#he probably breezed through the tournament and by the time he was put against mr satan king was just like

[tenshindon]

every now and then i remember the epilogue story where yamcha almost won at the world tournament but decided to let mr satan take the win so he would maintain his reputation

[lunaverseimagine]

Didn’t Think You’d Remember

Prompt: I don’t know if you remember me

Pairing: Ron x Reader

Summary: Reader has been thinking about Ron ever since she first saw him in Diagon Alley. Now that she’s finally made the quidditch team for her house, will he notice her? (Note: y/h = your house, reader not in Gryffindor)

Warnings: None? (Unless - spoiler - kissing counts? xD )

Word count: 1.9k

Fic:

You jumped up and down, muddy, soaking wet, and absolutely ecstatic. You couldn’t wait to tell your friends - you’d just been selected as a Y/h chaser! You had tried out for the team every year, never losing hope, practising whenever you could. Being on a quidditch team had been your dream ever since you found out what the word ‘quidditch’ meant, and you couldn’t believe your hard work had finally paid off; you were in fifth year and you’d made it!

Your team’s practises began the very next day. They were gruelling, tiring, and everything you had hoped for. Apparently training was even harder than it would normally be this time of year, because your captain wanted you to be prepared for your first match - which was against Gryffindor. When you’d found out who the new Gryffindor keeper was, you couldn’t help the mix of excitement and nerves that danced in your stomach.

The first time you saw him was in Diagon Alley before your first year at Hogwarts. As a muggle-born, you were absolutely awestruck by everything around you. The first thing you did was have your muggle money exchanged for wizard money by a goblin... goblin! To be honest the creatures had creeped you out a bit, and they still do, but you soon got over that when you started exploring all the magical shops. Even the seemingly mundane items, like your History of Magic book, absolutely intrigued you, and you were sure that you were walking around with your mouth hanging open the whole afternoon.

Of particular interest to you were the wizarding families - it was obvious who had grown up around magic and who hadn’t. For one thing, the wizarding families were all wearing quite peculiar clothes, and for another, they were looking at the whacky shops as though they were as normal as a Greggs or a WHSmith. It was when you neared Ollivander’s, where you’d been advised to get your wand, that you saw several redheads, obviously witches and wizards, chatting and laughing outside. You politely squeezed past them to get inside the shop where you saw another two redheads - a boy about your age, and a short, kind-faced woman whom you guessed was his mother. The boy was flicking a wand in the air with a look of determination that you found endearing. Eventually Mr Ollivander gestured for the wand back - it didn’t seem to be doing anything - and the boy glanced over at you with a shy, slightly embarrassed smile. When he was handed the next wand he did the same flicking motion, but this time you saw a glimmer all around his body that looked.. well, magical. The cutest smile you’d ever seen lit up his whole face, although it dimmed a bit when his mum tipped the minimal contents of her purse onto the counter and had just enough coins to buy the wand.

Since then, you’d heard of Ron’s endeavours throughout the years at Hogwarts: that game of wizard’s chess in first year where he nearly died, going into the chamber of secrets in second to year to save his sister who nearly died, that mysterious event in third year where he broke his leg and probably nearly died, and let’s not forget fourth year where he was one of the four treasures in the bottom of the lake to be found in the second task of the Triwizard Tournament (although you don’t think he nearly died that time). And let’s not forget flying his car to school - you knew it was reckless, but at the same time you admired the courage and resourcefulness, and feared that he would be expelled. You were so relieved to see him wolfing down breakfast in the Great Hall the next day.

Despite your attentiveness to activities, you were sure he’d never noticed you. There was the occasional shared smile in the corridor or in classes that you had together, but you thought that was more out of politeness than any specific feeling towards you.

All that was going to change though - he was bound to notice you in a few weeks’ time because you would be trying to get the quaffle through the very hoops that he would be defending. You felt the butterflies in your stomach again.

--

The day of the match had finally arrived. Your training had been absolutely brutal but you were grateful, because at least now you felt a little prepared. After a quick pep talk in the changing rooms, you followed your captain onto the pitch to loud cheers coming from the stands. The Gryffindor team were approaching the centre where Madam Hooch stood, and as you neared them you could’ve sworn Ron shot a smile in your direction. You brushed it off - he was probably just being friendly before the game.

The captains shook hands and Hooch’s whistle sounded. Thoughts of Ron immediately disappeared from your mind as you focussed on trying to gain possession of the quaffle. You didn’t have to wait long - thanks to a bludger heading towards the Gryffindor chaser the ball had been dropped, and you were perfectly poised to catch it. You flew straight for the hoops, feeling the wind rush through your hair, checking around you for any bludgers or players who might compromise your flight. Surprisingly it was smooth sailing to the posts, and you found yourself face to face with him. You shot Ron a cheeky smile - you were always most confident when on your broom - and faked a throw into the right hoop which successfully fooled Ron and allowed you to score through the centre. You heard the stadium erupt with cheers.

Ron had a shocked expression on his face, like he hadn’t quite comprehended what had just happened, and you gave him a wink before flying a celebratory lap of the pitch.

During the rest of the match you had four more attempts at a goal: two successful and two blocked. In the end it was Harry who caught the snitch, leading inevitably to a Gryffindor win, but you were in good spirits regardless. Three goals scored in your first proper match! You’d talked your parents’ ears off about quidditch, and while they still didn’t quite understand the concept (“Why is it 150 points for the snitch? Isn’t that a bit much?”) you knew they’d be delighted to read the letter you were going to send later telling them about your goals.

--

There was a brilliant feast in the Great Hall that evening to celebrate the first match of the season. You took great pleasure in eating one of every type of food that was laid out before you. Your appetite was a force to be reckoned with and your friends always seemed quite impressed at how much you managed to eat every meal time.

As you were making your way through a delicious pumpkin pie, you noticed your friends looking at something behind you. Turning, you saw a familiar face.

“Y/n,” Ron smiled at you. You were surprised that he knew your name, but hoped you’d managed to keep the shock off your face. “Mind if I take a seat?” The people on your left had already scooted along the bench to give him room.

“Of course,” you smiled back, trying to suppress the butterflies that had once again made themselves at home in your stomach.

“Well played today,” he complimented you as he helped himself to a generous serving of chocolate eclairs. If any student in Hogwarts had an appetite to rival yours, it would be Ron.

“Thanks,” you said breezily, hoping he wouldn’t see the blush in your cheeks, “you too.” You busied yourself with finishing off your dessert while Ron spoke to the other people on your table. They seemed very happy to engage in conversation - it appeared it wasn’t just you who thought highly of him. You loved how friendly and open to conversation he was, even with non-Gryffindors. When you’d both finished your food and the hall started emptying, Ron asked if you’d like to walk around the grounds with him. You tried not to agree too quickly.

