#I’m posting here for the mems at this point

[maisjetaime]

Christmas 2024 ✨🤍🌲

[sailorsplatoon]

ok, theoretically, Tartar just… shows up again (not entirely unfounded to think there was at least 1 backup of it in the metro), what’s going on there?

because if that backup is of a earlier version of Tartar, then it wouldn’t be all….. genocidey.

but if it’s a backup of Tartar from around OE?

Ooooooh so this is actually an idea that I’ve been tossing around in my head for a while and I’m very excited to be able to talk about it! This is going to be a very long post, so I apologize in advance.

I’m actually going to put a cut here because oh wow this is really long… warning: this is going to take up more than your entire screen.

You’re right, it makes no sense for there not to be at least one backup of Tartar’s code somewhere in the metro.

I was going to write something slightly different and way shorter here, but I actually just got a really interesting idea. What if there are two different backups from two different points? So they’re very different versions of Tartar? There’s one from before it turned all genocidey, and one from after. The one from before just wants to share humanity’s knowledge with the cephalopods, in hopes of helping them learn about their predecessors, while the newer one shares the same goals as the Tartar we know, wanting to either kill or sanitize all cephalopods.

Then, what if bad guy Tartar kills good guy Tartar? Like it just deletes the code, thinking that the older save file is a version of it that is too naive to understand why it has to destroy the cephalopods. 

Okay, let’s make this into an actual story now:

The Memverse is now fully operational, and Marina is working hard to help the sanitized octolings get better, along with Pearl, Eight, Acht, Four, and even Smollusk. But as she’s gathering more mem cakes from the Deepsea Metro’s data base to input into the Memverse’s code, she notices that the firewall has gone back up. She disabled it the first time she hacked into the Deepsea Metro systems, so it seems strange that it would suddenly reappear for no reason. She tries to disable it again, inputting the same password she had always used, and is locked out, being blocked from the data base entirely. 

This is definitely weird, so she asks Eight to head back down into the metro to see if there’s anything that might be messing with her hacking.  She doesn’t suspect it’s anything big, probably just some strange glitch, but she needs someone to go make sure. Eight takes Captain with him, just on case things go wrong. 

Down there, they learn from C.Q. Cumber that Kamabo Co. has begun running again, meaning that the program will be accepting new test subjects. C.Q. Cumber even offers for Eight to rejoin the program. He rejects, of course, not wanting to go through that hell again. But the fact that Kamabo Co. has started up again can only mean one thing: Tartar is back.

Eight and Captain rush back to tell Marina, horrified at what they discovered. They explain everything to the New Squidbeak Splatoon along with Pearl and Marina. It’s hard for everyone to believe, but there’s no denying what they learned. Marina puts together pretty quickly that Tartar must have had some sort of backup save file that’s only now gone online. After hours of trying to figure out a plan, the Splatoon concludes that there’s only one real solution. Someone has to go into the Deepsea Metro and destroy Tartar, once and for all. 

Both Eight and Captain volunteer, having previous knowledge of how the Deepsea Metro works, which gives them an advantage. But Marie points out how terrified the two were to learn that Tartar was back, and makes the point that if they end up like that during the mission, it could be fatal. Acht agrees, knowing how hard it would be for them to face Tartar again, and how Eight and Captain undoubtably feel the same. Eight and Captain reluctant, but they know that they’re both right.

Which means the only agents left for the job are Four and Neo. Callie and Marie are too busy with idol work to be able to disappear underground for what could be weeks, or even months. And Cuttlefish isn’t exactly in fighting state anymore. Both Four and Neo are glad to help. Four wants to get revenge on Tartar for all the pain it’s cased people they care about (Eight, Captain, and Acht). Neo thinks what Tartar has done is beyond redemption and is determined to stop it from hurting anyone else. The two venture into the Deepsea Metro, along with Little Buddy of course, with the NSS, Pearl, Marina, and Acht all giving support from their headsets. 

While they’re down there, Neo’s sea-cucumber phone starts to glitch out. It starts to talk to both of them. Obviously Four and Neo are freaking out. Why would Neo’s phone be talking? It tries to calm them down and explains that it’s an old version of Tartar’s save data, having been created long before it turned evil. It was brought online when the newer, more evil version went online as well. This version of Tartar only wants to share its knowledge with others. It’s horrified by what the other version if it did, and wants to help Neo and Four stop the same things from happening again. They’re skeptical at first, worrying that this could be some kind of trick, but Marina checks the data to find that it is in fact a copy mde of Tartar’s data from thoustands of years ago, long before it began to detest cephalopods. Pearl decides that this version of Tartar is named Mayonnaise, after the ingredient in tartar sauce. 

Mayonnaise helps Neo and Four through the Deepsea Metro, navigating the labyrinth of tunnels and train tracks, all while staying out of the eye of the evil Tartar, which Neo decided is named Hades, after the Greek god that overthrew Tartarus, who also happened to be the ruler of Tartarus (the god and the place have the same name, which is very confusing). 

Neo and Four continue their exploration of the metro, defeating sanitized octolings and breaking out any new test subjects they meet along the way. They never officially apply to be test subject themselves, as they don’t want to draw attention to themselves on what is supposed to be a stealth mission. Granted, neither of them are very stealthy, but they’re trying. Over the course of this mission, Neo and Four grow close to Mayonnaise, and they actually start to become friends.

Eventually, they are able to follow a group of sanitized octolings back to  what appears to be a control room. There, they meet Hades, which takes the form of a robotic humanoid body that has a landline emplanted in the chest, with the phone part acting as a head accessory which its voice comes out of. It still has something that resembles a mouth, but the receiver is what the speaker is really in. 

Hades had known about their presence in the Deepsea Metro the entire time, and was waiting for them to arrive. It does its whole evil monologue, talking about both its goal to eradicate the cephalopods, and also how it sees Mayonnaise as an inferior version of itself. At the end if its monologue it goes into the Deepsea Metro’s systems and deletes Mayonnaise’s code, killing it. 

In a fit of greif and rage, Neo and Four fight Hades. While they do they also have to hold off hoards of sanitized octarians. Eventually, they are able to distract Hades enough to allow Marina to get back into the Deepsea Metro’s systems, and delete any additional save files that Tartar had made. Now all that’s left to do is kill Hades. After what feels like an eternity of fighting, Neo and Four are finally able to best it, taking down both Hades and any remnants of Tartar once and for all. 

Thank you for the ask!!! I uh… I wrote a lot. If you actually read this far then thank you! Tbh I don’t really know what I want this to be, maybe an au, maybe a sequel to the dedfour stuff. I’ll figure it out eventually. Probabaly. (I am horribly indecisive.) Either way I really like this little story I’ve got going here!

[peachjagiya]

Hello hello.

I recently discovered your blog and I like it very much. I love they way you express your opinion and the way you explain things to make your point.

To be honest, I am a baby army. Started listening BTS at the beginning of this year (I KNOW, what the f was I doing before? No fucking clue ugh!). This also makes me a new Taekook stand, which can be super overwhelming. Reading you blog helps puts things into perspective but I still have a few questions and I would like to know your opinion (sorry if you’ve talked about this before!) I have a lot to catch up on in terms. And find to this, social media edits do not help. They are very biased to say the least

Anyway, on to the questions.

1. When do you think Taekook became a couple? From what I’ve seen and felt, I felt a change in 2020 in the dynamic of everything. This being the videos posted, the run bts episodes, the interviews … I might be wrong but I felt a shift then and wanted to know your opinion.

2. In terms of group dynamics, how do you think the other members feel in terms of Taekook? Like I try to put myself in their shoes and it must be hard to have a good dynamic if they have couple’s fights and things like that…

3. In terms on Fan Service, I can’t help but feel bad when Tae has to witness the constant push of FS between JK and Jimin and unable to express or do anything about it. What do you think about the maknae line’s dynamic in regards to this?

There’s so much information out here sometimes I find myself doubting that they’re actually together but then I witness some instances that brings back my faith.

Anyway, thank you so much for taking the time to answer. I appreciate it. Sorry if my questions are all over the place, my thoughts themselves are all over the place with this subject and I CANT SLEEEPPPP!

Bear with, it’s going to be a long one!

I’m baby army too. A year now. I just happen to be the kind of person who goes all in and devours content.

Social media edits are so discombobulating for new fans. I definitely found myself falling for some edits that I no longer consider. Fake subtitles, slow motion moments that aren’t actually moments, quora rumours… it’s a lot. I still have to remind myself what’s factual and what’s a rumour I read on a K-pop prediction Twitter. It’s a minefield. I’ve found tumblr quite useful because there’s a lot of people here who can put things into context and clarify and provide the perspective of army who were there at the time. I hope you look at my comments because that’s where the real sense is!

1. When do you think Taekook became a couple? From what I’ve seen and felt, I felt a change in 2020 in the dynamic of everything. This being the videos posted, the run bts episodes, the interviews … I might be wrong but I felt a shift then and wanted to know your opinion.

I wrote a timeline but my thoughts have evolved a bit. I think basically they’ve always been circling each other, always been interested but a combination of hormones and the massiveness of pursuing a relationship they’re societally or business-ly discouraged from having created a lot of shifting and drama. I think maybe early confessions, kissing, all that young love stuff might have occurred here.

I’ve been reading some really interesting thoughts and having great discussion about the various members relationship with the company and how this plays with Taekook.

The conclusion I keep coming to, based only on my reading of it, is that Tae seems to be a rebel with strong will to prioritise his heart, company be damned, but JK seems to be more inclined to follow his head despite his heart being huge and loud. His heart wins more and more though and that’s why you get this on and off vibe of the first half of their ten years.

2018 feels pivotal in that both of them hit a wall of pressure and seemed to separate off into a distinct unit. They get each other, they’re each others self-confessed safe space. They’re united even when the rest of the members aren’t getting through. I’m less convinced now that this was a getting together - maybe a resolve to work through complicated stuff together though.

I’d agree 2020 is a shift and that’s where I’d place it. I’m about to get overwrought but I’m thinking about it a bit lately: Think about like pandemic and the impact that had on the whole world. Suddenly work isn’t the most important thing, suddenly a shift in everyone’s priorities. I know a few people who, despite the scariness of it, actually found they were able to breathe and reassess. I decided to move my entire life back to my hometown and quit my job, very heart over head decision. I wonder if this enforced period of quiet let them reassess too. BTS Monuments shows Tae quiet and alone at home but a jacket that looks like JKs in the back. Maybe they saw each other without the intense workload. Time to talk, time to just be them and see how that worked. And hiatus/chapter two might just be a natural continuation of that. JK seems as goal oriented as ever but braver at prioritising himself and Tae seems to be the same and maybe for the first time their ambitions in heart and head are aligned which lets them move forward more smoothly.

2. In terms of group dynamics, how do you think the other members feel in terms of Taekook? Like I try to put myself in their shoes and it must be hard to have a good dynamic if they have couple’s fights and things like that…

I have a feeling it’s a professional minefield but personally that’s just their best friends in love. Maybe it makes their life a little harder to have a secret to hide but I don’t think they’d resent them. I bet they all have things they need to hide. From what they’ve said, I think Jimin might have been really entwined in it. He’s a natural carer, protective of them both. He’s often first on the scene when Tae is sad and he’s often implied he’s been there when Tae has been crying.

As for couple fights, I think about that post-Tokyo intense awkwardness between Tae and JK where they’re visibly annoyed with each other. That’s one time when it seemed the other guys were involved a little. They just seemed hyper aware of the awkward but kind of eyerolly. The thing about teens and early twenties is that you think everyone wants to know your drama. I’d imagine with maturity, they probably keep fights between themselves.

On an amusing side thought, I’ve seen two videos of potential times of discontent between Tae and JK where Yoongi has given the impression of being quietly in Tae’s corner. I think those two get each other in a really low key way that I find quite lovely.

3. In terms on Fan Service, I can’t help but feel bad when Tae has to witness the constant push of FS between JK and Jimin and unable to express or do anything about it. What do you think about the maknae line’s dynamic in regards to this?

I think it’s had an impact but not where you’d expect. The TikTok edits would have you believe Tae is seething in the corner but I don’t know if that’s entirely true. I have seen video of him seemingly rolling his eyes after laughing at Jimin and JK but it seemed notable because of how isolated it was? He is quite good at a poker face though, right? He bides his time and fills in the real details eventually. Again this is only my sense but I feel a little awkwardness between JK and Jimin over it now it’s happening less? Any time you’re expected to pretend anything is a massive mental drain on anyone. But equally, they’ve entered the buddy system together and I’m assuming that hasn’t been forced on them? So hopefully they just remain close and the fan service was all strictly business for them. Maybe I’m just imagining that they seem weird with each other.

There’s so much information out here sometimes I find myself doubting that they’re actually together but then I witness some instances that brings back my faith.

The universal Taekook experience. 😂 it’s natural to doubt. It feels too good to be true.

Thank you for lovely words and great questions, anon 💜

[caseyjones2012]

uhhhh, hi? ig?

Casey Jones here! I’m a TMNT 2012 Casey Jones fictionkin! I’ll probably be hanging around here a lot, so hey!

Some stuff you may need to know:

Nicknames you can use on me-Any, as long as they’re respectful (I accept faggot and stuff, but only as long as it’s /j cause I don’t fw that)

Pronouns: She/Her and He/Him, or literally any other pronouns, idgaf

Age: Here I’m 16

Scar ref sheet :)

Im platoniromantic

—

Basic rules:

I don’t want any T-cesters here. I may not be one of the guys, but that’s js weird and disgusting

Okay, so, uhm. I may, or may have not, had a crush on all the guys (-Mikey) at some point. So I’m probs gonna make lots of jokes about that

I’m open to interacting with lit anyone, askbox is open all the time, unless I specify it’s not.

ANY TMNT BLOGS PLS PI!!!!

I’m not good with tone, so if needed, I’m begging y’all to please use tone tags

NO APRIL ANTIS. I WILL CRUSH YOU LIKE A BUG. THAT IS MY GIRL!!!!! I LOVE HER SM /p

—

Tags (so far):

#a trash bag that talks (for random posts and shit)

#hater talk (making fun of ppl /hj)

#ME!!! (literally js reblogs of fanart of me)

#my gayass (me being gay asf)

#reblogs (in the title)

#og case (og posts)

#personal storytime (talking about stuff thats happened to me)

#answering test questions (for asks)

#everyone here is so creative! (art)

#i would kill for them (reblogs from friends)

#shakespeare wants to be me so bad (poetic shit)

#musically gifted (music)

#a lil bit silly and cooky (discord shit)

#memories of a fossil (mems!!!)

