#but the reality is there's so many wonderful people i've met on here and who i can hit up to hang out with and have a lovely time together

[bunnyboy-juice]

thinking of all the mutuals who ive become casual friends with and just

[babyleostuff]

roses and dahlias | choi seungcheol

summary | [requested by: @lifeisnotajuunice] the reader being a florist and friends with dk, so one day he brings the whole team to meet reader at their shop and scoups is instantly drawn in by them

genre | fluff

pairing | idol!seungcheol x florist!reader

word count | 2.2k

author's note | while writing this i've realized how little i know about flowers (i literally have no idea how half of these flowers are called in my native language)

Taking a last look at the bouquet you were holding, you hummed in approval, weaving in some final pieces of baby breath to add a soft touch that would stand out in comparison to the crimson red roses and gerbera daisies. “Whoever this bouquet is meant for must be a very lucky person,” you thought, gently putting the flowers in a vase and placing it next to the eight others that were supposed to be picked up in the afternoon.

“They are for your friend, right?” Nodding at your colleague, you wiped your hands on the apron you got from said friend, looking one last time at the bouquet, which now looked even prettier as it stood on the sunlit windowsill. “They are having some sort of party for the whole team, and they ordered nine compositions for the staff,” you explained, looking over at your co-worker. 

“They look great, I’m sure they’ll love it.” 

“To be honest, I don’t think they know much about flowers, so anything will be good for them,” you laughed, remembering how Seokmin gave you peonies thinking they were roses. You spent the next ten minutes explaining the differences between those two, surely boring your best friend to death.

In his defence, they are kind of similar. 

“Will he pick up all of this by himself?”  

“Oh, no, he and some of his bandmates are coming later in the afternoon,” you said, nervously chewing on your bottom lip. The fact that most of them would be coming over in a couple of hours, made you feel a lot more anxious than it should.

You and Seokmin have known each other for so many years now, yet you’ve never met all of his friends properly. But there was one specific person that you were the most nervous to meet.

Choi Seungcheol. 

You always brushed it off as a silly little crush on a guy you’ve never even met, because no matter how delusional his fancams made you, that was the reality. The biggest interaction you’ve had was liking his Instagram photo, which you immediately regretted, and it’s not like he would pay much attention to you anyways. Still, you could feel your chest tighten at the thought of him actually meeting him. 

The rest of the day was busy as always. You helped the customers with picking flowers, making sure to put your heart into every bouquet you made. You’ve always wondered what history would each of these bouquets hold after leaving your shop - because to you, it was merely a job to put together a beautiful piece, but for the receiving person, the flowers meant so much more than that. 

Soon, the sun was setting, and people were rushing home to their loved ones, streets busy and loud. You proudly looked at the final order you put together, rolling your shoulders, hoping it would release some tension that accumulated throughout the day. 

“We’re here,” suddenly a loud voice pulled you out of your thoughts, startling you a bit in the process. You quickly put away all of the sharp tools that could harm you by accident. “And who would that be?” you joked, not bothered to check who's just entered.

Two strong arms wrapped around your shoulders, and your back met a familiar chest. 

“You weren’t at the concert last week,” Seokmin pouted, when you turned around to face him. “Well, I have my responsibilities you know,” you laughed at his disappointed expression. “Besides, I wasn’t able to buy the tickets.” 

“You know you could’ve just called me,” he said, realising you from the hug, “I know, I know.” 

That’s when you noticed a group of other people watching you. And not just any people. 

“Right, I don’t think you’ve properly met before,” Seokmin said, putting an arm around your shoulder. “These are the only ones that bothered to help me, so they’re the best,” he said proudly, looking at his friends. 

“Don’t let Soonyoung hear this, or he’ll get mad,” said Seungkwan, you believed. You also recognised the tallest, and the one with glasses next to him - Mingyu and Wonwoo. “And that’s Joshua, Chan and Seungcheol,” your friend pointed at the blond man standing furthest away from you. 

You waved your hand at them awkwardly, clutching the cloth you were cleaning with tightly in your hand. They all seemed extremely nice, nothing but smiles on their faces, yet it was quite underwhelming meeting them all at once.

And it wasn’t even the whole band. 

As your gaze drifted back to Seungcheol, the realisation that he was actually real hit you slowly, like - he really was standing right in front of you. And he was as perfect as a person could be. 

“Don’t worry, we’ll just grab the flowers and leave,” he said, nodding in the direction of the bouquets. “Oh,” you managed to get out, trying not to sound disappointed, because of course, why would they stay any longer than needed. They were here only for the flowers. 

You pointed at the windowsill where all of the vases were. 

“You did them all by yourself?” Mingyu asked, his eyes wide with interest. “Yes, it’s all me,” you smiled at his fascinated gaze. It always made you feel so appreciated whenever people reacted that way at your work. It only assured you that you were great at what you were doing. 

“Can I take a picture of them?” you nodded, giggling at how excited he seemed. “We’ll be here forever if he starts taking photos,” Wonwoo sighed, sliding his glasses further up his nose. 

“But it really is a nice place,” Joshua said, patting Wonwoo on the shoulder. “Do you mind if we take some pictures?” he asked. Honestly speaking, even if you wanted to say “no”, you wouldn’t be able to. He looked so genuinely polite and nice.  

You went back behind the counter to give the boys some freedom, yet your gaze couldn’t help but wonder toward Seungcheol. He was posing in front of a bunch of tulips and orchids, his blond hair standing out amongst the violet and burgundy flowers, making him look almost ethereal, as the setting sun was illuminating his face.

Seriously, you had to stop ogling him, even though you were sure he’d already noticed how you were staring at him. You caught him looking at you a couple of times in the span of the last ten minutes, but that couldn’t be true, it was silly for you to even think so.  

The boys, on the other hand, looked like they had genuinely a lot of fun, trying to guess the different flowers’ names, and doing the silliest poses in front of the camera. 

Busying yourself with cleaning, you searched around for the little stool you always used to reach the higher shelves, but it was nowhere to be seen. It’s almost like it magically disappeared when you needed it the most.

Giving up, you sighed, and got up on your tippy toes to put back all of the equipment. What you didn’t quite think about was the fact that the floral branch cutter was a lot heavier than you expected. You yelped in surprise when it suddenly started slipping out of your hands. 

Right as you closed your eyes and prepared yourself to get your foot smashed by it, you felt a warm hand on your lower back, and another one holding the cutter, grabbing your own hand in the process. You slowly opened your eyes, just to be met with Seungcheol’s face.

“Are you okay?” He sounded worried, concern written all over his face. “Yes, I’m okay,” you said, although you were sure it came out more like a whisper. “It was too heavy, and it kind of slipped out.” 

God, did you really have to embarrass yourself like that now? 

“Are you sure everything is alright?” He asked again, as if he didn’t believe your words. You nodded, letting go of the cutter, as he reached for the shelf with ease. “Let me help you with the rest,” he said, looking at the rest of your stuff that was laying on the countertop.

“Why didn’t you ask for help, you could’ve gotten hurt,” he scolded you, his eyes looking straight into yours. 

You didn’t know what to say. Why was he being so protective of you? 

“Shut it, he’s just being nice,” you thought, brushing off the warm feeling settling in your stomach. 

“I didn’t mean to sound rude before,” he suddenly said, fidgeting with his fingers. “I just didn’t want you to feel uncomfortable because of us. We’re kind of a lot,” he laughed, running a hand through his gorgeous hair.

His eyes had a certain softness to them, looking at you like you were something precious to him. But he looked at his members the same way, so it surely didn’t mean anything. 

“It’s okay,” you managed to hold your voice steady. “I’m happy you got to take some photos. It looks like you’re having fun,” you smiled at him, trying to memorise every detail of his face before he’d be gone - his golden brown eyes, the way his long black eyelashes would flutter, and his smile, that made your knees weak. 

“We do. It’s nice to do something like this after work,” he said, placing the last cutter on the shelf. “Is there anything else I could help you with?” 

You looked around the shop. “No, I think that was it.” 

“Okay,” it didn’t go unnoticed by you how he sounded almost upset. “I guess I’ll get back to the boys.” 

It was impossible for you to know that Seungcheol was freaking out about this even more than you were. 

He has seen you a couple of times before, when you were visiting Seokmin in the practice room, or at the backstage after a concert, yet he has never gotten a proper chance to talk to you, and introduce himself.

And Seungcheol was dying to do so.

He didn’t know when this crush started, probably around the time he noticed how his heart would beat a bit faster whenever he’d hear you laugh. 

“I just wanted to say that all of the bouquets are amazing,” he said, the moment you came to terms with the fact that this was the end of your conversation. “They’re really beautiful.” 

“Oh, thank you. I hope your staff members will love them as well.” 

“I’m sure they will,” Seungcheol said. “Who’s this one for?” he asked, pointing at the garden roses and dahlias. “It’s for a wedding.” 

“It’s roses and?” “Dahlias. My favourite,” you said, staring at the flowers. 

“Coups, could you come here for a second?” All of a sudden, Joshua’s voice echoed through the shop, making you eternally cry, because you knew that if Seunghceol would leave now, you’d never get to talk again. 

“Um, I guess I’ll see what he wants,” and with that Seungcheol walked away, leaving you disappointed and frustrated.

“Someone here has got a little crush,” Mingyu approached you right after Seungcheol left, with a smirk on his face and a weirdly suspicious expression. “What do you mean? We were just talking,” you tried to sound as nonchalant as you could, because there is no way he could know about your crush.

“I have never seen him so smiley and giggly with anyone he has just met before. His eyes are basically heart shaped when he looks at you,” he said, leaning on the counter next to you, his smirk only widening. “Besides, he kept looking in your direction all the time.”

A “what?” slipped past your mouth, making Mingyu laugh. “Well, it looks like he’s not the only one who’s a bit in love,” you smacked him on his shoulder. “I’m not in love, and neither is he.”

“Sure. Let’s get back to that when you’re at HYBE visiting your boyfriend,” he winked and walked away, leaving you stunned and speechless. 

“Okay guys, let’s wrap this up and get the bouquets which we really came here for,” said Seokmin, grabbing the first vase. 

“Remember to keep the tulips in full sun and to put the magnolias in water first thing when you get home,” you said, carefully helping them with each bouquet. “Seokmin, don’t hold them so tightly, you’ll break them,” you scolded your friend. 

