#It's still healing but I can actually finish drawings again so hooray!

[alilgayavocado]

Comfort drawing I did last week! To help get used to my scabs

Drawing Cole and I with our hair back was so much fun!! I also finally started drawing his scar, I know it was only in his design for one season but it just felt right

[nyctophobia-au]

Where I've Been

Okay, so, 'sup babygrills. This is going to be a bit of a lengthy post, but I feel like I should update followers on here as to where I've been because I haven't been active for, like, months.

If you don't care to read all of the stuff under the cut, that's fine. Here's my TL;DR: I've been having issues with mental illness, trauma, motivation, gender dysphoria (?), and have been busy with college and YouTube/social media stuff. However, luckily my HK special interest has returned and I plan on posting more often hopefully. (Mild cw for mental health mentions ig.)

Okay, so, to begin, I've been gone a lot due to responsibilities outside of making Nyctophobia content. So, up until recently, I've been working on graduating from college. I've been finishing up my final class this Summer, but last quarter in the Spring was really difficult for me time-wise and mental health-wise. I've had a lot of issues with depression and anxiety throughout my life, and being at college was torturous and sapped all of my energy. It did not help that, last quarter, I had to be there at the college for six hours of my day five days a week. It was not easy to make art for myself and my channel, much less for this blog.

Outside of college, and I've mentioned this before in passing, but I also make YouTube videos and, at the moment, YT is my income (alongside comms as well). I've been pretty focused on keeping my my schedule at least a little bit consistent, and that alone has been draining and tiring. It also affects the kind of art that I can create, as I have to draw certain things for certain videos. I've been really weary when it comes to making content as of late, and I really need to take a small break so that I can work on stuff I actually want to work on rather than being stuck drawing certain things for the sake of videos I'm not inspired to make.

Pivoting more into specifics about my mental health, I have been needing to see a therapist for a long while, but I haven't had the motivation or the funds to pursue that option up until recently. Hopefully, I will be attending therapy soon. Last year in, uhm, September I had a particularly bad mental health episode and I've come to realise that some events that happened during that time have left me with trauma that I'm still currently working past and healing from. I've had issues with self-harm, depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and self-perception for a long time, but in the Spring they were stifling and impossible to ignore. Lately, they have been better, though. So, that's nice. There hasn't been just the usual stuff lately (oh no, that's be too easy), but I've gotten jumpscared with gender issues (hooray, my favourite /s) during this time, and am struggling with my self-perception regarding my gender up to current day. (Hi, I currently go by Rot or Sexy Fictional Bug Enthusiast and my pronouns are they/them, but they may very well be they/he soon). Also, I had a bad identity crisis a couple of months ago and had to do this whole rebrand thing that was a lot of work and it kinda sucked away a lot of energy and time.

On top of all of that, ya boy's special interest metre has been focused primarily on OC stuff and other things outside of HK. It's pretty well-known that I have autism and Hollow Knight is one of my special interests. I'm unsure how it works for most people, but my fixations tend to come in waves and fluctuate (though super special meaningful ones stick for a long time). So, like, I had this whole issue with my mind always being fixated more on things outside of HK. It's been my OCs for a few months, but alongside that, I also suddenly became enraptured by The Owl House and my Digimon special interest sleeper agent returned for a hot second there. As of recently, I've been interested in HK again, but have been afraid to start/work on projects related to my AU because of me having to work on OC content for my channel and also for my friends who are invested.

As of right now, I have some more time on my hands to make the content I want to make, and my HK fixation is back (thank fuck). I've generally been doing a bit better in the mental health arena, but I will also be taking some time off of YT and posting videos regularly in favour of focusing on making stuff I want to make. So, like, expect me to be more active here for some time. I might be finishing a fic in the next month (hopefully) as well, and I have some general comic and art ideas. I just want to draw Auric again, god dammit. My beloved. <3

Anyways, thanks for reading if you did. Just figured I'd make a post about this for people who thought I died or something (and for the people who were once interested in my projects on here and are starving for content, lmao).

[realityhelixcreates]

Beta Theta and Me Chapter 6: Land of Inequality

Chapters: 6/?

Fandom: Thor (Movies), Avengers (Movies) Marvel Cinematic Universe

Rating: PG

Warnings: Relationships: Loki x Reader (But not right now), 

Characters: Loki(Marvel) Additional Tags:  A/B/O, Sorta, More Of An Exploration Of Life And Self Expression Within An A/B/O Framework, Loki Does What He Wants, But Loki Does Not Actually Do What He Wants, Antagonistic Bosses, Loki Has A Throne Now, But It’s Not What He Wanted

Summary:  You and Loki discuss what brought you to your current situation. Promises are made, but they are not fully understood.

Your egg sandwiches seemed to pass Loki's test, as he didn't complain once throughout breakfast. He granted you permission to use the washing machine, and put you to work in what you felt would become your new routine. Dishes needed to be done, sweeping and vacuuming, basic home maintenance. He even bid you do his laundry, since it seemed that, even though he could change his clothes magically, cleaning them with magic would cost him too much energy.

Now that you understood, you'd try not to make him use magic too much. Not until he'd healed. You weren't willing to, as he had put it, wipe his royal ass, but you could do laundry. It was easy.

After cleaning the restroom, you returned to him for more orders, finding him next to the big fireplace again, reading his book. You still couldn't make out the writing; it was in an unfamiliar language, but it used a human alphabet.

“What are you reading, anyway?” You asked, craning your neck to try and read the spine.

“Over de Zich Uitbreidende Menselijke Wereld en de Vervanging Van het Spirituele Door het Materiële, wat Leidt tot het Verlies van het Zelf en tot Slavernij aan het Kapitaal.” He answered easily.

