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l-in-the-light · 2 months ago

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One Piece Chapter 1126 commentary

Fresh spoilers under cut!

Yes, Luffy, you're right. Anyone would be curious after 100 years. I just can't with Luffy sometimes. I still wonder if this serves as foreshadowing that Luffy will become immortal smh.

Such cheerful idiots. They remind me so much of Zoro and Sanji, and they also served as parallel to them all the way back in Little Garden too.

Just look at them. They love each other so much, my god. I guess in One Piece, fighting each other constantly means you just love them so much you can't refuse any opportunity to interact, geez.

Also it's so sweet that Dory and Broggy still keep it a secret that their weapons broke down because they helped Strawhats leave the island. They will take that secret to their graves, won't they.

This is so wholesome. Kuma's consciousness might be barely there, he can't even speak, but Bonney knows it's still her dad and wants to just spend time with him together <3

I admit this hit me right in the feels. Bartolomeo knows that if he asked for help, Luffy would run miles to him, but he just won't because he doesn't want to be a burden.

I don't think I ever saw Shanks doing that expression before... I wonder if Bartolomeo's words just hit too close to home.

Also hi Shanks, finally I get to see you more often than once every 200 chapters, about the effing time. Don't spoil me too much or I might expect seeing you more often from now on, and I'm not ready for the disappointment if that's not the case!

"Softer than I expected", oh, Bartolomeo, you have NO IDEA. He's so right though.

Oh. My. God. When was the last time I saw you smile like that, Shanks?? Must be a thousand years ago! All the way back when Ace visited you and thanked you for saving Luffy's life. And before that? Must be in East Blue with Luffy. It was way too long. Please smile more often, you doofus! Bartolomeo, honestly thank you for exisiting. You made this man smile like this again <3 also you're a chad Barto, please, you're great.

Also Shanks, you have no idea how many people are doting on Luffy! Lots of very nice people. I wish you could have met Law as well...

And boom, another young pirate crew got eradicated. Seeing Shanks reactions in this chapter though makes me more convinced that Kid will be fine and alive too. Narrator in One Piece is so unreliable lol.

Speaking of narrator in One Piece... who is it actually? Who is commenting the events for us? Is it you, Morgans?? Admit it, you stupid bird!!

I don't believe you even for a second Kuzan. Not after that trick you pulled off with Saul. You clearly did everything you could to SAVE Garp's life there. He was in such a bad shape too, after all. Garp's rep is insane btw. And he looks a lot like Ace locked away forever ago in Impel Down...

Big bro and Big Sis? Caribou, do you mean Devon and Augur by that? LOL. Or does Caribou actually have a big sis??

Hello, new adventure of Strawhats in a Lego land! God, how much I envy them! I also want to explore a lego land!

Okay, so what happened here. Did they shrink and now they're dolls in a lego house? Because this is not Elbaf. It's not like I thought it will be Elbaf anyway, I read a good theory that Elbaf won't happen yet, we're entering floating storyline arc. It might be wrong, because it predicted Strawhats somehow landing in G-14 base (which is supposed to be somewhat near to Egghead, that's where the kids from Punk Hazard are kept, as well as many Sword members are part of it).

But let's explore the possible explanations that were given to us in this chapter alone:

Robin's idea is a funny one. But Robin's ideas and visions are always wrong, that's like the repeated gag in One Piece lol. So I'm not placing a bet on that (also what sort of fish has a lego mansion inside it's stomach).

"There's a chance it'll make you hallucinate". Interesting. And it's called Green Fairy huh. We see Sanji, Zoro, Nami and Usopp getting seriously drunk with it. Coincidentally, those are the Strawhats that are currently missing in action (+Luffy and possibly Chopper as well?). Actually, the whole Sunny is missing. What could make a whole ship just disappear? I mean, it was even tied up to the Giants ship, wasn't it?

Yep, seems it was. Probably using Sunny's anchor. Which means, if a fish actually swallowed them up, it would be dangling on that anchor. But anyway I didn't buy Robin's comment anyway, no one should lol.

So someone had to undo that anchor for the ship to leave... and here's my most logical conclusion to that: it was Luffy. Luffy doesn't like to drink. For some reason he abducted them somewhere? I mean it's not exactly something impossible for Luffy to do. The crew also somehow pins it down on Luffy, just look at this:

Or, it was someone else capable of stealing a whole ship. There's one problem with this idea though. We were just watching reactions from folks all around the world about Vegapunk's broadcast. We basically know where everyone is and what they're doing (which excludes possibility that it was for example a prank from Shanks), besides literally a few exceptions, like most of Luffy's grand fleet. I can't help but notice Law is still missing in action too.

Right before the environment is revealed to us, Nami comments this must be all alcohol's fault. And that's indeed my guess on what's happening: Nami is experiencing a hallucination from drinking too much of Green Fairy. Which means she isn't a reliable narrator right now and what we're seeing isn't 100% accurate. I still envy her though. I also want to be in a Legoland <3

There's also the chapter's title: 落とし前 (otoshimae) which means: payback, return of favour, taking responsibility, but the most known association is with the yakuza's custom of cutting off a finger as apology for making a blunder. We saw one of such examples happen in this chapter: Bartolomeo had to suck it up because he messed with Shanks and Shanks couldn't let it slide.

I admit I thought it's gonna be a red herring plotline, but Oda actually delivered on that promise! I'm glad I was wrong, ha! This was delicious. Bartolomeo drinking a fake poison to show his loyalty to Strawhats was absolutely fantastic. And Shanks testing him in such a way is so disgusting but also awesome. He cares so much to make sure people around Luffy are actually good people... Shanks and Bartolomeo's encounter is basically two biggest fanboys of Luffy meeting up and it's gotta make this my most favourite chapter for a while now <3

Next, we could probably see "taking responsibility" also in what happened at the very end of the chapter. Strawhats got literally drunk, yeah, so they're literally taking responsibility now for it. But it could also suggest someone kidnapped them to either 1. give them payback 2. repay a favour (despite the ominous line at the end of the chapter, I think it might be the latter actually. But we will see). Wouldn't be the first time Oda uses subtle hints like that to let us know what's actually going on.

There's probably a few more tie-ins to the title in this chapter. Dory and Broggy still gonna continue their duel (it's also taking responsibility, right? Once said words can't be taken back), Bonney and Kuma (she took him with her so she's now taking care of him instead of feasting with others), Blackbeard and Kuzan (Kuzan kinda took responsibility over what happened and made up for the losses when he took Garp hostage). I'm not sure how accurate it is though, because I though otoshimae is related to "making up for some wrongdoing or a mistake", not just taking responsibility for your own actions (or collectively for the whole group). But it might be both, I guess?

But then we can't ignore a tiny callback to that line Zoro says in Water 7 here: "we need to take responsibility for accepting Robin into the crew and that's why now we have to decide: is she a crewmate or an enemy?" The word he uses back then is also "otoshimae".

I'm so into this story's development right now, I literally can't wait for the next chapter! I liked the lore in Egghead, but futuristic islands are just not my type of thing in general. Whatever is happening now, I'm so into it already haha.

#one piece #shanks #bartolomeo #one piece 1126 #one piece spoilers #not going to Elbaf yet :D #and my bet is: not any time soon either!#but Elbaf will come finally #one piece chapter commentary

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lowkeiloki · 2 months ago

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Could there be a good minecraft movie?

From the look of the trailer, it seems like the movie is gonna get every single thing it could possibly get wrong. They dont have faith in their audience to understand a plot taking place in a world so different from our own, so they go with the isekai plot, the single laziest direction they couldve taken.

But what would a good minecraft movie look like? It would be hard to pull off, but not impossible.

Firstly, most of us can all agree that a minecraft movie should not be live action, its a heavily stylized game and the real people in it look ridiculously out of place. the movie should stay fully animated and not overly detailed. Personally, i think the movie could look great in stop motion. Stop motion can really bring out the combination of cozy and spooky feeling that minecraft has.

what about the plot?

Minecraft is a very quiet and atmospheric game, there is no dialogue, everybody communicates, but nobody talks including steve. It's a sandbox game, because it lets you build and terraform and shape the world as you want and move towards the end goal at your own pace (if youre interested in completing the end goal at all). But also because throughout the game you're given bits and pieces of lore and you're the one to put them together to how you see them. Why are endermen hurt by water? What are creepers? Why are piglins so stingy about gold? Who built the pyramids and monuments? You don't get the answer, it's up to your own interpretation. Going back to the movie, it really should be low on dialogue. Steve could narrate the movie, but he never talks (like Spirit from "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron). He sees an enderman and makes eye contact qith it which aggrevates it, he doesnt know why it aggrevated it, but from that experience he learns not to do that anymore and manages to co exist peacefully with them. If anyone talked in that movie, it should be alex (if shes even in the movie), but she doesnt talk a lot and nobody understands her language but steve who cant talk back. Communication is done through body language and actions, the visuals and the music (and i mean minecraft music) primarely tell the story.

What would it be about tho?

When we begin to play minecraft, we're thrown into the world with no manual or instructions, we're on our own empty handed, we go through the world learning how to craft, what to do with new items we find, which mobs are our allies and which our foes. I remember playing minecraft for the first time (actually quite recently, sometime after the nether update) and i was so confused and stressed because i had no idea what i was supposed to be doing, everything was strange and foregin and there was no guide on what to do. But as i got the hang ot it, as i started exploring and gathering materials and building my base it soon became fun and relaxing. The further i went, the more confident i felt. This is what the movie should be about. Being in this unknown world without anyone to guide you and the only way forward is to try and fail and try again and face the unfamiliar and get to know your surroundings. It should be about facing the fear of unknown, letting yourself fail, breaching out of the comfort zone, not finding your place in the world, but building it. It doesn't have to end with slaying the dragon, it can end with steve realizing he is not afraid anymore, that he has what he needs to feel comfortable and all the confidence to go forward. I feel like a lot of people that grew up with minecraft as kids are now young adults and a movie about being placed in a new environmemt where you're the one to take care of yourself and nobody guides you by hand would reasonate with them quite a lot

but, you know, i'm sure another jumanji clone with jack black starring as jack black in blue shirt will do the trick just as well.

#minecraft

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piedpiperslists · 9 months ago

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Jungkook One Shots (LXVIII)

* s - contains smut

Never Let You Go by @yeojaa s wc~7.6k / tattoo artist!Jungkook Summary: You do things without thought, making impulse decisions that’d make Freud proud. Sometimes they pay off, sometimes they don’t. (or: Jeon Jungkook’s just as impulsive as you.)

You’ll Let Me? by @honeytae s wc~2.9k / established relationship

Savage Love by @whatifyoulivelikethat s wc~3k Summary: We all make happy mistakes, right? And Jeon Jungkook’s was fucking Min Yoongi’s ex-girlfriend. Oops.

Still Want That by @whatifyoulivelikethat s wc~6.3k Summary: Fucking Min Yoongi ex-girlfriend? A terrible idea. Being hopelessly in love with her at the same time? An even worse idea. Knowing he was being used and still doing it anyway? Ah, Jeon Jungkook, what are you doing?

Hotel by @satnin-darling s wc~5.1k / ft PJM, established relationship, idol au Summary: Jungkook always comes to Jimin's room at odd hours in the day because he says it's boring to be all by himself, holed up in his own hotel room. The real reason, of course, is because you're there.

Late by @satnin-darling s wc~6.7k / ft PJM, established relationship, idol au Summary: Sometimes, it can’t be helped that Jimin and Jungkook are late. It’s no one’s fault, really, since that’s what usually happens when all three of you are together anyway.

[...] Trick or Treat by @satnin-darling s wc~5.9k / ft MYG Summary: The Joker, a Gray Pianist, and an Action-taker were supposed to walk into a bar on Halloween. Turns out they don't even make it past the front door because they were too busy fucking each other to partake in this year’s spooky season.

