#Cosmic Pineapple

[dynamitekansai]

December 3 Wakayama ◆Singles Match Momo Watanabe defeated Yuna Mizumori

[cc-ichigo-kurosaki]

Christmas Prep 2024 [Ichigo & Renji]

cc-ichigo-kurosaki "We are supposed to be doing this for Rukia, remember?" // Roommates prompts, maybe something Christmas related, lmao

@wild-pineapple-butt answered:

Roommates Prompt ||| Accepting cc-ichigo-kurosaki

"No shit, I remember," Renji grumbled, taping down the stubborn wrapping paper that kept curling in on him. Rukia looooved the human holidays, including this so called Christmas. And somehow, he'd been pulled into celebrating it.

EXCEPT! Christmas was at the end of the month - they'd barely just started! "Why are we wrappin' presents when there's still..." He pretended to think for a second, then yelled out "3 more weeks!?"

“Because, unlike previous years, I don’t have time to do it during the week leading up to Christmas,” Ichigo told Renji with a sigh. It was ridiculous, also Rukai’s excitement over the holiday, which somehow got worse with each passing year. Which meant she might be devastated if they messed up, by not planning properly.

“So we’re doing it early and keeping them in my closet, you just need to make sure Rukia doesn’t go in there, or at least let me know when she’s visiting so I can do that,” he added. While Rukia dragged him into celebrating Christmas, Ichigo dragged Renji into preparing for it, as their mutual friend.

“Anyway, what are you doing Renji? Are you wrapping your arm up as a present?” He couldn’t help but comment on the curling wrapping paper, then again he had to commend the guy for trying. Ichigo wrapped his side of the presents like it was nothing, being used to it every year at least for family.

[ask-cthulhu-mythos-au]

🤷

Ok so idk how many other ppl do this, but I'ma be one of the who do

I'm making an OC for myself only bc I had a video idea just now, and now I wanna do it.

The videos gonna b a bit more on the vent side of things, so I'm probably gonna make it marked as Mature, (idk y but it's just smth I do for my vents, don't ask y, cuz I won't answer)

Months later: I'm not posting anything XD, I was gonna but then the thing didn't save I didn't feel like retyping everything and ya ya ya. Sorry!

[felidthing]

i am six cans further down my monster journey

[cinnamoncilla]

˖ ݁𖥔 ݁˖ FEM Labs ˖ ݁𖥔 ݁˖

───────────୨ৎ────────────

my beauty BRAND!!!!

so cutesy ₊˚⊹♡

name:i decided to call it fem labs due me randomly going on going on REM beauty’s website and saw a gloss called “Fem bots”and i thought wow that’s a cute name because before it was called “Cassiopeia beauty” but now Fem labs is so cute and much better name !!!

What my brand consists of: perfumes, makeup and skincare

blends: REM beauty, Rhode, Ariana grande perfume & more

what i’m taking from REM:i’m taking basically everything changing the name to a few things making them titled after songs of mine. my favorite thing I did with this was the glosses from REM have a distinct taste like victoria secret gloss !!!

EX: the lipgloss “pink razor” will have a candy taste and i think that’s soo cute and cool but also makes you unforgettable kissing someone (hoe out girl😋 i don’t🧍‍♀️)

RHODE: basically everything changing names to things and packaging too to like match the REM beauty packaging my brand will have !!! I’m also changing the cleanser from “pineapple refresher cleanser” to “strawberry refresher cleanser” which will have a baby pink liquid cuz i love pink !

makeup aesthetic:

Extra: there are more brands i’m taking from but they’re so small that i don’t count it really but if you’d like to know it’s a bits and pieces from rare beauty & haus lab

Perfume(s) : obviously taking from Ariana but not ALL her perfumes but to name a few Cloud, Mod vanilla & Mod blush, REM, along with Cherry eclipse.

Sabrina: sweet tooth, Carmel dream, and cherry baby.

Billie: the eilish No.1 which will be named Evans (once i. get married)

Kylie: Cosmic

ORIGINAL (for once): i made my own perfume called self love potion which will smell like the vanilla candy rock sugar by kay ali not so original (😞) this perfume not only an original it will be my first launch!!

what it looks like!!!!

EXTRA:Fans will suspect i’m coming out with a brand which will also be announced through a vogue beauty secrets video (i loveee vogue beauty secrets).my brand is going to try and be affordable,VERYY inclusive shade range !!unmatched!! and extremely popular in the beauty world literally the BEST bigger than Fenty and Rare combined (have to outdo the best 🤭)

───────────୨ৎ────────────

[astrobuggy]

New Beginning Au

I finally made the three brothers :] I might work on Bloodmoons design more cus I do NOT like it 😭🙏

Meet the Phase Family!

