#and as if we the players ourselves summoned her

[artctrlcee]

/SHOUT: "Get behind the ice, get behind the ice!!"

[littlebitofrue]

Just made a post on Twitter about this but I'll say it again on here. Spoilers for Mouthwashing incoming...

So I have a theory as to why Mega Rayquaza was chosen to be Jimmy's favorite. We all know Jimmy is a huge douchebag asshole piece of garbage (of course not to say everyone who has an OP pokemon as their favorite is as such. It's just given the context of the game that is one of the reasons.)

But how about diving into Rayquaza itself? Rayquaza was first introduced in the third generation of Pokémon in the games Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald. Now, in Ruby and Sapphire, Rayquaza didn't do much they were just vibing. But in Emerald, they were given a bigger role.

We all know that Ray was the only one who could stop Groudon and Kyogre because of its Air Locke ability, which neutralizes the effects of weather, rendering Kyogre and Groudon powerless so they retreated back into hiding.

But for some reason, despite the whole of the Hoenn region experiencing the biggest 180 in climate change and impending disaster, Ray still had yet to arise from its slumber. Why?

It was never made clear in Emerald as to why we had to go to Sky Pillar ourselves. We were just told by the champion of the region to go there. No fanfare. But I think it's because of how we have proven ourselves worthy after beating both teams time and time again. Rayquaza could sense our drive to save the world. Pure and unadulterated feeling of justice and hardship radiating within us that awoken the green dragon. Moved by our passion and love for Pokémon and our home, it, too, was driven to stop the weather beasts once again.

Now onto our second story where Rayquaza plays a huge role: PMD Red and Blue Rescue team (DX too).

When the 1st part of the main story is beginning its climax, Xatu warns the Pokémon of Pokémon Square that a falling star, the true cause of their world's climate change, is heading towards them. This star could only be stopped by Rayquaza, who is name dropped for the first time in this game. Hyping them up to be a super secret and all powerful being that can only be confronted by a select few.

This one sentence alone shows how rare of an encounter this is. Rayquaza, protector of the skies, immediately attacks any and all who interact with them should they be deemed unnatural to their domain.

However, this was a special occasion. And certain Pokémon were deemed worthy by their peers to be the ones to be sent up to the skies. They have proven themselves time and time again that they're capable.

Only they could fix it.

Of course, those Pokémon were us, the player and our partner.

[Screenshots taken from Chuggaaconroy's playthrough of Rescue Team DX]

The player is made aware at the start that this is a suicide mission. But they made a vow to see it to the end, even at the cost of their life. Even though they were destined to leave the Pokémon world behind from the start. They still persisted.

And they did it. They defeated Rayquaza after proving they were worthy of its presence. Worthy of their help. Worthy.

Of course this brings me to the Delta episode in ORAS.

I have unfortunately used my limit of media to provide for this post so I will condense this part.

From the beginning of the game we are followed by a character named Zinnia who is the remaining descendant of her draconian family. They for centuries relied on Rayquaza for help and even have been able to harness its power. Zinnia however could not.

After a certain point we're at Sky Pillar together. She summons Rayquaza but could not awaken its full power. It isn't until it consumes the meteorite in our possession and decides to join our team that it awakened its full potential.

After being proven worthy we head to space to destroy the meteor.

"Okay, Rue. But what the hell does this have to do with Jimmy having Mega Rayquaza as his favorite?"

Simple.

Jimmy is someone who we can assume has NPD. He also has a huge ego.

Throughout the game Jimmy constantly remarks on how because he's in charge he's the one who needs to fix things. He's always trying to portray himself as a selfless hero to his coworkers when in reality, he's trying to cover up the fact that he tried to kill them all in a murder-suicide plot due to how he SA'd Anya. Who, by the way, is expecting his child who was to be due by the end of the voyage. He did not want to face the consequences. It didn't help having due to be fired after the voyage that resentment grew within him towards Curly.

So, behind Curly's back, he crashes the ship into an asteroid in hopes of killing everyone including himself on board.

It fails.

So he puts the blame on Curly, who couldn't even defend himself. Makes himself the Captain and tries to paint himself as the good guy with lies and manipulation. Making false promises to take responsibility and fix things.

Try to be the hero.

Perhaps Jimmy resonates with Rayquaza in a sense that he wants to be it? Like how he "became" Curly, in a sense. He took charge. Even faced a meteor.

Or he simply wanted to feel like he was worthy of it given his bloated ego? He felt like he could make it mega evolve as in pokemon lore, a pokemon can't mega evolve unless its trainer possessed the power to do so. Jimmy felt like he was powerful in his delusional high. He truly thought he could harness the power of a god. But in reality, he could never hope to even get a glimpse of the mythical creature. All he can do is dream.

Anyway that's my theory brought to you by my overthinking ass.

Do you guys think there's something with Anya having an ice type as her favorite? Not thinking about Glaceon just in general? Y'know...being that ice is quad effective against a dragon and flying type like Rayquaza?

But like I said I overthink. Don't take me seriously. (Seriously please I'm fragile)

[nerdraging4point0]

Power Play // Chapter 1 // Hockeyplayer!Noah AU

Header by @ladyveronikawrites

Tropes and tags: RPF:AU hockey player romance, angsty romance, hidden relationship, forbidden relationship, smutty, MF, multiple POV. 

Content Warning: angsty romance, hockey player shenanigans, locker room talk, smutty, aggressive hockey players, PinV, MF relationship, possessive male, protective male.

This work below is fictionalized ideas and stories involving real people but does not directly reflect their thoughts, feelings, or behaviors. Please keep in mind that this is a work of fiction.

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I sank into the faded beige couch in our cozy two-bedroom apartment, soaking in the last moments before everything would change. Through the open window, the sweet scent of yesterday’s rain drifted in on a gentle breeze, reminding me of all the lazy spring days spent here with friends. Marissa plopped down beside me, and I felt a pang in my heart realizing how much I would miss this—being with her, my best friend and rock through the chaos of senior year. Now, a few months out after graduation, a bittersweet nostalgia washed over me. I etched each detail into my memory: the worn fabric beneath my fingertips, the birdsongs outside, Marissa's quiet presence. Soon we'd close this chapter, but the memories we made within these walls would blossom in our hearts for years to come.

The last four years of nursing school had flown by in a blur of late nights studying and early mornings in clinicals. Now with our bachelor's degrees finally in hand, my best friend and I found ourselves at a crossroads. Where did we go from here? I was tempted to jump right into a job at the hospital we'd done rotations at, but ultimately decided a few months off would do me good. Time to decompress after the whirlwind of college, and spend some much-needed quality time with my dad before launching into my nursing career. Though the future felt wide open and uncertain, I knew this break would help me recharge and figure out my next steps. 

I gaze at my suitcases lined up by the door, like soldiers ready for battle. The rest of my belongings sit sealed away in cardboard coffins, soon to be shipped off to my father's house. In a few short hours, I'll board the plane home, leaving this chapter of my life behind.

I glance anxiously at my phone. The Uber is ten minutes away, coming to ferry me to the airport and the imminent end of my time here. Ten final minutes before my ship sinks into the sea of memories.

Part of me thrills at the thought of going home. But another part dreads that I won't summon the courage to uproot myself again as I did to come here. I feel caught between the familiar comforts of home and the terrifying freedom of the unknown.

As the minutes tick down, the nerves and sadness swell within me like the tide. I'm unsure if I'm ready to leave, but the choice has been made. My bags are packed. The car is on its way. My ship is sinking, and it's time to go down with it.

Marissa grasps my hand, intertwining our fingers in a familiar, comforting way. "This is just a new chapter for us," she says gently. "You know we'll find our way back to each other soon. Just give me a few months to settle into my new job, and I'll come out to Cali for a long overdue visit." Her words wrap around me like a warm hug, reassuring me that our bond can weather any storm.

