#Liz: fire :0 i like fire. Fires pretty.

[afton-family-askblog]

incorrect quote based off of an interaction between my sister and father

Hold this [hands her a hammer] -William

Ok! -Elizabeth

Do you think someone could claw your eyes out with the back of this?

[Horrified and fear filled expression] wha-?

[chaoticspacefam]

2020 In Review: Wordcount Tag

I was tagged for this by @actualanxiousswampwitch​ , thank you! I’m not sure who’s already done or been tagged for this cause I am, once again, late to the party LOL but I shall (no pressure and sorry if you’ve already done it!) tag: @rainofaugustsith​ , @darth-bagel​ , @thatmmolesbian​ , @thelastenvoyyy​ and anybody else who wants to do this. Yes, I promise I mean you!

Words: 45,314

Published: 0 (I’m not counting the couple of Six Sentence tags I’ve gotten, they’re snippets of an unfinished piece & are included below instead :), or roleplay replies, cause that feels like cheating lol.) I actually wrote a lot more than I thought I had, this is a rough guesstimate as well, as my oneshot WIPs tend to be all over the place across something like 6 different documents, some of which have existed since 2018, so I had to guess at how far up to count from the end for some of them, but I think it’s a fair guesstimate XD I also have included lore/worldbuilding docs in this because that was a 3-month long Lockdown 1.0 Boredom/”Canon is a trash fire so I’m ignoring that and making up my own lore” passion project and I’m goddamn proud of how much I wrote for that. It’s the most I’ve written in one stretch (think I finished it over a span of 3 nights or so, once I’d done all the research and made all the notes ofc ^^)

Not Published: 45,314

The Breakdown:

swtor - 45,314

for creeping shadows (my main longfic/part one of the subterfugeverse series) - 1,553  - Aria, stop being difficult! *shakes fists* XD

oneshots - 16,223

lore/worldbuilding (for subterfugeverse naturally) - 23,001 (is this ALL tomato alien lore? pretty much, yes, yes it is :’D ~400 words is “the WIP reworked timeline to correlate my worldbuilding with the canon timeline that was released”, but 98% is just...me thinking way too much about Purebloods and how they deserved way better goddamn lore. I blame @fluffynexu ‘s amazing tomato worldbuilding posts,  reading them when I went looking for “canon” lore one day for the rp is what got me started down that rabbithole (it’s awesome and if you haven’t already you should totally go check hers out too :DD), I had a “fuck you then canon I’ll do it myself too >:L” moment and once I started I couldn’t stop until I’d crapped out literally over 20k words on the subject *whispering* thank you LOL)

zephyrverse au bonus oneshots - 4,537 (stuff I wrote to fill in time gaps or “just cause I had a plot bunny”, relating to mine and k-christine’s zephyrverse au rp. None of these will likely be posted publicly, but they still deserve to be counted as words I wrote this year :’D

As you can see, most of my “muse” this year came from sporadic oneshots :’D The Ahaszaai twins also properly plot-bunnied their way into my brain in late 2019 and haven’t stopped making a nuisance of themselves the whole fucking year. Every time I tried to carry on with a chapter, one of the two of them would pop up like “Nooo write about ME! pay attention to ME!” - Yes, Ni’kasi, I will get to you this year, I promise XD

New Things I Tried:

Just Writing. Not worrying about whether “it wasn’t part of the next chapter” or “it comes from a part in the story that I’m nowhere near close to posting yet”. If I felt like writing something, or for a specific pairing/feeling/scene, whatever. I wrote until I ran outta muse juice. Yeah, it meant I didn’t technically “finish” anything this year BUT - the important thing is I wrote stuff. and that’s all that really matters, eh? :’D

Polyam ships! May not seem like a big deal but I spent a long time talking myself out of them because of internalised toxic monogamy and finally saying “you know what, fuck it! I can ship three or more people together and it can still be a perfectly wholesome, healthy and loving relationship and that’s okay” was a BIG thing for me this year.

Dialogue Scripts: which I didn’t count as wordcount because really it’s just word vomit of general tone/inflection and dialogue that I came up with right before falling asleep which I didn’t want to lose. Basically, if an exchange or a particularly punchy or moving line of dialogue popped into my brain but I wasn’t ready to write the whole scene that it fit into out, but didn’t want to forget the line(s). I wrote it out in movie script/script-style roleplay fashion e.g. Character’s Name: (emotion, hand gestures etc.) [Dialogue here] and so on. I know this is probably a well known trick of the trade, but I never took it seriously until this year. Seriously, do it. It’s great.

Favorite Thing I Wrote:

Hmmm, a snippet for Andronikos/Ni’kasi that I started this week which isn’t posted yet (saving it for this week’s Six Sentence Sunday so look out for it! :D) was pretty fun to work on, I love their dynamic and Kas is suprisingly fun to write for.

Also the Aria/Vano proposal scene that I posted a snippet for the week before last. I’m having great fun with that scene, and I really enjoy putting a non-serious spin on the classic “proposal scene” tropes. Can’t wait to finish it, though it may be a while before the full one goes up on AO3, as it depends whether it ends up fitting in as part of the mainfic or as an additional oneshot

And I have a D’leah/Kissai oneshot that I need to give another once-over before I finally yeet it onto AO3 and Tumblr for you guys to see :’D

Favorite Fic I Read:

@sleepswithvillains Eleanora/Quinn fic, Helplessly Hoping. I’m horribly behind on chapters and I gotta catch up and read the finale this week, but it’s been a helluva great ride and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the story! <3

Also The Invitation collab with @tishinada featuring Zas and Fiona had me squealing, I can’t wait to catch up on HH and see more of these two, they’re adorable ;-; @a-muirehen​ ‘s Relu/Merkara series of course! I’m a complete sucker for (friends to lovers to in Ariano’s case but yea pfpfpf) enemies to lovers ships and these two are just so good, I am on the edge of my seat every time we get a new snippet for them, ngl (grimace emoji) @darth-bagel ‘s Sylvas/Graz’zt and Sylvas/Liz/Rilfaen snippets which they’ve been spoiling me with on Discord @mercurypilgrim ‘s Ven’fir/Quinn AU oneshots, Cloudbank (Western was a particular favourite, but all are very good!) and of course @rainofaugustsith ‘s Lana/Viri updates are always fantastic, some personal favourites from this year were Almost There & Memory of Healing :3 (I totally still go back to read Commander & Advisor too sometimes, getting to see Viri be a little diabolical and messing with “MiNiSTeR LoRMaN!” was and still is my favourite thing XD)

If I’ve left you out I’m sorry!! These were the ones that stuck out in my memory, but I’ve loved everyone’s writing this year, it’s been great :3

Writing Goals:

to actually finish and post chapter 8 & 9 of Creeping Shadows. Then we’ll get to the meat and potatoes of the story and maybe Aria will stop being a brat and fighting me every time I try to stick to a semi-regular update schedule Get off my butt, finalise the name and get started on Ni’kasi’s part of the Subterfugeverse story. Maybe run the updates in-tandem with Creeping Shadows but idk if I want to wait till after CS is done before I start posting Kas’s side, or do them side-by-side yet, we’ll see ;) Keep writing! I know better than to pressure myself by setting a specific word count goal, that’s never worked well in the past

At least 2 chapters of each of the works mentioned above would be great though, more would be better! We’ll see how I go

Words of Thanks:

honestly, to everybody in the fandom I’ve met this year. Anybody that I follow, thank you for being there and engaging with me and/or posting amazing content for me to look at! I came over from deviantART where the SWTOR fandom is incredibly small and generally quite inactive and the contrast since moving over here has been incredibly uplifting. I very nearly cancelled Creeping Shadows and stopped posting fic for my SWTORverse altogether because I got next to no engagement on dA and it was very disheartening to the point where I felt I could enjoy the game and the rp partners I had, but the solo projects I’d put so much thought, time and love into already weren’t worth continuing. You guys took that spark and kept it going and I really don’t have enough words to say how grateful I am for that. Even if I haven’t published much this year, making posts on this tumblr, interacting with everyone and working on lore, plot points and so on for Subterfugeverse has kept me going through the Hellish Year of Nightmares that was 2020 <3

to the amazing new friends I’ve made in this past year, who have listened to me ramble about headcanons, character backstories, writing snippets (and rambled/sent some back), keep being awesome: @walk-ng-d-saster , @darth-bagel , @kyber-heart , @deepseacritter , @thedinalixlegacy to further friends and meme tag buddies, I get so excited every time I see a mention for a new meme or ask game in my inbox, so thank you!! : @mimabeann , @palepinkycat , @a-master-procrastinator , @raven-of-domain-kwaad , @actualanxiousswampwitch , @thatmmolesbian , @a-muirehen to my regular commentors/rebloggers/likers/askbox lurkers, I see every one of you and every time your users pop up I grin like a kid in a toy shop: @starlightjedi , @sparkles-and-rust , @wilvarin-chan , @sunsetofdoom , @ask-an-andalite , @thelastenvoyyy . @lyrishadow and more because Tumblr only goes so far back and I have the memory of Swiss Cheese. If you regularly comment, like, reblog, or anything, from me, know that I see you, and I love and appreciate you for it! <3

I couldn’t possibly remember to tag everyone and I promise if I missed you out it’s not because I hate you! Anxiety just sometimes be a bitch and I don’t wanna look like a clown calling someone a “friend” if I’m not explicitly sure we are, in fact, friends. I think you’re all awesome and I’m so glad to have moved over here and met you all <3

[withpowercomesfxn]

(Templete made by @izukulove

Character Profile

Full name: Eliza Shirogane

Pronunciation: Eli-za Shiro-gane

Meaning of Name: N/A

Hero/Villain Name: Kir

Nicknames: Star, Air-head, Liz, Lizzy

History of Nicknames: Katsuki(Star, Air-head) Sister, Izuku(Lizzy) Everyone (Liz)

Aliases: N/A

Nationality: English/Japanese

Affiliation: Hero

Student Number: Class 1-A 21

Quirk: Wolf Kirby

Birthday and Astrology Sign: February 14th, Aquarius

Age: 17

How old do they look: 12

Mental Age: 18 (sometimes 12)

Gender: Female

Orientation/Sexuality Preference: Bisexual

Birth date: 02/14/2003

Birth place: Inaba, Japan

Death date: N/A

Death place: N/A

Appearance: Bright blue eyes that have galaxy catchlights, Tannish Skin, brown hair, brown wolf ears and tail.

Eye color: (stated above)

Eye shape: Big and round

Do they wear contacts or glasses?: Nope

Hair: Brown

Height: 5’2-3ft

Weight: 127lbs

Body build: slim

Body shape: hourglass

Complexion: fair and sun kissed

Cup size: DDD

Blood Type: O+

Handedness: Right handed

Hand type: small and petite

Nails: normal

Movement: Normal

How do they walk: often seen skipping

Posture: Perfect

Flexibility: Pretty flexible.

Voice: Sweet

Speech Mannerisms: N/A

Scars: On her back and stomach

Birthmarks: She has all the copy ability symbols around her waist

Piercings: none

Tattoos: none

General face structure:  Generic

Defining physical traits: her wolf ears and tail

Statistics:

Power: ★★★★★★S  

Speed: ★★★☆☆ C

Technique: ★★★★☆ B  

Intelligence: ★★★★★★S

Cooperativeness: ★★☆☆☆ D

Extra Explanation: A bit stubborn, she will often try to work alone or with only one person.

Quirk and description: Wolf Kirby-The user is able to use the various copy abilities of popular gamer series Kirby. Any ability in the main series is available to her as long as she has played and beaten the game containing any new ability. Once a day she is able to transform into the pink puffball herself. Along with this she has wolf ears and tail, with the heighten senses a wolf has. Drawbacks include Fatigue, headaches, migranes, increased pulse(which can be deadly if it goes over 250), and possibilty of fainting. She doesn’t mind cats but she could care less. She has heat attacks every month(one week she will be confined to her room). Having access to the Hyper Nova ability shall only be used in extreme circumstances, as it can only be used in her Kirby form, and its limited to 15 minutes. Once thats up she turn to normal and will have every drawback hit at once. If not cooled down she will die.

Clothing: Anything fashionable or something she made.

Uniform: the usual outfit with black stockings and a black garter belt to hold them up, and a pair of blue headphone around her neck.

Casual outfit: Off the shoulder grey sweater that goes over her hands, a skirt that has suspenders that dangle down. Stripped stockings and knee high boots.

Preferred outfit: Anything super comfortable

Hero costume: Hero costume is pink with a frilly skirt that is super stretchy and breathable. It has a sheer midsection to show off her birthmarks.

Equipment / Support Items: Gloves that are padded to help her with hand to hand.

Characteristics: The skirt has small stars littered on it.

Personality: Seemingly childish but very sweet and often is found helping others.

Myers-Briggs Type: (I can’t do the damn test so I’ll figure this out later and update this)

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Big Five personality traits: Childish, Sweet, Kind, Smart, Supportive

Enneagram: Perfectionist

Most prominent personality trait: Childish

Best traits: Sweetness, Kindness

Worst traits: Overly Childish

Likes: Her big sister, Eraserhead, underground heroes, Mirkuro, trees, stars, food, Hound Dog, Cats(To a degree)

Dislikes: Villains, people who take her food, bullies, Cats(to a degrees(

Quirks: Will often wolf, yip, bark, or awoo when happy

Fear: Being left by her sister, never being good enough, losing her sister, losing her friends

Hobbies: Playing games(Especially Kirby-its how she gets her new abilities)

Skills/Talents: Sewing and Baking

Strengths: Loyalty, never-ending affection

Weaknesses: Never thinks about how something will affect her

Reason to keep on living: Her Big sister, her friends

What is their self-image like: At first it was highly negative, after the Sports Festival it became much more positive.

Any religious or spiritual faith: She is aware but doesn’t devote time to it

How does this faith / lack of affect them: It doesn’t

What superstitions do they have: None

Coping mechanisms: She will curl up in a ball around anything she finds in her room and take deep breaths.

Any life motto or quote they live by: Life without Smiles would be deathly boring

Favorite things: Food, Sweets, Kirby

Health: She’s pretty healthy

Physical: 110%

Mental: 75%

Emotional Stability: 89%

If faced with crisis, what is their go-to: Fight

Nutrition: Its horrible. Someone help

Her. She has a scarily high metabolism thanks to her quirk but still- she needs help

Habits: She hugs her tail.

Family History: Sister is a pro hero and had to take care of her often after both their parents and grandfather died

History, Background, and Future:

0-4: Parents died, received her quirk

5-8: People bullied her for not being like her sister

9-11: The bullying grew worse, becoming psychical

12-14: Was put into a 2 week coma because a group of bullies went to far

15-Present: Attending UA, head held high.

Did they like their upbringing: She wished her sister was there more, and she loves her regardless.

How has their upbringing shape them: It made her very carefree about herself despite the bullying

What did they enjoy most about their childhood?: The times she spent with her sister

What did they hate most about their childhood?: never being able to know her parents or grandfather

Current Dream: she wants to be a pro hero like her sister

Long-term goals for Future: Be in the top 20 pro heroes

Home: She is in the dorms

Home Life as a Kid: Often raised by the pro heroes her sister knew

Home Life Now: Perfect

Quick Family background: Older sister can control the four elements- water, fire, earth, and air Parents and grandfather unknown

Any Friends: Izuku, Mina, Momo, Shoto, Katsuki, Kirishima, Monama,

Any Family: Naoto Shirogane(Big Sister)

Relationships: None

OC Family Character- Luna Chisaki

  Status: Teacher

  How well they get along: Fairly well

  What OC thinks of them: Luna thinks she is a bit childish

  What they thinks of OC: She believes she is pretty cool

  What OC calls them: Little Pup

  What they call OC: Chi-chan, Sensei, Raven

Canon Character- Naoto Shirogane

  Status: Older Sister

  How well they get along: they get along great

  What OC thinks of them: Naoto admires how headstrong Liz can be

  What they thinks of OC: Liz looks up to her sister often

  What OC calls them: Lizzy, lil sis

  What they call OC: Big sis, Nao-Nee, Nee, Naoto

[asknueidentified]

Hmmm, been far to long since I text walled about a D&D session, but last nights was especially fun.  Hell, no “are we the baddies” moments either.  Just the pure crazy “I can’t believe that worked” that comes with the territory of high level play.

So the party is trying to infiltrate a facility belonging to their greatest foe of the moment, a totally not a vampire high-elf who has various nefarious schemes. 

One of the things that said vampire likes to do is abuse the ever loving crap out of the clone spell.  To the point where she’s literally, and I’m using literally correctly here, figured out how to apply it at a near industrial scale.  Pretty much all of her minions save for the most cannon fodder of them has at least one clone back up.  The important ones have several.

Having death not be more than a speed bump to their enemies has proven annoying for the party to be sure.  But it gets worse.  You see she’s taken to making clones of her political enemies within the elvish kingdoms (most people think she’s just a particularly ruthless general, not a vampire) and then having them killed, which puts them at her mercy for brainwashing.

But enough back story.  The party has for varying reasons decided to assault the largest of these clone/brainwashing facilities.  The facility itself is a large underground complex with the sole known entrance being disguised as a human logging camp well within the elvish forests.  So the party assaults the “camp”.  Mapped below:

The camp’s defenses consist of:

10 x undead archers (CR 4), 2 in each tower, the rest along the out walls.

4 x blood zombies (CR 1/2) in the north-most of those four sheds.

1 x zombie beholder (CR 5) in the 2nd north-most shed.

1 x cadaver collector (CR 14) in one of the other sheds.

1 x Skull lord (CR 15) in the main building

1 x Undead warlord (CR 12) in the main building

Now if Kobold fight club is to be believed, I’m at roughly twice the XP budget for a deadly encounter for a group of 8 level 15 players.  But whatever, they’ll be fine.  I’m not sure how, I mean, the skull lord has 7th level spells and an aura that gives undead advantage on saves, as well as legendary actions.  The warlord has legendary actions.  The beholder has it’s eye rays.  And the archers aren’t a huge threat, but I’ve given them a slightly buffed version of the zombie’s undead fortitude feature (If reduced to 0 hp by a non-crit non-radiant damage, they roll a con save against the damage, if successful they are reduced to 1).  And the Cadaver collector is just a beef tank.  The zombies are mostly their for thematic factors.

It was smaller group than I normally have, so our party only consisted of these enterprising fellows:

Liz (Bard/warlock) the idol Morthil (Warlock) the librarian Nico (Fighter) the archer Gnome (Rouge) the arcane trickster and master of horrible puns Grozabi (Fighter) the retired samurai Legion I (Barbarian) the meat shield Anarchy (WarlocK) the pryomaniac Reimu (Monk) who is basically Reimu

So does things go?

Well, the three stealthy characters, Nico, Legion I and Gnomeo take positions in the trees near the south end, Gnomeo in the western tree, Nico and Legion in the east.  Liz takes out her disguise kit and attempts to disguise herself as the vampires most trusted confidant and right hand woman.  and dresses Morthil and Reimu up as her attendants while Grozabi stays behind the treeline with Anarchy trying to convince her to not set everything on fire.

Liz is rather successful.

So disguised, Liz, Morthil and Reimu approach the gate.  The guards stop them, and despite believing that they are who they say they are.  The guards are under orders to attack anyone who does not have the appropriate password, and being undead minions they are literally incapable of not following those orders, no matter how much they would rather not attack the person they believe to be their master’s closest friend.  But then Morthil has a brainwave and suggests that they simply tell the PCs the password so that they can say it back to them, technically letting them follow orders.  Which they do.

Having managed to get passed the guards, Liz, Morthil and Reimu continue on to the main building to see the commander of the defenses (the Skull Lord), and try and trick him into revealing the location of the entrance to the facility proper.  However, just as they’re entering the building Anarchy opens fire on the wooden palisade setting part of it on fire.

Initiative is rolled... I won’t go through a blow by blow, as that would be near as boring to read as it would be to write.  But some highlights:

Gnomeo using silent image to fool the archers into thinking that the fire on the wall is caused by a summoned fire elemental.  This has the added bonus of wasting much of the archer’s attacks shooting at it.

Grozabi defending the very squishy Anarchy from the archers and blood zombies.

Legion tanking two eye rays from the beholder zombie.

Morthil using synaptic static on the archers on the tower, and despite getting caught managing to trick the warlord into thinking the archers had been controlled by command undead type magic.

Nico managing to finish off the archers on the tower before they could ring the bell activating the cadaver collector.

Reimu obliterating the Skull lord in two rounds.

-----------------------

After all was said and done.  The map looked like this:

It was a fun night...

[ms-m-astrologer]

The Sun Part 2 - basic identity and individuality

Today’s topic is the Sun as representative of my basic identity and my individuality.

This isn’t necessarily going to be how you would describe yourself when introduced to someone new. That will be governed more by the Ascendant, with perhaps some MC thrown in. Or is that my own paranoid Scorpio Ascendant talking? If you have a flowing aspect between your Sun and your Ascendant, then you’re much more comfortable exposing yourself. (I have them “biquintile” and am probably not as good as camouflaging myself as I think I am.)

The Sun is more about who you are when you wake up in the morning - and who you are, also, at the end of a long day when your defences are exhausted. It’s your “core self,” your true essence, the inescapable you.

Every sign has dozens of archetypes: the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker, rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief, tinker, tailor, soldier, spy. Steven Forrest has done admirable work in using various “career” type nouns for the different signs. I’m not going to quote them here; his work is widely available. (Though I highly recommend the list in his book Skymates Vol. 1 as especially good, because in it he lists negative archetypes as well as “nice” ones.)

Another really fascinating take is from New Insights in Modern Astrology (originally published as The Jupiter/Saturn Conference Lectures) by astrologers Stephen Arroyo and Liz Greene. Greene’s lecture on “the myth of the individual journey” provides us with the most stunning in-depth understanding of each sign based on common, well-known myths from various cultures. IIRC, the Libra part talks about the judgment of Paris, about choosing pretty style over substance - applying that to Libran Oscar Wilde, well, wow. I’d say he lived that out, all right. (I used to own this book, and I really need to replace it.)

However many useful nouns and myths that published astrologers toss at us, though, we’re ultimately going to have to come up with something ourselves. There is the possibility that few or none of those archetypes seem to work for someone. There is also the possibility that we think about all the hundreds of millions of people who share our Sun sign and scoff, “We can’t all possibly be the same, or limited to just three or four options.” My own (Virgo!) Mom used to complain that, of all the Geminis in the family, none of us were remotely alike.

To effectively demonstrate individuality, this is where we integrate the house position of the Sun, as well as the sign’s ruler, the decanate/dwad, and any conjunctions (within that wide 17 degree orb). I’m going to use four of my family’s Gemini charts - those of my younger sister, my late older sister, my daughter, and myself - all of whom have birthdays during one week’s time.

Astrologers divide signs into thirds, called “decanates.” It might just be easier to list them:

Aries: 0-10, Aries decanate; 10-20, Leo decanate; 20-30, Sagittarius decanate

Taurus: 0-10, Taurus decanate; 10-20, Virgo decanate; 20-30, Capricorn decanate

Gemini: 0-10, Gemini decanate; 10-20, Libra decanate; 20-30, Aquarius decanate

Cancer: 0-10, Cancer decanate; 10-20, Scorpio decanate; 20-30, Pisces decanate

Leo: 0-10, Leo decanate; 10-20, Sagittarius decanate; 20-30, Aries decanate

Virgo: 0-10, Virgo decanate; 10-20, Capricorn decanate; 20-30, Taurus decanate

Libra: 0-10, Libra decanate; 10-20, Aquarius decanate; 20-30, Gemini decanate

Scorpio: 0-10, Scorpio decanate; 10-20, Pisces decanate; 20-30, Cancer decanate

Sagittarius: 0-10, Sagittarius decanate; 10-20, Aries decanate; 20-30, Leo decanate

Capricorn: 0-10, Capricorn decanate; 10-20, Taurus decanate; 20-30, Virgo decanate

Aquarius: 0-10, Aquarius decanate; 10-20, Gemini decanate; 20-30, Libra decanate

Pisces: 0-10, Pisces decanate; 10-20, Cancer decanate; 20-30, Scorpio decanate

In Astrology: A Cosmic Science, Isabel Hickey gives brief delineations of each decanate - although she was writing about Ascendants, they can be applied to any placement, really. My own Sun is in the Aquarius decanate, but my sisters’ and daughter’s Suns are in the Libra decanate. They’re very much more sociable and extroverted than I am.

“Dwads” or “Duads” are further divisions of the 30 degrees each sign possesses. Alan Oken uses a method which divides each sign into nine equal parts. That would give both my sisters an Aquarius dwad, my daughter Pisces, and myself Aries. (And I had to do way too much mental math to figure that out.) Most systems divide each sign into 12 parts. (LINK HERE to find yours.) This method gives each of us a different dwad - younger sister, Scorpio; older sister, Sagittarius; daughter, Capricorn; Ms M, Aquarius. Very descriptive, trust me, and differentiates between us very succinctly. Try it!

Another easy way to distinguish between natives who share a Sun sign, is to look at the Sun sign’s ruler. (In the cases of Scorpio, Aquarius, and Pisces, we’d look at the ancient rulers, or blend them with the modern ones. For example, Pluto can spend up to 22 years in one sign; Mars is going to have a much more obvious impact on an individual Scorpio.) For our four Geminis, the Mercury positions are:

Older sis, Ms M: Gemini

Younger sis, daughter: Cancer

Older sis and I were/are the acknowledged family “brains” (despite all of us being intelligent). We make more of an effort to keep up with our far-flung siblings. The two Cancer Merc Geminis are less confident about their smarts and complained about how much studying they had to do and how much they hated it. Also, both are very close to their Moms. (IMO they whine a lot, too, but that may be the exasperated Mom/Big Sis talking.)

House position is another obvious difference:

Older sis, Ms M, 8th

Younger sis, 5th

Daughter, 2nd

The four of us may be yakkety butterflies, but we’re channeling that into different areas of life! By using the sign associated with each house, we can further differentiate: a touch of Scorpio for my older sis and myself; a touch of Leo for my younger sis; a touch of Taurus for my daughter.

Finally, the conjunctions to each of our Suns:

Older sis: Mercury Rx, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, both BMLs

Ms M: Mercury, Vesta, Vertex

Younger sis: Venus

Daughter: no conjunctions

Seems to me like we have a complicated Gemini, a scholarly Gemini, a partying Gemini, and an unaffected Gemini here.

Incidentally, did you know that there are three types of solar conjunctions? This is where that wide 17-degree orb comes in to play. Anything between 8-17 degrees away from the Sun is said to be “under the beams” and is supposed to be mildly debilitated; anything 8 degrees or closer to the Sun is called “cazimi” and is more debilitated; anything within 17 minutes of the Sun is called “combust,” completely absorbed by the Sun’s rays. Only the “combust” conjunction is said to be beneficial, but David Coleman points out (LINK HERE),

This seems rather unfair since it means that there are no strong solar conjunctions except those which are almost exact, until you realise that the mainstream writings on astrology have a political philosophy which evaluates strength and power purely in material terms. A ‘good’ chart is one that makes us rich easily, ensures our perpetual emotional bliss and provides us with all that we want. The view is materialistic. But with the conjunctions to the Sun, the attachment to materialisation itself is dissolving.

In other words, the planets conjunct the Sun are undergoing purification (via “the refiner’s fire” of the Book of Malachi). I’m personally fine with that.

