#even if they're absolute boulder brains

[minteayoongimakesmewoozi]

sometimes i think about genderbent tanyame but then i realised nothing would change, except ayame's reverse harem would be a harem and she'd be a prince charming, and tanjirou would still be bubbly and a bit of an idiot. although ayame could finally be taller than tanjirou... by like 2cm

alternatively: they keep their canon heights and ayame's just resigned to tossing his taller girlfriend over his shoulder when she's doing something ridiculous

[tvseries-writings]

From a great power comes great responsibilities

Wandanat x Bioquake x Bobbi x reader

Plot: Reader goes beyond her limits with her powers to help others (exhausts her powers)

TW: death for a moment(?)

It all happens so fast that you don't realize it until the building starts collapsing over your heads. You see a chunk of concrete the size of a car fall on top of you, and before your brain can connect, your body acts on instinct, carrying you, Daisy, and Bobbi out of the building. You concentrate on teleporting all three of you, intact, inside the quinjet where Jemma, Natasha and Wanda are running the operation, or at least, were before everything went to hell.

You land on the floor of the plane with a thud, falling forward and coughing hard to expel the dust that has filled your lungs. You glance at your girls making sure they are okay and then, you cross your arms to teleport again but Natasha's hand on your left arm stops you.

"Don’t even think about it, everything is collapsing, you can't teleport in there. It is suicide and you are not going to save anyone if you are dead, do you understand me?"

You swallow, watching the building collapse, and so, with a small smile on your lips, you lean toward Natasha and kiss her. It lasts a few seconds and she is distracted enough to let go of her grip on you.

"I'm sorry but I have to do this," you whisper and then, you close your eyes and feel the earth vanish from under your feet. You focus on the 'one safe place inside the building that you know with absolute certainty will not collapse. The beauty of a secret Hydra base was the bunkers, after all. Those crazy fucking Nazis had thought that sacrificing at least a hundred of their own people was a fair price to pay to take out three S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, and they had blown up the load-bearing walls of the building with a simple and very trivial click. Nazis, they never change.

When you open your eyes again and realize you are not dead or under some boulder, you gloat internally and mentally thank Natasha for forcing you to learn the floor plan of that base. You remember perfectly her stern look when she had presented you with the mission and forced you to learn every single detail by heart. At that moment you had hated it but now...now you really wanted to kiss her.

You raise your hands in the air when you notice a score of soldiers pointing their guns at you, hiding behind them their "incentives," as Hydra liked to call them. Wives, husbands, children, mothers and fathers hid behind those men and women in black with a crest that did not belong to them.

"It's okay, I just want to get you out of here. I can teleport you all but in multiple groups."

You curse yourself internally, you know you'll never be able to take this much effort, the last time you tried to teleport five people together you fainted and were unconscious for six hours you can't even imagine what would happen with forty, including soldiers and families.

You take a deep breath and think quickly about how you can take everyone out of there. The floor under your feet trembles and just as the children begin to cry, the earpiece in your ear comes alive.

"Y/n, damn it, Daisy can't hold it much longer...you have to get out of there, do you hear me? The structure won't hold much longer" Bobbi yells in your ear and you nod, well aware that she cannot see you, before giving her a verbal response.

"I'm trying honey, thanks for the advice though."

You mumble sarcastically, no longer listening to what your girlfriends are shouting at you over the comms and focusing instead on getting the people in front of you to safety. The soldiers lower their weapons and pull off the bands on your arm, throwing them to the ground.

"Are there others in the base?"

"They're all dead, ma'am" the lieutenant, or who you think is the lieutenant, answers you by looking around as if to confirm what she just said. Your stomach clenches at the thought of all those people who died for a cause they didn't even believe in but you quickly shake off that feeling, you don't have time for it. You quickly count them, noting that there are twenty-five of them before thinking about how to get them all out of there safely.

"So… I can take all the children outside."

You point to the little ones; some of them are crying while others are looking at you with wide, fearful eyes but charged with the same admiration and hope with which a child looks at his favorite superhero. There are nine children but you can make it, they are worth four times one adult, right? You can even take four adults with you, then; you have to do it, you won't have the strength to make three more trips, you are sure.

You gather them around you and have each of them touch arms or legs, depending on where their little hands reach, and do the same with the four women, two old and two young, who accompany them. As they say, women and children first.

"Y/n, we have set up a camp out here, four hundred meters from the base in a southwesterly direction."

-What the hell is the South?" you think, before shrugging your shoulders and closing your eyes. The feeling of the floor vanishing beneath your feet is not something you will ever get used to, if you have to be honest. You hear the children scream, whether from excitement or fear you can't tell, and then, in less than a second, you find yourself at that poorly set up base camp Jemma told you about a few seconds ago. A little dizziness forces you to lean on the ground, on the hot sand beneath you, and small drops of blood color the grains beneath your fingers. You raise your hand, reaching up your nose and finding the source of the bleeding. Children are being rounded up by an officer but you fail to recognize him as your girlfriends run toward you. Jemma has a first aid kit in her hand, but before she can set about playing cheerful surgeon with you, you scan to the side, staggering on your own feet.

"I'm fine, I've got to get back in there."

"You can't stand y/n, you can't-"

You frown, noticing only in that moment that Daisy is not there with all of you.

"Where's Dee?"

"She fainted, tried to absorb as many shocks as possible. She's collapsed y/n and that's also what's going to happen to you if you continue, you're already in a very bad way."

Jemma lifts your head, causing your gazes to cross and looking critically at your pupils and the nosebleed that doesn't seem to have any intention of stopping coming out. You back away a few steps, looking into their eyes.

"Go to Daisy, I'll take care of this," you say and then disappear again.

You repeat the same process as before, surrounding yourself with six soldiers and watching the remaining six.

"I will come back for you, I promise."

And as you disappear into thin air, another tremor shakes the ground.

The landing is more abrupt this time. Your heart beats so weakly that you feel as if oxygen is not getting to your brain. Contrary to what you expected, Natasha grabs you by the arms before your face can splat on the scorching sand. You struggle to stay awake and if so out that you don't even notice Daisy, pale, sweaty, and trembling, over the shoulders of the former Russian spy. You blink a few times to focus on the image in front of you and finally the sounds reach your ears again.

"Y/N!"

Natasha shakes you by the shoulders and you awaken from your stupor. The worried gazes of Wanda, Jemma, Daisy, Natasha and Bobbi are fixed on you as Natasha gently lays you on the ground and Jemma places a bottle of water on your lips, helping you drink it. As soon as you remember where you are, you try to sit up but Daisy stops you, simply putting a hand on your chest to keep you down.

"I'm-I'm fine, mm-missing six people-D-I have to an-go."

You stammer, the effort you've put in doesn't even make you able to utter a coherent and clea sentence. Another jolt shakes the floor beneath your feet and Daisy groans in pain, bringing her hands to her head and squeezing her eyes shut. That small advantage allows you to roll over and with an absurd effort you manage to get to your feet and disappear back under their gazes.

When you get to the bunker, the first thing you do is fall to your knees and throw up. You completely empty your stomach under the disgusted gaze of the six soldiers in front of you. You wipe your mouth with your suit, wrinkling your nose at the disgusting taste of vomit in your mouth and leaning against the wall to pull yourself up without passing out. You must hold on a little longer, just a little, and then you can collapse to the ground.

The six soldiers surround you-diligently avoiding the pool of vomit on the ground and the blood that keeps coming out of your nose-and in a moment you are out.

As soon as you hit the sand, you sprawl to the ground. Your cheek scrapes against the sand and this time Natasha is not quick enough to catch you. Jemma drops to her knees next to you, turns you so that your face is facing her but your eyes are closed. She checks your chest and when she notices that the latter does not rise or fall, she checks your pulse before a gasp of terror and fear escapes her lips.

"Bobbi, adrenaline and defibrillator. Now!"

Natasha tilts your head back, her eyes glazed over as she opens your mouth and blows air into your lungs. Jemma begins compressions.

1,2,3,4,5

Nat puts air into your lungs and your chest rises and falls once before falling back inert. Wanda's sobs and Jemma's barely stifled ones are the only sound before a crack makes your girls nauseous.

"It's okay, it happens during compressions," Jemma's voice trembles as she says it and then, she performs another round of compressions. Your arms burn but that pain is nothing compared to the dull ache that is burning in your chest at that moment.

1,2,3,4,5

Natasha forces your chest up again and then Bobbi arrives with defibrillator and adrenaline in hand. She is sweating and her heart is racing. She has never run so fast in her entire life.

"Bobbi, take my place."

Jemma continues with compressions, then, on her go, Bobbi gets in place and follows her own rhythm.

"Come on rockstar, it's not your time yet, come on."

Bobbi's breath barely hides the tremor in her voice but not the tears that line her cheeks. It takes two defibrillator shocks before your heart starts beating again.

"Oh my God" Wanda bursts into tears, leaning over your face and gently kissing your forehead, brushing a few strands of sweaty hair off your face.

"Good, you did great love" Natasha whispers, taking your hand in her own as Bobbi laughs from relief.

Daisy instead stands by, frowning, and Jemma is the first to notice.

"Dee, what's wrong?"

Daisy looks at you and then, nods.

"Something's wrong, her heart, it doesn't have the usual vibes, non-"

And then, your heart stops beating again.

"Fuck, Bobbi give me the adrenaline."

Jemma Simmons never swears but there are always exceptions.

Jemma performs two more rounds of compressions before injecting adrenaline into your chest. She hooks you up to one of the monitors that Fitz had devised a few months earlier, at the request of the biochemist, for just such situations, and when he sees that the line remains flat, his heart, too, seems to stop for a few seconds.

Your body is shaken by the shock emitted by the defibrillator; it arches upward and then falls back to the sand as hard as a puppet whose strings have been suddenly dropped. The line remains flat and Jemma's tears now gush without limit.

"No no, Jem you have to try again. She can't, she can't..."

Wanda bursts into tears, looking at your lifeless body lying on the ground. Natasha punches the ground with such force that the crack that can be heard echoing cannot mean anything good. Bobbi cries as she takes the former Russian spy's hand and gives her a look. Anything not to think about what just happened.

"No, it doesn't end like that."

"Daisy...she-"

Daisy takes your lifeless body in her hands, shaking it by the shoulders.

"Do you understand me? You can't fucking die, you can't. You promised us, you stubborn idiot, you promised us!"

The Inhuman hits your chest hard, her fist closed, and without her really being able to control what she's doing, a powerful jolt goes through your chest and crashes against the ground, creating a small crack beneath you, and then, the flat line of the monitor disappears, replaced by regular little roller coasters.

"W-what?" Daisy whispers, sitting on the floor suddenly much more tired than before from the effort she has just made. Jemma hurries to personally check your pulse and when she feels the pulse under her fingers, a shuddering breath of joy leaves her lips.

"I...I think your tremors got her heart beating again Dee."

Jemma does not detach her fingers from your wrist, lulling herself into the sweet sensation of your heartbeat, albeit weak. Wanda covers her face, bursting into tears, and the other girls also let out a liberating cry, releasing all the tension and fear they had felt up to that moment.

...................................................................................................

Your body takes five days to heal just enough to open your eyes. You realize you are in the Quinjet's medical capsule within seconds, by now you have been there so many times over the years that you know the smallest details: the familiar beeping sound of your heartbeat, the red button to call Jemma just below the lamp behind the back of the bed, the IV that feeds drugs into your veins, and the glass from which Jemma checks that you are not doing anything the doctor has forbidden you to do. A little unfair of her since she is the doctor. You feel as if a truck has hit you and then a car has run over you to complete the job. You raise your hand to scratch your nose but the oxygen mask prevents you from doing so so you squeeze it between your fingers to remove it but just as you are about to do so, a hasty knock against the clear glass causes you to smile a small smile of exasperation. Even before you turn around, in fact, you already know that you will see your beautiful doctor on the other side. To your surprise, however, she is not alone.

"You just woke up and already you want to take off your mask, I have no words really. Who is the doctor here? You have to do what I tell you if you want to get better, between you and Dais I really don't know who is worse."

Jemma admonishes you and you blush, feeling like a child being scolded by his parents.

"Hey, what do I have to do with this now?" Daisy pouts before slinging herself into your arms. You can't help but notice that his forearm is completely bandaged. When he notices where your gaze points, the Inhuman shrugs.

"It was worth it."

She slides the mask off your face, kissing you with so much passion and love that it leaves you breathless for a few seconds before the Inhuman promptly rushes to slip the mask back over your face.

"You scared us malyshka" Natasha approaches you and her plastered hand makes you frown. The Russian blushes, and for some reason you realize you don't really need to ask her how she broke her hand. Wanda caresses your cheek, leaving a tender kiss on your forehead.

"How are you feeling detka?"

"I'm just a little tired but I'm fine; exactly what happened?"

Their faces darken and that joy you had seen quickly fades.

"You collapsed, your heart couldn't take the strain, and we had to revive you twice." Bobbi's voice trembles as she says this and you reach out your hand toward her; the blonde grabs it and intertwines your fingers, turning a small smile to you.

"You were really a rockstar but if you do that again, I think we might actually kill you."

"Oh yes, don't think we haven't thought about what punishment to give you. Besides not being able to use your powers for at least four months-"

"What? Four months? But that's an eternity-" you jerk back to your seat, removing your mask and immediately regretting it as your vision blurs and the pain in your ribs increases exponentially, so much so that you lean to the right and vomit into the only thing you can grab.

Jemma strokes your back while Wanda holds your hair as you empty the meager contents of your stomach. As soon as you finish, you are so weak that dizziness takes over and your head falls back forward. If it weren't for Wanda, your face would be splattered against the floor. Jemma casts a glance at the heart monitor, and the value it reads makes your heart beat so fast you're afraid your chest might explode. She puts on your oxygen mask and then checks your vitals again.

Your pupils roll back, and as you fall helpless into Wanda's arms, the Sokovian panics a little.

"Hey, hey, detka wake up."

Wanda taps your cheeks but the only thing that changes is the further lowering of your heart rate.

"Jem, what's going on?" Daisy strokes your face, putting her hand on your chest to check your heart vibrations.

Jemma rummages through the drawers of the medical capsule and then, at the fifth drawer she ravages for something, she finally finds what she is looking for. In her hands she clutches a small glass case, inside which she glimpses a metal disk less than three centimeters in diameter and less than two centimeters thick.

As soon as she sees this, Bobbi cuts off your suit exposing your bare chest except for the three electrodes and the black bra you are wearing.

Jemma places the diskette on top of your left breast, just above your sternum, and presses the button above it. The disc blends in with your skin, being invisible to the human eye, and your body jerks, before your heartbeat returns to normal. The small jolt causes you to open your eyes and grimace in pain.

"What the hell-" you mutter, reaching out to massage your chest but Jemma stops you before you can.

"Hey, your heart rate was extremely low and I had to put a pacemaker on you. It's not invasive, Fitz designed one that blends in perfectly and doesn't give any problems whatsoever but you'll have to avoid EMPs but you can't take it off love, okay? I think the effort you put in was such that it damaged your heart, and without a peacemaker you could have another heart attack so until we find another solution and until we have done more tests, you can't use your powers."

You nod, squeezing your eyes shut as fatigue takes over.

"Rest now, we're here malyshka."

Natasha leaves a kiss in your hair while Daisy leaves one on your cheek. Jemma dims the lights to allow you to rest and Wanda lies next to you in the crib while Bobbi closes the glass curtains facing outward to give you all some privacy as you fall into dreamland surrounded by your girls.

You don't know it yet but one of those children you saved is going to become one of the best agents S.H.I.E.L.D. has ever had so maybe a slightly battered heart is worth it.

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it. Leave like, comment and if you like support me on ko-fi. Have a great day!

Taglist: @wandanatsbaby @bioquake-archives @bioquakeweek @daisyjohnsonx @wandanatsgirlfriend @chaekhan @station19 @resilientpendragon @so-no-kissing-then @thearchpitbullmx @ashadash0904 @kingshitonly @alwaysgoodnight @callistic @xjule @yuleni18 @simpforwandanat @alexxislexi @mrsdanversromanoff @coollemonsaresour @hushed-woodsman @razorscooteer @eponine-xx @maniacallinc @michelle170 @classyig @elenaguarnieri @scarletwidow @tati3001 @cristin-rjd @your-my-mission @mr-nicely @hi-i-1 @anniethurs @ktstwice @scarlet-raccoon @maria-403 @goldfishthegr8 @wandanatfan @looiegirl-blog @bioquake-blog @daisyjohnsonx

[libraryofgage]

PJO Steddie Eight

One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven

This series was line-jumped on ko-fi! Thank you for the ko-fis <3

To learn more about line-jumping, please refer to this post

Anyway, another series was also line-jumped and I'm hoping to have that one posted by this time next week as long as life doesn't take me out lmao

as always, if you see any typos, no you didn't :^)

-----

Steve is an awful, horrible, terrible person. Not only did he kiss Eddie without making sure it was okay, but he even spent the entire fight before that wrapping lightning around Eddie. He even let his control slip enough to shock Eddie when he was too distracted by lips and teeth and tongue. Worst of all, he can't stop thinking about it, his fingers twitching every so often with the urge to find Eddie and kiss him until they're both stupid. 

