#as if all those rushed game releases didn't taught us

[dreamer-from-elm-street]

Gamers will literally froth over graphic flaws and not enough pixels and everything glitching. Now imagine game devs half-assing their graphics via AI and then trying to rig that in game (which most definitely will look horrible and outright broken) You will pay the same amount of money on game that won't deliver anything of same quality as human-drawn/animated ones, just bc it was made fast

fuuuuuuuuck

[ar3s-r4t-qu33n]

My (Updated) Thoughts on Rush Week (Pre Release)

Um...

So I'm not super stoked-

Firstly, the matter of it being randomised and solo Q

I don't HATE this, but I do feel as though it could have been done differently. I wasn't around for Friday 13th the Game and from what I did see of that game, I didn't rate it. I didn't like the gameplay, the characters or the IP (I've never been a Jason girlie, I'm sorry 😞). So the fact that this is a reskin of that game doesn't really excite me.

Now, I personally play a lot of Solo Q Family AND Victim already, because the person I usually play with is kinda out of commission rn and I'm too shy to ask strangers to play with me 🧍 and I have to say, I haven't really enjoyed it. Family is easy, though since I play Sissy, I don't get a lot of kills or like... Much to do? I don't blood rush because that's really fucking annoying when Family do it, I don't go down to the basement every because it's just unfair, so I just kinda run around playing defence until I either run into someone or the game ends. I used to be quite good, but idk. Recently a lot of my passion for the game has gone down, which happens, it's just a bit disappointing personally, but that's a me problem. As for Victim... It has not been fun at all. I haven't escaped much at all since I started playing Solo Q, and I know I'm not "bad" at the game. I taught my friends to play, I used to get a fair few escapes playing on my own, but recently, I'm getting nowhere and it really sucks, especially getting got by Johnny in five swings as Maria 😒

At the same time, I understand that making it a SWF experience would absolutely lead to bulky squads. Like, it already can devolve into bullshit, having six people throwing shit at Johnny? It'd be awful. At the same time... Not even duos?? Like, they could ensure they wouldn't be Johnny and a Victim, it could be easily done, I'm sure. But 2 against 1 is nowhere near as bad as 4 or 6 against 1. And then the randomisation makes sense for this mode, I guess?? Because it did for F13, but it's not really my thing. It's personal, but I also can't really see how else they'd do it, lobbies would be ridiculous.

The Sorority Girls Being Nameless

Yeah... Absolutely not.

I couldn't quite articulate my feelings on this matter, but @/rlnzlers on Twitter actually said it in a way I completely agree with:

It feels fucking tacky!!!

The Slasher Genre has always been controversial. Not for anyone with a brain (sorry 😶); those of us who are media literate and old enough to like, understand very basic concepts can see that reality and fiction are different things. You can make a movie about Michael Myers going to town on some teens, and that doesn't make you responsible for teen murder stats. Even if someone said "I wanted to be Michael Myers", that's a personal choice on them and they clearly need help and should get that help. It is not, nor will it ever be, on the creator of a piece unless they literally actively say "Go forth! Murder the youth, my children!!!!"

But regardless, it's controversial to those who don't get it. And a lot of early Slashers, the inventors of the genre, made it so the victims of these kills were people. That's the whole point, it's a tragedy of these people being killed in brutal, cool ways and then someone fighting evil and, more often than not, surviving to see the sun. Hell, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre works so well because we get to know the characters pretty well before they're killed! I thought Kirk was a sweetie, and seeing him die first sucked!! And then slowly they're whittled down until only Sally remains and she's traumatised!!! Obviously, not every Slasher goes that way. There was a good few years of "everyone sucks and then they die in a sick ass way" in Slasher movies, but most people don't like those films. They don't feel good, they don't feel like anything. Its misery and gore for misery and gore's sake.

Not to mention how close to Ted Bundy Johnny already was, this attack on the Sorority House is making him even closer to him. And so the fact that the girls are nameless, soulless and have no history?

It's gross. I'm sorry, I find it gross.

There are implications to things. Crazy, I know. But seeing the love and care that went into the original 8 Victims, only for this group of girls who exist only to be cunty cosmetics for that side of the fan base who just want hot, skinny girls to play dress up with and "be the final girl" without any of the history or meaning behind the title..? It's gross. They don't even have names! They're just bodies for Johnny to kill, and they're all women!! Like I'm sorry, I'm not exactly stoked to see a character I really find interesting and love slash his way through a bunch of women.

"but Liz, he's a cannibal serial killer"

I fucking know that, thanks, but at the same time, there is room for nuance?? Like, Johnny stalks and kills girls. Why? What reason does he have? Why is Maria special and different to him enough to keep alive? Why is he still doing this five years later? It's more than "nooo not my blorbo! He would never!" He would, but not like this. Not in such a way that feels like a real life true crime case. Because it feels like I'm watching someone put on makeup and tell me about The Sorority Slashings of 1978, not a fun game where I get to either slash or escape. It's not fun watching soulless women in a university get brutalised. It's not fun watching anyone who exists purely to die get brutalised. It makes me uncomfortable in a way that Slashers typically avoid. And it makes me especially upset because the Devs have done such a good job at making the characters so interesting and tragic and alive up until now. Ana and Maria's story is amazing! The female Victims have all been incredibly compelling to learn about and play as, I love each and every one of them and hope that Maria is able to somehow survive.

Knowing that Rush Week is just "Johnny kills six girls at school"? I doubt it. I did hold out hope that maybe in some fucked up way, the pair would actually make it work, and he'd kill Nancy, they'd run off together and either he'd stop killing for her or he'd kill in secret to get his feelings out and come home to her at the end of the day. I think it's more than clear now that Maria dies at the Slaughter House. Which really sucks, not only because she's our "Definitive Final Girl", but because I think it makes a much better story where she gets to live. But again, that's an opinion, everyone is entirely entitled to want the story to go whichever way they think it should, it's the Dev's decision in the end.

Idk. I'll give it a shot when it comes out, but they would have to release something AMAZING on that Content Pass for me to buy it for the early access. And I am excited to hear about what's happened post the main game!! We only know about Spring 1973, August 1973 and then 1986, there's so much time in between for stuff, especially with Johnny and Sissy and where they go once the Massacre in Newt is over. But I am more than disappointed that the direction the Devs have gone in is simultaneously fan-service-y towards (imo) some of the worst demographic (girlie on TikTok who want to play dress up with cunty outfits that aren't even period appropriate and are fatphobic to Julie, Maria and fucking Bubba because the worst thing you can be in the WORLD is not ozempic skinny, apparently), and does so in a way that gives us nothing but a shitty F13 reskin. We don't even have new characters, we have new blank slates to put whatever we want over. So many people have said if they wanted the fans to make their own lore, they could have incorporated a small character creation mode, but they haven't. And might I just add that we're also getting more characters of colour finally, but that they are also nameless bodies for Johnny to kill?

Idk. It's tacky and I don't like it. I'll give it a shot when it comes out for free, but I can't see it being my thing. I hope for the rest of you, you really enjoy it and I REALLY hope that Johnny gets some good fucking lore in this mode, but I'm not holding my breath, unfortunately.

And like, please tell me what y'all think!! I'm more than willing to have a conversation about this (so long as people are civil and polite ofc)!!!

[indigosabyss]

Writeathon Roundup Week 4

The second-last week! I was planning on working through my backlog of personal projects from here, but I recently got contacted by a bunch of different people asking for comms <33333 so I changed tracks to focus on those instead.

Luckily, I finished up Being Polite Is A Crime Now? and The 37 Century Conspiracy before the rush of orders, so they're complete.

Here's the overall summary:

Words Written: 19,614 Total Words of Fanfic: 930,209

Next week will be the last week of daily streams, after which I will do a biweekly schedule (with one day committed to crossovers and the other to standalones) so come by on Twitch if you want!

Start Time for 8 to 14 July: 12 PM GMT+5 (2 AM EST or 12 AM PST)

as always, under the cut are the fics I worked on this week.