--

There was an autumn chill in the air but at least it wasn’t raining - not that any weather would stop you from spending time with Ron (who knew your name! and wanted to spend time with you!). You hugged your cloak around you and listened intently to Ron talking about his favourite quidditch team, the Chudley Cannons, who just so happened to be your favourite team too.

You’d just finished discussing which Cannons chaser you thought had had the best season when you reached the edge of the lake. You both stopped walking and took a moment to just look at each other. His eyes wore a soft expression, and his hair was slightly ruffled from the breeze, which made him look more adorable than usual. 

“To be honest, I didn’t think you remembered me.” You said quite suddenly, not even knowing yourself that you were going to speak.

“I’ve been thinking about you since I saw you in Ollivanders,” Ron spoke gently, his voice barely above a whisper. “You- you didn’t look put off when you saw my Mum emptying… Well anyway, I thought you seemed really decent.”

You couldn’t help but smile at Ron using ‘decent’ as a flirtatious - is that what it was? - word.

“Anyone who cares about that isn’t worth your time,” you replied adamantly, “especially with all the amazing stuff you’ve done over the years.” Now it was Ron’s turn to blush.

“I haven’t really done anything, Hermione’s the brains and Harry’s done all the hard stuff, I just, sort of, tag along.” Is that really what he thought of himself? 

You reached for his hand, your fingers brushing his. He didn’t pull away, so you took his hand in yours and looked straight at him with an earnest expression on your face. “I bet Harry wouldn’t have been able to do half that stuff without you by his side, without your courage giving him strength.”

Ron searched your eyes, trying to work out if you really meant what you were saying. He seemed satisfied with what he saw, because the next thing you knew he was lowering his face towards yours. He paused, barely a centimetre away, as if waiting for consent. You happily obliged, closing the rest of the distance between you.

The butterflies turned into fireworks. You ran your hands through his hair - you’ve been wanting to do that for so long - and it was just as soft as you’d imagined. You gave it a gentle tug and he let out a quiet moan, grazing his teeth against your bottom lip. You pressed your body against his, revelling in the feeling of being so close, of being one, with this boy you’d been thinking about since you were 11. His hands were on your waist, holding you tightly, and you knew that he’d been thinking about you for a while too. You’d only had one proper conversation with Ron, but your lips were so in tune with his that it was as though you’d been doing this forever.

Eventually you came apart, your heavy breaths mingling in the small space between you.

“You have no idea how long I’ve been wanting to do that.” you remarked. 

With his forehead touching yours, Ron grinned at you and said, “Y/n, that was bloody brilliant.”

End

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed :3 Please feel free to send imagine requests to my ask, and if you liked this please lmk by liking/reblogging/following (it’s super encouraging!)

[agentwhiskeysdarlin]

Locked Out

(gif credit to @pedropascalito​)

Request from @murdermewithbooks​ above

Pairing: Jack ‘Whiskey’ Daniels x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 2,121 (it’s Jack y’all)

Rating: NC-17

Warnings: cursing, little alcohol consumption, smutty smutty times my friends, unprotected sex (wrap it before you tap it kids), not edited as usual

Author Notes: I had planned to stop this when they started eating the pie and well that did not happen. I have one more request left and it is for Ezra and I am high key scared to write for him so be patient with me on that one. I have a list of lined up things coming for you guys I am super excited about. Thank you to everyone for your kind words and support on my writing it seriously means THE WORLD to me. I hope you enjoy this fun times with our favorite cowboy.

ao3 link for story

   A cool breeze swept its way through your apartment windows. When you had awoke that morning and saw how nice out it was you could not help but raising the few windows in the small place you called home. Country music played softly around you as you dusted away at the shelves in your main room. You had scored a few days off after a rather busy few weeks at work and you had a long overdue list of things to do and you had to get them all done. The second your feet hit the floor that morning you changed into clothes you didn’t mind getting dirty and didn’t even bother with your hair just pulling it up on top of your head. You were incredibly determined to get this list done if it killed you so you might find a small amount of space to relax for once. 

  You glanced at the clock on your phone to see it was just before noon and you knew the little lady who set up a small stand would probably be up and going good now. You tended to make your way down there several times a month to stock up on fresh fruit, veggies and if you were lucky sometimes a pie of sorts. Your stomach growled at the thought and you rolled your eyes at it. You decided with your stomach fussing like it was to go get the small errand taken care of. You grabbed your phone and walked out the door turning the bottom lock and walking out.

  The day was incredibly beautiful and it was days like today you wished you had an actual home so you could have flower beds and gardens to work on and inevitably kill but it would at least give you more fresh air. The market wasn’t far but you took your time. You were greeted with a wide smile from the lady you had gotten to know.

  “Hello Miss. (Y/N)!”

  “Hello Mrs. Mason! How are you?”

  “Oh honey I am just fine and yourself?” She came around her table and hugged your neck tight.

  “I’m doing good trying to get some things around the place done but I had to come down here and stock up and pray you have one of those pies of your,” you spoke with a wide smile.

  “Oh you bet I do! Apple or Strawberry?”

  “I’ll take an apple you know I can’t resist it along with the usual please ma’am.”

  She gathered everything and bagged and boxed things before you swapped her with some cash and you two said your goodbyes before you started back on your walk. You hopped up the stairs and into your apartment complex coming to a halt at your door. You sat the bag of the fresh produce at your feet keeping the apple pie balanced in your hand as you went to dig for your keys. 

  Shit. No you couldn’t have forgotten your damn key. Oh but you did. After pulling your pockets inside out you let your head fall back and let out a frustrated little sigh much louder than you intended. The door next to yours opened at the noise and you neighbor Jack stuck his head out before the rest of his body followed him at the sight of you. 

  “Everything alight there (y/n)?” 

  You and Jack had been neighbors for awhile now. You had watered his planets and kept an eye on the place when he had to go off for work and he always returned the favor if able when you went of town. You considered him a friend after sharing small moments of flirtation and long chats in the hallway or even the few times he had returned while you were taking care of things in his apartment. The man left you tongue tied and never failed to make you blush. He was a handsome, charming, southern gentleman and you wouldn’t lie he made your knees weak.

  “I locked myself out of my apartment,” you said it with such shame before your forehead connected with your door softly.

  “Well why don’t you call the land lord and come on in here. I can at least put that stuff in the fridge where it will be kept fresh and you can pay me back by letting me have a piece of that pie,” he leaned agains the wall and shot you that damn smirk of his.

  “Are you sure? I don’t want to interfere,” the look you knew you were giving him was pathetic.

  “Get in here,” he simply stated before moving forward and grabbing up the bag.

  You followed him into his apartment and placed the pie on his kitchen island.

  “Want anything to drink or anything?”

  “I’m fine thank you Jack,” you gave him a small smile before picking up your phone and dialing the landlords number.

  You spoke briefly with the woman on the other line who had told you to your misfortune that she was out of town for the day for her son’s baseball tournament and it would be tomorrow before she could bring her spare. You ran your hand over your face before thanking her and hung up.