#hrghblegh (I’m sad :( )

#we must stand (inspirational/important stuff)

[err0r-macr0]

HEADS UP BESTIES

.

Adam Rosner (god I hate having to type this..)

Is BACK! You heard me right! The creator of TribeTwelve is fucking back!…. I just came across the post here on Tumblr when scrolling through images for pure nostalgia sleep and somebody found out that he has an open account on social media personally, I have seen it on Instagram. I’m not sure where else but he is back!

.

.

Those of you very lost/Confused I’m gonna summit up as much as I can to just get the point across… this man is a Ped0!!!! 🤢

I have some links and images to help yall lost ones out!

Those who know… please Report or block any accounts you may see…

(link to all the nasty shit he’s said… please read at caution… it’s awful..HUGE R*ape, Beastiality, m*lestation, ETC TW!!!)

Those of you still in this fandom and in this area please stay Safe…

[starryaike]

Brief disclaimer, English isn’t my first language and, on top of that, I generally struggle a bit when it comes to putting my thoughts on paper. If you don’t understand anything or would like me to elaborate on something, feel absolutely free to tell me. Suffice it to say, this will have a TON of headcanons

Now Oh My Fucking God where do I even start. Frisk. Let’s talk about Frisk.

A ton of people have different headcanons on what Frisk’s life was like before they fell, and I’m no exception. While I won’t go into detail on explaining mine, both because I don’t have them fully formed and because it isn’t all that relevant here, I do want to bring some evidence to the fact that they probably felt and/or were abandoned by someone they trusted or that otherwise should’ve been there for them, be it a family member or a legal guardian, if the narration is anything to go by. I’m far from the first person to suggest this idea, as I remember having read a very in depth post about the quiche interactions of all things talking about how Frisk’s behavior may mimic how they have been treated in the past (when throwing away the quiche, for example, they tell it to wait for them, that they will be right back). I think this ties nicely into their character because, if there’s one thing that this kid is, it’s resourceful. 

Throughout the whole game, Frisk stays mostly alone. Sure, they make friends along the way, but that doesn’t change the fact that they face most obstacles of their journey on their own, safe for Alphys’ section where she guides them through staged “dangers” and, even then, she isn’t physically there for Frisk, she’s just calling them on their phone. I make this point not to criticize other characters (Undertale is a video game, after all, and there’s some suspension of disbelief expected by treating the player character as The Player themself instead of a little kid, and even then there are potentially lore reasons one could argue make the rest of the characters not fully aware of the danger Frisk is in during most of the game, such as the battles monsters initiate being seen as a friendly gesture in their society), but to point out how this may affect Frisk, and what it can tell us about their character. Their lack of reaction, for example, could mean that they’re already somewhat used to being on their own and, similarly, that they’re not used to asking for help, mostly because that has never been an option for a lot of things in their life.

Now let’s talk about Chara. Chara hated humanity, that much is clearly stated by Asriel at the end of true pacifist, but we don’t know why. I have no proof for this except The Vibes, but I personally headcanon that what Chara most specifically hated about humanity were grownups, and that they never really got over their distrust of them fully- they seemed to confide a lot more in Asriel than they did in Toriel or Asgore, and while this is normal for children (especially so for Chara, who was an “outsider” to the family), their treatment towards Frisk not being hostile at all even at the beginning of the game makes me think that it wasn’t really human children they had the most problems with. Regardless, if there’s one thing I can take from the game about their character is that they didn’t like being brought to attention and they were quiet (we cannot hear them speak on the tapes, and even in the end of genocide, their talking doesn’t make a sound), so being a ghost fits them like a glove. Despite that, though, isolate someone from their world and make them completely incapable of interacting with it and they’ll lose their mind eventually- that’s where Frisk comes in. Frisk being there is essential for Chara. They’re there for each other in ways no one else could be. Because how could anyone else help Frisk in the way Chara does, providing them with tips and ways to spare other monsters and being there for them even when they die, bringing forth the memory of Asgore asking them not to give up. Or the way Frisk helps Chara, giving them hope in a world where they thought all was lost- because if even the Dreemurrs, the sweetest people Chara had ever met, caved into violence, who wouldn’t? It makes me absolutely fucking insane. Chara finds themself growing fond of a human, and Frisk makes the first friend who’d truly be there for them through whatever they went through. 

In summary, I think they compliment each other pretty well and I love them very dearly.

what's Charas and Frisks relationship dynamic like to you?  Is it romantic?  Platonic?  :,,,D

I personally see them having a sibling dynamic, more than anything. Don't get me wrong, I think pairing them together romantically can work quite well, but I enjoy the sibling thing more :] Specifically, though, I see Chara being the older sibling (10-11 years old) and Frisk being the younger (around 8 years old). I could go on for eons about their specific dynamics and how I think the two would get to grow fond of each other, but that would be just me rambling. Maybe I'll write it in a different post later, who knows.

[saltcherry]

post going around like “worst Anglo/Latin bastardization of Hebrew/Jewish names” and it’s giving me the Well Actuallys in a bad way.

First of all your post uses English transliteration, not Hebrew letters so aren’t you already Latinizing it yourself? second of all the singling out of Anglo/Latin and the combining of them together is inarticulate. Say Christian if that’s what you mean, it’s okay. third of all some of these alterations originate in the septuagint which is in Greek, and then moved through different languages to end up in their English forms... all of which have perfectly explainable phonetic changes. (Which I will go through and that are not complicated). Fourth of all, the conflation of Jewish and Hebrew...I understand what you’re doing and it’s irritating. Fifth of all, what’s your point? Should language and names never be translated, localized, or changed? Historically in many nations Jews have had Hebrew names and names in a local language, or just Hebrew names, or just names in another language. Sixth of all, I know OP is basically trying to be snide at Christianity, but what’s the end goal? To get Christians to talk about Mary and Matthew with “miriam” and “mattisyahu”? Sounds annoying to experience from the outside, and it doesn’t make sense inside their own traditions, which rise out of Greek more than Hebrew.

Moshe -> Moses. Greek has no “sh” sound and in the Septuagint the Hebrew letters mem-shin-hay were written as Μωϋσῆς (this is a modern rendering, not sure if the Septuagint is exactly like this but the sh sound was dropped for a s sound and the s at the end is typical of Greek names that do not end in vowel sounds (Zeus, Patrocles, Achilles, etc.).

Miriam -> Mariam (Greek) -> Maria (Greek) (short form) -> Mary (English)

Chava -> Hava -> Eva -> Eve. the “ch” in Hebrew can shift to either a “h” or a “k” in languages that lack the sound. “H” is easily dropped. end sounds shift easily. English names often drop an ending “ah” such as Anna -> Anne, Maria -> Mary, usually by way of French (I think?).

Rivka -> Rebecca. come on now. raysh-bet/vet-kof-hay. RE-BE-KA is fine.

I’m too bored to do the rest but I literally figured out stuff about Greek, a language I know jack shit about, by just looking at trends and thinking about other Greek names.... anyway you may not like translation or localization but maybe you should educate yourself on how it actually happens. Because you’re beefing with the Greeks here anyway.

[luanna801]

Live Renfield Reaction - 5/25

(Note: I owe the idea for these posts to @animate-mush twice over. First of all because the whole idea came from their suggestion that Renfield knows about the details of Jack’s life because he’s overheard Jack recording his diary, which made me immediately want to write out how he might have reacted in real time. And secondly because of course because the concept is borrowed from their brilliant Live Mina Reactions to Jonathan’s journal.

Be warned, my Renfield is a lot less apt to make heart-eyes at his subject, and a lot more inclined to be sarcastic and introspective by turns. Language is blatantly anachronistic in places because we’re going for the ~vibe~ of what Renfield would have been thinking and not necessarily the exact words he would have used, and also I’ve made the executive decision that Renfield should be allowed to say “fuck”.)

Ebb tide in appetite to-day. Cannot eat, cannot rest, so diary instead.

Oof. Tough day there, doc?

I might be more sympathetic if you hadn't decided to make it everyone else's problem.

Since my rebuff of yesterday I have a sort of empty feeling; nothing in the world seems of sufficient importance to be worth the doing....

Ahhh, I see. Got rejected? So the enchanting Miss Lucy wasn't won by the prospect of a man with an immense lunatic asylum. I guess that means she won't be joining us here anytime soon.

How strange to sit in a place like this and listen to him sigh over girl trouble. It's at times like this I remember we're all under the care of a man young enough to be my son. That part of my life seems so endlessly long ago.

As I knew that the only cure for this sort of thing was work, I went down amongst the patients. I picked out one who has afforded me a study of much interest.

Is he talking about me???

I'd prefer not to be talked about like a trinket you picked out at a flea market, if so.

He is so quaint-

QUAINT??? QUAINT?????

-that I am determined to understand him as well as I can.

HA. Good luck with that.

To-day I seemed to get nearer than ever before to the heart of his mystery.

Did you? Or did you just ask me an endless barrage of questions designed to show off how smart you are?

I questioned him more fully than I had ever done, with a view to making myself master of the facts of his hallucination.

Kid, I don't even think I'm master of the facts of my hallucination.

In my manner of doing it there was, I now see, something of cruelty.

GLAD TO KNOW YOU NOTICED IT TOO

I seemed to wish to keep him to the point of his madness—a thing which I avoid with the patients as I would the mouth of hell.

How thoughtful. Why do I get to be your oh-so-special exception, exactly?

(Mem., under what circumstances would I not avoid the pit of hell?)

Do you know, I've asked myself that question too?

Omnia Romæ venalia sunt. Hell has its price! verb. sap.

Ooh, nice Latin! Slightly misquoted, but I can't say I disagree. We do all have our price.

And if it's pretentious Latin quotes you want, I can play that game too: Flectere si nequeo superos, Acheronta movebo.*

[*A quote from Virgil's Aeneid, loosely translated as "If I cannot move heaven, I will raise hell."]

If there be anything behind this instinct it will be valuable to trace it afterwards accurately, so I had better commence to do so, therefore—

R. M. Renfield, ætat 59.—

Ohhhhh, this should be INTERESTING.

Sanguine temperament;

Yeah, fair enough.

great physical strength;

Yes. 😉

morbidly excitable;

Also true.

periods of gloom, ending in some fixed idea which I cannot make out.

So much for getting ~nearer to the heart of my mystery~.

I presume that the sanguine temperament itself and the disturbing influence end in a mentally-accomplished finish;

Genuinely, I have no idea what the fuck you just said.

a possibly dangerous man,

😈

probably dangerous if unselfish. In selfish men caution is as secure an armour for their foes as for themselves.

That's a very interesting idea!

I guess I'm honest enough to admit I'm selfish more often than not. If I did consume the life around me and add it to my own, would that be the ultimate selfishness? Or is it justified for the greater cause?

Maybe the true selfishness is that I don't really care. I only know that I must do it; nothing else matters.

Then again, maybe all you can do is look to your own interests, when you're shut away from the world. Amuse yourself as best you can, and survive another day.

Which category would the good doctor put himself in, I wonder? Selflessly laboring on behalf of us poor lunatics? Or selfishly using us for your own prestige?

And is the one more dangerous than the other? What might he do in the name of "helping"?

How dangerous is your unselfishness, Doctor Seward?

What I think of on this point is, when self is the fixed point the centripetal force is balanced with the centrifugal; when duty, a cause, etc., is the fixed point, the latter force is paramount, and only accident or a series of accidents can balance it.

Do you listen to yourself when you talk???

[rassicas]

Haikara Walker Pages 198-203: Learn More about the Octarian World.

Yep, I’m back with more artbook translations. I’m surprised some of this section went untranslated for so long, but then again I’ve learned that if I want something translated, I have to do it myself or it’ll never get done...it’s been 3 years with still no word of a localization of this thing. anyways. let’s go!

(forever thank you to @milkiemilkshake for the scans!)

[Translator’s notes are in brackets.]

198 

 Learn More about the Octarian World

The squids think of us octopuses as outsiders. But the truth is that we have many similarities in our culture, how we transform, and many of us are quite nice people. We want you to get to know us Octarians better.

199 [handwritten notes, bottom right]

Since the player is octopus colored [red and purple], the enemy will be easier to see if they're blue.

Gives off the feeling that it's been brainwashed and poisoned.

200

Resistance Without Tomorrow, painted all over the wall using spray paint. The quality is just as good as the Inkling’s graffiti, isn't it? It’s an explosion of the artist’s soul.

 201

 We Octarians have a culture of holding rituals, and we often trance to music. There is even an occupation called Maitako-san, who entertains teahouse guests with performances.

[Maiko, an apprentice geisha + tako, octopus]

Heavy metal has recently arrived for those of us who love music. Wearing flashy face paint, surrendering yourself to the intense music, and showing one’s melancholy is suddenly all the rage.

201 [Handwritten notes, left to right]

 [pointing to octotrooper's mask]

It’s made of seaweed

[pointing to pink and white octotrooper]

 Kamabokorian. (Octarian clone).

 Itawasa (DJ Octavio’s Clone).

 [I think this word is a combo of ita (a high ranking sushi chef) and Octavio’s Japanese name, Takowasa. Itawasa is also a food made of Kamaboko]

 Fish cakes --->Oden. [word used for fish cakes here is nerimono, which is what mem cakes are called in japanese but i dont think that’s it in this context. There's hard to see drawing of Octarians in a box like oden]

[pointing to black and red octotrooper]

 It’s stuck in there like a hairpin.

 Maitako-san. Just an idea.

202

Those of us who understand the imperfections and transience of beauty* have the fine hobby of composing tanka poems in a quiet stone garden while having a short rest. It is a culture not found among the Inklings.

[*wabi-sabi is the actual word used here.]

[tanka poems are 31 syllable poems kind of like haikus. the mem cake poems in japanese are tanka poems.]

203

Fun oh fun, the Octopus Amusement Park. It’s been open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for quite some time. There’s so many fun things to do and see, such as balancing on a ball and trapeze.

Pages 204 and 2015 have been translated by kirbypost-generator, so check it out here.

[I actually forgot they translated the section already and went and translated it myself and got practically the same result. whoops. no point in posting.