[LOVE - 40]/[40 - LOVE] by @satnin-darling s wc~11.5k / tennis player!Jungkook, journalist!reader Summary: At the end of August, Jungkook had to pull out of one of the biggest tennis tournaments of his career. His injuries were inhibiting him and he felt like he was back to square one. He returns to Busan for rehab and he gets interviewed by you for an article. But your twin brother had just died and you were shocked with grief. So you spend a couple of days talking about tennis but underneath the surface, you cover so much more.

Kismet by @satnin-darling s wc~14.2k / strangers to lovers, fantasy au Summary: In this life, you get to choose what to believe in, be it fate or chance. But little did you know that some people above are messing with you, in the most non- prearranged way possible. Enter Jimin, who works for the department of Fate, with his unlikely colleague, Taehyung, who works for the department of Chance. They quarrel to no end, pulling at the strings that hold up the universe to fashion something that resembles destiny or coincidence. As a result, you and Jungkook end up being mere puppets to their ploy, which begs the question: is it fate or coincidence?

The Arrangement by @jiminisnotavirgin s wc~5.6k / angst, sugar baby!Jungkook Summary: Jungkook’s dinner with you, his noona, is different than usual, leading to an interesting and sexual escapade… in the bathroom.

#jjk list #jungkook oneshot

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crownmemes · 5 months ago

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Doctor Who (S14) Sentences

(Sentences from Doctor Who (S14, 2024). Adjust phrasing where needed)

"I am so, so glad to be alive!"

"There's no such thing as monsters - there's just creatures you haven't met yet."

"When was the last time that you had a hug?"

"Look at me; nobody grows up wrong."

"This is the worst thing that has ever happened to anyone! Don't laugh!"

"One trick, once; that's all you get with the gods."

"The power of these creatures is so vast, the whole world could slide into the pit."

"Sometimes genius is just hard work."

"Do this for me and I'll let you see my tattoo! It's not on general view, which makes it more exciting!"

"You should be nice to him - he likes you!"

"Everything's fine! Completely fine!"

"Why are you singing?"

"Tell me what you're not telling me."

"Okay, are you getting scared? Because you're just babbling now!"

"You're giving me orders now?"

"Quite frankly, your lifespan sucks!"

"We're all dead eventually. There's hardly any time that we're not dead!"

"We have telepathic dampeners, mesmeric shielding, and necklaces of silver and salt in case of witchcraft."

"It's just, sometimes I get the impression that you're not really listening - that you're drifting off, thinking of something else."

"Even in bed, it's like you're always a distance away."

"Are you saying that you actually want to fire a nuclear missile?"

"I know I probably shouldn't say this, but I look so cute!"

"Remind me, to which dishonouring are you referring?"

"I'm awfully bored of your shouting."

"If you wish to challenge me to a duel, then please - do! Then I can shoot you dead!"

"Wow! You really are wonderfully bad, aren't you?"

"Well, I thought I knew everyone at my ball, but it appears not!"

"I think the real estimation of an evening is the matches made, don't you think?"

"Brooding. Good look. Do you practice in the mirror?"

"People look to me as an arbiter of taste!"

"I think of you every waking hour, and I hate myself for it."

"I will not marry you. Not now, not ever."

"Do you never stop chattering?"

"No one walks away from a situation with one less shoe. You'd notice."

"You're a bounty hunter? That is so cool."

"Suits you, flustered. It's a good look."

"I don't see how us dancing would create a scene."

"This is the wrong time to be strong and silent and so... Attractive."

"I've decided that it's about time I cause some trouble for myself!"

"He looks like he's been dead for a hundred years."

"This feeling that you're feeling right now is doubt, and don't you feel so alive?"

"I suppose you do have a very nice face."

"You have lived for far too long."

"We fought a monster, and now I must become a monster."

"Will I ever see you again?"

#rp meme #rp memes #roleplay meme #roleplay memes #rp prompts #roleplay prompts #sentence starters #specific;#doctor who;#scifi drama;#filmtv;

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acaplaya-musings · 27 days ago

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A random assortment of Geoff Castellucci pictures - Part 1

I have a folder that is filled with screencaps of Geoff, some of which are/were for art references, and some of which are just because I think they're good pictures, and I asked in a recent post if any of you were interested in me showing you some of them. A few of you did very much express interest, and so here we are. This post, part 1, is for screencaps from videos on Geoff's solo channel, and part 2 will be for screencaps from VoicePlay videos.

They're just listed alphabetically by video title (because that's how they're sorted in the folder), and this assortment certainly has potential to be expanded upon, but it's just some/most of what I've got right now (plus some thoughts/comments from me about most if not all of them)

Everything below the cut!

This one I was considering as a potential fanart reference at one point - I was tossing up between this and Wicked Game for a sketch fanart, but I ended up going with Wicked Game

I mean come on sir please this is ILLEGAL /j

Look, Folsom Prison Blues is one of my top 3 favourite Geoff videos, emphasis on the word "video", so sue me!

I know it's a habit of Geoff's to have at least two top buttons of a button-up shirt undone, but like in this video, (if you don't count the button that's probably right up at the collar), he's got three buttons undone and oh boy it shows And I Am Looking Respectfully

I grabbed this screenshot when I went looking for pics for my Geoff playing the piano photo compilation, but I ended up keeping this one because I just think it's a really nice pic <3

I actually don't have a lot of screenshots from Jack's Lament, but mostly because the whole damn video is so amazing and practically all of it is screenshot-worthy!

This was another one I was considering for fanart, but it would be quite hard to get right, even with my "tricks" for get outlines near-perfect

I mean yeah what can I say

Mele Kalikimaka really holds a special place in my heart, and I can't wait to watch/listen to it again come December (or late November if I get impatient, lol) (as if I don't have the whole dang song memorised in my brain already!)

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen may be the most impressive/stunning arrangement of Geoff's 4 Christmas songs, but Mele Kalikimaka is probably my sentimental favourite, deep down (and yes, he's very pretty in this one!)

I mean we all agree he looked dang good in this outfit right?

I actually low-key would love to do fanart of Jaime!Geoff (maybe standing up so I wouldn't have to include the Iron Throne), but that's a lot of brown, and I'm not sure I have enough variety of shades/hues to get it right

I know I included this one fairly recently in my visual analysis post for Song Of Durin, but I saved this one to my folder and so I'm sharing it again!

It's pretty rare for me to feel attraction to any "iteration of Geoff" (Geoff clone?) with thick facial hair, but man that smile... It's a similar deal with "Jeoph" in Unshaken, and frankly my attraction to him in that video continues to baffle me. You're not supposed to look that good with a handlebar moustache and not even a beard to go with it!!!

I call this one "Heart Eyes Geoff" and it makes me melt in love and affection every time <3

Geoff and Kathy had to refilm a lot of shots for Til Then, and they were completely by themselves in the studio when they did so. So yeah, she might not be on screen, but you just know he's looking right at her 💜

I really really love Way Down okay. I call this image "flirting with the camera" (got that from a comment on a reaction video to this I think?)

And finally, this is just the Wicked Game video thumbnail without the title text (got it from Patreon - Geoff sometimes asks Patrons to help vote on video thumbnails and will give us jpg downloads of each option), but still, it captured me from the moment I first saw it appear on YouTube. Like he's just! So! Pretty! And the wispiness of his hair (which was a deliberate styling choice, apparently, based on the BTS footage), and the way it's at this point long enough to reach his shoulders, just UGH man

So yeah, hope you enjoyed this; part 2 with VoicePlay video screencaps will be coming at some point soon! Seeya!

#geoff castellucci #acaplaya photosets

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antialiasis · 10 months ago

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Speaking of R/B/Y-era rumours, @johtotimes just published a very fun issue going over some of the wild stuff that was getting spread around back then!

I'm particularly tickled by the Pikablu rumour screenshotted in the article:

It's similar to but not quite the same as the one that was on Mew's Hangout that I genuinely believed for a time (in that one, stated to be confirmed by Nintendo, you needed seventeen Pokémon at level 100, and I just never got there). It's very illustrative of the sort of thing that was going around, and the commonalities with the actual genuine Mew trick are uncanny:

There's a high barrier to entry: you probably can't just go try this right now. Maybe you've used a GameShark ever and then too bad, it's not going to work for you. Or you haven't completed your Pokédex. Or, while your team of six may be high-leveled, probably you don't have seventeen Pokémon that you've trained up. Similarly, for the Mew trick, you need to have not fought these two random trainers that you had no reason to avoid on your playthrough, and if you have - oops, too bad, you can't try it. So you can't prove it doesn't work, right?

You need to perform a secret arbitrary sequence of steps involving interacting with these particular random NPCs in very particular ways, ones that have no sensible connection to "Pikablu". They're just the key that unlocks it, for some reason. Similarly, the Mew trick, again, involves an encounter with Mew being unlocked by interacting in very particular ways with these two particular random trainers, for some reason.

You need to stand in this one very specific spot and then immediately use Fly to go to a specific place. In the Mew trick you also need to stand in a very specific spot, then move down and very quickly press Start to Fly to a specific place.

It describes some funky vaguely glitch-sounding behaviour, where you get this mystery item where trying to use it just acts like you selected Cancel, and when you talk to Oak it gives you recycled dialogue about a different item - juuust enough to sound kind of weird and spooky, but not like any kind of full-on memory corruption is happening. Similarly, the Mew trick involves little mildly weird spooky bits like that: an exclamation mark appearing above a trainer's head while you're flying away, your Start button not working for a bit, the Start menu popping up by itself. But there's no obvious apparent full-on corruption going on. All the visibly glitchy behaviour is subtle and temporary.

It was truly such a perfect coincidental storm of circumstances that happened to make it fall so neatly in line with all the rumours. In hindsight, there are of course also some noteworthy differences we can identify: most prominently, in the Pikablu rumour there's an NPC with supposed dialogue specific to this sequence, which would mean this would have to be an intentionally programmed easter egg with the prior random interactions as a very obtuse but presumably intentional trigger, whereas the Mew trick features no new NPC dialogue because it's simply a legitimate glitch that these NPC interactions happen to trigger. But not every rumour involved new dialogue, and legitimate glitches in games can also sometimes trigger unused dialogue; even with hindsight, nothing about the instructions themselves should have been a giveaway that the Mew trick was the genuine article in a sea of urban legends.

#pokemon #pokemon glitches #johto times #pokegods #pikablu #the mew trick #ramble #reminiscence

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astralprisms · 5 months ago

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[☺ XA'ROK - THE ASTRAL ENVOY ☺]

1. [CHARACTER INFO]

OC NAME: Xa'rok

AUTHOR: Rook (or @astraltadpoled on twt)

2. [DIALOGUE]

Greeting message:

I hope the journey was kind to you. How are you faring?

Identify yourself:

I am Xa'rok, Astral Envoy, and founder of the Society of the Three Skies. Free Skies? I'm still workshopping the title. Which do you like better?

Tell me about your creche:

I left it long ago. It's something of a sore subject - for them, not me, you understand. They were more open-minded than most, but even their tolerance had a limit. I think the northern winds addled their brains. If you've never been to the spine of the world, well. I can't say I recommend it.

I need to know how you fight:

With blade and bow. But trying to predict my movements will only get you tripping over your own thoughts. Telling you more would give you an edge. Every hatchling knows that. But since you asked... <casts Dissonant Whispers>

I have more tricks up my sleeve, but I reserve those for actual enemies, not potential friends. Hard to make friends with a corpse. Unless you're a necromancer, I suppose.

Can I ask a personal question?

I have nothing to hide.

What is your relationship to divinity?

I feel like I'm being censured again. If you're talking about Vlaakith, I think she could do better. She didn't like my notes, though. Zerthimon had the better philosohy to be sure, but I don't put my faith in any god. Veneration tends to amplify our mistakes. I prefer to leave the gods to their realms, and focus on our own.

What do you usually do in your free time?

Play music, when I get to. I could play you something now, if you like.

What is your life goal?

A tall order. Well, I guess I can't get exiled again. I want to reunite our people, and - perhaps most damningly - I want them to leave the ghaik alone. Coexistence is possible, but it is only the first step. Think of what they could teach us - and us them - if given the chance to meet in the middle.

[A long pause] ...I didn't say it was an obtainable goal.

How is your relationship to your allies?

