#high def party tricks?

[random-dragon-exe]

So I just had a thought, illusion magic is basically messing with a person's senses, mainly vision right?

So with this in mind, you can essentially give a person sensory overload and use it to disorient and even incapacitate them.

I bet you could even make someone either temporarily or permanently blind by making the illusion too bright to look at.

There's also the possibility to make someone absolutely hallucinate/trip balls.

If we want to go there, it also has the potential to trigger/give someone epilepsy. Heck, even straight-up give someone a seizure.

Now let's take it further.

Remember how Gus essentially mindfucked Adrian Graye with his worst memories?

What if you can prolong it and basically torture the person by making them see their traumatic memories for too long? (Hours, days, weeks, months, a year?)

You'd be giving the person a personalized never-ending nightmare.

It'd probably drive them to the brink of insanity.

Now that's a fate I wouldn't wish on anyone.

With this in mind, illusion magic is just certified mindfuckery and mind rape in its purest form and because of this, it's pretty OP and downright dangerous magic if used by the wrong person.

Or if the person gets a little too creative with illusions.

[garlicbreadbatstarion]

BG3 Companions Headcanons❤️

💨🌿🍃the party smoking🍃🌿💨

This mental image of the party passing a joint (or several) around a campfire makes me lol irl frequently so I thought I'd share some of my thoughts on here! 😁

Astarion:

Would 110% open up unintentionally and share things he probably wouldn't otherwise

But it would be one of those "yeah, but we all have trauma am I right?" And everyone would gentle parent him which would make him irritated (but secretly, deep down he would feel so supported 😭)

Also likes to vibe to music! Never is he kinder to a bard than when he is blazed lol

Also likes to burn candles/incense/simmer pots because he really loves a good fragrance

Gale:

Professor!Gale helloooooooo

He would naturally fall into a lecture about whatever exciting topic he's currently researching

"No really! It was previously believed they only grew in the underdark, but some researchers have found them in the wilds of Faerun! How are they reaching the surface?! It is fascinating!"

Would also get handsy with his romantic interest 😉 a little hand on the arm when he says something exciting. Putting his hand on your thigh and giving a squeeze before he gets up to stoke the fire. Ughhh this man.

Shadowheart:

I feel like she'd be gone

Like snapping fingers near he face bc she's not responding gonzo

She'd come back into focus once in a while to annihilate some snacks and then doze off again

Wyll would put a blanket over her, and, at the end of the evening, he'd carry her back to her tent🥺

She would pretend to be asleep, and Wyll would totally know she was faking it, but he would never tell a soul and he always cherished that moment in their friendship

Wyll:

Gets philosophical!

Really loves to listen to others and ask questions to keep them going

Def the mom friend that takes it easy to make sure everyone else is okay

Definitely a flirt! His inhibitions are just a tad lowered so he lays it on thickkk (to everyone, but especially so to his partner!)

Halsin:

Definitely wanders when he's high lol

You joke about putting a leash on him and he gets visibly excited

Loves to interact with nature (duh) like stargazing, wading through water, and lifting rocks and looking for creatures underneath

Likes to use his bear form and lay on his back with all 4 legs in the air

Lae'zel:

Idc what anyone else thinks Lae'zel would get the giggles

And everyone would be so shocked, most of all her, but then she'd think about how ridiculous it was and start giggling again! And everyone would join and the camp would get the giggles until everyone was out of breath clutching their stomachs

She'd also drop some funnyyyy one-liners just casually responding to other people

Also the only time she ever relaxes the tension in her body

Karlach:

Gets extra chatty!

Like she just extra loves everyone even more than normal and ends up having some really cute, heartfelt side conversations throughout the night

Also she gets extra clumsy and when she's animatedly telling a story she makes a big gesture with her arms and accidentally falls backwards off the log she's sitting on

Also loves to relight the j by holding it to her arm and it's a fun party trick she loves to pull out

[pumpkinsy0]

papercut spending halloween together hcs pls....... 🧍‍♂️

ive been getting back into until dawn i think that was a sign that we’re all excited for october

•would it REALLY, be papercut spending halloween together if i didnt say that curly would take pony w him to embrace the trick out if trick or treat

•curlys scaring the neighborhood kids for their candy bag they drop

•the way curly grew up, he couldnt rlly celebrate halloween so i feel like when he could he was like a kid and took advantage of it, ponys normal about halloween, he likes it but aint too crazy over it

•w their costumes i think they could crash into a soc party to fuck it up a lil, maybe steal somethings!! serves as a good disguise, especially if they got a mask

•ik curly loves fake blood, he loves making it and over uses it, its so messy

•they gotta get creative w their costumes and they do!!! but the CANNOT go as “murderer and victim” for the 3rd year in a row, they GOTTA switch it up, go as deadpool and spiderman or something guys, jigsaw and chucky, just something else, man</333

•theyd def have a bit of a sugar high and crash out somewhere till someone drove em home

•if bribed w something good enough, curly could get her to do small face paint for em

•curly tried beings tulsa’s first edward cullen and using those fake glow in the dark plastic fangs to bite ponys neck but that went as good as you’d expect it, just a ton of drool

•not exactly ON halloween more like around it, but pony would go to the movies and drive ins and see scary movies and god forbid curlys there bc he’d try to “yknow baby, if that were us, id protect u” his way into making out, never worked but u cant say he aint try it, gotta give him his props

•out of the two of em, its curly that wants to try out an ouija board, ill leave it at that

[sadie-bug345]

Ok one more I need outsiders Halloween hcs (costumes, what they do on Halloween, like go to parties, trick or treating, or staying in and watching scary movies) etc. THANK YOU IM DYING I LOVE YOUR WORK

OMG SHUT UP i just checked out your blog and you seem so cool😭🥰

what the gang does on halloween!!

yall im fr missing this time of year 😭🫢

ponyboy: - he only wants to go trick or treating if friends are going - probably gets pooped after like an hour🙄🖐️ - he seems like the type to dress up as a niche character from a show, movie, or book - and the SECOND anyone asks him abt it he will be like “😃i’ll tell you all about it!!” - LMAO its super cute though - he probably really likes handing out candy to kids though - he’d give a bunch of candy to kids with the coolest costumes in his humble opinion - he’s a blast to hang out with tho.

