#at long fucking last

[havethehappyduometup]

Have Skeppy and Bad Met Up Yet?

2/3/23:

Yes.

[anywaymuahahahaha]

Chapter Seven: Midnight Mishaps

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The sun had long set in Dream Land as a canvas of shining stars illuminated the sky. Magolor and Bandana Waddle Dee managed to get Kirby’s home back in order, fixing up (most of) the damage caused by the black hole. It was nearly midnight as the four friends prepared for their journey to Castle Dedede. As Magolor and Elfilin went over their plans, Waddle Dee began clinging to Kirby for reassurance as he grew more anxious by the minute.

“Kirby…I don't know about this… Magolor always seems to get us caught up in his crazy schemes. How do you know this isn't another one?”

“Magolor wouldn’t do that to Elfilin.” Kirby said, as he observed the two from across the room. “They’re practically best friends, isn't that great?”

“No!” Bandana Waddle Dee blurted out. “He’s trying to get Elfilin in trouble, I just know it.” 

“Oh, come on, you know that's not true. They just have a lot in common! I want to make sure they have a good time together!” 

Bandana Waddle Dee sighed. As much as he didn’t trust Magolor’s intentions he knew Kirby wouldn’t budge. He had no choice but to grin and bear it. 

Once again feeling like the odd one out, he let out an exasperated sigh.

“If you say so, Kirby.” 

Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, Magolor was giving Elfilin a last-minute pep talk.  

“Alright, Little Dude. This is it. Just stick to the plan and it’ll be smooth sailing! Got it?” Magolor said with a wink.

“I got it!” Elfilin proclaimed confidently.  

“ Heh, heh, heh …That lazy, old behemoth won’t know what hit him!” Magolor snickered. “That King's cap is as good as ours.” He cackled almost villainously. 

“Say, what’s the deal with this hat, anyway?...What are we gonna do with it?” Elfilin said floating overhead Magolor. 

“Well… Consider it a gift! From us here at Dream Land, to you! A symbol of your efforts…and our friendship!” Magolor pulled Elfilin in closer to him as he grinned happily.

“What if…  He gets mad?” Elfilin slipped out of Magolor’s grasp and zipped back over to the window. It was pretty dark but he could see the Castle standing tall in the distance.

“I know a thing or two about dealing with that guy. Trust me , he’s not so scary.” He said as he shrugged nonchalantly. 

“It’s been a long time since I last saw the King. He was a lot…different when I first met him.” Elfilin shuddered thinking about the day he met King Dedede for the first time. The way he locked Elfilin in that cage and took him away from Kirby. He wasn’t himself- sure. But he still couldn't help his fear and intimidation of Dream Land’s Ruler after what happened back in the Forgotten Land.

“I wonder if he  remembers me.” Elfilin said as he continued to gaze out the window. 

“Well, if he doesn’t, he sure will after tonight!” Magolor giggled again before floating away.  Seeing that Elfilin was now alone, Bandana Waddle Dee took this opportunity to have a word with him. 

“Are you really gonna go through with this, Elfilin? You know it’s not too late to back out…” He whispered softly. 

“What? Back out? No way!”  Elfilin cried. “I’m more ready than ever! Nothing's gonna stand in my way!” Elfilin stated, his small voice roaring with confidence.

“Bandana Waddle Dee, you watch. I’m gonna get that hat, win this game and show Magolor how cool I can be!” 

“But Elfilin-” 

“How far away is the Castle, Kirby? Will it take long to get there?” Elfilin shouted, cutting off Bandana Waddle Dee. 

“It won’t take very long. Besides, since it’s so late there shouldn’t be anyone around to see us! We’ll  get there pretty fast!”  

Elfilin smiled at Bandana Waddle Dee.

“It’ll be smooth sailing !” He exclaimed happily before zipping off back towards Magolor, who was eagerly waiting at the door. 

“Let’s just get this over with…” Bandana Waddle Dee quietly muttered to himself.  

“Alright, everyone!” Magolor started. “Looks like we’re all ready to go!” He opened the door and happily extended his arm towards the outside.  “Kirby, you know this place better than any of us. Lead the way!” 

“Sure! Just follow me everyone! Let’s go!” 

With Kirby’s enthusiastic remark, he led his friends outside and they began their journey to Castle Dedede. Dream Land almost felt like a completely different place at night. The quiet still air complimented by the soft glow from a full moon made for a beautiful sight. Elfilin found himself unable to look away from the shining stars that shone above them. Magolor couldn’t help but notice.

“It’s stunning isn’t it? I told you, Little Dude, this place has everything !” Magolor said with a smile. 

“It feels so different… But so familiar. Hey, did you ever watch the stars back on Halcandra?” 

“Unfortunately, Halcandra was not known for its beauty. A sky full of stars…it was a rare sight. I remember the long days and the scorching heat. The stars?…Not so much.” Elfilin frowned, looking away from the stars and stared sadly at the ground below.

“Don’t worry! I’ve seen all those stars and then some during my travels. The sight of them from the Lor… Nothing compares to that.” Magolor reassured him. 

“Could… You show me someday?” 

“Y-Yes…Yes! I would be delighted too!” He said slightly blushing. 

“Elfilin, you’ll love the Lor! It’s so cool!! There’s lots of neat stuff inside, like tons of games, a giant TV screen and even a toilet!!” Kirby shouted rather loudly. Magolor found himself blushing again, this time from embarrassment. 

 “ Okaaaay ! I think that’s enough talking about the Lor for now! Hehehehe… ” He laughed nervously. 

“Besides, it’s  not TV Kirby…it’s a monitor…for,  you know… monitoring? ” 

“Yeah, monitoring cartoons while you eat snacks…” Bandana Waddle Dee snickered under his breath. 

“Hm?” Magolor turned to him sharply. 

“Nothing! Heh, heh, heh ....” Bandana Waddle Dee giggled.

As they continued on, something from a distance caught Elfilin’s attention. He gasped and suddenly zipped away from everyone.

“KIRBY, LOOK!” He shouted while he pointed towards it. The others followed him to see to the source of the commotion.

“What is it, Elfilin?!” Kirby called out, worried it could be something dangerous. 

“Look, look!” Elfilin was flying around what looked to be a drink dispensing vending machine. It was orange, kind of old looking and packed with sugary sodas and fruity juices.

“…A vending machine?” Said Kirby, unsure of the significance of it. 

“Yeah! A vending machine! Kirby, show Magolor what you can do with it!” 

“W-what do you mean?!” 

“You know, when you sucked it up, remember?” 

“Oh yeah!” Kirby remembered now. Vending Machine mouth! One of the many new mysterious powers he had when he found himself in the Forgotten Land. 

“Magolor! Watch what Kirby can do! It’s so cool! ” Elfilin and Magolor stared at Kirby as he observed the machine. It looked similar to the ones from The Forgotten Lands.

“Kirby, are you able to do that stuff here?” Bandana Waddle Dee inquired. 

“Well, I don’t know. I guess I never tried.” Kirby said as he continued to observe the machine.

“Can someone explain what’s going on here?” Magolor demanded.

“Magolor, Kirby can suck up an ENTIRE vending machine!!  And then, he can spit out drinks whenever he wants!  He did it all the time back on my home planet!” 

“Free drinks?! You have my attention. Alright, Kirby. Show me this trick of yours!” Magolor said, smiling devilishly. Kirby just stared at the machine, unsure if it was even worth trying for. 

“Don’t be shy, let’s see it!” Magolor called out again. 

Kirby was beginning to find  himself feeling slightly  intimidated for some reason. Elfilin was far too excited for him to not give it a try. 

“Okay, everyone…I hope you’re thirsty!” Kirby jumped back, planted his feet firmly on the ground and prepared to inhale. 

“Here I go!” Kirby attempted to use his powerful inhale ability on the vending machine. It shook, rattled and nearly toppled over to the ground, but it remained where it stood.

