#also I think Liu is so pretty here. usually I’d try to avoid that a little but idk I kinda hc he’s pretty! idgaf!

[adaki]

Wanted to try drawing something a little ornate, I think they’d make each other worse

[yeoandmoon]

you are now listening to graceland too by phoebe bridgers! ( yeosang x f!reader )

fluff, burnout!yeosang, bassist!yeosang, writer!reader, childhood friends 2 lovers but also idiots 2 lovers, yeosang and reader run away, seongjoong are engaged, wooyoung + yeonjun have a band, there is only one bed, yeosang has a nose ring, it’s implied reader has a bad relationship with her mother, wc is 3.1k

NOTE: happy yeosang day! this was a doozy to write, but i hope you all enjoy it! its based off one of my favourite phoebe bridgers songs! :)

There’s a mural on the wall of the hotel lobby. It’s a warm toned painting of a forest, with a hint of a bright blue sky peeking out from the top of the trees. There’s a moose standing at the forefront of the mural, and a little fox sleeping on a rock towards the bottom, surrounded by colourful flowers and leaves.

The mural confused you, if you were being honest. The hotel you worked the night audit at was situated in the busy downtown centre of the city you lived in, and there were barely any forests for miles around the city - let alone any wildlife, like moose or foxes. Hongjoong said it was to make guests feel more ‘in touch with nature’ and to help people forget about the ‘problems of the real world’, while Yeosang claimed it was ‘just another scam in the tourist trap’.

You, on the other hand, was sure the mural was put there to torture you. You would spend nights having staring contests with the moose (which, to your surprise, you always lost), or you would spend hours on Google with Hongjoong trying to find out what species of fox the sleeping fox was (you were sure it was a cape fox, while Hongjoong swore up and down that it was a gray fox). The blue sky between the trees teased you; a reminder that most of your days were spent in the library at your university, or in this dimly lit lobby.

Sometimes, it felt like the only time you saw the sunshine was when you were with Yeosang.

Despite the occasional burnout and the lack of seeing sun most days, you didn’t mind the job. You were always more of a night person, and your classes were always later in the day so you did manage to pull in some sleep. Due to the late hours, you usually only dealt with customers in the first hour or two of your shift, and most of that was just directing confused Ubereats delivery people and pretty Tinder dates to hallways and rooms. It was the perfect job to work on your writing, and get your school work out of the way without listening to your mother cry about how you’re throwing your life away like your sister.

Plus, you could think of a hundred worse people to spend the night shift with than the nighttime valet, Hongjoong. Hongjoong often kept you occupied with his latest reforms and art projects, and stories about his fiancee, Seonghwa & their friend, Yunho (who he kept insisting you needed to go on a date with).

“Your emo boy is coming.”

Well, you could think of ninety-nine worse people to spend the night shift with than Hongjoong, who sat next to you at the check-in desk.

You scoff, “He’s not my emo boy.” You mumble, glancing at the street entrance to see Yeosang walk in with an ice coffee on hand.

Despite your words, Kang Yeosang was your person (you wouldn’t quite use the term ‘emo boy’, even if it did fit), and he had been since your family moved in next door to his family when you two were children. Although your friendship lately had been reduced to these late night meetings while you two were on break on your respective graveyard shifts (you at the hotel and Yeosang at the convenience store down the block, of course) and occasional meetings in the garden when you were both running errands for your families, you still considered Yeosang one of your dearest memories.

It was hard not too, you suppose. He had been there for many of your firsts, and was always cheering you on. Yeosang always made you feel powerful and important - like a powerful heroine, and not his bratty next door neighbor who cried on his doorstep after being dumped by her first year partner. He always made you feel wanted.

Yeosang grinned at you as he stepped into the lobby (if your heart fluttered in your chest, you ignored it). He had on a backwards dad cap, and he had recently changed his nose ring out for the gold hoop San had bought him for his birthday. You could just faintly see his birthmark peeking out from where his bleach blonde hair curled under the hat.

“Hello, Sunshine.” He greets you, setting the coffee down on your desk.

You set the pen you were holding down, “Hi Yeosang.”

Upon first glance at Yeosang, you can tell he’s buzzing about something. He’s leaning over the check-in counter and chewing on his lip while making small talk with Hongjoong about the tourist season.

You raise an eyebrow, sipping your coffee as Yeosang turns back to you, “Do you remember Wooyoung and Yeonjun?”

You nearly choke on your coffee at the mention of your other neighbor and ex-boyfriend. Wooyoung had moved onto your street a few years after you had, and quickly became apart of the little bond you and Yeosang had formed. He moved to the coast with Yeonjun, your ex, the first chance they had gotten, but Wooyoung’s family remained in the neighborhood.

“I babysat Woo’s brother the other day…” You watched your friend, “Did something happen? Mrs Jung didn’t say anything the other day.”

Yeosang grins, and it’s his scheming grin, “Their band got signed,” He tells you, “They need a new bassist, and Wooyoung showed them that video you took of me from that show last month. Their label wants me to come down; play a few shows with them, record a couple demos. See if we have chemistry, basically.”

Your eyes widen - both out of excitement and fear. You were happy and excited for Yeosang! This is the opportunity he had been wanting for years, but you were also terrified.

You were terrified in a horrible, selfish way because you knew if Yeosang left to join Wooyoung and Yeonjun, he’d never come back to you.

“That’s… That’s great, Yeo!” You manage a grin whilst trying to shove the selfish thoughts away, “When do they want you there?”

Yeosang’s smile falters, just for a moment but you still catch it, “Monday.”

“F-Five days?”

He nods, “I’m leaving Saturday morning, so I can be there Sunday afternoon.”

You can see it in his eyes; he’s terrified too.

Before you can say anything else, Yeosang leans over the check-in counter and presses a chaste kiss to your forehead, “I have to get back to work, Sunshine.” He tells you, his voice quiet as if he’s giving you a secret, “I’ll see you later.”

He’s already halfway down the lobby when you swear and move out of your chair, you quickly call his name as you move out from behind the desk. You rush over to where he’s standing, and look up at him. He’s confused.

He opens his mouth to say something, but the words die in his throat when you pull him into a tight hug, “I’m proud of you, Yeo.”

Yeosang wraps his arms around you, pulling you closer to him. His chest is warm, and you’re sure you could spend hours here. He smiles, pressing another kiss to your head, “I know, Sunshine.” He pulls away, his hand on your arm, “I really do have to go, though. I’m already late for work.”

You nod, wrapping your arms around your torso as you watch him leave the hotel and turn down the street to go back to the convenience store. When you turn back around, Hongjoong is watching you with an amused look on his face.

You glare at him as you walk back to the desk, “Don’t you have a fiance to call, or something?”

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

You were tired.

Friday nights were always busy, but tonight was draining and loud and you could only take so much of Miss Liu’s incessant phone calls about mundane things at 3am. All you wanted to do was go home, and fall into your bed and sleep for hours.

Hongjoong didn’t help your mood either. It was an innocent question about Yeosang, asking if you’d seen him since he visited you on his break but it pushed your mood down to a low point. You had been so busy the past few days, and if you were being honest with yourself, you had been avoiding Yeosang.

You weren’t ready to see him leave. You knew it was selfish, but you figured avoiding Yeosang was easier than admitting you didn’t want him to leave you behind. You would just simply watch his life through Instagram and consider the ‘what-ifs’ in your life.

You shouldered your tote bag after clocking out before yelling a good-bye to Hongjoong. You could see the beginning rays of morning sun hitting the other buildings in the downtown core as you stepped out the employee doors, and then you were hit by the sight of Yeosang leaning against one of the pillars.

Your eyes widen, “Yeosan-”

“Come with me.”

You stop. Your words are left in your throat, “W-Wh… Go with you? To the coast?”

Yeosang nods, “Come with me,” He steps forward, taking your hands in his, “What do you have here? A degree you don’t care about? A job you hate?”

You frown, running over his words in your head, “I-I have my mom. And… I have Hongjoong!”

He raises an eyebrow, “Y/N, Sunshine… Your mom will barely notice you’re gone, and Hongjoong can visit us.” He cupped your cheek.

You’re so busy having an internal crisis you hardly notice the usage of ‘us’. You’re considering the logistics in your head. Yeosang was right; you didn’t care about your degree, and all it would take was an email saying you quit for them to find a new front desk person. Your mom would be upset for a few weeks. She’d probably make some passive aggressive Facebook posts about you before acting like your best friend again.

“Yeosang…” You look up at him, your hand coming up to circle around his wrist.

“Your sister is there, and you could write everyday.” Yeosang adds on, “I did the math, Y/N. Between the two of us, we’d have 6 months to figure it out. 6 months, and we’ll come back here if nothing works out.”

You stay silent for a moment.

“Sunshine, I promised I’d show you the stars, didn’t I?”

You gasp at the promise. It was a silly promise he had made when you were both kids; something you’d almost forgotten about.

It hits you quickly: there’s no one else you’d rather run away with. There’s no one else you’d trust to run away with.

You look up at Yeosang, “Yes.”

He grins, “Yes?”

You nod, “Yes, Yeo. I’ll go with you.”

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

An hour. An hour was how long it took for you to turn your life upside down for Kang Yeosang.

In an hour, you had emailed your program advisor and told them you wouldn’t be returning for the next semester, and you had called your manager and told them you wouldn’t be coming in for your next shift, or any shift after that (which was promptly followed by a phone call from Hongjoong, who seemed more excited about this than you were). You had packed up most of your clothes and important belongings, and they were loaded into the back of Yeosang’s shitty car. You left a note for your mother, and before you knew it, you were sitting in the passenger’s seat of Yeosang’s car.

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

You had fallen asleep barely an hour into the car ride. 

The rolling hills and fields outside your window made your eyes feel heavier, but you tried staying awake to keep Yeosang company.

“Go to sleep, Sunshine.” He tells you, “I’ll be here when you wake up.”

Yeosang’s promise was all it took for you to succumb to your exhaustion.

You don't usually remember your dreams. Though today, there are flashes of a beach, and a smile that takes your breath away. There are blue skies and if you try hard enough, you can just faintly smell sea salt.

You wake up hours later, smiling. True to his word, Yeosang is still there when you wake. He’s wearing a pair of sunglasses, and tapping his fingers to the beat of the song on the radio.

Yeosang smiles when he notices you’re awake, “I talked to your mother.”

Your eyes widen, “You talked to who?”

He laughs, “You didn’t answer your phone, so she called me.”

You frown, glancing at your phone in the free cup holder. You could imagine the amount of calls and texts that were in there.

“She wasn’t very happy.” Yeosang continues, “She wants you to call her when we get there.”

You nod, “Thank you, Yeo.” You say softly, looking over at him.

Yeosang throws you a smile, “Of course.”

“Not just for talking to my mom…” You watch him, “For not leaving me behind, too. Thank you.”

Yeosang reaches over, taking your hand, “I’d never leave you behind, Sunshine. You’d have to try really hard to get rid of me.”

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

The car ride was long, and full of Yeosang’s early 2000s emo playlist & fast food. You called your sister, who was ecstatic to hear about your plans and had immediately offered you and Yeosang her beach house. She made a comment about how ‘she always knew you two would end up together’, and it made your heart flutter when you glanced at Yeosang.

Yeosang told you about Wooyoung’s band, and how excited he was to play with Wooyoung. You smiled, listening to him fondly talk about your old friends and their music.

It was getting late though, and you could see it in Yeosang’s face that he was getting tired.

“We should stop for the night.” You tell him, “You’ve been driving since 6am, Yeo.”

He huffs, “We could drive through the night.” He proposes, “We’d make it to your sister’s place in a few hours.”

You frown, “Or... We could stop for the night, shower, and then leave first thing tomorrow morning. We'll get there by noon tomorrow.”

Yeosang glances at you, going to protest. He ends up yawning instead, his nose wrinkling slightly, “Fine.” He pouts.

You laugh, reaching for your phone to google the closest hotels. There's a comfortable silence in the car, filled with the occasional beat of Yeosang’s fingers on the steering wheel. You feel at ease, even if it's just for a moment.

“There’s a motel off the next exit.” You tell him, stifling a yawn of your own.

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

Sure enough, there had been a motel off the next exit. It was small and slightly rundown, but cheap and had an available room. You waited in the car while Yeosang went into the check-in office, promising to be back in a moment.

He came back dangling a key in his hand, and a slight frown on his face as he opened the car door to let you out.

“So... There’s only one bed.” He broke the news, a blush growing up his cheeks, “It’s all they had, unless we wanted to drive another hour down the highway.”

Your eyes widen, “O-Oh.” You glance at the key, and then back up at Yeosang, “I’ll sleep on the floor, or something.”

Yeosang frowns, shaking his head, “We can share for one night, Sunshine. I think it’ll be okay.”

Which leads you to here; lying almost nose to nose with Yeosang. Your hair was soaking wet from a shower in the tiny bathroom and the small motel bed wasn’t comfortable, but you didn’t seem to mind as you took in the man in front of you. You pushed the strands of bleach blonde hair out of his face, and your fingers softly lingered on the birthmark next to his eye.

His breath stuttered, “Y/N,” He says, his voice a mere whisper, “We’re free.”

You let your hand rest against his cheek. Your eyes lingered on his lips before you caught yourself, moving your gaze back up to his eyes.

Yeosang only smiled at you. He gently held your wrist as he tilted his head and placed a soft kiss on your palm, “I’m going to kiss you now, Sunshine.”

“Yes please.”

You felt every nerve in your body light up when Yeosang kissed you.

A small part of your brain told you that this is where you’re meant to be: in Yeosang’s arms.

You felt this way the first time Yeosang had kissed you too, all the way back on that roof in 11th grade. You two had been talking about the future; about your writing and Yeosang’s music. You looked up at the hazy night sky, and you asked Yeosang if you’d ever get to see the stars.

He smiled at you, telling you that he would show them to you one day before he kissed you so sweetly.

Yeosang still kissed you sweetly. He kissed you like you held the secrets of the universe in your hand for him to take.

You pulled away, “I think I love you.”

He smiles against your lips, rubbing soft circles into your wrist, “I think I love you too, baby.”

—————-

You had this assumption that the next morning would be awkward; that you would be stuck for the next 6 months with someone you could barely look in the eye because of a late night confession.

Instead, you awoke to Yeosang kissing your head and placing a bagel & ice coffee down for you. He had quickly ushered you into the shower, before you put on a change of clothes and were quickly led out to the car between bites of your bagel. This all happened over Yeosang telling you how you only had a few hours before you reached your sister’s beach house, and he wanted to try and make good time so you could enjoy the beach today.

You giggled at his antics before settling into the passenger’s seat for the last few hours of your journey.

You sipped your ice coffee as you watched out the window. The countryside on the highway zoomed by you, and the car was full of sunlight from Yeosang’s sunroof being open. There was a Fall Out Boy song on the radio, and you felt a sense of calm brush over you as Yeosang took your hand in his.

The sunshine had never felt so nice on your skin as Yeosang pressed a soft kiss to the back of your hand.

taglist: @vanishingboots @sunsethw4​ 

[seemslegitflapjacks]

Chapter 9; Love and War

I stood up straight again, running back out onto the soccer field. My teammates kicked the ball right to me once they noticed me. I sprang into action, dodging through Randy’s teammates while I kept the ball in my range. My heart and head pounding as I swung my leg forwards, kicking the ball with the side of my foot, the goalie missing as she fell. Not too long after making the winning goal, I got surrounded by my teammates, shaking hands and hugging as we all calmed down from the game.

Our group headed to a slushie shack, sitting ourselves down at the tables. I was with Liu and the other three, our usual group. Randy didn't seem too happy, it was like he was side-eyeing me. God, what was his fucking problem? It was always like he wanted to start some shit with me, it was annoying. He’s my friend and all, but sometimes I wanna punch the shit out of the asshat. If I did something, he rushed in to try and beat me, if I won something, he had to one-up me. It was like he was pitting himself against me.

“You guys played pretty well.” Troy congratulated while drinking his slushie.

“Thanks, Troy.” I smiled, Randy rolling his eyes.

“It’s hot out here..” Keith breathed.

“I wonder why.” Randy sighed, eyeing the fact the resident emo was true, wearing solid black.

“Oh shut up Randy.” Keith groaned.

“He’s kinda right, do you have no other colored clothes besides black?” Liu asked, looking up from his phone.

“No any other color makes me look dumb.” Keith pouted.

“No, it doesn’t,” I argued.

“Yeah it does!” he whined.

“You look cool in red!” I reasoned.

“Red’s my color dipshit,” Randy growled.

I looked over, cutting my eyes at him, Randy doing the same in return. A sigh left me as I returned my gaze to my slushie, which was almost half juice at this point. I began swishing my straw around, The other three continuing their conversation while I went busy looking at my phone. By this point I probably had a little sunburn, Randy managed to keep that soccer match going for an hour and a half. Which sucked, and was also a dick move. My lungs were still burning from running and kicking so much. I swore the guy purposely kicked my shins a few times.

About thirty minutes passed when we all got in Keith’s car and drove back into the neighborhood. I could still feel the awkward energy when I sat down next to Randy in the backseat. The drive lasted only a minute or two, before we all got out, Liu decided to go home as the four of us chose to go on the trails in the woods around our neighborhood. We walked together for a few minutes, talking about whatever was currently going on at school. It wasn’t that big, just sports stuff and girls being mean to each other on their snaps.

It was going better than I expected with all the tension, save for a few remarks Randy gave. Up until this redheaded little motherfucker stepped on the back of my heel and made me fall.

“Dude what is your deal!?” I yelled.

“Why are you yelling at me?!” He asked.

“Cause you just fuckin tripped me you city rat!” I snapped, Randy’s face burning red.

“What’d you just call me!?” He testified in a loud voice as I was picking myself up.

“You heard me loud and clear motherfucker!” I cursed.

“I’ll fucking beat the shit out of you!” Randy bellowed, the adrenaline pulsing through me as he stepped closer.

“Oh yeah? I’d like to see you fucking try!” I challenged, raising my voice over his.

Just as Randy began to power walk towards me, Keith and Troy stepped in.

“Woah, dude chill-” Troy interjected, pushing Randy back.

