#I can't believe it's coming to PC soon

[2mello]

I'm in Bomb Rush Cyberfunk!!

I've been holding this back for a long time--INCREDIBLY EXCITED to say my song "I Wanna Kno" was chosen for the Bomb Rush Cyberfunk soundtrack. Grateful to director Dion Koster for seeing something in the track and letting me help color the game world of New Amsterdam. I still can't believe I'm part of one of the coolest games ever in a music lineup like this. Out now on PC/Nintendo Switch, coming to consoles soon after!

[arcanegifs]

On Gifmaking:

So season 2's coming soon, and I wanna reflect on making gifs ever since I came back to Tumblr. I can't believe it's been 2 years of making gifs for this show!!!!! Look at how large my folder is lmao

And those are JUST gifs lol

Anyways, over time, my style has changed, especially how I color edit Arcane gifs. I kind of strayed away from a stylized filter color into just something that looks a lot more "natural" and works with the original scene.

Initially, I thought I'd save time, but I ended up not using my old arcane preset PSDs and resulted to coloring almost every scene manually. So in the end, it takes even longer to make them HAHAHA. It takes around an hour and a half for me to make a 10 gif set, basically. It also helps that I have a photography background, so coloring/editing is a lot simpler for me.

Here's a lil before and after of a dark scene (hiiiii viiiiiii <3)

Arcane is a REALLY dark show, but it goes for most of TV shows. Many of them are darker and harder to bring up the lights to make stuff look nice as gifs. Some people don't like to color their gifs, and that's okay. I personally just like color edited gifs more.

I've started learning how to upscale scenes myself, so that I have a better resolution and leeway to make things look "HD" more.

If you're wondering why my stuff look so "crisp", it's a combination of the scene's lighting, my sharpening settings on Photoshop and knowing how to upscale everything into 4k resolution. Of course, doing this needs an extremely beefy pc, which I am very lucky to own one.

Here's another before and after of a nicely lit scene. These are much, MUCH easier to do than all the darkly lit scenes because of shadows and lighting (caitlyn kiramman truly the rizzler <3)

I've been very lucky to be able to essentially take a nice, long break for like a month doing nothing after being so damn busy for the last year and a half, so it's nice that I was able to make a ton of gifs and be chronically online for a short while LMAO.

It's been so fun! But it's time to go back to reality lmao. I closed reqs for a bit because I was just so swamped with them the last few days, and I wanted to gif scenes that I like this time. I've done like 2 weeks worth of gifs. And you will see Vi a lot bc she's on my mind a lot heehee 🥰what can I say, she's such a babe <3

Here's a lil sneak peek, just look at herrrrrrr 🥰🥰🥰 and yeah, 4k upscaled resolution really helps making these tight crops, it's why i never went back to 1080p lol. It's how I’m able to make zoomed in gifs look decent (like the kirammountains gifset lol)

Thank you so much for all the support, likes, reblogs, and the nice tags you guys give. Yes, I can see and read all of them (both the nice and nasty ones lmao). If you have nothing good to say about the characters or my editing style, or anything related to the edit, please I beg you, just write a separate text post about it <3 If you have nothing nice to say, don't say it in my edits.

Lastly, thank you to the people who share my stuff outside the site and credit the blog and link them back here. I see you and appreciate you <3 You guys don't know how much I appreciate shoutouts and link backs, because people stealing my gifs is something that I've dealt with after making them for like a decade.

Tumblr is sadly not what it used to be in the 2013-2015 era. There’s definitely less activity as time goes by, so I appreciate all the people who credit and link back to this sideblog. Unfortunately, there’s more people who just repost them and it gets wayyy much more traction in other soc med sites. Yeah, ofc I get a lil jealous, but eh what can you do 😞 can’t really stop em.

I also don’t like putting watermarks because it personally looks tacky to me, but I understand why other people do it.

Anyways, if you reached at the end of this lil rambling of mine, thank you! I sadly might be busy during November because that's usually busy season, but I'll try to make time for making gifs of Season 2! Thank you and enjoy your stay on this lil sideblog :)

[hatkuu]

THOTS on PC knowing Kylar has a camera in the owl plushie and purposefully getting off right in view of it, moaning Kylar’s name loudly, and hoping he comes over asap? 🎤🎤🎤🎤 how fast do u think he’d sprint to arrive (I feel like he’s pretty quick on his feet tbh)

kylar is sprinting at mach ten to break into your room.

At first, he gifted you the owl plushie to make sure you weren't sleeping with anyone else, and, to his pleasure, you never did. The only weird thing about the plushie is that you always tell him how much you love the plushie, that you think it's cute and sometimes you cuddle it when you can't sleep.

Kylar smiles as you ramble on and on about how you like his gift, how you can't believe that he'd so willingly give you a family heirloom!A heavy blush coats kylar's face when he checks the recordings from last night on his laptop. the time in the bottom left corner of the camera recording reads 9:24 PM

Kylar's glad that he installed a camera with a sound system because without it, he wouldn't be able to hear the sweet, sweet sounds of your moans as you touch yourself while the plush sits at the foot of your bed.

He definitely gets a raging hard on, panting and imagining all of the things he wants to do to you; breed you until you're sobbing, lick all over your body, and instead of moaning out his name you'll be squealing it for all the other orphans to hear :)

I also think that Kylar is very agile! I like to think that he knows hundreds of little shortcuts all around town (the reason why he can disappear behind buses so fast!!) and that he also knows how to break into your bedroom at shocking speeds. Once you purposefully tease him infront of the owl plushie you're a goner. He's coming over as soon as he watches you doing such lewd things through his laptop screen.

If the camera is a live feed of your room however... yeah you're drawing Kylar out instantly. Just as you're hitting your peak Kylar's clambering through your window, talking about how much he loves you and how he promises to satisfy you.

You're in for a long, long night of being held in a constant mating press, being filled with Kylar's cum and whispered to about how much he loves you and that he's so glad you're as desperate for him as he is for you!! <3

[meldingintheunderdark]

The Drow twins and Halsin

Notwithstanding Halsin's peculiar predisposition with drow, yet another interesting topic about the man tbh, the foursome is honestly quite sad.

First things first, solo romanced Halsin ends up as a mute bear. There is none of the daring flirt present with Astarion and Shadowheart. Absolutely tragic. While I understand dirty talking to an ever changing PC would have been a logistical nightmare for Larian, the scene feels rather stale. But it's nothing compared with Halsin's behavior before, during and after the "Underdark experience".

Halsin: An intriguing pair. Takes me back to my youth... Sszazar: Interested, Halsin? Halsin: More than interested, if you feel the same. [...] Sszazar: I would like to hire both of you. And I hope my partner will join us as well. Halsin: So long as all are willing, I see no reason why we should deny ourselves...

Whilst I've read comments arguing Halsin is not enthusiastic at all or cocky and happy to show off, I disagree with the lack of nuance.

Clearly, during the initial talk to hire or not the twins, the bear is down to have fun with them and, from my pov, the fact they are drow is the driving force motivating his choice. He craves drow as much as he despises them (Lolth-sworn).

Sorn Orlith: I can't quite believe it - a night of passion with the famous Halsin? I might faint before I can expend myself. Nym Orlith: Legends spread of you throughout the city... We heard tell that you can change into a bear. Halsin: I hadn't realised I was that popular. But we must give the people what they want, mustn't we?

It's interesting to note the first allusion to his traumas happens during said talk. Furthermore, as soon as they're in complete darkness, Sorn immediately admits they know who he is. The twins explain that Menzoberranzan drow (they seem to hint they fled this city) aren't merely spreading rumors about Halsin but legends. In other words, his traumatic years are widely distributed folktales, retold over and over again. We know that legends are altered over time, thus I wonder if details are embellished. Since Nym mentions his wildshape the instant Sorn is quiet, I do believe his traumas are now a bunch of raunchy, bawdy tales Menzoberranzan drow like to share when they're feeling naughty.

Of course, some stories may come from his other visits. Unfortunately, the canon doesn't give sufficient info to differentiate their content, let alone their sources.

So, Halsin is already thinking about his captors, moreover he is physically vulnerable because they're all blind and butt naked, then he is hit with this information.

Halsin: I hadn't realised I was that popular.

This sentence alone is worth analyzing.

Halsin is already aware he is popular amongst drow (and everyone else with good taste in men). This is probably related to one of his statements during his love confession :

Halsin: And I've been to the Underdark. Many times.

He returned to the Underdark despite his traumas (or rather because of them), therefore he has surely been exposed to his fame. Some of it, at least, because the emphasis "[...] that popular" implies he doesn't know how famous he actually is. He is now exposed to the glaring fact that he is (and his traumas as well) fetishized to a certain extent by Menzoberranzan drow.

Halsin: [...] But we must give the people what they want, mustn't we?

English isn't my first language, so my interpretation may be erroneous. Nevertheless, the use of "we" instead of "I" intrigues me. In my opinion, the pronoun is very significant. Why does Halsin switch from "I" to "we" the very next sentence? Because he is diluting the first person with the pronoun "we". He's distancing himself.

"But I must give the people what they want, mustn't I?" sounds harsher. He must do it. It's an obligation. He's compelled to do so. The pronoun "we" helps him feel safer. He's trying to have control in the given situation. People write novels about Astarion dissociating, rightfully so, yet I believe that "I" vs "we" is a form of dissociation too. He sees the twins. He thinks about his captors. He is sexually attracted to the twins. He was and still is trauma-bound to his captors. He learns his traumas are saucy tales in total obscurity, naked.

But it isn't the icing on the cake yet.

If we rewind to the very beginning, who are Sorn and Nym? They're prostitutes. They are paid 1000 gold to service their clients. And yet...

Sorn Orlith: Will tonight at last be the night I die during an act of pleasure? [...] Nym Orlith: Doesn't it...? How does it even fit? [...] *The drow are filled with awe at your and Halsin's habits throughout the night, time and time again.*

In the end, Halsin is servicing them, like he did with his captors. He shifts to a bear because they want it. Their overeager reactions and the narrator line may indicate they are thrilled to get the famed bear and have him at their entire disposal. He is a legend. Do they truly ackowledge him as a common, but thick af, wood elf? Or do they solely see the mysterious hero of some spicy tales? I particularly dislike the scene because it seems Halsin and, in my case, Sszazar are observed rather than pleased by the twins. I suspect that for Sorn and Nym Halsin is an exotic toy and not a normal client.

Also, he only shifts back to his hunk self when the twins are out of the picture. In the closing shot of them all napping, he's still a bear. I assume he spent the whole night as a bear. Is it merely to become the best pillow available? I bet his wildshape make him feel safer.

Halsin: Indeed. Our time with them was... certainly bracing. Takes me back to some youthful misadventures in the Underdark.

Last but not least, the option to ask Halsin about his "misadventures" in the Underdark is available thanks to this encounter. Technically, Halsin can reveal his traumas without ever leaving the Underdark room at Sharess' Caress. His years of suffering are at the forefront of his thoughts and he opens up about them the moment he's asked by the one person who reciprocates care.

To conclude, I think Halsin did not have a grand time during the foursome, even if he appears eager at first. I don't believe the night was downright traumatizing, however it did reopen old festering wounds. His decisions are heavily influenced by his unhealed, unaddressed traumas.

It does bother me to read countless lame takes about Astarion vs Halsin, as if one deserves more care and attention than the other. They're both terribly traumatized. Because Halsin reacts differently to his traumas, because he is not the perfect, ideal victim, too many fans disregard his pain. The way I see it, the foursome is full of hints about his traumas. He's not dumping everything out of nowhere when morning comes. His pain was here all along. It's a fascinating encounter.

[miku-meeku]

☽✧═════╡✦༺.·:·.☽✧ 𝒲𝐸𝐿𝒞𝒪𝑀𝐸 ✧☾.·:·.༻✦╞═════✧☾

☽✧════════╡✦༺.·:·.☽✧ ʚϊɞ ✧☾.·:·.༻✦╞═══════✧☾

WARNING: Minors DNI. This is an NSFW blog because Miku is too [REDACTED] for a certain blonde mf.

