#Like the music destroying us both instantly upon turning the game on

[emile-hides]

More on dragging my bestie @probably-some-goat into all of my fandoms.

Tonight we started Trigger Happy Havoc and immediately had an audio glitch that made everyone at least 40% more threatening except Kirigiri who sounded like Siri.

[st-kitten]

Kinda Hot In Here, Innit?

Summary: Aokaga in the hot spring after a game.

Warning: Close to smut (if that's a thing).

Seirin High with their overly fatigued team and Touou High with their hotheaded champions found themselves sprawled in the hot springs after a nail-biting game, more, between the aces of each team. They'd thought that this kind of play only happened the first time when the anxiety of surpassing one's own limits was the most palpable. But, even after a friendly rematch (just to settle the grounds for once), neither of the teams had been able to break each other's spirits. What was anticipated to be a heated conclusion had ended with a nerve-racking tie.

'I can't believe this,' muttered Hyuga, crossing his arms swiftly, creating ripples in the water.

'Hate to agree with you,' said Imayoshi, his narrow eyes squinting ever more than usual.

'Will there ever be a conclusion?' asked Hyuga. No one answered.

'No conclusion, only concussion,' whispered Izuki, earning nothing but eye-rolls and hitched breaths from the men.

'Aomine was perfect as always, isn't that right?' remarked Imayoshi, a glare from Hyuga spiting him.

'Hn,' the bluenette hummed.

'What matters is that we had fun playing, right Kagami-kun?' asked Kuroko, turning toward the redhead leaning against the cool rocks of the spring, eyes closed. He had AirPods stuffed into his ears, his phone lying around on a deck, away from the water.

Kagami didn't say anything, so the team assumed he hadn't heard Kuroko or had dozed off. They resumed talking about the match and its peak points. Much to their disappointment, everyone was too exhausted to drag the conversation and decided to visit the sauna.

'Yes, sauna sounds good,' soughed Kiyoshi, massaging his aching back.

'I can't wait to get out of the water,' complained Imayoshi, getting up hastily and accidentally hitting Sakurai, gaining at least ten apologies at a go.

'Yes, the sauna we go, the better,' said Izuki, instantly getting kicked into the water by Hyuga.

Kuroko looked at Kagami, contemplating whether or not he should nudge his friend, but seeing him relaxed in the water changed his mind and he simply followed the rest of them.

Kagami could barely hear the ambient conversation over the music that played in his ears. No matter his ambitious play, at the end of the day, fatigue took over him and he succumbed to the ache latched onto his body. Somedays, he just wanted to lie in one place doing absolutely nothing. The hot water from the springs had seeped into his tired body, allowing him to let loose and forget about the next course of action. For now, he just wanted to unwind the rigidness in his body. Suddenly, he felt the steam hiss in his ears as one of his AirPods was yanked out. Assuming it fell in the water, Kagami jolted upright hands already in the water attempting to grasp it. He was startled to feel a presence tower him.

'What girly shit is this, bakagami?' He recognised the coarse voice instantly. His rival, his equal, Aomine Daiki stood in front of him, one hand on the waist and the other pressing the AirPod in his ears, the music echoing in both, Kagami and Aomine's ears.

'Tch... Give it back, bastard' grumbled Kagami.

'Don't tell me. You like Taylor Swift?' Kagami could hear the taunt in Aomine's voice.

'I- It's- That's on shuffle. Why do you care anyway?' Kagami replied.

'I don't.'

'Why're you here? Go with the others.'

'No.'

'What do you mean, "no"?'

'Exactly what you heard, bakagami. No.'

'Then go sit in the corner. Don't bother me.'

Aomine smirked at the redhead's remark. He'd seen Kagami's rudeness coming from a mile away.

'Sure,' he said, slowly stepping back and leaning on the deck, a couple of feet away from Kagami. He saw him tense, arms tightening to fight the tension he'd took on himself. The idiot plays too hard sometimes, thought Aomine. He'd long confessed to himself that Kagami was a miracle in making, but seeing him take the journey this hard made him want to smack the man into his place. He knew that the same road Aomine took won't guide Kagami up there, but taking things down a notch wouldn't harm him either.

'At least change the song, will you?' he commented.

Kagami's eyebrows quirked and angrily realising that Aomine still had an AirPod embedded in his ear, he grabbed his phone, pressing "next". The last thing he wanted was to be mocked for having a differing music taste by his "rival". He tossed his phone onto the deck and huffed, massaging his shoulder, which seemed to have gotten a cramp.

[cue Mine by Bazzi]

He watched Kagami struggle to release the strain in his shoulder rather comically. Kagami under the public eye was very perplexed and clumsy.

'Tch, you're only making it worse, baka,' he said, strolling toward Kagami, who rolled his eyes and continued to massacre his already exhausted shoulder.

'Turn around.'

'What?'

'Turn around,' said Aomine, twirling his finger in the air, signalling the redhead to do as directed.

Kagami gulped, trying to determine why he'd been asked to do so.

'Why?'

'I'm going to get rid of that stupid cramp in your shoulder. What else?' answered Aomine. His words hit Kagami like several hundred basketballs and he yelled, blushing, 'What the hell, Ahomine? I don't need y-'

Aomine interrupted his sentence by manhandling Kagami by his waist and spun him around. Kagami gripped the tall stone with his arms, trying not to slip and fall.

'What're you-'

'Shh...' Aomine's voice vibrating behind his ears made Kagami shudder a little. He had run out of excuses and timidly waited for Aomine to pull a trick or two. But, instead, he felt calloused hands press on his shoulders, kneading his shoulder blade tenderly, to his surprise. Kagami definitely was not expecting this.

'You play too hard, bakagami. Take it easy.' Aomine's voice shed the usual mischief and sounded more solemn, something Kagami hadn't heard from the ace who destroyed his opponents like squashing a grape with two fingers.

Kagami scoffed but didn't reply. He wasn't prepared to have that kind of conversation with Aomine. But, he did agree, Aomine's hands had a way to ease the pain in his shoulders and slowly release the knots packed in the muscle. He didn't know why he was enjoying this contact, in a hot spring, with only a pair of boxers on, and with a crowd of people right next to the water, who'd take any chance to tease him were they to see the scene. He soon felt comfortable and let his shoulders fold under Aomine's touch.

Aomine saw and felt him relax and smirked to himself. All Kagami needed was a little push. Or fifty of them. It was then when he finally noticed how well-built Kagami actually was. All those years of hefty practice and grit had served him well. He could feel the sculpted muscles play along with his massage. Kagami's arms, which were propped against the boulder looked even more humongous in the dim light at night. If he didn't know better, he'd also call it hot. Kagami... was hot. Aomine almost choked at his thoughts, but there was no use denying them. As if he wasn't massaging Kagami's nearly naked body by his own will and secretly liking the way he arched his back whenever Aomine ran his thumbs across the redhead's spine. It made him wonder how Kagami would react to being touched in other places.

He was answered rather graciously when Kagami half-sighed, half-moaned as Aomine kneaded a rather rigid spot. More than happy to continue, Aomine chuckled into his ear, 'Glad you're having a good time.'

'Sh-Shut up, bastard.'

'Or what?'

'Or th-' Kagami turned around, temporarily breaking contact with the bluenette, facing him. Aomine simply stretched his arms over Kagami's shoulders and locked his hands behind his neck.

'Yes?' His smirk grew wider at the sight of another blush creeping on Kagami's face.

'What's the big idea, bas-'

'Quite the idiot, aren't you?' Aomine stopped him mid-sentence, inching closer to him.

Kagami halted in his tracks, physically and mentally, feeling Aomine's scent trickling through his nose, dampening his senses. His gaze automatically lay upon Aomine's smirking lips. He licked his own lips reflexively, not knowing why. He was tempted to take a small risk, but like the idiot he was, he simply froze and stared at Aomine's mouth like a deer stuck in the headlights.

'Want to get a closer look?' Aomine whispered, moving as close as he could get without touching the redhead's mouth. He could feel Kagami quiver, goosebumps rising on the neck Aomine had locked his hands behind. Kagami had wanted to reject the boiling urge to slam his lips onto Aomine's, but he got beat to it as he felt soft lips peck his mouth. Like a vintage television snapping shut with monochrome static broadcasting itself, Kagami's mind exploded into pieces and before he could fathom what was happening, he felt Aomine press his lips slightly harder, locking onto Kagami's perfectly, obstructing any escape. Kagami surrendered to the kiss and let himself go with the flow. He kissed him back, and not wanting to stand there like a stick, held Aomine by his lean waist. He could feel the bluenette smirk even when he was engrossed in pecking his lips. Aomine slid his tongue against Kagami's teeth demanding entrance, which Kagami gladly provided. Their tongues waltzed together in sensual sync, eliciting swoons from the two men. Aomine held Kagami's neck, the other hand pushing him against the boulder, their torsos meeting. Aomine's slender front fit perfectly with Kagami's bulky build.

'Hngh,' Kagami groaned and snaked his hands up to the bluenette's locks, gripping his head, wanting to never let go.

Waste this night away with me, you're mine!

Like slippery dolphins, their bodies moved against each other in the water, their hips craving the to and fro a bit too much in their tightened boxers. They could feel themselves respond to the intimacy, but neither wanted to eject the carnal desires out of their minds yet. The gradation of intensity augmented and they kissed each other in a frenzy, bestowing sloppy, wet, and impatient kisses upon each other, hungrily tearing apart the veneer of reluctance.

Aomine was drowning in astonishment seeing Kagami's response and could only strike back stronger. He pressed Kagami once more, letting go of his warm lips and making his way to his neck, letting his animal instinct drive the momentum. Kagami felt himself look up naturally, leaving Aomine a playground to work on. His grip on Aomine's waist grew firmer. Feeling his neck getting sucked on by the alluring man he'd let approach him this way felt a thousand times better than he'd envisioned in the mere seconds of their contact. As a response, Kagami tugged at his hair a little too harshly, making him grunt and pull away. But it didn't last long as they both found their way back to each others' lips, tongues gliding against one another. Long gone were the hesitancy and the rivalry. Aomine and Kagami kissed each other with the same passion they'd played against each other with, which was perhaps, what made them accept each other this way. To the world, it hadn't been more than a few minutes, but to them, it had felt like languorous hours, their hearts beating rapidly, hands in a battle to hold the other tighter, and lips claiming each other their own.

Aomine pulled away, panting ever so slightly, a thread of warm saliva tying the two together. He dared to look at the redhead once and the look he saw in Kagami's eyes drove him wild within an instant. He looked at him with an appetite, a thirst that Aomine instantly recognised as his own. He felt the same, he thought. A tinge of happiness overpowered the sense of relief. Kagami too knew at the back of his mind, that he wasn't an idiot to have thought so.

The distant chatter of Seirin and Touou high dismantled their moment and they pulled away from each other, Aomine putting the AirPod back in Kagami's hands, the ones which had ravished him seconds ago. He climbed out of the spring, holding the thick towel near his waist, covering the blemish implanted by Kagami's fingers. He walked inside the changing room leaving a flustered redhead smiling like a high school girl, controlling the urge to squeal. Kagami let out the breath he'd been holding and shuddered as the crisp air hit his abdomen, getting up and heading toward the sauna to meet up with his team, clutching his phone tight, the song changing to the next.

Kuroko waved at him, not noticing his red cheeks and the fact that all his tension had disappeared. Touou's team burst into the streets, exiting the hot springs, engaging in yet another conversation. Their ace, however, walked behind the group, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his jacket, earphones blocking the loud chatter of his teammates, and Taylor Swift musically reminding him of a certain redhead.

The TS song in the fic is Long Live (Pirated Version cuz we're waiting for Speak Now TV).

[justlovej2]

My J2 au fic recs

I thought it was time to make a list of some of my favorite j2 fics. This is au only. Not au coming next. Enjoy.

Absence from those we love 

by mournthewicked

Word Count: 41,000

Link:  https://users.livejournal.com/-mournthewicked/354607.html

Summary: Jensen Ackles led a great life. It just wasn’t the one he planned on. Now he’s newly single, stuck at a job he hates, and sharing an apartment with his lovably psychotic best friend. When he’s given the chance to go back and do it all over again, he leaps at it. Only he soon comes to realize that no matter what’s in front of him, it’s impossible to leave the past behind. Considering what he’d be giving up, he might not even want to. (17 again j2 style)

Like a music that holds my hands down 

by saltandbyrne

Word Count: 22,891

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15310197

Summary: Perpetually-single pediatric dentist Jared lets his best friend Misha talk him into going to an anonymous BDSM party. Jared hooks up with a gorgeous stranger, but panics after their encounter and leaves before he can learn more about him. A year later, Jared is stunned to recognize Jensen Ackles as the father of one of his new patients and the guy from the best one-night stand of Jared’s life. With some encouragement from Jensen’s co-parent Danneel and Jared’s plucky office manager Genevieve, Jared realizes that he and Jensen might be perfect for each other after all.

Inked Verse

by non_timebo_mala

Word Count: 43,593

Link:  https://archiveofourown.org/series/344780

Summary:  Jared's been dying to get tattooed by renowned tattoo artist Jensen Ackles for ages. When he finally walks into the shop, he discovers he wants a lot more than just ink.

Gently play upon your heartstrings

by Cleflink

Word Count: 11,576

Link:  https://archiveofourown.org/works/1032133

Summary: Jensen is the superstar lead singer of the world's hottest rock band and, as such, is totally not bitter about getting turned down by Jared fucking Padalecki. Too bad the guy manages the hotel that Jensen lives in and is incredibly difficult to ignore.

Superheroes suck, or, the unfortunately extraordinary life of Jensen Ackles

by Cleflink

Word Count: 33,055

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/468711

Summary: Jensen hates superheroes. Having grown up with not one, but two of them in the family, he's more than aware of just how much having a spandex-clad alter ego can cock up the rest of your life. Luckily, his own powers tend towards the more passive, hippie florist side of things which - while embarrassing - means that all that superhero crap is someone else's problem. Or it would, if not for the frequent interference of superhero-obsessed friends, hostage situations, hotshot new superheroes and irritating relatives. Not to mention a boyfriend who has the uncanny ability to go missing whenever bad things are going down somewhere else in the city. Sometimes, Jensen's life is kind of bullshit.

The beat of our noisy hearts

by Cleflink

Word Count: 47,890

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/909642

Summary: In a world where heartbreak is a literal condition, it's Jared's job to sew, fill and patch the physical wounds left in people's hearts by lost loves, misunderstandings and betrayals. Jared's own love life is more than a little dire, largely because Jensen doesn't date and Jared doesn't do one-night stands, but he's got good friends and a job he loves, so he figures that he can't complain too much. When a killer attacks Jensen, Jared discovers that a needle and thread, desperation and a sharp scalpel are enough to save Jensen's life, but at a cost that is going to change Jared's life forever and tie them both together in a way that goes far deeper than flesh.

And the rest, as they say, is history

by Raina_at

Word Count: 17,728

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15012887

Summary: Struggling actor Jensen takes a job as big-shot movie star Jared Padalecki’s dogsitter. And the rest, as they say, is history.

A different kind of team building

by ashtraythief

Word Count: 8,924

Link:  https://archiveofourown.org/works/24683401

Summary: Jensen is a facts and graphs kind of guy; he never should have started working at a hipster California startup. His boss is insane, everybody’s wearing beanies, and Jared, the tall and cute head creative designer, thinks Jensen is too stuck up to work at One Tree Solutions. And now they’re going on a company retreat. But when the sleeping arrangements don’t work out as planned, Jensen realizes that maybe he didn’t have all the facts after all.

Hustle & Heart

by righteousbros

Word Count: 16,819

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1143701

Summary: Jensen is the star quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers and he lives and breathes the game of football. Then at a charity signing event he runs into Jared, his former teammate and his former flame. It's been years since they've spoken, but Jensen hasn't been able to let the feelings he has for Jared go. To complicate matters, Jared is on the brink of a major decision that will change his life and the history of the sport forever. Now Jensen has to decide if he has the courage to speak up and claim his chance at happiness too.

Cuffs

by TwoBoys2Love

Word Count: 87,156

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1283929

Summary: Detective Ackles gets a new partner who may be a bit of a challenge. They have different views about everything. Ackles picks up some work on a new case that reveals his partner's secret and dredges up the past.

The American Bachelor 

by dugindeep (hotsauce)

Word Count: 21,415

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1774633

Summary: Jensen Ackles is the first openly gay president, but that's the least of his worries. He's battling the press on his continued international trips to keep the peace, he has a 12-year-old to raise on his own, and he's trying to make something happen with the hot florist he just met. Jared Padalecki, on the other hand, is trying to not go insane at the prospect that the country's most eligible bachelor, and the world's most powerful man, is trying to woo him.

Splintering in slow motion

by cyndrarae

Word Count: 30,881

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7526416

Summary: Jared has been fighting the ‘darkness’ for as long as he can remember, until he can’t, or doesn’t want to anymore. He decides to treat himself to one final weekend of fun before laying down his arms, so to speak. The last thing he expects is a gatecrasher, someone who might derail his best-laid plans for good.

Apocalypse: Cancelled 

by jeyhawk

Word Count: 28,000

Link: https://jeyhawk-fic.livejournal.com/62095.html

Summary: July 7, 2008 at 2 a.m. in the morning a comet will hit Earth, destroying all human life. Humanity gets 54 hours to prepare and chaos ensues. A chance encounter has straight architect Jared Padalecki saving the life of deeply closeted movie star Jensen Ackles. The unlikely couple cling to each other during what they think will be their last days on earth, but what happens to the relationship they built when the world doesn't end after all? 

Slowly, with each touch and each kiss

by whisperedstory

Word Count: 24,136

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21607546

Summary: When Jensen starts coming to JD's, the cocktail bar where Jared works, Jared is instantly interested in him. What starts out as a one-night stand quickly becomes a casual arrangement that Jared could easily see turning into more. But Jensen isn't looking for something serious and Jared would rather settle for being friends with benefits than not having Jensen in his life at all.

Baby, it’s cold outside

by Merenwen76

Word Count: 35,245

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22177129

Summary: Christmas is the best time of the year for Jared. But this time he's caught in a blizzard. With his boss, of all people. - Jensen Ackles This one not only hates Christmas but is also extremely hot.

A song in the stars

by strive2bhappy

Word Count: 39,813

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11224314

Summary: Jared Padalecki has dreamed of taking to the skies since he was five-years-old. When he becomes an adult and builds a spaceship of his own, he gets to do just that, looking for adventure -- little did he know the adventure waiting for him. Jensen Ackles is born part human, part Terryn and his life as an outcast is difficult -- music is his only real escape. When he's captured by the Dominion, an organization hell-bent on taking over every galaxy in every way they can, he's used as a lab experiment to see how his special, combined heritage can be advantageous for them. Fleeing Dominion control, he vows to himself, they will never find him again. A chance meeting between Jared and Jensen helps both of them get what they're looking for -- and the way things end up, it may have been more than just chance. From various planets throughout different galaxies, to nights under the stars in space, Jared and Jensen find in each other something worth fighting -- and possibly dying -- for.

