#But This season they changed their skin and decided to do a character reset of sorts. so to them last season didnt happen

[mcybree]

now im nosy, what do you mean by alien clone replacement????

DONT even worry about . dont even worry. dont even

[mattcraft]

Oh goodie!! Ok so-

Tango, right? Guy whos basically a Looney Tunes character irl? This guy?

When he started to make Decked Out 2, he changed his skin to this-

-and kinda became the “dungeon master” right?

What if it wasn’t just a cosmetic change. What if that was due to the Deep Frost Citadel itself.

(Cont. under the cut bc it gets Long)

As someone who loves any kind of “the thing that usually isn’t alive *is alive*” story, I am giving that treatment to the Citadel because I cannot be stopped <3

What if when the hermits arrived to season 9, the castle was already there. When Tango found it, he had asked if it belonged to anyone or if someone had built it. No one claimed it as their own, so Tango decided to move in and make it his base for the season.

He doesn’t get too far in making it his own when he starts hearing voices and whispers seemingly coming from nowhere but only existing within the Citadels walls. It’s nothing much at first but as time goes on it grows into something loud and demanding. It’s the castle itself speaking to Tango through his mind.

Someway, somehow, the Citadel gets Tango to do what it wants. It craves death and bloodshed, so it gets him to dig out and build a dungeon underneath the castle for hermits to die in over and over. He makes a deal with the castle, and disguises it as a game. A sequel to a game he made a few seasons back: Decked Out.

As he begins work on the dungeon, the hermits take notice of changes to Tango whenever he visits the shopping district for supplies that he’s running low on. The tips of his ears and his fingers start to look blue and frostbitten, and his skin feels cold to the touch. His hair, its usual fiery yellow slowly but surely turning blue, begins to stick out more than usual. Sometimes they even notice him shivering, even when it’s the middle of summer. Lots of hermits have periods of time where they go through a change of appearance of sorts, so no one decides to bring it up much, although the dedication to the look is a little worrying.

There are lengths of days to weeks to even months where the hermits don’t see Tango. Some are worried and fly to his castle to check on him, some even trying to get him out every once in a while. They know he’s working on a huge project, but it’s not entirely like him to be going mia like this so often.

As the dungeon nears completion, Tango’s transformation into the Dungeon Master is practically complete. The Citadel offered him a change of clothes to better match his new look- a set of dark robes edged with a shiny blue strip that swirl in intricate designs at the cuffs and back. When the hermits see him now- which is rare- he’s stopped shivering, his red eyes have now changed completely to blue, and sometimes you can see his breath despite it not being cold out.

When the dungeon is finished and Decked Out 2 begins it’s first phase, the Citadel couldn’t be more pleased and demands that Tango take care of the upkeep to the redstone and the monsters that live inside the depths of the castle, as well as continuing to make the dungeon better and better. The Citadel was having too much fun- there would be no way it stopped any time soon.

Some notes I’m not sure where to put either:

When the dungeon resets itself and announces that it’s ready for a new player, turns out thats the castle speaking through Tango letting everyone know it craves More. His eyes glow blue or light up with a blue flame, and his voice gets dark and gravely. This happens sporadically too btw. For fun

Tango promises to the citadel that once the season is over that others will want to play and will sacrifice themselves over many times and that the castle wont go without

The more deaths there are the more the castle ends up building itself out instead of Tango having to do it manually. Areas change, traps get more dangerous, and at one point the entirety of the Burning Dark appears and Tango uses it as incentives for the hermits

The wardens and ravagers in the dungeon are not *hostile* around Tango either, however theyre not NOT hostile, so he still has to watch his step around them. Was able to give them all collars with names on them though, and greets them when no one is running the dungeon every so often

[postguiltypleasures]

My Peak TV Journey *What We Do In The Shadows*

What We Do in the Shadows is a show that continues to bring me a lot of joy, that said the recent fourth season was probably the weakest, and also left me with real mixed feelings. The third season finale changed everything and nothing. Colin Robinson died on his one hundredth birthday, helping the vampires and Guillermo agree to plans where they planed to leave Staten Island for new adventures. Until Laszlo discovered the baby like creature that crawled out of the chest cavity of Colin Robinson and he decided to stay and care for it. 

The aftermath of that season finale is a season about everything and nothing changes. It seemed to ask the question: how much do you actually want long running series to become increasingly serialized?

Sometimes I wanted it’s status quo resets to happen faster. I missed adult Colin Robinson’s affect on the group dynamic. The deteriorating house mostly wasn’t funny for me. (Not sure if this says more about me than the show.) Having the failing house set up an episode where the vampires end up on a home improvement show didn’t feel worth it. The reveal that Simon the Devious was behind the show and it was all an attempt to get Laszlo’s witch skinned hat fell flat. By the end I thought, “I hope that’s the end of the cursed hat”.

But enough of how it didn’t make me as happy as I wanted to be. Onto the good parts. Baby Colin could be fun. I appreciated his love of musical theater.

Guillermo came out as gay to human family and it was beautiful. I do feel now  that his desire to be a vampire makes him a tragic character. It’s a funny tragedy, but as he’s the only one who’s really alive, the rejection of life is sad. 

I also loved Nadja and her nightclub. Shortly after the season ended I saw someone wearing a shirt with the night club’s logo on it. I also so in some places online that people who didn’t like her character before do now. I have a theory about about this: her plots don’t involve her marriage to Laszlo as much as earlier seasons. Even if you like the Nadja Laszlow pairing, and I do, sexism will color how you read their plots. With Laszlo she’s a nagging and unfaithful wife, without him she’s a crazy fun vampire.

Nandor’s quest for love was frustrating, though that was on purpose. There was the most explicit tales that he’s actively and hurt fully ignoring Guillermo. I don’t believe he and Guillermo would make each other happy. But his reviewing his resurrected wives and ultimate treatment of his chosen, Marwa, was cruel in a real careless way. I laughed, but it was a pleasurable less laugh. Still, it worked with the theme of how being a vampire affects one’s sense of time, making nothing urgent, except what one feels in the moment. Guillermo’s move in the cliffhanger left me feeling conflicted, which mostly means that I’m still invested. Also, I'm glad to see more of The Guide.

[killiansprincss]

Never Forget You Ch.13

Season 6A Canon Divergence.

Emma is happy. Finally happy with her parents, son and boyfriend. But this happiness is taken away from her when the Evil Queen curses her and turns her into a toddler.

Heartbroken and angry, Killian and Henry run away to Neverland to wait for Emma to break her curse. But when she does break it and comes looking for them 25 years later, she soon realises this Neverland is very different now it is no longer under Pans rule.

Will she be able to save Henry and Killian in time, or will this new ruler of Neverland keep them hostage forever?

Also on AO3

Chapter 13 of my Neverland fic is up :))) please go check it out if you’re a lover of CS and especially angst. This fic is about halfway through and it’s my baby so give it some love!

________

“Tonight.” Henry tells his mother after her constant pestering.

“What?” Emma asks, “What happens tonight?”

“The Lost Ones. They still come to the Island at night in a dream state.Killian and I help them, or at least he used to. Don’t give up on Killian just yet, show him you’re not leaving. True Loves Kiss or something might wake him up.”

Emma smiles at her son's enthusiasm, “I don’t think True Love's Kiss will work, he isn't under a curse, but you’re right I do need to show him that I am going to stick around. I was so afraid of losing him until he showed me he wasn’t going anywhere, so now it’s time to return the favor.”

And so Henry tells his mother all about the Lost Ones of this New Neverland, how they come from all the realms, magical and non magical, Pan's shadow no longer steals them from their beds, it’s how it was before Pan, lost kids travel to Neverland and they think they're dreaming. The magic from Morpheus allows them to travel in their dream state and Henry likes to help as many of them as he can, if he never sees them again he believes it's for the best, that they aren’t lost anymore.