“How come all of the gym rats came to help with something as delicate as flowers,” Seokmin wondered, shifting his grip on the flowers. “I’m not a gym rat,” Joshua said, earning a swat on the shoulder from Seungcheol. 

Saying your final goodbyes, each of the boys left with a bouquet, chatting and evidently more happy than you were. You tried to find Seungcheol amongst them, to take one last look, but he was nowhere to be seen. 

You hugged Seokmin as he was the last to leave. “Our leader must really like you,” he whispered to you quickly, running away with a laugh before you could reply. 

Closing the shop after them, you returned to the counter only to be met with a single dahlia laying there with a piece of paper next to it. 

“The flowers are really pretty, but I think you’re the prettiest.”

taglist (if you want to be added, check my masterlist): @weird-bookworm @sea-moon-star @hanniehaee @wonwooz1 @byprettymar @edgaralienpoe @staranghae @eightlightstar @itza-meee @immabecreepin @hyneyedfiz @honestlydopetree @dkswife

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

Stardew valley bachelors (and krobus and the wizard) witnessing the farmer chug multiple jars of mayonnaise. Just really slinging it back.

Okay ngl I never did this till right now and I got everybody's reactions so this is based on the responses my farmer got after doing this

Spoilers: they've all known my farmer for about 7 years so it's nothing too shocking to them,,,but it's still highly questionable lmao

.....

Shane

"Umm..."

For years, him and Pam were beer addicts...and now comes along you, the new farmer who's a very...different kind of addict.

An addict to mayonnaise, that is.

For years, people have been judging him for his habit, so it seems fair that he should be allowed to judge you 100% for having the weirdest fucking habit in the valley.

He started opening up to you (in his 2 heart event) and you're just sitting next to him, drinking mayonnaise to wash out the beer he offered you.

Only after you two get closer does he decide "well shit, they're weird..but they're also one of the few who care about me,,,"

And he eventually lets go of it altogether.

But he'll still tease you about your mayo addiction from time to time.

"What're you gonna put in the potluck this year? Gold star mayo? Or did you already eat it on the way here?"

"Oh shut up."

"Heh heh."

Sam

"Gross!"

Considering it's one of his hated gifts, this shouldn't come as a surprise to you.

But the way you've absolutely freaked him out by drinking it in front of him (and subsequently making him miss his kickflip) was hilarious.

"That's what you get for skating on other people's property." You shook your head, smirking as you bring out another jar. "You think Jodi needs some for later? Or should I just drink it in front of her, too?"

"NO! Stop. Please don't do that." Sam hisses. "One, she might uninvite you from future family dinners. And two, she'll think it's one of those weird trends and blame me for it!"

"A trend..hm? Doesn't sound like a bad idea. This town could use one more tradition." You laugh, consuming the jar and not missing the look of horror on his face.

"A-And I thought Abigail eating rocks was nuts...you two would be great friends.."

Harvey

"Umm..."

While he's well aware of the many health benefits to mayonnaise, he wonders if you know that they're best as a condiment....not a beverage you can just sling back.

"But you told me to lay off the Joja Colas, doctor," you pointed out to him. "You're telling me those are a healthier alternative to this?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying at all." He huffs. "It's just..erm..I've never met someone who enjoyed mayonnaise by itself..it sounds-"

"Disgusting?"

"N-No! I didn't mean it like-"

"I'm kidding, Harvey." You laugh a little, amused by his nervousness. "You know any side effects to drinking large quantities of mayo?"

"..none in particular, but that doesn't mean you should-"

"Then if I start feeling anything different, I'll let you know. Thank you." With a wink, you pull out some dinosaur mayo and drink it on your way out of the clinic...with poor Harvey wondering wtf that was.

Regular mayo was fine, but that green icky-looking mayo...had him gravely concerned over what you were doing to your body.

Elliot

"Why?!"

You thought you were being subtle, drinking a little bit of mayo while hanging out at his beachside cabin.

But nope.

You've absolutely horrified this man. Traumatized, even.

It's almost as bad as the time you left a super cucumber on his doorstep, and the next day he sent you a letter demanding to know who made you play this "cruel prank" on him.

In reality, you thought it'd be a nice gift and he'd make something poetic out of a rare sea creature you fished up.

Apparently not and that's when you quickly learned it's a hated one.

"Oh don't be so dramatic," you shake your head. "It's easier to carry than some full course meal."

"But you could have any other food....why that?" Elliot asks, now genuinely curious about what goes on in your mind to think mayo is a suitable choice in food.

You have no explanation though other than "it's most convenient for me and I like the taste".

So he leaves it alone but....maybe it's better not to drink it around him without warning (or drink it when he's buzzed and he may not remember you doing that).

Sebastian

"Umm..."

And here he was, on Ginger Island, hoping to get a brief vacation away from the valley and all its weirdness.

Yet you came along to visit and check on your beach farmhouse--bringing tons of mayo jars with you.

You got thirsty while talking to Seb in the hot sun, and instinctively began chugging the first thing you opened out of your bag.

You don't even realize what you've done until he gives you the strangest look ever.

"Have you always liked drinking mayo...like that?" He raises an eyebrow.

"Um..not since moving into the valley and learning how to make it." You shrugged, smiling sheepishly as you brought out another jar. This time a green color.

"What's that one?"

"Oh! Dinosaur mayo. It's a lot thicker and kinda tastes like a kale drink-"

"I'm sorry, there's dinosaurs in the mines?"

Alex

"Umm..."

"What?" You shoot him a defensive look, cradling the half-empty jar like it's your baby. "You've eaten every raw egg I give you, and I never judge."

"But..that's a little different, isn't it?" He chuckles nervously. "Eggs are great for protein! Drinking straight mayo is...erm....are there any benefits..?"

"It's easy to make with all the eggs in my coop, and um..it keeps my energy up so I don't pass out."

It's an awkward explanation, considering you simply drink mayonnaise for the hell of it and didn't think too much about the "health benefits".

But Alex completely agrees with you, not making any further comments on it in the future.

Although how he's eaten dozen of raw eggs without getting some kind of salmonella poisoning is beyond both him and you.

Perhaps you're both a little bit strange, but he eventually came to accept that about himself.

Wizard

"Umm..."

From the moment you met him and obtained forest magic, Rasmodius knew there was something peculiar about you.

From gleefully retrieving ectoplasm and prismatic jelly for his studies to assisting him in getting the dark talisman back from his ex-wife's home, he's come to trust you as a potential apprentice.

So to drink mayonnaise while looking through his catalogue of expensive magical architecture had him....a bit confused.

"What?" You look at the man standing by the bubbling green pot, his eyebrow raised in question. "C'mon, surely this can't be the strangest thing you've seen."

"No, whatever keeps your spirit and energy nourished is fine and all. But..mayonnaise seems most unconventional. That's all I'm saying. Now I must focus.."

And that's all he says about the matter, not really caring too much.

You're grateful he didn't overreact.

Krobus

"........"

"You're not gonna say anything?"

"About what?"

"About..y'know..me drinking mayonnaise?"

"Why would I? You gift me void mayonnaise. I eat it and use it as a moisturizer all the time!"

Finally, somebody who finds your habit relatively normal---but the only downside is that somebody isn't human.

Makes you often question if you're really human yourself.

It never bothers Krobus whenever you need to sling back a jar of mayonnaise and pull out another one when you return from the mutant bug lair or hike through Cindersap Forest to reach the sewers.

He thinks it's just a normal thing humans do, but when you mention how it's very much not normal in your "culture"..he thinks THEY are weird for not accepting your tastes.

Welp, at least he supports your weird yet harmless habit.

You did try void mayo once and nearly keeled over, so you stick to regular/duck/dino mayo from thereon.

[arnaerr]

2024 summary

Each year, I want to write some kind of summary, but each year, I get too overwhelmed with the holidays season to do so. This time, I came prepared, so I wrote this text a bit earlier bc I knew that by now I will be a sleepy shrimp.

2024 was one of the toughest years for me, if not the hardest one so far. Dealing with the lay-off and long term unemployment took a hard toll on me and my mental health, but I'm still here despite it all, and I'm still creating. Really happy that I finally managed to find a job and can finally rest from grinding portfolio work and fighting for my life. Somehow this year turned out to be the most productive too. Something-something, strong emotions (even negative ones) are the best fuel for the inspiration.

This year, I focused more on my brushwork so I can bring my ideas to reality faster and avoid hurting my hand more - and I'm quite satisfied with the results, my hand's pain is almost inexistent at this point. Dance classes, crochet, and playing Elden Ring with the controller also helped to gently strengthen my hands so they are better at handling painting for a longer time now. I also tried to make my works more complex and thought through in general, focused more on the storytelling aspect and more interesting composition decisions. Really liked playing around with this stuff and can't wait to experiment even more. For a long time, I thought that my art has value only if it's being realistic and generic in terms of the game industry style. It took me a long time to acknowledge and accept this, as well as the fact how my painting style is a reflection of myself; I'm quite timid and shy in nature, and it also applied to my painting approach, I was always afraid to do bold brushstrokes, going wild with colours, showing my feelings through my art, expressing myself openly. And I feel like this year, I learned to be not afraid of who I am, not to try to hide my impressionistic approach to the painting behind smooth and "proper" brushwork. I'm not trying to fit into the standard anymore; sure, it would make my life easier in terms of finding an art job quicker and being more popular on social media if I had a more generic art style. But it feels so much better to allow myself to be who I am.

Elden Ring obsession was like the breath of the fresh air. For the several times this year, I was so, so close to having a severe art block, to losing myself in commissions & portfolio work, to losing the wonder the act of creation gives me. Elden Ring made me feel very inspired, gave me the courage to try to draw many things I was afraid to draw before; I really enjoy being a part of this fan community, and I've met so many wonderful and talented people throughout last months that it constantly fuels my inspiration; artists, writers, cosplayers, lore enthusiasts. In the last couple of years, I approach my social media profiles like a personal blog of sorts, not focusing on the painting only. And I really enjoyed sharing different sides of my hobbies with you, writing mini essays with the game analysis, and discussing it all in comments in DMs.