“Heh, heh… Uh… Let’s try that again.” Kirby said, chuckling a bit from the embarrassment of his signature ability failing him in front of his friends. 

“Here I goooo !” Again, Kirby tried to inhale the machine but to no avail. His inhale just wasn’t quite powerful enough. After a few more unsuccessful tries, Kirby realized it just wasn’t gonna happen. He panted from exhaustion after finally giving up. 

 “Kirby, what’s wrong? Can’t you suck it up?” Elfilin frowned. 

“I don’t think I can, Elfilin. Things are different here. I don’t have those powers anymore.” Kirby said as he caught his breath. 

“Oh… That’s too bad, Kirby. I was…really excited for Magolor to see it…” Elfilin mumbled softly. Magolor shook his head in disappointment. 

“What a pity. I, too, was excited to see this power. I Guess it’s up to me to get the drinks.” Magolor floated past Kirby and approached the machine.

“Luckily for us, I have just enough pocket change to get us all one drink to share.” Magolor revealed an apple shaped zipper pouch and pulled out a few shiny gold coins. 

“ Yuck! I don’t wanna share a drink with you! ” Bandana Waddle Dee blurted out. Magolor turned to him with a vicious scowl which nearly sent chills down his spine. 

“Uh- B-Besides…There’s no way one drink would be enough for the four of us to share!” He reiterated.

“Nonsense! We're among friends here. Just don’t be a glutton and there won’t be an issue.” Magolor stated as he began to insert his coins to the machine’s change slot.

“I’m not the glutton you should be worried about!” Bandana Waddle Dee shrieked. Ignoring his comments as usual, Magolor hummed to himself as he perused the selection of drinks. Finally, a bright green can of Apple Juice caught his eye. With a smile, he pressed the corresponding buttons but… nothing happened. Magolor frowned and pressed the buttons again, this time a bit harder. Again, nothing happened. 

“Hey, what’s the big idea?” Magolor pressed his face against the glass. He smacked the glass a few times with his hands. 

“ HEY!! ” He barked angrily. 

“What’s wrong, Magolor?” Elfilin said.

“This stupid thing is broken. It took my money without dispensing the drink! What a rip off .” Magolor began to pound his fist on the glass even harder. The machine rocked with every slap. 

“Magolor, I don’t think you should-“ Kirby began.

“What kind of scam is this!? Who is the proprietor of this machine!?” Magolor started shaking the machine violently. The cans inside shook around but stayed in place, much to his chagrin. 

“Magolor, stop!” Kirby pleaded. The creaks and groans from Magolor beating the machine grew louder and louder. 

“MAGOLOR! YOU'RE MAKING… TOO MUCH … NOISE!! …” Kirby loudly whispered. He and Bandana Waddle Dee remained on high alert anxiously peering every corner to make sure Magolor wasn’t drawing any unwanted attention. 

Finally, Magolor stopped and turned to Elfilin. 

“Hey! You’re pretty small, Do you think you could fit inside here?” Magolor said, pointing at the machine.

“WHAT?! Inside…the vending machine?!” Elfilin exclaimed.

“Why not?! You’re just small enough to fit through that door!” Magolor said, pointing towards the bottom compartment where the drinks dispense, and sure enough it looked about Elfilin’s size.

“Just squeeze in there, grab a couple drinks and we’ll be on our merry way!” 

“But… Isn’t that stealing?…” Elfilin frowned.

“Well… It stole from me first. It’s only fair.” Magolor shrugged.

Elfilin looked at the machine and began to feel uneasy. As much as he wanted to help everyone get drinks and impress Magolor… This wasn’t the right thing to do.

“Magolor, you can’t stuff Elfilin into a vending machine just to get free drinks!” Kirby hollered. “We should probably get going anyway!-“ Kirby attempted to grab Magolor’s hand but he jerked it away.

“I’m not leaving until this is resolved! Either I get my money back, or this machine gives me what I paid for!” 

“Magolor, it’s okay, really!” Elfilin cried out.

“No! I’ll show this blasted machine who’s boss.” Magolor raised his hands into the air. A swirl of light began to glow at his fingertips. The wind around him  began to grow fierce. His gaze fixated on the machine he formed a ball of energy in his hands and prepared to throw it.

“MAGOLOR, STOP!” Kirby desperately cried out. 

“Kirby, move aside. This will only take a second.” Magolor remained focused on his attack. 

Elfilin began to panic as it became clear Magolor was ready to do some serious damage to this vending machine. He sighed knowing there was only one way to get through to him.

“Magolor, wait!” Elfilin shrieked. The balls of energy in his hands began to dissipate as Magolor turned his attention to his friend.

Elfilin exhaled deeply.

You can do this Elfilin…

Elfilin approached the machine. He flipped open the pick up compartment and squeezed himself into it. He emerged behind the glass just a few seconds later.

“ELFILIN!?” Kirby exclaimed.

“Hee hee, I knew you could do it!” Magolor said as he clapped his hands, grinning big under his scarf.  

“Wow, it’s really cold in here!” Elfilin shivered a bit.

“Well, then hurry up and take as many as you can hold, Little Dude!” 

“Elfilin, don’t do that, just take one!.. And make it quick! We can’t be caught doing something like this!” 

Elfilin squeezed himself up to the top corner and attempted to take the cans from their slot but they were in there pretty tight. 

“Um…It’s a little stuck…” he said as he tried to pull the can from its coil rack.

“Pull harder! You can do it!” Magolor cheered.

“Alright, I’ll try!” Elfilin tried again to pull the cans out. He may have been small enough but he didn’t seem to be strong enough. Not ready to let his friends down he continued to use all his effort to get the can out. The machine began to bounce and shake around, making a significant amount of noise. Bandana Waddle Dee heard a faint rustling behind them.

“Kirby, Did you hear that?!” 

Kirby turned around and indeed saw that someone was approaching them. 

“ Quick! Someone’s coming !” By the time everyone noticed, it was already too late.

“Hey! What’s going on here?” 

The 4 of them nearly froze in place as a bright, white beam from a flashlight shone in their faces, exposing them. The figure behind the flashlight took a few more steps forward. 

“Kirby?…That you?.”  A small, round figure came forward. They lowered their flashlight, making it possible to see them more clearly. They were bright orange with red feet. Elfilin took a closer look at them and was rather shocked to see that they had no face- just one giant eyeball. 

“Kirby!…Who is that?” He whispered.

“Oh, that’s right, you’ve never met Waddle Doo have you?” Kirby replied.

“Waddle…Doo?” 

Waddle Doo approached them looking rather tired and annoyed.

“Hi, Waddle Doo! Uh, what brings you out at this hour?” Kirby exclaimed nervously as he tried to conceal Elfilin inside the machine.

“I could say the same for you, kid. What seems to be the problem here?” Waddle Doo scratched his head. 

“I’ll tell you the problem here!” Magolor approached Waddle Doo.  

“This defective machine of yours robbed me.” He said, angrily pointing at the vending machine. 

“Robbed ya, huh?” Waddle Doo said. 

“That’s right! This greedy contraption took my money without dispensing the drink I paid for!” 

Waddle Doo glared Magolor down with his big eye.  

“Hey, I know you. Ain’t you that guy who’s always getting into trouble around here?” 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Magolor scoffed. Despite Kirby’s efforts to hide him, it didn’t take long for Waddle Doo to notice Elfilin trying to hide inside the glass.

“Hey, I know you, too! You’re  the one with him!” He said. “Why are you inside my machine, there?”

“Waddle Doo, it’s not what it looks like! Elfilin was just trying to uh…” Kirby's voice trailed off as he struggled to come up with a reason. 

“He was simply trying to unjam the coin slot from the inside. If anything, he was doing you a favor!” Magolor remarked. Waddle Doo pulled out a keychain ring full of old rusty keys and began to flip through them.