Commissions | Patreon | Ko-fi

Commissions:

Playing A Mean Game [T, 18k+]

Three months ago, Monica Rambeau sealed up the Incursion, with her on the other side. Tired of waiting, Kamala gathered up the Quantum Bands and brute forced her way through the Noor to get to her side. Except she gets deposited in a world that's almost exactly like the sixties of her own world. With the addition of a group of people she definitely would have remembered. Erik was just trying to stop Schmidt from getting his hands on another kid like him. He didn't take into account that he would have to keep an eye on her after that.

It's Not An Odyssey If You Don't Know Where You're Going [T, 5k+]

From a very young age, Stede Bonnet had displayed rather uncanny abilities. It started with the relentless harassment he had faced from his peers, whose rough shoves resulted in many skinned knees and purpling bruises. All of which disappeared in less than minutes. Of course, as a child, it never occurred to him that this was unusual. The glowing was more of a concern. On the oceans, he was free of judgement for his proclivities. But there was still plenty to be feared about the ichor that ran through his veins. So he kept quiet. Until he met another like him. Blackbeard, Edward Teach, and - few people knew this - son of Charybdis. Yes, like the sea monster.

Untitled Marvel Comm

not giving much details about this project. just know i've written 3k for it at this point.

Untitled Percy Jackson v Triton Comm

more info will be given upon its release, like the one above.

Funny I Should Meet You Here [N/A, 5k+]

Ryuusui met Senku when they were kids in elementary school. But after Ryuusui changed schools, they grew apart, their paths never to cross again. Until the Petrification Wave came, and thirty seven hundred years passed. Leading to Senku arriving at the land where the Nanami Academy used to stand. Two friends reunite. And buried feelings bloom into something new.

Personal Projects:

Being Polite Is A Crime Now? [T, 8k+]

There were plenty of peculiar children who passed through the halls of the Konohan Orphanage. Minato had often been told that he was one such peculiar child, with his prodigious talent and excessive shyness. Even if he was, Minato was certain there was no one stranger than the kid a few years younger than him. Incredibly adept at melting into the background, good with knives in every way that didn't involve killing, and stubbornly set on manners and propriety that could not have been taught to them, Suz- Francois was always different. No one could have predicted how different, until they deserted. And left havoc in their wake, just for doing that job.

"I Will Always..." [G, 8.5k]

Byakuya hadn't exactly planned on becoming a father. He felt more like he owed it to the memory of his friend to take Senku in. But Senku was an incredible kid. Clever and enthusiastic and resourceful and yet still needing a guiding hand to stop him from doing things that would probably end with him getting killed. And between stargazing and bleach, microscopes and marker ink, model rocket launches and actual astronaut training, Byakuya really started to believe that he could do this. Then the green light. Of course he was out of harm's way, safe in the ISS. But Senku- Well, there was always hope. He would always hope.

[yutanology]

Promise Me | Yandere! Nakamoto Yuta X Fem!Reader

Warning : 18+, possessive, foul behaviours, sexual content(nothing biggie), mental illness, death, etc. No proofread. Please, don't be too harsh on me. I'm still new and this is my first ever one shot/fanfiction here :)

Word count : 2.4k+

"Could you just stop?" Y/n whisper shouted at her seatmate who had been bothering her since this morning.

It's not like this is new to her or to anyone in their class but today, he seemed to be more clingy and touchy than he usually was and she found it quite unusual.

By the time she stepped into the school campus this morning, he abandoned his game with his friends on the soccer field just to greet her with his dashing smile and a nice warm hug.

She didn't mind it at first as she was already used to it but when she thought he's going to leave her alone after that, he followed her around instead like a lost puppy. She could almost see a furry tail happily wagging behind him.

Everywhere she goes, he's there right beside her. Either his hands were holding hers or his arms were wrapped around her lower waist. Some people were jealous or happy when they thought they're finally officially together and when someone questioned their relationship, Y/n would immediately respond saying they're just friends while Yuta would say otherwise, leaving them confused.

He was still attached to her during her classes and even ditched his just to be with her. The teachers could only sigh in defeat and shake their head. They knew that whatever they say, there's nothing they can do to make the stubborn guy follow their orders.

At the end, he'd always get what he wants.

The Japanese boy glanced at her side profile. His head was laying on top of his other hand. Seeing her brows furrowed irritatedly, he stopped for a moment before continuing to twirl a few strands of her silky hair between his long fingers.

It doesn't look like he has any plans of keeping his hands to himself at all. She'd been trying to get rid of him for countless times and she failed with all of those useless attempts. She's so close of getting angry at him but she doesn't want to lash out on him and seem like a bad person.

With her another sigh passing through her soft reddish lips, she looked at the clock on the wall. ‘Just five minutes more, Y/n. Just a little more patience, you can do it.’ she tried to convince herself. By those five minutes, she let Yuta play with her hair.

When the school bells rang and echoed around the campus, she immediately fixed her things and rushed out of the classroom before the teacher could even dismiss them. The corridors are already crowded and she could only hope that Yuta wouldn't be able to follow after her this time.

She decided to go to the restroom and stayed there until she was certain that Yuta's nowhere around her. He's really acting weird and she couldn't understand why. Whenever she asked what's wrong with him, he'd always say the same thing like 'I'm fine. It's all in your mind.’

His gaze, the way he looks at her also felt different this time. She felt something uneasy somewhere in the pit of her stomach or maybe there's something wrong with 𝘩𝘦𝘳. Maybe she's just overthinking way too much since that's what she always do mostly when she doesn't get enough sleep and she stayed up late last night.

That's right... these shit are all just in her head.

She released an exhausted sigh and turned the faucet on to wash her face, hoping that it would also wash her frustrations away. She reached for a handkerchief from her bag and wiped her face dry as she made her way out of the comfort room.

Her heart almost jumped out of her ribs when she found Yuta standing just a single step from the exit. She gasped and her hand immediately flew to her chest in surprise. "Yah! Stop scaring me like that!" she yelled and he only chuckled in amusement.

"I've been waiting for you. What took you so long?" he asked her, locking his hand on hers as he lead her to the canteen. Eyes of the people they passed by were immediately on them like they're more interesting than the lessons that their teachers taught them.

"Wait, why were you waiting for me?" confusion was evident on her face.

"So we can eat together for lunch, of course. Come on, we don't have all the time. Classes are going to start after forty minutes." he casually said, pulling her closer to him when they walked passed a group of boys and he didn't fail to notice the way they looked at Y/n.

He didn't like it, not even a bit.

Y/n seriously couldn't count how many times she sighed at how she always end up letting Yuta do whatever he wanted to do with her. From the simple hand holds to sudden random kisses that he pepper on her face. No matter how hard she tried to push him off, he'd always stick himself even more closer to her.

It was like that for the passed weeks and it was honestly so tiring as hell. Yuta just won't leave her alone even when she goes to the restroom, he would insist to wait outside the cubicle that she had to push him away and lock the main door of the room.

She could barely talk to other people peacefully as he would shoo them away immediately and ask them to leave her alone. It was so frustrating and she's getting fed up of his unexplained foolish practices.

She's well aware that the guy likes her more than just a friend and she also can't deny that she's attracted to him but these behaviours of his are just too much for her.

The said dirty blonde haired Japanese guy was sitting closely beside her, his chin rested on her right shoulder as he watched her turn pages of the book that she's reading. He wasn't paying attention to the words written on the dead leaves. His eyes stared at her small hands, wondering how they would feel like around his cock—

"Yuta." the guy's ears perked up when she said his name. Snaking his arms around her waist, he pulled her to his chest and planted a kiss on her neck. Her cheeks heated at the unexpected skin contact but she tried her best to ignore the butterflies that he's giving her.

She's planning to finally confront him and she had to make him stop whatever he's doing cuz it's no fun at all. It's not entertaining and she's not amused at all. "Yuta." he hummed, his kisses getting wet and he started to graze his teeth on her skin, lightly nibbling on them until he finally bit hard enough to leave a mark.

A whimper tried to escape her mouth but she's fast enough to bite her lower lip, trapping the sound until it disappeared on it's own. He was disappointed when she didn't make any sound for him, thinking that he didn't do well enough to make her feel good so he ran the tip of his tongue on her neck.

