#i take fun creepy game mysteries like this very seriously and care about them so much. you'll have to forgive me for writing so much about a

[youryanderedaddy]

I had a dream just now that might make a good story. So, I had a virus on my laptop which allowed a hacker to see everything I did on my computer and use my webcam. The hacker ends up falling in love with me after stalking me for a few months and pays for someone on the dark web to kidnap me. It works, and then I wake up tied up in the hacker's arm as he caresses and kisses me. That's pretty much it, good night! 🌙

Yo this is my kink 😳

Also I couldn't not write this for Saeran, ok.

Title: Stranger danger

Tw: nsfw - ish, female reader, masturbation, cyber stalking, hacking, mentions of dark web, very irresponsible online behavior, obsessive behavior, implied kidnapping

You knew that this was a stupid idea. Lurking on the dark web with almost no protection other than the Tor browser and some free anti-virus program wasn't your best decision, but fuck it if it wasn't entertaining. You had always been drawn to the darker, scarier part of the human mind and this side of the internet proved quite interesting. Your friends always warned you about the dangers that came with looking up shady online searches and sites but everything had been quite peaceful so far. There weren't hackers or murderers on the dark web, the worst you had seen were people selling drugs and weapons for unreasonable prices, along with some questionable fetish porn and the typical popping ads.

Your favorite thing to do while online was chatting. Two weeks ago you had stumbled upon an unusual forum called "Scream buddies" where upon entering you were automatically connected to another random profile. The whole theme of the forum was discussing horror and mondo movies, shockumentaries and overall creepy stuff, your forte. The person you met on there shared a similar fascination with all things dark and gory which soon made talking to them the only thing you were looking forward upon opening the site.

You didn't know much about the guy behind the profile yet, except that he was a young man. His icon showed an eye so green it emited with the neon pigment and his username was just as mysterious - BlueRose7. You enjoyed chatting with him about your hobby but the thing you liked the most was undressing him little by little, metaphorically so, by getting pieces of information about his life. It started small - his favorite food, favorite book, favorite game, but the moment you tried digging deeper and asked whether he had siblings or not, the man simply disappeared for the next few days. You quickly realized just what type of topics you needed to avoid to keep your new friend from leaving. Family, childhood memories and work matters were out of the picture.

The stranger wasn't fair, not really. He didn't show you vulnerability and kept his secrecy while demanding to know everything there was to know about you. For the longest time you didn't want to answer just to stay on a equal footing, just to show him how frustrating it was, but there was something about the man that drew you in. He was magnetic, clever and witty, if a bit pessimistic and dark at times. You couldn't help telling him everything he wanted to hear - what your job was, whether you were single or not, all that jazz. In your defense, BlueRose7 actually listened to your stories, took your problems seriously and provided solutions, which despite being too extreme and overprotective at times (upon hearing that your bestfriend talked behind your back he offered to "take care" of her), were comforting. It was nice to have someone caring around even if you met him on a sketchy website.

Meanwhile your personal life wasn't going too great. You had to balance between attending college, working long shifts as a waitress and meeting your friends from time to time which was draining. On top of all there was a weird virus on your computer which resulted in the camera turning on and off and the most random times of the day - while you were studying, watching TV, or in some cases, fully naked and ready to take a bath. You didn't think much of it though, with all the illegal movies and games you downloaded along with the dark web lurking it was more than expected for your laptop to behave weirdly. You didn't even mention it to your friend from the IT major because you knew that he'd force you to delete Tor and put an end to your internet adventures.

One time you were particularly bored after several long lectures and you were laying in bed, the camera turned on once again. It was a hot afternoon and you were wearing boyshorts and a loose T- shirt with nothing underneath it, you were home alone so there was no need. The bright red spot was twinking like a recorder, the light reflecting in your eyes, when a silly little idea came to your mind. You slid your hand under your blouse and lifted the fabric up, exposing your breasts to the laptop, your nipples hardening due to the sudden coldness, becoming pink and stiff in seconds. You played with for a few minutes, pinching and pulling the buds gently, moaning softly into the pleasant sensation. Soon you could feel yourself getting wet, and slowly, teasingly, removed your shorts and panties. You smiled at the camera, biting your lip provocatively, imagining you were a camgirl performing for her desperate little fanboys and fangirls. The thought alone was enough to make you spread your legs wide and slip two fingers into your throbbing cunt, using the wetness to push deeper. You used your other hand to stroke your clit and whimpered wantonly, your face red, your neck sweaty and your heart pumping fast from the adrenaline. You were quickly reaching your orgasm and your mind wondered to the boy you were talking to in the forum. You wondered how he looked like, how his body was built, whether he was a sweet sensual lover or a rough mean one. Fucked up as it was, you pictured the man as one of your most loyal viewers, watching all of your streams with a fist around his thick vock and an excited grin on his face. He would comment things like "you look so beautiful like this" or perhaps even "pretty little slut" after tipping you enough to last you a week. Soon all the mental stimulation sent you over the edge and you came with a loud cry full of pleasure. Well, this felt good.

After your "performance" was over the camera was magically turned off, which may have caused some concerns if you weren't too busy feeling embarrassed and dirty about the unhinged fantasy you had just had, and with a person you knew nothing about. You managed to calm down though - it wasn't nothing more than a fun pastime, a naughty thought that would never become the reality. You would never actually meet BlueRose7, right? There was nothing to worry about, so you just went on with your day.

You had some dinner afterwards and decided to have an early night as you already felt full and tired. You put on your favoruite pajamas and laid in bed, staring at the ceiling until you fell into deep dreamless sleep.

You woke up due to a weird noise. You could hear someone's heavy breathing right next to your ear, someone's grabby hands were wrapped tightly against your body, trapping you between the wall and their hard chest. You had only a few seconds to scream before the intruder's palm covered your mouth.

"Shhh." The man whispered softly and stroked your hair like you were a doll he was playing with. "Don't scream or I'll be forced to hurt you, flower. I have a gun." His voice sounded deep and rough but this didn't stop you from thrashing and turning on your side until you came face to face with the man. It was dark in the room and you couldn't exactly see all his features but his enchanting green eyes would forever be burned into your memory - they seemed dashing, hypnotizing. You couldn't utter a word.

"It's me, the person you've been talking to all these months. I came to take you home" He spoke out suddenly, the line of his mouth twisting into a smile or a smirk, you couldn't quite tell. You shook your head no, tears threatening to spill all over your cheeks from the fear. It couldn't be him, the man would never do that to you. Or would he? With what little information you knew, you couldn't really tell. His hold finally loosen, seeing you quiet like that.

"Let me go, please." You begged, pushing at his shoulders weakly since you were still sleepy, groggy and tired. "I don't know you." You said, hoping this would remind the stranger you weren't friends, lovers or anything that gave him the right to be so close to you, to touch you so intimately. Unfortunately, this only seemed to amuse him and he chucked darkly as he pulled your hair away to place a small chaste kiss on your neck.

"But I know you, flower." Your supposed online friend replied shortly after, his eyes full of malice. "And your little show today makes me think you want to know me too." He added in a low tone, licking his lips before smashing them on yours, forcing his tongue deep into your mouth just to hear your whines and protests. Then it hit you. The camera, the virus, the questions. He had watched you, he knew where you worked, where you lived and studied, everything. You had told him after all.

The hacker thought you looked so adorable right now, figuring things out, helpless, confused, regretful and most of all, weak. You were so weak and careless, and he loved you for it. It reminded him of himself before life screwed him over.

You wouldn't be in this position, underneath him, if you had just told someone about your laptop virus and the bad guy you had encountered online. But Saeran couldn't say he wasn't glad your self-preservation instincts were so very broken and dysfunctional. He wouldn't meet you otherwise. "I need you, princess. That's why I'll take you to Paradise." These were the final words you heard before you felt lightheaded and sleepy again, your last memory a pair of green mint eyes.

You really shouldn't have trusted strangers on the internet.

[adamwatchesmovies]

Stay Alive (2006)

While I didn't enjoy this film, that doesn't mean you won't. No matter what I say, the people involved in this project did it: they actually made a movie. That's something to be applauded. With that established...

When Miller (Adam Goldberg) inherits a video game from his recently deceased friend, he thinks nothing of it… until he realizes that Loomis’ real-life death is eerily similar to the one his avatar suffered. Unfortunately for Miller, Hutch (Jon Foster), Abigail (Samaire Armstrong), October (Sophia Bush), Phineas (Jimmi Simpson) and Swink (Frankie Muniz), they discover too late that if you die in Stay Alive, it’s not just the game that’s over, it’s your life.

Oh yes, Stay Alive is as dopey as it sounds. The only truly good thing about it is that when you see the footage of the game it actually looks like a real horror video game would. Every other aspect of this film is generic or irritating.

The first bug in this game is the characters, none of which you’ll care about or find likeable. It’s bad enough they’ve been written by someone who’s never interacted with a gamer. You sit and wait for the soon-to-be victims to be killed. When it comes to Phin, right now will not be soon enough. Unfortunately, even the deaths fail to satisfy. Many times they don’t make sense or seem to contradict the previously-established rules.

There’s a lot of horror movie noise here. Once Stay Alive gets booted up, we're constantly reminded that we should be scared. Shadows in the background, creepy noises, and ominous shots are pelted at the screen over and over until you just want to scream “Enough Already! I get it! This is a horror movie!” There’s no breathing room, meaning that even if there was tension, there’s no way the film could sustain it.

Video games are too new, and not in a way that they’re cryptic, weird and/or mysterious. Slipping a CD into your Playstation 2 and then grabbing a controller doesn’t inspire terror in any way - no matter what all the creepy pastas might say. Maybe if it centered around some weird text-based game someone dug up in their attic or something you just kind of stumbled upon. The Ring made a videocassette scary so anything’s possible. This? You wonder if the people involved even tried. The most fun you'll have is with the DVD menu. If you figure out which possible character goes with which shirt and which weapon, the correct combination gives you a secret word. Input them into the official website to create your very own morbid email signature. At least in theory you can. The website is no longer up.

Can you blame me for going into this one with no faith whatsoever? The premise of Stay Alive is dumb and it doesn’t even attempt to redeem itself with cool visuals, genuine scares, likeable characters, sparkling dialogue, tension or anything that makes a horror film noteworthy. I struggled to derive any enjoyment from it. Even when not taking the picture seriously and poking fun at the ludicrous plot out loud, this was a grind. Nothing awaits those who decide to check out Stay Alive. (On DVD, February 21, 2018)

[is-nini]

Genshin impact x reader

Episode: 1

Title: Being sucked in

A/n: I'm not sure how long this.. story will take but i will try my best to keep it entertaining.. this story is about you, being sucked into genshin world, this is part 1.. please enjoy. Leave a comment or suggestion.. possible love interest for now will be : Diluc, Kaeya, Albedo, Zhongli, Childe, Xiao, Beidou, Ningguang.

Today is another normal day, nothing is really out of the ordinary, the sky is a little bit cloudy but you don't mind, you think that the wind blowing against your hair is very nice as you walk towards your school. You walked inside, stopping Infront of the locker to the entrance to fix your stuff and take your schedule until you felt a presence beside you.

"oh, hello sidia".

You greets one of your sleepy friend, she just let's out a 'hmm' and a nod while looking through her locker, not even giving you an eye contact. sidia has always been like this, she never really made an eye contact towards you but she still shows that she has some of her attention towards you.

"good morning".

Your other friend, Chelz Lee, let's out a mutter to the both of you, Chelz is more talkative then Sidia, you met them maybe a couple of years ago. they're a very talented artist and are a very interesting friends to be around with.

"what's up guys".

You too greet them without looking at their eye, you take your books out and proceed to take a peak at Sidia's schedule.

"oh? Mathematics on the first hour? Goodluck".

You snicker and slap her shoulder a little bit, she stares at you uninterestedly with her sleepy eye and started to walk away, letting you stare at her black low ponytail hair.

You giggle and take a peak at Chelz's schedule. Art. her first lesson for today seems fun you thought sighing at the sight of your first schedule that reads 'science'.

Chelz already went half way to catching up to Sidia before she looks back at you as if asking you to join them and you did. You jog towards her, taking her hand and started to jog towards Sidia either.

"how are you both?".

You ask them both while fixing the books on your hand and looking at your shoes to check the lace.

"depressed".

Sidia answered, you make a 'uhuh' sound feeling used to her answers. Chelz stroke her short wavy black bangs out of her eyes and use her black glasses and start to read her novel. Her black short hair blows a little because of the wind.

"fine".

She answered you, yawning and stretching her arms out beside her. You and the rest of your friend said goodbye to eachother and proceed to go to your different ways.

You went inside your class. As usual people are in teams, some are in teams for fun, some are in teams for checking today's lesson.

You take a one seat beside the window and wait for the teacher to come inside the classroom.

The lesson went on as usual, smoothly even, you did your homework andd the score that you got on yesterday's test is not bad, B is not a bad grade. You take out your binder and put the paper's that you got in to the binder.

Going home is the best thing about the day. You and Chelz are chatting away about until you guys cane across a gaming store.

"ou? A gaming store".

Sidia said, catching yours and Chelz attention. Chelz look at that place very seriously, squinting her eye.

"...since when is there a gaming store here- y/n!".

She was very suspicious of this place, she doesn't remember any gaming store around here... And if there is one opening soon it should be the talk of the school. in short Chelz was suspicious but you, being a gaming enthusiast decided to check it out, thinking maybe they have a good and cheap open world game.

"... She's crazy".

Sidia chuckled. She took Chelz arm, snapping her out of her suspicious state and drag her towards the gaming store.

"yo- sidia i don't wanna die".

"well i do. So let's go".

And with that the both of them followed you in.

The store looks very cool.. it's like you're in a different world. The ceiling's wallpaper is made out of galaxy like drawing and the light bulb was covered with another ball that is drawn to match with the different planets on the solar system.

"welcome to the store how may i help you".

A girl that looks like in her mid 20 greets the both of you, she have short black hair and a green uniform and a little pin on the breast part of her uniform spell out 'katheryne'. Which you assume was her name.

"hello! I was wondering do you have any open world game?".

You instantly ask her, not caring about the suspicious store, you don't even care about the insides of the place. You just wanted to play a open world game that's full of interesting stuff. The girl name katheryne hums in understanding and goes behind the table to look for a game you requested. Chelz grabs your hand and shout whisper to you.

"this place is creepy y/n. Let's get out of here".

Chelz scold you, you sigh and looks at her calmly shaking your head no.

"it's fine, were fine, what's the worst thing that could happen?".

You whisper back with a lighter tone. Really you don't care if this place comes out of nowhere you just want your game, you're smiling stupidly while waiting for the girl.

"anywayyy if anything happened, Sidia is here, she'll be able to protect us using her fighting style knowledge thingy".

Sidia scoffed and fold her arms, looking at you as if you're crazy.

"i will leave you alone and save myself".

You laugh and was about to slap her back when she holds your hand and rolls her eyes at you.

"such a tsun tsun".

You laugh out, she slowly and gently let your hand away. From the corner of your eye you can see katheryne walking towards the counter. You immediately jump and went towards her.

"this is the only open world game that i found".

She said, you look at the weird japanese like word, assuming it was the title you try to read what is said.. you don't understand it but the design was cool though.

"this is a open world game called genshin impact. I will not spoil the story but i think this game might be the game you're looking for".

Her confidence is seeping in on your game needy state so you decided to purchase it, not thinking twice. Sidia face palm while Chelz just sigh, feeling tired of your hot headed act.

"it will be 2$".

You felt giddy, you can't help it. It's cheap and is a open world game, that is a steal. After taking your stuff, the both of your friend immediately pull you away from the store.

"okay y/n. You got what you need, that place is sus i tell ya".

Sidia said, Chelz nods her head and fix her black glasses, she stare at you while furrowing her eyebrows.

"you gotta stop doing reckless thing. Who knows what that place is".

You sigh and nod, rolling your eye. You giggle anyway and put the game in front of you.

"i know.. but were safe! I wanna try and play it when i get home".

Sidia and Chelz just sigh, what can they do anyway. On the way home you and your friends goes on your own separate way as usual, you jog towards your home, feeling giddy to play the new game.

You take a bath, and goes straight to your computer, opening the plastic wrapper on the game. You insert the disc and started to wait for the loading screen.

And oh gosh.. isn't it pretty, the cutscene the art. Everything. So the game basically tells you about the story of two traveller, who was travelling from world to world until suddenly a mysterious god appears, took one of the twins and take away the other twins power, and now you're playing as the twin who was looking for their missing sister.

You look at the wishing button, tempted to wish for a character, you decided to pull. Expecting a cool banner of the current character instead, you're greets by a white screen.

"hm.. should i restart it?".

You mumble to yourself, nodding in agreement at your words, you close the disc and pulls out the game from your computer. You take a nearby wipe and wipe the back disc gently and then put it back in on the computer.

The game is launching when suddenly you felt a huge and sudden headache comes over you.

"ugh-!".

You groan, gosh.. maybe it's because you have been staring at the screen for too long.. you thinks as a bumping headache keeps going at you.

While waiting for the game you decided to lay back a bit, rest your eyes and head.. this headache is not going away anytime soon if you keep waiting and staring at the screen.

Before you reach the bed, your body stumble forward and fall on to the floor, cannot control any part of your body you close your eyes and your mind went blank.

A darkness is all that you see.. a darkness is all that you're in.. you remember that the last time you are in your bedroom, playing genshin until a huge headache wave over you. Now that you're sense's is back something felt wrong.. you can tell you are laying on something.. it's not comfy but it's still felt quite nice.

You opened your eye slowly and look around the place, groaning as you stare at the half blue and half white wall. You look at your bed and this bed looks like one of the hospital bed..... Wait hospital bed?! You instantly look around frantically where the heck are you?!

"oh you're awake!".

A gentle calm voice echoed throughout the room. That voice sounds familiar.. you turn around and saw a girl with a nurse hat and a white dress, her cream coloured hair is put in a ponytail... Barbara?!.

You stare at her unbelievably. Act cool.. act like.. like a human.. yeah!. You think to yourself. You know this girl.. this girl is the free 4 star character that you'll get once you reach a certain level. Okay y/n.. play it cool.. just act like you don't know this place.

"why.. am i here?".

You look at the girl, she seems nervous to be around you ... Which is normal maybe. She walked beside you and take a cup of empty glass beside you and pour a pitcher full of water inside the glass half full and then take them, offering the glass to you.

"you're in Mondstat.. the land of freedom.."

A/n; GOD I'm so sorry it took a long time, i hope the 'cliffhanger' makes sense...? But! Thankyou for reading! I am working on part 2 so more will be incoming!!!

[stop-breaking-my-heart-telltale]

I played mcsm when I was a very small child when it was still being released and when they released episode four and i finished it, it felt,, complete?? And then they said "hey, we're actually adding three more episodes" and as someone who had bought the season pass to this game so I wouldn't have to buy anything later I was. Pissed. Like it definitely felt like they ran out of content and realized they couldn't go on for five episodes so they decided to just make another four episode arc because of the fact that they already sold season passes. I never bought the other three episodes or played the next one <3 I was simply too bitter, even as a grade/middle schooler (I have zero concept of time, when did this game come out??)