"Once upon a time, there lived a lonely girl in a lonely dreamworld named Elly." "For as long as she can remember, it has always been this way. There was nobody else but her in her own little world as she pour out her dreams to the lonely world." "Though the story might not have a happy ending...Won't you stay a little while longer and listen to her tale?" - Tokki

☽✧════════╡✦༺.·:·.☽✧ ʚϊɞ ✧☾.·:·.༻✦╞═══════✧☾

interested in commissioning poor lil ol me? [heres a temp shitty comms sheet dies]

✧☾ 𝒯𝒶𝑔𝓈 ☽✧

⭐ #asks - Miku answers whatever it is you send

⭐ #meeks museum - WHAT IS MIKU COOKING UP TODAY?!?!

⭐ #meeku art talk - how dOES the wise Miku cook....??

⭐ #hatsune meeku - Hatsune Miku wannabee tries singing

⭐ #very sane meeku behaviour - can this girl stop yapping for one second

✧☾ 𝐹𝒶𝓃𝑜𝓃 𝓈𝓉𝓊𝒻𝒻𝓈 𝒾𝒹𝓀 ☽✧

⭐ #dol pc - DoL OCs (because making ocs are fun)

⭐ #w0w dol lore - Story lore of Whitney and Amy(PC) (also consists of my other PC lores)

⭐ #chainsaw man - I can't believe Miku abandoned Denji for Whitney- sHUT-

⭐ #dream fiend miku - Miku's Chainsaw Man Devil OC

⭐ ????? - Story lore of Dream Devil wanting to become human (and also fall in love w denji in the process because i love denji)

✧☾ 𝒪𝒞 𝒮𝑒𝓇𝒾𝑒𝓈 ☽✧

⭐ #original character - Would you like to peek into her worlds?

⭐ #COMA - "I heard a group of kids got into an accident for sleeping and dreaming too much. Poor pathetic children... What kind of dreams could they be having now?"

⭐ #Once Upon a Time... - "Did you know each one of us have our own existing dreamworlds? Each person's dreamworlds comes with a story, like a fairytale! But only those who are special enough gets to have such a dream. I wonder if such a thing is a blessing or a curse..."

and many more... eventually soon...

[did you know miku can hop into different dreamworlds haha?] ❧ mikumeeku.carrd.co

[yooniesim]

this as a prime example of what is wrong with simblr (and tumblr in general). this ask was sent to me within like less than a day of that post about cf going up, while I was away for the weekend and not at pc for days. I did not even see the post until right before I got this ask. yall are so damn terminally online that you lost the gd plot and cannot comprehend someone not keeping their finger on the dying pulse of the performative activism headquarters of the internet. and you definitely can't comprehend waiting for complete info or maybe just a full day before starting some reactionary bs. just peeking in here since yesterday i see that simblr is yet again so hyped up on smelling its own farts that it's turned an issue of genocide into yet another dick measuring contest of who can reblog more posts than one another the fastest so they can look more empathetic and better than anyone else. and call themselves "real activists" for being able to click the reblog button. not to mention the usual spamming anons to random people minding their own business. yall are weird as fuck and need to get a firm grip on some grass. stop making the horrific suffering of others about yourselves for once.

that being said, let me get serious for the people on here that are actually normal. for those that don't know by now, this anon seems to be referencing this post about cf, which talks about overwolf (the company that owns curseforge) donating to the IDF. But I also found this tweet by OOP made after that post that explains they have since received DMs from Overwolf stating that they have shifted their relief efforts to aiding victims that have lost their homes from the Hamas terrorist attacks exclusively and do not fund the IDF. this is a much better cause as the victims of terrorism definitely deserve to be helped, and it makes sense they would do this as an Israeli company. The DMs also clarify that it is donation based and nothing uploaded to cf (cc/mods) contributes to this effort whatsoever. As well as Overwolf/Curseforge revenue in general. So simply using curseforge does not mean that you fund or endorse genocide. OOP calls their new efforts commendable in that tweet but I am still looking into and keeping an eye on this matter since, as we know, more information could come out later that contradicts this. And since I have been away im still catching up on everything that has been posted relating to cf.

here are the pics for those that may not have Twitter. do I still support a boycott for those that want to? oh, absolutely. I know that many will still want to boycott regardless, and I'll be working to add alt links to my cc uploads as soon as possible (the ones that don't already have them) for those that don't want to use it. However, everyone I've seen wanting to boycott seems to want to do it because a) they believe overwolf is funding the IDF (apparently is not true) b) they believe having their uploads on cf or downloading from there will fund the IDF (apparently is not true) or c) overwolf itself is an Israeli company (is definitely true). therefore based on the new info we now have some may decide not to boycott after all or will still do so, it is a personal decision. will I be deleting my account there? for now, no.

to be completely honest, I'm in a really bad place financially right now, and while it isn't much, the little bit I get from cf downloads has been exclusively going towards my meds and dr appointment bills. I don't have the option right now to turn down the small amount of added income when I am currently living day to day, especially with the updated knowledge that simply having cc uploaded there does not contribute to their donation efforts in any way. I do not paywall my cc and never will and I do not ask for donations myself, so my options are somewhat limited. although I do not make cc with the aim of getting paid, I ultimately wouldn't be able to justify the sheer amount of time I spend on it if it wasn't helping me with my medical bills currently, as I am already caregiving with the majority of my time. I'm not reliant on cc making or cf to live, and I never want that to be the case god forbid, but in full transparency it is helping me with my healthcare expenses atm and I cannot afford to neglect my health anymore than I have. especially since, as established earlier, using cf does not contribute to the IDF in the first place. so I personally do not judge anyone that continues to use cf for this reason.

also, for the record so there is no confusion on my personal views, I fully support the freedom of Palestine and condemn genocide first and foremost, as well as terrorism and antisemitism. The current situation in Gaza is abhorrent and I encourage all my followers to not only reblog posts, but educate yourselves on the situation and bring it irl as you are able. Speak with the people you love as well as those you are acquainted with and bring this to this to their attention (if you feel safe to). Attend protests if you can. If you cannot, make the calls and emails to your representatives, sign petitions, and donate as you are able. I have been seeing that even spreading Palestinian culture among your loved ones and peers is helpful. So even if you are in a bad place mentally, that may be an option to spread the positive message of the Palestinian people in your everyday life. I'll be reblogging the posts I already did earlier and some new ones too so you can find those updated links. I will be tagging it with palestine so that it can be found easily on my page.

In addition, be kind. To others and yourself. Try to see the full damn picture instead of a snapshot. What someone posts on tumblr of all places does not reflect an entire person's being, or their efforts, or their heart. Yelling your head off on this dying website does not equal activism, and running your mental health into the ground taking on the weight of the world doesn't give you any more control over the issues we face- I learned that the hard fucking way, believe me. By all means share as much as you like, every bit helps (especially if you have a lot of followers), but keep in mind that it certainly doesn't make you better than anyone else. I know it's extremely difficult to feel helpless and you want to feel like you're doing something, but just make sure you're doing the right things for the right reasons. Please do not fucking attack random people for not responding within one business day of the latest info coming out. And take time away from all this shit to breathe. You can't help anyone if you're fucked up yourself. especially for those of us that already face discrimination and bigotry every day irl, I know it is exhausting. Remember to also care for yourselves through all this.

[karniss-bg3]

A little 'niss brainrot ask for when you feel better, no rush <3 But do you think Kar'niss has been a drider for a while (and perhaps part of the reason his psyche is the way it is) or do you think he's a recent one? I'm thinking a while as in some 10+++ years, and recent as in 1 year or perhaps less. My headcannon is at LEAST a decade, poor 'niss, dealing with voices and pain and the emotional burdens of lolthite bs. I can only imagine the effects of constant pain. Also I can't stop thinking about how he's a drow and Sunlight Sensitive and holding a Very Bright lantern super close to his face. Almost literally blinded by fanaticism, huh? I hope you're feeling better/or will feel better soon! Hope never stops singing. Much love from the brazillian weirdo!

I agree with your point of view. I also believe that Kar’niss was turned sometime ago. The reason I believe this is because of how well he handles the body he now occupies. I imagine when a drow is first turned into a drider they struggle to navigate their strange, new eight-legged vessel and accidents could occur as a result. He seems very comfortable in his own skin, so to speak, and has no trouble climbing steep walls or wandering rough terrain. Kar’niss also has an aura about him that suggests age, even if we’re not talking elder years here. Something about his face speaks volumes, between the scars and the sour expression, this guy has been through it. Kar’niss doesn’t come off as fresh and new, but withered and worn. If he turned to the Absolute willingly it is likely because they convinced him they were his only hope, his only source of salvation. After many years of believing otherwise he opted to cling to the first shred of hope that appeared viable to him.

His psyche is a two-fold issue. Mix one part driderism with one part Absolutist mind breaks and you end up with a bleak mess of a beast. It’s also safe to assume that because he was a male drow he was subjected to untold abuse while in the Underdark, before and after the transformation. While we may never get the full lore behind why he was turned, I think there is a chance he cracked before he was transformed. It would depend on what level of pain and torture he was subjected to in the early years of his life.

Yes, I do think its bizarre that he holds that lantern so close to his face but he suffers from sunlight sensitivity. Even without the debuff, having something that bright close to your eyes would have to be blinding. I do like your take on blinded by fanaticism, it suits in this context! Poor Kar'niss will suffer discomfort if it means he feels protected and safe.

While we’re on the topic I need to bring up how both True Soul Nere and Kar’niss have sunlight sensitivity but the player character drow do not. I get that Larian probably removed the debuff from PC drow because a vast majority of combat takes place outdoors during the day and having a permanent debuff would make the race less appealing to players. But if Astarion’s sunlight issues can be removed by the tadpole, couldn’t the same be said for Nere and Kar’niss alongside PC drow? It’d make sense at least, but it was perhaps just an oversight.

Thank you for the well wishes. Things are settling and I hope that trend continues. I appreciate the ask as I do love discussing our boi. Take care!

[story-writer-person]

Common Ground (1/3)

Pairing(s): Idia Shroud/Reader

Warning(s): Reader is g/n, reader uses (they/them) pronouns

a/n: If you thought the last story felt rushed, you're not gonna believe this...

Idia loved his younger brother to pieces. Often, he regrets how much he does, as he'd do anything for him. So when Ortho burst through his door one day after school,

"Brother! Brother! I made a new friend!" 

He knew he was in trouble.

"That's great Ortho," he said, his headphones still on one ear.

"They're so awesome and friendly!" Ortho beamed.

"That's cool Ortho."

"I invited them over today to 'hang out'!" 

"YOU WHAT!?" He nearly yelled, his headphones were fully off and he was now very attentive to what his little brother was saying.

"I invited them over today," He said, not picking up a hint of dissatisfaction from his brother, "they informed me they wanted to meet you so we could play together!" He said with his childlike innocence shining through extraordinarily.

"Ortho! You know how I feel about people! Do I even know this person? What if they don't like me because I'm such an S-tier NEET. No, not just S-tier! We're talking UR+ weird! What-"

Idia's rambling was interrupted by a knock on his door, and Ortho quickly floating over to open it. Seeing no way out of his situation, Idia quickly headed for his closet. He soon found himself too big to fit, and too little space inside. 

"(Y/n)!"

"Ortho!...Idia?" 

Yeah, he was really regretting giving in to his brother all the time. This was one of the worst situations possible. Ortho hadn't befriended just anyone, he'd befriended you. The prefect from ramshackle. The perfect prefect from ramshackle

He could feel his face getting hotter than his hair, and his PC, which was still on the game he was playing.

To save him from embarrassing himself further, and to break the awkward silence, you turned your gaze to the computer. Your eyes lit up in recognition of the character on the screen.

"Wow! Is that The Magical Ruri Hana: Demon Girl: The Game? I didn't pre-register so I haven't heard much from it. It's it good? Does it do Ruri-chan her 'Sparkling justice?'" You struck a pose to match your words. Idia instinctually turned around faster than you could see, to match the reference you'd made.

