#White Acropolis maybe??

[descendant-of-truth]

Last night I had a dream where they surprise-dropped three new Sonic Prime episodes, the first of which was a musical, and words can't describe how disappointed I was when I realized that didn't actually happen

Other highlights from it include:

Green Hill suddenly being restored with no explanation as to how

Sonic and Shadow duet

Shadow asking about a huge tidal wave in the distance and Knuckles casually responding with "oh that's just Sonic on another one of his anxiety runs"

Smash cut to the anxiety run in question and Sonic's distress is so palpable that he's shivering, massive tonal clash to how it was just being talked about

Surprise guest appearance from Dave the Intern

Green Hill being overrun by a bunch of Werehog duplicates that I rewound the dream to explain the presence of and then forgot about

Sonic suddenly becoming way grumpier and more unhinged than usual and the comical lack of concern on his friends' part

The rapid shift in personality being NiGHTS's fault (they were trying to give some kind of roundabout moral lesson but failed, Sonic is kind of just freaked out by them now)

Deven Mack absolutely killing it on all of Sonic's musical numbers

[krafterwrites]

Now that I've been thinking about it I'm even more sure that the final level will be 06 related, since the two levels we know are Final Chase and Westopolis, aka an SA2 stage and a Shth stage. Since we see the transition between the two, we know that the stages are still in chronological game order, so the next game they take a level from would HAVE to be 06

[softquietsteadylove]

I know you said you don’t love writing thenamesh as actual biological parents (totally respect that and agree, I especially agree that Thena probably wouldn’t be the most willing mother (although I live and die for TMTL AU)) ANYWAY! would you possibly be interesting in writing something where Thenamesh accidentally stumble into parenthood without meaning to?? Maybe a little orphan child in ancient times won’t leave them alone and they end up raising them? (probably begrudgingly on Thena’s part to begin with but she’s a secret softie especially when Gil is smitten and we all know it). No worries if you don’t wanna write something like that, just something I was thinking about!

Thena sighed, "I know you're there."

She didn't receive a reply, and she knew she wouldn't. She stood from where she had been - entirely against her wishes but at Ajak's behest - reviewing some of the senate's requests. The various war orders and border reports were draining her.

She stepped down towards the door of the room, the skirts of her white toga trailing behind her. She spoke again, "orphan."

He responded to more than that, of course. Sersi thought it was cruel of her to address a child that way, but he responded to it. A small head of blonde peeked out from behind one of the larger vases.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him with an expectant tone. She raised her chin to further look down upon the boy, "you know better than to enter the temple of Athena without permission."

Usually, she was loath to bring up the title of Athena in any way. But if she need be stuck with it, she could make use of it.

The boy shuffled out, his hands clasped in front of the brown burlap of his tunic. "I was looking for Gilgamesh."

The boy was positively enchanted by her Champion. Plenty were, of course, but this boy idolised Gilgamesh and the very ground upon which he walked. And Gil was equally charmed by the small child. She thought he entertained his obsession entirely too much.

But the boy enjoyed trailing behind Gilgamesh when he was walking between the forge and the acropolis, or watching him train fighters in the arenas, or even when he was in the orchards gathering fruit.

"Why do you think he is here?" Thena fixed her eyes on the boy. Most grown men would be sensible enough to cower, but the child stepped even closer to her.

He glanced behind him a few times.

Thena let out another breath. She was not a caretaker, she had no business with the boy steps away from clinging to her. But she unfolded her arms and knelt down to see him better. Children's heads were so small. "Speak."

"The guards," the child twisted his lips. "They tell me not to bother the gods."

They also were no gods of old, at least not how Athens imagined them to be. But Thena had no qualms letting them think that if it meant them keeping their distance, either.

"And if they are correct to tell you these things?" she raised her eyebrows. But the boy shuffled even closer to her. She sighed, "what did you do?"

This child was no angel, just like they were no gods. He liked getting into trouble, challenging those twice his size, proclaiming that he would be a fierce warrior someday. And sometimes that 'challenge' was him running up to someone and whacking them with his only possession: a toy sword, fashioned from wood (clumsily, by his own hand).

"They were being cruel," he spoke in defense of himself. His hands left his tunic to clench into tiny little righteous fists. "They were laughing at old man Socrates! One even threw his apple at him!"

Thena felt her hackles raise. She had no business policing humans; they were of no concern to her. But what did bother her was senseless cruelty to those more vulnerable than the strong. "And you decided to do something about this."

The boy's small shoulders fell again, though. "I told them I challenged them to a duel."

Thena tilted her head. His tunic was still fastened above his trousers with a rope, but there was no toy sword. "Where is-"

He sniffled, trying not to let his tears fall, "they took it and broke it in half."

That was why he had run to her. Well, he had been seeking Gilgamesh's comfort, foremost. But he had also known that if the authorities of Athens were the ones committing an injustice, only the gods would correct them.

Thena frowned at the child's tears dropping onto the stone floor. He wasn't her child; he was no one's. He was, like many others, a result of the many wars Athens had waged before, and were attempting to continue waging. It was exactly that which she was opposing, despite her title as their figurehead for war.

Footsteps approached, heavily and loudly. The boy nearly leapt in fear and scurried to hide himself behind her, even tugging at her dress like a tapestry to hide his feet.

She glanced somewhat over her shoulder in the direction of the little head of blonde hair, getting tears and snot all over her pure white robes.

"Goddess Athena!" the guards greeted her before all else. Their heavy armour and leather skirts made sound with every breath they took. "Forgive our intrusion."

She said nothing.

"We were pursuing a street urchin, and we fear he may have run in here." The captain of their group stepped forward, the adornment on his helmet distinguishing him from the others. "We wish not to disturb you. But we cannot let a stray mutt wander into the hall of gods."

Thena looked at each of them. She owed them no words, and they had no right to ask them. Her lips twitched. "You have a splinter."

The guard seemed embarrassed, rubbing at his arm. "Forgive me, O-Warrior. I was struck with a splintering old board."

A child's toy, now no doubt sitting broken in the streets. Thena looked at the others. "Which of you ate the apple?"

They looked between themselves, confused. "My Lady?"

"One of you was eating an apple," she continued, raising her empty palm. They knew what that meant, stepping back. "And threw it at a harmless old philosopher."

Their faces went pale. It brought some joy to her, but she kept her face even. Their fear was the best part of her day. Rather than deny the wisdom of the Goddess of War, they knelt. "We beg your forgiveness, great Athena."

She drew back, her blade in her hand in a second. She took a harmless swipe over their heads, although the tops of their helmets fell unceremoniously to her floor like feathers from a startled bird.

The men trembled.

Satisfied that her message was received, she retracted her powers like a cat closing its paws. "Be gone from my sight."

The men obeyed, scurrying away, abandoning the remains of their rank, leaving them to explain what had happened to their uniform. If she ever did see them again, she would not be so kind as to let them go with their dignity.

"They will not bother you again," she said more quietly. The boy was strong; he had stopped trembling. And he had, at the very least, the wisdom to let her face his multiple foes.

He sniffled one last time before stepping away from her protection. "They always do, eventually."

Then next time, she would have them begging her for their lives. She kept her eyes looking out the door as she patted the boy's head. She wouldn't have been able to read the expression on his face regardless. "Gilgamesh should be done in the forge by now. He may even take you to the great hall. I believe they are making the baklava today."

The child's eyes lit at the promise of sweets. "Can I have some?"

She did her best not to smile, lest she encourage his youthful impertinence. But she may not have been entirely capable of suppressing it. "Tell them Athena herself demands it."

The boy didn't even look twice at her, running towards the door and nearly slipping in his old, worn sandals.

"Heracles," she called after him. He turned at the sound of his name. "Return with Gilgamesh. We will show you how to strike someone properly."

The boy beamed. His cheeks were ruddy and his teeth were small and uneven, and yet they fit his cherubic face. "Yes, Thena!"

He had heard Gil address her casually too often. If he called her that, what if others thought it acceptable? But she couldn't bring herself to be angry with the boy. It was far too difficult to hold a grudge against something so sweet and innocent.

Technically, the senate decrees still needed seeing to. But she had more important things to think about. And before young Heracles returned with Gilgamesh in hand, she had some whittling to do. She wasn't Phastos, or Sersi, by any means, but even she could carve a sword out of some spare wood.

[kiyomarus]

"He is half my soul, as the poets say."

Hi! I'm kiyomarus!

You can call me Kaeth. Maybe even just Kiyomarus if it works better! I was born in America, but I am technically a full Filipino! more simplified: [ 🇵🇭 (born in 🇺🇸) ] I'm bisexual and agender, so pronouns don't matter. I speak English and I'm out to learn Italian! I understand Tagalog, but I don't speak it fluently.

"I am made of memories."

I am a(n):

-novel writer -ISTP-A -traditional artist -theater kid -professional procrastinator -HUGE nerd

I absolutely love:

--Voltron: The Legendary Defender -> Favorite character: Lance Mcclain --EPIC the Musical -> Favorite saga: Ocean Saga --Rick Riordan's books (PJO, HOO, MCGA, TOA) -> I'm a child of Poseidon! (Dionysus legacy) --Mario Kart / Mario Superstar -> Main: Waluigi --The Deathcast series -> Favorite book: The First to Die At the End --Yaelokre !! -> Favorite song: Hartebeest --Writing books + making covers of them -> I WILL rant to you if you would like

I'm known for:

--Artistry in my elementary school -> I made posters and even our school mascot --Competitive swimming -> If you know me, please pretend you didn't. --Voice acting -> This was for previous Danganronpa fan games. -->None of them have been released with me in it, so don't go looking. --My extremely old fanfiction! -> My Wattpad is atrocious and so are the comissions I took of my classmates.

"Philtatos," Achilles replied, sharply. Most beloved.”

Books that I am currently working on:

Symphonic Verse:

A Demigod’s Symphony: (Series) 1. The White Lightning 2. Of Athens and Sparta 3. Ichor of the Gods 4. A New Segment in Life

-> My Chaos in Death: A Zagreus Philia Story -> Symphonic Imperfection

A New Pledge to Victory: (Trilogy) 1. The Recollection of the Symphony 2. The Athenian Acropolis 3. The Rise of the Demigods

The Ghost King: (Trilogy) 1. Stone of Metal 2. Legend of Vengeance 3. Goodbye Sweet Mirage

-> Outcasts of the Outcasted

Escapism Duology:

Adriana’s Escapism: A Trial to the Future The Veil of the Forest

Soul Haven Duology:

We Were On the Run But No One Stopped Us Two Souls Yet One Haven

Lancaster Duology:

The Eye of the Underworld The Blood of Our Nightmares

No Series Books:

Agents of Angels The Forbidden Library Gilded in Gold

"Name one hero who was happy."