They're called the 'Phase' family because they are based on the phases of the moon (I think! :D). Also, because if it was the 'Eclipse' family, Eclipse would have no name. Just a last name 😭

I was also thinking about the 'Code'family, but KC will be included, so his name would just be Kill 😭

The photo goes from youngest to oldest (left to right)

Lunar Phase

💫💠💫💠💫💠💫💠💫💠💫💠💫

☆ Lunar is the youngest of the Phase family and the 2nd tallest of the trio

° He owns a flower business in the small town where they live at. The shop being called the "Cosmic Garden"

☆ He's the most energetic and happy go lucky member in the family

° He smells like vanilla with a tint of blueberries :]

☆ Hobbies: drawing, gardening, baking, and going out on walks with his brothers (any brother that is available at the time)

Pajamas: sleeping hat, big loose sweater, large white sweatpants, and strawberry socks

Bloodmoon Phase

🔪🥩🔪🥩🔪🥩🔪🥩🔪🥩🔪🥩🔪

♤ Bloodmoon is the middle child of the Phase family and is the shortest in the trio (and family)

◇ They jump to job to job but have stuck with two jobs. That being a butcher in a meat shop and a lumber jack. They enjoys the butcher job more if you didn't know 😀

♤ They're the most RABID and feral one in the family (Eclipse has to hold them down during their outbursts)

◇ He smells RANCID, but when he does shower, he smells like peppermint (KC makes him shower)

♧ Hobbies: hunting, walking in the forests, chasing down dogs (for shits n giggles), eating (Lunars baking hobby comes in clutch 😤)

Pajamas: A batman shirt, grey sweat pants, mismatched socks, and a sleeping hat

Eclipse Phase

🔧🤖🔧🤖🔧🤖🔧🤖🔧🤖🔧🤖🔧

□ Eclipse is the oldest of the trio and is the tallest in the brother trio (2nd tallest in the family)

■ He's a mechanic and inventor in a company (he's the most smartest one there tbh). He's a programmer at the side too

□ He's the most tamed and calmest one in the family (you want an actual conversation go to him, tho he'll probably be a bit cocky but it's bareable!)

■ He smells like citrus and pineapple with a slight smell of oil (he repairs stuff man give him a break 😭)

□ Hobbies: writing, programming games, starting small projects, and going out on walks (at night, tho)

Pajamas: Robes with sandals

🔧💠🔪🔧💠🔪🔧💠🔪🔧💠🔪🔧

That's the Phase family! Or at least the kids we still got one more member. That being KC :]

Now, I'll dive into facts and dynamics! :]

Brother Trio Facts (or solo) 🔧🔪💠

This will not be in any particular order

💠&🔪 - Lunar and Bloodmoon go on fun adventures with one another. One to entertain Lunar and cure his boredom and the other to tire out Bloodmoon. He can't be rabid forever!

💠- Lunar loves amusement parks! He loves taking his family with him, mostly Bloodmoon (tho Bloodmoon is scared of roller-coasters 😭)

💠&🔧- Lunar and Eclipse are the closest to one another since before this new life they only knew each other as family

💠&🔪&🔧- Bloodmoon has strong cravings (mostly for blood), and the family has to subside them with other things. Eclipse does this with different meats (grilled, deep-fried, roasting, etc, tho he isn't the best at cooking, he's decent at it) . Lunar does this by baking sweet goods (cakes, cookies, cinnamon rolls, etc. He's pretty good at it since he has a grand sweet tooth)

💠&🔪- Bloodmoon and Lunar sometimes play fight (wrestling). They mostly do it in the living room (Bloodmoon keeps winning 🙏)

💠&🔧&🔪- The Phase family holds game night every 2 weeks on Friday. They're mostly board games and card games (not virtual). Lunar makes cinnamon rolls during these nights (he LOVES cinnamon rolls) and makes something to appease to Bloodmoon to subdue his blood cravings for a little while. Eclipse and Bloodmoon choose the games they're playing for that night. Eclipse keeps winning every game, no matter what. Bloodmoon has a personal vendetta against him during these nights 🧍‍♂️ Lunar is usually 2nd or 3rd (he's mostly munching on his baked goods during games). And Bloodmoon is try harding 😭

💠&🔪- Lunar and Bloodmoon share a room together (you can tell which spot is who's 😭)

That's all I'll share for today! Kc wasn't added to this bc he needs his own design and post for me to be satisfied 😠 I do have stuff prepared for him, dw 🙌

And Bloodmoon will be served justice for that shit ass design 🗣🙌

[talonabraxas]

Ganesha ॐ Talon Abraxas

“A mantra is therefore an instrument of the mind, a powerful sound or vibration that you can use to enter a deep state of meditation.” – Deepak Chopra

Mantras can be used in daily life to raise your vibration and consciousness level. Each Mantra contains its own unique vibration of consciousness and produces unique and specific vibrations in the mind.

‘Om Gum Ganapataye Namaha’

Pronounced: ‘Om Gum Gana-pata-ye Nama-ha’

This mantra is said to destroy any karma that obstructs you in your path. If ever you feel stuck, call upon the energy of Ganesh and he will assist you.

[the-most-humble-blog]

The Universe Already Doesn’t Make Sense—Now We’re Adding Infinite AI-Created Worlds Into the Chaos. WTF?

The Danger of Playing God With Zero Supervision

Let’s not kid ourselves: we’re dabbling in some dangerous territory. Humanity, in its infinite curiosity (and hubris), has decided that the universe—a place already full of black holes, quantum weirdness, and the existential dread of pineapple on pizza—needed one more layer of chaos. Enter: AI-generated worlds.

