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ijustwanttoreadfanfiction · 2 years ago

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Candyland

Rockstar! (ish) Eddie Munson x AFAB! Bar Dancer Reader

Cherry Pie is always the inspiration for some absolute filth. Reader works at a Coyote Ugly type bar - you'll find out, it's hard for me to describe this one. Because I suck.

Warnings: Explicit language, explicit sexual content, oral sex (m receiving), p in v sex, suggestive content with the dancing?

The R-Bar, Chicago - 1991

Eddie is sweating his nutsack off, fingers red raw from shredding for almost two hours, voice sore and crackling. The mediocre applause that follows him off the small stage with the rest of the band hardly seems worth the pain. He snags a water bottle from a beat up trestle table, chugging it in relief as their manager Lambshank approaches; so named because he got shanked in prison with a lamb bone, true story.

“That was a killer set guys, great work, the crowd loved you!” He hails with so much bravado it verges on sarcasm.

“Yeah, all fourteen of them.” Eddie deadpans.

“I counted seventeen.” Jeff wryly supplies with a rough croak, finishing off his own bottle of water.

“Alright, it wasn’t the biggest crowd, granted, but everyone has to start somewhere.” Lambshank reasons.

“Yeah, but we started this group eleven years ago, Shank.” Eddie huffs, he knew the rockstar dream wouldn’t be an easy one to achieve but he thought after graduating and being able to pour all his time and what little money he had into the band they’d be playing bigger and better venues by now.

He was fed up, every place was like The Hideout back home, filled with drunks, and sticky floors. They did have a couple of genuine fans, who they appreciated even if they were slightly over-zealous in their affections; Gareth had never quite been the same since Luann, the forty-seven year old divorcee, threw her FF bra directly at his face mid-show.

“You fellas need a fun night out, get yourselves pumped up again and I know just the place.” Lambshank says bracingly, working his fists back and forth like a Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robot. Eddie scrubs at his tired sweaty face, pushing his hair out of his eyes, wanting nothing more than to shower and go to bed, god he was getting old.

“Shank I don’t need a night out, I need to get some sleep.”

“Eddie, I promise you, you’ll enjoy it - and the first round of drinks are on me.” Shank offers teasingly.

_______________________________________________

“Candyland?” Gareth asks, reading the pink neon sign aloud as they all stand outside a rather nondescript looking building, the loud heavy bass thumping of music the only indicator there might be something going on inside.

“Candyland.” Lambshank affirms with a grin, gesturing towards the heavy door in front of them, a burly and surly looking doorman giving Lambshank a curt nod letting the group in.

It’s a cacophony of noise, and flashing lights, the place is packed to the rafters, the smell of stale beer and sweat heavy in the air. But it’s the movement from the bar area that catches Eddie’s eye, a group of women all around his age in various states of undress, dancing and grinding along to No Sleep Till Brooklyn - Beastie Boys, they also appear to be serving drinks.

“Welcome to Candyland boys!” Lambshank laughs, patting Eddie heavily on the back.

It’s certainly a show, the girls are laughing and screaming things out, men and women on the floor crowded up to the raised surface cheering loudly, throwing money, and generally having the time of their lives.

The song finishes up, and the bar girls all jump down to be replaced by an older looking blonde woman with a microphone in her hand.

“Candyland, how are we doing tonight?!” She yells, to a deafening cheer. “C’mon I know you can do better than that, I said HOW ARE WE DOING TONIGHT?” She corrals with a fist to the air.

The bar shouts back in unison, even Eddie finds himself wanting to join in.

“That’s what I like to hear.” She laughs throatily. “Now I want you to give it up, and by that I mean your hard earned dollars, for our girl JETT!”

I Love Rock ‘N Roll - Joan Jett starts up, along with a raucous cheer from the crowd as girl jumps up onto the bar in black PVC booty shorts, a ripped white crop top, black bra visible underneath and black high-top converse, her back is to everyone as she claps her hands and stamps along to the beat, Eddie tears his eyes away trying to work out the best route to the bar in order to actually get a drink when Gareth starts tugging hard on his arm.

“Jeez man what?” Eddie huffs in irritation, Gareth points dumbly back towards the bar, mouth hanging open, Eddie looks again and feels his own jaw drop.

“Holy shit it’s -” Jeff breathes, the girl is finally facing the crowd, throwing her body back and forth, a huge smile plastered across her pretty face.

“Y/n -” Eddie finishes his sentence with a gulp.

Eddie hadn’t seen you since graduation, but it was definitely you, despite your get up and apparent new found sense of confidence there was no mistaking your face. You had been something of a shrinking violet at High School, choosing to hang out with Eddie and the gang as they didn’t mind that you were painfully shy and preferred books to conversation, and whilst you had never been a fully fledged member of Hellfire you sometimes took part in the occasional campaign if they were short and Eddie coaxed you enough.

It didn’t seem you needed to be coaxed into doing anything anymore though as you gyrated on the platform, hooking your leg and arm around a pole between the bar top and ceiling, spinning about seductively. You headbang slightly, before dropping low to grab a handful of dollars from a howling man, one of the girls behind the bar passes you up a bottle of vodka and you expertly pour a shot into the man’s open mouth. As the song fades out, some of the other girls jump back up to join you, the vodka bottle in your hand being swapped for the microphone.

“Good evening Candyland.” You purr slightly out of breath, laughing loudly at the tumultuous response. “Life is sweet, but you know what? It could be a little sweeter, so how about we pour a little sugar on you?” You ask suggestively, throwing your arms up as Pour Some Sugar On Me - Def Leppard rings out.

Eddie doesn’t know where to look, well he knows exactly where he wants to look but he doesn’t know if he should. You’re back to back with one of the other girls, both winding down to your knees, you crawl across the bar and Eddie finds himself standing tiptoes to follow your progress. You lay on your back, arching upwards, so your chest is on display, while a redhead girl in Daisy dukes wets your body with the seltzer tap. You screech wildly, shaking your head allowing the liquid to splash the front row, Eddie thinks he might pass out as the blood thunders down from his brain to his cock.

You move back up into a kneel, taking the tap and spraying it into the raucous crowd, whilst necking a beer you’ve taken off of someone. You and the rest of the girls line up, all bending sideways so you’re grabbing the ass of the other, spanking in time to the music, before shaking your legs so the muscles bounce and jiggle.

“This is insane.” Gareth says weakly next to Eddie, and he has to agree. You straighten up, spinning around the pole once again until you’re head on staring at Eddie and the group, a wide beaming smile of recognition breaking across your face. You seem to be dancing with even more enthusiasm now you’ve clocked your old school friends, hands running over your own form, as you strut up and down the platform. The redhead from before has a bottle of whiskey in her hand which she pours on her chest with a subtle nod to you, you lean in and lick the gold liquid from her skin, to rapturous hoots and hollers, tracing your tongue up her neck until you meet her mouth; Eddie notices more dollar bills clutched in your hands as you pull away.

The song comes to an end, and you instantly jump down into the crowd, pushing patrons out of your way, practically racing towards the band.

“OH MY GOD, HI!” You shout excitedly, barrelling straight into Eddie first, he barely has time to snap out of his funk and embrace you back before you're pulling away to address the others. You’re flushed with exertion, but to him you’ve never looked prettier.

“Gareth, Jeff!” You hail, bringing each of them in for their own hug, Eddie having to fight down a sudden surge of jealousy.

“Y/n! What the hell man?!” Gareth greets you with a laugh, gesturing to the hive of activity still taking place on the bar behind you.