His hot minty breath heated her skin and tingles spread around her body when he blew her sensitive ear, nibbling her earlobe and placing a kiss on one of her flushed cheeks. His hands wandered under her blouse, caressing the side of her hips with his thumb.

He slowly dragged his large hands up under her breasts and just when he was about to touch them, Y/n pulled away from him. A low whine and groan simultaneously erupted from him, complaining at the lose of skin contact from her.

Y/n looked around the library if someone saw them and she was thankful that no one was there but only them. She straightened her blouse, closing the book and stood up. "Where are you going?" he also stood up from his seat, ready to follow her wherever she's going.

She didn't answer him. She slung one of her bag's strap on her shoulder, walking away with the book and placed it back to where she took it. Yuta was quick to keep up with her steps, confused of why she was suddenly in a hurry.

When they finally got out of the library, she stopped at the nearby bleachers where students barely pass by and turned to him with an exasperated sigh, "Yuta, seriously, what's wrong with you?" the way she questioned him came out more stressed out than how she wanted it to be.

Yuta blinked his eyes a few times as if he's trying to figure out what she meant. "What do you mean, what's wrong with me? I'm totally fine. Are you okay?" it was his turn to ask her, walked close to her and placed a hand on her forehead.

"Are you sick? You don't seem fine to me. Let me take you to the clinic—"

"Yuta, stop." she stepped away from him before he could even hold her hand. He halted, his brows met as his eyes stared at her worryingly.

"Stop whatever you're doing to me and please, leave me alone. I also need some time for myself and other people around me, alright? You can't keep me from interacting with anyone. This is honestly suffocating, Yuta. We can't keep doing this."

He felt like his heart shattered into tiny pieces. His chest tightened and his airways narrowed, making him unable to breath properly. Without him knowing, tears were already streaming down his cheeks.

Y/n was taken aback at this, immediately feeling guilty for making him cry. She didn't expect him to be this emotional for his appearance.

"Look, I'm sorry but—"

"D-don't you love me anymore, Y/n?" He didn't let her finish her words, leaving her speechless at the question.

Her mouth left agape, struggling to find the right words to tell him. "Did you find someone else better than me that's why you're planning to leave me, is that it?" more salty water poured out of his eyes.

"Yuta, w-what are you talking about? We're not in a relationship to begin with."

"Then let's be together officially! Just you and me, Y/n. I'll do anything just to be with you. I promise, I'll be the best boyfriend you'll ever have. I'll give you everything you want—" he held her arms, "—just promise me I'll be the only one you'll ever love and want to be with. Promise me, Y/n. Promise me!"

Yuta secured his arms around her, holding onto her desperately. Scared that if he lets go, he might lose her. He can't let that happen. Like what he said, he'll do whatever it takes just to have her.

All for himself.

"Y-you have to promise me, Y/n."

Her head was clouded with a lot of thoughts. She was barely thinking straight and her emotions also messed up with her. She really likes Yuta. The increasing speed of her heartbeat and the butterflies flying around her stomach with euphoria whenever she's with him didn't lie at all but it felt wrong.

These feelings didn't feel right.

She pulled herself away from him and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Yuta..." that was all she said before she left him without even looking back at him.

She had no idea how it broke him and how it made him do things that a normal person wouldn't do. He saw nothing but red after she disappeared from his sight. Everyone who tried to touch or talk to her the next day suddenly disappeared, a minute after they left somewhere else.

At first, she didn't think much about it until the number of people disappearing quickly increased and made everyone alarmed. All schools around the place were forced to close for a moment and people were told to stay at home with tight security to keep them safe.

Everyone was scared including Y/n, of course.

It made her so anxious that she could barely sleep at night. One morning, a knock on her door echoed around her silent apartment and she panicked, quickly hiding on her bedroom.

She almost peed her pants in fear when the knocking and ringing of doorbells continued for minutes. Her phone went off on her nightstand and she ran to it. Yuta's calling.

Without a second thought, she answered it with trembling voice. "Y-yuta..."

"Y/n, are you okay? Please open your door for me, I have to make sure you're safe. I'm the one outside your house."

And that was all it took for him to be with her. Make her scared to be outside, convince her that everyone is dangerous and he's the only one who can protect her.

Whenever he goes outside to buy food and other necessities for the both of them, he'd always return with a small cut or bruises and it made Y/n scared that she might lose him too.

He's all she had left.

He made her thought of that. He's all and everything she could ever need. She'd be nothing without him.

"Do you love me?" he asked and she nodded silently.

"If you really do, promise me that you'll love me and only me, Y/n. I wanna hear it from you." Yuta looked at her straight in the eyes when he said those words.

"I promise." his heart raced inside his chest.

A smile stretched out on his plump lips. "I love you, Y/n. So much than you could ever imagine." He meant it. He always had and always will. He leaned his body closer to her, locking his lips with hers and they moved in sync.

This is paradise to him.

He couldn't explain how much happy he's right now. With her here in his arms, it's the only place where she's safe. He watched her drift off to sleep, he kissed her forehead when her eyes finally closed.

He could look at her like this forever. The love bites that he painted on her skin looks so beautiful. She's like the most beautiful painting he'd ever seen and she deserve to be placed on his art gallery but she's only for him to be looked at.

He sighed dreamily as he continued to press more kisses on her neck. He successfully made her love him. There's nothing he could ask for, now that her naked body is already tangled with him under their soft blanket.

He could only hope that she'd keep her words and stay true to him.

Feedbacks are pretty much appreciated and requests are open! Feel free to share your thoughts!

I will not always be active but I will try my best to attend each of your requests and to also interact with y'all.

I apologize for not being word-perfect in English. English sadly ain't for me—

[fulgursmediaanalysisdrama]

Ok freezing enemies, fine by me whatever

But a whole dungeon based on controlling water flows with switches and creating temporary platforms using ice magic shouldn't suddenly break its theme and make you *permanently* control a waterflow using ice magic.

Like what's the point of it being temporary everywhere else? Also there's the fact that there's already a permanent mechanic to control water flows called locking switches that was well established early into the dungeon

This just isn't what I'd try first, I only did it because I decided these aren't puzzles and that trial and error is the way. Trial and error being the best solution means you did a bad, because there's no clues and this is only acceptable for the exploration stage. I was past that, I had seen every accessible room and every accessible tool.

Apart from the nonsense that this is a whole waterfall I shot at that then decided to only freeze at the top, when things generally get bigger upon being frozen as established by the game itself, this still doesn't match the general mechanics and applications the game has taught you ice magic is for. And it doesn't encourage you to deviate generally, as everything you can't solve in general comes witha handy perfect solution later that makes you not have to think about it. At least if it an object based obstacle unlike say the Anju Kafei quest where nothing is obvious even after you obtain the means.

This game hates itself

The only good thing I have to say is that I don't need to recollect the zora eggs, I think (I hope)

Also, about the hookshot/pirate hideout, I wish we hadn't gotten the same dialogue and cutscene every time you need to have a fight. The fourth time should've been the last time and stated to be final. Unless there's a fifth fight and that's why there is a chest surrounded by guards that seems unreachable (haven't tried, I rather wanted to progress. And like with most chests that have a small challenge attached to it, well what's it gonna be anyhow 20 rupees? Worthless, make it a heart piece and I'll care. In dungeons you can be lucky and it's a fairy.)

Fairies are also something that sucks in the water temple, because there's barely any room to wear the fairy mask. And even when there is, you want to have two items ready to use and those are the zora mask and some arrows or the hookshot. Two masks sucks and constantly switching out the Zora mask does too.

Yeah yeah there's the I and II buttons to hotkey the mask to but they're awkward and shitty. The good thing about the x and y hotkeys is ease of use and comfortability. This game didn't make good use of the 3DS and its mechanics at all

So many games did it better, and this being a remake for a stronger console with better options and flexibility. Damn. Majoras Mask the original having these flaws is understandable and acceptable, kind of the developers being rushed to shit out a game in a year is a Nintendo and Capitalism L and just cruel, but after and potentially even before the original games with similar mechanics made better use of buttons and practical design. A whole lot did before the remake. At that point it's looking to the past for easy guidance, you didn't even have to do much if any work yourself just copy paste the good ideas, and you failed to do that.