"'The center of justice that is pierced by love!'" Idia started,

"'Magical Ruri Hana!" You both finished, striking matching poses. You burst out into a fit of giggles, and Idia immediately regresses into himself. He can't believe he did something so embarrassing, and out of instinct too. More are equally important, he heard another voice start giggling.

"Wow! That was truly spectacular from both of you! You were completely synced!" Ortho cheered as he clapped, a scrapping metal sound coming from his hands.

"Thanks, Ortho!" You accepted his praise happily, you looked over by his closet to see Idia resting his head on it, likely wishing he'd just disappeared already.

There was a silence that didn't seem to be broken soon. You didn't know what more common ground you had than one game, and you were sure Idia wouldn't do anything to quell it, so you-

"Do you want...to play?" Idia mumbled. You barely heard him, had he not been one of two people in the room you were focusing on, you wouldn't have heard him.

"Y-Yeah, I haven't gotten a chance to. Grim dumped all our assignments on me so I haven't had time to myself recently."

'I always have time to myself' Idia thought. He shuffled to pull up a chair next to his computer as he sat in his gamer chair. He saved his progress and quit the game, opening a new save file for you. The title screen flashed on his computer, and you started humming the theme song. Idia hummed, softly, with you, while Ortho used his voicebox.

He took one look at you and Idia both at his computer and opted to quietly exit the room.

[askmadcomcrew]

Howdy everyone! It's me again Zep, back with another update. Hope the new Year has been treating you guys well. Can you believe that January is already almost over? I sure can't.

And speaking of time, this blog will be a year old in April. A whole year! Absolutely crazy to think about. I'll try to drum up something special for the one year anniversary. This blog deserves it.

But, as you all have probably noticed (those of you who have stuck around that is. Thank you for that, by the way.) this blog has been... Quieter. Long gaps of time between posts (I think the longest was nearly a week?) And generally much less activity overall. This is mostly because incoming asks have slown down to a crawl of sorts. Most recent one was four days ago as of writing this.

At this blogs peak I was waking up to sometimes 20 or more asks in the box. Now I'm maybe getting four or five a week, on a good week. It's unfortunate, but ultimately something I expected back when I started this blog.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I never expected this blog to last more than a week. Now it's made it to almost a year. We're almost at 2,000 asks answered at the time of writing this. That is something to be proud of.

Thank you all for sticking around and engaging with the blog as much as you have. Without you, this blog would have actually died in a week. It survives entirely off of you and your submissions.

But with that being said, I don't really see things picking up again anytime soon. Madness Combat simply ain't as popular as it once was on Tumblr. Can you believe the tricky mod for Friday night Funkin was 3 years ago now? It's amazing that hype train has lasted as long as it has, but of course things are getting quieter again.

But don't worry, this blog ain't going anywhere. I'm not deactivating or moving on. The ask box will remain open and I'll answer them still when I can get around to them. Things might be slow, but we ain't dead. This blog will remain up for as long as Tumblr does, and I will have archives of the blog downloaded on my PC in case I do decide to close up shop.

But I guess what I'm trying to say is thank you. Thank you for keeping the fire lit for as long as you have. This blog is always open to you, come by, sit down, ask a few questions, scroll for a while. We'll be here for you to answer whatever you give us, and we're thankful for any likes or reblogs you'll give us.

If you wanna see more of this blog though, please consider sharing it with your friends and other communities. I'm always happy to answer more asks. This is the most fun I've had on Tumblr in a long time.

Anyway, this post has gone on long enough. Just giving y'all a little status report.

[discar]

HZD Terraforming Base-001 Text Communications Network

GAIA set up a communications network for Aloy and her friends. Aloy had no idea what they were getting into. Or: I realized that a groupchat fic actually makes PERFECT SENSE in Forbidden West. Uploading this to Tumblr in celebration of Forbidden West being released on PC. There will be one chapter daily until they're all up. Chapter 1 | Next Chapter Chapter Index

ADMIN [GAIA] has created the groupchat [HZD Terraforming Base-001 Text Communications Network]

ADMIN [GAIA] has invited [Aloy], [Varl], and [Zo] to the group

Varl: Whts happpppng?

Varl: Happing

Varl: What is hap

Aloy: GAIA set up a communications network between our Focuses.  We can use it for voice or even holograms, like I did earlier, or just write short messages.

Varl: Wouldt talkng be easyer

ADMIN [GAIA]: Varl, there is a spellcheck feature if you would like to ensure you communicate with clarity.

Varl:  Tht mighyt

Varl:  Thhat

Varl:  YESS PL

Zo:  This could be convenient.  Assuming Varl can make use of this feature GAIA mentioned.

Varl:  How u so gd easyly?

Zo:  I find the system very intuitive.

Aloy: Um, Varl, this isn't the hard part of using a Focus.  You should pretty much just have to think the words and the program will write them for you.

Varl:  Mchbc dont wrt.

Aloy:  Machines don't write?  Are you saying you don't want to use a program?

Zo:  I don't think it's a moral argument.  I think he means he never needed to learn how to spell while hunting machines.

Aloy:  Oh.  Yeah, that's fair.

Aloy:  Wait, aren't you standing right next to him?  Can't he just tell you?

Zo:  He's being stubborn.  He wants to figure this out.

Varl:  Iz IMPRTT.

Aloy:  Well, at least you're using punctuation.

Aloy:  I'm coming down to meet you.  We'll talk about our plans.

Varl:  Il gett fmws

Varl:  rtnd

Varl:  ALL-MOTHER'S TITS

Aloy:  Sure, THAT got through fine.

Aloy:  I'll be down in a second.  Where are you?

ADMIN [GAIA]:  Zo cannot answer you, but I believe if you follow the sounds of her laughter, you will find them soon.

Chapter 1 | Next Chapter Chapter Index

[sadceline]

THE ENHYPEN HOST || 8

|| Reverse harem || ft. TXT, Mingyu (Seventeen) & BTS

TRAILER:

WARNINGS: foul language, explicit content, group sex, humiliation, sex in public, threesome, foursoome, rough sex, red flags, immoral acts, unprotected sex, morbid jealousy, comedy, parody, possessiveness, violent quarrels, arguments, betrayals, lies, femdom sometimes. GENRE: +18, reverse harem, comedy, enemy to lovers, friends to lovers SUMMARY: You moved to Seoul to start over after a bad experience, and everything seems to be going well, you even manage to work for HYBE. You discover, however, that you owe them almost a billion won, money you don't have and don't know how to recover: but don't worry because Hybe itself offers you a solution. Your body in exchange for paying off your debt. Do you accept?

PREVIOUS CHAPTER:

FIRST CHAPTER:

Although it doesn't seem possible, I feel as if Heeseung is offended because of me, frankly I am afraid that this will bring out his hidden side, but I am still quite certain of my decision.

Of course, if someone had told me that I would reject any of the boys, even Heeseung, I would never have believed it. With him I feel strange, it's as if there is more than just an irresistible physical attraction, and it scares me.

I'm too emotionally involved, being so much a fan of his. I have to defend myself.

"I'm a little rusty, I need two or three warm-up games." He anticipates, as we get back into the car.

I nod wearily. "All right, we can do that. I'll start placing the order?"

"All right - he replies, handing me the phone, more politely this time, - you know how to use it." Then he starts the motor.

I use South Korea's most popular home delivery app, it should be fine. I have the list prepared by Jay as I mark item after item.

"We could have ordered takeout from the beginning, why are we here?"

"Jay said to get you a driver - he explains, as if it's obvious, I didn't understand anything - I think he wants to keep you busy so you don't stay home too much. Especially today that Sunghoon and I had no plans."

I smile spontaneously, Jay really thinks of everything , huh? He also tought about a driver, why can't I stop smiling again? I miss him a little, I can't wait for him to come home.

On the way we talk nothing but grocery shopping, I ask his opinion on the brands available, him being a connoisseur apparently, and it all goes on rather naturally.

When we get back to the penthouse, Sunghoon is right in the living room at the entrance with his arms folded. I avoid looking at him and proceed to Jay's room to make myself comfortable, Heeseung stays to watch the roommate.

Before going inside, I honestly eavesdrop.

"Where have you been? There's no groceries either."

"We ordered it, it's more convenient." Responds Heeseung relaxed that he is still removing his shoes at the entrance.

"You've been out for a while."

"We took the pc.... actually, by the way-" Heeseung suddenly seems to remember.

Sunghoon approaches curiously. "What?"

No, Heeseung. You cannot betray me so soon. I need to know if he will, so I hide behind the corridor wall, moving closer to listen better.

"Aish, no, nothing."

"Yah! - Complains the younger one. - Tell me!"

"It's nothing, really."

Is he really not telling him? Is he really tergiversing? Or is he also afraid of what Sunghoon might do if he finds out, being such a devilish fellow?

"Why won't you tell me?"

"It's just that it doesn't matter, and besides, you don't really care, do you?" Lee Heeseung doesn't seem to be fooled by Sunghoon's smirk.

"You're right, I don't care. - He scans the words with annoyance, the shorter by a few inches, Sunghoon.... - Where does she live?"

"In Hongdae."

"Understood."

"I'm going to change - he says, starting for his room, then stops, - do you want to play LoL?"

He doesn't answer right away, then clears his throat. "Okay?"

"Are you asking me? - Heeseung asks confused. - But instead... you're not doing anything today? Aren't you seeing Wonnie?"

"She has a photo shoot. Anyway, I don't like this temperature, I'm not used to the heat yet."

In fact, when we returned, I felt a nice coolness. The air conditioners are on and the air smells clean, but it feels strange to imagine Sunghoon feeling threatened by such a thing as heat, or maybe it is not so strange, after all, he is still the ice prince.

"Okay, then take the PC."

I go back to Jay's room completely dazed. I'm pretty sure they didn't see me, and it seems that Heeseung doesn't really want to flaunt my shame to the winds.

I continue to brood as I make myself comfortable in this morning's clothes. When I leave, carrying my things, I notice that the two have already settled on the floor around the low table. Heeseung has beer, Sunghoon something like a korean sweet bread, they have them nearby, but there are other things as well. Will Heeseung have done this? I guess so, that makes me smile.

"What will the matches be like, since we're in team with you?" Sunghoon asks, sighing and sitting at an appropriate distance.

I stand in the middle between the two, legs crossed, then, let my hair down. For a second, I'm sure I have both of their eyes on me, but I'm not brave enough to lift my gaze and ascertain if that's really.

"I guess it will be a little... hard?" I say, Heeseung understands, Sunghoon continues to look at me confused.

"You say they put us with other psychopaths like you?"

"Have you had lunch?" The younger man then asks, completely out of context.

We look at each other awkwardly and somewhat complicitly, Heeseung and I, then he answers for both of us. "I did, she didn't really."

"That's not true, I had lunch too." I reply in a joking tone.

"That's not lunch! You have to stop that."

"Are you the couple now?" Sighs Sunghoon boredly, who goes back to looking disgustedly at his computer screen.

"Have you had lunch, you?" I ask him - but why do I do that?

He didn't expect it either judging by the way he looks at me, surprised. He even fails to answer at the moment, then snorts annoyed.

"I wasn't hungry."

"It's not that you were waiting us?" Heeseung asks amused.

"You were grocery shopping, didn't you say..." He almost blurts out, then lets the words die in an astonished grin.

"Shall I make you something?"

"Actually you could." He replies immediately.

But what am I doing? Why am I being nice to him?

"Wait, no! Order something!" Heeseung tackles him.

"Ah - he exclaims annoyed - we'll think about it later. Start we playing or not?"

Basically, he is not ruling out the possibility of having me cook exclusively for him, no, mr. kindness is concerned not to spoil the mood of the moment.

Certainly selfless, but yet - why does he seem sad? No, he's not sad, he's just bitter about giving us importance? In fact, I don't understand.

I nod, confused.

We exchange nicknames and in no time we manage to create a team, although I can't stop laughing after seeing that Sunghoon's account doesn't even have the lowest rank.