“Girl’s gotta make a living, ya know.” You tease, punching him lightly in the arm. “It’s my Aunt’s place, she’s the blonde one up there.” You point to the older woman who revved up the crowd earlier, she’s currently pouring a row of shots, but all the while keeping an eye on her girls, including you.

“What are you guys doing here?” You ask casually, like you’re not standing in front of them scantily clad, and the source of their awkward crotch covered stances.

“We’re on tour.” Jeff supplies.

“Holy shit - that’s so cool, where are you playing?” Eddie wants to answer you, but your devastating smile is making his brain short circuit.

“They played the R-Bar tonight. Lambshank, manager extraordinaire and long time patron of Candyland.” Lambshank butts in, offering his hand in greeting, you shake it and Eddie sees a slight wariness enter your expression.

“The R-Bar huh? I’d thought with how good you guys were in High School, you’d be playing bigger venues than that.” You don't say it maliciously, you seem genuinely concerned, and it sparks Eddie's brain and mouth back to life.

“We’ve been trying to but it’s not been going so well.” Eddie says quietly, and you nod in understanding.

“Where are you guys playing next?” You ask with interest.

“We’re at the R-Bar again tomorrow night.” Gareth says, unable to keep the dismay out of his voice.

“Ok, cool, leave it with me. Drinks on the house by the way, just go see my aunt. Catch up properly at close?” You ask quickly, already backing up towards the bar, slipping under the gap and whispering in your aunt's ear as you service the clamouring groups.

Eddie's gaze is firmly fixed on your retreating form, he always had a soft spot for you through school, ok maybe crush was more accurate, although he'd play it off as a brotherly protective vibe when people had asked but what he was feeling now was far from brotherly.

"I'll get us some beers." He says not caring if the others are listening, purposely ignoring Lambshank's request for a double JD, as he makes his way through the thronging horde, with a little elbowing he eventually gets to the front.

“What can I get you handsome?” Your aunt asks him, leaning across the bar.

“Uh - four Coors Dry please.” He responds absentmindedly watching the way you’re shaking a drink at the other end of the bar, clearly flirting with every customer and doing a damn good judging by your overflowing tip jar.

“Would you prefer for my niece to serve you?” Your aunt says with a wry smile.

“Oh - uh - no sorry, just haven't seen her in a while.” Eddie stammers, slipping across a $20 bill.

“You’re Eddie right?” He nods, she smiles and it’s not too dissimilar to your own. “I'm Paula. It’s nice to finally put a face to the name. She never used to shut up about you when she was a teenager, Eddie this, Eddie that.” She laughs, pouring the beers.

“She liked me?” Eddie asks in shock, the thought makes his head spin.

“I don’t think you need to put it in the past tense hunny.” Paula grins, sliding his $20 back across the bar. “You break her heart, I’ll get Doug the Doorman to break your fingers.”

Before Eddie can respond, your voice cuts across the noise once more, you’re up on the bar again, microphone in hand.

“Alright Candylanders, it’s come to our attention that we have some very, very special guests here with us tonight -” The seductive lilt in your tone is back, commanding the attention of everyone in the room, but none more so than Eddie. “- all the way from my hometown of Hawkins, Indiana, they are the next generation of rockstars, the one, the only CORRODED COFFIN!” You bellow pointing towards where Gareth, Jeff and Lambshank are still standing.

“They’re the real deal, and they’re playing at the R-Bar tomorrow, I know - I know it's a fucking shithole." You argue back to the murmured complaints. "But here's the deal, you all go and I will reveal my very secret, very intimate tattoo at the end of their show -” You teasingly pull at the waistline of your booty shorts, before stroking your hand down over your covered mound, the crowd going wild. “- Alright you bunch of horn dogs, save it for tomorrow, now let’s get this fucking party started!” You scream, throwing the microphone down to Paula, who gives you a huge wink.

Cherry Pie - Warrant blares out of the speakers, the girls clambering up to join you once more, pitchers of water in their hands.

“ANYONE ELSE FEELING WET?” Paula shouts into the mic, as you and the rest of the girls pour the pitchers over yourselves, Eddie watches completely enthralled as the water cascades over your chest and down your legs, barely noticing how Gareth and Jeff have joined him.

You stomp over towards them, a huge smile on your face again, dropping into an impressive front split, water droplets glistening over your flushed skin.

“Hey Eddie, you want a blowjob?” You ask loudly over the music.

“Do I want a what?!” Eddie asks incredulously, half laughing, half choking on his beer.

You jump down, grabbing a shot glass, and two bottles of liquor, topping it off with some whipped cream.

“A blow job.” You present to him with a devious smirk.

Eddie throws his head back in a proper laugh, the kind of laugh you used to savour hearing through school, he moves to take the shot but you slap his hand anyway.

“Oh that’s not for you big boy, it’s for me. You need to sit right here.” You say patting the bar top, Eddie looks at you warily but hoists himself up regardless with a smile, you wink and then move to the other end of the bar, whispering something to Paula as you pass.

“Ohhhhh! Ladies and gentlemen, it looks like Jett is about to give some lucky guy a blowjob!” Paula shouts through the mic, stopping mid pour to ring a bell, Eddie’s ears hurt from the wolf whistles and stamping of feet.

Two girls, the redhead and a brunette, help get him in the correct position, legs spread with the shot in between, you get lifted onto the bar by Doug blowing a kiss to him and the gathered crowd. Sinking to your knees you stalk towards him in a slow crawl, he would never be able to listen to Smooth up in ya in the same way ever again. When you reach him, you lean in close to his ear so only he can hear you, his arm automatically coming up to steady you as you hover.

“When I touch your knee, put your hand on the back of my head, and when I touch it again let go.”

You move back, grinning from ear to ear, running your hands over his chest, down and down, fingers brushing his thighs, until you reach his knees; Eddie lifts a shaking a hand to run through your hair at the crown of your head, you wink again before arching low, ass in the air, he can see your lips wrap around the glass; he knows you must notice his raging hard on.

“SHOT, SHOT, SHOT!” The bar screams and Eddie suddenly remembers there are a hundred people watching your antics. Once you have the drink secure, you run your hands back up his legs, tapping his knee once, he lets his hand drop from your head albeit reluctantly. You throw your whole body back, chest jutting out, swallowing the shot to ear splitting cheers and clapping, letting a carefully choreographed bit of liquid spill from the side of your mouth, using your thumb to seductively chase it back to your mouth with a firm suck.

You press a quick kiss to Eddie’s lips, before standing abruptly, taking a bow.

“Can I get one of those? Please?” Gareth asks, voice strained.

_______________________________________________

The rest of the night passes in a blur of girls dancing, pounding music and alcohol but Eddie only has eyes for you. Even when Gareth gets his ‘blowjob’ from the redhead, Cherry, you’re still his focus, the way you move, how openly you laugh with the girls sharing private jokes, the way you handle yourself; fearless and so sexy.

The bar finally closes at 2am, it’s oddly quiet now the sound system is off, only the chink of glasses being collected and general chit-shit fills the air. Lambshank is chewing Paula’s ear off about management opportunities, which she seems to be responding to with good humour. Gareth is following Cherry about like a lost puppy, helping her with clearing tables, and Jeff is asleep in one of the booths, a cocktail umbrella tucked behind his ear.

You’re wiping down the bar top, a shy smile on your face, the one Eddie remembered from school, it seems the shrinking violet is still there once the music is off.

“So Eddie Munson the rockstar huh?” You say, voice a little croaky from a night of shouting and singing.

“I wouldn’t say rockstar.” Eddie murmurs, sipping at his drink.

“Is the band your only job?” You ask pointedly, spraying at a stubborn sticky spot.

“Yeah.” Eddie says, rubbing at his neck feeling self conscious.