Of course the four of us have different aspects to our Suns - each of us, for example, has something different and unique going on with Uranus - but we don’t (by this point) really need to go into that kind of minutiae, to distinguish between us. If you’ve done the work, by this point you have a strong (if perhaps still rather basic) idea of your own “basic identity and individuality.” This will make it easy to consider what is next up: how the Sun represents “my psychological and spiritual center; my source.” 

Thank you for reading! Please contact me with any questions or comments.

[bluerosesburnblue]

Liz Liveblogs Bravely Second: Chapter 4

Seems like I was right. Time for a short one with Chapter 4: He Who Would Change the World. Two liveblogs in one day? Pretty good, considering the extreme gap between past ones

Why on earth did we take Lotus and Sakura with us to dock on the Skyhold? Lotus has a son! Sakura is really just our kindly bath mom! They shouldn’t be coming with us to the gate between dimensions!

They’re not coming into Skyhold with us, but the Rubadub’s still attached! If the Skyhold goes down, you two do, too! I don’t want to risk the lives of our boat mom and airship dad!

Skyhold has an actual name, Diamante. And it’s gorgeous. Like a palace of blue diamonds

Kaiser, Anne, and Janne are already aware we’re here. Subtle, this party ain’t

“I really want to see my dead - No... I really want to see my living parents.” Janne, hey, maybe instead of changing the past you could... get therapy? How far back are you guys gonna go to change things? One change effects many things. Is the Kaiser’s change gonna eradicate Janne’s family, thus invalidating Janne’s whole quest? Does anyone know how causality works in this empire?

Kaiser, at the very least, seems willing to save Janne’s parents should Janne be unable to

My guide says there’s a summon this chapter and it ain’t on the Skyhold, so we’re just gonna jump off the side and spit in the face of Gho Gettar’s dreams by snagging Amaterasu. Worst. Timeline. WORST! TIMELINE!

I have no idea how anyone is intended to find this spot in the far northeast of Eternia, and then also figure out that the cutscene only triggers if you slam your face into a very specific cliff

This poor Anchorite really got the short end of the stick. The other guys get to hang out in buildings, but they stuck this guy on a remote island in a freezing blizzard. The order he belongs to must really hate him

Oh I just realized I have Tiz as an Exorcist. This battle against a healer is gonna go GREAT now that I can just... undo those

Oh yeah, Exorcist was the real MVP job of that fight

My party is gonna waltz onto the deck of the Skyhold covered in blood and wielding the goddess of light and no one can stop us

We’ve found Agnès’s cell, but she doesn’t seem to be in it

BUT MAGNOLIA’S POSSESSED. Of all people, why did it have to be the one who can summon?

She’s acting like a bratty five-year-old. Is there a child ghost here? I’ve watched a lot of ghost hunting shows, can I appease you with a toy or something?

“I’ll make you pay for what you did to my daddy!” Well, the only dad Edea’s murdered this game is Geist, so I guess you’re Rev, then

If we killed him, then he should also be a ghost and therefore able to see his ghost child, though, right? Like, just pass on kiddo. Your dad’s waiting

Yeah, Revenant Grace. Fittingly, both father and son are named after types of Ghosts/Undead. Which begs the question of what Geist’s parents were thinking when they named him, and why he felt the need to give his son a name with heavy “return from the dead” connotations

I don’t think the Princess Bride reference was really necessary. “My name is Revenant Grace. You killed my daddy. Prepare to die!” just... doesn’t have the same kick to it

Okay, Rev’s possessed armor is really cool. And apparently, he died and Geist pulled a Fullmetal Alchemist and bound his soul to the armor. So there’s that

Edea’s trying to tell Rev that Geist was going to kill a kid just like him... but Rev’s, like, five, he’s not listening. He’s literally yelling “LA LA LA NO HE DIDN’T”

Geist went away on a trip, and some monster lurked on the boat that came back, where Rev was waiting. It killed him

I’m so glad I read about the trick to this fight, because it’s almost poetic. You set someone to Geist’s Exorcist asterisk. Let Rev posses one of his teammates, which sets his own HP to zero. Then it’s just a matter of attacking that teammate to kick Rev out of possessing them and back into his own body, then Undo HP to the last turn, where Rev’s body had 0 HP, thus killing him instantly using his father’s abilities

Also, we Exorcised a ghost. That’s neat, too

Rev’s monologue says that Geist was happier after he was revived and then he mimicked Geist’s psychotic laughter. I think the poor kid misread the situation. Geist broke when he lost his son, and if his last words were any indication, he regretted bringing Rev back

Edea just passed on those words. Rev’s grateful. He’s not a bad kid, just scared and stuck in a bad situation

Time to pass on and see your daddy, kiddo. He’s waiting

Yew’s entry in the journal states that the last name, Grace, is given to Orthodoxy saints and others who did extraordinary service to them. So Geist was either a holy man, or the descendant of one

And since it seems everyone in the Kaiser’s inner circle wants to “undo” something, I believe that Geist must have joined up to undo either binding Rev’s soul, or Rev’s death entirely

Agnès wasn’t there, so on to the next location

I’m almost baffled by how few named characters have died in this game so far, considering last game killed A LOT of people, to make the “redo” aspect feel fulfilling, and then pull the wind out of your sails when you realize that you didn’t redo anything. They stayed dead. (And then this game undid all those deaths because they were beloved characters who got a lot of development postmortem)

For FUCK’S sake, Janne, get lost! And especially don’t attack me mid-dungeon!

Janne “I Refuse to Die Until Yew Geneolgia, Specifically, Kills Me” Angard, is back for YET ANOTHER round

Oh god he’s Kylo Ren. “I was on this big revenge kick, so I befriended you to kill you! But then I liked you and that made me mad so now I’m going to kill you because I’m a child who can’t figure out my emotions!”

I’m... not that big a fan of Janne. He just comes off as a bratty teenager that they keep trying to make sympathetic, but he never stops being an ass about literally everything

“You were a true friend.” Yew, he really, REALLY was not

Rev works for me, because even though he acts like a brat, he’s acting as a reaction to his father’s death. Once you calm him down, the kid’s perfectly civil, and even thanks the party for passing along his dad’s last words. And that’s some stunning maturity for a kid

Janne, on the other hand, is older and should know better. But instead he lashes out, constantly brags that he’s the best, and even in the last fight he’s being petty. He thinks he can get away with betraying his friends, but as long as he tell them “Hey, good shot” as he’s dying, then he’s absolved. Janne has done a lot of REALLY AWFUL things. He has no intention of atoning because he can’t see past himself and what he wants out of this: his parents back. Rev’s a brat because he doesn’t know better. Janne’s a brat because he’s conceited and wants to delude himself into being superior

I’m gonna rip the Kaiser’s sword right out of his dumb metal hand

Yew is legitimately anticipating death. And blames himself for not stopping the Kaiser when he came to kidnap Agnès. That’s Yew’s undo moment. And I know for a fact we’re gonna make. That. Happen.

Edea’s pep talk about trying again and succeeding now that you’re stronger and wiser is something I think a lot of people need to hear. If you mess up, you shape up and do better

Wait, “Bravely Second” is an in-game term for something other than the hourglass? It’s moon for “the courage to try again.”

So the title of the game is, more accurately “The Courage to Try Again: A World With No Future”

Ooop. Just kinda slid into the Holy Pillar there. Okay

Kaiser’s robo-arm must be pretty tough if he can carry Agnès with it like that

I can’t believe I get to watch Leonardo the Ninja Turtle kick the ass of Leonardo the Ninja Turtle

Dude, stop saying the word “deny.” It’s gotten to be at least once a scene, we know. You deny, you deny, you deny, maybe accept that I’m gonna kick your ass?

Where the hell do you get the idea that only those who know sin can change the world, so you became a literal evil emperor to become a big enough asshole to fix time. Where... the hell do you get that idea? Was it Anne?

Wow. We just LET him do that. Nobody made a move while he went back in time with Agnès

...did Anne just imply that we sent the moon to another dimension?

Oh, no. She just sent the moon to another dimension. And Magnolia’s trying to call her people, but the moon just ain’t there

And here’s the scene I know about. The big reveal that, yes, Anne is Airy’s sister, she knows about you, the player, and now she’s gonna repeat her scene from the start of Default just to make sure you know that you. Messed. Up. You helped her stop Airy, and now she was able to do this. Aren’t you proud, player? You’ve done everything she asked

This boss music is amazing. A combo of Spanish guitar and Wailing guitar? Hell yes

And the butterfly battle background is gorgeous, even if it’s greyscale thanks to the moon’s disappearance

Well, shit. Anne’s hard. Attack one of her fake copies and she’ll basically insta-kill you. Group attacks are not recommended. They’re what keeps killing me

Not bad once you start playing more defensively. Resurrection Mist was a pretty decent idea for that fight with the way Anne can one-shot part members, but Magnolia’s Promethian Fire Arrow was the real damage MVP

Time to escape to the flying bath boat

I just glanced at the bestiary and Anne doesn’t have an entry. Also, it looks like all entries are locked, because the completion markers are faded. I think we’ve hit the end layer

Oh that’s nuts. It looks like time is frozen. All of the flames around the Skyhold stopped moving

“I know the feeling of losing your home” Actually, that raises a good point, Tiz. Are we ever gonna stop by Caldisla or is that just not relevant, since there’s no crystals there

A world without time. A world that both has no end and is the end. The final layer of all reality. The end layer

The Moon “created night from day.” As in, the Moon controlled time, much as the Crystals controlled the elements. Without it, there’s nothing left flowing or moving

This isn’t the first game with a Frozen Future apocalypse that I’ve played. Let’s see how this one stacks up against Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers. A leaf gecko hasn’t come to kick our asses, so it can’t be that bad yet

Ohhhhh shit I just got chills. Tiz said that we never got to fight the Kaiser once, and Yew realized something. He turned to the camera and said “If you’re out there, watching over us... hear my plea.” Yeah, buddy, I can hear you. “Not once?” I remember one time we got him on the battle screen. Just once

(I used up all my SP in the Anne fight, I hope that won’t be a problem)

Tutorial says that Altair has disappeared, so we can’t add entries to the bestiary. Is... the party not capable of writing without Ghost Dad? Did he steal our literacy or something?

It recommended talking to people, but also New Game+. Let’s see this timeless world, then make sure it never happens again 

Not much different in Ancheim. Some worried citizens, a child who’s excited that they can play forever because it’s always day, a mom who wonders if she has to cook dinner now, and a man who’s acting like there’s always been no movement to the clock or sails

Al-Khampis seems to be a mix of panic and contemplating the scientific repercussions of this new world-state. One interesting tidbit is that one scientist detected an anomaly traveling through time, but not to the past. If it WAS the Kaiser, then he went 200 years into the future, instead. Rifa gave us similar dialogue to end layer guy in Sagitta, and then a message appeared saying I unlocked New Game+, so maybe it doesn’t unlock unless you talk to people

Florem is... Florem. Girls wondering if this means there’s not gonna be another festival, but at least the flowers don’t wilt. I can’t help but notice “Alternis” isn’t here anymore. The real interesting thing is Sylvie and the Matriarch

Sylvie: “...Miss Edea. ...So many tears, so many cries you will come to know from now on. So much evil... So much blood... But even so... Even so, that great ship will take to the sky once more...! To the world, bound in the sky, where Lady Agnès is held...!” I suspect we’re going to have to hunt down the Kaiser using the Buster Ship

Matriarch: “Sylvie would like me to tell you this... ...Edea Lee. ...A time is coming for you to come to a decision, no matter how difficult it may seem. You must tell your friends, then you must lie to the people, deceive the world, make yourself out as a tyrant in word and deed... Let yourself be attacked and blamed. Go after the friends you have lost. Take that glimmering ship to the sky once more! And that world, bound in the sky... Well, I’m afraid that this old lady has no idea about that.” Is this what the Kaiser was told? The sin he mentioned? To change the world, operate the shining Skyhold, he had to become the tyrant. And now it seems Edea will have to make the same decision

Though given her decision making track record in the sidequests... boy, she may already be a tyrant. We’re gonna fix that this time. Speaking of, there’s some people from the sidequests who reference a few of them hanging around, though I can’t say any of them won with a frozen future

Every person in Sagitta is just stuck repeating “Bravely Second... The courage to try again...” over and over, except for the guy who first introduces you to the end layer, who notes that this must be it, and the elder, who unlocks New Game+ just like Rifa did when I spoke to her

Gathelatio’s full of people screaming about the end times and divine retribution, and kids who hear all of this going “Are we gonna die?” And ominous cats

That... one Crystalguard guy whose name I can’t remember screams at us for not stopping the Kaiser, then apologizes and unlock New Game+. Hey, jackass. Do you want to go into the pillar of light and get one-shot by a fairy? No? Back off. I’m gonna fix it once I hit up the last few towns

Eternia has... a goat. Has that goat always been there? Well he didn’t break the moon. Just eats paper. Mm-hmm. And more worried citizens, a doomsayer, and one brilliant mind who wants to solve the moon problem using the white magic cables

I guess those taxes don’t matter now, do they, Grandship? Otherwise, not much here. An old lady who doesn’t care because she’ll die soon anyway, a guy who’s getting drunk for the apocalypse, and a kid who’s wondering where Alternis went

Yunohana’s pretty basic. Ominas is there trying to get Bahamut to fight off a Ba’al, but the little guy doesn’t look so good. The Lord of Bath tells us we have enough to uncover our feelings and unlocks New Game+ yet again

Maybe picking Ominas for the bad future was a good idea. Femto Flare could deal with the Ba’al outbreak that everyone’s talking about but I have yet to see

Visited the girl and her grandpa from the Eisen quest. Holly’s there trying to protect them, but she’s not enough and can’t find Barras (oops?) and the grandpa wishes he’d just sold the house so his granddaughter could’ve had a little luxury before the world ended

Goodman and his crew are holding down Eisen Bridge, but his soldiers back in Hartschild aren’t so confident. The people just want him home

I also checked on Sakura and Lotus. Sakura just warns us not to stay in the bath for too long now that there’s no time to keep track of, and Lotus is concerned at the appearance of Ba’al. Everyone keeps mentioning Ba’als, and I’m scared to turn encounters back on just in case they may be roaming

I also don’t think I ever mentioned it, but since the start of the game there’s been one person in each town who sings a different verse of the Tale of Sétana. They have to be important, but I suspect it’s relevant to the Yōkai quest, since it’s the only non-cameo-fight quest I’m aware of

*Edit after the Fact* I’m an idiot who can’t read. It’s Sétanta, as in the original name of the Irish mythological figure, Cú Chulainn. As in, the guy from the Prologue. The songs are his backstory. Setana is an area in Hokkaido, Japan. I knew that, I just can’t read, I guess. Wouldn’t be the first time I did something like this (like misreading the Harry Potter spell “Rictusempra” as “Rictumsempra” until I heard it said aloud while watching someone’s playthrough of the Order of the Phoenix game)

YEAH I TURNED ENCOUNTERS BACK ON AND THERE’S JUST BA’AL WANDERING AROUND AS RANDOM ENEMIES. Heyyyy, Urchin! Been... been a while?

Okay, the “next plot event” marker was on the “To Title” entry on the menu so I’m just gonna... gonna return to the menu. No point fighting Urchin if Altair won’t write a bestiary entry on it

Welcome to Bravely Second: Send Player. No more of this “End Layer” nonsense. I’m here, and I’m gonna help these kids take back their future

Back to the beginning. The fight where nothing seemed to work, but this time, I can help. Let’s get the team back together and RIP. THAT. SWORD. OUT. OF. HIS. DUMB. METAL. HAND!

Well, future Yew just kinda possessed his own body, and a good thing, too, because I don’t think past Yew even knew why he used the Bravely Second in the first place

“You, who would deny the past and present have no right to shape the future.” HE SURE DOESN’T, KIDDO. RIP HIM APART

“The future will be forged by those who accept the world they live in, and still fight for change!” I love Yew, and I’m so glad that I’m his extradimensional patron, in a meta sense

The chapter has ended. No cryptic monologues, no “Great Distance”. Just us, the Kaiser, and our Coup de Gravy!

[thesportssoundoff]

Among the excitement of UFC 224, one problem lingers far above the noise

Joey

May 14th

To read a different point of view on what I'm about to spend way too much time angrily punching keys over; check out the Anticool's attempts to try and fix the 135 lb division: http://theanticool.tumblr.com/post/172326343465 It's a pretty comprehensive guide of what he would do.

Amid the bluster and drama of a fight card with 11 finishes and a gaggle of insane moments, three of the plagues of the UFC (and by extension MMA) popped up their ugly heads. This is a sport where there is no good without double the bad and as such, even after an event that was thoroughly amusing, we've gotta point out some bad. I originally intended to write about bad weight cuts and bad cornerwork but here's the deal; I've given up. Fighters are going to continue to abuse their bodies before they get to the point to get paid to abuse their bodies. California tried and it didn't work, ONE FC wanted to try and I'm not sure that's worked either. Mackenzie Dern walked into Brazil weighing 140 lbs for a fight at 115 lbs where she'd need to weigh in on Friday. From Tuesday to Friday she was going to make a conscious effort to drop 25 lbs. The scary part is that I'm sure for some fighters that's not only doable but their usual methodology of cutting weight. This isn't going to change and fighters will continue to do whatever it is they do to make insane weight cuts. I've done a complete 180 on Rocky Pennington's corner. Fighters want it that way and so ya know what? Fine. Go ahead. Go on with your bad selves! Almost every fighter I've seen is in support of what Pennington's corner did so this is a rather bad cultural philosophy in MMA that's not going anywhere until something bad happens. I'm going to stop giving myself grays about all this. Let's talk about another problem, something that HAS to be fixed and fixed in short order:

The collapse of women's bantamweight

Rocky Pennington has been in the UFC since November of 2013. That's quite a good long minute. She's had 9 fights and gone 6-3 in the organization which is absolutely a substantial and reputable number. She earned her shot vs Amanda Nunes with a four fight winning streak. All of these are to set the stage for the next part of this little study:

How many people has she beaten who are still in the UFC? 4 depending on whether Bethe Correia is still in the UFC.

4 out of your 6 wins is a stupendous number! It's a credible number of wins for a title challenger. Let's get a bit more....specific.

How many people did she beat who are still at bantamweight?

1. Roxanne and Ashlee Evans Smith now ply their craft at flyweight, Jessica Andrade is now a strawweight. She has Bethe Correia.

Rocky's last two wins? One has retired (Miesha Tate) and the other got released (Elizabeth Phillips) so you have to go back to April of 2016 to find a credible 135er she beat and even SO she won a split decision vs Bethe Correia.

All of this isn't to bash Rocky Pennington but to prove a point about how the bantamweight division has been basically capsized. The women's bantamweight division is in such a broken state that the best option for Amanda Nunes was to trot out a fighter on a near two year layoff coming off a broken leg who has one credible ACTIVE bantamweight win under her ledger. A fighter who had last fought a retiree, a released fighter and quite possibly another fighter who should be released if wins and losses were all we care about.  The other options could've been a Marion Reneau (who at the time had just one fighter who remained in the UFC on her win ledger and zero at bantamweight), Germaine De Randamie (who has pulled out of two fights in a row and is playing her craft at bantamweight) or Ketlein Veiera in a really bad match up for all. Rocky Pennington as a title challenger under these circumstances is the equivalent of when the UFC turned to Chris Cariaso as a title challenger for Mighty Mouse. You've exhausted your options and you just need SOMEBODY to do SOMETHING.

This is the state of 135 lbs, a state that's beginning to look an awful lot like the drained and picked over remains of 205 lbs. It's not entirely a lack of quality either but a lack of numbers overall and a lack of believable challengers who could justifiably generate some excitement. Marion Reneau could earn a title shot with a win over Cat Zingano----who is on a three fight losing streak with yet another long layoff thrown into that mix. So you have 1) Women not fighting enough and taking long breaks, 2) women retiring out of the blue (Miesha and Ronda are gone with GDR and Holm likely behind them sooner rather than later) and 3) the influx of new weight classes draining the already thinning talent pool.

Want a fun reference point? Here's the 135 lb rankings on June of 2016:

Champion: Miesha Tate (Retired) 1 Holly Holm  (Retiring soon/145 lbs) 2 Ronda Rousey (Retired) 3 Cat Zingano (Three fight losing streak, took a year off) 4 Amanda Nunes (The champ) 5 Julianna Pena (last fought Jan of 2017) 6 Sara McMann (a very active fighter who could be categorized as a bust) 7 Valentina Shevchenko (Flyweight) 8 Liz Carmouche (Flyweight) 9 Raquel Pennington (Doing well) 10 Jessica Eye (Flyweight)

Imagine taking any division and then removing the top 4 fighters in it. Then imagine the bottom half of its "elite" decided to all change weight classes at once. Then have the other half of the division seemingly all deciding to either go up OR down in weight.

But wait! There’s more! Click inside (and no $4.99 extra cost mind you) and continue a long descent into madness about WMMA:

 Here's Jan of 2017 a week before Pena and Val Shevchenko faced off:

WOMEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT Champion: Amanda Nunes (champ champ) 1 Valentina Shevchenko (125 lb champ in waiting) 2 Julianna Pena (inactive since Jan 2017) 3 Holly Holm (145 lbs/retiring?) 4 Ronda Rousey (Retired) 5 Raquel Pennington (Still chillin', out for over a year) 6 Cat Zingano (0-3, took a year off) 7 Sara McMann (0-2 slumping) 8 Liz Carmouche (Flyweight) 9 Bethe Correia (I mean....) 10 Germaine de Randamie (145 lbs/retired?) 11 Alexis Davis +1 (Flyweight) 12 Ashlee Evans-Smith -1 (Flyweight) 13 Marion Reneau (Aye) 14 Jessica Eye (Flyweight) 15 Leslie Smith *NR (Released)

So right off the jump you can see the reversal of fortune for 135 lbs just by the quick difference of a short by MMA time period five months. Then when 125 lbs rolls around, the division is further   drained. Not even lightweight aka the world's greatest weight class according to many could survive half of the top 6 fighters either disappearing, moving out or retiring. Imagine 155 lbs without some combination of three of Poirier, Alvarez, Khabib, Tony and Conor. It's just too much water to take on before things sink.

It's made worse by the fact that this entire operation was reliant on three megastars. As I spoke about in 2012 when they first trumpeted out Ronda and as AntiCool has written about previously, this division's reliance on Ronda was always going to be a life or death decision. Long before Ronda Rousey was selling bonkers PPV numbers, I said the division will not survive on her but the strength of the people to come after her. To its credit, the likes of Holm and Tate were able to come along and really keep the ship upright after Ronda's loss. Holm's out of town and Miesha's retired with her money----so what we're left with is Amanda Nunes and a cast of characters who 1) either have all lost to someone else in the division or b) are so nondescript as people and fighters that it's hard to get excited about them. As I asked on the DTP, would you pay money to see Amanda Nunes fight ANYBODY but Cris Cyborg? Would you pay $60 to see her headline a card vs, say, Marion Reneau? Ketlen Viera? How about Julianna Pena? After watching two back to back dull fights, who could you possibly roll out there to get fans excited about wanting to pay 60 bucks in a crowded and dead PPV economy?

Part of this falls on the UFC for sure. Their inability to develop and cultivate talent over the long term shows up here. They had a golden goose and did what every promotion does; ride it until the wheels fall off and then try to regroup afterwards. They got three 1 mil+ PPVs out of Ronda Rousey and plenty that scratched the surface of the number. I can't fault them for understanding who the draw is but I can fault them for not preparing. Then again, I'd argue that the complete evaporation of the division is something they probably didn't expect to happen nor something you can plan for. You can't plan on Miesha Tate deciding she had lost her fire in the same year Ronda lost hers for MMA. You also can't plan for Cat Zingano to disappear for a year and then disappear again for another year. You can't account for GDR's hand injury (I suppose) or for Julianna Pena getting pregnant. In some ways this is blatantly their fault and in another ways, as is so often in the MMA world, ya gotta just go "well shit happens." I'd fault them more for not being reactive enough afterwards than for not being proactive at this point.

Then there's just the fact that the division itself doesn't seem to be all that hot in any organization. It's easy to find flyweights especially overseas. That's not the same with female 135ers or 145ers.  Invicta, the presumed top feeder league for the UFC, has Sara Kaufman as its champion. We've been there and done that, right? Before that it was Tonya Evinger who didn't even make it on TUF. We can say both are good fighters and be 100% accurate. Evinger is 36, Kaufman is 32. The UFC has tried on two different occasions to find new 135ers for a TUF and both instances the bodies weren't there. The one time they did do TUF for 135ers? Of the eight women who made the show? Two remain active in the UFC (Rocky and Sarah Moras) while a third seems to have no interest in fighting currently (Julianna Pena).  The rest are either out of the org or out of the weight class entirely. If you extend it to the 16 women who FOUGHT to get on the show then that produced a scary low 25% of bantamweights with Moras, Rocky, Pena and Gina Mazany (Evinger is a 135lber but to this point she's only fought at 145 lbs in the org). A 25% hit rate on TUF is great if you're talking lightweight or welterweight. At a brand new weight class that is SCARY low and SCARY bad.  Given how hot the Ronda division was, the fact no other top org could start some kind of a 135 lb weight class is pretty scary. The Ronda MMA returns aren't there yet so we'll see what happens in a few years from now. The hope is that Ronda Rousey will have planted a love for MMA in the hearts and minds of female athletes but.....I mean we have nothing yet to really substantiate that. Taking it one step further; even if she did, what's to say they'll all be bantamweights anyways?

And lastly there's the simple fact that the depth of a division is almost 150% reliant on who the champion is. The division was pretty thin when Ronda was champion but Ronda was Ronda and she sold like Ronda sold. She basically at one point talked Jessica Eye up into being somebody people almost half assed wanted to see her fight. Bethe Correia owes 75% (AT LEAST) of her success to Ronda Rousey hyping her up as the only undefeated opponent she had ever faced plus Bethe doing her own thing with the trash talk. Ronda got people into a third Miesha fight on the premise of "I've never fought somebody three times!" A champion in many ways is as responsible for their challengers as anybody else is----and that brings us to Amanda Nunes. We can argue that the UFC could do more. I'd argue they've tried. I've argued Amanda Nunes dug herself a hole she couldn't get out of when she spent the first few weeks post UFC 207 blasting Ronda Rousey to her fans. I'd argue the hole got even deeper when she pulled out of the International Fight Week main event the day OF the show and I'd argue that she's officially come the other side of the Earth after the second Shevchenko fight at this point. The fact that the building sounded half empty when she was fighting Pennington and looked empty when she started to give her post fight speech is a scary piece of business. That's Mighty Mouse levels of panic.

The problem now is that while the UFC is normally loud enough to cover this up, Amanda Nunes is the victim of three important truths about combat sports.  One; it's not the fighter's ability that draws an audience. Two; no matter what you're told, not everybody gets to be a star. Some fighters are destined to be the best friend in the movie. Three; marketing dollars wasted on non-stars are wasted dollars because you either got it or you don't. The UFC has a champion it doesn't care, a champion it can't promote and a champion the public doesn't want ALL in a division where there is no immediate rival to spur the interest of the public. There's no Ngannou or Conor McGregor to sell her against----and even if there was? There's no middle ground to safely build that fighter up. If some new exciting brash young 135er walked through the door, how long before by virtue of just a lack of depth that fighter is fighting somebody she probably isn't anyway near ready for? What's more, how can you expect the division to advance if none of the middle of the pack fighters are fighting?