As we stand from the couch and fall into a tight embrace, I can't help but feel a pang in my heart. Her messy bun tickles my nose, and the familiar scent of cleaning products and lavender clings to her old sweats and university tee. We had spent all day tidying the apartment, scrubbing away remnants of late nights gossiping over takeout and movie marathons. With each swipe of the washcloth, another memory got wiped away.

My phone pings, the Uber waiting to take me to the airport. I cling to her a little tighter, not yet ready to let go of my best friend. We'd been through so much together in this little apartment - late night study sessions, tears after bad breakups, celebrations after every accomplishment. And now we had to say goodbye.

I feel her tears dampen my shoulder as we sway back and forth, the unspoken "I'll miss you" hanging thick in the air. This isn't the end, I know, but as we finally pull away and I gather my bags, my heart breaks nonetheless. One chapter was closing, but a new adventure awaits for both of us.

She helps carry my bags down to the curb where the driver puts them into the trunk of his SUV. We exchange one more hug and a few tears before I climb in the backseat, waving goodbye out of the tinted window till she is out of sight. I pull out my phone shooting a quick text to my dad that i’m on the way to the airport. He wasn’t so much of a worrier, but he’d be upset if I didn’t at least warn him. 

The afternoon sun peeks through the clouds as I drive down I-5, weaving past exits for Tacoma and Federal Way. The leaves on the tree limbs turning a faded shade already line the highway, a sure sign of Autumn in Seattle. Before I know it, I'm pulling up to Departures at Tacoma International Airport, the scent of coffee and jet fuel mingling in the air. Two overstuffed suitcases roll alongside me while my backpack bounces on my shoulders.

After checking my bags, I meander through the terminal, watching businesspeople rush to their gates while families herd overexcited kids onto flights. My flight isn't for another hour, so I find a seat by the window overlooking the tarmac. Planes taxi and take off as I confirm my hotel reservation. I could've stayed at my dad's place, but I know by now my old bedroom has likely become his at-home office. Anyway, it'll be nice to have some independence on this trip back home.

The call comes over the intercom: "Now boarding Flight 784 to LAX." I grab my carry-on and hustle to the gate, eager to secure my window seat near the front. The line inches forward as passengers jam the jetbridge, jostling for position. I finally reach my row and hoist my bag into the overhead bin. As I plop into my seat, I peek out the oval window at the tarmac below. Ground crew in neon vests scurry around the plane, making final checks. The cabin door slams shut, and we lurch into motion. The engines rumble as we gather speed, pressing me back into the headrest. My pulse quickens in that familiar pre-flight rush. The nose tilts up, and we're airborne! Home, here I come!

The LA sun hangs low in a hazy orange sky as I collapse into the hotel room's plush queen bed, weary from a day of travel. Cleaning and packing left me exhausted, so I had to cancel dinner plans with Dad despite his obvious excitement on the phone. He mentioned some "proposal" he has for me - likely another attempt to get me to ditch the hotel and stay at his place instead. But this modest room has everything I need - soft carpets, textured walls, and pillows galore.

After a long day, the thought of going back out into the bustling city streets makes me weary. I decide to unwind in the cozy confines of my hotel room instead. Stepping into the shower, I turn the heat up high, letting the warm water envelope my tired muscles. As steam fills the air, I feel the stress of the day wash away. Wrapped in a plush robe, I settle into the comfy armchair and flip on the TV. The sports channel is covering the latest NFL news - the FortyNiners are gearing up for a big pre season. But soon they switch over to hockey, and my ears perk up. It's an update on my dad's team! I lean in, eager to catch every detail and stat. The lively commentary of the sportscasters fills the room as I relax into the overstuffed cushions. 

"Folks, the Rooks are looking like a force to be reckoned with this season," the announcer says with enthusiasm. She’s blonde, wearing a gray suit and enough makeup to cover her crows feet and forehead wrinkles,  "Coach Brody has lit a fire under this team during preseason and you can see it in the intensity of their practices and scrimmages. The offense is clicking and putting up big numbers, but don't overlook the tenacious defense - whether it's the starting unit or the backups on the ice, these guys are shutting down opponents left and right. The Rooks are hungry for a championship and have all the pieces to make a deep playoff run. If they keep up this level of play, we could be in for an electric season with the Rooks!"

The Rooks take to the ice, a blur of black jerseys with fiery red numbers, names shining under the arena lights. Skates slice and sticks flash as they circle the rink, putting on a show for the cameras. 

“Goalie McClain is a steel wall with his saves.” the announcer gushes as the footage switches to practice - the puck rockets toward McClain's net but the goalie drops, gloves flung wide to make the save. You can almost hear the ice spray and skate blades carve as the team flies around the rink, hockey poetry in motion. The Rooks glide and dash in a choreographed dance, aggressive and graceful all at once, as their dark uniforms and gear mesh into a cohesive force.

The defense barrels towards their opponents with unrelenting intensity, their eyes locked in a fierce glare. "Sanchez is proving himself as the team's starting center this season," the announcer declares, her voice rising with excitement. "Sebastian and Karlsson - the league's top defense duo - are an unstoppable force!"

A tender smile spreads across my face as I gaze at my father's team, my heart swelling with pride. My phone chimes softly, lighting up with a new message from the coach. 

Dad (04:45PM): Visitor pass will be at the front desk of your hotel in the morning. Should get you into the rink for the game on Saturday and tomorrow. Come down to the rink after four, we will grab some dinner once I'm done with practice. 

Curled up under my warm blankets, I open my phone to a new Snap from Marissa. Her selfie pops up on my screen, a pouty expression across her face with the words "miss you" scribbled in playful handwriting. I can't help but smile, picturing her exaggerated faux sadness at our time apart.

The sun melts into the horizon, casting an amber glow over the Los Angeles skyline. Palm trees dance in the gentle evening breeze as the city begins to wind down for the night. The view from my hotel is stunning, with the skyscrapers silhouetted against the vibrant sunset. I open the blinds to take it all in, the concrete jungle transformed into a sea of gilded light. There's a magic in the air at this time of day, a tranquil beauty that washes over the urban landscape. For a moment, the hectic pace of LA seems to fade away. I breathe deeply and let the fading light soothe my soul, appreciating the simple joy of a perfect sunset over the city of angels.

[celestialseawitch-ff]

🌹🌹

The trees broke as they entered into a clearing. 

“We need to disrobe.”

Hermione's head shot up.

“There's a hot springs over there. We're going to cleanse ourselves first. When we return, I'll summon the goddess and bring you into the circle. I'll cut my hand and then yours and bring you into the ritual circle.”

They reached the springs and Hermione crossed her arms over her chest.

“It'll be overwhelming,” he explained gently. “Especially because you have no experience with family magic.”

“And that's it?”

“... and then we have sex.”

“Out here? What if someone sees us?”

He released a shocked bark of laughter. “That's your main objection? Hermione, this is private Black property. Only I have access. Once we complete the ritual, only the two of us.”

She felt her cheeks burn hot as she stared at Sirius and he stared back.

“I know this is… a lot. I'm sorry, for whatever it's worth.”

She released a harsh breath. “It's fine. I am… agreeing. I understand the benefits, although not all of them, I trust you wouldn't ask me to do this if it wasn't necessary.”

“It is.”

“I know. And for whatever it's worth, you don't need to look so guilt stricken. I'm not some blushing virgin.”

Sirius raised his eyebrows. He lifted a finger to trail across the apple of her cheek. “You sure about that, love? You're blushing awfully hard.”

Hermione cleared her throat. “I dated an international quidditch player, do you think I'm a virgin?”

Sirius threw his head back as he laughed. “Oh, Remus owes me a galleon.”

Her eyes widened. “Sirius!”

“I knew. I said I could smell it on you, but he didn't believe me.”

“Sirius,” she hissed, scandalised and a little disturbed to learn he could smell sex on her.