johnny: - prob get really into his costume, he’d go all out with makeup - lmao he’s giving like joker vibes and dallyd be batman or smth😭 - like pony, he’d only go trick or treating or out to parties if his friends pressure him to - if it was his choice he’d be perfectly content chillin on the couch with some snacks and a scary movie - i feel like he’d like poltergeist (this is my personal fave horror movie so im projecting lmfao) - the type to have a total straight face during the movie but he’s QUAKING.

sodapop: - he a partier for sure - probably have some goofy ahh matching costume with steve - like they’d kill it with the ghostbusters costumes - if he does hand out candy he’d be over here hyping up kids costumes which is so sweet - he’d pretend to get all scared when some kid yells “boo!” at him😭🫶 - just good vibes all around ngl

darry: - in high school he’d def go to parties and stuff - but now he only goes to supervise the loose cannons of the gang (dallas) - he’d probably wear a shirt that says “this is my costume” or smth - when he’s not making sure everyone’s making decent decisions he’s at home handing out candy - he got a special bowl for rude kids that just has like toothbrushes and raisins in it 😭😭

dally: - i feel like he’d begrudgingly match costumes with his friends - secretly loves it tho don’t tell him i said that - goes to some parties for a bit just to make his necessary appearance - but gets bored after a bit and goes to wreak some havoc in the neighborhoods - steals candy, ransacks those haunted houses people set up in their garages, scares kids, you name it, dallas the menace has done it - it’s a lot of fun but also concerning like wow you really like giving kids traumatizing core memories?? 😧

two-bit: - ONLY joke costumes - i can see him in onesies, inflatable costumes, just anything that makes someone crack a smile - most likely a partier, if he does stay home and watch movies he’s secretly scared - the type to make fun of anything the characters are doing - lemme tell you he is RELENTLESS - like he’s lowk coming up with a whole plan just in case he’s in that horror movie situation - “so first, i’d get the bat i hide underneath my bed at all times and then get my emergency flashlight and slide on a mattress down the stairs and out the door and-“ - and you’re just like “🧍‍♀️” - LMAOOO.

steve: - he will probably get so hyped up at parties - matching with sodapop duh - super fun ngl - he and soda will just dare each other to do dumb crap and they’ll actually do it - meanwhile everyone is just staring with admiration and concern in their eyes lmaoo - probably pigs out on candy at three am but don’t we all😭🫶

cherry: - this girl will pull up with the cutest but also most random costume ever LMAOO - like ponyboy it’s probably super niche and no one really expect cherry to wear it - everyone expects her to just be a hot zombie cheerleader or smth - she said she’s too iconic for that😔🖐️ - she’s honestly the kinda gal to just hang out at home if she had it her way - but hates scary movies so like she’ll watch half and just have a breakdown and switch it to my little pony - she’s so funny and sweet to the kids trick or treating - if she sees some littler kids getting bullied she’d swoop in and steal their candy like a superhero or smth LMAO.

thanks so much for requesting again! this was a lot of fun!❤️‼️

[thefayecoven]

Adrian Graye was a St. Epiderm kid, I smell it on him💀

He was def that popular boy that all of the teachers loved, had his own posse of yes-men, dunked freshmen into trash cans, and had a fuck ass side part.

I just KNOW for fact that Adrian was an absolute ass in high school, but not in the ways that people think.

My personal head-canons for his story incoming so take what you will, but my version? Lack of attention at home. His mother began being around less and less due to some romantic fling of hers at the time, which led to Adrian being increasingly more and more alone as the years of high school bled into one another.

As he burrowed himself into his interests such as theatre, musicals, anything and everything artsy, he also began to focus on crafting and perfecting his image in high school so he wouldn’t face the same lonely and bullied fate he had in previous grades.

Adrian quickly became well liked , with his skill in illusion magic capturing some attention. Illusions were largely regarded as high-def party tricks, even in the early 2000’s, so seeing someone with such skill and talent as well as being able to see the real world application? People were stunned.

His involvement in Epiderm’s theatre troupe also gained him some popularity and favor. Even to a degree where roles were simply guaranteed for him. To a degree where he didn’t need to do much himself, where others would do it for him. While he had his own group that typically understood his mannerisms quite well, other students didn’t question him too often when he spoke of something they didn’t understand. After all he’s the cool kid right- “better just figure it out myself so he thinks I’m chill like that”

This tendency to let others carry him on and attempt to put their entire being into understanding him and his every whim crept its way into adulthood and would take a long time to unlearn.

But either way the popularity didn’t come with grace. Adrian was MEAN. Like downright brutal very often. Keeping people twirled around his finger to get them to do things for him , could range from “oh carry this for me” to “get the answer key for the final”. He was (and still is) a very judge-y individual , and while being a person who came from poverty, still didn’t hesitate to bring down others for the same, forgetting and tossing away his roots almost instantly if it meant maintaining his image. He was quick to target new students with insults, playful bullying, etc., with it even becoming a running inside joke in the school (the whole “freshmen = fresh meat” joke).

So yeah not a good dude at all, not even a dork. Just awful. In his search for attention he became quite bitter, paving the way to the Adrian we know in canon.

[emberfire]

Through the Looking Glass Ruins 3rd Anniversary.

"Better a stooge than a clown. Bria was right, illusions are nothing but high-def party tricks." - Gus

[vickysaurus]

"You're playing by Glandus rules, Matty. You can have anything you want if you're strong enough to take it. Hahahaha!"

"Hey. I-I didn't know she was gonna do this."

Bria: "Matty, we need you to hold our stuff!"

Mattholomule: "This is exactly how it was at Glandus. Always Bria's stooge."

"Better a stooge than a clown. Bria was right, illusions are nothing but high-def party tricks."

"Yeah, I used to think that too. But then I met some dork who used his powers to save me from a man-eating detention pit. All I'm saying is, if a dumb illusion can save a jerk like me, maybe it's not as useless as you think."