Henry also tells the story of why Killian no longer helps the Lost ones.

~~~

Killian didn’t know how long he had been back in Neverland. It had been a while, but he wasn’t sure if that meant weeks or years.

Morpheus, god of dreams allowed sleeping children to travel to Neverland who felt lost or lonely. Being in Neverland they could do whatever they wanted, eat cake for hours without feeling sick, and even fly. It made Killian happy that Neverland was being used to bring joy to kids without Pans evil tricks.

There was one little boy who he took a liking to and wanted to help. Eli Brewer. He was a young lad of maybe 10, short, dark hair, dark skin, and the lost look in his eyes that was all too familiar.

“So I can really do whatever I want here?” Eli asks, still amazed at what this island can offer.

“Yes lad, what you want, wish for it and it’ll appear.” Killian says crouching down to his level.

Eli closes his eyes. “I wish. I wish for the chocolate cake I stole from the bakery for me and Hugo that one time,”

Killians heart aches. He remembers Liam doing something similar for them once.

Eli’s eyes light up when he opens them to find a slice of chocolate cake in his hands.

“Where do you come from lad?” He asks, wanting to know how best he can help him.

With chocolate smeared round his face, he replies, “I come from the kingdom of Mirimois, it’s just a half a mile away from Longbourne. It’s just my little brother and me, our mother died years ago and our father ran away. I have to look after Hugo, we’ve been sleeping in between barrels at the nearby ports. I’m hoping someone will give me a job so that we can receive shelter and food.”

Killian was all too familiar with this situation. He and Liam would sleep by the docks after their father left, nobody would say anything, the sailors and pirates would leave them to sleep for a night, maybe even offer a blanket. Then in the morning they would be gone and on the hunt for another place to sleep.

“Well enjoy the festivities Neverland has to offer tonight, and if you wish to return tomorrow you may.”

Eli did enjoy what Neverland had to offer. And he came back, night after night, for weeks. And it was night after night that Killian took a liking to him, and wanted to make a change.

“Lad I’ve been thinking about your situation. You come from Longbourn, correct?”

Eli looks up from his cake he’s eating. “Yeah why?”

“There’s a kingdom nearby Thiroris. The king there is a kind man.” Killian did not like royalty, a habit of his pirate days. But in the missing year he came to know the Prince of a kingdom, who spent most of his time in the tavern where Killian and his crew drank. He was a good prince, and cared for the orphans in his kingdoms, and he learnt during his time in Storybrooke that his father had died and he was now King.

“I’ve heard of that kingdom. Our mother was from there.” Eli tells him with an excited smile.

“If you and your younger brother were to ask for refuge at his palace, I’m sure he would help you and give you a place to sleep and food to eat as magnificent as this chocolate cake.” Killian smiles at the lad, he reminds him so much of Liam. No boy his age should have to find work or worry about a safe place to sleep.

“You think?” Eli asks with the brightest smile on his face.

Killian just nods and allows him to enjoy his, hopefully, last night in Neverland.

Eli doesn’t return to Neverland that night, or the might after that. Killian takes that as a good sign. Eli never steps foot in Neverland again.

But it wasn’t a happy ending.

Some time later though a little boy the image of Eli yet younger appears in Neverland.

“My name is Hugo, my brother Eli and I were on our own for a while. Then he told me that if we go to this other kingdom a nice king would help us. But there were guards with arrows, and my brother got hit. He said he was in a better place, that he was going to see our mama. But now I’m all alone.” He explained and suddenly it made sense why Eli hadn’t returned to Neverland. He’d been caught in the crossfire of an arrow not meant for children. And now Hugo was a lost boy, he’d lost his brother like Killian had lost his, just at such a harsher age.

Killian now related to Hugo, he knew what he was dealing with, losing his brother and being all alone. Obviously this 7 year old boy couldn’t become a pirate or run away like he had done, but he could give him advice on how to deal with losing a brother.

He could have done those things. But he had ruined this poor boy’s life by giving his brother advice that got him killed. Instead, he stayed out of his way, didn’t give him advice and just was there to let them know the rules of Neverland and it’s dreamworld.

Many lost kids came and went and he didn’t really notice when Hugo stopped visiting.

_______

Emma can hear the cries of the Lost Ones. It’s what she heard the first night she was back here, and her very first night in Neverland 30 years ago.

When she was younger (orphan timeline) she wished she could escape to Neverland and be like the Lost Boys. That was before she knew the Disney Movie was nothing like the real story. She wanted to escape, be somewhere where it didn’t matter if she didn’t have parents or a family who loved her.

But then when she was 28, she had found her family. Granted she didn’t believe she had at first, but in her defence, who would believe a 10 year old saying he lived in a town with fairytale characters?  And then it was a long and rocky road until they felt like a family. And then the Evil Queen pressed a reset button and she had the chance to grow up feeling loved and never felt alone. She was grateful in some ways, but now she was conflicted, was she still a lost girl, an orphan who found her family at 28, or was she the girl that grew up with her family who loved her.

So when Henry told her about the lost kids, and that he tries to help them, her heart cried out. She wished she had someone to help her, keep her on the right track in life. Don’t give up hope. There is a family out there for you, whether biologically related to you or not. When she came to Storybrooke the first time, and thought Henry’s stories were well stories, she had found family, Mary Margaret was the first friend she had in a long time and she became her family, the way she invited her into her home and the way they defended each other when Regina framed or tried to undermine them.

She had learnt that family wasn’t always blood, it was those who cared about you. That’s what she would tell the lost ones, that finding someone who cares about you, is all you need.

“Mom! There you are!” Henry whispers shouts when he sees her at the clearing to the lost ones where he told her to wait. The lost ones clearing used to be Pans camp, so it was strange being back there and helping lost kids this time.

“Are you sure this is a good idea? What about Cecelia?” Emma asks, worried about when she eventually runs into the fairy.”

“Don’t worry, she’s never there throughout the night, she was here an hour ago to prepare the pixie dust, then tomorrow morning she’ll collect any dust left over.” Henry explains, calming her nerves, they still hadn’t decided how they were going to defeat her.

Emma and Henry walk into the clearing, and it looks pretty much the same as Pans camp did, with large trees and bushes surrounding the perimeter, and logs all around that serve as benches. The hammocks and beds were gone though, seeing as the lost ones no longer stayed longer than throughout the night. In the centre was a fountain that contained golden pixie dust that was glowing. There were a couple kids scattered around, one blonde haired boy was flying and giggling, another small girl was grinning as she was eating her ice cream, and a couple others were talking to one another on the logs.

Henry goes over to a boy with dark hair sitting by one of the trees, and gives her a look that says ‘go for it.’

She looks around at the kids, some are having the time of their life flying around or eating cake and ice cream. Others look, well, lonely. She sees a little girl around 9 with dark hair in two braids, she’s pretty tiny, short and very thin, maybe she’s not been eating well wherever she’s from. That lonely lost girl look on her face that’s all too familiar.

“Hey there, what’s your name?” Emma says as she approaches the little girl.

She looks up at Emma, not sure whether to trust her, “hi,”

Smart girl, not giving away too much information to someone you don’t know. Emma did this a lot when she was caught shoplifting as a teen. She sits down beside her. She could do this, she could help a lost girl,

“You know I was a lost girl once too.” Emma says staring ahead instead of saying it to her face.

The little girl looks up at her. “I’ve not seen you here before.”

Observant. Another trait of a lost girl, always looking at the details. “You’re right. I’m Emma. I was a lost girl once, and now I’m here to help.”

The little girl studies Emma for a few moments before saying. “I’m Elena.”

“It’s nice to meet you Elena.” Emma smiles at her.

____

If there’s one thing Killian had to bet on seeing tonight, it would not have been Emma with the Lost Ones. He walked into the clearing a little later than usual, and saw Henry talking with the same kids he had been talking to for a while, but saw blonde hair in the corner of his eyes.

No. It couldn’t be.