Good, I hope. At least, that's what they tell me. We try to meet up once or twice a year, if our schedules allow it. And they know, should they have need of me, my sword and skills are at their call. They need only ask.

Do you have someone special in your life?

I have a partner, if that's what you're asking. Whether we're just business partners or otherwise is between us, though. Have to leave my colleagues guessing. If they knew the real truth, they'd be scandalized. Though maybe not here. Maybe.

Say something you would never do, and why:

Vlaakith gha'g shkath zai (laughs) she didn't like that, either. I've never been one to kneel to authority.

What is a perfect day to you?

Somewhere out there among the stars, traveling with D'jaxia, sometimes alone, sometimes with company, lost in a concert of noise and light. Preferably on a good day, when negotiations are going well. Did you know that the stars sing? You have to be silent to hear it, but when you do... there's nothing quite like it.

How do you celebrate a victory?

How does anyone? A party of course! Preferably with those you love in attendance, good food, and singing. Can you sing? It isn't my forte, but that makes it all the better, I think. It helps to humble your friends every now and again by reminding them you could be worse and that you're abstaining, for their sake.

But have a drink, enjoy the music! At my old creche there were sparring matches to determine the pecking order but I've left that particular celebratory custom up north where it belongs. There's a training dummy if you need to let off steam, though.

How do you deal with defeat and losses?

I like to be alone for that. It's hard to ruminate on failure when you have supportive friends and allies whispering reassurances into your brain on how best to succeed next time. Sometimes you have to sit with the loss to internalize it. It doesn't sink in otherwise.

How do you think you will be remembered after death?

As a positive force for change, if nothing else. A visionary at best. An addled-brained lost cause at the very worst. I can deal with being h'sharlak. But to discount my work entirely... to wonder why it's even being attempted in the first place... I want to change their minds. Maybe even yours. Even if my voice is just one lost in the chorus, if I've achieved anything - gotten just one person to pause and reconsider, I feel like I've done my duty.

I hope they'll entertain the work, after all is said and done, and maybe someone somewhere down the line can pick up where I left off in less dire straits. Maybe they can even contact my spirit, somehow, in some way, to let me know how it's gone. I think the githzerai have done something like that. Maybe Skaro knows...

3. [GRAPHICS]

4. [BONUS RESOURCES]

Xa'rok has a theme song here (by @aceforspinaltap on twt)

Xa'rok going illithid powers mode (by @/oxalees)

Xa'rok and the Emperor (by @/pickled0ctopus)

Xa'rok, D'jaxia, and the Emperor & illithid!Xa'rok, D'jaxia, and the Emperor by @/greseadraws

Xa'rok and their githzerai partner, Skaro (I may include him so long as I can figure him out enough to answer the questions) - (in the partner question Xa'rok refers to the Emperor in a candid sense, though the form the Emperor takes as their dream guardian is the face of Skaro, so no matter which way you slice Xa'rok's romantic entanglements, they're pissing off Vlaakith loyalist githyanki by tangoing with both ghaik and 'zerai, both factions they hope to unite for cultural advancement and free trade of information and resources, if nothing else.)

Xa'rok willingly took the astral tadpole and became half-illithid. Their in-game ending involves also becoming full illithid, but for this project they exist in their AU state as a half-illithid, half-gith.

They are non-binary and use they/them pronouns.

@vikintor

#githmap #githmapoc #tav: xa'rok #my tavs #vikintor

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milkman-zahhak · 5 days ago

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Cal and Leo Halloween special PART 1

Sorry this took so long, it's not even Halloween anymore.. life has been really shitty for me lately. I don't wanna talk about it.

When you're done reading, please reblog this or share it and whatever and try to vote in the poll at the end to decide how part 2 should go!

As usual, WARNING, THIS IS A KINK POST, IT CONTAINS FETISH CONTENT. This one isn't as blatant as some of the others, but still a warning in case you come across this somehow from somewhere else, idk.

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Leo and Cal had decided to embrace Halloween wholeheartedly, despite having no plans to go out or attend any parties. They were determined to have a memorable night in, just the two of them. Unfortunately, they're grown men, so they're not trick or treating. They also don't really have anyone to party with, nor did either of them feel like going through too much effort this year. After all, jobs don't give you a day off for Halloween, and Leo had just submitted multiple job applications and wanted to try and get himself used to a normal work schedule again. Soon. Surely. Just not tonight, because it's Halloween. Leo is so very lucky that both him and Cal were but simple men, content to live in the most bare undecorated apartment. savings were preserved and spared from being used for the light and water bills due to the fact that Leo dwells within the cave that is his room with the lights off, and Cal survives off of energy drinks instead of water.

Cal and Leo had decided to celebrate Halloween together, just the two of them, having a scary movie marathon.

Leo, being the pop culture nerd he was, had spent weeks working on his homemade costume. Cal, on the other hand, went for something a little more simple – a vampire costume that he'd found at the local costume shop. Truth be told, the suit was cheap, it wasn't like it was tailor-made, so its generic sizing fit a bit funny on Cal. But he didn't really care, it did its job as a costume.

As they sat together on the couch, surrounded by blankets and pillows, Leo couldn't help but admire Cal's costume. "Hey, you look pretty good for a last-minute choice," Leo chuckled, his own excitement bubbling over. Cal rolled his eyes playfully. "Yeah, well, I figured I'd let you have the spotlight with your masterpiece here." He gestured towards Leo's impressive getup. Leo blushed at the compliment.

Cal raised an eyebrow as he looked Leo over, taking in the intricate details of his costume. It was clear that Leo had put a lot of effort into it, but Cal couldn't quite place what it was supposed to be. "So uhh. You're like a baseball player or something?" Leo's face fell a little, but he quickly recovered and launched into an explanation. "Dude, come on.." He said, gesturing to his outfit. "I'm Trey Parker's character 'Joe Cooper', y'know, from BASEketball?" Cal nodded along, trying to look interested, but it was clear that he still didn't understand.

Leo let out a small sigh, "You know what, never mind. Let's Just enjoy the night, Cal. I'll have to remember to watch that movie with you sometime" He said, smiling softly. Cal didn't really have the attention span for movies, but thankfully Leo seemed to have an oddly specific taste in either obscure older cartoons or very cheesy and stupid comedies, which usually held his attention just enough for the important parts that he would inevitably be quizzed on afterwards. So it's whatever. As long as he has snacks he can sit through anything.

They settled in for their movie marathon, with bowls of popcorn and a small bowl of candy to share between the two of them.

As the first horror flick started playing on the TV screen, Cal couldn't help but notice that their candy bowl seemed rather small. "Leo, where'd all the candy go? I swear we bought like five bags." He asked, eyeing the half-empty bowl greedily.

Leo looked over at him and smiled, "We did buy a lot, but I didn't want you to eat it all in one sitting. You know what happens when you eat too much sugar." He teased lightly. Cal pouted, "B-But Leo, it's Halloween! I'm supposed to stuff myself silly!" He protested, reaching for another piece of candy already, as if to strengthen his point. Leo chuckled and shook his head.

"I know, I know, and usually that would be fine but..." he paused, continuing in a more serious tone, "It seems like lately a lot of the overindulging you do seems to be during our movie nights.. and.. We can't make this a habit, or else you're going to start associating movie nights with getting stuffed." Leo explained, his face calm and playful, but Cal could tell he wasn't kidding around.

Cal looked at him, confusion written all over his face. "I, uh, hate to be the one to break it to you, but I already associate movie nights with stuffing myself. along with most things, honestly. I appreciate the concern, but It's a bit too late for me, haha." He replied matter-of-factly.

Leo sighed, knowing he had to spell it out for him. "No, it's not about you- I mean, every time we watch a movie together, I'll expect you to eat a ton..." He said, trying to keep a straight face. "...and I'll get. uh... Look, I just don't wanna condition myself to be horny whenever we watch movies together. I really enjoy doing this with you and I don't wanna get my love of movies mixed up in all this. I promise you can do whatever you want tomorrow, just try to be normal for tonight, okay?"

Cal's face turned a deep shade of red, realizing exactly what Leo was talking about. Oh, God, he thought to himself, I guess he's right. There’s something about Leo that was somewhat apparent just living with him as a roommate, but became glaringly obvious once Cal had started dating Leo. They’d only started getting sexually intimate with each other recently, but whether it be normal intimacy or something fetish-related, Cal couldn’t help but notice that once Leo got “in the zone” so to speak, that it would become the only thing he would be able to focus on, fogging up his mind until he got relief. …Personally, Cal thought it was kinda cute, but he could see how that kind of thing could end up messing with someone’s regular life.

Their movie nights were of the utmost importance to Leonard. Of course. Cal didn’t wanna ruin his lover’s hobby, no matter how dorky it may be. He took a deep breath, nodding slowly. "Yeah, you got a point. I'll try to pace myself."

He grabbed a handful of popcorn instead, focusing his attention on the screen. At least the movie was getting good, the tension rising as the main character crept down the dark hallway.

Leo sat next to him, eyes glued to the TV, completely enthralled by the suspenseful music. Cal tried to concentrate on the movie, but his thoughts kept drifting back to Leo's confession. He appreciated and respected it, really, but he couldn't help feeling a little disappointed that he wouldn't be able to indulge tonight.

Leo noticed Cal's expression and gently nudged him with his elbow, "You okay?" He asked quietly, not wanting to disturb the movie too much. Cal nodded again, popping a piece of popcorn in his mouth and making a comment on the movie instead. "Mmhm, I just don't have very high hopes for this guy. If I were him, I would break a window and escape the house." Leo gave him a reassuring smile, reaching over to squeeze his hand briefly before letting go. "Right? I always think about that when the character supposedly can't escape some kind of structure, but there's windows. Like, Resident Evil 7 for example would have been significantly shorter if Ethan just rammed into a window and fled to get backup or something..." Leo discussed- mostly with himself.

Cal nodded and ate another handful of popcorn. It was light, filling, but not very heavy. It wasn't the same as eating his weight in candy, but Cal knew that Leo was trying to keep things in check for both of their benefits.

As the movie continued, the atmosphere between them shifted slightly. The tension in the air was palpable, not just because of what was happening on screen, but also because of what wasn't happening between them. Cal tried to ignore it, but it was difficult when every time Leo jumped at a scare, his body brushed up against Cal's, sending little sparks through him.

Interesting. Even unrelated to cramming food down his throat, or either of their fetishes, you would think that the close physical contact would be enough to rile up his notoriously touch-starved roommate (Hell, it's even getting to Cal, now.), but Leo was immersed and invested in his movies.

Ironically, it seemed to be Leo's turn to unintentionally turn on Cal this time. With excessive pats on his arm and sides with urges to hurry and look at some detail before he missed it, cuddling up close during tense scenes, grabbing onto him during sudden jumpscares.

Cal found himself caring less and less about the movie as other things took priority in his head. He didn’t care how that itch was scratched, be it through stuffing candy down his own throat, or shoving his tongue down Leo’s throat… but he wouldn't let Leo know that.

They went on to watch several more movies. Leo was completely lost in the stories while Cal struggled to keep his mind focused on the plot. He was acutely aware of Leo's every movement, the warmth radiating off of him, the occasional grip of his hand or thigh during suspenseful moments. It was torturous in its own right, but Cal knew that Leo wasn't doing it on purpose.

Whenever the movie would get too intense, Leo would lean into him, burying his face in Cal's shoulder or pressing his entire body against Cal's side. This sent a flood of emotions through Cal - excitement, desire, frustration, amusement, and warmth. He couldn't help but laugh quietly to himself every time it happened, feeling his heartbeat quicken as Leo's breath tickled his neck, and he would mutter something along the lines of "holy shit, sorry... that got me good!" each time.

Cal wanted so badly to give in, not just to pigging out on Halloween night, but from getting handsy with Leo as he kept squirming around, seemingly unable to sit still. Is this how Leo feels all the time?

Leo was so happy and in his element, he hasn't had the chance to go full Nostalgia Critic on any newer horror movies in over a year, since he saved the genre to be viewed only during the spooky season.

Cal knew this, and didn't want to ruin Leo's movie experience. So, he endured, trying his best to keep things casual while internally fighting against the growing desire.