What's he supposed to do in this situation? Talk to Eddie like he's an emotionally mature person capable of communicating his thoughts and feelings? Steve would laugh at the thought if he weren't so busy sulking by the lake. 

It's a nice night for a sulk. The moon is full, its reflection wavering in the water that gently laps against the shore. He can barely hear the victory celebration around the bonfire, singing and laughter and joyful white noise drifting through the trees behind him. Steve lets it wash over him, his chin on his knees as he stares blankly at the water and tries to figure out what he's doing with his life.

“I gotta admit, that is some impressive sulking.”

Steve jolts, twisting around to see a man in cut-off shorts and a crop top lounging on a boulder next to him. The man looks chiseled, but not overly buff, with his arms being the most defined. His skin is a deep brown, and his smile is blinding. He appeared out of nowhere, and if that didn't give away his godliness, the bow and heart-tipped arrows would have.

“Eros,” Steve says, forcing his shoulders to relax. “What are you doing here?”

“Not even a hello? Am I not pretty enough for you right now?” Eros asks.

“Hello, Eros. What are you doing here?”

That earns him a laugh, the sound lingering in Steve's ears and trying to worm its way into his brain. “Fair enough,” Eros says, idly twirling one of his arrows between his fingers. “I’m here on my mother’s behalf, actually.”

Steve tenses, studying Eros with renewed suspicion. “What does Aphrodite want?” he asks.

“You know Mother and her wagers,” Eros replies, shrugging when he meets Steve’s gaze. “She’s sent me to make sure she wins it. Her wager, that is. The one about you and a certain son of Hermes.”

That does absolutely nothing to assuage Steve’s worries. In fact, it makes them stronger. He pushes himself up, brushing pebbles and dirt off his jeans. “I hope you’re not planning to use your arrows.”

Eros blinks, looking from Steve to the arrow he’s been twirling. And then he laughs again, nearly doubling over. “No, no, I wouldn’t waste an arrow on you two. Puh-lease, Sparky, give me a little more credit than that.”

“Sparky?”

“Isn’t it fitting?” Eros asks, flashing a shit-eating grin that still manages to come off as charming. Steve would call it impish and mischievous, if someone asked him. Thankfully, nobody is. “Anyway, no, consider this more of a friendly nudge so Mother doesn’t throw a fit.”

“What are you even trying to nudge me about?” Steve asks. He thinks he’s lost the plot somewhere between Eros showing up and getting called Sparky. 

Eros sighs and looks up at the sky like the stars will help him. “I usually enjoy watching people dance around each other, but I’d greatly appreciate it if you and Eddie could start dancing with each other now. Preferably starting tonight. Selene has given you a particularly beautiful moon to work with, you know.”

Steve looks up at the moon for less than a second, but that’s more than enough for Eros to be gone by the time he looks back. He sighs, frowning at the vacant boulder.

He isn’t stupid. He knows what Eros was getting at. The thought is just terrifying, is all. He doesn’t trust himself to not hurt Eddie. Just being around Eddie makes his fingertips buzz with energy, and his control has slipped more in the past few weeks than ever before. Eddie might say he doesn’t mind or that he trusts Steve, but the problem is that Steve doesn’t trust himself.

That fact just frustrates him more. He frowns, runs a hand through his hair, and sits down on the boulder. Steve would love to just throw caution to the wind. He’d love to just hope for the best and hold Eddie’s hand and not worry about things. But that’s not the kind of person he is. Steve does what’s best for those around him, he works himself into a frenzy thinking about their safety, and doesn’t hesitate to sacrifice himself in the process.

It’s probably not healthy, but it’s kept him and the kids alive and mostly happy, and that’s what really matters. 

Right?

Right.

But gods is that tiring. Maybe...maybe he can be a tiny bit selfish. He won't throw caution to the wind, but maybe he can test the waters. And if nothing explodes on him, he can see where it goes.

-----------------

Eddie is almost impressed by how well Steve can avoid a person when he puts his mind to it. He hasn’t seen a glimpse of the other boy since he ran off. And it’s not for lack of trying, either. Eddie has practically scoured the camp from top to bottom as everyone else helped set up the Victory Bonfire. 

He ultimately decides that searching like this is pointless, so he finds a scrap of paper in his tent and folds it into an airplane. He writes Steve’s name on one wing and doodles a guitar and bat on the other before sending it flying. It’s not the flashiest power a demigod can receive from their parent, but Eddie has never been happier to have it as he follows.

The paper airplane leads him past the huge bonfire, skirts around the woods, and really starts to pick up speed as it gets closer to the lake. A wave of relief surges through Eddie when he sees a familiar figure past the tree line. Before the plane can zoom onto the rocky beach, Eddie snatches it from the air and shoves it into his pocket. 

Steve is sitting on a boulder by the lake, knees pulled up to his chest as he stares out at the water. For a moment, Eddie gets the feeling he’d like to just sink into the water and disappear for a while. Maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea if Steve was a Poseidon kid, but he’s more likely to drown than find peace as a son of Zeus. 

Eddie hesitates, wondering if he should interrupt, when Steve looks over his shoulder at him and says, “Hey.”

That’s all the invitation Eddie needs for tension to drain from his shoulders as he walks over. “Hey,” he says, climbing the rock to sit next to Steve. They’re not close enough for their shoulders to brush, but a small lean is all it would take. “You’re missing out on some legendary s’mores at the bonfire.”

Steve snorts, propping his chin on his knees. He’s silent for a few seconds before whispering, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, Stevie, I’m fine,” Eddie promises, leaning forward so he can get a better look at Steve’s expression. His eyebrows are pulled together, and Eddie has to suppress the urge to rub his thumb over the wrinkle that forms between them. “You didn’t actually hurt me, you know.”

“You were surrounded by lightning, Eddie,” Steve says, frowning at him. “You probably have a burn somewhere you can’t see. It couldn’t have been good for your heart, either.”

No, it probably wasn’t good for Eddie’s heart, but not for the reason Steve is worrying about. Eddie got too excited fighting with Steve; the lightning that crackled and arched between them made his adrenaline surge. For the first time, he actually enjoyed combat instead of dreading it.

“Well, let’s check,” he says, sliding off the boulder. Before Steve can question him, he shrugs off his vest and yanks his shirt over his head. He holds his arms out to the side and looks at Steve expectantly. “Go ahead.”

A few seconds pass before Steve gets off the rock and moves to stand behind him. Eddie can feel Steve’s eyes passing over every inch of his back, searching meticulously for any signs of lightning-related injury. When a few silent minutes pass without finding anything, Steve stands in front of him to continue his search.

Eddie gets to watch him in return this time. Steve’s lips press together when he’s concentrating, his eyebrows twitching and shifting with whatever thoughts are passing through his head. He stands with one hand on his hip, the other hovering as though he wants to brush his fingers across any suspected bruises. 

“See?” Eddie says, “All good. You didn’t hurt me, Stevie.”

A few seconds pass before Steve slowly exhales and nods, tension draining from his shoulders. “What about your heart?” he asks, glancing at Eddie’s chest. 

It’s such a perfect invitation, isn’t it? Eddie would be a fool to not take advantage, right? He’s not always the smoothest demigod in camp, but even he can see the perfect moment in front of him.

He grins and takes Steve’s hand, bringing it to his chest. He places Steve’s palm over his heart. “What do you think?” he asks.

Steve frowns, tilting his head slightly. “Your heart is beating faster,” he says, looking up with concern clear in his eyes.

“That’s not because of lightning, sweetheart.”

Eddie feels the exact moment Steve understands what he means. It’s the moment his control slips just enough for a tiny spark to pass from palm to chest. It makes Eddie’s skin prickle as he grins. 

“Sorry,” Steve whispers, trying to pull his hand away.

Eddie holds tighter, stepping closer until Steve is leaning against the boulder with nowhere to go. “I like when you shock me. It doesn’t hurt. It tingles, but it doesn’t hurt. In fact, it felt good when you kissed me,” he says.

“I’m sorry about that, too,” Steve says, grimacing as he looks at the lake over Eddie’s shoulder. “I didn’t…I should’ve asked.”

“That’s okay,” Eddie tells him, leaning in until their noses are almost brushing. 

“Seriously?”

“Yeah, Stevie. In case you couldn’t tell by now, I like like you. Since the moment I saw you, really.”

Steve blinks, and then he starts laughing. “Really? Like like? What, are we in middle school?” he asks.

“You can’t knock the simplicity of the middle school confession, sweetheart. It’s got no room for misunderstanding.”

With an amused eye roll, Steve says, “Sure, if you say so.” He’s still smiling, his gaze focused on Eddie now instead of the lake. A faint blush has colored his cheeks. “In that case, I like like you, too.”

Eddie grins. “Does that mean I can kiss you now?”

In answer, Steve places his free hand on Eddie’s shoulder and tugs him the last few inches closer. Their lips connect, a tiny static shock passing between them and making Eddie shudder. He pushes closer before Steve can pull away, trapping Steve’s hand between them and bracing himself on the boulder. 

The kiss starts and stays slow, a gentle push and pull. Eddie would be happy if it never ended, but Steve pulls away after a few seconds. "You're sure?" he asks.

"Yeah, Stevie, I'm sure," Eddie promises, studying him for a moment before pulling back and leading Steve away from the boulder. "Wanna dance?"

"There's no music," Steve says.

"Who cares?" Eddie asks, tugging Steve closer. He watches Steve glance up at the moon, hesitating for a few seconds before nodding. "Just follow my lead."

Steve smiles, letting Eddie lead him along the beach, dancing to music he can't hear.

------

Tag List

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@a-little-unsteddie, @itsall-taken, @queenie-ofthe-void, @tinyplanet95, @littlebluejane,

@hangoversandhandgrenades, @rabbitwhoeatsstars, @bisexualdisastersworld, @steddieinthesun, @paintgonewrong,

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@steddie-as-they-go, @cris-wants-a-word, @potato-of-the-lord, @plasticcrotches, @enigmahaze,

@melodymeddler, @lololol-1234, @sageclipse, @steddiehyperfixation, @livelaughlexa,

@genderless-spoon, @swimmingbirdrunningrock, @r0binscript, @thelittleclare, @blondie1006,

@bxnghy

[cybertron-after-dark]

I was gonna ask a question but i honestly forgot it 😅 so just tell me something you want to rant about

If you do happen to remember what you were gonna ask feel free to do so, do not worry about spamming my inbox bc I live for that shit.

As for the rant

Transformers Rescue Bots had some of the best, kindest, and most respectful representation of neurodivergence I have ever seen in media and I'm tired of pretending it didn't.

While there are obvious complaints to be made about neurodivergent traits (especially autistic traits) usually being portrayed in media by inhuman characters like aliens or robots, this being a case of both, I feel like thats a pretty negligible sin given just how human the show makes the robots feel. (Also it was like 2011 and we were STRUGGLING for any scraps of rep anyway)

But like. The behaviors all these robots exhibit are all shit that I do that was always deemed unacceptable when I was a kid and seeing it portrayed with the level of kindness and gentleness they do in that show has me fuckin crying a little man. I wish I had actually watched it when I was younger and it was first airing because maybe if I did I would've had an easier time explaining what the hell was going on with my brain a LOT sooner.

Blades being anxious, overly sensitive, and WHOLEHEARTEDLY queer (which they had the absolute unparalleled balls to just casually confirm by having him swoon over "hunky vampires" in one episode and NOBODY commented on it. Fucking iconic) and getting so so deeply invested in the shows and movies he loves that he acts out the roles with enough passion to steel his nerves and completely flourish.

Boulder getting really confused at concepts that are basic and intuitive for most people, but still being so fucking intelligent, and never being made to feel stupid for the mix-ups, as well as just being so wholely, unabashedly in love with the planet he's found himself on, even if he doesn't understand all of it (Also apologizing to inanimate objects when he knocks them over 😭)

Chase being obsessed with rules and law because he NEEDS the structure to not fall apart at the seams, even feeling the need to fabricate a minor crime to justify using the emergency line to get a hold of the firehouse when he can't find the other bots. As well as just fully not understanding comedy (BUT TRYING HIS DAMNEDEST), taking things super literally, and having a lot of trouble with tone and expressions (even though you know just how deeply he feels All The Time).

Heatwave being desperate for attention and recognition, but completely allergic to asking for it. And honestly allergic to showing any genuine emotional responses other than aggression. The constant sarcasm and sass and defensiveness that he POORLY maintains because everyone knows that underneath that tough guy front is the loneliest robot on earth that wants to be loved SO bad but would rather jump into unicron's mouth than voice it because if he lets his guard down who knows what will happen to him or the people he cares about.

Just. All of it man. Seeing them exhibiting all these behaviors and quirks that all too often get met with poor reactions from people who don't want to deal with what they don't really get, but here they're met with patience and understanding?? It's got me fucked up. They get to be functional adults that struggle with what they have going on but still push through. They get to have unconditionally loving relationships with people that treat them with respect. And that's the kind of shit that gives me a lot of hope for folks like me because maybe some neurotypical kids that watched it picked up on what's helpful when their friend who acts like one of the bots is going through it. And maybe some neurodivergent kids watched it too and for the first time they just felt SEEN.

Okay rant over, I'm gonna go cry over some plastic robots 👍

[luimagines]

I see the Chain with a tall s/o and my brain just delved into One Piece territory cause the character heights for that show are RIDICULOUS. 6' for the normal person is short as there are quite a bunch of human characters who range from 9' to almost 20'.

My brain came up with the super hilarious about Four having a human spouse taller than FD, like a solid 15'7 in height. Tall enough to hug all the colors at once which they love. No one really knows where they came from as Reader doesn't like talking about their past. What is known is that they're one hell of a chef.

Fresh ingredients straight from their personal garden, home crafted seasonings and they hunt or fish their own meat. Reader outclasses every chef in Hyrule to the point they get offers for cooking positions by the dozens. All these always gets declined cause Four's spouse only cooks for fun.

Unlike with Hyrule and Wild, our dear smithy does have a letter sent to Reader explaining he'll be on a journey. The Minish helped deliver it since his lover can see them too. Four is honestly the kind of guy that likes talking about his lover to people.

Something he does once comfortable with the rest of the Chain. I can imagine some Links were skeptical about Reader even existing since no human can get that BIG unless they are part giant. (Four, of course, asked them when the two first met and he was told they didn't have any giant blood.)

He practically ignores his skeptic friends cause the looks on their faces when they meet Reader would be so satisfying. And then the group is dropped into his Hyrule. None of the Chain seen Four run so fast before as he practically a blur entering Minish Forest.

The smithy knows his lover would go hunting in the forest at this point of time. Reader always follows a strict schedule when it comes to food in general . The group catches up and can only gawk upon the sight of the massive unarmed person staring down a Gohma.

Four has to hold his companions back as they don't know Reader is far from defenseless. His spouse was a 'combat chef' specifically one whose strength could be considered monstrous. Especially when it comes to their kicks as he seen them break BOULDERS with a single strike. The Gohma lunges for a body slam and it was the last mistake it made.

Reader: Anti Manners Kick Course.

Everyone but Four is speechless as the cook delivers a 180 degree kick straight into the monster's torso. The strike was so powerful that not only did it send the Gohma but the beast was slain before even hitting the ground.

Reader: Damn pest for scaring off that boar.

*Notices Four and the group*

Reader: Hey sweetheart, I see you got some company. Lunch should be done cooling soon as I decided to make some gumbo.

Four: YES. I missed you and your cooking so much, darling. Also all of ye owe me Rupees. *Looks at Twilight, Warriors, Wild, Legend, Sky and Hyrule*

The Smithy is a 120 Rupees richer while his comrades bombard him with questions. Wild definitely wants to learn some recipes from Reader. Meanwhile Time looks at the Fierce Deity and smugly sends the thought 'Shorty'.

I almost spat out my drink at the end XD

Four get to be loved on by a gentle giant- until they're pissed off. XD

Wind would probably stare up at Reader with a slack jawed face until Reader finally notices and looks down.

"Yes? Can I help you?"

"....How far can you throw me?"

(An adult of the group.) "Wind! NO!"

"Wind! YES!" Wild cheers him on. "Me next after him!"

"Absolutely not!"