The 145 lb division has a champion who is a modicum of a draw in this PPV market. 115 lbs will never be a top level drawing belt but it's got depth, some fighters who people want to see and it's got a role as the co-main event/third title draw for "big" shows. 125 lbs will probably be used as an ESPN+ bonus of sorts while Valentina Shevchenko as champion could probably headline in Peru or Russia. The women's bantamweight division is without a draw, without depth, without youth and without real options to solve the problem. You can try to influx a bunch of new athletes into the sport (an idea I'd try) but without a real middle ground, they'll just be fighting each other or a bunch of fighters they're clearly not going to be ready for. You can try to sign each and every single regional fighter under the sun but there's an old pro wrestling theory that bringing in too much new talent at once just dilutes the talent. Besides if most of the new talent are fighters you've already whisked away (Larissa Pacheco, Kelly Faszholz, Sara Kaufman for instance) then I guess it defeats the purpose of the whole damn thing. In a division where there's a sector of your audience that hates them on principle, it's going to be somewhat transparent if you're trying to convince them that some of these fighters are not just here to fill a spot on the show.

Cris Cyborg will not be a UFC problem for much longer. 145 lbs will be out of here quicker than we realize in all likelihood. 135 lbs is here to stay and it's turning into a problem that's no longer avoidable.

[crona-is-ready-to-deal-with-blog]

Soul Eater vol.0 chapter 1.3

Death the Kid

Summary: A youthful death god obsessed with perfection and his two partners who can together turn into a pair of twin demon pistols, head to the golden sands of Egypt to deal with a witch converting lost souls into mummies; Does a protector of death have the right to have faults?

In the deepest shade of night, Death the Kid, the son of Death himself, has the phantom thief Lupin in his sight, gunning him down via his Weapon partners, the Thompson sisters. The three prepare to take his tainted soul, but Kid is distracted by his group's pose, Patty standing off center. As the boy rants about his weapons' stance, Lupin escapes, Kid not paying attention to this fact.

Kid continues to lecture the Thompsons about the ever beautiful concept of Symmetry, specifically bilateral. He explains that he chose the Thompsons as partners because together they transform into twin demon pistols, for for each hand, to allow Kid to remain symmetrically armed. But in human form, the sisters are not quite symmetrical, not only in Patty's failure to stay centered but in height, age, and, as he proceeds to grope the girls, breast size.

Liz swings at Kid, only for the young reaper to dodge. Liz identifies how despite his desire for symmetry Kid himself has three white stripes on the left side his hair. Shocked at this attack, Kid collapses into sadness, denouncing own worth. Resigned, Liz and Patty comfort Kid enough so he may call his father to report their status.

Kid uses a spell to show a projection of his father, who compliments the stripes at his hair. As Kid finds this remark bothersome, Shinigami changes topics to ask how Kid's soul collection has progressed. Shinigami also reminds Kid that, as a Reaper, he does not have to turn his weapons into Death Scythes, let alone collect souls. Kid, however, wants to make his own weapons with his own two hands. Resigned, Shinigami informs Kid that, with two weapons, he will be required to collect twice as many souls. As Kid desires to accomplish this 200-soul task in one go, he requests a new mission from Shinigami. Kid's father gives the son the skinny on an occurrence in Egypt about a necromancer witch, Samantha, inside the Pyramid Anubis. The witch transforms wandering souls into hostile mummies. Kid seizes the opportunity, bidding adieu to his father to travel by flying skateboard to Egypt.

After landing by way of magical skateboarding, Kid and the girls enter the pyramid. While Kid is impressed with the pyramid's symmetry, Liz is afraid of such dark, spooky places, while Patty is in a state of charming bewilderment.

Liz notices that Kid is quiet and starts to sweat, this is over the thought of the painting inside his home, Gallows Manor not being symmetrical and wanting to go back to check but, Liz grabs his shoulder in a flustered rage and tells him not to be so uptight as well as telling him that they'll check when everythings done as she drags him along. The group runs right into the mummies that at first appear cut and innocent, but quickly change into the evil monstrosities they are and at the same time, Liz asks Kid if his ready to fight however, only a neatly written note left by Kid himself is there. The letter explains where he is and to be careful to watch Liz and Patty's step in the pyramid. After the surprise of their meister not being present, Liz and Patty work off each other acting as meister to the other one while elsewhere, the Necromancer witch herself, Samantha attempts to summon the Pharaoh from his ancient slumber. Samatha succeeds in her goal but is eaten by the Pharaoh's sarcophagus as the eye of it cries bloody tears, claiming her for her misdeeds against the Pharaoh's people.

Kid has made sure everything at his home is in place, now ready to return to Egypt on his trusty flying skateboard.

Still within the walls of the pyramid, Liz and Patty hear disturbing noises coming from the building's center.

Patty provokes the cause of the noise causing Liz to almost cry with fear, the two stumble upon the sarcophagus and Samantha's disembodied hand again causing Liz to freak out and therefore is captured by the Pharaoh.

Death the Kid returns to the pyramid and on the inside finds a seemingly symmetrical orb-shaped creature of which he worships for a second until he discovers that the creature has four eyelashes on it's left eye and three on the right, prompting Kid to kick it sky high, killing it as a result. He ventures deeper in the pyramid to find the Thompsons "tied up" in a very suggestive fashion and attempts to exit the room, Liz yells for his attention as the Pharaoh begins to strike.

Kid asks what is occurring and requests that the girls changed into Weapon form, but they are unable to do so so long as the Wrappings of the Pharaoh are touching them. Kid uses his Tornado Flip to cut the wrappings and the girls turning the Demon Pistols as Kid readies a stance. He takes a blow to the face after discovering something unusual about what's in front of him.

The Pharaoh's sarcophagus is perfectly symmetrical, rendering Kid in a state of hopeless awe, taking a beating from the evil spirit. Liz is unaware of the situation and comments this isn't like him, Kid then admits this fact loudly and prepares to die. After getting cruelly beaten, the Pharaoh plans to finish the job by stepping out of the Sarcophagus to deliver the coup de grâce. Battered, Kid instantously awakens to see the mix-matched appearance of the Pharaoh's true form, Death the Kid comes to an insatiable anger, taking pot shots at the spirit until he really gets fired up and begins out right gunning him down.The three retrive his soul and exit the pyramid. Before biding adieu to Anubis, the structure falls to pieces and Kid denounces his self-worth again, The girls cheer up to a point where he's up in the air complaining their breasts are still different.

As punishment for the destruction of Anubis, Shinigami takes away Kid's collected souls causing him to freak out one last time.

Mun’s Reactions

Yup, that’s pretty much what the majority of the fandom says

Has Lupin never seen a Weapon before? Get with the times man!

Soooooooo.....why did Kid ever think this was okay? I mean, this is practically OOC of Kid. Sure he can come off as selfish with his obsession with symmetry, but this? I mean, look at this! He’s even more socially awkward than Crona in this regard!

Hegypt? Do they have fictional places based on real worlds in this universe?

Being a Weapon too long makes Liz stiff? Huh. You never really think of transforming into object form is uncomfortable for those guys or not...

And as much as long as I’ve been in the Soul Eater fandom by this point, I never once considered the dynamic that the Thompson sisters were ‘street rats’ if you will, and Kid is a sort of prince.

......

....WHERE’S MY ALADDIN PARODY FANFIC?!

I’ve heard many make the argument that Kid’s OCD is actually supposed to be taken seriously and that the anime plays it off for laughs. Hm...I guess I can see it that way, but when Liz reacts in such a comedic fashion, it becomes more difficult to see it in a serious light....

“Cootie Shot”? And I’m suddenly reminded how old this manga is....

Ok, anime or manga, this was a prick move on Kid’s half. 

On the other hand, this brings up something I never thought of before: Weapons can also be Meisters. Or are they just being clever because they’re both Weapons as well as family? Hmm...

Sooooo.....what is that thing?

WOAH WOAH WOAH! OK! THIS IS WAY MORE INTENSE FANSERVICE THAN IT WAS IN THE ANIME!! THIS IS BORDERLINE RAPE!! NOT COOL OHKUBO!! HOW DID YOU MANAGE TO OUTDO AT LEAST HALF OF FAIRY TAIL FANSERVICE WITH JUST ONE PANEL!??

Just like Tsubaki, Liz has a much more revealing outfit in the manga than she does the anime

Final Thoughts

<Once again, this chapter is pretty much the same as the anime episode except without a few censorship here and there. I am noticing things that I hadn’t asked myself before, like how common is it for Weapons to wield other Weapons? I surprisingly never considered it before, so I hope it’ll be explored more in the future. I already know that family can easily wield other family members, but I never considered a Weapon sibling wielding another Weapon sibling. Do you think Weapons can wield one another if their souls connect well enough? What exactly is the point of Meisters then? Hmmm. Well, we’ve covered all the introductions chapters! Now it’s time to get on with the actual story! I’ll see you guys then!>

“W-Wow....i-it’s a wonder Kid’s team manages to get any work done....I mean, I guess I have no right to judge his problems, b-but that became very messy very fast....m-maybe he should go to some of my therapy sessions with me. We can learn to deal with things better together.”

[heaventide]

An Overrated Cliché

Summary: That Spider-Man kiss video was definitely cliché and cheesy, which is exactly the reason that Spidey and Y/N have to do it.

Word Count: 2235

Warnings: Heights and Swearing.

A/N: casually drops this after almost a year without writing like okay!! okay!! please enjoy this (it has good format!!) :0 and thank you to @buckys-fossil for actually tolerating me and proofreading this, i love you!!! also this is a gender neutral fic!!!! if you followed me when i was strictly an aesthetic blog well then, hello i write fics too

Summer weather was the worst.

Summer holiday wasn't that much better, what with having cabin fever and all. It had been a week since you had left the comfort of your apartment and three hours since you flopped onto the couch and lay there. All of your friends had been busy, Michelle doing her protesting, Liz with college preparation. It left you with nothing much to do other than lounge around your home.

The fan placed on the coffee table was set on revolve and hit your body with cool breezes. Laying on your side and absentmindedly watching season three of Phineas and Ferb, you felt jealous that those children were creative enough to make the most of your summer. It was a big contrast to you, as you hadn't done anything the entire few weeks of summer there had been.

A thought suddenly came to mind and you decided to act on it. Shutting off the TV and fan, you put on actual clothes and took care of your hygiene before fixing your hair and pulling on your sneakers. Making sure to had some money and the house key, you texted your mom.

to: mom hey i'm leaving the apartment for the first time in days are you proud of me

It didn't take her long to reply.

from: mom Fine with me, I was about to kick you out and make you do something.

You laughed at her text before tucking your phone away and leaving the apartment and locking the door.

This was the life.

Visiting the ice cream shop down the street and getting your favorite flavor was one thing, but eating ice cream on the roof of your apartment building was another.  Swinging your legs over the busy streets while watching everything below amused you more than anything on TV could. You sighed happily as you took in the moment.

"Well you look like you're having fun." a voice said behind you, making you jump in surprise. You steadied yourself before looking behind you, seeing the one and only Spider-Man.

"And you look like you're dying in that suit." You shot back, turning around and stepping onto the roof. You knew Spider-Man somewhat well, only because you guys would usually have some random talks back when school was taking place. While you didn't know who it was under the mask, you knew he went to your school and you were actually quite chummy with him. It was the first time you had seen Spidey since then.

"Surprisingly, I'm not hot. Well, I'm hot with my looks but not with the weather." Spidey remarked cockily, earning a light shove from you as you laughed.

You licked the slowly melting ice cream before it could drip. "I can't be the judge of that. Unless you're Flash Thompson, because then I can judge that."

"Well, Y/N, I'm not, so you can be relieved."

You raised a suggestive eyebrow at him, smirking a bit. "So what've you been up to lately? I'm talking about kickass crime fighting stuff— not your boring civilian life. C'mon, Spidey, impress me."

"Y/N, my boring civilian life isn't that much boring, just interning and—"

"I didn't ask for that…" you sing songed as you ate parts of the ice cream cone.

"Right, anyways, I stopped a haywire bus with my bare hands, worked with Iron Man— which was pretty badass. Then I helped an old lady cross the street and then she bought me a churro. Best churro I've had."

"I'm impressed. Not by you, the old lady. She spent her money even though she could cross herself. She could be an ultra-cool ass-kicker," you noted sarcastically. "Nothing over the top by you though."

"Wow Y/N, I'm hurt," Spidey feigned pain, putting a hand over his heart. "I thought you loved me."

"I love Scarlet Witch, not you."

"She threw a car at me once." he mumbled, but you heard him clearly.

"HOLY SHIT, REALLY?!" you yelled, eyes widening from shock with your jaw dropped. 

Spidey threw his hands up in frustration, appalled that you were more impressed with that. "Why is it so hard to impress you?!"

"It's not that hard. But if I had to pick something to be impressed with you, it's that you're actually hanging out here, with me, instead of being a kickass vigilante." you crossed your arms, shrugging.

"Oh fuck, that's what I'm supposed to be doing." he recalled, as his mechanical eyes suddenly widened. Amusingly, you raised your brows, and bit your lip at the sight of this. He stepped onto the ledge of the roof saying, "Sorry, Y/N I gotta go—"

"WAIT!" you exclaimed before he could swing away. "Please take me with you to relieve my boredom, I promise I will owe you with something, just PLEASE take me with you."

"Will you be impressed with me after?"

"Sure, why not?!" you exclaimed before he grabbed your waist and  shot a web at a nearby building and jumping off.

You let out a scream at the sudden thrill, putting your arms around his neck and holding as tight as you could. Your heart dropped as he let go of your waist to shoot another web, but his hand was put on your back afterwards, making everything seem somewhat alright.

"I'M NOT DEAD!" you yelled, throwing your arms in the air as Spidey set you down on a fire escape far from your apartment.

"You thought I'd kill you?" Spidey spoke as he looked over the fire escape for the thief he sensed while swinging. "Can't believe you think of me so lowly, Y/N."

"I'm not thinking of you lowly, I'm just… fearing for my life." You shrugged, pacing back and forth as Spidey was targeting the thief. There was a comfortable silence between you both as you made your way to his side and tried to observe like he was. A man in a black balaclava suddenly appeared on the sidewalk, holding a sack of something most probably stolen. You looked to your side to see Spidey already gone, and back to the ground where he was in the middle of kicking the thief in the face. Your eyes widened as the thief was suspended into the air from one of Spidey's webs. You grinned at him as he swung himself up and ascended to where you stood, absolutely impressed by him.

"So what'd you think?" Spidey inquired, climbing over the rail and stepping onto the platform.

"Talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before." You gushed excitedly in the words of Lady Gaga, stepping closer to him with a big smile on your face.

"I'll take it!" Spidey pumped his fist, over the mood that he was able to impress you. His excitement made you giggle as you moved a strand of hair behind your ear.

You sat down on the steps of the fire escape, making yourself comfortable. "Anything else we're doing before I go home? More ass-kicking? Banter? I’m up for anything, Spider-Boy."

"I mean, nothing's coming to mind right now. What about you?" he asked, leaning against the railing.

"There's one thing I wanna try…" you remarked.

"Lay it out for me."

"I watched this really corny video and it was this guy and his girlfriend. The guy was dressed up as you, and he was upside down hanging out something. And then all of a sudden he basically he kissed his girlfriend while being upside down and it was absolutely corny." You recalled that video you watched a while back, silently laughing still because of how cheesy it was.

"I'm in." Spidey consented, agreeing way quicker than you anticipated. You raised your eyebrows at him, actually making sure he was fine with it. It just now got through your head that this was the real Spider-Man, and not some carbon wannabe.

Holy fuck, I'm kissing Spider-Man, you thought.

"Y/N, I give you my full consent for this. If you wanna try it, then we can do it." Spidey confirmed, making you grin.

Your doubt faded away, taking Spidey's hands and quickly telling him, "Meet me in that alley next door."

Spidey nodded and let go of your hands, moving to a point where he could hang from. You stepped down the fire escape and ran towards the alley, stepping into the dreary passageway. It wasn't inviting at all, the muck on the walls and trash littering the ground made you cringe from disgust, but your negativity instantly dissipated as you heard a familiar presence behind you.

You stepped closer to the webbed vigilante, taking his mask and adjusting it so that his lips were visible. "I can't believe we're doing this just for the cheesiness."

"I mean we're doing it for aesthetic too."

“Shit, you're right." You laughed before closing the distance between the two of you, pressing your lips against his and placing your hands on his cheeks. Spidey kissed back after a few moments, putting his hands on the back of your head. The world, cornily enough, seemed to stop as the kiss continued— but it was as if a record scratched when you pulled away laughing.

Which, surprisingly, wasn't awkward because Spidey was laughing too. 

You stepped away from him and cupped your mouth due to your laughter, absolutely amused by what you had just done. Spidey stepped back onto the ground while still laughing, pulling his mask back over his mouth. Your laughter began to die down but a wide grin still remained on your face.

“That was probably one of the best things I have ever done in my years of life.” Spidey acknowledged making you chuckle.

“Aesthetic came in clutch at the last minute. But holy fuck— that was so corny.” You agreed, putting an arm around him and looking up at him.

“I will say that while it was really overrated, it was also pretty cool.”

“I guess it was.” You shrugged, glaring at the dirty alleyway you were standing in. “Can you take me home please? I don’t really wanna be in this dingy alleyway anymore.”

“Of course, Y/N.” Spidey acknowledged before shooting a web and swinging the both of you up into midair, you clinging onto him as the sun set and city lights began to illuminate the streets below.

The sky was a dark shade of peach when you finally got back home. Spidey set you down on the roof before stepping on himself. “Here you are, not dead and home safe. Do I get brownie points for that?”

 “Of course you do, Spidey. And you also get points for amusing me all day and for beating up that thief. High quality deeds earn high quality brownie points,” you remarked, nudging him in the shoulder. "Kinda curious as to who I’ve been hanging out with all day, not to mention who I kissed, but I know you gotta keep your identity. So it’s alright.”

“I mean, I’m not opposed to taking off my mask in front of you. I think it’s alright if you know.” Spidey shrugged, causing you to look at him confusingly. He seemed somewhat out of character to you— as he never took that mask off on duty.

“Your superiors won’t get mad?”

Spidey shook his head. “I don’t really think so. If they do, I think it’s alright either way.”

He reached for his mask and took if off, his hair bouncing as the garment was removed. You took in the sight in front of you, mouth curving into a smile and your face brightening up.

“Peter Parker, who would have thought?” You stated, stepping closer to him and ruffling his hair. “I mean, I'm just glad you're cute and not Flash Thompson and— Damn, you got muscles! How’d you hide that?”

“Oversized sweatshirts tend to do wonders in cases like that. And thanks for calling me cute, I don’t get that a lot.” Peter shrugged, giving you a lopsided grin.

“I don’t understand how people can just look past your looks. I mean, yeah you’re a fucking genius but you’re also really cute. And that’s like, the best qualities to have. Have you seriously never seen me admiring the art from afar?” you mused, making Peter’s cheeks go red from all the compliments.

“I-uh, probably not? I was a bit preoccupied.” He admitted, holding up his mask.

“Eh, it’s alright, I think I like it up closer anyways.”

You led Peter over to the rooftop ledge, swinging your legs over and making yourself comfortable. Peter settled next to you, scooting closer to you and letting you rest your head on his shoulder. 

There was a silence between the both of you as you took in the moment and let your feet dangle a hundred feet above the ground. The sky was now a navy color and the waning moon soaked the both of you in moonlight. The New York city hustle and bustle was only background noise due to both you and Peter being completely engrossed in this absolutely cliché he and overrated setting. However, you decided, it was completely worth it.

“At least you didn’t reveal yourself in some super angsty moment. That’s almost as corny and cliché as the kiss.”

“I mean, aesthetic.”

Your laughter echoed throughout the street below.

[softshirringsound]

all the books I read this year!!

one of my new year’s resolutions was to read more nonfiction, and I did a pretty good job of it. I didn’t track the books I read the year before, but I know i only read a few nonfiction so I’m proud of myself. my other NYR was to shower more which I also accomplished! anyways, my list of books is under the cut if you want to check it out.

NF is for nonfiction, F is for fiction, A is for audiobook and P is for paperback. any spelling errors on the author’s names is from my horrible handwriting. maybe next year I’ll keep track electronically so I don’t have to struggle through reading my own handwriting lmao

January

1.       Maude by Donna Maybry – NF - A

2.       Revival by Stephen King – F - A

3.       Watership Down by Richard Adams – F - A

4.       The Zookeeper’s Wife by Diane Acherman – NF - A

5.       The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman- F – P

6.       Rosemary’s Baby by Ira Levin – F – A

7.       Girl on a Train by AJ Waines – F – A

8.       1984 by George Orwell – F – A

9.       Bought and Sold by Morgan Stephens – NF – A

10.   Forrest Gump – Winston Groom – F – A

3  Nonfiction, 7 Fiction. 9 audiobooks, 1 paperback

February

11.   White Trash by Nancy Isenberg – NF – A

12.   Sachiko by Caren Stenson – NF – A

13.   3,026 Days in Captivity by Natascha Kampush – NF – A

14.   Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson – F – A

15.   Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter – F – A

16.   The Darkest Corners by Kara Thomas – F – A

17.   The Shining by Stephen King – F – A

18.   The Blood of Emmett Till by Timothy B. Tyson – NF – A

4 nonfiction, 4 fiction. 8 audiobooks, 0 paperbacks

March

19.   What She Knew by Gilly MacMillian – F – A

20.   Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver – F – A

21.   The Kept Woman by Karin Slaughter – F – A

22.   Fallen by Karin Slaughter – F – A

23.   Criminal by Karin Slaughter – F – A

24.   Unseen by Karin Salughter – F – A

25.   Blindsided by Karin Slaughter – F – A

26.   Kisscut by Karin Slaughter – F – A

27.   Saga Volume 1 by Brian K. Vaughan – F – P

0 nonfiction, 9 fiction. 8 audiobooks, 1 paperback

April

28.   A Faint Cold Fear by Karin Slaughter – F – A

29.   Indelible by Karin Slaughter – F – A

30.   Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn – F – A

31.   Cop Town by Karin Slaughter – F – A

32.   Elizabeth and Michael by Donald Boyle – NF – A

33.   The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty – F- A

1 nonfiction, 5 fiction. 6 audiobooks, 0 paperbacks

May

34.   Snatched by Karin Slaughter – F – A

35.   Don’t Breath a Word by Jennifer McMahon – F – A

36.   Three Wishes by Liane Moriarty – F – A

37.   The Last Anniversary by Liane Moriarty – F – A

38.   When the Air Hits Your Brain by Frank Vertosich Jr, MD – NF – A

39.   The Lies We Tell by Meg Carter – F – A

40.   Brave New World by Aldous Huxley – F – A

41.   The Radium Girls by Kate Moore – NF – A

42.   Nailbiter series by Joshua Williamson and Mike Henderson – F – P

43.   Triptych by Karin Slaughter – F – A

44.   Glass House by Brian Alexander – NF – A

45.   The Marriage Lie by Kimberly Belle – F – A

46.   Busted by Karin Slaughter – F – A

47.   Call the Midwife by Jennifer Worth – NF – A

4 nonfiction, 10 fiction. 13 audiobooks, 1 paperback

June

48.   Rosemary by Kate Clifford Larson – NF – A

49.   Lost Girls by Robert Kolker – NF – A

50.   Drink by Ann Dursett Johnston – NF – A

51.   The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman – F- A

52.   The Grown Up by Gillian Flynn – F – P

53.   The Salt Fix by Dr. James Dinicolantonio, MD – NF – A

54.   Broken River by J. Robert Lennin – F - A

55.   Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie – F – A

56.   American Gods by Neil Gaiman – F – A

57.   Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman – F - A

58.   My Story by Elizabeth Smart – NF – A

5 nonfiction, 6 fiction. 10 audiobooks, 1 paperback

July

59.   The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta – F – A

60.   And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie – F – A

61.   Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance – NF – A

62.   Under Your Skin by Sabine Durant – F – A

63.   Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari – NF - A

64.   Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty – F – A

2 nonfiction, 4 fiction. 6 audiobooks, 0 paperbacks

August

65.   You Have No Fucking Idea: The Story About My Life by Matt Baier – NF – P

66.   The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman – F – P

67.   Carol (The Price of Salt) by Patricia Highsmith – F – A

68.   Waiting to be Heard by Amanda Knox – NF – A

69.   The Miracle of Dunkirk by Walter Lord – NF – A

70.   Replay by Ken Grimwood – F- A

71.   The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware – F – A

72.   13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher – F – A

73.   Girl Walks Out of a Bar by Lisa F. Smith – NF – A

74.   The Polygamist’s Daughter by Anna Lebaron  - NF – A

75.   The Dinner by Herman Koch – F – A

76.   American Fire by Monica Hesse – NF – A

77.   The Girls in the Garden by Lisa Jewell – F – A

78.   Kiss Me Like a Stranger by Gene Wilder – NF – A

79.   The Vegas Diaries by Holly Madison – NF – A

80.   I Found You by Lisa Jewell – F – A

81.   Dark Place to Hide by AJ Waines – F – A

82.   The Silver Lining’s Playbook by Matthew Quick – F – A

8 nonfiction, 10 fiction. 16 audiobooks, 2 paperbacks

September

83.   The Lost Girls by Heather Young – F – A

84.   Dead Wake by Erik Larson – NF – A

85.   The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie – F – A

86.   Lie to Me by JT Ellison – F – A

87.   The Sinner by Petra Hammesfahr – F - A

88.   Into the Water by Paula Hawkins – F – A

89.   From a Buick 8 by Stephen King – F – A

90.   A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie – F – A

91.   Commonwealth by Ann Patchett – F – A

92.   A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith – F – P

93.   The Patron Saint of Liars by Ann Patchett – F – A

94.   Since We Fell by Dennis Lehane – F – A

95.   Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman – F – A

1 nonfiction, 12 fiction. 12 audiobooks, 1 paperback

October

96.   State of Wonder by Ann Patchett – F – A

97.   The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben – NF – A

98.   Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett – F – A

99.   Ready Player One by Ernest Cline – F – P

100. Stardust by Neil Gaiman – F – A

101. Brooklyn by Colm Toibin – F - A

102.  The Monogram Murders by Sophia Turner – F – A

103.  My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix – F – A

104.  The Axeman of New Orleans by Miriam C. Davis – NF – A

105. The Center of Everything by Laura Moriarty – F – P

106.  A Pocket Full of Rye – Agatha Christie – F – A

107.  The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprex Sweeny – F - A

108.  The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty – F – A

109.  Catching the Wolf On Wall Street by Jordan Belfort – NF – A

110.  Hell House by Richard Matheson – F – A

3 nonfiction, 12 fiction. 13 audiobooks, 2 paperbacks      

November

111.  Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention by Manning Marable – NF – A

112. The Secret Life of Introverts by Jenn Granneman – NF – A

113.  My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout – F- A

114.  The Floating World by C. Morgan Babst – F – A

115.  The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter – f – A

116. Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty – F – P

117. The Rest of Her Life by Laura Moriarty – F – A

2 nonfiction, 5 fiction. 1 paperback, 6 audiobooks

 December

118. Last Breath by Karin Slaughter – F – A

119. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald – F – A

120. The Great Halifax Explosion by John U. Barron – NF – A

121. Dark Matter by Blake Crouch – F – A

122. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng – F – A

123.  The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman – F – A

124. 12 Years a Slave by Solomon Northrup – NF – A

125. The Woman Who Smashed Codes by Jason Fairgrove – NF – A

126. The Magician’s Apprentice by Ann Patchett – F – A

127.  Rabbit  by Patricia Willams – NF – A

128. Being Jazz by Jazz Jennings – NF – A

129. The Secret Life of the Mind by Marianao Segman, MD – NF – A

130. Black Chalk by Christopher B. Yates – F – A

131. The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie – F – A

132. A Caribbean Mystery by Agatha Christie – F – A

133. The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie – F -A

134. Money, A Memoir by Liz Perle – NF - A

7 nonfiction, 10 fiction. 17 audiobooks, 0 paperbacks.