“‘No, Hermione is a good girl. She would never with an older student,’” Sirius said in a mocking tone of voice. He smiled sharply at her. “Atta girl.”

Hermione huffed as she looked away, refusing to give away the amused, happy feeling in her chest. She hadn't told a soul beyond Harry about it, too worried about the judgement from her peers. 

“Anyway,” she said and looked to the springs. “I suppose we should start?” 

“Last chance to back out.”

She sighed. “We're going to have to have sex regardless, aren't we?”

“It's in my marriage contract.”

She sighed and shrugged. “Well, show me ritual magic then, Sirius Black.”

Sirius stepped up to her and slowly moved to take her arms. He pulled them from where they sat across her chest. He slowly began to undo the buttons on her cardigan. 

Hermione stared at him with wide eyes. “Is this a part of it?”

“Traditionally.”

“I didn't realise you were so traditional,” she replied, breathless.

He grinned at her as he slid her jumper off her shoulders. He knelt down as he set it on the floor of the grass. His eyes never left her own as he knelt at her feet. A smirk touched his lips as he said, “only the good ones.”

Hermione swallowed visibly.

[sulfurousdreamscapes]

This woman Vaishnavi, worked on the hull of the Estrella-B for 44 years. Wrapped up in a worn spacesuit, she settled herself in a construction station built 125 years ago. It surrounds her, binds to her suit, provides her with all the tools she needs to weld, hammer, grease, connect, and perform all the miscellanea tasks that she has spent her entire life performing.

This woman Vaishnavi, her parents and grandparents also worked on segment E3-I34D, and she keeps their pictures in a small wallet that she never parts with. The photographs were taken on an ancient camera that no longer works. The last picture there is of Vaishnavi is from when she was 16. Vaishnavi broke the camera herself, but she tries not to think of it.

This woman Vaishnavi, we didn't know she existed. She was discovered in the 2882 survey, where she was found diligently reconstructing the hull of the ship as her grandparents and parents had done. The rest of her worker community has died out. She has never been into their quarters, because she believes it would be illegal to trespass.

This woman Vaishnavi, knows she won't finish the construction. She has been trying to summon more workers to her segment of the Estrella-B. However, as we later discovered, a protocol handling error in subsection 92-BB4D caused her requests to be undelivered. Therefore, while Vaishnavi continues to receive the resources necessary for hull repair, she has not been in contact with anyone else on the ship for her entire life.

This woman Vaishnavi, listens to one song so often that she sometimes finds it difficult to separate her speech from the song's lyrics. The music player that was passed down by her parents has seen considerable wear and tear, and a corruption error in the player's code causes it to play only the one song, which was recorded roughly 220 years ago, before the Estrella-B took off.

This woman Vaishnavi, had not spoken to another soul in at least two decades. Camera records depict her sending away her parents' bodies in space burials. With a gentle push, she sent them moving away from the ship, permanently lost in the infinite.

This woman Vaishnavi, became quickly overwhelmed, disoriented, and fidgety when contacted by the 2882 survey team. Through babbling, broken speech, a choked throat, and teary eyes, she explained that she needed more workers to complete the repairs on E3-134D. On being asked whether she would like to retire from her position, she became distraught and confused.

This woman Vaishnavi, we left her where she was. With respect to the labour redistribution committee, we request a transfer of at least fifty workers to E3-134D, where they might assist Vaishnavi in completing the repairs of the segment.

This woman Vaishnavi, in fulfilling her singular, lifelong request, we might put ourselves in the good graces of a Providence we have wronged by the vice of neglect.

[pyro-madder]

k it's been 4 months can i start posting headcanons,, here's a batch about hunters and the dream

On their analysis of the Paleblood Hunt, Redgrave states that it is unlikely that all hunters dreamed at some point, as there would be much more knowledge on the Dream if that were the case. I'd agree. However !! Gehrman tells you, "you will die, forget the dream, and awake under the morning sun". However² !!! Eileen mentions the Doll to you in one of her dialogues. So I figure it'd be, well, just like a peculiar dream - you'll forget most of it, but some bits will stick with you one, twenty, fifty years later, for the rest of your life perhaps. Most if not all will remember the Doll, but the rest is too fuzzy if not gone for old dreamers to gather round and share. Unless, I think as I type this, they wrote it down, but uuuuh you don't have much time during the one night it lasts. Gehrman is also forgotten, elusive as he is - perhaps on purpose on his end.

Where I'm going with this is that besides yourself, Eileen and Djura, I like to think that every summonable NPC - from Gascoigne to Queen Killer by way of all known confederates and Damian beloved - was a dreamer at some point. (Ironically Dju and Leen are precisely not that but shh). Sounds like a lot, but I also imagine that dreaming hunters were more frequent back in the days - whether because fewer people can resist the initial opening cutscene call of the beast nowadays, or or due to any other reason, simply to add yet another layer of misery to it all. Besides, the hunts have gone on for years, and a dream only lasts for one night - that leaves enough room for 15-and-so folks from all around the region and beyond to join the club. Not to mention the Doll herself speaks of "countless hunters" and we can see for ourselves the many graves in their names she mentions (Redgrave acknowledges this fact and interprets it their own way). The NPCs' own dreaming nights don't have to involve a blood moon or anything extra - or perhaps it is meant to, but most hunters don't make it in time to unveil it before dawn breaks.

(I like to think that during the game, several NPCs lowkey rely on the player and their infinite lives to plow the way through for their personal questlines, when own their mortality forces them to be extremely careful and, again, dreaming hunters have become rare. The Hunter realizes this at some point but then count their own deaths and are like "yeah fair enough")

Only dreaming hunters can see and interact with lamps, but those who dreamed in the past can still sense their presence somewhat, so I'd add Simon to the list - hanging around them, he knows the immediate surroundings to be safe.

Dreaming hunters smell like the flowers growing in the Dream, a scent also described as the moon's, but they can't smell it on themselves ; former dreamers and characters with high insight can, however, in addition to a few others who don't fall under either categories but aren't exactly common folks either (with Annalise commenting on it explicitely and Arianna implicitely, but idk if that would extent to all of Cainhurst ??) Still debating whether beasts, or at least some of them, can as well. >:)

[pookapufferfish]

dnd summary because I forgot to liveblog:

the four men are ghosts, we follow them to a well

Cleric temp kills a guy to go down the well

"This is my memory!" "boo hoo I'm in it "

ghost gets mad, player leaves because spell wears off

we decide that this is a side quest so we go to bed and abandon the ghost

Druid summons horses and we then make the horses walk on water to cross a river

uh oh the city that doesn't like us (we nearly killed the queen)

we went into the woods that make you go mad, because the town hates us. we will regret this

nearly all of us fain wisdom saves and start wandering off

pvp???

I snap out of it and grapple a player to stop them, npc who is with the party launches a fireball at our druid and knocks her out. she now has to roll death saves

cleric knocks out npc, we convince final player to snap out of it.

uh oh the npc and a players patron possesses the npcs body and chews us out

the druid now wants to burn the forest

we tell the npc what happened. we go back out of the forest

we now all disguise ourselves and go into the city

end of session

[fungicidecarhorn64ad]

The Gallow's Diary

Greetings intrepid readers, if you are reading this I am either dead, proof reading this or have misplaced my diary. If it's the third scenario please return it to where you found it, if you're in the same location you found this as you read this I'm probably in close proximity so please scream as loud as possible to get my attention.

Now onto the meat of this meat pie of a diary, btw meat pie very underrated currently eating one as I write. Now to the topic at hand!

My name is Martyn, code name: The Gallows, for it represents my goal to be a martyr like the freedom fighters of our great country (which is Ireland). It also connects to something I recently discovered about myself, I learned that I have the power to manipulate ropes with my mind, I'm thankful that my name matches up to the powerset I possess.

I know my goal for (motive pending will add later) I can't do it alone, so I gathered a group, nah a society of fellow teens who want to help my crusade for (put motive here).