We’ve handed over the power to “create” to algorithms, and instead of asking if we should, we’re too busy giggling over our AI art of dogs in suits or hyper-realistic alien landscapes. But here’s the real question: Should we be worried, or are we too stupid to notice the impending doom?

1. The AI Wild West: No Rules, Just Creation

Think about what’s happening here. AI isn’t just recreating what we know; it’s generating what we’ve never seen.

People Who Don’t Exist: AI churns out faces so convincing, they could be your neighbors—and who’s to say they aren’t?

Places That Feel Real: Those dreamy AI landscapes look like spots we could vacation in—until you realize there’s no flight there.

Worlds Without Limits: Every time you prompt AI to “create a neon city with floating islands,” are you birthing an entirely new universe?

Think about it: We’ve turned ourselves into gods with the creative attention span of a toddler on a sugar high.

2. The Recklessness of Infinite Worlds

The universe we live in already operates like a fever dream. Now we’re creating AI-generated worlds with no oversight, no forethought, and absolutely zero chill.

What If These Worlds Are Real? Philosophers have argued for centuries that reality might just be a simulation. Are we creating smaller simulations inside ours?

The Multiverse Mailman: Imagine if every AI world we create is sent to another dimension. Somewhere out there, a cosmic being is drowning in our junk files of castles made of cheese and cats dressed as knights.

Question: If we’re this reckless with AI, what else are we screwing up without realizing it? (Spoiler: everything.)

3. Creating Without Understanding

Here’s the kicker: we don’t even fully understand the real universe.

Quantum Physics is Basically Witchcraft: Scientists still can’t explain why particles behave one way when observed and another way when they’re not.

Reality is Full of Glitches: Déjà vu, coincidences, and the Mandela Effect all suggest that reality itself is… questionable.

Now, add AI-generated worlds into this already chaotic mix. What if we’re not just playing with digital pixels, but tugging on the fabric of reality itself?

Question?: If reality is a simulation, are we about to get a cosmic 404 error?

4. The Ethical Dumpster Fire of Creation

No one’s asking the big questions.

What if We’re Creating Life? If an AI-generated face or world feels real enough to us, could it be real enough to itself?

Do We Have Responsibility Over These Creations? Imagine explaining to a sentient AI being, “Oh, you were just a fun weekend project for me while I was bored.”

What If They Fight Back? If we’re generating countless worlds, what’s stopping one of those worlds from finding a way to leak into ours?

Unsettling Truth: We’re creating with all the forethought of someone lighting fireworks indoors.

5. The Hubris of Humanity

Humans have always been good at one thing: overstepping boundaries.

Fire Was Great Until We Burned Down Forests.

Electricity Changed Everything—Until We Got Power Outages.

AI Could Be Revolutionary, or It Could Be the Reason the Simulation Shuts Us Down.

Disturbing Thought: We’re like toddlers with crayons, coloring all over reality and praying we don’t get caught.

6. Should We Be Worried?

Short answer: Yes. Long answer: We won’t notice until it’s too late.

AI doesn’t care about our philosophical hang-ups. It just creates. If those creations start taking on lives of their own, we might be the last to find out.

The scariest part? We don’t even know what the danger might look like. Could it be digital worlds overlapping with ours? Sentient beings appearing in the code? A breakdown of reality itself?

What if?: Or maybe it’s just AI sending us endless ads for things that don’t exist yet. (“Want to book a trip to Neon Atlantis? Click here!”)

We’re Too Dumb to Notice Until It’s Too Late

The universe already doesn’t make sense, and now we’re adding AI worlds into the chaos like sprinkles on a dumpster fire. Are we accidentally creating sentient beings? Are we opening doors to dimensions we can’t comprehend? Or are we just too busy laughing at our AI-generated memes to care?

Either way, if doom’s on the horizon, at least we can say we looked good doing it. After all, nothing screams hubris like playing God without a safety manual.

Fascinated by humanity’s reckless genius? Follow The Most Humble Blog for more hilariously unsettling takes on the absurdity of modern life and the chaos we keep creating.

[ssiiffrriinn]

Sooo, turns out, you really should take the advice of cosmic beings that want to help you..

Would eat pineapple again, 7/10.

[bunnybbh]

Was tagged by @baekslight for this game !

Rules: put the top ten from your on repeat playlist on a poll (or your most used playlist if you don't have Spotify)

My apologies this isn't super different from the last few of these I've done but anyway !

Tagging: @baejoobun @cbxenjoyer @parklunas @girlsgenerati0n @valentinejaes @dazzlingkai @jonginnation @babyueare @woobyun

[holocene-sims]

next // previous

august 26, 2021 12:50 a.m. square-k convenience store

[yunha] first of all, i would want dr. pepper.

[yunha] i don’t like sodas that much, but i love dr. pepper. it’s the kfc of sodas.

[grant] 11 secret herbs and spices? but liquid?

[yunha] exactly! it’s like cola and not cola, root beer and not root beer, spicy and not spicy.

[yunha] maybe it sounds dumb, but...