“Yeah calm down, you guys don’t need to fight.’ Keith added.

“Well if he wasn't being such a dick-” I snapped, Keith, throwing his hand over my mouth as troy held Randy back.

I angrily shoved Keith off of me, accidentally tossing him onto the ground.

“Fuck you guys, I’m leaving,” I growled, stomping out of the trails.

It didn’t hit me until after I walked out of the trails. I just pushed my best friend and told him fuck off. God, I’m an idiot. Why’d I do that? Keith probably feels shitty, and it’s my fault. Great, I didn’t even mean for that shit to happen. I need to say sorry. God, I’m such a fucking idiot.

When I got home, I just headed straight for the shower. I sat in the water, thinking about the dumb move I made. My ears began to ring, static overtaking my vision again. I groaned in pain, my head pounding violently. I could feel the blood run down my face, but couldn't see it. I covered my ears, yelling in pain as the sharp noise peaked, it kept ringing in such a high frequency I swore my hearing would be gone. After a few seconds, it went away. My vision became normal again as I got up, turning off the water as I took care of my nosebleed. This one was pretty bad, It made my towel look like a murder scene almost. After a few minutes of standing in front of the mirror with my head down, the blood stopped.

I tossed away the bloody towel, pulling on boxers as I quickly washed my face, before turning to my bed for an afternoon nap. Which I needed. Today had way too much shit I didn’t need to deal with.

I woke up to the sound of something hitting my window. I sat up, looking around to realize I slept through the entire rest of the day. Go figure. I walked over to my window, moving the curtains as I jumped. I stumbled back, nearly knocking over a few things on my dresser before I let out a rough sigh, returning to the window as I opened it.

“You scared the shit out of me.” I scolded.

“Whatever, put a shirt on, we're going somewhere,” Keith told me, resulting in my face turning completely red.

I quickly snatched the white hoodie off my bedpost, pulling it over myself as I walked back to my bedroom window.

Keith gently helped me out, carrying me as he jumped down from the roof. The two of us quickly got in his car as he locked the doors and pulled off down the street.

“Hey uh, I just wanted to say sorry for what happened earlier... I didn’t mean to shove you..” I sighed, looking away.

“Thanks for apologizing, I thought you were mad at me,” Keith replied, a breath of hesitance leaving him.

“I couldn’t get mad at you if I tried.” I chuckled.

I saw Keith smile from the corner of my eye. He was something else. It was weird the way he made me feel. I didn’t start questioning what I liked until I thought more about it. I’d never had much interest in girls, but I did have some weird feelings around a few guys before. It usually went away, but with Keith, the feelings didn't stop. He was always so nice, despite the reputation our group had. I put my hand in the pockets of my hoodie, remembering the day Keith gave it to me. It was kind of mine now. Keith didn't seem to want it back really. I was ok with it, even though the hoodie was a bit big, it still kept me warm. It was like he was hugging me. I wish he was. It would probably feel nice, having his arms around me.

Keith parked his car, I looked ahead, my eyes lighting up. He took us to the beach. I quickly hopped out of the car, Keith discarding his socks and shoes as we hopped on the white sand.

“It's pretty out here,” I stated.

“Yeah.” Keith agreed.

“I’ve always liked the beach, sucked I never really went to it often back at home though,” I told him, the wind blowing through my long hair.

“Really? Hm, I always figured you’d be more of a hiker kind of person.” Keith responded.

“Eh, hiking hurts your feet, swimming doesn’t.” I sighed.

The two of us walked down the beach, the ocean sweeping water over my feet. Keith trying to avoid the water to not get his pants wet. We talked a lot, his voice was calming to hear. My eyes wandered over, slowly reaching for Keith’s hand. I held my breath as I wrapped my hand around his palm. The color rushed to my face as he held it back, softly squeezing my hand in his. My heartfelt like it was going to pop.

“Wanna turn around now?” He asked me.

“Uh, yeah, sure.” I smiled, Keith returning it as we began to walk back down the shore.

After a while, I let go of his hand, a smirk spreading to my face as I sprinted. Keith yelling as he chased after me. The both of us laughing as we ran through the sand. The wind danced through my hair, my heart soaring into the sky as nothing but our laughs and the waves of the ocean disturbed the silence.

Keith ran up, catching me by the waist as we fell into the sand. Our laughs slowly turning to snickers and giggles. I looked down on him. A smile stained my face. Keith laughing as we helped each other up off the wet sand. As he helped me up, there was a pause. He looked at me, and I looked at him. I’d never seen eyes so pretty before. Like a puppy’s eyes.

Keith softened his eyes as he held my arm, using his other hand to brush the loose hairs out from my face.

I pulled him down, kissing him for the first time.

[puttingfingerstokeys]

I’m on fire again

I’m here dealing out emotional nut punches as best I can. Idk if this one’ll reach your testes, but hopefully, if all goes as planned. Ahh let’s see first person, present tense--kind of a storytelling/narration type o’ situation.

Caged Heat (MORE LIKE AGED HEAT AMIRITE? yeah so it’s 50some Johnny and past, 25ish? Liu... so if age gap squicks you, do not read the thing!) - Liu/Johnny. Potential prequel to Out With A Bang.

Broken Timeline

PS this here’s the song that was in me head

In my life (all fifty some odd years of it), I’ve learned to expect serious horseshit. Sometimes it’s the kind you can avoid—big, stinking piles, easy to stop and ultimately not a whole lot more than an inconvenience. Most often, though—and this honestly happens easily eighty seven percent (this also happens to be the Rotten Tomatoes score for Ninja Mime 2) of the time—it’s the kind of shit that’s hitting some metaphorical fan and spreading itself out over everyone and everything I love, specifically. How can shit, distributed like bird shot, be specific? Trust me, it can.

The last few months—If I’m being honest, it’s been literal years, but I’m a guy who focuses on the now—have been a particular brand of horseshit that drives a man to drink. I’ve learned my lesson with that, though. No Bueno, as Cass would say. Yeah no fuckin’ Bueno. 

One thing leads to another and another… A guy we all trusted with our lives led us into a death trap—led MY girls into a death trap and one of ‘em didn’t make it out. Sonya, babe, if you’re out there, you always deserved better’n me, but I’m glad you picked me anyway. 

I guess I can’t really hold that against Raiden. To say he wasn’t in the right frame of mind would be putting it mildly. Post-timequake, I ended up asking his past self (do gods have those?) what the fuck was going on in his brain.

“As I have yet to make those mistakes, Johnny Cage, I could not say for certain, although the influence of Shinnok’s essence, trapped within that amulet, may have played a factor.” That’s the best he could do and I’m going to go ahead and not ask again. 

Gods and demons and magical amulets—it’s my life, right? But it feels like one of my (bad) movies. Not the good ones—Lady Liberty was good—IS good—but like, one of those should’ve-been-straight-to-video jobs. This is like that except it’s happening and my friends are dying. They’re dying and I’m surviving. Do you know what it’s like to watch people you love drop like flies?

I’ve always been the “I’m here for a good time, not a long time” type of guy. Turns out I’m the one who’s stuck here for the long haul, though. I mean, over and over, it’s just turned out that way. Maybe there’s some cosmic force (not Thunder Cat, in case you were wondering) looking out for me, but I really wish it would stop.

Anyway that… kinda brings me to the next bit. Watching Raiden fry Liu Kang has got to be the highlight of shit I never want to think about again, but something I can’t get out of my head no matter how hard I try—and I DO try. I DID try—I tried a long time and it really fucked up Cassie’s childhood, my career, my relationship with Sonya. SF is out there waging a secret war and I’m wallowing in self-pity and booze with a daughter who doesn’t goddamn well know any better. 

I guess I had just wanted out, but I never meant to try taking her with me. She knows that by now, but that doesn’t fix what I did. So I do the right thing, get straight (relatively speaking), get clean, and join the military. My previous experience with Outworld ends up with me in SF, under my ex-wife (pretty much against protocol anywhere else, except that we don’t have many options), and surrounded by people I’d hoped never to see again.

Because I’m a selfish prick and being near them reminds me of that… all that shit—with Shinnok, the island, Goro, Liu… All that.

So I am, as usual, digressing. I’ll cut it short. The scenario is easy to set: It’s the day before everyone plans on invading Netherrealm (ew), sailing across the sea of blood (gross??), and taking a shot at the head Kueball herself, Kronika (I’m proud of myself for that one; please laugh). 

Everybody but ME.

I’m pretending like it’s nothing, but it actually smarts like a bitch—and not just my fucking leg. Yes, I resent the fact that I probably won’t be shadowkicking ever again, but what stings worst of all is that I know most of these people—everyone from Sub-Zero (whoda thunk) and Scorpion (GET OVER HERE) to Raiden (bzzt) and my girl Cass (aka mini me)—are not coming back from this. They’re not coming back and I am, once again, the sole survivor.

EVEN MY DOUCHEBAG YOUNGER SELF IS GOING. Tell me where the justice is in that? 

But I’m playing it cool. I have to do it, for all of them. It’s not for MY benefit; I’m fuming. I speak with Electric Slide a while—he has this really calming way about him that’s kind of weird if you consider how NOT calming lightning bolts are—and then he heads off to… probably do god things. He makes me feel marginally less shitty, but the feeling is still there, like a bad tooth, aching and waiting for me to fuck up and bite into something.

I’m glad I can at least BE here, at the Fire Garden, WITH everyone, but knowing it’s going to make their departure suck a fat one. I’m sulking again, getting my head in a dark place and keeping it firmly lodged there (the dark place is, as you might guess, up my own ass). But hey, who should pop his perfectly-groomed head into my rad sliding door (is rad a thing kids still say? Also it’s evidently called a “shoji” or something) but Liu “Kicky Longstockings” Kang himself. The young, hot one, not the gray, bad-tempered dude.

“Ol’ Sparky went that way,” I tell him, pointing out the door and in a vague direction. He shakes his head. He’s not looking for Raiden, apparently—it’s cute how he always calls the guy Lord Raiden… I mean I guess that’s his name, but I feel like if you’re involved in operations with a dude for so long, a little casualness is kind of expected. Anyway he’s never minded. Nobody’s MY “lord” anyway. I’m not that kinda guy. 

But anyway, so Liu walks in (sounds like the beginning of a joke… “So a monk walks into a whatever”), closes the door behind him, and sits down on the edge of my bed looking conflicted (read: closeted) as all fuck, staring at his hands, at the door, the ceiling. I tell him my eyes are up here, which makes him laugh.

God that laugh—that fucking smile. My heart is skipping SO many beats. I am too old for this shit. We both know it, at some level, whatever this shit even is. When he holds my hand, it’s in a friendly way. When we speak, it’s comfortable, like we never stopped. For HIM, that’s true, but he hasn’t connected with me yet, not the way I remember. I mean, maybe we’ve—y’know, but there’s a weird kind of desperate gratefulness in his voice when he talks about everything that’s happening, owning his fear, chewing through it like the Chosen One he absolutely is, and then finally turning his words and attention on me—on US. I tell him there’s no us, or that… there wasn’t—there were a few moments, but I’d only met him. I had wanted to know him better then and now he’s sitting in front of me and we have less than ten hours to get to know each other. I said my life was the shit-hitting-fan kind. 

“I like you better than your past self,” he says, in no way sheepish. I have to laugh at that one and agree that I, too, prefer my current self to whatever hot mess I was brewing almost thirty years ago. I fill him in on what that ended up doing for me and he listens without judgment. Even through the lowest lows, I detect not a hint of condescension. 

An hour passes. We are just talking. It’s easy. He’s an easy guy to be around. Maybe it’s the monk thing ‘cause 1.21 Gigawatts has that too, like I said—but he’s kinda more nun than monk. Anyway what Liu does next is debatably non-monkish so maybe the comparison is pointless. His hand finds the side of my face and I self-consciously wonder if I should have shaved. Before or after the showdown with Kano, Cage? Okay, dumb thought.

“What do you want?” I gotta ask him because he’s not going to say it on his own. I know what I want, but that’s easy enough to discern by the way I’m watching him. He doesn’t hem and haw, though I can see the hesitation in his eyes. He simply watches a few moments longer before leaning in to kiss me—and what a kiss it is. It’s like fireworks. You know, you read in books that it’s an explosion of color and whatever the hell else—I dunno, the only thing I read is a script—well they’re right. 

My heart is doing the thing again where it threatens to burst out of my ribcage and go running off. Liu pulls away first, looking kind of horrified, but the color on his cheeks and the way he is touching his lips tells me I still got it.

“Sonya,” he whispers, the name falling helplessly from pretty lips I can’t stop ogling. It’s undignified, I know, but there it is.

“I’ll always love her,” I tell him, “but that never stopped me loving you, Liu.”

He considers this, still seeming conflicted, but I gotta admit, I’m really enjoying the way his cheeks go red. I could look all night, but I really shouldn’t waste the time. We have eight hours, give or take. I remind him of this, remind him that no vow in the world is going to protect him from the inevitability of a titan. 

I don’t feel like I’m pushing him, but encouraging the guy in a direction he already wants to take. E.g. Me. And I’m really only doing it ‘cause I know he either already has or intended. Maybe it’s wrong, but like I said, I’m selfish.

The next kiss is a lot more purposeful, with zero hesitation. When he yanks the sheet back, I shift to protect my leg and give him an easier time crawling on top of me. That’s what I want, to feel anything but alone. This heat between us is what I want—maybe what I need—and he obliges. He really is a polite guy.

Liu is careful as we move, mindful of my leg, and teasingly deferential to my seniority. When I jokingly call him “son”, he blanches and looks like he might swat me until he gets my shirt up over my chest and sees that ridiculous tattoo that he hates so much. It’s a weird kind of hate because the last time he saw it, the Edwardian (I think that’s what it is? I was drunk) script had the same effect. I’d never known someone could be angry and horny at the same time, ‘til I met Liu Kang—and Sonya, come to think of it. I guess I DO have a type.

Also I want it known that Liu Kang is a biter and he likes ‘em top heavy. Just, in case anyone cared. 

It feels like he wants to grope and/or take the tattoo right off my chest. When his lips aren’t busy with mine, they’re on me someplace and he’s got a hand over my mouth. It’s a good call, but GOD I want to be loud. I know he can be—all that turkey screaming is good for something, after all. But right now, we’ve gotta keep it down; the walls and doors are pretty thin and who knows who might wander by outside. The idea of Zap Dad catching us in flagrante delicto,  (yeah, I know what that means; get off my back) is both hilarious and mortifying.

Real talk, though, all joking aside, the sex is probably some of the best I’ve gotten in literal years. When I say the dude can throw a fuck, I mean it. He’s mindful of the leg, but this kid (weird-sounding I know, but when you get to be my age, everyone’s a kid) is going to town on me—I’m pretty sure he’s going to blow my back out… kinda hoping he does. 

Somewhere in the hot, sharp, sweet chaos of it all, I tell Liu that if I’m not limping tomorrow, he did something wrong. Well, he’s kind of a perfectionist (guess that’s why he’s the chosen one), so he sets about making damn sure I don’t ever, at any point in time, think that he did not do his job. I’m pretty sure we’re going to bring the whole complex down when the ol’ fireworks hit again. These ones are blinding, pretty much set about knocking us both out completely. If he doesn’t sleep well after this, I don’t know what else to do.

Coming down from it is comfortable. There’s that really nice feeling of tingling numbness in my legs and the creeping soreness of a well-used… Anyway, it’s not such a bad deal to fall asleep next to him, wrapped in his arms. He’s at ease too, finally. I should get paid for this. You already do, man; you’re an actor, my mind insists. Okay, that’s fair. 

I consider this as the sun sinks and the room goes dark. Silvery moonlight shines in the windows on the other side and creeps across the floor which looks honestly like it gets waxed every day. Knowing that hardass, Scorpion, it DOES. A lot of care has gone into this place, rebuilding it, students and all. To lose the Grandmaster that way, hoping to replace him with his younger self… it just makes the Hail Mary a whole lot uglier. 

I shift to lie on my back, considering the ceiling which is suddenly fascinating. If I’m lucky, he’ll keep sleeping and NOT detect the tears that are falling from my eyes faster than I can rub them away. He’s a light sleeper, though—guess I could’ve figured that one out—and before I know it, he, too is shifting to press himself closer, asking me what’s on my mind. Not what’s wrong. He doesn’t ask that because he knows; we kind of both know what the fuck is so horrendously wrong with this entire situation. He just offers the age-old penny for my thoughts.

“You come back for me, okay?” I hear myself whispering these words—they’re shitty and selfish and wrong; we both know he’s not coming back—before I can stop myself. The old Johnny Cage “charm” has evidently decided to rear its ugly mug. It’s like a hydra, I swear. Take out one head and seven more show up, that kind of deal? Not cool. But I DO mean it and, as long as I’m not lying, as long as we’re here, together and alone, pressed up against each other, I should probably say it.

“I promise.”

The words, three short syllables—they cut me, deep. This is like a confession of love, but ten thousand times more painful, because I know it’s not a promise he can keep. All at once, though, he’s kissing me again, rolling on top of me, pushing the doubt away with his lips. There’s a sureness in them that scares me, a determination hinged on hope that just isn’t realistic. 

It isn’t that I doubt Raiden’s plans (could anyone blame me if I did?), or the snaky fucking sorcerer that showed up with Fujin and Nightwolf (a couple of guys I NEVER thought I’d see again) just a day or two ago. I just doubt our luck. We have always had shit luck, all of us. It definitely seems like I’m the lucky one, though, doesn’t it?

How lucky is it to watch people die, to hold them tight and close, knowing you’ll never do it again? That’s not luck. That’s crap. That’s my life. I’m not looking for pity though—actually right now I’m not looking for anything. I’ve got everything right where I want it. Liu is hot against my flesh, pushing himself in deeper than before, and harder—there’s urgency like I remember it, a fathomless need, I think, to remember and be remembered. He’s an idiot if he thinks I could ever forget him. No matter what happens, I can’t do that.

