#handheld lets me play wherever and whenever and makes me feel like I have more control

[hollowsart]

I need so badly to find a good splatoon player who plays like me: stick controls + roller main (volume off optional)

I need to see someone like that like sooooo bad.

and by that, I mean a player who is on youtube so I could watch videos of them playing the game.

[breeeliss]

plance + soulmate au where first touch generates matching color swirls?

words: 1826

lance doesn’t notice his soulmate mark until he showers that night. he’s soaping up his shoulder and he sees it – a whorl of blues, whites, and greens starting from the center of his hand and branching out towards his fingers in patterns that sometimes look like vines, sometimes like waves, and sometimes a little of both.

it never takes more than six hours for marks to show up, which means the encounter was recent – someone in the garrison, someone at the welcome ceremony, someone in the mess hall, the showers, the hallways. 

he’s patted so many people on the shoulder today – because it’s the garrison, and his kindness spills out towards everyone, even that annoying, broody kid in his piloting class that he sort of wants to smack. dozens of students. all so different. some he liked and some he didn’t. 

he doesn’t know which is meant to be the one. 

pidge knows. 

she saw the bright, handsome boy dancing through the halls and handing out congratulations like they were weightless. he grabbed her shoulder, squeezed, and screamed something in her face before continuing onto his first class. 

she stares at the handprint on her shoulder, fingers tickling the top of her collarbone because of how large and warm his hands were. the colors are bright enough to make her skin look more washed out than usual, but she can’t be annoyed with it. 

it’s such a gorgeous mark. that boy must be more than just nice to look at. 

at night, lance mourns beaches, five dollar pizza, thunderstorms, his sister tilde’s guitar playing, and the soulmate he’ll probably never meet. 

optimism is easy to speak aloud but much harder to believe. his teammates depend on his ability to ground everyone with assurances that wars always ended and families would always be waiting. lance sometimes needed to ground himself with those same promises so that he could fall asleep at night. but when he’s in the training room with keith – his mind clear as he focuses on sharpening his skills for battle – he knows earth probably isn’t in his future. he’ll likely spend his whole life ending this war, or die trying. it isn’t something he’s ever planned or asked for, but he’s here now and he intends to give all of himself for the cause. 

thoughts of some faceless stranger still taking classes in the garrison aren’t ones he tries to entertain for very long. it ruins his focus and makes it harder for him to endure. people can go their whole lives without meeting their soulmate. many people don’t marry or fall in love with their soulmate. not having your soulmate doesn’t make you incomplete. all things his mother told him as a child, and he rattles it off in his head whenever he aches for affection and dreams of falling in love. 

he has a job to do. he wishes that his soulmate, wherever they are, end up happy without him. 

the idea of a soulmate seems irreparably backwards. it’s like being handed the answer before you even get to sit down and work through a problem. the novelty and delight of discovering something for yourself is forever lost, and all you’re left with is the daunting reality that the stranger standing in front of you is supposed to be the most important person in your life. 

it’s a difficult thing for pidge to wrap her mind around especially because she never gave much thought to love or romance. most of her life has been spent trying to catch up to her brother – teaching herself to code, studying his old physics notebooks, printing out the garrison application and keeping it hung on her wall until she’s old enough to apply. now she’s stuck trying to carve through the expanse of space in order to find him while risking her life for the sake of a war she did not start and doesn’t understand. if pidge has to choose, matt will always be the most important person in her life, seconded only by the millions of people in galaxies she’s probably never heard of who look to her strength and need her to liberate them from the hell they’ve endured for thousands of years. she’s not allowed to be selfish anymore. whether or not it’s fair is irrelevant in comparison to its definitive truth. 

lance doesn’t neatly fit into any of that. 

she’s not sure how she would ever fall in love with him. he’s loud, inappropriate, immature, and expends far too much energy into making sure that he’s the most dazzling presence in the room. hunk tells her it’s because he hates to be ignored and wants to assure himself that his presents isn’t ineffectual. she understands that, but it doesn’t change the fact that her ears ring when he’s in the room, he breaks her focus when she’s trying to concentrate on something important, and his nauseating playboy act floods her with a curious surge of annoyance. 

but, all that isn’t to say that she couldn’t fall for him. lance shines in rather unexpected ways. he’s impossibly kind – so kind that he’d cut out pieces of himself to give to others while ignoring the pain it causes him. he bleeds sincerity without even realizing it, and he honestly seems to enchanted by the beauty he sees in everyone around him that he’s perfectly happy being of use to those he cares about without any consideration handed back to him in return. he isn’t just handsome to pidge in those moments – he’s beautiful. 

he’s beautiful when he carries her to bed after she’s fallen asleep in front of her computer. he’s gorgeous when he shoves her behind him in the middle of battles and takes blaster shots to the shoulder to keep her safe. he’s stunning when he links his pinky with hers and tells her that fate always rewards selfless people like her, and she’ll get her brother back because she’s too good to not have the universe give her something back. pidge can tell he isn’t quite sure if he believes his own words or not, but he knows how they serve as salves for wounds that dig deep and keep her paralyzed in bed, and she wishes her thank you’s did half the job of repaying him. 

but pidge doesn’t tell him, doesn’t show him her shoulder, doesn’t tell anyone what she knows. because there’s no place for love in war. because knowing that she eventually will fall in love with lance scares her. because she doesn’t know how to stand in front of him and tell him that someday, somehow, they won’t be able to live without each other. 

