#ONLY a hint of it though. balance is key. also why i've been giving it more of a curve and point lately

[moe-broey]

Prime example of all the dopamine being concentrated in One Place and everything else dies and goes to hell forever 🫡

+ a mini comic that adds more context that I wasn't planning on coloring in the first place, but the most important thing is I need you to imagine in your mind's eye that Sharena is wearing the Firene Circlet EX bc it looks really pretty w her color palette :)

+ Their signature accessories I always have them wearing (unless if any of them are on Forging Bonds duty LMFAOO)!!! For a better visual 👍

[manybcdthings]

Felix's gaze sharpened on Astra, drawn in not by scrutiny or judgement but by a curiosity tugging at his skepticism. Her words slipped through the air with an ease that matched the way she seemed to drift, her movements smooth, her tone lilting, almost hypnotic. He couldn't tell if she was making sense because she had some undeniable logic or if she'd simply cast a spell around him, ensuring her words were just vague enough. But he found himself nodding, grinning. "Guess it’s luck, then." he muttered, shrugging in faint amusement. A night market meeting, a second chance encounter. Things he might have brushed off before now felt… rare. She made the ordinary seem as though it had been written in stars.

He listened as she spoke about the universe, comparing it to a song. A tune Felix was sure he'd somehow miss every beat of. Knowing his luck, he figured he'd tune in only to hear it off-key or broken, yet there was something in the way she said it that made him almost believe. "So, that's what you do with people too? Pay attention? Closely?" he asked, an easy smirk crossing his face. "Because I'd say you read me quite well." and a part of him wondered, just for a second, if she somehow saw past his words, his front, straight through to what he kept buried.

He stayed quiet, his gaze holding hers as she continued, the faintest flicker of sadness in her eyes as she talked about balance, about light and shadows. "That's...interesting." he nodded, the hint of something warmer in his tone, his fingers tapping against the glass in his hand. "But maybe we have different ideas of what bad means." a slight grin softened Felix's words, hoping to bring levity to the moment. Bad wasn't something he saw as transformative or enlightening. Bad was blank, empty. It was a life he'd chosen without any hope of redemption, nothing but a slow slide into a darkness he understood too well.

Her burst of laughter pulled him back to her, the teasing poke Astra gave his arm coaxing a genuine chuckle from him. "Thing is, Astra, I know what you mean. And I also don't." it was funny, almost absurd, how she could feel like she was saying something obvious, and yet, it was everything he'd make sure to avoid. Usually, he'd turn away from a person like her, but instead, he found himself leaning in, close enough to see the faint freckles across her cheeks. "Okay, you know what? What's your trick? You can tell me. I won't say anything." Felix's grin softened, all curiosity now. "I've heard about Starseers, that's what you are, right? But I thought it was just… well, no offense, but I thought it was all street cons, giving readings and shit."

And yet, she felt so real, like she'd plucked something true from thin air. The way she seemed to genuinely want to know his name through some twist of fate rather than just asking him directly. And, maybe she was right. Maybe fate did play a part. Because he could so easily tell her his name and yet, he wasn't any closer to. Felix chuckled, feeling the warmth bloom in his chest, the powder's effect finally reaching him, deep and heady. "Oh, shit." he muttered, feeling his shoulders relax.

But Astra was already closer, her eyes bright, and he grinned as she poked him again. "Maybe I just tease you because you're easy to tease. That an option?" he couldn't help the laugh that followed with his deflection, even though he knew she'd see right through it. "Why would I be confused about being curious, anyway?" he added, the social buzz amplifying as he nodded toward Freddie, the bartender, who was chuckling to himself. "Has she always been like this?" Felix asked, smirking when Freddie nodded knowingly. She used to come in and say she'd bless the customers with incense smudging and charge them 20 rats each. Felix feigned shock, mouth opening as he glanced back to her. "Astra. Well, that's not all starshine and stardust like you were making me think you are."

Astra's grin widens, watching as his skepticism softens, curiosity taking root where doubt had lingered. "Could be." she says with a nod, her tone both encouraging and just slightly teasing. "That's the thing people get wrong about what we believe. They think everything's laid out in hard lines, but really… it's all in how you see it. Feel it's luck? Then it's luck." she shrugs, her grin never fading as she fields his questions with an ease that comes from explaining her view countless times before, her approach to Star Seeing now as familiar to her as breathing.

He presses on, his question drawing a laugh from her, low and amused, like she'd been expecting it all along. "Hmm...think of it like listening to a song." she begins, tracing the rim of her drink with one finger as she speaks, her voice taking on a softer tone. "It's about hearing the notes that aren't obvious, the subtle beats hidden under the main chorus. The little moments you'd miss if you weren't paying attention." Astra pauses glancing to him with a smile.

But subtly, her gaze sharpens. She isn't surprised when he asks about bad. It's something a lot of people need answers for, it seems. "The universe isn't bad or good. It's just energy." her hand swirls in the air, punctuating her words with a thoughtful slowness. "Bad could be...because someone has ignored the signs, even ignored themselves for something to become good. But-" Astra pauses again, a sadder smile fleeting across her lips. Bad happens to good people. A reality she has come to accept. "I believe in balance. Energy flows, right? Good and bad is on the same wavelength. Without shadows, light doesn't shine as brightly."

His playful smirk snaps her back, and she mirrors it, her grin tilting as she lightly jabs his arm. "Oh, you knew exactly what I meant." she teases, eyes flashing. When he answers her question, Astra leans back, studying him with a slow nod. "That makes sense. See, that means..." she begins, her grin softening as she inches a little closer, "You see time as something you're moving through, linear. Fixed, almost. It unfolds before you." Astra explains, her grin broadening again. "I would think 9am, because I see time as something…that bends, and isn't quite there. Events in time move closer to us, not us to them." she shrugs. "So, if time is so real," her tone drops to a teasing amusement, wrinkling her nose at him. "Why do we all feel it so differently?"

She finally takes a sip of her drink, and her gaze lands back on him, laughter slipping out as he agrees to her little test of fate. "Oh no," she murmurs, eyes bright with excitement. "The universe is like a mischievous friend. That's why I like to stay open, see how it surprises me." she tilts her glass toward him with a small gesture, a light in her eyes as if sharing some quiet secret. "You'll know. It might be both? That's the beauty of it. You won't know now but, you will."