 Total:

134 total books!!

40 nonfiction, 94 fiction. 9 paperbacks, 126 audiobooks.

[the-master-cylinder]

Lunch Meat (1987): SUMMARY Cannibals who roam the San Bernardino Mountains in search of victims! PAW & THE BOYS! BENNY, ELWOOD and HARLEY! Psychotic, meat-eating mutilators who get their kicks by ambushing young men and women, hunt them down, and cold-bloodedly. tear their bodies apart!

There’s HARLEY, who get his kicks by chopping off people’s heads with his AXE! There’s ELWOOD, his younger brother, who likes to DRILL HOLES in his victims with his PICKAXE! PAW’S favorite tool is his stainless steel MACHETE! He gets his thrills by tracking his prey down, taking a couple of swipes with the machete to draw BLOOD, and then likes to see them beg for mercy. He’ll move in with a chuckle and CHOP THEM UP into many pieces of BLOOD-DRENCHED MEAT and BONES to be thrown in TRASH BAGS and taken down to the nearest greasy spoon to be sold as lunchmeat!!!! Then there’s BENNY! Deaf and dumb and MANIACAL with an insatiable thirst for human blood and raw flesh!!!! BENNY does his best work with a shovel!!!!

BEHIND THE SCENES/PRODUCTION The film is the culmination of three years work and a virtually lifelong dream of its 39 year-old writer/director Kirk Alex. With a background that includes film school training, Alex had been making his living driving a cab. Eventually the frustrations of that job, and the passion to make movies, overrode the instinct to make a living and he sold his cab to raise the money to start filming LUNCH MEAT.

Alex is understandably reticent about discussing details that might affect the film’s value on the marketplace but it seems likely that it was shot on 16mm with a budget probably below $60,000. The film was made on a 14 day shooting schedule, most of which was haphazardly scattered over an almost three month period. “We’d shoot a couple of days here, a couple of days there,” recalled Alex. “Sometimes we’d stop because we ran out of film and had no money to buy more. Other stoppages were for schedule conflicts for cast or crew. The worst delays were for hassles from the law.”

Cast & Crew

Alex’s cast and crew frequently had to change filming locations due to run-ins with Southern California police or Forest Rangers. “The whole system is set up for big budget productions,” complained Alex. “If you’ve got a movie camera in your hand you’ve got to have a permit to breathe, and everybody is out to make a buck off you. I was supposed to have a police officer and a fire marshal on the set at all times, at $40 an hour. A piece! There’s city, state, and county permits you’ve got to have, insurance and lawyers and paramedics. I could have spent my entire budget without ever exposing a foot of film!”

Instead Alex opted for true outlaw filmmaking. He and his group would shoot in one location until the forces of the law showed up. They would feign ignorance of the rules and regulations and then leave, promising to return with the proper paperwork and cash. In reality they would simply move on to the next suitable location and go through the whole process again.

Surprisingly, few of the film’s problems arose from the cast. “They were all pros,” said Alex. “It was 95° to 100° every day we shot and they spent most of their time running around or falling down in the dirt. Sure, they complained, but they all kept showing up and doing their best.”

Chuck Ellis, who portrays the gargantuan, cannibalistic mute Benny, was the only member of the cast whom Alex knew before shooting. “I always knew Chuck was a fine actor, and his size creates an undeniable screen presence,” said Alex. “I think he did a great job as Benny. He manages to create some sympathy for this pathetic sub-human even while we’re watching him engage in some pretty barbaric acts on screen.”

One staple of low-budget exploitation films that LUNCH MEAT lacks is sex or nudity. “It wasn’t a conscious decision to leave it out,” said Alex. “I just didn’t see any place for it in the script and I wasn’t going to bring the entire film’s pace to a halt just to have some girl take her top off.” The film’s special effects, the backbone of any gore film, also suffered for the lack of time and money. “A lot of good effects sequences were dropped because they were just too time-consuming, or costly,” recalled Alex. “I think Lori Drucker and her effects crew did a real good job on the throat ripping that kicks off the crazies’ attack, and on the miscellaneous body parts. They could have done even more. It’s the classic story: all we needed was time and money.”

Post production of the film was even more protracted than its filming. Over eight months, in increments of a day here, a day there, were spent before the final project was ready to market. Many of the delays were in order to raise additional money to deal with the next phase of the postproduction chores.

Alex bypassed any thoughts of theatrical exhibition and shopped the film around to various video distributors. He had several offers, some of which appeared more lucrative than those of Tapeworm Video, but he felt he could trust its owners because they were struggling dreamers like himself. To date, LUNCH MEAT has sold over 2500 copies for Tapeworm. That’s a pittance in comparison to the hundreds of thousands of copies a blockbuster title might move, but it’s not bad for an unknown film, with a no-name cast. It is, in fact, Tapeworm’s top seller to date.

And hopes are high that things may get better still. The tape’s incredibly graphic cover, offering a wild-eyed Benny gnawing on a severed human arm, was an undeniable eye catcher but has proven too bold for many video stores. A new, tamer cover was eventually offered.

CAST/CREW Directed/Written Kirk Alex

Produced by Kirk Alex Mark Flynn Al Goodrum Robert Oland Pamela Phillips Oland Ashlyn Gere (credited as Kim McKamy) as Roxy Chuck Ellis as Benny Joe Ricciardella as Frank Elroy Wiese as Paw Robert Oland as Harley Mitch Rogers as Elwood Rick Lorentz as Cary Bob Joseph as Eddie Marie Ruzicka as Debbie Patricia Christie as Sue Ann McBride as Waitress

Slaughterhouse (1987): SUMMARY Lester Bacon is an old nut-case farmer living with his simple-minded, obese son Buddy. Both of them lament the fate of the old skilled hog farmer, now giving way to modern factory-type slaughterhouses. The father and son go on a killing spree against people who trespass on their property. In the opening scene, Buddy kills two teenagers, Kevin and Michelle, who are having some time alone in their car on a remote area of Lovers Lane.

The next day, Harold – Lester’s attorney, along with his law partner Tom and the local police chief, Sheriff Borden, visit Lester at his house to offer him $55,000 to buy his property, along with the closed-down slaughterhouse next door. Lester is told that the demolition of the slaughterhouse would create employment opportunities for many people in town, as well as get the county tax assessor off his back. Lester grumbles about Tom’s equipment and bad meat and says that he could do better with his hands, knives and fewer men. The sheriff tells Lester that the assessor’s office is foreclosing his property and he has 30 days to vacate it.

Meanwhile, Liz – Sheriff Borden’s teenage daughter – is with a group of high school friends planning to shoot a “horror video” and suggests that the area around the Bacon Slaughterhouse would be perfect. Her friends – Skip, Annie, and Buzz – wonder the whereabouts of Kevin and Michelle. Back at Lester Bacon’s property, his son Buddy takes Lester to a room and shows him the dead Michelle and Kevin. Lester is a bit unsettled, thinking that they’re neck-deep in trouble, but he tells Buddy that Tom, Harold, and Sheriff Borden deserve such a fate.

Deputy Dave, after being informed by the worried parents of Michelle and Kevin, checks out the docks and then goes to the slaughterhouse. He walks inside and calls for the two teenagers. As Dave finds a dead hanging cat, Buddy appears and kills him by shoving large metal sliding door on Dave’s gun-toting hand, chopping it off.

Lester then calls Harold to tell him that he has accepted his sales offer. Harold goes to the slaughterhouse where both Lester and Buddy kill him. Buddy then puts on the dead Dave’s blood-stained police uniform and goes for a drive in the squad car. Dave’s girlfriend, Sally, sees him driving past and waves, but Buddy chases her and runs her car off the road. She tries to escape on foot, but Buddy catches up to her and slices her neck with a butcher knife. When Tom arrives at the slaughterhouse, Lester lures him to the processing room, where Buddy drops him into a saw machine.

That evening at the Pig Out, a town dance, the power goes out due to a rainstorm, and many people leave. Buzz says it’s the best time for filming at the slaughterhouse. Skip then makes a $20 bet that the girls cannot last one hour at the slaughterhouse. Liz and Annie are dropped off at the place while the boys are sneaking around with masks used in Liz’s video. Elsewhere, Sheriff Borden finds Sally’s car with the damaged windshield and Dave’s patrol car with the door open. The sheriff then goes back to his car and calls for backup.

Back at the slaughterhouse, Liz and Annie realize that the boys are outside trying to scare them. Liz looks for a way to get behind the two guys and scare them instead. The boys split up and Buzz gets inside the building. Skip is at the window, and Annie laughs until Buddy suddenly appears and whacks Skip. Annie screams and runs, but Lester appears and grabs her.

Liz walks to the front door and sees that everyone is gone. At the same time, Buzz walks into a room, hears a noise and gets hit in the face by Buddy. Liz finds a hanging Annie (still alive), as well as the dead bodies of all the other victims. The father-son duo is there and Buddy grabs Liz. Meanwhile, Sheriff Borden learns that Tom and Harold have mysteriously disappeared.

Buddy and Lester hold Liz down on a table, and Lester says that a meat cutter like himself and Buddy have the skills like a surgeon. Lester slices one of Liz’s fingertips to prove to her that it is one of the most sensitive parts of the human body. When Lester turns and hears Sheriff Borden enter through the front door, Liz kicks Lester and runs away. She finds her father and runs to him. Buddy appears and the sheriff tries to shoot him, but he hits the blade of his meat cleaver. Sheriff Borden and Liz run outside into the rain. As Sheriff Borden pauses at his squad car door, Lester appears and stabs him in the back. Liz picks up her father’s gun and shoots Lester. She then helps the wounded sheriff into his car. She also gets the keys to start up the car, just as Lester rises and knocks at the car windows. She turns around, shifts the car into reverse, and runs over Lester, crushing his head and finally killing him. The sheriff tells Liz to drive away and radio for help. Buddy suddenly sits up from the backseat and swings his knife at Liz. She screams, and the film suddenly ends.

BEHIND THE SCENES/PRODUCTION Even before the new slasher movie Slaughterhouse  played in its first commercial theater, it was in the black. Slowly squealing its way around the country, the film was a testament to the new Hollywood, where independent companies outnumber major studios eight to one, and where home video and foreign sales can more than pay for a film’s cost. Slaughterhouse, for example, was sold to 60% of the foreign markets, including Germany, England, and Japan, before its domestic fate had been determined. Embassy’s Charter Entertainment is distributing the video cassette

It helped that the movie was made on a very tight budget; in fact, only fifteen full-time crew mcmbers were employed. As a result, writer director Rick Roessler was faced with the task of making up credits to increase the film’s prestige. The first two weeks of a four-week shot were done without any days off. and at that point, Roessler joked, they had to pick a few people off the floor and take some time off.

The film marks a major launch for American Artists, in which Roessler is one of three partners. The San Diego-based production company was set up four years ago primarily to produce films. The partners proceeded to work on other people’s movies until they could raise enough capital, mostly from private investors, for their own venture.

They even wanted to distribute the movie themselves, but felt they were not adequately prepared for such a challenge. Instead, they gave that job to Castle Hill in New York, which splits the grosses 50/50 with American Artists. “They don’t normally do horror films,” Roessler explained. “It worried me in the beginning. because I wanted to go with a company that knows horror films. New World wanted to buy it out for the ridiculous figure of $400,000.” Castle Hill’s involvement marks a continuing trend: prestigious “art house” distributors who are resorting more and more to handling low budget horror films as well. In their case, they put the name of a subsidiary on it. JGM Enterprises.

“The name of the game is you have to make a living, suggested Roessler. “I know I dug into our bank account heavily to help bankroll this film. I got into the horror genre not only because I like it but because there’s a base audience out there. Being horror fans, the one thing we didn’t want to do was absolute schlock. We didn’t want to do porn. You won’t see any gratuitous sex.”

One thing Roessler did play up was the comedy element. “We enjoy tongue and cheek stuff,” he said. “There must be a measure of comedy to make the film more horrific; otherwise, it would be too dull. Some films have so much blood, like EVIL DEAD, that they become funny.”

Roessler said he used the FRIDAY THE 13th series as an example of what he was trying to avoid. “It started out well, I think. The first one was low budget, and I think a lot of effort went into it. But look what’s happened to the character in the next five. It’s just gone blithering on they haven’t really identified who this guy is. The last one, six, was this huge slugger walking around with huge boots, whacking people for. I guess, no reason.

For Slaughterhouse Roessler developed his own character, Buddy, who in the ads is described as “360 pounds of Cleavermania” (in real life, Joe Barton, who plays him, is 372).

“With Buddy, what we tried to do was establish a character. He’s human he’s not some abstract. There’s hopefully some sentiment, some pathos in this character. Doesn’t say word one through the whole thing, and he’s the so-called star. He snorts like a pig.”

The film works as a sort of revenge picture, with Buddy killing those who provoke him or try to evict him and his father out of their condemned slaughterhouse. Thus, the title provides an ideal double entendre for the movie. The film has played in Detroit, Nashville. Denver. Washington, D.C., Pittsburgh and Phoenix, with other cities to follow. Roessler is expecting Embassy to be pleased with its release path. “Embassy put money into it because they want it to get out there. The best advertising for home video obviously is theatrical release, and the best theatrical release for home video is the one-week hit ’em and then leave, because not everybody gets to see it. The word gets around, and then they rent the video.”

Poster for Unproduced Sequel

Roessler said raising the money to make the film, over a period of eight months, was the hardest part of getting his project on the screen. “We put on presentations for several investor parties,” he said. “We went door-to-door. We made phone calls.”

CAST/CREW Directed/Written Rick Roessler Produced Ron Matona Joe B. Barton as Buddy Bacon Don Barrett as Lester Bacon William Houck as Sheriff Borden Sherry Leigh (credited as Sherry Bendorf) as Liz Borden Jeff Wright as Deputy Dave Bill Brinsfield as Tom Sanford Lee Robinson as Harold Murdock

CREDITS/REFERENCES/SOURCES/BIBLIOGRAPHY Cinefantastique v19n03 Cinefantastique v18n02-03

DOUBLE FEATURE RETROSPECTIVE – Lunch Meat (1987)/Slaughterhouse (1987) Lunch Meat (1987): SUMMARY Cannibals who roam the San Bernardino Mountains in search of victims! PAW & THE BOYS!

[mel-animeland]

English Title: Sword Art Online II Genre: Action, Game, Adventure, Romance, Fantasy Aired Date: Jul 5, 2014 to Dec 20, 2014 Episode Count: 24

Synopsis

A year after escaping Sword Art Online, Kazuto Kirigaya has been settling back into the real world. However, his peace is short-lived as a new incident occurs in a game called Gun Gale Online, where a player by the name of Death Gun appears to be killing people in the real world by shooting them in-game. Approached by officials to assist in investigating the murders, Kazuto assumes his persona of Kirito once again and logs into Gun Gale Online, intent on stopping the killer.

Once inside, Kirito meets Sinon, a highly skilled sniper afflicted by a traumatic past. She is soon dragged in his chase after Death Gun, and together they enter the Bullet of Bullets, a tournament where their target is sure to appear. Uncertain of Death Gun’s real powers, Kirito and Sinon race to stop him before he has the chance to claim another life. Not everything goes smoothly, however, as scars from the past impede their progress. In a high-stakes game where the next victim could easily be one of them, Kirito puts his life on the line in the virtual world once more. My Anime List

Promotional Video

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So here a present you an other marvelous post on the amazing anime that is Sword Art Online. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy the series, however I also know some people are tired to see new post about it. Too bad got around watching it only now, you gonna have to deal with it or just close the page.

Again, I didn’t really looked at the premises before I started the season, I knew a little bit about it, like Kirito having a girl avatar during the first part, but not enough to tell me what will happening it the season. I also know the season bring mixed feeling (like the whole series it must be an SAO thing). I heard people saying the prefer the first season and the second wasn’t worth it and other who rather the second season. But I really wanted to get my own idea so I put every opinion aside I just watch it.

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Episode 9 Death Gun

If the 1st SAO season have a fantasy setting from episode 1 to 25, the first part of the 2nd season have a post-apocalyptic/steampunk setting. While I much prefer the fantasy one, and I was really happy to see it back in the second part of the season, the Gun Gale Oline (GGO) setting was a nice change and allow the use of fire arms instead of sword. GGO ind of remind me a the online side of Call of Duty. A-1 Picture did once again a really neat job with the design of the game. The different area of the map was interesting, a big map with different landscape.

the fight were interesting, but since we are talking about firearms, they are less visual than sword fight, to tell the truth the only decent fight the first arc of the 2nd season have, it’s the last one Kirito vs Death Gun, since the latter also had a sword it made the fight more interesting to watch. And the parallel they did, between the black swordsman and girly Kirito, toward the end of the fight, when Death Gun try to disappear was quite nice to see. Even if Kirito didn’t have his dual-wielding skill he could pretty much do the same, but with his pistol.

As said above, in the second part of the series, we are back to the fantasy setting in New Aincrad, where Sword Art Online and Alfheim Online meet, like I previously said I much prefer that setting being a huge fan of the fantasy story.

Episode 13 Phantom Bullet

The story of the first part of the 2nd season is as dark as the 1st season, if the antagonist of the 1st season was a man with a virtual mind, the GGO antagonist is a…serial killer. Kayaba as little to no empathy and doesn’t really care about human life, but he didn’t create the game just for the sake of kill people.The late game developer had a dream, it just happened people died when he try to fulfill his dream. If he really wanted to kill people, Kayaba would have been a red player not the leader of the leading team to clear the game, he could have probably even be the leader of the Laughing Coffin. The Shinkawa brother did what they did cause they could, yes one was seeking revenge, but after that it was more for the trill of killing during a the game. Shoichi, the oldest, was part of the Laughing Coffin, he was a red player, he killed people cause he knew he could and he will not get caught in real life, only the game would have been blamed. The “Phantom Bullet” Arc is the darkest of the whole series.

Episode 24 Mother’s Rosario

The two arc that followed the “Phantom Bullet” arc, “Calibur” and “Mother’s Rosario” could have been turn into OVA instead of being include if the season, same goes for the “Fairy Dance”. But if I have to pick my favorite it would probably be “Mother’s Rosario”. VRMMORPG game, video game in general, doesn’t always have a good reputation. Some say it promote violence and type for entertainment shouldn’t exist. However, in the last arc of the 2nd season, it show us game can of its good side. Due to her illness, Yuuki couldn’t go anywhere, she couldn’t meet anyone, she had to stay in a clean room to be able to fight everyday. The Medicuboid project, gave her the possibilities and the other one who wasn’t able to go to outside, forget about her illness for a moment, to meet new people, make new friend, to have a life – even if it was a virtual one – she would never be able to have. When the last episode came, I cried for the most part of it. It doesn’t really help I tend to cry easily, but Yuuki really touch me and the reason why they wanted to beat that dungeon Boss mean a lot, they wanted to leave a little bit of themselves behind, to leave a trace of their passage in this world.

  Episode 21 The Monument of the Swordsmen

Obviously, if I’m talking about the last arc of the season, I have to give some thought about the one before. “Calibur”…is… I really wonder what they were thinking with this one. I don’t care if it’s because they wanted to adapted it, if they wanted t stay close to the original source. The guy is already considered overpowered, do go and give it the most powerful sword of all time it will really not help him. That’s really the only thing I have to say about this arc. I really feel like they adapted this arc only to give Kirito Excaliber the legendary sword we see in “Fairy Dance” arc.

Episode 17 Excalibur

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  Episode 11 What it Mean to be Strong

Of course, like in all series there is thing that will annoyed me, in this one what annoyed me the most it’s probably the interaction between Sinon and Kirito. I like Sinon, she is really cool and quite strong despite her PDST BUT I really feel like they try to make use see them as a couple. Sorry but that’t annoyed me. Asuna might be really clingy, but she didn’t annoy me and she did laid across Kirito like Sinon did, not that Sinon was annoying, it’s really just the way she was acting with Kirito that annoyed me. For someone who was ready to beat his sorry ass during the game she is really friendly now. And like if this wasn’t enough, when Kirito present Sinon to Asuna and Liz he talk about Asuna like if they were friend…dude she is your girlfriend!! she will always be there for you no matter what you did, no matter how stupid you become, but nope let’s just say she is a friend. However this didn’t annoyed me as much as the whole groping/close-to-rape scene from the first season. If the VRMMORPG games can make the life people in terminal phase a bit better, it also can also bring the worst of the human nature out.

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well, yes

seriously…

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I really enjoyed the whole Sword Art Online series, I prefer the 1st season, but the 2nd season have interesting element. Hater can continue to hate on it, it will not change the fact that I like it and I hope for a 3rd season soon. I just wish the movie will not be a requirement to see it, cause I haven’t seen it (of course if I just finish to watch the 2nd season). I know the dvd/blue-ray will be release at the end of September, hopefully it will include english sub-title.

This conclude my post about the 2nd season of the anime series Sword Art Online. Hope you enjoyed you reading.

Did you watched the series? Let me know what did you think of it in the comment section below.

See you next time

Sword Art Online II English Title: Sword Art Online II Genre: Action, Game, Adventure, Romance, Fantasy Aired Date: Jul 5, 2014 to Dec 20, 2014…

[toldnews-blog]

New Post has been published on https://toldnews.com/politics/house-to-vote-to-condemn-anti-semitism-in-indirect-rebuke-of-rep-ilhan-omar/

House to vote to condemn anti-Semitism in indirect rebuke of Rep. Ilhan Omar

Congressional Democrats are crafting a resolution condemning anti-Semitism, in an indirect but public rebuke of one of their own, Rep. Ilhan Omar, after the latest in a series of remarks she’s made aboutIsrael and its American supporters that have generated a blitz of criticism.

Omar, who was elected alongside Rep. Rashida Tlaib as the first women Muslim members of Congress in U.S. history, continues to speak out against Israel, attracting the scorn of Republicans and Democratic colleagues alike — and competing resolutions from both parties.

CQ-Roll Call,Inc./Getty Images, FILE

Rep. Nita Lowey leaves the House Democrats’ caucus meeting in the Capitol Hill, Jan. 4, 2019, in Washington, DC.

A vote on the Democratic version could occur as early as Wednesday, with the apparent approval of party leaders who have grown tired of Omar’s rhetoric and signaled they will allow the resolution to receive a vote.

In February, Omar gained notoriety after she asserted that the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a pro-Israel lobbying group known as AIPAC, was using its influence to pressure Members of Congress to adopt an “allegiance to a foreign country.”

J. Scott Applewhite/AP

House Oversight and Reform Committee member Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., listens to Republican arguments against compelling Trump administration officials to turn over documents on family separations, on Capitol Hill, Feb. 26, 2019.

Lawmakers, including her party’s leader — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — roundly condemned Omar’s comments as an anti-Semitic trope, and Republicans subsequently deployed a procedural gambit to force the House, including Omar, to vote Feb. 13 to support an amendment condemning anti-Semitism. That effort passed 424-0, with two Republicans voting present and five lawmakers skipping the vote.

The hullabaloo and media attention led to an increased profile for Omar, who just landed a spot on the cover of Rolling Stone alongside Pelosi celebrating the new Democratic majority’s diversity.

But now the congresswoman says she’s facing death threats. Perhaps more shocking, the Minnesota Democrat was featured on an Islamophobic poster at the Republican-sponsored WVGOP Day at the West Virginia statehouse tying her to the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001.

Unlike before, this time Omar is not apologizing and is pushing back hard, aided by the firepower of other congressional allies like New York Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

I’m pretty heartbroken that there isn’t more denunciation of this outward and blatant expression of bigotry and Islamophobia by a state party.

IMO those who stood up against anti-Semitism a few weeks ago should also be calling out the Islamophobia here, too. https://t.co/LOealpLAKy

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 3, 2019

Ocasio-Cortez wasn’t alone in condemning the poster. Rep. Nita Lowey, the chair of the House Appropriations Committee, offered her own condemnation of “gross islamophobic stereotypes” – before she added a dig at Omar, tweeting that “Anti-Semitic tropes that accuse Jews of dual loyalty are equally painful and must be roundly condemned.”

Then Lowey, a New York Democrat serving in her 16th term, tweeted this shot at Omar:

Lawmakers must be able to debate w/o prejudice or bigotry. I am saddened that Rep. Omar continues to mischaracterize support for Israel. I urge her to retract this statement and engage in further dialogue with the Jewish community on why these comments are so hurtful.

— Nita Lowey (@NitaLowey) March 2, 2019

Omar then continued the public clash, tweeting a long thread that decried any expectation that she should “pledge support to a foreign country in order to serve my country in Congress.”

Our democracy is built on debate, Congresswoman! I should not be expected to have allegiance/pledge support to a foreign country in order to serve my country in Congress or serve on committee. The people of the 5th elected me to serve their interest. I am sure we agree on that! https://t.co/gglAS4FVJW

— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) March 3, 2019

Before she was a member of Congress, Omar warned in a 2012 tweet, now deleted, that “Israel has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel. #Gaza #Palestine #Israel.”

Monday night, another Democratic colleague, Rep. Juan Vargas of California, called on Omar to apologize “for her offensive comments.”

It is disturbing that Rep. Omar continues to perpetuate hurtful anti-Semitic stereotypes that misrepresent our Jewish community. Additionally, questioning support for the U.S.-Israel relationship is unacceptable. (1/2)

— Rep. Juan Vargas (@RepJuanVargas) March 4, 2019

Ocasio-Cortez again dove into the fray, launching into another long thread expressing curiosity whether Vargas would “further explain his stance here that it’s unacceptable to even *question* US foreign policy.”

I remember a time when it was “unacceptable” to question the Iraq War.

All of Congress was wrong, including both GOP & Dem Party, and led my generation into a disastrous + wrong war that virtually all would come to regret, except for the one member who stood up: Barbara Lee.

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 5, 2019

A draft copy of the four-page Democratic resolution text obtained by ABC News does not name Omar, but summarizes the history of anti-Semitism before rejecting anti-Semitism “as hateful expressions of intolerance that are contradictory to the values that define the people of the United States.”

In the meantime, Republicans are enjoying the Democratic distraction, with the president even taking notice in a tweet.

Representative Ilhan Omar is again under fire for her terrible comments concerning Israel. Jewish groups have just sent a petition to Speaker Pelosi asking her to remove Omar from Foreign Relations Committee. A dark day for Israel!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 5, 2019

House Republicans are rallying around their own resolution condemning anti-Semitism, and are urging Democrats to use this bill text if/when they hold a vote on a resolution condemning anti-Semitism this week.