I feel teeth and fingers digging in, sticky, hot flesh, and the most exquisite (yeah, I know what that means; get off my back) pain and pleasure combo I’ve ever experienced hands down, bar none. I want more, but then with him, I always do—or did. Or will? I don’t know. I want to think there’s a future for us, but if Kronika gets her way, no one gets a future; we just get to restart, to relive whatever pain she thinks is appropriate. Right now, right here, she can’t touch us. We’re consumed with each other and it feels so… so good.

Just when I think he’s done, that neither of us can go any longer—I realize how stupid that sounds to anyone who’s met a guy of 25—his hands are on me again, gripping my hip hard and pulling me back against him, his other arm—the guy has great arms, just FYI—around my chest. He guides himself in again and I lean into it. My leg is screaming, of course, but drowning that is easy. I’d love to lose myself in this for eternity, which sounds like a damn long time, but it’s better than the six(ish) hours we have left. Nevertheless, that’s what we’ve got and I’m taking every bit of it.

When we finish—yes, WE, like I said, Liu is a polite guy—I warn him that we have GOT to sleep. He taunts me. Of course he does. “What?” He says. “You done already?” Well of course I can’t take that lying down—figuratively, of course, I’m definitely still on my back. Knees are a no-go with the bandages and the underlying injury. 

He folds me this time, once more gentle with the bad leg, asking if I’m okay. I’m damn well not going to tell him it hurts like a motherfucker, not when he’s got my legs over his meaty, broad, beefy, HUGE linebacker shoulders—did I mention he has a great rack? And we’re off again.

It feels like we go at it all night, but we have a few hours left to snooze before the sun comes up and the ships set sail. God, ships—that’s so weird. I’ve never seen Netherrealm, or the sea of blood, but it sounds ominous and diseased… and sticky. My cowardly side is glad I’m not going, but part of me wonders if I’ll suddenly, like, acquire the memories of my younger self going. Is that going to be a headache situation, or a knock-me-on-my-sore-ass-for-a-week situation?

This time, Liu is curled into MY chest, hands tucked under his chin like a little kid. It’s kind of cute and I tug the sheets up over our sweaty bodies, knowing damn well how hard it’s going to be to disentangle when morning comes. But I can’t bear to move him. It’s like when a cat sits on you and suddenly you’re the Chosen One.

Except Liu Kang is the Chosen One and he’s going to go off, get himself killed, maybe save Earthrealm and then what? Ol’ Johnny gets to survive another year. I don’t know if I want to survive without him or any of our other friends. I don’t know if I can. I’m shit on my own. It’s taken years to come to terms with that, but it’s true. I’m not good alone. I hold him tightly until sleep takes me. 

It is high fucking noon before I open my eyes. I am unsurprised to find the spot next to me cold—but it is not empty. On the pillow where only hours before, Liu’s head had been resting, there’s a worn looking piece of red cloth. I sit up, groan at the agony my body is presenting—if it is bad today, imagine what tomorrow will feel like—and grasp the cloth. It is, if I’m not wrong, his old headband, the one he’d been wearing when we first met. Of course he has about a gazillion of them (he’s got ‘em like I’ve got shades, except he’s wearing some homespun shit and I’ve got Oakleys), but this one is kinda special… More than kinda.

I am not ashamed to admit that I’m crying, sobbing like a baby, like I haven’t had the chance to do since all this started. Holding his headband close to my face, I think about all we’ve lost, all we have sacrificed. I think of Sonya, the indomitable mother of my child. I think of Kung Lao, Liu’s best friend and unfortunate victim of fate. I think of Jade, of Vera, of all the lives that have been stolen and what we still have left to lose.

“You promised,” I hiss angrily, as if he is already gone, has already broken his oath to me. “You promised you’d come back—why’d ya do that if you knew… you couldn’t… can’t…”

[bedbellyandbeyond]

Sickness

(Story Post)

A morning came one day where Nathan just couldn’t get out of bed. He called his doctor hoping he’d come for a house call and thankfully Reid had a little bit of time. When he arrived at Nathan’s home, he let himself in with the key Nathan had told him was under his flower pot. He headed upstairs to find his favourite wolf-man curled up in a cocoon again. “Oh dear, what’s the matter today?” Reid asked. “You can’t get out of bed?” Nathan rolled over to face him and frowned. “They’re moving…”

Reid blinked, his eyes lighting up. “Really? Well, that’s a very good sign, Nathan.” “I hate it… They’re making me nauseous,” Nathan said. “I don’t know what to do… I think I’ll puke if I get up…” Reid sighed sympathetically. “Unfortunately, getting up is the most common cure. When you lie down, babies love to go nuts in there, but when you stand, they typically calm down.” “If I stand, I’ll puke.” “You probably won’t but I can get you a trash can or something,” Reid said. “Is there one in your bathroom?” “Should be…” Reid went and got the bin and brought it back. “Take this and get yourself up. Come on.” Nathan wrapped the blankets around himself and tucked it so it wouldn’t come off then took the trash can in one hand and let Reid pull him up with his other hand. When he was upright, he did still feel queasy, but the twins settled down after a few seconds alongside the nausea. “I’m not gonna puke,” Nathan said. “Aye. So is that all I drove out here for?” Reid asked. “Well… No…” Nathan said, looking down. “There’s something else…” “And what’s that, laddie?” Reid asked, patting Nathan’s arm. “I… Um, it’s really embarrassing…” Nathan said. “I guess, it’s uh… Ah, fuck it…” He undid the blanket, displaying the two big wet marks in his pyjama shirt. Reid put his hands on his hips. “Well, well. Your milks come in.” “But why?” Nathan asked. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but you’re pregnant.” “But I don’t have tits!” Nathan said. “You don’t need prominent breasts to start lactating, just the right plumbing which everyone has—unless removed—and the right hormone cocktail,” Reid explained. “This was to be expected.” “Then why didn’t you tell me this would happen?” “I forgot but also I expected you to consider it before,” Reid said. “But it’s nothing to fret about. Let me take a look.” Nathan sighed and took off his shirt. He looked away as the doctor examined his chest. “They’ve definitely swollen up,” Reid said. “Are they tender?” “Yeah, really sensitive…” Nathan pouted. “Shirts feel uncomfortable rubbing against them. And I don’t know what to do with all the…all the leakage.” “Say no more. You want nursing pads,” Reid said. “There’s different kinds, but overnight ones and braless ones will likely be best.” Nathan rubbed his eye. “I’ve been to baby stores too much now… I really don’t want to go out like this.” “Laddie. Order them online,” Reid said. “It’s early morning. You could potentially have it all delivered by the end of the day. Also, get yourself a big sports bra. That’ll help a lot.” “A bra? I can’t wear a bra!” Nathan complained. “Yes you can. I believe in you. You’re not the only man who’s ever had to wear a bra. I can guarantee that.” “Oh god, how am I supposed to do all this? It’s so embarrassing and I have to do it alone,” Nathan groaned. Reid rubbed his back. “Tell me what’s on your mind. What’s troubling you most about this?” Nathan sighed deeply and sat down. “I just… Everything I expected when it came to me having kids is thrown out the window…” “What were you expecting?” Reid sat down beside him. “Well, first I thought I’d be adopting… And I thought I’d have job security. And I thought I’d be…well, married. At least, I’d have a partner helping me… Signing the papers with me. Decorating the nursery with me. Picking out clothes. But I’ve done everything alone. And I’m pregnant.” Reid rubbed his chin. “Well, have you thought about dating?” Nathan frowned. “Dating? Seriously? Like this?” He motioned to his torso. “You’d be surprised by the people who could be into that,” Reid insisted. Nathan crinkled his nose. “I don’t want to be someone’s fetish. I want someone who wants the normal me. The not fat and leaking me.” He looked down. “God, if I hadn’t…become what I am now… I’d still be with Hugh. I’d still work at my old school. We were even starting to talk about kids… I ruined everything.” “Well, I’m sorry, but I’ve heard your transformation story many times and it has always sounded like it was Hugh’s fault you were bit in the first place,” Reid said. “He took you off the path. He found the wolf cub. He chose to leave you when you needed him most.” “I tore his leg off!” Nathan growled. “I’d leave any man who tore my leg off too!” “He wouldn’t have had his leg torn off if he didn’t get you bit,” Reid stated. “You understand?” Nathan crossed his arms. “Are you pinning this on Hugh to try and make me feel better? Because it’s not working.” He gagged a little as he felt a movement in his stomach again so he stood up. “God, I want this to end…” “It’ll be over soon,” Reid said. “Rest for today.” “I can't…” Nathan rubbed his eyes. “I’ve missed work way too much… The principal acts nice about it, but I can tell she wants to kill me.” “She doesn’t want to kill you. But you need the rest. I might even say we should start you on bed rest but you’re determined to work.” “I don’t know if you noticed, but children are expensive,” Nathan said. “I can barely afford my own living situation right now. I need to work.” Reid sighed. “After the next wolf cycle, I’m putting you on bed rest. You need it and the twins need it. I can tell just by looking at you, you’re beyond exhausted.” “…Fine. That gives me three weeks,” Nathan huffed. “But that’s still so soon…” “Just keep thinking about how you’ll get to meet your little angels.” Reid placed a hand on the side of Nathan’s stomach. “I think you’ll find it’s all worth it.” Nathan exhaled deeply for a couple seconds then placed his hands on his stomach. In this sitting position, the twins had started acting up again and he could feel them moving. His stomach turned as he felt it, but he just thought about how it was his children and that every little move meant they were alive. While he still felt a little sick from the movement, it warmed his heart a little bit knowing they were safe. “…Doc.” Reid perked up. “Aye?” “I should tell my parents, right?” Reid blinked stared at Nathan. “You haven’t told your parents yet that they’re going to be grandparents?” Nathan shook his head. “…I haven’t talked to them since… Well, since my grandma’s funeral.” “Ah. Fuzzy connection?” Nathan nodded. “Very fuzzy… I came out when I was fifteen and they sent me away to live with my grandma. They thought her ‘traditional ways’ would ‘fix’ me. That backfired pretty quick. My nana was nothing but loving.” He rubbed his belly. “I wish she was here to meet her great grandkids… But I guess, that’s not common anyway…” “Mm… Aye, I wish you coulda been so lucky,” Reid sympathised. “And it’s up to you whether you believe your parents should know and be a part of this journey with you. The last thing you need though is more stress.” “Right…” Nathan sighed and stood back up to relieve the movement. “Can you let Principal Liu know I won’t be coming in today?” “I’ll do that.” Reid checked his watch. “I got to go though. I have an appointment with another patient.” “Alright, go ahead… I’m good I guess,” Nathan decided. “Thanks for coming all the way out here, doc. I guess my issue was pretty dumb…” Reid shook his head. “No, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Do you have any friends or family who can come around and check up on you?” “Um… The only person I can think of would maybe be Nari… But he’d be working, so…” “It might be worth talking to him because it’s always better to have people around if not just for emotional support.” “I guess… But Nari's… Nari can be a little…” “Stubborn and abrasive?” Reid asked. “Yeah, he’s like that. But he means well and I’m sure if he’s paid any attention to you, it means he likes you.” “I mean, I guess… He made us official friends the other day when we, uh…” Nathan scratched the back of his head. “Well, he came over to help with my laundry. Started calling me by my first name.” “Well, then you’re best buds it seems,” Reid chuckled. “Good, it’s important he makes friends too… He avoids it. You know you’re true friends when he carries you over.” “Over what?” Nathan asked. “Over lives. You must’ve heard him talk about his lives,” Reid explained. “Nari creates a new persona every couple decades to avoid people catching on to his immortality. Each new persona is usually accompanied with a big move. His first new persona moved to the UK. Then when she was done, Nari was created and he moved to Canada. What I’d like to see is either an extension in one of his personas, or at least the effort to bring over some people in his life and not just cut everyone off.” “Oh. That seems…” Nathan rubbed his chin. “Dramatic maybe?” “Yes, but you can understand. I only hope to be brought over too… I feel like he should at least consider what APID has to offer him or whoever he’ll be in the long term.” Reid checked his watch again and clenched his teeth. “Christ, I really gotta go, Nathan. But I’ll call in the afternoon, make sure you’re well.” Nathan nodded and pulled a robe on. “…Nursing pads, right?” “Aye. I’ll send you a link to some good ones from the web.” Reid went out to the stairs. “Okay… Bye then.” “Eat something. Bye now.”

[thesportssoundoff]

“It’s not that bad and YET” UFC Fight Night: Sacramento Preview

Joey

July 9

The show AFTER the big July PPV always tends to have some sort of bad vibes attached to it and I guess this one isn't any different. In 2016, injuries took us from Michael Chiesa vs Tony Ferguson to John Lineker vs Michael McDonald (two guys no longer in the org). In 2017, the UFC loaded up their July PPV slate and gave us Gunnar Nelson vs Santiago Ponzinibbio the week after an injury (and sinus infection) cursed card from Vegas. Last year, the UFC gave us Blagoy Ivanov vs JDS and Sage Northcutt vs Zak Ottow after Miocic vs DC. This year's card after Vegas is either good or bad depending almost solely on how you feel about the main event. Fights 2-13 are your usual garden variety Fight Night mix of intriguing and irrelevant but the main event, a clash between Germaine de Randamie and Aspen Ladd, will likely determine whether it's the worst thing ever or a totally acceptable main event. I can kind of see the two sides at play here. WMMA title fights are acceptable main and co-main events but convincing MMA's audience that there's quality outside of the title fights is often met with chuckles, snickers and some derisiveness. MMA fans work in doses and drips and so foistering this main event upon the audience even years after the rise of WMMA requires some understanding that there's a chunk of fans who won't see this as a quality headliner. Aspen Ladd to my knowledge has never been on a main card and GDR has had one fight in two years. On the other hand if one had the ability to view both fighters objectively, this is a pretty damn good fight. Headline worthy? I mean why not. It's a pseudo #1 contender fight with a former champion and a rising prospect. Seems totally acceptable to me. Either way we got thirteen fights to talk about so let's just get on with it.

Fights: 13

Debuts: Brianna Van Buren, John Allan, Wellington Turman

Fight Changes/Injury Cancellations: 5 (John Phillips OUT, Wellington Turman IN vs Karl Roberson/Gian Villante OUT, John Allan IN vs Mike Rodriguez/Cynthia Calvillo OUT, Brianna Van Buren IN vs Livia Souza/Sara McMann OUT, Julianna Pena IN vs Nicco Montano/Martin Day OUT, Vince Morales IN vs Benito Lopez)

Headliners (fighters who have either main evented or co-main evented shows in the UFC): 8 (Urijah Faber, Josh Emmett, Beneil Dariush, Andre Fili, Julianna Pena, Nicco Montano, Darren Elkins, Cezar Mutante)

Fighters On Losing Streaks in the UFC: 1 (Darren Elkins)

Fighters On Winning Streaks in the UFC: 9 (Germaine De Randamie, Ricky Simon, Aspen Ladd, Beneil Dariush, Drakkar Klose, Mirsad Bektic, Livia Souza, Ryan Hall,Pingyuan Liu)

Main Card Record Since Jan 1st 2017 (in the UFC): 24-11-2

Aspen Ladd- 3-0 Germaine de Randamie- 2-0 Urijah Faber- 0-0 Ricky Simon- 3-0 Josh Emmett- 3-2 Mirsad Bektic- 2-1 Beneil Dariush- 2-2-1 Drakkar Klose- 4-1 Karl Roberson- 2-2 Wellington Turman- 0-0 Cezar Ferreira- 2-2 Marvin Vettori- 1-1-1

Fights By Weight Class (yearly number here):

Featherweight-  3 (33) Bantamweight- 3 (36) Women’s Bantamweight- 2 (12) Middleweight- 2 (23) Women’s Strawweight- 1 (19) Light Heavyweight- 1 (28) Lightweight- 1 (43)

Welterweight- (38) Heavyweight- (18) Flyweight- (8) Women’s Flyweight-  (18) Women’s Featherweight- (6)

2019 Number Tracker

Debuting Fighters (18-40)- Brianna Van Buren, John Allan, Wellington Turman

Short Notice Fighters (16-25)- Brianna Van Buren, John Allan, Wellington Turman, Julianna Pena, Vince Morales

Second Fight (38-15)- Nicco Montano

Cage Corrosion (Fighters who have not fought within a year of the date of the fight) (12-26)- Urijah Faber (I could/should put him in the debut category but Faber was never cut and so I figure he's better suited here?), Nicco Montano, Julianna Pena, Marvin Vettori, Mirsad Bektic

Undefeated Fighters (25-27)- Aspen Ladd

Fighters with at least four fights in the UFC with 0 wins over competition still in the organization (9-8)-

Weight Class Jumpers (Fighters competing outside of the weight class of their last fight even if they’re returning BACK to their “normal weight class”) (17-16)- Nicco Montano, Ryan Hall, Karl Roberson

Twelve Precarious Ponderings

1- It's only fair to start with what can only be described as an experiment of sorts by the UFC. We currently have on the calendar four WMMA main events and rumors of a 5th (I've heard some rumblings about Rose vs Nina Ansaroff in the late Fall) is out there. The UFC is clearly giving us more WMMA main events and taking some chances in the process. Part of this is clearly an ESPN design; you give them four shows a month more or less and you're less concerned about popping a number on a digital platform. The scheduling and the assembly line of "See UFC product, get UFC product" on ESPN+ allows you to be a bit more flexible. It's kinda cool that in a span of four weeks, we've gotten a massive HW fight, a big UFC PPV, this show with a credible WMMA main event and then a pretty solid San Antonio main event with RDA vs Leon Edwards. We get a little bit of everything and I'm glad Ladd vs GDR occupies a part of that. With less of an expectation to do a one off rating (Ladd vs GDR probably would've been the lowest rated show on FS1) then I hope we see more credible WMMA main events. In a vacuum, I'd rather see two top 5 fighters at strawweight headline an event than two big doughy guys at LHW or HW just because we're afraid the audience might not like it.