[nakasumi-sims]

✩ Can you do the Miscellaneous section from the Ultimate Relationship list for Hikaru & Toshio? Thanks 😊 (or the whole list if you want! I just didn’t want to overwhelm you)

Ah I see you've chosen the characters from my main project of the last 12 years. The original brain rot that is Shuriken Souls. In that case, imma have to go with the whole list 🤣 I would've gone in game to take a sims pic but since I wanna make them better I'm just gonna go with their actual artwork and maybe some sim pics sprinkled in.

Hikaru & Toshio

🌟 Disagreements:

Who is more likely to raise their voice?

Toshio

Who threatens to leave but never actually does?

Hikaru

Who actually keeps their word and leaves?

Toshio

Who trashes the house?

Neither of them because they're above that. Plus Hikaru owns way too many priceless artifacts and valuables that he's over protective of so...

Do either of them get physical?

Hikaru might if his demonic side comes out, but he usually has it under control unless he's plastered.

How often do they argue/disagree?

Very rarely, but when it actually happens, it can be quite big. At the start of Shuriken Souls (not the prequel/Freshman Year), they're taking a break due to a fight.

Who is the first to apologise?

Depends on what the fight was about, but neither of them are going to be first if they believe they're in the right.

🌟 Sex:

Who is on top? Who is on the bottom?

They're switches

Who has the strangest desires?

Probably Toshio because he actually likes getting whipped with Hikaru's chain whip. There's definitely a non sexual desire for punishment for loving Hikaru which is also part of it, but he'd keep that to himself.

Any kinks?

Both of them are sadistic, but as above and really just with Hikaru, Toshio can be masochistic.

Specific kinks...uhhh Hikaru likes banging in front of mirrors (if it's convenient enough) so he can show off how good he's making you feel and can get the best views of you. Just a little conceited. The only thing I can really think of for both of them is they both just love loving on each other since Hikaru is more used to occasional sex with humans he doesn't give a crap about and Toshio hasn't been with anyone since his ex wife 15 years prior.

Who’s dominant in bed?

Depends on their moods, but usually Hikaru

Is head ever in the equation?

Absolutely. They be wining, dining, 69ing

If so, who is better at performing it?

Hikaru, but that's just because he has more experience being over 2,000 yrs old

Ever had sex in public?

Sorta? Public place, but it was private due to it being after hours. Their first time was in Toshio’s classroom and they did get caught in the morning. It's known as the Lab Incident (and yes it is available to read if asked because it is nsfw, but I've been told it'sa good read)

Who moans the most?

Toshio

Who leaves the most marks?

Hikaru

Who screams the loudest?

Toshio

Who is the more experienced of the two?

Hikaru

Do they ‘fuck’ or ‘make love’?

Both but more 'make love'

Rough or soft?

Usually softer but they have their more wild nights

How long do they usually last?

They can go for hours

Is protection used?

Toshio insists even though Hikaru

Does it ever get boring?

Nah

Where is the strangest place they’d have sex? 

Classroom after hours

🌟 Family:

Do your muses plan on having children/or have children?

Toshio has a son, Michio, from a previous marriage. He's 16 yrs old. Hikaru has no kids and doesn't want any

If so, how many children do your muses want/have?

Just one (Michio) but Hikaru never plans on doing any sort of parenting with him or actually being a stepdad if they get married. Toshio is content with just one and doesn't expect or want Hikaru to do any parenting. Toshio hasn't done much parenting in awhile and finds Michio to be self sufficient. Michio and Toshio have lived separately since Michio left for a mission and didn't return for 2 years. Hikaru didn't even know about Michio until he, Kaori, and Ryo rescued Michio and Sumiko from under a giant boulder.

Who is the favorite parent?

Toshio

Who is the authoritative parent?

Toshio

Who is more likely to allow the children to have a day off school?

Toshio, but only for special circumstances and it wouldn't be a real day off

Who lets the children indulge in sweets and junk food when the other isn’t around?

Neither

Who turns up to extra curricular activities to support their children?

Toshio used to, but either he doesn't show up now or he only shows up to judge his son's progress

Who goes to parent teacher interviews?

Toshio

Who changes the diapers?

Toshio (single dad life)

Who gets up in the middle of the night to feed the baby?

Toshio

Who spends the most time with the children?

Toshio

Who packs their lunch boxes?

Toshio. Well he hasn't for a long time, but he used to

Who gives their children ‘the talk’?

Toshio

Who cleans up after the kids?

Toshio

Who worries the most?

Toshio used to worry but not anymore

Who are the children more likely to learn their first swear word from?

Toshio

🌟 Affection:

Who likes to cuddle?

Toshio is definitely more of the cuddler. Hikaru still has some trouble getting used to it since he's not used to being intimate with someone he's in love with.

Who is the little spoon?

They take turns

Who gets naughty in the most inappropriate of places?

Hikaru

Who struggles to keep their hands to themself?  

Toshio

How long can they cuddle until one becomes uncomfortable?

Hikaru usually gets uncomfortable after a couple hours but he pushes through it to get more used to the feelings even though he does have the desire to hold onto Toshio. Toshio could either be cuddled by Hikaru or hold him for hours even if it gets uncomfortable

Who gives the most kisses?

Hikaru

What is their favourite non-sexual activity?

Slow dancing

Where is their favourite place to cuddle?

In Hikaru's living room because the couch is really comfy and the atmosphere all over is very nice. But rarely do they get to cuddle there because of Ryo and Kaori also living there. It's just best for Toshio not to be over when Ryo is home cause they despise each other and it'll cause problems

Who is more likely to playfully grope the other? 

Hikaru

How often do they get time to themselves?

Quite rarely due to Toshio being a professor with classes in multiple subjects and supervising a club and Hikaru having to deal with Ryo's shenanigans on top of attending classes at the Academy, going on missions, and having to travel for work. They usually make time when they can at night when Toshio shows up drunk or they make plans to go get drunk.

🌟 Sleeping:

Who snores?

Neither. Toshio did used to snore when he was younger, but he had to train himself to stop for reasons

If both do, who snores the loudest?

Neither

Do they share a bed or sleep separately?

They share the bed when they can, but normally sleep separately since they don't live together and live in different districts within Tamashi Tera.

If they sleep together, do they cozy up together or lay far apart?

They cozy up at the start, but Hikaru will separate from him after a couple hours, but then Toshio will end up migrating back to cuddle

Who talks in their sleep?

Neither

What do they wear to bed?

They both wear pajama sets though Hikaru's are a lot nicer fabrics

Are either of your muses insomniacs?

No they both sleep well. Very rarely, but Hikaru can get insomnia when his memories bother him. It's great for his job, but terrible for being able to recall everything vividly. He's gotten over most of it though

Can sleeping pills be found by the bedside?

Nope

Do they wrap their limbs around each other or just lay side by side?

Mostly side by side unless Toshio is getting cuddly

Who wakes up with bed hair?

Toshio. Hikaru is too perfect and having silk pillowcases helps

Who wakes up first?

Toshio

Who prepares breakfast in bed for the other?

They'd rather order in than cook, but if someone was prepping it, it would be Toshio because Hikaru is used to Ryo doing the cooking. Not that he's bad at it or anything

What is their favourite sleeping position?

Toshio likes when Hikaru lays on his chest so he can hold him close. Hikaru prefers spooning or lying on his side holding hands with a little hand caressing until he falls asleep

Who hogs the sheets?

Hikaru

Do they set an alarm each night?

Yes because Toshio has work and Hikaru has work/school

Can a television be found in their bedroom?

Hikaru has one in a separate sitting area of his room. Toshio doesn't have a tv in his room

Who has nightmares?

Hikaru

Who has ridiculous dreams?

They both do, but Hikaru's are ridiculous in the sense of wacky things that have happened in the past. Toshio’s got normally wacky dreams when he has them

Who sprawls out and takes up most of the bed? 

Neither

Who makes the bed? 

They both make their beds

What time is bed time? 

Depends what they're doing. If it's a normal night, around 11pm-12am. If they've been out, then around 4am

Any routines/rituals before bed?

Hikaru has a shower and useless skincare routine. He doesn't need it as a demon, but he just likes it. Toshio has a drink, prays, but keeps it to himself

Who’s the grumpiest when they wake up?

Hikaru because he has to deal with Ryo

🌟 Work:

Who is the busiest?

I would say Toshio is, but only by a slight margin. Hikaru is usually just about as busy.

Who rakes in the highest income?

Hikaru by a looooooong shot

Are any of your muses unemployed?

They're both employed

Who takes the most sick days?

Toshio just because he can actually get sick since he's human. He does have a good immune system from being a father and working at the Academy though so it is rare he uses a sick day for actually being sick. He'll usually use them for other reasons.

Who is more likely to turn up late to work?

Toshio

Who sucks up to their boss?

Neither of them are suck ups per se, but they'll be manipulative in their jobs if needed to get something done. Usually Hikaru has to do it more in his line of work

What are their jobs?

Toshio is a professor at Southern Temple Academy in Tamashi Tera. He has classes in most of the sciences, maths, computer science, combat, and is the advisor of the sewing club (the club was forced on him cause no one would take it)

Hikaru is a historian and works with and as a museum curator in many museums across the world. He's also an archeologist, but the reality of that is that he's just "finding" things he's hidden around the world over his centuries of travels and digs them up/finds them again once they're of value depending on the time period. Most of the antiquities he's recovered, stay in his own private collection which he keeps in multiple floors of his building and then he loans the artifacts out. He also gives talks on them and writes history books. At the same time, he attends Southern Temple Academy as a student even though he really doesn't need to, but he does it for Kaori and it has some benefits even if it's dangerous as a demon.

Who stresses the most?

They're equally stressed and bond over how much Ryo stresses them out

Do your muses enjoy or despise their careers/occupations?

They both love their jobs. The only thing Toshio hates about his job in recent years is dealing with Ryo because, like Hikaru, he doesn't need to be there so he puts in zero effort (except combat for fun) and is a nuisance.

Are your muses financially stable? 

Yes

🌟 Home:

Who does the washing?

They both do their own washing

Who takes out the trash?

They both do their own

Who does the ironing?

They both do their own. Hikaru does typically goes for dry cleaning though for most of his clothes

Who does the cooking?

Neither

Who is more likely to burn the house down just trying?

They're both competent enough not to burn the house down, but I'd say Hikaru just because Ryo might prank him or something

Who is messier? 

Toshio, but he's barely messy

Who leaves the toilet roll empty?

Neither

Who leaves their dirty clothes on the floor?

Toshio

Who forgets to flush the toilet?

Toshio

Who is the prankster around the house?

Neither, but if Toshio is over at Hikaru's and Ryo is bothering them then he might pull a prank as revenge

Who loses the car keys when it comes time to go somewhere?

Toshio. Neither of them actually own a car though. They both can drive, but Hikaru hasn't driven in decades and Toshio doesn't really need a car in Tamashi Tera cause it's walkable and has excellent public transportation

Who mows the lawn?

Neither of them have lawns

Who answers the telephone?

Hikaru is more likely to answer

Who does the vacuuming?

Hikaru hires a cleaning service and Toshio does his own

Who does the groceries?

They each do their own

Who takes the longest to shower?

Toshio because he's often dirtier after working on his inventions

Who spends the most time in the bathroom?

Hikaru. He's gotta get his hair styled juuuust right

🌟 Miscellaneous:

Is money a problem?

For Hikaru, hell no, he's ridiculously wealthy, but unlike rich humans he uses a lot of his money for good. For Toshio, he's comfortable enough

How many cars do they own?

0

Do they own their home or do they rent?

Hikaru owns the building he, Ryo, and Kaori live in the East District as its only occupants while the rest of the space is for his collection. Toshio rents a condo in the Southern District closer to the Academy

Do they live near the coast or deep in the countryside?

Sort of coast? Tamashi Tera is its own partially man made land mass (lots of lore stuff)

Do they live in the city or in the country? 

City

Do they enjoy their surroundings?

They do. It's really one of the only nice places left even if there is some problems

What’s their song?

Mmm I'd probably say La Vie En Rose

What do they do when they’re away from each other?

Focus on work, but they'll often text each other when it's convenient. They both know that they're busy people and mostly respect that

Where did they first meet?

At Southern Temple Academy! Here's a doodle comic of it! (Right to left)

How did they first meet?

See above

Who spends the most money when out shopping?

Hikaru

Who’s more likely to flash their assets?

Hikaru

Who finds it amusing when the other trips over?

Toshio just because it's nice to see that Hikaru isn't always perfect

Any mental issues?

Hikaru has a lot of unaddressed trauma from his childhood, maybe a little ptsd, but he's mostly over what happened and gets rare nightmares. Toshio....uhhhhhh idk if there's anything to truly label him with

Who’s terrified of bugs?

Neither

Who kills the spiders around the house?

Either

Their favourite place?

A little live music cafe not too far from Hikaru's place in the East District

Who pays the bills?

They each pay their own. (Ryo technically splits with Hikaru though as they are brothers)

Do they have any fears for their future?

The both have fears for the future of their relationship. Each for different reasons which are extreme spoilers

Who’s more likely to surprise the other with a fancy dinner?

Hikaru

Who uses up all of the hot water? 

Toshio probably on an experiment vs showering etc

Who’s the tallest?

Hikaru by an inch

Who’s more likely to just randomly hop into the shower with the other?

Hikaru

Who wanders around in their underwear?

Neither, but if it's a lazy morning in a hotel room, Toshio might

Who sings the loudest when singing along to the radio?

Hikaru

What do they tease each other about?

Dealing with Ryo mostly

Who is more likely to cringe at the other’s fashion sense at times?

Hikaru, even though it's like boi you've 100% worn some wacky ass shit over the last couple of millennia

Do they have mutual friends?

Not really

Who crushed first? 

Toshio

Any alcohol or substance related problems?

They're both alcoholics. It affects Hikaru differently with him being a demon and even more so being a sin of gluttony demon. Toshio also smokes cigarettes.

Who is more likely to stumble home, drunk, at 3am?

Toshio

Who swears the most?

Probably Toshio. Hikaru does swear, but he tries not to so he comes off as more eloquent and poised

[ideas-on-paper]

Monster Hunter Tri Diary, Part 11: Exploring the Sandy Plains

For previous entries, search for #monster hunter tri diary

Disclaimer: Text is paraphrased from my localization and might slightly deviate from the English version.

Quest: Secret of the Crystal Bones

Since we're going on an expedition to a desert now, I packed 3 Cool Drinks. (3 instead of 5 because the Guild graciously supplies us with 2 Cool Drinks; once again scrounging what I can, since I don't have to buy them if I take the free ones. And if you don't use all of them, you can even stock up your own supplies a little! :-) ) In addition, I donned my leather armor again for some gathering bonuses.

I chose to eat Grainy Wheat + Cudgel Onion this time, and despite both ingredients being fresh, that apparently tasted absolutely disgusting. So now, my max health has been reduced. Eh... But hey, at least I still got Felyne Woodsman and a boost to Thunder resistance! :-)

This time, our client is an archaeologist who claims that hunters are mocking his studies about Crystal Bones, which according to him are important to learn more about "the life of old and the mysteries of today". First off, I can assure you I would never mock you - I'm the kind of person who drinks up any MH lore content I can find. I wonder what exactly he means by "the life of old" and "mysteries of today" - I think I remember from the artbooks that there are some extinct monster species (most of which are based on scrapped designs), so does he intend to study them and how they evolved? (However, bones from prehistoric animals turn into fossils, not crystal; though perhaps, the bones of the MH creatures contain some substance that causes them to turn into crystal instead?)

Still, I wonder where this "hunters are dimwits" bias is coming from, given the biologist said something similar. You certainly need some brains to hunt monsters, as you can't defeat them by randomly flailing at them. (If you tried, you wouldn't survive very long.)

And here we are: The Sandy Plains! One of my favorite desert areas in the whole series, for both the soundtrack and the overall design. I just love how the first areas (1-5) are more savanna-like, and it transitions into a desert further out (8-10).

This is also where we encounter our first Veggie Elder, who kinda aimlessly wanders around in the base camp. (I wonder if he got lost?) He gives me some random stuff, including a tuna bait; I probably shouldn't overload myself before gathering anything though.

Veggie Elder, giving me the tuna bait: "Take good care of it, you hear?" Yeah, yeah, old man, I hear you! (I wonder what's so special about a tuna bait, though...)

Btw, the increased Thunder resistance actually comes with a visual effect: I've got something like a green aura surrounding my character now. Kinda cool!

Moving on to area 1, and... OH GOD, it's Rhenoplos! Yep, I certainly remember you guys. (More specifically, I remember the many times you knocked me down when I was just doing my own business.)

Rhenoplos monster info: "Extremely territorial herbivores with poor vision but accute hearing." So they're basically rhinos, I take it. (Rhinos also can't see very well, but they have excellent hearing and sense of smell.)

Note to self: Do NOT hit Rhenoplos on the head; your weapon will just bounce off. Instead, get around them and attack their rear.