“Well then, you’re a rockstar.” You grin softly.

“Alright ladies, you can all head home, Mr Shank here is going to help me finish up.” Paula calls, meeting your raised eyebrows with a sheepish shrug of her shoulders.

Eddie watches as Gareth attempts to rouse Jeff from his deep drunken stupor, wondering if he can manage to get him back to the hotel by himself, not quite ready to leave your side, evidently you are thinking along the same lines as you place a delicate hand on his arm.

“Shall we help get the guys back to your hotel?” You suggest gently, trying not to laugh as Jeff sinks lower into the seat trying to pull Gareth in for a spooning.

“You want to come back with me?” Eddie asks, surprised, not believing his luck.

“Yes, if that’s ok.” You say blushing profusely. “Unless you don’t want me to.” You add quickly feeling unsure of yourself.

“No! - I uh, I mean I would love for you to come back with me.” Eddie stammers, his face burning likely matching the same reddened shade as your own.

“Ok, just lemme go get changed.” You smile breathlessly.

The hotel isn’t far from the bar, and the thirty minute walk allows you and Eddie to catch up some more, sharing lingering looks and touches where you can, in between half carrying, half dragging Jeff. Gareth being absolutely no help, floating along behind slowly, waxing lyrical about how he is in love with Cherry.

“Should I tell him she’s a lesbian?” You whisper to Eddie, stifling a giggle.

“Let him have his moment whilst he’s still hammered.” Eddie laughs. “I’ll break it to him in the morning, assuming he remembers.”

Your head is swimming with all kinds of Eddie related thoughts as you try your best to concentrate on the task at hand, helping Gareth into bed, he passes out as soon as his face hits the mattress in the double room. Eddie situates a now entirely unconscious Jeff with some difficulty, before making sure they both have glasses of water and Tylenol on the bedside table ready for their no doubt horrendous hangovers.

You’re bubbling with nerves as he closes the door, but they abruptly disappear when he takes your hand, leading you down the corridor to his own room. It's small and basic but at least it’s clean.

“So - uh do you want a drink?” Eddie asks, rooting about in a plastic bag on the side. “I have slightly warm Coke or slightly warm Mountain Dew.”

“Such variety! I’ll take a slightly warm Mountain Dew please.” You laugh, perching on the end of his bed, rubbing your hands over your leggings.

“For Madame.” He passes you a can with a silly little French accent, sitting next to you with a can of Coke. “Gotta say it was one hell of a show you put on tonight sweetheart.”

You’re blushing again, shaking your head in embarrassed disagreement.

“It’s nothing special, just silly little dances and tricks, but it pays the bills, and it helps Paula out.” You say dismissively.

“I think it was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.” Eddie mutters, his leg jiggling with nerves or pent up energy, you couldn’t tell.

“C’mon Eddie, it wasn’t that good.” You mumble, thinking if your cheeks got any warmer the sprinkler system would go off.

“When you did that thing with the shot, I nearly came in my pants.” He says honestly, laughing at his own admission, it sparks something within you, the same feeling of fearlessness you experience when you’re up on the bar. You stand up, taking his drink from his hand and placing it on the windowsill with yours, kicking off your shoes and pulling down your leggings so you’re left in your panties and pink Candyland sweater.

“It would be a waste if you came in your pants Eddie, when my mouth is right here.” You whisper, sinking to your knees in front of him, praying you hadn’t misread the signals.

Eddie doesn’t give you long to worry, grabbing your face in his hands, leaning down to kiss you hard, tongue stroking into your mouth making you moan softly.

“Jesus Christ, I can’t believe this is happening.” Eddie murmurs against your lips as you unbuckle his belt, lifting his hips to help you tug his pants and boxers down. His cock slaps against his belly, long and hard, making your mouth water, you wrap your lips around him eagerly, tongue flat against the shaft as you bob up and down.

“Oh - f-fuck.” Eddie groans, hands back in your hair just like at the bar, gently guiding your movements. The room is filled with the sounds of your choking and sucking, the wet slide of your mouth over his throbbing dick, and Eddie’s whimpering gasps.

“Yes! Oh baby, your mouth feels - shit - so fucking good. Used to dream about you - fuck - used to dream about you doing t-this.” He moans, hips pistoning up to meet your open throat as you move quicker. “Can I - ah! Can I fuck you? Please sweetheart?” He begs, and it sends a surge or arousal through you.

You pull off him with a broken gasp, lips swollen and wet.

“Yes please.” You say sweetly, slightly out of breath.

Eddie’s hands are everywhere as he hauls you up from the floor, peeling your panties down, fingers tracing through your wetness whilst he kisses you deeply again.

“Condom - where the fuck did I put the fucking condoms?!” He hisses, stretching back down to retrieve his pants, you laugh peppering his neck with licks and nips.

You’re practically dripping, hovering over his cock, waiting with baited breath as he rolls the condom on, angling the hard tip to your slick opening. Both of you letting out loud moans as you sink down inch by inch, walls hugging him tightly, spasming with the stretch.

“Eddie - oh my god!” You whimper, nails biting into his shoulder, rocking against each other, his balls hitting your ass.

“Yesss, you feel like fucking heaven.” Eddie growls, using his strength to hammer up into you, both knowing the other wasn’t going to last long, the entire evening serving as foreplay. You bring your fingers down to rub roughly at your clit, whining into his mouth through messy kisses, each thrust of his cock bringing you closer and closer to the edge.

“Eddie, babe, I’m gonna cum.” You gasp, pussy tightening almost to the point of pain, vision going blurry as you climax hard.

“Oh god - baby! Fuck -” Eddie chokes out, arms holding you in a bruising grasp, head against your neck as he jerks his hips at a brutal pace, hurtling into his own release with a loud cry.

Eddie continues to pump gently into you, drawing out your orgasms, lazy kisses, and stroking touches bringing you back down.

“Goddamn, why didn’t we do this years ago?” He asks breathlessly, as you laugh with exhilaration, he lays back on the bed pulling you with him, thundering heartbeats steadily slowing.

“Y/n?” Eddie asks quietly after a time, fingers stroking up and down your thighs.

“Mmm?” You murmur sleepily.

“I know I was a little distracted back there, but - uh - I didn’t see any kind of tattoo.”

You laugh again, pushing off the bed, rummaging through your bag, throwing a small packet at Eddie.

“Candy cigarettes?” He queries in confusion.

“Yep, with a free Batman rub-on tattoo.” You grin, jumping back onto the bed straddling him once more, shoving one of the candy sticks into your mouth.

“Those are a filthy habit, sweetheart.” Eddie teases grinning widely up at you.

“Care to do the honours?” You smirk devilishly, waving the temporary tattoo at him.

_______________________________________________

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danwhobrowses · 1 year ago

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One Piece Chapter 1112 - Initial Thoughts

3 Long Long Weeks

But finally we have returned, One Piece is back and the chaos resumes!

I'm glad Oda of course got to rest, but these weeks have been rough without it, so I'm eager to jump back into Egghead.

Spoilers for the Chapter, Support the Official Release too!

We continue with the Yamato-quest cover story, apparently he's asked Kin'emon for a favour and has compensated for it with payment

As the Mark IIIs get taken down, V. Nusjuro criticizes Vegapunk's decision to give Bonney 'the power to destroy nations'

Of course blind to the fact that they literally have been robbing a child of their parent and been trying to kill her, but yes poor you and your clone army will listen to their child over you

The Navy are still trying to target the Giants' ships, as we get back to the Vice Admirals confronting Bonney and Franky

Fuck yeah Franky! Bellamied that Vice Admiral Nine-Chins!

