#hyperion horizons;

[mindstriker]

I'm on my like tri-monthly random Borderlands fixation tirade tonight, and one of the things I've really got kicking around in my head at the moment isn't a character- but rather, Helios station in its entirety.

A corporate satellite hub orbiting the moon of a major planet, the size of a city or larger- shaped like an H, the pinnacle of egotistical, over-the-top design. Too *good* to grace Elpis or Pandora's surface, keeping a cool professional distance from everything and everyone below it. Allowing the people on-board to monitor the lives of those below on both sides, and to oversee all of Hyperion's endeavors from a distance. Built to give Hyperion express access via moonshot to anything that falls within its Eye's field of vision. If the Eye can see it, Hyperion can send people to it- or annihilate it from a thousand miles away in space.

Hyperion does surveillance really well. It's not something they ever really emphasize throughout the series, to my awareness, but it's fascinating. The first major time we're introduced to the concept of an ECHOeye connected to a Hyperion database, it's through Rhys- a character who can use his eye to see all the bizarrely specific information Hyperion's database has held over the years. Hyperion knows the names, faces, and life details of a stunning amount of people, when you really think about it. (I know this is just because the ECHOeye thing is a fun info-gathering mechanic in Tales, but hey- if I think it's fun to assign it narrative meaning, I'm gonna do it.)

But that's a bit of a tangent. Asides from being an enormous eye in the sky and Hyperion's very own hand of God as far as terrestrial punishment is concerned, it's also fascinating on an internal level.

It's design allows for so many fascinating choices. It isn't a company building alone, it's a city with a PA system. There are rooms you walk into in the lines of the 'H' that are so tall vertically that the endless expanse above you as you walk almost registers to you as the sky. Lines of vegetation- fake or not is anyone's guess- and paved paths make regular hallways feel like courtyards. There are countless windows that face the night sky, and some of them have been given a holographic sheen that makes them resemble a blue sky. People don't commute from Helios to the celestial bodies below on either side- they live here, work here, buy here, and more. There are commercial centers, office districts, laboratories, and more. A person could spend their entire career- hell, their entire life up there, cloistered away from the unruly truth of life on the ground, inventing weapons to fuel the fire of constant conflict outside their company doors. It's fascinatingly huge and terrible, and I wish we'd gotten more time to explore its insides and find out more about what life on Helios really looked like for Hyperion employees.

What we do get that I love is the vaguely haunting (or maybe I'm just way too sentimental) experience of watching Helios rise and fall over the course of a few games. Chronologically, we look up at the sky in TPS and see the half-built skeleton of Helios' limbs, still spindly and unfinished, rattle as the station rains hell onto the moon below. We see it again, finished and pristine in 2- a constant presence on the horizon far above us, completely untouchable from where we stand. Even when we explore it in TPS, Helios feels mostly untouchable. We have to stop the people on it, we know- but we never get the sense that the station itself is fallible or will somehow beget its own destruction. It's as much a part of the Pandoran solar system as anything else.

And then Tales From The Borderlands hits after Jack's death, as we visit what remains of Hyperion in Jack's absence- still putting along in the corporate world despite their retreat from Pandora's surface proper. Nothing's changed much. Nothing does change much, until the Jack AI begets the place's destruction.

Only in that first sequence of TFTBL's Chapter 5 (such an amazing musical sequence, imo, still- I've always loved it) does our perception of Helios as a fixed point in space ever get challenged. Watching it peel up at the corners and spout rubble into Pandora's atmosphere- drawn by the planet's heavier gravity to fall endlessly away from the moon- was enough to make me feel mildly dizzy the first time I saw it. As a pathetically tiny number of safety shuttles make their way away from the collapsing body of a city-satellite down to uncertain fates, we're reminded once again that Helios is an entire city and then some- supporting how many people exactly, who are now being violently spat out into the void of space, or worse, carried down to earth in a flaming wreck? Suddenly this impossibly huge display of corporate self-sufficiency, this giant throne they built in the sky from which to survey the world beneath, seems like a fatally hubristic project. They're not above the violence, chaos, and uncertainty of the world below anymore.

And when all is said and done, its skeleton sits there like a monument to the downfall of an entire corporation- carried to the grave by one man's foiled plans and replaced by a dozen other hungry mouths vying to profit off of intercorporate wars and upheaval. You look up at the moon, or down at Pandora, and feel ever so slightly wrong- like there's a star on the horizon now missing.

In a game series that doesn't often take itself seriously for long enough to deliver meaningful world-altering change as a result of past actions (in a way that isn't hideously underplayed or broken up by irony or a lack of care), Helios is a really subtle major world alteration that means a lot to me. It's a whole corporation we've come to know and despise taken out of orbit for the last time. There's no magical Helios 2. We never see a character turn around and try and make light of the situation with some shitty action-movie quip, or a joke about how 'that could've gone better'. There's just a flaming pile of rubble on the ground where thousands of Hyperion employees died on impact, and the knowledge that the Borderlands corporate sphere has been permanently refaced.

I wish we'd seen more visible change in the world throughout the games like that. It would have been a lot of fun. It's the little things- like a familiar location permanently destroyed, or a character we love dying in a way that actually begets grief and meaningful introspection (rather than just a wuh-oh, they're gone now, what's the next plot point again?) that could have really made the story of these games have a bit more punch. Because it's my opinion that when Borderlands actually *tries* to hit hard, they don't miss quite as often.

[enigmatist17]

Just a fun idea that hit me after watching the shitshow that is season 3 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Part 2

---

Bright blue eyes stare down the small gurgling bundle below in a bassinet that had seen better days.

"Are you soddin' kiddin' me?"

The baby coos at his voice, before starting to cry when he doesn't pick it up. Spike sighs, and after dabbing some blood from the poor demonic bastards that tried to kill him for snooping around, he carefully lifts the little boy up and into his arms.

"Oi, none of that fussin' now, it'll be alright." He keeps his tone soft as he rocks the little baby back and forth, the cries dying down after a few minutes. "There we are, no cryin' needed."

Spike had just been out for patrol like any other night when he'd picked up a strange scent near the docking district, the vampire zeroing in out of curiosity. Some demons had set up shop in one of the lesser-used warehouses, a mostly militant group judging by the fact they were all on a constant lookout, guarding the source of the strange scent while they seemed to just wait.

It was a baby, small thing that he couldn't pretend to guess the age of, crying out constantly for comfort.

So, gracious man he was, Spike went to town before the demons knew what hit them. He was two demons down when he realized the baby had stopped crying and started giggling at the violence around it, and Spike couldn't help but laugh along with it. Now, here he was, the Slayer of Slayer's holding a baby that smelled like his grandsire and was hungry with the way it was wiggling.