  “That looked like bad news.”

  “She’s out of town for the day and won’t be able to bring me a key until tomorrow morning.”

  “Alright well then you stay here tonight. You can take my bed and I’ll take the couch no big deal,” Jack just shrugged before walking to the kitchen and opening the box that contained the pie.

  “Jack no you don’t have to…”

  “Not another word darlin’. It’s not a big deal.”

  He cut two pieces of pie, one for each of you and fixed you both a small glass of milk. You both slid into the stools on each side of the island.

  “Jack thank you. Seriously I owe you.”

  “I’ll remember that,” he shot you a wink before digging his fork into his pie and taking a bit. 

  The rest of the night was spent catching up with Jack, laughing and talking until the sun had well set. You two seemed to inch closer and closer to each other as the night went on and the alcohol you had been sipping on was making you brave.

  “You know this had been nice to catch up with you. I haven't laughed like this in awhile,” you gave Jack a small smile looking down and catching his fingers between yours.

  “Darlin’ this has been really nice,” he gave your hand a small squeeze and with his free hand tilted your head up to look at him.

  His eyes searched over your face and your eyes for a brief second. His hand grazed over your cheek for a moment, moving hair behind your ear. He seemed to be battling something as his eyes continued to search for the answer anywhere on your face.

  “(Y/N) can I kiss you?” His voice came out a whisper.

  “Yes Jack please,” your voice matched his.

  His lips crashed against yours and you instantly melted to him. Your arms wrapped around his neck and his fingers laced in his hair at the nap of his neck. One of his hands wrapped around to the back of your neck to insure you didn’t disappear from him anytime soon, his other arm slipping around your waist and pulling you into his lap. Your legs landed on each side of him and he pulled you as close as he possibly could never letting his lips slip from yours. His hands began to travel up your shirt and causing you to shiver as his skin connected with yours. He worked your shirt up your body and unconnected your lips just long enough to slip it over your head and discard it to the floor. You were eager to connect back to him and now it was your turn to let your hands wonder up his shirt and over his chest. He let out a soft moan against your lips before removing himself from you again to help slip his shirt off. 

  “Here stand up,” he was breathless and the both of you panted as you hurried to stand.

  It was a mess of hands and fingers fumbling with the remaining clothes that soon left your bodies. Neither of you cared to even make it to the bedroom as Jack sat back down and you crawled back into his lap and your lips were falling onto each other again. Jack’s hands started to knead at your breast, his skilled fingers pulling at your nipples and causing you to moan and arch your back into him. His hands contained their decent down your body while his lips moved to your jaw and the your neck reaching everywhere they possibly could. His fingers finally found their way to the place you had been aching for him. They slid up your already wet slit and started to move slow, small circles on your clit. You reached down finding his already hard cock and started to pump it slowly earning a groan from him. 

  “Jack please…I need you…in me…now,” you spoke between pants and moans.

  Jack wasted no more time. You sat up slightly and he lined himself up with your entrance before you slowly slid down on him both of you releasing a groan of pure pleasure finally feeling each other. You settled down until Jack was as deep in you as he could go. You only set for a few short moments before wrapping your arms around his neck and began moving up and down on his cock. His hands planted on your ass to help you move and keep your balance as you set a rapid, desperate pace. 

  “You feel so fucking good darlin’,” Jack moaned out as he brushed his lips again across your neck.

  “Feel so good Jack, so deep, so perfect,” you were a mess of moans and pants.

  Jack sat up more and took a hold of you moving slightly deeper in you which you didn’t think was possible before he started to fuck up in you. You let out a loud moan knowing the neighbors on the other side of Jack were going to hate you both but in that moment you cared less. Jack hit your spot over and over again and buried your head in his shoulder moaning loudly against him.

  “I’m so close Jack.”

  “Let go for me darlin’,” his voice was low in your ear and it was all it took to push you over.

  Your body shook and you bit into Jack’s shoulder causing him to groan. Your sight seemed to black out for a short moment before you could feel Jack moving sloppy and quicker inside you before he tipped off the edge himself. He left his own mark on your neck as he guided you both through and down from your highs and the two of you relaxed, completely spent in each others arms. You sat like that for a moment before Jack skillfully picked you up removing himself from you and carrying you to his bathroom. He sat you on the closed lid of the toilet and reached over to turn the shower on. When the water was perfect he took your hand and you both slipped under the warm water sighing at the feeling of it.

  The two of you didn’t speak much as you washed and shampooed each other. You had imagined so many times what life with this man would be like and never once did you think it would be this comfortable. You had just had sex for the first time and you had no clue where this was going but my god you hoped it didn’t end after tonight. The shower was soon cut off and the two of you helped the other dry off. You didn’t bother with clothes as you both slipped into Jacks bed and he pulled you close by your hips and you faced him.

  “What does this mean Jack?” Your voice was more nervous than you wanted it to be and you cursed yourself for it.

  “Well I was kind of hoping it would mean you would be my girl darlin’,” he gave you that damn smirk again before kissing your nose.

  “I would want nothing more Jack,” the smile on your face could break it with how wide it had grew.

  Jack matched it before gently kissing you and pulling you to him both of you slipping into a dream land that could not be any better than where the both of you were now, in each other’s arms.

Tagged: @jimmythegirl​ @harrytags​ @arcadianempress​ @discogrrl​ @immundusspiritu​ @someplace-darker​ @tarrevizslas​

[writingfandomfeels]

Neville Longbottom - Dance With Me

Summary: Professor!Neville and Professor!Reader are put in charge of teaching the students how to dance, but somehow never get to dance with each other.

A gentle breeze tousled the edges of your stack of papers, threatening to scatter them across the Middle Courtyard where you sat on an iron bench. Luckily you had placed a small rock on top of the stack as a makeshift paperweight to prevent this exact problem. You figured running around chasing your misplaced items blowing in the wind wouldn't exactly earn you the respect you so desired as the new Astronomy professor. A sigh escaped your lips as you finished grading the paper you had been working on. One of the more tedious duties of a professor. 

"Exhausting, isn't it?" your friend and fellow professor, Neville, commented as he joined you on the bench. "Chocolate frog?" He offered, knowing it was your favorite. 

"Thanks" You said, taking the chocolate frog and eating it. The collectible card was Harry Potter. 

"I've gotten about 4 Harrys now." Neville stated. "6 or 7 of Hermione and something mad like 12 of Ron." He chuckled. 

"It's crazy to think we went to school with them and they have their own cards now." You commented. "You keep in touch with them still?" 

"Of course" He smiled. "Although Harry's been quite busy since becoming an Auror. I really don't mind though, I actually tried it for a year once so I get it." 

Neville deserved his own card, you thought to yourself. You'd never say that out loud though. You've always thought the world of him but you two were such great friends you didn't want to risk ruining that and making things awkward by admitting your feelings. Truth be told you were scared that he wouldn't think the world of you too. 

"I guess I should let you get back to your grading." He said, getting up. 