Screams cheap cash grab, but also that's how I'd describe essentially every new big game nowadays so. Especially Nintendo releases

Maybe I need to accept the fact that games are for children and the times of video games as art are over. Or maybe never truly were there, based on how restricted the industry is by capital and promises of growth.

Like all mediums and art it thrives the most on the least direction and mandated elements.

This is is why essentially all big name publisher mangas and animes and books and movies and even audiobooks that aren't remakes suck. Sometimes they don't suck if it's webcomic adaptions or such, and the authors intent and everything is largely left intact.

Though this could also just give us more fifty shades movie types, where a horrible piece of art gets adapted but because the original author is such a piece of shit any attempts to change and improve and adapt to fit the medium is met by hostility and childish refusal ending in something terrible.

And then the female directors get replaced in favor of a man to put some more macho in it, that always makes it better right?

Oops, sorry, we turned Christian Grey from flawed and awful but just a human trying to figure out healthy relationships and cope with trauma to "rawr, me sexy man trying to kill you in the bedroom. Ain't that hot? Please look at my muscles, if you don't like them it means you're a bitch and I'll not kill myself because I've lost all personal development I had and my past trauma doesn't exist anymore. That's just something that happened that made me a misogynist but didn't affect me at all otherwise."

Hot take, but after replaying it again I think Majoras Mask kinda sucks

The three day time limit feature does not aid it very well, the game is too large making the time insufficient, but the time is also too much and too long for you to wait out the times where you can do nothing not even explore.

The bombers handbook is kinda helpful, but the timeframes given in it are unhelpful without clear objectives. And all objectives are purposely unclear. I know I can always run back to the Sheikah stone, but I wanna be able to play the game not have another Rotomdex. At least the handbook notes when something is finished, but mostly I wanna reset my days quick which just seems like a waste of time. Generally I don't appreciate having quests split into three parts separated by nothing but waiting, unless you know what else to do. I'm sure if you know everything that's to do and how the game is quite satisfying to optimize, but figuring it out is awful for me. I never finished it as a kid after getting stuck with the Gorons

The map is horrible to navigate, large and mostly useless. You can't even find hints for when exactly to come back later to get into inaccessible areas.

The Witch in the woods requires a healing item, but there's no way to gain any heals.

All the minigames are frustrating to outright unfair, even beyond the waiting to do all three instances of them element, like at least don't make me do them on the same cycle if you can give me the handbook without catching the bombers a second time already. The bombchu one sucks and is unskillful as the bombchus can just veer off and move randomly, the fishing one is useless, the deku one with the moving platforms is hard to practice burns through your money fast as the 3D isn't great so it's easy to miss platforms as you don't cast a shadow on the stones. And it's not just time intensive through retries or like all the other games because it suffers from not giving more money than you earn so you have to keep farming but your rupee bag is also small so you can't carry many tries and- but also because its gameplay is waiting. Waiting is never good gameplay, it makes tedious tasks full of trial and error feel even slower than they already are, and once again this one is already hard to practice. Falling down would mean the end even without the time restriction, it does not make much sense to pretend like it's carnival game where you have a loss condition. The loss condition is not getting the time, you need to play again.

And the one with the "maze" of walls that move up and down. Terribly disorienting, you end up boxed in by three walls all the time and if you ever need to backtrack it means you've lost, the timers to short and there's no strategy to employ. (Yes hugging the wall and always turning the same way, like any other maze, but that's too slow you can't finish this way)

Another thing is I have notes about when to speak to Anju, but I can't. She doesn't react.

I have info about that madams missing son, I don't have info for her because apparently the only info will be having found him? I have been given a deadline but I can't interact with him in that deadline despite having talked to any npc I can find with the mask on. Including the shopowner of the place where he's hiding.

I can't reach any spirit, I can't reach any dungeon, nothing. Idk maybe I can use the bombs in the ice area? But that one had the strongest enemies, it should be last, haven't yet tried this though.

I've been playing for 6-7 hours, I should be much further, like fr it sucks. There's no wonder, no fun, it's just bad. Nothing I have "figured out" so far has felt smart, it's definitely not challenging and it doesn't feel rewarding. The most fun I had so far was getting the heartcointainers from trade quests and such, because they didn't waste time beyond the actions I had to take and aren't limited to very specific time frames or other anti-gameplay-limitations

I'll come back if I find a dungeon and they're better. Or worse, then I'll come back too.

I don't think playing the ds version matters, I can only think of upsides the different hardware would have. And I will not purchase a GameCube just to reexperience this game

[yandere-wishes]

Sweet Blood // Yandere!Vampier! Malleus Draconia x reader//

There had always been an eerie atmosphere surrounding Night Raven. The elevated edifice along with the ghoulish woods that surrounded it had been outcasted from the luminous tiny villages and civilizations that occupied the same land.

Inside the laws of life itself seemed to be mangled and tormented, giving birth to a monstrous manner of existence. The entire student body seemed to be living double lives that they themselves were not aware of. Their form of speech, comportment, socializing and the methodology that was taught, differed vastly from those of the exterior world.

This had left you pondering most restless nights as to how someone as ordinary as yourself had been permitted to attend such a surreal school.

The night began like any other, the moon hung in the onyx tapestry of the sky, shining rays through the large glass windows littering the hall walls. The sound of mysterious hooting and chirping filling the night with only a slight sense of livelihood.

You rushed down the noir passageways to your first class. Feet hitting the navy tiles in a fast-paced tempo. Your mind was scattered, lungs heavy and heart even heavier. Never did you notice the large crack in the flooring. Toe boxing slipping between the parted marble, you crashed knees and palms first onto the hard, cold tiles. Pain shot through your body, skin tore away freeing an oozing red liquid. Salty tears pricked at the corners of your pretty eyes. Shaking you brought yourself to rest on your bruised knees, staring down fearfull at the wide-ranging gashes on your flooded palms.  You were about to start crying when you heard footsteps stopping in front of you, through glossy eyes you looked up and the mysterious person.

Malleus Draconia a third year and dorm leader of the ever-mysterious Diasomnia stared back down at you. Murky emerald green eyes were fixed on your red palms in a dazed and feral manner. He slowly, almost predatory crunched down to your level, He gripped your right wrist tightly digging his black nails into your tender, soft flesh. Yanking it closer to his mouth he began to lap at the blood with his tongue. With a trembling airy noise leaving your mouth, you attempted to squirm and wriggle out of this tight grasp.

"Stop" he demanded, lifting his eyes for a millisecond to send you a warning glare.

When you didn't heed and continued your feeble attempt to free yourself, he grabbed the collar of your uniform and roughly dragged you closer to his chest. Incaging you between his free arm and knees. Your tears began to flow again, not at the stinging pain but at the unorthodox thing he was doing to you. Minutes flew by like hours as you remain trapped, close to the dragon boy.

"Malleus-sama where are you? The class has already begun!"

Finally you though, never had Lilila's voice sounded so sweet to your ears. He quickly jogged up to your capturer and tugged on his shoulder.

"Come on already" The "older" fae whined.

Reluctantly Malleus released you as you melted to the floor a shacking sobbing mess. Lilia couldn't have cared less and simply walked away only looking over his shoulder to note if Malleus had pursued or not.

His shadow never left you and ever so quietly he whispered "Your blood tastes to fresh and sweet...I want more". He then walked over to where his companion was tapping his foot and huffing impatiently.

Despite how preternatural the school's atmosphere may have been, it couldn't have been as terrorizing as it was now. Everywhere you went you caught a glimpse of raven-colored hair and even darker horns following you. You'd also began to note a presence in your room in the dead of night. Something was watching you as you attempted to fall into slumber. In the afternoons when you'd wake up, your body seemed to be littered with small puncture wounds or scrapes. Everywhere except your neck.

Mozes prattled about some war which happed only forever ago between the four branches of dark fairies when they'd first immigrated to the "human world". You could practically feel your brain melting in boredom. How you longed for that sweet-sounding bell to simply ring, but once.

A poke to your back jolted you out of your thoughts. You spun around to find Silver handing you're a letter with a dark green seel. His expression was one of boredom, eyes fixed on the professor and not bothering to address you. Blinking, you slowly plucked the letter from his outstretched hand.