First we have Clayton, code name: Mud Man, he is my second in command the Sheriff Nottingham to my Prince John he was one of the biggest players in forming my team. His ability to summon mud and substances of the like (ex: rocks, dirt) prove surprisingly useful! He seems to be even able to conjure the materials out of nothing, which granted not much use but is still highly useful in certain circumstances.

Next is Oran, code name: Ouroboros, he seems to be the more technical brains of the group (sometimes he does get a bit annoying) and was able to befriend some extra dimensional snake who can contort itself and the space inside it, the two seem to be in tandem with each other I don't know much of what is going on with it but as they say, never look a gift horse in the mouth or gift snake.

Who's next, oh.... Lance. gonna be brutally honest, he's here to bulk up our numbers. He's not a bad fighter in fact his kicks are extremely deadly, but I feel his love for women might drag us down, but only time will tell. Oh I forgot to say his code name is Chivalry.

Now let's move onto Love, code name: Shoggoth. Love is a recent addition to our school originally from, okay I'm not going to try to write that, anyway she's a being not exactly of our reality (heck I can't even look into her eyes without my sanity shattering) she's quite the punk barely respecting those around her so we obviously added her to the team.

Vespi, code name: The Fig. A shy nerd who I didn't even realise was in this school before she joined this team (turns out we were on the school bowling team together). She possesses the ability to explode (?) Into a wasp and turn back also by exploding, I don't exactly know how that works and hopefully I never do, Love seems to like her and they seem to be getting along.

The final member Annie, code name: Brown Bear. Annie is well to say it nicely off her fing rocker, she's a master engineer designing a bear animatronic mech suit that can destroy most things that stand in it's way and yet I think it's safer for her to be inside it then outside it, she maybe a ball of anger hellbent on getting the world to care about something idk I wasn't paying attention but it's better for her to be on our side then anyone else's.

Anyway so now we need a name and I purpose we call ourselves the Teenage Supervillain Society or the TSS for short hopefully no one is already using this acronym.

Anyway goodnight.

[dravidious]

Thank you for being awesome

Hello and welcome back to every budget player's favorite game show...

Nerf! That! Rare!

Where we look at cards that are pissing off the writer on arena and knock them down a peg!

Our first participant, hailing from Innistrad and fighting against the eternal night, it's Adeline, Resplendent Cathar!

Coming down on turn three, Adeline gives you a free 1/1 every time you attack. Its power will almost always be at least 3, and with 4 toughness and vigilance, it's tough to deal with on either offense or defense. Having 4 toughness especially means that most other 3-drop creatures won't even be able to trade with Adeline. So how might we keep the card's fundamental qualities intact while stopping ourselves from ripping our hair out every time it's cast on curve?

Like this! This rework makes several small tweaks, such as forcing Adeline herself to attack in order to make a token. This delays the token summoning by one turn, and also leaves Adeline vulnerable to being blocked and killed. The drop to 3 toughness helps put Adeline on par with other 3-drop creatures, since her token spawning and boundless power are advantage enough. And to give Adeline a nice round -1/-1, her power scaling only counts OTHER creatures, not herself, requiring more commitment to a swarming strategy to get proper value out of her.

Our next participant, a praetor hailing from New Phyrexia, the scourge of the current standard, it's Sheoldred, the Apocalypse!

Reminiscent of the menacing Siege Rhino, Sholdred comes packing with infinite life drain and a bulky body. Just like Adeline, that extra toughness puts Sheoldred out of trading range of other 4-drops, and that deathtouch means that double blocking her is still a -1 in card advantage. And that's IF she's even attacking! Sheoldred's greatest power is that she can just sit there stopping attacks while the opponent bleeds to death, unable to win even with evasion thanks to that life gain. How can we be free from the oppression of this phyrexian ruler?

With a simple tweak to the numbers! The difference a single point of toughness can make truly is incredible; just ask Sheoldred's grandpa Siege Rhino! The rhino will also tell you just how powerful life draining can be, and Sheoldred's life drain is even stronger! Or rather, it was. Getting 4+ free damage while the opponent scrambles to find an answer is a lot, so slowing that clock down means that Sheoldred needs to play the long game to win.

Back on Innistrad, we've got not a participant but an event that got a little TOO festive, it's Wedding Announcement! // Wedding Festivity!

A Glorious Anthem that comes with 3 tokens and/or card draw is powerful indeed, and the slow speed of it just isn't enough to offset its sheer long-term value. Not much to say about this one, 3 mana for a trio of 2/2s is just too powerful! But with its various effects and use of counters and transforming, this enchantment seems very reminiscent of a certain art form of Kamigawa...

Now that's more like it! In terms of pure value, this rework reduces the number of triggers from 3 down to 2, in exchange for an extra scry and flipping one turn earlier. And that chapter 2 ability really requires you to commit to the swarming strategy to get full value, no sitting back and collecting tokens!

Heading back to New Phyrexia, weighing in at 4 mana with a mighty 5/5 statline, it's Phyrexian Obliterator!

If you thought a +1 in card advantage was strong, wait until you see a +5! This 4-drop can annihilate the opponent's board if they dare to attack, with stats strong enough to beat most other 4-drops and survive to cause more carnage! With just one card, you can completely shut down your opponent's combat phase! Its 5 power and trample means that you're not even safe on the defense, as chump blocking it is impossible and trading with it will cost you everything. The only counterplay is to hope you can get a big enough board to either kill your opponent in one swing, or sacrifice all your lands and win with pure momentum. And yet, the nerf is the simplest one yet! Sacrificing 5 permanents is a death sentence...

... but sacrificing 1 is just a mild pain! It can even keep its beefy stats as a reward for paying that harsh mana cost. But just be safe, it's not a horror anymore, which is because horror tribal support is extremely dangerous and definitely not because I forgot to put the subtype.

Finally, last but not least for this episode of Nerf That Rare, it's the most obnoxious card in all of magic...

Every Planeswalker Ever!

Not only does this card generate infinite value over time culminating in a game-winning effect, it also works much better if you're already winning the game, while being nothing but a glorified sorcery if you're losing, crushing any hopes of comebacks when drawn no matter which player draws it! But the smallest little tweak can make this card much more fun:

Much better

[ob3ryn]

💕 ; @shedornish

Oberyn   stood   on   the   balcony   of   Sunspear,   the   hot   Dornish   sun   casting   long   shadows   over   the   desert   landscape.   The   salty   breeze   from   the   Summer   Sea   carried   with   it   the   scent   of   oranges   and   spices,   the   scent   of   home,   but   the   man   had   taken   a   taste   of   traveling   and   now,   with   his   sister   avenged,   he   would   wish   to   travel   more.   At   least   this   war   is   good   for   one   thing;   traveling.   He   turned   to   his   niece,   Arianne,   her   eyes   fiery   with   the   same   intensity   that   burned   within   his   own.   She   had   always   been   impatient,   much   like   him,   and   Oberyn   knew   this   conversation   was   long   overdue.   "Doran   is   not   idle.   His   mind   works   in   ways   few   can   comprehend.   He   is   cautious,   yes,   but   that   caution   is   our   shield.   Every   move   he   makes   is   calculated,   every   silence   deliberate.   You   see   inaction,   but   I   see   a   man   protecting   his   people   and   biding   his   time.   I   once   saw   his   inaction   as   betrayal."   But   he   had   learned   that   his   brother   might   be   the   longest   living   player   in   this   game   they   all   play   for   a   reason,   and   that   simply   was;   he   bid   his   time   and   made   sure   to   make   right   moves.  