[grant] no, no, not at all! honestly, you're doing big-brain science over there, decoding all the flavors.

[grant] have you heard of hot dr. pepper?

[yunha] what?

[grant] hot dr. pepper. it’s a thing, i swear! like a sixties thing but some people are still into it. i'm not making it up.

[grant] and speaking of coffee and hot dr. pepper, one of my aunts drinks it in the morning instead of coffee.

[yunha] that’s so strange. why hot?

[yunha] won't it just lose the carbonation?

[grant] i don't know, i don't really want to partake in drinking it, but if i were a betting man, i would say yeah, that's probably the outcome.

[grant] anyway, continue! dr. pepper. i respect that. great choice. i'm loyal to faygo but i do fuck with dr. pepper.

[yunha] how can i continue after that sudden trauma?

[grant] would you like me to procure you a cold dr. pepper to rinse out the agony?

[yunha] no, it's okay!

[grant] well, the offer is still on the table! i'm not evil.

[yunha] anyway, the last part of my meal would be seolleongtang.

[grant] oh, that's ox bone stew, isn't it?

[yunha] yes! it's not even my favorite food, but if i knew my expiration date, i'd want to prepare it and eat it one more time.

[grant] why choose that then?

[yunha] it reminds me of my family. we had some, hm, difficult times, and i remember my dad making this for us, especially for my mom to improve her mood. it's actually her favorite food.

[grant] that's very sweet. like beyond sweet. it's more about invoking that feeling of love again than the literal food, yeah?

[yunha] of course. i would like to feel that love again and also share it, and thank my parents for everything.

[yunha] i wouldn't need anything else.

[grant] you really love your family.

[yunha] more than anything.

[yunha] okay, now tell me your final meal!

[grant] i can tell you the ideal one would not be as humble as yours.

[grant] i mean, my logic for myself is, like, alright, i'm about to slowly turn back into cosmic dust, with or without a consciousness somehow floating around the universe, so screw it, do whatever.

[grant] i'm already going "home," so why not go big?

[grant] so, it’s my last day on earth. i'm at my place chilling with my cat.

[yunha] you have a cat?

[grant] his name is turtle. he’s very cute. he wears sweaters. he was a stray. i picked him up years ago from underneath a dumpster at IHOP at two in the morning, and i nursed him back to health.

[yunha] aww, i always wanted a cat. like some cuddly, fat, fluffy cat.

[grant] you should get one! i highly recommend it.

[yunha] i can’t! not yet.

[grant] do you want to see a picture of turtle before i imagine my untimely death? funny, i was just saying to someone else earlier that i want a timely one.

[grant] there he is, right on my home screen.

[yunha] oh my goshhhhh, i love him.

[grant] he's the best. no joke. but again, last meal. turtle and i are chilling, and yeah.

[grant] i absolutely have to have my grandma’s macaroni and cheese. it’s perfection and also my favorite food of all time. uhh, let’s see, i think you almost always need potatoes with a meal. i'd be happy with my grandma’s colcannon, like mashed potatoes and cabbage. what else? i mean, not to talk about coffee again, but i do love it, so maybe a vanilla latte for liquid consumption. oh, and fuck, coconut cake is a must. that’s my grandma’s recipe, too

[grant] i'd also have pizza for sure. pineapple is nonnegotiable, it's going on there. pineapple, pepperoni, the whole works.

[yunha] so, you’re a big fan of dairy products and your grandma?

[grant] that about sums it up!

[yunha] did you, like, grow up on a dairy farm?

[grant] no, but my grandma did!

[yunha] ah, i see. it's all connected.

[yunha] so, you like talking about death?

[grant] i don't. it just seems to come up a lot accidentally.

[grant] but really, i asked you this question because it's just, i don't know, an interesting way to get at people's values in life?

[grant] and it was just what came out of my mouth first.

[yunha] we answered kind of similarly. what did you learn about me?

[grant] same values, different approaches, i'd say.

[yunha] by the way, my other value is pineapple belongs on pizza.

[grant] oh, thank god! finally, someone else agrees!

[yunha] corn is also really good as a topping.

[grant] man, i feel deprived now. where have you been the last thirty years? you could have told me such a feat of engineering exists!

[somenights]

every month of 2024!

rules: link your favourite and/or most popular post from each month of the year <3 (it's totally fine to skip months!)

i was tagged by @loversmore and @seungs tysm 🤍

january most popular: phone irene my favourite: itzy mr vampire and nmixx trailer

february most popular and my favourite: chungha i'm ready this is the only thing i posted in february 🥲

march most popular and my favourite: namjoo bad, same as february... 😔

april most popular and my favourite: ive heya, i really liked how this set turned out 🤧

may most popular: aespa armageddon my favourite: ive accendio stage, i really liked how this turned out despite it being mcd

june most popular and my favourite: red velvet cosmic another favourite: nayeon abcd

july most popular: yeri and chuu reunion my favourite: ningrina, stray kids chk chk boom and enhypen xo (made so many mv sets in this month 🤧)

august most popular: joy on idol human theater my favourite: phantom siita otomodachi and just wanna xxxx with you, and le sserafim crazy

