#hope the formie

[sfarxuri]

Old meme doodle I did in 2023 of Oscuri & Hope holding their boy friends Sfarx & Marshall as little worms on a string.

[toongirl007]

Hope is here to help! Bday gift for @felixj13

[catboyjorts]

Ah, man. I was looking forward to doing so much stuff this fall but now we're stuck at home until spring basically 😔

[drownedz]

really quick ms paint thing for my icon

[bigshymen]

SAM SULEK X FEM READER WHO DOES PILATES

summary : sam, your boyfriend, is always out filming workout videos for his viewers and you begin to miss him. naturally, you drag him to a pilates class with you.

fit reader , oneshot , established relationship , suggestive topics , no smut

As a bodybuilding influencer, your boyfriend, Sam, was on top of it and as a result always going to events and busy filming things from his meals to his car rides and of course, getting his pump on at the gym. And as much as you’d like to get on top of him, that doesn’t last very long. While you’re proud of his success, you missed your oversized-care bear dearly.

This gave you the idea to surprise him by dragging him to a pilates class - something you’d been doing for years that you knew he’d never tried. It didn’t bother you that he had no interest in it, but what did was his underestimation of pilates. That was going to change today.

“Hurry up Sam! Don’t make us late.” You whinned, practically hauling him out the door as he grumbled unenthusiastically about not wanting to pay more for essentially “bending and stretching.”

The sight of someone as tiny as you pulling a giant like him inside the studio, and succeeding, was a comical display for the women already present in class, earning a few whispers. His massive frame towered over the pilates enthusiasts who were petite in comparison.

Sam reluctantly followed you hand-in-hand and as you two settled onto your respective mats, you couldn’t help but giggle at the sight of him slightly looking out of place admist the sea of colorful Alo bottoms and tank tops.

“Good evening everyone!” The instructor chirped before introducing herself to any newcomers as Alexis. She began to lead the class through a series of movements, explaining each one with precision in a soothing voice. You glanced over at Sam, who was already struggling to keep up with the intricate poses.

Despite his strength and overwhelming size, the graceful movements of pilates proved to be quite challenging for him. You tried to stifle your laughter as he wobbled during the balance exercises and grunted loudly through the core strengthening sequences, earning side looks from the women on neighboring mats.

But Sam was determined to prove you wrong, pushing himself to keep pace with the rest of the class. Sweat dripped down his brow as he tried to retain focus on Alexis’s instructions, his muscles trembling with exertion.

As the class progressed you couldn’t help but feel pride watching Sam be bested. He may have been a powerhouse in the gym, but pilates was a whole different ballgame - one that required flexibility and control rather than sheer brute strength.

Though you had to admit, you enjoyed seeing him like this a lot more then you probably should. Sam in motion is… distracting. You stopped pretending to pose and your eyes linger to his curly locks, wet with sweat and cradling his pink face. It’s a rare occurrence when you see his hair without the cap obscuring it. Simplified, his face can best be described as masculine. But not the overbearing hypermasculinity bodybuilders often seem to have.

Sam’s profile is delightfully male. Despite his skin being almost completely littered with acne scars and wearing a seemingly permanent flushed-color, there’s no denying he’s handsome, facial wise. The shorts he wore were always obscenely short and suddenly you’re hyper aware of the ladies around the two of you. You hoped they weren’t having any ideas, unless they fancied one inchers.

After what seemed like eternity of stretching and contorting, at least for Sam, the class came to a close. He flopped onto his mat with a dramatic sigh, the sound startling you and a few of the women but he seemed too tired to be embarrassed.

“That was tough,” He finally admitted after he gave up on sitting upright, panting deeply as his muscles throughly protest. The sheepish grin spreading across his face betrayed his body language.

You felt a smile forming on your own lips. Leaning over to give him a kiss on his scarlet cheek, you linger for a moment. It’s accompanied with a gentle pat against his solid chest. “You did great, hun. I’m happy you joined me.”

One of the young women peering discreetly from the left side of the room cringed.

[ijustliketoreadstuff]

Gabriel does not like whats changing

The more we kept getting references to feathers and rings being close to Adrien and those in his family, who knew of the peacock miraculous, the more it became obvious that he was a sentimonster brought to life with the help of the peacock miraculous.

(Moments from "Miraculer" and "Gorizilla" subtly showing two rings and feathers being constantly close to the Agreste family and Nathalie)

And per the power of the peacock miraculous, Adrien's amok was attached to something, specifically two rings, the very ones his parents wore, a terrifying thing to learn because it meant that anyone who was in possession of Gabriel and Emelie's rings, could gain full control of Adrien and make him say and do whatever it is they wanted, which is what Gabriel has been doing a lot, each time worse than the last as he becomes more and more willing to ruin the happiness his son has built on his own.

(In "Adoration, Gabriel attempted to stop a moment that would've solidified Adrien and Marinette's relationship even further, by using one of the rings in his possession to take control of Adrien and stop him from kissing Marinette, forcing him to tell Marinette to leave. )

We don't know for how long Gabriel has been controlling Adrien throughout his life, but it doesn't seem like it was always this way, at least not when Adrien upheld his title as the "perfect son" to the Agreste family, but when he did, he would almost always start his command with the same words, "Adrien, I am your father...". Gabriel had his little moments in the past where he showed just how much he cherished his son, how worried he was over Adrien's safety if he was ever too close to danger, but the longer he let his obsession over defeating the heroes consume him, the more he lost sight of his moral boundaries, seeing no wrong in controlling Adrien through the ring during times he believed Adrien was showing defiance or was just plain not being the seemingly perfect well mannered son who took his parents word. 

("Megaleech" was one of many times when Gabriel had been shown clearly reaching for his ring to take control of Adrien. )

(In "Protection," Gabriel aimed to end the relationship between Marinette and Adrien, at first by trying to convince Adrien he shouldn't settle for dating Marinette, believing his own son deserved to be with someone who was considered to be as perfect as he was, like Kagami. When Adrien rejected Gabriel's advice to break up with Marinette, Gabriel used the ring to command Adrien to stop seeing Marinette, an order that was later removed, thanks to Nathalie, who was in possession of Emelie's ring.)

Unlike in previous seasons, Gabriel is shown to be more willing to use his ring to take control of Adrien during the most important moments of his life, because unlike before, too many things were changing.