She chuckles, a glint of amusement dancing in her gaze as he says it feels as if he doesn't know her. "Funny, you've asked me questions I usually charge tokens to answer. So, in a way, you already know me more than most." Astra grins, her head tilting as she studies him again in a silent moment "You know what I think?" she asks, leaning closer just a touch. "I don't think you tease me so much because you think I'm silly." she says with a soft poke to his arm, her voice low but with a playful edge. "I think you tease me because you're confused why you're this curious at all."

[mindmeltonabun-blog]

Doom At Your Service: Analysis & Theories for EPs 7-8

Welcome back to another edition of analyses and theories time with me! I’m going to try and keep this post as short and as simple as possible. In case I don’t, I apologize in advance! Also, sorry if this post is filled with grammar mistakes and confusing syntax...I'm writing/editing this late at night and my ADHD meds have lost their effectiveness.

Anyways Eps 7-8 was pretty awesome and I’m glad that a bunch of my previous theories had come true! For those who wonder how I come up with some of these theories, I just look at everything whether it be big or small. I also try to look for connections and patterns. At the same time, I try to understand the motivations of characters and what is the big picture the writer is trying to paint. Once you're able to do all of that then you can predict where the story is going. This is how for the most part I was able to predict the events and endings of shows like TOTNT and TKEM. Anyhow, let’s get down to analyzing and theorizing! Turn on those thinking caps!

What the Rock Balancing Structure Represents

Rock balancing is a form of art that involves a person placing a combination of rocks in an arrangement. To achieve balance of the rocks, one must be very patient and compassionate. In its completion, the structure represents that while things may appear impossible, they are actually possible. So what seems impossible, but can actually be possible? Hmmm probably Myul Mang learning what it means to be human and ending up becoming human. Notice that both the rock art is next to the plant and the story of Pinocchio? It's saying saying that the impossible can be possible. It's possible for Myul Mang to be able to learn what it means to be a human so that the impossible can happen...he can "grow" up to becoming a real human.

The whole rock balancing structure could also signify that in order to grow, one must overcome one's deepest fears. I don't know about you all, but stacking rocks is a scary thing especially since at any moment the whole thing could fall over. Anyways, if you remembered, Myul Mang had been searching everywhere for Dong Kyung and feeling like one of his worst fears (Dong Kyung not existing) had came true. It's only when he goes to Dora's hospital room and sees both the Pinocchio book and rock structure that he got Dora's lesson. And that's why afterwards you didn't see Myul Mang going on another search for Dong Kyung somewhere else.

A brief digression. I’ve seen multiple people theorizing that the plant and the butterfly represent Dong Kyung and Myul Mang respectively. To them I say, did you just completely miss the part where Dora says the plant is Myul Mang? Myul Mang is both the butterfly and the plant. For those who still don’t see that, let me break it down.

First, what do butterflies symbolize? They symbolize metamorphosis, death, and rebirth. Myul Mang is not a literal butterfly, but he will eventually be one in a metaphorical sense. If anything, Myul Mang right now is like a caterpillar on the verge of entering the cocoon stage that is followed by a reemergence as a butterfly aka human. You can also look at it this way, Pinocchio is a butterfly too. Why? Well, look at what happens to Pinocchio. He is reborn as a real boy after having gone through metamorphosis (puppet -> real boy).

Now let’s examine the plant symbolism. What do plants represent in DAYS? They represent humans. What is Dora growing? A human Myul Mang..DUH!! Sorry, but I didn’t think it was that hard of a concept to grasp especially since Dora has already explicitly said what she is growing in that one scene. For Myul Mang to grow up to become a "good" human, he needs to learn to think about others, forgive himself, be compassionate (not only towards himself, but others as well), love others, etc. Other things Myul Mang would probably need to learn is how to love his fate or amor fati (loving your fate means loving it all, not just the good parts, but the bad parts too; loving it so much so that you would never want to change anything about it and would gladly relive your life the way it was over and over again for all of eternity).

I don’t think the "plant" will fully "blossom" until Myul Mang sacrifices himself to save Dong Kyung for the sole reason that he loves her (in contrast to sacrificing himself for his own personal gain). Therefore, that's probably the final lesson -- how to be completely selfless.

Dora just wants her son to grow up to be a "good" plant (human) so she doesn't have to end up pulling him out aka end him before he even becomes human! Okay???

Sorry if what I've just said was confusing. What I meant to say is that Myul Mang's personal growth is reflective in the plant's growth. The more he learns of what it means to be a "good" human, the more the plant will grow until it blossoms into a beautiful flower (a real human).

If we want to connect the idea of personal growth to the story of Pinocchio, we see that Pinocchio's growth occurs only after he experiences pain (physical and emotional) and love. From these experiences, he learns what it means to be a "good" boy and is rewarded by the Fairy transforming him into a real boy.

One Wish or Wishes?

In my previous post, I had briefly touched upon how I think Dong Kyung is going to wish for brain cancer to be cured. Though I still think this, I nevertheless want to explore some of the other possibilities of what her wish could be.

Potential Wishes:

1) Myul Mang to Become Human

2) More Wishes

3) Contract to be Voided

4) No One Remembering Her After She Dies

For #1, Dong Kyung wishes Myul Mang to become human, but then she still dies from her untreated brain cancer…so nope. For #2 and #3, are these wishes even allowed? I would like to point out some flaws of the writer. Maybe it’s not so much a flaw, but an annoyance I have with the writer of DAYS. What one can or cannot wish for is not explicitly stated. Due to this, it is somewhat difficult for me to accurately predict what Dong Kyung will wish for. It’s like trying to detect a substance without being given its upper and lower limits or range of detection (sorry for the science related analogy) ! For #4, I guess this one could be probable, but there is just too much evidence pointing to Myul Mang's death. After exploring each of the possibilities, I'm still left thinking that Dong Kyung's one wish will be to cure her cancer.

