#his mom made him kill a rabbit. he has a weird thing with clocks. he is only ever at most a half hour from a complete breakdown

[touchstone-telephone]

anyway the fact that jeddidiah martin of camp here and there fame isn’t even ON the wettest podcast man poll is a crime

[beepboop358]

My Byler theories/predictions for S4

Since s4 is already confirmed to not be the last season, I don’t think Byler will officially get together in s4. I do think that we are definitely going to get a large amount of Byler’s development in s4 though, we just aren’t at the finish line yet. Since Byler has been being developed all through each of the seasons, I think the writers are playing the long game with Mike and Will. I really appreciate a queer romance that is so well developped, especially in something so popular! I think the season will end on a note where it’s understood what Mike has been struggling with, It’s made known that Will is gay, and that Mike has feelings for Will, and Will has feelings for Mike.

My predictions/theories for Byler in s4:

Mike might be acting a little off at school and Dustin is going to notice his odd behavior and ask what’s up

I think Mike will be getting in trouble at school and at home (based on whenever he doesn’t have Will/El around he does stupid things - like graffitti the bathroom wall, plagiarize essays, curse at adults, etc.) I don’t know if Mike knows about Eddie dealing drugs, but he might and he might get drugs from Eddie and do them to cope with everything he is struggling with. His parents might ground him for doing drugs, and forbid him from going to visit the Byers, and then we could get our runaway smalltown boy montage! LOL

Lonnie might come to visit the Byers in California for Will’s birthday. He will probably show up because he thinks they have money now, or he wants to sue Starcourt like he wanted to sue the quarry in s1. Mike will also be there visiting for Will’s birthday. Lonnie will mock Will and make fun of him like he always did, but he will also hate Mike. Lonnie will definitely notice Will and Mike’s dynamics and he will definitely comment about it. He might even call them homophobic slurs like we know he used to do with Will when he was younger. Lonnie will probably make Will cry and Mike upset. Lonnie might possibly “out” him and Mike before they are out and confirm it themselves. Some of the movies on the stranger writers twitter for s4 also hint at this, as well as having the baseball references. There are also hints to Will’s birthday throughout the show: The rainbow happy birthday mug seen in the crazy together scene, the “sorry i forgot your birthday card” in Will’s room from Lonnie, and Joyce’s speech in the shed discussing Will’s 8th birthday and his “rainbow ship”. Jonathan also mentions how Lonnie made him kill a rabbit on his 10th birthday and he cried for a week after, just more hints that if Lonnie shows up for Will’s bday, it’s gonna be bad.

Mike might get Will a watch for his birthday. This would reference the clocks being central to the s4 plot, and “not wanting things to change/turning back the clock” in Hopper’s letter

Will is being homophobically bullied at his new school again, possibly references to Will having HIV/AIDS because the height of the epidemic was in the 80’s and it was very stigmatized

Mike will call Will more than he will call El. Will might be slightly surprised by this, El’s frequent calling will annoy Mike and he might turn off his walkie talkie. (basically the reverse of what Mike said would happen in the s3 ending mileven scene)

Mike and Will will be in the same location for most of the season, like s2. They will not leave each other’s sides for the majority of the time they are together.

S4 Group Predictions:

- El, Will, Mike trio together with Jonathan and Argyle. (we will get some obvious tension between El, Will, and Mike, and Mike will hate Argyle at first)

- Robin, Steve, Erica, Max, Dustin, Lucas, Vickie, Eddie, Nancy

- Joyce, Murray, etc?

- Hopper and the other Russians (Dimitri, etc)

The rift between Mike and El will continue to grow.

When Mike comes to visit, she will notice he seems much more interested in Will.

El will ask why the bullies call Will those things (queer/fairy/gay/homo, probably f slurs too), what it means and if he really is “a queer”.

I don’t know if Will is going to come out to El. They have never interacted before, and I doubt Will trusts her or really likes her much mainly, because of Mike. Unless they get super close during the time not portrayed on screen between s3 and s4, or by being all each other has in California, I don’t know if  he will come out to El. I could see this going either way depending on how their friendship develops. I definitely do not think Will is going to tell El he likes Mike, even if he does confide in her he is gay. I think she will find out eventually but in some other way, probably just from Mike’s behavior towards Will.

El will eventually realize she doesn’t actually love Mike and let go of the ‘romance’ aspect of their bond, but still highly value him as a friend.

Mike might be called homophobic slurs at school as well. Mike will definitely be teased (regardless of his sexuality) because he is in the hellfire club and since satanic panic is sweeping the town, people look at D&D as if it is a satanic game, and he will be teased because of that.

Based on the leaked bts pics, I have a theory a cheerleader, or someone else, might show interest in Mike.  Mike will not reciprocate and she will call him out for it asking why he doesn't like her because “any other guy at this school would” or something like that, maybe even ask “what are you gay or something”. It would certainly be good for Mike’s narrative but idk if it will happen.

Will may confide in Jonathan about his feelings for Mike and the things the bullies say to him at school. Jonathan will be supportive of Will, as will Joyce. I think he will also try to protect Will from Lonnie and they will both defend Will to Lonnie.

I think we need a scene of Mike with his Mom telling him to follow his heart, like who you like, etc. because life is too short to waste it being miserable or something like that. This could be inspired by Mike’s parents seperating, but idk. This could also encourage Mike to initiate more romantic things with Will.

I would love to get a scene of Will confronting Mike for “Joining another party”, after Will said he wouldn’t.

Will and Mike need to discuss what was said in their fight.

I think since Mike's been holding in a lot of turmoil and struggling with his sexuality for so long we might get a small breakdown scene from him, of him telling Will he’s really sorry for how he treated him last summer, and for all the things he said to Will. Mike will profusely apologize and also hint at how he’s confused and been dealing with a lot.

I think Mike will be the first one to break down and confess he has feelings for Will and has been struggling with coming to terms with his sexuality.

Once Will has confirmation Mike is also struggling with his sexuality, Will might come out to him. I would love for him to reference the fight being like “You were right. I don’t like girls.” (from @itsonlystrange ‘s 4x07 byler script it’s so good!) I don't know if Will will confess he likes Mike to his face or not. I don't think it's likely given how shy Will is and how afraid he is of Mike not reciprocating, but who knows.

Mike may initiate a kiss between him and Will - towards the end of the season probably (eyewitness parallel - explained in my byler proof google slides)

I think Mike and Will might write letters to each other, with some love-y connotations. There is a lot of evidence for this in the canon comics of them writing notes to each other, and that cryptic tweet from stranger writers twitter with a blocked out message and the date Will went missing saying it wasn’t about a couple or hopper. Maybe byler related? This tweet may not be a letter but it might be. The most popular theories are that the message is to Will, “love mike”, which I love. https://twitter.com/strangerwriters/status/1184945905973153792?lang=en

Will has a new haircut (bts pics) and Mike will gush over it. Maybe some gay-panicking too hopefully

I think El will be either physically or at least emotionally distant the entire season from the other kids (again following the pattern of even and odd seasons) El needs some personal development this season, since she didn’t get any in s3.

El might confront Mike and ask if he is gay and if he likes Will, which could be El’s motivation to go off on a journey of her own to learn more about her own life. I don’t think it will be a huge fight, but El might make some references to him always lying to her. I think Mike might just kind of try to talk his way out of it at first, but he will eventually break. This might be a two part discussion and Mike doesn’t admit she is right until later. I don’t think it makes sense for El to be heartbroken (explained in my byler proof slides), just slightly annoyed. This is based off of the movie Tootsie which they borrowed the “gift” idea from in s3 already. In the movie, the girlfriend then after receiving the gift asks “Michael” if he is gay.

I really think eventually El will realize it’s okay because she doesn’t love him romantically either, and once she realizes that her own personal development can really begin.

I think we will see a noticeable change in Mike’s demeanor. I think Mike will mainly just be trying to hide that he is gay now. He joined the hellfire club so we know he’s playing d&d again meaning he is reverting back to his true self, not the weird act he put on in s3 trying to be straight and change himself. He is still struggling, but he knows he likes Will. Regardless that doesn’t mean he is going to be super clear about how he feels. He is going to be extremely afraid of opening up and then getting hurt by Will. He will probably do some of his usual ‘lead Will on and then shut it down’ thing. And I really want Will to call him out on this. This could also lead to Mike breaking down in front of Will and confessing. I think we are going to get a lot of 'Mike gay panicking' moments, he's going to be extremely afraid of being found out/suspected.

Byler things I really want to happen that we may get because they would have narrative significance:

I really want flashbacks to those 3 months of summer between the starcourt explosion and the Byers moving, of moments between Mike and Will when they hang out alone together, with some obvious romantic tension. Like where they are super playful and almost kiss, or they are kind of touchy, or something in the realm of that. I think we need a flashback of something that explains Will’s flirty nature at the very end of s3 with Mike, because he doesn't normally act like that. I want noticeable “is something going on with them?” vibes. This could also happen during the thanksgiving/christmas flashbacks.

I hope we get flashbacks of Mike going to the Byers for Thanksgiving, and the Byers coming back to Hawkins for Christmas. Preferably of some Mike and Will moments that hint at Mike’s confusion or how he feels “so alone” without Will, maybe with some “crazy together” references too! I’d also love some tension between the 3 of them, maybe this is when El starts to get suspicious of Mike liking Will.

Hopefully we get some shots of Mike biking past the byers old house and going to look at castle byers and reminiscing.

I’d love to get a flashback of Mike the day the Byers moved away, of him crying or being upset, alone in his room/basement while looking at Will’s drawings or pictures of Will and him together. Mainly to confirm for people that Mike was upset about Will moving, not as much El.

This one does not seem super probable, but it is a very popular theory. Idk if it’s possible because of location logistics, but if they spend enough time together, I’d love for Mike to get to know Robin better, and Will too. Maybe once everyone comes together at the end of the season, she will notice their dynamics and could help guide and inspire them to be themselves. Hey maybe thats for s5 :) But I do think it’s a possibility that Mike may work at the video store with Steve and Robin, and she will pick up on Mike’s behavior and understand, whether she communicates that to him or not.

[fallingstarnovel]

Chapter One

Evan Golightly didn't consider himself an unlucky kind of guy. It wasn't like he was wandering around winning the lottery, but he also wasn't getting hit by chunks of blue ice from the sky from a passing airplane.

This week was just like every other week he had experienced so far. As he walked to his lecture across the university campus, he saw the same people he usually did and went to the same places as always. He didn't step on any cracks in the pavement, and he didn't walk under any ladders. He didn't find any four leaf clovers either, and he didn't have a lucky rabbit's paw on his key chain. He had a coffee cup in his hand – medium sized, not big and not small. 

He was a little late, because he had stopped to pet a black cat that lay on the pavement in front of him, but that was okay. The lecturer was very forgiving, and most people were a few minutes late anyway due to a clash in timetabling. 

Evan couldn't remember if seeing a black cat was good luck or bad luck. As the kitty purred and rubbed itself up against his fingers, he couldn't help but smile and talk to it quietly.

"Oh, you like that? You like the scritches? You're so handsome, such a handsome boy..."

Someone behind him coughed disapprovingly. A little embarrassed at getting caught, Evan straightened up and kept walking, forgetting all about whether black cats were lucky or not. 

As he approached the building where his lecture was held, Evan started climbing the concrete steps up to the entrance.

If luck could be charted on a bell curve, with some people being extremely lucky, and some being extremely unlucky, then Evan considered himself to be slap bang in the middle. If he entered the lottery, he might win one of the smallest prizes, but not very often. If he got onto a crowded bus, there would be a seat available, but not a very good one. If he chose answers at random on a test, he would get a 50% grade at the end. 

There was a meow from down by his feet. The black cat was following him. It had big green eyes which were staring at him as it meowed again. 

"I'm sorry, I would love to play with you, but I'm late," Evan said. He knew the cat didn't understand, but he still felt like being polite. 

The cat meowed very loudly and then started walking in between Evan's feet as he climbed the stairs. He started to worry that he was going to trip, slowing down and trying to shoo it away with his foot. It meowed again, but ran away, standing at a distance and staring at him. 

Evan had always been weak for cute things. He bit his lip. "Ahh, I'm sorry! Wait until my lecture finishes, I'll come back and give you scritches then!" 

He was almost at the top of the stairs now. Evan turned away from the cat – only to see a small black shadow out the corner of his eye down by his sneakers. He felt something brush against his leg, and then he tripped over something, and before he knew what was happening, he was falling backwards down the stairs. 

Evan let out a sharp cry, his arms windmilling around him as he went into freefall. 

Not the stairs... not the stairs! This was why he hated stairs! He always knew they would kill him one day! 

Before he could fall any further and roll down the stairs and smash like a boiled egg, he felt someone grab his arm and hold him still. His bag hit the ground and his coffee cup went flying, bouncing down the steps and spilling coffee everywhere, but Evan...

Evan was being held up at the top of the stairs by a strong, sure grip. 