Yes okay, so.... that's another thing about mcsm. You're right, the first storyline finishes in four episodes, but then the other four have an overarching story but with a different focus per episode. That would be fine except it's not done well. The episodes are short, the plot is uncreative and predictable, the characters are one-note, and it's childish humor is awkward and poorly delivered.

I think the only joke that I kinda liked? that I remember? is how Axel kept falling on Lukas... and that's not really a joke, just a running gag in one episode.

Like.... it's so bleh. ha ha, get it? the bomb they found is called an f-bomb.... do you get it? because Fuck. They can't say fuck. So... so it's f-bomb. Do you get it?

I get it, it's targeted at a younger audience. That's fine, I don't have a problem with that. One of my favorite games of all time is King's Quest and that has the same E rating at mcsm. Like you said, you played it when you were a very small child. When I streamed it, a lot of chat said they played it when they were younger, too.

I think what gets me is that it feels so hand-holdy, y'know? Like it's afraid to scare off it's younger audience so they play everything way too safe. And when they do kill characters off or something bad happens, it doesn't feel impactful because you're not invested, you're bored and wishing you could just play the original minecraft.

And the one death that DID make me feel something? They completely OBLITERATED the execution of it because "lol this happens in the real minecraft"........ and yes, I'm talking about Rueden turning into a hunk of meat after dying. YOU RUINED THE ONE GOOD THING. YOU HAD IT. YOU HAD ME. I FELT SOMETHING AND THEN POOF. YOU EXPECT ME TO TAKE ANYTHING YOU DO SERIOUSLY AFTER THAT?

UGH.

Anyway.... I agree, it felt like they couldn't think of a five episode story arc, but then they also wanted to do eight episodes for some fucking reason, so we get a bunch bullshit.

And here's the thing... I think a game set in a minecraft world could work. It's aesthetic isn't personally my thing but if I'm invested in the story and characters then I can overlook that.

Some of ideas presented are good. I mentioned this before, but the murder mystery episode where a bunch of youtubers I don't care about make cameos is probably the best episode in the season. The idea is fun, whodunit's are great.

The episode with PAMA started out interesting with a village of creepy people with something stuck to the back of their heads wandering around under some mine control.... but then it just turns into baby's first sci-fi where computer bad.

The gladiator's games episode should've been the most compelling of them all because it's a fucking tournament where people are stuck and forced to compete for freedom but noooooo, it's boring and I just want to be done and go home.

Ugh.... you didn't miss out on too much by not playing the other episodes, anon. Oh, and to answer your question, mcsm came out in 2015....wow.

[laughingpinecone]

ToT letter 2021

I am laughingpineapple on AO3

Hello dear author! I hope you’ll have fun with our match. Feel free to draw from general or fandom-specific likes, past letters, and/or follow your heart.

Art likes: characters doing something, even something very simple, illustrating a moment rather than abstractly posing. I also enjoy seeing them wear different clothes, getting a feel of what their fashion sense is like beyond their canon outfit(s). Or dressing them up for some outlandish AU!

Likes: worldbuilding, slice of life (especially if the event the fic focuses on is made up but canon-specific), missing moments, 5+1 and similar formats, bonding and emotional support/intimacy, physical intimacy, lingering touches, loyalty, casefic, surrealism, magical realism, established relationships, future fic, hurt/comfort or just comfort from the ample canon hurt, throwing characters into non-canon environments, banter, functional relationships between dysfunctional individuals, unexplained mysteries, bittersweet moods, journal/epistolary fic, dreams and memories and identities, canon-adjacent tropey plots, outsider POV, UST, resolved UST, exploration of secondary bits of canon, leaning on the uniqueness of the canon setting/mood, found families, characters reuniting after a long and/or harrowing time, friends-to-lovers, road trips, maps, mutual pining, cuddling, wintry moods, the feeling of flannel and other fabrics, ridiculous concepts played straight, sensory details, sickfic, places being haunted, people being haunted, the mystery of the woods, small hopes in bleak worlds, electricity, places that don’t quite add up, mismatched memories, caves and deep places, distant city lights at night, emphasis on non-human traits of non-human characters (gen-wise, but also a hearty yes xeno for applicable ships), emphasis on inhuman traits of characters who were human once and have sort of shed it all behind

DNW: non-canonical rape, non-canonical children, focus on children, unrequested ships (background established canon couples are okay, mentions of parents are okay!), canon retellings

All requests are for both fic and art!

Death Crown: Death, trick

(I haven't played the DLC yet so, alas, no demons, or no spoilers for the demons, at least) I am absolutely charmed by the overall mood of this game and would like to see something more in that vein! Anything! Got more sacred (or unholy?) geometrical architecture for Death to interact with, maybe in greater detail than just wrecking it? What else feels like a contemporary take on a Bosch painting? Can Death get lost?

Ghost Trick: Jowd, Cabanela, trick, treat

Anything focused on Cabanela being an unstoppable force (confident, untiring, sparkling, stubborn, dexterous, loyal to the bitter end, legs) and/or Jowd being an immovable object (sarcastic, strong, depressed, self-deprecating but knowing he's hot stuff, also stubborn, clever but an emotional dumbass, round). Figuring out stuff? Something in the new timeline is linked to the old timeline? Coat? Dancing? Scarves? Halloween costumes?

I like Cabanela/Jowd and Cabanela/Alma/Jowd and Cabanela/Alma in scenarios where Jowd isn't around and Alma/Jowd in general (REALLY like all these, okay. like this is the one request where I'd love the most self-indulgent shippy takes as well), and dig Lynne/Memry. Yomiel/fianSissel and Emma/JM also cool!

Hylics: any, trick, treat

(I have only played the first game so far so please no overt spoilers for Hylics 2. Feel free to include stuff from it but... stealthily, I guess?) This is an "anything that feels somewhat like canon, please" sort of request! Love the mood, love the cast, love the little added details in their menu screen. Those can be prompts? Or the oddball stats? How do ToT's trick and treat freeforms apply to Hylics' overall... hylicsness, what would those guys think constitutes a "creepy" moment or a "fluffy" one?

Not into ships for this one, however I WILL say that Dedusmuln has all the proverbial curves in the right places. mostly their face.

Kentucky Route Zero: Weaver

Math, debt, the liminal state of almost being a ghost, seeing the world with a strange clarity... just anything Weaver, please! How'd she make her way to the town? What was it like for her to be working on Xanadu for a time? What about the community broadcast! Does she have an opinion on Carrington's oeuvre? You know... things... stuff. Weaver things. and stuff.

I love the whole cast and Weaver... wove... her story through most of them so feel free to bring in whomever. Not interested in ships here though.

Paradise Killer: Lady Love Dies, trick

A post-canon glimpse of life on '''''perfect''''' 25? That's not QUITE enough class consciousness to make the whole thing work, you guys. What does 'normal' life feel like to LD now? After following Henry's case and talking to Shinji so much, can she see that it's doomed to fail again, and then what? What IS Island 25 like, anyway? (what comes after Island 25, even?)

I liked the choice of canon romances - if it has to be just one I'd prefer it to be Crimson, but I'd also be interested in seeing what a V or triad with Doom Jazz would look like. They're all so chill about stuff

Pyre: Volfred, trick, treat

Pragmatic idealist, charismatic and bad at people, pacifist, activist, physiologically incapable of shutting up for a hot second, what's there not to love... I am very into either of the following: C. Volfred Sandalwood has a fantastic day; C. Volfred Sandalwood has a terrible no good day. Everything is great! Pre-exile antiestablishmentarian antics, maybe with Bertrude? Political gambits? The very physical dangers of the Downside which may or may not catch a scholar by surprise (who saves him?)? Tree problems? Meeting Oralech for the first time and Volfred thinks he himself is hot stuff but out of the two, Oralech is clearly the VIP? Feeling like he should live up to Lu Sclorian's legacy but he feels much closer to other Scribes (and what does Lu have to say about it, one way or another?)? The thrilling intimacy of Reading? The thrilling intimacy of lowercase reading also, maybe reading old manuscripts found in the Downside?

I very much ship him with Tariq and/or Oralech. The only canon ship I like is Hedwyn/Fikani. I also like Soliam/Gol, Bertrude/Pamitha and Celeste/Jodariel. Love all the Nightwings + Dalbert (+Deluge...?); love to dunk on Manley, Brighton and Lendel (I don't enjoy flat-out bashing, more like... I enjoy the way they are portrayed as horrible gremlins in canon and if they turn up in fic I'm not interested in more positive portrayals)

Signs of the Sojourner: Rhea, Elias, trick, treat

Once again pretty much an "anything in the style of canon" request. I love this setting, its themes and all the little lives that fill it. I am interested in a wide range of postcanon scenarios and love the whole cast - does Rhea come back to $town any number of years down the line and find $character? How'd their storyline end up in the medium-long term? What the hell is up with the Stranger (seriously, three runs and I never managed to speak with them, I have no idea)? What's life like for Elias back home, or in a new home if they can't keep the store, or if Rhea landed the Oscar ending or whatever (just, please, not dead Rhea. I love that ending but can't stand to consider what it'd do to Elias)? Or does he join the caravan just once? Who did Rhea grow to really like and can't wait to see every time? Any ghost stories or creepy encounters on the caravan's route? Does Thunder help?

I'm neutral on ships here - good with Rhea&Elias, good with background Rhea/Elias but I wouldn't like a romantic focus.

Totally Normal Wizard Apprentice: apprentice, wizard, master, trick, treat

(conflict of interest disclaimer, I illustrated this but didn't write nor nominate it) What awaits the apprentice outside the wizard's tower? It sounds like a pretty wild moon out there, I loved all the worldbuilding hints of the bigger setting. Does the wizard keep track of the apprentice, with her telescope or otherwise, and how does she take care of her ruined parlor? Was this all some sort of 5d chess on the master's part, and if so to what end? And what kind of otherworldly patience does this man possess, anyway, to handle the apprentice on a daily basis?

Twin Peaks: Margaret, Diane, Lucy, Tammy, trick, treat

(bass-boosted ethereal whooshing) For tricks, I would like to see any of these characters face the woods, the mystery of the woods, and/or a new symbol of your liking. Or: Margaret in the city, Diane and the moon, Lucy and the color blue, Tammy incognito.

For treats, a happy meeting. I love the whole cast and I'm always thrilled by gonzo "&" pairings, bring in whomever! Coffee and pie? The Bookhouse Boys? A kinder aspect of the woods?

Fandom-specific notes: love s3, love the books too. I like Lucy/Andy, Margaret/Sam fwiw, and rarepairs Tammy/Cynthia and Diane/Constance. Please no Fireman's-house-is-the-white-lodge, no Twin Perfect, no Judy-was-destroyed (nor is destroyable).

Arcade Spirits: Percy, Teo, treat

More than anything, I love the sense of group and camaraderie among the arcade's staff and regulars, and I'd love to see some more of it. I picked Percy and Teo 'cause they're my faves but anyone you may want to add, up to and including Sue, is very very welcome. Is there any aspect of gaming that feels like it could be adapted to this strange world of contemporary arcades? Cosplay shenanigans for everyone courtesy of Ashley? Any other activity that could show how Percy and/or Teo get along with the others, like they were all forming little groups during the beach chapter? It's such a feel-good canon, any feel-good situation would be great!

My Ari is with Percy but I'm not really interested in shipping here. All sorts of friendships though!

[takerfoxx]

Magia Record, Season 1, Episode Five, First Impressions!

So. I’ve talked at length about coming into this show already with a weird bias for...reasons. I’ve discussed the various problems it has with its pacing and the lack of depth of its characters in comparison to the original show. I’ve pointed out the many, many issues that would naturally arise from adapting a mobile RPG into a short anime season. And I’ve said that while the final product is probably as good as it could be, it’s still really nothing to write home about, especially considering the franchise’s legacy. It’s like the name says: this is a side story, a fun world-building distraction.

And then we get to this episode, and...

Seriously though, what a great episode! I honestly can’t think of anything negative to say about, so I’ll just keep listing positives.

First, there’s the direction, which has been the one thing that’s been consistently great throughout the show, but it was especially on point here. The visuals during the Seance Shrine fight were incredibly creepy in that wonderfully surreal way that I always loved from PMMM, and the shrine itself was an outstanding setting. Iroha’s witch transformation was downright horrifying in all the best ways, and when her witch went HAM (more on that later), I had my heart in my throat. Like, holy shit! What the fuck is happening?

The conversations with fake Ui and fake Mifuyu were superb as well. Another thing I’d like to praise here is how the writers have really nailed conveying a lot of information while only doing a little. Without beating us over the head with it, we learned so much about our two main leads. First, the fake UI could only repeat the phrase we saw her saying in Iroha’s dream, about how magical girls can be saved if they come to Kamihami City. BECAUSE THAT’S ALL IROHA REMEMBERS HER EVER DOING! That one dream is literally all Iroha has of Ui, so that was all the Seance Shrine was able to take from her memories! The shrine constructs its bait literally through its prey’s memories.

The conversation with the fake Mifuyu also told us a lot about her and Yachiyo’s relationship, as did that very brief flashback. “Don’t you want to become an adult?” That one line broke my heart immediately, and it also told us that Mifuyu and Yachiyo knew what witches really are, and Mifuyu was seeking a way to save them from their fate when she disappeared. The fake Mifuyu’s monologue was much more detailed than that of the fake Ui, because here the Seance Shrine had a feast of memories to work with. And all the little details just served to further demonstrate how much Mifuyu meant to Yachiyo, especially that bit about the coffee cups. I guess she, Yachiyo, and Tsuruno were a team until Mifuyu’s disappearance caused a falling out? Regardless, even though we already know that the Mifuyu is probably a fake, she creates enough doubt in both us and Yachiyo that her “death” hits hard, and it’s clear that it completely tears Yachiyo up inside.

And of course that’s when the Seance Shrine witch (or whatever the rumors are) shows up, and...um...THAT whole thing happened.

It was pretty funny, looking back on my response to what happened to Iroha. Like, at first I was like, “Holy shit, that was crazy! Her witch just tore that thing up? But how did she come back? Doesn’t that contradict a lot of what we already know? I don’t really care for weird new concepts, so I don’t know how I feel about this.” It wasn’t until the after credits scene when the same thing happened to Kaede and it finally dawned on me, and I felt a little stupid for not realizing it earlier. 

THEY’RE DOPPELS! THOSE ARE THE DOPPEL SUMMONS FROM THE GAME!

You know, I never really was sure how I felt about the Doppels. They made sense from a gameplay standpoint, but I always felt that they caused a lot of problems in the overall lore, and wasn’t sure how the show would adapt them, or if it even should. But the way they did it, by making them seem like these horrifying, terrible things that leave the user scared and confused out of their minds was perhaps the best way to do it, and okay, now I’m on board the Doppel train. That was awesome.

But we can’t talk about awesome without going over what happened next, because just as we’re still reeling from having an awful lot thrown at us, the show gives us a gift, two magical words.

TRIO FINALE!

Mami makes her full appearance, and though her scene is short, it’s fucking great. We get to see her in her badass, take no shit veteran persona from the OG show’s second episode, and it drives home quite a lot. First, that Mami is an awesome character and I love getting to see her again. Second, that she really has no idea about what witches are. I mean, we already knew that, but her confusion over Iroha really laid it bare. Third, her words to Tsuruno also told us that Yachiyo has even more going on than we already suspected. She’s hiding something, and whether it’s the whole witch business or something else remains to be seen. It’s the Homura mystery all over again, but just different enough to be it’s own thing.

And then Iroha wakes up at Yachiyo’s place, and we get a nice tension releaser. It’s honestly a very sweet scene, though the show doesn’t stop with its little bits of visual information. Honestly, I love how good they’ve gotten at using the visuals to clue the viewer into what’s going on. We see that yes, Yachiyo does still have the coffee cups, and it’s actually Mifuyu’s room she brought Iroha to, a major indicator at how their relationship is going to change, and given what franchise this is, that can either be a good thing or a bad thing. Yachiyo is still too much of a mystery to really tell, but this episode really gave us a lot to chew on.

And speaking of visual storytelling and direction, can I take the moment to praise the pacing? It’s been rocky in the past, but in this case, I felt that every scene was exactly as long as it needed to be, happened exactly when it should, and conveyed exactly what it needed to. So much happened, but the writing was so tight that it kept me hooked from beginning to end.

And lol Iroha. “I have to go to school! Oh...it’s Saturday.” Been there.

...

Goddamn, what a great episode! I mean, sure, it could all go to shit in the future, but this is the first time I couldn’t wait for the next episode to come out. Ten outta ten, well done. 

[tonystarktogo]

In celebration of my birthday *yay, I’m getting old*, here’s the second part of An Unwise Murder (An Inconvenient Survival). It’s only half of the chapter, but once I’ve finished it (which will hopefully be tonight although no promises cause I’m spending a lot of time with my family today) I’ll post the full version on AO3 as well.

*

Part II

Tony pours himself a glass of lukewarm coca cola on autopilot. It tastes disgusting, but that doesn’t stop him from swallowing it all down in one go. He should probably put the glass down afterwards, except that’s easier said than done when his hands clutch the fragile cup so hard, his fingers ache. Still better than watching them shake and tremble though.

Maybe it’s a remnant of being raised as the heir of the leading company in one of the most cutthroat industries. Maybe it’s just a byproduct of being the son of Maria Carbonell. Either way, Tony has learned the value of good pokerface early in life. It’s going to take more than some stranger appearing out of nowhere with ominous declarations to shake his composure. Particularly considering Mystery Guy has the guts to introduce himself as James. 

James. Of all the fake names he could have picked, seriously. The least he could’ve done is put a bit of effort into the pretense. Tony wants to snort, make a stupid James Bond quip, except—

Steve is dead.

Tony doesn’t know what to do with that information. His mind is racing into five different directions at breakneck speed and simultaneously shies away from the terrible, inevitable conclusion that rests at the center of it all. The implications of what Wannabe-Bond [who, by the way, is glowering suspiciously at Tony from where he’s leaning against the wall on the other side of the kitchen, the best vantage point to keep an eye on all windows and the door, and is apparently incapable of understanding why Tony might need a goddamn minute] has oh so casually announced — and, more tellingly, what he hasn’t said — are staggering. 

"Want some?" Tony gestures jerkily towards the open bottle of coca cola. Never let it be said that his mother didn’t drill some basic manners into him, whether the situation calls for it or not.

00-Copy-Cat shakes his head, which suits Tony just fine. He’s not in the mood to share.

Officially, Tony barely knows Steve Rogers. [And fuck, it’s knew now, isn’t it, no, no, don’t think about it—] They ran into each other twice, once accidentally, once on purpose. Both times they spent more time arguing than agreeing on things. Both times left Tony feeling raw and tired, a little bit like he’d just barely escaped a violent death.