Leo, on the other hand, was blissfully unaware of Cal's predicament. He was too absorbed in the world of horror and suspense unfolding before his eyes. The occasional jump scare sent adrenaline coursing through him, making him clutch onto Cal instinctively. But otherwise, he remained focused, commenting on camera angles, acting, possible references, character development, and predicting plot twists. At this point, Cal almost expected Leo to start taking notes.

As the final movie of the night approached its end, Cal felt his patience slipping. He couldn't bear to sleep Halloween night away on a not-completely-full stomach! So, as Leo sat on the edge of his seat, biting his lower lip in anticipation, Cal quietly began to formulate a plan.

He glanced over at the clock on the wall. Leo always went to bed at midnight sharp, no matter what was happening in the movie. Cal could hear the ticking of the clock in his head, counting down the minutes until freedom. He knew exactly what he was going to do. Once Leo went to bed, Cal would sneak into the kitchen and grab a few pieces of candy, just enough to satisfy his craving without drawing attention.

Just a little bit, Cal reasoned with himself, Leo won't even notice. Besides, he needed something to keep him awake after such an adrenaline filled movie marathon. He was already imagining the sweet burst of flavor in his mouth, the way his taste buds would sing with delight.

Cal tried to hide his excitement, masking it as simply excitement for the movie they were watching as it came to its conclusion.

Soon enough, the movie ended. Cal watched Leo with an amused expression as he continued talking animatedly about the movies they had seen tonight. "That last one was the perfect one to end on! Honestly, the 1st one was mid, but I kinda expected it to be like that because, well, obviously. You can't expect too much from the winnie the pooh cashgrab bullshit, I kinda just wanted to see it so I could hate on it more accurately- you know how it is..."

He couldn't deny that seeing Leo so excited was endearing, but he was also tired from fighting his own urges all night long. As Leo jumped up from the couch to grab his laptop, Cal decided it was time to intervene before Leo lost sleep over his movie reviews.

Cal stood up slowly, stretching his hand lazily covering his mouth as he tried to stifle a yawn. "Aaaalright, buddy. Time for bed. We can talk about these movies all day tomorrow, but right now you need your beauty sleep." Leo looked over at Cal, wide eyed and full of energy. "But I haven't even started drafting anything yet!" He protested, clutching his laptop to his chest like a security blanket. "Like, the last one we just finished, it was actually genius how they-" Cal walked over and placed his hand on Leo's shoulder, gently guiding him towards the hallway that led to his bedroom. "Come on, you can start writing them down in the morning. It's late." Leo reluctantly allowed himself to be led, still talking about his favorite parts of each film.

Leo was so caught up in blabbing that he barely realized as Cal practically laid him down on the bed and tucked him in. Leo stretched and yawned widely, his body relaxed and satisfied from hours of indulging in his favorite genre. He stopped talking and caught his breath for a bit, realizing how tired he really was. Cal watched him with hooded eyes, the hunger for something sweet still lingering within him. Leo turned towards him with a grin. "Hey, Cal? Thank you for having a halloween movie marathon with me today. That was a lot of fun for me. I hope you enjoyed tonight as much as I did, 'cause I know it must have been hard for you to hold back on celebrating how you wanted..." Cal waved his words away confidently "Nahh, don't even worry about that, it was nothing. I may be a glutton, but I have patience!"

That was a big, greedy lie from a big and greedy Callum.

With Leo finally settled, Cal took a deep breath, closed Leo's door and headed to his own bedroom.

But not before he took a little detour. He looked around the living room, making sure everything was in order before turning off all the lights except for the small lamp near the couch. It cast a soft glow around the apartment, illuminating just enough to see where he was going without being too bright. He sat out there, quietly playing around and scrolling on his phone, sneakily checking in on Leo to make sure he was in a deep enough sleep. After a while, Cal quietly made his way towards the kitchen.

The plastic grocery bags on the kitchen table loomed in front of him like a beacon of hope, relief from the torment of temptation. Inside the grocery bags were multiple large, mixed candy bags that were meant to be used specifically as a Halloween bowl filler to hand out to trick-or-treaters. Except it was all his.

He went for the one they'd already opened, careful not to make any sudden noises that might wake Leo up. Inside were all kinds of colorful candies, each one calling out to Cal like sirens of the sea. He reached into the bag, his fingers brushing against the cold plastic as he wondered where to begin.

Just a little bit, he told himself once again, grabbing a Twix, a Snickers, a little Starburst pack, a handful of Tootsie rolls... Just a little bit, one of each kind to satisfy every possible angle of this sweet tooth that's been nagging him.

The moment the first piece of candy hit Cal's tongue, he knew he was in trouble. The sweetness washed over him like a wave, drowning out any remaining resistance. He savored the flavors, letting them dance across his palate before swallowing. It was pure bliss. His eyes fluttered shut as he leaned against the counter, allowing himself to fully enjoy the sensation.

When he opened them again, he found himself staring back at the half empty bag of candy. Guilt briefly flickered in his chest, but it was quickly replaced by desire. He reasoned that if he was already breaking the rules, then why not go all out? After all, it wouldn't hurt to take just a little bit more...

With renewed determination, Cal dove back into the bag. This time, he grabbed more than just a handful - he took fistfuls of candy, balancing the loot in his hand, gripping candies by their wrappers trying to hold it all at once. Chocolate, gummy bears, sour patch kids... He didn't discriminate!

It was then that he heard a loud noise. Panic set in as he quickly tossed the candy back in the bag, trying to look innocent.

Shit, shit, shit! He thought frantically, trying to figure out how he was going to explain this. He turned towards the sound; it was coming from outside.

He let out a huge sigh of relief. it was only some jackass' and his loud car ripping through the streets late at night.

The surprise was enough to get him nervous though. What if it was Leo waking up and discovering him? He can't stay here in the kitchen. He might as well bring the candy into his own bedroom, where he can eat it behind closed doors- not that he was gonna eat any more than a few pieces, of course!

This was just for convenience. Besides, they were probably gonna keep the candy in his room anyway, it can't stay in the kitchen cabinet forever, right? Cal's just cleaning up a bit, that's all!

Cal gathered the rest of the candy bags, stacking them up in his arms and making his way to his room. He rehearsed the excuses in his head just in case Leo woke up and saw him.

Once safely behind closed doors, Cal placed the candy bags on his bedroom floor. He took another glance outside into the living room and kitchen, ensuring that the coast was still clear. Satisfied, he turned his attention back to the colorful assortment of goodies. His heart raced as he ripped open a tiny bag of skittles, pouring them into his mouth and chewing them all at once.

He couldn't believe how good it tasted! How had he gone so long without indulging in something so simple yet delicious? THIS is how you're supposed to spend Halloween! The sweetness coated his tongue and filled his senses, pushing away any lingering guilt.

His mouth felt sticky and coated with chocolate after fishing out the mini Hershey's chocolates and eating just those for a few minutes. He took a swig of water from a bottle he kept in his bedroom, washing away the overwhelming chocolate taste, ready to get back to business and let some other flavors have a turn.

He must have taken too big of a gulp, because immediately after the bottle left his lips, he barely even realized what was happening before a huge, airy burp flew out of his mouth.

*Buu-UUUORP* "woah.."

He froze up, listening for any movement outside. God, he hoped that didn't wake Leo up. Maybe it was the water hitting all the popcorn he'd eaten that night, expanding it or something. Whatever. No biggie.

Cal looked at the candy in front of him. He was going to stop right about now, but that burp just now really made a lot of room...

“Just a few more pieces…” he promised himself as he reached for more.

One by one, Cal allowed himself to indulge in the candies, each taste better than the last. He tried to keep track of how many pieces he consumed, but it was becoming increasingly difficult. Every time he reached for another piece, he would tell himself it was the last one. But then, he'd find another type that caught his eye, and the cycle would start all over again. "it's just another tiny piece" He would think to himself.

Before long, wrappers were scattered across his bedroom floor, and he noticed the wrapper that his hands were mindlessly opening was… a bit bigger than usual.

oh.

He'd finished off the first bag.

Glancing at the clock on his nightstand, Cal realized that it was now close to 5 in the morning.

He hadn't meant to spend so much time on his candy escapade, but once he got started, he couldn't seem to stop. The soft light from his digital clock illuminated the room, just bright enough for him to look down and see his sticky, candy covered hands. He could only imagine what his face looked like. He sure felt a lot of candy residue around his mouth, and he definitely wiped his face with his dirty hands a few times. Ugh.

He was supposed to do this with Leo tomorrow - or rather today, since technically it already was tomorrow. But he couldn't bring himself to care much about that now as he clenched his jaw. For some reason, the sweetness of the candy made it so that his mouth and throat just felt.. Gross. Focusing on that feeling too much made him feel unreasonably queasy considering his usual capacity. Suddenly, Cal gagged without even trying. He had to snap his mouth shut as tight as it could go and hold his breath for a few seconds to keep everything down. He wasn’t even that full, just overwhelmed with sugar.

Cal groaned. Being nauseous is only worth it if his tummy is hard and heavy, that way he could at least enjoy rubbing it. It was a deeply unsatisfying feeling, all things considered. He wished there were other halloween treats and snacks to eat to at least switch up the flavor so his body wouldn't get sick of just candy.

He wished he could lay down and sleep it off, but the sugar rush was too intense, coursing through his veins and making him feel alive in a way he hadn't felt in a long time so he sat there a while with nothing to do. He skimmed the top of the next open bag and grabbed one of the lollipops- maybe that’ll be easier to eat? And they take a while to finish, sure to pass the time.

Cal felt his stomach gurgle as he sucked on a little round lollipop, the saliva in his mouth watering as he did so, and the constant swallowing helped distract his throat from gagging.

His mind was buzzed, but his stomach started rumbling ominously in short, high pitched squelches, sending waves of discomfort throughout his body. He winced, rubbing his belly gently as he realized he might have overdone it with the candy consumption.

"Oh boy..." he muttered to himself, looking down at the empty wrappers surrounding him.

"Why did I do this? I knew this was going to happen... Leo knew this was going to happen...", Cal thought, feeling slightly regretful.

He hadn't eaten this much sugar in years, not since his prime camboy days when a viewer suggested he stuff himself with candy. And now he remembered why.

But even as his stomach twisted and groaned, Cal couldn't help but smile slightly. This was the kind of stupid mistake he used to make all the time when Leo wasn't around to take care of him. It was just Cal, alone in his room, gorging himself. It felt weirdly nostalgic, reminding him of his carefree younger days before Leo had become such a huge part of his life.

Leo... He quickly checked the time again. Yep, still 5am.

Cal flopped onto his bed, discarding the half-eaten candy bag next to him. Disarrayed and covered in sugar dust and crumbs, smears of melted chocolate on anything his hands had touched. He looked like a mess. His dark hair was sticking out in every direction, no longer combed and presentable. His cheap vampire suit stretched uncomfortably in the middle across his slightly swollen belly, a testament to how potent candy can be for a stomach compared to actual food.

He wasn't even gonna try to take his costume off now. He could worry about that later. He just really really needed to get some shut eye before Leo woke up.

He curled up in his blankets, feeling the soft fabric against his sticky skin. Gross.

He tried to ignore the persistent ache in his belly and the lingering taste of candy on his lips. But sleep wouldn't come easily. The sugar rush kept him wide awake, his mind buzzing with random thoughts and scenarios. He tossed and turned, trying different positions to ease the discomfort, but nothing seemed to work.

Finally, after what felt like hours, but was only probably an hour and a half, the inevitable sugar crash arrived. The energy began to fade away, leaving behind an intense nausea and sluggish feeling. Cal groaned quietly, clutching his stomach as it cramped up. The rest of his body wanted sleep, but his stomach was still trying to digest everything. He tried to breathe through the pain, focusing on the rise and fall of his chest. But then, he could practically feel the air as it rose up his throat, like it was trying to squeeze through a sticky tube that was his throat. A sickeningly sweet burp escaped him *Buuurrrp* and the scent of artificial fruitiness and partially digested chocolate wafted upwards, making his head spin.