"What's this for?" You asked curiosity lacing your voice.

"Don't know~" Silver paused letting out a long yawn. "Don't care"

You shot him a quick glare before turning back in your seat. Carefully you cracked open the seal letting little crumbs fall onto your lap.

Gliding the letter out you began to read.

Dearest (Y/N)~

I deeply apologize for my eccentric behavior in the hallway yesterday. You'd find that I'm not habitually so idiosyncratic. As a means to repent, I would be delighted if you were to accept my invitation to dinner tonight in the Diasmonia dorm.

Sincerely yours~ Malleus Draconia (Dorm leader of Diasmonia)

Your heartbeat quicked as you put down the letter. Was that maniac serious why would you accept his invitation after the stunt he'd pulled. No no, this was too much no way in hades where you going to that cursed dorm to meet with the diabolical man.

After the bell had finally rung, you began to walk to the exit. Planning on just relaxing in your dorm room. As you stride towards the door, a string hand rapidly wrapped around your wrist and pulled you forward. Tracing the arm to its owner you quickly noticed that it belonged to Silver.

"Silver what the heck! Let me go now!"

The silver-haired boy didn't even acknowledge you. The more you tugged attempting to liberate your arm the tighter and tighter his grip got.

Had Diasomnia always been so far? It seemed to take you and Silver hours just to get there. After what only felt like hours of walking did the gothic noir castle. The hulking oak doors seemed to open on their own once they spotted Sliver. He didn't stop, he continued tugging you up a flight of stairs not bothering to address you even as you tipped and tumbled.

Finally, he led you into a large room. It seemed over-decorated and rather victorian to say the least. A thick sadness loomed in the room, manifesting itself in tiny dust particles covering every inch of the room... except a jet black dress with neon green details that laid lifeless on the king-sized canopy bed.

"That's yours" Silver gestured to the dress with a lazy smirk" I'm sure he'll like it". With that, he spun on his heels and marched out.

When the door slammed behind him you quickly rushed to the window. Ready to jump out, you suddenly noticed how high up you were. Muttering curses under your breath you walked over to the bed. Slumping on it you glared at the dress. "What in god's name is going on?"

Finding no other immediate solution you reluctantly through on the dress. Brushed your hair and knocked on the door. Silver pushed in open permitting you to exist.

"Malleus-sama is waiting for you on the fifth floor in the dining room." Monotonous as always.

You practically ran up the stairs taking them two by two. The sooner you found Malleus the sooner this nightmare would be over. When you finally reached the top of the velvet cover stairs you say the green-eyed boy waiting for you outside of an open room. You quickly jogged up to him.

"Malleus what is the meaning--"

He left, slowly walking into the room. An action practically ordering you to follow. Entering the room you quickly noted the lavish and immense dining table. It was covered by a pitch-black table cloth. And yet no food there was simply a golden jewel oriented cup.

"What's the point of going to such extravagance to invite me to dinner if there isn't anything to eat" You questioned, crossing your arms over your chest and glaring at the raven-haired boy.

"My, my how rude you are little beastie. I go to such troubles to make this meal enjoyable for you as well and you speak to me in such a manner?" His brows frowned and lips split into an easy smirk.

"Yes, Malleus you are supposed to make an evening entertaining and enjoyable when you invite guests over. That the whole point of a dinner party." Was he so clueless?

"Guest? My whatever gave you the inkling that you were to be my guest?"

Your mind rushed back to the letter, re-reading it and trying to find some clue as to what he was saying. "You apologized for your rube and frankly nauseating performance yesterday!" At this point you where fuming how the dare he treats you as such was this all a game to him.

"Humans aren't very bright now, are they? The letter was a formal apologie yes, I don't usually treat my food in such a foul manner. Then again I'm mostly used to attacking my meals."

You slowly stepped back preparing to make a run for the door. Food, was he planning on eating you? Was he truly a sick psycho as you'd previously suspected? As you began to turn, he quickly lunged towards you, causing you to fall whilst he hovered above you.

He opened his mouth teeth began to grow sharper and sharper until they were practically miniature knives in his mouth.

"What- what are you?" Fear soaked your voice, the room began to spin. Your leg hurt so badly, there surely must be something broken.

Malleus shook his head, eyes locking with yours. "Dear (Y/n) I'm no different than any other creature in this school, we are all bloodthirsty, no difference there".

Slowly things began to fall into place. That's why they were so different so peculiar. The ideologies and behavior in this school were so monstrous because they were monsters!

His teeth slowly descended onto your neck, pocking and cracking the delicate flesh. It felt like thousands of needles being plunged into your skin simultaneously. Pain coursed through your neck traveling at lighting speeds to your arms and legs and every other inch of your being.

"Malleus stop please it- it hurts" you whimpered.

He pulled back to stare at you, bright crimson dripped from between his fangs, spilling over your dress and his clothes. Carelessly he wiped the back of his sleeve over his mouth.

"(Y/n) you should be thanking me! Not complaining so much! You'd be dead by now if I hadn't deemed you worthy of being my blood bank." He was furious pale face turning ever so slightly red.

"I'm not food Malleus! You aren't permitted to keep me!" You screamed tears flowing from your eyes and voice cracking.

"I can do whatever I please with a useless human such as your self! I'm eternal I rule over the night. You and your kind are nothing more than overly selfconscious monkeys."

His fingers wrapped around your neck and slammed your head down.

"I own you (Y/N) you are mine to feed off of, mine to do with as I please, YOU ARE MINE".  

[bifinmediasres]

Alex didn't have the best family life, despite being a amazing parent, he fears turning into them.

Zeb walked into the bunk room to see Alex slowly rocking a sleeping Jacen back and forth. The infant had been colicky lately and Alex was one of the few people who could get him to sleep. Currently he was singing softly, some song Zeb had never heard before, and it had done the trick of getting Jacen to calm down enough to sleep.

After Alexsandr had laid Jacen down in the crib in his nursery Zeb asked him about the song, "Never heard that song before, come to think of it, never heard you sing before," Zeb mused.

Alexsandr laughed softly coming to sit next to Zeb on their bed, "Well that's because generally I can't. But that song is special. It was first sung to me when I was Jacen's age by my grandmother."

Zeb's brow furrowed, "Why do you never talk about her? Or anything about your childhood for that matter?"

A pained expression crossed Alexsandr's face and he swallowed before answering, "There's very little about my childhood that makes for a good story I'm afraid. And it all died with my grandmother when I was very young." He hung his head and Zeb immediately regretted starting this conversation.

" 'm sorry Sasha. I didn't-" here Alex cut him off.

"You didn't know. Precisely why you shouldn't apologize," he took hold of Zeb's hand saying, "Suffice to say there are parts of my upbringing that give me serious pause about ever being able to be a good parent."

Zeb didn't mean to scoff. But that idea was completely ridiculous to him. Anyone who watched Alexsandr with Jacen could see Alex had what appeared to be an innate sense when it came to what the boy needed.

He tried reminding Alexsandr of this only to be waved off, "Caring for an infant is completely different than the responsibilities of parenting. It's merely meeting needs." As if on cue they heard a cry coming from the nursery. Alex immediately stood to go check on Jacen and Zeb followed.

Nothing appeared to be wrong so Alexsandr merely tried to sooth the boy by patting him softly and beginning to sing again. In a few minutes he'd calmed down and was drifting off to sleep.

Alexsandr bent down and whispered, "I do love you you know." He couldn't be sure if it was in response or just a reflex but Jacen gripped his finger tightly.

Zeb watched from his position next to Alex and whispered, "What was that about not being a good parent?" Alexsandr smiled softly but didn't answer.

As Jacen grew the bond he had with his uncles only became stronger, especially where Alexsandr was concerned. Jacen followed his Unca Sasa everywhere and told everyone who would listen about his smart and strong uncle. While the attention made Alex shrink slightly he inwardly he was thrilled that the little boy looked up to him. He hoped he could be worthy of the level of adoration shown him.

Because even now in the back of his mind was the thought that his relationship with Jacen was a fluke, that he was bound to mess up irreparably. And that's how he continued to operate. He was so convinced of this eventuality, he failed to see what effect it was having on his other relationships.