"We can't play with him, sure puts us with the strong ones." I explain, after a few seconds.

"Actually.... however, by not doing ranked, we could still play in the end." Heeseung says.

Sunghoon looks at us as if we were speaking in arabic, then mumbles annoyed. "I got the computer by now, I'll play anyway."

We start the queque of the first game. Meanwhile, Heeseung hands me his can, and I am tempted to accept, but then change my mind. I don't want to look like an alcoholic.

Oh no, he's already conditioning me.

"Don't let her drink until she eats." Reminds him, Sunghoon, who would perhaps like to appear thoughtful, the idiot? No, perhaps he is simply annoyed by my tantrums.

"I didn't want any anyway." I reply acidly.

"I'll put on the music! - He proposes Heeseung and it's such a good idea. - What shall I put on?"

"I need the light." I answer spontaneously.

"Can you say any song and pick an ost?"

However, the major doesn't answer right away, he just stares at me, he does it for a long time. "No, it's good."

"I'd like to hear it live someday." I admit, awkwardly.

Okay, we're in the game. The games always start slowly, we're all very focused, the music is soothing, and before long a lot of their colleagues, senior BTS and Seventeen, also NCT, fellow TXT and Stray Kids, start from the speakers, but there's also a touch of personality in the random frequency of these songs. They are almost never leadtracks.

I know what I said, but deep down I also know that someone like Heeseung has to have good taste. I know that his concept of music is different from that of ordinary mortals.

"You've died twice already." Heeseung breaks the silence.

"He keeps attacking me even under tower, he has a move that literally teleport him." He argues his position animatedly, an offended Sunghoon.

"Don't expose yourself, just try to take away a little life at a time. When it's low enough life, half life is fine, call me I'll catch up."

Seunghoon seems to get distracted for a second but then becomes lucid again. "Okay, good."

He's entering competitive mode, I know because as i'm killing lane's beasts, I move the camera to his character. He sucks to play, bought all the wrong items, but at least he has reflexes, so he executes my directions well.

"I'm coming, let him damage you and then run under the tower so he can follow you." I tell him, he quickly transposes.

"Okay."

I manage to trap enemy under tower so that he doesn't kill Sunghoon and also that I can kill him, simply being a little stronger than the latter but not at my level.

"Kill steal!" He can say that, in english, english good as his game but still nglish.

"Are you kidding?" Heeseung bursts out laughing.

"Yes..." He admits, comically annoyed.

I feel like smiling but restrain myself, continuing to play in silence.

"Ah! Help below! - Heeseung asks, pointing to himself on the map. I quickly catch up with him, he is up against two enemies, i attack them from behind, he thus manages to gain the upper hand. - Yes assholes, they thought they would stop my killing spree." He says, and kills them both.

I sigh, I could have done it myself but I don't know why I decided to let him do it. Anyway, I couldn't have done it with Sunghoon because he would have died there for sure, not for anything else.

"You left me the kills?" He asks surprised.

"No." I answer.

He smiles out of the blue and I can't control my expression because I end up doing the same. "Liar."

"You are liar." I say, for some reason.

Sunghoon wearily rolls his eyes with an expression bordering on disgust. "Are you finished? Ew."

"You think about not dying." Heeseung reminds him.

He doesn't heed the advice and his death combo seems to start again, so I lurk in his area. Being the one that goes in support of the team, I can do that, plus being the lowest he is being targeted by virtually all opponents.

"Stay under tower." I remind him.

"I don't need your help."

"If you keep dying you make them stronger. It's a problem for everyone."

He snorts with superiority, though I don't understand which one. "Come only if I'm dying."

It becomes a matter of pride as usual, all right. I won't help him, and I won't intervene unless he's dying. Exactly twelve seconds pass before he is almost completely lifeless.

"You suck so bad." Heeseung, who is watching him, takes the words out of my mind.

"Shut up! - Speak in the plural, he's nervous. - Weren't you supposed to help me?"

"I don't know, I'm waiting for you to ask me for help. I'll stay here."

"Don't be a sh--" He interrupts himself, grunting annoyed.

I am better than him, i have no need for revenge, i have no enemies. Three of them come at him, but they are all so low that I manage to leave them with one notch of life, then walk away.

"Are you leaving them the triple?"

"I don't care." I reply, imagining I look the coolest in the world.

Sunghoon, confused manages to kill one, then lifts his gaze to me, I spontaneously return his gaze.

"Are you crazy?" He tells me, evidently stunned.

"Omo, you're the worst!" Heeseung shouts, so surprised that he has to get up.

Sunghoon is killed, he other two following me, and I don't know why but I am dazed, the two of them blocking me and charging at me with both ultimates slaughtering me. First death of the game.

"What..." I ask myself under my breath, in italian, staring at the pc screen.

"W-Why?!" Heeseung raises his voice.

Sunghoon closes the laptop, stands up, then looks at me ruefully. "It's all your fault."

I turn distraught, looking at him. "What?"

I would have expected the elder to ask the other to get back on the PC, but in the end he doesn't, he just stands by and watches the skit perplexed.

"Let's stop playing the game! This game sucks!" He seems to make it up on the spot, completely upset, but by what?

Heeseung is even more confused. "But if we've even been playing for fifteen minutes!"

"What do you want to play?"

"To Go."

We both turn to him. "What?"

"Let's play Go, so we can see who's better at it." He mumbles very offended a suddenly tender Sunghoon.

Tender? No, let alone.

Heeseung remains silent for a while checking on his phone as I keep telling Sunghoon that it's not fair at all since only he knows how to play it, and he retorts that it's not his problem if we can't play it.

"They're passing...the boys." He says, under his breath.

Although our voices seem to cover him in the moment, we both hear perfectly. "The boys who?" Sunghoon asks.

"TXT." Sighs Heeseung.

"And why?"

"Niki invited them."

"Aish, that brat-" he starts to curse, but then seems to remember my presence and prefers to keep quiet.

"What a nuisance - mutters Heeseung - how do we deal with her?"

"She locks herself in room." Sunghoon replies without having thought about it for a single second.

"What? No, I want to be there too!"

"No way." Sunghoon tells me, Heeseung seems about to retort but finally doesn't.

"Why? I won't do anything weird!" I try to remain meek, trying to convince him.

"How do we explain that you are here? What are you supposed to be doing here?"

"Cleaning lady?" I propose, falsely naive.

"It's not like they stay all day."

The major puts a hand under his chin, thoughtful. "What if I invite your friend?"

I glare at him, but I don't understand why. "Ester?"

"Are you dumb?" Sunghoon immediately scolds him.

"She has already met me, you said we can be safe, we can say that you are of our foreign friends. They won't disdain the company of two beautiful girls."

Sunghoon opens his mouth but then says nothing, I nod fully convinced. "Dhe will love it!"

"I still don't want all their attention on her." Heeseung says, surprising me.

Sunghoon looks away annoyed. "Did you see on the group? Who's coming home?"

"Just Riki and Jay, for now."

"Alright, then get yourself sorted out." Sunghoon breathes heavily, resting his elegant fists on his narrow hips.

"I'm going!" I say all too happily.

Honestly, I don't even care who the ones to come among TXT are, I'll still be happy and Ester will be too, we listen them a lot. However, why do I feel jealous? It's unfair, unfair, I know it well... yet it's also all so exciting and hectic that I become more impulsive. No, I'm happy that Ester is coming, and I'm happy that ... she's meeting Jay, finally.

To be honest, it's the least I can do after all she has done for me.

I get my things from HIS room, staying to stare at Jay's folded clothes for a few seconds. It's strange because we seemed so close at first, but over the next few days we hardly spoke to each other.

I call Ester, hoping she answers despite being at work.

"What's going on? Are you okay?"

"Not really. You're invited to some kind of game afternoon with TXT.... Jay's there."

She shouts, despite being practically in the office, then I hear her clamp her mouth shut. "How much time do I have?"

"I have no idea. As soon as possible, 'll send you the address. Be sure not to say anything to anyone..."

"Are you kidding? - She can't contain her contentment. - I have to make myself look good. I'm coming, bye."

I have no idea how but I know it won't be a problem for her to leave work, considering that her superior clearly has a soft spot for her.

Luckily I listened to Heeseung, coming home to get clothes was providential, now I can indulge. I go to the bathroom, things in my arms, the hallway seemed deserted but Sunghoon appeared, seeming to be looking for me judging by the way he approaches before I can enter the bathroom.

"What is this friend of yours like?"

"She's prettier than me, if that's what you want to know." I answer distractedly.

"Heeseung said she knows him, how is that possible?"

I remain silent for several seconds, then sigh. "We went up to the apartment."

"Are you kidding?" He asks me seriously, but he sounds furious.

"I told him to stay in the car."

"If anything happens because of you... - he says under his breath, though the tone creeps - I don't even want to think about it."

So he says, pulling away.

All right, he won't wipe my smile off this time, are we kidding me? Finally I can present myself as a normal person to people I admire, finally I can lie, pretend to believe other people's lies, finally I can be on the same level. 

No contract.

In the shower, however, it occurs to me that I was able to behave somewhat normally today, and in fact it's not like I felt the weight of the contract, along with Heeseung.

I think back to the fact that he even lied, keeping our secret.

But why am I smiling? Let's stop it, honestly, if with others I can even fantasize, with Heeseung I shouldn't even do that, simply because his appreciation creates too big a gap between an ordinary person and a celebrity.

Let's not think about it, I dry my hair properly, I don't have many products make up but I make sure to use each one to the best of my ability. Putting on the music and starting the preparation process, almost two hours pass and it is already four o'clock. I am a little surprised that no one has arrived yet.

Heeseung is leaving his room when I come out of the bathroom, just as Sunghoon is, on the opposite side. For a brief second we all look at each other but I'm the first to look down.

"I was right..." Heeseung says.

I am confused. "What?"

"Purple looks good on you."

He says and his words seem to imprint themselves on my skin. I should tattoo it, honestly.

I'm wearing a tight, short little dress with slits on both sides, very loose but with a ring showing the skin holding it all together. I've loosened my hair, let it fall down one shoulder, these are uncovered, and a tight, black chocker clasps my neck.

"Change." Sunghoon orders.

Heeseung looks at him surprised but says nothing.

"They will think she is a prostitute."

I walk toward him, I really hit him in the face this time; he's really tired me. "Ya! You have-"

The boy stops me by the wrist and I look completely powerless in comparison to him. "I said, get changed."

"No!" I glare at him.

"Aren't our attentions enough? Do you want theirs too?" He asks and for several seconds looks at my lips.

I shiver, backing away. What was that?

"He's right, you should change." Heeseung nods, betraying me.

"No, why?"

He stepped closer to me, forcing me to turn toward him rather than the roommate. "The situation could get weird ... with two girls ... and all these guys."

"You're not even able to avoid these things? What are you, animals?" I reply, as brave as I am opportunistic.

"What are you talking about? - Sunghoon complains, grabbing me by the arm and forcing me to look at him, starts turning my head with these two, I swear. - It's not that, it's that you're too exposed."

"I'm not changing!" I raise my voice.

Have they both gone crazy? What do they want from me? I dress as I please, and then it was Heeseung himself who told me to get this stuff! It's true that it's not random-that I chose purple garments, but it doesn't change that I can decide to wear them whenever I want!

"I'm hungry. - Says Sunghoon, serious. - Cook for me."

"Order yourself some food." I reply disinterestedly.

They ring the doorbell and we all turn sharply. Heeseung seems to voluntarily precede me, starting to run toward the entrance, Sunghoon does the same, and though I don't understand why, I join in as well.

It should be Ester, the directions were crystal clear, so I'm pretty sure it's her.

"Get changed." Heeseung says.

"I'm not changing." I repeat, adjusting my skirt.

They ring again. "You're making me nervous." Sunghoon continues.

"I'll get over it."

"Ya! Open up or not?" Jay yells behind the door.

I turn pale. Why? Shouldn't he have the keys? Anyway, I shouldn't be surprised, I had so much fun saying I wanted to wear it anyway...I'm certainly not afraid of Jay...or what he'll think... of what he will say... of how he'll look at me.