Anyways, even if Dong Kyung wishes for her brain cancer to be cured, it’s not really a happy ending since Myul Mang still dies. Is there any other way for Dong Kyung to make another wish so that she can save Myul Mang? I think there is and it comes in the form of the “gift” that Dora gave Dong Kyung. In my previous post, I had theorized that the marble may have a larger purpose than just being a symbol of how the fate of the world is Dong Kyung hands. I believe now that the marble’s larger purpose is that it is a type of wish fulfilling stone. Why? Because we know fantasy dramas typically make references to mythology. In this case, the writer of DAYS is probably referencing Hindu mythology.

In Hindu mythology there are 3 main gods:

1) Brahma: The Creator

2) Vishnu: The Preserver

3) Shiva: The Destroyer (Sounds like Myul Mang right? Also, the love story between Shiva and Parvati is somewhat similar to that of Myul Mang and Dong Kyung’s love story.)

Dora is the equivalent to the god Vishnu in Hindu mythology. Vishnu is often depicted wearing a “Cintamani”, a type of wish fulling stone analogous to the Philosopher’s Stone (hint hint…transforms something from one form into another…immortal -> human) in Western mythology. Given this, the marble/Cintamani in Dong Kyung's possession could be the key to Myul Mang’s rebirth.

Some might ask, “Well why can’t Dora just use it to wish for her son to be reborn as a human?”. Well, remember that both Dora and Myul Mang are slaves to the wishes of humans. They themselves cannot fulfil their own wishes or desires. Meaning, even though Dora and Myul Mang can wish for something to happen, they cannot carry it out unless humans wish it too. Also, as I mentioned previously, deities in kdramas never just give humans gift because they’re being nice. Rather, they give gifts to humans so that humans can help them accomplish their overall goals/wishes.

So putting it all together, do you see where I’m going with this? Dora has the same wish as Dong Kyung which is for Myul Mang to live, but Dora is unable to execute her goals/wishes unless Dong Kyung wishes it too. Dora knows that Dong Kyung will probably use her one wish to cure her brain cancer. At the same time, this leaves her son, Myul Mang, to die. Therefore, Dora gives Dong Kyung the wish fulfilling marble with the intention that Dong Kyung will use it to wish for her son, Myul Mang, to be reborn as a human. With Dora/Dong Kyung’s wish, Myul Mang will be free from his cursed life as an immortal and be reborn to be able to live happily with Dong Kyung.

Side note, the rebirth of Myul Mang into a human can either be dependent on Myul Mang's personal growth or it can be dependent on this wish fulfilling stone or both! I'm leaning more towards his personal growth as being the catalyst for his rebirth, but who knows! It very well could be that the marble has a role to play in his rebirth.

Is Dong Kyung Going To Be An Immortal?

No…no…and NO!!

Some might ask why don’t I think this? Well, for a bunch of reasons. I’ll admit I used to think that it would be very romantic for a human to become immortal so that they can be with their immortal lover forever. However, the more I thought about it, I came to the realization the notion of forever is not romantic nor beautiful. At its core, the concept of eternity is quite terrifying and ugly. And if you haven’t realized already, the writer of DAYS has been making multiple arguments against immortality. For anything to have meaning, it must have an end. In this sense, the end is beautiful.

To get my point across, I want you to try and think about some things. What keeps life meaningful? Experiences? People? Well, imagine doing something you love for a year. Now imagine doing it for trillions or zillions of years. Experiences no matter how good they are at first will eventually become tedious if you do it for long enough. For example, eating your favorite dish may be good for a while, but not for zillions of years. At one point or another, you ultimately lose your desire to want to eat it or eat entirely for that matter.

Now surely getting to know people and loving them can keep your life meaningful right? Well, how many times do you think you could handle knowing and loving people who eventually disappear? Eventually, you grow tired of crying and mourning over dead loved ones that you become numb. Now imagine being Dong Kyung. She would have to witness her family, their family, and so forth dying over and over again for all of eternity. Doesn’t that seem tortuous? Sure, one could argue that at least she has Myul Mang with her, but do you really think her love for him could sustain her forever? The relationship between Myul Mang and his mother, Dora, is a prime example of how a loving relationship could turn sour over a great deal of time. The gift of immorality Dora bestowed on Myul Mang became a curse instead of a blessing. So why would Myul Mang want to give Dong Kyung something that was basically a curse for him? As for Dora, she probably wouldn’t want to give Dong Kyung the same gift after seeing what it did to her son.

If you continue to think that Dong Kyung will become an immortal being, did you really smell what the writer of DAYS was cooking or did you just smell what you were cooking?

The Bad Case of the Riddles

From what I have been reading on multiple platforms now, it would seem that a lot of people are rather confused about a lot of things. It’s understandable! Throughout the show, the writer has presented some complex philosophical concepts that may be difficult for some viewers to grasp. To further add to the confusion, the characters at times do speak in what appears to be riddles. This I believe may be one of the major flaws of the writer. She has to consider that her audience are probably people who have never read any philosophical works before. Most viewers aren’t here to decipher cryptic messages or see how they’re connected to some major philosophical concepts such as eternal recurrence, existentialism, nihilism, amor fati, etc. Most are here to shut off their tired brain and enjoy some good fantasy romance! I know I’m totally one of those people!

Needless to say, I did find myself in a debate of whether I should discuss some philosophical concepts referenced in the show as to help you all gain a better sense of understanding. However, I concluded that it would take too much of my time to do so. Additionally, despite my best efforts to use the simplest of words, I found that whatever I had already written may have still been confusing to the everyday reader. Anyways, if there are any particular scenes or dialogue you all want to me go over, please feel free to use the ask button and I’ll do my best to try and answer them!

Whats Going to Happen Next?

Probably more filler type stuff aka more bs. It's common in kdramas for characters to go back and forth on their initial decision of whatever. Dong Kyung is going to break up with Myul Mang because she loves him and doesn't want him to die. And before the breakup, she's going to give him some good memories to remember her by. Following this, she's going to try and love herself so that she's the one that ends up dying and her wish is going to be for everyone to forget her? Okay......Zzzzzzz!! Idk... Dora is probably going to intervene somehow to get Dong Kyung and Myul Mang back together again.

Other Random Thoughts

What I think would be interesting to learn about is the connection between Dong Kyung's parents death and Dora past self's death. It wasn't just all a coincidence that they both died on the same day. Who knows... maybe Dong Kyung was meant to be in the car that day with her parents, but Dora's past self sacrificed herself to change Dong Kyung's fate.