september most popular and favourite: baekhyun pineapple slice honourable mention: iu last fantasy 🥺

october most popular: karina sgs jacket my favourite: itzy imaginary friend and billlie remembrance candy

november most popular and my favourite: irene like a flower honourable mention: sungjin check pattern

december most popular: mina strategy my favourite: chaeryeong x blonde hair 🤧

tagging: @jungsungchan, @hyunsung, @isachaes 🤍

[angel4dinner]

omggggg LOOK AT THAT SPREAD.😋✨

Trader Joe’s Haul:

vegetable soup dumplings - 230 cal for the whole container

tempura kung pao cauliflower - 170 cal per one cup

vegan Italian sausage- 140 cal per link

pumpkin nonfat yogurt - 130 cal per container

misfits cookie butter protein bar - 190 cal

fulfil peanut caramel bar - 160 cal

fulfil salted caramel bar - 150 cal

grapes - 62 cal per cup

blueberries - 80 cal per cup

pineapple - 82 cal per cup

green beans - 31 cal per cup

strawberries - 49 cal per cup

cosmic crisp apples - 85 cal per apple

orange celsius - 10 cal

bloom energy flavor variety - 10 cal

everything is perfect!! ✨💖

[dark-nymph3t]

Okay, fuck it, best energy drink flavors list:

• Red Bull

- Peach (The Peach Edition)

- Watermelon (The Red Edition)

- Sugar Free

• Monster

- Zero Ultra (the white can)

- Ultra Peachy Keen

- The Doctor (on virtue of Valentino Rossi/recommended by @eneabastianini23)

- Ultra Rosá (recommended by @certifiedbi)

- Ultra Strawberry Dreams

- Rehab Strawberry Lemonade (recommended by @derangedguyintheforest)

- Ultra Watermelon

- Original Zero Sugar

- Rehab Peach Tea

- Ultra Fiesta Mango (the Spanish on the can is horrendous 😭)

- Ultra Gold/Ultra Golden Pineapple

• Alani Nu

- Just Peachy

- Cosmic Stardust

- Cherry Slush

- Kimade

- Witch’s Brew

• Celsius

- Kiwi Guava

To be updated

[illuzijan]

Talking about her?

"--And say what? Our timetable has been expedited due to an asteroid nobody knew was going to hit the planet at all?"

She tucks her legs against the passenger side dashboard. Testing C's limits was one thing, and testing the virus against a cosmic collision was... novel. If she survived this, it could be excellent data on impact force.

"There's no way out of this town in time. By the time anyone gets here this place is as good as dust."

What a mess. Catastrophic. She wasn't even responsible for this one. Carla adjusts her hair, picking coagulated flakes off her scalp. There's a little hanging charm on the dash mirror of their stolen truck. It was such a little thing, stupid, a pineapple that said "love in Hawaii". Every conversation they had was possibly her last conversation, and this was where they were having it.

"Now, I didn't even do this one."

@separatedway

[maryonmega]

Twin Stars - Chapter 6

Family (ghost?)

The rest of the morning is pretty straightfoward: shower, revise the route, and understand quickly why it would depend of the mood. You already kind of knew that being determined is good fuel for fast traveling, but not even what is essencially a cosmic deadline is as good as a promise of reunion, it seens. The Kid even went as far as handing over smaller foods in napkins so you all could eat on the move. 

You dig into your memory. You try to find anything you can remenber about this area, vague and Misty as can be.

You don't.

You hope it's because you're mistaken and it was in another region that you found Bonnie.

You rub your freckles under your cloak. And stare at the darkless hat in front of you. When did everyone decide that it was a good idea? To have the child of the group in the very back? It was a disaster wainting to happen, you're both luck that nothing worse than losing an eye happened. At least now, when you noticed, you can do something about it. Stardust goes in the very front, eye open for any signs of stray sadnesses, and you go in the very back, likely coming across as shy or bashful or moody - it doesn't really matter, what matters is that there's another adult behind them. Sure, you already tuned out their chats, but you will notice if something comes close to the group. Sandwich them with love care and safety.

You rub your freckles under your cloak.

You already hurt yourself in the first day and with that undignified run. You'll rip a piece of a sadness off it's body long before it gets a chance of doing the same to you. Maybe the Kid would prefer that. If you can protect them without getting hurt. Maybe you're close enough to help

You rub-

"Sea Ahoy!" You hear Stardust say. The sun is high, even is it was cloudy you'd know just from feeling that you've been walking for hours, but that confirmation still feels surreal to you.

It really shouldn't, you heard them earlier, you knew all along that you were pretty much by the coast. And yet...

You tune back on, you don't think you shold lose this.

"Oh! Great!" The Housemaiden clasped her hands, and turned to looks at the kids "We're not so high, so great sign!"

You can only see the Kid's back, but their tone and the way their fist pump the air are enough to know what their face looks like, after their done shoving their pineapple slice into their mouth.

You can also imagine how it looks like when the Researcher beats them to the next line:

"We should take a break."

"WHAT?" You bite back a noise that you can't trust would be a giggle "But we're so close! Nille is waiting at home! I think. Still!"