Thanks for looking :)

[i-guess-i-like-sonic-now]

still kind of obsessed with this

the location of the festival of the sun is the centerpiece of end of the world? it's the one part of the hub worlds that is left over from when solaris began devouring space and time. it's like the festival of the sun is a ritual that had this exact situation in mind. a bit strange, considering this detail, that aquatic base is not represented in this stage at all. i wonder if that's because, despite the base being the birthplace of iblis and mephiles, it wasn't truly a special solaris-y location? like aquatic base is a lot more modern and sciencey than the likes of, say, kingdom valley.

a lot of the stages represented in end of the world are outside with a lot of actual earthy, non-industrial terrain, and quite a few involve ancient ruins which have solaris imagery all over. one location that doesn't really make sense in this context is white acropolis, which is eggman's base. another which doesn't really fit is wave ocean, which seems to be just a harbor. tropical jungle has ruins, dusty desert has ruins, kingdom valley has ruins... flame core and crisis city are a bit strange but with the amount of time iblis spent spreading chaos, perhaps the two locations most directly connected to him have become significant in the eyes of solaris? idk.

i find it interesting that, including the centerpiece, the festival of the sun involved 7 landmarks, like there are 7 chaos emeralds. i wonder if in earlier days, the festival involved the chaos emeralds in some way? maybe they'd have one emerald atop each pillar and the monarch would bring the final one to the center... wonder if it was the purple one, which is the one associated with mephiles? maybe the two closest pillars would have the white and cyan ones, the ones which would eventually be used to seal iblis away? maybe i'm looking too much into it.

i wonder what's with the glowing blue rock underneath each pillar in end of the world... do you think maybe that's what the festival's pillars look like under the water? or maybe that's just the "power" that was put into them through years of worship finally being activated to create a sort of protected area within them? idk lol :o) this game really could have been the best one

[weprovideleverage]

tagged by @snapdragon-fish

rules: answer the questions in a new post and tag 10 blogs you would like to get to know better.

a - age: 23

b - birthplace: along the rhine river in germany

c - current time: 19:48 (i broke the formatting help; edit: i fixed it :,) )

d - drink you last had: water

e - easiest person/people to talk to: my best friend

f - favorite song: uff probably sth by set it off?

g - grossest memory: found out on the third night sleeping in a mobile home/vacation home that the wall and the bed where full of ants... after i went into said bed

h - horror yes or horror no: no but i did listen to all of tma so now i feel i should change that to a solid maybe

i - in love?: no, never

j - jealous of people?: yeah... not my best trait

l - love at first sight or should I walk by again?: well no but this time in the aroace colours to give you a more "straight" answer

m - middle name: two actually! but your name does not belong on the interwebs so i wont tell ya

n - number of siblings: one

o - one wish: uhh world peace? no? well id settle for figuring out what i wanna do with my life 

p - person you called last: my boss to ask why noone is in the workshop (turns out they were sick or in the other shop)

q - question you are always asked: "how old are you?" followed by mild shock or embarasment cause just because im tiny doesnT MEAN IM TWELVE GUYS!!!

r - reason to smile: i have a cute fluffy dog :D

s - song you sang last: Zara Larsson - Can't Tame Her

t - time you woke up: 6:00

u - underwear colour: black and white stripes

v - vacation destination: dream vacation? well i share my first name with a greek godess so greece and specifically the athenian acropolis probably; next vacation? family holidays in france like every year

w - worst habit: procrastiation (hi snapdragon look i did answer! eventually)

x - x-rays: never. i did get an mri scan once? no wait i did get xray for my wisdom teeth!

y - your favorite food: Königsberger Klopse with Kapern (no i cant translate that... neither can wikipedia apparently)

z - zodiac sign: scorpio (which in most posts ive seen makes me the slytherin of starsigns even tho im a ravenclaw and also not activly mean or evil (mostly)

People who I want to get to know better: @teh-repository  @smileylover99 @ladyslice00 @accidentalkittyghost @sammy-writes-stuff (If you want to, of course.)

have a nice day!

[arlincsolis]

The Cats Under The Cherry Blossoms

The Cats Under The Cherry Blossoms is a short story I wrote in March 2023 for a writing contest.

Prompt:

Write about a cat living in an ancient temple, like the Acropolis.

We left the city of Changsha behind hours ago, having only been in China for a day so far. Changsha had been pretty for what little I got to examine it before my mother put me in a rented car and hauled me to the countryside, if that’s what you wanted to call it. She swore that she had found us the best place to stay. Changsha hadn’t even seemed natural; I couldn’t imagine a place better than that.

“Aren’t you enjoying your time in China?” my mother, Lauren, asked.

I didn’t know how to tell her I’d rather be home in New York than somewhere in China. I was home from college for spring break, and I was put on a plane to China rather than a beach like my friends. It had been my mother’s idea to come to China since, in her eyes, it was her duty to show me my culture. My father, Manchu, was born in China and immigrated to the United States, where he met my mother, Lauren, the perfect blonde. He died before I even turned five, leaving me alone in the world with Lauren.

“I don’t even know Chinese!” I groaned, not even looking at her.

The part nobody tells you about being Chinese and being raised by a white American woman is that other Asians will assume you at least know Chinese. Countless times at Asian restaurants, waiters would ask me questions in Asia and await my response, which never came. I only imagined being in China would make that even worse. I doubted they’d even believe me if I said Lauren was my birth mother.

“I’m sure you will learn a phrase or two before we return to New York.”

I wanted to hold her to that because deep down, I did wish I could embrace my father’s heritage, but it was nearly impossible without him being here. My mother didn’t understand, even though I knew she wanted to.

When we pulled up to the traditional house, sat in the middle of nowhere, where the owners had turned it into what an American would call a bed and breakfast, I felt uneasy. I insisted that it was the lack of internet and cellphone service, missing my friends, and maybe… even my desire to be on a beach somewhere in Florida.

 “Look at you! Beautiful!” the elderly Chinese woman running the hotel squealed.

She touched my hair, and my mother's glare told me not to complain. The warm smile she gave me was my only welcoming smile since arriving in China, so I accepted it graciously. Maybe my mother was right; perhaps this was the best place in China.

There were three things to mention about this hotel: 1.) There were stray cats everywhere. Some of them were friendly, and some of them were not. 2.) There was one other guest, Kai Meng, who seemed to be the same age as I am. 3.) Everything about this hotel was a traditional Chinese house. It had only been modified as much as needed. According to the older woman who owned it, this place was a tourist attraction during the summer. I just enjoyed seeing the paper panel doors (Shoji, as my mother called them) in person.

Cats meowed as they followed me through the garden, begging for my attention. I sat on the bench, letting them rub against my legs and leaving their fur behind. What brought so many cats to a place like this? Had it solely been the care of an older woman? Maybe the owner was just one of those crazy old cat people.

A male voice from behind says something in Chinese. I jumped a little at the sound of his voice. A few of the cats scurried away while a few tamer stayed. I turned around and stared at him, confused, unsure of what he had just said.

“They like you,” Kai repeated, except in English this time.

 “How long have you been here?” I asked, being friendly.

 “For roughly two months. I am investigating Li Shou. Myths say her temple was around here during ancient times. The number of cats confirms that,” Kai answered.

I gave him a dumbfounded look, unsure of how to reply. Li Shou? That slid off his tongue so easily, almost as if I should’ve known who she was.

“Do you not know who Li Shou is? How do you live in China and not know who Li Shou is?” Kai asked, judging me.

“I’m from New York… I don’t even know Chinese. I thought that much was obvious by my extremely white mother and me not understanding you,” I responded hatefully, striking at him like a snake with venom ready on its fangs.

“The myth is that when the world was created… Gods chose cats to rule the world. Li Shou was the cat goddess. Cats didn’t want to run the world; they wanted to relax and enjoy the sun. They nominated humans. The gods took away the cats’ power to talk, and they stopped ruling,” Kai answered. “It’s a little silly to someone like you, I imagine. Not everybody in China probably knows Li Shou, either.

“So, you’re here investigating ancient Chinese cat gods?” I asked, amused.

“It’s my job!” He yelled, noticing my amused tone.

“It sounds to me like you’re digging too deeply into this. The hotel owner is an elderly woman; this house has been in her family for generations, and elderly women love cats!” I yelled back, not as loud as him.

Kai stormed off, not saying anything else. I was relieved he left me in the garden with the cats. When he emerged, the ones that had run away came back. While China might not have been my favorite place to visit, I did enjoy the cats.

***

On our third day at the hotel, I started to spy on Kai Meng. Although I found him rude, he was the most exciting thing at the hotel. He never noticed my presence, or if he did, he didn’t want to acknowledge me. I found him in various rooms, staring at multiple knickknacks the older woman (whose name I still hadn’t learned) had collected.

Everywhere I went, the cats followed me. They followed me so much that I even started to believe in Li Shou. Whenever I let the cat goddess enter my thoughts, I cursed myself and blamed Kai Meng. But the cats were different from the cats at home. They seemed to listen to me and watch me.

“How long are you going to follow me?” Kai finally said at the end of the third day.

“I’m not following you!” I argued.

“It’s hard for you to sneak around when the house is extremely open, and cats follow you as if your pocket is full of catnip,” He retorted.

I was quiet for thirty seconds, trying to produce a response before I finally gave up. Why did the cats follow me so much compared to my mother or Kai? I didn’t have an answer.

“So, why are you here? What is your name? If you’re going to stalk me, I at least want to know your name,” Kai interrogates me.

“My name is Mei Zhao. I’m from New York. My father died before I was five, and I could even remember him. My mother drug me across the world because she felt like if I were closer to my Chinese heritage, I’d be closer to my father or something,” I answered.

“Do you feel closer to your father?”

I almost laughed at the question. How could four days in China make me an expert on my father? I knew only his appearance from the photos my mother kept around the house.

“No,” I responded bluntly. “I’ve never felt further.”

A black cat meowed loudly by the fountain in the garden, gaining both of our attention. It was as if the cat was attempting to speak to us.

“Why do I feel like that cat is trying to speak to us?” I asked, not taking my eyes off the cat, scared it would run away.

“Maybe it is,” Kai replied, walking towards the cat.

The cat meowed again, circling the fountain. Kai followed it closely. The cat reared up, pawing at a stone lodged in the fountain as if it were begging us to touch it. Kai gave me an uneasy look as he reached out and pressed the stone. I was prepared to laugh at him and call him silly until the stone went inward into the fountain.

The water in the fountain stops moving through the fountain system. The ground around the fountain slides inward, exposing a set of old stone stairs that seem centuries old. Almost coordinated, we pulled our phones out of our pockets and turned the flashlight on.

 Kai was the first one to begin his descent down the stairs; behind him, the cat followed. I stood outside for a moment, telling myself it was a terrible idea to follow some guy I had just met and a cat down the staircase, but I eventually did go down the stairs.

“Do you believe the cats here are more than your average stray cats now? They communicate. You have to listen,” Kai pointed out.

“Forgive me, but the stray cats in New York hardly pretend I exist,” I responded.

We walked down the stairs until my legs ached, reminding me how out of shape I was. At the bottom was a room of darkness that even our flashlights couldn’t illuminate. The cat took the lead, and we followed it into the darkness.

“This is not how I wanted to spend my spring break,” I announced.

At the other end of the darkroom was a massive statue of a black cat with jewels wrapped around its neck. Kai examined it with his flashlight, not wanting to leave any stone untouched. Within minutes, he found words inscribed into the wall.

“Those who venture further must prepare for the maze,” He transcribed for me.

“What does that mean?” I asked, cluelessly.

“It means we have found the temple of Li Shou… Li Shou has also set up an elaborate maze to protect herself and her jewels. We shouldn’t go any further. Maybe this place is better kept a secret,” Kai responded.

I decided against telling him Li Shou sounded like an ancient Egyptian pharaoh. I figured he would get defensive if I called her that. The black cat meowed loudly again and sat before the statue as if trying to get us to look at them both.

“Don’t you think the cat resembles Li Shou?” I asked.

Kai looked between both.

“I see the similarities, but I doubt it. How could a cat live that long? I think they’re just another black cat,” Kai responded, kneeling to pet the cat.

The cat purred loudly enough to hear it from where I was standing before giving us a final meow and heading toward the stairs. We followed, not wanting to be left in the temple. Kai didn’t say anything as we climbed the stairs. I was out of breath when we reached the top and relieved by Kai’s quietness. He pressed the button again, watching as the fountain returned to what it had been before our findings. Kai gave a small laugh. He didn’t believe what had just happened.

“I hope you have enough to finish your work here finally,” I said.

“Enough and more, but again, I think the temple’s location should be a secret place that nobody knows about except the cats. It’s been untouched all this time, and everybody here lives a peaceful life,” Kai responded.

I agreed. The elderly woman running the hotel and the cats didn’t need the stress of researchers coming into their homes.

The next day, Kai Meng left the hotel, leaving my mother and me as the only guests. It was our last day before heading back to Changsha. My mother took me to local villages, and I finally learned to say, “Hello, how are you?”. When we returned to New York, I looked at my father’s photo of the fireplace with a new view. I even told all my friends who spent spring break on the beach that I spent spring break off the grid in China in spring with blossoming cherry trees.