Officially. Such a nice, convenient, little word, isn’t it? The grounds you can cover with that kind of safety blanket are truly astonishing. 

Tony takes a sip from his drink, is reminded that the glass is already empty, and promptly grabs the whole bottle instead. Lukewarm cola is disgusting, but it’s still sugar and caffeine — the magical combination, in this case. Tony has no illusions about his odd visitor: He’s going to need all the energy he can get if he wants to make it through the next forty-eight hours intact. That he’s got what is quite possibly a real-life assassin watching over his shoulder, screaming murderous aggression from his every pore, is doing wonders for Tony’s ability to stay calm and focused.

Not.

Anyone asks about me, don’t trust them. Anyone searches for me, lie. Don’t say anything, don’t admit anything, don’t imply anything. If they don’t think you useless, they’ll convince themselves you’re a threat. Do you understand? Steve’s voice whispers into his ear, low and serious and so irritatingly commanding that Tony wants to turn around and punch him in his stupid, white teeth.

But since he’s currently in the company of a more volatile version of Steve — something Tony didn’t know was possible — who looks like he might eat aspiring serial killers for breakfast, that’s probably not his best idea.

“Alright,” Tony says eventually, mostly to himself. “Steve’s dead. Shit happens.” Move on and adapt, is what is father used to tell him. These circumstances probably aren’t what the old man had in mind, but Tony has underestimated Howard before. The man has his fingers in a lot of pies, some of which the general public doesn’t even know the existence of. If Tony was three years younger and two times more paranoid, he’d suspect this to be another attempt by dear old dad to show him "the error of his way". Although not even Howard Stark would kill off Steve Rogers just to prove a point.

Probably.

Tony turns around and looks Wannabe-Bond straight in the eyes. [He’s lied to Maria Stark’s face, okay. This is nothing.] They’re a very pretty shade of blue, there’s no denying that. That doesn’t change the fact that it would really suck if those eyes were the last thing Tony ever sees though. He’s too young to die. He’s got things to do, people to annoy. Not to mention Pepper would murder him if he got himself killed before the whole mess with his inheritance is sorted out.

“That doesn’t explain why you’re here." As far as questions go, it’s an implied, roundabout way of asking. The kind that raises Tony’s hackles — as well as the spiteful child inside him — and makes him snipe back viciously in response. Despite that Tony can’t bring himself to ask the far more direct 'Why are you here?' out loud.

It helps that he really, really doesn’t want to know.

Wannabe-Bond stares at Tony with a blank expression that gives nothing away. It’s creepy as fuck, Tony’s not gonna lie. Like staring at a lifelike puppet and half-expecting it to start moving any moment now, even though you know damn well it shouldn’t. 

Double-0-Leather takes a measured step towards him. Then another. “How much do you know about Steve?” he asks in that gravely voice that makes Tony want to lecture him on the dangers of smoking. Totally not helpful right now, but it’s always good to know that, despite all evidence to the contrary, Tony has been listening to Pepper’s lectures. 

Not that he actually lectures Mister Tall, Dark and Murderous. Tony has some sense of self-preservation, thank you very much.

“I know seven different Steves. You’re gonna have to be more specific."

Alright, maybe not that much. In all fairness though, everyone who knows Tony knows he doesn't handle fear well. He just doesn’t. His fight or flight response is broken beyond repair — or so Rhodey likes to mutter under his breath when he pretends to be the reasonable adult he definitely isn’t and Tony has done something Improbably Stupid™ again — and it’s moments like these when it shows.

To his surprise, Wannabe-Bond snorts. It might have been a trick of light, but Tony could’ve sworn he sees the beginnings of a grin there for a second. Huh. Are assassins allowed to have a sense of humor?

“Fun as this might be-” Wannabe-Bond takes a hold of both of Tony’s shoulders, looming straight into his face now, and, nope, Tony doesn’t like that at all, he’s fond of his personal space, okay, this totally isn’t cool because he’s made Steve a promise and Tony keeps his damn promises — no matter what stupid, self-righteous Steve might think — and Tony really isn’t sure how well he’s going to hold up under torture, that is so not his specialty.

“Are you even listening?” the Man in Black snaps suddenly, in the middle of what is undoubtedly a lengthy, well-delivered threat. It’s the impatience in his tone more than the words themselves that jerk Tony out of his internal rambling.

“Not really?” he blurts out, then immediately regrets it when Double-0-Lame-o’s expression darkens even more.

“Listen carefully!” the guy grinds out between his teeth with the barely restrained violence of a panther on the prowl. "I don’t have the time or patience to play nice right now. This isn’t the time for games. Because I’m not Steve and no one’s gonna look twice if some mouthy civvie disappears." Tony does not shrink into himself — he’s been trained better than that, and it’s not true anyways, Pepper and Rhodey would raise hell in the wake of his disappearance— but, damn it, he really, really wants to. 

“We’re compromised," Agent McGrizzly continues with glacial calm. "Someone from the inside betrayed Steve. And you’re going to find the rat. I don’t care how, you’re gonna get it done or I’m gonna use you as a demonstration for what will happen to them when I catch them, got it?”

Tony swallows. Wannabe-Bond hasn’t raised his voice even once. Has spoken barely louder than a heated whisper. Somehow that makes him all the more terrifying.

“And how exactly—” Tony croaks, immediately clears his throat and continues without pause, "How exactly am I supposed to do that?"

Because even when he ignores every command Steve has given him — and there’s a certain delight in that knowledge, not gonna lie — even if he believes this stranger with a handsome face and murder instead of tears in his eyes, even if he wanted to — which he doesn’t because Tony Stark doesn’t help people out of the goodness of his cold, black heart — that still leaves him with a grieving madman sprouting conspiracy theories and nothing else to go on.

Tony expects many things in response to his very legitimate question. The USB stick Suit-Without-The-Suit throws at his face isn’t among them. Luckily, he’s got fast reflexes. Evading DUM-E’s claws whenever he’s trying to help because he’s fallen in love with yet another car is one hell of a training exercise.

The stick is unremarkable in all the ways that matter. A black, plastic casing. Nothing to see there, it screams at anyone who might care to listen. Tony stares at the small, outdated piece of technology in the palm of his hand for a long moment. Then, slowly, like a cat stretching before its next nap, he smiles.

"You should’ve led with that."

Sleep is for the weak anyways.

(tbc)

[eisforeidolon]

Episode: Atomic Monsters

I watched this at least a week ago, but just didn't get around to rewriting my notes into a post 'til now.  I did actually find this the best episode so far, but lets be real, that's such a low bar to clear at this point it says basically nothing.

The opening sequence is really fun!  I found the whole thing genuinely enjoyable, both the action itself and that it included exactly the kind of return cameo I can actually get behind.  No retcons or resurrections that make death somehow even cheaper or ruin the original finish to the character's story!  Not even to mention that, instead of existing just for the sheer fanservice of it?  A sequence like this is actively improved by giving us a familiar face we have investment in to keep it from being all just random unfamiliar cannon fodder getting offed.

Unfortunately, this isn't the rousing endorsement it could be when we know that both expanding to a big action sequence and bringing Benny back for it were actually Jensen's ideas.  Not even to mention that the thing which really works best in the episode?  It's the dream sequence that's not actually connected to anything else and doesn't have to worry about continuity to work. This is my surprised face.

I enjoyed the exchange between Sam and Dean in the kitchen.  The meat man conversation over the bacon was rather silly, but in a fun way. I've seen some people reading things into it (it's insulting Dean doesn't know the slang, Sam is randomly vegetarian now) that I didn't really see there.  I did appreciate how Sam was weirdly jumpy and had trouble meeting Dean's eyes after the creepy alternate world dream.  I thought it worked really well for both slice-of-life and Sam’s reaction.

In terms of the Winchester's case, well, for the most part it could have been worse.  I don't honestly believe even if I hadn't been spoiled that I wouldn't have immediately suspected the parents from their introductory exchange about how Billy playing in the big game was more important than a cheerleader's death.  I think it was supposed to be a retroactive subtle clue, but it was more of a clue-by-four.  So the “mystery” of tracking down the monster was pretty lost on me.  I did like that the one girl having braces was a clue!  But I also thought the scene with her rehearsing her speech on a live mic in an empty auditorium was weird and contrived.  I straight out cannot forgive that a girl was literally abducted from the school campus and NOBODY checked the security footage near her car fucking IMMEDIATELY well before Sam & Dean.  C'mon.  Then, of course, a couple random middle-aged suburbanite humans get the drop on Sam and Dean, because Dabbernatural really just loves to make them incompetent so plots happen.

Then the big reveal and blah blah blah, kid accidentally ate his girlfriend.  WHAT WERE WE SUPPOSED TO DO???  Um, maybe try not being scumbags?  Idiotic scumbags at that, abducting a second girl from their son's own school instead of somebody that wouldn't be missed or even, hey, maybe encouraging him to try harder not to eat people.  Don't try to sell me on this pseudo hallmark 'but they just love him so much' bullshit.  At least the kid has more self-awareness and conscience than his fuckwad parents.  

Then we get to the infuriating character assassination part of the programme.  Having Sam and Dean say that they'd do the same thing as the dad for Jack their “son”?  Fuck you very much, show.  I could maybe, maybe, see Sam or Dean kidnapping and draining the life out of an innocent to save the other at their most desperate worst.  Though I think the only time they even really get close to that kind of an actively, knowingly evil choice is with Doc Benton.  Not only do I not buy for a second that they would do that for the totally-really-their-actual-child-for-reasons albatross Dabbernatural has shoehorned into their lives?  Struggling to do the right thing even when it hurts used to actually mean something – it was always a very important qualifier that while Sam or Dean might make that choice, the other would not let them.  So having them both agree this kind of straight up villainy would be a-okay for oh-so-totally-loveable-no-really-woobie-blob Jack ...

Like carelessly assassinating every human in the BMoL headquarters, it fundamentally fails to understand what it is that keeps Sam and Dean from being the monsters.  Hint: it's not just that the show centers around them.  “We do the ugly thing so that people can live happy” - these moronic hacks seem to be actually trying to parallel Sam and Dean saving innocent victims and the world to human monsters that were going to selfishly help their son eat his way through the entire goddamn cheerleading squad.  Am I getting this wrong somehow?  Is there some other, less appalling, reading here that I'm missing? This whole scene honestly made me nauseous.

They talkity-talk on for a while longer, but it's really not much better.  Sam declaring that God was totally done with them was the writers putting those words in his mouth based on nothing.  At it’s very best, it was Sam’s bad habit of convincing himself conclusions he’s come to are true because he wants them to be.  So them both just deciding to believe it's true after Chuck has admitted to orchestrating their entire lives … I'm not sure if we should conclude the Winchesters have brain damage or if that's just the writers.  Especially when the underlying reason for it is nothing more compelling than , “Watch the Winchesters see-saw on the angst fulcrum completely at random!  Yay!”  If this was actually well written, there would be some precipitating reason for Sam to suddenly be the one being all fatalistic while Dean is accepting.  Instead, the writers  just slap some coin-flipped angst angst angst on the page and meander on in a supposedly forward direction.

So then there's the other half of the episode, the Becky storyline. Am I the only one a little disturbed that Becky's first reaction to seeing Chuck was to look scared and try to run away?  Like, they're exes and all, sure, but she doesn't know any of the god stuff yet – I think the only thing she even says about their breakup is that Chuck dumped her.  Is that reaction supposed to be yet another bit of “new canon” showing how Chuck was just that terrible all along? But then she does let him in, so maybe we're just supposed to take it as Becky still having a tendency towards dramatics?  I honestly don't know, but it was weird to me.  

I do genuinely love that they had Becky go to therapy and realize just how absolutely fucked up what she'd done was and ultimately sort herself out to become someone who seems to be a well-balanced adult. A well balanced adult that didn't have to give up being a fan for that!  Seriously, kudos to the writers for this, because 7.08 is such a loathsome episode that otherwise ruins Becky as a character.   Though I do have to nitpick a bit – while I get that they wanted to put SPN merch in Becky's home as a callout to her still being a superfan?   In the show's universe, Chuck's books were never that popular, so I'm having some suspension of disbelief issues that there would be Funkos for them.  We could pretend they were customs, but she's got at least one Impala, so even that doesn't quite work.  I'm not entirely sure who “people only want them sitting around doing laundry anyway” is a dig at, but I'm giving it the side eye.  

I also am not entirely sure what to make of Chuck's whole no one needs me I kinda hate me I'm all lost and don't know what to doooooo shtick.  Is this a game he's playing?  Is he really that wishy-washy? Did some of Dabb's sad internal monologue as showrunner somehow end up in a script by accident?  

He goes on like that and laments he's lost the Winchester's trust and had words with them or whatever, and then he zaps Becky and her family away at the end.  Like, if he cared enough about Becky to care about her opinion, why does he turn on her, too, just like that?  I guess we're supposed to see it as him having found his mojo in her space and vanishing her because taking over her space that's working for him currently is his latest whim.  I suppose they're intending to show Chuck as just being that capricious and flighty, but I don't know that it works for me.  The way they've been writing him he's acting so randomly and impulsively that it's kind of unbelievable he can even sit still at a keyboard long enough to write another Sam and Dean installment.  Again, I definitely find it unbelievable that the Chuck they're giving us now would be capable of playing the long game that he would have had to for him to be actively behind everything.  Until he suddenly got impatient and lazy and popped up in the cemetery at the end of the last finale ... for reasons … and is now just … like that … because.

Not to mention that his powers are, big shock, just as arbitrary as everyone else's in the current show.  He can't actually see what is happening to Sam and Dean because of the bullet sapping his power or whatever, but we're supposed to be worried about the ominous ending he's writing for them because … he's got those god powers to make it happen, I guess?  Uh...

I will grant that the ominous bobbing of Sam and Dean Funkos' heads to Chuck's furious typing was a wonderfully foreboding shot to end on.  

[heartschoicegames]

Heart’s Choice Author Interview: RoAnna Sylver, “Dawnfall”

Find true love and family with a pirate crew at the ends of the universe, where aliens, ghosts, and portals open the space between worlds...and your heart. You are a Navigator, one who creates and guards portals from one dimension to another, wary of the liminal sea between them.

Your universe is made of two worlds: one contains the magic-infused world of Zephyria, and the other, the dystopian space station Eclipse. The worlds are balanced, until one day, an explosive disaster, a deadly energy storm, and an infamous pirate—the Ghost Queen—upend your life and plunge you into a race to save both worlds.

Dawnfall is a 232,000 word interactive romance novel by RoAnna Sylver,  one of the first set of games releasing with the launch of Heart’s Choice. I sat down with the author, RoAnna Sylver, to talk about writing interactive romance. Heart’s Choice games release December 2nd.

Dawnfall has frankly an insanely wonderful setting for a romance game. Tell me about the aliens, the pirates, the ghosts, and the alien-pirate-ghosts.

Hi there! I’m so glad you think this sounds fun! Yeah, Dawnfall is weird as heck, and that’s one of the things I love about this story. It’s weird in a way I don’t think we’ve seen much of before. I really just tried to put in everything I find fun or interesting, and that I’ve always wanted to write. Dawnfall started out as a total brain-candy project, and runs on pure Rule of Cool. Pirates? Yes. Magic? Yes. A slice of cyberpunk? Hell yes. Eerie ghosts and faerie-tale influences and memory-sharing potions? Giant bird people? The power of rock n’roll? Yes, yes, yes.

And also everybody’s dateable, and in a couple cases, dating each other. We weave a tangled web, but I think it’s a pretty badass and spectacular web.

You seem to really neatly straddle the genre fence here with a romance and sci-fi/fantasy. What was challenging about cramming all of that into one game?

Thank you so much for saying that. I’ve always adored SFF, and there’s so much in this genre-collection, so many extremes and concepts and contrasting colors, that I couldn’t limit myself to picking just one to play with. This weird game-book is kind of a love letter to fantasy and science fiction and haunted house stories and cyberpunk adventures—I thought a lot about the Disney movie Treasure Planet for its genre-blending beauty, and the Bioware game Mass Effect for its array of fascinating, multidimensional alien cuties to interact with and date… and then turned it up to eleven.

I guess you’d expect the challenge to be in making it all fit together/be “believable,” but I kind of threw that out the window. I don’t expect anyone to find it ‘realistic’ (setting-wise anyway; I tried to make every character ring true of course), and I don’t really care if someone thinks it’s silly, or doesn’t take it seriously. It is silly in a lot of ways. DAWNFALL is a giant ridiculous queer space magic pirate adventure, and the only goal is fun. If you have fun, I’ve done my job, and there should be something fun in here for everyone.

Did you have a favorite NPC you enjoyed writing most?

Honestly I love them all so much in different ways, and I know them so well by now it’s really second nature. Their voices come so easily and they’re all so much fun. The Queen’s swagger is awesome though, and her mental voice/mannerisms probably come through especially clearly. I love Zenith’s vulnerable moments when xie lets xir guard down and lets go of the need to entertain or please. I love Averis’s journey and growth from cute wibbly nerd to a confident swashbuckler (who is also still a cute wibbly nerd). I love how deeply Oz feels, how strongly he loves and remembers and honors memory, and how unafraid he is to show softness and warmth. And I love a certain spoilery ghost-babe and how they’re so full of joy at the beauty of life.

I do want to give special mention to Aeon, though. This is a story about connection, and I wanted to show that sibling bonds are every bit as important and strong as romantic or any other. I also wanted to show a complex, multidimensional antagonist figure who holds heartbreaking secrets along with authority, and is genuinely trying to do what she thinks is the best thing, and wants what’s best for you, the PC, even if you might not always agree. Her balance between being so emotionally guarded and determined and unyielding, while hopefully being extremely easy to read and tell what she wants and fears and loves—spoiler: you; she loves you!—was a challenge I hope I pull off.

…Also I enjoy any time Vyranix gets his pompous feathered ass handed to him. I think we all know a Vyranix, or at least of one, and it’s always fun to take them down, even in fantasy.

Who would you be romancing as a player?

I’m gonna say “everyone,” and here it won’t actually be cheating, because you can romance everyone! At once! In varying degrees/relationship dynamics and attractions. You don’t see a lot of polyamory-friendly games or books or anything really, and this is an incredibly important thing for me. The second I got the idea for Dawnfall I knew it had to let players romance anyone they wanted and show polyamory in a realistic, healthy light. I’m also a-spec (asexual and aromantic), and having not just good representation but being actively included and welcomed and celebrated in fiction is so huge too.

Dawnfall is a romance of course, being part of Heart’s Choice, but one of the single most vital elements for me is making it inclusive for aromantic and asexual players and player-characters. Essentially, I wanted to write a romance that didn’t penalize players for not experiencing the attractions the way we’re otherwise expected or required—and I’m so grateful that my amazing editors and community not only accepted but supported everything I was trying to do here. (It’s so refreshing not to have to fight for inclusion and freedom. It shouldn’t be, but it is.)