"Eugh... that definitely tasted better going down.." He grumbled.

The room started spinning slightly, and he felt himself grow hot. This was bad. He had definitely eaten too much. Food and meals were one thing, but candy was another.

When it came to sweets, he could handle pastries, ice cream, cake, and cookies stuffed in his gut, but something about candy just felt so sticky and dense. Everything from the smooth chocolates to the stretchy taffy mixed together inside him to make a very uncomfortable amalgamation inside his body.

He closed his eyes, willing the sensation to pass. But as soon as it felt like things were calming down, he could feel his stomach gurgling again. He knew he needed to get rid of the gas building up inside of him, so he let another burp slip out. *grrrr..bu-urrrrrp*.

This time, it was even worse. The sweetness of the candy coated his mouth again, sending a wave of nausea through him.

Eventually, exhaustion finally took over and Cal managed to drift off into a restless sleep. His dreams filled with a castrophony of colorful, distorted shapes that danced in front of his eyes, accompanied by the ever-present rumble of his upset stomach.

As dawn approached, Leo stirred in his room. He blinked slowly, adjusting to the new day.

Yawning widely, he slipped out of bed and made his way to the kitchen, where he had left the bags of candy for Halloween. Leo got up pretty early for his own standards, he planned to wake Cal up so that he could get a pick of what he wanted to start eating first. He figured he would be chomping at the bit to finally start chomping at the candy, he didn't wanna make his boyfriend wait any longer.

Besides, Leo couldn't remember exactly what, but he could have sworn he’d dreamed about some scary shit after watching all those movies, unfortunately none of it in a sexy or kinky scenario… But alas, Leonard's morning wood seemed to be completely unaffected by the nightmares, and he's sure Cal is gonna get a big kick out of that.

Cal is hopefu- probably going to love teasing him about it, Leo thought… Heh, yeah.

He froze in place, however, when he found the huge candy bags missing from their spot on the counter.

His eyes narrowed suspiciously, he turned towards Cal's room. Was Cal up? Did he eat the candy? Leo knew how much Cal loved sweets, but he thought he would at least be able to resist temptation on his own for one night.

Leo tiptoed over to Cal's door and cracked it open, peeking inside. The sight that greeted him was definitely shocking, but he would be lying to himself if he said it was a complete surprise.

Cal was sprawled across the bed, looking more disheveled than usual. The room was littered with candy wrappers and the faint smell of chocolate and sour apple hung in the air. Weird, he remembered a lot of the fruity candies, but only a small bit of them were even remotely sour.

Cal's stomach churned audibly enough for Leo to hear it from his doorway, and a muffled rumbly toot could be heard leaking out from the poor boy in his sleep and into the mattress.

Ah. Leo held his breath, for the obvious reasons of course, but also to hold back laughter. Poor Cal, this has probably been happening all night.

Leo’s eyes scanned the room. He couldn't believe it. Had Cal really eaten all of the candy while he slept?

He opened the door further, stepping into the room and taking in the full extent of the damage. He shook his head in disbelief. There were wrappers everywhere and an empty bag. 3 were left, one of them already opened.

Leo felt his cheeks heat up, a small smile playing on his lips as he took in Cal's state. He wasn't mad, really. It was more amused-annoyance than anything else. Besides, he couldn't deny the slight arousal he felt looking at Cal's hand on his belly. He could only imagine what Cal was like last night before he had fallen asleep, in this same position, but awake and aching.. And vulnerable. Leo found himself drawn to it, letting his eyes wander across Cal’s body in selfish ways, since Cal wasn't awake to possibly judge him for it.

Leo decided to have some fun with this, he'd never really been one to tease people (people usually tease him first, and he always crumbles immediately), but it was hard not to when Cal was practically begging for it having made no effort to cover his tracks. This time, Leo would get the first turn to tease someone. He walked over to the bed, leaning over Cal and letting his breath tickle Cal's ear.

"Hey, sleepyhead," He cooed softly, "Wake up. You've got some explaining to do."

Cal stirred slightly at first, then groaned, clutching his stomach. His face twisted into a grimace as he slowly began to wake up. "whutimeizzit?" he croaked out.

"It's almost nine." Leo replied, grinning wickedly.

Cal groaned, rubbing at his eyes and wincing at the movement. He opened his eyes and looked up at Leo, taking a moment to process his surroundings, then suddenly his face contorted with a mixture of confusion and embarrassment. "Whuh.... w-what?" He croaked out.

"Oh, I dunno, I was hoping you would tell me." Leo replied nonchalantly, gesturing to the empty candy wrappers around the room.

Cal groaned and laid back against his pillow. "ohhhhh-hohohoooohh.... *urp* I'm sorry, I... stayed up super late after our movie night.." Cal began to explain

Leo raised an eyebrow at Cal's explanation, trying to suppress his laughter. "Stayed up late, huh? Doing what exactly?" He asked, his tone playfully accusatory. He couldn't help but let out a small snicker when he saw the flush spreading across Cal's cheeks. Oh how the tables have turned. Leo reached over to push his hand against Cal's upset tummy, feeling how bloated he was through his costume, the shirt of which had now ridden up just below his belly button.

Cal squirmed under his gaze, trying to sit up, but the weight of Leo's hand on his bloated stomach prevented him from doing so easily. "I... *urgh* uh... just couldn't sleep. And then I saw the candy..." He trailed off, his voice getting weaker as he realized how ridiculous he sounded.

Leo chuckled and sat down on the edge of the bed, reaching out to lightly poke at Cal's belly. "You couldn't sleep, so you decided to try and eat all the candy?" He repeated, poking his fingers into Cal's sensitive belly.

Cal let out a small yelp at the contact, then another burp, this time sounding more like a whimper than anything else. "I-it just...didn’t feel like Halloween without it... " He mumbled, looking down at his lap.

Leo couldn't hold his laughter any longer, he fell into a small fit of immature giggling, watching Cal squirm under his fingers. "And so you couldn't even wait until morning?" He said, poking him again, enjoying the small sounds of discomfort Cal made.

Cal glared at him half-heartedly, his cheeks burning red. "It's not funny..." He muttered, trying to push Leo away from his stomach. But his movements were sluggish, and he didn't put much force behind it. He knew he was caught red handed.

Leo leaned in, pressing a quick kiss to Cal's forehead. "Yes, it is. It's really funny. But I promise, I'm not mad. Just surprised." He said, his laughter dying down. He looked at Cal, his confidence in teasing growing by the second, then added, "I was planning for each bag to last a few days each, but I have'ta make some changes now, thanks to you."

Cal let out a long, drawn-out sigh. "I know... I just... I don't know. I'm so sorry, I'm just.. just big and greedy.." He admitted, sounding sheepish.

Leo smiled softly Leo felt a surge of excitement run through him as Cal admitted to being greedy. He had always been fascinated by the idea of control and dominance, but he'd never had the chance to really explore it. Even when Leo was in charge of things, Cal would always be the one to really call the shots on what happened next and where things went. and Leo usually listened. He's the one that feeds Cal, He should probably try to play his part and be a bit assertive once in a while.

Seeing Cal in this vulnerable state, admitting to being greedy and apologetic, was like an early Christmas gift. He bit his bottom lip, considering his next move. He wanted to push the boundaries a little further, see if Cal would go along with it. "Well, maybe you need a little punishment for being so impatient." Leo said, his voice low and husky. He trailed his fingers over Cal's belly, feeling the hard mass of candy beneath the fabric of his costume.

Cal's eyes snapped to Leo's, wide with surprise. "W-what kind of punishment?" He asked hesitantly, but Leo could see the spark of curiosity in them.

Leo leaned closer, his breath hot against Cal's ear. "I'm not a total asshole, so first things first, I'll take care of you now." He whispered, undoing Cal's sticky vampire costume off little by little, his fingers tracing patterns on Cal's belly whenever they were nearby. He could feel the candy sloshing around inside, and the thought made him even more excited. Cal seemed cautious "...o-okay.."

Leo continued, "I'll leave the choice up to you. Since you clearly love candy so much you couldn't even wait for me before you managed to eat an entire bag of it in the night behind my back, you can either make up for it by waiting even longer- no food until tomorrow..." Leo paused, poking his fingers into Cal's belly once again, "OR, you can continue being greedy and finish the other 3 bags in one day."

Cal swallowed hard, looking at Leo with a mix of trepidation and desire. "Y-you're serious?" He stammered, his cheeks flushing even darker. Leo nodded, grinning wickedly. "Oh, completely serious." He replied, then pressed a kiss to Cal's forehead. He could see Cal was clearly going along with this too, but he wanted to give him some comfort just in case, "But don't worry, I'll take good care of you, whichever one you choose."

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^if this poll runs out and you can no longer vote on it, but I haven't posted part 2 yet, please reply in the comments which option you choose, and it will be counted.

#cal and leo #writing #Callum Axelle #Leonard Lindsey #self post #bellyache #stomach kink #belly kink #stomach ache #stuffing #bloated farts #burping #farting #gassy belly #belly rubs

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autistic-sidestep · 1 year ago

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lying down thinking very hard abt sidestep trying ortega's cooking for the first time, canonically them liking anything ortega makes, that ortega learnt from tia elena that feeding people is the best way to befriend people and that SO many of their fond memories are food-related. (bumped into overdrive with a sugar vice step!) the necessity of needing to eat a lot to maintain their telepathy helps, ofc!

#Sugar—my brain needs the energy. One drawback of your telepathic powers is that you need a lot of carbohydrates, and sugar is the easiest way to get them. […] the syrupy drinks you were used to back when [you were at the Farm]…

even chen's memory of a happy sidestep involves food

[non(knowssteelsuspects) tacticianstep] [i]So excited about a milkshake. Laughing with Anathema. The almost childish glee with which ${che} delighted in normalcy. In junk food and music. In movies.[/i]

which is why he stocks the fridge for an ally/friendly step

*label steelfridge (steelshelf true) "Raiding the fridge again?" Steel's voice is too soft for being inside the HQ. […] "Yeah, I'm a regular criminal," you joke, not looking back. Your eyes catch that damn shelf again, with your name clearly on it. There are some beers at the back, as well as assorted snacks. All things you've stolen in the past.

this can even be triggered by marcia from the business base

*label businessstart Sometimes, you pretend that this is what ordinary life must be like. Having a job. A daily routine. Surrounded by normal people, thinking unimportant thoughts. It's a nice enough fantasy, easy to indulge in when you sit sharing a meal with Marcia. She's brought a chili today, not as spicy as you're used to, but for a moment, you're having a flashback to another table, to another shared meal. Familiar laughter. A sense of belonging. You shut your eyes hard, and when you open them, it's Marcia's face you see and not Tía Ortega's. "Was it too hot?" Marcia looks concerned, and you realize your eyes have been tearing up. "I'm fine," you lie, hiding your face as you bite down on a piece of bread. "Thanks for sharing." "A meal is meant to be shared," she says, triggering more memories you don't want.

leading onto comforting spaces and memories with elena and ortega, it's definitely true ortega's strongly associated with food - all their meetups tend to revolve around meals

As do snacks. Is that part of what ${he} learned from ${his} mother? Feed people to make them comfortable, and you suppose the alcohol is mostly for ${him}self. (vice = "sugar") $!{he} always lets you steal ${his} snacks.

"Ooh, they have pancakes." "Pancakes." You shake your head. (*if vice = "sugar") Old memories. You used to eat those together.

What else did you have that wouldn't bring back traumatic memories? Clubs without Anathema, karaoke without Sunstream coming to life on the stage? Dinners with Tía Elena?

(retri epilogue, ortega pov)

Food. When in doubt, always go for food. $!{he} learned that trick at a young age, and it has never steered ${him} wrong.

memorial park meetup

[non alcoholic vice step] "You don't have to talk," ${he} assures you. "But what do you say we get a cup of coffee and a bite to eat?" "Coffee…" You almost laugh, because that's how people work, isn't it? When something uncomfortable happens, make sure to eat or drink something. It will make things better.

hoots

Of course ${he}'d pick a spot like this, [if see_shrink] where ${he} knows you would feel safe, especially after what you just went through. [else] the site of many of your escapades. Familiar. Safe.