"Right...uh, let's get you somethin' ta drink yea?"

He feels a little bad leaving the baby in a shopping basket outside of a grocery store when he breaks in to steal formula and other baby things, but it was better than trying to balance a wiggling bundle with his stolen goods. Luckily, the little tyke was fine, and after a quick trip to his crypt to feed and change the little guy, Spike was glad the baby finally falls asleep, wrapped up in his duster as the vampire didn't really have anything better at the moment. He knows that something bad must have gone down to separate Angel from his kid, which in and of itself was a shock, and he winces at the beginning of dawn on the horizon.

"Looks like it's you an' me until tomorrow kid, then off to L.A to the big poofter." Thankfully, the kid sleeps through most of the day, allowing Spike to rest before getting up to prepare for the trip. Anything he doesn't mind losing is packed neatly in the trunk of his DeSoto, and Clem is happy to watch his place until his return, his friend bringing a car seat with a grin.

"You weren't going to drive all the way to L.A without the little guy being safe, right?"

"Who, me? Nah." Clem's stare is all the response he gets, and it's not long after the vampire is heading out of town, the baby laughing along with Spike when he mows down the Sunnydale sign on the way out.

"That's a good lad!" The drive to the City of Angel's was relatively boring all things considered, Spike whistling as he fiddled with the radio. "Just you and me kiddo, open road and all that."

The baby laughed, kicking his little feet when Spike landed on an acceptable song, the vampire fighting the urge to throw his hands up. "You're definitely Angel's kid, bloody Barry Manilow..."

Eventually, the city appears over the horizon, Spike driving with one hand while feeding the little blighter with his other one. He'd had to stop to fix the little guy up a fresh bottle at a random gas station, allowing the attendant to fuss over the little guy while he waited for the bottle to get warmed up. Whistling along to one of his songs, Spike advanced into the city, admittedly a bit lost on where Angel's bloody hotel was as he scanned the less populated streets. It took about two hours to finally nail down the Hyperion, Spike nearly slamming on the breaks when he was about a block away from the pure scent of anger and despair that slammed his senses, getting enough of a grip to continue until he parks just behind the hotel.

"Okay little thing, your Da' needs you somethin' fierce." Spike cooed to the baby before unbuckling the infant and swaddling him back in the duster, fighting every instinct telling him to flee as he headed for the hotel's garden entrance.

"Ello?" Surprisingly, the lobby was empty, Spike adjusting his hold on the baby as he looked around. "Anyone 'ere?"

"Coming!" Someone yelled from a floor above, and Spike waited a bit impatiently as he heard someone running. "Sorry about that, welcome to Angel Inves-" A shorter woman Spike had never seen stopped in her tracks, eyes zeroing in on the bundle in his arms after she remembered to breathe.

"'Ello luv, reckon you can help me find Angel?" Spike plastered on a smile, lightly bouncing the infant when he cooed in his sleep. "Found somethin' of his."

"Um..." The woman stammered before sprinting back up the staircase she'd come down from, Spike's hackles raising even further than they already were about a minute later as there was a sharp change in the air.

"Here we go kiddo, keep Uncle Spike alive, yea?" He whispered as he shifted into his demon face, looking at the stairs. Angel appeared in the blink of an eye, his own demon out, and his yellow eyes bore into Spike's own. The man looked like shit, his clothes clearly days old and dark rings circling his eyes from lack of sleep, his skin shades paler than Spike had seen in a long while.

"I didn't do nothin' to yer kid, all healthy an' everything." Spike led the conversation with a slight grin, glad he no longer had a beating heart to betray his nervousness as the older man regarded him in silence.

"Where?" Angel has moved his eyes to the infant, those amber eyes softening back to brown as the demon retreated. "Was he hurt?"

"No, some group had him, waitin' for orders I reckon for whatever they had planned." Spike held still as Angel slowly began to approach, the air still sharp with rage and heartache. "How long?"

"Two months." The strangled response he let out almost took Spike off-guard, hazel eyes flickering up to his own. "Can I?"

"The fuck am I gonna do with a kid?" Spike scoffed, his hands gentle as he set the infant in his father's arms. "Want my duster back, when he's all comfy anyways."

"Yea..." Angel wobbled as he looked down at his son. Choosing to be nice, Spike pushed Angel against the couch behind him before he had a chance to drop, face shifting back to its human visage when Angel let out a low growl.

"What's a bloke gotta do to get some blood 'round here?" Spike ignored the warning as he looked around, seeing a set of offices behind a large desk with a hum.

"Move, and you're dust." A voice from behind him stopped Spike in his tracks, and the familiar clink of a loaded crossbow made him roll his eyes. "Angel, you okay man?"

"Mind tellin' your bleedin' pets to let a man drink in peace? I was nice and everything."

"He's not going to do anything, Gunn, leave him alone." Angel's tired voice cut through the tension without much effort. "Could you get me some clothes for Connor, and check on Wes?"

"You got it, man." Gunn hesitated before heading back upstairs with the smaller woman from before. Spike flipped him off before going to Angel's office for a proper drink, only to find that most of the blood in the fridge had gone way bad.

"Peaches, 'ave you been eating?" Spike grabbed a beer before returning to the lobby, getting a blank look as his response. "You're an idiot."

"Accurate." A voice Spike did recognize agreed with him, Cordelia descending the stairs with a basket in her arms full of stuff for the baby. "Speaking of didn't realize you were back, Spike."

"Cordelia," Spike gave her a small nod when she looked over, the same exhaustion and grief that Angel had mirrored in her eyes. He was fairly surprised to see how easily she took the kid from Angel's arms, putting Angel to work preparing a changing space with a raise of her eyebrow. "So, little blighter's called Connor?"

"Mhm, that's right." Cordelia bounced little Connor as she regarded the younger vampire. "You didn't know?"

"You think Peaches 'ere would tell me? You're off your nut you are." Spike flopped down onto a free chair with a scof, sipping his beer. "Do have a question, bloody how?"

"Darla got pregnant because of some mystical mumbo jumbo." Cordelia shrugged, jumping when Spike choked on his beer.

"Darla got pregnant?!" The vampire stared as Cordelia handed Angel his son. "Also when was Darla bloody alive again?!"

"Man, you really are out of the loop, huh?" The former Sunnydale resident put her hands on her hips with an amused look. "Let's get dad here all set and in bed, and I'll fill you in."

"Toss in beer, and I'll be good." Spike shrugged, downing whatever was left, as Angel rolled his eyes at the two. He had changed Connor and swaddled him in a blanket rather than leather, setting the duster aside.