[finalvortex]

let's assume that shadow generations is going to mimic the original and have a level from each main title where shadow is playable. from what we've seen in the trailers, that would look like:

Sonic Adventure 2 - Final Chase (correct choice)

Sonic Heroes - ??? (Egg Fleet is the obvious choice, but that would be pretty similar to Final Chase, so maybe Rail Canyon?)

Shadow the Hedgehog - Westopolis (i don't know if this is the level i would have picked from Shadow, but it is probably the most iconic)

'06 - ??? (maybe White Acropolis or Dusty Desert? something that would add a unique environment)

Rival battle - ??? (Mephiles. c'mon. do it.)

Boss - Biolizard

Boss - Black Doom

Also there's the question of whether or not this will feature games that were released post-original Generations, by which I mean Forces.

[acsiennt]

Chapter 4: An Offer

KASDEYA ARGYROS' Point of View

Zyiam Argyros. I almost forgot my true father's name.

Kung hindi lang siya nabanggit ng lalaking nasa harapan ko, baka hindi ko na naalala si Papa.

Seven years ago, I used to have a family. Kaming dalawa lang ang miyembro ng pamilyang yun, still, it's considered as one.

But my relationship with my father was odd.

All I knew was his name, face, and our connection by blood. Lagi siyang wala sa bahay dahil sa trabaho kaya nasanay ako na wala siya, ngunit hindi ko alam kung saan siya nagpupunta.

His profession, the basic facts about him, and even our relatives are all unknown to me. We almost never spend time together dahil lagi siyang wala sa bahay. Hindi rin naman ako nag-rereklamo dahil hindi kami close ni Papa, at halos nawalan na rin ako ng paki sakaniya at sa kung ano ang ginagawa niya.

I was left alone in our house. And at the age of eleven, I already know how to fend for myself without any help.

But maybe I do know a few things about my father. At least two facts about him. One, he used to love this one song that he played on the piano. And two, men and women alike would fall on their knees for him.

May itsura si Papa. Mayroon ring nagsasabi sa akin na sakaniya ko raw nakuha ang itsura ko and I couldn't disagree more. Hindi ko kamukha si Papa kahit saang anggulo. The only thing we have in common is our weird charcoal-colored hair. His eyes, on the other hand, were a dark shade of pink.

My father was attractive, unusually so for someone of his age. One can even mistake him as a younger man because of his features. Mapa-babae o lalaki, nagkakagusto sakaniya kahit anong edad pa man. Kulang nalang ay malusaw si Papa dahil sa mga tingin nila.

'He is as beautiful as a Greek god statue.'

People would always say that. Dati, that little comment would completely pass my mind. But thinking about it now, I realized that it contained a clue to who he actually is.

My father is the same as me. Parehas kaming demigod, at isa lang ang ibig sabihin no'n.

I am a descendant of two Greek deities.

My father's deity parent, and his wife.

Sinundan ko ang lalaking nagpakilala sa akin bilang Adonis Castello patungo sa loob ng Acropolis. We enter the roofed entrance, and my eyes stay on the white fountain spewing gold liquid at the center of it.

A gasp escapes my lips nang makita ko ang kabuuan ng Acropolis. From the gate, I can already tell that it's extravagant inside out, pero mas engrande pa rin ang bumungad sa akin.

Halos mapapikit ako dahil sa magarbong buildings. Everything is either gold or made out of white stone and marble. The gold roofs reflect the colors of the rainbow when the sun hits it just right.

Bubungad sa'yo ang isang malaking arena pagpasok. At first glance, there is a lot of stairs and castle-like buildings. It's too much to take in. Tila nasa loob ka ng isang syudad na gawa sa mga magkakaduktong na palasyo. The fields are dotted by demigods of different ages, some are in casual clothes while a small percentage are in uniforms similar to what the two demigods were wearing earlier.

What in Tartarus is this? Tahanan ng mga aristokrata?

But we don't stop there. The man leads me towards the biggest castle behind the giant arena at pumasok kami sa loob nito.

Just as I thought, mas engrande pa sa labas ang loob ng main building. It's surrounded in gold and marble, while the walls are hugged with white wallpaper. Kumikinang ang bawat dekorasyon at frame na nakasabit sa pader. Everything around me is dazzling, beautiful, and grandiose.

Nakakasuka.

Halos mapairap ako sa hangin sa tuwing makikita ang isang dekorasyon na gawa sa ginto o marmol. It's too much for me. Masyadong nakakasilaw, ang sakit sa mata. Masyado akong nasanay sa madilim at madumi.

Bumaba ang tingin ko sa sahig. Even the floors are made of polished white marble accentuated with gold veins. Our shoes click loudly on the glassy floor, lalong lalo na ang hooves ng satyrs na kasabay ko.

Tatlo silang nakapalibot sa akin. One on my right, one on my left, and the third one behind me. Parang ayaw nilang makawala ako, takot na takot na baka kumaripas ako ng takbo paalis pag hindi nila ako binantayan.

But I know better than that. Hindi ako tatakbo... malalaman nila kung saan ako pupunta. They already have me by the neck with no other choices, as if this small thing is only for safe measures.

It doesn't feel different when I was locked up in a foul prison cell for years.

Pinagmasdan ko ang likod ng lalaking nagpakilala sa akin kanina. Adonis Castello, the Deputy Commander.

Deputy, which means he's not the actual person that runs this place. It's someone else, pero malamang hindi ko kilala. I couldn't care less about the world of the gods.

Bakit aalahanin ko pa ang mundong sumira sa normal kong buhay? It's better to forget everything rather than face them, especially when it made me fear for my own life.

My survival hangs on a thread after that accident. Nagbago ang lahat para sa akin at sobrang bilis nito. I forced myself to adjust so I can continue living, and that's when I became desperate for a normal life.

People want to be so different and I never understood why.

Would they still wish to be unique if this is what they have to go through? Ang ipaglaban ang karapatan mong mabuhay dahil walang rerespeto sayo kundi ang sarili mo? This world is nothing but a battlefield, but it's not the strongest who survives.

It will be those who could adjust the fastest.

Tumigil kami sa harap ng isang malaking double doors. Nauna ang dalawang satyr na katabi ko at binuksan nila ang pinto bago pumasok sa loob ang lalaking sinusundan ko. Huminga ako ng malalim.

Lumingon sa akin ang matandang lalaki at ngumiti. "Pasok ka."

Hindi ko maiwasang mapatitig sa mukha niya. He looks nice and civil, the wrinkles on his face means he's a smiley person. He reminds me of a certain Orphanage Director.

Nanlalamig ako. Because of the niceness he's showing me, I can't help but think of his inner vileness and ulterior motives.

Pumasok ako sa loob ng kwarto. Nahagip agad ng mga mata ko ang dalawang bookcase na nasa magkabilang gilid ng silid. Sa gitna, may mga sofa na pwedeng upuan ng maraming tao para makipagkwentuhan.

An officiate's seat and table rest at the very back of the room. Pinagigitnaan ito ng dalawang statue, isang babae at lalaki. Based on their silk-like attire, regal postures, and the famed lightning bolt on the man's hand and the peacock beside the woman, it's easy to guess who those statues are supposed to represent.

Zeus and Hera— King and Queen of Mt. Olympus. The same gods at the entrance of the Acropolis.

Umiwas ako ng tingin sa mga statue bago ibigay ang lahat ng aking atensyon kay Adonis Castello.

Tumigil siya sa harapan ng lamesa bago sulyapan ang satyrs na nakakabit nanaman sa akin. Still with a smile on his face, he orders them. "Iwanan niyo na muna kami ni Ms. Argyros."

And just like that, the three half-goat creatures leave the room, closing it shut behind me after. Nanatili ang walang emosyon kong titig kay Adonis.

He's the opposite, sobrang bait ng ngiti sa kaniyang labi habang nakatingin sa akin. When he stares, his eyes soften as if he remembers something while looking at me. Mabilis rin naman siyang nakabawi. "Maupo ka."

"No." Matigas kong sambit bago humakbang ng kaunti palapit sakaniya. "Get to the point so I can leave this stupid place."

The blond man sighs deeply, tila nahihirapan magsalita. "Your really are Zyiam's daughter. You and your father have the same glare and sharp tongue."

I grit my teeth in annoyance. Napakuyom ang dalawa kong palad. "How do you even know him?" Nagpipigil kong tanong bago siya bigyan ng masamang tingin.

I can't let my guard down, not even once. Hindi pa ako sigurado sa lugar na pinasukan ko. As far as I know, this place is riddled with the energy from the Olympian deities and it's infested by their loyal descendants. Baka mamaya, kasing sahol lang sila ng mga gods at ng Katharsis.

Huminga siya ng malalim bago isandal ang kaniyang likod sa lamesa. He gives me a gentle gaze. "Your father... He was a demigod like you. Before he had you, naging estudyante siya rito. I was one of his subordinates and closest companion. Kabisado ko na ang mga kilos ng Papa mo. Behind that cold exterior, he was the type of man who would do anything for the people he loved the most,"

Yumuko ako at napatingin sa sahig na gawa sa makinis na kahoy. A small scoff escapes my lips as a shadow conceals my face. If my father really did care about anything else but himself, then no matter how we may seem identical in our attitude or actions, he is nothing like me.

"Zyiam was the best among the best. Distant but empathetic and cold but caring. Tinatago niya ang totoong kakayahan ng kaniyang pagmamahal. He is son of Aphrodite, one of the Olympians, and he told us the least love yet he was the person who did the most for everyone." Pagpapatuloy niya.

Tumaas ang tingin ko sakaniya. "Get to the point. Bakit ako nandito?"

At the back of my mind, I already figured out my father's ancestral lineage. Hindi ko mapagkakaila na may itsura siya, his features make the man the media claims to be the most handsome look bland and ordinary.

Tingin at presensya palang, nahuhulog na ang mga taong nakakasalubong niya. One gaze and they start swooning over him with jelly legs and heart-shaped eyes. Napapairap nalang ako sa kawalan pag napapansin ang malalagkit nilang tingin sakaniya.

When that happens, I glance at my father. But he would only be looking straight, paying no heed to the multiple men and women who are basically undressing him in their minds. Sigurado akong napapansin niya, pero wala siyang ginagawa.

For someone so attractive, he wasn't interested in dating despite people asking him out often. I thought it was because he was too busy... or if he still loved my mother. Kung sino man siya.

"You want something from me, right?" Muntik nang manginig ang labi ko habang nagsasalita. "Kaya dinala ako rito. Ano bang gusto mo sa akin? Why do I have to be taken here with or without my consent?"

His eyes, which used to be gentle and warm, now turn stoic as he gets serious. "Because I― No, we need your help."

I blink, but the lack of humor and playfulness in his eyes remain, which means that none of this is a joke.

Gusto kong matawa sa inis ngunit pinigilan ko ang sarili ko. "At anong klaseng tulong naman ang mabibigay ng isang normal na taong katulad ko?"

Tumaas ang kaniyang mga kilay. "Normal? Is that how you perceive yourself? You think you're normal?" Parang siya naman ngayon ang natatawa sa sinabi ko. "I'm sorry to tell you this, Ms. Argyros, but nothing about you is normal."

It feels like being hammered in the head a thousand times over. Out of all the truths that can be said and thrown at me, this is the one I hate to hear.

"Isa kang demigod. Pinatay ng Katharsis ang tatay mo at kinulong ka sa kanilang headquarters ng anim na taon. Nothing about that is normal, Kasdeya,"

Parang kutsilyo ang bawat salita niya. "Is that why you were living amongst mortals like a normal teenager? You want to be one of them?"

"Shut... up." Nagpipigil kong sambit. I can feel the warmth from the liquid that's slowly cascading on my palm. My nails dig dipper into my skin, not only tearing my skin but my flesh too.