Bonney de-ages and kicks away the Shell Vice Admiral as well with ease

The transmission is still ongoing, Vegapunk has a sensitive mouth, given the tongue, so he's waiting for the coffee to cool

York leads Mars to the room where it was recorded, and Mars immediately went for the laser!

York continues to explain, stating that destroying the building is futile

We get another layout of Punk Records, sounds like it's an explosion hazard, gas cylinders that could blow Punk Records sky high

Mars suggests that York use their collective mind to figure out where Vegapunk hid the broadcaster, though York mentions something about 'sins' which Mars seems to pick up on

He also senses something in Punk Records, some decent observation haki

York details what the snail looks like and Mars flies off

In the control center, Stussy is alive and so is Kaku albeit still bubbled

I feel like it bodes poorly for her, with Lucci still moving and all, but Kaku asks whether she just got abandoned

Seems Stussy has a mission still to do, one she volunteered to stay behind for

Interesting though that Kaku didn't know it was Mars, given how Lucci did

Edison explains that Stussy is staying behind to lower the barrier

Also Robin panels! She's still in a med bed but this time she has dialogue!

The group still have concerns though how they'll get out without Vega Force 01, even though Edison says the odds are impossible

Usopp has a Coup de Burst set, but we're waiting on Zoro and Jinbe, it may come down to improvisation

Edison seems to respect that though, despite the odds and the facts he admires tenacity

And with that inspiration he leaps from the Labosphere, with a plan to get them to safety - as well as tanking the laser damage

Godspeed little fella, sorry for hoping you were a fraud at the beginning because of your namesake

Back with Luffy and their escape has been halted by Shai Halud

Ju Peter is using suction to try and bring them back in so Luffy stuffs a building in his mouth

But that's it again for Gear Fifth as he goes saggy, fortunately the Giants have food called Hákarl

Fermented Shark Meat, but it'll do, it was said to be reserve rations

Warcury's on the charge next, but is hit by a Red Roc

Luffy's hand aches from the impact though, so Warcury is very durable or has the Rough Skin ability like a Garchomp

Oh no...Saturn has climbed to the Labosphere with Nami, Robin, Brook, Lilith and Usopp

And V. Nusjuro has blocked the path ominously between Bonney, Atlas and Franky

Mars finds a transponder snail with a minute of time remaining too, it all looks dire

It looks dire, but something tells me there's a switch coming.

Saturn will likely be confronted by the returning Zoro and Jinbe, though I'd like to see Usopp, Nami and Brook put up a fight. V. Nusjuro will likely be a Sanji opponent methinks, though he's built to be a Zoro opponent I think the alternation makes sense there. Either way due to immortality the Straw Hats can't win, there has to be a secondary clutch action in order to trigger an escape, the Iron Giant is one thing probably on the ground level but perhaps whatever Edison plans is a second?

It was good to see Robin and Stussy again, and the latter actually doing something even though I'm 90% certain Lucci's gonna jump her at the worst moment. I still hope for a Kaku face turn again but we'll see, him being moved likely means the other CP agents and Seraphim could've been moved too, spared from the wreckage. Also proud that Franky one-shotted a vice admiral because yes, that should be how a Yonko crewmember would deal with it!

As for the transponder, I don't think that's where Punk put it, it's a feint, an inconspicuous decoy that will undercut the Gorosei's believed victory in the moment, pride comes before the fall after all and the narcissism on these dicks is outstanding.

Interestingly I don't know any other lingering factors that can come in clutch, unless the Grand Fleet are gonna pop out; Doll and Bluegrass are still circling the island so something will likely happen there, the Seraphim are at the mercy of the chain of command, so it's getting to the make or break part of the arc before the grand escape.

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haliespages · 9 months ago

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🏛~ mini reviews

fallen thorns by harvey oliver baxter - 3.5✨️

loved the atmosphere and the beginning and end were entertaining. middle slogged a bit and i found myself a bit uninterested. i do think clarification was needed on the sun moon and star part as well as just more refinement in the world building as it was missing any sort of context or reasoning. i do plan to continue the series at this moment

dragonfruit by makiia lucier - 4.5✨️

this was an easy read, the world was drenched in folklore and myth, and it was decently straightforward in plot but still able to keep my interest. the story was simplistic but still held water with nuanced conversations of culture, greed and conservation. to some i could see it reading a bit young, but i personally loved it.

untethered sky by fonda lee - 5✨️

i was blown away by this novella and how much power was packed into its pages. the prose and storytelling was enchanting, as well as the rocs of course. i felt true emotion for the characters and their troubles and flipped through this with hardly a breath in-between. while i would never complain about a full series in this world, this is a book that was truly made for the novella format.

the voyage of the basilisk by marie brennan - 4.5✨️

starting out slower, this installment quickly got faster and full of action. we see so much more on dragon biology and taxonomy, and even a piece of dragon embryos. i was also shocked to see conversations about gender and sexuality woven into one of the storylines. this light academia series is one for the books (hah.) and this is currently my fav in the saga.

the sins on their bones by laura r. samotin - 3✨️

i really wanted to adore this but i found it to be jumbled. the story starts in the wrong place, firstly. to me, this would have been much better if this was a sequel to another book explaining the coup and past war. we are mostly told not shown the effects of this war on our characters, sprinkling in some small flashbacks but it truly didn't show the actual emotional turmoil we were expected to feel. it felt like reading the end of a book before the beginning. the last 100 or so pages were great and held my interest, i just wished the rest did as well.

the wings upon her back by samantha mills - 3.5✨️

i really loved the dual timelines in this and the character work was exceptional. my only vice was worldbuilding. it was very hard to picture this world and what it looked like, i personally think it would benefit greatly from a map and some more refining in the world section of things. certain parts are very well defined, but overall the image was quite hazy.

#bookblr #booklr #books #books and reading #bookstagram #book review #reading #bookworm #lifestyle #literature

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thecharmingchimaera · 3 months ago

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3, 12 for the oc asks!!!!!

Ooh thank you lovely! OC asks here

3. What was the first thing you decided on, the character's name, appearance, personality or their role in the story?

The Dark Urge AKA Dark’s name was already chosen for me, so funnily enough it was actually the appearance - I got the inspiration for gold eyes and dark hair from Daemon Sadi of Anne Bishop’s Black Jewels series (who incidentally I’m convinced the writers drew a teeny bit of inspiration for Astarion from, they’re very similar). I liked the idea of a very striking figure who’s suave but also terrifyingly dangerous - by the time I’d worked out that her personality and backstory were very different, the description had stuck ahaha. I also wanted to emphasise the Frankenstein nature of her “birth”, so I deliberately gave her odd or contradictory characteristics - glowing infernal eyes, undead pallor and disjointed heartbeat, claws, drow-like grey-ish skintone and ears, orc-ish muscle. It’s been good fun haha.

12. Do you have a playlist for the character? What songs do you associate with them and why?

DO I! :D It has a heap of songs, but for some reason the song I tend to associate with her the most is “Natural Born Thriller” by Des Rocs. I think because the build-up of tension immediately followed by a pun is very “her” to me, idk. Also the mentions of a “blood-red sun” and “half a man and half apocalypse”.

There’s far too many to list here, but some of my other top ones include:

“I Am the Lightning”, by Des Rocs – I chose this because she was originally going to be a storm sorcerer. I eventually discarded the storm sorcery and settled on eldritch knight shenanigans, but the song is still so great. It captures her ominous arrogance.

“Scarlet Cross” by Black Veil Brides - I just. The guitars man. So cool. Also the generous helpings of religious motifs and implied ostracisation. I feel like this really captures her sense of isolation and fatalistic “I’m doomed from birth, but I’ll keep fighting anyway” mindset.