LOL, the Rhenoplos ran into a rock! xD Just randomly happened after I dodged its attack; didn't even plan that. (But that's probably what their description means by "they often collide into boulders".)

Rhenoplos Scalp: "A sturdy part of the skull that yields, shall we say, dashing results?" Heh... I see what you did there! ;-)

I've never seen a Gluehopper before. I think I've seen it listed among the required materials for some equipment though, so I better hold on to it.

Gluehopper description: "This bug's expectorations make for a strong adhesive that can bond any materials." Makes sense why they would use it for crafting, then.

There are some Giggis in area 7 (I killed 3, so I only need one more for the subquest), as well as some Kelbi. (Kinda surprising that Kelbi thrive in savanna environments too.) Also, there's a fishing spot, but I’m not sure if my tuna bait is going to be very useful here. Besides, I've got more important things to do right now.

Btw, thank God you don't have to use Hot Drinks in the caves anymore; I would always forget this in MH1/Freedom Unite since it felt so unusual. xD (The 1st Gen had no snow areas, so the Hot Drinks were exclusively used in caves.)

I got some Nitroshrooms from a gathering spot as well. Definitely gonna hold onto those so I can cultivate them later, which is gonna be really handy to make Barrel Bombs/gunpowder.

Still, despite this, I don't see a single mining spot around here. Well, guess we'll have to go deeper into the cave...

And into the everlasting darkness we go - I'm definitely gonna need a torch to explore area 6 (which, thanks to my wise foresight, I forgot to take from the supply box). Still, I really want to get the extra supplies from the subquest as well, so I'll just see if I run into a Giggi while blindly stumbling through the darkness.

Alright, I did manage to kill one Giggi for the subquest, so I'm gonna get out of here and pick up the torch and some other supplies at the base camp; BRB.

Okay, so this cave is absolutely hardcore: You've got Giggi and Bnahabra near the entrance, and Melynx further inside - no matter where you go, it's absolute hell. The Melynx snatched some items from me, but thankfully, I still had a Felvine I gathered before so I didn't lose anything more valuable. One of them made off with my tuna bait, though. (So much for "taking good care of it". xD)

Finally I managed to find some mining spots where I could get my Crystal Bones - I was beginning to believe I might actually fail the quest. xD And you bet I'm not gonna go anywhere near the Melynx right now - I'm not losing my quest items right after getting my hands on them.

Since I have time left to gather some other stuff now, I went back to where I entered the cave and picked up some Choice Mushrooms. They’re not worth that much money, but a penny saved is a penny earned.

As always when you explore a new area in Monster Hunter, there is so much stuff to gather, and so little inventory space... I'm gonna skip the gathering spots in area 5 since they don't have any interesting items and move on to area 9.

What the--?! Just when I was peacefully gathering some Cactus Flowers, a swarm of nasty Delex attacked me. Why can't you troublemakers just pass by and be on your way? I've done nothing to you!

You know, viewed from afar, the Delex look like dolphins in a sea of sand. They move exactly like dolphins do, leaping out of the sand as if it was water! (I gotta say, I love the design concept Capcom has going on here: On one hand, we have the actual ocean in Moga, and on the other, an ocean of sand in Loc Lac. Awesome!)

I followed the Altaroth in area 8 to the gathering spot, getting some Might Seeds from their shinies (which is nice since Might Seeds are kinda expensive to cultivate). Also got some more Waterblock Seeds and Monster Fluid from them.

The gathering spot where the Altaroth go also yields Fire Herbs. So now, I can cultivate both ingredients needed for gunpowder!

The monster info for the Delex says they retreat if other Delex are killed. Thought I would try this out in area 10, but nope - despite killing one of them, they continue to annoy me the same as before. You know what? I'm just gonna leave these bullies to themselves.

I gathered all of my courage together and jumped down the bottomless chasm leading into area 11 (pretending I didn’t know there was no fall damage in MH). Found some additional mining spots there to get some more Crystal Bones from. I technically don’t need them for the quest, but they are gonna be good for extra cash! :-)

Was the connection to area 7 a one-way route in 3U as well? I can't precisely remember, but I don't think so. (Maybe they changed that to make it less of a hassle to get to area 11.)

Anyway, back to the base camp we go. Just before I left, I grabbed a Cool Drink for the one I used from the box as well as an Old Pickaxe. As I said: Scrounge anything you can. ;-)

Quest: No guts, no glory

I actually threw my whetstones out to have some more inventory space. Also, I exchanged my Cool Drinks for Hot Drinks, since we're going out into the desert at nighttime now.

As a dish, I picked a Plumpkin + Drybutter (both fresh). That apparently tasted boring, but at least I got Felyne Woodsman.

Btw, I love how the English quest name is essentially a proverb taken literally. xD

Our client is a caravan leader explaining to us that Delex attacking in packs are devious (yep, can confirm that one), but their guts make for good field rations. So I guess the guy got stuck somewhere near the Sandy Plains and now wants me to help him out by killing the Delex pestering his caravan as well as restocking his supplies. Fair enough, I suppose.

The quest description also contains a great example of a MH universe-specific idiom: If I remember correctly, the Caravaneer once said "what the Diablos?" instead of "what the devil/hell?" in MH4U (implying that a Diablos is these people's equivalent of the devil, which is… understandable xD); in a similar spirit, the caravan leader says slaying the Delex is like "killing two Vespoids with one stone". It might just be my localization though since he literally uses the phrase "kill two Vespoids with one swatter" (derived from "kill two flies with one swatter", meaning the same thing as killing two birds with one stone), which makes it funnier since, y'know, Vespoids are overgrown insects. xD Still, really cool if the translators are adding this kind of flavor for each individual language!

I left the Cool Drinks and Paintballs in the box for now (I won't need Cool Drinks at night, and there are no big monsters around), but I plan to pick them up once I get back to deliver the items for the quest.

What I did take, however, were the Sonic Bombs from the supply. If only I could stash them away for later... (You can't buy them and need Screamer Sacs to combine them, which you don't have much of this early on, so they're quite valuable.) However, killing Cephalos without Sonic Bombs was already enough of a hassle in MH1, and Delex are way more nimble and harder to catch, so I'm probably going to put those to their intended use.

On my way through area 4, I picked some stuff from the mining spots, including a Golden Bone. Going by the description, it's literally a bone made of gold. I mean, bones made of crystal are already wild enough, but bones made of solid gold? How the hell did those come into existence? (The best explanation I can come up with is that they're from some kind of ore/metal ingesting monster; Lao-Shan Lung, for instance, is said to feed on ore, and depending on the region where it lives, its scales can be colored differently, caused by the concentration of minerals and other substances in the rocks. So maybe for some ore-eating monsters, the ingested metal is deposited in the bones rather than the scales.)

Moving on to area 9, and I definitely wasn't wrong: The Delex are way harder to hit than Cephalos (especially if you're using a Great Sword).

To make matters even more difficult, Monster Guts seem to be a quite rare carve from Delex - at least it feels like that after I got 5 Sharpened Fangs and exactly 1 Monster Guts from 6 Delex.

So the Delex do leave the area after all if you slay their buddies - however, you have to kill a few for them to get frightened. Looks like they're leaving for area 10 right now, so let's go after them.

I threw my second (and last) Sonic Bomb juuust right to get 10 Delex out of the sand at once! xD Wohoo! (However, I only managed to kill one, since they were pretty quick to get back into the sand.)

We've got that subquest in the bag, but I’ll definitely need to kill more than just 8 Delex for 3 Monster Guts. Can you please give me my Monster Guts already?

Just when I finally got the third Monster Guts, the Delex decide to leave once again. Phew... I actually thought I might run out of whetstones, since I solely had to rely on the two mini whetstones from the box; I would've been pretty screwed if this went on for longer. ^^' Still, everything worked out fine in the end; let's gather some extra stuff for cash and then get out of here.

At night, area 11 is unusually deserted - like, there aren't any monsters there, not even a single Jaggi. Okay, then - makes it easier for me to mine some Crystal Bones. I'm gonna go back to the base camp real quick to gather some more in area 6 as well.

I finally found out how you can gather while holding a torch! What you have to do is NOT select the pickaxe/bugnet from the item menu; at spots where the icon pops up, you simply have to press the gather button and hold R (with the Classic Pro Controller at least).

Ugh, of course the Melynx are still there... You know what, I'm gonna leave area 6, go all the way around to area 5, and then enter area 6 from the other side so they don't spot me.

And I got a new item from one of the mining spots: Icethaw Pellets! Yet another one of those elemental berries. (Though I wonder what they're doing inside a rock formation; are those even still edible?)

Got my first Ice Crystals as well! These caves have to be pretty cool for them to not melt, though. (I have a feeling Capcom might have planned that you have to use Hot Drinks in the caves like in the older games, but they decided against it; in that case, thank you, Capcom - thank you from the bottom of my heart!)

Snuck up on that one mining spot near the Melynx reeeally carefully, filched the last few items right under their nose, and then bolted off. Wouldn't want the Melynx to get any ideas about snatching our hard-earned Monster Guts, would we?

Back to the base camp we go, and as I said, I grabbed myself some free Cool Drinks and Paintballs from the box. Take what you can while you can! ;-)

Village Talk

Item seller: "I love Sonic Bombs. Sometimes I throw them just to listen to them." Oookay... The item lady has some weird preferences, I suppose. (Where did she get the Sonic Bombs, though? They're certainly not for sale in her shop. Do you love them so much that you don't wanna sell them to me?!)

"When I throw stones, I also want to throw iron or machalite ore. Weird..." Maybe that's because all share the same icon? xD

"Sometimes, there are monster bones that are too big for S and too small for M. So many objects, so few adjectives…" So whether a bone belongs to the "S" or "M" category is determined by some kind of common measurements, I take it? (Seems like the tolerance limit is a topic of debate, though. xD)

In today's episode of MH food lore, we learn that Salty Milk was created by a careless servant who added salt to milk instead of sugar, which ended up tasting surprisingly well. Lucky for the servant, I suppose. xD

The Wandering Cook is a big fan of Mosswine meat (confirming my suspicion that Moss Pork comes indeed from the Mosswine). He says it's delicious, especially the feet, which taste best with bean puree according to him. He does note, however, that you have to give it a good wash so you don't end up with more moss than meat. Well, I guess it's called "Mosswine" for a reason. xD

The cook describes the Twinshroom as a "strange mushroom" growing in pairs; both are identical in color and shape, impossible to tell apart and inseparable. So, they're not just Twinshrooms, they're conjoined Twinshrooms.

Also, we finally learn what an Escargogo is: It's an "unusual snail" that spins inside its shell for its whole life, so "the world is practically spinning around it!" (I wonder if "You Spin Me Round" is playing on a loop inside there. xD) Given it's classified as seafood, I assume it's a sea snail, and the name seems to be derived from "escargot", the French word for snail. (Also, Escargogo is the title of a French children's book, apparently? xD)

According to the description of the Rhenoplos armor pieces, it's commonly used in mining and resource prospecting (primarily ore and water). So I guess it's just the workwear of miners from the MH universe. (I can't imagine it's very comfortable to wear that all day though. xD)

Also, I get the impression it's primarily used by workers from Loc Lac, since the description of the greaves says it's "often used to mine resources for city development". ("City" being synonymous with Loc Lac in Tri.) Would make sense, since Rhenoplos are a local species and the materials thus easy to come by.

Oh no, the terrible pun disease is spreading further! While arguing that bowguns are both handy and elegant, the Outfitter used an idiom literally meaning that they're not a "shot in the oven" (the English equivalent of which would be "a lead balloon"). I'm not sure what she says in English here, but it did make me chuckle. xD

I've sent the fleet out to hunt for the first time now. If I remember correctly, it's really just a way to farm materials from smaller monsters so you don't have to bother to do it yourself all the time, but let's see what they bring back.

Guild Sweetheart: "Are you enjoying yourself? I was super busy around here. Manicure, napping... I even carried the piglet from the farm into the village. We played the whole day! Then manicure again." Yep, relaxing effectively is a super though job. I can imagine you needed another manicure after playing all day with the Poogie though... xD

Alright, so now that we're done with the Sandy Plains quests, I'm going to do some free hunting in the Moga Woods next. (Conveniently, we've got a Ludroth breeding in the north and a herbivore breeding in the south, so I can get both some extra paddles and the Super-sized Dung I need.) See ya then! :-)

To be continued

[servin-up-surveys]

survey #119

What are some tropes/settings/concepts that you like in horror movies/books? Uh I tend to like paranormal movies. I like a lot of horror stuff though, but right now I'm really not in the mood to like dig through my brain listing everything that comes to mind. One thing I do wanna mention though is I LOVE well-written villains that have like, a reason behind their evil.

Are there any objects that you own because of what they are rather than what you use them for? (For example, having a piano to have a piano rather than to play it or having an Eames chair because it is an Eames chair, etc.) No, that seems pretty dumb and pridefully materialistic.

Who do you tend to compare yourself to most often? Is it someone in your life, someone online, or some composite idea of a person? My two immediate sisters, the ones I grew up with and have been regularly involved with my whole life. I 100% feel like that hydra dragon drawing where two look serious and powerful and then there's the derp one/me lmao. I constantly feel like they're both embarrassed by me and since we were raised in the exact same environment and all, I have a hard time understanding why I turned out so different from them in terms of being an adequate, capable adult.

Stripes or polka dots? Polka dots, I just like circles.

Do you care if people touch you when they’re talking to you? This depends on a lot. How close are we, and how exactly are you touching me? As a base rule if we're not at least somewhat close, just simply don't touch me unless it's like, a hug that you have permission to give.

What is your gender? Do you think that people think it's obvious? As the previous survey taker answered, gender isn't always an obvious thing, first and foremost. However, in the traditional sense of how people visualize a woman, I think it is. I've never been misgendered, so.

How long did your first date last? A few hours. We saw a movie and had lunch.

Highlight of your day? Girt meeting my sister's EXTREMELY affectionate dog Oakley and them totally falling in love with each other, oh my god they were both so happy. Girt had wanted to meet her for a loooong time now because she's like 100% his kind of dog, but the one time he'd already been here since they got Oakley, she had to stay locked in Ash and Nick's bedroom because of a party guest being terrified of her (she's not aggressive, just VERY big and insanely pushy).

Is everything working in your house? Uhhh I believe so, yes. Well no, we do have a broken PS2 right now, but Girt wants us to keep it stored in case our working one breaks because he's confident he can fix the other one with the right stuff.

Does pop give you energy? When I had caffeine extremely regularly, it did nothing for me energy-wise, but since drinking soda way less, I think it tends to, at least usually.

TV show you love with a passion? Meerkat Manor.

Do you think you learned anything from the worst night of your life? Yes. Never, ever, fucking ever allow yourself to be 100% certain that a person won't just drop you like a boulder and bolt, I don't care what your connection to the person is.

Is it safe to say you own over 20 pairs of shoes? Holy fuck, no. I don't think I even have 10.

Last time you went to 7-eleven? Never, I think. They're not really a thing here, or at least they weren't; one recently opened very near to us, but we've never been there.

A fast food restaurant that you hate with a passion? Arby's is absolutely disgusting. Burger King has also never impressed me.

Does everyone in your family have a job? Me nor Mom do. I mean, my mom does clean the church she attends, but she is no longer paid because if she was, she'd be taken off disability, which simply can't happen if we want a house to live in and groceries in the kitchen. It's not a stable source of income anyway because it's taxing on her, the church is extremely poor so can't pay her much anyway, and with her health she needs to be able to stop the moment she feels she really needs to.

Going anywhere this weekend? I don't have anything planned other than take my old Nikon camera and Nikon supplies to the place I sold my flute and guitar (for a GRAND TOTAL of like $45 btw lmao) hopefully tomorrow, and I want that to be it, really. I'm extremely sleep-deprived and just stressed and want to be a hermit.

What does it mean when you're being quiet? It can mean almost anything, really. Including nothing at all, considering I'm generally quiet anyway.

Last person you had a face-to-face conversation with? My mom.

How late did you stay up last night? At LEAST 1:30 AM, I think 2, and not willingly. I struggled so badly to fall asleep last night, I literally just laid there for fucking hours.

How many times have you been in love? Twice. I once thought thrice, but no, I was not in love with Sara now that I've actually been in love with Girt and been able to compare the sensation to how I was with Jason. I know I loved Sara, but it was not the same as Jason and Girt.

How many years older than you would you date someone? It would be very, very hard for me to go older than nine years, and even that I really wouldn't want unless I was crazy for the person, basically. I think like, 4-ish years older is the last number where an age difference wouldn't bother me at all.

What was the last thing you pinky swore on? Something with Girt, I'm sure, probably relating to my shitty self-confidence in some way. I feel like the last thing was when he initiated it about not finding me unattractive, because he knows I'm very convinced (NOT by his own behavior, I want to emphasize, this is all on me and my own head) he's not attracted to me.