"I am here you know."

"Uh huh." Spike grinned, getting out of his seat and grabbing his coat. "Thanks for my coat back little guy, makin' yer Uncle Spike proud that you liked it so much."

"Uncle Spike?" Angel's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline at that, his childe giving a cheeky grin as he began to follow Cordelia and Angel up and further into the hotel. "Oh no."

"I saved 'im from a soddin' demon group, I think that earns me an Uncle title." Spike whistled, Connor squealing in laughter at his voice. "See? Loves me already he does!" Angel groaned as the trio headed up a floor, the smell of blood hitting Spike in the face the second his foot hit the landing. "Someone's hurt."

"Our friend Wesley, he tried to stop the guy responsible for taking Connor and got his throat cut for it." Cordelia supplied when she noticed him sniffing the air. "Touch him and you'll be dead before Angel can blink."

"On my best behavior." He smiled, amused yet impressed with how calm she was. "Who tried to steal a bloody baby?"

"Holtz." Angel couldn't stop the snarl that escaped him at the name, Spike blinking in shock as he followed his grandsire down the hall. "Made a deal, came back to kill me but tried to steal my fucking son instead."

"I'm assumin' he's dead and gone?"

"Something like that." Spike shivered as Angel finally stopped at a door and entered his room after Cordelia opened it for him, the younger watching the two curiously. Angel clearly had something with the Cordelia girl, handing her his son once more without hesitation to drag a crib over to his bed, Cordelia sliding up to his side as if anticipating his arms reaching for Connor. Seeing Angel practically melt at a gentle hand on his cheek as he was guided to sit on his bed was surprising; he was lying back and holding his son close despite the fact Spike was only feet away.

"I'm going to get fangboy caught up, you better sleep or so help me Angel." Cordelia smiles as she heads for the door, a stake Spike didn't see before being twirled in one of her hands. "Treat a lady to 10pm coffee?"

"Course luv." Ever so chivalrous Spike offered her his arm, the other pausing before taking it with a hum. "Tell me where to go yea?"

Twenty minutes later, the two were sitting in a coffee shop, Spike hanging on to her every word. Cordelia filled Spike in on everything he'd missed over the last year, leaving him absolutely speechless by the end. What the hell was he supposed to think, startled that Wolfram and Hart could even bring back dead vampires, but that it somehow resulted in a vampiric child that should not have been remotely possible. Cordelia watches as he sips his coffee a few times, emotions she can't quite place swirling around in those brilliant blue eyes before he looks up with a shrug.

"Sounds like L.A is a lot of fun."

Cordelia shrugged and sipped her caffeine, leaning forward with a small grin.

"So, tell me what's been up with you?"

[whoistrash]

Pacific Rim, my beloved.

Happy 10th to my second-favorite movie of all time. I love you with all my heart, Pacific Rim. I love you, Guillermo del Torro. I love you, Kaiju of all shapes and categories. I love you, Jaegers, from the radioactive badass kamikaze Marks I to the lone, majestic Mark V. I love you gay rockstar madman Newt. I love you gay Oxford-professor Hermann. I love you, LOCCENT, the brain of the Shatterdome, and all of your overcaffeinated, sleep-deprived staff. I love all of you, Shatterdomes, from all around the world. I love you, Lucky Seven, Horizon Brave, Romeo Blue, Tacit Ronin, Nova Hyperion, Cherno Alpha, Crimson Typhoon - you deserved better. I love you, Tendo Choi, and your silly, little am broadcast. I love you, Hannibal Chau's golden shoe. I love you, unhinged, awesome, brilliant, despite-all-odds still alive pacrim fandom. I wish you all a happy 10th anniversary.

This movie changed my brain chemistry forever. I can watch it all over and over again, and never get bored. I can make up countless AUs and read hundreds of awesome fics. I can read my comics and laugh at the little silly nuances. I can recite the dialogues from memory. I feel awesome. I feel old. I feel like celebrating.

(I don't know any Uprising, who is she?)

[disneyparksattractionstournament]

Favorite Disney Parks Attraction Showdown: Round 1 

Here is the round one matchups

Links to polls will be added when made.

(Link to full bracket)

Note, I will specify which parks and versions more on each poll!

Group A1:

Star Tours VS. Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run

Muppet*Vision 3D VS. Mickey's PhilharMagic

Horizons VS. Journey into Imagination (1983-1998)

Country Bear Jamboree VS. It's a Small World

Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress VS. Mr. Toad's Wild Ride

Voyage of the Little Mermaid VS. WEDWay PeopleMover

Matterhorn Bobsleds VS. Expedition Everest

Frozen Ever After VS. Rise of the Resistance

Group A2:

Tron Lightcycle Power Run VS. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind . Tie Breaker

Mystic Manor VS. Phantom Manor 

World of Motion VS. Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room

Stitch's Great Escape! VS. Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith

Incredicoaster VS. Soarin’

Maelstrom VS. Remy's Ratatouille Adventure . Tie Breaker

California Screamin’ VS. Indiana Jones Adventures

Beauty and the Beast: Live on Stage VS. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

Group B1:

Dumbo the Flying Elephant VS. Mad Tea Party/Teacups

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train VS. Jungle Cruise

The Studio Backlot Tour VS. The Monorail 

Doug: Live! VS. Big Thunder Ranch

The Legend of the Lion King VS. America Sings

Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage/Submarine Voyage/20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage VS. Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast

Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure VS. Avatar Flight of Passage

La Tanière du Dragon VS. Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour

Group B2:

Innoventions VS. Conservation Station

Snow White's Scary Adventures VS. Pinocchio's Daring Journey 

Adventure Thru Inner Space VS. Spaceship Earth

Rocket Rods VS. Superstar Limo 

Astro Orbiter VS. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Hyperspace Mountain(Disneyland Paris) VS. Sindbad's Storybook Voyage

Turtle Talk with Crush VS. Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor

Finding Nemo - The Musical VS. Splash Mountain

Group C1:

Monsters, Inc. Ride & Go Seek VS. Pooh's Hunny Hunt

Primeval Whirl VS. Goofy's Sky School/Mulholland Madness : Tie breaker

Radiator Springs Racers VS. Test Track 2.0

Web Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure VS. Toy Story Mania!