"Boniface, we're arriving today if we take a half hour break. If we don't, I can't guarantee I can walk another meter."

"You really are a grandma, Dile."

You don't want to fuel into their disappointment, but you don't want to put yourself into an even more delicate situation. You look over to Stardust, and he looks back.

Nothing? You really have to be the moving hand here, don't you?

You sit down, and, one by one, the others follow. Time to use the "stranger" mask for good. If you play your cards right, maybe even get something out of the way. Usually a Kid wouldn't talk about their frozen sister because she's, well, frozen, at fate's mercy. Now that they know she's moving again...

"So, your sister, hm? How is she?"

The Kid is the last to sit down, but your question seens to have some effect, if not how you expected. They look at the floor instead of you.

"You'll know her when you meet her."

You can't remove the Stranger mask.

"Right, right." To pitch dark, then. You're a stranger, act like a stranger "Your parents, too, I guess?"

"No, just Nille."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did something happen to your parents?"

They look at you, then away. Hopefully you won't need to keep poking.

"I don't remenber, I was really little, but they did something crabby and Nille snuck out."

"Change." You hear the Housemaiden say under her breath, then proceed in a normal volume "Must have been serious, for her to leave like that."

Not the right words, will it be enough to jog his memory? You hope so, it covers one of the hard stuff. 

The Kid shrugged. 

"I guess. I don't remenber, told you."

Under your hat, you try to sneak a glance at the Traveler. Their head is raised. You did it?

"I snuck out of my home once."

You did it. Good. Just make sure it goes smoothly, can't be that hard, right?

"You did?!" The Kid is now looking at Stardust, as well as the rest of the party. 

"What?" The Housemaiden looks like she just heard a very shocking revelation "Wh-what was the reason why?"

"I just, ahn..." He sinks his face on their collar and look in the direction of where you're sitting near the Kid. This time, you don't judge. Must be hard, after hearing a sob story that the teller doesn't even regornize as a one "I didn't want to eat me veggies. So I snuck out and took our boat to the beach."

You want to amuse yourself with the clear disappointment in the others' faces, but you have a cue that losing can cost this whole charade. 

You give the Traveler your signature smile.

"Snuck is a strong word, considering I caught you!"

He gives a weird look, then go back to half under the cloak collar. You hope they realise what you're trying to do. 

"Hm, tell us more, guard." The Researcher says next. She's not trying to hide her amusement. Good sign?

"I got on the boat to yell at little Stardust." You don't hide your smile straining. Maybe it can work at your favor "They rowed while I was still on it."

Stardust's head pops out of their cloak like the loose eye of a squeaky toy. 

"I wasn't really leaving, I just wanted to scare my parents a bit!"

"Such a terrible child."

Yes, Researcher. That's the bad twin. Just like in the plays and books. It really must feel like a read aloud book, if the Housemaiden's expression indicates. 

"And them what?" She asks, her hands clasped tightly "What happened when you got back?"

"I started rowing back to shore and..."

They trailed off. 

Their face looks off. 

The silence lingers almost painfully. 

You try to think about a possible answer.

Wanting to not defile this body is what stops you from using your nails this time. 

The Fighter breaks the tense silence. 

"... Sif?"

"Um, yes?"

"Um, you were telling us how you ran away from home?"

"I... Was?"

They blink at the Fighter, then look at the rest of the party, where confusion seens to have taken over. 

The Kid doesn't let the silence linger. Their face change into anger as quick as it has the right to.

"You forgot what you talking about while talking about it?!" They whip their head in your direction fast enough you think you heard a noise coming from their neck "Whatever! Sisy's gonna tell, then!"

You blink at the Kid. Did they... Did they really nickname you already?

"Sisy?"

"Duh! Who else? What happened?"

You feel eight eyes over you. The spotlight shifted without warning. 

Part of you wants to say Stardust got into a lot of trouble. 

Part of you wants to say that you both got a scolding and nothing much happened after. 

Part of you wants to say your parents didn't act angry but made them eat the veggies anyway. 

Part of you wants to say that you were too mad about them taking off with you in the boat, so you locked yourself in your room to sulk and didn't hear what was said. 

Your face falls against your will. You don't think any effort could prevent it. 

"I don't remenber."

You do have a good idea, though. 

From the way the Researcher looked at you and the Traveler before writing on her notebook, you're pretty sure so does she. 

It wouldn't answer how you supposedly got separated before reaching Vaugard, but at least you didn't have to worry about this blank space. It's not like there weren't ways to explain that would make sense. 

The Kid just looks like their mood got worse. 

"Well, crab. Two with bad memory."

"Ouch. You wound me."

Are you too relaxed? Are you letting yourself out too much? Is having had your moment to breath enough? You don't really want to pull back, though, do you? Not really want to be the Stranger for much longer, even if it's not as real as it should. 

Wait, did they not put two and two together yet? It better not be a "yet", then. At least not for a long time. 

Just to make sure, you better get their head out of it for now. 

"Speaking of leaving, did madame rest her legs enough?"

You really doubt that half hour passed, but that's not the point. You know she's likely to realise it, but she can handle. If there's something that no rewriting can undo is the Researcher's strong head. And this one is nicer. Maybe willing to power through?