Gabriel has always had this picture perfect image in his mind over what his family will be like once Emelie was brought back, and it for one would be exactly as he remembered and expected it to be. But now, everything Gabriel was hoping for his family and their future, is all gradually crashing down, and while he for one wants to believe it is the fault of Ladybug for preventing him from obtaining the miraculous that will restore his family, he also wants to believe it is the "bad influence" of Marinette, and others whom he views as imperfect, that's corrupting Adrien and ruining the perfect future that was made for him, but its not. Things are changing, because the people who are the closest to him are changing. Adrien is changing.

The fact of the matter is, the Agreste family could never go back to the way Gabriel remembered. Emelie had been gone for more than a year now, and while he still clings to the past, Adrien has tried the best he can to move on with his life, by learning to live it.

Adrien has made efforts to learn to live his life by gaining new experiences, meeting new people, building new friendships, forming his own independence by developing his own views and opinions, and has made his share of mistakes while simultaneously learning from them.

Adrien will always keep his mother's memory in his heart just like Gabriel said he should back in "Felix", but now that Gabriel is watching Adrien step farther and farther away from the son he remembers spent his days in the mansion, close to him and Emelie, it upsets him.

Gabriel has said before in "Passion" that everything he is doing is for Adrien's happiness, but his idea of what Adrien's happiness should be, does not align with what is making Adrien happy now. Adrien was most certainly not meant to find happiness without his mother in his life, he wasn't supposed to question his fathers judgment over what was truly right and wrong, and he was definitely not meant to find true love in a baker girl like Marinette. Gabriel has talked to Adrien about everything in his life that is falling a stray from the path that he believed was best for him, or rather, set for him, but for the majority of those times, Adrien chose to politely disagree with his father and stood up for what he wanted in life.

Adrien didn't want to start a relationship with Kagami again out of his fathers insistence, because they both realized on their own that they were not meant to be. Adrien didn't want to cast Marinette aside because having her in his life gave him that sense of love and happiness he never thought he could have. Marinette wasn't Gabriel's idea of perfect, but Adrien knew she was perfect for him. Gabriel and Adrien's relationship has always been a distant one, and although it was obvious to everyone else that their relationship was strained, Gabriel remained blind to the unhappiness Adrien was constantly facing over his lack of understanding and attention.

In season 5, after Gabriel realized he was dying from the power of Cat Noir's cataclysm, for a few brief moments, he became the understanding father Adrien always hoped for, and even though he never intended it, it was his willingness to allow Adrien the freedom to experience time away from the mansion, with friends, that gave him the chance to properly spend time with Marinette and start a relationship with her.

Gabriel had an agreement with Tomoe to wed Adrien to Kagami, and he made a promise to Emelie that he would bring her back and restore their family, restore their happiness, but that can’t happen if Adrien is making decisions that go against it all. Rather than accept that his son was living his own life, away from the one he wants to think is best for Adrien, he instead found it easier to use the ring that Adrien was bound to, and order him to do as his father told him.

Gabriel has had the advantage of taking control of Adrien at any given point in time, but the one time Gabriel realized he couldn't, was back in "Risk," when Felix took Adrien's place without him knowing. Felix, disguised as Adrien, talked back for Adrien about not wanting to go on the modeling trip, a trip that would last months. Gabriel had angrily disapproved of Adrien's(Felix) defiance and did not hesitate to reach for the ring that would allow him to put a stop to it, but for the first time in likely his entire life, Gabriel had to face Adrien without that sense of control over him conveniently within reach, and it must have been terrifying, because what he saw in Adrien's(Felix) eyes, was something he never thought he would have to actually experience facing alone, but is now forced to face regardless of possessing a means to control him, and that something, was Adrien's free will.

[xryptik]

I've got you now, I'll show you allI'll kick out the chair, let you dangle slowIn the back of the bus, all of usLike the coats in cloak roomsAnd if you rise again, take a form I knowThe river will boil, then overflowAnd the houses you're hauntingWill tremble with temporal hoodooI don't know about youBut I am hellbent, I know what it is that I must doClose your eyes when we kiss'Cause I'm prepared to set myself on fire for thisYou will drop on all foursGet down, show me what you're good forSass mouth, pink bellied I perceiveAnd for this your naughty deedI'm throwing you over my bony kneeSo don't cry, don't scream good lordYou always knew what you're in forMy belt unbuckles so believeYou grubby little thingI'm throwing you over my bony kneeLife is damned, doomed, and dismalYou're fated to be a victimYou're gonna loseAnd no matter who you are, it's out there and it's gonna getchaIn your tender place when you're safe at homeThere's a tombstone that waits of your very ownWhile you're rutting like beastsIn the sheets of my sterilized roomIn your comfy bed, air-conditioned carThere are vapors and toxins to get you allIn the water you drink, in the air that you breatheIn the soil under your shoeI don't know about youBut I am at peace, I know what it is that I must doI hope you are sitting down, dearCome hell or high water, this sick world will know I was hereYou will drop on all foursGet down, show me what you're good forSass mouth, pink bellied I perceiveAnd for this your naughty deedI'm throwing you over my bony kneeSo don't cry, don't scream good lordYou always knew what you're in forMy belt unbuckles so believeYou grubby little thingI'm throwing you over my bony kneeWe know where you sleep (You will drop on all fours)We know where you sleep (Get down, show me what you're good for)We know where you sleep (Sass mouth, pink-bellied I perceive)We know, we know (And for this, your naughty deed, I'm throwing you over my bony knee)We know where you sleep (So don't cry, don't scream good Lord)We know where you sleep (You always knew what you're in for)We know where you sleep (My belt unbuckles so believe)We know, we know (You grubby little thing, I'm throwing you over my bony knee)We know where you sleepWe know where you sleepWe know where you sleepWe know, we knowWe know where you sleepWe know where you sleepWe know where you sleepWe know, we knowWe know where you sleepWe know where you sleepWe know where you sleepWe know, we know

is this a song

[tonberry-yoda]

HI HELLO I WANNA MAKE A REQUEST!

i’m not dead (for the most part) and i still wanna support my mutualste despite not being active anymore so without further ado…you don’t think you could supply me with la squadra headcanons could you? preferably formi, mel and ris x a cat lover s/o? you choose one if you wanna, but i appreciate you taking the time to read this request! tysmmm💕💕 (i will totally be returning to ask you for final fantasy hcs but for right now take this! also don’t feel pressured to do it either i love your writing so much ksksjsksk)

Formaggio, Melone, and Risotto with an s/o who loves cats!

notes - HELLO MY DEAR! I am more than happy to do a request for you!!! I'm really glad that you're still here to support it means the world! You are so kind <3333 Like omg this request had me smiling so hard because you are just so nice like AHHHHH <33333 But fr tho I am super happy to do this for such a kind person! Thanks for taking the time to send me a request! I hope you have an amazing day/night and stay super hydrated!