“Alright, alright, let me take a look at it.” Waddle Doo used a small silver key to open up the Vending Machine’s glass door. Elfilin quickly flew out of it, relieved to be freed. He hid behind Magolor while cautiously watching Waddle Doo. 

“If you don’t mind, we're actually kind of in a hurry…” Magolor lamented.

“Boy, you guys really did a number on this thing.” Waddle Doo tapped his wrench on his head a few times as he investigated the damage done.

“Well, it shouldn’t have stolen from me.” Magolor retorted sternly. Waddle Doo tinkered with a few things and after a loud CLICK a slew of change poured out from the machine. Waddle Doo rummaged through the coins and picked up one very peculiar looking one. 

“Ah ha! Found the culprit.” Waddle Doo held up a rather thick golden coin that looked much different than the other coins. 

“There’s your problem. This ain’t real money.” Upon closer examination the coin appeared to be plastic and was adorned with Magolor���s smiling face on each side.

“Of course this is real money!” Magolor argued.

“What is this? Some kind of game token?” Waddle Doo continued to investigate the coin, while Magolor grew more annoyed by the second.

“That is valid currency!” He exclaimed, poking the coins in Waddle Doo’s hand as he spoke.

“Not on this planet it ain’t.” Waddle Doo flipped the coin a few times in his hand then nonchalantly tossed it back to Magolor. 

“Hmph.” He scoffed. “How rude.” He uttered under his breath. As Waddle Doo continued tinkering with the machine Elfilin approached him cautiously. 

“Um. Mr. Waddle Doo, sir?” He said softly. 

“My name is Elfilin. It’s nice to meet you! We’re sorry to cause any trouble… It’s not Magolor’s fault. Or Kirby’s. It…it was my idea to go inside the vending machine. It’s broken because of me…” 

“Broken? Pfft. This thing’s indestructible.” Waddle Doo remarked. Wrench in hand, he stood back up to adjust his tool belt.

“Not even Kirby can break this baby.” He said, tapping his wrench on the machine’s roof.

“So it’s going to be okay?” Elfilin smiled.

“Sure. Nothing a little elbow grease can’t fix. No sweat, kid.” Waddle Doo snatched a can of grape juice right out of the machine and handed it to Elfilin. The very same one he couldn’t get himself. He was speechless to receive such a gift, even after just getting busted trying to steal it. 

“Wow, really? For me?” He said, his eyes twinkling. 

“Eh, why not! Here, since I likes ya, I’ll gives ya each one, on the house.” Waddle Doo grabbed three more and tossed one each to Kirby, Magolor and Bandana Waddle Dee. 

“Wow! Thanks, Waddle Doo!” Kirby popped open the can and devoured the contents within seconds. He then promptly took his can to the recycling bin next to the machine. 

Magolor eyed the can suspiciously, but sure enough it was just an innocent can of ice cold Apple Juice. He opened it only for the juice inside to explode out of the can onto his face. 

“Sorry, must have gotten a little shaken up there.” Waddle Doo snickered. Magolor used his cape to wipe the juice off his face. With an annoyed groan, he tossed his can into the recycling bin. 

“Apple Juice, my favorite! Thanks Waddle Doo!” Bandana Waddle Dee exclaimed cheerfully as he took a few sips.

“Eh, it’s nothing. I’m gonna let this one slide, but do me a favor and don’t climb into any more vending machines, yeah?” Waddle Doo winked his giant eye at Elfilin.

“You kids better get on home,” he continued. “There ain’t nothing for ya out here at this hour.”

“Yeah, we’re just gonna go right on home! Right everyone?” Kirby laughed nervously. The four of them began  to slowly walk backwards towards Kirby’s house. 

“Thanks again, Waddle Doo!” Kirby called out before finally losing sight of him. 

“Phew! That was close!” Kirby sighed with relief. 

“Come on, I know another way!” Kirby pointed towards a small dirt road and began to lead his friends down the path.

After what almost could have been a disaster, the four friends were well on their way again. Magolor and Elfilin  trailed slightly behind Kirby and Bandana Waddle Dee. 

“How rude of that little… Goblin to sabotage my drink like that.” Magolor muttered to Elfilin. “I find it hard to believe that wasn’t intentional.” He said as he continued to wring the excess juice out of his clothes. Magolor came to a halt when Elfilin zipped in front of him unexpectedly.

“Here Magolor. Take mine!” Elfilin extended his hand out, offering his drink to Magolor. 

“Really?” Magolor seemed taken aback at Elfilin’s kindness.

“Sure! It’s all yours!” Elfilin happily handed his drink over to Magolor who was a bit reluctant to take it, but finally accepted it. He took a few small sips and smiled at Elfilin. 

“Thanks, little dude, you’re the best!” Magolor said, patting his head. 

“Hey! I was thinking maybe later…You could tell me more about your old life on Halcandra!” Elfilin said as he hovered above Magolor. 

“If- That’s okay with you, I mean…” 

“Sure! That sounds great!” Magolor smiled. “How about after these two go to bed we’ll stay up all night and talk about whatever you’d like to talk about!”  

“Wow, really?!” 

“Of course! I’d love to hear more about your life as well!” 

Elfilin grinned bashfully. While honored to hear Magolor say such a thing, he found himself struggling to find the words to say back. 

“We- We could make s’mores and… And tell ghost stories!” Elfilin exclaimed loudly. 

“Wait, did you say ghost stories ?”  Bandana Waddle Dee, who was walking alongside Kirby just a few feet in front of them caught wind of their conversation. He turned around, glaring at them with concern.

“Yeah! Doesn’t that sound like fun! Magolor, do you know any cool ghost stories?” 

“Oh, sure! I know tons of them. In fact, there are old legends that say that Halcanda is crawling with the ghostly spirits of the Ancients.”

“Ghostly spirits?!” Bandana Waddle Dee shrieked. 

“But that’s just a myth! Hee hee …I was there for a long time and I never saw any ghosts.” Magolor shrugged. 

Bandana Waddle Dee sighed, then gasped with surprise when Magolor suddenly appeared right beside him. 

“…not yet at least!” He whispered.

“Ah!” Bandana Waddle Dee quickly ran away from.

“Why don’t we talk about something else, please?!” He pleaded.

“Have you ever seen a ghost little dude?” Magolor continued, ignoring Bandana Waddle Dee once again. 

“Sure! There’s lots of ghosts back home where Iive. Remember, Kirby?” 

“I DONT WANNA TALK ABOUT GHOSTS ANYMORE!” Bandana Waddle Dee shrieked. 

The four friends came to a brief stop at his sudden interjection.

“Sure, what would you like to talk about then, Bandana Waddle Dee?” Magolor said before continuing on.

“How about we talk about what we’re gonna do when the King catches us in his castle and throws us in Dream Land jail!” 

“He-he would really do that!?” Elfilin asked.

“Oh, it’s not so bad! Hee hee…” said Magolor with just a slight laugh in his voice.

“I found the accommodations quite comfortable!” He remarked.

“Oh, Bandana Waddle Dee, he wouldn’t do that to us!” Kirby reassured him. “He’s my friend after all!” 

Is that what he calls it? 

Bandana Waddle Dee once again felt like he was the only one making any sense around here. It was getting a bit exhausting. Kirby suddenly stopped. Magolor too quickly stopped, followed by Bandana Waddle Dee and finally Elfilin. His jaw nearly dropped at the sight before him. 

“Kirby, is THAT the castle!?” Elfilin observed the massive concrete structure. He had seen places much bigger, but nothing quite like this.

“Yep! Isn’t it great?” Kirby said. 

“It’s so big!” Elfilin marveled. ‘Way, way bigger than it looked from your house!”

“He definitely needs the extra space that’s for sure…” Magolor chuckled.

“The King lives here with his royal Waddle Dees!” Kirby explained.

“Royal Waddle Dees!?”  