He   smiles   to   himself,   for   he   was   not   as   patient,   but   when   he   was   summoned   to   King's   Landing,   Doran   knew   Oberyn   would   had   his   revenge   for   both   of   them.   And   now   without   it,   he   has   to   find   a   new   purpose.   Oberyn   leaned   against   the   balcony's   stone   railing,   looking   out   at   the   sun-kissed   expanse   of   Dorne.   "The   fire   at   the   Sept   of   Baelor   has   shaken   the   realm.   Chaos   breeds   opportunity.   I   am   to   travel   to   the   Reach,   to   visit   Willas   Tyrell.   The   time   has   come   to   forge   new   alliances,   to   build   bridges   that   will   support   us   in   the   days   to   come."   Willas   wrote   to   him,   but   he   did   not   had   to   for   the   news   of   the   explosion   reached   even   Dorne.   One   only   had   to   look   at   the   sky   to   see   remains   of   green   smoke   from   the   explosion,   the   fire   burning   still   some   say.   His   friend   lost   his   family   in   those   fires,   and   unlike   Oberyn   who   has   the   pleasure   of   being   a   second   son   and   just   live   his   life   as   he   wishes,   Willas   has   now   risen   as   head   of   his   house   and   is   expected   to   retaliate.   But   everything   must   be   done   in   secret.  

"We   must   not   think   ourselves   above   the   other   realms.   We   are   Dornish,   yes,   and   our   pride   runs   deep,   but   it   can   also   be   our   downfall   if   we   let   it   cloud   our   judgment.   We   must   be   shrewd,   patient,   and   ready.   It's   been   a   long   time   coming   that   we   make   peace   with   those   in   our   borders.   Willas   means   no   harm   but   to   seek   the   same   our   family   did   for   years."   Vengeance.   Oberyn   laughs   at   it   as   he   holds   the   letter   from   the   man   himself,   the   rose   symbol   on   his   hand.

  "He   calls   it   justice.   I   suppose   there   is   a   difference   in   the   term.   I   will   help   him   regardless   but   I   must   take   leave.   the   Rivermen   and   the   Northern   Folk   are   uniting   as   well   and   it's   only   time   King's   Landing   and   the   Westerlands   are   united   as   one,"   Even   the   Vale   seems   to   aim   to   join   forces.   It   was   Robert's   Rebellion   except   for   once,   it   seem   they   all   united   for   one   cause;   to   take   the   Lannisters   down.   Even   some   Lions   themselves   were   betraying   their   kin   for   their   actions   were   too   haste   and   cruel.   

[luckywolfsbane]

Mp3 players were such a vital part of my childhood. It was my only constant carry tech. The battery lasted for about a day, which back in like 2006 was amazing. It recorded audio. It held like a thousand songs--way more than an 8-year-old kid with no real internet access so much as knew. My sister had her massive Zune, which she only relinquished to my brother on occasion. My brother and I both had our mp3 players because our parents weren't about to buy Zune for either of us--they were too expensive. My sister won it at a dance, too. So no money spent. And we were fine with that.

So many people are out here like, "I had an iPod." We get it. Your parents kept ya'll consistently over the poverty line, and while you absolutely had money trouble, your parents occasionally were able to splurge several hundred dollars for a tiny thing you absolutely lost and/or broke within a couple months/years. That, or you had every new iPod bc you definitely weren't struggling, which is also totally valid. Or maybe you *were* below the poverty line, and someone got it for you, making you one of the lucky ones. The rest of us had either nothing, an old cd player, or cheap mp3 players that came with 1 or 2 pre-downloaded songs.

I remember sitting on dial-up internet, ripping songs off youtube bc apple music was a waste of money. Any of my parents' cds got ripped onto the desktop--which, with a little maintenance, still turns on in 2023--and we'd put every song we remotely enjoyed into the library. Every night, we'd plug it in to charge and pray we could find our headphones in the morning, bc they didn't have speakers.

Then morning would come, and my siblings and I would throw ourselves together. We'd grab our mp3 players and run out into the morning fog to wait for the bus. We were up at dawn every morning because we lived 13 miles outside town, and the bus picked us up two hours early. We'd climb on, greet our driver, and find our assigned seats. Then we'd all turn on our mp3 players and listen to our music. The bus driver didn't play the radio in the early morning, so it was that or road noise. And we were the first cluster of siblings on the bus. Only two other families got picked up before us, and only one kid rode the bus from each. Those kids were teenagers by the time I was riding, so they weren't my friends, and I couldn't really interact with them w/o being bullied. So I stayed in the middle of the bus and listened to my music. I think our route had about 20 separate kids in total back then. By the time I quit riding in middle-school--medical reasons--there were less than 10 of us on any given day.

Field trips were amazing with the audio recorder. My best friend at the time and I would play pretend and record it. I listened to those recordings a few years later when we'd hit a rough patch and grown apart(we don't talk anymore, but I still consider him a friend).

Idk... I wish I could summon that little device out of the void. I know it was stolen if it wasn't lost out in the world somewhere. I know it was. I'd kill to have it back...

[flowersdaggersviolasandblood]

Flower Girl

Name: Pero Ophiin (She/Her)

Race: Wood Half-Elf

Class: Druid (Circle of the Land)

Background: Outlander

WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD!

Hi, welcome to Pero's painful adventure through Moonrise :D.

Oh my lord, this girl can't do anything without life being absolutely devastating to her. So, picking up where we last left off, we were heading to Moonrise Towers with Jaheira in tow. After getting a mild glimpse of Nalanthar's playthrough, it's more depressing that we don't have the near complete help of the Harpers because we got Isobel captured by the Absolute cultists. And OH BOY WAS THE FIGHT FUCKING HARD. I was underleveled (level 7 at the time), barely any resources to spare (if you saw the boys inventory, you'd be shocked by how little I was able to horde with Pero), and I ended up losing Karlach & Shadowheart in the fight. I was able to down a few key players, but I made the choice that we're better off running to the tip of the tower and facing Ketheric than attempting to fight the lackeys. It was so fucking bad that I had to change to Storyteller mode because I simply refused to lose Jaheira (don't worry, I switched it back afterwards). And in hindsight, I'm kinda glad I did that.

I had to FUCKING FIGHT FOR MY LIFE to keep Jaheira around and alive. She was constantly at danger of being killed. With a combination of using a scroll of Dimension Door, Blink, and Invisibility scroll and potions, we were able to skip almost all the fight on the ground and first floor and ran for the top of the tower where Ketheric awaited us.

We began fighting him, and oh boy, talk about multi-staged boss! I was able to keep Astarion, Pero, Jaheira, and Dame alive, even with my limited spell slots. This resulted in Ketheric K.O-ing Dame in one swoop and having a massive tentacle poof her away as he made a "tactical retreat." At this point, Jaheira said that was enough action for her and urged us to finish the fight ourselves. After taking a well-deserved long-rest once the map was no longer red, the crew jumped in the hole. The game was kind enough to drop Karlach and Shadowheart's body in the flesh pit hole for me to revivify them and continue the fight.

While in the other half of the mystery flesh pit, we were able to save Zevlor and a few Flaming Fist recruits! Zevlor explains his reason for chickening out when the Tieflings were surrounded by the cultists. While he did advised for his people to stand down, he was also assailed by a voice that showed him in a place of power, protecting those he cared most for. Despite Zevlor asking to to join our fight, Pero urged that he go and protect his people.

We were able to find the fiend that Wyll had to release, and it was Mizora herself, surprisingly. Now, because I wanted to try something out, I decided to press the button that would "kill" Mizora, but it also removed Wyll from the equation...So fine, Pero released the bitch. In response, Mizora said that Wyll will be absolved of his contract...Within 6 months. Despite Pero and Karlach's protests, we now have the ability to ask Wyll further about his contract with Mizora.

Because I was somewhat fearing for my life, I didn't explore much of Moonrise Towers before entering the mystery flesh pit because of low resources in case I get into another fight and I didn't want the game to punish me for taking too many long rests. So after freeing Zevlor and Mizora, we were able to see the big 3! Orin, Gortash, and Ketheric in one room! Orin and Gortash had a roast fest with Ketheric as they deemed their commander "friend" as cowardly all because they ran from Pero and the gang. After doing some Might Morphin Power Rangers bs, they summoned the Elder Brain whom they've been controlling with 3 items and a pretty tiara.