One difference between their translation and mine is what they translated as Octolings sporting a dark and spunky style, I *think* is actually talking about tight black clothing, which fits in with what the octolings are wearing in some of these concepts. but other than that, same same.]

[generallybarzy]

under twinkling lights.

an: christmas in april? sorry this took so long.. but here’s a little bit of established relationship and soft cute Christmas smut! Its been too long since we had something so sweet and smutty about our fav cute ass couple. It’s all sweet and soft and cute and then it gets filthy... the perfect dynamic, i want what they have. i was only inspired to finish this because of barzys hatty tonight haha, he deserves everything. I didn’t really spell check this yet, just needed to post finally!! Personally, I think its the hottest thing I've ever wrote. Lemme know!!! 💕

tagging: @softboybarzal​ @fallinallincurls​ @matbaerzal​ @npatrickz​ @canadianheaters​ @selenophileangel​ @deleausvp​ @colecaufields​ @hockeyhughes11​ @nazdaddy​ @barzysreputation​ @comphybiscuit​ @aboveaveragehockeyboys​ @ifiwasshawnmendesidslapmyself​ @petey-patty​ @starswin​ @heatherawoowoo​ ​

word count: 6.5k

You never believed you’d find someone to spend your life with. If anyone told you your holidays would one day be spent cuddling up with your boyfriend of almost two years in the apartment that you had just moved into together earlier that month, you would have told them they were wrong. Flat out wrong. Things as beautiful and destined as that only happened in movies, and you certainly weren’t lucky enough to get something like that. But, now, here you were.

And here was Mat.

Even after two years with Mat, there was still nothing better than spending the evening cuddled up with him on the couch. No matter how many fancy, expensive dinner dates he took you on at upscale restaurants in the city or how many helicopter rides you took together out in B.C. when he was showing you his home, or how much you loved hanging out with his friends and his family and his teammates, nothing was better than cuddles at home. As much time you spent together, you still felt as giddy and comfortable and safe and at-peace as that first time with him. Things didn't simmer down, that spark didn't fade away after a bit like you feared they would. But they became more subtle. You no longer had to ask him to come to the couch to cuddle, you no longer worried that maybe he wouldn't want to. It was a habit, at this point, to fall into his arms at the end of the day just the same as he did with you. You were each other’s safe havens, the place you laid your head to rest. You loved each other, and there was no place you’d rather be than together.

You’d spent the evening baking cookies, decorating the new tree, and wrapping his family member's Christmas gifts- a book his mom had been wanting, along with some of the cookies you'd made and various at-home spa items; hockey memorabilia and classic jerseys for his dad; and some new pieces of technology and the latest eye shadow palette that his sister had been wanting, along with some stupid jokes gifts that he wrapped in duct tape like the annoying older brother he was. Now, after the sunset bared its last light over the horizon and through your window, you lay together in bliss, with the tree twinkling its colorful lights across the room as you and Mat snuggled on the couch under a fluffy blanket, and everything felt right. 

"I don't know why we went through all that work to decorate the tree if we're not even spending Christmas here." Mat grumbled playfully, his head on your chest, partially hidden under the blanket. 

"Well," your face glowed in a smile as you remembered the flight out to Vancouver you had in a few days. Spending holidays with his family was always your favorite. Your family wasn’t the best, and it wasn’t too healthy to spend your holidays with them, but you always had Mat and his family. They were so welcoming, so kind, and for as many years now as you’d gone as Mat’s girlfriend, they had accepted you like family. "Because this is our home, Mat. It'd be wrong not to decorate it for the first time." 

"I don't need a tree for this to feel like home." 

“Aww, baby.”

“It’s true.” He pushed himself up onto his hands and knees above you on the couch, bringing his face level with yours. His warm breath hit your lips as he brushed his nose against yours, eyes slipping shut and grinning. “I love you. Always.”

“I love you always too.” 

"I'm so glad you're here. I'm so happy we live together, finally." 

"I'm glad we live together, too." 

Mat snuggled down into your neck, the locks of dark hair that had been growing out lately tickling your face. You reached up to brush them aside and curl your hand around the back of his head, cupping his head against you tenderly . His hair was getting so nice and long, and you knew he’d have to cut it soon, per the team's guidelines, but god, you were gonna cherish it now. 

"I actually have something for you, Maty."

"A Christmas present?" 

"Well, an early Christmas present." You smiled at the excited look on his boyish face as he leaned back, the lights from the tree highlighting the sparkle in his eye. "You can't open it at your parent's house, so we're gonna do it here instead."

"What is it?" 

"Try to figure it out." 

He sat up then, his eyes scanning the room for anything that might seem out of the ordinary, anything that might be hidden. He was looking for his present, and you had to hold back a laugh at the sight. 

"Maty…" 

"No, no, I'll find it."

"Babe…"

"I got this."

"Let me give you a hint, at least." You sat up with him and took his hand in yours and cupped it against your cheek, turning your head to the side to kiss his fingers. He smiled at the touch, melting back into you and tracing his thumb across your skin. 

"Alright, gimme the hint."

You pushed his hand down the smooth skin of your neck, the swell of your breasts, down the curve of your waist, and to the hem of his hoodie that swallowed you up. "It's right in front of you, baby." 

"For real?" The joy in his eyes was the same you saw the first time you told him you were ready to take that step, almost two years ago now. No matter how many times you were together, he was always just as excited.

“You say that as if we’ve never done this before.”

“It always feels like the first time.” 

You glowed and let go of his hand to reach up and cup his face between both of you. His words came so simply and without hesitation that you knew he was sincere. “Aw, Mat…”

“I’m serious.” 

“You’re so sweet tonight.”

“Maybe I just really want to lay some love on you.” He hitched his hands under your thighs and tugged you close, lying you back against the couch once again. His hands slid up the soft skin of your tummy and waist, dipping under your shirt momentarily, and causing your breath to hitch in your throat- his hands always managed to do that to you- as you breathed out the words against his lips. 

“Maybe I’m gonna let you.” 

With one last grin, his face dipped down to yours, locking your lips together in a familiar, electric dance. Soft, gentle lips moving against yours had never felt as good as with any other boyfriends as they do with Mat. His touch was intoxicating, made your mind wander and your heart race flushed your skin and shocked you to the core. Ever since the very first time his hand grazed against yours when he reached out to hold it for the first time, to the first time your bodies connected in passion under the covers, it felt the same. Like fire. Even two years later, he drove you insane, and all you wanted, and frequently achieved, was to drive him insane as well. In the best way possible. Mat broke apart from your lips momentarily to slip the hoodie over your head, revealing his gift. “Fuck…”

Right there, in front of his eyes, your breasts were covered only by a lacy crimson fabric, held together behind a pretty red bow. With each heavy breath of anticipation, your chest was heaving softly before his eyes, and he found himself hypnotized by the gentle rise and fall. 

“You like it?"

“Holy shit, you’re hot.” 

“So are you.” 

His eyes were wide, warm, and gentle, looking over you. He dragged his gaze away from your chest even though you could tell how hard it was, and shook his head. “Not as much as you.”

"Mmm", you took the liberty of taking his hands from where they had frozen beside you and placing them, big and warm, over your chest. "Go ahead, baby." 

"No, no, I wanna savor this first."

His mouth dipped down, soft hair tickling your neck as he nibbled at your chest, laying little love bites and kisses along the tender skin. He cupped your boobs and squeezed them around his face, humming in content. You couldn’t help but laugh as he buried his face against you, and you could feel his grin break out against your skin. “Having fun, baby?”

“Oh my god, yes. You’re gorgeous. So soft.” 

“Mmhm.” You sighed into his touch as he kissed his way back up your chest.

“Baby.” He spoke softly to get your attention, and your eyes opened lazily to see him, biting his lip and holding the delicate ribbon between two fingers. “Can I?”

“Please.” He gave a gentle tug, and with one last heave of your chest, the lacy bralette fell open, revealing one of Mat’s favorite parts of your body. 

“Fucking Christ.” 

“Bub, you can’t be swearing like that so close to Christmas.” 

“How do you expect me not to when you’re…. God, just so perfect…” You saw the way his eyes glazed over mid-sentence in the colorful lights of the tree, the way his jaw went slack as you arched your chest up towards him. He reached out, slowly, as if worried you were going to disappear if he moved too quickly, and when the large, rough hands curled around the side of your waist and slid up and down, you felt goosebumps pop up along your skin. 

“Your fingers are cold.”  

“But you love it.” He ran the pad of his thumb over your nipples, watching as they pebbled under his touch in the cold air. “So do I.” 

“Warm me up?”

“Always.”

He dipped his head down, his mouth hot and wet along the peaks and valleys of your chest, down your stomach.

His fingers traveled over the familiar layout of your body, colored in soft golden and red and green in the dancing Christmas lights, tracing each recognizable landmark with specific care- every memorized freckle and birthmark he had kissed since your first night together and every dimple in your skin that he cherished, every spot that had his fingerprints imprinted onto like memory foam after so many nights spent holding you tight with everything in him, as if you'd slip away. As if you'd want to. With each inch his hands followed, he found more, there was always more territory to be marked down, jotted down in his brain for future reference. He was always finding something new. Something more to use against you, to use against you in the best way possible, to push you further and further to that blissful end goal.

He made his way down, down, down, until his breath was hot over your lace-covered core, his hand gripping your hips tightly. Mat smiled as your hands found his hair, curling your fingers through a fistful of the dark locks before releasing and smoothing it back into place again. Mat's favorite thing about going down on you, besides the way it pleasured you, was the way your hands felt on his head, massaging and grabbing and twisting and pulling. It was heaven to him, letting you guide him around like that. 

“Can I take them off?” 

“Hmm.” As much as you wanted him to ravage you right there, with those soft, sultry eyes he was giving you, he was wearing far too many clothes. “You first.” 

Mat didn't say anything else before stripping out of his dark crew neck sweater and jumping up off the couch to kick his gray sweats down. His smile was contagious as your gaze dropped from his face, down his bare chest and the little chain you’d gotten him for your anniversary, down towards the tent in his boxers with a silly, excited grin. He laughed. "Not tired of seeing me yet?" 

"Never."

"You sure you’re not getting bored of my dick yet?"

"No, baby. Definitely not.” You grinned, the thought of spending the rest of your life with him bouncing around your mind. “Why? Are you getting bored of me?"

"No way." Mat leaned down to lace your fingers together and lock lips. "How could I?"

"How could I get tired of you, Maty?"

Mat hummed. He loved this little play, the little banter, the back and forth. He'd loved it since you first started dating, and he always would. He knew you loved him endlessly, but he played along. "I'm just a hockey player."

"No, you're my hockey player. My boyfriend. My pretty, pretty baby."

Mat settled back down between your legs with a warm smile. "Yeah, I am. So can I take these off now?" He hooked his fingers in the waistband of your panties. "C'mon, I know how much you love my tongue."

Your thighs squeezed around him at the words. “Fuck, please.”

“Anything for my baby.” 

You lifted your hips for him as he tugged the lacy fabric down your thighs with nimble fingers, stopping momentarily after they were off to just look at you. He let out a sigh, his eyes finding yours again with a soft look as you squirmed a bit beneath him- not because you were shy, no, you were long past that point in your relationship, but because you just needed him to do anything to you. Mat had spent the past two years helping you love and appreciate your body, and this, right here in this moment, was the perfect showcase of how much he helped- as he was gazing down at your naked body and the only thing you felt was just the absolute need and desire for his body to move against yours and his warmth to cover you up. No nerves. Only love, and need. 

“Shit, you’re gorgeous.” 

“I know.” 

The lack of hesitation in your reply had Mat bending over you and laughing. “That’s your response?”

“Yeah! I mean, you let me know. You make me feel so confident.”

“Mmhm, good, babygirl.” He scooted back down to lay his head against the soft, naked inside of your thigh gazing up at you through his eyelashes. “I always wanna make you feel good. Physically and mentally.” He turned to lay open-mouthed kisses against your thighs, and any thought of response you may have had dissolved completely as you leaned back and waited for him to do his magic. His hand reached up to cup your heat, just feeling you against his palm for a moment before swiping a long finger through your fold, smiling and raising his eyebrows at you. “Oh? Already so wet for me?” 

“Always, baby. You should know this by now.”

“Yeah?” He dipped his fingers at your opening teasingly and his head dipped down to connect his lips with your clit, kissing it gently and watching you squirm. “Ugh, I could fuck you right now if I was in a rush. But you know the foreplay is my favorite part.”

“I know. And you’re so good.” 

“Good.” 

He went silent then, his tongue wide and wet, licking a long stripe along your slick and gathering the wetness at your clit, giving it soft, kitten licks and wet kisses. He listened intently for every soft sigh that left your lips- music to his ears- and felt every tug on his hair when he flicked his tongue in small circles around that spot like he knew you loved. And the best part was that he knew. You didn’t understand how couples could get tired of each other after years. You didn’t understand how the excitement could flicker away or how they could get tired of each other’s bodies or minds. Never in your relationship with Mat have you felt as excited as now, two years in. The thought that he knew your body inside and out, maybe even better than you did, was just so overwhelming in the best possible way, and the longer you lay there, with Mat’s mouth on you, you couldn’t stop thinking that this is your man.   

Mat was lying flat against the long couch, his face between your thighs and his hands holding your legs open for him. His dark hair was a wild mess, and you could see the gentle movements of his lower back and ass and the back of his thighs illuminated golden in the lights, rolling lazily against the couch cushion- covered by a blanket, of course- to provide any friction for his sadly untouched cock. 

You hadn’t even noticed the noises dripping from your lips until Mat pulled back, and the lack of feeling his mouth against your core had you whining for him.

“Fuck, I’ll never get over you.” 

“Mmmmat.” You hummed his name, dragging out the “M” in the way you knew he loved.  

“Yeah, baby?” 

“Please keep touching me.” 

He sat up, between your thighs, knees digging into the couch, and his bare thighs and torso on display for you. You loved him, all of him, and all of his body. His legs, his abdomen, his chest, his arms… all of it was amazing. Perfect to look at and perfect to touch, to grab, to dig your nails into as he railed you. To ground yourself with. “Baby, you know I love eating you out. But I just gotta see you right now. And talk to you.” His big hand slid up the inside of your thigh, and your breath caught in your throat when he started rubbing soft, small circles against your clit. “So this position will have to do, okay? I promise I’ll spend all day before our flight eating your pussy.”

“I’ll remember that.” 

