#Lunch & Learn

[keeksandgigz]

the love witch

modern!eddie munson x fem!witchy!reader

summary: Eddie Munson is obsessed with his girlfriend. Hell, he's not even sure how he was able to get you interested in him in the first place. Despite him not really believing in your witchy practices, he's incredibly supportive, but that doesn't come without his cheeky digs. He agrees to a tarot reading for shits and giggles. You don't like that he doesn't take it seriously.

cw: no y/n, reader's nickname is 'witchy' , talk of the occult, wiccan practices, description of r's clothing, but no body description, reader has female anatomy, oral (F receiving), face sitting, sub!Eddie, dom!Reader, choking, slight biting, dirty talk, honorifics, unprotected piv (pls don't do that), ending leans towards the whole witchy vibe

word count: 4.8k

this and all my works are 18+ minors do NOT interact

Eddie Munson is one lucky motherfucker. 

Living in a small studio apartment in the Haight-Ashbury of San Francisco, which he got a damn good price on. 

He works at one of the many vintage record stores in the neighborhood, which pulsates with raw musical energy, almost as if he steps in the 70s every time he gets out of the front door of his apartment building.

Sometimes he just sits on his fire escape to fuck around with his guitar, inspired by the smells of incense coming from the crystal shops, the music coming from the vintage clothing stores and the pungent smell of lingering weed at all hours of the day.

And with the shaggy, long, brown curls, bullet belt and chains, his black cutoff band t- shirts and heavy lace up boots, he seems to fit right in- for the first time in his life. 

Next to his record store there is one of the many crystal shops on the high street, a tiny little nook he always walks by on the way to work and snickers to himself. There’s no way people believe in all that.

He stops doing that once he meets you. 

Eddie Munson is one lucky motherfucker because he crosses paths with you.

He meets you while he is on his lunch break, using those thirty minutes of peace to walk around and usually pick up some prerolls from the dispensary a couple buildings down, or he lingers in front of the guitar store on the other side of the street, ogling at a B.C. Rich or an Ibanez, spending his break in there, fucking around with a cool amp. 

He meets you on an off day. A day where he doesn't feel like walking around, so he just stands in front of his store smoking a cigarette. You're walking a longtime client out of the crystal shop next door. 

“Thank you for that dried lavender, Janice! I’ll set aside some of that incense for you when we get the shipment” he hears you say. He turns around, snickers at your words while Janice passes in front of him, disappearing in the Saturday afternoon crowd. 

“Something funny?” you ask. Your voice feels smooth like honey wine. He turns around, and suddenly he doesn't feel like snickering anymore.

You look so pretty, the kind of pretty that is almost otherworldly. Like you could’ve come up in his head while planning a DnD campaign. Purple bell sleeve top, a long, black, flowy skirt and lace- up boots. Dressed like his own elven high priestess. 

He realizes he’d been staring at you for a good silent minute. He nervously breaks eye contact to put out his cigarette on the sole of his Docs. 

“Sorry– heh, just don’t really believe in all that stuff” he says, shrugging. In doing that, his evidently too- short shirt rides up, exposing a sliver of the skin of his tummy, which doesn’t go unnoticed to you. 

You lean on the doorframe of the store “What’s your name again?” you ask, a feline smile creeping on your lips. 

He swallows “I um- haven’t told you my- It’s Edward- Eddie!” he corrects himself, you got him flustered “Nobody calls me Edward” he remarks. 

His stammer makes you smile, like he's a wounded puppy dog. 

“Alright Edward Eddie, see you around” and with that you disappear back into the store. 

It takes Eddie a week to learn your name, asking the owner of the crystal shop you work at with no luck, then running into Janice a week later, who kindly tells him your name and then raves about you for a good ten minutes. Quite the hypewoman. 

It takes Eddie another two weeks to ask you out on a date. You're wearing a long mauvish dress under a white cardigan when he sees you walk into the store. Your hair is pulled back from your face and he swears he sees stars in your eyes. 

You say yes and agree to meet at a coffee shop, and by the end of the day, he asks you for a second date. And then a third, and a fourth, and by the arrival of fall, Eddie Munson has a girlfriend.

Eddie Munson is obsessed with his girlfriend.

He even jokes with his friends that his witch girlfriend put a spell on him. Made him drink a love potion, because he can't justify him being so obsessed with you.

Another thing he can't justify is you actually liking him. Sometimes he still needs to pinch himself to make sure it's not all a joke.

A pretty girl that looks like she's straight out of his DnD fantasies is dating him? There's no way shit like that happens to Edward Munson.

Although his apartment is right above the record shop, which means sneaking away for a quickie whenever you guys have matched up work schedules, he loves your apartment.

Twenty minutes away from Haight- Ashbury, in Twin Peaks, there lies your apartment. In an old building from the sixties or seventies, you have it decorated with tapestries and sun- catchers and rugs and pillows and cushions. It's a joy for Eddie's senses.

And with dating you, came Circe, your black cat who seems to have taken an almost immediate liking to Eddie.

Your apartment always smells like incense and candles, a smell you bring with you wherever you go. A smell Eddie loves. There are plants hanging from the ceiling and a big purple couch in the living room.

Everything is antique, lucky finds from thrift stores or flea markets. The table, chairs. The bookcases that hold your witchy books and your crystals.

The first time he comes over he picks one up. A carnelian.

"So, these pretty rocks are supposed to... what?" he asks, toying with every bit and bob on your bookshelf.

"They're crystals, Eddie. And each different one has a purpose. That one you're holding is a carnelian" you say, pouring him a cup of loose- leaf herbal tea, and pointing at the crystal with your nose.

"Okay, and what's it do?" he asks, toying with the smooth surface and going to sit on the ground next to you. He blows on his tea and takes a sip. He isn't a tea enjoyer, but for you he could be.

"Well, a lot of things, but primarily carnelians help boost sexual energy-" you get interrupted by Eddie sputtering out his tea. Some of it lands on you, which causes you to let out a shriek.

The ridiculousness of the situation is both endearing and hilarious. The poor guy probably didn't expect you being so blunt about your use of crystals to aid your sex life.

A giggle escapes you while Eddie tinges a deep shade of crimson from the embarrassment. He shakily sets down the teacup and saucer.

"Shi-shit sorry, lemme help you clean it up" he says, scrambling for the napkins on the coffee table to clean his mess up.

"You got some on me, Eddie" you say as you move your hair from your face to let him clean up the spit- out tea from your cheek.

"Oh my god, sorry lemme get that" he repeats, flushed.

He's shaky in reaching for the napkin to wipe your skin, afraid that he might have ruined his shot at dating you just because he cannot keep his mouth shut.

"It's honestly not a big deal, Ed. It was just funny for the most part" you smile at him, reaching your hand to lay his head on your shoulder. He breathes again.

Once he's calmed down he continues his curious interview.

"So what, do you put it up your pussy or something?" The idea of it makes Eddie's blood run slightly hotter. You laugh.

He blushes at your reaction, feeling slightly embarrassed once he registers what he had just said.

A sheepish "sorry" escapes his lips.

"No, no it's fine" you chuckle "not exactly. You just kinda charge them and set intentions. Then you can take it with you on, like, a date, if you wanna hope for something more" you say. He becomes very aware of his hard- on when you say that.

There is a thick sense of expectation in the air once those words leave your mouth. It could be the thick incense smoke floating around the room, or it could be the way you're looking at him like you want to eat him whole. Your faces get closer.

"I brought one with me today, actually" you admit. And he has never taken his shirt off so fast in his life.

So every time you hang out, he carries a piece if carnelian in his pocket, in hopes to repeat what happened at your apartment.

With time, he learns to carry a rose quartz with him, too.

Soon after, you begin gifting him crystals and bracelets to carry with him. He likes his black tourmaline beaded bracelet the best.

"It's for protection" you had said. It's just very metal to him.

He never really believes in it, but it's sweet, seeing you show up to his apartment with little colorful rocks to put on his windowsill. You teach him how to recharge them and set intentions, but after the second or third time he just can't be bothered.

He quickly learns it's not just pretty rocks you're interested in. You're, like, a full- fledged witch. Hence, the nickname 'witchy' he'd given you.

You ask him for the time and place of his birth. He scrambles to text his uncle Wayne to ask if he remembers what time he's born.

After a couple days of searching, Wayne comes across Elizabeth Munson's old diary. Indianapolis, Indiana, December 21st, 1997 at 3:47 AM.

Eddie Munson has a birth chart.

Sagittarius sun, Scorpio moon, Aries rising.

Whatever that means.

You try to explain it to him, but to no avail. He doesn't really care much for the stars. Except the ones in your eyes.

He swears he can see them twinkle every time you're laying on your brocade rug in the candle lit living room. He learns you don't really use your couch, rather, you just lay on the floor, among a pile of pillows.

Sometimes you're watching TV together. You're sat in between his legs, leaning against his chest, while Circe lays on your lap. And you look at his palms, tracing the fine lines and ridges of his calloused hands.

"You have lines on the top of your hand" you whisper, kissing his fingers.

He blows the cigarette smoke out the open window, careful not to make your house smell.

"Yeah, no shit. We all have 'em, witchy" he places a kiss to the crown of your head.

"No, look right here" you say, tracing the faint lines right where his callouses are "lines like this means you're gonna have a long life" you kiss that spot on his hand. Coarse, but warm.

"Thank fuck, imagine if i just got hit by a cable car tomorrow?" he chuckles, going back to watching TV.

You trace a deep line that goes across the palm of his hand, you smile to yourself.

"Whatcha smilin' about, witchy?" he says, eyes still glued on the TV.

"You have a double heart line. Means you love a lot" you turn and give him a smile. One of those that make your eyes sparkle in the candlelight.

"If I have a double heart line, does that mean I love you more?" he asks, sickly sweet. He cringes at himself for swearing he wasn't going to be that guy, but when you look at him like he just hung the moon for you, he can allow himself to be disgustingly sappy.

You think about it, because he does have a point, but you don't want to make him win this two- month long game you've been playing, so instead you take his palm once more.

"Look, Ed" you say, pointing at a random prominent line "this line tells me you're an asshole" you laugh, as he pinches your sides and you try to squirm away, but his hands are holding you firmly while planting sloppy kisses everywhere he could reach.

Cheek, neck, shoulder. He inhales the curve between your neck and shoulder, and you swear your feel a bit of tongue poke out between his lips. Then he stops.

And you feel it. Deeply seated at the bottom of your back, pressing against the exposed skin between your shirt and pants.

Eddie loves the way you smell, intoxicated by the smell of lavender incense and some kind of berry perfume you wear.

He's convinced that perfume is actually just a pheromone concentrate, because he cannot stop the blood rushing to his dick everytime he catches a whiff of the sweet berries, nestled in the crook of your neck, behind your ear.

"And where's the line that tells me I'm gonna get a kiss?" Eddie asks, voice low and gravelly, a voice that fills you with need, makes your breath falter from your lungs, replacing it with water. But you kiss him nonetheless, and maybe him getting a kiss is written in the stars, after all.

He softly grabs your hair as he slips his tongue in your mouth. Honey- wine whimpers falling from your lips, as you try and get Circe off your lap and in literally any other room. The cat seems to be unbothered.

"Ed... she doesn't want to move" you whine, high pitched voice expressing annoyance, but also overwhelmed at how cute your cat is.

"She's the biggest cockblocker in history" he mutters annoyed, you laugh. A groan leaves his mouth.

"Leave her alone she's just a baby! Us having sex tonight just wasn't in the stars" you shrug, light and airy as you go back to leaning on his chest and petting Circe.

Fuck the stars. He huffs, accepting his fate

He waits for you outside of the shop when he's not working. Guitar case slung around his shoulders, so he can practice at yours, he picks you up and you take the train to your apartment.

"How was work today, witchy?" he asks, roping a hand around your shoulders and giving you a tender kiss on your head.

"Meh, a. bunch of wannabe Tiktok witches, a bunch of old ladies booking tarot readings and threatening to leave bad reviews because I told them their husband is cheating on them or something" you shrug getting on the bus "Janice came, though, she brought me some jasmine flowers so I can make love tea" you say, sitting down. He sits next to you.

You take out the small satchel of dried jasmine flowers, taking in the sweet scent of citrusy flowers.

"Love tea?" he asks "that what you give me when I come over to your apartment every time?" he dips his nose in the satchel, giving it a sniff.

"Yeah, you wish" you laugh "just peppermint tea. Don't want you accusing me I put a love spell on you" Eddie smiles and lays your head on his shoulder while you play with the tassels of your bag, letting you close your eyes for the twenty minutes of the train ride.

Once you're home he slings the guitar case off his shoulders and takes it out, sitting at the stools of your breakfast counter, while you empty the contents of your bag.

Herbs, oils and a new card deck.

"So, what do you need to do now?" he asks, pulling out his phone, looking for guitar tabs to practice on.

"'kay, so" you begin "I need to make tea blend, then putting stuff together for this new project I'm working on, and then break out this new deck I got from work" you say, lost in the mysticism of your to- do list.

Sometimes he finds it funny that the stuff you have to worry about is totally otherworldly to what he usually worries about.

He watches you break out the mortar and pestle while you measure a teaspoon of dried rosebuds, a teaspoon of dried lavender buds, a teaspoon of jasmine and a pinch of cinnamon. He mindlessly plays a couple chords from a song he heard at the record shop.

"What's the cinnamon for?" he asks, pointing at the jar.

"Spicing things up? Cinnamon is a spice, so could be. I'm trying out this new recipe" you say, grinding the flowers together.

"So what you're saying" he begins, looking up from his guitar "is that you're making sex tea" and the feline grin plastered on your face is enough to make you wanna smack him in the head.

"This is not sex tea, Edward" you interject sternly while pouring the contents of the mortar in a new jar.

You light an incense stick, a rose infused one, to set your intentions for this batch, then putting it to rest on your windowsill for the night.

"What are you doing, witchy?" he asks, following your gaze as you set down the jar.

"It's for the moon. Charges the tea" you say, nonchalantly "can you pass me that deck on the counter, please?" you sit on the carpet legs crossed, while Eddie reaches for the card deck and tosses it at you. You catch it.

He sets down his guitar against the counter to goes to stand in front of you as you take the tarot cards out of the deck and start shuffling them.

"What's that baby?" he asks, he swears he can never stop learning from you.

"My new tarot deck, I need to break it out. Want me to give you a reading?" you ask, hoping he'll say yes.

He truly thinks about it, because he doesn't believe in any of this stuff, but saying no to you and watching your eyes darken with sadness is something he doesn't want to put himself through.

He is a weak, weak man.

He shrugs. "Alright then" he says, sitting down on one of the cushy pink pillows on the floor of your apartment "gimme a reading, you little witch"

Your ringed hands shuffle the gold filigree cards.

"I'm gonna do a regular spread, 'kay? Just past, present, future" you look at him, and he swears he sees your eyes twinkling again in the light of the glass lamp on the side table.

You fan out the cards on the carpet and let him pick three cards.

He's reluctant about this, all he really wants is to cook dinner together and spend the evening with you.

You spread the three cards out and unveil the first one.

"Okay, so that's The Empress. Means you have a significant female figure in your life. It usually represents feminine beauty, abundance" you say, explaining it to him.

"You got some abundance, alright" he huffs a laugh, quickly silenced by a deathly stare. You didn't like it when he made fun of what you liked. You roll your eyes at him.

"Sorry, witchy. Keep going" he smiles, like he's about to crack another joke.

"Yeah, okay." you flip the middle card "what luck. You got the lovers" you say, unenthusiastically.

Eddie's eyes light up at the possibility of a joke "Is that the card that tells me I'm getting some sick pussy in the next five minutes?" he asks, his tone makes you want to throw the empty box of cards at his head.

"It looks like you're not taking it seriously, so what's the point" you go to stand up, but he stops you.

"Sorry, baby, please don't leave. I'm enjoying this, Sorry, I won't make any more jokes, I promise" he pleads, and a wicked idea sparks in your head. He sounds really pretty when he begs.

You let out an annoyed groan as you sit back down and you unveil the last card, his future.

Ace of wands. Sex really was in his cards tonight.

"What's that, baby?" he asks.

"Ace of wands. Looks like you're gonna get some 'sick pussy' after all, Munson. Lie down." You command.

He flushes red. "Huh?" you reach under your long skirt to remove your panties.

"I said lie down, I'm giving you what the cards said" you stare at him, expectation in your eyes as he lays down on the brocade carpet, unsure if he should feel afraid or like the luckiest motherfucker alive.

"Better put in the work, pretty boy" you say, crawling on top of him, he looks at you, eyes blown as you lift your skirt, climbing the length of his body. You reach a resting place right on top of his mouth.

It takes him a second to register that you're sitting on his face, and his tongue darts out of his open mouth, to shyly have a taste.

"C'mon now, Eddie, where is the passion? You seemed really passionate about cracking jokes earlier, didn't you?" you cooed, holding up your shirt to look at his eyes, twinkling and darkened as his tongue begins to lap up the length of your pussy.

He gets the hang of it as your hips begin to grind on his face, his tongue darting in and out of your hole as his nose bumps deliciously against your clit.

"Mmm fuck" you gasp as you raise your hips to let him breathe, but he just pulls you down harder. A gasp escapes your mouth as the sound of your moans and Eddie's slurping fills the room.

Even he hears it, because you can see his eyes roll to the back of his head as a resounding hum escapes his lips, vibrating against you, wet and sensitive.

A whine leaves your mouth as you begin to get more desperate, grabbing a handful of his hair, grinding your hips harder against his tongue.

"Doing so good for me, Ed." you say in a feeble attempt to keep the reins controlled, but his tongue works magic on you, making your brain turn to mush.

"There you go don't stop, don't you dare fucking stop" you command, and his tongue flicks against your clit, catching it between his teeth to begin to suck at it.

A mewl leaves your lips, feeling the familiar warmth in your belly begin to form as you pull harder on his hair, moans becoming more high pitched and strained as Eddie makes quick work of his tongue on you.

"'mgonna cum on your face, you want that?" you ask, a rhetorical question, because of course he wants you to gush all over him.

And so you do. You come with a silent scream, riding the orgasm out with the last few snaps of your hips, as your breathing stills and your vision goes white.

Eddie's also panting like a dog under you, aching in his pants for you to make him cum.

You get off his mouth, his chin coated with your fluids as he gathers them on his fingers and sticks them in his mouth. You can't help but mutter a "good boy" as you reach for the belt of his pants.

"Sit up" you command, as he goes to straighten his back and lean against your purple couch.

You take off his shirt "I'm gonna ride you, yeah?" he looks at you like you've just discovered that aliens are real.

"God, yes please, please" he says, looking up at you as you unzip your top off, and you swear his eyes grow bigger at the sight of your chest, your bra still on. A longing sigh leaves his mouth.

You unbutton his jeans and lower them to his mid thigh along with his boxers as his cock slaps against his tummy. He hisses at the feeling as he watches you align yourself on top of it.

"You want it, Ed?" you question, an aura of cool, calm control exuding from you.