[kind-wolf]

Kiss on a stick

Fandom: Rainbow Six Siege

Character:  Dominic  Brunsmeier 

Genre: general

Rating: T

Warnings: Swearing

Word count: ~1650

Note: This is just a little something for my lovely friend @angelaiswriting 💗

Merry Christmas!

Even before reaching the common room, she could hear the Christmas music. 

Usually she wouldn't mind someone trying to spread the holiday cheer for all the operators who would be spending Christmas on duty. And even those who don't celebrate Christmas, didn't seem to mind the music and the decorations. But she did.

Or more accurately, she minded ever since one particular colleague of hers, made it his mission to torment her.

Although torment might be a bit of a harsh description.

Dominic Brunsmeier wanted to be a little shit and use the general holiday spirit and especially one decorative item to steal a kiss from her.

The first time he smugly pointed at the mistletoe they were standing under, her quick combat reflexes helped her duck away before he could get a hold of her.

"Hey! That's cheating, " he had called after her, while her laugh echoed through the hallway as she ran away. 

She should've known that he wouldn't let it go that easily. 

That man had spent years upon years alone undercover. He knew how to play the long game. 

So for the past 3 weeks, she never walked through a door without checking for the treacherous little sprig and the german operator who never seemed too far away from it. 

She had even taken to carrying around a baton, so she could nudge the mistletoe off, whenever she encountered one. 

It didn't seem to deter Dominic though. 

He kept at it. Only grinning at her when he caught her destroying yet another trap. "I'll get you eventually Engelchen."

"In your dreams Brunsmeier," she had scoffed, even though she was sure he noticed the upwards twitch of her lips she failed to suppress. 

Another memorable moment in their game had been when she tried to throw him off with the help of Alexsandr. Everybody had already caught on to the special cat-and-mouse game, so when she asked the Russian operator for help, he immediately agreed with a big grin on his face. 

They walked to the common room together and just as expected, there was a mistletoe sneakily attached to the corner of the doorway, meaning Dominic wasn't far. 

Alex gestured for her to go first. So she did. And just when her eyes met Dom's who was leaning against a couch, she felt Alex grab her wrist to pull her back. "Not so fast Милашка. I think I get a kiss."

She didn't tear her eyes away from Dominic until she saw them widen in realization. 

She had to suppress a giggle, since Alex was already leaning down to her height.

Just as he planted a firm kiss on her lips, she heard the German in the background complain "That's not fair! That's my kiss."

When Alex released her, she was ready to reply, but the Russian beat her to it with a laugh in his voice. "I didn't know you wanted a kiss from me so badly. But don't worry. I got plenty to give."

"Fuck you, " came instantly from Dominic, who was grinning nonetheless. 

Their game went on until there weren't many days left until Christmas. 

And she could tell he was getting desperate, for the mistletoe now also appeared in random places like the stairwell or the inside of the kitchen cabinets. One was even placed so high above her locker that she had to get a ladder to get it off.

Despite the music playing, the common room was empty. Suspicious. 

She made sure it was really empty by immediately checking every corner and possible hiding place, just like she would in a combat situation. 

But then the arm around her waist and the whispered "Got you" made her stiffen. 

Damn that sneaky bastard!

She knew it was Dominic. It was hard to admit, but she had grown accustomed to the smell of him, to the sound of his voice, his barely noticeable accent, his presence in her daily life. 

The hold on her waist was strong enough for her to know she couldn't just wiggle away. Of course she could fight him off if she really wanted to, but hurting him really wasn't on her agenda for today. Or any other day if she was being honest. 

She slowly turned in his grasp and the first thing she spotted was his gleeful smile, before her eyes caught the greenery dangling right above their heads. 

"How the fuck..." she trailed off upon taking in the fact that he had really put a mistletoe on a stick so he could hold it up wherever. 

They both laughed before she bumped her head against his chest, relaxing into his embrace. "You're such a dork."

She looked back up into his face, expecting a smart retort, but was only met with his intense gaze that suddenly threatened to set her on fire. 

She shouldn't be feeling like this for her colleague. She shouldn't...

When his face slowly lowered to her own, time seemed to freeze. Not even the clattering of the mistletoe stick as it hit the ground registered in her brain, as his nose bumped against hers, his now free hand coming up to hold her chin in place. 

Her eyes fluttered shut as first his beard tickled against her skin, before he brushed his lips against hers. 

A shuddering breath left her lips, before it was cut off by his firm mouth pressed against hers. 

She responded tentatively, grasping the front of his uniform as she tilted back to meet his lips fully. He pushed closer, mouth parting slightly as he deepened the kiss. His hand slid down to her neck, still holding her in place. 

It was as if he was trying to devour her, to never let her get away again. 

The hand that was not at her waist wandered into her hair, gripping it gently. She couldn't stop herself from answering his passion with the same enthusiasm he was showing her. 

She slid her arms around his neck and pulled herself impossibly closer to him, almost moaning when her body felt his muscles even through the layers of clothes. 

The hand from her waist slid down to her backside and he cupped her ass eagerly.

Her heart was hammering against her rip cage as she tried getting enough air into her lungs between kisses while Dominic barely seemed to feel the need to breathe. 

"I'm not sleeping with my colleagues, " she managed to gasp out, after pushing herself away from him a few measly centimeters, fully aware that the willpower to stay true to her word was dwindling with every second. 

His mouth was back on hers with barely a "Mhmm," to signal he had indeed heard her words. 

"I also don't date my colleagues, " she insisted with the next gasp for air. 

Again Dominic only hummed, his hands squeezing her ass firmly to get her closer again. 

"It only gets messy, " she continued, yet not doing anything more to stop his kisses. 

She felt his grin against her lips when he mumbled a cheeky "I sure hope so."

Even she didn't know if the sound that left her in response was a groan or moan "I'm serious."

With visible effort Dom pulled himself away from her and sighed before gently bumping his forehead against hers. "Look, Engelchen... I really like you. Or I wouldn't have been that persistent about getting a kiss. And from your reaction just now, I would say you like me too."

Despite knowing he was right, she still tried to keep it together, get back to something that at least resembled professional behavior. "That doesn't chan-" 

Both hands now on her hips, he swayed them both to the rhythm of the slow music that played in the background. "Let me take you on a date. We can take it slow. And if it doesn't work out, I promise not to make it awkward."

Fuck. She wanted to say yes. She wanted to be in his arms, run her fingers along his beard, hear his goofy jokes. She knew she shouldn't though. "But..." 

The german cut her off with a quick peck on her lips. "Say yes," he whispered before pulling away again to look into her eyes. 

Her hands finally slid away from behind his neck, down to his chest. And she sighed before she playfully patted his stomach. "Alright. But I'm expecting something spectacular. You gotta blow my socks off." 

Dominic's grin put the shine of the Christmas lights around them to shame. "Trust me, it'll be so good, you'll be the one who wants to blow somethi- OWW."

Bonus:

"Eeekk! What..." before she could even get her question out, she burst out laughing, almost immediately gasping for air. 

She tried her best to see through the tears that were already gathering in her eyes, wiping furiously to get another look at Domi. 

He stood in front of her, in what was obviously supposed to be a sexy santa outfit. The red dress rimmed with white fluffy fabric way too short on his broad frame. She would almost be able to see his underwear. If he was wearing any, which she wasn't so sure about with him. To add some more flair to his outfit he had also put on a hat with blinking Christmas lights and red knee high socks. 

"I take it, I exceeded all your expectations," he asked, turning his back to her and shaking his barely covered ass. 

At first she could still only wheeze as a reaction, but she tried to get some words out anyway. "You… are… out...out… of… your mind!" 

"And you love it," he simply stated while walking up to her. 

While she was still calming down and wiping the rest of the tears off her face, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. "Does your sexy Santa get a kiss before we go and gift the others with the sight of my gorgeous legs?" 

She risked a glance down at said legs, and barely contained another laugh before looking back into his face. "Kissing Santa? I'm sure that'll put me on his naughty list," she teased. 

He was prevented from answering when she placed a hand on his bare thigh, sliding it upwards under his dress while the other gently grasped his beard to guide his lips to hers. 

[rebelscoundrel]

Take a Gamble

Request: You and Poe are a sarcastic duo that work well together, sent on an undercover mission to thwart a First Order weapons deal. Things go awry, of course. 

Poe Dameron x reader

Warnings: undercover clichés (the kissing kind), lots of banter, a little tension (sexual and otherwise)

A\N - this got kinda long? I had way too much fun with this plot

Masterlist

“Poe, get down here. It can’t be that bad.”

“Don’t get your hopes up.”

A few reluctant thuds brought Poe to the bottom of the stairs. The first thing you noticed was the gelled hair trying to tame his curls. The poncho was quite a sight, too — black as night and adorned with golden chains and buckles, curiously matching his decorative boots. And somehow he still looked good.

But his grimace was icing on the cake. 

You giggled, sliding a hand over your mouth and chin. “Okay, it’s not awful. But it’s not —"

“It’s not great, I know.”

He skirted past you, quickly crossing the hangar toward the Falcon. Passing mechanics kept their eyes averted from Poe and you nodded thanks on his behalf. A few other calls of “good luck!” echoed as the Falcon’s door slid shut. 

“And you,” Poe chuckled wryly while flipping switches around the cockpit, “you get to wear that and call it a day.”

It was true, your white dress was achingly simple compared to his attire. But apparently these outfits were the best way for each of you to blend in on the mission, and you weren’t complaining that you got the simpler one for once.

“I think you secretly like that cape.”

“It’s a poncho, and I don’t.”

The Falcon leapt into hyperdrive and you crossed a leg haphazardly from the co-pilot’s seat. The stars blended into stripes, the gentle hum of lightspeed filling the easy silence in the cockpit, until finally it all slowed to give way to the destination. Canto Bight was a glittering jewel of a city – a shiny, sickening place for the rich and cruel and famous.

Poe landed a safe distance from the skyscraping casino, leaving the Falcon out of sight and ready for a quick escape if needed. You crept side by side toward the unnerving clamor of the city, only straightening up when you got closer. Adrenaline kickstarted a rush in your veins when the rendezvous site came into view and your hand wove a practiced path into the folds of your skirt, brushing the blaster strapped underneath for reassurance.

Ushers opened the massive doors, lifting the muzzle off the noise and letting the bright lights of the casino glare freely.

Poe offered you his elbow. “Shall we?”

You gladly took it, sneaking in a grin before setting your sights on the crowd. “Might as well.”

It wasn’t hard to find a path in the busy atrium – drunk gamblers and partiers were predictable, and you and Poe could effortlessly move in sync. Step left to avoid a pair of quarreling Bothans, backtrack around a raucous group of humanoid dancers, and weave through the line of low-stakes gambling circles. The first sign of First Order troops appeared at the racetrack betting tables and Poe gave you a nudge.

“You wanna remind me what we’re up against? A mechanic was rattling off X-Wing problems to me during the briefing.”

“A single buyer,” you spoke over the noise. “Local warlord known only as Jago. Wears red robes, black star tattoo on his neck. The First Order is selling him a hundred E-Webs that he’ll use to squash Resistance efforts on an Outer Rim planet.”

He whistled low under his breath. “Yeah, we’re not letting that happen. So it’s just that guy?”

“That guy and any First Order goons stationed in the city.”

“Won’t Jago bring backup?”

“In our intercepted transmission, the First Order said he had to come alone.”

“Easy enough.” He shrugged with a little cautious bravado to boost both of you. “Let’s destroy that shipment and bail.”

You bit back a grin, still striding in step with your mission partner. It was a simple plan, sure, and the two of you were experienced enough to handle it. Besides, you fit against Poe’s side like the Maker designed it that way. Upon finding a spot with a view of the whole room, Poe planted himself and snuck a glance at you before surveying the field.

The waiting game wasn’t long. The First Order troops started getting restless, muttering into their comms units and fiddling with their blasters.

“There.” Poe jutted his chin toward the bar. “That’s gotta be Jago.”

He was right, and Jago was terrifying. Towering over the creatures around him, his platinum shock of hair contrasted his scarred face and the dark tattoos lining his neck. His red robes were draped over a bulky build and the end of a rifle poked through. He was ready for a fight.

It was your turn to nudge Poe. “Let’s get over there. They’ll take him to the shipment soon.”

Like a grand ballet, the First Order troopers stalked toward Jago in single file while you and Poe approached from an angle. The music crescendoed, drinks spilled in your wake, and you were hot on Poe’s heels through it all, pacing yourself to stay out of sight of the enemy.

But it didn’t work.

You slammed into a ranking Stormtrooper, throwing you off track. Your white dress caught wine stains as you tried to push out of a group of civilians, but the trooper grabbed your arm and yanked you inches from his helmet.

“Watch it!” he seethed.

Trying to jerk away yielded no results. Your heart raced, drowning out any commotion behind you.

“Wait a minute…” He pulled out a hologram projector and up popped an image of your face. His viselike grip got tighter. “I’ve got a Resistance fighter!”

Clang! A table crashed into the trooper, sending him sprawling as cards and chips rained down like confetti. Poe popped up from behind the table, his gelled curls shaking freely. The two of you comically stared back and forth between each other and the fallen Trooper.

“Did you just –”

“Yeah,” he huffed while you took his outstretched hand, “not as heavy as it looks. We gotta go.”

Your “thanks” was breathless and the chase was on. First Order troopers and Stormtroopers were swarming and you and Poe dodged around them, ducking behind casino security droids and patron’s opulent hats. A flash of red caught your eye and you whirled toward it, Poe barely in tow.

“There’s Jago! They’ve gotta be leading him to the shipment.”

You hurried toward the archway leading out back, just a little further and you’d be free of the chaos inside. Poe gave a hopeful gasp and the way his bejeweled boots clacked on the tile floor almost drew a tease from your lips.

But you never got the chance because a Stormtrooper suddenly blocked your path.

“Shit!”

“Dammit! C’mon,” Poe groaned, switching hands to pull you the opposite way.

Troopers’ cries rang out behind you and their thunderous pursuit was the stuff of nightmares, the fever dream all tied together by the glitz and glam of the casino. You kept low as best you could and trusted Poe’s every step even as he led you closer to the performing stage.

The music was deafening but became muffled when you dipped into an alcove next to the stage. It was crowded with drunk partygoers gyrating and kissing what you could only hope was each other’s mouths. But even in that small mob you felt exposed because the troopers could be heard closing in and could walk by at any second.

“They’re going to find us,” you clipped.

But Poe was busy shuffling you toward the back of the alcove, keeping a grip on your elbows as he glanced over his shoulder.

“Poe, we’ve got to –”

His kiss silenced you.

Your back hit the wall a moment later and still the kiss continued – his lips were tense and unmoving and definitely only there to hide your faces from passersby and was that his hand caressing your lower back? You grasped his arm to steady your heart and dared not kiss back.

(Even if you wanted to.)

With your faces hidden, the Stormtroopers rushed past and continued their search elsewhere. Poe checked over his shoulder again and then his eyes were back on you, sparing an imperceptible glance to your lips.

“Sorry, I just –”

“No, good thinking.” You nodded and gave his chest a supportive pat. “They definitely didn’t want to venture in here.”

With no time to lose and no desire to further analyze what the hell just happened, you and Poe jostled through the crowd and back out into the open. Thankfully there were no troopers in sight and you snuck to the back archway and out into the night.

The brick courtyard was lined with massive palm trees that hid it from the view of any casino onlookers and it was silent except for metallic clattering behind a door on the far side.

“E-Webs.”

“Has to be,” you murmured back.

Walking through the open courtyard felt out of place and the two of you flicked wary glances all around. Your kept your hand poised on the slit in your dress, ready for whatever the sinister shadows would throw your way. And it didn’t take long.

“Hey, you there!” A First Order trooper stepped into view.

You tore out your blaster and shot him square in the chest. He crumpled and no more troopers appeared.

“Yeah, I think we’re in the right place,” Poe quipped.

He took one side of the door and you the other, gently pushing it open enough to peek inside. Jago loomed on one side of a stone table facing a First Order commander, both flanked by Stormtroopers. The itching trigger fingers could instantly send the room up in flames. But even through the tension, the conversation wasn’t hard to hear.

“The Supreme Leader wants payment now.”

“He’ll get his payment after I see the shipment myself,” Jago growled. “And don’t fool yourselves by thinking it’s hidden, I know it’s in the crates past the outer gates of this courtyard.”

That was what you needed to hear. As awful as Jago was, the mission was to destroy the shipment of E-Webs, not assassinate a warlord. Poe nodded and you followed, circling to the outside of the courtyard and easily finding the target. Crates and crates of insidious E-Webs were loaded onto a transport.

And surrounded by red-caped men carrying torches. Jago’s troops.

Poe skidded to a stop. “I thought you said Jago wasn’t supposed to bring backup.”

“Looks like he trusts the First Order about as much as we do.”

You counted six; Poe pointed out two more at the edge of the forest. Your blaster was still warm from the last shot fired and you braced your hand on the vine-covered wall, ready to fire it again. But Poe’s gentle touch to your wrist gave you reason for pause.

“I have something else that might work,” he murmured. From under his poncho he pulled out a pair of thermal detonators and a grin to match. “Turns out this blanket I’m wearing had its uses.”

Your face lit up but fell into a frown just as quickly. “Poe, we can’t detonate them or the E-Webs here. It could level half the casino.”

“So I’ll lure the guards away while you program –”

“I program the transport to fly deep into the woods!” the rest of the plan rolled off your tongue like lightning. “Then we detonate.”

“We detonate the hell out of it.”

The Resistance had come to rely on this kind of synchronization between you and Poe and it hadn’t yet let anyone down. After delicately handing you the detonators, he squeezed your shoulder for luck and you didn’t hide the nervous anticipation in your eyes – you never hid it from each other, not when it was so real. By the time you realized he was close enough to kiss you again he was gone, brandishing his blaster and dashing out into the open.

“Hey, you big scary bastards!” He fired a few shots before Jago’s troops realized what was happening.

They gave chase and you lied in wait for the stampede to pass, then took a deep breath and slinked over to the transport under the cover of darkness. Even with your skirts in one hand and cradling the detonators in the other, you managed to leap into the driver’s seat with ease. Blaster shots rang out from Poe’s direction but you forced yourself to concentrate on the task at hand.

Which was a little more difficult than normal. First Order tech was different enough that you pressed a few wrong buttons before igniting the engine. Is this your first time behind the wheel? you could hear Poe teasing if he’d been there.

A heavy thunk sounded and you whirled to see one of Jago’s troops standing on the back of the transport, pulling out his blaster. You beat him to it and shot him in the neck.

“Too close,” you whispered to yourself as he landed in the dirt.

With a few more switches flipped, you slammed the steering lever forward and jumped out of the driver’s seat. You armed the detonators with a flick of your thumbs and tossed them onto the transport as it hurtled into the woods.

Trees crashed in its wake as you fled the opposite direction. Ten seconds ticked by, just enough for you to make it to the courtyard walls – eyes squeezed shut, hands clamped over your ears – and then came the massive explosion. The vibration rattled deep in your bones.

But you couldn’t stay covered forever. As expected, Jago’s remaining troops raced back to the transport’s spot and then toward the inferno, their angry curses echoing in the flames devouring the trees. You slipped away unnoticed toward the edge of the city, where Poe had originally led them.

And you didn’t have to worry about him for long.

“Hey!” came a tense whisper from your right.