And that’s where the concept of “Heart-Stars” and “Same-Feathers” came from. I’ve never seen anything honor queerplatonic relationships like I’m trying to do here, and I want everyone, of every sexuality and attraction, to feel like they have a place here and can experience this adventure without limits. And I wanted to show that it’s a very normal thing, hence this being the same for the human characters as well as alien. (One of the nonbinary characters being human is also no mistake. I love me some wild alien genders, but there are tons of awesome nonbinary humans too!)

…That being said, I think I gave Averis most of my anxiety-issues, and would really just like to curl up with Oz and watch The Great British Bake-Off. That sounds like a perfect night in my books.

What were some of the things you found surprising about the game-writing process?

Coding was definitely the biggest learning curve. I’d never coded anything before in my life, and it’s such a new skillset to learn, entirely different from any kind of writing I’ve ever done. Sometimes it felt rewriting my brain, which did not at all do this intuitively—and also sometimes like I bit off much more than I could chew (first game ever being not only a huge piece of interactive fiction, but a polyamorous romance with aro and ace possibilities, and so many more variables than expected!), but it’s been worth it. Entirely. If my writing makes anyone feel seen and accepted and invited to have fun as they are, it’s worth every bit of struggle.

Also, oddly, interactive fiction is in some ways easier for me than writing a plain old book! Probably because I love AUs so much, and every choice in a game is like writing a tiny AU of the story, so I get to do the same scenes several different ways. My ADHD-brain finds something about this extremely satisfying, most likely because it somehow feels more like multitasking! Several stories in one, and if I like two ideas, I don’t have to pick just one to write!

Honestly though, I think the most surprising part is just being done, and…that I could do this at all. It was so huge, and took so long, and I learned so much, and every day I’m just kind of going “who the hell am I?” about doing all of this. I’m proud of it. I did a cool thing. And trying to get better at saying that.

And, what are you working on now?

I always have about 8 active projects going at once (which shouldn’t come as a surprise after last question!), but my next interactive fiction game is with Tales/Fable Labs! It’s shaping up to be a Dawnfall-sized project, but a little faster-moving and action-y.

It’s called Every Beat Belongs To You, and it’s a romantic thriller that feels like Twin Peaks meets Mr. Robot, with a smattering of Repo: The Genetic Opera. A creepy Pacific Northwest town with a secret (and a rash of ritualized murders), a super-slick medical research company whose flagship product is a 100% perfect synthetic heart, a mysterious new-age group, and a sister who went missing just before discovering how it’s all connected. Also five simultaneously-dateable (including ace and aro ships!) cuties of varying genders! Who will you trust with your heart?

I’m very excited about Everybeat, which should be just as queer, polyam, exciting, and weird as all my stuff! Aside from that, I’m working on Stake Sauce Book 2, its companion f/f vampire series Death Masquerade, and Chameleon Moon Book 3. I’m not always working…sometimes there are videogames, and sleep. But I really hope to have a lot more fun things to share soon!

Oh, and depending on how this weird, fun thing goes, I do have some ideas for prequel Dawnfall stories; maybe games, maybe books, but the ideas are there. The world—worlds, really—is so huge, and I’m not done playing in it yet! I also have some character art drawn, and I want to do a lot more of them. It’s another way to show love.

So thank you so much! I really hope Dawnfall is as fun to everyone to read/play as it was for me to write. I can’t wait to share it with you!

[kokichi-and-co-imagine-blog]

To everyone: what would your Pokemon teams be and why?

Oh good god.

Well… this is going to get complicated. At least from me.

Let’s start with assuming no legendary Pokemon. Makes life a bit easier. Of course only a bit.

So… first off a lot of this depends on generation and limit. If you’re asking for a full team that I would have with rotations and stuff, we’re looking at… probably close to 10 full teams of 6, maybe even more.

In my defense, I’m a major Pokemon fan and I really really like a lot of them.

Of course, if we’re going to cut down the team to a more manageable six which can be from any region/gen, but only one from each region/gen to keep things interesting and varied… well, it would depend on a lot of things, including mood and such, so if one were to ask me this question again it would likely change. But, here would be, as I feel right now, the team I would use if I was limited to only six, one per region/gen.

1: Lucario. I’ve been a fan of this guy for so so long, ever since it was first introduced. I loved Lucario and the mystery of Mew as a kid (still kinda do). The whole concept behind aura is amazing. One’s spiritual energy/life force/ soul being utilized in combat? Being able to sense others and see without seeing? So awesome. Lucario is just SO. FREAKING. COOL. It’s design is wonderful as well. Jackel/Anubis? Yes please. Plus, I’ve been maining Lucario in Smash Bros. ever since Brawl. You better believe it’s making my team.

2: Tyranitar. Is it probably the weakest pseudo legendary when it comes to typing? Yes. Do I care? No. Tyranitar is BA. First, it’s one of the only two pseudo’s to not be a dragon. Yes, 8 regions, 9 pseudo’s, and only 2 are not dragons. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some dragons. But… variety would be nice, you know? But yeah, not a dragon, still awesome. It’s Godzilla for crying out loud! Plus, its design is just so good. It’s simple but perfect. It’s a giant Lizard creature that could fell mountains. It doesn’t need to be complicated, and is perfectly awe-inspiring and terrifying without being complicated. I also used a Tyranitar in my Ultra Sun playthrough, a male one named Typhon, Man was he fun to use.

3: Golisopod. Listen, if a Pokemon is good enough for YOUR BOI GUZMA to use it on his team, you know it’s a good pokemon. It’s the Alola take on Gyarados and Milotic (weak pathetic first stage with few moves  and while those two do have a slightly higher BST, that ain’t enough to keep my boy Golisopod down. Golisopod’s design is just so good. An Isopod mixed with a Samurai? Sign me right up thank you. It mixes the creepy crawly aesthetic of the bug type with the strong proud samurai perfectly and I love it. And yeah, sure Emergency Exit can be kind of annoying, but it allows you a second usage of First Impression. That is worth it. Also, it’s shiny is dope.

4: Toxtricity. Part of building a team means keeping in mind type composition. I love Grimmsnarl dearly and equally, if not more so, but I already have one Dark-type on the team, so Toxtricity manages to bag this spot. At least, for now considering my current mood. Ask me again tomorrow, or even in an hour, my answer may very well change. Anyway, Toxtricity itself. When I fist saw the design, I wasn’t entirely sure how I felt. It was… interesting to say the least, but I couldn’t figure out what I was looking at, or what it was supposed to be. But after some more time with it, learning more about it and using one I can say that Toxtricity is easily one of my new favorites. Quite possibly my absolute fave from Gen 8. A punk lizard that plays music? Rock/Metal? HECK. YES. The form change is also pretty nice. The stats don’t change between the two, but I honestly like it that way. Just the idea that more energetic natures would have an ‘Amped Up’ form based on an electric guitar while the more mellow natures would have a ‘Lowkey’ one based on a bass is ingenious. Same with the movepool changes. It makes sense that the different forms with their different music preference would have different moves. (My personal fave is the Amped Up, especially with its shiny colors.) Plus, an electric posion type? SO. COOL. Who cares about 4x weak to earthquake, this thing is boss! And Punk Rock is an amazing ability.

5: Flygon. Man oh man was Flygon treated poorly. Added in Gen 3 as a solid pokemon, but with a better attack stat than a special attack one. True, not bad in it of itself but before the Special/Physical split, ALL Dragon-type moves were special. Meaning Dragon Claw, a solid dragon type move back in Gen 3, wasn’t yet a physical move. And Outrage wasn’t even something Flygon could learn yet (it wouldn’t be until Gen 7 that it became a TM). Then came gen 4. Now, I love gen 4. I truly do. It is by far my favorite Gen. And it did do something very good for Flygon. It gave the special/physical split, allowing some Dragon type moves to now be physical as well. But you know what else came along? Garchomp. Honestly, I like Garchomp, I do. But suddenly here we are with a new Dragon/Ground type that is a pseudo-legendary? My poor poor Flygon. And it didn’t get any better. I mean seriously, give Mewtwo and Charizard two megas but none to Flygon? WHILE GIVING ONE TO GARCHOMP WHO DIDN’T NEED IT AND WAS ITS BIGGEST COMPETITION?! Why Game Freak? Why?Anyway, mini-rant aside, I love Flygon. The design is incredible. The line is based on an antlion and is so cool. That sweet green design and the little lenses over the eyes? Perfect, just perfect. Plus, it has some sweet lore. Appearing in sandstorms with haunting music coming from its wings? Yes please. Beautiful pokemon that was done such disservices. It’s a shame really. With Megas gone, Flygon will likely never get that final boost it needs. Though considering it is in Galar while Garchomp isn’t… maybe Flygon will have a chance to shine again. (A shame though that it will never get to have a type change to Bug Dragon. Would be sick.) Regardless of the future though, Flygon will always have a place in my heart, and in my team. 

6: Zoroark. Yeah, I know what I said about team composition above with Toxtricity and Grimmsnarl. But  I also pointed out mood has a lot to do with it. Anyway, for Zoroark itself. Like Lucario, I’veb een a fan for so long, ever since it was first introduced. It’s kinda funny in a way. Zoroark acts as the perfect yin to Lucario’s yang. Lucario uses aura to sense things and to see, Zoroark is the maser of illusions. In it of itself, this illusion business is awesome, but add in how it counters Lucario and it works just so well. Typing as well, Lucario is a fighting steel, the type you’d think of for a chivalrous paladin of justice and truth, while Zoroark is dark (evil type in Japan), perfect for a sly illusion master. Of course, it’s not just dualism with Lucario. The line is just so amazing itself. Clearly drawing from Kitsune, Zoroark is a sly fox that is able to not just use illusions, but masters them to the point of being able to create solid constructs out of them (see the anime). It is just so cool, how can I not love it? Also, like Tyranitar before it, I used a female one named Vixen in my Ultra Sun playthrough and it was a delight. 

Anyway, that would be my team. You know, assuming all the limitations I put on myself and my mood at this moment. But if you guys enjoyed this and want to know more about my favorite pokemon, please let me know. I’m always happy and excited to talk about Pokemon.

Anyway, going to hand this over to the other mods. I’ve been monopolizing this ask for too long.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ooo!! This’ll be fun to answer! Cause, well, I love Pokémon!!!

But, forgive me for this; I haven’t played any of the games.

So im just saying my favorite characters!!!

1: Glacieon, I really, really like glacieons and have always loved ice type Pokémon. Mainly because I really like the cold. Like; really, really, like the cold. I also really like her attacks, their cool!!! (Pun intended)

2: Furret. Absolutely furret, I never knew why I liked furret, but. I’m just gonna blame it on me really liking Ferrets and cause I honestly have really liked normal types for some reason.

3: Vulpix (either one), I really like any fire type Pokémon mainly because I’ve always just had a very weird interest in fire and because vulpix can be either a fire or ice Pokémon I love that about them. And they remind me of a bunch of irl animals that I love!!

4: Smom , I LOVE THOSE LIL ICE BABEYS SO MUCH!?!? They are so cute-!? I JUST LOVE THEM SO MUCH???! They are all my children and I want to adopt them all, and I will. No one can stop me………except maybe the other mods-

5: Sylveon, absolutely. I always have such an attachment even with digital animals, so I absolutely would give my eevee enough attention and love for them to evolve into sylveon. Honestly, it’d end up be accidental, but, I still really love Sylveon, and wouldn’t care if I got more than one of them-

6: Flareon, listen- I just love eevees okay-? I love them all so so much, and would lay down my life for each and every one of them. Just 💞💞💕💖💓💖💝���💖💕💝💓💕💞💖💞💖💝💘💖💕💕💞

——————————————————————————

Ah, I bet you missed hearing from me! No worries, I’ll tell you my pokemon team, even if it’s not particularly exciting.

First off, a Pachirisu is a must for my team. I’ve always loved how hyper it can be and the mishaps it would cause. Plus, c’mon- who doesn’t like its color scheme?

I’d also incorporate Chimchar to my team. I’ve always had a soft spot for Chimchar, since it was my first ever starter and I leveled mine all the way up to 100 in my Pokemon Platinum playthrough.

Yamper definitely had my heart the moment I saw it! I have a really strong love for dogs, and its addition to the game got me so excited!! Kirigiri can vouch for me on that one.

Growlithe is also integral to me. When my dog was a puppy, I used to jokingly call her a growlithe. I don’t think I still have pictures, but I even got her a floof for halloween once so she could be in a costume with me. Also... Arcanine is seriously badass.

Wooloo is super cute too! I love that it rolls away from its problems, and I, too, wish to do that. Plus the braids immediately reminded me of Peko, so I was super soft for it the moment it was revealed.

Finally, I’ll add my favorite Eeveelution to the team: Glaceon! Something about its sleek design always made me happy, and the way its fur sharpens as defense is super interesting!

(If legendaries were allowed on the team, I would’ve added either Giratina or Shaymin. They’re my favorites.

[shes-claws-deep]

Thermite, Maverick, BB - Fuck, Marry, Kill

Thank you for your commission, @baysian-yin and @golele5 ! Please enjoy your 1000 word fic of Reader and three boys playing Fuck, Marry, Kill!

Deep into your cups at a team Christmas party, Meghan tipsily yells out that everyone should play Fuck, Marry, Kill. Just for fun, you know? You, in the spirit of having fun, say yes with a cheer. Now that you’re on board, she shoos you away to gather the ‘contestants’ and for you to come up with a couple of questions.

You sit in the kitchen with a full beer can, sipping from it with a bobbing knee as you listen hard for the antics going on in the rec room. You hear giggles, hearty guffaws, and even a bit of goodnatured dry-heaving going on behind you. It makes you furrow your brow, worrying at your lip as you think about who they would provide you as your options for fuck, marry, or kill.

The Germans? Mmm, they wouldn’t be so bad. Marius is a joker, fun to be around but equally as exhausting. Dominic, a little bit too intense despite the laugh lines in the corner of his eyes. Elias too kind and too wholesome; you’d hate to break him. Monika…that complex of hers does grate on your nerves. You’d fuck her, though.

The Russians-

“We’re ready!” Meghan has her hands hooked on the back of your shirt before you can even jolt up, hauling you bodily to the sofa in the other room where she plops you in a chair. “Ok, now, whatever you do? Don’t turn around.”

Shuffling. Lots and lots of shuffling and heavy footsteps of three men. Immediately you start to think; heavy footsteps, all of them. Not one of the men with lighter builds, which means they’re part of the middleweights, as you call it. Fairly tall and fairly heavy, but not the tallest nor the heaviest. Not Chul Kyung, Ryad or Maxim, they walk with lighter steps, careful and measured. Still, that leaves a good number of men who could be your ‘options’.

“Okay, now you can turn around!”

With a sigh, you down the rest of your beer and swivel around in the chair. Only to stop halfway through when you lay eyes on who they selected to be your options. Oh mama, you’re so glad you work at Rainbow.

Jordan Trace, Craig Jenson, and Erik Thorn all grin at you, crossing their beefy arms over their chests, all of them clearly enjoying the elevator stare you give to each of them. Rightfully so, for you’d fuck, marry, and kill each of them if you had the chance.

“Just to let you know, you can’t fuck all of them,” Meghan whispers into your ear, a lascivious grin spreading across her own face as she hovers by your ear.

“Spoilsport,” you shoot back at her without taking your eyes off them.

Jordan laughs, flexing his arms and hiking his shirt sleeve up onto his shoulder. Craig matches him and flexes both of his huge biceps, going so far as to pose comically before he’s pushed aside by his FBI comrade. Erik, on the other hand, just raises a finger to his lips and shifts to show off his muscular thighs instead. Oh yeah, he might not match the other two men in the upper body arena, but he knows his ass and thighs are to die for.

You bite your lip at the display, digging your fingernails into your palms to avoid humiliating yourself by going and rubbing up all over your coworkers. Back to the game, girl! Focus! Shaking your head, you fiddle with the beer can.

Craig straightens up to his full, intimidating height, smoothing his sleeves back down and laughing at himself. He’s a bear of a man, in stature and in mannerism. His resting bitch face is a real thing, but he makes up for it by being so caring and understanding and just so generally unflappable that everyone forgets about his RBF. If there was one thing that is his claim to fame, it’s that he managed to get the local recluse, Chul Kyung, to open up to him. If that doesn’t represent the amount of ‘dad’ he exudes, nothing will. He just seems to take everyone under his wing, to want to be rock and anchor for them.

Erik is quieter. More dangerous. Like the leopards you once saw in the South African wildlands, you will never see him unless he wants to be seen. He’s mysterious, that one. An enigma for all the right and wrong reasons. What do you really know about him, anyway? He likes to cook, he likes to travel, he’s eerily perceptive to the point of being creepy, and that he loves the sense of brotherhood and family he feels on base. It’s not really much in the grand scheme of things; could you really live with someone who you’ll likely never truly know?

Ah, and Jordan. Silly, stubborn Jordan. As you watch him, he fluidly avoids bumping into Erik, only to slam into the side of a table with a loud swear. If there was one person you thought you’d never get along with, it would have been Jordan. On paper, the pyromaniac is reckless, has no sense of self-preservation, and doesn’t seem to take himself very seriously. But under all that is a man who is deeply loyal and protective, willing to sacrifice everything to achieve his goal or to protect those he loves dearly. That recklessness is out of the confidence of self, his lack of self-preservation the willingness to put others above himself, his humour a shield against his own demons.

You mull on it, gnawing on the beer can as you stare into space. The men leave you alone, knowing you’re just taking a wee bit longer to think. At least, you thought they did, because ice cold metal shocks you back to reality. “Holy-!” you yelp, clapping a hand on your temple and looking up at Jordan who’s holding a fresh can aloft, that charming grin back on his face.

“Noticed that you ran empty,” he answers your unspoken question, nodding to the slightly crushed can in your hands. “I’ll get rid of that for you?”

Unspeakably, a blush rises on your cheeks and you nod, taking the fresh beer can and handing the crumpled aluminium to him, your eyes glued on his ass as he wanders over to the kitchen to dump it in the recycling bin. That…is one tight ass.

“I’ve got my answer.”

Craig leans against the wall and groans, “Shit, I should’ve gotten her the beer!”

Erik laughs and shakes his head, murmuring softly, “I think she had her answer from the start. Nothing you or I did would’ve changed that decision.”

How astute. Also true.

“I’ll marry Jordan; I’d wake up to that ass every day for the rest of my life if I had to. Fuck Erik, because he’s quiet and I don’t need another headache in the sack-” You don’t get to finish before Erik is guffawing loudly and Craig is wailing dramatically against the wall. Alcohol does strange things to people. Really strange things.

“Y-you’re gonna kill me?” Craig pretends to sob, hiding his face.

“Well, I can’t fuck two of you, can I?” You roll your eyes, jumping yet again (godDAMNIT) when Jordan’s heavily bandaged hand lands on your shoulder.