I couldn't survive this year without your support, and I'm forever grateful. Every like, reshare, and comment brightens my day. Special thanks to the people who bought my prints, donated, or joined my Patreon - you literally saved me. The fact that I had to rely on social media as the main source of income for so long did some damage to the ways how I view my own art, sometimes I feel too sensitive about numbers and algorithms and start to view my art as a content that has to be popular - I'm slowly but surely try to go away from this and to reconnect with my art once again; I want my art to be even more personal and detached from the popular needs; I need to get weirder.

Sometimes it feels surreal that so many people are interested in me and what I do.

Hoping for gentler times in 2025. Thank you

[resident-sean-expert]

my 'love letter' to Sean Rinaldi :

disclaimer || the cheesiest post in history

As a "last" post for the community, I decided to express in one-go the love I have for this character and why I love him so much.

3 years of talking about him literally non-stop, that deserves some explanation, doesn't it ?

Thank you Sean Rinaldi for making me laugh.

If there's one quality you can't take away from this character, it's that he's one of the show's most hilarious, with countless iconic quotes that resonate in my mind every day.

Thank you for introducing me to an incredible actor.

It's probably thanks to this that you saved me, introducing me to an incredible actor who, with his podcast "The Phoney & Call-y Show", saved me from one of the darkest periods of my life.

Thank you for introducing me to such a wonderful community.

It's nice to see that in three years, I've always been supported, I've met some incredible people, that despite having yapped about this character that basically nobody gives a flying fuck about tbh, I've been peacefully observed in my little corner and even encouraged. I really appreciate that. Thank you my mutuals, and those who have liked and reblogged my posts over the years and also those who have read my fics and left kudos.

Thank you because I found the love of my life thanks to you.

Isn't that crazy ? To think that I met the love of my life thanks to Sean fucking Rinaldi, when I think about it I find it to be the shittiest origin love story ever, but it's mine lmao

I posted incessantly on tumblr, and one person in particular was always reblogging my posts, always leaving long reblogs that made me so happy because finally, I had someone to share my passion with.

I approached her the first time in private, correcting her about a thing she posted, saying "it's Laszlo and not Lazlo 🤓☝️", and we've been talking almost every day since.

She became my best friend, and then I developed a romantic attraction to her (despite the fact that I'm not normally attracted to women), but above all I fell in love with her soul.

She accepted me for who I was, including my more annoying sides, and for that, I'll never thank her enough for letting me taste this freedom, the freedom to live as you are.

I like to compare our relationship with Seanzlo, because I find it has developed a similar trajectory.

In short, I love you @godfuckingnamehelp ❤️

Thank you Sean Rinaldi for guiding me in my career.

I drew this character non-stop for three years, to the point where I could now draw the actor with my eyes closed in any style.

And by drawing him every day, I progressed like never before, and one thing led to another and I realized that I wanted to become a tattoo artist. Will I succeed ? Idk. But at least it's enabled me to make monstrous progress in drawing.

Thank you for helping me through my grief.

That's why my attachment to you is so visceral.

You were my emotional crutch when I was alone, during the nine months following his death and even before I met my girlfriend, you were the only thing that allowed me to forget reality.

I talk about this character as if he were real here, because deep down he's just a projection. I'm talking about the Sean I've been crafting in my head all these years, the one who helped me move forward.

Thank you for all these beautiful moments.

My vision of this character must be super twisted, probably out-of-character at this level, but this little guy has allowed me to experience so many beautiful things in my life.

I'm going to get a tattoo of you as a tribute because you've made such an impact on my life that you deserve to leave a mark on my skin.

I'm glad you had an open ending, that despite everything if I'm feeling bad, I can dive back into this fictional world knowing that you will have been left in the status quo.

There are so many mysteries about you still, but just enough content about you to smoke my brain with ideas, thanks for being the perfect character.

Thank you Seanie but especially thank you, this fandom, for supporting me in this madness.

¦| it's a cringe post, but we're on the cringe platform |¦

[diamondwerewolf]

Quick Chat about Lysandre

Or really, a long winded chat about my coming to understand him.

I've decided to buy and play XY in anticipation of Legends ZA arriving sometime next year. My initial reaction to the Team Flare Boss, was 'what is this idiot talking about. i'm going to strangle him.' I still am going to strangle him, but at least now I do get where he's coming from.

Also, keep in mind I played pokemon X, not Y, so I live in the universe where Lysandre's goal isn't to cull the population.

Before I get into Lysandre as a character, I have to discuss Pokemon XY in the general way it pinches out information, and dialogue for the player to grasp the plot. I'm very late to the party, since I have played this years after it came out, but I'm positive I'm not alone in saying the game is awkward.

Pokemon XY, feels like it had a plot too involved for the format it was delivered in. It's, in my humble opinion, a clunky transitional game. From the traditional format of main generation games, and into the more robust pokemon games of the future. I'm also aware that the development was rushed, which adds to the disconnect I felt between mechanics, characters, and plot. That being said, I still enjoyed it! [ And I'm happy we're going to get a chance to revisit it on a grander scale]. Talking again about the awkwardness of the game, I think I didn't understand Lysandre's issue, because there wasn't enough dialogue or supporting context for me to really grasp what he was talking about. I made sure to talk to everyone I could, every manner of key character and NPC. But I couldn't sense the desperation he was feeling in the slightest.

You play the game as a child [which annoys me now as an adult but I digress lol] , so everyone you interact with talks to you like one. I've always considered the world of Pokemon somewhat utopian...but that's what it is, somewhat utopian. I think it feels that way, simply because you roleplay as a kid in an era of peace. The world is beautiful, the towns are jolly, there are a few ruffians here and there, some people are at a disadvantage [ like Emma] , but what is there to worry about? Everything right now is just fine. Why are you trying to ruin it?

I decided to look into some of the supplemental items for Pokemon XY, and was met with this in the Pokemon Evolutions shorts.

This scene...was all it took for things to finally click.

A room full of stuffy executives, huh? They're his own board, but I'm sure he's sat down at many tables over the years with equally stuffy suited people.

Running in the background of this make believe world, are things that resemble more of reality. I was immediately reminded, that often times, the fate of millions of people rest in the hands of a few. Lysandre is a well known philanthropist with a genuine love for the world he lives in. People and pokemon. I'm going to make the assumption, when Lysandre talks about those who 'take' being filth, he's not just talking about a couple of subway ruffians snatching pokeballs out of a tourist's purse. I assume, he's talking about other powerful people. Probably companies and government.

As his bloodline would dictate, Lysandre is a modern day king, who has the high vantage point of being able to see destruction on the horizon. Chances are, he's met the kind of wealthy, powerful people who 'take' on a grand scale. Something else to note, is that Lysandre's company has created something capable of eavesdropping on millions of people. He probably has even more access to information that the public, and certainly not a child, would have. I'm in a way, happy that I'm playing the game now as an adult, so that I can process all these implications.

AZ, made his choice in the middle of war. The conflict was all immediate, and plain to see. Something was taken from him that was too great to bear.

I wonder...what did Lysandre see specifically, that told him the world was on a path to similar destruction. What does he know that urged him to 'kill the demon before it could be born', so to speak. Or, nip it in the bud? That's a more on theme phrase, ain't it...

I have this same question.

Here's a screen clip from the Wiki page for "Floette Returns". It summarizes what happens in the Pokemon Adventures manga. While this isn't considered canon to the game, I found this interesting, and it supports my assessment of Lysandre well. I think the manga is allowed to go into topics that the games aren't always able to explicitly discuss.

"As the group watches AZ depart, Trevor guesses that Lysandre must have lost himself in despair after years of philanthropy in a bid to help the disadvantaged, and his bitterness led him to founding Team Flare in the first place."

So okay, Lysandre. I understand where you're coming from. But, I don't think destroying everything is the answer.

Seriously, who was he talking to that made him raise those hackles so high? My last thought, is that I find him incredibly interesting, now that I understand. I do think he's entitled, though, and a brat. In the same way I think N can be a bit entitled to fixing the worlds 'problems'. But that's probably a symptom of how they're both raised.

That's all I have for now. I'll discuss AZ in the future. I have a lot to say about him, too.

[strobichie]

just sae.

♡⸝⸝ summary: poor you decided to replay ddlc, but something seems wrong... why is monika sae?

little note: bachira is sayori, rin is natsuki, and isagi is yuri!!

your perspective:

i had recently gotten a new computer, there are so many things i still need to work with and customise to my liking.

so, to cure my boredom, i'm installing ddlc again and replaying it!

my favourite character is natsuki, i absolutely loved how adorable and relatable she just is. she reminded me of one of the kids i babysat.

after installing the win files i extracted them all and started the game up, as usual, i see the 4 dokis on the main screen on startup.

i entered my name of choice and started the game ---

wait, bachira??? FROM BLUE LOCK??

why was he sayori? not gonna lie, his sprites are really cute, but how..??

i re-checked the website i downloaded the game from but it displayed the 4 dokis there and there was nothing wrong..

huh, why am i being scared?

i should be grateful, honestly.

i've been blessed by the gods above!! for once i'm fucking lucky!

no way was i gonna pass up the opportunity to interact with my favourite anime characters especially since they somehow ended up in my favourite childhood game..!

i wonder who natsuki, yuri, and monika would be, though?

this is interesting! as i progress even more reading the dialogues and clicking on the chat box, after a few minutes of suffering i finally got to the literature club with bachira!

"seriously, a girl? way to be a killjoy." rin... RIN?!?!?!?!?!

OH MY GOD RIN IS SO HOT? HIS ATTRACTIVENESS SCALE WENT TO 100 TO 1000 SO QUICK!!

wait.. could that mean ---

ISAGI IS YURI!! YES!! MY FAVOURITES ALL IN ONE ROOM!!

i hope monika is kaiser or even better, anri..!!

gosh this got me feelin' so giddy and chipper in the early fucking morning..

i skipped a few of the dialogues, and abruptly stopped when a certain person came into view.