I know I should stop deceiving myself that I am normal. I know I shouldn't be dreaming of a life I'll never have.

My past keeps haunting me like a loud shrieking noise, chanting those words over and over again. Lagi nitong pinapaalala sa akin ang mga sugat na natamo ko, ang mga sigaw na kumawala sa labi ko dahil sa sakit, at ang latigong dumadapo sa balat at laman ko.

Hindi ito tumatahimik. Sa tuwing nararamdaman kong tila isa na ako sa mga normal na tao, it will start an alarm in my mind to remind me of the horrible things that fuel my nightmares and fear for Death.

Adonis Castello sighs once again before walking closer to me. Umupo siya sa sofa na malapit sa akin. His gaze is back to how it was earlier, as if he knows the madness happening inside my mind.

"I know I shouldn't have brought it up pero iyon ang totoo. Alam kong mahirap para sa'yo lalo na't madami kang pinagdaanan... From your father's death to your imprisonment, I'm aware of all of it. Kaya gusto kitang tulungan. And in the process, I will need help from you too."

So they're going to use me in the guise of sympathy.

By adding an incentive, which is the 'help' he's talking about, tingin niya ay papayag akong magpagamit dahil may rason ako para sumunod sakaniya.

"What do you want?" I decide to humor him for a bit.

Napansin ko ang pag-angat ng mga sulok ng kanyang labi. "As you know, I am only the Deputy Commander of this place. Ako ang tumataguyod sa Acropolis sa ngayon,"

Hinintay ko siyang magpatuloy. "The thing is our actual Commander, Ellenore Mathias, is being held captive by the Katharsis."

A breath gets caught up in my throat when he mentions that name. Naalala ko ang pangalan na yun.

The people who imprisoned me said something about finally catching the sinew of their most awaited war, but I didn't give it much thought.

Lalong sumama ang pakiramdam ko. I'm not sure if I like where this conversation is heading. "And what do you want me to do about it?"

He purses his lips. I know he's waiting for this moment. "Kilala mo ang Katharsis. They are a secret organization that vow to serve Gaea and her will. The Acropolis barely have any information about them. As someone who was with them for a few years, you know them the best. And you are our last hope..."

What is he talking about?

"Kasdeya Argyros... Please, we need your help." He pleads. "We need the information you know about this organization so we can save our Commander."

To ask a former prisoner about the men who held her hostage for years...

Not bad.

Humalikipkip ako. "At ano naman ang makukuha ko kung tutulungan ko kayo?"

Umayos siya ng upo. "As a half-blood, living with normal humans is dangerous―" Napangiwi ako. "Delikado ang ginagawa mo sa labas, Kasdeya. You are practically waltzing inside a lion's den. Acropolis was built by demigods to protect demigods. This is a place for people like you, so they can be safe from outside danger and learn how to protect themselves."

He leans in closer as a sign to take him seriously. Nawala muli ang ngiti sa kaniyang labi. "If you accept my deal, you will be accepted here and I will make you a member of the Hellenes."

"Hell what?"

"Hellenes," Pag-uulit niya. "A group of specialized demigods, the juvenile military force of Acropolis. They are trained rigorously and sharpened beyond perfection. Becoming one suits you, you carry the same aura as your father and..." He hesitates to continue. "The benefits it will give you are very useful.

"Most of our demigods are aiming to be a Hellenes dahil iba rin ang treatment na makukuha nila. Katharsis won't even be able to touch you and I'm making this kind of offer only to you, this is not an opportunity you can decline so easily."

Tinitigan ko ang Deputy Commander. He's dead serious, yet confident. Halatang hindi biro ang mga sinasabi niya sa akin. But something still feels amiss.

Different treatment, rigorous training, and perfected in all aspects. Why would you separate this kind of benefit from the other demigods?

May hindi siya sinasabi sa akin. These Hellenes he's talking about, siguradong may dahilan kung bakit sila tinaguriang kakaiba.

Pinagmasdan ako ni Adonis Castello na tila kinikilatis ang nasa isip ko. He's probably trying to figure out if I'll accept or not, but base on the small yet slightly noticeable twinkle in his eyes, he is almost sure I will agree to his terms.

Napangisi ako.

"Ayoko."

Unti-unting nawala ang pagkinang ng kaniyang mga mata bago ito manlaki na parang hindi makapaniwala. "You're... declining?"

"Hindi ako papayag na magamit niyo ang kahit anong impormasyon na hawak ko. You're right, I do know how Katharsis works, and it's for this reason why I don't want to make them my enemies."

From my escape and up until now, there are only two thoughts in my mind; Normalcy and survival.

Gagawin ko ang lahat para bumalik sa normal ang buhay ko, gaano man kahirap. My existence is stained with the gold markings of the divine gods but it will not stop me from covering it with black ink that represents mortality.

Nakatakas na ako sa kamay ng mga taong nagpahirap sa buhay ko ng ilang taon. Hindi ko na babalikan ang mundong konektado sakanila.

I want to live a normal life like how other people are doing it. Gusto kong mamuhay ng payapa, magkaroon ng mga kaibigan, makakuha ng trabahong bagay sa akin, and maybe, get adopted by a family like Ryo. Those are my dreams.

And it certainly does not have anything to do with deities, monsters, and other creatures.

Tumayo na ako mula sa sofa. Nagawa akong sundan ng tingin ni Adonis Ezeklon kahit na mukhang gulat pa rin siya sa desisyon ko. "I don't care about your offer. Hindi ako magtatagal rito."

"But we can protect you! That is supposed to be your main priority. Mahahanap ka rin ng mga halimaw at papatayin ka nila pag bumalik ka sa mundo ng mga tao." Pagrarason pa niya, ngunit ayaw ko nang makinig.

I exhale loudly. "I know about the monsters and their extreme gluttony for half-bloods, but I can take care of myself. Hindi ko kailangan ng proteksyong sinasabi mo."

Naghanda na akong umalis, ngunit bago pa man ako makatalikod sakaniya, tumigil ako para magsalita muli.

"Also," I give him a side glance. "If I wanted to go here, I would've climbed up on this hill the moment I freed myself from them... But I'd rather fool myself than get close to the reasons why I still can't sleep at night."

And with that, I turn and walk out of the door.

. . .

The Map of Acropolis:

[edgy-ella]

Played a little more today, got through White Acropolis, Crisis City, Flame’s Core, and the first Iblis fight. I don’t really have any more deep analysis on the game as a whole to add yet, but I will share a few things:

Overall I think I didn’t end up psyching myself up with this game’s jank difficulty because I used to watch the old Game Grumps playthrough of 06 religiously when I was younger. Arin is infamously bad at playing 3D Sonic games, so as a fairly decent Sonic player, it’s bad but also not unfathomably difficult unless you’re going for S ranks and medals.

That being said, FUCK CRISIS CITY. And Flame’s Core. But mostly Crisis City. Specifically the Mach speed section of Crisis City. Once again, it’s not super difficult—I died three times on it, but managed to make it through on my last life before getting a game over. The thin highway you’re running on is so claustrophobic, and all the rubble constantly flying at you turns it from awkward to nerve-wracking. If you had better midair control it wouldn’t have been as much of an issue.

The one thing I can’t defend in this section, however, is the camera (BIG SURPRISE). Usually the camera during Mach speed sections is locked behind you at all times, which is perfect for a precise, high speed chase. Not in Crisis City though! Occasionally, the camera will flip in front of Sonic, which also inverts your controls. Even if Sonic had better control, this kind of thing absolutely does not work in sections of the game where the smallest error can lead to your death. The Mach speed sections demand perfection from the player, which can be thrilling in theory, but disorienting the player in this way does not make for good game design.

Flame’s Core was way too long and repetitive. Many sections of the level feel like they repeat itself without offering anything new for the player. My final time was twelve minutes, and I still got a B rank.

The light puzzle with Knuckles was bullshit. The timing is way too strict, so I ended up skipping it entirely by clipping through the ceiling. I ended up beating the level as him, too. Honestly I probably should’ve just continued on as Sonic because Knuckles somehow feels even worse to control, but whatever.

Oh and I ended up getting stuck on the stalactites as Knuckles and triggering the famous “WHAT IS THIS” glitch. Was very exciting

The first Iblis fight also felt poorly designed. Like yeah, it’s a classic “bait the boss then hit it” deal, but it takes waaaaay longer than it needs to because the platforms you need to reach the glowy orbs arbitrarily vanish between hits. That’d be fine if you had more to do between hits, but you really don’t.

Getting past the Crisis City felt like a landmark given how infamous that Mach speed section is. Once again, I feel like I’m getting through the game relatively smoothly. Maybe it’s just because I’ve been playing it in a group environment with friends there to support me? I could see this turning into a rage game in the right (or I guess wrong) environment. But so far, so good.

Story still sucks lmao. The cutscenes are even more jarring ingame because the levels don’t transition into them at all.

A new era begins!

(It’s hard to hear, but Sebastian said “criiiiinge,” which is why I told him to shut up)

I’ve wanted to play Sonic 06 for a long time. Not because it’s good, obviously—this is one of the most infamous video games of all time, perhaps the most to come out of the new millennia. No, I wanted to play it because I felt obligated to.

Of course, everyone “knows” 06 is bad, but how many people have actually played it? I hadn’t, and I don’t think it’s fair to shit talk a game no matter how bad its reputation is. I mean, I have my fair share of games that I like that have been critically panned as well as my fair share of games that I dislike that have been critically praised. No amount of lets plays and reviews can substitute actually experiencing a game for yourself. So, play it I shall. I also see it as a sort of hazing ritual as a Sonic fan.

A few years back, I got a used copy of the game on PS3 at GameStop for $10. Problem was, I didn’t have a PS3 to play it on. I thought one of my friends had one, but it turns out that she has basically every Sony console except the PS3 (as it truly had no games). This turned out to be a common trend with more and more people. But now, finally, I have a console to play it on—the PS3 at my college’s gaming club. So every Friday from 5-7 from this day on, I’m gonna be playing Sonic 06 until I beat it.

(A lot of people have asked me why I don’t just emulate it; you don’t understand. This isn’t just any game. This is Sonic 06. I don’t want to even for a single second blame any of the game’s…quirks on my computer’s poor specs or the emulator not being properly optimized. I want to play 06 the way God intended.)

After having played through Sonic’s campaign up to White Acropolis, I can say that it’s definitely the worst mainline 3D Sonic game that I’ve played. Wow, shocker I know. But, I think there’s a lot more to talk about here than just saying “game bad” and writing it off entirely. As someone who grew up hearing horror stories about how bad this game was, it is absolutely fascinating to analyze now that I’ve gotten a chance to actually play it.

I don’t think that Sonic 06 is inherently a bad game. A lot of its biggest issues are technical—the camera is awkward to control and often gets stuck, Sonic‘s physics paired with the awful camera make him a chore to move around with (though I don’t think he feels as sluggish as I’ve seen some people say; it’s more that everything else is fighting against him to make him feel slower than he actually is), the frame rate is HELLA inconsistent, yadda yadda yadda. With all that being said though, I don’t think the game is full of bad ideas, just bad execution.

The level design so far is okay. I’ve played through worse levels in a Sonic game, but I am also not very far into 06. Once again, the poor technical performance of the game is what holds the levels back, not their layout or geometry. Fun loop de loop sections are held back by Sonic being flung off them into the ocean because he was one degree off center, and the game doesn’t correct you on it like in similar parts of other Sonic games. I think the Mach speed sections would genuinely be a welcome addition to Adventure style games if Sonic had better handling (especially in the air). So the ideas there aren’t inherently awful, it’s just their execution (though you could argue that Wave Ocean plagiarizes Emerald Coast enough to say that the level design is lazy for taking so much from a level in a previous game).

Perhaps my most controversial example of this good idea, bad execution philosophy is with the boss fights.

Let’s talk about Silver.

