               One of Diasomnia main building's balconies

LILIA, aside: Ah everyone, everyone in this small area has fallen asleep again! They say ignorance is bliss, but I guess, so is sleep.  Sweet, sweet children, rest well, dream well, for your dreams may be a fragment of this poor reality, or reality may be a fragment of dreams. What an old man I am, again and forever! Is this wind cold? Warm? Lukewarm? Is my skin dreading this poor, stuck, motionless tredging wind? Or is my blood fearing for such an eternal, limited, foe? Ah! Who comes! Who may you be, student of my dorm... my fellow!

DIASOMNIA STUDENT, A, B, C OR D, MAYBE X: Oh, sir Lilia. I apologize, I heard something and thought it was... some intruder creeping toward our balconies.

LILIA: Do not worry, this is small potatoes. You can go back, there is nothing but myself here. What is your name, if I cannot recall it at all? I am an old, old, chap, after all.

DIASOMNIA STUDENT, A, B, C OR D, MAYBE X: Oh, nothing of great matter, I'll be going back to the dorm.

LILIA: Please, do, young one. But indeed, your name may not be that much of a matter. I see you are diligent, and know immediatly of your susbtance. Would it have been easier with your "name", or any word at all? I wonder, I do not think so. For these words are after all, Words. And words are words upon everything, and yet everything might as well be a lie.

DIASOMNIA STUDENT, A, B, C OR D, MAYBE X: Do you mean my name is truly worthless, in the end, sir?

LILIA: All of our names are useless in the end, young one! Would you be called "Rose" and yet be fast, talking a lot, crushing flowers, including roses? Why would you wear such a name? Isn't that a blatant lie? Look at me, Lilia Vanrouge! Is there something red in me, on this fae body? Even the compass is not a compass! It cannot lead us anywhere, it barely leads us nowhere! But pray, go and recover through slumber again, my lad. You will be exhausted tomorrow, won't you? Your poor little thing.

DIASOMNIA STUDENT, A, B, C OR D, MAYBE X: Y-yes, I'll take my leave... Good night, sir Lilia.

LILIA: Good night, child of the world.

                                                          Scene V:

                                         Night Raven College coliseum

ASHTON VARGAS: Morning, youngsters! Won't spend a lot of time asking you how went your weekend cause it would be a waste of time on your potential, and a waste of time on the developpement of your MUSCLES! We're still in a exam period, so you better prepare! No, Idia, Azul, no running away, we're just doing boring exams... Well, the magical ones! And even if we didn't, you shouldn't waste your youth like this! Muscles and exercices are important for your health and body, as well as a healthy diet and...

IDIA: Yeah, yeaaah, I know... Can we just get to the exams already...

AZUL: Indeed, we may be losing time on our youth like you said so well, Mr Vargas. Wouldn't that be sad if we were to spend more time than expected on this exam?

ASHTON: Oh. Yeah, that's true! Well, I'll let you chose your teams as long as you don't just gang up as dorms or age... I may be tough to harden you up, but I won't stand for these kind of things! If you're just beaten up, you won't get anything from it!

SEBEK: SIR, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY GANGING UP AS DORMS???

ASHTON: Well, if you chose to team up with Silver, you won't be teaming up with Lilia and Malleus, you see?

SEBEK: But! BUT!

SILVER: Sebek, just calm down... you are going to bring too much attention upon Diasomnia at this point... And if you're... you are worried about Malleus... you can still team up with him to protect him, I'll be with someone else, or maybe our old... maybe Lilia will be okay with me.

LILIA: Oh, I shall be going with someone else, young ones. Pray do not pay attention to me, Sebek, go and follow Malleus, if you will.

SEBEK: Lord Malleus!!!!! Wait for me!!! You cannot wander too much, I am sorry!!!

SILVER: So... what will you do, old man?

LILIA: I will be going with little Cater and Mr Clover. Who knows, maybe we will end up fighting you and Idia, fufufu?

SILVER: Wouldn't that make your team full of third-years students, though?

LILIA: Why, maybe. Maybe! But Trey nor Cater are as powerful as Idia, certainly, fufu. Wouldn't he be the perfect partner even there? Go and fly to him, who knows whom might end up with him otherwise. Wouldn't that be sad if he were to end up alone because people wanted to team up out of affection or strategy only, and not because of both? Although, I cannot fully blame them for that. We are, quite always young down here, or up there, aren't we?

SILVER: Mhh, yeah, you are right, I guess. It is not like I can team up with someone else while being sure they know how to act as a team, anyway... I will be going.

LILIA, aside: Well, well. I guess the story really is going as planned. How gratifying! I could really see myself as a god if it were to keep going. I wonder, I wonder, what is the good choice? The lie, the right investment? Is this compass showing the North, or the South? Is the North the North? The South the South, the south, south the? There is no such thing as a clock in our life, but this huge, or invisible Compass.

                                                         Scene VI:

ASHTON: So, everyone has formed their teams?

STUDENT(S) FROM A TO X, FROM H TO D: Yes, sir!

ASHTON: Okay, anyone to move forward? Or we gotta make the whole stuff harder and call people randomly? Come on, gather up some courage, you have nothin' to fear! Everything gonna be alright.

CATER DIAMOND: Heeho! I would like to begin, showing the way to the younger students and all, you know~!

ASHTON: Cater? Surprised but not disappointed! That's the way to go! So! Who's in your team?

CATER DIAMOND: Lilia Vanrouge and Trey Clover! Of course we won't be fighting first years, that would be really cruel and lame~!

ASHTON: Yeah, would be unfair although we shouldn't underestimate the youngsters. Someone to take up the challenge?

LILIA: Do not underestimate the young ones, indeed. Would this dear Silver tries to fight us? Since he knows me, dorms interwars could be interesting, don't you think so?

ASHTON: Can't tell, these kind of things really aren't for me! As long as you fight in the rules and all... What do you think, Silver?

SILVER: Well. I have only one partner, and I don't... do not know if Idia Shroud would be okay with fighting three people instead of two.

IDIA: I don't care... If I'm with Silver, we should be in synch enough to fight three people who don't really have a lot to do together...  

TREY: Huh? Did something happen between you two?

CATER: You really don't pay any attention, do you, Trie~?

ASHTON: Enough chatting! Everyone, get away from the arena! Time to fight and muscles to shine!

SILVER: En garde.

LILIA: Oh, no need to be so formal, young one! You will not have time to say such things in war... but it is pleasant to hear and witness such fantasy.

IDIA: Then, take that!

TREY: Come on, Idia! Why would you use tree spells when you know that we are so good with fire?

SILVER: Thanks for the smoke, here I come.

CATER: Eeeeeh! A light shot...! Don't blind me eeeeeh!

LILIA: Let me add more fumes to hide this quite too vivid light!

CATER: Ehhhh... I can't see any of y'all, now~! That's not funny... and that's unfair!

LILIA: Nothing is unfair in battle, young one. You should not have underestimated two partners, after all. Hm? What's that? Oh, oh, an ashen ground. How interesting... Our steps do not make any sound anymore... Or sound does not come anymore.

TREY: Huh oh, I feel like Idia had predicted that.

IDIA: Gyehehe! Take thaaaaaat!

CATER: Aaaaaaah!!!! MY LEGS ARE FROZEN~!!!

LILIA: I guess you had planned on making an whole quiet floor and freezing it right after. How interesting... Let me burn down these fake grounds.

SILVER: Idia, step back, wherever you are. The fumes will get worse if the old man really burns down the whole ground... concrete aside.

LILIA: Huhu, concrete aside? Wouldn't that be fun to burn down, though? I wonder what kind of toxic fumes would get out. No one can help you in this smoke, young ones!

TREY: You're getting creepy, please, stop, already. We don't want to trigger something in Idia... or anyone else...

CATER: Come and help me instead of playing the bad guy, Lilia~!! If I'm down that means I can't use our main diversion anymore!

LILIA: Why would you think I am merely playing now? I may have been tagging along all this time, come on. Someone must have fun watching us diving! Burn, slowly burn. What will these flames reveal?

SILVER: Old man, stop. I don't know what you're on, but I beg you to stop. This isn't going to end well if you keep

IDIA: Uuuh... I'm going to suffocate... I'm going to suffocate.

SILVER: LILIA! STOP!

LILIA: Aren't these red flames pretty? Look at how much they burn, they eat away the whole world. What can we build over this burned ground, I wonder?

IDIA: I'm going to suffocate. Suff.suff.suff.SUFF.SUFF.SUFF. Stop with the flames already! Fucking stop! Stop!! Just hit me with ice if you want, but no more flames, please!

CATER: Lilia, stop, come on~! This isn't funny anymore, don't mess with Idia, we don't know what he can doooo~!!!

IDIA: I should have guessed... I should have guessed that you would never agree with me being happy with Silver! Gehehe... i was so fucking naive, of course no one would like me to take away their preciouuuuus family!

TREY: The fumes are melting away... What is going on?!

CATER: Haha, I don't like this feeling of déjà-vu...

LILIA: Ahh, finally. Well, I guess I should present you Idia... once he has overblotted.

SILVER: LILIAAAAAA!

LILIA: Oh, pray, do not try to kill me, this would be useless. Won't you save your... boyfriend, is that the word I am supposed to use now?

IDIA: Huhhh... No matter how much I try... these flames just stick to my skin... Soon this won't be my skin anymore... I'm sorry, Ortho, i'm sorry... why do you have to be caged with a fucking useless and ridicule and selfish and awful and pathetic brother? I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

CATER: What do you want us to do, Lilia?! Holy fuck, I can't even tell anymore what's going, why would you do something so careless and stupid, not to say dangerous?!

LILIA: Why, to help him, of course.

CATER: Eeeeh~ You're that kind of bitch who thinks they knows everyone's pains and act as if you could heal everything without anyone's help?

LILIA: Oh, young one, I apologize. I want your help, as well as Silver's help and Trey's help. I promise everything will be alright.

TREY: I... strongly disagree with your method. I wish I could just slap you right now but now there are too many people watching. It's because of people like you that we keep having so many troubles... you're so young and yet you act like some kind of patronizing parent... But hey, better wait for the overblot to stop first. I'll slap you later. Any idea to help Idia?

LILIA: Well, Silver will be the main actor here. He is, after all, the "Prince Charming".  

[paperbagpetrichor]

Aaaaaaah love your work! 💕 If you're still doing requests, could I ask for "10. No More Hurt: A merperson who is scarred and bruised from humans trying to capture them for years meets one who rescues them from a net trap-" from the recent Mermay prompts with merman!Jotaro? He just strikes me as a fishy that'd get hurt often and deserves better 😭

[ Thank you so much, I really appreciate it! c: ]

There were benefits to moving for college.  You could finally control the environment you lived in, for one, without having to worry about bedtimes or no-you-can’t-do-this or no-you-can’t-do-that enforced by your parents even though you were far above the age where any of that would’ve made any sort of remote sense for you to need reminders of, capable of spreading everything out and relaxing without a care.  Nobody was going to visit, there wasn’t really a point in keeping things tidy.  As far as you cared the more comfortable you were the better.  Your flat was small, but decently close to your school, perhaps a five-minute drive at most.  And in the other direction, perhaps a seven-minute drive, was the coast.  The saltwater waves would churn with the changing of the moon, and the breezes it often cast your way were more than enough to improve the slight humidity that would linger around after rainfall, and beach access was always granted.  You could finally be independent, truly and fully.  And the ocean was practically your backyard.  Of course, that pretty much guaranteed what your job was going to be.  You had to have one to maintain rent - one of the downsides of having your own place, but there was no way you were sharing a room with some random other person you’d never met before - and options to fresh-faced new adults like you were limited.  Most of the common places one would search for employment at were filled.  How was it that every fast food restaurant had an ‘excess of employees?’  Or that there wasn’t a gas station or retail shop that cared to give you a passing glance?  

This was the downside of it all: the fishing industry around your area was, needless to say, prosperous.  New hands on deck were just about always needed.  Thus, you had become perhaps the lowest class of a fishing crew: steward-in-training.  Yep, that’s right, not so much as a steward.  You didn’t have a fishing license, so that was off-limits until you either chose to gain one or found a different job entirely.  In other words, you were the garbage girl, occasionally working for cooks or filling in whenever a crew member was absent, but mainly, your days consisted of literal trash.  Whatever.  It was a living, at least.

Thankfully, this week, the steward above you was on break, and a few deck netters were out as well, meaning you wouldn’t be waist-deep into who-knew-what.  It would be your first time filling in as a netter.  Frankly, the giant machinery of it all startled you, like a giant metal monster, and the sheer dimensions of the net could probably trap you and just about all of your numerous coworkers with room to spare.  It was a behemoth.  With the help of the others, you reeled in, dumped one net into the freezing icebox, and ran to the next, a race against time to see how many nets you could handle.  Maybe if you did well enough, you could get some sort of promotion?  Apparently you were indeed doing well, as somewhere along the line you wound up dealing with the nets one-on-one, reeling in the massive hauls as best as you could by yourself.  It was nearly time to head home, everyone else busy with prepping the fish, and there was only one net remaining.  You began to pull.  About a third of the way up, the machinery shuddered to a stop, and no matter how hard you yanked, it refused to relent.  What the hell was happening?  All the equipment had been perfectly functional before you set off.  Did you break it?  No, everything still looked intact, so then…?  You remembered stories of how every once in a while a dolphin or shark or even seals being entangled and weighing the process down.  With a frown - if you were alone, and it was a shark, you certainly didn’t want to have to deal with that by yourself - you leaned over the side of the boat, scanning the water within the net for anything unusual.  Initially all you could see was blood.  That did not look promising; couldn’t sharks smell blood or something?  Maybe one was already devouring the fish inside.  Bubbles of red liquid rose to the surface and popped, leaving you to shudder as you peered in despite yourself, desperate to reach some sort of conclusion.  And it was then that you saw it.

Rather, you saw him.

At first he was nothing more than a flash of black hair, sunkissed skin flecked with cuts and bruises, turned so violently blue and green from abuse that he nearly masked in with the various fish struggling against the net, only contributed doubly to the confusion by…what appeared to be a fish tail?  You weren’t even aware of your jaw dropping as you nearly tripped off the boat.  A large gash, stretching from above his left eye all the way across his chest, finally showed through after a bout of thrashing around, eyes fighting to stay open and fingers clawing at the net in desperation.  What the hell had happened to him?  No, there wasn’t time for that - at this rate, with the amount of blood he was losing…if you didn’t do anything, he was going to die.  You cast a quick glance over your shoulder before hooking yourself to the side of the boat and diving over.