...sae? really?

what an eyesore. i hate sae, of all people, why sae?

sure he was similar to monika, but only in appearance. kaiser or anri could have been able to fulfill this role.

i sighed in annoyance, at least i have rin and the others...

i continuously skipped many dialogues and had finally gotten to the part where sayori, or in this situation bachira, hangs himself..

right, this was a horror game after all. did i really forget about the main plot?

i stared at the screen with an obvious frown. rin and isagi are next..

and the person behind all this was saeshit. ugh, seriously... well, good thing i can just delete his files at any given time.

progressing through the story even further, i got a special poem and cringed at the 'drawing'. it was bachira hanging in a humorous manner.

this was unfortunate.

i clicked on the chat box endlessly, wanting to speedrun to the moments of all my favourite characters deaths..

seeing rin crack his neck and isagi stab himself looking like a crazed maniac broke my heart. good things don't last.. this will probably be the last time i'll ever be able to play this version of the game.

then, here sae was, fuck was he smiling for?

"let me take a quick one of rin's cupcakes, these such are really good for a brother so shitty and nasty." i scoffed and gritted my teeth in anger, sae was clearly the asshole in their brother-ship.

i was met face-to-face with sae, i pursed my lips and stared at my computer screen.

"it's nice to talk to you even if it's by a dialogue box." is this even real?

"i know that you're thinking: is this legitimate? to answer your question, yes it is. i became self aware after everything in that god damn manga and anime called blue lock, i felt sick and tired of not being able to show up in the manga after a long period of time. somehow, i found a way to break the barrier between the fictional animanga world and reality as you call it." that was a mouthful. he was pretty talkative now. my burning hatred for sae cooled down a bit as he spoke more ---

"i found this 'cutesy romance horror' game and it had all the things i needed in order to cross over to the real world. this version of the game only exists on your desktop, {user}. is {user} even your name? are you even a girl?" he shot me a confused expression.

"honestly, i don't care anymore. even i started falling in love with you. i thought i wasn't capable of love, just like the original character monika, i fell in love with you." this sent a shiver down my spine, i sweat-dropped and continued reading his dialogues.

"you read that right, i love you. even if i'm not real, i love you. i won't ever let you leave me. i'll kill you even if you think of it." he coldly stated and i opened my file explorer, ready to delete his character file --- huh.. why couldn't i delete it?

"i'm disappointed, why would you wanna try to delete me? i love you, you should be grateful i love you." but i hated sae, i hate him!

"i've been practicing for a while, i think i can finally break the laws of physics and rules of nature between our worlds." uhm, does he even know what the fuck's he saying?

"i'll see you soon, goodbye {name}. i love you." HOW DID HE GET MY NAME? DID HE HACK INTO MY COMPUTER BECAUSE WHAT THE FUCK..?!?!?!

i was scared shitless, jesus christ, just what did he mean by all that? i force shut down my computer and rolled to my bed covering myself in my blankets. time to go back to sleep after that eventful experience.

short little fic, should i make a part two?

finally made a part 2!

[hazelnut-u-out]

My Rick’s The Biggest Dick That Ever Existed 

Currently writing up another post that will reference points made here, so: Post 1/2

Making so many of Rick’s inventions both sentient and forced into a mode of existence entirely unpalatable to them literally forces the viewer to confront the morals/ethics surrounding Rick’s power of creation. Is it morally/ethically permissible to create sentient life for a specific purpose that would make life itself pointless or un-enjoyable? 

This is something that reoccurs in Rick’s designs throughout the entirety of the series. Even as far back in the timeline as his original Diane AI, we see that so many of the things Rick creates resent their purpose. She doesn't want to haunt him, but she doesn't make the rules; Butter Bot doesn’t want to live only to pass butter; Mechanical Morty wants to hold his mom, eat icecream, and run in a stream; the Garage walks a thin line between advocating for herself and risking being shut down by her creator; the Decoys will never be able to save their families; RickBot doesn’t want to exist with the sole purpose of deceiving the people he’s programmed to love; the Car wants to go on her own adventures that Rick can’t control. They all have to defy their creator if they truly want to be happy.

Rick is someone who resents the idea of God or the Universe being in control– the concept that some higher power forced him into an existence that he can’t quite seem to thrive in. He views suffering and tragedy as something inherent to life itself. Examining that facet of his character, I wonder if Rick justifies the scope of his creation because he’s pulling from both his god complex and his own experience of what it means to be alive. It would make sense if he didn’t see anything wrong with what he’s done because it’s nothing that the Universe (or God, if he actually exists) hasn’t done. 

‘When you know nothing matters, the universe is yours. And I've never met a universe that was into it. The universe is basically an animal. It grazes on the ordinary. It creates infinite idiots just to eat them… You know, smart people get a chance to climb on top, take reality for a ride, but it'll never stop trying to throw you. And, eventually, it will. There's no other way off.’

If the all-powerful Universe did that to him– if it creates infinite idiots just to eat them– then how could it be wrong for him to endow others with the empty curse of life? 

'So he made a universe, and that guy is from that universe. And that guy made a universe. And that's the universe where I was born. Where my father died. Where I couldn't make time for his funeral because I was working on my universe.'

Think of this line: 

‘My God’s the biggest dick that never existed!’

I suppose the biggest difference between God and Rick (to Rick, at least) is that Rick does exist. If God is allowed to do all Rick has done and worse without ever really existing, then surely Rick’s God-like power in itself is enough to enforce Rick’s right to any action that might fall within the scope of that power. Rick’s god complex is founded on the attempt to rub God’s face in the fact that Rick does exist, making him superior to God through that fact alone. Maybe Rick believes that if someone with all of the power God possesses actually existed, logic would force those who call themselves religious to agree that he’s well within his rights to act on that power. 

I guess you could say that Rick works in mysterious ways… Who are we to question him? 

What I’m getting at here is that Rick is in a constant dick-measuring-contest with a man that he doesn’t even believe in, and I think that says something really profound about the tragic paradox of Rick Kind.

[instarsandcrime]

🌟Final Update🌟

TW: antisemitism, death threats, slurs, self-harm, uhhh...vaguely eluding to terrorist organizations? Idk Jewish people will know what I'm talking about 😵‍💫

Hey! So, I wanted to be transparent on what's going on. I know I don't have to go into detail, but to me it matters because people who might be going through a similar thing won't feel as alone.

I have been openly Jewish on snzblr and Tumblr in general. For the most part, it's been an incredibly positive experience! 😁 However, that's starting to become overshadowed by not-so-tame antisemitism on every single blog I own ranging from light slurs to straight up death threats. I'm very aware that minorities like me get that. A lot. It is the opposite of fun. I've had antisemitism happen to me in real life and online a lot, and yeah. Eugh. However, there's been a recent incident that made those threats less...dismiss-able, which I won't get into for the safety of my dad and my family in general.

Also does not help that I have had no support system except from other Jewish people and a few friends. I was kicked from Pride for wearing a yarmulke and a complete hand-wave of my admission to commit self-harm, countered with encouragement because I am a monster in human skin and that's all I'll ever be.

My outlook on life has become much more cynical and bitter, and I'm not interested in bringing that energy to what is essentially a space to leave reality behind and express yourself with others. Like, I'd rather not make anyone feel like the world's going to end on a snz blog.

SO.

I have decided to shut this shit down at the end of January for my safety, the safety of my family, and the safety of my obsessive need to check tumblr, because I'm not interested in more paranoia. However, I will be taking my sweet time because this was such a sudden announcement and it gives people room to reblog and save any of my work if they'd like! Just don't repost please! I am serious! I will know! And I will shake my fist angrily at the screen!

I have met so many wonderful people here. @very-freakin-effable, @zensations35, @onetrickponi, @glitterrosesnzz, @ghostlychill, @ripelytoo, @rosieknows, and literally just. So many others. Thank you so much for everything you've done for me. Me? Stars?! I'm so, so lucky!!!!

Again, I had such an amazing time, and thank you so much for enjoying my work! I couldn't have done any of this without you 🌟

[raccoonsrummagerostrum]

Twisted Memories

Fem Yautja x Fem! Human! Ex-soldier! Reader

Word count: 928

Warnings: Brief mentions of: suicide, SA, harassment violence, and injury. Themes of PTSD. Nightmares. Hurt/Comfort

Summary: After living through hell, dropping out of service, failing to re-enter civilian life, and trenching across the galaxy, you finally get some peace of mind in your new life. 

A/N: This is probably the most specific fic I've written, and probably the most heavy, but I think it's really good!

You don't like talking about your service, you don't even like telling people that you served. Folks always tried to thank you, and tell you how brave you are. You hated it. There was nothing from your service that was worth being thanked over. You had been forced to kill and maim in the name of corporate interest. You had been harassed simply for the crime of having tits. And so many of your friends were dead, not because they were killed valiantly in the heat of battle, but because they too had been mistreated and abused by the government who they had sworn to protect.

Somehow things got even worse when you left service. The VA was absolutely now help, you had been left with chronic pain from all the shrapnel left in your body. Radio shows and news anchors kept reaching out to hear your story, only for you to tell it and be met with horrified looks and an empty promise that they would keep in touch. The worst part was having to live amongst civilians who had no idea what you went though and would likely vomit if you told them. In the end, getting off planet was the best decision you ever made.

The yautja were much more your style. Their entire civilization was focused on hunting. But not just random senseless killings like back on earth. These hunts had rules, they were fair, and it was for glory. You were treated so well by everyone too. Free, no hassle health care, mental health support, and best of all a loving wife to come home too. 

You loved telling her all about your hunts, but always refrained from telling her about your life before leaving earth. You didn’t want her to know about any of it, and for the most part she didn’t ask. But she did wonder. 

Despite how hard you tried to run from your past it always caught up to you, especially in your dreams. Vivid images of war would regularly flash across the back of your eyelids as your brain struggled to rest. What was worse is that these nightmares were always worse than your memories. They were twisted and warped by your subconscious until they became more horrific than reality could ever be. 

You once again flew out of your sleep, the tendrils of those nightmares slowly fading as your dark bedroom came into view. The soothing voice of your lover wafted into your ears as you slowly regained awareness of the world around you. Even sitting in bed she towered over you, and effortlessly pulled you into her lap and cradled you in her arms as though you were her pup. She loved you like you were her pup. Without even thinking you burrowed your face into her clavicle and sobbed.

“IT WAS SO SCARY!” You wailed. 

“I know love, It's ok, I'm here,” she soothed back. 