“Itch” by Nothing But Thieves - This fits the urge so well, that sense of it lying beneath the skin like blood, and also the line “I just want to feel something real” dovetails very nicely with my Durgestarion nonsense. It’s great.

“Mad Visions”, by Royal Blood - The line “It feels so good to be letting go” also evokes the urge to me. I like the frenzied grin-and-bear-it mood of this song too, it feels fitting.

“Judgement Day”, by Stealth - This was a wild one! I didn’t expect to include it until Dark tapped me on the shoulder one day and went 🥺 It’s a beautiful ballad about owning up to your mistakes and facing the consequences of your actions, which feels apt.

#thank you this has been so much fun #oc asks #ocs #bg3 #fanfiction

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trash----panda · 5 months ago

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Story time my garbage gallery

Tw. Swwh and bitey owie

We didnt know how it happened or where it came from, it was all too quick, these creatures from the stars nearly wiped humans off the face of the earth in a matter of days. Nora had managed to find a survival group, one of the lucky few who lived in groups. They'd been together the past month, their camp was near the Parrvian nesting grounds, it was risky but it kept raiders and the ones better at hunting away. Today was a special day for them, they'd been preparing hide from the dead one in the hopes of masking their scents. Parrvians had no eyes, just a bunch of nostrils along their snouts, they stood at about 10 meters tall, but their bodies were long and ferret-like. Nora had convinced John and Haro that they could pass by unnoticed with those suits, they didn't believe her but chose to indulge. That brings us to the now, the one dressed in hide creeping out from behind a broke building on all fours, clicking the back of her tongue like the Parrvians did, her friends taking notes behind the rock.

"they dont even care" "dude that one just sniffed her" "how's she even making that noise"

They spoke hushed so they wouldn't be found, watching in awe, soon to be replaced by terror. She glanced back at them, not noticing the one approaching her, his fur pattern a splash of greys and blacks like a calico's pattern. She couldn't figure out what was wrong till she saw one of them mouth "mutation" she froze, slowly looking up at it. It felt like it was staring back, mutations just meant they had different aspects to them the species didnt, the issue here is everyone in the area knew this one, stories of it had been left on the community board the groups used to communicate, this was Roc. She tried to take a step back, clicking to try and throw it off, instead being picking up between it's talons and brought to it's face "you humans outdid yourself this time, i almost thought you a pup" she paled, her heart rate jumping as she tried to pry his hand off, afraid the others would swarm hearing that. Her struggles only getting a chuckle in response "my kin dont understand english, they just hear weird noises" he sneered, putting her down "so i suggest you run along before i decide you arent THAT interesting" he started to walk off, dragging his tail a little. She glanced at her teammates frantically beckoning her to leave before instead going over and pulling some hair out of his tail. The boys paled, already prepared for the worse, ready to post they'd lost someone today. Roc turned around and snarled at her, holding her down under his claw, his cheeks a warm pink "what the hells was that?! Do you even know what you just did?!" She hesitantly nodded, struggling to get her arm free, but when she did she ripped out some of her own hair and offered it. He sniffed at it before getting off, a growl escaping him, it sounded more embarrassed than angry as he stormed off instead of ending her. She hurried back to the others, smiling brightly "i'd call that a success" John slapped her in the back of the head "dont. Flirt. With. Predators." She winced rubbing her head, following them as they headed back to camp.

Over the next few months she kept visiting, reporting her findings on the board, noticing strange notes claiming the board wasnt safe anymore. She came to find out why when she came to check it one evening, getting tackled by a clawed hand 2x her size. She was probably the worse one to get caught, not panicking when brought up to the grey speckled muzzle to be sniffed, a long and tired huff escaping the larger creature "you know one of these days i'll actually eat you" she gave a little shrugged "kay" he seemed annoyed at this, putting her down "what are you even doing here, why are you all here, it reeks of human all over" she glanced at the board, that was a flaw, they all left trails home "it's where we share information, mostly stories about you" he did that weird blush again, she liked it, it was cute "they take a note and pin it here and we get the info by coming" he leaned close to sniff the board "fascinating... Can you read me some?" She hesitated, going over to the board "food found over near old creek road, will share. The Roc is approaching Junker city, if anyone can lead it away. Nesting season is coming prepare to collect egg shells" he wrinkled his snout "why collect eggs" she shrugged "smell like you" after about an hour he grew bored, quietly thanking her before just slinking off, she was hurt he just left but that didnt matter, he didnt seem to care about that.

Spring came quickly, humans gathering egg shells when the nest were unattended, including Nora's group. They'd sent her alone since the hide was tailored to her size. She'd assumed it'd still work, gathering up chunks of shell, marching along through the nests, that is until she noticed they seemed to be "staring" more than usual. She waited for one of the females to approach her again, sticking her arm out for it to smell, yah that'd be -CRK- it bit into her arm, she could feel the teeth scraping against her bone as she tried to pull her arm away, dropping her egg shells. What- how- she got her arm free when it tried adjusting it's grip, trying to run, she could hear it roaring to alert others of the nest intrusion. She felt dizzy as the wound bled, it was deeper than was safe, she needed to find somewhere to wrap it. She looked back to check if she was being followed, so focused on the swarm she didn't notice the one in front of her until it was too late, the massive jaws scooping her up like a pup. She tried to protect her good arm, all of her except for her legs engulfed within the beast, trying to pry her fingers between its teeth to get it to let go. The teeth moved, but her relief was short lived as they simply let go, gravity doing the rest. Her head hit the soft palette at the back of his mouth, already soaked in saliva she was pretty easy to slide around, she was trying to get her bearings before the ground disappeared from under her, she didn't even have time to yelp as the muscles opened up and swallowed her. It was so tight she thought she'd suffocate before anything, pushing and kicking as tears clouded her eyes, this wasn't supposed to happen. She was pushed into a smaller chamber, it wasn't as tight at least but it still didn't give her much room. She whimpered, her whole body aching as she slowly gave up, not sure if the moisture on her cheeks was her own tears or just the digestive enzymes surrounding her. A gentle purr rocking the walls against her "i told you i'd eat you one day" the words echoed around her, she let out a little sniffle "wh- Roc?" She waited for a response, scared her mind was playing tricks on her "of course, who else would eat something as trashy as you" he wasnt good at jokes, hoping they did ease her mind though. She pressed her face into the wall, whimpering "you big idiot" he pressed back from the outside "that's not what you call someone who rescued you" she chuckled, trying not to choke on her own tears. He rubbed his sternum ".... I didnt eat you ok... You're in my crop?" She nodded a little "o-ok" he heaitated before speaking again "you're safe, i promise" she laughed again, just overwhelmed "i know"

#oc #my ocs #giant/tiny #size difference #gianttiny #a little bit of swwh #swwh #swallowed whole #e a/t #eaten alive trope #sfw vore

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tollingreminiscentbells · 1 year ago

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All of my best fic ideas are AUs or at least AU-adjacent. I have this really fun idea for a canon divergence Harrymort heist story, which sounds unhinged (it is unhinged), but I categorically cannot touch it until I've finished RoCS because heist stories can be hard to pull off.

Much like a museum heist.

There are just a lot of genre conventions and fiddly details you can't fuck up or the whole thing will collapse under its own weight. And I don't have the capacity to write two deeply involved and complex stories at once. I'm not that kind of writer.

I think my problem is that my impulse is to construct these big stories with a ton of world building and intricate plots. I mean, for fuck's sake, I have an idea for a naga fic that should just be an excuse to write weird sex, but I can't do it without determining exactly how we got to the naga thing in the first place and what the rules of this mini-universe are. As though that is what someone interested in monsterfucking fiction is going to care about. But I care. I care profoundly.