Crush's Coaster VS. The Barnstormer

Cranium Command VS. Ellen's Energy Adventure

Disney Riverboats VS. Na'vi River Journey

Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin VS. Haunted Mansion

Group C2:

The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure VS. Peter Pan’s Flight

Kali River Rapid VS. Grizzly River Run 

Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable VS. Living with the Land

Typhoon Lagoon Wave Pool VS. Polynesian Volcano Slide

Raging Spirits VS. Dinosaur

Disney's Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular VS. Frozen – Live at the Hyperion

Silly Symphony Swings VS. Mater's Junkyard Jamboree

Alice's Curious Labyrinth VS. The Great Movie Ride

Group D1:

Jumpin' Jellyfish VS. Maliboomer

Railroads (any of the parks) VS. Pirates of the Caribbean 

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: Movie Set Adventure VS. Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril VS. Journey to the Center of the Earth

Festival of the Lion King VS. Fantasmic!

Heimlich's Chew Chew Train VS. Food Rocks/Kitchen Kabaret

Aquatopia VS. Space Mountain

The Making of Me VS. Captain EO

Group D2:

Journey into Imagination with Figment VS. Alice in Wonderland

The Casey Jr. Circus Train VS. Storybook Land Canal Boats

Slinky Dog Dash VS. Test Track 1.0

Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters VS. Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros

Armageddon – Les Effets Speciaux VS. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway VS. Mission: Space

Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! VS. Lights, Motors, Action!: Extreme Stunt Show

Kilimanjaro Safaris VS. Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars

[digeethegenie]

FFXIV Write 2024 - Table of Contents

Tales of The Sundered Soul Star

The planet Etheiys is finally at peace thanks to the tireless efforts of The Scions of The Seventh Dawn, and Yujo Palms, the Warrior of Light. In this period of eternal calm, we take stock the tales- both told and untold- of both these brave souls and others that call The Sundered Soul Star their home.

27 Memory - Paradigm

Contents

30 ??? - ???

29 ??? - ???

28 Deleterious - ???

27 Memory - Paradigm

26 Zip - The Absolutely Peachy Keen Cactaur Conductor vs...

25 Perpetuity - ???

24 Bar - Yujo The Sommelier

23 On Cloud Nine - Coffee, Biscuits, Coffee Biscuits

22 OD: Ribbon - Sunday Without Hydelyn

21 Shade - The Exhaustion of Emet-Selch

20 Duel - Flowers for Yuyujo

19 Taken - The Lalafell and The Viera

18 Hackneyed - I want to be your Canary

17 Sally - ???

16 Third Rate - Kicking the Rats Nest

15 OD: Tears - The Tears of Yuyujo Yujo

14 Telling - It's all in the Cards

13 Butte - An Ambition Reborn

12 Quary - Drink Deep

11 Surrogate - Family Matters

10 Stable - Light's Ryne

09 Lend an Ear - Yuyujo Yujo Can't (Eorezan) Common

08 OD: Hyperion - The Rise (and fall) of Hyperion

07 Morsel - The Dragon, The Lady, And Fray

06 Halcyon - Everyone Loves Squapes

05 Stamp - Day of the Moogles

04 Reticent - Missive

03 Tempest - He who looked back

02 Horizon - The Night Before

01 Steer - Ride West, Young Chocomate!

[maurofonseca]

Are you working on any personal projects? Any comics from you on the horizon?

Hopefully!

I've got a main idea of comics I want to do, but I'm gonna take longer talking about it, so I'll first mention a couple others-

I've in the past drawn a lot of like, online meme characters. Not this exactly, but stuff like "Earth-chan". Lately been thinking about revisiting that, making them my own characters, changing designs and names, and working from that for small slice-of-life things.

I've got a friend I collab with on ideas, and I asked him ideas for short stories. Planning to draw a couple of his ideas, both for portfolio and because he does good stuff.

However, the main thing, of course, is my ideas involving my characters Lalla Shepherd, Jackie Pollard, Lily Rock, etc etc.

Gonna go on at length about it now, so putting it under a read more.

I've got a setting of characters etc I've nurtured for a few years now. It's a setting of cartoon animal people, adventure, fighting, etc. Very much trying to replicate the Disney comics I grew up on, stuff like Barks, Cavazzano, Gottfredson, but also stuff like Tintin, Indiana Jones, Sonic the Comic. It's set in a fantasy version of Earth circa the 1960s, by which I mean it's just Earth, but everything's been renamed for denial purposes, a layer of distance. If I want "London" to be the 60s but "Lisbon" to be the 80s, I get to do so, because it's not really London or Lisbon, it's Fumdon and St. Vincent, right? If I want there to be a war in the backstory, it can be WW1, WW2, Korean War, and Vietnam War all at once, because it's not really any of those, it's a fantasy one. Kinda what Pokémon does with its regions.

The idea is to do multiple stories, small stories, short stories, in this setting. Again, like the comics I grew up on- adventure stories of 10 pages, rather than epics of 1000.

You can read an early first go at an introduction to it here. It's kind of outdated, in aesthetics at least, but it's still overall matching what I plan.

The starting point is, there's these three characters- Lalla Shepherd, a racer and former soldier dealing with what happened to her during the War, Jackie Pollard, a girl with a mysterious past who appears in Fumdon looking for a job and with an amazing aim; and Lily Rock, a supremely confident fighter who's travelled the world and is sent to Fumdon to cover the upcoming Tournament. Said Tournament is going to be a combat tournament held in Fumdon but part of the culture of a separate small nation-estate, as a diplomatic move between countries. This is attracting weirdos and people with ill intent, so our three main characters get made into a team of sheriffs to deal with it in the months leading to the event proper.

The tournament is primarily just a plot excuse though- it'll be happening "soon" for as long as needed. It's a near-future event that excuses why any character would be appearing now and making their entrance in the public stage, no matter how weird they might be.

It's also about a bootlegging criminal in another country, whose wares get stolen by a wannabe gentleman thief, and how that drags a lot of other characters into that story.

Open and obvious about it, it's primarily made of me seeing characters and ideas in other stuff, and going "I want to make my own version". Very Alan Moore League of Extraordinary Gentlemen in that sense- "I want to make fanfiction where James Bond fights The Avengers (the british spy team) and Mina Murray (from Dracula), but I don't have the rights for them, so I'll switch names around etc." Very cape comic books in that sense too- "we want to tell a story about Superman, but we're Marvel, so we make a Superman pastiche called Hyperion".

Part of it was influenced by the upcoming wave of public domain stuff in the US. As you can see by my drawings, it was planning to use specific characters like Mickey Mouse, but then I got confirmation that that's really really not gonna work internationally. Ah well.

Some of you might've been here long enough to recognise a lot of these ideas and characters were part of an abandoned webcomic I was doing before, 4QC. Well yeah, this is me trying to make that one work and avoid the pitfalls that killed it lol.