“Oh, yeah that’s right! Here, Waddle Dees serve the King! They’re really good at it!” 

“Wow! Are you royalty, Bandana Waddle Dee?” Elfilin said, turning to his friend in question. 

“Who, me? Pfft , I wish!” he mumbled.

“I wouldn’t wanna serve him all day! That’s way too much work.” He lamented. As they approached closer to the Castle’s Front Door Kirby stopped everyone again. He quickly motioned for everyone to follow him behind a nearby bush.

“Looks like they have two guards at the door!” He said. He then turned to Magolor.

“You’re gonna have to hide, Magolor.” 

“What? Why?” He inquired.

“Well… They’ll never let us inside with you here. It’ll just be for a second, we’ll get you in somehow!” Magolor gave Kirby a look of deep disapproval, but as always found himself unable to say “no” to his friend. He sighed and slowly began to backpedal away from them.

“Fine! I’ll wait over here.” He hid himself behind a corner just out sight of the guards, but close enough to watch his friends.

“Thanks Magolor! We’ll be quick, don’t worry.” Kirby brought Elfilin and Bandana Waddle Dee in closer. 

“I have a plan, just go along with what I say, alright?” 

“Got it!” Elfilin and Bandana Waddle Dee nodded in unison and followed Kirby as he approached the guards standing at the Castle doors. The guards were two axe wielding Waddle Dees, adorned in the Royal garb of the King’s servants. They noticed Kirby’s arrival and looked a tad confused to see him at such an hour. 

“Kirby! What a pleasant surprise!” One greeted him.

“Bandana Waddle Dee, too! And…who is this?” They both took note of Elfilin, whom they had never seen before. 

“This is our guest, Elfilin! He’s from the Forgotten Lands!” Kirby said. 

“Oh, well, hello there, Elfilin! Welcome to Dream Land!” They nodded to Elfilin and gave him a friendly handshake. Kirby, do you know what time it is? What brings you here at this hour?”

“We just… really, really need to see the King! We’ll be in and out! You won’t even know we’re here” Kirby boldly attempted to bypass the guards and walk inside, but they quickly stopped him.

“Woah, slow down, Kirby!” They gently motioned Kirby to step back and proceeded to block the door with their axes.

“Unfortunately, the King isn’t feeling very well. He’s currently fending off a nasty fever. Not to mention it's after midnight and the King has long since gone to bed. My apologies, but you’ll have to try again another time. Perhaps tomorrow when the King is feeling more like himself” Elfilin sadly looked to Kirby in hopes he could convince them to change their minds. They had gotten too far to give up now. Knowing he was going to have to come up with some kind of ruse to convince them, Kirby made another attempt. 

“But… It’s…it’s an emergency!” He said. 

“An emergency you say? What is it?” 

“Well…It’s..uh, it’s…” Kirby struggled to think of a lie. That’s when he quickly glanced over to where Magolor was hiding. He smiled and gave Kirby a reassuring thumbs up. 

That’s it! 

“It's..It’s Magolor ! Yeah! That’s it! Magolor!” Kirby began. “ He’s up to his dirty, no good tricks again!” 

Magolor, shocked by Kirby’s words, glared at him with disapproval. But then, to everyone's shock, the two Waddle Dee guards glanced at Kirby with confusion and then at each other. A few seconds later, the two of them erupted with laughter. They nearly dropped their weapons from laughing so hard. Kirby was rather confused and looked back towards his friends and shrugged.

“What’s so funny?” He said.

“Oh, Kirby.” One guard said, nearly wiping tears from his eyes. “Magolor isn’t a real threat!” He laughed. Magolor, feeling shocked and betrayed by such words listened even closer. 

“Yeah, Kirby, maybe he was a long time ago, but now? He’s all washed up.” The guard continued. Magolor was nearly trembling from anger.

All…washed…up!?!

“Kirby, surely you can handle whatever problem Magolor is causing right now. The King will have to take care of him tomorrow.” Upon hearing these words, Elfilin looked to the ground solemnly. The guards took notice and made an attempt to reassure him. 

“We're really sorry to disappoint you, Elfilin! Hopefully tomorrow, if you return, the King will be ready for visitors.” While Elfilin was indeed disappointed in this roadblock, he too, was bothered by their words regarding Magolor. 

What did they mean by that? If Magolor Isn't a threat then that means… Everyone is wrong about him being a bad guy! I knew it! I knew Magolor was good! 

“Come on guys, looks like we’ll have to try again tomorrow-“ Just as Kirby prepared to turn to leave, a small black ball slowly rolled in front of them.

“What…is that!?” The guard said, leaning in closer to look. The ball was hissing and began to spark. 

“Is that…. a bomb!?” The other guard cried out.

“A bomb!?” Kirby and Elfilin shouted in unison. 

“It is a bomb!” Before anyone had time to step back the bomb triggered an explosion which sent the Waddle Dee guards flying and broke open the Castle Doors. Kirby looked in shock at the sight of everything. 

It’s about to go off! Take cover!” 

“Psst, Little Dude!” Magolor poked his head out from behind the castle door. 

“M-Magolor?…” Elfilin quickly flew to his side. 

“Magolor, did you see that explosion?! Are you okay?!” 

“Me? I’m fine! Come on! The coast is clear!” Magolor took Elfilins hand and led him past the broken down doors into the Castle. Elfilin looked back at the smoking mess they left behind. 

“Did-did you do that, Magolor?” Elfilin said.

“It was the only way to get past those guys.” 

“What if… They got hurt?” Elfilin frowned. 

“Oh, don’t  worry about them! They’ll be…” Magolor was a bit shocked to see Elfilin glaring at him in such a way.

“... Fine?” 

“Magolor, you shouldn’t have done that.” Elfilin said

“Well… It's too late to go back now! We’re finally inside! Let’s go!” Kirby and Bandana Waddle Dee nervously stepped into the Castle. 

“I don’t know about this…” He said. “Those guys are gonna be really… really angry when they find us…” 

“We’ll be long gone before that.”

“Magolor, you blew our cover!” Kirby whisper-shouted. “There’s no way we’ll get out of this unseen now. Those guards are gonna find out we did this and come after us!”

“Yeah, great job, Magolor!” Bandana Waddle Dee muttered. Magolor looked to Elfilin for reassurance, almost positive he’d once again have his back.

“I dunno…Maybe…You shouldn’t have done that…” He said sadly. Magolor frowned, the feeling of letting Elfilin down wasn’t a good one. Feeling a bit less invincible, Magolor turned to his friends with a nervous smile.

“H-Hey! We’re inside aren’t we?! Step one is complete! Onward! ” Magolor led his friends down the hall where he reached another hall and then another hall after that.” 

“Wow, this place is like a maze! Do you think the King ever gets lost?” Elfilin asked.

“I think we’re lost…” Kirby replied. “Not to mention those guards have gotta be looking for us by now…”

“R-really??” Elfilin frowned. 

“Hey, don’t worry about them. Let’s just focus on step two.” Magolor said. 

“Oh, right! Step two!” Elfilin tried to remember what he and Magolor discussed back at Kirby’s house, but he seems to have forgotten. He couldn’t let Magolor know. 

What was step two again!? Come on, Elfilin THINK! 

Just as Elfilin felt he was close to remembering a loud familiar voice boomed at them from across the hallway.

“THERE THEY ARE!” The Waddle Dee guards had finally caught up to them, and they were not happy. 

“IT IS MAGOLOR! I KNEW IT!” The other cried out. “GET THEM!” The Waddle Dees began to charge towards the four of them. Magolor quickly leapt into action and used his Deadly Needles attack to block the guards and buy them some time. 

“Run, Little Dude! RUN !” Magolor shrieked. The four of them frantically ran down the nearest hallway at full speed hoping to lose the guards at all costs. They ran and ran until they were out of breath. Finally after catching his breath and getting a good distance away from the guards, Elfilin turned to Kirby but… Kirby was gone! In fact, so was Bandana Waddle Dee, and Magolor too!