Are there a lot of mirrors in your house? Definitely no more than what's normal.

About how old was the last person that hit on you? He's 29.

What color are your headphones? This pair of earplugs is white.

Is the fan on? No, this house is always fucking freezing these days and Mom is very, very reluctant to turn on the heat because money.

Any special reason why you’re taking this survey? I haven't taken one in a VERY surprising amount of time for me and I also just want to do something while I listen to music.

Your friend needs you to run to the store to get a pregnancy test. Do you? Uh I don't drive, and there's also nobody in my face-to-face life who would ask me that anyway because they know I don't, AND I'm not ~that~ close to any of my friends here. I would if I COULD, though.

Do you like the opposite sex to be dominant or you the one in control? I am the most sub bitch you'll ever fuckin MEET lmfao, HOWEVER this is primarily only sexually and if my boyfriend was acting domineeringly as a life partner and person as a whole, I'd be so fucking gone, no partner is ever allowed to boss me around.

If I asked you to point to Ohio on a map of the US do you think you could? Yeah, it's a state with a relatively recognizable shape and I have family there anyway.

[TW: EATING DISORDER] Do you eat a lot of food? No, these days I eat way too little. In therapy yesterday I did open up about how I'm developing eating disorder-ish thoughts (at least I think so, I've never actually had one) and cried a whole lot about it, and with my mom present we decided that once I see this endocrinologist next month, we're going to try to get me refered to a dietitian to help me with pre-diabetes management, weight loss, and just in general building a healthier relationship with food.

Have your parents ever tried to control your relationship? No.

Have you ever had to give someone directions before? Hell no, I would get that person NOWHERE. I don't know street names, interstate numbers, how many miles are between here and there, ANYTHING that would really help with directions.

Have you ever babysat a newborn baby before? No, that's PURE panic attack material for me lmao. I couldn't do that.

When was the last time you held someone’s hand? Uhhhh a few days ago when Girt was here, I don't think we did today. Maybe we did, but I don't remember it.

What is your favorite Disney movie of all time? The Lion King.

Which room of your house/apartment do you spend the most time in? This spare room where my desk/laptop is.

Which insect do you find the most beautiful? Butterflies and moths. Some praying mantises are also just pure stunning and so intricate.

Is there a substance you avoid at all costs? If so, what is it and why? I will never, ever put beer in my mouth because that was what my dad always drank as an alcoholic. The mere smell makes me want to hurl. I also will never, ever do hard drugs like cocaine or meth 'n' shit, I will liiiiiiiiterally die before I fuck with that kind of stuff. Lastly, I am very, VERY doubtful I could ever swallow an Alka-Seltzer Plus pill, because that's the cold medication I ODed on. I shit you not, seeing the fucking logo of the brand ignites massive anxiety in me.

Is there a place that you might call your second home? Dad and Kim's house, I guess. I'm pretty much totally comfortable in Ashley's house, too.

Is there a piece of jewelry that you feel naked without? My vertical labret lip piercing.

What’s the sweetest thing someone’s done for you? Never, ever gave up on me and was there for me when he had zero obligation to be. I get way too emotional when I think of what Girt's done for me, both before we dated and now that we do.

Which wild animals are a common sight in your area? Birds obviously, then gray squirrels. Opossums and raccoons are the main roadkill here, but you don't like, regularly see them out and about and such. There are rabbits and (primarily) whitetail deer too, but they're of course shy and bolty. VERY rarely you'll see a fox; I think I've only seen one alive in my entire life, though.

Do you recognize friends’/family’s vehicles by sound? Nobody super easily that is still in my life, but I can usually know when Girt is outside because I'll hear music. Defending him immediately, he's not an asshole that blares it, but it's still loud enough for me to hear in the living room, which is where I usually sit and wait when I know he's almost here.

What was the last thing that stressed you out or upset you? Me just being a bad aunt.

Do you wish people would forgive you for your past so you could move on? So uh, I'M the one that fucking desperately needs to forgive my past lmao

Who was your first roommate? Technically my younger sister. Uh, I think. I don't believe I ever shared a room with my older sister...

Do you have a sibling who looks like you? Ashley, Nicole, and I are obviously sisters, according to basically everyone. I do stand more clearly apart from them, though; people regularly think Ash and Nicole are twins.

[TW: CHILD/PREGNANCY LOSS] Name three women you know who have lost a child. My mom's mom lost a whole lot, my former best friend Colleen had a miscarriage, and an acquaintance I have that I've done pictures for also has experienced one.

Which nationalities have you been told you look like? (i.e., Asian, Irish) I mean, I've just heard American, which is what I am.

What book are you currently reading? Wings of Fire: Talons of Power. I'm being super slow at reading this one... Not because it's not good or anything, I'm into it, I've just been bad with reading.

Have you ever received any scary, threatening messages on social media? Yes.

Who was your first kiss? First person who kissed me was one of two boys that endlessly harassed me in pre-k, but I absolutely don't consider that my "first kiss." I'll always consider it Jason.

Who are three of your favorite YouTubers to watch? Game Grumps, John Wolfe, and I've been having a jacksepticeye streak.

What do you miss about high school? Seeing friends regularly. Being confident in my future.

What color was your first car? I haven't had my own personal car.

What color was the house you grew up in? Primarily red brick.

Growing up, what floor was your bedroom on? I've only ever lived in houses with just one floor.

Does your bedroom have carpet? Yeah.

What are the top three travel destinations on your bucket list? South Africa, Alaska, Germany. Last two are pretty interchangeable with rank.

Do you get heartburn? I am on a prescription antacid because without it I have heartburn so extremely severe that it nearly makes me want to cry, like my throat will be PURE fucking acid fire. I'll sometimes feel it if I miss literally just a single day's dose. On the bright side I have learned via weight gain -> loss -> then gain again that it's absolutely weight-related, and I'm confident if I lose enough again it'll improve, if not totally stop.

What are three things you are known for on social media? Uh I guess primarily a photographer since I have the most socials for that purpose, and uh... I don't really think I'm even remotely noteworthy online in another way.

What is your Instagram account name? I have three haha; I'm not sharing my personal openly, but brittanymphotography is my basic photography account, and eldritch_obscura is roadkill/vulture culture-y photos.

Have you ever used Snapchat? No, that is NOT the app for someone who hates taking pictures of themselves lmao

Did you want to be famous when you were younger? Kinda like middle-high school transition/some of freshman year I kinda wanted to be an electric guitarist.

First celebrity you were obsessed with? Steve Irwin.

First celebrity crush? I was a Jesse McCartney bitch y'all

What was something unique about you as a kid? Uh... nothing exceedingly unique, but my writing abilities were raved over from a pretty damn young age by my teachers.

Were you ever goth/emo? Oh I was totally an emo teenager haha, and as an adult I'm 200% goth at heart lol, I'm just too poor as well as lazy for the outward appearance.

Do you want any more piercings? Oh yeah, quite a lot more.

[clonehub]

the bad batch arc in s7 had a trope that i'm 100% sure was rooted in racism when it was first invented and i can't believe it missed it the first time around.

so besides calling the natives of Skako Minor primitve over and over for being low/no tech and committing the cardinal sin of worshipping animals, what happens is that multiple times, their village is destroyed.

the first time, anakin says "no casualties!" valid. they're literally civilians regardless of how backwards you think they are. cue wrecker shaking his head in disgust (or whatever you want to call it) and then rolling....a massive boulder through the center of town. ok.

then they get anakin. village leader is like "we dont want you to bring your war to us". everyone and their mother is like "um actually we're not the ones doing that :/" but guess what the techno union wouldn't have been at that village if yall didn't end up going back there in the first place.

so the crew uses the keeradacks (the flying lizards these people worship) to get to safety. show up in town. leader's still not thrilled to see them (valid, I also do not like the bad batch). he's like lol i tamed the animals cool but u still cant be here. and they say something that prompts rex to be like "ok I get that BUT consider what they did to my friend! These people (the techno union/seppies) are bad they made him a machine!!"

which like. he would have still been a machine under the republic if they'd managed to grab him or even if he hadn't blown up. the clones literally don't have rights. we (almost) talked about this.

and i have to wonder. what part of echo do they have so much of a problem with, exactly? this goes for everyone who's made a comment on him, which is....the bad batch and rex lol. man's blew up. he's got two proesthetic legs im assuming because he lost the originals in the blast. he's missing an arm--either the techno union cut off the first or they seized the opportunity to give him the screw driver. the existence of which im confused about because i thought he was under stasis for years. so what exactly was the screwdriver for.

but regardless. the legs the arm and the other implants that, yes, were used to hack his brain but are also clearly keeping him alive. the pretense of it is absolutely awful but why are yall so mad he's got as much metal in him as he does 😭

but anyways back to the natives. the team tames the beasts and then rex makes his speech and anakin is also like "yeah actually we want you guys to help us fight the separatists" and for whatever reason the leader says yes. which gives very much "our (white) protagonists come across Hostile Natives but after Proving Themselves/Becoming Part of the Culture and making emotional pleas, the natives are 100% totally cool with risking life and limb for these people they just met that were also just calling them backwards two hours ago" it was all very gross

[ramsaybaggins]

Slutty Aerobics Stede

I saw a person on twitter (@thatllbemybrand) mention Stede wearing aerobics gear. My mind IMMEDIATELY produced who I like to call Slutty Aerobics Stede. Have some details:

Slutty Stede Bonnet dressed in skintight lyric doing aerobics in a dance studio with glass to the rest of the gym, to THIS song, making eye contact with Ed who is just starting open jawed

He's wearing something like this, but it's teal and gold or other more Stedey colours

(I have a whoooole slutty aerobics Stede playlist on the go (also it's a fuckin' banging playlist even if I do say so myself)

Slutty Aerobics Stede knows the ENTIRE dance to Call On Me by Eric Prydz and ABSOLUTELY shows it off and Ed's brain COMPLETELY short circuits during the hip thrusts

Stede used to watch this on VHS repeat

Ed is Izzy's spotter and keeps getting annoyed that Ed is getting distracted in the middle of sets

Stede's leant against the bar on the mirrors with his arse sticking out doing that knee pump thing that shows it off *just right* and Ed falls off the treadmill cos forgets to keep running

Ed's a professional rock climber, absolute top of his game, and when he finally joins in with the aerobics Izzy is FURIOUS because it is NOT part of his training plan

But Ed is bored of rock climbing and his strict training plan and diet. He's done all the interesting climbs, he's won all the competitions, he's BORED. And now there's a lycra clad hottie, who doesn't seem to know who he is, making eyes at him and it's FUN

Once they were talking, Stede would absolutely talk Ed into coming to a Zumba class just to see those hips in action. Stede'd not be wearing his lycra, but he's be wearing VERY tiny, VERY tight shorts

This is modern btw, not an 80s AU. Stede just has a BUNCH of vintage 80s workout clothes in mad colours because he's Stede and he loves them

He's wearing a crop top, of course

Next time they're in the gym together Stede is finishing up, sweaty and panting after his (painfully distractingly sexy) workout and pulls a towel behind his neck, then tilts his head up to drink from his water bottle before moving the bottle up and pouring some over his head and shaking his head so the water droplets spray out.

Ed sees it like it's happening in slow motion. Standing, jaw on the floor. Someone walks up and is like, "Hey man, you done? Can I have the machine?" and he doesn't even register it, just mumbles "Uh huh."

Lucius is the receptionist at the gym and is watching all of it go down like 👀👀👀

One time, after Ed gets distracted and almost hurts himself yet again, Lucius marches up to Stede and is like "Stede. STEDE. Listen to me. You are going to KILL that man. Do you understand? He is not safe when you're working out. Please. Please just ask him out. Please."

Stede asks Ed out by choreographing an entire dance to Are You Ready For Love and performs it for him one evening after the gym is closed, Lucius did him a solid keeping it open for the two of them a little longer

Slutty Aerobics Stede taking Ed out to a gay bar and absolutely fucking KILLING it on the dancefloor to Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) and Ed being extremely flustered but enjoying it all *immensely*

One day Ed invited Stede out to his climbing gym. Stede's never been climbing before but he's excited to say yes. Ed watches him on the boulders and realises he's in *deep* trouble. Belaying is even worse with that harness showing off all of Stede's assets exceptionally well.

[spikybanana]

@wolfstarmicrofic - prompt: panic - Remus panics a bit before his first big boy skate. this is part of the figure skaters au, here they're about 17.

Remus never figured out if or when it would hit him, but it so happened the panic came when he was getting into costume at the qualifications for senior nationals. Suddenly, out of nowhere, the tinsel and fancy costume’s frills were stripped off the harsh reality of a lead weight on his shoulders. Okay, so Lily is far from a lead weight, but still! It’s a barrage of what-the-fuck-am-I-doing-here and how-the-fuck-will-I-manage and no-fucking-way-no-sir-not-today and the program they’d been skating for weeks and weeks suddenly seemed an absolutely impossibly large boulder he can’t push out of the way. Were they out of their minds for trying a single-handed lift? What was he even doing at the seniors? He was seventeen years old! Ninety percent of the boys in junior pairs were older than him! Sure, it sounded sweet as an idea, but their friends were properly delusional for thinking they’d make their senior debut at the nationals together. Now that Sirius has stopped competing, it wasn’t ever going to be all of them anyway, so why had Remus signed himself up for proving himself a disappointment and wasting one perfectly good year of Lily’s career—

It’s moments like these where Remus felt properly jealous of Sirius’ blanket refusal to come back to competitions, if just to forsake the embarrassment of failing. But he still didn’t understand the whole of it because Sirius refused to talk about it. Like he refused to talk about his parents and his brother and anything at all about the future, including their future. And that’s okay! Really! Sirius didn’t owe him these things, and Remus deeply, spiritually understood the need to Not Talk About It, he did. But if he was honest he’d have preferred that Sirius told him what was wrong when he froze up the last time they snogged. So he could stop swinging wildly between feeling like he was pathetically hanging off Sirius’ little finger, and at the same time the world’s worst boyfriend.

And fuck, Remus, focus. He and Lily must be going on in less than an hour now. He can’t keep steady and keep Lily safe if he can’t focus, and he needed to stop his brain from running off to fucking Neverland.

“Remus? Are you there? Minnie’s looking for you.”

Oh to speak of the devil-on-six-inch-heels-which-are-actually-figure-skates.

“I’m here.” Remus gulped, “Give me a moment, I’ll be right there.”

But Sirius had rounded the lockers and caught sight of him hunched in the corner. Detecting Remus’ State in a single glance, he strode quickly forward and placed an arm softly around Remus’ shoulders. With him in skates, Sirius had to stand on his tip-toes. 

“You feeling alright?”

“I think so?” Remus offered.

Sirius snorted, pushed him down onto a bench and sat by him. “So the nerves caught on?”

“How did you do it?” Remus leaned back, let his head hit the wall with a low thud, “how did you do all of this two years ago? And you just went out there like nothing could scare you.”

“Well, to be fair, I didn’t. I ran off halfway through my senior debut, if you recall.”

“Yeah but—”

“Hush,” Sirius pulled him close with one arm, and the other hand held up a finger to his lips, “you’re going to be just fine, you hear me?”

“How do you—”

“Just think of the moment. This single one, and nothing further. Do what you need to in this moment. And once you’ve done that, do the same with the next moment. Don’t— don’t even think about that last lift right now—”

Remus snapped around, “How did you know I was thinking about that?”

“You did the thing where you twist your shoulders like you’re about to put an arm up, anyway, just— one moment at a time, yeah? Don’t look too far ahead if that scares you. It’s okay to stay right here.”

It sounded like horrible advice out-of-context, actually. But inexplicably, Remus felt calm again. Just being here, in this space, with Sirius alone, even the next hour was held in suspension where it cannot touch him. 

“Is that how you do it?”

Sirius gave him a small, wistful smile, “it’s all I’ve been doing for years.”

[scientia-rex]

I feel like I haven't been writing enough lately, not in the sense of needing to write a story--although God knows I haven't been doing that either--but in the sense of writing like I used to, in journals, to try to untangle my mind. There are dangers in writing down what's been happening and trying to make sense of it. It's easy to find myself steering by whatever is easily verbalizable, and to be drawn to the anxiety provoking and depressive.

But when there are a lot of things happening at once, and particularly when a lot of people who aren't me have strong opinions about me and what I'm doing and what's happening to me, that don't jive with what my own opinions about the situation are, sometimes it's nice to have the chance to try to unspool it. Am I a bad person? God, what a boring question! But I keep asking it and I keep trying to answer it, without success. As if I'd be capable of truly believing that I'm a bad person, no matter what I'd done. No one is. To exist is to be the end product of millions of years of evolution without the need for self-justification. Our philosophical attempts to determine whether our existence is worth it are just the thinnest possible layer of paint over a giant boulder of very, very old instincts to survive.