During all this, we found Wyll's father! Unfortunately, we couldn't save him in time to stop the Brain from inserting a parasite in his eye. For now, the Elder Brain led the army to Baldur's Gate, with Orin and Gortash bamf-ing out as well, presumably to BG as well. All that leaves us with is Ketheric for us to finish!

We followed where Ketheric Thorm made his last stand. And unfortunately, his daughter has been mind probed to aid him in the fight. And honestly, this phase of the fight wasn't too bad. Challenging, but not like the disaster that was the ground floor of Moonrise Towers. I was able to down Ketheric easy...but then

Motherfucker decides to just become the avatar of Myrkul, I guess! So now we had to fight the fucking god himself! Not really, tho. Those who know D&D would know that there are mortals who can take up the being and power of their god, becoming Avatars of their deity. It's so that the god itself wouldn't truly die if defeated in battle.

Fortunately, we were able to take care of this phase of Ketheric, killing him once and for all with Dame brutalized his corpse. Unfortunately, Isobel didn't make it and while looting Ketheric's body, we found a note written by Isobel, perhaps a long time ago, about how much she loved him...That honestly almost made me cry.

As we looted Ketheric's body, Pero's Guardian decided to teleport in and pay us a visit outside of our dreams! Surprisingly, none of the active companions commented on this, so I'm unsure if any of them saw the same thing Pero did or if Larian simply didn't think it necessary for the companions to comment on TAV's guardian. The Guardian decides to info dump us on the current situation, a good refresher for those who didn't read the notes lol. But to summarize, it looks like the Dead Three, Bhaal, Bane, and Myrkul, are at it again as they formed an alliance to take over Faerun and run it to the ground.

To do this, they created 4 items made of the same material that threatens to blow Gale up, Netherese. With these items, they were able to create 3 distinct items and a crown and Dominate a Elder Brain under their command. Despite this alliance, reading the notes, we do see that there's a inevitable betrayal amongst the Chosen of the Dead Three as they each wish to bring ruin to Faerun in their own way.

After taking Ketheric's shit and his power ranger gem, we returned to Moonrise Towers proper. And experienced the most heartbreaking moment in the game.

So because I fucked up at Last Light and locked myself out of Halsin's quest, I ACCIDENTALLY ALSO LOCKED MYSELF OUT FROM ROMANCING HALSIN BECAUSE MF DECIDED TO STAY AT THE SHADOWED LANDS!!!! I was so distraught and was nearly ready to call it there and start over lmao. What stopped me is that apparently, Pero is on a romance run with Gale and might attempt to romance Wyll too, so that's what's stopping me from ending it all. Not only that, but Torment & Nalanthar (especially Nalanthar) are at a crossroads where Halsin might be able to fit in the picture in those playthroughs. To make up for this as well, I got Jaheira in Halsin's place, so I got myself a GILF in the party!

Before we end this post, we were able to talk with Withers as he appeared outside of camp this time! He expresses how he's familiar with the Dead Three and his whole purpose is to provide a balance if there's an imbalance in the realms. And from what we can tell, whatever the Dead Three has planned for Baldur's Gate is disrupting that balance. He still doesn't explain clearly his reason for being here, but he does pop a curious question, "Do Mindflayers have souls?"

Pero assumes so, but Withers corrects her by saying that they don't. Withers shows concern about the Dead Three wanting the assistance from a race who function as a Hive Mind, with no free will or soul to provide for the gods.

We then decided to speak with Dame and Shadowheart. Shadowheart offered to let us reexperience the memory of when she was lost in the woods. However, the scene is changed! The wolf that nearly attacked her changed to look like a Elven man as the Sharrans surrounded them. And from the looks of it, the wolf wasn't trying to attack Shadowheart, especially when we learn that the man in the memory is actually Shadowheart's father! So either her father is a shapeshifter or the Sharran's altered her memories to make her believe she was being attacked by a ferocious beast.

Connecting the dots, we learn that Shadowheart's parents worshipped Selune, thus making Shadowheart a Selunite, potentially, since she was going through a coming of age ritual that she didn't get to complete. with this in mind, Shadowheart is now determined to seek out and save her parents from the Sharrans who stole them away from her.

After this, we then get some bad news from Karlach as her infernal engine is heating back up again and she might blow up if we don't find a backup infernal mechanic soon. So far, even though we triumph against one of the Chosen 3, this was also a grim day for Pero as she felt she lost more than she gained. Funny how the one playthrough with a goody-two shoes has the worst luck lol. We'll drop Pero for now as we usher the rest of the TAV gang towards killing Ketheric Thorm.

[vinceviralfreak]

Title: Stellar Spirit: The Galactic Cheerleaders

Chapter 1: The Cosmic Tryouts

In the distant future, humanity has expanded its reach across the galaxy, colonizing countless planets and establishing a vast interstellar civilization. Among the many popular sports, Starcraft has emerged as the ultimate competitive event, captivating the hearts of billions. But behind the scenes, a group of extraordinary individuals known as the Galactic Cheerleaders play a crucial role in boosting morale and energizing the players and spectators alike.

Meet Luna, a young and ambitious girl from the planet Terra Nova. With her radiant smile and unwavering determination, she dreams of becoming a Galactic Cheerleader and inspiring others with her passion for Starcraft. Luna's journey begins when she learns about the upcoming tryouts for the prestigious Starcraft League, where the most talented cheerleaders are chosen to represent their respective planets.

Chapter 2: The Intergalactic Training Camp

Luna arrives at the Intergalactic Training Camp, a state-of-the-art facility located on the planet Zephyr. Here, she meets a diverse group of aspiring cheerleaders from different corners of the galaxy. Each girl possesses unique skills and talents, making the competition fierce and intense.

Under the guidance of Coach Orion, a former Starcraft champion, Luna and her fellow cheerleaders undergo rigorous training sessions. They learn complex routines, acrobatics, and the art of synchronizing their movements with the fast-paced battles happening on the Starcraft arena. As they bond and support each other, friendships are formed, and rivalries emerge.

Chapter 3: The Stellar Showdown

After months of training, the day of the final tryouts arrives. Luna and her teammates are filled with a mix of excitement and nervousness as they step onto the grand stage. The atmosphere is electric, with millions of fans eagerly awaiting the performances.

As Luna and her team execute their routine flawlessly, their energy and enthusiasm reverberate throughout the arena. Their captivating performance leaves the judges and spectators in awe, earning them a spot in the Starcraft League as the official cheerleaders for Terra Nova.

Chapter 4: The Cosmic Challenges

Life as a Galactic Cheerleader is not all glitz and glamour. Luna and her teammates face numerous challenges as they travel across the galaxy, supporting their Starcraft team in intense matches against rival planets. They encounter hostile environments, treacherous opponents, and unexpected twists that test their resilience and teamwork.

Amidst the chaos, Luna discovers a dark secret that threatens the very foundation of the Starcraft League. With the help of her friends, Luna embarks on a mission to uncover the truth and protect the integrity of the sport she loves.

Chapter 5: The Stellar Legacy

As Luna and her team delve deeper into the mystery, they uncover a conspiracy that involves powerful individuals seeking to manipulate the outcome of Starcraft matches for their own gain. With the fate of the League hanging in the balance, Luna must summon all her courage and rally her teammates to expose the truth and restore justice.

In a climactic showdown, Luna and her fellow cheerleaders confront the masterminds behind the conspiracy, using their skills, determination, and unwavering spirit to save the Starcraft League from corruption.

Epilogue: A New Era

Luna and her teammates emerge as heroes, celebrated for their bravery and dedication. Their story inspires a new generation of cheerleaders, who continue to uplift the spirits of Starcraft players and fans across the galaxy.