One day. I'll get all of them written one day.

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journalsouppe · 1 year ago

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The very first game in the series: The Legend of Zelda! It was really fun to play through such an iconic game but honestly if I didn't have my switch with save states I probably would've lost my sanity. I already did when I was stuck in a room with so many darknuts and wizzrobes T_T_T_T. I've read a lot of Zelda analysis books from the pyschology to the localization and quite a few times have I read nostalgic stories about playing Zelda 1 as a kid and playing it again with their spouse as they got older. One story even recounted how the author and his wife still had an old piece of paper that mapped out the different dungeons and labeled what was in each room and where to find the items. I hope to replay this game again true to its original form but it's something I'd love to do with a friend, so unfortunately for how I played it the rating is low. The stickers are from the ALTTP sticker pack by Comstock Cafe and I just took the stickers that were the most generic to use for this game and the Adventure of Link ^_^;

Writing typed below!

Rating: 6.5 Played: SP 2023 Port: NES Switch (special edition)

Comments:

There's a special ED where you start with ever overworld item

oh side view in dungeons was always a thing (i was confused about this during the oracle games)

VIRE!!

Aquamentus my beloved

love the moon shaped dungeon

omg the first moldorm

roc's feather and cape was originally a ladder?

love that Dodongos are from Zelda 1

no in between quests just dungeon after dungeon

GLEEOK

i hate pea hats so much

I like link's little face when he gets an item lmao

these bosses are so easy

i hate L-6

i like how death mountain is the end area (before gorons)

oooh lion key

there's like no story and zelda is only here at the end (apparently the switch editions skip the opening credits and I was so confused)

spectacle rock is the last dungeon!!

fuck wizzrobes oh my god

even with the special edition this game is still pretty cryptic

I like how you have to collect pieces of the triforce

why is patra only a miniboss

oh these are the same bosses over and over

i like seeing the evolution of the beast ganon fights, ALTTP was similar but better

Summary:

A great game for it's time but they intentionally punish you with the damn wizzrobes, that's why the rating is so low lmao. I didn't realize there was legitimately no story at all and Zelda only appears at the very end. I can see how the Zelda series expanded into what it is now. This game was the perfect sandbox as it had super iconic enemies and characters but was lacking the world building that let Nintendo do whatever they wanted with the many sequels that released. Even though I played the special edition which gives you all the overworld items from the beginning, this game is still so cryptic. I cannot imagine playing this game when it originally released, especially without a guide. This game is still iconic and I'm excited to see Zelda 1 references in TOTK!

#journalsouppe #bullet journal #journal #tloz #legend of zelda #loz #the legend of zelda #zelda journal #zelda 1

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loominggaia · 1 year ago

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What would happen if shadow had babies? Like she flies away for afew months, returns and lays a viable egg. What would the crew do with the oversized baby bird & how excited would Issac be to be a bird uncle?

I actually have a rough story concept about this scenario! It's just been sitting in the "random ideas" folder for a long time, but the idea was that Shadow would disappear for several weeks and the FGG goes on a quest to find her.

The narrative follows Shadow as she takes a journey to the Serkel Desert, compelled by instinct to breed. She encounters all sorts of other wildlife along the way. Among them is another female roc, who has been captured by Crescent Cultists. Shadow fights off the cultists and frees her. But as it turns out, this roc has been corrupted by dark magic and attacks her.

Shadow narrowly escapes this enthralled roc and flies further into the desert. Eventually she encounters more rocs, who belong to Morite soldiers. The rocs are being used to bomb bandit encampments from the sky. Shadow tries to help them with their mission, but screws it up and gets chased away.

Tired and injured, she stops by an oasis to rest. There is a Temple of Love and Light here, and the priestesses come out to feed her and tend her wounds, as she is a venerated animal in their religion. Soon, Prince Jaq flies in on his own roc to discuss secret plans with the priestesses. Shadow is enamored with this roc. Unlike her, he is very stoic and well-disciplined. Shadow tries to play with him but he's reluctant, because he's been trained not to engage with wild beasts.

Jaq exits the temple and finds Shadow. He can tell by her behavior that she must already have a master, but whoever it is, it is clearly not a soldier, or else she wouldn't be so silly and disobedient. Jaq takes the harness off his own roc and gives him permission to play until morning. His roc and Shadow frolic through starry skies all through the night and return to the temple at runrise. Jaq climbs on his roc and flies off, while Shadow returns to the Hollow.

She encounters the FGG on the journey back, finding them in some kind of trouble they got into while they were looking for her, and rescues them. Later on, Shadow builds a giant nest and lays an equally giant egg. Unfortunately I had no idea where to go from here, so the concept remains unfinished.

But I do think Isaac would be super excited! The rest of the crew would be more wary, especially Lukas, who can barely stand Shadow as it is. Now there's two of them? He is not thrilled...There would be a debate with the local nymphs too, about how much this foreign creature might harm the ecosystem.

Isaac would do his best to help Shadow take care of this baby bird. But he would learn a harsh lesson as it grew older, because it would begin competing with Shadow for territory. The two birds would fight violently, which would really upset Isaac; not to mention all the collateral damage these giants would cause every time they brawled.

Isaac would do everything he could to help them get along, but eventually realizes that this behavior is just in the creature's nature, and the best thing to do is to release the baby into the wild. He and Shadow take the baby roc to the Serkel Desert to set it free in its natural habitat. Shadow leads them to the same Temple of Love and Light she visited before, and this is where they part ways.

That's just one possible scenario! I think there are a lot of different directions to take this idea.

Questions/Comments?

Lore Masterpost

Read the Series

#ask #askliterature #askshadow #askwhatif

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cryptidclaw · 1 year ago

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RoC Idea: jay starts out as a healer apprentice instead of holly and when the switch happens its Jay becoming a warrior apprentice and Falcon (lion) becoming a healer apprentice

Jay feels like he is being pushed to and expected to be a healer due to his strong connection to the Stars and ppl's worries for him due to his blindness. So he chooses to be a healer apprentice, but the longer he is one the more he knows that he HATES it.

Falcon on the other hand becomes more and more fearful of his powers, and the rage that comes with it. He fears hurting or killing a cat by not being able to control himself. He chooses to become a healer to deny that side of him and embrace helping cats instead.

Also idk like Falconwing and Jaycry

#cryptidclaw's warriors au #rise of change #jaywing #jayfeather #Falconstrike #lionblaze #roc story building

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autisticempathydaemon · 1 year ago

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Have never done anything like this before but I wanted to participate because why not!

Hope I'm doing this right- this is for the RedactedAudio Match-up :)

1 - Ok so I have 2 song fixations, first one is "Used to the Darkness" by Des Rocs and the other is "Morning Coffee" by Chevy and Nalba

For Used to the Darkness the specific verse is the chorus, it's a bit long for tumblr but I'll give my reasoning. I've always loved this kind of rock because it reminds me of the 90s rebellion kind of era and this verse strikes me as 'society has forced me down by its standards and is leaving me in the dust because I've "made a mistake", but I'm going to fight because my life hasn't started yet and I'm too young to simply give up'. Every time I hear that chorus it gives me a second wind of sorts and reminds me to just keep going, to keep being stubborn and to keep being me unapologetically.

For Morning Coffee there is no specific line because I resonate with the whole song lol. I'm a very big coffee addict, like I need coffee or tea every day to make it feel right. The reason being is that it's a small comfort treat to help me feel better especially when some days just aren't the best and I need a pick me up to feel better, even if it's a little bit. I listen to this every morning on my commute and every afternoon on the way back home, it's such a big comfort song that I keep on repeat.