The first boss fight against Silver is one of the most memorable things from Sonic 06. When people talk about the game, if they don’t think of the cutscene where Elise kisses Sonic or the more recent Real-Time Fandub, this is what they think of. It’s no use!, Silver’s voice line where he grabs Sonic in this game, ended up becoming something of an unofficial catchphrase of his (though the comics often have other characters say it to Silver instead). I remember seeing multiple Top 10 lists back in the day where this fight ranked among the worst video game bosses of the 2000s. Not just for Sonic. For all video games of that era.

Needless to say, I was not optimistic going into the fight. I expected to get stuck, to rage, to curse the day Italian hedgehogs ever gained telekinesis. But I have to say…

The fight really wasn’t all that bad.

Granted, I had hindsight on my side going into it. But for a fight that I expected to suffer through death after death after infinite loop after death for upwards of twenty minutes, I ended up getting through it in a little less than five minutes. And I know that exact number because I had someone else at club record me playing from the second Silver showed up in the cutscene to the second I saw my A Rank after I beat him.

(In case anyone’s wondering; I don’t want to post the video since other members of the gaming club appear throughout it, and I don’t want to publicly post a video of any of them online without their permission)

The fight is annoying for sure, but that’s more the fault of the game’s preexisting issues. Sonic's poor physics and camera control really work against you in boss fights. But this is nowhere near the worst boss fight in a Sonic game, let alone of any game in the 2000s.

Now that I've actually played through the fight, I can kinda see what the devs were going for here. You start out right in front of both Silver and a circle of rings, both of which you are naturally drawn to run towards. This will prompt Silver to grab and throw you when you get too close to him, but the timing of how long it takes each of you to reach the circle of rings means that you should have at least one ring on you before Silver catches you. The devs likely wanted to use this as a way to safely teach you how to fight him: keep your distance and wait for him to pick up something else so he can't pick up you.

This is a fine idea in theory, but there's a few things that hurt this approach:

1) It's extremely unlikely that you will beat Silver on your first try. The more you replay the fight, the more you are conditioned to avoid Silver—meaning that you will want to avoid the circle of rings he spawns right in front of at the start of the fight. This makes it much easier for Silver to come in and one-shot you, since you most likely won't have any rings to back you up. I fell into this trap once, and I'm sure there's video evidence of a bunch of YouTubers doing the same. Though, with that being said, there is a Ring container in the southeast corner of the arena (if Sonic starts facing north), so if you’re clever you can book it there at the start of the fight. Which is easier said than done, because of…

2) THE CAMERA. Once again, the game's awful, awful camera control really bite you in the ass for boss fights. This was also an issue I had with Egg Cerberus, but Silver's smaller character model and faster attacks really elevate the issue. Since there's no way to lock onto Silver and turning the camera is so clunky, he will often manage to sneak up behind you and grab you before you have a chance to find him. In that sense, Silver almost feels like an enemy in a horror game here; you'll move the camera around a little bit, get jumpscared when Silver comes into frame, and hope you react fast enough to not get instakilled by him.

3) The homing attack has a habit of locking back onto Silver even when you try to homing attack away from him, so keeping your distance after you hit him once isn't as easy as it should be. This isn’t that big of a deal because you can just drop down and walk away from him, you just really need to fight muscle memory to avoid it

Once again, this is a case of 06 being hurt by its execution and technical implementation rather than just being full of bad ideas. There’s other examples of that in the fight too, like Silver desperately needing a cooldown after he grabs and throws you. This would fix the infamous loop where he traps you against the wall as well as the problem I ended up running into where he throws you towards the sky then grabs you again before you can reach the ground and grab more rings.

Is Silver secretly the best boss fight in Sonic history? No! But I understand what the devs were going for with this fight. If the camera and controls were more polished, I don’t think anyone would think twice about fighting Silver, wall loop or not. I can see why the Project 06 mod has been lavishing in such high praise from the fandom; buried underneath 06's rushed, sloppy coding is a solid framework.

So overall I’m…cautiously optimistic for the rest of the game? I can’t believe I’m saying that about Sonic 06. Sure, the physics and camera is a mess, but the game isn’t unplayable like so many others have claimed in the past. Maybe it’s because I have a soft spot for the adventure games, but I’ve played worse games than this. I understand that the worst is yet to come, like Silver’s ball puzzle or the multiple one hit kills in the Final Story, but hey, if getting past “one of the worst boss fights in video game history” was a cakewalk for me, then maybe being pessimistic about the future is just no use.

The story is still hot garbage though lol

[shadowiie]

Sonic 06 haha I'm hilarious why aren't you laughing

prebby locations....... all sonic games with hub worlds are top tier in my opinion

the prebby locations are only topped by the Project-06 Fangame, which has even prebbier locations....... 🥺

[phykios]

pjo/botw fusion because botw2 was supposed to have come out by now 😭 anyway pretend the acropolis is the acropolis but also the parthenon is a castle. but also it's just the acropolis. anyway

.

.

It was the sludge that got him the most. 

Percy remembered–he remembered–the bright, gleaming structures, the winding road up through the Propylaea, the tall, imposing columns of the Parthenon. He remembered the way it shone in the sunlight on the day he received his knighthood, kneeling to receive a faltering benediction from the princess. Even further back, he remembered being a child, brought to Athens by his mother, wondering if he could even climb a single step of one of the giant, marble staircases. There had been color, light, grandeur that had taken his breath away every time he looked up.

Now, the damage could be seen from miles away. Percy stared at the hole in the Parthenon, bleached white like bones left in the sun, and he was overcome with a strange kind of sadness, a sorrow that didn’t feel entirely his. This was a tragedy, he knew. But he didn’t know why. 

But he couldn’t linger. He had to press on. 

Even the ramp presented an issue, a wide patch of mud blocking his way up to the citadel. Swallowing, Percy took a breath, and he backed up one step, two, three–and ran forward, leaping with all of his might to clear it. 

He landed hard, and then his foot slipped, and he threw his hands out to catch himself before he fell into the mud. It pulled at him, sickly heat pulsing from like an infected wound, licking at his legs. Gritting his teeth, Percy rolled onto his side, taking a moment to rest on the side of the road to the Acropolis.

The air tasted like smoke, and rotten flesh. He couldn’t stay here much longer. 

On the count of three, he hauled himself back up, accidentally swiping the tips of his fingers through the mud. They tingled, stinging. 

Further. Keep going. 

Above him, the sky roiled red, bloodier than any sky he had ever seen before. His mother used to tell him sailing legends, maybe, passed down from his father, and this sky was a warning if he had ever seen one, telling him to turn back, that his quest was a foolish, impossible one. 

Though it may also have been referring to the half-crazed centaur which ambushed him as soon as he stepped through the archway of the Propylaea. 

Five minutes, a broken bow, and one nectar potion later, the centaur was dispatched, dissolving into a fine, golden dust, which got into his hair and mouth. Spitting, he bent over and reached out to pick up the centaur’s hoof which had been left behind, his spoil of war, because hoofs were a prized commodity and he knew a girl in Thebes who would pay handsomely for such an ingredient, and give him a super-charged potion to boot–and then he stopped. 

There was no telling if he would even survive this fight. And if he didn’t, a satchel full of hooves wouldn’t bring him back. It wouldn’t stop the calamity. 

It wouldn’t save the princess. 

He left it, and his broken bow as well, leaning against a stone pedestal, its markings lost to wind and time. It could be an offering, a sacrifice for luck. There had been a statue here, once upon a time, he thought, of a goddess… maybe…? 

There was so much he couldn’t recall about his past, even now. But there was much that had come back to him, too: he remembered that he had had a half-sister, and a half-brother. There had been a black horse in the stables who preferred him to all other riders. In the summer, the flowers which grew on the rocks of the beach had been a pale purple, and once, with his father directing his fishing rod, he had caught a hearty salmon which had fed him and his mother for days. 

Standing here, on the citadel, glaring at the empty space where a statue could have been, he tried to recall its face, and found only blackness in his memory. Like his mother’s name, or his father’s face. Or so much else he had forgotten. 

One hand on his side, he dragged himself over to a crumbling temple, collapsing against a broken wall. The flesh moved under his skin, knitting itself back together, blood and muscle and bone realigning themselves to their proper places.

He had to rest. Ambrosia potions could only do so much.

Swallowing bile, he breathed as deep as he dared, focusing on the remaining facade of the crumbling temple beside him. It was one of the strangest things he had ever seen–and he had been all over the world. He had seen the temples of Tainaron, the clay-roofed houses of Amphipolis, the crumbling castle walls of Knossos, even the wild, smoky shrine to Apollo at Delphi, perched at the very edge of a cliff. 

This temple had no columns. Or, it did, but they were unlike any other columns he’d seen. The roof was carried on the heads of six stone maidens, their serious, grim faces worn smooth by the wind, dirt and dust staining the ends of their dresses. They looked out on the ruined Parthenon, carved so skillfully it was as if they were walking towards it, bearing their impossible weight on their backs. 

Percy started. He knew this place. He knew those maidens. 

He knew. 

He knew. 

He–

“This temple is coming along quite nicely,” the princess was saying. In his memory, he walked behind her, the two of them checking up on the reconstruction of the citadel. It had been damaged in a recent attack, but the people of Athens were efficient, and well-paid, and so repairs were not drawn out. In fact, things were going so swimmingly, there was really no point for Princess Annabeth to be here at all. 

She should have been training. Percy could have persuaded her to go, maybe. But he didn’t want to upset her again. 

Percy hung back, his hand idly tracing the pommel of his sword, as Annabeth spoke with one of the overseers, talking of things that went in one ear and out the other: structural supports and load-bearing beams and whether or not they could get a new shipment of marble by next week. It wasn’t the most riveting conversation by his standards, but by now, he had listened to her enough to recognize the cadence of her voice, to know when she was done and ready to move on to something else. 

Nodding to the overseer, she walked on, towards the strange, oddly-shaped temple, supported by the six stone women who looked on them with unseeing eyes, Percy following a perfect three steps behind. “Incredible, isn’t it?” she murmured, looking up at the columns. He followed her gaze. They were expertly done, even to his untrained eye. “I’ve always been fascinated by this one. I mean, look at the Parthenon–” She gestured behind her, and he looked. “Perfectly symmetrical. The mathematics are unparalleled. But this one is so… irregular.” She said the word as though she were savoring it, keeping it in her mouth to learn the depths of its secrets. “I’ve checked the library records and we still don’t know if it was built this way because of the way the mountain was formed or if it was due to some long-forgotten ritual–” 

Percy heard her before he saw her. Or, rather, he felt her presence before he heard her. Being at the receiving end of Queen Athena’s disapproving stare was a heavy weight, and one not easily forgotten. He turned, and dropped into a swift, graceful kneel, bowing his head. 

From the corner of his eye, he saw Annabeth, her back to her mother. There was no way she hadn’t felt her presence, either. 

“Annabeth,” said the queen, her rich alto voice careful not to show any hints of emotion. “May I ask what you’re doing here?”

A moment, and then the princess finally turned to face her mother, giving her a short, stilted curtsy. “Mother,” she replied, not answering her question. 

Percy knew how stubborn she could be. But Queen Athena was patient, far more than her daughter. Spite could only carry her so far before the sheer awkwardness of the moment became too much.

Sure enough: “I was merely checking up on the reconstruction of the citadel. Our walls will need significant reinforcements if we are to withstand–”

“I know that.” Percy could not see her face, but he imagined she was frowning. “They are essential to Athens’ defense, but they are not enough to keep the evil at bay. Walls alone cannot protect us. We shall need our princess to defend us as well. Let me ask you once more,” said Athena, her voice a shade colder. “When will you stop treating this as some sort of childish game?” 

Only his training kept Percy from jerking back in shock. He had never heard the queen speak so bluntly like this–not to her daughter. 

Annabeth was not so composed. He saw her take a step back, her hand clenched in a fist. “I–I am doing everything I can.” 

“Are you? It seems to me as though you are wasting your time with matters which are well in hand, when you should be dedicating every moment you have to your training.” 