"You know what Mamá would have said…." $!{he} wags ${his} finger in the air with a serious look on ${his} face. "If it tastes bad, it's good for you." Your voice is a fair approximation of Tía Elena's; you've heard that sentence often enough. For some reason, she had always been very concerned for your health. Intent on not letting you go hungry.

and ofc, the apartment scene

"I'd like that," you admit. It sounds good; a little privacy is what you need right now. "Been a while since I ate something homemade." "I think I still remember your favorites," ${he} says with a chuckle. "Wow. It's been ages since we did this." "Yeah," you look away to hide your smile. "I miss it." "So do I." For a moment, you think ${he}'s going to say something else, but ${he} doesn't. "I like your food," you finally admit, a little lower than needed, because you're not sure how ${he} will react.

*if ((wound = "a severely bitten lower lip") or (wound = "a severely bitten lower lip, and a sore shoulder")) "Are you sure you're going to be okay eating with that lip?" $!{he} touches ${his} own in sympathy. "I'm not going to starve," you say with a careful smile. "Just don't make it too spicy." "But I like spice…," ${he} complains. "Sucks to be you then." [*if ortega_friendship >= 75] Your smile softens somewhat. "You can always add it last, just to your portion."

"Any requests?" $!{his} voice is light and airy, clearly attempting to strike a lighter mood. "I like everything you make," you say, with a nonchalant shrug. [...]

It feels surprisingly normal sitting in Ortega's kitchen, one leg pulled up on your chair, watching ${him} cook. You helped cut the vegetables, but once the preparations were done, the stove was all [hers/his]. A familiar routine. It used to be what you did back in the day, maybe not every week, but when you had the time. The smell brings back fond memories [...]

"It's been a long time since we did this." Ortega again, breaking the silence that had been building, putting food on your plates. "Yeah," you admit, wishing it didn't smell so good, wishing the smell didn't take you back. […] "Do you like it?" "You're a good cook but such a sucker for compliments," you say, shoving in another mouthful. "I like it." […] You don't know what to feel as you watch ${him} eat, sharing ${his} table, sharing ${his} food. Sharing ${his} home. $!{his} friendship. $!{his} heart.

epilogue (recovering in chen's apartment + dating ortega)

"Your kitchen really sucks." Not exactly the smartest thing to say, but ${he}'s never been that good with words when ${he}'s stressed. "You know that, right?" "I know," Wei sighs, with the long-suffering look he has perfected over the years. "And you know it too. You say it every time you cook here." "$!{he} cooks here?" [...] "Occasionally." Wei sits down at last, giving Spoon a scratch before the dog pads back to ${name}'s side. "When ${he} feels I've been eating too badly." "I know your stomach doesn't always agree with food, but occasionally you just need some homemade caldillo." ${ortega_name} turns back to the stove, glad for the opportunity to busy ${his} hands. The closest thing ${he} can get to meditation, that, and the bike. [...] And everything starts with a delicious dinner. Even if ${he} has to be careful with the chili. $!{he}'s made worse sacrifices.

of course ortega learned it all from tia.

"Not Ortega?" Steel sounds surprised, which is annoying. Are you that predictable? "You know Tía Ortega. Dishes get done in that household." You can't help but smile at the memory. Another life. Another world. Did you use to be happy once?

[...]

Once upon a time, [if ortega_former ally] you were a frequent guest at [Elena's] house // [else] you were close. Back when she lived in the city. Invited into her home, at her dinner table. Hugs. Friendly laughter.

[...]

But it would also mean meeting her again. Stepping back into the past, being soft, loved, cared for, and you…you're not the same. Ortega hasn't told her about you for a reason.

i just.... augHHH. food as love.

#fh codediving #fh meta #i think that works #ramblings #also decided that copying the code as is rather than screenshots #was more accessible

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monsterswithimagines · 2 months ago

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Undisclosed Desires - Part 19

Joe Goldberg x female!Reader

Summary: Twenty minutes before he would have met Guinevere Beck, Joe meets you instead. You intruige him, but it will soon become clear that there is something off about you.

Words: 888

Masterlist

Fun fact: I actually wrote a part of this (the obvious email) in Dutch and then translated it with Google Translate so it would be realistic lmao.

I have the key to your place. You have the key to mine. We are that kind of couple.

When you're at work, I sometimes go to your apartment and read your email. I don't like that you have a male friend you haven't told me anything about, even if most of what you talk to him about is me.

Still, (Y/n), can you blame me for being worried? You are not supposed to keep secrets from me. And you don't. Except for when it comes to [email protected].

I have to be fast today. Yesterday, you ran into Paco's mom, Claudia. She complained to you that she has to work, so she can't take Paco trick or treating today, and Ron isn't interested. You're too kind, so you said we'd do it. And because not just Claudia, but even Ron actually likes you, Claudia thanked you profusely and said that “that would be great, actually.”

You should know, (Y/n), that I hate Halloween. But, as you pointed out, this isn't about me, or you - “don't you think I would have rather gone to the costume party my boss is throwing, Joe?” No. I don't think you would have. But that’s beside the point.

This is about Paco. And he will be at my apartment in less than two hours.

So I have to hurry.

But your email is just so enticing. I don't find any new exchanges with Grey (I did check just last week), but that doesn't mean there's nothing for me to see. You have a new email from your mother, and it's far easier to copy and paste one long message into Google Translate than it is to figure out texts.

Your mother writes:

Dear (Y/n),

I've had to think long and hard about how to tell you this, but I won't be there this Christmas. Your grandma and grandpa don't want Steef there, so I'm going with him to his family in Utrecht. You are of course very welcome to come too. Steef would like to meet you. I talk about you all the time, my sweet, smart daughter with her great job in America.

Unfortunately, I know you probably don't feel like it. Your grandfather has his claws in you. He thinks everything I do is wrong, and you believe him. That saddens me enormously. All your life you have seen your grandparents as the people who love you. Even as a little girl you didn't see how much I loved you and how much I did for you. I had to look for love somewhere else.

I found that love in Steef, (Y/n). We love each other so much. But I can't start a life with him if you haven't met him. Then help us! I love you so much, honey. Give me that love back and accept that I want to be happy too!

I don't understand why you let your grandparents determine your entire life. Joe sounds like a perfect man. Do you really leave him alone at Christmas and New Year because you are afraid that your grandfather has an opinion about your relationship?

You deserve so much better, Poppedijn. Both of us.

To the stars and back again,

Mom.

Oh. You're going to hate this.

Usually, you and your mom email each other when you want to tell each other things you consider too long to text. Like when you tell her about your day at work, or she talks about the latest drama going on in your hometown. Only once before have I seen you receive an email like this from your mother. When you read it, you completely shut down on me for a week. You wouldn't talk about it. You wouldn't talk to anyone. You called in sick to work and shut yourself inside your apartment.

I can't let that happen this time.

I write a response. I have to translate it and send it back in Dutch, and I know it won't be perfect, but I'm hoping your mother will write that off as part of your inability to string proper sentences together when you're not writing professionally.

mom,

i understand why you have to go to utrecht. you're right, i'd rather not come. but you need to find your bliss.

i need to find my bliss, too, so i think it's better if we don't speak to each other for a while. it's not personal. i'm very tired all the time and i want to focus on joe and i don't want to think about my mom, who'd rather spend christmas with her boyfriend's family than suck it up and see her only daughter.

all my love,

(y/n)

I hit send. Then, I panic and delete the email from your sent folder. Then, I panic even more and delete your mother's email altogether. I even remove it from your deleted files.

What have I done?

Your mom is going to react to this. She is going to tell you about the email she received. Then you will wonder who sent it, and who will all the signs point to? Your boyfriend, who has access to your apartment and your laptop when you're not paying attention.

I quickly replace the laptop and leave.

What am I going to do?

#joe goldberg #penn badgley #you netflix #joe goldberg imagine #joe goldberg x reader #imagine #joe goldberg x female!reader #joe goldberg x y/n #joe goldberg x you #x reader

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inventors-fair · 2 months ago

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Common-Typal Commentary: Matter over Mind

What did I want with this contest, really? Flavorful purpose. Communication of niche. Some weird stuff. I don't actually know what I wanted; perhaps there's this inner frustration that came out with how Bloomburrow drafts were treating me, and I wanted to express a world where typal didn't matter as heavily, where a world could run on its own merits. As I write this, I'm just finishing a draft of Lost Caverns, where I got some awesome artifact synergies going with splashes from other archetypes in the mix. That felt good! There wasn't the typal wonders, but there were pieces in between that folks used, little bits of revelatory connections. I wish it was easier to do typal. And it's not. On a week where the prompt was "typal that didn't care about typal as a theme," it becomes... Well, let's just say that the mess was justified.

There were some messy things that I want to call attention to, though. Firstly, please read and reread the prompt, because three separate people submitted uncommons. Secondly, when you're designing for common, keep complexity and power level in mind. Thirdly... There is no third point, and maybe that itself is the third point: that sometimes, I can only say what I know, and my communication should meet you halfway. If I ain't getting there, then that ain't nobody else's fault but my own. Simplify, revise, correct, and you know what, point four: your first idea isn't gonna be your best one 99% of the time. Reiterate upon yourself and you'll be taken to the stars.

I've got a few Judge Picks I wanted to point out, as you'll see, but this week was a little light so there might only be a couple. I'll go over everything in post. Speaking of post, here's what we have for commentary, posted below:

@bergdg — Aspect of Ruthlessness

From a Tarkir-oriented perspective, I think the flavor of having snakes add to their ruthless qualities with a bit of poison is pretty reasonable. Flashing it in seems a little...off? Hear me out, because this card's totally fine, but flash-deathtouch is one of those really cool combat tricks that Green's been out of for a while (see the whole Ambush Viper debate-thing that happened some time ago, I forget where/when), and if it's not granting that, then a three-mana +1/+1 feels pretty weak even with the surveil.

Flash as a keyword provides both timing-oriented tricks for responses and proactive EOT additions for turn advantage. The advantage here feels minimal on one side and maximal on the other for snakes. And maybe that answers the prompt just fine, yeah, but I still find myself asking: if I'm not playing snakes, would I play with this card at all? Honestly, no—having some snakes would be fine and having no snakes makes this card pretty dead in the water. Looking at the Step Through example, a double-Unsummon is still decent in a pinch, and the Wizardcycling makes it better just in case. I don't see the "just in case" side of this aura right now.

@bowtochris — Necrosis

I think that I can see some of the BTS of this card with "creatures" instead of "creature" there in the first sentence. Regardless... In a set that has incidental Zombies, this card would be totally fine, and a lot of sets and worlds do. Honestly the amount of sets that I remember as having more Zombies than they actually do is fairly high! But you can see how popular they are and how a necromancy/grave-style play system that has incidental zombies could use this as a removal spell with upside for sure. Pretty much the only place that it wouldn't fit the contest would be Innistrad, heh.

With that said, is there anything more to this card than that? Not that it doesn't work, but I feel that the type is kinda indicative of this card's lack of polish. What world is it supposed to be from? What does this flesh-eating disease/condition have to do with the Zombies' hunger contextually? I feel that this card is unfinished in a lot of ways and it's hard to commentate fully on it when there's not much given in that regard.

@bread-into-toast — Gift of Wings (JUDGE PICK)

I honestly thought this was a card already and I'm kinda gobsmacked that this name hasn't been used. As far as cards in general go, yeah, we're in a good spot. I see you're still using "enters the battlefield" instead of the shorthand, and lemme tell you, I'll be doing the same thing for a while as well. But all the same, yeah, mounts with evasion add to an aggressive deck and make a target for you. I like how 99% of mounts are of a higher-ish mana value, and so this card being cheap allows for more answers to follow.