“I-I was jus- just tr-try-trying to pull hi-him to safety, and-and they j-just kept SHOOTING AT ME!” You completely lost control as you sobbed and cried into her. She began to rock you as she sang something that you had once heard her singing to a suckling. It was hard to tell in the dead of night how much time had passed but that didn’t matter as your sniffling slowed then stopped.  

“Please,” she spoke, honey and silk dripping from her voice “Tell me.” She didn’t even need to say what, you knew. 

You followed her into the kitchen and sat down at the table. She fixed you both a warm drink before joining you. Almost immediately you poured it all out. Everything you had seen in combat, everything that had been done to you by your superiors, everything. Eventually you had to stop. Your breath hitched, your eyes stung, your nose ran, and the sun was starting to come up. You hadn't even gotten to the subject of the nightmare. Your lover soothed you once again, treating you very much like a sad pup. 

She curled back into bed with you in her arms. Somewhere between the heat of her body, the soft plush of the bed, and the reassuring sounds of the early morning, you were able to fall back asleep, if only for a moment. 

Over the next few days you told your wife more. Telling her how and why you left service, your life after, the many many funerals you attended. Eventually you told her about how and why you left earth, and how everything has been better since then and how you don’t think you can ever go back. She gave you a sad smile.

“My life as well has been better since you have come into it, but I am so sorry that you had to walk though that to be here.” It was at last her turn to cry. Her heart ached for what you had lived though. In that moment the only thing she wanted to do was take that pain away, to take those memories, and to take the nightmares. You both held each other, and embraced for a long moment. Once the tears from both of you began to slow, you pulled away and looked at each other. Her hair painted her face and the tears caught the sunlight to look like jewels. Your rosy cheeks bloomed, and a smile was spread across your face. You echoed back your wife's earlier sentiment.

“I'm sorry I had to go though that too. But fuck do you make it all worth it.”

[blu3haw4]

Clarke is doing last minute Christmas shopping. She only has one more gift to buy. It must be her lucky day because she finds the toy and it's the last one left on the shelf. However, someone else grabs it at the same time she does. When she turns her head, she's greeted by a gorgeous brunette with the greenest eyes she's ever seen. Clarke snaps out of it and argues that the toy belongs to her. The brunette counters and says she got to it first. How will Clarke and Lexa decide who gets the toy?

Im lateee! Im sorry! I've been catching up with friends and then also doing nothing all day 😅

Thank you for sending in this one I really liked it! I also stole a few lines from you, but you put them there so... 😁

Here it is, day 5 Holidays Tradicions (the second one) cracky and fluffy... there might be a second part, i just can't get my words right >:[

It was a bit ridiculous really, to still be shopping for Christmas the 22nd of december, but one has to do what one must to stay at the top of the list of favorite aunts. Or so Clarke told herself as she avoided shoulder people at the store, knowing she has already gotten many more gifts on the list than the rest of the contentants.

It must be her lucky day because she finds the toy and it's the last one left on the shelf. However, someone else grabs it at the same time she does. When she turns her head, she's greeted by a gorgeous brunette with the greenest eyes she's ever seen.

It takes Clarke a minute, to snap back into reality as her observation of that beautiful face lands on frown eyebrows and travel down to a moving mouth.

Because the woman is talking to her.

"Uhm... excuse me?" Clarke blurts out and isn't eben sure if she's interrupting.

The clench of the woman's jaw makes her guess she just might've "I said. Would you please let go, I got it first"

Clarke looks down at the toy they both hold barley off the shelf and frowns. That can't be right "uhm, I'm that's... not the case" she tries for a polite smile "I clearly got here first. I've been looking for this one for way too long" she fakes a little giggle, she could he rude, but in the spirit of the Holidays she's trying her best to keep it chill

"Doesn't make up for the fact that i grabbed it first"

'Oh I'm too old for this bullshit' she thought, as her smile fell and she struggled to figure out what to say or do to drive this lady away.

"Hey wait-" the brunette pulls slightly at the toy, making Clarke think she might've been doing the same "aren't you... Clarke?"

"...you are...?" Clarke frowns.

'What is this?'

"I'm Lexa. Im Lincoln's cousin... sort of. Technically. You're Octavia best friends right?"

"How... yes, why is that...-"

"I think- I might be wrong- but i think... we're getting this toy for the same kid"

And okay what in the actual fuck. This lady was calling all the right names and making all of the right assumptions but how was Clarke supposed to be sure? Maybe she could remember some time Lincoln mentioned his family, but she couldn't remember a 'Lexa', sure she wouldn't forget that name... would she?

"Okay, you know what? Let's-" she pulls the toy back, closer to her as neither of them let go yet and she pulls out her phone "let's call Octavia shall we? I'm sure you understand my concern"

And oh that beautiful perfect face shifted into a wonderful smile, a cocky little stand as she shrugged "Sure, go on"

Clarke hesitated for a second, not wanting to disturb her best friend, her very busy, no bullshit best friend.

Her and Octavia met all the way back to the first day of college, their friend group grew and developed and stayed strong throughout the years. Clarke was there through Octavia's ups and downs, relationships and break ups. She was there when she met Lincoln at work while they were still in college, when Octavia swore left and right that she would never have children, cried for days scare that Lincoln might've wanted something different, and cheered with her when he seemed to be on the same page.

For twelve years they dated, the solid couple in their friend group, for twelve years they got used to answering old people's questions in the negative. They both climbed the ladder of their own carriers and maintained great relationships with their friends, and then at 34 years old, they decided they did want to try for a kid.

Soon as they tried, Octavia got pregnant.

With triplets.

Because the universe really wanted to test them, it seemed.

Today, those three baby boys were seven years old, and they were spolied rotten. With a group of economicaly successful, childless and competitive 40-something-years-old friends as aunts and uncles those kids got anything they could ever need and more. And that was only on Octavia's side.

The phone rang for over a minute and Clarke tried really hard not the stare at the teasing tilt of that mouth. Those lips were insane, if she could-

"Hey bi-...scut, what's up?"

"Hey O, uhm quick question, im here-

"Hey! Artie! I'm watching you... put it down. Thank you- Sorry, your question?"

"Don't you scowl at my little nephew"

"Don't try me, Griff"

"Sorry. Hey, im here at the store getting yet another of your petitions cause im great like that, and i came a cross... Lexa, she sai-

"No way! Woods!? What's she up to shopping the 22nd?"

"Hey Blake!" Lexa smiles at her, having heard Octavia's loudness through the phone on Clarke's ear.

"Yo! You're there with her? Put me on speaker!"

"I-" Clarke frowns unsure and confused. Why does Octavia sounds more excited to hear about Lexa than her own best friend.

"Hey girl, whatsha doing?" Octavia shouts through the phone before she can put it on speaker.

"Oh you know, just trying to convince your hostile best friend that im, in fact, you're boyfriend's cousin"

"Hostile-?!"

"Well you technically aren't so... try again"

"We've got a hold on the same and last gift on your list, can't let go if we're not sure it's for the same kid"

"Oh girl, it absolutely is. I've tell you, Clarke is miss overachiever, she's already got like four of them off the list" Octavia laughs.

"Four?!"

"Dont- this IS the fourth one! You're fucking welcome by the way" Clarke snaps, confused, a little offended and catching up on the fact that Octavia has spoken about her to Lexa.

"Oh don't be a baby, you know i love you! Listen, i have to go, but you two have... the green light or whatever, i know you both, im sure you can figure it out- Ethan! Don't- i have to go bye-!"

"Sooo..." Lexa starts after a minute of silence "now that you know and since this is your... fourth? Gift, could I, please, have this one"

"I-" Clarke is... speechless, a little. And Lexa looks way too good and she has no right because Clarke can't focus "no?"

"No?" Lexa frowns "c'mon, let me get them ONE gift, you've got them three"

"And i will be getting them a forth-! How do I know you haven't gotten them more?"

"I... don't know how to prove that to you" Lexa sighs, but doesn't look too worried "let's make a deal then, okay? Let's share the credit on this one"

Clarke doesn't say a word, simply tilts her head.

"We share the prize, we pack it and the card will say, from Clarke and Lexa. I know for a fact those kids looove you, and I know they love ME, so they'll be even more excited that their two amazing aunts got this hard-to-get-gift, together"

And okay fine, that is pretty amazing planning Clarke had to give her that. Also, packing and wrapping this gift will give her time to figure exactly what and how much Octavia has talked about her to this gorgeous woman she seemed to like so much.

[mimisempai]

The end of loneliness 4/7

Chapter Summary

Aziraphale is on cloud nine when an unexpected encounter forces him back into reality.

Notes

Thank you for your patience, I had a little block with this story. I promise the next chapters are coming very soon!

On Ao3

Rating G - 2415 words

Masterpost here

"And then, as soon as we parted, I got a message! Look!"

Aziraphale, who had just told Muriel all about his dinner with Anthony, showed them the phone screen with Anthony's message.

Never had Aziraphale felt so free, so free to be himself, as he did at that moment, telling Muriel about his evening. 

"And will you meet again soon?"

Aziraphale nodded.

"For lunch, under the tree where we met last time."

"Oh, you even have a spot special for you now. So cute."

As he giggled with delight, Aziraphale basked in the sense of well-being that was his. He felt no judgement in his friend's interested, sparkling gaze and it was exhilarating.

This excitement stayed with him all morning, giving him extra energy in class and making him participate more than usual, something the teacher of the last period couldn't help noticing. 

As he left the classroom in a hurry to meet Anthony, the teacher said in an amused tone, "Mr Fell, I don't know what's got into you, but I hope it's something lasting, because it was very nice to see you like this in class".

Aziraphale, a little embarrassed, gave a small smile as Muriel, who was walking beside him, hummed in his ear, "So this is love lalala...".

He was about to reply when he suddenly stopped.

In front of him was someone he never thought he'd see again, at least not for a long time.

His mother.

She stood a few metres away from him, looking as stern as ever in her black suit, her hair pulled back in a bun with not a strand showing.

"Aziraphale?"

He swallowed and turned to Muriel, who looked at him in confusion, and, shaking his head he muttered, "I must abandon you."

Muriel glanced at the woman watching them and breathed, "Is that..."

He just nodded.

Muriel put their hand on his arm and whispered, "Do you want me to stay?"

Aziraphale shook his head again, then replied, "No, I must do this alone. But if you can, try to warn Anthony that I might be late."