He whines. "Please, I want it so bad. Please put it in" he begs, and you've never realized how pretty his voice sounded when begging. Whiny and high pitched, nasal, almost as if he were about to cry. A prayer for you to fulfill him, make him whole.

Like he is nothing without you.

Is that what it felt like for him to see you crying on his cock every night? A rush of power washes over you, as you motion to sink down on him, but quickly going back up.

He lets out a whiny cry, a bratty child without his candy.

"Uh- huh. Beg me to fuck you, Ed" you say. You swear you can feel him shiver, his cock jumping from underneath your skirt.

"F-fuck, please. Please fuck me. Please my love, my witch, my high priestess" he rambles, your hand creeps up his thick neck, wrapping around it "fuck mmm please, I'll do anything. I'll give you everything" a frenzied speech, his words speed up at the feeling of your nails scratching the skin of his neck.

He'd let you sacrifice him to the devil if you asked him.

Feeling his pulse point with your nails as you begin to squeeze the sides of it, a needy gasp escapes the pretty boy's mouth.

Flushed a pretty red, sweat clinging to the base of his neck and forehead, hair curling and sticking to his feverish skin as you begin to sink down on him.

Inch by inch, slowly feeling him fill you up, as a quiet "oh" escapes you once you've taken all of him.

His breath is quick and labored, quiet pleas rolling out of the sweetness of his tongue, where the taste of you lingers. The love potion you'd been administering him all along.

Eddie Munson is not a religious guy, but if he needs to pray to his goddess to get you to fuck him he'll do it.

But you start moving. A slow, feline movement of your back, almost as if you and Circe were the same creature, a shapeshifter from another world. A goddess, an empress of his body and mind. He was wrapped around your finger.

Your hands tighten around his neck as you grind yourself down on him, he whimpers.

"Mmmm, so big" you mutter against his ear, biting his lobe. And everything you do makes him whine and buck himself deeper inside you, hitting the spongy walls deep inside you, needing more of you. Needing you to swallow him whole.

And you comply, raising your hips and lowering them, bouncing yourself on him as if you were only using him to chase your own pleasure. The thought of it makes Eddie shiver and moan, a strangled sound coming out of his constricted throat.

He hopes your hand leaves a mark on his neck, so people know he's yours. So people know that the witch next door spelled him and he is now in love with her. He never wants to get away from her.

"You- you're so good" he whispers, hips rising and falling on his cock, head lolling as you feel yourself get close again.

"Yeah, baby? Thank me, then. Thank your goddess for making you feel so good" you command, and his hands travel through every inch of your body, feeling every ridge and crease and bump. Wanting to feel you, wanting to worship you.

"F-fuck, thank you, thank you, thank you." a prayer to his goddess, for making him feel so good. "Please more, I- I'm so-"

"You're close aren't you?" you coo, cradling the back of his head with your free hand. Making him look at you.

"'M so close, please let me let me let me please" he begins to chant, too far gone from the feeling of your nails digging on the sides of his neck, scratching his sweaty scalp, tongue tracing the outline of his lips as quick and labored breaths escape him.

"C'mon, cum for me" you whisper in his ear, letting go of his neck and latching your lips onto him, leaving a few purple bruises on his milky skin.

You feel him spill inside you with a whine, shivering, while you ride him for all he is, chasing your own release.

You follow him soon after, biting down on his shoulder. The taste of his sweaty skin lingering on your tongue.

You stay clung to him for a few minutes after, quiet and panting as he revels in the post- orgasmic feeling you've just given him.

"Never thought I would've been the submissive type" he huffs out with a laugh as you climb off of him.

"Well, you're welcome. Gonna go have a milk bath, be right back" you stand, reveling in the feeling of his spent spilling out of you.

He hears the shower turn on and as he's getting dressed, Circe comes to nuzzle on his lap.

He raises an eyebrow.

Where has she been the whole time? The rooms of your apartment were all open when you got back. She was probably just taking a nap in your bed.

He shrugs as he delivers a couple pets to her head.

Meanwhile in the bathroom, a spell book is suspended mid air as you look a spell to get rid of a hickey that Eddie had left on your neck.

mini taglist: @strangerstilinski, @stuckonthefiction, @elegantkoalapaper, @gravedigginbbydoll, @eddiesxangel, @reidsbtch, @bangaveragewhitewine, @chaoticharrington, @hideoutside, @monstxrteeth, @the-local-pendeja, @thornsnvultures, @strangerfreaks, @unverifiedmeatsuit, @strangerfreaks, @starlitlakes, @thebejeweledwatercat, @aphrogeneias, @chrrymunson, @amira0303, @paradise-summertime, @onegirlmanytales, @piecsesrising, @feralamdtiredrat, @m0llygunn , @angel-upon, @lavendermunson, @cowboylikemunson

[apomaro-mellow]

This was such a cute mermay idea I had to do it

Nancy watched as they took the first mer out of the tank, nicknamed 'Billy'. His tail was a deep blue but she knew better than to attach too much connection between the coloration of the tail and their personality. He was anything but calm and soothing. If anything, she would call him a brute, but it was hard to even say that regarding an animal.

Sometimes fish could be aggressive. And clearly putting two males in one tank had amped up that aggression. Poor Steve had yet to leave his cave after Billy's last attack. They'd need a diver to help coax him out and tend to his wounds.

It takes a couple of weeks for him to recover and in that time, the team brings in a new mer, another male. Robin was vehemently against putting him in the same tank as Steve.

"He just got over what happened with Billy. What're you gonna do if this one tries to fight him again?"

"Steve isn't totally helpless", Nancy said, remembering the wounds inflicted on Billy as well. "Besides, we need to figure out if it really is just instinctual, territorial stuff or if there's something else going on."

And so the second male was put into the same tank as Steve's. At first, he was appropriately cautious, as was the other mer. They both kept to opposite sides of the tank. Then Robin began to notice some odd behaviors in them.

The new one, dubbed 'Eddie' by his wrangler Wayne, would sometimes poke and prod at Steve. He would do so and then immediately swim away, like he was bold but shy at the same time. Steve didn't lash out the way he had with Billy, so perhaps it was some form of play? It was times like these that she wished they knew more about these creatures.

Then Steve did more than just not lash out. He appeared to be playing along. Steve had never engaged in play. Honestly, to Robin he seemed a little haughty, like a prima donna of a fish. The gossamer frills of his tail, almost like a betta fish, gave him that look of someone above it all. But when he played with Eddie, he looked, well, goofy.

But he seemed happy. Healthy even.

Then, one day, while passing by on her lunch break, Robin noticed something she had never seen Steve do before. Eddie floated nearby while Steve swam in an alluring display, his tail undulating in a way that made Robin feel like she shouldn't be watching. So she didn't stay for long. There were always cameras on the tanks just in case something happened while no one was around anyway.

But she brought it up to Nancy immediately. Because if her suspicions were correct...

"It looked like a mating dance to me, Nance."

"Don't be silly, they're both males. And if that was possible, then why didn't Steve perform for Billy?"

"Uhh, he kept biting and clawing at him? Not very romantic. And let's not pretend homosexuality is a purely human invention", Robin pointed out.

Nancy was still skeptical. "Well, even if they are engaging in courtship, the fact remains that they can't reproduce together."

Unexpected babies could complicate things in the tank when they knew so little about mers to begin with. How did they even raise their young? It was the kind of question they'd learn the answer to sooner rather than later.

A few days after Robin took notice of the supposed mating rituals, a diver noticed that Steve's belly appeared to be a bit more full. They tried to get closer to inspect but in his first act of aggression, Eddie pounced with the intention to bite their head off. Thankfully, they were fully covered and got away with just a chunk taken from their goggles. Unable to inspect up close, the research team chalked it up gaining weight. It could either be from preparing for winter or having less stress to effect his appetite.

About a week after that, during a routine clean up, Nancy saw that the moment a diver went into the water, Eddie stood sentry at the cave and Steve was nowhere to be seen, presumably inside. Not wanting to agitate him, they waited until he was asleep to send a camera down. Through its night vision lens, they saw the two adult mer and what appeared to be a clutch of about five eggs, the size of grapefuit settled between them.

When the evidence came back, Nancy pointedly kept her gaze from Robin's 'I told you so' face.

"Don't look so smug unless you can tell me how this happened", Nancy said.

Robin shrugged. "I have theories."

It took about three weeks for the eggs to hatch, after doubling in size. The team kept their distance as Eddie's territorial streak rivaled Billy's when his mate was in a vulnerable state. But they checked in whenever they could. Only two of the eggs grew to full term and hatched, the other three deflating not long after being laid.

Nancy chalked it up to it likely being Steve's first mating and having come from a stressful situation. She was proven correct when a year later, he laid again, six this time, and they all made it to full term. She and Robin watched as Eddie and Steve floated together, tails in a twist and holding hands, letting the current carry them as their eight children chased each other around.

Robin nudged her partner. "We're gonna need a bigger tank."

[fulltragedywerewolf]

my headcannons on the mercs cooking:

Engie: a good cook, has no trouble cooking for the team. as any 🦅🇺🇲🗽AMERICAN🗽🇺🇸🦅, he uses a lot of butter in his meals. he doesnt follow recipes, he makes recipes; he's in a grandma type beat with food. his meals are usually spicy and vast, serving too much food on plates and leaving leftovers. he has The power of bringing people together with food™. champion of barbecues.

Soldier: doesnt know how to boil rice. turns the oven on weird. always makes too much pasta. splashes water when he stirs any pot. treats dough like it insulted him personally. handles oregano as salt. uses unsanitary amounts of butter (as any 🦅🇺🇸🗽AMERICAN 🗽🇺🇲🦅). the kitchen turns into a battlefield under his charge. he will serve the most disgusting and horrifying meal that you've ever seen, with a smile. the other mercs have to keep him out of the kitchen before having a biohazard in their hands. BUT ☝️ he makes GOD-TIER mac 'n' cheese. destiny spins a roulette to choose wich sickness are the mercs getting after having eaten a Soldier's meal (even with the mac 'n' cheese).

Medic: he thinks cooking is tedious, but he doesnt hate it. he finds ways to make it more... fun. he experiments. he takes a good look at the recipe, then throws it out the window, then begins cooking. his inner Victor Frankenstein is channeled in the kitchen. the resulting amalgamation of a meal falls in a spectrum between "a spit to god's creation" and "the equivalent of the discovery of a life-saving surgery". everyone is afraid before eating one of his creations. sometimes they move. obsessed with fish.

Heavy: his cooking expertise is farm/wild russian animals, so, everything outside of that field is uncharted territory for him. a nice way of saying that he earns gold stars for Trying. that's not saying that his meals are unedible, his lamb dishes are good (mostly), but they are certainly lacking. he refuses to use any condiments, which in his scenario would be very much needed. he mostly ends up with bland meals. even desserts end up somewhat hollow with flavour. with all that said, he's very clean while cooking and he's in charge of making bread for the team, because he is FANTASTIC at it. they save a lot of money on bread.

Pyro: the same enthusiasm & skills of a five-year-old. they give their hundred-and-ten percent on following the recipe and giving the team a five-star course. Fails Everytime. with enough time, they'll get to it, but now, they're stuck on leaning cakes and burnt-on-the-outside-but-raw-on-the-inside turkies. every meal they do is decorated with anything they find appropiate & sprinkled with sprinkles. one time they used plastic vegetables as decoration.

Spy: as any 🍷🇫🇷🥖french🥖🇫🇷🍷, he was born with chef-like abilities. he can take any recipe and amp it up to a hundred. the team eats michelin-star-winning courses when he's in charge. downsides: (1) he needs to start preparing the meal 3 hours before mealtime (this makes him unelegible for preparing breakfast and lunch); (2) has a bad temper when cooking, meaning that if something goes wrong in the process (the knife being dull, the dishes undone, his teammates annoying him, etc) he gets fed up and quits, even in the middle of cooking; (3) always complains about not having the "correct" ingredients for meals; and (4) sneers to the other mercs for liking "zhis crap zhat i made," even when the "crap" tastes amazing. yells at anyone who eats with their hands, specially one of his own meals. Cannot Make Baguettes (the actual reason why Heavy is in charge of bread) (constantly made fun of for this).

Demo: he wasn't keen on cooking until he learned that he could cook with booze. he was dissapointed when the meals didnt taste like beer, but he didnt loose his will of Cooking With Alcohol Even When The Dish Doesn't Need To. he uses beer in every meat he prepares (doesnt use wine), and they taste good. with the rest of meals, and also with all meals, he has no idea what he's doing due to Being Drunk. most (all) courses are done perfectly out of luck, cartoon-style. the results look unkept but nice at the same time. "looks good not because of the decoration but because it was made with love" type of beat. they all taste amazing though. his favorite dessert to make is the chocolate volcano (he makes it actually erupt).

Scout: two alternatives. One: he inherited the 🍷🇨🇵🥖french🥖🇨🇵🍷 of Spy and his mother's skills and now he's good for cooking to a large group of people. though, he's still learning, so he doesnt have The power of bringing people together with food™ yet, and he overmeasures for small sums of people. Two: he's shit at cooking, he's inpatient and forgetful, so things go undercooked or burnt. uses too much condiment for everything, and can't follow recipes. In both ways, the kitchen is left a mess, the breakfasts are sugary cereal, he only cooks things that he likes, and, as any 🦅🇺🇲🗽AMERICAN🗽🇺🇲🦅, he uses too much butter.

Sniper: he knows how to use the oven and the stoves, he just doesnt want to. he prefers cooking elaborate (and tasty) meals in a campfire, knowing that it'll take thrice as long. consecutively, he's at odds with boiling water: everything goes grilled or else, but not boiled. he gets a little pissed if the others decide to grab the food and take it inside, wasting the chance to eat under the beautiful sky, but doesnt want to eat alone either, so any group choice elected he'll follow, reluctantly or not. he only uses his knife to cook. second best at barbecues of the team.

no one cleans after cooking. "cooks dont clean" rule.

extras:

miss pauling: doesnt cook. not because she doesnt want to, but because she's too damn busy. henceforth, she always (1) takes delivery, or (2) "cooks" pre-made foods such as ramen, cereal, instant soup, etc. (the third secret option is not eating, but she regrets it everytime.) she will eat oatmeal with (cold) milk for breakfast lunch & dinner. if she has to.

the administrator: she's decent. but if you enter the kitchen while she's cooking, she'll stab you.

saxton hale: he only eats raw food. doesnt cook anything. if he ever has to cook for someone else, he just pops a dead animal on the table and says "bon appetit! :D"

[penny-the-pissed-poltergeist]

Jaunedice arc rewatch time time, Let's get this over with

.One of the worst parts about early Jaune is that he's too incompetent to any cool choreography in his fights

.They real did just give the characters video game health bars

.Oh no! Jaune lost to the guy who can casually bully people multiple school years above him, how surprising

.Ren, how the fuck would you know Nora's dream better than her... that makes no sense

.Really hope Ruby had something before or alongside cookies for lunch, that ain't good for you girl

.Velvet really needs to grow a fucking spine but that doesn't make everyone going "Oh he's so bad, it must be so hard for her" while doing nothing any less bad

... Why is Menagerie called that

.I think it would have been neat to make Oobleck a Faunus because his intro is him talking about Faunus lore and it would make him going asking Faunus in his class to publicly talk about their probably traumatic and sensitive experiences with discrimination a lot less invasive (It'd also be nice to a Faunus in power who isn't a traitor)

.The Faunus won the war but nobody ever fuckin acts like they did

.God I love Oobleck

.if Jaune told canon Pyrrha to kill someone, do you think she'd do it. She's 100% down to break Cardins legs

.Why is a Jaune quip the one suicide related thing in this series that actually lands for me?

.Did Cardin know they would be there or does he just like letting the wind in?

.You think a combat school would have good enough background checks to stop some guy from sneaking in but Jaune must have the best counterfeiting skills on remnant. even then you'd think his parents would at least be suspicious sense he had no proper combat training

."I can't do this on my own, what good am I?" You are already training as a part of school dude, stop being a stubborn loser

now on to Forever Fall....

.Ruby dropping the advice that destroys herself later (It's not always bad advice but god it became so toxic to herself)

.Cardin asking for some fucking bees, but not those bees

.Forever fall looking a bit cooler in the Black trailer but I still really like it here

."Professor Peach" Is expanded on in the books apparently but I'm point that out because there's a weapon's teacher called Herold Mulberry who's also only from the books so Ruby herself can't interact with him goddamn it.

.I will give Jaune one thing, He can SOMETIMES be funny, sometimes.

.Cardin's teammates haven't had a single line yet because they an 8th of a personalty each

.How is Nora slurping the sap that fast?

.Cardin calling Jaune "Jonny boy" gives me Maximilian Pegasus vibes

.How did Jaune's aura do that, we don't see Aura or the Aura amp do anything like that again

.Just send two more people away instead of letting them help you fight a giant ass bear because Yang and Blake totally can't deal with some grimm on their own

.Jaune has weirdly low endurance for the amount of aura he supposedly has

.People already say Jaune is "the real main character" but the problem of everyone but team RWBY feeling like the protag is something that crops up with both him and lots of other characters throughout the series.

.Remember kids if you want someone to stop bullying you, just save them from the fucking B E A R

.If someone is just watching the show without outside material, this is the first time anyone says the word semblance, no how short the episodes are doesn't negate how stupid this. Imagine if the first time hear the word mutation in an X-Man show was 8 episodes in, this is just brain meltingly dumb

.Pyrrha, all keeping that from Jaune is going to do is make him over estimate himself

.Oh yeah Jaune will never be a jerk again after this, he definitely learned his lesson. /S

[aziraphales-library]

Hey! First time asking. Does anyone know a fic where Crowley moves on with someone else and Azi is jealous? Or any fic with jealous Aziraphale? Thank you!

Hello. We have a #jealous aziraphale tag you'll want to take a look at. Here are more jealous Aziraphale fics, along with a couple in which Crowley is with someone else and does not remain with Aziraphale...

Muse by LadyRazzle (NR)

"There’s more to temptation than hanging round and whispering sweet nothings into delicate ears. Sometimes you have to get…stuck in." "Stuck in?" Aziraphale exclaimed.

Courting Dance by commandersmoothdog (T)

Aziraphale and Crowley's relationship is...healing. Things simply couldn't go back to how they were or how they wished they would. So they're taking things slow. While at the Farmer's Market Aziraphale learns that Crowley was unknowingly set up on a blind date the previous week. Shyness ebbs away as jealousy takes over, along with the fear of the chance of Crowley moving on from him, and he amps up the romance in their relationship. He apparently can't claim to have been subtle with his feelings before, but now they are undoubtedly present! At least he hopes they're undoubtable to Crowley.

A Tryst and A Job offer by justsimplymeagain (E)

The angel gone - Crowley was left to his own devices - and for a demon like him. That meant drinking, sleeping and trying to escape the worst century in any way possible. By any means. Or it normally would mean that if it wasn’t for two things: One - He had company to drink with. Two - He had a job offer that was more tempting than it had a right to be.