The saltwater stung at your eyes as you propelled yourself down, holding your breath as best as you could as you approached him and only saw more and more injuries dotting his body, all different sizes, different kinds, but frightfully painful at a glance, much less a focus.  As soon as he noticed you, he bristled up.  His pained face contorted into one of stoic expression, albeit one with a current of anger clearly lying beneath it, and he darted in the opposite direction, hitting the back of the net.  If you could’ve said something, you would’ve.  You would have said, I’m going to set you free, you’re going to be alright, hang in there, but you couldn’t.  With air quickly depleting you took to cutting the net apart and were greeted with a surge of fish shoving you backwards, only to recollect yourself and find the merman staring daggers at you.  There wasn’t much time now.  In a fell sweep, you rushed to him, taking him in your arms as he fought against your touch, pulling the tie back up as you began to lift out of the water, gasping for breath, hugging him to your chest, every ounce of your strength devoted to holding him, before reaching the deck and rushing with him to the below-deck quarters.  You had the equivalent of a janitor’s room, but it was something.  Something where nobody would find him.  The hand you’d kept against his mouth retreated as you shut the door, instantly piling towel after towel up against a corner of the room in as best of a makeshift bed you could manage.  All this time he had been silent.  There wasn’t a reason to presume he’d begin yelling, at least not now.  You turned back to help him onto the pile of faux blankets only for your face to blanch at the sight.  His tail was no longer there - instead, legs, battered and bruised beyond belief.  Once more he shrunk from your touch and heftily tried to shift away from you, only to wince with pain and fall still for a few moments, long enough for you to get him settled.  You grabbed the first aid kit from the shelf and knelt down beside him.

“Hey, don’t be scared,” you whispered, switching your gaze from the kit to his attempted neutral face that was betrayed by the way his features slightly scrunched up with pain, “I’m not going to hurt you, I promise.  I’m going to try to help you, okay?  But I need you to be still.”  You moved towards him and he shrunk back, closing his eyes, only for you to hover above him nervously and continue, “I don’t know if you understand me, but…[y/n].  That’s my name.”

After a few moments his eyes fluttered open, a beautiful seafoam green.  He clenched his jaw but relaxed otherwise, albeit reluctantly, muttering, “Jotaro.”  Almost as though he was ready to relent to you, he tilted his head so you could get a better angle at the slash and begin stitching.

You gave a small him of approval, followed by a nod when you realized his uninjured eye was still fixed upon you.  “That’s a nice name,” you replied with as best a smile as you could manage under the circumstances at hand.  Relief flooded you as he let out a grunt in response - he could understand you.  That made things a little easier.  You weren’t exactly a medical expert, but without immediate help he would bleed to death.  The rest of his injuries you could tend to later.  “I’m sorry.  This isn’t the best of introductions.”  A nervous chuckle escaped you.  He remained quiet, so you figured at this point you were simply talking to yourself, to calm yourself more than him.  So far he hadn’t so much as flinched as you applied the antiseptic and finished the final stitches, plastering a bandage around him only to realize you were lacking the rest for his facial injuries.  

With one glance to the remaining section - consisting almost solely of band-aids - he immediately spoke.  “No.”

“Okay,” you agreed, not wanting to push him, setting the kit aside.  The boat had begun motion - good.  You would reach land in a few minutes, and could get him proper help.  That was, of course, if he’d even agree to so much as go anywhere with you.  So far he’d shrunk back from your touch and wriggled away if you’d approach if he could.  It was pretty clear, as the boat finally lurched to a halt, that he’d never had interactions with humans.  Or, at least, never had any interactions with good people, you supposed, waiting for the last of the footsteps to disappear.  You were always last aboard, cleaning up the remnants of the mess of the day.  Right now, of course, that wasn’t your priority, as you slowly opened the door and peeked out after a few minutes, making sure everything was clear, only to breathe a small sigh of relief as the last car - save for yours - pulled out of the parking light.  You returned to his side.  “Jotaro?  I want to get you somewhere safe.”

Still on his back, still with those piercing eyes jabbing at you in suspicion, he replied, “Leave.”

You were taken aback by his sudden refusal.  Surely he couldn’t believe he’d be alright, could he?  Not after getting those cuts and bruises, scars and nicks, a slash right across him and winding up tangled in a fishnet half-conscious, no way, right?  As if it had a mind of its own your mouth opened.  “If I leave you, you’re only going to get - ”

“ - Get hurt?” his deep voice rang, cutting, slicing off the edge of your sentence with something sharper.  With a twitch of his face that lasted only a moment, barely noticeable, he had narrowed his eyes, so close together that all you could truthfully make out were his lashes as he continued, “You’re wrong.  The only way I’ll get hurt is if you take me, or anyone like you.”  Everything was a low growl.  “I know what you do to my kind.”

And suddenly his injuries made sense.  Those specific indentations weren’t just odd markings from something he’d run into, they were from fish hooks.  His scrapes and scars were from where fishing reel had wound itself around his body, digging in tight.  The criss-cross of stripes, red and raised, crawling up his skin and flaking away to rawness in certain areas, weren’t from some ocean-bound attacker, they were from the nets that he’d pulled so hard against.  His bruises had to have been from escaping something, likely a man-made creation.  And as for the wound you’d just cleaned…a heavy-duty sinking bait must have caused it, from the way it ripped at his skin and dug deep.  Nothing - or at least very little - of the injuries that covered him like a cloak of painted pain were caused by something natural.  No.  This had been the work of ‘anyone like you’ - humans.  No wonder he didn’t trust you.  

You blinked slowly, options running through your head, none of them sounding or seeming right.  Finally, you settled upon, “I - I’m sorry,” you began quietly, with whatever courage you could find, “but you should know, everyone else will be back tomorrow.  And with you injured like that, I really don’t think it’s a good idea to head back to the waters yet.”  No, it still sounded all wrong, what were you doing?  Was that too forceful?  Arrogant?  “Of course, I mean, you don’t have to listen to me.  You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, okay?”  I just want to help you.  If you could let those words, the truth, your truth, out, you felt as though your heart would break.  The sight of someone so harmed, clearly not just physically but mentally, too, literally backed into a corner on a dim ship, just a little while after being found, possibly bleeding to death, trapped in that very same ship’s nets - sorrowful and guilt were too light of words to describe it all.  But you knew there wasn’t a chance you could say that, either.  He was already distrustful of you to begin with.  If you made such a lofty statement, he’d likely reject anything else you had to offer, retreating back into himself.  Of course he wouldn’t believe someone genuinely wanted to help him.

To your surprise, he closed his eyes, shaking his head with a grunt as though he himself couldn’t believe he was letting him do what he was - and he likely couldn’t, at that matter.  From beneath dark lashes he glanced back up at you.  “Where do I go?”

Oh.  Was it really…that simple?  He was still uncomfortable, disturbed, downcast, injured, but he seemed to have recognized the rationale behind your words, to some degree, at the very least.  A small sigh of relief escaped you, quiet enough for only you to hear.  “Wherever you’d like.  I would say you should visit the hospital.  I’m by no means a doctor, and I think someone else could help you more than I, but there would be a lot of - um, a lot of people there.”

“I’m not bleeding,” he replied quickly, as though that meant he wasn’t suffering from any sort of pain despite the brief look of agony on his face as he sat up, facing you directly.  It was clear just as many thoughts were speeding around in his head as were in yours.  As much as you wished he would accept the offer, deep down you were pretty certain he wouldn’t, and he confirmed this suspicion, continuing, “Is there somewhere without them?”

You didn’t need to ask what ‘them’ meant.  “We have hotels,” you postulated, “but there are still a couple people there.  You would get a room to yourself, though, and I could pay for it until we find you someplace better.”

“Don’t pay for me.  I’m not going there anyways.”

Everything felt like it was falling apart once more.  You were quickly running out of options and he was quickly running out of energy to deal with your thoughts.  There was only one thing you had left to offer, really.  And of all the things you had suggested, you knew, without a doubt, this one would never make it.  You would leave the ship tonight, alone, knowing that somewhere in the seas, by the next morning, was a deeply scarred merman, likely subject to just as much torture as before.  But you had to try.  You couldn’t leave it at this.  Not with your heart swollen inside of your chest, words raking their way up your throat.  “I live alone.”  You awaited his immediate rejection only to find none at all.  “If you want a place with no people…you’ll have to stay somewhere until we can figure something out.  It would just be me there.  I don’t have friends over, and I’d be gone for awhile every week for school, so I think - that’s the closest I can get to somewhere that my kind isn’t.  I would have to be there,” you repeated, letting everything flow, “but not for very long.  So if you want to, you could come back with me.”

He stared at you, blankly, silently, for a few moments in which the only sound you could perceive was the thumping of your heart.  “I’ll go with you.”  

You were absolutely positive you hadn’t heard him right.  He…would?  He wasn’t going to disappear back into the sea?  He wouldn’t continue to be harmed like that, never again, if you had so much as a single word’s say in it, safer than he had been in the ocean on land?  There wasn’t an absolute hatred.  No, hatred wasn’t right.  His stoic expression could surely make it appear that way, definitely, but hatred was a misnomer.  It was doubt.  It had been doubt, all along.  

“Take me there.”

Almost as though in a trance, you nodded, standing and extending an arm to help him up, which, surprisingly, he took, shifting to his feet and peering at the now slightly-ajar door.  Nobody was left around, and you reassured him of it.  You aided him into the passenger’s seat before heading around to the other side of your car and beginning to drive the familiar route from work back to home.  “Jotaro,” you began after awhile of nothing but the sound of the radio, “you don’t have to answer me, but - is this your first time talking?  To someone like me?”

His gaze fell at his feet.  “If you mean other humans…no.  I’ve been - caught, before.”  He shifted to look out at the scenery that passed him by as you drove, almost like swimming but in air, unfamiliar sights somehow both intriguing and frightening him.  

“I’m sorry.  But please know…I won’t let it happen again.”

With a small exhale, he rested his elbow against the window, resting his head in his open palm and continuing, “Yare yare daze.”

Although he couldn’t see it, you eyeballed him as you found yourself in a line of traffic at a red light, knitting your eyebrows together.  Where was he going with this?

“I’ve never spoken to someone like you, [y/n].  There hasn’t been anyone to show me…that humans can be like you.” 

[johannepetereric]

Emi, You’re Not A Stalker!

Again, I am using dialogue from the anime. I don’t own CFV. I am using it because I can’t think of any other dialogue to put in its place.

________________________________________________________________

Aichi greeted Emi a yawned “Good morning” from the kitchen table, right after being slapped awake by Kaa-san. 

What? He was up since 5 this morning cooking breakfast! It’s only been a few days; his body has yet to adjust yet! 

Well, at least the blueberry muffins taste good. 

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you didn’t even have a alarm clock.”

Aichi stretched himself back, a longer, more drawn-out yawn escaping like ghosts, tilting the chair slightly. “Emi, I was up since five in the morning baking! What did you think I was doing?” He whispered-yawned. “I went to bed at eight for this.”

Emi looked furious, face colored the pigments of the tomatoes he sliced and diced today.

“That’s right, Emi. Please respect your brother. He is next-in-line to be the Matriarch, after all.” Shizuka Sendou, the current Matriarch, reminded the daughter. As stated in a previous post, Emi was booted out of queue as soon as Aichi declared that he found his mate (future boyfriend!). So now, Emi is the one subject to sleeping in! “And Aichi! Eat your waffles!”

Indeed, three waffles were stacked in the future-matriarch’s plate, two more than on the other two, saturated with syrup and butter and berries--and a dash of whipped cream!

Aichi’s tried eyes awoke as he remembered this. He popped a super-sugary waffle fork into his mouth, salivating at its sweet, sweet, pick-me-up texture and essence of home.  While Aichi was finishing up the muffins earlier, she was making extra waffles for her new apprentice! Although Aichi barely managed to slag through the motions, the produce did turn out as advertised!

“Aichi, hurry up! I don’t have to drive you to school, do I?” Indeed, the Sendou Matriarch has a motorcycle (legally licensed, of course) in the garage (or out back). 

“No, Kaa-san!” He filled himself as much as he could, earning himself a tummyache and vomiting into a trash can near school, but he at least wasn’t late this time!

Right after Aichi left, the girls had about the same talk as in the anime:

“Aichi’s been working hard this morning. He’s been going to bed later and is now rising just as earlier. He only had five hours of sleep last night.” The mother shook her head fondly. “I hope he found something fun after school.” 

This was a lie by omission, one could say. Shizuka does know, but Emi is a troublesome girl to deal with in the affairs of love. The mother could only sigh in contempt. Emi questioned why, but the other said to “let it be. Your brother has enough worry on his shoulders as it is.” And shuffled away to do whatever it is she does. 

Emi pondered this lateness. 

Right on time, she stalked her brother. 

“Hold it right there, Aichi. You’re not going home yet!” A menacing voice shrieked.

“Morikawa, I told you you’re not my type!” Aichi squealed back. The bully looked seriously offended and just threatened him more.

She saw her brother being threatened by the two boys (”Morikawa” and who must be his lackey), talking about plans, and she saw that they weren’t touching the new lunchbag her brother was bringing the past few days. 

I hope that they’re both all right! She thought. She knew it wrong to be worried about the food, but Mom would be sad if they were ruined!

I hope they’re not going to assault him!

The threatening of a beating continued, and she fussed over why in the world he’d play along with them why isn’t he scrambling to safety?!

Card Capital, the place they entered read. Must be their evil lair!

“Stop right there!” she yelled through the automatic door, only to be met with reverberating silence.

A green-hared man in glasses led up to her with, “Eh--how can I help you, young lady?”

“What? Eh? I’m here for my brother?”

“Well-” she was given a whole spiel, a guided tour of the place. She spied Aichi smiling and untouched and seemingly ignoring her, and she finally looked around.

Little kids about her age leaning around little tables; a cashier next to her; a glass case beyond there; cards on display; a bored-looking lady, previously reading a book at the register, staring an icy death into the little girl.