[wooahaes]

skz versions PLEASE

while im waiting for pasta sauce to thicken up a lil...

my immediate thought for 'older brothers best friend' is aussie bros being actual (adopted) aussie bros. reader is chris's best friend and felix is in love with them but has 0 idea how to talk abt it. where like... the seokmin-chan dynamic was "i'm worried abt how seokmin will respond :(", the chris-felix dynamic is "chris can never find out because he has so much dirt on me and i'll never live"

i like the idea that reader n chris meet in high school and just click together rly well lol and felix starts crushing on them after reader shows up to a swim meet a few years later while felix is a freshman. reader's cheering on chris and felix because they wanna be supportive and reader hugs felix afterward and he's like omg (flustered). he doesn't act on it for a while because he thinks the crush will go away, esp after reader goes abroad for school, and then they come back and felix's crush comes back in full force. all of his friends (the rest of the 00z + jeongin) know the lore by now and have been sworn to silence. there's just some sort of rekindling of things, both have matured a bit, and its kind of a "im getting to know you again and oops we're falling in love" while reader and felix scramble to keep their relationship hidden from chris (bc reader, like felix, also knows how much dirt chris has on them. neither part of this relationship will get to live with chris around)

i like to imagine that eventually it leads to a big fight because i live for the drama in fiction lol where chris finds out and he's hurt because two of the people he loves most have been hiding this from him and he feels horrible because why wouldnt they trust him??? reader calls things off with felix because they feel guilty for hurting him, felix is upset and feels guilty for hurting chris as well, and the three start to avoid one another fully after the fallout. it 100% takes the rest of their friends to trick them all into the same room and being like 'ok work this shit out because ur depressing us.' they work things out, probs w chris admitting he never wanted them to hide their relationship and he def didn't want them to break up as a result, he just wishes they had talked to him, etc. and they work things out and happy ever after :)

sorry u can tell i was thinking abt this while i was cooking sdkfhdsf

fake dating but the guy needs it instead of the reader... hmm..... god, who is the funniest option for fake dating.... my heart says seungmin if im honest because like. he feels like the type who's like "i would never get myself into that situation"

and then he turns around to reader and hes like "i need you to pretend to date me. don't ask questions." and reader (his friend and coworker) is like. uh. my guy, i kind of have to ask questions rn. and seungmin starts telling this long story about how he saw his ex out in public and they're dating someone new and they were kind of a shitty person when they dated and turns out they're still shitty bc they saw the chance to put seungmin down because ohh ur not dating anyone? of course ur not :) and hes like ACTUALLY I AM (pulls up picture of him and reader when they were hanging out) they're hotter than you :) and now he's invited to some party that he knows his ex will be at and he needs reader to go with him. readers like whats in it for me tho other than showing up ur bitchy ex. and seungmins like idk ill cover one of ur shifts.

thats not enough and he ends up promising to take u out for whatever food afterward and covering one of ur shifts as soon as u need it (barring him having any personal emergencies/being physically unable to cover it). reader is 100% the one who kisses seungmin's cheek while at the party...

and probably also the one who yanks seungmin in to make out with him in a bedroom when they hear seungmin's ex wandering around for him. they absolutely pull away and are fine right after its all over. the two probs keep up the fake dating for a while w the PDA becoming more and more common until seungmin just looks up one day and hes like

holy fuck. we're just like... actually dating now arent we.

they r idiots together <3 mwah mwah

[st-highwind]

I think I've finally got my ducks in a row, so I think it's time for an official post about my ffiv oc: Thrush Yarrow, they/them.

Approx. 1200 words of exposition below.

Thrush was born in Troia with the purpose of becoming an epopt. Their family was rather high in the ranks, with Thrush having an older sister in epopt training as well-- she succeeded and will assume the position once a current epopt is prepared to concede.

After several years and witnessing several mercantile and ambassadorial visits from nations such as Damcyan and Baron, a distaste began to develop for the position Thrush was preparing to ascend to. Soon after the turn of their seventeenth year, Thrush fled Troia on a black chocobo in the silence of the night.

The following years were spent honing their battle skills with a scythe in the forests of Baron and the Mist Valley. While their ability to use magic left them, they transformed the ability to harness mana into a trick they call Harvesting. They reap MP from their enemies and sow it into themselves or an ally. (Basically, their whole unique skill is Osmose but significantly better. Post lunar-trial, the Reap ability becomes Harvest, and they can absorb both HP and MP from an enemy to disperse to themself or an ally. Their ultimate weapon, acquired in the Lunar Subterrane, is called the Great Reaper: it has a chance to use Death on any enemy and boasts a high crit rate.)

They first encounter Cecil in passing after the collapse of the Mist Valley. They drag Rydia and Cecil to safety and, while on the way to Kaipo to retrieve help, they encounter Rosa, ill with desert fever, who they then carry to Kaipo. Ultimately, Thrush is spat out of the antlion's den as Edward reaches in to retrieve a Sand Pearl, and joins the party for the battle. They remain until they, too, are lost when Leviathan capsizes the party's ship as they sail for Baron.

The black chocobo Thrush fled Troia on spots them floating along the shores of their homeland. To Thrush's chagrin, they and Edward are taken in by the Troian castle while their wounds heal. Thrush still slips away in the night to hide from their familial ties and loathed past, but not before they are confronted by their sister, now a full epopt, for abandoning the family and Troia, calling them cowardly and traitorous.

Once Cecil, clad in the armor of a Paladin, reaches Troia alongside Yang, Cid, and Tellah, the Lodestone Cavern seems dreadful. Tellah's limited MP and the loss of Cecil's powerhouse swordfighting make for a daunting task. Lo and behold, however, Thrush Yarrow sits in the Chocobo Village with a brand new scythe-- the gemstone blade is razor-sharp and is not hampered by the magnetic pull of the cavern. Once they reunite with Cecil in the Chocobo Village, Thrush remains with the party for the rest of the game.

Thrush is quiet, observant, and spirited-- a glass cannon. They're deft and lethal, however their HP and Def aren't as potent as other party members. They're very strong against magic and have a high crit rate, and after a bit of toughening up, Thrush makes hard battles a bit easier with the help of their Reap ability.