“Uh...”

“It's a text about the surrendering of the self to ever emptier pursuits, until every institution is given over to the production of capital for ruling elite, leaving every aspect of life nothing more than a shell.”

“Oh.”

You stood awkwardly for a few moments.

“You are still standing here?” Loki asked.

“I finished the bathroom.” You said. “I just needed to know what to do next.”

Loki sighed. “Can you not think for yourself? Perhaps I should make a checklist for you to consult, so you do not have to interrupt me at every turn. But for now...” He gestured to the carpet next to him. “Sit here.”

You did, though you couldn't fathom why he wanted you to.

“Now...Hmmm. Sing.” He commanded.

“What?”

“Sing. Humans have songs, do they not? Sing one.”

“But...” What song? Of all the millions of songs, which one would be appropriate to sing in the presence of an alien prince? And it wasn't as if you were a musician; you had no training, no practice.

You thought back to the music your parents used to listen to, that you listened to with them when you were a kid. Protest songs from the time of the Civil Rights movement, anti-war songs, hippie songs. You knew those by heart, even now. So you picked one that had a lovely melody and many simple verses, and began to sing.

He let you go all the way through it twice before stopping you, and he at least didn't insult your untrained voice, or seem to hate the song. He had closed his book, and closed his eyes, but now he reached down to gently fondle your makeshift scarf.

“An unapproved uniform change?” He asked.

“It's only temporary.” You said.

“It almost wasn't.” He rejoined. You both went quiet. The fire crackled in its gigantic hearth. Even though it was still daylight out, Loki had had you draw those thick blackout curtains, plunging this little section of the building into artificial twilight. The fire lit the area instead, lit Loki's book, lit his nearly inscrutable face. It was cozy, and you wondered if it reminded him of someplace he used to spend his time. A roaring fireplace, in a palace, somewhere in Asgard? His private room? A favorite lodging, somewhere in the Asgardian countryside?

You had no idea what Asgard had been like. You couldn't help but to picture equal parts rugged and sophisticated: Monumental architecture, and wide wilderness. Loki in the middle of it all, sitting in front of a fire, reading an overly complicated book.

“What do my hands look like to you?” He asked abruptly. You paused for a moment. “If you simply say 'hands', I will be cross.”

He held one hand out to you, for observation. You didn't know what he was going for, but you took his hand and studied it closely. Long fingers. Healthy skin, though extremely pale, still somehow you couldn't see the veins through it like you would have expected. Perfectly manicured nails. Little scars, and calluses here and there. A contradiction.

“They seem...Deft. Like someone who needs a lot of dexterity to do their thing, like a pianist. They've got the signs of being pampered, but they also show evidence of hard work.”

“Is that all?” He pressed. “Not drenched with the red of life? Not grasping? Not clutching, or corpse-fed, or wielding the hidden blade?”

“Um...Not really?” You said. “Were you looking for metaphor? I was just observing what was physically there.”

“My fingerprints are imprinted onto your throat!” He said heatedly. “How can you look upon these hands and not think of the merciless grip of a conqueror?”

“Dude, look. When I was out there, do you know how people treated me? I was kicked. I was shoved. People slapped me, spat on me, threw things at me. Mugged me, pulled my hair, full on tried to kidnap me into human trafficking once. What you did to me was bad; but you didn't do it on purpose. You aren't the first person to leave bruises on me.” You tightened your hold on his hands. “But you are the first to seem like you care.”

His expression went opaque again.

“You need not worry about that.” He said dismissively. “You are my retainer. My maid, my chef, my...everything else. No one shall harm you, for I am your ultimate authority, and they will have to go through me first.”

He flicked his hand, and a knife appeared. You jerked back, startled.

“I always wield the hidden blade.”

You swallowed. It made the bruises on your neck ache.

“Where were you?” He asked. “While I was in the sky, laying waste to your homeland, where were you?”

“Loki, are you sure you want to...” He seemed determined to talk about uncomfortable subjects. Maybe he just wanted to get them out of the way quickly.

“Dodging falling rubble and laser blasts?” He pressed on. “Trapped inside a ruined building? Chased by a Chitauri death squad?”

“No, no. I was underground.” You said. He seemed to be imagining it all as he said it, his expression growing sour. “I wasn't homeless then, but I was in the subway tunnels, heading to Central Park before work. Your soldiers never got down there so the drivers started taking whichever routes took them farthest from the city center. I wasn't hurt at all.”

“No? But your place of employment was? Your home?”

“Well, not really. There was some damage, but nothing that couldn't be fixed.”

“Where did you work?”

“Oh...just a bodega...you wouldn't know it.” You didn't like where this was going. It only led to bad memories.

“Then I am not the cause of your homelessness?” He sounded mildly disbelieving. You scoffed.

“Believe it or not, you actually aren't the cause of every misfortune in New York.”

“Then what happened? What is the chain of events that brought you to me?”

“Eh...that's mostly Mr. Stark's doing, you know?”

“You are deflecting. I am more than an expert in such things, I can tell. Why are you here, and no longer a bodegrkonur? If not myself, then what caused you this misfortune?”

“What does it matter? I'm here now.”

“And here you shall stay. But it matters because I asked you.”

“Geez, all right, it's just a boring story about petty bullshit, and I don't like thinking about it. My old roommate was an Omega, and her dad ran the shop, so we both worked there. Then she got herself hooked up with an Alpha, and he was an aggressive, controlling prick who wanted to cut her off from everyone else, so he kicked me out without letting me find another place first, and intimidated her dad into firing me. Didn't even let me get any of my stuff. I haven't heard from her since. I don't know if she's okay, I don't even know if she's still alive. And I don't want to try to contact her dad, because I don't want to cause trouble for her family. Dude was unhinged, seriously.”