This came to a head one evening as he and Zeb were getting ready for bed. Undoing the buckles of his jumpsuit Zeb asked, "You wanna get married?"

Alexsandr had to steady himself where he stood trying to slip off his boots, "Was that a proposal? Because if it was it was incredibly lacking."

"Lacking how?" Zeb asked before shaking his head, "Wait no, it wasn't a propo- hold on are you saying if it was you'd say no because I did it wrong?"

Alexsandr laughed, "My answer stays the same regardless," he locked eyes with Zeb, "Yes unequivocally yes. In any circumstances in any alternate realities."

Zeb smiled and straightened momentarily, "Good." Silence stretched between them for a few minutes after that.

"So," Alexsandr began, "if it wasn't a proposal..."

"Right!" Zeb remembered sudden where he'd been headed, "I know what you've said before, but do you think when we are married you would ever want kids?"

Alexsandr sank onto the bed releasing all the air in his lungs slowly, "Zeb I" he stopped and shook his head, "I don't think I can answer that question right now."

Zeb crossed the room and knelt in front of Alex taking his hands, "And you absolutely don't have to decide right now. There's no rush."

Alexsandr attempted a smile, "Children is something you want though yes?"

Zeb moved to sit on the floor in front of Alex. He looked up into Alex's eyes and spoke softly, "I want you. Forever, whatever that looks like. Married, not married. Two kids, twenty. Kriff we could just have a spare room for Ezra and I'd be content. All I need is you Sasha."

Alexsandr found he couldn't speak for a moment but when he found his voice it was to say, "I love you Garazeb."

Zeb rose to his knees and leaned forward capturing Alexsandr's lips with his. Breaking apart Zeb grinned, "Still no pressure, but for whatever it's worth I think you'd make a wonderful parent."

"As would you my Zeb," Alexsandr smiled before kissing him again.

Several years later saw Zeb and Alex married and as luck would have it they did become parents. From his first days of parenthood their children knew nothing but love and care from Alexsandr. He was every bit the doting father he was afraid he couldn't be. He and Zeb routinely got pulled into the imaginary worlds of their children's games and neither ever hesitated to play the wayward jedi knight or the fearsome rancor.

They both attempted to be the disciplinarian but neither enjoyed it. Yelling at his children made Alex feel terrible. That voice in the back of his mind always piped up telling him he was turning into exactly what he didn't want to be. He tried to reason that teaching his children right from wrong was necessary and yelling didn't mean he was angry with them. Still the voice persisted, and even though he tried not to let them show his doubts only grew the older his children got.

Zeb did his best to banish those thoughts of inadequacy from Alexsandr's mind. He constantly reinforced his and their children's love for Alex. This helped to some degree but he knew it didn't entirely solve the problem and likely never would. They both settled on focusing on loving their children the best way they could.

It wasn't until his children and Jacen were well into their teens that Alexsandr witnessed something that gave him faith in his parenting. He and Zeb stood on their porch watching the kits and Jacen playing a game with a group of younger children. Suddenly one of the little boys pushed another to the ground who immediately began to cry. Zeb and Alex's son jumped into action immediately yelling, "What did you do that for? Don't you know it's wrong to hurt people?" The young boy who'd pushed the other down began to cry for being yelled at.

Seeing this Jacen swore under his breath and nodded at Zeb and Alex's daughter. Together they walked toward the group as Jacen called, "Hey there's no need for that, either of you. It'll be ok." He placed a hand on one of the boy's shoulders as his cousin did her best to soothe the little boy on the ground, "Are you hurt? No? Just startled? That's ok." She rubbed the younger boy's back and didn't even blink when he moved to snuggle into her lap still sniffling.

Her brother and Jacen continued to talk to the other boy, elder brother to the one he'd pushed down. "Hey I get it," Jacen was saying, "Brothers can be a pain." He motioned to Zeb and Alex's son, "He's just my cousin and he drives me nuts."

This earned a grin from the kit in question, "You love me."

Jacen nodded, "Exactly. That's the point. We all make each other a little crazy. But we're family and we don't intentionally hurt each other." He looked between the two brothers, "Think you're ready to make up?" The elder nodded shuffling over to where his brother sat. Bending down he hugged the little boy who hugged him back. For their part the cousins all smiled at each other.

A little while later the group broke up and Jacen and the kits joined Zeb and Alex on the porch. They were immediately praised for their mature handling of the situation. Alexsandr couldn't help asking, "How did you know to do and say what you did?"

Jacen smiled and said simply, "It's how we were taught."

Alexsandr nodded, "Well your mama did a good job then."

Zeb and Alex's daughter laughed, "Not Auntie Hera Dad, you!" Her brother nodded in agreement.

Alexsandr sat silently turning this over in his mind as Zeb moved to wrap his arm around Alexsandr from behind, "What have I always said, I knew you'd be good at the parent thing."

Jacen nodded, "Uncle Sasa you're the best! You've been teaching us our whole lives. You taught us all to read," he stopped and grinned sheepishly, "No offense Uncle Zeb, I love you too. But you and mom taught me more of the how to kick butt stuff."

"And where did you learn to swear exactly," Alexsandr asked pointedly letting Jacen know he'd heard the slip earlier.

Jacen groaned, "Karabast, don't tell mama!"

Alexsandr laughed but made no promises except from that day on to stop listening to that negative voice in his head.

[zombiiesque]

Nocturne Alchemy Seth's Dinosaur Collection - PART ONE

Originally published on 6/27/2017

Hello, everyone! I've been wanting to write some reviews for a while now, but we moved, and then I promptly came down with a really bad case of bronchitis, that did not seem to want to go away. I ended up with two different antibiotics and almost went to the hospital at one point, but it's mostly dissipated finally. Well, then I had to put my house together and get everything situated here, and I'm sure anyone that has moved understands how much effort that takes. I haven't moved in over four years, and I felt really bad about not getting my house organized! And here I am, going on and on. Anyway, I had intentions of reviewing Seth's Dinosaur Collection for quite a while, but I think it's particularly relevant now. Nocturne Alchemy is reopening in 4 days, on June 30th! *squeeing and flailing* I'm so excited to see the site redesign. Also, they've been working on new label art, and from what I understand, they'll be adding new scents to the various Permanent Collections. So much fun. I'm sure it's going to be beautiful. If you'd like to keep up with them in the meantime, they have been posting fun things on their Facebook Business page, including a sneak peek video of the new logo, which is absolutely elegant.

Well, I started this last night, and ended up having things to do that needed my immediate intention - so I had to put it down and come back to it in the morning! It seems like that's the way things have been going lately, so now this review is even more timely. Before I delve into it, I want to make mention that I had an email conversation with the NA crew, because I wanted to address some of the rumors I'd seen going around since they'd been closed. I saw that folks were concerned that they wouldn't be reopening, because they've been gone so long, and I also saw that many were worried that the catalogue as it was known might not be returning, so I wrote to see if they'd give me something to share with people - and they did! Such lovely, kindhearted people, and that is the reason I am such a huge "fangirl". I mean, don't get me wrong - they make the most exquisite perfume oils, and of course that drew me in, but once I began to see how much heart they pour into their company, and how much they care about their customers, that really made me fall head over heels. Honestly, in the world of indie perfumes, NA is a pretty good sized company. They've been making perfumes for 10 years now - actually, as it's June, they're into their 11th year, and they have a pretty extensive catalogue! So in their own words, I'll use a direct quote here from Nocturne Alchemy.

NA will return June 30th. We asked our customers last year what they thought of the old NA site. Constructive criticism concluded that it was dated. The truth is, we knew this and had been looking for the right host site for the past two years. We knew it would take time to migrate and create a new site but we'd have to be 100% involved and the focus of a new site would mean we'd have to shut down the old site. In the process, we decided to recreate the art for the labels of the Permanent Collection (we call it the PC because we view perfume as you would at an art gallery, where there is a Permanent Collection and a Limited Collection or the temporary exhibit if you will). In the past six months we've taken some much needed time off after a decade of perfume making, perfume soul-searching, travel for more unique perfume, and also back in the Studio for months now working on new PC, new art for new labels and a new look for NA. It took two years prior to opening NA in 2006 creating a small collection of PC and Limited perfumes, designing labels, the site...the fact that we can do this in six months, means we are at the top of our game. We know what we want to create but you can't rush art. NA will return June 30th. Find us on Facebook to stay up with current information. The PC and Studio Limited will return, as well as the beloved VApothecary line that has been rebranded under Nocturne Alchemy to facilitate cohesiveness at the new site.