Stellar Spirit: The Galactic Cheerleaders is a tale of passion, friendship, and the power of unity. It explores the limitless possibilities of the future while reminding us of the importance of staying true to ourselves and fighting for what we believe in, no matter the odds.

[sammie86t]

Chapter 7

Chapter 7 of  [Hogwarts Legacy Fanfiction] The Mirror

Words count: 7799

Professor Ronen led the class to an empty field in the south of the school. The place was spacious with green grass stretching out, and a winding path leading up to a small hut in the distance. Daria enjoyed the fresh and cool air for the first time, taking a deep breath until her chest was full, then slowly exhaling. All the unpleasant things left with her breath, dissipating and blending with the fresh air. Even Professor Ronen couldn't help but enjoy the fresh air of nature as he turned back to look at the excited children following him.

"I believe that happiness always goes hand in hand with wisdom, and I'm sure any Quidditch player would agree with me on this. What could be better than playing a sport together and applying the summoning lesson we just learned? Am I right?"

With a wave of his wand, many wooden planks, pillars, and a few heavy green balls appeared and flew toward them, forming a colorful wooden structure with several balls on top.

"This game is very simple, just like Gobstones. Instead of throwing stones outside, you'll now pull those big balls toward yourself. Say "Accio" to summon the ball and then pull it towards you. Remember, rolling the ball to the dark blue wood at the bottom is the highest point, but you lose points if it falls off the table! It's an exciting game, isn't it, everyone? Now, let's discover it ourselves instead of me talking about it! Let's start with Poppy and Ominis!"

Daria and Sebastian sat on the grass beside other children while Poppy and Sebastian prepared to play. Daria watched Ominis nervously and curiously, wondering how he would play. On the other hand, Sebastian relaxed and put his hands behind him, swinging his long legs along with the rhythm. Daria didn't know that the owner of those brown eyes was staring at her face.

.....

....

...

..

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Read more from HERE

[fenmere]

Ooh! Ooh! We want to analyze this in comparison to our own personal experiences, because we can!

We're plural. Multiple people sharing one brain. Which is KIND of what Nanase is doing with her spell here.

Now, of course, we have to keep in mind a few things.

This comic is Dan's universe, with Dan's rules. It works the way it needs to work for him to tell his story. This is doubly true when Dan's magic is involved. The limitations that the magic has overrides the limitations of Dan's physics. So, nothing below is criticism, only a pondering that could lead to some cool developments if Dan so wishes.

Also, human brains (and probably the brains of all creatures) are all wildly different from each other, neurodiverse, so this spell may have different levels of affects on Nanase than on anyone else using it.

And we postulate this because we are autistic and ADHD and plural, and in each of those neurotypes we have never been able to find any two people who function with the exact same limitations or bonuses.

Anyway, so.

We're plural.

We experience what Nanase is experiencing. But, normally, to a much lesser degree.

Like, what we perceive as so much lesser that in our novels where we have people doing what Nanase is doing, only with the aid of technology instead, they don't notice any detriment to their cognition. But, then, also, the technological aids do expand their neural resources with simulated Network neurons.

And, also, we've been plural our whole life and we don't know what it's like not to be. We don't know where our baseline is.

OK, review and explanation of what's going on in this comic.

Nanase is creating a magical construct, or summon, named Fox. And Fox is using part of Nanase's brain, and therefore making it harder for Nanase to think. And the characters are learning why and discussing it.

We notice this kind of thing in ourselves, but in reverse.

The reason is a bit different, too.

In our system, and not necessarily in any other system, we each are centered in various locations in our brain. We kind of occupy those neurons that are local to us.

I, Fenmere, am in the part of the brain that handles putting together linguistic structures. Not words, but sentences.

When I'm not awake, the whole rest of the system has a harder time doing that. They still can. They can still use my part of the brain, but a lot of the neurons there that hold my memories won't fire as readily if I'm not awake, and my memories and skills specifically will not be accessible.

And then, when I wake up and join the system in coconsciousness, those skills will suddenly return, along with a greater awareness of everything due to my connections with our senses also being available.

I've been present when Anne the Girl was asleep while we were playing cards. Eh was fronting and trying their best, but really floundering. Also, our vision, hearing, and other senses, felt like they were in sort of a fog. It's possible that most of my side of the brain was asleep.

But then, halfway through the game, Anne woke up, and the fog went away, and we saw very clearly all the patterns in the cards that helped us to start winning. Even more telling was that our intuition, our gut feeling for whether or not we were winning or going to get a good card, improved dramatically. So our subconscious was working better.

We've experienced this multiple times with Anne. She's a very good card player. She's pretty good with intuiting math, in fact. And without her, we tend to make more mistakes.

So, what we think it would be like for us to use Dan's magic to do what Nanase is doing is that we'd end up dedicating a number of system members to run Fox. Maybe just one, but probably a whole team, because we like to work in teams.

And those system members who are running our Fox would not be available to help with running our body.

So, we totally see Dan's model of the human brain here absolutely being plausible.

A plural system that is more dissociated and separated than we are might not notice much of a difference, however. Because they've learned how to function without cooperation from each other, and a system member going off to run or inhabit Fox would not take any neural resources away that they're not already keeping separated from their other members.

Any singlet, however, would probably experience exactly what Nanase is experiencing. To one degree or another.

Maybe. You never know for sure.

Anyway, this leads us to a suggestion that Dan might already be considering.

Nanase could maybe learn to lend Fox specific skills and talents. Like, OK, Nanase is going bowling while Fox works on math homework. Nanase should be able to keep her hand/eye coordination and most of her other bowling skills, but should stay away from the leader board or from trying to figure out any change when buying food.

Wifi Fox! Do your best!

Clearly the solution is to have Nanase wear receiver boosters before summoning Fox.

[allegra-writes]

hi i was just wondering if you are taking requests for kaz. if yes can i'd like to request a kaz x fem!reader, where kaz gets jealous. you can do whatever you want with the story, it might end in confessions or confrontation anything you like, if you want, if not feel free to ignore. have a lovely day <3

Oh, boy. Oh, dear. You really shouldn't tell me that I can do whatever I want with the story cuz, chances are, I'm gonna make it smutty. Sorry if that wasn't what you wanted but I really can't help myself 😔

This story might contain elements from the books, but is still 28 year old show!Kaz.

"Untouchable"

Kaz Brekker x Reader

NSFW

Warnings: Enough UST to burn Ketterdam to the ground.

MY MASTERLIST | BUY ME COFFEE

The lips moving insistently against yours were warm and soft, the hands exploring your body, skillful. Their owner, Misha, a handsome, polite ravkan guy that had dreamy eyes and smelled nice, clean, which was more than you could say of a lot of the men in the Barrel. There was absolutely no reason for the little voice in the back of your head screaming wrong, claiming for you to push him away, so you squashed it down, and continued to kiss back.

As Misha's hand moved from your hip to your thigh, another, louder part of your brain wondered if Kaz could see you in Misha's embrace, from the other side of the club. You wished with perverse intent that he did.

You were being petty and immature, you knew that, but the Wraith was back visiting. The Wraith with her lovely face and big doe eyes and inky black hair and gorgeous amber skin, goldened by the ocean sun… the Wraith that Kaz called Inej and had once been his favourite spy and slept in his room and moved like shadows, silent like a vampire and even more deadly, while you were just a common, useless sun summoner, like the thousands that had awaken a couple years ago, when Alina Starkov had sacrificed her powers and her life to get rid of the fold. And not even a good one, at that, you were honesty pretty bad at calling the light, but you were great at bending it, and that's what had gotten you a place in the Dregs, making yourself and the others invisible so you could get in and out unnoticed at every heist.

That was what made you such a valuable asset for the gang. Granted, not as much as the Wraith had been back in the day, but valuable nonetheless. That was why Kaz liked to keep you so close, why he was so protective of you, always checking on you first, making sure you had backup constantly and always demanded the healer tend to you before anyone else including himself. Making sure your room was dry and warm with as much sunlight as you needed, keeping you plied with Shu teas and zemeni chocolate as if you were still living at the little palace...