Now, onto the Highwind path. Thrush's first encounter with Kain is while he's under Golbez's control, when he leads the enemy siege on Fabul. After seeing Rosa captured and Cecil's consequent emotional agony, they can't help but to ask questions. Cecil and young Rydia answer as best they can, and Thrush's morbid curiosity only grows. It lingers as the party treks through the Tower of Zot and bests Barbariccia-- now truly introducing Kain and Thrush to one another for the first time.

Kain is, of course, in love with Rosa. Zemus' grasp on him is on the roots of jealousy he has towards Cecil. He is plagued by guilt and motivated by vengeance for his honor and to redeem himself for the harm he has caused others, despite forgiveness from those closest to him. Taciturn, introspective, and steadfast, he directs all of his energy towards helping Cecil defeat Golbez/Zemus. Thrush deeply admires his strength and resolve. They're drawn to his dissatisfaction in his actions, the innate disgust with his own wants-- they empathize. A connection is built between them as they train together, travel together with the party, and share idle conversation during long night watches-- a pair of insomniacs.

Thrush understands they're developing feelings for the dragoon, and they understand that the timing is very inconvenient, given they've just breached earth's surface and crash-landed in the Underworld. They don't dare act on any of their heart's desires. There's no time, no place. Given the circumstances, Thrush is quite certain their feelings are unrequited. For a some while, they are. Kain harbors nothing but camaraderie until they're together scouring the remains of Eblan Castle and fighting Rubicante side-by-side. Until Kain sees Thrush shares in his melancholy, until he sees them bathed in the pale light of the two moons, until they slip the gauntlet off his hand and grace him with the comfort in the touch of hands alone.

This makes the scene in the Sealed Cavern all the more angsty, all the more delectable.

Kain's footsteps stagger and his clawed gauntlets grasp at the fins protruding from his helmet. Golbez' voice rattles along the walls of the cavern and the dragoon falls to his knees, lance dug into the dirt to keep him upright. I'm alright, he grunts through gritted teeth, I'm no longer under his control! Cecil's hands are on his shoulders, holding him steady and encouraging his strength, Thrush beside him and shaking with anxiousness. In a blink Rosa is casting Cura and healing the lance wound marring Cecil's side, Rydia is holding Edge back from storming out of the cavern exposed and leaving the rest of the party more vulnerable than they already are, and Thrush is paralyzed in heartache, betrayal, and distraught sadness.

I don't have any details thought out in full for the reunion within and after the collapse of the Giant of Babil. Of course it's packed with emotional tension and angst-- Kain, all of his emotions surging back to him in a tsunami of regret and fervor, Thrush, still cradling a bleeding heart and the sting of deception, both yearning for one another and for redemption of the self. I know it hurts, I know that they make a promise to one another before ascending to the moon in the Lunar Whale, and I know their presence lingers in one another's Lunar Trials. I'll make a separate post for Thrush's Lunar Trial.

Well, that's Thrush! I, of course, initially created Thrush as means of a self-insert to interact (cough cough) with Kain. I know I don't want their presence to take away from Kain's own development even across several games-- I don't want them to become his sole motivator. I want them to be a source of comfort, companionship, and security. As the time has passed and Thrush developed, they are no longer a total self-insert and instead a true original character with motives and methods different from my own. They're now more of a vehicle for me to move through the world of ffiv since I cannot physically do it myself, lol. I love them dearly. As a matter of fact, learning to mod my emulator to add in Thrush and create a homebrew of the game is on my bucket list. Please let me know what you think.

[nizynskis]

15 questions tag 15 friends thank you elli @schalotte for tagging me <33 made me realize that we have several major similarities if u lived in my area we would have to fight to the death

1. Are you named after anyone?

Sophie is just a name my mom liked, Sascha is after dearly loved artist Sascha Schneider

2. When was the last time you cried?

Yesterday watching the wizard of oz.

3. Do you have kids?

Noooo. Someday I def want to but not for many years. there will be 3

4. What sports do you play/have you played?

NONE I’m terrible at sports I wrestled briefly in high school but I don’t think that counts

5. Do you use sarcasm?

More than I would like to I think. :-(

6. What is the first thing you notice about people?

Also hair! it’s importance

7. What’s your eye color?

brown!

8. scary movies or happy endings?

Also a sucker for a happy ending. But in a pinch I will take a scary movie with a happy(ish?) ending. Like tx chainsaw

9. Any talents?

I can fold both my legs behind my head and read a book that way. cool party trick at age 9

10. Where were you born?

nyc!

11. what are your hobbies?

sewing, reading, embroidering, baking, biking these have been hypothetical lately I have been very busy

12. do you have any pets?

there’s my dad’s aging pitbull dog who I love! None of my own but SOMEDAY I will have a pigeon

13. How tall are you?

5’5 that’s 165cm for the nonamerican mutuals

14. favorite subject in school?

semester won’t start for another week but I loved philosophy of logic last season!

15. Dream job? editorrr also i have my fingers crossed always

ok deep breath. tags @tabboulehs @thirtytwoflavors @black-dr3sses @charlatanesque @vainkaz @foxchai @fearfylsymmetry @spinatia @lavendercountry @twinprime @reliqvia @52stations @hemicynes @britomart @boudicca

[magicxc]

Hills and Valleys

Synopsis: Legend has it that Halloween is strictly for the scares. With ghouls and goblins, vampires and werewolves, witches and broomsticks, who could disagree?

However, all this friend group wanted was a little trick or treat. Sprinkle in a few party favors, loud music and a cabin in the woods, the myth was bound to come true.

Lurking around the corner is danger like never before, eager to bring this night to a bloody finish.

So join these friends as they fight to make it through a Hallween they’ll never forget.

Word Count: 3506

Warnings: murdaaaa, tha big reveal

Chapter 6 - Jasons POV

A/N: this is legit like my 5th attempt at uploading this damn fic. From the warnings to the word count to the moodboard to the story all the way down to the fucking tagsssss 😩 I am TIRED. Almost turned my phone into jello over Dumblr. So please, enjoy; cause tears def went into this.