He looked over and saw Emma Swan talking to one of the lost girls. It really was her. This must be one of Henry’s ploys. Emma notices him and gives him a smile and a wave before returning to her conversation with a lost girl.

This woman doesn’t give up. She was a bloody marvel.

He watched her with the lost girl. He didn’t know the girl's name, she was pretty quiet and even Henry had trouble getting through to her.

So he sits on the log by the tree like he does every night and welcomes old and new lost ones.

“Welcome to Neverland. Morpheus has decided you’re a lost one, and has graced you with the chance to visit this place in your dream state. So enjoy Neverland. We have magic, you can fly, you can wish for anything to eat, go crazy,”

Killian says this speech to new lost ones almost every night and it gets tiring, especially now he knows he’s been saying it for 25 years. The first few years he was happy and upbeat, but now he said it in much more of a monotonous voice.

He keeps stealing glances at Emma throughout the night. And he was pretty sure she was doing that same. The lass she was with was looking more and more animated as the night progressed. She had a knack for this, that much was clear.

He wanted to go back with her. More than anything, but did he deserve to? And why does she still want him? Why bother with him at all? She should just take Henry and leave. She had lived her life again the way she was meant to, as a daughter that never doubted her parents loved her. After all that, why would she go back to a pirate who was abandoned as a child and lost everyone he loved?

The end of the night draws in, and the lost ones leave Neverland one by one. The girl Emma was talking to ended up being the last to leave. He nods to Henry when the night is up, avoiding Emma’s ever present stare.

“Killian wait.” He hears Emma voice as he walks outside the clearing on his way back to his ship.

He turns around to face her, “Swan. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Emma rolls her eyes at him. “Don’t play dumb with me okay. I showed up here tonight to prove I’m not going anywhere without you.”

Killian just scoffs. “I already told you Swan, forget about me. Take your boy and leave.”

“I don’t want that okay? Are you not listening? I don’t want that.” Emma practically screams at him.

“And what do you not understand about the fact that you’re better off without me?” Killian shouts back.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Emma asks her blood practically boiling. Why would he say that?

He studied her for a moment, noticing the veins popping out of her forehead now she’s angry. “You don’t want me. You grew up with your perfect princess life, with a family and town full of people that love you. You never doubted that your parents loved you. You probably have a long line of princes and noblemen that want your heart. You don’t want a broken lost pirate. For 25 years I have been in this god awful place waiting for a woman who had forgotten me and I had no idea if you would even be here after 25 years.”

Emma scoffs, “yeah you’re right. I never doubted my parents' love for me, and I dated a few guys and I really liked them while we were together. And you’re right there are probably a lot more guys that want to be with me, I am a princess like you say. But guess what? We are not in the Enchanted Forest, I’m no princess, I’m free to choose my own life and my own boyfriends. And you know what else? None of them are you, Killian. It’s you I want. Even when I was cursed, I never forgot about you, I always used to see you in my dreams, I didn’t know who you were but. But I didn’t forget about you.”

“You dreamt about me?” Killain asks, not quite sure what to make of this revelation.

Emma nods. “It started when I was a teenager, maybe 16, 17. I kept seeing dark hair, blue eyes, your blue eyes, I didn’t know who you were but I knew you were important, a soulmate dream or something. Then as I got older, I started seeing visions, memories of our time together, like how I kissed you here in Neverland, and then saying goodbye to you in the Underworld.” Tears begin to roll from her eyes as she remembers that horrific goodbye. “Have you just forgotten everything we went through, the Underworld and everything, surely you don’t think I don’t love you anymore?”

“You still love me? Your feelings really haven’t changed?” Killain asks, still in disbelief that she could still love him.

“Of course I still love you!” Emma says with tears in her eyes. She takes the chain from under her shirt showing him the ring he gave her all those years ago. “I still have your brother's ring you gave me back in Camelot. I put it back on the moment I woke up. Because I love you Killian. And I’m not scared to say the words anymore! Killain Jones I love you so much. I don’t care what has happened, you still loved me when I went dark, so whatever this place has done to you, I don’t care. You’re still the same man I fell in love with. What’s stopping you from coming home?”

Emma steps forward and takes his hook and hand in hers. Killian backs away shaking his head. “I can’t do this, I’m sorry. Emma, my heart has been broken many times over my life. When my father abandoned Liam and I, Liam looked after me, he did everything, he was always there. And then all of a sudden he was gone, and I was never going to see him again, my big brother, gone just like that. It broke me, I didn’t know how I was going to go on, but something inside me was telling me to keep going. And a few years later I met Milah, and all at once she was patching the hole Liam had left. Years pass by and I feel almost whole again, and then the crocodile had killed her, and again my heart was broken. 300 years pass of feeling like this and I meet you.”

He takes a deep breath before continuing, composing himself. “You were so unlike any woman I’d met, my usual tricks didn’t work, you were feisty and independent, and so strong. You pushed me away but something inside me told me to keep pushing.” Emma can’t help but smile at this, it was true, she pushed him away for so long but after a short while, she didn’t want to push him away anymore.

“And eventually you felt as I did. You had fixed my broken heart piece by piece, and I let myself envision a future for the first time. And then you were cursed. We spent day and night researching, finding a way to bring you back, but when I was told there was no use, that I would have to watch you grow up and not know who I was, not know that you loved me, all the pieces you filled had shattered once more.”

“You’re saying I broke your heart because of my curse?” Emma asks.

“Aye.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Emma tells him.

“You’re glad to hear my heart was broken?” He asks, having a feeling what she was going to say next.

“If it can be broken,” she says, taking a step closer, she can feel his heartbeat, she can hear his breath hitch. “It means it still works.”

And they’re both suddenly transported back to Storybrooke after the missing year when he said those exact words as Killian tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “You know I’ve heard that before.” Emma pushed him away all those years ago because she was so afraid of letting him in, but there was nothing to be afraid of.

Emma's eyes light up as she smiles at his words, “oh yeah?”

And then Killian puts his arms around her waist and pulls her in close to him and captures her lips. It’s perfect. It’s needed, it’s the first kiss they’ve shared in 25 years and it feels so good. Killian moans into the kiss, he feels stupid for thinking she wouldn’t love him, Neverland plays on your strongest emotions, but kissing her here, in Neverland, the place she first kissed him which made him realise he was falling for her, was incredible.

He breaks the kiss for a moment just to say, “I love you so much.”

And Emma wraps his legs around his waist as he moves them so she's backed up against the nearest tree. He kisses her lips, and then moves onto her neck, placing hot wet kisses all down the side of her neck leaving Emma breathless as she roams her hands in his hair remembering what he felt like after 25 long years.

“Stop. Stop.” Emma says breathlessly as she pulls away from the kiss.

“Swan if you dare say that was a one time thing I will take you down to the Underworld myself.” Killian says causing Emma to practically snort.

“No, no it’s not that!” She says through her laugh, “My family will be expecting me back. Believe me, I want to continue this more than anything, but they want me to report on what I saw and what our plan is.”

“You really think we can get off this Island?” He asks.

“We? You’re coming with us?” Emma asks grinning from ear to ear.

Killian nods. “Aye love, I’m sorry I was a fool, it’s going to take some time to be the man you fell in love with again, but I’m-“

Emma cuts him off with a final kiss, “hey, stop. You’re still the man I fell in love with all those years ago. I get that this place is hard and your heart is still broken, but come home and we can fix it together.”

“I'll tell Henry and we can all meet at his treehouse later on to discuss our plan.” He says giving her a quick kiss before heading back in the direction of his ship.

____

Emma feels relieved, Killian was coming home. They were in this together. She couldn’t stop smiling as she walked back to where her family was.