Also, I still don't think Dong Kyung is going to die, I mean you got her brother praying to the deities that she lives!

Okay, I'm done. I wrote this in Microsoft Word and it was 5 pages long. My brain is dead. There's probably something I should've gone over or elaborated more about, but oh well. Thanks for reading this disjointed post!

[crimsonblazw]

I'm 8/9 episodes in to my Jungle Fury/Gekiranger watch through and I have some initial analysis. In general I've always loved the theme/aesthetic of the series concept, from the way the suits are reminiscent of tracksuits and other sports/martial arts garb to the way they use Ki for attacks and forming their Megazords. The tldr is that both series are very good so far and does the theme Justice even in where they differ,but the deeper dive is below.

Gekiranger

Characters

To start I think this team is my favorite "initially only three people team", I'll start with Gekired/Jan who was raised by tigers and has a childlike/simple nature on top of being energetic which gives him this Goku/Tarzan vibe.

His development so far seems to be a journey of enlightenment as he continues to be disciplined in Jyuken and begins pushing past relying on base emotions and instincts to achieve something greater,by learning from not only the team's mentor Xiafu (who's mantra of training through everyday circumstance holds true even when he's not directly involved) but also his teammates ,with Gekiblue/Retsu being more aloof and uptight but allows his sense of technique to inspire Jan as well as others, and Gekiyellow/Ran being more calm and focused showing Jan that her dedication to practice allows her to quell any feelings of anxiety during battle.

Miki is an ally and secondary mentor figure to the team grounds the series with her down to Earth presence while providing support for the team using her athletic company SCRTC to develop the team's gear and weapons (something I think is very cool/unique and fitting for this series), I also like the surrogate mother role she plays to Jan which fits given she already has a child named Natsume who has had a few helping roles herself and appropriately acts as a sister figure to Jan.

In terms of villains I'm currently more curious to see what happens going forward since I know some scattered details about later events and Rio hasn't really been fleshed out just yet, though I do find Mele interesting so far showing that her loyalty/thirst for Rio began when he revived her due to sensing their "mutual sorrow" which I suppose made her the ideal right hand woman. When this loyalty is put to the test when the leader of the Venom fists offers her true reserection in exchange for betraying Rio and she decides then and there serving Rio is trully what makes her happy.

Plot

Each episode so far is framed with two key ideas; "everyday life can be used to further the team's training" and the concept of characters representing Mind(referred to as technique here),Body,and Heart. Each episode so far shows how various activities no matter how innocuous can be applied to Jyukrn discipline,as well how each member represents the archetypes of Mind/Technique(Gekiblue/Retsu),Body(Gekired/Jan),and Heart (Gekiyellow/Ran) and why they're synchronization is the key to victory. It definitely adds more dimension to their overall development and I'm a sucker for this type of symbolism as well as watching characters master their craft and improve with new lessons over time.

Jungle Fury/Comparison

The team dynamic definitely has the skeleton of Gekiranger's but adds it's on flare (which I think is the best way to do adaptation in my opinion). The main team still carries the Body, Heart, and Mind symbolism and even has an excellent example of how each member represents this in the first two episodes with Casey (representing the body) having a lot of potential as a newcomer, but is unsure of himself so Lilly (The Heart) uses her compassion and positive/mature nature to encourage Theo(the mind) to inspire Casey and help him master his weapon, all of which perfectly demonstrates the type of synchronization the team needs.

Something more unique is the relationship between the characters,in Gekiranger Retsu and Ran accept Jan rather quickly with a few initial clashes here or there with their overall friendship before he arrived seemingly being more "professional" for a lack of better words. In JF you really get the feeling that Theo and Lilly have been close friends for years with their chemistry even hinting at something a little deeper. When Casey enters the dynamic he instantly has chemistry with Liily which Theo feels threatened by, leading to some initial infighting the group has to work through and resolve.I

think it's one of the best explorations of team dynamic PR has done, especially with how maturely the whole ordeal is handled. individually I think Casey journey in gaining confidence isn't to different from Jan's journey to enlightenment,Theo's uptight and perfectionist nature is a rather straightforward adaptation of Retsu's personality ,and Lilly is my favorite with a very fun but mature personality that builds on Ran's more focused and level headed personality.

RJ is also a fun mentor character who's unorthodox teaching style parallels Xiafu's philosophy in addition to him just being very charismatic and personable. Like Miki Fran grounds the show as a civilian character who balances out the more intense parts of the ranger's dynamic and allows them to bounce off of someone who isn't involved in the action. Jared/Daishi is interesting,the show quickly establishes a strong rivalry between him and Casey built on Jared's strong pride and aggressive nature clashing against Casey's Kinder and more meek one with the difference between their rivalry and Rio and Jan's rivalry being how the former seems to clash over Rio being Xiafu's disgraced student and Jan more or less defending the honor of his Xiafu's teachings.

Another notable difference between Jared and Rio is while Rio is more aloof Jared is actively abusive (at least initially) and agressive towards practically everyone including Camille ( who's basically a perfect adaptation of Mele) which only makes sense as someone who was more concerned with his pride and power over others.

Overall

Both series are off to a great start and I'm probably going to move through both very fast. Next time I'll post it'll be thoughts on the new Masters ,the new rangers,and other developments. Please share your thoughts below.

[harryfreakinstyles2]

Torn (Part 1) H.S.

The sunlight is streaming through the curtains and gleaming off the vinyl flooring of my apartment while I try to force myself to roll out of bed. My alarm is screaming at me for the tenth time this morning. My eyes strain against the intrusion of light as I reach for my phone on the nightstand to stop the ringing in my ears from that damn alarm. I glance at the text on my screen from my best friend that I must have received after passing out around one am last night while trying to finish my essay.

Julie is almost the complete opposite of me in every way. She's unorganized and scatter brained and way more adventurous than I will ever be. But she also makes our little two-bedroom apartment feel like home even with the dirty dishes she leaves in the sink and as crazy as she drives me, I would honestly be lost without her.