“K-Kirby?!” Elfilin nervously cried out. He spun around and peered down every corridor and there wasn't a sign of Kirby anywhere.

“Bandana Waddle Dee?” Again, nothing. 

“Magolor?!” Nothing . 

Elfilin slowly floated down the dark, empty hallway. His friends were gone, and he was all alone. 

“A-Anyone?…” 

…

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[previous chapter]

[next chapter] COMING SOON

[table of contents]

AND THAT IS CHAPTER SEVEN!!! THANK YOU SO SO MUCH FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE PATIENCE AND SUPPORT I AM SO UNBELIEVABLY HAPPY TO FINALLY SHARE THIS WITH YOU CHAPTER 8 IS ALREADY MORE THAN HALFWAY DONE AND THERE'S ABOUT 3 MORE STORIES IM WORKING ON AS WELL!! YOUR SUPPORT MEANS LITERALLY EVERYTHING TO ME I CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH TO ANYONE WHO HAS TAKEN A SECOND, A MINUTE, A MOMENT TO READ THE NONSENSE I WRITE THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOUUUUUUUUU <3

[na0art]

Finally got hired for my dream job!!!

[elenagoeslightly]

BESTIEEEEE

BESTIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

FUCKING FINALLYYYYYY

@steppenwolfofslytherinhouse THE FISH DOESNT HATE ME ANYMORE HE FINALLY CAME HOME 🥹🥹🥹🥹

[a-whispering-echo]

oh wait fuck ive almost finished writing a new Wind chapter-

[krastbannert]

Title: Brave Soldier Girl

Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender

Characters: Azula, Zuko, Aang, Katara, Sokka, Suki, Mai, Ty Lee, Toph Beifong, Ursa, Iroh, Ozai, Piandao, Original Characters

Tags: Azula & Zuko, Azula & Iroh, Azula & Ursa, Azula & Ozai, Azula & Lu Ten, Azula & The Gaang, Minor or Background Relationships, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Azula (Avatar) Redemption, Fire Siblings, Fire Hazard Siblings, Mental Health Issues, Redemption, Azula (Avatar)-centric, Minor Azula/Ty Lee, Firebending & Firebenders, Redemption is a tricky thing, Azula gets a life changing field trip (and a few other things), Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff and Angst, Fire Nation, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, but it does get better I promise

Summary:

[“You were the golden child. You were ‘gifted’. The world was at your fingertips - and then, one day, the world caught up. And the same people who called you gifted, who you thought understood you, decided you were a disappointment, and cast you aside. You had everything you thought you wanted until the world was swept out from under your feet. You were left with nothing, and there was no one to help you pick up the pieces.”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Actually, I think I do. I was that child - I was you, once. And I found a way back from that. It took time and work, but I found it.”

“Then what about me? What’s my way back?”

“I don’t know, Azula. But we’ll find it together.”]

——

Or, the story of Azula, and her long journey home from the war.

[choface]

i wrote 2300 words tonight. are yall fucking ready for my first steddie fic?

[magnusbane401]

guys today is finally the day is lose my sanity and my social life for good 😫😫🙏

happy chot to you all

[emptyportrait]

i'm actually so fucking sick of zionists using phrases such as "Was it worth it, Hamas?" cause literally what the fuck are y'all yapping about??? Israel has been indiscriminately bombing gaza in front of our eyes since last October, Israel has murdered more than 30 thousands Palestinians within 5 months, Israel is forcefully starving gaza, Israel is the one committing war crimes everyday, Israel is continuing genocide and ethnic cleansing. Israel. is. illegally. occupying. Palestine.

we all know who are the perpetrators here. and zionists can't gaslight people into "hamas started it" bullshit anymore. everyone is actually sick of Israel's dumb colonialism propaganda where they just repeat same old tactics “how dare you palestinians resist us, after we have your stolen land, freedom, human rights and subjugated your people under fascist colonial regime.”

Israel carry out atrocities in broad daylight and then go ahead blame Palestinian resistance for the said act of savagery they've performed, "O their audacity!" indeed!

[madscientistenthusiast]

Personally I think that Azula should have been redeemed simply so that she can become Zuko's horrible little advisor who whispers evil little plans to him so that he can do the exact opposite

[shouyuus]

18+, vi-shaped brainrot, mdni

consider college roommate!vi who is the star of the rugby team and just such a fucking jock about it, spends hours at the gym, has pre and post workout drinks and never closes her door when she's blasting rock music, leaves pink hair dye on the bathroom counter, stains the tub when she gets drunk and tries to redo her roots, calls you everything but your name -- sweetcheeks, dollface, cupcake, princess -- isn't shy about her hookups, doesn't even bother to apologize the mornings after another pretty cheerleader scampers out of her room, shrugs and winks when you come out of the bathroom with a tiny thong dangling off your finger that's clearly not either of yours.

college roommate!vi who does kickboxing on the weekends and teaches a kid's course at the local gym. the first time you go there to drop something of her's off as a favor, you can't help but stare at the way she laughs and chases the kids around, so gentle with her movements, so careful, guiding their punches, correcting their forms. and the kids love her -- it's so easy to see, the stars in their eyes, the color high in their cheeks, the way the girls cluster around her legs and the boys are constantly vying for her approval, how she tries her best to divide up her attention equally between all of them.

college roommate!vi who goes real quiet the first time you laugh in her presence, a real laugh, not one of those ha-ha ones you snipe at her when she's trying to get a rise out of you, or teasing you about spending all your time in the library, but one that shakes your shoulders and makes your whole face light up. who has to blink when you cock your head and ask if she's okay bc she was so busy staring at you, wondering about the weird thumping in her chest, the tightness in her throat.

college roommate!vi who's there for you when you're stressed about your dissertation, and she knew you were smart, but listening to you rant about it at 3am in the morning, she's starting to realize that... you're kind of a genius. to be so young and already doing a doctorate in mechanical engineering, and the things you're trying to do -- they could conceivably change the world one day. who freezes when you let your head drop onto her shoulder with a heavy sigh, telling her that you don't know what to do.

"you'll figure it out, cupcake. with a brain like yours? you always do."

college roommate!vi who realizes way too late that she's kinda got it bad for you, bc since when did she start getting used to the sight of you wearing one of her gym shirts in the mornings, making scrambled eggs, rolling your eyes when she yawns her way into the tiny kitchen, leaning an arm against the fridge as she looks you over before asking what's for breakfast. who's gotten so used to falling asleep to the soft clatter of your computer keys that when you leave to visit your family for a weekend, she tosses and turns and can't figure out why it's impossible for her to get to sleep, wanders into sliver of space you guys have crammed a couch and tv into to call a living room, slumping down there to stare at the ceiling, only to feel her fingers graze against something on the ground, who tugs out the thing from under the couch only to find herself staring at one of your bunched up socks with the goofy cartoon cats pattern, and she remembers (suddenly) finding you tearing your room apart the week before trying to look for it because it's your favorite pair of socks.

she finds herself chuckling, letting the sock fall again, but the tightness in her throat doesn't recede, and invisible fingers clench in her gut as she lets her eyes fall shut.

"well... fuck."

college roommate!vi who doesn't know how to act when you get back from your weekend away, when you throw yourself into her arms, your skin still smelling of the crisp fall air and something warm, and spicy -- it reminds her of the holiday market you dragged her to last year, the cinnamon and spiced apples, the hot, mulled wine, the way it burned all the way down when she took the first sip, the way it worked the most darling flush into your cheeks above your pink knit scarf.

"i've got a present for you!" you say, when you finally extricate yourself from her gasp, your arms still around her shoulders, her hands still settled around your waist.