“That is...Distressing.” He said.

“It's not uncommon. Alphas run the show, and they're never held accountable, so this shit happens sometimes. Anyway, you happy? You like the answer? It wasn't you, it was some other overbearing douche. Hooray.”

“No, that does not please me at all.” He said, in response to your bitterness. “I cannot help but to think of how this situation could be improved. Or at least mitigated. If I were in charge...Oh come now, do not look at me like that.” He said defensively at your side-eyed glance. “I was raised to rule, and cannot help but to think like this.”

“Is that what you're gonna do when your neck heals?” You asked. “Go back to Nova Scotia and help Thor with New Asgard?”

“Possibly.” He said. “Probably. My esteemed brother does want me to, but it might not be allowed. The land was bestowed on us in exchange for several promises from us, but the Canadian government hasn't decided what to do with me. For now, I am not allowed there unless incarcerated. They are taking the period of my convalescence as time to deliberate.”

Someday he would be healed, and he would go home. Well, to his new home anyway. What awaited him there? Jail? Or perhaps a high office, with a whole array of actually competent servants. One to cook, one to sing, one to clean, one to warm up his bed. Whatever he might need, there would be someone to do it. Heck, he was a prince no matter what; he might be stuck in a dungeon and still have all that help.

And you? After Loki healed and went wherever he was going to go, you would...do something. Could you put something like 'personal help to royalty' on your resume, if no one was supposed to know he was here? Surely his presence couldn't be kept secret forever.

Beyond that, there was the Stark name that you could plaster everywhere. He might not even dismiss you after Loki left, he might just send you to another section of the company, to clean up whatever messes might be there. You were finding that you didn't mind cleaning. There was a satisfaction in seeing it all come together, seeing actual progress. It was the disrespect heaped on the so-called 'servant class', the perception of being lesser, even if the whole world would fall apart without them.

“Are you shocked speechless, feral thing, or simply too far away?” Loki asked, and you realized he'd been talking while you had ruminated.

“Far away.” You admitted. “Sorry.”

“I asked if you would come with me. Tidy up my jail cell, bring me my prisoners meals. Polish my chains. It might make the whole dreary thing worthwhile.”

“You sound pretty sure that you're going to prison.”

“Am I not already in one? My recent life has been little more than one type of prison after another. Your philosopher Foucault seemed to grasp the concept.” He gestured a series of hardback books on the shelf, each in French. “That every social construct is a prison of our own making and maintenance. Even a being such as myself must exist in relation to these constructs, either within or against, but never free from.

And you, little thing, exist in relation to me now. You can continue to do that, if you wish, wherever I am bound.”

“What if you don't go to prison though? If your brother gets his way, and you get to be his right hand guy? Won't you have enough servants then? “

“Oh, there is always room for more.” Loki assured. “Worry not, anxious thing. There would be a place for you.”

“Not sure I want that.” You said. “I've only had this job for two days. I only had my prior job for a week. I want a little stability before I agree to go anywhere else.”

“A prison and a facade.” He pointed out.

“But it's mine to choose.” You replied.

He nodded sagely. You got the feeling that he knew that sentiment well.

[perspective-series]

Rooftop Perspective (21)

By: @arc852 and @hiddendreamer67

Warnings: Injury, spider mention, and being poisoned

(Check the reblog for the links to the previous chapters!)

 Patton did try. He didn’t know why, but Roman was insistent that he needed to stay awake. Patton frowned determinedly at the wall, focusing on it hard. His eyelids kept drooping though. Patton tried to reach up and prop them open with his fingers, but his arms wouldn’t respond. In his sleepy and drugged state, Patton didn’t find this alarming.

 In fact...there was a lot Patton didn’t find alarming right now. He couldn’t tell if the rocks were really dancing or his eyes were playing tricks on him. The human yawned again, feeling exhausted. On top of being awake for three days straight, that giant spider really had taken all the fight out of him. Patton shuddered at the memory.

 Surely just one little nap wouldn’t hurt? Patton would just rest his eyes for a minute. Roman wouldn’t even have to know! Patton smiled, finally allowing sleep to overcome him.

 Roman was back in record time with the last ingredient. He panted in exhaustion but moved over to check on Patton. His eyes widened when he saw the human’s eyes closed. “P-Patton? Patton, wake up. Come on…” He gently nudged Patton with his finger.

  Patton gave no response, his body rolling to the side at Roman’s touch.

 Roman’s eyes widened. “Oh no. No, no! Patton, please.” He held his head over Patton’s body, listening closely. He let out a small sigh of relief when he still heard a heartbeat. He jumped up and made the potion, going over it carefully to make sure he did this right. Once it was made into a liquid, he went back over and gently propped Patton up. Holding the small cup he had made to the human’s lips. Was the liquid was in, he tilted Patton’s head back so it went down his throat and then gently laid him back down.

 “Okay, Patton. The medicine is inside of you, now come on and wake up please.” He said, biting his lip in worry.

 Patton’s form gave a shudder but the human’s eyes stayed closed. 

 “P-Patton?” Roman asked, getting increasingly more worried. “Come on buddy, please. You can wake up now, the poison should be all gone.”

 For a long, tense minute there was nothing. Then, when it seemed as though the antidote was not going to work, Patton began to cough.

 Roman sighed in relief at the sign that Patton was still alive and carefully used a finger to lift Patton up into a sitting position so he wouldn’t choke. “There we go, Pat,” Roman said softly.