He looked around in surprise. Holding his arm was a smiling youth with curly blond hair, tumbling in cherubic whorls around his ears. The youth looked just as shocked, his eyes big and wide as he stared at Evan. As he stopped Evan from falling. 

There was a moment of silence. The youth pulled Evan forward onto the flat ground at the top of the steps, and let go. 

"You..." Evan said in a rush. "You saved me! Thank you so much, I thought I was a goner..." 

The youth hesitantly smiled back, his eyes flickering down the stairs. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, I just tripped on a–" Evan said, gesturing to the cat. 

The cat was no longer there. It had disappeared. 

"... Huh. Guess I tripped on nothing. Um, thanks. Oh, man, my coffee..."

The youth picked up Evan's bag and handed it over to him. His eyes were wide, like he was recovering from a sudden shock. "Sorry. I'll buy you a new one."

"Don't worry about it, it was my fault," Evan said with a laugh. "I owe you for saving me. I should buy you a coffee!" 

The youth looked at Evan. He couldn’t help but notice that his eyes were light grey, bright and cold, crinkling at the corners in a warm smile. "There's no need to thank me. You don't owe me a thing."

Evan had heard those two sentences before many times in his life. He had heard it from friends who had done him a favour, and from customer service workers who helped him get a discount for his broken laptop, and from the nice woman in the corner shop who sent his mom flowers when she heard his grandfather had died. 

They had always been said with varying levels of sincerity. A lot of people said "no need to thank me", but secretly wanted to be thanked very much. If you didn't thank them, they wouldn't help you in the future. People were weird like that. 

But when this guy said it, for some reason Evan understood that it was the absolute truth. Like it wouldn't matter if Evan thanked him or not – he would still help him. 

Feeling a little flustered, Evan scratched the back of his neck. "Well, I have a lecture now, so I better... uh, you're sure you don't want a coffee afterwards?"

The youth seemed to think about it for just a second too long, before shaking his head. His smile was apologetic. "It's fine. Enjoy your lecture." He started walking away. 

"Ah, uh, you too," Evan said in a panic, before quietly smacking his own face. He had no idea if the guy even had a lecture. Stupid, stupid, stupid... 

The youth came to a stop. He slowly turned around, an angelic, apologetic smile on his face. "Actually, I'm a little lost. Could you tell me where room M42 is?" 

"That's – that's where I'm going now! That's where my lecture is!" Evan gave him a wide grin. "Astro 228, right?"

The youth nodded. "Right."

"Just follow me, then. Huh... I didn't know we shared a class, sorry I didn't recognise you!"

"That's okay," the youth said quietly from behind him as they entered the lecture building together. "I tend to stay quiet." 

Watery winter sun did its best to shine through the floor length windows of the lecture building. It shone off the back of Evan’s pale neck, the black hair that fell in every direction. It reflected off the otherboy’s grey eyes, making them seem more luminous, more pallid, as they watched Evan with keen, unwavering interest.

Evan walked slightly ahead to lead the way. "Well, I definitely won't forget you now. You saved my life! What's your name?"

The youth was quiet. Evan waited for an answer for an uncomfortably long time, before wondering if he had spoken too quietly. He was about to repeat the question when a soft voice from behind him said "Ruth."

Ruth? Wasn't Ruth a girl's name? Was this guy actually a girl? "Oh, Ruth? Ahh, that's a cool name."

"You don't think it's weird? That a guy has a girl's name?"

Oh, thank god, he didn't have to try and subtly ask awkward questions about pronouns. Maybe the guy was used to this kind of thing and anticipated the awkwardness. "No, I don't think so. As long as you like it, then that's all that matters. I'm Evan by the way." 

The youth hummed. "I know." 

Now Evan felt guilty. He didn't even remember seeing this guy around, but he remembered Evan's name. Ah, this was too bad. He would definitely make an effort to remember him now. "Well, here it is. Just in time–"

"Actually, you go ahead," Ruth said suddenly. "I need to use the bathroom."

Evan turned around and blinked at him. "Oh. Sure. I'll see you in a bit, then."

The youth nodded. He hesitated, before speaking again.

“It was nice to talk to you.” 

He gave Evan one last beatific smile, before walking away and disappearing around the corner. Evan quietly let himself into the lecture and scurried to the back, mouthing "sorry" at the lecturer, who ignored him. 

He made sure to keep the seat next to him free for Ruth even as other students trickled in. 

The lecturer coughed several times to get the attention of the class. 

"So, last week I opened the lecture with the following quote: God does not play dice with the universe. This is oft quoted and attributed to Einstein himself in a letter to a friend criticizing what he saw as the unacceptable flaw in quantum mechanics, that is, the possibility of unpredictable random events on a molecular level. In many ways, he was right. We have been learning how to chart the movement of objects in a vacuum – predicting the orbits of distant planets and stars around the insatiable black holes that are, themselves, in a perpetual state of movement. I know that most of you have grasped the basics of this particular module very quickly. Predictability is a magnetic lure – one gets lulled into the false sense of security knowing that we can work out the trajectory of some far flung meteor to a high degree of accuracy. As if space can be imagined as some unfathomably large clock, each cog in place, every heavenly body caught in an eternal, rational, predictable waltz to the swing of a baton that, if only we have the numbers, might one day understand the rhythms of. If you turn your attention to the notes we made on how you can work out the speed of rotation of a planet..."

Evan tried very hard to concentrate and make notes. There was always a buffer at the start of the class where this particular lecturer went on a long tangent about random things he thought were interesting, and he usually zoned out through them, but once the actual maths was brought in, there was no possibility of daydreaming and letting it slip by. If you missed anything, you ended up being more confused down the line when the more complicated stuff got brought in. 

The poor girl next to him was doomed. She fell asleep almost immediately, and Evan lit a candle in his mind for her. RIP your grades, you snoozy bitch. At the same time, he was envious. Why couldn’t he take a nap instead of doing work?

He tried to concentrate, but all through the lecture, Evan couldn't help but keep looking at the doorway, wondering when Ruth was going to appear. How long did it take to use the bathroom? Did the poor guy have a stomach upset? 

By the time the lecture was over, Evan had accepted that Ruth wasn't going to appear. He lit a candle in his heart for the guy's bowel system. Clearly, he had been having some kind of toilet trouble and decided to skip the lecture. 

What a shame. He seemed so... interesting. 

After the lecture was over, Evan slowly clambered out of his seat. The lecturer had set a bunch of exercises to do at home, and the library was calling for a study session. Time to shuffle into Tesco to get a £3 meal deal and sit down for several hours to pound his brain into submission! 

"Hey, Evan," someone called out as they left the lecture. "Evan, wait up!" 

There was a girl chasing after Evan. She had warm brown skin and an infectious smile, her eyes sparkling with excitement. 

"Oh, sorry Aliya," he said, slowing down so she could catch up. "Did you enjoy the lecture?"

Aliya pouted. "No, are you insane? Enjoy it? Why did I do an astrophysics course again? There's so much maths. I genuinely think I would drop out if I didn't think my mum would kill me."

Evan nodded in agreement. "Sometimes I think about switching to an art degree instead. I won't do it. But I just think about it sometimes."

"Wait, wait, I wanted to ask you something," Aliya said, slapping his arm lightly. "House party. I've been invited, but I don't want to go alone. It's a bunch of people I don't know very well, and..."

Evan rolled his eyes. "If you don't know them, why are you going?"

"Because I don't know how to say no!" Aliya moaned. "It's a pretty casual thing, don't worry. You know I don't drink, so I'll probably be dipping early. Please? Please please please? Please just come for a little while, just to keep me company..."

Evan wasn't a prude. He liked a good party. The thing was that he liked a good party with people he knew. "And I don't know anyone there?"

"Probably not, they're all from netball club. But hey – you'll know me!" 

"I don't know you. Who are you. Why are you following me."

"Evaaaaan. Please! I'll do anything."

There was a long silence as they exited the lecture building together. Evan watched the students stream out of the building on their way to other classes, or the library, or their rooms to go back to sleep. 

He wasn't exactly great at making friends. Aliya was the only person on his course that he talked to regularly. It was why he was pretty excited to get to know Ruth, except he disappeared, so that was a bust. He tried a few clubs and societies, but none of them had really clicked so far. 

He hadn't been to a party in ages. He was wasting the best years of his youth in university, and he wasn't even going to parties. What was the point? He was living like a grandpa and he was only twenty one! 

He wasn't an old man yet! He didn't have a pension! He still liked electronic music!

Maybe this was the chance Evan needed to make new friends. How hard could it be? 

"Sure, why not." 

Aliya cheered. "Yay! Thank you, big guy. I owe you one. Oh, wow, watch your feet, it looks like someone spilled their coffee down the stairs... haha, poor them..."

Contents | Next Chapter

[northcarolinanative]

𝙲𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗  / 𝙲𝚑 𝟷𝟺

Chapter 14: On Your Side 

A/N: Hi guys, it’s me, I know it’s been ages but I’m back, I have finally started to feel a little revived about this series so we’ll see how it goes. I feel low-key like a Riverdale writer because there are so many of my season 2 predictions that I want to put into this, but I don't really know how to. Anyway as always my requests/ask/messages are always open. I hope you enjoy:) 

Description: John B’s Sister comes home from staying with their mom, only to find out that her brother is missing and her dad was murdered. JJ may have just lost his best friend. Her and JJ have to figure out what to do and how to pick up the pieces.

Need to Catch Up? Previous Parts

I woke up to the sound of thunder cracking through the house. I turned to the other side of the bed to see JJ’s back. I saw the movement of his shoulders, rising and falling with his breathing. I got up making my way to the kitchen and fixing a glass of water. I leaned my back against the cool counter looking over the papers that sat there. The clock on the microwave read 4:45am I had a lot to figure out moving forward. I sat down, flicking on a dim lamp for some subtle light. My early bedtime making it impossible for me to go back to sleep. I reached over to the counter for my phone. The light was bright enough to make me squint before looking at the messages on the screen. 

The top message from my mother, asking how I had settled in with John B. I lied, of course, telling her that things were fine and that we were getting along great. I knew that she could say that she kept up with John B all these years, saying that she cared, but I knew the truth. This even further proves that evidence. She wasn’t meant to be a mother, she tried her best but being tied down and in the same place just wasn’t for her. I can’t help but think that if my father had won custody of me if she would have turned away from me too. 

I shook my head, trying not to fall down that rabbit hole in my brain. JJ was turning over in the bed. He rolled over, bunching the blanket up in his arms and holding it into his chest. I smiled to myself as I turned back to my phone. I have no idea what is going on between the two of us right now but I know that I am thankful for him. During my sleep, I missed a text from Kie. She told me to be at the Wreck around 7:30 to help open the breakfast shift. I texted her a quick I’ll be there before, beginning to pull out the papers and maps of John B’s possible whereabouts. 

I shuffled through the papers, trying to find as much information about the ship that I could with the info on the ship maps, as well as a binder that I pulled from my dad’s office. It detailed the kind of ships and had basics for each one. I was not sure how this could help, but I was doing something to move forward. The lack of internet at the Chateau was proving to be an issue as I needed more information. I thought about the few things that I need to look up and jotted them down in my notebook. I folded the maps and the lists into the book before pushing into a bag with my old laptop. The Wreck had the internet, so I was hopeful that Kie wouldn’t mind me using it after my shift. 

My research seemed to do the trick as it killed enough time for me to begin getting ready for my first shift at The Wreck. I quickly showered and got ready, wearing the light blue shirt that read “The Wreck” in obnoxiously large letters across the back. I was slipping on my shoes at the edge of the pull out when a voice started me. 

“Why are you ready?” It was JJ’s rough voice, obviously just waking up. “The sun is barely out.” 

I laughed at him before pointing to the logo on the back of my shirt. “Work calls my friend,” I said with a laugh, but JJ just rolled his eyes falling onto his back. “Feel free to stop by and entertain us?” I questioned. 

“Haha Y/N, I have to get at least 9 hours of beauty sleep, but we’ll see.” He said rolling on his side to face me. His face and tone shifted before his next sentence. “Be careful, okay? That place may be for the tourists, but the Kooks love to stir up trouble over there alright?” I just nodded and smiled slightly before turning to head for my car. 

-- 

My shift at The Wreck was nothing special. All the same as the country club, serve with a smile, a pretty self-explanatory menu, but the only difference was the overwhelming amount of tourists. Not that I minded, as they had no idea who I was, which I liked.  I wasn’t worried about the work, more so the people. I knew JJ was overprotective of the rest of us and meant well, but his words were in the back of my head the whole shift. The last thing I need is a kook making trouble and Mr. Carrera letting me go. 

Kie had me rolling silverware and working in the bar area. She said it was a good intro place before being put out on the floor. It also meant that we could chat and catch up. I liked Kie a lot, she was the closest thing I had to a best friend, even when I was back home. I was still hurt by her words, and hesitant to tell her anything, but I still love her. We were chatting while she went about her side task when I decided to ask about staying around. “Hey, is the Wifi back up here?” I asked, but kept my eyes trained on the task in front of me. 