pidge just wants to find her brother and save lives. she doesn’t know if there’s space to fit loving lance into all that. 

lance sees the mark by accident. she’s fallen asleep in the common room again, and the jacket she has draped over her shoulders is on the floor when he comes to carry her back to her room again. the colorful patterns inked into her skin are achingly familiar, and he confirms his suspicions when he lays his hand over pidge’s soulmate mark and finds that it matches up perfectly. 

he feels his breath catch, and suddenly fifty other things come rushing at him and also start to match up perfectly quicker than he can catch up. 

he never had any plan for when he found his soulmate. he always assumed he’d figure it out when the time came – it might be awkward and it might be new, but when you’re sharing it with someone who will soon become the most central piece of happiness you’ll ever get to keep for yourself, but it won’t matter because everything about it will be perfect. 

now lance is standing here, staring at pidge, trying to recount all the pretty, sweet things about her in her head – her long lashes, her intelligence, her eyes, her conviction, her smile, her loyalty – and laughing at the discovery. it isn’t who he expected, but pidge makes sense. everything about pidge is straightforward and honest and lovely, and he’s never kept mum about how much he appreciates her and how thankful he is to know her. they’re friends and partners, and knowing that they could have the potential to become more – that it would be so easy, like breathing or living through a day with purpose – makes lance feel like he’s walking on air. 

it’s pidge. he likes that it’s pidge. 

he picks her up and carries her on his back, already memorizing how to get to her room seeing as how they’ve done this so many times already. lance readjusts his grip and accidentally jostles her enough to wake her from her sleep. pidge turns her head and mumbles something against his neck. “what time is it?”

“late,” lance said. “you’ve been crouched over for too long anyway. time to rest your back.” 

pidge sighs against his skin, and the shiver it causes feels loaded in a way that lance hadn’t expected. “i was keeping my posture straight like you told me to, mom.” 

“glad to hear it.” 

he opens the door with his foot and steps over the eviscerated tech projects and souped up altean handheld tablets until he’s laying her out on her bed. she’s half asleep as he tucks the blankets up to her chin and removes her glasses to rest them on the table by the bed. but lance can’t help but lay his hand against pidge’s soulmate mark and rub this thumb against her skin in the hopes it’ll lull her to sleep. he sits there by her bed until her breathing evens out and the peace that she deserves to have fill her life finally relaxes her face and gives her a respite from the world that falls into chaos quicker than she can control it. 

lance presses a kiss to her forehead and can’t help but let them linger until a flush he can’t explain warms his cheeks and leaves his heart swelling. he dims the lights as he leaves and quietly closes the door. on the way back to his room, he stares down at his hand and traces his fingers along the mark, wondering if they’re hiding some secret for the future or some explanation for what he was meant to do now. 

he covers his mouth with his marked hand and can’t help but giggle in the middle of the hallway, not caring if anyone hears him. lance supposes the answers won’t come right away and that they’ll likely be confusing. but the happiness that’s making his skin buzz and his cheeks hurt make the unknown that’s stretched out in front of them seem exciting and filled with promise. 

lance goes to sleep that night dreaming of pidge. 

[heartslogos]

newfragile yellows [175]

“Alright,” Bull says, nudging Skinner’s back with his foot in an attempt to dislodge her from where she, Grim, and Stitches have installed themselves at the edge of the bed watching TV that Bull has no control over.

He swears that he hasn’t watched like - actual adult not cartoon tv in years. Sometimes when it’s just him and Mahanon the boy lets him change the channel to daytime talkshow TV and it’s such a relief to not be watching the power of friendship that he’ll even take the gossipy bullshit. Especially if Mahanon is going to snort and make general noises of disbelief and the most outrageously insulted faces whenever he spots a fallacy in logic. That kid is growing up to be one fine little non-believer.

Mahanon is curled up in the armchair next to the window and the small little table Ellana moved in there for aesthetics and he’s crammed into the chair with Krem and they’re playing on Rocky’s old handheld.

Dalish is lying down next to Ellana, eyes half closed as Ellana absently strokes her hair while reading something on her phone.

Rocky is on the floor somewhere. Strange kid.

“Bedtime for real, it might be a Friday night but if you think I’m going to let all of you stay in this room all night watching TV and playing video games and hogging my wife you’re crazy and I’ve failed you as a parent,” Bull says, “Go tuck yourselves in or something.”

As if to spite him, he can visibly see all of his kids dig their butts into wherever they’re seated like they’re going in for a war of attrition.

Ellana’s lip twitches up but otherwise her face remains remarkably impassive.

“No. Seriously. I mean it. I’m going to make out with your mom and it’s going to be gross. There’ll be laughing and kissing noises,” Bull says.

Dalish snorts in her sleep.

“If that were true, Mom would be the first one out of the room,” Mahanon says, rubbing his cheek into Krem’s shoulder as if to say I’m here now, forever, and you can’t do anything about it.

“Yeah, nice try,” Stitches says, “Besides, there’s nothing grosser than watching the two of you watch horror movies together.”

“The two of you are all over each other making puppy eyes as you poke holes into the movie logic and make fun of the characters and call out tropes and stuff,” Rocky says from the floor, “It’s no fun watching any movie with you guys, really.”