This really is a safe space. But what if it’s just money-laundering?

“Oh, those two are about to start a Cardfight. You want to see?” One most menacing bully and Aichi had locked eyes on the table, seemingly ignoring the girl who dared to believe this a bad place.

Emi nodded. The lunchbox was between Aichi’s feet, seemingly unopened. Looking at the floor, she didn’t see any crumbs. 

What she didn’t know was that Misaki was hiding her half-eaten muffin under the counter, to be slowly devoured over the course of the day XD! 

She watched Aichi ride “Blaster Blade,” the one he’s the reincarnation of. The face, it looked so...so...

A True Leader. 

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“Why do I never draw the cards I need?”

“Uh, because Morikawa is stupid?” Aichi offered.

“Aaaaaaah!” Izaki held back the bully--Morikawa--by the collar. The dumb*** was choking.

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“bUT i SCORED ANOTHER AWESOME gRADE 3!” (Yaaaas, I’m keeping it like this!)

“You’ll have to discard them eventually...”

“DO YOU NOT BELIEVE YOUR MASTER?!”

Aichi sweatdropped. “Morikawa, this is why you’re not my type.”

Emi snickered at that. Her big brother can be so picky sometimes.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Gallatin attacks Barr!” 

Aichi...you’re so different. Your eyes have no sense of hardening here. You don’t look as afraid as before. Compared to you now, Aichi, he looks so weak. Bark but no bite. 

...

“--I attack Barr for the win!” Aichi has changed so much. Did Kaa-san know about this? 

Yes, it must be...finally playing Vanguard, as he’s so desperately wanted. The drive, the sparkle, the matriarchal glimmer that Kaa-san has chasing a cornered “Karen.” And Psyqualia looks unnecessary. 

“Eh?? Why isn’t the attack going through?”

Aichi sighed in exasperation. She feels it completely. What a mood. He responded in monotone, dead-eyed again, “Blaster Blade initially had 19000 power. I boosted with Wingal, which gives Blaster Blade an 4000 power. I now have to check the drive trigger.”

Critical. 4 damage. Add +1 damage to Blaster Blade, and...

“Aaaaaaaah!” Emi covered her ears for this one, her brother wincing.

“I looooooost!” 

“And look! He took zero damage!” A smug glimmer appeared in her brother’s eyes, a look so often used every week. Someone pointed it out--Aichi was squirming and twitching in anticipation for the moment when he could fold his arm like an egotistical champ again. Forehead furrowed trying to hold back as villainous face. Well,

“DON’T LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT, YOU PUNK! I JUST LOST ON PURPOSE!” Aichi sweatdropped, never once losing that smug expression--which juts out more prominently now that he’s taken his opponent down an emotional peg.

His jaw twitched in the desire to smirk.

Emi’s had enough of this bull****.

“Aichi!” 

“Emi?! What are you doing here?!”

“Me?! You’re the one who’s abandoning your duties.”...Oops. 

Aichi stormed over to her cross-eyes, ready to give the middle finger and A Lesson About Respect.

“Now you listen here, young lady!”

“Aichi, stop.” A snappish, stern voice snapped them out of their oncoming tirade--which is bad for public relations.

Aichi veered this particular maniac look at the teen. Misaki-san looked slightly unsettled but glared back with equal virility.

An staring contest ensued, lightning sparking between them, Aichi’s eyes slightly turned downward--of course. It’s a girl. 

“So,” Emi crossed her arms in contempt. “You’ve been coming here to play games.”

Aichi’s eyes narrowed, attention twisted toward the imouto again, back straightened. Time to Defend. “What can you do about it?” He answered in equal condescension.

This killed the mood--if it already wasn’t when Emi caused a reaction from the blunet.

“Yes, Kaa-san knows. We knew you’d freak out. But to pull a stunt like this?” Tsk, tsk, tsk, he clicked as he shook his flowy, clean sea.  “This is beneath even you.”

“You are aware your friends know of your true nature, right?”

“I revealed it to them the day after I met Kai-kun.”

“Merciless.” She agreed, calmer now, for it is factual. The feminine male had grown a cruel side, not totally unlike your stereotypical tsundere or yandere. 

Aichi must’ve been brutal, so worked up like that. She can sense the romantic feels spiraling out of his soul, his heart. The mere moment of affection from one breath was enough to suppress a bit of her killer curiosity--one of many reasons as to why we fight.  

“So is Vanguard fun to play for you?”

“Yes!” He shouted with no hesitation, face now morphed back to when he rode his Avatar. “So much fun! I don’t have to worry about losing!” He pushed out two fingers--Too-dles! It doesn’t matter whether I win or lose. I’m going to have fun, anyway.

Emi smiled.

“Might I play sometime?”

Aichi grunted, maternal smile gleaming naturally. 

Indeed, he’ll be a wonderful mother and waifu. The Perfect Matriarch. 

“Ok. Bye! I expect your lasagna tonight!” Emi headed out towards home.

She could hear clamor about Aichi’s “secret” cooking abilities. Emi is proud of her brother. He has much room to grow, and he has finally opened the floodgates to reaching that level of maturity required to be a mature--emotionally mature--adult. 

Indeed, Emi will love meeting this new, dormant Aichi. 

[greengargouille]

At long last I have some time for Mother of Learning’s epilogue, which is great because I’ve been missing checking the tag but I wanted to avoid thinking too much about it before getting some rest So! What happened to our two -now former- time travellers since Zorian last fell unconscious?

-I expected either the ‘good morning’ wake up or a flashforward, but I admit I did not think of the two together. One month already, wow. Also, Zach is on friendly terms enough with Kirielle to rope her into his revenge pranks via PTSD. Neat.

(And Zorian complains about how long will Zach keep up with this, but, let’s admit it, halfway through that month Zorian probably pulled some nasty prank too in retribution, like pretending to have forgotten everything that happened within the loops. You can’t make me believe he never tried to get back at Zach) - “A dozen of people or so”, that’s... kind of a lot? I remembered that the only reason Zorian wasn’t sharing his bed with Kirielle in most restarts is because Imaya allowed her to have her own room while there wasn’t a third tenant for it. *checks previous chapters* Hmm, nope, it does say that there is a bunch of rooms on the second floor. Though I guess with the ‘slightly beyond’ capacity, some people do have to share their bedrooms.

Ah, nevermind, it does seems to be what I initially remembered. Well, one room for Imaya, one for Kael and Kana, one for Zorian and the last one for Kirielle would count as “a bunch”. But how are they sharing that between a dozen people?

(Zorian one evening just come to the Noveda Estate to get a room here, because he just can’t handle that many people under one roof and especially in his room.) (...Wait, is the Noveda Estate in good state, actually, or was it destroyed during the invasion attempt? Though I guess even if it’s mostly intact, it’s not Zach’s yet till he get a fair trial against his mentor)

-Ilsa is here! Did she sleep at the academy too? Or is she just here to watch over her students? I don’t care, I’m deciding she is sleeping here. Look, I might have never mentioned it before, but I have an incredibly soft spot at the idea of Ilsa and Imaya being girlfriends through their school years, and deciding to break up due to not being able to invest time in each other any more, but still remaining good friends. Look, I’m just a simple lesbian that like some wlw of adult age in her fantasy.

-Imaya having the time of her life aaaaaaah my heart, this epilogue only started and I already feel so blessed.

-Zorian ask where Zach is, Ilsa reply by refering to him as [Zorian’s] friend, which is... weird? He is her student too, even if she must not have seen much of him (or Zorian too, either, though he still tried to have mind magic sessions at school so maybe he was more present. Hmm. I do remember him saying to Akoja that he wouldn’t be present much though.) That would also imply that Zach is Zorian’s friend first, and eventually for his other classmates too. Hmmmmm.

...No, really, the fact that Zach was here but couldn’t wait for Zorian to wake up, wouldn’t that imply that he lives here too? Would make sense that he avoids the Estate if he is currently fighting with Tesen. Or maybe he comes to grab breakfast after whoever in charge of cooking at the Estate resigned after the invasion.

...I like the idea of Zach being part of the household, though, he must have spent enough time there through the loops to feel attached to the place. (which means that instead of Zorian going to the Noveda Estate to get at least one peaceful night, it’s Zach instead that come to crash in his room to avoid his shitty mentor outside of court meetings)

-Study groups is something I never thought about but make complete sense given how the academy is supposed to be in a bad state. Cyoria’s importance as a town will probably be massively cut despite the presence of the only rank 6 mana hole, and the academy’s management will be tough for the whole year. I wonder if, by the end of it, it will be able to go back to being the best academy of the country (continent?), or if its reputation will never recover and students will be more distributed across other academies. This could have interesting consequences, economically or politically.

-Ah, confirmation that Zorian was indeed absent from most classes this month.

-Zorian is starting to follow in Xvim’s footsteps, aww :’D

-We get to check up with Raynie, and while I don’t have much to say about it, I do like the... realism of it? The whole ‘putting this young girl with an emotional story up front to cover for other things, but ready to turn on her if it was beneficial’. We’re not left with a saccharine closure for her, but it still feels hopeful.

-Oh, Zorian is openly a mind mage. And here I thought he would really try to cover this up. Guess I will have to make major changes to that sequel fic I was never going to write in the first place

-Akoja finding motivation to become better out of the accident is... oddly sweet, in a way? Her way of explaining it is relatable. It was a terrible thing, and she knows it was terrible and feel bad for all those people, and guilty for how it turned out so well for her- but that’s not going to stop her from getting those opportunities. And she does frame it as “when war came for her again, she would be ready”, not out of altruism or wanting to protect others, which I actually really love?

-Zorian have an ‘uncanny ability to notice the problem people were having, and how to fix them’. I wonder what’s at play there. Is it his empathy/mind magic that helps him, his archmage level experience, the fact he already made training programs for multiple people in the past, or just because he is quite familiar with those people due to the time loop? Maybe all of this.

-Akoja understanding that the image she had of Zorian is flawed, but that she still likes him, is a good conclusion for her- even though the ways she notices in which he diverge from that mental picture are only due to the time loop, when even before that they already had major differences. Still a good step in the right direction.

-Akoja, Kopriva and Kael becoming buddies is nice. I like that the classmates are becoming friends even outside of the ZZ sphere of influence. (The term ‘bedfellow’ is not one I ever heard before, and I was ready to point this out as proof they all share rooms before looking at the definition. Sigh.)

-Ah, Zach is still seen as a ‘clown and a wastrel’ by his classmates, or at least Akoja. Seems obvious, as he didn’t interact much with her and need to stay low, but man, I feel like this kind of reputation could become a problem down the line. Or not. Even if he doesn’t show the full extend of his abilities, he can show enough to get some respect, for example hunting dangerous creatures.

-Kopriva thought Zorian became close to Zach for money, before learning about his sales. But not everybody have her connections. And Zorian is now a known mind mage. There’s probably one or two conspiracy theorists in Cyoria thinking that Zorian is manipulating Zach via mind magic and that’s why their relationship drastically switched.

-Hmm, if Kael is surprised someone got into his room despite the lock and ward, then it’s probably safe to say he doesn’t share it with someone else. Or another classmate, I guess he’s in the same situation with Kana that Zorian is with Kirielle.

-Some investigation ongoing! Seems like ZZ&co did a pretty good job at erasing their tracks. Zorian had probably no choice in leaving so much of the golem’s core behind, but I can’t help but think it means the end of his golem-making career, or he will have to keep it for private use- someone is going to recognise this kind of spell formula if he start producing golems interesting/effective enough to make enough sales despite being a one-man team.

-How much does the Triumverate Church knows about the summoning? Did Zorian went and erased the minds of people that were here when him and Zach first asked for an angel summon, or since it didn’t gave away anything about the loop, they were left alone? Is the fact those two were present at a not only successful summoning, but one that was hijacked by an high-rank angel, known by people higher in the Church hierarchy? Will they become unexpected allies in an eventual sequel when either of them is put in an awkward position by the crown?

-”It may take a year, or even a decade, but they were bound to make a mistake.” Flash forward a decade later, when Elayer learns the ‘saviors’ are the most powerful couple of the continent, and also are behind some of the help/money the investigation team got on other cases, and so it would be pretty bad for him to reveal the truth.

-POV switch to Damien, and we get a reminder that Zorian is basically an impostor who killed the original. Which is not something I, and probably many readers, thought much about at this point of the story, but it’s true this is a moral dilemma. Damien’s acceptance is a pretty normal reaction, though. I think. I dunno, my brother have yet to come up to me and tell me he is actually a time loop clone that killed the original, but I feel like I would be able to accept it.

-”Daimen was pretty sure his little brother would be willing to make an enemy out of the whole family for Kirielle’s sake”, except Daimen was baffled by their mother’s plans for her and wouldn’t go against Zorian, only try to smooth things over, and Fortov... wouldn’t it be hilarious if he actually supported Zorian through this plan. Zorian wouldn’t even know what to make of it since he just doesn’t care about his brother’s opinion.

-’Zorian can pull a grudge’, Daimen thinks, meanwhile Zach have been making petty pranks at Zorian for a whole month in retribution for putting him in an illusion world. The one who makes an enemy out of those two is going to have a very bad day.

-Benisek had to appear at least once in the epilogue, and with his overall contribution to the story it couldn’t have been a big part, but boy is his scene glorious. What a way to reveal some major information to people around :’)

-Spear of Resolve get to stroll openly through the city, how nice. The situation is far from being resolved for the web, and people’s perceptions probably aren’t going to shift even after getting used to them, but they are too important to strike down or ignore, and even before they already had trade relationships with some humans; a lot of possibilities are going to open for them.

-Taiven cameo! Her thriving as a combat mage and being totally independent from Zorian is a pretty satisfying end for her. Spending too much time around him would only make her discover some of his abilities and doubt her own, I’m afraid.

-The Noveda Estate is mentioned as a potential private meeting place, so it’s probably safe to assume it is not only mostly intact, and that Zach is living here/can invite people.

...Which reminds me. Didn’t Zorian have a workshop there (as seen in the chapter where he talks with Novelty and we hear about the pokeball grey hunter trap? Is the reason he asked Zach to buy a place for Kael and not for himself because he already had access to this one?