Me: You know I had that essay to finish! But it sounds like you had fun like usual! I might have to join you next time! We'll see! Lol

I text back and head to the bathroom to hop in the shower before class. I turn the water on and wait impatiently for it to heat up, my tiny bathroom becomes filled with steam as the hot water helps wake me from my zombie state and relaxes my muscles. I'm dreading class this morning. My stupid elective class I took because I figured it would be an easy A to fill in the extra credits I need to graduate in May, but I am starting to realize that the easy A might not be worth the painful boredom of sitting in that stupid class twice a week. I hurry along getting ready as the morning is rushing by faster than I realized and soon I'm running out the door praying I have time to get coffee on the way.

*

I stick my key in the lock of my apartment door still sipping on my iced coffee. I feel mentally drained after having to put so much energy into staying awake in class, luckily it's the only class I have on Thursdays. I can smell the scrambled eggs as soon as I walk into the apartment. Julies favorite hangover food, I will never understand how that girl can go out so much during the week and still go to work and finish all her school.

I walk into the kitchen and I laugh to myself while taking in Julies disheveled appearance, the aftermath of her late night out.

"Shut up", She groans glaring at me from her spot in front of the stove.

"I'm sorry, but you look pathetic" I laugh again not being able to hold in my amusement.

"Don't be a bitch, you're just jealous that I had a blast last night while all you did was write a paper all damn night." Julie snaps at me but I can see the hint of a smile on her face.

"Alight alright" I say with my hands up in surrender not wanting to actually piss her off. I pull a barstool out from under the counter and take a seat across from her.

"I was serious when I said you are coming out with us this weekend" she huffs, "We are going to this cool hipster club that just opened down the road. It is going to be a lot of fun. And I'm not giving you a choice, so tomorrow night, we'll head out around ten." Her words rush out fast. I am assuming it's so I won't have the chance to interrupt her and make an excuse of why I will not be doing anything of the sort. I roll my eyes when she turns back around to flip her eggs.

"I really don't want to... It's been a long week between work and school and all I want to do is sit on the couch and watch a movie." I groan at my relentless best friend. This is her third attempt in the past two weeks to try and get me to go out.

"Allie, you're 21, not 81. Would you please stop being so lame and just come out with us!" She pleads with me, "It'll be fun I swear!"

"Ughhhhh fine but if I hate it and get bored then I'm coming back home!" I say giving in but still hating the idea.

"Fine fine! Ahhhh yay!! It's going to be great!" Julie excitedly jumps up and down like she is twelve and are moms said yes to a sleep over on a school night. Finally she stops, leaving her dark brown hair messier than it was before, if that is even possible. I try my best not to laugh at her again.

"Alright I'm going to go to my room for a bit before I have to go to work at 6. Do you work tonight?" I ask. Her work schedule is constantly changing every week I can never keep up.

"Yea unfortunately, I wanna call out but I can't because I have tomorrow night off to go out and I actually need to make some money for a change." She says with a groan.

"Okay then I'll see you tomorrow! Be sure to put on your best fake smile and maybe brush your hair or something or you won't be getting very many tips tonight" I tease her as I walk to my room. I turn around just in time to see her middle finger raised in the air at me with a smile on her face.

*

My evening shift at the local coffee shop blurs by as the hipster kids and sorority girls shuffle in and out throughout the evening. I found I was convincing myself that going out tomorrow night is exactly what I need to get out of this comfortable rut I have found myself in the past few months. With graduation about three months away I should probably have some actual fun before my college days come to an end even though night clubs are not exactly my idea of fun.

*

I wake to a loud pounding on my bedroom door. "Allie!!! Get up! We have to pick out an outfit for you for tonight! I have to leave for work soon! Get up! We won't have time later!" Julie continues banging on my door.

"Ugh, Jules! Give me like 10 minutes!" I groan back at my annoying best friend. She insisted last night that she had to pick out an outfit for me because I don't know what a proper "club outfit" is.

Ten minutes later I've brushed my teeth and changed into some shorts and a t-shirt. I open my bedroom door to find Julie sitting impatiently at the counter with a cup of coffee.

"Okay, come on in and let's get this over with." I say to her rolling my eyes. This is not what I want to be doing at nine am.

"Oh stop being so dramatic." Julie mumbles at me as she walks past me and into my room.

I follow behind her and sit on my bed as she starts to dig through my closet for her version of an acceptable outfit for this evening.

"Okay, so we want something sexy but also comfortable. Maybe some skinny jeans and a cute tank top. Or even a jean skirt," she says excitedly.

"Sexy. Really. You know I can't pull off sexy." I mumble at her. Does she honestly think I can be sexy. She has definitely lost it. In the thirteen years she has known me I have never been sexy. I don't even own anything that could be considered sexy.

"Yes, sexy. You have the curves all you're missing is the attitude Al."

I don't have the first clue on how to come off as sexy, but I have a feeling Julie is going to teach me. This was such a bad idea. I can already tell that tonight is going to be a disaster.

Twenty minutes later I'm standing in front of my closet staring at myself in the floor length mirror in one of Julies jean skirts that rests nicely on my hips and stops a few inches above my knees and only makes me slightly uncomfortable. She has paired her jean skirt with one of my low-cut white tank tops and a pair of short strappy black heels. Lucky for me it has been a warm winter and it only gets into the mid-sixties right now at night here in Georgia. Especially considering Julie told me I am not allowed to wear the gray cardigan I tried to put over the tank top.

"So? What do you think?" Julie asks me while I stare at myself in the mirror. She's beaming, obviously proud of her work.

"Umm I like the outfit, but I'm not sure," I mumble.

She rolls her dark brown eyes at me, "Allie, you look hot trust me. You just have to own it. That is the key to being sexy, it is all about the confidence."

"Alright," I try to say with a sense of confidence, but my voice betrays me and I sound even more unsure than before.

"Shit, I have to go I am going to be late for work" Julie says as she rushes out of my room. "You look amazing! I will be back in time for us to do our hair and makeup before we leave! See you later girlie!" She yells to me before she slams the front door closed behind her.