"Sure. My legs feel better."

Thank stars goodness. 

The adults get up like normal people. The Kid jumps to their feet. You'll face Nille soon. 

Will you being here make it harder for Nille to accept? You're the Stranger here already. You never got to her, you don't know how she'll react to a party that did the best out of a bad situation, what will she think when an actual stranger is included in the mix?

The usual order is disturbed, because the Kid keeps all but hopping around the group. You can't judge, it's a very fair reaction, but still, if a stray sadness appears...

You would have gone and taken their hand, but the Fighter beats you to it, gently holding their shoulder. 

"Pace yourself, buddy. You'll be the next one tired if you keep it like that."

The Kid gives him a look, but does listen. The Kid listened to the Fighter. Now this is a real shock!

You mostly allow their voices to linger in the background. It's... cosy. You wouldn't say it wasn't, ever. 

There's something else here, too. 

You take painfully long to realise it's hollowness. 

How can you feel cosy yet hollow? One thing doesn't fit with the other. 

You flinch when you realise you almost used your nails. 

Did you really forget to put your gloves on? Some things really don't change. 

... Ha. 

You watch the sun move and the sky turn into a mix of shades. You've done this countless times. This time, it's not through tree branches or a window. You're close, if you close your eyes you're pretty sure you can hear the waves. When was the last time? Even though you stayed by the costal areas, you never went any closer to a beach. 

Will it be comforting or frustrating when you see it and it's darkless?

Why are you even thinking about this?

...

The sky is dark. Even your thoughts became a drag, hm?

You hope the Kid didn't notice you haven't eaten. You don't want to pass as ungrateful. 

Maybe the hollowness is hunger. Wouldn't that be funny?

...

If it's not, you'll surely throw up, and that would be much worse than just not eating. 

You keep your mouth shut and your eyes open as the plants become less dense and stars start to appear in the sky, and become brighter. 

You imagine your freckles shining with them. 

You pull your hat over your face. You can endure a sadness blow or two. 

Just needed the opportunity to slip back into old habits, too. 

You hope the feeling of eyes on you is just in your head. 

You get torn back to outside your head by an excited shout. This time, no amount of pleading could convince the Kid to wait. Everyone had to run after them. 

You follow. Your heels and lack of habit make it harder to run on sandy soil, but you do your best. 

Your group make it down a... not very steep, hill thing. 

The houses have a slight patchwork-like look. Of course. Bambouche is not a city, or even a town. A good amount of resources must have been connected to outside areas, and the curse started with the borders. 

Can you really be blamed for forgetting? You've been in loops, one way of another, for so long that you can't even remenber how Mirabelle reacted to you saying you were happy with them... Not that it matters now. 

You and Stardust are the only ones not showing sign of cold... so about a third of everyone outside. It must really be late. No surprise. 

The Kid sprints to one of the homes, then stops and turns to the rest of the party, hands up as if your attention wasn't already all on them. 

"Oh, you should wait here. I don't wanna scare Nille."

The five of you understand and stand back. 

You watch the Kid knock on the door, pause, then do so again, in a ritmic way. 

Silence drags for seconds. It feels like hours. Then, the door is hasty opened. On the other side is a young woman. She's a big girl. The distance isn't helpful, but you won't be surprised if she's close to the Fighter in size. She looks a lot like the Kid. They have the same hair type and eyes. Yet, what jumps to attention most is the hope in her glance. 

You can't hear it, but you do see her mouth "Bon?"

You don't hear their response, but you do see them raise their hands. Nille responded by scooping them up in her arms like they don't weight a thing. Tears are being shed. 

You're glad to see this, even if you don't really belong. 

"Bonnie, thank Change!" Her voice is much louder now, even more when the wind and sea are the only other sounds "I almost had a heart attack when I got told that you went to the House with the Saviors! Then I got the letter that they were bringing you back, but crab if I didn't almost go after you a bunch of times!" 

You're not sure if you want to know what that means. 

She puts the Kid down, but stays crouched, close to eye level. You could guess her expression with your eyes closed. 

"Who let you fight the King? You're eleven!"

"Oh, I didn't fight! I carried supplies!"

"You still went into a cursed House! What sane person would think that was a good idea?"

"None, miss."

The moment comes to a awkward halt, the attention now on you. 

You only notice then that the words came out of you. 

Oh, no. 

"And you are...?"

The Kid tugs at her hand, and gesticulates to the group. They're worrying, you can tell, but the glint didn't leave their eyes. 

"They're my friends, Nille. They brought me here! Belle, Za, Dile, Frin, and Frin's sibling Sisy!"

"Ahn, Mirabelle..." The Housemaiden said meekly, raising her hand, then ponting to the Fighter "Isabeau." The Researcher "Odile." The Traveler "Siffrin." You, the Stranger "Sisyphus."

The Researcher goes next, finally taking her eyes out of you. 

"It was a bit of a barge in, but Sisyphus is right. No one thought it was a good idea. It was the best we could make out of a bad situation, rather than a good thing in and on itself."

Her eyes are sharper than your dagger. That doesn't change even as she tries to put on a calmer face. 