The GOP’s text specifically names Tlaib and Omar, as well as white supremacists including Richard Spencer and Robert Bowers, who killed 11 people at the Tree of Life synagogue shooting last October in Pittsburgh.

Rep. Lee Zeldin, a Republican who is Jewish, introduced House Resolution 72 to “condemn anti-Israel and anti-Semitic hatred infiltrating U.S. politics, college campuses and the halls of Congress.” He’s claiming more 100 cosponsors including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Republican Whip Steve Scalise, and Republican Conference Chair Liz Cheney.

Zeldin is urging House Democratic leaders to bring his measure to the floor for a vote this week instead – citing “the latest anti-Semitic trope of Representative Ilhan Omar.”

“Rep. Omar’s continued peddling of anti-Semitic trope underscores the urgency to take action,” Zeldin, R-New York, wrote in a statement. “I commend my colleagues who have spoken out against her unrelenting, unabashed anti-Semitic attacks. Rep. Omar knows exactly what she is saying and doing and has been hurling these attacks for years. The hatred that regularly pours out of her heart is a cause of the underlying problem with anti-Semitism in the world and absolutely not the answer to it.”

Zeldin also reiterates that he is still calling on Democratic leaders to remove Omar from the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

[celtfather]

Halfway to St Patrick's Day 2019 #187

Tomorrow, we are Halfway to St Patrick’s Day. September 17 marks the six month occasion which gets us to the biggest modern Celtic holiday of the year. We’re celebrating with quite a bit more Celtic music on the Pub Songs Podcast.

Marc Gunn & Jamie Haeuser, The Gothard Sisters, Brobdingnagian Bards, The Selkie Girls, Gwendolyn Snowdon, Brendan Loughrey, Heather Dale, The Doubleclicks, Battlelegs, Poitin, Liz Madden, Burning Bridget Cleary, The Muckers, Dylan Foley, Melanie Gruben, Brobdingnagian Bards

Welcome to the Pub Songs Podcast, the Virtual Public House for Celtic Geek culture. My name is Marc Gunn. I am a Celtic Geek musician and your guide to honoring our past and adapting for our future.

Today’s show is brought to you by my Gunn Runners on Patreon. Your generous pledge of $5 per month allow me to create music, podcasts, and my weekly video show, Coffee with The Celtfather. Thank you!

If you have comments or want to chat in the pub, then I want your feedback. What are you doing today while listening to the Pub Songs Podcast? How has this show inspired you? Send a written comment along with any pictures to marc@marcgunn.com. Use the hashtag #pubsongs in the subject of your email.

Cead mile failte! PubSong.net

WHO'S PLAYING IN THE PUB TODAY

0:16 - "Gypsy Rover" by Marc Gunn & Jamie Haeuser from How America Saved Irish Music

3:29 - WELCOME. You may not realize it, but there are time stamps in the shownotes of each episode. If there’s a song you enjoy, you can easily listen to it over and over again. If you don’t like it, skip to the next song. I’m pretty sure this feature works in most podcatchers.

Find out more about the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast here.

4:37 - "Rose, Marie and Heather" by The Gothard Sisters from Midnight Sun

8:00 - "Johnny Jump Up" by Brobdingnagian Bards from Gullible's Travels

11:31 - "Why Should I Cry" by The Selkie Girls from Long Time Traveling

16:49 - HALFWAY TO ST PATRICK’S DAY STORY AND MUSIC. We are just six months away from St Patrick’s Day. That’s the biggest holiday of all Celtic musicians, even us fringe Celtic Geek musicians like me.

Cool Articles:

Top 10 Halfway to St Patrick’s Day Songs

How to Celebrate Halfway to St Patrick’s Day?

Pub Songs Podcast Episodes:

Halfway to St Patrick's Day Pub Songs #160

Hobbit Day, Halfway to St. Patrick's Day, and Talk Like a Pirate Day #107

St Patrick’s Day Podcast

6 Months to St Patrick’s Day: This actually predates my knowledge of Halfway to St Patrick’s Day, I think, but it started on September 17, 2011

Irish & Celtic Music Podcast Episodes:

Halfway to St Patrick’s Day #325

Halfway to St Patrick’s Day Podcast #275

Halfway to St Patrick’s Day #224

Halfway to St Patrick’s Day #145

And of course if you’re looking for more St Patrick’s Day music, I have a whole website dedicated to it, including more podcasts, video concerts, free Irish music downloads and more.

18:42 - "The Next Market Day" by Gwendolyn Snowdon from Three Strand Braid

21:42 - "Sean South" by Brendan Loughrey from To Those Who Fell

24:16 - "Mordred's Lullaby" by Heather Dale from Avalon

28:55 - BEHIND THE MUSIC: Inclusion versus exclusion. From traditional Irish music to filk circles.

44:10 - TRAVEL WITH CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS. Every year, I take a small group of Celtic music fans on the relaxing adventure of a lifetime. We don't see everything. Instead, we stay in one area. We get to know the region through its culture, history, and legends. You can join us with an auditory and visual adventure through podcasts and videos. 2020 is the Origins of Celtic Invasions. You can find out more about this exciting trip. Join the invasion at http://celticinvasion.com/

44:59 - "Ennui (On We Go)" by The Doubleclicks from Dimetrodon

48:07 - "Another Round For Us" by Battlelegs from The Very Best of Battlelegs, Vol. 1

50:15 - "St Patrick's Day Polkas" by Poitin from Irish Celtic Music and Bofiguifluki

56:32 - "Banks of the Ohio" by Liz Madden from My Irish Home

59:48 - UPCOMING SHOWS

* Sep 21: Pepper Place Farmer’s Market, Birmingham, AL * Sep 27-28: Browncoat Ball, Las Vegas, NV * Oct 11: Interstellar Ginger Beer & Exploration Co., Alabaster, AL * Oct 12: Brennan’s Irish Pub, Birmingham, AL * Coffee with The Celtfather, Wednesdays at 10:30 am EST on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube

1:00:45 - "The Elfin Knight" by Burning Bridget Cleary from Totes for Goats

1:04:28 - "The Widow and the Devil" by Marc Gunn from Kilted For Her Pleasure

1:07:48 - "One More Stout" by The Muckers from One More Stout

1:11:28 - "The Discontented Man / Crabs in the Skillet / Dancing Eyes" by Dylan Foley from Deliriously Happy

1:16:17 - "Irish Fire" by Melanie Gruben from Single

1:21:16 - THIS PODCAST IS LISTENER SUPPORTED. If you enjoy visiting the pub, please join the Gunn Runners Club to get more podcasts, videos, bootleg concerts, and exclusive MP3s. Special thanks to my newest patron: Andrew H., Bill M., David & Paulette G., Alan D, Moose

Thank you for so kindly supporting my music. Go to marcgunn.net to join the Gunn Runners on Patreon today. Let's make a friendlier world.

If you enjoy the music in this show, support the artists. Buy their music and merch. Follow them on Spotify. Let them know how much you love what they are doing. And tell a friend.

Now when I say “tell a friend”, what I’m talking about is creating a viral sensation. Every now and then, I listen to a song like Melanie Gruben’s song “Irish Fire”. I am blown away by the songwriting and her incredible voice. Because of it, I tell you. I recorded that track and shared it with you. That’s what it means to go viral.

So if there’s something that moves you, please do the same. You can tell a friend one-on-one or by email or in rave about it on social. Whatever. Your excitement and enthusiasm is contagious. So get excited and share your excitement.

1:23:34 - "Seven Drunken Nights in Hobbiton" by Brobdingnagian Bards from I Will Not Sing Along

Pub Songs Podcast was produced by Marc Gunn. To subscribe, go to Apple Podcasts, Spotify or to my website where you can join the Gunn Runners Club on Patreon and support my music and this podcast. I’ll also email regular updates of new videos, podcasts, stories behind the songs, plus 21 songs for free. Welcome to the pub!  www.pubsong.net.

Check out this episode!

[siphen0]

As I said last week, we all knew that the Rot and darkness were going to be a big problem in this season. However, that didn’t change the problem that is humans. The combination of Avery’s greed, and Woodrue’s madness is hard to beat right now. Especially when they have actually figured out a way to capture the Swamp Thing in one piece. When that happened, I knew that we were also in store for one of the darker episodes to come. Something like this as inevitable, and at least its something we would be able to see on-screen.

I figured that this episode would have a strong focus on Woodrue in particular. For as dark Avery can be, we have still yet to see how deep the well goes for this scientist. This was our opportunity to finally see that side of him that he wasn’t given the chance to bring to the surface. Unfortunately for some out there, this might come at the price of one of the more uncomfortable scenes. If you didn’t keep yourself up to date with what would happen in this episode, then you may have missed the dissection that was going to take place. When you knew that, you knew that you had to brace yourself for something inhumane coming your way. It never gets easier seeing someone taken apart while conscious, and this isn’t one of those shows where you expect them to hold your hand for the sake of sparing your emotions. Personally, I was glad they took it as far as they did. Woodrue is not a good guy. This was him finally crossing that line of no return because he was fully aware of the suffering that he was once more putting someone through. Was it worth it for Woodrue? Hard to say by the end of the episode, but for Alec? We were hit with a revelation that I’m glad that they were able to get around to before the finale.

Now for this scene, I do have to say it was commendable how they put together the composition of the Swamp Thing. I’ve said a lot about how impressive their creation of him inside and out, but this week really put their attention to details to the test. I mean, most of what was great was seeing the suit in the dark. Though this setting put him under a light where everything could be seen. This allowed for much more appreciation of the finer details, including everything that makes the Swamp Thing tick internally.

Getting back to Avery, I was surprised by how he bounced back. This could have gone a number of ways, but he proved that he could play the same game as everyone else. Sometimes that can be the most refreshing turnout when the villain is not usually expected to be as old as Avery, or lack of imposing.

One thing I found worth getting into was the rescue mission that Abby and Liz set out on. It was brave, though it was also foolhardy. There was only ever going to be one outcome for the two if they got too close to the Conclave. Fortunately, this was the best push to get the right person to cross their paths. What was so thrilling about the part that they played in this episode, was the inability to ignore the extraordinary. Between a demon transformation and walking in on what was done to Alec, all eyes are finally opened without question.

After a couple of episodes, I did find myself a bit concerned about the direction that things were going with Daniel. He went through what he went through, and then that was pretty much it since there was still other plotlines picking up traction at the same time. As the second to last episode of the season, there was no better time to jump back into this destiny set in motion for him. I mean for the first time it felt like this was it. This was where he might actually become the Blue Devil. Any other destination for him that wasn’t becoming the Blue Devil would have honestly been a waste of time. When the time of the Blue Devil came? One of the highlights of this season! This was the best that I had ever seen of this character. The action was intense, brutal, and more visceral than anything we had already seen from Swamp Thing when he was crossed.

One thing did manage to catch my attention by the end of the episode, and that was the strange condition of Woodrue’s wife. Up to this point you would have assumed that her condition was natural. That her mind was simply slipping and struggled keeping herself grounded. Now we see that there might be more to it than what we were seeing on the surface. While it is a bit late in the game to figure out what’s going on there, the mystique to it all was fitting to the story unfolding.

Swamp Thing “The Anatomy Lesson” turned into one heck of a roller coaster of emotions. One thing you can never take from this series, is how they consistently made sure we walked away from every episode with big takeaways. They didn’t drag their feet with the things supernatural, throwing this town into the fire, or the time it took getting these characters as close as they could to their comic counterparts. The source material was clearly the driving force for this story, and that was felt with every story and character decision made from the start of the series.

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Swamp Thing “The Anatomy Lesson” Review As I said last week, we all knew that the Rot and darkness were going to be a big problem in this season.

[elliotthezubat]

DEATH CITY DAYS CHAPTER 107

Dumas: *looking out at the city*

marquis: <all packed!>

Dumas: <Hmm...> *still looking out*

marquis: ??

Cervantes: <Sad to leave your old stomping grounds?>

Dumas: <...There's something I have to do...> *grabs a hoodie*

marquis:....

-elsewhere-

Kid: *putting together a puzzle with the kids*

stocking: we're back!

Kid: *looks up* "Hello!"

Patty: *holding shopping bags* "Hey, kiddos!"

julie: hi patti!

Patty: "Hee hee! Want to see something cool?"

julie: yeah!

Patty: *takes out some outfits the kids' sizes*

julie: WOW!

shiori: ^0^

Patty: "Try them on so we know whether they fit--and whether you like them, too."

julie: ok!

liz: ^^

Kid: "Anything you all got for yourselves?"

stocking: some swimsuits and summer dresses.

Kid: "Neat! Maybe a swim park visit?"

julie: yay!

Patty: "Right on! Slides! Shaved ice!"

Kid: *picks up Shiori* "Kiddie pool."

-elsewhere-

Chuuya: *asleep*

miyuri: zzzz...

sonia: ....

Chuuya: *sleep murmur*

sonia:....*glances at the memorial* he's doing his best, mama....he really is......

Chuuya: *slight whimper*

sonia:...we miss you a lot, even if i never really got to meet you....i'll take care of him and miyuri, and they're taking care of me too...

*wind chimes are heard*

sonia:...good night, mama.

*it's still and quiet but peaceful in their room...*

-elsewhere-

Dumas: *walking through a neighborhood...glances at one house*

-the mondego's house...-

Dumas: "..." *reaches out a hand...pulls it back...glances at the window*

-inside, mercedes is packing boxes-

Dumas: "???" ("She's...getting rid of his stuff? Or...Where is she going...")

mercedes:.....*looks at one photo, wiping her eyes*

Dumas: *he struggles to see it...*

mercedes: ?! *turns to the window*

Dumas: "?!!!" *runs--and crashes into trash cans, stumbling*

mercedes: ??!! *takes a fire poker* <who's out there?!>

Dumas: *running--and slams into a wall* "..." *falls down*

mercedes: <hello??>

Dumas: X_X *not moving*

mercedes: ....

Dumas: *groans* *looks up* "... ... ..."

mercedes:....*closes the curtains*

Dumas: "..." *pathetic groan*

???: <what did you expect?>

Dumas: <...Shut up.>

elena:.....*sigh* <was this all worth it?>

Dumas: <...She's alive, isn't she?>

elena: <yeah, i suppose that's true....she'll get better. from what i can tell, she's a strong person.>

Dumas: *nods* <She is.>

elena: ....

Dumas: "..." *gets up...walks away*

elena: <so what will you do now?>

Dumas: <...Get back to work.>

elena: <yeah, same here i guess...>

Dumas: <And that would be for you...?>

elena: <that's classified.....>

Dumas: <Sure, keep jerking us around.>

elena: ...<one more thing; dont let yourself be consumed by your darkness...>

Dumas: <??? ...I've still lost so much. The only way I survive is living through that darkness.>

elena: <yet, in spite of everything, there is still good in you.>

Dumas: <Hmph. I don't need you to tell me that. Is this your experience with some of the worst telling you this?>

elena: <just trying to look out for you.>

Dumas: <Right. Some pet project for your boss?>

elena: ....<you make a lot of paranoid assumptions, dont you?>

Dumas: <Was in prison, got roped into some conspiracy I never knew of. That's my excuse.>

elena: <fair enough.>

Dumas: <...> *walks back into the shadows...*

elena:...*looks up at the sky* <all we can do for now is wait, and hope...>

-elsewhere-

Asako: *tending to patients* "That last fire grew faster than expected, but thankfully the Commander got rescue there in time..." *looks at the 'assistants'* "You kids looked tuckered out."

Izuku: *panting* "I-I'm fine...Really."

ochako: all good! ^^

Asako: "That's good...I hope Goldie's not getting in the way."

ochako: not at all! i have a golden too! though she's a little bigger.

Asako: "Oh, neat! Hear that, Goldie?" *scratch scratch*

goldie: arf! ^^

Izuku: "The Commander's abilities to put that soul to rest were shocking..." *picks up his notepad*

-morning-

Kid: *making waffles*

stocking: morning~ *smooch*

Kid: ^\\\^ "Good morning. How was your sleep?"

stocking: swell. *snuggle*

Kid: =w= "Great...You feel cuddly."

-elsewhere-

-knocks-

julie: <emmanual, can you get that?>

Emmanuel: <Of course.> *checks the door*

Caderousse: <Hello. I was told Valentine Villefort was here.>

Emmanuel: <Yes...What is this about?>

Caderousse: <I needed to speak with her about a matter as her...as her father cannot.>

Emmanuel: <...Please wait here...> *closes the door* <...The man wants to speak with Valentine.>

julie: <oh dear...>

valentine: ??

Emmanuel: <He seems to want to speak to only you, Valentine. I could ask him to come back...>

valentine: <who is it?>

Emmanuel: <...> *opens the door* <Your name?>

Caderousse: <Um, Caderousse, with child services.>

Emmanuel: *calls back* <Child services.>

valentine: !!!! <what does he want?>

Emmanuel: <...> *opens the door again* <What do you want?>

Caderousse: -_-; <I'm not here to take away Valentine or her brother. I have news regarding her family that she should hear.>

valentine: ....

Emmanuel: "..." *turns back* <He's not here to take you or Edouard away. I think he's harmless.>

Caderousse: -____- <Can I just come in already?>

valentine:....*holds edouard close to her*

julie: <i suppose it's alright...>

Caderousse: *nods* *walks in*

benedetto: *follows* ......

Emmanuel: "???"

julie: <oh my, who is this?>

Caderousse: <Bene, you can have a seat on the couch...>

benedetto:...*sits down, staring at edouard and valentine*

Caderousse: <Hi, Valentine, Edouard. I'm Caderousse. I'm here to see how you are doing while staying with friends.>

valentine:....<who's that?>

benedetto: ....

Caderousse: <Well, this is Benedetto. He...Well, he's been without his parents for some time.>

valentine: ....

Caderousse: <Valentine, I know you've been through a lot, but do you know a Hermine Danglars?>

valentine: the name _sounds_ familiar...

Caderousse: <She is Benedetto's mother...and Benedetto's father is Gerard De Villefort.>

valentine: !??!?!?

Caderousse: <I know this is a lot to take in after everything...But Bene has also been a lot without his family.>

benedetto: .....

valentine: <i....h-how di-....w-what can i-...>

Caderousse: <For now, Benedetto is under state custody. But I thought you should meet him...>

valentine: ......

benedetto:....<where's my mom?>

Caderousse: <We're finding her, Benedetto. I've asked some friends to tell her when she gets back...>

valentine:.....<could we....let him stay here for now?>

Caderousse: <I think that would be up to Bene...>

benedetto:...<fine.> 7n7

Caderousse: ^^; <Aw, just think of this as a new opportunity. You'll get to meet some new people.>

-elsewhere-

Axel: "Yo!"

izumi: hey guys!

Asher: "Hey. How many more days we got of this?"

hibiki: about two more i think before summer break.

Asher: "Thank goodness..."

Kanin: "Then we can focus on training."

Asher: "..." =n=

-elsewhere-

Todoroki: "We managed to put out the fire and bring the injured to the hospitals."

Aizawa: "Good work. Momo, how did your team fare?"

momo: we managed to locate them well enough.

Aizawa: "Good. Then we're going to turn to a pop quiz based on the chapters on search and rescue you read--"

Sero: ._.;;; "We had reading to do?"

jirou: *facepalm*

-elsewhere-

Higan: *standing in the park, looking around*

lavender: see anything?

Higan: "Not yet...Noticing some 'dark shades' people. They think they're not noticeable. Likely investigators."

lavender: hmm.

Higan: "Let's put a little distance from them--don't need them checking us out."

-elsewhere-

Kyoka: *looking at test results* "Oh. That was better than I hoped."

atsushi: *phew*

Lucy: -n- "At least the semester will be over--without taking extra remedial courses..."

Akutagawa: "..."

atsushi: how did you do?

Akutagawa: "99 out of 100."

atsushi: 0_0 WOAH!

Lucy: Q_Q *got an 89*

Kyoka: "Oh. You did quite well."

Akutagawa: *nods* "I read."

atsushi: so, i guess we go to our next class then.

Kyoka: "It should be more restful--maybe just busy work."

-elsewhere-

Chuuya: "..." *tending to the garden*

sonia: *holding a bucket*

Chuuya: "I think this one could use a little water..."

sonia: ok. *picks up a watering can and waters the plant*

Chuuya: "That's good..." *pulls a few more weeds* "Miyuri, be careful around the sapling."

miyuri: ok! ^^

Chuuya: *gets up, removes his gloves* "How you think the flowers look?"

miyuri: pretty!

Chuuya: *nods* "It was a lot of work, but I think it paid off."

sonia: and will the crops be ready soon?

Chuuya: "Soon enough--just have to make sure the summer sun isn't too hot for them."

sonia: hmm. maybe a greenhouse?

Chuuya: *nods* "I think we can get one put together."

-elsewhere-

Saria: *in study hall at the library, looking through a yearbook*

hibiki: want me to sign it?

Saria: ^^ "Yes, please." *opens it to the signature page*

hibiki: *signing her name*

Saria: "Thanks! Oh, you have neat handwriting..."

-elsewhere-

Valentine: *walking with Edouard and Benedetto* <And that's the park...>

benedetto: ...

Valentine: <Eddy and I play here all the time, especially after I get home from school...>

benedetto: *nod*

Valentine: <Do you like any games? Maybe tag?>

benedetto: <hide and seek?>

Valentine: *nods* <We like it, too. Right, Eddy?>

edouard: *nod*

Valentine: <Then sometimes we get crepes with a lot of fruit and cream before we...walk home...>

benedetto: ...

Valentine: "..." *wipes her eyes*

benedetto: ...?

Valentine: <I-I'm sorry. It's just a lot after...after Father...>

benedetto:....

Valentine: <...Let's sit for a bit.>

-elsewhere-

*on a plane*

Dumas: *looking out a window* "..."

Cervantes: *passed out, hair staticy, small electrical spasms* XwX

marquis: im sure haydee will be glad to see us. ^^

Dumas: *small smile, nods* "Yes...One good thing to look forward to..."

marquis: she was a rescue, right?

Dumas: *nods* "Yes--that's who I wanted."

marquis: *smiles*

Dumas: "...At least one thing I managed to do right."

marquis: you also gave me a place to call home.

Dumas: "...Okay, 2."

-elsewhere-

Axel: "Bro, how many more signatures you gonna fit onto that cast?"

zeke: at least 500.

Axel: "Dang, bro!" *holds up a hand for a high-five--then changes hands* ^^;

zeke: woot-woot!

Duncan: -^- "I could get way more signatures if I broke my arm."

Kanin: "..." *bored Willy Wonka voice* "No, please, don't..."

-elsewhere-

Owl Eyes: *filing papers--as something is rising outside the 27th floor's window* "..." *looks*

*it's an airship*

louisa: Q~Q;;;;;

Fitzgerald: *shouting outside, waving* "Buongiorno, old sport!"

Daisy: -_-; "It's the afternoon..."

Owl Eyes: "...Eckleburg, take care of this. I need a drink." *walks away*

eckleburg: ._.;;

bram: what the fresh hell....

mary: HIIII BRAM! *waves*

bram: mary-.....IS THAT A LION?!?!?

mary: yep! his name is milo!

Milo: *sniffs Bram* *purr*

mary: ^^

bram: Q~Q;;;;;; (im certainly going to die....)

Daisy: *nudges Eckleburg in the shoulder*

eckleburg: !! y-yes?

Daisy: "Don't we got things to do to keep us busy?"

eckleburg: r-right.

-elsewhere-

Tool: "All set in the wagon?"

io: ba! ^^

Tool: "Okay! Roll out!" *slowly pulls the wagon around the garden*

io: wheeeee! ^o^

Tool: "The wheels are happy, too! The grass is nice on their treads..."

io: *giggle*

Tool: "Now around the bend--" *slow turn around the sunflowers*

io: woooah...

Tool: "And we're racing to the finish!"

io: *laughs*

Tool: *passes through the arch leading into the garden's sidewalk* "And it's a photo finish!!!"

saki: *snaps a pic* ^^ yaaay

Tool: ^^; "How wa that, Io?"

io: again! again!

Tool: "Okay, once more..." *rolls the wagon...*

-elsewhere-

Chuuya: *cooking*

sonia: *setting the table*

miyuri: *playing with mito*

mito: *pawing at cat toy*

Chuuya: "Should be ready in another 5 minutes...How's the table, Sonia?"

sonia: almost done.

Chuuya: "That's good...Tomorrow's a big day."

miyuri: what is it, papa?

Chuuya: "You know what Kajii and I have been building?"

miyuri: ~?

Chuuya: "You'll find out tomorrow."

-elsewhere-

Dumas: *stretches, getting off the plane* "..." *picks up Cervantes, who is still knocked out*

marquis: *streeeetch*

Dumas: *looks* "...Well, we're here again..."

marquis: yep.

Cervantes: *yawns* =w= "I had a wonderful dream--I was crawling through the desert to impress--" O_O "...Oh, hey! The desert!"

marquis: morning~

Dumas: "I suppose our first stop is to our 'employer'..."

-elsewhere-

hyakuya: any plans for the day?

Yoichi: "I heard something about more training...I'm kind of ready to hide and just eat sugary food and play games."

mitsuba: what kind of training do you think it is?

Yoichi: "I heard running was involved."

mitsuba: so a phys ed kind of thing?

shinoa: they could also have mock monsters attack us.

Yoichi: "Like people in rubber suits?"

hyakuya: that's for CGI movies. i think.

Kimizuki: "Rubber suits would be redundant if the monsters are fully CGI."

hyakuya: i'm talking about like motion actors!

Kimizuki: "Then say so from the beginning!"

Yoichi: ^^;

hyakuya: i figured you'd just assume so! >n<#

Kimizuki: "Rubber suits are like Godzilla or Kong, not motion capture!"

Jun: ._. "...I better host them all a movie night to calm down..."

hyakuya: i'm talking about body suits made of rubber! like a cat suit or something! THAT'S what i mean!

Yoichi: "With the ping pong balls glued on!" ^^

Kimizuki: "..." *annoyed grunt* "She's so confusing..."

hyakuya: *victorious smirk* ^^

*ROAR*

hyakuya: ??!!?

???: you're both incorrect for the test....

*A robot in a Halloween mask is at the end of the hall*

mitsuba:....what?

tinker: ta-dah!

Kimizuki: "..." *facepalm*

shinoa: awww, how cute.

Yoichi: O~O "So uncanny..."

tinker: >3< she's not supposed to be cute! she's supposed to look scary!

Yoichi: >~< "Then you succeeded!"

hyakuya: *trying desperately to contain her laughter*

tinker: =n= i'll be right back.

yumikage: talk about mixed reactions...

Kimizuki: "Is that all she focuses on?"

Jun: "She's also a talented conversationalist..." ^^;

yumikage: gotta give her credit, as eccentric as she is, she works hard and does her best to improve herself. not to mention her kick-ass square-dancing skills.

Kimizuki: "...You're kidding, right?"

yumikage: i _wish_ i was kidding.

-elsewhere-

Tachihara: *his hand is stuck up a vending machine*

higuchi: how?

Tachihara: "The bastard stole my money before I could get my Sno-Ball...Now, I'm stuck."

higuchi: *whacks the machine*

Tachihara: "Owie!"

*candy bars fall down on his arm*

Tachihara: Q_Q

higuchi:.....kajii! we need some assistance!

-elsewhere-

Kid: "And that's been work for today, Homura."

homura: *nods*

Kid: "Any summer plans?"

homura: i'm going to be visiting my grandparents in japan, like usual.