“Eh, I don’t think Meggie’s gonna blame you if you bend the rules a bit. I mean, I’d fuck both of them.” Whether that’s a possibility or not is going to be reserved for another wet dream.

Meanwhile, Craig is still faking his sobbing, though this time he’s crawled all the way to your chair. “Mercyyyyyy. Don’t let me dieeee~”

You pretend to think. “Hmm, to kill or to fuck, that is the question.”

“Both. Why not both?” said the angelic voices of Meghan and Jordan in either ear.

Laughter bursts out of you, breaking up your words as you nod and choke out, “Death by fucking, it is!”

Craig throws his hands into the air. “Hallelujah!” And then, a pause. “Wait, I’m still getting killed, aren’t I?”

[hale-of-stiles-heart]

and the autumn is bright

So this is officially the longest Kiribaku fic I’ve written to date! For the sentence starter: “You’re a what?!” Also on ao3!

Bakugo was going to fucking murder Kirishima.

He was going to explode the fuck out of his stupid fucking shitty face until he was just a pile of fucking ash. And it was going to be fucking fantastic.

No more shitty red hair, no more annoying requests to hang out and play video games or watch movies, no more being stuck eating lunch with a bunch of talkative fucking idiots. And there would be no more ridiculous, borderline inappropriate hero costume; no more constant exclamations about what was or wasn't 'manly'.

No more late-night study sessions that always resulted in Bakugo wanting to pull his own fucking hair out because as eager as Kirishima was to learn, he couldn't wrap his head around the simplest fucking math problem. Bakugo was still trying to drill the fucking quadratic formula into Kirishima's thick skull.

And maybe, just maybe, if Bakugo blasted Kirishima into fucking space there would finally be no more stupid, confusing feelings to keep him up at night. No more distracting thoughts about kissing Kirishima's stupid face and holding his stupid hand.

But before that, he had to actually kill Kirishima. Because, first, the asshole had managed to convince Bakugo to go to some stupid ass Halloween party at Ponytail's fucking mansion even though he knew damn well that Bakugo hated any kind of party that involved him being around other people.

The party was all anyone from Class-A could talk about for weeks since Ponytail had announced it a week and a half prior. She had invited everyone, even the creepy little grape-headed perv, promising a wonderful night of fun.

Bakugo had immediately written the party off as stupid and not worth going to, planning to instead spend the night in his dorm room reading. But, of course, Kirishima had other plans.

For days, Kirishima had done everything he could to convince Bakugo to go to the fucking party. From begging and pleading to bribing and cajoling, Kirishima had tried everything.

Eventually, Bakugo had grown sick and tired of Kirishima's exaggerated pouting and fluttering lashes and finally relented. He had begrudgingly agreed to go to the party, just to get Kirishima off his case.

Not at all because he genuinely didn't like seeing Kirishima so disappointed when there was something he could do about it. And it certainly wasn't because of the way Kirishima had smiled at him like he was the best thing in the world when he had agreed to go.

But now, the fucking asshole decided to flake and text Bakugo that he wasn't going to the party. And Bakugo was so not going to put up with that shit.

Not after he dragged himself to some shitty Halloween store to get a stupid fucking costume just to appease Kirishima who had insisted that he couldn't show up to a Halloween without a costume. Nope.

So, after receiving Kirishima's half-assed text, a clearly rushed sentence of 'sick, not going 2 party, sry,' Bakugo had immediately stomped out of his room to stalk over to Kirishima's.

To his surprise, Kirishima's door was locked. Because Kirishima never locked his door.

Since moving into the dorms, he had been very vocal about his open door policy, inviting anyone and everyone to feel free to come to his room if they needed anything.

Most people took advantage of it to just pop in and talk to Kirishima about their problems like he was their fucking therapist. Dunce Face would drop by to play video games and sigh about his crush on Headphones or Four Eyes would visit to discuss ideas for teamwork exercises or some other bullshit, deferring to Kirishima and his uncanny ability to bring the entire class together.

Even that Icy Hot bastard had awkwardly knocked on Kirishima's door to talk about his fucking daddy issues or whatever.

Others in the class used it as an opportunity to get some training tips. Namely, Round Face who would drop by to get some extra help with her hand-to-hand combat skills or fucking Deku who would stop in to ask Kirishima for weight training tips.

Bakugo usually just used it to stride into Kirishima's room whenever he felt like it, usually to invite him to go spar with him. But rather than fixate on the fact that he couldn't just barge in like he was now accustomed to doing, Bakugo balled his hand up into a fist and pounded it against Kirishima's door.

He waited for a response. When there was none, not even an acknowledgment of the fact that he was knocking, Bakugo impatiently snapped, "I know you're in there, hair for brains! Fucking answer me!"

From the other side of the door, Bakugo could hear a deep sigh. Kirishima's voice was clearly hesitant even as he loudly called, "Go away, I'm sick!"

"I don't care if you're dying, you're not fucking bailing on me, asshole!" Bakugo yelled back, banging on the door again with one hand while setting off a series of small, frustrated explosions in the other. Pausing his insistent knocking, he pointed out, "You're the one who convinced me to go to this stupid thing!"

"Well, I'm not going!" Kirishima said, voice slightly muffled. Whether it was because of the distance and the thick wooden door between them or due to some mysterious illness he had magically contracted in the two hours since Bakugo had last seen him, he wasn't sure.

Bakugo resumed banging on the door, beyond infuriated and seriously contemplating just kicking the fucking door down. He only stopped when he heard Kirishima speak. "You should be happy! Now you don't have to go!"

Seriously? What the fuck was that about?

"Don't be a fucking coward, Kirishima!" Bakugo groaned, though he wasn't exactly sure why. It wasn't like he actually wanted to go to the fucking party and Kirishima had just given him the perfect out.

But he wasn't a fan of Kirishima flaking on him. And he definitely wasn't a fan of Kirishima being a little bitch about it. He was about to bang on the door again when Kirishima beat him to the punch.

"I said go away!" Kirishima yelled loudly, the severity of his tone immediately disorienting Bakugo. He had never heard Kirishima raise his voice in anger. Never.

Out of excitement? Sure. Frustration? Plenty of times. But anger? Not once.

Something was seriously wrong. And Bakugo was going to figure out what.

"Fine, you fucking jackass!" Bakugo screamed at the door, kicking it for good measure before turning around to stalk back into his room. He slammed his door behind him, counting on Kirishima hearing the loud bang that shook the walls.

Kicking off his shoes in the hopes that it would muffle his footsteps, Bakugo made his way to his rarely used balcony. He shoved his blackout curtains aside to wrench open the sliding glass door that was blessedly quiet.

He shivered at the cold air as he walked out onto the balcony, grumbling to himself under his breath. This far into October, it definitely felt like fall after the long, hot summer they had been forced to endure.

The ornamental trees that dotted the UA landscape were all bare, naked branches dancing in the frigid breeze. They certainly screamed Halloween.

Above the trees, hanging in the sky like nebulous curtains, skeins of gray clouds sluggishly drifted by. Behind them, illuminating the dark night sky, the moon was full and unimaginably bright, like something out of a movie.

It was a perfect night for a Halloween party. Even Bakugo could admit that.

Turning away from the sky, Bakugo peered over at Kirishima's balcony and mentally calculated the distance between it and his own. They were only about an arm's length apart, if not a little less.

All it took was a relatively small, rather quiet explosion and Bakugo was touching down on Kirishima's balcony. He waited a moment to see if Kirishima had heard him, waiting for him to peek out onto the balcony.

After a minute, Bakugo tiptoed over to the sliding glass door to see if it was locked. It wasn't.

Bakugo let himself in like he owned the place, moving Kirishima's ridiculous fiery red curtains out of his way. As he did, he heard Kirishima repeatedly curse under his breath as there was a loud ruckus, a series of heavy thuds followed by an odd scratching sound.

"Get out!" Kirishima yelled, sounding inexplicably panicked from wherever the hell he was. It was dark in Kirishima's room, all of the lights turned off, leaving him sitting in the dark like that weird bird-headed guy from class.

Bakugo squinted into the darkness, tugging the curtains open a bit more. Just enough to let some moonlight filter into the room, enough to cast shadows around the room so he didn't end up tripping over one of Kirishima's dumbbells that he never fucking put away after using.

It didn't help much, not bright enough to let him see much. Bakugo was about to set off a couple small-scale explosions just so he could see where the hell he was going when he saw a hunched over figure on the bed, clearly Kirishima, outlined in silver.

From the little bit that Bakugo could see, he could discern that Kirishima was sitting in the center of his bed. He was bent over in a position that looked vaguely uncomfortable, face buried in his hands as he continued muttering to himself, too quiet for Bakugo to hear what he was saying.

"The fuck is up with you?" Bakugo sneered, nudging the tip of his socked foot against the side of Kirishima's bare one. Kirishima yanked his leg back so fast it shook his whole bed when his heel hit the bed frame.

Bakugo frowned. "You actually sick or something?"

Kirishima nodded. At least, Bakugo thought he did. It was hard to tell in the low light.

"C'mon, don't be a fucking baby," Bakugo instructed, rolling his eyes. Leave it to Kirishima to play through the pain of broken bones to take down villains but act like a total overdramatic wuss when he was sick.

"Go away," Kirishima groaned, voice stifled by his hands. And people called Bakugo dramatic.

Bakugo knocked his foot against Kirishima's bed frame, shaking his head when Kirishima jolted a bit. Bakugo snorted, "Man the fuck up. It's not a big deal."

That seemed to set something off in Kirishima. He immediately snapped his head up, demanding, "Get out!"

But all Bakugo could do was stare at Kirishima's eyes. His eyes that were fucking glowing.

Bakugo had never seen them do that before.

"Your eyes..." Bakugo managed to say, taking an instinctive step backwards. He stared dumbstruck at the bright red eyes that were glowing like smoldering coals in the dark. He raised a shaky hand, pointing at Kirishima as he whispered, "What the fuck's wrong with your eyes?"

Kirishima stood, going from hunched over to his full height as he stalked over to stand in front of Bakugo. He seemed to tower over Bakugo despite the fact that they were the same height, more so than usual.

He took a small step closer to Bakugo, the blond taking another step back. Eyes glowing angrily, he repeated himself, growling, "I said get out!"

A bestial snarl accompanied his words, sounding like it had been wrenched from deep down inside him. It echoed in the small room, seeming to shake the walls themselves.

Out of reflex, Bakugo set off an explosion in his hand. The blast cast just enough light for him to see Kirishima's face.

What he saw shocked him more than he could have ever expected.

Kirishima's face, usually so open and warm and happy, was twisted up into a vicious snarl. His too-sharp, too-white teeth were bared, somehow looking larger than normal.

His eyes — his weirdly glowing eyes — were narrowed in an uncharacteristic glare, brows drawn down angrily. His hair was an even worse mess than usual.

There was something off about him besides the weirdly glowing eyes. Something that felt disconcertingly primal, almost animalistic.

"Get out, Bakugo!" Kirishima yelled again as Bakugo's explosion fizzled out before he could look closer. The scent of burnt sugar filled the room as Kirishima stalked closer.

Desperation bled into Kirishima's voice as he insisted, "It's not safe! Just leave! Please!"

"What the fuck is going on?!" Bakugo demanded, feeling like he was going fucking crazy. He had to be seeing things, right?

"I'll explain later!" Kirishima barked. "Just go!"

"No, you'll explain right the fuck now!" Bakugo argued, taking a step towards Kirishima who skittered backwards like a startled animal. He seemed to trip over his own feet, falling with a shocked yelp before clambering up onto his bed.

With his eyes gradually adjusting to the dark, Bakugo could just barely make out the outline of Kirishima curling up again, burying his hands in his hair as he whined. Whined. Like a fucking dog.

Determined to get to the bottom of this fucking clusterfuck, Bakugo followed Kirishima's lead. He walked further into the room, taking a seat at the foot of the bed.

Pointing a finger at Kirishima, who curled in on himself even more, he ordered, "Spit it out, shitty hair. Just tell me what the fuck is going on!"

"I can't!" Kirishima insisted, shaking his head, tightening his grip on his hair. Trembling so much it rattled the bed, he softly moaned, "It's not safe!"

"For fuck's sake, Kirishima!" Bakugo snapped, wanting to pull out his own fucking hair. Why the hell was he being so god damn fucking difficult about this?

"When the hell have I cared about what's safe?!" Bakugo pointed out, slamming his hand down on the bed, regretting it when Kirishima jumped. "I can take whatever you can dish out. You know that."

Kirishima kept whining, clearly stalling. Bakugo folded his arms over his chest, prepared to wait as long as it took.

Eventually, Kirishima dropped his hands with a deep sigh. He mumbled something that sounded like a reluctant 'fine' under his breath.

"Probably easier to just show you..." Kirishima relented, reaching behind himself to flick on the lamp on the shelf above his bed. Bakugo drew in a sharp breath as light filled the room.

Kirishima, though still immediately recognizable, looked vastly different. Aside from his eyes that were still fucking glowing, he had grown a plethora of other physical abnormalities.

He had apparently sprouted long, sharp claws on his hands. They were wickedly curved, looking capable of tearing a person limb from limb.

His teeth, already naturally sharp, seemed to have indeed grown even larger, giving him a rather noticeable overbite. The sharp tips of his canine teeth poked out from beneath his upper lip, clearly visible.

Sticking out from his wild shock of hair was a pair of furry red ears that Bakugo couldn't believe he had missed earlier. They were flattened against his skull, like Kirishima was doing everything he could to hide them from sight.

"What the actual fuck?" Bakugo asked no one in particular, staring dumbly at the patches of red hair extending down Kirishima's sideburns like a pair of ridiculous crimson mutton chops. He was about to comment on them when something else caught his eye.

Eyes wide, he peered around Kirishima's back to see that he had apparently also grown a fucking tail, too. The same bright shade of red as Kirishima's hair, it was tucked behind him, clearly in a futile attempt to keep it hidden.

Noticing that Bakugo was staring at his tail, Kirishima cleared his throat, moving his tail behind his back. Bakugo blinked a few times, stunned that Kirishima could move his tail.

"I'm a..." Kirishima started, trailing off as he muttered something unintelligible. He kept his head down as he rubbed at the back of his neck. His left ear twitched a bit as he spoke.

"You're a what?" Bakugo pressed, frowning deeply as he tried to decipher what the fuck Kirishima was saying.

"I'm a werewolf!" Kirishima yelled, throwing his hands up in exasperation. Like Bakugo was the one being thick-headed. "Y'know, with the full moon and the silver bullets and shit."

"What?!" Bakugo nearly screamed, drowning in skepticism. There was no way Kirishima was being serious.

Shoulders nearly up to his pointed ears as he curled in on himself again, Kirishima avoided looking anywhere near Bakugo, keeping his eyes down. With a sigh, he reluctantly explained, "It's a Quirk. Well, it's the effect of one."

He glanced over at Bakugo before looking back down at his lap, pulling his legs up to hug his knees to his chest. Resting his chin on his knee, he continued, "I was like five and I was playing with some kid at the park and he bit me."

"He bit you?" Bakugo blurted, inadvertently interrupting Kirishima's story. Kirishima just nodded with a small shrug like five year olds biting each other was a common thing.

Maybe it was. Bakugo didn't know. Even when he was five, he hadn't kept many friends. Fucking Deku didn't count.

"He bit me," Kirishima confirmed, resuming his story. "Turns out his Quirk is Werewolf. Pretty much exactly what it sounds like. Including the whole passing it on with a bite thing. So... He sorta passed it on to me."

"The fuck?" Bakugo snorted. Did this mean Kirishima was like that piece of shit Deku? Fuck, how many Quirks could be passed on to others at will? "You have two fucking Quirks? Why the hell don't you use it?"

Kirishima shook his head, ears flopping around comically. Bakugo was immediately reminded of a dog shaking itself dry. He wisely kept his mouth shut about it.

"I can't control it or anything," Kirishima said, meeting Bakugo's eyes for a moment before lowering them again. He turned his head to look out the sliding glass door, staring at the luminous sliver of moon visible through the clouds.

The way the moonlight hit Kirishima's eyes seemed to intensify their glow. Kirishima's eyes remained fixated on the moon as he spoke, like he was captivated by the sight.

"It just sorta happens every full moon," he explained, voice soft as he continued staring out the door. Bakugo hummed in acknowledgment.

The mask of Kirishima's hero made a lot of sense all of a sudden. It had always struck Bakugo as rather canine, like a dog muzzle or an oni mask.

"I'm really sorry," Kirishima murmured, tearing his eyes away from the moon. Looking at Bakugo, he clarified, "About the party. I didn't realize tonight was the full moon. I'm usually a lot better at planning."

"Does anyone else know?" Bakugo asked.

Kirishima nodded again. "Yeah. All the teachers know. Principal Nezu and Recovery Girl, too. Technically it's a medical condition."

Bakugo supposed that made sense. Sprouting ears and a tail every month definitely qualified as a chronic condition. But he still didn't get why Kirishima had never told him before. They were supposed to be friends, damn it.

"So that's the big fucking deal? Why don't you just tell everyone?" He asked, shrugging casually. Kirishima let out another low whine, an involuntary response judging from the look of pure embarrassment on his face.

"I can't!" Kirishima said, shoving his hands into his hair again as he hopped to his feet beside the bed. Pacing in the middle of the room, he insisted, "It's not safe!"

He waved one of his clawed hands around, gesturing around the room. It drew Bakugo's attention to the disheveled state of Kirishima's room.

There was trash scattered across the floor, mingling with Kirishima's dumbbells and broken bits of what appeared to be the remnants of Kirishima's desk chair. Food wrappers and empty sports drink bottles littered the ground, both full of claw marks like Kirishima had been too impatient to open them properly.

The mini fridge Kirishima kept tucked under his desk was open, the interior a mess. The shelves were off their hinges and void of all their contents save for a single protein bar that had apparently survived Kirishima's ravenous hunger.

One of the legs of the desk was covered in claw marks. There looked to be a smear of blood on it as well.

Kirishima continued to pace back and forth as Bakugo's eyes followed him to and fro. Biting his lip, he went on, "I'm so hungry. No matter how much I eat, I always want more."

That certainly explained the sorry state of the poor mini fridge, a victim of moonlight cravings. But why that would be considered dangerous escaped Bakugo. Until Kirishima spoke again.

"And when I'm like this I get all aggressive," he said, tightening his grip on his hair, looking about ready to tear out chunks. He bared his teeth as he growled, "I don't want to hurt anyone."

Of fucking course, Kirishima felt that way, the selfless idiot. Putting other's needs before his own, even when he was dealing with the weird side effects of some crazy fucking Quirk. The big damn hero.

"You should go," Kirishima said, pulling Bakugo out of his thoughts. He had stopped his pacing, standing in the middle of his room, looking down at his bare feet. They, too, were tipped with sharp claws.