 Patton raised a fist to his chest, beating against it to try and help clear his lungs and get a breath of fresh air. His head felt less fuzzy now, but that only meant he could feel the full weight of his injuries. The human let out a groan, rubbing his face and blinking tiredly up at the Giant. “...Roman?”

 Roman grinned wide, eyes filled with happy tears. “Oh, Patton!” He gently scooped the human up and pressed him lightly against his cheek in a sort of hug. “I-I thought I had lost you for a second there.” 

 “Lost me?” Patton frowned, trying to remember the evening but it was all a jumbled blur. He winced, gently pushing away from Roman as his shoulder flared up. “What happened?”

 Roman set Patton back down on the bed. “Well…” He went over to the table, grabbing a few vines and some salve before kneeling by the bed once again. “I found you being dragged away by a spider...A spider that bit your shoulder and poisoned you.” Roman let out a shaky sigh as he scooped a bit of salve upon his finger.

 “May I?” He asked, motioning towards Patton’s shoulder and the salve.

 Patton gave a nod, holding his arm out for Roman. At the mention of the spider, a few memories began to trickle back that Patton wished had stayed forgotten. He shivered.

 “I hate those creepy crawly death dealers,” Patton said earnestly, not able to shake the sight of eight giant eyes peering into his soul.

 “They are nasty creatures, that is for sure.” Roman agreed, before gently starting to rub the salve on Patton’s wound. “Thankfully I found you in time and was able to give you the antidote.”

 “Thank you, Roman.” Patton closed his eyes for a moment, relishing in the soothing chill of the salve. If Roman hadn’t come when he did...well, Patton didn’t want to think about it. Patton opened his eyes, looking down at his feet.

 “I’m sorry I didn't listen to you when you warned me.” Patton admitted quietly.

 Roman frowned at that as he wiped the excess salve off his finger and grabbed one of the vines. “Yeah...I have to ask, what were you thinking? I told you the forest was dangerous for a reason. You could have-!” Roman cut himself off with a sigh as he began to wrap the vine around Patton’s shoulder.

 “I know.” Patton winced, feeling the vine tighten. “It’s just...I couldn’t leave you here Roman, I just couldn’t. And I thought I would be fine because Virgil did it and he was fine but I guess he really did just get lucky.”

 Roman shook his head and finished the knot. “The both of you have a death wish, I swear,” Roman mumbled.

 “...well, considering it’s so dangerous, you don’t mind if I stay here for a while...right?” Patton gave him a hopeful smile.

 “I’d prefer it if you did stay actually, the wound is going to take a while to heal and the salve that I have is the only thing that will keep it from becoming infected.” Also, he wanted Patton to stay just as much as Patton and now he had a good excuse for the off chance Logan came around. Roman gave Patton a smile. “Looks like we’ve got a bit more time together.”

 “Hooray!” Patton clapped his hands gleefully, wincing as the action pulled on his shoulder.

 Roman chuckled. “Careful there Patton.” Roman stood up from his kneeling position and stretched. “Are you hungry? It might be best for you to eat something after all that.”

 “A little,” Patton admitted. “I’m feeling pretty worn out.”

 “I’m not surprised, that spider really did a number on you.” He went over to grab a few berries, mentally swearing to himself to kill any spider he saw from here on out. He came back over and handed Patton before popping one into his own mouth. He then looked outside for a moment, to determine where the moon was.

 “You know, the sun will be up soon. If you can manage to stay up a little longer we can both go to bed at the same time. That way we’ll both actually be fully awake for once.” Roman suggested with a slight chuckle, eating another berry.

 “Oh! That’d be nice.” Then Patton would get to spend the max amount of time with his Giant friend. Usually, it might be difficult for a human to sleep during the day, but considering Patton was struggling to stay awake as it was he figured it’d be easy. 

 Patton turned his attention to the red berry in his hands. It was the same strange kind as before, though Patton hadn’t gotten the chance to try it. Briefly, he wondered if it was poisonous as he brought it to his lips, taking a large bite.

 Instantly juice splattered all over his face, partially coating his glasses. He giggled, swishing the mouthful around before swallowing. It had a strange texture, similar to a plum but with the taste of a pineapple mixed with artificial banana.

 “So, how is it?” Roman asked, trying to hide his snicker at how messy Patton already was.

 “It’s delicious.” Patton praised, this time trying to suck the juice directly from the fruit to avoid another incident.

 “Well, I’m glad you like it!” Roman said. He finished up his portion of berries before looking around for something they could both do that wouldn’t be too strenuous on Patton. They still had some time to kill after all. It was then that he remembered the drawing he had started and he smiled. “Patton?”

 “Yeah?” Patton looked up from his berry with a tilt of his head.

 “Would you mind if I...drew you?” Roman asked, going over to the wall and picking up his drawing utensil.

[nana-of-light]

First 3 Dungeons Completed

So, my grandma finally got her controller set up, along with my game settings files, (which she very much likes) but I screwed up a tiny bit and later realized I put her game audio in Japanese. LOL Damnit. It’s okay though. It’s an easy fix I can help her change. She didn’t complain about it, but i had to ask her. She moves much faster, and when she follows me, she’s always right behind me. I don’t have to pause after i turn corners to make sure i don’t run too far ahead and have her lose me. And she dodges in battle now!! Aaahhh! She says the controller is much easier on her though, which i’m very glad for. She was saying something about the touchpad on her laptop bothering her finger after awhile. I can imagine how uncomfortable playing like  that is.. She is using the chat function more too now that she doesn’t move with the keyboard.