Series Masterlist

“What’s with the scrutiny all of a sudden?” Emery challenged. “You know I could say the same for you Jason, the same for all of us really; cause where was anyone when our friends were fighting for their lives?” she sniffled. “All we have to do is sit here til sunrise and we can’t even do that.”

As annoying as I find Emery, she made a decent point. Where was I? Where was anyone and how did this manage to happen unheard? Do I actually believe Lorenzo did it? Not really. He’s lost arguably the two closest people in his friend group, cradling Stephanie in his arms for God knows how long. For a second I almost believed he’d break through the window if it meant he could reach out and hold Julianna much the same; his behaviour eerily composed, reminding me of the calm before the storm - and what a shit storm it’s turned out to be.

Serving in the military, I was taught to survive in extreme atmospheric conditions; training to fight in places as scorching as the desert and as icy as the snow. Our exercises also saw us in unsturdy places such as the choppy currents of the water, arms linked together as we floated on the surface for hours. The sky was no exception either, learning to parachute from altitudes so high the air was all but limited. It wasn’t my dream to fight for this country but, life happens. And while it did come with its perks, I wouldn’t recommend any sane person to join. I’ve scraped so many bodies off the battlefield and sent so many others to meet their maker, I’ve become somewhat desensitized to death - learning to keep calm during the most chaotic and life threatening moments because it’s only then that I was able to live to tell the tale. And that’s what I’ve been attempting since we all found ourselves locked in this place - surviving, lending out my experience to the team who quite frankly doesn't deserve it at this point. All I can do is stay calm long enough to see this night through.

“I think we should waterboard the fucker.”

And here the fuck we go. I’ve never pegged Lynn for such a firecracker but I get it. After all, this night is drawing all sorts of emotions from people: showing our true colors when the universe dangles something so priceless before us.

It's been said that about 1800 people have jumped from the golden gate bridge, yet only 35 have survived the fall. And each person that’s survived has explicitly stated that they regretted jumping halfway through the fall, realising, in the face of imminent danger, just how solvable all their problems seemed. Much like tonight, in what happened to be a party gone horribly wrong, recovering bodies littered around the house like candies during an easter egg hunt, only then do you realise how desperately you want to live. Many people are familiar with the term fight or flight, but what goes most overlooked is a secret third thing - fear. Fear so intense it freezes you to one spot like a deer in headlights, too afraid to move from the oncoming beams of tragedy. But another emotion fear pulls from us is survival, an emotion so fierce that you’d find yourself doing just about anything to have it; even going as far as to commit interrogation tactics of torture.

“Exactly which fucker are you referring to?” Emery questioned.

“Whoever the fucker is responsible for this mess.”

“Go ahead and point them out for us since you know every damn thing.”

They’re on their own with this one. I can't deal with the bickering. I'm used to organized and thought provoking responses in such situations; my irritation rising the more it sinks in just how wet they are behind the ears.

“Lorenzo, you’re one more insult away from me socking you in the face.”

“Whatever Lynn, what you should hit is the books you dumbass,” he retorts.

Throwing her shoe at him, it just barely misses his face; Emery stepping in to call them both childish.

“So help me God if you don’t get your shit together, I’m gonna whoop you like your parents should have.”

“Fuck you Lenny, at least my parents were active enough in my life not to let me get raised by the help.”

“Parent,” Lorenzo enunciated. “Had your dad been able to afford the help, maybe your mom would’ve stuck around you motherless bitch.”

Well shit.

“Jason, do something!”

“Right, uhhh all shoes in the middle of the floor,” I instructed.

“Asshole.”

I don’t know why Emery insists on calling me out. Everyone, despite tonight’s circumstances, in this room is responsible for their own actions. Yet she expects me to jump in the middle of their bullshit every time. I don't know what kind of savior complex they have going on, but I won’t be a part of it. I barely want to be with sugar at this point.

“Lenny you motherfucker, two parents plus the help and yet no one taught you what it means to have common decency; no wonder women can’t wait to get rid of you.”

“Well if it isn’t the whore of Babylon here to teach us a lesson about keeping partners. Tell you what, you teach me how to keep a woman and I’ll teach you how to get rid of the clap.”

“Sex shaming is not cool,” Emery criticized.

“And neither is half the things that's been flapping past Lynn's lying ass lips,” Lorenzo retorted. “If you’re gonna be biased, do so from the corner of the room, cause you’re at about arms length right now and that’s not good for you.

“Would you seriously hit me?” she ridiculed.

I would.

“Are you surprised Em, this is the same piece of shit who yanked Julez arm so hard, it left bruises.”

“You dramatic whore, no the fuck I did not.”

“And that was in front of an entire crowd, who knows what you’re capable of behind closed doors huh? Drowning? Slicing?”

“Sounds like you’re in the mood to find out.”

“Tell me their last words to you as you watched them fight for their lives you piece of shit.”

“YOU GUYS PLEASE.”

Oh my God.

“Shut your mouth Lynn.”

“Tell me every horrifying detail about what fucked you up so bad that you’d turn on your own friends in such a way.”

“I won't ask you again.”

“Steph probably begged you to finish her off didn’t she? Eager to get the hell away from you and your perverted advances.”

For a big guy, Lorenzo’s pretty damn swift. Maybe it’s because all those drinks are still sloshing around in my bloodstream but my cat like senses wasn’t quick enough to catch him.

Angrily lunging toward Lynn his hands are tightly wrapped around her throat, arms trembling from the forceful hold. Beads of sweat drip down his forehead, while spittled foam gathers at the corners of his mouth. Blinking away tears, thick veins line the surface of his neck, incoherent mumbling tumbling past his lips.

Sugar desperately beats at his arms, struggling for air he refuses to give her and my anger shoots through the roof, their foolishness pissing me off for the final time. It takes both me and Emery to tear Lorenzo away from sugar, his grip firm and unrelenting. For a second I feared that he actually intended to kill her. Once we finally manage to drag him away, it takes me putting my full weight on this man, using one of my hand to hand combat moves to lock him into place.

Pinned beneath me, I scream to Emery to grab anything strong enough to tie his arms together. She brings me back one of the kitchen towels and I roll us sideways so that she can wrap it around his hands.

“I - I can't do it, he won’t stop thrashing his arms.”