Bit On The Side by commandersmoothdog (E)

"So how's it been? Reuniting with your angel," Lucifer asked with a smirk as he took a drag from his cigarette. "I don't think that's the best pillow-talk conversation we can be having," Crowley countered. "Oh, I disagree! I love it when angels do a walk of shame out of heaven. Plus...I should keep tabs on my competition, shouldn't I?" "He's apologized. I'm slowly accepting his apology. We have lunch. And dinner. And drink." "Do you talk?" Lucifer prompted. "Mostly about nothing." "Do you fuck?" "No." "Do you want to?" "What could I do with him that you can't do better?" The smile Crowley gave Lucifer was small, and he wouldn't claim to be happy, but content is enough...given the previous years. His answer also fed into Lucifer's ego, which did the trick and Lucifer was satisfied. or Lucifer opens a London branch of Lux and puts Crowley in charge. The party is as modern, sexy, and sinful as it is in LA. It was enough of a distraction for Crowley until Aziraphale returned. Can he keep his sexual relationship with Lucifer and his romantic relationship with Aziraphale balanced?

Forget Him by DarkHedgehog, slatehertzer (E)

When Aziraphale breaks up with Crowley for the hundredth time, it's as if his whole world had shattered, but there are other people that care for him still and he's about to find out just how much. A Crowley/Lucifer positive fic

Crowley Gets A Boyfriend by swimmingfox (T)

Six months after Aziraphale left him for Heaven, Crowley is moping around London hating everything. Until he meets an unruffled mechanic who asks him out. Rebound fic! In which Crowley learns to a) like himself a little bit and b) learns what having a boyfriend is supposed to be like. But the Second Coming looms, and decisions have to be made…

- Mod D

[booksrbetterthanpeople]

Inspired by this post, (https://artzychic27.tumblr.com/post/712203175464239104/i-love-ever-after-high-au-what-would-the-events/amp ) what would the mosnter high movies go like in School for Monstrous Youths?

Ignore how they're ordered

New Ghoul In School

It's Nino's first day at DuPont School For Monstrous Youths

He's fifteen days old and he likes to think he's... Well acquainted with monsters mentally his age. Though, he's only ever learned social interaction from his books, so... This won't go horrible

He's just gotta keep his limbs attached, try not to electrocute anyone, and the school year should go fine... What could go wrong?

A lot. He accidentally electrocuted a hallway full of students when one of his bolts came loose, had to fish his hand out of the fountain, and ran into a very awful harpy who may or may not have threatened him

But, there's a silver lining. He made three friends... He thinks

There's Kim, Marinette, and Nathaniel

He and Nathaniel sit in the back of class together, and Nathaniel keeps him awake through the lectures with some funny drawings

Kim got them out of a zombie traffic jam in the hallway, so he owes him for that

And Marinette redid his stitches when she noticed a few threads coming loose

Marinette: I love your thread!

Nino: Thanks, I love yours! What brand is that? Michael Gore?

Marinette: Ooh, you know your stuff!

Long-story sort, Nino finds his group of friends amongst his classmates, save for Lila, and things are going nicely until lunch one day

Lila decides to be petty and humiliate him during lunch by messing with his bolts, causing a power-outage all through school that also fries a few students' cell phones

This gets Nino sent to detention and causes students to treat him like the plague despite him explaining over and over that he had nothing to do with it

Fortunately, Alya comes to his aid, showing a video of the incident on her phone which shows Lila tampering with Nino's bolts without him noticing

Now Lila has detention because she's terrible, and Nino owes Alya big time for helping him

Alya: Buy me dinner Saturday night.

Nino: What?

Alya: Did I stutter, cutie?

Why Do Ghouls Fall In Love?

It's almost Marc's birthday!

He's gonna be sixteen, so this calls for a big ass party!

Nathaniel, meanwhile, has no idea what to buy him, and each of his friends' suggestions only makes him more anxious

Kim: Get him his favorite treats!

Rose: Flowers crowns are for any occasion!

Nino: A jacket he can’t chew through?

Marinette: Made it already.

Ivan: What is point of gifts on birth anniversary? You grow old, older, then be burried in snow.

So, he goes to Sacqueline, daughter of Eros for help

Meanwhile, The Science Kids are all going over the plans for Marc's party when they get on the topic of what Marc hopes Nathaniel will get him for his birthday, and in all honesty, he doesn't care

Marc: Oh, I'm not materialistic like that. I mean, don't get me wrong, what guy doesn't love presents? But I think I'm a little over that ever since Lucien.

Science Kids: ... WHOM?!

Lucien Rebois, the most charming human student at Marc's old school, Vadim Bastille. He could have had any monster, but he chose Marc

He doted on him, bought him so many gifts, and had Marc completely wrapped around his finger

But, sadly, Marc and his family had to flee due to an old grudge about The Silver Bridge, which they did not cause to collapse!

Marc: ... But, that's all in the past! So, Jean, any chance we can use the catacombs for the party?

Jean: Lemme provide the music, and you've got yourself a deal. Now tell me more about your romantic hunk of a man.

Lila, having overheard the conversation, hatches a plan to get back at the ghouls for not inviting her to Marc's Sweet 16

Meanwhile, Jean, Rose, Myléne, Ivan, and Reshma work to clear out the catacombs for Marc’s party. Of course, they have to be wary of the Pit Of Eternal Odor in the middle of the room, so they make a note to section that off so no one falls in... Hehehe

Lila begins her plan by calling Lucien (while pretending to be Marc's friend) and telling him that Marc misses him, which causes Lucien to transfer to DuPont as the school’s newest human student

The art club is helping Nathaiel put together a scrapbook of all the significant moments in his and Marc's life when suddenly, Lucien makes his flashy entrance and dazzles everyone in the school with his charming smile

Marc: *Tiny gasp* Luci!

Lucien: Emerald! *Hugs hum*

Nathaniel, of course, gets a little jealous when he sees Lucien and Marc hugging, but calms down a bit when Marc introduces Lucien to the others as his ex... Just a bit

They spend the day together, just to catch up as friends. Well, Marc wants to catch up as friends, Lucien is still certain Marc loves him and attempts to put a few moves on him, but Marc is totally oblivious

Simon: That boy's trying to put the moves on you! I see it with my own eye!

Marc: What? No, Lucien would never do something like that; he's too nice. Besides, he knows I'm dating Nath.

Cosette: And I know there's a stylish new belt buckle that costs five thousand euros, but I still want it.

When Lucien and Marc hang out again, it's not long before Marc brings up Nathaniel, and this is where Lucien gets pissed. But, he keeps his composure

Still acting like such a nice guy, he suggests Marc fly him up to the bell tower like old times. But once they arrive, Lucien corners Marc and hypnotizes him into loving him

Haha! Surprise! Lucien's a bad guy! Ah, you all knew that. He's learned a couple of tricks from the witches at Vadim. By that, I mean he threatened them with fire. And the effects of the hypnosis turn the victim's eyes red

Ismael: ... What the fuck?! *Gestures to Marc and Lucien kissing* Is no one else seeing this?!

Denise: Oh, you bet I am! Marc! What do you think Nath would have to say about this? You know, Nathaniel, your loving boyfriend?!

Marc: ... Who?

Science Kids: Le gasp!

Zoé: That's it! I'm out! *Walks away*

The Science Kids and Akuma Class find out what's going on with Marc when one of Nathaniel's gargoyle friends mentions they saw Lucien cornering Marc in the bell tower during one of their shifts

They send Alya to spy on Lucien while he's behaving like any villain and monologuing his plan in private- To make Marc his boyfriend once again, have him hang off of his every word, and find a spell to turn him human. Oh, and she finds out Lila set this whole thing up

Alya: Ooh, you bitch.

*Meanwhile*

Nathaniel: *Loudly crying*

Adrien: It'll be okay-

Nathaniel: SHUT UP! When I see them, I'm gonna skin that harpy, and crush Lucien's skull with my bare hands!

Aurore: Or something non-violent.

Ismael: Right. We get Reshma to paralyze Lila, and then I'll-

Aurore: No nunchucks!

Ismael: Damnit.

The gang then turns to Sacqueline, who agrees to help them by shooting Marc with one of her arrows so he will fall in love with Nathaniel again

However, Lila foils their plan, and Sacqueline and Nathaniel end up falling in love with each other

Chloé: RA FUCKING DAMNIT!

Alix: This officially cannot get any worse!

Kim: Eew! They're kissing now!

After hours of research, Max, Simon, and Sabrina discover there's a way to break the spell of Sacqueline's bow so Nathaniel can break Lucien's spell over Marc

They can break the spell by smashing the bow, and they decide to do it at Marc's party, where everyone will be

On the night of the party, Marinette is about to smash the bow, but it's quickly stolen by Lila, who begins to shoot random monsters, including Lacey and Max, Simon and Cosette, Denise and Adrien, and Jean and Mireille. Kim then hatches a plan to use himself as bait to distract Lila while the others get the bow

It works until Kim is shot and falls in love with Chloé, but Nino removes his hand and throws it, which knocks the bow out of Lila's grasp

Ondine spills water on the floor, and Ivan freezes it which causes Lila to slip and fall, and she ends up dangling from the banner over the Pit Of Eternal Odor

Nino smashes the bow, which frees everyone from the spell

Alix shouts at Nathaniel to get him to show Marc his gift, but he is pinned against the wall by Lucien, who is surprisingly strong against a 370-pound gargoyle

However, Nathaniel still manages to convince Marc to look at the scrapbook, which reminds him why he fell in love with Nathaniel and breaks free from Lucien's spell

Then he confronts Lucien and throws him off Nathaniel

Marc: ... I remember EVERYTHING! You were the worst boyfriend ever! I stayed your pretty little trophy wife while you bought me a crap ton of superficial gifts I never even liked, threatened every guy that talked to me, endlessly touched me, gave backhanded compliments about my appearance, and made me wear a fucking collar like a FUCKING DOG! And if that weren't enough, you were the worst! Kisser! EVER!

Marinette: Oh, fuck! He went there! Alya! Simon! Tell me you're recording this!

Simon: *Recording the whole thing on his phone* I got everything after 'trophy wife.'

In a fit of rage, Marc pushes Lucien into the Pit Of Eternal Odor, he then falls on Lila, and they fall into it together. When they climb back up, they are then tossed out of the party by Chloé and Zoé's mummy bouncers.

Things end off with Marc and Nathaniel sharing a kiss

Escape From Skull Shores

For spring break, Ondine invites her friends to come with her to the Great Scarrier Reef. Of course, Chloé being Chloé borrows the family yacht

Zoé: Does mom know you took the yacht?

Chloé: Should I care?

Zoé: Nah.

But, on the way, the ship is attacked by a kraken and sinks, leaving the two classes stuck on a small raft.

Fortunately, nearby are two humans; Bartleby Farnum, an eccentric show-and salesman and his assistant Kipling, who covers his face with a sack because he is “too horrible” to look at. Planning to exhibit the, Farnum saves them

However, once he lays eyes on Nino, he gets this weird look on his face

Alya: Are you checking out my boyfriend?

Farnun: What? Of course not!

Alya: He’s taken!

Farnum takes the monsters to his home on Skull Shores, a skull-shaped island in the middle of the ocean, claiming he has to pick up supplies before going to Great Scarrier Reef

Once docked, the group is welcomed by the local population, the Tiki. Farnum convinces them to keep the group entertained while he… Takes care of things

Chloé expects to be treated like royalty by the Tiki, but to her shock and frustration, they giving that treatment to Nino for some reason. They even give him a necklace

Suspicious by Farnum and the Tiki’s behavior, Max, Kagami, Ondine, and Kim- during the evening- sneak around aboard Farnum’s boat to find out what he’s up to

Kagami: What can we expect to find?

Max: Well, most psychopaths keep momentos from their crimes. He may have them hidden somewhere. Look for a secret compartment, likely under the floorboards, behind a painting-

Kim: *Finds an old box* Or under his bed.

Max: That works.

They find an old roll of film and play it, discovering that Farnum had a partner who looked exactly like Nino. As the film continues, they learn that the partner was sacrificed by the Tiki to a beast that inhabits the island

Back on the island, Farnum reveals the existence of the beast to the students and how an explorer was able to soothe it

With that, the Tiki suddenly tie Nino up, and Farnum elaborates that the Tiki gave the explorer to the beast to keep him from attacking them

Alya: WHAT?!

Ivan: I knew strange man had ulterior motive.

Juleka: Then why didn’t you say anything?

Ivan: Poor timing.

A moment later the beast appears. The students are shocked and Nino is in a vulnerable position. Farnum and the Tiki launch their attack, throwing spears at the beast but the spears are not enough to harm the beast, and it leaves with Nino

The Tiki people force Denise, Cosette, Mireille, Simon, Ismael, Ivan, Alix, Adrien, Zoé, Chloé, and Marinette into a pitfall trap, while the others escape

Kim, Ondine, Kagami, and Max return shortly afterwards to find that they are too late. The four set off to save Nino on their own.

The next morning when Nino awakens a shy, handsome guy is with him. He then remembers the monster and tells him they should run while it is gone.

The boy answers that won't be necessary, as the beast and he are the same creature. He introduces himself as Andy, and explains that he changes into a huge beast if he experiences hate, anger, or fear, whether his own or another's

Nino: *Checking out Andy’s abs* Yeah… That’s… That’s bad… You, uh… Got a girlfriend or boyfriend?

Back In the village, Cosette and Ismael trick the remaining Tiki down the pit, and Ivan freezes then, allowing the group to use the Tiki as stairs to escape

Before they leave, they hear the Tiki beg for forgiveness. Figuring they can be of some use, Ivan unfreezes them, and the Tiki join forces with the students to stop Farnum

In the jungle, Kim, Ondine, Max, and Kagami are spying on Farnum and realize he has a tracking device planted on Nino via the necklace

Spotting them, Farnum orders Kipling to capture Kim, Kagami, and Max. Ondine runs off and dives into the water

As Farnum mocks Kim for his “coward girlfriend,” Kagami sympathizes with the timid Kipling, seeing that he isn't anything like his cruel master, and tries to encourage him to not be ashamed of whatever he's hiding under the mask despite what people like Farnum tell him. However, Kipling declines, certain he can rely on Farnum

While Andy and Nino walk around the island, the duo notices movement in the bushes and Andy, thinking it's Farnum or his minions, charges in to attack, only to find the surprised group of Reshma, Jean, Juleka, Luka, Rose, Aurore, Marc, Nathaniel, Sabrina, Alya, Lacey, and Myléne

Marc: Nino! We’re here to save you… And your rugged shirtless gentleman friend.

Jean: I saw him first!

Alya: Babe, I would like us to become a polycule.

Luka: Back of the line!

Nathaniel: Amateurs. *Pretends to trip* Oh, the pain! I need a muscular hunk to carry me the rest of the way in his big, strong arms! *Andy picks him up*

Lacey: You sly little bitch.

Suddenly, Farnum is spotted. Andy runs away but doesn't make it far before he has to hide and overhears the entire exchange between the students and Farnum

Though Farnum initially has the upper hand, Mireille, Simon, Ismael, Ivan, Alix, Adrien, Zoé, Chloé, and Marinette make their appearance with the Tiki who turn on Farnum

Only mildly bothered, Farnum takes his cane and makes a magnet appear, which pulls Nino to him. Threatening to suck the electricity from him with the magnet, Farnum shouts for the beast to appear

Andy, outraged that Farnum would go to great lengths just to get to him, changes into his beast form

Lacey: Fuck, that’s hot.

Andy can't do anything but comply with Farnum's orders, lest he risks Nino’s life. He changes back and turns himself in

Back at Farnum's boat, Farnum forces Andy to get in the boat as the students helplessly watch. However, the group is surprised to see Ondine rise from the water, backed up by a small army of dolphins as well as the kraken that destroyed the students' boat

Kim: YEEEEAAAAHHH!! MY GIRLFRIND’S NOT A COWARD, YOU FUCKER!

This time, the kraken destroys Farnum's boat, then picks up Farnum and flings him into the jungle while Kipling runs after him

After the kraken repairs the yacht, the students resume their spring break trip, taking Andy with them. However, they forgot about Nino’s necklace

With Spring Break over, Nino tries to make Andy feel at home at DuPont, which turns out to be more work than he initially thought due to Andy's long-time isolation, he is unfamiliar with 21st century technology

However, a few students make him feel very welcomed

Nathaniel: Andy, you know, it’s customary for new students to try and carry a gargoyle.

Lacey: And to let at least five students every hour feel your biceps.

Luka: I think I’ll start.

Marc: Enough. All of you. *Wraps his arms around Andy* The nerve, trying to take advantage of a new student. *Feels Andy’s biceps* Simply cruel.

After some days, Damocles orders everyone to the auditorium for a speech about tolerance by a human guest speaker

While the human appears merely eccentric at first, he starts making all sorts of backhanded insults at the students, and appears particularly intent on tormenting Andy

Lila: I don’t know who this bitch is, but I am loving him.

Mme. Mendeleiev demands that he leave, as his speech has nothing to do with tolerance. The man only pesters Andy further, and he is pushed away by him, causing his disguise to fall, exposing him as Farnum

Several students try to fight Farnum, but he is too quick and witty for them. He deflects Alix’s gaze with a mirror, turning her into stone, douses Lacey with a spray bottle, and uses bug spray on Marc and Reshma

Andy, pushed by the chaos, transforms and bursts through the roof, sending the other students and teachers fleeing for their lives as the ceiling comes down on them

Andy tries to escape, but Farnum and Kipling, show up on the roof, and Farnum tells Andy that, just as with Kipling, a freak like him has nowhere else to turn to than to a man like him

Though Andy agrees with Farnum's reasoning and again turns himself in, Nino hurries up to the roof and convinces him otherwise

Nino: Dude! You can become a student here! You’ll have somewhere to stay and hundreds of people looking to date you! So… Think about that.

Kipling, finally fed up with Farnum's abuse, takes off his mask, revealing that his ears are shaped like an elephant's, and stands up to Farnum before he picks him up and throws him into a tar pit

During his fall, Farnum crosses paths with a flock of birds, causing him to end up not only tarred, but feathered too. The humans Farnum had called to take Andy into custody mistake Farnum for the beast and capture him

Adrien: So… There’s just a monster patrol squadron here to capture you whenever someone calls?

Marinette: Fun, isn’t it?

Although he finally broke ties with Farnum, Kipling is still unsure whether he'll be accepted until he spots two girls who have elephant ears too and clearly think he's a looker

However, Damocles announces he has grave news. Due to the damages done to the school, Spring Break is extended with a week to get reparations done

Students: *Cheering*

Damocles: No! That is a bad thing!

Ghouls Rule

As each year prior to Halloween, the students of DuPont are shown a video to warn them of the dangers they might face up until after the holiday as Halloween traditionally is the day that the humans come out to hunt for monsters

Nino, who's about to experience his first Halloween ever, is terrified while the others are just bored from seeing the video so many times

The gang tells him not to worry, but a few monsters can’t help but share their experiences with humans

Alix: Whatshisface comes at my mom with a sword and slices her head clean off!

Lacey: They trapped my parents in lanterns and threw them in the water!

Nathaniel: They chiseled my father’s wings into little nubs and threw him off the chapel!