The last time I did MSQ with her, we left off in Gridania, and she just never left. She’s told me she loves it several times already. With a few side quests she’s picked up, she ended up in Lavender Beds, looking around houses, and got lost. During the night when I couldn’t sleep, I peeked on her account to see where her MSQ was, and found her logged in front of someone’s carbuncle house. I didn’t want to touch anything and got off. When she picked it back up, I helped her get out of there and back to where we needed to be for the MSQ. She seems to wait for me to do those with her. When we met up finally, I was no longer my usual female raen au ra, but instead a male seeker miqote. I stood there and told her i got a haircut... she didn’t react though, so we moved on.

Fast forward a bit to us standing in front of Sastasha. I explained that this was a dungeon and we’d be getting a random player with us. As i’m typing, she’s running around the area, trying to find where to click on to progress next. When she started to run away, I typed faster, asking if she wanted me to go over a few things to make things smoother basically. With a yes, I went over briefly what the tank’s job was, which was to lead the party through the dungeon and keep the enemy’s focus off everyone, along with the mention that dps and healers shouldn’t run ahead of them, and that she and my boyfriend were to kill everything. And that was all! I didn’t bother with mechanics at all, so she could just experience them.

In Sastasha, we learned that she really liked Sleep.. Lol. I eventually told her that it didn’t do any damage and it was something that was rarely needed. During this run, we were seeing that transpose was still an issue because when MP was low, she’d stand and wait for it to refill, but she’s playing around with her spells and seeing how they work. The healer spent their time jumping around and running ahead to pull more things, so while I trying to see what she was doing and helping as i tanked, i had that to try to deal with that.. I felt like I couldn’t really say much though. x__x; When the coeurl boss came up, i’m not sure what happened, but she got locked out and tried to run around to figure out how to get through. D: After that, she made sure to be in front of the line to not get locked out again. For loot, she figured out how to roll on her own because I saw that she won something. And on the last boss, she just focused on that, so we ended up burning it. 

Overall, there was a lot of sleep use at the start, blizzard II seems to be her favorite way to deal with mobs, probably due to her mp trouble, and at one point, while she did stay behind me, she used her range to pull another mob before we were done with the current. I went over the last bit, explaining why this was bad, but also that it was my fault for not telling her about it. When I reminded her that fire was the better source of damage, she asked me what it turned into. So we went over transpose again, and then I introduced Fire II and mob fighting with her. She also commented about how many levels she got in that run, surprised.

So, onward to Tam tara! The healer wanted to run ahead and pull more and then stand there, watching us deal with it. Lol Ahh! Why does this keep happening! I saw Nana using Fire more, and when there were was a mob, she’d use fire II. *tears of joy* There was a few things of Sleep as well, but i think these were accidents. I didn’t really see Transpose, but she’d swap to Blizzard II to refil then resume her fire use. At the very least, I think she’s understanding that blizzard spells give mp. On the last boss, when it used that large aoe, I saw her run out of it and i yelled out loud, “HOLY SHIT, SHE DODGED! OMG SHE DID IT!!”. Before the controller, this was something I didn’t see her do, so I was ecstatic! 

Seeing the improvement in this run was a real treat, but once we stood outside Copperbell, the queue wasn’t popping, so we stood around. While we waited, I gave her a baby chocobo minion since she had previously asked me about the “things” that follow me around. After some time, I cancelled the queue and tried to see if I could grab someone more ..patient. xD; I tried a few people (some of you name dropped for me in various forms of private messages, but weren’t on at the time unfortunately) and I eventually asked my Balmung FC if anyone was free for some lowbie dungeon healing. I explained what Party Finder was to Nana and then pulled our FCmate in. I introduced them, we talked for a little bit about stuff, and then went in.

The run went pretty smoothly, and there was actual conversation during battles, which was pleasant. Our FCmate would ask how she was doing with loot rolls and things, which was pretty nice too. For the boss fight with the spriggans, I gave the heads up that a lot would be spawning, and we dove into that. However, halfway through, my eyes started to burn really bad, and while I tried to deal with that squinty and teary eyed, i couldn’t take it anymore and apologized, jumping out of my chair to go deal with it. In my stead, the boyfriend guy tanked and they killed the things, and then they went over using Limit Break with Nana. Since the FCmate used a PS4 controller too, she went over how to assign things to her crossbar. This was something that I was grateful for because I completely forgot about this. Nana was confused with it all though, but she told us she took a picture of the instructions to try it later. I think she didn’t want us to wait for her. 

After my eyes no longer felt like they were on fire, we continued on, but as we were grabbing up loot, I turned to my grandma and I finally asked, “Nana, did you notice I was a cat boy?” There was a pause and she replies, “no”. The FCmate chines in with “I noticed right away >.>”. The boyfriend laughs in the background. I chuckle with my deep mancat voice and continue on.

So, the slime boss.. Nana wanted it dead, so I just let her blow it up while the FCmate did the bomb thing for us. I said we needed the bomb to explode on the slime and not to kill it. With her focused on the slime, we watched the bomb come over and explode. *Insert me yelling at my screen as she dodges them*

On the last boss, we let her know she could ignore the koolaid men coming out of the walls. Aaand dungeon completed! Hooray!

I just want to apologize for the lack of screenshots. i know it never was something promised, but I always try to tell myself i need to get more for you guys, and I keep forgetting! By the time I remembered, I scrambled to get that unflattering one. Lmao .. I’ll try harder to get more.

Anyway! After that was all said and done, it was late and Nana wanted to get ready for bed. Our FCmate and her said their goodbyes and we split off. I think Nana afk’d or tabbed at this point because she stopped moving/responding, so I said I was logging, but would pm her on facebook.

Note: she uses speech to text on this when on her phone.

Me:  I wanted to ask.. did you like the dungeons? i was wondering if they were too hectic.