- “In all honesty, Zorian had yet to hand out even a fraction of the stuff he owed (...) It would take him literal years” This shouldn’t be surprising, given he already mentioned something similar before, but this is still something I wanted to point out, since it does align with a certain headcanon of mine on how the close future would go for him. This post is already pretty long so I won’t develop, might end up making another post about it I already said I won’t write that fic! Someone stop my brain from putting on more projects on me!

-Speaking of headcanons: Zorian is writing a book! My bet was on shaping exercises- a sort of follow up on the 15 variations basic book, putting the most interesting ones he saw during his travels, as well as less well known ones (Xvim did say there were shaping exercices for mind magic too, after all), and basically the kind of book he wished he could have during his training sessions with Xvim. But a mind magic book would actually be pretty great! If he is allowed to publish it. Not sure he can get the peer approval for it.

-Holy heck that Grey Hunter end. Well, that does answer the question of whether that primordial essence would dissolve away after Silverlake failed her contract. Man, I hadn’t expected her to actually have a part, despite joking about it.

-I expected Zach to have more of a role in the epilogue, but you know what? That just mean the unseen interactions are Free Real Estate.

This epilogue felt pretty good to read! It went in unexpected directions and managed to pull a lot of loose threads, while giving enough content to imagine an interesting sequel. I was worried till the end Zorian would date one of the girls he had interacted most with through the story, because this is the kind of disappointing ending stories tend to go for, but it really wouldn’t fit with Zorian’s character and just... the whole ethical problem of being mentally way older, having some major power imbalance and him retaining memories the other doesn’t have. Now that the story is completed I think I can go back and enjoy the passages where said girls appear more? They’re all very interesting characters in their own right, so I’m glad for that.

...I wouldn’t say I don’t want a sequel, but... I’m satisfied if Mr. Kurmaic ends the MoL-verse there (or only come back for worldbuilding posts on his blog). He did said he wanted to edit the story and eventually publish it before starting anything else, and he did want to write a completely different story, so even if he talked about a possible sequel, it wouldn’t be before years, and who knows how he will feel about the idea then. So I’m glad, I’m really glad, that the story ended so satisfying, because I feel like it’s fine for me if it’s over. I want to stay and enjoy the (very small) fandom here on tumblr, maybe contribute to it too, and I’m happy that I can do it without canon spoiling my enjoyment.

Mother of Learning will probably have a special place for me as a story. I wished it had more details on certain points, but it’s still a complete worldbuilding that felt fresh, the story had done amazingly well on Chekhov’s guns and twists, and I never felt like it went lazy or had disappointing answers to its mysteries (okay, maybe on Red Robe’s identity, but I feel that’s very forgivable). The magic system, Zorian’s progress, the time loop... so many elements that could have been badly exploited, but no, it never made characters take the idiot ball, the story didn’t pull power increase out of nowhere, it was all so good. Mostly, what I will admire the most, is that Nobody completed the story. The updates might have been constantly delayed, but it was still at a pretty good rhythm, and in a language that isn’t the maternal tongue of the author. As someone whose one-shots can stay WIP for years before I complete them... It is very inspiring.

I am so, so glad that I decided to read this story, that I was part of this adventure if only as a lurker... And I wish the best to Mr. Domagoj Kurmaic, whatever his next writing project will be- or even if he decides to stop writing at all. Sincerely, thank you.

[thecorteztwins]

Hogwarts. Or when Fabian is there, Whoregotwarts

(Hey @esteicy-blog, I included Pietro this time! And Wanda too! I hope I did okay with their personalities; I know what Pietro is like to a degree but I really don’t know much about how Wanda acts.Also, credit to @hexiva for the whole “Magneto was a dark wizard that Xavier put on staff as “Michael Xavier” after defeating him, ala his identity while headmaster to the New Mutants” bit. Thank you for letting me use your AWESOME IDEA, friend!)The Triwizard tournament had come yet again, and this time it was hosted at Hogwarts. For the first time in years, students from the Hogwarts could mingle with visitors from the Durmstrang Institute and the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. Fabian Cortez, a Spanish student from Beauxbatons, would in particular like to ‘mingle’ with one of the Durmstrang girls, a Balkans beauty named Wanda MaximoffHe had made this abundantly clear since they first passed in the Great Hall when the visitors were first announced to the Hogwarts pupils, and he had been making it clearer every time he saw her, to her demure disgust. It had finally come to a head in the Hogwarts courtyard, where he had last made the mistake of making his lurid advances in view of Wanda’s brother, Pietro, who, it turned out, had a much shorter temper and smaller tolerance for such impropriety than she did. “Leave her alone, you lurid creep!”“She can tell me if she doesn’t appreciate my company, you pernicious twerp.”“She did, she told you quite clearly! Maybe you couldn’t hear her because your rat-tailed head is too far up your own—”“Problem, boys?”It was Professor Michael Xavier, one of the Hogwarts teachers. “I realize you’re not my students,” he continued, “But perhaps you’d like to explain yourselves?”“You’re right, I’m not your student,” Pietro huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.Fabian, on the other hand, did as asked,“It was my fault, Professor. I was trying to talk with this young lady, but I think I made a language mistake, or maybe overstepped some cultural barrier—I know little of Durmstrang ways, I only studied British manners because we were coming to Hogwarts—and this boy came up just…yelling at me. I didn’t understand at first, but I think he thought I was bothering her.”“You were!” Pietro barked, red-faced at how Fabian was…not lying exactly, but painting a very misleading picture.“Why don’t we ask the young lady in question?” said Michael coolly. He was already biased for Fabian, since he was the one who had cooperated and his story seemed plausible, but he supposed getting a neutral third party witness would be most fair.“That would be me, professor,” Wanda stepped forward,“He was bothering me, and I asked him to stop, but…perhaps I was not clear enough.”“You were PLENTY clear,” snarled Pietro, glaring at Fabian. Fabian looked at Professor Xavier expectantly, figuring that the verdict would now fall in his favor…but Michael Xavier was staring past the boys at Wanda. He looked transfixed, and shocked, unbelieving. Wanda shifted nervously under the intensity of his gaze. Why was he staring at her like that?“Professor!” Pietro said sharply, who was wondering the same thing. Would he have to defend his sister even from the teachers now? Well, he was ready, he’d blast anyone who so much as looked at Wanda into pixie dust!“Eh?” Michael Xavier glanced at him, and it seemed like reality returned,“Oh, yes…my apologies children, I…recalled something important. Now what was your problem?”“Make him leave her alone!” Pietro demanded, “Or I will!”“I’m very sorry for the confusion,” said Fabian in a humble, abashed tone, “I’ll apologize to Miss Maximoff immediately. Miss Wanda, I promise that impropriety was not my intent. I hope that we can still be friends—I’d hate for this to be your only impression of me, and of the Beauxbatons school.”“Er, I–” Wanda started, but was cut off by protestations from Pietro over the idea.“Maximoff,” Michael Xavier said to himself, noting how Fabian had addressed her, “Wanda Maximoff.”And with that, he turned and hurried back to the castle in a most urgent manner, leaving the boys behind to bicker. For Michael Xavier was not Michael Xavier. The man Michael Xavier, supposedly the cousin of Headmaster Charles Xavier, did not exist. He was really Erik Magnus, the Dark wizard that Charles Xavier was supposed to have defeated and killed years ago. In truth, Xavier had let him live, convinced him to give his way a try, and as a gesture of his trust, given him this new life, this position as a teacher.But before he had been Erik Magnus, Michael Xavier had been someone else as well. A boy named Max Eisenhardt. A boy who had grown up to marry a woman called Magda.A woman who had been nigh-identical to this “Wanda Maximoff”. He must find out who she was, where she came from—who her parents were. And no schoolboy squabble was about to distract him. ***“There you are, swine. I was beginning to think you wouldn’t show.”It was midnight, and Pietro had been waiting at the mouth of the enchanted maze for…well, for all of five minutes, actually. Fabian was right on time. In fact, he’d come early, to get a little something done first before meeting Pietro. But Fabian had indeed considered not coming. The fact that this duel was a secret meant he wouldn’t lose face in front of his peers if he chickened out…and he didn’t want to get caught after so narrowly avoiding trouble the last time. He doubted he’d get the same leniency that Professor Michael Xavier had shown him. But then he’d had an idea that he just couldn’t resist…“It’d have been better for you if I didn’t,” he replied, “Oh, hello there Wanda, here to cheer me on? Or does Pietro need his sister to for backup?”“I am TRYING to tell my brother what a stupid, stupid idea this is. I was hoping YOU would at least be smart enough to realize that!”“And stand up a date? I never do that, Wanda. Maybe I’ll be kind enough to show you that—after I teach your brother a lesson! Flipendo!”Fabian had drawn his wand by surprise, and knocked Pietro on his ass with the Knockback Jinx.“You cheater!” Wanda yelled, “No one said go yet!”“No rules out here, Maximoff!” Fabian replied, directing this at them both as he readied his wand again, “Consider it a warning shot!”Pietro jumped to his feet, drawing his own wand as he did and yelling the incantation for a Stinging Hex. It hit Fabian full in his face mid-smirk, and he screamed and clawed at his own skin in pain. It didn’t slow him down though; it merely made him angry. No more playing!“Expulso!” Fabian’s wand blasted the blue light of the exploding charm in Pietro’s direction, but Fabian’s current poor vision meant his aim was off, and Pietro was able to Pietro, pulling Wanda with him. All the magic hit was the shrubbery, which burst into shredded leaves. Still, that alone showed the twins that Cortez clearly meant business.“Wanda, get out of here, he’s mad!” Pietro urged, suddenly realizing how serious the situation could be.“That’s why I’m staying with you, you idiot!” she retorted, drawing her own wand. “How touching,” Fabian mocked, and fired another Exploding Charm, this time on their opposite side, causing the pair to jump again, this time in the other direction. Pietro began to run at him with his wand drawn, but another Flipendo from Fabian knocked him back, this time into the entrance of the maze. Wanda ran after him, but not before pointing her own wand at Fabian and shouting,“Stupefy!”It worked splendidly, with Fabian reeling back and then falling to the ground unconscious. Wanda, meanwhile, went into the maze in search of her brother. Fabian’s Exploding Curse had cleared quite a lot of the hedges, which had allowed him to knock Pietro exceptionally far back inside, considering. “Pietro?” Wanda called nervously when she did not immediately see him, “Pietro, where are—”“Shhhh,” said a voice from her feet, and she looked down to see Pietro crouching under a bush, finger to his lips, and his opposite hand gesturing rapidly for her to come join him.“Pietro, what are—aaaAAAAH!”Charging right for her was what Pietro had been hiding from—a manticore, a massive beast with a leonine body, gigantic curled scorpion tail, and an unnervingly human-like face full of dagger-sharp teeth. It had been meant to stay tethered there in the maze, until it would be unleashed during the Third Task for the Triwizard Champions to face when they went inside to search for the Triwizard Cup.But, judging by the severed chain trailing from its collar, someone had let it loose tonight…And it was going to do exactly what that ‘someone’ had planned for it to do—at least, til someone shouted “IMPEDIMENTA!” and stopped the beast in its tracks.Wanda turned to see the face of her savior—Professor Michael Xavier.“Miss Maximoff,” he said calmly, stepping towards her, wand in one hand, shirt collar of the still-unconscious Fabian in the other as he dragged the boy behind him,“I believe you and I, along with your brother, have some very important matters to discuss. Family matters, in fact.”

[moonraccoon-exe]

GLADNIS VS RAVNIS AMUSEMENT PARK AU PLEASE

SOMEBODY ASKED FOR SOMETHING RAVNIS RELATED AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

OKAY HERE I GO YOU TRIGGERED ME ONLY BECAUSE #RAVNIS

Tbh last time I wasat an amusement park I was like 4 y.o. and I HATE them because I hate all the machines. I could ride a horse and climb a mountain and camp if I had the chance, but you won’t put me in a seat on a roller coaster. I can vaguely handle cars. Anything with an engine somewhere makes me nervous (I’d suck as a Nif ;-;)

So believe it or not I’m gonna have to google to know what the HELL you can do at an amusement park, because no way am I not gonna answer this with some damn headcanons you heard me

*furiously googles*

Jesus christ, I’m going to add a Read More because it turned out SO LONG.

You triggered me, dear person I BLAME YOU.

It was the four guys who went to the amusement park for mere fun.

Prompto asked Luna to join them.

She did. Except she brought Ravus along.

Before knowing Ravus would go, Gladio had convinced (maybe with a coin or two) Prompto to take Noct and Luna somewhere so he could be alone with Ignis for a while (they’re in indirect-courting process, not in a relationship just yet).

Prompto did.

Except he didn’t take Ravus away.

He tried but the man insisted he stayed with Gladio and Ignis.

Gladio’s currently like (╬ ಠ益ಠ) on the inside.

Ravus is (ಠ_ಠ)

Ignis is just -___- like usual, nothing out of ordinary for him.

Except he really is a bit nervous because he’s aware he’s been courted by both AT THE SAME TIME for the past six months and he’s SO CONFUSED and now that the three are alone it’s so awkward like, he doesn’t want to offend either of them, but he’s also aware both are going to poke each other’s eyes out if he doesn’t stand in the middle so, what a shame, he has to stay there.

“Ignis, let’s go to that ride.”

“Who put you in charge, Amicitia?”

“I was just making a suggestion, mister poker face.”

“What did you call me?”

“Poker face, are you deaf?”

“No, but I wish I was. That way I wouldn’t have to deal with your horrible voice and stupid suggestions.”

“SAY THAT AGAIN.”

Ignis is just -____- sigh.

Roller coaster comes first

There’s a whisper-shout argument between Ravus and Gladio the entire time while picking a seat. You know, it’s by pairs, not trios.

“MOVE ASIDE AMICITIA, I ARRIVED FIRST.”

“NO WAY, YOU MOVE, PRINCE ASS.”

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING YOU CHEATER”

“WHO’RE YOU CALLING CHEATER YOU DOUBLE CHEATER”

“MOVEASIDEDAMMIT”

“NOYOUMOVE”

Gladio wins this round.

Gladio’s having fun and encourages Ignis to let himself go and just throws the arms up.