Dunno, hope that's enough context. I'm hoping I can get a new story of this, a remake of the old one I did maybe, out before the end of the year; and then to do a lot more next year, using the money I'm saving from Sonic work this year.

[skaylanphear]

Final Fantasy VIII: Reclamation

Summary: Squall Leonhart has known only one thing all his life—that he was born and raised to be a SeeD. But being an elite mercenary is no easy task. Having grown up sheltered beneath Balamb Garden’s ring, he soon finds himself scrambling to stay alive after his first real mission thrusts him and his teammates onto the political stage in a bad way. Forced to head out into the dangerous, unforgiving wilds or face execution, they find themselves unraveling the ancient mysteries of their world, all while another sorceress war looms on the horizon. Haunted by strange, unexplainable dreams about a man he doesn’t know, and bound to the might of the crystals by abilities he can’t explain, Squall finds himself walking blindly into an uncertain future, even as he’s assured that “fate” guides his every step.

Yet, as circumstances grow murkier, Squall can’t help feeling that everyone else knows more about everything—including himself—than he does, and that he’s nothing more than a pawn in a game he doesn’t know how to play.

Chapter 1 / Chapter 2 / Chapter 3

Chapter 3

While there'd been no effort to oil or polish his gunblade, at least Seifer had checked it back into the armory. Spending his free period cleaning it inside and out, Squall held his blade out under the light, critically eyeing the length of it for any damage or remaining grime. True, he was going out for a combat review, which meant it was likely to get soiled all over again, but that was no excuse to let maintenance slip.

Upon qualifying for the field review at the end of his previous year, he'd also finally been granted a permit to have his own personal weapon designed and created by their esteemed armorers. A SeeD's weapon was one of their most prized possessions, so great care and personal preference was taken when utilizing this once in a lifetime permit. Squall's gunblade, therefore, was not only completely unique, but irreplaceable.

Shining silver, the long blade was made from the highest quality crystal steel. It had to be, as gunblades required more internal mechanisms than the average sword. Though the name would imply a blade combined with a firearm, it was somewhat misleading as gunblades didn't actually fire bullets. Rather, the ammo that was loaded through them produced a targeted explosion when the trigger was pulled, making it a singularly close-range weapon, but also exceedingly dangerous to use and master.

Having chosen the revolver type for its ease of use and reliability, his sword was equipped with a large silver cylinder capable of holding ten rounds of compatible explosives. The rest of the "gun"—the hammer, the trigger and guard, and the barrel that ran along the blade—matched in steel and quality, while the grip was created from crystal and black ivory. Shaped specifically for his hand, the finger grooves aligned with his grip, while the weight and length had been calculated to be most advantageous to what was predicted to be his top form in both physique and height. To that end, the weapon was still a bit heavy for him, but the more he used it, the more muscle he built up, and so he was already far more accustomed to its weight than he'd ever been any of the school provided weapons.

Along the flat of the blade, an intricately carved lion with wings had been etched onto both sides, allowing for the adoption of the sword's name—Lionheart. According to the school's head armorer, it was the second most expensive weapon she and her team had ever created, beaten out only by Seifer's gunblade, Hyperion.

Particularly meticulous when it came to the care of his sword, Squall eyed every inch before finally deciding it was fit for use. He'd also opened up and cleaned the scabbard, which was framed along its insides by a buffer of more crystal steel. The outside was swathed in thick black leather, the same lion as was on the sword's blade impressed upon both sides.

Eventually satisfied, Squall folded and snapped everything back together, before sliding his sword into its cover. He then wrapped and knotted his array of leather straps into place around his scabbard, buckling them before removing his chestnut leather belt from his person and sliding the straps onto it. He then replaced the belt around his waist, two of the straps pulled taut down at the back of his hip and over his rear, the third getting buckled along his front and allowing the heavy scabbard to hang stiffly down his left side.

He then removed the other two belts he wore more lowly on his hips—generally in a crossed fashion—and lined the insides with additional ammo. Pulling them back into place around his hips, he attached them to his sword belt on either side so as to prevent them sliding down his legs.

Moving to his assigned locker, he pulled out his tactical leg straps and holster. Buckling the three belts around his right thigh, a black leather holster—thin and unobtrusive—ran parallel up his outer leg and buckled to the bottom edge of his crossbelt. Able to hold additional ammo as well as limited medical supplies and his switchblade, it wouldn't do to leave it behind.

Read More

[ashenlavellan]

Writing Pattern Tag Game

Thank you @continuous-spec for tagging me with this -

All ten of these are actually the installments of my Reyder series, "Liquor That Tastes Like Sunshine," so it'll be sneak-peeks of every single one of them.

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

"The Bitter Taste of Betrayal" - (Pt. 10)

More than a handful of reports had been written and filed and Lorelei felt an oncoming headache.

"Taste of Honey on the Horizon" - (Pt. 9)

In case you were wondering while I was patching you up... My taste in women has significantly improved after things came to an end with her.

"Better Than You Will Ever Know" - (Pt. 8)

Lorelei was seated on the floor of her personal quarters, her back resting against the edge of her mattress as she skimmed through the contents of multiple reports and files she had worked on within the past three hours.

"Blood Spilt Like Wine" - (Pt. 7)

One hundred and sixty-eight hours had passed since they had landed on Kadara and all she could describe it to be was a sulfuric shit-show, but four hundred and fifty-six had passed since she'd woken up to this absolute nightmare of a reality.

"Sip of Honey Whiskey" - (Pt. 6)

That void kept welling up within her chest as the hours passed; she had maintained the routine of conversing with most of the members aboard the Tempest, excluding her angaran friend, who had extended the distance between them once more.

"Frozen Hands & Flushed Cheeks" - (Pt. 5)

Tracing the corners of the data-pad resting on her thighs, Lorelei’s brows furrowed as she skimmed through the contents of the newest message she had received.

"Lost in the Void" - (Pt. 4)

All of the faces she passed through their corridors were varying levels of gratitude or fury; some of the colonists that had woken up were reunited with their families due to their careers whilst others remained in their stasis pods.

"Strange Times, Stranger Bedfellows" - (Pt. 3)

It was silent amongst them, save for the chirping from the native life of Havarl; just minutes before, they had arrived at the Pelaav station and were coldly welcomed by the scientists residing there. 

"Drunk from Victory, Sober with Grief" - (Pt. 2)

It felt as if a lifetime had passed since she woke up aboard the Hyperion, distressed and panicking from the surreal nightmare her brain had conjured.