You nodded knowing you needed to, although you'd much rather spend time with him. 

He began to walk away then quickly spun around. "Oh! Did you hear the news?" He asked, turning back to you and you shook your head. He came closer to you again to keep the conversation between just the two of you. "Well it's still supposed to remain a surprise for the students, but apparently we'll be hosting the triwizard tournament again since it was such a hit the last time." 

"Such a hit?" You questioned. "Two people died..." 

"I know." Neville shook his head. "Even with all the deaths they somehow still think it's a great idea. I think they only remember it for the fun bits like the excitement in the air and the rallies and the ball." 

You agreed. 

"Anyways, I'll leave you to it." He said, nodding to what felt like a growing mountain of papers still needing grading. 

"See you Neville." 

October approached and soon the announcement was made that the triwizard tournament would happen once again. Days after the announcement, you were called to a staff meeting. 

"Our next order of business," Minerva stated after going through countless items on an agenda she had written out and handed to each of you, "the Yule Ball." She paused. "In 94' when we last held the ball we had each head of house prepare their students by teaching them how to dance. Is this an arrangement we wish to continue this year or does anyone have any other suggestions for improvement?" 

Filius began to pipe up. "Although the dance classes I gave to Ravenclaw were, admittedly, amusing and I do believe everyone enjoyed themselves and had a laugh;” he smiled, “however  it may be more beneficial to the students if they had someone with more expertise in dancing, instruct them." 

"Y/N is a dancer." Neville blurts out. "She's been dancing since she was little. Haven't you?"  

Your face flushes at the sudden attention the whole room puts on you. "Erm... yes. But I'd hardly say that makes me qualified for the job." 

"None of us have ever had a history with dancing so I'd say that makes you perfectly qualified. More so than us at least." Neville pointed out. 

"I'll always commend someone for a humble attitude but there's no need to disparage yourself Mr. Longbottom. If I remember correctly you became quite the dancer yourself after only a few lessons from me." 

"I suppose I wasn't bad." He shrugged. 

"Then it's decided, Y/N and Neville will teach the students to dance." Flitwick said cheerfully. 

"What? That's not what we decided at all" Neville tried to say but was ignored and the professors began to move on to the next topic of discussion. 

"Let's start with a basic waltz." You said, putting on the music. You browsed the room looking at your first group for your dance class. Since it was just you and Neville who would be teaching the school you separated the students into groups, not specified by house though to keep them interacting with those of each house. You continued to scan the room, searching now for a victim to pick on. You looked toward some Hufflepuffs. You were Head of Hufflepuff so you didn't mind picking on one of them as much. "Teddy, would you come here please." 

As the lanky boy sauntered up to the front with confidence, his hair turned a bright purple shade similar to one his mother had often worn. He bowed to you over dramatically. "M'Lady," 

You took his hand and placed your other hand on his shoulder, him taking your waist. For a few brief moments he almost had it until he tripped a little then stepped on you and quickly apologized. 

"It's fine." You said. 

"Here I think I see where your problem is." Neville began. "May I?" 

You stepped away from Teddy, expecting Neville to give an example by dancing with you. But instead, to your surprise, he went to the purple haired boy. The room filled with giggles and Teddy's hair turned a pale baby pink shade as Neville put his arms around him. 

"Show me how you were leading." Neville instructed with a straight face. 

Teddy began dancing again and you had to hold back a snicker yourself as you watched the two men dance. 

"See, there's your problem." Neville stated then took the lead from Teddy showing him how it's done. "Try again now."  

Teddy took the lead once again and it was obvious he had it down much better now. 

"Good, good. You're getting there." Neville encouraged. 

"Professor Longbottom... can I please sit down now or at the very least dance with a girl again?" Teddy asked, his hair still pink with embarrassment. 

"Alright alright, go ahead." Neville said releasing him. 

It wasn't long until you had every group prepped and practiced for the ball. Which was good since the ball was right around the corner, approaching quickly. 

You found yourself the day of watching from the sidelines as your dance students made you proud. Not once did you see Teddy step on Victoire's toes. You smiled and sipped on your glass of something that held similar properties to champagne. 

"You look beautiful tonight Professor Y/L/N." Came a familiar voice to your right. 

You turned to look the stranger. "So do you Professor Longbottom." You smiled, admiring his dapper dress. Boy did he look cute in bow-ties. 

"You know, in all the dance lessons we conducted together over the last month, not once did I get a chance to dance with you." Neville pointed out. 

You shrugged. "Someone always needed something." 

"Shame those someones." He reached his hand out to you. "Better late than never?" 

You took his hand as he lead you to the dance floor. Butterflies were launched into your stomach as he put his hand on your waist and pulled you much closer than you had taught your students. 

You felt your heart start to race a little and desperately hoped he couldn’t feel it against his own chest. You decided to try and place your focus on the steps instead of him and how great he looked and how his eyes, his beautiful eyes, were never leaving your’s and how safe you felt being held in his arms and oh goodness, what was that amazing woodsy smell?! Was Neville wearing cologne? You attempted to clear your head again of him again. 

Focus on dancing. It’s not that big a deal you’re dancing with him. You dance with people all the time. But when was the last time you danced with someone and you felt like this you wondered. He was an amazing dancer too. When he lead you it didn’t feel like he was yanking you around like you remembered some leads had when you were young in dance class. He was soft and subtle in all of his movements making it feel natural. 

You watched as his face suddenly contorted into one of nervousness. “Umm, Y/N, I’ve been erm… meaning to talk to you about something.” 

Your heart was definitely pounding now. Did he know? Was he upset? Did he feel uncomfortable about it? Was he suddenly going to stop being friends with you? You dreaded all the possible answers. 

“I’ve been putting off saying this for far too long but well, like I said earlier, better late than never right?” He babbled and you looked at him with a confused gaze, urging him to go on. “I like you Y/N. I always have and I probably always will. I don’t expect you to like me back or anything I just thought that I should get that out in the open and let you kn-” 

In a moment of sudden bravery you cut him off with a quick kiss to his lips. “I’ve always liked you too Neville.” You blurted out. 

He smiled, looking astonished, then placed his hands on your cheeks and leaned in to kiss you back. The kiss was soft and sweet but full of passion that had built up over the years, waiting all this time to be set free. You wrapped one hand around his neck while the other you tangled into his hair. After a few moments you pulled away, resting your nose against his. He smiled at you and brushed a strand of your hair away from your face. This, that you only ever dreamed of, was becoming a reality. 

[alitheamateur]

Lights, Camera, Action?

TOMMY CONLON ONE-SHOT

Characters: Tommy Conlon/Reader

Warnings: NSFW. Explicit Sexual Content. Language. Slightly dominating male. Public sex.

Summary: Tommy is coaxed into making a PR appearance for an upcoming tournament, and needs to let off some steam before smiling for the cameras. When you deny him, that need only grows for Tommy, leaving him no choice but to take matters into his own hands. 