The tension of depression is, if you ask me, often the tension between the idea that maybe I am a bad person, against the deeper fundamental knowledge that I am not. And that knowledge isn't real knowledge--it's not coming from some real place--but it doesn't have to be. It is simply a thing our brains take for granted, like down is down and up is up, and you can fall down but you can't fall up. If I'm a bad person, shouldn't I kill myself? But no matter how deep the self-hatred runs, no matter how painful it is, it is also coming up against that ancient instinct for self-preservation, absolutely screeching in your mind like a railroad spike dragging over rock, and you cannot settle it. You can never settle it in favor of self-hatred. Suicide ends up being this response that depends on catastrophic moments; real suicidality can't last. The intensity of the urge ebbs away if the attempt is prevented by even a few minutes.

I have no idea how many patients I've seen after suicide attempts; it's too many to count, by now. But that's how it is. It's a moment that passes. Even if the self-hatred remains, because whatever led to the attempt isn't magically fixed, it's back to the ceaseless tension rather than unbearable certainty. And suicide is an attempt, very often, to fix that tension. People who look from the outside at someone who's so depressed they're catatonic think it must be a calm state, but it isn't. It's a hell of conflicting impulses. The impulse to love yourself against the impulse to hate yourself. The feeling that if you moved, you'd do something so horrible that you must not move.

I've been thinking a lot lately, so this is what I did everything for? I spent seven years in various circles of Hell so that I could be a doctor. Training to be a doctor was awful. It's bad for almost everyone, and it was horrendous for me, with my history of anxiety. Over and over again I thought about suicide. And over and over again I didn't go for it. I always had reasons. Sometimes they were very, very small. A new book. A cat to play with. Sometimes they were huge. I wanted to move home to a different kind of hell and take care of the queer and trans youth there in a way no one else would or had before. So I didn't kill myself, and I kept going, and I finally graduated residency. I thought, okay, maybe there's still lots of stress, but as I'm in practice longer, that will get better. Right?

And it's been 15 months now. And I'm depressed, and I'm tired, and I'm thinking, this? This is what I was holding out for?

But it isn't, really. I'm doing some of the things I meant to, but I'm also changing clinics because I feel like the one I'm at took all of the energy and time and love and, yes, money I threw at it--I made menstruation stations for the bathrooms at work, I put up little shelves and stocked them and re-stocked them over and over again with tampons and pads and Poopourri--and still tried to fuck me over four times in quick succession. And then asked me why I was so angry, and blamed me for my anger. Zero self-recognition or reflection.

And with changing clinics comes all of this guilt, all of this weight. And fear: what if it doesn't work out?

But I still have something to hold out longer for. I have this step next, and then when my commitment for partial loan repayment is up (it will still leave me with 220,000 dollars in educational debt, and that is with me having completely paid for undergrad between my scholarships and my parents and me working) I have another step. At that point I can drop to part time. And then I have another life to look forward to. More sleep. More hobbies. More writing.

Life is going to get better. For me; not necessarily for everyone. We need to make it so life gets better for everyone, but at least for now, for me, I can look at a time ahead where I won't want to die so much and so often.

I have very few good things to think about right now. Any direction my mind wanders down, there's guilt and fear. But there is going to come a day when I am living something much closer to the life I want to live.

[yandere-wishes]

MONSTERS

👹 Yandere Ryomen Sukuna x Reader

👹Summary: Monsters aren’t born they're made, but Sukuna stumbles across the rare exception...

👹Warning: dehumanization, mention of gore, blood, slight dub-con mentioned in passing, death, past trauma, and abuse

👹 Edited: By the lovely @tealyjade-libran !

👹 Wordcount: 2,480

👹Alternative Tittle : If Roxanne ( from the Police song) lived in ancient Japan.

👹First Jujutsu kaisen fic! I hope you guys like it, please let me know your thoughts! Likes and reblogs appreciated!

Monsters were made. 

Slowly created as once blazing ideals, withered and died under harsh strokes of reality. Stitched together with broken promises and the ashes of rotting memories. 

Monsters were made

whisked into a role they once dreaded, once feared. Beaten into the role of the villain, the reprobate, the sinner. 

If anyone ever asked Sukuna when was the exact moment he turned his back on the laws of "good" and "evil", shedding his human skin to regrow a pelt of hate and destruction,

He would simply answer, "Never".

Because skin is skin no matter how much it decays. Even if the epidermis turns into a rotting orange shade, littered with eyeballs and teeth that shouldn't grow there.Even if the blood from all those he's slain has finally stained his dermis, tainting it in a permanent crimson that all the waters of Lake Biwa could never wash off. Even if his hypodermis is no longer made of fatty tissue but rather spiritual energy sucked from the atmosphere. It's still skin, the same old skin he was born with.

Sukuna had never shed his skin, he'd only perfected it, enhanced it, molded it into its perfect form, until he was no longer held back by foolish human limitations.

He'd never been "reborn" only recreated; only perfected. 

Spike, talon and teeth covered arms sprouting from oozing, bleeding scars, charred over by begriming infections that burned worse than the strikes he'd endured as a child. Knuckles and bones cracking over and over and over again until they grew as solid as the rocks that were thrown at him when he was all too little to understand the malice behind the insults and threats. Breaking until they could break no more, until they'd become strong enough to split a boulder with a mere flick.

There had come a time when he'd given up licking his wounds, leaving them to be kissed by the mold-covered worms who left an urticating sensation he'd soon come to associate with victory. Rotting flesh growing covered in thick layers of black tar tattoos that hid every cut he'd endured when he'd once been too weak. 

Monsters were created from quarter truths buried neck-deep in fables that snipped like red-eyed scorpions. 

Until the blood dancing through their veins was as black as the void they now called home. 

Sukuna knew the exact moment he realized he was a monster. The day he realized he liked the crunch of skulls beneath his feet, the pitiful spark in mortified eyes staring at the heavens for a scrap of mercy. Mangled mouths barely held together by fractured jaw bones, uttering prayers and pleas that died in the scorching air. 

Sukuna knew he was an abnormality, patched together by broken heirlooms and shattered family traditions. Sitting on a throne made from skulls of those who thought they could ever kill him. 

You can't kill a monster, for you can not kill that which was never born. 

You can't slay something made from good intentions with malevolent methods, something so vile that it might actually be pure. At the end of the day, no monster really admits that it is a monster, a nightmare that should have never existed. 

Yet...

Tattered hearts and cruel orbs are never quite enough. No monster is complete until they dive off that last edge, plummet into the sea of nothingness, and finally, finally break their souls on the spiked soil. Monsters, spirits, curses any malicious being that had been mended together like a half-done ragdoll was not complete until they truly let go. Until they erased all the former humanity that they had been born with. Until their eyes reflected nothing, no emotions, no malice, no want, no need. Just the absolute emptiness. 

The void in all its glory.

that was the symbol, the true markings of a real monstrosity. The void that took over their existence, that had replaced every inch of their former self. Only then could it be said that you were above all other beings, the true perfection of this world. 

There are worse things created than monsters, things that are made from nothing and everything. Things above "Yin" and "Yang". Things that have no scrap of humanity, monstrosity, or anything in them.

Things that are just empty.

So maybe -just maybe- that's why when Sukuna's rotting orange eyes landed on the epitome of emptiness, a...girl, whose face was sculpted to disreflect emotions and intents. Someone who was the void of darkness itself. The true personification of nothingness. 

His heart -for the first time in countless centuries- began to throb.

a truly dead face swarmed by a sea of buzzing ants, chasing their routine happiness. Smiles of delight and carelessness carved on their aging faces with sunlight knives and the melody of golden coins. The lust for life leaking from every pore of their bodies. 

With every face being a carbon copy of each other it was no wonder yours stood out.

There was a silver chain of attraction, dragging Sukuna towards the village girl. Not love, never love, the king of curses was beyond certain, that neither you nor he could feel such a honey-laced sensation. It was more like....something. Something paranormal, inexpiable. Some magnetic force outside of everything's control. 

It was easy enough to explain why he liked you. Why you stood out from the other insects of this middle-of-nowhere-village. 

You had dark matter for blood and dead seas for brains. 

Your eyes radiated an endless abyss. Making others shy away from your lifeless gaze. Scared to look into the void in fear that it may respond. 

You were a thrown away doll,

A living dead,

A dying star,

You were the daughter of the number zero,

The monster that had no maker nor mother. 

Something not born nor created. 

Just an entity that roamed the earth, with no desire nor hope, no wish nor dream. Not leaving, not dying, just existing in the space between today and tomorrow. 

There'd been no need for pleasantries, for hiding behind ghostly tree branches and frozen windows. There'd been no need to kill or ravage for you. No competition to eliminate, because no one ever came near you. Humans don't like what they can't explain, Sukuna knew that all too well. 

Sukuna watched from a close enough distance to almost touch. Lingering around like a phantom begging to be noticed. Orbs trailing over you, but never approaching. Until one day he'd just stood still. Waited for you to turn your head just a fraction to the left, just to see him in all his menacing terror. To finally notice the clawing, crawling sensation that had been creeping up your spine like a hoard of spiders. 

And when your dead eyes did finally land on him. Sukuna could swear that his breath hitched in his throat for the first time in his seemingly endless life.

You weren't human. Humans didn't have hollow faces or marbles for lips. 

You weren't a curse. Curses didn't lack venom dripping from their souls.

You were something better than a monster. You were the divinity of monstrosity, the void itself. Black holes for eyes, answerless paradoxes for hands, and an endless maze where your torso should have been. 

 Exploding suns danced around you, burning, burning, till they died out, leaving behind no trace that they once lit up the universe. 

The space after the end, that's what you were.

Perfect, to Sukuna you were perfect.

You hadn't run, hadn't screamed, hadn't even bothered to talk. You didn't care about him, couldn't care about him. That's what made him want you, made his mouth salivate with the thought of your flesh between his teeth. 

That night the world stood still, as Sukuna's claws penetrated your flesh like twirling needles. You were as light as a feather. You weighed nothing, were nothing. All so easy to pluck and throw about. You never made a noise when your body collided with the bamboo walls, just letting gravity and Sukuna play a twisted ball game with your lump of a body.

You hadn't protested when he violated you. As his lips bit every inch of your body raw. For some unearthly reason that even the gods couldn't understand, would never want to understand, you had found the Curse's violent actions rather...adoring. Taking every slap and slash with the earnest pride of a small child getting praised for a day of relentless chores. letting the dawn-tinted-haired monster adorn your body in blue and purple jewels. It felt right, in a  pathetically, nauseating, twisted way...it just felt right.

 It was disastrous, sure, but it was right. Like two universes crashing. Destroying each other with every kiss and every bruise. 

But...

For the first time in your meaningless life, you had truly understood what "happiness" felt like. 

For the first time in his endless life, Sukuna had truly understood what "intimacy" felt like.

///

Was it wrong to kiss you? For a fraction of a second Sukuna hesitated, blood tinged lips hovering millimeters away from your own stone-set ones. The moon's cursed rays acting like an unnoticed barrier, keeping two things out of each other's grasp. His lips curled back revealing two rows of knife-like teeth. The last resort, a final hope that you'd run away, that you'd act somewhat normal. The king of curses, the evil among men, didn't mind your lack of regularity. He didn't mind how you leaned into every bitter strike, every painful display of fading affection . He adored how you merely giggled as he slashed open your uncharged skin, creating slits for your blood to spill through, onto his waiting tongue. He admired your lifelessness, the way you radiated death. 

Oh, how you filled him with a startling aftershock every time he touched you. Every time his tongue lapped at your bleeding skin he'd feel the sort of electric shocks that came after the storms had passed. Your body had no shape, it molded to his touch, turning his favorite shades of red, with just a little pressure. 

But sometimes, in fleeting, endless seconds. He wished he had a name for what you two were. You weren't his per se, you could never be his. Being his would indicate that he cared about you, or heck even loved you and that could never be true. The king of curses did not love, nor care. He merely tolerated you; you fascinated him, that's all. 

It had been many moons since he first found you in that no-name village. Months upon months since you'd been by his side. You'd watched as he'd destroyed cities, helped him even. Eyes never shedding a single tear. Mouth never uttering a single protest. 

The two of you had become the best, the King of curses and the Queen of nothingness. With the dying speed of laboring bees, Sukuna had carved himself inside of you. Twisted emptiness into flower-covered destruction. Into molten gold lava. 

Leaving you with wounds that were stuck in a cycle of healing and opening. Until they began to harden like his. Until the need for spilled blood lingered on your tongue like the burn of boiled tea. Until under your nails were coated in a decaying crust of dried blood. Sukuna hadn't turned you into a monster, he'd simply showed you the powers that came with your apathy. With a heart as torn and cold as yours, it was a shame to let it go to waste. 

"You're not half bad," his tone is never approving. It's always laced with a strictness that keeps you nailed into place. His words are oxymorons sounding like praise, but once you peel back the lather layers they're just taunts in disguise. 

You don't answer, words die on your tongue as quickly as they are born. Sukuna can't even remember what your voice sounds like outside of small whispers in heat filled nights. 

 However, to the two of you, things like that didn't matter. Your lack of being even semi-alive and Sukuna's endless abuse had become a norm for the two of you. Where else were a two-faced monster and a lifeless girl going to find love anyway? 

Sukuna was all you had, all you ever had. You'd die for him, kill for him, turn into anything for him. Because he gave you life. 

A purpose to life, made out of raging fires and endless screams. A life fabricated from the pain and suffering of others. That was what the king of curses had given you, all wrapped in a human skin parchment. Maybe that's why all logic withered away the first night he kissed you, maybe from the first second that you sensed his presence you had finally gained a reason to be alive. 

///

Whoever said the end of the world was beautiful? Whoever said the final days would be bright and glowing and pure? 

It's just a blaze of stray flames and red crystal droplets that may or may not be your blood. Funny, Sukuna had always thought that your blood would be as black as the moonless sky, not a mundane red like everyone else's. He'd expected a grander death from you. Some sort of black hole opening to swallow the world whole. Not just another corpse motionless in a pool of their own blood. 

Although he's not one to talk. His own 'death' is lingering on the horizon. Sukuna's head tilts back looking for the flashing jujutsu sorcerers. 

"S-sukun-a..." 

He smirks, fangs sticking out at odd angles. Your voice is sweet, for the first time in forever he'd even dare say it held some semblance of emotion. 

What that emotion is, he doubts he knows or even really cares. He'd long since stopped trying to identify all those "feelings" and their associated names. 

His orange eyes lock with your fading orbs, one last time. No, not the last time, just the final time in this lifetime. He's sure he's going to see you again. In any other life, Sukuna knows he'll be able to recognize you despite whatever flesh suit you'd be wearing. 

"Shh little one," he's halfway gone before he finishes his sentence, leaving you to relish in his memory in your final moments. "We'll see each other once more, someday in another life..."

His four eyes lock on the approaching sorcerers. He finds it humorous how desperate they look. How alive and ready they seem, such a stark contrast to your ever lifeless face and dead eyes, it repulses him. 

"Or maybe in one of the circles of hell." 

The flames encircling his fingers remind him of the heat your body radiated in the dead of night. The crack from bones hum as they meet his knuckles, flash memories of your days wasted together doing nothing and everything. 

The two of you will meet once more, he's sure of it. After all...

Monsters never die. 

How could something that was never even born in the first place, ever die?

[sadclearance]

could u do male reader's been friends with todoroki from mha for since ua (they're newly pros now) and tells him ily and is like ik ur not good with that stuff tho so it's no big! i don't expect an ily back! and todoroki's like :O and doesn't say it back but later when reader's hurt during a mission todoroki's like oh dang i do love u but it's too late cuz he died

pairing: shoto todoroki x male!reader

summary: todoroki says "i love you" back eventually. it just happens to be too late.

category: angst

warning(s): death

word count: 1649

key:

s/t - skin tone

italicized - text

he's not sure how he got to this exact moment.

if you had told him at the beginning of his high school years that not even just a year after graduating, he'd be running around a deserted parking lot with the cold breeze of the night air nipping at the skin that wasn't covered by his pajamas--which happen to be from a two-years-old matching christmas set with the person he's trying to catch--todoroki would've looked at you as if you were a lunatic.

never in his wildest dreams could he ever imagine this.

but he thinks this is part of what being friends is, and back then, he never would've dreamt of having one of those either.

he doesn't notice the warm breath right next to his ear until a steady voices says, loud and clear, "i love you."

he turns his head so fast his face almost smacks into y/n's, and y/n laughs out visible puffs in the crisp air.

todoroki doesn't even speak. he just stares with wide eyes, not knowing what to do.

this is all just too new to him, and this came out of absolutely nowhere.

"glad that got your attention," y/n smiles when the silence continues. "you were so lost in your thoughts you just stopped moving. i was starting to think you didn't want your phone back."

todoroki now remembers the reason why he was chasing his best friend of four years around an empty parking lot at this ungodly hour, where half of his body was uncomfortably cold.

he does want his phone back, but he doesn't go back to running.