N:  Yes I'll get the the magic down better I took a picture of everything we wrote and your friend told me how to do that I didn't get it but I took a picture so I can do it tomorrow and level 27 now that's a good thing those dungeons do I had no idea where we went how we went there and where I'm at right now I'm just going to shut it down because right below it I have an old thing to do something to get that done N:  No punctuation marks you're going to have to figure it out

Me:  i am reading slowly, but i think i got it.

Me:  i didn't know how to do limit breaks for awhile, so i think it's normal.

N:  Yeah and you can't go back and correct it either

N:  I don't even know what limit breaks means

Me:  remember in the final fantasy games how there would be a gauge that would fill over time and it was a big attack you could use every now and then?

N:  Oh yeah

Me:  that's what it is, but a different name.  it's shared by the party.

N: *thumbs up emote*

N:  Okay I'm going to finish up here and go to bed your mom and I are going to run errands tomorrow

N:  That little duck looking thing is in my minion thing is that where it's supposed to go and what happens now

Me:  click on it in the minion guide.

N:  Okay

Me:  it's a chocobo. lol!

N: Lol nn

Me:  okay, good night !

N: *sticker of two sprawled out dogs, sleeping with Z’s*

So, that’s that! A little progress here and there. Good stuff. \o/ Phew!

Also.. Added bonus. Here’s an older screenshot while we were still stuck in the desert. This guy has no shame. I kinda want to draw this out..

[tokyothermography]

ARCAREAFACT event episode 黄金の約束!“Golden promise!” translation

From the アルピュル山脈ROCKFES2017 (Alpyuru Mountain Range ROCKFES 2017) event. 

Next up is the Monster Hunter event episode~

Selen

The Alpyuru live was so much fun, am I right guys♪

Orion

Ahh yes. Today’s golden melodias left no room for complaints yet again. Isn’t it so, Chitan?

Chitan

Yeah that’s true.. My horn has been responding relentlessly to the noble mountain range’s beats..This live show surely..

Argon

Haaa, Seeeeeiiiii! Alpyuru’s high density oxygen does the same to my 8 pack abs!! Let’s do a steady revolution party~~~!! Foo~~!!

Selen

God! You’re so annoying, Argon. Would you leave behind that muscle brain for a second since everyone’s still on the Alpyuru, you know?

Orion

I have already purchased all leisure facilities that own the wide range of hot springs at the mountain’s foot. Over there we can heal from the live’s exhaustion slowly. Jii! Book the golden suit room. These will be our afterparty preparations. 

Jii

Understood, young master.

Argon

Before the afterparty I’m gonna look over the “Alpyuru mountain range 100 million sound dollar boot camp” tour’s opening place~

Selen

Hmm~ then I will head back to the hotel first♪

Chitan

Ah, well..I also have some business to do left. You guys can go ahead first. See you.

Selen

I heard that at night it can go below sub-zero temperatures here? Please be careful, Chitan.

Orion

(...Chitan is in such a hurry...What on earth could he be doing?)

---

Chitan

..Ugh..To think there’s a snowstorm of all times...

(Bolt..Nickel...)

-flashback-

Nickel

Awesome! Big bro is going to the Alpyuru? Hooray! Hooray! I wanna go too~~!

Bolt

You can’t, Nickel! Big brother is going because of work!

Nickel

Uhh..But..If I went to the Alpyuru I could see this painting..right?

Chitan

What painting?

Is there a painting in the Alpyuru that you want to see?

Nickel

Yep! In my favorite picture book there’s a story about looking for a painting hanging in the big Alpyuru church!

Bolt

But they were only looking for it and didn’t draw the actual painting in that book. So we have no idea what kind of picture it is...

Nickel

That’s why I always thought it would be nice to see that painting...

Chitan

..I know! You two, could you lend your big brother your notebook and some crayons?

Nickel and Bolt

Ehhh, why?

Chitan

Once I find the painting I will redraw it perfectly! Inside this notebook! I’m not only good at the piano but drawing as well!

Nickel and Bolt

Yaay! I’m so excited!

Chitan

Yep! Leave it to your big brother!!

-present time-

Chitan

Hahh..hahh....This is the church..I finally made it... This has to be..the painting Nickel and Bolt wanted to see...Something this beautiful...It’s the best.. Crap! ..My hands are trembling so much that I can’t touch the crayons...hah..the notebook is frozen and I can’t open it... Bolt..Nickel...I’m sorry... The truth is..your big brother isn’t actually good at drawing.. ..I just wanted to see you two happy... Somehow your big brother..is getting really sleepy..

*bell sounds*

Argon

...i! ...Sei! ...Sei! ...Sei! Sei! Sei!! Se~~~~i!! Oi oi Chitan~ If you’re gonna sleep at such a frozen place... You will have a party at the great buddha’s heaven in no time~~!

Chitan

Sei..? ....Ar..gon..?

Argon

Wake up, Chitaaaa~~~an!! Let’s go home..back to everyone!

Chitan

S..sorry, Argon. This painting..I have to copy this painting...*zzz*

Argon

Chitaan~? ..He fell asleep. Did you even finish copying this painting~?

Selen

Chitan! Argon! Are you two okay?

Orion

Chitan!! ..Is he asleep? Jii!! Bring me a golden blanket! I will warm up his fingers immediately!!

Jii

Understood, young master.

Selen

That aside, why did Chitan even come to a place like this?

Argon

Sei..Didn’t I say he was about to fall asleep~? Lemme finish copying this painting for you~

Selen

Hmmm~...Chitan does some mysterious things sometimes.♪ Well, since it has to be pretty important to him I will just take a photo!♪ *click*

Orion

Anyways, let’s head to the hotel immediately. I shall escort Chitan back!