Ignis is having fun because while he doesn’t let himself go fully (it’s too vulgar, I’m the king’s adviser, I shouldn’t be- Gladio, stop, ahaha, no- *ahem* no, that’s fine, I’ll just- okay,maybe a little) he’s having fun.

So Ignis is a bit moved that Gladio wants him to be himself and just that.

Ravus sits with a stranger behind them like  (ಠ_ಠ) and he keeps poker face and arms crossed THE ENTIRE RIDE.

Like not even when they’re left up-side down does he show any reaction.

He literally does nothing. Not a single movement except blink.

Coming out Gladio’s half-hugging Ignis and he’s letting him.

Which Ravus can’t allow so ofc he plans his next move.

“Wasn’t that fun, little prince?”

“While it was enjoyable, I do dare to say Ignis would prefer a different type of rides. You think about yourself only and the kind of fun you’d have, and Ignis has to stand you. So it’s time to pick something HE should enjoy.”

Ravus very damn gently (cause he’s a prince, he’s naturally soft in these cases) takes one of Ignis’ hands with a small bow.

“May I suggest the next one?”

Ignis is so flustered because dammit, Ravus is so SMOOTH, so a bit nervous he just nods so long saying yes will make the prince let go of his hand.

Ravus takes him to the star flyer ride

…which is by pairs and not trios again.

There was very little chance for Gladio to fight his seat this time. Ravus, some strategic way, ended up sat with Ignis.

Ignis IS enjoying VERY much of this one ride.

Ravus is enjoying of it too, and enjoying of the adviser’s time-by-time tiny contained laugh at his side.

“What a fantastic sensation, isn’t it? To fly?”

“Fantastic, indeed.”

Gladio’s with a stranger like(╬ ಠ益ಠ) the entire time and he’s sometimes yelling long and loud while in the air out of mere anger, ahaha.

He’s so upset because he was like LOOOOOL AHAHAA on the roller coaster, while Ravus is all Ah yes, le amour est dans l’air on the star flyer.

Like the roller coaster was brute fun and Ravus picked a romantic and fun thing, IT’S NOT FAIR.

“Think, Amicitia, think. Think of something romantic, of something unique, something that’s gonna catch Ignis’ heart. Something very romantic.”

Gladio chose the Reverse Bungee.

Don’t question him.

He tries to be romantic, I swear.

That’s for two again, lmao, so as he chose Ravus had to stay away.

“Gladio, are you sure it’s safe?”

“You’re gonna love it, Iggy, trust me.”

“I trust you, but this looks a bit-woh, okay, that startled me. Okay. Okay, this is…new. OkAY WHAT THE FUCK GLADIO, HOLY SHIVA.”

“SEE, YOU’RE LOVING IT, NOW SCREAM WITH ME AAAAAAAH”

Ignis is not screaming.

Again, Gladio comes out laughing and all LMAO and Ignis is like Oh, uhm, yah :) because he enjoys but it’s not precisely his cup of tea, but Gladio’s treating him real nice so he doesn’t mind.

Ravus outside and goes with “Again with your brute choices. It is my turn.”

Ignis has been trying to say where he wants to go, but the guys insist on choosing themselves.

Ravus chose the ULTIMATE ROMANCE RIDE. 

Merry-go-round.

10000000 POINTS TO RAVUS, DING DING.

Gladio’s pulling from his hair in the distance because WHY DID I NOT THINK ABOUT THAT, OFC I HAD TO TAKE HIM TO THE BUNGEE WTF GLADIOLUS AGH YOU’RE AN IDIOT AND IDIOT AND IDIOT YOU’RE AN ETERNAL IDIOT AND YOU JUST DEFINITELY LOST HIM JUST NOW.

Even though Ravus knows full that Ignis doesn’t need that cause he’s not a fragile princess, the prince still offers a hand so Ignis has it easier to hop on his horse on the carousel.

Now that I think about it Ravus would be KING now, so IGNIS IS BEING COURTED BY A KING, NUFF SAID.

Ravus takes his seat on the horse right next to him, because he, unlike Gladio, “understands you love your personal space, Ignis.”

Ignis is dying inside like omg could Ravus be the best choice, Idk I’m so confused.

He only knows Ravus is so gentle like ohmygod, no doubt he’s royalty.

Gladio’s sat like 5 horses behind watching Ignis smile at Ravus as the ride starts.

Gladio drops himself on the horse and he’s literally limp the entire ride.

Ravus is mostly quiet, but his gestures are all gentle and kind and Ignis is like Asjfpsdfjsdf on the inside but says nothing.

That’s it, Gladio’s had enough.

Now it’s not about enjoying rides with Ignis, now it’s about picking rides to prove he’s stronger, more resistant, braver and better than Ravus.

So he picks the BUMPER CARS, ahahaha

100 points to Gladio, you ass, I love you, nerd.

Ravus, as serious as he is, takes the challenge like it’s about a damn war between countries now, and he spends his whole while furiously bumping on cars that approach Ignis.

“WORRY NOT, SCIENTIA, I’M YOUR SHIELD.”

 Ignis is a bit worried because he’s not sure if Ravus understands the concept of “game”.

Gladio bumps into Ravus furiously and multiple times.

“EXCUSE ME, THE ONLY ONE WITH SHIELD TITLE HERE IS ME”

Ravus bumps back.

“YOU’RE THAT NOCTIS’ CHILD SHIELD, NOT SCIENTIA’S. I’M DEVOTED TO HIM, YOU’RE NOT.”

“YOU’RE NOT EVEN FROM LUCIS YOU IDIOT”

“SO WHAT”

They continue bumping each other to death.

Ignis had been previously amazed by Ravus’ treat but now he remembers these two are in war and he’s just -__- sigh.

Ravus understands that Gladio wants to prove who’s better, so he starts picking rides according to that and not on Ignis’ interest anymore.

Ravus picks a drop tower.

There are 3 seats so Ignis sits in the middle.

Gladio’s clearly nervous. Fighting behemoths and astrals is one thing, but heights, omg.

Ravus keeps mocking him, indirectly.

“Ha, what a shield. Scared of a little height. We in Tenebrae are basically on floating islands, the cliffs are very high, we’re above the sky, so I do not- WOAH, WOH, OKAY, THAT STARTLED ME, I’M- WTF MMMFMFPPPPHHH”

Ravus is fighting to not scream.

Ravus and Gladio end up yelling and trembling the entire time.

Ignis is the only one that wasn’t scared lmao.

Ignis’ still trying to tell them where he wants to go.

Gladio picks the ROTOR.

He and Ravus are glaring at each other the entire time and resisting the urge to scream.

Both end up screaming. 

They spend a long while on similar rides to test each other. 

By this point Ravus and Gladio are very dizzy, breathless, tired and with the hair and clothes messed up.

Ignis is intact.

And he’s gone to ALL rides with them.

Lmao, Ignis is the alpha in there and they don’t notice.

They stumble upon this water ride, idk if it has a name, where it’s roller-coaster like but lands in water?

“MOVE ASIDE AMICITIA I ARRIVED FIRST”

“NO WAY YOU MOVE PRINCE ASS”

“IT’S MY TURN TO BE WITH HIM”

“OFC NOT YOU DEADBRAIN IT’S MY TURN”

“Sirs, please stop arguing and somebody sit down already.”

Ignis does this smart thing and he ends up sitting with a stranger that he says Hi to with a sigh of relief and he relaxes for the first time in hours.

Ravus and Gladio share seats HAHAHAHAHA

Both are >:( the entire ride.

When the ride’s over they hurryhurryhurry on leaving so they can get away of each other.

Except they keep throwing the hands at each other like little kids trying to fight, muttering insults and walking away.

They’re handed towels at the exit and they keep fighting when they hear that “Thanks” behind them and they remember Ignis is there too.

They turn around and freeze at the same time.

Ignis is standing there, all soaked, the shirt all damp against his body, having come to be transparent in most parts. And his pretty hair is down like when he was 18 except longer and all awkward on him, dripping, and he’s just like “Apologies…this is embarrassing”

Ravus and Gladio stay frozen in their place because HE LOOKS

ADORABLE

HOT

GORGEOUS

AND CUTE

ALL AT ONCE

They start fighting again with each other because both try to stop the other from getting close.

They end up stumbling and falling in front of Ignis and both lift the arm each with their towel.

“HERE”

“I uhm…I’m grateful, but I have my own, you two…”

Both continue arguing when they stand up and shove each other back the entire time.

Ravus ends up wrapping his towel around Ignis’ shoulders and keeps him softly half hugged.

“It is my duty as a king, even if not yours, to keep you comfortable and safe. I would hate that you caught a cold. Please do take my towel.”

He starts trying to leave but Ignis has to stop.

“I’m very grateful, Ravus, but I will remind you the towel is not yours. We have to give it back”

Gladio will be laughing at Ravus shamelessly pointing at him while Ignis goes back to hand back the three towels.

Ignis is still trying to tell them where he wants to go.

Idk if you can find those at amusement parks but I have to include this:

Those testing/trial games? You know, the stalls where you have to shoot bottles, throw a ring on sticks, darts, all that stuff.

They spend like an entire hour there because most games are the kid vesion of real battle training, and you know, Gladio and Ravus are MASTERS on it.

Indeed they play everything three times trying to prove who’s better.

The first Moogle plush that Gladio gifted Ignis was a cute detail that had the man smile at him.

By now he’s carrying with 10+ plush toys.

He ends up gifting all but two to some kids passing by because it’s ridiculous, he’s not a plush-toy person, and he can’t carry these many.

Ravus and Gladio are too busy furiously shooting bottles to notice.

The ones he kept are the first Moogle plush Gladio gave him and the first fox plushie Ravus gave him.

He’s not a plush toy person, like stated above, but those were the first they gifted him so he’s keeping them.

“It’s etiquette.”

Sure Ignis just admit you’re crushing on both and mentally dying not knowing who to choose.

Ignis why not both

I didn’t say that.

Okay but the one… *googles*

THE HIGH STRIKER.

Gladio rushes there because AWMAN IGNIS WILL SEE I’M THE STRONGEST HE’S GONNA BE AMAZED.

Ignis is still trying to tell them where he wants to go.

Ravus accepts the challenge.

Gladio hits with all his might.

He fucking BREAKS the bell.

Like it splits and falls down.

The three and all people around are like ._______.

Ravus is at the high striker at a side. 

He’s like “Hah, you brute.”

Ravus, with the mechanic arm, doesn’t control his strenght.

He breaks the bell too, the same way.

They end up head down and faces red in embarrassment while Ignis, as the only responsible adult, talks with the people in charge and signs a check to cover all costs of it.

By now they’re EXHAUSTED.

Ravus and Gladio from the games, they can’t cope with any more, but they are both TOO PROUD to say it and will continue shoving each other.

Ignis is exhausted…OF THEIR SHIT.

“Guys…I just…I really just want to go to the ferris wheel…that’s all.”

Both fight again to sit with him.

“*heavy sigh*”

“Guys, there’s space for 4″

Ignis just wants to go home.

The three end in the same…space…cubicle…thing of the ferris.

I don’t speak english don’t judge me.

Gladio and Ignis sit on the same side, but Ignis put distance.

Gladio and Ravus are sitting across each other. 

Both arm-crossed and glaring.

Each hugged to their respective plush toys that they gifted to Ignis.

It’s a dumb image and I love it.

Ignis is just staring out the window, sighing softly and smiling.

Peace.

Relatively.

He thanks them for the day and thanks them for not killing each other.

“It would make me very happy if you two could get along, nonetheless.”

Both freeze because they want to make Ignis happy but that what he’s asking of them is just

Ew

No

Ignis why

So both are deeply confused and that was Ignis intention because that’s how you shut them up for the rest of the day.

He did that on purpose, Ignis, you smartass.

They reunited with the other three in the end.

Luna asked her brother about his day with Ignis and if he succeed.

“I believe I may be close. He smiled and thanked me. Amicitia was in the way, but I believe I may have called Scientia’s attention. I hope he’s noticing my intentions and feelings for him. I wish he does and will one day answer them. Gladiolus worries me as big as an ant can be.”

But he’s actually nervous cause wow, Amicitia’s quite a challenge.

Prompto’s asking Gladio while Ignis is busy talking with Noct.

“Hell yeah, he’s so going to be mine. Fleuret dude tried to be in the way but he’s no challenge to me. Ignis is gonna see how much I really like him and how I’d die for him so no way he’s gonna fall for that princely pale poker face ass.”

But he’s actually nervous cause wow, Ravus is quite a challenge.

My favorite bonus of every ship vs ship headcanon

Ignis turns to be asexual.

Lmao not really, I mean it’d be fun, but I’ll stick with non-ace him.

so if that’s the case

Ignis is REALLY confused and literally can’t pick.

He likes both and he also hates both SO MUCH.

Still, against all odds, against his own opinion, against his own pride, he’s gonna sleep with both plush toys for a week.

Prompto has a picture of that but shh.