Formaggio

he's a cuddly guy deep down and we all know it

I think he would love that you love cats

but if it get out of control, he will straight up tell you LMFAOOOO

honestly, whenever he goes to your place, your cats give him an excuse to rest lol

they are very cuddly with him and he loves it

like he loves cuddles and having a cat with all that makes him so so happy <3

LIKE OMFG IF THE TWO OF YOU ARE CUDDLING AND A KITTY JUST SQUEEZES RIGHT IN WOULD BE SO CUTE AHHHHH

Melone

he loves cats

they are his chaos creatures

but he will definitely complain if you are giving a cat more attention than him

it pisses him off LMFAOOOOOO

but other than that, he loves cats

and loves that you love cats

he'll spoil your cat lol

expect a lot of trips to the petstore and stuff to get your cat silly things

Risotto

he is a huge cat lover

LIKE HUGE ON CATS

he loves them so much omg

like would do anything for a little kitty

so much so that he will steal your cats from you and give your cats more attention than he gives you

he loves cuddling you and your cats as well

his favorite thing to do I think is brush your cats

like makin them all pretty and stuff

he really makes sure that you're feeding them well too

he loves cats just as much as you <33333

~~~~~

jjba masterlist (2) (3) | pinned post

2023 @tonberry-yoda – do not repost or claim ANY of my work as your own! likes, reblogs, and comments are not only welcome, but appreciated <3

taglist: @kawaistrawberry21

~~~~~

[edith-is-a-cat]

I've got you now, I'll show you allI'll kick out the chair, let you dangle slowIn the back of the bus, all of usLike the coats in cloak roomsAnd if you rise again, take a form I knowThe river will boil, then overflowAnd the houses you're hauntingWill tremble with temporal hoodooI don't know about youBut I am hellbent, I know what it is that I must doClose your eyes when we kiss'Cause I'm prepared to set myself on fire for thisYou will drop on all foursGet down, show me what you're good forSass mouth, pink bellied I perceiveAnd for this your naughty deedI'm throwing you over my bony kneeSo don't cry, don't scream good lordYou always knew what you're in forMy belt unbuckles so believeYou grubby little thingI'm throwing you over my bony kneeLife is damned, doomed, and dismalYou're fated to be a victimYou're gonna loseAnd no matter who you are, it's out there and it's gonna getchaIn your tender place when you're safe at homeThere's a tombstone that waits of your very ownWhile you're rutting like beastsIn the sheets of my sterilized roomIn your comfy bed, air-conditioned carThere are vapors and toxins to get you allIn the water you drink, in the air that you breatheIn the soil under your shoeI don't know about youBut I am at peace, I know what it is that I must doI hope you are sitting down, dearCome hell or high water, this sick world will know I was hereYou will drop on all foursGet down, show me what you're good forSass mouth, pink bellied I perceiveAnd for this your naughty deedI'm throwing you over my bony kneeSo don't cry, don't scream good lordYou always knew what you're in forMy belt unbuckles so believeYou grubby little thingI'm throwing you over my bony kneeWe know where you sleep (You will drop on all fours)We know where you sleep (Get down, show me what you're good for)We know where you sleep (Sass mouth, pink-bellied I perceive)We know, we know (And for this, your naughty deed, I'm throwing you over my bony knee)We know where you sleep (So don't cry, don't scream good Lord)We know where you sleep (You always knew what you're in for)We know where you sleep (My belt unbuckles so believe)We know, we know (You grubby little thing, I'm throwing you over my bony knee)We know where you sleepWe know where you sleepWe know where you sleepWe know, we knowWe know where you sleepWe know where you sleepWe know where you sleepWe know, we knowWe know where you sleepWe know where you sleepWe know where you sleepWe know, we know

takes a long sip of my slightly sweetened tea

what

[parasdei]

I've got you now, I'll show you allI'll kick out the chair, let you dangle slowIn the back of the bus, all of usLike the coats in cloak roomsAnd if you rise again, take a form I knowThe river will boil, then overflowAnd the houses you're hauntingWill tremble with temporal hoodooI don't know about youBut I am hellbent, I know what it is that I must doClose your eyes when we kiss'Cause I'm prepared to set myself on fire for thisYou will drop on all foursGet down, show me what you're good forSass mouth, pink bellied I perceiveAnd for this your naughty deedI'm throwing you over my bony kneeSo don't cry, don't scream good lordYou always knew what you're in forMy belt unbuckles so believeYou grubby little thingI'm throwing you over my bony kneeLife is damned, doomed, and dismalYou're fated to be a victimYou're gonna loseAnd no matter who you are, it's out there and it's gonna getchaIn your tender place when you're safe at homeThere's a tombstone that waits of your very ownWhile you're rutting like beastsIn the sheets of my sterilized roomIn your comfy bed, air-conditioned carThere are vapors and toxins to get you allIn the water you drink, in the air that you breatheIn the soil under your shoeI don't know about youBut I am at peace, I know what it is that I must doI hope you are sitting down, dearCome hell or high water, this sick world will know I was hereYou will drop on all foursGet down, show me what you're good forSass mouth, pink bellied I perceiveAnd for this your naughty deedI'm throwing you over my bony kneeSo don't cry, don't scream good lordYou always knew what you're in forMy belt unbuckles so believeYou grubby little thingI'm throwing you over my bony kneeWe know where you sleep (You will drop on all fours)We know where you sleep (Get down, show me what you're good for)We know where you sleep (Sass mouth, pink-bellied I perceive)We know, we know (And for this, your naughty deed, I'm throwing you over my bony knee)We know where you sleep (So don't cry, don't scream good Lord)We know where you sleep (You always knew what you're in for)We know where you sleep (My belt unbuckles so believe)We know, we know (You grubby little thing, I'm throwing you over my bony knee)We know where you sleepWe know where you sleepWe know where you sleepWe know, we knowWe know where you sleepWe know where you sleepWe know where you sleepWe know, we knowWe know where you sleepWe know where you sleepWe know where you sleepWe know, we know

bro lyrics about hanging someone and knowing where they sleep are a downgrade from your previous copypastas and i’m disappointed in you

[low-battery-warniing]

every time kratcy goes ☝️ in the main show. spent three hours on this so im sure as fuck not going through announcements and non-canon shitpost content to see if he does it more

hope someone gets some kind of enjoyment out of knowing that kratcy went ☝️ around 36 times in the show

ALSO YES !!!!!!!!! FORMY DOES COUNT. formy is literally just kratcy. VKontakte isn’t here because he just never did it while in that specific form.