Poe emerged from a stack of barrels and split into a wide smile, ecstatic to see you alive and well. You fell into his embrace without a second thought.

“E-Webs are gone,” you declared. “Nice job with the distraction, by the way.”

He pulled back to wave you off. “That was the easy part. Jago needs to hire better mercenaries, these guys can’t shoot for shit.”

That was the end of the reunion, because Jago himself strode out from behind the courtyard walls and surveyed the entire scene. The firelight painted him even more fearsome. He yelled obscenities at his troops, the First Order commander, and the Stormtroopers before his gaze landed on you and Poe looking not particularly innocent.

“Get them!” he bellowed.

“Here we go again…”

Poe took your hand like clockwork and your tired legs carried you into the city. From cobblestone to pavement, around market stalls and under giant droids’ legs, and in between partygoers taking a midnight stroll.

You and Poe were fast but the enemy was just as quick, even if they were still a good distance behind. But the hunt couldn’t go on forever and as you rounded a sharp corner, there it was. Saving grace in the form of an alleyway. You yanked Poe in with you and prayed it was enough to shake them.

The alley was narrower than anticipated and Poe was nearly pressed into you. The chase left your heart pounding and your chest heaving and the brick wall at your back dug into your dress and all at once the ridiculousness of the situation had you clutching your mouth to hold back giggles.

Poe noticed, his dark eyes glistening at you as a smirk played on his own mouth. He playfully brought a finger to his own lips to gesture for you to keep quiet.

And now you were looking at his lips.

It felt like the gravitational pull of a galaxy, the way you gazed at the curve of his mouth. The sheer proximity was intoxicating, sending tendrils of heat curling up your skin. The memory of his kiss was as clear as the night sky and left a sparkle in your eyes when you finally looked up.

Poe noticed that, too, and he sobered as his own gaze dipped to your lips and back.

A blur of red capes and white armor trampled past your hiding spot at that moment. Not too long after Jago and the First Order commander followed, still barking frustrated orders. But all that commotion barely registered within the dark confines of the alley. The pull between you was still too strong, drowning out everything else, even the gradual quiet that grew in the street.

“I think they’re gone,” you breathed.

“Yeah…”

A blaster firing in the distance finally made Poe snap his eyes away. He leaned out of the alley to check if the coast was clear and motioned for you to follow, and it was back to business as usual – this goddamn mission.

“Let’s get the hell off this planet.”

The streets slowly became familiar as you neared the entrance to the casino and that’s when Poe noticed a speeder sitting idle, its driver preoccupied with trying to sell something to a pair of drunk civilians.

“Wanna get to the Falcon faster?” he called.

You followed his line of sight. “You bet! Can I drive?”

“What?”

“You might be a great pilot,” you raced the last few feet and jumped in the driver’s seat, revving the engine with a proud cock of your brow, “but I’m better on a speeder and you know it.”

Poe could only grin and shake his head while hopping on the back, barely getting a grip on your waist before you floored it. You flew past the casino in time to see Jago emerging from the front doors and he erupted again, shrieking and waving wildly until a Stormtrooper flew up on a speeder. He hopped on the back and they sped toward you.

Poe exasperatedly smacked the side of your speeder. “We just can’t catch a break with this guy.”

The chase was on once again and you quickly made it to the edge of the city, where Jago opened fire. Blaster shots illuminated the night around you and Poe did his best to return fire while you evasively swerved through the meadow.

“This isn’t good!” Poe yelled. “They’ll kill us if we go to the Falcon now.”

As you tried to reach for your blaster, you accidentally flicked a switch on the dashboard and a small panel opened between the handlebars. There sat a thermal detonator, primed and ready for any opponent.

“You’re not gonna believe our luck,” you cried over the wind, holding up the detonator like a prize. “Will you do the honors?”

“Gladly.”

Poe armed and tossed the detonator, hiding his face against your neck as the explosion knocked your speeder forward. Leaving the smoking remains in the dust, you finally headed toward the Falcon in peace.

“Woohoo! Not bad for a guy in a poncho,” he crowed.

You let out a holler into the night, feeling free as the wind whipped past your face. The Falcon finally came into view and you slowed down to jump off the speeder with Poe right behind. The two of you were significantly worse for wear than when you left the Falcon earlier in the evening but you trudged to the cockpit with your heads held high – tattered clothes, dirty boots, wine stains, and all.

While Poe fired up the engine, you patched through to command central. Resistance leaders wanted a status update as soon as you were done.

“Falcon to Command One,” you proudly beamed at Poe, “we completed the mission and are en route back to base.”

Lightspeed came and went and then you were landing on base between the flight deck operators signaling with their orange lights. It was the dead of night so there was no congratulatory crowd waiting, and that was okay. You’d had your fill of crowds. 

Poe stood to leave as soon as the Falcon touched down, and so did you — landing you face to face for the second time that night. Time froze as you fell into each other’s orbit once again. His breath on your cheek, your glance to his lips, the steady rise and fall of your chests in sync. The tension threatened to rip you in two and you almost did something about it.

The comms crackled inside the cockpit. “Captains, let’s have that debriefing now.”

You stepped away first, catching your breath as you strode out of the Falcon a few paces ahead of Poe. The silence of the runway rung in your ears because all you could do was think about the man just a few feet behind. And all at once, after all those chases that evening, you were tired of running away.

You spun on your heel, arms swinging wide. It was now or never.

“Poe —”

“Yeah, what the hell.”

The distance closed in a flash and his lips found yours with ease. He properly cradled your cheek this time, melting you further into his touch. Your hands carded through his hair and deepened the kiss like the Maker intended. The heat in your chest blossomed when Poe smiled against your mouth.

You broke it first, panting and idly playing with the curls at the nape of his neck. It no longer hurt to be this close, not when all the doubt had dissipated.

“The debrief...” you reluctantly muttered.

“I think we can handle that now.” After sharing another satisfied grin, he let you walk ahead and only spoke loud enough for you to hear. “Though it probably won’t be as brief as I’d like.”

[fnlrndcllctv]

REVIEW: Godzilla - Kaijuu Daikessen (1994)

Toho’s first attempt at a release for the Super Nintendo, 1993’s Super Godzilla, was not received well by critics, as it opted a more strategy-based style of gameplay that resulted in some rather dull and slow gameplay across the board.

So, in an attempt to try and crack into the SNES market one more time, the company turned to Alfa System to develop a new Godzilla-themed fighting game for the console.

This isn’t the first time that Toho had enlisted the services of Alfa System, as they’d previously worked on 1993’s Godzilla: Battle Legends for the somewhat obscure NEC TurboDuo console (read our review of the game here!), so developing a fighting game that featured the iconic kaiju from the Godzilla franchise wasn’t going to be too much of an issue for the company.

A year later, Godzilla: Kaijuu Daikessen (roughly translated as Godzilla: Monster War) was released in Japan for the Super Nintendo, while a planned US release, renamed as Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters, was cancelled.

So, with the new hardware available to them (that utilised a controller that was more suited to the genre), was this follow up any good?

Let’s investigate…

Gameplay

If you’re one of the few gamers who have given the Battle Legends release a try, then Kaijuu Daikessen will feel incredibly familiar. Each monster in the game has a variety of special moves to choose from, each requiring inputs that should already be familiar to fans of the Street Fighter series (along with hundreds of other games!).

A new feature in the game is the stun meter, which works in tandem with a character’s special meter. A full special meter allows for players to execute special moves such as heat blasts, missiles and lightning beams, but if a player’s stun meter fills up and knocks them dizzy, it also empties the special meter instantly, forcing them to immediately go on the defensive upon recovery.

It’s a nice update to change things up from the first game, and having more than two buttons this time around makes the controls feel so much better, even if they are slightly unresponsive at times.

With that being said though, a handful of issues that plagued Godzilla: Battle Legends do make an appearance in this game too. Having to deal with your character being too slow to turn around and face an opponent is still majorly annoying, and the hitboxes for certain characters (especially the flying kaiju) are incredibly sloppy.

Story

Much like its predecessor, Godzilla: Kaijuu Daikessen doesn’t really have a specific story as such, as the single player mode once again focuses on a single monster as they battle their way through each opponent.

The major difference this time around is that players can choose from the majority of the game’s roster instead of just the headline kaiju himself. This gives players more options as to how they approach the game on a technical level.

Luckily, the updated visuals and the updated mechanics that go into fights give the matches a more authentic feel when it comes to re-enacting the famous fights from the movies.

Roster

Godzilla: Kaijuu Diakessen features a roster of 11 fighters;

Godzilla

Anguirus

Gotengo**

King Ghidorah

Gigan

Megalon

Mechagodzilla (old)

Biollante

Mothra

Mechagodzilla (new)*

Super Mechagodzilla**

While the roster this time around is slightly smaller than its predecessor, the game is generally more balanced this time around (with the exception of a couple of fighters). The characters have more moves now, with some pretty entertaining new additions such as Godzilla’s “Uranium Atomic Heat Ray” super special move (although it’s frustratingly easy to counter), Mothra’s “Sealing Energy” attack and Gotengo’s high voltage moveset.

Things start to feel a bit uneven when playing both as and against Biollante. Biollante is the only character in the game that is unable to jump and lacks any successful long range attacks, meaning that they’re pretty much a sitting target for an entire match. This also means that when facing the monster in single player mode, the only way to hit them is getting up close, which is where the range where the vast majority of Biollante’s moveset lies.

Similarly to the first game, the obvious omission of one of the most famous characters in the franchise (last time it was Mothra, this time it’s Rodan) is glaringly obvious.

*Only playable in VS mode.

**Only playable in VS mode via a cheat code.

Graphics

The character sprites in Godzilla: Kaiju Daikessen aren’t majorly different to the first game’s, as they were only a year apart from another, but there are definitely some noticeable little tweaks and changes that help to improve the game somewhat.

First of all, the character sprite animations in the game have been slightly polished, with each character now able to display more personality when executing (and taking hits from) different attacks, and generally making them feel more “lifelike” than their cinematic rubber suit counterparts.

Another key area that has been improved upon is the look of the stages. While not massively spectacular when compared to many other fighting games that came out that year, each stage is more vivid and busy than the ones found in Battle Legends, with the added bonus of some stages including destructible elements.

Stages

There are a total of nine stages to fight on in Godzilla: Kaijuu Daikessen;

Osaka Castle Grounds

Fuji Five Lakes

World Children’s Land

Outskirts of Tokyo

Yokosuka

Wakasa Bay

Minato Mirai 21

Makuhari Bay Area

Tokyo Bay

Each of these stage locations are specifically ripped from the various movies each fight takes place in, and, as mentioned earlier, look pretty good when compared against the previous 2D Godzilla games.

The demolish-able buildings featured in many of the levels are a nice thought, but aren’t as well animated as they could be, making them feel a bit underwhelming. They also reset to normal after each round, making the enjoyment here somewhat fleeting.

As an added bonus for a number of stages, we often get some awesome MIDI renditions of some of the franchise’s most iconic music. I’ll never get tired of hearing the classic “Godzilla Stomp” in whatever form it comes in.

Replayability

As there’s no unlockable content or bonus stages included in Godzilla: Kaijuu Daikessen, there isn’t really much of an incentive to return to the game on a single player basis outside of maybe getting a high sore on the game’s leaderboard, and even then it’s a bit of a slog.

Luckily, the 2-player versus mode is strong enough to keep healthy rivalries going in couch multiplayer sessions, and seeing some of the most ridiculous and fun super special moves in the history of Godzilla games is undeniably worth sticking around for.

Final thoughts & overall score

Godzilla: Kaijuu Daikessen is a fairly enjoyable, yet slightly flawed fighting game that not only manages to improve upon the framework set by its predecessor, but is actually one of the better titles in the long library of Godzilla video games.

There’s plenty of famous kaiju to play as, and the fan service throughout the game is more than enough to please even the most casual of Godzilla fans.

It won’t necessarily win over non-kaiju fans, nor is it anywhere near the best fighting game for the system, but it’s worth your time if you want to re-enact those iconic (and cheesy) battles between giant monsters from the movies in a 16-bit fashion.

Do you agree with our review of Godzilla: Kaijuu Daikessen?

Let us know in the comments section below!

[moonlightstars16]

Chapter 2 ~ A Deal Struck

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"We should be arriving soon Steven." Pearl informed before refocusing on controlling the ship along with the Rubies.

"Joy" Steven spoke sarcastically. "Jasper! Amethyst!" he called and instantly they were right in front of him with that sickening salute.

"Yes my Diamond!" and that obnoxious phrase as well. Although the names of the gems(other than the distinction of numbers and letter combinations) are the same, these were his Jasper and Amethyst. In fact this Amethyst was the same from when he was a child.

"I will be joining with you as planned, remember this is only a scouting mission. Once we reach the planet no human contact unless necessary. I don't want anything standing in our way." Not that he cared what the humans did, they were an easy obstacle to overcome. However Steven wanted this to be over and done with. Tired of being White's puppet and being in her control. Still he went along so he could forget the part of his life that tormented him so.

"Yes sir!" both of them spoke in sync. 'Good, they remembered to do that at least.' He taught them that as a joke and it kinda stuck around. It was refreshing to hear other than 'My Diamond' all the time, so he went with it. Steven's main Lion sat by his side while stroked his mane gently. If anyone stood in his way, Lion was going to be an important asset to this mission. He got things done quick and fast, especially when he was hungry. Upon arriving on the planet, Pearl stayed behind with the other Ruby's to guard the ship.

It felt like hours since they started the journey. The first place was not ideal, just a pathetic patch of desert sand. The second was almost but not quite what they needed. Finally the third place they tried was perfect to begin work on the cluster. Similar to a canyon and had plenty of sunshine during the day for storing and sucking up nutrients. Steven had the reports from Amethyst and soon was ready to return, not wanting to waste another second.

Unfortunately that wasn't the case. In the distance gunshots where heard and a slight ping grazed their bodies. Though the damage was almost non-existent for a gem and it's physical body. Even Steven, who had his personal shield up, was unaffected. Frustration and annoyance flared up inside him as he whistled for Lion to be prepared to attack(his fur protected him from harm). Turning to face a small but mighty group of humans who were (trying to) defending the planet, appeared before them. Steven just stood there, arms folded and face looking unamused while they continued to attack.

"Stand down!" A voice from the crowd spoke. Immediately the gunshots stopped and guns slightly lowered as their leader walked towards the middle between the groups. Jasper, Amethyst and Lion were ready to attack at Steven's command. However he was calm and waited to see what could happen. Fingers ready to snap if provoked just enough. The Human leader  stood his ground and spoke firmly, it was kinda pathetic to see in his eyes. "My name is Doug Maheswaran! We demand to know why you are here!" This was beyond hysterical as Steven chuckled so much his shoulders moved slightly.

"Demand you say, " Steven asked moving his right hand to his hip, his cape gently flowing in the wind. "And why should I comply? When in fact just a snap of my fingers, the only thing you will be seeing is red." He raised his left hand and prepared to snap. "And right now you are wasting. My. Time." He emphasized once again as his the wicked smile he wore left, eyes beginning to glow slightly while his eyebrows burrowed a tad. He could see the uncomfortable gazes and fear coursing through them. With every second that had passed in silence, Steven grew more and more agitated.

"Wait!" Doug shouted in a desperate plea. "We only wish to live in peace! But we want to know why you have come here? What could we possibly offer you?" The easy opportunity to torment them was too much to ignore. Besides after all he endured, he should have a little bit of fun.

"You humans? Well nothing. But this planet itself is just what we need for our plans. Shame really? You all do seem to have a potential of sorts. I mean I'm half human after all I should know." Their gasps were like sweet music to his ears. "But alas it'll be useless since you won't have anywhere to live. In fact I'm sure you all will be dead shortly. If not for the lack of space, but oxygen."

"If you are half human, as you claim to be, why destroy half your own kind?!" Doug was bold not only through his words but actions as his fist clenched tight. Face expressing fury that even Steven had to admit it was kinda intriguing. Though he had to ignore the pain he felt coming from the words your kind. Although he was a master of hiding his pain.

"My reasons are for my own, I need not explain myself." His tone was cold and almost void of any emotion. Doug stood there silent, trying to comprehend what he just heard. He felt defeat slowly washing over him like a wave upon the shore. Dragging him out into the sea. He sighed and then remembered something he said earlier. Though it might've been just a sarcastic comment, he had a leverage of sorts and knew damned well how to use it.

"There has to be something we can agree upon. If you claim that we have a potential, tell us what can we do for you to spare our lives?" Steven was not expecting that at all. For the first time since this conversation started, he was stunned. Know how desperate they were, but to this extent? He thought for a moment before speaking up.

"Hmm, what a turn of events. Well if you must know, you're numbers are large in quantity and while primitive in how "advanced" you are. You can help process what we want much faster." Suddenly Steven got an idea and his wicked smirk returned. 'Let the games begin' "Of course, that would end your demise much quicker and I don't think you would want that, correct? So how about a proposition?" He said and watched as hope flickered in their eyes. 'What a pity it won't last long.' he thought sadly. After a long moment of silence, Doug finally spoke up.

"What is your proposition?"

"I can offer you a new planet to live on. One perhaps much better than this, and your lives will be spared. However, in exchange you must surrender one human to me. Call it an incentive." He was starting to loose patience from this conversaion.

"What?!" that question spread across the small group many times.

"Oh you'll get him, her...it, whatever, back to you. Besides you'll have someone on the inside making sure I keep my end of the deal, While the gems make sure you keep your end." Whispers and not much of an answer spread through the crowd.

"What if we refuse?" Steven's patience was gone.

"Then playtime's over." With a snap of his fingers Lion lurched forward and tackled down their leader in one second. Doug yelled in pain and watched as Lion bared his sharp teeth and fangs. Steven created a shield to keep the others from helping him. Watching them bag and struggle to break free.

"STOP! Take me!"

A voice rang out so loud everyone went silent. Behind one of the trees in the area, a young woman of 18 appeared and began running towards the scene, which had unfolded before her eyes. Her long dark brown hair flowing in the wind, her brown doe-like eyes(hidden behind simple circular glasses) full of tears as she rushed to her father's side, only stopping in fear of Lion's growl. Looking up she gasped when her eyes met Steven's. Gulping and taking a deep breath before continuing. "I beg of you, please take me as the incentive and let my father go."

"Connie no! Stay away!" Doug yelled before Lion's paw pressed against his neck making him gasp for breath.

"Please! Whatever you ask I'll do it!" She fell to her knees and bowed her head. "Please!..." She begged in a voice just above a whisper. Steven watched the scene unfold before whistling to Lion, signaling him to stand down. The pink beast did so immediately though threw a warning growl while doing so. The young woman, named Connie, ran to her father's side. Hugging him tightly. It was obvious she was important to him and she was willing to go as well. This created even more of an interesting turn of events. She then turned her gaze back to him, still holding onto her father tightly.

"I'm not an easy being to please. If you come with me, well your life would not be so pleasing." He paused shocked by the unwavering determination in her eyes. "This is your last chance, grab it before I change my mind." Though she couldn't be much use, her willingness was admirable.