“For fucksake Emery TRY, there’s only so much I can do right now.

With lots of wiggling and flailing, Emery manages a decent enough knot for me to turn him over and reinforce it. Sugar finally catches her breath before storming into the kitchen.

We sit Lorenzo in a chair while Emery tries to coax him into comfort. Standing up, he head butts me in the face, my nose immediately leaking blood from the impact. My fist returns the favor, knocking him back into the chair. Emery harshly tugs on my elbow, begging me to stop, and it takes everything in me to do just that because this fight was about to turn real unfair, real quick.

Dragging my arm across my face, I look about the room for anything to tie down his legs to the chair, coming up with some loose cloth, which undoubtedly was a part of someone’s costume.

“Fuck all of you,” Lorenzo screams.

“No Lenny, fuck you,” sugar screeched, thumping back to the room; a pitcher full of water cradled between her hands.

“Woah, woah, woah LYNNLEY. Are you fucking serious?”

“As a heart attack.”

“This is Lenny, the same Lenny we’ve known since middle school.”

“People change Em and I'm about to show you just how much.”

“Sugar, maybe we should-“

“Shut up, all of you.”

“I know there’s been a lot said tonight, some things in particular we can never take back,” Lorenzo sighed. “And I know tensions are high right now, but are they so high that you’d all sit there and watch me die.”

“Lorenzo, no one’s gonna kill anyone man.”

“It’s WATERBOARDING, you of all people should know that it can very well get fatal.”

“Enough of this.”

Grabbing a fistful of his hair, she pulls his head back, pouring enough water on him to drench his clothes, before being snatched away by Emery.

It's not nearly enough to kill him, but it does make for some discomfort, much like accidentally snorting a noseful of water once you dive inside a swimming pool. It burns but that's about it.

Coughing through his discomfort, I listen as sugar and Emery go back and forth over the severity of it all; and I briefly contemplate killing myself if it means that I won't have to deal with their nonsense. I honestly don't know if I can make it to sunrise like this and by the looks of it, neither will they.

Their bickering finally subsides, them agreeing only to question the man and nothing more. Of course Lorenzo detests it, that for no other reason than a hunch he’s guilty and lowkey he’s right. But then again, I'm not inserting myself into their madness. They’ve made it this far in this fucked up friend circle, they can make it the rest of the night.

“So lemme get this straight, you went upstairs to find cell signal and somehow found yourself next to a knife stricken Steph?”

“Lynn, ask your damn question.”

“How did you end up there and why?”

“My phone fell out of the window and I was looking for someone elses to use. It just so happened that Steph was the first person I found.”

“I think we should stop asking who may have done it, but why?” Emery proposed. “I feel like if we can figure out who had motive, we can narrow it down.”

“Well this is a pretty fucked up way to narrow things down. I'm literally tied to a chair.”

“That's because you choked me.”

“And I’ll do it again, you’ve been out of pocket since this whole thing started. How do we know you’re not the killer huh?

“Because I’m holding back from killing you now,” she shrieks.

Spitting, the thick glob lands directly on her chest, sugar all but emptying the contents of the pitcher onto his face; angrily clomping back into the kitchen to no doubt fill it again, but not before slapping him across the cheek.

Wet and stinging, that's quite the combination. I fear this has gone on long enough and it's only escalating. As much as I wanted to stay out of it, I think I better intervene.

Following sugar into the kitchen, I try to talk her out of this crazed state, her dazed pupils letting me know that she’s too far gone for reason. Pushing past me, she heads back into the living room where we see Emery struggling to untie the knots off Lorenzo, his violent coughing trying to dislodge the water that seeped into his lungs.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”

“The hell does it look like I'm doing Lynn, this is mad and it needs to stop now.”

“Not until I get some answers.”

“People who talk, talk after their first contact with water,” I bargained. “And he’s not talking.”

“All that means is we have to get him talking then.”

“OR, it means he didn’t do it. You pour a bucket of water over someone’s nose and they’ll tell you whatever you want to hear if it means you’ll stop.”

“And yet you did it anyway,” she glared.

“There was a time where I would’ve died for all of you. I found a family in you guys and it filled a void I didn’t even know I had. And in one night, one measly fucking night I lose it all,” Lorenzo whimpered. “My best friend gets murdered without us ever properly mending things between us. I had to watch the love of my life die in my arms. And now, my other friend is actively trying to kill me, disregarding our decade long friendship all in the name of anger.

“Lorenzo, you did this to yourself!”

“LYNN, how fucking cruel can you be?”

“It’s alright Em, I’ve been known to be a bit of an asshole, though I’d like to think I meant well,” he bitterly chuckled, snot trickling down his nose. “Do me a favor and survive this fucked up night, cause God only knows who Lynn will turn on next. Not to mention that fucker over there,” he says, head nodding toward me. “Ain't it a little odd how all of this starts happening the moment he shows up? Yet I'm the one you helped him strap down to a chair. They ask what would you do for a klondike bar, but you better start asking what would Lynn do for a piece of dick, cause apparently it’s kill for it.”

“Lorenzo, I'm actually on your side. The only reason you’re even tied to that chair is because you attacked two people in this room,” I defended.

“And what's the reason I'm being waterboarded huh? Who weaseled that thought in her mind? You say you fight for your country? Motherfucker you can't even fight for the people in this room, but you like what’s happening huh?

“Not at all man.”

“We get it, I'm a dumb hoe, but you’re about to be a dead one if you don’t fess up.”

“And then what? You’ll let me go free?”

“Jason, please help me untie him,” Emery pleaded.

“Em don’t you fucking dare.”

Lunging toward her, hands get tangled into hair and nails get scratched into skin before I can get between them. It takes more strength than I care to give to hold Emery back, both she and sugar throwing around insults.

“Lynn I swear, you’re more trouble than you’re worth,” Lorenzo taunted. “YOU ARE THE CUM SHOT YOUR MOTHER SHOULDVE SWALLOWED. It would’ve saved your dad a lifetime of headaches and your mother the embarassm-“

Lorenzo’s words get cut off by the splashing of water, his gurgling noises buried under the guzzling of the pitcher. Emery goes wild, hitting my chest repeatedly and I toss her to the ground, jetting over to the scene behind me. Slapping the pitcher from Lynn’s hands, it's on the verge of empty, nothing but a trickle left inside as it splatters to the floor.