"Sweet Like Honey, Sharp as A Knife" - (Pt. 1)

The fireplace was unlit since the furnace had been turned on, but Lorelei couldn’t pull her attention away from it.

[howtotrainyournana]

Hewwo I am very curious about "PETER NUREYEV AND THE SECOND CHANCE"

Thanks for the curiosity!!!

It's based of the Juno Steel storyline of The Penumbra Podcast (which is an awesomely fully-acted fiction podcast with loads of queer diversity and killer storylines). I'm woefully behind on the Juno Steel story and this fic is from 2019, so it is Most Definitely more AU/Canon divergent than it was even when I wrote it XD

But the premise is:

"Peter Nureyev gets a second chance at getting to know Juno Steel – but not in the way he expects and certainly not in the way that he wants. It’s AU time, baby. (diverges from immediately after Peter and Juno reconcile on the Carte Blanche)"

And a snippet (the opening scene) is:

"Peter wakes up on a shuttle landing on Mars.

This isn’t terribly disturbing, as he’s been all around the solar system and has more times than he would care to admit been on a shuttle landing on Mars. No, the problem with this fun little fact is that when he went to sleep last night it had been in his bed on the Carte Blanche with Juno Steel wrapped around him like a particularly sassy blanket. Peter had rather expected to wake up in that company and was more than mildly angry to find that was no longer the case.

Still, years of running through the stars and waking up in places different than the ones he had gone to sleep in kept him keen and aware. He took stock of his surroundings and person – no handcuffs or restraints, several other passengers on what appeared to be a commercial shuttle, the dome of Hyperion City approaching fast beneath them, the red sands of Mars stretching to an endless horizon – and waited. There was nothing much he could do on a planet-bound shuttle that wouldn’t risk either his identity or his life.

Done inspecting his fellow passengers, he assessed his clothing and belongings. A sharp suit, dark, and darker sunglasses. His pockets were filled with his usual eclectic mess of items – knives, a sandwich, loose change, batteries, glass syringes, a heavy-duty plasma cutter, fake IDs, tape, etc. Something about the whole situation made his memory itch, like there was something he wasn’t noticing (like an extra surveillance camera placed by a reckless socialite with no inhibitors). He frowned to himself as the shuttle landed, taking the time to think as he charmed his way through customs and out onto the streets of Hyperion.

The answer hit him like a train from out of nowhere when he saw the billboard advertising the date and time.

It was the day he had landed on Mars nearly two years previously, the day he had broken into the Kanagawas' mansion and accidentally enabled the death of Croesus Kanagawa, the day before he met Juno Steel and his life changed forever."

If you've got more questions about this fic or about a different one, hit me up! This was fun XD

[convergencecon]

Coming to CONvergence 2024: Everyone's Invited!

Carlos Hernandez!!!

New York Times Bestseller Carlos Hernandez is the author of the critically-acclaimed short story collection The Assimilated Cuban’s Guide to Quantum Santeria (Rosarium, 2016), the novel Sal and Gabi Break the Universe (Disney Hyperion, 2019), which won the 2019 Pura Belpré Award from the American Library Association, and its sequel, Sal and Gabi Fix the Universe (2020). He’s also written dozens of short stories, poems, and works of drama, usually in the SFF mode, which have found homes in magazines such as Uncanny, Lightspeed, Strange Horizons, and many others.

Read more about Carlos Hernandez: https://www.convergence-con.org/guests/carlos-hernandez/ Register for CONvergence 2024: https://cvgcon.org/register

[pandorias-box]

I have heard it is quite normal for trainers and Pokémon to share some personality characteristics with one another.

For example, Nayalia likes to sing when nobody is watching, Porospis often has too many thoughts going on in their mind, Corinus can be overly cautious, and Hyperion thinks of me as their sibling due to the bond we share.

A new personality quirk was made manifest when I was out with Seti and the sun began to set. He had his eyes directly on the moon coming over the horizon and seemed to be entranced when the first glimmers of starlight appeared in the sky. Those circular protrusions on his hand began to glow almost as soon as he saw a star. It was quite adorable. I think he is fond of stargazing much like I am.

[beewantstotalk]

Hugo Awarded Books:

1. T.H.White - The Sword in The Stone(1939)(3/02/23)

2. A.E. van Vogt - Slan(1941)

3. Robert A. Heinlein - Beyond This Horizon(1943)(21/06/23)

4. Fritz Leiber - Conjure Wife(1944)(30/06/23)

5. Leigh Brackett - Shadow Over Mars(1945)(19/05/23)

6. Isaac Asimov - The Mule(1946)

7. Robert A. Heinlein - Farmer in The Sky(1951)(30/01/23)

8. Alfred Bester - The Demolished Man(1953)

9. Ray Bradbury - Fahrenheit 451(1954)

10. Mark Clifton - They'd Rather Be Right(1955)

11. Robert A. Heinlein - Double Star(1956)

12. Fritz Leiber - The Big Time(1958)

13. James Blish - A Case of Conscience(1959)

14. Robert A. Heinlein - Starship Troopers(1960)

15. Walter M. Miller, Jr. - A Canticle for Leibowitz(1961)

16. Robert A. Heinlein - Stranger in a Strange Land(1962)

17. Philip K. Dick - The Man in The High Castle(1963)

18. Clifford D. Simak - Here Gather the Stars(Way Station)(1964)

19. Fritz Leiber - The Wanderer(1965)

20. Frank Herbert - Dune(1966)

21. Robert A. Heinlein - The Moon is a Harsh Mistress(1967)

22. Roger Zelazny - Lord of Light(1968)

23. John Brunner - Stand on Zanzibar(1969)

24. Ursula K. Le Guin - The Left Hand of Darkness(1970)

25. Larry Niven - Ringworld(1971)

26. Philip José Farmer - To Your Scattered Bodies Go(1972)

27. Isaac Asimov - The Gods Themselves(1973)

28. Arthur C. Clarke - Rendezvous with Rama(1974)

29. Ursula K. Le Guin - The Dispossessed(1975)

30. Joe Haldeman - The Forever War(1976)

31. Kate Wilhelm - Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang(1977)

32. Frederik Pohl - Gateway(1978)

33. Vonda N. McIntyre - Dreamsnake(1979)

34. Arthur C. Clarke - The Fountains of Paradise(1980)

35. Joan D. Vinge - The Snow Queen(1981)

36. C. J. Cherryh - Downbelow Station(1982)

37. Isaac Asimov - Foundation's Edge(1983)

38. David Brin - Startide Rising(1984)

39. William Gibson - Neuromancer(1985)

40. Orson Scott Card - Ender's Game(1986)

41. Orson Scott Card - Speaker for the Dead(1987)

42. David Brin - The Uplift War(1988)

43. C. J. Cherryh - Cyteen(1989)

44. Dan Simmons - Hyperion(1990)

45. Lois McMaster Bujold - The Vor Game(1991)

46. Lois McMaster Bujold - Barrayar(1992)

47. Vernor Vinge - A Fire Upon the Deep(1993)

48. Connie Willis - Doomsday Book(1993)

49. Kim Stanley Robinson - Green Mars(1994)

50. Lois McMaster Bujold - Mirror Dance(1995)

51. Neal Stephenson - The Diamond Age(1996)

52. Kim Stanley Robinson - Blue Mars(1997)

53. Joe Haldeman - Forever Peace(1998)

54. Connie Willis - To Say Nothing to the Dog(1999)

55. Vernor Vinge - A Deepness in The Sky(2000)

56. J.K.Rowling - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire(2001)

57. Neil Gaiman - American Gods(2002)

58. Robert J. Sawyer - Hominids(2003)

59. Lois McMaster Bujold - Paladin of Souls(2004)

60. Susanna Clarke - Jonathan Strange and Mr.Norrell(2005)

61. Robert Charles Wilson - Spin(2006)

62. Vernor Vinge - Rainbows End(2007)

63. Michael Chabon - The Yiddish Policemen's Union(2008)

64. Neil Gaiman - The Graveyard Book(2009)

65. Paolo Bacigalupi - The Windup Girl(2010)

66. China Miéville - The City & the City(2010)

67. Connie Willis - Blackout/All Clear(2011)

68. Jo Walton - Among Others(2012)

69. John Skalzi - Redshirts(2013)

70. Ann Leckie - Ancillary Justice(2014)

71. Cixin Liu - The Three-Body Problem(2015)

72. N.K.Jemisin - The Fifth Season(2016)

73. N.K.Jemisin - The Obelisk Gate(2017)

74. N.K.Jemisin - The Stone Sky(2018)

75. Mary Robinette Kowal - The Calculating Stars(2019)

76. Arkady Martine - A Memory Called Empire(2020)

77. Martha Wells - Network Effect(2021)

78. Arkady Martine - A Desolation Called Peace(2022)

[redjaybird]

"Why are more of them popping up? What year is it? Why do bitches still have Hyperion sickness? For that bitch specifically? Is that the only thing this system knows? Expand your damn horizons, people!"

[disneyparksattractionstournament]

Round 1 Results

Round 2 should start tomorrow(Sat Sep 16th). Posting Round 2 matchups in a little bit!

Note, it wouldnt let me put all the links for some reason to the actual polls, so if you wanna see the %, here is the link to original polls

Group A1:

Star Tours VS. Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run: Star Tours

Muppet*Vision 3D VS. Mickey's PhilharMagic: Muppet Vision

Horizons VS. Journey into Imagination (1983-1998): Journey into Imagination

Country Bear Jamboree VS. It's a Small World: Small World

Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress VS. Mr. Toad's Wild Ride: Carousel of Progress

Voyage of the Little Mermaid VS. WEDWay PeopleMover: People Mover

Matterhorn Bobsleds VS. Expedition Everest: Everest

Frozen Ever After VS. Rise of the Resistance: Rise of the Resistance

Group A2:

Tron Lightcycle Power Run VS. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind: TIE - Tie Breaker: Tron

Mystic Manor VS. Phantom Manor: Phantom Manor

World of Motion VS. Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room: Tiki Room

Stitch's Great Escape! VS. Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith: Rock n Rollercoaster

Incredicoaster VS. Soarin’: Soarin

Maelstrom VS. Remy's Ratatouille Adventure: TIE - Tie Breaker: Remy

California Screamin’ VS. Indiana Jones Adventures: Indiana Jones Adventure

Beauty and the Beast: Live on Stage VS. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: Tower of Terror

Group B1:

Dumbo the Flying Elephant VS. Mad Tea Party/Teacups: Teacups

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train VS. Jungle Cruise: Jungle Cruise

The Studio Backlot Tour VS. The Monorail : Monorail

Doug: Live! VS. Big Thunder Ranch: Big Thunder Ranch

The Legend of the Lion King VS. America Sings: Legend of the Lion King

Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage/Submarine Voyage/20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage VS. Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast: Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast

Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure VS. Avatar Flight of Passage: POTC Battle For the Sunken Treasure

La Tanière du Dragon VS. Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour: CC Mystery Tour

Group B2:

Innoventions VS. Conservation Station: Innoventions

Snow White's Scary Adventures VS. Pinocchio's Daring Journey : Snow White's Scary Adventure

Adventure Thru Inner Space VS. Spaceship Earth: Spaceship Earth

Rocket Rods VS. Superstar Limo : Superstar Limo

Astro Orbiter VS. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad: Big Thunder

Hyperspace Mountain(Disneyland Paris) VS. Sindbad's Storybook Voyage: Hyperspace Mountain

Turtle Talk with Crush VS. Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor: Monsters Inc Laugh Floor

Finding Nemo - The Musical VS. Splash Mountain: Splash Mountain

Group C1:

Monsters, Inc. Ride & Go Seek VS. Pooh's Hunny Hunt: Pooh's Hunny Hunt

Primeval Whirl VS. Goofy's Sky School/Mulholland Madness: TIE - Tie breaker: Goofy/MM

Radiator Springs Racers VS. Test Track 2.0: Radiator Springs Racers

Web Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure VS. Toy Story Mania!: Toy Story Mania

Crush's Coaster VS. The Barnstormer: Barnstormer

Cranium Command VS. Ellen's Energy Adventure: Cranium Command

Disney Riverboats VS. Na'vi River Journey: Na'vi River Journey

Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin VS. Haunted Mansion: Haunted Mansion

Group C2:

The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure VS. Peter Pan’s Flight: Peter Pan

Kali River Rapid VS. Grizzly River Run : Grizzly River Run

Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable VS. Living with the Land: Living with the Land

Typhoon Lagoon Wave Pool VS. Polynesian Volcano Slide: Typhoon Lagoon wave pool

Raging Spirits VS. Dinosaur: Dinosaur

Disney's Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular VS. Frozen – Live at the Hyperion: Aladdin

Silly Symphony Swings VS. Mater's Junkyard Jamboree: Silly Symphony Swings

Alice's Curious Labyrinth VS. The Great Movie Ride: Great Movie Ride

Group D1:

Jumpin' Jellyfish VS. Maliboomer: Jumpin Jellyfish

Railroads (any of the parks) VS. Pirates of the Caribbean : Pirates

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: Movie Set Adventure VS. Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin: Buzz

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril VS. Journey to the Center of the Earth: Journey to the Center of the Earth

Festival of the Lion King VS. Fantasmic!: Fantasmic!