“You ruined my childhood,” Skinner says, “I can’t enjoy movies.”

“And you enjoy that?” Bull gestures at the TV.

Skinner shrugs, “It isn’t trying.”

True.

“Alright, fine, we aren’t going to make out,” Bull admits, putting his arm around Ellana’s shoulders and touching his fingers to Dalish’s head, gently nudging her to try and get her to move. “We’re going to do something worse.”

His kids ignore him and that’s their loss.

Ellana’s eyebrows are slowly raising but she’s also still reading along. It looks like some sort of law text or something, Bull has no idea.

“We’re going to talk about feelings,” Bull says.

It’s like magic but better.

Rocky rockets to his feet and is out the door which hits against the wall so hard with how he threw it open that it almost closes again. Kid is luck that there were clothes hanging behind the door to protect the wall or Bull’d have him fixing the dents by hand first thing Saturday morning.

Skinner and Stitches trip over each other, landing with thumps! as they do their best to get away. Grim neatly jumps over them and is gone.

Dalish yowls, grabbing onto the back of their nightshirts and sending them all into a tangle onto the ground as they yelp and awkwardly crawl-lunge their way out the door and into the hallway.

Krem falls out of the chair with a squeak and runs out.

Mahanon is the only one left but he’s sullenly tucked the handheld under his arm and is taking his sweet petulant time crossing the room.

“Scram,” Ellana says, locking her phone and putting it on the bedside table.

“ - bled eggs and bacon,” Mahanon finishes and Ellana smiles at him. One of their little games. Mahanon smiles back briefly before trotting out the door and closing it behind him.

Ellana turns to him expectantly, moving over on the bed to lean more against him, head on his chest.

“Are we really going to be talking about feelings or was this just to get the kids out of the room?”

“Yes, we’re really going to be talking about feelings,” Bull says.

“Is this a talk about marriage?” Ellana asks.

Bull looks down at her and carefully feels out the words, “Do you want it to be a talk about marriage?”

“No,” Ellana says instantly and Bull nods.

“Then it isn’t a talk about marriage. Nah, but I did want to know your feelings on a subject that is something of a big commitment.”

“Alright,” Ellana nods, turning her head up to look at him. “What’s the subject and what kind of commitment? Matching tattoos kind of commitment? A pet commitment? Another child commitment?”

“No,” Bull says, “Though the tattoo thing is maybe something we can think about later, maybe. I don’t know, I’ve always thought couples tattoos are cliched and in bad taste and also kind of a jinx.”

“Agreed.”

“And I think they’re old enough to manage a reasonable pet without it feeling like kids and a pet, like I think they could help out and stuff.”

“Also agreed.”

“The other kid thing is something we could…possibly consider but it would have to be something the entire house is okay with and it’s definitely not the topic of this conversation.”

“Alright,” Ellana lets out a slow sigh and she relaxes against him, tension running out of her he almost didn’t realize was there, “That’s a relief. I’m sorry - it’s just. I don’t think I can. I mean, I know that this is something you’re sort of used to but I’m still getting used to Mahanon and it’s been years.”

“That’s fine,” Bull says, slowly curling some of her hair around his finger. “It’s not what I wanted to talk about, though.”

“You’ve stumped me, then,” Ellana says, “What is it, Bull?”

“I wanted to know if you would consider buying a bigger house with me,” Bull says, “So I guess a financial commitment.”

Ellana blinks sitting up and turning to face him, her elbow over the pillows and her head on her palm, “Oh this is not where I thought this night was going to go. Don’t get me wrong, though. I love this turn of events. I’m going to guess that you’ve got some prospects, some ideas - some research even. Lay it out for me, then. Tell me about our possible future house and what I can expect.”

[supergirl-imagines]

Lena Luthor/you fic pt. 20

“Hey,” Kara enters the room, doing her best to hide the sadness in her eyes, and sat down beside Lena’s bed.  “They’re getting ready to put her under now.  How are you feeling?”

“Just great,” Lena rasps dryly.  

“Lena, listen.  I don’t know how to explain it, but I know she’s still in there.  I saw it in her eyes when I spoke to—“

“Don’t,” Lena interrupts.  “Kara, I can’t handle building up hope right now.  I just can’t.”

Kara’s heart breaks as she stares at the woman curled up under the blankets.  Exhaustion has marred her features and those green eyes that usually shine so brightly are as dull as Kara’s ever seen them.

“You can’t give up.”

“Why shouldn’t I?  And please, save the Supergirl bullshit speech.  She tried to kill me.  Anyone I have ever loved has either died or tried to have me killed.  So, tell me Kara; why the hell shouldn’t I give up at this point?”

“Because she’s there, Lena.  I promise you that Y/N is still in there somewhere.  I told her that she needs to fight for you and I watched tears fall from her eyes, okay?  She’s fighting for you and you need to do the same for her.”

Kara’s words come out a bit harsher than she plans, but she sees the hostile stance slip from Lena’s bones.  She knows it’s in the brunette’s nature to go cold whenever things get bad—it isn’t the first time Kara’s seen it.  That doesn’t mean it doesn’t scare her a little when it happens.  Lena isn’t meant to be cold and watching the familiar warmth in her closest friend’s smile slip is jarring.