Another whimper echoed through the room. "I don't wanna hurt you."

His words sent a bolt of warmth through Bakugo, settling in his belly as a swarm of butterflies took flight in his stomach. Bakugo could feel his cheeks fill with heat, clearing his throat as he willed his blush away.

"Fuck that," Bakugo scoffed, leaning back against the wall. He grabbed one of Kirishima's pillows and propped it behind his back, not trying to fuck up his spine.

"I'm not leaving you alone like this, dumbass," he announced. "You'll probably end up doing something stupid like go chasing cars or howl at the moon."

Kirishima raised his head sharply, pouting at Bakugo. He dropped his arms to cross them over his chest. "I would not! I've been dealing with this for years, dude! I can handle it, I'm not stupid. I'm just so... Ugh!"

Kirishima threw his hands up again, letting out a frustrated groan. Hanging his head, he pouted again, the expression even more comical with his too-long teeth.

"The fuck are you talking about?" Bakugo frowned, narrowing his eyes at Kirishima. What the fuck did that mean?

Bakugo knew he wasn't the most emotionally intelligent person ever but he was pretty sure 'ugh' wasn't an emotion.

"There's just so much going on," Kirishima whinged, gesturing at his head with sharp, jerky motions. He looked about ready to start pacing again as he complained, "Everything's so loud and I can smell everything and it's all just too much and my head's all weird. Like there's this constant...buzzing."

So the effects of the Quirk also affected Kirishima's senses, enhancing them to the point that Kirishima was susceptible to sensory overload. Well, that definitely explained a lot.

"C'mere," Bakugo sighed, patting a spot on the bed beside his hip. Kirishima frowned at him, tipping his head to the side in a purely canine manner.

Bakugo rolled his eyes. He patted the bed again. "Just do it."

Kirishima obediently followed his instruction, cautiously climbing onto the bed to sit beside him. His ears were back, tail practically tucked between his legs.

He kept his head down, tucked up into a ball as he tried to make himself as small as possible, like he was afraid of taking up too much space in his current state. Glancing at Bakugo out of the corner of his eye, he folded his legs up beneath himself, keeping some distance between them.

Slowly reaching around Kirishima, not wanting to startle him, Bakugo grabbed Kirishima's other pillow. Kirishima watched him closely, ears swiveling around to follow the sound.

He set the pillow in his lap, making a show of fluffing it and arranging it to be as comfortable as possible. Patting the center of the pillow, Bakugo nodded towards it, repeating, "C'mon."

Kirishima looked between Bakugo and the pillow, seemingly weighing his options. He bit his bottom lip, apparently retaining his bad habit despite his even sharper teeth.

"I ain't leaving," Bakugo stated, matter-of-factly, ready to be as stubborn as necessary. "You either let me fucking help you or not. And I've got nothing else to do tonight. You know I don't wanna go to that stupid fucking party, anyway."

"But, dude..." Kirishima started, peering up at Bakugo with his big, guileless, glowing eyes. "What—" he cut himself off to swallow heavily "—What if I hurt you?"

"Then I'll kick your fucking ass," Bakugo said simply, shrugging a shoulder. Kirishima looked baffled, like he had never thought about the possibility of someone holding their own if he got a little bitey or whatever.

After a moment of deliberation, Kirishima crawled over to Bakugo, lying down beside him and setting his head on the pillow in his lap. His ears perked up a bit, tail swishing behind like he was an overgrown puppy and not a werewolf.

He pulled his legs up to his chest, rolling over onto his side, facing Bakugo. He curled his tail over his hip, the tip twitching a tiny bit.

Scoffing at Kirishima's eagerness to please, unchanged by the moon's influence or perhaps even magnified, Bakugo reached down to tangle his fingers in Kirishima's hair. Kirishima let out a breathy sigh, leaning into the familiar touch.

They had done this before. Several times. When Kirishima was having a particularly bad day or feeling shitty about his Quirk again. When he was doubting himself.

Bakugo would just run his fingers through Kirishima's hair and let his friend talk about his problems and his insecurities and his fears about the future and what it might hold. And Kirishima would rest his head in Bakugo's lap and look up at him with a soft smile after getting everything off his chest, thanking him for everything.

And Bakugo would sneer and roll his eyes and say 'whatever' while fighting the urge to just lean down and kiss that stupidly cute smile.

Now, Bakugo absentmindedly played with Kirishima's hair, feeling the tension seep out of his body. Kirishima's tail was wagging steadily like a metronome, smacking against the mattress every so often with a muted thud.

"You're overstimulated," Bakugo explained, running his blunt fingernails over Kirishima's scalp before taking a detour to scratch behind one of his furry ears, purely out of curiosity. Kirishima let out a soft huff, almost a purr.

"Your senses are heightened, aren't they?" He wondered aloud, though he was fairly sure he already knew the answer. Kirishima nodded, letting out a quiet mumble that might have been a 'yeah'.

"It's called sensory overload," he went on, scratching behind Kirishima's ear with more purpose. Kirishima's leg jolted a bit, like he was two seconds away from shaking his leg like a common mutt. "Happens when your senses get all jammed up with too much stimulation. Like all the smells and sounds that come with living in dorms."

Kirishima hummed his agreement, eyes falling closed as he leaned heavier against the pillow under his head. Bakugo smiled to himself. Dangerous, his ass.

Kirishima was just a touch-starved puppy, overwhelmed by a monthly overabundance of heightened senses and in need of a good ear scratching, wagging his tail at the smallest touch. For a second, Bakugo thought about whether or not Kirishima had ever been touched while like this.

Had his parents been too worried about getting bitten or scratched to sit up with him at night and comfort him? Had Kirishima growled at them and begged them not to go near him, the same way he had with Bakugo?

There were so many questions swirling around in Bakugo's head, about the past and the future and the present. But he knew now wasn't the time.

"Just focus on me, okay?" He instructed instead of asking any of his multiple questions. Carding his fingers through Kirishima's surprisingly soft hair, he instructed, "Forget about everything else. Just relax and focus, yeah?"

Kirishima nodded, burying his face in Bakugo's t-shirt, nuzzling against his stomach. Bakugo hummed in encouragement, smiling softly down at Kirishima as the redhead nestled closer, tail still wagging as he started to drift often.

Through the sliding glass door, moonlight streamed into the room, turning Bakugo's hair silver and deepening the red of Kirishima's hair. There was a promise in the moonlight, of a bright tomorrow and peaceful night, of a curse that maybe wasn't much of a curse after all.

How could it be when it brought two people together? Two people who were destined to be together, illuminated by the moonlight.

[takaraphoenix]

#10 for the ask game, let's say for couple of shows you watch, you decide which ones

Thanks for asking, this is a really intersting one! :3

10. Most disliked arc? Why?

Huuuh, okay, lemme go through the shows I’m currently watching, see what I come up with. *tilts head*

Avengers Assemble: The current Black Panther’s Quest. But let me clarify: I don’t dislike the story of this arc itself; I dislike how it’s so awkwardly placed as an arc within Avengers Assemble. This should have been a spin-off, not a whole entire season’s arc of an Avengers show, considering the show has never given the individual Avengers huge standalone arcs like this before. As the plot for its own show this would be an amazing arc, but considering the show it’s on it’s... completely hijacking the show and that does bother me because when I watch an Avengers cartoon, I kind of want to see the Avengers in it, all of them, not just one? Just give him a spin-off, additionally to a real proper all-Avengers focused season of Avengers Assemble. It really ain’t that hard.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: I am... absolutely startled to read that most of the fandom seems to dislike season 7 the most?? When in fact season 5 was the worst. The storyline of Dawn was so bad. Not just the retconning in of Sudden Little Sister and just how unlikable the character herself is, but also that the offered out wasn’t used. Just kill off Dawn in the end, use her as the key she is so this obnoxious character doesn’t have to be carried over to the next season, but nope, instead Buffy dies for her. IT was so dumb and so annoying and I find the overly religious story-arcs - whatever the religion - really creepy...

Doctor Who: I really disliked Clara’s post-resolution arc. She was such a good character and I really-really liked her and then the Impossible Girl was finally resolved... and she stayed. That was when she should have left. But that whole nonsense with Danny and how spiteful Clara turned toward the Doctor then and she still stayed around. Usually, this show cuts characters out too early, but in Clara’s case, she overstayed her welcome and the arc they forced there was just really not fun to watch...

Game of Thrones: I am mainly watching it for Dany’s arc, though also the Lannisters and Arya interest me. The others, not so much, but the worst arc is most definitely Bran. I just... care so little about him and what he’s up to, to the point that the one season where he wasn’t in it, I didn’t even notice he was missing. Only that then the next season, he was suddenly back and I was like “oooh... eeeh...”. He’s so boring and bad, I could do without him; the show has so much going on already.

My Little Pony: That last season. The story arc of the kids. This show is very distinctively about the Mane Six. And it was already stretching my patience when it went all about Starlight Glimmer, but now this attempt at making it about a next gen and their whole Elements of Harmony story arc? It was just... not interesting? There are enough established characters to focus on, even beyond the Mane Six. More about their families, more focus on the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Spike, heck the background ponies like Octavia. Those kids...? I just... really did not care about them, I don’t remember a single name of theirs. The kids could have been used to further the Mane Six’s plotlines, as mentee and giving each a bond with one of the Mane Six. But this entirely separate own plot for those six new characters... was just not what I was interested in, not after seven whole years and seasons of caring about the Mane Six. Seriously, they could have had the Cutie Mark Crusaders make new friends and focus more on them as the next generation, but introducing fully unrelated, new characters... did not make me care...

Once Upon a Time: This might surprise some, but it’s actually not the Fr0zen arc, because that... at the very least... did a rather okay job at trying to fix the massive plotholes in the movie. I can appreciate that. It ain’t the soft-reboot either considering I refuse to watch that; can’t judge what I haven’t actually seen. I really disliked 5A the most; the whole Dark Emma nonsense and just how emo she was, I also really hate the storytelling tool of “here have a shocking now and let’s unravel it all in flashbacks”, that was so tiresome to watch. I dislike how King Arthur, the King Arthur, was turned into a fucking villain and how unnecessarily dramatic it was.

One Piece: Fishman Island Arc. It used to be Skypiea, but honestly I just dislike Shirahoshi so much. I find her brand of character absolutely nerve-grading. There was not really anything happening in the arc, it pretty much felt like a filler arc even though it was a major one. Waste of time.

Riverdale: The... damn how do I decide? This show started off so good as a fun murder mystery with intriguing characters. Haven’t seen season 3 yet so can only judge the first two. But Betty’s father suddenly turning serial killer was just such a horrendously over the top and unnecessary plot?? Veronica’s dad being a mastermind criminal had at least been set up from the get-go and even Jughead’s dad being the head of a gang and honestly was anyone surprised Cheryl’s mom would send her to conversion therapy? Okay, okay, I will buy all of that. But Betty’s father doing the serial killer bullshit was just way too much and unnecessary and just bad.

Shadowhunters: The addiction arc. It was the worst to watch for me so far. For one, because I am hard against drugs and really dislike addiction and drug arcs in general, but for another because it was just so badly written. That Isabelle, a brilliant scientist with a brain, would just cheerfully agree to take this risky drug from Aldertree to begin with, the utter lack of motivation as to why Aldertree would deliberately get her addicted to drugs aside from it being convenient for drama, then just how Raphael was completely reduced to a tool to further Isabelle’s plot and we did not treat him like a character facing addiction himself. It was so bad.

Stranger Things: The “let’s hide Eleven in my cabin and start to have secrets!”-arc? The reason I really loved the first season was because it was very up-front and open. No unnecessary miscommunication. So to then, in the second season force this miscommunication between characters who had already developed trust with each other... it was so cringeworthy. Eleven hiding from the boys, the sheriff not talking to them either. There was absolutely no reason to it aside from padding the runtime of the season. And that’s what defines a bad plotline; if it serves no actual purpose and has no grounding foundation, no reason behind it aside from “plot required it”.

Suits: The removal of one of their main characters?? This show? Literally? Has? Two? Main? Characters? And only one of them is the actual lead that separates this show from every other lawyer show. And... then... they remove him? The entire season leading up to that had such a good arc that was setting a separation between Mike and his girlfriend up because there were problems and there was distrust and they grew apart so much and I figured “Okay well the actress is getting married to a literal prince and leaving the show so they’re going to make them break up, huh?” and then in the last second, they decide to kit this and make Mike move away with her? I haven’t seen the new season yet but I... really can’t imagine it working out...

Teen Wolf: I feel like I should say 6B, but... I seem to hate that so much that my brain actually managed to forget it? And that’s... rare, but it happens occasionally. When something is really very bad and awful, my brain manages to forget about it. I clearly remember Jackson and Ethan making out and the whole FBI!Stiles thing and that it was about A Nazi, but... what the Nazi did and what actually happened and what, aside from the Nazi, I hated so much about that half-season... I can not for the life of me remember. Thank the gods. So I gotta go with 3A, because the True Alpha arc was the biggest bullshit. Don’t break your mythology. Don’t. Just don’t. Suddenly, a pack can be made up of all-alphas? How? The other alphas shoulda fall into being betas after joining Deucalion?? They should have become omegas after killing their pack because by definition they had no pack anymore?? They should not have gotten more powerful for killing their own pack? It made absolutely no sense at all and completely contradicted the lore this show had set up so far? And that Scott was somehow a ~True Alpha~... I still don’t see what the fuck’s so special about that if it doesn’t come with actual natural leadership abilities, which it should if you are a true and thus natural alpha, aka leader?? It was dumb and forced and you could taste the “Oh shit we want The Main Character to become alpha but we accidentally created a world where you can only become alpha by killing and of course can we not have The Main Character kill anyone!!!”... So dumb. So stupid. Do not like.

Wynonna Earp: THE BIBLE NONSENSE. This show started out so strong. And there was absolutely no reason to pull a sudden Bible on it. Bulshar could have just stayed his own OC demon self and this show could have kept its own mythology, but to suddenly make him the snake from the Garden Eden? To suddenly involve angels? Season 3′s Bible arc was just so absolutely unnecessary.

Salty Ask List

[yume-x-hanabi]

Yeah, I pretty much marathoned the rest of the game, except Elympios.

The party met with the king of Auj Oule, who then promptly started arguing with Milla because of course those two would butt heads. I'm not going to go into detail about that meeting here because I already talked about it in the past. Love Rowen and Elise's little strategy, though I feel sorry for the poor guard who so earnestly vowed to take care of Teepo during the audience. He didn't deserve getting punched :( Oh and also Alvin is a traitor and Jude is maaaaaad about it. Defining Leia moment while they try to flee, where she doubts herself (Elise's words really hurt her, huh). I love how Milla just plainly states she's not useless. I live for Milla plainly stating positive things. They fight Wingul and Presa on the way, where Wingul acts like a disenchanted Rowen fanboy (aaand the booster Long Dau stuff too I guess). No but seriously he spent the fight targeting Rowen, it was hilarious (not for me though cuz I needed the geezer alive to help me cast spells). Back in Xian Du, Alvin strolls in like nothing happened (but Jude is maaaaad and Elise starts sassing him it's the best thing ever) and Yurgen proves to be the most sensible man in the world when he decides he doesn't need to know what happened. Good guy. A pretty animated cutscene later we crash in Kalakh Shal and Driselle is the most precious NPC in the world. I love how she gets the vet to treat the wyverns by telling him they're basically like horses XD Well at least he managed to treat them, so... There's a few Milla Side-exclusive conversations with the party - I especially liked Rowen's and Leia's. Wish Elise's had a bit more consistence though. Then she talks with Jude, who says he wants to protect spirits too, which makes her really happy. She's spent all this time trying to protect both spirits and humans, so it must feel great to have a human want to reciprocate. Those two are really a good pair. I also love how they basically promise to stay together at the end (though we all know how that turns out ;_; ) The time for the confrontation with Nachtigal comes near, but first there's some shenanigans with the Lance of Kresnik and Agria. I'm not too sure whether she actually tried to destroy it (on orders from Gaius?) or just made stuff explode for fun. She's kind of hard to read sometimes. Well, she's completely crazy tbh. It's really sad to see her in that murderous state. I wish she'd been given a chance to heal from her trauma and regain some stability. She's better when she's just with the Chimeriad (and hilariously proper when talking to Gaius), but we barely see any of that in game. What a shame. Talking to Nachtigal goes as well as one would expect, and we beat his ass. Rowen seems to talk some sense into him at the end, but it's far too late, and anyway some mysterious ice attack does him in. Bye Nachty, you were kind of forgettable, wish you'd had a bigger role. But no time to rest, because Gaius is invading from where no one expected him (and this is where my inner Gunshi Kanbee fangirl takes over and gushes about Wingul's clever strategies). But Gilland has a plan and it involves the Lance of Kresnik, which is bad news. To war we go! I spent the whole battlefield map sequence reading the Rieze Maxian writings on the map and laughing my ass off (no but seriously, it contains little gems like "we can fish fish here" and I need to find a video somewhere to take screenshots and translate them all, this needs to be shared). Alvin's acting suspicious again, and again the party just lets him be lol. Anyway, after a very long fight against both Auj Oule and Rashugal forces, we meet three of the Chimeriad blasting off enemies like badasses before deciding to fight us. Honestly I think their deaths were foreshadowed here, with this bit of dialog: Rowen: But it is an unnecessary step, one that could cost your lives. Who would be left to support the king? Presa: His Highness can look after himself. YES HE CAN BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN HE SHOULD YOU DUMBASSES *ahem* Anyway we win, Wingul faints like a Pokémon after revealing his booster is in his brain, Jiao doesn't answer Elise's questions and Jude convinces Alvin to not off Presa (yes Alvin, don't do that, it's rude). So who's left to face now? Why, King Badass of course. He and Milla resume their debate (may I note how much I love how they're actually listening to each other? At first glance it appears they're just butting heads stubbornly, but every time they meet they show they've given some thought to what the other said before, even if they still disagree. Great dynamics. Also the contrast with Nachtigal is interesting. The pre-battle talk was more about how Nachty was not worthy to be king and how they were going to stop him, while with Gaius Milla actually asks him to let her do her thing. She recognizes he's not a bad guy and tries to leave the door open for a conflict-free resolution. He'll do the same later, too. Aah I love them so much). iirc you don't have to win this fight, but I managed to do it (took me 16 minutes and I ran out of Life Bottles orz). The fight gets interrupted by Ivar, who stupidly activates the Lance (Milla's facepalm lmao). Aaaand that's when everything goes downhill. Elympios invades, it's chaos everywhere, Gaius and the Chimeriad are the most badass characters ever, and then Jiao sacrifices himself and I cry. No srsly whyyyyyy T_T let me just pretend he managed to escape somehow and is just taking time off to recover Milla has a weird dream and wakes up all confused and makes a bunch of mistakes, which is really unlike her. She's noticed the contradiction between her mission and her actions and she's really anxious about it. Still, it doesn't prevent her from reassuring Leia when she's the one sharing her own self-doubts. I love their relationship. When they meet up with the rest of the party, there's a new addition: Milla's "sister" Musee. I think it's good she appeared on Jude Side - it leaves the player completely confused about her on Milla Side, which is basically how Milla is feeling about this whole thing hahaha. After listening to Gilland's announcement that he's taken control of KB (and spouting a bunch of bullshit about it too), Wingul invites us in, and Milla then reveals the truth about the world, and Alvin adds some more information and speculation. Of course Gaius is displeased about a lot of things (I would be too if I just learned I was gonna be used for fuel), so while he's no longer antagonistic, he's not being very cooperative lol. Such a shame. With him and the Chimeriad, the party would have been unstoppable. Well, at any rate, we're fighting on the same side now, even if separately. The retaking of the capital shows once again how badass the king and his aides are (they keep stealing the show lately), and we take the castle back and steal an airship rather easily (no thanks to Ivar lol). While resting, Milla witnesses Agria bullying Leia about Jude (and gets the dokidoki when Agria says Jude has the hots for her), and then Alvin trying to hit on Presa (stomp on him Presa). Wish there'd been a scene with Wingul (AND JIAO), but oh well. Anyway, she's starting to realize why she's so anxious and the reason for the contradiction. That's something I totally missed on first playthrough, I thought it was all about her developing feelings for Jude (due to the Agria and Presa scenes), but it's actually about her identity as Maxwell. Though I guess you can't really know that on first playthrough, since the truth only comes up later. But it's interesting to see Milla knew then, way before it's laid out clearly for the players. Also Musee's creepy. Nothing new here. Oh, but I forgot to mention, Alvin's stopped being shady (or has he?). His momma's dead and he hates Gilland, so he's now 100% on our side. Gaius and the party depart for the Zirnitra, where Gilland and the Lance is. On the way, everyone's mana gets sucked up and sent to Elympios, showing Alvin was right about the fuel thing, and Milla almost confesses to Jude, but they get interrupted by Agria. On the Zirnitra, Ivar decides to join the Chimeriad (the actual Chimeriad's glare when he says that is wonderful), and we go our own way. Alvin explains a bit more about Elympios and how Elympions don't have a mana lobe so that's why they need spyrixes. When we confront Gilland he explains about Celsius and spyrites - spyrixes that don't kill spirits. But to them they're just tools (you're the tool Gilland!) and he's an jerk anyway so we kick his ass. He then dies because of the spyrite. Serves you right. Gaius and the others arrive then and this time they're letting Milla destroy the Lance. Hah, looks like we're cooperating more and more... except we get interrupted by Musee's Gravity spell and Milla gets the grand idea to sacrifice herself to save everyone. Milla bby don't do that :'( But the (now freed) Four interfere and save her soul from cleansing, attempting to revive her as herself. Which doesn't really work at first as she's lost her memories (she progressively gets some of them back though). I gotta say I absolutely love the spirit world part. It seems bland if you just go straight for the story part, but it's actually a lot of fun to explore, talk to NPC, listen to the Four's comments, do the little sidequests... I do wish there'd been more to it, especially when you consider how much stuff happened on Jude Side during that time, but what we do have is really fascinating. Also, Spirits interactions. Good good. Even without her memories, Milla is still Milla and doesn't want the Four to die, and they decide to stick with her, even if it angers Musee and the actual Maxwell. I had to change the difficulty back to normal for the Musee fight because I suck at 1-on-1 battles (esp without healer). After that Milla gets her memory data from Maxwell's replica and goes up the Hallowmont while Musee gets mad about Maxwell's lack of answer and flies to the human world to do who knows what. At the summit, the Four get summoned by Maxwell, and Milla follows them. There, she sees Jude and the others fighting against Maxwell, and she finally remembers who she is, making her come back in style. We absolutely destroy Maxwell's ass (yay Gravity Well spam), and then convince him to stop being a grumpy old man and believe in humanity for once. He agrees, but then enter Gaius, who looks pissed for some reason (it's funny to play this from Milla's Side, because last time we saw him he was almost becoming friendly). He then starts spouting nonsense about becoming Maxwell himself since the old one is useless, traps him with the Lance of Kresnik (he got it in the end...), and then there's that gross scene where he pulls a sword out of Musee I'd rather forget. Srsly developers, couldn't you find another way >_> He tries to send the party back to Rieze Maxia (instead of killing them, he's still nice even when he's mad), but Maxwell sends us to Elympios instead, where we conveniently end in the care of Emperor Peony Alvin's cousin Balan. to be continued...