This night was incredible. Elena, the lost girl she was talking to trusted her enough to talk, and she hoped she had made a difference. Her mothee was a princess, but she felt lost most of the time, she was always working and her father was sick. She was an only child and wasn’t allowed out of the palace much. Her baby brother was also the apple of her parents eyes, he was only a toddler but he seemed to get a lot more attention. Emma understood this, when she got back from New York and her mother was pregnant, sometimes she felt they were looking at her to break the curse, rather than spend time with their daughter. And with her new life, as a child she did feel like her parents spent a lot more time with Neal than her, but as she grew up she realised this wasn’t the case. She could already see that a couple more days talking to her and she wouldn’t find herself in Neverland again.

She hears scuffling behind her.

“Killian? Henry?” She calls out to the noise.

Instead appears a beautiful woman with dark skin, a purple dress and iridescent purple wings to match. A fairy.

“Cecelia?” Emma assumes, fearing the worst.

The fairy smiles. “Ah, so you know of me. Well, I presume you’re Emma. Nice to finally meet you.”

“Look, I don’t want any trouble, I just want to get my son and boyfriend and leave this Island. I won’t come back.” Emma says backing away from the fairy slowly, she knew this fairy was nothing like the Blue Fairy back in Storybrooke, and also nothing like Tinkerbell who was on their side. No, this fairy was the enemy.

Cecelia’s wings flutter as she levitates in the air. “Well see that’s the problem. The two people you want to recuse I need here on this Island, so I’m sorry you are going to have to leave my home without them.”

“And if I don’t?” Emma asks, standing her ground, she needed to show she wasn’t afraid.

The fairy did not like this. She flutters towards Emma and says in a sweet tone, “Then I will kill you and your precious family.” and then turns small and flies away

[sonderrow-moved]

IC            IS            VOICE            BODY            MEMORY            PLOTTING

★ I.D

FULL NAME: Jael Roy Singerman BIRTH: March 19th, 39 y.o. SEX & GENDER: Male SPECIE: Human..? ETHNICITY: Caucasian (?) LANGUAGE: English and French OCCUPATION: Counter terrorist defender RELIGION: Atheist SEXUALITY: Heteroflexible ★ ANATOMY 

HAIR:  Very short, tangled mix of charcoal and black with a front bang EYES: Chocolate brown FACE: A jagged jaw with large, half crazed looking eyes, Jael’s previously, one might say, stereotypically beauteous features are now wasted by dark, deep scars and wrinkles COMPLEXION: Warm olive SCAR: Multiple deep scars run over Jael’s body. Although numerous, they do not cover the majority of it, only at key points from what seems like slashes and gun wounds TATTOOS: One… HEIGHT: 195 cm BUILD: Lean rectangle shaped, toned by regular training VOICE: Rough and warm ★ PERSONA LIKES: Camaraderie, sex, beer DISLIKES: Weak-willed people, party poopers, social politics MBTI: ESFP “The Entertainer” ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Neutral POLITICAL STANCE: Middle Liberal EDUCATION LEVEL: Military college DRUGS: ??? PHOBIAS: ??? DISORDER: None diagnosed ★ “ARGO FUCK YOURSELF.” Jael was born on a dairy farm in the middle of Canada, on a road right between the city and the countryside, surrounded by six other siblings and two hardboiled parents. Being the kid in the middle, Jael never especially put much thought in his position compared to his brother and sister. Actually, he never put much thought into anything, and just went on with life as it went, following what everyone told him was normal. An average kid, Jael was popular with his peers as he had the look of, well, the average “not bad looking at all” north american kid, had an early growth spurt and was doing pretty well at sports. Quickly, however, Jael found himself hanging out with friends who didn’t think too much like himself, falling in group into every fad as they grew up. At home, no dark tale of abuse with his family, no real life-scarring drama. Just the technical, material support and teachings of parents. With nearly no warmth nor bonding, which only made Jael bond with his gang full of mischief. Drugs, smoking, sex, they all shared everything, with depending degrees. And the boy’s lifestyle was soon far from what his family expected it to be. He still finished his chores at the farm, but his increasingly sloppy ways, too eager to finish to go elsewhere, brought some judging comments. Still, family is family, and Jael would say he was plenty content with it. While he wasted his time away during his secondary school years, Jael was barely able to graduate; his part-time work in a fast food chain was, to him, even bigger of a highlight than the time he’d spend in class. In the end, Jael only needed the simple suggestion of his father to enroll in the military. And although one could tell this would be the opposite of how he currently lived, his simple mind were satisfied of the pros, and so easily the sheep decided to step into this path. ★ “HISTORY STARTS OUT AS FARCE AND ENDS UP AS TRAGEDY.” At first given dubious looks by his entourage, Jael actually didn’t have much difficulty letting go of his bad consumption, as he found that those time killers were only replaced by others. In the beginning hard on his body, training became like second nature, waking up so tired and lazy, but immediately finding an inexplicable relief in releasing tension out of his system, and be able to go farther and farther, a newly degree of competitiveness rising into Jael. Was it this to be alive? Colour sparked in his previously apathetic eyes, energy ran through his frame. Even in his harshest moments he’d have something, someone, although emotionally clumsy, to have his back. Thing is, he’d never realise he was alive. Because he was only living through it. And soon enough, Jael felt like he just blinked as everything went so fast. He was given whatever medals, standing on whatever private stage and, at some point, he was instated in special ops. Surrounded by people who spoke big words, wore big suits and had big names. He listened and memorised the field, followed orders, took a deep breath and banked his paycheck. As he closes his eyes now, it starts to fade. Where which event had been. Which people were there. Jael looks at his friends, who remember exactly everything despite the years. Sometimes he does, sometimes he doesn’t. Then, one mission felt dubious. Everyone could feel it in their spine. “higher ups asked for this” sounds like such a cliche, but when it is told to you by someone you trust, someone you spent years and years with, someone who saved your life more than you can count, when it is also your job, your friends need you and you’ve only known this since forever. There was nowhere else to go, no space to fight against what those small guys in their small suits told. And it went wrong, so wrong. It’d leave him disfigured forever. ★ “THIS IS THE BEST BAD IDEA WE HAVE SIR…” You’re being shown people going under, switching identities, running away like only something from another world, until you realise it is happening to you too. At first, you think you can survive for your comrades, until things turn out for the better. Then, one by one, gone. All gone. Hunted down? No. MUCH WORST. Gone in a way buried at the back of the mind, hidden in the dark; the thought of it enough to make him sob, shiver. And there was only one left; the most idiotic of them. The one who probably didn’t deserve to survive. Jael wasn’t the brightest bulb, and before he knew it he was in jail, under his fake name, waiting for his face, under his hair, beard and scars, to be recognised. But it never did. And he never understood how he managed to survive. Just going with the flow, fucking with every crack in the system he could see, because that is only what he did. And he did like he always did; he adapted to his environment. Build partnerships, found a group to hang around with. What changed? There were no rules anymore. It didn’t exist; the lingering familiarity of earlier years stroke his scalp. Only now he was much bigger, stronger… As his cellmate, Jael met a man, a man who was the exact type he despised. The same type of man who put him in this situation, and destroyed everything his heart held and could hold dear. The reason for the disappearance of his brothers in arm, the unknown state of his family; men who used others they deemed expandable to do their dirty work. A man seeing himself so high above the others, acting as he didn’t understand his situation at all. The white collar didn’t have to brag, it always showed in his eyes; how he saw those around him as ants and tools to be used. Jael would be unable to take it anymore at some point, and maybe, for the first time in his life, his eyes showed a another kind of spark. Was it rage? Passion? Anger? He didn’t know, he could only hear the pounding in his chest, grabbing this guy by his obnoxiously silky hair and bashing his head against the table, wasting away precious powder. Unlike what he felt in the past, this one never seemed to satiate. He had done nothing wrong; yet life decided to betray him. Jael was never much of a man of vengeance, although he believed in justice. However, in this moment, he could only cry out what he had lost and take it out on the person he suddenly decided to hold responsible. A smaller body than his could do nothing against his training, and the laugh and cheer