"y-yeah? you didn't have to do that, sweetcheeks --"

"yeah, but i saw this in a store window and -- well i just... it reminded me of you," you say, pulling back to dig something out of your travel bag, and it takes everything in vi not to tug you back into her chest. so instead, she settles for knitting her arms across her front and coughing to hide the fact that her throat's just tightened over itself at your words. you? seeing something and thinking of her? gods, she was so far gone.

"here," you say, pulling a small black box out and offering it to her on the palm of your hand.

vi stares, before reaching out to take it, her eyes flickering up towards your face, only to catch you chewing on your bottom lip in a way that makes her mind frizzle out at the edges. she refocuses her attention on the box -- opening it, she finds a tiny little gemstone, set on a thin golden chain --

"oh..." she breathes, tugging out up to let the gem dangle from between her fingers.

"it -- it's an alexandrite stone," you say, your voice a bit reedy, but you push on as vi continues to stare, "it's uhm -- one of the rarest gemstones in nature, but the cool thing is it changes colors depending on what kind of light it's under --" you reach up to grasp her wrist, her lungs seizing at the contact as you tug her into the incandescent light of the kitchen. "see? it was light blue a second ago, right? and now it's --"

"violet," vi says, her voice soft and disbelieving.

you quickly let go of her wrist, pursing your lips and wrapping your arms around yourself, looking anywhere but at her face.

"yeah -- i just --" your shoulders shrug up as she stares at you, her sky-light eyes wide, "it... it reminded me of... you."

college roommate!vi who, ever since the "necklace incident" (as the rest of the rugby team likes to call it), hasn't really been the same. she's put on the necklace and not taken it off for even a second since the day you gave it to her, but now she doesn't really know how to act around you -- bc did you actually like her? i mean, the necklace is... a pretty big thing to just give someone, but what if you were just giving it to her as a friend? as a roommate? she agonizes over it to the point that the rest of the team are so, so sick of hearing about it, they lovingly tell her to just fuck her and get it over with already. but vi insists that she can't -- it's different with you.

college roommate!vi who's stunned speechless when she gets home to find you staring at your computer, your expression blank. and at first, she thinks something's horribly wrong, but then you're slamming into her, squealing about how you've done it -- your thesis defense went well, that you're a doctor now -- and she's picking you up, spinning you around, buoyed up by the effervescence of your happiness, pressing a kiss to your cheek --

"oh my god, congrats princess! i knew it! i always knew you could do it!"

"thanks -- god, i just -- i've wanted it for so long i... i don't know what to do with myself now that i've got it, y'know?" you say, still suspended in vi's arms, your feet lifted off the ground. it takes a moment before you both seem to realize the position you're in, and vi clears her throat as she lets you down, you looking away, pressing your palms to your cheeks to cool the heat gathering there.

after a brief pause though, vi chuckles, reaching out to slip a finger beneath your chin, tilting your face up towards her's.

"c'mon, put on one of those pretty dresses of yours. we're going out."

"out?"

"yeah. to celebrate."

you blink as vi pulls her hand away.

"but it's like... 4:30 on a tuesday."

vi cocks an eyebrow, a smirk twitching at her lips, "yes, and? c'mon cupcake --" her eyes catch yours and instead of looking away, she holds it this time, something flickering behind their powder-blue depths that makes your skin prickle with heat, "i'll show you a good time."

college roommate!vi who takes you to one of her favorite clubs, tugging you through the crowd, the jostling bodies, holding your hand in her's, trying really hard not to think too much about it (or the fucking insane little black and pink miniskirt you put on), telling herself that it's just to make sure she doesn't lose you in the crowd, grinning when someone knocks you into her chest, and she finds her arm wrapped around your waist, fingers scrunching the material of your skirt, your palms splayed on her chest.

she buys the both of you a round of shots, watching with a hitched breath as your tongue flickers out to lick the salt daubed on your wrist, the way your eyes squeeze shut when you take the shot and your lips wrap around the lime slice, tries to ignore the twist in her gut like a turning blade, the way her whole body flushes with heat, the dull ache caught between her legs when you wipe your lips, your eyes bright and a little blown out, your cheeks flushed with color as you giggle and lace your hands with hers again --

"come on! i wanna dance!"

college roommate!vi who is just drunk enough to let herself dance with you, to let herself lean in to the way you're twisting your body, fingers in your hair, your eyes closed, an indulgent smile on your lips, who let's herself imagine (just for a second), pulling you in to kiss you, how soft your lips might feel on hers, how silken your skin might be beneath her hands, who tries not to groan when you lean in closer, link your arms behind her neck, press your whole body against her's, who grips your hips just a little too tight, grinds you against her, sees the way you gasp, your eyelids fluttering as you eyes glaze out --

college roommate!vi who can't help how she groans at the sight, tugs you in by the back of your neck to mash her lips to yours, crushing you to her as she kisses you (finally, finally) and you let yourself he kissed -- your fingers tangle in her choppy pink hair, and she swears you make this sweet, mind-bending whimpering noise in the back of your throat that drives her up the wall and right over it --

but when she pulls back, she sees the look on your face -- shocked and little confused, but you're drunk, and she doesn't wanna do this with you -- at least, not like this.

college roommate!vi who pulls away, only to have you follow her all the way out the club, into this small dark alley, her shaking her head, feeling a strange, saltwater prickle at the back of her throat as she says --

"shit -- sorry. i didn't mean to -- i just -- you were just so -- and i -- fuck, i didn't --"

"vi -- vi -- no, violet, listen to me --"

it's her full name on your lips that makes her pause, makes her turn to find you walking towards her. your lipstick is smeared, your hair a waterfall mess around your shoulders as you corner her against the rough brick of the club's exterior. faintly, she can still feel the pulse of music reverberating from inside the club, but out here, the air is damp and cold and quiet.

"i -- i'm sorry i kissed you," she says, her voice cracking over the syllables. she bites her lips as you frown up at her, your eyes searching her's before you let out a soft sigh and a scoff.

"well. i'm sorry you feel that way. cause..." you take half a step back, your arms curling around yourself before you glance back at her with a hard, determined light to your eyes as you press back into her space, your cheeks bright with color.

"i was really kinda hoping you'd do it again."

vi's breath punches out of her chest; it takes a few seconds of sputtering before she gathers herself enough to speak.

"wait -- what? you..."

you crinkle your nose, rolling your eyes, "i -- i thought i was making it obvious -- i mean, with the whole necklace thing -- it doesn't take a genius to figure how i feel about --"

you squeak as she pins you against the opposite wall, her lips seeking yours out, her fingers rucking up the material of your top, making you hiccup as they tease under the wire-rim of your bra.

college roommate!vi who can barely control herself when you sink your fingers into her hair, tugging lightly as you gasp out a breath, her lips tracking fire along the side of your neck, intent on making you whimper again, just the way she likes, grazing her teeth along your collarbone even as you jerk at her hair --

"vi -- fuck -- vi, not here --" you swallow around the burgeoning desire, and when you glance down to find her looking up at you, her eyes so dark they're almost black, you fight back a groan, cup your palms around her cheeks and pull her up for a long kiss.

"let's --" you suck in a breath even as vi whines at the loss your lips, "let's go home --"

"holy fuck," vi swears, somehow managing to pull herself back just far enough to taste the misty night air. she stares at you, your chest heaving, a daisy-chain of hickeys blossoming along the long expanse of your neck, your makeup good and smeared, your hair a mess, your eyes bright and so full of love as they flicker over her face.

vi smiles, helpless to the loud, uncertain drumming of her heart as she says, "y-yeah -- let's get you home, princess."

college roommate!vi who barely waits for the elevator door to close in your building before she's got you shoved up against the wall, hoisting you up, her fingers seeking out the softness of your skin, tugging up your shirt, her other hand dipping into the waistband of your skirt, her mouth open and hungry as she kisses your neck, bites down at the junction of your shoulder just to hear you moan.

college roommate!vi who's way too good at undoing your bra with one hand the second you get back to your apartment (if you were more coherent, you might've thought it hot), the door slamming closed, the pair of you toppling onto the room, breathy laughs and panting whines as she hoists you into her arms and carries you to your bedroom, laying you down so gently, kissing up your stomach till you're whimpering, your own hands pulling your top off your body, leaving you in an undone-bra and a miniskirt, your cheeks flushed. you push yourself up onto your elbows, watching as vi peaks up at you from between your legs, shooting you a wink before she's tugging down your skirt and panties all in one, an eyebrow ticking up at the lil lacey thing you had on beneath the skirt all along.