Word Count: 2,395

You had been dabbling recently with an edgier sense of fashion, and after careful consideration (and several grueling hours of window shopping) decided on a timeless black strapless jumpsuit. The fit wasn’t tackily form fitting, but hugged your waist tastefully and ever-so-slightly complimented your modest chest. Thankful for Tommy’s sufficient height, you slid on the backstrap of a rather heighted stiletto while tucking a loose wave of hair behind your ear.

“Fuck me....” you heard his gravelly undertone huff from behind, sounding as if the sight he beheld literally exhausted him to look at.

“Tommy Conlon!” Standing straight, you turned to discover his sulky arms crossed in the entryway of the bathroom, shaking his head with a sinful upward turn of his mouth. 

He was a vision every day in faded sweats sitting on the v-cut of his hips, and a probably torn t-shirt. But the man was absolutely murderous in a suit on the rare occasion he was somehow coaxed into wearing one. No one forced Tommy to do a single thing that he didn’t want to, but occasionally you could pout your mouth just right, and maybe persuade him into a thing or two.

“That was a demand, not an observation, y’know…” he said, sauntering toward you with a lip pinched between his slightly uneven top row of teeth. He began to pull lightly at the top button of his crisp white shirt that contrasted his tanned skinned like sunshine and moonlight, readying himself for the very act he had suggested.

“Ah, ah, ah! Freeze,” you warned him with one ample finger to the exposed, hot flesh between his collarbones. “We’re already late, and I didn’t buy this outfit for nothing.”

The pair of you were to attend a PR event for a summer tournament Tommy was participating in, and his trainer threatened to pull him from the card if he couldn’t put on a professional face and make his requested appearance. So tonight, he’d resentfully wag you around on his arm, rolling his gray eyes every time the cameras flashed, and you would definitely take shameless advantage of the impressively stocked open bar.

He chivalrously escorted you down the brick stairs of your duplex and opened the passenger side of his newly purchased, classic model Mustang. It was a purchase he had made hastily with one of the first checks from an impressive victory, and spent overly excessive amounts of time rebuilding it to it’s full potential. The dark hues of the four-wheeled stallion suited Tommy faultlessly. Dark, potentially dangerous, and seeping with raw sexuality.

His thick fingers brushed away your long, chestnut waves to one side exposing a July sun-kissed shoulder where he placed a sticky, lingering kiss. You heard an airy chuckle in close proximity to your ear, no doubt knowing it was a reaction to the rash-like chills he instigated all over your body.

“How you gonna hold out on my lookin’ like this, Y/N? You know I ain’t gonna be able to behave…” the always animalistic aroused man filled his grasping paw with the swell of your taut backside.

Tommy was uncontrollably sexual from nearly sunrise, to sunset. Not that it was a complaint per say to have the likes of a statuesque man such as him fawning over you constantly. But you were all too familiar with the twisted, sensual games he liked to play when you attempted the valiant effort to muster up the courage and turn him down. The night was still very young, and already Tommy had on his best game face.

Upon starting the car to back carefully from your driveway, he leaned to place a hot hand just north of your knee. You assumed it was his request to hold your hand on the drive, but when the veined hand in question squeezed agonizingly tight, and deliberate you knew those suspicions were far from correct. Shifting in your seat, you mocked your movements to appear as if merely adjusting into a more comfortable position, careful to stifle the airy squeak of desire from your throat. But, resulting from the nervous squirms, your seatbelt strap had minimally exposed a teasing peak of your breast, pulling open the u-shaped sweetheart neck of your jumpsuit. As if smelling out the accidental uncovering of cleavage, Tommy lifted finger to trace teasingly upon the curve of your bosom leaving one hand safely on the wheel.

“You tryin’ to get me to pull this car over, are ya’?” Tommy wiggled awkwardly in his own seat, drawing attention to the very clear outline of the pulsing member thru the confines of his slacks. He licked his wanton mouth like a lapping kitten, and laid his head frustratingly upon the headrest.

Unconsciously, your mind began testing strategies on how he could take you in the car considering the inconvenience of your one-piece outfit, when you suddenly felt a whispering breeze of air on your chest. Taking advantage of your clearly distracted state, Tommy had finagled a way to pull down your top and was now rolling and tugging at your standing nipples.

“To… Tom. Tommy, are you crazy?! Someone could see,” you weakly scolded him behind closed eyes and a lulling tongue. Your body reacted by tensing like stone, but somehow your legs felt as tottering as Jello.

“Why d’ya think I got the darkest window tint on this car, baby? Ain’t nobody gonna get a sight of these creamy tits but me. I promise.” He continued the sinister rubs of his hands, and you felt the speed of the car slowly declining while the passing headlights seemed to speed furthermore.

When your mushed brain was able to relay the message to open your eyes, Tommy was easing the car into a corner parking space at a park in close proximity to the conference hall where the event was being held. Once placing the gear to the “P” on the dash, he searched the side of his seat for the lever to scoot himself further from the steering wheel of the car. Clearing making room for whatever tantric scenario he was rehearsing in his mind.

“You gonna crawl on outta that little outfit, or you plan on makin’ me tear it open to get what I been wantin’?”

You couldn’t look away from his delicious, hypnotizing stares and remained unmoved where you sat, breasts still catching the light of a full moon, and the green haze of the radio dials. Taking way more time than he saw fit, he opened his door exiting the car. Sitting awestruck and panting there alone in the still running vehicle, a sea of confusion drowned you. But suddenly, when a dark figure loomed on the outside of your murky, tinted window and nearly ripped the door from the hinges upon opening, it all made sense.

The impossibly broad man grasped you gently, but purposefully about the wrist and guided you to raise from your seat. You instinctively reached to shield your naked torso from the possible wondering eyes, but then noticed the vacant lot around you. Tommy was no fool, nor amateur to these racy situations, and he brought the two of you to this particular place knowing the solitary location. It was no accident you wound up here. He sluggishly discarded his suit jacket to your now empty seat, and unfastened his belt as he calmly relocated to the front end of the black sports car.

His lack of vocal explanations made you shutter with orgasmic exhilaration, knowing whatever Tommy planned would have you perspiring and writhing at some point in the exchange.

“C’mere, Y/N. I need some’n from ya’.” The headlights of the car had been shut off, but the dim orange of parking lights highlighted the calm demeanor across Tommy’s slightly scruffy face.

Wise, and aroused enough to not protest, your heels clacked boldly against the cracking chunks of blacktop below you as you followed the delectable mans’ orders. You should’ve been properly accustomed to your beau and his otherworldly visual aesthetics by now, but it seemed he had made a dirty deal with father time himself, and only got more handsome with age.

“And what makes you think I’m just going to hand over whatever it is than you need, Mr. Conlon?” You cooed, dragging lower the upper half of your clothing, now revealing the feminine skin just below your navel.