MAN, this was SO MUCH FUN OHMYGOD

THANK YOU FOR TRIGGERING ME

THAAAAAANK YOOOOOOU

[shadowlink720]

FE: Birthright Randomised Chapter 27 and Endgame

 (aka ‘we’re finally here, hoooo boi’)

It’s that time again soooo let’s go confront King Garon (obviously going to have spoilers ahahahhahh;;;;;)

aaaaaallllll righty are you all even ready I sure as heck hope I am hahahah

all right let’s go

fite me

.... “(laughs evilly)” the subtitles for the cutscenes are gonna end me

it sure has, old man

yeah, Anankos happened

more vanilla stuff yadda yadda

excuse u I’ve heard people call a sword a letter opener before and then look what happened; it turned out to be Excalibur

I just got axed in the face while you and Azura just stood by and watched dO YOU THINK I’M OK

hoooooo boi can u imagine like sURPRISE QUICK TIME EVENTS how messed up would that be

uhm ok

so we’re just not going to question how Kagero is clipping through Garon, ok--

and also hear how it’s Not gonna happen at all

uhh Azura- Azura that’s not gonna work

yeah definitely not gonna happen

her voiceline was ‘that was impressive’ Azura you could have been killed

freaking- FINALLY

heck yeah it is, Felicia

ehhh not quite but pretty much

420 blaze it hello, yes i am a cheap meme gremlin

oh I know that’s why I’m gonna use the daikon

Git Gud

her voiceline was ‘Fine execution!’ which is actually pretty darn fitting hahahah;;;

you would have sounded significantly more confident if you had left out the ‘practically’

oooooooki doki battle prep time ohhhh I hope i’m ready for this

oh shit there’s a Berserker with Swordbreaker, Vengeance and Counter;;;;;;;; I need to be so careful around him yikes, the maid and sorcerer are also pretty scary ;;;n;;;

this is just defeat the boss though but it’s not a good idea to just charge up to him blindly

...ok I think I’m ready let’s go

it’s not quite a kill, but it’s a start

... if I kill him with the Hunter’s Knife then I can deal with the great knight as well

hooooooo man-

ii don’t think I’m gonna be saying very much, I’m sorry;;;;

just as predicted >:3c

hooooo man

and Kagero too >:y

Bye, bitch

now let’s finish this Hero off

aand we can finish that Great Knight off with Saizooo

oshit Sakura gets doubled by Bow Knights iasdoasudgauweigf

how ‘bout you Don’t Do That Again

... I need to confront that Berserker eventually

Azura /does/ have Axebreaker and Strong Riposte .......... let’s try it

and kill that Wyvern Lord with Kaze

... this guy has Swordbreaker and Azura still has 100%--

Azura you are by far the mvp of this fates run wow, she ACTUALLY got a point of Magic in that level up! :V

yeeeees Shigureeeeeee

... if I use the Iron Yumi on this guy

then we can have her equip the Dual Yumi for the incoming Malig Knights :’D

well it’s a start

oh wait I could have just done this or smth ... actually I’ll give it to Silas

hehEH

that works for me

hooooo

sure I’ll take it

yEAAAAAHHH BOIIIII

I see what you’re trying to do there how bout nah

aww Saizo proced Lethality and I missed it :’’V

ok nevermind he got another one! :’’’’D ‘There’s another’ indeed

well it didn’t kill him but it helped a lot :’’D

how about you Die before you Entrap someone

I love Hidden Weapons, man they may not be strong but their utility is great

and that’s all the Dark Knights dead just one last General then it’s the Sorcerer, the Maid and Garon left >:3c

let’s give it to Hana :V

the maid has countermagic, but like oh, wait Garon has 1 to 3 range

but I still need to get rid of you

yeeeeaaah

I also need to get rid of you

yooooo

ok, time for the moment of truth

ahh, but he has Draconic Hex

... I could start with the Yato? and then have someone switch them around? idk

I think I’ll do that it may cost the life of the person who switches the items but we’re right at the end of the chapter

let’s try it

oh yeah, forts so he heals--

lmao I didn’t do that you just went for her b/c why not

I’ll just keep the daikon equipped

oh- she said ‘For Hoshido!’ again-

right, let’s end the turn

and let’s go again

this may take a while

oooohhhhhh? still not dead-

....... ...... >:3ccccc

ooOOOOOHHHHHHH AND SHE SAID ‘FOR HOSHIDO!’ AGAIN AAAAAAAH

we pretty much won we will win the endgame, at the very least

we really did kill Garon with a daikon

oh yeah but he’s not really dead

he’s a dragon now lol

oh yeah this cutscenes like really long;;;;

but most of it will be vanilla, so I’ll not bring up every other line

that being said tho

We’ve got trouble indeed, Felicia

wh-

Azura’s just bobbing up and down constantly-

as Wonderful and Good and Pure as you are, Mozu it won’t make a difference-

ok she’s stopped bobbing now

HAH hah yeah could have

I can’t believe Corrin is fucking dead

aaand we’re at the Endgame kinda, we still have some cutscenes

but as you can see it’s all vanilla sooo

not quite just in some weird purgatory

time for everyone to say a thing hahah;;

oh ok, not quite yet

now it’s Time

oh my Farore, Setsuna-

what a time for the ‘Time for some murder’ voiceline--

oh wait it was just everyone who came with me to the chapter-

boi just let me fight the dragon

aaand the yato was miraculously reformed-

holy hylia, Felicia--

ohhh my god we still aren’t at the battle prep;;;;

fINALLY

... oh yeah we can’t save it shiiiiiit

but no one except Garon has any skills

ok I

I think we may be ready

hopefully

let’s go

welp it was nice knowing ya, Kagero;;;

fiiiight me Garoooooooon

outta my way, bitch

ok Takumi’s almost dead

but there’s infinite reinforcements so I should really just charge for Garon anyway

i could do the same thing as I did before and switch afterwards

yeah Sure

I should get someone to clog up the throne and the dragon veins, actually

//sigh yep Takumi’s down

let’s try that again;;

oh dear she proced Dragon Fang;;;

oh, he survived :V

aaaand there goes Hinata :’’’’D

now’s our chance

awwww yeah

aaand vanilla cutscenes, yadda yadda

aaaaand he dead

ohhhh dear, there goes Kagero

yeah nah, she Dead

all the more reason to play Revelation hahahh;;;;

oh she just stood up hahahh

still technically not the ‘Good Ending’ tho lol

idk man I mean you kicked ass in a lot of chapters

lmao she’s like perfectly fine-

oh yeah, the cutscene where she tells Corrin to smile one last time

aaaand

she done evaporated

aaand Corrin talking to themselves and such

well that’s ominous

aaand back in Hoshido

does that mean she’s finally found her chill? I doubt it hahahh;;;;

soooo I guess she has then huh

well, ever since she was born she had been preparing herself for if it ever happened-

aww geez, Mozu oAo

(i should clarify they’re talking about Mikoto)

HEH

oh Felicia I’m gonna miss your sass in Revelation

no shit, Sherlock-

ayyy

and there’s also always a grey area ... i wish Revelation felt more morally grey tbh;;;

wait aside from mounted/armoured units and brave weapons; what does Nohr have that Hoshido doesn’t? :V

ayyyyy

(they basically all started crying lol)

yikes, hey

oh, nvm

you? nervous? naaaahhh

ayyyy what’s up Camillaaaa

and the meme gremlin

no, it probably wouldn’t

aand obligatory mention of Elise and Xander just ya know just in case you forgot they’re dead

oh yeah, and her too

guys, she’ll be fine ... at least in Revelation

pfft

lmao tru

well being the reigning monarch isn’t for everyone, sooo

no need to yell, Takumi

(i’m taking so many screenshots I’m sorry)

Felicia let them have fun

oh hey, Hana

and Kaze toooo

who knows but you’re still the excitable puppy you always are

hhhhh just one more cutscene

poor Kagero, man

you probably are, because there wasn’t any sound lol

theeeere she is

oh, ok then

do u see Valla? ‘cause if not you will soon in Revelation

yeah, like the Hidden Kingdom

sorry it’s like we’re at 200 screenshots but i just don’t want to skip too much;;;;

aaand she’s gone again

yeah it’s it’s called Revelation hahahh;;;

I know that personally I would have left within like a few minutes-

aaaaand the ending animated cutsceene

we’re finally at the credits! aaaahhh, that was so fun ;;;u;;;

I’ll miss Felicia as Takumi and Azura as Ryoma and all that, tbh, buuuut there’s nothing much we can do hahah

I hope people who have been reading these have had as much fun as I have :’’D

if uhh if anyone has any sort of inkling how to randomise revelation to work after chapter 6 I would uhh greatly appreciate any sort of guidance in that regard because i don’t know what I’m doing wrong;;;;

[sarahgirl1998]

The Worst Possible Day to Catch a Cold

It was a beautiful, clear morning in the forest, and Lumpy was still sleeping in his bed. The rays of sunlight from the window reached his face, causing him to open his eyes slowly. He sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes with his hands, before he yawned into one of his hands. After a few seconds of this, he sat on the edge of his bed and stepped out of his bed. He was still looking tired, but there was an excited smile on his face.

Today was Lumpy's birthday, and his friends were throwing him a party at Cuddles' house this afternoon. Lumpy was really excited and couldn't wait to go to his party. He had already been to everybody else's birthday parties, to the point that he almost forgot when his own birthday was going to come. But now that it was finally here, all Lumpy wanted to do was enjoy it as much as possible.

Suddenly, he felt a painful sensation deep in his head, causing him to cringe. Lumpy placed his hand on his forehead, trying to calm the pain down, but it wasn't working. He groaned in slight discomfort.

"I don't think I should think about my party too long," he thought. "It'll make my head hurt."

Then, a faint but noticeable itch appeared in his nose, so he sniffled. This sniffle sounded rather wet, and didn't do much to satisfy the itching sensation in his nose. He brought his hand up to rub his nose, but it became clear that this wasn't working, either. His nose just kept itching, and his nostrils flared up. Quickly, his breath started to hitch as well. He was going to sneeze.

"Aaaah..." Lumpy pulled his hand away from his mouth as he tilted his neck back. "Aaaaaaaah... AaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAH..."

By the final inhale, Lumpy had tilted his neck as far back as was possible for him to. His snout was quivering, and his already large nostrils were growing even larger, flaring up to several times their normal size. This was going to be a big one.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH-CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

Lumpy shot his neck forwards as he released a huge, loud sneeze that could be heard throughout his entire trailer. A huge amount of saliva came spraying out of his mouth, and two massive streams of green mucus came firing out of his nostrils. The sneeze was extremely painful to release, even more so than his usual sneeze.

Lumpy recovered from his sneeze, but his nostrils had turned a bright red, and mucus was constantly oozing out of them. He sniffled and rubbed his nose gently with his forefinger.

"Ughhhh..." He sniffled again, but his nose just kept running. He turned to the box of tissues on his end table, took a tissue and rubbed his nose with it, trying to clear the mucus off. Then he tried blowing his nose into it, but just doing so caused his nose to twitch again. Another sneeze was on the way.

"Aaaaaaah... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH..." Lumpy removed the tissue from his nose and tilted his neck back. He would have tried to cover his sneeze, but he didn't, since it was going to be just as large, just as loud and absolutely no less messy than the one before it.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"

A massive amount of mucus came barreling right out of Lumpy's nostrils as he released the sneeze. When he finished letting it out, he was completely breathless. He rubbed his nose with his forefinger, and then blew his nose loudly into the tissue he was holding. It didn't make his nose feel any better, however; in fact, it just hurt, intensely, about as badly as his head was hurting. A few small tears appeared in Lumpy's eyes as he wiped his red, wet and sore nose with the tissue.

"What the heck...?" Lumpy asked himself. "What is wrodg with be?"

Lumpy didn't understand why he wasn't feeling so good. He was feeling great this morning, but then it just... changed into this. How was it even possible? At first, he assumed it was his allergies getting to him again, but it wasn't that. The night before, he had made sure that his room would be free of pollen and dust so that his hay fever wouldn't bother him overnight. To do that, he had cleaned his room, and had made sure to shut the windows before going to bed. There was only one other thing that could be causing all of his symptoms...

Lumpy slowly walked out of his room, but stumbled a few times along the way. He sniffled several times, trying to stop his nose from running, but it just didn't work. On occasion, he gave a couple of loud coughs as well. When he arrived at the bathroom, he pushed the door open and turned on the light. The rays of light shined into his face, causing him to sneeze again.

"AaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"

Lumpy's forefinger snapped to his nostrils as he sniffled loudly and rubbed his nose. He took a tissue from the box of tissues on the toilet, held the tissue to his nostrils and blew his nose again. He tried his best, but it was no use; his nose just kept running. Throwing the used tissue into the trash can, Lumpy continued rubbing his nose with his forefinger as he opened his medicine cabinet.

He pulled a digital thermometer out of the cabinet and stuck it under his tongue. He sniffled constantly, rubbing his nose repeatedly as he waited for the thermometer to beep. When it finally did, it did in a way that he had never heard before. He removed the thermometer from his mouth and looked at the reading. His eyes widened in complete disbelief.

"Wud huddred three?!" As he asked that, the thermometer, indeed, read 103 degrees Fahrenheit. "This cad't be!"

He stupidly tried shaking the thermometer, hoping it would change the answer to something lower, but since it wasn't the right kind of thermometer for that, it didn't move. It was then that Lumpy realized why he wasn't feeling good. It was because...

"I've caught a code!" Lumpy sounded like he was on the verge of tears, but that was because he was. "On by birthday!"

"Oh, by gosh! What ab I godda do?!" Lumpy couldn't even understand himself as he talked, but he was really worried. "Who gets sick od their birthday, of all days?!"

Lumpy tried to think of a solution to this problem, but couldn't come up with anything that was guaranteed to work. There were only two options he could come up with: try to hide his cold, or admit that he was sick. Both of these had their own negative consequences, in that his friends would either suspect something was wrong with him, or withheld every possible thing that he had waited a year to get.

As he tried to think of something, Lumpy sniffled constantly, rubbing his nose with his hand. He hated getting colds. Every single time he had one, he'd be sneezing much more frequently than usual, and this cold obviously wasn't an exception. It seemed like something was always bothering his poor nostrils, and he could only imagine what was going on in there.

Deep within his exceptionally ticklish sinuses, a huge number of germs that were invading his nasal passages rubbed against and tickled the walls of his nose, making it itch constantly. Lumpy could sniffle as many times and as hard as he could, but the amount of mucus in his nose just kept getting larger, to his annoyance. Some of the germs, however, were more than happy to climb into the mucus and infect it as well, making it so that whenever he sneezed, the mucus would be able to spurt out of his nose.

Specifically, however, there were four certain germs that considered themselves the "leaders" of the swarm. Their only purposes were to make Lumpy sneeze as much as possible, but they didn't mind one bit. They loved listening to him sneeze, and they loved inducing his sneezes. They also allowed any sneeze-causing irritant into his nose, treating said irritants as though they were sentient and their friends.

One of the four germs got out a pepper shaker and started shaking it everywhere in Lumpy's passages. As the germs were all immune to the pepper, none of them sneezed or even needed to sneeze. But Lumpy himself felt the itching, tickling sensation in his nose spike to an unimaginable point.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH--" Lumpy tilted his neck as far back as he could, and then let out an extremely loud and powerful sneeze. "CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"

A gigantic amount of snot came exploding out of his nostrils as he shot his neck forwards. A good amount of snot was released from his mouth as well. After he finally finished releasing the sneeze, Lumpy rubbed his snot-saturated nostrils with his forefinger, sniffling loudly.