Sunghoon chuckles contentedly, Heeseung sighs and then opens.

"Have you read about the..." He starts to say as he enters, but then he lifts his gaze and stays staring at me.

I feel tiny little in front of him, and I don't know why but I kind of like it.

"Yeonjun and the others are coming." Heeseung continues.

"What are you wearing?" He asks, not at all in a kind tone.

"We invited a friend of hers, we'll say they're foreign girls we know-so it won't be strange."

"A friend of hers?" Jay asks surprised, turning to the major.

"Yes, I met her today. She said she's quiet."

Even at this moment, it's as if Heeseung is justifying himself to Jongseong, but he's not the elder. It's strange, right?

"Did you meet her today?"

"We went to Amanda's apartment." He explains, serenely.

But then why does it feel like my chest is crumbling when Jay looks at me? "Oh, really?"

Heeseung looks at me now, too. "She's a big fan of yours. She kept asking about you -- and then, there were so many posters of you." He says, believing himself funny.

Jay, however, is more awake, as I suspected. "Did you see her friend's room?"

The boy seems not to expect such a question, naively even, but he smiles. "More or less, give her a nice welcome."

"Are you going clubbing?" He asks, and that's enough to make my knees shake.

Why don't I react as I do with others? Why do I become so docile with him? It's just that I feel that seeing him really angry is something very frightening.

"Don't you like it?" I desperately try the path of seduction, but also of downplaying.

"I didn't say that - he replies, calmly - unbelievable, you act just like a little girl. You're even older than me."

"Come on, don't say that." Tries to make peace, Heeseung.

Jay sighs, starting for his room.

"Are you happy? - Sunghoon asks, satisfied. - You made him angry."

Heeseung still needs to change, since he has been playing the whole time, Sunghoon is comfortable too, but Niki seems to be coming back so time is tight. I wonder where Ester is with all the time that has passed.

The door clicks as I am sitting alone in the living room, wearing the same purple dress. Honestly I would have dressed like that anyway, my style is provocative, if I'm going to make a good impression it's obvious that I'm banking a lot on physical appearance, it's not such absurd reasoning.... But being a woman, things change.

I'm so tired of their pathetic beliefs.

"Noona." A voice as deep as the abyss calls to me.

I turn around confused. "Riki..."

"Did you prepare in advance?" He asks me, without posing any kind of problem with my attire.

Involuntarily I smile; there is still hope. "I just got ready."

"Let me see - he says, closing the door behind and holding out his hand, which I grasp in a manner that is nothing short of natural, lifting myself off the couch. - Wow, noona... you are so hot."

No Niki -- the way you bit your lip as you said that is hot. The tight white wifey showing off your broad shoulders is hot. But I'm not going to give in to the temptation to fantasize about you, you're just a well developed little boy.

"Do you like it? Everyone told me to change."

"Anyone would be jealous of that." He says spontaneously, smiling. He seems in a good mood.

"Should I do it?"

"Absolutely not, make them angry. Make them black with anger."

"Or red." I joke, at ease.

"That's okay too. - He says, walking away toward his room. - I read that a friend of yours is coming."

"Please welcome her properly, it's very important."

Actually, we never really had any real interactions, but I sensed from the start that Niki was different from the others. Like a white wolf in a pack of black wolves, but more like a puppy. He was always kind, but maybe he still didn't trust - or maybe something good happened to him and he's sunny.

There are still so many things I don't know about them.

After several minutes of doing nothing, I start to feel my eyes closing on their own, I rest my head just for a moment on the back of the couch, and I don't know precisely how much time passes, but it ends with someone continuing to tap me on the forehead.

I also hear the sound of the doorbell.

I jerk my eyes open, find Heeseung's face there, and yell out in a rush.

"Ah! What are you doing!"

"I think it's your friend, your phone was ringing." He says.

I look at my cell phone, two missed calls, then look toward the doorway. "I have to open!"

Even as I get up and go, I am literally overtaken in time by Jay who walks past me and opens the door. Ester is paralyzed, as well as simply ravishing. She has long red hair that slides down her slender, milky body, with a black dress that sharply breaks up her pallor.

"Wow." Jay exclaims.

I would do the same, if this didn't bother me. "Omo, don't... I dont't...-- Ester turns around, covering her face, has suddenly become shy, the actress! - I don't understand..."

"Am I so ugly that you won't even look at me?" Jay asks, although he knows perfectly well that it's not about that.

When Ester turns around with tear-filled eyes I see the boy stiffen in surprise, and I am even more jealous. "Omo... Jay.... Jongseong..."

"Please come in." He tells her, moving aside.

Ester enters and can't take her eyes off him but continues to stand at arm's length. Deep down, I can't help but be happy for her.... Indeed, it would even be possible for Jay to take an interest in her. After all, she is a normal girl, she ... she is also so beautiful.

"Do you... do you want to hug me? - He asks in a rather comical tone, spreading his arms wide. - I won't bite, really."

She rushes to hug him, resting her buxom breasts on Jay's bare chest, or rather, covered by a simple tank top that surely will not have cushioned the contact.

Seeing how she squeezes him, Jay evidently swallows agitated. Ester's breasts are so beautiful and soft, not that I have fantasized about touching them, of course....

"Are you jealous?" Heeseung whispers to me.

I shudder, gasp. "Not at all."

"How can two such beautiful girls look at him if I'm here?"

I'm tired of his insinuations, and I'm also nervous about my own business. "He definitely has it bigger."

"Yah! You haven't even seen it!"

"I'm sure of it." I reply, continuing to watch the two almost flirting.

Jay touches her shoulders, sometimes her hips, she doesn't pull away at all. Smart as usual my good Ester, I smile nervously, looking away. Heeseung follows my movement, learning again in front of my face.

"You know, it's annoying." He admits in a whisper.

"What?"

"You seem to like Jay and Sunghoon more than me."

"Sunghoon?" I ask altered, drawing the attention of the other two.

He, with the mouth wide open in amazement, looks me annoyed. "Ah, about Jay you don't deny it?" 

Huh? Why is he doing this to me? He's betraying me at the worst time, but how am I supposed to stop him from continuing to talk since Ester is also watching us? I don't even want to imagine Jay's expression, he will be angry for sure.

"No, you more." I say, thinking myself clever, I guess.

Heeseung twists his lips. "What, do I look stupid to you?"

"What are you idiots talking about?" Jay asks.

We look away simultaneously. "Nothing. - I answer, standing at attention. - Ester, shall I show you the house?"

"Don't let her into my room." Heeseung intimates menacingly.

"Not even in mine." Jay admits.

Ester obviously bursts out laughing after her favorite's words, and I try not to find it revolting as I grab her by the wrist. "Let's go."

When we are finally alone in the kitchen area, with Ester looking around quite fascinated by the modern kitchen but I think more by the fact that she is in the Enhypen dormitory, I hear her start to giggle.

"Are you a lucky bitch?"

"Not really." I answer quickly, without thinking.

"Who are you introducing me to now? Anyway, I think I fell in love with Jay instantly." She admits, although it was obvious she was trying to change the subject.

I smile nervously, opening the fridge and handing her a beer; I know she will appreciate it. "I know, he's really handsome."

"You also said he's... big...." She nods.

"Ester! - I call to her, remembering later that we are speaking in italian and they couldn't understand anyway, even on the off chance they were spying on us. - W-Well, you should try to win him over. You are far too beautiful."

"Omo, should I? - Asks, reaching for her beer, then I see his sly grin lengthen. - What's the matter, Amanda? Are you jealous of Jay?"

"No!"

"By the way, you're too cool. You're making me look bad, go change."

I smile amusedly, everything seems back to normal in a second. "Stop telling me that!"

"Who told you that?"

Everyone, I guess? Jay didn't exactly say it directly.

"No, n-" I try to say, but I freeze when Sunghoon also enters in the kitchen, not giving me a glance at all, concentrating on Ester.

"How do you do?" He asks curiously.

Ester looks like some kind of reptile who freezes as she drinks and almost doesn't drop the water on her face, lucky that I move the small bottle in time. "Ester?"

She immediately covers her mouth, looking at me, and why? "How is it so good?"

"Really? I didn't attention to that." I lie unashamedly.

The boy, who is watching us indisposed by speaking italian, gives me a threatening look and then approaches her. "I don't speak italian, but Italy is beautiful. There are a lot of pretty girls... - he says as if he were the friendliest person in the world. - Wow."

"WOW? - She screams, returning the emotional but still crazier and more natural Ester. - You are really beautiful in person." She admits, looking him straight in the eye.

I feel like laughing, so I pull away so as not to ruin the moment. I notice that Ester has taken his face with both hands, to bring him closer and observe him better, and through it all Sunghoon remaining with his hands crossed behind his back, indulging in his desires. Why am I staring at them so much? For a few seconds, Sunghoon also shifts his pupils to me, but what does it mean?

It doesn't mean anything at all.

"What are they feeding you? You are all so big and strong." She keeps feeling him, touching his bare arms or chest.

Since I've lived here, I almost couldn't get close to him, it's only natural that I feel envious of Ester, after all, she's the main character tonight and I just have to accept it. The thing I should accept most of all right now is to be a despicable person, envious of such a great friend like her, who deserves all this.

"Have you been friends for long?" Sunghoon reconnects with me, as I sense a presence behind me.

Ester smiles softly. "Unfortunately, not for long enough. I found a true sister in her." 

Her words warm my heart, but they also make me feel worse. It's not fair what I thought, it's not fair how I felt -- feeling jealousy for the person I can never be again, at their eyes, is certainly not Ester's fault.0

"Your favorite is Jay?"

She nods in satisfaction. "Of course, I'm completely crazy about him."

"Really? - A deep voice asks, appearing mysteriously. - Nice to meet you."

Niki has come from his room and stood at my side, I look down at him and he looks far too bright now that he has changed. He has practically taken off his clothes to put on a very expensive but apparently very comfortable all-grey jumpsuit with some black lines. I turn to Ester who is pale, Sunghoon is annoyed.

"P-P-Please! Niki-chan!" She starts whimpering, approaching him.

The boy automatically snaps back, maybe paparazzi trained his reflexes, Ester stops. "Oh, sorry!"

"No, forgive me! - My friend answers. - Are you okay?"

As the two of them converse I notice that Sunghoon is looking at me, but why? What do his serious eyes mean on me?

"Forgive me, it's just that it often happens that fans jump on me and it terrifies me." Admits Niki, who does not seem to have such an obvious character.

"You're right, I shouldn't act this way with a child. - She sighs, taking a long bow to make up for it. - Nice to meet you, I'm Ester."

"Ester? I like her." Smiles Niki, who preferred this approach and is now stroking her head.

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-five." She answers confidently, she, who is older than me by two years if we consider time as koreans do.

"Wow! - The two boys exclaim together. - Are you serious?" Niki asks.

"Do I look older?"

"You look barely 20." Sunghoon says, almost giving me gasps.

"You guys are great, but when coming back Jay?" He asks suddenly, leaving them stunned.

Meanwhile, Heeseung was coming in, who burst out laughing so hard he had to hold on to the wall. "What's going on?"

"The koreans fans would be crawling at our feet right now." Niki commented amused, looking at Ester.

"That's why I prefer the west." Jay exclaims, coming into the kitchen.

"No doubt about that." Heeseung nods.

Sunghoon snickers. "You are the shame of your country."

I can see Ester scowling, I swear.

"When are the boys coming?" Ignores their unhelpful comments, Jay, turning to Niki who lifts the phone and seems to alert everyone.

"They've been here ten minutes."

"What?!" Ester and me ask in chorus.

They all turn to us. "You get used to us quickly, huh?" The most menacing of them all asks again.

I see Ester smiling blissfully as looks at him, curling her lips. "To you, never..."

"This is wrong." Sunghoon remembers.

We all go to open, and seeing the TXTs is like a vision. In front of everyone is Yeonjun, dressed as casually as I would have imagined, next to him Beomgyu and Taehyun, just behind Soobin but stretching out I keep trying to see if Hueningkai is there too, which however he is not, unfortunately.