[disco-elysium-via-polls]

🎵 Whirling-in-Rags, 8PM

4. "I fucking rocked that shit."

GARTE, THE CAFETERIA MANAGER - "It was all right." He doesn't sound like he thinks you *rocked* it. "Subdued. I might start letting people up there again... Now, what can I do for you?"

4. "Garte, I found a new bird for the Whirling." (Give him the ruffed grouse.)

Item lost: Ruffled Grouse Taxidermy

GARTE, THE CAFETERIA MANAGER - "What is this thing?" The man takes the stuffed bird.

"It's no biggie. I just thought it would look nice on the wall. I'm that kind of cop."

"I wanted to apologize for breaking the great skua -- by bringing you this ruffed grouse."

GARTE, THE CAFETERIA MANAGER - "Okay..." He inspects the bird, somewhat suspiciously -- then mellows. "Okay. Well. This is actually a nice bird. A competent piece of taxidermy."

"I can fix it to the plaque and have a... new bird in the establishment I guess?" He hesitates. "So, I don't know... thank you? I'm gonna go with *thank you*."

Task complete: Take stuffed bird to Garte

+10 XP

EMPATHY [Easy: Success] - People just don't know how to accept gifts, especially taxidermy. He likes it. He likes the bird. It solves his broken bird problem.

KIM KITSURAGI - "I feel good about our work here today." The lieutenant nods. "It's all about the little things -- like bringing people random stuffed animals."

RHETORIC [Medium: Success] - It's.... not actually about that. But he liked it.

+1 Reputation

4. "Good bye." [Leave.]

MORELL, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST - "It's great to see you again, officer!" He grins, bowing awkwardly. "My wife can't wait to thank you. Go on, talk to her."

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "Oh sweetie," she says, beaming. "I don't even know how to thank you for finding my husband and helping him out. I hope we haven't been too much trouble for you..."

"Just doing my job, ma'am."

"It was a truly epic long distance trek."

"It was just on my way while I was working the case."

"I'm basically also a cryptozoologist now."

KIM KITSURAGI - "I knew it..." you hear Kim say quietly to himself.

ESPRIT DE CORPS [Easy: Success] - I'm not surprised it's already getting out of hand.

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "Well, in that case sweetie, let me give you a small token of my gratitude." She hands you a ribbon-tie held together by a silver bird skull. "It's a tie, Mesque in origin. The pin is an antique... quite special to the cryptozoological community."

Item gained: Eight-Eyed Terratorn Tie

INTERFACING [Easy: Success] - The little silvery knob holding the tie together feels warm in your hand. It's in the shape of an avian skull. With *eight* eyes.

ENCYCLOPEDIA [Medium: Success] - You could ask her about this, when you get the time -- it's probably a cryptid. But the phasmid, of course, is more important...

"You never told me you'd *seen* the phasmid!"

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "Oh... you don't want to hear about some old woman's ramblings..."

MORELL, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST - "'Ramblings'? Nonsense! Your description of the phasmid is the most precise I've ever heard!"

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "But darling, I didn't even get the *size* of it right."

MORELL, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST - "You were a *child*, my dear. Really, it's extraordinary what you were able to describe. Now go on, tell our friend about it. He's proven his interest in the field."

SUGGESTION [Medium: Success] - That is a way, *way* bigger compliment than it sounds like.

KIM KITSURAGI - Reflexively, the lieutenant readies his familiar notebook.

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "Well, it was summer," she starts. "I was building a racing track out of sand on the beach near a tall stand of reeds. Quite a tall one, many times my height, I remember. When all of a sudden..."

"Wait. Where was this and how old were you?"

"What happened?"

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "Ah, I'm getting ahead of myself. I was five and a half. In Betancourt, in the suburbs. My grandmother had a summer home there."

EMPATHY [Medium: Success] - She'd just started forming memories. Real memories, not the billowy haze of infanthood.

"What happened?"

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "The strangest moment of my life: I looked up and one of the reeds *moved*. Not like a plant, but like a living thing -- it stood up and looked at me. Its body unfolded like some antique toy... I've never seen anything like it."

HALF LIGHT [Medium: Success] - She had no fear. Just surprise.

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "I didn't know this can happen, so I reached my arm and touched the thing. It felt just like a stalk of reed, but it moved. Swaying, towering above me..." She looks at you. "After a while -- 20 seconds? a minute, maybe? -- it left. Went into the reeds."

"Did you follow it?"

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "I tried, but I was only a child. There was mud and high water, I couldn't see it anymore. I was just standing there, knee deep in mud, looking around me..."

INLAND EMPIRE [Easy: Success] - Where did you go? Don't go...

"Then what?"

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "I ran back home to my grandmother and asked her if *reeds* could *walk* and told her they were looking at me." She chuckles. "Of course, she just laughed at me, but I knew what I'd seen..."

"For years it was a story I told at parties, when I wanted to impress *boys*, that sort of thing." She brushes her hair back. "Of course, most people just took it as a strange, amusing anecdote. So did I, honestly. But then I met Morell..."

MORELL, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST - "We were on a date, can you imagine? She tells me a story and it's the most detailed report of the Insulindian phasmid I've ever heard. The sounds -- she told me it hissed..."

SUGGESTION [Easy: Success] - So that's how they met. This is *beyond* significant for them.

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "It did, yes -- like reeds in a gust of wind."

MORELL, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST - "...the way it moved, the colour, how some of its limbs were white like marble..." He breathes excitedly. "It matched *perfectly* with what I know from other accounts! It was amazing."

"If it weren't for Lena, I might've given up hope years ago. It's no exaggeration to say that she restored my faith in my profession." He looks at her with admiration, forgetting a wide smile on his face.

"You were on a date?"