[unholyhelbiglinked]

The Fairy Forest | Bechloe

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The slick cement made jogging hard- rubber soles hitting the edged pavement with little conviction as air pushed past my lungs. They were burning, irritated against thick movements and rough touches. It was just like gym class, but without the patronizing beeps and sweaty kids that bleed pizza grease.

I was one of those kids, the kind that would hole myself up in my room with a couple of cheesy boxes and crappy video games. I certainly never one to push past my bedroom door and actually put on a pair of running shoes.

But here I was, at 1:30am mid-January wishing for a fast death. One that would put me out of the rough training schedule and cardio that Aubrey Mother fucking Posen had instilled in me.   Of course, she said nothing about running in the middle of the night on the trails behind campus- but I also had poor time management and that blonde-haired demon could tell if I skipped a day.

My chest quelled with the pain of a winters touch, my even-paced jog dulling out into a slow trot before I paused at the path's edge, ripping out one of my earbuds. I listened carefully as my breath came out in even puffs, creating a misty cloud that was illuminated by the budding moon.

The little path that I had chosen for my midnight sprint was lined against the back of Baker Hall. It was a little-paved walkway that started right at a lights edge but wound through a spurt of woods behind the campus. It was connected to a larger wildlife park that was a few miles down the road. A lot of people used it for biking or taking out their dogs in a quiet environment.

This late at night it was empty, which is why the startling crack of a hammer caught my attention. It made my heart press into my throat, my other hand dropping as the left earbud drifted over my shoulder. My mouth was dry and sore, nose running from the freshly hedged snow that was collecting near the trees.

I knit my eyebrows together as another crack of iron against wood made me take a slight step back. This time with a little more conviction. I had seen enough horror movies to know that you don’t, under any circumstances, follow the weird noises in the creepy forest.

“Mother of God,” The voice halted me in my steps- it was muffled and agitated, but one that I knew quite well. One that had bounced off the shower walls a few weeks ago and caught my attention with it’s encouraging tone at each and every practice. “Are you kidding me?”

My shoulders slumped. I could keep running, I could take off back in the direction of my dorm and crash before Kimmy Jin got that evil look in her eyes. Or I could check out the situation at hand, not intending to sneak up on the girl the way she had me.

I chose the latter, my arms crossed over my chest as I leaned against one of the trees. I watched carefully. Chloe Beale had a silver flashlight between her teeth, muffling her scrambled speech as she directed the pale light over what looked like a large box.

She stumbled over a root, letting out another quick breath as she found her balance, the strange box catching my focus once more. “This is the weirdest walk of shame I’ve ever seen.”

The startled redhead whipped around, pushing a quick bout of air from her lungs as she snatched the light from her lips with an odd clank. It didn’t’ seem to pain her though- instead, she busied herself with blocking the box.

“Beca?” She asked the obvious question. “What are you doing out so late?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” I pointed a finger her way “I’m just going for a jog because I can’t sleep. You, on the other hand, are being weird and creepy.”

“Am not,” She swatted my hand away, touch cold and unforgiving. It was a gentle one, though. I wasn’t really sure if Chloe Beale was capable of doing anything worse than a simple tap. Either way, she looked agitated. “You know how unsafe it is to wonder these woods without your BU rape whistle?”

I rolled my eyes, but still felt the heavy and cold edge of that very whistle against my back pocket. It seemed almost necessary. “Seriously, Chlo, is everything alright?”

“Everything is fine.” She breathed out, she turned her back to me, squatting in front of the box as she started to rummage through it. Whatever it was sounded heavy. “Well, if you’re going to stay, make yourself useful.”

I nodded absently, grasping the flashlight that she shot back at me, I curled my fingers over it as I squatted down next to her, pressing the marigold edge against the objects. The closer I got the more I realized that they were little brightly painted doors- a few houses that were built out of things found around a hardware store- and a couple of objects that I couldn’t quite read, but they looked like little-painted signs.

“Chlo,” I started, “What is all this stuff?”

“You don’t run this path often?” She said, not answering me directly before she turned her gaze my way and placed her fingers under the silver light- she lifted it up, my hand lagging a bit as I stared her down.

“No, no I suppose not.” I hadn’t ever been on this part of campus, but I found it safer than jogging around the actual buildings where frat boys tended to finish off entire cases of beer just for fun. In fact, it was Aubrey who suggested this place at the last practice, again, not at midnight, but on any given day.

“When I first started college, I didn’t adjust well,” Chloe stated, pulling out a few of the doors and setting them down next to the box. “I couldn’t sleep most of the time, and until I met Aubrey, I didn’t even have the Bella’s.”

“So you started to come out to the woods in the middle of the night to do what exactly?” I asked carefully, not seeing where she was going with this.

Chloe rolled her eyes, a trait I’m sure she picked up from me at this point. She grasped my hand, pulling me to my feet as she was careful around that root she tripped on earlier. I let her lead me down the path, not objecting as I held the light in front of us. It caught the strange sides of a few houses-

Tiny houses that were alike in craft and perfect in make. The same painted doors and easily carved fences were accompanied by little signs with words I couldn’t quite read. It was a magical and empathetic find that made me tilt my head to the side- a tiny town at the base of large oak trees behind a college campus.  

“what is all this?” I mumbled, once again squatting down to one of the little houses that had a door drilled into a naturally made hole that the tree had produced after years of weathering. It was beautiful and small, and a little sign stuck out to me. “Come, Faries, take me out of this dull world, for I would ride with you upon the wind and dance upon the mountains like a flame.”

“William Butler Yeats.”  I turned to stare at her, resting my hand lazily over my knee as I gazed into surreal blue eyes. Even in the darkness, they showed like the sea. “I uh- I started making these things because they were interesting to me, I didn’t expect other people to like them too.”

I stood slowly, shoes crushing against gravel. “A fairy forest?”

“Yeah, I suppose.” She shrugged her shoulders, pulling her hand up to the back of her neck as she scratched it nervously. “People always say that fairies are invisible… they’re magic and strange, but not in a bad way I just- I guess I just feel like them sometimes.”

I opened my mouth to speak but was cut off by a sharp and unruly breath that she dragged in. “I know, it’s lame. Which is why I do it at 1 am, because god, I make houses for mythical creatures that don’t even exist. And you think this is stupid right? It is stupid.”

“Chloe,” I grasped her arm, cutting her words off as she had her averted gaze flash back to mine. She was struggling to take a deep breath. It was clear that none of the other Bella’s, or anyone for that matter, had stumbled upon her secret. “I think it’s endearing.”

“You do?” She knit her eyebrows together, parting her lips slightly. “It’s not childish?”

“No, of course not.” I let out a small chuckle. “These are beautiful, Chlo. Everything about this is beautiful- and, and mysterious in a way. If I hadn’t of stumbled across you in the forest building them then I’d want to know who was.”

She let out a breath of relief, or maybe something more as she ran her hand through her hair. Shaking her head. “It’s just a hobby, Bec.”

“A damn cool one,” I said, turning back to the box “Come on, I want to help. Tell me what to do, Boss.”

Chloe stared in a bit of disbelief for a few seconds before snapping out of it. She shook her head with a slight beaming smile. “Uh, grab that hammer,”

I did as she said, forgetting about the chilled weather and the pain that ripped through me because of stupid fucking cardio. Instead, I built houses, little houses in the middle of the forest where other joggers and housewives could get a slight taste of mythically and wonder. Where I could finally get to know the bubbly personality of Chloe Beale.

The one that wasn’t so invisible to the very creatures we constructed houses for. The one that was never invisible, to begin with.    

[lore-a-lie]

Chapter 2, Act 2: Lessons of the Gymnopedia

Daily Life

Kaede found them all outside, which Monosuke wasn’t pleased about at all. Despite his earlier implications he was going to make this process as difficult as he could the Ninja Scroll still found its place in what was either the masked ninja’s mask or mouth.

Gonta looked rather guilty upon seeing Kaede, but before she could find out why she was being pulled along by Tenko who was eager to show off her own lab that had recently sprung from the scenery.

It was a welcome relief to see some traditional architecture that wasn’t at all related to Kiyo’s lab. Not that Kaede wasn’t still trying to get her memories of it out of her head.

Or that the kitsune mask the ninja statue wore was an unwelcome reminder of the one of a similar style Kiyo had in one of his cases near a cutesy mask he claimed had some connection to a brutal serial killer who targeted murderers. Nope, definitely not still traumatized by that extended lesson.

Not to say the Ultimate Aikido Master’s lab wasn’t still weird, between the large wooden fighting doll in the back and the odd hanging platforms. Kaede assumed this was related to Tenko’s spin on the art as opposed to being needed for the actual fighting style. (Which fits what was said about these all being made for us rather than our talents. Only Tenko and her Master know what Neo-Aikido even is.)

“Look Kaede, isn’t this awesome?! I could give you some lessons here later if you’d like, you may need them given the type of menaces you keep wasting your precious time on. Actually, that’s a great idea, I should give all the girls here some lessons for self-defense, thanks Kaede!” (... But I didn’t say anything?)

“Maybe another time, things with the fourth floor left me rather… Uh, drained? But thank you for the offer, it could be pretty useful. I’m not sure you should be limiting it to just the girls again though.”

Tenko got that look on her face like she was impersonating an insulted dead fish. “... Fine. Kaito maybe. Kibo probably, even if his flexibility is awful  and his weight could make things awkward. And while Gonta doesn’t need it he might still be fun to teach. But that’s it! It doesn’t matter how small and punchable he is, Kokichi is off the table! Kiyo too, because I don’t ever want to be in a room alone with that guy. Gives me some bad vibes.” (That’s fair.)

“Then what’s wrong with Ryoma? He’s been a pretty nice guy, and it might be easier for you to train him, Kaito, and Maki at once since I think they already do something similar together sometimes.”

“... I’m… Not sure I’d really want to teach Maki this either… But Ryoma’s a killer too! Why would I want to teach him any of my precious Neo-Aikido?! And even if I did how would I even demonstrate for a person that size? That’d be too much hassle for me, and like Gonta and Maki he doesn’t really need my help.”

There was little point in arguing against that, and Angie came bouncing in anyway to see what was going on putting a halt to that conversation. Monophanie was waddling along after her, like a duckling following its mother, as Kaede focused back on why she came.

“Hey, hey~ What’re you two doing in here huh? Has Kaede taken an interest in joining Atua’s efforts?”

“Efforts? I mean I came by since we found a Flashback Light in the computer room that opened up with the new labs. Also, yours is one of the two that opened Angie! It's just down the hall from Kiyo’s, so location aside I hope you’ll enjoy it. We just thought it might be good to regroup in the dining hall if you’re all done exploring too, to trade notes and see what we’ll do about the light. If that’s okay with everyone?”

Angie’s disposition shifted again, as if taking things more seriously for the moment to think, before going back to her bubbly bouncy persona. “Hmm, That will probably be for the best, for now, we are just about done here. It will be good to establish some new rules too. Kibo, Kirumi, and Tsumugi are likely already on their way there anyway, since they had nothing else to do around here since only Tenko’s lab appeared. So let’s all get going, C'mon, C'mon!” (New rules? For the killing game, like Monodam gave?)

When Kaede got there with Angie and Tenko everyone else was back and ready to talk about their discoveries. General information about all of the labs was shared, and Angie for her credit wasn’t the least bit disturbed by her new floormate or the descriptions of the area around her lab.

Gonta looks like he wanted to talk about something, likely the reason for the guilty expression from before, but the looks from Angie and her cultists was enough to convince him to keep quiet. So things moved onto the discussion of rules, and the tiebreaker scenario Monodam explained. But he wasn’t the only cub trying to endear themselves to the students they clung to in their efforts to solve their fighting.

Monophanie had indeed told Kirumi about another rule of the killing game that had yet to be touched on, regarding body discoveries. Even if the class strongly suspected a missing student was killed, until the requirement regarding students finding and bearing witness to the corpse was met everything would continue to act as if they weren’t dead.

Kibo apparently also pushed the issue and had her concede that even if everyone knew where a body was, without witnesses beyond the killer to “prove” someone was dead the game would continue to proceed as if they were still alive, like a twisted Schrodinger’s cat.

As there weren’t any rules about hiding or destroying bodies the implications of this rule were very concerning. Particularly since the killer themselves would never count as a witness to help get a case started in the first place. (No one knew what happened to the bodies of our other friends either really.)

But it was time to decide on what to do with the Flashback Light. Angie was against it, so Tenko, Kibo, and Gonta followed her lead, but Kirumi and Tsumugi’s curiosity won out to avoid a stalemate. There were too many mysteries that outweighed any risks using it could cause.

The Ultimate Hunt, the purpose of the Killing Game, why they hadn’t been found yet, even where this place was right now were dangerous unknowns that needed to be solved. (If they aren’t how are we supposed to ever get out and go home? Will we all even have homes to get back to? Can the lights return that hope to us those motives took?)

Despite Angie’s warnings to give up hope on leaving this place Kaede flicked the switch and the world around her warped once more. But not to one that made any sense.

Everyone had their own memorial photos, just like those that appear during the trials but with more color to them. This had to be a funeral ceremony, but for all 16 of them at once. People could be heard talking about an accident the occurred while Kaede and her classmates were all trying to escape from some group, but she didn’t know them or understood what this was meant to mean.

All this did was leave them with more questions. The way everyone spoke indicated they all shared this same “memory”, despite none of them being present for it. (Why even call it a Flashback Light if it isn’t tied to our specific memories? What are we supposed to do with this information? Or at all at this point.)

Monodam and Monophanie looked between themselves and the arguing students, as theories ranging from everyone being dead in some sort of purgatory high school or the memories being taken out of context like merely being part of a school play. Nothing was matching up, and every idea tossed around was soon shown to have more holes in it than swiss cheese when the group considered it.

Only Monosuke was enjoying the discord sewn by the newest batch of worthless memories, much like his father did, while his siblings had a nervous energy about them as they began planning something.

When it was agreed that nothing about the memories made sense the group decided to take a break to cool down and clear their heads best they could. Angie was oddly silent during the discussion but upon the dismissal, she made a beeline for assumably her lab, arms spread out to the side like an angled airplane.

Kaede instead resumed her silly self-given goal of finding all the Monokuma dolls she could. It was nice having a goal like that to reach, like a scavenger hunt, since after the first trial she already saw a bear that wasn’t there the day before. (And definitely has nothing to do with getting teddy bears to express any frustrations felt towards the monster they are based on. Or finding them cute on their own merits.)