“God, how are we supposed to move past this?” Lena whispers, more to herself than to Kara.  Nevertheless, the Kryptonite takes her hand and squeezes it tightly between her own two.

“One step at a time,” Kara sighs.

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

“Don’t you die on me,” Alex mutters to the body laying before her and subconsciously squeezes the gas mask in her hands.  She finds herself a little surprised to see your eyes locked on hers instead of staring straight up at the ceiling like they had been.  As she moves to put the mask over your face, they don’t waiver from her own and she sighs against the fabric covering the bottom half of her own features.

“Alright, let’s put her under,” she nods to the waiting anesthetist at the head of the operating table.  The wheel of the gas tank squeaks as he turns it and the sound is followed by the hiss of air flowing down the clear tubing and into the mask over your face.  Your eyes don’t waiver from her, even as they flutter shut.

Once she’s sure you’re out, Alex turns around to face the rest of her team and nods towards your still form.  

“Let’s get her flipped over and prepped.  We need to move fast, people.  Let’s go.”

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

You had never believed in out of body experiences, or souls, or really the afterlife.  But, here you are, staring at the back of your own head as Kara’s sister sliced into your neck with a scalpel.  Her hand was steady and the cut she created aligned almost perfectly with the one that had disappeared from your skin after the Kryptonian genes infiltrated your cells.  You realized that every blemish, scar, and remaining bruises on your body was probably gone as well.

“I need a retractor,” Alex set the tool in her hand to the side and waited for one of her assistants to replace it with a new device.

Not particularly wanting to see the inside of your body any further, you turned and walked unnoticed through the operating theater and out the door without needing to open it.  Ghosting through the halls wasn’t an unfamiliar feeling for you; being a criminal was a profession that required you to blend in and not turn any heads.  

You took your time going through the high-tech facility, peeking into every door you passed to try to catch a glimpse of anything familiar.  You didn’t know the layout of the area and started to think you were going in circles when you found the room you were looking for.

The room with Lena.

You stood outside, peering through the window—not ready to be in the same room with her yet, even like this.  Kara, sans Supergirl outfit, was lying beside her in the hospital bed with her arm around her shoulders.  A pang of comfort struck you, knowing that Lena would have someone if you didn’t survive this.  Kara was good for her and could protect her better than you ever had been able to.  The two of them were talking about something and you watched as Kara rubbed her shoulder lightly.  You weren’t quite sure what team the blonde played for, but perhaps she could play for Lena’s once you were gone.  They might be good for each other.

Eventually, you passed into the room.  Neither woman seemed to notice your presence as you stepped closer to the bed.  You froze when your eyes locked on the darkening bruises around Lena’s neck.  It wasn’t difficult to make out the shape of your hands in the pattern of contusions.  

“What’s happening now?” Lena’s rough voice pulled you out of your trance and you looked towards Kara; unable to keep your eyes on the other woman any longer.

“I don’t really understand most of the medical talk,” Kara admitted, but craned her ear towards the far wall.  “But, it doesn’t sound like anything’s going wrong.”

“Do you think she’ll be the same…when she wakes up?” 

“Lena,” Kara sighed and continued to rub the other woman’s shoulder, “I don’t want to sound harsh, but no.  I mean…I know I wasn’t after what happened with the red Kryptonite.”

“It wasn’t your fault.”

“That doesn’t matter,” the blonde shrugged.  “What mattered was that I had hurt the people I love.”

“Do you think she’ll remember it?”

“I know this isn’t optimistic, but I do.  The look in her eyes…she knows.”

“Will you be there for her, you know, when she wakes up?  I want to, but…”

“You’re scared, I understand,” Kara assures her.  You wonder whether she’ll ever be able to look at you again without fear in her eyes. 

That is, if she can even look at you.

“I’ll be wherever you need me to be.  But, Alex will fix her.  She fixes everything, trust me.”

“What about her…powers?”

“Well, to be honest, the DEO probably won’t want her out on the streets until they know she can control them.”

“You’ll help her with that?” Lena asks hopefully.  The thought of spending your days locked in the cavernous headquarters is comforting.  They can keep you from hurting anyone again; especially Lena.

“Of course.  Whatever you guys need from me, I’m here.”

Once again, Kara’s reassurance comforts you as well.  She’s a good person—one of the best you know, actually.  

“You should really get some more sleep.  I promise to wake you if I hear anything happen,” Kara tells the other woman before she can protest.  Your gaze flickers to the bruises marring Lena’s throat as Kara gets to her feet and their positions change.  Kara takes a seat in the chair next to the bed and offers her companion a comforting little smile as she settles under the white blanket covering most of her body.

You took your leave with a sick feeling in your stomach.  The marks you had left brought back crystal clear visions of what had happened at her apartment.  You wonder if this is truly what’s happening or if you psyche is just constructing an elaborate dream to punish you for what you’ve done.  

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

“Update on her Kryptonite level?” Alex’s eyes didn’t waiver from the open incision in front of her as she made the request.  Her hands were starting to cramp, but they still moved expertly around the half-embedded chip in your neck.  

“Dropping faster by the second.  You’ve got around 35 minutes before her cells start regenerating.”

“Damn it,” Alex muttered.  She was running out of time and reintroducing anymore Kryptonite could put you into a coma or worse.  She had to move faster.  

Her eyes widened at a sudden idea.