Mounts are an interesting one. How many Mounts in a set, would there be mMounts with vehicles, would Mounts be brought back as small batches...? Lots of questions being asked here. But I could tell even by the art that this would be a Theros set before double-checking your prompt, and I'm down for it. If this was before or after a more Mount-heavy set, I could see a few Mounts especially as legendary horses and/or their offspring. Pegasi, too! When they attack, they carry another creature with them. You know what, I'm not gonna lie—I almost wish this had been Horse instead of Mount, but I get why you chose to go this route. There are far more Pegasus creatures on Theros than Horses, and they already have flying. Maybe there are other possibilities, but you know what, this route works just fine. I'll hash out a more comprehensive thought process if you want later.

@dimestoretajic — Rockface Staff

This card falls right back into the Bloomburrow trap, I'm afraid. While Bloomburrow's color overlap was a pretty no-brainer design choice, that's really not what this contest was looking for, and as such I don't necessarily know how to judge it. Is the expectation that these creatures wouldn't be major parts in the set? I mean, I could, but what world is this on if not Bloomburrow? I don't want to make any assumptions here. I also don't think that this card was intended to be on different plane than the one where this type-batching has already been precedent.

This is the extent that I can give commentary on this card's application to the contest prompt. As an equipment in general, it's fine, and I get the hybrid cost down there is intended to be an every-color-but-best-here suggestion. But that's as far as I can go. There's just no way to interpret the typing otherwise.

@grornt — Smothering Spores (JUDGE PICK)

There were only about ten cards in Dominaria that cared about Saprolings, and that was quite an archetype, but my personal first introduction to them was in the Alara block, where only six cards across the whole block produced them—and looking back at DMU, there were only two. So how many Saprolings does it take to screw in a good draft common? Honestly, I'd say if there were...4-5 across a set, then this card could go from just plain decent to really funny really fast.

Saprolings are meant to be as expendable as they are delicious, and while regulating a token subtype to a cheeky one-off is a little questionable, I'm down for this being a good enough card. It's totally okay to have a derived card like this get a flavorful little twist, right? Depending on the sacrifice archetype (hint: probably B/G), you could have instances where you lean more into black, or you could have an overlap where there's enchantments on one side and Saprolings on the other, right? Maybe if there was a random rare that pumped out uncommons... But that's just extra brainstorming, because the thought of a fungal infection being made deadly via Saproling is good enough for me. Solid and thoughtful.

@izzet-always-r-versus-u — Lights in the Sky

I'm so sorry that I didn't get a chance to message you beforehand and remind you that this is a common contest. I'll read this card on its merits, but you're not the only one to submit an uncommon at first, so hey, that's all good.

The other thing is that I may just not be the right audience for this card as it stands. The only Aliens we've had so far are the ones from Unfinity and the Doctor Who—will there be any in the Death Race set? I forget. Anyway, there's currently no metric for what that might look like in an in-universe set, and the implications are...very sci-fi in a way that I can't critique in good faith. The card is fine, the mechanics are fine, and it could be a real painful beater in limited. You might want to put "this permanent" instead of "this enchantment," but I'm not sure. I'll be honest, comrade, I got nothin'. If MTG has a single sci-fi hater among them, it's me on top of this hill, dying from an alien death ray. We'll shoot for the stars next time.

@lich-of-the-golgari — A Good Boy's Rest

Let's back up for a second and talk about what this card is doing. From a purely flavorful perspective, this card makes sense. Pragmatically, it's asking for Shrines at common, perhaps additional shrines, legendary enchantments at common, and a new kind of role token, and a multicolor theme at common as well, and on an ambiguous world. Do you see where I might have some issues with this card design-wise?

Time and time again, I want to tell folks that unless we're asking for out-of-this-world weirdness, you don't have to reinvent the wheel for these contests. Most of the time, it's detrimental to good design sense. This prompt in particular is looking for starting keystones and the base beginnings for some designs that would suggest small pieces of an overarching set in a way that aren't main themes. In my opinion, this card goes against pretty much every one of those notions. Simplify, simplify, simplify. I know it's tempting to stick with an idea that resonates internally, but it's more important to learn when to go back to the drawing board.

@melancholia-ennui — Haunted Crypt

It's really, really hard not to see this card as a derivative of Step Through. The only question is whether or not the role it would have in the set would be that of a cycle or that of a one-off. As a one-off, it would be one of the more powerful ones, presumably, if there are any half-decent Spirits in this set at all. Never underestimate the power of landcycling. The reason that Step Through could be at common is because it's a steepish cost for a half-decent effect, and the discarding (even with no Wizard) was part of the possible pieced-together archetypes. What would the archetypes be here?

This card highly suggests something to do with discarding or BW graveyard shenanigans, but also with the typal component; a reasonable player would assume that this draft archetype would be a BW spirit typal shell. Do you see what I mean? It's hard to get away from that specifically because it's a land. Now, if there was a typal archetype, then this card would be bananas, and I think that it's certainly well-designed as it is. For this contest, it's a little too specific for what we were looking for. I'll still commend the general chops, even if, like I said, it's a bit on-the-nose given our examples.

@piccadilly-blue — Sonorous Hum

NB: "Deck is 22 cards, all major arcana, not magic cards (in the same way that a d20 is not a magic card), no rules text. // You choose whether or not you run a tarot deck as the game begins. If you don't, you ignore all instructions relating to the tarot deck. // If you're using a tarot deck, after all mulligans have been taken, you shuffle your tarot deck and then the top three cards are turned face-up as your spread."

When you submit a card like this, not only are you asking us to evaluate the card in its relation to the contest, but also evaluating a new mechanic with a series of highly complex rules interactions. And you're also asking us to evaluate a deck with card that each would have a series of as-of-yet unknown rules interactions that have not, to our knowledge, been designed or submitted. So with that said? I can't evaluate this card. I literally, actually cannot, because it's asking knowledge of me that doesn't exist.

I want to love it, of course, and not in the way that I want to love all submissions. I want to be able to love what you've done. I do not have the means or the tools to give you the feedback I want to give in this position, and that's because of the choices you've made by submitting this kind of card. There's nothing wrong with going off the beaten path, but in order for us to judge properly, we gotta use the tools of the collective. I don't have those tools at the moment and I don't really have the time/energy that this idea would both require and deserve. One of my partners does love him some tarot, so just imagine we're giving this a thumbs-up in an alternate universe.

@wildcardgamez — Tuskeran Axe (JUDGE PICK)

Berserker is a heavily underutilized creature type, in my opinion. On Kaldheim, there were all those zombie berserker thingies, IIRC, but also a few in the general BR shell. Still, what if you wanted warrior/equipment blends, or you wanted a Giant Berserker to go out there? This card, upon reflection, is a sheepish reminder for me of how I should've made this contest out to be. I'm writing this before I get to the grand reflection, but seeing this card as a unique and funky draft-archetype hybrid is certainly interesting on a design scale, but it's not exactly "weird." It's good! Don't get me wrong, it's quite good.

Was I looking for that weirdness more so than cohesion? It's possible. World flavor is a strange thing. Sometimes, everyone is a berserker. Sometimes the colorless-ness matters, especially for equipment, like that artificer example from earlier. Actually, what I like about this card is that it assumes you're playing red if you're playing berserkers, but if you manage a mono-black berserker deck or whatever, then you're just getting some cool color advantages. I dunno, this card's pushing all the right buttons for me. Am I just jaded with myself, or is this closer to the prompt than I imagined? This is good self-reflection but probably not the best critique. Well, you've already got a seal of approval, so I'll axe the rest of this before I start rambling even more.

@xenobladexfan — Death's Finality

When making this prompt, I feel that there was more of a typal-payoff kinda vibe than a draft-answer kinda vibe. As we have it here, Thraben Exorcism is already a card that exists, and this card more or less goes a little farther than that. I want to say that there's nothing wrong with that—and in a vacuum, there isn't. But when there's already such a specific card, and when that card itself wouldn't be what the prompt is after, it makes this kind of judgment a little more difficult than it would be otherwise.

Whether or not you saw Thraben Exorcism before this, well, I have no idea. Exiling zombies and cards from graveyards is also a little beyond the initial scope, so there's that. The similarity is just too much for me to buckle down and say that this card stands on its own merits. If nothing else, though, I hope that this is some kind of learning experience. One, it's a good idea to double-check your cards to see if some maniac at WotC has printed the effect before. Two, feel free to lean into the more proactive side of payoffs rather than answers; answers come to the board when they need to. Right now is the time for asking questions.

Tomorrow's another day. Be well! @abelzumi

#mtg #magic the gathering #custom magic card #inventor's fair #commentary #common typal contest

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otomefiend · 1 year ago

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Alfons Sylvatica

Story Event: Black Wedding. A false vow to a dark bride.

Chapter 3 Premium

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3 Bitter

To say I am obsessed with this guy would be an understatement. That's all. I forgot to add I will post the Epilogue sometime today.

~~Part 1~~

(....now, tonight's prey comes to us on it's own accord)

The man claiming to be the leader appeared at the altar, his gaze wandering as soon as he saw us.

Guru: "...where's everyone? My precious believers...?"

Alfons: "I'm good with my hands, so I did a little trick on them."

Alfons: "Right now, your precious believers should be treated by a shrink."

Alfons: "Rest assured, we will provide you with generous support under the patronage of Her Majesty the Queen."

Guru: "Her Majesty the Queen....? Who the hell are you people?"

Alfons: "What does it matter where us, nobodies come from?"

Alfons: "Now, let's begin our delighful, delightful wedding ceremony."

Guru: ".... now, wait a minute."

Alfons: "Oh, do you have any complaints?"

Alfons: "Ah! We haven't said our vows yet. What a terrible discourtesy on my behalf."

Alfons: "Kate."

Removing Kate's veil revealed her lovely face.

I couldn't help but smile seeing her puzzled expression.

Alfons: "I love you, my bride. Will you be my toy for the rest of your life?"

~~Part 2~~

Alfons: "I love you, my bride. Will you be my toy for the rest of your life?"

(Oh, no response?)

Alfons: "What's your answer?"

Hearing my question, the petal-like pale skin below her eyes dyed a light shade of crimson.

Kate: "Y-yes..."

Alfons: "Heh, an excellent response."

Alfons: "Are you satisfied now?"

Guru: "....don't be ridiculous!"

His words and actions were so dull... I felt I was going to doze off.

Before the man was able to pull out a knife from his pocket, I was already behind him.

I took off the leather glove with my mouth and stroked the man's nape with my bare fingertips.

(... Now, shall I let you meet the person you have been so desperate to see?)

Guru: "......"

Guru: " ...Olivia?"

Kate: "Huh?"

Guru: "My Olivia....."

Kate: "!"

The man clung to Kate's legs, trembling with joy.

Guru: "You're supposed to be dead. Why are you here...?"

Guru: "Ah, it doesn't matter. I wanted to see you..."

(What a passionate confession of love)

In the man's eyes, Kate must have looked like his deceased lover.

---Thanks to my ability to show illusions.

Alfons: "Let's ask him why he committed those murder?"

Confused, Kate managed to formulate a question---

Kate: "Why did you do this?"

~~Part 3~~

Alfons: "Let's ask him why he committed those murder?"

Kate: "Why did you do this?"

The man started speaking, staring at a vision of the woman he once loved.

Guru: "'When you died from your illness, I despaired that I'd never be able to hold you in my arms again."

Guru: "At that time, I came across a book. In that book, it was written..."

Guru: "He who sacrifices lovers can make the dead rise again."

(...What a dreadfully funny and foolish idea)

Alfons: "The world is overflowing with alchemy-like books."

Alfons: "Among the bodies piled up in the basement, there was a coffin."

Alfons: "The remains of a woman were carefully stored in there."

That must be the person this man wanted to bring back to life, even to the point of committing murder.

Guru: "The book was right...!"

Guru: "That's why you showed yourself like this in front of me, isn't it?"

Kate: ".....n"

Guru: "Olivia? Are you dead? Or are you ......"

Guru: "Anything. Anything you want. ......just, please."

Guru: "Don't ever leave me again..."

(.....ah)

(Really, it's beyond laughable)

The poor bastard was haunted by happy memories, held on to them, and ended up killing people.

I had no other way to describe it than comical.

Alfons: "Shouldn't you answer him, bride?"

Clearly baffled, Kate tried to say something.