So, there you have it! In addition to completely redesigning the site from the ground up, including a different type of "shopping cart", they've been working on all kinds of wonderful things. I am not sure I will even know where to start on Friday! I'm certainly looking forward to digging through the new site - bad pun intended? And now, I have to apologize. As I said, I'd meant to get this posted a few weeks ago, but life sort of threw me under the bus, and I just couldn't give it the proper time it deserved, as the Dinosaur collection, and the eNVie review, both deserve a bit more depth than just reviewing a single perfume. I'll be working on the latter today, to get it posted up hopefully by tomorrow.

So, roughly two summers ago, Nocturne Alchemy released the original Dinosaur collection, which was Seth's baby, as his other passion, from his early childhood, was dinosaurs, and he wanted to do a collection with that theme. I must tell you, it's been one of my very favorite collections, and I'm only missing a few of them. Last summer, they released a Resurgence, and added some new perfumes to the collection. It's alternatively been called the Prehistoric collection, but the name "Seth's Dinosaurs" has kind of become the popular name among the fans, and often gets shortened to "the Dinos". A little note about this collection: "These dinosaur perfumes are created with the beauty of resin in mind for each of them. The concept to this perfume, the label and the respect of the dinosaur is built on imagination. If you look at the label, there is an egg to the left. It is the same color as the Dinosaur. Apply the perfume on wrist and inner elbow and allow the scent to bind with your chemistry. Once this has occurred, inhale. This conceptually, is the egg. To allow the dinosaur to hatch, we wanted you to go to your Studio Limited Library and pull as many as you want, especially your favorites. The magic in layering the dino's with your Studio Limited Library will give your library a new NAVAlchemy aspect of layering and creating your own personal Dino scent. The fun in NAVAlchemy and hatching the dino eggs is all up to you!" - note from Seth. So, I've seen a few comments floating around the internet that say these oils seem to be rather linear, or flat - and I hope that people will read this, because if they don't realize that these were created specifically to be layered, then they'll miss the beauty of these. I do like them on their own, but I find that when they are layered with other perfumes, the beauty and versatility really shines through. I was never adventurous about layering until I was introduced to these beauties, and they really taught me to branch out, because the possibilities are quite endless. What's interesting is that a lot of the SL (Studio Line) is also fantastic for layering, so I'll make some suggestions for these together for you to try. I believe, from the hints that they've been dropping on the Facebook page, that we'll once again be graced with new Dinos this summer. I don't know if it will be happening with the grand reopening, or at some later time in the summer, but it seems that we'll be getting new Dinosaurs to play with! I cannot wait.

So, let's get started! I'll go with the first round of Dinosaurs that I have, and then the second round will be in a separate post. All of the Dinosaurs also make this mention: "*tiny bits of resin may occur in the Dino blends, these will only enrich the blend even more with aging!"

Cryolophosaurus: Resinous Amber Accord, Limestone Amber, Aged Organic Studio created Patchouli, Black Patchouli, SL Crimson and only a drop of fine aged Egyptian White peppercorn eo. So, this was my first love of the Dinosaurs. I was pretty new to NAVA at the time the first collection came out, so I was still trying everything via decants before I sprung for full bottles, because I hadn't learned what worked on me and what didn't yet. I think I ordered decants of everything but Spinosaurus, because I had learned at that point that black honey and I don't get on. Still salty about that! Anyway. The decants arrived, and I tried them all out - and fell madly in love with Cryolophosaurus, and promptly ordered a full bottle. It's....what are words! I feel as though I'm going to be repeating myself here with this collection, but I'll do my best for y'all. The patchoulis in this blend are bright and sort of herbal, almost minty? I don't know if that's a proper patchouli trait, but as a bit of a hippie, I've been a lifelong fan of patchouli (thanks, mom!) and was exposed to the dark and dirty hippie type patchouli early on in life. This was the first time I was exposed to patchouli as a more herbal note, and I was absolutely blown away. I often find NAVA ambers to have a "fresh" sort of quality, and the two ambers used in the Dinosaur collection definitely seem to have that, so it keeps any of these blends from being overly dark. There's definitely a depth and a sort of stoney feel to each one of these, but as I've mentioned, that seems to come out more once you layer them with another perfume, and Cryolophosaurus is no exception. I can wear this happily alone, it's quite different than say Hessonite, which can be a little overwhelming if you're new to patchouli, the ambers lift this up and seem to give the patchoulis a different nuance. You don't get the red musk (Crimson) or pepper aspect very much until you wear this one layered, but those aspects come out and shine once you pair this with another oil. Also, this oil is red! As I've had my bottle for 2 years, there's definitely some resinous bits forming now, but I couldn't seem to capture a picture of it.

I could rave and rave about this one. Goals: If they bring this back as a Resurrection again this year, GET A BACKUP BOTTLE. Hah!

TL;DR A fresh, sort of bright, herbal patchouli. The nuances of the ambers, red musk, and pepper come out to play when you layer this, but you probably won't notice them while wearing it solo.

Layering suggestions: Try this with Kashmir, Crystalline, Amethyst, Santalum, Crystal, White Ambre Ombre. If you have Labyrinth Oudh, this pairs beautifully with that. If you are a patchouli fiend, you might try hatching it with Patchouli Ombre or Hessonite. I like it with Sekhmet Amber and Black Raven, also.

Diplodocus: Resinous Amber Accord, Limestone Amber, a drop of Cacao, Boswellia carterii Frankincense from United Arab Emirates and a drop of steam distilled Oman Frankincense tears we picked from the actual Frankincense tree.

Believe it or not, although I tried all of my decants the summer that the Dinosaur Collection came out, I did not really pursue full bottles of any except Cryolophosaurus. When I heard that the collection was to be resurrected last summer, I decided I needed to try my decants again, and came to the conclusion that I would have to acquire full sizes of all the originals that I had decants of - oh boy! And then there were new ones joining them. I was in trouble. So, I was trying to decide which of these I absolutely had to have, and at first, I had decided since I had Holiday Egyptian Frankincense, I probably didn't need Diplodocus. Well, I fell pretty hard for HEF last summer and found myself layering it with everything, and before I knew it, I had gone through a half a bottle. Panic set in, and I decided I was probably going to need an alternative frankincense, as it was a note I was falling more and more in love with. Diplodocus became a must have, and I am glad I was able to sneak it in my last order before the collection came down. As a stand alone perfume, this is pretty much a linear frankincense - albeit a lovely one. Beautifully woody, you could wear this alone if you were in the mood to wear a sort of single note frankincense, but this lends a wonderful aspect with so many perfumes, I prefer to layer it. Once I layer it with another perfume, the bright, resinous, stony amber comes out to play with the woodiness of the frankincense, and it's heavenly. The cacao is not a starring note, I can find it with my nose only if I keep sniffing, but it plays a lovely supporting role.

TL;DR A perfect frankincense layering note, it does well with adding a sort of grounding to perfumes that might ordinarily be too bright or feminine for my particular tastes, and is lovely paired with the SLs as well to create a duality.

Layering suggestions: Kobalt Dark, Santal Ombre, Egyptian Musk, Crystal, Diamond, or even to add a tad more frankincense to Ember. I've also paired this and love it with Gabriel, Eternal Egypt, and Ozymandias. I love it with several LC perfumes as well; Black Velvet, Black Crystalline Black Fig, Vamp, Anticipation, Blue Lotus, Snow Amber.

Pteranodon: Resinous Amber Accord, Limestone Amber, a drop of Cacao, Pure Sandalwood left to age in the perfume, Santalum Gold, Santalum and a drop of Blue Santalum.