“I already am!” Her voice shook with desperation. “Don’t you see there’s nothing more I can do?”

“There is always more you can do,” said the queen.

“Then allow me to contribute here, in whatever way I can!”

“No more excuses, Annabeth!” Percy stared at the ground, eyes wide. He had never known the queen could even be so emotional, her own desperation cracking her facade of stillness. “You have a duty to your people. You cannot run away from this fight any longer.” 

Silence settled between them, heavy and suffocating. Percy fought as hard as he could to keep himself as still as possible. 

Then Athena sighed, centering herself. Percy knew the gesture well. “Do you know what the gossip mongers are saying about you?” she said, not unkindly. He saw Annabeth shake her head. “They are saying that you won’t be able to face him. Moreover, that you are unwilling. Or worse, that you are–”

“I would never help that man!” Annabeth said, nearly spitting. “No matter what anyone says. He attacked us, and he nearly killed–” She cut herself off, casting a look in Percy’s direction. 

Percy blinked, his vision blurring. The old scar on his palm itched. 

“I know that,” said Athena. “But your past, your connection with him… it complicates things.” 

That was the problem, Percy thought, privately. Nearly everyone in Athens had a connection with Sir Luke. Even the gossip mongers. 

Athena stepped forward. Percy could not see what she was doing, not with his gaze fixed on his shoes, but from the way he sensed Annabeth stand up straighter, he imagined that she put her hand on her daughter’s shoulder. “I know, daughter, that you will prevail. Just as I know how hard this is for you. It is not easy to forget someone you once cared for deeply.” 

“I never…” she began to protest. But even Percy could tell her heart wasn’t in it. 

“I know well, too, that you will rise to the occasion when the time comes. It is woven into the fabric of your destiny, my daughter.” A moment of silence, a chance to let the words settle. “Do you understand?”

“...Yes,” said the princess. “I do.” 

Percy did, too. Time was running out. The defenses could only do so much. And Luke was out there, gathering power. 

The queen departed. Percy only dared to lift his head when he felt Annabeth relax beside him. Then the princess turned to him, and she said–she said–

He couldn’t remember. 

Here, in the present, Percy pounded the stone with his fist, the impact jarring his bones all the way up to his shoulder, and he growled. Why couldn’t he remember? What else was locked away? What if she had told him something important, something vital to defeating Kronos? 

But he knew the answers wouldn’t come, not even if he sat here and spent all day with what little scraps of memory he had left. 

He stood up, bracing against the stone wall, hissing at the sharp prick of pain in his side. The nectar potion had done its work, but it was still tender. He would have to take great pains to keep this side away from any weapons. Touching his face, at least, he saw that his nose had finally stopped bleeding. 

Before him, the mountain of the Parthenon rose up, its columns straight, wide, and solid, like the bars of a cage. Keeping the monster trapped inside. 

And the princess. 

His memory, his destiny, and Annabeth–they were all inside the temple. 

Sword in hand, Percy went to meet his fate.

[imagine-that-100]

All of You

Description: Alex Turner x Reader (Female) | After getting married, you and Alex go on your Honeymoon that comprises of two destinations. Athens is filled with shitty jokes whilst Bora Bora is filled with compliments and kisses.

Word Count: 3.8k

Warnings: Lil smut 

A/N: This was requested by the lovely @ghostlightqueen​. Really hope you like it and I hope the rest of you do too. Likes and reblog are appreciated and thank you so much for reading x

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

You thought that the day you got married would be the happiest of your life, but it seems that the days that followed were somehow even more joyous. You travelled to your second Honeymoon destination a week after your wedding and the moment you got off the plane with your husband's hand in your own, you knew that this was heaven on earth.

Bora Bora was gorgeous, and it was truly the best Honeymoon destination for you and Alex. You don’t think he’d done nothing in his mind for a long time so the absence of the need to write songs really must have relaxed him.

You’d already been to Athens to see the sights. You both found a lovely antique store whilst you were there and by some miracle you both found an English poetry book in there and each night, before you slept, one of you read one to the other.

The sight-seeing was really fun with him too. You enjoyed going round with your polaroid camera and asking strangers to take a picture of the both of you.

You knew Alex didn’t really like pictures but the ones with you he never failed to smile for. Your husband was also hilarious with you the entire time you got excited to see something new.

Seeing the world was something Alex was obviously lucky enough to do, and you’d been lucky enough to to accompany him a few times, but this was totally different. You were viewing history and you found it so fascinating.

“You’re really Greek-ing out over the view, aren’t you?” Alex chuckles loving seeing you as excited as you are.

“Al, that was awful.” You giggle putting your camera down.

He laughs at your distaste for his joke, but he grins at you and nods, “But you are though.”

“Yes Alex, we’re standing in Acropolis… I’ve always wanted to come here.” You tell him what he already knows.

He smiles at you then before he quickly kisses you. When he pulls away, he says, “Don’t worry, I’ll let you carry on Greek-ing out.”

You roll your eyes, “Oh lord.”

The day after, you both go on a tour around the Parthenon, and Alex catches you looking at an ice cream cart. So, Alex, being the loving husband he is, he goes and gets you an ice cream as you continue to listen to the tour guide.

A minute later Alex came back over with two ice creams in hand and he whispers into your ear after he hands you yours, “What’s Athen’in?”

The way you rolled your eyes at that would have been comical if Alex saw it, but he didn’t, you elbowed him in his side for the awful way he asked, ‘what’s happening.’

“Thank you for my ice cream, you fucking nerd” You whisper back dismissively and Alex chuckles before taking your hand and following the rest of your group as you started moving from your current spot.

Alex continues to make his shit jokes all week and you won’t let yourself admit they are entertaining. You didn’t want to encourage his silly behaviour despite secretly loving it.

On your second to last day before you were due to travel again, you go to a museum and you absolutely love it. But your husband loves to be needy in the crowd of people you were in.

“I love you.” Alex says, leaning over your shoulder and kissing your cheek as he wraps his arms around your waist.

“Love you too Alex.” You smile as you rest your hands over his, stroking the back of his hand with your thumb.  

Alex pouts wanting you to return his kind gesture, “Give me a kiss to prove it then.”

“Why can’t I just tell you? We’re in public.” You say, not feeling the need to get off with him as you were standing admiring some art.

Alex grins as you’ve played right into his hands. He jokes, “Athens speak louder than words, Y/N.”

You groan, “That’s the worst one yet.” leaning back into him.

“You love it really.” Alex mumbles as he leans down and places a kiss on your shoulder.

Alex kisses then travel from your shoulder and up to your neck. You’re well aware he likes that your shoulders are available to kiss because you're wearing a white vest top with spaghetti straps. He always loved to follow that trail of kisses.

You pay the loving kisses no attention though, you just chuckle and tell him, “I can’t wait to tell Matt about your shitty jokes.”

“Hey...” Alex pouts, “What Athens in Greece, stays in Greece.”

You hold your groan back this time and curiously ask, “Can I get an annulment or does it have to be a divorce after nearly a week?”

You can’t hold back your smile as he loudly gasps and spins you around. You knew that he knew you were joking but that doesn’t stop his jaw falling open.  

“You love me, you wouldn’t do that.” Alex playfully frowns a little.

“You should know by now that you can’t tame me Turner.” You grin and wrap your arms around his neck.

Who were you kidding, you didn’t care about PDA that much.

“I know everything about you, Turner.” Alex grins, using your new last name against you. “You’ve been my best friend since we were seventeen.”

“I know, you idiot.” You smile as you feel his arms wrap around your lower back.

“That’s how I know you hate me when I do this.” You grin as you reach up, messing up his fluffy hair with one hand whilst stealing his sunglasses with your other.

Alex gasps and laughs, pulling you in tighter so you can’t escape. You giggle like an idiot trying to get away from him but he doesn’t let you go anywhere.

“You’re my wife, you can’t pull shit like that anymore.” Alex says, his jaw still a little agape.

You grin and say, “I can and I will… Gotta keep you on your toes now Turner.”

Alex shakes his head and mumbles against your lips before he lets you fully kiss him, “Like you have done the past twenty years, you mean?”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Bora Bora was a completely different experience.

Maybe it was because there was less to do or you were both just shocked by the beauty of the place. You felt like you were in Neverland.

The islands surrounding the one your resort was on was amazing. You and Alex were staying in your own water villa and it was one of the end ones so you had the best view and the bigger place.

Not that you really needed it but you had to admit, it was nice to have a big house in a stunning paradise to yourselves.

There was a balcony on the water villa you were both staying in and it was amazing. It came equipped with sunloungers and even a small pool, which was mental to you because the sea was right there for you to jump into if you wanted to swim.  

But that didn’t mean that you didn’t get use out of it.

You’ve both been there a few days and you’ve not yet got bored of sunbathing after your hectic week of being a tourist. Last week had definitely tired you both out, so despite you already having your tans by now, you still loved spending your full day out in the sunshine.

You got up from the sunlounger, that was more of a sun bed, beside Alex not 20 minutes ago, and swam to the edge of the small infinity pool and rested your elbows on the side of it as you watched the sun go down. The view was stunning.

The sun slowly hid itself behind the stray clouds that littered the sky, turning them red which against the now orange sky made it look picture perfect. You wanted to paint the scene in front of you.

But before you knew it, it had disappeared and darkness was creeping its way to the sky. So you slowly made your way out of the pool so you could get ready to go for dinner soon.

“You look so good right now Angel.” Alex says as you walk up the steps out of the pool.

You smile, feeling a little shy for some unknown reason. Probably because you weren’t doing anything that you thought was compliment worthy, “You think so?”

“I always think so.” Alex nods before gesturing for you to come towards him.

He didn’t care that you’d just been in the water at all. His trunks were still damp from his swim earlier so when he guided you to straddle his lap, he didn’t care at all.

You looked stunning in your blue and white striped spaghetti strap bikini. He definitely couldn’t not tell you, even if he did see traces of embarrassment show on your pretty face.

“I love you.” You grin before pressing your lips to his after wrapping your arms around his neck.

Alex grins back and keeps you close as he whispers, “I love you more.”

You brush your nose against his as you shake your head, whispering back, “Not possible.”

You kiss him then and despite it being soft and gentle, you get the same nervous feeling in your stomach that you got the first time you kissed him however many years ago now. The kiss deepened and you guess the two of you just got too consumed in the moment because before you knew it all the strings that held your bikini together were being untied and Alex’s trunks were off.

If you ever cared about having sex and the risk of others seeing you, you certainly didn’t in this moment in time. You were riding your husband on the large sunlounger on your balcony and you felt euphoric.

The intimacy of the moment somehow made it better and you think even the risk of others seeing or hearing increased the pleasure you were feeling too. That must have been subconscious though because all you could think about was Alex.

His hold on your hips was strong and when he pulled you hips down to meet his, it caused the sweetest sound to fall from your lips which made Alex do it again and again. You looked heavenly above him like that.

Eyes closed just basking in the feeling of pleasure you were both giving each other. The sun setting behind you as Alex watched you ride him was stunning, it made you look like you were glowing.

Gorgeous was another word Alex would use to describe you when your head tilted back in the bliss of the moment. The whine you release when Alex starts kissing your neck where he knew you were sensitive was music to his ears.

And the way your fingers laced through his hair and pulled on it causing a similar sound to fall from Alex’s lips. But most of all Alex just thought you were the most beautiful human being and he never had a problem with telling you that.

The things he told you during intimate moments like this just made everything better and when your orgasm hit you, it was unearthly. You cling to Alex like he was going to magically disappear and Alex did the same to you when he got his release.

“I love you Alex.” You just about manage to say into his neck where you were hiding yourself when you came back to reality.

Alex trails kisses from your shoulder all the way up your neck to just under your ear as he’d done hundreds of times before. He breathes you, “I love you too Angel.”

~*~*~*~

Days in this paradise were spent relaxing in each other’s company outside or inside, in bed. The latter happened often as there was no need to get yourselves up in the mornings so you lazed about in bed.