of his mates only made the blood in his veins boil stronger. The hatred shoved up his guts at every striking snarks, and his victim’s razor sharp look while being held down, not wavering, only encouraged him further to relieve his needs of violence. Dump all dopamine in that motherfucker’s ass as a sign of dominance. Nevertheless, at some point, never did Jael knew this kind of release would happen more than once, with less eyes and noise. In bathed breath and confusion. In the midst of nothing being right, any progress being reset over and over in some pool of nonsense, there was only this. The sweet, sweet (or was it, really? No. It wasn’t, but he believed so.) sensation of biting and nailing against his body, hands wrapped against another’s throat like relieving some good memories of mission fatalities. Have his usual focus on the present enhanced by a thousand, and his desires suppressing any part of this pawn he didn’t want to look at, only the ones he could take a single drop of pleasure from; those white collar, soft and pale hands, those silky long hair, sultry shaped eyes and thoroughly moisturised skin. And, although he somehow dismissed it as a game, Jael felt a sense of satisfying ownership take over him while his shivs would run over the other, being his territory just like everything in this cell. It’d become some sort of a habit, yet not so often as to not arise suspicions; if anything others believed they were mostly at each others’ throats, with the guards not against that bastard being roughed up.. and they were right, because this wasn’t some cute lovemaking; a good half of it was attempted murder. Another crowd was even worst; they believed them to be rivals, friends in disguise. A crazed, vicious schedule settled in while Jael’s head slowly, but surely, forgot. Forgot everything. Outside this place. Like at the farm, where all day would be the same, and he’d stop counting the day and feel the seasons. His body had always been a tool to a mean, and his character darkened in pure survival and simple, basic needs. His mind cracked atop his personal dummy, violence taping as to not let it break. What shook him ever so slightly, was how his cellmate changed. Jael frowned while observing. It was so subtle, yet gradual. Even his dumb mind could pick up if the person he saw extensively everyday was shifting. The speech would switch, and they’d end up exchanging nearly amusing banter while he strangled the man until he passed out, spurting jokes while blood smeared alongside his arms and thighs. Jael’d never tell whatever he thought of his dear cellmate. It grew into something. Something he felt like had no word, no description. And before long he dared do something he didn’t do for real in so long; share. Share not facts which would only raise some points with inmates, but simple yet meaningful ones that reached the edges of his heart. Like generic childhood memories, hobbies, “i met a guy like that once”… There was nothing good about that relationship. Nothing he could ever share because no normal person could understand. It felt as close as it could be with a comrade… but in a twisted, perverse, way. Still, it was the one thing that seemed, at the very least, real. Where Jael could find an identity, and not only be driven by pure instinct, not acting like a simple sheep. The thing was, not once did he ever wonder what his cellmate was thinking, feeling. From the two of them, he was the most selfish now. Just acting impulsively, with no second thought on the consequences of his actions. He was never able to evolve more from there, because finally karma stroke. Whatever had been done in the shadows, it was performed nearly, he could say, admirably. Everything well put in place, inmates stealthily moving towards the exit as other stayed. The sense of eariness drowning in the air while he was sweeping the floor. Crashed furniture and thrown buckets of water, only had the time to fight off one person that a shiv was already piercing through Jael’s flesh, pain stunning his body long enough for another to go through his stomach. He was swept off his feet, back hitting the wet and soapy concrete floor, stained by his own blood. That is when John Smith was officially dead.

[pokimoko]

STEVEN UNIVERSE: THE MOVIE - Personal Commentary

I wrote this to send to a friend, but I decided I might as well post it on here. I did a large portion of this while I was watching the movie, but I did go back and improve on some parts after I was finished, so forgive the inconsistent tenses. I apologise for the length as well, which is a result of me getting completely carried away and analysing a lot of the movie (I bet my English teachers are cheering). Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy my personal thoughts on the Steven Universe movie. (Also, spoilers if you haven’t already watched it.)

- The opening....wow. Not only is it pretty but it's just so dramatic. It reminds me quite a bit of old fashioned Disney musicals (I’m guessing that was their intention). Even the layout of the credits are giving me that vibe. But especially the music. Very fairytale-esque.

- 16 year old Steven, yeah booiii! Now he’s only a few years younger than me. I do like his older voice and design. Bet Zach Callison is relieved that he doesn't have to pitch his voice up high anymore. And I personally really love the pan flag colour scheme of his new outfit. I wonder if they’ll keep it for the season(s) following the movie.

- Aww, the Diamonds are learning. Sort of. They’re maybe just a tad clingy, but that's still improvement. I really love how Steven Universe never makes the 'villians' completely evil, only misguided, and that everyone is capable of changing their ways. Such a great message. (Edit: Ooohh, I unintentionally called what I'd say is the moral of the movie. Noice.)

- Naaww, Steven and Connie are so cute. Steven's happy little grin after the kiss was just adorable.

- Oooh, I like the 'Here We Are in the Future' (Edit: 'Happily Ever After') song. It just shows how much they've all grown over the course of the series. And it’s a great way to recap the journeys of each of the original Crystal Gems to the audience.

- "PEW PEW" Yeesss. I love their handshake. And oh my god, he really is so tall compared to Amethyst now.

- Oh my god, they're reenacting the running sequence from the opening. Love me a parallel. Just shows how far they’ve all come.

-Okay, why do the 'bad' guys in musicals always get such cool songs? Spinel's song was so catchy. Now I'm super curious about her relation to Pink Diamond. Oh cool! A scythe. That's awesome.....AH! Okay, nevermind. Nooo.

- 'Losing your powers' angst. I love it (yes, I know, I'm terrible).

- Greg: "Holy shhhhhheee really got everybody" Me: 😏 I see what you did there.

- Steven: "I have no idea what's going on." Greg: "Well now you know how I feel most of the time." Greg is so relatable sometimes. Kindly stop being my spirit animal, sir.

- AHHH! They've all been reset. Craaappp! And I was just going on about growth and everything! But I'm excited to see what happens because I love angst, god damn it. It always helps to make the happy ending all the more satisfying. (And...admittedly, the amnesia narrative device has always been a guilty pleasure of mine. I’ve always enjoyed how it allows you to so clearly see how a character has evolved over time and how much their experiences have defined their identity.)

- "Something is clearly wrong," Pearl sings happily and bug-eyed. Excellent and relatable. That's how I react to most things in life, honestly.

- "I could have lost all of my character development." Ha! Never subtle, are you Peridot? But also nooooo, not Peridot. Don't you dare touch her. She's grown so much and I love her dearly (and also Lapis' top notch dark humour. Perfect.)

- Sad song reprise is sad. I totally understand what Steven is feeling too. Things you’ve gotten so used to (hell, maybe even become dependent on for your emotional welbeing) can disappear so quickly that it can be quite a whiplash to have it gone, so it's completely normal to struggle to accept it, and to yearn for what you had not so long ago.

- Bismuth saying “We are the Crystal Gems” has watered my crops and cleared my skin. And I love her singing voice; the roughness in some parts suits her character so well.

- Rupphire Rupphire RUPPHIRE GAAAARRRNNNEEETTT, yiissss! Wow the fusion animation is really awesome. It's like a behind-the-scenes on how it works from their perspective. But I love how the two of them fusing together doesn't fix Garnet's memories or make her exactly how she was before losing them. Garnet isn't just an experience; she's also a product of her experiences.

- Lil' trumpet salute! Naww, Pearl, that's adorable.

- ....is Onion....immortal? He still looks exactly the same. 😟 I'm unnerved by that child and whatever power he had.

- Oooh, tap dancing. I love tap dancing! Even if Steven is wearing sandals while doing it. Oh boy, I love the friendship between Amethyst and Steven. It's always been one of my favourite things in the show. It's kind of like the sibling interaction I've always wished to have myself: supportive and wholesome. And I also love how their fusion shows that platonic and familial love is just as powerful as romantic love. Oh, YAY Amethyst is back! Like I said, friendship is a powerful thing.