Lorenzo’s body furiously thrashes around, his chest caved in and head hung over with water spluttering from his mouth in an attempt to rid it from his body.

“Shit, Lynnley what the fuck did you do,” I screamed.

Emery is struggling to undo the knots, but all she’s doing is pulling them tighter together. I race over and lean the chair forward, hoping for gravity to expel some of the water from his airway, his body jerking about minorly.

“Why are you just standing there, find something to cut him loose.”

Scrambling into the kitchen, I hear dishes clinking and slamming together before Lynn comes running out with a knife, slicing through the cloth as best she can. The kitchen towel, since it was the thickest, took the longest and by the time we got him out the chair and on the floor, his fits has ceased.

Getting into position, I lock my hands together and press down on his chest, 30 times just like we did in training.

“Emery, once I count to 30 I need you to tip his head back and blow two big breaths into his mouth okay.”

“And what do I do?”

“Stay the fuck over there, I doubt he’d want your help at this point,” Emery yelled.

We do five sets of 30 compressions. The CPR forces out some of the water but Lorenzo is still unconscious.

“Why isn’t it working?” Emery wails.

“Em-“

“Why are you stopping, keep going.”

“Stop.”

Pushing against my chest, Emery restarts CPR.

“The lungs are about 9 inches in height, that's a little under a foot.”

“Nobody cares, just fucking help me.”

“The pitcher that Lynn poured over his face looked to be about 64 ounces and she did it twice. That was enough water to fill his lungs three times over.”

“We can do it, I know we can,” she croaked.

“There's no amount of CPR that can expel that much water. And his lungs are so heavy they’re actively swelling as we speak.”

“We won’t know unless we try Jason, you get the mouth and I’ll get the chest.”

“Blowing air into his already expanding lungs won't help Emery.”

“Am I supposed to just watch him die then?” she chided. “Isn’t there a way to drain it?”

“I'm no doctor and neither do we have the tools or the sterile space to do that.”

“Fuck a sterile space!”

“Not only would you infect him but stabbing anything in his chest to ‘drain it’ will only make him bleed out. We would need a very specific and precise needle.”

“No, we can do it,” she answered, starting the compressions again.

The splattering of liquids on the floor lets me know that Lynn has just emptied the contents of her stomach, but I'm in no mood to comfort.

“The body works in 3’s. Three days without water, three weeks without food, and three minutes without air. It’s been about seven now.”

“Shut up.”

“Lorenzo’s lungs are so heavy they’ve probably detached from his windpipe. That, coupled with no oxygen to his brain…at least he was unconscious before it happened.

“Jason either you help me or you leave,” Emery threatened, fat teardrops rolling down her face in droves.

There’s five stages of grief and they’re at the first one. Back against the furniture, I hold my head in my hands, listening to sugars light whimpers and Emery's ragged breathing.

She tires herself out with compressions, fists flying to his chest, pleading for him to wake up. Hands clutched over her ears, sugar rocks back and forth, mumbling out apologies, expletives, and frustrations; guilt no doubt eating her alive.

Hands dropping to my pocket, I rummage around for anything I can chew on, ready to get out of here and never see these people again. Fingers slipping free with the peppermint goodness, I unwrap it and pop it in my mouth.

Some minutes pass by, how many I don't know and the night grows quiet. As tragic as it’s been for everyone, this minute's peace brings about a small sense of tranquility. There’s the occasional sniffle and I watch as the sky transitions from pitch black to a pale pink, the telltale sign of the sun about to rise.

“At least his parents will be home soon right?” sugar questions.

“Yep, right in time enough to see their only son sprawled out on the floor and his friends scattered across the property. So much for the new owners, their home just turned into a crime scene.”

“Do you have any more gum?” Emery asked, voice sore from crying.

Tossing it in her direction, she catches it, face upturned once she removes the wrapper.

“Eww, Jason what the fuck, who the hell buys brown gum? What kind of flavor even is this?”

“It's peppermint,” I answered, popping a bubble.

“Still weird, I haven’t seen this shit since-“

The words die on her tongue. She looks up to me, revelation fresh on her features, which slowly etches into panic, as a sinister grin makes its way onto mine.

[fightingglamour]

okkkayy! plot call for my people for vegassss! @fightingglamour, @obeybrookes, @ratedrcope and @rollinsrevolution, too!

i would def love to write with all of you during this trip so PLEASE lmk if you want to and i can start some dumb treads. i tend to be so wordy lately, but so down to do a bunch of lil ones to break the habit.

i’ll get to the meme requests ones in a bit later (unless you’re willing to do it with the current vegas of it all) since this is a current happening. i’m going to drop some vibes below the cut so you know the vibes they all bring and some ideas we can write. <3

dm me or like this if you would like anything. i’m going to take benadryl and beat these allergies and be back in a few hours!!

also these are general ideas, also would love to plot some fun for during the games, too!

let mariah: encourage you to do something dumb and regretful, get high with you and stare at the vegas lights and talk about life, convince you to totally talk to that celebrity you both see that wants nothing to do with either of you, late night drunk food run, throw a drink on you idk, getting lost somehow in the casino, go to the spa, slot machines, or anything silly, tbh. btw if you take her to a claw machine and win her a stuffed animal, she will become your bff. she is ridiculously good at them and will challenge you and heckle you the entire time, too. she is generally more laid back lately and if not busy, hanging with her boyf judging and gossiping. oop.

let chris: fake propose to you in front of a vegas landmark to trick tourists and cause a bunch of attention on you both (bonus points if your character has no idea he’s doing this and people stop and stare and yours feels compelled to go along with it), get high also and lay somewhere so he can look at the lights and be enamored, drunkenly convince you to get a tattoo or even matching ones, take a gondola ride at the venetian, get a caricature drawn by a street artist, go to a gentleman’s club bc ofc he would love it and pull a hook 2.0, slow dance with you drunkenly beneath the fremont light show just bc, visit the neon sign museum with you, go to the eiffel tower experience. fall in love and have a bb with you. jkjk i swear.

let adam: ride the high roller with you, take you to mini golf, help de escalate a situation getting out of hand or talk you down from doing something stupid, go indoor skydiving, hang out at the pool, go and take pics with wax celebs at madame tussauds, watch a water and light show with you, take you to excalibur’s tournament of kings --- basically anything mentioned above with chris.

seth will do anything since he’s just here for a good time and to make sure everyone has fun, legit big dad vibes with this one since he doesn’t really drink or do much partying. he will 100% be wherever @bitws is.