Either cuddling and listening to music or listening to the TV in the background as you both stared out at the amazing view that the island had to offer. There weren’t very many times throughout this honeymoon when you wouldn’t be found touching each other.

Even if you went out for a walk you’d be hand in hand. But mostly you were entangled together in the confines of your own villa.

Either in the same sense that you were when you were on the sunlounger, which you couldn’t look at the same again, or just innocently cuddling. You think that your happiest day had been when Alex showered you with a million more compliments than he did every other day.

Today you’d stayed in your villa for most of the day, first Alex had made you feel euphoric again by making you feel like a queen (his queen). This time in bed though and not on the sunlounger.

Afterwards, you both showered and you were certain you’d never felt more peaceful than in that shower with him after he’d just made you feel pure bliss. After you dried off, Alex catered for you by making you a late breakfast which later you returned the favour for and made him lunch.

After relaxing in the small pool that was on your balcony, you also messed around a little and both jumped in the sea a lot, as if you were seventeen again. Once you decided it was time to make yourselves presentable for dinner later, you both headed back inside out of the sunlight.

You ran yourself a bath and unsurprisingly Alex joined you in it when it was filled. The bath was next to a large window that again showed off the stunning views of your amazing surroundings, so you enjoyed resting back against Alex, listening to the music that was playing out of your phone.

The kisses to your head as you both relaxed warmed your heart more than the water you were both sat in. It made you not want to leave the escape that the villa brought you.

So you dragged the bath out for a good hour and after Alex washed your hair and you had a giggle washing his, you got ready and went out to have your meal.

You came back to the villa long after the sun had set and you couldn’t wait to get in bed so a whole new day could start. Alex had been charming and flirty all throughout dinner so it really wasn’t a surprise when that continued.

The compliments started falling from his lips as soon as you both made it back to bed. Both of you cuddled together but he was once again teasing you with neck kisses.

“I’m sad you took that dress off, you looked stunning tonight.” Alex tells you as he places random kisses just below your ear.

He was pretty much lying on top of you, your chests pressed together and his head was buried into your neck. You weren’t complaining though, you just happily traced patterns on the smooth material that rested on his back, and now and again you ran your fingers through his hair.

You grin knowing he’d like it. “I thought you’d like that one.”

It was a little black dress that you’d bought purposely for a dinner date. You knew he’d love it because of how perfectly it fit you, but you had to admit, taking it off and putting your new black silk pyjama top and shorts on felt comfier.

“I like everything you put on… Or take off for that matter.” He chuckles a little, still lying on top of you and kissing your neck now and again.

He made you feel really warm and you loved the intimacy of the moment. Just lying in bed with him with the balcony doors open and letting the cool breeze run over the both of you as you listen to the waves.

“Very easily impressed, aren’t you?” You grin as you twirl his hair around your fingers.

Alex chuckles before kissing his way back up your neck. “Only by you, Angel.”

You giggle a little then as you play with his hair whilst he still distracts himself with your neck. You were sure he’d keep his head there for all eternity if you let him, and he had even more reason to stay there because he knew you secretly loved it.

“I could name 110 things I love about you right now, just off the top of my head.” Alex promises as he lifts his head and kisses your lips.

You giggle when he pulls away, “That’s oddly specific.”

Alex grins and kisses you again as he says, “Well I could have said 505 but at the risk of being cheesy, I adapted.”

The laugh you released then was something Alex was so glad he could hear everyday now. He couldn’t wait to start a proper life with you now you were officially his.

“Your laugh might be at the very top of that list.” Alex tells you, smiling to himself.

“Then your eyes, they are so stunning.” Alex tells you, his own eyes looking back and forth between yours. Almost as if he couldn’t decide which he liked better. “I’d write a full song about your Y/E/C eyes if you’d let me.”

You grin at him but shake your head. It was an answer that Alex knew was coming but he still loved them non the less. Alex gazes down at your lips then that were tugged up into a stunning smile.

“Your smile is definitely up there too. I don’t think I could ever have a bad day again if you smile at me like that every day.” That fills your chest with warmth.

Alex gives you an eskimo kiss then and your heart skips a beat at your noses brushing together, and again when he softly says, “I love the way you just sort of melt when I do that.”

It was true you really did practically melt beneath him. Your eyes close, you release the breath you're holding and you just bask in the feeling of his nose brushing against yours, you feel like you sink into the pillow beneath you more than you already had.

His compliments continue, “I love the way you run your fingers through my hair and how you twist it around when you’re relaxed and happy.”

You smile as you carry on doing it. And you didn’t plan on stopping.

“I love that you still wear that perfume I helped you pick out years ago.” Alex says getting another whiff of the gorgeous scent.

“I love your kisses. To the point where I think I’d cry if you’d deny me one.” Alex jokes a little with you and it makes you giggle again.

“I love waking up and falling asleep next to you.” Alex admits, “Definitely better than waking up next to the idiots back home on a tour bus.”

“You’re such a lovely friend.” You chuckle looking into his soft brown eyes.

Alex hums in agreement and continues with, “I love that you’re my best friend and have been since I can remember.”

“I adore the fact that you’re amazing at what you do and you give 110% for each new thing that’s thrown your way.”

“You’ve said 110 twice now, should I be expecting another song?” You playfully ask him and Alex laughs before he kisses you again.

“I love your reactions to the songs that are about you.” Alex grins.

Your eyes narrow a bit there as he knew how you felt about the songs. But you could let that go a bit now.

He was your husband after all.

“I love that you get really sexy when you get annoyed at something.” Alex says before kissing you again, and he starts kissing down your jaw and he focuses back on your neck.

“I love the way you pretend you hate this but I know from the way that you react that you don’t.” Alex says and you catch yourself reacting in encouraging ways.

Your fingers tightened in his hair, you gave him more room for his lips to find your skin, and your breath hitched when he teases the spot he knew was your weakest.

“I love that the way you breathe gives away how you want to have sex.” Alex practically purrs in your ear.

Alex’s lips continue to tease you and after a few seconds he nips on a spot he already got before and you release a breathy whine. Of course Alex says, “I love those noises you make so much. I wanna hear them all day.”

Alex slowly moved himself a little further up your body, this time resting himself down between your legs and you can feel him getting hard through the both of your pyjama shorts. You gasp a little, “Alex.”

He all but groans, “I love the way you say my name.”

Your eyes are closed now and you focus on the kisses on your neck and his hand running down your side until he carries on to your leg and he gently guides it to hook around his waist. He felt even better against you then and you bite your lip to stop yourself from giving anything more away.

“I love how you try to stop yourself from wanting us… Makes it even funnier now we’re married.” Alex chuckles before he kisses your lips that he catches you biting.

You don’t really care now, he’s right. He’s your husband, you don’t have to show restraint anymore. Especially on your Honeymoon.

Your kiss is slow but intense. You could feel how much Alex loved you and you wanted to show how much you love him too. And in this moment your actions seemed like no better way.

“Alex.” You breathe to grab his attention.

He kisses you again and bites in your lip as he pulls away. He grins at your whine and innocently asks you, “Yes Angel?”

You grab a fistful of his pyjama top and say, “Please let me take this off”

He lets you and once it’s somewhere on the floor Alex grins at you like an idiot. You know he’s happy, overjoyed even, but there’s a teasing sparkle in his eyes so you lean up and kiss him again to bypass that.

Your top hits the floor next and Alex has his fun attaching his lips to your chest leaving mark after mark. The rest of both your pyjamas are removed shortly after. 

Before anything goes any further though Alex pauses for a second. He looks down at you so lovingly, you feel as if you could literally melt under his gaze.

His chest is still pressed to yours and you’re both breathing a little heavy from previous kisses. But the way he’s looking at you makes your heart flutter.

At this point you don’t think it ever wouldn’t.

Alex’s declaration of love finishes off with, “I just love you Mrs Turner... All of you”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

[museeeuuuum]

Hello!

I am the person in this video. This screen-grab was from a 3 hour conversation primarily about historical museums and how they are designed between myself and a guest. This part of the convo was talking about the overwhelming nature of some encyclopedic or "blockbuster" institutions, and how they can be overwhelming, crowded, and sterile. I don't disagree with your comments, I also believe that art should be felt and that the humanity IS there. But this was one phrase from a larger conversation about accessibility and engagement, primarily with historical museums (I feel like galleries dedicated strictly to art have a different set of requirements which we did not touch on).

When I said this in the video we were discussing the importance of showing the work that goes into museums, how having a guide or showing conservators doing their work "behind the scenes" can be extremely important and can help root these artifacts and stories not just in the past, but the present as well. We also talked at length about how many artifacts in these institutions have been removed from their original context, so the impact of their history is somewhat lost and its a bit sad.

Not everyone is going to want to stand and stare at a painting and think about the work that went into it. Some people have never studied history or art and might miss things about an item on display that could help them engage with the past in a more impactful way. Having a bunch of artifacts from ancient Greece on display in the British Museum in a cold, white hallway is far less impactful than going to say, the Acropolis museum. The element of who, why, and where they were created is less apparent.

A way to combat this is to have a guide answer your questions, or maybe the artist is there to share their thoughts about the piece of art (bringing the human element back a bit). Sometimes, a guest might need a little nudge from a docent to further engage with the past, and that's okay!

We discuss this AT LENGTH in the video, so perhaps sharing one line from a very long conversation was foolish of me. But I hope you understand a bit better where I am coming from.

Some screen grabs from my most recent video: What makes a "good " museum?

[battinscn]

RIGHT BACK — draco malfoy x f! reader PART 1

CONTENT WARNING: none

SUMMARY: what you and your friends have been up to while in greece

WC/ AVG. READING TIME: 1981 words/ 10 minutes

return to the draco masterlist here

THE BLARING SOUND of my alarm clock caused draco and i to wake up. i slapped around the nightstand to look for my phone to snooze the alarm.

once i was fully awake i started to prepare for the day, taking a shower, applying my makeup, and whatnot. draco getting himself ready as well.

when it was 8am, the 6 of us found ourselves in the sitting area, putting on our shoes, preparing to leave for the day.

pansy's eyes lit up at the word 'shopping'.

we made our way to the small cafe that was nestled in the corner of the small street. we ahead our breakfast and got on a taxi to head to the acropolis.

many oohs and ahs and pictures taken later, we were back in the airbnb changing out of our sweaty clothes.

draco was in his usual black suit attire.

"hey y/n, i'm really sorry but miles and i are pretty tired, we're gonna stay back here to rest while you guys head to the mall is that okay?" adrian asked, peeping his head through the bedroom door.

"of course bubs, you guys rest well. if you need us to help takeaway dinner or anything just give me a ring," i assured adrian.

and so blaise, pansy, draco and i called an uber and we made our way to the mall.

we all decided that we would walk around the mall as couples and meet back at the entrance of the mall at 7pm. i walked into chanel and got a few makeup products, draco being the gentlemen he is, insisted that he payed for them.

"i have to take a wee," draco said as we walked past the toilets.

"i'll just wait outside for you"

as i waited for draco, i noticed cartier was right next to the restrooms and decided to look through the window displays.

that was when i saw the most beautiful bracelet i have ever laid my eyes upon. it was a love bracelet. i've always wanted one, i just never got around to buying it. but this love bracelet was different, it was white gold and diamond encrusted. i squinted my eyes to take a look at the price tag.

"30, 000 euros" it stated on it.

yea money wasn't an issue in my family but my father would not be too happy if i went home with a 30k credit card bill. my father was considered pretty wealthy, but he was no lucius malfoy.

"what're you looking at?" draco snapped me out of my thoughts.

"oh um nothing."

"we should start making our way back to the entrance, it's almost 7," draco reached for the bags in my hands, offering to carry it for me.

i took one last look at the bracelet as i quickly caught up to draco.

when we got to the entrance, pansy and blaise were already waiting for us. pansy and blaise's hands were full of shopping bags, which we obviously pansy's.

draco began frantically patting his pants pockets.