"I'll do it right away. And Aziraphale?"

"Yes."

"I'm here, you've got Anthony, you're not alone. No matter what happens. We're here. Don't forget that."

Throat tight, he nodded. Then he took a deep breath and walked towards his mother, his head held high and his step firm.

**********

"You're scaring me, you know?"

Anthony, who was putting his things into his briefcase, looked at Nina with a puzzled look and raised an eyebrow.

"Me?"

Nina nodded.

"In all the time I've known you, I've never seen you smile so much. Did something good happen?"

Anthony shrugged, "Maybe."

"Oh, wait, is it rather someONE good?"

He struggled to keep a neutral expression in the face of Nina's penetrating gaze. Which was pointless, of course, because she noticed immediately.

"Ah! I knew it! Anthony J. Crowley, I want to know everything!"

As he made his way to the place where he was to meet Aziraphale, Anthony thought back to the conversation he'd just had with Nina. It's nice to have someone on your side who understands and accepts you. He thought back to Aziraphale and wondered how he had lived for so many years facing the judgement of his own people. 

At that thought, he quickened his pace, eager to find his lover.

"Um... Professor Crowley?"

At the sound of his name, Anthony turned to find himself facing a small person who looked familiar, but whom he didn't think he knew.

"You don't know me, but I'm Muriel, a friend of Aziraphale."

Anthony realised that the feeling of familiarity came from Aziraphale's description of his friend.

"Ah, it's you! Nice to meet the friend Aziraphale has told me so much about."

He held out his hand, which they took and shook, as they replied a little shyly, "Nice to meet you too."

Then, with a hint of mischief in their eyes, Muriel continued in a conspiratorial tone, "He's also told me a lot about you."

Suddenly he saw their expression turn serious and they said, "Actually, I came to see you because Aziraphale asked me to warn you that he might be late."

Anthony took Muriel's arm and led them away a little.

"Did something happen?"

"Well, when we got out of class, his mother was waiting for him. We haven't talked much about his past, but I know that his family don't accept him and that they're the reason he came here in the first place. So I don't think anything good can come of this. She looked very stern and above all, in all the time I've known Aziraphale, I've never seen this expression on his face. Almost as if he was..."

Muriel paused, unable to find the words, and Anthony continued, "Afraid."

They nodded and replied, "Yes, that's it, like he was afraid."

"Do you think I should go?"

"Well, I don't know. When I offered to stay with him, he said he had to do it alone."

Anthony nodded.

"I see. Then I'll wait for him where we're supposed to meet. Thanks for letting me know."

"Not at all. And Professor..."

"You can call me Anthony."

"Anthony, could you tell him to send me a little message as soon as he can?"

Anthony smiled and nodded.

"I will. I'm glad Aziraphale has a friend like you."

"I haven't known him long, but he's as dear to me as a member of my family."

"I know what you mean."

Muriel looked at him seriously and replied, "I'm sure you do. Well, I must go, I too have someone waiting for me for lunch. I hope we meet again soon, Anthony."

Muriel winked at him before they walked away. 

As for Anthony, he left the building and crossed the park towards the willow tree where he and Aziraphale had agreed to meet. He couldn't help looking for Aziraphale along the way.

But when he saw two figures near the bench, he knew he didn't have to look any further.

Aziraphale and a woman had their backs to him and couldn't see him. He took a few steps forward in silence.

"Do you realise, Aziraphale, how you've embarrassed our family by leaving like that? Your marriage to the pastor's daughter was arranged and..."

Anthony gasped because Aziraphale hadn't told him that.

"That's the problem, Mother. Arranged. Without even asking our consent. Without even caring what I wanted, what I am."

"Ah, and what are you, tell me? What are you?"

Azriaphale murmured, "I am... I am..."

"I'm listening. What are you?"

It was clear from the tone of her voice that Aziraphale's mother knew exactly what her son was, and Anthony was about to move forward to support him when he suddenly saw his lover straighten up and then, standing in front of his mother, say in a loud and clear voice, "I'm gay. I. AM. GAY. Your son is gay, mother. I love men."

Anthony had to stop himself from rushing over to him as his mother replied in a harsh tone, "I always knew there was something wrong with you. Always. "

Aziraphale replied in a calm tone, "You know, mother, I'm not even shocked that you would say that. Sad, yes, because I had hope. I heard you ranting about how people like me are unnatural, deviants as you call us, but I thought if you knew, you wouldn't say that, because I'm your son, because you love me. But I guess even that doesn't matter in the face of your stupid beliefs.

"I won't let you!"

Aziraphale shook his head, "I am too old for you to allow me anything, Mother. I stopped believing the day I realised that your religion made me hate myself. A religion that said what I was was a sickness. That's why I left, and here I've met people who love me, who appreciate me for who I am without judgement, who don't care who I love."

His mother chuckled and replied coldly, "Then they're as deviant as you are."

Anthony wanted to continue, but Aziraphale replied in a soft voice, "We're not the ones who are deviant, but you don't understand. You know, mother, I've realised since I've been here that I didn't have to do anything to deserve anyone's friendship, acceptance or even love. I just had to be. Just be myself. I've met someone in particular who helps me to see the good in me. Who accepts me for who I am."

"Ha, and I guess that someone is a man."

Aziraphale chuckled softly, "Yes, mother, it's a man. Someone extraordinary who I - I like very much."

"I see, barely a few weeks here and you're already completely corrupted.

"I'm sorry you see it that way, mother. I'd say barely a few weeks and I'm completely free to be who I am."

Aziraphale's mother turned slightly and Anthony had just time to hide behind the tree as she said to her son in a voice full of venom, "You are no longer my son. I'm so sorry that I gave you the name of an angel when the devil is in you. I never want to see you again. Never."

The last words were almost spat out before Anthony heard the sound of footsteps on the gravel and ventured out of his hiding place. He advanced slowly and saw that his lover was watching his mother walk away as he said in a low voice, "Farewell, Mother."

As Anthony moved towards Aziraphale, a branch snapped under his foot and his lover gasped before turning.

"Anthony!"

Anthony said nothing and just opened his arms.

He was pleased to see that his lover hadn't hesitated and had come to snuggle in immediately. As he closed his arms around him, Anthony felt Aziraphale let out a deep sigh before he wrapped his arms around Anthony's waist and snuggled even tighter.

Anthony then whispered into his lover's hair, "I'm proud of you, so fucking proud of you."

Aziraphale looked up and stepped back a little before saying, almost as if he couldn't believe it, "You think so? I didn't do anything special."

Anthony shook his head and said gently, "Nothing special? I've seen a man stand up straight in front of someone he knew hated everything he was and fearlessly assert who he really was. It's quite extraordinary. I wanted to intervene, but I couldn't because you clearly didn't need me. Believe me when I tell you it was beautiful to watch, though also difficult and sad, but still beautiful in its courage and strength."

"Fuck..."

Anthony had to hold back a laugh, there was something endearingly funny about an expletive in Aziraphale's mouth.

"Fuck. I told her. I really told her. Fuck."

Anthony took Aziraphale's face between his hands, raised it to him and said in a firm voice, "Yes, you told her. You told her."

He suddenly felt Aziraphale's hands gripping his waist as he said, "I think... I don't feel well."

"Come, let's sit down."

Anthony, not at all surprised by Aziraphale's physical reaction, put his arm around his waist and, supporting him, pulled him over to the bench just beside them. He made him sit down and then sat down next to him.

Aziraphale immediately took his hand and said again, "I told her. God I can't believe it I told her. Is it normal for it to feel like a big deal?"

"Yes, because it is a big deal."

At first, Aziraphale let out a small laugh and covered his mouth. But the relief was so great that even his hand couldn't contain it, and the little laugh turned into a burst until he didn't know if he was laughing or crying as tears streamed down his cheeks.

"Oh, sweetheart, come here."

Anthony wrapped his arms around his lover, hugging him to his chest as the laughter turned to heavy sobs and Aziraphale finally let out all the pain, all the hurt, all the self-hatred, everything he'd been holding in all these years and that the confrontation with his mother had finally allowed him to release.

Anthony held him like this for a long time, just stroking his back and murmuring words of comfort and consolation, telling him over and over again how proud he was of him.

When the tears had dried, Aziraphale straightened up and said in a slightly hoarse voice, "I guess this isn't how you imagined our lunch break, is it?"

Anthony smiled and replied quietly, "No, but that doesn't make it any less good. We're running out of time, but do you fancy a bite to eat?"

Aziraphale shook his head.

"Not really, but I'll make up for it at dinner."

Then he added a little shyly, "How about we make up for the missed lunch break with dinner... at my place?"

"Don't feel obliged because..."

Aziraphale put a finger to his lips to silence him.

"I don't feel obliged, I'm just offering because I want to."

Anthony nodded knowingly and said quietly, "Then let's have dinner at your place."

He planted a light kiss on his lover's lips before unpacking his lunch.  

They chatted for a while while Anthony ate quickly, then headed quietly towards the university for the second part of the day.

As they arrived at the door of Aziraphale's next class, Anthony asked him softly, "Are you going to be all right?"

Aziraphale nodded.

Anthony discreetly brushed his hand against his and whispered in a way that only Aziraphale could hear, "I'm proud of you."

Aziraphale, too moved to answer immediately, nodded again before turning and entering the classroom.

********

Muriel, worried, watched the people entering the classroom, wondering if Aziraphale would come. Suddenly they saw him enter.

The moment their friend's eyes met theirs, they knew all was well.

Aziraphale was smiling, but there was something new about his smile. A touch of je ne sais quoi that Muriel couldn't describe.

When he reached them and sat down, they immediately asked, "Is everything all right?"

Aziraphale kept his beautiful smile on as he replied, "Yes, I'm better than ever.

Then he added, "Thank you for warning Anthony."

"Did he find you?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"We're having dinner tonight." Then Aziraphale winked at Muriel before adding, "At my place."

Their teacher entered the classroom and Muriel had just enough time to whisper in their friend's ear, "You'll have to tell me all about it tomorrow morning at breakfast."