Some of the germs that had been in Lumpy's nose were expelled with the sneeze, but a large number still remained. Lumpy could almost hear their dialogue...

"Dude, that was awesome, man!"

"I know, right? You didn't tell us you had that stuff on you!"

"I wanted to give him a little something special for his birthday. He better have liked it!"

Lumpy started to tear up as he continued to rub his nose. How did he even get sick, let alone on his birthday? As far as he was concerned, everyone else he knew was fine the day before, so he couldn't have caught it from one of his friends. Maybe this was just a random cold that he caught for no apparent reason. But this was his birthday, and he really didn't want to miss out on any fun.

Lumpy took a couple of tissues and blew his nose again. He tried to do it more gently this time so that he wouldn't hurt his nose, but it wasn't as satisfying to do so. Wiping his nose on the tissues, he threw them into the trash and stayed in the bathroom until he had gotten ready for the day. He sneezed a few times while he was washing up, but didn't let his sneezes stop him.

When he finally stepped out of the bathroom, he heard a knock on his front door. At least one of his friends had arrived, most likely for a visit. He walked over to the door, but didn't want to open it at first. He was worried about how they would react if they saw him in this condition.

"Hey! Lumpy!" Cuddles called from outside as he continued to knock on the door. Toothy was standing next to him.

"I hope he didn't forget his own birthday..." Toothy said.

After a few moments had gone by, Lumpy finally opened the door, trying to keep his nose hidden behind the door so that they wouldn't know what was going on with him.

"H-hey, guys..."

"Hey, Lumpy!" Cuddles said. "Hap--"

"Wait, stop." Lumpy interrupted him. "Before you say the words, I have sobe extrebely bad dews for you."

"Oh, okay. What is it?" Cuddles asked.

Lumpy opened the door entirely, revealing his entire face to Cuddles and Toothy. They could clearly see that he wasn't looking good at all.

"Oh, my gosh! Lumpy, what's wrong with you?!" Toothy asked, sounding concerned.

"Guys, I dod't wadda say this, but..." Lumpy sniffled loudly and rubbed his red nose with his hand. "I'b dot feelidg good at all."

"You're not?" Cuddles didn't look or sound like he could believe it.

"No..." Lumpy's nose started to twitch, and his nostrils started to flare up again. He could tell that he was going to sneeze again. He turned away from Cuddles and Toothy as he took a single, dramatic inhale. "AaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"

Lumpy shot his neck forwards as he released the sneeze, which fired a good amount of mucus and snot from his nostrils. Cuddles and Toothy both cringed as they heard him sneeze. After a few seconds had gone by, Lumpy recovered from the sneeze and turned back to Cuddles and Toothy, rubbing his nose on his forefinger and sniffling audibly.

"Oh, Lumpy, I am so sorry!" Toothy said, sympathetically. "You must be miserable!"

"Though I gotta admit, that sneeze was absolutely awesome," Cuddles added.

Lumpy sniffled again, looking like he was about to cry. Tears were filling his eyes as he spoke.

"This is the worst possible day to get a code..." he lamented. "I spent so bady bonths waitidg for it to cobe, and THIS is how I have to sped it?!"

Toothy went up to Lumpy and put a hand on his shoulder in sympathy. He felt really bad for him.

"Lumpy, is there anything we can do to help you?" he asked him.

"AaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAH--" Lumpy turned away from Toothy just before letting out another powerful sneeze. "CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" After he had finished releasing the sneeze, Lumpy sniffled pathetically and rubbed his nose with his forefinger.

"Bless you." Toothy gave Lumpy a tissue, which Lumpy quickly took and blew his nose into.

"I just wadda go to my birthday party, but I cad't..." Lumpy said as he wiped his nose with the tissue. "I sure wish I could get rid of this code."

"I wish we could help you do that, but I'm afraid you can't really cure a cold," Toothy reminded him. "Sorry."

"But maybe you can still go to the party," Cuddles said. "Even if you're not feeling so good."

"I dod't dow..." Lumpy seemed a little hesitant. As much as he wanted to go to the party, he knew just how bad his cold was, so he wasn't sure if he should go.

"Well, if you don't wanna miss out, you might as well go anyway," Cuddles said. "Besides, it's your party."

Lumpy thought about this for a while, but decided he didn't have much of a choice. He would have to go to his birthday party, whether his cold wanted him to or not.

"I guess I'll go," he said. "But first, I'll be right back."

Lumpy went back into his house and headed back into the bathroom. He sneezed loudly a couple of times along the way, but kept rubbing his nose afterwards, thinking it would help satisfy his nose. When he finally got back to the bathroom, he took a few tissues and put them in his pockets for later. He also took some cold medicine to help him stop sneezing before he left again. However, just like there were times where he took his allergy medicine and it didn't work, there were times where his cold medicine had the exact same problem.

Now feeling more prepared, Lumpy returned to his friends and headed outside with them. The moment Lumpy stepped out of his house, however, his nose itched intensely. The amount of pollen that was in the air was through the roof.

Inside of Lumpy's nose, the germs could sense the amount of pollen outside as well. But in Lumpy's mind, the germs actually enjoyed the company of the pollen, due to their tendencies to make him sneeze constantly. So they just let them in, as though they were their closest friends.

"Hey, guys! Whatcha'all doing?"

"Yo, pollen! We're just making this dumb moose sneeze and be all miserable."

"Oh, my gosh! No way! That's what we like to do, too!"

"Wanna join us?"

"Sure!"

The pollen proceeded into Lumpy's nasal passages and started rubbing themselves against his nasal walls, only making his urge to sneeze even worse. Lumpy could feel his snout quivering and his large, round and red nostrils growing and shrinking constantly.

"Aaaaah... Aaaaaaaah..." Lumpy inhaled twice, tilting his neck back. He wanted to fight the sneeze, but the pollen was making it too strong for him to handle. It was like the cold germs and the pollen were working together, trying to make him sneeze as much as possible. He had to give in to the inevitable. "AaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! AaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

A good amount of mucus escaped from Lumpy's nostrils as he released the sneezes. Luckily, it was enough to expel most of the pollen, even though hundreds of germs remained in his nose. Lumpy snorted rather loudly and rubbed his snot-covered nose with his forefinger.

"Bless you," Toothy said.

"Thanks..." Lumpy kept rubbing his nose until he got out a tissue, held it to his inflamed nostrils and blew hard. With most of the disgusting snot cleared from the outside, he then wiped his nose, sniffling a few times as he did. This was going to be one sneezy birthday. And those were two words that he never thought would be used in the same sentence.

The moose kept trying to follow his friends, but his unfortunate nose continued to itch constantly. Every single thing that the germs in his sinuses did made his nose feel tickly. He tried sniffling as much as he could and rubbing his nose at every chance he got, but neither of these actions were much help. And the pollen in the air just continued to make it worse.

"Aaaaaaah..." Lumpy sniffled loudly and swiped at his red, itchy nostrils with his forefinger. But he could tell that another sneeze was on the way, and trying to stop it from coming wouldn't even be worth it. He tilted his neck as far back as possible, nostrils growing as large as they could become. "AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH...! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

Lumpy shot his neck forwards as he released the sneeze, expelling a good amount of mucus from his nose. By the time he had recovered, his nostrils had started running again. Sniffling wetly, Lumpy gently swiped his nostrils with his forefinger a few times. His poor nose was dripping with snot.

"My gosh! Bless you!" Toothy said, emphatically.

"Ugh, thadk you..." Lumpy said, still rubbing his nose.

Lumpy reached into his pocket, pulled out another tissue and blew his nose loudly into it. Some of the snot was cleared from his nose, but it continued to tickle mildly, so he rubbed it with the tissue after he was finished. He really wished that blowing his nose would permanently cause him to stop sneezing.

When Lumpy and his friends finally arrived at the party, almost everybody else who lived in the forest was there and enjoying themselves. Lumpy, who had sneezed several times along the way and was rubbing his nose again as a result, looked almost concerned at the amount of guests. He had the strangest feeling that at least one of them was bound to suspect something was wrong with him.

Maybe his cold wasn't going to be as bad as he thought, however. Maybe it would disappear later in the day. Unlikely to happen, but Lumpy was going to try to hide his cold as best as he could, and pass it off as his allergies getting the best of him. Hopefully, some of the guests wouldn't know the difference. The germs deep within his nose, however, must have known what he was going to do, because they weren't going to make it easy for him.

Trying not to make it too noticeable, Lumpy tilted his neck back and sniffled deeply a few times, trying to clear his nose. It wasn't working as he hoped for, but he still tried. He did suck up some excess phlegm that had been in his nose, but the phlegm ended up in his throat, causing him to cough quite a bit. He made sure to put his hand over his mouth, though, in an effort to keep his coughing from being too loud, as well as to keep his cold from spreading. When he finished, he cleared his throat quietly, then looked around again. Either no one had heard him coughing, or paid any attention to it.

Lumpy sighed in relief, but then a small tickle made its way into his nose. He sniffled again and rubbed his nose with his hand, trying to stop it from tickling. To his slight annoyance, this didn't do much to help. But he couldn't sneeze now, or else everybody would hear him. And just to make things worse, he saw Flaky walking right up to him.

"Hi, Lumpy," she greeted him.

"Uh... hi, Flaky," Lumpy greeted her in return, looking almost embarrassed as he kept his hand under his nose.

"Are you enjoying your birthday?"

"Yeah..." That was actually a lie, since Lumpy had spent more time trying to hide his cold than actually doing anything at the party. "Are you?"

"Yeah, I am, too." Flaky wanted to say more than that, but she stopped herself when she saw Lumpy's reddened nostrils grow slightly larger than they already were.

Lumpy saw his nostrils flare as well, but he knew what was going to happen. He rubbed his nose again, emitting a couple of audible sniffles as he did. His nose and the germs that were busy tickling it just didn't want to listen to him, but he had to hold back his sneezes for as long as he could.

"Lumpy, are you feeling okay?" Flaky asked, sounding concerned.

"Yeah, I'b fide." That was also a lie, but it was more obvious than the first one he had pulled. "It's probably just by... *sniff* by allergies..."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Fortunately, Flaky managed to fall for that.

"They just dod't wadda leave be alode. *sniff* Eved od by birthday..." Despite Lumpy's urgent attempts to keep the sneeze from coming, he could still feel his nose tickling like crazy. The germs must have been deliberately trying to make him sneeze again. His breath started to hitch a little. "Ah... Aaaah..."

Lumpy turned away from Flaky as he pulled out a tissue and swiped his nose with it. This didn't help, either, but he really, really didn't want to sneeze. He didn't bother to blow his nose, as he thought it made absolutely no sense for him to blow his nose before releasing a sneeze.

"Aaaaaah, ahhhhhh..." Lumpy tilted his neck back as he continued to rub his nose with the tissue, trying to hold his sneeze back.

"Um, Lumpy? Are you..." Flaky stopped herself again before she could ask the question. She had already realized what was going to happen. "Oh, dear..." Flaky backed up nervously to avoid being sneezed on, despite that Lumpy wasn't even aiming his head towards her.

"AaaaaaaaaaAAAAH... AaaaaaAAAAAAAAAHHHHH..."

Lumpy's inhales were becoming more and more audible. Some of his friends at the party, and some others that he weren't so familiar with, turned their heads to look at him once they heard his inhales. But Lumpy couldn't pay any attention to them, since he really had to sneeze. And he was slowly realizing that he couldn't hold it back, which made it worse.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH--" Lumpy tilted his neck as far back as he could, and then tried to stifle the sneeze into the tissue that he was holding. "CHOO!!!"

Even though he was successful, it was still loud, and was one of the most painful sneezes he had ever released. It probably would have hurt less if he just let it all out. When Lumpy recovered from the sneeze, pulled the tissue away from his face and opened his eyes, his friends were looking at him. He blushed in response, his face turning a deep red as he rubbed his nose with his forefinger. Thankfully, his nose wasn't dripping with mucus, even after that monstrous sneeze.

"Um, excuse be..." he said mildly.

Fortunately for him, almost everyone else kept on with what they were doing. Lumpy sighed with relief as he continued to rub his nose, which was still tickling. That stifled sneeze hadn't been enough to satisfy it. It wasn't until Giggles walked up to him, however, did Lumpy feel the need to sneeze again.

"Bless you, Lumpy. Are you feeling alright?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'b fide," Lumpy lied as he continued to rub his nose. He always rubbed his nose a lot whenever he sneezed, but it wasn't uncommon for him to do it when he wanted to hold back another incoming sneeze. "By allergies are pretty bad..."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you were catching a cold or something," Giggles said.

"No, that's ridiculous. Who gets sick od their birthday?" Deep down, Lumpy was begging himself not to sneeze, but his nostrils were twitching and expanding constantly.

"I'm not sure, but you don't look that well to me..."

Lumpy sniffled and rubbed his nose again, trying not to sneeze in front of Giggles. Every sniffle he took, however, as well as every time he rubbed his nose, just seemed to make it worse. And he had stifled the last sneeze he had released, so if he stifled this one as well, it'd make him feel even worse than he already was.

"Actually, Giggles..." Lumpy started. He was sure he wouldn't be able to finish what he was going to say without sneezing, but he still wanted to try. "I'b afraid I dod't feel so good this year..."

"So you do have a cold?"

"Y-ye-- Aaaaaaaah..." Lumpy's breath had started to hitch again. He tilted his neck back as he turned away from Giggles, only to see other people in front of him. He tried turning away from them, but to his fear, there were people everywhere he looked. There wasn't a single spot where he could release the sneeze uncovered. "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh..."

Surrounded by his friends, Lumpy had no choice but to get ready to cover his sneeze. It was going to be a huge one, but he had to try. Lumpy raised both of his hands to his mouth as he continued to inhale. His snout quivered and his nostrils flared up constantly.

"AaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH--" Lumpy tilted his neck back, waiting for the sneeze to release. This inhale was probably loud enough to get everybody's attention, but he just didn't care. He didn't want to sneeze, at all, but he absolutely had to, thanks to those pesky germs. He tilted his neck as far back as he could as he took a final dramatic inhale, just before...

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"

Lumpy shot his neck forwards as he sneezed loudly into his hands, covering them in a huge amount of spit and snot. This sneeze was at least more relieving than that stifled sneeze he had released earlier, although he could still feel his nose itching, even after that. Right after releasing the sneeze, Lumpy rubbed his extremely snotty nose with his forefinger, blushing a deep red as he saw everybody looking at him in shock. None of them could believe what had just happened.