"No" Her voice was firm. "Me and only me, I want to make sure you hold up your end of the deal." She paused with a shaken breath before continuing. "I will serve you, until the deal is done." Confident, passionate and sure of herself. This struck a certain cord with him though unable to place it. 'It'll be fun to see how long it will last'

"Very well then" he gestured to his Amethyst as she pulled her apart from her father(against his barely audible pleas), giving him her last 'I love you', and brought her right before him. "You will regret this."

"I know I will." 'At least she's not entirely idiotic' Steven then looked up at the rest of the humans. "It seems the deal is struck" he spoke and the heavy silence that fell seemed to only confirm it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What did you do Steven?!" Pearl shouted once they all returned to the ship. Steven had Amethyst put Connie in one of the guest rooms; and ordered to help her freshen up for the arrival back on HomeWorld. Sighing he commanded the Rubies to turn the ship around and Jasper to prepare the report for the Diamonds.

"I simply made a deal nothing more."

"A deal that even you cannot even think to keep right?! Steven you know the Diamonds won't approve-"

"I don't give a fuck what the Diamonds say!" Steven interrupted, his voice so loud it shook the ship almost veering it off course. The pinkish red glow once more appeared as he continued. "I have complete control over this planet or have you forgotten the reason why I'm here Pearl?!" He breathed deeply as once again the glow diminished, trying not to let his anger get the best of him. He couldn't go full beast. '... not again' he thought before speaking in a much more composed tone. "I have always valued you and allowed you to speak freely with me. But I won't let my actions be judged by anyone else, including yourself. You and I both know I have had enough of that." He leaned back in the chair and began to rub his forehead again. "Besides, they get their geo-weapon from the soon to be cluster with extra help, the Human Zoo will continue as planned."

"Why must it be this way?" Pearl asked although in a hushed whisper not really intended for him to hear. But he did.

"I never asked for my life to be a living hell." He spoke feeling the ghostly chains on his wrists once more.

[edendaphne]

“Discordant Sonata” Chapter 7

I told you I wouldn’t leave you guys hanging on that cliffhanger for long!  ;)

> Read it here on Ao3 <

> Read it here on Wattpad <

CHAPTER 7: SYNCOPATION

(Mood Music: I Hate Everything About You - Three Days Grace)

Ignoring Ladybug’s and his friends’ frantic shouting, Adrien sprinted towards the villain with only a vague and most likely very, very stupid plan.

Whether or not it was the intrinsic bond between the cat and ladybug miraculouses that compelled him to do so, he couldn’t say, and at this point, he didn’t care. All Adrien knew was that he couldn’t let anything else harm Ladybug. At this moment, absolutely nothing was more important than keeping his other half, his partner, his Lady, safe.

Nothing else mattered; not even himself.

Upon reaching the monster he stood in front of it and yelled, “Hey, did you know that Chloe actually has a boyfriend?”

That certainly got Reaver’s attention. He stopped in his tracks and bellowed, “She WHAT?!”

“I bet he thinks you’re jealous of him!” Adrien continued his ruse. “Did he whisk her away from you right under your nose, big guy? Boy, that’s gotta suck!” He could have sworn he saw Reaver’s eye twitch, and he had to suppress a chortle. “He probably thinks you’ll never find out who he is, or that he lives in an apartment by the Seine because you’re dumb as rocks!”

Reaver sputtered, enraged, “Why, that son of a— I’ll rip him apart!! I’ll show him! He shouldn’t have messed with me!!” In a huff he spun around and ran towards the Seine river with a new (yet vague and questionable) goal in mind.

Adrien quirked a triumphant grin, turning his head to give a quick wink at Ladybug (who was staring at him slack-jawed like he’d grown a second head, along with Nino and Alya), then followed behind Reaver. He could hear Ladybug clamoring and demanding that the couple allow her to stand up and run after him, but thankfully to no avail.

Once he was far away enough from his friends that they couldn’t see him anymore, he sneaked into an empty building, its inhabitants having already evacuated to one of the nearby akuma shelters.

He transformed into Chat Noir and quickly dialed Hawkmoth’s number on his staff’s communicator. He struggled to keep his anger in check while it rang, trying to figure out what he would say.

Hawkmoth’s face finally appeared on the screen.

“What the hell are you doing?!” Chat yelled urgently, manners and decorum tossed out the window instantly.

“What I’m supposed to be doing. Unlike yourself,” Hawkmoth snorted loftily. “You had so many opportunities to take Ladybug’s miraculous just now and yet you didn’t. What’s the matter with you, Adrien?”

“W-what’s the matter with me?!” Chat stammered. “Your akuma is out of control! He’s more violent than any others we’ve ever had! You can’t do this, you have to call him off!”

Hawkmoth scoffed in annoyance, clearly already fed up with this conversation. “I’m only doing what I must to achieve our goals. Goals which you clearly seem to have forgotten. You shouldn’t have any sympathy for that two-faced sham pretending to be a hero. All of this wouldn’t have to happen if she’d just give us the damn earrings.”

Chat recalled the conversation he and Ladybug had had a few weeks prior, while they were dancing at the akuma’s ball.

“I’m not just holding on to my miraculous to spite you and Hawkmoth, or because I’d rather keep my superpowers instead of helping you guys. I’m protecting it. Using a miraculous for personal gain always ends in tragedy. Always. I know you have no reason to trust me or believe me, but what would I gain by lying to you?”

Chat bit his lip, bracing himself for his following question. “But Father, what if there’s a good reason she can’t give them to us? What if we really aren’t meant to use both the cat and ladybug miraculous together?”

Hawkmoth pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing exasperatedly. “I see she’s attempted to deceive you and play you for a fool. Don’t fall for that delilah’s sugar-coated words and pretty face, Adrien. Even if whatever lies she told you were true, it still doesn’t amount to the destruction she’s inflicted on Paris throughout all these years due to her infuriating stubbornness. This fight could have been over long ago, and yet she continues to allow all of Paris to suffer for her pride and arrogance.”

Shelving aside the accusation of Ladybug being the source of Paris’ misery for a later discussion, Chat insisted, “But this time you’ve gone too far. You’re going to kill her!!”

“Good. You might actually manage to collect her earrings if she’s a motionless corpse!” Hawkmoth spat, disgusted.

Chat’s eyes grew wide and he gasped sharply, blood running cold. This couldn’t really be his father talking, could it? Had he any love or compassion left in his soul? Was this another effect of his miraculous; was misusing the power of empathy rendering him unable to actually feel it anymore? What could this mean for Hawkmoth and his powers? Was he losing his control over his abilities and that’s why the akuma had become so ferocious recently, almost feral? Countless questions swirled around in his head, heart racing at the implications.

“I… You…” Chat stuttered incredulously, clenching his fists, claws painfully digging into his palms.

Fighting a sudden bout of nausea, Chat struggled to formulate any kind of coherent sentence. But how could he, when his mind was reeling at his sudden realization? That this was not the man he’d grown up with and loved.

While Gabriel hadn’t ever really been an outwardly doting or affectionate parent, Adrien had good memories of a caring father who loved him; one who had read to him as a child, played the piano with him, and had laughed with while playing trivia games. And while during the last few years he’d become more cold, unrepentant, and spiteful year after year, Adrien would never have suspected that he’d spiraled so out of control and deteriorated into such a ruthless and uncaring person.

Dismayed, he asked almost in a whisper, “Father… What’s happened to you?”

Hawkmoth snarled with a glower, “If this is how it’s going to be, then I have nothing more to say to you. Just stay out of my way.” He huffed, then added, “You always were a disappointment.” He then hung up without another word.

Chat couldn’t help but sit in silence, trying to blink back tears and calm his heart, which felt like it had just been rent into a thousand pieces. He didn’t know what to think or how to feel. This wasn’t how families were supposed to treat each other. Especially when there were only two of them left. Or three, if you included his mother.

His stomach dropped. Oh, God... What would Mom think? She’d be coming back to an insecure and troubled son and a husband who had become a cold-blooded husk of the man he used to be. Would she even want to be brought back to life if it was only to suffer?

His thoughts were interrupted by what sounded like a bus being thrown against a building, followed by the akuma’s enraged roars.

Chat cursed under his breath and stood. He’d allow himself to mourn later. Right now he had an urgent task: to stop his father from destroying Paris.

“If you were actually a nice guy, you wouldn’t be hounding Chloe and trying to pressure her into a relationship just because you think you deserve it,” Chat barked irritably at the akuma, who was stuck in the middle of the Seine hanging with one arm from Chat’s staff, which extended from one end of the edge to the other. “Leave Miss Bourgeois alone and stop being such a persistent douchebag,” Chat scolded, rubbing his sore muscles as he walked towards the discarded rugby ball off to the side.

The akuma grumbled and grunted as he floundered around in the water, holding onto the thin staff with great difficulty.

“Don’t worry, it’ll all be over soon and you can go home. Or better yet, go apologize,” Chat said, turning around to head back to where he’d left Ladybug and the others.

“Hey, you can’t just leave me here!” Reaver howled.

Chat looked back at him, giving him a cheeky smirk. “Watch me,” he quipped, then dashed away to a string of curses and incoherent shouting.

Shortly after, Chat arrived back at the street where his friends were located. He took a deep calming breath and, scooping up the stray Lucky Charm on the way, carefully approached the group, who was still huddled around Ladybug. She looked exhausted, breaths ragged, beads of sweat trickling down her face, as if she’d been trying to get up the whole time he’d been gone only to be held back by his friends. The idea caused a shiver creep up his spine, and the dusty air became harder to breathe.

Nino caught sight of him first. A strangled whine escaped his throat, and he frantically attempted to squeak out, “It’s C-Cha-...!” Having failed at formulating basic speech, he poked Alya’s shoulder to get her attention instead.

The latter’s eyes widened in terror, but she quickly composed herself and darted in front of Ladybug getting into a protective stance, courage largely fueled by adrenaline. Nino followed suit, crouching by the superheroine’s legs, halfway blocking her with his body.

“Don’t you dare come any closer!” Alya snarled, voice dripping with venom. “Haven’t you caused enough trouble?!”

Despite the numerous powers and abilities the cat miraculous bestowed upon him, the sight of a fierce and tenacious Alya terrified him. His countenance fell, hands nervously fidgeting with the rugby ball. He tried to think of a way to appease her and assure them he meant no harm, but was coming up short.

Before he could open his mouth, however, they were both shocked to hear Ladybug speak. “Alya, it’s okay.”

Alya’s jaw dropped in astonishment, having never seen them have any interaction that wasn’t hostile. But after a few seconds she hesitantly stepped aside, allowing Chat to walk past her.

Chat slowly knelt down by Ladybug’s side, offering her a tiny, penitent smile. “Hey.”

Ladybug smiled brightly in return. “Hi,” she said, chuckling lightly. “You came,” she breathed.

Chat felt his chest flutter at the thought of her being happy to see him. Still a bundle of nerves, he sputtered, “H-how are y- uhh… Are you oka- um...”

“I’m alright, Chat,” she answered him reassuringly, touching his forearm. Her brows became knitted and she asked quietly, “B-but did you happen to see a young man, the supermodel Adrien Agreste? He’s my- I mean, he’s their friend,” she corrected hastily. “He ran after the akuma. And I’m worri- uh, we’re - worried about him.”

“I did,” he replied, touched by her concern even now, and still protecting the nature of their relationship from anyone else who might overhear. “He’s fine.”

Ladybug’s shoulders relaxed a bit and a small breath escaped her, a relieved smile replacing tightly pursed lips.

Chat fiddled anxiously with the hem of his cowl. “I, um…” he stammered, then reached into his pocket. “I have something of yours,” he said finally as he brought out her yo-yo and offered it to her. “Also this,” he nodded towards the polka-dotted bottle of oil, holding it up with his tail.

“Thank you,” she replied, voice full of warmth. With a hint of shyness she asked, “Um… I might need a little help, if you don’t mind.” She extended her hand towards him tentatively.

“Oh! O-of course,” he said. He took hold of the rugby ball and ripped it open, freeing the blackened butterfly within. Then he draped Ladybug’s arm around his shoulders, supporting her waist with his other arm, and helped her to stand up. She hissed in discomfort, Chat’s own pained expression mirroring hers. Handing her the Lucky Charm, she took it and laboriously threw it up in the air.

“MIRACULOUS LADYBUG!” she croaked rather than shouted.

Ladybug had never been as happy to see the swarms of tiny magical ladybugs as she was now. They sparkled and swirled around them, removing injuries and setting everything back as it should be. Ladybug’s strength and energy returned and Nino could now stand without aid.

Next Ladybug purified the corrupted akuma, giving it a small wave as it flew off.

Everything was back to normal... and yet everything had completely changed.

Still in a half embrace, Chat and Ladybug turned their heads to look back at each other, faces almost touching, and if Chat didn’t know better, he’d say she was looking at him with a fondness he’d never felt from her before. Eyelashes fluttering slowly, her eyes seemed bluer and more vibrant than even the brightest of skies; a hint of red dusted her freckled cheeks and her rosy pink lips looked tantalizingly soft, almost inviting.

“Um…” they heard Nino say hesitantly.

In a flash the pair pulled apart, chuckling awkwardly and wearing matching blushes, nonchalantly dusting off and smoothing out their suits despite no more dirt being present.

Nino continued, “What do you guys think happened to Adrien?”

“He’s probably on his way back,” Alya said, shrugging.

A loud yet familiar beeping suddenly rang through the air. Ladybug habitually raised her hand to touch her earring, knowing her time was up.

Apprehensively walking up to Alya and Nino, she nervously twirled the ends of her hair and said, “When Adrien comes back, will you– um… Will you please tell him that I really appreciate what he did? The way that he– I mean, he was amazi- uhh! That is, he was very…” She took a deep breath to try to get her stuttering under control and tried again, “I-it was very brave of him,” she finished lamely, her face almost as red as her suit.

Alya nodded with a smile. “Sure thing, LB.”

Thanking her and giving them one last goodbye, Ladybug turned around and was surprised to see that Chat was just as flushed as she was for some reason. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously, averting his eyes to look anywhere else but at her.

Gathering up her nerve, she approached him and cleared her throat slightly. “Shall we?” she asked amiably, slipping her hand into his. Chat’s eyes widened, flicking up to meet hers. His face turned an even deeper shade of crimson, but managed to nod in reply. They headed off together, and Ladybug could have sworn she heard an awed Nino quietly mutter, “Dude...” as they leaped onto the rooftops.

(Mood Music: Paper Boats - Transistor OST, Ashley Barrett)

They stopped once they had traveled few streets down to a quieter neighborhood. Chat began to pace back and forth, arms tightly crossed and tail whipping back and forth agitatedly, still avoiding her gaze.

Is he angry? Ladybug fretted. Despite being short on time, she decided to give him a few moments to work out whatever was going on inside his head.

The telltale beeps rang again, more urgently this time. Only 2 dots left.

The earrings had first begun to beep as she lay helpless next to Alya and Nino. She’d practically resigned herself to the fact that they’d be forced to find out who she was, putting them both in extreme danger. To say that she’d been terrified would be a massive understatement.

And then Chat Noir showed up against all odds. Even though she’d had no reason to believe he would help her, inexplicably, deep down, part of her had faith that he would. She wasn’t sure about his reasons or if anything had happened between him and his father, but she was grateful that luck had been on her side during this battle, despite having gotten closer to death than she ever had before.

She chewed on her lip as she recalled the amount of pain her body felt, how close she’d been to despairing and yet somehow managing to keep it together for Alya and Nino’s sake. She would surely have some nightmares about it for a while. But if this experience helped her and Chat begin to solidify a friendship and started her on the path to rescue him from Hawkmoth, then it would have all been worth it. He was worth it. She wasn’t going to give up on him, not ever. He needed her just as much as she needed him.

Finally Chat spun around and approached her but stopped short just beyond arm’s length, almost as if he was afraid of her. He opened his mouth to speak yet couldn’t force anything out, and despite him trying to hold himself together she noticed his fists shaking at his sides. She could sense the significant inner turmoil he was experiencing, tormented by too many conflicting thoughts. He was so hesitant and anxious, Ladybug wondered if he thought she was upset at him for not turning up to the akuma attack earlier than he had.

Wanting to help or offer whatever comfort she could, she stepped closer, looking up at him to see if he approved of her proximity. Not sensing any resistance, she gently took one of his hands, slowly stroking the back with her thumb. Finally he looked at her, eyes shining, struggling to keep his composure.

Unable to hold back any longer, he surged forward and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her body flush against his into a bone-crushing hug.

“Ladybug,” he uttered, his voice almost a whisper. She could feel his arms trembling. “I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”

“Chat…” she returned his embrace, stunned by his apology.

“You almost– I thought you were…” he trailed off, unable to say the word.

She squeezed him back firmly and reassured him, “But I’m fine now, it’s okay. I’m okay.” She rested her head on his shoulder. “Chat, you saved me.”

Hearing this only made him choke back a sob, a shudder racking his entire body. After a few ragged breaths, he murmured, “I should have been there. I always should have been. All these years you’ve needed me and I was never there for you. I fought against you, made your life a living hell along with Hawkmoth, and yet somehow you don’t absolutely loathe me? Why?!”

She pulled away to hold his face in her hands, lightly sliding her fingers across it to wipe his tear-streaked cheeks.

Looking him in the eyes, she stated definitively, “Kitty, I could never hate you. I care about you. You’ve been in a bad situation all these years with no one to help you either. But we’re in this together now. And I’d like us to finally be friends, if you’ll allow it.”

Chats mouth quirked into a tiny smile and hummed out a small chuckle. “Does this mean that you really forgive me?” he asked hopefully, knitting his eyebrows, eyes glimmering with hope.

Ladybug tilted her head in endearment and smiled back brightly. “Of course,” she replied, struggling to resist a strong urge to snuggle up to him and cuddle all his doubts away.

Covering her smaller hands with his, Chat breathed out something between a relieved sigh and a laugh, squeezing his eyes shut to try to prevent even more tears from falling. Hands still trembling, he whispered absently, “How are you real…? Why are you so good to me?”

Taken aback at him being overcome by the concept of being actually forgiven for his shortcomings, she felt a hard lump rise to the back of her throat. She wondered more than ever when was the last time anyone had shown him any affection or understanding at home, or was sympathetic to him when he made any mistakes. Although come to think of it, she also wasn’t sure if she truly wanted to know the answer, lest her heart break for him even further.

But how could she answer him? There was so much she wanted to say, a million words at the tip of her tongue and yet it was impossible to sum it all up into a single sentence.

Because I want to help.

Because you’re deserving of love and kindness, not abuse and exploitation.

Because I want you to know what it’s like to be cherished.

Because we were destined to be partners, kindred spirits.

Because we finally found each other.

Because somehow, inexplicably, I love you as I love myself.

Before she could say anything, however, he declared softly, “From now on, I’ll always protect you. I swear it. I won’t let anything like this happen to you again, not ever. I’ll fix everything. I’ll make it right.”

“We’ll do it together,” she replied. “And I’ll protect you, too. You’re not alone anymore, Chat.”

Chat’s breath hitched and his eyes fluttered open, boring into hers, the significance of her comforting words sinking in like a warm breeze, and he gazed at her as if she’d just given him the most important gift in the world unconditionally.

But there was something else there too; something she couldn’t put her finger on. Something that had always been there but had grown from a small flame into a roaring fire. Whatever it was, it was overwhelming and intimate.