2 - 6! (subtype sp) 3 - I love a good video essay! My favourite ones are a bit niche but I especially love SovietWomble's essay about "The Forest" because it's a deep dive critique and explanation of what happens when lore is added to a game post-release and why it's so important to develop it as a whole rather than doing it in bits as it can be the difference of an amazing or completely underwhelming experience. As someone who writes for fun and loves to play games soley for the lore sometimes, I found it useful to develop and hone my skills in world-building and making my stories more coherent. Also because he did a face reveal at the end BUT THAT'S BESIDES THE POINT!

4 - Gosh I haven't talked about my imaginary friend in a bit, her face evades me but I remember she would always help me sleep or play with me when no one else did (so everyday basically). She always wore a yellow dress and had her hair up in pigtails. I never gave her a name because she never needed one, I just called her 'friend', I miss her

5 - Put on a redacted audio vid and fall asleep to that lmfao (usually a david vid)

6 - I honestly don't know what I'd change my name to, sometimes I just wish I didn't really have a name because my self identity fluctuates so much

7 - Favourite redacted audio, hm, tbh any of David's audios. I find myself always returning to one of his videos but I think I like his camping one the most, I cry every time but hearing the stories makes my heart so full and like I genuinely want to comfort him.

8 - Huxley maybe? I love his pairing with Damien but I've never really liked or gotten into his story much, might just be a me thing- but hey he's gay so that's fun

9 - RWBY! Specifically volumes 1-3 because they're so iconic, love the entire series though, I quote it a lot to myself.

10 - Guy, he's as much as a dumbass and gremlin as I am and I THRIVE off of the chaotic energy so much. Plus he can make me pizza while we hang out so that's fun!

11 - Memes, I will start quoting memes. Either that or "Which character would win in xyz situation? A or B?" 12 - 7-11 hot chocolate but instead of milk I put a latte in it

13 - Karu's "How To Train Your Dragon" orchestra cover playlist 14 - smutty audios... idk I just find it fun to scour for a good audio on reddit lmfao

15 - I'm very argumentative and will debate anyone on any topic (I've been a debater for years), but I'm also very much a people pleaser because I like to give people gifts and do acts of service. Uh- does a plushie addiction count as something that'll tell you who I am? I like dnd and Critical Role

Thank you!

Ooh, I love you; you gave me so much information to work with! There were a good amount of possibilities I was working with, but if you’re an argumentative Six, who else can I pair you with but Avior?

You’re both similar in a lot of ways- a love of debate, prone to Acts of Service, Type Sixes who are loyal, thoughtful, and reliable. It’s these similarities but also the differences that make me think you’d be compatible. Avior and his sarcastic, sharp nature would be good at keeping your people-pleasing chaos in check. Your love of storytelling and narratives would be new and so refreshing to him as he’s never put so much thought into fantasy and fiction. He learns to accept your gifts graciously because he wants you to be happy even though he’s not used to it.

Your life together would be so fun; you’d make his life so fun. Avior does not understand your plushie collection, but he tolerates it and comes to terms with their watching eyes every day because he loves you. He also doesn’t understand any of your memes either; he pretends he thinks they’re insipid and pointless, but he actually thinks they and you are cute and silly when you quote them. Also, you’re totally coffee/tea addicts together, and you’ve got the best stocked caffeine cupboards in all of Dahlia.

Song:

Just tea for two and two for tea/ Me for you and you for me alone/ Nobody near us/ To see us or hear us/ No friends or relations/ On weekend vacations/ We won't have it known, dear/ That we own a telephone (oh, I hate telephones) (yeah, me too)

I couldn’t help it; you gave me a coffee song, so I had to give you a tea song in return! I also like it for you, because it’s cute, it’s sweet, it’s singable. It’s not just about tea but love and being together, having tea side by side for the rest of your lives. It’s the kind of song you could sing at Avior, and he’d have to try really hard to not be charmed.

Runner-Ups:

If you’re a DnD fan, I’ve got to give you Lasko as a runner-up; my brain would not allow otherwise! The two of you could write together and be so cute. Asher is your other contender because you’re similar in a lot of ways that would be really fun but more in a platonic, best friend way than romantic like Avior.

note: thank you so much for waiting~! I hope you like your match-up!

Read this post and send me an ask if you’d like a match-up of your own! 💌

#redactedasmr #redactedverse #redacted asmr #redactedaudio #redacted audio #redacted #busybee matches

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rhetoricandlogic · 2 years ago

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‘Untethered Sky’ Review: A Fantasy Novella that Falls Short

3 Stars

By Rachel A. Beard, Contributing Writer

Fonda Lee, who made a name for herself as the author of the fantasy series “The Green Bone Saga,” released “Untethered Sky” on April 11, a novella that follows a hunter and her bird on a quest for revenge. Unfortunately, Lee fails to live up to her reputation in her newest work, as “Untethered Sky” falls short due to its lack of an interesting main character and proper world-building. This is a true disappointment, as the book’s great highlights are overshadowed by its shortcomings.

“Untethered Sky” is a fantasy adventure that follows the story of Ester, a young woman who dreams of becoming a ruhker — one of the elite hunters who track and kill the deadly, human-eating manticores that plague her kingdom. Despite the fact that ruhking is rarely done by women, Ester is determined to prove herself. Her motivation is fueled by the tragic loss of her mother and younger brother, who were killed by manticores when she was just a child. Ester is tasked with training Zhara, a fearsome and powerful young roc, to help her hunt the manticores. Along with her friends Darius and Nasmin, Ester is given the opportunity to join the most ambitious mission ever assigned to ruhkers: The Great Hunt.

Ester’s determination to become a ruhker is admirable, but her character feels somewhat one-dimensional. Her singular focus on becoming a ruhker leaves her personality underdeveloped and uninteresting. Although she demonstrates bravery and determination in hunting the manticore that killed her family, her character lacks the depth necessary to make her goal emotionally satisfying. Overall, “Untethered Sky” would have benefited from a more multifaceted portrayal of her personality — for example, a more extensive exploration of her strong connection with nature, which the book alludes to but never handles in depth.

Although Esther’s character was somewhat lacking, the character of Darius — one of Ester’s closest friends and her love interest throughout the novella — is more nuanced and interesting, despite the romantic plot being underdeveloped. Like Ester, Darius is consumed by his desire to become a successful ruhker, but what makes his character more lifelike is his evident love for his roc. Although Ester loves Zhara, Darius’s bond with his roc, Minu, is palpable throughout the pages, creating a touching connection between roc and human that was less present in the relationship between Ester and Zhara.

Although “Untethered Sky” offers some strong moments and characters, the overall plot is somewhat uninteresting. The story’s focus on the Great Hunt and Ester’s aspiration to become a ruhker, though providing a clear goal for the characters, makes the plot feel somewhat formulaic and predictable. The book’s occasional twists and turns are not enough to fully captivate the reader’s attention. Additionally, the world-building is lackluster, leaving many unanswered questions about Ester’s kingdom and its culture. While the concept of the ruhkers and their rocs is intriguing, the setting and political tensions are not well-explored. This could be due to the brevity of the novella, but the story would have benefited from a more complete understanding of its world and culture.

Despite its shortcomings, “Untethered Sky” includes several standout scenes, such as the brutal murder of Ester’s mother and brother at the beginning of the novella. This scene is expertly crafted, evoking intense emotions of grief, fear, and horror. Lee’s decision to include unsettling details adds to the situation’s visceral realism and heightens the impact of the tragedy and the horror a young Ester must have felt. This scene serves as a gripping introduction to the story and expertly establishes Ester’s motivation for becoming a ruhker. It is a testament to Lee’s skill that this scene remains vividly etched in the reader’s mind long after the book is finished.