Alya: They tried to put my sisters in vacuums strapped on their backs!

Cosette: My old man got one of his horns stolen!

Kim: Pow! Silver bullet! Right in my uncle’s forehead! Dead upon impact!

Juleka: Holy water was everywhere!

Marc: I still wake up at night screaming, “PESTICIDE!”

Chloé: *Fearfully hugging Zoé* They were everywhere! They tried to burn us!

Sabrina: *Groans*

Everyone: *Gasps*

Chloé: That’s horrible! Sabrina, I’m so sorry.

Nino: None of you are helping!

As they are walking down the hallway, the school is egged & TP'ed. The students rush outside to find out who the vandals are and find two humans driving a pick-up truck warning them that Halloween is mere days ahead while throwing some more eggs, which hit many of the students

This event sets the student body on edge as they wonder if they are in danger and ponder on ways to get back at their attackers, even if Mme. Mendeleiv forbids retaliation

Meanwhile, Alya wants to write a story about Halloween and does some research in the library with Nino and Ivan, who notices a map among the books she's got with her; a map to the Hall of Halloween

They ask Jean, the resident catacombs expert if he knows anything about the place. However, he doesn't but is willing to help look for it. With the map, the four actually find the place and learn the true story of Halloween, a way for humans and monsters to celebrate together

Armed with this new knowledge, they return above ground, finding everything gathered outside around a mildly gruesome pumpkin display—another attack by the humans.

Adrien takes it lightly, believing the human students to be out of ideas, and picks up a pumpkin. This activates a mechanism that has all the students outside the target of a rain of pumpkins.

Damocles announces an emergency meeting in the auditorium, where he advises the students to not go outside without human disguise until Halloween is over

Nino protests and holds a speech about being proud of who you are and that he has discovered that Halloween used to be a holiday to celebrate monsters

However, the students take his speech the wrong way and declare they'll take back their holiday by force, and Chloé takes it upon herself to lead the movement with Sabrina as her right hand

Nino, Marinette, Adrien, Alya, Max, and Kim witness a number of students giving each other strange signals. Thanks to one very talkative gargoyle, they learn that there's a meeting in the courtyard later where the students will discuss their plans to get back at the humans.

After Chloé’s speech about taking back the holiday, the group goes into the catacombs to get to New Salem High to vandalize it like what had been done to DuPont

When they reach New Salem High, they find a huge Skull drawn onto the school's front side. As they are wondering what to do to top that kind of vandalism, the Police arrive to investigate the damage. The students run and, as per the Halloween Warning video's advice, hide in a variety of clever ways

Eventually, everyone makes their way in front of a certain house, where they discuss who could be responsible for the graffiti and how to get back to the catacombs.

Before they can move, the door opens and a girl, Aeon, invites them in for the party, thinking they are humans in Halloween costumes.

Inside, most wish to use the opportunity to still exact revenge, while others decide to just enjoy the party. Nino meets a human named Aeon, who takes a special interest in the new arrivals.

The monsters handle themselves well at the party until three more guests arrive: the two boys that trashed DuPont and their 'boss', Brigette Van Hellscream. Coming from a family of famed monster hunters, Brigette immediately suspects that some of the guests are monsters and is proven right when this one guy decides to check out Rose’s “costume”

Guy: Dude, that costume is rad.

Rose: Oh, uh… Thanks! Your costume is rad as well!

Guy: How do you get the bones so real? *Sticks his hand through Rose’s ribcage* … Uh…

Rose: PERVERT! *Removes her hand, and slaps him with it*

Guy: AAAAHH!!

Nino: AAAAAHHH!!

Lacey: *Her hair lights on fire* AAAAAHH!!

Adrien: WHY ARE WE SCREAMING?!

Marinette: I DON'T KNOW! AAAAAHHH!!

Chloé: AAAAAHHH!!

Marc: AAAAAAHHHH!!!

Random Guy: AAAAAAAAHHH!!

Kim: AAAAAAHHH!! *Takes a bite out of a sandwich* THIS IS GOOD! AAAAAHHH!!!

A fight between monsters and humans is prevented by Jess and Aeon, who point out that there is no proof they have to be afraid of them. But just then, a siren is heard outside, and everyone rushes out the door to see the police arresting Jean. When Brigette points out that there are more 'evil monsters' present, the rest of the students run, leaving Jean behind for the time being to be incarcerated for the vandalism to New Salem

Jean is taken to the police station and thrown in a cell where he demands to be released but the Sheriff taunts him by calling Jean Austin’s pet name from him, Songbird

Jean: … You wanna go ‘n repeat that, warden?

Sheriff: Go on! You’re the so called opera phantom! Sing us a song, songbird!

Jean: … Well. If you insist.

Cue a flashy Jailhouse Rock number as Jean escapes and makes all of the guards go deaf and/or insane

The police will obviously search DuPont, so he hides out in New Salem High. Using some makeup he always keeps on him, Jean makes his appearance more human-like and covers the hidden part of his face with his hair

They’re rightfully wary of their new environment, thinking everyone is ready to attack him for being a monster, until they realize that no one knows about their monster side. Everything’s fine until some jocks attempt to beat them up, but Jess and Aeon save them

Back at DuPont, all the students that went to New Salem have detention, and while there, they all try to figure out how to save Jean

Simon: My family stopped eating humans after that thing with the sirens, so that’s a no.

Nathaniel: Uh… Boiling oil?

Zoé: Oh! A mummy’s curse!

Cosette: Guys, I’ve picked locks with my horns, lemme at it.

Ivan: I say we throw big, heavy rocks.

Denise: Agreed.

Kim: Adrien! You’re a human! What do humans hate?!

Adrien: Uh… Sticking with New Year’s resolutions, taxes, spoilers to good movies, and family reunions.

Austin T: I don’t care if you turn those bastards to stone, burn them alive, eat them, or turn them into your mindless servants! I want my boyfriend back! I'll reap them all in my path if I have to!

At New Salem High, Jean is easily fitting in and going undiscovered, until some of his makeup smears off and he goes to reapply. Unfortunately for him, Brigette followed him

Shortly after, New Salem High gets vandalized a second time, and both the humans and monsters think it's Jean

Alix: *Examining the graffiti online with Nathaniel* This doesn’t make sense.

Nathaniel: Exactly

Kim: … Okay, what’s going on?

Nathaniel: Everyone knows Jean has a flare for the dramatics. But there’s nothing dramatic about this! It’s just a skull!

Alix: And Jean would never do their line work so crookedly. Something’s going on.

The humans call for Jean's arrest, while the monsters generally are impressed with and proud of his supposed accomplishments

Lila only fans the flames by taunting the humans from her Critter account as Jean, claiming he had everything to do with the vandalism. Also, Chloé is using "Jean's" rebellion as an example of how monsters should fight back against their oppressors

Nino, Marinette, Adrien, Max, Alya, and Kim don't know what to think of the mess, but they decide to stop Jean before things get out of hand even more. With Max’s help, they find out that Jean is somewhere inside New Salem High and they go out to get him that night

Coincidentally though, right that night, Brigette and her goons are working to vandalize their own school again, this time in costume and with a camera ready to film the act as fake evidence that monsters were behind the vandalism

Brigette immediately spots the group trying to get into New Salem High and gets the police. They find Jean hidden away in a closet, but the reunion is cut short when Brigette and the police arrive to arrest Jean

The group is once again put in detention. Worse, during their talk with Damocles, he receives a phone call to turn on the TV

The Sheriff holds an announcement that he will return the true meaning of Halloween by condemning Jean to the Trick-or-Treatment, a death sentence not used in two hundred years. Damocles is further informed by the Monster Elder Council that no action will be or may be taken to save Jean

As much as the news hits everyone, two people are particularly upset. Brigette never meant for an innocent to die because of her schemes, and Chloé realizes she used Jean for publicity and that he's going to suffer for it

At detention, Nino comes up with the idea to get help from Jess and Aeon, looking for evidence that Jean has been framed

The others help him escape, and he manages to contact Jess and Aeon, who are willing to help. Their investigation leads to the discovery that Brigette and her goons were behind the vandalism of New Salem High, which solves that mystery. But that still doesn’t explain why Jean confessed- Oh, wait! It was Lila! They’ll kill her later

The group sets up a confrontation for Chloé and Brigette within the catacombs as representatives of their respective parties. Despite everything, the two bond almost instantly over their shared sense of fashion, the equal pressure to live up to their family's expectations, and wanting to do what’s best for their respective sides, including helping Jean

They go to the sheriff to explain everything to him, but he reveals that he couldn't care less

*Back at DuPont*

Denise: Are you fucking kidding me?!

Juleka: This is why I don't care for law enforcement.

Ismael: Do they realize they’re about to murder a teenager? In Phantom Years, he’s fifteen! That’s… That’s just fucked up.

The gang works on a new plan. Just freeing Jean will only have the humans come and get him again so more has to be done.

When a plan is set to not only free Jean but also hopefully save every monster, the Salem High students dress as monsters to draw attention when Jean is put in the Trick-or-Treatment machine, which forces the police away from the device to arrest the monsters

Nino and Ivan use the diversion to free Jean and then make a run for it on Ivan’s ice slide, in which they are also assisted by Max, courtesy of his rocket boots

As the police figure out they've been duped and give chase to the real monsters in their cruisers, Jess and Aeon rouse the human crowd to take matters into their own hands and attack DuPont

Lacey and Kim taunt and get the mob to follow them to the Hall of Halloween where the students are awaiting their arrival, much to the humans’ confusion

Brigette comes forth to confess she is behind the vandalism that plagued New Salem and that though she meant to protect the humans, she realizes she had nothing to be afraid of

The humans accept the confession and invitation, but then the Sheriff and his officers finally arrive, intending to arrest Jean and all the monsters present. However, the New Salem students challenge him to arrest them as well if they want to get to the DuPont students

The Sheriff, wanting to avoid the fallout if he arrests the New Salem students, saves face by claiming it's past midnight, and that means he is off duty anyway before sneaking off to the snacks

With all conflict ended and subdued, the party commences

Friday Night Frights

The students of DuPont are watching the Skultimate RollerMaze game between the Nightmares of DuPont and the Gargoyles of Granite City, and both sides of the crowd are cheering for their team

The four fearleaders; Candace, Cosette, Denise and Juleka; are cheering for DuPot

Ivan: So, what is point in 'skate game.' I've known how to skate since I was up to height of yak's knee.

Rose: Ivan, Skultimate RollerMaze is so much more than just a skating game! It's a course full of twists, turns, obstacles and so much more, and- PUMMEL HIS ASS!... The whole point of the game is how you react to what's thrown at you. Plus, we've got a tradition with the Gargoyles. Whichever school wins, they get the other team's school crest

Rocco, the leader of the gargoyle team, grabs one of the camera bats, and Gary, his fellow teammate, crushes it to leave no evidence of their cheating. Rocco and Gary then knock over Kim and Soo-Yeon, leaving them in the dust whilst chasing after the rest of the team

Brecken and Austin Q go into the course to replace Kim and Soo-Yeon. Spinelli and Rocco are neck and neck during the course, determined to win for their respective schools.

Rocco and Gary then notice Brecken and Austin Q are gaining on them, only before Rocco declares that they might as well finish off DuPont who, according to him, 'plays like a bunch of girls' (this statement, oddly enough, angers the completely masked player behind them)

After going through yet another course, Gary trips Brecken, causing him to crash into Austin Q. The mask player trips over them, and is left behind by the team, who yet again, cheats; this time more discreetely

Whilst neck and neck with Spinelli, one of Rocco's skates mechanically removes a wheel from Spinelli's and the last member of the team falls to the ground right before crossing the finish line, thus allowing Granite City to win the game.

A few days later, the students of DuPont are all distraught about the loss. Ivan is confused as to why everyone is so upset about the game, but Myléne tells him it's bigger than he knows, pointing out how the school looks worse than it normally is

An announcement from Damocles lets them know that the school spirit is gone. Ivan thinks it's nothing until Sabrina explains that the school's crest has an actual spirit which protects the halls of DuPont from falling apart, literally

However, getting the crest back is not as easy as it sounds, because with three injured players of the team, they might not be able to make it to the finals in order to beat the Gargoyles

Sabrina decides to look for clues in order to prove that the Gargoyles did cheat, due to the fact of Spinelli's skates breaking just before the finish line, which is an extremely odd coincidence. And at the realization that they will not be able to play at all, Kim cancels SKRM for the season, much to everyone's shock.

Days later, the school continues to fall apart, everyone even more miserable than before. Candance, Cosette, Denise, and Juleka realize this and then, out of the blue, Candance hatches up a plan to recruit new members for the SKRM team, so that way DuPont can beat Granite City and win back the crest

After a bit of reluctance, the ghouls round up almost boy in the school and judge them for the skills needed in Skultimate RollerMaze; agility, strength... and the ability to skate, most importantly

Whilst doing this, Sabrina, joined by Max, is in the SKRM track, looking for evidence that the Gargoyles cheated, however a certain something distracts her. A piece of stone that isn't the same material as the gargoyles' ski

Meanwhile, the ghouls judge the students carefully, only to the news that most of them can't stand in rollerblades. Lucky for them, Lotta attempts to teach them, only to be taunted by the fact that a girl is teaching them how to do 'their' sport. Nonetheless, she wows them and at first, she's skeptical once Cosette suggests she participate on the team, especially once the boys continue to say that girls don't play SKRM

However Lotta recollects a memory of a certain SKRM superstar...Alix Kubdel! Despite this fact, the boys stick to their motto that Skultimate RollerMaze is for guys and they all leave them to fend for themselves, however they team up together and vow to win for DuPont

Naturally, at the sight of ghouls in SKRM gear, the school is shocked by the decision of Candance, Cosette, Juleka, Denise, and Lotta to take the place of the former team. The former members are surprised, but not against it

Kim, although, tries to persuade them not to play. According to him, Alix Kubdel was an amazing player, but got demolished and was never heard from again

Lotta: Ah, that's just a kid's story!... Right?

Kim: No. No, I'm serious. The gargoyles creamed her... Good luck, though!

However the training they attempt to persue in is worthless, due to their little to no knowledge of the sport. Most of them can barely skate or follow the rules, although they try and do what they can.

During this training, Max finds yet another piece of stone, this one in the shape of a snake

Chloé, who's been watching them train, daringly rescues Candace from crashing and getting injured. They offer her a spot on the team, although Chloé refuses, preferring to lead rather than follow

Their first match up is against the all zombie school, worst in the league. However, Denise gets very nervous and trips, thus causing the team to false start, and get disqualified

Some idiots even video taped the fiasco and mock them

Deciding she can't let this go on any longer, Chloé joins the team, helping them with their posture in order to maintain proper balance. Kim, Soo-Yeon, Brecken, Austin Q, and Spinelli join in coaching them

After a strict training regimen, they're are ready for their debut against Vampire Academy. They play well, but are bested at the last minute by rough tactics of the vampires

During the game, Chloé was knocked into a pile of tires that contained a stone hand. Sabrina explains that is the last piece she and Max needed to rebuild Alix Kubdel, who had been trapped in stone for a few years

Alix offers her assistance as player and one piece of advise "... Quit playing like stupid boys and win like girls!" Thus inspiring their new fashionable outfits

When the gargoyles stop by their school to taunt them, they begin to mock the new outfits, and Alix and the masked player lock eyes for a moment. Before the two can say anything to each other, they're dragged away by their respective teammates

The DuPont team enters a round robin tournament, and eventually make their way up the leader board until they qualify for the final match between Granite City. Instilling the school with pride, they are are now wildly popular and even gained the respect of a few male students

The final match against Granite city is intense. The gargoyles try to muscle the team, but they use the agility and Cadance's powers to avoid many pitfalls

Eventually Denise gets injured, and Kim calls an injury timeout. Juleka is nervous about going in until Kim gives her some encouragement. The team starts up again

During the final stretch, Rocco and Gary about to go after Cosette, but then the masked player, suddenly tackles two gargoyles to the ground

Masked Player: I am done with you assholes!

Everyone: *Gasp*

Ivan: Now this is interesting.

Alix and Cosette slingshot Juleka to the front with Rocco. In a photo finish, Juleka wins by a leg

Now the champions, DuPont wins back their crest, thus restoring the school from its dilapidated state, and they get Granite High's Crest, but they decide to keep it for a week, since they're not complete assholes

Okay! Dramatic Reveal time!

Soo-Yeon: Let's just see who's under this mask! *Pulls off the masked skater's mask*

Everyone: Someone we don't know?!

Alix: NATH!

Nathaniel: *Alix hugs him* Hey, Alix.

Cosette: ... So, can we get an explanation here?

Nathaniel: Yeah, those assholes over at Granite High hated that a girl was better than them, so they turned a mirror on her during one game and broke her into pieces. I joined them so I could gather evidence, of them cheating and keep them from doing the same to other players. *Shows a small camera hidden in his helmet* Here's about a year's worth.

The movie ends with a role call of the new co-ed team: Kim, Chloé, Brecken, Soo-Yeon, Austin Q, Spinelli, Alix, Cosette, and Denise

Scaris

Marinette plans a Flashion Mob, a surprise fashion show starring herself and her friends at school. Meanwhile, Ismael chases after a scarf made out of spider's silk given to him by Reshma, his best friend from Scaremerica, which was knocked from his hand by students attracted by the attention from Marinette's show

However, thanks to a mix-up orchestrated by Lila, Kim is put in a dress and heels and ends up tripping and abruptly ending the show

Thanks to Alya, however, the fashion show was put on FrightTube (with the awkward ending edited out) and had gotten quite a large amount of views, including Moanatella Ghostier, a renowned fashion designer

To Marinette's disbelief, Moanatella emails her, explaining she needs a protégé to carry on her designs, as she was running out of ideas, and when people stop paying attention to her, she fades away

So, she sends for three students, Eri Tanaka, Austin Armbruster, and last but not least, Marinette

With some encouragement from the others, Marinette agrees to go to Scaremerica. Of course, her closest friends and her significant others join in order to offer support

On the plane, Ismael tells Alix about Reshma and how she would send him accesories she made from her silk. However, she had stopped writing letters to her some time ago, and Ismael worries what this means for their friendship

So, Alix, being a kind soul, offiers to take Ismael to find Reshma and get an explanation

Finally in Scaremerica, the group drops Marinette off at Moanatella's headquarters, and Ismael, Alix, Lacey, and Sabrina go to look for Reshma while the remainder of the group take in the sights

Marinette meets Eri and Austin, and though friendly with each other, Moanatella coldly reminds them that only one of them will be her apprentice

With Sabrina's scooter, the chase for Reshma begins elsewhere when they spot someone else on a scooter with a jacket akin to Reshma's. Unfortunately the chase is a bust, as the rider was only someone else, and Sabrina crashes and breaks her scooter beyond repair. Meanwhile, in the cafe, the others discuss places to go sightseeing only to see Sabrina very sad about her scooter. Chloé offers to pay for a new one, but Sabrina assures her she knows a way to make money

Somewhere, in Moanatella Ghostier's Headquarters, Marinette notices Eri's book around and asks to see her designs, but she becomes angry and scolds her about the competition and that they're not supposed to be helping each other

As the trials go on, Marinette is berated for the third time for not following fashion rules. She finds the courage to look for inspiration in her old sketchbook, but Moanatella instructs her to throw it away if she wants to be part of the fashion industry. So, she starts designing like her while

After that, Moanatella tells the three designers that if they hear her ring the bell three times, it meant she decided

In a cafe, Ismael, Alix, and Lacey discuss Reshma and find a clue as to where she was

Back at Moantella's headquarters, Eri and Austin A find Marinette's sketchbook and are amazed by her designs. They realize Moantella's methods are harming her creativity, as well as their own

Now in a subway, Ismael, Alix, and Lacey are lead by a string of a spider's web to the forbidden area where it is said that no monster who came in ever came out alive

Ismael/Lacey/Alix: ...