2- At the same time I have zero problems admitting GDR vs Aspen Ladd as a main event wasn't making me want to rush out and buy a ticket if it was in my town. The more I think about it though. the more intrigued I am about it. Maybe it's just the "it's coming to get excited!" aspect of an approaching card or what but I'm genuinely excited by this main event. Maybe it's because GDR could either be Amanda Nunes' next opponent or the ultimate 'Whatever happened to?" story.  Germaine de Randamie's title shot was somewhat circumstantial  at best but be it by hook or by crook, she DID win the UFC's first ever featherweight title. After pulling out of fights on and off for three straight years (and with wins over Anna Elmose and Larissa Pacheco of all people), Germaine was ushered into a fight with Holly Holm in a makeshift main event. She won the first three rounds in my estimation, lost the final two and in a fair and just world, probably loses the fight with points deducted for repeated shots after the bell in rounds 1 and 2. We don't live in an alternate universe, we live in a current reality and SO de Randamie beat Holm on points to become champ. What happened then? Well....de Randamie copped to a hand injury after the fact, hinting she wouldn't fight Cyborg. She came out a bit later and said she wouldn't fight Cyborg because Cyborg was a PED user. She was stripped of the belt, hinted at retiring, came back, got hurt, hinted at retirement some more and then finally returned in a one sided breeze vs Rocky Pennington. The point of all that is to say that GDR is either about to break out into the best version of herself with a dominant win over Aspen Ladd or she's going to just disappear for two years after this fight.

3- Is Aspen Ladd more or less rushed than when Sara McMann got a title shot off of beating Shayna Baszler and Sheila Gaff? Ladd's got some credible wins but she's still super green and like a lot of green WMMA prospects, she pretty much gets by on her ability to be aggressive and dogged in firefights. Offensively though she's so much fun to watch. This fight in tight with GDR's crisp powerful boxing vs Ladd's aggression, pressure and fearlessness could be a real treat. Also let's not forget that Ladd absolutely has the strength to just bowl over GDR the way Nunes did as well.

4- Fun question; would you prefer the winner of this fight vs Amanda Nunes at bantamweight or up 10 lbs at featherweight?

5- The total lack of hype from the UFC on the return of Urijah Faber almost makes it feel like they're embarrassed he's even trying this.

6- Karl Roberson's UFC run thus far has been pretty easy to figure out. He's had four fights and gone 2-2 with an easy enough pattern; guy gets him down? He gets subbed. Guy doesn't? He wins. He subbed Darren Stewart which is still a pretty impressive win in hindsight and beat up on Jack Marshman in November. He took a really short notice fight vs Glover Teixeira in January and was beating the shit out of him before Glover did as he do; got on top and subbed him out in the first round. Roberson gets the debuting Wellington Turman and it's going to be an interesting test to see if he can avoid getting taken down against a guy making his debut on short notice. I still think Roberson has high upside and is more or less a victim of some unfair rough matchmaking.

7- Julianna Pena is back after taking a year and change off and it's surprising just how little fanfare her return is getting. Pena's last fight was on Fox in the headline spot vs Valentina Shevchenko in a fight she lost by armbar in the second round. Before that though, she had beaten the likes of Jessica Eye and Cat Zingano and looked to be on her way to maybe becoming something in the post Rousey landscape. The fact she's sort of just slipped into the picture as a late notice replacement for a filler prelim fight is so weird. Pena is just 29 and even if her striking was really rough to watch, she's the sort of fighter who has enough in her arsenal as a strong (yet clunky) wrestler that I can't rule her out in what remains at 135 lbs. We've seen the likes of Rocky Pennington get title shots and Nunes is close to cleaning out the division so maybe Pena (or even her opponent Nicco Montano) has a shot at creeping back up in the title picture quickly.

8- Casual reminder that Nicco Montano was the first ever UFC women's flyweight champ. Kinda gets forgotten given how things played out with her.

9- So are we officially off the Mirsad Bektic hype train now?

10- Ryan Hall vs Darren Elkins is such a weirdo fight on paper that I can't help but want to see how it plays out. At the very least we know (hope) Elkins won't take any significant damage via strikes.

11- Sheymon Moraes vs Andre Fili is a really good fight that almost feels misplaced as a prelim fodder fight but will be worth your time if you search it out. A damn good fight between two solid mid level FWs.

12- Does any card better encapsulate the collapse of TAM like this one does?

[abadpoetwithdreams]

Nirvana in Fire Episode 7 Reaction

TA-DA, I HAVE RETURNED! I know, I know, it’s been such a long time, y’all thought I was dead, but nope! I’m just back with a different face and a different name and a quest to make your life miserable aka this is the episode with That Househunting Scene. Lord have mercy on my feels.

Before we get started, I apologize in advance because this is going to be a bit more rushed than previous recaps. I’ve been so busy during these last few months of the year, it has made it very difficult to find any time where I can just sit and watch NiF while also taking notes/writing. I can’t watch it while I do other things, like I tend to do with most dramas I watch; NiF requires full attention and especially when one is writing a reaction/recap post! So for the sake of my sanity (because I AM DYING TO KEEP WATCHING THIS HORRIBLE WONDERFUL MASTERPIECE) I am going to try to go a little faster through the next few episodes, at least up to where I left off when I decided to go back and write these reactions for y’all (which I thiiiiiink was around episode 16?), and then since I’ll be caught up to uncharted territory I’ll get more in-depth again and hopefully my life will be less crazily busy, too!

Okay, so without further ado: EPISODE SEVEN.

Where were we? Oh yeah, Xia Dong was being amazing and interrogating a would-be assassin with the best sort of combination of cold callousness and sadistic pleasure. She’s terrifying, but also so very cool. The Good Boys are standing by watching with varying degrees of discomfort at the torture happening in front of them, but while they seem to believe the bombshell dropped at the end of last episode—that Prince Yu is the one who sent the assassins—Xia Dong is totally unimpressed by the lie. Ha, she says, I already lost Yu’s men ages ago. Try again, she sneers. Let me take a moment to say that taking this time away from the show has given me a newly recharged appreciation for just how beautiful Jing Rui is, especially in that particular shade of royal blue. It’s so nice.

The assassin looks like he actually might tell the truth this time, because Xia Dong is That Scary, but suddenly—arrows, arrows everywhere! Our trio have blessedly quick reflexes and reaction time and fling themselves into various twirls and flips to escape the arrows, but the assassin is not so lucky. When the arrows stop flying and Xia Dong returns to her captive she discovers an arrow is lodged neatly in his voicebox. Nope, that’s not suspicious at ALL. Xia Dong swears in frustration and Yu Jin is briefly brave long enough to say she shouldn’t swear (but then when she turns that glare on him he just sort of melts into this apologetic puddle of terror that hastily hides behind poor Jing Rui, and have I mentioned that I love these boys? It’s been like two months since my last episode watch and that love has not lessened). Xia Dong looks like she’s seriously considering at least slapping Yu Jin, but she decides to let his impertinence slide and all three return to the capitol.

Now we cut to Ni Huang’s lil brother, Mu I remember his name being? He’s wearing a most magnificent red outfit, I can’t stop noticing all the costumes this episode, I guess it’s been so long I was having withdrawals or something. THEY’RE SO PRETTY. He’s arrived at the Marquis’ place but when the door guard tells him to wait, he just brushes that off with Nah, I’m just here to see Su! Mu is so refreshingly informal in all his dealings, I think it’s a combination of showing how very young and sort of callow he is but also there’s that divide again between the straightforward and honorable nature of those from the martial world and the skeevy snakeishness of those involved in politics. He’s just so open, and cheerful when he isn’t breaking Sima Lei’s legs. I guess he was cheerful about doing that too, though, in a sense. Also, his expressions are just the cutest. The Marquis’ wife comes out to greet him, and he complains that she calls him young but also thanks her for saving Ni Huang. She doesn’t seem to want to dwell on that and asks him why he’s visiting and he repeats he just wants to see Su—To show Su some houses, in fact. The Princess Supreme looks oddly sad about this? Is it just because she liked having an ally she could trust around the place, or what?

When Mu does meet with Mei Chang Su, Su tells him that he isn’t really in a hurry to move out. Fei Liu is very intently arranging flowers while the other two talk, which is very cute. Mu insists, and then makes the mistake of grabbing Su by the wrist and starting to drag him along, all the while nattering about this househunting project. Immediately, Fei Liu’s hackles are raised and he launches at poor Mu, lifting him OFF THE GROUND AND OVER HIS HEAD WITH ONE HAND and just welcome back into my life, Fei Liu. And I hope the following exchange is as funny in the actual dialogue as it is in subs, but in the sub at least Su tells Fei Liu to “put him down quickly” and Fei Liu immediately gets ready to seemingly slam Mu into the ground, so Su has to immediately follow up with “put him down slowly,” which, ahaha. Fei Liu is grumpy, but Mu’s life is thus saved and he is not daunted at all, instead just being very impressed. To avoid further drama, Su agrees to look at some houses.

In the city streets, Xia Dong parts ways with the Boys. Jing Rui really tries hard to stay with her, because he’s so worried for her safety, bless him. Yu Jin intervenes and convinces his friend to come away, probably partially because he’s happy for an excuse to get away from Xia Dong, but based on the acting I’d say he’s also being his usual perceptive self and realizes that she wants them to leave her for a Reason. The Reason is that she’s being followed. I don’t recognize the face of the guy following her? I am guessing he is an Actual Character though, otherwise the camera wouldn’t have lingered so long.

Meanwhile, Prince Yu is breaking pottery because he’s throwing a tantrum. He’s finally found out that Xie Yu, aka the Marquis, is playing both sides of the political game, pretending to support only Yu while also secretly helping the Crown Prince. He’s in trouble.

Back to Mei Chang Su, he’s being led by a Mu who is so enthusiastic about the househunting, he’s actually bouncing up and down. HE’S SO CUTE. PROTECT HIM. His enthusiasm is explained when they turn a corner and: dun dun duuuuun there’s Ni Huang, looking stunning as usual. Oh, you clever boy, Mu. Look at him smiling at his ship. Ni Huang has a total “gotcha” face on, and Su’s expression just says “oh nooooo.” Outplayed by a kid, wow, Su.

In the next scene Mu has mysteriously vanished and our favourite doomed ship is walking together. She tries to thank him for saving her, he says it was his mistake that put her in danger to begin with, she counters that no man is infallible, and you can totally tell he’s thinking BUT I’M SUPPOSED TO BE. He warns her not to trust him, a man she has only met a few times, but she says she feels like she’s known him a long time and trusts he would never harm her intentionally. AHA. NI HUANG IS MAKING HER MOVE. He tries to jokingly put her off by saying wow he wishes other people felt that way, and immediately she’s like “Jing Yan is mad at you, isn’t he” which, LOL. She basically says Oh, you know how Jing is, he can’t keep his mouth shut, just ignore him, and Su neatly counters with “How could I know what Jing is like?” He walks away looking like a man who just scored a point, and yep, she’s totally trying to trap him. It’s a battle of minds, and ugh they’re so perfect for each other! Her smile and then slow thoughtful look when he makes that dodge, aaaahh.

We cut back to the Emperor where he’s all pissy because Ni Huang apparently effortlessly defeated all her suitors, so that whole subplot just died a quiet offscreen death, lol. Then she handed in a report to state her wrongdoing, he complains to his eunuch buddy, and ahahaha I love Ni Huang. The Emperor says that even though Ni Huang managed to avoid marriage yet again, she cannot be allowed to leave the capitol to go back to the battlefield like he’s let her before.

Ni Huang is still showing Su around a variety of houses. They look so cute walking togetherrrrr. But also he’s wearing his furs so they barely even cover his shoulders, and while that’s a nice aesthetic, that can’t really be helping against the cold at all. MCS, staaaahp. He tries to tell her he doesn’t want to bother her with this househunting nonsense, but she insists it’s no trouble and then suggests he go a certain way that he CLEARLY does not want to go. Immediately I was like oh nooooooo because I could just tell something awful was coming. Ni Huang, what have you done. They stare at each other for a long, long while, and it’s like she’s daring him to refuse, because that will prove his identity, and he knows that, but also he doesn’t wanna but in the end of course he has to follow her. He walks like he’s being led to the gallows or some similarly deadly place. And then she stops and behind her is an obviously huge but abandoned house, and I started screaming inside because I knew it I knew it Ni Huang whyyyyyyy why would you do this to us

Do you know what this place is? She asks. No, Su replies, carefully not looking at it. Ugh, my poor boy. She tells him this particular manor belonged to the Commander of the Blaze Army. I used to play here very often as a child, she tells him (My aside: NOOOOOOOOOOO), and then she invites him on a stroll inside its ruins. Oh, she’s being so mean. And he deserves it, for what he’s doing to her, but still. Mean. And she is watching him like a hawk.

After a beat Su manages to counter that surely they can’t just casually walk inside if it’s the former residence of traitors? Ni Huang tells him that it’s true this house should have technically been seized by the Emperor and so belongs to him, but the Emperor has ignored it all these years. He never did anything to it. He seems to be waiting, she says, her gaze lingering over those sad, empty walls. Perhaps one day it will just disappear.

No, I’m not crying. Or if I am, it’s because That Music is back and it’s not fair, I am powerless against That Music. It will forever be the Grandma Scene music to me, aka the moment this show revealed itself as the emotional hell it truly is.

And the double meaning of this entire conversation is just SO. GOOD:

MCS: Since it’s been dilapidated for years there probably isn’t any trace of its past splendor left. Why would Your Highness insist on reminding yourself of the past?

Ni Huang: People left. The house is empty. Things changed with the passing of the years. But it doesn’t mean that everything has vanished. (Turns to face MCS, and then:) Whatever remains still lingers. Some people, some matters, still stay deep in one’s mind. Time will not wipe away their traces.

MCS (looking like he’s gonna cry, let’s be real): Your Highness values friendship and loyalty greatly. However, this case still weighs heavily on the Imperial Court. It still remains in the limelight. I advise Your Highness not to linger around this place much longer.

And I’m both gleeful and utterly devastated about how GOOD this whole scene is, my gosh. Because yeah, suuuuuuure they’re just talking about the house. They aren’t talking about Lin Shu at ALLLLLLLL.

(Gah, I love this show.)

Ni Huang looks devastated. This whole conversation is so close to the surface, to them speaking plainly to each other, and yet she’s so stymied by how he refuses to reveal himself! You can tell she was hoping so, so much to finally get her answer here, and yet he’s still refusing to give her that answer she wants, the one she knows deep down is the truth. In response to his advice she walks up those old, broken steps, and looks DOWN on him (eeeeee this showwww), now plainly asking him to take a look inside.

(He doesn’t want to look inside, Ni Huang. He doesn’t want to see Lin Shu again, not when he has to be Mei Chang Su. He can’t want to take that look with you. Hi, I’m dead.)

Still refusing to look at the house, staring at the ground, he refuses once more, bows, and walks away. That blasted music, that glorious music, is still going because this show has no pity. AND THEN HE STARTS CRYING AND I’M LIKE NI HUANG DON’T JUST STAND THERE RUN AND CATCH UP AND STARE HIM IN THE FACE like it’d ruin the moment but you’d get your answers, dangitttt

And we flashback to him falling off that cliff again and then it cuts to a shot of Su walking away and in the foreground is a cobweb covering his image and ooh, artsy.

Next scene is Jing Rui and his brother (Xie Bi, or something like that? Augh, it’s been so long, I’m probably getting a lot of side character’s names wrong) and Jing Rui is trying to cheer his brother up because he’s just nice like that. Arguably the nicest. His brother is upset because after two years of his father telling him to work for Prince Yu, his father’s now told him to stop helping Yu because he actually supports the Crown Prince. He feels very used and unhappy. Jing Rui, meanwhile, is absolutely rattled, even horrorstruck. He thought his dad wasn’t into politics, remember? Yeah, so much for that. I have the horrible sinking feeling it’s just going to get worse for him from here.

Back at the Snow Cottage, Fei Liu is building a fire for his Su and it’s very adorable. I want so many more scenes of just these two, especially after reading the novel chapters that I did before I started venturing into spoiler territory and stopped (they’re so huggy in the novel, bless them). Su tells Fei Liu that he’s getting all this real estate mail, basically, and doesn’t that show that there are still nice people in the capitol? NOT AT ALL, says Fei Liu, and Su just smirks. These two. I love them. Su is the worst role model.

Su tells Fei Liu to take a look at a house called the Orchid Garden and if Fei Liu likes it, Su will buy it. The power this kid has. Suddenly Fei Liu senses someone and flies outside where he sees Xia Dong standing there! Fei Liu being Fei Liu and Xia Dong being Xia Dong, they immediately have a spectacular fight. Su shows up to stop it and shows that he knows Xia Dong is injured, and he asks what she’s doing there.

Back at the palace, the Bickering Brothers are at it again. The best part is where Yu shakes his finger in the Crown Prince’s face and the Crown Prince makes this angry little squeaky sound and bats it away, ahahahaha. These actors are superb, as I keep saying (because they keep impressing me in scene after scene). Yu tries to be like Hey, why aren’t you secluded and studying like you’re supposed to be doing, since you’re being punished for Ni Huang and all, but the Crown Prince retorts that he wasn’t banned from court affairs, and are you implying you want me out of court for good???? SHUT UP, says the Emperor. He has less and less patience with each scene they share, lol. He tells them he knows they are squabbling because they each want to judge over the Duke of Qing’s case. Remember him? Yeah. The Emperor tells them he can’t pick either of them because Yu of course would let the Duke get away with any crime (the Duke is his powerful ally, remember!) and the Crown Prince would use any excuse to destroy the Duke’s entire family and thereby eliminate a powerful foe. “Father��, they both try, and SHUT UP, he cuts them off. Man, I’m almost liking the Emperor again.

Xia Dong meanwhile is in audience with Su. She tells him she’s just been curious about him, as he’s the talk of the town and seemingly has many faces. She’s worried. What about? Ni Huang.

(Augh, says Su’s face, Why is it always Ni Huang)

Why on earth are you worried about Ni Huang? She’s a powerful military leader and all, he says. Xia Dong says the rumor is Ni Huang defied the Emperor and refused marriage because of Mei Chang Su. OHO IS THAT THE RUMOR? Nice. Su says they’re just friends, he’s not trying to court Ni Huang. Xia Dong is not appeased, and directly asks: Does he only want friendship? Su thinks a moment, then says well, he has to admit Ni Huang is radiant (oh, you) and of course he can’t help but admire her, but also he’s sick, he’s not long for the world, he has deliberately remained unmarried so as not to burden anyone.