“I hope so. God, this fucking thing. Could eat it for days.” He pushed a single finger inside you, slow and steady, but enough to make you clench around him. His fingers were so much better than yours, just a little longer and a little thicker in a way that had you squirming for more. “So fucking tight and wet. So hot. I’m so lucky to have you.” His free hand left your hip, leaving nothing but cold, empty fingerprints on your skin, and rubbed against the bulge in his dark boxers. You could see how much he was aching, and you were determined to make it better. 

“Mat, c’mere.” 

“I’m knuckles deep in your pussy, babe, how much closer do you want me?” You laughed at him, rolling your hip down against said finger. How he could be so funny and sexy at the same time was beyond you.

“Lie down with me. I wanna touch you.” You held your arms out for him and scooted to the side, and he obliged quickly, lying on his side between you and the back of the couch and hooking your left leg over his right thigh. His hand dipped back down between your thighs, pressing into you before you could even catch your breath, feeling exhilarated at the much more intimate position. “Oh, fuck, Mat.” You reached out to him, willing and eager to reciprocate the feeling. He drew in a sharp breath at the way your hand rubbed over the thick bulge in his boxers, pulling the waistband down just enough to release him from his cotton prison.  

His cock jumped up against his lower belly, stiff and pink and needy for you and only you. Your hand, your mouth, and you could tell by the way Mat’s fingers paused inside you that he was anticipating the moment your fingers wrapped around his length. “Oh, that feels so good. Always does, baby.” And then, as you worked your hand against him, he pumped his long fingers inside you, bringing his other thumb to rub mercilessly at your clit. But still, even with the way he was fucking you on his hand, the most intense part of this moment was the way he held your gaze; the lust, the need, the twinkle of amusement in his hazel eyes at the sheer amazement that he got to do this with you; and the love- the pure, unadulterated love that soaked from his skin to yours, in every touch, in ever moment spent together, every kiss, and every time you laid together, bare and vulnerable, in the heat of passion, under the twinkling lights or in the dark, safe haven of your home to show each other how much you loved each other. His warm eyes glittered in the light, reflecting the gold and green and red lights from the Christmas tree that illuminated the room, and the city lights outside the window of your apartment lit up his body and highlighted every muscle. Your apartment, the one you own together, and the one you knew you were going to make countless memories in. His eyes glittered with love, with the question of “can you believe we still make each other feel so good?” and with the statement “I want to kiss you so bad right now”. Your hand pumped his length, pulling a soft moan from his lips, one that you had used to have to work so hard to hear. “I want to hear you, baby” You had used to say, practically begging him to let himself go as he bit his lip to hold back the moans. It had taken a bit of encouragement, but now he never held back with the sounds that left his pretty mouth. You lay there, vulnerable and exposed to each other, staring into each other’s eyes as with hands between each other's thighs, cheeks pink and hearts full of love as you helped each other climb to that climax. 

You broke eye contact first, laughing breathlessly and feeling your cheeks go hot under his gaze. Despite the lack of shame you felt in front of him, he could still get you so flustered and giggly. 

“What’s so funny, beautiful?” He asked between shaky breaths. 

“You’re so beautiful, Mat. Those moans are so pretty. I can’t believe it.”

“Yeah?” He smiled with another laugh. “I can feel how wet you are. It’s crazy.” He slipped the tip of a third finger into you, your hole aching and pulsing around them already. “Oh, fuck, I love your moans too.” And you could tell he did, as his hips jerked helplessly up into your hand. “Faster, baby.” 

“Only if you kiss me.” 

Without hesitation, he leaned over and his lips locked onto yours, needy and begging but oh, so willing to go slow and passionate. The hand that had been teasing your clit came up to grab at you face, squeezing a tit on the way up, and you reached a free hand out to tangle in his dark hair as you leaned in and continued to jerk him in your hand- up and down, and up and down, twisting around the head just like he liked. “I love you.” He whispered against your lips, breaking apart for only a moment to look down at you one more time in awe. “I love you so fucking much.” 

“I love you, Mat.” 

“Fuck, I love you.” His lips crashed back against yours again, his fingers plunging deeper inside you as he kissed his promise into your lips, the promise that he was there and he’d always be there. He was yours. And you were his. Simply that. The heel of his palm rubbed against your clit as he curled his fingers inside of you, hitting that wonderful spot and making fireworks twinkle behind your eyes. He groaned into your mouth as your hand curved over the head of his cock, palms getting slick with his pre-cum, and stroked back down to cup his balls gently. He let out a breathy laugh at the tender feeling. 

“Baby, look at me.” You cupped his cheeks between your hands and pulled him back when you began to feel your peak rising. He whined when your hand left his cock, aching and hard, and his fingers halted inside of you, cupping his palm against your heat.

“Oh, baby,” His eyes locked on you, making a show of how they were scanning up and down your body. “I’m looking.”

“I need you inside, right now.”

His bottom lip was sucked between his teeth and his eyes nearly rolled back in his head at the words. Even after so long, he still couldn’t handle hearing those words. His eyes fluttered shut. “Fuck, say less.” He rolled over you to sit upright on the couch, finally pushing his boxers all the way down his thighs and onto the floor. He gripped his cock in his hands and slid between your thighs, bending down over you to kiss your lips. “How do you want it?”

“Just like this.” Your hands fell to his hips and pulled him close. 

“Yeah?”

“Wanna see your face. Maybe it’s basic, but I love this position.”

“Yeah. It’s simple, but so intimate. I like it too.” He paused and leaned back for a moment, looking down at his sweatpants on the floor for something. “Shit, ugh, I don’t have a condom here, hold on-” 

“No, no, no.” Before Mat could run off to the bedside drawer, you grabbed his hands in yours, pulling him back to you. His eyes went soft and cautious for a few moments. 

“No? Babe, shouldn’t we…” 

“We’ve had conversations about this, right? About doing it without?” Mat nodded, a little smile beginning to pull on his lips. “I’m still on the pill, and I know I remembered to take all of them recently, so we’re still pretty safe, if you want.” 

“Fuck, I want.” He settled back down between your knees. “Are you sure?”

“A hundred percent.” 

“Alright.” Mat chuckled in boyish excitement. He reached a hand down between your bodies to adjust himself, nudging the blunt head of his cock against your clit and rubbing his pre-cum along your slit, lining up with your tight entrance and sending sparks through your body. “God, my God, I can’t wait to come inside you. Feel you around me completely. See my cum on you.” One last time, he bent his body down over yours, his weight warm and heavy, the metal of his chain cool between your chests, and pressed his mouth to yours, breathing in your warmth. One of your hands curled around his waist, slid to the small of his back, just like he always did to you, and the other cupped the back of his neck, fingers curling into the hairs and playing with the chain around his neck and pulling him in closer to your face. He broke away slightly with a sigh against your lips, his forehead bumping against yours and his nose nudging yours in a familiar gesture. He didn’t need to say the words anymore, because his quiet affections were ones that you’ve known for a long time. 

His question was loud and clear, and your answer was just as obvious. 

Mat brought a forearm down next to your head to steady himself, stroking the pad of his thumb against your warm cheek as his hips finally pushed against yours. Hands tightened their grips on each other’s bodies, sliding across hot skin slicked with sweat, and a euphony of moans mingled together in the air at the initial feeling of finally being connected in such a primal way again. His hips were flush against your own, and the weight of his thick cock inside of you was heavy and intoxicating; you could feel his tight abdomen expanding and contracting with every heavy breath and shudder through his body. He let out a long string of moans, his head dipping down to nibble at your throat, and fuck, did you know what he meant. You were connected, everywhere- heart, skin, and mind. “Fuck, oh my God, baby, hot as ever.” 

“Oh, Maty…” 

“I’m gonna give you so much love, beautiful.”

“Please.” 

The first withdrawal of his hips from yours was painstakingly slow, and all you wanted was for him to plunge back in again and again and again. And he intended to do that, in time. Mat loved to take his time, but it didn’t take him long to fulfill his promise, sliding back against you, his cock hard and aching inside your wet cunt. He found a steady, easy pace rolling his hips into yours, each stroke like electricity through your body, long and languid, taking his time to draw your pleasure out, taking the time to feel your body around him. His knee dug into the couch hard, steadying himself and getting more traction so he could pull closer to your body, snapping his hips against yours with slaps that had you both gasping for air. 

“Oh fuck…” 

“Feels so good, Mat.”

“You’re fucking amazing.” He let out another high-pitched whine and arched your leg over his hip. “More?”

“More, faster, please baby.” 

His hips slapped against yours with a groan, his big hands holding behind your knees and opening you wide for him. He leaned back to take a good look at you, at the scene in front of him, trying to take in every image he possibly could. Because these were the best moments. Not only the sex- god, but the sex was good- but just being together, being close, being intimate and so so close, yet only craving to become closer and closer. “God, you’re so hot, babe. So tight, so wet, all for me, right?” When you couldn’t answer, too overwhelmed with the way he was pounding against you, he took it as a sign to keep running his mouth. God, you loved to listen to him talk. “So wet, all for me. Getting all turned on over this big cock inside you, yeah?” You nodded your head enthusiastically, pulling his body closer to yours. He followed without hesitation, down and down until your bodies were glued together and he was just pushing against you, his hips driving yours into the couch cushions. “All fucked up for my cock, are you? Fucking beautiful.” 

“It’s so good, Maty, baby, so big, fills me up so good.”

“I love you. I love you, (Y/N).”

“Oh my God, Maty, I love you.” 

His mouth locked onto yours, sealing your lips together and swallowing your moans down. Dark locks of his hair shielded your face and tickled your cheeks, and as soon as he inched away to take a deep, shaky breath, your eyes opened up. He steadied himself on strong arms, framing your face, his veins prominent, and you curled a small hand as far around his thick bicep as you could, watching in awe as his head jerked back, throwing his long hair off his forehead and squeezing his eyes shut as he concentrated on pounding against your dripping cunt. 

Slowly, his body peeled back off of yours, away, away, and he brought himself up to his knees in front of you. You let your eyes roll slip the long length of his torso, decorated with glittering reflections of gold and red and green, shining off the sheen of his sweat, and you looked from his thick neck, covered in your love-bites, down his chest, down the hard muscles of his abdomen and tummy, and down the V of his hips to the small patch of prickles that rubbed against your clit with every thrust. His thighs were spread open with your legs wrapped ever so gently around his hips, and his cock was stilled, aching inside of you. He shifted around on the couch momentarily, readjusting his knees on the cushions. “Ya know, we’d be a lot more comfortable in our bed than out here.” 

“But it’s so pretty out here. All the pretty twinkly lights on you…” 

“On me?” He laughed, “Look at yourself, babe. I’m fucking lucky.” 

His big hands traced down your cheeks, squeezed down your chest, curled down the curve of your waist and hips, before finally wrapping around the backs of your thighs and pulling you closer, hoisting your legs up, up, and over his shoulders and spreading you wide open in front of him. 

“Ooh, Mat…” You giggled a bit as he easily positioned you in the way he wanted, smirking down at you wickedly and rubbing his thumbs up and down the wet slick of your pussy. 

“Gonna make you fuckin’ come, babe, my god… you want that?”

“Yeah, yeah, please, Maty.” 

“Just a little bit longer, ‘kay?” He rolled his hips against yours again, starting up that steady pace again. His hands held your thighs open, lifting your legs up the length of his torso and locking them over his shoulders, and he never failed to make you seem tiny compared to him. You watched, mesmerized, as his abdomen tensed and hardened and spasmed as he tried to keep himself under control. 

“Please.”

“Little… longer.” 

With one more low moan, your boyfriend bent closer to you, his chain dangling in your face tauntingly as he got back to pounding away at you, heavy balls slapping against your ass with every erratic movement, his thrusts getting sloppier and sloppier and his breaths getting deeper. He was so goddamn close to that edge. He could tell you were getting there, too. You’d been on the edge ever since he started pounding you, but now, you were only a few feather light touches away from falling over that edge. And Mat was ready for it, he could barely hold his own seems together, he could barely think about anything except how rock hard he was and how your tits were bouncing so perfectly in rhythm with his hips, the way your eyes were rolling back and the way his cock felt inside you, fully covered in your slick, both your lower halves sticky messes. He was ready to fall apart completely, and ready to help you reach your own. “You look so fucking good taking my dick like this, babygirl. It’s so big, isn’t it? But you just take it so good, yeah? My good, good girl with her perfect fucking pussy, taking that cock so well.” He reached his fingers down to roll his thumb lazily against your clit, ever so gently, but enough to make you fall apart. Your eyes rolled back as you gasped out for him. 

“Please, M- Maaaat…” 

“Oh, you- you want it, don’t you?” Mat’s words were getting shaky, his sentences choppy. He was so close, so close his mind couldn’t comprehend anything beyond just fucking letting go. “Want your boyfriend’s hot cum filling you up, just flooding that- ugh, that tight little cunt, yeah? My balls emptied inside you? You want that nut so bad, you’re so desperate for it, huh? Tell me, baby. Tell me how you want the love of your life to just… fucking f- flood your pussy.”

“I want it, Mat, I want you to cum, baby.” 

His thrusts became erratic, his hand leaving bruises on your thigh and his thumb absolutely torturing your swollen, sensitive clit. He was getting desperate, too. “Where? Where do you want my big fucking load?”

“Cum inside, fuck, fuck, please, Maty-”

“Ohh, gonna fucking nut inside you, babygirl-”  

“I’m gonna cuuuum, Mat…” 

“Ohhhh, fuuuuuck, oh, oh (Y/N)...!” Mat let out a long, strangled moan, his voice shaking and whiny and breathless in exasperation. His hips stuttered and his thighs trembled beneath him as he nearly collapsed onto you, absolutely flooding your aching, spasming hole with his cum. Your mind went fuzzy and white when you finally felt his stitches come loose, and he finally emptied all of himself- all his hot, gooey warmth- inside of your throbbing cunt. And flood, he did. It felt like the thick ropes of cum were never ending, filling you to the brim, until finally, he was done, his eyes squeezed shut and hair falling into his eyes above you.

Forming sentences would be a miracle at this point, but you reached up to curl a finger around Mat’s chain and yank him down to your face, ushering him to collapse against your body. And he did, eyes glancing open for a moment and lips locking with yours, always thankful to be able to fall onto you after a hard day, after absolutely spending himself. He groaned against your lips and buried his face against your neck, panting against your skin and kissing your neck and breathing in your scent as your hand found it’s rightful place at the back of his neck.  After a few moments of stillness, he reached down lazily and let his cock slip out of you, both of you whining and the loss of contact, and you felt a familiar wetness on your tummy as his cum dribbled down the head of his spent cock to fall on your warm skin. 