- Oh my god, Steven and Greg are going to fuse. Ahhhh! Oh wow, it's basically Elvis with a six pack! Hehehe, so weird. But not bad either. And, oh wow, what a great song! Individuality is my kink.

- The ANGST is making me feel emotions. Steven looks so ragged, and the high pitched whining in his ears definitely added to that. And having felt that terrible myself a few times, I know how much it frigging sucks. And just like him I brushed other people's concerns off, so I'd be a hypocrite to tell him to take care of himself. (But I am a hypocrite. Take care of yourself, Steven!)

- Yep, here's the tragic backstory to make me sad about Spinel. Hit me where it hurts why don't you. Gosh, Pink Diamond really did some messed up things when she was younger (but thankfully she evolved from that and changed to become Steven). Leaving someone behind without giving them closure or even a reason would mess someone up for sure. You'd feel completely worthless. And unfortunately, being noticed for any reason⁠—good or bad⁠—is generally a way to cope with that feeling. Spinel is doing what she can to deal with what Pink did to her, and that unfortunately involves lashing out and hurting others.

- The 'True Kinda Love' song! Knew it'd turn up at one point. Knowing the context makes it so much better too. And hell yeah, Garnet is back!

- Blood? On this Christian Server? It's more likely than you think.

- “This is the story of my life.” Ahh! Steven's just a kid, and he's gone through so much. But, I gotta say, he is absolute proof that having a rough childhood and being a flawed person in the past (*cough* Pink Diamond *cough*) doesn't condemn you to being a wicked person forever. Anyone, regardless of their circumstances and experiences, can be a good person. Your early years don't define your identity or what will become of your future.

- Spinel: “When you change, you change for the better. When I change, I change for the worse. I used to be just not good, just not good enough for Pink. Now I'm not good at all!” Damn. That's powerful. Trauma can be such a difficult thing to overcome, and some people lose their way in their attempt to leave it behind. Sometimes, though, growing doesn't mean changing yourself and erasing the past; sometimes it means accepting the parts of your past that made you who you are now. Showing the importance of past experiences through the Crystal Gem's recovery of their identities is such a smart way of showing this concept to the audience. Such a great analogy. Now, let's hope Spinel can accept that though she has been changed as a result of her trauma, that doesn't make her ‘bad’ or unworthy of love (because that’s just not true!)

- “There's no such thing as happily ever after”. Sad but true. And also turning the whole Disney vibe the movie began with in on its head. Very smart.

- Steven: “I'll always have more work to do”. Then, Spinel: “I've got work to do. Friendship isn't going to be easy for me. I'm gonna have to work at it”. Exactly. That's how it is. ‘Happily ever after’ is a stagnant concept, and staying the same person for the rest of your life isn't healthy. And deciding to work towards improving yourself can sometimes be the hardest step to take when it comes to overcoming trauma. But change can be good; you should always keep working on improving yourself, no matter how comfortable you are with who you are and where you're at. Evolution is a part of living.

- Ooooh, White Diamond got sassy. She even has the hand gestures down. She’s making up for all the years she spent T-posing.Good for her.

- Oh my gosh, the focus on the Diamond's hands! Instead of destroying, their holding a hand out in a gesture of friendship. Seriously, that's frigging growth. That's such a cool parallel too. Rebecca Sugar and her crew are just brilliant.

- I'm so glad the Diamonds got someone to love and help them through their grief, and Spinel got someone to love her unconditionally, regardless of the flaws she thinks she has. They all got someone to help them heal. That’s wonderful.

- “I can make a change.” 👏Yes👏you👏can! That's your superpower.

Damn, that was so wonderful! I've always loved the message of personal growth, and the movie did it so well. In my opinion, Steven Universe has always been great at analogies to explain real life things (ie. Malachite being a metaphor for toxic relationships) so I really like how they used to amnesia narrative device to show not only how much someone can change and grow over time, but also to show it's our experiences, good and bad, that shape us as a person. Lots of people have traumatic experiences in their life that can inadvertantly shape a lot of their personality, and it can be hard to leave that behind, especially if so much of your identity is dependent on those experiences. Sometimes they can lead us to becoming ‘bad’ people, but they can also help make us good people too. Just look at Steven! He was able to accept his past traumas and use them so as to help others heal their own. 

Trauma isn't something you can erase without erasing a large part of your identity. It can be tough to live with, nonetheless. Sometimes, like Spinel, you just need a helping hand in accepting the scars life has given you; to help you grow beyond it and maybe even eventually be able to help others who are going/have gone through similar experiences.

And there's no shame in trying to be better and failing over and over again. At least you are trying. Because trying to be good against all odds, against the whole world doing its best to destroy you, shows just how strong you really are.

-----------

Sorry for getting flowery (and maybe just a tad projective). As you can see I just really like the moral of the movie, as well as pretty much every other aspect. I'm sure there's a lot of little intricacies I missed, but this is what I took from my first viewing of it. And these are just my opinions; you might have got a whole different vibe from the movie. You are completely welcome to add you own thoughts and improve upon mine (because I am by no means an expert).

So, to summarise my own thoughts on the movie, I’m just going to say: Personal growth for the win!

[thetoxicgamer]

Overwatch 2 Double XP Weekend Begins to Celebrate Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is being celebrated with 2x the regular match XP for all matches played in the multiplayer game during the most recent Overwatch 2 double XP weekend. As the first season comes to an end, it means that this is a wonderful opportunity to sign up and level up your Overwatch 2 battle pass. There isn't much time left to obtain the Mythic Cyber Demon Genji skin because the Overwatch 2 season 2 release date is December 6. An Overwatch 2 double XP weekend runs November 24-28. This is expected to fall on the usual daily reset times of 11am PT / 2pm ET / 7pm GMT / 8pm CET. Players will earn double match experience from all games played during the event period, making it much faster to level up your battle pass. New players may also be able to use this as an opportunity to unlock support hero Kiriko, who requires reaching level 55 unless you decide to purchase the premium battle pass. There are also currently free highlight intros being given out for logging in, with the Junker Queen ‘Five Fingers’ highlight intro available from November 21-26, and the Kiriko ‘On The Wind’ highlight intro being handed to players who log in between November 26-30. If you are looking to spend some money on this free game, the ongoing Battlenet Black Friday sale provides a good opportunity to do so. There’s an Overwatch 2 Watchpoint pack sale that offers 40% off the collector’s edition, which includes the first season pass along with 2,000 Overwatch Coins and several skins. There are also a number of discounts on skins in the in-game shop – however, these appear to have only fuelled the continued debate around the price of Overwatch 2 cosmetics. Fans responding to the announcement of the sale express their surprise that the cheaper prices, which include legendary skins at 1,000 coins rather than their usual 1,900, are only temporary discounts rather than a change to the overall pricing model. There’s also been some amount of backlash to the new Mime Moira skin, given that its visual design is strikingly similar to the default look for the support character. Conversely, Junkrat’s new Epic Mobster outfit, dressing the DPS hero in a pinstripe suit complete with pencil moustache, has proven extremely popular so far, offering a rather snazzy overhaul to the explosives-loving troublemaker despite its ostensibly lower rarity. If you’re excited to find out more about new Overwatch 2 hero Ramattra and everything else coming in season two, the latest Overwatch 2 roadmap lays out all the upcoming reveal dates. Blizzard says it will not disable its cover star despite an Overwatch 2 Tracer bug allowing her to fight over much longer distances. The latest round of Overwatch 2 patch notes add aim assist for crossplay lobbies to the FPS game and promise future Sojourn nerfs for its second season. Read the full article

[meditationandacoonhound]

30 Things That Make Me Happy

1.       The smell of hay, horses, and even manure.  Breathing in farm fresh air and the feeling it brings of peace and of belongingness. The images it conjures of bonding with these large animals that are so special to me.