“I think so?” She answered. 

“Do you think I could use it after my shift? I mean I brought my own computer and I’ll stay outta the way?” I bargained. I just got the job and didn’t want her father to think I was taking advantage of his offer, even if I was. 

“Sure!” She smiled. “We can sit outside at one of those tables when we get off. Pope is coming by and I’m sure JJ will be here before you leave.” I didn’t miss her wink at me after her last statement, the blush more than obvious on my face. Kie was super observant, of course, she noticed something going on between the two of us. 

“Okay yeah,” I said, sighing as she left to carry out an order. While I wanted to spend time with her and Pope, I don’t want to tell them what we’re doing. She’s made her feelings about John B’s accident completely known, and I didn’t want to give them false hope. 

“You look really familiar.” a voice spoke. I looked up from the silverware that I was rolling to be met with blue eyes and frosted tips. 

I’m sure he could see the confused look on my face as I just responded with an “interesting” and a soft smile. I could totally tell that he was a kook by the way that he was dressed. He was dressed in a pastel polo that was only halfway buttoned up and the styling of his hair that no doubt had too many products in it. 

He picked up a menu flipping through it before trying our conversation again. This time being more upfront. “Maybe a name would help you remember me, Y/N?” He said looking directly at me. I felt my skin go cold as he spoke my name. My only run-in with the kook being Rafe and his friends when Kie went full kook. I studied his face as he seemed to laugh a little. He seemed familiar. “Relax, I am on your side here. I figure you heard about your brother and my girl-” He coughed quickly before correcting himself, “my ex-girlfriend.” 

Then it all clicked. “Topper” I breathed out. I hadn’t known him well enough to meet him but had seen him with a few of the other kooks hanging around the boneyard in the past. I remember JJ telling me about the way that he was led out of the church disguised as John B. “What exactly are you doing here?” I asked.

“I figured that you know what happened by now. I’m sure the pogues told you, but I need to talk to you if anyone knows anything it has to be you.” He spoke. I looked up to see Kie trying to get away from her table to come help. Topper seemed to notice. “Meet me outside after your shift? I really need to talk to you.” He said before getting up. “Oh and a stack of pancakes to go please.” He flashed a smile before walking to the side. I quickly wrote up his ticket and pinned it to the wheel as Kie came up beside me. “Don’t worry about Topper, he’s been pretty harmless lately. He keeps asking a lot of weird questions and showing up here. He’s like so obsessed with Sarah it’s crazy.” She paused rolling her eyes. I was hoping that you could get out without an awkward kook visit.” She laughed and nudged my shoulder. 

I let out a sigh. “Yea and to think in the last 5 minutes of my shift. Are the boys on their way?” I questioned. If I was going to go meet with Topper and JJ saw, he would without a doubt start a fight. Something about the way that Topper spoke seemed serious. Also, he helped John B getaway, took whatever the consequences are, so I had to at least give him that. 

“Yea. Pope has to finish up some work with his dad, then they’ll be here.” She said with a smile. “You can go ahead and clock out, I’ll finish up here.” 

I nodded and said a quick “thank you” before making my way to the backroom to put everything away and clock out. My hands shook as I punched in the numbers, turning and putting tips away in my front pocket. I ran my hands over my head, letting out a shaky breath. Just gotta go get it over with. What's the worst that could happen? 

I walked out the back door to see Topper leaned against the front of his Jeep. I looked around for any sign of JJ, Pope, or Heyward’s old beat-up truck. “Okay Topper, this is weird. What the hell is going on?” I said walking to stand in front of him, crossing my arm over my chest. I could feel the way that my glare was harsh on him. 

“Look, Rafe’s losing his shit. I know he’s lost it before but he has really lost it.” He spoke, his tone heavy, almost panicked. 

I couldn’t help but let out a laugh. “You're kidding right?” He just shook his head obviously. “Why the fuck do you think I’d care?” I started to get angry, turning to walk away. 

“Y/n! Wait, please!” He said, stepping forward to follow me. I turned to look at him with my eyebrows raised. “Look I believe y’all, that’s why I helped John B.” He admitted. “The way that Rafe has been acting I believe it too, he’s lost it. I think he’s dangerous.” 

I scoffed again. “Really?” I pointed to the now healing split on my cheek and motion to my neck. “I had no idea, Topper.” My voice was laced with sarcasm and anger. “Get to the point please.” I sighed. 

“He’s literally going crazy. I mean he says that he’s seeing Peterkin like he’s hallucinating her. He is dead set on pinning this on John B, saying that’s the only way that she’ll leave him alone. Ward tries to keep him locked up as much as possible, but you and the pogues” He sighed running a hand through his hair, messing it up, “need to watch out for him. You don’t know what he might do.”  

“Well, he is a murder.” I retorted coldly. 

“I know the pogues, they haven’t given up on John B or Sarah. You probably haven't given up on your brother either. I think that they are the last chance at putting this to rest. I wanna help you find Sarah, and your brother” He finished with a heavy breath. 

I tried to keep a poker face and the best way to go about this situation. “Topper, there is nothing we can do,” I spoke slowly trying to think of exactly what to say. I didn’t want to push him away in case we ended up needing his help later, but like the others, no need to involve him in something so uncertain. Not to mention that I had zero intentions of trusting him. “The police have given us nothing to work with, we’re just as in the dark as you.” 

Topper dropped his head to look at the ground. “Right.” He nodded. ”I guess I was just hoping that it wasn’t real, ya know?” His voice was quieter than before. His tone was soft and sounded broken. “Hoping that she wasn’t really gone.” 

I felt bad for him, even if he was pining after my brother’s girlfriend. He lost his girlfriend, to a pogue, then she might have died and his best friend, Rafe turns up to be a murder in a matter of a week. “Trust me, I know Topper,” I said, causing him to look back up and nodded before turning back to his car. “I’ll let you know if we find something though?” 

He smiled as he pulled himself into his Jeep as I headed to my car to get my bag before going back to the restaurant to meet with the pogues. 

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Masterlist 

[tessatechaitea]

Inferior 5 #1

Hopefully this will be like when Giffen made the Legion of Super-heroes super fucking dark.

How many dicks can you find, kids?!

"How many dicks can you find, kids" is the least quotable line I've ever written. The Kamandi just out of surgery cosplayer winds up getting exploded by the kid in the canvas sack face mask. You know the kid is bad news because he can make people explode with his mind. Although if you ran into him in the desert, you wouldn't know that immediately so I should have stated the other ways you can tell he's bad news so as to maybe avoid exploding. First off, he's a kid out in the desert alone. Kids by themselves are creepy. Plus he's wearing a canvas bag on his head. Canvas is always a warning sign that you might be dealing with cannibal hillbillies, especially when it's covering an almost certainly mutilated face. Also, the kid's canvas bag mask has a big red X on it. Anybody who's been through the American educational system has a strong aversion to red X's. Also spooky: the kid recites nursery rhymes. When you hear one of those, you know you're either about to die or laugh hysterically because did you hear how the Diceman said "cock" instead of "clock"?! How did we never stop laughing in the Eighties?! Oh, one more clue that not all is right with this kid: he lives in Dangerfield, Arizona. That's almost as big a red flag as some sweaty, long-haired kid in overalls from Back Swamp, North Carolina. The story picks up with some nerdy kid (probably Merrymaker since he's the big virgin of the group) whining about how his dad died in The Invasion of Metropolis (what was that? Is that a reference to the beginning of The New 52 when Darkseid attacked Earth? Or is this a reference to the Invasion by the Dominators which was compiled in three way-too-long comics?). After the Invasion, he and his mom moved to Dangerfield, Arizona. Because who wouldn't feel safer in a place with a name that causes constant anxiety over a place where the greatest hero in the world lives?

According to the date on this calendar, the Invasion mentioned was the Dominator one which created the Meta-Gene explanation of superpowers which we recently learned was a computer jargon shortening of the term "metal-gene."

The calendar isn't the only proof that this invasion was by Dominators and not Parademons! By turning the page instead of trying to ferret out what's going on by examining every panel carefully and spending an inordinate amount of my short lifespan trying to guess what's about to happen instead of just fucking turning the Goddamned page and letting the writers explain it to me, I discover the Dominators are leading an invasion of Earth Number This Is Fucked Up. At least I think it's Earth Number This Is Fucked Up because the invasion seems to have worked. Superman is dead and most of the other heroes have been placed in a space gulag. Plus that kid in the canvas bag marking X's on houses seems to play an important role in the Dominator's invasion force.

Unless this is all just a comic book on Earth Number Main Earth?

Maybe I should turn some more pages! But first, I just need to Google "Lisa Loeb's boobs." The kid complaining about the Invasion comic book is named Lisa (no relation to Lisa Loeb's boobs) and she points out to the suspiciously bloody comic book seller with a light sensitivity named Vlad that the Invasion really happened. So I guess DC is simply profiting on everybody's pain and misery. I bet just to make the series even more painful and miserable, DC hired Scott Lobdell to write it. Justin, the whiny kid from Metropolis, is being observed by some outside observers (as opposed to inside observers which would be, I guess, parasites?). He heads downtown where he's about to make contact with Dumb Bunny and Awkwardman! Except he doesn't. Man, I should probably read more than two panels at a time before writing anything. It would save everybody a lot of wasted effort, me with writing sloppy synopses of comics and the three people reading this having to fucking read this. But then I don't have any responsibility to anybody to make these "reviews" shorter. It's not my fault if somebody wanted to Google "Lisa Loeb's boobs" but found they didn't have enough time because they were reading this shit. That's their own fault for not prioritizing their desires! Googling "Lisa Loeb's boobs" was so important to me that I did it in the middle of this review! Come on, people. It's the modern age! You can view Lisa Loeb's boobs any time you want (through clothing, that is. I'm not advocating for searching for nude pics of Lisa Loeb's boobs which probably don't exist anyway and if you think they do, it was probably just Lisa Loeb's head photoshopped onto a naked torso). Lisa has been uncovering clues to the weirdness of Dangerfield, Arizona because she dresses like Velma. Unless she dresses like Velma because she searches for clues the way her hero, Velma, searches for clues. I don't know enough about Lisa's backstory to say. It's possible Lisa isn't even aware of Velma and it's just Giffen spending some easy pop culture capital so readers associate Lisa with Velma and understand her more simply by looking at her image.

Here are a bunch of the clues she's uncovered that I didn't want to try to parse through my digressions and fascination with Lisa Loeb.

Billy Shanker, the kid with the canvas bag who says things like, "Oh! The three little kittens! They fucked their mittens! Oh! Look at the way I hold my cigarette! Boom!", murders Justin's mom and takes her corpse to some guy in a hazmat suit that might be a Dominator but also might be, seeing as how Giffen is writing this, Ambush Bug. Man I hope it's Ambush Bug! Justin returns home to find his mother gone and the interior (five?) of his house covered in red X's. Oh no. That's a really bad sign! Not one black check mark in the bunch! Some people might think Keith Giffen isn't the best artist in town because he's a writer and his art isn't for everybody. Plus he never puts any thought into his panel layout and just goes the same size boxes every time (sometimes in the six variety, sometimes in the nine). I happen to love his art so I'm not one of those people. But in keeping with a guy whose art isn't what people would call great (although those people usually love mainstream great garbage art like John Romita Jr or David Finch or Tony S. Daniel), Jeff Lemire draws the back-up story. I don't think that was an insult at Lemire's expense. If it was, I'm sorry because I was really just trying to insult John Romita, Jr and David Finch and Tony S. Daniel. The back-up story features Peacemaker whom I only remember by look. According to the Who's Who, Peacemaker is a guy who loved peace so much that he realized sometimes he'd have to use extreme violence to ensure it. Also he suffered a head injury during Crisis on Infinite Earths which seems like a weird thing to mention in the Who's Who. "Trillions of lives were extinguished during the multiversal extermination event! Billions and billions of worlds destroyed! People's pasts erased in the blink of an eye! Supergirl and Flash and some other people nobody remembers killed! And Peacemaker suffered some head trauma." I suppose it's important to the character. Maybe it was meant to make him more extreme so he'd be relevant in the post-Crisis era. Peacemaker is on a mission for Amanda Waller to find some super weapon that the Russians want. His search leads him to a bunker with a dead Dominator, a mysterious capsule, and a map leading him to Dangerfield, Arizona! Inferior 5 #1 Rating: B+. I'm a sucker for Giffen stories and Giffen art. And Giffen stories backed up by Lemire's writing are probably even better. This one was pretty good so consider it evidence that my previous statement is almost certainly correct. One thing I like about Giffen is that he doesn't mind writing things that can be confusing on their first (or even second!) read through. He tells the story, makes the jokes, slowly unveils the plot, and to hell with anybody who doesn't want to invest a little time in making it all out. Seems to me, a lot of modern comic book readers could learn to love ambiguity. But they're all so desperate for the interior monologue of the main characters so they know exactly what to think after reading something. They're so coddled that they think subtlety is when a story explicitly shows them what's happening without the main character also explaining it in a monologue as they experience it. They wouldn't recognize subtlety if it...well, I mean, it's subtlety. It should be hard to recognize so I don't know how to finish that statement. Now go read Inferior 5 and hate me for recommending it when you're finished.