"fuck, i think i left my wallet in the bathroom when i was taking a piss," draco panicked as he sprinted back to the toilets to look for it.

draco can be such a himbo sometimes smh.

we got in an uber and soon were back in the airbnb.

"blaise and i are kinda hungry, we're gonna head down to that cafe nearby and get takeaway. we'll send you guys the menu and let us know if there's anything you want," pansy let draco and i know as the other couple settled their shopping bags on the coffee table.

"adrian! miles! we're back!" i shouted.

yet there was no response.

"maybe they're on the roof?" draco asked.

"let's go see."

draco and i made our way to the roof. as i opened the doors to the rooftop patio, i was surprised to see it fully decorated.

fairy lights were strung across the roof, lots of lit candles scattered around the area. some chairs had been removed so that only the small table and two chairs remained.

on the table there was red wine in the glasses and a charcuterie board.

"surprise," draco smirked as tickled my sides.

"draco..it looks wonderful," i gushed.

"come on, let's take a seat," draco took my hand and led me to the table, pulling a chair out and pushing it in for me as i sat down. he took the seat opposite me.

"happy four years princess," draco smiled.

"but it's not for a few weeks."

"i figured we could just celebrate a little earlier."

"thank you draco, i love you."

"i love you y/n."

we spent the rest of the night chatting about everything and anything. draco and i have spent almost everyday of the past four years together but we somehow never ran out of things to talk about.

other than adrian, draco was who i gossiped with. you would be surprised at how bitchy draco actually is, he's probably talked shit about every single person in hogwarts.

"i have one more surprise. close your eyes and put out your hands, no peeking," draco instructed.

i soon felt a weight in my hands as i slowly opened my eyes.

In my hands was a velvet cartier box.

"draco lucius malfoy. no you did not," i gasped at the box in my hands.

"go on! open it."

i did as told, only to see the bracelet i was looking at earlier.

"dray..baby..no i can't accept this, it's too much," i shook my head.

"nonsense. if you don't accept it i'll get mad." draco frowned jokingly.

"and that's not all," draco pulled out a similar looking box, "i got myself one too, so we have matching bracelets," draco opened the box in his hands to reveal a bracelet that looked just like the one he got me, except the band was slightly wider.

"draco..i don't even know what to say. i'm so shocked," tears began to well in my eyes.

"then don't say anything, here let me put it on you," draco got out of his seat and walked over to me. using the screwdriver given in the box he put the bracelet on me. i did the same for him.

"thank you so much draco, i must've saved the universe in my past life to deserve someone like you," i threw my arms over draco's neck and embraced the tall blonde.

"i'm sorry i don't have anything for you right now, i thought we would celebrate it in a few weeks' time," i looked down at my feet, a little embarrassed i had no gift to give my boyfriend in return.

"having you in my life is the best gift you could've given me, plus you deserve every cent my father has," draco pulled me into a long and passionate kiss.

"when did you even get them?" i asked curiously.

"you didn't think i'd actually leave my wallet in the bathroom did you?" draco smirked.

"wait but where'd you put the boxes then?"

"i put them in the shopping bags,"

"wait but how'd you put all these decorations up?"

"pucey and bletchley. when i asked them to help me out at first they said no because they were lazy, but i then explained it was for the sake of you and they instantly agreed"

adrian and miles for sure had soft spots for me...i was their precious baby.

"wait but-"

"i think that's enough questions princess," draco cut me off snickering.

although i was in heels, draco still towered over me. his blue eyes twinkled under the fairy lights, his platinum blonde hair neatly swooped back, his cheeks rosy from the red wine, and the crinkles that formed by his eyes as he let out a toothy grin.

"merlin you're gorgeous," i mumbled under my breath.

"i could say the same for you princess," draco placed a hand on my chin to tilt my head up, and the other on my waist, pulling me closer to him.

our chests were now touching as draco slowly leaned down and attached his lips to mine. our lips molded with one another in sync. i wanted to deepen the kiss, hence i ran my hands through draco's, and pushed his face closer to mine.

draco wanted to slip a tongue in, but i wasn't going to give him that satisfaction just yet, i stubbornly kept my lips closed. annoyed, draco took his hands that were on my waist and brought it to my ass giving it a squeeze.

i let out a groan and the boy took this as an opportunity to slip his tongue in my mouth. our tongues fought for dominance, his obviously winning. i ran my right leg up draco's and hooked his leg with mine. draco's hand started massaging my ass as i let out little whimpers into the kiss.

as both my hands tugged onto draco's roots, an idea popped up in my head. i started trailing one hand from his hair to his broad shoulders, down to his chest and abs then stopped right above his growing member. I let out a small smirk and started palming draco through his trousers. this sudden contact made draco let out a moan.

if my panties weren't already soaked, they definitely were now.

"jump," draco instructed as he pulled away from the kiss.

i did as i was told, I wrapped my legs around draco's torso as he supported me with his legs below my thighs.

i reattached my lips back to his as he carried me to the bedroom. he closed the bedroom door shut by kicking it with his foot and he placed me gently on the bed.

draco got on top of me and placed his lips on my neck, sucking and biting all over, leaving love bites on my collarbone as well.

"may i?" draco asked as he tugged onto the straps of my top.

i eagerly nodded in reply.

"words princess or i'm not going to touch you," draco warned.

"yes draco i want this, i want you."

"atta girl," draco smirked as he pulled my top over my head and tossed it across the room.

and that was how y/n y/l/n lost her virginity in athens, greece.

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[forasecondtherewedwon]

The Blood You Owe

Fandom: No Time to Die (007) Rating: G Word Count: 1291

Summary: Madeleine, Mathilde, and the legacy of James Bond, mid- and post-No Time to Die.

Cher James, she writes on a sheet of borrowed stationery. Je suis dans ton train.

Your train, she writes, because it is James’s will that propels her away from him more than any other force. Had he wished for her to remain by his side, that is where she would be. The moment he decides she must be banished, le voilà: a train is waiting at the platform.

Madeleine looks down at her lap while she catches her breath—she seems to be unable to breathe and write at the same time—and the pooling white fabric of her dress reminds her of Tangier. She and James, a secret room. The legacy of her father has stretched so very far. Madeleine presses a hand to her stomach, roiling with stress and heartbreak, and inhales raggedly, but not enough to disturb the young woman who sits across the aisle, headphones clamped securely over her ears.

Maybe in her new life, Madeleine will be such a woman. Play her music and keep her head down to ignore any disturbing scenes in her vicinity.

She continues her letter, scrawling roughly across this page that will never be sent. The pen came from between the seats and she can barely feel it between her fiercely gripping fingers. She wants to finish. She wants to tear the paper up. She wants to get off at the next stop and return to Matera to see James standing on the platform, saying it was only a diversion, saying he would only ever separate the two of them temporarily, saying the safest—the only—place for her is, bien sûr, with him.

Because he won’t ever read it, Madeleine is unbothered by the illegibility of her script, the long words rolling with syllables that far outstrip James’s blunt, unimaginative grasp of French. She makes the letter impossible for him, as he has made life for her. She tells herself it is a chastisement and not a hope, a hope that one day he might have spoken her language for the beauty of it, as he was beginning to do before they parted. Je t’aime, she can still hear him whispering in her ear last night, within the hush of their hotel sheets.

The train veers onto a passing loop as another train rumbles by in the opposite direction. Madeleine leans away from the window on instinct and winces at the noise, the rattle too similar to the sound of bulletproof glass splintering under the hail that almost shattered it. What scared her more than the close-range gunfire was James’s deadness. He sat there, behind the wheel, not like he’d given up, but like he was waiting for her to get out of the car. To step out and be… quoi? Welcomed warmly by the people who had chased them through the winding streets? She would have been shot. And what would he have done then, the stupid man? Buried her at the acropolis next to Vesper? Loved her better as a death he could avenge.

The page is a mess of blots and skips, hard strokes of the pen that nearly slashed through. She folds it sharply and traps it between her trembling fingers as she slips out of her seat and lurches towards the tight bathroom at the end of the car.

Inside, door locked but clattering, she is wretchedly ill. If she could throw up her heart, perhaps she would feel better. But it remains wedged in her chest, feeling swollen, feeling scraped and raw, and Madeleine backhands her wet mouth before tossing her letter to James into the toilet bowl.

Je t’aime, she thinks, aching, and flushes.

—

* Twenty Years Later *

As much as her maman has tried to protect Mathilde’s psyche with roots and routine, she will not be tucked away, and she has wandered. Madeleine prefers cold places: her mountain-top clinic in Austria, the isolated Norway property, the Montréal townhouse—narrow and old and beautiful—that they made their family home after everything. Mathilde was changed by the events of her childhood, but does not share Madeleine’s persistent, low-grade paranoia. She is brashly free.

Which isn’t to say that she doesn’t sense surveillance. It’s only Nomi though, the other and opposite presence in Mathilde’s life. Nomi whose headlights cut smoothly through the dark when Mathilde is walking home, alone and too late. Nomi who happens to have a business-class seat on Mathilde’s flight the year she travels from university in Paris home to Montréal for Christmas. Nomi who silently tails Mathilde around le sixième or manages to disappear on the minute Îles aux Cygnes. She will shadow Mathilde for hours, always just out of sight, and then be sitting in her cramped kitchen the next morning, smiling behind Mathilde’s favourite dark-blue mug.

Mathilde has become excellent at catching Nomi. She looks forward to 007’s check-ins; behaviour that was overbearing to her as a teenager has turned into a game of hide-and-seek, a childish thing to hang on to and play with relish.

“Ils n’ont pas de journaux à Londres?” Mathilde will ask, swinging around the back of a newsstand to, at best, mildly surprise the agent who’s been watching her over an open arts editorial. They don’t have newspapers in London?

Nomi’s eyes will be hidden behind her sunglasses, but her mouth will twitch.

“C’est une coïncidence,” she will say.

Mathilde will hum doubtfully before linking arms with her unofficial godmother and pestering her for details about her latest mission. Nomi is perennially tight-lipped and professional, but Mathilde must ask. Although Madeleine prefers to relegate these stories to her past—the violence, adrenaline, and deadly stakes—Mathilde craves them the way her peers crave designer clothes in a magazine. When you have felt fear, when you have seen death, it is always better to know.

What else of her father’s world does she possess? Rien. Well, almost nothing. She has copies from her parents’ miniscule collection of travel photos—soft smiles, adoring eyes, while James squeezes Madeleine to his side and kisses her forehead. Mathilde stores them discreetly in a shoebox so maman won’t worry about someone seeing the face that attracted so many enemies. Beyond that, there are only the memories that disintegrate each time she rewards herself with a backward glance. Deft hands peeling an apple. Strong arms carrying her through the swishing leaves of a forest. His features are only in the photographs. Her blue eyes in a different face.

Someone else finds her, too soon after Nomi has passed through for it to be her stare Mathilde feels on her back as she leaves a lecture. He doesn’t look like a spy—nor a hitman, nor a villain with a poison garden and a shrivelled soul—but he’s certainly looking at her. She plants her feet and dares him to approach her.

His gait is elegant without militancy, his speech French but differently accented. Franco-algérien, he explains while Mathilde watches him without a sound. Je crois que votre père connaissait ma mère. I believe your father knew my mother.

She walks with the grown-up child of Vesper Lynd, two lucky fish to slip through Spectre’s ghostly net, and they go to the river, as fish do. Mathilde crouches on the bank, her cheek against her knees, while Ramzi stands beside her.

“It’s taken a long time,” he tells her, “to get this far. Our parents’ histories are shrouded.”

“Non,” Mathilde counters, “pas enveloppé.”

He frowns down at her, but she isn’t sure how else to explain. Knowledge of James wasn’t concealed under a cover; it exploded into a thousand burning streaks of light. A burst that spotted her vision. A missing letter, read by the indentations left in the page beneath.