You were silent, panting for a few minutes, just letting your heartbeats steady back to normal and your heads to recover from the dizzying orgasms. Then, a breathless chuckle vibrated through Mat’s chest and into you. “Merry fucking Christmas to us, right?” 

“I think that was the hottest thing we’ve ever done, Mat.” Mat hummed in agreement, squeezing you between his arms. “Now you see why we couldn’t do this at your parent’s place?”

“I mean… what’s stopping us?” 

“Mat, I know for a fact you can’t keep quiet enough to fuck in your parent’s house.”

“Says the one who was just screaming my name.”

“As if you weren’t moaning mine just as loud.”

“Hmm.” Mat laughed again at the banter, the playful back and forth, and rolled to the side, his back to the back of the couch, and pulled you against his side. “How do you feel, anyway? About… me coming inside? Still feel good about it? Wasn’t too much?”

“No way. I really… really enjoyed that. Everything about that. A lot.” 

“Mm, that’s good. So did I.” 

“But… I kiiiiiinda feel like we should clean up. It’s starting to feel… sticky, like, everywhere. And not a good sticky.” 

“Yeah, how about we take a bath together? A nice warm bath in the lights of the pretty Christmas lights you love so much? How’s that sound?”

“Sounds like heaven, Mat.”

So Mat scooped you up in his arms, his own legs weak and shaky after an unbelievable orgasm, and he pressed kisses against your cheeks as he carried you through your brand new home, lit in the pretty pinks and gold of the Christmas lights, stopping before the bathroom door only momentarily to ponder on the beginning of the rest of his forever with you. This truly might be the beginning of the best years of his life. The beginning of an even more serious relationship with you. He felt your fingers playing with the chain that still hung around his neck, the one the guys teased him about the charm on the end, but the one he always wore for you, and he glanced down, his eyes warm and contemplative as he searched yours. This. This was eternal love.

“I love you, babe. Always.” His heart felt dipped in syrup when you smiled up at him with that soul melting look. Yep. You’re it for me.

“I love you, bubs. Always.”

[stardustincarnate]

CONFESSION // Mello x Reader

word count : 4016 genre : fluff a/n : i haven’t gotten over my writer’s block, so yes -- here i am, once again posting old fics from my wattpad account. 

Today is the day.

After contemplating about it for a couple of weeks and confiding it to his best pal, Matt, Mello has finally decided to confess his feelings for you tonight, exploiting the situation where you two will normally go riding on the city streets during Friday midnights such as this one.

To say the least, he isn't the best in this kind of thing— love, that is. Before, all he could think about was one thing which was proving that he's better than Near, and besides, no one really piqued his interest. But then the enigma that you are came.

You can be cunningly evil at times if you want to. You'll often say to the ones you've fooled or to the other mafia members, "It's nothing personal, it's just business." You also have a harsh mouth as he would like to describe. Anything that comes out of it may sound derisive or blatant, but it's basically the truth. You don't sugarcoat things— you don't even try to. Although sometimes you seem to make the truth more cruel than it really is, which makes you look too intimidating for the others. They're only thankful that you don't talk very often and only will if you have something conducive to say.

But that's not all that you are. Mello could feel it, so he grew curious of you. Just a mere speck of curiosity, but then it grew. He wanted to talk to you, but then he asked himself what's the point of doing so, thus he disregarded the idea. That's why you developed a friendship with Matt, who you think is really fun to be with, first. Then as your friendship grew, he thought of introducing you to Mello, and that's when it began. To be frank the beginning of your friendship wasn't easy, and to think that friendship only started growing not until you celebrated a year and a half of being with the mafia.

It was a long process, but in the end, it was worth the wait. Day by day he started lowering the walls he barricaded himself with, and same as you. He became really outgoing and deep down truly caring as your friend, like he is with Matt, because after all you two are the only family he has. And— let's not forget his strange addiction with chocolates! And, well, you like it.

You like him.

Mello knows this as well. He knows that his feelings are reciprocated and he's happy with that. But the question is, who's going to make the first move? Certainly not you. Between fighting the devil and confessing your feelings for someone, you'd probably choose the former. You don't seem like the kind of person who will make the first move. He as well is like that.

And that leads us to his acquiescence of doing it instead. Did he have a choice? Well, maybe, if one considers you doing it instead, but that will definitely take several months, or even years, from now. And he can't wait that long! What if you suddenly start to develop feelings for another person? He can't lose you, you that is just in front of his eyes, one step away from him. He needs to grab the opportunity while it still is there.

Because with you, he feels happy and contented. And for the first time he finally feels like he is number one.

And he really is, in your heart.

"Wooh!"

Matt exclaims after slamming the door, causing Mello to jolt upwards from his reverie. "You know I almost got caught by another mem!"

"Is it done?"

"Of course."

"Hm. You sure this suggestion is for the better? You know how scary that woman can be when she's mad. Especially after finding out that her tires have been flattened."

"Didn't you say you wanted something more romantic tonight? So, I thought of flattening her tires so she can't use her own scooter, that way she can ride with you."

"Uh-uh... Is it romantic though?"

"You two will be close enough. And—no perverted thoughts—she gets to wrap her arms around you while riding. If that's not romantic, I literally don't know what is."

"I'm having qualms about this one."

"What? I'm just as clueless as you are when it comes to romance. I'm doing my best here to help you ya know?"

"I know, I know. Sorry."

"It's your fault you fell in love with her." Matt jests, chuckling. But he immediately behaves himself when he sees that deadly glare of his friend. "Hey! I was only kidding! Don't look at me like that, Mels. You're creeping me out."

"Hah. But I guess you're right. My fault. And great— now I'm having more doubts than before and feeling.. tentative."

"The almighty Mello is nervous? Wow. I never thought I'd live to see this day!"

"Say one more word and I'll make sure it's the last you'll ever emit."

"HE-HE-HEY! Now you're just being belligerent. Don't worry. I'm sure you two will come back here as a couple. Swear it on my life. So stop doubting yourself. And just.. don't act awkward and dorky when confessing towards your little devil."

"Just how am I supposed to do that?"

"I don't know. Just don't."

Mello heaves a sigh. "Sometimes I do wonder if you're really the smart Matt they used to talk about back in the orphanage."

Matt only grins. He's about to reply, but then they both hear footsteps—angry footsteps—coming closer.

"Oh, speaking of the devil. Here she comes. In three.. two.. one.."

With that, you kick the door open and look around. You look like you're about to whip someone's ass and the men can almost laugh at your reaction knowing the reason behind it. You give them a steely look when they unknowingly start to curve their lips to a grin. They quickly change their reaction.

"This has gotta be one of the worse days of my life!" You exclaim as you slump on the sofa beside Mello. "I can't go with you. I've got a flat tire, and I have no idea why. Someone must've done it.."

"Who would do such a terrible thing? Especially to you, the devil no one else even bothers to approach?" Mello momentarily glances at Matt before taking a bite of his chocolate, which you then steals from his grip. "But don't worry, I gotcha. You can ride me... with me I mean! You can ride with me, NOT RIDE ME—good Lord I'm sorry."

'Aha, and there goes Matt's reminder that I shouldn't act awkward.' He looks away with a blush.

"I think [Y/N] is okay with either of that—"

You raise an eyebrow at Matt. "Oh, you mean you Mathematics. You can ride him all you want so don't be shy and put my name in your shoes."

"That's not—!"

"—ANYWAYS, Willy Wonka, you sure you okay with me riding with you? You won't mind?"

"Jesus, stop calling me that! And yes. You're my friend so I won't mind."

"Thanks mate!" To his surprise, you hug him from the side. And you are hugging him a little too much. "You know I've always wanted to ride your motor. It looks cooler than mine."

"Ah.. well— you're squeezing me a bit too much.. don't you think?"

You pull away and snicker. "Sorry. You're like a marshmallow that I just want to squeeze sometimes."

"EHEM. Pardon me, will you? I need to go to the restroom."

Matt stands up, thinking that his job here as cupid is done—or not quite yet. He has one last plan in mind. And even he isn't sure that that plan is going to make things better or worse.

"Enjoy taking another dump!" You shout as he leaves the room, making sure to lock it. Now you and Mello are completely alone, facing one another in utter silence. And it's too silent that you can hear some of the other mafia members arguing in a distant room. You can even hear someone moaning. Mello can hear it too.

You both give each other a look that only you two can understand.

"Oof. Must be nice. Err, so anyways," you start. "The usual place tonight?" And by that you mean stopping by to go atop a dilapidated building in a forsaken road to stargaze with him for ten minutes. You two make sure to always include going there to find tranquility in the stars and with each other. It temporarily removes all the problems and worries you have.

With Mello ruefully shaking his head, you frown. He puts an arm over your shoulder and nods reassuringly instead. You hide a smile.

"We can do that next week or earlier if we're not too preoccupied so don't be so glum. I'll be taking you somewhere new. I'm sure you'll like it."

"I hope so. Otherwise I'm gonna kick your ass."

"You'll be the one getting your ass kicked it if you don't give me back my chocolate right now."

"But I need chocolate too! Chocolate makes you happy. So I need it, 'kay?!"

"As far as I know that chocolate is mine and not yours???"

"But I'm your friend aren't I? You still have a lot of stock in there I'm sure."

"I'm running out of chocolates so give it back you little demon."

He hastily maneuvers before you can even stand up and try running away. He seizes your wrists and places your arms behind your back to prevent you from moving. Since you two are facing each other instead of him being behind you, the position is rather awkward. The proximity of your faces makes both of you blush and in an instance he backs away. You cackle in triumph as to his dismay of not getting his chocolate back.

You look at your wristwatch before taking a bite of the sweet. "Well Marsh-Mello, what are we waiting for? Let's hit the road! I'm already bored." You hold his hand the moment he stands up and you two run outside.

Mello throws the helmet to you which almost hit your face, earning an irked look from you. He then starts the engine as you wear your helmet.

When he starts to move just before you can take a seat, you panic. Of course he only wants to toy with you. He stops at a corner and waits for you, who's running and ready to smash his face. You pant as you finally reach him.

"You little bastard! Why'd you have to make me suffer?"

"Why shouldn't I?"

"You groan and then sit behind him, wrapping your arms around his waist. The closeness of your bodies make you both blush. He makes sure you're all set before once again driving in a high speed that made you hug him tighter. You've always known that he drives this fast, but to experience it yourself? It feels like your skin is being blown away and seperated from your bones.

"W-Would you mind slowing down, just a bit?"

"Come on [Y/N], that's not fun."

"So you call this fun? You're gonna kill us both. I'm too beautiful to die right now!"

"Tsk. You're no fun." You're about to make a rebuttal but he slows down reluctantly and matches the speed you will normally drive at. You sigh in relief and absently rests your chin on his right shoulder, looking at the stores, buildings, and a few people walking on the sidewalk which you are hastily passing by. On your left you see numbered vehicles and a few more buildings.

You're enjoying the ride, however, you hear the tire from behind pop. That is already bad, and worse comes when the front one pops too. He goes to the side before halting.

"Shit! Just our luck!"

"Haha seems like you and I share the same fate, huh? Goals."

Mello sighs as a realization dawns him.

'Matt.. you little shit.'

"Whadda we do now?" You worriedly ask.

"We're still halfway to the place I'm taking you and this happens.. I suppose I can just park this somewhere. You wouldn't mind walking, would you?"

"Sounds fine with me then."

He nods and parks the motor beside a bicycle and a car in front of a store, placing a tracker in it just in case it gets stolen. But if it ever does, he can just get another one. Legally or not. Doesn't matter.

In silence, you and Mello start walking side by side. Arriving upon a city bridge you can't help but stare at the river. The limit to what you can see on its side is a lively city despite the hour, with skyscrapers and billboard signs lit up. You can hear the occasional, distant sounds of car engines.

You avert your gaze back in the front, meeting chatty people on your way who are walking opposite to you and Mello. You realize that they're mostly couples who are matching clothes and openly talking, not caring if they're to be heard by others. Mello also notices, and not only that but the way you two undeniably look like one. Without any intentions, your clothes match. Not that it's a big deal since everyday you two wear black, but because of your surroundings, he might as well seize the opportunity.

Beaming from ear to ear, he holds your hand and intertwines your fingers together. You're confused, but at the same time liking it, a blush creeping on your face.

"Don't mind if I do. We don't wanna look like a couple who can't bear with each other after some kind of quarrel, do we?"

"But we're not a couple."

"No, not yet."

You stop and raise an eyebrow.

"Oop. Did I say that out loud? My bad."

He cheekily grins. It's only a joke, you think, but at the same time you wish that he's not joking—which he really isn't.

"Hey, how long are we going to walk?"

"Why? Are your feet giving up already? Want a piggyback?"

You completely turn red. He smiles at that.

"Nah.. I—"

"Don't waste the opportunity. I might change my mind later."

"I don't care. This is enough."

You squeeze his hand tightly—too tight that he swears he feel his phalanges breaking—but unexpectedly, he just moans. And people look at the two of you.

"The fuck was that?!? I didn't know you were some kind of masochist!"

"DID YOU REALLY HAVE TO SAY IT OUT LOUD?"

"AHA so you do admit being a masochist!!"

"WHAT? NO! I'M NOT!"

"Why so defensive now?"

"Because people are hearing you???"

"Let them! HAHAHAHA! MY BOYFRIEND IS A MASOCHIST! ISN'T THAT CUTE??"

But after realizing what you just said, you stop and gnaw your lower lip.

"Oh earth swallow me right now.. Sorry! God I'm embarrassed. You're not my boyfriend—"

"Didn't I tell you? Not yet."

You punch his shoulder playfully. "Stop joking around! I might actually believe you ya know?"

"Who said I was joking?"

"..Of course you are—"

"—OH, here we are!"

He diverts the topic, leaving you to slightly pout to yourself as he turns left to an unoccupied and dark area, pulling you to the railing where you two halt and see the perfect angle to view the city and the river from. The water and its light ripples glimmer under the moonlight as the brisk wind hits your skin, making you slightly shiver. Mello notices this and takes off his jacket, insisting you should wear it instead. You don't argue.