[jess-the-vampire]

Tom Vs The Forces Of Evil (Au), Chapter 14

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The following day was....normal. That's all both boys could really describe it as being, it wasn't terrifying like they both almost expected, and it didn't kill either of them either.  They ate breakfast together, they laughed, they watched movies together and played with marshmallow as if nothing had happened at all. But they knew, they knew better, that they were both thinking about it. Tom just waited, it's all he could do, he swore he looked too eager half the time for an answer, but could Marco really blame him? He told Marco he had a crush on him!!! How could Marco expect him to not just be waiting for an answer, and scared about which one would be his final? Marco didn't say no right away, that had to count for something right? He just wished he could read minds, know what Marco was thinking. Because it scared him to think Marco might be thinking bad of him, but it also scared him to think Marco might be thinking of liking him either. What would he do next? He sure as heck wouldn't know what to do in Marco's situation, he couldn't even imagine someone confessing to him. Sure, girls at school used to flirt with him, but they seemed to stop after he spent so much time with "Uncool Kid" Marco Diaz. Although, now that Tom was thinking about it, maybe they assumed because of Marco, Tom wouldn't have been interested anyway.

Eventually, hours turned into days, and their relationship remained the same as it did before. Tom wasn't sure if Marco was ever going to give him an answer, but he supposed he couldn't blame him either, as long as Marco and him were still friends.....he could live with this. Soon enough, Tom's birthday was tomorrow, homework was complete, the School year ending very soon, everyone invited, things were almost kinda looking up. Tom liked the idea of an earth party, something to distract him from the crush and a day where it was about him and making him happy. A day all about him, that felt amazing just thinking about it. And Marco would be there, and Star, and tons of really nice people who came to celebrate with him, he'd get to play games, and open presents, and eat cake. It kinda sounded like a dream, a really good dream he had once in his life. Long after Marco went to bed, the boy couldn't sleep, and it wasn't long before Star teleported into his room to talk with him. "So you and Marco are still friends?", She asked carefully. "Yeah...Friends, for now....he's uh...still thinking...I guess it's kind've a lot to think about..", Tom rubbed his head sheepishly, his rabbit was sleeping on his lap and he scratched the pink rabbit behind the ears affectionately. "I'm just glad I finally....confessed...It feels like a huge weight came off me...", He yawned. "Any idea what to do..about your dad?", Star asked curiously, "I mean, I'm not sure how he's gonna feel about you and y'know...Marco?" Tom's smile faded a bit, "I don't know either......but...we'll figure something out...one way or another...right now, I just kinda wanna focus on...other things..". Star nodded, understanding, "Well....I'm glad you two are still hanging out together...you guys are really cute.." "Shut up, we're not....", Tom said, blushing, " I guess i'm just glad we're still friends...I just...I didn't know what to expect. It was so weird Star, we spent the day shopping, and then we ate ice cream and talked, and then we accidentally held hands in the theater, and we watched the sunset together....I kept thinking it was a date and next thing I know I flip out at Marco and admit I like him!!!" "Eh, still tons more normal then when our dating life was happening...", Star shrugged, she reached out to pet Tom's rabbit. "At least you're not holding back from him anymore...I mean maybe it's a BIT weird for him to know you like him buuuuuuutttt...", She trailed off, "He's still here, he clearly doesn't mind..". Tom gave a weak laugh, "Sometimes I think he wonders if i'm trying to flirt with him now, it's like he's trying to examine everything I say.." "Well, he's prolly never had anyone crush on him before....it's gotta be a bit weird knowing your friend thinks of you that way..that they think of kissing you, or dating you, or even being married to you. I bet he wonders what in the world he did that made you like him....", the demon laughed and Tom shrugged. "I dunno, I didn't happen all at once...we've just been close and we did a lot of things and over time I just kinda....thought about it...and next thing I know...I can't stop..", Tom sighed, "Wish i could've confessed under better circumstances though...I just....I held a wand at him...". Star frowned. "I was so upset that I ruined everything, a-and....I could've hurt him....", Tom held his head in his hands, "I can't believe I allowed my stupid crush to make me do something like that, I'd never forgive myself If I hurt him like that..." "But you didn't, you calmed down...and look, that was awhile ago.....i mean, not too long....but you get the point....it's in the past..", Star took Marshmallow in her arms and made kissy faces at the cute rabbit,  "Marco is totally ok and he's not upset with you..." "I just wish I didn't scare him like that.....", Tom rubbed his arm, "I don't deserve Marco...y'know, he's putting up with alot just to be my best friend..." "Well hey, you've got time to make things up to him, I'm sure he'd appreciate it....", Tom smiled at this response and his eyes clearly said "Thank you" to her. "Except tomorrow, tomorrow is all about you dude....", She gave the rabbit back to Tom, "Tomorrow you get to eat cake and have fun and forget all about your crumby dad....just try and have fun, you should have some real fun after everything..." "Yeah, maybe I just need a distraction from thinking about Marco and everything....some mindless fun...", Tom walked over and put Marshmallow to bed, "The Diazes are great for letting me have this party, they used to throw me parties for every day I was here till Marco told them to ease off a bit on it...." Star laughed, "Awww they sound really fun, you think they won't mind me there?" "They'll love you Star...", Tom said, "They love everyone, no matter where you come from....they accepted me no problem, me and Marco had a rougher start but...it's harder for Marco. He's had tons of exchange students come and go, I think he feels like his parents ignore him sometimes...for them.." "Awwwwww...", Star pouted,"That sucks..." "Yeah, but....he really warmed up to me, after we started hanging out....I guess I can't blame him..I sorta freaked him out when we first met..", Tom shrugged sheepishly, "It's kind've amazing, how we went from something like that to....whatever this is..." "I think it's cute...", Star chirped,"You guys'll make the cutest love story ever!!" "Star......Marco hasn't even....you know? And I'm not sure if we'll ever....Marco's still just a friend..", Tom defended, "Marco needs to make his own choice....and I just....have to wait..." "I know i know.....but you're sitting here gossiping to me about how cute you think he issssss, so c'mom!! Let's gossip!! Has he ever kissed anyone yet? You could be his first kiss!! That could be so cute and cool and sooo romantic...", Star went on and on and Tom hoped she wouldn't wake anyone up. "Maybe, I dunno....it's....it's not like I haven't though about it, b-but i don't need to be his first kiss. I mean, just kissing him in general would be cute and cool enough, I-It doesn't have to be anything special as long as...he's ok with it....", Tom was speaking rather nervously, he was red-faced. "Tooooommmmmm......you're blussshing~!", She giggled, "See? Isn't this more fun now that you can talk about it without worrying about Marco? We get to be gossip buddies now and I can totally be your winggirl if you need it." "No thanks, Star....not to insult your matchmaking skills, but really I just want to wait for Marco....I don't want anything to...affect his decision...", Tom ran a finger through his hair, "And it's getting late, I should get some sleep before my party and you should get back home before your mom bursts in.." "Aww, but I like hanging out late, and Janna wasn't available to be gossip buddies tonight!!", she made a face and whined. "Star....last time your mom saw us hanging out late, she flipped out, and when demons flip out....it's not pretty", Tom crossed his arms, "I'm glad we got to talk again tonight, but It's about to be midnight and I need to rest....i'll see you at the party, ok?" Star reluctantly stood up, "Finnnee.....we'll talk more later, but you call me if you wanna talk more!!" "I will.....promise...", They shared a fast hug, and Star backed away from Tom before snapping her fingers. She vanished in a uproar of flames, that vanished in seconds, amazing that scissors were no worry for her at all. Tom took a seat on the edge of his bed, staring at his clock, waiting for it to hit 12. Waiting for him to turn 15. He fell onto his back and looked up at the ceiling, he remembered previous birthdays he had back on Mewni. He remembered how boring they were, even the one where he got the wand wasn't very exciting and that day was supposed to be one of the most important days in his life as prince of mewni. He needed to think positive, today was supposed to be special, and him thinking of his past birthdays was certainly not going to be any help. He reached under his pillow and pulled out his journal, it hadn't left since he put it there, then he screwed the top part off and revealed the end of a pen underneath and began to write. Today was an important day, and It needed to be documented. He slipped the book under his pillow in time enough to see his clock turn, it was 12 am, it was his birthday. Before the boy had a moment to react, his bedroom door bust open to find Marco's parents there, smiles on their faces and confetti and cake in their hands. They scared the living heck out of Tom, he probably would've aimed his wand at them if he hadn't took the top part off. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOM!!!!", they both screamed in unison, Tom gulped , have they been waiting outside of his door the past few minutes? They threw the confetti up in he air and ran over to Tom. "Uhh......hi?", Tom said, sheepishly, "I-I uhh....." "UGH GUYYYSSSS!!", Marco's voice could be heard down the hall and said boy was now entering Tom's room, hair a mess and looking very grumpy this morning. Tom wanted to laugh almost, geez this made him wonder who really were the parents in this household. "Mom? Dad? It's midnight, you're supposed to be asleep...we have a party to host today...?", their smiles didn't seem to amuse him. "Well it's Tom's first brithday with us, and we wanted to wish him a happy birthday as soon as he turned!", Angie said excitably, "C'mon, stand next to Tom, I want to get a picture in!!" "Mommmm...", Marco groaned as he was begin dragged over to Tom's bed, Tom snickered and Marco mouthed for him to shut up. Marco's parents took a nice picture and then Marco eventually convinced his parents to go back to bed and save the celebration for later to let the birthday boy get some "Beauty Rest". Tom almost wanted a piece of the cake they brought in, but they left with it. Tom snickered as Marco tried to apologize to him for his parents, clearly he was used to this kind of behavior from them. Tom laughed and put his wand back together, Marco looked so embarrassed and it was really cute. "Don't worry about me Marco....get back to sleep, it's always good seeing you...", Tom put his wand on his dresser, "Sorry you got woke up, I did't know it was customary to do this kind of thing on someone's birthday, it's kinda nice.." "It's not, they...they just want to make it extra special I guess....", Marco rolled his eyes, "They go overboard all the time, but i'm glad you like it, just next time I hope they're a bit quieter, I'd like to get some rest before a big party wipes me out..." "Next time?", Tom asked affectionately. Marco blushed, "W-well yeah, I-I hope a year from now you'll still be here..." Tom felt warm, he smiled, "Thanks Marco...me too..." Marco started to walk out the door, but he stopped, he turned to look at Tom gently. "Happy birthday Tom......", he said gently as he closed the door behind him. Tom smiled happily as he turned off the lights and snuggled underneath the covers. - Tom snapped his eyes open, his alarm going off and on before he shut it off, he sat up and yawned. The Prince grinned, and got out of bed, he didn't really know what to wear today, at earth parties was he supposed to dress up like he did on mewni? Or could he wear whatever, Then he felt like slapping himself in the face, Of COURSE he could wear whatever he wanted to!! Just like everyone said and promised, his day, his day to do whatever he wanted to celebrate. Tom almost wondered if he could just wear his PJs all day but being seen by Janna and Star in his rabbit patterned pajama pants didn't sound too appealing to him. Tom looked through his stuff to find something to wear and pulled out the bunny shirt he got at the mall the day he confessed, he thought about it for a moment. Before pulling off his night shirt and putting it on, he admired himself in the mirror, remembering how Marco liked it, before finishing dressing. Jeans, boots, his hat, and of course the arm band he and Marco still wore together as a pair. He wanted to put on make-up, but decided to skip it and the eager boy grabbed his wand and made his way downstairs to find the place fully decorated. There were streamers set up, balloons everywhere, a "Happy Birthday Tom" Banner in the living room, and presents that were clearly from the Diazs' alone on the coffee table. Tom looked around sweetly for a bit, before making his way to the kitchen to find Marco there, who had clearly fallen asleep on the counter while trying to mix something in a bowl. Tom snickered and snuck up on him, before tapping on his shoulder and making the Latin boy jump. "TOM??!!", Marco was still trying to calm down from being frightening, ignoring the laughs coming from his friend. "Sorry dude, I thought you'd still be sleeping? Or....That maybe all three of you were awake to greet me?", Tom looked around, "What's going on...?" "Well....I offered to make you breakfast this morning....", Marco admitted, "Which.....made the lack of rest thanks to my parents....worse, they went out for er....actually I can't say, it's kind've a surprise for later....". Marco looked at the batter in his bowl, "In the meantime, I was TRYING to make you banana and chocolate chip pancakes...But I-I uh..." Tom smirked, "Well, allow me to be a gentlemen and help you out my dear princess..." "Tom..you don't have to, it's your bir-", Tom grabbed a whisk from a drawer and stood next to Marco, eager to help and trying to ignore the batter on Marco's cute face. "When you're ready dork..." The two of them continued to finish up the pancakes, trying to make them into shapes as the put them on the hot tray to cook. Both boys were laughing and smiling and Marco stuck out his tongue as Tom tried to wipe the batter off of his nose. "You're weird, you know that?" "What else is knew? Next thing I know is you'll tell me my dad sucks....", Tom managed a small chuckle, "Anyways, thanks for everything today, the place looks great.....and wow, I mean as a prince yeah food gets made for you all the time but still....coming from a friend it's....cool." "Well, you DID try to make food for me that one time....", Marco said, flipping the last pancake with the rest on a large plate. Tom felt embarrassed remembering the mess he made, "Yeah, that still could've gone better, but then again I did just find you asleep.....face almost in the batter..." Marco rolled his eyes, "Still not as bad as finding you covered in cheese.... ". He placed the stack of pancakes on the dining room table, where there were already plates and silverware set out, he even had some butter and tom's favorite...chocolate syrup, for their pancakes. "It's your birthday, so you're allowed to be as unhealthy as you want today....", Marco joked, "After tonight, i'm putting you on a strict veggie diet though..." Tom booed at him and took a seat, already putting a pancake on his plate and adding some butter and syrup, Marco took a seat next to him, eyeing him and being silent. Although things have still been normal since...It happened, there were still moments like this, when things just felt tense. Tom felt like Marco just wanted to say something, and Tom would worry it would be Marco's answer and it would scare the heck out of him. But every time the boy moved on to talk about something else. "So uh.....you excited for today?" Just like that. Tom, mouth full of banana and chocolate pancakes, looked at him. Marco was cutting up his own pancake, not entirely looking at the mewman, just lost in thought and waiting for Tom's response. Tom