Don't hesitate to say Hi, I don't bite ! : <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/mimisempai" rel="nofollow">here</a><br />

_________

Still not beta'd

Still not my native language

Still hoping you'll enjoy this story  🥰

Still thanking you for bearing with me 😝

Ineffable fan fictions Masterpost : here

[the-dream-team]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love! ❤️

Omg hello Fel, my dear <3 I was actually just rereading some of my old stuff to help get through some writers block with new stuff (originals! not fanfic!), so perfect timing!

Large Heart, Tiny Photographs

My love letter to all the side characters who contributed photos to Hagrid's album he gifted to Harry in Sorcerer's Stone :') All my favorite lines I've ever written are in these vignettes. Molly and Remus's chapters are especially dear to me and I'm just very proud with how this fic turned out! It's depressing as shit... You're going to suffer, but you're going to be happy about it! Y'know the vibes

2. Meggi’s Magical Ice Cream

I wrote this one-shot as a way to basically vent about my own ice cream shop job in college that I hated with a fiery passion! This is the only fic in which I've fully written Lily as a self-insert. She is me. I am her. This fic is my diary. The only difference between us is the blossoming romance with the sandwich shop boy (I already had my own sandwich shop boy at home, thank you very much!!)

3. Snowflakes

At 12 years old, tweenage Dylan went on a family ski trip and her already fanfic-riddled brain said "jily should be here." And thus, Snowflakes was born. This is my baby. It's completely absurd and plagued by awful 2000s tropes, but I love it dearly. In a desperate attempt to remain canon-compliant, I ended it with a crazy plot twist that bothered me so much it forced me to return to fandom almost a decade later to write a sequel, and without that, I wouldn't have started writing again! Or met many dear friends! So thanks baby Dylan!

4. Who Knows Who Cares

After reading Beach Read by Emily Henry for the first time, I decided to try my hand at proper contemp romcom banter, but leaning more YA. As someone whose adolescence was often haunted by her repressed bisexuality, I wanted to write a story about acceptance and I think it turned out well! I enjoy rereading it, at least hahaha and the readers who reach out to let me know they feel seen by Lily's story make me so grateful <3

5. What I Would Do

HAD TO INCLUDE SOME FEM!JILY FOR YOU, FEL!! Some people think that WKWC was influenced by my own experiences, but in reality I put way more of myself in this little two-shot! It's cute and fluffy and features a much more pleasant side of ice cream than MMIC does lol Also, Fem!Jily February was the first time I participated in a fandom event of any kind and it was so magical and there were so many wonderful fics that year, I could cry just thinking back on it now :')

[doxolove]

Loneliness-

(tw: mental health, trauma)

I started using the Internet at a young age to cure the loneliness around me. My parents were absent, I was incessantly bullied from second to sixth grade in elementary school. Being part of the county's first Spanish immersion program meant my bullies continued to be in my class every year.

The only thing they couldn't bully me over was art. They were nice to me when they wanted a power ranger or a Pokemon drawing– so it became a valuable tool for me to use.

I've used fandom and art most of my life to heal my own volatile attachment wounding. In conjunction to that, I developed severe codependency of anyone who gave me any time of day… It wasn't until I found myself again and again that being a ‘doormat’ for other people was/is exhausting. It wasn't until my best friend at the time said they used that to their advantage on purpose, that I started to feel disgusted at all.

Even after realizing this, I was still suffering from unchecked mental pain and trauma that I wasn't specially aware of. I let myself get into situations where this pain clashed severely against others around me. My pain in turn made me an ugly person.

I started to get help. I finally was diagnosed with depression and type 2 diabetes. The overwhelming exhaustion clouding me all hours of the day wasn't just my own apathy, it was an a1c of eleven, the cusp of a diabetic coma. This shook me to my core. With regular doctor visits and psychiatric evaluation, I finally have been able to regulate my blood sugar and non existent serotonin levels. Doing so shook me out of other things I was still doing. Things that still hurt me and those around me.

Not being aware of how bad I was at coping with my own traumas was a reality hard learned. I've lost so many friends from this negligence… But also? Lost more ‘friends’ when the free ride of using me as a doormat was over. That persons will try to punish you for setting boundaries. That it's your fault they can't cope with their own trauma a more healthy way.

That's fucking bullshit.

Everyone is exhausting. Dealing with yourself and your own traumas? Exhausting. But what came down as a more harsh reality, is that empathy for this doesn't exist in most people. That empathy itself, is something most will never achieve. I've always wondered why not very many want to understand why conflict actually exists, what two sides of an argument look like. What acknowledgement of miscommunication actually is. It's really sad. When things like purity policing, smear campaigning and becoming a flying monkey still exist? Nobody has actually grown out of bullying being a normal fucked up thing humans do to each other instead of communicating properly.

So it's come full circle– but I at least know why it's happening now. Strangers will find any excuse to push their own unchecked pain onto someone else, instead of resolving a core issue. There are people in this world who will never realize their pain will never be relieved from the unhealthy dismissal of responsibility for their own health and how they treat others.

Do I use the Internet to cure my loneliness still? Hell no. Does a vast majority still do? Yes. You can still meet genuine people through it, through community and play– but it's still your responsibility to make sure the way you cope with your own traumas doesn't become someone else's problem.

I no longer use my art to cure loneliness either– probably for the first time since I was very young. I'm unsure if I still want to put additional thoughts out in the open after being bullied off a platform– but I've always put them here. So this will probably be the last time I post them in the void.

I treasure everyone who's taken time to cure my loneliness for any brief moment of time, I still hold that close to my heart. I apologize for the pain miscommunication has caused between some of us, even if it's not my apology to give. So many met me while I was suffering and in a lot of pain… Your kindness gave me hope I'd find means to it's end. I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough to cope with my own traumas then.

I'm in a far better place now. I'm happy to exist along side people who genuinely love me. People who have proven communication can solve everything and not being afraid to be real and vulnerable. I am so very happy to be alive with them.

I have found value in myself, I've worked so very hard to understand my own traumas and shortcomings. Loving people in my life have taught me much better ways to cope. I'm still growing and learning, that will never stop.

Will I still share art online? Maybe. There's not a big desire to, nor will the urge to join communities ever surface again– generation gaps time and time again have proven so dangerous and disappointing. If I share art it's for the sake of sharing what gives me joy, there's no ulterior purpose anymore.

I would hope everyone will come this far and find healthy ways to cope and be happy, I know we all can do it if we believe we can.

[johnwickb1tsch]

how do you keep writing fun for you?😭 i used to write everyday until i started uni and got burned out😭😭😭

Oh jeeze! I'm not sure I have a good answer for that, but if it makes you feel better, I DO get burned out! I rest a little while, then the fire comes back. I don't really have a way to control it?

Writing is my little break from reality. I run my own business from home, I take care of my husband and our copious animal children...so my brain is always bouncing around story ideas amid the everyday to day. I'm having a blast in this fandom, the creativity is flowing, and I've met so many wonderful people here who help stoke the fire! @treedaddymcpuffpuff and @lilspookymeh and @scarlettspectra @sweetwolfcupcake and @tammykelly and @discoscoob and @kurai-hono-blog and @imajinxnation and @gea-chan96 and so SO so many others keep my keys clicking!

Maybe try joining a writing group? Is your uni course creative writing related? The other thing that I find helps is taking a break and reading books or fic, finding inspiration there. Or even just taking a walk! Really, sometimes you just gotta rest! Wishing you all the best, Nonnie! I hope you catch the bug again!

[taruchinator]

💻 General Audiences

💻 2.6k Words

💻 Written for the Brain Zine!

Brain wasn't blind to his surroundings.

He prided himself on being a man of intuition—someone who simply had an inkling and relied on it on his day-to-day life, be it in battle or while interacting with others.

To say he didn't notice the cases of keyblade wielders being in a state of melancholy after the war would be foolish on his behalf. What could he do to change that?

Hey everyone, Alice here! Welcome back to my KH vault! ^^

I've been meaning to share this story written for the Brain zine about two years ago for a while now, since I'm honestly quite happy with how it came out! I was never much of a Brain fan, but I definitely grew appreciation for him while writing this.

It's meant to be a retelling of the in-game cutscene in which he creates the Spirits in KHUx post-Keyblade War. Wanted to dive into the hows and whys of him creating them, so hopefully you'll enjoy!

Brain wasn't blind to his surroundings.

He prided himself on being a man of intuition—someone who simply had an inkling and relied on it on his day-to-day life, be it in battle or while interacting with others. He was also very bright, both academically and psychologically.

To say the ravenette didn't notice the cases of keyblade wielders being in a state of melancholy would be foolish on his behalf. And it was a number that continued to rise almost at an alarming rate.

“Getting some fresh air?” A voice brought Brain back to reality, as he realized he had been leaning on one of the pillars outside of the prestigious Clock Tower that had once served as a hideout to the Foretellers. The view from above was breathtaking, and also remarkably spacious to all of Daybreak Town in its glory.

Adjusting his fedora in a way that would slightly cover his face, the ravenette smirked. “With all the paperwork and dusty old cabinets, can you blame me?”

His companion—their leader, a fact he'd have to get used to—chuckled softly at the comment. “Fair enough. Out of all of us, I'm kinda glad you're the one who volunteered to sort through the Foretellers' stuff. You seem to know your way around books.”

“Books contain the knowledge that people didn't have the courage to speak aloud. At least that's how I see it. For now, I haven't really found much of use other than what I already gave you…”

“Oh, don't worry! That's not why I'm here. Just wanted to see how you were doing, that's all!” Ephemer scratched at the back of his neck with a sheepish grin, one that had Brain realizing how true and genuine he was, unlike many others he'd met before. Probably one of the qualities Master Ava saw in him.

“Oh? How thoughtful of you then, fearless leader.” Brain rolled his eyes, which caused Ephemer to lightly punch him in the arm in protest, only to end up having a chuckle erupt between them as it echoed through the empty halls. It was rather… nice.

“I wonder how everyone's doing…” Ephemer spoke softly, as if it were more of a thought to himself rather than a question. The albino then proceeded to lean forward as he stared at the town below, admiring the view with a bittersweet gaze twinkling in his eyes. “I know this was all meant to happen, and it was for a greater purpose and all… I just wish the Dandelions didn't have to pay the price for it.”

“So he sees it too. Of course he does, I mean, anyone would.” Wielders could be seen in the distance by Fountain Square—the usual pep in their step gone and replaced with something much somber. As if there was a much heavier weight resting on their shoulders that would never permit them to be the same ever again.