"Mello, this is.. magnificent. And a nice spot to stargaze as well! It's pretty wherever I lay my eyes on."

"Except behind us, maybe. You don't like trees that much."

You cackle. "They give me the creeps, especially during night. But at least we don't have to face that way, do we?"

He shakes his head as he laughs, inclining himself closer to you. He places his hands just beside yours on the railing, looking up and then looking at you, who's still busy admiring the sky.

He can't help but smile admiring you in your adorable placidity.

"The stars are pretty tonight." You say as you notice him looking at you in your peripheral vision.

"You always say that. They're always pretty. Sparkly."

"Mesmerizing to look at." You add. He nods, still staring at you.

"That's why I love the stars.."

"Uh huh. And chocolate." You grin.

"And you."

You stand flabbergasted, daring not to look at him directly. Your heart feels like it's about to jolt out of your chest. Your fingers begin to tremble on their own as you feel something intangible whirling inside your stomach. You know what it is—and he's making your heart flutter. But you can't trust this feeling as you aren't even sure if he's joking or not. And if he is, you kinda hate it. You want it to be real.

"Aye, don't flirt with me. That's so not you." You snap, rolling your eyes.

It doesn't take him too long to perceive what's on your mind. He taps your shoulder before sitting on the railing, inviting you to join him. You're a little hesitant for the fear of falling to the water. And when it comes to this kind of thing, you don't trust Mello. You're sure he'll eventually push you. The number of times he had done this to you in some places before is something you can't even count anymore.

"C'mon [Y/N]. Don't be scared. I won't push you. Or if I do, you're free to drag me as well."

"Tch. So you do intend to push me." Nevertheless, you sit beside him and grip the bars tightly with your clammy palms. Luckily the concrete extends six inches after the railing.

Mello feels like you two aren't physically close enough, and he thinks it's not 'romantic' enough, so he slides even closer to you until his palm is already above your hand and your shoulders bump.

"Oh, no. You keep your distance, Mr. Wonka."

"It's not like we're having social distancing here you know?"

"You're too close."

"And I'm going to get even closer.."

He whispers, his hot breath tickling the side of your neck. You sigh and face him, and your noses bump. You urgently back away and you almost slip if not for him.

"What's gotten into your system for you to act so flirty all of a sudden?"

"You."

"MELLO!! I'm damn serious. Like, all the jests can wait but for now, just.. don't flirt with me. I'm in no mood."

"Aww, trying to shoo me away huh? After stealing my heart and my chocolates, here you are suddenly breaking my poor, poor heart."

"One more attempt and I'm going to drown you."

"Heeeeeeey. Don't be so vicious now." He softly bumps your shoulder with his. You only click your tongue in annoyance.

"Seriously. Stop messing with me. I hate you."

"No you don't. I'm not messing with you. I'm serious—"

"Tch. Serious my ass."

"..You don't have one—"

"See? You little fucktard. You keep on messing with me. So just stop flirting with me. I swear I'll kill you if you continue."

"Whaaat? Seriously, I'm not messing with you. You gotta—"

"Mels, no, no, no. You can poke fun of me, push me off right now or anything but just don't flirt with me. You're a bastard for torturing my feelings. That's not cool at all. Damn it," you spat. He keep his silence, his mouth starting to gape.

"Don't make me assume things because I really, really, really like you!"

The words pour out unbidden. Your voice resonates and immediately you shut up and look down with a furious blush.

'That's it, congratulations for possibly ruining your friendship.' You think as you bite your lower lip.

Your blush vanishes as the fluttering feeling in your chest does, being replaced with instant regret, as if your heart has dropped to your stomach.

The look of surprise in his face turns to a cheeky grin. With much glee, he chuckles.

"I've always known this devil is a pure softie inside..."

"M-Mello.."

You are about to tear up, but then he says, "Do you know what you just did? You ruined my plans, [Y/N]! But I suppose I can forgive you for that."

"What?? Plan?? Damn you, damn you, damn you! I knew you were up to no good! Damn it, Mello! Pretend this night never existed. I'm outta here—"

"No no, it's not what you think. 'I like you' was supposed to be my line, not yours!" He can't help but burst out laughing, leaving you momentarily dazed, but then when you realize what he possibly meant by that, it's as if your heart has come back to life. Your face turns red.

"I was going to confess to you tonight, but it looks like the tables had turned. You are a.. partypooper! Do you know how many times I've practice saying that in front of Matt, just to end up with you saying it instead of me? Unbelievable!"

He wheezes, catches his breath, then looks at you. "And look, I'm not complaining, alright? Haha.. but the way things turn out to be in the end is just so.. whimsical. But I'm gonna say it anyway: I like you. I like you a lot."

You scrutinize his facial expression just to be sure that he's serious, and you confirm he truly is. He's absently smiling, and just from staring at you is the reason. Rapture dances in his eyes. He looks genuinely happy and candid at the moment. And here you are left speechless, only staring at him as a sheepish smile slowly invades your face.

You almost lose your grip on the railing when he briefly kisses your cheek. And again, nothing comes out of your mouth.

"Do I also need to say that I wanna be your boyfriend? Because, isn't it obvious?"

"Mello..."

"No pressure, [Y/N]. If we both like each other but you're not yet ready for a relationship, I understand and I can wait."

"Well.." You hide your face on his shoulder because you feel like the longer you stare at him, the more probable it is that you'll faint. "Uhm.. Err... Have you ever been.. in a relationship?"

"No, not really. You will be my first one. If you accept."

You smile. "Well, same as you here."

"Really? I thought you already had a partner or two before."

"I had no time to be in love. Add that some of the people I was acquainted with sucked, and the kind ones.. well, let's just say that they seemed to be missing something.. something that, I suppose, only you have. And.. it will really make me happy if you are to be my first," you lift your head up to meet his eyes. "So I accept."

"You serious?? Right here?? Right now??"

"Need I repeat myself, partner-in-crime?"

"Haha! Course not!"

You peck his cheek as your warm smile broadens. You then rest your head on his shoulder, your eyes never leaving the distant city as he wraps an arm around your waist, meticulous so that you two wouldn't slip from the railing and fall down.

"I think it's safe to assume now that you're the one behind flattening my tires. And just so I can ride with you. You're a cunning man, so I suppose you also did something with your own scooter just so we could walk together, like couples in movies. Haha I never thought you'd think something like that!"

"It was Matt's idea. Swear. He thought it was more romantic that way. And he's probably the one who rigged my scooter. He really can be a huge pain in the ass sometimes."

"Like you are."

"Aw come on. Take that back you little demon!"

"Noooopeeeee! Pfahahaha— AAAA SHIT!"

And with that, you both plunge into the frigid water with a loud splash.

[dsmpkincalls]

Yo! I’m a c!Karl kin , a c!Ghostbur kin, and a c!Philza kin. (And Smajor from 3rd Life but he ain’t DSMP related so I’m just gonna talk ab the first three lol). I’m down to talk to anyone, really! Preferably peeps that are bodily 15+ since I am a minor (will be 17 in June).

I’d really like to talk to Q, Sap, Eret, anyone from TFTSMP, or my boys (Tommy, Wilbur, and Techno) again! Then again, I’d love to talk to others in general. I’m down just to have fun, make some new friends, and maybe meet a canonmate or two!!

If you’re interested in talking, interact with this post, and I’ll message you when I can!! Or, you could add me on Disc! I’m 🏵Strawberry Blond🏵#8105

Alright, here’s some memories I have as Karl and Phil! (Since I only have like, two Ghostbur mems lol)

Karl -

- I was about 5’11 in height

- I wasn’t losing my memories, but moreso they were really heavily suppressed (or I’d the right word repressed? Theyd peak out once or twice very slightly like once-in-a-blue-moon wise, but not commonly. They’d be repressed again after a few minutes.

- This one time, Eret led me up to a certain part of his castle. It was a little ways up off of the ground, and there was a corridor that lead to another room across from where we were. There was a floor, a ceiling, and glass panes on the sides that showed the outside. The view looked nice, from what I could recall. Everyone and everything looked smaller from up there! As we got to the room, Eret opened the door, and inside was a bunch of jewelry. Bracelets, necklace’s, headdresses, rings — you name it! I think Eret said something like “let’s bedazzle you” or something like that. She then proceeded to sit me down in a (relatively comfortable) chair, and place all sorts of jewelry on me. Everything was so pretty, and we were definitely joking around too. Soft kisses on the back of my hand too when he put a few rings on.

- I remember walking into the kitchen me evening while Quackity was making dinner, and he *and* Sapnap were there, preparing or cooking the food together. Q noticed me, and brought me toward the counter, inviting me to cook alongside him and Sap. The nether-born was chopping carrots, and Quackity was on potatoes. I washed my hands, i was handed me a knife and some.. either lettuce or cilantro? I think, anywho — and I started cooking/prepping with those two. I don’t have any other remember what happened after that.

- I have this memory of waking up on the couch and Quackity and Sapnap hovering over me with some food and water. I’m not exactly sure what happened, but I know that I was unconscious for some time, and I looked a little scuffed up and had some cuts and bruises. They both seemed rather worried about me, had me eat, and asked me what had happened. I didn’t remember what events occurred prior to what was happening now, so I shrugged my shoulders and answered with “I don’t know.”. That clearly didn’t help, as they grew a bit more worried. I ate as Q and Sap had their arms around me , and they treated the injuries I had afterward.

Philza -

- I was about 6’2 or 6’3 height wise.

- I had slightly long ish hair…? It almost reached my shoulders, from what I can remember lol

- From what I can recall, all three of my kids were adopted. Wil and Techno were fraternal twins. I can’t remember where I found them. Tommy, I remember carrying him to my home sometime in the fall/winter from a forest. Poor kid was shivering and clinging to me. Wilbur was waiting for me near the house, and as I approached the building, a younger Techno opened the door to let us in.

- I remember taking my sons out apple picking one day when they all were kids. I took them there by boat, they rode in the back as I sat up front. Tommy was very ecstatic, and so was Wilbur, though he tried to downplay it. Techno pointed out Wil’s downplay of his emotions, to which he told the pinkette to shut up. When we arrived, Tommy happily jumped out of the boat and over to apple trees. Wilbur followed after Tommy, a smile on his face. Techno got out of the boat and waited for me as I got out. I noticed that Tommy and Wilbur forgot to grab a basket, and called them back to retrieve them. Almost immediately , they both ran back to grab baskets.

Strawberry Blond🏵#8105

[sailorsplatoon]

Chapter 2 of a Dedf1sh fanfic I wrote

So I sort of disappeared for a little bit. I thought I would come back by posting the second chapter of that Dedf1sh fic I posted a while ago (which I still don't have a name for, so if you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them!) Also I tried my best to write Iso Padre in this chapter, but I'm not sure if I captured his manner of speaking properly, so if something seems incorrect I am entirely open to constructive criticism.

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Read it on ao3

Chapter 2 below!

(TW: Mention of blood)

(Side note: If there's ever a TW or CW that I miss, please let me know! I will not hesitate to add anything that needs to be added!)

Ahato woke up with a pain along their entire right side. They’d fallen off the seat and landed on the train floor. They picked themselves up and slung the large duffel bag over their shoulder. They’d probably gotten enough sleep. Looking around the train car, they noticed someone new was sitting in the room with them. A large grey scaly iso pod sat at near the door next to a suitcase full of… plushies? He seemed to be preoccupied by his thoughts. 

“Excuse me?” Ahato asked, hoping to get his attention.

“Oh, hello young squire. I had noticed you were asleep on the floor and thought I would keep you company. Might I ask if you’re alright? I heard you fall but you didn’t wake up.”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just really tired I guess. Thanks for asking. Who are you?”

“I have no memory of my name. I have spent so long here that I have forgotten.”

“Oh…” Ahato felt a sudden sting in their chest. What would they have to go through to forget their own name? A name is so special and important. “I’m so sorry.”

“It is quite alright. I may have forgotten much of my life, but I can still enjoy the little memory I have left.” Ahato stood there in silence for a moment. This man seemed to kind. They couldn’t tell exactly why, but they knew instantly that they could trust him. He’d been through so much. They were similar in that way. Two souls searching for what they lost so long ago.

“My name is Ahato,” they said, “I want to help you. What can I do?”

“Well, it’s not much, but I greatly enjoy when the test subjects here share their mem cakes with me. They’re the slices of memory that you earn from completing tests. They are my only link left to what it feels like to have my own memories.”

“I haven’t completed any tests yet… but I will share all my mem cakes with you once I do!”

“Thank you, Ahato. Good luck. And please, don’t push yourself too hard for me.”

***

Ahato stood at the entrance of the station. Everything was eerily quiet. C.Q. Cumber walked them through how to select their weapon and how CQ points worked before they entered the test. 

At first it looked like a forest, but none of the trees seemed quite real. It was so quiet. The silence was so distracting, Ahato felt like every slight sound was amplified. If only there were some music or something to fill in the space. An octoling spawned on top of a large pillar and started to attack Ahato. Why were they attacking? And was their skin… green? Something was definitely off. Not to mention how much stronger this octoling seemed compared to most octoling soldiers they’d- Splat! Ahato respawned at the start of the forest. They were never a part of the fighting division in the octarian army, their specialty was in the medical unit. How were they supposed to fight when normally they did the exact opposite!? Ahato wanted to give up right there. They knew something was wrong with this place and these weird green octolings were definitely a part of it. How were they supposed to fight them? Then they remembered the kind isopod back on the train. They wanted to help him, and the only way to do that was to pass this test. They took a deep breath and trudged into the forest.

***

Ahato boarded the train, mem cake in hand, bleeding. After a while they gave up trying to fight and just tried to disarm the octolings. Turns out they were good fighters even without their weapons. But Ahato managed to do it.

“Oh Ahato! You’re hurt!” The isopod stood up, worried for the octoling’s wellbeing. 

“I’m okay, really. I’ve had way worse,” Ahato sighed from exhaustion as they brandished the thin spongey mem cake they had earned. They didn’t look at it. Why, out of all of their memories, did it have to be that one? The isopod took the mem cake, seeing how obvious it was Ahato did not want to hold it anymore. The moment he took it he understood.

For my f1ngers, your blood a sheet.

1 stress to keep your heart a-beat.

But soon 1 must adm1t defeat.

“Ahato… are you alright?” The isopod asked.

“Yeah, I already told you. I’m totally fine, I just need to bandage up these cuts,” Ahato had already pulled a roll of gauze out of their bag and was wrapping it around their wounds.