swallowed and smiled warmly, knowing it was still a bit of a sore subject between them, but that Marco would tell him when he was ready. "It's hard not to be...I mean, first birthday on earth...", Tom gestured to the decorated room around them, "This is nothing like back home......and I really love it, I get to eat junk food, play games, hear my favorite tunes......". Tom then, hesitantly, put a hand on Marco's shoulder, "And....I get to hang out with you....". Marco turned his head, "You...you're not holding back anymore are you?" Tom laughed a bit, taking another bite of pancake, "Heh....sorry, It kinda slips out...." "No, it's ok....", Marco reassured, "I-I just, can't believe I never noticed that you...y'know?". "It's ok, I mean, I didn't even notice myself for a long period of time....", The alien boy shrugged, "It just...kinda happened, and I just realized....how I felt and how I felt like I was supposed to feel were two different things...". Marco nodded, taking a bite of pancake and chewing very slowly, "Does.....anyone else know?" Tom swallowed, "Janna, Star, but that's it....I was worried If I told ponyhead she'd uh...", he laughed lightly. Marco understood, "Ok..." Before Tom could say anything else, two familiar faces popped in through the door, "Marco!! We're back, we got Tom's supr-" They then noticed the two boys eating and immediately stopped talking at the sight of Tom's curious expression. Marco was eyeing them as well, and they both awkwardly started to back up, apologetic smiles on their faces as they tried to escape the scene. Tom seemed to forgive them though, maybe a little relieved the awkwardness disappeared when they showed up. He held a hand out and gestured towards them, "C'mon, we made breakfast, these pancakes are super good!! You gotta try some!!" Marco looked pretty relieved too as his parents sat across from them and started to chat and eat with the boys. There would be time to talk about it.....later. - The guests started to pop in very soon, mostly people Tom knew, but some of Marco's family came too. Tom didn't mind though, his family seemed nice and it was good to get to know more of them, as long as they didn't think he was weird or mistake him from a party crasher. There were snacks being set out in the kitchen, and pizza, and the cake was being covered for Tom to mess with later. The large stack of presents that were already there were a bit bigger now with gifts from his friends and Tom couldn't help but smile seeing how it grew. People took the time to get him something, that just sounded so pleasant. Tom was greeted and wished a happy birthday towards by a few nice classmates and started wondering where Marco went off to. Jackie was sure to arrive soon and Marco sure wouldn't want to miss that, he looked around and saw Janna examining his presents a little too closely and walked up to her. "Janna? Uhh....what are you doing?", Janna looked up at him and stood up, crossing her arms and rolling her eyes. "Chill out dude, just making sure my present is doing ok....", She smirked, and Tom couldn't help but feel a little scared that she had to check up on a birthday present. He eyed the pile of gifts and squinted his eyes at the girl, "Mind explaining.....why you need to check your present?" "Dude, i'm not spoiling the surprise, just be patient...", she looked him up and down, "So uh.....did you need something birthday boy?" "Marco kinda ran off when the guests started coming in....", the boy explained, looking among the people dancing, talking, and snacking. There was no sign of a boy in a bright red hoodie anywhere, and it made Tom worry a bit if something was up, "Have you seen him?" "Did you check his bedroom? Or the bathroom?", She shrugged. "Well....", Tom started. "You didn't did you?", she said, unimpressed. "Well he wouldn't be in the bathroom THAT long, and i don't know why he'd be in his bedroom at all-" Then Janna started smiling at something behind him and Tom was about to ask her what it was before he turned around to see Marco making his way down the stairs. and Tom blushed as he saw Marco was wearing not only the hoodie he picked out for him during their visit to the mall, but a skirt to match. Janna patted Tom's back. "Looks like someone wanted to look good for your birthday today....", She remarked, before pushing him towards Marco, "Go tell him he looks cute...." Tom felt himself blush harder when Marco made his way towards him, and he noticed under his hoodie sleeve was his matching armband. Marco blushed and smiled at his friend, "You were wearing your new clothes today, I though i should do the same..." Tom tried to calm down as best as possible, "Y-you...er...." Marco took a birthday hat out side of his pocket and put it on tom's head, on his hat too. "C'mon Tom, let's go have some fun together....". Marco dragged Tom off to dance in the living room to one of their favorite Love Sentence songs, and although Tom looked kinda nervous dancing in front of people, he seemed a bit less nervous at Marco trying to help him. He couldn't help but think of their dance at the ball, except this time it wasn't any partner dance, just the two of them dancing however they wanted. And to be honest, it made him less nervous about his crush doing so. He and Marco were laughing with each other for a little bit, when Marco noticed a familiar blonde girl at the snack table, she must have just shown up and he didn't notice. Jackie was talking to some other friends, and he tensed up, Tom looked between the two and nodded towards her. "Go talk to her....it's ok..." "You sure..?", Marco asked carefully. "Yeah, i can talk to some other friends for a bit, go....it's ok...", Tom smiled nicely and Marco hugged him real quick. "Thank you Tom....I won't be gone long ok?", He gave him a smile as he headed into the kitchen, and Tom took a breath to keep calm and let Marco talk to his crush. He needed to relax, Marco still liked her of course, he just had to let him figure this out on his own. Tom was going to wander when a burst of flame appeared at his front door, and a demon girl in a bright pink dress and a flying unicorn head showed up. It didn't take long for Tom to feel clawed hands wrap around his neck and huge him tightly. Star released herself from him and smiled widely, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOM!! Want me to sing you the birthday song with mah mouth sounds!!??". Ponyhead, smirking, came up behind her, "I'll help her if you want B-fly, we've been practicing!!!". Tom gave an awkward smile, noticing all the eyes aiming on the three of them. "Eh....maybe later. I'm glad you guys are here, you can put presents over there in the pile and there's plenty of food in the kitchen if you guys get hungry......", Tom watched as a present appeared from a blast of flame into his pile and star pulled a smaller present out of ponyhead's neck and threw it into the pile much to Tom's disgust. "Sooooooooooo? Where's Marco?", Star asked eagerly, winking. Tom rolled his eyes and gestured to the kitchen where Marco was talking to Jackie, Star looked at them curiously and put two and two together pretty quickly she was the girl Tom had been bringing up in their "Marco talks", she then smiled and grabbed Tom's hand. "C'mon, let's go talk somewhere quieter!! I wanna talk to you about some stuff!!", Ponyhead headed off to the dance floor and Star dragged the confused prince out into the backyard. It was still daylight outside and everything, so Tom hoped the neighbors wouldn't give Star some strange looks. "Star, if this is about Jackie I really don't feel like talking ab-" "Tom, it's your dad....", Star said, looking directly into his eyes, "When I returned home last night, Mom was talking to him...I'm worried he's up to something, you kinda told me to alert you if anything was going on and i'm not sure if he's gonna show up or- Tom? You ok?" Tom looked like a deer in headlights, his heart stopped, and he felt his anxiety growing. He suddenly snapped out it it, trying to push the bad thoughts out of his mind, "Y-yeah...yeah....I-I...". He couldn't help but glance at the house, worrying if he stepped back in Marco would be found hurt or missing, or maybe even both. Star bit her lip, showing off her fangs, "Was....your dad upset? When you told him about where you were having your party?" "Maybe....yeah..", Tom had been trying to not think about that day anymore but it was being stubborn and it seemed like everyone had no problem bringing it up to him. He ran a hand through his hair and looked at Star, worried, "Y-you think he'd try to pull something at this party..." She shrugged, sharing the same concerned look, "Just....keep an eye....on Marco, keep an eye on everyone honestly....I just wanted to let you know in case....". She tried to lighten the mood with a smile, "Hey, it's ok, let's just be careful and keep an eye out together!! He might not even show up at all!" Tom rubbed his arm, listening to her words but having a hard time believing them. He really wanted to believe for sure nothing would happen, but now he couldn't help but worry about it now, his dad was far from happy about him having a party on earth, what if he showed up? "C'mon Tom, it's your birthday!", Star said, slightly regretting telling Tom about his father at the sight of his worried expression. "You don't have to freak out, Just be cautions, he might not even show up at all, you should still go have fun on your birthday!!", the demon talked to him sweetly, trying to clam him down. "Maybe...", Tom said, "I just..." "Tom!!", Marco called out from the door at them, "C'mon dude!! You'll be opening gifts soon!! You gotta get some pizza before we run out of slices!!!". Tom was almost distracted by seeing Marco and how cute he looked, trying to hide his obvious reddened face, "COMING!!". He turned back to Star, "Just....keep me posted...." "As long as you still have fun ok?", she replied, "C'mon, let's go grab some earth food!!". She dragged Tom across the lawn and back into the house, and Tom hoped the pizza wouldn't make him feel any sicker then he did already. - Marco had no problem with Tom's crush, no, it didn't really bother him that his best friend liked him that way. He was more amazed, someone liked him, and he didn't even bother to notice it was his best friend in the entire world. Tom, the guy who complimented him all the time, and playfully flirted with him, who hugged him all the time, who ballroom danced with him, who even slept next to him a few times. And Marco, didn't even notice or even consider, that maybe Tom might of thought of him as more then a friend? He couldn't help but feel kinda stupid, it should've been obvious, he should've understood this sooner instead of making Tom more embarrassed about his crush. He wanted to hit something frankly, even though he knew he shouldn't be blaming himself for something he couldn't help. It's not like he was used to people flirting with him or having crushes on him!!! How was he supposed to know how Tom felt??!! All those times he talked about Jackie with him all felt awkward now, how Tom probably felt through the situation and how he tolerated it because it's what a best friend would do. It's not like Tom asked to feel this way or anything and UGH. He knew he'd have to answer Tom's question eventually, but he didn't know if he could even come up with what he wanted to say. Yeah sometimes he thought about Tom in a romantic manner before the crush reveal and everything, but he also liked Jackie, was he really supposed to just go up to Tom and tell him that he liked him , but not as much as Jackie??!! That would be the worst thing in the universe to say to Tom, someone who just wants to be liked!!! Tom needed an answer eventually though, he wasn't going to forget anytime soon. Marco needed to make his final call, and he needed to make it before both of them just dropped out on their own. Last thing he needed was to lose both of them because of this, he needed to either tell Tom he wasn't ready for a relationship with him, or that he might like him back and want to date. Or maybe that he liked him back, and didn't want to date or.....something, he just needed to say something. He knew Tom was itching for an answer every time he saw him, and Marco only felt more guilty keeping him waiting like that when he clearly just wanted to know if they'd ever be anything more then...what they are now. Marco needed a plan, and technically it was still going, he was just going to spend time with both of them and just figure out if these weird mixed feelings he was having towards Tom were really him starting to like him. Then he could figure out who he might want to date, if he wanted to date either of them. Marco's thoughts have been jumbled, and crazy for a long time, almost making sleep a bit harder for him. He still felt tired, even as he stood in the kitchen here, eating Pizza with Tom, Jackie, Janna, and Star. He was barely listening to what they were even talking about, as he kept staring blankly between Tom and Jackie, who were both laughing and talking to each other like old friends. They were friends, it's not like Tom hated Jackie or anything, she was just another friend who Marco happened to crush on. Sigh, Marco just wanted to hope no matter what after all this they'd still all hang out like this, laughing and talking and eating gross food. That nothing would change, even though he knew no matter what something would change between the three of them. "Marco? Yo Marco you ok?" Marco snapped out of his thoughts as the group around him were now staring at him weirdly, making him more nervous, he tried to brush it off though with a smile. "I'm fine I'm fine.....just had a Marco moment there, kinda got a little lost in my thoughts..", He laughed nervously. Tom bit his lip and returned a smile, "It's ok, I'm kinda in a similar boat as well....." Marco was about to question it when he heard his father call everyone in the living room for present opening, especially Tom, who finished the rest of his pizza as fast as he could before running into the other room. Marco couldn't blame him, Tom must've been excited to get gifts from earth. Tom was sat on the couch and the guests were set around him, Star looked especially eager, and Janna's smile only seemed to frighten Tom about her gift. Marco however, took a seat next to Tom near the presents, so he could hand gifts to him, and Tom smiled in delight at being handed his first present. Which happened to be from Star, judging by the sparkly pink wrapping paper and burnt bow. Tom carefully opened it and he could hear Ms Diaz in the background snapping tons of pictures, and Tom smiled as he found a stuffed animal, a bunny with three eyes and horns, inside the box. He could hear people snickering, but he didn't care, and smiled at the demon gal that was giddy in the back. Next was ponyhead's, which of course happened to be something glittery, a glittery compact phone. Ponyhead looked very proud of herself back there, "I spent tons of time getting the BEST gift and no gift is gonna be better then mine ok? Cause you can't beat a gift from his bestie!". Tom was then greeted with some presents from other guests, a few shirts, a baseball, headphones, and a few comics books from some guests. At one point however Tom found what was clearly an insulting note in one of his presents and it didn't take long for Star and ponyhead to find the culprit and chase them out of the party. Then, he got to Janna's present, which Marco thoroughly inspected before giving to Tom just to make sure it wasn't a bomb. Tom opened it to find a book on the occult, and a few glass jars of....something he assumed she found herself, guess her inspections were to make sure those jars didn't break. Marco gave the girl a disgusted look and she winked at him. Tom was happy to finish off with Marco's presents, from him and his folks, Marco knew him best after all. Marco happily passed on a smaller present to Tom and Tom opened it to find a Love Sentence CD of their greatest hits, something to add to Tom's huge pile of merch. He also found from Marco some new ping pong paddles, a video game, some treats and toys for Marshmallow, and much to Tom's amusement....a cereal box. Tom treated eat one almost as if it were pure gold when he opened them, he couldn't wait to use all of them. But then there was one more gift left, and Marco looked red handing it over to him. Tom was confused at first until he opened the box. It was one of Marco's hoodies. "You gave me one of your armbands.....", Marco said, "I thought you should have some personal too, just in case you get cold, o-or if you need something to remind you of home when you go back to mewni....I-If it's wierd you don't have to keep it-" Tom pulled Marco in for a fast and tight hug, not caring what everyone was even remotely saying around him, "Thank you so much, It's super sweet of you...". Marco hugged him back happily, he