Kid: *nods* "That should be a good break."

homura: yeah, it's a traditional thing.

Kid: "Anything to do in the area?"

homura: they live in a more rural part of japan in a small farming village. it's rather peaceful.

Kid: "Ah. I hope the weather will be pleasant."

-elsewhere-

Dumas: "Who's a good girl? Who's a good girl!"

frances: my my, sounds like you've had an eventful few days, gentlemen.

Cervantes: "Meh--kind of average."

haydee: *spinning in circles and jumping onto dumas, licking his face*

Dumas: TwT *pet pet*

marquis: *making tea*

Cervantes: "Well, that's that, I guess? I mean, we've done what you told us to."

frances: and how did you and the count get along?

Dumas: -_-#

Cervantes: "Splendidly!" ^^;

marquis: she was certainly interesting.

Dumas: "Hmph."

-elsewhere-

Kunikida: *reading...a textbook*

atsushi: ??

Kyoka: "..." *whispers* "Maybe he ran out of reading material..."

Kunikida: "I didn't. I'm reviewing this book for typos and outdated mathematical equations to help solve a quandary."

Kyoka: ._. "!"

atsushi: ????

Dazai: "Normal people just Sudoku..."

Kunikida: -_-# "There was a murder at a college out of state, and I know the book they used in that class."

atsushi: *listening*

Kunikida: *sighs* "The murderer's note was written on this exact page of this book--but it has the third word on line 5 spelled correctly, which is not the same as the edition I have. But that is not the edition assigned to students. So I'm trying to see who would have bought the older edition used."

atsushi: hmmm....

Kyoka: "Is this a job you have accepted?"

Kunikida: "I'm only consulting. I wasn't thinking--"

Dazai: *pats Atsushi and Kyoka's shoulders* "Our fine children need to consider their college options!"

atsushi: ._.;;;

Kyoka: -_-; "You just want to live vicariously through us as you imagine what you would do with teens and young 20-somethings."

Dazai: ^^; "Would I do such a thing?"

Everyone in the room: "Yes!"

Random person bicycling by the office: "Yep!"

atsushi: ._.

Dazai: ._.;

-elsewhere-

Kepuri: *reading through a travel brochure for i-Island* "... ... ...I know where I want my honeymoon."

akaderu: O////O

Kepuri: "??? What? I didn't say 'when.'"

akaderu: >/////>;;;;

Kepuri: "Or, could just be our own vacation..." *opens an app on her phone* "...Um...Yeah. We need more cash."

-elsewhere-

jirou: *practicing guitar*

Mina: *listening*

eijiro: *practicing drums*

Kaminari: *on bass* ._. "...This doesn't feel like I thought it would."

sero: how so?

Kaminari: "I thought bass was supposed to be cool. This doesn't feel like it."

jirou: let me see.....-_-; you're holding it wrong.

Kaminari: "...Oh." *strums* "Hey, that feels easier!"

jirou: *nods*

Mina: " 'Bout time you figured it out! Now we can really jam!"

-elsewhere-

higuchi: *looking a brochures*

Gin: "Any good travel packages?"

higuchi: how about this one?

Gin: "Looks affordable. Hotel looks cozy."

higuchi: the restaurant looks nice too.

Gin: "Some decent nature tours...I can reserve us online."

-elsewhere-

stocking: *sneaking up on kid*

Kid: *not noticing*

stocking: CUDDLE-MOOSH! *snuggle attack*

Kid: "GAK!" *giggles, falling down*

stocking: *giggles and smooches*

Kid: =///= *smooch*

stocking: hehe~ i feel like playing some mario kart, you in?

Kid: "Very." *sits up*

stocking: sweet! dont think i'll go easy on you.

Kid: "I wouldn't have it any other way~" *picks up a controller*

stocking: one more thing. *whispers* winner tops tonight~

Kid: O\\\\\\O *gulps*

stocking: 7w7~<3

Kid: "O-Oh my...Purple shell, help me."

-elsewhere-

naomi: *checking her phone* !!!! *squeee* >w<

atsushi: ??? tanizaki? what's she doing?

Tanizaki: "Well, using detective skills--and a lifetime of knowledge--I'd say her habits point to...a new chapter in one of her favorite fanfics just dropped."

naomi: naho just linked it to me. it's getting gooooood. =w=

atsushi: im not sure what the appeal is to this kross series.

naomi: *stares intently at atsushi*

atsushi: ....what?

naomi: oh i'll _show_ you the appeal.

atsushi: um...tanizaki? what's she talking about?

Tanizaki: *already running for the door*

atsushi: tanizaki?!

Tanizaki: "YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN!"

naomi: you're coming with me, nakajima. we're fucking binge-watching.

Tanizaki: *shouting back* "LANGUAGE, SISTER!" *leaping down the stairs*

atsushi: TANIZAKI!? YOSANO!? KENJI?! KYOUKA?! LUCY?! HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP!!!!

ranpo: ya'll done dug your own grave, boyo.

kenji: rest in peace! ^^

Kyoka: "I'll lay flowers at your grave."

Lucy: O_O;;;

atsushi: *SCREAMS* IYAAAAAAA!!!!

-elsewhere-

leo: it's alright, really, i can handle it.

pushkin: <oooh no ya dont, you need to save your strength.>

leo: ^^;

katya: we'll keep fires to a minimum.

leo: erm-.... <m-motovya?>

Motojiro: <It'll be fine! All safety precautions will be taken!> *sharpening a knife*

leo:.... ^^;;;

-elsewhere-

licht: *practicing*

Hyde: *listening from outside* "..."

licht: *his fingers move gracefully along the keys*

Hyde: *closes his eyes, picturing the keystrokes* "..."

-on the table next to licht, there is a flyer for a piano competition and gala-

Hyde: ("Hope he'll be ready for that shindig...")

-elsewhere-

valentine: .....

Edouard: "..." *whispers* <He's really quiet.>

valentine: <it's...> *sigh* <it's been difficult...for all of us.>

Edouard: <...> *sniffs...hugs Valentine*

valentine:...*hugs*

Bene: *kicking a rock*

julie: .....<im making some pancakes. want any?>

Bene: *groans*

julie:....<well, let me know if you get hungry, ok?>

Bene: <...I want waffles.>

julie: <ok then.>

Bene: >_>;;;;

???: <ANDREAAAAAAA!>

Bene: O_O;

valentine: ?!

hermine: <e-eugenie!>

Edouard: "???"

eugenie: <mama, it's my friend andrea!>

hermine: ???

eugenie: <that's what mr caderousse said, right?>

Bene: O__________________O

Edouard: <No, that's Bene.>

eugenie: <it totally is andrea! i can tell by the face!>

Bene: >~< <I DIDN'T WANT TO DRESS UP LIKE THAT! THAT JERK MADE ME DO IT!>

valentine: <what is going on here??>

Bene: >_>; <I...used to have 'playdates' with Eugenie...>

eugenie: <you didnt talk cause you didnt want me to find out that you were a boy, right?>

Bene: ._. "..." *nods*

eugenie: <i dont mind. uncle lucy wears dresses sometimes. daddy might have gotten mad, but he's a jerk and he's not around anymore, so it's ok!>

Bene: "..." <What?>

hermine: *panting* <g-gigi, please, you shouldnt-....!!!>

Bene: <???>

hermine: <....are you....benedetto?>

Bene: *nods* <Yes? And you're...um...>

hermine: *hugs him, crying*

Bene: "..." Q_Q <Wh-What?>

valentine: ???

Bene: <...You're...?>

hermine: *breathing* <t-this might be hard to believe....god, it's hard for _me_ to believe it but...>

valentine: <i think...that's your mom...>

Bene: <...> *starts crying uncontrollably*

eugenie: ???

valentine:....*small smile*

-elsewhere-

miyuri: *asleep on the couch*

sonia: *about to doze off*

Chuuya: *pauses the movie* "You need some sleep."

sonia: i can...*yawn* s-stay up...a bit more....

Chuuya: "I'm sure you could--but I think sleep will help."

sonia: maybe...

Chuuya: "Come on..." *picks her up* *humming 'Under the Sea'*

sonia: nnn......zzzz....

miyuri: *snoring*

Chuuya: *sets Sonia in bed, then picks up Miyuri*

miyuri: =w=

Chuuya: *sets her in bed, tucks her in*

-morning-

Kid: =w=

stocking: u///u

Kid: *kitten yawn, snuggle*

stocking: mmmm~<3

Kid: "Wonderful..." *smooch*

-elsewhere-

atsushi: *exhausted*

Kyoka: *pouring tea* "You poor soul."

atsushi: im still not sure if i 'get it' per say, but i kinda have a vague idea of what was going on....i think.

Kyoka: "...On a scale of Pop Team Epic to FLCL, where does it rank?"

atsushi: ????? im not sure what you mean by that.

Lucy: "Was it comedic or dramatic?"

atsushi: i guess it was more of an action series from what i can tell.

Kyoka: "Car chases?"

atsushi: lots of shooting and monsters.

naomi: but you totally saw the spark between nero and zepher, riiight~?

atsushi: well, they did have a lot of action scenes together, but i thought the love interest was the nun, estella?

naomi: =3=; but you at LEAST saw the subtext between nero and zepher, right?!

atsushi: now that you mention it, they kind of reminded me of dazai and chuuya a bit, from what i know.

Dazai: *Excalibur face* "Meh."

naomi: see?! he totally sees it!! OwO

Dazai: =~= "Take away this child's viewing privileges."

naomi: D8<

Tanizaki: *slaps his hands over Dazai's mouth* "Quiet, you fool..."

-elsewhere-

miyuri: we get to see the surprise now, right papa? OwO

Chuuya: "Keep the door closed just a bit longer..."

sonia: ??

Chuuya: "Aaaaaaaand open."

sonia: *opens the door* !!!!!!

miyuri: *gasp* WOOOOOW!!!

Chuuya: "So...Ready to play?"

miyuri: *looking around* WOW WOW WOW! THIS IS SO NEAT!

sonia: is this really for us, papa?

Chuuya: *nods* "Thanks to the help of Uncle Kajii and others."

sonia: *small smile and climbs up* oh! there's a bookcase up here!

Chuuya: "We can move up what you want--or some new ones."

sonia:...thank you.

miyuri: sonia, sonia! there's a coloring table under it!!

Chuuya: ^^

miyuri: ohhhh, whats this thing? *flops onto the beanbag chair*.............zzzzzzz....

Chuuya: "Heh..."

mito: *climbing up the treehouse and sits next to sonia*

Chuuya: *sits down, looking up* "..."

-elsewhere-

valentine: <so, we're going to be living with them from now on?>

Villefort: "..." <It's...a surprise she would offer...>

valentine: <no kidding...>

Villefort: <...Is this what you want?>

valentine: <i....i dont know. it's a lot to take in. but if you arent going to be there, then i guess i can give her a chance...>

Villefort: <...She was always caring.>

valentine: .....<she looks a lot like mom.>

Villefort: <...I...hadn't wanted to consider that.>

valentine:.....<she's considering moving us to the states.>

Villefort: <...So far?>

valentine: <she wants to be away from her previous home to start fresh.>

Villefort: "..." *puts his head in his hands*

valentine: *hugs* <i wish you could come with us, i really do.>

Villefort: <...This is some punishment...That bastard...>

valentine: <dad...>

Villefort: *shivering*

valentine: <if we do go, i'll write as often as i can, ok?>

Villefort: *sob noise saying <Yes>*

valentine:...*keeps hugging him*

-elsewhere-

suzune: *yaaawns* -.-~*

Matsuri: "Good morning."

suzune: morning... *stretch* im gonna go make some egg toast....

Matsuri: "..." *nods* "Could be tasty..."

suzune: i tried to use my sword once to make it........it did not go well.

Matsuri: *light laugh* "Unique options for trying them out, though. I still trip in the dark at night."

suzune: maybe carry a flashlight with you, if that helps.

Matsuri: "Yeah..." *looks down at the table*

suzune:.....am i doing good? with the 'not killing' thing?

Matsuri: "..." *nods* "I think so. You've been in control, quite a bit."

suzune: i guess, though i worry i come off as too...too intense. that last girl ended up probably wetting herself from fear.

Matsuri: ^^; "Tone that down then...How about you put on a smile when you're on the job?"

suzune:.....*awkward smile*

Matsuri: OwO "...That's nice."

-elsewhere-

hyakuya: *brushing her teeth* .....

asuramaru: jeez, you look like crap this morning.

hyakuya: ....what do _you_ want?

asuramaru: hostile much? im just checking in on you, we are partners, arent we?

hyakuya: can you just....get to the point here? its too early in the day for cryptic bullshit.

asuramaru: well _you're_ no fun. =3= i'll just tell you later then. XP

hyakuya:.....*splashes her face with water*

-elsewhere-

shinoa: ?? oh, kotori sent us a line message.

Kimizuki: "Hmm?"

mitsuba: oh, that girl from shinjuku?

shinoa: *nods* basically she says thanks for helping her and her family back then, and that they're living in a new apartment now. seems they even visited tokyo tower!

Yoichi: "How nice." ^^

Kimizuki: "..."

mitsuba: wow, it feels like that was like, years ago.

Yoichi: "A lot has happened, including this move here..."

mitsuba:....GRAAAH IM SO BORED!

hyakuya: yeah, same here. when are we gonna get an actual mission? i wanna kick some vampire ass!

Yoichi: "I-I'm sure there's something we can do. It's not like there aren't reports about creepy happenings..."

hyakuya: im gonna be right back. *walks to a room and knocks on the door* oooi! gureeeen! give us something to do! >3<

Guren: "Stop banging on my door, first."

hyakuya: =n=

Guren: *steps out* =_= *sighs* *holds out a file*

hyakuya: ??

Guren: "Well? You got it--open and read."

hyakuya: *looks*

Guren: *smirks*

*it's a note: "The toilet is clogged again--fix it"*

hyakuya:......*glares at him*

Guren: "Got to admit, it's frightening."

hyakuya: let me guess, your mouth ran out of room so you put the rest in the toilets.

Guren: "Touche. I had a feeling you were all sick of my jawing...But seriously, we have a lead."

hyakuya: oh really? do tell.

Guren: "One location with a high concentration of people going missing..."

hyakuya: where?

Guren: "Outside Vegas."

hyakuya: alright.

-elsewhere-

Asako: "The patient has fallen asleep."

kayako: *nods*

Asako: *sighs, pours coffee* "Want any cream?"

kayako: a little, yes.

Asako: *pours* *yawns* "Busy?"

-elsewhere-

Higan: *looking around the corner*

lavender: see anything?

Higan: "Same folks in shades..."

lavender: hmm...

*one guard talks to another before walking away...*

lavender: *looks around*

*looks like someone on the roof...*

lavender: ??

Guard: *stops and looks down*

lavender: *hides*

Higan: *gets behind the dumpster*

Guard: "..." *calls into collar* "Vector 5, check alley."

lavender: *silently mouths 'oh shit'*

*a plain-clothes guard walks into the alley*

Plain-Clothes: "..." *sniffs the air* "..." *turns to where Lavender is*

lavender: looking for a little fun~? *wink and skirt tug*

Plain-Clothes: "..." *rubs their nose* "You shouldn't be here. How about we get you out of here..."

lavender: hey now, im just trying to make a living here. is that so wrong?

Plain-Clothes: "I don't care about how you make your living--I'm not looking into that. But you need to go." *offers their hand to her*

lavender: what, is it illegal to stand in an alley or something?

Plain-Clothes: "I said you can't be here--it is dangerous. Please." *holds her hand* "Let's go."

lavender: .....

Higan: *walks up* "Oh, there you are!" *waves*

lavender: baabe, this guy's trying to keep me from doing my jooob. =3=

Higan: "Oh, is that so..." *rolls up his sleeve*

Plain-Clothes: "??? Who is this? Your dad?"

lavender: well, i do call him daddy.

Plain-Clothes: "..." -~- "Ma'am, you can do much better. Gramps, I told her to leave--so, get her to leave, now."

Higan: "Yeah, I hear ya. Come along, babe--I know a better spot~"

lavender: hehe~ *takes his arm* ^^

Plain-Clothes: *as they leave* "..." *sniffs* ("Okay...I got the scent now.")

lavender: tch-, what a prude. like they dont know good dick when they see it.

Higan: "Ha! ... They after us?"

lavender: *glances back*

*Plain-Clothes is already gone, people on the roofs aren't looking at them*

lavender:.....

Higan: "...Let's take a less obvious path..."

-elsewhere-

Toby: *hiding under the couch*

Milo: *napping on a rug*

Toby: Q_Q ("Haven't I dealt with enough lions?")

-elsewhere-

Motojiro: *nods* "It's good for them after everything..." *looks at her*

leo: ^^ *hug*

Motojiro: >w< *pat pat*

-elsewhere-

Inka: *pokes her head into a room* "Nuts--no treasure room here either--just an infirmary."

sasori: i heard the nurse in here is really creepy.

arrow: *bandaging herself*

Inka: "Yo, Arrow--is the nurse creepy?"

arrow: !!! inka, sasori, you two startled me...

Inka: "Woof--nasty bandaging..."

arrow: .....would you please not stare?

-she has a lot of scars, with a bit of muscle tissue exposed in some areas-

sasori: what the hell happened to you?

arrow: =_= haumea is killing me.

sasori: she works you that much?

arrow: no, i mean she is literally killing me. since i've been reassigned as her guardian, she's been having a field day draining energy from me.

sasori: ?!

Inka: *staring way too intently* "...Dangerous..."

arrow: since she seems to draw energy off my skin, it eats away at me. i also end up bleeding from the mouth and the nose...kind of a side effect, if you will.

Inka: *remembering her vision of herself, dismembered...* "..." *pleased goofy small grin*

sasori: ....that explains the occasional pain in my eye then...but, how does that even work?

???: "It saps the power of certain flame humans through their body's own heat in order to strengthen Pillars until they are fully ready for the Inferno."

sasori: ?! *turns*

*a woman with long bangs hiding her eyes, wearing something similar to a maid or nurse's outfit, enters*

sasori: so you're this mystery nurse....

???: "Ritsu." *"looking" at Inka...who is still smiling and making small goofy giggles*

sasori:....um...inka?....INKA!

Inka: *goofy giggle...drooling*

sasori: *CHOP* INKA!!

Ritsu: *already has a tissue, wiping the drool* *smiles*

Inka: "Ow! Sasori! So rude! I--Oh, hey, thanks, Nurse..."

Ritsu: *smiles* "Of course, Mistress."

sasori: ?!? nyeh?! w-where did _that_ come from?!

Inka: "..."

Ritsu: "I of course show all respect to the Pillars. Welcome, newest pillar, Mistress."

sasori: you dont need to call her that, it's going to go right to her head-

Inka: "..." *smug smile* "Hey, great to see someone here showing me some respect."

Ritsu: ^^

sasori: -aaaand it just did. -_-;

Inka: "Tell me, Ritsu--I got the worst paper cut. Could you bandage me up? Just, you know, less of a horror show like the Mummy over there?"

arrow: -_-# i _can_ hear you.

Ritsu: "Yes, I can--but please, Arrow is a humble servant. I ask that you show her a bit more decorum, as suited to someone as classy as you."

sasori: *rolls her eyes*

Inka: *getting a bandage* "Huh. Well, you make a persuasive argument." *smiles* "The Pillar thanks you for your service, Arrow."

Ritsu: ^^

arrow: *siiiigh* (i hope lord sho comes out of his room soon.....)

-elsewhere-

Albert: *playing with blocks* "..."

mercedes: *packing* .... <hey sweetie.> *smile*

Albert: *small giggle, waves*

mercedes: ^^ *tiny wave*

Albert: *tries to stand--and falls* <Owie.>

mercedes: *picks him up* <you almost got it, sweetie. just takes a bit of practice is all.>

Albert: *holds onto her* <Mama!>

mercedes: *forehead smooch*

Albert: =w= *loud giggle*

mercedes: *hugs*....

Albert: *small movements, happy grunts*

-elsewhere-

Dumas: *yawns* "I want to sleep for a month..."

Cervantes: *looking languidly out the window*

haydee: *props head up on the bed near dumas* owo

Dumas: *smiles, pats the bed*

haydee: *jumps up and sits down* ^w^ *tail wagging*

Dumas: *strokes her back as he dozes off...*

-elsewhere-

Higan: "We're back..."

tsubaki: how was it?

Higan: "Kind of intimidating..."

tsubaki: oh?

Higan: "Ramping up security, getting people to just walk away..."

tsubaki: hmm...

Higan: "Didn't look official--more like private security."

otogiri: that does sound rather suspicious.

Higan: "Not sure getting that up close is a good idea--maybe if we were watching from afar..."

-elsewhere-

Mifune: *setting out lunch*

yuma: thanks for the meal!

Mifune: *nods* "You're welcome." *sits down to tea*

angela: ^^

Mifune: *looks out the window* "How about fireworks later this summer?"

yuma: im looking forward to that. it's just about festival season now.

Mifune: "Need some new outfits?"

yuma: i'll probably go through my closet soon and see if i can donate anything i dont need anymore.

Mifune: *nods* "Good."

-elsewhere-

Toykyo Police: <Please clear the area and disperse.>

Anti-Dokeshi "Protester": *spits on a Dokeshi*

dokeshi mother: *holding her child close*

Child: *crying*

Toykyo Police: *frowns* <Ma'am, please move aside.>

dokeshi mother: *walking away*

Toykyo Police: *looks at the "Protester"* <You too. Move along.>

"Protester": <Fuck you!>

Toykyo Police: -_-; <Okay. Hands on your head-->

*BOOM*

Toykyo Police: <?!>

dokeshi mother: *screams*

*a building is on fire*

"Protester": <?!!! That's the police station! The Dokeshi did it!>

Child: *holding onto their mother*

dokeshi mother: <no! im only out buying groceries for the week!>

Toykyo Police: *takes megaphone* <Evacuate the area!>

"Protester": <Liar!> *swings his fist--*

dokeshi mother: !!!

*FWOOSH*

dokeshi mother: ?!

*a hand, cut at the wrist, drops to the street*

"Protester": *screaming, clutching his stump, while someone in a black robe is behind him...*

dokeshi mother: !!!!!!! *holding her child closer*

Toykyo Police: <?!> *removes their gun, aims--*

Robe: *holds up a metallic hand* <I'm not here for the mother, the child--or you, sir...I apologize for what my people did. But I cannot stand to see more Dokeshi harmed-->

Toykyo Police: <Freeze! Your 'friends' just injured--killed--so many people-->

*FWOOSH*

*the gun is sliced in half*

Toykyo Police: <?!!!>

dokeshi mother: *runs*

Robe: *kicks the police officer down--and leaps, higher than a rooftop*

"Protester": *screaming in pain, fire from the station lighting his face...he looks furious as he sobs*

-elsewhere-

Rin: "I think I got it!" *hits the button on the claw machine--and misses* O_O;

madoka: want me to try?

Rin: "Sure--your luck has to be better than mine..."

madoka: ok.

*2 quarters to play* *look like plushies inside*

-nice catch!-

Rin: "WOW!"

madoka: ^^

-elsewhere-

Cervantes: *sad sigh*

marquis: are you ok?

Cervantes: "Oh, just thinking about Dulcinea."

marquis: ah... you really like her, dont you.

Cervantes: *leaps up* "For the honor of such a brave, powerful, beautiful woman, I would do anything!"

marquis: aw, hehe~ ^^

Cervantes: ^w^ *sighs* "Love is grand to have."

-elsewhere-

lukas: *practicing*

Saria: "How is it? Not too heavy?"

lukas: its fine. how does it sound?

Saria: "Lovely. That's really impressive!"

lukas: t-thanks.

Saria: "How often do you practice?"

-elsewhere-

felisia: *giving shion his bath*

shion: baba!

Mephisto: "Just keeping you clean and happy, Shion."

shion: ^o^

felisia: ^^

Mephisto: *picks up the rubber ducky with little devil horns on it* "Quack."

-elsewhere-

Chuuya: *cleaning in the kitchen...listening for the indoor-treehouse*

sonia: *reading to miyuri*

miyuri: ^^

Chuuya: *listening* ("Seems they're enjoying it...")

-the doorbell rings-

Chuuya: "???" *looks out the window*

-it's clarice-

Chuuya: *opens the door* "Hi, Clarice."

clarice: hey mr N, is sonia home?

Chuuya: "Yes, she is..." *looks upstairs where the treehouse room is*

clarice: cool. oh, by the way here. *hands him something* mama made some banana bread.

Chuuya: "Oh! That was nice of her. Thank you."

clarice: im gonna head up where sonia is now, ok?....which room is she in?

Chuuya: "Oh, we made a new treehouse inside."

clarice: neat!

Chuuya: *nods* "Sonia and Miyuri seem to really like it. Just head that way."

-elsewhere-

Kunikida: *blows a whistle* "Board the vehicle post-haste!"

Kyoka: "Will you be okay?"

sylvia: p-please come home safe...u-unless you _want_ me to go with you...b-b-but i might just drag you down...

Kyoka: "There's room."

sylvia: a-a-are you sure?

atsushi: it's alright, sylvia.

Kyoka: *nods*

Kunikida: *moving a seat for Sylvia to get in the van*

sylvia: um...uhhh....y-you go on ahead, i'll just s-stay here where i w-wont mess anything up.

Lucy: "I'll keep an eye on Sylvia. We'll have fun while you're out." ^^

atsushi: ok then.

Lucy: *threatening voice* "Behave yourself--colleges are cesspools for misbehaving young men pressuring others to engage in all kinds of chicanery."

atsushi: OwO;; y-y-yes ma'am!

Kunikida: "Stop dallying! We have to--" *lifts a piece of luggage--and it's too heavy* "??? Atsushi, what did you pack in here?"

atsushi: i didnt? *opens it*

Dazai: *inside the suitcase* OwO

atsushi:.....why?

Dazai: *waves a college flag* "Yaaaaaay, team?"

Kunikida: "...Toss the trash."

atsushi:....maybe we should bring him?

Kunikida: "He's expecting a child!"

atsushi: think of it like this, we're only going for a short while, right? besides, you two do make a great team.

Kunikida: "WE DO NOT!"

Dazai: >w> "SHOTGUN!" *hops into the seat*

atsushi: ^^;

Kunikida: -_-# "...I control the radio." *gets into the driver's seat*

aya: well _THIS_ outta be interesting.

-elsewhere-

Steinbeck: *looking over a letter*

-dear john, how are you doing? midge is getting bigger and bigger now. hope you'll visit soon, love, ruthie-

Steinbeck: *small smile...looks at a calendar on the wall*

emily: um...may i come in?

Steinbeck: "Hmm? Oh, yes, please."

emily: so, what's next on our agenda?

twain: ROADTRIP!

Steinbeck: *falls out of his chair* "Wh-What?!"

Lovecraft: *dumping water into a giant fish tank* "Okay..."

twain: come on! cross country trip around america? it'll be great!

Steinbeck: "..." *looks at the calendar* "..." *sighs* "We'll need to make maximum use of gas. Get the map."

twain: WOOOOOT!

-elsewhere-

Jacqueline: *reading through a letter* "..."

kim: hey jackie!

Jacqueline: "!!!" *looks up* "Oh, hi! You're back..." *holds the letter*

kim: yeah, i brought some pizza if you want any later.

Jacqueline: "Thank you...Work go okay...?"

kim: yeah, things are getting pretty busy. takahiro said he was going to apply for a pro-hero license.