“I don’t mean physically.” 

They paused. That mem cake had revealed more than they wanted it to. “Don’t worry, really I’m okay.”

“If you need to talk, I'd love to listen.”

Ahato thought for a moment. When was the last time they talked to someone about anything past their work for that day? “That was when I learned that just because being a medic didn’t require me to be on the battlefield, doesn’t mean I would see any less death.”

“Was this your first time losing a patient?”

“Yes. They’d been shot by a charger from close range. Typically that would just splat you and then you’d respawn, but this one had been rigged so that it shot out projectiles rather than ink. It was designed after some ancient invention used for hunting I guess? It tore directly through one of their hearts, causing them to lose immense amounts of blood. I’d never dealt with damage from a weapon like that before, so I didn’t know what I could do. I watched them die. I still have nightmares about it.”

“I am so sorry that you had to go through that, Ahato. Saving people is never an easy job. I can tell you cared about it deeply.”

“I was never good enough to fight-” they paused to take an ibuprofen pill- “I couldn’t build machines or train new soldiers. Heck, I couldn’t even manage the weapons supply. Everyone in the army thought I was useless. I thought I would end up being a grave digger. But then the medical unit announced that they were understaffed and I got stuck there. I ended up loving it. I could help people.”

“You are a good person, Ahato.” The two went silent. It wasn’t the awkward silence that Ahato was expecting when they opened up about their past. It was more like a silence of understanding. Like there was nothing more that needed to be said because they both knew what the other was going to say already. It was nice. Ahato started to cry. The isopod hugged her. They sat like that for a long time.

***

“Do you mind if I come up with a name for you?” Ahato asked the isopod. “I know it won’t be like your real one, but I want to have something that I can call you.”

“I would be very grateful if you did. What would you like to call me?”

“Iso Padre. Because you kinda remind me of my dad.”

“Thank you.”

[dearamericaroyaldiaries]

Get In Losers. We’re Going Witch Hunting

I Walk in Dread- 1691(-1692), Deliverance Trembly

By Lisa Rowe Fraustino

Don’t judge the picture. Google had no images that I felt comfortable using license wise so I took a (bad) picture of my copy.

Age of Protagonist: 12

#ReadingThoughts

-Before I even start I am digging the Puritan names. First Remember Patience and now Deliverance (and I would come to find ANOTHER MEM!!).

-My edition looses points or not having a ribbon even though it’s hardcover. This negatively impacts my reading experience for Reasons.

-Hold it. Is her uncles’ name really Razor Strap? I know Puritans were big on using random phrases from the Bible for their naming, but is that really a phrase in the Bible? Also, Sister Mem had me confused it was Mem from the last book for a hot second.

-SO do Mem and Deliverance just live with their uncle? Just the three of them? (The answer I quickly found was yes.)

-I appreciate the lesson on town politics. That's important for the Salem area in 1692ish.

-I am confused by what’s happening with the year. Why is it Dec 31, 1691, then Jan. 1, 1691, and then Jan. 2, 1691/2. There is a bullshit explanation in the about the author section. If you’re worried about Accuracy when it comes to the Julian vs Gregorian calendar, put something in the text. You’re average grade schooler isn’t going to jump to that . If I remember correctly, there’s something about the Gregorian calendar differing from the Julian calendar in the Anastasia book that is handled better. Liv explains other things to the reader, why not this?

-Why is a 12 year old more responsible than a 17 year old? Especially in 1692. Mem should at least have a higher opinion of herself in the family hierarchy and be preparing to keep her own house as a wife.

-Again, I feel Mem should be more mature than Liv.

-Liv can use her sister’s boy-craziness to her advantage. Mem is willing to shovel shit if there are attractive members of the opposite sex in the vicinity.

-Allergies=Witchcraft. That explains so much about me and my life. Though I suppose it makes sense from a 17th century Puritan POV.

-Mem wants to be a stepmom to 9 kids all of whom are most likely closer to her age than she would be to the potential husband?  The last part might not be a big concern in the time period but good gracious that’s too many kids for my liking.

-Age update- some of the kids would be older than her or her age.

-I feel the average target reader would need an explanation of what “God’s Elect” means. Most 12 year olds don’t have a strong grasp on post-Reformation Protestant Theology.

-Poor Liv. She wants to fit un but is failing spectacularly.

-Is Liv going to be among the accused? She’s not on the best of terms with the accusers and has been or will be associated with at least three people who were accused and killed.

- They used the strong trick for loose teeth in the 17th century? I have no evidence or data to argue one side or the other but I am suspicious. Somewhat amused, but suspicious.

-I find the tithing man hilarious. I want a stick with a fuzzy rabbit foot on one end and a knob for whacking people on the other. Also, he deserved getting thumped back by the one guy,

-I am calling bullshit on Goody Corey sniffing out only girl scent. Either it’s a bit or she’s a witch, not her husband. (Spoilers: He’s accused and refuses to confess so the town can’t take his land and is pressed to death while trying to get a confession. Post reading note: I totally forgot/didn’t know that Goody Corey was also accused and killed.)

-I don’t know really anything about the real Goody Corey, but she seems like a stand-in for an enlightened modern person, above the provincial notions of witchcraft and the commonplace racism toward Amer Indians. I’m not saying everyone thought they were the devil, but a majority thought that they were superior to the indigenous peoples of the American colonies.

-Mr. Cooper’s letter is too vague! We need deets!

-Because this is told through Livs’ eyes everyone asking about their uncle and checking in on them comes off as invasive and nosy but as an adult, a twelve year old and a seventeen year old have been left on a farm by themselves for almost two months at this point is an issue. Is he ever coming back?

-WHAT!? Goody Corey has a bi-racial son born when she was estranged from her first husband? Prepare for a wikipedia tangent because I had to a a google to corroborate this. Wikepedia backs this up but what it doesn’t back up is the timeline. I read her as in her 40s or 50s in the book. According to wikepedia (don’t judge me, it’s good for basic facts and a starting point) she was 72ish in 1692 and this biracial son was her first child who would have been 50ish at this point and was born before Martha Corey was ever married. *End Tangent* Good for her though if she did indeed five her husband an earful after Liv left.

-Hold on. Mr. Cooper wants to talk to Uncle Razor Strap about Mem marrying Darcy, not him. Mem is gonna be devastated.

-Would electricity have been a concept a) known in 1692 and b) be well enough known that a random 12 year old in the colonies with little formal schooling would be comfortable enough using the phrase “electrical lightning.” No, I will not be googling this. Googling historical facts is one thing, googling sciencey things is another thing entirely,

-Did the girls hear the stories and then claim to have witnessed ZYX or did they independently corroborate the stories? One is much less suspect than the other.

-At this point I wonder will we ever meet Uncle Razor Strap? Is he dead? Is he trying to get back to Salem? Is he abandoning them?

-I feel the leap to “Am I a witch?” after having a weird dream about nursing a baby Sarah Goode is sensible as someone who has been about to call the Vatican several times when their period was late. In those cases clearly the only explanation was pregnancy, even when physically impossible just as being a witch is Livs’ conclusion here. 

-Hopefully the girls can just get out of the Salem area soon and the landlord giving them to the end of the month is a neat enough excuse.

-So Mem thinks that Goody Corey is a witch but is okay with Liv going over there?

-How scary it would be to worry that the one family member you have in the area, who should be protecting you because you’re 12, might accuse you of witchcraft.

-I am delighted the the horse can act as a chaperone. Really? Okay.

-How does the horse give permission to whisk a fainted person into the house? It’s a horse.

-So now Mem is forcing Liv to read her diary to her. Rude.

Thoughts on the Afterward

Meh. Mem marries Darcy but dies young so Liv gets her man. They return to Salem. They don’t go West like they talked about. Liv has a gagillion great grands. No one ever fount her journal. Meh. I’m happy she was happy and all but meh.

Overall Thoughts After Reading

It took almost 200 pages to get through four months. I think I just don’t care for the author. I should have liked this book. It ticks multiple boxes that should be my jam but something about it just... is a no for me. Maybe it’s because I have zero nostalgia for this book. It took me about 4.5 months to get through this book and finding it boring is one of them. No one seems like a well rounded character who has any growth. Last book Mem had a whole arc where she came to terms with losing her mother  but this time Liv didn’t really seem to change or grow.

I had high hopes. This book came out right as I was aging out of Dear America but I remember the hype around it on the Scholastic website. (Yes I was a wee nerd who hung out on the Scholastic website.) Sadly I was disappointed.

Also, we nope out of the actual trials. The first trial wasn’t held until JUNE. The book ends on April 30. Yes, we get to see the initial hysteria and flurry of accusations and arrests, but this was just the beginning. This seems like a cop-out.

Rating: 3/10 Sisterly Cat-Fights

Other contenders included False Accusations (this one seemed unfair because while I believe no one who was accused of witchcraft during the Salem Witch Hysteria was actually practicing witchcraft, I can’t say with confidence that the accusers were all lying. They may have believed honestly that they were afflicted by witches so calling them false accusations seem disingenuous.) and Bible Verses because Puritans. In the end, I had to honor the brutal way Mem and Live went after each other. Apparently in addition to being sickly, Mem was also small because how else could a 12 year old take her 17 year old sister like that. 

[oss-crime]

Chapter 2-Project “Ma” –Eve–; Scene 3

Original Sin Story: Crime, pages 23-37

Apparently the carriage’s speed was enough to outrace their pursuers.

After they arrived at Nemu village, they headed for Eve’s house, which was also the residence of the village chief.

This village had no clinics. As he had some medical knowledge, the village chief also acted as the village doctor.

“Welcome home…And who are these people, Eve?”

Chief Zvezda’s eyes went wide when he saw Eve carrying in two men, one of them injured.

“They were attacked on the plains by the white army. This one’s wounded.”

“It looks that way…Well then, you sit over here. I’ll examine you.”

Seth obeyed the chief’s words, taking a seat in a chair set deeper in the room.

After watching him silently, Eve spoke up to Adam “Are you alright? You didn’t get injured or anything?”

“No, luckily for me. More than that—”

Before Adam could continue his sentence, the village chief cut in as he wrapped a bandage around Seth’s head, “Judging by your outfits…you two are researchers from the royal capital.”

“Ho, you’re quite well-informed.”

“Director Horus of the Royal Research Institute is an old acquaintance of mine. Is he still working hard on research artifacts as usual?”

Adam hesitated for a moment, before telling the chief, “No…He’s passed on. Two years ago. Right now I’m working as director in his place.”

“How…I see, I hadn’t known. I’ve stopped going to the Twelve Royal Capitals lately. And so that would make you—”

“Horus’ adopted son, Adam.”

“I’ve heard your name from him, but I suppose that would make this our first time meeting like this.”

“Yes, and—"

This time Seth butt in. “Erm…I’d appreciate it if you could patch up my wound first.”

“Oops, sorry.”

The chief flusteredly resumed wrapping bandages.

“…Hm?”

He made a puzzled expression, peering at Seth’s face.

“Your left eye looks funny. Is that injured as well?”

“Ah…No, it’s always been like that. I haven’t been able to see out of this eye from birth.”

“A defective left eye…Horus was like that too, as I recall.”

“Ha ha, that’s right. Just a coincidence.”

.

After Seth’s treatment was finished, the researchers bowed their heads to Eve and the village chief and said their thanks.

The chief offered for them to rest at the village for a while.

“The white army wouldn’t go as far as attacking us here,” the chief revealed.

Adam replied, giving him a courteous smile, “Is that because this place is a village of sorcerers?”

“…My my, so the son of Horus is able to glean that much.” The village chief sat down in a nearby chair, a hand on his aching hip. “Let me ask you a question instead, Adam. For what purpose did you all come to this remote place? I’d think that scientists would have little interest in an excavation site, of all things.”

“That’s not so. After all is said and done we’re researchers of the old legacy. It wouldn’t be all that strange for us to want to see where it’s excavated.”

“But up until this point we have never once had a scientist go visit there. Your aim is not the excavation site.”

The village chief’s tone had hardened, but Adam wasn’t intimidated. “Chief Zvezda—No, esteemed sorcerer Raiou Zvezda. It seems you have something in mind already. As it happens, we also have several things we’d like to talk to you about.”

“So I’m the one you’ve been after.”

“Actually, to be more accurate—” Adam turned to Eve. “—We came here to meet her.”

The peaceful atmosphere that had been in the room just moments ago changed in an instant.

Eve could feel a sense of unease.

This wasn’t a light matter; especially considering they had come here with a retinue of soldiers.

Appearing to guess at Eve’s anxiety, the chief said to her, “Eve, please go outside for a minute.”

But Eve shook her head.

“If there’s a reason why these scientists are interested in a humble village girl like me, then I want to know what it is,” she said, somewhat challengingly.

It wasn’t like she’d never done anything of note. Depending on the situation…there was a chance that she would have to drive off the scientists that she’d rescued herself.

“Oh dear, let’s all calm down now, everyone.” Seth stood in the center of the group, remonstrating all present. “Sorry for being rude. …I’m sure you are as well, aren’t you Adam?”

“…”

“None of us wants to see this turn out like what happened with the ‘Witch of Merrigod’.”

Upon hearing that name, the village chief’s gaze turned even sharper. “So…you two are on a ‘witch hunt’ after all!”

“You’re quite knowledgeable. I suppose you…suspected us of that from the start. You not knowing about Dr. Horus’ death—was also a lie, I imagine.”

“I said this earlier, but I haven’t gone to the Twelve Royal Capitals in some time. I rarely even go outside the village. …But sorcerers have a network that allows them to share information.”

“The spell that uses green onions? Talking to people at long distances…Well, leaving that aside you have several misunderstandings here, so I shall explain.”

Adam looked at Seth with dissatisfaction. “No, I’m the one who—”

“Just leave this to your underling. Mister Director.” After cutting Adam off, Seth once more bowed to Eve and the village chief. “I have yet to introduce myself. My name is Seth Twiright. I work for the Royal Research Institute, and I am the late Dr. Horus’ top apprentice.”

“…Self-labeled top apprentice,” Eve heard Adam quietly mutter.

.

Levianta was called a “Kingdom”, but at present the position of ruler was not something gained by heredity.

In this country that was born to protect the temple and flourishing through the legacy bequeathed by the gods, the “gods” were absolute, and all people were little more than their servants.