"all this for me, pretty?"

you press your lips, eyes cutting away as she looks between the bra dangling off your shoulders and the panties caught round your ankles. her lashes flutter.

"oh, a matching set," she cocks her head, running her palms up your thighs, pinning them open again as you try to press them closed, feeling suddenly much too seen (bc you'd be straight up lying if you hadn't put it on in the vague hope that the night might evolve into something like this).

she clicks her tongue, shaking her head with a cocky, shit-eating grin that makes your heart skitter in your chest. her drops a light kiss to your inner thigh, savoring in the way you whine again.

"nope, keep 'em open princess."

college roommate!vi who takes her time with you, bc rly she's been waiting way too long for this, has imagined it one too many times, but nothing can compare to the way your hips jerk up against her mouth, the way your fingers tighten in her hair every time she licks up the seam of your cunt, the way your breath catches on her name over and over again, like you can't quite get the word out even though it's just a single syllable. she groans against you, too lost in the taste of you to care about what a mess she must look like, with her tongue fucking into your desperate hole, her nose nudging your clit, her fingers digging crescent moon marks into your hipbones.

she's sure that if this were an old-fashioned cartoon, there'd be big, balloon hearts popping out of her eyes. she can't get enough of you like this -- moaning her name, your legs on either side of her face, your skin littered with the remnants of her. she has the eye-rolling thought of you the next morning, of how all these marks will still be there to remind you of her every single time you see one of them.

college roommate!vi who doesn't expect you to flip over after she's literally eaten you out seven ways to sunday, to tug her in for a soft kiss (though she really does like pressing your own taste back into your mouth with her tongue), before your fingers are inching down the length of her body to tease at her hips, trailing circles down the lines of her abs, toying with the thin line of hair that leads into her black boxer briefs.

"what are you --"

you shoot her a look that has her mouth going dry.

"what? didn't think i can give as good as i get?"

college roommate!vi who's literally going to lose her mind with the way you're fingers (at first sight so thin and delicate, but gods are they stronger than they look) are pressing into her, curling up with the kind of precision usually only associated with doctors, and then a voice in the back of her head reminds her -- oh, right, you are a doctor now. but logical thought dies after that, bc you've somehow worked your way between her legs and are looking up at her with those big dark eyes of yours, smiling sunshine bright before you drop a kitten-lick against her clit and she's twitching, keening as she cums all over your fingers.

"jesus fuckin' christ, doll -- is that what you're learning in those engineering classes?"

she's breathless, cheeks flushed, and honestly just a little embarrassed at how quickly she came, but she has to bite back another groan as she watches you lick your fingers clean, grinning sweetly up at her as if you didn't just get her off in record time.

"no, but i did do my dissertation on human-based robotics, which included a lot of late nights memorizing anatomical models so..."

vi pulls you in for a kiss, laughing against your lips.

"you're amazing, y'know that?"

college roommate!vi who can't really believe how much she's lucked out, sharing an apartment with her girlfriend, who literally cannot shut up about you, but the rugby team all agree that they'd rather have this than the months of endless pining. who brags about her genius gf to anyone who'll listen, and looks for you in the stands of all her practice matches when you can make it, who kisses you in front of everyone even when you make a show of trying to wiggle away bc she's sweaty (you don't really care).

who loves telling the story of how you guys met bc she still can't quite believe it herself, and the story always starts with --

"well, actually -- we started off as roommates."

[bixels]

Learning that fans hated Applejack and called her "boring" is crazyyy to me because I genuinely, unironically believe AJ's the most complex character in the main six.

Backstory-wise, she was born into a family of famers/blue collar workers who helped found the town she lives in. She grew up a habitual liar until she had the bad habit traumatized outta her. She lost both her parents and was orphaned at a young age, having to step up as her baby sister's mother figure. She's the only person in the main gang who's experienced this level of loss and grief (A Royal Problem reveals that AJ dreams about memories of being held by her parents as a baby). She moved to Manhattan to live with her wealthy family members, only to realize she'll never fit in or be accepted, even amongst her own family. The earlier seasons imply she and her family had money problems too (In The Ticket Master, AJ wants to go to the gala to earn money to buy new farm equipment and afford hip surgery for her grandma).

Personality-wise, she's a total people-pleaser/steamroller (with an occasional savior complex) who places her self worth on her independence and usefulness for other people, causing her to become a complete workaholic. In Applebuck Season, AJ stops taking care of herself because of her obsessive responsibilities for others and becomes completely dysfunctional. In Apple Family Reunion, AJ has a tearful breakdown because in she thinks she dishonored her family and tarnished her reputation as a potential leader –– an expectation and anxiety that's directly tied to her deceased parents, as shown in the episode's ending scene. In The Last Roundup, AJ abandons her family and friends out of shame because believes she failed them by not earning 1st place in a rodeo competition. She completely spirals emotionally when she isn't able to fulfill her duties toward others. Her need to be the best manifests in intense pride and competitiveness when others challenge her. And when her pride's broken, she cowers and physically hides herself.

Moreover, it's strongly implied that AJ has a deep-seated anger. The comics explore her ranting outbursts more. EQG also obviously has AJ yelling at and insulting Rarity in a jealous fit just to hurt her feelings (with a line that I could write a whole dissection on). And I'm certain I read in a post somewhere that in a Gameloft event, AJ's negative traits are listed as anger.

Subtextually, a lot of these flaws and anxieties can be (retroactively) linked to her parents' death, forcing her to grow up too quickly to become the adult/caregiver of the family (especially after her big brother becomes semiverbal). Notice how throughout the series, she's constantly acting as the "mom friend" of the group (despite everything, she manages to be the most emotionally mature of the bunch). Notice how AJ'll switch to a quieter, calmer tone when her friends are panicking and use soothing prompts and questions to talk them through their emotions/problems; something she'd definitely pick up while raising a child. Same with her stoicism and reluctance at crying or releasing emotions (something Pinkie explicitly points out). She also had a childhood relationship with Rara (which, if you were to give a queer reading, could easy be interpreted as her first 'aha' crush), who eventually left her life. (Interestingly enough, AJ also has an angry outburst with Rara for the same exact reasons as with EQG Rarity; jealous, upset that someone else is using and changing her). It's not hard to imagine an AJ with separation anxiety stemming from her mother and childhood friend/crush leaving. I'm also not above reading into AJ's relationship with her little sister (Y'all ever think about how AB never got to know her parents, even though she shares her father's colors and her mother's curly hair?).

AJ's stubbornness is a symptom of growing up too quickly as well. Who else to play with your baby sister when your brother goes nonverbal (not to discount Big Mac's role in raising AB)? Who else to wake up in the middle of the night to care for your crying baby sister when your grandma needs her rest? When you need to be 100% all the time for your family, you tend to become hard-stuck with a sense of moral superiority. You know what's best because you have to be your best because if you're aren't your best, then everything'll inevitably fall apart and it'll be your fault. And if you don't know what's best –– if you've been wrong the whole time –– that means you haven't been your best, which means you've failed the people who rely on you, which means you can't fulfill your role in the family/society, which makes you worthless . We've seen time and time again how this compulsive need to be right for the sake of others becomes self-destructive (Apple Family Reunion, Sound of Silence, all competitions against RD). We've seen in The Last Roundup how, when no longer at her best, AJ would rather remove herself from her community than confront them because she no longer feels of use to them.