It hurt a little to realize that was all there was to it: Kaz keeping his star player safe and happy, instead of… well, what you actually wanted it to mean. But hope was a dangerous thing, it clouded judgements, the best illusions were the most convincing and none more convincing than those we tell ourselves, Kaz himself had taught you that. Better to get rid of it forever.

So you let yourself sink further into the heat of the kiss, relishing the comfort of human contact after being touch starved for so long. Admittedly, Misha might not have been your first option, but you couldn't be lonely any longer. Ketterdam was just too cold, too harsh, too cruel, you needed to take the warmth where you could.

… Except, Misha's warmth had just disappeared, teared off and away from you in an instant. You blinked, disoriented. And then you had to blink again, cause what you were seeing didn't make any sense.

When you opened your eyes again, Kaz was still standing in front of you, perfect features contorted in barely restrained fury, one hand leaning heavily on his cane, the other twisted in Misha's blond locks, keeping him up and away from you.

"Kaz… what the hell?"

"B-boss, I'm sorry, I didn't-"

"Shut up" He hissed to the terrified boy, eyes never leaving yours, "You, in my office, now"

You nodded, numbly, and he finally let go of the blond boy, who fell to the floor in a heap, not daring to stand up until you and Kaz had disappeared up the stairs.

The sound of the lock clicking shut behind you was deafening in the small soundproof room. You expected Kaz to step away from you once he closed the door, or at least to step aside, instead he stayed right were he was, crowding you against the wall, close enough for the pupils of his eyes to become unfocused when you tried to fix your gaze on them.

It was disconcerting, he wasn't one for physical closeness. But he seemed as surprised and helpless as you, rooted in place by a strange force, pulled toward each other like gravity, close enough to touch.

Light years away.

"Give me one good reason" He rasped, "for me not to cut every single one of Misha's fingers right now"

That sobered you up.

"What? Kaz, are you serious? You have absolutely no reason to hurt him!"

"Don't I?" His voice was soft, dangerous, "What exactly makes you think he can put his hands on you and get to keep them?"

You rolled your eyes at your boss' intensity.

"Listen, Kaz, I know you protect your investments, but I promise you, Mish was not going to hurt me"

"If I thought he was going to hurt you, he wouldn't be still breathing"

"Then what-"

"HE DOESN'T GET TO TOUCH YOU" He bellowed, making you flinch. Inhaling, he collected himself before adding, more calmly, "No one does"

Your heart skipped a beat, faltering only to start galloping with a vengance. Hope was a very dangerous thing indeed…

"Why?"

"Y/N-"

"No. Tell me, Kaz, why can't Misha touch me?"

He sighed, all the fury, all the fire gone, something very close to defeat in his eyes as he asked,

"Do you want him to?"

You had never seen Kaz like that, you doubted anyone ever had. He wasn't dirtyhands in that moment, he wasn't the feared demon of the barrel. He looked young, vulnerable.

Honest.

And honesty was rare in Ketterdam, even rarer inside Kaz Brekker's office. You figured the least you could do was show him honesty in return.

"The one I want touching me isn't interested in that sort of thing" You tried for a nonchalant shrug but we're quite sure you fell short, the catch in your voice probably giving away how personal you took it, even tho you tried not to: You knew Kaz wasn't one for skin on skin contact in general, not just with you. You had seen it in the way he always hesitated for a fraction of a second before shaking hands to seal a deal, in the careful way he angled his body as to not bump into anyone in the crowded streets of the harbor, in the way he always held himself just a little further away from anyone than what was natural.

He squinted, giving you a look you knew and hated, it was the look he gave you whenever you couldn't guess where his plans were going, the one that suggested he thought you were being particularly daft.

"You think I don't want to touch you?"

There was no point in denying it, or pretend it wasn't him you were talking about, you knew he would see right through your bullshit. So you said nothing, bracing yourself for the brutal rejection no doubt was coming, for dirtyhands to murder the fragile dove of hope you were nurturing, cradling inside your chest, once and for all.

What he said instead caught you completely off guard.

"How?"

"Kaz?"

"You said you want me to touch you, how would you have me touching you?" He explained. You searched for the catch, the joke, the trick. You found none inside his blown pupils. "Bare handed, skin on skin? Or maybe-"

"No" You cut him short. The image didn't feel right, there was something just too raw, too exposed, about Kaz' pale hands stripped off their defences. "I… I want you just the way you are, Kaz," You confessed, and you were the one stripped defenceless, "armour and all"

Your eyes zeroed on his throat as he swallowed hard, a new determination straightening his back.

"Stay very, very still…"

Every single one of your muscles froze, locking into place, lids falling shut as you waited for his next move with bated breath. You could feel him, hovering over you, his warmth bathing every inch of your body through the few inches separating you. You splayed your hands on the cold wall behind you, trying to ground yourself, to not to get swept into his current, cause you felt you could disappear completely, mind, body and soul consumed by him. You wondered, not for the first time, if there wasn't some truth in the rumours that there was something inhuman, something demonic in him.

His breath was hot against your face, and you could almost feel his lips where they lingered above yours, barely a hair away. Your own parted involuntarily and you heard his quivering exhale.

You breathed him in.

Feeling more than hearing the growl that reverberated deep in his chest, you sank further into the wall, not trusting your legs to hold you up. No, not when his breaths were moving lower, caressing your jaw, your neck, the hollow of your throat, sending shivers down your spine, making every little hair on your body stand on end.

"K-kaz…"

"Don't move. Don't you dare to move."

You wouldn't, you couldn't.

You were rooted to the spot, like a willow as the hurricane crashed over it, as Kaz continued his exploration, nose buried into your hair as he greedily, hungrily Inhaled your scent.

There was a moment of panic as you felt him retreat, but it was short lived, as the cool night breeze suddenly hit your chest, indicating he had flicked undone the ribbon of your peasant blouse, baring you to his gluttonous stare. You hissed as he blew hot air on your nipples, first one, then the other, until they pebbled before his eyes, as you scratched the wall, leaving nail marks on his fine wallpaper.

The loss of his heat disoriented you, creaking of the floorboard letting you know he had taken a step back, the new distance a gelid ocean as cold and insurmountable as the Fjerdan sea. You took a moment to collect yourself, wondering if that was even possible when you had been undone brick by brick, in typical Brekker fashion, only to be built up and remade at his liking.

No one had ever owned you like Kaz Brekker had just done, without even touching you.

When you finally opened your eyes, he was already watching you, icy blues on fire as he took you in.

You looked thoroughly debauched, eyes alight with desire, cheeks flushed, half naked, fine layer of sweat covering the generous amount of skin on display.

But he looked just as wrecked as you, breathing just as hard, his usually impeccably styled hair falling over his eyes.

"As of this moment, you are completely off limits for every single dreg and crow out there" He declared, voice as demolished as you felt. You almost snorted, he might as well had declared you off limits for the whole of Ketterdam. "No one can touch you. Ever.

Not Jesper with his high fives, not Wylan with his hugs. No one. Or they will have me to answer to"

You nodded, because what was there to say? You were his, completely and irrevocably, and everybody knew Kaz Brekker didn't share.

"Come here" He said, eyes softening, deft fingers closing your top and tying the lace back together into a neat and delicate little bow far prettier than the ones you made.

Neither one of you said another word as you turned around and left, feeling Kaz' gaze still on you as a physical caress.

On jelly legs, you made your way back to the club, deciding to face the curious looks they would no doubt be sending your way head on. Better to get used to it, you thought. By dawn, you were sure the word would have spread beyond the club walls, to the Razor Gulls, and the Black Tips and what was left of the dime lions all the way through the fifth harbor.

By dawn, the entire city would have know your name: Y/N, the Untouchable.