Her Highness has always been quite clear-minded, he says. She’s like a light breeze and a bright moon. Who would be good enough for her if not a man of great passion and outstanding ambition?

Uh, Mei Chang Su? Your Lin Shu is showing again. Xia Dong looks a little taken aback.

The Emperor is complaining to his eunuch friend again but this time our mustached fave General Meng is there too! Yay! The Emperor is angry that his sons continue to squabble so immaturely even though the Duke of Qing’s case is a matter of national importance. Meng reminds him that be that as it may, a prince still needs to be in charge of any investigation and trial. Hmmmmmmm, I sense Su’s hand in this …

Yep, the Emperor suddenly brightens. Oh yeah, he says, a prince does have to preside over the case but it doesn’t have to be one of those two! Isn’t Jing Yan still around? He’s so stubborn, he’d be perfect! Cool, let’s put Jing in charge! He walks off feeling delighted with himself. I am once again left in awe of Su and his manipulation skills. I’m assuming this is the first step of a long game to make Jing gain favor in the palace.

Xia Dong meanwhile brings up the time Su helped Ni Huang defeat those enemies a few years back. She asks why he bothered since his land wasn’t particularly nearby? He gets all mad and offended that she apparently feels the need to question why he would help defend his country, and she backs off. I can’t decide how much of that anger was just show; I think that he really was upset by that implication. Xia Dong leaves with a good opinion of Su, which is good because if I remember aright she hates Jing for his support for Lin Shu’s family, so if she knew who Su really was? Yeahhhhh, big trouble would follow. Also she’s a master spy, so way to dodge a bullet there, Su. For now, anyway.

Outside, the Marquis is hiding and spying himself, but Xia Dong calls him out and his awkward popping out from behind that doorframe was very funny. She basically tells him she knows all about his political gaming and how he set up the whole Duke of Qing thing but also she is not going to tell on him. She says she will keep his secret because her husband, Nie Feng, died during that Blaze Army rebellion and it was the Marqius who brought “half his corpse” home to her. Thus, she feels like she owes him. Oh, eww. Also we know Lin Shu’s dad was NOT a traitor and it was all a set up, so what are the odds that the Marquis was also the one who was responsible for turning her husband into half a corpse? Pretty freaking high, I’d say.

She seems angered that the Marquis has clearly forgotten that massive favor he did her, so she tells him in keeping his secret she considers her debt paid and they are now even. Then she just walks off, cool as you like, leaving behind a very worried-looking Marquis.

Cut to: Mei Chang Su, back in his inefficient furs and out on the town with the Good Boys! Actually they’re in the courtyard of a horrible old dump of a house. For a second I was like wait did he buy his family’s old house because surely the Emperor would put a stop to that? But no, it seems like this is the Orchid Garden place he mentioned to Fei Liu earlier. Yu Jin is hilariously disapproving, hands on hips and everything, and chides Su for being a fool for buying the place without seeing it first. Su says Fei Liu liked it, though! Cue Fei Liu literally flying overhead, looking very pleased with himself. Yu Jin is not impressed. Su indulges in a little trollface.

The three walk through the manor together, and Yu Jin starts being like, well, the layout is okay I guess, we can fix it up into a livable place I guess, but yeah it does look amazingly overgrown. But then Yu Jin suddenly disappears into the ground, so apparently there’s big ol’ holes in the property, too? What are you playing at, Mei Chang Su.

Jing Rui dashes over to help his friend, and pulls him out of what is actually a dried up well. Yu Jin comments that it’s lucky he’s so skilled and so was able to catch onto the lip of the well to avoid falling all the way in, and Jing Rui agrees. If it had been Su, he says, the poor strategist would have fallen all the way to the bottom. Which, ouch. I mean, that might be true, I don’t know if Su’s frailty is all 100% genuine (I’d say it’s at least 70% genuine) or if he still has the sort of reflexes a warrior would, but obviously we are supposed to assume that in his happy youth before all the bad stuff happened he would have had no problem with avoiding a fall down a dry well. Anyway, the boys clown a bit and Fei Liu shows up. Yu Jin complains that the manor is creepy and suggests they leave. As they walk, however, Yu Jin realizes that he’s missing some pendant or something that belonged to his grandfather and is really important to him. Could it have fallen down the well? Su asks innocently. Instantly I’m convinced Su snuck it off of Yu Jin and threw it in the well himself, lol. They go back to look.

Then we cut to the Red Sleeves Brothel? A girl named Gong Yu is at a window. An old man doesn’t want her at the window. His name is Shisan? Okay. She was apparently watching Qin Bao Ruo, who I remember being the name of Yu’s strategist. Said strategist is off to the palace again, apparently—he’s got a lot of problems that need a sound strategical approach right now. Gong Yu says she’s worried about Su. Shisan says not to worry, as this was all foreseen by Su. Ok, so they are in on Su’s plans, that’s interesting. Why do they know, what’s their deal.

Gong Yu wants to know if she can visit Su in the capitol. Shisan says he sent word to Su asking for permission, and Su says no, she is not to visit. She seems a little stalkerish, and I want her to back off.

Back at Su’s horrible new house, the boys are being adorable again and I love their friendship so much, I love how much Yu Jin gets Jing Rui to lighten up. Jing Rui elects to search the bottom of the well for Yu Jin’s pendant, because he is a Best Friend. And I KNOW this is just a show but it still causes me physical pain to watch him ruin those gorgeous clothes in that mud, lol

Anyway they lower Jing Rui down on a rope and Su watches looking very worried or intent at least and that’s not a great sign. What’s he playing at. This is a rare chance for you to please me, Yu Jin calls down, So try harder! Jing Rui replies with a threat to smear mud all over his face once he’s back up, these bros. Jing Rui finds the token, is all ready to leave, but then he steps on something that cracks and when he looks down:

It’s a human skull.

I was sooooooo not expecting that. Su totally was though, and I want to be mad at him for putting Jing Rui through that but also like imagine if Jing Rui hadn’t noticed while he was down there, what would Su have done? Stolen Jing Rui’s hair pin and tossed down and been like whoops, you must have lost it when you were looking for Yu Jin’s thing?

Jing Rui is horrified, but he refuses to leave until he investigates further, and yeah: THERE’S MORE SKULLS. LOTS MORE. Well, I guess we have our next chapter of the story. From a marriage tournament to a serial killer well. That’s not a great sign of where this show is taking us, lol

Cut to the Crown Prince, he’s asking the Marquis whether or not he thinks Jing could be persuaded to be lenient on the Duke since he owes Yu for that whole Ni Huang thing. The Marquis says nah, Jing isn’t so easily swayed, you’re fine. Then he also says, speaking of the Ni Huang debacle, he’s heard who was responsible for the whole set up and how things went so badly for the Crown Prince. It wasn’t Prince Yu: It was Mei Chang Su.

Well, that’s not a positive development.

Cut to a shot of seemingly endless skeletons lying unearthed beside the well, just to really drive home this ominous turn. All these officials, who I guess are the equivalent of homicide detectives, lol, are busy at the well. Yu Jin asks one how many skeletons have been found, and the guy says seven so far, and all are female. This has suddenly turned into CSI: Fantasy Ancient China. This is apparently the biggest and most shocking case he’s ever had. Su innocently says well, he can’t really help since this was his first visit to the property (ahaaaa so that’s why he sent Fei Liu!). He leaves to go back to the Snow Cottage.

Speaking of the Snow Cottage, the Marquis is back in his manor talking to a man who I thiiiiiink is Jing Rui’s other dad? Anyway he says the Crown Prince has ordered they kill Mei Chang Su. The guy may be a Divine Talent, but if he’s not on their side then they have to take him out of the equation. But he’s leader of the East Yangtze Alliance, protests the other guy (Zhuo, it turns out, is his name): he’s surrounded by pugilists! I can’t attack him! Yeah, I know, says the Marquis. Just find out if Fei Liu is his only bodyguard or not, and I’ll take care of the rest.

This should be a very ominous ending, but I’ve seen Fei Liu in action. I think Mei Chang Su is going to be juuuuust fine. Plus he knows the Marquis is the worst; surely has a contingency plan.

And that’s the end! I sit through the entire ending song because it’s been too long, dangit, (and also HEY THERE’S JING YAN I missed my fave this episode) and then I realize that it’s 3am and I have to be at work at 5am.

Worth it.

[fearofaherobrine]

Roleplay Server Log #208

“Tobias and Bianca, Cp’s nightmare, Steve and TLOT’s Excellent Dream”

[Deer] Wanders towards the kitchen completely naked-

[Steve] Eating toast. There's a couple of runny eggs on his plate too. - He does a bit of a double take and blushes a bit- Good-good morning Deerheart. Did you wake up too hot?

[Deer] -Hm?  What are you talking about?  It's the same temperature as usual

[Steve] Well you're in the buff, I thought... I like to take my shirt off when I get too hot... [He's currently barefoot in just his shirt and pants.]

[Deer] - Oh no, this is how Doc and I sleep

[Steve] Oh, me and TLOT do the same. He's super comfy and warm to snuggle with.

[Deer] - So how was last night for the two of you?

[Steve] Well TLOT was pretty mad, it took him a while to calm down... He didn't give me specifics but I got the gist from his mind. I'd say seeing how the other half lives is a fitting punishment. If Amanda is contrite and apologizes I'm sure he'll change them back.

[Deer] - Weeeeeell, that might be a little hard to do now...

[Steve] How come? He's never had any trouble shifting people, I mean... since we came here...

[Deer] Giggles- I may not have told Doc what TLOT did before we had Splender take HIM to Slender to wipe her memory

[TLOT] Was coming down the stairs - YOU DID WHAT?

[Deer] Yelps in surprise- Oh...  Hehe, TLOT...

[TLOT] Taps his boot- I'm listening-

[Deer] - Well...  I went down to talk with him and they angered me, so I didn't alert Doc to the change before they sent him off

[TLOT] Tps right next to her with a huge toothy grin- Deerheart.... your first grief.. you wicked little beastie!

[Deer] Giggles- Doc found it funny as well

[TLOT] Reads her mind- I'm not sure funny is the right word... that's the kind of laughter that comes when you're just done with everyone's shit. But - He leans in close and says it quietly- good job. - and then louder and more commanding voice- Don't let it happen again! Understood?

[Deer] - Oh alright, we also had quite the conversation with CP

[TLOT] I'm sure he laughed his square asscheeks off too. Shadenfreude is his favorite thing.

[Deer] - Apparently last night Notch hit him with a branch full of honesty blossoms

[TLOT] That would explain the relatively civil discussion I had with him a few minutes ago...

[Deer] - He's probably still covered in pollen

[TLOT] Too bad for him. I doubt Lie will suggest a morning shower then for that very reason.

[Deer] - He also apparently said something very nice to Notch as well

[TLOT] That's beautiful, I'm sure it did him good to hear it. He's been so paternal lately.

[Deer] - I wish I could of seen what transpired

[TLOT] I'll try and pick his thoughts next time I see him, maybe we can see directly.

[Deer] - Oh goody!  Oh and we found that Pinwheel can eat mice

[TLOT] At least someone is enjoying the morsels, Grinny just turns his nose up at them even though I know he wants to play with them.

[Deer] - Since you said you talked to CP, should we expect them for breakfast soon?

[TLOT] No. I decided to let his punishment slide. Lie is clinging to him like she'll die without his warmth. I think they'll be in bed for a while.

[Deer] - Honestly, how she's always so cold is a mystery to me

[TLOT] We all run differently. Cp is so much hotter then I am.

[Steve] That's a dirty lie!

[TLOT] Pshaw, you know what I mean! Lie is just cold for a brine. It might be a sign that her glitch is more compatible with her physiology since she was made a Herobrine intentionally from irl human stock?

[Deer] - Maybe...  Have you seen Flux lately?  I've been trying to find her for another lesson...

[TLOT] Not lately, she tends to wander a lot. Tell me this thoguh, while I'm thinking about it, does Doc run hot? I've hugged them plenty of times, but they're always heavily clothed.

[Deer] - No, not really

[TLOT] what were you hoping to learn? I assume the lessons are going well?

[Deer] - Oh yes, but I've noticed lately with every time my emotions have been running high, the seed responds.  I want to know if there's a way to separate the two so everybody isn't aware of my emotions at times

[liu] -come into the castle and down into the kitchen he seems to be in pain-

[Smile] Is following-

[TLOT] At Deerheart- Maybe I'm the one that actually needs to help you then. I'm sure you can feel the same when I'm upset.  -at Liu- Liu? What happened to you?

[liu] everything hurts I am so sore.

[Deer] - What happened?

[liu] Mix smile and me fought MB so save Jane.

[Deer] - What, you were there too?  And you had to save Jane?

[liu] yea my whole body is sore from the fight I was wondering if you had anything for it?

[TLOT] Wait, why did you have to save Jane from anyone? I've seen her fight.

[Steve] I'll get some potions!

[liu] she didn't have her knifes I think she lost them then mb took her

[TLOT] I thought Mix killed him?

[liu] she dealt the final blow

[Deer] - Oh wow...

[Steve] Comes back with a potion bottle and a bowl of healing slime- Here you go!

[Smile] Is sniffing all the chests-

[TLOT] Who would have thought?

[liu] -takes the bottle and uses it now able to focus with out pain he covers his eyes and blushes- why is deerheart naked!?

[Deer] - What is with humans and others being naked?

[TLOT] Liu, she just likes being naked. Honestly I do too, but I'd prefer to be in an animal shape so people don't give me shit about it.

[Steve] Are you hungry Smile?

[Smile] - FOOD!

[liu] -is making sure to not look at deerheart- I see

[Steve] Wipes a bit of doggy drool off him- Okay. He squeaks open a chest and pulls out a couple of steaks and stuffs them in the furnace. - Now we just wait a sec annnnnnnnd done! Here you go Smile-

[Smile] Quickly snatches them out of Steve's hands-

[Steve] Good doggy.

[TLOT] That was very brave of you Liu. I know how tough Mb is.

[Deer] - Do you want any food Liu?

[liu] thanks i can't believe i won but i don't think i could of with out mix and yes please

[TLOT] So what's her deal? Is she good with a sword? Perhaps a bow?

[Deer] Starts making food, some pancakes and sausage-

[liu] some kind of gauntlet

[TLOT] Interesting. I know her world had some odd technology, but she seems to keep it close to her vest. How about you Liu? Been practicing your swordplay against the mobs?

[Deer] Quickly finishes the food and takes it to Liu- Here you go

[liu] sometimes but i guess getting two good slices at mb's neck helped and thank you deer -starts to eat-

[TLOT] I'm sure he was tickled. I think he may be the only person who likes to fight more then Cp.

[Deer] - Should we keep those two separated for awhile?  After what CP just did?

[TLOT] What, Mb and Cp? On the contrary it might be good to get them together intentionally. Just wear them both out.

[Deer] - Perhaps...

[liu] I just hope I don't have to fight I'm again

[Lie] Stumbles into the kitchen with CP following-

[TLOT] You might though. If you sufficently entertained him, he may challenge you again.

[Steve] Ah, the happy couple is up! Want some breakfast guys?

[Lie] - Please...  And Deer...  CLOTHES!

[Deer] - You're no fun Lie

[liu] hello lie

[TLOT] I'd say you should just shapeshift Deerheart, but I don't think you'd fit in this room.- Chuckles

[Deer] - Lie's just being a spoilsport

[Lie] Groans as she sits at the table-

[CP] Ignores the others as he digs through the fridge-

[Steve] Brings Lie a full plate. - What's the matter? You look like you have a hangover.

[Lie] - Just not much sleep, CP kept waking up

[CP] - I tried to keep you in a sleep when I could

[TLOT] Hey, I know. Deerheart? We didn't get to see you wear the bikini Doc made for you.

[Steve] Awww... Could you two not reach your shared plane because you weren't relaxed enough?

[Deer] - Oh, alright- She digs through her inventory until she finds and equips it

[TLOT] Hey, that looks nice.

[Lie] - No we kept reaching it, but it's cut short, maybe like what was happening to me before?  Except happening to CP?

[TLOT] Oh dear... do we need to have another session? Although... - he brightens considerably- It won't be nearly as dangerous for me to accompany you as last time. And I have you to thank for that.

[CP] - Stay the fuck out of my head

[Lie] - CP...  Knock it off, it might help, and it was no problem TLOT

[Lie] - Well, maybe it was a bit of a problem, but not in a bad way

[TLOT] Oh Cp.... I've been in your head plenty of times and you've never had il effects from it. Don't you trust me?

[CP] - I don't like you in there at all!

[Smile] - I can take you in there!

[Mix] -wanders in slowly, she looks about as tired as Liu does-

[Steve] Another for breakfast. Want some food Mix?

[Mix] ... yeah, sounds good.

[Steve] Fetches her some pancakes and sausage too-

[TLOT] I heard you prevailed in battle Mix. Good job.

[Lie] Starts eating her food-

[CP] Joins Lie after scrounging some food from the fridge-

[Mix] I want to take a nap after it... I'm so sore... -rubs face a bit-

[TLOT] At Smile- I know you can help, and I might need it. It's appreciated -

[Steve] I can help! I brought more then one potion- gives it to her-

[liu] oh good now no one has to be sore from the fight

[Steve] Use the bowl too, rub some on your arms Liu. It helps a lot.

[Lie] - CP please, let TLOT take a look, he helped me...

[CP] - I'd rather he didn't...

[liu] -starts rubbing it on his arms-

[TLOT] I'm game when you are.

[Smile] - Now?  Now?

[Mix] -Drinks the potion and sits down to eat- Thanks

[Steve] Anytime... sis. - smiles warmly

[Mix] -Blink- .... -Looks up and squints at Steve-

[CP] - No Smile

[Smile] Disappointed whine

[steve] Winks in a totally non-subtle way.

[Mix] -Squints a little bit harder-

[Steve] Huge innocent grin-

[Lie] - TLOT, do you want me to let you know when we sleep next?

[TLOT] Okay. But knowing Cp, he'll hide from me to avoid me helping him.