He lifted you then with little effort onto the hood heated by the smothering summer air, flat on your exposed back, stuffing his hands inside the rolled up mess of your jumpsuit to tug your legs from it. His eyes glazed with rigorous, carnal desire when he was met with only bare flesh underneath your clothing.

“Wha’ do we have here then, hm? Somebody was askin’ for a lil’ romp wi’ me by the looks of it.” He chuckled sultrily. His Pittsburgh lilt coming through more dominant as it usually did in when he was kidnapped by unmanageable lust.

“Don’t flatter yourself, mister. It was strictly for…… comfort purposes,” you attempted a logical excuse, but the tilting nod of his head gave way that he knew for certain the cheeky gesture was intended only to rile him.

Tommy lifted one of your petite legs to lay atop his shoulder and kissed the protruding ankle bone next to his mouth. Never missing a beat, he lazily slid his nose up the line of your calf, knee, mid-thigh, seemingly to inhale your aroma like a predatory jungle cat. His tongue almost unnoticeably stuck from between his lips, leaving a trail of saliva upon your skin to catch the effects of the breezy night wind. Your breathing pattern hitched when two coarse fingers sketched a tickling trail between your now parted southern lips, and Tommy exhaled a breathy laugh of giddy passion.

“By the feel of this slick spot between ya’ thighs, I think you’re gonna be just fine with givin’ me what it is I need from ya’, little girl.” One of the assaulting fingers curled inside your warm entrance, and the other unhurriedly followed suit. The bustle of passing freeway traffic only a short mile or two distance from us only augmented the allure of the already risky situation, and you knew Tommy’s adrenaline was indeed off the charts.

A heated moan of welcome danced from your lips as your back arched further into his slow-pounding hand, all the while the car beneath you rocked rhythmically with his motions. Licks like tepid bath water poured over the lobe of your ear and the pulse in your neck, and you felt slight twitches take over your legs.

“Tommy, I’m almost there. I wanna feel you, please…”

I knew I wouldn’t need to beg. Tommy didn’t care how you got your release as long as he was the cause, so he wouldn’t have any arguments in satisfying you with another member of his body.

He kept a thumb perfectly pressured on your begging clit while smoothly taking down his zipper.

“I guess I oughta get these outta the way, huh. Since I know you’ll go ‘n make a mess of ‘em,” he teased dropping the dark navy shade of his pants just above his knees.

He yanked you sternly and eagerly lower on the hood, evening himself up to the desired target before entering at a torturously slow pace. Thankful in that instant you had decided on loose, relaxed hair for the evening considering the rutting, flailing movements of your head. Tommy never closed his eyes when the two of you made love, afraid he may miss the bounce of your perfectly portioned breasts, or the needful way you gnawed on your lip almost drawing blood when he grazed your internal sweet spot.

“That’s what my girl likes, ain’t it? Tell me, baby. How’s that feelin’?” He antagonized with a furrowed, smiling brow. Tommy was a man of few words in the public eye, but an explicit poet in the bedroom, and he expected the same of his partner.

He knew your body as well as he knew the pages of an MMA rulebook, so he understood fully just how stupidly crazy those slow thrusts made you. He said you were the first woman he’d known to go ‘fuckin’ ape shit’ with hard, drawn-out movements rather than the sloppy, highspeed pumps. But he quickly grew to love himself those less exaggerated speeds, and found a happy medium to suit you both.

 The modest leg coverage of your clothing choice would be necessary when he was done with you, feeling the aches of fingerprint bruises already embedded into your thighs. The marks of crescent moons would still be lingering there tomorrow, a naughty reminder of how powerfully possessive Tommy was.

“Just like that, Tom. I’m getting so close. You’re so good, babe,” I showered his ego with unashamed compliments, feeling a tight knot tangling in my lower belly.

He pulled you up to rest on your elbows, desiring a plainer view of the contorted screams of orgasm that impended closely, then nearly knocked you unconscious with the strike of his kiss.

A shrieking cry pulsed from inside you, followed by the increased cadence of his in and out movements, announcing his own guttural explosion. Tommy’s head lilted backwards facing the open sky, and from my point of view, he resembled a feverish werewolf calling out to the fullness of the moon.

“Much betta. Now maybe I won’t lose my shit and break some reporters nose at this fuckin’ thing,” he stated while offering you a hand in aid as you scooted to drop onto the ground.

“Would you mind handing me some clothes, Conlon. I’d prefer not to get arrested tonight for public indecency.” You tiptoed for a kiss as the man offered an open leg of the jumpsuit for you to step into.

 The two of you giggled like law-breaking teenagers the entire night, feeling sly that no one in the room knew about the very public ravishing that had taken place just hours earlier. Tommy seemed annoyed, yet controlled amongst the vast media questioning and countless photo-ops, and you gave yourself the proverbial pat on the back for probably being the cause of such. All the while in your mind, you amped up for the next public event he’d drag you to, wondering whether these bathroom doors had locks on them.

[placetobenation]

1994 was a big year for video games. Titles released that year on the SNES and Sega Genesis would be all time classics that are beloved to this very day. Sega had the Sega CD add on which had some hits and misses. Sega would release the short lived 32x in November of 1994 to try and keep the Genesis going just a little while long. But before I get into any of that, it is worth noting that the NES was still alive and kicking in 1994, although just barely. Most of my friends and myself has moved on to Super Nintendo by this point. My NES and the games got packed up, put in a closet, and forgotten about for a long time. Some friends of mine went so far as to throw their NES’s away, thinking it to be as antiquated as Atari and something they would never want to play again. That year, according to Wikipedia, there were 12 official releases in North America for the NES. I don’t have much to say about Mickey’s Adventures in Numberland or Mario’s Time Machine. They are both educational games for small children, focusing on math and history lessons. There is not much more to say than that. By this point, developers have figured out just what the limitations of the system were and learned how to make games for it. While not all the games I am covering today are gems, they aren’t the epicly shitty games you found earlier in the life of the NES. Many of these games could be a blind spot for some who, like myself, had moved on to other game systems and were unaware of these titles. Some of them are worth exploring if you are feeling in a retro gaming mood.

Wario’s Woods

I guess I will start at the end. Wario’s Woods was the last game released on the NES in North America. It is an addictive puzzle game with game play elements from Super Mario Bros. 2. In this game you play Toad. The story goes that Wario has taken over a portion of woods in the Mushroom Kingdom called the Peaceful Woods. Wario has cast a spell over the creatures of the woods and are making them do his bidding. It is up to Toad ,with help from a fairy named Wanda and Birdo from Super Mario 2, to defeat Wario and reclaim the Peaceful Woods. Why Toad and not Mario or Luigi or Princess Peach? I guess they were busy that day.