2.       Organized medical supplies, everything in its place and easy to find.  Ready to help the next person who needs it, and ready to be found by those who wish to help.  Taking it a step further, the people who carry these supplies to us, and the feeling you have being the person carrying that bag in.  To help others is to bring worth to oneself.  As the quote goes “the next best thing to creating a life, is to save one.”

3.       Sunrises, Sunsets.  The different colors in the sky.  The sky, the moon, the stars.  Looking up and just knowing that you are but one thing in the universe, and the way that makes me feel – not insignificant, but secure in knowing this too shall pass, because in a universe as vast as this one moments are fleeting.  Which means they are to be enjoyed in their entirety when they are pleasurable, but also that they will pass when they bring about difficulties and discomfort.

4.       The people who strive to make a difference.  Whether they are Republican or Democrat.  Whether they view the world as I do or differently.  Passionate people who feel as though they need to make a difference are the ones who will make changes to the world, and knowing they do so because they feel it is right makes me happy, even if I cannot see their vision.

5.       A good plate of food, made by someone else on occasion.  All of the seasonings carefully selected, the meal made with you in mind.  The fact that someone else took the time and made the effort to provide sustenance.  Because they care.  Sharing a meal is an intimate pleasure whether among lovers or friends, and is an amazing example of love and care.

6.       The feel of fresh air on your face in the middle of summer – that sudden burst of cool air when you are hiking through the woods.  It pushes the bugs that accompany you away for a moment, and you can close your eyes and breathe in that fresh air.  It’s invigorating, almost like a reset button for your mind.

7.       Rainy days, and the way they give you permission to be with yourself.  There is something comforting about being able to be inside and dry, while looking out at the rain.  The smell brings peace and the dampness in the air encourages you to curl up with a soft blanket and a good book.

8.       Books. Because they can be found in any public library and be shared with those you love.  Because they provide a window with a view you might otherwise never see, and because they provide an escape from reality.  

9.       Candles. Candles of all sorts and all smells, and candles with no smells.  Tea lights, pillars, candle sticks.  Watching the flames dance and flicker.  Feeling the warmth from them as you stare at them, thinking about the way the flame goes this way and that, influenced by the air and the environment.  Stare long enough, and it feels as though you are one with that flame, and for a moment you are just dancing and flickering to and fro along with it.

10.   The ocean. The smell of the salt water, and the taste.  The warm sand between your toes.  The surrounding children laughing as they splash in the waves.  Life on the beach always seems happy.

11.   A night in with good friends, laughing and sharing stories.  Remembering the past, supporting each other.  Joking, pouring drinks and playing games.  

12.   Kayaking, or canoeing, or just floating along the water in a tube.  Watching the waves and the break in the water as you go. Taking a moment to look up into the sky as the water slaps against whatever it is you choose to float along in.

13.   Music, and the way that there is a song for every moment in your life.  Someone took an experience, remarkably similar to your own, and put it to words and music to let you know you aren’t alone when you are sad, and to help you celebrate the happy moments in life.  There are happy songs, sad songs, funny songs.  There is literally a song for every moment.  I’m thankful for those who share these pieces of themselves.

14.   Television shows – the ones that are ridiculously dramatic, or completely hysterical.  The ones good enough to make you love the characters and feel as though you are right there with them.  You know on some level these characters are not real, but to you they are.  You love them like your own friends and have hopes for them and theories about how their lives should go.  Then after the season finale you worry for them and wait not so patiently for the next season to begin.

15.   The family we choose for ourselves.  Because family is important, but family is so much more than who you are stuck with the day you are born.  There are people who meet each other and just decide – “I’m here for you, and I’m not going anywhere ever.”  Those people, who say that and mean that even though they weren’t assigned to you – they are special.  And that they exist makes me happy.

16.   Dogs, because there is just something about the way they look at you and love you unconditionally.  Because if you are a dog person, I probably get you.  Because I honestly feel no one loves me the same way my dog does.  

17.   Staring up at the trees.  Laying on a blanket, in the fresh cut grass and just staring at the tree tops. Watching the squirrels hop to and from branches to other trees.  Knowing that this is a living thing I am sitting under, and that its roots are strong and run deep into the earth underneath me.  The truth is I don’t think any human being is ever as grounded as the trees are, and there is something to be said for that.

18.   Flowers. Whether they are growing in the wild, whether they are planted in the earth intentionally or brought to me in a bouquet.  They smell so pretty, they are absolutely beautiful.  So many colors and varieties, each one special and different in it’s own unique way.

19.   Yoga.  In a studio.  A good yoga instructor will transform the room into a peaceful oasis. Suddenly it’s as though you are in the room all by yourself, being guided and feeling all of the different feelings in your own body.  I am never so aware of myself as when I near the end of a yoga class.  When everyone comes together at the end you feel part of a bigger unit, and there’s peace and satisfaction in that as well.

20.   Compliments from strangers who continue to move along.  They don’t feel a need to stay and make you uncomfortable, but they make you smile for a moment and then move along with their lives.

21.   Making someone else smile, because you can, for no other reason.  Be the bright spot in someone’s day – the feeling is contagious and comes back to you as well.

22.   The feeling after an intense work out – cardio workouts are so hard initially, but when you’ve finished and you are stretching out, when you feel your pulse thudding against your skin and your muscles are moving on memory, you know for sure you are alive, and you feel refreshed and re-energized.

23.   Butterflies. They were once caterpillars, little worms basically.  They weren’t all pretty, but with work and an idea of their greater purpose they were reborn into these amazing creatures – they aren’t all flashy, but they all have the ability to fly and float in the air – I wonder what it is like to feel that light and free.

24.   Driving down the road with your hand out the window, moving it around like some sort of airplane and feeling the air above and below it.  Simple pleasures, reminding you of a simpler time when all you worried about was just who you would play with tomorrow after school.

25.   Dancing – feeling the music and the company and just gliding along enjoying the moment.  Even if you aren’t the greatest and you only manage a two-step shuffle, it brings you moments shared only with your partner.  

26.   Birds – they sing us a song every morning.  They come in all shapes and sizes and colors.  They give us something to watch and to listen to.

27.   A good cup of coffee.  The smell, and way the mug warms your hands. Watching as you pour the cream in and it changes color.  The way you start to feel more alive as you sip.

28.   Pen pals. In this day and age we correspond via email, messenger apps and all sorts of technical ways.  There is something to be said for pen and paper – but the lack of it does not diminish these relationships.  These are people who you share pieces of yourself with, and though you have never met they are just as true friends as the ones you see daily, sometimes maybe more.

29.   Climbing mountains – even just hiking them.  The way up is hard and makes your legs burn but in the end you are left with a remarkable view, sometimes one that takes your breath away.  

30.   Moments with those you love, the moments that you know you’ll remember even if that person disappears from your life tomorrow.  The happy moments are gifts to be held and cherished and not forgotten.

[advocatewrites-blog]

Into the Unknown Part 3 Chapter 5

Into the Unknown

Fandom: Undertale, Coraline (book), Over the Garden Wall, Paranorman, Gravity Falls (season 2)

Characters: Frisk, Norman B., Dipper P., Mabel P., Coraline J., Wirt, Greg, the Cat, the Frog; Sans, Toriel, Papyrus, Undyne, Alphys, Asgore,; the Other Mother, the Beast, Agatha P., Bill Cipher, Asriel D., Chara D.,

Pairings: Not the focus. Alphys/Undyne, with mentions of Papyrus/Mettaton, sans/Toriel/Asgore, and Wirt/Sara. Due to the nature of Undertale and the dating segments, there is also interpretable Papyrus/Wirt, Undyne/Mabel, Alphys/Dipper, Napstablook/Norman, Mettaton/Norman, Mettaton/Mabel, Sans/Dipper, Sans/Norman, and Sans/Greg.