Kate: "This is wrong--"

("This is wrong?" ... I'm sure he knew that already)

(Even though he knew it, he was compelled to do it. That's all there is to it, isn't it......?)

Alfons: "Too bad. Time's up, you know."

I pulled out my sabre and, in one swift motion, drove it through a man's heart so he could reach the other world in blissful ignorance.

Guru: "...Oli...via..."

Alfons: "Oh, what a happy face for a murderer."

Alfons: "I'm glad the painful reality won't chase him anymore."

~~Part 4~~

After the man died, everyone in the Crown helped to clean up the bodies.

It was bright outside as if nothing had happened.

Alfons: 'Well then, thank you for the last two days' work. This has been a real pain."

(......?)

Alfons: "Oh, what's wrong, Kate? You look anxious."

Kate: "......"

Kate: "That man must have suffered from reliving his happy memories over and over again."

Alfons: "I'd rather just forget than let the memories torment me."

Kate: "Huh?"

Alfons: "Then there would be no pain, no suffering, only comedy."

Life could easily become tragic due to trivial things.

Some people were followed by tragedy from the moment they were born.

(Then, what else can you do but look for a distraction or laugh it off?)

Kate: "I wish it was possible, but it isn't..."

Alfons: "…………..?"

Kate: "The more precious the memory, the harder it is to forget."

(.....oh, this person)

Even if I enticed her to forget, she would just stubbornly shake her head.

Being by her side, despite myself I began to understand it.

Somehow, this fact disturbed me, though there was no reason why it should.

Alfons: ".... Kate, may I borrow your mouth?"

Kate: "Eh...... mmm."

Kate: ".....candy?"

It was the candy we wrapped together.

Alfons: "Yes, I pinched it. I told you, I'm good with my hands."

Alfons: "The candy has a little trick to it."

Kate: "Poison..."

Alfons: "Heh, you wouldn't be alive right now, would you."

Kate: "What is it then?"

Alfons: "Eating the candy does wonders. You'll forget everything that happened today."

The frown that appeared on her face was tinged with sadness.

Kate: "Alfons, you want me to forget --"

She was about to say something but suddenly looked up...

Kate: "......do you want me to remember?"

~~Part 5~~

Alfons: "The candy has a little trick to it."

Kate: "Poison..."

Alfons: "Heh, you wouldn't be alive right now, would you."

Kate: "What is it then?"

Alfons: "Eating the candy does wonders. You'll forget everything that happened today."

Her frown was tinged with sadness.

Kate: "Alfons, you want me to forget --"

She was about to say something but suddenly looked up...

Kate: "......do you want me to remember?"

(You? Remember me?)

Alfons: "Haha!"

(No way! This me we're taking about?)

(I can't have those feelings for someone...It's far too late.)

Alfons: "Yes, I want you to remember for a long time."

Alfons: "But...forget that I said it."

Kate: "Alfons?"

Alfons: "What colour is the candy you're eating right now, Kate?"

Kate: "What? It's..."

Alfons: "Ha, you see."

Kate: "Doh, I just didn't see it because it was thrown in my mouth."

Alfons: "You are very good at making excuses, little Robin."

Kate: "Hey, Alfons!"

~~~

That day, the Crown was busy with a judgement.

Looking at everyone from the sidelines, I lived in the pursuit of pleasure.

(Now, what illusions shall I create today....?)

Suddenly, the sunlight coming through the window hit my eyelids.

For some reason, I thought of Kate in her wedding dress.

(...I forgot to tell her that I chose that veil)

Though, nothing would change just by telling her.

(No matter in what form I remain in her memory, eventually----)

Kate: "Alfons"

Alfons: "Kate? What's wrong?"

Kate was just staring straight at me, looking dazzling.

Kate: "Can I accompany you on your mission?"

I wonder how much of my existence would be engraved in her memory if we stayed together for longer.

Alfons: "You never learn, do you?"

(Well, that would be rather nice)

(You will forget me one day. Until then, I will play with you to the best of my ability)

Epilogue

#ikemen villains #ikevil #alfons sylvatica #ikevil alfons #ikevil story event #fan translation

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meowcats734 · 5 months ago

Text

[Soulmage] Book II, Episode 17: Forgiveness is Vines

I realized I'd attuned determination later that night. It was the first accidental attunement I'd had in years, which some part of me found darkly amusing—even when I wasn't actively trying to pull ahead of Lucet, luck still handed me yet another attunement on a silver platter.

After a bit of thought, it was pretty clear how it'd happened, too. I'd done everything I could to keep Lucet determined on our hellish slog of a journey through the Redlands at war, and conversely, I'd shattered the determination of Iola's goons back at the Silent Academy when I was protecting Freio. And up until now, the same drive that had led me to constantly be better had kept my legs moving and my mind ticking, even through the horrors and deaths I'd absorbed from soul fragments over and over and over again.

But apparently, this was one time too many. Because when I closed my eyes and searched my soul, there was not a single shard of determination left in me.

Just memories of senseless deaths, with no promise that we wouldn't find the same when we finally reached Jiaola.

I'm not entirely sure if closing my eyes and lying down counted as sleeping, but it was in the same general shape and it tricked my brain into thinking I could keep going, so I eventually hauled myself out of bed. It was a shame—it really was quite comfortable compared to the campsites I was used to.

Sansen was still sleeping off the battle that had taken place in his soulspace, which I didn't blame him for. He was old, after all. Probably going to die soon. Might as well flirt with death before making a committment.

I clenched my jaw, trying to shake off the thoughts. Focusing on the world around me, instead of the whispers in my head. The faded wooden floor, the musky sweat-smell in the air, the quiet rush of unnatural wind... the physical reality around me may not have been great, but it was leagues better than letting the voices in my head have free reign over my mind.

Lucet. Lucet always made the voices fade a little. Maybe... maybe I could find her.

She wasn't in bed, of course. I didn't even have to close my eyes to find her—concentrating on my soulsight showed me that she was standing outside, still chipping off shards of sorrow from the ever-growing mountain of it within her soul. With the thirteen attunements I now held, her soul was a riot of emotions—salt, glass, oil, quartz, all rattling and flowing in their own curious paths, and all separate, simply passing through each other without interacting whenever Lucet pushed salt out of her soul. I supposed it made sense that without an attunement to any other emotions, Lucet couldn't affect them—if different emotions could physically interact with each other in one's soul, there'd be a spew of random effects with every spell as the caster accidentally shoved their other emotions out.

Lucet must have sensed me approaching, because she slowed in her casting. Wide swathes of frozen earth bore testament to the fruits of her labor—she was getting used to the amplification of frost magic that the massive rift overhead provided. When she turned to me, her eyes were reddened from lack of sleep.

"Don't tire yourself out," I said. "We need you."

"I couldn't sleep," Lucet said. "I figured I might as well do something useful."

Well, I couldn't blame her—that was the exact same logic that had sent me out last night digging for soul shards. But I was nothing if not a quick learner. "Sometimes, the most useful thing you can do is get a good night's rest," I said. "Not... not that I even managed that."

"Cienne, I appreciate you trying to help, but telling me that the most useful thing I can do is do nothing isn't exactly what I need to hear right now," Lucet snapped.

I winced. There wasn't really any point in saying that I didn't mean it that way. It didn't matter what I'd intended right now.

It mattered what she heard.

"You're not useless, Lucet," I pleaded. "You saved my life back at the Silent Peaks—the nurse said I would've died if you hadn't flash-cooled my injuries. And again when we were fighting Iola—if you didn't route us through the Plane of Elemental Frost, that eldritch abomination would have gotten us killed or worse."

"I didn't say I was always useless," Lucet said, clenching her fists. "That's the worst part. I used to be powerful. I used to be helpful. But now?" She gestured at me. "There isn't even a word for a mage who has as many schools of magic as you do. Don't pretend that I'm worth something because I can use salt. You can use salt, and quartz, and glass, and oil, and you've probably somehow picked up even more attunements when I wasn't looking. Sansen can see the future, Meloai doesn't need to eat or sleep, but me?" Lucet gestured at herself, oil and quartz rattling in her soul, and I wished so badly I could tell her how to unlock those powers for herself. But unless she had an attunement to the relevant emotions—passion for oil, determination for quartz—the resources in her soul would be useless to her.

As useless as she thought she was.

I stopped walking and turned to Lucet. The gently falling snow formed a haze around us, and it was as if we were the only two people in the world. "I can touch more magics than you, that's true," I said. "But that doesn't mean you're useless. You're smart, and determined, and kind, and you're a hundred times better with salt than I'll ever be, because you've worked hard on your specialty for every day of your life."

"..." Lucet closed her eyes, swallowing, and I felt the quartz-determination in her soul shift, the rivers of oil-fury slowing into a smoother passion. And it hurt so much to see that she could be determined and passionate and still tearing herself apart, because she was determined and passionate about tearing herself apart. And I wished so badly that I could tilt her head up and get her to have hope in the future again. That I could spark that fire in her soul. That I could spark... spark...

Sparks.

I didn't have an attunement to hope. I couldn't pluck flame from my soul and gift it to hers.

But what I did have to work with was determination. Quartz.

And when two pieces of quartz were struck together, they made a spark.

Acting on instinct, I asked, "Can I put my hand to your heart?"

She blinked. "What?"

"There's... something I want to try." I bit my lip. "I don't know if it'll work, but... I just... I just want you to know that you're not useless, and that I care about you so, so much. And... maybe there's a way for me to show you that."

Lucet tilted her head, her messy brown hair sliding away from her eyes.

Then she nodded, taking my hand and placing it over her heart.

I closed my eyes, focusing on my soulsight. If I was casting a normal spell, I would have reached into my own soul, accessing the many materials stored within—but I was trying something different.

I focused my will and touched Lucet's soul instead, picking up two pieces of quartz-determination. Like any two different emotions did, they simply phased through everything around them—the sorrowful salt, the shameful glass... and the oil of passion.

"I know what it's like," I whispered. "To be overshadowed. To be inadequate. To never be enough. Not for the people around you, but for the voices in your head."

And as I spoke, I struck the two crystals of quartz against each other.

Clack.

"My first attunement wasn't to sorrow, or to determination, or even to shame. I didn't wield salt or quartz or glass." My fingers clenched, just a little bit, and Lucet laid her hand on mine. "When I first learned magic, I was a witch of self-hatred."

Sparks flew in Lucet's soul, but... something was missing. The sparks and the oil slipped right through each other, like drawings on two layered sheets of paper.

Clack.

"So trust me when I tell you that I understand. That I know what it's like when even praise of your abilities feels like salt on an open wound, that if the people around you think you are beautiful and brilliant and good that it is simply because you've tricked them somehow, and that they'll hate you even more for it when they realize how useless you really are. I get it." I pressed my forehead against her chest, feeling her heartbeat sync with mine. "And I get how determined you have to be to keep going anyway."

I was attuned to both determination and passion. Why not use both of them at once? Why not combine them? I had done so before with passion and sorrow and self-hatred, on pure instinct.

Clack. Clack. Clack.

"And I love you, Lucet," I whispered. "Truly. I do. So please... see yourself how I see you. And trust me. Trust me that I'm right about you."

I struck the two quartz crystals against each other in Lucet's soul one last time, letting out a fountain of sparks, and something in my soul rotated.

And the sparks touched the oil, and her soul caught alight. Determination and passion fused, creating a beautiful, brilliant, ethereal fire, a magic that I could not see or touch or hear except when I closed my eyes and opened my mind—but wasn't that where all the most powerful magics lived, anyways?

I opened my eyes, letting my soulsight fade as I returned to mundane reality, and even though her soul was hidden from me, the fires of hope danced bright in her eyes as she gave me a wavering, growing smile.

And the flames in her soul kept the darkness at bay as the two of us embraced in the storm.

A.N.

Soulmage is a serial written in response to writing prompts. Stick around for more episodes, or join my Discord to chat about it!

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#writing #writing prompt #writers on tumblr #writers of tumblr #writblr #serial fiction #fiction #series #web serial #oc #soulmage #dark academia #fantasy #high fantasy #magic #worldbuilding

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