Throat suddenly dry, she could feel her face redden and was almost certain that Chat would be able to hear her heart pounding. She’d scarcely noticed how close their bodies had become, faces almost touching, breaths mingling together. Chat’s gaze flitted towards her mouth and he absentmindedly bit his lip.

Moments passed in silence; tension slowly ebbed away from Chat’s shoulders and his posture relaxed. His throat bobbed as he swallowed audibly before opening his mouth to speak.

“Ladybug, I–”

The abrupt trill of Ladybug’s earrings startled them apart, urgently reminding them that they were out of time. Ladybug held back a frown, annoyed at the near heart attack those blasted earrings gave her. Stupid time limit.

“Uh… I guess that’s my cue to skedaddle,” she chuckled awkwardly, tucking some loose hair behind her ear.

Chat let out a shaky laugh and cleared his throat. “R-right…” he mumbled as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“I-I’ll see you around? Well, I mean, of course we’ll be seeing each other- I mean, duh. B-but uhh– Not that kind of seeing! I meant to ‘see’ see! That is– AUGH!” she stammered, unsure of the reasons behind her underwhelming eloquence, and she facepalmed, groaning in embarrassment.

Smiling, Chat walked up to her while she was busy covering her face in mortification. He took her hands and pulled them away gently. Ladybug hadn’t heard him approach and gasped lightly, butterflies swirling all over her insides; her whole body felt like it was made of gelatin.

“See you around… My Lady,” he said, placing a featherlight kiss upon the knuckles of one hand... and then on the other. Ladybug’s chest burned in a way that had nothing to do with the current summer weather, surprised she hadn’t melted onto the roof.

Not trusting herself to speak any more, she grinned and stepped back towards the edge of the building (and almost tripping on absolutely nothing at all) giving Chat a small parting wave before swinging away.

Minutes later, Marinette finally found Nino and Alya, who were still a bit disoriented but no worse for wear. Despite having to endure Alya’s stern lecture about safety and enforcing the buddy system (during which she came dangerously close to eye-rolling wearily), seeing them again after being so close to losing everything just a short while prior brought her untold relief.

“Girl, you are never gonna believe what happened during the akuma attack,” Alya continued indistinct, talking a million miles a minute, recapping everything in extreme detail. Nino nodded along and would chime in now and then, still in high alert after what had transpired.

While Nino and Alya rambled on (with Nino being particularly bemused by the idea of Adrien literally stupefying the akuma with the power of shouting, “Just like in Skyrim!”) Marinette felt a tingle run down her spine and became filled with the telltale distinct feeling that they were being watched.

Hair standing on end, her gaze darted around discreetly, mentally preparing for another potential danger. Finally she spotted a pair of familiar emerald green eyes lurking in the shadows a few meters away, faintly glowing from within a small darkened alcove behind Nino and Alya. Her eyes widened in surprise, which made Chat realize that she’d noticed him, and he froze in alarm.

To Marinette it felt like time had stopped during this impromptu stare-down. Chat looked like a deer in headlights that was about to flee because he’d been caught spying (although knowing what she did about him and his character, Marinette suspected that he just wanted to make sure Alya and Nino were safely reunited with her and Adrien)

Tensed like a guitar string, Chat seemed almost resigned and expectant that she would scream and give him away, as any Parisian did whenever they caught sight of him. He wasn’t prepared for what actually happened.

Marinette smiled at him.

Chat’s furrowed his brows with a baffled expression. After a moment he relaxed and even smiled back slightly, looking relieved and even grateful, even if he didn’t understand why he’d been gifted a smile instead of a scowl. Maybe he would assume that she’d seen him help Ladybug during the akuma attack and had garnered the tiniest bit of sympathy. That was just as well. She was sure he would appreciate having two people in Paris that didn’t despise him: Ladybug and Marinette. He would need supporters if was to prove to the world that he was no longer their enemy.

But that was a worry for a later time. At the moment she was just thankful to be alive and surrounded by her loved ones.

And now, fortuitously, Chat Noir had finally become one of those loved ones.

[xvangoghssunflowerx]

Fay Evans Profile

Credit for Template: @hogwartsmysterystory​ 

Identity

Name: Fay Evans 

Gender: Female

Age: 17

Birthday: April 16th 1973

Species: Human

Blood Status: Muggle-Born

Sexuality: Pansexual

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Ethnicity: Caucasian 

Nationality: British 

Myer Briggs Personality Type: INFP

The Mage

Wand:

Vine Wood

Phoenix Feather Core

10″

Very Flexible 

“The druids considered anything with a woody stem as a tree, and vine makes wands of such a special nature that I have been happy to continue their ancient tradition. Vine wands are among the less common types, and I have been intrigued to notice that their owners are nearly always those witches or wizards who seek a greater purpose, who have a vision beyond the ordinary and who frequently astound those who think they know them best. Vine wands seem strongly attracted by personalities with hidden depths, and I have found them more sensitive than any other when it comes to instantly detecting a prospective match. Reliable sources claim that these wands can emit magical effects upon the mere entrance into their room of a suitable owner, and I have twice observed the phenomenon in my own shop.”

Animagus: None

Misc Magical Abilities: 

Wandless Magic

Apparition: She learned this at age 5.

Boggart Form: Spreading darkness that inches closer towards her.

Riddikulus Form: Stars that start popping up, destroying the darkness.

Amortentia

She would smell like: the smell of a new book, and lavender. 

She would smell: Fresh laundry and a hint of sandalwood.

Patronus: Fox

“Associated with cunning, the fox has a place in many ancient cultures’ folklore. Foxes are sometimes thought to be tricksters, leading the unsuspecting down a path of demise. The calculating fox can outwit its enemies with strategy and adaptability.“

Patronus Memory: Her first time using magic when she was three. 

Mirror of Erised: In the mirror she sees herself surrounded by her friends and favourite professors. 

Specialized/Favourite Spells:

Stupify: Uses these most in duels.

Incarcerous: Also uses this in duels. 

Episkey: She doesn’t like using healing spells, but is surprisingly good with them. 

Lumos: For personal reasons she’s mastered this one. 

Appearance

FaceClaims: Younger (Scarlett Pomers). Older (Amy Adams in Enchanted but with a more strawberry blonde hair color). 

Game Appearance: 

Height: 5′06″ 

Weight: 130lbs

Physique: Pear shaped, thin.

Eye Color: Blue 

Hair: Strawberry Blonde, wavy slightly thick. She likes putting flowers in her hair as often as she can. 

Body modifications: ear piercings.

Scarring: A huge burn that runs up her right arm.

Inventory: Stuffed fox plush and her wand

Allegiances

Hogwarts House: Hufflepuff

IIvermorny: N/A

Affiliations/Organizations: 

Hufflepuff

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy

Order of Merlin

Order of the Phoenix 

Professions:

Spy for the order of the phoenix 

Singer

Hogwarts Information 

Class Proficiencies: 

Astronomy: ★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆

Charms: ★★★★★★★★★★

DADA: ★★★★★★★★★★

Flying: ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Herbology: ★★★★★★★★★★

History of Magic: ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Potions: ★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Transfiguration: ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Electives:

Care of Magical Creatures

Apparition

Quidditch:

She’s afraid of heights, so she didn’t bother picking up a broom. 

Extra Curricular:

Frog Choir

Muggle Music 

Music

Dueling Club

Favourite Professors:

Professor Silvanus Kettleburn: She likes this class because she’d much rather work with animals than humans any day. Kettleburn is quirky, but leaves her be, so she has time to herself.

Madam Irma Pince: She spends most of her time in the library by herself, so she’s basically quiet in there. She only asks Pince where some books are located, which Pince is happy to oblige. 

Professor Minerva McGonagall: she’s particularly bad with transfiguration, but McGonagall is always patient with her. Which surprised her, since she was not used to a nurturing environment. 

Least Favourite Professors: 

Professor Severus Snape: Unkind, and publicly humiliates students who mess up in his class. She’s not too fond of this and picks the seat furthest in the back. ((I love Snape, but he’s a terrible teacher! XD)).

Professor Sybill Trelwaney: General disappointment is what she feels any time she set foot into this class. 

Relationships

Mother: Maria Evans

Muggle

Born in North Yorkshire

She’s a devoted Christian (Ie. goes to church every Sunday, hates LGBTQ, witchcraft).

Housewife

Black hair with blue eyes, thin and tall, around 5′11″.

When she saw Fay using magic to grow the flowers in the garden, she took her inside and poured boiling water, on her arm. Saying she was doing the devil’s work. Fay was 4 at the time. 

She kept Fay locked in her room at night, telling her to pray the devil away. 

She feared taking her to church, because she might set it on fire. 

Father: Dennis Evans

Muggle

Born in London

Job: Pastor

Strawberry Blonde hair, clean shaven, 6″. Always tidy.

He came home at the time of Fay getting burned and thought his wife had gone insane. Until he saw the burning had ceased after a bright light had flashed. The burn mark was still present, but Fay no longer looked to be in pain. 

He didn’t know what to do, as demon possession was a Catholic thing. 

Both parents agreed to lock her up. 

However, he, out of guilt, or to be rid of the problem, didn’t always lock her door at night. 

Love Interest: Barnaby Lee

They met during dueling one day. She managed to put him in his place within one minute. He kept asking her for rematches after that, but he could rarely find her. 

He finally found her in the forbidden forest, but caught her singing, so she ran off again. 

He convinced her to join the frog choir, saying her voice was far better than that of the Sirens, and Barnaby being Barnaby, he actually meant it. He was confused when she got beet red. 

He began hanging out with her more and more, introducing her to other students. 

Barnaby confessed his feeling for her first, which scared her, but also made her incredibly happy that he shared her feelings. 

They both have a mutual understanding to not talk about their families. 

Adding more later….

Best Friends:

Barnaby Lee

Penny Haywood

Garrick Ollivander

Rival:

Merula Snyde

Ismelda Murk

Enemy:

Voldemort

Death Eaters

Dormmates:

Penny Haywood

Skye Parkin

Chiara Lobosca

Pets:

Tarantula: Teddy

White owl: Lucky, she found it when it was a baby. 

Closest Cannon Friends:

Barnaby Lee

Penny Haywood

Closest MC Friends:

N/A

Background/History

Fay grew up in Ely, near London. She discovered her magical abilities at the age of three. She had fallen down and cut her knee, but it healed automatically. Amazed by this, she then carried a wooden stick with her, pretending to have Jesus’ powers. Since her mother told her how Jesus could heal the blind and cure the sick. She started doing magic on anything, but it only worked 25% of the time much to her disappointment. 

Her mother caught her doing magic, and Fay tried explaining to her that Jesus had magic too, her mother dragged her into the house and poured boiling water on her right arm. All the while, her mother was saying she was the devil reincarnate. Fay did not understand why because Jesus had used magic too. 

When her father came home, her magic healed her which now had her father against her as well. She ended up being locked in the basement of the house with no windows or lights, causing her to have a phobia of the dark. It’s also when she learned how to cast lumos on her own at age 4.

She would apologize to her parents every day, asking them to let her stay in her room. To which her mother replied: “Your room is the basement, devil child.”

Her father would sometimes lock her door, sometimes not, so she was able to have the door open slightly for some light at night. 

At age 5 she ran away from home and went to London where she happened upon the Leaky Cauldron during nighttime. She was too tiny to be noticed by anyone, so she was able to get into Diagon Alley. There, she walked into Ollivander’s immediately after spotting wands in the window. It had been locked, but it somehow opened. As soon as she stepped inside the shop, one of the wands, that had been left unattended by Ollivander, began to shine brightly. He came back to the rare phenomenon just in time to witness it.

Feeling that the child had large potential and observing her burn on her arm, he let her stay with him. He was around 73 at the time and she was fairly quiet, and helpful in his shop. Ministry had stepped in, but after a year of discussing and persuasion from the muggle liaisons office, they agreed to let her stay with Ollivander. 

She got her letter from Hogwarts 4 years later, Ollivander had explained to her what the place was and she couldn’t contain her excitement of receiving said letter. Knowing now that she wasn’t a sinner or the devil’s child. That there was school dedicated to people just like her. 

She didn’t want to cause unnecessary trouble or fame, so she kept to herself through most of her first year, until Barnaby and Penny stepped in and basically helped her flourish. 

Personality

She’s extremely shy and awkward. She doesn’t know how to interact with other people due to her parents giving her a sheltered life. She freaks out if the lights are off and she’s left alone.

She loves books, but prefers talking with plants. She claims they talk back. 

Misc

She really loves to sing, so she took up a career in singing solo in magical clubs. She’s fairly popular. 

She wanted to take up wandlore, but didn’t want to burden Ollivander once she turned 17. Though, Ollivander talked her into staying and not leaving so rashly. 

She ends up reconciling with her father after the Battle of Hogwarts, when he recognized her walking in London with Ollivander. Dennis was pissed at first, thinking she had shacked up with an old geezer who had taken advantage of her, so he approached them without thinking in a violent manner to protect her. 

After the misunderstanding was cleared up, Dennis apologized and thanked Ollivander for doing, what should have been, his job. He greatly regretted not understanding his daughter and the abuse he had put her through. 

Her theme music is: Numb by Men I Trust and Fine On The Outside by Priscilla Ahn

[ghoultyrant]

More Metroid fangames

Back on Zebes and Metroid: Between Worlds are a couple of Metroid fangames I’ve worked through in recent weeks. They share the same engine, made personally by the lone developer, so it’s not surprising they share several faults, but overall I’m fairly impressed.

Back on Zebes is the less impressive of the two, which isn’t surprising given it came first. It’s reasonably accurate to think of it as a cut-down, simplified version of Super Metroid. The simplistic plot is pretty much ‘Samus has to go back to Zebes again, because Mother Brain and company are up to their prior plots again’, with no attempt made to explain why the planet literally exploding hasn’t made this plot impossible from the start. That’s okay, because Back on Zebes is more like a test run or prototype than anything else; it shows that the creator can assemble a game-like program successfully, and anything beyond that is gravy.

Most of the power-ups are familiar, though the exact physics are generally different from what you’re used to. Particularly notable is that unlike official Metroid games, enemies and projectiles that are off-screen are fully-functional/existent, which once you’re aware of it makes many of the game’s long corridors a bit of a joke: just fire blindly ahead and everything will die without you ever being in danger. As for the actually new power-ups, you’ve got a ‘magnetic shield’ that makes you immune to most sources of damage, but which is disabled if you fire a Missile or go into Morph Ball -surprisingly, firing your beam is fair game, though your ability to abuse this is limited by your invulnerability having an ‘ammo’ supply that drains quite quickly. The game uses this invulnerability for the fairly obvious ‘you’re supposed to turn invincible and walk across these spikes’ quoteunquote ‘puzzles’ common to games that include such a concept, but more unusual and creative is that a few rooms require you use it so you can activate the Speed Booster. It’s a nice little twist on two familiar concepts!

The other new thing is a fire beam or flamethrower, which has a short range but rapid fires, and more importantly some blocks can only be destroyed by it. This isn’t particularly inspired, but... well, it’s not like Metroid Prime did any better with its own flamethrower, aside the looks department. Nor is it like the main games have done a lot to experiment with the beam space. There’s certainly room for creativity in the Metroid beam set, but it’s genuinely difficult to find it. So hey, fair enough.

Back on Zebes generally attempts to approximate, rather than recreate, bosses and minibosses, and in one notable case a Super Metroid miniboss is outright replaced with one patterned after a Zero Mission miniboss. Crocomire, for example, has a regular health meter, and merely steps back as his health drops, instead of shoving him back being how you kill him. The first Torizo instead jumps you in the corridor just outside the Bomb room, instead of the Chozo Statue shedding its stone shell to attack you. For the most part, the results are unsurprisingly lackluster, with Draygon in particular being underwhelming for how exploitable his pattern is. (Admittedly, Super Metroid’s Draygon isn’t actually not exploitable) Kraid also stands out in a bad way, but instead for the fact that the game forces you to consistently ride Kraid’s spikes -an idea that is okay by itself, but made instantly horrible by the fact that the engine has no mechanics for you riding the spikes, instead having them magically slide right out from under you. This makes the fight much, much harder than it would otherwise be.

Ridley and Mother Brain are notable oddities. Ridley is an aerial duel on a timer, where you’re forced to Space Jump indefinitely because the solid ground is all under super-lava that hurts you through your Gravity Suit. This is probably the most challenging fight in the game -it’s also the one that most bluntly illustrates that the game assumes you’re using a controller, as only a portion of the keyboard controls can be edited, and doing the boss with a keyboard is quite literally physically painful. That issue aside, it was reasonably enjoyable and an interesting realization of an unusual possibility that’s long existed in the Metroid series but never been explored.

Mother Brain actually has a weird fake-out element. You fight her brain-in-a-jar form, it works out roughly as you’d expect, only once you’ve defeated that form... the self-destruct starts. Okay, the engine is clearly not suited to form changes for bosses and whatnot, that’s a little disappointing but not terribly surprising-

-and then partway through your (timed, remember) escape you stumble into Mother Brain on her body. Surprise!

Overall, Back on Zebes isn’t a game I’d recommend playing unless you’re wanting more context on the development process that lead to Metroid: Between Worlds. I enjoyed it for that aspect, but the actual core gameplay is fairly lackluster; enemies are quite sparse past the first third or so of the game, and non-boss enemies are almost never a real threat. Bosses themselves are generally simplistic, and not an elegant simplicity. Instead, the simplicity of bosses is often what makes them extraordinarily threatening: there’s not a complex pattern that once understood can be mastered reasonably readily. There’s just Phantoon constantly trying to ram you, his wonky flight physics making it very difficult to consistently avoid being hit, with periodic plasma eyeballs thrown out to make things even harder. The graphics and music aren’t going to pull you in, being primarily reused assets from Super Metroid, with a little bit of Zero Mission and Fusion thrown in. The narrative is barely there, and the creator clearly doesn’t speak English as their first language. I could go on for longer, but I think you get the point.

Still, there’s glimmers of an awareness of what a good game looks like, even if this particular game isn’t a strong implementation of this awareness.

Which brings us back to Metroid: Between Worlds.

As noted earlier, Between Worlds has a lot of the faults of the prior game due to having the same engine. It’s still a game that assumes you’re using a controller, to your physical detriment if you insist upon a keyboard, such as because you don’t have a controller compatible with a PC. The animations are less-than-great, with many enemies having no animation at all beyond their sprite sliding around, and Samus still doesn’t animate properly when firing while running. (She goes into her firing pose for literally one frame and then goes right back to pumping both arms)

Even so, it’s vastly improved on virtually every level.

The plot is a bit more sensical and fleshed-out. Samus is returning to SR388 because it turns out the Metroid problem wasn’t properly dealt with during her original trip in Metroid 2; while the game doesn’t give an explicit timeframe, it’s not difficult to guess this is meant to be occurring sometime after Super Metroid but before Fusion. That’s reasonable, even if it would probably be wonky if you tried to insert such a game into the canon timeline.

For the first half-ish of the game, that’s really all there is to the story. I’ll come back to that in a minute, though.