Lacey: ... Let's go in!

They find Reshma, who has been used by Moanatella for her fashion designs. This was why she couldn't write to Ismael anymore. She reveals to them whoever wins Moanatella's "apprenticeship" will be locked up in the same place and be used just like him

At that moment, Moanatella and Marinette enter, and Moanatella traps Marinette in a cell with them

The others wander the streets, trying to find the others until Kim picks up their scents and follows them to the cells. Using their powers, they rescue them, but rather than wanting to flee, Marinette announces a desire to beat Moanatella at her own game.

Eri and Austin A show up, having sensed that something bad will happen, and give Marinette her old design book back. The rest get to work designing a full fashion clothing line, while Moanatella sets up her own fashion show across town

Despite having lots of help, the ghouls aren't going to get finished in time, so they give Marinette, Eri, Austin A, and Reshma pure black coffee, which causes them to work double-time

At last, the clothes are finished, so they gather them up to take it to the fashion show. Sabrina (who has bought a car with the money she's earned!) offers to help them get to the show

They crash Moanatella's show and show off Marinette's real fashion line. The people love it and cheer her on, causing Moanatella to vanish forever because no one is paying attention to her. Reshma, Eri, and Austin A express a desire to transfer to DuPont, and all is well

13 Wishes

A thousand years after some event no one remembers or knows, DuPont welcomes back the students for the new semester. Everyone talks about the upcoming events for the year such as the upcoming eclipse while expressing what they wish would happen throughout the new school year

Chloé, angered by the disrespect by some newer students, plans to take action against that and make sure they know she is not to be missed with despite Zoé's protests against it

However, her attempt at flaunting her status with a personalized locker that displays her name in lights causes a blackout. Zoé, Myléne, Nathaniel, Kagami, Adrien, and Sabrina,who were attempting to stop her before she could turn on the lights, are punished by Damocles to clean the school attic

Zoé tries to understand her sister’s reasoning but is dismissed by Chloé quickly. As she moves away and cleans more of the attic, Chloé unknowingly eventually finds a lantern and releases a genie named Gigi

The genie introduces herself and explains that Chloé is her new finder and is granted thirteen wishes

Adrien: Um, don't the legends say the finder gets three wishes?

Gigi: Oh, those were mistranslated. Yeah, you actually get thirteen wishes.

Adrien: Yeesh. Better not let Disney hear that.

Chloé uses her first wish to wish them and herself out of detention. As Gigi grants the wish, they disappear in a flash of light and unintentionally free a shadow version of Gigi, who follows them unseen

They later arrive at the mall to hang out as Gigi elaborates on Chloé's twelve remaining wishes and warns her there is a ‘dark side’ to using them. Seeing Chloé excited about using her wishes, Zoé advises her to take Gigi’s words seriously

Chloé, however, takes it defensively and runs off with the lantern while annoyed at her sister's words

Later, back at DuPont, Alya helps Marinette run against Louis for Student Disembodied President while Adrien shows Gigi around the school. Despite the argument earlier, Chloé took the advice to heart and uses some of her wishes to help her friends: Ondine can shift between freshwater and saltwater so both sides of her family won't despise her, Marc and Nathaniel's graphic novel becomes an overnight sensation and gains millions of fans, and Marinette becomes the new disembodied president

Before Chloé can congratulate herself, Lila torments her in the bathroom and leaves her crying alone. Watching from afar, the shadow genie uses this opportunity to take advantage of Chloé to wish for things more for herself

She summons Gigi, who is alarmed by the shadow genie and warns Chloé about the wishes. However, the shadow genie reminds her about the rules and Chloé uses her next wish to become even more popular

While enjoying her popularity, Chloé offers to wish the same for Zoé, who politely turns her down, not comfortable with all the attention

Adrien then talks with Gigi about her life in the lantern and discovers that she’s lonely and will leave DuPont after the last wish is granted. Not wanting his new friend to leave, Adrien looks for some sort of loophole

Adrien: If Disney's taught me anything, there are always loopholes!

Gigi: You keep mentioning Disney, what is it? Is it like a book?

Adrien: Eh, little of this, little of that. Disney is everywhere and cannot be stopped. So far, it owns many major networks and will soon take control of all television.

Gigi: That is frightening.

Adrien: I know, right?

As days pass, some of the side-effects of the wishes begin to affect the school and cause problems such as Ondine having an identity crisis, Marc and Nathaniel receiving hundreds of commissions a day, and Marinette's ideas as president not being taken well by the school

Zoé then tells Adrien and Gigi that Chloé is beginning to not act like herself, and she senses something strange within the shadows. Adrien asks if Gigi knows anything, but Gigi tells them that she cannot say anything due to the Lantern’s magic. Adrien and Zoé then try to find out on their own what is wrong with Chloé but are dismissed by her thanks to the shadow genie's influence

Kagami encounters Chloé and irks her enough to wish for Kagami to be turned into a nobody, making her unnoticeable by every student, including her partners

Zoé confronts Chloé on what she was doing. But rather than listen, she uses her next wish to make Zoé disappear into the lantern, leaving her shadow behind and giving Whisp more power

Adrien, Sabrina, and Nathaniel notice the changes and later find Gigi crying in the greenhouse with Myléne comforting her. Gigi is reluctant to explain as she is not allowed to influence the finder, but Sabrina points out that they are not the finder and Gigi should be able to tell them

With that logic, she leads the group away to the attic to explain everything regarding the shadow genie, Whisp and where the real Zoé is. She warns them of Whisp’s plan to use the eclipse and one of Chloé's wishes to gain all the power to banish everyone at DuPont and replace them with shadow versions to rule the world

Wanting to save their friends, Adrien and the others help devise a plan to save Zoé using an orb given to them by Gigi, which will allow them to leave the lantern. They later find Chloé and Shadow Zoé in the bathroom and confront Chloé to make her purposely wish them into the lantern to find Zoé, unknowingly leaving their shadow versions behind to cause trouble

Inside the lantern, Adrien, Nathaniel, Myléne, and Sabrina successfully find Zoé, but not without being confronted by Whisp, who lets them know that she has power within the lantern

They escape from her, and Zoé then shows them the ‘Genieology’ telling of Gigi’s story and why she was reluctant to interfere. They use a map to search for the missing shard of a mirror that will stop Whisp for goof

Meanwhile in DuPont, Mason senses a disturbance in the shadows and tries to help snap Chloé out of it while helping Kagami look for the others

The shadow monsters then make their move and help Chloé take over the school by replacing Damocles with herself as Headmistress and banishing Marinette and Kagami to the lantern, who then join the others to find the mirror pieces

As the monsters prepare for an eclipse party, Mason follows Chloé and sees that Whisp is the one controlling her. When he attempts to take the lamp, he gets captured by Chloé's henchmen. And rather than using up any more wishes, Chloé has Mason thrown in the basement with the other disorderly students

After finding twelve pieces of the mirror, the group find Whisp’s room and realize she has the last piece. After nearly losing the exit orb, Kagami gets it back and they return to DuPont with magic carpets Myléne managed to snag. They find DuPont has been turned into some sort of temple in honor of Chloé complete with gold statues

Adrien: Where did they get gold from?!

Marinette: At this point, are you surprised by anything anymore?

Adrien: Hey, monsters are the norm, but I want to know where they got all of that gold! Did they steal it?! Did she wish for it?! These are legitimate questions! And the audience deserves to know as well! People reading this, get up out of your chairs and demand answers!

Whisp tries to influence Chloé to make the wish, but Mason, who escaped his prison through the shadows, steals the last mirror shard and assembles the mirror to break the spell. Upon seing her reflection along with past moments she shared with her friends and sister, Chloé awakes in time and rejoins the others without making the wish, causing Whisp to fail as the eclipse ends

Chloé uses one of the remaining two wishes to undo all of her previous wishes, much to everyone's delight

Gigi is joined by a defeated Whisp, explaining the last wish will send them both back into the lantern. The monsters are reluctant to let Gigi go and plead for her to stay

Adrien: Just wish for her to be free! Come on! They did in Aladdin! Am I the only smart person here?

Chloé uses her last wish for Gigi’s freedom and surprisingly for Whisp to become what she always wanted to be: a real genie. Gigi happily grants the wish, freeing herself and allowing Whisp to become the new genie of the lantern

However, when Whisp leaves with the lantern, she falls down into the deep end pool to be found again someday...

Ondine: ... I can just go get her. I mean, I can swim and breathe underwater-

Adrien: IT'S MORE DRAMATIC THIS WAY! MOVIE'S OVER!

Frights, Camera, Action

A large part of the DuPont student body chooses to catch the new Vampire Majesty movie before classes one day. Juleka is among them, even though she openly disapproves of the inaccuracy of the Vampire Majesty series and considers its leading actress, Veronica Von Vamp, a hack

Rather than going to see the movie, Rose, Marinette, Nathaniel, Alix, and Marc listen to her about the true story of the Vampire Court in Transylvania, which she grew up amidst. With rare enthusiasm, she explains that the vampires find their leader by listening to the Vampire's Heart, a magic artifact that can locate the rightful ruler and lights up in their presence

However, the Vampire's Heart has failed to lead the vampires to their new ruler for four centuries and counting, though

Meanwhile, in Transylvania, the Prime Minister and interim leader of the vampires, Lord Stoker, has a problem. For four hundred years, the true ruler and the Vampire's Heart have been missing, but only he knows that his own niece Elissabat was supposed to rule, a fact only few know, but she fled when he tried to control her and no one knows her current whereabouts

Stoker has been pretending to be searching for the true ruler for centuries as a cover to continue his own reign. However, the Royal Court of Vampire Dignitaries has grown tired of waiting and threatens to replace him if he can't present the rightful ruler soon.

Trying to win time, he claims he can do so within a week. Remembering Juleka from centuries ago, he remembers that she is weak and shy and decides to make everyone believe her to be the queen so he can control her and continue his rule

Later at DuPont, Lord Stoker arrives and convinces Juleka with a fake Vampire's Heart that she is the queen, while also ensuring the other vampire students respect her, or face severe consequences for their disrespect

Juleka reluctantly agrees to return to Transylvania for her coronation in seven days but asks if her friends and brother can come along. Stoker doesn't object, so Marinette, Rose, Alix, Nathaniel, and Marc join her. Luka only joins because he's skeptical

After a long journey, the final portion is by train, during which Juleka and Luka tell a little about their past and reveal that the relations between their family and Stoker's are complicated and have been mostly dormant since everyone disappeared four centuries ago

Rose notes that her father was in Transylvania around that time. She herself seems to have more knowledge of the events at the time than is likely for her to know, but the group doesn't pay too much attention to it

At Castle Dracula, the group is delighted at first, and Juleka and Luka shows them all kinds of secret passages they remember from her childhood, and the group enjoys the luxuries of a royal lifestyle.

The situation changes instantly, though, when Luka finds his way into Stoker's office and learns that Juleka had been deceived. He shows the the fake heart, and with support from the others Juleka decides to fight back and find the real ruler for her people

Marinette and Marc deduce that there must be a clue to the who and where of the ruler is in Stoker's office, and so Juleka volunteers to distract Stoker while the others search the place for leads. Juleka has no trouble with her part, but the office doors are guarded. Fortunately, on top of being an excellent guard, Nathaniel's good at picking locks...

Nathaniel: All it takes is a steady hand... *Punches the knob off* See how steady my hand was?

The group finds a letter by Elissabat taped to the back of a portrait of Dracula, who was her father's closest friend. It reveals that she is the next Vampire Ruler and begs Dracula to help her escape Stoker's control. She had to take the Vampire's Heart with her so she could be found when she fled, but she wished for Dracula to take it from her and keep it safe. Of course, Dracula never found the letter, but the group can use its clue to find Elissabat on their own

The clue leads them to Londoom, England. They escape and use a boat docked in an underground cavern to travel to Londoom

Luka calls Adrien, Kagami and the rest of his friends at school. He explains the situation and sends them a picture of Elissabat from four hundred years ago to help search through the internet

Back in Transylvania, because someone carelessly left a book opened (Not gonna name names) on a page about Londoom when they were in his office, Stoker knows where they are

The group is welcomed in Londoom by Kierstin, Kim's older sister, who studies there to become a writer. She takes them to see the Crown Jewels in the Tower of Londoom, as that's what the group thinks the riddle refers to

There is, however, no note inside. Kierstin asks what the clue was and upon hearing it, realizes that the "crown" refers to the skull rather than jewelry and points the group at a statue of William Spooksfear near the Globe Theater

Marc flies up to get the skull and unlocks it, finding the next note. Elissabat writes that Londoom is no longer safe and that she'll travel further to New Goreleans, where she hopes Dracula will finally meet her. She even included a map. The group, along with Kierstin, return to their boat and sets sail for the USA, unaware Stoker's servant, Ygor is following them.

In New Goreleans, the map leads them to a ghost ship named the Bijou on the Bayou. On board, they meet Gerard Grundler, who is collecting samples from the swamp. He reveals the Bayou Bijou to be a ship famous for its numerous big-name guests and performers

Suddenly, Ygor hijacks the Bayou Bijou. The group appears caught at first, but Gerard calls upon the alligators living in the bayou to form a bridge to the shore. They escape, but Ygor sinks the Bijou on the Bayou, meaning the ghost ship isn't accessible anymore until the next full moon

The fear that they have to wait a full month to go back to look for clues is erased by Gerard, who took a few pictures of the Bijou on the Bayou and shows an encased letter by Elissabat

The letter reveals that Elissabat gave the Vampire's Heart to someone both she and Dracula trust, which Rose believes to be Veronica. Not only was she in New Goreleans at the time, the movie poster for the next Vampire Majesty movie depicts her holding the Vampire's Heart

The group sets out for Hauntlywood, which Kierstin is very pleased with and which has Gerard choosing to come along. Ygor continues to follow them and informs Lord Stoker of their new destination. Tired of it Ygor's failed attempts, Stoker transforms into a bat and heads off to Hauntlywood himself to capture Juleka

In Hauntlywood, Alix convinces threatens the guard at the gates to allow them entrance to the studios. Soon, the group is witness to a minor accident involving the director Scareantino and an intern makeup artist by the name of Cosette

They help Cosette out, which she thanks them for before hurrying along. The group continues on as well and is by sheer coincidence able to get Kirtstin a job as co-writer of Scary Stone

Rose locates Veronica's trailer, which the group gains access to with the help of Cosette, who has to do Veronica's makeup. All seems to be going well, but when asked about Elissabat, Veronica refuses to help, explaining that she promised Elissabat to keep her secret

Even a moving speech by Juleka about duty and the well-being of the vampires doesn't convince Veronica to say anything. The group is crestfallen, but Rose urges them to continue looking here in Hauntlywood because she feels Elissabat can't be far off

Meanwhile at DuPont, the Vampire Majesty movies have caused a conflict among the students at Monster High about which male love interests are hotter: Alucard or Edweird, with Chloé and Austin A leading the opposing sides of the argument. Evie, Austin T, Jean, Ismael, Brecken, and a few others stay out of it as the argument escalates as more students side with Chloé or Austin A

Fed up, Jean organizes a Cute Court for the students to decide who is the bigger hunk. Evie, who is not interested in either, is chosen as judge, Brecken gets to be the bailiff, and Sabrina is the court clerk.

After a long debate, Sabrina asks Max for scientific advice. It is then that Max makes a huge discovery: Alucard and Edweird are played by the very same actor!

Evie dismisses the case, and the students end the fight. However, Max is not done yet comparing people, now that she has solved one thing this way. Taking the photo of Elissabat that Adrien and Kagami have shown him and a poster depicting Veronica Von Vamp, Max realizes that the two girls are the same person

As the group keeps looking for Elissabat, they stumble into the Vampire Majesty studio, where they are ambushed by Lord Stoker, who demands that Juleka returns to Transylvania with him, but Luka offers to go in her place and comes up with an excuse on why the heart glowed around Juleka

Stoker is about to go along with this until Veronica comes to their aid by calling her security guards on Stoker. Juleka once again begs Veronica to tell where Elissabat is, and Veronica chooses in her favor this time

Taking off her wig, she reveals that she is, in fact, Elissabat. She asks Rose to take her hand, which causes Rose to light up. Elissabat explains that the person she entrusted the Vampire's Heart to was a skeleton guard, who in turn entrusted it to his daughter by placing it behind her ribcage after she was born

She's now willing to take on her role as queen, and as her first decree, Elissabat disowns her uncle and banishes him from ever holding an official office in the vampire community ever again, having her security guards drag him out of the lot

And it's at that moment, Cosette and Gerard find the others and tell them that they've decided to transfer to DuPont

At the movie premiere, Elissabat holds a speech to celebrate her acting successes and the honor of being the new Vampire Queen. She makes a point of thanking Juleka for her efforts in setting things right in the vampire community, and the movie starts

Freaky Fusion

Nino is being chased by a… Well, a monster. Six other students, with some bizarre looks, arrive to save him and escape from the monster through the hallways of DuPont

Adrien: Pause! Hello, I’m Adrien. You might know me as one of the few human students at DuPont School For Monstrous Youths. You may be wondering what my bro Nino is running from, who are those other monsters, and why they look so peculiar? Well, it happens like this…

DuPont is celebrating its 200th anniversary. Jean and Myléne are organizing a play to commemorate DuPont’s history

In class, the students are presenting their scaritage projects to Mme. Bustier

After Chloé finishes her presentation, Max shares about his mother, Claudia Steam, a mad scientist and a former teacher at DuPont who discovered the secret to creating life. One day, she mysteriously disappeared and Max held onto a time box to remember her

After Max, it is Nino’s turn to present. Unfortunately, he failed the project due to his lack of knowledge of his heritage and had to redo the project

Meanwhile, four new students arrive. All four of them are hybrids, and react standoffishly when greeted by the students

In the cafeteria, Nino, Adrien, Nathaniel, Ivan, Reshma, Cosette, Luka, Ismael, Jean, and Chloé, are having lunch together. Nino is still upset about not knowing much about his grandfather, Victor Frankenstein since his parents refuse to talk about him

Adrien: Why not?

Nino: Well, every time I try to go to my mom, she hisses, and when I got to my dad, he just goes, “RRRR! GRANDPA BAD!”