"was that why you said that?" todoroki eventually asks. was it only for the surprise factor? because if so, he's both relieved and disappointed--two things that he recognizes as contradictory and doesn't understand. well, todoroki's never been too good at understanding feelings, so that's not really news.

"nope," y/n answers without skipping a beat, and if todoroki didn't know better, he'd think y/n wasn't nervous at all. the s/t fingers playing with the edge of todoroki's phone case lets him know otherwise. "don't take it too seriously, though. i get it."

get what?

that answer doesn't make todoroki happy at all. now his brain's just muddled and confused, and he can barely process his surroundings. what's he supposed to make of that interaction? don't take it too seriously? he gets it?

when y/n's ran a lap or two without todoroki making a move to get his phone back, he lies down on the floor.

todoroki settles on "you're going to get dirty" because he wants to get back to the present. his head hurts, and thinking isn't getting him anywhere right now.

"come look at the stars with me," y/n reaches his hand up toward the skies, and he looks ridiculous, but todoroki complies because he wants to enjoy the time they have together for as long as he can. they won't have time to see each other for a while, being busy growing heroes and all. 

"is this considered stargazing?"

"we're gazing at the stars, so yeah, i'd say so," y/n jokes.

and now todoroki's out of things to say that aren't questions about y/n's confession.

y/n turns his head to look at todoroki, and todoroki instinctively does the same.

"you're taking that thing i told you not to take seriously seriously, aren't you?"

"i'm having trouble understanding everything you've said in the past few minutes," todoroki admits, turning his head back to face the stars again.

"okay, well, i love you," y/n says.

"you've said that, but--"

"but i don't want you to take it seriously because i get it."

"again, you've said that in almost those exact words." todoroki feels like a frustrated child who's getting cranky over a math problem he doesn't know how to solve.

"i love you in the way that i want to kiss you and go on dates with you and maybe do more stuff," y/n's face reddens at his own words, but his voice is firm.

todoroki's eyes go back to y/n's, and he opens his mouth to say something, but nothing comes out.

"i know you don't see me that way, and it's all good. i didn't expect anything in return. i just wanted to say it."

"i... i wish i could give you a response, but... you already know that..." todoroki struggles with his words. were these the right ones to say? which are supposed to come out next?

"that you're not good with people stuff. yeah, i remember the first year of me trying to court you into this friendship," y/n laughs.

todoroki wants to laugh while reminiscing the memories too, but he doesn't feel like doing so, especially with how he's pretty sure he just rejected his best friend.

"i told you, no expectations here. just wanted to get that off my chest." y/n rises from the floor and todoroki's eyes follow. "c'mon, we should get going. it's cold, and our schedules are packed for the week. we can't afford to be getting sick."

"yes, it is late," todoroki nods and gets up as well.

the car beeps to signal that the doors are open, and todoroki's about to get into the driver's seat when he sees y/n walking off somewhere else.

"y/n?" todoroki calls out.

"i'm gonna take the bus," y/n answers before todoroki even asks.

"they aren't running at this hour."

"my place is close. i'm gonna walk."

"but--"

"text me if your schedule clears at all!" y/n waves without turning around to face todoroki.

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

it's been a week, and todoroki still feels the pressure of having to give a proper response.

y/n said it was fine, but even someone with as little experience with these types of things as todoroki recognizes that it's not kind.

i haven't thought about--

i've never kissed anyone--

human relationships--familial, romantic, platonic, and otherwise are all things that are new to me--

no matter what he types, he feels like the words are all wrong. what's in his drafts are all things that y/n already knows. that's why he said he "gets it".

but todoroki's still so frustrated. he wants to respond properly. he feels like it's only right.

but holy shit is it hard to come up with anything at all.

before he can come up with another poorly worded apology, excuse--whatever it is that he's trying to say--he gets a notification.

assistance required in x prefecture. requesting all available heroes.

todoroki, being the good hero he is, rushes to the sight as soon as possible.

he recognizes the name of the location, but he brushes it off as past experience. after all, within the past year, due to his rising popularity, he's had a lot of opportunities to work in different places.

"what's the situation?" todoroki asks one of the heroes that's trying to stabilize the building that the villain appeared to be in.

"one guy with a geokinesis quirk. he's alone, but his quirk's pretty strong. took out the whole village one town over. we don't know his goal, but the whole building's stone, and we don't want to take any chances."

"is there any way you would like me to help?"

"i'd say ice the whole building, but this guy's got quick reflexes. try going in discretely and trap him in ice when he's caught in surprise."

todoroki nods and is about to enter the building when

"also, try not to ice the other hero in there. i think his name's y/--"

the building crumbles at an incredible speed, and he barely has time to throw both himself and the other hero out of the way.

once the other man is stable, todoroki goes to assess the damage. the rocks are still tumbling down, but they're slower now.

they feel a lot faster when todoroki catches a glimpse of an all too familiar hero costume.

"y/n!" todoroki shouts as he loses the ability to think rationally. he runs with his heart in his throat and a terrible tense feeling that starts to overwhelm his entire body, trying to reach y/n before the large boulder does.

ice spreads from his feet and meets with the chunk of stone before it can fall on y/n's head.

"i'm going to get you out of here," todoroki promises when he makes it to y/n. he calls for help while looking over the pieces of the building on top of y/n's body.

"todoroki," y/n coughs weakly, and todoroki notices a pool of red slowly start to grow on the concrete below them.

"don't talk." todoroki's voice sounds so weak and helpless, and he hates it.

y/n just smiles, but the blood dripping from the corners of his mouth keep it from spreading warmth and happiness within todoroki like it usually does.

todoroki's already seen lots of tragedy in his one year of hero work, but he's never felt so panicked in his entire life.

he tries to shift a rock, but it only makes y/n groan.

"help!" todoroki yells again, but everyone's too preoccupied with catching the villain and tending to their own serious injuries to come and rescue y/n.

"shhh, todoroki," y/n says weakly.

"don't talk!" todoroki yells this time. it's still helpless, but it's loud, and y/n starts to laugh to the best of his ability.

"hard when... when you're just so funny. that's why... i..."

"don't close your eyes." todoroki feels like his heart's stopped.

"i..." y/n's eyes droop.

"look at me!" todoroki shouts with wild eyes.

and so he does. y/n looks at him with tired eyes, but todoroki can tell that he's straining himself to do so.

"i love you," todoroki's eyes feel heavy and his nose burns. "please... i love you, too..."

but it's too late.

the open eyes are quick to lose their life, and y/n's skin loses its color.

"i love you."

❥๑━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━๑❥

a/n;

deadass i was listening to my discover weekly on spotify and when i was writing the last few sentences i love you by wavves came on

i didn't know what to title it so i just left it

i hope it was satisfactory anon!

[rosicae]

Writing tip or something - planning scenes

Writing difficult scenes is always a struggle. Here are some tips to make the process a little easier, and more importantly, actually get something done instead of staring at a blank page for two months (guilty).

First, let's start where you left off. Maybe they're exploring the dark woods trying to find their lost cat and they come across a beast. Great! Battle scene time.

The first thing you need to ask yourself is what you'll get out of this battle. The main points, or plot-twists, if there are any. For example: Maybe the cat turned into the beast and they only realise as it lies dying; maybe one of the main characters die; maybe they find a key in the beast's skull; maybe they spare the beast and it becomes their friend; maybe the beast just dies and that's it. I'm not judging, there's a plethora of reasons you'd do anything in stories. Most scenes should have some sort of lead, whether it be key or death or kiss or whatever, depending on what sort of story you're cooking, but it's up to you.

So, figure out your main point. For simplicity's sake, I'll go with: “They kill the beast, they find a key”. Finding the key will be a clear lead to their next move. But for now, let's focus on the current scene.

You're going to want to order the events. Writing scenes like this off the bat can be pretty hard, so let's just go with what we know first.

I'm not joking when I say a lot of my scenes start out sort of like this.

Now, to build upon this beauty, we have to dig into each segment. Let's start with part A!

PART A - “Rosi encounters a beast.”

What sort of beast is it? A slimy tentacle monster? A catfish-pirate? A deformed bear? Dracula?? Your decision will affect the entire scene, so really think about what you choose. Monsters are super fun, so be creative if your story allows it! I'll pick a duck-faced bear spider hybrid. What does that do? It might help to draw your monster if it's a struggle to think it through. Here's mine!

As you think about their appearance, see how you can use it to their advantage or flaw. You might even already have ideas for certain moves during their fight, or what could be the fatal blow. We'll talk more on that later though.

Next on Part A, how did she encounter it? Was she up in the trees trying to check the sun's direction when suddenly it barreled into her and threw her down the tree? Did she trip over a log only to realise it wasn't a log but an angry treant? Is the forest cursed and monsters just keep chasing after her for no reason??? Maybe she's holding a tracker and the evil villain is sending the monsters after her.... it's good to think about, in the long run. For now though, let's just stick with: "she bumped into the beast"

But try to make it fancy. What was her reaction to bumping into it? Why would she bump into it? Maybe she wasn't looking while she was running and kept bumping into trees, but then one tree was actually the monster. The monster is clearly very fluffy (would probably make a good blanket), so let's make that a clear point.

So now we've got:

“Rosi was running along the forest without properly watching where she was going, when she bumped into a tree - but it was fluffy and warm and beating, not a tree. It was a bear duck spider beast. OOOO! SLAP SLAP!”

Slap slap being “the beast slapped her in her confused daze”, because who wouldn't be surprised if a tree was actually a duck-bear hybrid? This happens to be a perfect initiation to begin battling! On to part B!

PART B - “She fights the beast and kills it.”

This is absolutely the hardest part. It'll take careful consideration and pacing and- oh whatever let's just slap in every action thing we can think of. Even if you think it isn't good, even if it's just little phrases or actions or fancy words or teeny tiny segments you aren't sure about, it's good. Just do it.

-beast slaps her in her confusion/daze and she hits her back against a tree, much pain

-beast snaps its flappy duck beak and honks a bunch, muddling her brain

-rosi throws rocks at it

-rosi somehow breaks off its spider legs, unbalancing it

-beast uses its spider legs to crawl everywhere and be very agile and hard to fend off

-beast stabs her with its stabby legs

-maybe an injury from being slapped around

-rosi tries to run but it's always there

-rosi smacks its beak, very annoyed

-beast forces her to the dirt and pummels her with its stabby paws

-rosi evades its stabbies because the green drippy stuff looks like venom

-venom touches nature stuff and makes it wither

-beast lets out a bellow that shakes the earth and topples trees

-rosi avoids the trees to not die

-rosi scrambles to get up

-the most important thing is to somehow open its skull: plunge a verrryyy strong stick through its eye that tears out the key; or somehow trick it to stab itself with its venom spider legs and it withers and turns to bone/ashes and yay key (I like the second one so I'll go with that, but it's always good to list out your options!)

So I basically just took parts of the forest and parts of the beast's body and natural instincts of someone who is facing death and, adding some creativity, threw together a bunch of possibilites. It might take some practice, but once you're in the flow and have some experience listing this stuff, you'll get the hang of it in no time. Thoughts tend to be short and snappy in quick-paced scenes, so be careful not to go into a whole monologue about their past experiences, but absolutely show some reasoning to the complex things they do if necessary. And leave the monologing for when they're not being killed.

Now let's order them into something that sort of makes sense. It varies depending on what you want, so see if you can make your own unique battle scene out of this list!

-beast slaps her in her confusion/daze and she hits her back against a tree, much pain

-rosi scrambles to get up

-maybe an injury from being slapped around (tree + back + sudden slap = pain, this might be a good time to mention if they already have a flaw like having weak bones or an old injury, but if it isn't your intention to incapacitate them and you want to be realistic, have a reason for them not to insta-die without being op. Maybe she was just slapped into bushes and got little scrapes or a twisted ankle. Maybe she had a plushy backpack that took most of the impact. Remember where your character gets injured too, since pain usually hurts for a while and it's good to add that in wherever needed now and later. It can even drive the story along at times, like a life-threatening blow.)

-beast lets out a bellow that shakes the earth and topples trees

-rosi avoids the trees to not die

-rosi tries to run but it's always there

-beast uses its spider legs to crawl everywhere and be very agile and hard to fend off

-venom touches nature stuff and makes it wither (she notices here and thinks oh no, that is bad, can't let that touch me)

-rosi throws rocks at it (misses because it's agile)

-beast forces her to the dirt and pummels her with its stabby paws

-beast snaps its flappy duck beak and honks a bunch, muddling her brain

-rosi smacks its beak, very annoyed

-beast stabs her with its stabby legs (or tries, let's not kill her just yet if we're deciding on venom QwQ Maybe she uses a plank of wood to save herself last second)

-rosi evades its stabbies because the green drippy stuff looks like venom

X-rosi somehow breaks off its spider legs, unbalancing it (delete because the lower idea is better, but maybe earlier one of the rocks she threw can unbalance it a bit and it jumps on her to attack closer because it feels threatened)

-rosi somehow tricks it to stab itself with its venom spider legs and it withers and turns to bone/ashes and yay key (she tricks it by deflecting it with something strong, like a boulder behind her, she got out of the way just as it does a slash at her, and it bounces perfectly into itself

And just like that, ordering and expanding on every part, you've got yourself an entire fight! Obviously it isn't as easy as counting to ten and opening a pot to a finished piece, but if you just take ten minutes or, better yet, an hour, you'll get somewhere. All you need is the base.

PART C - “She finds a key in its skull.”

Keys are shiny, and if it's daytime, maybe some light can twinkle off it as it falls, or she could just notice it because who wouldn't notice a key trapped in bones? Either way, she picks it up, as you do (unless you want an eagle to swoop in and take it, in which case rosi will have to chase after it and climb a tree and try to take it back from its nest and blahdy blah but rosi doesn't feel like moving anymore after the fight, so let's go with the easier option for now). She might have to wrench it out of bones, but it's fine, she's already dirty from the battle.

So what's the key look like, hmm? Is it rusty and old, or fleshy but firm and warm as suited for being trapped in brains for so long? Or oozing in the same venom, and she has to wipe it off with special fabric only trolls deeper in the forest are capable of making, or throw it in a lake to purify it? Maybe it's short, or missing half that you have to find somewhere along the journey. What does it unlock? Rosi won't know now, obviously, but you'd better have an idea or there'd be no point to it in the first place. Maybe this entire journey is in her mind and she's finding parts of a key to unlock her memory which will be a door to her childhood house. Maybe it's a master key to the villain's castle. Maybe it was accidentally baked in a cookie the beast ordered from a special fish-headed-cat-run bakery, and the little workers will be scrambling around to find the key and be so grateful that rosi brings it back that they hail her as king of fish-headed cats. You never know :D...except you kinda have to, so please have some sort of idea even if it's small.

That's practically all you can do in this part, so next we're on-

PART D - “She questions the key, then goes off to seek reason for it.”

Assuming she collects the key, what are her thoughts? It's all down to personality. Let's say rosi loves keys, and she has a whole collection at home, and she loves shiny things. She'll probably squee at the sight of it and act very excited - "she snatched up the key and chirruped her glee (oh hey, that rhymes!), and after a quick inspection with gleaming eyes, she tucked it safely in her pocket alongside trinkets from the seaside."

Because, you know, obviously she was at the seaside before all this. Or whatever else she was doing. It's your call. It's their personality. It's an optional connection, but a valid one nevertheless. Careful though - if she carries too much, she might get weighed down and drown.

In her case, she doesn't really think too hard on the key. Maybe she's already fought plenty of monsters and gotten a nice treasure trove of stuff. Maybe she's an air-head. Cough. Either way, the obstacle is gone so now she can go off and do what she was doing before - albeit a little more cautious, provided she learns from experience. If there's a clear indicator of what the key is for, or if the character was actively seeking it out, that'll obviously give a different outcome - maybe they'll turn back the way they came (car keys), or head for the town of blue oak (blue key) if that is already in their knowledge database, or ask the next person they see and get guided or tricked.

Finally, let's put this baby together! Let's start simple for now and just slap together this monstrosity with whatever little stuff we think of in the moment and some proper tense. We can build it up later (not here lol I've spent too much on this but you can if you want).

~~Rosi's Magical Adventure~~

Rosi ran along the forest without properly watching where she was going, when she bumped into a tree – but it was fluffy and warm and beating, not a tree. It was a bear duck spider beast.

Fish. That definitely shouldn't exit.

The beast slapped her in her daze and her back slammed against a tree. Despite being in pain, she scrambled to get up. She staggered, feeling the pierce in her ribs, the ache in her feet, the scream in her head that told her to run. It was drowned out under the beast's bellow. The earth shook and trees toppled one after another. Rosi spun on her heel and ran, avoiding the trees that twisted her path.