"Its limbs are white?"

"How big was it?"

"Maybe you imagined it, Lena?"

"Kim, what do you think of this?"

"Thank you for sharing this with me." (Conclude.)

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "Our first, yes." The old woman looks at her husband tenderly...

DRAMA [Medium: Success] - The glance is tender, yes, but tempered by something else, a thought she can't express even to him... Interesting.

2. "Its limbs are white?"

MORELL, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST - "Not all of them." He answers for her. "There is some white colouration reported, along with beige, where the camouflage ends."

3. "How big was it?"

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "It's hard to say how big things are when you're quite *small* yourself. To me, it seemed to be taller than I was then... but that's probably not the case."

4. "Maybe you imagined it, Lena?"

MORELL, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST - "How could she? Who imagines this? She didn't *know* about the phasmid. This is the main thing here, what makes it a confirmed sighting -- she had no previous knowledge of the insect."

LOGIC [Medium: Success] - So she couldn't have made it up. Or imagined it.

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "That's true, yes. I'm almost certain neither my mother nor my grandmother knew of it. It was only when I started telling my story as a teenager that boys would tell me: Lena..." She lowers her voice, imitating a boy.

"'You tryna' tell us you saw the Insulindian phasmid out there in those reeds? Get outta here!'" She smiles. "They'd just give me a cider and ruffle my hair and tell me to stop dreaming -- but I saw it."

5. "Kim, what do you think of this?"

KIM KITSURAGI - "I thought it was a wonderful story, ma'am." He closes his notes and gives her a simple smile.

ESPRIT DE CORPS [Easy: Success] - But I don't believe it. A child, left unattended, on a warm day. Children make up stories and then end up believing them.

6. "Thank you for sharing this with me." (Conclude.)

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "You're welcome, sweetie. I do appreciate the chance to relive it, whenever I get one. It was just..." she sighs. "Such an impossibly sunshiny day. So warm."

EMPATHY [Easy: Success] - And she could get up and walk -- right into the reeds on her own. Into the mud. Anywhere.

3. "I'd really like to hear about more cryptids."

KIM KITSURAGI - "You know... to hell with it, let's have more cryptids."

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "Of course, officers." She smiles politely. "Is there a particular cryptid you two are interested in learning about?"

"Is this bird a cryptid?" (Point to the tie she gave you.)

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "No." Her eyes narrow mysteriously. "It's *the* cryptid."

"Wow. *The* cryptid?"

"Okay. What *is* this bird?"

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "Oh yes." The small silvery skull shines between your fingers, its beak sharp.

"Okay. What *is* this bird?"

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "The eight-eyed teratorn, the largest flying avian ever discovered -- with a wingspan of 11.5 metres. It was thought to have gone extinct 3,500 years ago, some even doubted the *fossils* were real. A mutation, they said. Until..."

MORELL, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST - "Mutation..." the man scoffs. "All of evolution is a mutation."

"Until?"

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "Until it was *sighted* by renowned Gottwaldian explorer and naturalist Uwe Plattenkalk in '21."

ENCYCLOPEDIA [Medium: Success] - This *renown* seems a bit dubious -- your own catalogue comes up completely empty, but -- of course -- you are not all knowing.

Level up!

"I need to hear about this sighting."

"Okay. Not now, let's back up a notch."

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "It happened on a botanical expedition into the vast and unexplored Uamrao canyon in southeast Iilmaraa. Dr. Plattenkalk got separated from his group during a sandstorm..."

"Okay -- and Uamrao is..."

"What happened?"

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "The world's largest canyon system, sweetie. It's a barren waste east of the Erg desert -- an ancient riverbed, completely dried up."

"What happened?"

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "Alone in the blasted desert heat the doctor wandered eastward, where man hasn't stepped foot in over a thousand years -- since the fall of Perikarnassis."

"He was lost, without any navigation equipment and desperately low on water. After a day or two he noticed a bird high in the noon sky. A great black bird, it seemed gargantuan."

"Every now and then, the bird would dive down to feed on an animal carcass somewhere on the horizon. But by the time Uwe got there, the teratorn had taken off already -- and the carcass was picked clean. This happened many times."

HALF LIGHT [Medium: Success] - Eat the bird, Uwe. It's the only way to survive.

"He was following it?"

"It followed him?"

"I understand. He started hunting it."

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "Yes. A bird that big has a lot of blood in it and he was dying of thirst. For many days Dr. Plattenkalk followed the teratorn. Until they reached a great canyon wall, where the bird finally landed to rest."

"The professor climbed up there, with a rock in his hand. He found the bird sleeping with its head tucked under its wing. A great black pile of feathers on the perch. So he approached, slowly squeezing the rock in his fist..."

"Then the teratorn suddenly looked at him. He could see it had *eight eyes* -- four on either side of its skull, like a spider -- and the man couldn't move. He was paralysed, frozen into place with the rock in his hand. Whatever he did, he could not get closer to the bird."

"Why?"

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "The bird was controlling his mind. It *kept* him from approaching. He could step back, but every time he stepped forward -- paralysis. Uwe spent three days trying, until the bird flew away."

"Hold on, how did he survive to tell the story?"

"An eight-eyed mind-controlling bird. Fuck yes."

"An eight-eyed mind-controlling bird? C'mon..."

"An eight-eyed mind-controlling bird? No way."

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "The eight-eyed teratorn was indifferent to him, as long as he didn't get closer than two steps. It even let him feed on some carcasses up there -- and the two unfertilized eggs it left behind."

"An eight-eyed mind-controlling bird. Fuck yes."

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "Absolutely, sweetie," she smiles, glad you agree. "Cryptozoologists have been tracing it ever since, but Uamrao is vast, mysterious, and holds many secrets."

MORELL, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST - "Modern radar telemetry shows great promise -- we *will* confirm this one. By the end of the decade, latest."

KIM KITSURAGI - "This one -- I liked," the lieutenant puts down his notes. "Not only does it have eight eyes, *and* is a living fossil, *and* the largest bird ever to live. It also does mind control."

RHETORIC [Medium: Success] - He's sincere. He likes the audacity of it.

"So that was the last anyone saw of it?"

"Okay. So it's never been seen again."

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "Sadly, yes. But there are numerous reports of eight-eyed bird skulls from Iilmaraa. And then there's the striking resemblance to the Perikarnassian Imperial Eagle -- an ancient heraldic symbol -- that is hard to pass off as coincidence. The imperial eagle, too, had eight eyes."