Selen

Despite everything, Chitan is sleeping with such a happy face~ Fufu♪

Argon

Good grief~ What a trouble causing sleeping beauty he is~. Foo~~!!

Notes

For those who forgot: Nickel (the young one) and Bolt (the older one) are Chitan’s younger brothers he keeps a secret in order to not uncover his private life. He takes care of them while their parents work off the family’s debts.

[cathygeha]

Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon

by Kerrelyn Sparks

The Embraced #3

 As I began to read the introduction and backstory to this book I began to smile remembering the two books that preceded this one. Yes, I smiled :) Why? Because books like these remind me of the fairy tales I read as a child BUT these are all grown up. There are princesses and dragons, trolls and elves, magic and mysteries, romance and oh so much more…they are fun tales filled with adventure and action and friendship and quests with evil thwarted and a hook for the next book in the series. When I finished I thought, “Hooray! There are at least two more books to read before this series ends!”

 So, what is the story about? It is about five young women who are “embraced” due to what was happening in the sky when they were born. Each one has a talent that some consider a curse. They were all sent away and raised together away from the general population and became closer than blood sisters. Two of the sisters have had their stories told and two remain but in book three, this one, Gwennore meets her mate. Gwennie is an elf and her love is a dragon shifter…and what a story theirs is!

 Who wouldn’t want to meet and be saved by a dragon? Who wouldn’t want to feel needed and loved and cherished? Who wouldn’t want to be able to do something good for a people that were in need of her skills? And, who wouldn’t want to find their own true love? Silas and Gwennore are a match made in the heavens and their story made me smile when I read the last page, too :)

 Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

 4.5 Stars

EIGHT SIMPLE RULES FOR DATING A DRAGON:

The Embraced Series

By Kerrelyn Sparks

Published by St. Martin’s Paperbacks

**On Sale March 27, 2018**

Mass Market Paperback | $7.99

ISBN: 9781250108258 | Ebook ISBN: 9781250108265

 For more information or to set up an interview with the author, contact:

Brittani Hilles at brittani.hilles@stmartins.com or 646-307-5558

BLURB:

Kerrelyn Sparks is no stranger to the New York Times bestseller list, as her massive fan base couldn’t seem to get enough of her Love at Stake series. Sparks then introduced her extraordinary fantasy romance series, The Embraced, with How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days and So I Married a Sorcerer. Set in a medieval mythical world, the series follows a special group of people with powers born when the two moons of the world form an eclipse. Now comes the captivating third installment, EIGHT SIMPLE RULES FOR DATING A DRAGON (St. Martin’s Paperbacks; March 27, 2018), where readers meet Gwennore, our fierce and powerful new heroine.

 Gwennore is an Elf able to track down the cause of an illness and heal it; a valuable asset to her people. But when she is thrust into the realm of the dragons, she discovers a haunted place of power and magic, plagued by an ancient curse. And then she meets the smoldering General Silas Dravenko. She’s been raised never to trust a dragon, but never did making a deal with the devil feel so good…

 Silas has no way of saving the royal family he’s served for years. But when a beautiful elf comes bursting into his world, Silas is awakened to desire in a way he’s never felt before. But can he trust a sworn enemy?

 Filled with romance, adventure, and a vividly imagined new world, EIGHT SIMPLE RULES FOR DATING A DRAGON is a fantasy in the vein of Game of Thrones with all the fun of The Princess Bride. Audiences will become enthralled with Gwennore in a world where passion, fantasy, and royal intrigue collide. Return to the most exciting, magical and romantic series to come along in years in the stunning world of the Embraced!

EXCERPT:   Chapter Three

 As the three men came to a stop, Gwennore noted that the ladies-in-waiting were curtsying, so she did, too.

Karlan bowed. “My lord general.”

“At ease,” the gorgeous man in the middle said.

Freya rushed to his side. “Silas, you arrived just in time. I’ve discovered an assassin.” She pointed at Gwennore. “You should arrest her!”

Gwennore popped up from her curtsy, ready to defend herself. But before she could say anything, the general had enveloped the queen’s hand in his own and turned her away.

“Your Majesty.” He flashed a smile that caused a few of the ladies to stumble as they rose from their curtsies. “I came as quickly as I could after hearing the news. May I congratulate you on the birth of your daughter?”

“Why, yes.” Freya blushed. “Thank you. I was in labor a dreadfully long time, you know.”

“Yes, so I hear.” He patted her hand. “But thank the Light, you and the babe are doing remarkably well.”

What nonsense was this? The gorgeous general was acting like the others—playing along with the queen’s delusion. Gwennore drew in a deep breath to voice her

Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon                39

objection, but the general shot her a warning look with his sharp green eyes.

When she lifted her eyebrows as if to question him, he inclined his head ever so slightly. He’s asking me to trust him. It was as clear as if he had spoken. For a moment she wondered if she was experiencing a mental connec- tion with him like she had with Puff.

Don’t jump to conclusions, she chided herself. She was only hoping for a connection because he was the most handsome man she’d ever met.

Something flared in his eyes, a spark of gold in the em- erald green, and her knees grew weak. Good goddesses, was she about to swoon like these other silly women? She needed to be stronger than this.

“Thank you, Silas,” Freya said, drawing his attention back to her. “Doesn’t the baby look just like her father?” “Yes, indeed.” The general glanced at Eviana, who was still clinging to Gwennore’s legs. “And to mark the occa- sion, I have brought you a gift.” He motioned to Gwennore. “A nanny. As you can see, the princess has already

developed a special fondness for her.”

Freya gasped. “You brought the elf here?”