[Mix] I'm.. not even going to ask. -yawns tiredly before starting to eat-

[Lie] - Not if we've just fucked

[CP] Perks a little

[TLOT] Well that's a good way to make a man tired. Haha.

[Deer] - We could always give you some touchie wine now

[CP] Growls-

[TLOT] I wouldn't mind a little myself actually...

[Deer] - I'll grab it then

[Steve] Gets an even happier smile - Me too please!

[Lie] - TLOT will you be okay to enter our dream after this?

[TLOT] Oh, sure. I'm not goign to get drunk or something.

[Mix] -Halfway through her pancakes when realization hits her. She launches her fork from her hand in panic, missing Steve by a small margin- Who?! Told you?!

[Lie] Yelps- Mix?

[Steve] Is so suprised he darts under the table- Who what? Huh!?

[liu] -panics and falls to the floor-

[Mix] Who told you? -Very clearly frustrated, but also still very tired-

[Deer] Comes back with the wine- Here we go!

[Steve] Peeks cautiously over the edge of the table - Told me what?

[Mix] -Points at Steve- You know what.

[TLOT] Takes the bottle and pours several glasses -

[Steve] That we're... ?

[CP] Is growling at the wine-

[TLOT] Mix are you okay?

[liu] I think I will stay here on the floor

[Mix] Yeah. -Still very much pointing at Steve, some electricity buzzing on the end- Also yes. -Points finger at TLOT for a second before returning it to Steve's direction-

[Steve] whimpers- NK TOLD ME. I THOUGHT IT WAS NEAT!

[TLOT] Don't do that, you're scaring him.

[Mix] ... I'm gonna punch him when I see him next... -Drops hand to table and lowers head a bit-

[Mix] ... Sorry.

[Steve] But it's okay... we're not gonna be mean to you or anything.

[Lie] Takes a glass of the wine-

[TLOT] Seconded, it's unusual, but no big deal.

[Mix] It's embarrassing... .. Does anyone have a second fork? I.. Kind of want to keep eating.

[Deer] - Sure, I'll get you another

[liu] -is trying to grab his food so he can bring it to him being he doesn't want to get off the floor-

[Lie] - Takes a small amount of the wine into her mouth before kissing CP, letting the wine enter his mouth. The effect on her mate was near instant as she smirked and tugged him up out of his stay and started leading him upstairs-

Bianca:hello? Is anyone home? Its me bianca.....i have returned

[Bianca] hello? Is anyone home? Its me bianca.....i have returned

[Deer] Stiffens a little- Um, I'll be right back!-She rushes to the main room where Bianca is- Bianca, hello

[Bianca] where is lie i need to speak to her -takes off her backpack

[Deer] - Lie? She just went upstairs with her husband

[Deer] - Although she did just have some touchie wine, so she may not want to be disturbed...

[Bianca] i must speak with her now, it is very importent.

[Deer] - Wait, how do you know her? I thought you hadn't met anyone yet...

[Bianca] i found a note and heard you all talking about her

[Deer] - Alright, she should be upstairs, but hurry, she and her husband were about to... Well, fuck

[Bianca] - blushes and laughes a bit- ok......-walks upstairs- which room deer?

[Deer] - Just a few floors up, it's the only room there

[Bianca] thank you. -continues up the stairs to the only room

[CP] Is already pawing his wife over, wanting to feel her touch him thanks to the effects of the wine-

[Bianca] hello? Im looking for lie...it..it is very importent

[CP] - FUCK OFF!

[Lie] - CP calm down

[Bianca] i found something unusual during my travels

[Lie] Shush's CP before he can say anything and goes over to the door, opening it- I'm sorry, I'm afraid we haven't met, and you are?

[Bianca] bianca i came here with taylor though im sure you dont know who that is but that doesnt matter right now what matters is that over the south west there is a camp. The people there are after me and taylor. Whatever you do do not let them know we are here

[Lie] - What do mean after you?  What do you need?

[Bianca] there was this villiger he seems to be working for a man from our world

[Lie] - What?  But how would they get the message here?  You'd think Doc, let alone Deer, would be aware of messages being passed through the firewall...

[Bianca] i dont know but if he comes here me you dont know anything  i will try to explain everything

[Lie] - Alright, do you want to tell the others or should I?

[???] -knocks at the door-

[Deer] - Oh?  Another guest?

[Bianca] you tell the others i have to hide. Remember you dont know us

[Lie] - Wait- She spawns a lust blossom in her hand- Do not let the nectar of this flower touch you, it creates a very painful urge, but you can use it on whoever is harassing you

[Deer] Opens the door- Hello?

[???] Hello my name is general tobias i am a villiger from a camp from the south west of here

[Deer] - Oh?  Another group of villagers?  Have you come to talk to TLOT or Father Steve?

[Lie] Privately in chat- Deer?  Please don't let anyone know that Bianca was here

[Deer] - Hm?  Oh, alright

[Tobias] a women named bianca

[Deer] - Bianca?  I don't think I know anyone by that name...

[Bianca] oh gods he knows -takes the flower- please take care.

[Tobias] can i come in?

[Lie] - Stay here, Deer can protect you

[Deer] - Of course!  Just stick close to me, this place is quite the maze

[Tobias] oh thank you

[Deer] Steps aside and lets him in- Would you like some food?  There's a fridge right over there, just hit the button and see's what comes out

[Tobias]no i ate before i came.

[Deer] - Well, is there anything you'd like?

[Tobias] Coffee would be nice

[Deer] - I actually think I have some in my inventory- Digs around and produces a steaming cup and hands it to Tobias- So is there a reason for being here other than this woman you're looking for?

[Tobias] yes i am going around to tell people that these 2 people are wanted for treason and murder -takes out pictures of bianca and taylor- they are very dangerous

[Deer] - Oh my, may I ask what precisely they did?

[Tobias] they claimed my king was corrupt

[Tobias] you see taylor was a cononel im my army best soldier i have ever had. Until he started talking to the bianca girl

[Tobias] she put lies in his head and killed some of his fellow soldiers

[Deer] - There are no kings here other than TLOT...  And the only reason you could be here on this server was if you were spawned here...  So who are you really?

[Tobias] you got me.... i am from the far lands

[Deer] - And what is the real reason you are after these two?

[Tobias] oh those are the reasons

[Tobias] you see there is a kingdom in the far lands. Hidden in the distorted landscape

[Tobias] perfect place to hide

[Deer] - Then tell me, how did those two manage to come from off the server?

[Tobias] -twitchs-

[Tobias] i know who you are deer and i know how they got here

[Deer] - Oh?  And what am I?

[Tobias] my question is why did you open the wall for these 2

[Tobias] you deer are the server

[Deer] - They same reason we accepted the others, they needed help.  Now, care to tell me how you found out about these two and my being the server?

[Tobias] i dont know

[Deer] - You don't know?  Very well, then how have you been receiving your information?

[Tobias] the king has told me and i know who they are and what they did

[Deer] - And who is your king?

This message has been removed.

[Tobias] but almost everyone just calls him my king

[Deer] - I see...  How are you getting the information from your king?

[Tobias] letters we do get mail you know

[Deer] - Then perhaps I need to shut that down, only grant access to a few...

[Tobias] what are you talking about

[Deer] - As you pointed out, I am the server, I control every aspect of it because it is me, I can stop your messaging

[Tobias] are you saying your goning to kill the mail officer

[Tobias] now than i must be going. The yelling is too much for my head currently good day

[Deer] - You will not get them, if I must I will use my powers to destroy you as much as I hate the thought

[Tobias] -walks towards the door- deer....im not the only one looking for them. I am only here to protect this server

[Tobias] -walks away

[Deer] - You?  Protect me?  I don't need it, I have my friends and my mate if I ever need it.

[Tobias] -continues to walk away

[Deer] Huffs once he is gone and returns to the kitchen-

[Bianca] -comes down stairs- deer tobias is wrong. We are not criminals

[Deer] Pauses on her way- I believe you Bianca

[Bianca] you must listen to my story

[Deer] - Then speak

[Bianca] you see taylor was in the army he was a cononel and he did have a team. But he didnt kill them. They followed him to save me

[Deer] - Why were you in danger?

[Bianca] i too was a server but there was a virus i was protecting the world and appearing in his dreams

[Bianca] the virus was called the king

[Bianca] because if you dont try to stop it it would rule your world

[Deer] - Doc has great experience removing virus' and unless invited in, that virus cannot reach us.  And even if it could, Flux and I could handle it, she's an even older and stronger server than I am

[Bianca] i know the virus cant get here but tobias must have found a way to take over that villiger.

[Deer] - They can be swayed by words...  CP proved that when he spread a harmful book amongst TLOT's villagers...

[Deer] - I don't know how to stop his words from reaching them, but I'll consult with Flux, she may have a solution

[Bianca] taylor risked everything for me..... and knowing his memory is going to be gone....it hurts

[Deer] - His memory?

[Bianca] what....you didnt notice...

[Deer] - Well last time I saw you he was unconscious...

[Bianca] when you opened the server up and let us in you didnt see a bit of his code get corrupted

[Bianca] as a server you should see that somethings missing in his code.

[Deer] - I'm still learning, I haven't existed in this form for very long.  Doc should be able to fix the corruption though

[Bianca] you cant fix something thats not there......

[Deer] - You'd be surprised

[Bianca] i know looks down at her chest

[Deer] - Doc created themselves, building themselves from a small sentient grouping of pixels.  The can create pixels to fill in the space

[Bianca] i still dont understand how you would build his memories without knowing them

[Deer] - That I don't know...  But there could be a way

[Bianca] if i know anything about people its that we can so something to trigger them. If he can remember to breath

[Deer] - For now I will alert the others to the situation, stay here Bianca, rest and recover

[Taylor] -coughs and yells-

[Deer] - Go to him, now

[Bianca] -nods and runs into the room where taylor is being held she tries to calm him but she cannot-

[Taylor] aghhhh

[Bianca] i cant help him.... im not a server.... i cant force him to sleep

[Taylor] ahhhh. What....what is happening

[Deer] Has followed them down- If you need him to sleep, CP can help you

[Bianca] taylor are you ok

[Taylor] ahh....ah....i...i have the worst headache. -looks at bianca- do....do i know you....

[Bianca] -hugs him tightly with teers in her eyes- yes.....yes you do

[Deer] - I'll leave the two of you be for now

[Bianca] deer wait....

[Deer] - Yes?

[Bianca] -scribbles down names on a piece of paper-can you check if these people are on the server and if not please bring them here

[Deer] - I can try, but unless they make their way to the server, it will be very difficult to find them

[Bianca] dont worry they will find their way.

[Deer] - Very well, I'll keep an eye out for them

[Bianca] lt will need them.

[Deer] - It?

[Bianca] he was a lord at one point

[Deer] - I see, I'll leave the two of you be for now

[Bianca] thank you

[Lie] Once Bianca is gone she closes the door and returns to CP her mate quickly drags his mate over to the bed, wanting her touch-

[CP] - I have to figure out some way to reprimand you for using that damned wine...

[Lie] - You can think of that later- She slips her shirt off and then helps CP with his.  CP hungrily goes after his wife's lips, drawing her closer as he sits on the bed and pulls her onto the bed.

[Lie] Her hands come up to tangle in CP's hair and a moan slips past her lips.  She stands up a little so CP can remove her pants.  She yelps a little as CP flips her around so she is under him, both are panting as the effects of the wine take hold.  CP moves quickly removing the last of their clothes and then went after his wife.  He kissed every inch of her that he could, nipping occasionally while she squirmed beneath him.

[Lie] - CP...  Please...

[CP] Smirks and gently entered his mate, teasing her with gentle thrusts and pauses.  Lie's small frustrated bucks against him were entertaining, but he wouldn't torment her for long as he picked up his pace and strength.

[Lie] Moans and grips at CP, he body filling with pleasure as he works his magic.  Between the effects of the wine and the lack of sex recently, the two came relatively quickly.  Both were panting and CP lay down next to his wife and feeling sleep creeping up on them.  Lie smiles a little before reaching out to TLOT- Give us a few minutes TLOT, then we'll be ready

[TLOT] Ahhhh.... Such a nice feeling... - He tips a bit of the wine into his mouth and leans back to better accomodate his husband sitting across his lap with his face in his mate's hair. His helm is put away for now.

[Lie] Brushes a hand against CP's face, moving some of his hair aside-

[CP] - I really have to be more careful around you when your in one of these moods...

[Lie] - You'll be fine, I'll never do anything to hurt you

[CP] - Nor will I, and I won't let anything hurt you

[TLOT] How does it taste to you Deerheart? You should be more sensitive to these things these days.

[Deer] - Like a warm pulse

[Steve] Does it energize you at all Deerheart? I can feel it secondhand from TLOT, but I'm sure it's not the same.

[Deer] - Maybe?  It's actually very small compared to everything else that's happening on the seed right now...

[TLOT] I guess we seek out what's most familiar then. - happy sigh-

[Deer] - Doc certainly is sleeping late...

[TLOT] Closes his eyes, after a moment he barks out a little laugh. - But it's for a cute reason. You should call for Yaunfen...

[Deer] - Alright...  Yaunfen?

[Yaunfen] Comes toddling in after a moment

[Doc] Follows them downstairs, Xe's yawning and hir coat is slung over hir shoulder with hir gloves sticking out of one pocket. Hir tank is tight as usual but the chest beneath the yellow fabric is flat-

[Deer] Her eyes instinctually flash towards the crotch of her mate-

[Doc] Did I miss anything?

[Deer] - Actually yes, and TLOT?  You should hear this too...

[Deer] Explains everything that just happened and what she had been told-

[Doc] Well.... I guess when I get to meet them, I'll see what I can do. I never though people being able to yell from outside would cause a prooblem.

[Deer] - I don't know how to change that either...

[TLOT] I don't like the idea of people outside influencing the Testificates. They're like stubborn kids when they get a stupid idea in their heads.

[Deer] - I'm planning on talking to Flux and seeing if she has any ideas

[TLOT] Just let me know if anyone needs their asses kicked. I'm sure I could put a bug in Mb's ear and he'd do it for fun.

[Deer] - I will

[Lie] - TLOT, I think we're ready...

[TLOT] Okay Steve, I don't think you want to be part of this.

[Steve] Kisses him before getting off his lap, it's passionate and gentle- Be careful...

[TLOT] I will.

[Doc] What are we doing now?

[Smile] Happily comes over- Now?

[TLOT] I believe so.

[Smile] Wags tail-

[Deer] - Apparently sleep isn't coming easy for CP and Lie so he's going to see if he can help

[Doc] Good plan. - Heads for the kitchen proper

This message has been removed.

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[Steve] Even if it safe for you to sleep without me, I still wish you wouldn't...

[TLOT] It might be dangerous....

[Steve] Quickly pulls out his armor and hops around putting it and his shoes on. - Ready!

[TLOT] Smile.... can you keep Steve close by you? Just in case?

[Smile] Barks and jumps around happily- Yeah!  Yeah!  Is he coming too?

[TLOT] Yes.

[Steve] Is holding his Enderpearl sword-

[TLOT] It's a dream, just focus on having it in your hand.

[Steve] Oh, right...

[liu] I think I will continue to stay on the floor have fun smile

[TLOT] Crawls up on the errant bed that's still next to the dining room table. He pats the sheets and Steve curls up next to him.

[TLOT- Very quietly- One... two... three... four...

[Steve] Eyes slide closed and TLOT follows him near instantly-

[Doc] Liu, why are you on the floor anyway?

[Mix] Me

[liu] I fell over when mix threw a fork at steve and now I don't feel like getting up

[Doc] Why did you throw cutlery at Steve?

[Smile] Sits next to them and exerts his power, slipping into their shared dream-

[Mix] Nk told him something he shouldn't have, I kind of panicked. Fork was in my hand at the time.

[TLOT] Looks around at the stone room. It's not really furnished, but it's familiar and sufficed with a dim red glow from the stone torches. - Maybe we should get around to cracking this egg open, since there's nothing out there to threaten us anymore.

[Steve] What do you think is up there? It's been so long since either of us looked.

[TLOT] I don't know... perhaps we'll go exploring when this is done.

[Smile] Is digging down from the top-

[Steve] Where's Smile?

[TLOT] Digging I think...

[Steve] You might want to punch out a bit of the bedrock for him....

[TLOT] Wanders around a bit to get a bead on the noise and makes a hole in the bedrock that's encasing the small room.

[Smile] Still digging-

[Smile] Yelps as he falls into the opening-

[TLOT] There you are. Are you okay?

[Steve] Smile forgot rule one!

[TLOT] That's not nice

[Smile] - Good!  Ready to go?

[TLOT] Yes. - He takes Steve's hand-

[Smile] Takes TLOT's hand in his mouth and pulls them through into Lie and CP's dream plane-

-This time the forest is calm, but the volcano is bubbling and spurting lava-

[Steve] Wooooow this place is neat!

[TLOT] It's pretty and deadly. A perfect representation.

[Lie] Steps out of the jungle- There you are, and hello Steve, I wasn't expecting you

[Steve] Even though it's safe for us to sleep seperately, I kinda don't want too.

[TLOT] He wanted to lend his blade to the effort. I'm sure Cp will cuss him out for his troubles, but it isn't to be helped.

[Steve] Your foliage is lovely Lie.

[Lie] - CP's near the volcano, I found out where he was before you got here, and thank you Steve

[TLOT] Looks at the bubbling- Near the volcano? Or IN it?

[Lie] - Edge of the rim

[TLOT] A good place for a brine. Lead on please.

[Lie] Leads them through the jungle, the plants moving aside for her.  The dark rock of the volcano a sharp contrast to the soft soil of the jungle.  As they ascend the rocks start to get sharper-

[Steve] Picks his way carefully along.

[TLOT] Turns up his own heat so the stone goes soft under his boots as he walks.

[CP] Is near the top, it a fitful sleep-

[Lie] - I haven't seen him like this since before he started sleeping with me

[TLOT] Sits on the ground and opens his arms -

[Steve] Sits in the circle of his body-

[TLOT] We're ready-

[Smile] Once again exerts his power and pulls all of them into CP's dream.  Immediately they are overwhelmed by the aura which is surrounding CP's consciousness.  Smile immediately whines in fear at the feeling-

[Steve] Pulls his sword out and trembles beside his husband. The blade has a faint greenish glow from the chunks of enderpearls that make up the blade-

[TLOT] Holy... I... - His face is white and fearful and he draws his own scythe -

[Lie] Freezes in fear- CP...  What did you run into?