CONCEPTUALIZATION [Medium: Success] - Not *really*. It's just stylization. The way they drew eyes -- it's not a zoological drawing.

MORELL, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST - "Very, *very* hard."

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "This one's very famous, everyone knows it. People will be looking at that tie on you and thinking: that man is into cryptids." She winks. "So -- what else do you want to know?"

+5 XP

4. "That's all for now, ma'am." [Leave.]

EIGHT-EYED TERATORN TIE

+1 Inland Empire: Octuple vision +1 Voliton: Cryptid's protection

A slender bolo tie held together by an antique clasp in the shape of a bird skull. The skull features eight cavities for eyes. It's disturbing, but you can't look away.

MORELL, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST - "Ha ha, nothing like the gratitude of a good woman. Now, then, what can I do for you?" He gives you a gruff pat on the shoulder.

EMPATHY [Trivial: Success] - He tries to play it cool -- remain professorial -- but inside, this man is itching for some news on those *traps*.

"So I checked all the traps."

MORELL, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST - "Good, okay..." He breaks his calm. "*And?*"

"And one of them was *empty*."

"Nothing. Nothing. Maybe I didn't check them after all..."

MORELL, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST - "*Completely* empty?" The cryptozoologist's eyes grow wide.

"Yes, there was nothing in the trap. No locusts, no phasmid."

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "No locusts... but no phasmid either..."

MORELL, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST - "That's not *ideal*, but..." He rubs his chin.

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - The old woman's face lights up. "It just means the Insulindian phasmid is even more clever than we thought!"

KIM KITSURAGI - "Of course," the detective whispers to himself. "More clever..."

SUGGESTION [Easy: Success] - You're dealing with a subject near and dear to their hearts. It might behove you to tread *lightly*.

MORELL, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST - "Yes! The *phantasmodea* picked off the locusts and escaped. This is good news! Though we'll have to reconsider the design of the traps, make them *more* secure..."

GARY, THE CRYPTOFASCIST - His companion sighs. "Another trip to the reeds..."

Wait, Gary is here?

"Yes. That's *exactly* what it is. What a deft hunter, this phasmid!"

"I don't know. I'm not persuaded."

"Are you sure you've exhausted all the alternative explanations?"

MORELL, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST - The cryptozoologist's face flushes with indignation. "Of course we have!"

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "Wait, Morell..." the old woman raises a hand. "He may have a point. We have an obligation to rule out other hypotheses..."

MORELL, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST - "You're right, dear." His face relaxes. "It's a fair point. But what other explanation could there be?" He turns to you.

"Pardon me. This is... a big deal for us. You've helped us *twice* now -- and brought great news too. My gratitude, *and* the gratitude of the Société Cryptozoologique de Revachol, is yours."

Task complete: Inspect the traps

+10 XP

INLAND EMPIRE [Trivial: Success] - Heartfelt gratitude -- but does it feel like closure? What *really* happened?

KIM KITSURAGI - "Thank you, it's an honour," he says with a straight face, then turns to you. "We should probably return to our *main* investigation here. This has been refreshing, but..."

ESPRIT DE CORPS [Medium: Success] - ...helping cryptozoologists isn't really a priority for our organization, is it? The lieutenant looks out the window, impatiently.

6. "Did *you* know Gary was hiding the armour?"

MORELL, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST - "Hell no, I had no idea. And I'm still cross with him to be honest. It's not like him. He's got his quirks, but dishonesty -- or disloyalty -- are not one of them."

GARY, THE CRYPTOFASCIST - "Thanks," the man mutters in the distance. He doesn't dare say more.

EMPATHY [Easy: Success] - He's still glad his friend stood up for him.

[Interfacing - Medium 11] Develop an alternative theory about the missing locusts.

+1 Something up with the trap. +2 Cuno's a hooligan. +1 Considered alternatives.

INTERFACING [Medium: Success] - Consider the way the empty trap was disturbed, as though *shaken*. Most likely the hands of a young person -- hands small enough to fit inside the trap too.

LOGIC [Easy: Success] - You should ask the redheaded boy. Cuno.

"I think a little hooligan called Cuno may have stolen the locusts."

MORELL, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST - "A little 'hooligan'? But what would a *child* want with bugs?"

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - A shadow of worry passes over the woman's face. "Oh, my dear Morell. You've been an old man for too long. Kids love to torment insects, almost as much as they love to torment old folks..."

"I'll talk to the little gremlin and see if anything comes up."

KIM KITSURAGI - "Delinquents -- my favourite." It doesn't sound like it's really his favourite.

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "Oh, you've been such a dear to us. Please, let us know whatever you turn up. I have a feeling we're getting *so* close!"

New task: The Missing Insects Case

GARY, THE CRYPTOFASCIST - "Well, I see you've got all the help you need." The man turns to his companions. "I'll see you tonight at my place -- let's play 'Suzerainty' -- but no more field trips for me."

LOGIC [Easy: Success] - After this is your last chance to talk to Gary.

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "Really, Gary?" The woman's voice is a little shaky suddenly. "We're *getting* somewhere here. I'd love to play 'Suzerainty', but..."

GARY, THE CRYPTOFASCIST - "Lena, I'm sorry, but you're not *getting* anywhere, it was some kids. I know the little mutants around here -- leave anything out in the open and they'll steal it. Even if it's bugs." He looks at his tea.

"Morell, it's been fun, really. But I need a bath and I have deliveries to handle. When this tea is done, I gotta run."

MORELL, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST - "No-no. No need to apologize, Gary. You've been more than helpful. We'll have to take a rain check on that game of 'Suzerainty' today though -- we're gonna follow this through."

COMPOSURE [Medium: Success] - He keeps the language unemotional but it's in there -- disappointment.

AUTHORITY [Medium: Success] - The first man to break formation is always a blow to leadership. This is bigger than he lets on.

5. "I'll get going." [Leave.]

Gary doesn't actually *have* anything new to say to us, so let's move on.

ELIZABETH - "I've got nothing to say to you. Why are you wasting your time?" She crosses her arms.

"Are you the Hardie girl?"

ELIZABETH - "I am not," she says dryly.

GLEN - "You *could* be, Liz. You could be anything. You could even be a model."