"Oh, how do you do?" Says Yeonjun who actually looked like he was about to blurt at them for keeping him waiting. But then he stops, and says this, looking at me.

Looking at me? When Ester is beside me?

I see he casts a few glances at her too but the one who is really staring at her right now is Beomgyu. Am I confused? And a little disappointed, since I like him so much?

"Aren't you even going to say hello?" Heeseung asks, putting himself in front of me. Paying attention, he has rather broad shoulders too, seeming to obscure my sunshine but it's okay if I can observe this.

"I should beat you up. But don't you have phones?"

Niki chuckles, embarrassed, how cute. "I had the mute. Why don't you ring?"

"The theory of the demented - Yeonjun announces, coming in and walking past me, giving me a look so intense it makes my knees shake, I try to swallow but have no saliva - according to Beomgyu you changed bells with the neighbors to confuse saesaeng."

"One of the staff told me that." The boy justifies himself not exactly well, walking in.

Oh? Did Taehyun notice me too? I like him because his gaze is kind, not heavy like Yeonjun's discombobulating but instead restorative, able to set things right. I can't help but turn an intimidated smile to him.

I hear someone's tongue snapping behind my ears and I lift my gaze immediately annoyed, with a sudden change of expression. 

"Will you stop smiling at everyone?"

"What do you care?"

"You have to have some self-respect, too." 

I hate him, I forgot how much I hate him. But why was I nice to him today? I even asked him if he wanted me to cook for him -- I don't know if I'm stupid or self-defeating. Yes because he is like a razor blade cutting the skin, burning, bringing everything back to despicable reality, but why don't I push him away? Am I really that shallow?

They all settle down toward the sofa area, so we are away from the crowd and the chaos for a moment.

"That's enough, Sunghoon." I tell him, bravely.

He opens his big lips, surprised. "Huh?"

"Leave me alone. I know very well what my position is, there's no dress or makeup or smile that can hide it, I'll still leave anyway. But can I just be myself for one night? A mere fan? Can you just-"

"No. - He don't thinks enough about it, that's how it is. - I won't allow you to drive them crazy too."

Even? Why are you getting in the way?

"No one is going crazy."

"Are you pretending naivete or are you stupid?" He asks more menacingly, moving closer to me.

I can feel his breath tickling my face, it's so...intense. "Stop it."

"You want to be like this? Go ahead and play, let's see if you're that good at games." He says, then walks away.

What anxiety he has put on me. What is this feeling that grips me to the core? I don't understand anything at this point, too much has happened today.

When I get close again, I find they're all drinking, like normal guys in the afternoon - no, maybe not exactly normal, considering they're practically athletes. Ester sits next to Jay, on the couch, and is in the one place where I wouldn't feel vulnerable right now, but that's okay, anyway, he wouldn't know how to make me feel better either.

I go to sit between Heeseung and Niki but they both glare at me. "W-What?"

"You can't sit on the floor." He reminds me of the major.

"Do you want to sit on my lap, noona?" Niki asks, who is obviously not serious.

Yeonjun takes Beomgyu by the collar and tosses him amicably on the floor, tapping his palm on the pillow. "You can sit here."

Why did I look at Sunghoon out of the blue? Stop it, Amanda. Of course he is always annoyed.

I sit but we are certainly cramped on the sofa, lucky that I am only between Yeonjun and the armrest.... I'm breaking out in a cold sweat, it's really Yeonjun's thigh that's touching mine right now and I know he doesn't feel anything under the cargo, but I have exposed skin.

"Who are they?" Soobin asks, who is evidently intrigued by Ester with her red hair, her white skin, her elegant profile. - I didn't even get their names right."

"Ester." My friend raises her hand.

I, on the other hand, lower my gaze. "Amanda."

"Are you the shy one?" Yeonjun asks me nonchalantly.

Sunghoon bursts out laughing, alone.

Jay glares at him, Heeseung smiles annoyed. 

"What don't we know?" Soobin then asks, smiling in turn.

"Ester is Jay's chick while Amanda ... is Sunghoon's chick?" Beomgyu proposes.

"No!" The chorus gets quite full-bodied as we answer. 

It is me, Sunghoon, Heeseung, and Jay as well who respond. Ester is surprised, looking at her best boy with an annoyed look.

"I was talking about them, not us." He tells her, smiling sarcastically.

Ester bursts out laughing, not at all lucid, I can tell. "Honey, you had me worried."

"So you are single?" Yeonjun asks again, I shiver to my hair.

"Amanda is, actually." Ester answers for me.

"No, she's not." Heeseung says, for some reason.

"You all are annoying me." Says Beomgyu.

Sunghoon is the most annoyed, crossing his arms. "Why are you here?"

"Because you have more alcohol." The leader of the other band replies.

"Is there a reason for drinking?" Jay asks.

Yeonjun nods. "I bought a coat worth 10 million won."

"Get out of this house." The one who asked the question continues.

I see Taehyun lift his gaze to me before speaking. "We will actually cooperate with the sumbaenim."

A minute of silence intersperses the exchange of lines, then Ester shouts, "The Bangtan?!"

"Again?" Jay is intrigued.

"This time they're producing several songs for us, and we're even going to make some together."

As they talk about the matter, I can't help noticing a kind of disappointment shining in Heeseung's eyes upon hearing those words. Perhaps he feels envy, resentment, because they have only been able to do covers and almost nothing else by BTS. Why does it hurt so much to see him with such an expression? It looks like someone is squeezing my heart.

I would love to use my palms to cover his ears and prevent him from continuing to hear the conversation about collaboration, but what can I do? We are so far apart.

"Are we enough for a group game?" I ask him, aloud.

Yeonjun perhaps notices the exchange of glances between us and stares at us.

"Do you want to play?" Heeseung asks, looking relieved.

These words-they remind me.

No, but why did I look at him? Idiot, idiot Sunghoon.

"Yes, let's play."

"So you like Heeseung too? How trivial." Snorts the one a year older than me, Yeonjun.

"I like her." I say, pointing at Ester.

"This is getting intriguing."

"Don't get too intrigued." Reminds him Sunghoon, who seems to have heard the full conversation.

"Then there are triangles here."

"Don't be on her. - It sounds like advice, but it's said in a rather scary way and by the most unlikely person, Niki, who is fiddling with something between his legs but I can't really see because he's sitting behind the coffee table. - They do it enough already. Can't you see how they suffocate her?"

"I didn't do anything." Heeseung complains.

Yeonjun turns his head as he looks at me, then smiles with those innocent lips. "All right, how did you two meet? Are you friends?"

"They are friends of friends. - Sunghoon replies, moving closer to sit on the very armrest I'm leaning against, I reluctantly move away but the contact is inevitable. - They are nice, besides we would be too many boys."

"And you only invite two?" Sighs Beomgyu, who seems really interested in Ester, but she doesn't give him a glance and I precisely don't understand how she can, although I understand that sitting by Jay's side, like the queen of an empire next to her king, is something else.

"In the apartment is the ultimate number."

"By the way, why didn't you invite Wonyoung? Maybe she would bring Jiwon." 

"But you weren't dating her?" Soobin asks, turning to Taehyun who asked the question.

Ester and I go wide-eyed, Yeonjun casts a dirty look at his bandmate. "Yah, what are you saying?"

"No...nothing." Chuckles the leader.

So Taehyun is practically dating the most beautiful girl in Korea? Other than Sunghoon, he's the one who won, really.

"Too busy." Sunghoon replies, very professional.

"Wonyoung and all the IVEs must not know about them." Jay reminds him, and I am surprised to hear him say that.

Beomgyu smiles as if he knows more than he shows. "Sure, take it easy."

"But are these two...quiet?" Yeonjun asks again, looking at me.

"Sure." Riki replies, as if he has only one reason to trust.

What's wrong with him today and why is he staring at me as he says that?

Sunghoon's hip presses against my arm and I'm obviously uncomfortable, but I don't want to show it, so I flinch at Yeonjun, who seems to notice, from the way he looks at me out of the corner of his eye, but says nothing, instead raising his arm to let me fit under his wing better.

"Let's go for a smoke." Niki proposes.

I am stunned when I see the huge thing in his hand.... really, that's not a double entendre, I'm talking about the special cigarette he has evidently prepared. "What are you doing?" I ask, upset.

Heeseung gets up quickly, takes the joint out of his hands and runs toward the kitchen. "You bastard!" Soobin shouts, starting to chase after him.

Niki, Taeyun and Beomgyu also go, leaving us in a strange, uncomfortable situation.

"You guys don't smoke? - Yeonjun asks innocently. - Amh..."

"I do." Ester admits.

I smile embarrassedly. "Not in Korea." I admit, too.

Sunghoon glares at me. "Even?"

"Are you his brother? Or are you her father? Are you her boyfriend?" Yeonjun asks again, smiling like an asshole. 

"And who exactly are you?" Sunghoon replies curtly.

Jay is immediately alarmed, I guess he can promptly assess the situation, realizing that the tone of both of them is rather threatening. "You keep bothering her, I'm not the problem."

"We joke like that, what do you know?"

"Are you done?" Jay is also heard by Yeonjun, who is older and should be addressed with respect, but his tone is neither friendly nor respectful.

"He started it." Yeonjun accuses him.

Jay sighs annoyed. "Let's go."

I can see him not giving me a glance, but will I be too selfish to wish for that? Maybe it's because I thought there was something special between us. Had I seriously deluded myself about such a thing? Am I not already all too aware of my situation, as I told Sunghoon?

I will never be a normal girl ever again. I should just enjoy the moment.

"You're really obsessed with me." I comment under my breath as Sunghoon stands beside me on our way to the kitchen.

"You'd like that."

"You're pointing that out to everyone, can't you tell?"

He sighs disinterestedly. "Let them think what they want."

"Are you finished? - Heeseung calls out to us seeing us coming as he has the lit murder weapon in his hand. They opened all the windows so that the smell of weed doesn't get trapped inside. - Do that from today."

"They like each other, it's obvious." Beomgyu says, taking it out of his hands but failing to smoke because Niki takes it away from him again.

"She likes me, you mean. I have a girlfriend, and she is also beautiful, but you already know that." Replies Sunghoon, who is not interested in such amusements so he simply takes water from the refrigerator.

"Exactly because you have her you shouldn't be all over her like that." Yeonjun repeats.

Heeseung is annoyed, I can tell by the way he looks at the boy from the other band. "Do you smoke?" He asks.

"Of course she do." Remembers Sunghoon, and I now attack him.

The Enhypen oldest takes the incriminating object from Niki's hands, handing it to me. "Why don't you ignore it?" He asks again, I take the joint confused.

"You're right." I say.

Sunghoon is offended, I feel his gaze on me. I take a long drag and then blow it in his face, leaving everyone stunned. I don't know precisely why I did it, but it made me burst out laughing, and after me so did everyone else, especially Ester who literally has tears in her eyes. Everyone else--except the Enhypen, I mean.

Sunghoon grabs my cheeks with one hand, pulling me closer to his face. "Are you dumb?"

"Move over if the smoke bothers you." I say with my mouth unnaturally closed because of his hand.

"Amanda!" Jay calls me back.

"I think they like each other, too." Soobin nods.

"Don't you get involved too, hyung." Taehyun calls him back.

"She certainly doesn't like him.- Heeseung blurts out annoyed. - Stop it now."

"Heeseung but do you like Amanda? Do you?" Yeonjun asks.

"How would you know?" Chuckles Sunghoon nervously, completely ignoring his sumbae.

"I've been in her room."

He seems to be improvising but the truth is that he couldn't wait to say it.

I think I'm on the verge of unconsciousness now. What is he saying? Don't tell me he ... he wants to bring up that stupid story now? I swear that... what? What can I do if he decides to say it in front of everyone? 

"In her room?" Soobin asks, interested.

"Are we in an erotic drama?"

"Why do you say that?" Taehyun asks Yeonjun, who was actually quite specific.

"She is your host, isn't she?"

...