“Of course.” He gave Gwennore a wry look as if he was daring her to contradict him. “She’s a noblewoman I captured some time ago in battle, but since then, she’s learned our language and proven herself quite useful.”

So General Gorgeous had no problem spinning lies or manipulating a madwoman. Gwennore snorted. But since she was in danger of being imprisoned and even exe- cuted, she was not in any position to reject his solution.

Even so, she wondered if she could actually trust him. As the general of the Norveshki army, wouldn’t he see her as an enemy?

“We dare not trust an elf,” Freya muttered. “She could be a spy. Or an assassin.”

40                            Kerrelyn Sparks

“We can trust her,” the general insisted. “Lady Gwennore cares deeply for the princess. Enough to risk her life for her.”

Gwennore’s heart lurched into a fast pace. He knew her name? And what she’d done? Puff must have told him everything that had happened. That meant General Gor- geous could hear dragon voices, too. It made sense, she figured, since his job would require him to communicate with dragons. But did that mean he had ordered the first dragon to kidnap Eviana? Or perhaps, he had ordered Puff to try to stop the kidnapping. Which side was he on?

“But elves are such violent creatures,” Freya whined. “They are fierce warriors, that is true,” the general

agreed. “That is why Lady Gwennore will make an ex- cellent nanny. No one will protect your daughter as well as she.”

“Well . . .” Freya looked confused. Her hands fluttered around her chest, causing the rubies to sparkle in the after- noon sun. “I suppose we can give her a try.”

“Excellent.” He turned toward Karlan. “You and your men may return to your posts.”

Gwennore exhaled with relief. She wasn’t going to the dungeon. And as the official nanny, she could remain close to Eviana.

“And remember.” The general stepped closer to Karlan and added softly, “Lady Gwennore is my guest. She will be treated with respect.”

“Yes, my lord.” Karlan motioned for his men to follow him back to the main gatehouse.

With Gwennore’s superior hearing, she’d heard the general’s whisper. He had to be on her side. For one thing, he kept referring to her as a lady. The status of noble- woman would shield her from any physical abuse during her stay here in Draven Castle.

So, most probably, she had two allies in Norveshka—

Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon                41

Puff and General Gorgeous. She could only hope they would both prove to be trustworthy and honorable.

The general turned to the nearest lady-in-waiting. “Your name, please?”

The woman stumbled back a step. “O-Olenka, my lord general.”

“Lady Olenka, would you please escort Lady Gwennore and the princess to the nursery? And make sure they are well taken care of.”

“Yes, yes, of course, my lord general.” Olenka nodded, then curtsied again.

“I’ll drop by to check on you later.” The general shot a pointed look at Gwennore. “Till then.”

Gwennore inclined her head, understanding he in- tended to have a talk with her. That was fine. She needed to talk to him, too.

“Oh, everything will be perfect, my lord general! You can trust me.” Olenka motioned for Gwennore to follow her. “Come along now.”

Gwennore lifted Eviana in her arms and walked toward Lady Olenka. As she passed the queen, she bowed her head. “Good day, Your Majesty.”

Freya narrowed her eyes. “If anything happens to my daughter, I’ll have your head. I will not lose another child!”

Another child? How many had the queen lost? “I will protect her with my life,” Gwennore told her, then fol- lowed Lady Olenka toward the northwestern tower.

As she neared the general’s two companions, she noted there was a slight difference in their uniforms. One had three brass stars embedded in his leather breastplate, while the other had two. Did that mean they were officers? The general had four stars on his breastplate.

These men were handsome like the general—tall, mus- cular, long dark hair. No doubt they knew how to make a

About the Author

Kerrelyn Sparks is best known (so far) for the Love at Stake series, which has hit as high as number 5 on the New York Times list and 22 on the USA Today list. Visit Kerrelyn on Facebook, Twitter, or her website, http://www.kerrelynsparks.com/.

MORE:

Praise for Kerrelyn Sparks:

“Readers will be fully invested in this Embraced series!”

— Romantic Times on How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days

 "Readers will relish Spark’s lovingly detailed and memorable tale and look forward to the next.”

— Booklist on How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days

 “[Sparks] has produced a book that I'll come back to again and again. I'll be counting down the days till the next girl gets her story.”

— Night Owl Reviews on How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days

 "A deeply satisfying, delightfully swoon-inducing close...full of vulnerability and tenderness."

— Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Crouching Tiger, Forbidden Vampire

 "Mixing paranormal romance with humor, Sparks clearly has a style all her own, one that readers love."

— USA Today's Happily Ever After blog

 "Sparks skillfully infuses her writing with a deliciously sharp wit."

—

Booklist

“As with Sparks’s previous books, a tangled plot resolves with ease after the efforts of the determined lovers and their friends. Fans of Sparks’s lighthearted romances will feel right at home here.”

—Publishers Weekly

  “Each story in the Embraced series gets better and better! In this third installment, Sparks weaves a magical fantasy world, filled with paranormal characters that will make you nostalgic for those bedtime stories from your youth.”

—RT Book Reviews

  “The Embraced series will not let you down! Just like in book one, there is a layered heroine and hero, and supporting characters whose lives add to the story and humor. Set in the past, the series has a decidedly fantasy slant that is easy to follow, which makes this delightfully fun to read. Readers are gifted with a well-executed read with kings, dragons and pirates.”

—RT Book Reviews on So I Married a Sorcerer

  "The second in Sparks’s Embraced fantasy romance series (following How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days) is a lively tale of pirates, intrigue, sorcery, and lost heirs...the story charges along at a rapid pace, and Sparks’s characters are witty and full of life. Her latest should satisfy historical romance fans who are ready for a little magic."

—Publishers Weekly on So I Married a Sorcerer