I let out a breath I didn't notice I was holding as I look at myself once more in the mirror. My chest fills the tank top nicely threatening to overflow because of the pushup bra Julie forced me to wear even though she knows I hate wearing it because it makes my boobs look even bigger than they already are. She doesn't understand that problem seeing as she barely has any boobs. The tight tank top paired with the fitted jean skirt shows off my tiny waist and curvy hips. The jean skirt goes down just far enough to cover my full upper thighs. Overall I don't hate the outfit as much as I expected to, if I wear my long blonde hair down and maybe curl it a little I think I might be able to pull it off.

I groan staring at myself in the mirror one last time before collapsing onto my bed. I have no idea what to expect tonight I haven't been out since my freshman year. Even though Julie will be there I can already see myself sitting in the corner the whole night. I hope the night won't be a complete disaster. At least all our friends will be there and I can catch up with Emily. I push away the anxiety as I hang my outfit for tonight back up and head to take a shower.

I'm sitting on the couch buckling the straps of my black heels as Julie walks out of her room looking like a Victoria Secret model in her tight dress that leaves little to the imagination. She spent an hour doing my hair and make up after she got home from work and I spent most of that hour telling her to tone it down. It has always been that way with us. She is the one who wears full make up and heels almost everyday and I am the one who forces myself to put on eyeshadow every now and again and wears converse as much as possible. But somehow we always seem to balance each other out, she helps me step out of my comfort zone and I keep her from being arrested.

"See this is why I don't go out with you!" I grumble at her.

"What are you talking about? I didn't even do anything!" Julie says defensively while grabbing her matching clutch off the kitchen counter.

“You didn't have to, you just come out looking like that and when I stand next to you I look like a freakin sack of potatoes!"

"Are you kidding me!?! Look at you! I wish I had those curves! We both look great and we are ending the conversation there." Julie says annoyed at my comment.

"Whatever." I mumble back.

"You are not going to start this night pouting, so get over yourself and let's go the Uber is ready downstairs!" she says sternly. Julie is the kind of person who has no problem telling you how it is, she has been that way ever since we were kids.

The Uber ride to the club lasted barely five minutes leaving just enough time for my stomach to get queasy with nerves. The car comes to a stop in front of a building littered with people stumbling in and out of the doors. Julie says a rushed 'thank you!' to the Uber driver as she pulls me out of the car behind her.

"Come on! Everyone else is already inside!" she says as she pulls me along after her and into the crowded building. I glance at my phone it is now ten o'clock, I will stay till at least midnight and then leave I decide.

The room is so dark it is hard to see the faces of the strangers as we shove our way through the crowd to find our group of friends waiting for us. There is a slight stench of smoke in the air and my heels stick to the floor just enough for me to notice. I hate this already. Julie is aggressively pushing her way through the overly friendly crowd of strangers. I decide that my best bet is to stare at the back of her head and follow closely behind her so I don't get lost. Suddenly Julie does a high pitch squeal letting me know she has found our friends. Our usual group of friends are standing around a high top table toward the back corner of the club. There's Maya, who Julie and I met in freshman English. Julie gets along with her better than I do because they have similar personalities and Maya will go out with her any day of the week where I will not. Then there is Dylan the common frat boy with the perfect hair and teeth, wearing his usual khaki pants and button up shirt. Maya and Dylan have been dating for a little over a year now. Next to the already drunk Dylan is his best friend Sam. Sam is in the same frat as Dylan and despite being best friends, Sam is sweet, polite, and funny unlike Dylan who is usually obnoxious. Sam is much more attractive than Dylan with his light brown hair cut short and his muscular arms looking perfectly tanned in his white button up. On the other side of the table there is Tabitha and Emily. Tabitha and Maya have known each other since middle school so they are really close similar to Julie and I. Wherever Maya is, Tabitha is usually close by. I get along best with Emily out of the three girls. She is quieter than the others and although she has no problem going out and having a good time she has a lot of other priorities she is focused on as school is coming to an end. We tend to sit and talk whenever we are all hang out while everyone else is drinking and goofing off.

"No way! Allie you actually came!?!" Maya says too dramatically bringing the attention of the whole group to me. "I mean Julie said you were coming but I thought she was just joking!" Maya continues with an annoying giggle and I force myself not to roll my eyes at her.

"Good to see you too Maya. Can someone point me in the direction of the bar please." I say to hopefully change the topic. I am going to definitely need a drink to get me through this night.

"I was just about to go get myself a drink if you wanna come with me?" Sam offers with a smirk making me blush like always.

"That would be great! Thanks," I say with a smile.

Sam is quiet most of the time but he is charming. And he is one of those guys who is absolutely gorgeous and has no idea.

Julie rushes over to the girls and the giggling starts instantly as Sam and I walk away from the group.

We make it to the bar with Sam only having to guide me past one group of drunk guys. Even with heels on I am still quite short making navigating the crowded club difficult as I can't see where I'm going. I order my usual crown apple and sprite, and try to refuse when Sam wants to pay for my drink but ultimately he wins as he hands the bartender cash and walks away with me following behind.

"So are you as ready for graduation as I am?" Sam awkwardly starts conversation over the loud club music as we make our way back to our group of friends. This was the usual with Sam. For a guy who is this attractive and has girls falling all over him, he always comes off awkward when we try and talk.

"Yeah I'm so excited, but also incredibly nervous. There is too many decisions still left to make," I awkwardly laugh.

"I get that. You would think that since we are finally finishing we would be less stressed out not more," Sam says with laugh.

I turn to respond catching his blue eyes, leaving me speechless. I am saved as we arrive at the table and Sam is greeted by Tabitha begging him to dance with her. She clearly already had a few drinks and Sam is too sweet to say no.

The night feels like it is dragging on forever. I'm not having a bad time but there is definitely other things I would rather be doing and on top of that Julie seems to be in a crap mood for some unknown reason so she is not making the night any better for me. It has been about an hour and a half and I've had three drinks making me just tipsy enough that my nerves have vanished.

"Jules I really have to pee!" I whine at her again.

"Okay okay, just give me a minute," She says staring at her phone.

"I've been waiting like ten. Just point me in the direction of the bathroom. I will just go by myself," I say back irritated as I sway back and forth to help with my urgent need to pee.

"Okay fine, go towards the bar and to the left," She instructs me without look away from her phone. I am trying not to get annoyed at her but she begged me to come out and has barely said two words to me since we got here.

"Thank you!" I say dragging the words out dramatically.