Max overhears and takes the group to his mother’s old workshop in the catacombs, where he believes has his mother’s old journal with information about Victor

After a long journey in the catacombs, the gang reaches the entrance to Claudia’s workshop and learns that it can only be accessed at the right time

The group searched and eventually found Claudia's journal, which explains that Victor was a DuPont student who was obsessed with discovering the spark to create life

On accident, Ismael's tail wraps around a lever. As he pulls it back, a machine activates and opens a portal, pulling all of them inside

The students eventually find themselves in the year 1814, realizing that the machine was actually a time machine that sent them back 200 years into the past to when DuPont was recently built

They decide to wait an hour until the lab opens again, but curiosity gets the better of them, so they go explore DuPont

There, Nino and Max witness Claudia Steam in a class session, berating a student named Sparky, who is interested in learning to create life

After class, Nino talks to Sparky and explains to him that his grandfather created life, getting Sparky interested... So interested that he sneakily follows Nino and his friends as they use the time machine to return home

However, The machine began experiencing malfunctions as the students are traveling through the portal.

Nino, Max, and Adrien return to the present, all limbs accounted for, but they discover that the others have been fused into Ivaniel, Rosette, Lukael, and Chloéan

Ivaniel: Okay... NO ONE IS TO PANIC!

Rosette: God! I have so much pent-up rage! *Kicks a hole in the wall*

Lukael: This fur is so damn itchy!

Chloéan: *Admiring their outfit* I'm... Not hating this.

Until Max can fix the time machine, they're stuck like this and must go about their usual day... Right when they're supposed to rehearse for the 200th-anniversary play

Ivaniel is uncoordinated due to his wings and ice powers suddenly flaring up, Rosette can't control her arms or tail, Lukael's vampire and werecat senses are causing some overstimulation, and Chloéan can't decide who will take the lead.

The hybrid students take pity on them after witnessing the rehearsal and decide to help the fusions learn how to control themselves

Meanwhile, Sparky, who had followed the students to the present, steals a piece of the time machine, believing it is the secret ingredient to creating life

First, Ivaniel learns how to control his power and appendages

Lukael is getting a walkthrough on how to focus on a certain sound when it comes to his hearing

Rosette is learning how to have some better control over their newly added appendages

Chloéan gets a little lesson about leadership, such as which part of her takes charge and how not to let their new and confusing instincts take control over them

The Hybrids successfully help the new Fusions learn to control their bodies and powers, and everything seems to be going fine... Though, Sparky's been occupying the catacombs for a few days now

And he's created a monster he calls Creature 4.0

While in the lab, Max is nearly done fixing the time machine but discovers that a piece of it missing and quickly goes to inform the others

After Sparky successfully brings his monster to life, it goes on a rampage throughout DuPont after having a severe reaction to a camera, because Franken monsters don't do bright lights

It interrupts the school play and the students learn of Sparky’s antics

With the help of the Hybrids, they plan to lure Creature 4.0 back into the catacombs to shut it down

The creature continues to chase the monsters in the hallways and starts to steal Nino's classmates one by one

Having enough, Nino stands his ground and as the monster reaches for him, he sends a powerful current of electricity into it. In the process, this defuses the fusions and frees his friends

Upon witnessing this, Sparky learns that Nino's emotions are what gave him true life, which is something that his creation lacked.

After defeating Creature 4.0, Nino collapses. But, before he can shut his eyes, he learns that Sparky is his grandfather, Victor Frankenstein, before dying

In a panic, the students go to use Max’s recharge chamber in hopes of reviving Nino but fail, and begin mourning him

Just then, Claudia suddenly emerges from the time machine to help (Yeah, don't ask). She advises everyone to think of their best memories of Nino to save him since emotions are what gave him life

Alya spreads the word and everyone at DuPont begins sharing their best memories of Nino until he is successfully revived

Everyone then bids farewell to Claudia and Victor as they use the time machine to return to their timeline

The school play resumes, explaining DuPont's history and sharing the belief that every monster with unique flaws, is welcome at DuPont, or something corny like that

Great Scarrier Reef

It's a normal day at DuPont. Several students are practicing for a dance recital in the auditorium, and not doing very well due to Spinelli's complex cheoreography

Ondine, who's helping to set up for the recital's after party, watches them practice from afar, and despite Kim's encouragement to join, she declines

After they leave, Ondine steps on stage and dances superbly by herself. She then realizes Kim is watching her after he went back to get his bag, and utterly freezes up and faints

After waking her up, Kim asks why he doesn't dance with the others. Kim explains she used to dance back in her home at the Great Scarrier Reef but won't dance anymore. She leaves, unaware that Lila had seen her performance.

The dance recital takes place. The students are not impressed by the terrible dancing, and Spinelli couldn't be more embarrassed

Lila spots Ondine dancing along behind the backstage curtains and pulls back the curtains. Ondine freezes upon seeing everyone watching her and ends up getting tangled and strung up in the stage rigging.

The next day, Ondine is horrified to discover a video of her mishap has gone viral and created hundreds of meme pictures

Enraged, she pleads with Aurore to uninvite Lila from the after party, and she complies. The party, which is next to the outdoor pool, is in full swing and everyone is having fun until Lila storms in, demanding to know why she wasn't invited

Everyone calls her out for embarrassing Ondine, and the two start yelling at each other, unaware of the water in the pool turning into a whirlpool

Lila pushes Ondine into the pool, and Kim dives in to help her

Ivan: He realizes she can swim well, yes?

Myléne: Hush, it's sweet.

Adrien, Evie, Brecken, and Spinelli attempt to pull them out, but all of them are sucked under the water and vanish.

Everyone: ...

Roxie: *Backs away* And, we're backing away from the pool now.

When the group comes to, they discover not only are they underwater, but they have all transformed into half-fish creatures (Save for Ondine)

They are then greeted, rather dramatically, by Victoria, a mermaid, merman, merperson, whichever. Victoria explains that she cares for a reef garden, where each plant represents a sea creature. She's noticed that Odine's plant was wilting and summoned her to the ocean to help her (and bought the others down by accident)

Victoria: *Dramatically* RETURN FROM WHENCE YOU CAME!

Ondine: ... So, just go home?

Victoria: Yeah, just go home.

After swimming a long distance and getting used to their forms, they find themselves inside an underwater amphitheater, where they witness several sea creatures performing a dance

Ondine recognizes one of them - A squid girl named Margo

She explains that she and Margo used to be friends when they were children and once competed in a dance competition together. But one time before a competition, Margo started acting nastily toward her and deliberately tripped her up on stage. Ondine was laughed off the stage and has had stage fright ever since

The group heads to the Scarrier Reef city, where they meet Ondine's father, Arturo, her sisters, Olivia, Ophelia, Octavia, Olga, Oona, and Olympia. Arturo welcomes them to stay at his place

Along with hydra twins, Wade and Ripple, Margo watches Ondine from afar and begins plotting to embarrass her again

While Ripple is happy to go along with her, Wade feels they're being too harsh, resulting in the two siblings constantly fighting.

The next day, Arturo warns the group that a Kraken has been sighted in the area. After promising to stay out of trouble, Ondine, Kim, Adrien, Evie, Brecken, and Spinelli head out and try to figure out what Ondine needs to do to keep her plant from wilting and by proxy, get them back home

They run into Margo, who challenges Ondine to compete against her in a dance competition tomorrow. Ondine is reluctant, but when Kim encourages her (With puppy eyes) she agrees

That night, while practicing for the competition, Ondine is met by Wade and a sleeping Ripple. Wade tells her that he heard a legend about the Kraken: If she looks the Kraken in the eye, she will never feel fear again

Ondine thanks him for the help, but when he leaves, "Wade" removes his makeup, revealing him to be Ripple!

Ondine announces she's going to see the Kraken, and despite their protests and Kim's puppy eyes, they all agree to go with her. They swim down to the bottom of a deep-sea trench and go through the tunnels until they reach a large cave

Surprisingly, they discover a small living quarters and several drawings on the wall

Adrien: Huh. Does this mer-squid look familiar? *Points to a messy drawing of someone with tentacles*

Evie: I swear I have seen those markings before. Oh, and that hairstyle is quite familiar.

Brecken: Not really ringin' any bells- Wait... I'm seeing something. *Gasps* Guys! Oh my God! Margo's not a mer-squid, she's-

Kraken: *Growling*

Brecken: ... I'll tell ya'll later.

They barely make their escape. Finally feeling ready to take to the stage, Ondine and the group head to the competition

But just last minute, Margo reveals that there is no legend about seeing the Kraken's eye. She just made it up to trick her. Ondine is nervous, but Kim assures her that dancing on stage shouldn't be a problem after their narrow escape

Ondine takes to the stage and begins her dance. All goes well, but Ondine sees the audience and faints again at the climax of the act

Margo laughs at her, and the audience starts joining in, but Kim rushes to her defense

Kim: What kind of civilized people laugh at a humiliated teenage girl?! I mean, seriously! She faints, and you decide to laugh at her?! What the hell?! Shame on you, and you! And you! And especially you, sir!

When Spinelli proclaims that she even faced the Kraken, the crowd begins cheering for Ondine. Enraged, Margo lets out an ear-piercing scream... and the Kraken suddenly appears

The group swims back to the garden and beg Victoria to return them to DuPont. Victoria agrees but tells her that she still must face her fear

They summon a whirlpool and sends the gang through. They emerge back at DuPont, restored to their original selves, but Margo and the Kraken emerge from the pool

As the Kraken begins smashing the school, Ondine asks her friends and the other students to distract the Kraken while confronts Margo

She faces Margo realizing that all along, it was her and her bullying that was her greatest fear, but Margo cries that she was the one who was bullied, that everyone is always mocking her for her appearance

Hearing this, Ondine comforts her friend, and gives it to her straight

Ondine: DuPont has a cockatrice, troll, naga, ogre, and Jersey Devil. I think you'll fit right in around here

Margo tells the Kraken to stop... and reveals it is actually her father! She explains that she hated how her father was always considered evil by the townsfolk and eventually felt ashamed, so she decided to live away from him. She realizes she was wrong for not telling everyone how nice her father is and for bullying Ondine, who forgives her

With the school repaired, everyone celebrates with a party by the pool. Back at the Great Scarrier Reef, Victoria sees that Ondine and Margo's plants are finally back to full health, then he goes to fill out his transfer papers so he can attend DuPont

Haunted

Annoyed by the lack of gossip in the school, Alya searches for news for her blog. Angered by her punishment for plagiarizing an essay with being hit with detention, Lila messes with Alya's draft and creates a rumor about the werewolves and werecats of the school having were-fleas

As the rumor sends the students into chaos with staying clear of Kim and Ismael. Alya observes what Lila caused and faces backlash for it

A short while later, Marinette begins to experience hauntings, with her locker acting strange, finding herself talking back to the teacher out of turn, and someone changing her hairstyle.

Kim and Ismael confront Alya about the post, but before she can explain she had nothing to do with it, she flees when Marinette, Nathaniel, Denise, and Cosette ask her about the hauntings

They follow her to the school's attic and watch as she unlocks a door and disappears into it. Still following her, they find themselves on a boat, piloted by the son of the Grim Reaper himself, Austin Tomassian. With his father away in Las Plagueas, Austin has the boat to himself, even installing confetti cannons on it

Alys appears and is shocked by their presence and explains about the Ghost World, where most ghosts live due to the stigma of their hauntings. Austin then explains that the boat is taking them to Haunted High, Alya's old school. 

Marinette explains her hauntings. Austin finds that impossible, as there hasn't been a haunting since the notorious Red Lady, a ghost who could move easily between the Ghost and Monster worlds until she was apprehended and imprisoned to work off her crimes

The boat falls prey to a pirate ship, the Salty Spectre, led by the teen ghost pirate, Beck King. However, it's just for a class at Haunted High

Dressing in robes, the gang enters the school. Alya reminisces about her old school but is shocked to see the number of students draped in detention chains, handed out by Principal Revenant and the three Hall Moanitors.

The group heads into the cafeteria to find the perpetrator of Marinette's hauntings. There they meet Alya's old best friend, Jacques, son of the jumbee, who has gone from the shyest to the most popular guy in school. As Alya introduces him, he suddenly becomes nervous and flies off

Their attention is then drawn to Petrov Geist, son of a poltergeist, who is vandalizing the cafeteria with ghost paint, which evaporates quickly, though the students cheer him on as he does it. The Hall Moanitors catch him in the act and shackle him after he crashes into Alya

When they try to chain Alya, she explains she is not a student at the school and is from DuPont. Revenant then spontaneously has the rules changed and unveils her friends as solids. They flee, pursued by the Moanitors, who discover the chains do not work on solids. They safely arrive back at DuPont, but Alya is chained and dragged back to Haunted High.

To get back into the ghost world, Mason takes them to the Boogie Mansion to look for the Boogie Sand that will turn them into ghosts so they can move around the ghost world undetected

Mason: Now. I have a very meticulous system. So, I would prefer it if you all- COSETTE! I SEE YOU! DO NOT FUCKING TOUCH THAT BOTTLE!

Cosette: Dude!

Mason: I am so sorry! That just slipped- I SWEAR TO GOD! I WILL PAINT THIS MANSION WITH YOUR GUTS IF YOU BREATHE NEAR THAT SAND AGAIN, KIM!

Kim: *Curls up on the floor and whimpers*

They easily find the right sand thanks to Mason's system and turn into ghosts

Meanwhile, Alya is given 10,000 essays to do as her punishment, which she takes in her stride as she loves writing, which greatly puzzles Petrov, who is also serving out his punishment. The two begin to bond, and when Petrov questions all the rules and detentions, he and Alya decide to investigate

Meanwhile, the Hall Moanitors, under Revanant's orders, head into DuPont and begin to seize the ghost students at the school, such as Jean and Austin Q.

Austin Q: *Clawing at the ground as he gets dragged away* NOOO! I burned too many bridges there! I can't go back! MOMMY!... Wait, what am I saying? FÉLICE! HELP ME!

Jean: *Getting dragged away* Cut the gas! You better go with some form of dignity!

Re-arriving at Haunted High, the ghouls meet Beck and Jacques, who help them control their ghost forms

Nathaniel: Wait... Now that I'm weightless, there's something I wanna do... CANNONBALL! *Dives into the pool and floats back up*

Having found no information about Revenant in the library, Alya and Petrov return to the main school hall and are horrified to find numerous DuPont students chained and being greeted to Haunted High by Revenant. 

Overhearing ghost students talk about how solids want to haunt them, Alya becomes outraged, loudly labeling the talk as stupid gossip, which alerts her friends

The Moanitors soon begin to give out chains for seemingly no reason at all. When this happens to Jacques, the group protects him, bringing them to Revenant's attention. She demands to know how they did so, and when they refuse, gives the Moanitors permission to shackle them

Petrov intervenes and takes them to a safe room only he knows of. Alya and Nathaniel admire the artwork, and Marinette comes to the realization that Jacques is the one who has been spying on him

Jacques: Can ya blame me? That bubbly personality, and the way you carry yourself- It's just too good not to copy.

Marinette: Trust me, dude. You could do so much better.

Denise: We will be having a talk about your self-worth when we get back home, young lady.

Alya, meanwhile, eavesdrops on Revenant's plan to get more students stuck at Haunted High and is discovered by one of the Hall Moanitors. Revenant questions her until Petrov appears and distracts her, giving Alya a chance to escape, although it means Petrov is heavily chained

Soon, the Moanitors capture the others, causing Alya to be angry at Petrov, believing he sold them out. However, Petrov reveals he stole the keys to the chains and transfers all the chains to himself

However, while Petrov had stolen something, so had Revenant, the item being the notebook Alya had been using to document their journey for her blog. From that, she discovers the Boogie Sand, and the Moanitors take off on Austin's yacht to find it. Now freed, the group pursues them on Beck's ship after rescuing the rest of the DuPont students

Angry at herself for making that mistake, Alya cools off in the library, only to find a book detailing that Revenant is the Red Lady of legend, as she sends the Hall Moanitors to do her work and never leaves the school

Jacques opens a portal, and they beat the Moanitors to DuPont, who begin to unleash Boogie Sand via confetti cannons on the students

Mason: WHY DO THEY HAVE MY FUCKING SAND?!

Austin T: That's not what the cannons are for!

Jean: Whoa. Who's the hottie in the bitchin cloak? Wouldn't mind necking that guy until I sweat all the grease outta my nest if you catch my drift.

Austin Q: ... WHAT?!

Beck boards the yacht, however, and manages to steal back the sand before they can refill the cannons. Back at Haunted High, Alya reveals that Revenant is the Red Lady. Taking this in her stride, Revenant seizes the key and sends all the chains flying at Alya  

Chased by the Moanitors, Jacques attempts to open a portal to send them back to the ghost world, and with the help of the others and their ghost powers, is successful. The yacht appears as the Red Lady sends her chains flying, and they entangle the yacht and Moanitors.

Finally free of her chains, Revenant opens a portal and attempts to enter the Monster World. But finds that she still can't leave as more chains automatically appear on her. Revenant looks to blame someone, but Alya tells her that she's done this to herself

Alya: Bitch, you really think giving unjust punishments, spreading rumors and lies, and throwing more chains at students is helping you?! Give me a fucking break!

Kim: Clearly, your chains were being generated by your own conscience as deep down, you know what you're doing is wrong. So, you continue to punish yourself for your crimes against your students. It's a long, probably centuries-long, unhealthy cycle, really.

Everyone Else: ...

Kim: What? I can't be smart sometimes?

Seeing the error of her ways, Revenant repents and takes back the chains, becoming her first act of kindness, and a single link on her many chains disappears.

Oh, and don't worry. Everyone soon figures out that Lila was behind the were-fleas rumor

Not only that, but the ghost students no longer see any reason to fear solids, and cross over to their world from time to time. And, a certain reaper finds himself being flirted with by a certain phantom

And, later that night, the Hall Moanitors sneak into the Boogie Mansion and play around with the Boogie Sand

Mason: *Walks in and sees their sand completely disorganized* ... You... Fucking... BASTARDS!

And that's how the Hall Moanitors died... Again.

@msweebyness @imsparky2002

[gael-guerrero]

Saturday, 7/15/2023

The sun was only beginning to think about rising but Gael had already been up for hours. He never slept well when he wasn’t in his own bed. Even with Maya at his side, this trip had proved to be no different. Although the nagging feeling was. Rather than a sense of homesickness he felt a pull towards something he wasn’t quite sure of. Not until he had spent the previous night walking the property of the bed and breakfast they had stumbled upon and chosen to stay at.

The elderly couple who owned the place were laying in the grass and looking up at the stars. Not wanting to disturb them in their romantic peace, Gael went to turn around. They must have sensed his presence though and beckoned him over. He learned this was a standing date they had, one that was born on their honeymoon almost 50 years ago. After continuing to be regalled with their love story, a whirlwind romance and a shotgun wedding, he realized exactly what his sleepless nights were trying to tell him.