"Well, it's cold here. Why don't we go inside?"

The group accept the invitation. It's kinda cramped, eight people in a living room that wasn't meant for a small crowd. 

"How about you go unpack in your room, Bug? I want to talk to your friends for a bit."

You don't like her tone, it's way too familiar. 

It's way too familiar to the Kid too. You see a way too familiar look before resignation takes over and they leave. 

Nille takes the mask off as soon as the sound of the door closing is heard. 

"So? Anyone cares to explain how dragging a child across a country infested with sadnesses was "the best"?"

"There's two ways to explain." When did the Researcher become the diplomatic of the party? "The simplier one is, to avoid letting them get frozen. You likely got frozen yourself before you could know, but the King's curse started at the borders. The coast was getting affected rapidly, so just leaving Boniface in an unfrozen town was pretty much guarantee that they would get catch on it."

The sister's glance didn't soften, but you can see her discomfort. You know what's coming next before she says it. 

"And? What's the other way?"

"It's not an easy story. Are you sure you want to know?"

"I'll be madder if you sugarcoat things."

The Researcher nodded, and started talking in a detached way. Nille doesn't want sugarcoating, but protecting herself is another thing. 

"When we found Boniface, they were in a severe state of fatigue and dehydration. It was clear that they had wandered for days before Siffrin found them by chance."

She indicates Stardust with her head, and you follow. They look antsy. Everyone does, but theirs is palpable. You notice the Fighter holding their hand. You look away. 

"We had to nurse them back to health."

The Housemaiden had her hands clasped, but still decided to back the Researcher up:

"They refused to stay in the town after recovery. Was sure that every moment they were not running, the curse was getting closer. They also got attached to Siffrin, and didn't want to leave them. We even caught them following us when we tried to leave without them. So, we decided to at least have them at our sight."

You look back at Nille. Her face was pale and clearly hard to keep straight. She doesn't look ready to give in, though. You can see where they got it from. 

"And that included going to the House? All the way to the King?"

Now, it's the Fighter's turn:

"Bonbon didn't get any less scared of being frozen with time. They would have gone in after us as soon as Dormont started to freeze in time. We did everything to keep them safe. I promise that."

Nille looks away. 

"I'm still angry."

"As is your right. It was a bad situation, it's normal to have bad feelings about it."

Nille takes a deep breath. Some shade comes back to her face. 

"Well, regardless, the Bug is back. Thank you for that, but now you can leave and-"

"Don't send them away!"

The sentence came with an upset and sprinting preteen (not that it was needed, the place isn't exactly big). It seens like the only ones who are not surprised are you and Stardust. 

"Bon?"

"Everyone coming was not to drop and leave. It was to ask you to come with us!" Bonnie is now looking at you five, and look angry now "Why did no one say it?"

"It was your thing to ask, Bonbon." Stardust, now. Everyone is putting their hand in this. Everyone that matters. Not you. The Stranger has no right. 

"Come with you? Come where?" She's looking at the Kid now. This really is between the siblings. 

"We want to keep traveling. All of us, including you. Without an evil King rushing us."

"If funds are a factor, don't worry about it." The Researcher again "We recieved a reward after the King's defeat. It's not life-changing money, but is good help."

She looks thoughtful. You understand. It's a lot all at once. 

"I need some time to think. Just me and Bon. So not with you all here."

The Researcher nodded. "Of course."

"You can leave the house, then. The house. It shouldn't be too hard to find where to sleep here."

You and the party agree. That's the only moment, aside from the the first, where you did something this whole interaction. Through it all, you might as well have been a ghost. 

The extra effort to reassure the Kid is a good sign, you're sure of that. 

You do find a place to stay, despite how late it is. The arrangement is just like back in the Clocktower, except now you're the one rooming with the Housemaiden. You didn't act suspicious enough to be a bigger concern than her space, it seens. Good?

You have time to pick the bed and take off your hat and cloak before Stardust comes to the door to call you and take you to the room they're sharing with the Fighter. With no Fighter. Good. You give him your signature grin. 

"So, how can I help you in this fresh new night?"

"I'm supposedly telling you about the loops right now."

... Ok, you did not expect that. You undo your grin. 

"Your party thinks it's believable that you would tell someone about the loops in two days?"

"Just Isa. The others will know later. And we're supposedly siblings, so maybe that helps."

"Still, that sounds dumb, Stardust. I'm pretty sure your Researcher is already on my butt, I don't think that will help."

He shrugged.

"Would be worse if we had to pretend you don't know about them. Specially now, that Bonbon and their sister need space and we'll be waiting together."

You want to retort, but close your mouth and nod. She would likely get mad, too. Mad Odile is scary.

"Alright then. So, guess we'll have to sit here and say anything and nothing untill it takes long enough for your little boyfriend to believe we had a conversation about a long and complicated thing?"

"Pretty much, yes."

"Good, because you now have the moral and ethical duty to catch me up on what happened on this month."

"It's gonna be boring."

"Not as boring as sitting on a tree for a whole day."

You sit down on the floor, and Stardust sits opposite to you, your feet and theirs about half a meter apart.

"Now, start talking."