The gameplay in the first half is more polished than Back On Zebes. Enemies are more consistently existent, and more consistently relevant. Save points all fully restore you, which makes the process of hunting Metroids much less tedious than it might otherwise have been. There’s a fairly steady stream of microbosses in the form of Alpha and so on Metroids, which while simplistic in a broadly similar way to the Back On Zebes bosses that simplicity is much closer to elegance. As bosses were probably the strongest part of Back On Zebes, this is distinctly a good thing!

The first half-ish does drag a bit. It’s reasonably enjoyable, but I was starting to wonder if it was worth the effort to actually complete the game a good half hour or so before things picked up, because new things were being doled out at a slow pace and if it weren’t for the Metroid counter I’d have thought I was about to hit the endgame.

Then things picked up.

You pick up a power-up deep in SR388, and a self-destruct timer starts up. Okay, a little abrupt, but not completely unprecedented in a Metroid game. You keep running, and you hit Spore Spawn. O...kay. Sure, timed boss fight. If you played Back On Zebes first (I hadn’t, but whatever), this isn’t even surprising. Okay, just... kill Spore Spawn and then get out.

Oh.

Um.

Its HP is dropping... really slowly. Was I supposed to collect more Missiles first? Am I missing some trick in how to damage it even when its core isn’t exposed? Do I need to restart?

Boom, everything explodes.

And instead of a Game Over screen, you get some narration from Samus. The Space Pirates have stolen your armor, and it’s time to escape and get a replacement.

Yes, a Zero Suit Samus sequence ensues. I was fairly impressed. It hadn’t seemed likely to be within the technical ability of the creator from what I’d seen up to that point. It’s not anywhere near as good as the similar sequence from Zero Mission, but the basics of sneaking through a Space Pirate ship are kind of there. No alarm for being caught, but you’re stuck stunning Space Pirates and running. The Paralyzer even has a cooldown period, if a clearly kludged-together one.

But it gets better, as you take some sort of teleporter or something and it turns out the game has more twists. In addition to the map you’ve been running through so far, there’s a whole other map area, a dark mirror to the one you’ve been operating in, a Phazon dimension. And that notion of it being a Phazon dimension isn’t a simple recoloring of art assets: your HP actually ticks down so long as you’re wandering this place!

This part is actually a much more effective stealth sequence than the Space Pirate ship area. The game may not have any kind of ‘you’ve been spotted!’ mechanic, but it doesn’t really need one when you’re on a fairly strict timer and can’t waste time on enemies, let alone risk them hurting you.

You eventually find a Phazon Zero Suit, which is of course a black version with a distinct resemblance to one of Zero Suit Samus’ alternate costumes in the Smash Bros games. That’s a pretty clever allusion! Just don’t think too hard on why SR388′s dark doppleganger happens to have a Zero Suit that perfectly fits Samus. (Though, if we’re going there, one has to start questioning Samus’ power-ups in general, so is it really fair to hold this against this fangame?)

Anyway, this Phazon Zero Suit is not complete immunity. This makes narrative sense -for starters, Samus is still wandering around with her head exposed- and mechanically it’s used to lessen the urgency of your exploration of Dark Phazon SR388, not remove the threat of Phazon entirely. That’s pretty good design! It’s especially impressive when you consider that one of the wonky elements of Metroid Prime and especially Echoes is how your final suit upgrade is the mandatory removal of the omnipresent threat of the Hostile Environment. In Echoes’ case getting the Light Suit outright makes Dark Aether the safer place to be, since you still get to benefit from Light Crystals healing you! That’s exactly the sort of subtle problem I’d expect a fangame to faithfully recreate, not sidestep.

It is possible to eventually get a Phazon Suit that does render you completely immune to Phazon, but it’s a hidden, technically-optional bonus. I wouldn’t want to try to complete the game without it, but it is possible, at least in theory, and that makes a world of difference in the experience, especially if, like me, you actually end up not finding the Phazon Suit until you’re already through a fairly significant portion of Dark Phazon SR388.

On the topic of Samus’ actual Power Suit, this is a non-trivial misstep with the game. When you transition to the Zero Suit sequence, Samus makes an allusion to going to the ‘Golden Temple’. If you happen to regularly pause to look at your map and pay attention to map names, you’ll know that’s the Chozodia-esque place you had to pass through. If you don’t do one or the other of those things, you’re going to have to flail somewhat blindly.

Fortunately, while this is a misstep, the game is actually surprisingly careful in minimizing the damage. I actually ended up reloading a save after a bit of exploring regular SR388 when I managed to find my way back there as Zero Suit Samus, convinced I’d gotten myself into an unwinnable situation and the actual answer was back in Dark Phazon SR388, but it turned out that was unnecessary and my belief incorrect; the world is actually carefully constructed to funnel you toward the Golden Temple, with a particularly blatant example being a horizontal line of bombable tiles that seem to serve no purpose when first passing through in a Power Suit. (Unlike in Zero Mission, Zero Suit Samus can’t break bomb blocks in Between Worlds) This prevents you from haring off into completely the wrong area and potentially getting trapped.

It’s possible there is a way to get stuck permanently in this sequence, but it’s not nearly as relevant a concern as I’d have expected from a basically-one-person game.

Getting back the Power Suit of course involves a fight against the Zero Mission ghost statue mirror... thing... which is actually a pretty enjoyable fight! How you go about doing it is completely different from the Zero Mission fight, but once you’ve wrapped your head around the mechanics at work it’s an interesting twist on things. Certainly, it’s a lot less frustrating the Zero Mission’s version of the fight.

The rest of the game from there is largely focused on hunting down the myriad Metroids hidden in Dark Phazon SR388, with a few actually hidden away in regular SR388 in places you couldn’t previously access, but while the game would probably have benefited from somewhat reducing the sheer number of Metroids to kill, it starts making an effect to actually make different Metroids challenge you in different ways. Zetas that have spikes interrupting their floors, complicating the fight. Other Zetas where the ceiling is low, giving you less time to get under them to attack them. Etc. It’s all a bit primitive -it would’ve been nice to have some new attacks or other behavioral variation in later Metroids- but it’s reasonably functional all things considered.

Also, the game has a fair few non-Metroid bosses to fight. If you’re coming at it from Back On Zebes, you’re going to recognize several of them, with a cringe being merited for Kraid returning and still having his spikes slide right out from under you while you have no ground to stand on aside said spikes. Most of them are better-tuned now, though: I actually quite enjoyed fighting Phantoon in Between Worlds, for example, because his flight physics were a lot less janky. When he killed me, I came away feeling like the death was very much on me and I should refine my skills and understanding for next time, which is how a player should basically always feel when dying in a video game.

Ridley remains a timed aerial-only battle, but this time it’s fairly obvious the room is slowly getting smaller, instead of there being an explicit timer in one corner. It’s still a fight that makes it ridiculously obvious the game was tested first and foremost on a controller, and is still a great concept with a reasonably solid execution.

The endgame is also put together surprisingly well! It’s actually decently atmospheric. The final boss itself probably should’ve been tuned a bit differently, but overall Between Worlds manages to do a fairly good job of a Metroid-like largely-silent story being told through the game environment and so on.

If you’re looking for something as polished as, say, AM2R, you’re probably going to be disappointed, but all things considered... Between Worlds is actually a pretty good game in its own right, and I’m genuinely interested in seeing what the creator makes next, be it another Metroid fangame or something original using their engine.

See you next mission.

[awhitehead17]

Red Challenge: Day Four - Red Meat

Summary: After getting disturbed from his sleep Tim investigates in what woke him up, only to find out that the rest of the family is having a barbeque in the back garden. 

Enjoy! :D 

Unsure on what woke him up Tim blinks blearily around at his room, since his body wasn’t reacting to anything he figures it’s nothing and is more than happy to back to sleep. It wasn't until he was snuggling further into his pillow that he realised there was music being blasted from somewhere nearby.

Tim frowns in annoyance, now that he's noticed it he can't un-notice it. He tries to ignore it for a good 10 minutes but realising that it wasn’t going away any time soon he decides to investigate.

His one day off, the only chance he's had in weeks to have a proper lie in and it gets ruined by some inconsiderate git. Letting out a huff Tim pushes away his covers and gets to his feet. Grabbing the t-shirt that's hanging on his chair and the pair of sweats next to it he makes his way out of his room and tries to locate where the music is coming from.

He walks through the Manor's hallway having no idea where it's coming from. It was when he got close to the staircase that he realised it was coming from outside. With a goal in mind Tim heads straight for it. Upon reaching his destination he comes to an abrupt stop at the back door to the scene he finds.

Outside in the back garden was his entire family. They were all milling about in the garden doing a variety of things to their pleasing. There was music blasting through the air from a speaker which was located to the far right, there were two tables set up next to a barbeque, one of which had a large variety of drinks on it and the other having paper plates, sauces and bread rolls on it.

Tim blinks trying to understand what he was seeing. His family were having a barbeque? Was that right?

He could see that Dick, Babs and Duke were engaged in a card game on the grass, Cass and Steph were sat next to each other sharing a drink at the patio table, Damian was also on the grass playing with his dog in what looks like a very rough game of tug of war, Bruce, Alfred and even Selina were stood over to one side quietly conversing between themselves.

Tim tries to take this all in. How did he not even know they were doing this?

He's startled out of his thoughts when a heavy arm gets slung over his shoulders and as he gets forced out into the back garden.

"Finally decided to join us then Timmy. About time you rise and shine, you're missing quite the party."

Tim looks up and finds Jason grinning down at him. Tim frowns, "What's going on? Why is everyone here?"

Jason shrugs, "We were all here, it's a nice beautiful day so we decided to have a barbeque. Kinda happened all this morning when you were dead to the world."

"Why?"

Jason ruffles his hair roughly and lets out a loud laugh, "Stop asking questions Tim and just go with it."

Tim pouts and starts trying to correct his hair, "I'm going to question it because it's disturbed my once chance at a lie in you asshole. I didn't get in until 6 this morning and didn't even fall asleep until like 8. I've had like 4 hours sleep within 2 days."

"Aw boo-hoo Timbo. Now come on, the food should be cooked by now."

Ignoring any other protest that Tim has, Jason takes them over to the barbeque. His brother finally let's go of him in order to attend to the food. He opens up the lid and Tim is instantly hit with the strong smell of cooked meat, he has to admit it does smell good. It even looks good. Tim observes as Jason turns the burgers and sausages over and as he checks the temperatures of them.

"Todd, you better have something other than that vile red meat cooking! It's a disgrace that you all eat it to begin with."

The sudden demand gets both Tim's and Jason's attention, they look over to find Damian just to their right glaring at them and at the food cooking on the barbeque. Jason rolls his eyes at the youngest of the family. "Calm your horses baby Bat. I have special vegetarian shit cooking just to please you your highness."

Tim couldn't help but snicker at the amount of sarcasm he hears in Jason's voice.

Damian wasn't impressed however, he somehow looks even more enraged than before. "My food better not have touched that meat you heathen!"

"Relax. It's cooking in the kitchen. I figured that you wouldn't want it cooking within 5 metres of our delicious, juicy red meat."

Damian opens his mouth to say something else but before he could Alfred had wondered over and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Now Master Damian, be pleased that Master Jason has taken your decisions to not eat meat into consideration. Now let's go dish up your food while he finishes off here, shall we?"

Damian mutters under his breath but allows Alfred to lead him away and over to the kitchen. Tim looks back at Jason to find his brother attending the food once again.

After prodding a burger once again he looks up and sends Tim a grin, "Well, it's all done. So if you want to grab a plate go ahead because the others will destroy this food."

Tim smiles back knowingly, the others really do love their burgers. Even Bruce, though Tim remembers hearing a story about how he once ate a burger with a knife and fork. Tim wasn't around to witness it at the time but his brothers have all told him about it. It makes him wonder if Bruce will eat it like that again.

As Tim turns around and heads for the table with all the plates on he hears Jason shout, "Alright everyone foods ready! Come and get it you greedy bastards!"

[sillyheadcannons]

What if in another AU setting, where we get a little more in-sight from just those who knew what Joey originally wanted to make a real life Bendy, but alive rather the statues that were made (because willing to bet that’s where the statues came from now since we know now the ink machine is just a MUCH bigger ancestor to a 3D printer) that Henry is trying to figure out just what went wrong, in hopes of not feeling as if he’s repeating the same hellish adventure.  Henry wants answers on just what Bendy is (cause let’s face, we honestly don’t know.) Allison thinks he’s truly putting himself in danger, because despite what Tom thinks of him being dangerous, Allison eventually realizes Henry is just trapped here like they all are.  So, much to Tom’s dismay Allison gets them to a shaky agreement that Henry can be trusted.  

(More under the cut because DAMN THIS GOT LONG) 

I’d also want Tom and Henry friendship development.  True, Tom can’t talk as a Boris, but I feel as if Henry should be more questioning of the toon wolf.  He may not be the same Boris we had before, but Henry knows that Tom isn’t just a stubborn old dog who doesn’t take kindly to new tricks.  So, with more effort, Henry teaches Tom some tactics like morse code specifically for the bunker and sign language so there isn’t as much of a language barrier.  Tom isn’t accepting of these offers, but he must admit, Henry is actually proving himself to be at least somewhat useful.  

Eventually, once the trio needs to escape their bunker as an emergency, Allison is actually the one to free Henry and Tom passes him a weapon instantly, making him more trusted not as an ally quite yet but you can tell Tom at least WANTS you to defend yourself.  Maybe something not as breakable or disposable like the gent pipe or the axe.  The gameplay is still pretty much the same for the most part besides Allison saying they NEED to stay together.  Thus, getting some interesting reactions if we come upon some new tapes featuring Thomas Conner and Allison saying a rather sad line like “Strange... that voice.  It sounds so familar... there’s really a kind of happy nostalgia for it, but for some reason my heart aches upon hearing it?” As Tom glances away down at the floor with a more solemn expression.  Also, I WOULD GIVE ALLISON HER OWN TAPE GODDAMN I CANNOT STRESS THAT ENOUGH!  She was so underdeveloped that it really kinda makes me angry how pointless that buildup for Susie’s descent into madness. >:/

I could go all day about the potential of Tom and Allison because of how much hope I had for their characters, but I’ll get to the point:

So, we finally get to the inside of the ink machine and into Bendy’s lair.  It’s a little more of a tearful goodbye, because quite honestly Henry has gotten to admire his new friends and WANTS them to come on the surface with him... with something like “You two... are my only friends left in this studio.  I just... want to give you a better life than here.  I want to set you both free, if you’d let me... please, come with me.” as Allison explains they can’t cross that inky river like he can due to their own bodies as told in game.  Tom just nods along with Allison’s explanation as they both take turns hugging Henry.  Allison sighs as she lets go with a voice seeming on the verge of tears as she dries her face off. “Please... live out your life once you leave this this dreaded place... It’s the only one you have and you deserve to live it.” giving a very heartfelt swelling music.  Perhaps a slower version of the original theme “you left me in a heartbeat” as Tom grabs you by the shoulder to give you one last hug as well before signing “and good luck, Henry...” as we leave on a note that says Tom finally trusts us and gives us one last weapon; His own tommy gun he rescued from the bunker and strapped to his back last minute which we see him carry throughout the game.  

As Henry steps through the ink before going inside the machine, he tells both Allison and Tom “thank you for everything!  I will, I promise you that!” as we get the feeling in his voice that he was getting emotional as well as he watches Allison and Tom hold each other’s hands as they wave goodbye to Henry.  Same thing, there’s a safe spot to walk inside the machine that isn’t all parts and gears, same weird levels of sci-fi vibes cloning new bodies of ink, we get more dialogue from Henry saying something about the tubes like “No!  No... this isn’t right!  A-all these people... not just Allison and Tom... but Sammy, Bertrum, Susie, Norman... Joey, you’re a MONSTER!” thus getting more continuity when Henry honors those who were sacrificed by writing their names on the coffins.  

So, when we get to Bendy’s throne room and we find Joey’s tape with that special reel, witness Bendy’s transformation into his true form, there could be a cutscene where Henry panics and tries to shoot Bendy, thus making him more pissed and BITES the tommy gun crushing the weapon as he smacks Henry into a wall.  Henry looks as if he’s going to pass out again, we see one last flashback of how Bendy was shoved away from public vision and treated as the monster he appears to be.  Henry reaches for the reel in between as Beast Bendy stomps over to Henry, roaring in his face as he seemed to look like he was ready to finally kill Henry... before Henry gets an idea and with a bit of wrestling, shoved the reel down Bendy’s gaping mouth.  Hissing in pain, the ink demon was quickly loosing ink, and similar to Brute Boris before him, coughing up corrupted ink that looked like searchers, but were far too weak or unstable to attack us and instantly collapsing upon themselves.  Beast Bendy begins growing smaller and shifting between the previous forms he took from how much ink we was losing, .  Heck, you could even put in concept Bendy as a little nod  but still attempting to chase after you as you try to get away, turning off switches as you run past.  He’s still INCREDIBLY fast as well.  

Eventually, with enough of the ink tubes and pipes being destroyed by Bendy, he coughs up the reel, too weak to even muster an attack as you finally put the reel believing to end this once and for all.  The cartoon plays and you come closer to Bendy, sounding as if he’s crying from either knowing his time has come or from the pain he’s endured all these years.  Even put in one last voice clip for the beast saying something similar to “B... E... N... D... Y... wanted.... happy... end...” as Henry puts his hand out to the crying demon revealing his face from the demon’s point of view, though a bit blurry from tears and melting ink. “Hey.  It’s okay little guy.  Just because it’s the end, doesn’t mean it’s not a happily ever after.  Sometimes you gotta work for the best ending.  Come on, dry your eyes now.  It’s gonna be okay now.” The demon heavily sniffled as it crawled closer to Henry as they sat and watched the cartoon together. “I.... Am... Lonely... I wanted... to be... ” the ink demon hiccuped as it wept.  Henry with enough convincing tells the weakened ink demon that maybe he isn’t Bendy, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be and with a little help, Henry can help the redeemed ink demon.  

But if you aren’t quite big on the sappy endings, than instead imagine Henry waltzing out, coated in the ink the now tiny Bendy spit up on him and fast asleep on his shoulders as Tom and Allison are both shocked and amazed Henry made it out alive as Tom’s ears perk up but eyes closely narrowed on the little demon as Allison is like: HENRY!  My god... you’re alive!

Henry, basically covered head-to-toe in spat-up ink and bleeding a little bit from the fighting his new adopted son gave him when refusing to take a nap: Unfortunately, yes.  

THERE, I FIXED THE ENDING

How exactly does it go from there?

Well, than Henry, Allison and Tom and a napping baby ink demon restored to his purest form all kick Joey’s ass right after calming down from the excitement and meeting the new baby Bendy.  Allison might be crying a bit from being an auntie and Tom loves bouncing the little one on his leg.  

-Admin Lei

[theultimateegghead-blog]

30 FOLLOWER 5 PART SPECIAL! TOP 50 HARDEST BOSSES I HAVE FOUGHT.                                    Final - bosses 10 - 1

These bosses are the hardest. They are difficult the first time and difficult the tenth time. It takes extreme skill and patience to best these baddies. These are the ten bosses that gave me the most trouble of all bosses I can recall fighting.