With their help, the plan was put into motion. It began with waking his girlfriend with breakfast in bed and a promise of a day exploring town and shopping. After eating and showering, the couple finally made it out of their room and out for their adventure. It began with coffee, followed by bags of clothes, shoes, and jewels. After lunch, they spotted a florist and got some fresh flowers before finally making their way back for the evening.

Gael’s energy amped up on their short drive back and if Maya noticed, she hadn’t said anything. His heart hammered nervously in his chest as he parked, circling around to help his girlfriend from the vehicle. He took the bags from the back seat and carried them back to their room. Maya discussed their dinner options as she flitted about the room, kicking off her shoes and plugging her phone in to charge while Gael pulled a white dress from one of the bags and laid it on the bed. With the fresh flowers beside them, he then pulled a ring box from his pocket.

“I know you said you wanted pasta for dinner but I was thinking we could get married first?” Gael said nonchalantly in response to his girlfriend’s suggestion. He didn’t even get the box open to show her the ring before Maya had launched herself into his arms in response. The passion in her kiss was a yes deeper than words could ever convey. He wrapped his arms around her, twirling them around. Smiling and laughing, she smacked his chest, finally catching on to his long con plan.

After an intimate ceremony in the same spot their two witnesses stargazed and officiated by their daughter, Gael and Maya were married. After spending most of the night celebrating as husband and wife, Gael slept more soundly than he ever had in his life.

[tripthelightfandomtastic]

Wilde Wednesday thinking about learning an instrument with one of the boys around. Sam for this one.

—

You’d wait until you thought the apartment was empty before getting your bass out. A hand me down Epiphone Thunderbird that was well loved and always sounded great even out of a tiny practise amp.

You’d kept it a secret that you were learning to play the Caravel bass part, one of the most technically difficult song you’ve learned so far but you were so close to getting it right. You’d been playing for about a year so you figured you had the experience to at least try.

Sam was supposed to be out for a long lunch with his brother but he decided to come home early to spend the whole evening with you. Walking into the house he hears a familiar melody coming from upstairs. Then it stops, then starts up again, then stops, and starts up again, then stops, followed by a loud “FUCK!!”

A door slams and you come storming down the stairs in frustration, freezing in your tracks when you spot Sam at the bottom of the stairs looking up at you with a huge goofy grin.

“Sounding great baby”

You brush off his compliment, burying your face in your hands.

“Shut up, I can’t get that middle riff section right. I’m so close and I just got frustrated”

“Yeah I heard” he pulls your hands into his, rubbing slow circles into your palms.

“I know you don’t like playing with me around, which I don’t understand by the way, but do you want me to help?”

You look up at him and he’s giving you the biggest puppy dog eyes. You sigh and wrap your arms around his slender, huggable frame “I was keeping it a secret so I could surprise you”

He returns your hug cradling the back of your head and pressing kisses to your temple

“That’s so sweet of you lovely, nothing wrong with asking for help though. Plus you already surprised me! I didn’t realise how great you could play! From what I heard you’ve nearly got it nailed, it sounds like you’ve just gotta work on your slides.”

You wiggle out of his arms and start pulling him up the stairs

“Come help me then rockstar”

His face lights up and he races ahead of you to the home studio. You spend the rest of the evening and half of the night playing bass with him. Sam is very patient and reassures you when you start to get frustrated. By the end of the night you’re both playing the whole song through with him and he’s beaming at your concentrated face as you get it right all the way through for the first time. As the last note plays you look at him with your mouth hanging open in shock.

“I got it!” “You got it!” You both say at the same time.

Putting your basses down you both jump up and do a victory dance before heading to the kitchen to make celebratory margaritas.

Ugh so cute. I love domestic Sam. As someone who has zero ability to play an instrument, I'd need a lot of patience from him. I bet he'd be so cute, adjusting your finger placement and the pacing of your movements, "Ah, don't lift your index finger, keep it down." Little reminders added as he moves your finger back to the strings, followed by sweet compliments like, "You've got it, baby. Nearly there." And flirty things like, "You look good playing bass." With a stupid wink.

[orphanedwolfandfriends]

Cayla (Aged 15); Open

She had study hall in the afternoon. Just an hour before school was over. She had trouble sleeping more often than she'd like to admit. She would find herself sleeping in class by mistake, but willingly make up for it by doing her school work during lunch time, and studyhall, even at home if there was more or she wasn't done. Thankfully it wasn't everyday. Nightmares were getting worse, not that she'd tell anyone about it. She'd play music just to keep her weary brain focused.

Not only that...but she'd get into fights. Not everyday, but, it'd be just whenever someone thought they could be a jerk to someone else, and get away with it if she was down in the same hallway. That sure got her in trouble...with the staff and bullies. But she was tough, and there was just three of them. She learned self defense by this point too, but her biggest problem was Nekros trying to amp her up enough to do something worse.

She was woken up by the sound of her piers getting up from their seats, gathering their stuff and leaving. She did the same, school bag over her shoulder as she stops by the vending machine to get an energy drink, sipping it up as she walks out the two doors.

[sitebotco]

Website Optimization Techniques: Chatbots That Turn Browsers into Buyers

Ever bailed on a website because it left you high and dry? That’s exactly what killer Website Optimization Techniques are built to stop. In a world where folks ditch sites faster than a ping-pong ball in a windstorm, small businesses aren’t just fishing for clicks—they’re hustling to keep people hooked long enough to say “sold.” And here’s your secret weapon: a chatbot for small business. Forget the geeky gadget vibe—this is a scrappy, always-on pal that can flip your site from “whatever” to “wow” without much hassle.

Your All-Hours Hustler

Imagine Website Optimization Techniques as your cheat sheet for turning your site into a lean, deal-making dynamo. A chatbot for small business slides right in—like that friend who’s always got your back, no shut-eye required. It’s chatting up customers at 2 a.m., sifting leads while you’re scarfing lunch, and handling the little gripes when your email’s a dumpster fire. Here’s the real deal:

People crave quick answers (duh, who doesn’t?).

Chats with a chatbot for small business make folks way more likely to buy.

You’ll dodge a ton of support headaches—and save some cash, too.

Tara Reese, who runs a cozy candle spot called Wick & Glow, learned this the hard way: “I thought chatbots were for corporate hotshots. Wrong move—ours snagged $15,000 in sales from late-night talks in just two months. Total jaw-dropper.”

Chatbots That Don’t Suck

Here’s the scoop: Website Optimization Techniques aren’t just about a fast site—they’re about being clever. A chatbot for small business isn’t that awkward auto-reply junk anymore. It’s got chops—spotting hot leads, nudging folks toward stuff they’ve peeked at, booking calls, or tossing out a chill “How’d we do?”—all without sounding like a droid. It’s your wingman who’s got your business dialled in.

Gear That Gets It Done

To nail Website Optimization Techniques, you need tools that don’t mess around. Here’s a straight-up list of chatbot-ready goodies to amp your site:

Team a chatbot for small business like Tidio with Google PageSpeed, and boom—you’ve got a zippy site that talks back, no big budget required.

Tie It Up Tight

The real juice of Website Optimization Techniques kicks in when your chatbot hooks into the bigger plan. It snags lead details, tracks what people yap about, and keeps it all tidy. Picture this: a customer grumbles about shipping—Tara’s bot catches it, flags a pattern, and she’s fixing it before folks bolt. That’s not just tweaking a site; it’s knowing your crowd and keeping them smiling.

Start It Up Easy

Ready to dive into Website Optimization Techniques? Here’s your no-fuss plan:

Pick Your Prize: More sales? Less chaos? Lock it in.

Spot the Snags: Where do folks stall—cart? FAQs? Hunt it down.

Sound Like You: Write chats that feel real, not canned.

Place It Smart: Pop the bot where it helps, not pesters.

Sharpen It: Use real talks to level up.

Eye the Wins: See who’s biting and who’s grinning.

Kick off with a chatbot for small business, and you’re already halfway home.

Make It Happen Now

Website Optimization Techniques with a chatbot aren’t some far-off dream—they’re your right-now power-up. Turn your site into a deal-closing monster that never clocks out. Snag Tidio’s free plan or poke around Chatfuel today—see the shift by breakfast. Your next buyer’s clicking as we speak—don’t let ‘em slip away.

[intofclklore]

almost ninety degrees and the ac in the peralta trailer isn’t up for the job at hand. at the hottest point of the day, in the afternoon, it has to be in the high 70s inside. not unbearable, but not pleasant. every spare fan in the home has been moved into the living room where her dad is set up for the day. she makes them both sandwiches for lunch because there’s no chance she’s turning the stove or oven on, and she sits directly in front of one of the circulating fans as she eats. she’s shivering by the time she finishes, but she relishes the chill. 

“stay inside today, pen,” her dad tries to convince her. “only gonna get hotter out there.”

“i have to finish washing some stuff. one of the girls has a birthday party this weekend.” 

she kisses his head, a thanks for the concern, and goes to fill the laundry basket with the clean, wet clothes. 

a sweat breaks out on her upper lip almost moments after she steps outside. she likes summer, generally, but not on days like this. by the time she’s hung up one of her dresses on the clothesline behind their trailer, she feels like she could melt. she drops the pin in her hand and pauses to strip out of her shirt. 

she’s wearing a bikini underneath her jean shorts and t-shirt, because she’d had plans to walk to the pool to meet dani and mel today, but with how hot it ended up getting, she’d be a puddle by the time she got there. 

the shirt gets tucked into the back pocket of her shorts to hang loosely there as she gets back to hanging clothes. bending to grab another piece of clothing, a dark blur at the corner of her vision makes her jump.

“oh my god, eddie!” she gasps, hand to her chest, heart racing from being startled. 

she shouldn’t be surprised to see him there, coming around the side of her trailer. it’s not the first time he’s popped up while she was hanging clothes or doing something outside, but usually she hears him coming. 

they’ve spent every single day together this summer. some days it’s a little less time, like when she has to work or goes to a party with some of the girls, or he goes to play with his band or his dragon friends. they’ll catch up at the end of the night, or talk a little in the morning, but typically, it’s hours at a time. she’s fallen asleep in his room or the back of his van more than once these past couple of months.

there hasn’t been an eddie-less day all summer and she’s learned she likes it that way.

“you scared me,” she tells him, stating the obvious. “why are you just standing there like a creep?”

"don't mind me,” he says. “just enjoying the view.”

her eyes narrow as he laughs. her confidence, even lower than usual, is still normally higher than the average person. but she’s not that delusional. she knows she looks… not her best right now. no make-up. her usually perfectly slicked up ponytail is without any product, frizzy. her face is red and glistening with sweat. she’s not even wearing a cute outfit. denim and a plain yellow bikini top. how boring. 

she still doesn’t look ugly by any stretch of the word, she is aware that she has a lot going for her naturally, but she also knows that she looks less put together than on any average day. there’s no way he’s not making a dig at her. 

“can you at least help me hang some of this if you’re going to be a dickweed?” she holds a wet t-shirt out to him, the fabric dangling off her finger until he snatches it from her. “no more mocking me.”

“i am not mocking you,” he says, but she just rolls her eyes and hands him a clothespin.   

it’s not until later that night, when she’s replaying the afternoon in her mind as she tries to sleep, that she realizes that he actually wasn’t. she kicks herself, thinking of all the ways she could have escalated that moment if she’d caught on right away. 

both of them have amped up the flirtation lately. surely one of these days something will have to give. it wasn’t today, and she blames the sun for that. but one day, soon.  

[ecautoenterprisesllc]

Best Family Destinations Near Sayre OK How Renting a Car Enhances Your Journey

Ahoy there, family adventurers! If you're lookin' for some fun-tastic destinations near Sayre, Oklahoma, you've come to the right place. Sayre might be a small town but it's surrounded by a whole bunch of awesome spots that are perfect for family fun. And guess what? Having your own set of wheels makes exploring these places a whole lot easier. So, why not grab a car rental near me and hit the road for some family shenanigans? Don't forget that even though you're in Sayre you can snag a sweet Toyota Tacoma 2015 at car rental in Elk City OK without a hassle.

Family Fun on Wheels Why Renting a Car Rocks

Okay, let's dive into why renting a car can seriously amp up your family adventures near Sayre:

Freedom and Flexibility: With your own ride, you're the captain of your family's adventure ship. You can go where you want when you want without relying on public transportation or ridesharing schedules. That means more time for fun and less time waiting around.

Comfort and Convenience: Pack all the snacks, games, and gear you need without worrying about lugging it all around on buses or trains. Plus, you can blast your favorite road trip tunes and have impromptu dance parties in the car. Who needs a disco when you have a rental car?

Explore at Your Own Pace: No need to rush through attractions or activities. Take your time and let everyone enjoy each destination at their own speed. You can even make spontaneous detours if you spot something interesting along the way. Adventure awaits!

Stress-Free Travel: Traveling with kids can be, well, let's just say "interesting." Having your own car gives you a little sanctuary on the road. You can take breaks when needed, avoid meltdowns, and keep everyone happy and comfy.

Cost-Effective: Renting a car can actually save you money, especially if you're traveling with a larger family. Splitting the cost of a rental often works out cheaper than buying multiple bus or train tickets. Plus, you can pack your own lunches and snacks which means more money for souvenirs and fun activities.

Safety First: Having your own car gives you a sense of security and control, especially when traveling with little ones. You can ensure everyone is properly buckled up and travel at a safe and comfortable speed.

Awesome Family Destinations Near Sayre

Alright, now that you're convinced that renting a car is the way to go, let's check out some awesome family destinations near Sayre:

Foss State Park: This place is a nature lover's paradise! Go swimming, boating, fishing, or hiking. Kids will love exploring the trails and spotting wildlife. Don't forget your camera for some epic family photos with stunning scenery.

Alabaster Caverns State Park: Get ready for an underground adventure! Explore a massive gypsum cave that's over a mile long. Take a guided tour and learn about the cave's fascinating history and geology. Kids will be amazed by the stalactites, stalagmites, and creepy crawlies.

Black Kettle National Grassland: Experience the beauty of the Oklahoma prairie. Go hiking, biking, or horseback riding through the rolling hills. Keep your eyes peeled for deer, coyotes, and prairie dogs. It's like stepping into a real-life Western movie!

Route 66 Museum: Take a nostalgic trip down memory lane at the Route 66 Museum in Elk City. Learn about the history of this iconic highway and its impact on American culture. Kids will love the vintage cars and retro exhibits.

Oklahoma City Zoo: Okay, this one's a bit of a drive but totally worth it. The Oklahoma City Zoo is home to a huge variety of animals from around the world. Spend the day exploring the different exhibits and learning about amazing creatures. It's a roaring good time!

Why Choose EC Auto for Your Family Adventure?

EC Auto Enterprises LLC is your perfect partner for family fun in and around Sayre. Here's why we're the best choice for your rental car needs:

Family-Friendly Service: We're a family-owned business and we understand the needs of families. We'll help you choose the perfect vehicle for your crew and make sure you have everything you need for a safe and enjoyable trip.

Clean and Safe Cars: We take pride in maintaining a clean and well-maintained fleet like Toyota. Our cars are regularly inspected and cleaned to ensure your family's safety and comfort. We want you to have a worry-free adventure.

Affordable Options: We offer competitive rates on our rentals so you can save your hard-earned money for fun family activities. We believe that family adventures shouldn't break the bank.

Flexible Rentals: Whether you need a car for a day, a week, or even longer, we offer flexible rental terms to fit your family's needs. We're here to make your trip as easy and enjoyable as possible.

Community-Minded: We're actively involved in the Elk City community and we're passionate about supporting local families. When you choose EC Auto, you're supporting a business that cares about its community.

Easy Booking: Reserving your rental car is a breeze. You can book online or give us a call. We're always happy to answer your questions and help you plan your family adventure.

FAQs About Family Car Rentals

Q: Do you offer car seats or booster seats for rent?

A: While we don't currently offer car seats or booster seats for rent, we recommend bringing your own to ensure proper fit and safety for your little ones. We're happy to help you install them correctly in your rental car.

Q: What happens if my rental car breaks down during my trip?

A: Don't worry! We offer 24/7 roadside assistance with all our rentals. Just give us a call and we'll send help your way. We want to make sure your family adventure stays on track.

Q: Can I add an additional driver to my rental agreement?

A: Absolutely! You can add another driver to your rental agreement for a small fee. This can be helpful if you're planning a longer trip and want to share the driving responsibilities.

Q: What are your mileage restrictions for rentals?

A: We offer a variety of mileage options to fit your travel plans. Some rentals come with unlimited mileage while others have daily or weekly limits. We'll discuss your needs and help you choose the best option for your family adventure.

Q: Do you offer any discounts for families?

A: We often have special offers and promotions available, so be sure to check our website or give us a call. We love helping families create lasting memories and we want to make your trip as affordable as possible.

Q: What if I need to change my rental car reservation?

A: No problem! We understand that plans can change, especially when you're traveling with a family. Just give us a call and we'll do our best to accommodate your needs. We're here to make your trip as stress-free as possible.

Get Ready for Family Fun in Sayre!

Sayre and its surrounding areas offer a treasure trove of family-friendly destinations. With a reliable and comfortable rental car from EC Auto Enterprises LLC, you can explore these amazing places at your own pace and create memories that will last a lifetime. So, gather your crew, pack your bags, and get ready for an unforgettable family adventure!

Contact Details:

EC Auto Enterprises LLC

Address: 315 W 20th St Unit C, Elk City, OK 73644, United States

Phone: +1 (580) 706-6612

[xtruss]

Hoi Chan

How To Strengthen Your Happiness Muscle

Psychologists Call It Reward Sensitivity. And Simple Steps Can Help You Boost Your Drive To Seek Out Positive Emotions and Enjoy Life.

— By Jenny Taitz | August 19, 2024 | The New York Times

We’ve all experienced it: the urge to withdraw and duck experiences we know we’ll enjoy — even when a mood boost is what we need most. We skip the birthday party. We cancel lunch. They just don’t seem worth the effort. And then, more likely than not, we feel worse than we did before.

So how do you find the motivation to get out there, especially when you’re feeling low, stressed, tired or lonely? One proven strategy is to strengthen what psychologists call your reward sensitivity.

Our drive to seek out happiness is a muscle that we can develop. So is our ability to relish experiences. And almost anyone can learn to amp up their reward sensitivity by training themselves to notice and savor their positive emotions. That’s even true for people with depression and anxiety who struggle to experience pleasure, a condition called anhedonia.

Of course, all of us have trouble pursuing pleasure sometimes. I recently took my young sons to the beach for the weekend. Hours before our getaway, I learned a friend had died. Numbed by the news, I was in no mood to have a good time, even though I wanted to make things special for my family.

It’s part of my job as a therapist to teach people how to manage their emotions. And as I tell my patients, it’s possible to honor legitimate sources of pain and still recognize that moments of brightness improve our well-being.

The research-backed strategies below, which I use in my practice, helped me to make the most of our trip.

Reward Sensitivity and Mental Health.

When it comes to mental health treatment, doctors and therapists tend to focus on easing their patients’ negative symptoms — they want “to take away the bad,” explained Alicia Meuret, a professor of psychology at Southern Methodist University.

Yet most of us don’t just need to reduce pain, we also need to boost joy.