"Oh, my gosh!" Toothy said.

"What the barnacles?!" Russell said in disbelief.

Not knowing what to say, Lumpy nervously backed away, and then ran out of the living room. He had embarrassed himself enough at his own party, but his nose was begging for more sneezes, and he needed to get to a private room as fast as possible. Luckily, when he entered the hall, the door to the bathroom was already opened. So Lumpy ran into the bathroom, closing the door behind him and almost immediately turning on the sink to wash his hands.

"Ugh, God dang it!" he cried to himself as he cleaned his hands off. "You had wud job, you stupid dose! I told you dot to sdeeze, why didd't you listed to be?!"

As if responding to him, his nose twitched fiercely again, and he could feel another sneeze building up. Once he had finished washing his hands and had dried them off, he looked up at the lamp on the ceiling and let loose.

"AaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAH-CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" Lumpy let out yet another sneeze, firing a good amount of spray from his mouth, as well as a small amount of mucus from his poor nostrils. It wasn't enough relief, though; since he had held his sneezes back for so long, all his nose wanted to do was sneeze for hours on end. "AHHHHHHHHHHH-CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! AAAAAAAAAAAH-CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Aaaaah... AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH-CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAOOWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!"

Lumpy cringed internally as he released the fourth sneeze. He had never sneezed like that before, and he didn't like how it sounded. After he had released it, however, he recovered and rubbed his nose again. His nose had stopped itching for a brief moment.

"Is it... gode? Did I just sdeeze by code away?" he wondered to himself. It wasn't logical for that to happen, but he had always thought that the real way people recovered from colds was to simply sneeze until their nose stopped itching. He had actually seen something like that happen in a cartoon he once watched, which made him believe that it was true.

As if wanting to answer his question, his nose started twitching and feeling itchy again.

"No, I didd't..." Lumpy sounded dismayed, but he had an expression that looked like he was on the verge of tears. "Aaaaaaah, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah..."

Lumpy reached into his pocket and pulled out a couple of tissues, which he then held in front of his mouth and nose. Even if this sneeze was going to be messy and snotty as all heck, he was still going to try and cover it.

"AaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" The moment Lumpy sneezed into the tissues, however, a huge amount of green snot was fired directly into them. Lumpy recovered from the sneeze, but his nostrils were oozing with snot. Disposing the used tissues in the toilet, he pulled out a couple more tissues, held them to his sore nose and blew as hard as he could. These tissues became soaked as well, so he threw those out as well.

"Ugh, this sucks!" Lumpy complained as he swiped his poor, red nose with his forefinger. His nose had stopped running, but had become completely stuffed up. He pulled out the last few tissues in his pockets and rubbed the end of his snout with one of them, but it didn't help.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaah-- CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"

Lumpy let out another sneeze, which was smaller than the last few, but still caused a good amount of mucus to come out of his nose. He sniffled several times as he scrubbed his nose with the tissue.

"Why did you do this to be, you stupid code?! Of all the days you could've chosed, you chose by FREAKING BIRTHDAY?!"

Lumpy's irritation quickly dissolved into sadness as he started crying. His stuffy nose only became even stuffier as he sobbed and sniffled constantly.

"Lumpy? Lumpy, honey, are you feeling okay?" a familiar voice called.

Lumpy could tell who it came from. Lammy had overheard his sneezes and complaining, and had been standing in front of the door to the bathroom. Lumpy sighed to himself, knowing how this was going to turn out. He had to admit he was sick, whether he liked it or not.

"No, I'b dot feelidg okay..." Lumpy said, at a loud enough volume for Lammy to hear.

Before he could say anything else, Lammy opened the door to the bathroom.

"What's wrong? ...Oh, my goodness!" Lammy's eyes widened and her pupils shrunk when she saw just how miserable Lumpy was. Not only was he still sick, he was also depressed and crying. His nose was still a bright red, a small amount of dark green snot was oozing out of his nostrils, and his slightly bloodshot eyes were filling with tears.

"Labby, I dod't wadda say this, but..." Lumpy sniffled again, trying to clear his nose, but to no avail. Not that he expected it to work. "I actually have a really, really bad code."

"Really? Why didn't you tell us that before?" Lammy asked.

"Because if you did, you would've all bade be go hobe..." Lumpy then tilted his neck back and sneezed again. "AaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAH-CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

Lammy cringed as Lumpy released the sneeze. Not only was it uncovered, but the snot that was dangling out of his nostrils were flung right out onto the floor. Then Lumpy raised one of his tissues to his nose and blew it loudly.

"Bless you!" Lammy said as the poor moose wiped his nose.

"Ugh..." Lumpy continued to wipe and rub his nose, sniffling constantly. No matter how many times he blew or wiped his nose, his sinuses were either flowing with mucus, almost as much as a river, or uncomfortably blocked off. "I just had to go. I really didd't wadda biss by party..."

"I am so sorry about your cold, Lumpy." Lammy put one of her hands on Lumpy's shoulder, feeling bad for him. "We didn't know you were gonna get sick right before your birthday."

"I'b sorry, too..." Lumpy started to break down into quiet sobs again. "This is the worst birthday of by life..."

Cuddles walked into the hall and stopped when he reached the bathroom door. He looked at Lumpy and Lammy in curiosity.

"Hey, what's going on?"

"Lumpy just told me that he's not feeling so good. That's why he was sneezing so much," Lammy explained.

"Yeah, he told me something like that earlier today. Is he feeling any better?"

"No, I'b dot..." Lumpy turned his head away from Cuddles and Lammy before he sneezed again. "Aaaaaaaah... AaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH-CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" Quickly recovering from the sneeze, Lumpy sniffled and rubbed his nose on his forefinger.

"I thought that if you dew I was sick, you wouldd't let be have ady fun," Lumpy continued. "Dot that I was already havidg ady thadks to by code, but..."

"It's alright, Lumpy," Cuddles said. "Even if you're not feeling good, we'll still let you into the party. Just be really careful so we don't get sick, too."

"Really? You'll let be stay for the party?" Lumpy smiled once he realized that.

"Well, yeah," Cuddles responded. "I mean, it's your birthday, even if you're sick."

"And if it'll make you feel better, we'll try to stay away from you," Lammy added.

"Oh, thadk you so buch, you two. *sniff* You are a couple of great friends."

"Don't mention it, Lumpy." Cuddles smiled at him, as did Lammy.

The rabbit and the lamb left the bathroom, giving Lumpy some extra time to himself. Lumpy sighed to himself in relief, glad that he wasn't in trouble for releasing his sneezes after all. He made plans to leave the room and join the party soon, but first, he had to let out a couple more sneezes.

"AaaaaAAAAAAAH-CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH-CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

Sniffling and rubbing his nose with his forefinger, Lumpy held the last few tissues that were already in his hands, held his tissues to his nose and blew it. He tried not to do it too hard, lest he hurt himself by doing so. Luckily, he didn't feel much pain after that blow, so he smiled to himself as he wiped his nose a few times afterwards. After disposing of the tissues, he took some more from the tissue box and put them in his pockets for later. Then he washed his hands, dried them off and left the bathroom.

On his way back to the living room, Cuddles walked up to him, holding a small amount of white powder in his hand.

"Here, Lumpy, I know what'll make you feel better!" Cuddles said.

"Um, Cuddles, what's that?" Lumpy asked, referring to the substance that Cuddles was holding. The moose didn't seem to recognize it.

"Oh, nothing. Just some flour that we had left over after we finished baking your cake. Want some?"

Before Lumpy could answer, Cuddles flicked the powder right into Lumpy's face, and it landed right up his nose. His snout quivered and his nostrils grew to their largest possible size as he almost immediately needed to sneeze. Lumpy wasn't allergic to flour, but he had to be really careful with it whenever he used it. It was so fine that even the smallest amount landing on his nostrils could make him feel a sneeze coming on.

"Aaaah... Aaaaaaah, AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH--" Lumpy tilted his neck back and turned away from Cuddles. Thankfully, at this position, there was no one in front of him, so he just let the sneeze free. "CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

The sneeze wasn't as snotty as a majority of Lumpy's other sneezes, but it still had some visible spray. Cuddles winced at first, but then chuckled to himself. He always thought that seeing Lumpy sneeze was amusing.

"Ugh..." Lumpy sniffled again as he rubbed his nose with his forefinger. "Why'd you do that?"

"I thought it'd make a good birthday present for you," Cuddles responded.

Lumpy looked at him, not amused.

"Really?" Lumpy asked.

"Just kidding!" Cuddles laughed.

"Oh..." Lumpy looked away and blushed slightly. He didn't know that Cuddles was joking. "I didd't dow..."

"Of course you didn't. But it's alright! Now come on, those presents aren't gonna open themselves!"

With that, he and Cuddles headed into the living room to enjoy the rest of the party. Even though Lumpy had a few more sneeze attacks during his party, none of them were too serious or severe. And he always made sure to keep them from being too messy for as long as he could. Besides that and a couple of other cold symptoms, Lumpy had a great time at the party, and enjoyed his presents and the cake. He was a little disappointed that he couldn't taste as much of his cake as he usually did this year, but it was alright. Also, somehow, he could sense the flour that was used in the cake, and his nose twitched slightly from just imagining it. However, as it wasn't applied directly to his nose, it didn't actually make him sneeze; at worst, it just made his nose tickle, and he had to rub it a few times to satisfy it.

At the end of the day, Lumpy thanked his friends for throwing him the party and headed home with his presents. Along the way, he sneezed several times, with almost all of the sneezes having varying amounts of spit and snot. He tried his best to forget about the sneezes once he was done releasing them, however. The only thing he truly thought to be a problem was the fact that he couldn't rub his nose, since his hands were full. When he finally got home, he dropped the presents on his couch, then headed into his bedroom and sat down on his bed, all while rubbing his nose with his forefinger. He absolutely couldn't bring himself to let out a sneeze without rubbing his nose. He took a deep breath and sighed with relief.

"I guess by birthday wasd't so bad after all..." he said to himself. He then sniffled and rubbed his nose again, this time with his hand. "But it would've beed a whole lot better if I didd't have this stupid code!"

His nose twitched and his nostrils flared up yet again, but he knew what was going to happen. And he was now home, with no one else, so he was free to let out as many uncovered sneezes as his nose wanted him to. So he tilted his neck back, breath hitching and nostrils growing even larger than they already were.

"Aaaaaaaah... AaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAH-- AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH-CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

Lumpy shot his neck forwards as he released the sneeze, which fired a good amount of spray from his mouth. Then he sniffled and started to rub his nose, but no sooner than he started did his nostrils flare up again. But as he knew this was going to happen, Lumpy removed his forefinger from his nose and grabbed a tissue from his tissue box as his breath hitched again.

"Ah... Aaaaaaah..."

He tilted his neck back twice, but before he thought the sneeze would release, it disappeared. Lumpy regained his breath, then took the tissue in his hand and rolled one of the tissue's corners into a point. He then started to insert it into his nostril, but before it could even make it inside, his nostrils flared, wildly. He hastily pulled the tissue out, but was about a split second too late.

"AHHHHHHHHH-CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!" A small amount of mucus was fired from Lumpy's cringing nostrils. But he didn't think this sneeze was enough to satisfy his nose for the night, so he went right ahead and inserted the corner of the tissue into his nostril.

"Aaaaaaaah, aaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAH-- CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!" Lumpy's sneeze blew the tissue right out of his nose. Sniffling mildly, he inserted the corner of the tissue into his other nostril, then started to wiggle the tissue around.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaah... Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh..." Lumpy tilted his neck back as he continued tickling his nostril with the tissue. "AaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH--!" he tried to open his eyes slightly, but ended up getting a little light from his lamp in his eyes. The urge to sneeze spiked - his nostrils flared as wide as they could become, and his snout twitched and rumbled like a volcano about to erupt. But the light wasn't what caused him to sneeze. Right when his nostrils grew to their largest size possible, they felt a final little wiggle from the tissue, which led to...

"CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! AaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

These sneezes were much louder and messier than the last two he had just released. A huge amount of snot exploded out of Lumpy's nostrils, and ended up getting on the tissue that he had just used to make himself sneeze with. Fortunately, these sneezes felt amazing to release, and they were enough to satisfy his sneezy nose. Lumpy sniffled and rubbed his nose again with his forefinger, but this time, he did it for much longer than he had been earlier today.

Disposing of the tissue that he had used to induce his sneezes, Lumpy grabbed a couple more tissues from his tissue box and blew his nose loudly. He then wiped his nostrils for a while before disposing of those tissues as well. His eyes started to feel heavy afterwards. Those sneezes had really tired him out.

Lumpy yawned into his hand. Just for the heck of it, when he was done yawning, he faked a sneeze into his hand, and then rubbed his nose on his forefinger for the final time. Sometimes, if he didn't have to sneeze, he would just pretend to. Most of the times - this one included - he did it just for fun, but sometimes he just wanted an excuse to be blessed. But his closest friends could easily tell the difference between his fake sneezes and his real ones, and he knew that they would only bless his real sneezes. And there was no one else in his trailer except for him, anyway.

Wanting to go to bed, Lumpy turned off both of the lights in his room. First the lamp on his ceiling fan, then the lamp on his end table. He then climbed into his bed, pulled the covers over him and tried to go to sleep. It took him a bit longer than usual for him to go to bed due to his nose, which kept clogging and unclogging throughout most of the night. But eventually, he fell asleep, breathing through his mouth since he couldn't breathe through his nose.

Inside Lumpy's nose, the germs were feeling satisfied with their work. They were also glad that Lumpy had decided to induce those sneezes. They had been listening to every one of them, and even though there weren't as many sneezes as they would've liked, they felt like Lumpy was doing them all a favor and making himself sneeze so that they wouldn't have to.

"I bet he never thought he could get sick on his birthday. Good thing we proved him wrong!"

"His special day may be over, but now that we're here, he's got six more where that came from!"

"He better enjoy them as much as we enjoy his sneezing and suffering! That sure as heck made our day special!"

The germs laughed in agreement, and then there was a short pause between them.

"Man, no wonder everybody hates us."