“Someone get me a handheld sunlamp,” she ordered.  If she could get synthetic yellow sun-rays on the damaged flesh right after tearing out the chip, your body could do the repairing for her.  Alex’s surgical team watched uncertainly as the woman clamped a pair of forceps onto the CADMUS device and wiggled it slightly in order to loosen it up.  

The door to the operating room flew open as the agent who had gone to find the lamp returned and placed it into Alex’s gloved hand.  Her heart raced as she powered it up and made sure to keep it aimed away from you.  After a second of hesitation, she pulled the chip from your neck and immediately held the lamp centimeters away from your neck.

“Her EKG is looking sporadic,” the man monitoring your brain function warned.  Alex chewed her bottom lip anxiously and cranked up the wattage on the lamp.  She eyed the many screens showing your vitals and tried to determine whether or not they were declining or improving.  Two of them had alarms going off while the other three were quiet.  After a few seconds, one turned off.  Alex turned the light onto its highest setting and said a quick prayer under her breath.  The last monitor fell silent.

“She’s stable,” Alex breathed out at last.  The surgical team surrounding her broke out into a round of applause and the corners of her eyes crinkled as she smiled beneath her mask.

She had done it.

Reunion next chapter!  Let me know what you think!

[ruffsficstuffplace]

Reunions (Part 18): Four To Win The War (1 of 3)

7:30PM, roughly an hour-and-a-half after Mal’s now infamous comment.

Kalila strode into a bar/lounge, a trendy, modern, niche establishment where the décor was mostly carefully cultivated flora from all around the states; the furniture was made out of wicker, bamboo, and driftwood; and many of the clients were smoking liquid concoctions with the help of handheld hookahs.

She turned heads as she strode on by in her sandals, breaking some out of passionate debates about choices of literature, films, music, and other forms of entertainment; getting a number appreciative looks, whistles, and compliments; and more than a handful of people taking pictures of her and asking their companions and social media about who she was, and where in the world did she get what she was wearing.

No one made a move to intercept her and speak with her, however, for underneath the expertly applied make-up that concealed the dark rings and the decades’ worth of wrinkles, the silky clothes flowing around her shapely body like mist, and the jewelry that kept her brown-gold hair in an elegant side-plait, they could sense the aura of a woman who had a very, very, very bad day.

If Raven noticed, she didn’t let it show. “Hey, Kali!” she said, waving as Kalila reached her table. “Do you mind if I call you Kali?”

“No, it’s actually quite nice,” Kalila said as she stepped into the chair opposite her. “Quite the step-up from ‘Whore of the Demon Scourge,’ that’s for sure.”

Raven raised an eyebrow. “Huh. Already feeling the effects of being roomed with Dog, huh?”

Kalila squeezed her eyes shut and groaned. “Yes, and please don’t say his name—nickname, pseudonym, whatever—again...”

Raven nodded. “Do you want to talk about it...?” she asked, reaching out and touching Kalila on her shoulder.

Kalila looked Raven dead in her eyes. “Raven, I understand you’re being polite, but believe me, you do not want my day was like,” she said in a calm, even tone.

Raven hummed. “And you assume I wasn’t being serious, too.” She smiled. “I’m your friend, Kali! Or I’d like to be considered as one by you, and friends let friends vent to them when they need it!”

Kalila debated for a moment, before she sighed. “Okay, what the hell: I’ll bite. On the condition that you don’t get to back out once I start.”

“Good thing I didn’t intend to stop listening until you let it all out!” Raven said, before she sat up and looked interested.

Kalila nodded, before she took a deep breath, and collected her thoughts. “It all started at 4AM, when some asshole burst through our window with a knife to try and cut up Dog, and didn’t realize all that glass would cut HIM up, too...” she started.

She went on to tell of the handful of other intrusions from would-be assassins, recruiters, and reporters for the rest of the early morning, to the point where she, Gareth, and Ted had went on to install a security system to safeguard their things and their room from new break-ins, before the latter two had to leave for their jobs in New Hope.

“Do you know what it’s like to be so out of fucks to give, that when someone breaks into your room and nearly gets his fingers sliced off by a trap made of fishing line, a reel, and a vacuum motor, you actually get bandages to keep him from bleeding all over your stuff, before you tell him which bunk is Dog’s so he can skip the overturning everyone else’s stuff?

“I do. It is not a pleasant state of being, I swear.”

She went on to her attempt to get breakfast, finding out that the other Islanders had put every single conceivable warning on their door, from painting the blood of animals around the frame, carving in symbols for “Danger,” “Doom,” and “Cursed Ground” on the door itself, and hanging a “Beware of Dog” sign that had the silhouette of the animal hastily repainted to resemble the man.

“It used to be I couldn’t walk into a common area without being mobbed by men and women, all wanting me or wanting to be near me, if they weren’t staring at the sidelines jealous or admiring from a distance.

“Now, they can’t get away from me fast enough.

“There’s always a line at the cafeteria, whenever a food truck comes in and we have more than just the usual oats, orange juice, terrible tea, and even worse coffee. People will fight for their place in line, or for someone else’s just for a chance of almost-about-to-expire corned beef hash.

“But not today. I had my pick of whatever was on offer, even if I needed to hop across the counter, and get it myself, because no wanted to serve me.”