In fact, improving positive emotions can be a higher priority for patients than containing their depressive symptoms. And research shows that treatments based on this idea can be effective.

A 2023 study co-led by Dr. Meuret found that when adults experiencing depression or anxiety participated in 15 weeks of psychotherapy focused on enhancing positive emotions, they reported more improvement than a group whose therapy focused on reducing negative emotions.

Shorter interventions have shown benefits as well. A 2024 study of 85 students, led by Lucas LaFreniere, an assistant professor of psychology at Skidmore College, gave subjects with anxiety regular smartphone prompts to plan pleasurable activities, savor positive moments and look forward to future positive events. After a week, they showed significantly improved feelings of optimism.

An Exercise To Boost Your Reward Sensitivity.

To raise your reward sensitivity, you can try an exercise based on the treatment plans in these studies. Make it a daily practice for as long as it’s helpful, but commit to at least a week.

Begin by planning one activity per day that will make you happy or give you a sense of accomplishment. This will make you less likely to postpone positive experiences. Be realistic — it can be as small as treating yourself to a favorite snack, reading a few pages of a novel or FaceTiming a friend.

After you’ve enjoyed that daily moment, close your eyes and recount out loud, in the present tense, where and when you experienced the greatest joy. Home in on details and physical sensations, like the breeze cooling your face as the sun shines. This all might feel hokey, but don’t gloss over the specifics, Dr. Meuret cautioned. The idea isn’t just to remember how you felt, but to amplify and reexperience it.

Psychologists call the process of identifying and immersing in positive emotions savoring.

“Growing the glow of positive emotions,” as Dr. LaFreniere put it, strengthens your memory of them, and increases your motivation to seek them out going forward. Savoring also helps counteract the very human tendency to focus on and remember negative aspects of an event: the friend who was 15 minutes late, the thing you wish you hadn’t said.

More Ways To Stretch Positive Feelings.

Here are some more subtle but powerful tweaks you can make to nurture a positive mind-set.

Expand Your Joy Vocabulary: Many of us struggle to label our positive emotions much beyond fine, good or great. But research suggests that finding more words to describe those feelings can validate and intensify them, Dr. Meuret said. When reflecting on how something made you feel, try to be precise, using words like serene, elated, exhilarated, delighted, inspired.

Share Your Highlight Reel: Think about the details you typically volunteer when asked about your day or a recent trip. It can be tempting to vent. But broadcasting what made you happiest can make you feel better, spread that happiness to another person — and also strengthen a bond, said Charlie Taylor, an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego, who researches social reward sensitivity.

Find Silver Linings: With practice, it’s possible to notice the positives hidden in things that we might first see as negative, Dr. Taylor said. For example, if you invited co-workers to get together and only one person showed up, you could easily view that as a failure. But the silver lining, he said, would be that you got to know that one person better.

Forecast Future Wins: If looking at your calendar sparks dread, Dr. Meuret said, pick an event that’s approaching and think of the best possible outcome. If you’re tired and want to back out of meeting a friend for a workout, picture an especially energizing class. Imagine smiling at each other across the room, feeling proud. Using imagery can encourage motivation and prime you for more uplifting experiences, Dr. Meuret explained.

Give Yourself Permission To Feel Happy.

Keep in mind, too, that it’s normal to sometimes feel uncomfortable with pleasurable feelings, particularly if you experience depression and anxiety.

“Some people can feel vulnerable when they let themselves feel good,” Dr. LaFreniere said. Worrying can make you feel like you’re ready to respond to threats — but by constantly prepping for disaster, he said, we miss the happiness in front of us right now.

On my recent weekend trip with my kids, it was a challenge to let myself have fun. But sharing s’mores by the glistening ocean still filled me with lingering delight. I made sure to pause and savor the best parts, like when some florists gave us fistfuls of hydrangeas and roses from a wedding arch they were taking apart alongside the beach. I felt waves of sadness crashing through the trip, thinking of the friend I had lost, but letting myself bask in love and levity helped me find my balance again.

“The truth is,” Dr. LaFreniere said, “sometimes we need to behave like happy people if we actually want to be happy.”

— Jenny Taitz is a Practicing Psychologist and an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry.

[travel-with-bihari]

Amp Up Your Trek to Hampta Pass with Our Meticulously Crafted Itinerary

Nestled in Himachal Pradesh, the Hampta Pass trek offers a serene escape from the crowds, with twists and turns at every path. This trek reveals the whimsical side of nature, brimming with adventure, making it the perfect getaway. On this trek, one side reveals the Kullu Valley, with its beautiful flowers, trees, and grasslands, while the other side unveils Lahaul, which has scarce vegetation. 

Another captivating aspect of this trek that draws tourists is the ever-changing landscape, presenting a new scene each day. The Hampta pass trek distance is around 25 kilometres, adding to the thrill of the journey. Here’s a meticulously crafted itinerary to make the most of your Hampta Pass trek.

The Hampta Pass Trek Itinerary - Know the Route

Day 1: Arrival in Manali and Drive to Jobra

Your adventure begins in Manali, a bustling hub of adventure activities. From Manali, we embark on a scenic drive to Jobra, the starting point of the trek. The journey itself is a treat, with stunning views of the Beas River and lush greenery.

Upon reaching Jobra, you will be greeted by our experienced guides who will assist you in setting up your camp. The rest of the day is free for acclimatization, allowing you to soak in the serene surroundings.

Day 2: Trek from Jobra to Chika

After a hearty breakfast, we start our trek towards Chika. The trail is relatively easy, making it a perfect start for the adventure ahead. As you trek through dense forests and cross small streams, the beauty of nature will leave you mesmerized.

At Chika, you'll learn the basics of pitching a tent and setting up a campsite. The evening is spent around a campfire, sharing stories and enjoying a warm meal under the stars.

Day 3: Chika to Balu ka Ghera

The next day, after breakfast, we head towards Balu ka Ghera. The trail gradually ascends, offering breathtaking views of snow-capped peaks and lush valleys. This stretch of the trek is particularly scenic, with the Dhauladhar range in the backdrop.

Once we reach Balu ka Ghera, you'll have time to relax and enjoy the panoramic views. Our team will organize a few activities to keep the trekkers engaged and entertained.

Day 4: Balu ka Ghera to Hampta Pass and Return

The highlight of the trek is the journey from Balu ka Ghera to Hampta Pass. The trail becomes steeper and more challenging, but the reward is worth the effort. As you reach the pass, the view of the Himachal peaks and the surrounding landscape is simply awe-inspiring.

From Hampta Pass, we descend back to Balu ka Ghera, capturing the stunning scenery along the way. The sense of accomplishment you feel at the pass is unparalleled, making this day the most memorable part of the trek.

Day 5: Return to Manali via Jobra

On the final day, we make our way back to Manali via Jobra. The return journey is leisurely, allowing you to savour the last moments of the trek. We stop at Chika for a lunch break and then continue towards Jobra.

Once we reach Jobra, our vehicles will be waiting to drive us back to Manali. With the trek coming to an end, you carry back not just memories but a rejuvenated spirit and a sense of accomplishment.

Is June the best time to visit the Hampta Pass Trek?

No, not entirely June, as the best time to visit the Hampta Pass Trek is from mid-June to September. During this period, the trails are accessible, and the weather is pleasant, allowing trekkers to enjoy the lush greenery of Kullu Valley and the stark landscapes of Lahaul. The Hampta Pass trek in June offers the beginning of these ideal conditions. 

Conclusion

The Hampta Pass trek is a journey through contrasting landscapes, from lush green valleys to barren, snow-clad peaks. Our meticulously crafted itinerary ensures that you experience the best of what this trek has to offer, with ample time for acclimatization, relaxation, and adventure. Understanding the Hampta pass trek best time will enhance your experience, ensuring you witness the trek's beauty in its prime. 

[sunshinexlollipops]

honestly read this or don't IDC but I'm ranting about my job bc I'm over it...

so I found out yesterday that instead of leaving in another week, I have 3 days left and my final day at work is Friday. they surprised me when I asked what day was my final one, and dropped the news. altogether, grateful I am leaving that place ATP. I felt regret at first and like I "ruined" my opportunity there— I liked the insurance, the wage, the hour lunch— but the attitude to disabled employees there? wow. I have one coworker who is already aligning his exit plan to quit, and the other I had to tell the store manager about when giving my 2 week. and that's bc the department was saying this person doesn't know how to properly do their job, and they were saying he was fucking over the department. instead of being productive and saying something to this person or management, they sat on it and complained about things going wrong/mistakes being made, and only built up their frustrations. they did all this, with some even knowing this worker has an intellectual disability, btw. I myself experienced a microaggression. which is an odd word until you go through it and realize wow, okay. THAT is what they mean, bc I was helping a coworker w items they brought into my aisle that I was working to try and get done before truck came in. I go to help after finishing w my stuff, and I help get every item but the last one for the aisle. why? bc I try to lift it and realize I can't. it's too heavy and it's put me in pain. I tell my worker that I cannot get that one box of product, but I'm willing to take MULTIPLE they have in their cart to their respective aisles. instead of agreeing or being amicable, my coworker proceeds to walk up to me, place their forearm adjacent to mine and say "hm, I don't think I see a difference, do you?" essentially trying to say there shouldn't be a reason I can't lift this. I haven't spoken much on here about my health troubles but I've had to wear braces at work on top of having various medical issues, like potentially having a brain tumor (a prolactinoma specifically, iykyk). this was really mortifying on top of frustrating, and I found that management either holds my hand like a babe who is incapable of independence and trust, or they would doubt me and I'd have to explain/defend myself.

in this world, there's no such thing as just getting to say, "I'm disabled." people will demand to know why/how you are, and even if you're not comfortable sharing your medical history, you quickly discover that if you don't expose details or a brace on your ankle, that people will be hostile and take what you said like a personal offense. and to make matters worse, you have to do this...with every...single...employee.

management? oh God, good fucking luck! when calling to set myself up after my store transfer, I asked my dept manager about accommodations for disability. they immediately told me "idk you'll have to talk to the store manager about that." clearly an oversight given he looks after 2 disabled employees (and these ranges from intellectual, mental health, and physical limitations). that's before I even get in the mix! but also, bc I had a lead give me critiques...on things my disabilities affect or outright cause. like only when you're disabled will you be told your spatial awareness is a problem they want you to work on.. or even when you clearly walk w a limp, you have talked to the assistant store manager about how you have braces and struggled at your last store bc your break room was upstairs, that one of his team will complain about your speed. even when they also admit you're new and 1 week into being there, and are just learning where things are to boot. I wasn't even given a chance to adjust or settle in before I was told I needed to amp it up.

I've felt like despite trying my hardest, going in on 2-3hrs of sleep for the last month and several weeks of my life, offering up overt kindness to everyone, and going out of my way to make up for my disabilities...it wasn't good enough. and when I started having panic attacks at work and home, several times a week or even waking up into them, I was doing more physical work during my shift than some managers, and was still told it wasn't enough. after this and being treated in the way I was? AND seeing it happen to my disabled coworkers? I def wanted to leave and knew I had to.

but the company's reddit online? garbage. went to complain on there and it was an epic failure. esp my first post. I attempted w my second to give that context + give updates, and people then complained about the length and acted like it was the biggest offense, as if I hadn't been told vile things when they weren't offered all of that before. and I wasn't allowed to be frustrated w their responses as people still treated me poorly when I explained the energy I received on my last one.

while in the 1st post, people shat on me for not giving every detail (once again see: you must appease everyone and validate yourself for them when disabled) about things/myself, many came after me for saying I am continuing to pursue SSDI, as I thought I needed to put in my 2 week that morning and that it was my exit plan.

I got comments saying I was a miserable person, clearly lazy and skirting responsibilities, and that the reason I was being treated this way is that I deserved it and my coworkers hated me. it carried into my job, but also just made me feel so much shame about trying my hand at work again, and being disabled overall.

after this, I've had major knocks to my confidence. both as what I can amount to as an employee, but because right now, SSDI is what I have to pursue, and I feel guilty about it. many on my post said I tried to do a bad job to survive off unemployment (be fucking fr), or I just gave up so I could be a leech w disability.

(that being said, there were some on both posts who were supportive and got it, and shout-out to those people bc omfg, it would've been all hate otherwise.)

it's clear that so many people who hate on SSDI users don't even understand that system and how BULLSHIT it is. in this day and age, for many manage to get disability, you've had to prove yourself like you've said the earth is fucking flat to do so.

I'm lucky that I've gotten in contact w a specified lawyer for SSDI, and I've been told that I have a good chance at winning. I've been stuck in appeals since Sept w nothing from SS. altogether, going to docs for years/having records of my panic attacks seems to be the leg we are standing on, amongst other supports. I'm just waiting to hear back and to file the official paperwork.

this lawyer informed me they have a tally at the beginning of the year, one for cases they don't take, and one for the cases they do. rejections were totaled at over 80 cases. for me? I'm his 18th case. I cried over the phone bc for the first time in years, someone who actually works w this system, aside from some of my providers, has told me "yes, you need this." and I felt so validated.

but I could also only cry for how my time at this job has gone. the treatment and judgement I've faced, the hostility, discrimination, etc... I thought of those reddit comments, and knew this was the direction I needed to be in, bc that behavior was coming from people who also originate from this company. there was so much shame for their own emotions and lack of understanding, and I was tired of having to deal w my problems on top of how they felt about them.

I'm just tired. literally and in other ways, too. I'm very happy to be gone in a few days, and as I said too, I've lost the regret and guilt I had about quitting as I have. even w the perks of this job, being confronted as I was and forced to endure the situations I was put in was not it.

wildly enough, my coworkers, even the one who compared our arms, are sad/bummed I'm leaving. I've been told I've done good work, that I'm a great addition, or people are genuinely not wanting me to leave. it's just wild bc you can tell they haven't even registered how they make that place for people like me, or even acknowledging the way they personally acted toward me.

I'm ready to be done and move on w my life. but honestly, this is gonna stick w me a while. just needed to get this out here in an attempt to lessen how I feel about it and get some progress in moving on.

oof.

[maladaptvs]

i still don’t know how to do my TK character headcanons cause not many would fit into concise categories ?

let’s revisit our wattpad phase and list the dates they’d take love interests on (EXCEPT I TRAUMADUMP ON O’DWYER??)

greg: greg does not ask you on a date. you have to do it. preferably take him somewhere he’s never been. (“How do you feel about Russia?”) NO SIT-DOWN FIRST FEW DATES. he’ll eat takeout with you in hotel rooms if you’d like to count that (i would).

gideon: this is difficult because it’s the 16th century. he’s showing you his bees and pressing flowers for you. zero physical contact from his direction, though you could do some Leaning into him without argument.

simon: he makes you dinner in his flat :3 it’s actually good! and he sneaks his hand across the table to hold yours.

pip!!! meetcute he stabs you in the thigh out of panic <3 no seriously, alright. he honestly just wants to trace his fingers over your shoulders for an hour, but he’ll amp up the effort and have coffee with you in a barnes n noble. you buy books for yourselves (maybe your favorites?) and swap. he learns a lot about you through reading it.

gregson: what is this? 1800s? what did you do then? just avoided the plague innit? i don’t know he tries to show you “cool” supernatural cases and explains why he named it what he did. it’s disturbing but at least he’s happy to share with you.

aitken: it’s a LONG date. an all-dayer. good morning, have you had breakfast? let’s go trail walking. get some lunch, where he asks “paintball or arcade?” and hopefully you pick the arcade (because he’s much too serious about playing paintball). he wins enough to buy you a little toy with his tickets. he’s not touchy, which makes his hand on your back while he adjusts your grip on an air rifle all the more heart-racing. he doesn’t seem to notice (or care?). later, he gets too invested, deafened by plinko, and finally asks if there’s anything YOU’D like to do. he asks about dinner, but you’ve gathered he’s not a restaurant lover. that, and he’s got mud stained shoes. you take dinner in to-go boxes (which annoys the staff) and end up at his flat watching Upgrade. no cuddles. yet.

gosh who else

OH jimbo. well. we know exactly how the date goes so is that necessary 🤨 and he Fucks.

we also know Wonderdate Timmy of course

WIRM LOL: let’s not pretend he’d like to take you on a date. we know how this goes. it’s dinner at a restaurant where he gets hammered and antagonizes the staff. he leaves either no tip or leaves way too much - no in between, but either way he’s calling the waitress sweetheart and she’s fuming. and then it’s on to bad sex with a drunken wirm being surprisingly obedient. we KNOW how this goes and we (i) sort of accept it.

O’Dwyer!! wow i haven’t thought about this for a moment. he’s a slut. i don’t know. he gets something doordashed to his cramped, messy apartment that has too low of lighting. he’s quite sweet, but it’s that prom king facade that your gut tells you isn’t true. you don’t really care. he’s nice enough, and when he’s finished with you he checks in once before turning on COD and ignoring you. (oh…)

Lawyer: yeah we know and he’s cheating on his wife while he does it

RAYMOND: raymond… god what does raymond do? brag? chop wood? maybe he “teaches” you some archery skills, but he’s too impatient and you end up just watching him dominate. he means well - it’s all to impress you, but obviously it doesn’t. you may take pity and go for a second date, if that’s your style.

SIDNEY: SIDNEY!!!!!!!!!!! sidney asks you what YOU want to do about 20 times. and whatever that ends up being, you catch him slapping a hand over his mouth too many times for you to ignore. he’s also glancing down at his phone while you speak, typing away. you realize later he was taking notes. you give him a peck before you leave.

jerry… something BORING and LAME like a war museum

CUSTOMER 😻😻🫶🫶 my husband tries to take you for dinner but it’s the most awkward tense and awful disaster and finally he offers to take you somewhere else. probably an arcade/rec room where he beats you in air hockey but wins you a plushie from a claw machine. it’s all awkward, but it’s endearing. (the second date is a movie. you can’t stop talking in the theatre and the people scolding you only make you laugh harder) (you’re menaces.)

sextus: forces you to watch him perform (you think you’re both going to see a play together. you’re wrong.) but at least he’s excited to see you when he’s off. his face is flushed and he’s very smiley and you think this wasn’t the worst date you’ve been on… but he makes you recount your favorite parts while he walks you home.

gary: takes you on his moped to some bad indie movie a “friend” of his probably filmed or acted in. that bit was cute, if annoying. but he takes you for food and asks what you want in a way that makes you say “nothing.” he doesn’t offer you any of his own. he’s not cruel, he’s stupid.

gavin: genuinely lovely? he takes you to some sort of art center with live music from local bands. maybe you watch someone paint on a stage. then it’s a walk through town. he points out small businesses and talks about the families that own them. you probably meet at least one cat. you’re not sure when you started holding hands, but you only notice when he lets go at the end of the night.

dale: dale isn’t fucking around. you go for a walk. he opens with questions about marriage, kids, where you’d prefer to live, where you work, if you’d consider leaving your job. he can worry about your personality after. if this questionnaire works out, he takes a breath and lets out a sigh that finally chills you both out. he asks if you want to stop for coffee. he buys you a chocolate croissant too. if you do marry him, it’ll be soon.