Heimlich's Chew Chew Train VS. Food Rocks/Kitchen Kabaret: Heimlich's chew chew train

Aquatopia VS. Space Mountain: Space Mountain

The Making of Me VS. Captain EO: Captain EO

Group D2:

Journey into Imagination with Figment VS. Alice in Wonderland: Figment

The Casey Jr. Circus Train VS. Storybook Land Canal Boats: Canal Boats

Slinky Dog Dash VS. Test Track 1.0: Test Track 1.0

Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters VS. Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros: Three Caballeros

Armageddon – Les Effets Speciaux VS. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: Pooh

Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway VS. Mission: Space: MMRR

Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! VS. Lights, Motors, Action!: Extreme Stunt Show: Indiana Jones Stunt

Kilimanjaro Safaris VS. Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars: Kilimanjaro Safaris

[nectaric]

@singofus asked:  “  who  did  this  to  you  ?  ”  (Hades for Zeus or Poseidon mayhaps?)

the reaction was so instinctive, the young god had already recoiled away from hades before he had fully processed his brother's words. zeus curled in on himself, adjusting his chiton to hide the bruises growing on his legs. foolish, foolish, he thought miserably. no one was supposed to see, no one was supposed to notice.

hades did, though. hades saw everything.

"it happened today." zeus replied hoarsely, glaring out at the horizon. that part wasn't a lie. "a guard at hyperion's fortress got me. you don't need to worry about it."

that part was most certainly a lie.

after his royal failure today, nearly losing bia to hyperion's fortress in a moment of over-confidence, zeus needed to be punished. they had been there to gather information, and zeus got cocky. he nearly cost them an ally, nearly cost them everything.

gaia did what needed to be done so he learned. foolish boys needed to be punished, and he had been extremely foolish. the bruises on his skin were remnants of gaia's punishments, from too tight vines that held him in place. the rest --

well, the rest made his stomach churn. it made tears well in his eyes, but zeus refused to let those fall. tears are a sign of weakness. even now, gaia's voice encroached on every one of his thoughts.

"i'm fine." zeus said after a few moments, unable to meet hades' gaze. "i will be better when we put a stop to hyperion's forces."

[thewriterghost]

Tag Game: Find the Word

Thank you @autumnalwalker for tagging me!

I haven't spoke about my WIP's here on Tumblr before, mainly because they aren't fully developed yet and because I write in my native language. So this was both a challenge in translating my work and finding the words, both of which was fun!

My words were: look, rain, stand, drop, reach.

Passing the tag to @human-still-developing, @nicole0anne, @j-1173, and everyone else who wants to join! New words: age, wonder, pride, drown and morning.

Look & Rain: (this is also the prologue of my main WIP -- Luminits: The Children of Light)

As the young man made his way down the path, chirpings of the birds echoed in the cloudless sky. Grass was surrounding the path he walked. He looked up, eyes as blue as the sky above him. Despite the peaceful setting of his surrounding, the young man’s head was full of anxiety, and his heart was filled with sadness. A voice inside him whispered, reminded him to be prepared. He could feel it, this was only the calm before storm.

As confirming his concerns, the blue sky suddenly painted gray. After a thunder that would make the one hear it shake to the bones, rain started pouring down. It didn’t take long for his night-black hair to stick to his forehead. He looked up once again, calmly. He’s been living for long enough to know that panic wouldn’t help anything.

Lightning illuminated the sky for a moment. Then, a voice, like thunder itself, was heard out of nowhere.

“It’s over.” It spoke. “It’s over now. Days of the light are over. It’s time for darkness to rule now.”

He didn’t need to see the face belonging to the voice. He recognized it well enough. Still, his eyes scanned around but couldn’t spot anything. The sky roared once more, as if it was splitting in two. As he stared at the sky that flashed and dimmed non-stop, his eyes suddenly fell on the horizon. Something radiated from where the lush grass met the now gray sky.

Darkness. Darkness was rising from the horizon.

Stand: (Also from Luminits)

The painting… It was a painting of a man, standing between a green meadow and a blue sky. I realized I had taken a step towards the painting when Redwood also took a step to stand next to me.

“One of the most famous paintings decipting Hyperion, ‘The First Light’.”

I couldn’t take my eyes off of the painting. “Is this Hyperion?”

“According to a rumor. No one who claimed to have seen him is alive now, so there is no source we can confirm.”

That was him. The same deep blue eyes were looking at my soul from inside the painting. I was sure. He was standing in that same meadow, where I met him in my dreams. How could this be? How could I be meeting him in my dreams?

Drop: (I had to turn this one to slip. This is from a different WIP that doesn't really have a name yet.)

I stopped on the steps to look at the list hanging on the dormitory door. They had listed the rooms and their owners, and for me, who had already forgotten the room number, it was a treasure. I pulled my suitcase out of the way as far as I could and bent over to check the list. I was looking for my name when my suitcase, which I was still holding by the handle, suddenly slipped from my hand, making me jump back with shock. Even though I had pulled it out of the way, someone had still managed to hit it.

"Sorry, I wasn't looking."

When I turned to the voice, the face I encountered was no stranger. Nick Leitner. Son of the town president Thomas Leitner. It was hard not to recognize him, as he and his twin sister were the town’s well-beloved golden twins. And when I say golden, I don't mean it figuratively. They were given this name by the townsfolk because they both had blonde hair that resembled gold. Not very creative, in my opinion. I was snapped out of my thoughts when I realized that he was waiting for an answer. "No problem."

Reach: (Also from Luminits)

“This is great news, honey!”

“Yes, yes, I think so too.” I said, smiling, even though I knew she wouldn't see it. Barely an hour after I reached home, I got a phone call from my mother. It turns out that Redwood had indeed made the necessary calls.

“So, you have to move soon?”

“Yeah, they said it has to be within this week.” Sensing that she will start a speech about how I should immediately start packing my things, I quickly added. “But what about Jonathan?”

She sighed deeply.

“Honey, Jonathan has been saying for a while that he wants to move in with your father.” I wasn’t surprised. The fact that he was spending more time with my father recently, had brought this possibility to my mind.

“Well then. I guess there is no problem.”

"Yes. Oh honey, you have no idea how happy I am for you. The woman on the phone said the school was pretty prestigious.”

"It is." I didn't know who she was referring to as the woman, but whoever she spoke to wasn't lying about prestige. The school looked like a pretty important and popular place. At least among Luminits and elves.