Jacqueline: "That's great! ...I got a letter from my aunt."

kim: oh cool, did she send cash?

Jacqueline: "...Yes, actually, but that was not the news."

kim: what's new?

Jacqueline: "She's thinking of visiting the States."

kim: oh sweet!

Jacqueline: *nods* "She'll let us know when she's getting here..."

-elsewhere-

Axel: *reaches for a comic--only for someone else to grab it first* "?!!"

kirika: hn?

Axel: "Yo, I was going to look through that."

kirika: tch- fine then.

Axel: "Hey, thanks, ma'am." *flips through* "!!!! WOW! ..." *hands it back to her* "Thanks. Now I know how Gamma Granny beats the Mosquito Man."

kirika: oh, you're not like, gonna buy it?

Axel: "Nah--just wanted to see if it connects to the upcoming crossover with the 'Milky Way 5' annual."

kirika: never heard of it.

Axel: "IT'S SO COOL! Imagine, representatives from multiple planets across the Way, brought together by the common pursuits of justice, goodness, and ethical stuff to fight evil aliens, monsters, and sail across the universe!"

kirika:.....ok?

Axel: "...So, you a gamer?"

kirika: yeah, a bit.

Axel: "Yeah, you looked like one--" *holds up his own thumb* "Lot of gameplay, trying not to get it calloused."

kirika: huh.

zeke: there you are, bro!

Axel: "BRO!"

zeke: been lookin' all over for ya! who the heck is this?

kirika: just someone browsing through the comics, waitin on her friend to be done with a nature call.

Gopher: *scurries in* "They ran out of paper towels..." *holding wet hands out*

kirika: just use the air dryer then, dude.

Gopher: "They never get hands dry enough..."

kirika: then just use your shirt, that's what _i_ do.

Gopher: "..." *wipe wipe wipe*

Axel: "Good advice your friend is giving you, bro."

Gopher: OwO;; "Y-Yeah?"

kirika: yeah, i know it is. anyway, im gonna check out the manga section now.

Axel: *looks* "Bro, there's that romance one Saria was reading."

zeke: yeah, plus maybe we'll see some of genny's stuff.

Gopher: "??? You know a romance writer?"

zeke: well, she dabbles in a lot of genres, mostly comedy.

kirika: *browsing through one book*

Gopher: "Wow--you know a popular writer..." *looks at Kirika* "..."

kirika: this one looks pretty cool. *holds up a horror manga*

Gopher: Q_Q

Axel: "...Wow, that one is scary."

kirika: yeah. if it turns out to be corny, i can just laugh at it.

Axel: "Hey, that's optimistic!"

Gopher: >~<

-elsewhere-

shinra: hey rel?

Relan: "Hmm?"

shinra: i was in the market square earlier, and there was a booth selling flower crowns so....*hands him a rainbow colored flower crown* happy pride month!

Relan: "Aw!" *puts it on* "Thank you!" ^^

shinra: *smiles* ^///^

Relan: "I'm glad for this..." *wipes his eyes*

shinra:....*hug*

Relan: *pat pat* *sniff* "Th-Thanks..."

-elsewhere-

Meme: "How's 'flying practice' going, Tsugumi?"

tsugumi: im not sure how this is all gonna work. im like, super nervous!

Anya: "You're not going to practice by jumping off the roof or something, are you?"

tsugumi: oh no no no! i wouldnt do that!

Meme: ^^; "Maybe we should try something simpler--like a trampoline."

tsugumi: hmm, we could...

-elsewhere-

Hibana: "Hanako? You feeling better?"

hanako: *sniff* =~=

gabriella: want some more orange juice?

hanako: *nods*

Rino: *walks in with a tray with orange juice...as she wears a germ mask over her mouth* -_-; "I don't need to get sick today..."

hanako: *sips* *sniff* ahh...

Hibana: "It'll help you recuperate, sweetie." *smiles--then glares at Rino and whispers--* "My daughter's germs are precious!"

Rino: >_>;

-elsewhere-

christa: *coloring*

Marie: "That looks lovely, sweetie." *sits with her and sets down yogurt and fruit*

christa: im gunna go to preschool, right mama?

Marie: "That's right! The end of this summer."

christa: yaaay! im gunna go to preschool! \(^o^)/

Marie: *raises her own arms* "Yay, Christa!"

-elsewhere-

Chuuya: "You girls doing okay?"

sonia: yes papa.

clarice: yeah. ^^

miyuri: mmhmm! ^^

Chuuya: "Okay..." *sets down glasses of water* "Let me know if you need anything..." *checking his phone*

clarice: this is a pretty sweet set-up you got here.

sonia: yeah. it's relaxing.

miyuri: *happily eating animal crackers*

Chuuya: "Some family friends helped make it."

-elsewhere-

Kyoka: *looking out the window* "Wow."

Dazai: *shiny eyes* "Look how big the city is from afar!"

Kunikida: -_-;

aya: so where is this place again?

Kunikida: "Sonoran College in Phoenix."

aya: neat.

Dazai: "Maybe the kiddos should go to the 'new student' orientation. They'd learn about the school and dig up some clues."

Kunikida: "WHAT KIND OF STUP-- ...Actually, yes, that is a good idea."

atsushi: i guess...

Kyoka: *reviewing evidence emailed to the Agency* "The older textbook page was found at the scene...Looking through the bookstore will be a first stop, and to examine the corpse."

atsushi: ._.;

Kunikida: "Right. Find whether they sold an older edition of the textbook, and interview anyone with that book."

Dazai: "Nervous, Atsushi? I know college can be rough..."

atsushi: ^^;

-elsewhere-

Yohei: *rubbing Chie's shoulders*

chie: =w=

Yohei: "You've been working so hard..." *soft kiss on her cheek*

-elsewhere-

Kid: *covering his eyes, counting* "...97...98...99...100!" *uncovers his eyes, looks around*

shiori: *hiding behind a curtain*

Kid: "Hmm...Where is everyone?" *looks under a teddy bear* "Not here."

stocking: ^^

Kid: "Maybe under here?" *looks under the rug*

julie: >w<

Kid: "Hmm..." *gets down on the floor, looking at the curtains...* "I didn't know...curtains had shoes."

shiori: >.<

Kid: "Could this be...Shiori?" *pulls back the curtain*

shiori: *squeels*

Kid: "Found you!" *picks her up* "Now, for Julie..."

-elsewhere-

Bene: "..." >_>

hermine: ....<would you like something?>

Bene: <...Juice.>

hermine: <alright then>

eugenie: ^w^

Bene: <...You seem happy.>

eugenie: <how could i not? i have a big brother now!>

Bene: >_< <It's still all weird...>

eugenie: <i dont mind. plus, we could be getting a second brother and a sister too...>

Bene: *groans* <This is...all weird.>

eugenie: <it'll be ok. mama's really nice. and she'll take good care of us. she makes really yummy food and knows lots of stuff.>

Bene: "..." <Do I have to rob people for her?>

eugenie: <what? no.>

Bene: <Really? How does Mrs. Dan--...How does Mama afford anything?>

eugenie: .....<im not sure. but im sure it'll be ok.>

Bene: <...> *looks at Eugenie's shoes* <...Those look pretty.>

eugenie: <thank you! mama got them for me!>

Bene: <Ah...> *looks at the shirt he is wearing...it looks big on him*

-elsewhere-

Sid: *reviewing class roster* "Okay, orientation will be at 8 AM tomorrow. You got the signs up?"

nygus: yep.

Sid: "Good. We'll have a meister-weapon demonstration, a Q&A with summer teachers, lunch...Oh. Um, did Lord Death film his 'welcome' video?"

nygus: he's in the middle of filming it now.

Sid: *sighs* "Let's hope he sticks to the script this time..."

-elsewhere-

Sakuya: *curled up in bed*

naho: sakkuuuuun~ you in here?

Sakuya: *small groan, turns over* "Yeah, over here."

naho: are you alright?

Sakuya: "Yeah, just feeling kinda...you know...bleh?"

naho: *huuug*

Sakuya: =\\\= *pat pat* "Thanks..." *hug*

naho: need anything, sakkun?

Sakuya: "I don't know...Feel kinda bored. I think I need to be doing something."

naho: ....caaan i crawl under your shirt and tickle you or nah?

Sakuya: >\\\\> "..." *nods*

naho: *doing so* kuchikuchikuchikuchi~!

Sakuya: >\\\\< "HEE HEE HEE HEE!"

naho: ~<3

-elsewhere-

Hyde: "And he's been locked up in there just practicing for hours..."

mahiru: doesnt he ever rest?

Hyde: "I guess when I stop hearing music--assuming he doesn't fall asleep on the keys."

kranz: that _has_ happened.

Hyde: "Well, he needs to take a break! I suggest by force."

mahiru: is that really such a good idea?

Hyde: *walking to the door, throwing it open--* "What's the worst that could happen? HEY! ANGEL! Time for a rest--"

licht: *sleepy kick to the balls*

julian: !!!!!!!!!!

kranz: D8

mahiru: 0_0;;;

Hyde: Q____Q "..." *collapses*

licht: not...in the mood.....shit....rat.....*falls over asleep with his butt in the air.* zzzzzz....

Kuro: "...Ha."

-elsewhere-

Joker: *hands a Nerf gun* "Here you go."

nana: ....

Joker: "So, you just aim at the target..."

Viktor: *tied to the wall* "...I don't see how this helps."

nana: *shoots it at joker's face*

Joker: "OW! Not your partner, the target--fire at the target!"

nana: i know.

Viktor: "Ha!"

scarlet: kid's got a sense of humor, got to give her that.

Joker: T_X *sighs* "At least your aim is good..."

-elsewhere-

Kyoka: *looking through travel brochures at the rest stop*

aya: *taking photos*

Dazai: "--and lying in the sun is too painful. There are some intriguing hallucinogenics you can get out of cacti, but you'll need supervision."

atsushi: ._.;;

Kunikida: "And I'm sure that's just fascinating--so why not ask the college's botany department and stop determining new ways to kill yourself."

Dazai: "These aren't new--I already tried them."

*one brochure shows museums and flower gardens*

atsushi: *examining the museum brochures*

*some locations include the Pueblo Museum, the Musical Instrument Museum, and the Fire Fighter Museum*

atsushi: hmm...

Kyoka: "Not too far from the college. We'll see whether clues point us to any off-campus location."

atsushi: you think?

Kyoka: "Potentially. I don't know that the suspect would stay so close to the crime scene, given how long ago the murder was. Kunikida, isn't it a bit late to examine the body?"

Kunikida: "I already got the autopsy report, so we'll be going over that to find the murderer."

-elsewhere-

Lucy: *reviewing the shopping list* "Okay, and then there's Ranpo's list..." *pulls out a separate one* "Where should we start?"

sylvia: t-this one?

Lucy: "Oh, the grocery? Sure!"

sylvia:....d-do you think they'll be ok?

Lucy: "...I get scared, too. But I've also seen what they can do. I have confidence they'll be okay."

sylvia: r-right....

Lucy: "Maybe you can call Kyoka this evening?"

sylvia: i-i-i guess.... .//////. b-but w-w-what if i come off as c-clingy?

Lucy: "??? I mean, Kyoka gets along with you, right? And-- ...Sylvia, you really like Kyoka, don't you?"

sylvia: *blushing* >//////////< *hides her face in her hands* uwaaa!

Lucy: "!!! I-I didn't mean to upset you! It's fine..."

sylvia: >///~///<;;;

Lucy: >_>; "I mean, Kyoka likes being around you, so..."

sylvia: i-i-i guess so...b-but w-what if she doesnt like me the way i like her? w-w-what if she thinks that im weird??

Lucy: "...Would you be ready to talk with her about this? Or do you think you need some time to prepare yourself?"

sylvia: i...waaah i dont know! >/////<;;;

Lucy: "Oh, Sylvia...I'm sorry. But I know Kyoka cares about you, and she wouldn't think you're weird."

sylvia: a-am i weird?

Lucy: "No, not at all."

sylvia: t-thanks....i-i guess....

Lucy: "...I would call her tonight. Just say hi and see what she says."

sylvia: o-ok.

-elsewhere-

ango:...*sigh*

Taneda: "??? Something troubling you?"

ango: nothing sir. just thinking.

Taneda: "About upcoming tasks?" *pours tea*

ango: yeah, plus it's already summer.

mizuki: yeah, i need a new swimsuit.

murakoso: *laughing*

mizuki: w-why is that so funny?

murakoso: m-mi-mizuki...swimsuit! get it?

mizuki:......*facepalm*

Taneda: "...Ha."

ango: language puns aside, do you plan on going to the beach, tsujimura?

mizuki: well why not? it's summer, right?

Taneda: "You should enjoy yourselves--you're only young once."

mizuki: thank you sir!

-elsewhere-

*there's a unicorn inside the hospital...chewing on bedsheets*

sachiko: ._.

Blair: "The kids asked for one, so I pulled some strings..."

sachiko: is this legal? given the magical creature protection act-

Blair: " 'Magical Protect-What Act'?"

sachiko: it's a law that was passed to ensure the protection and preservation of magical creatures in the wild. it was passed two years ago by president Ruth Packard?

Blair: "...Oh, I'm going to jail again."

-elsewhere-

Misono: *adjusting his tie in the mirror*

lily: ready for your date with shinoa~? ^^

Misono: "Just about..." *trying to adjust his hair--but one bit of it keeps sticking up* -_-;

lily: so where will the date be? movies? the mall? dinner?

Misono: "D-Dinner. Very expensive and formal..."

lily: oooh~

-elsewhere-

Yoichi: "Oh, you're in a hurry."

shinoa: i have a date with misono today~ ^^

Kimizuki: "Oh. Have fun. I know we have more training tomorrow..."

-that evening-

*Kunikida and others walk by the hotel pool to get to the front desk...*

Kyoka: *looking at the colorful design of the hotel*

aya: woooooah, fancy.

Dazai: "Quite the spacious accommodations, Kunikida--don't break the bank on this."

Kunikida: -_-; "I called ahead, so I hope our rooms are in order..."

atsushi: um. hello, we have reservations, i think?

Clerk: *smiles* "Hello, sorry--" *puts a call on hold* "Welcome to the Comfort Bennu Phoenix. I'm Anaba. What's the name on the reservation?"

atsushi: the rooms were under *looks at notes* ADA?

Anaba: "Oh, the American Diabetes Association?" *typing* "They have their convention this weekend."

atsushi: ._. *glances at kunikida* ummmm....

Kunikida: "Armed Detective Agency."

Anaba: O_O; "..." *checks reservation* "Oh. ...We...do require you lock up your weapons when in the facility, sir and madam..."

aya: like, we dont have weapons _on_ us. right kyouka?

Kyoka: "... ... ..." *reaches into her sleeve, pulls out a knife, sets it down on the counter*

Anaba: "?!!!!"

aya: .______.

atsushi: D8

Kunikida: "I assure you, this is our usual line of work--"

Anaba: *already calling the cops--*

Dazai: *presses a finger on the phone's hang-up button, smiles sweetly at Anaba* "I'm sure we can come to some arrangement~"

Kunikida: "Dazai, this is no time for--"

atsushi: ._.;;;;;

Anaba: *gulps* "J-Just don't hurt me--"

Dazai: *rubs her hand*

Anaba: .\\\\.

atsushi: oh boy. -_-;

Dazai: "If I remember correctly, hotel policies permit storing certain items in a locked safe for the security of all hotel guests. I know it costs a bit more, but I'm sure we can afford it." *flashes Kunikida's credit card*

Kunikida: "..." *pats his back-pocket...* -_-; "I should've known."

Anaba: "I mean...we _do_...This is still unorthodox--"

Dazai: "I promise, the minute there is a problem, you call the cops, have us all taken in, and we will gladly leave." *smiles sweetly*

Anaba: .\\\\\\. "...R-Right this way. Please set out all weapons--"

Kyoka: *pulling out more knives*

aya:....*sigh* fine. *pulls out slingshot*

Anaba: *small laugh* "Thank you, ma'am." *looks aside at Atsushi*

atsushi: does a pencil count as a weapon?

Anaba: "No, sir." *looks at Kunikida*

Kunikida: "I have none to declare."

Dazai: *shakes his head*

Anaba: *locks the safe with a code* "Very well. If you need to take anything out, you'll need to sign out for it..."

atsushi: yes ma'am.

Anaba: *offers the keys to Dazai* "Enjoy your stay."

Dazai: *smirks at Kunikida*

Kunikida: *rolls his eyes*

-elsewhere-

miyuri: .....

Chuuya: "Hey, Miyuri?"

miyuri: *sniff* p-papa?

Chuuya: "..." *pats her shoulder* "You okay?"

miyuri: y-yeah, just....*sniffle* m-miyuri misses tacchan a lot....

Chuuya: "..." *hug* "I know."

miyuri: *hug*

Chuuya: *holds her* "..."

miyuri: even if miyuri d-didnt get to see tacchan a lot, miyuri was always h-happy to see them. and they were always really nice too.

Chuuya: "..." *nods* "You cared for them."

miyuri: *nods* miyuri wishes they didnt have to go away...

Chuuya: "A lot of us feel that way...It hurts, a lot."

miyuri: w-will they ever come back? m-miyuri r-r-really wishes t-that they would...

Chuuya: "..." *shakes his head* "I know that feeling. But...almost nothing in this world lasts forever."

miyuri:...y-you and sonia wont go away though, r-right?

Chuuya: *smiles sadly* "I will be here now, and tomorrow, and the day after that. And you will not be alone."

miyuri: a-and sonia too?

Chuuya: *nods*

miyuri: *sniff* t-thanks, papa...

Chuuya: *hug* "I love you, Miyuri."

-gurgle-

miyuri: ....miyuri's kinda hungry now...

Chuuya: ^^; "Let's make something."

-elsewhere-

sylvia: ....

Lucy: "...You stare at that phone any harder, it'll catch on fire."

sylvia: wah, really?!

Lucy: "!!!" >_>; "Sorry. Bad joke. But the bravest thing someone can do is to do one thing. You know what that is?"

sylvia: w-what?

Lucy: *opens the phone, pulls up Kyoka's contact* "Do that one thing and get it over with."

sylvia: *gulp* *dials*

*dial tone...dial tone...*

Kyoka: "Hello, Sylvia."

sylvia: g-g-good evening m-mi-miss kyouka!

Kyoka: "Good to hear you as well. How are you holding up?"

sylvia: o-o-ok i g-gu-guess.....a-a-are you doing o-ok?

Kyoka: "Doing okay. We moved into our rooms. I'm sharing one with Aya while the men take the other room."

sylvia: i-i see...um....so..um...

Kyoka: "...Having fun hanging out with Lucy?"

sylvia: y-yeah, sh-she's been very nice...

Kyoka: "I'm glad to hear...Maybe you two can do something fun, like a movie night."

sylvia: i-i-i g-guess... um..m-miss kyouka?

Kyoka: "Yes?"

sylvia: i...uh.....i-i-i-i.....uhhh.....b-be safe tonight!

Kyoka: "I will. I miss you."

sylvia: i-i-i miss you too...

Kyoka: "Be safe. We'll be home before you know it."

sylvia: o-o-ok.

Kyoka: "Well, I'll get ready for bed. Sleep well."

sylvia: o-ok, g-good night. *hangs up*......

Lucy: *claps* "Yay!"

sylvia: i couldnt do it!

Lucy: "But you talked to her--that's the important thing. You have all the time to say it..."

sylvia: i-i guess....

Lucy: "...Want to play Mario Kart?"

sylvia: o-ok...

-elsewhere-

Kid: *curled up under sheets*

stocking: *petting his head*

Kid: *pleased but quiet purr*

stocking: you ok?

Kid: "...Are you happy?"

stocking: of course i am, why wouldnt i be?

Kid: "...I'm worried I'm not giving you all you want..."

stocking: kid...*kiss* as long ad you're there, i have all i could ever ask for.

Kid: =\\\\= "Th-Thank you..." *hug from underneath the sheets*

stocking: mmm~ my little cuddle muffin~<3

Kid: "Yes, I am, my delicious creampuff." *nuzzle*

-elsewhere-

Bene: *sitting up in the bed set up in the room he's sharing with his sister* =_= *he can't sleep*

eugenie: zzz....

Bene: "..." *gets out of bed, walks to the hallway*

hermine: <bene?>

Bene: <...I can't sleep. It's too quiet. Not like the old neighborhood...>

hermine: <oh?>

Bene: *nods* <Usually, all night were police sirens and people yelling 'Help, help, I'm being assaulted.'>

hermine:....*hugs him*

Bene: "???" <Um...What?>

hermine: <you've been through so much...>

Bene: >_>; <It-It's fine... ...> *hug*

hermine: <we'll take good care of you, i promise.>

Bene: *sniffling* <Okay, cool...> T~T

-morning-

Sid: "Okay, name badges have been given out, so we'll get started. This is the morning orientation for summer classes. Some of you already know me--I'm Sid Barett. Some of you are new enrollees starting at the DWMA for your summer semester."

girl: ...

Asher: =_= ("I just had to get that 'D' in soul studies...")

Duncan: *raises his hand* "WHY AM I HERE?! I SHOULD'VE GOTTEN A'S! I DEMAND I BE RE-GRADED--"

tamara: *eating a burger*

Sid: "...Um, pardon me? The lunch break isn't until noon."

tamara:.... >-> *tries to fit the whole thing in her mouth* ._.;;;;;

Asher: O_O

Duncan: "...HOLY SHIT, SHE'S A PYTHON!"

tamara: OnO;;;;

girl: um i-i think she's about to choke!

Sid: *sighs* "Naigus?"

nygus: *giving her the Heimlich*

tamara: *BLEGUH*

Duncan: *hit by a hamburger patty in the face* "..."

Asher: "Ugh."

tamara: =~=;;;

Sid: "So...Our itinerary includes introducing you to the DWMA, summer classes, some guest speakers...But let's start by introducing yourselves." *looks at Asher* "Please give your name, class, course track, and an interesting fact."

Death the Kid: Asher: "...Asher. NOT. Weapon. I hate that I failed one class."

Sid: ^^; "Thanks..." *looks at Tamara*

tamara: my name's tamara jones, NOT class, meister, and i forgot my breakfast this morning.... ._.;

Sid: *nods* "Well, we'll make sure to have a good spread at lunch." *looks at the girl* "And--"

Duncan: "I SHOULDN'T EVEN BE HERE TODAY!"

Asher: =_=; "Do you ever shut up."

Sid: *looks at the girl* -_-;

girl: audrey primrose, NOT class, meister, and i...uh....i like...meerkats?

Sid: *nods* "Thank you. We do have some animal experts--"

*a disembodied bear head falls into the room*

audrey: !!!! *faints*

Tezca: *from the ceiling chute* "Could someone toss that up to me?"

Sid: *looks at Audrey* "...Naigus."

-elsewhere-

higuchi: everything packed?

Gin: "I think so. We do need to pick up some snack boxes, but we can get those on the way."

Akutagawa: *his luggage is light* "Just clothes..."

Q: ^w^

kuniko: ready!

Gin: "Okay, get it into the van."

-elsewhere-

Chuuya: "Morning, kiddos."

miyuri: morning papa. *yaaawn*

sonia: good morning.

Chuuya: "Hungry?" *taking items out of the pantry*

sonia: yes please.

Chuuya: "How about pancakes?"

sonia: yes please.

miyuri: yaaay pancakes! ^o^

Chuuya: ^^ *takes out the mix, bowl, and some fruit* "Sleep okay?"

sonia: yeah.

miyuri: *nod*

Chuuya: "I have to run some errands today. Anything you wanted to do before Grandma visits?"

-elsewhere-

Kunikida: *sleeping on the cot in the men's hotel room* =_=

Dazai: *bringing in room service breakfast*

atsushi: wow, that looks delicious!

Dazai: "Indeed." *passes a plate* "Sometimes there's nothing better than ordering in from the hotel." *uncovers dish to reveal bacon and eggs*

Kunikida: *sits up* =___=

atsushi: i'll go check on kyouka and aya if they need anything.

Dazai: "Good idea. Kunikida and I will chat~"

Kunikida: *already revising his schedule in his journal*

atsushi: *knock* kyouka? aya?

aya: *SREEEEECH* *PUNCH* GHOST!!! DX

Kyoka: *sits up, holds up a shiv...carved from the tiny decorative hotel soap*

atsushi: OxO;;;

Kyoka: "..." *sets down the shiv* "Sorry. I was a little bothered being unarmed last night."

aya: plus we were watching horror movies......dont tell kunikida.

Kyoka: *sniffs* "...I smell breakfast."

atsushi: yeah, we got bacon and eggs, but i think there's a restaurant downstairs too.

Kyoka: "Okay. We'll get cleaned up first...I'll need to order more soap."

-elsewhere-

Sid: "Thank you for that demonstration, Akane. Um...Clay, you going to be alright?"

*a sword is wedged into the wall*

clay: QAQ please help.

Duncan: *bleeding...from a paper cut* "For the love of God, help me!"

Asher: "..." *pulls the sword out of the wall carefully*

clay: thank you.

Asher: *nods* "Welcome."

Sid: "Good work, Asher--that was a fine extrication."

Duncan: *whimpering* *holding up his finger* "Help me..."

-elsewhere-

Kunikida: "Go interview the bookstore employees. I'm meeting with the Dean--" *looks at Dazai and Aya* "You're on babysitting duty."

Dazai: "I won't let you down."

Kunikida: "I was talking to Aya."

aya: aye-aye sir!

Dazai: -3- "Can we go to the food court at least?"

Kyoka: *looks over photos of bookstore employees*

atsushi: sounds good.

Kyoka: *opens the door--air conditioning slams into them* *deep sigh of relief*

*students are milling about...one part of the store is blocked with police tape and a chalk outline*

-one large male with a ponytail and facial hair is reading a text-book-

Kyoka: *reviews photos to determine this person* "Pardon me? You work here?"

guy: naw, the name-tag's just for fun......of course i work here, chickette.

Kyoka: "..." *blinks* *takes out a pen and notepad* "Name, please."

guy: name's 'ched', the assistant manager.

Kyoka: "So, were you the first to find the corpse?"

ched: um....what? ._.

Kyoka: "The chalk outline?"

ched: oh, that. shouldnt you be asking a cop-...wait, why do _you_ want to know, kiddo?

Kyoka: "I'm a detective brought in by the Dean to solve a murder involving different editions of a textbook."

ched: but...you're a kid.

Kyoka: "And you still think the ponytail is the height of aesthetic style."

ched: ....touche.

Kyoka: *writes something down* "You do know of the murder? Any contact with the victim before?"

-elsewhere-

aya: *looking around*

Dazai: *looking at statues in the courtyard* "I wonder what it takes to get memorialized like this..."

aya: *looking at the nameplate*

*"Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, survivor of the 1527 Narváez expedition"*

aya: hmm...

Dazai: *reading* " 'Explorer, anthropologist, likely named 'Sonoran.' Huh. Good head on his shoulders, huh?"

*some students are playing Frisbee nearby*

aya: must be...

*A Frisbee flies towards Aya*

aya: *nice catch!*

Student: "Hey, kiddo! Nice catch." *holds out their arms for it*

Teacher: -_-# *watching, annoyed with noise, while she's grading papers on a park bench*

aya: *tosses it*

Student: *catches* "Thanks, kiddo!" *waves at Dazai* "Your daughter has a mean arm! Tell her to join the kids' circuit!"

aya: he's not my dad.