NUMBER 10 - Neo Exdeath (Final Fantasy 5)

Neo Exdeath is the final form of the final boss of Final Fantasy V. I feel that I might have said final to much in that last sentence…oh well. Neo Exdeath is divided into five parts; each part is responsible for a specific attack. This boss can use very powerful magic such as meteor to just bombard the main cast. The ultimate corruption of the warlock Exdeath, this form simply wishes to return all of existence back to utter nothingness. He attacks relentlessly, leaving little room for error and will bombard even the most slightly unprepared player. In FFV, the job system is more important than leveling, so make sure you have a good job lineup. His ultimate attack is called Grand Cross, which is announced before he actually uses it. Grand cross can wipe a party out instantly, as it infects them with a bunch of status ailments, and the farther the battle drags on, the more he uses it. After a long and difficult fight, this monster is swallowed by the very void it coveted. Neo would later reappear in the MMO Final Fantasy XIV as a boss.  

Hardest thing about this boss – His ultimate attack. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NUMBER 9 - Senator Armstrong (Metal Gear Rising Revengence)

Senator Armstrong is the main antagonist and final boss of Metal Gear Rising. The senator of Colorado that played college ball at the university of Texas. Senator Armstrong owns his own PMC (Private Military Company) and uses it as a police force for the city of Denver. A cold man who has big dreams for America but does not care about cutting down innocent lives of his own people to do so. He utilizes social media to his advantage in order to “use war as a business to end war as a business”. When Raiden fights him, he first uses a massive metal gear, but Raiden makes quick work of it, then the senator and Raiden engage in a long fight. Armstrong has these things called Nanomachines which render him near invincible. Most attacks do not even phase him, and his attacks can be devastating. He can cause fire to spew from the ground, he can throw giant metal pillars at Raiden, and he can just deliver simple yet decimating punches.  He is the only boss with 200 health and can regenerate at will. The fight will be very tough, and any mistake will be meet with a nanomachine fueled punch to the face.

Hardest thing about this boss – Trying not to get distracted by the awesome music. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NUMBER 8 - Sage Kabuto (Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 3)

Ok, so the ultimate ninja storm games are not that hard. Most bosses are flashy but easy. Ultimate ninja storm 3 had perhaps the toughest bosses in the series, such as Zabuza, Madara and Tobi. However, in the secret chapter only available in the special edition do we get to fight Kabuto. Kabuto is tough, most bosses in the game have about 2 – 3 bars of health, Kabuto has nearly 10. Kabuto has a very wide variety of moves, combos and plenty of AOE attacks and other special moves. He has unlimited chakra as well, meaning he can spam his special attacks if he so pleases and can always rush towards and away from you. He is also constantly in his ultimate form, meaning his physical attacks are amplified. The only upside is that you get two characters to play as. The quick time events are not difficult and can give some reprieve from his overbearing nature. I would regard him as the hardest boss in the Naruto game series.

Hardest thing about this boss – His elaborate attacks and boatload of health. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NUMBER 7 – Vergil (Devil May Cry 3)

Vergil is the last boss and main antagonist of Devil May Cry 3. Vergil is Dante’s brother, and the two are always at odd ends with each other. Vergil sides with demons while Dante sides with humans. Vergil loves swordplay and detest guns, probably due to his brother’s fondness of guns. He is fought early on in DMC 3 where he defeats Dante. However, due to circumstances I wont cover here, he must fight alongside his brother to combat a bigger threat… Only to turn on him and have one final showdown. Vergil is as skilled as Dante; his swordplay makes in a deadly foe. He can use magic to attack at a range and he can quickly close in gaps of space and give Dante very little breathing room. Since he is also a son of Sparda and a half demon, Vergil has a demon form much like Dante. In his demon form, which he can activate multiple times, his attacks are even more powerful and its easier for him to land the deadly blows. Vergil has a lot of health and can even regenerate, albeit slowly, in his demon form. Eventually he is defeated and chooses to stay behind in the demon world. This choice does not work out for him, as seen in the original Devil May Cry. DMC 3 is a prequel by the way.

Hardest thing about this boss – How fast he can be. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NUMBER 6 - Shao Kahn (Mortal Kombat 9)

I wont lie, this boss is perhaps the most brutally unfair fight on the list. Shao Kahn is the big baddie of the Mortal Kombat series, and in every game he is in, he is a cheap and overpowered boss. Of all the times I fought him, his appearance in Mortal Kombat 9’s story mode was the worst. You fight him as Raiden (not to be confused with Metal Gear’s Raiden). For me, Raiden was not a character I enjoyed playing as, but Shao Kahn made me improve my thunder god skills. Kahn knows every move you will do and will punish you for just about anything. His attacks do a lot of damage and your attacks do next to nothing. He can easily brick wall you (meaning he wont flinch) and knock you out of a combo. What’s worse is that you must beat him twice in order to truly defeat him. I nearly outright quit MK 9 because of this fight. I persevered, and after one grueling hour of rage, I beat him. He is not as bad in arcade mode, but he is still as cheap as dirt.

Hardest thing about this boss – WHY IS EVERY ATTACK SO BRUTAL?! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NUMBER 5 - The Nameless King (Dark Souls 3)

The nameless king is a secret boss in Dark Souls 3 and is often considered to be the hardest boss in the base game. After overcoming Archdragon Peak and reaching the end, you are met face to face with the supposed firstborn of Gwyn, the main god of the Dark Souls story. The battle starts with the king riding a storm drake. For this part the drake must be defeated first. It often flies high out of range and the king throws lightning and tries to slash at you with his spear. The dragon also breaths fire and tries to crush you with its body. After the dragon is slain, the king takes you on one on one. He is fast, hard to stagger and his moves can easily destroy you. The key is learning when to dodge his attacks. Blocking can get you destroyed so dodging is the best option. He does leave himself open often, but he has a lot of health and is quick to retaliate against aggression. If you die to his second form, you must fight the first form again. Also, he is the only bosses that must be defeated 3 times to get the platinum trophy… Thanks Fromsoft.

Hardest thing about this boss - His second form’s aggressive style and damage output. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NUMBER 4 - The witch of the Lake (Salt and Sanctuary)

Of all the bosses on this special, from 50 to number one, this is the boss I despise the most. More than Shao Kahn, more than Dr. Robotnik and his beans, more than Carry Armor and its laser. This boss takes the cake for ultimate worst boss on this list. Salt and Sanctuary combines metroidvania exploration and platforming with the combat and learning curve of dark souls. The witch of the lake is a late game boss that punishes all types of players. She is the only boss I would consider blatantly unfair. All of her moves can easily one shot you regardless of level or armor. She attacks aggressively and tends to keep herself airborne so getting her into a combo is next to impossible. Many of her attacks home in on you and stretch out in such a way that dodging them might be downright impossible. Her one melee attack can send you flying and will also allow her to follow up with a magic attack to destroy you. This boss is downright cruel and serves as a roadblock for many players. The only upside is that there is a checkpoint right next to the arena.

Hardest thing about this boss – The relentless magic attacks. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NUMBER 3 - Sephiroth (Kingdom Hearts 1)

Sephiroth is a recurring superboss in the Kingdom Hearts series, appearing both in kingdom hearts 1 and 2. While both incarnations are hard, KH1 Sephiroth takes home the gold. Sephiroth is the only opponent of the platinum match, and Sora fight him alone. Sephiroth has the highest health of any enemy in the game and also has some of the most damaging attacks in the game as well. He starts simple, slashing his large sword around for moderate damage. He will then start to teleport and summoning powerful fire based AOE attacks. He will use dark magic to attack Sora, chain together EXTREMLY long combos in a berserk rage. However, his two most deadly attacks are his meteor spell, which summoning huge rocks that damage on touch and render him invincible, and his heartless angel attack. The heartless angel reduces Sora’s HP and MP to 1. HE often follows up with teleporting behind Sora to finish him off. He likes to teleport out of Sora’s sight to use heartless angel, so mobility and awareness is key in this duel. Upon beating him, you are rewarded his journal entry, and in final mix you get a new key blade.

Hardest thing about this boss – His heartless angel attack and it’s follow up. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NUMBER 2 - Darkeater Midir (Dark Souls 3: The Ringed City)

Darkeater Midir was for me, the ultimate challenge of Dark Souls 3. Every Dark Souls game has a DLC dragon. One had Kalmeet, who I destroyed on my first try thanks to my halberd. Two had Sihn, who gave me trouble but not nearly as much as the horrible boss immediately before him. Three has Midir. Midir is the largest ‘proper’ dragon in the series, and boy does he have the health to prove it. Midir has over 15000 hit points and insanely high defense, so in other words buckle up because you are going to be fighting him for a while. Midir is rarely not attacking, he has physical attacks that can hurt, fire breath that can destroy you…and a Godzilla beam that will obliterate all in its wake. As the fight rages on, he starts to even use abyss magic against you. Any error in this fight may very well result in a death. On top of all that, its only weak spot is its head. In order to cut the timer short and beat this boss in less than 10 minutes, you will have to risk fighting it directly. Calling for help may not be the best option, because it makes Midir’s ludicrous health pool even deeper.

Hardest thing about this boss – His extremely high HP and his devastating attacks. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NUMBER 1 - The Orphan of Kos (Bloodborne)

Now, I know I have been using the word “aggressive” a lot in these past few parts. Pardon my redundancy. This boss is not aggressive, no, he is super-ultra-ultimate aggressive! The Orphan of Kos is the ultimate challenge in Bloodborne, a game all about fighting crazy battles, trading blows and going up against men, beast and even aliens in a weird Eldritch world. The orphan is the final boss of the DLC of Bloodborne. Fought on a beautiful beach, its hard getting settled while being bombarded by its screams at all times. This monster never lets up, he is always on the offense. Armed with a rather disgusting weapon, the Orphan speeds around and will make mincemeat of any hunter who dare approaches. If you have not mastered the art of parrying with a firearm in this game, you are doomed. He has high health, hardly flinches and has more attacks than I can possibly list. Any mistake will result in you getting obliterated, and this is only the first form. After taking enough damage, it will grow gross fleshy wings and become even faster! While in this agitated state, it hits harder and can even take to the sky momentarily to divebomb you. If you are half a second off with any shot, you will be punished. This boss also has several damaging AOE attack, however, its lightning one can give a hunter a moment to breath due to its long animation. This is a boss where absolutely no mistake can be made. Due to this, I consider the Orphan of Kos to be the pinnacle of boss difficulty. There may be harder bosses down the line, perhaps when I get around to playing Nioh or the other Ninja Gaiden games, but the Orphan deserves the gold medal.

Hardest thing about this boss – EVERYTHING! HE NEVER STOPS! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wow, so thats it.We made it. Thank you all, you made this possible. Our next multi-part special will be at 50 followers! So see you then! A final, huge shout out to @savannahsunstone for being my best friend for the last six years and for introducing me to tumblr. Had it not been for them this blog would not have existed. So a raise of the glass to one of the best gamer that I know!

[susan-gampre]

Set in Motion

                                             The following story was a collab rp effort                                                between myself and @edwinxerathi

                                       Music

Mention: @tomen-dawes Small reference: @eilitheduskbringer​

Bitterness had set firmly within Susan’s heart. Ever since the news made it’s way to her, delivered by the only man she had ever trusted with her life-- A man she could not dispute or deny had a major influence over her. In fact, that influence was so great she dared to believe the feeling was quite mutual.

She trusted Edwin Xerathi more than any gentleman she had ever come to meet in her lifetime. And something about the moment seemed... Perfect. But even as perfect as the moment felt it did not expel the nerves vibrating throughout her veins like an intense drug, affecting her in such a way that made it difficult to focus on one thing at a time. 

The wheels in her head were turning. Her eyes growing darker as a shadow cast over them, tilting her head forward. 

Quietly the woman picked at the cloth of her skirts dress, lips weighed by a massive frown, her features contorted into that of deep thought. "Tell me, honestly, Edwin... How do you feel about Tomen's death?"

"I was pissed.. I was too busy looking for your captors to find out the guards, but I made the decision if you died I would kill them,” He spoke casually, folding a leg, "Now that you're here, that's your decision isn't it?"

For a moment she was silent, breath slowing whilst her eyes were narrowed on the opposing wall. There were many variables to consider at this time. So many paths to choose, many options to pick through and a plan to be formulated, perfected and executed.

She wondered if it was worth the risk. Everyone who spoke of the guards responsible for Tomen’s death said they were just doing their job. For some reason that thought didn’t sit well with her. There was a hold on her heart that caused her brain to drift toward murderous tendencies, her throat tightening in agony at the thought of her dead beloved.

Finally, with a small nod of her head, the Madam answers, no hesitation to be heard in her voice: "I want them dead."

"Then it will happen." He said with that same casual tone as his hand went to fetch a cigarette from his coat, all the while Susan watched him closely, acknowledging that his response was yet to finish.

Edwin popped the cigarette in his mouth and lit it with a silver plated lighter, talking around the butt end, "Got a game plan? I was just going to find some info through reports and then hunt them down with a gun.. Maybe leave something that meant a lot to Tomen at the corpse."

"I have the specks of a plan," the woman assures, her attention moving toward Edwin now, "I'm going to contact the closest friends of Tomen Dawes and hire them on to rain fel onto the ass holes responsible. As well as the spouses of the responsible-- But that will be my own personal mission."

Mm, doesn't harming their spouses defeat the point? -They- killed Tomen, not their partners." He sighed. "Then again, you could kill their spouses and leave them alive to suffer through your pain."

The Madam’s cheeks would fluster, aggravation boiling her blood as she digested his response, a scoff heard coming from the Madam, her posture going rigid. For a moment, her voice was more shrill as she challenges: "Do you think they cried an ounce when their partners came home after 'just doing their job'? You think they were not consoled and made to forget their -terrible---..," she'd sniffle, having to pause for a moment, a hand reaching to caress her face as she buries it into her palm, shielding away the mix of emotions upon her features.

Instantly Anthrel chuffed, the sound soothing and soft whilst she gently nudged the woman's legs in an effort to comfort the Madam. THe gesture did some good, at the very least. It distracted the woman, her skin crawling with postivity with the theraputic rumbles of the tigress, the noise bringing her out of her dark thoughts.

Edwin sighed, conceding, "If that's what you want, it's your mission." He stood up and moved to her, smiling, "I just know that it would have destroyed my soul if someone killed my wife due to my actions."

With a shaky breath the woman lifted her head, able to compose herself after deep inhales and slow exhales. With lips pressed into a firm line, Susan brought her eyes to inspect Edwin. Her features were lacking any emotion, desperately calm.

"That is what I am hoping for. And before the men die they'll be showed some sort of proof of their spouse's death. Perhaps a decaptiated head-- That way not only do their bodies die, but their soul lives on in agony." Her eyes flicker toward the floor then, "It's only appropriate."

"I could just kick their door down and shoot both of them, wife first." He chuckled. "Well whoever you get,” he, as Susan acknowledged, was referencing those she might bring into the folds, “I'll arm them nicely."

A small smile tugged at Susan’s lips, humbled with how optimistic he was.

"I'm planning on sending out missives--,” she remarks, “Letters asking for friends of Tomen to come to me to a safe location so we can discuss just how... Angry Tomen's death makes us all," she'd grit her teeth, "And those few who are blood thirsty enough? I'll welcome them to join us. We’ll make it effective and quiet. No one will suspect us."

She’d pause, a hand moving to caress her cheek whilst she muttered in addition: "But now that the Brothel's gone, and I'd not risk insulting Eilithe, I must find a safe location to discuss with these chosen few."

With a gesture around his shop, Edwin states, "We can meet here, but make sure they're trust worthy first." He smirks, moving to squat next to Susan.

For a moment the Madam was quiet, her lips pulled into a firm line -- essentially she was just trying to fight back the urge to smile. But what she did not fight was the urge to touch him, reaching forth to caress the side of the older man's face, cupping his cheek in her palm. "You know that I love you, Edwin, right? Do I tell you that often enough?"

He shook his head. "You don't tell me often, but I know that you feel that way," He set his hand on her chair. "I love you too, Susan." he leaned in, pressing a warm kiss to her forehead.

With a small sigh through her nostrils the woman rests her hand back into her lap, reveling in the gesture. No longer was she willing to fight the smile, thus her lips tug upward into a brilliant grin. "I would hope so.”

. He brushed her hair back with a soft smirk, the two marveling the moment before he was moving to stand, "But we'll get it down."

"Of course we will," the woman rose a hand and waved it about in a dismissive manner, her features contorted into a mocking grimace, "We're smart, and no expense will be spared in righting the wrong doings against our beloved MIster Dawes. When Vivian is old enough she'll be told of the injustice against him, and too she'll be told how true justice was enacted. She'll grow up, that Vivian Gampre-Dawes, knowing that with the right amount of loyalty and determination... You can jump from the grave and bite back."

And in that moment... A swell of pride began to replace the sadness and ache of love lost. This moment was a rejuvenating one, breathing life and purpose into the Madam’s withered soul, giving a beat to her cold heart.

She had something to achieve now, besides returning Vivian home.

Revenge was on the horizon, and it was going to be bloody.

[menagerie-rpg]

「 ZAHARA KALPAR 」

STRATUM: Three AGE: Twenty-six OCCUPATION: Tightrope SUGGESTED FCS:  Shanina Shaik

CREATURE FORM.

KELPIE is a solitary sea creature described as a powerful black horse, historically attacking any human that nears the river the Kelpie inhabits. They can change their size or give themselves gills and fins in water.

ABOUT.

You’ve always been used to being alone, placed on a pedestal far above anyone’s reach. Be a god, admirable yet untouchable, your father always crooned. But not only do you resent the notion of blue blood — you’ve got a gun for a mouth and a heart of steel. Soft and restrained, they expect you to be. Yet, these are the very shoes you fail to fill in. You do have a gentle side, you know this. But how can you exemplify kindness, when you have to bare your teeth at an early marriage forced upon you? How does one become a dainty flower, when their environment has them growing thorns to survive?

BIOGRAPHY.

All under the cut.

The world has heard too many stories about cruel monsters and rebellious princesses trapped in gilded cages of their parents. They cannot listen again. She’s a vile creature, violent and unpredictable, ready to destroy all those who find themselves on her path. Or is that just another story? A false myth created to scare disobedient children?

There is a famous saying that you should never judge a book by its covers, but whoever said it probably forgot to mention one important thing. If you truly want to know someone’s secrets and desires, don’t focus on false rumors and gossips. Instead, you have to turn all the pages to the very beginning.

Her birth was a pure miracle - she only lived in her mother’s womb for seven short and unpredictable months. So how did she survive? No one truly knows, but it doesn’t even matter now. She was the girl who battled oblivion and won. Chances of survival were practically zero to none, but she, oh she was always ready for a fight - it’s no wonder she left bloody trails on her mother’s thighs, preventing her from ever having children again.

She came out of the hospital wrapped in the finest silk blanket, decorated with golden roses and red strings - for good luck. Her parents named her Zahara and it’s a name that oftentimes tickled the roof of her mouth but a name that always tasted so sweetly on her tongue; almost like a mixture of honey and vanilla. She remembers each time when she struggled to pronounce it, battling with her own tongue and front milk teeth.