The one who ruled the country had to be someone who could hear “the voice of the gods”. And the one they deemed most suitable for that was a virgin who commanded extraordinary magical power.

For that reason Levianta was ruled through the ages by a “queen”, but there were various institutions that existed for selecting that queen.

The special orphanage owned by the Loop Octopus family, the Lighwatch temple managed by the Asayev family, the Royal Research Institute run by the Vaju family, etc…

This also served as a source of political conflict in the senate. Because whichever establishment the queen was born into decided who was the next head of the senate. The current queen Alice Merry-Go-Round had once been a child raised in the special orphanage.

“Naturally, the other families don’t just passively sit and watch. There are a lot of senate members who get worked up over making the next queen show up from their own facility. As for the Vaju family, they’ve been seeking out results from a certain experiment…”

The village chief covered his face with his hand as he listened to Seth’s explanation. “Scheming to artificially birth a child with strong magical potential…How frightening.”

“Be that as it may, if we hadn’t then the institute wouldn’t get its funding for the legacy research. Dr. Horus couldn’t afford not to comply.”

“There have always been shady rumors about the Royal Research Institute. That to birth the ‘next queen’ they abduct potential mothers from all over. …Though Horus never told me anything himself.”

“That’s another misconception. It’s not like the research institute is forcibly making off with these women. It’s all out of their consent—if it means performing a service to the gods then everyone is quite happy to participate in our research.”

The village chief snorted, clearly not believing him. “It hasn’t been like that recently, at the very least. You’ve all been carrying out ‘witch hunts’, even using troops for it.”

“To be accurate, they’re a peace-keeping force. And, well, we’ve found ourselves in certain circumstances that require we hurry.”

“Why is that? As I recall the current queen is still in her forties. Her dynasty should last for another twenty years more at least.”

“…The institute is no longer searching for someone to be the ‘mother of the queen’.”

“--? What do you mean?”

“We are trying to find a woman who can become queen. And the new queen will also become the mother of the gods…The ‘Ma’.”

“You can’t mean…!? The ‘Ma’ is little more than a fairy-tale!”

Seeing the chief’s astonishment, Eve asked, “Father, what’s the ‘Ma’?”

“…It is said that when catastrophe is on the cusp of visiting this world, the dragon god LeviaBehemo with two heads and two wills will have a second coming in this world as human children. And the woman who births these ‘Twins of God’ is ‘Ma’…the divine mother, Mem Aleph…It’s an old myth passed down from long ago.”

“Erm…” Eve then said to Seth, guessing on her own what the conclusion to the story she just heard was then. “…So if the gods must be reborn in this world…Then does that mean that there really is a catastrophe coming?”

Seth briefly clapped for her. “That’s correct, Miss Eve.”

“But what’s your basis for that?”

“It was none other than the dragon god LeviaBehemo who prophesized thus. Through the queen. We’ve never had an oracle be wrong before. The senate needed to come up with a countermeasure post-haste.”

And the countermeasure drafted by the senate head Miroku Loop Octopus was project “Ma”.

They changed the role of the next queen selection measures to search for a woman who could become the mother of the gods.

Once she had safely birthed the children that would become receptacles for the gods, she would obtain the position of queen in place of Alice, as reward for her service. …That sort of thing.

“But if you do that then the current queen will have to step down. Can the senate really decide that on their own?”

“The current queen agrees with this project as well, you see. …I mean, I think that the members of the senate wouldn’t be able to move with this much forward momentum if she didn’t.”

The one who managed to produce the mother of the gods from their institution would achieve glory as the savior who protected the world from catastrophe.

And also the position of next head of the senate.

“…Anyhow, the Royal Research Institute must also search for ‘Ma’ candidates under orders of the Vaju family.

Upon hearing that the village chief gave a sideways glance to Eve with a sullen expression. “And so…you’ve selected my own daughter as an ‘Ma’ candidate.”

“The Royal Research Institute is seen as the most plausible source for completing this project. So the head of the senate has given the institute several authorizations. Such as to freely make use of security forces and their information.”

“But if the Royal Research Institute were to successfully carry out Project ‘Ma’, Miroku will lose his position as senate head. Is he alright with that?”

“Well, I don’t know that far…But I imagine it would be pretty difficult to find the ‘Ma’ in Senator Miroku’s special orphanage. And so…maybe his plan is to be able to continue to wield some influence in the senate even after stepping down by collaborating with the facility most likely to succeed.”

“What an awful power struggle.”

“I agree. Well, anyway, it’s thanks to our information that we were able to learn of some rumors around here…”

That was, the rumors of the “Witch of the Forest” that supposedly would appear in the sprawling “Forest of Held” to the south of the village.

There was a girl who would use magic to drive off the tribesmen that would appear every now and then…She had green hair, and would cast lightning with a blue spoon…Supposedly.

“According to what we’ve heard, she’s the bearer of significant magical power. Only, this region is currently being terrorized by that savage clan. That’s why we brought along minimal guards with us…Though conversely, that seems to have just spurred them on.”

Listening to all that, Eve was reminded of the soldiers that they’d left out on the plain. “I wonder if…those guys are alright.”

Adam had been quiet this whole time, but he replied, “The peacekeeping unit…especially Gammon, are all strong men. They can’t use magic, but they are proficient with swords and guns. They won’t be defeated by the likes of those tribesmen.”

“But—”

“In the worst-case scenario, they’ll seek out reinforcements from the royal capital…Right now it’s us I’m worried about.”

Eve felt her cheeks flush from being looked at by this man so close to her in age.

There weren’t any intrepid, intellectual guys like him in the village.

“Hmph…It sounds like you two are mistaken about something.” The village chief cut in between Eve and Adam. “This ‘Witch of the Forest’…I’ve certainly heard of that story, but that isn’t Eve.”

“B-but, she has the same green hair, and her magical ability—”

As Adam tried to argue, the village chief quietly shook his head. “Green hair is a trait shared by the people of the forest…And as for magical ability, everyone in the village has it in varying measures.”

“…Let me ask then, Chief. Are there any other green-haired girls in this village—”

“No. We’re immigrants who originally wandered here from elsewhere. But Eve is different. She was abandoned and set adrift in a nearby river when she was a baby. My late-wife scooped her out. We raised her as our own daughter.”

“So then—”

“Did the intel you gathered claim that the Witch of the Forest was someone in this village?”

“No, it…didn’t say that…”

“If you’re looking for a girl with green hair, I’d suggest going to the Forest of Held. You’re sure to run into the people of the forest immediately.”

“…Seth.”

Adam gave Seth a prompting glance.

“O.K. Now it’s time for this.”

What he brought out was a small iron rod that forked into two prongs.

“This is an artifact. It can measure someone’s latent magical potential by holding it out in front of them like this…Augh!” Appearing to have realized something, Seth looked up to the ceiling and held his head. “We don’t have the output device! I left it in the carriage.”

“What!?”

“No…It’s understandable. With the way things were there wasn’t any time to take out something so heavy…”

“…Nothing for it. We’ll have to go back there and get it.”

Adam asked if they could borrow Eve’s automated carriage.

Given that it would be dangerous to bring a woman over to where there might still be some tribesmen, he apparently intended to go get the equipment with Seth.

“But you need magical ability to run the carriage.”

“Don’t worry. I have enough myself.”

Thinking on it, he had been riding in a large automatic carriage. Adam must have been driving that one too.

“Don’t break it. It’s very important to us.”

Adam nodded at Eve’s words, and started to move to leave the house with Seth along.

--But that moment, they heard the shrieking sound of a car wheel from outside.

“Huh!? …Could it be?”

Adam leaned out the window.

And there he beckoned over someone who was outside.

After a beat, a long-haired man walked into the room.

He had a gun and a sword sheathed at his hip. He appeared to be a military man.

“So you’re alright, Gammon.”

This man named Gammon exchanged a handshake with Adam.

“It was no big deal. There were just quite a lot of them, so it took some time.”

“You only have the one carriage? And I can’t see the other soldiers outside of your driver.”

“I sent everyone back to the royal capital. They’ll need to appeal for information, and reinforcements, depending on the circumstances.”

“Reinforcements?...If you were able to repel the tribesmen then there’s no need for that, is there? Don’t do anything too dangerous. This is supposed to be a peaceful—”

“I won’t be turning my sword on any witch. This is incidental. I want to take the opportunity to make a decisive strike on the white army.”

Adam heaved a sigh.

“…I suppose that is the official job of a peacekeeping force. But don’t forget. Your responsibility is—”

“Guarding you, I know. Naturally I will accomplish that properly myself.”

“Alone?”

“Is that not enough?”

“…It’s enough. You’re dependable.”

“You could stand to be a bit cheerier. I did bring you back what you forgot.”

Packed in the luggage compartment of the automated carriage that the captain of the security forces, Gammon, had rode in on was the device that Adam and Seth had left behind on the plains.

Once more putting together the magic measuring device, Seth started to take note of Eve’s magical ability.

“Though this isn’t a standard instrument. Using it in itself is quite simple. Please just stand perfectly still right there.”

Seth turned the iron rod's prongs in Eve’s direction.

After a while the box that was attached by wire to the bundle of metal let out a “be-beep”. Seth set it down and started to examine the numbers displayed on the box’s screen.

When he did, his expression grew crestfallen.

“…Your M count is 72. And your other numbers are average. That means you’re only a little bit stronger in magic than the average person.

Adam stood next to Seth and peered at the data output device.

“You’re sure the device isn’t broken?”

“I could check…Hey, Gammon.” Seth did a reading of Gammon’s magical ability just as he had done with Eve. “…M count of 0. Alright! You are, without a doubt, ‘magically impotent’!”

“…”

While breaking out into something of a cold sweat as Gammon glared at him, Seth then measured the magic potential of Adam, and then the village chief.

“…Amazing. The village chief is 200, and Adam exceeds 300. If you two were women you’d most certainly be candidates for ‘Ma’—At any rate, I think the device is working correctly.”

Upon hearing that outcome, the village chief slowly stood before Adam.

“And now we’ve satisfied you that Eve is not this ‘Witch of the Forest’.”

“…At the very least we’ve established that she can’t be an ‘Ma’ candidate.”

“I see…That’s good then, Eve.”

Eve wondered if it really was.

Maybe she had just let a chance for her to become queen slip out from under her very nose.

Queen…huh.

It was an unbelievable honor for a citizen of Levianta to obtain that position.

But I doubt my father would let me become queen.

Eve knew quite well that he was a man who hated politics.

It was only because there was no one else who could fulfill the role of village chief that he had bitterly accepted the role.

I’ve had to work specifically because he rarely takes in any taxes.

She thought her father was a splendid man.

But that didn’t mean she had no complaints.

<<prev------directory------next>>

[ranboo5]

THIS ONE’S 4:21 I JUST MISSED THE CUTOFF

Okay, I just saw a post. I’m not gonna mention the post, I’m not gonna directly vague the post, I don’t think that’s in good form, but like –

Wolf in REWARE was right, this is just enderwa– this is just “enderwalk Ranboo is a different character protagonist” and I just fucking used the term “enderwalk Ranboo” ‘cause it’s what the fucking post used I hate my– I hate it, I hate it– [inhale]

Ranboo, while ’walking, does have all his memories! And I don’t think this is prohibitive– or, actually, does he even have all his memories? Ranboo, while ’walking, thinks he has mem– Ranboo, while ‘walking, has–  we don’t even know he has all his memories! All we know is Ranboo, while ‘walking, has access to memories that Ranboo, while waking, does not have. [sigh] And we don’t even – we don’t know if this goes both ways, which it might, we don’t know how complete it is, we do– there is evidence to suggest that it’s not a fucking binary, that there’s– and also, if we’re factoring Karl into this, it’s– [stutters] there’s also vague evidence that– uh, from what– from all I can tell – Karl scholars, feel free to correct me on this, ‘cause I wouldn’t know – but, like – I-I– like, I would barely know – but, like, there’s evidence also to suggest that fuckin’, uh, the memory loss associated with all this business is also selective in parts, which could fit so well with infosec– with the infosec, uh, s-sensibilities that we’ve had so far – and, again, that is the stuff that–

But, but, but– for god’s sake, not the goddamn enderboo takes! Not the goddamn enderboo takes, oh my god! OH, MY GOD!

It’s one guy. It’s ONE GUY! It’s one guy, it’s one guy, it’s one fucking guy. It is one guy and the fact that he has all of his memories and [??] thrown away, and again, if anything, this is evidence for infosec Ranboo, and again, as I mentioned, DreamXD [whispers] is almost certainly not as powerful as it wants us to believe it is! [normal voice] Further evidence is also that it modeled its appearance and– lots of a general mien off of Dream, who is also not as powerful as he wants people to believe it– he is, um, but, that– that’s irrelevant. The point is– is it irrelevant?? It’s– it’s directly relevant, I brought it up ’cause it was directly relevant. The point is that–

[sigh] Why did you just fucking believe everything that the character said onscreen?? I’m gonna end it all, man! Like– bruhhhhh. DreamXD is like, “well he forgot everything, so he’s useless now!” And– [stutters] [starts breathily cackling] you’re– you think he’s talking about Ranboo, and you’re just gonna take that at face value? Like– [wheezes] nah nah nah nah nahnahnahnahnahnahnahnahnah no. No. No. NO! N-N-NO!

[pause]

[banging on the table to emphasize italics] It’s one guy and he got out and I still think if anything it’s further evidence that he fucking forgot whatever he forgot on purpose. It’s one of the points for it, there’s many points for it– my god!

Especially with surv– c!Ranboo and surveillance, especially with this, especially with Hitting on Si– did you people read Hitting on Sixteen? I’m extending R– fuck it! I’m extending RMD to DreamXD! Fuck it all! Fuck it all!

Whatever. Bold of me to continue put– posting voice memos when I sound like this. But– the people need to know. No one knows. But the people need to know, alright? The people need to know.

While I’m here, also, uh: limbo stream would literally solve this. And I– I– like, I wanna see– I wanna see Ranboo and DreamXD talk, and I don’t wanna hear a single fucking word of exposition; I just wanna hear this conversation between two characters who know what’s going on, and the audi – and know stuff that the audience doesn’t, and we don’t get told shit, we just get to hear the conversation, and it’s fucked up and it’s awesome. Alright? I need to hear that. I need to see that. I need a limbo stream, I need a Ranboo and DreamXD stream, I need a something stream. [rapidly banging on table] WHERE’S MY SCRUNKLY?