It was a pleasant surprise to find one of these dancing dolls in her own lab, the pink winged figure making overblown leaps in front of her piano. And also rather creepy as she had no way of knowing if this doll was placed here because Monokuma (or his cubs) noticed her morbid little collection, but she tried to ignore those implications as she stashed the toy inside her bag and continued her search outside the school.

Until she overheard a conversation being held near the Shrine of Judgement, past her newest fluffy acquisition found on the stairs leading to it. Her curiosity quickly got the better of her as she tried to slip inside to better listen in on what her fellow students were talking about.

Downsides of having hearing as good as mine I guess, it’s easy to unintentionally listen in on others which I know is kinda rude. Also an upside for when it helps me learn of any fun gossipy stuff I’d be too out of touch to catch otherwise~

“My condolences Ryoma, I know all too well the pain that comes with such a loss.”

“Thanks. I wasn’t really expecting you to understand either. Just because of how…”

“I’m too unsettling for someone to care for in such a way? It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve heard that.” (“Care for in such a way”? What is Kiyo talking about? Is this about their motive videos again?)

“No. How young we all are. It’s weird enough to really get a serious girlfriend this early in life, much less lose them so soon.”

Wait, what, they're talking about girls? THESE two guys of all people had girlfriends already?! I’ve never even been on a date yet! … At least I don’t think I’ve ever been on one. I’ve hung out with guys before I guess, did that count? But what do they mean by “losing them”? They can’t mean...

“Polite of you to say so, but I think your lie is obvious. I suppose in a sense we’ve both been lucky, yes?”

“Strange sort of luck that would need to be. She’d still be alive and content back in America had she never met me.” (Oh… Ouch. Wonder what he means by that, was there an accident? How’d he even meet an American girl? Was she like... normal height or also tiny like him? How different was he before?)

“Do you think she would have been happier had that been case? Every meeting is a once in a lifetime interaction, life is but a series of chance encounters and farewells. Hardly a reason to blame yourself for embracing a golden opportunity. Sorrowful as a leaving may be it changes not the beauty that came before it. There can be a beauty to be found in even the darkest of times if one tries to look.”

“... You might be the most messed up type of optimist I’ve ever heard of, you know that?”

“Kehehe, is that so? An optimist am I, that’s how you chose to see me?”

“Sounds a lot better than calling you a masochist, trying to find anything good out of pain.”

“So better to sound civil than risk calling a spade a spade I take it? How considerate of you.”

“Okay, when you get like this you really can’t blame a guy for being confused why a girl would like you.”

The bluntness of the response only led to more of Kiyo’s laughter, at the indirect admittance of his earlier assessment. “I suppose that will remain my little secret then.”

“Seriously? Nothing? Not a single clue after you got me sharing? Not cool man.” (But Ryoma's still smiling~)

“Just because you answered my questions doesn’t mean you’re entitled to me responding to your own. It’s terribly uncouth for one to “kiss and tell”, wouldn’t you say?”

“Or you just made her up to get me to talk, you seem like the sort of guy who’d do that.” Ryoma’s words were said in a joking tone to Kaede, still hiding nearby, but Kiyo was insulted by the notion regardless.

“Then that is where you’d be completely wrong, even for the purpose of study to lie about such a thing is a line I wouldn’t choose to cross. Far too serious a matter to abuse it in such a way, which is precisely why matters of the heart are not meant to be merely spoken of with others in the first place.” (The big twist here is that Kiyo has been a romantic this whole time? Whaaat? That’s one I didn’t see coming.)

“I dunno, sounds like something a stalker might say.” Ryoma snarked with a smirk. But Kiyo was adjusting better to his sense of humor as he played along with the lighthearted jab better this time.

“I assure you while there may have been allegations and restraining orders in my past they are all completely unrelated to the topic at hand. Those were merely results of miscommunication in regards to my appearance and... tendency to perhaps overindulge in the art of “people watching” outside of fieldwork.” (Ah, okay, thank goodness something here makes sense. Everything is still right with the world.)

Kiyo took the moment to pause for Ryoma’s laughter, which was a rare occurrence to hear his deep chuckle. “Honestly Ryoma, I’m rather hurt you’d accuse me of stalking when Kaede has been spying on our conversation since she caught wind of the word “condolences”. Tell me, has your curiosity been sated yet, or will it take a bit longer for satisfaction to bring this particular cat back?” (WAIT WHAT?! Oh shit, how’d he notice?! And what is he talking about? If you’re going to mess with me make sense first!)

The candy cig actually fell out of his mouth when Ryoma turned around to see Kaede awkwardly squatting behind one of the stone flower pots, blushing hard enough to nearly match their roses now that her cover was completely blown.

After the shock, he displayed his expression went to one used by so many parents before him. He wasn’t mad at her, just disappointed. Unlike Kiyo who hid any possible annoyance felt rather well. His obvious enjoyment caused by pulling the rug out from under her, not so much.

“I, uhh… Sorry! It was originally an accident honest! I’ve always had excellent hearing, but…”

“But you just couldn’t resist some good ol’ teen drama bullshit, could you?” Ryoma asked, rubbing at his forehead as Kaede bashfully nodded.

“I didn’t mean to, I just thought it was unusual to see the two of you hanging out, I’m so sorry.”

“There is truth to this, our conversation began only due to Kokichi’s most recent set of antics. He still hasn’t settled on what role of a jester he should be playing since his more malevolent persona fell apart. He supposedly wasn’t lying about his intent to make an event in protest to Tenko’s poolside shenanigans, as he requested Kaito, Ryoma, and I to join him at the Casino later tonight. Given Kaito’s personality, I am inclined to believe Maki may be in attendance as well, given she wasn’t a part of Tenko’s group before from what I gather. Would you care to join us?” (I’ll just not mention I was a part of Tenko’s party then.)

“Sure, I guess? I haven’t really been there much since it didn’t look like many of the games were working yet but it might be fun to be there with a group. But what about Gonta and Kibo?”

“When we asked before he said “no traitors allowed”, since Gonta ended up joining Angie and Kibo was at the girl’s thing before, so he’s just being a brat again. Probably anyway. Who even knows with this guy?”

“Well that’s good for youse guys but all this bullshit’s gonna hafta wait a bit. We have ourselves another nice little present for you bastards out in the gym, and you don’t want us and our Exisals to cause any trouble you better get down there ASAP. No delays, no excuses, vah menos!”

And as suddenly as Monosuke appeared to give the three those orders he was gone, toddling off in the direction of the school. But with little room or reason to object they swiftly followed him, joining everyone else waiting for the monokub’s newest motive. (Why do this if most want to end the game?)

The crowd in the gym again had itself become neatly divided with Angie’s group near the left wall while Kaito, Kokichi, and Maki waited for Kaede and the others along the right-hand side. Too bad Angie and Kaito were arguing again closer to the middle, likely encouraging keeping everyone divided this way, while Monophanie and Monodam kept turning to look at whoever was speaking as if they were watching a particularly intense game of tennis. Well, Monophanie turned, Monodam’s head swiveled.

“Atua says there is no place for murderers in a peaceful academy life like we should strive to have. Ryoma and Maki have too many ties to the horrors of death to simply roam unchecked.”

“And I say that's a load of crap and you know it! What you have us do, lock them up over something they ain’t fuckin’ gonna do in the first goddamn place?! Ryoma already paid for his crimes, and you can’t just going around judging either of them like this!” Kaito shouted, while Kirumi tried to argue for this idea.

“This could be as much as a help to their safety as it is for the rest of us, as if they are supervised then no one else would have the opportunity to attack them out of a misplaced sense of paranoia.”

“Speaking for yourself there?" Kokichi chimed in, to Kirumi's obvious displeasure. "Would you also be one of the people that would be “supervised” after your own little stunt against Ryoma? I’d be more than happy to keep an eye on my mom if you want me to~”

“Of course not, she’s also a member of the student council! She may have lost her temper before but she’s better now, and she’s in agreement with the rest of us so she’s not a danger to anyone at all.” Tenko argued, not that Kokichi was buying anything as he gave her and Kirumi skeptical but nonplussed looks.

“Hey, everyone let’s settle down. What are you talk-” Kaede tried to ask, before the Monosuke decided to take control of the situation instead.

“Listen up ya chumps, let’s get right down to business! ‘Cuz we’ve got anotha great motive for you all.”

“It won’t matter, nothing you can do will make us participate in your killing game anymore. We have Atua to help guide us now.” (Good god Kibo you really have been drinking the kool-aid haven’t you?)

“You-Misunderstand, That-Is-Not-What-This-Motive-Is-For!”

“What are you talking about? A scary motive like this was left behind by Daddy, so of course it can be used to help with the killing game if Monosuke wants it to.”

“That’s-Not-Why-I-Agreed-To-It. This-Is-A-Motive-That-Can-Bring-Everyone-Closer-Together! Because-It- Can-Return-A-Friend-The-Game-Took-Away-From-Us-All-Before.”

“Us all”? Not “You all”? I thought he and Monophanie only started hanging out with us because they were fighting with Monosuke. Is he really trying to “be friends” with us now because of the problems with him and his siblings? Why do that?

“Can it, ya tin can! That isn’t how this’ll work you hear me?! So listen up you fucks and listen good! This here motive is no mere book ya’know. It’ll be the most terrifying shit you’ve ever seen. Because what we got right here is the groundwork to get you all a new “transfer student”... Of a sort. Right Monophanie?” Monosuke began to explain with a snicker as he passed the duty to his sister like a twisted set of show announcers.

“Of course Monosuke! Because the place they’ll be “transferring” from is Beyond The Grave ~ Isn’t that just the most fear-inducing thing you’ve ever heard?! You’ll be able to resurrect one of the four people who have died in this killing game back to life, to welcome them back into the class.”

“Correct! But-This-Will-Only-Work-On-One-Of-The-Four. We’re-Sorry. You-Will-Understand-Why-When- You-Read- How-It-Works-In-The-Necronomicon-We-Will-Provide-For-You. But-” Monodam tried to add, wanting to be a part of this two as his siblings made no attempt to include him, but he was quickly shot down.

“But nothin’! And no “sorries” neither, this is a fuckin’ gift to you all, so you bastards better be grateful. So you gotta choose carefully you schmucks, ‘cuz you only have this one chance. And who even knows what your student of choice will be like. Same as they were before, like nothin’ happened to ‘em in the first place? Gross ass zombies still fucked up from how they died? Somethin’ in between? Or maybe they’ll be like someone completely new, who fuckin’ knows?! Won’t that be a blast to find out, huh?”

What?

This can’t be real.

They can’t be serious.

This can’t be happening.

Could I really talk to Shuichi again?

Everyone else seemed to be having similar thoughts as the Monokubs derailed themselves yet again, Monophanie objecting over how she was never told how “icky” the transfer student could be. So the fact they genuinely don’t know what will come of this appeared to be honest at the very least, and if not this being the first she’s heard of it does incline one to think the student will be returned to the class hale and whole. (Even if that may just be wishful thinking on my part. But this doesn’t sound like something a resurrection manual would just leave out, unless the cubs didn’t even bother reading all of it.)

“There’s no way bringing back the dead could really be possible… Right?” Tsumugi quietly asked.

“R-Right, ‘course it isn’t! They’re just being stupid to rile us up, no way in hell it’s possible!”

Kaito insisted, much to Tenko’s displeasure.

“Hey! Aren’t you the degenerate who likes to claim the “impossible is possible”? Why are you changing your tune now, huh?! This could bring Himiko back, you coward!”

To that, Kiyo was the first to make his objection. “Now I may be one inclined to doubt a skepticism born from the hubris that often comes with a purely scientific background but I must concur with Kaito. While many cultures around the globe may have indeed made their own twists on rituals made to grant safe passage for a soul from one life onto the next to one instead meant to bring a person back from whatever “afterlife” they believe in, none have ever truly succeeded in such a lofty goal. And if merely communicating with someone who has been lost to us is what would be desired from using their suspect methods, we already had the means of contacting any departed spirit in my own lab which would be a more trustworthy alternative.”

“Uhh, wait a sec, aren’t you contradicting yourself there? And I’m not sure “trustworthy” would be the word you’re looking for.” (Like you can be one to talk Kokichi. Stupid jerk. Both of you.)

“Not at all, a spirit needs a vessel to best communicate, and no ritual exists that can bring back the flesh of the departed in such a way to sustain it to a point one could call it “life”. A soul might be given a temporary medium or even “haunt” a particular person or object so they can continue to interact with this world, and that could be seen as returning from the great beyond to some extent, but never in a way that leaves any of the parties involved properly satisfied. Nothing like what is being suggested-”

But thankfully before Kiyo could get more into his rant Maki cut him off.

“Then that’s fine, no need to go into it more than that. If even the closest thing we could have to an occultist specialist doesn’t believe it could be possible then the idiot must be right for once. No more need for discussion. We don’t need to go around needlessly humoring dangerous motives anymore-”

“Is it only natural for one so quick to end the lives of others be as quick to rule out bringing them back?”

Maki’s glare was enough to nearly chill the room, already feeling cooler than it should as the subject was giving everyone goosebumps, but Kirumi took her anger head on while barely batting a lash.

“Atua agrees with Tenko and Kiyo. It wouldn’t really be so strange for this to be possible in an Eden such as this.” And with that said Angie’s people were all ears, which helped to keep the tensions between the assassin and maid from escalating any further. “Nyahaha! Come now, everything in this new world of ours is odd enough isn’t it? How can we even really know the ones we believe are “dead” really are? Their bodies get taken from us so quickly, “crime scenes” cleaned up so thoroughly as if nothing had happened, and even “executions” so over the top that it just couldn’t be possible, right?  So far past any suspension of disbelief that all of this must surely be impossible, shouldn’t it?" She asked, but they felt more like rhetorical questions than anything else.

At the silence of the others considering her words gave her to the opportunity, she continued. "Atua surely thinks so. For Atua knows our dead can be “returned” to us even if “resurrection” is indeed impossible. Because no one is really dead here. They never were.” (But that’s not possible! We checked the bodies. Not me specifically, but Shuichi, Korekiyo, and Maki would have all surely noticed this! ... Right?)

“Do you honestly believe a mere imitation could capture the sensation of a warm body growing cold? Surely you jest. And even if my own assessment of Himiko’s condition was admittedly amateurish then Maki would have easily caught such a massive discrepancy with a background such as her own, yes?” Korekiyo retorted, echoing Kaede’s own thoughts. But something about what he said made Kokichi stare blankly at him for a moment, before recovering enough to return to his cheshire cat grin. Had it been any faster Kaede isn’t sure she would have even noticed the brief change, or catch the colder look in his eyes.

“We can’t prove they aren’t at any rate, look at the levels of technology the existence of Monokuma, the Monokubs, and the Exisals shows this place has access to. Even if the murder victims were real then a means of saving them before the point of no return may have indeed been possible, and they are the only bodies Maki has ever been close enough to check.”

But even if we didn’t see Miu’s body, we saw Shuichi’s. He was shot- er stabbed?- through the head. He was moving before the blow landed, we never lost sight of him in that horrible room, and there couldn’t be any way to recover from a brain injury like that if nothing else right? T-that had to be real. No matter how much we wished it wasn’t. Or how often.

“But wasn’t the basis of wanting Angie to lead in order to avoid doing what the game wanted by using the motives Monokuma and his cubs gave us like I encouraged before? Is it really okay for you to change tunes like this because this one would be more convenient for all of us if it’s true? I… I want you to be right Angie. Honest, I do. It’d be great if everyone was still alive safe somewhere else, away from here. But we’ve been burned before, and I don’t want a repeat of that. Please let’s just think things through.”

Kaede’s point did raise some debate. This had turned Angie’s initial point on its head, but the bond of the cult, their “faith” in her and by extension Atua, was strong enough to ignore the hypocrisy at play.

“It doesn’t matter in end, student council still able to protect everyone! And Angie our good president. And she says motive to save student won’t be used to hurt anyone. If book says rescuing not-really-dead friends mean other friends need to be hurt to work then we won’t listen to book, promise. No worries!” Gonta claimed with a comforting smile and absolute confidence.

“So that’s what this is Gonta? A “Student Council” to end the killing game?” Kaede asked.

“Yup! So Kaede no worry no more. No more killings happen, that why Gonta and Tenko here! We enforce rules Atua makes so people no get hurt or hurt each other again. No more disagreements.”

“So you think that gives you the right to just set this up under everyone’s noses? Like we’d ever agree to this. All this will lead to is either more disagreements or Angie trying to set herself up as a tyrant Gonta.”

Ryoma spoke up with a level head, and Gonta looked taken aback by this. But it was likely a good thing Ryoma said something first as Kokichi looked nearly seething at what was going on. Not intentionally either, as Keade saw him try to fall back onto his smiling mask from the corner of her eye, trying to keep herself from drawing attention to him.

No one else noticed it, as he was near the back of the crowd while Kiyo took to rambling on about the nature of cults and the reasons why they form in places like this, giving him time to re-adjust. And when he did he cheerily went along with Kiyo’s rant in order to highlight the means of Angie’s manipulations. Even though he should know they wouldn’t listen.

So I was right. He’s not okay with this either, hell he’s even more bothered by how Angie’s doing this than I honestly am. This just means we have to find another way of bringing us all back together.

“Please everyone, let’s just calm down-”

“Indeed, no need for anyone to worry at all! The student council will take care of the resurrection ritual so no one else has to worry about anything. Atua will decide what we will do with it at a later time.”

And with that Angie gladly took the book from Monosuke’s eager paws and tightly held it to her chest as she began skipping away from the conversation. It’s not like there would have been reasoning with her anyway.

Kaito looked nearly as sick as Kaede felt over things ending on a note like that but there was nothing else that could be done so everyone began to disperse. Kaede took another look around the campus for monokuma dolls to try and lose the ache in her chest before trying to go to the Casino.

She had found another before nighttime began, but it came with its own unwelcome discovery. The little bear was just sitting in the boiler room that led to their best possible exit, but it wasn’t like before.

The manhole cover was put snugly back into place and covered in large rocks so no one could try to attempt to remove it again. It was all too heavy for this to be a mistake, but at the same time, it hadn’t been moved before Himiko… Before the second trial was held. So while it could be a Monokub’s doing with their Exisals that may not be the case.

Was this why Gonta looked guilty before? Was this Angie’s plan? Why can’t she understand staying isn’t an option?! Rantaro died to prove this fact to us already! If he hadn’t we all would have. Except for the mastermind and maybe anyone else who might not have been “forced” to play this killing game.

At least she’ll be able to bring this up to Kokichi or Kaito after the get-together. Even if she told everyone at the Casino what happened it’s unlikely any of them would be able to lift the manhole cover to fix it.

No need to ruin Kokichi’s bit of harmless fun, everyone needs as much levity in this awful place as they can get. It’s what will keep everyone together, and in the process make bonds to help protect them. (Even if that sort of planning hasn’t really worked for us yet. It’s the best idea I can come up with here.)

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