whispered, "I found it under your bed, and kinda figured maybe if you wanted to keep it I should probably give it to you first...." Now it was Tom's turn to blush, "Uh...sorry..." They stopped hugging and looked at each other laughing as the people around them started to stand up and go do something else while they waited for cake. It was starting to get a bit dark outside, man time flew when you weren't worrying about crushes or crazy father figures. Tom bit his lip, unsure what to do next, Marco seemed to think the same thing based on the awkward silence between them. Marco nodded towards the pile of presents next to Tom, "You need any help bringing those up to your room? Wouldn't want anyone ((Like Janna)) to steal them...". Tom nodded, poofing up a cloud to help pile his stuff on, and Marco happily helped guide the cloud to the boy's room upstairs, which was off-limits when it came to this party anyway. Tom helped place everything onto his bed, he would sort it out later after the party was over. He looked over to see Marco sitting on his bed, legs hanging off, he was looking at the wall and facing away from Tom. Tom awkwardly sat next to Marco, looking over at him, "Marco, is everything ok? I mean i'm sorry if the hug was a bit weird or-" "No Tom, I just...Tom? Do you blame me? For liking Jackie?", Marco asked suddenly, "I'm sorry if this came out of nowhere, I-I just feel like, well-". Tom covered the boy's hand with his mouth, "Marco, I don't hate Jackie, I don't even blame you for liking her......it's how you feel..." Tom thought back to when Star comforted him, and what she said. "You should be allowed to feel what you feel, don't let me stop you...", he gave Marco a sad smile, "Lately....I haven't been forcing myself to not get angry....because i realized...It's ok to feel angry, it's ok to feel how you feel....if you like jackie...it's ok.." "Tom, It's just....I didn't know you felt-" "I know, and it's ok....It's not your fault.....", Marco smiled at him and they bumped each other, "You've really grown since coming to earth huh? With your anger and stuff? I dunno....I just feel like you've grown to be more mature....". "Helps to have good friends....", the prince remarked, "It's different being here then being around the people i'm used to back home, doubt any of my servants would've had nearly the same effect since they don't see me more then just a heir to them..." "Pretty crazy to have a prince crush on me of all people...", the Latin boy remarked, "Sounds like some kind of fairytail....except somehow i don't imagine we'll ever be walking into the sunset together....or living happily ever after...". "Why not?", Tom asked curiously, "I mean, just...how come?" Marco looked at him sadly, "Because someday, you're going to rule a kingdom, and i'm just gonna be here on earth.....not really as glamorous as they make it out to be in the books and movies when you really think about it, even If you get to stay here a little longer....I can't keep you from ruling Mewni..." "I know...", Tom said, "There is only so much you can do....but it's ok, If i have it my way......we're gonna be friends for a long time...as king i'll send you cereal boxes and play love sentence at your doorstep every night when I don't work..." Marco laughed, "Never gonna happen your majesty..." "You wanna bet Marco?", the boy replied with a wink, "I'll be in charge and be all magical and do tons of cool stuff, who knows, I could make it snow at your house every Christmas if you wanted!! I mean, as long as the sun doesn't melt it away I guess..." Marco made a face, "Ahhh of course, the almighty mewman king who makes it snow in California...only to be foiled by the sun. Truly, we are dealing with god-like powers right here!!!". Tom laughed at the comment, "Ok ok, look, I'm just saying, when I become king....i'm gonna make time for you. I know we've had this conversation before and stuff, but never think I will ever forget about you or being separated will ever stop us from being as close....". Tom took a breath, "The most I want.....Is my best friend, I-I'm just thankful you're still here at all after it....and....I'd happy to still just be your best friend...". He and Marco looked at each other for a long time and Marco looked down at himself, "Thanks Tom, that....it makes me feel better.....". "I put a lot of pressure on you...didn't I? To feel like you had to make a huge choice?". "Maybe a little, but....It's ok...", Marco looked at Tom and knew he was starting to have those thoughts again, he couldn't help but just think he looked at least a little bit cute when he was nervous, just a little bit. "So I-Uh.....you look nice in your new outfit by the way..." "Thanks, you too...", Tom said, "You didn't have to change you know?" Marco shrugged, "You were right Tom, I do look pretty good in this stuff...hate to admit it...". "Told you....", Tom bragged, "But anyway....you....you look good...you really do.." They were brushing up against each other, and looking at each other in the eyes, and blushing at each other, and Marco swore they were about to kiss. He's thought about kissing Tom of course, but now he was REALLY thinking about it, Tom's face seemed to imply he was thinking the same thing. "TOM?! MARCO??!! IT'S CAKE TIME!!!" Whatever thoughts they had immediately stopped however, and a red-faced Tom stood up and smiled at Marco, "Looks like I'm needed downstairs, well you too...er..us. Umm.....c'mon Marco, we can talk more about this stuff later....if you're ok with that?". Marco nodded, "Y-yeah, I think.....we do need to talk about this...." Marco stood up, and followed the boy downstairs, Angie and Rafael were trying to round everyone up around the dining room table and it wasn't easy considering the crowd and just how many people showed up, but there was a chair set up for Tom to sit and he couldn't help but feel excited. Marco stood next to Tom as the boy sat down and stared at the cake in front of him, it was decorated quite nicely with a rabbit on it and fire and it just looked so different from cakes he was used to, back home things were prepared by servants, this looked homemade, homemade and made with care from his family here. He saw people snap pics and watched everyone sing to him, he relaxed and tried to enjoy this moment, he deserved this break for once. Just some time where he could take it easy, hang out with friends and family, and even things between him and Marco were easing up. He blew out his candles and everyone cheered him on, before he noticed his compact was buzzing in his pocket, he flipped it open to feel his heart drop. His father was calling. He didn't have enough time to explain to Marco what was going on when he told everyone he needed to head upstairs real quick, and hurried up the stairs and back into his room, a private place where he could talk to his dad without worrying. He answered the call quickly, to see his father look back at him. "Hello Thomas...." "Hi.." Tom tried to remain as clam as possible during this, only hoping this was another check-up call and not anything he would be worried about. It was hard to read his father's face, it was what probably made him so intimidating to others', you could never be so sure what he was up to. "You're older today....", he heard him say, "Y'know....at your age I could already do some extraordinary things with my magic abilities...." "Well I'm not you...", Tom said back, "I'm just not you...." "Obviously, but as I can tell you're still behind on your magic.....you spend some much time with your silly earth things that you have yet to find your thing...", he glared at Tom, "I've been doing some thinking...and the more I have....I've realized you've become...soft..." "My Thing?" "Your source of power....", he looked at Tom sternly, "The thing that allows you to access your true power...what did you think those outbursts were? You being able to create storms, flying into the air, completely glow and overcome with magic power?" "Dad, what are you talking about? Why are you calling me?" The king furrowed his eyebrows, "You want to know why i'm calling today Tom? Because you've been in that dimension for almost a year now, you went there to control your magic, and yet...you failed to learn one of the most critical and most important magical skills you have? You have not learned to dip down? You have not found what it is that sets off your magic state?" Tom blinked,"Are you saying when I get angry and upset.....I- No.....I promised myself i'd never be that kind of person, i wouldn't....DO things like that again...". Tom was speaking out of line and he knew it, but right now he didn't seem to care, "Are you really telling ME that you want me to have a source to make me like that? That you want me to turn into that by getting angry?". "Every king in our line has used anger and fear to use this state and stay in power....", Tom watched as his father's eyes stared into the boy's soul, "At a young age the next king needs to harness that source of anger and fear to trigger it, to keep the monsters at bay...I've spent your life....trying to figure out what would work...just like my father before me...and yet, I'm never the one to witness these extraordinary outbursts you have..." "You....you treated me this way....just to unlock my magic?", Tom said, looking at him in disbelief, "All this time, all the bruises, and yelling, and all the times you kept me from going out and having fun and doing everything...was just because you wanted to keep our family in power??!!" "This is how we've always done things Tom, this is how we've always stayed in control, I almost thought we'd figure it out by your trial....even used the same monster who witnessed you dipping down too, but it didn't seem to be enough.....clearly there was something else...that really got you to act that way.." Tom froze. Marco, Marco was his biggest source, whether it came to the monster incident or the crush incident or even when he cried at Star's home.....It was stuff involving Marco that got him to obey and lose control; and Marco being that source, was starting to make the boy panic. "We're taking you home Tom....", Tom looked at the screen, wide-eyed. "No, you can't-" "Your time at earth has not completely ruined you, but it has been a lost cause at you becoming the king you need to be, you are going to pack your bags and you are going to head back to mewni tonight.....your vacation is up, and we are going to shape you up one way or another..." "NO!!", Tom yelled, "I'm staying here!! This is my life now, this is everything I've been wanting from home for YEARS, I feel safe and happy, and warm, and I can go and do amazing things!! I'm not like you!! I don't exist to be just like you and never get to enjoy my life!! I'm not some mindless blob for you to torture and shape into another angry and heartless king!! If I have to be that way to dip down and for us to be in power, then i don't WANT to be your son, I don't even CARE if I have magic!!!". Tom was fuming, letting out everything he felt like he's been wanting to say for years right to his father's face, not even scared of the consequences. No torture he'd ever felt in the past would ever be as painful as leaving earth, at never having birthday parties like this again, at never seeing movies and staying up late, at never sleeping in, at never seeing his best friend ever again... The King was silently fuming, he didn't seem to expect Tom's outburst but he wasn't going to let a child get to him. The King spoke gravely, "You don't have a choice in the matter, no matter what you want to be your future was set in stone since you were born.....as were all of us, you have nowhere to go Tom....nowhere to hide, your disobedience will be your downfall...you and I both know the safest way out of this is to come home immediately....and when I mean safest I don't mean just you..." Tom tried to hide the hurt in his face. "You leave with me tonight, pack your bags, and come back to mewni willingly....and I won't bring any harm to the family who took you in for your studies, nor will I send you off to the Prince reformation school as a last resort to fix you..." Tom wasn't looking at him,brows furrowed and on the brink of tears. "This was not a permanent stay Tom, you came here to learn, and if this world is going to be nothing but a distraction to you and your future as the next king you are going to leave it and we are going to put you back on track..." "You always told me monsters were awful creatures, and yet we're worse then them....", Tom mumbled, "Centuries.....of this, of brainwashing and torturing princes into becoming evil and cruel people just to be superior to them? Does our legacy....really mean more to you then I do?" "Does your people, and your family....mean nothing to you? This was what you were brought up for, your anger cannot just vanish Tom, our family has had it for a reason....and through it...you will learn to become the king you're supposed to be...", He looked at his saddened son, the tears on his face "You're quite attached to this place, aren't you?" Tom refused to answer. He raised an eyebrow,"This....Marco boy, you're attached to him...aren't you? I wonder just how close you two are? After all, I do remember quite clearly how when he was mentioned it was what finally got you to properly handle that monster assassin in your test...In fact, now that I think about it, perhaps that monster did mention you weren't alone during that event..." "No..", Tom said, "Leave him out of this....this....this is between you and me...". Tom took a deep breath, he could hear Marco calling for him from downstairs, worried about him, and it only made the words that came out of Tom's mouth more painful. "If I go with you....do what you say, do everything you want, you promise to stay away from him? Him and his family?", the boy's eyes were closed, trying to remember Marco's smile, it was only becoming more painful and then relaxing with the thought of never seeing it again trying to take it over. "I will never go to earth and lay a hand on their head, but only if your cooperate...", His father might be the worst person ever, but he always kept his promises. Tom nodded to him,"Fine....i'll do it....i'll go back home, i'll...i'll be the perfect son...just...give me some time... to leave I-I...I need to say goodbye...." The king didn't look pleased by this request, but obliged, "You have 2 minutes...make....it quick..". - It was Tom's luck that Marco was practically waiting for him down the stairs as he arrived, looking super worried and trying to save Tom a slice of his birthday cake. Tom pulled on Marco's arm, however, and moved him off the another part of the room where no one could spy on them. "Tom...what's going on? You....are you crying?", Marco said, "Tom-" Tom covered his mouth quickly, "Marco, I need to let this out, because I don't have much time.....I-I'm leaving earth....I have to go back to mewni and I don't know if i'll see you again but I just want you to know my time here has been the greatest and most wonderful time of my life and If I ever come back as someone I hate I want you to remember me as who I was...that I don't ever regret liking you and I just hope you and Jackie will be happy together...", he was speaking so fast and so sadly it was almost hard to make out. "Tom..wha-?", Marco removed the hand from his mouth and looked at the boy wide-eyed, "What do you mean you're leaving??!! You can't just out out and leave!!!". "My Dad...he's coming to get me and I..", Tom said, fighting back tears, "I-I have to, I have to go now Marco....J-just...I'm gonna miss you..please just..please just stay safe...and stay away from mewni". Tom hugged Marco, pulling him against his chest for only a few seconds, trying to make it as quickly as he could before time was up. "Tom, no...wait-", Marco said, "You-" "Goodbye Marco...", Tom said one last time, eyes full of tears, before leaving the boy in his tracks and heading upstairs to his room as fast as he could, "Thank you for everything...". Marco chased him upstairs,and saw him close the door to his bedroom before he yanked it open himself to stop him. "Wait Tom!! You don't have to-", Marco stopped in his tracks to find Tom's room.....Gone....it was gone, the guest room was back to the way it used to be before Tom changed it. Marshmallow, the games, the pile of presents on a flame-pattered bed. All gone. "Tom...?" Marco felt tears stream down his face, at the blank room staring back at him, every sign of life from Tom.....gone in an instant. "Marco? What's going on, where's Tom?", Angie walked upstairs to her son standing in Tom's doorway, and gasped at Tom's room, "Marco.....is something going on...?" Marco turned to his mother, face wet with tears and brows furrowed in anger at the thought of where Tom was and who he was with. "He's gone.....He took him....", Marco said through sobs, "And we have to get him back..."