What happens is that Wanda makes bombs and drops them into the game area. As Toad, you lift the various creatures, matching the color of the creature to the bomb. Blow up all the creatures and move on to the next level. Birdo is in the corning doing….something. I think the official explanation is offering encouragement. You are up against a timer. If the timer runs out, Birdo runs off and Wario shows up. Wanda is also replaced by a pigeon which drops monsters into the game area. DON’T LET THE PIGEON DROP MONSTERS INTO THE GAME AREA. Wario also drops the ceiling lower on you to make matters more difficult. Eventually, Wario gets bored and goes away. Birdo comes back and now you can resume blowing up critters with bombs. Unlike many puzzle games of the time, this one has a proper ending. Get to the last level, defeat all of Wario’s critters, and win the game.

The NES was good for addictive little puzzle games, Tetris and Dr Mario being the most fondly remembered. Wario’s Woods fits right into that category. However, I feel like this game gets overlooked . Most likely because it came out so late in the life span of the system. Wario’s Woods has been released a few times and is currently on the Switch NES Online Library. If you have that service, I would encourage you to give this game a try. It’s easy to learn and hard to master. The gameplay is a lot of fun. Getting to the end was a rewarding experience for me. Wario’s Woods is a concept I think would work out quite well if they retooled it and put out a new version of the game in mobile devices. That is the home of puzzle games these days and I could see this catching on if they did it right.

Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers 2

Here is a game I didn’t know existed until I started this project. Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers 2 is a sequel to the 1990 game and is based on the Disney Afternoon cartoon. Developed by Capcom, it has all the elements one would expect from a Capcom side-scrolling platformer. You have a catchy 8-bit soundtrack, smooth gameplay and controls, , good looking graphics, and fun elements added to each stage. Capcom really mastered making this type of game and even with this being a late entry into the NES library, they still lived up to their reputation.

Fat Cat has escaped from prison. While that was happening, Chip, Dale, and their friends are all called away on a time bomb situation as a distraction. With Fat Cat safely on the loose, he steals the Urn of the Pharoh and plans to set the evil spirits loose. Chip, Dale, Monterrey, Gadget, and Zipper all track down Fat Cat to an amusement park to bring him to justice.

If I have any criticism of this game its that their isn’t a lot of challenge to it. It’s a lot of fun. They put some time and thought into the platforming and level design. I breezed through this game without much of an issue. You can find this game on PS4 and XBOX One in the Disney Afternoon Collection along with other fantastic games like Duck Tales, Tale Spin, and Darkwing Duck. Disney and Capcom were on a great run in the early 90’s. Watching these shows after school was a favorite part of my day back then. It is a concept that has been lost over time and that is just the way it is. After school programming was so much fun back then. Get home, catch the last part of GWF on ESPN, then it was Duck Tales, Rescue Rangers, then change the channel to PBS for Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego, wrap it up with Tale Spin, finally it was time to go outside and play for a while before dinner and homework. Playing these games certainly is a part of those nostalgic feelings. I am curious how the younger people would feel about these games. To me, they hold up as some of the best from the NES library.

Mega Man 6

Speaking of Capcom, Mega Man would see it’s last entry on the NES in 1994, released in March of that year. Like the aforementioned Chip N Dale Rescue Rangers 2 , the game features a catchy soundtrack, fun platforming elements, smooth controls, and colorful graphics. If you liked the other Mega Man games, then you should like this one because they stayed fairly close to the formula. There are eight robot masters each with their own themed stages. Beat the robot master,gain a special ability move on to the next. Once all the robot masters are defeated, storm the castle. Complete each level of the castle, fight the last boss and win the game.

With the world at relative peace since Mega Man 5, the people decide to have an robot fighting tournament hosted by the mysterious Mr. X. During this episode of Robot Jox, Mr. X takes control of the top eight robots and attempts to take over the world. Mr. X explains he was behind Dr. Wily’s plots all along. Dr Light sends Mega Man into action to take down the rogue robot masters. The eight robot masters are Centaur Man, Blizzard Man, Flame Man, Knight Man, Plant Man, Tomahawk Man, Wind Man, and Yamato Man. Once they are defeated, Mega Man goes after Mr. X directly. You will never guess who Mr. X really is.

The focus of this game seems to lean heavily on the level design. Each of the robot masters levels have some unique challenges consistent with each of their powers. Wind Man’s level has you riding over pit traps and spikes with strategically placed fans. Flame Man’s level has rivers of oil that you don’t want to be in when they get set on fire. This time Rush combines with Mega Man to give him a Jet Pack and Power Punch. The robot masters aren’t terribly difficult this time around. In fact, they are painfully easy to beat. For as difficult as Mega Man 1 was, it’s kind of ridiculous how Mega Man 6 is so easy. The thing I will remember about this game is the contest in Nintendo Power where people could enter their ideas of Robot Master. I submitted an entry and got a pleasant form level in return. I was just happy to have had chance to enter my ideas.

It is fitting that the NES would go out with a Mega Man game in it’s last year. This style of game was defining for the system. The first six Mega Man games were so popular that the 8 bit style would be brought back years later for Mega Man 9 and Mega Man 10. Mega Man 6 has been rereleased in several compilations, such as the Mega Man Anniversary Collection on the original X Box and PS2 as well as the Mega Man Legacy Collection Vol. 1 on the Nintendo Switch, 3DS, PlayStation 4, and X Box One. Mega Man would have a rough transition going forward. The SNES I will always associate with the Mega Man X series. It was the home of Mega Man 7 but somehow it just didn’t feel right. The less said about Mega Man 8 on the PS1, the better. Mega Man 6 will probably be remembered as one of the best late entries into the NES library and a bit of a curiosity as most people had moved on to the 16 bit systems by the time it was released.

The Flintstones: Surprise at Dinosaur Peak.

If you happened to buy this game in a bargain bin at Blockbuster back in the day and kept it in your closet all these years, I have great news for you. The Flintstones: Surprise at Dinosaur Peak is one of the rarest games in the NES library. As of press time, a copy of this game sells for anywhere from $800 to $2000. There are apparently less than 10,000 copies of this game floating around. It is believed that Flintstones: Surprise at Dinosaur Peak was an exclusive to Blockbuster in 1994 although there is some dispute to that. Chances are, the only way one played this game back then was to get it from a rental location.

The game is somewhat of a sequel to The Flintstones: The Rescue of Dino and Hoppy also developed by Taito. In Surprise at Dinosaur Peak, you switch back and forth between Fred and Barney. They each have different abilities that help one navigate through each stage. The idea is that Pebbles and Bam Bam are stuck on a lava flow from an erupting volcano. The only way to save them is to walk all the way around the volcano to the other side. In an odd scene at the beginning, The Great Gazoo appears to Fred to tell him that he can’t help because teleportation is behind his abilities. (?) No matter. You side-scroll and platform through the various levels and there are bonus stages with cave man hockey and basketball.