“Untethered Sky” introduces some fascinating concepts and creatures, most notably the rocs at the center of the story, as well as some emotionally powerful scenes. However, the novella fails to do these concepts and scenes justice as its underwhelming main character and world-building ultimately drag the story down.

#Untethered Sky #Fonda Lee #mahreviews #long post

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corinnetheanime · 2 years ago

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I swear Hoyoverse world building has ruined me to the point where I am now saying (in the AU) that Vortex was once one of the Chinese dragon gods known as shén lóng. And his creator was the tiānlóng as one of his aliases.

Design-wise, Vortex has some characteristics that remind me of eastern dragons. But also given the fact he’s a ghost means in the story his form has changed drastically (same with Nocturn, hence his corvid/owl motif as his “true form”).

For Undergrowth, he’s tricker. He has bird motifs too but also more snake-like. And being a nature ghost, means he’s more tied to the earth. I was originally thinking him as Quetzalcoatl too, but would it really fit him? The feathered snake fits so many different roles and I believe it’s more of a sky deity, so that’s why I think it would fit Vortex (or his creator) more.

So then I was gonna go for roosters, but it’s hard to find some good rooster gods (aside from the early Mesopotamian god, Anu, and he’s a sky deity, while Nergal is a god of disease and war). Was also thinking he could be a roc or even the Garuda…but still not sure yet. I want to research more about this.

So going by his creator and main region where she mostly resided (Middle East/Africa/India), I started thinking more of him formerly being the Bennu (the Egyptian bird god that may have been inspiration for the phoenix, not related to one of my OCs with an actual phoenix motif).

Other than that, he’s pretty difficult.

(He also could be Hræsvelgr, the Norse giant that appears an an eagle…but again another sky/wind deity).

Also loving that this is making me read so many different mythologies about these creatures, it’s very fun

#danny phantom #dannyphantom #danny phantom hc #writing #rambles

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crunchsenpai · 21 days ago

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🎌 The Rise of Modern Shonen: How New-Gen Anime is Redefining the Genre

For decades, Shonen anime has stood as the face of Japanese animation—fueled by epic fights, strong friendships, and the classic underdog narrative. From Dragon Ball Z and Naruto to Bleach and One Piece, these titans have defined generations. But as anime continues to evolve globally, a new wave of Shonen has emerged—one that honors tradition while rewriting the rules.

In this article, we’ll explore how modern Shonen anime is redefining the genre. With hits like Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer, My Hero Academia, and Chainsaw Man, we’re seeing not just a shift in animation quality, but also in storytelling, character development, and emotional depth. Let’s dive in.

🔥 High Stakes from the Start

Classic Shonen stories often followed a slow burn—introducing the world, building relationships, and slowly climbing toward conflict. Modern series flip that formula. Shows like Attack on Titan and Jujutsu Kaisen throw viewers into chaos within the first few episodes.

Characters are thrown into danger early on, and death isn’t just a possibility—it’s a certainty. In Chainsaw Man, Denji’s brutal world is established almost instantly, and Demon Slayer’s Tanjiro loses his entire family within minutes of the first episode. This narrative urgency keeps audiences hooked and raises the emotional investment from day one.

💔 Realistic Flaws & Emotional Depth

Gone are the days when protagonists were eternally cheerful (Naruto) or blindly optimistic (Luffy). Today’s heroes are raw, emotionally complex, and often... broken.

Izuku Midoriya from My Hero Academia struggles with anxiety and the pressure of living up to a legacy.

Itadori Yuji in Jujutsu Kaisen is constantly grappling with moral dilemmas, especially around the value of life.

Thorfinn from Vinland Saga deals with trauma, revenge, and eventually—redemption.

These characters reflect real human emotions, making them more relatable. They cry, break, question themselves, and even fail hard. It’s no longer about being the strongest—it’s about why they fight.

🎨 Next-Level Animation: A Cinematic Experience

Modern Shonen also benefits from unprecedented animation quality, often rivaling blockbuster films. Studios like MAPPA, Ufotable, and Wit Studio are pushing the boundaries of what TV animation can look like.

Demon Slayer set a new bar with the Mugen Train arc and episode 19 of season 1, often considered a visual masterpiece.

Jujutsu Kaisen delivers crisp, fluid choreography that makes every fight feel like an event.

Attack on Titan blends 2D and 3D animation to enhance scale and intensity.

This isn’t just eye candy—it enhances storytelling, drawing the viewer deeper into each emotion, battle, and plot twist.

🧠 Smarter Antagonists, Grey Morality

The "evil for the sake of evil" villain trope is dying out in Shonen.

Take Eren Yeager from Attack on Titan. Once the show’s protagonist, Eren evolves into a morally gray character whose actions spark global debate. Is he a hero or a genocidal maniac? That’s left for the audience to decide.

Or look at Geto Suguru from Jujutsu Kaisen 0 and Shibuya Incident Arc. He’s not evil—he’s driven by a twisted sense of justice. Even villains like Dabi (My Hero Academia) have rich backstories that explain their motivations without excusing their actions.

This shift toward nuanced antagonists adds depth and realism, making the conflicts more emotionally engaging and morally complex.

🌍 Global Appeal and Cultural Fusion

Thanks to platforms like Crunchyroll, Netflix, and YouTube, modern anime is a global force. Creators are aware of their international audience and often blend Japanese culture with Western storytelling techniques.

Shows like Cyberpunk: Edgerunners (a Polish-Japanese collaboration) showcase a gritty cyberpunk world that resonates worldwide. Meanwhile, Blue Lock—a soccer anime—draws from European football culture while keeping its shonen roots intact.

Even the soundtracks now fuse J-rock, EDM, and hip-hop to appeal to a broader demographic.

💡 Unique Worldbuilding and Lore

Modern Shonen isn’t content with just a "hero vs. villain" dynamic. The world itself is often a character.

Jujutsu Kaisen introduces a layered power system with Cursed Energy and Domains.

Hunter x Hunter’s Nen system remains one of the most complex and balanced in anime.

Black Clover uses magical grimoires, each unique to the wielder, to explore identity and self-worth.

This kind of detailed worldbuilding invites deeper fan engagement, theory crafting, and repeat viewing.

👥 Representation and Diversity

Another huge win for modern Shonen is its growing inclusivity.

Female characters like Nobara Kugisaki (Jujutsu Kaisen) and Nezuko Kamado (Demon Slayer) aren’t just sidekicks or damsels—they fight, grow, and leave a lasting impact.

Shows like Mob Psycho 100 include themes around emotional intelligence and mental health.

Queer characters and non-binary representation, while still limited, are gaining visibility (e.g., BNA, Beastars, and even in fan communities).

This progress makes Shonen more accessible and resonant for a broader audience.

⚔️ Still Shonen at Heart

Despite all the innovation, modern Shonen still holds tight to its core themes:

Perseverance in the face of overwhelming odds

The power of friendship and loyalty

Fighting for something bigger than oneself

What’s changed is the delivery—more emotional, more cinematic, and more mature.

🏁 Final Thoughts from CrunchSenpai

Modern Shonen is not just an evolution—it’s a revolution. It respects its roots but dares to challenge them. Whether you’re a long-time fan or new to anime, this era of storytelling offers something for everyone: stunning visuals, heart-wrenching plots, and characters you’ll never forget.

So if you haven’t caught up with the likes of Chainsaw Man, Vinland Saga, or Blue Lock—what are you waiting for?

Stay tuned, senpais. The best of Shonen might still be ahead.

#anime #ShonenAnime #CrunchSenpai #AnimeCommunity

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