[flairina]

Flair’s Dreams, January 2018

Certainly been a while. Some of these are written in shorthand, so if you bother browsing through these, forgive me for that. It gets better later on.

1/3/18: (2:00-6:45)

I end up inside Shin Megami Tensei world (again- it's apparently happened at least twice before) due to someone taking an unwanted photo of me, and thinking that I'd like it to do such. The SMT world in this case is a giant, ever shifting tower of some sort, which rumbles as if hit by an earthquake while changing. I end up in a section controlled by Alice (the demon) called "Tick Tock Goes the Clock", with decor describable as the inside of a building from Alice in Wonderland where the main colors are pink, white, and gold. I have some sort of feud with the White Rabbit (the guy/demon who brought me in here?) before I'm finally left alone. I try to remember the way a few demon conversations proceed (the short mushroom demon likes men and alcohol, the four winged cerulean bird thing thinks pants are kind of cool, etc) when the tower shakes, and an 8-demon procession turns down the hall. Some are the bird thing but there are two kinds I've not seen before, one of them a sort of floating blue horse thing. They enter the room on the left (structured like a classroom) and emerge from the other door, behind me, singing and generally unaggressive. Two girls who are permanent residents here are also part of the line, and notice me. Brooke (a black girl with long, thin pleats/braids) says hi, while the other girl (a white girl with her hair curling up at the front off of her head like a squirrel's tail) asks her how I keep getting here. I tell her it's sheer random chance, as is how I keep getting out of here. The demon's singing appears to be summoning a wedding chapel, which I stop through my own music somehow, causing it to make a weird whiffling noise as it blinks back out of existence.

1/5/18: (Powers Dream?)

I'm either "playing" as, or actually am Samus (Metroid), and am currently in the middle of Metroid Prime 3, which requires me to ascend a space pirate "tower" ("urchin"-like room was notable). This is a late game area, and the entire 3D outline of it can be seen on the map. I make it to a normal office room (somewhat out of place) filled with space pirates, and use the photon beam to eliminate them. The charged shots are purple, and track/hone in on the enemies. There is a "tooth" language that only the pirates can access/understand, but by pulling them out of the stomach of a dead one in the corner (it ATE the teeth for some reason), I should be able to understand it soon. I'm no longer Samus, and decide to raid the nearby wardrobe for something to wear, but mom is suddenly in the room, trying to move stuff out. In the closet behind me, there are lotions on the top shelf, including a "snuggling" lotion.

A strange species of creature catches four DnD-type characters (all human men) and intends to transform them, allowing a single last request from each. They then twist the requests to make the transformations ironic, turning the group into a girl, a mutant raccoon, Princess Daisy (request involved a sneer), and a ____ (ICR what, but it wasn't human). The non-humans alleviate this by make themselves look like copies of the girl and Daisy member, and progress on, thinking that someone can reverse this in the area below a nearby canyon. Just as they're about to head down, they all transform back- but as each other instead of themselves, which shocks and frustrates them.

1/8/18: (2:??-7:20)

There is a person who is repeatedly turning into combinations of three different animals in order to fight something in a dark, pseudo-futuristic room. I can see them on screen to shoot at one point, and the twins from Flip Flappers are involved.

A giant snake "person" (just looked like a two-story tall snake) attacks me and others in a city alley. It can't tell people apart easily, but recognizes me from smelling my runny nose somehow, and comes after me.

The tent I was sleeping in outside an apartment is torn apart by the weather, which picked it up and proceeded to rain, HARD, solely above my stuff.

I need to give an example of something I have "triumphed in" for a required stage show. I'm slightly late, and the first example I give has something to do with electric powers? I then switch to saying I triumph in comedy itself.

1/10/18:

2D version of a 3D game, sand "castle" area, stars to collect Mario-style, giant mantis creature (boss?) in 3D Pikmin-esque leaf area, fought using morph ball (Metroid)?

1/11/18: (9:00-9:45 and 10:00-10:22, naps) (1:17-6:45)

Endbringer attack (Worm), it’s The Simurgh, “sometimes they stay dead for days, but they always get back up” (the Endbringers can be killed, but they don’t stay down), I’m at work, Blasto’s stuff turns everything inside purple and monstrous, and dogs become zerg-dogs, I’m Taylor, I run outside, “unlike inside, here, the bodies were real” I think to myself, envisioning them, except there actually aren’t any, I can’t even see the destruction, find some old guy and walk with him, there’s a giant model of earth to the right, see places on the continents being struck with poofs of red smoke, it represents something that’s actually happening, one barrels right into us, something to do with the endbringer attacks, some other guy with us now, old guy climbs into treehouse, which is thankfully unoccupied, speaks a little about how fire extinguishers are less effective in the arctic, then falls asleep in a bed in the back, me and the other guy sleep ourselves, and wake to the kid and his friend recording something nearby, they don’t notice us until I stand (I’m me again), they protest my presence, tell the kid to help me wake the guy in the bed up, they’re related?, go to scientist guy’s large yellow house, guys named Rick and Ray live here, they have a “human tainting” chamber/tube, think I’m watching videos at class/work and just getting really immersed, stop and wake as a result

I’m in a movie theater watching an animated movie, and become convinced that because the movie has characters named Rick and Ray and I JUST dreamed about that that I got the info about the future, movie ends, person in snake cosplay, accidentally head off in a sideways moving elevator for 50 minutes, come back, see giant gel monster things, fancy plaza with tennis courts and such, night sky looking ceiling, family has been waiting

I receive information that implies I am the girl who “won the game” and left for Heaven 6 months ago. I took “The Lilac Path”, was compared to a flower, and either literally was or was represented by a white, harsh featured woman’s mask with thorned briars behind it.

1/12/18: (1:??-9:30) (Powers Dream)

Fast vampire guy with long hair and Klaus (BBB), huge and intricate mansion, they’re after me/her (multiple tenses- I was “playing” as the female MC from a forum quest?), there’s a person cannon in the next room which is somehow Homestuck related, vote on song to play as we send off to another house, decide on Here from The Ancient Magus’ Bride, I still have pills left, but didn’t realize until I literally bit into them.

Five story playground equipment in backyard of house me and two girls broke into, we go inside, Yoda uses Spaceballs to distract a bunch of stormtroopers so he can turn them into water, I ask how that makes any sense, The Force can’t do that

Filthy purple room with green stringy things everywhere, on a team playing “hide and seek” (keep three items away from other team), room is too small and empty for this, novel new strategy, I distract the seeker when he comes in by fighting him with a rubber sling ball, and time runs out

A black guy with dreads/braids is sitting in a mostly black room at the top of a tower, a silver staircase leading inside. I’m not him, but can feel him comb his hair, somehow. He threatens Hannah Montana, until I, as Ayumura Tamako (but seen from a third person perspective), along with some tall guy, break through the outside wall (which has only air beneath it) and interrupt. I throw some sort of purple laser boomerang at the black guy, the results of which ICR, before I start to feel as if I’m just imagining this part, like I’m just daydreaming. Not liking this, I decide to leave this dimension, and fly(?) outside to do so.

1/13/18: (1:??-9:30) (Taste Dream)

There is a "Dream Dungeon" game, played in the style of SMT: Strange Journey, with a black and white map. There are small, reddish-pink bipedal creatures with oversized arms called "Neebles", that are extra powerful compared to the normal enemies, but I beat the first one fairly easily all the same.

In order to change fate, I need to alter a teddy bear/my alarm/my phone, which allows me to wake up early.

Card game where pictures must be matched, in a kitchen, blue and white buttercream doughnut I can taste, need Dad to help me snap a lobster's neck, which I think I'll be able to taste as well, something about planetary alignment and 413, I suck root beer from a fish grenade thing

1/14/18:

List of chapters, two centered around betrayals by cultists with red robes, Mom and I in a light white-greenish hallway, star projections on our feet, they signal that this is the spot to leave from, we spin to teleport out, we were on chapter 6, but then chapter 9 happens

Good, bad, and normal dream all forced to revolve around the same thing: a yellow and red thing with scales.

Make it to "banned" area by getting banned, made completely of sand colored blocks (seamless), indoor confinement with a single reception desk, place a portal there so it's a good thing (would have taken forever to get there otherwise).

Competition, sports style events, grannies and ___ on one side, robots and ___ on the other, I end up winning (most were gun events), take granny as prize, it'll all be connected soon anyways so it doesn't really matter...

1/15/17: (2:00-6:30)

I'm in my house, upstairs, while everyone is sleeping. I head downstairs, and Mom (who was asleep upstairs) sits up from the couch and screams at me, seriously startling me.

I'm playing/editing a game, from the inside, via the dev mode. The beginning mostly consists of large colorful platforms (with things on them) and floating bars (balance beams), some of which have yellow "slowdown" pads on them, all floating in the sky. There are two large, worm-like dragons with dark blue shell armor flying in the sky above. I passed by the Sun and Moon God area before, and end up going back to interact with them. They stand on small platforms above a larger central one. The sun god has eight arms. They speak to me, but their dialogue implies that you shouldn't be able to see both at once- I can, because I'm still in dev mode, which I'd forgotten. Cursing, I restart in normal mode, with a lot of progress lost.