GODS. Gods. This was the one that made me sit up and take notice, why had I missed out on ordering a full bottle, and I need to rectify this immediately! All of the Dinosaurs are fantastic, versatile little workhorses when playing with layering, but Pteranodon became a quick favorite of mine, and dare I say? Yes, I dare, it became my favorite sandalwood thus far. Don't get me wrong, you'll be prying my gloriously aged bottle of SL Santalum out of my cold, dead hands, I absolutely adore Santalum White, especially when spring and summer roll around, but really I can see using it all year...but this, this is special. Samantha tells me that's because it has the most precious of precious, Santalum Gold. Since she sent me a little sample of her precious bottle, I can understand the obsession - there's something pretty amazing about Santalum Gold. It's a little more woody and resinous, more fully sandalwood than the new version Santalum. I love mine, don't get me wrong, but I can see why Santalum Gold is so popular that if one pops up in the secondary market, it is gone within minutes. Ah well, one day I will be quick enough! Until then - Pteranodon. Yes, I can and have worn this alone, and I absolutely adore it. I like it in my hair, it's one of my favorite layering components when I pair it with something and add a few drops of unscented hair oil and run my fingers through my hair. Hnnnnggg. It's hauntingly familiar, it reminds me of when I lived briefly in Minneapolis in the early nineties and I hung out in the head shops and the kitschy little knicknack shops of uptown and the fantastic thrift stores....ahhhh the nineties, it brings me a feeling of nostalgia, for that's when I discovered how glorious sandalwood was. Oddly enough, my mother is a darker creature, and I don't remember her wearing sandalwood during her hippie days, mostly patchouli and musk and especially dragon's blood. She was missing out, I tell you. This. This really evokes some strong emotions in me. So, once layered, again the ambers come out to play, and the cacao is there as a supporting note, but the star is the variety of sandalwoods. You really get a sense of the four once this is layered. I don't know what to say other than IF THIS COMES BACK AND YOU DON'T HAVE IT YOU'D BETTER GET ONE. I'll be picking up a backup. I might not be able to get my hands on Santalum Gold, but this will do.

TL;DR HNNNGGGG GORGEOUS INCREDIBLE SANDALWOOD.

Layering suggestions: Gods, it goes with everything. Seriously. One of my favorite things is to hatch this with a combination of Diamond, Crystalline, and Tibetan Crystalline. Alternately, I'll do Bloodstone, Egyptian Musk, and this (maybe some Amethyst too). It's fantastic with Ember Vanilla or from the LC, Phantasm Kiss. I love it with Egyptian Temple Oudh. Umm, Eternal Egypt, Bastet Amber, Raphael, Black Raven. Ambre Ombre, or even Santal Ombre. I love it with the OPs, Baba, Tawaret, Pakhet, Hathor. I've got a smidgen of my sample of Egyptian Peach Blossom left and it's lovely with that. Polichenelle. Cecilia, Adele, Music, Snow Amber, Patchouli Ombre. There hasn't been a layering combination with this one I haven't loved, so be adventurous. If a perfume seems a bit too sweet or floral, this makes a nice "grounding" effect. Just do yourself a favor and nab this if it comes back!

Tyrannosaurus: Resinous Amber Accord, Limestone Amber, a drop of Cacao, Dracaena Draco of Morocco (Dragon's Blood resin) and Sangre de Grado Dragon's Blood.

One of the things I don't think I've talked about a lot is exactly how much I love NAVA's dragon's blood. I seem to like dark, red, resinous things quite a bit, I mean, Kashmir is practically my signature, followed closely by Bloodstone. So, what is their dragon's blood like? It's that perfect mixture of spicy and fruity. It's so, so well balanced. I don't really like it when a db note veers too much into either territory, leaving the other territory well behind. I want that combination, just a little spicy, just a little fruity, almost delicious. This is another workhorse. Alone, it's a beautifully resinous, juicy dragon's blood with a little kick of spice. It might be too dark alone if you're not into db, but layer this big boy - did Seth name this one well or WHAT? Layer Tyrannosaurus, and it becomes bright and lifted with the amber, and it's possibly even more beautiful than Bloodstone. Wait, what? Blasphemy. Okay, maybe not my bottle of aged, thick, glorious Bloodstone, but it's pretty amazing. Worn alone, T-Rex is a hint of the amber, and the two dragon's bloods. Layered, and he comes into his full glory, the amber comes out to really play, and that lovely supporting cacao becoes just a little bit evident, to give it a little more depth.

TL;DR: T-Rex is a big boy, and this perfume more than lives up to its name. I find it apropos that his scent is dragon's blood. Layered, he is just the right amount of resinous, spicy, juicy dragon's blood and glorious, fresh stony amber. Mmmm. Mm. It makes me hum with happiness.

Layering suggestions: Ember Vanilla, Ambre Ombre, Patchouli Ombre, Santalum, Ember, Black Raven, Mists of Arcacia, OP Anubis, OP Pakhet. From the LC, try it with Phantasm Kiss, Blood Moon, Egyptian Temple Oudh, Copal Oudh, or Pandora.

Utahraptor: Resinous Amber Accord, Limestone Amber, hungry chomps of Kashmir and Black Musk Absolutes, Egyptian Musk and a drop of Crimson and Sri Lankan Black Peppercorn eo.

Oh, Utahraptor. I've listed this last, but not because I love it least. In fact, I adore it, and it's quite versatile - different layering options bring out different facets of this one. I'm sure I've made mention of the fact that I really, really love NAVA musks. Kashmir is probably one of my favorite perfumes. So naturally, I had to have this. Worn alone, this comes across as mostly Kashmir, with a breath of Black Musk underneath, and the amber lifts it up - it might seem like a heavy blend, but it's saved from that by the beautifully clean Egyptian Musk and ambers. Start playing with layering, and while Kashmir, a bold red musk, remains the star, Black Musk and Egyptian Musk come out to play a bit more vocally, and I love that little kick of spiciness in the background of peppercorn. I'm a big fan of pepper in perfumes - Music is a great example of this, I feel, and it's kind of a surprising note, I think that many people would envision it from a cooking spice standpoint, but it's a bit different when added as a component of perfume. It adds a little kick, and it's quite fun. If you've never had the experience, I highly recommend giving it a chance. Anyway, enough about pepper, it's a supporting note here, and gives this "egg" a bit of pizzazz when you hatch it with another perfume.

TL;DR: Kashmir, a bold red musk, is the star here but plays beautifully with the other two musks, Black and Egyptian, when layered. Don't be afraid of the pepper. Despite the musk heavy blend, it's not nearly as heavy as you might think, the ambers lift and brighten this perfectly, and it's quite fun with a variety of different types.

Layering suggestions: Crystalline, Tibetan Crystalline, Santalum White, Egyptian Musk, Ozymandias, Pharaoh Anniversary, OP Baba, OP Set. For LC options, I absolutely am nuts over hatching this with California Redwood Crystal Musk. Also, Underlord Akhenaten, Pyewacket Cat, Pumpkin #2, Copal Oudh, Enigma, and it's amazing with the Byzantium Amber from their 9th Anniversary perfumes.

Okay, whew! That was pretty extensive, I am sorry for the wall of text, but I do hope you'll find my "hatching" suggestions helpful. This really did provide me with the courage to really branch out and become a layering fiend, and now I will layer various perfumes in with my unscented hair oils too, and I get a lot of compliments about how amazing my hair smells. Tomorrow, I'll get the second half of this posted for you, with last year's additions. From the first year, I do not have Spinosaurus, Stegasaurus, or Styracosaurus. Feel free to offer up your own layering combinations with these amazing perfumes! I want to mention one more thing in closing, these are another collection that do even better with age, they become richer and seem to come into their own even more. Have a wonderful evening!

Editing to add a note, and a link to part two! I forgot to mention previously, is that these are lovely when you pair them together! And I've done this several times with different combinations. Pteranodon with Protoceratops or Deinonychus, Velociraptor with Utahraptor, Diplodocus with Giganotosaurus, Protoceratops with almost anything! Hah.

Another thing to mention, if you have eNVie Saphir, many of these are stunning when hatched with Saphir. Definitely worth experimenting with - I have Saphir, Ambre Saphir, and Encens Saphir, and they all do well with the Dinosaurs.