[waywardsunlight]

“High def party tricks”

[dotster001]

Congratulations on 1.5k followers, you deserve it! I was wondering if for your event I could request a type one matchup for twst. (Sorry if this is a bit long I’m just trying to give as much information I can-) I’d say I’m a pretty calm person in general, but sometimes I tend to be chaotic and a bit impulsive when I get excited. I do have a slight problem with sleeping aka I tend to sleep a lot more than the recommended hours and get sleepy easily. I am an ambivert leaning towards extrovert(somehow) and tend to have to be the one standing up for my friends. I have a wide range of interests but the main ones would probably be sharks/any kind of marine life, dinosaurs, and plants(help I sound like your average 5 year old kid-) I love to drone on about my interests unless the other person will get bored then I just don’t. I’m not as empathetic as others would presume but when it comes for the people I really care about I’m not afraid to go above and beyond for them. I am in band and love musicals and theatre in general, but I also do enjoy playing video games and making comics for fun. I do also like tending to my plants and bake. I don’t really dislike anything, I just find it annoying when people don’t understand that no means no and when people bother me in my sleep(even if they have the best intentions)

I hopes didn’t drone on too long and that you have a wonderful rest of your day/night ^^

Event Closed

I match you with Azul Ashengrotto.

Is this partially because I saw "marine life" and couldn't think of anything else? Yes. But for real, he loves to hear you go off about your ocean interests, cause sometimes things are different in our world. Plus, he gets to be the coolest person in your eyes when he takes you on a tour of his home, and wows you with his extensive knowledge on marine life of the area. (He also has a couple shark mers who owe him a favor. He can def introduce you if you want to hear about shark's straight from the…uh…the shark's mouth.)

You probably start dating because he tricks you into a contract with a potion to help you stay awake. He 100% had a crush on you, and used it to his advantage. Yeah it's skeezy, but you eventually fall for him back, so all's well. Classic enemies to lovers. But pretty soon, he finds he likes when you sleep longer, because it means your clingy octopus has lots of time to cuddle and cling. (He makes sure the twins know they will not be receiving a paycheck if they ever disturb your sleep. And if you beat them up for waking you up, he'll look the other way)

He likes your ambivert/extravert side. He plans to be a high achieving business man until he can retire, so he'll be doing a lot of networking, a lot of parties, and he'll need people to help him run the business. He hopes he can count on you for some of that, but if you can at least be someone to attend parties with him, he'll be so excited to show you off.

He also likes your not so empathetic side. He likes to see you be snarky or devious. He thinks it's so hot. There was one time you had to fire a terrible worker, and when you were done, he took you into the VIP room to make out. It was the hottest thing he's ever seen.

Literally, all your hobbies make him fall more in love with you. If you bake him something, if you buy him a plant, if you draw him something, if you invite him to game with you, oh my God! The man is weak! His poor heart(s) can't take it! He is puddy in your hands. He'll give you anything in this entire world! You're just too much for him!!!!!

"Say you'll share with me one life, one lifetime,"

Azul looked up from his paperwork, searching for the voice that was able to draw him in far better than any siren could.

"Say the word and I will follow you."

He left his desk, and quickly ran out the door, in the direction of the lounge.

"Share each day with me, each night, each morning."

He found you singing into a microphone, standing in front of one of the tables, which was decorated with candles and a romantic place setting.

"Anywhere you go let me go too."

He came right up to you, and grinned, pretending his eyes weren't littered with tears, just like they were  every time you sang him a romantic ballad from your world.

"Love me. That's all I ask of you."

He nodded vigorously, before kissing you deeply. He wanted to imprint every part of this moment into his memory. For so long, he thought no one could love him as much as you.

"Azul, stop snogging, your fucking spaghetti's getting cold!"

He sighed, and glared at Floyd, who had just arrived at the table. He wanted to engrave almost every part of this into his memory.

[amity-png]

actually hey. let's talk about gus in ttlgr for a second

illusions are very much an allusion (ha) for the arts imho. they're seen as nothing but "high def party tricks" and everyone sees that type of magic as pretty much useless. and, as an artist, that pretty much sums up what ive been told time and time again. that i'm wasting my time pursuing art as a career. and like, gus throughout the entire episode was essentially experiencing burnout. he genuinely loves doing illusions and he's really passionate about it! but after too many things going wrong, he got burnt out and started to doubt his path and had a sudden loss in interest. by the end of the episode he obviously gains his love back for what he does as an illusionist, but i just think it's really neat how at the end he was praised for his skills and for his creativity, which were the very things he was beating himself up for earlier. idk! i just really like how gus is a young artist and that he has people around him that uplift both him and his art

[lilmcttens]

Emira and Edric alike had both had to deal with their messy, muddy, spells thrown at them or them being splattered with Amity's magic type probably happens a lot. (Haha.)

Meanwhile, Illusions seem so much cleaner by comparison everything is a high-def party trick and smoke. So Emira and Edric are used to being pristine and clean though maybe as kids they didn't mind getting down and dirty in the muck and mud until they were scolded by Odalia. Willow has plant magic, and Amity has abomination magic, just making sentient biens and shapes of following magic mud. How if either one gets hit in the face with the gross muck from their Dad's and Amity's magic alike magic Emira can just flick her wrist and wipe the goop off her face with ease is somebody who's used to their younger sibling throwing things and splattering them with their mud pies.

Emira and Edric have showmanship puffs of confetti 🎉 and smoke 💨 doesn't seem as much of a nuisance until you get puff after puff of sparkles ✨ in your face!