Dazai: "HA HA HA! What a sense of humor my little ragdall has." *head pat*

aya: =A=

Teacher: "SHHH! Could you all be quiet?!"

aya: -_-

Dazai: "???" ("But we're outside...")

student 2: c'mon teach, chill out.

Teacher: >_<# "The office is closed due to fixing leaks throughout the building, I'm having to grade outside, AND THE BOOK I WANTED AT THE LIBRARY IS STILL ON LOAN!" *rips a student's essay in half*

student 3: D8>

Dazai: *light smile* "Such awful hardships..."

Teacher: -_- "You got that right."

Dazai: *takes her hand* "Let's memorialize this moment."

Teacher: "..."

aya: *CHOP* no. bad dazai. bad.

Dazai: >_< "I'm just saying, we too could have statues here if only we--"

Teacher: *hands a paper to Aya*

aya: ._.

Teacher: "Grade this." *she has a stack of what looks like a hundred essays*

aya: .___. um...

Dazai: ^^; "Don't you have some low-paid grad students for this kind of work--"

Teacher: "Sexual harassment, invitation to suicide, trespassing. Should I report this to the campus police, or would you rather do mindless grading for no pay?"

Dazai: "...Jeez, this does sound like grad school." *takes a pen, starts grading*

aya: .____.;;;

-elsewhere-

kanami: *slashing at targets*

Chisato: *watching silently*

arisa: not bad for being out of commission for a while..

Chisato: "Yes..."

Matsuri: "It's great!"

suzune: .....

kanami: HAAH! *SLICE SLICE*

Matsuri: ^^; "Very impressive!" *claps*

kanami: *nods and keeps hitting targets until she encounters one with flames upon it* *freezes*

Chisato: "???"

Matsuri: "!"

kanami: *her legs are shaking* ah-..ahh...NOOOO!!! *collapses, screaming*

suzune: ?!

Chisato: "Put the target away!"

arisa: hey, you alright?

kanami: *crying* do-dont make me go back there! *sobbing*

Matsuri: "Kanami..." *pats her back*

kanami: *hic* *hugs her, shivering*

Matsuri: *strokes her back* *hums lightly*

-elsewhere-

Asher: *sitting at orientation lunch* "..." *opens an old flip phone to look at messages*

fani: *sitting by herself*

Asher: *looks up* "..." *gets up, sits across from her, still looking at their phone*

fani:...*responsive grunt*

Asher: *nods* "...I hate the reception here." *looking at the phone*

fani: hmm...

Asher: "...You starting new classes?"

fani: i guess so...

Asher: "I'm retaking. Failed."

fani: that sucks...

Asher: *nods* "...Where did you go to school?"

fani: ....it's...complicated....

Asher: "..." *nods* "...I'm Asher."

-elsewhere-

Kunikida: "Thank you for putting your trust in us, Dean. I assure you, we will not disappoint."

the dean: thank you, mr kunikida.

Kunikida: *opens the door to exit* "You're welcome. I'm sure my colleagues are well on their way to--" *looks down to spot Aya* "???"

aya: SAVE ME FROM THIS NIGHTMARE! DX>

Teacher: "I SAID TO DEDUCT 5 POINTS FOR PUNCTUATION!"

Kunikida: "...?"

-elsewhere-

naomi: *filing papers*

Tanizaki: *setting up for meeting a client*

Lucy: *looking outside* "No sign of them..."

ranpo: boooored.

Lucy: "Did you want to go on that college mission, Ranpo?"

ranpo: PSH- college is overrated.

Lucy: "...Yeah, you'd probably be bored after solving the mystery in just seconds anyway."

ranpo: is that sarcasm i hear?

Lucy: *pleasant smile* "Whatever could you mean~?"

ranpo: ...

*knock knock*

yosano: *opens the door*

*there is a young woman at the door*

Woman: "H-Hello..."

yosano: come on in.

Woman: *takes a seat* "...I have a missing person to report."

ranpo: *listening*

Woman: "One of my friends stopped returning calls, web chats. Police visited her home--and she has been missing for weeks, and now they seem to have given up..."

ranpo: i see. what's your friend's name?

Woman: "K-Kuroko. Kuroko Kumogawa."

ranpo: alright. we'll look into it.

Woman: *sniffles*

yosano: do you want something to drink?

Woman: *nods*

-elsewhere-

Spirit: "With your classes done, up for anything, Izumi?"

izumi: hmm, how about mini-golf?

Spirit: "Sure thing! Maybe pick up some burgers, too?"

izumi: sounds good....could i invite asher and the others?

Spirit: "Sure thing. Anything they're up to this summer?"

-elsewhere-

Kid: *lying down*

shiori: *resting beside him* zzz....

Kid: *strokes her head*

shiori: =w=

Kid: *smiles* *tucks the blanket, closes his eyes*

-elsewhere-

Akutagawa: *looking at snacks at the rest stop* "..." *picks up gummi bears*

kuniko: *looking at pamphlets*

Gin: *picks up a wrapped sandwich* "We'll have a stop over later tonight."

higuchi: *nom*

Gin: "Feeling good enough to drive next?"

higuchi: yeah.

Gin: "Good...I hope this trip will help everyone relax a bit."

-elsewhere-

yana: *laying in bed, staring at the ceiling* ......

Olivia: *knock knock*

yana: door's open.

Olivia: "How you doing?"

yana: kinda bored...might try and cook something later.

Olivia: "Oh? Something you had in mind?" *sits on the edge of the bed*

yana: i was thinking hash browns or something.

Olivia: "What do you think of hot sauce?"

yana: with hash browns?

Olivia: *nods*

yana: first i've heard of hot sauce with hash browns...

Olivia: "It's good, and with a side of eggs."

yana:...huh.

Olivia: "Not a fan of spice? More a sweet tooth?"

yana: i'll take you up on your offer i guess, lil somethin' different.

Olivia: *smiles, nods* "Okay, let's get to work!"

yana: ok then. *smile*

Olivia: *gets up, goes to the kitchen* "I'll even let you use the cute plates." ^w^

yana: oii, kiddos, you hungry too?

AJ: whatcha makin'?

Olivia: *opens the fridge, removing some eggs* "Hash and eggs?"

AJ: awesome.

Olivia: "I think so, too. Stay back from the stove, AJ."

AJ: alright.

yana: so we need potatos, right?

Olivia: *nods* "They’re in the cupboard door below."

yana: alright.

Olivia: *sets the skillet down* *cracks two eggs*

yana: anything else we need?

Olivia: "The potato peeler and a knife to cut the potatoes."

yana: ok.....what does the potato peeler look like?

Olivia: "Well...It's kind of thin, metal, with a little loop inside? Kind of like a small knife with a hole in the blade?"

yana: is this it? *holds it up*

Olivia: "Bingo!"

yana: sweet! do we wash the potatos next?

Olivia: *nods* "Get any dirt off of them."

yana: ok. *washing them in the sink* do we add anything to the potatos, like butter or anything?

Olivia: "I like to. Some people prefer to just oil the skillet."

yana: ah. sorry in advance if i ask a lot of stuff, the only experience i have with cooking is from watching ivan.

Olivia: "Oh. ...How was he at cooking?"

yana: really good from what i remember. but it doesnt beat the stuff here.

Olivia: "High praise--thanks!" *cooking the eggs, adding a little salt*

-elsewhere-

Dumas: *looking at his drink* "Thanks..." *pulls out...what looks like a finger-shaped piece of ice* "?!!!"

O'Neill: Q_Q "Sorry..."

Cervantes: ^w^ "So, any work for us, new boss?"

frances: we'll be taking care of a few interviews with some new ability users today.

Cervantes: "Leftovers from the big red dragon event?"

frances: precisely.

Dumas: "...What is the point of gathering all of these individuals? If I remember, there are only 2 organizations licensed to be ability groups in this city. Or are there more?"

frances: more than you think, we actually have our license as well.

Dumas: "Must be some excellent connections you have."

Cervantes: *picking out of the fancy mints jar* "No kidding!"

-elsewhere-

Sakuya: "Hey. Feeling okay?"

lilac: c-cold...

Sakuya: *opens the closet, pulling out a sweater and a blanket* "Ugly sweater, or pretty nice blanket?"

lilac: sweater please....

naho: want some tea?

lilac: *nods*

Sakuya: *hands the sweater to Lilac* "Let's add some cookies to that."

naho: *smiles* let's watch some movies too!

Sakuya: ^^; "Cool...Lilac, anything in mind?"

-elsewhere-

Kyoka: *walking through the student union...spots the "In Memorial" booth next to other orientation day booths promoting clubs* "...The victim was very young."

atsushi: ....

Student: *running the booth, dressed in black* *nods* "We didn't even get any police alert until they found her the next morning."

atsushi: *examining*

*The victim's photo from high school shows her in glasses, holding up a math award*

atsushi: what was her name?

Student: *points at the sign* "Adele Ortiz."

atsushi: ....

Kyoka: "Forgive me for asking, but how did she..."

Student: "..." *gestures a finger over their throat*

atsushi: *gulp*

Kyoka: "...Hmm. I think it's time we meet with the police--"

*Suddenly, a very tall man in a cow skull mask appears--and picks up Atsushi with one hand*

atsushi: QAQ;;;;;;

Skull Head Frat Boy: "PLEDGE!!!!!!!!!"

Kyoka: "..." *opening her phone, flipping through contacts*

Student: -_-# "Hector, stop."

Hector: "PLEDGE--"

Kyoka: *talking into her phone*

atsushi: *SCREAMING*

*someone taps on Hector's shoulder*

Hector: "???" *turns* "PLED--"

Demon Snow: O_O *holding a very large sword*

atsushi: help please.

Hector: OWO; "..." *sets down Atsushi* "..." *whispers to Atsushi* "2:15 AM, Martinez Hall, Basement." *walks away*

atsushi:...thanks demon snow...

Demon Snow: "..." *strokes his head*

atsushi:...*writing notes*

Kyoka: "...What was that about?"

atsushi: not sure, but it could be relevant...

Student: "Careful--those frats here are creepy. Real 'Skull and Crossbones' stuff--literally."

-elsewhere-

Asher: *leaving orientation--and spots Izumi and Spirit* "???"

izumi: *waves*

Asher: "Hey. How's life on the outside?"

izumi: we were about to go mini-golf. wanna come with?

Asher: "...Um, okay? ...You're sure?"

izumi: of course! ^^

Spirit: "We're on our way to pick up some others."

Asher: "...'Kay."

izumi: awesome! *opens car door* hop on in.

Asher: *steps in* "You like this kind of thing?"

-elsewhere-

Chuuya: *watching the kids playing*

miyuri: what's this thing?

sonia: it's the sandbox.

Chuuya: *sets out some play shovels and buckets*

miyuri: oooooh!

Chuuya: "People build all kinds of things in sandboxes."

miyuri: like what?

Chuuya: "Castles are one thing..."

miyuri: OOOOOH! how do we make one?? OwO

Chuuya: "First, we'll need to pack some sand into a bucket. We may need to add a little water to make the sand stick together."

miyuri: ooooh.

sonia: we can use the shovel to put sand into the bucket.

Chuuya: *scoops a bit into one bucket*

-elsewhere-

Kimizuki: *opening his laptop, turning on his webcam, dials a number...*

mirai: hey shiho!

Kimizuki: *smiles, waves* "Hey! How are you?"

mirai: could be better. the doctors made me do _another_ blood test.

Kimizuki: "Ouch. Did you get one of the nice nurses this time?"

mirai: yeah, though to be honest, i barely feel it anymore. *sigh*

Kimizuki: "..." *nods* "I know you're trying your hardest. Just hang on."

mirai: thanks big bro.

Kimizuki: *nods* "I'll see you soon. Just have some work to take care of."

-elsewhere-

Bene: *in new clothes* <It itches...>

valentine: <it looks nice.>

Bene: =_= <I don't know why I have to wear this crap.>

valentine: <your old clothes had holes in them.>

Bene: <They added character!> >_< <I remember when I got them, too! Like that time I mis-aimed the blade-->

valentine:....

Bene: <...How long will they talk?>

valentine:....<i dont know yet>

Bene: <...What's he like?>

valentine: <he's.....he's made some mistakes in life....but im sure he does mean well...>

Bene: <...Why didn't he want me?>

valentine: ....<i cant say....do you want to see him?>

Bene: "..." *nods*

-elsewhere-

Yafeu: "HEY THERE!" *waving a golf club--almost hitting Saria--*

Saria: *lucky duck* Q_Q

izumi: hey guys!

Spirit: "Hey, kiddos." *waves*

Axel: "Hey, Mr. A!"

zeke: ^^

Asher: *squints looking at the mini golf course and light coming off the moat* "..."

Yafeu: "WHO'S READY TO BEAT THAT WINDMILL ON THE 4TH COURSE?!"

amelia: *examining her club*

Kanin: "You'll want to avoid calluses--a glove can help."

amelia: ok.

Spirit: "How you getting used to the school, Amelia?"

amelia: pretty well.

Spirit: "That's good. Getting through the school can be a challenge. I'm sure you've heard how often Miss Marie has gotten lost."

amelia: mm...

Spirit: ^^;

Kanin: "I'm making sure she isn't lost, sir."

amelia: *examining the club again* so how is this played?

Kanin: "You aim to get the ball into the hole at the end of the path by hitting it with your club."

amelia: ah.

Yafeu: "LIKE THIS!" *big swing--*

-FHWEEOOOOOooooo-

-the ball is gone-

Asher: "..."

Kanin: 0___0

Axel: "Woo!"

amelia: i think i understand now.

preston: bu-but does she really? .-.;

Asher: "Shh...Just let this mayhem commence."

-elsewhere-

Jacqueline: *setting out a blanket in the guest room*

kim: *setting the table*

Jacqueline: "I wish she asked us to pick her up--but she likes taking the scenic cab ride..."

kim: ah.

Jacqueline: "Just hope she remembered her money to pay for it--"

*knock knock*

Jacqueline: "???"

amelia: <hello~>

Jacqueline: <Hi!> *hug--only for the cab driver to get in the way, blocking Jackie* O_O;

Cab Driver: -_-# "She owes me $40."

amelia: alright, alright! *hands over the money* jeez. =3=

Cab Driver: "...What, no tip?"

Jacqueline: -_-; *pushing them out the door*

amelia: *hug* it's so great to see you again, jackie!

Jacqueline: >W< "Same! How was the flight?"

amelia: alright, gonna need a nap though

Jacqueline: "We just set up your room. Need something to drink?"

-elsewhere-

Asher: *misses at the windmill* "..." -_-;

hibiki: almost got it.

Asher: "I've been 'almost' on this for five tries..."

izumi: still, better than nothing, right?

Asher: "Hmm...Yeah. Mine didn't end up in the moat--"

*a club floats by in the moat*

lukas: Q_Q;

Saria: *pat pat* "We can walk back to get a new one."

-elsewhere-

Stein: *rubbing a finger along his arm* "..."

valentine: coffee's ready.

Stein: "..." *nods, reaches for it--his hand is a little shaky*

valentine: ....rough day?

Stein: "...Twinge of something along my arm today...Hadn't felt something like it in a while..."

valentine: hmm....

Stein: "..." *sits* "Old scars, I'm afraid."

valentine: ...

Stein: "...Sorry. A bit grim for coffee."

valentine: i used to it....remember when we first met? i was trying to track down an ex-patient of mine, you and spirit found me and i tried to attack you....

Stein: *nods* "Quite a challenge..."

valentine: then i find out you already took the patient out...

{valentine: ...why?....*grabs stein by the collar* WHY WOULDNT YOU JUST LET HER KILL ME?!}

{Stein: "...Did you see how miserable she felt?"}

{valentine: you think i dont know that?! i...i made her this way...}

{Stein: "?!" *pushes her hands away*}

{valentine: the least you could have done was let her kill me first....at least she would have found _some_ solace...}

{Stein: "So you can die like a coward?"}

{valentine: ?!}

{Stein: "That's amusing. Too craven to face the ramifications of what you did? That's disappointing."}

{valentine: .....well what would _you_ have done?}

{Stein: "...Survive to atone."}

{valentine: even with nothing left to live for?}

{Stein: "...You can still breathe, right? Then that's something to live for."}

{valentine: ......}

{Stein: "You got a name?"}

{valentine: ....valerie valentine. once a member of the last hope.}

{Stein: " 'Last Hope'?"}

{valentine: a black-ops monster hunting unit. a certain demon killed my team, leaving me the only survivor.}

{Stein: "...So you planned to die and join them."}

{valentine:...i guess that was part of it....}

{Stein: "But not the whole part..."}

{valentine: the second half was guilt over turning that girl into that monster....i never wanted too, i was only following my new boss's orders...}

{Stein: "Won't this boss discover what you tried to do?"}

{valentine:......}

{Stein: "..." *sighs* "I can't have you staying here, so..." *removes a scalpel*}

{valentine: ......*closes her eyes*}

{Stein: *uses it to cut...adhesive tape, to tape some gauze over one of her cuts*}

{valentine: ???}

{Stein: "We'll need to put you under arrest for what you've done--and your own protection."}

{valentine: ....i suppose that's fair...}

valentine: it feels like so long ago now...

Stein: *nods* "...Do you feel any different?"

valentine: i suppose so. im...happier, i guess.

Stein: "...I call that a plus."

-elsewhere-

naomi: *puts something into the mail*

Tanizaki: "???"

naomi: im entering a kross sweepstakes! winners get a chance to MEET THE CAST IN PERSON!! >w<

Tanizaki: "Yay!" ^^;

kirako: best of luck then. ^^

naomi: ^^

Ranpo: "Yes, but the odds aren't great."

naomi: >3< dont spoil this for me!

Tanizaki: "Shhh! Here--" *tosses him a bag of chips*

Ranpo: "...You can't bribe me. ..." *opens the bag*

-elsewhere-

Jonah: "--and then this giant colossus smashed the building with a raging fire! It was so incredible!"

Ritsu: "I appreciate your compliments, sir." ^^

sasori: wait, that was _you_?

Ritsu: *nods* "I take the souls of the dead, merge them with the souls of those infected by the bugs, then smash them together into a towering abomination made of Adora's hellfire to wreck havoc upon the sinful in the glory of our blessed leader."

sasori:............

Inka: "So cool! Quick, get me some dead bodies! I need to see this!"

Jonah: *takes out a knife* "Give me 5 minutes."

Bee: "..." *running*

sasori: ._.;;;; isnt this a bit unethical?

Jonah: "No, unethical is what we did with that squirrel--do you know the damage one of those things does when heated up to 1200 degrees Fahrenheit?"

sasori:.........................

Haumea: *running into the room, screaming* "The squirrel got into my pants again!" *running, shaking her legs loose*

-elsewhere-

Chuuya: *sitting in the living room, just staring forward* "..."

mito: *sleeping on his lap*

Chuuya: *strokes Mito, smiling slightly*

mito: *purrs*

Chuuya: *sighs* "Always loyal, huh, Mito?"

mito: *mew*

Chuuya: *scratches behind the ear* "...Thanks for being here since...everything."

mito: =w=

Chuuya: "...After you, two kids came into my life...Without them..."

mito: *nuzzles into his hand*

Chuuya: *sniffle, pets Mito's face*

mito: *lick*

Chuuya: *slight laugh* "Thanks..." *strokes Mito's back*

-elsewhere-

mahiru: *ACHOO* =~=;;;

Kuro: "...Soup?"

mahiru: *nod*

Kuro: *pours a bowl* "This is bothersome--how did you even get sick?"

mahiru: *sniff* it happens...

Kuro: "...You strong enough to eat, or do I have to spoon-feed you?"

mahiru: ^^; i think i can eat on my own...

Kuro: "..." *sits down*

mahiru: ....*lays back down*

Kuro: "..." *rests his hand on his forehead*

mahiru: ah-

Kuro: "You're still hot."

mahiru: hmm....

Kuro: *puts a cool cloth on his head*

mahiru: thanks...

Kuro: "Sure...Get some sleep."

mahiru: r-right...

Kuro: *sits back...*

-elsewhere-

Akutagawa: *napping in the van*

kuniko: are we at the hotel yet?

Gin: "Next exit."

kuniko: *checks the clock*

Q: *sleeping on akutagawa, drooling onto his sleeve*

Gin: *checking in the mirror* "...Get a photo of them."

higuchi: *snaps a pic on her phone*

Gin: *smiles* "Cute."

-elsewhere-

Milo: *eating out of a giant cat bowl full of meat*

louisa:... (is this even legal?)

Jordan: "Jeez, I didn't even know the boss had a butcher for this kind of thing."

Daisy: "...We sure it's not _human_ meat?"

louisa: id rather not know...

Milo: *yawns...rolls over on the rug*

Zuno: "D'aw! Nice kitty..." *belly rub*

mary: it's ok, toby, he's friendly. ^^

Toby: Q____Q "..." *nudge--*

Milo: *PAW SWIPE*

-elsewhere-

sonia: -and so jack returned home to his mother with the golden hen, and they lived happily ever after.

miyuri: *snoozing*

Chuuya: ^^; "Lovely, sweetie."

sonia: *glances up* oh, hi papa.

Chuuya: "Hi. I brought snacks."

miyuri: OwO snacks?

Chuuya: *sets down the plate with some sandwiches* "Yep!"

miyuri: yaaay!

Chuuya: "How's the book, Sonia?"

sonia: it's nice. *smile*

Chuuya: "Glad to hear. Let me know when you want to head back to the library..."

-elsewhere-

Kid: *stretches, walking the halls*

shiori: *following*

shion: *riding in a little wagon behind shiori*

Kid: "Am I walking too fast, kiddos?"

shiori: mm-mm.

Kid: "I'll slow down...How's the wagon, Shion?"

shion: ^o^

Kid: "Hehe...That's good. Just around the corner, and we can play in the sunroom."

shiori: ok

Kid: "It'll be really bright. Maybe we can see a rainbow in the glass..."

-elsewhere-

valentine: *waiting outside the door*

Edouard: <Val? ...What's going on?>

valentine: <just-....im not sure yet...> *hugs him*

Edouard: *sniffle*

*the door opens*

valentine: *glances*

Nurse: *exiting* <Valentine? Edouard?>

valentine: <yes?>

Nurse: <Hello. I'm Anne. Your father asked me to speak with you.>

valentine: <o-of course...what did he say?>

Anne: <...He wants to make sure you are safe.>

valentine: ....

Anne: <Due to his stay here, and as you are both young, he is considering a guardian...>

valentine:...*nods*

Anne: <...What do you think of Bene's mother?>

valentine: ... <she seems nice enough, why?>

Anne: <She's worried. Bene has not had the...typical upbringing, or even, well, family structure. He's her son...and your brother.>

valentine:...<r-right...>

Anne: <She would like to talk with you. She doesn't think it's a good idea for you two to be on your own right now.>

valentine: .....<where is he?>

Anne: <In his room.>

valentine:... <may we come in?>

Villefort: <...Valentine?>

valentine: <im here, papa.>

Villefort: <...Hi...>

valentine: *glances at hermine*

Hermine: *nods* <Hello, Valentine.>

valentine: ....<so the nurse told me->

Villefort: *shaking*

valentine:....*sighs* *hugs her father*

Villefort: <I'm sorry...>

valentine: <i dont blame you.>

Hermine: "..." <Your father just wants to make sure you're safe.>

valentine: <i-i know.>

Hermine: "..." <We asked the nurse to speak with you and Edouard...>

valentine: *nod*

Hermine: <...Please take all the time you need. But please know you have a home...>

-elsewhere-

Kunikida: "If you're going to this goofy frat meeting, you might as well take a nap first."

atsushi: i guess....

Dazai: "And while you do that, Kyoka and I will sneak out for some snack shopping~"

atsushi: oh, um...

kyouka: i'll keep him out of trouble.

Kunikida: -_-# "I would hope so." *sets down a stack of books, starts reading through them*

Dazai: ^^; *opens the door*

atsushi: ...say, kunikida...do you think he's getting better?

Kunikida: "Has he been arrested since we arrived?"

atsushi: that's not what i meant... i mean, better as a person? given everything that's happened, i think he does have good intentions, in his own way...

Kunikida: "...He's a former member of the Port Mafia. He has disobeyed orders and bent the rules numerous times. He went around us and worked with that maniac, almost getting us killed, plunging the city into chaos...I don't ignore his value to the Agency. I remain cautious about his ulterior motives."

atsushi: .....

Kunikida: "You've spent a lot of time as his apprentice of sorts. What did you think?"

atsushi: well, i still think he does mean well, even if it's unorthodox.

Kunikida: "And what motivates this reaction?"

atsushi: ......

Kunikida: "...Your gut, then."

atsushi: i guess so...

Kunikida: "...Hmm." *jots notes from one book*

-elsewhere-

kyouka: ...

Dazai: *looking in the vending machine* "Darn--they're out of onion rings..."

kyouka: that's unfortunate...

Dazai: "Hmm...I guess onion chips for now..." *presses the buttons* "How 'bout you?"

kyouka: pop tarts please.

Dazai: *orders them* "Here you go! Look to be s'mores flavor."

kyouka: nice.

Dazai: "Hm-mm. I remember using these to build a Pop Tart house for animal crackers once..."

kyouka: oh?

Dazai: "Yep. ...Then Chuuya smashed it."

kyouka: ....i see...

Dazai: "Yep...Granted, that was after I screwed up his mission."

kyouka: come to think of it, i think they had snack machines at the mafia HQ, but kouyou never really let me near them.

Dazai: "Keeping you on a healthier diet?"

kyouka: more or less, yeah. i only ever really got sweets on rare occasions.

Dazai: "Over tea for some fancy stuff?"

kyouka: yeah, and during festivals like moon viewing.

Dazai: "...She really pampered you at times."

kyouka: .......

Dazai: "Must've had some charm to it..." *leans back against the vending machine, having a chip*

kyouka: i guess there were a _few_ good memories back there....but i dont regret my decision to leave.

Dazai: "...Atsushi came in at the right time to help with that."

kyouka:...he really looks up to you.

Dazai: "I know...Surprising."

kyouka:....what is it you're trying to achieve, overall? with atsushi, akutagawa, all of this...?

Dazai: "..." *knowing smile* "I'm just improvising as I go along."

kyouka: .....

Dazai: "As for Atsushi, he seems to be coming along nicely, yes?"

kyouka: he has gotten stronger, yes. in a way, we all have.

Dazai: "True...How have you gotten stronger?"

kyouka: i feel my connection to demon snow has improved.

Dazai: "Snow seems to be like your nanny now..."

demon snow: ~i can hear you, you know.~

kyouka:...*light chuckle*

Dazai: "..." *offers a chip*

demon snow: ~i have no mouth, therefore i have no need to eat~

kyouka: i feel like i can understand what she's saying...just a little bit. kind of like a gut feeling, you know?

Dazai: "I see..." *nom* "These external abilities are fascinating."

kyouka:...what do you think 'no longer human' would have looked like?

Dazai: "Hmm...Probably inhuman, as the name implies."

kyouka: hmmm

Dazai: "But it hasn't manifested, so, you're stuck with me~"

kyouka: =A= wheeee.

Dazai: *gasps, clutches his heart* "You wound me!"

kyouka: how unfortunate. *noms pop tart*

Dazai: -_-; "At least mourn for the deceased..." *nom*

kyouka:........

-elsewhere-