But I guess it is kinda weird that AJ has "masculine" traits and isn't interested in men at all. It's totally justified that an aggressively straight, misogynistic male fandom would characterize her as a "boring background character." /s

At the time of writing this, it's 4:46AM.

[theerurishipper]

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Part 1 <- Part 2 -> Part 3

Masterpost

[ozlices]

another super insulting part of the watcher situation i haven't rly seen ppl addressing much

ryan deadass saying smth like "nobody else on youtube has made tv quality content"

like... i really feel like it's important to highlight that bc not only do they obviously have no respect for their audience, but that statement shows they have no respect for their peers in the industry, either.

not to mention it is a shining example of bleeding arrogance to such a high degree, you will straight up fucking lie bc you're truly convinced you're that special when you're anything but.

there's been NUMEROUS online creators who were recognized by entertainment industry workers BECAUSE they made tv quality content & even full stop blockbuster quality content.

bo burnham started on youtube & is now one of the most wellknown & loved standup comedians of our generation, with numerous netflix specials & even a movie he wrote & directed under his belt.

the try guys, fellow ex-buzzfeed employees, had their own tv specials on food network (based off their youtube shows, btw) & a documentary made about them as well

rosanna pansino has also been on numerous food network shows both as a host & a judge

quinta brunsun, another fellow ex-buzzfeed employee, went on to create her own whole ass sitcom that has been highly praised

matpat cameo'd in the fnaf movie because of his theories & multiple other fnaf creators had small cameos through the employee of the month board easter egg

markiplier made multiple high-quality shows on youtube & is now working on a highly anticipated movie (he was also planned to cameo in the fnaf movie but couldn't due to conflicting schedules with his own movie)

hot ones got their own tv gameshow due to their popularity & they are still one of the most wellknown, beloved & respected internet shows

many short films made on youtube went on to premiere at film festivals & even in theaters

the hit horror film "talk to me" was created by youtubers rackaracka

webseries of actual fucking tv shows have also existed for literal decades

the list goes on.

to seriously think that overproduced bullshit is all you need to make "tv quality content" is not only tone-deaf, but shows they do not even know what they're talking about. many tv shows & huge blockbuster movies are made with absolutely microscopic budgets & small teams, & they still get praised & awarded for the passion, dedication, & creativity that shined brightly under those restrictions.

the blair witch project is probably the most wellknown & highly praised example of this, but it is far from the Only example

it is a whole other slap in the face, again ESPECIALLY when puppet history is one of their most popular shows, to spit in the face of internet history. to see the success of their predecessors, even ppl they fucking worked with at buzzfeed, & deny them of all their success & efforts to get where they ended up.

no, y'all are not the first people to make "tv quality content" on the internet. FAR from it. because your crap isn't even genuine "tv quality".

but you are the first ones to ever disrespect not only your audience, but your own fucking industry & your peers on this level.

& you are the first & i sorely hope the only fuckwads dumb enough to pull a stunt this fucking stupid, out of touch & utterly tone deaf.

[inkskinned]

the thing about art is that it was always supposed to be about us, about the human-ness of us, the impossible and beautiful reality that we (for centuries) have stood still, transfixed by music. that we can close our eyes and cry about the same book passage; the events of which aren't real and never happened. theatre in shakespeare's time was as real as it is now; we all laugh at the same cue (pursued by bear), separated hundreds of years apart.

three years ago my housemates were jamming outdoors, just messing around with their instruments, mostly just making noise. our neighbors - shy, cautious, a little sheepish - sat down and started playing. i don't really know how it happened; i was somehow in charge of dancing, barefoot and laughing - but i looked up, and our yard was full of people. kids stacked on the shoulders of parents. old couples holding hands. someone had brought sidewalk chalk; our front walk became a riot of color. someone ran in with a flute and played the most astounding solo i've ever heard in my life, upright and wiggling, skipping as she did so. she only paused because the violin player was kicking his heels up and she was laughing too hard to continue.

two weeks ago my friend and i met in the basement of her apartment complex so she could work out a piece of choreography. we have a language barrier - i'm not as good at ASL as i'd like to be (i'm still learning!) so we communicate mostly through the notes app and this strange secret language of dancers - we have the same movement vocabulary. the two of us cracking jokes at each other, giggling. there were kids in the basement too, who had been playing soccer until we took up the far corner of the room. one by one they made their slow way over like feral cats - they laid down, belly-flat against the floor, just watching. my friend and i were not in tutus - we were in slouchy shirts and leggings and socks. nothing fancy. but when i asked the kids would you like to dance too? they were immediately on their feet and spinning. i love when people dance with abandon, the wild and leggy fervor of childhood. i think it is gorgeous.

their adults showed up eventually, and a few of them said hey, let's not bother the nice ladies. but they weren't bothering us, they were just having fun - so. a few of the adults started dancing awkwardly along, and then most of the adults. someone brought down a better sound system. someone opened a watermelon and started handing out slices. it was 8 PM on a tuesday and nothing about that day was particularly special; we might as well party.

one time i hosted a free "paint along party" and about 20 adults worked quietly while i taught them how to paint nessie. one time i taught community dance classes and so many people showed up we had to move the whole thing outside. we used chairs and coatracks to balance. one time i showed up to a random band playing in a random location, and the whole thing got packed so quickly we had to open every door and window in the place.

i don't think i can tell you how much people want to be making art and engaging with art. they want to, desperately. so many people would be stunning artists, but they are lied to and told from a very young age that art only matters if it is planned, purposeful, beautiful. that if you have an idea, you need to be able to express it perfectly. this is not true. you don't get only 1 chance to communicate. you can spend a lifetime trying to display exactly 1 thing you can never quite language. you can just express the "!!??!!!"-ing-ness of being alive; that is something none of us really have a full grasp on creating. and even when we can't make what we want - god, it feels fucking good to try. and even just enjoying other artists - art inherently rewards the act of participating.

i wasn't raised wealthy. whenever i make a post about art, someone inevitably says something along the lines of well some of us aren't that lucky. i am not lucky; i am dedicated. i have a chronic condition, my hands are constantly in pain. i am not neurotypical, nor was i raised safe. i worked 5-7 jobs while some of these memories happened. i chose art because it mattered to me more than anything on this fucking planet - i would work 80 hours a week just so i could afford to write in 3 of them.

and i am still telling you - if you are called to make art, you are called to the part of you that is human. you do not have to be good at it. you do not have to have enormous amounts of privilege. you can just... give yourself permission. you can just say i'm going to make something now and then - go out and make it. raquel it won't be good though that is okay, i don't make good things every time either. besides. who decides what good even is?

you weren't called to make something because you wanted it to be good, you were called to make something because it is a basic instinct. you were taught to judge its worth and over-value perfection. you are doing something impossible. a god's ability: from nothing springs creation.

a few months ago i found a piece of sidewalk chalk and started drawing. within an hour i had somehow collected a small classroom of young children. their adults often brought their own chalk. i looked up and about fifteen families had joined me from around the block. we drew scrangly unicorns and messed up flowers and one girl asked me to draw charizard. i am not good at drawing. i basically drew an orb with wings. you would have thought i drew her the mona lisa. she dragged her mother over and pointed and said look! look what she drew for me and, in the moment, i admit i flinched (sorry, i don't -). but the mother just grinned at me. he's beautiful. and then she sat down and started drawing.

someone took a picture of it. it was in the local newspaper. the summary underneath said joyful and spontaneous artwork from local artists springs up in public gallery. in the picture, a little girl covered in chalk dust has her head thrown back, delighted. laughing.

[nouverx]

Vox won the hottest Hazbin Hotel character poll on twitter against Lucifer in the final round and I can't stop thinking about it I love my pathetic TV Girl he deserves it