Rated a high +K for violence, mild language, horrific elements that may be disturbing to younger readers,  mentions of child abuse and bullying, character death that is sometimes permanent, and mentions of suicide that may be triggering. These elements remain relatively unchanged from their source material, which most all are for children, but discretion is advised nonetheless.

Disclaimer: Undertale was created and owned by Toby Fox. Coraline was created by Neil Gaiman and owned by Bloomsbury and Laika. Over the Garden Wall was created by Patrick McHale and owned by Cartoon Network. Paranorman was created by Sam Fell and Chris Butler and owned by Laika. Gravity Falls was created by Alex Hirsch and owned by Disney. Any other work mentioned or homage are property of their respective owners. This is a fan-made, nonprofit work that only seeks to entertain. Please support the original franchises.

Start from beginning / Previous chapter / Next chapter (on hiatus)

Chapter 5

It’s not long now.

King Asgore will let us go.

King Asgore will give us hope.

King Asgore will save us all.

You should be smiling, too. Aren’t you excited? Aren’t you happy?

You’re going to be free.

The monsters did not follow him into the next room. There were quite a few of them now; Monsters of all shapes and sorts that joined Norman as he entered New Home. In a way, he needed the company.

“Are you not coming?” Norman asked.

One Whimsalot spoke up. “There is nothing we can do now. It is up to you.”

They turned. Some gave him a few more bits of gold, as if he needed it now. A Vulkin tried to encourage him until she was swept away by a Tsunderplane. Norman was alone.

“It’s alright to be afraid,” his grandmother had said once. “Just so long as you don’t let it change who you are.”

He wished he remembered when she had said that. It felt so recent but so far away. Everything back home felt so far away.

Norman took the next step into the corridor. He could already see why the other monsters were hesitant. The last hall was as bright as the sun, stark against the usual dark of the Underground. Spotless golden brickwork and intricate stained-glass windows catching and reflecting artificial light to make it shine like a sunset. The air was deathly still, yet it did not feel intimidating. The sounds of church-bells echoed outside.

And all of a sudden, Norman was not alone.

“I’ve got a question for you. Do you think…even the worst person can change…? That anybody can be a good person, if they really try?”

It took Norman a minute to process a question had even been asked. And he wanted to say yes. It was a near automatic response.

Then he thought about it. Nobody on the Surface had changed for him. The kids would still bully him. The adults would still talk about him in hushed tones. He may end up like Mr. Prenderghast, living in a dump friendless and alone. Would they change? What would make them want to?

Napstablook had been a good person. Shy and lonely, but good. He attacked because he was scared, but he still gave Norman a cool hat and shared his music with him.

Mettaton, perhaps, was a good person under all that. He certainly seemed like he wanted to try.

Papyrus had always been a good person. One on the wrong side of the battle, but one who would probably be mortified if he found that out.  Undyne had been a good person. She had to change a bit, realize the human was not as dangerous as she believed.  Even Alphys looked like she wanted to change.

If they could change, anybody could.

With a shaky voice, Norman said “Yes.”

The figure in front of him seemed to contemplate his answer. They tilted their head back in thought, allowing a skeletal smile to show.

“I’m glad you think that way. Because now it is time for you to decide. Whether the monsters go free, or whether you return home. Our fate, is in your hands.”

sans pat him on the shoulder as he walked past.

“don’t worry kid. whatever you decide, it’ll be right. and if it’s not, well…it won’t be your fault.”

sans was almost out the door when Norman found his voice again.

“What do you think?”

sans froze.

“i used to know,” said sans.  “now, i’m not too sure.”

sans was gone. He did not walk out the door, or turn back and leave the other way. As quickly as Norman blinked, he was gone.

Norman took a deep breath, shook off the lingering questions and fears, and walked away.

The throne room was thick with garden. Golden flowers and leaves filled so much of the room that the throne looked like an afterthought. Norman’s eyes fell onto its sole occupant.

“Dum dee dum…oh? Is someone there? Just a moment. I have almost finished watering these flowers…here we are!”

The King of All Monsters turned to Norman.

“Now, how can I—”

King Asgore stopped as he saw Norman. He flinched, ever so slightly, as if Norman had struck him. He turned away from him, eyes looking down on the flowers.

“I so badly want to say, ‘Would you like a cup of tea?’” said King Asgore. “But…you know how it is. You know what we must do.”

Norman nodded, because he was not quite sure what else to do. He followed the Boss Monster past the throne room and into the dark corridors behind.

“How tense,” said the King. “Think of it like…a trip to the dentist.”

The corridors weren’t as dark anymore. Sunlight, real sunlight, trickled in from above.

“Are you ready?” asked the King. “If you are not…I understand. I am not either.”

“What other choice do I have?” Norman asked.

The King let out a noise. It was too breathy to be a laugh, but too quick to be a sigh. It sounded bitter.

“Then, if you are ready…”

Asgore turned back to Norman. The canisters of Souls raised behind him. He lowered his head and raised his trident.

“Human…it was nice to meet you. Goodbye.”

The fight lasted a long time, longer than Norman would have thought. Just because he was determined to get home did not mean he was not facing the King of All Monsters. It took him a while to figure out just how much the king was holding back on him, waiting until any attack would become a fatal blow.

When Asgore fell to his knees, Norman felt a wave of emotions crash in him. They settled into guilt when the goat monster looked back at him, eyes tired and pained but accepting.

It turned into panic when a wave of bullets surrounded him, collided with his Soul and turned him to dust.

“You really are an idiot, aren’t you?” Flowey’s voice was unmistakable, even if it had been so long since he heard it. “In this world, it’s kill or be killed.”

Everything went black.

The space did not feel real, nor did Norman feel real in it. It felt more like a dream.  His mind went back to the incident in the dump. Another vision, perhaps?

All of a sudden, Norman was not alone.

They could not have been older than five they were so small. The threadbare sweater, the ripped shorts and the dirt-caked skin made them seem a lot smaller.

Their eyes widened when they saw Norman. They waved. Their hand flexed in a variety of patterns Norman recognized as sign-language, but could not decipher.

And everything went black.

*RESET

[0carkki0]

My other two asura characters. A leader of this Mega Guild, that has minor guild groups in it, is the female asura on the left. She’s a bit obsessed of looking like a doll and is actually mimicing Toymaker Tixx’s Princess Doll’s appearance. She is trying to make herself a living doll, and is actually already partially artificial. Her name is... Molly Bae. She loves the seasonal celebrations, especially Wintersday. She usually acts in a very polite manner, and speaks in kind, high and silent voice, but when she gets angry, she’s the opposite of kindness, Also, when she decides something, her dicision stands. 

Her guild’s name is Ebonshire. She’s the only one with bright colors in her clothes and hair. Everyone else is dressed all in Black. Even the hair is Black, with couple of exceptions, who have white hair instead of Black.

The male asura standing next to her is Molly’s pride; he’s an android created by her, and also a personal assistant of hers. He usually is send to do missions that ask more ofa fysical fighting than thinking. Molly herself usually goes to solve to political problems, or at least tries to solve problems with less violence. The android is called Maxx. 

How she met my main character, Vividatt. 

Vivs and Maxx actually look a lot like each other, with only few minor changes. Well, Vivs does have darker skin nowadays, but back when he was Still a fully living creature he had a very albino white skin, and even if his original eye color was green, they changed after spending time in Bloodstone Fen red. So Molly mistook Vivs for her own android, first thinking he was malfunctioning and tried to find his reset button hidden on the inner thigh of it’s right leg… When she realized her mistake, she admitted that she should have realized that her android wouldn’t suddenly change his hairstyle without permission… And said that Vivs did indeed look a lot like her android. 

And so... little later she found out that this Vividatt was the World famous Commander, and insisted him to join her guild. And so, Vivs’ own guild, Insane Torment Crimson Hollow (I.T.C.H.), became a so called subguild within this guild. Vividatt has the freedom to act without her permission, since it would slow things down to keep her informed, especially if their communicator was out of signal’s reach. And Vivs had so far done great job destroying two dragons with his other guild, the Dragon’s Watch, so... Vivs has her full trust.