Overall, its a good looking game that plays pretty well. They put some thought into each level as well as the cut scenes. Given how few of these carts were made, it really is impressive just how much care and detail they put into the game. It’s not terribly difficult. You can breeze through it without too much of a hassle. I have to think this game would have done better if it had been released earlier in the life of the NES. Movie and TV show license games were notoriously bad. I had the misfortune of owning Back to the Future. A good friend in my neighborhood ended up with Fester’s Quest. The Flintstones: Surprise at Dinosaur Peak is a drastic improvement from those games. The graphics and game play are far superior to much of the early NES library. Fans of The Flintstones will appreciate the references that the game adds in. It is a genuine Flintstones experience. However, if you want to play this game as a curiosity, I can’t recommend paying up to $800 and beyond for a copy. This a fine game but not worth that much money unless you plan on becoming a serious collector of NES games.

Bonk’s Adventure

There is some similarity between Bonk’s Adventure and the game just discussed The Flintstones: Surprise at Dinosaur Peak. They are both fairly expensive games that were released late in the lifespan of the NES and have a prehistoric theme. Bonk is best remembered as the mascot for the short lived Turbo Grafx 16 consoul. While the NES version doesn’t look as good as the Turbo Grafx one, it is a really good looking game for an 8-bit system. The game play is very similar to other side-scrolling platformers. The goal is to go from level to level through this prehistoric world trying to save Princess Za from King Drool. A lot of video game plots back then were inspired by Super Mario Bros. Bonk walks through the world with nothing but a headbutt attack. You have a volcano level, water level, ice level,your typical affair for this type of game. Aside from the rarity, what makes this game remarkable is how faithfully they were able to port a 16-bit game onto an 8-bit console. Much like the last game we discussed, it would have been more fondly remembered if it had been released earlier in the NES’s life. Bonk’s Adventure is better than much of what we were stuck playing when the NES was at it’s peak. Bonk’s Adventure was rereleased on the WII and WIIU Virtual Console if you would like to play it without having to pay the obscene price for the actual cart. It is a must have for serious collectors though.

Alfred Chicken

Alfred is a chicken who flaps and pecks his way through five levels popping balloons along the way. I don’t know that there is a story to the game beyond that. Alfred Chicken is a platformer with puzzle elements added in for fun. In each level you have to find green balloons. Pop the balloons and float to the next level. The bulk of the game is climbing up platforms and reasoning out where balloons may be. Unlike many of the games previously discussed, the graphics aren’t all that good looking. It looks like a colorized version of a Gameboy game. The music is also quite annoying and very repetitive. What it lacks in visuals and sound, Alfred Chicken makes up for in gameplay. The levels are a lot of fun to work your way through if your a fan of platforming. The best I can describe it would be like a combination between Krusty’s Fun House and Kid Icarus. There are a few boss fights at the end of each level which resemble a shooter like Life Force or UN Squadrons. That kind of variety is appreciated. Alfred Chicken got a remake for the PS1 in 2002. That game looks a lot better and has more levels to it. I would probably recommend finding that game rather than this once, give how much some of these later years NES game cost. Alfred Chicken is a fun game to pick up and play but they could have done more with the concept and flushed it out better. My hope is that they did that with the remake and made a better gaming experience. The NES version feels like the playable Beta test for a much better game.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Tournament Fighters

At this point, I am understanding some of the complaints that the younger generation has about the NES. I have discussed a lot of platformers and puzzle games. If you cut your teeth on these games, then they are great but there isn’t a lot of variety on the system. The NES was a bit too late to cash in on the popularity of fighting games in the mid 90’s, lead by Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter II. Neither of those games would be ported to the NES, although oddly they did make their way to the Sega Master System. If you have played those games or own them, then I tip my hat to you. There weren’t many games on the NES that could fit into the fighting game genre. So imagine my surprise when I found Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Tournament Fighters. If you have this one sitting in the back of your closet, I have great news for you. It is worth quite a bit of money.

The idea of the game is that you pick from one of six characters. Included are the four Turtles, Casey Jones, and Hothead, apparently a character from the comics. You fight each of the Ninja Turtles then go on to face Casey Jones, Hothead, and a final battle with Shredder to beat the game. Shredder is absurdly difficult so there is a great sense of accomplishment when you manage to beat this one. Sadly, in this version of the game, the Ninja Turtles aren’t given their weapons. There is a little bit of move variety from Turtle to Turtle, mostly inspired by Street Fighter II. Leo does a Tornado Kick similar to Ryu and Raph does a Torpedo Launch similar to E.Honda, you get the idea. In the context of the game, there seems to be no reason the Turtles are fighting each other. The pregame cut scene only tells us that Shredder has challenged the Turtles to a fight in the streets of Manhattan. It doesn’t explain why you have to fight all your friends before facing Shredder. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Tournament Fighter is your run of the mill fighting game. Win the best two out of three and move on to the next fight. The game can get a bit glitchy. Graphically, they are really pushing the limits of what the NES could do. The NES controller really wasn’t made for this type of game. The controls don’t feel smooth at all. If you force yourself to get used to it, the game is playable but it feels awkward. By 1994, The Ninja Turtles and the NES were waning in popularity. There are such better examples of fighting games on the SNES and Genesis, including superior versions of this game. It’s no surprise that this was overlooked. Still, Konomi put a lot of work into a game that few people played. The music is excellent and it looks pretty good. The NES just wasn’t made for this type of game.

Zoda’s Revenge: Star Tropics II.

Star Tropics II can be best summed up as more of Star Tropics. This time though your main character Mike Jones (Who?) and his uncle, Dr. J, are flung through history to collect blocks called Tetrads. You play through nine chapters, each one a different point in time of human history. You meet characters like Cleopatra and Sherlock Holmes, who help you along the way. Like the first one, they combine RPG elements with dungeon crawling, puzzle solving, and adventure aspects. Play through the dungeon, collect the Tetrad, go back and talk to the villagers, proceed to the next chapter. I am making it sound simple but this is an incredibly fun and satisfying game. They improved the controls from the first one, now letting you jump and move in a few different directions and not just hopscotching along. Other than that, they didn’t change much from the first. The game still has a quirky sense of humor. The graphics, enemy design, level design, and gameplay all mirror the first one. I don’t mean to be disparaging when I say it’s more of the same because it’s more of a really great game. This has been rereleased a few different times over the years. Although it is not yet on the Switches NES Library, I expect it to appear before too long. Of all the NES games to come out in 1994, this is the one I recommend most.

So that is the NES in 1994. I hope that I have given you some ideas for different games to play that you may have missed when they were first released. Many of these games are worth checking out. Nostalgia for the NES is alive and well today. For many of us, this was our first game console. When you are out and about, you see t-shirts with the classic characters on them in all their 8-bit glory. I have a pair of socks with NES controllers on them. Merchandising the warm feelings for this system to Gen Xer’s and Millinials is going strong and can be found at just about any retail outlet. Something about the NES will always be special to us.The warm, fuzzy, 8-bit memories never really go away although by 1994, we had mostly moved on to bigger and better things. As will I as I continue to celebrate all that was 1994 as we approach the New Year.