The setting is a school, where many of the teachers are special (supernatural or otherwise) in some way. A wiry black "electric gremlin" locks 33 other monsters in with it in a room to play hide and seek, or rather "hide and shock" with them. In the hallways, there are several vocaloid-like beings who have "load" put upon them whenever a video starring them is uploaded. This existence is hard on the original/first of them, a girl with shoulder-length brown hair and a yellow and pink outfit, as because of the other's popularity they won't ever leave or fade away (while she will?). Phoenix Wright is nearby, and becomes angry with her, rushing at her to attack. I'm also there, and try to hold him back, but he begins transforming into a giant blade armed monster thing, making this difficult. I try disabling him with elbow strikes to the head, and ICR what happens after. Elsewhere, in a giant gray stone cavern with a thin spread of water covering the floor (possibly in the school), there are a ton of people milling about. A mouse cursor (moved by someone unknown) that can jet water out of its tip climbs up a rock near a big deal villainess woman in a black dress. Her name is revealed to be something familiar (something with "night" in it), just before she grabs and restrains a tall black man with pink dreads, who slashes at her with his hands and wounds her arm. She's intrigued, as that hurt her more than she's been hurt in the last ___ (some number of hundreds of) years. She tears away his disguise, revealing him to be Death the Kid (Soul Eater). Because he's in danger, a portal forms and teleports him out. I'm left somewhat confused however, as the "disguise" person is still around. The scene then plays out again, fully animated this time (it wasn't originally), no different except that DTK briefly turns into an orc. Above/upstairs, a group with bulky red and yellow cloaks (like bulky, darker versions of the Journey characters) and names based on angels have been waiting to leave this place, and are disappointed when the portal (the upper half of which was sticking through the ceiling) quickly closes. Later, an older male teacher fed up with doing nothing, along with me, decide to go looking for whatever is going on around here after hearing about the animal colonies that were here being gone (only the moving pictures/drawings remain). A horse and maid were previously kidnapped from here; if we could find the horse we'd have a lead. We proceed down a long hallway with rooms in the middle, but I keep getting ultra tired, and have to keep resisting sleep. We get to the front area, which has a setup like a shop with fully stocked shelves (mostly wigs?). The teacher decides we need wigs, and steals one. I grudgingly take another (a tokyo ghoul one), but don't think I'll be able to fit my hair under it. The teacher tells me to just do the best I can until we get downstairs. I think to myself that I'm glad he's having fun at least.

1/19/18:

Game with woman in blue who dies, I wonder how it affects Mom and Ian's dreams, Ian wants me to watch Castlevania "M___ of Blood" because it ties up plot threads from Dawn of Sorrow, but I don't want to, part of it plays out IRL in front of us, guy in white suit fights the boss on an altar at the back of an elementary school library like place, using millions of spears from the walls and floor, the boss counters with vines and just as many swords.

A familiar (as in a witch's familiar) sort of thing is floating over the sink, but I don't want to accept it as one (as mine?) because I know it won't listen to me.

There are giant piles of snow stacked in mountains outside the house, in the middle of spring, the huns from Night at the Museum are going around the neighborhood hitting everyone in the face with snowballs, I get excited (this is apparently an annual event), I go outside to change my panties for some reason, dude with a sharp object in hand comes after me, I flee through tall grass back to the house, recent argument between me and Elizabeth?

1/20/18: (2:00-9:??) (Powers Dream)

I'm in a small (less than 20) group of people with "God" powers, allowing us to fly, and giving us various other abilities as well (some of us, at least?). I'm relatively new to the group (and the area?), and worry that they dislike me, especially after I did something that I didn't think was rude, but they did. I try to find a moment to apologize, but can't seem to- there are too many kids in the house that all (or at least most) of us are living at, leaving precious few moments that everyone is available at the same time. Later, I'm at a sort of futuristic store, full of white plastic tubes and such, where I pick up two small items I didn't mean to. The one in my right hand is small, white and pink, and semi-triangular, and somehow shakes me when I hold it. Nearby, a girl from my group who sort of looks like Miu (DRv3) points out a tiny hammer either in or near something on the floor, which was relevant to the adventure/plot that happened previously where we attained said flight/godhood from. Later, I'm walking with Josuke (JJBA) under a winding overpass. It starts raining the second we step under open sky, and stops when we step under the pass, repeatedly. This indicates to both of us that we're under attack, thus we summon our stands. Josuke's looks kind of like Frieza (DBZ), while mine is long and kind of insectoid, with at least six limbs and enough flexibility to curl through the air. I then warn myself, still also back at the store somehow, and am that version of myself again. I tell the girl from my group about it and she goes to get the others, before I realize that it hasn't actually happened yet (there are two different time versions of me running around, and I'm currently the earlier version). I run out of the store and down the stairs, trying to talk to someone telepathically as I do(?). I come across a girl I know/have talked to on the stairs, and tell her I need to break her arm (which we discussed previously) in order to draw "their" attention, as I can't think of any other way. She's not happy about this for obvious reasons, and so tries to jump from the stairs and break MY arm to prove that will also get their attention. This fails utterly (my arm fails to break with her weight), and I tell her that's why it won't work with me before lifting up the girl (the crowd gasps) with the same arm and tossing her into the bookcase on the nearby wall, feet first. This makes her body turn cartoonish, and other people around pull her out as I hope that's enough and rush out of the building. Even later, there are many floating pillars high in the sky, with a central larger pillar meant to be reached by jumping from the smaller ones. A guy from my group is up here, doing just that (landing on the sides), and upon noticing the three golden glints in the central pillar, starts making his way there (they indicate either treasure or entrances). He doesn't manage it via jumping, and so ends up just flying there. I follow him in, and it turns out this is just the temple of the "Jungle boss" we beat already, so there's no new treasure here. The boss is basically just moving circular sawblades on a slope that descend slowly on a conveyor belt, which need to be broken by being "bowled" over. There are cardboard cutouts of rocks that turn real when bowled off to the side for this explicit purpose. The guy didn't do great on this before, but he just didn't get it I don't think, because I do very well with no practice at all. Also, by clogging the entryway, you can basically win automatically. Once we do, the guy who monitors this place asks if we want to go up to the top again, to which I say nah, we've got it, and just fly up on my own. While doing so, I think to myself that I'm getting too used to flying, and won't know how to go without it soon, to the point that I've memorized how it feels (like being "lifted" by the inside of the back of the shoulders/heart area). It then "slips" out of me in midair, which I panic about ("Hey!")- it feels as if God (who I envision as a long haired black guy made of stars and space) is lifting me up by my shirt.

In Grandma's room, whole slabs of my leg meat suddenly fall out, causing me to fall to my knees. My leg looks like raw chicken on the inside, and a large shard of rough, bloody bone comes out from just above my ankle, along with a chunk of the side of my foot. It doesn't hurt, but I still panic, and ask Mom what to do... and she just tells me to put it back.

Girl with seven different voices in her head, she's a parahuman, she sings to Lung (Worm), which is hilarious, on the Christmas before, a nerdy boy (who was the girl?) is driving, his different personalities are taking over intermittently, he gets in trouble due to something that happens in the car.

Sentient, pyramid shaped guy made of rock called Mr. Volcano, he's actually really tiny, church area where the ground is covered in high dark water that can partially(?) be walked over, all the buildings are black, giant orb building I get on top of, see family below and wave, will have to backtrack all the way if I want to get to them though.

1/21/18:

I get out of (my) bed, wander out to the theater area, starscape ceiling everyone is staring at, find family in the crowd, was backstage earlier (metal area with green room in back) that I was seen in.

There's a weird researcher looking guy in my bed, he all but tries to molest me, I know he's not real but still feel him poking me under the armpit, to get rid of him I sit up fully, say when I look up he'll be gone, and he vanishes.

1/22/18: (Powers Dream?)

Check-in room for an unfinished movie (early access?), I look like a woman with dark hair in a suit and have a fake ID/page to get in (the result of disguise magic?), guy with "Taurus" in his name tries to get in, I can tell he's also disguised/fake by what he says, somehow he's revealed to the rest of the room, he escapes into the dark-bluish dungeon/labyrinth outside, Ben 10 (or someone similar) pursues in a tiny, fast, white spider form (Kumoko?)

1/23/18: (1:3?- 6:40)

Four people meet up at the center of a town after a period of time, and show off proof of what they beat in order to let them proceed. Two did the normal version, one did a lesser version, and the last did something strange. They enter an aqua green palace, and somehow complete several “incorrect” fights.

1/26/18: (2:50-10:00)

Giant waterfall with bumpy, multicolored ground all around, the waterfall itself and the ground goes all around the area, it has a complicated "fall", Ian and I are there?

Robin, Jason, and Anne (The Wotch) are in a pink, cluttered bedroom, Robin is wearing a weird ninja outfit thing, they transform, Robin turns female and his clothes constrict into a really tight dress, later, on a lawn, Anne straight up admits to a guy (cheerfully) that she's altered his memory, with a display on a laptop that has a bunch of gold rectangles together and flashing, missing red ones to display the missing memories.

Someone is coming after an enemy “boss”, but it's actually a decoy, being issued commands by a scientist girl (the real final boss, so to speak). She goes through the underneath of her base to change the wires and such, where the light is dark purplish.

Guy who makes those around him extremely clumsy and can make himself Happosai-sized, making him very hard to hit or catch, I was on a team to guard against/catch him previously, one of the girls on the team gets frustrated enough to suggest arming everyone with guns, I corner him in a mall, in an area that's sort of like a giant tube, I still can't manage to hit him though, he goes on to be an ice skater, in the same mall someone is trying to use their henchman to kill people, but they're too incompetent, I'm on to them.

1/27/18: (2:00-9:30) (Powers Dream)

In a flat, "outer space" void, there is a spiral of gymnastic mats that leads to the Five God Dragon (Yugioh) at the glowing center, you can step outside the spiral of mats too, but that's no fun, there are enormous, whale-sized fish under the blackness that you can catch.

I'm a beautiful female ninja with shiny black hair and an elegant pink and green (seemingly peach inspired) outfit that looks like a mix between a dress and robes, walking through a town. It is possible to obtain small chests there (both normal brown and aqua green ones) from events, the latter only being openable with keys obtained from fights. There is a free hot spring that I want to go to, but I get interrupted before I can, and end up stuck going to a snowy mountain area for a mission. The entire time I just want to get back to the hot spring, to the point that I keep letting my clothes partially slip off. The guards, of which there are two lines on either side in front of me, find this very weird. I drop into the below-ground snow tunnel they are standing over to begin my mission.

I'm in a mansion/dungeon that anyone who enters supposedly only has a single night to escape. However, you actually have an endless amount of time, because time will stop progressing outside it the moment you enter. I'm dressed in a black leotard with gold accents along the sides. Coming up from a dark below ground area, I progress through an area of enemies that are no longer tough for me to beat (though they're destroyed before I can encounter them, via horizontal lightning), picking up the lightning items they drop. I think to myself that I need something blunter to kill them, since I want the kind of items they'll drop if I use a blunt weapon. I've explored most of the place, but have no idea where to go now. There is a rule that I need to stay out of the sight of the mansion's guards/servants, which poses a problem as there is one crouched right in front of the door to get back to the entryway (their stare is seen as a red cone of light). I hit the lights from my end (which only lasts a few seconds) and scamper out, climbing up a ladder across the way on to a catwalk. There are buttons on the wall to the left to press, and a gathering of people up ahead of me, one of whom is a kid who will alert the adults in 7 seconds that I'm here. It's possible to bribe him, and I have before, but I don't this time, instead swinging to a slightly lower catwalk, followed by another. I then fall/slide down a pit that leads to a furnace, turning into Bendy (Bendy and the Ink Machine) and moving off into a smaller side-tunnel.

1/29/18:

Video game/board game/obstacle course, Mario-like bit with aqua blue flooring and small electrified bits to jump around, upper area with movable present like boxes.

1/30/18:

The Protagonist (DDLC) was meant to be a girl from the start, but was changed. He enters a mall where there is a large flashy display overhead with the DDLC girls on it. Later, it turns out Monika has been with us (in the real world) the entire time, possibly due to a game glitch caused by a poster. Furthermore, because of someone's severed hand, she is  omnipresent/everywhere at once at all times. She can control things by using her left hand for the mouse and her right for the keyboard (or the cursor, which is separate from the mouse?), which she reveals while in a car with me and _____ while suffering from awareness overload.

In a store, I "hatch" shriveled, radioactive bats. There are bats that "counter" them that look more like bluish, quadrapedal lizards the size of large dogs, most of which are sealed off in a toxic/radioactive factory mostly composed of tunnels, which ends up becoming the "endgame" area we have to traverse. Inside, the Homestuck trolls are sprawled out in a tunnel to the left, looking dead (they aren't), and for some reason we start a cookout just inside the entrance.