She regaled Raven about going back up to her room, finding a new would-be intruder writhing in pain in the hall, foiled by the shock trap Ted installed in the doorknob. She stepped over him, and attempted to sleep the rest of the day away in the hopes that she might wake-up, and all of this would be a nightmare.

“Then, I woke up, saw your text asking me to meet up here, because apparently something big has happened to him that you think we can use to our advantage, and realized this was a nightmare, just one I won’t be waking up from, ever.”

Kalila took a deep breath, and sighed heavily. “So, with all that out of the way... what did you have in mind...?” she finished.

“That can wait for later,” Raven said, waving her off. “Do you need a hug...?”

“What I need are several alcoholic drinks,  or better yet, a time machine or spell, whatever will let me seduce the admin into giving me any room but 404,” Kalila said. She looked around. “This place is part bar, right?”

“Non-alcoholic, sorry, but the menu’s still really good!” Raven said.

Kalila sighed. “Then I’m sorry to say that it looks like you can’t help lift my mood... shall we get to business?”

Raven sighed and nodded. “Alright… so, just making sure here: you did read the news about what Mal just said about her dad, right?”

“No, I’ve been trying to avoid anything involving him,” Kalila replied. “What happened?”

Raven pulled out her phone, and loaded up the video. Kalila watched, smiling as it ended. “Well, if that isn’t the best news I’ve heard all day! So he’s going back to the Isle, right?”

“Kali!” Raven cried. “How could you say that about him?”

“Well, there is the fact that he’s been directly responsible for turning my new life here in Auradon into a living hell, just like he did back during the Great Isle War!” Kalila chirped.

“… Okay, yeah, you’ve got a point there! But look at it this way: as unfortunate it is that this happened, this is a huge opportunity for the company to branch into the Islander market, AND launch your career, AND do some good, all at the same time!” Raven said excitedly.

Kalila stared at her, before she groaned. “Raven, please don’t tell me you’re going where I think you’re going with this…”

“If you think I’m going with ‘Make you-know-who your male counterpart for our fashion lines, help convince Auradon that he’s reformed, and play a key role in helping him get back with his daughter,’ then no, I won’t tell you that,” Raven said.

“Are you shitting me right now?!” Kalila snapped. “You know his reputation, don’t you?”

Raven threw out her arms. “Who doesn’t?! But look: the fact of the matter is, he’s the hottest, most searched, and most attention-grabbing personality in Auradon right now, and is going to be for a long time yet! Wherever he goes, whatever he does, so long as it has his name on it, or he’s even remotely connected to the events, people are going to read it, and they’re probably going to want to check out who was with him, and who he’s associated with.”

Kalila crossed her arms. “You realize that there’s a stark difference between the benefits of being famous vs infamous, right…?”

Raven nodded. “I know. Which frankly makes this opportunity even better. The entire ‘Villain Kid’ Rescue Program and the Islander Rescue and Rehabilitation Initiative are more than just long-overdue justice—it’s the biggest redemption story ever told here in Auradon, and believe me, us Auradonians love ourselves our redemption stories!

“I don’t know about you, but the public will absolutely eat up and follow every single minute of a story about one of the most infamous and feared Islanders turning his back on his dark past, fighting the demons of his past to reconnect with his estranged daughter, and find a new, better life here in Auradon…

“… All with the help of his fellow reformed Islanders—like you—and his new native friends, like me!” Raven finished, beaming.

Kalila sighed. “Raven, I hate to break it to you, but men don’t change. Ever. I wouldn’t have gotten here—or even survived this long—if I didn’t accept that cold hard reality.

“I get it: you were raised on a diet of stories where love conquers all, good people triumph over wicked folks, and even the most terrible and corrupted souls can change for the better when you show them enough kindness, but me?

“My whole life was a constant lesson that love just isn’t enough, wicked folks fuck over good people with impunity on a daily basis, and putting faith, love, and effort in someone in the hopes that they will magically change for the better just ends in tears, and whole lot of wasted time.

“Sometimes worse.”

Raven’s bright and chipper aura dimmed. “Okay. Fine. You’ve got me on that. But still, it won’t hurt to give him a chance, will it?”

“Yes,” Kalila said flatly. “And just so you know, if I end up getting horribly murdered because you tempted fate like that, I’m haunting you and your family for all of eternity.”

“And if I promise I won’t try to have your restless spirit exorcised, or move somewhere where you won’t be able to haunt me or my descendants…?” Raven replied.

Kalila shot her a look, sighed, and shook her head.

Raven reached out and touched her arm. “Come on, Kali: what have you got to lose if you try to help him out?”

“My son, who I’ve been longing to have back in my arms for 15 years!” Kalila snapped.

“And what will it take to stay with your son?”

Kalila sighed, her shoulders drooping. “Prove I’m ‘dedicated to being a Good, productive, law-abiding citizen of Auradon...’”

“And how are you planning on being gainfully employed right now…?”

“Be a model for your brand,” Kalila replied.

“And why did I recruit you?”

“Because I’m sexy, charismatic, and your in to the Villain market...”

“And can we sell to the Villain market if they see you as a pariah and, I quote, ‘Whore of the Demon Scourge’?”

Kalila scowled. “No.”

“And how big is the bill you racked up which my company considered your advance, and an investment on their part that they want back eventually...?”

Kalila threw her hands up. “OKAY! FINE! I GET IT! I’ll give him a call, and tell him you want to offer him a job. And just that. Happy?”