ELIZABETH - "*Even* a mod..." Her face stiffens. "Glen, I went to *law school*. I am an attorney."

ELECTROCHEMISTRY [Easy: Success] - He's right, with a face like that she could be on the cover of La Débutante International.

[sfarxuri]

Here's Combat Data Oscuri! CD Sfarx's loyal henchmen, she appears when Oscuri gets scanned by the Centralis Scanner during a reunion with Sfarx Neo while hes fighting CD Sfarx, during this battle Oscuri discovers she's able to hurt Sfarx's copy with projectiles such as her shuriken! Not liking the odds of them having the upper hand he quickly throws the scanner in front of Oscuri's face it sends out a bunch of bright lights to lure her in/paralyze her for a few seconds (think of like a moth attracted to light) while being scanned CD Oscuri takes the opportunity to lunge at Oscuri to separate her from Sfarx in a 1 vs 1 fight. Oscuri is actually able to handle herself on her own for awhile, only being disoriented by the fact that her copy can hurt her with her own venom so its like getting a taste of her own medicine. Her copy gains the advantage when she makes her phantoms transformed into her dead parents both biological & adoptive ones; (Toxi, Bane, Syrup, & Rem) getting into Oscuri's head when she makes them go after her! Shocked to see them again she struggles to fight them off not wanting to hurt them having a hard time trying to shake off these illusions especially since CD Oscuri uses them to lash out at their demises being her counterpart's fault. (not true for her biological ones but very true for her adoptive ones, none of these deaths were intended of course) Not being able to focus Oscuri is forced to flee with Sfarx, CD Oscuri then lets CD Sfarx in on why that has such a strong effect of her counter part to get in with the taunting for their next encounter, while they do this Oscuri & Sfarx have a heart to heart moment as well.

During the events of CD Saga, CD Oscuri scouts for locations to plan an attack with her boss, at first he was hoping to make an army of CDs when Oscuri gets tricked by him letting a bunch of clarity scanners roam free but since they all have free will that doesn't really go anywhere so instead CD Oscuri gains his trust & affection through following his every command & even allowing herself to be his weapon/meat shield in battle. Any stray Combat Data they run into that refuses to follow CD Sfarx's lead is destroyed (which happens to alot of them, there really isn't any of them that like him lol) She can also shape shift as the original Oscuri so she has a ton of fun ruining her reputation by destroying settlements around Luna with CD Sfarx. With formies & GPA alike being fearful of their counterparts they treat their onslaughts like a competitive game trying to "out score the other". The residents of Luna have a hard time trusting the real Oscuri & Sfarx when they investigate whats happening to all these towns/cities being annihilated, its a big wild goose chase before their CDs show themselves for a couple of fights through out CD Saga. Once Oscuri can make peace with her copy using mimics of her dead loved ones she really makes her copy regret using a cheap tactic to fight. Its what forces CD Oscuri to be forced to run when they all fight in the abandoned Seek Facility with a bunch of bio flowers in the fields. While she loves killing shes just like her boss, taking her time with victims its more fun to mess with them then go for the kill.

[yonkeryay]

I've got you now, I'll show you allI'll kick out the chair, let you dangle slowIn the back of the bus, all of usLike the coats in cloak roomsAnd if you rise again, take a form I knowThe river will boil, then overflowAnd the houses you're hauntingWill tremble with temporal hoodooI don't know about youBut I am hellbent, I know what it is that I must doClose your eyes when we kiss'Cause I'm prepared to set myself on fire for thisYou will drop on all foursGet down, show me what you're good forSass mouth, pink bellied I perceiveAnd for this your naughty deedI'm throwing you over my bony kneeSo don't cry, don't scream good lordYou always knew what you're in forMy belt unbuckles so believeYou grubby little thingI'm throwing you over my bony kneeLife is damned, doomed, and dismalYou're fated to be a victimYou're gonna loseAnd no matter who you are, it's out there and it's gonna getchaIn your tender place when you're safe at homeThere's a tombstone that waits of your very ownWhile you're rutting like beastsIn the sheets of my sterilized roomIn your comfy bed, air-conditioned carThere are vapors and toxins to get you allIn the water you drink, in the air that you breatheIn the soil under your shoeI don't know about youBut I am at peace, I know what it is that I must doI hope you are sitting down, dearCome hell or high water, this sick world will know I was hereYou will drop on all foursGet down, show me what you're good forSass mouth, pink bellied I perceiveAnd for this your naughty deedI'm throwing you over my bony kneeSo don't cry, don't scream good lordYou always knew what you're in forMy belt unbuckles so believeYou grubby little thingI'm throwing you over my bony kneeWe know where you sleep (You will drop on all fours)We know where you sleep (Get down, show me what you're good for)We know where you sleep (Sass mouth, pink-bellied I perceive)We know, we know (And for this, your naughty deed, I'm throwing you over my bony knee)We know where you sleep (So don't cry, don't scream good Lord)We know where you sleep (You always knew what you're in for)We know where you sleep (My belt unbuckles so believe)We know, we know (You grubby little thing, I'm throwing you over my bony knee)We know where you sleepWe know where you sleepWe know where you sleepWe know, we knowWe know where you sleepWe know where you sleepWe know where you sleepWe know, we knowWe know where you sleepWe know where you sleepWe know where you sleepWe know, we know

THAT'S THE BEST PAPER CHASE SONG LOWJ

[corntort]

i really really love the idea that the absence of humanity is not explained AT ALL in stej. like normally this premise intrigues me (or on rare occasions, i actually avoid pondering it with certain medias) but never have i actually felt a little. Hopeful at that prospect?

in the stej artbook it mentions the humanity had colonized every single planet but for some reason opting out of settling on the moon. that means with enough time theyd be able to bounce from solar system to solar system with ease after more technological advancement.

obviously they couldve been wiped out, but in my mind the stej universe just. Doesnt work that way. its all about preservence even though SUPER cheesy. maybe they ledt because they thought a cosmic event was going to happen, and used up all their energy to flee only to find out, possibly WAY LATER, that nothing happened. maybe mirroring the formies, as thats a HEAVILY reoccuring theme. everyone is a remix of someone else, story unfolding in wildly different ways, them reacting in wildly different ways, but key elements being similar. so why should humanity as a whole divert from this??