[Smile] Bolts in fear, leaving the dream-

[TLOT] Cp? Where are you? Follow my voice!

[CP] Curses and approaches, he appears slowly as the darkness around them is a thick black fog- What the fuck is Steve doing here?

[Steve] Teeth chattering - I-wa-wanted-to-help-

[CP] - Only reason you could have gotten in here was with Smile, but where did Smile go?- He pulls Lie closer to himself, giving her comfort

[TLOT] Shit! Where did he go?! I- I'm gonna try and make some light-

[TLOT] Slides his chest piece off out of habit and swells into his larger shape, growling at the darkness with his mouthful of needle teeth. The white flames on his shoulders make a small pool of light around them-

[Lie] - CP...  I can feel your heart pounding...

[Steve] Is just brandishing his sword and looking in all directions nervously-

[TLOT] I've never felt anything so.. alien...

[CP] - I'll be fine, as far as I can tell there's nothing out there other than the sensation that...  Thing felt like

[TLOT] Hesistates - Cp... what did you see...? Really... What was it?

[CP] - I'm not sure...

[Lie] - You had said something about wolves as well?

[CP] - Yeah, they showed up before that thing

[TLOT] Puts a huge hot hand on Cp's head, it's nearly covering it, with his long fingers brushing Cp's shoulders-

[CP] Jumps a little- FUCKER!  Don't touch me!

[TLOT] He tries to reach the memory directly and jerks away in horror fighting the urge to wretch, he chokes on the vision and swears in binary-

-The feeling around them swells-

[Lie] Whimpers and buries herself into CP's chest-

[TLOT] Clutches his skull in pain- GET OUT OF MY HEAD!

-The air thickens as if they were being dragged underwater, there's a smell of rot and stagnation and the fog solidifies in every direction into an oily blackness. There's a preganant pause and then... it opens. The darkness is full of eyes and toothsome mouths in every direction all conected to an oily black surface that's undulating in a sickening motion-

[Steve] Screams in terror and swings his sword wildly at the tableau-

[CP] Holds Lie close and protectively-

-There's a swelling of another aura which manages to push the other aside.  This other aura is familiar to CP as tall dark and dead looking tree's circle them and Smile runs back up-

[Slender] - Honestly CP, do you even know what you got into this time?

[CP] - Slender...

[Smile] - I got help!

[TLOT] Moves his hands away from his head as the pain receeds-

[Steve] Stops swinging and then screams at the sight of Slender-

[Slender] - That's enough, I assume you are another brine and a... Steve?  I believe?

[TLOT] Turns his toothsome visage toward the Slenderbeing and swallows- Oh dear...

[Steve] Nods mutely-

[TLOT] Takes a long breath and shrinks back to his normal shape- Yes. Herobrine, The Lord of Tears. This is my husband, Steve-

[Slender] The area his eyes should be narrows some- I see...  Now then CP, what do you plan to do about this situation you are in?

[TLOT] I was going to help but, 01001000 01101111 01101100 01111001 00100000 01100011 01110010 01100001 01110000 00100000 01101111 01101110 00100000 01100001 00100000 01100011 01110010 01100001 01100011 01101011 01100101 01110010  that thing was way beyond anything I've ever encountered!

[Slender] - That thing is one of the few things older than my kind

[TLOT] What does it want? And is there a way to get it to leave?

[Slender] - It usually show's itself when it's searching for something, it hasn't done so, at least to my knowledge, for many many years

[Lie] - CP...  Didn't you say you smelled something right before things started happening?

[Steve] Is just staring up at Slender-

[CP] - Well yeah, and then I was busy fighting those weird upright wolves

[Slender] - I see, so that's what it's using...

[TLOT] Maybe you weren't their intended target Cp?

[Steve] Are you just having nightmares because you saw something scary? Or is it actually probing your dream like our NOTCH was?

[Slender] - I highly doubt CP was it's target, that scent probably did have something to do with this

[CP] - It was more unnerving than scary asshole!

[Steve] Quietly- Unnerving nothing, I nearly peed my pants...

[TLOT] Seconded, that was the most horrible thing I've ever come in contact with. Worse then Cp's temper.

[Slender] - I may have some more information on it in my personal library if my brothers haven't trifled with it too much...

[TLOT] Any help would be appreciated. But what do we do about the nightmares in the meantime? Cp needs to sleep. He's meaner then Pinwheel without an occasional respite.

[Steve] Wanders over to one of the trees and breaks off a small branch with a few sparse leaves, the wood is gnarled and a bit gray.

[Slender] - For now this circle I've created should suffice, the tree's are embedded with my aura, they are the same as those in my forest.  I would suggest possibly visiting the witch acquaintance of yours for a longer term solution until an actual solution can be found

[TLOT] Ah, Dawn. Good idea. She kinda owes us after we removed that massive sea monster from her island's coast.

[CP] Groans- I'd rather not go to her...

[Lie] - CP you will go see her if it continues to affect our sleep!  I don't want the memories of that thing anywhere near our dreams

[Slender] - Ah, so that's what happened to Basil, Levi was wondering where it had gone

[TLOT] It's name is BASIL?

[Steve] Twiddling the branch. He's a bit more relaxed now.

[Slender] - After so many years it's difficult to come up with new names, we slender beings have run into similar problems in the past

[TLOT] Shakes his head- Soo... how's the family?

[Slender] - Angry as usual, I have two proxies out due to injuries caused by the botching of a job, and the Rake has decided it wants to scratch up every wall in the manor

[TLOT] Nods- Little Herobrine pulls that stuff. But you know how cats are. Doc's pokemon grew too and they keep getting stuck in doorways. Animals always wreck your house.

[Slender] - Yes well this is a humanoid with long arms and very long claws on each finger

[TLOT] Yikes... time to buy a jumbo scratching post.

[Slender] - He'll stop soon enough when he goes back out into the woods

[Steve] Puts the branch away and swats at the ground, suprisingly, a single cube of dirt pops up and floats innocently-

[TLOT] Why can't he go out? Is he grounded?

[Slender] - Injured, as usual

[TLOT] Did you use the pods Doc gave you? I know they're for spot injuries, but it would still probably help.

[Slender] - They simply do not grow quickly enough

[TLOT] Well Doc made it... I bet this will help- He fusses around and gets into the creative menu. He takes out a stack of bone meal and holds it up- Try sprinkling this on it, just one at a time, it makes stuff grow like crazy.

[Slender] - I shall pass it along to my proxies

[Steve] Whispers mentally to TLOT- These woods are dark and scary... I don't feel safe at all...

[TLOT] Well, I'm here. You're pretty safe. But if it makes you feel better my lamb, just do what you always do when you get scared to calm down.

[Steve] Shakes his head- You're right. - He slides quietly away from the group and takes out a few more blocks of dirt from the edge of the circle of trees, and uses them to make a quick nerd pole and remove some wood from the upper tree branches to avoid damaging the bases of the trees.

[Steve] He works his way back down, already feeling calmer, and pulls out a pickaxe before burrowing under the turf. Moments later he re-emerges with cobbles in hand and lays a small foundation. Working faster out of habit, he fashions a modest stone house with a sunken dirt floor, a spare bed from his inventory, and a roof and door made from the weird gray wood.

[TLOT] Glances over and stifles a laugh because the others haven't noticed what he's doing yet.

[Steve] He fills the window frames with fence posts and lights it up with several plain torches. - mentally to TLOT with just a hint of pride- Now they have someplace safe to sleep in their dream place too.-

[TLOT] You're so thoughtful.

[Steve] Huge grin-

[TLOT] Do you have any..?

[Steve] OH! Yes, you're right... maybe.... - He pats his pockets -And comes up with a single red poppy flower - With a flourish he plants it by the front door. The speck of firey red and lush green is glaring against the dull grey dirt and black shadows of the woods.

[TLOT] Perfect.

[CP] Finally notices- Oh you fuckers!

[Slender] - Yes I suppose the barrenness of my woods can be unsettling at first...

[TLOT] Ah, lighten up Cp, he's just helping out. -at Slender- unlike Cp, I never tried to rule the mobs on our world, Steve knows being without shelter or torches in the woods at night is an invitation to a messy death.

[Slender] - I see, I assure you, the only thing to fear in my woods is myself or my brothers

[Steve] small voice- Can I go on record as saying I would probably be afraid of your brothers?

[TLOT] Except Splender.

[Steve] Same, Splender is awesome.

[Slender] - Oh, even Splender will bare his fangs occasionally, as a slender being he must occasionally consume human flesh like the rest of us

[Steve] Whhhaa... why? - Starts to cry a little bit.

[TLOT] Takes Steve and holds him close- I know Splender is formidable. He was appaerently a a great help in killing the NOTCH that was torturing us. Our Testificates have decided to make him a diety in their pantheon because of the part he played.

[Slender] - Yes he wouldn't shut up about that for a while. And I know my younger brother dislikes having to eat human flesh, but it must occasionally happen or or kind does become feral, and it's very hard to bring us back from that

[TLOT] I wonder what the long term effects of being partially digital will be? It's an interesting mix for someone with a natural EMP field. Plus he should have some common powers with me as well. You know... I hate to volunteer something for them when they're not here, but I'm sure Doc would happily copy organs for Splender so he doesn't have to kill. I'm betting that makes him sad anyway.

[Slender] - Usually an arm, head, or leg will suffice

[Steve] Shivers in fear-

[TLOT] Comforts him- I know, it's hard being human sometimes.

[Slender] - I wouldn't worry about him going after anyone you know, help usually retreat off somewhere secluded to find a human to eat, although you may want to remind him it's almost time again

[TLOT] I'll let him know in the gentlest way possible. And it doesn't matter if it's no one we know. My lamb is sensitive. - Kisses the bit of bangs poking out from under his mate's bone helm - He can't help it.   He's actually turned our enemies into friends on more then one occasion.

[Slender] - I don't think being gentle will help anyways, he's already fairly emotional with his proxy being so close to death

[TLOT] I take it there's a reason he hasn't asked for us to just take them in like we did with Markus? Better digital then dead. I mean, in my opinion at least.

[Slender] - She's very elderly and it's her time

[TLOT] I see. Well. I'll do my best to console him when it's done.

[Steve] Softly weeping.

[Slender] - Poppy was always one of his less annoying proxies

[CP] - Was that the one who managed to actually grow a flower garden at the manor?

[Slender] - I'm surprised you know about that, it was long before your arrival, but yes, she was the one who did that

[TLOT] I have a question, if it's not to impertinent... why do you take them in Slenderman? Is it because... you can't have children?

[Slender] - You mean the other pasta's?  No, it's because there are fates far worse then what I offer them.  There are others who see them as trophies to collect and to strip of all their humanity.  They attempt to raise armies to completely destroy humanity.  I take in every one I find so that they can keep what little humanity they have and merely thin the herd of humans rather than eradicate them completely.  I refer to them all as children simply because they are so much younger than me and usually act as such.

[TLOT] Things like... what we saw.

[Slender] - Yes, although few survive under it's control

[CP] - So where does Zalgo fit into this?

[Slender] Turns towards his fellow pasta- He is an ally, he collects the more demon like of the pasta's

[TLOT] Is he something that can be reasoned with?

[Slender] - Yes, of all of us stronger beings, he is the only one capable of completely controlling Insanity

[TLOT] Good to know. Um... -he shoots a wary gance at Cp- What do you know about... withdrawl from an Insanity posession?

[Slender] - Not much I'm afraid, CP and the others are truly the first cases that I've ever heard of for such a thing

[TLOT] Ah, well, Doc loves breaking new ground. And it might be useful knowledge if it happens to any of the others. Though they seem perfectly content to play the occasional prank and tend quietly to their own affairs. BEN and LJ seem particularly happy.

[Slender] - And BEN's child? Are there any new developments?

[TLOT] Oh Hyrule? He's busy being adorable. He's learned a few small words. Dada which makes BEN melt with happiness and wa-er and baff; which have the opposite effect.

[Slender] Gives a rare staticky chuckle- I can see why, but overall the child is healthy?  There are no side effects or anything of concern?

[TLOT] He has the red on black eyes of both his parents, but other then that he seems to be a perfectly healthly little boy. Lots of energy and a cry you can hear from two chunks away. I suspect he'll be wanting swimming lessons about the same time he learns to walk. He's going make them both gray from worrying I'm sure.

[Slender] - I see, I'm wanting to make sure he's alright because there are two others who have been wanting a child, but I don't want to raise their hopes if something goes wrong

[TLOT] Shall I let Doc know we may have more company?

[Slender] - Perhaps, I'd like to wait a bit longer just to be certain

[TLOT] Understood. It's a big commitment on several levels. Take your time.

[CP] - Will you fuckers get out of my head now?

[TLOT] Is there anything you want me to pass along to the others?

[Slender] - Not at the moment, so long as they continue to check in every once in awhile I am satisfied

[Slender] - Turns towards Smile- Make sure they get back correctly Smile- He then turns and walks away, fading from sight, his tree's however remain

[Smile] Barks and lifts a bit of his power so they end up back in CP and Lie's dream plane, the volcano is now quiet-

[TLOT] That looks better. Much more inviting. Actually... Lie? Could we, borrow you?

[Lie] - Borrow me?

[TLOT] Come back though I and Steve's shared dream, we were going to do a bit of exploring and I think your assistance would be quite helpful.

[Steve] Gives him a questioning look-

[Lie] - Oh, um, alright...  CP?  Will you be alright by yourself?

[CP] - I should be

[TLOT] Gives Lie a mental nudge to kiss Cp.

[Lie] Steps closer and gently kisses him- I'll see you in a while

{CP] - It will give me time to think about how to reprimand you for the wine...

[TLOT] Kinky...

[Lie] Returns to the other two with Smile on her heels-

[Smile] - We go back?

[TLOT] Back to the room you fell into, if you please.

[Steve] Grabs a block of dark soil from the foot of the volcano and puts it away.

[Smile] Takes a bit longer to get back to TLOT and Steve;s dream realm-

[Lie] Glances back and see's her shared dream realm turn into CP's Nether before she's completely in the other dream-

[TLOT] Looks around the small bedrock room and the muted light filtering down the long hole. - Steve? I think you're the expert here.

[Steve] Oh! Right! - He pulls out a pickaxe and begins chopping the hole into rough stairs-

[Lie] - Wow...  This is small

[TLOT] sighs- It kept us safe. I don't even know what's up there anymore. It shows how good Smile is at digging considering he got down to us so quickly.

[Lie] Gently ruffles Smile's fur- Well, he also has some pretty big paws and inhumane strength...  Or would that be indog strength?  I don't know...

[TLOT] Calls up- Tell me when you get near the top!

[Steve] I will!

[Lie] - So, do you want me to add vegetation?

[TLOT] Yes. If there is none I was hoping you'd fill it out a bit. When we were dreaming apart I had a desert, and Steve had a flower forest. Who knows what it looks like now.

[Lie] - Fair point, anything in particular you'd want me to make for you?

[TLOT] Just anything green. My oasis was a bit... sad.

[Lie] - It's probably much better now

[TLOT] I hope so...

[Steve] HOLY CRAP. Guys! Come up here!

[TLOT] I told you to tell me! -Motions for Lie and Smile to follow. The tunnel is only three bolcks high and wide enough to touch both walls from the middle. It's pitch black in places because Steve only had a few torches and a bit claustrophobic.

[Lie] Let's a few of her lantern flowers bloom in the dark spaces as she follows TLOT-

-The smell of rich earth hits them like a wall as they emerge- [TLOT] Is just staring in amazement.

-The air is thick with steam and hot as the height of summer, the ground is a veritible carpet of flowers broken up by bubbling pools of hot mud. Down further a geyzer is shooting superheated water high into the air and the tumbling spray is full of rainbows as the breeze blows it lightly to one side. The hillsides gently roll to the horizon with just a few hardy trees on their summits.

[Steve] Is crying-

[Lie] - Oh TLOT, Steve, it's beautiful...

[Smile] Immediately goes looking for the perfect tree to pee on-

[TLOT] Holds Steve close - All this time, this is what was growing? I never knew it could be so... I was actually afraid it might be barren...

[Lie] - The two of you could never produce anything barren

[Steve] Thank you Lie. You helped too.

[TLOT] We don't have to hide anymore because of you and the others. We owe you all so much.

[Lie] - It's nothing TLOT, we'll always be around to help

[TLOT] Hesistates for a moment but then pounces and adds Lie to their hug.

[Lie] Yelps in surprise-

[TLOT] Lets her go again - I think, before we wake, you should join me for moment more.

[Steve] Steps back with a knowing grin, he got the gist from his lovers mind-

[TLOT] Takes a bow and rolls forward to change into his golden cat form- Would Little Floof like to frolic in the flowers for a bit?

[Steve] I'll let Smile know - goes to find the dog-

[Lie] Laughs- Oh alright- With a brief amount of concentration Lie turns into her small feline form, her clothes crumpled up around her

[Smile] Is peeing on every tree he see's-

[Steve] Hey Smile? Good grief... you're not having bladder issues or something, are you?

[Smile] Gotta mark everything!

[Steve] Shakes his head - Just heads up. Lie and TLOT are frolicking in cat form, don't go chasing them, okay?

[Smile] - Awww...

[TLOT] Romps around a bit and pats playfully at Lie with one big paw-

[Steve] He's almost as big as you like that and Cp would have a fit if you chased Lie. Be good okay?

[Smile] - Okay...

[Lie] Darts between TLOT's legs-

[TLOT] Does a little hop into the air and tries to find her-

[Lie] Pounces TLOT's tail-

[TLOT] Swishes it all around so she can chase it-

[Lie] Chases after it spastically-

[TLOT] Rolls in the flowers and ends up on his back with his paws in the air laughing gleefully-

[Lie] Jumps on his belly and loafs there-

[TLOT] Puts a big paw on her and pats her head- I'm so proud of you.