Even when she thought she outran it, it was always a step behind, a step above, a step ahead. Its spindly legs granted it an agility she couldn't imagine matching. Not only that – wherever the ends of those legs touched, an iridescent liquid spurted out, withering blooming manes and wilting once-proud trunks in an instant.

She shivered. She couldn't let it touch her. Realising that her (flee, running, escaping – whenever you can't think of the right words in the moment, just think of whatever is the closest and use that until you find the right word, or you might waste an hour racking your brains when you could just keep writing) was futile, she pounced into a rolling stop by a mound of rocks. It disoriented the beast for but a moment as she scooped a handful of rocks and hurled them at it. Most missed, or melted into its ragged coat, but a few landed directly against its uppermost legs. It gave an unnerved honk and flung itself at her, forcing her to the dirt, pummeling her with monstrous paws and claws that snapped her skin as she raised her hands to defend her face.

It honked. She grimaced. Her vision blurred and brain muddled with every honk. On impulse, one hand shot out to smack its flapping beak. Its pupils contorted, enraged by her sacrilege, and its spindle-legs shot towards her.

Just in time, she rolled free and pulled herself up, evading the blows that scattered poison over melting green. One hit went into a boulder. The boulder didn't budge. It was ineffective. It sparked an idea in Rosi, but she wasn't sure, so she waited until it happened again, and again it hit a boulder and bounced without damaging the boulder. She danced her way around the clearing, then stopped directly in front of boulder, facing the beast with her lips twisted into a wry smile.

The stabby leg slashed her way, but she ducked out of the way at the last second. Unable to redirect its blow, the leg bounced off the boulder and went directly into the beast's skull. The venom was quick to engulf the beast. Its skin vanished like the trees. It was only (bones, skeletal structure remained) and it fell before her. (If you still aren't sure how to write a part, break it down even further, even if it looks stupid. Keep breaking down everything as much as you need, until everything is plain to see and there are no misunderstandings. Then add on, and keep adding on, until you eventually understand.)

Streams of sunlight (because a lot of the trees died, so now there's some light in the forest) glinted off a surface lodged in the bones. Realising the rusty old metal to be a key, she snatched it up and chirruped her glee, and after a quick inspection with gleaming eyes, she tucked it safely in her pocket alongside trinkets from the seaside. Then she turned and limped her way back home, wondering why she came in the first place as blood trailed after her.

~~The End~~

It isn't perfect – far from it – but it doesn't matter. It's a start. You can work with it. You can keep going. Finish the chapter by repeating this process over and over, then go back and polish it when you've let the experience sink in a bit. Who knows where you'll go??? (ﾟヮﾟ)/

I spent almost three hours on this instead of writing my own book, and I'm tired, so I don't know if this makes sense, but I hope it's helpful a little??? I tried not to make it complex as much as possible so people of many levels can understand and hopefully get something out of it;;;

It's the method I've been using for a long time, especially when I'm in a difficult part or just can't get myself to write anything. Start simple, get something done, and keep going.

….....which I realise is the complete opposite of what I'm doing. Oh gosh what have I done OAAAAAO

….also this is really long and I'm scared so I'm not even going to hard read it over or edit now that I'm done writing.

ROSI OUT

[fly-pow-bye]

DuckTales 2017 - “The Most Dangerous Game...Night!”

Story by: Francisco Angones, Madison Bateman, Colleen Evanson, Christian Magalhaes, Bob Snow

Written by: Francisco Angones

Storyboard by: Vince Aparo, Emmy Cicirega, Ben Holm

Directed by: Tanner Johnson

We’re back!

Season 1 ended with a war involving the full appearance of one of the most anticipated returning villains, and surprising revelations about a friend and the mother that just couldn’t be found. If you expected Season 2's opener to continue from that, you are mistaken. However, that's not a bad thing; we needed a break from the storm.

The episode starts off with Scrooge, the nephews, and Webby going into a temple with many traps. Right from the first minute, you can just tell by Louie’s expression that he’s not enjoying this as much as the rest of them. He accidentally walks into a cobweb, bumps into Scrooge which almost leads to him falling into a pit, and was too busy getting the webs out to help him out of it, unlike the other kids. This makes him the odd one out, starting a theme for this episode.

But, whoa, look at Dewey and Webby acting like a team to get past the aforementioned pit, harmonizing a song about how teamwork is the dreamwork. Dewey and Webby have teamed up quite a bit in Season 1, Webby being the only one in on Dewey's search for his mother, but they take it a lot further in this episode in their own subplot.

Huey gets to be involved as well, being the brains behind this operation. We learn that the best way to dodge arrow traps is to dodge and step in time with the opening of the DuckTales theme song. They even give it musical accompaniment the second time they do it, just in case you didn't get it the first time. They even end up facing backwards as soon as they're done with it, just like how they faced the camera in the original. A neat touch.

After Louie tries to do the same thing, but failing, we get to the practically obligatory Raiders of the Lost Ark reference. This comes complete with a golden idol to "borrow and then forget about". Specifically, the Idol of Cibola, which, legend has it, has some sort of legend that Louie doesn't even let Scrooge tell. He just wants to get the "whoa" over with.

He airs his laments on how all these adventures have been exactly the same. He even has a three step way of describing all of these adventures, and says that they've all been following this since the beginning. Not so coincidentally, this is a pretty good way to teach kids about three-act structures.

The setup - "Whoa! Some cool hidden city or treasure or whatever!"

The confrontation - "Wait, what? That cool thing is dangerous, cursed, or guarded by centaurs?!"

The resolution - "Ahhh! Louie almost dies, can we please move this along?"

Scrooge shrugs him off, saying that no two perilous scenarios are alike, and that they can be unpredictable. Of course, this is folllowed by Dewey taking the idol and the platform it was on lowering in an ominous way, even saying "whoa!" and "wait what?" at both of these. Louie even lifts his fingers up with each of these, though he doesn't get the chance to lift his third.

Instead, they're too busy running away from the boulder that closes out this cold open. Who could have seen that one coming, besides Louie? But see, it is a little less predictable: the boulder that chases after them happens to be wheel shaped. It's totally different from that other guy's perils with golden idols and boulders.

It's a new season, so I might as well talk about the opening theme song. Like Star Vs, it's mostly the same, with a few things changed for eagle-eyed viewers. The two that I can notice:

Gizmoduck is the one supplying the lasers this time.

More interestingly, Bouncer Beagle, who was kind of redundant since Ma Beagle is right next to him, is replaced with Magica De Spell. Maybe The Shadow War isn't the last we'll see of her? Well, it is not this episode.

While everyone else is excited about that adventure, Louie isn't, and he's especially not happy when he finds out that the Idol of Cibola only had a treasure map inside of it. Yay, more adventure. He's getting really tired of the "hunting" part of treasure hunting, he needs a break. Huey disagrees, and is absolutely excited.

The whole family is a perfect team, according to Huey. He's the brains, Webby is the fists, Dewey has the devil-may-care attitude, and Louie...is there too. Webby tends to be the brains and the one with the devil-may-care attitude occasionally, she has everything, but let's ignore that for now. Huey then starts to praise his own merits. Literally, he shows off his Junior Woodchuck merit badge sash. Louie sarcastically asks him if he's going to aim for getting his sewing badge. Huey says he already has it, but Louie points out a rip in the shirt.

Huey's Junior Woodchuck outfit happens to have a loose string, and he gets into a rut over it. He beats himself up over his "amateur hour" mistake. Another subplot, though one that shows up only occasionally, and anyone can guess where it will lead. Huey sees Louie's point and blames it on the constant adventuring; it must have torn this shirt apart! This gives Louie an idea.

Louie goes up to Scrooge and claims that all of this adventuring is tearing him and his brothers apart, bringing along the still stressed out Huey to point that out. Scrooge shrugs him off every step of the way. There's a callback to how Scrooge can't tell the nephews apart, which doesn't come up as much as one would think.

He says that they rarely have any quality, and suggests some things like Scrooge is walking out of the room. He suggests things like a Make Your Own Pizza Day, or a game night.

That make your own pizza day sure hit the spot for him, but as everyone knows, pizza always wins. Just kidding, it's the game night that piques his interest. How much does it pique his interest?

He's sure to let everyone know by joyfully exclaiming that it's game night to everyone. It's a side of Scrooge you don't see as often, though it definitely existed.

Everyone else isn't too happy, though. Mrs. Beakley explains that Scrooge really gets into this, everything becomes a war zone, and that, as Scrooge always bests his enemies by being smarter than the smarties, they are the enemies. Anyway, Scrooge tells everyone to team up. Scrooge gets Donald, Dewey gets his perfect partner and best friend Webby, and Mrs. Beakley gets Ghost Duckworth. It's a long story.

However, Ghost Duckworth pretends to notice that dark magic's afoot in the ethereal plane, making up an excuse to get out of this scene, and out of most of the episode. Instead, Mrs. Beakley has to make do with Launchpad. Louie tries to get Huey to join him, but...well...

...he has to relearn how to make that Krabby Patty after he messed up on those pickles. Again, much like Louie, I can see how this could end. Nothing can possibly ruin this game night and make this an adventure! ...now what "wait, what" is going to ruin this game night and make this an adventure?

Gyro shows up, with a new invention: a megaphone that listens in on microscopic things. Specifically, he calls it the a Micro Phone, and he's going to use it to find the so-tiny-they-can't-be-seen-by-even-the-viewer's-naked-eyes Gyropuddlians, a reference to the Lilliputians from Gulliver’s Travels, and become their God-King. How? It happens to have a shrink ray function, too. It seems like as long as a cartoon is on, an episode involving a ray that makes things bigger or smaller becomes more likely to happen.

Louie, exasperated by how they can't escape adventure even when they're staying at home, decides to do the sensible thing...

…aim the Micro Phone at Gyro and shoot! He doesn’t even have a single qualm that he just doomed one of Scrooge’s most important employees in a nightmarish terror of being among giants that nobody can see with the naked eye. Huey is noticeably upset, but Louie tries to calm him down in an also sensible way.

Louie: And we can't tell anybody! Because if you do tell anybody, things will only get worse, until you'll never be able to sew a merit badge onto a sash ever again, OK?!

Huey: (looks at his Junior Woodchuck shirt, mumbling with stress)

Also, he believes Gyro's too smart to be killed, and the "ahhh" part will end with him almost getting killed, but learning a lesson in the end. In fact, he even uses the Micro Phone to reveal that his "whoa" actually happened: he did become the God-King.

Meanwhile, we get to one of the Game Night portions of the episode, starting with a game of charades. Pick something out of the hat, act like it, and hope your teammate can guess it. Mrs. Beakley ends up being the timekeeper, as much as everyone would want to see how Launchpad would play charades. Donald is really good at Charades, since not wing understood verbally, non-verbal is easy for him. Nobody has to worry that they didn’t get that; this is all explained by Webby.

Next, it's the perfect team ever's turn. That is, Dewey and Webby, continuing the subplot. We essentially get the scene we would have gotten with Mrs. Beakley and Launchpad. Webby gets a really easy one: Scrooge McDuck. But, wait what? Dewey doesn't get the answer no matter what Webby does? They're sure it's just a fluke.

Eventually, it’s Huey and Louie’s turn, but they’re interrupted by Gyro, God of the Gyrolites, using the Micro Phone to announce his glory. The boys immediately. The others don’t seem to mind. In fact, they're unaware of Huey and Louie’s adventure throughout the entire episode.

They take the Micro Phone to the kitchen, where Gyro tells them what's been going on. Louie was slightly wrong on his initial guess: the tiny people are actually going to go to war against the giants. Why? Because the giants keep destroying their villages!

One notable example? The floating island of Toiletopolis. I mean, we had to go to toilet humor eventually, complete with Louie's disgusted reaction on realizing what that could possibly mean. Soon, a few ants show up, and Gyro the God-King tries his best to shrink them. He ends up accidentally shrinking a few other things, such as a refrigerator, a sink...

...and Launchpad, who happened to be walking in the door. Yeah, that last one’s a big deal. While Launchpad doesn't have the Micro Phone with him, he does have his cellphone to tell him what kind of horrors he's facing, like the giant spider that's slowly walking across Huey and Louie's feet. Wow, Scrooge's manor has a pest problem!

Mrs. Beakley shows up and wonders where her game partner is. Nothing really comes of that other than taking Mrs. Beakley out of the plot. I kind of forgot she was even there, to be honest. We almost didn’t need Duckworth, either, but it did lead to a funny line earlier, so that's okay.

The next game is the Generic Block Pushing Game. No, they don’t actually call it that, in fact, they don't call it anything. Well, someone else has a name for it, but it's clearly not it. Donald and Scrooge take a block out flawlessly, but Dewey and Webby have a harder time, especially when one of the pieces seems to be moving on its own. They, of course, blame each other over it.

Launchpad calls them and says they're just at the Infinity Tower, trying to conquer it by making it topple down. Huey and Louie take a moment to realize what exactly could be called an infinity tower by really tiny beings, as one of the blocks in that tower appears to be moving on its own. Dewey blames his teammate over it, continuing the Dewey and Webby plot.

We then see the toppling of the so-called "Infinity Tower". This is shown completely in slow motion until it zooms out to an unimpressive tumbling, a subtle way to show off the difference between their perspectives. Suddenly, the call goes out, and we get a commercial break.

Huey and Louie are now crying over how everyone was crushed, to everyone else's confusion. After a few seconds of this, they do get a phone call from Launchpad saying that he's okay, because the tiny people happen to be really fast. It's like a Goosebumps chapter break. "Suddenly, the tower collapses, and their friend isn't answering their calls! BUM BUM BUM! Nope, he's okay!"

We get this emotional moment that reveals that Louie is acting like this for more reasons than just "lovable laziness". We know it's emotional because they subtly play piano music over it. This is quickly shrugged off, but it does raise some good points.

The final challenge: Scroogeopoly, a game about money. All the pieces are top hats, and the oldest player goes first. Yeah, that’s not going to be rigged in favor of the duck that's on the box, and pretty much everyone knows it. Scrooge just shrugs them all off, and, of course, dominates the entire game. I sure say something like that a lot in this review; it's just what he does constantly in this episode.

However, a move that nobody expected: the Micro Phone happened to be aimed at them, because the mini people trained flies to be able to lift it. They get shrunken down. Louie shows up, and gets out his monocular that he just happened to have to see what he has done. It was interesting to not be able to see what these Gyropuddlians look like, but it looks like there's no choice but to end that gag.

For the first time in the episode, we get to see these tiny creatures, because these naked eyes are on ducks only slightly smaller than them now. They look like bears, possibly water bears. Anthropomorphic bears, too, not like the like-real-life bear that appeared in that Goldie episode. I don’t know if we’ll ever get to the bottom of that, alongside all of those regular birds that appear occasionally. Including in this episode during the “GAME NIIIGHT” scene.

But, whoa, this Micro Phone does have an unshrink function! Wait, what, it works on the tiny water bears, too, as we accidentally aimed at them instead of the ducks? Ahhh! He’s giant, even though nobody else ends up being giant in this episode during the necessarily predictable conclusion of this plot. Maybe he held the button for too long?

Louie, now all alone, has to figure out how to get out of this situation. Louie’s whole plot in this episode is essentially him trying to figure out how he could fit into this plot, and he’s not fitting into the “lovably lazy schemer” part that he usually fits into. Suddenly, he figures it out: he has to be a schemer in a different way.

We get the fight scene, with all of them fighting the Gyropuddlians in their own way, all under the guidance of the giant-to-them Louie. But, ahhh, Dewey and Webby aren't follow along because they seemingly can't trust each other! This suddenly ends with Scrooge telling them that they don't have to get along as him and Donald don't. This references the charades scene from earlier. They're not friends, they're family. That apparently was all they needed to get over it, subplot over.

Even Huey gets over his fear of failing to sew, in a move that is a little expected. This is all due to Louie's new planning skills! Will they manage to get out of...yes. The answer is yes. I don't even need to finish that question. How did they do it? They do it in an entertaining way. This is a review, not a summary.

Since they obviously get out of this situation, we get to the also obvious "I'm sorry" scene with a not-so-obvious conclusion. He comes into the room, with 15 different apologies, and Scrooge has this angry look on his face. Turns out, it ends up very well for Louie.

So well, we suddenly end on this shot of Louie getting his own room and even his own LLC. Will this be the start of a story arc focused on Louie, since Dewey managed to have all the "fun" in Season 1? Only time will tell.

How does it stack up?

This episode is a great opener, even if it's not as epic as the first episode of the whole series. I mean, did anyone expect that? Sure, the subplots can be a bit forced, mostly to force that three-act-structure gag, but it's still enjoyable.

Next, the animated debut of Donald Duck’s screwy cousin from the comics, Fethry Duck!

← The Shadow War! 🦆 The Depths of Cousin Fethry! →