The wealth of her family practically knew no limits - they were the perfect aristocratic family, beautiful descendants of kings and queens that bled only in the shades of navy blue. Enormous  portraits of unfamiliar people decorated the walls of their spacious villa, hauntingly beautiful marble statues always stood in their lavishing gardens and of course, even their staircases were decorated with gold - now those were the true signs of great riches. They lived in absolute splendor, playing their little games and enjoying in their own golden cocoons, hidden from all the prying eyes and curious strangers.

( She lived in those wonderful gardens, a pretty little jasmine growing strong with each new day, waiting to be plucked one day by a man that her parents deemed appropriate ).

‘’You’re the most special flower in the world, Zahara - a desert flower. You’ll always be above everybody else, never forget that. You live on the new Olympus.’’

No, wait! She didn’t live. She was trapped. And always so alone. Only the cold statues in those gardens were her friends. Don’t you know those musical boxes that when you open them, a pretty little ballerina appears and starts dancing? Well, don’t you know that the ballerina dreams of an escape? That she’s tired of being on display and dancing each and every time? No, you don’t know.

You should have seen Zahara’s mother with stark white pearls around her long neck and diamonds on her wrists - a true queen. It’s a shame that Zahara was the complete opposite of her parents. Even as a child, she simply didn’t fit into their perfect puzzle. Maybe a piece of her was chipped away, somewhere and somehow forever lost. On the other hand, simplicity attracted her.

There was nothing wrong with having scrapped knees or playing in mud after rain. She just wished to be like the rest of the world, but her controlling parents didn’t even want to hear of it.  Perhaps it’s because she had no brothers of sisters and being an only child is always a curse - you’re not allowed to disappoint, make mistakes or even die. You have to perfect, no matter what.

She loathed it all - from fancy dresses to acting like a fair maiden that only knew how to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. Thankfully, god or another mighty force had blessed her with a sharp tongue and with the right words she knew how to cut people, piercing their flesh ever so slowly.

‘’It’s a dinner party, Zahara. You must attend! I will not allow you to make a fool of me again by not showing up. You did that the last and i won’t let you do it again.’’

‘‘What’s the point, mother? Is father making you say all these things? I’m sure you can win this game of chess without your precious rook.’‘

‘‘Zahara, if i have to, i’ll drag you there.’‘

‘‘Come on, mother. We both know you don’t have it in you. I’m just surprised that i still haven’t seen bruises on your face. Father hates disobedience, right? ‘‘

Then, another form of trouble and worry knocked on her door - this time, her parents wanted to find a suitable husband for their precious and wild flower. Only eighteen, but they were already ready to sell her to some man, like a cow whose only duty was to produce more offsprings. But instead of weeping like a child or praying for a higher power to rescue her, she decided to take matters into her own hands.

Each suitor came with a pretty smile and big promises, but Zahara always managed to get on their nerves and make them leave her house in a rush. The things she did to them were almost funny but truth be told, those were just clever attempts of a poor girl to rescue herself from chains of marriage.

She didn’t want to belong to a man. A girl like her wasn’t born to wear a veil on her head and obediently listen to every order. Just because someone had a sword between their legs didn’t give them the right to control her life.

‘’…but i can make you happy! I can show you all the wonders of the world and a married life.’’

‘‘You must truly be desperate to say such things or maybe you think i’m just that foolish. You don’t care about me. You’ve only known me for one day. Even in fairy tales, they wait a bit longer to fall in love and live happily ever after. You just want my father to be your father-in-law. A part of me understands it. You can’t help yourself. It’s stronger than you. But women mostly marry because they’re desperate of foolish. Men marry because they want to have a trophy or earn a lot of money. It’s a superficial world we live in and i’m not blind. Do you really think that i don’t see the way you smile around my father? The way each and every suitor smiles around my father? He’s a powerful man, but power is a dangerous thing. I don’t want to be involved in all this mess, but i have no choice. I have to sit here and watch your hideous face for hours. Life is cruel, isn’t it?’‘

However, her parents weren’t planning on giving up and it didn’t take them long to find a man that simply didn’t care about her insults or snarky comments. A self-centered and pompous gentlemen, with big hands and even a bigger ego, he was a true nightmare for Zahara.

So she still had to fight for herself ( clearly, no one else wanted to do it ) and on the night of her special engagement, she ran away from home. All the pretty and lavishing baldachins had to be saved for another time, but she didn’t make it too far. She stopped near a saltwater creek, drawn by glimmering water and soft moonlight. It almost seemed like the water was calling her.

‘’Come home…’’ Faintly and unknown whispers swirled around her.

                   ‘’I’m home. I’m home.’’ She answered.

And finally, her heart was at piece. She had never felt so calm and happy in her life. It was a shame that she had been trapped all of her life in her father’s prison with gilded bars. Too bad an opportunity had never presented itself to her to visit this place. Ancient Greeks called it river Zara, but this was her home.

The water however did strange things to her body, almost immediately turning her into another creature, most similar to a horse but with gills as well. Petrified and worried, she got out of the water almost instantly, rushing home and hoping that her legs wouldn’t betray her.

But when she explained the strange incidence to her parents, they looked perfectly calm. Not even slightly disturbed  by the fact that their only daughter transformed into some horrendous creature.

‘‘It runs in our family – it’s time for your the hear the tale of cryptids and how your life will never be the same again… ‘‘Their explanation was fairly short and simple, but it hurt more than anything else she had ever experienced in her life.

‘‘You knew? You knew of this? And you never bothered to tell me? So many years, so many lies? For what? Why didn’t you tell? I had the right to know! I had the –’‘

‘‘That’s why we wanted to find you a suitable husband as quickly as possible. We can’t protect others from you forever. We have to find someone else to do it instead of us.’‘ All this time she had thought that they were trying to protect her from the world, but instead she was the main villain in the story, the monster. The big bad wolf. No, the big bad horse.

That was the final straw for Zahara. Not wasting a single second, she ran away once again, this time never looking back. But trouble followed her every move and staying undercover in such a dangerous world was the hardest task for Zahara. She wasn’t used to being alone, taking caring of herself and being careful - the gilded walls of her home took her independence away.

And on one fateful night someone actually captured her - unfortunately for her she wasn’t being careful at all. She just wanted to swim and enjoy in the warm water, and then she suddenly found herself in a cage. Apparently, the man was desperate for some money and so instead of killing her and making the world just a little purer, he sold her to menagerie ( another word that was twisted her tongue ).

She found herself on a new path but this time – she actually had to behave properly and play by the rules if she wanted to leave her cage. She had once been placed on a pedestal high above the rest, but now she’s chained to one. Such a dazzling star; brought so low.

[riventing]

Chapter 6: Max

Read from the beginning on AO3 or FF

Summary:  Max should have been able to sacrifice the girl she loved. Yet the bullet continued to hover in front of Chloe. The moment that started everything was frozen in time.

Rating: Teen

Excerpt: The hallway of the Girl’s Dormitory stretched out in front her. At the end of the hallway was a window that showed the never-changing glow of the afternoon. Outside of the window, pink and purple merged in the sky and bathed Blackwell in its light. Nothing ever changed outside or inside the corridor. It was frozen in time.

Nothing changed in the stagnancy of the hallway. The corridor continued to exist between space and time.

Max walked down the hallway yet no matter how far she walked, the end of the hallway stayed the same distance. It was an infinite hallway that had an infinite number of doors lining the walls. The dorm map that showed who each door led to was devoid of any names.

She didn’t need a map. She knew where each door lead to. She knew when each door lead to.

Through each door was a moment in time. She could hear the distant sounds of the outside world through each door. It filled the empty corridor and gave her a small amount of comfort. At least she was still somewhat connected to the world.

Max paused in front of a door. She instantly recognized both voices talking behind the door. The baritone of a man who she wished she could have saved and the voice of the girl she loved lied beyond the door.

Deep inside she knew she shouldn’t have peered inside. She knew Chloe was happy yet why was she still curious? She took a deep breath and opened the door.

Upon entering the doorway, she entered Chloe’s house. In the kitchen Joyce was making breakfast. The pan sizzled and crackled with the promise of food. The smell of pancakes, eggs and bacon wafted through the house. The scent was familiar and comforting.

She walked towards the table where Chloe sat. But Chloe wasn’t alone, her father sat across from her. The scene unravelled so naturally, they playfully bantered back and forth. It shouldn’t have shocked her when Chloe smiled but it did. The smile she would only give those who she loved. It was such a rare and beautiful thing. Yet there it was.

William and Chloe were together again, their happiness was evident. This whole household looked and felt like one of those cheesy sitcoms. Chloe actually had the chance to be a teenager without death being a constant presence around her. Without the anger of having her loved ones taken away from her. Max couldn’t be happier for her.

Chloe’s smile was soft as she talked with her father. Max’s hand tentatively went to cup Chloe’s face expecting the familiar warmth. The same warmth on that cliff even amidst the storm. Yet her hand went right through. A familiar sense of dread hit her in the gut. She couldn’t touch Chloe.

Max could no longer interact with time. She couldn’t interact with space. She merely existed in time. For a moment she felt surreal, just being able to see Chloe happy again. But the underlying truth beneath it hurt. She’d never get to see Chloe unless it was all a dream. A reality for them would never exist.

Max turned her back on the scene and walked back into the door leading to the endless corridor, staring at the door she entered. A sense of sadness overtook her but that smile was worth it all. Chloe was happy and that was all that mattered.

She continued walking down the corridor until she heard the distant sound of music playing behind one of the doors. It wasn’t the calm tunes of an indie rock band playing. The music was wild and rugged. The raspy voice of the singer and the sounds of a crowd made her curious.

Hesitantly, she opened the door and was greeted with the inside of an abandoned warehouse. Some windows were shattered, the moon could be seen outside. The warehouse was dimly lit with haphazardly placed work lights. Within the small building a balcony that reached all around could be seen but only a few people went up. The interesting parts were on the ground floor.

It was amazing how people could turn a dilapidated building into something almost habitable. The building had a certain look to it. Graffiti decorated the walls, people sat on second hand sofas and smoke and drank as they pleased. The tables were littered with alcohol and empty beer bottles. Overall, the place possessed a grunge texture that had Max wishing her polaroid was with her to capture this moment.

On the ground floor was an elevated stage where a band blasted music. The rough voice of the lead singer hyped the crowd. Everything was wild and crazy, the crowd cheered and danced without a care in the world. It was darker in this area, lights flashed across the stage and to the crowd. Opposite to the stage was a bar. If people weren’t dancing to the music they were getting drunk.

Max felt slightly out of place. This whole place was Chloe’s domain, from the music to the people yet it was exhilarating for her, just being able to experience Chloe’s world. Even if it was a small part. A world she wasn’t a part of for years. An aspect she wishes she could have changed. She never realised how precious her time with Chloe was.

Her thoughts stopped when she saw Rachel walk through the door of the warehouse with Chloe in tow. Max almost didn’t recognize Chloe. The other girl’s hair was still blonde, a sharp contrast from its usual bright blue. Yet her and Rachel were easy to spot amongst the crowd of bodies.

Max felt a sense of nostalgia just seeing the other girl. It felt like she saw the start of a transition from the Chloe in her childhood to the Chloe she grew to love.

Rachel and Chloe giggled as they made their way to the dancefloor. The scent of cannabis was evident as they passed Max. They went to the balcony, together they moved their bodies along with the music without a care in the world. It was as if they were intoxicated but without the alcohol. Chloe was drunk on Rachel’s presence, a smile lit her face as she lost herself in the music. The bass pounded against the walls as they moved.

Max couldn’t help the tinge of sadness as she watched them. A part of her was jealous of Rachel. The other girl could be there for Chloe unlike Max. She felt the familiar build up of her insecurity as she watched the two move naturally to the beat of the music together. It was familiar, as if they had known one another their whole lives.

The rare smile Chloe showed seemed to light up the dimly lit building. Her happiness was evident as she basked in the music and the exhilaration of Rachel’s presence and for a moment Max took solace in that smile.

Yet some selfish part of her wanted to be the cause of that happiness. She wanted to be there for Chloe. To be able to watch Chloe grow and grow alongside her. To share whatever pain Chloe experienced. She wanted to be able to touch and interact with Chloe just one more time. But it was always one more time. She’d see Chloe in a dream just one more time. Yet she couldn’t stop herself.  Just one more time…

Max turned around and walked to the door she came from as the two danced the night away on the balcony, it felt like she was intruding. The door closed behind her, the loud music became distant once again. She expected to see the hallway before her. But the hallway didn’t end in a wall. It ended in a storm.

The walls seemed to ebb and flow as if they tried to enclose the hallway again. The forest could be seen outside. Max ran towards the end where the hallway met the forest, the wind started to whip at her face as she got closer. At first, rain lightly pelted her but grew to a steady drench.

She was back at the lighthouse. Atop the cliff, she saw Arcadia Bay being destroyed as the tornado tore through the small town. The storm would happen. Or maybe it already did. She couldn’t tell anymore.

Amidst the storm, she expected to see Chloe but the girl was absent. They both knew that the lighthouse was the only spot safe from the storm so why wasn’t Chloe here? She felt a spike of anxiety course through her.

Max was the only one at the lighthouse. She was the only one safe from the storm.  

All of a sudden, she heard a creak above her. The roof of the lighthouse looked like it was about to come off. But Max had no time to dwell on this. The wind already tore it off by the hinges, the roof plummeted towards her.

She closed her eyes and tried to prepare for the impact… but it never came.

The rain that pelted her and the storm that lied beyond the walls of the hallway vanished. Max opened her eyes to the corridor as if nothing ever happened. At the end of the hallway, the wall stayed in place. The afternoon light shone through the window yet again. Max continued to walk down the corridor, her footsteps shaky as she tried to figure out what to do.

Her thoughts raced. Where was Chloe? Was she caught in the storm?  There should still be enough time to stop the storm. She knew Chloe had yet to use the rewind enough to cause a storm yet it was still coming.

Max couldn’t help the frustration that overtook her. She was always good at finding a solution to all of this. But that was with the rewind. She couldn’t control time anymore. Only Chloe could.

That fact alone froze her. Chloe may have caused the storm for her. Deep inside, she knew this was true. It terrified her yet her heart ached at the thought. A selfish part of her wanted to be able to see Chloe but it wasn’t worth it. The lives of Arcadia Bay came first and if she had to sacrifice love then so be it. Love shouldn’t kill thousands. If they never saw each other, the storm wouldn’t happen.

There was only one solution that stuck out. A solution that threatened to rip her heart from her chest. Max knew her presence only strengthened Chloe’s resolve to cause the storm. She had to say goodbye to the girl she loved. It was so simple. The thought shouldn’t have hurt this much.

Yet the familiar ache in her chest spread.

She continued to walk down the hallway until she felt a breeze drift through the empty corridor. As she got closer a doorway caught her eye. It lacked a door. Instead just beyond the doorway was the familiar sunset where everything began.

The cliff overlooked the calm of the sea. The sounds of the forest were the only things heard. The quiet light bathed Arcadia Bay in a pink glow as the sun gradually set. But none of these things mattered. What mattered was the lone girl sitting on the bench. Her bright blue hair was unmistakable.

The other girl sensed her presence and turned to her. A small smile set on her face as she saw Max. The same smile that was only for Max. It made Max’s chest feel heavy for what was about to happen. Max tried to smile back but it was a forced and sad thing.

Chloe picked up on the shift in mood, concern replaced the smile. The smile Max wished would stay forever. Chloe got up from the bench and walked towards her.

For once, Max had no words. No words needed to be said for any words she would say would break the moment. And right now, Max was the one breaking. Instead she walked towards Chloe and hugged her. Chloe’s tall frame fit well against her and for a small amount of time everything was alright. Max relished in the feeling of Chloe being in her arms one more time.

Her head was nestled in the crook of Chloe’s neck, Chloe’s arms wrapped around her waist. The warmth Chloe exuded almost made Max believe that this was real. But deep down the truth raised its ugly head. This was still just a dream.

“Is everything okay?” Chloe’s voice was soft even amongst the quiet sounds of the forest. Max melted at the concern. It was such a rare thing to see. She knew Chloe was selfish except towards the people she loved. The fact that she could see Chloe becoming more and more selfless was a gift in itself. She got to see Chloe grow and grow alongside her even if it was for a short time.

It felt like there was a lump in her throat. For a moment Max wanted to lie. To reassure that everything was going to be fine. But it wasn’t. There wasn’t any other solution to the storm except this.

Max took a deep breath and tried to calm the race of her heart. “I saw the future Chloe… The storm came but you weren’t there. You weren’t at the lighthouse and Arcadia was being destroyed. I… I don’t know what happened to you Chloe.”

Silence echoed between the two of them. The underlying possibility of what became of Chloe stretched before them. Max broke the silence the way she was going to break them.

“And for that reason I… I don’t think I can ever see you again.”

The look of disbelief in Chloe’s face made Max hesitate. But she had to press on. It was for the best. “I know you’re doing this for me but think about all the lives that are going to be taken during the storm.”

“Then I’ll just warn them. Max please. Don’t do this. I can’t lose you.” Chloe held Max’s hand as if to keep Max with her.

Max shook her head and gently slid her hand out of Chloe’s grasp. She had to distance herself now or it would be impossible. “People aren’t going to listen to someone they barely know. Please Chloe… Love shouldn’t kill. And you’re not losing me. I’ll always be there for you.”

“You’ll always be there yet you’re leaving me. Just like everyone else did.” Chloe’s frustration was evident, her tone taking on a familiar bitterness.

“God Chloe, I’m doing this for you! I’m doing this because of all the lives at risk! Including yours!” Max took a deep breath. Her voice was barely a whisper “I can’t protect you Chloe… I don’t even know what could have happened to you.”

Chloe’s voice was weak, she knew Max was right. “We can still get through this… together.” She couldn’t tell whether she was trying to convince Max or herself. All she knew was that she didn’t want to lose Max yet she knew the other girl was going to say goodbye. Forever.

Max bit her lip and tried to muster whatever resolve she had. The words died in her mouth when she met blue eyes. Those eyes begged her to not leave, they spoke volumes of what wasn’t said. The very reason why Max was doing this. Out of love. Soon she found herself spilling the one sentence that threatened to break her. “I’ll always love you.”

She couldn’t recall who leant into who first. All she could feel was soft lips pressed against hers. A hand weaved itself in her hair and gently cradled her head. Her eyes fluttered shut. Just the simplest of touches caused tears to burn in her eyes and fall down her cheeks. The truth threatened to consume her, the ache in her chest spread.

She would never see Chloe after this.

Max felt a mix of emotions rage within her. She wanted to savour the feeling of Chloe against her yet the truth nagged her. It was a constant reminder that this wouldn’t last forever. They wouldn’t last forever.

She tried to convey all the emotions she felt into the kiss. Emotions she hoped Chloe would understand.

All too soon, Max broke away. The hand that cradled her head went slack as if all the strength disappeared. As if all of Chloe’s resolve broke with one kiss.

Max couldn’t look at Chloe, she knew the other girl was starting to break. But this was necessary. Max turned away from the girl who came to mean the world to her. She went towards the doorway. Her footsteps felt heavy, the farther she got from the girl the more her heart started to tear itself into pieces.

Soon she was back into the corridor. When she looked back there was only a wall where the doorway once stood. Max buried her head in her hands and let the grief consume her. She slowly slid down the wall, tears fell on the hardwood floor as she curled in on herself.