Raven beamed. “Yes.”

Kalila got up out of her seat, and went to a quiet corner of the bar, where the concoctions they were smoking weren’t particularly offensive to her nose, and called Dog.

Somewhere in Ursula’s Strait, Dog stopped rowing, surprised that he still got reception this far out. “Hello?” he said.

“H..lo, Dog r..ht?” Kalila said, her voice faint and filled with static. “S.it, whe.. a.. you? Re..tion’s terri..e!”

Dog looked around, saw the silhouette of a cell tower off in the distance. “Give me a minute!” he said, before he put his phone down, and started rowing to it. It was going to increase his chances of getting caught by the border patrol, but he had a feeling this was worth the risk.

He looked at his phone, saw the bar go up one, and stopped. “How’s that?” he asked after he pulled the oars back up.

“Still shit, but it’ll work,” Kalila said, audible if he strained to hear, with a few minor losses here and there. “Look, Dog, my friend Raven Hood she says got a business proposal for you, some crazy plan to try and keep you here in Auradon, and get you into your daughter’s good graces.

“If you say yes, I’ll send her your number, and you two can hash out the details.”

Dog blinked. “Sounds good! Too good, actually! What’s the catch?”

“You and me will find out, but trust me: Raven may the daughter of an outlaw but she’s about as kindhearted, generous, and selfless as most Auradonians think they are. So, are you taking it or not?”

“Just one more question: why are you calling me, after the whole ‘leave and never come back’ speech?”

“Business,” Kalila said flatly. “Raven thinks we can use your infamy for profit, hers, yours, and mine. And before you ask, our partnership is going to be strictly professional, you’re still banned from 404, and I’m not magically going to become fine with you, alright?

Dog smiled. “Fine with me; this isn’t exactly the first time a woman’s selfishly used me for personal profit...”

Kalila groaned. “Don’t remind me. Goodbye.”

“Wait! Kalila!”

“What...?” she snapped.

“Thank you.”

“… Don’t thank me yet, Dog, not until you’ve held up your end of the bargain.”

Beep.

Dog looked at his phone, then at the Isle on one side of him, then at Auradon on the other. He put it back in his coat pocket, sat down, and thought.

Kalila was just one other person willing to give him a chance besides Ben, and even then, it was clear that she was giving him the barest minimum of goodwill she could muster. Mal still hated him, Auradon feared him, and his fellow Islanders on both sides of Auradon Bay either gave him a wide berth, or wanted to get close enough to stab him to death. There was no guarantee that whatever plan Raven had in mind would help him past basic survival in the long-run, if it didn’t end up backfiring on them entirely…

… But you know what? He was going to take it anyway.

“Fear the man who has nothing left to lose, for there is nothing holding him back,” Dog thought to himself as he rowed back to Auradon.

[geekysweetie]

Top 10 Nintendo Switch 2017 Games for Girls

Like a few of our lucky readers, I was fortunate enough to get a day-one Preorder for the Nintendo Switch. Sadly had to get the plain grey one, but beggars can’t be choosers right? 🙂 What games are you most looking forward to? For me, the only launch title right now that has caught my eye is Zelda, but that’s sure to change as we get closer to release. There are a ton of interesting looking games coming out by the end of the year for the new console.

Here are the Top 10 Nintendo Switch Games Due out in 2017 that I am most looking forward to.

NEW UPDATE: Check Out our List of Upcoming 2018 Nintendo Switch Games for Girls here.

Top 10 Nintendo Switch Games

Mario Odyssey

Mario Odyssey – The new Mario Game looks amazing. It reminds me a lot of Mario 64 with a huge open world full of lots of fun and crazy looking levels. Mario has some new abilities too such as being able to throw and jump on his cap to cross large areas. Mario will fly on an airship to travel to “strange new worlds” (for Mario and his friends), but the world is actually made up of different places that we know in real life such as New York City, and Latin and South America. Mario Odyssey’s release date is December 29th, 2017.

Pokemon Stars

Pokemon Stars – Although it is still a rumor at this time, several retailer leaks such as one that has since been taken down on Gamestop seem to refer to the existence of a new Pokemon Game for Nintendo Switch. The rumor is that it is a new version of Pokemon Sun and Moon with over 20 new pokemon added in. This rumor has not been confirmed by Nintendo and so no release date has been given.

Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley – I actually spent the majority of this past weekend playing the PC version of Stardew Valley. True, you can already play this game right now today on PC and other consoles… But imagine being able to play it ON THE GO, away from home. This will be the title’s first entry into mobile or handheld gaming. Stardew Valley is an amazing “tribute” to classic Nintendo games such as Harvest Moon and Rune Factory – so it makes sense that it would find a home on the Nintendo Switch as well. It is such a relaxing game and the type of game that you can pick up and play as little as an hour, or easily spend 20+ hours straight with. The Nintendo Switch ability to switch from handheld to console form lets you play Stardew Valley whenever, wherever, and however you want. Although it is definitely for sure coming to the Nintendo Switch, there is no official word on a release date.

Seasons of Heaven – Seasons of Heaven is a confirmed Exclusive title for the new Nintendo Switch. Graphically it looks pretty amazing for a Nintendo console and much more like something that we would see on a PS3 or PS4. The game is based on a novel by the same name and features a boy with his dog as they travel a post-apocalyptic fantasy world. The fact that it’s exclusive to the Switch gives Nintendo some more advantage. In my opinion a console is only as good as its exclusives! I’m looking forward to learning more about Seasons of Heaven in the months to come. No Release date has been set yet for this title.