[Lie] - Over what?

[TLOT] Lots of things, but you're probably the closest I'll ever get to having a daughter. You put me in a rather parental state of mind.

[Lie] Smiles in cat form- Well then, I hope your son in law meets your approval

[TLOT] Grins hugely around his fangs - He's getting better. We'll whip him into shape eventually.

[Lie] - What?  No shot gun threats?

[TLOT] Eyebrow-  I know what a gun is, but not that type... Is it like stuffing someone in a cannon and firing them off?

[Lie] Mentally shows him the classic trope-

[TLOT] Oh boy... I think you're strong enough that that would be redundant. - he pokes her chest lightly with a toe bean- you can wrap him around your dainty little paws, you're just working on the specifics now.

[Lie] Glows brighter in embarrassment-

[TLOT] Leans way over, putting his head almost upside down. He reaches out with a paw and snags a plant on his claws, pulling it down over his face and sniffing deeply- Whoahh... Now I feel a bit dizzy! That's stuff smells amazing!

[Lie] - Er...  TLOT?

[TLOT] Hmm?

[Lie] - That's catnip

[TLOT] Chomps down on the branch so it breaks, scattering bits of it across his chest. - I know. It just smells really good.

[Lie] Purrs a little at the smell-

[Steve] Is trying to play fetch with Smile-

[Smile] Happily chases the stick-

[Lie] Rolls around happily before accidentally sliding off the side of TLOT-

[TLOT] Rolls over as well so she's next to his warm belly. With a grin he gives her face a little lick- It's good to be a kitty sometimes. Cp is just in denial.

[Lie] - Yes, very much so

[CP] Get's tired of waiting and forces his way into TLOT and Steve's dream realm-

[Steve] Throws the stick for the dog and it bounces off Cp's head-

[CP] - YOU FUCKER!

[Smile] Slides to a halt right before ramming into CP-

[Steve] Cp? Sorry! I didn't see you!

[CP] Grumbles, flips Steve off and goes looking for his wife-

[TLOT] Stands up and hops around in the grass, the catnip has him feeling peppy and irresponsible.

[CP] Groans as he see's Lie as a cat-

[TLOT] Sneaks up on Cp in the long grass and flowers-

[CP] Reaches down to pick up his wife-

[TLOT] Darts under Cp's legs and bumps his chin with his fuzzy head as he leans over-

[CP] - Fuck off TLOT!

[TLOT] Scampers a few feet away with a chuckle. - Hey, I have you to thank for this too. -he shouts it loud- Thank you Cp! For helping make this possible!

[CP] - I DON'T FUCKING CARE!

[TLOT] I dooooooo- He modulates his voice and lets the words taper off into a loud caterwaul-

[Lie] Is softly giggling as CP picks her up and cradles her in his arms-

[TLOT] Gathers her clothes and holds them lightly in his teeth for Cp to take-

[CP] Takes them after shifting his small wife into one hand-

[TLOT] Shall we head back then? I mean, unless you want to do some romping with me and Lie.

[CP] Nope- Makes a way back to his and Lie's dream realm

[TLOT] Aww. - Goes off to find Smile and Steve to head back as well-

[Smile] Is panting pretty hard-

[Steve] Are you getting tired Smile?

[Smile] Whines-

[Steve] We should go then, let you get some sleep by youself. You did good today. You're a really good doggie Smile.

[TLOT] saunters up in his normal shape- Time to go?

[Smile] Weakly thumps his tail-

[TLOT] We'll be off then, see you on the other side. - He closes his eyes and reopens them to look into Steve's blue irises as he does the same from mere inches away-

[Smile] Flops as he regains consciousness, panting really hard-

[shenmeizhuang-blog]

legend of the dragon pearl: the indistinguishable road – midway musings

(This is a 90-episode drama, so at this point, I’m really up to Ep 45. Exactly, right smack in the middle of this show.)

Yes, that’s right – in order to retain the greatest accuracy and objectivity, I resisted temptation with three released episodes left unwatched – all for the sake of this post and you, the readers.

JUST KIDDING! It turns out that in the case of Longzhu (the pinyin of this show’s [shortened] native name, as the full title, 龙珠传奇之无间道, is a bit too cumbersome), wherever I stop to provide “commentary” really doesn’t matter. In fact, in trying (admittedly not very hard) to write this post, it became apparent that the best meta viewers can create for this is either live-blogging or the snarkiest recaps ever. Because let’s be real – there’s really nothing to analyze or synthesize at all (yet? Eh, I highly doubt so.)

So, of course, I’m doing neither. Let’s start from the basics. From what I’ve gathered, the “plot” is something like this (maybe?):

SYNOPSIS: Lots of weird mix-ups happen, resulting in a Ming Dynasty princess with a terminal illness (supposedly curable by the emperor’s tears) with no idea of her real identity and betrothed to a fake Crown Prince entering the Forbidden City to help this secret organization overthrow the Qing Dynasty. Naturally, she and the young Emperor Kangxi fall in love, but, 45 episodes into the show, apparently not yet, because everyone is stuck dealing with corrupt officials both in the palace and in the countryside.

Comments and comparisons on the web have revealed this as essentially really this weird mash-up of Princess Huai Yu (identity and love-line with Kangxi), Mischievous Princess (fallen princess + wild personality & young emperor + attempting to overthrow the new dynasty), and The Duke of Mountain Deer or The Deer and the Cauldron (anti-Qing organization, (b)romance with Kangxi, finding some key treasure, helping Kangxi defeat Oboi). But since I’m a relatively newer drama watcher who hasn’t seen these shows at all, I’ll give the scriptwriter the benefit of the doubt and accredit these plot points and bits of humor to the writer herself (spoilers and lots of roasting below the cut):

To be brutally straightforward: Longzhu is really a visceral mess. If I really bothered to pick out all the show’s flaws and plot holes, I would have more than enough material to write my own 90-episode drama. But from basic things from the questionable costuming (see: our protagonist Li Yihuan’s fugly “prostitute” outfit, the concubines’ hairstyles, or really overall a clear low budget) and shaky execution to ridiculous mistakes such as thinking Oboi’s (鳌拜) last name is “鳌” or “O” (lmao…), even when he’s clearly part of a prominent Manchurian clan under the Eight Banners (I’m especially sensitive about historical accuracy when it comes to the Qing Dynasty), or just the very many plot holes riddled everywhere, I must say I’ve dropped better shows.

(There’s also the matter of watching The Firmament of the Pleiades alongside this, which definitely highlights a lot more flaws than usual. For one, both shows deal with a young emperor trying to assume full power, but the way either show deals with such really speaks measures of the genre differences.)

Another thing that’s been nagging me for the longest time is: why go with this plan – training these kids lots of weird stuff like espionage – at all, instead of mobilizing the masses? Why endanger important people like the Crown Prince in this “dangerpous plan”? If Zhu Cixuan is so smart, why would he so easily display his amazing medicinal abilities, rather than display himself as “good enough to become an imperial doctor, but not the best” to avoid suspicion? Why hasn’t there been suspicion?

So what’s the saving grace? Throughout the sometimes decently interesting “missions” our leads, or the recruits of the secret anti-Qing organization 明珠谷, accept, there are indeed moments of hilarity.

There’s no denying it; it’s a nice show to get a good laugh out of, be it from sheer stupidity or mostly Yihuan’s quirky and adorable persona.

The plot goes by both quickly and frankly nowhere, making each episode easy to breeze past without much thought; given the amount that I fast-forward through, I tend to watch it 5 or 6 episodes at a time. Frankly, the show should be grateful that my Chinese is decent enough/the language is simple enough that I can watch this at 1.5x and 2x speed, because otherwise I’d definitely be dropping this. I think. I guess the producers and promoters really didn’t have high expectations for this, either – they’re actually dropping 12 episodes at once for Premium Youku and Tencent Video users every Sunday, which I find a strange format.

Even so, I’m still not quite sure how this is supposed to be 90 episodes. Although, since Princess Huai Yu was apparently 105 episodes long, maybe, just maybe, it’ll all work out.

Yet already Longzhu is showing signs of some dragginess – I guess out of ideas after the whole initial set-up and Oboi arc, the writer decided to pull a In The Name of the People and have our characters leave the palace in disguise and deal with corrupt officials in the countryside … for the freaking past 20 episodes, and judging from the YouTube thumbnails, it’s not going for a while. (I know the show is trying to depict Kangxi as this super awesome emperor who really cares for the well-being of the common people, and does crazy things like copy Buddhist scriptures with his own blood to end a drought, and honestly this was never going to be a good palace drama, so it’s not too bad, I guess.)

Of course, throughout all this, we have this complex love heptagon thing with multiple “enemies-to-lovers” relationships, as typical when dealing with people from two different dynasties. There’s been lots of tension and character interactions presented throughout the stupid plot, but weirdly it feels that everyone is pretty much still at square one, with honestly little meaningful development. (When was this show ever about meaningful development?)

(Oh wait, I think I was supposed to talk about this show’s strengths and ended up roasting it again.)

Easily the best thing about Longzhu is the cast’s solid acting and wonderful chemistry – given the mostly flatly written characters, actors for the corrupt officials such as Oboi, Liu Dezhao, and Qiu Gui have managed to give memorable, even adorable, performances. Even very minor roles, such as the suffering peasants, are portrayed with admirable nuance, despite some of their really stupidly made-up names.

Of course, I am largely fond of the leads. From real-life couple Yang Zi (portraying protagonist Li Yihuan) and Qin Jun Jie (Emperor Kangxi)’s sizzling chemistry, as well as Qin Jun Jie’s hilarious and intense expressions, to **Mao Zi Jun **(fake Crown Prince Zhu Cixuan)’s charisma (is that him looking ridiculously hot in the Qing hairstyle? I think I under-appreciated his beautiful face in The Glory of Tang Dynasty, but here I’m half-drooling) and Shu Chang’s phenomenal acting in differentiating (probably long-lost twins) Shu Wanxin and Xue Qincheng, this drama easily fits into the “great cast and acting but trash plot” category. (Also kudos to He Zhonghua for masterfully portraying long-lost twins Li Dingguo and Li De Fu (Eunuch Li), characters who frankly couldn’t be more different.)

(And, yeah, Allen Ren cameos in this…for like ten minutes…)

Combined with my fondness for the actors, the characterization is overall likable (Kangxi might be a bit too pushy and clearly doesn’t really get boundaries – typical of royalty – but I like how he’s motivated, though at times (like most characters in this show) prone to bouts of stupidity), with characters from both the Qing and anti-Qing largely rootable. I also adore certain side characters such as 索额图 and his nephew, so I actually haven’t resorted to looking for an OTP cut.

However, as likable as Yihuan is – I like the whole “jack of all trades, master of none” idea – I can’t help but complain about how Yang Zi seems to almost always be typecast into these sort of roles. Lu Xueqi in Noble Aspirations (Chusen) the notable exception, it seems that most of her roles – even Xiang Xiang from the critically acclaimed Battle of Changsha – are largely “quirky, immature, and adorable foodie with exaggerated expressions”. No one is involved in this production is particularly concerned by this, either – the official promotions actually call Yihuan the “ancient version of Qiu Yingying” (Yang Zi’s character in Ode To Joy).

Another problem is: given that the main appeal is Qin Jun Jie and Yang Zi’s relationship and strong chemistry, the show should know to service us with OTP moments, but apparently they’d rather show the characters dealing with corruption and a revenge plot-line that, frankly speaking, no cares about.

Then when I consider dropping this, they serve up fanservice of all kinds on a platter. The experience is something like:

Me: cringes at the off-putting execution

Longzhu: Look! An Allen Ren***** cameo!

Me: Yeah, I’m not relating with this who anti-Qing revenge plan. Maybe it would be better if I skipped these parts

Longzhu: But look at how likable these leads are!

Me: Okay, this is getting draggy

Longzhu: Hey, it’s a flashback featuring 李嗣兴 (re: RJL cameo)!

Me: They’ve been at this stupid corruption arc for so long; maybe I should drop this

Longzhu: K even though the OTP won’t be mutually admitting of their feelings for a while, it’s fine because we’ll drug them with an aphrodisiac! Then they can have an intense make-out scene!

(& etc.)

Despite being a very flawed show, I think I might actually watch all 90 episodes, and not just for the cast – it’s stupid and cliche (remember: based on the premise that the emperor’s tears can cure our heroine’s terminal illness), but somehow inherently likable and decently addictive. I guess…I’m looking forward to the angst and falling-out?

*****Allen Ren is this bundle of talent, cuteness, and extra-ness with super nice micro-expressions who also is probably the closest person to my bias.

[hunnybadgerv]

OC Face Claims

I was tagged by @sephiratales​ for the OC’s faceclaims. This is going to be interesting. Not all of them have face claims. So I’ll try.

Thank you for tagging me. This was a fun distraction.

And before I get into this really long post, I’d love to tag @ofmanynames, @thetwobosses, and @ladyamesindy (though I know LadyA might not see this).

Furia: I created Furia first then moved backwards to find a face claim for her. I’m not sure who this is but this one really captures Furia’s style and so much more in one image.

Though the face that I do know that also reminds me of Furia is Natali Danish. There’s a sweet playfulness as well as a very sultry nature to Natali that matches Furia to a tee. She’s got great expressive eyes, and a smile that makes you wonder what she’s thinking. And in some cases her style even aligns with the boss.

Nyx Shepard: I tend to make my characters first, then sometimes happen upon a faceclaim. After a bit of a search the closest I feel I can find (and I’m not 100% married to it) is Cadice Swanepoel. Nyx is “too pretty to be a soldier,” or so she’s been told. It never phased her or kept her working her butt off for what she wanted. She’s used to not being taken seriously.

Cyna Mahariel: During this exercise I managed to find someone I think captures Cyna Mahariel to a tee--Roselyn Sánchez. A great combination of beauty and ferociousness. Though clearly, she lacks Cyna’s scars. But she’s got that same air of mysteriousness as well, and this shot just screamed Cyna to me when I saw it.

Min: My Drgaonborn rogue, Brynjolf’s old flame, and enchantress born of an elven woman and a warrior father came to be after some struggles to determine her look. She was born with silver hair, shocking her parents and the locals. I developed her after seeing this image, and sadly, even after searching multiple times I still don’t know who she is (though it is attributed to @starrynight-sky26, but the link to the specific post is “no longer found”).

Remy McGinnis: Similarly Remy came first, then her FC. Even so, she’s tough to classify for me, but awhile back I settled on Scarlett Johannson. I know there are a few bosses that also use that claim, so I tend just to keep to Remy’s screen caps -- usually. Remy’s got a sweet face, that counters her build.

Feign Shepard: Falling into sync with the others ... Feign is Feign, but I think if I were to pick someone for a face claim for her it would be Deepika Paukone. They both have great mouths and eyes, though Deepika’s are darker than Feign’s. Their bone structure is quite similar.

Rhys Trevelyan: The idea for Rhys was actually based on a piece of concept art by Stephan Alekseev. It’s really a great piece.

And I really think Nick Bateman captures the essence of him--that mix of serious and playful that makes Rhys even more irresistible than he thinks he is. Rhys was always a looker, at least until an incident left him with a horrendous scar and only one good eye. It doesn’t preclude him from the use of his bow, though it forced him to become at least as adept with blades. He covers the scar typically, at least as much of it as he can, for the comfort of others. 

Tala Darzi: This is one character whose faceclaim, or more accurately hair style claim I had before I rolled her. I happened to get luck that Cher Lloyd also happened to have a similar look as I imagined Tala to have. 

Boss Cinq: This is where I break type. I based Cinq off of Shemar Moore from the start. Cinq is beautiful and knows it. He puts a lot of work into maintaining his physique and is comfortable sharing it with anyone who wants to see it. 

Devine: My cathar smuggler doesn’t really have a face claim beyond herself as created in the CC of SWTOR. So here she is in all her loveliness. She’s a consummate flirt, though her heart is loyal.

Boss Ravi: Falls back into my normal type ... I’ve had her in my head, but managed to find a spot on face claim for her in Priyanka Chopra. They even have a similar build. Ravi’s a stunner, with the looks of her mother. She’s got a smile and an air about her that could stop a rhino (namely Johnny) in his tracked.

Marcelaine: She’s a character for 7th Sea, and I imagined her as this sweet faced, dedicated warrior. She’s a powerful and gifted fighter--trained her whole life to be a knight. And managed to avoid most temptations, though she still rather lost her heart to the knight of her order that mentored her. Despite this, as any good knight would she’s never acted on her. Emma Watson, I think captures her best, especially in this shot.

Laerke: One of the Dragonborns that I write (though I haven’t posted any of Laerke’s fic yet). Mainly because I’m still squaring away her backstory. The moment I saw Katheryn Winnick as Lagertha in Vikings I knew I’d found Laerke. There’s a softness and a fire to Winnick, especially in this role that really reminds of Laerke, who is a young woman trying to carve out her own niche in life when she gets this otherworldly call toward a destiny she is not certain is her own.

Boss Wei Sheng Liu: Maybe it’s a male boss thing. I chose Nicholas Tse as Wei Sheng’s face claim after an exhaustive search, and long before I ever rolled him. Of course, I also wrote Liu before I played him. I chose Tse because I wanted someone with a young face, but eyes that could hold a harshness to them, and he’s got a very serious look.

Aderyn Hawke: This lovely mage has also proven a hard one to peg. The lone red head in the group. I didn’t realize she was the only one. I used to write a lot of redheads, and only just realized that she’s the only one that stuck. Though again I find myself with an attribution issue. I have no idea who her faceclaim is. She just struck me--there’s a softness to her, but also a strength that seemed to capture Aderyn’s spirit.

Evia Dolciati: Yet another hinted at, but fiction never seen character. Evia is an assassin I wrote when I was completely and irrevocably obsessed with Assassin’s Creed, which could happen again at any moment given the correct impetus. She’s a trained courtesan in Venice who I’ve been writing for ... years and years. But a few years ago I happened across the film Dangerous Beauty and there were quite a few similarities between Veronica and Evia, namely their sharp tongue and clever wit. So it should be no surprise that I would chose Catherine McCormack in the role of Veronica Franco as Evia’s face claim.