Did I hear correctly? Did I get caught right away? How? Do they have a guest too, or did Niki say something? The smoke comes out of my parted lips in amazement, I am holding my breath so much that I think the effect of the puff will be very strong. I take another one quickly, handing it to the owner who thanks by gesturing in silence.

"No." Heeseung replies after many, many seconds.

"Indeed." Sunghoon nods.

Niki looks at his companions nervously. "What is a host?"

"You should have asked first." Jay reminds him.

And the house of cards collapses. It all collapses. The normal-person evening I was hoping to have just shattered into billions of microscopic pieces. Ester looks at me alarmed, Jay is terribly annoyed.

"What did you see in her room?" Reminds Sunghoon, however, who doesn't seem to care at all about the awkward situation we are in.

Heeseung sneers. "That she doesn't like you."

"Bypass that?" Taehyun asks, laughing in an incredibly sensual but nervous way.

"What does that mean? Tell me what you saw." Sunghoon sounds really obstinate.

"Are you children?" Beomgyu asks incredulously.

"I am hungry." Niki says, raising his hand.

"Since we are saying random things - Ester begins - when is Jake coming?"

"There are also other people besides Jay, and apparently Jake, who is not even here." Beomgyu annoyedly reminds her.

"If you keep mentioning him, you'll hurt me." Says Jay, acting, perhaps, I hope?

It's all so damn chaotic.

I have to step away for a second, my head is spinning, I hope no one notices, because there's no one I want beside me right now, I prefer to be alone when I'm sick.

Maybe it's because I haven't smoked for so long, maybe it's because my stomach is cramping and I haven't been thinking for several days now, but I need a moment in silence. I go to the balcony of Jay's room and curl up on myself.

It will be fine, it will be fine.

hi...are you guys enjoying the story? i hope so!

anyway i was curious about something so i try to make a survey!

NEXT CHAPTERS:

[plantmommoonbaby]

Hello, there. I'm currently high (both on cannabis and having freshly info dumped about WBN to someone, and in doing so, I churned my mind up into a frenzy that is better than psychedelics to me) and can't stop thinking. So, please, have:

Some Cannabis and Overenthusiasm-fuelled Fan Theories about Worlds Beyond Number (Part 1)

Theory 1: We might go to Spirit (or at least the Near Spirit) Very Soon ™️

So... this one might be a stretch... But as I previously mentioned, I was infodumping to a friend of mine this morning, and I noticed a trend:

Chapter 1 was introducing us to the PCs (The Wizard, the Witch, and the Wild One), very standard and, dare I say it, proper practice for any long form AP production worth it's salt. It takes place in a relatively neutral setting, in that there is a great diversity of kinds of people our heroes come across, and it really gives just a cursory first glance at the kind of world we are playing in

Chapter 2, we visit the Citadel, home of Suvi (The Wizard), and receive context for what exactly wizards--at least the wizards like our wizard--are all about. We see, in great detail, what expectations are placed upon Suvi; how she should act, speak and think. And we also gain glimpses into the Citadel's function, and the way it interacts with the world that hint at the disconnect between what Suvi believes about the institution that raised her and the actual impact of said institution upon the world.

Now, in Chapter 3, we have stepped into what should be Ame's (The Witch) world, despite her never having really experienced it before this moment. Again, we get a very in depth look into how Ame is expected to act and react as the Witch of the World's Heart, as well as how this very specific faction of witchcraft performs together. Same as with the Citadel, we see that not every witch is the Ghibli-esque cutie we previously thought, and we see the ways that not all witches' actions have the same impact upon the world at large as even the witches believe they do. Also, we get to see that it's not just one baddie here in Umora.

If pattern and logic are to be trusted (and I want to trust my fellow ND comrade BLeeM to make it so, I really do), it seems like the next step for Chapter 4 would be for the gang to follow Eursulon (The Wild One) into some version of his world. Currently, I think the gang fleeing to the Near Spirit where his family tree is would be the ideal; a happy medium between the best outcome (they are actually able to travel into the spirit realm because Eursulon somehow becomes unwayshadowed??) and what seems the most logical next step based off where the last episode (#29) left us (The King of Night drags Eursulon away to the Near Spirit to irrevocably change the trajectory of his life and Ame and Suvibhave to find a way into the Near Spirit to save him). But it feels like it's time for us to start really digging in to how the Spirit leaves its mark on Umora. Plus, with that little teaser of the frontlines of a war that could be heard in the distance from the burrow, I am desperate to know the third side to the story, because then we can start sifting through all this information we have snippets of and see if we can piece some things together.

Damn. This got longer than expected... I think I'll just make a part 2 with my truly unhinged theory next... if you made it here, thanks for reading. I need a snack, you should also have a snack

[cj-6]

Xdinary lore

I'm excluding performance videos here for obvious reasons, and I generalized the b-sides sometimes as they do not always add much to the plot. This does not include interpretation of the lyrics.

Happy Death Day

Happy Death day is Xdinary heroes' first interaction with ♭form. The clown-esque setting is the real world and every other set we see is in the VR world. This is also proven by their accompanying performance videos, where one is called the offline mode and the other the online mode (which this first photo here just further solidifies).

So we see them just doing their thing, until surveillance-type drones appear, which bear the message 'unusual action detected'.

We them see the boys trying to argue with one of the bots, which soon after explodes. I try not to read too much into how and why the thing explodes because I can't really explain it. But it leads to the fact that XH can now take their instruments again and keep performing after being hold up by the bots. Though the system further upholds them (or maybe it is their own fault for ignoring the warnings?), and quickly errors soon after.

Though right after this shot we also see that they have started to blow up on ♭form. Users seem to like what they're doing a lot.

Which just motivates them to reconnect once more.

Something which I also mentioned in the general theme/story part is when we see them reconnect we also get a flash of another warning. The error which we actually see on screen warns them 'please do not attempt to perform' (I actually don't have a screenshot for this because it is so hard to get in frame let alone read, so you just have to trust me on this one!), which they of course ignore. We also see them expanding their ensemble space because of the hype they received from their fans, as we now have a new location/set where they perform (with the white outfits). This location also looks quite like a withered basement, which leads me to believe that they're trying to continue as a group more quietly.

A scene that I really like from this is where we zoom out a bit to reveal all kinds of avatars from users cheering them on (which I never noticed until recently). I also love how we can even see their user names floating above their heads.

At the very end of the MV, we zoom out of a shot that looks quite similar to the picture above, and watch from a pc screen. This pc screen first displays the ♭-note (the ♭form logo) and then we see multiple other screen flashing by with the same logo. And then after we see a screen flash an error message.

So in general this is about them coming together, and already meeting errors in the system, whilst also reaching a level of success.

Test Me + Strawberry Cake

Now this MV is basically summarized by the first shot.

And also a bit by the second one.

We see that within ♭form a competition is going on, a kind of battle of the bands. However, this system is rigged, because the winner has already been decided. This we see right in the frame after the one I screenshotted here, because the trophy for this match already bears a name on it (and it also says so on screen).

In the scene right after, when the music starts to play for the first time, we see that XH fails during the qualifying round by playing a 'wrong' note. And also they throw a small fit which is just funny.

So then comes the plan to rig the whole tournament. Next, we get to their kind of headquarters where they're planning out where the building is and how to get in and stuff. A really cool shot I found is that they even tried objecting before planning out of this stuff, as they send an objection.

And then this is part of the planning board in the next shot.

Also I'm obsessed with this frame where there plan is drawn out and it is literally what they do later in the video so I'm putting it here for appreciation and vibes.

This one as well just for pure appreciation.

So then they board the train/metro to get to the location, which is also the set they used to film strawberry cake in (and very maybe it is also the set used in Maniac by Stray Kids). This train is obviously in hands of ♭form because there are posters of the character that is destined to win (called roboctopus). Then their plan continues, as O.de distracts the guards and the rest sneak in.

The goal is to then put their name in the bracket which they fulfill by hacking into it. I kept pausing the shot where you see the hacking thing happen and I just happen to see this code. I still don't know the meaning but I thought it is nice to include anyway.

There is also another warning message before it says that their hacking was a success, but I cannot read what the text below it says for the life of me.

So then we all probably know what happens: they play against roboctopus and win the contest. Though the fact that XH rigged the contest leaves ♭form with an easy counteraction: Xdinary Heroes are now wanted criminals.

Also this is the first time we have the outro where the last text on screen is cut, which used to be a spoiler towards their next era.

Overall, Test Me is the group expanding their ensemble space, gaining more fame and at the same time gaining more hate from the authorities.

Also a small and random detail is that there is a lot of energy drinks and vending machines with Xtreme High (XH).

Hair Cut + X-MAS

Here we enter a new environment, ♭form's amusement park called dream garden, which also is affirmation that we're still in the VR world.

We can very obviously see how they've grown quite a group of fans for themselves in this world.

Fun thing that I just noticed: not only do they sell happiness at the stands in this park, some also sell mufflers, which are used to drown out sounds made by certain instruments (a way for the authorities to stop fans from listening to XH). You can see it in the background of this shot.

There's a lot to this MV that does not necessarily mean anything to the main plot I'm describing here, but I will mention it a bit as well.

So O.de, Gaon and Jungsu get pulled into the mirror maze type of set, where they are welcomed by the darker sides om themselves. The more simplistic sets are basically the representations of negativity, which they need to cut out of their life. A fun fact to add to this is during the showcase they said that the gardening and barber concepts come from the fact that they need to sort and cut away the bad parts of themselves.

Now that the world they're in is questioning whether they are villains or heroes, they themselves are as well. They are literally held up a mirror to reflect on their deeds and intentions.

By breaking out of these thoughts (again literally because O.de breaks the glass), they again are met with errors and warnings.

And then is to us revealed that this place was danger after all, as the sign from the beginning changes.

You can actually see what they mean by this danger if you focus on the background of some of the shots that follow; the rides are broken off and electric sparks are flying around. Some of the carts even fall down. So maybe the group was invited here as the special guest (explained below) because it was an attempt to rid of them?

Then we see XH start to smash a bunch of things, including their own instruments and a sign that encourages people to join ♭form. This can be see as an act of rebellion against the whole system. I was actually able to find that on some of the posters it speaks of the grand opening of ♭form garden, so XH just kind of ruined that by setting the place on fire.

Random thing I have to mention: the 'hello, world' sign in the back is one of the cooler easter eggs I've found.

Also here is a screenshot where you can see the posters the best. There is one that speaks of the grand opening with Xdinary Heroes as their special guest. It also says: 'What can be next? Guess what! The light is coming in. Its blinding'. The other poster has details on the opening, the location is called DreamLand.

Then we get onto the last and most important scenes of this whole MV.

We see a phone, which I'm assuming is from one of the members. And then we get the next shot.

It is a message from ♭form, telling them that their police report has been submitted for review. Aka a big spoiler to the next MV.

And yet another warning/error message to top the whole thing off:

The TLDR for this one is that Hair cut is the point where everyone (including XH themselves) are questioning the goodness of them, so much so that it is 'overloading them'. Their popularity is used against them, as ♭form tries to rid of them by inviting them to this opening, which turns out to be danger. Though XH fights back equally hard by smashing all of DreamLand.

Album titles << Music videos #1 >> Music videos #2

[superman86to99]

Adventures of Superman #513 (June 1994)

"THE BATTLE FOR METROPOLIS," Part 4! The Death of Project Cadmus! (Well, "death" in comic book terms.) After the events of last issue, in which a bunch of Cadmus-brand rockets exploded all around Metropolis, a royally pissed-off Superman heads to the formerly top secret government installation to register his displeasure with Director Westfield... only to find out that someone beat him to it, because Westfield has been murdered.

Since Cadmus' top dorks don't have much experience shouting orders at soldiers (the guy in charge of that just died), Superman steps in to fill that role while they try to figure out who killed Westfield and where his ear went.