i also like to think in a poetic way that humanity left without any threat forcing them out. they saw greater horizons, and decided to move as a whole elsewhere, leaving their planet to recover. and on that note, another civilization finding a new home through this and making it their own. its a really nice thought! and them both settling on the earth and the moon and terraforming it to meet their requirements for what they call it a home, its really really cool.

not to mention the huge ass machinery you see digging into the lunar surface is always so fucking awesome to see in the levels. artificial forests and skyscrapers so profoundly huge they build entire cities into their sides like THAYS FUCKING AWESOME

[sunshinebarbarian]

Chapter 4 - It Begins

All Chapters <3

Sol patted herself down, checking for any injuries. With surprise, she found that her bag was still at her back, with all her items in it – a keychain, an alchemical ingredient pouch (mom always stressed how important it was to keep these things separate from the food), some healing stuff (again, mother’s orders) and lastly, camping supplies. She only had enough left for one day, as she had been planning on staying at an Inn once she arrived to the city. Hardly a concern now, since she didn’t even know if she would actually make it past the current day. Her greataxe was still at her back too, and she sighed in relief. At least now she would be able to split that stupid octopus in half should she find it again.

Unsteadily making her way to the hole on the side of the ship, Sol was hit with the unmistakable sulphuric winds of the Hells. She gasped for air, and felt her head spin. Any shock she felt was short lived, however, as survival demanded that she recover quickly – the ship was under attack. Normally she wouldn’t object to attacking such a ship, but unfortunately, she was, at the moment, inside it, and her fate very much depended on the integrity of the ship.

Sol stepped away from the hole in the ship wall, as that would obviously not be an option for escape (not if she wanted to live anyway), and looked around the room. She saw the pods that she and that strange looking woman had been kept in, and saw that there were many more. The woman was nowhere to be found. Sol looked around the pods, around the room, to check if there was anyone else awake, or if there were any items that could be of use. Once she was satisfied that she had explored every inch of that room, (she found some gold and a shiny gem, she hoped to live long enough to buy herself a barrel of beer with it) she headed towards what she assumed was a door. It was fleshy and round, and seemed to be her best bet for an exit, even if she couldn’t find a switch or lever to open it. Before she could make it to the door, she stopped at the center of the room. There was a strange glow coming from that pool that the worm had come from. Her curiosity got the best of her, and she decided to investigate it. She couldn’t discern anything interesting about it. She wished her sister were here. She would have answers. She always did. Sol’s mind wandered, and her arm, seemingly of it’s own accord, reached out into the pool.

Big mistake.

She accidentally grazed the thin, membrane-like walls of the pool. The vat exploded, throwing Sol backwards. The liquid burned on her skin, but it was a different feeling from a fire burn – those she could shake off easily. It was an alchemical burn. Sol got up and shook her head, hearing her mom’s voice in her head “Just because you can touch it, doesn’t mean you should touch it”. A phrase she had heard countless times.

Sol looked around. She saw a strange device next to the door. In her mind, it looked like some twisted version of a tree. The “trunk” was the same material as the rest of the shop, but the “leaves” were actually tentacles. The tentacles were glowing blue, but it was a different glow than the vat. It seemed.. Harmless, benevolent even. Sol approached it. She reached out her hand to touch what seemed to be the controls for it, a dark circle right in the middle of the “trunk”. She squinted her eyes and turned her face away as she touched it.

The relief was immediate. “Odd. I feel.. Better” – Sol said to herself. Her wounds were closed, as if they were never there, the burns on her skin had disappeared. She sighed, and hoped she would find more of these should she get injured again, which knowing her luck, was bound to happen.

Walking again towards the exit, this time giving the remainder of the vat a wide berth, Sol reached the pink round door. She tried not to think about how everything around her looked so disturbingly fleshy. She reached the door, and it retreated onto the sides, forming a circular doorway. She stepped through cautiously, unsure of what would be on the other side. To her left she saw the bloody body of a goblin, on top of a table – he seemed to have been dead for a while. She started hearing whispers, which gradually got louder – a high pitched voice asking for help, to be freed. She realised the voice was coming from inside her head. She tried to ignore it, and look around the room, but the voice was insistent, repeating it’s cry over and over. It drew Sol to a platform on the side of the room. She stepped on it, and saw similar controls to the restoration device. She touched them, and the platform rose.

As she was lifted by the platform, she saw... Well she wasn’t sure what she saw. There was an elf strapped to a chair, but he seemed dead, so surely the voice wasn’t coming from him. Sol walked behind him. Jars and jars of brains. “Ew”. The voice spoke again, and Sol turned around and identified the source – the man’s exposed brain. “The fuck?”. Sol approached it, unsure if her mind was playing tricks on her.

“Yes! You’ve come to save us from this place, from this place you’ll free us!” – the brain quivered in expectation – “Please, before they return. They return!”

“You sound afraid. Why?” – despite hearing the words from the brain inside her head, Sol preferred to speak hers out loud.

“The enemy. So many enemies”

Suspicion arose within Sol. “Who am I talking to – a man or a brain?”

“A newborn. Born new from this husk!”

Sol realised she had been speaking to an intellect devourer, a minion of the mind flayers who had abducted her. Disgust filled her head. She didn’t know if the creature felt that, but it sure did feel what she did next – she reached her hands into the man’s skull and, with a twist and pull motion, destroyed the mind flayer, it’s dying scream echoing in her mind.

Shaking the brain matter and goo off her hands (and wiping the rest on the shirt of the dead elf – it’s not like he had somewhere to be) Sol looked around for anything valuable. She then returned to the moving platform, and had it return to its initial position. Going back to the dead goblin, she noticed a strange slate. A closer look had goblin cultural information projected into Sols brain. She nearly fell backwards. Usually she had to read to get information. Further into the room, a table with more slates. Sol was most interested in the one that contained the schematics of the ship. “Weird that they’d have that lying around. You’d think they’d know their own ship”. She said out loud. Still, she was thankful for the information. She also found a tablet with an overwhelming amount of information about human, elven, and dwarvish history – her sister would have absolutely loved that. She slipped it in her pocket.

Satisfied that she had looted everything she could (you never know what you might find, or need later on), Sol made her way to the only exit she could find – a gaping hole in the hull of the ship, almost certainly made by the attackers. She could see the arid landscape of the Hells through the hole, and she could feel and smell the warm, toxic fumes of the Hells’ atmosphere coming through. As she stepped out of the room, onto a small bridge that was almost entirely stripped of the outer wall, she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up.