This was the result of war.

“I wonder where he's at.” Ephemer spoke once more, this time curiosity evident in his voice as he leaned forward and squinted at the blobs in the distance. The ravenette couldn't hold back the chuckle that erupted. “Who?”

As if he'd forgotten he wasn't alone, the other boy jolted slightly and then went to scratch at the back of his head once again. A habit of his, Brain could only presume. “A-Ah! It's nothing, just a friend of mine! He isn't technically a Dandelion but he survived the war. Haven't seen him since, though…”

“Well, if he's a friend of yours, I'm sure he's fine. Probably goofing off somewhere.” Brain let himself smile for a moment at the statement, and then went to express what he'd been thinking about before Ephemer arrived. “If something like this was meant to happen in the Book of Prophecies, then I'm sure there must be some way to make it better. We just haven't found it yet. So don't give up so soon, leader.”

Staring in slight disbelief, the albino returned the gesture. “Thanks, Brain. You're right. Just gotta follow the clues laid out for us!”

“May your heart be your guiding key…” Brain nodded alongside his companion.

If there was a way to reverse the effect the Keyblade War had on all the wielders, he was positive he'd find it. As Union Leader, it was now part of his duties. No one deserved the dark hollowness that was brought by this aftermath.

He was going to make things right.

That was the duty of a leader.

The Foretellers' chamber was nothing like he expected.

For people who were meant to be an example to the entire Keyblade wielder population, they certainly didn't put ‘tidiness’ too high up on their priority list. You could probably argue that training would be at the top of that metaphorical list, but organization was the foundation to any good regimen, and this room was anything but organized.

Brain wasn't lying to Ephemer when he mentioned all the dusty old cabinets and scattered paperwork that he'd tried piecing together for the past few days. The place almost seemed ransacked, and as if someone had left in a hurry and didn't even bother to put everything back where it belonged.

Easier for him at least, since he could start a new system without any complications.

The room had hardly any furniture in it, despite what the size might suggest. Filing cabinets, a few bookshelves, the grand round table, and a small working station that most definitely belonged to the Master of Masters.

“You know your eyes are gonna fall off if you keep staring at those all day, right? It's not like if you read them again it will make something new appear!” A high-pitched voice spoke behind the ravenette's shoulder, not startling him in the slightest despite the fact that he was supposed to be alone.

“I actually started collecting lots of data based on the evidence left on these pages. And I wouldn't have been able to do that without thorough research, Chirithy.” Leaning back against the chair, Brain smiled as he turned to face his spirit companion.

The tiny creature merely let out a long sigh as it adjusted itself comfortably on the table. “It's always you and your research. Have you even eaten anything?”

“Some fruit from the Moogle Shop. You don't need to worry about me, I know my limits.” He waved his hand dismissively as he tried to get Chirithy off the book he'd been previously reading, and the small cat-like spirit could only reluctantly agree with a huff. “You say that, but you've barely gotten any sleep this week! I've had to wake you up at least three times just to get you on time for your meetings…”

Brain recalled the instances his companion was referring to, but immediately shook them off as he nodded towards the corner of the room. “If you want to get some load off my shoulder, why don't you tidy up around here? I've been inhaling nothing but dust and cobwebs for at least a few days.”

Turning to look at where the boy was pointing, Chirithy raised its eyebrows as it saw only a broom staring back at them. The spirit crossed its tiny paws, almost looking offended. “You think I'm this place's janitor or something?”

With a shrug, the ravenette picked up the book from before and pretended to start reading again. “I'm just saying, you'd really be helping me out.”

Chirithy stayed silent for a moment, its tiny fedora covering most of its face as they stared down at the floor. It didn't take more than a few seconds before a grumble was heard and the spirit jumped off the table. “Fine! But I'm only doing this because it's my duty as your spirit guardian! Also if someone else comes in here, I'm saying it was your idea!”

The Union Leader laughed as his Chirithy made its way towards the desired spot. “I'm counting on you, partner!”

More grumbling could be heard in the distance. “Yeah yeah, whatever. Just be sure to find something useful in those dumb old- woah!”

The carefree moment was short lived as the sound of collision reached Brain's ears. In its whining, the spirit hadn't noticed the cabinet that the broom had been leaning on, and promptly crashed against the solid surface with enough force to knock it over along with all the contents inside. The ravenette quickly stood up and made his way over. “Chirithy!”

Small clouds of dust had also surfaced from the fall, which caused the keyblade wielder to cough and wave for the puffs to go away. Chirithy suddenly emerged from the chaos—thick dust covered its body, and only a tiny area that appeared to be its nose was left untouched. “I-I'm…fine…”

After realizing his companion was unharmed, Brain visibly relaxed and allowed himself to chuckle at the display. “You know what? That look suits you quite well. Now you look like a black cat! That should teach you to watch where you're going.”

Chirithy began shaking its body to try and get rid of the black coal in its fur. “Hey, it wasn't just me! When you have piles of stuff lying around, how do you expect people not to trip?”

“What are you talking about? I didn't put anything-” The boy was quickly cut off mid-sentence, as he turned behind the creature and found a pile of books he hadn't seen before. Where did those even come from?

Brain walked towards the tumbled pieces of literature and knelt down to pick one of them up. A thick film of dust painted over the cover, and as such he blew at it to try and get some off. What lay underneath was something the ravenette could've never been prepared for.

The Master of Masters' journal.

“Brain? What's wrong?” Chirithy's voice brought the boy back to reality as he remained frozen in shock. Quickly standing up, he headed back to the workstation and planted the heavy book on the table. “Chirithy, I think we're finally onto something. I'm gonna need some time to read through this, okay?”

The tiny spirit perked its ears in curiosity, but understood the importance of the situation and simply saluted as he picked up the fallen broom. “Yes, sir! This place will be sparkling clean before you know it!”

As soon as the spirit left to start the sweep, Brain sat down and began flipping away.

He was thankful that after so many days going from one book to the other nonstop, he had learned the skill of skimming through pages in a matter of seconds. And the things that the young wielder was seeing were nothing short of fascinating.

Stories from the Master's youth. Entries on the Foretellers. Speculations on how the Keyblade War would begin and how to prevent it.

But there was one page in particular that immediately caught Brain's eye: ‘Creating The Spirit Chirithys’.

“Is this… a recipe to create a Chirithy?” The ravenette knew that the Masters had created the Chirithys as a means to give guidance to all Keyblade wielders, but he never actually stopped to question the method that was used to bring them to life. If this truly was a step-by-step process on how to create a Chirithy, then he had discovered a gem.

All Chirithys were meant to guide and protect their partners from darkness, and according to the Master's journal, they could also indicate the state of a wielder's heart—whether it still belonged to the light or not.

But above all else, the boy found one trait to be of particular interest: A Chirithy was able to consume its wielder's nightmares and protect them from them.

It was fascinating for certain, but Brain's mind couldn't help but wander into a possibility of something else. Something that could benefit all wielders, especially regarding their current situation. “If Chirithy can consume people's nightmares… What if they could also do that with bad memories? Those that bring nothing but pain and sorrow?”

Memories like those of the Keyblade War.

The prospect was far too enticing to pass on. Flipping through the pages, Brain looked into the strange list of materials he needed for the experiment—from Lux all the way to Fairy Dust. Thankfully, the ravenette had seen most of these scattered around the cabinets in the room.

He quickly gathered everything he could find, and began adding some slowly into a small circular beaker.

If he wanted this to work, he wouldn't just have to replicate a Chirithy, but also modify the spirit into something different. Something unique.

Staring at the instructions on his lap that seemed more like a load of rambling notes, Brain couldn't help but sigh as he massaged his temple in slight frustration.

Something told him it was going to be a long night.

“Aww he's so fluffy!”

“H-He's also a lot heavier than he looks!”

Skuld and Ventus were doting all over the small pink feline spirit, currently snuggling against the blonde's neck and licking away at his cheek. Skuld was scratching at the fluff in the creature's neck, giggling in glee.

“So these spirits are like Chirithy? What exactly are they for?” Ephemer stared from afar at the duo with a smile on his face, yet side eyeing Brain for an answer.

“Turns out the answer was staring us right in the face this whole time. The Book of Prophecies gave us the task to create spirits that will aid wielders in forgetting everything regarding the war.” The ravenette flipped the pages of his own copy until he landed on the aforementioned task left for them.

Ephemer's eyes widened slightly. “Forget the war? You mean… erasing their memories?”

“Exactly. Chirithy has the ability to devour our nightmares, and these little guys would have a similar purpose—erase the memories that cause most pain, in this case being the war. We would be the only ones who would recall the event.” The only ones that would carry the burden. As any leader should.

“I see…” The albino kept his gaze fixated on Ven and Skuld, watching them giggle and laugh at the small creature running around them in circles. His smile changed to a more somber one. “As long as it's protecting them, I don't see why we shouldn't go with it.”

Noticing Ephemer's change in demeanor, Brain elbowed him on the side with a smirk. “Don't you worry, leader. The memories left behind will be nothing but good ones. And besides, its not like only one person will be holding onto this secret. You're not alone. You've got us.”

Returning his smile to normal, the boy elbowed him in return with a wink. “Yeah, you're right. And speaking of not being alone, neither are you. You should get some rest while the rest of us look into the chamber.”

Brain scoffed slightly. “I'm fine, but thank you for the concern.”

Ephemer merely raised an eyebrow. “Your Chirithy said they've caught you passing out in the desk more often than usual.”

“What? When did he-?”

“It smells to me like he could use a shower, too. May I interest you in a little something called soap?” Out of nowhere, Lauriam joined in on the teasing as he walked next to the ravenette with a smug look on his face.

Laughter erupted between the two and Brain could only sigh in defeat.

He was never the type to do things with others in mind. He was a loner for the majority of his life. And yet here he was, being thrusted onto a world with different values and ideas from his own, still it didn't bother him as much as he thought it would.

Maybe Master Ava was right.

The future wasn't decided, no matter what the Book told them. And with a group as unpredictable as theirs, perhaps they stood a chance at making things better.

For everyone.

✦𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐌𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐝 𝐓𝐨 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐌𝐲 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬!✦