Dragonquest XI

Dragonquest XI – There will now be three versions of the newest Dragon Quest game all set to release in 2017. These include a fully 3D version for the PS4, a 2D/3D style for the 3DS and a 3D style version for the new Nintendo Switch. Clearly still, from trailers and screenshots, the PS4 version is going to still have the upperhand when it comes to graphics and resolution. However, the ability now to have a version where you can play on the go (as with the 3DS) OR play on the big screen (as with the PS4) all in one version now (on the Nintendo Switch), gives one some pause into deciding which version of the game to pick up. Regardless of which version you get, this already looks set to be an amazing game. Dragonquest has long been the best selling RPG franchise of all time (yes, even more so than Final Fantasy) and many fans around the world are anxiously awaiting the newest installment into the Dragonquest saga.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 – Another exciting Nintendo Switch exclusive. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is a direct sequel finally to cult classic Xenoblade Chronicles from back on the Wii. The Wii U also saw Xenoblade Chronicles X – However, that was more of a side game, and not directly related to the first. Xenoblade Chronicles remains one of the greatest games on the Wii and until the recent release on the Nintendo E-Store, it was a highly sought after collector’s item. Not only that, but it is a fantastic RPG. I’m so thrilled to see it getting a sequel that I’m almost just as excited for this title as for the new Zelda or SMT.

Fire Emblem Warriors – There is extremely little details known about this title yet. There’s going to a live event on January 18th at 5pm EST dedicated fully to the Fire Emblem series. Speculation includes that the live event will reveal more details not only about Fire Emblem Warriors but also about the upcoming mobile game that was originally announced for 2016 but got delayed until “Sometime in 2017”.

Shin Megami Tensei

Shin Megami Tensei – I am the biggest Atlus fangirl ever. Tokyo Mirage Sessions is my favorite Wii U game – and I’ve been hooked on Persona and SMT games ever since Playstation One days. I suspect that this will be a much darker game than say Tokyo Mirage Sessions or Persona, and go back to gameplay similar to that in Devil Summoner and Devil Survivor. I’m really excited to hear that a new SMT game is in the works. It is such an underloved and underrated series. I was most surprised by this announcement at the Live event last week. There’s barely any details yet, just that it will coincide with the series’ 25th anniversary.

  Project Octopath Traveler – a brand new exclusive from Square-Enix. The trailer seems to hint at an open world with multiple endings and a branching plot that is determined by choices the player makes. These types of games are always my favorite, so I am super interested in learning more about Project Octopath Traveler. It is being developed by the same team who worked on Bravely Default. The artwork is retro which is an interesting approach because as we’ve seen with other titles such as Seasons of Heaven, the console is definitely quite capable of more “Next-Gen” style graphics as well. This leads me to believe that this title will try to pander to us older fans from the 16bit era. Graphics and gameplay seem to remind me in some parts of some older Square games such as Final Fantasy Tactics, Saga Frontier, Legend of Mana, Live A Live, and Ogre Battle. Very excited to see where this one goes.

zelda breath of the wild

Zelda Breath of the Wild is by far the most anticipated and exciting launch title for the Nintendo Switch. There are several different collector editions for quite a large price! The collector editions include things like a carrying case, replica sword, soundtrack, cloth map, and coin. Amazon and Gamestop both sold out of these sets already. Best-buy began preorders for them today. But no matter if you get the Special Edition, or Master Edition, Or the base game is available for $59.99  you will be getting one amazing game. Keep in mind, if ordering the digital version, it will take up over HALF of the storage on the Nintendo Switch. Yikes! It is the first time for Zelda to take a more “western” approach to gaming, emulating features commonly found in Elder Scrolls games such as an open world and sandbox style gameplay. It also will have more than 100 Shrines of Trial to explore. It’s going to be a huge game. And from the launch trailer video, I feel that the story is also going to be very emotional and exciting. More so than any other game on the list, this is the one that should not be missed.

I also have to give a nod to a few other 2017 Switch games that didn’t quite make the list including the new Bomberman Game, Skyrim’s first foray into handheld gaming, Minecraft Switch Edition (for much of the same reasons as why Stardew Valley made the list), Mario Kart, Sonic, and Splatoon 2. With strong support from third party developers, and a few iconic Nintendo franchises making appearances, the gaming library for Nintendo Switch is already looking extremely promising.

Also the fact that the console is not region locked gives the fan translation community a chance to shine and bring us all the great games that Nintendo of America will either censor, or simply take a pass and not localize for North America. This could in theory mean that we could see some visual novels or otome games or more JRPGs on this Nintendo console provided that the English speaking Fan Translation community get behind certain projects.

The one franchise I expected to see, and didn’t see, was Smash Brothers. Also would love to see a new Donkey Kong Country game.

Although it is still early days, the future looks bright for Nintendo’s newest console.

Let us know in the comments below what Nintendo Switch Games You’re most excited for!

  Top 10 Nintendo Switch 2017 Games for Girls was originally published on GeekySweetie.com - Geeky & Kawaii Anime, Tech, Toys, & Game Reviews & News