Given that Cadmus' other, nerdier directors have spent days in a probably very stinky lab trying to come up with a cure for the Clone Plague ravaging Metropolis (and a small part of Hawaii), the main suspect for Westfield's murder is Dr. Carl Packard, a nervous little guy who tends to disappear for days. Also, he was just found wandering the hallways muttering about someone who "deserves death," so that doesn't look too good for him. Before Packard can explain himself (he was talking about his other evil boss, Lex Luthor), the whole murder mystery matter is shuffled aside when the nerds actually find the key to curing the Plague: the blood of one of the few clones who didn't get sick, the Guardian! Hope he's got a lot of it.

As it turns out, they need Packard to create that Guardian-fueled cure, so everyone agrees to forget about the fact that he's probably a murderer for a while. As soon as they let Packard near a computer, however, he uses the secret program in all LexCorp PCs that notifies Lex if someone types his name (yes, Lex was the original "searches himself on Twitter all day" billionaire) to send him a message telling him about the cure. Instead of letting Packard cook and then stealing the cure, the Plague-stricken and increasingly insane Lex orders his Lex-Men to invade Cadmus and kidnap the Guardian. To be fair, he does look like he's about 15 seconds away from shriveling up into a prune, so I get the urgency.

So, Superman and the few Cadmus soldiers in there (most are out fighting angry clones in Metropolis) have to defend the facility from an army of flying armored goons while the nerds try to work on the cure. Lex uses a hologram of himself when he still had hair to try to convince Superman that he should let Superboy, the Newboy Legion kids, and all those sewer clones die so that Lex himself can live ("Would you let Einstein die to save the Bowery Boys?"), but somehow he isn't dissuaded. Not only that, but Superman even calls Lex "contemptible"... and, uh, everyone else who uses a wig.

Lex must have really hated that crack about his baldness, because the next thing he does is order the Lex-Men to blow up Cadmus' reactor and kill everyone inside. If he can't have the cure, no one can. Superman looks a bit overwhelmed with the soon-to-explode reactor and the Lex-Men trying to stop him from containing it (so much so that he calls them "idiots," about the strongest insult you'll hear from this Superman), but then someone stops by to help him: patient zero of the Clone Plague cure...

...Superboy! Who could barely stand up the last time we saw him and is now flying and punching goons, so looks like that cure is working. Superman tells the Kid to take those goons outside while he tries to prevent the reactor from exploding, but as soon as Superboy makes it out, there's a huge explosion and the mountain surrounding Cadmus collapses. Superboy wants to start digging up the survivors, but Superman tells him not to bother: everyone is dead. And he'll make Luthor pay for this and all his other sins, once and for all... next week, in Action Comics #700!

TO BE CONCLUDED, obviously.

Plotline-Watch:

That's it for Project Cadmus, and everyone who worked in it, which will never appear ag-- ok, no one actually believes that. We'll see how they saved themselves and why Superman is pretending they died next issue. Note, however, that Superboy isn't pretending to believe that some of his best friends are buried under a mountain, so his chipperness in that final panel is disturbing.

As you've probably guessed if you've been paying attention, the one who stole Westfield's ear was the same maniac who killed him, disgraced geneticist Dabney Donovan. I don't remember if Dabney ever used Westfield's ear in one of his experiments, but even if he didn't, at least he got to use it for a couple of corny jokes.

Poor Dr. Happersen... he's trying to tell his boss he loves him and would never betray him, and Lex cuts him off and yells at him. Plus, in the same page Lex made it clear that he still isn't totally convinced Happersen isn't Lois Lane's informant, even thought it obviously isn't him. It's hard not to read that exchange with Smithers' and Mr. Burns' voices.

There's a nice little moment with the Guardian, originally a Captain America self-ripoff by Cap creators Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, saying he's okay with dying to make the cure because he's lived a very long life. Lines like that work better when it's a character who's actually been around since the '40s. I wouldn't have minded if he had died during this storyline -- they could always make another clone later on (and seeing him struggle to live up to his own legacy might have been interesting).

Patreon-Watch:

The latest Patreon-only post was about an Elseworlds story where Superman turns into a cursed spirit haunting a villain, one where he turns the X-Men into the JLA, and (briefly) one where Bizarro teams up with every other DC villain whose name ends in "O." Join Aaron, Chris “Ace” Hendrix, britneyspearsatemyshorts, Patrick D. Ryall, Bheki Latha, Mark Syp, Ryan Bush, Raphael Fischer, Kit, Sam, Bol, and Gaetano Barreca at the Superman '86 to '99 Patreon!

And now, more from Don Sparrow (whose newsletter you should be subscribed to, by the way)...

Art-Watch (by @donsparrow):

We start with the cover, and it’s a pretty good one, with co-star Guardian in well-drawn technological peril, and I never tire of blasts bouncing off Superman. 

Inside the book we are greeted with a poster (or at least sticker) worthy image of an on-edge Superman flying at the viewer, his Tarzan-like mane flowing in the wind.

Kitson’s art at this time is a bit strange to me—it might be the inker, or more likely it’s the era—the early 90s demanded everything be a bit more exxxxxxtreme and Jim-Lee-like in its rendering, but it mostly seems at odds with Kitson’s naturalistic drawing style.  So you get weird in-between drawings, like on page 2 where Superman is yelling, but his mouth appears to barely be open (as opposed to page 5, when Dr. Packard shouts in surprise, and his mouth appears to be fully extended). 

A page later Superman’s surprise (and perhaps grief?) at Westfield’s death is captured well. 

On page 4, the fun really begins, as Kitson seems to really have a ball drawing the insane and Dr. Robotnik-like Dabney Donovan, and his comedic use of a stolen body part. 

A small thing, but worth mentioning: Kitson and McCarthy absolutely kill it when it comes to reflective surfaces.  Throughout the issue, the shiny glasses are on point.  Great stuff there, particularly with the two-tone colouring of a Lex-Men soldier on page 16.

On page 10 we get our latest look at Lex Luthor, and it ain’t pretty.  The little lines on his flesh make it seem so fragile and sickly. 

The full page splash of Cadmus mountain imploding seems like a bit of a missed opportunity, as Superboy isn’t really facing the “camera” and the destruction is mostly dust.  Finally, on page 21, the drawing of Superman’s righteous anger at Lex wreaking death and destruction is a great one.

In contrast to Superman #90, where I felt not a lot happened, this issue is chock full of activity, with a race against the clock to find a cure for the clone sickness, Lex-Men invaders, and a core meltdown, plus a little pop-in with Dabney AND a Superboy cameo—it’s a big one, and a nice hors d’oeuvres for the very BIG number coming next week. 

SPEEDING BULLETS:

I think Dr. Packard should be played by Micro Machines Motormouth, John Moschitta Jr.  It would certainly make his scientific explanations a lot funnier to imagine them being said at lightspeed.

Superboy makes a reference to a Nancy Kerrigan commercial, which was probably this one for Campbell’s Chicken noodle, where the otherwise waify and demure Ms. Kerrigan bodychecks a hockey player (the Campbell’s slogan, at the time, was “Never Underestimate the Power of Soup”, which is the line that gets cut off as Superboy speaks). [Max: Fun fact, in the Spanish version I read in the '90s, Superboy just says "I learned this from a TV ad." Guess they didn't have space for a footnote explaining who Nancy Kerrigan was...]

GODWATCH: Interesting that Big Words seems to be a believer, as Guardian bravely takes the experimental treatment, the man of science prays that Jim Harper has a “personal guardian”.  

This is a pretty testosterone-driven issue—I can’t remember off-hand another issue that had not a single female appear in the story. [Max: There IS a female Cadmus trooper in page 1, but she doesn't speak, unless she's supposed to be yelling "SSSSHHOOOOOOM!" as Superman flies by... which I'd totally do.]

[chrysanthemumgames]

i just want to say how much i appreciate you mentioning the content warnings for the chapter on the intro post. it was a little hard for me to read due to the content, so i'm really glad to have had the forewarning to get myself into the proper mindset to read it, because there were so many small moments in the chapter that i really love! the pc telling aphrodite that they know their friends from the Underworld will come for them soon and aphrodite replying "of course they will, they love you" almost made me tear up (in a good way)!

i also happened to spot an error (but i didn't think to screenshot it, sorry), where there's an incomplete italics tag (i think it's just [i without the closing bracket from memory?) i believe it was in the scene where athena comes to visit the pc, although it was definitely around that time - i was doing a particularly high erudition playthrough that time, if that helps. sorry i can't be more specific! (you don't have to post this, if it's too much spoilers, of course, i just wanted to say how much i appreciated your work since you mentioned being nervous!) great work on the update!

I definitely try to content warn for everything I can think of. It can be tough stuff, and I do want to do my part to make sure everyone is prepared for that going in. I think one of the things I'm going to do before publication is solicit suggestions for things that ought to be warned for, as no matter how hard I try I probably won't be able to get everything.

Anyway, that aside, I'm really glad you were able to get yourself in the right place to read it, and thanks for the typo note. I think I know where that one is, and will soon be updating with a fix!

[theressomethinghappeninginparis]

All I can tell you about the next rooms I've been in is that I'm glad someone, probably Trent, was here before me. He could have cleaned up if you ask me, I haven't eaten enough to throw up, I just rush through the rooms and almost run in hopes of finding a safer place. Everything here is dead, sliced up, shot, or mutilated. I found a first aid box and took some painkilers and gauze bandage in case I accidentally hurt myself on anything here, literally no space in here that looks comforting and safe.

Transcript of the first page: This gummy cell had a dead guy inside, lying in his own blood. He had a number on his back- there were so many people down here, I wonder how no one started missing them? Or was someone looking for their friend, their relative? They had corpses in the morgue, laying on a metal table. It was freezing in there and creepy as fuck. The blood was dried and I didn't dare stepping in further.

Transcript of the second page: Further on I found dead inmate and a soldier(?). Someone want amok in here. Or did someone start an outbreak and thus the police or a private security group was involved? There was also a room with tubes similar to the ones I've seen before. But the things swimming in there were men(?) and I think there were horns(?) on him...ist this one of the nephilim I heard being talked about? Are these poor inamtes stripped of their souls and used as bodies for the nephilim? I wish I knew. Or. Think of it. I'm glad I don't.

Transcript of the third page: I came even deeper into the complex, downstairs, and I found this. I'm not sure what it is, it is hanging above a pit I couldn't look into. It's so deep into the ground I can't believe it's part of the sanitarium in the first place. When I went up a ladder, I saw this open door- I think due to the electricity that someone cut someone or something escaped. Let's hope it's not the Proto? What else could they have been keeping down here?

Transcript of the fourth page: My fake Strahov-pass got me into the files on the pc I found in a lab. I had to shove...the scientist a bit to the left. They talk about inmate number 42 and his medical record. They put him through so much, but why? There are mentions of "Proto cells", if this is the angel of death the inmate talked about? The horns I saw on the bodies of the bodies in the tubes were non-human. Not completely. If this really is the "Proto Nephilim" I pverhearf on the conversation, what would they do with its cells? I have an assumption, but I need more research. I think they want to revive the Nephilim with human beings...yeah what the hell.

Transcript of the fifth, sixth, and seventh page: Here's some papers I got for inmate number 42. I printed these out to take them with me. Does anyone know what is going on here? The man is named Hassan Ahmed Emin, and the doctor writing this is Melinda Everst. He speaks Turkish and needed a translator here. He reports restlessness, stress due to driving at night, fear of darkness, and feelings of loneliness. He has two allergies and then they list hsi current medications. They talk about giving him Proto cells, metallurgy on his hed, a lobotomy, Christ all this is so insane. So Eckhardt's fanclub is taking reandom people no one's missing and trying to revive the Nephilim so he can finally stay immortal? He is a rather skinny man and lost his weight in here. His history also includes seizures and neuropathy; lots of bone problems, and mental illnesses. His reports on his quality of life are high, but his emotional and physical well being is low.

I am continueing my walk through this mess and it's getting colder. I hope I'll come across a living non-hostile person soon, the loneliness is really creeping into me. There's another lab I can go in, but right now I'm resting again, hiding in a cell with a shelf I shoved in front. I really need this- this institute to have an end, I need some sunrays and, at some point, my old life back.