I make it to the bathroom without any issues to my surprise considering the three drinks I have had and the crowd seeming to have grown in the last hour. Luckily there is only one girl in line and I don't have to wait long. I wash my hands and check my make up in the mirror surprised it still looks almost perfect. I walk out of the bathroom and reach down pulling the hem of my skirt further down my legs as I walk.

"Ugh fuck!" I mumble as I collide with something solid and liquid pours down my skirt and legs.

"Oh shit! Sorry!" I hear a thick English accent respond.

I look up to find bright green eyes staring directly into mine. They are slightly covered by a mop of beautiful dark brown curls. His eyes stay locked on mine so intently that I have to look away so he can't see me blush under his gaze.

"It's fine. It was my fault I wasn't paying attention." I say faster than I intended as I wipe at my skirt.

"Wait a minute, let me uhh...." the handsome stranger starts to say as he looks around and then disappears and reappears with a rag from the bar.

"Here, I'm really sorry," He says again holding his hand out to me with the rag in it.

I take a second to glance at the tattoos covering most of his left arm. Quickly dragging my attention back to the liquid running down my legs I grab the rag hoping he didn't notice my staring. I wipe at the remainder of whatever he had in his cup off my legs and look up to find him staring again.

"Thanks," I mumble quietly despite the loud music as I hand him back the rag. My cheeks feel like they are burning, partially from the alcohol in my system and partially from his staring.

“The least I could do. I'm Harry," He says with a smile revealing large dimples in his cheeks while holding out his empty right hand for me to shake. I stare at his outstretched hand for a minute before grabbing it.

"Allie, nice to meet you. Sort of," I say returning his smile and taking his hand in mine. His large hand makes mine feel even smaller.

"Allie." he repeats with a smirk. His accent making it sound beautiful while his eyes continue to stare into mine making my stomach flutter. I am so happy I downed that third drink or his stare alone would have made me a mumbling mess by now.

[fateother]

#02: Poison Heart Part 2

There were two people in the dimly lit study. On the floor, having fallen backwards, was Charlie Fairsworth. Her grandfather, Horace Fairsworth, had passed away not long ago. Charlie had lived with him in his old villa in Rosebridge after her parents death ten years prior. In Horace Fairsworth's will, the key to his study was to go to his only grandchild. And that is how Charlie wound up in her current situation. She had never been allowed inside the study. Naturally, she was curious. She found the room had bad lightning, and smelled of old books and incense. The windows were barred shut, and there was a dry feel to the air. As she explored the dimly lit room, she eventually noticed something on the mat in front of her grandfather's desk. Charlie couldn't help but recognize it – but she couldn't quite tell where she had seen it before. It was a circle of some sort, and in the middle was a letter. Charlie carefully walked over and picked it up. ”Charlie” was hastily scribbled on it. She furrowed her brow and opened it. Inside was a piece of paper. Or, to be precise, a notesheet. Charlie immdiately recognized them as notes for singing. As long as she had been living with her grandfather, he had made her take singing classes. She didn't particularly like singing, but she didn't dislike it either. It was more of a thing she just did sometimes. After staring at the lyrics for a while, she couldn't help herself. She opened her mouth without thinking, almost as if compelled by something, closed her eyes and sang. As soon as she started, she couldn't stop. There was something about the words, the lyrics, that compelled her to continue. ”You, seven heavens clad in three words of power Arrive from the ring of deterrence, O keeper of the balance” As she finished with those lines, Charlie opened her eyes. The room lit up from the center, and Charlie quickly realized it was the circle that was glowing with a bright red light. ”W-what?” She dropped the notesheet as she took a step back, but tripped and landed on her end. Heart beating at high speed, Charlie stared at the tall figure that had appeared in front of her in the circle, seemingly out of nowhere. It was a woman, easily 190cm in height. She had long, blonde hair, with pointy ears poking out from beneath it – almost like an elfs out of fantasy. She was dressed in a lon cloak, and Charlie could hint light leather armour beneath. While Charlie was speechless, the stranger was not. Instead, she studied her surroundings before looking at charlie with a slight smile, and spoke with soft, yet sharp words: ”Are you my Master?” Charlie blinked. ”H...huh?” The woman sighed. ”This is normally the part where you say yes. If you want to live, that is. Do you want to live?” Charlie blinked again. ”Y...yes?” ”Good. Then the contract is sealed.” The circle had stopped glowing, and the woman picked up the notesheet and studied it. ”What a strange way of summoning.” She then looked at Charlie again, and finally seemed to realize that the latter had no idea what was going in. Her face showed displeasure, maybe a bit annoyance. She then raised her right arm, and pointed at Charlie's right hand. Charlie looked, and gasped. ”W... what... what's this?!?” On the back of her right hand was what looked like a tattoo. Strange markings, swirling in a three-headed galaxy shape had appeared on her hand. ”Proof that you're my Master.” ”I asked you earlier if you wanted to live, but to think that you never noticed... have you never seen those before?” Charlie stood up on shaking legs, and shook her head. No, she had not. ”Not even a hint of them forming?” ”N-no. I've been looking at my hand every now and then for a couple of days, because I dropped a pot on it and a bruise was starting to form-” ”No bruise. It was the Command Seals forming, oh my dense Master.” ”Wh...” The woman was clearly getting annoyed, and somewhere deep insid, Charlie was as well. Confused and afraid, she asked. ”What is going on?” The woman seemed to consider her options for a few seconds before answering with a sigh. ”First things first. Introductions, that is. What is your name, Master?” ”C-Charlie Fairsworth.” The woman bowed nonchalantly. ”Well then, C-Charlie, you may call me Rider.” She sighed, yet again, and walked over to the desk. She wiped some dust off the chair behind it, and sat down. ”Now, then. Listen carefully, for both our sakes.” And Rider explained. She explained everything. ”The Holy Grail War” - A competition that decides the ownership of the Holy Grail through an intense battle royale. While there have been many conflicts over supposed Holy Grails in the past, this term refers to those specifically based around Masters, usually proficient magi (Charlie suspected that part was a jab at her), summoning Servants, Heroic Spirits brought forth as familiars, and meeting in battle until only one Master/Servant pair is left. Seven magi are chosen by the Grail as Masters and, with support from the Grail, allowed to summon seven Servants to do battle. The winning pair is supposed to be able to claim the Holy Grail and utilize it to grant a wish for each of them. ”So this is your later grandfather's study, then? Was he a magus?” Charlie swallowed. ”N-no... well, I knew he was interested in magecraft, but he never said anything about... but...” she scratched the back of her head, trying to remember. ”He never mentioned something like this... why would he prepare for summoning a Servant? And why leave a le-” Then it hit her. ”He wrote the summoning chant as song lyrics! He turned the summoning chant into a song using notesheets so that I would sing them! Oh that old-” Charlie punched a nearby bookshelf, cursing and holding her now aching hand as she avoided a falling book. Rider, however, was deep in thought. ”It seems he wished for you to participate in the war. Perhaps he felt he was running out of time, and couldn't do it himself? Either way, the Grail has already chosen you as a Master, so there's that.” Charlie walked over to the desk and slammed her palms onto the top of it. She cursed again, this time because of her aching palms. ”I-I don't want to participate in a war!” Rider glared at her Master. ”But you do. Otherwise, the Grail wouldn't have chosen you.” ”I don't- I don't understand, that's all! What's the deal with this Grail, even? Why do people want to kill each other over it?!?” Rider shrugged. ”There are as many reasons as there are Masters and Servants – we all want the Grail for one reason or another. But, answer me this, oh dense Master:” she raised a finger. ”Like I said, the winners get to make a wish. Is there truly nothing you desire? Nothing you want? The Grail is a wish-granting device. Surely there is something you want, more than nothing else.” Charlie was about to protest, but stopped as faces she remembered flashed before her mind. She shook her head, and walked over to the bookcase again, kicking it gently while sulking. Rider chuckled. ”Ufufufu. Good girl.” ”Stupid elf,” Charlie muttered to herself. ”I'm being tricked into doing something here, aren't I? Besides, what kind of name is ''Rider'', even?” ”It's not a name.” ”Huh?” Rider, clearly fed up with Charlie's ignorance, sighed again. Charlie was beginning to think that she would run out of air and faint if she kept at it. ”I'm your Servant, a Heroic Spirits brought forth as a familiar to serve you in this war. Weren't you listening? There are seven Master/Servant pairs in all. I'm a Heroic Spirit-” Rider paused for a moment - ”well, kind of – so that means my identity is beyond just ”Rider”.” Charlie stared at Rider, dumbstruck. ”So your name isn't Rider?” ”No. That's just my classification.” ”Oh. Okay.” ”Don't feign knowledge. Even if it's annoying, it's best for both of us if you're honest and just tell me you don't know.” ”Not if you're going to call me dense.” Rider ignored her. ”Seven Servants – seven Heroic Spirits summoned into seven containers. These containers are the seven classes. For example, I fit the criterias to be sumoned as a Rider, so I was summoned into that container. Although I could as well have been summoned as Archer, or maybe even Caster.” ”So it's like classes and jobs in games? Like Warrior, Monk, White Mage, etc?” ”Saber, Archer, Lancer, Rider, Caster, Assassin, and Berserker. Those are the seven containers – the seven classes. Those are also the seven Servants summoned for the Holy Grail War.” Charlie nodded. ”So, ehr, who are you? What's your name, I mean?” Rider seemed to consider something before answering. ”A Servant's True Name is dangerous to give out. For example, if I were a Heroic Spirit that died from poisoning, I would be exceptionally weak against poison.” ”Did you?” ”No.” ”Okay, I'm not sure I really get it, but you're like... someone from the past who's been brought back to life by the Holy Grail to participate in this war, and if you win you get like... a last dying wish? Or something like that?” ”Normally... yes. I'm not exactly like regular Servants.” ”What's that supposed to mean?” ”Never mind. I can't really tell you my name, since you're a novice. If I told you, and an enemy decided to read your mind, that would be bad for me. Well, both of us.” ”Well... I guess that's fair.” Charlie wasn't happy about it, but Rider was right. Charlie wasn't exactly a magus, let alone one who would be strong enough to resist having her mind read or being controlled. ”I can tell you one thing about myself, though,” Rider said, in a tone that made Charlie think she just remembered something. ”Someone else could as well have been summoned instead of me. And I don't mean another Heroic Spirit qualifying as Rider, I mean another Heroic Spirit qualifying as me. Or rather, my role.” ”I don't get it.” ”Good.” Charlie was about to open her mouth to protest further, but was interrupted by a loud noise that reminded her of an explosion. ”H-huh?” ”It came from outside,” Rider said calmly. Charlie was about to turn her heel and run out of the study, when Rider grabbed her arm. ”W-what? What is it?” ”Wait.” Rider seemed to listen for something. ”Your grandfather most certainly dabbled in magecraft without telling you.” ”What do you mean?” ”This room. This study. There are wards blocking magic detection set up all around it. If you leave the room, whatever made that noise might detect you. No – it most certainly will. And if it's a Servant or an enemy Master – which I wouldn't be surprised if it were – they'll want you dead.” ”B-but I can't just stay here!” ”Oh, you can, and you will.” Rider let go of Charlie, and walked over to one of the barred windows. ”Here. You can still see outside through the boards,” she said as she peaked through the boards. Heart in her throat, Charlie walked over to join her. She had the feeling – no, she knew – she had gotten herself into something way over her head. She peaked through the boards under Rider. ”Excuse, make room, please...” ”...” It had gotten dark outside. Charlie could see the stars, and the lights from downtown. Other than that, the only lights came from the old villa they were in, and the streetlights. ”I don't see anything.” ”Your eyesight isn't as good as mine, I guess. Don't feel bad about it though, like I said, I do qualify as an Archer as well.” Charlie grumbled and squinted her eyes. ”There, Master. On the lawn.” She looked where Rider told her to - on the villas large front lawn. There was a large, smoking hole in the ground, but Charlie realized that's not what Rider wanted her to look at. No, it was the two humanoid shapes standing on each side of the hole, facing each other. One of them was holding a long stick. Charlie squinted even more. No, it was a lance of some kind. ”What're-” ”Servants.” Charlie could feel her heart drop from her throat down into her stomach. ”Master.” Rider looked at Charlie. ”Your orders, please.”